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Preface:

This document contains contextual information of an adult nature.
Sensitive and/or non-adult individuals should delete this document
immediately.

If you are under 21 or you are an adult who does NOT wish to view
sexually explicit contextual material, YOU MUST LEAVE NOW!

By continuing you are stating that you are an adult and understand that
falsely claiming otherwise is unlawful and may result in your
prosecution.  You are hereby warned to conduct yourself according to
your local standards regarding the reading of adult erotic material.

The following is a literary work of adult erotic fiction and is laced
with tremendously immoral and strongly perverse sexual activities
between an adult man and underage girls.  If you are the least offended
by physical contact of a sexual nature between an adult man and a young
female child, then delete this file and be on your way.  There will be
no pity taken on, nor comments accepted from anyone who does not heed
this warning.

None of the events described herein ever took place nor were influenced
by the descriptions or deeds by any human being.  Everything in this
fantasy was the creation of a single person's mind, where nobody was
touched, fondled, coaxed, or coerced into any sexual situation.

Enjoy this wicked reverie at your own risk and do not be surprised if
you find yourself aroused.

Eliston X. 'Eli' Gaulfre
Rewdius@gmail.com

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TheVoid.txt

Into The Void

Mg Mg+ gg
Cons, Rom, Pett, Pedo, Oral, Anal, Piv, 1st, ScFi, Preg, Les, Inc

     -----------------------------------------------

The selection process wasn't that hard.  All they needed was someone who
was smart, could take orders, able to think on their feet, self
sufficient if communications was lost, and be ready to point the nose of
their craft into the rogue dark comet at the end.  Having a 12 year old
fellow passenger was a surprise; she's brilliant, very eager to learn
and have fun, and just as likely to die young as I was.  Her size was
perfect in many ways.  I'm glad nobody knew what my real needs were.

     -----------------------------------------------

"Houston, Phoenix."

"Go ahead, Phoenix."

"Houston, MECO (Main Engine CutOff) was about ten seconds late, but the
trajectory still looks good.  I guess the stage one processor should
have been built by a contractor two steps above the low bidder.  It just
means we'll get to 'the object' a little bit earlier, that's all."

"Copy that, Phoenix.  We saw that on the ground-based tracking cameras.
What's your impression of our new throttle-able SRB (solid rocket
booster)?  Was the launch as tough as the engineers had anticipated from
their test data or the propulsion unit any less impressive now that
you've gotten a chance to try it out?"

"It really wasn't as bad as we were told, Houston.  They said it was
gonna start out at 3-G's ... something like the bottom end of a really
tall roller coaster ride, and I'm pretty sure my passenger back there
might agree with them."

"What about the delta-vee in acceleration and any adverse effects on you
or your crew mate?"

"Not as noticeable as they said it would be.  Sure, it felt as if we had
an elephant sitting on our chests for a while, but my overall impression
of such a long ride wasn't horribly unpleasant.  I thought forty five
minutes with that much G-load would make us pass out, but just before
MECO I checked on my passenger and she was okay.  I'd have to say your
new boost stage could be qualified as a flaming success."

There was a brief pause in CapCom's (Capsule Communicator) response, so
I figured he must have been rolling his eyes at my poor attempt at
humor.  When CapCom keyed his mike I could hear a few people laughing in
the background.

"By the way, CDR (Commander) ... don't try stand-up as a living."

Commander.  What a strange title for someone who'd never been in the
military, hadn't gone to college, or spent more than six months in any
one place my entire adult life.  For them to use such an intimidating
term on me at our training facility in Florida was hard to get used to
for a while, until they convinced me my new, honorable, and very
temporary title was traditional for the head and 'driver' of our ride.
To hear it in my headphone after our liftoff almost seemed normal.

"Copy that, Houston ... especially in zero-G."

CapCom didn't respond right away, but I imagined a few groans being
expressed and lots of eyes being rolled mockingly around the room.
Rather than focus on my need to brush up on my humor CapCom resumed his
dialog.

"We were hoping you'd be okay after such a long ride, you two.  The best
possible transition from 1-G at the pad, to 75% thrust at liftoff, and
then that really long delta-vee in flight at over three G's to max-Q for
the rest of the trip into micro gravity beyond orbit would have been for
them to ... "

As his words spilled through to my brain I realized I was staring almost
mindlessly into the deepest black I'd ever seen in my life.  The view
through the narrow rectangular periscope directly in front of my face
was no longer tinted a deep blue, bland white, or even streaked with
color.  It was filled from one edge to the other with a single immutable
and foreboding darkness.  I didn't have to check to be sure the other
three forward-facing ports around the periphery of the nose at the major
compass points looked just like the one I'd been staring through since I
was strapped into my tight spot.  This was no longer a simulation, and
the other backup periscopes most likely exhibited the same obsidian hue.

Our target, 'the object', was out there, somewhere ... silently making
its way toward my former home and totally unconcerned about what would
happen when the invading celestial body, most likely from the Oort
Cloud, met the Earth at unbelievable speed.  It would have been neat to
see the explosion, but the aftermath of all that heat, radiation, and
dust in the atmosphere didn't bode well to anything that walked,
crawled, slithered, or swam.

" ... so how's your MS-1 (Mission Specialist One) doing, CDR?"

All it took was a quick glance into the overhead mirror slightly above
the periscope for me to see my MS-1's eyes wide in excitement, her huge
smile, and a look of utter glee on what little of her lovely round face
I could see through her visor.  Of all the mission specialists they
could have sent with me Keiko was the youngest human being who'd ever
flown into space.  She was also one of the most intelligent twelve year
olds I'd ever met in my life, and she seemed more eager to learn than
the most gifted college major.

As a near teen she was also more petite than I expected, her height and
overall appearance more like a child a few years younger than ten rather
than someone anxious to turn thirteen.  The prominence of two little
bumps across her chest displayed in a few of her snug outfits at the KSC
(Kennedy Space Center) training center was additional confirmation that
my MS-1 wasn't some prepubescent infant.  Her sporting the same
hairstyle I'd assumed made her look like a tiny Asian female Buddhist
monk, but that didn't bother me at all, because she was cute to me with
or without the shoulder length jet-black hair she had the day I saw her
at the impressive KSC meeting facility.

Her prerequisites made her the perfect rider, mine no less remarkable,
but certainly not nearly as impressive.  She'd scored higher on all the
typical school tests that advanced her more than anyone her age, could
work complex geometric, algebraic, calculus, and trigonometric functions
in her head, could recite Shinto and Buddhist teachings from memory,
knew literature and music as if she could breathe them, and was also
physically talented beyond imagination.  Her small fingers could pluck a
guitar like a pro, could tickle the ivories on a piano as if she'd
frequented Carnegie Hall, and she could sing like a bird.  The fact that
she was as cute as a Japanese button and had a smile that could tempt an
angel out of Heaven completed her to perfection.

My qualifications were the ability to fix things, reason things through
unemotionally, and develop action plans that were logical and practical.
Couple that with a sense of conservatism regarding lifestyle and food,
and my history of living well but frugally for years on the road meant
that I could keep my head about me over a long journey.  With limited
supplies of food, water, and consumables I scored higher than all the
other people with a hero mentality and a chip on their shoulder who
needed to prove something to themselves or some imagined adulate crowd.
The fact that I was going to die in a year or so, but my head would be
clear for at least half that time, meant my selection was almost a
foregone conclusion.  But Keiko in the Phoenix behind me made the trip
seem worthwhile beyond any of my former wishes to go out in a blaze of
soundless glory.

There were so many people there that first day at KSC I could have
missed Keiko in the maddening throng, except for her size, her shoulder
length raven hair dancing about as she walked, the intensity of her
eyes, and the way she looked at me just one time.  I can still clearly
remember each of her anxious gazes into my eyes from then on, especially
after we'd been approved for additional testing and she'd accomplished
something at our training facilities in Florida.  Her stares up into my
face seemed to indicate a strong need to prove how brilliant she was, as
if she wanted me, of all people, to be incredibly proud of her and
needed my acceptance.

Rather than silently wax poetic about our special time at KSC it was
necessary for me to remain focused, CapCom's voice tickling enough of my
brain into action that I remembered to answer.

"Doing fine, Houston.  Tell her parents, her many KSC instructors, and
if you can later on, her teachers and friends in Japan, that she handled
the ride much better than I expected.  In fact, I think she's having
more fun than I am."

"Ha, ha ... copy that, Phoenix."

The chuckle in Alan's voice over the radio was proof that he might have
remembered the afternoon at the KSC training facility when he saw me
chasing Keiko outside in the sun.  My little MS-1 was so happy that day
and laughed so loud when I caught and then tickled her on the wide flat
grassy area outside the main training center that more than one person
heard and took notice.  Even though he knew we had lots of work and
plenty of studying to do he didn't have the heart to make us come back
inside to finish one last grueling hour of training that day.

Once we had a little bit of fun and she was tired enough to completely
surrender to me I picked her up, hung her upside down over my shoulder,
and carried a blue jumpsuit-clad tiny future astronaut-in-training back
inside.  In spite of the chance to slack off and miss some valuable
training we got our work done after our primary training crew was
already gone for the day.  The eager backup education team helped us put
in four more hours of memorization and evaluations after we'd eaten
dinner.

CapCom's subdued laugh stirred another flashback I hadn't expected, and
my mind drifted back to a scene after I first met him.  I'd seen the
pictures of Alan's family prominently and proudly displayed on his
incredibly neat desk in his KSC office.  I knew his wife Caroline and
daughters Danielle and Kim were on his mind each time he saw me and
Keiko together, whether we were taking nearly endless notes during our
classroom time, or running through simulations to control our ship, the
Phoenix.

It was apparent he valued whatever time he got with his own girls,
because he was our most ardent supporter when Keiko and I were allowed
to steal a few minutes away from the intense hours of study and long
practice sessions in the simulator.  That was proved when Alan was seen
by our LD (Launch Director) silently watching my MS-1 and her CDR play
outside on the grass between two of the buildings.  It wasn't a horrible
crime, but our LD really gave Alan a hard time about allowing us to play
when we should have been working, protecting us from the few people who
tried to gain our attention, and keeping people from making us go back
inside.

For Alan to want to be our CapCom in Houston at the JSC (Johnson Space
Center) proved he truly needed to be a part of our journey.  I hoped he
was able to bring his family along with him from Florida, because I knew
his wife and girls meant more to him than anyone else in the world.  I
suppose since we were on our way to our glorified demise he must have
felt a special connection to Keiko and me, my little MS-1 a lovely
sprite who must have stolen a small part of Alan's heart.  I was pretty
sure his girls got a few more hugs each day as a result of what Keiko
had volunteered for, and his favorite, Dani, must have been forefront in
his thoughts whenever someone was talking about their own daughter.

I could only suppose how the LD would have felt if one of his own little
girls was hurtling through space toward something that only a limited
number of people who knew didn't really want to think or talk about.
Our LD knew what we were headed for, but the guy must have been more
concerned with our being as thoroughly trained as we could possibly be.
I couldn't really blame the guy for his being that insistent, but it did
irk me a few times when I saw him glaring at either Alan or us.  Since I
didn't have any children of my own and never saw the need for a
permanent girlfriend to tie me down my thoughts weren't affected nearly
as intensely as Alan's might have been, but I'm glad for his
sensitivity.

"Phoenix, Houston.  The time line says you're coming up on stage one
separation.  Be ready for a little "

<BOOM>

Both Keiko and I were immediately shoved hard into our custom made
conformal carbon fiber seats and then thrust forward into the restraint
harnesses integrated into our pressure suits.  They said the initial
shock from MECO and S-1B Sep (Stage One Booster Separation) was going to
be bad, because of the unusually large size of the main propulsion unit
to get us as far into space as quickly as possible, and unfortunately
they were right.  Sure, they could have scaled back on the massive size
of the ascent rocket and used multiple stages to get us from our launch
site into outer space and on our way, but time and money were the most
important factors.

They also needed to perform multiple tests at the same time to justify
what we were doing at the front end of their brand new, very large, and
thrust-controlled solid propellant booster.  A bank of remote ground
control electronic recording devices and servo controllers might have
been one way to perform their tests, but a couple of disposable human
beings was a better means of evaluating what they needed to know.  As
long as we could handle the constant high 'G' loads and the incredibly
long burn duration it would have to do, and we'd just have to suck it
up and relay our findings back to Houston.

I could actually feel intense pain in my lower back from the sharp lurch
and wished I could have brought more than a small 'space foam' mattress
along with me.  It would have been nice to have a little more padding on
the nearly flat plate they called a 'seat', but weight meant more fuel,
which also meant more cost, and a potential delay in the meeting we had
planned for us with what was out there.  Customizing any unnecessary
accessories for creature comfort would have also added time to the
launch date, which meant less of a chance at success; at the very least
we had to have that.

Tied to my seat in a near fetal posture might have been unusual to most
astronauts, but our cabin was fairly tiny, and I needed to be crammed
into a small space just so I could fit and still access the controls and
viewports and wouldn't black out because of the abnormal and constant
G-loads for such a long period of time.  Keiko, on the other hand, was
so petite her seat was basically a slightly padded bed, and she was
stretched out as if she were lying down right behind me, so she wouldn't
have to worry about being uncomfortable while feeling such harsh gravity
loads on her smaller body.

Since we were running a bare-bones one-way mission we weren't even given
a launch escape mechanism in case we had to ditch if something went
horribly wrong during liftoff.  The damned booster was big enough that
we were guaranteed to be in orbit sooner and faster than all of the
previous space agency flights, and the puny size of our space ship
sitting at the skyward end of the rocket motor was dwarfed by the tall
cylindrical drive section.

The normally abundant padding from the parachute pack with its supply of
flares, water, raft, and sealed food typically provided astronauts and
cosmonauts and strapped to their backs would have added yet more cost
and weight that might jeopardize accomplishing our primary goal.

Rather than the bulky protective units normally provided to men and women
venturing out of Earth's atmosphere our space suits were little more
than the pressure liner from a normal ascent/re-entry outfit.  Our
gloves and booties were practically sewn into place instead of locked
tight to our protective outfits with metal rings and fasteners before we
climbed into our small but not horribly cramped cockpit.  Sure, I would
have liked a much roomier craft, but the folks at KSC used what they had
access to when their initial plans were being developed, and that meant
Keiko and I would have to live inside a space that was little more than
half a typical school bus.

Being lifted into place already strapped in and then clipped into the
bulkhead by four big guys just before launch seemed a strange way to
assume my position as CDR, but I certainly couldn't have climbed all the
way forward to such a small space on Earth because of the effect gravity
had on me.  Clipping Keiko in behind me was no more difficult for the
ascent team than hoisting a rack of electronics into place by the same
pre-flight guys who got me stuffed into the forward end of our space
ship.  Even the term 'space' ship was a rather generous description,
because there was very little room inside our ride toward destiny after
it had been filled with our supplies.

The day Keiko and I saw the Phoenix for the first time sitting atop a
huge single-stage booster that towered what seemed like a mile into the
sky we felt more than a little intimidated.  The booster section alone
looked longer than a football field, but we were told it was slightly
less than that at two hundred forty eight feet and nearly twenty five
feet in diameter.  Just one of the two SRB's for the shuttle was almost
one hundred fifty feet long, just over twelve feet in diameter, and
weighed one point three million pounds each, so the huge size of their
new adjustable-output booster was quite an improvement in size and
power.

They tried to relate how much energy their new unit had compared to the
previous boosters and how the thrust could be controlled through small
amounts of compressed gas and even tinier amounts of liquid chemical
inputs, but once they started talking about delta-vee, mass versus
thrust, and the way the control systems monitored the power through the
use of load cells and rate gyro assemblies to control the hydraulic
power units to direct the nozzle and steer the booster I just smiled and
pretended to understand what they were talking about.

Each time either Keiko or I left a space agency manager with the
impression that the boost stage appeared more than a little intimidating
we were told that it was designed to be safer, more powerful, and had
far more protection built in than anything they'd constructed before.
We were even allowed to play with and smash some of the solid fuel using
a hammer in one of the labs to prove the stuff wouldn't go off before
the right combination of chemical reactants had been introduced after it
was lit.  The original aluminum perchlorate stuff in the shuttle
boosters could be handled and moved around without *too* much risk, but
the newer stuff they kept talking about with smiles on their faces must
have been quite an accomplishment.

They might have been able to calm our nerves a little bit, but I don't
think neither Keiko nor I truly relaxed while standing close to the
impressive and towering behemoth.  Just the thought of us being strapped
into a tiny metal tube atop that tall propulsion unit sent shivers up
and down our spines.

Our preparations were so rushed that KSC didn't even build the extensive
sensory and feedback systems into our craft that were typical of most
space vehicles.  Everything that was normally monitored and reported
back to the hundreds of people who were supposed to help us keep tabs on
our ship and biological functions was missing from ours.  Not having an
on-board camera meant that our only contact with the folks back on Earth
was through a single two-way radio.  If it went out we'd have nothing to
communicate with and would be completely on our own.

The space-to-ground VOX (Voice Operated Transceiver) was thankfully
turned off to Keiko's helmet at S-1B Sep, her high-pitched shriek over
the local intercom proof that she was more surprised than she might have
wanted her parents at KSC or friends back in Japan to find out about.
To comfort her I reached around behind me and pressed my gloved hand to
her petite left leg.  All it took was a firm squeeze around her suited
thigh for me to hear a softly spoken bit of gratitude.

"Thanks, Truman."

I flipped the VOX off for my helmet radio mike and attempted my best
comforting voice for the preteen.

VOX-OFF/CDR.

"Just let me know if you need anything, Keiko.  You know it's just the
two of us now, and we need to trust each other and be comfortable with
any special secret we need to share.  I told you at flight training in
Florida that I'll do everything I can to keep you from being scared, but
you've got to share whatever's in your pretty little brilliant head,
okay?  I may be a fairly smart guy, but I'm not telepathic."

To feel her gloved hand caress the outside of my left shoulder from
behind filled me with a strange sense of calm, as if her lightest touch
was worth more than any extra time on the Earth I could have hoped for
or gotten.  Capturing her fingertips for a few seconds with my right
hand and giving them a little squeeze was the right thing to do.

"Tee-Hee!"

VOX-ON/CDR.

The vox was turned back on for one last comment before I began to make
my best attempt at untwisting a pretzel after it had been baked.  We'd
have to do our ascent suit removal immediately after we climbed out of
our 'seats', and having practiced getting 'undressed' at our training
facility with our trainers hanging around made my doing it in front of
Keiko by ourselves feel very different.  I only hoped she wasn't going
to be intimidated by me stripping my outer vestment off.

"Houston, Phoenix."

"Go ahead, Phoenix."

"I'm about to do the first system wide check before we climb out of our
launch positions and ascent suits."

"Copy, Phoenix.  Be sure to confirm proper cabin pressure before you
de-suit."

"Copy, Houston.  I'm lowering our suit pressure and riching up the
oxygen for our last nitrogen purge."

As I'd practiced dozens of times already I reached around my waist with
my left hand to the large silver knob slightly behind me to my right and
watched the needle on the analog pressure gauge slowly shift from 10 to
6 PSI.  Once it was set to ensure adequate oxygen stores for our four
month journey I locked it down.  It would feel like we were living in
the Andes, but people had been there for many hundreds of years already,
so we should be able to cope with it.  The mixed gas regulator to our
suits was turned off and the oxygen percentage was increased to full so
we could remove any unwanted gasses from our bloodstream before we
de-suited and didn't accidentally get the bends in the lower pressure
cabin environment.

The vox for our radio mikes was switched off once again.

VOX-OFF/CDR.

"You okay, Keiko?  Are you getting a headache or feeling queasy?"

"A little bit, but it kinda reminds me of how I felt after I got off one
of the really scary rides at the Magic Kingdom."

"That's a great way of thinking about it, Angel.  Just think about the
biggest and scariest roller coaster ride you were on and the way your
tummy felt when you were able to get off the ride when it was over."

"Kinda like that really strong feeling when we launched."

"Yeah ... like that feeling."

"Kay ... I'm better now."

"Good girl."

"Thanks, Truman."

"For what, Sweetie?"

"For always checking on me and making me feel good."

"That's what I'm supposed to do, MS-1.  You might have to take over the
controls if I fall asleep or just wanna play dolls or something."

"Tee-Hee!"

"I need to go back to work now, Honey."

"Kay."

I surveyed the condition of various controls, made a number of
instrument readings, verified everything was working as designed, and
then informed the folks back in Houston what I'd found.

VOX-ON/CDR.

"Houston, Phoenix."

"Go ahead, Phoenix."

"Houston ... oxygen pressure nominal, inertial navigation as was
predicted by the flight test computer, main power buss green, our
trajectory is on the line ...  a bit heavy in the ass with the last
minor course adjustment right after MECO, "

"Tee-Hee!"

A high pitched giggle in my headset confirmed that I needed to watch any
references I made that were slightly 'off color'.

" ... stabilization a bit off and a little yaw imparted as a result of
the stage one pyros kicking us into an attitude that wasn't anticipated,
but the INU has confirmed that the rate gyros and thrusters will be able
to maintain control of our heading if our course changes too much."

"Copy that.  Be sure to deploy your sensor array ASAP so you can find
the locater satellite, Station One, in geo-stationary orbit for your
first test."

"Stand by, Houston.  In work."

I could have done it myself, but giving Keiko something to do rather
than let her just lie still behind me and stare at the back of my head
or out through the small polycarbonate periscope seemed appropriate.

"MS-1 ... please engage S.A. deployment."

Rather than assume the same verbal discipline that the folks in Houston
insisted we maintain she responded just like the cute petite and bald
twelve year old Japanese angel she was.

"Kay!"

Through the edge of my peripheral vision along the left side of my visor
I could see her gloved left hand reach forward and confidently press the
array deployment button.  It was normally white and fairly insignificant
among the vast collection of switches, indicators, knobs, and levers,
but as soon as she released it and her small digit came away we both saw
the plastic square flash red four times, glow a steady yellow for
exactly ten seconds, and then slowly flash yellow as the array arms
began to move from their stowed positions to their fully extended
orientation.

I stared through the rectangular view port ahead of me and waited for
the zenith arm to come into view.  It would take a minute or two before
I became aware of anything, because the hinge-point was more toward the
nose of our craft, where we were, and the long arm had been stowed along
the length of the ship behind us during launch.  I was told at KSC the
exaggerated dimensions of the array was meant to maximize its ability to
receive any radio energy ahead of us without any movable pick-up
devices.  The four arms along the periphery of our ship at ninety degree
intervals were essentially a large phased array antenna with dozens of
tiny transmitter and detector components that would unfurl at the
appropriate time.

As soon I could see a portion of the arm I leaned as far forward as I
could in my highly restrained location and waited until the external
port and starboard arm indicators at the far edge of my limited vision
came into view.  I'd have to assume the nadir arm would extend all the
way out on its own until I repositioned myself to look through one of
the other small rectangular apertures.  The moment the arms I could see
locked into place I turned my head slightly and watched as the S.A.
deployment indicator went a brilliant green.

VOX-OFF/CDR.

"Go ahead, Keiko.  Tell Houston that the arms are locked in place and
what you see on the indicator board."

"Really, Truman?  You'll let me?"

"Sure, Honey.  Go ahead."

VOX-ON/MS-1.

She must have heard the soft click in her headset that indicated she was
online, because she cleared her throat and then reported S.A. status.

"Ahem ... Houston, Phoenix.  Sensor array shows nominal, solid green
indication, and my CDR says the arm indicators are locked."

As soon as CapCom keyed his microphone both Keiko and I could hear the
folks at Mission Control laughing in the background.

"Roger that, MS-1.  Let CDR do a little bit every once in a while, okay,
Keiko?"

In the most unusual pitch and timbre from any mission specialist's voice
since the shuttle program had gotten started back in the early 1980's
something was broadcast over the radio that had never been heard before.

"Tee-Hee!"

I immediately turned her helmet vox off again.

VOX-OFF/MS-1.

The looks on all those peoples' faces must have been so widely varied,
because of the intelligence of my MS-1 and her cute child-like laugh.  I
could only imagine what their feelings might have been about the mission
and if it was such a good idea to recommend a multi-lingual preteen
child prodigy from Japan with a terminal illness for such an incredibly
important one way shot.

The American public would have been horrified if they ever found out a
pubescent preteen was flying through space at over 18,000 miles per hour
toward her doom.  For a twelve year old to be picked for the extensive
training program shocked more than a few folks at KSC.  Hopefully nobody
outside the space agency would ever learn, until the last minute, why
two widely aged people with far different backgrounds and from opposite
ends of the globe were riding in space together toward their deaths on a
one-way mission.  To be strapped into a refurbished high-altitude test
vehicle that had been converted to a kinetic warhead specifically
outfitted to plunge headlong in a blaze of unwitnessed glory through the
dull dark coma of a recently discovered rogue black comet was enough to
make most of our trainers' heads spin.  It wouldn't have made me feel
any better before I found out I was a dead man walking months before,
either.

The whole world would have called for the heads of the space program,
every congressman who approved the funds for our secret mission, and our
beloved female president for allowing a barely trained bum and a twelve
year old little girl to head off into space to impart two minutes of
delta-vee in the trajectory of something only a dozen space scientists
around the world knew about before our trip was planned.  The fact that
our cryptic mission wasn't officially sanctioned or being broadcast on
any of the normal space agency PAO (Public Affairs Office) distribution
channels pretty much guaranteed that nobody would find out about our
accomplishment until after the deed was done.

Thankfully nobody in my family knew what I was up there for except for
the folks at KSC and JSC, and the only Japanese people with any clue
were Keiko's parents.  Our medical conditions were known, our prognosis
an acceptable risk, our willingness to dedicate our lives toward one
last humanitarian mission admirable, and nobody around who fit their
criteria quite like Keiko and I did.

The day I learned the reasons for my debilitating headaches felt like it
only happened the day before ...

-----------------

"Mr. Catawba I "

"How many times do I have to tell you people?  My name is Truman!  My
father is called Mister Catawba!"

My reaction didn't make his job any easier, the other dozen neurologic
and cerebellar specialists behind the surgeon no less intimidated by my
harsh reaction.  But the guy must have been cut from granite, because he
didn't let too much time pass before he started again.

"Truman ... the latest MRI's confirm what the CAT scans hinted at.  You
have an inoperable and terminal tumor that's growing in size and
applying pressure to the rest of your brain.  The tumor isn't terribly
large at the moment, but it's big enough to cause the increasingly
painful headaches that you've been complaining about."

So ... I finally knew why my head had been building toward an explosion
for the last three months.

He kept babbling on using various medical references and talking a kind
of gibberish that I think doctors used to intimidate their patients just
to prove that they were awake in medical school.  I never really heard a
word he said after he informed me about my tumor, his lips moving, the
various black and white images in my folder leafed through, his fingers
pointing to those prints and parts of my body that I'd never seen
before, and had hoped never to become aware of.

" ... so about the only thing we can do is try to arrest or mitigate a
little of your migraines so you can make use of the remainder of your
life.  I know it's not much, but it's all we can do."

In as blank an expression as I could have mustered I looked him right in
the eyes and asked what he'd been asked since he did his residency fresh
out of medical school and told his first terminal patient they were
going to die.

"How long?"

"With the cryo treatments ... probably a year, maybe eighteen months.
Without them, four ... possibly six, if you're lucky."

"When do we begin?"

That's when all of them looked more scared than before, as if I'd just
farted and it wasn't just gas moving from my bowels to the clean sheets
under my butt.

"Well ... you see ... "

"Come on, Doc.  You've already told me I'm gonna die soon.  I'm gonna
deal with it as best I can, so just spill the bad news so we can get on
with it."

He hesitated for a few seconds, whispered some comments to the other
doctors around him, nodded his head a few times as if he agreed with
their assessment, reviewed some of the images and charts in my folder,
and when he determined he was ready looked at me with a cold expression
that told me more than his words could have.

I was a dead man walking.

His demeanor as he spoke wasn't cruel, but he added nothing to make the
sting of his prognosis less painful.  It was obvious he had no desire to
stroke my ego or had any significant concern for my emotional well
being.

"There's about a 50% chance you'll die on the operating table.  The
location of the tumor is so close to key features of your brain that
just the insertion of the cryo-probe might cause further and irreparable
damage.  If that happens you've going to either be a mental vegetable
and in a coma for the remainder of your life, of just die outright."

His admission might have been harsh, but I couldn't act surprised or
shocked at what I'd heard.  The best thing for me to do was pull myself
up by my bootstraps and jump right into my future as I'd done for years.

At that moment I remembered walking out of my parents' house when my dad
told me I was of no significant benefit to their future or well being.
From that day on I vowed never to be surprised at what life offered or
what I needed to do just to survive.  With an expression that hinted at
a bad tax audit and a demeanor of a dead fish I looked the surgeon in
the eyes and tried to allay his concern for my health and happiness.

"Fine ... I'm gonna die.  I just get to choose when I go, right?"

The smirk on his face proved he must have felt better about the way I
took the bad news, and his response didn't need to be padded with a ton
of guilt or psychological hogwash, because he said just two words.

"Pretty much."

Opening my eyes two days later seemed like a good sign.  The monotonous
muted-trumpet tones of the many doctors and nurses who kept smiling at
me made it impossible to understand anything they said, but at least I
was alive.  That cartoon-like alteration of my hearing slowly faded
until it was all but gone a week after I opened my eyes.  A month later
I walked out of the hospital with a small bandage on my shaved head and
a chance to live the rest of my life in earnest.

My family took it pretty well, but my showing up after having been a
drifter for the previous five years meant my knocking on my parents'
door was more of a shock than telling them I had about a year to live.

The one who took it the hardest was my baby sister, Catherine.  She
wailed hysterically in my arms and either hugged or tried to beat me
senseless because of the pain she must have felt.  I knew she loved her
favorite slightly older brother because of our close ties and special
secrets, and for her to hang onto me from then on proved she didn't like
the idea of my dying.

Late the first night after I came home we were lying on her bed and
staring at the ceiling with our arms around each other's body when she
whispered.

"True?"

Damn!  For her to call me that special nickname meant she was about to
share her soul or require me to expose mine.  The fact that my alias was
the opposite of 'lie' meant I had to think hard about how I was going to
answer any question she had.

"Yeah, Cat?"

She remained silent for a few moments, caressed my chest, and then began
to whisper even softer than before as if our parents could hear what we
were talking about from across the house.

"I need to tell you something."

"You know you can share whatever's on your mind, Kidd-Oh."

"I, ummmm ... I have a ... lover."

I gave her a tighter hug, kissed the top of her head, and nuzzled my
face into her hair moments before I spoke.  We both knew how our folks
would react to that revelation, because my baby sister had only recently
turned eighteen, and our parents were even more strict with my youngest
sister than they were with me.

"Does he treat you well, Cat?  Is he good to you?"

"Well ... "

I shivered at the thought of another guy forcing my baby sister to do
things she didn't want to, and I think Cat could sense the stress
growing inside my body, because she gave me another hug and amended her
prior incomplete response.

"Don't worry, True ... my lover isn't mean or hasn't made me do anything
that I didn't want to."

I was relieved, but then a little confused.  Before I could ask any more
questions she told me everything I needed to know.

"My lover isn't a guy."

A smile grew on my face until I couldn't hold a sense of perverse
pleasure at her admission, because I knew how our folks would react to
my younger sister having a lesbian lover.

"She cute and got a nice ass?"

Cat smacked my arm quite a bit more enthusiastically than she might have
been prepared to, because the sound of her hand coming into contact with
the outside of my right upper arm near my shoulder sounded like a small
handgun going off.  But rather than feel genuinely offended she stroked
where she hit me and then whispered with a giggle.

"Tee-hee ... yeah.  Even cuter than mine."

For me to slip my left hand down her back and onto her butt might have
been a bit familiar given my five year absence, but rather than swat my
hand or complain that I was taking liberties I shouldn't she hugged me
a little tighter and spoke right into my neck.

"I still remember when you helped me understand all about my body, True,
and I'll always be grateful.  Of all the guys who tried to get their
hands in my panties you're the one who was first to teach me what I
needed to know and didn't make me do anything ... "

I felt both proud and guilty for teaching my younger sister things that
most older brothers don't get to talk about with young girls, especially
if those girls were directly related to them.

"I know, Cat, and I remember that weekend too.  I'm glad you weren't all
freaked out about me sharing so much when you were just thirteen, but
Mom certainly wasn't going to share what you needed to know, and I just
couldn't leave home knowing that some kid in junior high or high school
was gonna take advantage of you when you needed to understand the facts
of life.  I hope I didn't share too much."

"Nuh uh!  In fact ... ever since that weekend I've felt much better
about myself, and I, uhhh ... I make myself feel good so I don't need to
rely on some clumsy dork to get it wrong."

"You still jill off with your brush, or have you graduated to a dildo or
vibrator yet?"

Cat smacked my arm again, but this time in a display of mock anger,
because her hand didn't even make any noise when it struck my arm where
she had once before.

"Perv!  A girl isn't supposed to talk about that sort of stuff with a
guy, doofus."

"Sooo ... you're still using your hair brush, huh?"

"Meanie!"

"You want me to get you a nice vibrating dildo before I leave?"

Cat wrapped both her arms as tight around my body as she could and
almost started to cry into my chest all over again.  It was obvious she
didn't want me to talk about walking through my parents' front door a
second time.

She remained quiet for a while, didn't appear to want to let go, but she
eventually relaxed and snuggled tight to my left side where she had been
before I reminded her that I was soon to disappear into thin air.  When
she spoke next she tilted her head back, drew her mouth to my left ear,
and spoke right into my brain.

"True ... will you ... will you give me some tingles like you did that
one weekend, please?  I know I should be loyal and faithful to my
girlfriend, but ... I wanna have a real man give me pleasure one more
time.  After tonight ... well ... I don't think there will be any guys
who'll be able to work their fingers where you did before."

"You sure you want me doing that again, Cat?  Mom and Dad are just down
the hall, and you're not exactly quiet when you have a nice cum."

"Please, True?  Please?"

"How you gonna keep quiet?"

"Will you kiss me while you're jilling me off?"

I rolled her onto her back, I rose onto my left elbow, looked down at
her, and then slipped my right hand into my own little sister's panties.
Calling her my 'little sister' seemed strange, because Cat had developed
into a full-featured woman of eighteen with nice B-cup tits, a sexy ass,
slender legs, and a smile that could coax a guy right into the path of
a speeding car.  The fact that Cat liked girls more than guys made her
more like me than our older brothers, and I was more than a little
aroused at what Cat and her lover might look like in bed.

It didn't take more than a second for me to feel the smooth bare beauty
of my younger siblings plump vulva, her lover most likely requiring my
baby sister keep her pussy clean shaven.  My middle finger started with
a slow up and down cadence along her vulvar slit without applying any
pressure, and before long the face of my digit was bringing back more
than a little oily lubricant along from her vaginal opening.

The moment I teased her labia majora apart and pressed down onto her
clitoris Cat sucked in a deep breath, went rigid, and gripped my body
hard enough to hurt.  I knew I wasn't causing her any discomfort,
because her hips were pushing up into my finger, and her closed-mouth
grunt sounded as if she needed my talents a lot since the last time I
showed her everything she needed to know at thirteen.

It wasn't long after that before we were kissing and her clothes were
pulled off.  Rather than keep her panties on and her t-shirt covering
her body Cat appeared to need to feel as much of my body as she could.
My clothes came off ten minutes later, and I was feeling a bit anxious
about my cock being open and available when a woman was horny.  My baby
sister solved that problem by rolling onto her left side and pushing her
ass back into my hips.  It didn't take a rocket scientist to figure out
she wanted me to take her ass.

She had a number of slow and fast orgasms that night, I got to fuck my
own little sister in the butt three times, and she gave me a nice going
away blow job, just because she liked the way I made her feel good.  I
knew she was most likely pretty grossed out and revolted by having
something of a guy's body inside her mouth, but Cat and I had an
understanding from many years before that we surrendered ourselves to
each other and sacrificed our own dignity when the other person needed
some special 'attention'.

By the time the sun came up we were exhausted but happy.  When our Mom
walked into Cat's room my sister and I were lying under a blanket,
dressed, hugging, and my baby sibling was lying over my left side.  For
our mother to leave us there after she checked on us made me feel good
for a number of reasons, but for me to see the woman smiling as I peeked
out through narrowed eyelids proved Cat wouldn't have to deal with any
crap after I was gone.  For my right hand to slip inside Cat's panties
for one last wicked and immoral adventure before we had to get up might
get me into trouble, but with Mom gone to make breakfast I knew we had
a little time to ourselves.

We had a nice family reunion a few days later, and Cat made a point of
staying close to me or making sure she wasn't more than fifteen or
twenty feet away the whole time.  That's when I met her lover, and I was
more than a little jealous when I was introduced to the sixteen year
old.  Not only was Trisha good looking and had eyes that could melt
titanium, her ass was genuinely more curvy and perky than Cat's.  For my
younger sibling to smack me again while I was staring at her lover
proved I couldn't keep my eyes in my head.

Mom and Dad appeared to accept Trisha's presence, but they didn't
exactly roll out the red carpet.  They were polite, but they didn't
treat the high school sophomore with any more respect than they might a
used car salesman.  I felt bad for both Cat and Trisha, and I wished I
could do something for them.

A week later I kissed my family goodbye just before walking out their
door for the last time wearing a baseball cap.  If I was gonna die I
didn't want to be surrounded by lots of people who were gonna be pitying
me and crying about it constantly, even if Cat kept begging me to stay
so we could share the last few months of my life with her.  She had a
girlfriend, I was Cat's older brother, and anything we did might result
in my getting either thrown out or into jail, so I gave her one last
long hug, a kiss on the mouth, and walked down the sidewalk.

It was while I was visiting a former girlfriend I wanted to say goodbye
to in Orlando that I read an article tucked near the last page in the
local paper that got my attention.  The national space agency was
looking for a very special set of volunteers, and it seemed I had some
pretty darned good qualifications.

-----------------

"Now Keiko ... you're an incredibly gifted young lady and know more
than most college graduates, so this should be easy to understand.  I
wish there was something we could do, but the doctors don't have any
other options right now.  The disease you have is apparently genetic,
will be affecting your whole lymphatic and nervous systems, and there's
no treatment currently available.  You can continue to study, play your
piano and guitar, dance, paint, and do all the things that make you
happy, but soon you'll begin to lose your ability to control your hands
and muscles.  I'm sorry, Keiko, but ... you needed to know."

"What's the prognosis, Doctor?  How long?"

"Maybe a year, and if you're lucky a little bit longer."

"Thank you, Doctor.  I suppose being smart does make it easier for me to
understand what you're talking about, but I'm still a little bit scared.
I just wish ... "

"What, Keiko?"

"I just wish I could have gone to the Magic Kingdom in Florida just one
time.  I would have had lots of fun.  I know we've got one here in
Japan, but I've always wanted to go to the first big one in the United
States, because that's where it all started."

She was much more a little girl than her parents, teachers, or doctors
could possibly imagine.  Sure, she scored higher than most PhD's, could
play the piano and guitar with incredible feeling and from memory like
the most skilled virtuoso, could recite more prime numbers by heart than
many computers, could teach physics, math, and chemistry if she wanted
to ... or if she could reach the tall blackboards, but still needed to
sing along with Hannah, enjoyed her Barbie collection, and play with her
yellow Labrador, 'Goldie'.

Some anonymous philanthropist found out about her desire to visit with
her favorite princess, anthropomorphic mouse, and hatted tall doggy, and
made her wish come true about a month later.  With very little fanfare,
as she requested, she got to spend an entire week running, playing,
talking to her many fantasy characters, and then riding all the rides to
her heart's content.  It made her parents incredibly happy to see her
smile and hear her laugh for so long as if nothing was amiss.

It was while her parents were asleep in their hotel room two days before
they were supposed to fly back to Tokyo that Keiko saw something in a
local newspaper article that seemed so exciting.  But would her parents
agree with her desire to do something so far-fetched?  She could have
gone back to Japan with her folks and slowly withered away to nothing,
eventually losing her ability to play music, dance, walk, and even be
able to keep her cartooned panties dry and clean, but Keiko was far more
interested in using her last months in some productive manner.

-----------------

"Phoenix, Houston."

"Go ahead, Houston."

"What's your oxygen status?  Have you equalized your suit pressure with
the inside of your cabin?"

The suit and cabin pressure gauges were checked, and with both at the
same level after I'd changed our ascent outfits to take on the lower
pressure of our small space craft I replied as I'd done in a small
darkened room back on Earth many times before.

"Equalized, Houston.  Ready to exit our suits."

"Roger.  Verify heater status after you stow your suits.  We don't want
you two getting cold up there."

"Roger, Houston."

VOX-OFF/ALL.

The VOX was again switched off, my visor opened just like one of those
old-style disposable food containers with a single black rubber seal
around the edges of the visor that held the air inside my suit.  Once
I'd released the small plastic window in front of my face the suit air
supply valve was closed and the hose disconnected, my audio lines also
unfastened, and I released the pressure on the two primary hasps that
held me in place.  As soon as those two were undone a whole series of
small clicks were heard as the rest of my restraint system freed me.

It took me a few moments to twist uncomfortably, squeeze through my rack
and the panel next to me with all sorts of lights, knobs, switches, and
levers, and then slowly work my legs toward the aft end of our cabin.
It felt good to straighten my legs and stretch out for the first time in
hours, my ability to extend to my normal height only accomplished if I
twisted my body so my head was toward the working end of our ride and my
feet in the same direction as the Earth.

I immediately felt as if my plump late Grandma Lucy had just let me go
after she gave me one of her many spine-cracking hugs.  The sensation of
weightlessness was a lot more pronounced than I'd ever experienced in
the 'Vomit Comet'.  The zero-G jet trainer that we'd been on a few times
to help us get accustomed to being freed of gravity was a fairly crude
and pitiful means of preparing me for my body floating in our cockpit.

Rather than climb out of my suit I knew to tend to my young mission
specialist first, her 'seat' unfastened from the ceiling so I could
swing it away from the back of my bench, gain access to her restraint
systems, and then stow both of our racks.  The moment our eyes met I
felt a kind of excitement that I'd never shared with anyone in my life,
and Keiko smiled back at me fractions of a second after I winked at her.

Her smile had become my best source of energy from the moment we met and
began to be evaluated for the mission.  It wasn't long after all the
other candidates had been disqualified that Keiko and I started to train
for our rather unique and secret task.  The fact that I treated her like
an uncommonly gifted prodigy while we were working and then like a
giggly twelve year old little girl when we ate and visited after our
long days were done cemented a bond that made us the perfect unusual
match.  We were even seen holding hands and heard laughing more than
once a day as we made our way from one set of tasks to the next at the
training facility.  Skipping down the hall from one training assignment
to the next beside Keiko or acting like a child in front of a few other
adults might have made me look like a dolt, but my training partner and
new best friend seemed to appreciate my ability to just have fun.

Just before I unclipped the two hasps that kept her locked tight to her
nearly flat and now unnecessary bleacher I released her visor as I'd
done with mine, turned her air supply valve off, disconnected the lines
and hoses that served as her life support and communications links, and
then did something that was to encourage her to say just one word.

I shifted away from her slightly, climbed over her body so I could
straddle her and her rack and grip both with the inside of my knees, put
my right hand to my chin, gripped my jaw with the face of my thumb
pressed underneath and the outside edge of my index finger along the
front as the rest of my digits were curled into a fist, tucked my left
hand around my right elbow, offered her a pensive expression, and then
uttered something that I knew would make her feel very helpless.

"Hmmmmm."

"What?"

"Interesting ... "

"Come on, Truman!  Undo the restraints!"

"I don't know ... I kinda like the idea of my little tickle partner
being all tied up so I can do whatever I want to her soft tummy and very
ticklish ribs."

"NOOO!"

A loud shriek and her hands waving wildly in the air in my direction was
her best defense, but it wasn't going to be enough.  All I had to do was
grab both of her wrists, lock them together in my left hand, lift them
over her head, and then use my right fingers and thumb to apply a series
of torturous and almost perpetual wiggles to her soft belly until our
cabin was filled with a shrill squeal that wasn't any part of our
assigned tasks.  I could have kept up her abuse a lot longer, repeating
what I'd done to her lots of times when we had a brief moment of fun in
Florida, but I had to stop tickling her.  I positioned my face close to
her opened visor and still holding her hands over her head whispered
right into her mouth.

"Is my mission specialist gonna be my good girl and let me tickle her
whenever I want to?"

She immediately went silent, stopped trying to wiggle her hands out of
my grasp, ceased her convulsions and pitiful attempts at freedom, and
then gave me a look she'd shared with me only once before.

Her eyes weren't that of a space agency mission specialist or brilliant
prodigy, but those of a little girl who might be feeling things that
nobody had ever told her about.  Her lips were open slightly, her breath
was ragged and deep, and I could discern a kind of excitement that I'd
never imparted to a girl her age in my whole life.

Rather than answer she looked down toward her feet, shrugged, and then
let a little grin escape.  It was enough for the moment, so I let her
wrists go and finished what was on my flight duties.  The instant her
body was released and she began to float freely she pushed against her
inflexible couch and lunged at me.  We did a quick spin in midair, and
because of the inertia of her movement into my body I ended up along the
opposite side of our small cockpit.  Someone else might have been
offended, but I eagerly accepted the tight hug that she provided.

"Thanks, Truman."

"My goodness!  Again?  What did I do this time?"

"You always make me feel so good and happy."

My grip around her small body increased, and I pulled her into me with a
lot more effort than I'd ever done on Earth.  Something about our new
relationship away from her parents and so many prying eyes at KSC was
changing very quickly, and I was incredibly glad for it.

"Phoenix, Houston."

CRAP!

It took me a few seconds to reposition myself away from Keiko's hug and
attach the communications lines that I'd disconnected, but I was able to
respond before another call from Earth was tendered.

VOX-ON/CDR.

"Go ahead, Houston."

"Yeah ... any results from the array yet, CDR?"

I'd been so distracted that I'd completely deviated from the assigned
time line.

"In work, Houston ... "

My first major task was to get my seat out of the way so I could gain
access to all the controls.  Rather than completely remove it I did the
same with mine as I'd done with Keiko's, unclipped the two zenith metal
fasteners and swung the redundant device out of the way, hers hinging
backward with mine like two pages of a very strange looking book.

As soon as I pulled my way forward toward the control panel Keiko
nervously tugged on my left leg.  The look on her face proved what she
was thinking, so I shifted my head in two quick lurches to wordlessly
tell her that she could join me.  It wasn't nearly as hard to get used
to her constantly hugging or holding onto me as I might have imagined.

The large multi-use LCD display was commanded to show me the primary
menu first, and then the buttons around the periphery selected one at a
time until I found the array power sequence.

"S.A. power coming up.  Standby, Houston."

"Copy, Phoenix."

It took no more than a few seconds after everything had been properly
started for me to see the flashing blip slightly to the right of center
screen, clear indication that not only was the system functioning as
designed, but our trajectory right on target.  In spite of the
additional time of the main engine burn we weren't going to have to make
any major course adjustments until I took a celestial fix, verified the
INU (Inertial Navigation Unit) was working, and made the necessary
navigational calculations to steer us toward our primary mission target.

"Houston, Phoenix."

"Go ahead."

"Yeah, I need to apologize to the guys who built and tested the stage
one controller.  It seems the extra ten seconds of burn time has put us
right in line with our first way point.  The offset from center line of
Station One is no more than one degree, based on the built-in reticle on
the screen."

"Roger that.  Excellent!"

"In fact ... I may not have to do our first course correction until we
get a lot closer to Station One."

"Remember, Phoenix.  Don't wait too long before you make your changes.
You don't have a lot of extra fuel on board if you're off more than a
fraction of a degree for very long."

"Copy, Houston.  I'll have my math wizard over here help me with my
abacus after I take my first celestial nav."

"Roger."

While CapCom held his mike button down we could again hear some laughter
in the background.  It was apparent Keiko's worth as a living and
breathing computer was no longer in question, but the former perception
of my vast intelligence might have taken a quick nose-dive.

"Ascent suit removal commencing, Houston."

"Copy, Phoenix.  Make sure your comm line is available if we need to
call up to you, and keep the cabin speaker going."

"Roger, Houston.  In work."

VOX-OFF/ALL.

My voice line was disconnected again, and I tore the strip away from the
cord cover so I could pull on it and unlace the intricately woven string
around my wrist by pulling it hard.  I might have expected my glove to
fly off like some expended and unnecessary space junk, but there was no
pop, no huge change in the way my suit felt, nor the impression that my
'rip cord' had any effect other than a tennis shoe being unfastened.  It
was nearly a disappointment not to see something exciting happen.

With the first one done it was time to do the other one and finish.

The bright white lacing cords that floated around in front of me looked
like snakes, Keiko amused by their life-like sinuous appearance.  She
seemed so fascinated by their continuous movements without any energy
being imparted by either of us that she watched and giggled.  I again
felt it necessary to give her free reign to do as she pleased, so I
claimed her right hand, pulled it away from her body, and let her play
with both of my glove cords while I busied myself with the rest of my
de-suit tasks.

My gloves were tucked into one of my thigh pockets and the flaps left
open so I wouldn't forget to slip the white stringers inside and then my
booties were removed and those also stored.  By that time Keiko had both
of my glove cords neatly bundled and wrapped up, so I tucked them in my
thigh pockets and pressed the hook and loop fasteners of the cover flaps
together.  She even took the time to keep the overall size of the looped
bundles no larger than the stiff plastic threaders that my handler had
used to lace each of my appendage covers closed air tight.  Once my
bootie laces were looped and bundled they were also stored.  Now, to get
out of my damned monkey suit.

The center seam of my pressure suit was then unlaced from neck to crotch
just as I'd done with my gloves and booties, and for the first time in
over six hours I felt as if I was able to breathe again, even if there
was adequate air through the supply lines while I was suited up.

Keiko had seen me in my thermal undergarment many times before, but
since we were alone and nobody was around to keep her focused on any
task at hand I saw her eyes shift to my hips.  My little MS-1 wasn't
nearly as innocent as I'd suspected, and I immediately knew the look
she'd given me on Earth once and then a few minutes before when I'd
asked for her compliance for a tickle wasn't fear or intimidation at
all.  It was obviously something else, and I'd need to learn what was
tumbling around in her shaved little prodigy head fairly soon.

Rather than undo her own outfit she waited for me, which was something
she'd only done the first few times we'd suited up.  Her gloves and
booties were removed, their mating cords stored, and then her custom
made pressure suit opened from her chin to where her thighs met her
chubby little body.  I actually began to feel hot, even though the
temperature in the cabin was 68 degrees Fahrenheit.  The moment I saw
the whole of her body freed from the bland pressure suit I was tempted
to do something very foolish.  Thankfully I heard CapCom share some
information and my focus was directed back to our mission.

"Phoenix, Houston.  No response required, but 'the object' is right
where we calculated it would be.  It's still tumbling in three axes and
the albedo too low for normal Earth observation, but the radar sites
confirm it's still where they predicted.  We're pretty much dark down
here, so no riots in the streets just yet.  You may not be able to see
it any better than we can, even though you're outside the Earth's
atmosphere, but if you'll look toward Mars you might see a dull glow off
to the left if you use your binoculars."

That was a good sign.  If anyone outside of the space agency had learned
of 'the object' before the planned press release about a week prior to
our anticipated impact all Hell would break loose.  The predictions of
societal breakdown and mass hysteria would surely affect peoples' lives
in a bad way, so keeping our mission a secret meant everyone could go on
in the same blissful and ignorant way they always had.

Since I wasn't required to respond but needed to be ready to make a
quick call if I had to I pulled my suit mike out, unsheathed the thin
line that ran inside the hem along the opening of my outfit to the
interface that had been along my waist, and then re-attached my comm
unit to the hard line in the cabin so it was ready for use.  The vox
switch was set so I'd need to press the mike button on the thin cord to
communicate, and to make certain it worked I squeezed the switch and
made a quick call to our former home.

VOX-OFF/KEY.

"Houston, Phoenix.  CDR mike check."

"Got you all '5's, CDR.  Loud and clear."

"Copy, Houston."

Keiko's mike and audio line were also freed and then reconnected.  Her
soft and high pitched voice sounded so erotic as she made a rather bland
call home that I might have a hard time keeping my mind on the job if I
wasn't very careful.

"Houston, Phoenix.  MS-1 mike check."

"Got you all '5's, MS-1.  Loud and clear."

"Roger, Houston."

After she pressed her comm unit to the hook-and-loop material on one
wall I asked if she felt alright.

"Keiko?"

"Uh huh?"

"How do you feel right now, Angel?  You hot or cold?"

"Well ... "

Her hesitation might have meant she was intimidated by my having gotten
undressed in front of her so casually, or possibly because of how I
treated her while getting her out of her pressure suit.  In order to be
absolutely sure she was okay I had to ask for confirmation.

"Come on, MS-1.  Your health and comfort are my concern from now on.
You need to tell me if anything isn't right, no matter what it might be,
okay?"

"Kay.  The suit temperature was okay when the air supply line was
connected, but now that it isn't I think I'm just a tiny bit warm."

"Roger, MS-1."

"Cut it out, Truman.  Just call me Keiko."

"Roger, MS-1."

Just as we'd done dozens of times before we tumbled into a comfortable
demeanor that might have tested our instructors' patience more than once
back in KSC, her short digits applied to my sides and wiggling nearly as
well as mine had on her body when she couldn't move.

My uninhibited laughter surprised even me, my need to relinquish any
restriction or inhibition placed on me by society on Earth no longer of
any concern.  Keiko was bound and determined to pay me back for my most
recent attack on her tummy, her short arms and smaller hands not nearly
as restrained as she'd been before I set her free.  By the time I was
able to find a small area of her thermally protected body that was
ticklish she was squealing and jerking around like a Blue Fin Tuna in a
net.  It was only an unexpected call for an agreed-to truce that forced
me to relent.

"TRUMAN!  I GOTTA PEE!"

My activities stopped and I immediately blushed.  She'd never uttered
those words to me since we'd been selected, even when I'd gotten her so
worked up on the soft grass of the training center lawns that she'd run
away squealing.  We both could have worn diapers so we didn't have to
struggle to empty our bladders or bowels during the first few hours of
our mission, but we felt we could handle the strain.  Our KSC handlers
didn't like the possibility of us ruining our environment by an untimely
accident, but we were adamant about wearing our normal underwear inside
our thermal garments.  It might have been pride or possibly ego, but
wearing a diaper while we were headed away from Earth just seemed wrong.

In order to establish the appropriate working environment for my little
flight partner I collected our suits, turned around to face the front of
the cabin, folded each of our useless ascent garments into a tight
bundle, and then stuffed each of them into one of their own integral
bottom leg pockets designed just for that purpose.  After that simple
task was complete I adjusted our cabin heat.

Both of us had been trained in the use of the urine collection and waste
processing unit, so there was no need for me to assist in her task.  The
sound of her thermal underwear and panties being tugged down her small
body behind me stirred something that I'd hoped to keep under wraps, a
strong throbbing inside my shorts certain to get me caught and then into
lots of trouble if Keiko saw the bulge in my outfit.  Even though there
was no place for her to escape to I had no desire to wake up dead if
she stuffed the emergency "L" syringe into my neck if I ever scared or
hurt her.

The liquid collection pump motor came on, the sound of a slight vacuum
at the end of her genital cup obvious, and then the subdued whisper of
air I'd heard from the open line immediately silenced.  As she'd been
instructed by her female handlers at KSC Keiko had obviously tucked the
clear plastic cup between her chubby thighs and up against her naked
vulva.  I wanted to turn around and watch, but she was most likely
turned the other way, and I wouldn't have been able to stare at anything
other than her as yet unseen little girl ass anyway.  Rather than make
her mad or embarrass her I flipped the spiral-bound flight checklist
open to the appropriate page, placed the familiar flexible metal clip
along the edge, and focused on the correct procedural step for what I
was sure should be my next dictated activity.

Since we were in space and wouldn't have any chances of aerodynamic
stress or damage to our additional round view ports located midway
between the nose and our cabin I flipped through a couple of pages of
our flight manual, refreshed myself with the correct procedure, pressed
a few buttons on the control console, and looked slightly aft to peek
out of the four additional windows to our much larger universe.  It was
hard to see the retreating Earth from my vantage point, but I couldn't
very well tell Keiko to relocate to some other part of the cabin, so I
had to satisfy my limited view of our home disappearing behind us until
some other time.

Two celestial navs were done through two different windows, the numbers
logged, and I did my first set of calculations.  The information was
compiled and then entered into my set of empty boxes along the left side
of the page in the flight manual in the 'CDR' column.  Since I didn't
hear anything behind me after I finished that task I shifted forward
again, did a couple of 'get ahead' tasks, and waited for Keiko to tell
me it was okay to look around the rest of our cabin.  I didn't have to
wait very long.

"Okay, Truman.  I'm finished.  Do you need to use it now?"

"Thanks, Keiko."

"Kay."

"While I'm taking care of my business why don't you double check my
numbers, okay?"

"Sure."

I hadn't even gotten the unit turned on, my cup and hose out of the
plastic bag, the pump motor running, and my dick out of my thermal
underwear and shorts so I could direct the cup over the end of my penis
before I heard a preteen tell me she'd finished running my numbers.
Talk about feeling intimidated.  Keiko was indeed brilliant, and I think
she enjoyed showing off, but I also knew she was proud of being so smart
and appeared to need to feel worthwhile.  She'd been so quick to
accomplish all her tasks at the training center and then look at me as
if she was waiting for my acknowledgment, and she was doing the same
thing inside our kinetic warhead space craft.

"Okay, Truman.  It looks like you were close.  You're only off two
tenths of a degree on the course correction calculations.  We should be
ready to apply twenty five milli-Newtons of thrust in about fifteen
point six minutes."

The only way to respond would be to prove how I felt.

"Very good, Keiko.  I'm proud of you for doing such a good job."

Her smile and blush as I peeked over my shoulder at her proved she liked
hearing how intelligent she was.  To make her feel even better I thought
of a task that would engage her more fully in the mission, although she
was a fully trained member and could run everything even better than I
could.  I didn't take it personally, but I also knew she was able to
take over if something happened to me.

"Would you like to enter that into the flight computer, MS-1?"

"Really?  You'll let me?"

"Come on, Keiko.  If anything happens to me and you're left all alone,
then you've got to be totally familiar with the systems and follow the
procedures."

"NOOO, Truman!"

For her to lunge into my body from behind, wrap her arms around my waist
half a foot from my extended and plastic-cupped cock, and then whimper
into my back did more for my ego than I could have anticipated.  Her
quick reaction to my statement was quite a nice surprise, but I wasn't
about to push the point just yet.

"It's okay, Angel.  I just want you to know the systems so you can be an
active member of our flight.  You've studied all the manuals, practiced
the routine, and passed with flying colors.  Heck, you even beat me each
time we did a fully-manual flight."

"Tee-hee!"

To hear her giggle made me feel a lot better, and I knew she was truly
afraid of losing me at that moment.  The best way for me to handle that
was to play into her game a little and make her feel more important than
anyone else might have.

"I've actually been really proud of you for being that smart, Keiko."

"Really?  You were?"

"I'm *very* proud of you, Angel.  You've excelled at each task you've
taken on, and I couldn't have gotten a better MS-1, even if Albert
Einstein had been raised from the grave."

"Tee-Hee!"

"Go ahead and enter the numbers, Keiko, and then let Houston know what
you've found."

"Kay!"

She didn't let go nearly as quickly as I'd anticipated, but I wasn't
going to push her away, especially when I had two hands full of my
aching cock pointed away from her at ninety degrees from my body.

It took her a minute or so and she even whimpered into my back while she
hugged me, but Keiko eventually released me and turned around.

Once she'd double checked her numbers and wrote them in the log book she
then entered the information into the INU and pressed the small white
'EXEC' (execute) button.  The soft beep that we heard was confirmation
that her commands were accepted and stored.  Just as I'd asked her to
and as she was trained my MS-1 called down to Houston and provided the
roll, yaw, and pitch rates and the calculated approach rate of our first
test object.  It must have made some of the people in Houston feel
pretty small, because it took CapCom a few seconds longer than normal to
respond to her.

"Copy, Phoenix.  Stand by, MS-1 ... we're going to run your numbers."

"Roger, Houston."

We didn't have to wait more than a minute before we got a call back.
There must have been a lot of very smart people working behind Alan.

"Phoenix, Houston."

"Go ahead, Houston."

"Nice call, MS-1.  Your calculations are right on the numbers.  Tell
your CDR that he's no longer needed for the rest of the mission, and
you're about to be promoted to his position."

Just as I finished, wiped my urine cup, turned the collection pump off,
stuffed my slightly softened cock back into my shorts, and then cleaned
my hands with a small soapy wipe I turned all the way around.  Keiko was
looking at me with a rather puzzled expression, as if she didn't like
the suggestion that I could be replaced so quickly.  All I had to do was
float toward her so my knees were next to her small feet, give her a
nice hug with my left cheek tightly against hers, and then whisper into
one of her cute little ears.

"CapCom is just teasing you, Angel.  I'll bet Alan just wanted to make
you feel good 'cause of how smart you are.  Why don't you go ahead and
acknowledge him?"

"Really, Truman?"

"Sure, and tell Alan that you've already jettisoned me out the emergency
air lock.  That should make him squirm for a few seconds."

"But ... we don't *have* an emergency air lock, Truman."

"I know, Keiko, but it will still make him think about it.  He might not
have seen how they bolted the cover on and sealed us inside our ship."

"You won't get mad, Truman?"

"I won't ... unless you really kick me out."

A brief tickle along her ribs was the perfect means to relax and
influence her to give me a little giggle in return.

"Tee-Hee!"

"Go ahead and make the call, Keiko."

"Kay."

With a little bit of the confidence of a person twice her age she
claimed the mike switch again and made the call.

"Houston, Phoenix."

"Go ahead, Phoenix."

She hesitated for a moment and then spoke in a rather nervous tremble.

"CDR has been jettisoned and I'm now in command.  Awaiting further
instructions."

CapCom didn't respond nearly as quickly as I thought Alan would if he
realized we were playing.  It was only a very nervous call back to us
that confirmed she'd accomplished a rather strange victory.

"Uhhh ... Phoenix, Houston.  We didn't catch all of that.  I think your
radio cut out for a few seconds.  Say again."

Sounding a bit more believable she repeated her last call.

"CDR has been jettisoned and I'm now in command!  Awaiting further
instructions."

CapCom didn't wait nearly as long the second time they heard her call.

"Okay, you two.  You're about to give us a heart attack down here.
Confirm station ID."

In the event we couldn't respond verbally we'd been taught to use the
on-board computer to relay a fairly limited set of information and data
through the modified keyboard, both of us provided unique ID codes to
let Houston know who was sending the information.  Keiko did as she was
asked, and while she cupped her right hand over her mouth, giggled, and
turned around she reached out with her left to pull me closer to the
console.  As soon as I was close enough I repeated what she'd done, my
unique identifier provided, and then a brief message included that I
enjoyed my brief EVA (Extra Vehicular Activity).

The fact that our craft was so narrow along the forward end that only
one person could be in front of the multi-function data entry and
display console at a time prevented either of us from looking over the
other person's shoulders, unless the person typing was tucked sideways
uncomfortably against the console or floating in a position so both of
us were pressed together almost face-to-face.

The tone of Alan's voice made him sound more than a little perturbed.

"Alright you two.  Cut out the games.  We've got a lot of work to do
before you eat and then get some rest."

I retrieved my microphone and replied with a somber tone that proved I'd
overextended my boundaries a bit.  In the process I tried to make up for
our temporary blunder by providing confirmation about some get-ahead
tasks that weren't going to be called for until a little later.

"Roger, Houston.  We'll be on the numbers from now on.  By the way,
steps eight point seven through eight point fifteen have already been
complete.  The PV (Photo Voltaic) panels have been deployed and I'm
getting top of the scale power readings.  We're no longer on primary
internal battery power and can assume full function at any time.  The
thermal collector/radiator has also been deployed and the readings are
as the engineers at KSC described.  The high-gain antenna is in place so
you should see a bit more signal coming in.  We'll be ready to do a
second systems check just after we eat dinner."

"Copy that, Phoenix."

Alan's point was made and both Keiko and I felt as if we'd been swatted
on the ass with a rolled up newspaper.  There was only one last radio
check to be completed, and I knew she'd complain, but I had to do it.

"Houston, Phoenix."

"Go ahead, Phoenix."

"Houston, step eight point sixteen is coming up, so we need to test our
ground-commanded cabin and emergency annunciators."

"Copy."

Keiko immediately grumbled and frowned at me.

"NOOO, Truman!"

"We have to, Honey.  I know the big one is loud and sounds scary, but if
we don't have our headsets on while we're asleep we won't know if they
need to talk to us.  If something comes up and there's an emergency
they're gonna need to let us know."

"I know, but ... it hurts my ears and ... and ... "

I pulled her into my body and wrapped my arms around her, a nice big hug
the perfect thing to make a little girl feel a tiny bit better.  With a
little kiss placed on her left cheek I whispered a second later.

"You ready, Angel?  They'll do the soft one first."

"Okay."

"Houston, Phoenix."

"Go ahead, Phoenix."

"Step eight point sixteen dash one ... go ahead and run the cabin
annunciator test."

"Copy.  Stand by for a fifteen second silent countdown.  Commencing."

"Copy, Houston."

She kept looking at me with a frightened expression, the first test not
the least bit intimidating when the pleasant three tones followed.

<Beep> <Beep> <Beep>

"Houston, Phoenix."

"Go ahead, Phoenix."

"Three tones confirmed."

"Copy that.  Three tones."

Keiko's stare into my eyes confirmed she was about to cry, something I'd
only seen her do when she had to endure the test twice before at KSC.

"You ready now, MS-1?"

"I ... I ... I guess."

"Take your headset off and put your fingers in your ears, Keiko."

She pulled her headset off, let it nestle against the back of her neck,
stuffed her small index fingers into her ears, clamped her eyes tightly
shut, and grimaced as if she was in agony.  She would be soon enough.

"Houston, Phoenix."

"Go ahead, Phoenix."

"Step eight point sixteen dash two ... we need to do the loud-hailer
confirmation now.  We're taking our headsets off for the test."

"Roger, Phoenix.  Fifteen second silent countdown.  Commencing."

"Copy, Houston."

Rather than remove my headset and plug my ears I wrapped my arms
completely around my petite MS-1 and then closed my eyes.  I could feel
her trembling in fear while we waited, the last few seconds of her
silent torture producing a more obvious shiver until it happened.

<BRAAAAAA!!!> <BRAAAAAA!!!> <BRAAAAAA!!!>

As soon as she heard the first one she started screaming, the contrast
of her small and high pitched voice against the brash and uncomfortable
wail of the annunciator a strangely shocking experience.

After the last uncomfortable tone she burst into tears and wrapped her
short arms around my body, her stuttering sobs tearing at me like an
imagined array of spinning blades.  My hands caressed her whole body
along her back over and over again, the distinct change in the shape of
her plump butt compared to her near perfectly straight back and the way
her chubby legs were so well defined and conformed to the lightest touch
stirred a heat inside my whole body that had nothing to do with my
clothes.  I could have kept her against my chest for hours, but we had
other tasks to perform, and she needed to talk to her Mommy and Daddy
after we ate.

It took a while for her to stop crying and even longer for her to let go
of my neck, but I didn't mind at all.  If she wanted to keep hugging me
like she did a few times privately at KSC then I was going to encourage
her to do it as much and as often as she wanted to.  The moment she
dropped her hands to my sides and softly rubbed up and down once I knew
my fun was over.  The moment our eyes locked in an intense stare I had
thoughts pouring through my head that I'd been able to keep suppressed
all my life ... until then.

I was headed toward my death, and if she kept sending me lots of subtle
or even a few obvious hints I was going to test her on something that
neither KSC, her parents, nor the folks in Houston had any interest in
my attempting.  Something told me to take my first chance, so as I
stared into her intense gaze I slowly shifted my mouth forward and gave
her a kiss like none I'd ever shared with her before.  Just before our
lips touched she closed her eyes, but I chose to keep mine open a little
to monitor my progress and to pull away from her if I saw a visual cue
that told me I needed to quit.  Sure, I'd kissed her a half a dozen
times at the KSC training facility, but those were nothing more than a
quick peck akin to what I imagined her father might provide rather than
something a potential lover might offer.  My most recent soft attempt
was more toward the latter.

My lips never parted and I kept my tongue behind my teeth, but the
sensation of her mouth against mine was spectacular nonetheless.  The
fact that she didn't push me away or whimpered disapproval was all the
proof I needed that she and I had unknowingly grown together in a more
mature manner and toward something that would be a truly special event.

For the longest time Keiko kept her eyes and her mouth closed and didn't
move a muscle.  When she did her small right hand shifted from my left
side and took up a position around the back of my head.  It might have
been an incredibly provocative move to the preteen, but to me it was
ample indication that she was experiencing her burgeoning womanhood at
the tender age of twelve.

With her small right hand lightly cupping my shaved head my larger
mature right appendage dropped to her butt and softly applied pressure.
I could have slipped my digits further down or made a more obvious
display of immoral erotic fun by mushing her little ass around, but our
new relationship needed to be entered into slowly and carefully.  She
was, after all, just a little girl.  It was the sound of a man's voice
in my ears that ruined the moment.

"Phoenix, Houston."

She must have heard it in the headset dangling around her neck as well
and her eyes came open in a flash.  She pulled back, grinned a little
bit, blushed a deep crimson, and then giggled.

"Tee-Hee!"

I reluctantly pulled my hand away from her full and round little girl
ass, claimed my mike, and keyed it.

"Go ahead, Houston."

"CDR, you two need to get some food so MS-1 can have a private
conference with her folks.  After that you need to run through the
end-of-day routines, run one last systems check, shut everything down,
and get some sleep."

It felt as if Alan and the folks at the MCC (Mission Control Center)
were able to see what I'd done, and I felt a little unnerved by his
timing.  If he'd known I'd kissed Keiko and where my hand had been he
might have sent up another mission commander to replace me.  As was
required of me I responded.

"Roger, Houston.  In work."

It sounded strange to make eating sound like work.  Keiko and I had
always played and shared pleasant chatter while we ate, our second meal
together at KSC the first time she found out I could act just as silly
as any kid in junior high.  From that point on we were best buddies and
were laughing or carrying on like little kids whenever we had a chance.
Our breaks, meals, and extremely limited private time together were like
a holiday celebration while they lasted, her many giggles, squeals, and
pitiful attempts at freedom while I tickled her a kind of emotional and
psychological cure for a man who had about a year or so to live.  Once
we were in our ship and headed away from Earth faster than 18,000 miles
an hour we weren't going to be alive for more than four months.

It was time to think about food.

A major portion of our aft cabin was taken up with the supplies we'd
need over the duration of our mission, each of the food, water, and
personal stores arranged so we only had to open and consume what was
required from the flexible white storage bags closest to us.  After we
policed the cockpit and immediate area and tucked our comm lines and
mikes into small circular hoops I had Keiko take control of the first
bag closest to her.  Our agreement before launch was to alternate who
had responsibility for our two meals per day.  As long as we kept to the
schedule and didn't raid the pantry we had more than enough food for
both of us.  We even devised a rationing plan just in case one or more
of our thrusters wasn't able to keep us on target and forced us to take
a bit longer to achieve our objective than was planned.  In a way I
hoped we didn't have to delay the inevitable, even if it meant I had
more time with Keiko.  With 'the object' looming larger as our last
minutes approached in four months time I had no desire to stare death in
the face any longer than was absolutely necessary.

With the urine-to-water recycling system functioning and plenty of extra
water stores available along one wall of our craft we almost had enough
to drink for twice our mission length, if necessary.  One of the most
amazing things for me while we were in training was the first time I
watched my MS-1 place the small clear tube of the water processor to her
mouth, release the white plastic clip, and then suck so she could take
her first clean recycled-water drink.  My impression after she'd been
told where the water came from would have been the typical little girl
noise that parents most likely heard about Brussels Sprouts or broccoli,
"Eeeeee-oooooo!!!"  To see my petite MS-1 fasten her drinking line to
the port labeled "OUTPUT" at KSC and then take a short sip made me feel
a lot better.  For her to do it in space made the whole training process
worth while.

I knew to expect it and wasn't disappointed, because after she had a
little drink of water she disconnected and then coiled her hose up,
slipped it into a clear zipper plastic bag, headed for our first white
supplies bag, immediately giggled, and then withdrew a small sealed
plastic bag of Vienna sausages.  That little girl absolutely loved her
Vienna sausages and hot dogs, our logistics and food supply crew pleased
to provide them for her.  The only thing we had to be careful of with
any of our 'wet' foods were any liquids escaping from the containers.

They didn't want anything to get into the electronics, because of
potential damage to our expensive equipment, short circuits sure to ruin
our mission.  An absolute must was cleanliness, and we were always very
careful to practice how we ate our food so we didn't make a mess.  We
even considered eating inside a modified catch-bag similar to a zippered
mosquito net.  They could have provided us with a more sophisticated
water rehydration station for our food like they had on the shuttle and
the space station in orbit, but since our mission wasn't meant for our
return they provided sterile storage containers with lots of regular
foods that we liked and could easily eat.

To see my MS-1 suck the insides of the plastic bag that had her short
tubular and edible pink cigars at the meal training facility in Florida
shocked me at first.  It was obvious she noticed, because she did it
with increasing frequency after that and brandished a broad smile, as if
to intentionally gross me out and revel in my torture.  But rather than
give into a little girl's need to be provocative with her food I got
used to it and never displayed any evidence of disgust again.  Each time
she did it after that first meal and watched me for any reaction my mind
was filled with perverse thoughts about her mouth filled with sticky
goo.  I'd been inside some 'interesting' places that the cops didn't
know anything about, the very act of a female mouth swallowing lots of
glutinous goo something that I couldn't get enough of.

After our meal and with everything put away in their assigned places
Keiko was allowed to talk privately to her folks at KSC.  Since they
hadn't left the launch complex at KSC yet and the personnel there felt
obligated to let them stay for a few weeks, Keiko's parents immediately
received on-site accommodations with all the amenities.  American and
Japanese relations would have gone up a million percent if their
government and space agency found out about what the folks back in
Florida had done for Keiko's folks.

Her parents knew how to speak English, because we had a number of short
conversations at the training facility and our temporary residence, but
the proud Asian couple were allowed to conduct their conversations with
their brave daughter completely in their natural language, Japanese.

The sound of my MS-1's high pitched voice in her native tongue was an
instant turn-on for me.  Her lips kept moving erotically, and the
unfamiliar noises that came out of her mouth fascinated me.  To afford
her plenty of privacy after the first minute of their conversation I
removed my headset, left it attached to the wall next to my mike, and
then looked through our flight manual for anything I could do.  I was
able to complete one or two more 'get ahead' tasks, but the sound of her
soft voice behind me was a constant distraction.

After their chat was over Keiko floated toward me, wrapped her short
arms around my body from behind, and then cried for the second time in
my presence while we were headed for our destiny.  Rather than leave her
with the impression that I was more interested in saving the Earth than
being her best friend I broke her hug, spun around, and then pulled her
as snugly into my body as I could.  She wailed almost hysterically after
that and let her heart pour out with the side of her small round face
against my chest.  I really felt sorry for her, because she was nothing
more than a brilliant little bald preteen girl who hadn't even had a
chance at a life.  Why she'd consider stepping foot onto a space ship on
a one-way mission to deflect a ball of rock, ice, and carbon from its
original path so the people on Earth could continue in their normally
inconsiderate and apathetic manner was beyond my understanding.

I knew why I was doing it, because frankly I knew my prospects at a
future were dwindling on an hourly basis.  I might have only been twenty
five, but at least I'd seen a good portion of the USA, had celebrated in
the glorious union of my body with a number of affectionate women, and
was mature enough to accept that my life on Earth was soon to be over as
a result of a developing brain tumor.  For Keiko to volunteer after
being told she had a terminal form of nervous and lymphatic disease,
what I tried my best to understand as a rare form of something akin to
an autoimmune disorder, was unlike anything a little girl would normally
do.  I would have expected someone her age to want to play with her
dolls, friends, and try to enjoy whatever life she had left with her
parents and family.  I was more proud of her every day.

My hands didn't venture into any questionable areas while I comforted
her, and our lips remained apart the whole time.  My only requirement at
that moment was to hold Keiko, let her cry, and be ready to help her
when she needed it.  I knew she would, and I was honored to be with her.
The first time she uttered a coherent string of words I got choked up.

"I miss my Mommy and Daddy, Truman."

I was barely able to whisper a subdued reply.

"I'm sure you do, Keiko."

For some unknown number of minutes I held her tight, resisted the need
to shush her tears, whispered lots of soft loving words into the top of
her shaved head, and kept a tight grip of my little MS-1.  We stayed
nestled together in our weightless privacy for quite a while and said or
did nothing but hold each other.  I was glad nobody was around, because
I could have held her like that for an eternity.  Strangely, we were
going to be there soon enough.

My arms retained possession of her petite body until she nodded into my
chest.  That subtle hint was all I needed to let her come free, a quick
kiss on the cheek my reward for being sensitive to her needs.  After she
collected and disposed of her tears with a single dry tissue so none of
the many electronic circuits would fail, she nodded again, smiled, and I
tickled her tummy for a couple of seconds.  Once her demeanor seemed
more normal I returned to the boring routine that we'd been trained for.

"Houston, Phoenix."

"Go ahead, Phoenix."

"Step eight point twenty one ... pre-sleep systems check."

"Copy, Phoenix.  Let us know how things go."

"Roger, Houston."

I turned to Keiko and grinned, a look on her face that illustrated an
awareness that I was going to keep including her in as many tasks as we
had so she wouldn't feel left out.

"Okay, MS-1 ... you want the checklist, or the switch and indicator
panel?  It's up to you."

"Ooooooo ... can I do the panel, Truman?"

"Works for me.  I hate having to remember where all those silly buttons
are, anyway."

"Tee-Hee!"

It sounded so good to hear her giggle.

"Eight point twenty one dash one ... illuminator check, red."

"Roger!"

"Illuminator switch to 'R'; press 'test' for two seconds; indicators
will remain lit until test button is pressed again; while testing verify
all indicators are lit."

"Roger!"

Her fingers found and then twisted the PAN-IL (Panel Illuminator) switch
to the "R" position as I'd instructed, and her short index finger then
pressed the one next to it labeled 'TEST'.  Two seconds after she did
the whole panel went completely red.  As she'd been taught she put her
petite digit at the top right corner of the panel, swept it to the left,
and followed a straight line for any unlit switches or indicators.  By
the time she'd followed each of the successive rows from end-to-end and
top-to-bottom her task was complete.  With a huge smile on her face she
spun in place.

"All lamps red, Commander ... Tee-Hee!"

She seemed so eager to follow each of the instructions to the letter as
if everything was a game, no minor task, observation, or reply too
insignificant.  She truly made an excellent mission specialist, her
brilliance at numerical computation, her enthusiasm to be successful,
the accuracy of each assignment, and her blind desire to finish what she
started out to do truly awe inspiring.

"Eight point twenty one dash two ... illuminator check, green."

"Roger!"

"Illuminator switch to 'G'; press 'test' for two seconds; indicators
will remain lit until test button is pressed again; while testing verify
all indicators are lit."

"Roger!"

Just as before she performed her task looking for any anomalies.

The same routine was repeated for yellow, blue, and white, everything
working as designed and tested at KSC.

"Eight point twenty two ... sensor array test."

Following the procedures developed by the engineers who'd designed and
built our craft I provided the instructions while Keiko performed each
test.  The array was deemed functional and then placed in low power mode
in preparation of our sleep period.

Once each of our tests were concluded I made a timid suggestion that
sent my face into a blaze of heat, my embarrassment stirring Keiko to
grin and then look away as if she didn't want to see me blush.  What she
didn't know before I brought the subject up was my need to take care of
my own personal business more than just follow some flight manual
instruction.

"Do you need to use the potty, Keiko?  I'll install the privacy screen
between the control area and our living quarters, and then I'll put my
MP3 player on until you're done."

"Kay."

As I'd described a thin white translucent drape was fastened to eight
clips designated for just such a use along the periphery of a bulkhead
between our living area and the control consoles further forward.  Any
excess slack along the edges of the material was then taken up by a
series of small ties after the circular zipper snugged it up.  In a
matter of a few minutes what had been a small metal tube hurtling
through space with two lives inside was made a little more private on
one side.  The white divider seemed to take on a familiar and pleasant
feel of rigidity and strength, the lightest touch or shift with our
hands or feet sure to be resisted.  An elastic center split in the
middle of the flexible wall was our way of getting from one side to the
other without having to take it down, the springy seam snug enough to
keep our private area from being seen from the cockpit, but elastic
enough to be teased apart with the least effort.

"I'm gonna test something, Keiko.  Stay here."

To check how effectively it blocked unintended observations from the
control side where Keiko and I were after I finished installing our
privacy curtain I worked my way through to the area that held the waste
processor, our supplies, and the back of our craft.  The overhead lamp
was turned off and although I expected to be thrust into darkness I
realized the material was thin enough to admit plenty of light through
to my side from where Keiko was still watching.

I could see my MS-1 fairly clearly, but I needed to confirm if she could
see me, or if I could see her when we switched places.  As I'd done
dozens of times at KSC I wanted to make a game of our duties and gripped
some of the loose material along the seam with my fingertips and thumbs
and prepared myself.  Without any warning I tugged the springy closure
open as wide as I could, burst as far forward as I was able to, and then
exclaimed, "BOO!"  Her shriek and laughter afterward made me feel good,
but her tight hug and then her high pitched giggle into my right ear
made me feel supreme.

"Tee-Hee!"

"It's your turn, Keiko.  Go through and tell me what you think."

"Kay!"

I helped direct her through the stretchy aperture, and as soon as the
material came together all I saw was a bright white panel and no
evidence of any activity on the other side.

"Can you see okay, Keiko?"

"Uh huh!"

"Excellent.  You couldn't see me after I turned the cabin light off over
there, could you?"

"NO!  All I saw was the white divider."

"So ... you feel comfy now ... and you're sure I can't see what you're
doing on that side?"

"Uh huh.  Thanks, Truman."

"You're welcome, MS-1.  Before you take care of your business would you
mind getting my MP3 player out of my personal storage bag, please?"

"Kay."

Trying to act as detached and unconcerned about what she might be doing
on the other side of our recently installed privacy wall I stayed close
to the 'door' and waited until she reached through with my MP3 player.
As soon as her small appendage came through I lunged for her hand,
gripped it tight, pulled her toward me a little bit, and then began to
playfully nibble on her wrist and lower forearm.  Her bright squeals and
strong tug away from me filled me with a kind of happiness that I'd
never known before.

Rather than deviate too far from our planned routine I let her go after
a few seconds of play, retained possession of my music player, slipped
one half of my headset off, put the matching earphone from my player in
place, turned the unit on, and then returned to the control console so I
could look out of the periscope.  The instant I saw a brilliant glint of
something metallic off in the distance I realized I was headed to my
death in space, Station One little more than a fleeting glimpse toward a
future that was limited, absolute, and permanent.  Thankfully we flew
past Station One without any concerns, the sensor array confirming we
had at least two hundred miles distance between us as we shot past at a
calculated speed of 19,727 miles per hour.  With the primary thrust pack
attached to the aft of our ship we'd improve upon that significantly
near the end of our mission if we needed to.

In astronomical terms two hundred miles was nothing, and the little
distance between two bodies moving at that speed was considered a
near-miss to the normal space crews.  But to Keiko and me two hundred
miles would be just as far as the opposite side of the galaxy when it
came time to command the propulsion system to direct us into 'the
object' at the last moment.  We had one try to be right on the money, so
of all the numbers we had to worry about approaching 'the object' on a
perfect trajectory was the most important.

All other options were secondary, and that included the loss of one of
our lives along the way.  Even though it might have sounded harsh that
was the additional incentive the space agency folks needed to include my
petite and bright MS-1 because of her size and intelligence after she
volunteered.  It wouldn't be pleasant for Keiko or me if our associate
died along the way, because there were no provisions for tossing
anything out a window to keep the Phoenix from smelling with a rotting
corpse inside.  Although we knew we were going to die we didn't spend a
lot of time talking about the harsh realities of what that involved.

Controlling our craft so we grazed the surface of a tumbling ball of
rock, ice, and carbon in a tangential path rather than striking it at
the center of its mass based on its three-axis tumble was yet another
reason for using a human crew.  Rather than rely on a potentially
questionable computer that far out in space that the mission planners
might have a chance to put together at the last minute, our being on
board confirmed that there would be at least one living human being at
the controls just before nothing.  If it was necessary to make some
critical adjustment or delta-vee in our trajectory at the last moment
the folks back in Houston wouldn't have enough time to collect the data
and reprogram the impacter.  Two, or at the very least, one human on
board solved the latency problem nicely.

We'd seen the movie a few years back with that oil drilling crew doing
something on an asteroid that was more exciting and heroic than
practical or even possible, but we felt our task was a lot more mundane
and had none of the drama associated with their deed.  The fact that we
were headed toward 'the object' and had no interest in stopping for
pictures or trying to drill into it to stuff a bomb in its core was much
less worthy of newspapers or TV coverage, especially because of the age
of my MS-1.  Directing our craft to a point thirty degrees from CG
(Center of Gravity) was one of the most critical objectives of our
duties, the last few hours certain to be so busy with calculations and
thrust maneuvers that we wouldn't have time to be scared or even a
little contemplative.

It was a small hand on my right shoulder that broke the haze of my
introspection.  When I turned around Keiko was smiling and blushing.  It
was obvious she might have been embarrassed to use the commode with me
no more than a few feet away and only separated by diaphanous film.  No
words were spoken until I realized I was going to be behind the privacy
screen a bit longer than she'd been, and any noises I might make would
certainly intimidate, frighten, or horrify her.  Handing her my MP3
player was the perfect means to provide the necessary isolation from any
natural or unnatural sounds I generated.

"Here, Keiko.  See if you like any of my music.  Check out the library
and play anything that sounds good.  I'm pretty sure you'll find
something that you might like."

"Thanks!"

She put both earphones on, went through my library, and as soon as she
found something that I'd specifically put there for her to enjoy before
we left the KSC training facility she squealed.

"OOOOOOOO!!!  THANKS, TRUMAN!"

She didn't need to yell, but she'd most likely turned the music up a bit
higher than I normally attempted.  Almost immediately after she thanked
me she began to sing along with her favorite music idol, Hannah.  With a
fair length of my radio comm-line pulled through the white modesty
screen so I could move freely and stay in touch with the folks back in
Houston I watched her gyrate and dance in our weightless environment
after I extracted my cock and began to masturbate.

With a single wipe collected from the official supply next to the waste
collection device I tried to keep pace with her movements and hammered
at my throbbing cock, her small breasts jiggling inside her thermal
underwear all the confirmation I needed that she wasn't wearing a
training bra.  Her tiny boobies were perfectly shaped inside her top,
each of her lovely little mounds of sweetness tipped with a single erect
point and jiggling just enough to keep my mind on overload.  Her petite
breasts looked so cute as they twitched and bounced inside her thin
thermal top and her shape so well defined it was as if she'd been
intended to be my MS-1 long before we both volunteered for our one way
mission.

The fact that nobody knew what my secret passions had been for many
years was a good thing, because had the folks at KSC known I'd hungered
to stare at young girls for years they wouldn't have let me climb into a
hollow metal tube with a chubby little Japanese girl for the next four
months.

While staring at her little titties and imagining them in my hands or
pressed to my mouth I lost it a lot quicker than I ever had before.
Even with a limited supply of sterile dry tissues and a soapy wipe I had
no desire to smell like sperm, urine, or fecal material, so I did my
best to remain clean as I blushed and tried to hide the fact that I was
a perv of the most astronomical kind.  I wondered if anyone in space had
ever lusted over a little girl, a lovely bald Japanese prodigy the best
form of entertainment and reason to live for a man with a dark past.

Once my lurid sexual deed was completed I took care of my more normal
biological one and the real reason for my having installed the privacy
screen in the first place.  Sure, the thin gauze served a dual purpose,
but I couldn't very well return to my temporary hideout too often,
because Keiko would become suspicious eventually.

My body was cleaned, my hands washed, my clothes reinstalled, and then
my face must have been imbued with a deep red glow, because I could feel
a deep burning all over from far above my former hairline to well below
my chin.

Before I emerged I paid careful attention to how Keiko was situated in
the cramped cockpit, both of her small bare feet tucked under a single
hand-hold, both of her eyes closed, and her voice emulating what her
young female heroine had become famous for.  Since she was completely
distracted by the music that I'd brought along I figured I could tickle
or surprise her and wouldn't be stopped along the way.

After I emerged from behind the white divider I approached her from the
far side of her body, tapped her on the outside of her left arm, and
then immediately shifted as far to the right as I could.  She was a lot
smarter than I gave her credit for, because she immediately turned to
the right to face me and began to tickle me as I'd planned to do to her.
What she hadn't anticipated was for me to be able to completely control
her while her head was filled with pleasant sounds of her recent past on
Earth, my left hand holding both of her hands over her head again, and
my right index finger tucked inside the top elastic of her thermal
leggings and pulling toward her feet so I could see and then nibble on
her soft pink tummy.

She squealed so loud and wiggled so violently I could have assumed I was
scaring her to death, but instead of kicking me or cramming one or both
of her knees into my side or back she just twisted and wiggled around.
Her chubby stomach was silky soft and her belly button far too easy a
target for a wayward tongue to resist, her excited vocalizations so
animated I was sure she'd pass out from all the loving abuse.

It might have been easy to keep munching on her soft skin and tickle her
for hours, but I was genuinely getting tired from our long first day,
and we needed to finish our assigned tasks.  Once I got her settled down
and after another stolen kiss I made a call to Houston to relay the
findings of our previously completed duties.

"Houston, Phoenix."

"Go ahead, Phoenix."

"Oxygen nominal, power buss in the green, ascent batteries on charge,
trajectory right on the numbers, cabin pressure stable, all electrical,
electronic, and monitoring equipment tested and nominal, Station One
passed about twenty minutes ago, cabin temp set to a reduced level to
minimize energy consumption, and MS-1 feeling a lot better now.  Tell
her folks that I'm incredibly proud of Keiko.  She's a very special
young lady, a perfect Mission Specialist, passenger, and partner."

CapCom didn't reply verbally, the only response I got was a single click
in my ear confirmation that he'd heard me.  I imagined a few eyes around
Houston showing signs of uncharacteristic wetness among professional
engineers and planners at the thought of a twelve year old in space.

"Houston, Phoenix.  We'll be setting our sleeping equipment up now.  If
you need us try not to scare the crap out of my MS-1 unless it's really
important and absolutely necessary."

"Copy, Phoenix.  Have a nice sleep, you two."

"Roger, Houston.  Radio going standby."

"Roger."

XVR/STBY.

Once I placed the radio into low power receive mode I rolled my comm
line into a loop, tucked it into place against the wall, removed my
headset, clipped it to my mike, and gently directed Keiko through the
modesty screen and toward the storage bag that contained our sleeping
equipment.  The first thing I needed to do was take down the modesty
screen so I had enough room to stretch out.  Her task was to find our
stuff, and she was like a little kid at Christmas eagerly opening the
flaps of every storage bag she could gain access to.  I was almost
convinced she was going to tear open a few unauthorized snack bags and
have a before-sleep nibble, but she chose to put everything back where
she found it and then returned to her original task.

After she located our thin sleeping harnesses I attached both of them to
opposite ends of our artificial version of Earth with hers positioned in
front of versus beside mine, because of the limited space we had from
shoulder-to-shoulder.  She could have slept in the same size and as
bland a harness as my gray one, but she liked the idea of her bag being
colored a shocking pink and no larger than her short body.  I found out
before we left that the logistics folks at KSC were glad to accommodate
her personal request.

Just before I climbed into my bed and tugged my blanket tight to my body
I flipped a small overhead lamp on in our area, made my way forward one
last time that day, flipped all the lights off in the cockpit including
the indicator panel, returned, and made sure she had a firm grasp of her
sleeping bag before the lights went out.  Our environment was going to
be really dark once I flipped the familiar illuminator switch to off,
and I had no desire to scare my petite fellow passenger by plunging us
into pitch black if she wasn't prepared for it.

"Go ahead and get in your bed, Keiko.  I'm gonna turn the light off
now."

She immediately looked at me with huge puppy-dog eyes brimming with
tears.  I kind of figured what she might be thinking, but again I needed
to be absolutely sure.

"What, Keiko?"

"Can I sleep with you, Truman?"

"Well, I can't go anywhere else, Honey.  You're kinda stuck with me."

"NOOO!  I mean ... will you hold me?  I'm a little scared."

"I'm gonna be real close to you, Keiko.  If you want to I can make sure
your bed is touching mine so you can press your back against me."

The moment I saw a huge tear form in her right eye I knew that wasn't
going to be good enough.  As bizarre as it seemed at the moment I was
fascinated by the form of her tears as they increased in size, both of
her formerly tiny drops turned into growing circular orbs of perfect
symmetry.  I grabbed a dry tissue, dabbed her tears away, and pulled her
into me.  Her hands went around my neck and small fingers did their best
to claim as much fabric along my back below my neck as they could.  She
was nothing more than a frightened little girl who was afraid of the
dark, missed her parents, and I had the noble task of comforting her as
often as she needed it.  In a softened voice I whispered into her small
left ear.

"You wanna share my sleeping bag, Keiko?  I promise I won't tickle you
too much while you're sleeping."

"Tee-hee."

She didn't seem to mind giggling while her eyes were filled with tears.
A single nod confirmed what I'd expected, so I broke our hug, unzipped
my bed, worked my feet inside, shifted the blanket around so it could be
moved out of the way if either of us got too warm, and then reached
through the slit to draw her inside with me.  It took a little careful
maneuvering, but once she'd assumed an almost impossibly tight lock onto
the front of my body I reached around her, flipped the last illuminator
off, and then tugged the small plastic closure up with my right hand as
I held my left on her smooth back.  With only our heads poking through
the elastic but loose opening at the end I wrapped her up in my arms and
gave her a nice hug.

The sound of her whimper and the way she wiggled her face against my
neck under my chin filled me with an indescribable passion that was
making it harder for me to think of her as just my MS-1 rather than an
innocent little girl.  My best defense was to forget about her as a
potential sexual being and remember that she was someone's daughter.
For the next minute I made a series of slow sweeps across her back with
one hand while I held her to my body with the other.  She felt so soft
through her thick thermal underwear she was wearing, and Keiko was
asleep in just a few minutes.  It took me a little bit longer, but I
soon followed.

She looked so angelic when I woke up the next 'morning', my natural
sleep and wake rhythm so highly tuned that I never needed a watch to
know when to go to bed or get up in the morning.  Rather than stir her
out of a restful slumber I made my way free and allowed her to keep her
place in my bed.  My teeth were brushed, my face and head shaved, I took
my clothes off, had a quick wet wipe bath little more than a few feet
from my sleeping beauty, and then put my shorts and thermal underwear
back on.

We'd been so warm tucked tightly together in my bed that I didn't
realize how chilly it felt once I'd climbed out and gotten undressed.
That was resolved once I was clean, dressed, and made it to the panel
that had the heater control.  Most of the lights in the cockpit were
left off, but all the indicators were checked for normal operation.  It
looked very comforting to see the various red, green, blue, yellow, and
white illuminators softly glowing with so much darkness and the harsh
vacuum of space no more than a few feet from where we were.  Using the
daily activities portion of our checklist I went through each step until
my headset and mike were retrieved and the radio was turned back on.

XVR/ON.

"Houston, Phoenix."

After a couple of seconds and a few crackles of static I got a reply.

"Phoenix, Houston ... Good morning you two."

The tone of Sherry's voice was strangely comforting, our morning CapCom
sounding eager to help us commit glorified suicide.

"Good morning, Houston.  I've just run through pages one and two of our
daily start-up tasks and all systems are nominal.  Any news?"

"Thanks for the update, CDR.  No news yet.  So far the only people who
know about 'the object' are you two and a very limited set of folks down
here.  Can the sensor array see anything yet?"

"Negative, Houston.  Apparently the array isn't quite large enough to
detect anything that small from this distance.  I'm gonna need a few of
the engineers' help to do a quick calibration test to confirm everything
is functioning as expected."

"Roger, Phoenix.  Did you have any problems detecting Station One?  The
logs show you were able to see it, and you even made a radio call that
you were beyond it before you went to sleep."

"Station One was clear on the screen yesterday, and I actually saw it
glinting just before we zipped past.  The sensor array was working fine
then, so something must have happened between then and now."

She remained quiet for a few seconds, but eventually spoke.

"CDR, if you can't get the array on line you're gonna have to do a lot
of visual alignments using your celestial scope and then a bunch of
extra thrust maneuvers manually, because you won't have the computer to
do all that work for you."

"Yet another reason I'm glad I've got my own living computer little more
than a couple of feet away from me right now.  Mine might be twelve
years old, but I think it works better than the fairly new one that you
might be using at your console."

The moment I mentioned having Keiko near me I knew I shouldn't have done
it, because she was still blissfully asleep, and CapCom might chastise
me for her not being up and around like I was.

Sherry must have been a mother of at least one child, because she stayed
silent again, this time much longer.  Once she formed her response she
called back.

"Phoenix, Houston.  Stand by while I get the engineers queued up."

"Standing by."

While I was waiting I did a quick run-through on the primary control and
display panel to see what our attitude was.  That's when I knew why I
hadn't seen anything on the display earlier.  Something wasn't right and
all it took were a few checks on the INU to see that we'd slowly yawed
to the left while we were asleep.

The portable star finder was retrieved from its case, the front
objective of the unit placed against one of the round side view ports,
locked onto the mount specifically designed to hold it securely, and one
of my eyes brought to the small circular eyepiece.  A familiar
constellation, Orion, was found, the star Betelgeuse was located and
centered within the thin crosshairs, and its position locked into memory
with the small keyboard attached to the device.  Moments after I entered
which star I'd aligned the device up with the tiny computer told me what
I didn't want to know.

Just as the INU had indicated we were in fact slowly yawing out of
alignment, and we'd shifted almost thirty degrees to port.  I needed to
get us back on course as quickly as possible or our mission was going to
be a complete failure.

I turned to an appropriate page in our flight manual and was able to
find the section that was specifically included for the sort of event
where I'd need to straighten us back out.  I silently thanked the
engineers back at the space agency for planning ahead and being that
thorough, and I was proud of the training folks in Florida for testing
me on so many difference scenarios.

After doing some number crunching and repeating my calculations at least
three times I wrote down the two answers that matched and decided to
make a call to my only link for success.

"Houston, Phoenix."

"Go ahead, Phoenix."

"It looks like we've got a little yaw being imparted to our ship.  I've
done a verification of the INU and even did a celestial using Betelgeuse
to confirm what the electronics indicated, and it looks like we're off
by about thirty two degrees to port.  There doesn't appear to be any
roll from our original relative position at MECO, so our attitude seems
stable otherwise.  I've done three runs on the numbers and here's what
I've got so far.  Confirm your ability to copy."

Rather than sound willing to jot down what I was about to read Sherry
challenged my abilities to run my own space ship.

"Where's your math wizard, CDR?"

I hated to say it, but I very well couldn't lie.  Besides, what were
they gonna do, dock our pay, demote, or fire us?"

"Sleeping."

The chuckle in Sherry's voice when she answered told me more than she
realized.

"Hee, hee.  You need to run a tighter ship, CDR."

"Roger that, Houston.  Give me a few and I'll report back."

"Houston standing by, Phoenix."

Keiko was still sleeping peacefully, her head through the small bundled
elastic opening of my sleeping bag and a tiny smile on her mouth.  I
knew I was pushing it, but I had to do it, a little kiss applied to her
bee-stung lips the perfect means to wake her.

The moment she realized someone was touching her lips she giggled,
extended her tongue between her teeth and lips, and then without
thinking licked my lips once.  I could have sucked her tongue into my
mouth and begun to teach her what she might not be ready to learn about
passionate kissing, but withdrew slightly and then cupped her soft left
cheek with my right hand.

"Keiko?  Angel?  Wake up, Honey."

" Nnnnnnnn!  "

Just like a few of my younger relatives during an early morning wakeup
call while on a family camp-out Keiko appeared reluctant to greet the
new day.

"Come on, Sugar, you need to wake up.  We've got some work to do."

"Nuh uhhhh!"

"You better wake up, or I'm gonna tickle you!"

" tee-hee "

A little giggle was the perfect prelude to a soft and slow caress over
her hidden tummy, the curvature of her small form easily determined
through the thin fabric of my bed.  She must have forgotten her body was
almost completely restrained, because she tried to extend her hands
toward the invader, but was stopped short by the fabric.  Her soft
squeal and her inability to claim my finger was just enough for her to
open her eyes and see me smiling at her.

"Good morning, MS-1.  Did you sleep okay?"

In the middle of her wide-mouthed yawn she nodded her head.

"I didn't want to disturb you, Keiko, but I need my favorite living
computer and trusty MS-1 to help me do some navigational calculations.
It seems we're a little off course or have been turned a bit out of
proper alignment.  Are you awake yet?"

Nodding a second time while yawning wasn't a good sign, but I needed to
get her moving, so I unzipped my bed, reached inside, and drew her out.
As soon as her arms were free she reached around my neck, hugged me
tight to her petite body, and then wrapped her legs around my waist.
Talk about the wrong way to greet me in the morning.

"Come on, Sweetie.  You need to wake up, okay?"

The response I got nearly gave me a heart attack.

"I need to pee, Truman.  Help me, okay, 'cause I'm too sleepy."

For the first time since I'd secretly fallen in love with my petite
temptress, favorite tickle partner, and frequent playmate I was going to
see what she looked like underneath her clothes.  I wasn't about to miss
an opportunity like that, no matter *how* far out of alignment we were.

Holding her to my body with my right hand I used my left to bring us
closer to the urine input port of the waste collection device.  She kept
yawning into my neck the whole time I prepared it for her use, her clear
plastic cup and hose attached, the unit and then the pump motor turned
on, and the familiar quiet whisper of air being sucked inside through
the small opening in her cup.  My nervousness was only topped by my
excitement, my eyes watching in amazement as my right and then my left
hand began to tug her thermal garment and her panties down.  The moment
I saw what I'd fantasized about for weeks I let out a stifled groan and
tried not to waste too much time so she wouldn't notice me staring.

Using the lightest touch I gently teased her chubby thighs apart a
little bit to be rewarded with her legs being splayed a lot more than
was truly necessary.  For a few seconds I enjoyed the image of natural
beauty like I'd never known or seen before, her labia majora ample and
pooching out like two slender over-stuffed balloons and no indication
that she had any labia minora at all.  Her slit was long and deep, and I
knew her clitoris was hiding deep between the luscious slivers of pink
softness near the indentation of her keyhole at the upper end of her
cleft.  I might have wanted to seek it out and prove to my chubby little
MS-1 that I had talents beyond what the folks at KSC had tested me on,
but for the moment I knew to wait, even if I didn't want to.

I could have stared for hours and hungered to do more, but as I'd been
instructed I retrieved her urine cup and tenderly applied it to her
vulva until the vacuum made a perfect seal between the edge of the clear
plastic and her supple bald flesh.  She'd become so familiar going pee
like that in such a short time back at KSC that it didn't take more than
a few seconds before I saw the clear tube turn yellow and filled with a
steady flow of warm urine.  It's the closest I'd ever been to the bright
yellow fluid while someone was emptying their bladder, but I wasn't
revolted.

Once she was finished I lightly tugged on the cup so I could wipe her
and her cup, but the lack of air between her body and the small device
didn't allow me to retrieve it.  Her giggle and legs clamping around my
hand proved that I wasn't thinking properly, the slight pull away from
her underside drawing her charms along with the cup.

My face again burst into an intense inferno, my embarrassment most
likely indicated by the assumed vermilion hue to my appearance from the
top of my shaved head to below my collarbones.  The pump motor was
turned off, the vacuum eliminated between the cup and her vulva, and the
plastic device easily withdrawn from her pillowy beauty.  The hose and
cup were tucked into place near the seat, and a single wipe extracted
from its box to clean up the beauty that I'd been admiring.

In a deed that I'd only attempted with another young lady many years
before just before I left home I tenderly dabbed and wiped a little
girl's vulva until she seemed dry enough.  For Keiko to keep her legs
splayed wide even after I was finished did more for my fantasy life than
any porn model I'd ever looked at in a magazine, on TV, or in person,
but for her to keep yawning and pressing her face into my neck confirmed
she wasn't the least offended about what I was doing.  She would,
however, have noticed my not pulling her panties and thermal garment
back into place, so I returned her clothes to their appropriate
locations so we could concentrate on doing a quick course correction.

Once she was coherent enough to watch me repeat all of my previously
completed tasks with the star finder and then enter her own numbers on a
small blank area of the scratch pad I'd used Keiko came up with the same
answer I did.  I immediately felt vindicated and as if my presence was
again justified.  After the data was entered into the INU and the EXEC
button pressed the sensation of slight motion toward our original
heading was a strangely welcome perception.

That's when Keiko noticed I hadn't engaged the automatic vernier
thruster alignment subroutine.  It was painfully obvious I'd overlooked
a step or two some time during our pre-flight tasks or after we were
outside of Earth's gravity field.  Neither of us said anything to each
other nor to the folks in Houston, but we both must have felt the same
level of embarrassment at the same time.

In no more than five minutes we were back on course and our next set of
celestials taken so the data from the INU could be confirmed.  We were
right on the numbers once again, but what had caused us to yaw so far to
port was still an unknown.  The most important task at hand was to let
the folks in Houston know what Keiko and I had done.

"Houston, Phoenix."

"Copy, Phoenix.  Sorry you two, but the engineers are currently working
on another project at the moment.  We're expecting to hear from them
within the hour."

"Updated status, Houston.  MS-1 has checked my calc's and verified what
I'd concluded.  We've made the necessary entries in the INU, and we're
already pointed in the right direction.  We're going to be doing some
additional celestials in a few minutes and again at regular intervals to
confirm we're still on course."

"Good news, Phoenix.  Any idea why you were yawed?"

"About to start checking on any unplanned thruster firing or potential
venting of breathing L-N-Two (liquid nitrogen) and L-Oh-Two (liquid
oxygen).  We're gonna do a major systems check, run through all of our
liquid and gas supplies, verify the thruster fuel stores are still
intact, and we'll get back to you."

"Are there any obvious deltas in the indicators for your gaseous
consumables?"

"Negative."

"You two eaten yet?"

"We can put that off for a few minutes, Houston."

"Negative, CDR.  Maintain flight discipline.  As long as you're back on
course, the indicators for your gaseous stores aren't showing any
significant changes, and you're under thruster control we'll get your
problem worked out in plenty of time.  We don't want you two coming up
with the wrong conclusions if you're distracted by something as mundane
as hunger.  Verify compliance."

"Roger, Houston and copy.  Food first ... discoveries and fixes later."

Sherry's tone when she began to speak next was less like a CapCom and a
lot more like a dear friend.

"Thanks, Truman.  We're all really concerned about your MS-1 ... about
both of you.  We've all been doing a lot of, uhhh ... thinking around
here.  Take care of your flight crew first and then we'll get everything
else straightened out."

Sure, Keiko was incredibly important, including to me, but I felt a
little left out at that moment.  In spite of what could have been my
bruised ego I let it go.  I'd have plenty of time to be important later
on during the mission.

"Roger, CapCom.  Thanks, Sherry."

"No ... thank you, Truman.  Houston standing by, CDR."

I didn't have to attend college or have a glorious career in the
military to know why she was thanking me, and any sense of an injured
self-worth was lost in favor of a deep blush.

Our breakfast consisted of strawberry and apple filled pastries with at
least one bite shared of each so we could see what the other person's
food tasted like, a shared large plastic tube of orange juice, and a
couple of peanut butter-filled tortillas.  Keiko looked so cute with a
few crumbs of sugar, some fruit jam, and a dab of creamy peanut butter
along the left outside edge of her sexy little lips.  I hated to use
something as mundane as a tissue, so I gently cupped her chin with my
fingers, placed my right thumb against her lips, and then stole what
she'd unintentionally left there.

The look in her eyes when I licked and then sucked on the face of my
thumb to claim what she hadn't eaten revealed a combination of her shock
and excitement, as if she'd never seen a parent tend to their child like
that.  For her to mimic what I'd done, even though I knew my mouth was
devoid of any food items, sent a wave of lust through me.  It was as if
she was flirting with me and trying to prove that she would allow more
intimate touches and lots of private activities if I felt like it or
both of us grew brave enough.

Breakfast was over far too quickly for my tastes, our normal routine
back in Florida at the conclusion of our meals a brief tickle session or
quiet chat, but we had some important tasks to perform.

Keiko eagerly took command of the display and control console and began
to run through an electronic systems check while I checked the various
gauges and displays along the three walls of panels around her.  None of
our supplies were the least diminished and the rest of our craft seemed
to be perfectly fine.  What the heck made us yaw off course?

She needed to practice using the star finder, so I handed it to her and
watched as she displayed a broad smile and began to repeat what she'd
learned at KSC in the zenith viewport rather than the one along our port
side where I'd seen Betelgeuse.  She located Alpheratz in the Andromeda
constellation, entered that into the keypad, and giggled when the
numbers in the display matched what we'd both calculated.  Something
about doing it for real in space seemed much more rewarding for Keiko
than the many practice runs we'd done in the simulator in Florida.

It was after she'd made her observation through the center viewport
along the top of our vehicle when she told me I needed to see something.

"Truman, look at the mirror at the end of the sensor arm, please."

"Sure, Keiko."

We switched positions and I followed the arm all the way to its terminus
until I saw what she noticed.  Instead of the small curved plastic
mirror filled edge-to-edge with either stark blackness or the small dot
that was the Earth I saw what looked like a long cylindrical object
attached to the aft mounting structure of our ship.  I looked as hard as
I could and even tried to use the telescope in the star finder to see
more detail, but I couldn't determine if it was just something stuck to
the mirror, or something that wasn't supposed to still be linked to our
craft.

"Keiko, do you remember which bag the binoculars are stored in?"

"Sure!"

"Get them for me, please."

"Kay!"

After she found and then brought them forward for my use the powerful
but incredibly small miniature telescope pair was pointed through the
round zenith view port.  The moment I was able to get them focused I
knew it wasn't something stuck to the mirror ... there was something
stuck to us.  I was surprised, but I wasn't horrified.

I immediately recognized it as our S-1B, but why was it still attached?
The bang we heard and felt was supposed to separate our lift motor from
the kinetic package we were riding in, but obviously it hadn't.

"What is it, Truman?"

I turned, handed her the binoculars, and then helped her assume my spot.
Leaning forward with her tight to my body so I could pretend to be
looking out of the view port while she made her own assessment might
have been considered provocative, until I felt her push her butt
backward into my stomach.  She must have known what I was up to and had
no reluctance to play along, the plump softness of her pert ass stirring
something in me that had nothing to do with saving the Earth and more to
do with trying to continue the species.  Her soft voice diverted my
concentration just enough for me to remember why we were in space
together.

"Is that the main booster rocket, Truman?"

"I do believe you're right, MS-1."

"Then ... what was that awful bang we felt after MECO?"

"That, my dear, is a very good question.  We need to report status.  Why
don't you call down to Houston while I do some more observations."

"Kay, but ... "

"What, MS-1?"

She kept her eyes directed toward the view port, but I could tell she
was probably blushing because I felt the warmth of her body increase a
little bit and also noticed a slight shiver.

"Can I stay close to you?"

To answer her I brought my mouth to her left ear from behind and softly
whispered in a tone that I'd never used with her before.

"Angel ... as far as I'm concerned you can be as close to me for as
long as you want to.  I love your body heat and especially the way you
feel."

Pushing both hands around her body so I could hug her from behind in a
more intimate manner and then placing a butterfly kiss on her elfin curl
pretty much eliminated any potential subtlety or hidden intent.  Her
little girl butt pushed into my belly more and more as if she needed for
me to give her more room, but the way she held onto one of my arms
around her body was her way of telling me without words that we'd just
crossed another personal milestone.

I could have slipped my hands further under her arms, reached across her
body to claim one or both of her developing little breasts, and tested
for confirmation of my suspicions, but her new and apparently intense
desire for my lurid touch was going to have to wait.  We needed to
understand our predicament first.  We'd have nearly four months of 'play
time' to get to know each other after we determined what was attached to
our ship and why it was still there.

Keiko installed her headset, connected her comm line, and then retrieved
her mike.  While she prepared to relay our condition to the folks back
in Houston I located our flight manual and leafed through a section that
had become my personal favorite as if I could read a hundred pages a
second:  Flight Anomalies.  It didn't take long for me to locate what
was a potential show-stopper:  Failure of S-1B Sep.

"Houston, Phoenix."

"Go ahead, Phoenix.  Good to hear your voice, Keiko."

"Hi, Sherry.  Say 'hi' to all my friends at the training center too,
okay?"

"I will, Sweetie.  Have you two determined anything, MS-1?"

It was obvious Sherry needed to gently remind my petite MS-1 that their
conversations needed to remain official, and in a way I was angry at
CapCom for not indulging Keiko as quickly and easily as I might.

"Roger, Houston.  Me and my CDR saw something in the sensor array zenith
arm mirror with the binoculars that shouldn't be there.  It looks like
the main booster rocket is still attached to our ship."

"Copy, Phoenix.  We'll take a look at the engineers' notebooks and see
if we've got a contingency for that.  Stand by."

After Sherry finished speaking I added a bit of unsolicited commentary.

"Keiko, tell CapCom that I've already found something in the flight
manual.  Tell Sherry that I'm looking in Section D, page 21."

"Kay!  Houston, Phoenix."

"Go ahead, Phoenix."

"My CDR said he's found something in our flight manual under Section D,
page 21.  I think he's going through the procedures right now."

"Copy, Phoenix, but remind CDR that he needs to delay any actions until
we've assessed the reasons for the S-1B being attached."

I felt a little miffed, but I knew the folks at the space agency were
very strict about the procedures and routines they provided, one of my
primary requirements as a mission volunteer that I follow instructions
and only take unplanned action when all communications with Houston was
lost.  To appease the folks in Houston I offered a bit more for Keiko to
relay.

"Acknowledge them, Keiko.  Tell them I won't do anything without getting
their permission first."

It was obvious by her tone that Keiko realized how I felt, because I
could hear a definite change to how she'd communicated with CapCom a few
moments before.  Her voice was low, volume subdued, and that 'spark'
that made her sound like such a giggly little girl the first time she'd
checked her comm line was lost.

"Okay, Truman.  Houston, Phoenix."

"Go ahead, Phoenix."

"CDR confirms no actions taken without your prior approval."

"Copy."

Keiko seemed to understand my sense of frustration and gently caressed
the outside of my left arm as I kept looking at the flight manual.  To
keep her smiling I immediately twisted my head to my left, lunged toward
her small hand, and snapped at her in a playful manner.  She shrieked,
pulled her hand back, giggled, and then chastised me in a manner that
sounded more like a challenge than admonishment.

"Eeeeek!  Tee-Hee!  You better not, Meanie.  I might need that later."

In a very playful and submissive manner I just as quickly ducked my head
forward, thrust my bottom lip out, pouted, and then whimpered like a
hurt little kid.

"Mmmmmmmm."

She couldn't resist my invitation for a little play and pulled herself
into my chest with her arms wrapped around my neck and the flight manual
still between us.  Her softened voice near my left ear confirmed that I
had a bright but potentially immature and very impressionable little
girl with me.

"I'm sorry!  I didn't mean to make you sad!"

Yet more adventures seemed to be presented for nearly four months with
nothing to do but keep tabs on our trajectory and wait.  In order to
gently peel back any layers of inhibitions she'd used to protect herself
from any former adult friends I took on the demeanor of a very horny
playmate and began to sniff up and down the side of her neck.  She
immediately giggled and twisted her head to that side a little bit, but
seemed to resist her instinct to prevent my full access.  I kept making
loud sniffing noises as I traveled the short distance from her ear to
her shoulder, and once I'd determined she might like to play a brief
game of naughty tickles I stuck my tongue out, licked her neck just
under her jaw, and then made my best attempt at nuzzling into her ear.

"Tee-Hee!"

Her soft titter and tight squeeze of my neck proved that she seemed to
enjoy my impromptu game and might want to engage in that sort of play a
lot more later on.  For her to snuggle into me and then whisper back
confirmed I was going to enjoy lots of time alone with my MS-1.

"That feels so nice, Truman.  I wish you could do that a whole bunch."

"Mmmmmmmm!"

Humming and nuzzling into her neck seemed to stir her into yet another
cute giggle, and the more I wiggled my face the greater her pleasure.

"Tee-Hee-Hee!"

Gently pressing my mouth to her neck halfway to her shoulder, softly
kissing her for a few seconds, and then repeating my deed with a series
of additional slower ones after that stirred something in Keiko that
might have needed to be expressed after the first or second time we'd
been involved in some truly juvenile tickle sessions on the floor of my
dorm room back at KSC.  She whimpered, tilted her head to the right
which exposed more of her soft skin, leaned a little further into my
face, and whispered yet again.  The one word she said wasn't as
significant as how she said it, and I could tell she liked the way our
new game was being played.

"Tingles."

Rather than maintain my new openly amorous activities I withdrew my lips
slightly and relocated them to her left ear, almost breathing my
thoughts into her pubescent brain.

"May I kiss you some more later on, Keiko?"

Her whispered reply was barely loud enough to hear over the sound of the
air circulation fans near her feet.

"Yeaaaahhh!"

As a down payment for what I was hoping would be hours of us snuggled
together in my bed and swapping lots of spit I pulled the flight manual
away from our bodies, allowed it to float free, used both hands to
lightly grip her head, pulled her into alignment, and then planted my
first adult kiss on her preteen lips.  She might have been surprised,
but she wasn't scared, because she put her hands on my shoulders first
and then slipped them around my neck so she could keep me close.  We
could have been working on trying to figure out how to get rid of our
redundant boost-phase, but the elegant feel of her bee-stung lips
against mine was much more fun.

Houston again interrupted what could have been a long and very
pleasurable kissing lesson.

"Phoenix, Houston."

After one last small kiss I whispered into her mouth.

"You go ahead and be my mouth and ears, MS-1.  I'm gonna keep looking
through the flight manual and out the view port so I can be our eyes."

She kissed me back and then replied.

"Kay."

One last gentle kiss was shared, a smile exchanged, and then we drifted
back into our primary task.  It sounded so sexy to hear Keiko make the
call back to Mission Control, because the tone she'd used with Sherry a
few minutes before had been converted to a sultry one.

"Go ahead, Houston."

If CapCom had been able to hear better Sherry would have realized Keiko
had been influenced by a man with something dirty on his mind.  In spite
of where we were and what we were doing I treasured having someone else
along on my one way trip ... even if she was too cute to suffer the
same fate I was.

Rather than continue to leaf through the flight manual I chose to use
the binoculars and went from viewport-to-viewport looking for anything
that seemed out of the ordinary.

"CDR has the right section, MS-1.  What we've got to do now is determine
if you experienced pyro function and then why you didn't get S-1B Sep."

"Tell CapCom 'Yes', Keiko.  Remember that really loud bang we heard and
that rather uncomfortable kick in the ahh ... butt after we launched?"

"Tee-hee ... yeah, I remember.  That hurt!"

"Go ahead and tell them what you remember, then."

"Houston, we heard a really loud bang and felt a hard kick in our backs
after MECO.  It hurt a lot more than our trainers said it might, but we
both thought it was normal, so we didn't say anything."

While she was talking to CapCom I noticed something along one edge of
a mirror I'd been studying.  The sensor array arms were long enough so
the small mirrors could see much further behind us than if they'd been
closer to our ship, and their relative position allowed me to see a lot
of the mounting structure and propulsion system.  What I saw wasn't very
significant until I noticed something that didn't appear normal.

It looked like part of our primary thruster pack might have been hung up
with some of the pre-flight harness ties, or maybe one or two of the
pyros misfired and blew some debris onto our primary guidance controls,
but the way the mirror was tilted I couldn't see any more details along
its edge.  If the zenith arm was tilted back a little bit I could glean
more information in the tiny curved mirror and possibly see more of what
was behind us.

"Tell Houston that I can see something that looks like it doesn't belong
where it is.  Ask them if it would affect sensor array efficiency if we
rotated the zenith arm back slightly so I can get a better view."

Without any delay Keiko pressed the mike switch and relayed what I asked
her to.

"Houston, how much loss of signal efficiency will there be if the zenith
arm on the sensor array is tilted back out of position a little bit?"

"Stand by, Phoenix."

"Copy, Houston."

Keiko then turned toward me more fully, gripped my right arm, and then
spoke in a worried tone that couldn't have been masked.

"What are you thinking, Truman?"

"Well ... I can't see much, but it looks like part of the frame holding
our booster just below the primary thruster pack is being hung up on
some of the wiring harness and maybe even on some of the fuel and
hydraulic lines.  I don't know why, but it looks like something's wrong
with the primary propulsion system for our kinetic package."

"But ... our training never said anything about our primary thruster
pack being used during S-1B Sep.  Why does that matter?"

"I'm not really sure, but something tells me we might have sustained
some damage during MECO and/or S-1B Sep.  If I can get a better look
I'll be able to determine if what I see is gonna affect trying to get
rid of our launch booster or using the primary thruster pack later."

"Kay."

She waited a few seconds, and once she felt more comfortable about
something asked me a question as if she didn't want anyone else to hear
her voice.

"Truman?"

"Mmm hmmm?"

"Will you hold me for a second?"

"Of course, Keiko.  What's wrong?"

"I, uh ... I don't know why, but I kinda feel like something's not
right about our ship.  I'm scared."

"Come here, Honey."

As soon as she was nestled tight to my body I began to softly caress her
back using one hand and held her snug to my chest with my free one.

"We'll find out whatever's wrong with our ship really soon, Keiko, and
as soon as all those brainy people in Houston and KSC figure out what
the procedures will be then we'll take the necessary actions to resolve
the problem."

"But ... "

"But, what, Angel?"

"I don't wanna think about us going all the way out here and not being
able to accomplish our mission."

"You really want us to succeed, don't you, Keiko?"

"Of COURSE!  Why else would I volunteer to go on a one-way mission?"

"Well ... I was kinda hoping you wanted to be alone with me for a long
time ... like I've been wanting with you."

"Tee-Hee!  Perv!"

Placing my right hand onto her pert little ass and squeezing just enough
to distort her tender flesh a little bit confirmed my new title.  I just
hoped she wouldn't let Houston know accidentally.  She didn't say
anything right away, but when she did I heard that same wispy and
ethereal means of expression that stirred my cock to become much more
rigid.

"Ohhh, Truman!  You make me feel so tingly all the time."

My lips were then tucked right against her ear and I spoke as softly as
I could, but just loud enough so she could hear me.

"You don't mind if I touch you like that, Kitten?"

"No!  It feels so naughty, but ... it also makes me feel so tingly
inside, even better than the best ride at the Magic Kingdom."

I might have wanted to rip her thermal outfit and panties off so I could
have my way with the chubby little Japanese angel, but I thought better
of how that would affect my limited future.

"Before I start doing stuff that maybe I shouldn't, how about if we
started to pay attention to the condition of our ship?"

"Truman?"

"Mmm hmmm?"

"Touch me a little bit more, please."

Almost as if my right hand heard her before my ears did my appendage was
shifted up her butt, over the elastic of her thermal garment, the tips
of my fingers teased underneath, the elastic of her panties also felt
and then overcome, and then the whole of my hand shifted down inside.
For the first time since I'd met Keiko at KSC I had my hand on her pert
little bare ass and she was allowing my touch.

Her butt felt so hot and skin so silky that I immediately extended all
of my digits and claimed as much of her flesh as I could, gripping her
velvety beauty and affording her a long slow squeeze that forced a moan
from her lips into my left ear.

"Nuuuuuhhhh!!!"

For quite a while I ventured along the entire extents of my new private
domain, the limits of my movements only defined by her clothes and the
possibility that we'd need to answer Houston's next call.  Something
about our bond needed to be expressed verbally, and I had to share what
I knew before I was interrupted.

"Oh, Keiko!  Your skin is so soft and smooth.  I wish I could touch you
like this for a long time."

"Really, Truman?  For real?  You like the way my hiney feels?"

"Kitten ... if it didn't scare you so much I'd love to touch ... and
even see what you look like as much as I could."

"You're not upset 'cause I look just like a tiny girl, Truman?  I don't
look like a grown up woman yet, and I didn't know if you thought I was
just like ... I don't know ... just a little girl or something."

"Sweetie, I just adore the way you look!  To me you're perfect in every
way.  I know I shouldn't say this and I'll probably frighten you a
little bit, but ... I've secretly been in love with you from the first
moment I ever saw you."

In the most erotic whisper she could have used I heard my MS-1 speak
with a genuine tremble in her voice.

"Ruh-ruh-really, Truman?  You ... you've been in love with me?"

"Yes I have, Kitten.  I've hidden it as well as I can, but I've secretly
loved and wanted to touch you just like this almost from the first time
we tickled each other.  I've also wanted to ... to do other things, but
I've always tried to be gentle and decent, because you're not an adult
yet, and guys my age aren't supposed to touch girls your age."

She waited a few seconds, and after her confidence had returned she
spoke into my ear the same way I'd whispered into hers.

"Can I share a secret, Truman?"

"Sure."

"Phoenix, Houston."

Typical!

My headset was relocated, the mike switch was claimed, the small metal
and plastic tube brought close to where I wanted Keiko's lips to be, and
then I spoke in as normal a voice as I could with my hormones raging in
my body and my cock throbbing in my shorts.

"Go ahead, Houston."

"CDR, to answer your question, you should have as much as 5 degrees of
movement in the sensor array arms without causing any critical alignment
issues, but not much more than that.  You'll have to command all the
drive motors manually and together, since there's no procedure in the
flight manual for retraction of any one arm once they've been locked
into place."

"Copy that.  How about if you relayed what you've got and we'll write
everything down.  We'll do a read-back after that and confirm with you
that we've got it all down?"

"Copy that."

I spent the next fifteen minutes jotting each of their instructions down
while Keiko read my notes and crossed-checked them with various sections
of the flight manual for references to programming and wiring.  By the
time I'd started my read-back my right hand was cramped from writing.

After all their instructions were clearly understood both Keiko and I
ran through the routines one last time as we entered the data into the
display and data entry console.  The moment I hit the EXEC button I held
my breath.  If we did something wrong we'd lose the only means of our
ever finding 'the object' in the inky blackness of space.  The instant
we saw the zenith arm move in the right direction we both grinned and
then prepared ourselves for only two seconds of movement.  The instant
it stopped as we'd planned both Keiko and I let out a collective sigh of
relief and gave each other a quick hug.  I checked the other arms, and
they'd all been tilted back just enough for me to see everything I
didn't want to.

All it took were a few more observations in each of the other mirrors
and a review of the photos in the flight manual to confirm that we were
in deep trouble.  Fortunately the plentiful color images in one of the
appendices of our valuable technical reference made my observations
easier, and I went back and forth over and over again doing a comparison
between what was in the pictures and what I could see outside through
the view ports using the binoculars.

When I saw something particularly ominous I decided to put the
binoculars against my chest and try to come to terms with what I knew
couldn't have happened.  Keiko must have felt as scared as I did when
she looked at my face, because I must have been displaying an expression
that I saw my own death right outside the Phoenix.

"What, Truman?  Please tell me."

"I don't believe it.  After all this hard work ... I don't believe it."

"WHAT?"

"The mission has been sabotaged!"

"It has?  How?"

"I ... I don't think I can say this twice and keep it right, Angel.
I'm gonna call Houston and tell them what I've found.  I want you to
just hold onto me and listen to everything that I say and what CapCom
replies with, okay?"

" kay "

"Houston, Phoenix."

"Go ahead, Phoenix."

"Houston ... is this a secure line?"

Sherry didn't answer right away, but when she did she sounded genuinely
worried.  She couldn't have been more worried than I was.

"It's been digitized by your on-board processor and is only being
broadcast to the other centers through the satellite network.  Why do
you ask?"

"Is there a way to block all the other sites from receiving the signal?"

"Yes, CDR ... but WHY???"

"Then do it!"

Sherry hesitated a few more seconds, and when she responded I could
discern a kind of frustrated acceptance that hinted at her desire to
resist my suggestion without further explanation.

"In work."

A few more seconds went by and then Sherry came back on, this time in a
much more natural sounding voice rather than the metallic one that we'd
become used to hearing.  She must have changed to a different microphone
and headset.

"What's going on, Truman?"

"Sherry ... you're not going to believe this, but ... the mission has
been sabotaged."

"WHAT???"

"After I rotated the sensor array arms back a couple of degrees I saw
something that took my breath away."

"AND???  What was it?"

"Someone got access to the Phoenix before launch and added some hardware
that wasn't flight approved.  It appears the primary thruster pack has
been wired with a bunch of what I'm gonna assume is PE (Plastic
Explosive)."

"How can you make that determination?  Were you an ordinance disposal
tech somewhere?  Your paperwork said nothing about you being in the
military."

"No, and I didn't need to be to know that's what we're carrying.  I've
seen enough of those science programs on cable TV showing what those
building demolition people use to recognize what I'm looking at as
primer cord, also what looks like the end of a blasting cap, and the
appearance of a whole lot of PE wrapped all around more than one of the
fuel bottles."

"Come on, Truman!  There are miles of tubing and wiring out there!
You're making a really broad leap from what you and Keiko felt after
MECO and what you're imagining is stuff that can't even get onto the
launch area at KSC.  There's enough security in that place to protect
our lady president, for Pete's sake."

"Well ... then I guess the stuff scribbled onto one of the hydrazine
bottles prominently displaying a Christian cross and the words 'His will
be done' don't mean anything either, huh?"

"WHAT???"

"That's what's out there, Sherry.  Some religious fanatic apparently
didn't want us to make it this far.  The pyros for S-1B Sep were
apparently timed to light the PE and send us back into the atmosphere
at S-1b Sep instead of let us get all the way out into deep space."

"Are you sure, Truman ... I mean *really* sure?"

"Sherry ... this is one of those times when I'd love to be able to
prove it to you, but ... wait a minute ... HOLD ON!  I might just be
able to do it!"

"Do what, Truman?"

Even though it was going to really scare Sherry and everyone in Houston
if I didn't obey her command to reply I didn't have time to explain
everything in detail ... yet.  I peeled my headset off, threw that and
my mike toward the wall, pushed against Keiko to break her hold of my
body, and began to pull myself toward my personal effects bag as if I
might want to plunge back to Earth as fast as possible.

"Phoenix, Houston."

<pause>

"Phoenix, Houston.  Respond, CDR."

<pause>

"Come on, Truman!"

While I was madly searching for my MP3 player Keiko had a look on her
face that ranged from terror to acceptance of utter defeat.  Once I
found what I was looking for I yelled loud enough to scare her.

"AAAAAAAAAAA!  IT DOES HAVE ONE!"

When she saw me flying toward her with a broad smile on my face she must
have thought I'd gone stark raving mad.  Her expression didn't change
until I hugged and then kissed her as if we were celebrating at a New
Year's party.

"Call down to Houston and tell Sherry I've got a wild idea, and I need
all the help she can get us."

"Truman?"

The tremble in her voice forced me to stop, hold her face in my hands as
if I was cradling a new born baby, look at her as calmly as I was able,
and then apply yet another very tender kiss on her lips.  The moment I
pulled back I said three words right into her mouth that might have
scared her worse than my telling our only life line back in Houston that
we were nothing more than a flying bomb with a dud fuse.

"I love you."

The instant I saw a tiny smile I kissed her again, gave her a tight hug,
and then gently shifted her out of the way.

"I don't have time to explain everything, work, and press the mike
button at the same time, Keiko, but I do have time to talk while I'm
working.  I need you to be my mouth and ears for a few moments while I
get busy, and turn the cabin speaker up so I can hear what Sherry is
saying, okay?  Trust me, Angel.  I promise I know what I'm doing.  I
just hope those electronic wizards at the space agency are as good as
everybody thinks they are."

" kay "

While I continued to talk to Keiko I went through a few of the menu
options on my MP3 player to see just how high the resolution for the
camera was.

"Tell Sherry that I've got one of those cheap-o cameras on the back of
my MP3 player that takes really bad photos.  It only has a mega pixel of
resolution, so they're gonna need some of their image specialists to
help clean up the images I'm gonna capture."

"But, Truman ... "

"Just tell her, Keiko!  She'll know where I'm going."

" kay "

She got her mike, adjusted the volume control for the cabin speaker, and
then relayed everything to Houston I told her almost word-for-word.

While my MS-1 was busy talking to Houston I retrieved the binoculars,
put the camera lens to one of the eyepieces, began to snap a whole
series of pictures while looking through the other eyepiece, and moved
from one of the view ports to the other ones around our ship.  Just as
they were meant to be used each of those small round windows to our
universe and the shiny reflective objects at the end of each arm let me
see everything I needed to, and a lot more.

Sherry's voice over my tiny speakers in our ship and the headset as it
drifted around in the middle of the cabin seemed as normal as my
listening to Keiko.  My MS-1 looked at everything I was doing, tried her
best to comprehend what I was up to, and shared with CapCom what it
looked like each of my actions might have hinted at as I went from
viewport to viewport.

When Sherry asked a question I knew the answer to I smiled.  Those folks
back home in the space agency were a lot brighter than I imagined.

"Keiko, ask Truman if he's planning to use one of the audio inputs on
our radio system to send the images back?"

"Tell CapCom yes, Keiko, but the problem is I don't know if the camera
can be hacked so they can slow the data rate down from the memory card
so it will transfer through the audio circuitry."

As soon as Keiko told CapCom what I'd said Sherry again asked for more.

"Truman, the radio interface is completely digital, so the on-board
processor should be able to handle it.  What model number of MP3 player
you have?"

"Tell Sherry an MQ-9755-X."

Keiko provided the information while I was looking for the best images
in the picture library, and I was hoping I wouldn't have to leave my
music player in a million pieces after we solved our 'little' problem.
I'd taken about twenty images, so two or three good ones per mirror
should do the trick.

When Sherry came back she sounded as if I was about to open an air valve
in our ship to vent our breathing gas into space.

"Truman ... put your headset back on.  You both need to hear what I'm
gonna tell you."

My headset and mike were retrieved, I brought my petite MS-1 into my
grasp so we could be close if my idea wasn't going to work, and they
had really bad news for us.  A moment later CapCom asked Keiko and I to
go through a radio check.

"Phoenix, Houston.  CDR."

"CDR, go ahead, Houston."

"Phoenix, Houston.  MS-1."

"MS-1, go ahead, Houston."

"Listen up, you two.  What you're thinking about doing could disable
your radio permanently, not to mention leave you stranded out there
until you run out of supplies ... that is if you don't just
accidentally happen to bump into that thing out there first."

So far, it's what I expected.

"Some of the engineers at the space station control center across the
hall think they understand what you're up to, and there's a way to get
the data to us, but it's a long shot.  Are you sure you wanna do this?"

"Sherry ... both Keiko and I already know we're gonna die.  We found
out not too long ago that we don't have much time to live.  That's why
we both volunteered for this mission.  Our most sincere wish ... is to
do something good with the rest of our lives.  If that means we're gonna
accidentally die because of some religious fanatic's brainless belief
that the world needs to ... sorry Sherry ... what I meant to say is,
we already know we're gonna die.  If something happens to us as a result
of our trying to confirm to you and your team that I'm not smuggling
some wild mushrooms up here and sending you pictures of what I've seen,
then we accept that.  Just get your people together and think this
through.  Look at the specs on my MP3 player and see if there's a way
you can interface to it, okay?"

"Truman ... I can't tell you how proud I am ... how proud *ALL* of us
are of you and your MS-1, especially our darling little Keiko.  We all
feel horrible about what you've both got and wish we didn't have to
think about what you're doing on that cobbled-up warhead right now, but
you're on your way and we've got to make the best of it.  I promise
we'll do everything we can to verify your claims and figure out some
resolution.  Just hang tight and we'll get back to you."

"Sherry?"

"Yeah?"

"Would you mind if we had a few hours to ourselves?"

"No.  How about three?  Would that be long enough for you two to talk
about what's going on?"

"I think so.  Thanks."

"We'll get back in three hours then, Truman."

"Phoenix out."

"Copy.  Houston out."

All I had to do was look into Keiko's eyes to know it, but her telling
me must have made her feel better.

"I'm scared, Truman."

"I know, Angel.  Just ... let's just trust those smart people in
Houston and KSC to come up with something."

"Truman?"

"Uh huh?"

"Will you kiss me some more ... for a little while?"

"I was kinda hoping you'd like to use up some of our extra time like
that, Angel."

She pressed her lips to my left ear and whispered much as she had before
when I did something incredibly lewd.

"Will you touch me some more, too?"

Moments after our lips met my right hand slowly but confidently slipped
down inside her thermal garment and panties, gently caressing her pert
little girl ass and mushing her butt around with my fingers as if I was
kneading two full mounds of perfectly risen Japanese dough.  I could
have pulled her clothes off and done what my hormones were screaming at
me to do, but I still felt it necessary to be loving and tender while I
was also being crude and lascivious with a preteen.

That's all we did for the next fifteen minutes, one long, slow, erotic,
and unbroken kiss while I was fondling her luscious fanny.  I was almost
ready to pull her panties and thermal garment off when we heard the
cabin annunciator.  It appeared somebody might have suspected where my
hand was headed.

<Beep> <Beep> <Beep>

"Houston, Phoenix.  Go ahead."

"CDR ... you're not gonna believe this."

"Go ahead, Houston.  This last year hasn't exactly been as smooth as
glass for me or Keiko."

"Undo the panel latches for the primary display console."

"Give us a few seconds to get to the cockpit."

"Copy."

With Keiko hugging me tight enough to illustrate her fears I worked us
both forward until my hands were close enough to do as Sherry asked.
Once I had my fingers on the panel latches and followed her orders I
called down to Houston.

"Houston, Phoenix.  In work ... complete."

"Locate the three boards along the right side."

I saw three rather technologically intimidating computer boards that
looked almost exactly the same and then responded.

"Copy that ... done!"

"Remove the white plastic end cap labeled 'I/O I-N-T-F-C' from the end
of the middle board."

It took no more than a couple of seconds for me to find the small
protective hood that had been covering what I was supposed to find.

"In work ... DONE!"

"Remove the media card from your MP3 player and insert it there."

I had to stop, shivered, and then was about to respond in a manner that
might have offended more than one person in the room at the MCC.

"NO FUHH ... NO WAY!!!  You mean to tell me the folks who put our ship
together included a COTS (Commercial Off The Shelf) processor and
interface board?"

"Sometimes you just need to trust the system, Dear Boy."

"Will the processor handle the hot-plugging of the chip?"

"It's already built into the interface.  Just stuff it in there and then
follow my instructions so I can walk you through the download to us."

"Unbelievable!  In work, Houston."

The memory chip was removed from my MP3 player, carefully inserted into
the interface port, paying particular attention to proper orientation
and ESD (Electro Static Discharge) safety rules by grounding myself to
the frame repeatedly, and then the panel was closed and locked.

"Task complete, Houston."

For the next couple of minutes CapCom instructed me on how to preview
and then queue up anything I'd loaded onto the digital memory card.
There might have been a few images I might not have wanted Keiko or the
folks at KSC or Houston to see, but fortunately the newer images were at
the top of the list, so my nervous MS-1 didn't have an opportunity to
see what I'd hoped nobody would know about.

Keiko was tightly behind me the whole time, her arms either around my
chest while I was working, or my neck when I began to run through each
of the data entry steps CapCom had provided.  By the time I saw which
images looked the best they were selected and then using the standard
GUI (Graphical User Interface) were transferred to the print queue as
instructed.

"Houston, Phoenix.  You're sure they'll come across using the legacy
printer port, Sherry?"

"Listen, Truman.  If there's one thing I've learned over here, this
place is literally a walking nerd factory.  If one of these guys says
something I believe it ... if a room full of them say the same thing, I
pretty much have to believe they were involved in the development of the
damned thing."

"Good point.  So ... what's the expected download time?"

"How many are you gonna send?"

"Twelve ... three per view port.  I wanted to make sure there was
enough image data in all of them.  If one per view isn't good enough
there should be enough image information in the others to fill in the
blanks.  I think I saw that somewhere on one of those science programs
about the space agency doing data reconstruction from a series of poor
quality images from a rover or lander and then building a much better
quality one with the extra and unduplicated data in any other images
from the same general area."

"Twelve.  Each one should be about a megabyte in size ... twelve megs,
across your audio speed radio channel ... I guess it depends on how
clear you want the images to be.  If we change the data rate we can
significantly improve the quality of the images.  It will really slow
the transfer process down, but it could yield some really useful data if
we do."

"We've got about four months to figure out how to get it right, Sherry.
If we can use this to our advantage then let's do it."

"I'll get the image processing people from the rover and deep space
probe departments to help us clear up any problem areas.  Sounds like
you watched a lot of science shows, Truman."

"I hate to say this now, but when I was a drifter the only thing that
seemed to keep me smiling and interested in the next sunrise were all
the shows about the stuff that you folks at the space agency were always
doing and thinking up."

"I'm glad you took the time.  I'll tell management to push the PAO media
folks for more public science shows.  It looks like it's gonna pay off
with dividends on this trip."

Sherry must have thought the same thing I did and she immediately came
back.

"Sorry, Truman.  What you and Keiko are doing is so far from anything
normal or typical.  I should show you two a lot more respect."

"It's alright, Sherry.  The most important thing right now is to use the
stuff I'm gonna send to our best advantage."

"Copy that, Phoenix.  Stand by, CDR."

"Roger."

Keiko remained in place against my back, her small hands holding onto my
thermal top with her arms crossed in front of me around my neck.  The
sensation of her body heat against my back felt so incredibly
comforting, and I had no desire for her to be anywhere else ... well,
on second thought, there was this one place.

"Phoenix, Houston."

"Go ahead, Houston."

"Okay ... here's the thing.  We've talked it over, and the best thing
would be to get as much image information as we can while we've got the
chance.  There's no telling what's going on outside, and we don't want
to take too long, but we also need as much data as possible.  Are you
two willing to just keep each other company for a while?  It could be a
little bit before all the data comes across at a slower data rate."

"Stand by, Houston.  Conference with MS-1."

"Copy ... standing by."

With Keiko still against my back I caressed her forearms near my chin
and spoke as if her ear was no more than an inch from my lips.

"Well, Keiko?  Would you feel comfortable just hanging out with me for a
little while without anyone in Houston wanting to bother us?"

"Tee-Hee!  You're being a perv again, Truman."

I tucked my head down slightly, kissed her right forearm, and then
softly whispered something that might have seemed like a strange
surprise to her.

"Listen carefully, Keiko ... if you don't want me kissing or touching
you, Angel, I won't.  You're far too valuable to me right now to make
you angry, and I'm not just talking about your being smarter than me and
helping me with the mission.  I told you, Kitten ... I love you and I
wanna spend the rest of my life proving that to you."

The heat of her breath against my left ear meant far more than any of
the words that she used.

"I love you too, Truman.  You're the first guy I've ever fallen in love
with, and I'm all super tingly just thinking about it right now."

Using the most playful tone I could think of I tried to sound funny.

"So ... now that we've got *THAT* out of the way."

A sharp smack across my chest was probably her way of telling me not to
mock her about something as important as a twelve year old Japanese
prodigy who spoke multiple languages falling in love for the first time.

"Really, Kitten ... if you don't want me to be naughty anymore, then I
can still love you and be nice."

"You can be naughty, Truman, I don't mind.  It's just that ... "

"What, Baby.  Tell me.  Now that we're lovers and will be for the rest
of our lives we have to share all of our deepest secrets, remember?"

She hesitated for a moment and then spoke in little more than a whisper.

"When you kiss me and touch me and even sometimes just when you look at
me I get all super tingly inside ... and it scares me a little bit."

It was plainly obvious my little MS-1 had never felt true passion
before, and I was more than honored to be the man to teach her about
something that she'd never get to know because of where we were and what
we were about to accomplish.

"Okay, I tell you what, how about if we talked about that later, but for
right now I need to know if maybe you'd like to chat with your mommy and
daddy first.  I don't know how long this is gonna take, but they might
like to have a nice chat with their little angel if this takes more than
a few minutes."

"You really are a smart guy, aren't you, Truman?"

"Not as smart as my little MS-1, but I'm trying."

"Let's ask CapCom how long it's gonna take, okay?"

"Sure."

With my mike switch in one hand and while I was caressing her arms with
the other one I called CapCom.

"Houston, Phoenix."

"Go ahead, Phoenix."

"If we went with the maximum data and image quality, what's the expected
download time?"

"I'm told about twelve to fifteen hours.  You guys don't exactly have
cable or DSL up there, you know."

"I guess not!  Okay ... here's the deal.  Keiko needs to talk to her
folks before we do this.  They were going to have a chat after our
dinner break anyway, so why don't we move it up a little bit.  Get a
hold of them through KSC and see if they'd like some comm time with
their brave little princess."

"Roger that, Phoenix.  Stand by."

"Copy.  Standing by."

Keiko didn't wait long to share her thoughts with me.

"Thanks, Truman."

"There you go again ... always thanking me.  One of these days you're
gonna stop saying that."

"No I won't.  I plan on thanking you for the rest of my life."

"I think I'd like that very much, Angel."

"Phoenix, Houston."

"Go ahead, Houston."

"Her folks have nowhere else to go right now and have been anxiously
waiting in one of the converted mini-comm centers so they can keep tabs
on what's going on.  They're standing by right now.  Go ahead, KSC."

"Roger, Houston ... Phoenix, KSC."

"Go ahead, KSC."

"Stand by for Keiko's parents."

"Copy that."

Before I began to feel like a fifth wheel or a third person on a date
between young lovers I removed my headset, gently undid Keiko's arms
from around my neck, turned her toward the viewing port, and then
silently went back to the storage area so I could pretend to be busy.

Just as she'd done before Keiko spoke to her folks in her native
language.  The obvious difference in her demeanor with them made me feel
dirty for having kissed and fondled the twelve year old in our space
equivalent of the back seat of my dad's car.  The fact that she was
smarter than me and most of the people in KSC and Houston combined
didn't help to alleviate my guilt, but it didn't hurt either.  At least
I knew I wouldn't have to explain everything that I was doing to her.

After ten minutes of unintelligible back and forth conversation she
began to cry.  My first reaction was to return to where she was and hug
her like she hugged me with both of my arms around her body in front
against her collarbones.  In spite of how intimate their conversation
might have been Keiko gripped at least one of my arms and held it as
tight to her body as she could.  It felt good and hurt at the same time,
but the sensation of her pert little butt against my tummy made me
forget anything about the discomfort in my limb.

Her confidence seemed to return the moment she felt my chest against her
back, and Keiko appeared to need my company far more than she might have
illustrated before.  I might have wanted to cup each of her small
titties, but with her on the wire to her folks it wasn't the appropriate
time to 'play' like that.

She really seemed to like me holding her, because her cries tapered off,
and she was able to speak more coherently to her folks after that.  It
always amazed me how much better someone felt after being hugged.  Keiko
resumed her conversation with me right behind her, her right hand
controlling her mike, and her left hand softly sweeping across my arms
back and forth.  By the time they were done she seemed to regain all of
her composure.

"Okay, Truman.  Thanks."

I donned my headset, grabbed my mike, and called CapCom.

"Houston, Phoenix."

"Go ahead, Phoenix."

"Let's change some of the parameters on the download."

Sherry and I went through the download routine again and maxed out the
data rate for the images, one last series of commands required before
we'd effectively be in comm blackout for more than half a solar day.

"I guess that's it, CDR.  Once you hit the EXEC key ... well ... sit
back, get something to eat, visit with a very special young lady, and
get some rest.  We'll use the cabin annunciator when the download is
complete."

"Copy that, Houston.  Okay ... here goes.  EXEC key in ten with a
silent countdown."

"Copy."

I counted down to ten, hit the EXEC button, and then saw the data rate
indicator on the LCD display sweep all the way across to full.  I took
my headset off, put it and my mike where it was going to stay for a long
time, and stared into a very frightened little girl's eyes.  The first
thing we did was just hug.  The longer we hugged the more I loved her
and the more earnestly I needed to try to tame the beast rumbling around
inside my chest ... and my shorts.  The only provocative thing I did
after we were locked in a snug embrace was to give her a little kiss on
the neck twice, the second time getting a giggle.

"Tee-Hee!"

That was my cue to begin to tickle her as wildly as I ever had.  She
instantly squealed and shrieked and thrashed around just like she always
did, and I smiled so hard my face hurt.  After a five minute tickle
session between newly proclaimed lovers went another hug and then a
single chaste kiss on her lips.

"You hungry, Miss?"

Her piercing gaze into my eyes was only broken when she blinked.  It was
almost as if her brain was just as busy as the radio was behind me.

"Uhhh ... heh-LOWWW!  Anybody in there?"

In a timid and incredibly soft voice she told me everything I needed to
hear and know.

"I love you so much, Truman ... it really scares me."

Holding her tight to my body and gently keeping her lips close to mine I
whispered my reply, each of the movements of my mouth imparted to hers
in erotic caresses.

"I know this is gonna sound like one of those silly fairy-tale stories
other little girls probably get all crazy about, but in a way ... no,
not in a way ... I'm absolutely *sure* that I'm glad I got terminal
brain cancer just so I could meet the most wonderful and beautiful
little living angel on this side of Heaven.  We're already close enough
to talk to God if you believe in that sort of thing, so I guess it
really is true.  I'm the luckiest guy in the whole universe."

Okay ... rule number one in the new and improved edition of the Truman
Catawba encyclopedia of women -- never tell a little girl who's in love
for the first time that you're the luckiest guy in the universe, 'cause
it makes them cry ... a lot!

It took a while, but I was finally able to peel my little love magnet
off my chest so I could go pee.  The fact that I hadn't reinstalled the
privacy curtain wasn't genuinely intentional, but I didn't regret it.
To feel her pressed against my back while I had two hands full of erect
cock and her arms no more than two feet away from the throbbing menace
could have produced some fairly unusual problems.  Thankfully she was
still intimidated enough to keep her hands and eyes away from the rather
painful hard-on that I had a tough time getting back into my shorts and
thermal leggings.

What nearly cooked my brain was what she did after I was finished and
had cleaned my hands with a soapy wipe.  She let go of my body, shifted
up my back, pressed her mouth to my left ear, and then whispered some
impossibly erotic words into my brain.

"When you helped me go potty this morning, did you like it?"

The heat in my face was proof that I must have been blushing.

"Be careful, Keiko.  I'm already having a hard time holding myself back
as it is.  If you let me see and maybe even touch you a little bit more
like I did this morning I might get the wrong idea."

"But ... all I wanted was for you to just help me, Truman ... honest."

Could she be mature and experienced enough to mock me?  I twisted around
so I could look into her eyes and all I saw was genuine innocence.

"Really, Angel?  You aren't trying to tease me or anything?"

"NOOO, Truman!  I just ... "

"Tell me."

"I just felt super nice and tingly this morning when you helped me go
potty.  It was like you were being my Daddy or something, 'cause you
never did anything naughty or nothing.  But ... "

"But, what?"

She drew her lips to my left ear and whispered what she obviously
couldn't say out loud.  That was silly, because there weren't any other
people around us for almost fifty thousand miles.

"I liked the way it made me feel all super tingly the best when you were
softly touching my ... my ... "

"You can say it any way you want to, Angel.  You're a grown up young
lady right now."

" ... my pussy."

"Is that the way you want me to be from now on ... super gentle and
very respectful of your tender places?"

"Uh huh ... until I don't feel so scared."

"Okay, Baby.  From now on I'll only touch you when you want me to, and
only in the most gentle, soft, and loving way."

"Thanks, Tru ... "

"Yeah ... I kinda figured I might hear that."

She didn't stop tickling me until I used the international word of
surrender:  "UNCLE!"  She was incredibly happy for having defeated me,
and as her reward for being victorious and after my deed was taken care
of I was relegated to potty-boy, acting in the most disinterested,
reserved, and impartial manner I could muster.  It wasn't easy at all.

The fact that my eyes were doing their best to practically burn holes in
her soft hairless skin while I applied her clear plastic urine cup to
her plump vulva was noticed by its owner.  My choice to touch only the
exposed areas of her charms when I needed to dab her dry and dress her
wasn't because I'd lost any desire to enjoy what I might be able to if
I'd been acting in a boorish and crude manner.  It was a basic necessity
if I was going to prove that my love for her was far more important than
carnal lust.

We ate our modest repast facing each other, this time tucked sideways in
our cabin and feeding each other little tidbits of plastic wrapped pads
and morsels of various varieties of very nice stuff.  I could have eaten
a lot more, but our meal requirements were something that needed to be
strictly adhered to if we were going to survive the whole trip and try
to keep a little in standby if something happened along the way.

One of the things that made me valuable to the folks back on Earth was
my ability to plan ahead, especially if we might end up in a dangerous
situation.  For me to think about contingency plans and ration our food
was just something that came naturally to me.  For me to think about any
chance of surviving longer than four months with Keiko began to affect
my thinking in ways that I hadn't anticipated when I climbed into our
kinetic bottle-rocket.

How utterly ironic that I'd finally fall in love after I was told I was
going to die, thousands of miles from Earth, with a pubescent and
brilliant twelve year old, while we were headed toward our glorified
suicide.

"Truman?"

"Yeah?"

"Can we ... can we sleep together again, please?"

"Sure, Baby."

"Would you mind if I ... "

"Come *onnn* ... just tell me!"

"Can I take my thermal clothes off when we're in bed?  You make me
really hot at night."

"I guess I need to turn the heat down."

"You can do that?"

"In our cabin, Silly!!!"

Her crimson blush confirmed that she really was an innocent little girl.

"I'll let you take your thermal outfit off on one condition, Keiko."

"What's that?"

"You have to undress either inside my sleeping bag, or I turn the lights
off first ... your choice."

"Why do you ... "

"Because I don't want to embarrass you, Kitten.  I know you love me,
Angel, but just 'cause you feel that strongly about me it doesn't mean
that I have the right to take advantage of you ... yet."

She blushed again, lightly smacked my right arm, rubbed the slight sting
away, and then smiled.

"Okay.  I'm glad you're here to take care of me, Truman, 'cause I really
am a tiny bit scared to be naked for you yet."

"Uhhhh ... I thought you said your thermal outfit.  Are you planning on
taking your panties off, too?"

"NOOOO!"

"Then ... I think you better not use the word 'naked' just yet, okay?"

"Sorry.  I guess even when I'm talking about taking my thermal top and
leggings off I guess I think about taking all of my clothes off too."

The idea sounded pretty good to me.

"That's okay, Angel.  Now ... is there anything else we need to do
before I ravage your body while you're asleep?"

She looked at me for a second, left me with the impression that she
might like the idea, smiled, and then looked away.  I half expected her
to say she wouldn't mind, but she seemed more practical than silly when
she spoke.

"Would you go check on the radio and see how the download is going?"

"Sure.  Be right back."

The progress indicator was about 15% after two hours.  That might mean
we'd be alone and left to our own devices for another thirteen to
fifteen hours.  The most important aspect at the moment was to let it
finish its run so we could find out what was going on at the back end of
our space craft.

It was only when I had my hand on the cabin illumination switch that I
remembered our being thirty two degrees yawed to port that morning, and
a wave of terror swept through me like an open bottle of gasoline with a
lit match close by.  My little sleeping partner immediately saw my
expression and must have remembered the same thing at nearly the same
instant.  She quickly came forward and was nervous to do anything, but
if we were turned out of alignment too far the signal might be lost.

It took a few minutes and lots of sweating, but once we figured out that
only one of the three redundant processors was being used to send the
data and receive an occasional acknowledgment from Houston we were able
to check our INU and the vernier thruster sub-routine for any course
correction requirements.  Thankfully it was still handling its task as
we'd assigned it earlier that day, so with one last check on the sensor
array, which was still waiting to be used to check for 'the object', our
way was clear for about eight hours of sleep, or whatever we did that
night.

The cockpit lights were turned off after Keiko turned the small one on
near our bed and then I plunged the front half of our space craft into
darkness.  To make it easier on my sleeping partner I let her get
undressed inside my sleeping bag, even with the lights off.  I then
undressed myself outside and kept my underwear in place.

Climbing into bed, whether it was a king sized water bed with a gorgeous
naked seventeen year old, or a sleeping bag thousands of miles away from
Earth and with a cute preteen might normally get me sent to prison or
killed.  But on that night I had nothing to fear, for I felt two small
and very anxious hands tug on my right arm after I located the zippered
seam, and Keiko began to draw me inside with her.

I half expected Keiko to be timid and reserved after she removed her
thermal outfit, because the only thing she had on was a single thin pair
of tiny cartooned panties.  But as soon as she had a firm grip of my arm
the only thing I felt was her fear of being alone.  Her little body was
shaking a little bit as soon as I was tightly against her after I zipped
us in.

"You're still scared of the dark aren't you, Kitten?"

"Uh huh."

"Would you like for me to keep a light on for you, so you're not so
scared?"

"I'm not really that scared anymore, Truman, 'cause you're here with me
now."

"Are you sure, Angel?  I'll turn a little one on if you want me to."

"That might deplete our batteries, wouldn't it, Truman?"

"You're an incredibly brave young lady.  I can't believe how much I love
you, Angel."

She instantly quit shivering as if I'd just given her as much energy as
I'd been getting from her from the moment I'd seen and met her.  What I
hadn't become aware of until then was the incredible softness of her
small body, the silky smooth texture of her back and shoulders as I
slowly and carefully swept my hands across her tiny frame over and over.

"You make me feel so relaxed and happy, Truman.  But what's kinda funny
is how I feel all tingly and excited, too.  I'm a little bit confused,
'cause I like the way you make me feel like you'll always protect me,
but I wanna kinda feel like I need you to be a tiny bit naughty so I'll
know what that feels like too."

"I tell you what, Angel ... we've got plenty of time to be naughty.
Why don't you let me be your big guardian and hero for a little while
first, okay?"

She then said something that nearly made me break out into tears.

"I wish I could grow up so we could get married, Truman."

Rule number two in the new and improved edition of the Truman Catawba
encyclopedia of women -- if a twelve year old drops a hint for you to
propose, whether anyone else in the universe thinks it's a good idea or
not, don't wait more than five seconds to do it.

"Would you marry me, Keiko?"

Okay ... rule number three in the new and improved edition of the
Truman Catawba encyclopedia of women -- after you propose, forget
anything about ever being able to breathe for a while.

She literally cried herself to sleep with her arms so tightly around my
throat I could feel my heart pounding -- in my neck!

Some time during the night I woke up to the sensation of Keiko pushing
her butt backward into my hips.  That was nice and I wanted to pull her
into me harder so I could nestle my cock tight between her plump little
cheeks, except both my hands were already around her body and playing
with her small breasts.  My right index finger and thumb were rolling
her right nipple around, and my left hand was just cupping her other
small booby and softly kneading her tender development.

As soon as I became aware of my lewd deed I slowly released my prizes,
carefully shifted my hands away from such wondrous beauty, gave her a
tight hug with my forearms above and below her tender mounds, kissed her
right ear from behind, and then whispered words that were supposed to be
genuine, whether she was awake to hear them or not.

"Sorry, Baby.  I was asleep and I was dreaming about ... sorry, Angel."

The fact that she must have been dreaming about similar adventures and
kept pushing her pert little ass into my raging cock did little to calm
my spirit or dissuade me from putting my hands where they had been.  The
only logical course of action was for me to give her a little kiss on
the ear, wake her enough to cause her to stop, and then turn over away
from her.

The moment she whimpered I knew it worked.

The heat from her back against mine was just enough to help me fall
asleep in just a few minutes.

When I woke up some time later I felt the undeniable grip of a woman's
fingers around my cock.  The fact that Keiko had worked me out of my
shorts was more than a little surprising, because it was one of the most
erotic ideas and sensations I could have ever imagined.  In the twelve
year olds sleepy innocence she'd developed a very respectable cadence of
back and forth movements interspersed with a few light explorations over
the end of my cock using a few of her short digits to steal some of my
precum and paint it over the extent of my glans.  Her movements seemed
so practiced and confident that I'd have believed my brilliant little
MS-1 had been reincarnated from a 'lady of the evening' or a whore from
a New Orleans brothel in the late 1700's.

But it was the reason I woke up that was the real problem, because I was
little more than a minute from making a mess of my sleeping bag, and I
just hated to sleep on slowly drying ejaculate.  Doing it in zero-G
certainly would have been a different experience.

I'd never tried to stop a woman from masturbating me before in my life,
because usually I was the one trying to get her to start doing it in the
first place.  Yet again I was experiencing things that I'd never felt
before, because with my right hand gripping her wrist and trying to slow
her down Keiko seemed almost determined to fight me off and finish.  My
only course of action was to reach around behind me, tickle her tummy so
I could break her stride, and wake her up enough so she'd let me go.

While holding her wrist with my right hand I reached around with my left
hoping I could hit her belly button on the first pass and cause her to
pull backward instantly.  I was both horrified and very excited to
accidentally stuff my middle and index fingers between her slightly
splayed thighs and begin wiggling my digits right over her plump
panty-covered pussy.

Oh, how I wanted to find the elastic waistband of her panties and do to
her what she was doing to me, but it was the better man within me who
was to prevail that night, a timid grope taken, but my hand removed
before I was able to change my mind.

"KEIKO!"

Again, it worked.  She released me from my carnal prison without any
delays and was about to withdraw her hand to her side of my body, but I
didn't want her to accidentally feel or smell my precum all over the
inside of her small appendage and fingers.  If she woke up and
discovered what might have been my wicked deed with her small hands she
might have assumed I'd broken my promise and coerced her to masturbate
me while she slept.  Any impression like that would certainly offend her
sensibilities.

Still holding her limb by her wrist I was able to draw her hand up my
chest and then clamp my right upper arm around her forearm so I could
keep possession of her for a few moments.  It took some doing, but I was
finally able to dry her palm and digits enough to keep from scaring her,
but each time I attempted to dry between her short fingers she thought I
was trying to hold her hand by intertwining my fingers with hers.  Each
of my attempts to protect her virtues or keep from scaring her was
countered with her need to unconsciously learn more.

That was proved when I felt her left hand snake around my body along my
left hip with my dick still unsheathed and completely available for
preteen abuse.  Like a perfectly guided kinetic-energy weapon on a
one-way mission to destroy me her left hand found and then claimed my
cock.  Just as she'd done with her right, her left hand began to
rhythmically masturbate me with the determination of a little pubescent
whore.  It was comical to fight her at every turn, and I just had to
smile and do my best to preserve what no other man in the universe could
at that moment ... no man, that is, except me.

"KEIKO!"

"Mmmmmmmm!"

Her left hand stopped moving, but she didn't remove it.

"Turn over, Angel, so I can warm up your back."

"Mmmmmmmm!"

"Turn over, Angel, or I'm gonna tickle you!"

Her hand moved, and thankfully she didn't attempt to repaint the Sistine
Chapel across my dick.  Once her small appendage was far enough away
from my aching penis I quickly stuffed as much of my dick inside my
shorts as I could and tented my underwear a lot more than I ever had in
my life.  She was about to return to her nocturnal sexual exploits with
her left hand by reaching to the waistband elastic of my shorts and slip
her little hand inside, but I caught her yet again.  I was beginning to
understand what a teen girl felt like in an older football player's car
on a Friday night date.

"KAAAYY-KOH!"

"What?"

"I'm sorry, Angel, but I need to turn ... I need to go pee."

"Ohhh!"

For the next minute or so we were like two cats in a gunny sack
wrestling to get to the exit zipper.  If I wasn't in such pain I would
have burst out laughing.

I barely made it to the waste collection device and able to claim at
least one tissue before I lost it, no more than two long strokes for me
to paint the very expensive surface of the disposable paper wipe with a
lot more semen than might be contained.  I wasn't absolutely sure if I
groaned or moaned, and the sensation of having that orgasm was probably
the best one in my whole life.  The only way it could have been better
was if I'd let Keiko finish, or if she had let me use her body.

To clear my pipes and take the edge off I felt around for the controls
of the waste collection device, turned the unit power on, started the
pump motor, affixed the tube that was attached to what felt like my cup,
and then flinched when I felt the intense suction at the end of my cock.
I almost thought about trying to use it for purposes other than
designed, but it might foul up the works if I admitted something other
than clear fluid to the machine, so I reconsidered.

Once my bladder was empty I felt a lot better.  All seemed good in the
universe all over again after I wiped everything dry and clean, until I
heard a petite voice that was going to send me right to Hell.

"Truman ... I gotta pee.  Help me, please."

The safest thing for me to do was leave her where she was, get the rig
hooked up and started again, and bring her cup with the tube connected
to her in my sleeping bag.  My first concern was letting her believe she
could pee where she was sleeping, our future accommodations taking on
the odor of stale urine after two days and nights if she emptied her
bladder in her sleep.  My only means out of galactic prison was to make
absolutely certain she was conscious of her surroundings.

"Keiko?"

"Uh huh?"

"Are you really awake, Angel?"

"Of course!  Will you help me, now?"

"Stay there ... I'll come to you."

" Kay, <yawn>."

The unit was powered, the pump motor turned on, my cup and tube removed,
hers installed, the familiar sound of a mechanical whisper that I'd
always recognize as her means of bladder relief, and then my hands
worked inside my sleeping bag.  It seemed horribly immoral to pull her
panties down, gently splay her chubby thighs, and then locate her vagina
so I could properly position her cup.  When I unintentionally slipped
the tip of my middle finger between her plump labia majora for a moment
and found what I wasn't supposed to be looking for I was filled with a
bit more energy than was intended.

After I gained my bearings between her thighs and placed the cup in the
perfect spot I could feel the heat from her urine running through the
long tube, my success measured in a peculiar manner at that moment.
Once she was finished I prepared to dab her dry, the pump motor switched
off, and then a small square of soft tissue applied to her naked slit.
Her panties were pulled back into place, I withdrew, and took a deep
breath.

Her plastic cup and tube were returned, cleaned, and then coiled enough
to remain neatly in place until either of us were more awake to care.
My crawling back into my sleeping apparatus wasn't a good idea for a few
moments, and with Keiko asleep I zipped the bed closed and went to check
on the progress of the download.  It was only at 47%.  DAMN!

Wait a minute!!!  What the Hell was I so worried about?  All I had to do
was confront the incredibly brilliant preteen, lay out the facts, and
then ask her to sleep in her own bed.

"Truman?  Come back to bed.  I'm cold!"

So much for that stupid idea.

Any way I thought about positioning myself would be a bad one, with the
only exception being our sleeping back-to-back.  Unfortunately she might
quickly resolve to fix that problem and turn over so she could fish my
cock out and try to masturbate me again, the next time most likely to
utter success.  Since I didn't remember where the duct tape was at the
moment so I could tie her hands together the best thing for me to do was
climb into bed, turn her around so her back was to my chest, make sure
her ass was far enough away from my hips so I wasn't tempted, wrap my
arms around her, and then intertwine both sets of my fingers with hers.

She seemed to like that idea and almost squeezed my digits so tight I
could feel half of them get numb in a few minutes.  Not every problem
has a perfect solution, so I accepted that my hands would be tingling
for a few hours and just dealt with it.

<Beep> <Beep> <Beep>

<pause>

<Beep> <Beep> <Beep>

<pause>

<Beep> <Beep> <Beep>

The cabin annunciator's gentle chirping stirred me from a very sexy
dream about my plugging a classroom full of junior high school girls.
The fact that I was pushing into Keiko's supple bum and could have
pulled her panties down to fully nestle my cock into the crease of her
ass didn't seem to matter to her, because my MS-1 was blissfully asleep.
It took me a lot longer to get out of my sleeping bag than for me to
climb inside, but once I was able to hit half a dozen things on my way
to my headset and mike I turned our comm unit back on and keyed the
switch.

VOX-ON/KEY.

"Phoenix, CDR here!"

"Phoenix, Houston.  Where were you two, strolling on an asteroid or
something?"

I'm glad it was Sherry calling.  I'd hate to have to explain to another
man that I intentionally stopped a twelve year old girl from trying to
have sex with me earlier that night ... even with her hands.

"Zipper got stuck."

I knew it was a lame excuse, but it was going to have to do.  The fact
that Sherry's response was delayed for a few seconds left me with the
impression she knew better than to believe what I'd said.  Some things
are best left to the imagination, so I didn't say any more.

"Copy that.  The download finished about ten minutes ago.  The first
seven images have already been processed by some of the most talented
folks in the entire agency, and I owe you an apology.  I guess those
science shows about the stuff used in building demolition share a lot
more information than I'd imagined."

"What's the news, then?"

"There's enough explosive under your feet to completely obliterate the
primary thruster array, a good portion of your craft, and leave you two
gasping for air for about two seconds."

"Any ideas of who might have put all that crap on my ship, and why?"

"I have to admire your enthusiasm, Truman, but no ... not yet.  Rest
assured we're going to do a *very* thorough sweep of the security tapes
to find the creep who put it there, though."

"I guess the most important thing to do now is figure out how to either
get it off, which is incredibly unlikely, or get around it so we can use
our primary thruster pack and make the necessary course corrections
later on."

"In work, CDR.  Some of the best minds around the world are busy trying
to resolve this problem ... even if they don't know where the problem
is.  You can thank some very creative managers across the agency for
making this seem like a test for lots of our engineers.  When we've got
a critical problem to solve in a short amount of time things just happen
to get done."

"Yeah, I remember the Apollo-13 mission and how your engineers took an
utter disaster and turned it around.  It proved to the whole world that
your engineers are relentless and can come up with some very creative
solutions.  I'm just hoping they're just as creative today as they were
when your agency had train-loads of funding."

"I don't think money really has a significant effect on the enthusiasm
as it does on setting policy.  The folks I've heard working on this and
talking about the many ways to get it fixed vary from the top research
scientists down to the maintenance teams.  Nobody's ideas are discounted
anymore."

"Thanks, Sherry ... and be sure to thank everyone else working on this.
They may never know why they're working so hard, but would certainly
appreciate it if they could."

"Rest assured they'll know eventually ... if we can finish what we've
started, CDR."

"Copy that, Houston."

"You two spend the next few days just relaxing and eating.  When we've
got something we'll call up."

"I've got a favor to ask, CapCom ... Sherry."

For her to hear me call her by name like that most likely made her think
hard about what I might ask.

"Name it."

"Make sure Keiko's parents are comfortable.  They're probably having a
tough time and are most likely very worried about their little girl."

"You've just made a lot of people very happy, Truman."

"Why's that?"

"Because I hear they've really been going through their private version
of Hell just thinking about their twelve year old little girl headed
toward her own death out there all alone."

"She's not alone, CapCom!"

"That's not what I meant, Truman.  They know you're right there with
her, but to them she's all the way across the galaxy by herself, because
she's not in their loving arms."

"That point isn't lost on me, Sherry.  I've had to deal with a number of
issues that aren't described nor are they carefully identified in the
flight manual I've been provided.  Of all the things that I expected,
comforting a scared twelve year old who's about to die in space at over
19,000 miles per hour in a burst of heat and light isn't one of them."

"How's she doing?"

"To tell the truth ... much better than I expected, but still wracked
with a kind of pain only a terminally ill person will understand."

"You two are amazing.  I really hope we can get this problem resolved so
you can be honored as you should be."

"Not necessary, Sherry.  We're not doing it for the money or the glory.
We both wanted to take advantage of a bad situation and turn it into
something wonderful.  We both know we're gonna die ... we just get to
choose how and do something worthwhile in the process."

Sherry remained silent for quite a while, and I imagined I knew why.
Another CapCom's voice confirmed what I suspected.

"Phoenix, Houston."

"Go ahead, Houston.  Is that you, Spider?"

"Roger that, CDR.  Truman ... I hate to ask this, but we're already
pretty stressed out about the whole reason for you two being up there.
Maybe it might be a good idea if you didn't share so much with all of us
or so readily, okay?"

"Copy that, Houston.  By the numbers from now on."

The radio stayed quiet for a few minutes, and while I was staring at the
darkened control console and the switches and indicators close to it I
felt a sense of frustration for having caused any of those talented
folks in Houston or KSC harm.

The next call I got was both relieving and embarrassing.

"Phoenix, Houston."

"Go ahead, Houston.  That you, Sherry?"

"Sorry, Truman.  I kinda lost it for a second, and I'm also embarrassed
about what Spider just told you.  I'd have thought he was much more
supportive of you and Keiko because of his wife and children."

"Please don't blame him, Sherry.  This isn't easy on anyone in the space
agency, I'm sure.  I tend to say a lot more than I'm supposed to, which
is probably why I used to move around so much.  I'll tone it down a
little bit from now on."

"You really are a wonderful guy, Truman."

"NAW!  I just wanted to see what the Earth looked like from this side,
and I've always wanted to ride a cool rocket ship.  Just don't tell the
head of the space agency that I'm not bringing his expensive toy back."

Humor wasn't my strong suit, but then again neither was either dying or
suicide.  When she called back Sherry sounded a little better.

"Houston, Phoenix.  CDR, I'll let you know how her folks are doing."

"Houston, about that ... are there any ongoing activities related to our
mission at KSC now that we're on our way?"

"Not really."

"Why don't you bring Keiko's folks to Houston, then?  That way they can
see the MCC, meet you folks, talk to everyone involved, stay close to
the action and to their little girl more easily without having to do a
center-to-center comm hook-up.  They'll also get a chance to eat some
nice Texas barbecue."

"I'll pass that along.  I like the idea, too, since they might get the
impression that everyone might have forgotten about their little girl
because of all the other important stuff they're doing at KSC.  You two
might be our best hope at success, but they're still working on as many
other options as they can over there at KSC."

"Give us a few more hours of down time, and I'll be sure to have Keiko
up and ready to chat with her folks.  I plan to offer them a nice
surprise too."

It didn't take long for Sherry to follow my lead.  Those space agency
folks must have to be smart to work there or something.

"Oh, Truman!  They'd *love* to see her.  That's a perfect idea."

"I guess I can't keep any secrets from you people.  Apparently you've
been able to install that mind-reading device in the Phoenix, huh?"

"You're gonna really make their day ... and many more after that when
you send them some pictures of your MS-1 and her CDR."

"I'm very proud of my MS-1, Sherry, and I know her parents are too."

"As are the rest of us."

"Give us a call in about three or four hours if I don't call you first,
CapCom."

"Copy, Phoenix.  Go get some more rest now.  Houston standing by."

"Roger.  Phoenix standing by."

XVR/STBY.

I put our radio into standby mode again, tucked my headset and mike back
where it was, and then turned around to see Keiko still asleep.

Any notion I might have had about sexually molesting my little MS-1 was
gone.  Again, she was far too valuable to harm, to me and 6 billion
other people.

It didn't take nearly as long for me to get back into my sleeping bag as
it did for me to stumble my way out of it, and I was looking forward to
being as close to Keiko in her semi-naked state as I could.

I held her near-nude body so tight to mine for the next couple of hours
that she never once had a chance to do anything provocative.

<Beep> <Beep> <Beep>

I should have known better than to have left my headset and mike at the
far end of the cockpit.  Scrambling to the narrow end of our ship was
rarely quick nor easy, and just as I'd done the last time I hit a few
things along the way with my knees, elbows, and forehead.

VOX-ON/KEY.

"Houston, Phoenix.  Go ahead."

"Phoenix, Houston.  We've got some good news!"

"We sure need some.  Go ahead, Houston."

"First ... we found out how it happened.  Second ... when we approached
the individual who did it, he solved our problem for us."

I didn't need the flight manual with lots of detailed instructions to
figure out what that person must have done to avoid humiliation and
prosecution.

"Third ... you were right about his intentions.  The security folks
found a two hour rant on his video blog online.  It didn't make any
sense to anyone else before, but when you told us what you found and
then we determined his identity because of the security surveillance
videos, his history of mental illness, and religious fanaticism, it all
just fell together."

"If I may ask, what was the primary reason?"

"He believed 'the object' was God's way of cleansing the Earth of all
the evil plaguing it.  He was bound and determined to find any way he
could to prove his point.  This mission and the failure of it was the
perfect way to accomplish his purpose."

"Like you said ... it makes sense now.  But that still doesn't fix the
problem we've got up here.  Any ideas yet?"

"Actually, some very comforting news."

"You've come up with something already?"

"As I said, all upper management had to do was present this as a unique
problem to be solved and place it as a top priority.  After that the
best minds easily came up with what we believe to be a lot simpler than
we anticipated."

"I'm listening."

"Just leave it alone.  The PE is frozen solid because of where it's
located in the shadow along the outside of the primary thruster pack,
and the wiring to the original unauthorized ignition sources was
inadvertently destroyed during a misfire of the pyros.  Rather than the
wiring acting as it should have and separating the S-1B from your ship
by igniting the explosive bolts, he re-routed the triggers to the
blasting caps, but they're incompatible, and there wasn't enough energy
to ignite the PE.  What he also didn't realize was the envelope
temperature inside the cowling after all the liquid fuel was loaded,
because one of the pre-launch off-gassing vents for your breathing
supply runs directly beneath the main thruster assembly to the main
portion of your ship.  It was so cold the blasting cap probably didn't
have enough concussive energy to act as it would during ambient
triggering."

"But what about the heat from the hydrazine thrusters?  Isn't there
gonna be enough energy during use to ignite the PE that's in contact
with so much hot metal?"

"Physics is your friend, Truman.  When a sealed container is evacuated
it gets colder, not hotter."

"And what about the heat coming from the nozzles during our course
corrections when those two super-reactive liquids come into contact with
each other, CapCom?  We've been lucky so far, but that luck surely isn't
gonna last the moment all that hot gas hits any of the PE.  We're gonna
have to fire those thrusters eventually, and I'm sure where there's heat
there's gonna be a rather impressive blast soon after."

"The output of all that energy is pointed away from the pressurized
tanks and fuel lines, not toward it where the PE is.  As far as the
thrusters are concerned all that PE is nothing more than excess weight
frozen solid.  It might have been dangerous at ambient and if it had
been properly armed, but where it is right now in the shade and the hard
vacuum of space without the appropriate ignition source it's just a
block of very cold and relatively inert material.  The only other thing
we have to worry about now is if you yaw your ship far enough to expose
any of it to the sun.  If it gets warm enough and something hits it hard
enough ... it *might* go off, but that's still very unlikely."

"You're right ... that's not likely.  Our course is directly away from
you and the sun, so it's going to remain in the shadows until ...  "

"Yeah ... we know."

"What about the extra mass of S-1B, Houston?  Our thrusters were meant
to make course corrections for our little ship, not something the length
of a football field."

"Already ahead of you.  The trajectory folks in 'the trench' have been
working overtime to factor in the additional mass of the expended S-1B
and what they believe to have been a slow leak gassing off from one of
the S-1B deceleration thrusters that is used to slow the thing down to
keep it away from you during the remainder of your flight.  That's what
they think made you yaw out of alignment thirty degrees.  Once that tank
was empty it didn't turn your ship any further, so theoretically there's
no need for you to make any additional course corrections, other than
the ones that are currently planned."

"And the last few changes to our course just prior to impact?"

"Truman ... I hate to say this and I don't want to sound cold, but even
if you needed to make a major course adjustment at the last minute you
have enough combined mass to adequately effect enough delta-vee to 'the
object' whether your ship is in one piece or not.  It would be better if
it was, but the added mass of that huge and empty S-1B behind you is far
more than enough kinetic energy to accomplish the mission, and it
certainly is more than we planned would be available."

"Thanks for being straight with me, CapCom.  I know Keiko will also be
happy our mission will be a success.  She'll appreciate all the hard
work, too.  Tell 'thanks' to everyone who put in the time."

"We're not completely finished yet, CDR, but with a little luck we'll
have another something for you in a little bit."

"Copy that, Houston.  Anything else?"

"Keiko's parents should be getting pretty anxious to hear from her soon.
Do you have anything for them yet?"

"Not quite.  Give me a little bit longer, because I need to remove the
memory card from the COTS processor and put it back in my entertainment
device so I can store some new images of her on it.  Do I need to run
any special procedures to remove my MP3 memory chip so I don't fry it?"

"Access the media menu as we did before and look for the 'Remove Media'
option.  You'll find it."

"Copy that.  I'll use the procedures I wrote down before."

"Always keep your notes, CDR.  The trainers know what they're doing."

"Copy that.  I'll call up in a little bit so Keiko can talk to her
folks, CapCom."

"Copy that, Phoenix.  Houston going standby."

"Roger, Houston.  Phoenix going standby."

XVR/STBY.

Smiling about the eventual success of our mission was a paradox.  I'd
just heard from our space agency contact that our mission was all but
assured, even after someone had attempted to blow us up before we got
very far from Earth.  To look forward to my own death in little under
four months seemed strange, but I'd actually come to accept my fate and
grew comfortable with offering my life to my fellow man, even if none of
them could care less.  Just the idea that my family, the folks at the
space agency, their families, Keiko's parents and family, and lots of
pretty ladies ... HELL!  There were far too many people to think about
when it came to my protecting them from something that most of them
might never know about.  Still ... if the PAO let it out that a very
special one-way rocket was launched to deflect a ball of ice, rock, and
carbon about to crash into the Earth lots of people would come to
appreciate the space agency for a little while.  Maybe Keiko and I
wouldn't be known by name, but we'd certainly be remembered by some
very special people.

The next few days went by fairly slowly, the only events providing any
sense of excitement being Keiko's exploration of the food stores for any
hidden goodies, our frequent tickle sessions, quite a few photos I took
of an embarrassed but eager young Japanese model, a number of celestial
observations that we couldn't have seen from Earth, and a very large
Moon seen out of one or two view ports as we did a gravity-assist
maneuver.  It was so bright on the day side we almost couldn't look at
it until we were alongside.  To make it a special event for her, the
folks in Houston and KSC, and her parents, I captured as many images of
her and the moon as I could on my puny MP3 camera.

Each of the craters were revealed in incredible detail as if we could
reach out and scoop up some of the silvery and dull gray soil.  Keiko
was like a little girl on her birthday with her nose pressed to the
polycarbonate window as we zipped by, her constant squeals and soft
exclamations of amazement as she took in the images of something that
she'd always wished to see up close.  She'd been to a planetarium before
and had seen a huge mock-up of the Moon, but for her to see it in person
no more than a hundred miles away and then look at each of the images in
my MP3 player video screen over and over again after we'd passed by was
most likely a life's achievement for the little girl.

For hours after we flew by she was tucked into my lap and eager to show
me each of her favorite images, one large crater along the edge of the
illuminated portion of the Earth-facing side nick-named 'Keiko'.  She
giggled and squirmed in my lap when I told her that I was going to tell
the folks in Houston to have all the maps reprinted in honor of her
incredible bravery.

Okay ... rule number four in the new and improved edition of the Truman
Catawba encyclopedia of women -- if you're gonna name a crater on the
moon after a twelve year old that she just saw up close, be sure to do
it when she's not next to you, otherwise you won't be able to breathe
for a minute or two because of the immense grip she'll have around your
neck.

We were in radio blackout for about two hours after the gravity-assist
maneuver, the alignment and direction of the moon's trajectory keeping
us in the dark in more ways than one.  It actually got a little cold
after the solar array and thermal collector were blocked from receiving
the sun's energy.  The best thing for us to do was to eat some food,
climb into my sleeping bag, and cuddle.  The fact that she insisted we
do so without our thermal garments on made me smile.

"Truman?"

"Yes, Angel?"

"Does love always feel this good?"

"Most of the time."

"Have you been in love before, Truman ... I mean ... before me?"

My arms tightened around her a little bit, I tilted my face down, she
got a little kiss, and then I answered her honestly.

"Yes I have, Keiko."

"Was she pretty?"

"Yeah ... I guess you could say that."

"Why didn't you marry her?"

"Because it wouldn't have worked out."

"What does that mean?"

"Well ... we loved each other, but the kind of love we had wasn't the
all tingly-and-smiles kinda love."

"I don't understand.  Isn't love the same to everyone?"

"No it isn't.  To some folks love is just a physical kind of pleasure
that two people share when they need someone to hold, and touch, and
kiss, and ... and do lots of very special things with."

Keiko had an expression of disgust on her face and looked as if she
wanted to smack me because of my poor attempt at providing information
that she'd obviously already heard before.  She looked cute with her
brow furrowed, an unusual scowl, and a stare into my eyes that hid none
of her frustration.

"Come on, Truman!  I'm not a baby.  I know about sex."

"Sorry, Angel.  You're just so precious sometimes that it's hard to
believe you're more intelligent than most of the folks in Houston."

The sense of disappointment she had for me a few moments before was then
morphed into an expression of timid curiosity, her eyes lowered, her
body tight against mine, and the sound of her voice much softer than
before.  It appeared she might have been fearful of how to ask me her
next question, or possibly reluctant to hear my response.

"Do you ... do you ... "

Even as a petite and slightly immature preteen Keiko had the same basic
need for knowledge as the most experienced and worldly woman I'd ever
had any dealings with.  She was apparently trying to ask me how I felt
about her, and if I was any kind of decent human being I wouldn't lie.
But, just because I knew or suspected what she wanted to know that
didn't mean I had to just spell it all out for her without any effort on
her part.  Just as I understood from the Socratic method of learning a
significant portion of education had to do with asking the right
questions, and she needed to ask me what was important to her.

"What, Keiko?"

She waited a few moments while softly caressing the outside of my right
arm in a delicate movement with her index finger and then shrugged once.
That made her look even more precious and important to me.

The sensation of her touch was a mix of innocence, curiosity, timidity,
and lust, but the way she moved and the position of her body revealed
the lovely young woman who was anxious to know so much more than her
folks might have wanted her to experience at her age.  I could have
stayed right there for hours and let her keep touching me, but I craved
the words that were trying to spill out of her lips like a dam ready to
burst.  Keiko did a much better job of asking her next question that I
might have at her age.

"Do you only love me 'cause I want you to touch me and kiss me and stuff
like that?"

Bright young lady.

"No, Baby.  You mean more to me than that."

She looked me right in the eyes and hid none of her intense need to know
everything she could in as short a timeframe as was possible.

"How, Truman?  How can you love me more than that?"

"I love you because of how incredibly smart you are and how quickly you
want to learn all sorts of things.  You seem to have an undying thirst
for knowledge, and I wish I'd had that as a child.  Maybe I wouldn't
have done so poorly in school and then wandered around so much when I
was old enough to leave home."

"Is there anything else?"

"Yes there is.  I also love you because of your willingness to sacrifice
your own life for people you don't even know, especially at your age.
For all you know the doctors could have come up with a cure for your
disease two months from now, or even two months after we crash into that
comet.  You could have gone home to Japan with your parents and spent
the rest of your life playing, visiting your friends, and doing all the
things that make you happy.  You didn't need to volunteer for this
mission at all, and I still can't believe they let you do this.  I think
you're the bravest little girl in the whole world, and I fell in love
with you even before I knew a lot about you just because of your dream
to help the whole world stay alive."

She squeezed me a little bit, planted a little kiss on the underside of
my chin, and then let out a soft sigh.  In spite of my altruistic and
rather generous speech I also needed to share my more carnal and base
side, just so she knew I wasn't some fairytale hero.

"But you need to know something else, Keiko.  Another very real reason
I've fallen in love with you is because of how pretty you are, how
incredibly sexy I think you look, and how much I want to kiss and touch
you.  I know it's illegal for a man to touch a little girl in a sexual
way, but ... you need to know that I've wanted to do that with you
since the first moment I saw you."

Even though our cabin was almost pitch black, only illuminated by the
instrument panel at the front of our ship, and specific details of
each other's faces were hard to make out, she pushed away from me
slightly and looked up into my face.

"I'm old enough to make decisions about who I love, Truman.  Aren't
girls in America allowed to pick their lovers when they're thirteen like
we can in Japan?"

"No.  Both girls and boys are supposed to wait until they're eighteen
before they can consent to ... to having sex.  For me to love you at
your age could have gotten me into a lot of trouble if we'd stayed on
Earth, but where we are and where we're headed I kinda think the only
person who's opinion matters is you."

"Are you a real perv, Truman ... I mean, like, a pedo?"

"In my mind, yes ... but with my hands or my body before I met you,
no."

"So ... you've never touched another little girl ... ever?"

"Only when I was about to leave home and she insisted I teach her
everything I knew so she wouldn't be scared.  Other than that I only
touched a much younger niece of mine after she made a stinky mess in her
diaper."

Scrunching my nose and grimacing seemed the perfect means to alter the
mood in our ship for a moment, and I got the kind of response that I was
hoping for.

"Tee-Hee."

It felt good to hear her giggle, especially because of the impression
she might have developed of me after my rather direct revelation.

"Honest, Truman ... I mean ... for real?"

"For real, Keiko.  You're the first young lady under seventeen that I've
ever touched even a little bit in a sexual manner outside of my family.
I might have wanted to do naughty things to other little girls for a
long time, but I knew it was wrong, so I stayed away from them and
concentrated on older girls and young women who kinda reminded me of
little angels like you."

I hoped she wouldn't ask too many questions, because I had no desire to
explain how I'd instructed my thirteen year old baby sister how to jill
herself off just so she wouldn't go around dumb and curious until some
brute talked her into going to bed with him.

She leaned into me, gripped me somewhat ardently, and then whispered
into my neck.

"I kinda could tell you were watching me that first day at the KSC
conference room where we heard them talking about volunteering for a
special research project."

"You did?"

"Uh huh.  That first time when we looked at each other and kinda smiled
a little bit, you know, when I blushed but didn't want to turn away?"

"I remember.  I didn't want to stop looking at you either."

"Well ... I had a secret dream when I was sleeping a few days before in
the hotel room."

"What was it about?"

"Remember when I was gonna tell you something ... before we found out
about that crazy guy and the explosives and stuff?"

"Yes I do.  I'd just told you part of the reason I fell in love with you
and that I've wanted to touch you intimately like I did on your soft
little ... butt with my hand inside your panties."

"Well ... my dream was of this guy ... of you falling in love with me
and then you and me doing lots of ... lots of really neat sex stuff in
bed for like this super long time."

"Really?  You had that dream?"

"Uh huh!  Except ... I didn't want it to just be a dream.  I wanted it
to be like for real, 'cause I always wanted to fall in love with a real
guy, not just some dumb little boy my age."

"How long did you feel that way, Keiko?"

"I dunno ... since I was a little girl, I guess.  After my Mommy told
me how babies were made and that someday I'd fall in love and marry a
man and have his baby I always wanted to be a mommy too, and I couldn't
wait for when I'd meet the guy who would fall in love with me and then
marry me like I said."

"How old were you, Keiko?"

"I guess five or six."

"Wow!  You were a very bright little girl even then, huh?"

"Uh huh.  That's what all the teachers and doctors kept telling my Mommy
and Daddy all the time, so they kept taking me to all these like special
schools and places where they took smart children and stuff.  Ever since
then I didn't get to do much little girl stuff 'cause they wanted me to
be like super smart and forget about dolls and coloring books and stuff
like that."

"So, you didn't get to play as much as you wanted to?"

"No."

"Is that why you liked to be around me ... 'cause I like to act silly
and play all the time like I was a little kid, too?"

"Uh huh.  You made it seem like playing was okay and fun, not like my
parents.  Every time you tickled me and made me giggle and laugh it was
like you wanted me to be just a little girl and not like some super
smart genius or something.  I've always wanted someone to treat me like
a little girl so we can play and cuddle and just be like all quiet with
each other like we were best friends.  That's why I looked at you so
super hard that first day, 'cause something told me when you smiled at
me that you didn't think of me as some brainy little kid, but like I was
a little girl who needed a tickle."

"You like it a lot when I tickle you, Angel?"

"Uh huh ... lots."

"Would you like for me to treat you the way I've always dreamed of?"

"How's that, Truman?"

"Like the most special little playmate in the whole universe who needs
to be hugged, and kissed, and tickled over and over again all day long
until she begs me to stop."

"Tee-Hee!  That sounds like fun!"

"Would you like that, Angel?"

"Yeah."

"Then ... I want you to be honest with me about something."

"Kay."

"Will you tell me if I scare you a little bit or if I try to be
naughty when you don't want me to do that kind of stuff?"

I could feel the heat of her blush across my neck and chest.  In a
highly restrained whisper she was barely able to answer.

" kay "

"That's my girl!  I need to tell you something else, Keiko."

"What?"

"I really am going to marry you very soon ... when you're ready."

"Really???"

"Yes I am."

"When?"

"Soon ... when I know you're ready to be my wife."

"Truman?"

"Yes?"

"Do I have to show you that I can ... I can have sex first?"

"No, Baby.  That will happen after you're my wife."

"For real?"

"For real."

We hugged in our quiet isolation completely devoid of light except for
the panel lamps at the front of the cockpit.  Neither of us said a word
for a long time, the rhythmic beating of her small heart against my
chest a kind of mantra for me, the slow cadence of her breathing warming
my neck, and the light caresses of her small left index finger the only
indication that she was alive.  In spite of my intense desire to do
otherwise I kept my hands out from the tender confines of her panties,
even if trying to touch her like that wasn't necessarily considered a
horrible thing.  We remained like that even after we fell asleep.

Some time after we'd passed the moon her folks were shuttled to the MCC
in Houston, and they got a chance to chat with Keiko and me from the
CapCom console where Sherry and Spider were stationed.  I'm sure it made
them both feel very special.  Alan probably wanted to remain at the JSC,
but his duties and family responsibilities back in Florida must have
forced him to return home.

Over the next week Keiko and I transmitted all of the images I'd taken
of the Moon and even a bunch I'd taken of Keiko and me.  The ones of her
and us together I waited to send until we were going to be asleep before
I queued them up so she didn't see them in the control panel display.
I'd show her before we got to 'the object', but before it was the right
time I knew to wait.

Her parents were ecstatic and repeatedly thanked the folks in Houston
for letting me send so many wonderful photographs, and they even got to
see them arrive from one of the active displays on an unused console for
the pre-launch engineers.  For Sherry and Spider to relay their thanks
and how pleased Keiko's parents were for being a small part of our
mission brought them a little bit closer to their little girl.  CapCom
never told me, but I pretty much assumed they let Keiko's parents
believe the camera we had on-board was at the space agency's behest.  I
didn't mind.

By the fourth week Keiko and I had developed a fairly comfortable rhythm
around each other, except for complete nudity or the sharing of any time
near the waste collection unit when something other than liquids were
involved.  We worked, played, ate, and slept together as if we'd been a
working couple for months rather than weeks.  We even started to slip a
little bit and act like a married couple in bed when the lights were
out, a timid caress attempted late at night when the other person's
attention was supposed to be occupied by dreams.  To feel her small hand
carefully tease under the elastic of my shorts on a series of nights
lasting another week and then for her to very gently claim what she'd
soon have to fight off for the rest of her life meant that she was
almost ready for me to officially propose and then for us to exchange
our marriage vows.

When she found a folder in my MP3 player archive one day meant solely
for those times when I really needed some heart lifting music I heard
her squeal again.  To see her dance around our cabin in zero-G to the
Macarena made me laugh so hard my stomach hurt.  I swear she had no idea
how cute she looked and how utterly hilarious I must have appeared the
last time someone caught me doing the same thing.  Rather than feel hurt
she had a really good time playing that song over and over again just so
I'd laugh, or draw her into another game of tickles, and then after that
tug her into a long tight hug.  Of all the things I wished she could
have brought along her Casio electronic music machine would have really
lifted her spirits, because she loved music so much, and she most likely
missed being able to create some beautiful noise with her own hands.

It was when I was busy with some mundane maintenance task at the data
entry console and while Keiko was having a good time listening to my
music player behind me that I heard her begin to hum a song that had
been produced and released long before she was born.  She seemed to
enjoy the tune and continued to perfect how she was following the
undertone and harmonies as each second drew on.  I recognized the song
and group and had to smile because of how easily my young shipmate
seemed to acquire my musical tastes.  It was her somewhat loud
exclamation because of the volume of the music in her headphones that
drew my attention away from my task toward what she was listening to.

"This is kew-wull, Truman!  I like your old rock and roll music!"

I could have been upset by her referral of my music as 'old', but to her
it must have seemed prehistoric.

Keiko started the musical selection a second time, but rather than hum
the tune she began to sing along with the lead singer in the group
'Foreigner.'  Her voice lulled me into an image of deep blue skies,
fields of flowers gently waving in the breeze, and a sense of ease that
relaxed me far more than she might have intended.  But it was the words
from the song "I wanna know what love is" coming from her mouth that
caught my attention more than my memory of the original musical
composition.  In spite of how my life had turned out I had to think
about the course of my twenty five year existence and try to recognize
how it melded with the words and phrases that spilled out of the twelve
year old's mouth.

It was only after the first stanza that I listened much more carefully
to words that I'd sung for years while spending time on the road about
mountains that needed to be climbed, how the weight of the world was
upon someone's shoulders, seeing love shine through clouds, and how love
can keep someone warm as life grows colder.

Hearing her express the writer's thoughts through music made me stop and
think about the effect the mental images might have had on many hundreds
of thousands of musical listeners for years.  Keiko parroting the lyrics
without displaying any awareness of what she could have been saying left
me with mixed feelings.  Could she truly grasp the enormity of what
she'd volunteered for?  Could a twelve year old truly understand what
love meant and how enriching it could be with a special someone?

But my perception of her blasé attitude changed after she started the
music a third time, her mind most likely becoming familiar with how she
was supposed to express herself and what her heart might need to share
with a man she hadn't met more than a few weeks before.  What was once
nothing more than mindless mimicry the second time she played the song
and sang turned into a much more animated and emotional event the third
time.  She appeared to pour her heart into her vocal effort as each word
was uttered, the emotional balance of her life being measured with a
cat's whisker

I watched mystified as Keiko shared a life that had been filled with
heartache and pain, how she doubted she could face it again, not being
able to stop after having traveled so far just to change a lonely life.

When she poured her heart out when the chorus came up I could almost see
her talking to me when she asked to know what love was and that she
wanted me to show her.  She seemed to invite me to teach her what love
felt like, and almost convinced me that I should show her right then.

It was almost as if Keiko had dipped as far into my soul as she could
and pulled my deepest and most intimate feelings out to be examined.
Could she really tell I was secretly having strong feelings for her?
Was it possible that a twenty five year old man could think of a
brilliant Japanese prodigy as a grown woman, even if that 'woman' was a
chubby and petite bald-headed angel who wasn't even thirteen yet?

I shuddered to think of what might be going on inside Keiko's head as
she kept singing each of the stanzas and chorus.  Out of all the places
for me to hide and attempt to make my death mean something I had to find
a lovely Nihonjin angel who'd stolen my heart and might be brilliant
enough to torture me while displaying her innocent beauty.

With each word she expressed with incredible tonal accuracy I began to
see a change in her demeanor.  What were once just random phrases and
ideas enveloped within rhythmic beats and in a harmonious timbre Keiko
seemed to delve deep into her heart and started to lose the vocal
confidence that she had the second time she returned to the first lines
of the song.  It was painfully obvious she was able to grasp the
fullness of the message being conveyed within the tune she was sharing
with me.

By the time she got to the repeating chorus near the end of the song her
voice seemed to disappear into the background noises of our small ship.
The air circulation fans near her feet became more pronounced and a few
random beeps or clicks from some of the other electronic devices
overcame any attempt she made to finish the song.  When she went totally
silent I tilted my head down and looked between my feet to see her body
midway along our ship, turned the other way, and wracked with an
undisguised series of convulsions.  Her hands must have been tucked over
her mouth because of how her arms were positioned which confirmed why
she'd gone quiet.  There was only one place for me to be in the whole
universe.

While I approached her from behind I felt a kind of deep emptiness
within me as if I was somehow responsible for her pain.  I suspected she
was saddened at the loss of so much of her life even before she could
live it, and my only purpose for living at that moment was to provide my
petite living computer with the comfort of a snug embrace.  The instant
I touched her right shoulder she grabbed my hand, spun in place, pulled
herself into my chest, wrapped her arms around me as if she was afraid
she might fall all the way back to Earth alone, and then cried into my
body.

Even though she was still wearing the headphones I could hear the music
as the chorus echoed an eternity through the air between her shaved head
and my chin.

So much pain was being hefted upon such a precious young girl's
shoulders.  I silently cursed God for ruining such a lovely little
girl's future, and wished I could somehow change her outcome so she
could know love, happiness, a husband, babies, a family, and the long
course of a full existence.

But I was in a sealed soda can on a one-way mission to save the Earth,
so what could I do?  The best thing appeared to be just to hang onto my
small MS-1, try to help her deal with her mental demons, and afford her
as much comfort as I could.  I was even a little unsure if it had been
a good idea for me to bring my music player along, because rather than
providing for her comfort and pleasure it seemed to amplify her pain.

"Tru ... Tru ... Truman?"

"Yes, Angel?"

Her arms kept a tight hold of my body and left me with the impression
that she might have wanted to squeeze the life right out of me.  When
she spoke next it was in a murmur that was muffled by the comfortable
thermal top I had on.

"Thank you for bringing your nice music along.  I really miss not being
able to play, but I like to listen to what you've got."

So much for my last silly idea.

We remained locked together in a shared embrace that traversed hundreds
of miles per minute, our hands gripping what little we were wearing, our
hearts beating together through our snug hold and as close as they might
ever get, and our ears sharing the slightly mournful passions of a very
talented composer, songwriter, and artist.

We stayed in that one spot holding onto each other for quite a while
without saying anything more.  It was only her tummy grumbling because
of hunger that made her giggle and me tickle her until she was squealing
and writhing around in my grasp.  It felt good to be able to alter her
mood into a much more jovial sentiment.

For the rest of that day and just as we'd done many times before we
frequently tumbled into a long loud game of tickles, my little playmate
fearless, but equally foolish.  She knew I'd find a way to get to her
ribs, sides, underarms, and tummy, but each time she'd attempt to gain
some measure of superiority I'd find yet another means to get right back
to my principal position.

We'd been so involved with our play one day that the sound of my tummy
grumbling took Keiko by surprise, and her reaction wasn't what I
expected.  She drew herself tight to my body, pressed her left ear to my
stomach, cupped her left hand around my butt, squeezed only hard enough
for me to feel her hand, but not hard enough to distort my ass.  She
then rose, looked me in the eyes, and then giggled at me.

"Tee-hee!  I think you need to put something in there."

My response was going to be equally unusual, and hopefully much more fun.

Rather than focus on my own tummy I pulled Keiko's body over mine,
centered my left ear against her belly, and listened for a moment.  The
instant I heard a tiny rumble, most likely a normal intestinal spasm, I
rotated my face, tugged the bottom hem of her top up slightly, pressed
my mouth to her bare skin, and made a much louder sound right into her
body.

"Urrrrr-EEEEE!"

She immediately giggled but didn't force my face away.

"TEE-HEE!  That's funny.  You're fun to play with, Truman."

Before she had a chance to be shocked or embarrassed I worked her top
around in various directions, exposed more of her lovely bare flesh,
took a few kisses and nibbles of her body which produced additional
laughter and squeals, and made a game of molesting her.

In all the times we'd shared a few minutes playing at KSC she'd never
let me have such complete and unrestrained access to her body like that,
and for her to hold her top up out of the way for me so I could nuzzle
and kiss her tummy proved that she was accepting of my need to molest
my little MS-1.  But prudence is the mark of a considerate and careful
man, so I shifted up her body and looked right into her eyes with my
lips close to hers.

To end our brief game I leaned forward and actually licked her mouth
twice, Keiko holding her ground and watching me approach and then lean
back.  The way her eyes sparkled, the fact that she didn't wipe her
mouth free of my saliva, nor attempted to pull away was far more
evidence of our new relationship than I could have fantasized about.
When she leaned into my face and licked me the same way and as many
times it proved she wanted to reply in a form that wasn't considered
before.  A few moments later and in her child-like voice she confirmed
she wanted to try new things ... things that little girls and older
guys aren't supposed to, nor are encouraged to consider.

"I like the way you play, Truman.  You try lots of different stuff, but
none of it seems icky or nothing."

I know I shouldn't have done it, but from a distant memory as a curious
young lad of eight or nine I recalled what I'd seen a larger dog do when
he was greeted by a smaller and ostensibly a female dog.

My face dropped to Keiko's left arm and I began to sniff as if I could
determine everything I needed to simply from her scent.  The in and out
sound from my nose was loud enough for her to easily hear, and instead
of pulling away or giggling she remained motionless and let me venture
in any direction I chose.  I chose to shift to the middle of her tummy,
the same spot I'd sniffed and kissed before the focus of my next gentle
attack.  Rather than sniff I decided to nuzzle, my nose and mouth
leading the way as I pressed into her soft body and fondled her without
the advantage of my hands or fingers.

Her acceptance of our new form of play spurred me on for more, so I
shifted my position slightly higher and approached one of her two little
mounds.  I knew she was excited and maybe even a little frightened, but
rather than ruin a potentially enjoyable new way to play she allowed me
to move even closer until my nose lightly brushed her small breast.  I
immediately saw her nipple firm up and stick forward.  She was aroused!
Had her thermal top been removed I might have claimed her nipple.

Even with my nose frequently brushing against the firmness of her nipple
and going around it while pushing into her little breast Keiko didn't
withdraw or complain.  Her other breast was treated the same way, two
perfectly matched little points on her thermal garment that couldn't be
missed or explained away.  My manner of play as I nuzzled and nosed her
tiny mounds a number of times seemed to excite Keiko, my obvious lusty
intent conveyed, but no words used to communicate any specific sexual
requirement.

To further the bizarre new game with no rules or score I shifted my face
around her body and nuzzled her under arm, nibbled a little just to make
her squeal, and then made a complete circuit with the opposite under
arm.  She could have made me stop or slowed me down, but Keiko chose to
watch everything I did and let me continue.

My next trip was going to be potentially dangerous, but she didn't seem
intimidated by what I'd done so far, and she must have known where I was
going to be headed next.  My nose dropped to her left hip with the
incessant sniffing, rubbing, and nuzzles right along with it.  I went
down her leg, rubbed my face into her tiny foot, licked it, tickled her
toes a few times which sent her squealing for a few seconds, and then
retraced my steps to her hip.  Her other leg was treated the same way,
my place at her right hip indicative of success after I'd traversed the
short distance down and back up.  The last of my game involved one of
two places that seemed to already stir Keiko's mind into utter revolt,
her heart most likely hammering wildly in her small chest, and her lungs
heaving with quick deep breaths.

Her butt was the next item to be inspected by an slightly older guy's
curious nose, because there just weren't that many places left to play.
She knew where I was headed, because I traveled around her right hip and
traced a line along the waistband elastic of her thermal garment while
she looked on.  By the time I got to the middle of her back I
immediately dropped down the crack of her ass and stuffed my nose as
firmly into that precious cleft as was comfortable and began to push
into her body again, that time strictly for myself.  I was amazed that
Keiko didn't scream or beat me silly for doing something so hideously
crude, but her reaction far surpassed anything I could have expected.

Instead of being horrified, Keiko wanted to play along, bent forward,
and pushed her butt out to be inspected.  Her short chubby thighs coming
apart a little further was my invitation to push her a little bit, so I
tucked my face under some more and pressed my snout against the softness
of her hidden vulva right where her vagina was nestled.  She moaned, but
she didn't pull away from my face, so I pushed in a bit harder and then
took a series of little nibbles with my lips.  For the next couple of
minutes I made exaggerated moves with my nose and mouth directly between
her thighs until she finally spoke.  Any perception of her maintaining
an innocent and passive role was lost.

"What's wrong, naughty boy?  Are you trying to tell me something?"

"Mmmmmmm!"

I nuzzled her hard again and then licked the fabric of her thermal
outfit.  She gasped slightly but didn't withdraw.

"Are you trying to lick me?"

"Mmm hmmmm!"

"You're such a perv, Truman, because boys don't lick little girls down
there, do they?"

"Mmm hmmmm!"

"Oh my goodness!  Are you trying to tell me that naughty boys *DO* lick
there, really?"

"Mmm hmmmm!"

"What do I do, Truman?"

My nose was drawn up along her butt with my mouth pressed into her body
until my lips were at the thick stitched hem of the waistband elastic.
It took some genuine maneuvering, but after a few determined attempts I
was able to grip enough of the material with my teeth to pull back and
then let it go, a loud snap obvious enough even for a mind-blitzed
twelve year old to notice.

"You want me to pull my thermal clothes and panties off?"

"Mmm hmmmm!"

My wordless humming might have been monotonous or boring for a more
mature woman, but for a twelve year old at the beginning of her sexual
horizons my wordless responses seemed quite enough.

"Oh my goodness!  I never knew such a naughty boy before ... "

The tone of her voice had changed slightly, and I was concerned that she
might call an end to my wicked game, but she didn't.

" ... but since I like my playmate I'm gonna do as he tells me."

With her face in the opposite direction Keiko worked the bottom hem of
her thermal top up and then drew her garment off her body.  Without any
further prompting she bent over in front of me facing the other way and
carefully pulled both her thermal undergarment and her panties down at
the same time.

For the first time since I'd met, known, and fallen in love with her my
little MS-1 was floating naked directly in front of me.  To remain in my
role as her obedient but naughty older playmate I immediately pressed my
nose to the crack of her ass and lightly nuzzled her as I traversed up
and down twice.  The last time I went lower her legs came apart and her
back arched as if she was offering herself to me completely.  With her
clothes bundled and floating free along one bulkhead her thighs came
apart again, and this time I could easily see everything I wasn't
supposed to.

There was no need for me to put it off, so I took her.

In a more sedate and measured pace I shifted under her while headed
toward her bare nether charms and eventually had my nose along her labia
majora over her clitoris.  All it took was the slightest pressure and I
felt her supple pink flesh easily distort to grant my passage.  A single
gentle circular shift with the tip of my nose around something tucked
deep between her plump hairless lips stirred her to gasp out loud and
then to push back into the intrusion.  That was my cue to change the
tempo of our game and alter the rules a little bit.

My tongue immediately came out to play, tenderly laving her nether lips
and cleaving her split until I was stealing an ample serving of her
virginal dew.  But her vagina was not my intended course, at least for a
little while and until she was more prepared, so I slowly worked my way
higher, licking the whole way, until I felt her magic pleasure button.
It was under my influence no more than ten seconds later, and she was
cumming less than two minutes after I found what I'd never known I'd
always wanted to search for.

It was definitely cruel to keep my twelve year old neophyte going for so
long after that, but as long as she let me I was going to delve into her
precious charms until either she fainted, or my tongue got a cramp.

My tongue was victorious!

She spent the next three hours whimpering, moaning, gripping my head,
repeatedly calling my name, telling me over and over again that she
loved me, and then fainting.  She was so naive she probably didn't
realize she could have made me stop after her second orgasm.  It was
only after her fourth cum and her lack of movement because of her
unconscious state that I took pity on her and ceased my wicked little
game.

We eventually did get something to eat, my naked dining partner far too
tired to consider arguing with me about which foods we were to consume.
She didn't seem to care about much of anything that evening, except to
stare into my eyes, caress the sides of my face with her small hands,
kiss me lightly with tender labial embraces, and then snuggle with me
until she was too tired to keep her eyes open.

Keiko slept in the nude with me that night, not because I insisted, but
because my MS-1 did.

Since very little of our mission could be shared with anyone outside of
the MCC and a selected group of people at KSC I suspected Keiko's
parents might be having a tough time just sitting around waiting for
some piece of news or an infrequent radio message.  Once everything
related to the launch and our transition from near-Earth operations and
mission setup had been worked out our radio chats grew less and less
frequent.  There was no need for us to have constant and long
conversations with anyone at the MCC, and the folks at KSC probably had
other things to work on, because the space agency *always* had a backup
plan to every scenario and a solution for every contingency.

It must have been hard on Keiko's parents because of their perception of
them abandoning their daughter, but they just couldn't put their lives
on hold for the next couple of months and sit around at the MCC all day
and night.  They probably thought about being in Houston during the
final minutes of their daughter's life when we impacted the comet, but
they must have felt a mixture of guilt and shame to be close enough to
see the immediate results of our accomplishment.  During what was their
last private conference with Keiko they told my MS-1 that they were
going to leave and go back to Japan.  The fact they spoke to her in
English proved they wanted me to hear and understand their statement.

Keiko cried for a few hours after that last direct uplink radio chat
with her folks, and it was my job to help her deal with the final
connection to her family being broken.  We both knew it would happen
eventually, but when they said goodbye it hurt everyone, Keiko most of
all.  Rather than her leaving home and her parents when she got married
Keiko was leaving Earth and every link she had with her family, her
friends, and everything that had been familiar and comforting to her.

My poor MS-1.

It took a while, lots of supportive conversations, plenty of hugs, and
even a rather generous amount of tickles, but Keiko eventually returned
to her previously affectionate demeanor.  I was sure to do everything I
could to make her smile, keep her busy, and stir her heart into a raging
thunderstorm as often as possible.

Being with Keiko in our new roles distracted me, and we enjoyed our time
together as close friends, playmates, co-workers, and future spouses so
much that I'd forgotten to take my pain meds some time the previous
week.  Our routine had become so easy and comfortable that I'd
completely forgotten I was a dead man walking.  Just being with Keiko
lifted my spirits, but sharing and being part of her life seemed to heal
my very soul.  For the first time since I'd accepted my death I was glad
to be alive and actually looking forward to living rather than dying.
What I wasn't conscious of was how much better I was feeling over the
previous few weeks.  It might have been my interpretation of being in
real love for the first time, because nothing else could have explained
away the loss of discomfort I'd felt for months.

I was also totally unaware that my headaches were much less intense,
even after the cryo treatments.  I'd attributed my positive demeanor,
increasing happiness, and slow improvement of my health to the little
preteen who was more likely to stir a tickle fight than to be somber
about our impending demise.  It had become so much fun to be around my
MS-1 in private that my physical condition and medical future were of no
importance, and what had brought us together was no longer of any
significance.  We were truly in love for the right reasons, sex a very
minor but important part when the time came.  It came on a day where
Houston told us we were halfway to 'the object' and were asked to
calibrate the sensor array to detect it.

"Step twelve point one fifteen ... final alignment complete, Houston.
From here on out it looks like it's up to us.  Everything's loaded, the
software updates check out, and we're getting kinda anxious to see what
it is we're about to bump into.  The array will remain on standby until
further notice, so once you give the word we'll crank the darned thing
up and see if we can find this scary thing.  Looking forward to your
last commands or suggestions, Houston.  Phoenix out."

The quick responses from the first part of our journey were a thing of
the past, twenty minute long waits now a common requirement each time we
sent a call for them to hear, and then another twenty for us to hear a
response.  Before it came both Keiko and I nervously waited to be told
we were finally ready.  About the only thing we could do while waiting
was to hold each other, caress each other's face and body, and hope
everything we'd done was enough.

When our next radio message came we both jumped as if someone had
slammed a book to a table top.

"Copy that, Phoenix.  That's it, CDR.  You've followed each step as
we've described and everything looks fine.  Go ahead and conduct your
first tests with the software enhancements we've uploaded.  Follow the
procedures as per your flight manual from now on.  Good luck and let us
know when you see it for the first time.  Houston out."

I turned to Keiko and smiled.

"Would you like the honors, MS-1?"

The answer I got wasn't what I was expecting.

"I'm scared, Truman!"

"Why, Angel?  Everything's finally in place.  This is what we both
volunteered to do and what they're expecting us to finish.  You're not
having second thoughts, are you?"

Her looking away was a bad sign.  She'd been so adamant and strong in
her conviction to give her life toward a truly humanitarian cause when
we launched from KSC on the crazy idea to save the world.  Why would she
suddenly reconsider helping me steer our kinetic-energy device into a
dark comet that was most likely going to destroy the Earth?

"Keiko?  What's wrong, Angel?"

She pulled herself toward me through the cockpit, wrapped her arms as
far around me as she could, and then burst out crying.  I'd seen and
felt her cry like that once before, when she first talked to her parents
and wailed into my chest quite a while afterward, but her tears that day
were different.  I still held her tight to my body and let her empty her
emotions into my neck, but I actually felt uncomfortable because my MS-1
might not want to follow-through with our assigned task.

We had to!  We were on a one-way mission and more than a third of our
supplies were already gone.  If she decided to bail and was able to talk
me out of our mission where were we going to go?  Our lives were over
anyway, and after the food, water, and breathing stores ran out or our
electronics failed we'd die a slow and agonizing death.  It seemed more
appropriate to go out in a blaze of glory rather than tortuously and
painfully.  I waited as long as I could and hoped I wouldn't have to
fight my little one for control of the Phoenix.  It was only her voice
interrupting her stuttering sobs against my body that helped me to
understand more than I could have dreamed.

"I don't wanna die anymore, Truman!  I've been so happy with you and
have fallen completely in love for the first time in my life.  I don't
want this to end 'cause I wanna be a mommy and your wife and so much
more.  I need you, Truman!  I truly do."

What glorious words.  Glorious, but unrealistic.  I don't know how she
could have so easily forgotten about our terminal medical conditions,
both of us little more than two owners of hourglasses with the sand
about to run out.  We were both feeling better, but that was easily
explained away because of the love we had for each other.  The emotional
distraction in our hearts made it possible to overcome what our brains
and bodies had to contend with, but in spite of a beautiful future
together in another reality we still had a mission to accomplish.

"Oh, Angel.  You know we can't think that way.  We're over a million
miles from Earth and headed toward our destiny.  Even if we could figure
out a way to turn around and go back, what would we go back to?  The
comet that's headed toward our parents and all the other people back
there isn't gonna stop, Keiko.  If we don't deflect it there will be
nothing left for them or even for us to go back to.  We have no choice,
Angel.  We *have* to do this."

It took her a while, but she eventually calmed down enough to stop
crying.  She kept sniffling and whimpering, but at least she seemed
coherent enough to grasp the depth of any crazy ideas of abandoning our
primary mission.  It hurt to have to remind her that our deaths had been
somehow preordained, as if everything that we'd lived for throughout our
lives had brought us to that fateful point in space and time.  Nothing
could alter the forgone conclusion that the culmination of our thoughts,
dreams, desires, and very existence was to be served in that single act
of self-sacrifice.

I watched as Keiko's petite left hand slowly extended away from her
body, approached the console, and then I saw her chubby index finger
approach the EXEC button.  With the strength of no other human being
anywhere on Earth or in space nearby I saw her digit press the button
and observed a series of instructions in a small rectangular window on
the screen filled with hundreds and hundreds of lines of mathematical
calculations in an instant.  As the last of those calculations flew up
the screen everything disappeared, and the only thing that remained was
a single word that flashed over and over again ... "SEARCHING".

That was it ... we were finally going to do what we traveled many
hundreds of thousands of miles to do.  Our focus was shifted from the
data console back into each other's eyes, a wordless exchange of
emotions and ideas between the two of us until nothing else around us
seemed important.  After we exchanged a few timid kisses we hugged and
turned our faces toward the console.

We both stared for untold minutes, waiting for what we knew was a chance
for the whole of mankind to define its future through the use of their
intelligence and creativity via technological marvels that had yet to be
proven.  We silently journeyed toward the unknown and as yet unseen tiny
piece of the cosmos inside our pitiful attempt at an artificial Earth,
the pinnacle of our fellow man's achievements slapped together with
bolts, screws, and adhesive.  We kept going back and forth from the data
console to each other's eyes as if our discovery were imminent.  How
silly for us to think we could detect 'the object' so quickly.

<Crackle>

The sound was so unusual that we both instantly jumped and turned to
look toward the data console.

<Bluh - bluh - BLEEP!>

While both of us were staring at the large display we saw a faint speck
appear twice, disappear, and then flash very close to where the folks in
Houston had told us it might be.  Close, but not on the money.  That's
when I was glad we'd volunteered for the mission, because even with all
of their fancy telescopes and powerful Earth-based radar dishes they
were still off by enough to require some human input and adjustments.

After the sensor array had captured adequate energy and the on-board
detection algorithms had processed enough of the data we heard three
rhythmic electronic chimes confirm the inescapable in quick succession.

<FLING!  - FLING!  - FLING!>

What had been no more than speculation, someone else's determined
celestial homework, and Keiko's and my impassioned desires for some
other reality had become academic.  We'd finally found what we were
looking for.  Our future was upon us and there was no way back.

She looked into my eyes with an expression of utter defeat all over her
face, nodded twice, handed me my mike, gently pressed her right cheek
into my chest, squeezed my body as lovingly as she could, and then said
something that made me feel like a hypocrite.

"Tell Houston, Truman.  Our time is finally here.  We can't put it off
any longer ... no matter how much I love you, or how hard I want a very
different kind of future with you.  What I volunteered to do must be
done ... in order to protect the people I love ... that we *both* love
back on Earth."

It took me a few moments to gather my courage, and when I did I keyed
the mike and tried to sound scientific.

"Houston ... Phoenix.  We've found it.  The object has just come up on
our display.  We're gonna need to make some slight adjustments to our
trajectory, but it looks like all of your hard work and our desire to
act as your eyes and hands is upon us.  Congratulations, Houston, KSC,
and all the hundreds of folks who helped work on our mission ... you've
done a great job.  Now ... now it's our turn to do ours."

The mike was released, I pulled my headset off my head, let both of them
float free to the side, and held my little lover to my chest as if in
doing so I could change the gravitational constant of the universe and
alter the course of the comet with only my love for Keiko.

That's when I knew to make good on a half-joking promise that I'd
uttered a few weeks before.  Holding her along her upper arms I shifted
her away from my body slightly, looked as earnestly into her pitiful
stare as I could, and then said words that I'd never imagined I might
utter to an underage girl.

"Marry me, Keiko ... today ... right now."

Her smile slowly developed like the sun coming over the horizon back on
Earth from a mere hint of a lovely glow to the full radiance that was to
be the warmth to forever fill my soul.  It might have seemed like months
passed from the time the last of my breath left my mouth and when she
heard me ask a twelve year old to be my wife.

As her bee-stung lips began to move time slowed to nothing, the least
shift of her mouth being drawn out in my mind like honey in winter.
What would she say?  Was all that I'd fantasized about nothing more than
a pervert's bizarre reverie?  Did I really love her enough and she me to
bring our souls together in the deep dark vacuum of space so we might
forever exist as one being?

When the words delicately poured out of her lips like a fine blend of
sparkling wine I hung on the last of her tiny whisper so I might know
the fate of my very being.

"Truman ... I need to ask my parents for their permission first.  I
know it's hard to understand, but ... I'm still a part of their lives
and I need to know they'll give their blessing.  Will you honor me by
granting me this very special request ... my love?"

I didn't even have to think about it.

"Yes I will, Keiko.  It's only fair that your parents are a part of this
special day, not just because of what we're going to do it a few weeks,
but because of the special union that you and I will share until then.
They need to know that I love you with all my heart, and that I'm going
to spend the rest of my life with you as your husband, lover, best
friend, playmate, and co-worker.  No greater bond could be shared than
the one I wish to with you, and your folks should be a part of that."

"Thank you, Truman.  But I need to ask you a very important question,
too.  May I?"

"Of course, Angel.  Ask me."

She looked down for a moment, seemed troubled about what she was
thinking, and after she'd resolved her concerns looked into my eyes as
she spoke.

"What will you do if my parents say 'no'?"

There wasn't even a delay in my reply.

"I will do whatever you wish, Keiko.  If you won't marry me because of
what they say ... then I'll accept your decision.  It's you I love, not
some perverse desire to own you.  If that's what you want, then I'll be
the same loving man I've always been, not as your husband or lover, but
as your friend, playmate, and co-worker.  I'll abide by what you say,
Keiko, even if it means that I'll be able to love you in spirit only for
the rest of eternity.  Is this acceptable, Keiko?  Will you be my bride
if your parents say it's okay, or would you prefer I just be your
friend if they say no?"

She wanted to say something, but her brilliant brain was having a hard
time coping a kind of equation that meant more than one-plus-one.  It
was going to affect her Karma, and that was something I had no control
over or right to alter.

My wait wasn't nearly as long as I'd expected, and I was incredibly
nervous until she cupped her small hands around my ears and then nodded.

"Yes ... I'd be honored to be your bride, Truman, as long as they say
it's okay."

We both smiled into each other's squinting gaze, our grins preventing us
from sharing a kiss to seal our pending fusion in space.

By the time Houston got our last message and responded Keiko and I were
incredibly nervous, not because of what the space agency people might
tell us to do, but because of what I had to ask of them moments after
their transmission was received.

"Phoenix, Houston.  Congratulations you two, you've done it!  Just
follow the flight manual from now on and make the necessary minor course
corrections as needed."

The radio went silent for a few seconds but we could still hear the
carrier in the background and a few bits of radio static, so we waited.

"We can't tell you how proud we are of you and also how saddened we are
because of what's about to happen.  All of us are both incredibly happy
and yet horribly ashamed for celebrating at your discovery, because if
you're successful you're about to give us something that can't be
expressed in words or justified with parades or memorials ... our
future ... the future of some six billion people all around the world.
We still can't see 'the object' yet, but some of our space-based
astrometric equipment is able to detect it.  We know it's coming, but we
also know that you're coming to our rescue.  If there's anything that we
can do ... anything ... please ask for it and we'll do it.  We can't
tell you how incredibly honored we are that you've been willing to
sacrifice yourselves for the rest of humanity, and all life, for that
matter.  Thank you, Keiko and Truman.  Thank you for something that we
wish we didn't have to ask you for.  Remember, if there's anything that
you need, please ask.  Houston out."

With the last two words heard and understood I keyed my mike and began a
speech that I couldn't have practiced for in any reality, except for the
one that defined Keiko's and my life being over in just a few weeks.

"Houston, Phoenix.  Please arrange to have Keiko's parents available for
a private conference as soon as you receive this message.  She has an
important question ... *we* both have an important question to ask
them.  It's incredibly important to us, Houston, so please make it
happen.  You can contact them at their home in Yokohama, so use whatever
magic you can to get them on the line.  You asked us if there was
anything you could do, so do this.  Phoenix out."

All we had to do was wait.  Keiko and I hated waiting, more so because
of what we were waiting for.  Instead of taking what seemed like days we
received their call in what seemed like seconds.

"Phoenix, Houston.  The Japanese space agency and national telephone
network have graciously granted us the ability to patch Keiko's parents
into our transmission from their home in Yokohama.  There will be no
other open radios after the hand off, so she should feel free to say
whatever's important to her.  You'll hear the Japanese space agency's
acknowledgment and they'll be waiting for your next transmission.
Transfer of control to our comrades at the Japanese Aeronautics and
Exploration Agency in three ... two ... one ... go ahead, JAXA."

A series of clicks and radio noise could be heard for a second, and then
the sound of a man's voice coming on-line in Keiko's native language.  I
couldn't understand what he said except for Keiko's first name.  After
that he gave what sounded like a short speech and then uttered a series
of syllables that I vaguely recognized from having been inside a number
of Asian restaurants, " ... arigato gosai-mas, Katsumoto-sama!"

By the tone of his voice and the understanding I had of the words I knew
the man had just thanked my MS-1 in a genuine and respectful manner, and
I could almost see him bow to the microphone in front of him.

In what must have been the most expensive long-distance call yet made
between human beings I could only imagine what her folks were feeling as
they waited while they held a phone to their ears and listened to either
white noise and a few bits of static.  We'd been used to the long waits
between our comm messages, but for her folks to have to stand or sit in
their home and wait for their daughter's voice must have been terrible.

Then her parents came on the line and again her language was spoken for
a few minutes.  It was apparent they were unloading their hearts to my
little MS-1, because I could see her trying to smile while she was
nearly bawling her eyes out without making a sound.  Thankfully I was
right there with her, my arms all the way around her body, her head
nestled into my chest sideways, her grip around my left arm tight enough
to cut off the circulation to my elbow, forearm, and hand, and her body
stuttering as if I was tickling her and had taped her mouth closed.  As
the last of their one-sided private conversation drew to a close I heard
something that instantly made me feel as if the whole world was looking
right at me.

In the same heavily-accented voices I'd heard that last day before we
climbed into the silver van toward the launch pad I heard four words
that could have ripped my heart out of my chest, "Thank you, Mister
Truman-sama!"

And then the radio was quiet.

She did her best to hold it in but cried for a minute anyway.  With time
slowly conspiring to defeat us she wiped her tears away for the
umpteenth time, gave me a tight hug, a little kiss, and then held her
mike to her small mouth.  Doing as she gestured I did the same and
waited for my cue.

"Japanese Aeronatics and Exploration Agency, ... "

The rest I couldn't understand until she said something that needed no
translation.

"Daddy ... Mommy ... Mister Truman has an important question to ask
you.  Please listen carefully, for he will ask you this question only
one time.  Thank you.  Here is Mister Truman."

Even though Keiko didn't call me Mister Catawba it didn't bother me.  In
spite of the rather formal nature of our conversation and what I was
about to ask her father it seemed appropriate for her to call me by
something that was more familiar and personal.  Under the circumstances
I would have tolerated her calling me by my father's name, even if she
knew I didn't like being introduced that way.

As soon as she looked into my eyes my short speech began.

"Mr. and Mrs. Katsumoto.  This is Truman Catawba.  It is with great
humility that I sincerely ask you this next question.  I don't do it
casually, nor do I wish to dishonor Keiko or her wonderful parents by
being inconsiderate, so ... will you give me your permission to make
your daughter, Keiko, my young wife?  We both love each other more than
anything in the whole universe, and we wish to be joined in marriage
before we meet our end, and our Maker.  Please honor me by granting me
and your daughter your permission and blessing.  If you do not, then you
should know that I will honor yours and your daughter's wishes and allow
her to make her way into the great void just as she left you ... pure,
whole, and untainted.  I do this out of respect for you, but most of all
for my love, Keiko.  We will anxiously await your reply.  Thank you very
much for letting me get to know such a wonderful young lady.  Whether we
are allowed to marry or not, I will love Keiko for the rest of eternity.
Phoenix, out."

It would have been wonderful to be in their house when they heard what I
asked them.  It would have been intimidating to be anywhere near any
adult on Earth who might want to exact revenge on a twenty five year old
man for even considering the preposterous and lewd notion of marrying a
twelve year old little girl.  If the American space agency and anyone
associated with the legal system in the United States found out what
I'd asked for I'd be tried in absentia for pedophilia, child abuse,
statutory rape, kidnapping, coercion, and who knows how many other
crimes.  All I could do was smile inside at the thought of all those
other guys back home who might find out that I'd wanted to marry an
underage girl.  If my parents and family ever learned of my deed they'd
deny having known me and would have pretended I was adopted.

Keiko and I remained in that same snug embrace the entire time we
waited, no other place for us to be, and no other bond so important.
The first thing we heard was her father's voice, in broken, but fairly
recognizable English.

"Mister Truman-sama.  It is with great honor that we grant you
permission to marry our daughter."

Keiko was about to lose it, but I could tell there was more, so I gave
her a quick kiss, a little hug, and then shushed her.

"Hold on, Baby.  Your Daddy ... my soon-to-be father-in-law is still
talking to us."

"Kay!"

My bride-to-be might have shown how she felt with an impending cry, but
my curiosity had a greater impact on my emotional sensibilities for the
moment.  I might have been nervous, but I knew I was more anxious than
truly scared of what my future father-in-law was going to say.

"We would normally never allow such a thing in Japan or in America, but
your deed is greater than the whole of the Earth, and we have no desire
to keep you from sharing a destiny together in the great void where your
souls will forever share a special place that your bodies cannot.  It
would be offensive to us if our daughter could not know the happiness of
being a wife, even if only for a few glorious days.  She has always been
a very bright young girl, and now she is going to be a very happy young
wife.  It is with great honor that we give our daughter to you, to share
a short time together in happiness.  It is Karma that has brought you
together, and we cannot change your Karma, even at this great distance.
Yes, my daughter ... yes, I give you permission to marry.  It is with
pride that I give the life of my little girl to another man, so he may
take her to him and know the wonders of love."

I could feel my face burning from the intense blush that must have been
all over my head from ear-to-ear and forehead-to-chin.

But rather than continue in English Mr. Katsumoto began to speak in
Japanese again, obviously for Keiko's benefit.  I saw her nod a few
times as if she was acknowledging his statements, I saw her bow a little
bit every few seconds after a few words were spoken by her father as if
to show respect, and then I saw her cup her mouth to hold back yet
another cry as his words trailed off.  It might have been thought of as
too personal to take note of, but I could tell the man was having a hard
time finishing what he was telling his own twelve year old little girl
on the day he was giving her away to another man.

After his long speech I felt Keiko squeeze me as if to gain from me the
strength that her own father might have been offering.  I felt both
proud and humbled at the thought of how generous my future father-in-law
was with his own preteen child.  I also began to wonder if he'd be quite
as generous if Keiko and I could return to Earth.

The next part of what he said was communicated in English, so it was
obvious I was a major part of what he was about to tell us.  I had no
idea.

"We are proud to accept Truman as our son.  Thank you for honoring us,
My Son, for being so true and decent by asking for our permission.  I am
humbled by your ways and wish I could meet you in this life or the next,
so I may look into the eyes of a true gentleman.  Thank you again,
Truman-sama.  Thank you!"

It was apparent my suspicions of his being reluctant to give his
daughter away, even if there might be a chance we'd survive, weren't
well founded.  By the time he finished speaking I was sure he knew what
Keiko and I were going to be doing in a matter of hours if not a few
minutes, and I felt more than a little guilty at the thought of his
picturing what Keiko might look like naked in front of me.  Had he known
she'd already been a bit curious in her sleep and had grabbed a handful
of my erect cock, or when she willingly pulled her own clothes off when
I sniffed and nuzzled my nose and face into her body he might not have
been so willing to give his permission.  If he'd have known she'd been
naked for me and I'd munched on her small breasts, vulva, and clitoris,
the man would have been incensed, and he might have wanted the Japanese
space agency to launch a high-speed missile to destroy our craft.

We heard some static and radio noise, and then nothing more for quite a
while.  Apparently nobody at the American space agency was listening
into our chat after all.

Keiko and I just floated in our silent happiness, both of us most likely
still in shock for her father's willingness to grant such a perverse
request from an American 'Gaijin' for the proud Nihonhin man's own
daughter.  We were stunned but elated.  Nothing was more important to us
than what we'd heard, the silence of our new knowledge far more
intimidating than the words we'd heard minutes before.  After what
seemed like an hour we finally heard our next inbound call.

"Phoenix, Houston.  Listen you two ... you really know how to get
people excited about a lot of different things in a very short amount of
time.  The Japanese space agency, the Japanese Ministry of Justice, the
U.S. State Department, the Justice Department, and even our Madam
President have been getting involved in something that has turned more
heads and lifted more eyebrows that you could possibly imagine.  If word
of this gets out not only are you two gonna be remembered for what we
sent you up there to do, but also for being the first married couple in
outer space ... in spite of Keiko's age."

CapCom's voice trailed off for a moment and then returned.

"Congratulations, Truman ... Keiko ... and best wishes."

A second later the radio went quiet.  That's when a new kind of noise
filled our cabin, Keiko wailing almost as excitedly as she had before,
this time with a quivering smile all over her face.  She looked so cute
bawling while she was trying to smile that I couldn't help but tickle
her a little bit just for fun.  What started out as a very serious and
somber moment ended up with us embroiled in a thirty minute long tickle
fight.

By the time our play was over she was looking into my eyes and trying to
contend with what girls her age normally didn't consider.

"Truman ... husband?"

"Yes, Keiko ... wife?"

"May I put on a very special wedding dress, please?"

I had to look at her as if she'd just gone absolutely mad.

"Whah-what, Angel?"

"I want to wear a very special wedding dress that I've worn a whole
bunch before, but never knew why.  May I?"

"Uhhhh ... sure, Baby."

She took her headset off, shifted that and her mike toward the data
entry console, tugged me toward the living portion of our cabin, shifted
me into a position we'd often shared while eating with my back against
one bulkhead so I could face her, and then she smiled at me.

"Just stay there so I can put my wedding dress on, Truman."

" kay "

She stared into my eyes with her lips quivering, her hands lifting her
thermal top up her body, and in one smooth shift she lifted it over her
head and off her arms.  Her little breasts looked so cute, but I knew to
keep my place and wait until she was ready.

Her thermal leggings and panties came off next, her movements in zero-G
affording her the ability to lift both feet from anything around her and
keep looking at me while she stripped herself down until she was wearing
nothing, ostensibly so she could don her as yet unseen wedding dress.  I
could have stared at her plump yonni and dreamed of our first night as
lovers for a lot longer, but her movements toward me forced me to look
up into her eyes to see what might happen next.

That's when she twisted sideways so she could be completely stretched
out with her head toward the cockpit and her naked feet toward the
remainder of our food and supplies.

"Turn like me, Truman."

As she instructed I rotated 90 degrees to my right and looked at the
beautiful naked body of a petite twelve year old, her plum-sized little
mounds poking forward on her chest with two perfect little pink points
sticking out toward me.  Her waist was slightly narrowed, but not like
that of an older teen.  Her plump vulva, however, looked far more ample
and supple than any woman I'd ever known or seen, her labia majora full
and bald, her clitoris completely hidden, and a precious gap between her
chubby thighs directly below where her legs met her body.  She looked
absolutely perfect.

"Do you like my wedding dress, Truman?"

The heat from my face slowly swept across my body until it felt as if I
was lying in a huge oven whose temperature had been turned to roast.  A
smile quickly formed and didn't stop growing until my cheeks hurt.

"I think it's the most beautiful wedding dress in the whole galaxy."

"Tee-Hee!  Perv!"

"Nuh uhh.  Not anymore.  I'm about to be your husband, young lady, and
you're about to be my wife.  It's not being a perv for a groom to stare
at his sexy young bride with intense love and affection ... it's called
admiration.  The fact that my young bride isn't even thirteen yet is
what makes me a perv."

"Like I said ... Perv!"

"Would you like to see my tuxedo now?"

Her eyes got wide, her lips quivered, and her face erupted into a deep
vermilion glow that nearly bested our panel lamp test during step eight
point twenty one dash one ... illuminator check, red.  I barely heard
her say anything, a mere hint of a breath escaping her open mouth.

" kay "

In all the time that we'd been locked in our private hide-away from the
rest of our solar system she'd never once seen me completely naked.  She
might have seen my ass a couple of times when I used the waste collector
to capture my urine, and she'd certainly had her small hands on and her
chubby fingers around my dick a number of times, but she'd never seen my
cock once.

Just as she'd done for me I slowly peeled my thermal top off and tossed
it toward the spot where hers was slowly writhing around like some small
off-white living entity.  My thermal leggings and shorts were then shed
in one long and very torturous move, her eyes locked straight onto the
erect firmness of my penis.  Even after I tossed the remainder of my
clothes to where the others silently intermingled along one bulkhead all
she wanted to do was stare at my masculinity.

I hated to break her concentration, but we had a wedding to plan.

"Keiko?"

" yeah "

"Before we exchange our vows, I think it would be appropriate if we took
one last bath as single people so we can be clean and pure for our
wedding.  After that we need to say those special words that young
brides and nervous grooms always get mixed up at the last minute."

"Tee-Hee!"

"After you promise me your life and love, and I do the same for you,
then we can cut our wedding cake and enjoy our reception dinner."

She looked at me as if I'd spent billions on her wedding day.  In a way
I did, but the American taxpayers were the ones who footed the bill
without knowing about it.

"After we eat ... I'm gonna let you ask me any question you want, or do
anything with me that you're curious about trying.  Tonight ... on our
wedding night and for as long as our honeymoon lasts I'm gonna go as
slow and act as gentle and tender as you want, okay?"

" kay "

For the longest time all we did was share one of the most erotic but
gentle baths I could have imagined.  I'd washed Keiko before, her head,
face, hands, body, legs, and even her vulva receiving my tender caresses
a few times, but that was the first time I started at the top of her
shaved bald head and worked my way down slowly until her very ticklish
little toes were done.  Washing between her toes was something that
seemed to make her squeal nearly as excitedly as when my tongue ventured
into her belly-button, so that was going to be a new way to torture my
MS-1 from then on if we had enough time.

Cupping and tenderly laving her small breasts was like a celebration in
lascivious perversion, even though each of my actions were conducted
with the courtesy and fondness of a loving adult.  Running a few wet
wipes around her pert little girl ass but especially between her legs
was more exciting than I could have imagined.  She was panting as I
softly wiped every square inch of her body free from anything but the
soft pink sweetness that she'd been born with.  I was even allowed to
lightly split her nether lips and gently take a few timid swipes at her
coral tenderness, her eyes either tightly closed or staring at me as if
I might try to rip her body in two.

And then it was my turn.

Keiko was shaking so much she almost couldn't hold onto the wipe as she
traversed from the top of my shaved skull, across my face, around and
even inside my ears, just to be the coquette, over my chest, around my
back, and especially when she found one of my most secret spots, my
underarms.  She really enjoyed making me squirm and flinch while she
pretended to wash me there, her giggles almost matched by my highly
restrained laughter.  My stomach and lower back were washed, her eyes so
tightly focused on my manhood that she forgot what she was doing once.

"Uh, Keiko?"

" yeah?  "

"You need to finish washing me, Angel.  The preacher is waiting at the
church."

"Huh?"

"Remember, Baby ... we're gonna have all night, okay?  I need to help
you say some special words so we can be married soon.  We can then live
happily ever after ... like in all those fairy tales."

" kay "

Strangely she avoided my cock and proceeded down each leg until they
were both done.  That's when she came back up to my hips and gently
encircled my penis with a wipe-filled hand for a little while, and then
her bare hand for a minute just 'cause she wanted to.  I didn't stop
her, but I might have to if she kept touching me so erotically, or I
might have to wash her all over again after I couldn't control myself
and painted her tummy and titties with white goo.

Even though it wasn't absolutely necessary I thought ahead and knew we
needed to have witnesses, so I brought my headset and mike toward us,
held the small white button close to our faces and between us, and then
pressed the switch.

"Houston, Phoenix ... in order to make this official I'm going to
transmit what's about to happen.  I know there are people who most
likely won't want to hear this, so you can block our signal for the next
few minutes if you'd prefer, but I need for you to be a part of this.
Keiko and I might not be considered the most appropriate couple, but in
order to do this right I need for there to be a record of what's about
to transpire."

I waited a few seconds and then continued.

"There's no need to acknowledge nor reply.  The next thing you hear will
be something that is sure to go down in the annals of history as the
most spectacular and impossible notion any human man ever attempted."

Cleaned and dry we faced each other in the largest section of our cabin
in a floating 'kneeling' posture, our hands joined, our eyes together,
and very special words shared for the only time in our lives.  When we
were both ready we nodded to each other, I kept her hand in mine with
our fingers wrapped around the mike switch, and I keyed the microphone
again.

"I, Truman Roosevelt Catawba, do hereby take Keiko Sayuri Katsumoto, as
my lawfully wedded wife, to have and to hold, to honor and obey, to love
and to cherish, until the end of eternity."

She watched in a combination of horror and excitement as I uttered
poorly recollected words from a ceremony that I'd rarely observed.  In
spite of the fumbled lines and incomplete passage Keiko must have
believed those were the most important and special words she'd ever
heard in her life, because even before I finished she was already
crying.  I loved my little emotional Angel.

It took a single hint, but she was finally able to get started when I
spoke.

"Your turn, Angel."

The mike switch was held in our shared grip while I held Keiko close to
me with my other hand, her response just as important as my prologue.

"I, Keiko Sayuri Katsumoto, do hereby take Truman Roosevelt Catawba, as
my lawfully wedded husband, to have and to hold, to honor and obey, to
love and to cherish, until the end of eternity."

The radio signal that left our ship was literally going to cover the
Earth when it arrived, even at our great distance and puny strength.
Just the notion that anyone could intercept our radio message and listen
in on our wedding vows left me feeling nervous and proud.

In order to make it seem official I decided to amend my previous lines
with the traditional question so she could offer the equally cherished
answer.

"Do you, Keiko Sayuri Katsumoto, accept me as your husband, for the rest
of eternity?"

"I do."

She seemed to like being able to use and then hear the words, because
she picked up on my lead and followed right along with a broad smile all
over her lovely round face.

"And do you, Truman Roosevelt Catawba, accept me as your wife, for the
rest of eternity?"

"I do."

I pulled us a little closer so her face was mere inches from mine and
then whispered with the microphone close enough to hear what we said.

"Say it with me, Baby ... We are now husband and wife."

"We are now husband and wife."

"May I kiss the bride?"

Her whole face lit up like Times Square at New Years!

"Kay!"

There was no need for me to make a spectacle of our wedding, so I
released the mike switch and let the thing drift toward the console.

For the first time in over two months of our utter isolation from the
rest of the galaxy I pulled her nude body into mine and kissed a preteen
on the lips for some gloriously unknown period of time.  I don't care
how long other grooms kiss their brides, but I was getting married only
once, and I had no intention of letting Keiko think her wedding was
going to be any less important than all the other brides all over the
Earth that year.

To feel her warm bare skin against mine as I hugged her into my chest
filled me with far more passion than I could have anticipated, and yet I
never treated her with any less respect than was due her delicate
position as a new bride.  The fact that she splay her thighs a little
bit and allowed my erect cock to be taken captive so she could squeeze
me a few times and even carefully undulate her hips proved that she
might have been awake all those times she'd had a handful of my dick.

She 'sat' on my lap while we shared our dinner, a combination of Vienna
sausages, a pressed rice patty that still had plenty of moisture in it
from the cooking and sterilization process, a combination of vegetables
that had the taste of broccoli, Lima beans, green beans, spinach, and
carrots, a few crackers of both Japanese and American vintage, some of
her favorite Miso soup, a few pieces of specially prepared sushi with a
dash of wasabi, some Tamari, a few tiny browned sesame seeds pressed
along the outside, and to wash it down two plastic squeeze tubes of
grape juice, since we hadn't planned our wedding dinner in time to
ferment it into wine.  Once our meal had been eaten we feasted on our
wedding candy bars, placing a small morsel onto each other's tongues in
the typical exchange of shared sweetness illustrating in visual terms
our desire to feed and care for each other until we were no longer had
physical form.

After the food was eaten and all the guests asked to leave so we could
clean up the reception hall she slipped her small right hand between us
and while staring into my eyes claimed what rightfully belonged to her.
I almost orgasmed into her nervous appendage.

For what seemed like hours Keiko explored every facet of my genitals, no
area left untouched or unknown to her.  Three different times I had to
ask her to shift her caresses off of my glans, not because I didn't like
it, but because I wanted her fun to last as long as it could.  Once she
seemed satisfied she let me go, gave me a hug and a kiss, and then
shifted back slightly.  In the most sexually provocative and yet
innocent move for a twelve year old bride she splay her thighs a little
bit, took my right hand, and then directed my appendage into the plump
silky softness of her bald vulva.  Just as she'd done with me I started
by softly caressing her pussy, but kept my fingertips from splitting her
long and tender cleft.

It was only after I felt her push onto my digits by rocking her hips
under that I recognized her intense need.  That was my cue to spin her
around above me, her face a foot away from my throbbing and erect cock,
and my face a similar distance from her plump and silky smooth bald pud.

The instant I placed a butterfly kiss onto her over-abundant Mons she
let out an impassioned whimper and pushed her hips into my face.  It
wasn't more than half a minute later that I teased her thighs apart and
pulled her body close so I could begin to lingually explore her soft and
bare pussy for as long as she could stand it.  Since I hadn't brought
along something as mundane as a watch onto a space ship for a one-way
trip, and the only clocks we had were tied to our mission, I truly don't
know how long I had my face tucked between her chubby thighs, but she
never once let go of my head nor did she push my face away from her
incessant pleasure.  To feel her petite body twist and jerk around as I
gave her untold numbers of orgasms was the greatest of my pleasures, my
tiny preteen wife unable to do anything more than whimper, moan, call my
name every once in a while, and keep me right where I wanted to be.

After a short break to tend to our own 'personal business' behind the
reinstalled modesty drape, she gently tugged me toward and then into our
bed, her eyes wide, a look of fear all over her little face, but the
certain awareness that we were going to celebrate a union like none
other.  I let her take complete control of my cock once we were inside
my sleeping bag, her small hands easily directing the tip of my dick
into that same precious slit that hid her incredibly sensitive but
equally hungry clitoris.  She seemed to revel in controlling her own
pleasure, her first masturbation with my cock so thrilling for her that
she literally screamed when her next orgasm blasted through her body.  I
gave her plenty of time to recover and tenderly played with her small
breasts and pert little ass until she again took control of me.  While
her eyes were locked onto mine she carefully wiggled the end of my dick
back and forth making continuous shifts closer and closer to her vagina
until I was finally in place.

Since she was such a petite and chubby thing I figured she was going to
scream and then beg me not to do it, but with her brow covered in a
light layer of sweat she slowly coaxed my penis further and further
inside until we both felt the flare of my glans pop inside her body.  It
was as if she was waiting for some expected and unpleasant event to
steal her consciousness, because once I was that far she actually sighed
out loud and then she giggled in relief.

"Whew!  Tee-Hee!  I thought it would hurt, Truman."

"Me too, Baby.  It doesn't?"

"Nuh huh!  It makes me feel full a little bit, but it feels nice too."

"Go only as fast as you want to, Angel, but just remember that I haven't
had an orgasm yet and I'm gonna need to soon or I'm gonna explode."

"OHHH!  I'm sorry, Truman.  Do you wanna feel good first so we can go
slow for a long time?"

"Mmmmmm!  That would be wonderful, Baby!  Thank you!"

"Can I make you feel good with my mouth like you did with me?"

I almost lost it at that moment.

"Are you sure you don't mind, Angel?  It might taste kinda strange the
first time."

"I don't mind, Truman.  I need to make you feel all super good, 'cause
now you're my husband, and it's my job to be a good wife.  That's part
of what my Daddy told me in Japanese.  He didn't want me to dishonor him
by making you angry, so he told me to be a good little wife and obey you
in everything that you ask.  So ... can I do this, Truman?"

" yeah "

If she was going to give me my first preteen blow job, then she was
going to enjoy my first preteen '69'.  We climbed out of bed so we could
have more room, and Keiko didn't even hesitate to wrap her soft lips
around my cock and slip it inside her mouth, even with a little bit of
her own lubrication on me.  At nearly the same moment I tugged her
thighs apart, placed my mouth against her pussy, extended my tongue
between her nether lips, explored the same tender cleft that my dick had
just vacated, and then wrapped both of my hands around her butt and
thighs from behind so I could keep her in place.

What she thought was going to be my pleasure turned out to be yet more
for my young preteen bride, her hips undulating as I sucked her tiny
clitoris between my lips and tried to match her pace as she allowed more
and more of my cock to pass beyond her crimson grip.  It was while she
was in the middle of yet another sweet cum that I felt her tongue doing
its best to flail madly at the tip of my dick, my balls erupting and a
very respectable sample of useless seed painted across the back of her
mouth.  I had no idea where she got the idea, but rather than choke or
gag she immediately began to swallow over and over again, taking my dick
as far into her mouth as the limited dimensions of that small cavity
would permit, and then accepting my sperm without any hesitation until
it washed over her tongue and down her throat.

For what seemed like hours my petite and previously inexperienced wife
fellated me with increasing passion, my first orgasm into her mouth as
special a moment as anything I'd ever shared with a mature woman.  The
fact that she seemed to want to wear me down made me smile, in spite of
the determined grasp I had of her pert little ass and silken thighs from
behind.  Each time she got me excited enough and I grew to full length
she sucked and bobbed and licked my dick with the passion of a preteen
crack whore anxious for her next fix.  It was after my second cum that I
had to finally relent and let her claim her first major victory, my face
drawn slightly away from her fleshy vulva and my tongue retrieved and
temporarily stored behind my teeth.

"KEIKO!  Enough, Baby!  I can't take anymore for a little while.  Please
stop for a few minutes."

The sound of her small mouth coming away from my dick was just enough
for me to want to shove it right back in again, but there was another
and much softer region that might have been anxious for invasion.

"Oh, Truman!  I could do that with you for hours!"

"Really, Angel?  Do you like the way we kiss and lick each other until
we both feel good?"

"It's better than anything I ever imagined being married was like."

I had to chuckle.  Enjoying sex had so little to do with being married,
or so lots of my older male friends told me, but who was I to convince
my new preteen bride that she was wrong?  Besides, we had almost two
more months of our honeymoon to celebrate without her parents or my
family bothering us.  We still had those pesky folks back in Houston to
worry about, but we could always turn the radio off.

After a potty break with my hands controlling her clear plastic cup and
hose, and then hers directing mine, we wiped each other clean and dry,
and then climbed back into bed.  We had one more mission to accomplish
on our wedding night, and nothing was going to take that away from us,
in spite of the lack of instructions in our flight manual.

Just as before Keiko was the one who directed our first intercourse as
an immoral but legally married couple, or so the Japanese and American
governments might have thought.  Again she was careful, slow, gentle,
and was able to tease my glans just beyond the snug grip of her vaginal
entrance and then slightly beyond, her breath rapid, her chest heaving,
and a look in her eyes that belied her panic.  She must have known there
was nothing to keep me from fully taking what belonged to me, but also
might have known I was far too gentle to steal what had never been mine
to begin with.

With infinitesimal pulls she granted me greater and deeper passage
inside her virgin body until her hands were more a hindrance than help.
That's when she reached around my hips, gripped my ass nervously, and
slowly pulled until I felt her satiny hot wet vise give way and permit
me complete entry.  She was tight, but her body seemed to accept the
intrusion much more readily than I had imagined.  The moment she felt
our hips come together she also must have felt an all new sensation that
she hadn't planned on.  I could have only dreamed her body had been
outfitted as a few other young women I'd loved, the hidden regions of
her previously unknown inner pleasure center, her Grafenberg spot, a new
playground that would serve both of us well.

"NuuuuUUUHHHH!!!  Trah-Trah-TRUMAN!  The TINGLE!  IT'S BIGGER!"

That's all I needed to hear for me to take over for a few minutes, her
small hands around my ass still locked firmly, her chubby digits between
my cheeks and tucked far enough around to help her hold onto me, and her
hips pushing into me hard enough to confirm that we were now a complete
and perfectly joined couple.  I started slowly enough, withdrawing my
cock in small measure until she seemed to understand what I was doing,
and then increasing in length as each stroke took on more definition.
Her grip remained tight, but she didn't maintain her inward tug once I
developed a rhythmic movement that could best be described as fucking.

"Yuuhhh!  Naaaaaa!  Oooooo!  Tru-MAN!  MORE!  MORE!"

Her almost cheerleader-like exclamations each time I plunged into her
petite body rallied me like a team about to score a major touchdown, her
high-pitched voice stirring me into a new awareness so strong it felt as
if I had a whole squad of junior high girls begging me to succeed.

What she must not have realized was how far along she was for yet
another mind-numbing orgasm, her whole body slowly going rigid, her
calls silenced, and then a keening wail into my chest that sent a wave
of lewd terror straight through my spine and right to my balls.

"AaaaaAAAAAHHHHHHHH!!!!"

It was finally too much for me, one last firm lunge into her body, my
arms around her back and ass to keep her locked firmly in place, and
then my body emulating hers from a moment before.  The only reference to
carnal vocalizations I attempted was a teeth-gritted groan over the top
of her head that must have shaken her chest from the intensity.

"Mmmmmmm-UUNNNNNGGGG!!!"

We spasmed and convulsed together and toward a central focus that was
her most private place.  The nearly incessant waves of energy passed
through our genitals in graceful and measured sexual bliss toward a new
kind of bond that we would be able to share each time we had a few
minutes.  For the next couple of weeks that might be every waking
moment.

As the last of our orgasms washed through our bodies and our muscles
twitched and jerked unconsciously we held each other and reveled in the
bond as husband and wife in spite of her being nothing more than a
chubby little preteen.  That's the moment I'd finally come to terms with
a hidden passion that had always plagued me, but could never be spoken
of, illustrated in any manner, or even fantasized about for fear of my
being discovered.  No longer.  For the rest of my life I could freely
and greedily enjoy that secret dish of delights that had always remained
on a shelf too high and out of my reach.

We remained coupled for quite a while after that first glorious union,
my penis throbbing inside her vagina, even as my cock assumed less
threatening or impressive dimensions.  Keiko couldn't have cared, her
grip slackening, her entire body relaxed, and only my firm hold around
her enough to maintain that wicked but incredibly pleasurable link.

"Truman?"

<pause>

"Truman?"

" mmmmm "

"Can we ... would you be mad if I ... "

Emerging from a sleepy haze permeated with lusty images and even nastier
figments of my perverted imagination I felt a huge grin spread across my
face, my little bride most likely hinting at something she'd never be
able to consider if she was still on Earth.  Her left hand had assumed
control of my cock after I spilled out of her, and her right hand still
lightly clutching a small gathering of tissues she must have used to
keep our sleeping arrangements clean and dry.

"What, Baby?  Tell me.  What is it my sexy little wife would like?"

"Tee-hee!"

She shifted up my body in the sleeping bag, tucked her mouth against my
left ear, and then whispered something into my eardrum that went right
down my spine to my cock.

"Can we do it again, please?  It felt so good that I wanna feel like
that all over again.  Please let me, Truman.  Please?"

A horny new bride.  A new husband's dream come true.  She was about to
find out what other dreams were about to come true.

"Only if we can do it so I can watch you the whole time."

"TRUMAN!"

"What, Kitten?"

"That's ... that's ... "

"What?  Naughty?"

"Tee-Hee!  Yeah."

"Wouldn't you like to see what it looks like when we make love, Baby?
Wouldn't it turn you on a little bit more to see my nasty cock go inside
your tight little pussy?"

"Oh, TRUMAN!!!  You're being so ... so ... YEAH!  I wanna watch too!"

"Let's get out of our sleeping bag so we can turn all the lights on
around us and then make love like the two naughty and horny people we
are, Keiko.  There's nothing for you to be ashamed of or embarrassed
about any longer.  We're married as husband and wife, and nobody is
going to stop us from enjoying our lives together any longer."

"Oh, Truman!  Even though I've never believed it could come true, this
is always the way I dreamed being married could be.  I'm so glad we're
together like this ... husband.  I wanna do this over and over again
for as long as we can, okay?"

"Okay, Baby.  Even when we're working and doing stuff on the data entry
console, or eating food, or just sitting around and talking, from now on
we're gonna make love ... we're gonna fuck as much as we want to."

"TRUMAN!  That's such a nasty ... nasty word, but I ... I ... "

"Say it, Baby.  I want you to say it openly right here in front of your
husband so I can hear you use it.  Come on ... say it!"

"But, Truman ... it's so ... so ... "

I pressed my lips to her left ear, gently licked around her earlobe,
shifted my cock back and forth inside her grip, fondled her plump little
ass, and whispered again.

"Come on, Baby.  Nobody's around other than your husband.  Tell your
husband what he wants to hear."

"I ... I wanna ... I wanna fuck ... I wanna fuck you, Truman."

"Mmmmmmm!  Such sweet words from a tender set of soft lips.  Come on,
tell me again, and make me believe you really wanna be naughty."

"Oh, Truman ... your wife wants' to fuck her handsome and brave husband
all the time from now on.  Tee-Hee!  I feel so naughty, Truman ... like
I was a ... a ... "

"What, Keiko?"

" ... like I was acting like a little ... slut."

"Mmmmm!  You better be careful or I might want my pretty little girl to
act like a nasty little slut more than just one time."

The slow back and forth shifts into her small hand had shifted from me
doing the work to her anxious need to masturbate me again.  She'd begun
to control my cock at night quite a while before when I had my back
turned in bed and she was reaching around my body.  Late that night in
the sweetness of our wedding bed she'd returned to the same rhythmic act
of sexual pleasure for her man, and I was building to a climax that was
close to the one that could have burst her insides.  She must have liked
the nasty talk and new ideas, because her breathing had changed, her
hips were rocking into my left thigh, and her lips sought out mine.

It was difficult for me to unzip our sleeping back using only one hand,
but in zero-G everything is a lot easier, and harder.  Pulling her into
place for our next '69' was far too natural to be considered appropriate
for a government funded space project, but rather than check the flight
manual for which step and procedure we needed to check off she mounted
my dick with her small mouth and then wrapped her chubby thighs around
my ears so I could bury my tongue into the pillow-like softness of her
puffy bald pussy.

After she had two very nice cums I couldn't take any more abuse and gave
her what she seemed to crave.  A minute later she pulled away, spun
around over me, flipped the overhead and directional lamps on, bathed us
in the stark bright light of awareness, and then claimed what was hers
to do with as she wished.  We both watched her masturbate her clitoris
with my cock-end for quite a while, her twitches matched by her nervous
stuttering calls.

"Oh - oh - oh - Truh-Truh-TRUMAN!  It - it - it - feels - so - good!"

"Do it, Baby!  Do it as much as you want to for as long as you want to.
It looks so sexy to see you play with yourself like that ... with my
cock right up against your little clitty.  Go ahead, Angel.  Go ahead
and keep making all those wonderful feelings rumble around until you
can't stand them any longer."

"Nuuuh - nuuaaaaaahhh - aaaaaeeeeeee - NOW, Truman!  Put it inside me!"

All it took was a slight push across the top of my dick for the end of
my glans to disappear between her plump labia majora and then the rest
of my cock to slowly enter the slick coral-colored heat of my twelve
year old lover.  The moment she felt the crown of my glans scrape along
her highly receptive nerves and blood vessels deep inside she squeaked,
went rigid, and then convulsed in a regular cadence that was as natural
as her quick heart rate.  There was nothing I needed to do other than
hold onto her while she celebrated in yet another of our newly acquired
rights, her petite frame jerking back and forth in small tremors that
gave her the appearance of having a Grand Mal seizure.

As the last of her cum washed through her small body I began to stroke
back and forth inside her pussy, slowly enough not to hurt her through
over-stimulation, but confidently enough to keep the last of her cum
washing through so she'd let me have my fun.  I fucked that precious
little preteen for some unbelievable time.  It was only the sound of our
tummies grumbling that forced me to wrap her up in my embrace so we
could eat some food.

She never became aware of having munched on our shared meal, enough
nibbled on to keep our strength up, but not too much to ruin anything.
She fell asleep attached to me for quite a while afterward, a slow
rocking movement of my hips just enough to make her flinch in her
slumbering peace and also to keep me hard.

Our wedding night lasted longer than I imagined, our first non-sexual
act out of our bed or away from the rear of our cabin in the nude near
the display console a day or so later.  With a strange determination to
do the best possible job we could we made a series of observations and
calculations and then entered a collection of course adjustments so 'the
object' returned to the small cross hairs at the middle of the target
screen.

I was reluctant to fire the primary thruster assembly and take the
chance that even a small portion of the PE stuck into place back there
might ignite, so I chose to use the verniers to make course corrections.
Since I'd brought along a brilliant living computer we were able to make
lots of much smaller and more accurate modifications to our alignment,
so the brute force of the much larger thrusters weren't necessary.  Our
presence to act as a human computer and pilot were again worth more than
a remote controlled robot that needed to be told what to do from
millions of miles away.

The single glowing point on our screen continued to grow in size, and
the electronics on board gained a greater understanding of its path,
dimensions, and orientation, an increasing number of facts relayed to us
off to the side of our focus.  The data continued to slowly come in,
every important bit of knowledge adding to a growing collection that
would soon be received by the folks in Houston after we filtered it and
condensed it down to its most useful form.

We were about to make yet another call to the space agency to apprise
them of our flight path and any pertinent details of 'the object' when
something new was seen on the screen.  Rather than stay fixed in one
place and remain solid the point on the screen began to change in size
rhythmically and appeared to show up in one spot for a fraction of a
second and then shift slightly to the right after that.  The first one
was smaller than the second and preceded it to the left as if instead of
one object there were two.  To make certain Keiko turned the audio
monitor volume up and validated what our eyes witnessed.

<Blee-THONG!> <Blee-THONG!> <Blee-THONG!>

The tone of the radar signals also sounded different, confirming that we
were no longer chasing a single rogue dark comet, but two somehow tied
together in a queer gravitational tango.  The moment I heard Keiko's
voice quiver I knew we were in real trouble.

"Truman?"

Still staring at the screen and trying to think as quickly as I could I
pulled her naked body tightly to my side and kissed her forehead.  All
that we'd hoped to accomplish might in fact not be enough, and our best
chance at saving the Earth from destruction might have just been stolen
from us.  I could sense in her facial expression and body language that
our greatest sacrifice might be puny by comparison to what our silent
visitors were about to wrest upon mankind.  It seemed our ride into the
void might in fact be a completely wasted effort.

Each time the sensor array was able to collect more information the
display screen was updated to reflect a sobering reality that no bundle
of electronic circuits being acted upon from some distant point in space
millions of miles away had the smarts to comprehend and then resolve.
Whatever we needed to do it would have to be done quickly, because our
rapidly approaching couple of unwelcome guests were more than a small
chance to cause some major destruction on Earth.  They'd been altered
from the single worst nightmare for six billion people who knew nothing
about it to a pair of foreboding bodies that were the greatest chance
that humanity was on the way to becoming just as extinct as the
dinosaurs.

"Houston, Phoenix.  We've got a problem that may not have a solution.
The single murky celestial troublemaker we've been worried about is in
fact a pair of disparately proportioned objects tied together in a
strange gravitational bond that has made them appear from a distance as
a single mass.  Instead of one there are actually two targets we need to
worry about.  The one in front is slightly smaller and in a more stable
trajectory with very little wobble or instability being imparted or
exhibited, and the second larger one slightly behind and to the side has
a more pronounced rotational instability as if it's being driven by some
energetic force.  We're sending as much data as we can so you can have
everything we do.  We've still got about six weeks, according to my
MS-1, but even with that much time we're only a single impactor, and you
guys are gonna have to decide which of the two pose a greater danger to
Earth.  Keiko has resolved the mass of both objects and the apparent
trajectory required to impart the most energy to the heavier one, but
you folks need to make the final decision.  Think really fast, because
you've only got one lifeline, and I don't think the audience down there
on Earth wants to know that their favorite show is about to go off the
air ... permanently.  We're gonna leave the radio on and keep our
headsets in place, even at night, so don't hesitate to let us know which
decision of two very bad ones we need to make soon.  Good luck Houston.
This is one decision I don't envy your engineers and astrophysicists
for.  Phoenix out."

As slowly as snowflakes falling in still air Keiko shared the same sense
of desperation she had once before ... through impassioned tears.

My poor little MS-1 and new bride.

On Earth she gladly and without any reservation decided to sacrifice
herself in an attempt to allow the rest of humanity to survive.  After
unintentionally falling in love with a man twice her age, who was more a
friend and playmate than anyone she had ever dreamed could come along,
she changed her mind after we left the Earth and wanted to stay alive to
become a wife, lover, mother, and celebrate in living rather than dying.

Once she realized that wonderful dream was nothing more than a fairytale
fantasy she again surrendered herself to the task she had originally set
out for, to forfeit her existence in favor of the many people who had a
real chance of a future.  The painful knowledge of her terminal illness
was again the driving force that reinvigorated her desire to let those
people with many years of life ahead of them to live it without
restriction or limitations.

It felt good to see Keiko's energy improving, her sense of wellness
returning, and a feeling of being healthy again stirring her to act as
if nothing could be wrong with her.  It was almost as if our getting
married in space was enough influence to provide Keiko the mental
strength for the twelve year old to heal herself.  Stranger things had
happened back on Earth, so why not in space too?

But for her to again be hampered by a stumbling block that might make
her altruistic deed seem like a single drop of rain in the desert was
beyond cruel ... it seemed antagonistic by some unseen force.

In spite of my intense love for Keiko and a fanciful desire to live
beyond the deed confronting us I knew never to dream of a future that
wasn't to be.  I knew I was going to die because of my brain tumor, and
I had no desire to linger for weeks or months with tubes and wires in
every orifice until my body simply gave out.  Even with a new strength
that was slowly making me feel better and my head hurting less I knew my
positive attitude couldn't have affected my health.  Being a husband to
a twelve year old Japanese girl might have been enough to make me feel
like a million bucks, but something was happening to me, and evidence of
that was illustrated each time I made love to Keiko, because I was
insatiable and had a level of endurance that surprised even me.

It would have been easy for me to dream of a better life with my preteen
lover and wife, but time had hardened my soul and afforded me a sense of
practicality that no amount of dreaming could cure.  I was clear-headed,
but not cruel, and just held onto my new bride's small nude body with a
sense of loss that no amount of love might alter.

Keiko's trembling voice had a greater impact on me than any dream I
could have come up with during my previous twenty five years.

"Truman?"

"Yes, Baby?"

"We're not gonna be able to accomplish our mission, are we?"

"Well ... we certainly have been handed yet another rather impressive
obstacle to hurdle over.  I'm not sure what the folks back in Houston
and KSC will say, but our prospects for success are going down a little
more each day we're up here.  We're certainly lucky to still be alive
after that religious fanatic tried to sabotage the mission, but this is
something that even those talented people at the space agency may not be
able to develop a solution for."

"We're still gonna try, aren't we?"

"Of course we will, Angel!  We didn't go through that mad rush of
training at KSC and then spend the last couple of months flying in this
converted soda can just to give up at the halfway point.  I'm just as
determined to finish what we set out to do as I was when I read that
newspaper article about some volunteers the space agency needed for a
special mission."

"What did you think about the initial story they gave you about being a
test subject for an important rocket test?"

"To be honest my first thought was 'Cool!  I get to go really fast!'
After they started to ask me lots of questions about why I wanted to
volunteer and then that super long psychological test about any real
problem deep inside my personality, like a previous desire to commit
suicide, I just came out and told them that I had a brain tumor and that
I was going to die in a little over a year.  It took them an hour to
start to believe that I wasn't just some nut with a crazy dream to go
out in a blaze of glory just 'cause I didn't care about life.  My wish
to do something productive with the rest of my life is what finally made
them start to tell me what they were really after.  From then on I was
pretty much assured a ride into space, which was way cooler than just
doing a single rocket engine test.  What about you, Baby?  What did you
think about their tall tale of scientific adventures?"

"Well ... all I wanted to do was use my brains and the rest of my life
to do something neat and maybe help them learn something.  Because I'm
so small it meant they could put me inside a really small rocket or
something which I thought would make it easier for them.  After they
found out about my disease and just how smart I am they asked me a whole
bunch of questions like you said, about my wanting to commit suicide.
Even though they didn't like my answers right away they realized that my
culture and religion don't think bad about suicide if it's done with
honor and not like a coward might want to die.  They talked a lot to my
parents to see if maybe they had been mean to me as a little girl, but
after the nice lady doctor talked to me for a long time and I showed her
that I didn't have any marks on my body from spankings or stuff she knew
I wasn't doing it to get away from them.  That's when they told me the
real reason they were looking for people to go on a special one-way
mission.  That was the day after I saw you in that big meeting room with
all those other people.  After that they asked me how I would feel going
into space with another person, and I said it was okay, 'cause that way
I wouldn't be all alone.  When they introduced me to you that first time
I was so happy and excited, but I tried not to let them know that you
and I had already secretly fallen in love when we looked into each
other's eyes that one time.  After you started to act all silly the
second time we ate together, and then when you wanted to make me laugh
and tickle me and stuff, I knew it was the right decision and my Karma
to spend the last months of my life with you."

We hugged, kissed, and then smiled at each other as we gently caressed
the skin along the inside of our fingers and palms.  Sitting naked in
our space craft might have seemed incredibly peculiar when we first
ventured away from the Earth, but after we eventually expressed our love
for each other and then surrendered to the inevitability of our joint
future as celestial lovers we knew it was indeed our fate and Karma.

"I'm glad we both volunteered like that, Keiko.  If I had died alone up
here I wouldn't have ever understood just how valuable life can be,
especially when it's shared with the most incredible young lady in the
whole universe.  I love you so much, Keiko.  I couldn't be happier for
what we're about to do."

"Do you think we'll be able to protect all those people on Earth?"

"After having met you and becoming aware of our real purpose in life in
this universe I'm now of the belief that our task is certain and our
path is set.  I'm almost convinced that our mission success is a
foregone conclusion, as long as we do our best to guide our lives toward
the comet ... I mean those comets, so we can knock them off course."

"I'm glad it was you and me together here, Truman.  I always wanted to
know what love was like for real, but even when some of my girlfriends
tried to tell me about boys and stuff I didn't understand very well.  I
guess the only real way to know what love is, you gotta fall in love for
real before you'll understand for sure."

"You a little bit hungry, Keiko?"

"Maybe a little."

"We've got about an hour and a half before we're gonna hear back from
the folks in Houston.  Would you let your perv husband share his dinner
with you while you're sitting on his lap so we can do some naughty stuff
at the same time?"

"TRUMAN!  You're so ... Tee-Hee!  I dunno ... I guess you're just the
right kind of naughty for me now that we're in love and married."

"Do I take that as a yes?"

"Tee-Hee!"

She snuggled into my chest, squeezed me tight, kissed my neck under my
chin, pulled herself to my right ear, and then whispered.

"Yes ... perv!"

I'd always enjoyed having sex while eating, and I was quickly convincing
Keiko that she liked it nearly as much if not more than I did.  Fucking
that little girl in zero-G while placing little tidbits of food into her
mouth with her lips quivering and her eyes half-closed was a truly lewd
and exciting deed.  For her to have a nice long and protracted slow cum
made her meal seem like a feast.  To play with, kiss, fondle, tease,
masturbate, and then munch on her while she still had a little bit of
candy in her mouth was downright cruel.  I'd hoped to help her associate
food and sex by training her body to link the two might be a fun way to
spend the rest of our time together.

For her to try to tickle me and giggle in her high pitched voice
reminded me that she liked to play lots of games, so after she calmed
down a little bit I began to sniff and nuzzle all over her body until I
got to her ass and pussy.  In order to make the game seem fun I should
have kept my hands to my sides or at least away from her body, but
splitting her thighs and her plump butt cheeks and then licking her
until she orgasmed while trying to take lots of wicked nibbles of her
pussy pushed me past my breaking point.  In a very carnal and canine
manner I mounted her from behind and then fucked that little preteen in
the pussy as if I was a Great Dane and she was a hairless poodle.  She
squealed and whimpered realistically enough and appeared to fall into
the same nasty demeanor that she must have secretly been holding back
until we met.

Even after she'd cum more than once and I filled her tight little pussy
with gobs of goo from behind I still couldn't help myself and licked her
pussy and ass until she orgasmed again and had to fight me off so she
could relax for a little while.  Sucking on her small breasts with at
least one erect and aching nipple between my lips and the other one
being gently fondled and tweaked was my best attempt at a baby nursing
its mother's teat, and Keiko easily accepted her new role as 'Mommy'
without question or delay.  Watching her eyes for any reluctance, after
I'd sampled her little mounds of sweetness and had waited long enough, I
again pulled her into a zero-G doggie position and then hammered her
bald pussy from behind until she orgasmed and fainted.  It was a few
minutes after I'd helped her go to the bathroom, cleaned her up, and
about to tuck her into bed that we both heard our reply.

<Beep> <Beep> <Beep>

"Phoenix, Houston.  Thanks for sending all the data with the news that
we've got a real problem on our hands.  It came as a real shock to the
whole agency that we weren't nearly as prepared as we'd hoped.  We'd bet
the farm on the need for a single impactor, and it looks like we've come
up short for the first time in a very long time.  Upper management has
notified Madam President and those members of Congress with a need to
know, so they're considering when to break the news to America and the
rest of the world.  This isn't going to be easy, but at least we at the
agency don't have to take the blame for not having tried.  We're gonna
keep our options open, and KSC has a few tricks left up its sleeve they
might like to launch as a result of your ... new news, but with each
passing minute our 'couple' is making our choices less than academic.
We're gonna have to figure out which of the two objects you hit will
effect the greatest change.  Your MS-1's help, observations, and
calculations have gone a long way to clarify any last minute decisions
as much as possible.  We're really sorry, you two.  We had hoped a
single impactor was going to suffice.  We were wrong.  Our hope is to
get back in a day or so, but as the flight manual clearly states, if we
lose contact for any reason it's all up to you.  Your best course of
action at this point is to head toward the one with a greater mass, and
we'll take our chances with the other one.  Houston out."

Since Keiko was already prepared for bed and I was pretty exhausted from
everything that had happened recently it was a good idea for me to join
her ... in any manner possible.

Each time she woke up that night she pressed her lips to one of my ears
and whispered for me to make love to her, her request altered moments
later in the quiet darkness of our bed for me to just fuck her and make
her cum lots of times.  Each time I slipped my cock between her petite
chubby thighs and ran my hands behind her to play with her ass it seemed
as if I got harder and longer.  It wasn't possible, of course, but the
snug limited dimensions of my preteen lover left me with the egotistical
perception that I could feel the back end of her vagina each time I
lunged fully inside her body.  Her whimpers, moans, and even a few wails
drove me on like a madman, the silken feel of her little body and the
lewd sounds of our merging stirring an energy level within me that even
I didn't know I had.

I seemed to be getting stronger, and even Keiko could tell, because she
began to match my enthusiastic lunges with plenty of her own.  Our love
seemed to make all of our previous notions of sickness fall away, and
the best cure for pain seemed to be the undying happiness in our hearts
and hours of carnal sex.

In spite of my desire to steal as much energy from her and then give it
right back through some perverse sexual deed I figured it was better if
I let her rest.  It would have been sweet for her to get pregnant, but
our future didn't include bringing a baby into the universe that far out
in space.  Besides, her tummy would barely begin to pooch forward in the
few weeks we had left, her wish to be a mommy something that even I
couldn't help her with in the short time frame.  We slept in each
other's arms together as we had before, that night's merging no more
than our chests, a few times our lips, and all four of our curious
hands.

Our days began to take on an unconscious rhythm of data collection, lots
of celestial observations, a few minor course corrections, and then a
nearly monotonous sharing of our findings with Houston.  Once our
routine was finished during each solar day we'd eat, climb into our bed,
have lots of slow sex, whisper loving words of support, and then share
each other's body some more.  Just as she wanted we spent a lot more
time touching, kissing, exploring, and masturbating each other than
acting as agents for our host space agency.

Every task we performed had been altered to include some perverse act of
physical passion, most of the time her little body positioned so I could
either have her stationed on my lap with my hips curling under
repeatedly, or when I was acting as her older canine lover and fucking
her from behind until she'd mewl repeatedly while her orgasms were
spilling through her body.

For her to be rhythmically working her naked ass up and down in front of
me while she sat backward and I read off the latest facts and figures to
the space agency folks while holding onto the handheld microphone added
a strange twist to our routine.  In spite of what the folks back home
might think I never once refused anything that Keiko asked me for, and
she never resisted any of my needs to stop what she was doing, position
her for some nasty fucking, and then share a union that nobody else in
the universe could appreciate.

For her to float over to me at any time of the day or night, grip my
cock, and then slowly mount me without any effort at all was a real joy.
She used me like a male slut, her desire for sex building to the point
that she was often times the one who craved and then acted on her need
more than I did.  I just loved for her to be that bold.

As was typical for our pleasure once she was feeling better and more
relaxed I'd split her thighs and gently lave her clitoris with my
tongue.  It was always enough for her to have another longer orgasm,
even after she'd celebrated an unknown number while fucking me.  As I
held her chubby thighs to my ears I continued to improve upon anything
that was being shared in our celestial isolation.

It was while we were lying in bed and slowly having sex one day that I
had a flash of inspiration.  It might have seemed inappropriate to break
our stride in favor of solving our impactor predicament, but I had to
take the chance that Keiko wouldn't mind.  Rather than act as if I'd
solved the most anticipated problem of all mankind, whether I did or
didn't, I whispered to her as I always had when we were close to each
other in bed and making love.

"Keiko?"

"Mmm hmmmmm?"

"Would you be angry with me if I talked about our dual-object dilemma?"

"Not really ... as long as you don't stop making love to me."

"You won't mind if I talk about our mission while having sex with you?"

"Of course not, Truman.  I know we gotta talk about that stuff
sometimes, even when we're having fun."

"I think I might have solved our problem."

"How?"

"We need two impactors, right?"

"Uh huh."

"We already *have* two!"

"No we don't, Truman.  The space agency hasn't launched any mission
besides ours, and they won't have enough time, either."

"Ahhh, but they have.  The fact that our S-1B didn't get separated has
afforded us an opportunity to accomplish our mission after all.  All we
have to do is find a way of disconnecting it from our ship."

"But, Truman ... the pyros that were supposed to kick us free after
MECO didn't fire, and we have no way of igniting them anymore, 'cause
that stupid guy disconnected them and attached his dumb explosives
instead."

"But what about us jettisoning our primary thruster package?  We can
program the primary thruster pack to modify the trajectory of the S-1B
to head toward the heavier object after we're separated from it, and
then we'll keep going toward the one that's less dense."

Keiko instantly stopped undulating her hips into me.  Not only had I
gotten her attention she appeared to be deep in thought.

"It could work, Keiko.  All we have to do is figure out how to dump our
primary thruster section without altering our course toward the lighter
object so the S-1B can be pointed at the heavier one.  We still have
enough time, *if* the engineers at KSC who built our ship can help us
figure it out."

Still slick from our coital revelry we pulled each other forward toward
the cockpit, her task to call down to Houston, and mine to go through
the 'Flight Anomalies' section again.  If I was lucky there might be a
contingency plan documented regarding dumping our primary means of
altering our trajectory.  It was a long shot, but a lot was riding on
what I'd come up with.

"Houston, Phoenix.  My CDR thinks he's found a solution to our problem.
He's considering ejecting our primary thruster pack once we're sure our
trajectory is adequate to impact the less dense object.  The original
course could then be modified for the S-1B with the thruster assembly to
guide our second impactor with all that explosive stuff toward the more
dense object.  The engineers who built our ship have to help us figure
out how we can safely separate our main thrusters from our space ship so
we can keep heading along our primary trajectory using nothing but our
forward momentum.  The thruster pack can then be programmed to shift the
S-1B's trajectory just enough so it can be guided toward the other comet
fragment.  Please help us, Houston and KSC, 'cause if this works then
we'll be able to accomplish our mission after all.  Phoenix out."

Failing to locate any instructions in our flight manual specific to
getting rid of our only means to guide our craft I turned toward one of
the wiring appendices that had page after page and row after row of
multi-color horizontal, vertical, and diagonal lines all over the place.
It looked like a confused maze of computerized spaghetti.  Even though
one of my qualifications as a volunteer mission commander included my
ability to fix almost anything my enthusiasm began to wane as I tried to
grasp the intricacies of the horribly complicated jumble of black and
colored lines as they criss-crossed from one page to the next.

Years of practical electrical, plumbing, and diagnostic skills as a
part-time and undocumented employee of dozens of construction companies
and even a few high-tech firms wasn't going to help me with what I had
in my hands, because dumping our primary thruster pack wasn't going to
be as easy as hot wiring my dad's car so I could take one hot little
high schooler out for some Friday night fun.  Beyond the miles of wiring
and tubing there was also the programming to consider, everything on our
craft controlled via one of the three COTS processors under the data
entry and display console rather than a simple cable release like in the
old days prior to computers.

My desire to accomplish our mission through sheer brilliance, plain old
good luck, or boastful guile was slowly fading away.  We'd come so close
and were getting a lot closer by the minute just for our success to be
taken away by my inability to reach outside no more than ten feet away
from the back end of the Phoenix so I could break the S-1B loose with a
ten pound sledge hammer.

For Keiko to see and hear me cry for the first time against her bare
breasts must have really scared her, but I was hoping she's realize that
my emotional outburst was because of the pervading sense of frustration
that began to tear through me.

For a long time she just held me in her bare arms and gently stroked my
face, arms, and back in what must have looked like a miniature mother
attempting to alleviate the school-time pains of her oversized son.

After all my tears had been poured out I dove into the flight manual
again and opened it to the first page of the 'Flight Anomalies' section.
There had to be something in there for me to use, and the only way I was
going to find it was if I started at the beginning and went through it
page-by-page.  Again, it was a long shot, but I needed to focus my mind
on our problem and work toward any solution to keep Keiko's and my
family and the other six billion plus people alive.

It was while I was cramming lots of detailed information by some very
talented engineers with four to six years worth of college into my
street-wise brain that I saw something that made me smile for a minute.
My discovery might not resolve our problem, but it might prove useful in
our task to accomplish our mission.  There was a set of small vernier
thrusters that were used to apply additional yaw, pitch, and roll for
our ship in its original role as a high-altitude test vehicle.  They
were still in place and had been plumbed into the thruster fuel supply
lines, so if we needed to take advantage of them we might be able to.

Each time I'd find something I thought might be useful I'd smile, get
really excited, and then read some more only to find my discovery was
little more than just cool but useless information.  I kept doing that
over and over again, hoping beyond hope that I might be able to come up
with something ... anything.

<Beep> <Beep> <Beep>

"Phoenix, Houston.  You two are amazing.  You talk about getting the
whole agency stirred up ... it's like a madhouse down here.  We've got
everybody working on this with no exceptions.  Even the folks who worked
on the original high-altitude test program who designed and built your
craft have been called in from our sister agencies and all the private
contractors who had a hand in it so that they can sit down with our
engineers to figure out a solution.  This was brilliant, Truman.  You
may have just saved our skins with this bit of last minute thinking.
Rest assured nothing will be overlooked.  Most of us weren't around for
the Apollo-13 mission, but we think we know what it must have felt like
back then.  We're a lot smarter than we were back then and have lots
more contingency and back-up plans because of what we learned from that
near-disaster, so relax a little bit and give yourselves a pat on the
back for hopefully pulling this one out of the fire.  We can't thank you
enough for your willingness to make this mission work, you two.  Once
the excitement dies down I'll bet there are going to be a lot of very
thankful and emotional people down here.  Thanks, Mr. and Mrs.
Catawba.  Houston out."

It was a wonderful speech, and we felt a lot better about helping them
with a potential solution, but the most thrilling words were when CapCom
called us 'mister and missus'.  As strange as it seemed our relationship
and our marriage had been accepted by lots of people who might normally
try to come after me with a shotgun or a meat cleaver.

"Did you hear that, Truman???  You did it!!!"

"Not yet, Keiko.  They're still gonna need to come up with a solution,
which may not exist.  It's a nice idea, but they might not have built
that kind of escape plan into our ship.  If we're lucky there may be
some strange mechanism integrated into the structure of our ship, but if
that involves ripping it apart ... "

Her expression immediately went from exuberance to horror.  Rather than
us smacking one of the two objects at over 24,000 miles per hour we
might in fact suffocate and freeze to death if something they did tore
our craft open near the super-structure where the thruster package was
attached.  My so-called solution had a dark side, and dying slowly was
something that neither of us had any desire to consider.  After all,
we'd volunteered for the mission with the preconceived notion that we'd
go out in one quick and unseen flash.

The voice of CapCom in our ears about two hours later actually made us
both jump.

"Phoenix, Houston.  We've done it!  You guys are the best thing that has
ever happened to our space agency.  Get ready to start writing.  We're
going to relay all of the information in a series of two minute bursts
so you'll have a chance to write everything down.  Go find a thick pad
of paper and a writing instrument and have the flight manual ready as
well.  You'll need it to understand what our engineers have found.  A
countdown clock will start at the end of this transmission and will last
for a total of three minutes before we start relaying information.  Be
ready, and please do your best to take good notes.  We suggest both of
you take separate notes so you've got a backup in case something is
missed.  Okay ... that's it.  A silent three minute countdown clock will
commence in five ... four ... three ... two ... one.  KSC will send the
first set of a very detailed list of instructions in two minutes fifty
five seconds.  Houston out."

Keiko and I nearly tore our storage bags apart looking for as many clean
pads of paper and writing tools we could find.  There was a jumble of
floating debris in our cabin until we both yelled to each other almost
at the same instant.

"GOT IT!"
"GOT IT!"

We had a minute forty five left after we brought our supplies toward the
front of the cockpit, and for some strange reason we both had the same
thought in an instant.  With the fate of humanity and our own eternal
souls hanging in the balance we started with a very erotic kiss and
followed that a few seconds later with my preteen wife climbing up onto
my lap so we could fuck.  We must have looked like wild animals trying
to rape each other as we lunged into each other's bodies and madly
coupled.  For us to hear CapCom count down the last thirty seconds added
a sense of excitement and immoral urgency to our union, Keiko launching
into orbit with ten seconds left and me two seconds after she locked up.
Thankfully Spider was kinda long-winded and let us enjoy the sensation of
our last wicked orgasm long enough to be able to think straight.

"Phoenix, Houston.  Switching from Houston to KSC.  Go ahead, KSC."

For Alan to be on the line at KSC proved he couldn't stay away when we
were so close to success.

"Phoenix, Houston.  Keiko ... Truman ... this is Alan.  I know we
don't have a lot of time, but I wanted ... I needed to share something
with you for just a minute.  Those of us who aren't directly connected
with the engineering work going on in the background here at KSC have
been talking about the implications of what's about to happen.  For the
first time in our collective lives we're about to determine the destiny
of our whole civilization, and you two are the ones who'll be at the
focus of all our greatest fears and highest aspirations."

It made both Keiko and me feel good to hear what Alan wanted to share.

"To honor you both we've decided to get our management team to work with
the International Astronomical Union so they'll name 'the object'
something that will be fitting of your contribution to this mission.
Two entries have been considered, the Keiko-Truman Comet Set, or the
Katsumoto-Catawba Comet Pair.  It was easy for us to figure out whose
name was the primary, because after all, Truman, ladies are always
first."

I had to chuckle at Alan's observations, and I knew he was right.

"We know how you feel about your last name, Truman, but in this case it
would be best if we followed the convention established many years ago,
and the second option has been agreed to.  So, from now on the objects
that you're about to kick out of the way so our planet can live on will
forever be known as the Katsumoto-Catawba Comet Pair.  Congratulations."

For Keiko to hug me seemed fitting, since she was able to share in a
little of our unseen glory with so many folks at the space agency.
There may even be some fitting memorial provided after our deed was
done.

"As a kind of strange planetary wedding gift you've also got a pretty
view of Mars just beyond, if you're interested.  You're close enough now
to see a lot of detail, something that lots of astronauts have been
dreaming of all their professional careers.  You beat them all to it,
and I'm sure they'd be jealous.  If you weren't headed for the comet
pair you'd be the first humans to approach, circle, and possibly even
land on Mars.  There are a lot of very anxious people in the space
agency who'd love to be where you are right now.  Thanks, you two."

The radio went silent for a few seconds, just long enough for us to look
at each other, softly kiss, hug, and the prepare to jot down as much as
we could as quickly as possible.  It might have been necessary for us to
uncouple and return to more 'professional' ways, but something about our
union made what we were doing seem more normal.  That's when another
voice came on the radio, ostensibly because he knew how to explain
complicated procedures.  It just so happened to be our best and favorite
instructor at KSC.

"This is Pete.  Listen up, you two.  Pay attention and quit tickling
Keiko, Truman.  You need to get this right."

We both smiled, blushed, and Keiko giggled.

"Tee-hee!  He knows you ... Perv."

"Yeah ... and he knows who I love, too."

We kissed again and then positioned our pads of paper and pens in our
hands so we could write as much as we could as quickly as possible.  A
few moments later we heard Pete's voice again.

"What you weren't aware of at the time you had your flash of brilliance,
Truman, was the very nature of the craft you're in.  A basic function of
your ship was to serve as a test vehicle for lots of exhaustive and very
extensive high-altitude and hypersonic research.  Part of that mission
involved the safe and complete recovery of ships like yours, so a
thruster package separation device had been integrated into the support
structure, even before the new engineers linked your craft up to the
S-1B.  So, in a nutshell, there was a thruster assembly release device
integrated into its basic design, that hidden level of redundancy for a
contingency plan that we didn't know we'd need.  Well ... it looks like
we needed it after all.  Thanks to you, Truman, *and* Keiko, it's going
to help effect a very successful mission.  The engineers at KSC who
assembled your craft only remembered it was part of the finished
assembly after you gave them the heads up.  Way to go, you two.  This
one piece of luck might have just saved our skins.  Now ... enough
about that.  Open the flight training manual to Section 'B' page five
and take note of the area identified as ...  "

We wrote everything down as quickly and clearly as possible, a few times
our hands so cramped we had to let go of our writing instruments so we
could shake our hands wildly in the air next to us to relax our thumb
muscles.  We almost started laughing because of a similar incident back
at the KSC training facility, except our writing utensils didn't float
freely near our faces back in Florida.

An hour later we were smiling and hugging each other again.  We'd
received each of their short sets of intermittent instructions and at
least one of our pads of paper was full for both of us.

" ... so, that's it.  We'll be standing by waiting to hear if there
were any areas that you need clarification on.  Take your time, but
don't waste any.  You've got to get this right or you could destroy your
ship before you get close enough to accomplish your primary mission.  I
know what that means, you two.  I have all along.  I don't like the idea
that two very special people are about to ... to end their lives like
this ... "

Pete's voice broke and I was able to hear him choke back a sob before he
let go of his mike switch.  In all the time he'd been our primary
instructor and lead training coordinator he never once illustrated any
emotional sensitivity to either of us.  Sure, he had a thing for Keiko,
most likely because he has a daughter the same age, but he never
attempted to illustrate anything but a kind word and supportive comment
when my MS-1 did something well.  For me, though, Pete was ruthless and
relentless, and he illustrated a kind of strict determination to make me
prove that I was worthy of being a volunteer with such a precious little
Japanese angel.

When he began to speak again it sounded as if he was barely able to keep
it together.  Both Keiko and I were nearly bawling by the time we heard
his voice return.

" ... we know you both have terminal illnesses that will steal your
lives from your families anyway, and your desire to do something for
mankind is one of the most honorable ways of celebrating the end to your
existence.  Thank you, Keiko and Truman.  I know I said it before, but I
wanna say it again anyway.  It's been an honor to know you, and I'm
proud to have been a part of your lives.  KSC standing by.  Take over,
Houston."

A couple of clicks were heard and then Spider's voice came back on.  His
voice wasn't nearly as calm or excited as it had been before, and Pete's
demeanor was most likely the reason.

"Go to work, you two, and be sure to call down if you need any help.
Houston out."

For the next hour rather than do any actual tasks Keiko and I reviewed
each and every step we were about to perform by double checking all of
our instructions and then cross referencing them to the flight manual
and our notes.  It was only after the EXEC key was virtually pressed
on paper that we turned to look at each other.

"I love you, Keiko.  I will always love you for the rest of my life and
for all eternity."

"I love you too, Truman ... husband.  As strange as it may sound, I
think I've always loved you, even before I met you.  My dreams have been
filled with your soul even if I never saw your face.  My spirit will
forever be entwined with yours in our next life, my Karma to be your
wife now and for the rest of eternity."

We kissed gently, hugged, and then went to work.

Two hours later and after lots of complicated procedures had been
entered into the computer all we had to do was confirm the last few
instructions before one of us hit the small white EXEC button.  After
everything was complete Keiko went to my personal effects bag, brought
my MP3 player back with her, and after she turned it on handed me one of
the two earphones.

The moment I heard the chorus my eyes were filled with tears, and I knew
why Keiko would want me to share the music with her, the lead artists of
the group "Starship" singing their heart out to the song "Nothing's
gonna stop us now."

Any impression I had before of Keiko being an innocent and clueless
child was swept away from my imagination, because she seemed to have the
ability to be far more reflective and aware of what was going on than I
could have dreamed.

While we listened to the song and both of us silently wept in each
other's arms I could feel a kind of union build between us that would
forever define Keiko and me as two of the most star-crossed lovers of
all time.  Music appeared to be the audible manifestation of the cement
that bonded us together, and as each stanza filled our ears we both
gripped each other more firmly and yet more tenderly.

For as long as that song played we hugged and eventually began to kiss.
After it was over Keiko pressed the 'repeat' button, and while we were
holding hands we placed both of our index fingers from our melded
appendages against the white plastic button and then began to kiss
again.  After some unspoken but predetermined time had elapsed our
digits pushed against the panel and the button depressed to full, a
single beep confirmation that our instructions had all been accepted
into the computer.

That was it.  Our job was done.

Once our kiss was complete I removed my half of the headset, grabbed the
mike, held the switch, and then uttered what might be the last words
ever to be broadcast from our small ship in space.

"Houston, Phoenix.  All of your instructions were received, verified
twice, and then entered into the INU and flight computers.  We've got
about two weeks before thruster assembly separation and we're gonna be
sending lots of pictures home for Keiko's parents, mine, and all of our
friends at KSC and Houston in the meantime.  Give us a few days to spend
some time together, and after that if you need to call up for anything
get us on the cabin annunciator, because Keiko still really hates the
loud-hailer.  Otherwise, this should be it.  Thanks for everything,
folks.  It's been an honor.  Phoenix ... Keiko Sayuri Katsumoto and
Truman Roosevelt Catawba signing off."

Keiko fell into my arms and we cried, not because we were less than a
month away from dying, but because we didn't have more time to live as
husband and wife in a very immoral union that our societies would never
accept.  It didn't matter, because our time had been called long before
we got word of our mission, and our epitaphs would have been written
with a lot less feeling than they might be if our mission really was a
complete success.

It took us a little while, but we eventually straightened everything up
that had been so carelessly tossed about when we were looking for our
writing tools.  After that we ate a slow and very enjoyable dinner of
Vienna sausages, crackers, Miso soup, a very delicious something that
tasted like a hamburger, and then shared a large hidden bag of freeze
dried ice cream, all while slowly having sex.  The fact that our dessert
was tucked near the end of our supplies must have been a little joke on
the part of the logistics and food preparation crews.  Had we known it
was there it would have been eaten weeks before.

Keiko and I spent the next few days doing nothing but fucking, sucking,
and anything that a twenty five year old man isn't supposed to do with a
twelve year old little girl, whether she was legally his wife or not.

We'd be wild and careless for a little while, then gentle and
contemplative the next.  Every possible position was tried, a few
modified just because we wanted to be naughty, and then lots of quiet
moments shared with us joined and our lips tenderly doing all the gentle
moving.

On the day of thruster assembly separation Keiko snuggled in my lap,
wiggled back and forth to get me hard, mounted me, pushed onto my cock
to attain a complete union, and then whispered into my ear.

"Truman?"

"Yes, Baby?"

"Can we go into the void while making love, please?"

"I love the way that sounds, my wife."

Moments later we felt a lurch, but not an uncomfortable one.  After a
few sounds of things disconnecting and then nothing we knew the main
thruster assembly and S-1B might have been released.  Both of us needed
to know for sure, so still joined in our coital embrace we shifted to
the nearest circular window.  Holding the binoculars in my right hand I
peered out and stared into the small circular mirror at the end of the
zenith sensor array arm.  Sure enough the S-1B was no longer attached,
but I couldn't see it behind us, so I held Keiko tight to my body and
floated us to the nadir window so I could make an assessment.

There it was.  Drifting away slowly I saw the entire thruster assembly
covered in an unbelievable mass of PE, and the entirety of the huge
booster from its deceleration section and forward cowling to the charred
and darkened aft end where so much work had been expended during
liftoff came into view.

"Here, Keiko.  Take a look."

Moments after she was able to see it in the eyepiece she called out
excitedly.

"IT'S MOVING!  The thruster package is doing just what we wanted,
Truman!  It's changing trajectory so it can hit the heavier comet."

"Then, that's it, Baby.  We've done what we set out to do.  Our mission
is about to be a complete success."

"Thanks, Truman."

"For what, Angel?"

"For making my life ... and death mean something.  I was so scared when
the doctors told me that I was gonna die, not 'cause I'm so young, but
'cause I didn't have a wonderful husband to help me live the rest of my
life in love.  Now that I do ... I'm happy."

"I'm happy I found you too, Keiko.  I'd never really known love before
either, and now that I have I feel whole.  You've been that missing part
of my life that I've always hungered for, and now that I have you with
me I feel complete and am also very happy.  Thank you for being my wife,
Keiko.  I'm the happiest husband in the whole universe right now."

"Truman?  Do you ... "

I suspected I knew what she wanted to ask me.  While trying to smile
down into her lovely round face and Asian eyes I caressed her cheek and
whispered.

"Do you really want to know exactly when it's gonna happen, Angel?  Why
don't we just get back into bed and make love until nothing?"

" kay "

Just as I suggested as we headed back to bed she tucked the binoculars
into one of our supply bags and then returned to our love nest.  That's
when Keiko proved she really wanted to know after all.

"About how long will it be, Truman?"

"Based on the data that Pete gave us ... probably about an hour or so."

"Then ... for the next hour I want my husband to fuck his little slut
like the nasty perv he really is."

Within the snug confines of our bed I stroked my naughty little preteen
wife with every bit of passion and lust I dared, even tweaking her erect
nipples and tickling her clitoris with an errant finger.  I did every
nasty thing I could to my lovely little naked preteen Japanese wife,
even rimming her tight little pursed ass with a curious digit.

We were again like wildcats in a gunny sack as we kept thrusting into
each other over and over again, our antics so involved and unrestrained
that Keiko passed out after her third orgasm.  I felt better, because
she wouldn't know anything other than the sensation of orgasmic bliss at
the last moment of her life.

A wave of perverse lust swept over me at that moment, a strong desire
for me to see the petite angel I'd defiled dozens of times with her
parents' permission.  I quickly unzipped our sleeping bag, pulled her
out with me, righted her so she was upright on my hips, and then I began
to play with her little breasts, her erect nipples, cupped her pert
little ass, and then masturbated her clit with my right middle finger as
I stared at her fat pussy and that deep cleft that I just couldn't get
enough of, all while thrusting wildly into her vagina with as much
energy as I could remember using, all just for sexual pleasure.

The instant of my climax and through my tightly closed eyelids I saw a
brilliant flash of light fill our ship ...

When I woke up Keiko was still attached to me, but our bond wasn't
complete, the slight suction of her vagina barely enough to keep me in
place under her.

That's when I realized that something was very wrong.  We were alive.

What happened?  We'd planned it all so well.

What could we possibly tell the people back on Earth, that we'd failed
because of some stupid typo or misunderstood character being entered?  I
felt horrified and didn't know what to do.  How would my precious Keiko
feel?  What could I tell her to justify the blunder that was to cause
the inevitable destruction of our home and that of our families?

Keiko eventually woke up, and before she realized that something had
gone wrong she looked up into my eyes and then smiled.  Fractions of a
second later she frowned and then burst into tears.

Hours later we crawled out of bed to attempt something meaningful, our
chances at self-forgiveness highly unlikely, but our ambition driving us
on so we could endeavor to reconcile to each other and the people of the
Earth for what might have gone wrong.  It was only after we talked about
it for an hour or two that we realized we'd inadvertently transposed the
positions of the kinetic package ... us, with the S-1B and primary
thruster assembly ... our unexpected backup plan.

Instead of the separated booster package hitting the smaller and more
dense object and us hitting the less dense one we must have shifted off
course the same amount of distance the heavier object was from the one
we were supposed to hit.  In simple terms ... we were 180 degrees out of
alignment.  But I knew the S-1B assembly hit something because of the
intense flash I saw, so could it have hit the tumbling and less heavy
object or the smaller and more dangerous one?

Talk about one *very* silly blunder.

The sensor array was completely fried and the diamond-coated sapphire
windows that I'd used to peer out of during our ascent were frosted
over, most likely both as a result of the cometary debris showering our
ship with tons of miniature dust particles.  The only means for us to
determine what had happened was for us to look out the four periphery
polycarbonate windows mid-way through the cabin.  The only thing we
could discern were the remnants of the wispy coma and tail of the dual
comet.  We couldn't even verify if the S-1B had impacted either of the
main bodies or any of the smaller cometary fragments directly around
them because of a huge cloud of dust and debris.  We both felt
incredibly sad.

Two days later Keiko burst up from my chest, scrambled somewhat
recklessly out of bed, and then made her way to one view port.  I had no
idea what she was thinking about, but she kept going from window to
window until she squealed.

"THERE IT IS!"

"What?  The comet?"

"NO!  MARS!"

Keiko was sightseeing???

"Have you gone mad, Keiko?  Something went horribly wrong, and you're
trying to see the planet Mars?  I don't "

"TRUMAN!!!  Listen to me!  We have one last chance to save the Earth,
and if you'll help me then we'll succeed.  Will you help me, please?"

I had to surrender to the absurdity of the moment.

"Sure ... I'll do whatever I can, Baby."

By the time she finished telling me what her plan was I was just as
excited as she had been.  Of all the bad luck that we'd been saddled
with back on Earth we couldn't possibly be given a third chance to
complete our mission, but as strange as it sounded that might just be
possible.  Her explanation seemed sound, if we could impart just enough
energy from a near-Mars fly-by to gain yet another gravity boost.  If
that was successful we'd then have to time our departure burn from the
vernier thrusters to make our way toward the largest of the cometary
fragments so we could try to knock it even slightly out of the way.

She managed the calculations and data entry for the INU while I made
repeated celestial observations at each of our only means for clear
observation around the periphery of our ship.  It wasn't easy to be sure
of anything at the moment, but her plan seemed logical and we had to do
everything possible to achieve one last measure of success.

My lovely little preteen bride was a raging fury of mental ambition and
mathematical brilliance, but we'd only know if her creativity was any
better than some blundering missed keystroke that I'd probably made
after our last attempt.  Using the original small rocket thrusters that
our high-altitude test vehicle was built with Keiko altered our course
just enough to slingshot us around to the dark side of Mars and then
give us just enough of a boost to kick us back in the direction of the
comet for one last attempt at changing its course toward Earth.  It was
most likely the only 'last chance' we'd get, and everything hinged upon
there being enough energy left in the small verniers along the nose of
our craft for us to succeed.

At the critical moment, based only on her mathematical brilliance, her
mental adroitness, my many celestial navs, our estimated time of
approach to Mars, the approximate distance from its surface so we could
judge how much energy would be imparted to our new course, and the
limited fuel stores left in the lines after the primary thruster pack
had been jettisoned, Keiko said four words that seemed almost
anticlimactic.

"I love you, Truman."

She then hit the EXEC button and shifted toward me at the nadir window.

Suddenly the view port was filled with the image of Mars, its rusty hue
and single most impressive terrestrial feature, the Valles Marineris.
We hugged our naked bodies together as we stared and waited.  The wait
seemed interminable.

Just as suddenly as the nadir window was filled with Earth's most
similar cousin we were plunged into night.  For the briefest of moments
we saw what looked like 'our' comets, but the dust and coma were
obscuring any details, so we had no way of knowing if any part of our
mission was successful.

By the time we emerged from the night-side of Mars we were getting
pretty cold, and for the first time in weeks we had to look for our
underwear and thermal clothing.  My wife looked strange wearing anything
over her chubby petite frame, but her health and comfort were again my
priority, so clothes first ... sex later, if ever again.

At the appointed moment we felt the ship being turned, a series of brief
blasts of the thrusters at the nose affecting our course in tiny but
certain increments until we were suddenly thrust into sunlight again.
The light and heat we got wasn't much at our extreme distance from where
we left, but anything was far better than being thrust into pitch
blackness and kept there for any length of time.

For the next four weeks we kept up a chase that seemed to be lost even
as we were racing along faster than we were traveling before.  This
time, however, we were trailing the comets and no longer had the energy
to effect any significant damage, even if we could catch up to them.
The last of our attempts to regain favor with our former hosts and
rescue our precious home was a quickly dying dream.

We talked at length about how our lives were going to come to an
ignominious end.  That was not only stolen from us through our oversight
in mathematical prowess and navigation, but the manner in which we would
die seemed horribly cruel.  The suggestion that seemed the least
unpleasant was for us to use the "L" injection that the space agency
preferred nobody outside of the agency know about, but something that
was afforded every person who left the comfort of an Earthly existence.

Rather than keep the ship pointed toward a comet that we'd never catch
up to we opted for comfort and power, a slow but determined yaw maneuver
rotating us into the same general orientation we'd been in for the first
four months of our journey.  As soon as the solar collector was face-on
and our PV array was in the correct orientation the batteries started to
come back to full charge and all the systems still operational returned.

In spite of what we might be called and how we might be remembered both
Keiko and I felt it appropriate to call home one last time and try to
apologize to all the people that we'd let down.  We didn't really know
what we were going to say or if we'd be able to point our ship in the
correct orientation for them to catch our signal, but saying something
just before we lost consciousness when the air ran out might give us a
measure of peace.  I was shaking as I held the mike in my hand and
stared at my young wife.

"Houston, Phoenix.  We owe you a tremendous apology.  We'd hoped to
impact the less dense object, but something must have gone wrong.
Rather than being directed where we should have we inadvertently went in
the opposite direction ... away from the softer of the two objects.
Every attempt we made to accomplish our mission seems to have been a
challenge from the outset.  We're both horribly saddened for what we
weren't able to accomplish, and we wanted to try to make amends to you
and all the people of our former planet.  I don't suppose there will be
any parades in our honor nor beautiful monuments of us in marble or
bronze, either.  We're sorry, Houston ... KSC.  We're sorry to our
parents and all the other people all over the world.  We tried, but too
many obstacles were heaped onto our plate."

I hesitated for a few moments, thought about what I was saying, and then
continued.

"We hope you get this message, but our electronics package is no longer
working as it was designed, so we're not absolutely sure we're pointed
in the right direction.  All we can do now is to wait until we're close
enough to see the Earth for the last time.  We hope the comets were
shifted enough to minimize any destruction.  Phoenix signing off.
Goodbye."

The mike was allowed to drift, my headset taken off, and I pulled a
saddened little Japanese preteen into my arms.

"I'm sorry for putting you through all this, Keiko.  If you had stayed
at home you never would have known about this until the last minute.
Now you've known about it for months and must live with the memory of my
having failed even you."

"NO, TRUMAN!!!  STOP IT!!!  You didn't fail me!  We tried ... we really
tried, but it wasn't our Karma to die in a flash of bright light.  We
were destined to be sad lovers in a terrible story that isn't nearly as
sweet as all those pretty fairy tales that I used to read.  It's not
your fault, and it isn't my fault.  It just wasn't the way we were
supposed to venture into the great void or spend our last moments
together.  We were meant to be together, but maybe for a very different
purpose.  I don't know what it is, but I have to believe that my life
was meant for something, whether we were supposed to save the world, or
just our souls."

For a twelve year old Keiko was damned smart and mature.

"Please don't feel bad for us, Truman, for we could only do so much.  We
put up a wonderful fight, but weren't meant to win.  I'm still proud to
be your wife, even if the manner in which we were brought together was
not the success we'd wanted.  Either way the Earth was doomed by that
comet, so we have to look at it as if it was Earth's Karma to die too.
Please be with me for these last few weeks as my happy husband who's
glad to share in my body and enjoy the final moments of our love in a
sweet sexual union that fills my heart and soul with joy.  Be with me,
husband ... make love to me ... fuck me one last time until there's
nothing left, so we may join our lives in the most intimate manner."

How could such a petite little girl have such a wonderful and big heart?

I brought my body close to Keiko's, she climbed onto my lap, and then
gently pulled my cock toward her until we were again joined as lovers.
The sensation of her wonderfully snug pussy was again enough to fill my
body with fire, even if my soul had been emptied because of what we
weren't able to accomplish.  We floated around near that bulkhead making
love for a long time that day, our caresses, kisses, and coital embrace
shared in as tender a manner as any we'd ever imagined.

After what seemed like a day locked together in our blissful union she
whispered into my lips and stared deep into my soul.

"Let's just stay like this until we take our last breath, husband.  That
way we won't have to suffer a worse fate by remembering this life and
the way we destroyed it in the next."

"I love you so much, Keiko.  I always will."

"I love you too, husband.  Through eternity and beyond I'll always be
your wife.  If I could I'd give you so much more ... like a baby.
Please know that I'll always give you everything that I am and anything
I can provide."

To ensure our continued union we had our next meal while fucking, used
the space potty again, and adjusted the breathing gasses so they would
last as long as possible.  It would be difficult to adjust our gaseous
environment without making us loopy from being starved of oxygen by
lowering the pressure to about four PSI, but I felt compelled to make
our air last as long as I could.  We then climbed into bed together,
naked.

For the next few weeks we slowly and gently had sex, ate sparingly to
make our supplies last, used the potty when necessary, and then kissed
and held each other until we fell asleep each day, weak, feeling
lightheaded, but very happy.

What we weren't aware of was just how fast we were moving and where we
were headed.  If we'd have known we might have been a lot more careful
about our meals and the amount of water we drank early on.

<BRAAAAAA!!!> <BRAAAAAA!!!> <BRAAAAAA!!!>

I wasn't sure which was more startling, the sound of the loud-hailer or
the weakened voice of my petite preteen wife screaming.

All it took was a minor shift in my right hand for me to unconsciously
grab my headset and mike.  I really didn't have a lot of energy left to
spare, but acting automatically I did as my training required.

"Houston, Phoenix, CDR.  Go ahead."

"TRUMAN!  You're alive???"

"Yeah.  We're sorry, Houston, but we ... we ... "

"TRUMAN!  YOU DID IT!  We can't believe you're still alive after what we
saw, but, you did it!  The comet-pair was nearly obliterated by a
combination of the S-1B impact on the heavier object with all that
plastic explosive and then by the sun's heat on the less dense one once
the comet was close enough.  Almost all of the smaller debris is being
vaporized or has been affected by the solar wind to push them out of
their original trajectory.  I don't know how you were able to pull it
off, but it was like a cosmic game of billiard balls up there."

"A cosmic game of balls?"

It was obvious CapCom recognized my mind-weakened state.

"Come on, Truman.  You've got to listen to me.  The S-1B hit the heavier
mass and ricocheted it right into the other one, so there was just
enough delta-vee to effect what you were hoping to accomplish.  In spite
of our plans you didn't need to use both impacters after all.  As crazy
as it might have sounded a few months ago when we last spoke to you I'm
glad to say this with intense pride ...  welcome home you two!"

"Home?"

I was hallucinating.  That was the only explanation.

"Phoenix!  Come in, Phoenix!  Answer me, Truman!"

When she spoke next Keiko's voice was almost non-existent, a mere shadow
of what it had been.  Her body was weak, her energy stores all but
depleted, but her determination to stay with me made me very proud of
my lovely little Nihonjin wife.

"Truman?  Who were you talking to?"

Our lives were little more than a few hours or a day from being taken
away from us, and my mind was starting to play tricks on me.  The only
explanation was the lack of oxygen and proximity of my passing.

"I think I'm starting to hallucinate, Angel.  I thought I was talking to
Houston."

"Phoenix!  Come in, Phoenix!  Answer me, Truman!"

"You're so silly, husband.  Why did you make that horrible alarm go off
a little while ago?  It scared me!"

"I didn't do that, Keiko."

"Then ... "

"Phoenix!  Come in, Phoenix!  Answer me, Truman!  Come on, man, ANSWER!"

"That's very good, Truman.  I can even hear Alan, too."

Alan?  I never told Keiko I'd been dreaming of Alan.

With the last reserves of my own strength I keyed the mike again.

"Alan?  Is that you?"

"YES!  Come on, Truman!  Talk to me!"

"Alan?  Is that really you?  I thought ... we thought the comet ... "

"Your mission is a complete success!  You did it!"

"We did?"

"YES!  Now ... come on ... get your ship under some control so we can
make plans on getting you two slowed down.  The engineers have figured
out a way to do some lunar and terran fly-bys to bring you close
enough to be captured in near-Earth orbit by one of the shuttles in our
former fleet.  They brought it out of mothballs just to catch you two in
your space ship before you burn up in re-entry, but you've got to help
us."

"We did it, Alan?  Really?"

"Yes!  You did it!  But you've got to help us by firing the verniers and
directing your ship toward a spot that will begin a series of elliptical
maneuvers.  The slingshot effect you got from the moon to speed you up
so you could get close to the comet can now be used by the moon to slow
you down, but you've got to point your nose about six degrees to
starboard with two degrees of pitch so the moon can catch you.  It's
gonna take about four fly-arounds, but the astronomical wizards in 'the
trench' tell me you're almost there."

While holding the microphone switch I turned slightly and pressed my
lips to my young wife's forehead while I spoke.

"Oh, Baby.  After all we went through we were successful after all."

After I kissed her there was a perverse need to hold her chubby body
tight to mine, and the microphone switch was released in time so nobody
at the space agency would hear her whimper or moan when I lunged up into
her smaller body.

It was apparent we'd programmed the S-1B into the heavy object, alright,
but must have turned our numbers one hundred eighty degrees out of phase
for our last alignment, because instead of us hitting the less dense
object the heavier one nudged it just enough to send it safely out of
the way and into a vector so the sun could melt the damned thing.  In
spite of so many problems and potential disasters we'd actually done it.

The sound of Alan's voice seemed like a liferaft for our souls, and I
couldn't help but smile as I struggled to stay focused.

"Truman?  Is Keiko alright?  Her parents are here in Houston, and they
want to talk to her.  Please tell her and then put her on."

"Yeah ... hold on.  Keiko ... Alan says your Mommy and Daddy want to
talk to you, Baby."

She took the mike, smiled a little bit, and then nuzzled her face into
my chest as she spoke.

"Alan?  Is that you?"

"Ohhhh, Keiko!!!  Your parents are so proud of you, Honey.  Everyone is
so proud of you and your husband.  Come on, Honey.  Tell me why you
sound so weak."

"We ... we ... we weren't sure if we succeeded or not, so we tried to
pace our food and air supplies to make them last.  We might have been
able to make our food and water last longer if we would have known we
might be able to come home, but we weren't sure we could do it, and we
didn't have enough to keep our strength up.  We were sure we'd just die
after the food, water, and air ran out, and all we have left to eat are
a few packets of protein and some water.  Truman even turned the
pressure down in our space ship to make our breathing gasses last, and
we've been really lightheaded and weak ever since.  I don't know how
much oxygen is left, but if it runs out soon we're gonna die."

"You don't have to die, Keiko!  Listen to me ... tell Truman to get you
something to eat and drink and then turn the pressure valve to full
fast!  If we're lucky there should be just enough oxygen in the lines to
fill your cabin.  Hurry!"

"Truman ... Alan wants you to get me some food and water and fix the
oxygen level, okay?"

" kay "

In a mind-numbed blur I did as I'd been told, moving slowly but surely
until I'd turned the pressure control valve to full and then retrieved a
small collection of the last of our solid and liquid refreshments.  We
didn't have a lot left, but there seemed to be just enough to have one
or two more fairly nice meals.  Even though there really wasn't much
left in the liquid Oh-Two supply both Keiko and I began to feel a lot
better within a few minutes.  Not having headaches seemed strange after
so long, and the effect my tumor was having on me seemed to go away.

We fed each other as we had before we'd been found, our bodies locked
together in our legal and loyal union of marital bliss as we sipped from
a small handful of pure water tubes.  We had a few morsels of food,
began to feel a little better because of a greater amount of breathing
air in our ship, and then hugged some more with our bodies locked in a
sweet and very erotic manner.

It took a little more convincing than he might have preferred, but Alan
was eventually able to get me to fire the verniers enough to point our
ship toward a fairly generous spot between the Earth and the moon.  My
head slowly cleared and before I knew it I could think again.  What I
saw while doing a systems check proved that we had very little oxygen
left.  It was very smart for me to have lowered the internal cabin
pressure to just four PSI when I did, because the analog needle on the
pressure gauge was hovering around zero.  We didn't have much time left
if we kept the air pressure at full for very long.

Within an hour the bright white glow of Earth's natural satellite seemed
to fill more of our ship with glorious illumination than we'd been ready
for, because we had to squint whenever we looked toward one of the round
polycarbonate viewports along the middle of our ship.  Once we got
adjusted to the intense brilliance of the moon Keiko convinced me to
make love to her from behind.  With at least one of my hands cupping a
small breast and rolling an erect nipple around we stared out one of the
polycarbonate windows at a vision we never imagined we might see again.

Alan kept talking as if he couldn't keep anything in, and we often heard
lots of laughter, clapping, and celebration in the background as he
yammered away.  It probably wasn't the most appropriate thing to do, but
I had no reluctance to fuck my precious Japanese bride while we looked
out of the small circular window.

The image of the moon made both of us so happy, because in spite of
everything that we'd been told and the mission plans we'd prepared for
we were close to returning home ... *IF* they could rescue us before
our air ran out.  Even though Alan had given us specific instructions to
max out the remaining breathing gasses I felt it wise to turn the
control knob back down to around six PSI just in case our rescue took a
little longer than the folks at the space agency had planned.

Both the moon and the Earth were positioned so we could see the bright
white glow of the moon through one viewport and the lovely blue tint and
plenty of bright white clouds of home through the one along the opposite
wall.  Beyond any sense of reality Keiko and I kept looking back and
forth from one side of our ship to the other, both views so precious,
but neither more fascinating or interesting than the other.

In spite of how happy we felt about seeing the Earth again both of us
couldn't help but stare in rapt fascination at what was most likely
going to be our last close-up views of the moon, it's silvery gray color
and pock marked appearance far more beautiful because of how we'd
arrived there and the fact that we were the only civilians to ever get
that close.  If I'd been smart I would have brought my MP3 player out
sooner and captured dozens of images before we approached, but doing so
for our next closer orbit made up for my lack of planning.  Taking
photos of both the Earth and the moon from our unique vantage point was
a kind of souvenir that nobody else back home could claim, and between
snapping image after image of both circular orbs in space I made sure to
include the lovely smiling face of my young Nihonjin wife.  I hadn't
thought about getting Keiko dressed before taking her many photos,
because if I had I'd have realized that bringing images of a naked
preteen girl back to Earth could get me thrown into jail.

In a series of smaller arcs our ship began to approach a path that would
make it possible for us to settle into near-Earth orbit, but without a
heat-shield we'd have no way of surviving re-entry on our own.  Alan
took the time to convince me they'd already worked out a plan to capture
our ship inside the cargo bay of a previously mothballed shuttle, strap
us down, and then bring us back to KSC.  I imagined the KSC site would
have looked like a frenzy of activity trying to return one of the
shuttles to operational condition, especially after so many of the
original crew had retired.

The lingering effects of our lack of food, water, and air made it almost
impossible to maintain a clear lock on what was going on, brief snippets
of consciousness allowed so we could follow a few instructions, but long
conversations a thing of our distant past.

With the Earth looming in at least two of our circular windows halfway
to the back end of our ship the air supplies were almost gone and the
last of our water was shared.  I'd wanted for Keiko to have the final
few containers, but she insisted she'd only drink some if I did the
same, because she had no other person to live for than me.  I felt
supremely honored, but weak.

The next thing I remembered our bodies were getting heavier, I felt very
sick, my head was spinning, and my stomach was twisted into a knot.  It
was finally time, and I was losing my grasp on reality.  The area around
me kept going from a room spinning in wild circles to a deep dark cavern
filled with strange sounds and voices.  When Keiko spoke to me before I
lapsed into a tunnel-like vision with everything around me going dark I
thought I was dreaming, but I had just enough consciousness left to
understand what she was talking about.

"Truman ... I'm cold."

Since our supplies were pretty much exhausted and our systems no longer
functioning as originally designed we were starting to feel the effects
of the cold in space.  In the haze of what I thought might be a dream I
somehow had the foresight to help get Keiko's panties and thermal
undergarments on her and then dress myself.  In spite of any level of
control I hoped I had the only thing I knew to do after that was hug
Keiko tight to my body inside our sleeping bag and provide her as much
warmth and comfort as I could offer.

The next thing I knew we were both awake lying in separate hospital beds
next to each other.

It took them a while to convince us that we weren't hallucinating, and
when Keiko realized that her parents were standing next to her bed and
holding her small hand she cried once again.  That was the moment I
realized I'd have to answer for my having defiled Mr. Katsumoto's
twelve year old daughter.

Keiko's mother must have suspected I felt really guilty, because she
came to my side between Keiko's bed and mine, took my hand, held it to
her cheek, kissed it a few times, and then said one word that made my
whole body quiver.

"Son."

I looked over to Keiko and my father-in-law, both of them smiling with
tears in their eyes and his head going up and down in acknowledgment.
I'd been accepted into their family and was more honored than I could
have imagined.  Even though they must not have anticipated our return
and my desire to maintain the relationship that I'd asked for millions
of miles away in the cold vacuum of space it appeared they must have
felt obligated to permit at least an outward sign of tolerance.

For the doctors to tell us that we no longer exhibited any signs of our
terminal illness a few days later was just as shocking as being alive,
back home, and me the former recipient of so much illegal sex.  A nice
side-effect of our trip in space must have been the unusual reaction of
our natural radiation treatments which stopped my cancer, destroyed the
tumor, and had altered enough of Keiko's DNA so her body could heal
itself.  There were times when I thought I was dead and reliving a new
kind of life, or unconscious inside the Phoenix and dreaming of a lovely
future that might have been created because of the lack of oxygen.

About the only downside was our having to recover from over eight months
of weightlessness and the resulting muscular atrophy and bone loss, but
I didn't mind being tended to while I was lying or sitting on one of the
most comfortable beds I'd ever been on.  Reclining under clean white
sheets without any clothes on and a few times with one very happy naked
underage Japanese girl certainly seemed to help my recovery quite a bit.

It was almost too much to take in.

The truth eventually reared its ugly head when my father-in-law leered
at me when he visited Keiko and me early one morning.  He'd given me his
blessing to marry his daughter, and he might have suspected I'd have as
much sex with her in deep space as I could, but his expression after he
saw his daughter lying tight to my left side asleep with the sheet
pulled down just enough to display a little of her bare chest seemed to
upset him.

He left the room, closed the door, and never said a word.  Keiko's
mother returned a couple of minutes later, tapped on the door, opened
it, and then made her way to her daughter's side of our bed.  The fact
that the woman chose not to look into my eyes pretty much confirmed I'd
done something the woman's husband didn't agree with, and I was glad I
tugged the sheet all the way up to my young wife's chin before her mom
walked in so the young mother wouldn't be just as offended as her
husband was.

Keeping her eyes down and her face pointed toward the wall behind my
head the woman whispered to me.

"Truman-sama.  I beg your forgiveness, but I must speak to ... your
wife.  Please to wake her up."

By the tone of her voice and the fact that she chose not to look into my
eyes I could tell something wasn't going well for me.

All it took were a few soft caresses along the outside of Keiko's left
arm while it was draped over my chest for her to stir.

"Keiko?  Your mother wants to talk to you, Kitten."

Almost as if she felt horrified at being seen in bed with me Keiko's
face twisted toward the opposite side of the bed and her eyes were wide
with fear.  Even though we'd been lying next to each other for a few
days back on Earth it appeared that my naked partner was only then
becoming uneasy with her mother seeing us together.  She blushed, looked
away from her mom, and then whispered to her in Japanese.  For Keiko to
speak in her native language in my presence confirmed her level of
uneasiness, and I didn't have to wait long before her mother responded
in English.

"My daughter ... please forgive me for telling this to you in front of
your ... husband, but your father has asked that you and Truman-sama
not be so ... so much in love all the time.  It is true that your
father has given you to Truman-sama to be his wife, but it is still very
difficult for everyone to accept Truman-sama as your husband and you as
his young wife.  For a short time while you two are still in the
hospital your father asks that you sleep in your own bed.  After you
leave the hospital and return to Japan ... "

Apparently the Nihonjin cat was out of the bag, and I wasn't supposed to
find out about Keiko's impending departure so soon.  My mother-in-law
blushed, peeked into my eyes to see if I understood what she said, and
then continued after she turned her face toward the same wall she'd been
looking at.

" ... after you leave the hospital things will be different."

Keiko must have recognized what might happen after the reality of our
survival and immoral union had become public knowledge, because she
grabbed the sheet, held it to her bare breasts, and lunged up in bed as
she practically yelled at her mother.

"NO, mother!  I will not be taken away from my husband!  Truman and I
were ready to sacrifice our lives for everyone on Earth, and we fell in
love while we were in space.  Both you and father gave your blessing for
me to be Truman's wife, and you can't take that away from us now that
we're back home again."

Her mother turned to face Keiko, I saw tears spilling down the woman's
cheeks, her lips quivering, and an expression of intense sadness, but it
was what she said to her daughter next that allayed any fears either of
us might have about having survived our ordeal.

"No, no, no, Keiko-san!  We have no wish to take you away from your
husband, Truman-sama.  Your marriage is understood by our family and has
been accepted by the Japanese Ministry of Justice and the American
Justice Department."

"Then ... what are you telling us, Mother?"

"You and Truman-sama have been given a home not far from where we live
that is very private so you won't be disturbed by anyone.  Your future
will be filled with great ease and everything you need so you may live
your lives in comfort and happiness."

Keiko's tone changed and her shock was evident all over her body.

"Reeeeal-leeeee?"

"Yes.  A number of very important and financially secure Nihonjin and
American business people have contributed a large amount of money so you
and your husband may live in complete luxury for as long as you wish.
Both of our governments have decreed that you are to be allowed any
measure of freedom to conduct your lives any way you wish.  The only
thing they have stipulated is that you must not act ... so much in love
when you are in public when you wish to visit anyone or be seen."

So ... it was going to be a gilded cage for the rest of our lives, huh?
That wouldn't be so bad, especially because of the twelve year old
souvenir I'd been allowed to bring back from my adventures in space.

Keiko eventually collected her thoughts and spoke in a whisper to her
mother.

"But why is father so offended by seeing me and my husband together?"

The woman shifted back and forth a little bit, fixed her clothes, and
tried to look relaxed, but her demeanor and posture told a very
different story.  When she eventually drew the courage to speak she
caressed Keiko's nearly-bald head and tried to look into her eyes.

"Your father is a very traditional Nihonjin man, and although he has
indeed given you to Truman-sama to be his wife your father still has
much embarrassment about you being such a young married girl.  It is
true that Nihonjin fathers and mothers used to give their daughters to
the family of their future sons-in-law when the girls were no more than
your age, but our society has changed much in the last one hundred
years, and arranged marriages only take place in special circumstances."

It certainly cleared the air for me, because I'd heard tales of girls as
young as eight or nine being betrothed to someone much older in the
past, and I often had thoughts of waking up one morning as a son to a
wealthy Asian businessman.

"Please try to understand how this makes your father feel, Keiko-san,
especially because of what other people will say when they also learn of
your special marriage and relationship with Truman-sama."

"But ... doesn't the whole world know, Momma?"

"Not yet, Child.  All they know about is a very special space mission
where two very brave people traveled to destroy a comet so the whole
Earth can survive.  A few people have tried to find out who you are, and
our governments will abide by your wishes if you desire to live in
complete secrecy for the rest of your lives, but there is a great chance
that someone will eventually find out."

"But ... what if we *want* people to know?"

"This is where it will be very difficult for you, but much more
difficult for Truman-sama.  He is already a man, and a man isn't
supposed to love and marry a young girl."

This is where I began to suspect my future would be defined more like
that of a prisoner than for me to be treated like a king.  Keiko's
mother kept going without letting me wallow in a growing sense of
concern for a future that might not have been meant to be.

"There will be many people who will try to hurt Truman-sama or take you
away from him just because of your age.  You must try to understand that
what you have been given is very special and incredibly rare.  No man in
the whole world has been allowed to marry such a young girl as you,
Keiko-san, and what you two will share until you are considered an adult
will cause many people much pain.  As long as you truly love each other
and have the support of your family and both of our governments, your
future will be certain, bright, and happy."

Keiko lay back down, looked into my face, tried to smile, and then
turned to face her mother again.

"Then ... why is Father so offended, Mother?  Hasn't he accepted Truman
as my husband like he said when we were in space?"

"Mostly, he has.  There is still a great part of him that is uneasy
about your being such a young wife.  He never ... he never expected you
to come back to us, Keiko-sama, so his mind is finding it difficult
adjusting to this new reality.  He will accept it eventually, but you
must give him some time so he may welcome and honor both of you in a
proper manner.  I know he still loves you greatly and he has a deep
respect for Truman-sama for what he ... for what *both* of you did.
Just give your father some time to adjust to your being together."

It was obvious we'd have a lot to deal with as our new future together
unfolded.  My having loved and married Keiko might have been accepted by
a few people in the American space agency because of what they knew we'd
done, but for a greater majority of the people we'd encounter who had no
genuine appreciation for the sacrifices we'd made and what we'd
accomplished we'd always be reviled and most likely hated for being
together.

Without wanting to I'd put Keiko in a difficult position, even if by
loving her I was able to guarantee our mutual survival.

Keiko's mother eventually left our hospital room, but not before my
young bride was softly crying into my chest.  I felt guilty for having
placed my young wife into that sort of situation with her father.  It
seemed apparent she regarded her father's opinion more highly than that
of the rest of the world.

The rest of that day the only people who saw or spoke to us were the
medical staff.  Even though I still felt weak I needed to get myself up
so I'd be able to face my future *and* the man who'd allowed me to marry
his little girl.  That might not happen until almost a week later.

For days I wrestled with how I was going to resolve the dilemma of
having a young Nihonjin wife.  Sure, Keiko and I had accepted it, many
of the folks in the space agency seemed to tolerate what we'd wanted,
and for a while both of Keiko's parents might have consented to what I'd
asked and Keiko supported.  But there was a growing sense of uneasiness
each time Keiko and I were seen together, even if we weren't lying in
bed together and naked.  We were able to sleep part of our nights as we
had in the Phoenix, but we began to feel more like frightened teens
trying not to be caught kissing than two people who'd just prevented the
world from being destroyed.

Each time I looked into Keiko's eyes, whether we were sitting up and
eating a nice meal, or lying apart from each other in our own beds and
staring back and forth across the narrow gap between us without uttering
a word, I grew more and more fearful that I'd somehow given the young
thing much more to worry about than the doctors had when they informed
her of her medical condition in Japan before she came to America.
Rather than telling her she had only a few months to live I'd given her
a kind of dream to hang onto that might be more than even she could hold
tight to her heart.

There was a pervading sense of guilt and responsibility inside me that
tempered how strongly I loved my little bald-headed Asian MS-1, and the
more I thought about it the more certain I was that she had a better
future without me.  Her father was just the first person who reacted
the strongest to my living with and loving an underage Japanese girl.
There would be more people who'd confront and possibly openly cause
either of us harm.  I could handle myself, but if some crazed fanatic
harmed my Keiko ... well, I just couldn't allow that.

There was only one way Keiko could be safe, and that would be for her to
go back to Japan with her parents so the brilliant little thing could
grow up, learn about life, and only after she was mature and old enough
would she be allowed to share in the life of a man who meant the world
to her.  It hurt to think about my walking away like I had so many times
before from a few younger hearts who wanted me to hang around, but of
all the women I thought I'd loved I knew Keiko was the most special.
She was so special I was willing to give my life for her to be happy.

We might have wanted to keep the rest of the world at bay, but our new
life together would require us to leave the hospital soon enough, so we
both struggled to regain our strength.  It was after I'd been able to
put both feet to the floor, make a tour of our private hospital ward,
take up a position in front of the father of the young angel I'd fallen
in love with, and stand on my own for the first time in almost nine
months before I had the strength to define my future once again.  With
my stomach in knots and my lips quivering I stood as straight as I could
while holding myself upright in a walker and greeted Keiko's dad.

"Mister Katsumoto-san ... please accept my apologies for having offended
you after Keiko and I returned to Earth.  I know you never expected us
to make it back, so your willingness to grant me permission to marry
Keiko was affected by what was in your heart."

Keiko watched me with wide eyes and her bottom lip quivering.  She might
not have suspected what was in my head, but she could tell by my tone
and the way I spoke that I was about to change her life again.

"You allowed me to share in the life of your daughter while we were in
space and headed for ... for our future in the great void.  Now that
we've returned to Earth and I've brought your little girl back to you it
might be best if I allowed her to travel with you to Japan so you may
continue your respected and honorable life and not be embarrassed by
Keiko's and my unusual bond.  Now that Keiko is here with you and safe
her parents and family can continue your lives without being the target
of disrespectful rumors.  Once you return to your home in Japan you will
be able to live in a manner that will make her happy and not embarrass
you or afford you any sense of shame or discomfort."

My lovely little bride's mouth was wide open, her face was ashen, and it
looked as if I'd stolen every vestige of health she'd recovered after
her medical condition had changed for the better.  But it was the soft
whimper I heard from her and then a single word she spoke that almost
made me fall to the ground.

" nooo "

"I still love Keiko with all my heart and would be honored to call her
my ... my wife for the rest of eternity, but I have no desire to shame
or humiliate you, her, or your honorable family.  Now that her health is
better and she'll have a normal life it would be best if I didn't
embarrass you any further and went on my way."

From some other part of the universe I drew up all my strength and using
the walker the nurses had provided me so I could move around on my own
I did a slow turn and started to walk away.  I wanted to crumble to the
floor and just give up, but I needed to leave their presence with as
much humility and courage as I could.

I didn't want to abandon my lovely little MS-1 after having accomplished
our mission and finding out what had plagued me had been miraculously
cured, but I just couldn't put her family, especially her father, in a
position that he'd always feel ashamed of what his daughter had done.  I
knew from experience that Nihonjin people were very proud and hated to
be shamed, particularly the men, and especially so proud fathers of
lovely little girls, so walking away from Keiko would allow him to 'save
face' if I was the one who returned his honor and did the right thing.

Not a sound could be heard at the confluence of four long corridors
where we were standing except for my lovely Keiko's painful sobs as she
cried into her small hands.  In what must have looked like an old man
tottering I shuffled away with my hands on the grips of the walker.  She
might have wanted to keep me close and convince me to stay, but Keiko
must have also known how difficult her life would be with such an older
husband, or her being such a young wife.

Rather than chase me down and hug me Keiko turned to her father, buried
her petite face into his tummy, and then wailed.  I'd heard and seen her
cry a few times before, but something forced me to turn my head as far
around as I could to see where she was and what she was doing.  I was
hoping she might chase after me and make a big scene, but my lovely
little MS-1 was doing her best to squeeze the air from her father's
lungs as she wept.  She hadn't been sobbing against his body for more
than a few seconds before her legs gave out and her father had to reach
around his daughter to hold her up.  I probably should have returned,
tended to my Keiko, and try to take her into my arms, but at the moment
the man who lifted her into his embrace and held her like a little baby
was her father.  I might have wanted to stand there and watch, but my
exit had already been called, and the scene needed to be changed, so I
resumed my pitiful departure.

It was only the sound of his voice breaking as he called my name that
forced me to stop.  I nearly fell to the floor when I heard what he
called me.

"Truman-sama ... my son!"

The last two words sounded both wonderful and strained.  When I turned
around to face him and little more than fifteen feet further away from
where I started he carried Keiko in his arms and brought her closer to
me.  By the time he was about two feet away he began to speak again,
this time with tears spilling down his cheeks and his lips quivering.

"Please ... I beg of you, Truman-sama ... please do not walk away like
this.  My daughter ... my daughter loves you, and I cannot allow her to
feel so much pain after having known such love with you."

Keiko's cries seemed to change, and I could hear her calling to her
father in a manner that seemed to stir the man onto more.

"Ohhh, Father!  Please let Truman stay!  I beg of you!"

The man tilted his head down, smiled at Keiko, kissed her forehead, and
then whispered to her in plain English.

"I cannot take the love of your life from you, my little girl.  What you
and your husband have done is greater than anything we ... anything *I*
could do.  The least I can do is to support your wish and honor the gift
I made to my son so many weeks ago.  No, Keiko-san ... no, I won't take
Truman-sama away from you.  I cannot.  He means more to you, and me,
than anyone on this whole Earth.  I eagerly welcome him ... "

He looked up and right into my eyes and continued to speak.

" ... I eagerly welcome you, my son, into my family.  It is with great
pride that I again give the life of my daughter to the most honorable
man in the whole of our planet ... for without you, my son ... "

He tilted his head back down, kissed Keiko's forehead again, and then
resumed his monologue.

" ... and you, my precious little girl, our very existence would have
been ended by what your Karma prevented."

Both the emotional strain and the limits of my physical endurance forced
me to relinquish my vertical position, and before my knees came down
onto the highly polished hospital floor two big male nurses propped me
up and then helped me onto a wheelchair.  It might not have been thought
of as appropriate because of my weakened condition or my potentially
brittle leg bones, but my father-in-law placed my wife onto my lap as if
she was made of the finest Japanese crystal.  He then knelt down along
my right side, placed his left hand on my right shoulder, and with tears
still streaming down his face looked me right in the eyes and spoke.

"I shall never feel ashamed or embarrassed about having such a wonderful
and decent son, Truman-sama.  You honor me and make me feel so very
proud."

Keiko had a firm grasp of my neck with her right arm and was still
crying into my chest when I lifted my right hand and extended it toward
her father.  I knew she could see what I was doing, and the moment the
man took my hand into his she reached out with her small left hand and
placed it over our handshake.  In a little girl voice that I adored to
hear she did her best to share her thoughts with everyone around the
three of us.

"Thank you, Father.  Thank you for letting me keep my husband.  I will
never dishonor or shame you as long as I live."

He stroked her nearly-bald head, wiped a few of her tears away from her
plump silken cheeks, and with a smile on his face whispered back.

"I can never be dishonored by anything that you shall do, my child.  You
have given us our lives, and nothing we can do will ever return the debt
we owe both you and your handsome husband."

She might have thought her father was going to take her away from me as
I sat in the wheelchair when he lifted her off my lap and into his arms,
but while he was placing lots of loving kisses on her forehead he spoke
plainly enough for everyone around us to hear him.

"Truman-sama ... please come back to your room so you may spend some
time with your wife in bed.  I think she needs to be with her husband so
she may know the wonders of being a married woman."

There were more than a few gasps expressed after that.  I saw my two
male nurses smile at what my being in bed with Keiko implied.

Once we were back in bed and our hospital room was empty of visitors I
pulled Keiko over me and I fucked that chubby little angel for the next
couple of hours, her eyes wide open, her lips quivering, and a look of
utter glee all over her face.

We might have been sequestered from most people because of how society
might react to my having taken Keiko as my preteen bride, but that
didn't stop the space agency and hospital folks from allowing Keiko's
extended family from Japan to take up temporary residence in the same
wing of the hospital we were being cared for in.  I might have wanted my
family there as well, but with all that had happened they might not be
quite as accepting as my new father-in-law had been.  That's when I met
a rather lovely part of Keiko's clan, quite a few of her cousins just as
darling as she was.

It might have irked a few of the hospital folks when Keiko was seen
under the sheets in my bed and her shoulders were completely bare.  Her
being 'dressed' that way was indicative of my little bride lying naked
with me, but a few of Keiko's younger female cousins must have thought
it was romantic, because they kept blushing, giggling, whispering to
each other, and saying things to Keiko to make her blush and giggle too.
To be holding my naked young wife tight to my body while listening to
lots of Nihonjin angels chatter away about all manner of subjects I
couldn't understand left me feeling more than a little inadequate.

I'd gotten so used to Keiko speaking such clear English while we were
alone in space that I found it strange that I was hearing a lot more
Japanese spoken than my native tongue.  Of course, if any of her
relatives knew what my native tongue had been doing while their chubby
heroine was alone with me and headed toward what we thought was our
demise they probably would have been truly horrified.

Keiko was just as sensitive to my needs back on Earth as she had been in
space, because I think she made a request for everyone to speak as much
English as they could until I was formally trained to understand their
language.  The moment I heard lots of broken English coming from the
younger girls' mouths I knew what had been said.

One conversation drifted to the images that I'd taken of Keiko when we
were passing the moon the first time, and just like the proud little
astronomer she'd wanted to be a few years before Keiko asked for and
received my MP3 player so she could show her family all of the images up
close.  Being the technically savvy guy her father was the man was able
to find some interface cables that allowed everyone to see the pics I'd
taken displayed on the hospital video screen from my entertainment unit.
Keiko looked so happy as she went through all the images I'd taken of
her at the training facility at KSC, the distorted ones through the
small binoculars that showed the S-1B booster attached to the Phoenix,
all the ones of the moon, and then the ones I took of her.

There were quite a few 'ahhhh's that resounded in the room when her
family saw how precious my little MS-1 looked while she was sleeping, or
doing something inside our ship without her knowing about it, but it was
when Keiko accidentally flipped further forward than she'd meant to and
gave everyone a quick view of what her pert fanny looked like without
anything covering it that we heard a few strong gasps and plenty of
giggles.  At least she had the good sense to disconnect the cord from my
entertainment device the moment she realized what her younger cousins
and father witnessed.

Since my father-in-law and I had come to a full understanding of what
Keiko meant to me and that some husbands, especially 'Gaijin' American
ones, might want to see something special when they were alone with
their brides nobody was asked to leave the room nor any of my images
deleted.

Keiko knew to connect the cable only after she brought an appropriate
picture up on the screen, and for quite a while that afternoon she must
have felt as if she was back in space with me.  Her eyes sparkled, there
were a few times when she'd draw me closer for a hug, and her demeanor
was that of a happy little wife all over again.  I knew we'd be able to
archive all those images and share them in the future, so taking care to
protect what I'd almost lost in the void of space meant I needed to hide
my MP3 player after Keiko was finished.

When her eyes filled with tears I suspected I knew why.  It was only
when I saw the title to a familiar song that I realized what Keiko was
thinking at that moment.  Rather than worry her family I took the MP3
player from her small hands, located what I'd played many times before,
and then everyone heard what Keiko had for the first time in space
coming from the large playback device along the far wall in our hospital
room.

It sounded as if the artist was singing to Keiko when she heard the
first few words of a familiar stanza, "I wanna know what love is," and
after that she buried her face into my chest, wrapped her small arms
around as much of my body as she could, and began to sob.  Her parents
were a little taken aback, but all I had to do was let the song continue
to play, smile at them, nod toward the sound, and then hug my precious
MS-1.  More than Keiko's eyes were misty after that.

Keiko and I spent the next couple of hours alone just listening to lots
of my musical selections.  For me to queue up 'The Macarena' made Keiko
giggle, and she even wiggled around in bed with me as if she was dancing
like she did in space.  We were both laughing for the next hour.

One of Keiko's cousins may not have spoken English quite as well as she
might have wanted to or Keiko would have preferred because of my preteen
wife's desire for me to be comfortable, but the younger girl had a much
stronger desire to be closer to me than many of her other relatives over
the next couple of days.  In spite of the young girl's frequent visits
with my bride and I and that lovely child's open need to be close to
Keiko she only said a few words to me that I understood and then chatted
away with Keiko in Japanese.  Her incomplete grasp of English might have
made it difficult for her to communicate with me, but her determination
to try made her efforts that much more precious.

Listening to all of them was fun even if I didn't understand a single
word.  All the girls whispered and laughed a lot, but when they
repeatedly peeked in my direction and giggled behind their cupped hands
I started to suspect that there was something going on that I wasn't
supposed to know about.  It was more than I might understand without
some extensive cultural training, but with Keiko anxious to make me feel
at home and comfortable I didn't think I had to worry much.

That's when I found out that at least one of Keiko's cousins had a thing
for American guys my age, their parents' dislike for 'gaijin' Yanks most
likely not hampering the young girl's desire to meet a naughty American
man up close.  For them to allow the young girl to be around their new
family member in private with my young wife giving me lots of hugs and
kisses while Keiko was lying next to me was a bit more than I thought
they'd permit.

With nobody else around one evening except for my young bride in bed
with me under the sheets one of Keiko's ten year old cousins stood
alongside our bed next to my naked but covered partner.  The girls were
up to something because of their frequent whispers and giggling, but it
wasn't until I felt another young Japanese hand slip under the sheet
over Keiko's bare left hip and caress my cock that I knew what either or
both of them were planning.  Keiko giggling and watching as my eyes went
wide with a smile on her face proved she and her cousin had been
planning that move for quite a while.

"Tee-hee!  My cousin, Haruko, is hornier than you are, husband.  Would
you let her touch and see what you gave me on my wedding day and then
had inside my ... my pussy so many times when we were in space?"

I was so thoroughly unprepared for what those two lovely minxes were up
to that I was speechless.  All I could do for a few seconds was lie
there and revel in how nice it felt for a curious set of short fingers
to travel further along and then around my penis.  Haruko might have
been unable to express herself in a clear manner using English, but her
small and inquisitive digits weren't limited to any other form of
communication than preteen lust, need, and a tactile form of discourse
that I had no desire to hamper.  Her movements weren't the least bawdy
or crude, and I could tell she'd never touched a man's organ before,
because her small fingers explored every feature of my manhood with a
constant slow and determined touch.

The three of us remained quiet for a long time while Haruko fondled and
stroked the full extents of my cock.  There was a sense of urgency in
her rubbing for a while as if she knew we'd be caught, but there was
also a kind of relaxed joy in her eyes as she celebrated in something
that she must not have been able to do with any other man's body.  She
seemed especially fascinated by the flare of my glans and then the ample
precum that kept flowing from the end of my dick like a slick wellspring
of life.

By the time she grew brave enough to wrap her short fingers and small
hand around the upper end of my dick and give me a squeeze I was almost
ready to unload into her appendage.  I knew Keiko could tell I was
getting close to release, because she shifted Haruko's hand away,
reached over her head for some tissues she must have placed there just
for such a need, made sure I had possession of the absorbent paper, and
then masturbated me under the sheet with her left hand until I couldn't
hold back.  My eyes slammed shut, my body went rigid, and I felt almost
every nerve from my head to my toes tingle.  For the first time in my
life I let a preteen girl masturbate me in front of another underage
child.

It took a few minutes for me to collect my wits and then to clean up the
mess I made of Keiko's small left hand, but I was thankful the sheet
kept my actions hidden, because I'd have been mortified if someone came
into our hospital room and discovered what I'd done.

The first time I looked into Haruko's eyes after I peeked into Keiko's I
knew my two lovely Nihonjin tormentors weren't finished with me.  My
cock had been drained of its power and rigidity for a while, but when I
saw Keiko's cousin slip her hand under the sheet a second time and
watched the outline of her extremity moving toward me I was sure I was
either dreaming or dead.  I could have and probably should have stopped
her, but something within me was thrilled with this new arrangement, and
my heart was pounding in my chest as I saw her reach as far as she could
under the bright white cloth cover and claim what she'd taken temporary
possession of a little while before.

Both of them watched my every reaction as Haruko began to masturbate me
with Keiko grinning and her naked pussy rubbing back and forth against
my bare left hip.  It seemed impossible for something like that to
happen to me, and I was convinced I was still hallucinating or suffering
from the effects of oxygen deprivation.  That was proved incorrect when
Haruko saw an opportunity to do something that I'd only dared attempt
with my young bride in the privacy of the Phoenix after we were in the
cold confines of space.

The younger girl withdrew her hand from around my erect cock, from under
the sheet, and then she dashed to the hospital room door.  Once it was
quietly closed and locked she returned to the side of our bed near Keiko
and then stripped herself naked.  Staring at the other girl's chubby
little titty mounds, erect nipples, and then peeking over Keiko so I
could see Haruko's plump bald vulva I watched as she climbed up onto my
bed next to Keiko, my wife grinning like an opossum after claiming a
bushel basket of ripe fruit.

Haruko might have been touching and exploring me before she closed and
locked our hospital room door, but once she was naked and close to Keiko
the two of them tumbled down a road of same-sex love that was the most
beautiful image I'd ever witnessed.  They kissed only hard enough to
barely distort each other's lips, whimpered and cooed like impassioned
lovers minutes after they were married, and touched and masturbated each
other as if they were very familiar with how to please and be pleased.

Both of them must have been much more excited and hornier than they had
been a minute or two before, because with me lying naked next to my
young bride and able to witness every delicious move and touch they made
I watched Haruko quiver and tremble when Keiko used her hands to shift
the younger girl around over her body.  It was much easier in space to
move my lovely Keiko around so I could nestle her vulva onto my mouth
because of the lack of gravity, but with their bodies obviously pumping
with hormonal fury neither of them seemed to be bothered by the younger
girl's weight.

The instant I saw Keiko's lips touch Haruko's vulva they both moaned.
It didn't take more than another few seconds before Haruko responded in
kind and tucked her mouth between Keiko's chubby thighs and settled down
to take care of her cousin.  For some unbelievable time I watched and
listened to my two young lovers please each other, the constant twitches
and murmurs filling the area with a sweet sight and sound that I
hungered to invite with increasing frequency.  They truly looked as if
they'd been intimate far longer than any young couple I'd ever heard of,
because even after Haruko started to unconsciously buck to what I knew
was a nice orgasm she never removed her lips and tongue from the plump
and hairless sweetness that I mistakenly believed I'd brought into
sexual awareness.  How silly of me.

To see my twelve year old wife have oral sex with her ten year old
cousin had transformed my cock from a withered and pitiful example of
exhausted manhood to an erect and throbbing menace that had one of three
lovely places to go ... as long as Keiko was willing.  I couldn't
assume too much with Haruko, because all she'd wanted up to that point
was to touch and explore my manhood.  Still ... watching those two make
love was one of the most beautiful sights I could have enjoyed all of my
life.

It took them a while, but they eventually began to whimper and mewl loud
enough to wordlessly signal a need to either slow down or stop.  Even
after they'd discontinued most of their passionate licking both of them
smiled and kept kissing their partner's vulva as if to convey a kind of
love that little girls normally didn't know about.  After having watched
the two of them I could no longer claim that sort of mental myopia.

Haruko spun around over Keiko, they giggled a few times to each other,
and the younger girl lie down over my wife's body.  For the next few
seconds while they were together the girls shared some tender kisses
even with their mouths still painted with the glistening evidence of
erotic pleasure.  They probably would have repeated their '69' right
next to me if nobody had been around because they looked horny enough,
but Keiko must have remembered who she was lying next to, turned her
head to look at me, giggled, and then whispered something to her cousin.
The fact she'd chosen to speak in her native language prevented me from
understanding what was communicated.

Moments later and before my wife tucked herself tight to my left side
under the covers Haruko lifted herself off of her cousin and then
knee-walked her way on the bed until she splay her thighs, placed one
knee next to my left ear, the other knee next to my right one, leaned
forward over my face, and placed her plump bald pussy onto my lips.  To
say I was totally dumbfounded would be a pitiful understatement.  To
feel Keiko begin to masturbate me with her left hand and then shift down
my body to fellate me proved I'd lost any sense of reality and was
already dead.

For Keiko to give me and Haruko get a nice orgasm confirmed I was going
to be a very happy man for quite a while.  After I'd nibbled on, licked,
and tongued Haruko long enough she shifted her way down my body and used
one hand to urge Keiko's mouth away from my cock.  That was my hint that
I was supposed to take what I thought was another Japanese virgin.

I watched both hers and Keiko's eyes to make absolutely certain they
both knew what could happen, and Keiko removed all doubt about what was
going to be allowed when she helped to guide my cock between the younger
girl's plump and bald little nether lips.  Haruko's vagina was quite a
bit tighter than Keiko's after I broke my first underage hymen, but my
entry proved that the young girl had placed something inside her body
more than once.  What my wife said next pretty much confirmed I'd died
and gone to Heaven.

"Haruko and I used to play lots of games with each other in private,
Truman.  She has much more hunger to feel lovely tingles and the
hardness of something like a plastic toy inside her body ...  even more
than I ever had.  My cousin has no desire to wait to be married or for
her own first handsome lover to please her, and she wants to be your
playmate like she and I were before I left.  I know it sounds nasty, but
she and I were secret lovers for a long time, and I used to ...  to fuck
her with a toy she found in the girls' bathroom at a public playground
where we like to swim.  I hope that doesn't shock you or make you mad."

How the Hell could I be angry about that or what Haruko and Keiko were
asking of me?

"I'm not mad, Baby.  In fact ... I'm honored you'd be willing to share
that special secret with me.  In fact ... "

"What, husband?"

" ... I want you to return to your sexy little wicked ways with your
cousin, my lovely young wife."

"Tee-hee!"

Even though my dick was as hard as stone while another underage Japanese
girl was trying to settle her vagina around it I got the distinct
impression that I got harder when I heard Keiko tell me she'd shared
some lesbian sex with one of her younger cousins before she'd gotten
sick.  As impossible as it might have appeared my lovely Asian angel was
in fact a sex-crazed little lesbian minx who had a history of private
love with at least one of her younger cousins and had fucked her cousin
with a toy or dildo for some unknown period of time.  I didn't ask if
either girl had other partners, because I was already too mind-blitzed
to think.

For the next hour or two Haruko and I made love, had sex, and just
plain-old fucked each other like animals, Keiko right there the whole
time and touching both of us.  By the time I was too tired to 'keep it
up' Keiko helped her younger cousin get clean, spent her own special
time with her lovely cousin in bed next to me, and made love to the
other girl in the most beautiful and romantic manner imaginable.  They
looked as if they really were in love, and I was a little jealous of how
intimate and gentle they were with each other.

The sights and sounds of those two Asian angels touching, kissing, and
masturbating each other was far more than any fantasy I could have
dreamed up.  Their chubby hairless bodies seemed to mold perfectly to
each other no matter where their faces and vulvas came together.  I
could have watched them for days, but Keiko must have realized we might
not have complete privacy forever.  The girls got out of bed, helped to
wash each other while I watched, and then Haruko brought Keiko back to
bed after unlocking the hospital room door.  Rather than sleep with
Haruko by themselves in her bed Keiko decided to invite her cousin to
ours so the three of us could snuggle and hug each other, naked.  About
the only thing that wasn't terribly provocative was Haruko lying along
Keiko's left side with me at my wife's right.

Both of them seemed to like to fondle and play with each other and tease
me the whole night, their small oriental hands running over every square
inch of each other's naked bodies and eventually even my Yankee manhood
until I was erect and available for at least one of them.  It was Keiko
who showed her younger cousin what the two of us had done in our
spacecraft for so long and with nobody else around to watch.  For
Haruko, though, the view of her slightly older cousin being fucked and
hearing her whimper and moan only drove the younger girl to want some
too, my mouth the perfect means for her to gain some much needed
pleasure by sitting over my face a second and then third time after
Keiko fainted and then recovered.  The two of them were almost as
insatiable as I was, and I wasn't sure I could keep up with them and
eventually *in* them.

When my new mother-in-law walked into the room the next morning I
figured I was dead, because both Keiko and Haruko were still under the
covers with me, both of them naked, and at least Keiko's right hand
tucked between my thighs.  Keiko must have realized their lying down
with me and her small hand tucked over my cock when someone was able to
see her do it might get her into trouble, because she pulled her hand
back and tried to look as innocent as she could.  I knew that wasn't
possible when her mother spoke.  What the woman said didn't take me by
surprise one little bit.

"Haruko!  What are you doing in bed with Keiko and her husband?  I hope
you didn't shame yourself and your family by doing anything rude.  You
should have given them privacy until we got home and poor Truman had a
chance to rest before you wanted to visit with your cousin all night."

"Tee-hee!"
"Tee-hee!"

Both Keiko and Haruko giggled, Keiko rolled closer to me, tucked her
free hand over my body, and wrapped me up in a tight hug.  My young wife
decided to clear the air before I had a chance to say anything.

"He didn't mind, Momma.  I think Truman likes Haruko to visit with me,
because he was smiling almost all night."

None of the three of us could have claimed any level of innocence,
especially because Haruko's clothes were still on the floor where she
dropped them.  My mother-in-law must have been horribly embarrassed,
because she chastised her daughter and niece and left nothing to the
imagination.

"Hush, Keiko!  What Truman-sama wants and likes isn't to be spoken of
like that.  You're welcome to let Haruko keep you company if he allows
it, but you mustn't dishonor your husband by speaking about his wants
and needs so freely or letting anyone see what you're doing.  His
countrymen would become very angry if they knew how he may wish to spend
time with his young wife, and no good Nihonjin adult would approve of
what you and Truman-sama do when you are alone ... and in bed.  After
he has regained his strength we can talk about how often you may visit
with your cousin when Truman-sama is with you."

My new mother-in-law had a nice way of telling her daughter that her
being married to a twenty five year old man at twelve might have been
considered acceptable in deep space because we were both going to die in
a blaze of glory while saving everyone back home, but once we'd figured
out how to make it back to Earth our romantic deed might be considered
less than beautiful.

What the Hell had I gotten Keiko and myself into?

That question was answered even before I had a chance to climb out of
bed and go pee.

The hospital room door was knocked on, opened, and a smiling face was
seen peeking through the narrow opening.  It was Haruko's twin sister,
Yuri, and she must have been excluded in the previous night's adventures
for some reason.  That oversight must have been about to be resolved,
because even before I could say anything my new mother-in-law whispered
something to Yuri, the girl giggled behind her cupped right hand, and
then the woman left the room.

Yuri closed and locked the hospital room door, turned around, and then
skipped toward our bed with a broad smile on her face.  For Keiko to
giggle first, cup her mouth, and then turn a deep crimson proved she was
horribly embarrassed.  What Yuri said in Japanese to Keiko must have
confirmed that Haruko wasn't Keiko's only lesbian partner, because I
heard both Keiko and Haruko gasp when I saw Yuri smile at my wife and
lick her lips in a very adult manner.  My bride was apparently going to
be spending quite a bit of time in a very special way for quite a while.

I just *had* to know what Yuri said.

"Okay, Keiko ... you need to tell me what Yuri just said.  Be a good
little wife and share everything."

Keiko hesitated for a few seconds and tried to avert my stare, but once
she understood that I wasn't going to back down she snuggled into my
left side and whispered into my ear.

"Yuri told Haruko to get out of bed so my other cousin can be with me
for a little while.  My mother, her Aunt Mayuri, said what you and I did
in our private hospital room was okay as long as nobody finds out, but I
think my secret with Haruko isn't a secret anymore, because now Yuri
wants to spend time with me.  Yuri said as long as Truman-sama ... my
husband ... you don't mind she wants to be my special lover.  She then
said that they need to give me all the love I need, and they won't do or
say anything to anyone else to shame us."

Rather than sound disappointed or at the very least a little upset at
having to relinquish her place in our bed, Haruko leaned over Keiko,
gave me a cute kiss, and then clambered out of bed.  Yuri didn't waste
any time getting out of her clothes and then climbing up next to her
older cousin to take a spot on top of her Kieko's soft chubby hips.
Keiko giggled loud enough to make the scene seem comical.

"Tee-Hee!"

Just as Haruko had done Yuri made her way over my wife's body and
nestled her plump bald sweetness onto Keiko's mouth without a care in
the world, her hands alongside Keiko's head the perfect means to direct
the young girl's lips and tongue right into Yuri's smooth and already
wet little pussy.  Apparently Haruko wasn't finished with me yet,
because rather than leave the room she climbed back onto the bed on my
side, between my thighs, and began to fellate me, Keiko's mouth close
enough to my head for me to hear her whimper into Yuri's vulva, and
Yuri's body propped up high enough for the room to be filled with her
moans of approval.

The two girls at my left seemed to take no notice of me and Haruko, my
bride feasting on her cousin's bald sweetness as eagerly as I'd nibbled
and munched on Keiko in space.  I was almost too distracted to notice
Haruko's movements until I felt her stir my body into an intense tingle
that signaled my doom.  It was only after I unloaded into the young
girl's mouth that I became aware of my wife looking at me with a smile
on her face from between Yuri's thighs.  That was my cue to lean over
Yuri's left thigh and give Keiko a little kiss, her lips glistening with
one of her twin younger cousins' slick lubrication.  The taste of her
cousin's tangy emissions nearly tempted me to interrupt them, but
Haruko's twin sister appeared to need her female cousin more than an
American man.  If I had to limit my activities to Keiko and Haruko I
could live with that.

The four of us were nearly caught a number of times, but we eventually
worked out an arrangement where either Haruko or Yuri would act as
lookout while Keiko was being tended to, or I was having sex with Keiko
or Haruko.  I might have been tempted to touch Yuri when she was lying
next to me and having sex with Keiko, but I had no desire to intrude on
their lovemaking, even if their bodies were so close I could smell and
taste them.

What a pair of cousins my young wife had!

The hospital had become a refuge for Keiko and I from the realities of
life in the outside world, and I only became aware of just how difficult
things had become when the tempo of our daily routine changed.

All manner of suited men were seen along the corridors, near the
elevators, and when I took an assisted walk with Keiko and my nurses
through the indoor greenhouse next to the hospital ward we were led and
followed by what looked like a private army of people who kept their
distance.  I saw them, they saw me, and somehow we maintained an
unspoken understanding of non-interference with what the other group was
doing.

A day after Keiko and I spent a couple of hours sequestered from the
rest of humanity in what was ostensibly our private green domain we
found out why so many new faces were surrounding us.  Through the partly
opened door of our hospital room I could see one of the men approach and
talk to the head nurse and attending physician.  With a small throng of
medical and professional people filling the hallway to our room we heard
someone knock on the door to our room.

<Tap> <Tap> <Tap>

"Yes?  Come in."

With the door open only enough to reveal a person's face we saw our head
nurse peek inside.

"Truman?  Keiko?"

"Yes?"
"Yes?"

"There's someone who wants ... says he needs to speak to you both."

The manner in which we were being told left me uneasy.  The fact that
Keiko was lying next to me on my bed and both of us were dressed and
outside the covers should have made me feel a bit less guilty, but I was
still trembling a little bit because of the ominous tone of the nurse's
introduction.

"Sure ... let them in."

Rather than just the one man I'd seen at the nurse's station being
admitted to our room a second man and then two adult women followed
behind him along with our nurse, doctor, and even Keiko's parents.

If one of them had been carrying a rope I could have anticipated I'd be
the center attraction at a lynching.  Keiko must have felt as uneasy as
I was, because she snuggled into my side, tucked her arms around my body
as far as she could, and gripped me snugly enough to prove that she
didn't like the idea of them taking me from her or her from me.

The two men took up positions along each side of our bed, and the women
stood at our feet.  I felt more intimidated than the first time I'd
gotten caught by my dad when I had a girl in my bed at home.

When the man I'd assumed was in charge spoke I listened.

"Mr. Catawba?"

I chose not to inform him that I didn't like being called what my
father had, because I had more important things to consider.

"Yes?"

"Someone is going to be coming by for a visit and to talk to you about
your future."

This didn't sound good.

"They'll be arriving in a week, and your nursing team is going to be
temporarily changed.  You needed to know about this, since your regular
staff hasn't been cleared."

Cleared?  Cleared for what?  I didn't have much of a chance to ask for
clarification before he began to speak again.

"Miss Katsumoto's parents and family and your family will be allowed to
be here, if you wish, but you'll need to verify their full names,
addresses, and telephone numbers from a list we have so we can interview
them first."

It was finally too much, and I needed to have a few things spelled out.

"Excuse me, but ... what's all this about?"

"As I said before, someone is going to be coming by for a visit to
talk to you about your future.  That's all I'm permitted to say."

"Why all the cloak and dagger secrecy?  Why can't you just tell us who's
going to be here?"

"Security, Sir."

The guy must have been trained at avoidance and deception, because he
never even tried to answer my question before he changed the subject and
started talking again.

"Someone will be stationed outside your door at all times, your nursing
staff will be replaced by approved personnel, your food and medical
supplies will be monitored, and all your visitors will be searched.
Other accommodations are being prepared for your visit, so you won't be
moved until the last couple of hours.  Please don't be alarmed, and we
won't be changing your physical therapy or medical routine.  What we
*will* be doing is making sure everything in the hospital is secure and
properly monitored, so you might see or hear activities that you hadn't
before.  Just relax, follow your doctor's orders, and keep one of your
security team informed if you see anything suspicious."

Suspicious?  Geez, we'd been locked away in our own version of Heaven
for a few weeks, and we were supposed to let them know if we saw
anything suspicious?

The guy handed me a printed list of names and then started talking
again.

"This is where your family is currently living and where they're
working if employed outside the home.  If anything looks out of the
ordinary please let us know right away.  If you'd like to have them here
next week then we'll need to interview them tomorrow and the next day."

Interview them?  What the fuck was going on?

I was about to ask the guy for more information, but he nodded to the
other adult man in a three-piece suit, that guy nodded to both of the
women with him, and then all four of them and our hospital staff left
the room.  The only people who remained were Keiko's parents.

Mr. and Mrs. Katsumoto were just as puzzled as we were, but they seemed
to know to keep any questions inside their heads.  I'd lived a pretty
relaxed and carefree lifestyle since I'd left home, and being told so
much without saying anything left me feeling out of control.  I didn't
like it one bit, so I got out of bed, used the approved walker, made my
way to the door, and then opened it.  The moment I tugged on the handle
and was able to open the door I saw one of the men standing with his
back toward me.  He heard me, looked over his shoulder for a moment,
whispered into something along his left wrist tucked inside his coat
sleeve, and after a moment turned just enough to face me.

"Yes, Sir?"

"I'd like some clarification, please.  What's going on?"

"Someone is going to be here in a week, and their safety and that of you
and your family are being attended to.  That's all we can say for the
moment, Mr. Catawba, so please just relax, go about your routine, and
let us do our jobs."

There was no smile on his face, his eyes seemed to drill right down into
my spine, and I didn't have the strength or endurance to challenge him.

"Thank you."

The door was closed, I suspected the guy turned around to his original
position, and I made my way back to my bed.

"What is it, Truman?  Who are those men and women?"

"I'm not absolutely sure, but I get the feeling they're federal cops or
something like that."

"Cops?  You mean, police?"

"Yeah."

Keiko must have suspected the worst, because she wrapped me up in her
short arms, held me tight, and whimpered into my body.

"NO, Truman!  I won't let them take you away from me."

"It's okay, Kitten.  I don't think they're gonna take me away from you,
at least not just yet."

"Then ... why are all those people here?"

"Just like that guy said ... security.  Apparently somebody is gonna be
coming by to visit us, and their protection people are supposed to make
sure there aren't any problems before that person arrives."

Sure, it might have seemed strange for our every move to be monitored,
but we'd been under the doctors' microscope ever since we'd been taken
to the hospital, so our being watched by so many 'suits' and having a
whole new set of medical faces care for us made the next week tough.

When my mom and dad arrived and brought along my two older brothers,
their spouses, and my younger sister without her 'partner' it made for
some rather awkward introductions.  The guys wearing black three-piece
suits and unsmiling faces weren't my family's focus, but the petite and
chubby little Asian girl who left everyone with the impression that
she'd been surgically attached to my side was.

Instead of us meeting in our hospital room all of us were directed to a
nice office-style room with a long table in the middle and plenty of
chairs all the way around it.  I know it wasn't absolutely necessary,
but when Keiko snuggled up to me and then hinted that she wanted to sit
on my lap I didn't even think about what anyone else might think.  Her
parents had seen us together in more 'questionable' positions or
locations, so all they did was turn away and blush.  But my folks and
family looked as if they wanted to lunge forward and rip my young wife
away from me.  For Cat to see me hold what my family must have believed
was a child on my lap must have either bothered or surprised her, but
she chose to keep her thoughts to herself.  We might not be able to have
a quiet conversation with so many people around, but if we could I'd be
sure to tell my baby sister that I also liked younger girls.

Keiko's folks had never seen my folks or family before, and for the
first time both sets of parents were actually allowed to sit down and
talk to each other.  The term 'talk' wasn't accurate, since the only
words I heard for a while were from my parents and family uttered in
whispers behind cupped hands.  For Keiko to whisper to me behind her own
small cupped hand seemed strange, since she'd always been so relaxed and
informal.  To say the first few minutes were strained described the
level of tension very mildly.  It seemed more like a war moments before
someone yelled "Charge!" or "Banzai!"

While Keiko and I were trying to figure out how to lessen the anxiety in
the meeting room I heard my mom utter something rather uncomplimentary
under her breath just loud enough for me to hear.  I knew what she was
doing and had always hated for my mother to instigate an argument rather
than start one on her own.

"She can't be more than eight or nine.  What on *Earth* is she doing on
Truman's lap like that?  It's almost as if he bought some slave from
Asia and had her shipped here for some perverted reason."

The moment I was able to discern what she'd inferred about how
'different' the little girl was on my lap I almost yelled at my own
mother.

"Alright!  That's enough!"

Once everyone was looking at me as if I'd just dropped my pants and had
forgotten to put shorts on I began to clear the air.

"Mom ... Dad ... you're gonna find out anyway."

That alone left them with a facial color that mimicked clean white
cotton hospital sheets just after having been washed and bleached.

"Keiko is my wife ... and she's just twelve."

The gasps were strong enough that I almost expected the walls to cave in
from the intense vacuum.  Rather than my outspoken and very conservative
father speaking his mind it was his subdued and manipulative wife who
left nothing to the imagination.

"Truman!  How could you *say* such a thing?  That's ... perverse!"

"No more perverse than your assuming she was a slave I bought in Asia."

My response was sure to offend the newer part of my family, so I nestled
Keiko a bit higher on my lap, squeezed her a little tighter, kissed her
on the lips only long enough to remove all doubt about how close we'd
become, and then spoke something to her in a low tone with a smile on my
face that needed no translation.

"I love you, Kitten.  Don't worry about my folks.  They're probably
still in shock because of what we were able to accomplish in space."

" tee-hee "

Her stifled giggle made me feel a bit better, and when I nodded to her
she whispered to her folks in Japanese.  I didn't understand what was
said, but I could tell her father must have been anxious to defend me
much more than he had just a few days before.  Rather than leave it to
him I chose to share why I had a young girl on my lap and was sitting
with an Asian family when my tribe showed up.

Rather than torture my family any longer than necessary I shared a tale
of medical dead ends for two disparately aged space volunteers, science
fiction fantasy, religious fanaticism and failed plots, dramatic feats
of intellectual brilliance, the sights of our near nine month long
journey, and then how we'd barely survived long enough to hear Alan's
voice at the MCC in Houston.  All of my normally vocal family members
just sat there in silent disbelief and stared at Keiko and me for the
longest time.  It was only when I had one of the medical staff turn a
large plasma monitor on and began to display all of the images of the
moon, Keiko, and the inside of the Phoenix that my relatives might have
begun to grasp the enormity of what I'd shared.

Sure, they'd heard of the comet on its way to smash into the Earth and
the one-way mission to deflect it, but like they always had before my
clan must have believed those were tall tales of government funded
bureaucracy at work.  When they saw a photo of me and Keiko together
with the controls of our ship behind us there had to be some truth to
what I'd said.

Once they'd heard that much I dropped a small virtual comet into their
laps and told my parents about the wedding ceremony that had been
broadcast back to Earth.  When my father-in-law stood, bowed to my folks
in respect, and began to speak I knew he wasn't going to be doing any
stand-up comedy routines.

"My name is Hiroku Katsumoto, and I am the proud father to Keiko-san,
Truman-sama's beloved young wife.  Although it has been difficult for
you to accept what my son-in-law has said I have given my permission and
my daughter's hand to a very courageous and honorable man.  I am proud
to have given my little girl permission to marry, especially because of
their heroic and amazing deed, and if you will consider what they have
done you will also come to appreciate Keiko-san and Truman-sama for all
that they were willing to sacrifice.  If they love and have promised to
share eternity with each other, then who are we to hinder their desire
to share the rest of time together here on Earth?"

My parents sat there dumbfounded for quite a while.  It was only one of
our 'handlers' who interrupted the tense meeting and then a person
behind him wheeled in a large metal cart and were followed by a small
group of dining and wait staff.  Without a word spoken the table we were
sitting at was cleared, all manner of nice place settings and cutlery
set out, and then a very nice lunch served.

Since Keiko and I had been back we were able to ask for whatever we
wanted, so her family was served traditional Japanese fare while my kin
were served either chicken or steak, all manner of vegetables, potatoes
of various styles, and a few melt-in-your-mouth breads.  Keiko and I
chose to have a little of both country's best, and it must have irked my
mother and father when they saw me feed Keiko like an infant with my
fork.  But when my wife began to feed me with her custom-made hashi
(chopsticks) it almost sent my parents out of the room screaming.  I
would have loved to slip one or two Vienna sausages over Keiko's lips
and into her mouth, but that would have certainly caused a riot because
of what it would have looked like for me to work something pink and
round between her crimson bee-stung lips.  There wouldn't have been any
doubt as to the sexual deeds that would have implied.

Very few words were spoken during lunch, and once our meal was finished
and the table cleared our lead 'handler' entered the room followed by a
half dozen other people wearing black suits and white shirts or blouses.

"Ladies and gentlemen ... tomorrow you're going to be the participants
in a private ceremony that will be recorded but won't be attended by any
members of our national or international news agencies.  I can't tell
you who'll be our most honored guest, but I can share that the head of
the space agencies in America and Japan will be in attendance as will a
few representatives of our and Japan's legal justice system.  Your rooms
and accommodations have been arranged, your personal belongings taken
there, and everything prepared for your pleasant stay.  You won't be
allowed to make any outgoing phone calls until after the ceremony unless
you provide us with the name, number, and location of where the
recipient of the call will be.  Enjoy your afternoon, and for this
evening dinner will be served either in your rooms or here."

And with that the man left the room.  But rather than leave us
completely alone one man and woman from our original security team
remained at opposite ends of the room and tried to look as inconspicuous
as a couple wearing evening gowns at a nudist colony picnic.

Leave it to my mother to be subtle.

"Truman ... what on Earth is going on here?  Who are these people, and
why are you holding that little girl on your lap?"

"Mom ... I would have guessed you'd be smart enough to accept what I've
said, what my father-in-law shared, and what the guy in the three-piece
suit just told you."

"About that ... you don't honestly expect us to believe that you really
are married to that ... *child*, do you?"

"To be honest mom ... dad ... I really don't care *what* you think."

My mother-in-law let a small gasp escape, turned her face down slightly,
and cupped her mouth.  Before I could realize why and do something about
it I kept talking to my folks as if all of the years of pain I'd
suffered because of their need to stifle me came out.

"Keiko really is my wife ... Mr. and Mrs. Katsumoto really are my father
and mother-in-law, and you can either deal with it or just think
whatever you want to.  I know Keiko is only twelve, but she's utterly
brilliant, talented, mature, beautiful, and is smarter than most people
in the whole hospital put together.  She's not some diaper-clad baby who
I've dragged crying out of her crib; Keiko is introspective, sensitive,
contemplative, and far more aware of what we're talking about than you
are.  I don't wanna sound insulting, but ... you're just gonna have to
deal with this."

The blush on Keiko's and her mother's faces and the way her father
looked toward his hands in his lap told me more than words.  In spite of
the polite manner I'd acted toward them and the way I'd tried to honor
Keiko's parents because of their willingness to grant me permission to
marry their daughter I'd insulted my new father and mother-in-law by the
way I spoke to my own parents.  Without wanting to I'd shamed them.  I
probably could have sucked it up and apologized to my folks for the way
*they* acted, but they needed to accept the truth, and I needed to
restore my bride's and her parents' honor.

With Keiko on my lap I turned my chair toward her parents, bowed toward
them in front of their daughter in as abject a manner as I could, and
then whispered words that I'd hoped might restore a little of their
dignity and 'face'.

"Katsumoto-sama and my new mother-in-law ... please forgive me for
embarrassing you like I have.  I never intended to shame or upset you
with my careless conduct toward my own parents.  They don't understand
how much I love and care for your precious daughter and my loving young
wife, and by treating Keiko with disrespect they have chosen to dishonor
the very thing that means the most to Keiko and me ... and that's our
undying love for each other.  It was not my intention to make you feel
bad while you were getting to know my parents and family, but in my
rather crude and direct manner I have obviously done so.  Please forgive
me for speaking to them as I have.  I will do my best to show respect
for my elders and the rest of my family from now on."

If someone had dropped a scrap of paper on the floor at that moment it
would have sounded like a two hundred foot tall oak tree falling onto
the nice conference room table.

I raised my head just enough to see my mother-in-law grinning behind her
cupped mouth and my father smiling as he waved his right hand toward me
below the top edge of the table.  The point had been made, and he must
have preferred I not embarrass him any further by humbling myself.

My position in the chair was returned to a normal seated posture, and
with a kiss on my cheek from Keiko I knew I'd done the right thing.  I
turned my chair to face my family across the table and with a bit more
humility spoke in a less threatening tone.

"Mom ... Dad ... if this is too much for you right now, then ... you can
just go to your rooms until tomorrow and see what happens."

Rather than be offended or try to make a big deal about how I'd done my
best to humiliate them my mother had a quick come-back.

"About that ... what's going to happen tomorrow?"

"I'm not really sure, but I have a feeling somebody really important is
gonna show up.  We've already been told the heads of both the American
and Japanese space agencies will be here as well as some representatives
of our legal and justice system, so I can only surmise that we're going
to have a very special guest."

"So ... this isn't some stupid joke you're trying to play on us after
you told us you had terminal brain cancer?"

Even after she'd been embarrassed by my brief outburst my mom just
couldn't leave well enough alone.  I had to fight to keep it in, but
with my stomach in knots and Keiko rubbing my back with her right hand
I grit my teeth, took a deep breath, and then tried to answer in a way
that would be accepted without doing any more harm.

"No, Mom.  This isn't some stupid joke I'm trying to play on you."

That's when Keiko decided to speak up.

"Mr. and Mrs. Catawba ... I realize because of my stature and age you're
probably more intimidated than you'd care to be, and you probably think
your son has somehow convinced me to surrender myself, mind, body, and
soul to him, but I genuinely love my Truman more than my own life.  When
we met at the Florida training center meeting room I secretly knew we'd
be together for the rest of our lives, even if I'd never spoken a single
word to him before our eyes met.  When we were told what we were going
to be volunteering for I knew it was my Karma ... fate to fall in love
with a twenty five year old man instead of some immature boy in high
school.  It was only when we were locked in our space ship on the way to
die together to save the Earth from destruction that I realized just how
much I could love someone, and that someone is Truman."

As the last of her monologue was shared Keiko turned her face toward
mine, stared right into my eyes, and sent shivers up and down my spine.
Nothing in the universe could break the bond that we'd created, and I
knew we'd be together, in this world and the place after that, for the
rest of eternity.

"I love Truman with every measure of my heart and soul, and in spite of
what you might think of your son for being in love with a little girl
who isn't even thirteen yet, nobody can ever come between us for the
rest of our lives.  If you're ashamed of Truman for ... for loving me
at my age and someone my size, then you'll have to live with that shame,
because neither Truman nor my family feel that way.  My parents have
accepted Truman as my husband, their son, and the man who will always be
with me until we both die many years from now."

Keiko then turned toward my folks and continued.

"I know I may have offended you for being so bold and speaking so
brazenly, but you have to know that Truman isn't some pervert for loving
me; he's the most special man in the whole universe, and the one who
helped me save our Earth from utter destruction.  If nothing else you
should be happy that you've been granted many more years of life because
of what we've done."

It was probably a lot to take in all at once, so a short recess until
dinner might give my parents and family an opportunity to process
everything that had been shared.

"Mom ... Dad ... Keiko's family and I are going to spend some time in
one of the hospital therapy pools this afternoon.  Rather than give you
the wrong impression everyone is going to be wearing clothes ... "

Keiko hadn't gotten used to my perverted humor yet and seemed intent on
chastising me.

"Truman!"

"It's okay, Kitten.  I was hoping to give them a little scare."

"Well ... stop it!  Me and my family only bathe like that at home, not
in public."

It was apparent I might have unintentionally shared something that was
closer to the truth than I realized.

" ... anyway ... we're gonna go swimming this afternoon, and you're all
invited along if you'd like to join us.  We can just relax in the pool
and enjoy ourselves, or we can talk about anything that comes us.  As
long as you understand that Keiko is now a part of my life we shouldn't
have any problems."

My dad might have wanted to thump me on the head for acting so crude and
sounding so bold, but I was no longer the impertinent child he used to
dominate.  All he *could* do was stare at me with eyes that could have
burned holes in solid concrete.

I looked at Keiko's parents, nodded to them, they nodded in return, and
they, their other family members, and Keiko and I rose from the long
meeting table.  I bowed to my parents, Keiko did the same, and my
parents watched in horror as my new parents-in-law mimicked what I'd
done.  My folks were so stupefied they just sat there in silence as
everyone else filed out of the room.  When the two security people
followed Keiko and me I was sure my folks were wondering who was being
protected.

It took a while, but my family eventually made their way to the pool.
While we were there our conversations were strained, but cordial.  I
could tell my treatment of my mom and the way I asked for Keiko's
parents' forgiveness might have had an impact on how my family acted,
even if they still weren't very comfortable with Keiko being an almost
permanent attachment to my body.

My parents, older brothers, and their spouses might have been too
intimidated to talk directly to Keiko and me while we splashed and
played in the pool, but Cat seemed determined to find out anything she
could.  With our mother trying to hold her back Cat made her way across
the water and took up a spot alongside Keiko and said just one word to
my lovely Nihonjin wife.

"Hi."

Keiko's smile proved she wasn't the least offended when my wife
responded.

"Hi!  Tee-hee."

"I'm Cat ... Catherine, Truman's younger sister."

Keiko removed her right hand from around my neck, extended it toward my
younger sister's, and while they greeted each other with a comforting
handshake they both smiled.

For the next half hour Cat and Keiko talked, asked questions, and had a
good time visiting.  I could see my parents and other family members
trying to act nonchalant and disinterested, but I could also discern a
kind of hunger to know what was going on as well.

By the time Keiko's parents were ready to get out, washed, and dried,
Cat and Keiko were fast friends and holding onto each other as if they'd
known each other all their lives.  The fact that Keiko was six years
younger than my baby sister didn't seem to have as prominent an impact
as it could have, and I got the distinct impression that Cat was just as
taken by my young wife as I'd been with Cat's younger girlfriend and
lover.  Both Cat and I must have shared a number of genes, because it
appeared we had the same desire and interest in younger girls.

Dinner was relaxed and casual if not a bit informal for a few of my
clan, but I chose not to complain when my oldest brother and his wife
came to the dinner table dressed in shorts and t-shirts.  Mr. and Mrs.
Katsumoto might have been a little embarrassed, but they were polite
enough not to say anything, even if the Nihonjin couple chose not to
look at my elder sibling or his wife very much.

Before anyone could have another chance to say something dangerous I
excused Keiko and myself.  For the rest of the evening after dinner the
two of us shared a long visit with her folks and extended family in our
hospital room.  It seemed bizarre that I'd come to be accepted so
quickly and easily by my lovely wife's entire family, but they must have
perceived our desire to share our lives together as sacred rather than
perverse.

Promptly at nine o'clock the next morning someone came to our hospital
room, knocked, entered, and then proceeded to direct us toward another
wing of the hospital that we'd never been to before.  Within a few
minutes everything that we'd had available to us was shifted into place
as if we'd always been there, and once settled one of our 'handlers'
invited us to join Keiko's parents in a small meeting room.

My father and mother-in-law were already there as well as Keiko's entire
clan.  Moments after we greeted everyone with lots of hugs, kisses, and
handshakes my family was directed into the room.  It might have taken a
lot of courage on her part, but my mom drew up her strength and walked
straight for Keiko's parents dragging my father along behind her.

"Good morning, Mr. and Mrs. Katsumoto.  My name is Evelyn, and this is
my husband, Jerold."

What could have been difficult eventually became relaxed and pleasant.
I was actually very proud of my folks for putting on a brave face and
helping me to make Keiko's parents and family feel welcomed.

Just as things were getting very comfortable and there was lots of happy
chatter going on inside the room between both sets of families one of
our handlers came into the room and interrupted us.

"Ladies and gentlemen ... if you'll follow us, please."

Since Keiko and I were still trying to regain our strength and needed a
little assistance we chose to ride in our wheelchairs rather than slow
everyone down by using our walkers.  We were directed ahead of our
families toward a large auditorium with dozens and dozens of security
people at every corner and hallway junction along the way.  It wasn't
until we were through the wide double-doors and I'd spied a familiar
podium that I'd seen on the news that I realized who might be arriving
as our 'special guest', but rather than spoil the surprise I kept my
mouth shut.

While we were pushed in our wheelchairs down the aisle Keiko and I were
greeted by all manner of people dressed in suits, doctors' and nurses'
in their uniforms, and our redoubtable security team wearing dark
glasses and frequently seen talking into their left sleeves.  But it
wasn't until we were wheeled around the side of the raised platform
along the front of the meeting hall that I saw a group of people, but
two people especially, that I remembered from the Florida training
center.  When I heard Keiko squeal I thought for sure her handler had
gotten my wife's small hand stuck under her wheels.

"ALAN!  PETE!"

I don't know who was more shocked than Keiko was to see her jump up out
of her wheelchair and run toward her two favorite guys at the KSC
training facility.  My emotional little MS-1 was bawling even before
Pete had her in his grasp with Alan standing alongside to stroke her
short-cropped hair.  Those two guys couldn't handle the strain and also
let a few tears fall as they hugged and cooed with the youngest member
of the space program to date.  By the time I was wheeled close enough
Keiko had been hugged by both guys at least once, and when I was less
than ten feet away I stopped my handler, had him lock the wheels, and
for the first time in a very long time rose to my full height without
any assistance.

The whole room burst into a loud chorus of applause and cheers as if I'd
just accomplished something phenomenal, and my lovely little twelve year
old bride was doing her best to keep from bawling like a baby.  Alan and
Pete pretended to remain stoic and reserved, but once I had my arms
around them, more for support than any emotional need, they couldn't
keep it together.  To see the four of us crying and hugging could have
left a good portion of the audience with the impression that we had a
'thing' going, but reality and decorum forced us to alter our positions.

I introduced Keiko's parents to Alan and Pete even though they'd already
gotten to know the couple back in Florida, and introduced my parents as
well.  Keiko then performed the same formalities with the rest of her
clan, and I presented the other members of my family after that.  That's
when Alan introduced the heads of the American and Japanese space
programs to us and our families.  We'd never met before, but the moment
my right hand was extended I felt as if they wanted to share their whole
lives with us in just a few moments.  After that a few more people at
fairly high levels in both agencies were also introduced, and following
their lead I acquainted them with my larger extended family.

I could tell by the expression on my younger sister's face that she
would have wanted to have her 'partner' there with her, because after
all I was allowed to keep my twelve year old bride close to me ever
since we returned, so my sister should have been allowed to be seen with
her lesbian lover as well.  I'm sure it was my mom who didn't allow the
other young woman to travel with the family, and if I could have done
something for my baby sister I might have, but we had a lot to share and
very little time to do it in.

When I looked out into the crowd I saw all manner of KSC and JSC
personnel, including all of our CapComs, Sherry and Spider the most
prominent behind Alan, our simulator teams, our trainers, the logistics
and meal teams, and dozens and dozens of people whom we'd seen, talked
to, and had interfaced with.  Before I could invite anyone else toward
the raised platform where Alan, Pete, Keiko and our families were
standing one of our handlers hinted that we needed to take our seats in
front of a long set of tables that were covered in crisp white linens.
A moment later all the security personnel seemed to disappear and a
familiar chorus was playing through the auditorium speakers while a
man's voice seemed to echo an eternity inside the room.

"Ladies and gentlemen ... our Madam President."

My parents looked as if they were about to either heave their guts onto
the platform beneath their feet or had just seen a hundred ghosts walk
past.  Keiko's folks seemed to be prepared for the special guest being
introduced, because they rose and bowed toward a small congregation of
people as they made their way forward through the same doors we had.
That was my cue to rise, with a little help from my young wife, and also
bow in a respectful manner while our nation's most revered leader walked
toward us.

Rather than seem intimidated our Madam President walked straight for the
platform we were standing on, made her way up, made a line right for
Keiko, squat down to give her a long and very maternal hug, and was seen
wiping a tear from my young wife's cheeks.  When I was also at the
receiving end of a very ardent embrace I wasn't sure if I was supposed
to cup the woman's ass and give her a squeeze like I had Keiko in the
Phoenix or just hold onto the woman's waist in as polite a manner as I
could.  I opted for the second option, since I had no desire to spend
the rest of my life busting rocks at Levinworth.

For the next half hour the room was filled with speeches, applause, and
a few times a standing ovation for our successful endeavors.  But what
made the day truly special was when Keiko and I were helped toward the
podium with the presidential seal on the front and stood holding onto
each other next to our Madam President.

"Ladies and gentlemen ... of all the things that I can say I've taken
great pride in during my tenure as President of the United States, it is
my honor to share something with all of you, but especially so with
Keiko and Truman."

I was beginning to take on the physical deportment my parents might have
had the moment they realized who was being introduced earlier.

"This might get me impeached or at the very least make my next bid at
the presidency unlikely, but I'm going to do something that's never been
done before, and most likely won't ever be permitted again.  Today I'm
going to be signing an executive order to allow what is normally *not*
allowed, since as president I'm able to make these sorts of decisions
and grant a rare exception to the laws of our great nation, as long as
I'm also willing to be held accountable for those declarations.  Because
of extenuating circumstances I'm going to sanction the marriage between
an adult man and an underage young woman this one time.  But I also want
to go on record that this decision is being made and this executive
order is being signed *not* as a reward for what Keiko and Truman have
done, but because they'd already consented to exchange wedding vows and
unselfishly gave everything of themselves in order to save us without
any regard for their own future or any chance at a life back on Earth."

My throat was so dry I felt as if a thousand people had walked across my
tongue with dirty military boots, and I was shaking from the fear and
pride coursing through my body at being honored.  What had been a
fantasy, a dream, something that I never could have imagined might come
true when I proposed to Keiko was being acknowledged, approved, and
officially endorsed by the highest person in voted political office of
my country.

With my head feeling as if it were within a fog of ecstatic euphoria I
heard Madam President continue her presentation.

"In Japan, where Keiko was born and raised, the age when the person may
decide for themselves if they love someone and how far they wish to
express that affection in a physical manner is thirteen, and Keiko will
soon reach that age.  From Keiko's, her parents', and her country's
legal point of view what I'm doing is supporting what they believe to be
conventional, if not at times an unusual practice of a young Japanese
woman being married before she turns eighteen.  So long as the young
woman, Keiko, and her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Katsumoto, agree that it's
in the best interest of their daughter to marry Truman, then I am
duty-bound to uphold what is the most celebrated of events in a young
Japanese woman's life."

What an interesting twist that for me Keiko was underage, but from her
point of view and with the laws of her country our bond was not only
legal but would be considered in keeping with some of the more basic
precepts that Japan has lived by for possibly hundreds of years.  I was
filled with a mixture of happiness, dismay, and a source of satisfaction
that had never been a part of my life before.  Each of my thoughts were
quickly suppressed by a woman who seemed very comfortable in front of a
microphone.

"The fact that Keiko is brilliant, mature, well aware of what she's a
part of, and has consented to what Truman has asked of her while they
were on their way to save our Earth is what makes her more a woman than
a child."

The woman then sounded as if she'd grown a little angry and spoke in a
tone that seemed as if she wanted to admonish anyone who had similar
desires to mine.

"I also want to make myself clearly understood with one point, that *NO*
man, or woman for that matter, should think or believe they have any
right to expect similar consideration.  What is being permitted here is
because of what I referred to earlier ... extenuating circumstances.  I
want *NOBODY* to get the idea that our laws are going to be changed to
grant any marriages because of sexual impropriety or personal desires,
because a fair number of our underage female population may not have the
mental clarity, personal integrity, or maturity to consent to what Keiko
has ventured into, and even if they did they don't have the training or
experience to contend with the challenges life has to offer.  That's why
we've established laws that only people who are at least eighteen are
given consent to marry on their own, because by that time they've had
enough experience to begin to grasp the seriousness of what marriage
means and how much is involved in that sacred union."

She seemed to recognize that she wasn't attending a political rally or
her party's invitation for another four years of office, and her facial
expression morphed from a mother who might be chastising her child for
a small crime to a woman who seemed content her point was made.

"Now ... instead of leaving everyone here with the impression that I'm
looking for your votes ... "

A wave of laughter washed across the crowd for a moment, and I saw a
grin develop on our Madam President's face.

" ... I'd prefer to now invite someone forward who has a special
responsibility and honor."

An older gentleman wearing a judge's robe brought a cloth-covered object
toward the podium, stood facing the audience next to Keiko, me, and
alongside our Madam President, and then waited for a cue.  He got it a
moment later when the woman facing us began to speak again.

"Keiko ... Truman ... because of your heroic deed and unselfish desire
to sacrifice everything that you could for the rest of our country and
the entire world I'm honored to be your witness today."

She nodded to the judge, and he began speaking as if his career depended
upon it.

"Ladies and gentleman ... I'm Chief Justice Milford Eugene Jefferson of
the United States Supreme Court.  Please stand and take heed."

The crowd rose to their feet, and a moment later Judge Jefferson
unveiled what looked like a very old bible.  I wouldn't know how
precious it was until a few moments later.  The man then spoke to us
again.

"Keiko Sayuri Katsumoto and Truman Roosevelt Catawba ... please place
your right hands onto the same bible that many great presidents have
during their inauguration."

While we followed his instructions we heard a low murmur from the
audience for a moment or two, as if they were more shocked than Keiko
and I were at our unique and temporary association with so many people
who'd placed their hands where we had.  To make it more special for
Keiko I slipped a few of my digits under and over hers and squeezed her
fingers as if I wanted to play a silly hand-holding game.  She couldn't
help but giggle.

"Tee-hee!"

Keiko and I then heard something over the auditorium sound system that
made both of us tremble.

"Houston, Phoenix ... in order to make this official I'm going to
transmit what's about to happen."

Both Keiko and I immediately recognized whose voice that was, and we
also knew what I was about to say, but she was still so surprised she
couldn't help but cup her left hand over her mouth.  All I could do was
blush and smile, and I was pleased the folks back in Houston took the
time to record our wedding ceremony in space.

"I know there are people who most likely won't want to hear this, so you
can block our signal for the next few minutes if you'd prefer, but I
need for you to be a part of this.  Keiko and I might not be considered
the most appropriate couple, but in order to do this right I need for
there to be a record of what's about to transpire."

When I decided to share our ceremony I had no idea that it might be
recorded and played back at a later date.  I'm glad I decided to hold
the mike switch while uttering words that would affect the rest of my
life with Keiko.

A few seconds went by, and then just as I remembered I heard my own
voice as I spoke to Keiko within the snug hollow confines of the Phoenix
while we were headed toward our demise.

"There's no need to acknowledge nor reply.  The next thing you hear will
be something that is sure to go down in the annals of history as the
most spectacular and impossible notion any human man ever attempted."

The words came back to me in a flash, and as impossible as it seemed I
mouthed what I'd promised so many months before.  When I peeked at my
parents my mother looked like she was about to give birth to me all over
again.

"I, Truman Roosevelt Catawba, do hereby take Keiko Sayuri Katsumoto, as
my lawfully wedded wife, to have and to hold, to honor and obey, to love
and to cherish, until the end of eternity."

Keiko was again filled with a combination of horror and excitement as we
stared into each other's eyes.  Of all the things for us to be a part of
we were able to celebrate our own wedding with her folks and mine in
attendance.  I think we were more honored than terrified, although by
our expressions most people would have considered the second sentiment.

Just as before I heard my recorded voice encourage Keiko along.

"Your turn, Angel."

When the crowd heard that portion of the radio call back to Houston and
me coaxing Keiko along a low chorus of laughter swept across the room.
I'm sure more than one or two folks were wondering what the Hell was
going on in space back then.  Before her voice could be heard the place
went deathly silent again.

"I, Keiko Sayuri Katsumoto, do hereby take Truman Roosevelt Catawba, as
my lawfully wedded husband, to have and to hold, to honor and obey, to
love and to cherish, until the end of eternity."

The moment Keiko heard her own voice she flinched, cupped her mouth with
her left hand again, and started to cry while looking at me.  Whoever
was controlling the prerecorded message seemed sensitive to my bride's
emotions, because the next part of the message was delayed until Keiko
was able to collect herself.  I assumed the same people who'd helped us
during our mission were again in control of what was being heard over
the public address system, and I was proud of the many friends we'd
made.  After Keiko nodded her head, wiped a few of her tears away, and
then looked up into my eyes again we both smiled, she giggled, I
chuckled, and the crowd laughed.  Moments later the message resumed.

"Do you, Keiko Sayuri Katsumoto, accept me as your husband, for the rest
of eternity?"

Just as she'd done before I heard Keiko say those two special words,
this time in front of Chief Justice Jefferson, our Madam President, both
sets of our parents, a small part of our extended family, and a room
filled with all manner of people.

"I do."

They'd been spoken with sincerity and humility before in the isolation
of our ship far out in space, but in front of our esteemed visitors and
families I think it had a more significant impact on both of us.

Keiko's voice seemed so out of place a moment later, the higher-pitched
vocalizations of a young girl uttering a phrase that was sure to stir
more than just me with a deep sense of emotional imbalance.

"And do you, Truman Roosevelt Catawba, accept me as your wife, for the
rest of eternity?"

Without missing a beat I repeated what I'd said and timed my words with
the recording perfectly.

"I do."

Just as before I stepped a little closer to Keiko so her lips were an
inch or two from mine, and with gravity having a more significant effect
on us I was ready to speak rather than whisper so everyone around us
could hear, but the recorded message was stopped before I could finish.
Keiko and I might have been surprised, but we weren't going to be
disappointed.

When Judge Jefferson began to speak it was as if he was the proudest
he'd ever been in his life, and we both turned to look at him.

"Keiko Sayuri Katsumoto and Truman Roosevelt Catawba ... I hereby
pronounce you man and wife.  What God has joined together, let no man
put asunder.  You may kiss the bride."

Her whole face lit up just like it did the last time we'd attempted such
a serious and life-changing ceremony, and we again turned toward each
other so we could stare into our lover's eyes with a kind of passion
that nobody could ever take away from us.  The magnitude of what we were
doing and the religious significance of how completely we'd come
together in the vastness of deep space was made evident when Judge
Jefferson added that no man could take back what God had somehow brought
together.  It added a measure of solemnity and reverence to the ceremony
that might not have been shared inside the Phoenix, even if both Keiko
and I knew perfectly well what we were getting into.

A moment later I leaned down, gently pressed my lips to Keiko's, and for
the first time since I'd met my lovely little playmate and MS-1 I was
allowed to kiss a little girl as I kissed my wife.

My mom was practically bawling by the time the first round of applause
and cheers resounded through the auditorium, and I could see a kind of
genuine pride in my father-in-law's face for allowing his twelve year
old daughter to become a bride so young.

With the crowd clapping and plenty of exclamations of congratulations
being expressed at various exuberant levels a number of people brought
lots of papers for us to sign and then witness.  Even our Madam
President put her signature on a few of the documents next to Judge
Jefferson's, so nobody could claim that I'd secretly whisked Keiko away
from her crib or kidnapped her from preschool to be my bride.

But we weren't finished being surprised, because a delegation from the
Japanese government traded places with Judge Jefferson and our Madam
President and presented us with even *more* paperwork to sign and then
witness.  By the time we put our pens down we felt like we did after
we'd written down almost an hour's worth of instructions to detach our
impactor from the thruster assembly.  When Alan and Pete saw us shake
our hands in the air from the cramps we felt they couldn't help but
laugh.  They'd seen us do that in Florida, and it must have been a fond
memory for both of them.

Once the formalities had been completed our parents were introduced to
Chief Justice Jefferson, our Madam President, the Japanese delegation,
the audience, and then thanked for their support.  The heads of our
country's space agencies and then Alan and Pete were invited to each
give a short speech, and then Keiko and I were asked to take a position
close to the microphone.  I think we were more terrified to stand in
front of all those people than we were moments before we hit the EXEC
button the last time to coax our small spacecraft toward its doom.

About the only way I could speak was with Keiko at my side, her eyes
filled with tears, her face beaming with pride and joy, and her grip
around me either because she wasn't steady on her feet yet, or because
she kind of liked me a little bit.

"Uhhh ... I wasn't prepared to speak today, ladies and gentlemen.  But
I will say that my ability to talk to you today pales in comparison to
how inarticulate I was when I expressed myself with those words and was
allowed to accept my young Keiko into my life as my bride.  We might
have been willing to sacrifice our lives to prevent the deaths of our
families and our countries, but my love for my precious Keiko is an even
greater accomplishment than having nudged that cosmic billiard ball out
of the way.  Thank you."

It wasn't a very good speech, but I got a standing ovation nonetheless.

Keiko might have been brave enough to offer her life to save mankind,
but she had no desire to stand behind the podium on a stepstool by
herself.  With my right hand tucked into her right and my left hand
around her waist I stood beside my young bride as she whispered into the
microphone and lifted her free hand an inch above the top edge of the
podium to wave.

"Hi."

As if it had been planned and practiced the entire room resounded in a
single voice and uttered her greeting a thousand fold.

"HI!"

Keiko reacted as she had so many times before with me in the Phoenix,
and the people in the audience heard something over the audio system
that I'd cherished when we were all by ourselves.

"Tee-hee!"

A moment later the place was alive with laughter and applause.  Poor
Keiko was blushing from the top of her head down into her blouse.  I
could only imagine how pink her little titties were at that moment.

Once she was able to gather her strength from my smile and snug embrace
she turned toward the microphone, adjusted it down and in alignment with
her face, and spoke in a quiet tone that made everyone in the room, even
with the power of the amplifiers, remain quiet and listen.

"I wanna thank everyone for being here and sharing my special day with
my husband all over again.  I never imagined I'd see my wedding day
after the doctors told me I was gonna die, and this ... this is the
happiest day in my life."

She was barely able to finish speaking before she turned toward me,
buried her face into my chest, wrapped her arms around my body, and
began to sob.  The applause and cheers we heard amplified her cries that
much more, and in spite of my desire to remain upright my legs were
about to illustrate their lack of strength because of our long duration
space flight.  I'm glad our handlers were close by, because I was only
able to remain standing long enough to help Keiko onto her wheelchair
before I fell backward into mine.

Our Madam President bid the crowd goodbye, we heard the familiar refrain
bestowed upon her and her title, and once her security team seemed
satisfied the woman was safely out of the room our own handlers and
security guards appeared to relax a little bit.  Rather than keep us
restrained to our last 'official' locations we were encouraged to move
around and greet our families.  After that we knew it was our time to be
greeted by everyone in attendance.  We might not have to shake
everyone's hand, but we'd both be honored to do so if we felt like it.

Moments after Keiko and I were permitted to shift our wheelchairs in any
direction we wanted one of the people in the audience jumped up and
lunged into the aisle.  I saw who was trying to make his way away from
his seat, recognized the guy's face and uniform as one of the hospital
orderlies, and I remembered seeing him near our room over a week before
the presentation.  But by his expression I could tell he wasn't very
happy about something.

The people around him got out of the way of whom they thought was most
likely desperately in need of one of the nearest bathrooms.  His real
aim was made evident a moment later when one of the remaining security
guards was knocked down and his weapon was wrestled from their holster. 
The crazed maniac rose to his feet, lifted the small black firearm into
the air, looked, and then pointed the weapon in our direction ... in
*my* direction.

That's when hundreds of people around the guy began to scream and try to
run as far and as fast as they could away from someone with something
less that proper on his mind.  The moment the guy gathered his wits, and
his courage, he lunged forward down the aisle pointing the dull black
weapon right at me.  There was a look of confusion on his face as he ran
and kept fumbling with the weapon as if he wasn't familiar with how it
worked, and I realized that was my chance to do something.

My first thought was to protect Keiko, so I jumped up out of my
wheelchair, threw myself over my young bride, pushed her away from the
center of the platform and shielded her body from the assassin until one
of the tables could be flipped on its side with her safely behind it,
protecting Keiko with the heavy metal and thick wood surface.  A moment
later I turned around to draw the gunman's attention away from my wife
and both our parents and family.  What I hadn't counted on after I'd
gotten part way to my feet was to be tackled by one of the security
agents.   

Through a small opening from under the guy's coat who was lying on me I
could see almost a dozen people lunge forward and encircle the hospital
employee before he was able to get a single shot off.

It all happened so quickly, and before I could catch my breath I tried
to force the guy off my back so I could check on Keiko.  That's when the
guy pressing me to the platform with all his weight whispered down into
my head.

"Just remain still, Sir!  Your wife and families have their own security
agents to protect them."

"LET ME SEE!"

He rose only enough for me to twist my head and body far enough around
so I could see a woman hovering over Keiko to shield her body and a man
crouched down in front of them with his weapon drawn.  His head kept
twisting back and forth and his eyes scanned the auditorium as if to
locate anyone else who might try to finish what the orderly had started.

Once the security team determined the greatest danger had been averted I
was allowed up off the platform, and the first thing I did was hold my
hands up in the air while I scampered toward Keiko.  A few of the agents
might have initially thought I was attempting to harm another person
until they recognized my facial expression and the fact that my hands
were devoid of anything other than sweat.

It took a few moments for me to get access to Keiko, but by that time
all the security people were more interested in restraining the guy
dressed in his hospital scrubs than preventing me from being close to my
twelve year old wife.

That's when the person was heard screaming that I needed to take
responsibility for my vile deeds.

"That bastard needs to die!"

It was the first time I'd been witness to what some crazed person might
want to try as a result of his religious or personal fanaticism.

I saw an opportunity for everyone, including the video cameras capturing
everything, to understand the fanatic's motivations.  Before the
security team was able to haul the guy off I yelled as loud as I could.

"LET HIM SAY HIS PEACE!"

Everyone stopped moving, the guy quit trying to wrestle out of his
captor's grasp, and I tried to climb off the platform toward him.  Keiko
tried to stop me, so I turned around, smiled, nodded, and whispered.

"It's okay, Kitten ... he's not going anywhere for the moment."

She was shaking like a leaf, but seemed to accept my statement as valid,
primarily because of the two security people huddled around her and the
dozen or so people holding onto anything of my potential assassin as
they could.

Still shaking from the adrenaline rushing through my veins I stumbled
down the aisle just far enough to look right into the man's eyes, but
I was stopped short by two of the guys wearing black suits.  It was
obvious they took their responsibility to protect me seriously, because
they didn't allow me to get any closer to the madman than twice his
reach.

That's when I spoke in a nervous tremble to a person I'd seen, who had
spent time around Keiko and me, and who was most likely going to be held
responsible for his rather inappropriate actions.

"What on Earth were you thinking?"

"You bastard!  How dare you defile a child with your perverted ways?
You should be ashamed of yourself and deserve to die."

"Good one, Brainless!  I guess everything that's happened in this
hospital over the last few weeks wasn't quite clear enough for you, huh?
Keiko and I *were* going to die, and we'd consented to sacrifice our
lives toward the singular goal of saving this world and all the people
on it from utter destruction.  Whether you realize it or not that
includes idiots like you who feel they have the right to tell *other*
people how to live their lives and kill them if their goals and
ambitions don't agree with yours."

The guy might have been able to hear me, but the expression on his face
hinted at his sole desire to snuff my life out to prove that he might
have been more powerful than I was through the use of deadly force.
What he said next proved that he was bound and determined to continue in
his quest to take my life.

"I've got friends, and they've got friends.  There's no place you can
hide, you sick bastard, so get ready to die.  People like you need to
die for raping and molesting little children, and as long as people like
me are alive we're going to see to it that you pay for your sick crimes.
They might have stopped me this time, but once word of this gets out you
won't be able to stop the next one, or the next one, until you're dead."

A few of the security agents gripped the fabric around the attempted
assassin's neck, and it looked as if they might take some appropriate
measures to keep the guy from talking to anyone about what he'd seen or
attempted to do.  A moment later, and before I could offer my response,
the man was lifted into the air just far enough to move him up and away
from where he'd been forced to the ground.

The moment he tried to break free of the hold the security team had on
him I was pushed backward and a few more agents stepped between us to
prevent him from getting closer.  A few moments later and still
screaming at the top of his lungs that I needed to die he was hauled off
to have his day in court.  I'm sure he was going to do his best to
convince the judge that I needed to die, too.

A sense of sadness washed over me, not because of what had happened, but
because I'd most likely have to deal with more people like the hospital
orderly in our near future.  It appeared that living in a country that
held personal freedoms as one of its highest pursuits might in fact
jeopardize my safety and that of my young wife, because anyone with a
wish to take away another person's freedom could buy a gun and hunt me
down.  How ironic.

It was obvious that some people weren't going to like the idea that I'd
married Keiko, and attacking me might have been a good demonstration for
some at the time.  It also showed how absurd it was to attack someone
just because my wife and I wanted to have a happy life.

"Truman!!!"

The sound of Keiko's voice behind me forced me to turn around, walk as
fast as I was able to be close to her, and then hug her like I had so
many times on the Phoenix.  This time, however, we were wearing lots of
clothing and having to deal with gravity again.

Our visitors and attendees cheered as the attempted assassin was hauled
off, and with a number of security people directing the crowd everyone
returned to their seats.  While people were moving and talking as they
collected their thoughts and personal belongings my head was filled with
all manner of ideas.

If my new bride and I had never ventured out into the dark cold of space
nobody on Earth would be alive anymore.  If a person like that thought
it would be okay to kill me for loving a special and brilliant Japanese
child prodigy, then they should be willing to die first, because without
Keiko and my willingness to sacrifice our lives what would there be?

Each word that poured through my brain like water through a fire hose
seemed to have little meaning or offer any solace to my soul, primarily
because Keiko would always be in danger of retribution and attack.

We were going to die from the first moment we set foot on the Phoenix,
so our getting married was nothing more than two people falling in love
in the most unusual of places, because of our special bond, and the
likelihood that we wouldn't survive for very long.  We were willing to
die, fell in love, and got married along the way *not* because it was
planned, but because it just happened that way.  Everyone who'd heard my
request to marry Keiko probably expected there wouldn't be much of a
difference if we impacted the comet pair as a married couple or not,
since we were never meant to return to Earth, so we were given
permission by her parents to travel into the void as a happy couple
doing something worthwhile with what was left of our lives.

Should we be condemned for wanting to sacrifice our lives to save the
very people who might want to do us harm?  Was it right for people like
that guy, or others like him around the world, who didn't like the idea
of a man falling in love and marrying a younger girl while we were
headed toward our deaths to have the right to take what he couldn't
give?  We were going to die and tried countless times to accomplish what
we'd volunteered for.  The irony was that we were able to do what we set
out to accomplish without sacrificing our futures, in spite of so many
things going wrong along the way.  Our willingness to sacrifice our
lives wasn't a premise for our marriage.  Our success and unexpected
return was just a coincidence, and people back on Earth weren't even
supposed to know about us, what we did, or the fact that we fell in love
and decided to get married.  We were supposed to go out in a blaze of
silent glory and one brief instant in a flash of white light.

What made our journey and mission mean so little was for us to save
people like the hospital orderly who had the sick idea that he had the
right to kill other people just because he didn't agree with what others
did or what they thought.  I felt as if I wasn't the one who should have
been ashamed for falling in love with the most wonderful and beautiful
little creation on the whole planet.  The one who should be ashamed was
someone who had no respect for freedom and had a desire to take a
person's life for no other reason than his beliefs might be different
than mine.

I pitied the man, because he'd helped to prove the point that our
mission was more important than anything a single person or even two
people could accomplish.  We could have failed the first time someone
tried to kill us, even before we were very far from Earth, but we
weren't meant to die like that.  Our love for each other had somehow
afforded us special dispensation as it related to our continued
existence.  What the foolish cretin was going to live with after his
attack was how his life would be determined by twelve people and a judge
who had less respect for idiots who felt they could kill just because it
suited them.  Of course, there was a chance the deranged maniac could be
acquitted of his attempted crime because of some technicality, so I
probably had more to worry about than he did.

We spent the next two hours visiting with all manner of space agency
personnel, hospital employees, and government officials.  The happiest
time was when Keiko was the center of attention and was encouraged to
share anything she wanted to.  Any sense of nervousness she might have
had in front of the microphone was a long-distant memory in a less
formal setting, because she regaled the crowd with how she felt when her
body was being pressed hard into the conformal platform inside our craft
during liftoff, what was pouring through her brilliant head when she saw
the moon and Mars up close, how thankful she was for all the neat foods
we ate, for all the engineers who helped us figure out how to solve so
many problems, and to everyone who couldn't come to that meeting and
share in her wedding.

In spite of her age she had a knack for getting people to laugh.

What she didn't realize were the many photographs I'd taken of her, the
moon, and of us while Keiko and I were locked away in our tiny craft
being shown on a huge display over our heads.  The images seemed much
more real and thrilling at an increased size, and it was almost as if we
could reach out and touch the very places we'd seen in space.

While I wrestled with my thoughts and with Keiko hugging me hard enough
to hurt while we spoke to dozens of people around us one of the senior
security agents then offered a slight change to our venue.

"Ladies and gentlemen ... please follow Keiko and Truman with their
families to another room to see where they spent many months in space."

The moment we were rolled through the wide double doors of an adjoining
room I felt my stomach tighten.  There before us and propped up on a
special fixture that had been used during its preparation was the
Phoenix ... it's hull scratched and battered from all the cometary
debris, a fair portion of the aft section where the propulsion system
was mounted showing evidence of being ripped apart like a soda can on
the highway, and the bolted hatch open so people could look inside.

It seemed strange looking inside our ship while standing on the floor of
the meeting facility after having spent more than half a year locked
inside.  In order to preserve our vessel the flight teams decided to
leave everything as they found it, except for any liquid or food
supplies.  I saw where my sleeping bag was still locked in place,
recognized a small stain near the midsection where I'd most likely let a
little of Keiko's orgasmic dew escape, and held Keiko close to me as we
looked forward to the display console where we hit the EXEC button that
last time before we thought our lives would end.

Everyone was permitted to take a peek inside after we did, but nobody
was allowed to venture within or remove anything.  Keiko and I might
have wanted to return to where we fell in love and accomplished our
mission, but we also knew our ship would eventually be tucked away in a
place of prominence at the Air and Space Museum so people from all
around the world could stare and wonder at the small space ship that two
people lived in while on their way to save the Earth.

After everyone had a chance to look inside and take a brief visual tour
Alan, Pete, Sherry, Spider, Keiko, and I were allowed to spend a bit
longer at the entrance to the Phoenix so they could ask us anything they
wanted.  It was almost as if we were back in our ship a few times, the
familiar recollections of each task we performed, the memories of what
the folks in Houston had asked us to do, and how both Keiko and I were
able to grow together inside a small metal tube that was no more than
half a school bus in overall size from the display console to where the
first few bags of our supplies had been stored.

It looked a *lot* smaller with us outside of it ... possibly because of
the gravity that prevented us from floating around inside.

A whole series of photographs were taken of Keiko and me sitting and
eventually standing in front of the Phoenix, and then many more snapped
of as many of the primary space agency management team as could fit
around us as we gathered in front of it.  After that I asked for the
various departments from KSC and Houston to come forward and huddle with
us in what must have looked like an enormous hug so they could be
photographed with us standing before our ship.  I could tell many of our
guests were very proud of the opportunity, and cameras of all sorts and
sizes were handed back and forth between those proud workers next to
Keiko and me and the people looking at us in the audience so plenty of
personal souvenirs could be captured.

It took about four hours, but eventually everyone had a chance to share
in our spotlight.  In a way we didn't want to say goodbye to so many
nice and helpful people, but both Keiko and I were getting tired and my
tummy was sending messages that it needed to be filled.

My folks might have been spellbound and horrified when they first found
out about Keiko and me, but by the time that day ended they'd made a
whole new set of friends and would have lots of stories to tell for a
very long time.  After Keiko and I pressed our hands to the pitted and
dented hull of the Phoenix one last time we turned toward each other,
hugged, kissed, and bid our spaceship goodbye.

The rest of that evening was spent with our families in a private
meeting room in the same wing we'd originally been in.  We had a nice
dinner, shared all manner of stories about the people we'd met, and
talked about the kind of future that Keiko and I would have.  I could
see some concern on everyone's face while that discussion went on, and
in spite of what we'd accomplished Keiko and I might never find a
moment's peace.  It was almost as if our having survived made our
accomplishment less spectacular.

We eventually accepted the good news a few days later, Keiko snuggled
tight to my left side, both of us on a large bed, in a private ward at
some unknown hospital, her small left arm tucked across my chest, and
both of us looking at our marriage certificate ... signed by our Madam
President as witness and Judge Jefferson as officiator.

In spite of how others might have felt about our immoral union we had
all manner of medical help and physical therapy, both my wife and I
getting stronger each day.

My folks went back home, but not before my mom tried, unsuccessfully, to
get me to go with them and bring Keiko along.  I knew she was most
likely more interested in some newfound notoriety than her son being
married to a twelve year old, but I didn't take it personally.  My mom
usually had an agenda, but this time I wasn't going to be part of it.

Cat cried just before she left with my parents, but this time she wasn't
crying because I was about to die.  We hugged, kissed, and whispered
words of affection that seemed to make our being together more special.
For my baby sister to hug and kiss Keiko as if they'd been best friends
proved that at least my younger sister fully accepted what her older
brother had done in space and liked the souvenir I brought back with me.

After my family left I began to think about our future ... the one
filled with people who weren't going to like the idea of a twenty five
year old man marrying a twelve year old preteen.  I loved my country,
but unless we lived in a fortress away from everyone else I'd be hounded
and hunted until either our marriage was ruined, or someone was able to
kill me.

Keiko was forefront in my thoughts the whole time, her life to be in
constant danger because of what someone might try to do to me, and her
inability to share in a normal life because her family and friends were
so far away in Japan.

It's sad that I might have to leave my own country, but it would likely
be too naive for me to hope that the bond Keiko and I had established
during our ordeal could be seen by people as normal.  Yes, what had
happened was definitely unique and maybe even a little immoral, but the
manner in which we came about our glorious union and the hope we had to
spend the rest of eternity together as joined souls was far more pure
than any perverse sexual desire.  Any religious fanatics who didn't care
for us being together as a married couple shouldn't have to question
what had happened to us after our Madam President and Chief Justice
Jefferson endorsed our being married, but then prejudice and zealotry
rarely take into consideration things as simple as fact.

It seemed there was only one place we could live where people might
accept us more easily, both because Keiko might be revered for what
she'd done, and also because of the slightly more relaxed laws related
to consent between a minor child and an adult man.

While Keiko and I were sitting down to a meal with her parents and
family I announced something that must have made more than my lovely
little bride happy.

"Dad ... Mom ... Keiko and I will be moving to Japan in a little while."

Her father exclaimed something in his native language that must have
shown his pride and happiness, but my new mother-in-law just wept into
her hands and then pulled Keiko from my arms so they could hug.  I
hadn't counted on being the center of attention for so long by the
younger contingent of Keiko's extended family, but I didn't mind an
awful lot, because I was able to hold and caress a few of those lovelies
in places that weren't normally permitted.  Thankfully nobody saw where
my hands dropped a few times, and to keep from offending anyone I didn't
try it more than once ... per lovely.

Keiko's extended family traveled back to Japan ahead of us a day later,
ostensibly to prepare for our arrival.  I could only imagine what they
might do.

My bride and I were allowed to visit a few places around America before
we climbed onto a private jet to Japan and our new home.  With a number
of security people in attendance we looked more like an unusual pair of
disparately-aged celebrities with short hair than anyone people might
recognize.

Our arrival in Japan made our visit at the hospital auditorium pale by
comparison.  Rather than be reviled and hunted down for defiling such a
young girl the first thing I saw after our jet touched down and taxied
toward one of the larger hangars was a mass of people smiling and waving
that made the crowd at the hospital look like a dull and unemotional
small office gathering.

There were dozens of brightly colored banners in both English and
Japanese fluttering in the breeze, Japanese and American flags waving
from tall poles and held in peoples' hands, and a long red carpet that
extended from inside the open hangar doors to a spot where I imagined
our jet was supposed to stop.

Keiko looked like a little girl on her birthday when she stared out of
the window at all the people, and she kept giggling and doing her best
to jump up and down in her seat in glee.  I think I was happier because
of how she felt than any fame I might receive from what we did.

Just as it happened at the hospital auditorium all manner of Japanese
officials made a series of speeches in Keiko's native language and
congratulated both Keiko and me for having accomplished our mission, or
at least that's what my young bride told me with an expression that
hinted at her level of glee all over her face.  To make sure everyone
knew that my young wife and I were allowed to conduct our lives in peace
we were the participants in yet another wedding, this one more familiar
to Keiko than me.  It appeared Keiko would be the only bride who got to
enjoy her wedding three different times that year, and by the expression
on her face she probably wouldn't have minded if she had to repeat the
experience a dozen more times.

More papers were presented and signed after the service, more witnesses
were asked and shown where to counter-sign, and after I embarrassed
myself with a poorly crafted speech in English Keiko had a chance to
prove that she was much more confident speaking her native language than
mine.  Each time she began to speak the sounds of the throng of people
died down until it almost sounded like the inside of a church just after
someone farted.  By her facial expressions, the way she kept gripping my
hands as I stood next to her, and the frequent trembles that washed
through her body I got the impression that Keiko was filled with both
intense pride and deep anxiety.  And yet each time the area was quiet
she gathered her courage and amended her previous statement with yet
more.  My chubby little Nihonjin wife was a powerhouse of strength and
seemed to enjoy her popularity more than she might have imagined.

By the end of the ceremony I could tell my preteen wife was starting to
feel the effects of our long jet ride and the excitement of our most
recent public celebration, but in spite of it all she still kept a broad
smile on her face and did her best to be polite to everyone.  She even
insisted we walk in front of the long line of people who were standing
near the entry of the hangar and waving either flags or small signs with
Keiko's and my names on them and Japanese greetings or wishes for a
happy marriage.

It was my mother-in-law who whispered what many of the banners and small
hand-held signs said, and with Keiko's father escorting my wife my new
mom seemed to be just as excited as her daughter was by the time she was
gripping my right upper arm, whispering into my right ear, and doing her
best to point to a particularly well crafted poster as it was being
waved back and forth.  Being asked to autograph it by the young woman
brandishing a lovely smile behind one cupped hand might have appeared
strange to anyone else, because I didn't feel as if I was any more a
celebrity than I did a year before, but my mother-in-law urged me to do
so, and I couldn't help but make both women smile.

The moment Keiko saw what I was doing she tugged her dad along, sidled
up to my left side, bowed to the young woman who'd crafted her display,
and then used a broad black marker to place her name in Kanji directly
under mine.  The creator of the sign looked even happier than Keiko did
while she was still belted into her seat of the jet when she saw how
many people had come to welcome us.  To finish out the miniature show
one of the security people was handed a camera, and with Keiko and her
parents alongside us the young woman did her best to keep her sign up
while the rest of us gathered around in front of her.  To make sure she
was allowed to be in prominent view I knelt down next to Keiko, checked
to confirm the young woman's face was clearly seen, and then had a photo
snapped.  The moment our visitor had a chance to see the image in her
camera's LCD display she burst into tears and almost fell to the ground
in excitement.  Keiko and her mother helped the excited lady to her
feet, bowed respectfully, and then shook her hand.

From then on we were inveigled to autograph everything in sight,
including an older teen's t-shirt that had already been nearly covered
with all manner of other signatures, most likely of famous people.
Keiko giggled nearly constantly while signing signs, placards, scraps
of paper, and a few hats.  It felt good to see her reap the rewards of
having nearly died in space a number of times.

I think we were more honored than the many people we greeted, bowed to,
and shook hands with, but I imagined more than one man or teen boy was
anxious to steal away with my little Nihonjin wife from a few of their
facial expressions.  I was glad our security team was close by after I
recognized what their wordless declarations hinted at.  Thankfully
nobody tried to repeat what the hospital employee attempted, and with
our new Japanese security team I felt confident nobody would be that
foolish.

It took a while, but we were eventually allowed to climb into a limo and
ride with Keiko's family away from the airport.

Just as Keiko's mother had said the place provided for us was like
nothing I could have imagined.  It wasn't just private, it was huge!

The property was surrounded by very tall walls, but with all the lush
gardens, trees, and greenery around the residence we weren't able to see
the impressive concrete barriers unless we walked up to them and teased
the verdant tangle away.  In spite of the nature of our protective
fortifications we didn't feel as if we were prisoners, but royalty.

The first night in our new place really seemed strange, because instead
of being confined inside a small metal tube filled with all manner of
electronic devices and our reliable urine collection and recycling unit
we had thousands of square feet of lavish accommodations, beautiful
furniture, elegant decorations, the finest china, crystal, and silver,
and every possible personal amenity.  But rather than looking gaudy or
pretentious it suggested an understated opulence that implied a level of
sophistication neither Keiko nor I had seen or been accustomed to.

We were so tired by the end of that first long day in Keiko's home
country the only thing we felt comfortable doing was sitting in a
cauldron of bubbling hot water for a while and make out in near total
darkness.  For me to slowly and passionately make love to my sexy and
very passionate young wife and feel her writhing on my lap while she
moaned made everything else seem so unimportant.  For me to make her
whimper and eventually squeal after I'd had my face between her chubby
thighs long enough filled me with a kind of contentment that no amount of
money could improve upon.  The feel of her small hands around the back
of my head or her short digits gripping my ears while she pulled my face
as hard as she could into her pussy afforded me a kind of pleasant pain
that I'd crave for the rest of my life.

Once I'd exhausted every measure of her strength and she had no more
resistance to anything I did she was dried, lifted into my arms naked,
and then carried to our posh bedroom.  Instead of slipping her feet into
a bland gray sleeping bag I worked Keiko's sexy naked toes between the
fine sheets of a huge king sized bed.  After we were both tucked in
place and she was pulled tight to my body with me right behind her I
worked my still inflamed cock between her cheeks and slipped it into
place with her plump thighs astride my manhood.  Rather than fuck my
bride like a whore I chose to keep us locked together in a motionless
display of affection that forever cemented our union.  For Keiko to push
back into my hips and squeeze her thighs around my dick proved she was
just as horny as I was, even in her sleep.  I fell asleep while sawing
back and forth between her legs in a slow and almost indiscernible
movement with the top of my cock teasing at her plump nether lips and
at the entrance to her vagina.

It didn't take long after we moved in before I saw a need in my young
wife that couldn't be explained away.  In spite of her silence I could
tell Keiko wanted to ask me to invite her family to see us, so after I
suggested it she called her mom and invited them over in a couple of
days.  That should give us plenty of time to have sex in every room
first.

Lying naked on a wide chaise lounge on our patio, sipping on mango
nectar, and munching on some crunchy Japanese snacks while holding Keiko
and basking under a living canopy of green might have seemed perfectly
normal had it not been for her masturbating me while she talked to her
mom on the phone.  It felt so good, she'd done her best to get me
excited, and I was in too great a need much more quickly than she might
have anticipated, because in spite of who was on the phone with her I
urged my wife to roll over so I could tease her thighs apart from behind
and slip my cock into place.  But rather than just tease her and afford
myself a little pleasure I gently worked the end of my cock into that
delicate crease that I'd enjoyed so many times already and worked my
dick inside her steaming pussy while Keiko tried to keep up a normal
conversation with her mom about their being invited to visit us.

It looked hideously erotic for Keiko to be lying naked chest down, arch
her back, push her butt out to invite her husband's thrusts, and be on
the phone to one of her parents.  I could have fucked her like a little
slut that morning, and she probably wouldn't have minded, but her mother
didn't need to know every detail of her daughter's morning routine.  The
moment she dropped the phone to the floor and grunted I held nothing
back and pounded my chubby little spouse until she was crying out with
excited passion.  Her petite body looked so sexy as it jerked and
twitched as the greatest of her orgasm peaked, and I took great pride in
gripped my wife's hips and drove my cock as far inside her vagina as I
could reach.  But it was what she said even before the last few tremors
of her cum faded that told me just how hungry Keiko was.

"Tru ... Tru ... Truman!  Please make that feeling last as long as you
can, husband ... please!"

The fancy chaise lounge was nice, but our whirlpool tub was nicer, so
after some complicated moves that should have required an instruction
manual I lifted Keiko into my arms and carried her there.  The moment we
were both nestled inside and I looked into her eyes my wife whispered
something that nearly drove me insane.

"Fuck me, Truman.  Fuck me like the little slut I've always kept hidden
inside until the love of my life was able to tease it out."

Each time she was close to orgasm I worked my index and middle fingers
over her clitoris and while stabbing repeatedly into her tight pussy I
used my digits to masturbate her while we kissed.  Keiko seemed to melt
into my arms every time she had a delicious cum, and to prove I had no
superiority to her needs she'd hug me for a while, then look deep into
my eyes, and grin up at me as if to invite further abuse.  She got it
until she eventually asked me to stop.

"Ohhh, Truman!  I don't want to, but I have to stop for a little while.
Please promise me we can do this some more later, okay?"

Holding her tight to my body and arching my back so I could push my cock
as far into her pussy as I could I whispered into the top of her head.

"We can make love as often and for as long as you want to, Baby.  We're
home now, and while in our home you're free to do as you wish."

"Truman?"

"Uh huh?"

She remained quiet for a little while which told me she needed to share
something that might be troubling to her, so I held her tight, kissed
her head, and then whispered.

"You can tell me when you're ready, Kitten."

During dinner and while I was enjoying some truly delicious sashimi with
fresh Wasabi and soy sauce Keiko snuggled her way onto my lap and again
hinted that she needed to ask me something.

"What, Kitten?"

"Did you like it when ... when my cousins were visiting us at the
hospital?"

If Keiko had seen the lust in my eyes when I remembered what Haruko and
Yuri did and permitted on our hospital bed she might have had second
thoughts about bringing that subject up.

"Kitten ... if you're concerned that I was the least bit offended about
what you did with your cousins ... well, you don't need to be.  If you'd
like to spend some time with one or both of your lesbian lovers then
I'll give you all the room and time you need, okay?"

"You ... you aren't angry with me because I have ... a special need?"

"No, Kitten, I'm not the least bit angry.  In fact ... I think it looked
pretty hot for my lovely wife to be naked and sexing her younger
cousins."

"Perv!"

"Uh huh ... and you have no problem surrendering to that perv, do you,
young lady?"

"Tee-hee!  Nope!"

"Would you like to invite your cousins over, Sweetie?"

"Well ... "

"I think I see where this is going.  How about if I made arrangements to
have one or two of the extra bedrooms near ours prepared for their
arrival in a little while?"

"You ... you wouldn't mind if we ... they ... "

"As long as you don't mind me watching."

Keiko pulled my right ear close to her mouth and breathed her thoughts
right into my brain, from where they went straight to my dick less than
a microsecond later.   

"You can do more than just watch if Haruko feels horny."

A moment later Keiko pushed me onto my back, but what she did after that
seemed both strange and very special.  Once I was lying facing the
ceiling and she was sitting on my hips she gathered a few small dishes
that we'd been eating from, set them onto my chest, and proceeded to
feed me little tidbits of tender fish, rice, and a few vegetables with
her hashi.  Staring up into her face and enjoying her lovely smile my
ears beheld sounds that I could never have imagined.

"My handsome and brave husband is going to have a great time here in my
home country.  You'll get to see as many lovely sights as you wish, and
a few of them will be perfectly happy to take their kimonos off, too."

Once she fed me my fill she placed all of the empty dishes back onto the
small low table and leaned forward over me.

"I love you, Truman ... more and more each day."

"I love you too, Kitten, and with each day that goes by I'm amazed that
I was lucky enough to have brain cancer so I could take you away with me
to the far reaches of the solar system and do lots of naughty things to
your lovely body."

"Tee-Hee!  Perv!"

We spent the rest of that evening touching, kissing, and exploring each
other as if it was our first time.  By the time we were in bed she was
exhausted, her lips were quivering from the totality of my abuse, and
she had a winsome smile on her face that hinted at absolute contentment.

Keiko's parents arrived that next weekend with no more than a single
suitcase, and when my wife saw just how little they'd brought she seemed
disappointed for a moment.  Being hugged by her father and mother
changed her sentiment almost as quickly, and my parents-in-law were
greeted and welcomed into our new place.

They seemed absolutely fascinated and walked around the house as if they
were afraid to touch anything.  Even though they'd been told about the
place it appeared by their wide eyes and stark stares that any prior
notions of luxury were well understated.

We ate a traditional if opulent dinner with her folks that Saturday
evening, and after our meal we settled into a room filled with all sorts
of comfortable and plush furniture.  Rather than assume any familiar
behavior with my young wife I opted to be respectful to her folks, had
Keiko sit next to me rather than on my lap, and never did anything that
might embarrass them.  They noticed almost immediately, and her mom
blushed while she spoke to Keiko in clear English, obviously for my
benefit.

"Keiko-san ... now that you are in your home in Japan your husband does
not need to be afraid to ... to show you love any longer.  Your father
was embarrassed because of where you were and who might see when you
were in that American hospital, but you are in your private world here,
and ... well ... "

My mother-in-law turned to face me more fully and looked me right in the
eyes as if she wanted me to be absolutely sure I understood her.

"My son, Truman-sama ... you may hold your wife and love her in any
manner that you wish.  My husband and I will not be offended if you wish
to show your love to our daughter because you are now safe and protected
in your own private place.  Please do not feel any shame for wishing to
please her or yourself, and if we are a little embarrassed at how tender
and ... and personal you wish to treat our Keiko-san, then we will
excuse ourselves for a short while."

All I had to do was look at my father-in-law for him to give me a little
grin and nod, but I had to hear him share his thoughts, so I waited
while looking right at him.  It didn't take long before he got the hint.

"Truman-sama ... Son ... as my wife has said, now that you are inside
your own home in Japan you may love your wife in any manner you wish.
I can no longer offer my suggestions about how others may see what you
do, so ... please do not be reluctant to treat your wife as you wish."

I looked down into Keiko's stare, she grinned up at me with a crimson
glow all over her face, and we seemed to understand just what we'd be
allowed to do.  I reached around her body, pulled her onto my lap so she
was sitting sideways, made sure her short skirt covered just enough of
her hips and panties to be mindful of her folks sensibilities, gave her
a nice hug, kissed her on the lips once, and then turned to her parents.

"Thank you, Mom and Dad.  I can't go through my day without holding and
kissing my lovely Nihonjin kitten at least every five minutes, so I
guess as long as I don't do anything that a nasty Gaijin might I'll keep
her as close to my heart as I can.  I'll just be sure and mindful of
where my hands go."

Keiko smacked my right arm with only enough force to create a pitiful
sound, giggled, and then hugged me as she whispered.

"Tee-Hee ... Perv!"

We visited for a while, they congratulated us on our having 'come home'
to Japan, and complimented us on our new home.  That was my cue to offer
them a second and more intimate tour.

Her folks were shown around the huge house again, and when they saw just
how immense and even a little empty it appeared I saw a look in my
mother-in-law's eyes that I recognized.  That was my cue to offer
something that none of them might have considered before.

"Mom ... Dad ... I think Keiko would be very happy for her parents to be
close, so ... would you honor us and share part of our new home?"

I'd have thought by their reaction that I'd asked to fuck their daughter
in their presence, because both of them did their best to shake their
heads hard enough for them to snap off and wave their hands back and
forth in front of their bodies to wave off a freight train.

"No, No, No!  We cannot invade your privacy like this!"

With Keiko gripping one of my arms and staring up into my eyes with an
expression that hinted at intense need I responded as only a loving
husband of an affectionate and appreciative wife should.

"Nonsense!  This place is big enough for *lots* of people to live in, so
I won't take no for an answer.  If you love your daughter and respect
your son-in-law you'll honor us by moving into our ... your new home."

Keiko might have silently hinted she liked the idea of her mom and dad
being close enough to visit and still be far enough away so we didn't
embarrass ourselves, but it was when she began to jump up and down while
holding onto my right arm that eliminated all doubt.  Once her parents
saw how excited their daughter was at the idea they relented and nodded.

With her folks nestled into a large bedroom suite at the opposite end of
our new house later that day I was the immediate recipient of lots of
hugs until Keiko pulled me toward our huge whirlpool tub.  It was
obvious while my bride was humping me that Keiko loved the idea of being
close to her family, and she took on the precious demeanor of a little
girl on Christmas morning ... if that little girl was whimpering and
mewling while being sexed by a guy twice her age.

The next day was an exploration in Japanese lifestyle and a sharing of
cultures.  Keiko's mom was an excellent cook, and Keiko seemed to take
on her mom's talents when both women were crafting each meal.  The
weekend was over far sooner than any of us wanted, but with her parents
no more than an hour or two away for a little while longer we all knew
our new house would sound more like a home than some huge castle with
only a king and queen to occupy it.

It took another two weeks, but soon enough Keiko's parents began to move
their possessions into our shared kingdom.  In spite of all the fine
furniture and glamorous personal possessions available they preferred to
maintain a less showy lifestyle and made their bedroom, small kitchen,
living area, and bathroom more like their former home appeared.  After
everything was moved into place and the four of us sat down in their
part of our house it must have seemed to Keiko as if she'd never left
home.  Keiko's mom preferred to feed her husband and son-in-law a modest
meal of vegetables, rice, some crunchy treats, and plenty of green tea,
and in keeping with their normal routine I took on the demeanor of a
polite guest in their residence.

Sunday was spent in quiet observance of a day of rest and reflection,
but Sunday evening was spent walking the grounds and taking in the
sights and smells of a vast ten acre green and flower-filled playground.
For me to chase Keiko across one of the wide lawns and for her parents
to hear her squealing and laughing brought a smile to their faces, in
spite of how readily I was to treat my young wife like a little girl
rather than some sophisticated college grad.  But when I challenged her
to climb one or two of the nearest trees I saw a brief flash of concern
on the faces of my wife's parents.

It was obvious they didn't like for her to venture up into the strong
branches of the tree I'd chosen, either because they believed it would
endanger her safety, or possibly because it would undermine the way they
raised her to be more studious and less like a little girl.  Since we
were in my domain and I was the king of my new Japanese castle I chose
to ignore their few stares and glares in favor of staring up under the
bottom hem of my wife's short skirt and at her cute panties after she
scampered into the leafy tangle directly above me.

As I anticipated Keiko was able to climb faster and higher than I was,
and while surrounded by the thick overgrowth of leaves and branches and
supporting herself with her feet and legs splayed I looked up her chubby
lower limbs and stared almost mindlessly at the fullness of her pantied
charms.  I took a peek down to see if her folks could see us, and
because of the greenery and growing darkness I was assured my actions
wouldn't be observed, so I climbed a bit higher, positioned my face
along the front of her full thighs, and pressed my mouth onto her quim.

Keiko flinched for a moment and went quiet, and I got the distinct
impression that she was far more embarrassed than surprised.  But when
she arched her back a little, cocked her thighs out a little further,
and pushed into my face I knew she liked the idea of her husband
pressing his mouth onto her pantied Mons Veneris.  It was careless for
me to do it, but the need was too strong and the opportunity too easy,
so with one hand clutching a strong branch I used the other one to tug
the leg elastic of her panties to the side so I could slip my tongue
into her tight vulvar cleft and worked the tip of my lingual tool
against her clitoris.

My darling young bride might have survived multiple near-death
experiences in space, but she wasn't prepared to feel a grown man work
his tongue in tight and determined circles over her most sensitive
erogenous zone while she was standing with her legs apart fifteen or
twenty feet in a tree.  The hold I had of her panties and the way I
licked her clit wasn't quite as good as I'd have liked, so I leaned back
a little, Keiko pushed into my face, and with her parents somewhere
beneath us and out of sight I pulled my wife's panties down to the
middle of her thighs, leaned forward again, and with my free hand
cupping her plump fanny my tongue easily found and then subdued the
tender and extremely sensitive pleasure bump that belonged only to me.

The breeze shifted the upper limbs of the tree just enough for Keiko to
have to hang on with both hands, so there was no way she could push my
face away from her pussy.  That allowed me to feast on my Nihonjin bride
at leisure, and for the next few minutes I traced as many letters of the
English alphabet onto her pleasure center.  If I'd started to learn
Kanji I might have been tempted to show her what I'd been able to
remember.  For me to give her a quick cum as the cool air surrounded us
while we were perched in a tree and her parents walked back to the house
wasn't exactly the smartest thing to do, but it certainly was one of the
nicest.  My chubby lover literally painted my face with her oily salve
when she orgasmed, and I lapped at her vaginal opening and licked her
from ass to clit until she couldn't take anymore and whimpered.

"True ... Truman!  Please ... no more, Husband!"

After we climbed out of the tree we walked for a few feet before I could
see Keiko's knees about to give way, so I picked her up bridal style and
carried her the rest of the way to the house.  As soon as her mother saw
me from the patio with Keiko in my arms the woman smiled, turned around,
and went into the house.  Nothing more was said about what we'd done or
why I'd wanted to coax Keiko into a tree, and I was glad I didn't have
to explain to my new parents that I was just making my young bride feel
good.  After a brief visit with Keiko's parents they disappeared to
their part of the house and left me and my wife alone to enjoy our time
together.

My father-in-law might have been convinced to accept a completely
relaxed lifestyle and retire, but when Monday morning came around he did
as he had for years and got ready for work.  It was obvious he took
pride in his job and chose to drive to work that morning as he had for
years, and in spite of what Keiko might have wanted she didn't hamper
his need to feel important and worthwhile.  After her father left I knew
I had new responsibilities to my bride and began to think of ways to
make her happy.

So many things had been denied Keiko in her developmental years because
of her parents' need for her to be successful, but with me around she
was treated more like a little girl than a brilliant child prodigy.  I
arranged to have a number of animals brought to a small area of our
private compound for a few hours so my giggly little wife could pet and
visit with them.  Included in the menagerie was a bright white miniature
horse that looked as if it lived better than we did, a few floppy-eared
rabbits that were as soft as silk, a petite Vietnamese pot bellied pig
that loved to have its back scratched and be fed rice cakes, and a
parrot that could dance and sing better than I could.  To see Keiko
gesticulating as if she had wings, wiggling back and forth, giggling,
and hearing her sing along with the parrot filled me with tremendous
happiness.  Keiko had a wonderful day, and I was proud of my efforts to
fill her heart with as much joy as she filled mine.

She might have been far more intelligent than most of the people we knew
back at the hospital, but I still saw a need in her to keep her mental
skills honed, so along with plenty of play went lots of school related
activities.  For me to be involved or at least tight to her side or
under her bum made what could have been boring less so for my wife.
None of the professional instructors or tutors I hired were the least
offended by how close we were, and I could see a sense of worship
bestowed unto Keiko not only for her aptitude, but also for her fame.

Each day ended as it might have when Keiko was living at home.  We had
a delicious Japanese meal, the guys helped in the kitchen with the
dishes afterward, and once the scullery duties were complete the four of
us settled into a communal entertainment room to visit.

In spite of Keiko having her parents with her I could see that secret
hunger building in her body that couldn't be satisfied or suppressed any
other way, so while we were sitting in our pool one evening after her
folks went to bed I whispered into my wife's ear.

"Let's bring Haruko and Yuri over for a visit.  What do you say?"

Rather than say anything my bride proved she liked the idea by pushing
me backward until I was lying on the warm concrete outside the pool, and
she settled between my thighs with her mouth around my cock.  Keiko
always could say the right things, even if she never uttered a word.

When they arrived and were told they could visit as long as they wanted
to the place took on a very comfortable and party atmosphere.  The sound
of little girls giggling and lots of whispers behind cupped mouths might
take a while for me to get used to, but I liked the idea that my
Nihonjin bride felt more at home with her extended family than if we'd
stayed in America.  For her cousin's parents to visit made our weekends
take on a family-reunion atmosphere, and when summer arrived I was
allowed to host Keiko's cousins by themselves until school restarted.

Splashing with a bunch of little Japanese girls in a huge swimming pool
under the bright sun might have been a fantasy of mine before I found
out about my brain tumor, but romping after dark in the water with naked
little minxes after Keiko's parents had gone to bed was more than Heaven
to me.  Both Keiko and Haruko kept pushing their nude bodies into my
hands and hips, and before long and without anyone else to stop me I was
able to enjoy the softness of their developing bodies as long as I cared
to.

Yuri might not have been interested in me, but once she made her desires
known to Keiko I watched the two of them sitting in the water at the
shallow end of the pool making out.

Once Haruko knew Keiko was going to be busy for a while she pulled me to
the opposite end of the pool, took my cock in her hands, and stared into
my eyes as she masturbated me.  It didn't take long after my wife and
her younger cousin were lying on an air mattress outside the pool and
locked in a sexy '69' before Haruko tugged me close enough and wrapped
her thighs around my hips.  Any notion of impropriety was absent when
she directed the end of my dick between her thighs and right into her
tight little pussy.  With Keiko and Yuri moaning and whimpering into
each other's vulva I held a ten year old naked Japanese girl to my body
and slowly worked my cock back and forth into the most delicious little
twat ever.  Still three years from any notion of 'consent' in Japan
Haruko held nothing back as she gripped my arms hard and pulled me tight
to her body so we could enjoy some nasty rutting in the cool water of my
new pool.

It took a while, but eventually the four of us retired to the hot water
of the whirlpool.  All three of my naked Nihonjin kittens were almost
asleep by the time I helped them out, washed them with some soap, rinsed
them off, got them dry, and directed them to the beds they'd be sleeping
in.  I was tempted to invite Keiko's cousins to share our bed, but I
wasn't quite ready to take that chance with my mother-in-law and her
husband so close.  Keiko's parents would be allowed to go visit friends
or relatives soon enough, and when we had the chance I'd make Keiko's
cousins welcome then.

By the time half the summer was over it seemed as if I'd always lived in
Japan and had grown accustomed to lots of wonderful new adventures.  I
even began to grasp their language and attitudes about so many things,
and my former American life seemed just as far away as that comet pair
was so long ago.

During a quiet night when Keiko and I were lying back in our private
whirlpool bath, softly kissing, staring up at a full moon that we'd been
so close to twice, and she was nestled onto my lap with my cock stuffed
as far inside her tight pussy as I could fit, I held her face in my
hands and smiled at my newly thirteen year old wife.

"We really did it, Keiko.  After all we went through ... we actually
pulled it off.  It's still too hard to believe!"

She looked deep into my eyes for the longest time and seemed to hold
some secret inside her head that might cause her brain to explode.  It
took a while, but she eventually held my face much as I had hers and
then whispered directly into my mouth.

"Husband?"

"Yes, wife?"

"I'm pregnant.  You're gonna be a daddy."

--
Pursuant to the Berne Convention, this work is copyright with all rights
reserved by its author unless explicitly indicated.
--


  
TheVoid