Aberrant: Infinite Earth - Fiction - Episode 7: The Next Voyage (FIN)

[Hotstreak]

"Our parents often have such stories. I know mine certainly did. Though it probably wasn't really dangerous for them." He nodded. She's a lovely ship, just like her Captain, Yomiko."

He looked at the plane. "Saw one at an airshow years ago, didn't get to get so close though."

[The Traveler]

"Hmm... looks like Mom made this a two seater. You know, if I can crack this code-lock, I'll take you on a flight."

She smiled. "I can't fly unless I do some paper trickery, involves making wings for myself, or a paper airplane."

Flying over the waters near Tokyo beach in Sanctuary would be a fun trip.

She sighed. "Captain Yomiko, huh? I guess that makes you my XO. Seesh... at this rate I'll have uniforms."

Giggling she hops off the wing. "Would be fun for formal occasions to do."

She starts guiding Daniel back to the main doors. "Now comes the official stuff."

She heads down red carpeted halls until she reaches a hall that seems to be on the outer hull of the ship. Rounded doors line the hall going down to the other end.

"These are the escape pods. They line the outer port and starboard Escape Pod hallways. This is the Starboard EP hall."

She opens one that still has crayon scribbles around the door and opens it. Revealing a lot of her old belongings as a little girl in the escape pod. She gasps and walks in "Mr Tibbins!"

She reaches in and grabs an old stuffed animal, a Fox. "Daniel... meet my old friend, Mr. Tibbins. This is my old hideaway on the ship when I was a little girl." Her old school uniform was hung on one of the support handles, oddly, it matched her current size. It looked more like a Senior-Year school uniform though, so that's probably why it looked like it still fit There also was a discarded vacuum suit, some scattered rations wrappers, and some origami cranes on the floor.

She sat in one of the seats. "I was going to introduce you to the controls to the pod. It operates like an aircraft actually in control. It was designed like that for ease of piloting. The total compliment of escape pods could hold 50,000 people... but I've never seen more than 20 on record on-board this ship. A lot of the room used for luxuries was at one time sub-divided to carry a much larger compliment. But my Mom kept the escape pods."

She sat back. "My Mom and Dad even used EP1 as a shuttle craft in the Battle of Phoenix Universe."

"You know... sometimes when I want some quiet, I come back to here. To... clear my head."

[Hotstreak]

"Well it's good to see the escape pods don't see much use. I like a good safe ship." He smiled, "I can fly unassisted, and I love doing so, it's alot of fun. One day, I can take you flying."

He looked at her. "Well if you need help with that, I'll do whatever I can." He nodded, "So your parents got so powerful they effectively retired eh, Moving onto to the next level."

He smiled. "I'm glad they didn't leave you all the answers. I'd not have met you, and I think that would be boring."

[The Traveler]

"Not retired... she is continuing her voyage. As She and my Father said, they were leaving the continuum. I am not sure for how long, but..."

She got up and straightened herself, trying to keep herself calm, but her facade shatters and she falls into Daniel's arms. A sobbing mess.

"I don't think they're coming back... I saw it with mother's eyes... she knew something..."

"I didn't want them to leave."

[Hotstreak]

He stroked her hair as his arms enfolded her. "It's okay Yomiko, when it's just us, you don't have to put up a facade. it's okay to miss your folks. I still miss mine."

"If they told you they'll return they will. If not well one day, when we're ready, we can follow them." He was surpisingly strong, and a gentle warmth suffused the air around him, and flowed from him into her, as he tried to soothe her.

[The Traveler]

She took a moment, to have Daniel this close reminded her that they are two of a Multi-Gogolplex of sentient beings throughout the continuum.

"I'm... thank you, Daniel." She said, smiling.

She stood up and dried her eyes, collecting her old uniform and her stuffed animal.

"I sometimes like to wear my old school uniform, for memory's sake." She sighed, but when she finds a old, beaten blue diary, she picks it up and thumbs through it.

"This... looks like my Mother's diary?!" She pages to the front.

"This is what I leave behind for posterity. One day, I may pass on, or leave never to return, or perhaps just be gone for a very, very long time. As such, I should leave this here. This is something that is a record of something left to me by a fellow wandering traveler herself. Before she disappeared beyond the continuum. She told me someday I will want to pass this on, as she did I."

She blinked. Paging through there were numbers and equations, and other strange, crazy things written on it's pages with geometric and circular patterns interwoven into the diagrams and equations.

"My god..."

Daniel looks up from her utterance. "I understand a few equations here... but... I'm not sure what the rest are... or where to start... wait... that's... a jump coordinate... and another... and linked by these circles! This isn't just some diary it's a atlas! With notes scribbled in the margins!"

She held to Daniel with a schoolgirlish glee. "Daniel! I think we got a path to follow through the woods! My Mother found it and she passed it to me! Once we stop in Brittania... it's time to explore!"

[Hotstreak]

He smiled. "See, I told you so."

He pat her back softly. "I'll go with you, if you'll let me." He looked into her eyes and nodded, the sentiment was totally genuine.

[The Traveler]

She was lost in Daniel's eyes and for a moment... she felt... normal.

"You know... head back to your quarters... in 15 minutes I expect you to be in swim trunks. Three will show you the way to the pool." She says with a grin.

"Can you swim?"

She smiled, showing a warm concern.

[Hotstreak]

"I'm from Louisiana, I swim better than most fish." He smiled. "You too, one of those new ones you thought I didn't see you buying when we all went shopping."

He released her and walked her back to where their rooms were, going inside and getting a towel, and putting on his trunks, sandals and a t-shirt. He came out, and head for the pool, knowing she might take a little longer.

[The Traveler]

Yomiko was giggling as she started changing.

"Miss Hino, What will you wear this evening?"

"How about that one blue number I got from Daniel's world."

"Oh... daring choice."

"And I'll be wearing my yellow snorkel vest and gear. I feel like being lazy today."

She starts putting everything on. "Although your requirements do not need the aid of a flotation device, Mistress."

"No... but as I said, I'm calling in lazy."

She grabs her flippers and puts her mask on her brow and starts for her door. "What is the water temperature?"

"A perfect Caribbean 80 degrees Fahrenheit."

"Sweet. Okay be ready to drop a life preserver if Daniel gets in trouble."

She giggles as she walks to the pool. When she arrives seeing Daniel made her smile.

"Hey! Looking good. I do have that Blue swim suit on, but I was wanting t0 do some lazy floating today before bed anyways. I'm semi-buoyant normally as is, a bit of a mutation from my Mother's side of the family... but it's a bit embarrassing when I use it."

She starts puffing up her vest. "Not that I can't swim. I can very well."

She grins. "If you don't wanna feel left out I can run back and grab a spare."

[Hotstreak]

"Don't need one, My dad taught me how the old fashioned way." He took off his shirt and chuckled, wondering how she'd react to this. Aside from her Father, Daniel was the most breathtaking man she'd ever seen. He was perfectly toned and clean cut, as he ran towards the pool and jumped in, enjoying the water's Carribbean warmth. he rose from the water glistening with tiny droplets and smiled at her, the epitome of Hot, personified. "I promise I won't bite... hard, or dunk you, more than once, unless you earn it."

[The Traveler]

Yomiko smiled and after putting her fins on, hopped in. He notices something odd... She dived in with a style similar to a professional diver. In fact, he saw it when he saw some SEAL divers practicing once.

When she bobs back up, supported by her face, she swims over.

"By the way, I had 4 years training with some of the best military divers on the planet. My Mom's planet but still."

She smiled and hugged him. "If you get tired, you can hold on to me."

[Hotstreak]

he smiled, looking at everything she had one. "Yomiko, do you really need all of that?"

His voice was slightly disappointed, even with her arms around him. "really, I don't think you need it all in an indoor pool, especially with me here." His tone was soft and reassuring mostly. "Though if it's fun for you go for it."

[The Traveler]

She unbuckles her vest and takes it off, setting it aside while treading water.

"No it's not needed."

Having Daniel there suddenly made her feel she had something to prove. "I was just being lazy today. I was trying to just relax."

Ruffling his hair she giggled. "Silly... What's fun for me is when I can relax. I'm just here to enjoy us... I would hope that you are doing the same that's all."

She leaned back and floated on her own. "So... Daniel. Something I was meaning to ask... If there ever was... something... out there that we encountered... if it intended to destroy all life on some world somewhere... and we were the only ones who could stop it... would you stand by me to help stop it?"

[Hotstreak]

"Well assuming We can't convince it to stop by other means, of course. There's people and even places that are important I want to protect."

"I'd be honored to help you if you need it, but I hope it's not wrong of me to wish I'd not have to walk the path of destruction like that, or you."

"You're a kind young lady, and I'd hope you never need to make that sort of decision." he floated next to her and smiled. "Sonja and only a few others rubbed his hair like that, and he found he liked it just as much still.

"Planning on encountering some world destroying evil?"

[The Traveler]

"It is entirely possible... the 5th Dimensionals, the Animal-kind, the disciples of the former Headmistress, god forbid any remnant of the Hive... if they are still out there."

"Then there's unknown factors... I'm a captain of a trans-dimensional starship. There's disasters I may have to assist in, diplomatic missions I may attend... It's not all saving the world and fighting bad guys."

"Heck, might actually make some friends on the side."

She swims back to her vest and starts putting it on again. She smiled. "In a way, I'm a superheroine. For lack of a better term."

[Hotstreak]

He smiled stopping her from putting the vest on by putting his arms around her. "At your Core though, you're a woman, Yomiko, a single woman in all the multiverse. One person cannot be expected or manage to support the responsibility alone."

He hugged her to him. There's no need to try. "Don't look for trouble, but help where you find it, and I will stand with you."

He smiled. "Exloration has many meanings, and there are many frontiers that are unknown."

[The Traveler]

She put a finger on Daniel's mouth to silence him for a moment. "I'm one woman, but I'm a mad woman with a time-traveling raft."

She grinned, then kissed Daniel. He feels the entirety of Yomiko's chest expand a bit.

"And at least... you'll not drown with me around."

"In case of a water landing your captain may be used as a flotation device." She says with a smile. "I... actually saved someone. My Brother actually. Kamina. He got struck in the head and knocked unconscious. Since someone that's knocked out can't adapt, he was about to drown so... I grabbed a oxygen bottle and swam down to him and with a single breath-in, I shot up to the surface with Kamina in tow."

"Yeah... air bladders. I'm like a fish that way..."

[Hotstreak]

He smiled kissing her back, then felt her breasts grow a size and a half. "Well that's an interesting mutation."He lightly poked a finger into the much more exposed flesh, feeling it every bit as supple as the rest of her.

He chuckled. "That's a trick with lots of naughty little ideas attached."

He reached down underwater to rub the small of her back. "I have some of my own, but I don't think we're there yet."

"A paper fish eh?"

[The Traveler]

She giggled. "Come on, Daniel."

She decides to push her vest away again and lays back... what he did... felt good.

"Of all my time, Daniel... I... I've never felt this close... except to my family. But not even like this."

"I'm glad I crashed into you."

[Hotstreak]

"he smiled "We haven't "crashed" into each other yet, Yomiko, though the idea has crossed my mind at least a few times." He teased her as he swam next to her, relaxing, and warming the water even more, though not unpleasantly. "Though if there's a hottub on this ship we might be lost to it."

He snuck in close to nip her ear gently, then swam away , waiting to see how far she wanted to go.

"I enjoy our time together too, and I'm glad I'm not in the family zone of your heart, you certainly aren't in mine." His tone made it clear this was not a bad thing, it was good, and that he preferred it this way.

[The Traveler]

She sat back up and held Daniel. "We can breathe water, you and I, correct?"

She smiled and locked lips with him again, holding him a little tighter.

"You are capable of adapting? I find the water is as close... and to a Nova much safer... than being outside of a spaceship in zero gravity. Wanna go under with me?"

[Hotstreak]

He nodded. "Considering my power, and fire's effect on oxygen, yess I can adapt." He smiled "Got something planned, Yomiko?" He wanted to see what she was going to do, wondering in small part what he'd gotten himself into. He chuckled. "Sure,"

[The Traveler]

She held to Daniel. "Now, just let yourself submerge..."

She started releasing air from her air bladders through her nose and exhalation. They indeed started sinking until they were just up to their chins. She kissed him one last time. "Here we go."

One last exhalation and she started to pull Daniel under, the look on her face said; "come on, you silly boy!"

[Hotstreak]

he allowed her to pull him under, and smiled, mouthing "Now what?" with an almost teasing lilt, as he rubbed her hand holding him idly. He seemed oddly at home in water for someone who controlled fire, like he was accustomed to it.

He swam as he forced the air from his lungs to relieve his own buoyancy, waiting to see if this was all she had in mind.

[The Traveler]

Yomiko started kissing him. Caressing him. She stroked his cheek then swam back, smiling.

In the water she seemed like some sort of dream. She wasn't superhuman, but she was like a master in the water. The look on her face, even with her goggles down still showed a beauty. Something new. Like someone observing the world for the first time without any filter. But she also looked pensive, unsure. She acted like she wanted Daniel, but wasn't sure how to express it, or knew she was doing it right.

Yomiko used the CO2 and Nitrogen that built up in her lungs to regulate her buoyancy. She hung there perfectly still in the water. With the fins on her feet, she looked like a true mermaid.

She mouthed "Paper Fish huh?" with a wink.

To her this was effortless, and she seemed... exotic, that way. A genius intellect, a wonderful, frightening starship, and a curiosity that is unquenchable.

She holds out her arms to welcome Daniel to her.

[Hotstreak]

Her teasing him surprised him but he moved in like a shark, gliding to her with no effort. He took her face in his hands and kissed her deeply, His hands moved easily, one down to her rump, squeezing softly as his other held her to him, as her hair was like a black nova under the water. He pulled back and looked down, and smiled before mouthing "More?" His hands were caressing her rumpand back now, and he silently wondered where this would end, if it even would.

[The Traveler]

Yomiko returned his motions by matching him. She carefully regulated the air in her to accommodate the weight. She stroked him, town his back with both hands until when she reached his rump she grinned with a smile that showed perfect teeth. She kissed him again for a long time. He then felt himself drift to the surface with her as she dumped as much waste air into herself as possible. When they surfaced together she was breathing harder, holding on, as if her life depended on it. Her eyes were closed. She felt weak, enough to instinctively reach for her vest again and puts it on with a swift motion.

She moaned after she bit her lip. "I think there... I... need a few minutes." Her blush was a deep red as she moved her hands down to herself.

"I need to go to the... bathroom."

She breaks off and swims for a set of doors in the room marked Men and Women. "I'll just be a minute or two."

When she put her hands on the poolside she takes another moment to seemingly catch her breath. "Make that... three..."

She pulls herself up and waddles due to her fins on her feet to the bathroom. Yomiko thanks god the doors were soundproof.

After almost three minutes she steps back out her fins in hand, her goggles on her forehead. She walks over to the edge and sits, dangling her feet. "I'm sorry... if that felt like I killed the moment there..." She looked away. But she just wasn't ready. Not yet. She had a look of being a bit spent, but her eyes still shined with her usual energy. "I... really, REALLY enjoyed that."

[Hotstreak]

He smiled, and knew exactly what had happened, he could smell the results. Still he remained in the water though he moved near to her when she came back.

"I just hope you're okay. That was a very pleasant surprise I was enjoying."

He reached up and stroked her calf lightly. "There's no rush for anything, Yomiko. There's plenty of time, and believe me, It's alright."

"We can continue later, when you feel ready, not before that."

[The Traveler]

She held on to her vest, hugging herself. She was more ashamed of herself allowing her base, carnal instincts take hold so easily.

"I'm sorry... I... if I was too... commandeering in this matter, I sincerely apologize for my behavior..."

His caress re-ignites her feelings. "I..." She places her hand on his, and squeezes it. "...I'm..."

Her holding back her emotions was painful. She hops back into the water and hugs Daniel again. "I was being improper... I shouldn't have done that to a guest... a friend..."

[Hotstreak]

He smiled to her. "I liked it and enjoyed it, Yomiko. It's been awhile for me."

"I'll accept the apology though it's not needed at all." He hugged her back. "I didn't expect to have such an effect on you, so it's my fault."

He pat the small of her back. "Did you enjoy it?"

"If so then no harm no foul, Yomiko, because I did too."

He kissed her nose softly, his hotness plainly evident, and nodded. "I think it best if we wait before going much further, so you're more comfortable with it." Genuine concern and desire for her happiness rang in his voice.

[The Traveler]

Was she... actually right? She smiled and kissed Daniel again as she bobbed in the water.

"I would like that, Daniel. A lot. Thank you."

She climbs back out. "I'm actually feeling like bed. We'll have breakfast before arrival. I'm sure you're up for that?"

She stretched out after collecting her things. "I'll be honest, I sometimes sleep in the pool when I need to relax. Hence the vest. But I feel like sleeping in my bed tonight."

She smiled. "I... hope you're not feeling bad over this. I did, indeed enjoy this... it's just... new."

[Hotstreak]

He smiled. "For your first time, you did well." He climbed out treating her ton another view of his perfect form, before toweling off and putting his shirt back on. "Bed is good, though I'll be up awhile reading still. Breakfast in the morning sounds great."

He escorted her to their rooms, before kissing her a final time. "Goodnight, Yomiko, pleasant dreams." Then he turned and went into his room.

[The Traveler]

Yomiko smiled before Daniel went to his quarters as she entered her room.

Feeling like she did she just flopped on her bed, and curled up with a blanket. To hell with being wet. She wanted to rest.

She hugged her little plush fox. "This was quite a day... Mr. Tibbins."

In a few moments, after turning off her lights, she called it a night. The hum of the ship that was now hers, singing her a lullaby to sleep. In a way... she heard her mother's voice still in the background of the ship's mechanisms. It was a comfort... perhaps a subconscious coping mechanism. But... it was what it was.

= FIN =