At the bottom, he jumped down,then lifted her off the ledge and swung her into his arms. She slidher arms around his neck as her skirt fluttered out around them.
“You know, Kori, I have noinclination to put you down,” Erling said, his mouth inches fromhers.
Taken by surprise at hisbehavior, Koriann didn’t know how to respond. He’d been soserious a minute ago. Being held by him made her feel alive andreckless joy raced through her. She felt safe from peering eyeshidden by the dark sky. “Put me down, Erling.” Her voice was moreplayful than firm.
“Give me a kiss and I’ll putyou down.”
“A kiss!” she gasped. “I’mnot going to kiss you.”
“A kiss isn’t much to give inexchange for your freedom.”
“Don’t be such a scoundrel.Put me down!”
He walked to the edge of therocky shoreline, just out of range of the waves that hammered intothe rocks. “I’ll drop you in the ocean if you don’t give me akiss.”
“You wouldn’t dare!”
“You wanna bet?” He liftedher up as if he was going to throw her into the water and sheshrieked, clasping him tighter around the neck.
“All right. I’ll kiss you.”She gave him a quick kiss on the forehead.
He set her down and put his armsaround her. “That wasn’t good enough.” He lowered his mouthonto hers and began kissing her. Her arms slid around him and sheclung to him, savoring his kisses and kissing him back. She felt thechange in him as she responded to his advances. The light caress ofhis lips on hers became passionate and grew in intensity. She meltedagainst him, running her hand through his silken blond hair. Arealization swept over her that in her heart, she was his. Part ofher would never belong to Zanton.
Finally, he released her andsaid, “I’ve wanted to do that ever since I arrived.” Breathlessand overwhelmed by the emotions he raised in her, she broke away fromhim and ran back toward the palace. She heard him coming after her.He overtook her and pulled her around to face him. “I’m sorry,Kori, I didn’t mean to upset you.”
“Don’t, Erling.” Her voicebroke. “Don’t do or say anything else.” She walked away fromhim with tears stinging her eyes. Unbearable pain tore at her heart.She felt very much alone, confused and hopeless about the future.
9
Call for Help
Toemeka stepped through theairlock door of the domed city of Kanai onto the moon’s surface.Her steps were light despite her heavy spacesuit and weighted bootsbecause there was little gravity on Barmin. The sun beat down on herhelmet, but she knew the thin air was frigid cold and was gratefulfor her space gear, which covered her completely. At night thetemperature dropped even more.
She breathed pure oxygen from herhelmet as she surveyed the new dome. Laborers were building the metalframework. Once this was done, they’d be able to start the outerwalls. She visualized the architectural drawings in her mind. The newdome would be smaller than the main one and made up of a series ofhousing pod clusters. The housing situation was becoming desperate.They couldn’t handle any more refugees from Alandra until the domewas finished. Kanai had run out of housing pods and couldn’tproduce enough air, food and housing for the new arrivals.
She’d be glad when this housingdome was completed since she’d invited a family with two smallchildren to live with her in Michio’s pod. The pod was only meantfor one person, so they were in each other’s way in the eveningsand all slept on the floor on mats at night. On work days, thechildren attended preschool and their parents worked. Rest days,however, were chaotic in the pod, so Toemeka usually went to anindoor park, a common room, or a library to get away from the chaos.
Despite the crowded livingconditions, she liked the family’s company. She was lonely withoutMichio. Missing him was a deep ache that had become as much a part ofher as breathing.
Toemeka contemplated the slowpace of the construction, knowing building the new dome was achallenge. It had to simulate gravity, stand up to the moon’sextreme temperatures and provide air. She circled the entire dome,surveying the structure to be sure the blueprints were being followedcorrectly.
Toemeka liked being outside evenin her cumbersome spacesuit. She found living in an enclosed cityconfining and longed to feel the sun and wind on her face. She lookedthrough her helmet visor at the surrounding landscape. The areaaround the dome was barren rock, but when the sun shone down on thecolorful rock formations, they were beautiful.
A voice sounded in her helmetspeaker. “Everyone back inside. A meteorite shower is headed thisway.” Toemeka followed the laborers back into the main dome,concerned that meteorites might destroy the framework of the newdome.
When everyone was inside, thepressurized airlock closed and the room began to fill with heat andan oxygen mixture. Once it reached atmospheric pressure and the wallmonitors showed safe readings, Toemeka switched off the oxygenconnected to her helmet. Several people entered the room and twowomen helped Toemeka remove her gloves, helmet, backpack,one-hundred-and-thirty pound spacesuit and boots. Underneath she worea liquid cooling and ventilation garment and under that an innerliner. In a small dressing room, she changed out of the liner andinto a knit shirt and slacks.
After filling out a detailedreport of her inspection, she took a tube car to her pod cluster,then walked along the glassed, curved hall toward her pod. Herstomach rumbled at the scent of fresh fruit and she picked some ripegreen narue berries off a potted bush. She ate them as she walked,enjoying their sweet taste. Being pregnant, she was often hungrybetween meals. After the first month her nausea went away, but shehadn’t told anyone since it was still so early in her pregnancy.
A young man in a flight suitwaited at her door. “Are you Toemeka Kimes?” he asked.
“Yes, and you are?”
“I’m Ojoe. The lady insidesaid I should
