DavidEngland99
Sun, 11 Dec 05, 2:33 AM
Captain Cransome (or Jane, as everyone called her) of the UN-registered "Bold Endeavor" cut her fusion engines as their craft finally approached its destination - Tau Ceti(III). The blue-green sphere that was getting ever larger in the viewing screens looked so much like Earth it wan almost painful.
Her second in command, Alice Bates, was already on the bridge, although she was obviously still suffering some after-effects of her cryogenic suspension. As captain, Jane had been automatically roused two days earlier, and was now totally recovered and ready for contact. Even though the Bold Endeavor had been accelerated to close to the speed of light - and had therefore enjoyed some relativistic time dilation - interstellar travel still required the crew to be frozen in suspended animation for most of the journey.
Both astronauts looked rather similar - about 5' 6" with long brown hair - as was the fashion in the 2550's. Jane also had some freckles, and they both looked quite delightful. Jane knew that Alice was gay. She didn't mind, but avoided applying makeup on board the spacecraft so as not to send the wrong signals.
There would be no chance of contact with aliens, of course, because TC3 had been colonised from Earth some 300 years ago. Indeed, TC3 was one of Earth's most successful colonies, and both Jane and Alice were looking forward to their stay.
Initial radio contact went well, and both astronauts were soon inside their landing craft, setting up the automated descent sequence on the computer.
"Alice, I want you to remember that even though the TC's sound pretty normal, they may have adopted all sorts of strange habits - remember what we found at Beta Centauri(V)?"
Alice gave an involuntary shudder at that memory - the only imperfect moment in an otherwise perfect descent.
"Whatever happens Alice, unless things look positively dangerous, we must try to fit in with local customs."
"I hope they are liberal sexually, because it certainly got a bit frustrating spending eighty years with you - even if we were frozen for most of that time!"
Jane laughed, "Same here, and I am reliably informed that we should both have no problems in that respect."
They landed at a smart, functional space field, and shook hands with Dave and Kate, who indicated that everyone at TC3 was on first name terms - it was part of their culture.
Dave and Kate bustled round assigning quarters for the two arrivals and suggested that after they had freshened up a bit from their long journey (not to mention the cryogenic suspension) they might like to come to the TC3 Friday night party.
Although both Jane and Alice had brought data cubes containing their clothing specifications, Kate suggested they might 'mix better' if they adopted the local party dress style, which was already programmed into the clothing synthesiser.
Alice giggled as she viewed herself in her mock-denim shirt and trousers. "My God, the computer says this dress style is really ancient - circa 2000!".
Jane was also a bit flummoxed. "Either the infra-red laser scanner needs re-calibrating, or they wore their clothes damn tight in those days! Still, we musn't grumble - nothing could be as bad as Beta Centauri!"
After all this excitement, the party seemed quite ordinary when they arrived. Dave and Kate welcomed them in, and showed them an impressive array of food.
"Eat and drink as much as you like! We have just downloaded the latest food specifications from Earth. Some of the molecular specifications are totally new to us, but I am sure they are totally safe."
Both Jane and Alice were quite thirsty from the cryogenic suspension, and each chose a drink which was described as equivalent to apple juice with a dash of white wine. After a couple of sips, Alice liked it so much, she scanned the drink's bar code so that she could get her synthesiser to reproduce it later.
Of course, as ambassadors from Earth, they were careful to chat with all the guests at the party. Everyone seemed so normal - except that most of the women were dressed in denim - that all fears of the "Beta Centauri syndrome" were soon cast aside.
Some time later, Dave and Kate approached them again.
"As you can see, we are a pretty reasonable bunch as space colonies go!", Dave said with a grin.
"But even so, we do have one or two local customs, of course!", Kate added.
Jane spoke slightly formally, as an ambassador from Earth:
"You can be assured that both Alice and I will do our utmost to share your local ways - you are all such friendly people, that I am sure that will be delightful!"
However, Alice was looking just a trifle uncomfortable. She had re-hydrated with at least three drinks, and asked Kate if she could direct her to the toilet.
Kate smiled and said, "Um, I can show you if you like, of course, but going to the toilet at this point in the party would be rather against our customs!".
Alice was extremely surprised by that answer, but did not pursue the matter because the captain had so emphasised the need to fit in with whatever was the norm on TC3.
At this point, Kate asked Alice for a dance, and Dave was left talking to Jane.
"Kate was trying to tell your colleague about our little custom. As you know, we on TC3 like to be pretty free and easy as far as relationships are concerned, and we have discovered a remarkably effective way to give a party a swing, as you might say."
Jane was feeling slightly drunk, and her bladder was also protesting, however, for some strange reason talking about toilets was taboo on this planet - at least in a party. Apart from this, she was enjoying herself very much, and she was gradually realising that Dave was hers for the taking - an increasingly interesting proposition.
Kate and Alice really seemed to be getting on well - dancing cheek to cheek, and talking animatedly about something or other. Kate seemed to be manoevering Alice towards the stage. Then she jumped up and addressed the audience with the microphone.
"Greetings everyone! You have all had a chance to meet our two Earth women, and now we have got to let them into our little secret. Should I explain to them, or just demonstrate?"
"Nobody does it better than you, Kate. Just show her and then we'll explain!"
The shout had come from a tall well-built man called Tom, that Jane had chatted to earlier.
"Alice, Jane, this is how we get our parties going, and you are both more than welcome to join in if you wish."
Kate raised her hands just as the music shifted to something altogether more intimate. Alice was transfixed by her new friend, and gasped as a huge dark stain began to spread over Kate's denim clothes. There could be absolutely no doubt about it - Kate was peeing herself with total abandon - urine was actually dripping from her trouser legs.
Her second in command, Alice Bates, was already on the bridge, although she was obviously still suffering some after-effects of her cryogenic suspension. As captain, Jane had been automatically roused two days earlier, and was now totally recovered and ready for contact. Even though the Bold Endeavor had been accelerated to close to the speed of light - and had therefore enjoyed some relativistic time dilation - interstellar travel still required the crew to be frozen in suspended animation for most of the journey.
Both astronauts looked rather similar - about 5' 6" with long brown hair - as was the fashion in the 2550's. Jane also had some freckles, and they both looked quite delightful. Jane knew that Alice was gay. She didn't mind, but avoided applying makeup on board the spacecraft so as not to send the wrong signals.
There would be no chance of contact with aliens, of course, because TC3 had been colonised from Earth some 300 years ago. Indeed, TC3 was one of Earth's most successful colonies, and both Jane and Alice were looking forward to their stay.
Initial radio contact went well, and both astronauts were soon inside their landing craft, setting up the automated descent sequence on the computer.
"Alice, I want you to remember that even though the TC's sound pretty normal, they may have adopted all sorts of strange habits - remember what we found at Beta Centauri(V)?"
Alice gave an involuntary shudder at that memory - the only imperfect moment in an otherwise perfect descent.
"Whatever happens Alice, unless things look positively dangerous, we must try to fit in with local customs."
"I hope they are liberal sexually, because it certainly got a bit frustrating spending eighty years with you - even if we were frozen for most of that time!"
Jane laughed, "Same here, and I am reliably informed that we should both have no problems in that respect."
They landed at a smart, functional space field, and shook hands with Dave and Kate, who indicated that everyone at TC3 was on first name terms - it was part of their culture.
Dave and Kate bustled round assigning quarters for the two arrivals and suggested that after they had freshened up a bit from their long journey (not to mention the cryogenic suspension) they might like to come to the TC3 Friday night party.
Although both Jane and Alice had brought data cubes containing their clothing specifications, Kate suggested they might 'mix better' if they adopted the local party dress style, which was already programmed into the clothing synthesiser.
Alice giggled as she viewed herself in her mock-denim shirt and trousers. "My God, the computer says this dress style is really ancient - circa 2000!".
Jane was also a bit flummoxed. "Either the infra-red laser scanner needs re-calibrating, or they wore their clothes damn tight in those days! Still, we musn't grumble - nothing could be as bad as Beta Centauri!"
After all this excitement, the party seemed quite ordinary when they arrived. Dave and Kate welcomed them in, and showed them an impressive array of food.
"Eat and drink as much as you like! We have just downloaded the latest food specifications from Earth. Some of the molecular specifications are totally new to us, but I am sure they are totally safe."
Both Jane and Alice were quite thirsty from the cryogenic suspension, and each chose a drink which was described as equivalent to apple juice with a dash of white wine. After a couple of sips, Alice liked it so much, she scanned the drink's bar code so that she could get her synthesiser to reproduce it later.
Of course, as ambassadors from Earth, they were careful to chat with all the guests at the party. Everyone seemed so normal - except that most of the women were dressed in denim - that all fears of the "Beta Centauri syndrome" were soon cast aside.
Some time later, Dave and Kate approached them again.
"As you can see, we are a pretty reasonable bunch as space colonies go!", Dave said with a grin.
"But even so, we do have one or two local customs, of course!", Kate added.
Jane spoke slightly formally, as an ambassador from Earth:
"You can be assured that both Alice and I will do our utmost to share your local ways - you are all such friendly people, that I am sure that will be delightful!"
However, Alice was looking just a trifle uncomfortable. She had re-hydrated with at least three drinks, and asked Kate if she could direct her to the toilet.
Kate smiled and said, "Um, I can show you if you like, of course, but going to the toilet at this point in the party would be rather against our customs!".
Alice was extremely surprised by that answer, but did not pursue the matter because the captain had so emphasised the need to fit in with whatever was the norm on TC3.
At this point, Kate asked Alice for a dance, and Dave was left talking to Jane.
"Kate was trying to tell your colleague about our little custom. As you know, we on TC3 like to be pretty free and easy as far as relationships are concerned, and we have discovered a remarkably effective way to give a party a swing, as you might say."
Jane was feeling slightly drunk, and her bladder was also protesting, however, for some strange reason talking about toilets was taboo on this planet - at least in a party. Apart from this, she was enjoying herself very much, and she was gradually realising that Dave was hers for the taking - an increasingly interesting proposition.
Kate and Alice really seemed to be getting on well - dancing cheek to cheek, and talking animatedly about something or other. Kate seemed to be manoevering Alice towards the stage. Then she jumped up and addressed the audience with the microphone.
"Greetings everyone! You have all had a chance to meet our two Earth women, and now we have got to let them into our little secret. Should I explain to them, or just demonstrate?"
"Nobody does it better than you, Kate. Just show her and then we'll explain!"
The shout had come from a tall well-built man called Tom, that Jane had chatted to earlier.
"Alice, Jane, this is how we get our parties going, and you are both more than welcome to join in if you wish."
Kate raised her hands just as the music shifted to something altogether more intimate. Alice was transfixed by her new friend, and gasped as a huge dark stain began to spread over Kate's denim clothes. There could be absolutely no doubt about it - Kate was peeing herself with total abandon - urine was actually dripping from her trouser legs.