Weathering Storms Read online

  This trip, Sesha had chosen the same thing she had the trip before; a special skin cream. Remembering the first time she’d had it applied still sent shivers through her. It had to be rubbed on by hand to ensure complete coverage, the process done by genderless Geeums. Otherwise there would be nothing but on going sex orgies in that shop!

  Thanks to something the cream did at a DNA level, her skin texture was like velvet and would stay that way without reapplication for four years now. If Sesha got to use the cream three more times before that time was up, the silkiness would be permanent. She liked using the stuff because it drove any gendered being wild when they touched her. Gods’ happiness, it felt good when she touched herself and made Pleasuring even more incredible! Sometimes she got two or more beings at a time, some giving her internal enjoyment while others increased the sensations on her skin. It was the best kind of Pleasuring. If she’d been living her ordinary planet-bound life, she would never have been able to afford such an extremely rare and very expensive item.

  All this wonderful stuff was made possible because the Phenjemian Alliance had brought peace and prosperity in their sector of the Null region years ago and was maintaining the harmony. Crime was at an all-time low; everyone had all basic needs met completely and was able to have a bit more, even. Of course some people didn’t want all that niceness, so they were just shipped off world to another region where they could blow each other up on a harsh, non-space faring planet for all anyone cared. The Plan was working, everyone was happy, the rich got more and the poor got a lot too. Sesha shrugged. So what that she lived in a dinky chamber when she was home? It had lots of windows to let the sun and fresh air in, she had many nice things and she got to travel the Void and look at other worlds that made her appreciate her position in life.

  Until now. Of all the things any of the ‘S’ s’ – primary goddesses and gods of the ten Alliance worlds - could hand her, why this? It was bad enough that her Head didn’t like her.

  Maybe, she thought, Head is mad because she isn’t invited to any of ‘Sesha’s Famous Pleasure Parties,’ so she is always on me, the Second Pilot’s case. Easily fixed; I plan on changing ships for the next trip.

  It was already approved with the upper echelons who governed the ship and crews since just before Sesha went on this, her last voyage on this ship.

  There are eight of my male associates and twelve of my female friends on the Outer Limit ship and they’ve already set up plans for Pleasure Parties after I sent them a message and told them I got a second application of cream. Boy, are we gonna have fun… That had been the plan.

  Well, now all this is a moot point. Sesha thought as she trudged the ship corridors. I’ll be dead before I get home if I can’t get back in bed before becoming suicidal from being awake during hyper...

  As to that, arriving on the Bridge, she suddenly realized the ship wasn’t in hyperdrive. That, and she wasn’t feeling sick or dizzy yet like she would be by now.

  “There’s no… grid on the main monitor!” Her horrified whisper finally broke the silence that surrounded her. But the ship shouldn’t be running in normal void! Sesha herself had set the computer to start Hyperdrive before going to sleep. Feeling panicked, wondering if it was somehow her fault that they weren’t in hyper, she sat at her console and ran a check. To her dismay nothing was working very well, and what little information she could get confirmed what the main monitor was showing her. Which meant that since the ship wasn’t in hyper and her crewmates were all trapped in TravelSleep and the computer problem kept up… everyone would be a long time dead before they got home.

  Stunned, she sat there for a long moment before she got a cognizant thought. Sesha realized that this meant something must have happened to the Brain, a biomechanical, extremely complex and intelligent device that ran the entire ship. Literally everything depended on it.

  The Brain was housed on the lowest levels of the ship where it was encased in a special housing they called the BrainPan. There the computer soaked in a special fluid that gave it nutrients to keep it going, and this fluid also carried the computer commands all over the ship. Was kind of like a body, this ship. Veins of the fluid running through the walls into everything, carrying life to all the various organs and limbs, keep all and sundry alive.

  So she would have to go below to the main Pan room. Reluctantly she got up from her station, but soon Sesha’s steps slowed, she shuddered as she didn’t like to visit the BrainPan. It creeped her out just seeing it. Even though it didn’t really look like a real brain, all those tubes of fluid going in and out and through it made her feel like she was inside a living being and that she was just another nerve impulse to do its bidding instead of the Brain doing theirs.

  But if something had happened - that thought speeded her up vastly. She broke into a fast trot and wended her way down the long corridors to the Brain area. Problem was, the ship was locked down for hyper-drive which meant all ‘vators and fastpaths were shut down so she couldn’t hop these fast conveyances that provided shortcuts throughout the ship. Sesha had to take the long way around – the staircases were placed alternately on each side of the boomerang shaped ship. She had to walk from one end to the other, go down the stairs and walk all the way back for twenty-seven levels!

  When she finally got to the Brain area, the computer was working enough to turn on half the lights after she’d keyed the wall panel three times. As she started down the stairs into the Pan room she realized it was horribly cold down there, which was unusual too. It should have been almost uncomfortably hot, like the inside of a body.

  Alarmed, shivering from the cold, Sesha ran lightly down despite the dim lighting, not stopping to put on the special shoes – she was used to being on the grid floor barefoot for short periods of time – not holding the rail as she descended. She stepped off the last stair onto the floor and the second her full weight came down on her foot, it shot out from under her. Sesha fell flat on her ass and back, skidding across the hard metal grid floor as if she was on ice, slamming to a stop against a permanently implanted chair by BrainPan’s computer banks.

  As she was trying to get her breath back, she was aggravated. The skin cream on my back might be ruined now! Reskell everything, she swore, what’s going on?

  Her second emotion was anger – with sudden, horrible pain because, when she tried to move she realized that her back hurt really bad. Sesha tried to sit up by pushing one hand against the floor grates and gasped with pain from her inner thighs and groin as well her palm being gouged. She fell onto her side now despite the fact that the floor cut her more and twisted her left hand around - the motion smarted terribly - to explore and found shredded skin, torn muscles and lots of blood everywhere her hand went, up or down her back and rear. Sesha had to roll over onto her knees and very carefully move to get up, hissing and gasping from the pain of the injuries plus the new ones she was acquiring right then.

  Just wonderful… now I have to hope the auto-med in sickbay isn’t totally shut down as well so I can get all this fixed. What a rotten stroke of luck! She looked at her wrist gem as it flashed red for alarm at her. The body icon came on, but slowly, then flipped around and highlighted her back from just below the shoulder blades to halfway down her butt, and inner thighs and genitalia, knees and both palms. She shut off the display and turned, sitting in the chair that had stopped her slide and peered down, seeing some blood oozing out where it shouldn’t.

  Sesha’s third and final emotion was confusion, for why in the Uppers’ punishment bays was the rangling grid-floor flooded? She looked down dumbly at the floor and swished her big toe through the fluid -

  Then logical thought overrode the pain and emotions and she got up, carefully, hissing with the intense pain but intent on finding out what happened to the Brain.

  The answer was obvious. A minor force field was in place, the working computer said, because the ship had gone through a Null dust storm and a few particles had been traveling just the right speed to cut t
hrough very weak shields and hit the hull. One particle managed to penetrate to the BrainPan. It hit – and most of the Vital Fluids had gushed out, thus beginning the breakdown of the computer system, which led to Sesha getting awakened. Without a repair and re-infusion soon all the systems would break down and the ship would become a derelict. That was all there was to it. This wasn’t just a bad leak, it was a fatal leak, or it would be soon.

  And the only one awake who can try to do anything about it is me - little old second-rated pilot Sesha.

  3

  A somewhat corpulent man stood in the tall guard tower surveying the land while two other slender, wiry-muscled men remained on vigilant guard. The plump one seemed out of place considering not only his size, but manner of dress. He wore a black frock coat which buttoned from throat to hips, except it was open now. Under that a gray waistcoat and under that a high-collared, long sleeved white linen pullover shirt tucked into straight-legged black trousers. His black felt hat with a wide brim was off more than on, fanning the hot, sweaty face as he made his monthly inspection of the place God had given him - them. Ocean on one side, cleared land all around and forest framing the crop lands.

  Yea, verily t’was a most Blessed Place, for as the Almighty sayeth in Hebrews, ‘But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly one; wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God; for he hath prepared for them a city.’ Here be the Beginning of the Vision given the Most Holy Lord Reverend Peter Allway.

  As it had been with Abram, so it had been with him. Whilst forspent from communing with God on how lewdly his congregation performed despite the pattern of Holiness proclaimed by the Lord, the Reverend’s body did quail; whilst he lay prostrate, the Word of the Lord came to him.

  Now the LORD had said unto Allway-Abram, Get thee out of thy country and from thy kindred and from thy father’s house, unto a land that I will shew thee. (Genesis 12:1)

  Thus Reverend Peter Allway rose from his communion and did shrive on his knees to the Children of God assembled for the nightly service therin. All listened first with apprehension, then became troubled in spirits, finally joining God’s messenger in grieving. After which the 12 most trusted men met privately to counsel God’s Vision. First was to follow the command, second was to take all for life-tasks and lastly, to bring only God’s Holy Word, the tome Pilgrim’s Progress as the man who penned the wondrous story was as Righteous as Jesus’ closest Disciples, and to speak only good King James’ English as written in the Divinely Inspired Bible. The Bard Shakespeare, also a Protestant, had written religious sonnets, so Sonnets 30, 107 and 146 would be allowed as well.

  Upon shewing forth the hest from God, the congregation did as Allway and his board of Deacons adjured, abandoning the city of Destruction. This moment, as the Man of God overlooked the Kingdom of God on Earth, he was transported as Moses had been upon seeing the back of God. T’was the year of Our Lord 1841, but what did those reprobates know of the Almighty? Thus were the dates changed; for those traversing ‘cross savage lands to the place where the City of Heaven on Earth would be foundationed, that began said Year 1. Being’st as the Sodom and Gomorrah’s of the new Nation were abandoned, so also all vices therein, including matters of time, coinage and governing.

  The West Coast Ocean spread out before him, and between this entrance tower and the ocean was his city. The New City, laid out the way the Bible spoke of. How Heaven would be. The streets weren’t paved with gold yet, but soon would be. And while the main gate wasn’t pearl, it was covered with all the gems of his people, gladly donated to the work of the Lord.

  The New City was clean. The New City had roads made of fired brick. Each building had a pump for water so they didn’t have to go outside and haul buckets in from a few wells scattered about. The New City had indoor privies and an underground sewer system. It was lined with thin fired bricks heavily mortared together so the filth would be washed away. Twice-a-day juvenals were tasked with the Holy work of fetching seawater and pouring it into all openings of the cistern last to first and sending the smirch to a natural deep pit a couple miles out of the city that was already horrible in the midst of this pristine beauty.

  Yea, t’was certes to the Reverend that this be where God wanted them to be! At the Master’s hest they entered unknown marshes, t’was He who created all pressing His Servant that this be the site of removal. As the quarters were established a small pack sent to search discovered the abysm; thus it was The Architect and Builder who put it in this place for the City of Heaven on Earth to use. Even this hindmost tower could not shew forth the pit, t’would ne’er be an abhorrence in the eye, for would be kept hidden by vegetives, fragrant and floral the women and barns set all about to mask odours when the breath of God blew.

  So the Most Holy Lord Reverend Peter Allway stood in the tallest tower and surveyed his mission from The Most High God. God was good, the man knew. The New City was almost perfect. They were prospering and soon the Gospel would be spread to the rest of the pagans and they would either follow the Light or be swallowed up by God’s wrath, just like Korah and his family, as told about in Numbers 16.

  “The inspection from above is at completion, Soldiers of the Lord. I will take my descent now.” He buttoned his coat and replaced his hat.

  “Brother James,” one of the two men laid his rifle down carefully, barrel pointed towards the forest, “be sober, be vigilant, yea and twice more whist this poor Servant of God doth accompany The Most Holy Lord Reverend from this tower.”

  “By God’s Heart, this Soldier shalt obey the Word of the Lord thou bringeth to this one.”

  “God’s Blessings, Brother Simon,” the Reverend tried to smile to cover his sudden ungodly fearfulness. Climbing the tower, t’was fair but descending always put him in mind of his mortal form. The descent performed fearsome acts on his sinful flesh but ne’er wast word spoke. The Watchmen, with the guidance of the Holy Spirit, gave assistance without causing the congregation to believe he wost dribbling.

  Brother Simon opened the gate and began the descent; when his hand tapped the platform, the Reverend stepped over. Feeling the hand of the soldier on his shin allowed courage and each foot was placed as it should be.

  “Keep thine eyes Heavenward, Reverend,” Simon’s voice was soft. “God hath thy coming and going, He shall not allow thee to fall.” It took only a few minutes and Allway stood in relief, silently blessing the Comforter for his arrival. As Simon scrambled lightly back up the long ladder, Allway began his weekly walk around the City.

  To the west lay the ocean and the huge boat docks under construction. They had made huge fired bricks and put them down in a large rectangle to create a large pool of ocean water upon which they would build the boats and when the tide was full, open the front gates and float it right out. To travel up and down the coast by boat winning all peoples to the Word was another vision God of All the Kingdoms of the Earth had sent him.

  To the south lay the fields. Since there were fewer trees there, it made clearing easier and they set up fields quickly. Having brought all the equipment they needed by wagon made it far easier. At first just plowing through, creating a strip of soil and planting was faster. Then the people had gone out and cleared the grasses and weeds, putting much of that to use as well.

  To the north was The Church. It had been the first building made, of solid logs for protection from the elements and savages, then beautified a bit later on. It was huge – much bigger than most of the so-called “churches” back east. The Lord Most High was meant to be revered, and that meant His People gave only the best for the Holy Temple. To the side and back of the Church was the Reverend’s huge home. Out of loyalty to his Faithful Followers, Allway insisted his home be built last. He and his Beloved Wife Beulah woulds’t not be housed until the flock was; starting with homes for those in contraction, who were childing or had bairns too wee to perform small manners of work. After which houses arose for the few members who had age and wisdome with them, who came to teach th
e skills needed to build the city.

  After which came separate Halls for those people not attached; as they grew in grace and wisdome, the Bridegroom woulds’t reveal whom would take up the Blessed Union. Then, if t’was a need, another house would be built.

  Thus, for a’mos of two years the Reverend and his Godly wife lived in the wagon used for traveling to this primitive march, sleeping in their blankets, not even grasses covered with woven cloth for a padding. They’d washed their clothes at the washing well in the square; joined the members for meals in the Common House and humbly asked to use the privies in other houses for personal bathing and toiletry.

  The flock, had been so impressed with the Reverend’s desire for their well-being that they made him the most wonderful home they could; a two-story building snug and strong, spacious, quite unlike the single layer, four family divided units, one room for any amount of children, one room for parents, a bathing and function room and a front room for work and gathering.

  And furthering to shew love and devotion, during rest-periods and after services, the congregation busied themselves building household items of comfort and beauty for the couple. After all, the Most Holy Lord Reverend was the one who had spoken God’s truth to them when they were trapped in the Pagan cities and was continuing to minister to the flock here in the wilds. He had personally financed their move away from the sins of the pagan world, he had always taken the point when going through these uncharted, dangerous wilds, and since he had survived where several others hadn’t, God must be guarding him for the Special Mission he often spoke of. So to ensure that God’s Will be done, they wanted to make his life as comfortable as they could. He was adored and looked up to by everyone. Verily it had been a blessing in disguise, Allway thought as he made his rounds. He was living more comfortably than before the Great Escape began.