Free Lust in Space Stranded by Erika Rios Page B

blur. The transfer station was nothing more than a docking collar with several spines extending from its center. It was designed to hold our cargo modules until the colony could begin their retrieval efforts. The design was simplistic and worked. In no time the DSS Freeman had been whittled nearly in half. It was sort of eerie when looking at it but the entire system was perfect.
    The cargo modules were large containers with the cargo inside. The containers themselves and the extrusions that held them to the ship would be reused as building blocks for new colony structures and the like. So there was no waste. Everything had a use and after the final cargo container was secured to the station, our mission was over. It was time to head back to Earth.
    Nikki and I sat in the command module and went over our return trip check list. Delilah confirmed our programming and began her pre-departure diagnostics. It would be a good hour or so before she finished so Nikki and I just talked. I reclined back in the chair and closed my eyes and enjoyed her company- and the absence of big-assed cargo containers!
    “But why Delilah?” she asked. We had been conversing about the name of our computer.
    “I like the name,” I responded. “It makes me think of something regal and luxurious. That’s exactly what this ship is.”
    “Scientifically-speaking, perhaps,” Nikki frowned. “I wouldn’t exactly say the accommodations are five-star. I mean, everything is so compact.”
    “But that’s the beauty,” I argued. “Simplistic. Everything serves a purpose. Like our room. It’s only used for a few days at a time so why make it bigger? Or the showers? Or the galley?”
    I noticed her slight blush when I mentioned the showers. I gazed at her for a moment then put my hand on her thigh. I smiled brightly then tilted my head.
    “Maybe we can get a few things ‘remodeled’ when we get back,” I smiled.
    Nikki’s eyes slowly travelled from mine. I felt the heat of her gaze wash over my body until it fixed upon my hand on her leg. Her hand slowly reached for mine. My heart pounded as it came closer and closer. I couldn’t wait to feel her touch.
    “Diagnostics complete,” Delilah interrupted.
    Nikki snapped her hand away and touched one of the control panels. Reluctantly, and a bit irritably too, I turned my attention and my hand to another panel. Stupid computer. I thought about what could have happened had my lieutenant had put her hand on mine. No matter. With the diagnostics done, we’d be ready to leave before anything good would have happened anyway.
    “Looks like we’re ready,” Nikki said.
    I pouted inside.
    “Yay,” I mocked with sarcasm. “Stasis time.”

Chapter 2: Lust and the Robot
     
    I conducted one last walk-through of the Freeman before engaging our stasis. Nikki was going to change and meet me at the tubes so I could initiate her tube. As Commander, it’s my responsibility to make sure that my crew entered stasis safely. I guess that was my silly vice of humanity considering all of the technology at our disposal. Each tube could be initialized from the inside or by Delilah. It was my way of saying ‘good night’ to Nikki.
    “Everything looks good,” I said when I met Nikki in the stasis room.
    I gazed at her body, barely covered in that tiny shirt and those plain, sexy panties. Now that I thought of it, I was grateful for whoever decided that outfit was optimal for stasis. Nikki shot me a shy smile. Maybe I hadn’t exactly meant the ship when I said that. It certainly fit her too.
    Nikki crawled into her stasis tube. Her slender limbs moved gracefully as she pulled herself in then turned to lie down. I bit my lower lip as her succulent ass lifted into the air, as if begging me to grab it, but then she was around and settling in. I stepped to the side of her tube and smiled down at her.
    “Sweet dreams, Commander,” she said before closing her eyes.
    “Sweet dreams, Nikki.”
    I closed her tube and