Archive-name: JourEntr/j917-019.txt
Archive-author: Elf Matheiu Sternberg
Archive-title: Elizabeth



      Nickolai's Letter, January 23, 2801.
 
     Garth nudged him in his seat.  "You're quiet."

     Nickolai raised his hands above his head and stretched, testing the
limits of his seatbelt in the process.  "Yeah.  Just thinkin'."

     "About the match tonight, or something else?"

     Nickolai smiled at his Katckin friend.  "Something else."

     "Furry?"

     "Yeah.  His expression was abashed, but he knew Garth would press
him for details.  And he did want to talk about it.

     Garth knew the routine, too.  "Well?"  he asked.

     Nickolai smiled.  "Well, you know.  I received a letter from her
yesterday.  She's back in school now.  Her parents promised they were
going to hang around Pendor for a while, but it looks like her dad is
already looking for someplace to fly off to.  She was SDisking it from
home, but she decided she wanted to be part of the local university, so
she moved onto the grounds.  She has a roommate, a female Marten variant
with 'redgold' fur and a white spot along here," he said, gesturing down
the front of his chest.

     "What's a Marten?"

     "Kind of a weasel," Nickolai said.  "Part of the Mustela species.
She's even shorter than Furry."  He smiled at Garth.  "She said they
like taking showers together."

     "Geez," Garth interrupted, shifting slightly in his seat.  "Are all
Pendorians really as sex obsessed as they say, or did you get lucky and
hit one that likes the stereotype?"

     "They're not sex obsessed," Nickolai replied. "You are.  Just
'cause they're both so small that taking a shower together is
comfortable for them doesn't mean you should go assuming they're
sleeping together."

     "Well, are they?"  Garth asked, his fuzzed Katckin voice edged with
testosterone-laced curiosity.

     Nickolai nodded.  "Sometimes.  It worries me, though.  Furry thinks
Kiza is getting too close to her.  In her last letter she said she had
attached herself to her."  Nickolai grimaced.  "God, talking about two
people of the same sex can be tough."

     "From what you've talked about, Furry's a smart girl," Garth said
again.  "I think she'll be okay.  What else?"

     "Like what, what else?"

     "Like, what's she studying?"

     "Oh," Nickolai replied.  "She's studying to be an archeologist...
she likes what her dad does for a living.  She wants to follow in his
footsteps.  She's taking a lot of xenolinguistics this quarter..."

     "Sounds heavy."

     "Yeah," Nickolai agreed.  He settled back into his chair, watching
the landscape slide by under the airbus.  Still several hours away from
Entrane' in France, Nickolai let his mind drift several times over the
more common feints and parries that he would require in the two days to
come.

     A while later, he said, "Garth?"

     "Yeah?"

     "Tell me again how you convinced me to do this."

     "Easy, Kolya.  You were a wretched wreck when you returned to
school, and I turned you into a model citizen by forcing you to do
something other than go to classes and moon over your girlfriend seven
light years away."

     Nickolai laughed.  "I'm not that bad."

     "No, but you were, Kolya, you were.  Never mind that half the
school is envious of you... forget that I'm envious of you.  For a while
there, you were off in never never land, sighing that you couldn't reach
her and only got to talk to her once a month or so by mail.  You're a
lousy letter writer, you've said so yourself."

     Nickolai sighed.  "I know.  I can't help that I miss her."

     "I must say that your devotion to her is phenomenal, Nickolai.
I've never seen you like this before.  What happened to the casual
Kolya?"

     "A lie," Nickolai admitted.  "I was never 'casual,' Garth.  Just
good at hiding how badly I was shaking."

     "Well you did a good job hiding it from me," Garth admitted.

     "That's the point, isn't it?"  Nickolai asked.  "Gotta convince
even my closest friends that I really am as cool as I appear to be."

     Garth laughed.  "So you're admitting you're not cool?"

     "I didn't say that," Nickolai countered.  "Just saying that, no
matter how cool I am I can't afford to not look cool."

     "Sure," Garth said.  He changed the subject.  "I'm going to get a
soda.  Y'want one?"

     "Sure," Nickolai nodded.

     When Garth returned, he handed Nickolai the can.  Ever suspicious
of his roommate's practical jokes, Nickolai opened the can, and, when he
was satisfied that Garth hadn't shook up the can so as to explode, drank
down about half of it.  "Thanks."

     "No problem," Garth said with a wave of his hand.  "This, uh, this
Marten girl... what's her name?"

     "Kiza.  I don't think it's short for anything."

     "What do you know about her?"

     "Not a thing, other than that Furry likes her a lot, that she's
curious about this human who's stolen her roommate's heart, and that
she's stuck on Furry."

     "They do that on Pendor," Garth observed.

     "Do what?"

     "Get too serious."

     "You're just jealous."

     "Of course I'm jealous!" Garth replied.  "I've been telling you
that all along."

     "Look," said a new voice.  Nickolai and Garth both looked up to
find another member of the Redbridge Fencing Team, Josef, leaning over
their chairs.  "If you two are going to talk about sex, either keep it
down so I can't hear it, or include me in on the conversation."

     "Include yourself," Garth replied, pointing to the chair across the
aisle.  Josef took the hint and moved from his current seat to the one
indicated.  "So, what are you guys talking about?"

     "Kolya's girlfriend has a girlfriend," Garth said.

     "She's not her girlfriend," Nickolai protested.  "She's her
roommate."

     "But they are sleeping together, right?"  Garth said.

     "Well... yeah."

     "Then they're girlfriends," he observed.  "Woah, wait, Kolya.  I'm
not trying to insult you or tell you that she doesn't love you.  From
the letter's you've shown me before, it's pretty clear that she does.
But she's still lonely out there, and maybe her own hand's aren't
enough."

     Nickolai leaned over and whispered into Garth's sensitive, moreso
even than human, ear.  "I know that," he whispered.  "That's not the
problem.  I just don't want Josef Pervert Foster over there whacking off
tonight thinking about my coimelin !"

     Garth turned and regarded Nickolai.  "Are you sure you want to use
that word?"

     "No," Nickolai admitted.  "But there's nothing else I can use.
Nothing I feel right using."

     Garth nodded.  "Gotcha.  Go easy when you see her in person."

     "I will."

     "What are you guys whispering about?"  Josef asked.

     "You," Garth replied, grinning.

     "Ohhh, I see," Josef replied.  "You guys don't want me around."

     "Now wait a second, Josef," Nickolai said.  "Have we ever told you
to 'get lost?' Ever?  Sit down."

     Josef, who hadn't really begun to rise in his seat at all anyway,
smiled and settled against the backrest.  "So, what's the deal?"

     "The 'deal,'" Nickolai replied, "Is that apparently Furry was
getting a little lonely, and she and her roommate started taking showers
together.  It got cold one night in their apartment, so they slept
cuddled up next to each other."

     "Chill," Josef said.  "What else?"

     "Nothing else, Josef," Nickolai replied.  "They're not having sex
or anything like that.  They're just sharing a bed to stay warm and
because they like it."

     "Be truthful," Josef said.  "They're fucking each other silly,
right?"

     "Nope," Nickolai said.  "Sorry to burst your bubble, Josef, but
they aren't."

     "Oh, well.  They don't know what they're missing."

     "Oh, I'm sure they do know," Garth said.  "They're just not
interested in trying it out.  Tell me, Josef, if someone offered you
Hazm would take it?"

     "Hell, yes," Josef said.

     "Figures," Garth muttered.  "How about Hazm prior to six years ago?

     "That's different," Josef said.  "Hazm was laced with the SANS
agent.  I'd rather not."

     "But you're still willing to try it, no matter how addictive it is?

     "Fuck it," Josef said.  "What do I care?"

     "Well, I care.  That's why I won't do it," Garth said.

     "That has nothing to do with Nickolai's girlfriend and her playmate
fucking each other blind."

     "Sure it does," Garth said.  "They're not interested for their own
reasons.  Maybe they don't want to have sex with each other.  Maybe it
would strain their rooming together.  Who knows?  The fact is, they
aren't having sex with one another, and it's none of your business if
they are."

     Josef sighed at the short lecture.  "Okay, okay," he said.  "So, do
you think we'll win tomorrow's match?"

     "Don't see why not," Garth replied cheerfully.  "I mean, sure,
Entrane's got a great reputation and a solid team, but hey, so do we.
We're going to win tomorrow."

     "Damn straight," a voice grumbled from the chair behind them.
Coach Seigal leaned forward in his chair.  "Don't any of you doubt that
for a second.  Forget their reputation and record.  You just have to
score your opponents, man-to-man.  Got that?"

     "Yes, sir," all three snapped.

     "Good," the coach rumbled, leaning back in his chair.  "Josef, take
your chair.  We'll be landing in about twenty minutes."

     "Yes, sir," Josef said, heading off to find his seat.

     Nickolai leaned over and whispered into Garth's ear again.
"Actually, they masturbate in the shower together, and sometimes they do
play in bed.  She wrote me and told me she woke up one night this close
to orgasm 'cause Kiza had a hand between her legs.  So she, uhm, had
Kiza for breakfast."

     "Geez," Garth repeated yet again.  "I thought you said you didn't
want anyone getting off thinking about your girlfriend."

     "You don't bother me.  Thinking about Foster doing it does.
Besides, all I have to do is tell you Kiza is unattached and that the
reason she like Furry so much  in the first place is 'cause she wants a
Terran boyfriend like Furry, and I know just how your mind operates.
You bed squeaks every night anyway.  Ee-ee-ee-ee," Nickolai squeaked,
trying to sound like ancient bedsprings and failing.

     "My bed does not squeak!"

     "Only because you're fanatical about keeping it oiled."

     "I am not!"

     "Okay, it's only every other night."

     "That's more likely," Garth admitted, smiling.  They both broke up
laughing.

 
 
     The sport of fencing hadn't changed all that much in the past
millennia, the invention of impulse gels and the rise of Practical
Swordsmanship notwithstanding.  Although Nickolai had to admit that the
modern fencer, when compared to his ancient sporting equivalent swaddled
with padded clothing like an ugly white turtle, looked more like a
ballet dancer or a Shakespearian actor in his colorful tights.  Impulse
gel, a composite substance that felt like gelatin sandwiched between two
sheets of plastic and imbedded with a symmetrical pattern of ball
bearings, could sense when a piercing or other localized strike was
occurring to the region it covered, and the gel would solidify
instantly,  using the energy of the attack to distribute the impact over
as wide a region as possible.  It worked as well against bullets as it
did swords;  a Terran invention, the addition of Pendorian ceramics had
made it nearly impervious to anything travelling less that 12 meters per
second.  Which was why, when added to the lining of 12th century armor,
people now felt comfortable practicing on each other with broadswords
and halberds.

     The headdress of the modern fencer still looked the same, however,
and still served the same purpose, although perhaps with less success
now that the bland white uniform had given way to colorful team outfits.

     "On the left field, Nickolai Dittrich.  On the right, Margaret
Elizabeth Zofrani."

     Nickolai's interest elevated at the idea that his first match was
to be against a girl.  He pulled his mask over his head, taking care to
push a lock of hair out of the way in the process.

     He bowed to her, admiring her form even through the glistening
bodysuit of her uniform, which was on the left, blue on the right, with
a large blue arrow extending across her chest.  She returned the bow and
the match commenced.

     She was good!  There was no denying that; he found himself
retreating repeatedly during the match, defending himself against her
very competent assaults.  He would try a feint, finding himself instead
on the receiving end of a nasty undercut.  By the third round he had
learned to defend against that devastating maneuver, and she shifted to
an inside feint.

     He sighed as she made her fifth successful touch.  Still, he had
managed three on her, so that wasn't so bad.  He hadn't lost completely,
just enough to feel embarrassed.  He sighed and bowed to her again.  She
took of her helmet and shook her hair loose.  It was dark, curly hair,
in small rivulets that ran around her face and down her back; the rest
of her was equally pretty.

     Nickolai made his rounds of his other four opponents, scoring well
enough that he was in the successive half, the half that would be
competing tomorrow, which he knew would be far tougher than today.  By
the time clean-up came around, he was drinking water by the quart to
keep himself hydrated, and he was relieved when the coach informed him
that it was time to hit the showers.

     "Dinner is at six, people, don't miss it."  Nickolai sighed as he
toweled his head dry, then looked back to see Garth trying, with only
some success, to dry off his back.  "Want me to get that?" Nickolai
asked.

     "Yeah, thanks," Garth said.  "Hey, you know, that girl you were
fencing first thing this morning was pretty.  What was her name?"

     "Elizabeth, I think."

     "Naw, that was her middle name.  Maybe we can find her at dinner."

     "Maybe," Nickolai agreed, ruffling the fur along his roommate's
back and drying off the fell underneath.

     Nickolai and Garth made their way to dinner after dressing in their
best suit and ties.  "I hate these things," Garth observed, playing with
his tie and trying to prevent it from choking him.  "A millennia of
advancement but we're still wearing these damned monkey suits."  Dinner
was a buffet arrangement, and they availed themselves of large portions
of vegetables, meats, whatever struck their interest as being edible.
"Hey, there she is," Garth said.

     Nickolai followed Garth's gaze, and his eyes came to rest on a
human female wearing a dark, frilly dress.  She was about 165cms tall,
with that dark, curly hair falling about her shoulders he had noticed
earlier.  Her face was rounded, with full cheeks and a big smile.  She
had apparently been ahead of them in line, because she already carried a
tray laden with dinner.  Nickolai and Garth made his way over to her and
said "Hello.  Mind if we sit here?"

     "You're that guy I fenced with first thing this morning," she
observed, looking up.  Then she smiled.  "Sure, have a seat."

     "I, um, I wanted to talk to you about tomorrow.  We might face each
other again."

     "We might," she admitted.  "I'm afraid I gave away more than I
should have in the first match.  You're pretty good out there.  What's
your name, anyway?"

     "Nickolai."

     "Liz," she said.  "Actually, you can call me anything you want, but
Liz is usually it.  Just don't call me Lizard.  That's what my Aunt
called me."

     "Got it," Nickolai agreed.

     "Is there a short form of Nickolai?"

     "Kolya," he offered.  "This thing here is my roommate, Garth."

     "Hello, Garth."

     "Hiya, Liz," he said, offering his hand across the table.  She
accepted it gracefully.

     "I've never fenced a Katckin before.  Are you any good?"

     "I like to think so," Garth.  "I'm practicing hard enough."

     "Maybe I'll see you, too, on the field of honor tomorrow."

     "You'll get your shot.  We're down to ten per.  Odds are, you'll
get to see one of us."

     She grinned.  "Or maybe both?"

     Nickolai returned the grin, feeling a vague unease growing behind
his chest.  "Maybe."

     They ate dinner in relative silence, and when it was over Nickolai
said, "Lights out is at ten.  What do you do until then?"

     "Well, we've got the Wreck downstairs; it's got a few game stations
and pool tables and things like that.  It's even got two authentic
pinball machines."

     "Pinball?" Garth asked, his eyes lighting up.  "Where?"

     "Through those doors, then make a left and go down the staircase,"
Liz said.  "Come on, let's put these trays up and I'll show you where
they are."

     "I'd appreciate it," Garth said.  They put up their trays and made
their way downstairs.  Nickolai was impressed by the granite and cement
work that made up the construction of the old school; the painted steel
railing was cold to the touch as they wound their way down into the
basement of the building.  Liz pulled open an unpretentious wooden door,
and immediately a loud eruption of noise reached their ears.  Within, a
dull yellow carpet covered a large open space in which a variety of
girls, from ages fourteen to about twenty, milled about.  Having spent
all day with the athletic department, Nickolai and Garth hadn't been
exposed to the fact that this was an all-female school until now.

     "Oh, wow," Garth said.  "I think I've died and gone to heaven."

     Nickolai laughed.  "Control yourself.  There are the pinball
machines you were so interested in."

     "Oh, yeah," Garth replied.  "I think I'll play the one in the
middle.  It looks like an authentic Kawasai."  Garth made his way
through the slight crowd.  Nickolai watched him go long enough to see
him introduce himself to the two women standing in front of the
machines, then turned back to Elizabeth.  "What are you interested in?"

     She shrugged.  "Nothing in particular.  Just wondering if you had
anything in mind, Kolya."

     "Pool?"

     "I could do that," she replied, smiling.

     As Nickolai was to discover, Elizabeth was as good at billiards as
she was as fencing; he found himself fighting for his survival on every
shot, and it was she who eventually dropped the eight-ball.  "Damn."

     "Oh, well," she smiled.  "Look, it's noisy in here.  You want me to
show you around campus?"

     "Would you?" he asked, feeling that unease he had noticed earlier
growing.

     "Sure," she smiled.  "I can even show you where the barn is."

     He laughed.  "That sounds like an invitation."

     "It was," she said.  "But just one to show you around."  She held
out her hand, and he took it.  They walked out into the cool night air,
and she began to lead him around the sparse campus, showing him where
the dorms were, the classrooms, even the chapel that seemed a necessity
to every school, even in this agnostic century.  They ended up sitting
on an old wooden fence facing a wide field.  A fog gripped the grass
surface tenaciously, illuminated by a halogen lamp mounted to the side
of the barn.  "In the daytime, the horses graze through there."

     "Do you have a horse?"

     She nodded.  "His name is Ballet.  He's a tough horse to control,
but I seem to manage."

     That unease that Nickolai had felt all night seemed to dissipate,
only to be replaced with a name and a resolve.  "Liz, I need to tell you
something."

     "Do you?" she asked, turning her head towards him.

     "Yeah, I think so.  This is heading pretty much in the direction of
'Whadda you wanna do next?' 'Well, there's always my dorm room.'  So
let's, um, cut through all that right here.  You're very pretty and I'd
love to get to know you better and there's no way that would make me
pull my blade tomorrow, but I think I should tell you that I'm already
involved with someone already."

     "Oh," she said.  "You do cut through the nonsense pretty
efficiently, don't you?  What's her... or his... name, and... I mean,
it's not contractual, is it?"

     "No..." Nickolai sighed.  "It's more complicated than that.  I
mean... okay, her name is Jofuran Shigokai.  She's a Pendorian."

     That surprised Elizabeth, and she replied slowly, "That's
different.  And you're thinking about... Emigrating?  Hallwalking, is
that it?"

     Nickolai shook his head.  "Not quite.  We were thinking of moving
to a third colony, out of Pendor's and Terra's rules.  We could find
Pendorian doctors or donors, and, well, you can guess the rest."

     She nodded.  "That's pretty serious thinking."

     He shrugged, dodging the knowledge Shardik had given him.  "We
haven't made any decisions.  I'm not going to be seeing her for another
year or so, not until I graduate.  But I just wanted to tell you ahead
of time, so you wouldn't be upset later."

     She smiled and turned to him.  "I'm a little young to go looking
for contracts, myself," she said, reaching up to touch his cheek.
"Look, if this means that you're going to vanish off the face of the
Earth in a year, I can live with that.  You still need friends for now,
and I'd like to be one."  She closed the distance between them, her lips
pressing against his softly.

     Nickolai's shock turned into action as he returned her kiss.  He
was surprised at how forward she was; her tongue was already seeking his
between their lips as they kissed on the railing.  "Look, there is
always your dorm room."

     "Where are you guys staying?"

     "I think Garth would get upset to find us."

     "Nah, I think he's more chill than that," she said.  "I could see
it in his eyes; he obsessed with those pinball machines, anyway.  Come
on, lead me to your room."

     He leapt off the railing and took her hand, leading her back to the
guest quarters.  A quick glance to make sure nobody would see them, and
he soon had her in his temporary quarters.

     As the door clicked shut behind them, she pushed him up against the
bed; it struck him behind the knees and made his legs buckle; he fell to
the bed, and she guided him down carefully.

     His hands reached around her back, caressing her through the soft
frills of the of her dress.  They slowly rolled together onto their
sides, his hands sliding up between them to caress her breast through
the fabric.  Their tongues intertwined, and Nickolai found a small voice
in the back of his head encouraging him to slow down.

     Her arms encircled his waist, and even before he had begun to
explore her, she was already working at his belt buckle.  "Hey," he
said, "Anticipating makes it more worthwhile in the end."

     "I don't want to anticipate; I've been in anticipation for too long
now, Nickolai.  You're the first decent guy I've met in a long time, and
I just want you."

     Not sure what to say to that, Nickolai let his hand float down to
her waist, where he found a simple circle of copper securing the sash of
her outfit.  He pulled the cloth loose and tossed the belt aside.  "I
bet this has to go over your head."

     "Yeah," she giggled.  She began to wriggle out of it, and the two
of them fought and struggled on the creaky bed until she finally did get
it off over her head.  She kicked off her shoes.  "How do I look?"

     "Human," he said, kissing her.  She kissed him back as his hands
fumbled with the clasp of her brassiere; finally he managed to get it
loose, and it joined her dress.  His hands caressed her small,
apple-sized breasts.  They were also quite firm as well, and he enjoyed
testing them with her his fingers.  She squirmed gently, and her hands
found his erection through the material of his pants.

     "The gate should be opened," she giggled, "So the wakened beast may
be let loose."

     He picked up her tone instantly.  "Ah, and ravish all the fine
maidens of the village?"

     "Just this one," she said, pulling his zipper down.  Her hands slid
against his skin and closed about his erection.  "Mmph!" Nickolai agreed
as she gripped it tightly.

     She slowly pulled her hand out, his erection coming with her until
the head was exposed.  She immediately dove on it, taking it into her
mouth.  He gasped as she licked the head, then sucked more than half the
length down her throat.  "God, Liz," he said.

     She giggled, and he felt the giggle against the skin of his
sensitive cock.  Her mouth sucked him completely, and her head bobbed up
and down in his crotch, her hair flying after her.  He watched and felt,
entranced, as her tongue pressed against the soft skin of his shaft,
peeling back the foreskin and caressing the head.  He hissed, dropping
his hands to the bed; he knew if he left them up he was going to grab
her hair.  "Oh, Liz..." he moaned.

     She looked up.  "Can you get it up twice in one night?" she asked.

     "Huh?"

     "Can you go twice in one night?"

     "At this rate, absolutely!"

     "Good!" she said, diving down on his cock and taking the length to
the back of her throat again.  Nickolai's hands pulled at the cloth of
the of the bedsheets, squirming as she applied pressure to his erection.
"Oh, Liz!" he gasped as his orgasm exploded in her mouth.  She didn't
stop, but kept stroking, sucking every last drop of semen out of his
orgasm, swallowing all of it.  When she finally released his cock, he
gasped and looked down at her.  "After that, maybe not."

     "Maybe not!" she asked, indignant.  She slowly slid up to nuzzle up
against his neck, her breath warm against his skin.  "You'd better be
able to, Kolya.  I didn't go through all that work for nothing."

     "Don't worry.  I'll do my heroic best."

     She smiled, her hand caressing his flagging cock.  "How long do I
have to wait?"

     "Well, the sooner you get me going the sooner you can get me
going," Nickolai smiled.  He turned and kissed her on the mouth.  She
seemed surprised, then returned the kiss again, their tongues mixing.
He tasted the sweet salt on her tongue, the taste of his own semen.  It
was an interesting taste.

     "Well, guess who's hard again?" she said.

     "I am?" he asked, feeling down between his legs; his hand bumped
hers, and then he felt his own shaft, already hard and ready.  "Guess
so."

     "Yeah," she smiled, rolling him back onto back.  She straddled his
body, only to remember she still had her underwear on.  "Just pull it
aside," he said.

     She smiled.  "You'd like that, wouldn't you?"  She tugged it to one
side, as he had suggested, and then grabbed his erection in her right
hand.  "Ready?"

     "Oh yeah."  She smiled and slid down over his cock, slowly taking
all of him into her.  "Wow," she sighed.

     He placed his hands on her hips and she provided all of the motion,
slowly stroking up and down on his erect penis.  "That's so good," she
sighed.  "I love getting fucked."

     Nickolai smiled.  "Seems to me you're doing all the work."

     "We could change that, you know," she said.

     "I'd like that.  Besides, we have to take your underwear off.  The
elastic is scraping against the side of my cock and it's rubbing me raw.

     "Okay."  She slid off of his erection and rolled onto the bed
beside him, lifting her legs and buttocks into the air to remove her
underwear.  Nickolai positioned himself between her legs.  "Now, get
inside," she panted softly.

     He easily slid himself into her cunt again, feeling her grasp him. 
He looked down and in the dim light could see his cock slowly sliding in
and out of her.  He decided not to take this at all quickly; he wanted
the pleasure to last.  "Faster, please, Nickolai?"

     He smiled down at her, watching her face; his eyes searched her
face, and he could see her eyes doing the same for him.  His body
slapped against hers, his cock plunging deep into her.  His strokes
became faster at her urging, and he found that there was less sensation
when he went faster.  He smiled as he began loving her harder, faster.
"Yes, that's what I want," she gasped.  "Ohmmmrrrr..."

     His cock felt like stone or marble; he was going to pound her into
the bed if he could.  Her hands grasped his hips as he lost all control
and felt his orgasm explode a second time, filling her yet again with
his seed.  All that escaped his mouth was a muffled "Mmmmph..." as he
bit his lip to keep from screaming.

     "Oh, Nickolai."

     He opened his eyes to look down at her.  She smiled up at him, her
eyes wet.  "That was good."

     "So were you, Liz.  So were you.  Can you stay the night?"

     She blinked.  "I don't think so.  I have to be up for the match
tomorrow.  But you're the first guy who's ever asked."  She reached up
and stroked his cheek.  "Thank you."

     They snuggled together, and whispered softly to one another.
Suddenly, the door banged open, startling both of them.  "Ooops, sorry,"
Garth announced.  "I'm just heading to bed."

     "I should probably be heading that way, too," Liz said.  She roused
herself out of bed and, completely disregarding that Garth was watching,
dressed.

     "Hey!" Nickolai said.  "Don't I get a kiss goodbye?"

     She smiled and leaned over.  "Goodbye, Nickolai.  See you tomorrow
on the field of battle."

     "See you, 'Lizabeth."  She left, closing the door behind her.

     Garth glanced down at his roommate, who now lay on his bed with his
fingers laced together behind his head.  "Don't just sit there grinning
like you've eaten a canary," he grumbled.  "Isn't that fraternizing with
the enemy, anyway?"

     "I thought this was friendly competition."

 
 
          Dearest Furry,
 
          I'm glad to hear your relationship with Kiza is
     working, but I have to admit I'm a little worried to hear
     how she's 'attached' herself to you.  I suppose you could
     have the same fear for me as well, since I've met someone
     down here.

          Her name is Liz, and she lives almost a thousand
     kilometers away.  That's not such a big deal on Pendor, I
     understand, but here on Earth we still have to fly to get to
     where we want to go.  I met her over fencing, and she
     defeated me soundly.  But we also made love one night, and I
     enjoyed myself.

          I had trouble admitting that to you, especially
     figuring out how to word "made love."  I mean, did I say I
     "had sex," "fucked," or what?  Actually, I shouldn't worry
     about it; she was very understanding that for now were
     "friends," and nothing more.

          Garth, my Katckin roommate, commented that I've been
     "morose" without you, and I have to agree.  I miss you so
     much, and even though Terra's my homeworld, I really cannot
     wait to get back to Pendor, and to you.
 
          Love,
 
                         Your Kolya.

--
"Elizabeth"
The Journal Entries of Kennet R'yal Shardik, et. al., And Related Tales
are (c) 1989, 1992 Elf Matheiu Sternberg.  May be freely distributed by
cybernetic media; hardcopies are limited to single printings for
personal use.
--
elf@halcyon.com  (Elf Sternberg)