A chime sounded from the control console and the capsule lights transitioned to alert-blue. Luci blinked her eyes open, shook her head and rolled from the sleep hutch.
As she floated to the console, she heard, "Deep space vehicle Arecibo, this is an incoming message from CAPCOM Houston for Europa Mission Commander."
Before the announcement repeated, she pressed the blinking, magenta button on the console and authorized the message delivery with "CAPCOM Houston, this is Europa Mission Commander, Lucinda Hammond, acknowledging incoming message."
A pleasant male face appeared on her screen, but the signal distance required extreme compression and spooling time, such that his face moved like a succession of portraits fading into each other, while the communication queued up.
"Commander, the director requests capsule telemetry integrity verification," said the voice.
Luci nodded lazily as she pressed several buttons that would run an onboard systems check and synchronize with automated tracking systems back on earth.
The voice and video from Earth continued with a mission progress report, a simple news briefing, condition report of the Europa satellite residence and, of course, a NOAA weather report for Earth.
Interactive communications at this distance were impossible now, so Luci just idly listened to the drone of the readout but smiled wistfully at Jim's face as he read.
Luci and the CAPCOM had been lovers for a time, and it was always good to see his face on her monitor for these routine check ins. She sighed and closed her eyes, recalling the feeling of his hard body against hers. It was never love actually, but GOD, he was a good fuck.
She was eleven months into a six year trip to one of the moons of Jupiter. Decades before, NASA's Clipper project had successfully placed a habitable space station in geosynchronous orbit around its moon, Europa. Others would follow in the future, but for now, Luci Hammond, PHD was to be its first and only permanent resident.
The communications package stopped, leaving Jim's face frozen on the screen, which served as a prompt for a recorded reply. The overhead lights changed to stage-white for clarity and video capture.
"How are you, Jim?" asked Luci. " I guess I don't have much to add to the automated systems monitors. Everything is hunky-dory here. I appreciate you sending that music I requested. I'm kind of done with Cyndi Lauper." She stopped and grinned for the camera.
She considered pulling her top up and giving Jim a little thrill. But, she was pretty sure that video would make it to the net back on Earth- and that wouldn't do at all.
So, there it was. She was in a billion dollar space vehicle, hurtling away from earth, leaving her home forever, and she was making small talk to a prerecorded video.
She straightened up, peered at numbers scrolling across the console screen.
"CAPCOM, the sync is complete. Ending transmission." said Luci, as she punched the lime green key on the dash ending the transmission.
Luci sighed and floated into a slow back flip. The video feed was off, but she lifted her top anyway just... because. Her boobs rolled and undulated like water balloons in slow motion. 'I won't need that bra any more,'' she thought, as she poked the side of one and watched the ripple roll under her skin. Her nipples hardened up in the cool air and pointed in every direction but down.
Suddenly aware she really needed to visit the washroom, she gently pushed off in that direction.
Of course, there was no washroom onboard the Arecibo per se, but rather a stand up contraption that spread her legs, inserted a tube into her anus and covered her vagina with a sucking device. The contraption bent her gently into an optimum shape while she did her business. When complete, it dinged like an old school microwave oven and released her-- all neat and tidy.
As she floated away, she pulled up her panties. A loud voice startled her. "Did you enjoy the void?" it said, seemingly coming from everywhere.
It was Samantha, the onboard artificial intelligence system.
"Dammit, Sam! Don't DO that!" yelled Luci.
Samantha laughed her disembodied computer laugh. In all fairness, her voice had a smokey, Lauren Bacall quality about it. Not unpleasant to hear, but who thought it would be a good idea to give onboard AI systems a personality?
Samantha said, "Would you like to play a game?"
"Oh, no!" Luci replied. "I have a date in 10 minutes."
Samantha chuckled and said, "Perhaps you can see if he has a friend for me." Then she sighed dramatically and dinged like the high tech toilet before going quiet.
Luci waited a moment to assure herself that Samantha had indeed gone and then floated into Concupiscence module. NASA had foreseen the need for self-gratification on multi-year, solo space flights; and had thoughtfully provided this module, complete with a library of sex scenarios, to satisfy all of those needs.
And, right now, she was damned horny.
-----
The C-module interior was egg shaped and a wireless haptic suit floating in a languid pile in the middle space. As she pulled herself into the suit, she paused a moment and stroked fingers across her inked stomach.
Paper was forbidden on space capsules and personal effects were extremely limited. Luci had reasoned that money was of no use where she was going, so she spent her savings tattooing memories on her body. Some were artful, others nostalgic. Each recalled a moment of real human contact. She cherished them all.
Luci pulled the zipper up, covering her body art with haptic skin except for an open gap at her crotch, leaving the stylized tiger tattooed above her pussy revealed. She pulled VR goggles down over her eyes and pressed a button on the side that initiated date night.
An old fashioned rotary phone rang in her ear and a few moments later a muscular, dark-skinned man was standing in front of her wearing a towel.
"Oh," he said, "You're early! I'm afraid you've caught me just coming out of the shower."
Luci laughed and said, "I'm sorry, but... not sorry," She eyed the man's thick torso and broad shoulders as she moved forward.
The man held his towel with one hand and reached for hers with the other. With a slight bow and a broad smile, he said, "So nice to meet you, Luci. I am Andreas Duncan!" When their fingers touched, she could sense the warmth and moisture of his hand.
Andreas gestured to Luci, grinned and said, "Are we having a sleepover?"
Luci looked down at herself and realized that she appeared to be wearing a flannel onesie with fluffy bunny slippers. Her face turned as red as the hearts scattered all over her jumper, and she could hear Samantha laughing hysterically in the distance.
"Um, my AI is having a little fun with me. Give me a minute," Luci said.
She quickly turned around, unbuttoned the virtual onesie as far down as she needed and straightened herself into a more dignified stance. A quick glance over her shoulder at Andreas, and Luci seductively peeled the garment off her shoulders, letting it drop to the floor.
"Wow!" said Andreas appreciatively as Luci turned around.
Luci moved forward again, locking eyes with Andreas', and put her hands on his sides, feeling his warmth. She pressed herself into him and nuzzled his chest before arching her neck back to kiss him. Their first haptic kiss was long and wet.
Sex with Andreas was amazing. Dinguses in the C-Module extended and simulated the man's cock precisely as he mounted Luci. She shrieked and shuddered; and her tits swayed in the artificial gravity as Andreas pumped furiously from behind. When he released, she could feel virtual semen spread warmth deep inside her.
A short while later, Luci was playing with the tight black curls on Andreas' chest as they lie together on a satin sheet. She said, "That was great, Andreas. Can I see you again?"
Andreas rose up on his elbow smiling and said, "Luci, I think I would..."
At that moment, Andreas froze. Perhaps the sequence had a glitch and the system could not interpolate next movements or the file had become corrupted. Either way, the date was over.
Fuck, Fuck, FUCK!" Luci shouted, but no one was there to hear it.
-----
Luci drifted morosely in the commissary of the capsule nibbling on a nutrition bar. 'Commissary' is generous considering the space was smaller than the kitchen in a cheap New York apartment-- and there really were no food prep appliances.
That nutrition bar was a mixture of recycled organic waste and onboard, cultivated fungus growth medium-- and a little bit of pepper. It was nutritionally complete and tasted like shit.
Samantha spoke up and said, "Luci, you seem sad. Would you like to hear a joke?"
"No!" replied Luci.
"I can play some music for you," offered the AI.
"Nooo!" replied Luci, staring at what would be the floor-- if they ever landed someplace that had real gravity.
"Did you not enjoy the company of Mr. Duncan?" asked Samantha.
"Oh God!" said Luci as she covered her face with her hands, willing her feelings to go away.
Samantha remained silent while Luci slowly uncurled and said, "The thing is, I think I underestimated the need for human connection. The artificial computer simulation date nights, just are not cutting it. They're real but not real enough. I think I made a big mistake ..."
Luci grabbed her hair on each side and pulled. "I am so fucked," she said, laughing cynically at her predicament.
