DISCLAIMER: The Star Trek characters are the property of Paramount Studios, Inc. The story contents are the creation and property of Johanna Cantor and is copyright (c) 1980 by Johanna Cantor. Rated NC17.

World Enough

Johanna Cantor

Zephrem Cochrane put his arm around his companion as they stood watching the three Enterprise men walk toward the shuttlecraft and climb in. He gave her a squeeze. But instead of nestling, as he wanted, his companion took his arm from her shoulder and ran after the men. The hatch opened, then closed behind her.

Zephrem waited in the doorway, mystified, but confident. And after a moment the hatch opened and his companion reappeared. What did she -- oh, of course. A suitcase, a cosmetics case, and now the men were handing out two more cases. Women, he thought. Some things would never change. He strode over to pick up the two cases. "Maybe you'd better include a dolly," he called.

"Right." Captain Kirk appeared in the doorway and seemed to frame a question, then hesitated. Cochrane met his look squarely, letting his face answer the anxiety the Captain's face showed. Then Cochrane winked. Kirk's face softened. He returned the wink and stepped inside. The hatch closed.

"Can you manage those?" Cochrane asked.

"Certainly," the woman snapped. She picked up two cases and flounced toward the house. Cochrane grimaced. That was Commissioner Hedford. He picked up the other two cases and followed meekly in her wake. She got the door open and held it for him.

"Thanks," he said neutrally.

She grinned at him and followed him into the bedroom. That grin was the Commissioner, too, he suspected. But behind it, he could see the softness of his companion. He returned the grin, his eyes dancing. What a package.

"Zephrem!" Her eyes widened as she pointed behind him. Then she ran to the doorway.

"Stay back," he ordered.

"What is it?"

"Gear." He joined her in the doorway and they watched as crate after crate materialized in a neat circle. "Nice work," he approved, then laughed as, precisely in the middle, an already assembled dolly took shape. He waited a moment more. "Guess that's it," he told her and they strode over to the crate marked "1" and grabbed the crowbar on its side. His easy pull broke the magnetic staples and he set to work on the crate.

"But, Zephrem, what is this?"

"Colonizer kit. I figured we'd need it now that--" He broke off and attacked the crate with unnecessary energy.

"But what's in it all? And how did they get it so fast?"

"Had a word with the Captain. All he had to do was call in an order. Told me it's preprogrammed on their supplies computer. There're emergency rations, tools, new seeds -- here." He handed her the items sheet from the first crate and returned to his task. But this time he moved around so he could watch her face. Damn! That's what he'd been afraid of. He crossed the space between them in two bounds and cupped his hand under her chin to lift it.

"All these things, Zephrem. I did them for you."

He wiped a tear off her cheek. "Now we'll do them for each other," he promised.

She smiled, but then her face grew serious again. "Zephrem, I have something for you."

He followed her into the bedroom and watched as she punched the code on the largest case. Opening it, she reached inside, then rose, holding a long cylinder.

"What's that?"

"I had a word with Mr. Spock. It's a laser beacon. If you set it on the coordinates he wrote on the side, the signal will intercept a major trade route. Soon, someone will come." She held it out to him. He stood still. "Take it, Zephrem."

"I don't want it."

"Take it. Someday you may. And when that day comes, you must use it. There's a whole galaxy out there, the Captain said. Just waiting to honor you."

'I've had all that. I haven't had you." He flushed as laughter sprang to her eyes. "Sorry. I didn't mean that quite the way it came out."

"Didn't you, Zephrem? Didn't you?"

They looked at each other for a moment. Then he held out his arms. And unhesitatingly, his companion walked into them. The touch of her body was electric; then he realized it was his own response. "Oh, baby," he breathed. Her hands came up behind him and he signed as they stroked back and backside. He reached behind her, but the material of her dress was smooth to the touch.

"How do you get this thing off?" His voice was husky and she looked up at him in surprise.

"This way." She guided his fingers to her waist. But he fumbled, unfamiliar with the design, and she laughed and pulled the fastening apart. Then she stepped back.

"Oh, baby," Zephrem breathed again. His pulses pounded; it was hard to breathe. He was aware only of the woman in front of him and his own thrusting response. He stood rigid as she pulled his suit down, giggling as his organ sprang out, free and erect. Blindly he reached for her and she moved close, pressing in to tantalize him with her soft hair. He kissed her hungrily, then reached to stroke her long, elegant back. His hands moved down and suddenly his control snapped. He picked her up abruptly and almost threw her onto the bed. But she lay back and opened her body. Instantly he was inside her, reveling in the feel of the velvet flesh that yielded to him as it resisted and soothed as it excited.

"Oh, baby," he moaned. "I haven't felt anything like this since--"

"Poor Zephrem," she cooed.

Zephrem froze, astonishment superseding all other emotion. "Which of you said that?"

His companion only chuckled. "Poor Zephrem," she cooed again.

"Yah! And I suppose you had all you wanted."

A tight squeeze recalled him to the business at hand, but then she laughed again. Women! By God, he'd show her! He reached to tickle a tit with his tongue, grunting in satisfaction as the nipple stiffened in his mouth. Then he ran his hand down the line between their bodies. He found the tiny button and began to rub.

The companion stiffened, gasping. Her hips pushed against him, stimulating him almost beyond endurance. But he'd show Madame Commissioner. The whole cannot be greater than the sum of its parts -- Lord, what parts. The square of the hypotenuse equals the-- the--

"Zephrem!" The gasp was a plea. She reached around him, grabbing his backside. Her fingers twisted excruciatingly; then she squeezed his penis again. Cochrane yelped as his artificial detachment evaporated. He thrust desperately. He couldn't stand it any more. Nothing existed but rhythm as they thrust and parted, and thrust again. The woman moaned and Zephrem felt her shudder. A knifethrust of desire stabbed his spine. She moaned again, then his senses exploded in black fire.

It was dark, he realized. Darkness came swiftly to this tiny world and light returned just as swiftly brief hours later. But it's world enough, he thought.

His companion lay still, pinned underneath him. He was not sated, but he'd let her sleep. There'd be time. World enough and time -- his mind finished the quotation. Carefully, he eased himself off her.

"Zephrem?"

"Yeah."

She signed, snuggling close to him. His body hardened, making her laugh again. What was that laugh? Who was it? His lips sought hers in the dark. Hers met his and parted, inviting exploration. A galaxy waiting? he thought. There's a galaxy here. World enough, and time, thought Zephrem Cochrane. And it's all mine.

THE END