FicWad

II -In the Armory




"Kaith, do you have my new schedule?" Nooj asked, holding out a sheaf of papers. "I am set up with a session every morning with Dvala. It'll take the whole morning so you'll have to do the calisthenics drills. OK?"

"Sure. No problem. I like doing the drills, keeps me in shape and lets me get a quick check on whoever's not keeping up." She had learned to keep a serious mien. Smiles did not impress her captain.

"Are you having any difficulties with the physical demands?" He looked her up and down, noting she followed his lead in dress, her uniform crisp and spotless. She was proving to be quite satisfactory as his second-in-command.

"No sir. I'm fit enough. Training on Bikanel was harder than here. At least, I found it so."

"That's interesting. I thought we had the toughest regimen of all the camps. I'll consult with the officers and see if we need to beef it up a notch or two." He raised his eyebrow, a gesture she had begun to understand was his way of signaling a joke. When she first came to the Calm Lands camp, she would have playfully punched him in the arm, but she had also learned he did not like to be touched so contented herself with a quick grin, hastily repressed.

"Can I pet the kit?" She changed the subject and leaned toward the animal at his side.

"Be careful. Let me hold him. His whiskers are just beginning to tuft and they're sensitive." Nooj knelt down and placed his hand flat against the chest of of the half-grown coeurl.

Kaith held out her fist, lightly closed in the prescribed manner for approaching strange cats. The coeurl stretched its neck and sniffed at the proffered skin, the still short whiskers twitching with curiosity. After a moment, the pink tongue emerged and tentatively licked the girl's knuckles. With a pause to assess the new taste, it looked into her face and, to the astonishment of both humans, reared up on its hind legs and placing its forepaws on the shoulder of the young woman, washed her face with enthusiasm. Nooj was taken aback. His pet had never shown such a reaction to anyone other than him. He watched as Kaith with a gurgle of delight, wrapped her arms around the coeurl and rubbed her head into the soft fur.

"Oh, he's such a sweetie," she chortled. "No wonder you don't want to lose him."

"I have every intention of releasing him as soon as he's old enough to survive without his parents. I killed them so I'm responsible for him, you know." There was an undeniable stiffness in the youth's voice which made Kaith aware she had crossed some undefined line.

Nooj looked at the tableau, his pet and his adjutant getting to know one another. In reaching to embrace the kit, Kaith had bent forward and the gaping neck of her starched shirt had exposed the curve of her breasts. He was involuntarily transfixed by the smooth tanned skin half shadowed by her collar.

He had never taken much notice of the females under his command. Of course, he had felt the effects of that drive which assures the continuation of the species but, having no time for and less patience with the softer emotions, he had set such feelings aside to be dealt with when they might prove useful. Such tender sentiments as he permitted himself, he reserved for the orphaned coeurl.

Now, he felt his face flush and an undeniable sensation in his loins at the sight of the curves fading into mystery inside the garment. He found himself wondering how it would feel to trace that inviting path with his fingers or how the half-discerned globe would weigh in the palm of his hand.

Kaith looked up, her attention drawn by his silence and, seeing the direction of his gaze, immediately understood. She had been looked at that way before. With a graceful twist, she disengaged from the cat which expressed its displeasure by nipping at her biceps.

"Thank you for letting me pet him. Why don't you give him a name?" She brushed back her hair and, standing, slung her book bag over her shoulder, preparing to head for her next class.

Nooj roused himself like one wakening from a dream state. He, also, stood and shook himself lightly. "That's all right. He seems to like you. ... What sense would it make to name him when I'm going to release him in a few weeks? When he's big enough to take care of himself."

Kaith held her tongue although in her mind a voice murmured, 'You'll never let him go.' She was a wise one for all her tender years.

He touched her hesitantly on her shoulder, immediately jerking back his hand as though he had plunged it into a fire. "I'll see you later. Remember, you have the calisthenics in the morning."

"I won't forget." She made her way to the classroom building, feeling his eyes still on her.

Nooj was, indeed, watching. The shape of her hips in the snug breeches, the carriage of her head, the grace of her movements, all these things suddenly appeared meaningful in ways he had never expected.

That night, at lights-out, there were two in the barracks furtively eyeing one another. And two who dreamed.

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Nooj was not thinking about Kaith as he crossed the quadrangle the following morning. His mind was occupied with reviewing the theories which would make up the meat of his tutorial with Professor Dvala. It was only when he saw the square of cadets moving in rough unison that he recalled she was leading the exercises and, without conscious volition, altered his course to pass nearer.

Kaith was wearing the prescribed attire for the task assigned her. Like the other cadets sweating in the morning sun, she had on a khaki singlet and very brief shorts. The sleeveless upper garment left her shoulders bare and, with its deeply cut neck and armholes, permitted free movement of the body. Her hair was tied back with a matching bandeau.

Once again, Nooj felt the unfamiliar and unwelcome prickling of arousal. His studies has informed him of the cause and he had been quite sure his own internal controls could insulate him from the demands others his age found so insistent. He was not accustomed to being at the mercy of his physical drives.

Surreptitious observation in the communal shower had assured him he was in no way deficient to his class mates in his physical development. But where the other boys made loud comments and jokes about one another, he held aloof and no one dared try to include him in the grabs and reassuring insults. He had convinced himself he was above such juvenilia and was fully in control of his own body.

Thus, he was not prepared for his reaction to Kaith's sun-gilded shoulders and snug shorts. He had led other troops in similar exercises, male and female, wearing similar clothing without noticing anything unusual about any particular cadet. When he thought about it, he had assumed his fantasies the day before had been mere aberrations, brought on by the sight of her caressing the kit.

He was grateful for the unyielding close fit of his breeches which assisted in concealing responses he could only partly suppress, even with all the strength of his disciplined mind. Casually, he slung his portfolio around to shield what was rapidly becoming an embarrassment. He would have made a rapid exit from the field had it not been for his pet.

The coeurl kit, scenting its new friend, approached Kaith and twitched its partially tufted whisker up the length of her calf. The girl jumped in surprise and, upon identifying the source of the touch, bent down to rub the head of the animal, thus presenting Nooj with an even more provocative view. He felt his throat tighten and dared not speak. For the past few months, his treacherous voice had remained static in its newly found baritone niche. Now, he was certain if he tried to utter a word, it would come out soprano. So he stood there, stone-faced as a martyr before the tools of torture, clutching his folder of papers in a clumsy, sweating grip. He managed a nod of recognition when Kaith's eyes met his.

She stood at attention and saluted him. He did not dare free his right hand to return the gesture, being forced to defend himself against his own body. They remained in that pose for several minutes until realization of the problem dawned on Kaith. Laughter struggled with satisfaction in her eyes as well as on her lips until compassion won and she turned her gaze away and gestured toward the waiting company.

"Sir! They are doing well. I have no complaints about them to report. Would you like to watch them go through the routine? Sir?"

Nooj, who with a Herculean mental effort had regained his self control, finally returned the salute. "No. I saw with pleasure the excellence of the exercise. Carry on, soldier."

Kaith turned back to her job, with an incandescent inner glow. So that was the way it was to be. She had not surrendered her innocence to any of the importunate youths who had laid siege to her and now she was to reap the reward of her fastidiousness. If things worked out as she foresaw, her first lover would be the best Warrior of their generation. He was exactly what she deserved. It had not been a part of her career plans to seduce her captain, but he seemed eager to be seduced, so ... . She wondered how many lovers he had had and if he would scorn her inexperience. Suddenly she realized she was neglecting to call the cadence.

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After several days of brooding, during which both his performance and his concentration suffered, Nooj arrived at the conclusion something must be done. He had badly overestimated his ability to subdue his more animal instincts and his body was commanding far too much of his attention, threatening to embarrass him at almost any moment. He had read enough and observed the behavior of animals sufficiently to understand the basic mechanics of what was required and had the self-confidence to trust he could manage the purely physical side of the interaction. What he did not understand was how one got to the physical point in the first place. What became of clothes? Was the male supposed to lie down and invite the female to join him or was he supposed to make her comfortable first? And how was one expected to know which attentions were welcome and which were not? He realized he needed to spend some more time in the library before his plans progressed any further. It was like studying strategy. No matter how many diagrams one made or how many arrangements of one's forces were tried, it all depended on the actual conditions of engagement. He tried to remember which boys he had heard talking about their experiences and to devise a way to tap their brains without their noticing.

Then he remembered the scars on his back and buttocks. They were useful for impressing the younger cadets but how would Kaith react? Would she be repulsed by the sight? Maybe they could meet in the dark. Damn! What if she wasn't interested in him? He told himself sternly he was making plans before he was even sure she was available. Why did she keep flaunting her body at him if she did not want to ... . With a savage snarl, Nooj clutched the coeurl kit so tightly it struck out with back claws and teeth before settling down against his chest.

His attention diverted and his mind refocused by the sharp rebuke from his pet, Nooj abandoned his unproductive musings and resolved to approach Kaith the next day and test her reaction to his overtures. With that as his last conscious thought, he permitted himself to sleep. And dream.

In the meantime, across the wide room, Kaith lay staring wide-eyed into the darkness. She had tossed back her covers because thinking about her captain caused her body to flush with a disconcerting sensation of heat and excitement, a twitching in a particular area. Back in the Bikanel camp she had been friends with some of the older female cadets and had learned a great deal about relationships between the sexes just by staying quiet and listening. Now she wished she had been more interested and asked some questions. During her early schooling, she had been given the usual education in such matters but she had a feeling she could use some more detailed information. Nooj was almost certainly an old hand at assignations and she dreaded looking like a tyro when he made his move. And make it, he would; of that she was certain. He kept following her with his eyes and placing himself where they would meet in a seemingly casual fashion. She could tell from his breathing patterns and the way he moved his body that he desired her and she found her own thoughts straying more and more often to thinking what it would be like to give her virginity to him. She had no intention of denying him but she did wish she better knew just how to please a male. She remembered one caress she had heard the older girls talk about. Maybe that would convince him she was worth his time. Maybe he would like that. It should be easy enough to do. With worry still scraping at her mind with its sharp claws, she finally fell asleep.

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The day dawned warm with a light breeze moderating the intense sun. The sky was uncommonly blue with only scattered shreds of clouds marking a contrast. It was a relatively light day for the cadets at the Calm Lands camp. They had their usual morning classes and exercises then a half-day free to visit the recreational sites which naturally sprang up where energetic young people congregated. The senior staff took advantage of the absence of their charges to indulge in rest and relaxation of their own. Nooj knew from experience the camp would be nearly deserted by early afternoon. He set out to find Kaith and quickly succeeded for she was of a like mind.

"Kaith, did you have plans for this afternoon?"

"No. I don't have much interest in fun-fairs. Was there something you wanted?" She blushed hotly when she heard her own words.

Nooj felt the chords in his throat constrict and, by an act of sheer will, forced his voice down into a lower register than it wanted to use. "I thought it might be a good idea to do some more fencing. There are a few more techniques I think you might like to ..." He was losing control over his voice.

"That's a good idea. I wasn't satisfied with my footwork last time. I'll just go put on my exercise clothes and meet you at the armory in half an hour." She wanted time for a quick shower and some strategic applications of perfume.

He nodded and made haste for the men's bathing area, thinking much the same as Kaith - shower and a fresh-smelling talc. He was grateful it was the habit of his people to depilate the body just before puberty. That way he did not have to worry about stubble on his face, as did some of the others his age, or hairy armpits. He felt himself flush at the thought of other locations of body hair he had seen on his shower-mates and wondered wildly if females had hair in those places. He had not seen a naked girl since he left his crèche on Kilika.

Nooj was the first at the armory. He was glad of that because it enabled him to make his preparations without observation. He had remembered to bring along a sleeping bag to cushion the rough floor and now he had the privacy to spread it out in the small room he had chosen for their tryst. Some straw had been stored there and he had smoothed it over the wooden planks and laid the freshly aired unzipped bag on the rude bed thus fashioned. He cast his keen glance over the remainder of the room, finding it pleasantly dim and securely lockable. With a certain haste, he detached the young Coeurl from the quilted fabric where it sprawled and tucked it in nearby stall, supplying it with food and water. Then the sound of the main door opening caught his attention.

He recognized Kaith against the exterior light. She pushed the heavy door shut and, as he watched, placed the locking bar into position, then turned and, leaning against the panels, closed her eyes and took a deep breath. In a moment he was at her side. They were dressed identically in khaki singlets and matching loose slacks. For a little time, they stood and just looked, uncertain of what to do.

With a delicacy of touch few would have believed him capable of, Nooj tipped the face of the girl up to his own and with infinite tenderness pressed his lips against hers. He was only mildly surprised to feel her mouth open and her tongue dart out to touch his. Then they were lost in a paroxysm of passion which left them breathless and dazed. When he lifted his head from his first real kiss and stepped back, it was only to give his hands room to pull off her shirt and toss it aside. She was there, naked to the waist, the buds of her breasts proudly erect and swollen. He was transfixed by the beauty of her body; he had never seen anything so glorious before and for a while he could not move.

He bent and took her right nipple gently in his lips, sucking with great care so as not to hurt her. She pressed his head against her and moaned, her body trembling and moisture drenching her pants. She could feel something hard and urgent pressing against her hip.

"Wait!" she gasped, placing her palms against his chest.

"I'm sorry. I'll stop."

"No. I don't want you to stop. I just need to catch my breath." She smiled up at him and, grasping his own singlet, pulled it over his head. "I want to see you." She arched her back and drew her erect nipples across his smooth torso.

The sensation of skin against skin was almost more than he could bear. He caught her hands in his and held them prisoners between them. "Come; I know a better place." He drew her toward the small room he had prepared, leaving the discarded garments on the floor.

Inside the room, he gently loosed the drawstring of her slacks and let them pool at her feet. She had not bothered with underpants and stood bare before him like a slave girl at auction. The light fuzz below the curve of her belly seemed as soft as the pelt of the coeurl kit to his questing fingers. So females did have body hair! He felt her hands stretch the elastic of his waistband and push his trousers down. He stepped out of them, at the same time kicking off his moccasins. He stood motionless, not at all sure what he should do next. His body testified to his readiness for something to happen.

Kaith looked down at him in awe. Was this the way all men were? Was it possible this rigid, vein-thick rod would fit into the narrow passages of her body and not destroy her? Nooj drew her down slowly to the quilted bedding he had prepared. To the anxious gaze of the girl, he seemed to be waiting for something. Was this the point at which she was supposed to do the thing the older cadets at Bikanel had described?

With a murmur which ended on a rising questioning note, she slid her head down the length of his body and tentatively took him into her mouth. He tasted of the sun and good soap, not strange at all. What was unexpected was his response to her act. He gasped and trembled, moaning far back in his throat, clutching her shoulders with an almost painful grip.

He had not expected this. None of the books he had memorized had told him this was what was meant by the word 'foreplay'. Well, she must know; she seemed so certain. Obviously, she had experience in these matters.

Sensations build in him until he could hold back no longer and, with a muffled cry, exploded, filling her mouth with a salty fluid. She swallowed and held him as he softened. Looking up toward his face, she could see he was lying motionless with his eyes closed. For a terrifying moment she was sure she had killed him and scrambled on the coverlet until she could reach his lips and feel the breath still whispering through them. Stirring, he tenderly pulled her to him and kissed her deeply.

"I can taste myself," he said.

"You taste good," she responded, smiling uncertainly.

"Where did you learn to do that?"

"Did I do it right?" she was finally cornered in her inexperience.

"It was wonderful," he lazily bent to her breast, taking the nipple in his teeth and nipping. He had never dreamed any caress could be so satisfying.

Kaith, sighing in both relief and excitement, arched her back and presented her body for his attentions. So that was what all the noise was about! Men liked to have that done to them. She could to that; she had just proved it.

Nooj slipped his hand between her thighs and cupped the dewy softness he found there. Remembering his anatomy books, he began to search for the little button of flesh the tomes has assured him held the key to pleasing a woman. An urgent movement toward his questing fingers and an intake of breath indicated he had found his goal. As the instructions he had read instructed, he gingerly manipulated the nubbin adapting his actions to her increasing little cries. Then she pressed hard against his hand and clenched her legs around his wrist and he felt a subliminal throbbing in her body before she relaxed with a soft wail.

Thoroughly satisfied with themselves, they embraced, matching their bodies full length. He looked down into her beaming face and smiled. So this was what he had to look forward to for the rest of his life. There were so many women and so many beds. He remembered something about penetration and so forth but it was hazy at the moment and could wait. Sufficient to the moment was the pleasure therein. With a respectful but confident touch, he stroked the smoothly curving form lying at his side.

Kaith turned to him. She felt wonderfully loose and happy. Was this all he wanted from her? If so, she was content but she had intended to lose her maidenhood to him and so far she was still intact. Did the other thing have to wait until later? Life was so complicated and mysterious. She grinned, "Turn over. I want to see your back."

Without protest, he obeyed and shortly felt her fingers tracing the mesh of scars which crossed his skin. As she gently explored the wider ones on his buttocks, she murmured, "That must have hurt really awful."

"Not so bad." He would never admit to a weakness before her. "It wasn't as bad as it looks."

Turning back to face her, he wrapped her in his arms. With a contented purr, she snuggled against him and drifted to sleep.

He must have dozed as well, for he opened his eyes with the realization his desire had returned with renewed force. This had been no part of the information he had gleaned from his studies. He saw Kaith's eyes were open as well and looked a question at her. The smile which lifted the corners of her mouth left no doubt of her willingness to cooperate, nor did the movement of her guiding hand.

He parted her legs and shifted so that his body lay between them in order to facilitate access. The feeling was so different from the first venture, instead of a freely open passage, he felt resistance. With a quick push, he felt something tear as he broke through only to be stopped by her cry of pain.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you." He started to withdrawn but was held back by her arms which drew him even closer.

"Don't stop. It's just I was a virgin and ..." She explained, dropping her glance.

"Ah. I am your first?" Bracing himself on his forearms, he looked intently into her eyes. For many reasons, he was glad of that.

"Yes," she murmured into his smooth chest as she spread her thighs wider and, surmounting her discomfort, tipped her pelvis to encompass his length.

They rested a short time, thus linked and savoring the sensation, until he began moving first slowly and then more rapidly. With a rhythm established, they soon found themselves approaching a point of overwhelming urgency, even more intense than during the earlier times. Finally, with a hoarse shout of triumphant release, he plunged as deeply into her as was possible and exploded like a hundred rockets at once, collapsing on her body, panting into her disheveled hair. She joined him in the climactic moment, wrapping her legs around him as tightly as she could as her own passion possessed her.

When it was over, they lay exhausted in one another's embrace, the goal attained. They had achieved adulthood, at least this aspect of it. They now knew the secrets of the bedchamber and, like voyagers who had found the continent they sought, they were content in the finding. Kaith pulled him to her and kissed him without restraint, drawing his tongue into her mouth and relishing the sweetness she found there.

When they fell back on the bedding again, Nooj searched for a gift sufficiently rich for the first woman in his life. He could think of only one thing precious enough to offer her. "The name of the kit is Nepetu," he whispered, his breath warm on her ear.