Earthrise: 2176 [Published - Sample Only]

Chapter 2.4 - The Discovery (Part 4) V2.1

Chapter 2.4 - The Discovery (Part 4) V2.1

A few days after the steakhouse celebration, Robert called Mynah into his office and closed the door. He sat down on the old couch and gestured for her to join him. "Um, about the other night, I have been thinking a lot...people around here have been talking about us and..."

Mynah thought she knew what was coming next but managed to keep her composure.

Robert went on. "Mynah, um, I like and respect you as a colleague and find you to be a remarkably beautiful woman who also happens to be an engineering genius..."

Mynah stood up. "What, you don't think we can work together and have a relationship?"

Robert didn't say anything for a few seconds and then. "No!" He took her hands in his. "I, I'm really no good at this...I finally saw the light, the forest from the trees or whatever..."

She shook her head. "Bobby, if the choice is between us working together or us being together; I choose being together."

He smiled in agreement. "I'm sorry it took so long, what can I say, I am an idiot!...but I want you and I want us to do what we do together and if someone doesn't like it, to hell with them!"

To prove that she agreed; Ms. Mynah Mittal inappropriately and unprofessionally reached over and touched the face of her colleague and employer, Doctor Robert Scott. He responded with a willing kiss. Robert then turned off the AI surveillance systems, latched the door and the two made out like giggling high school kids for a few minutes. Their afternoon turned into an early dinner and late night...

The following Saturday morning, in his apartment Robert and Mynah awoke in each other's arms. The warm California sun was coming through the window, making the room feel even more comfortable.

They looked into each other's eyes for a few moments and Mynah broke the awkwardness by kissing him gently on the lips. "Good morning Bobby."

He smiled broadly and returned the kiss. "Yes, yes it is!"

Mynah slid out of the bed and stepped on to the terracotta tile floor and made her way to the en-suite. Robert could not help but admire the view. A few moments later, he heard the water in the shower come on. Mynah appeared in the doorway, put her hands on her bare hips and said softly. "Bobby, there is plenty of room in the shower, care to join me?"

Later on, that morning as they were sipping coffee on the patio in the small garden, Mynah reached over and squeezed Robert's hand. "Bobby, I know that we said that we were not going to talk about work or the project all weekend, but there is one question I have to ask."

Robert put his cup down and gave her a wary look. "Okay, go ahead ask away. I think that you have earned the right."

"Well, everything that we have done so far has worked almost exactly like you said it would, and just like you wrote in all those papers. You have never shown the slightest doubt. How can you be so sure about all of this?"

He squeezed her hand again. "Okay, I'll let you in on a little secret, a family secret. My grandmother Hiroko once told me that faster than light travel and artificial gravity were possible. She said that she had seen it work in person."

Mynah nodded thoughtfully. "Your grandmother Hiroko?"

Robert gave her a knowing smile and nodded in the affirmative.

Mynah then asked knowingly. "The Hiroko-McAdams Scott, the first governor of the Mars colony?"

Robert smiled broadly. "Yes, that's her. She and my grandfather James are both pretty remarkable people. They both received degrees in physics from Caltech, it kind of runs in the family you know. Grandfather James is the colony's chief engineer."