...Rowan turned to Tom. “I want to take another look at this machine of yours. I couldn’t make much sense of it while we were trying to get you out of it before you died from exposure.”

From Tom’s smile, which held much of the pride and affection of a new father, he saw the Englishman would be delighted to show off his invention. Leaving Jost again at the controls, they headed down to the lower bay.

As Tom proudly explained his craft’s operation, Rowan felt more confused than enlightened. He had a vague notion of steam power from his classes in physics and the history of the Industrial Revolution, but this mass of pipes and wires, gears, levers and such defied his understanding. How the fragile and primitive contraption could have transported Tom through incredible distances of space and time boggled his mind.

“What about this suction pump device?” He posed the question more to watch Tom’s enthusiasm and listen to his novel accent and speech patterns than anything else. Again, as when he’d first mentioned the device, Tom blushed.

“You could probably patent such an invention,” Rowan went on. “We do have women in the UniFleet, but they’re outnumbered about ten to one and not nearly all the spacers are gay. Such a machine could be a real boon at times.”

Tom nodded, although Rowan could see his thoughts had strayed. After a few seconds, his keen gaze snapped back to Rowan. “I just had a terrible thought. What if the only way this machine of mine worked was because of the powerful release of physical, mental and psychic energy?”

Rowan grinned. He couldn’t help it. Tom looked so shocked and distressed he knew he should not take this lightly, but the idea tickled him too much. “Orgasmic energy-powered space and time travel, eh? Well, I know they’re experimenting back at Titan with teleporting and telekinesis, which basically harness the energies of the mind to move either yourself or some object. Lots of military uses for that if they can make it work. I suspect those scientists are going to want to talk to you, Tom. You just may have hit on something great here.”

At first, Tom’s mouth shaped a shocked “O,” but then he, too, began to grin. “At any rate, I don’t think either of us had better try it right now. God only knows where we might end up.”

Rowan hesitated before he responded. “There is another alternative. Somehow, this discussion has got me horny as hell. I don’t think any of the crew will interrupt us, and the alarm will go off in case of emergency—like it did before. It’s pretty chilly down here, but I’m game if you are…” He let the idea trail off, watching to see how Tom would react.

Finally, the other man gave a single short, jerky nod. “You first,” he said. “And just a blowjob because that way we don’t have to undress or anything.”

With a shrug, Rowan reached down to unzip the fly of his space suit. “Works for me.” His cock popped through the opening, not the least bit bashful or hesitant.

Tom dropped to his knees in front of Rowan, his face shifting to eager, avid anticipation. “I haven’t done this since I was away at school,” he confessed, “but I don’t think one forgets how.”

Rowan braced his shoulders against the support of the cradle holding Tom’s craft in a secure lock. He endured the wait while Tom first studied his prick and then reached to wrap one hand around it. The first stroke of that hand felt wonderful, but soon the slow rhythm was not enough.