Abe and Babe felt marvelously refreshed after the lengthy rest period. Black solitude still cloaked the ship as Babe expertly prepared them a nutritious breakfast to carry them through their normal work schedule. The couple silently wondered how much of the eclipse sill remained and looked forward with renewed anticipation to the forthcoming "sunrise." Both hoped it would prove as pleasing to the senses as the preceding "sunset" had been. They jointly agreed to return to the surface to witness the coming event and later indulge in an intimate session of loving, picnicing and exploring their future home.

The genetic pair had purposely saved the growth chambers as the final stop of the work agenda. They were truly amazed at the speed with which the embryos were growing. The couple mentally reflected upon times when they could almost remember stages of their own accelerated "childhoods". The young embryos were starting to develop features they would retain for the rest of their lives. Hair color was becoming obvious, along with skin tones and stature of body. They would soon mature to form a fine group of physical individuals. The education factor weighed heavily on the couple's minds, but both chose to suppress the negative thoughts and pray for the best. All points considered, they had mentally prepared for the worst scenario. Duties performed, the pair strode in silence toward their quarters. The growth chambers had become a mixed source of serene tranquility and overwhelming distress. The adverse effects seemed amplified when the entire ship was shrouded in darkness.

A mood of peaceful anticipation followed the removal of the evening meal dishes. Their last visit to the chambers had upset them both and sparked mental override to combat the intense emotional feelings. Babe silently got up and activated the sound system with a soft tune she had appropriately selected for the occasion. She realized she had chosen well when her mate's anguished thoughts left the growth chambers to settle fondly on the sensual movements of her lovely body. Without altering her mental state of mind so as to conceal her intentions from Abe, she deftly slipped out of the kitchen to don a pale, pink silk gown she had created herself, . . exclusively for the pleasure of her loving mate. Silently retiring to their bedroom, Babe mentally commanded him to come to her, vowing to erase the tensions of worry invading his mind. She was not to be disappointed. Abe responded as she knew he would, and the post-seduction hours escalated into a menagerie of emotional and physical bliss for both. Exhausted, the happy couple drifted into dreamland, still locked together in the final throes of unbridled passion.

Other work and sleep periods had elapsed before the first golden rays of glorious sunshine beset the New Hope. Orbiting above the thin atmosphere allowed Abe and Babe a premature view of the approaching sunrise. Surface illumination would occur three hours later.

Babe awoke lying on Abe's rippled stomach muscles. The bright sun's warm rays created a kaleidoscope of playful shadows across his broad chest. Babe's inborn telepathy informed her that Abe was close to waking and kindly elected not to disturb his peaceful sleep. He would awaken in plenty of time to enjoy the dawn with her inside the crystal canopy beneath the moon's liquid surface.

Babe sat in reverent submission, watching fondly over Abe as he finally stirred slightly from the deep slumber she knew she was partially responsible for. She harbored a strong urge to confront him about leaving for the surface but allowed her mate to collect and assimilate his own thoughts before assaulting his mind with her personal wishes.

Abe's first concern was to make certain the master computer continued recording the new day/night sequence to later arrange a feasible timetable to match the strange movements of the celestial bodies within their present solar system. He conveyed to Babe that the total dark period had lasted almost 100 normal Earth hours; roughly the equivalent of four 24 hour normal days. Between them, they decided to divide the nights into quarters to help them maintain their relative Earthly relationship to normal daily times such as they were accustomed.

The computer calculated that daytime (light) periods would encompass three times the darkness span of elapsed time. For convenience, they would refer to each quarter simply by Q1, 2, 3, or 4 and with the abbreviation of either L. or D., pertaining to light or darkness, whichever was relative to the moment. Four quarters were appointed as a day, regardless of the fact that the extended light periods consisted of three "days"; each to be designated by A, B, or C. They chose to call a consecutive light/dark period a "month" (16 approximate Earth days). Due to the short months, 24 in a row would equal a "year". This timetable provided enough relative efficiency to suit their needs for the future. Seconds, minutes, and hours would stay the same as their Earthly counterparts. A new calendar could be devised later.



With technical thoughts behind them, Abe sensed his mate's intense desire to watch the approaching sunrise from the surface below. He figured another hour would elapse before the event would take place below, allowing ample time to load the shuttle and enter the falls before the surface twilight arrived. Babe had already packed a fine meal while Abe slept, and he sensed her excitement at the prospect of a romantic sunrise picnic near the falls, but beneath the magnificent crystal canopy. Leaving the New Hope on automatic, the couple quickly prepared the shuttle for departure and secured the airlock.