Lübeck pressed his face against Ruth's chest, breathing in her familiar scent. A gentle breeze stirred her robe, softly brushing his cheek. He wrapped his arms around her waist and hips, kneeling on one knee before her, lost in the evening breeze. She was so delicate—her slender frame, her soft arms gently cradling Lü Beck's head against her bosom. The evening breeze caressed the branches of purple coneflowers, their leaves brushing against each other, rustling in rhythm with the wind. Amidst the chirping of crickets, the cool evening breeze stirred, ruffling Ruth's clothes...
Creak, creak—the sound of footsteps on snow. Ruth's frail frame pulled the sled, carrying Lübeck homeward. The north wind howled across the vast land, whipping up snowdrifts and dead leaves that stung Lübeck's face. The western sun was about to dip below the horizon, casting a faint crimson glow across the dark purple sky—its last warmth melting the snowy expanse on the horizon...
At the window in the afternoon, sunlight streamed through the single small pane, illuminating the outline of her figure. Her hair was slightly tousled, untouched by a comb, as if she never cared about her appearance. Her back was bent, head bowed. Light fell on her shoulders and the edge of her back, always that same old blue sweater, its fuzz worn away, stiff with age. She was sewing. Lübeck knew she often mended the frayed hems and torn seams of his clothes.
Lübeck wanted to call her name, to tell her he was back, that he had returned home. He stood right behind her; if she turned, she would see him again. Lübeck wanted to call her name, but the word “Ruth” stuck in his throat, impossible to utter. Her silhouette was right before his eyes, yet he couldn't call her to turn and meet him. In the afternoon sunlight, Ruth's figure seemed like a phantom seen through water, as if Lübeck himself had sunk beneath the surface...
Beep beep beep beep, beep beep beep beep, beep beep beep beep, the urgent beeps, beep beep beep beep, beep beep beep beep, The urgent beeps snapped Lübeck back to reality. He opened his eyes, realizing he'd been dreaming—no, wait, he hadn't been sleeping. A man was leaning over him, checking his condition. Lübeck recognized him: Dr. Lucas Weber, examining his heart and lungs with his old-fashioned stethoscope. Two others beside him appeared to be his assistants.
Lübeck turned his head to look around. He was lying in a medical pod. He tried to recall the last moments before ending up here. Ah, he had passed through an underground time portal and arrived via the subterranean rail system. But what came before that? Before that, he had still been above ground—oh, at Ruth’s grave, laying a bouquet of white lilies. They seemed to symbolize her pure, delicate figure, forever parted from him by the passing years.
Lübeck had long refused age reversal, fearing he'd lose his memories of Ruth. After she passed, he had nothing left to bind him to Earth. Finally accepting a new mission, he opted for age reversal first, then resumed his role as captain—captain of the U.S. Secret Space Program.
After Dr. Weber's examination, Lübeck left the medical bay, examining his hands and body. Weber's assistant had already brought him the base's standard uniform.
“Captain Lübeck, your biological age has been successfully reversed to 25,”
“Wasn't it supposed to be 20? Why not just 20?” Lübeck asked, somewhat surprised.
“Mr. Lübeck, as captain, you need some age to maintain your authority. At 20, you'd be the same age as those pilots.”
“Oh, thank you for thinking so thoroughly. It's just a bit inefficient.”
After saying this, the two laughed heartily.
Returning to his quarters, he passed through the airlock door to find a female soldier cleaning the room. Hearing someone enter, she turned to see Lübeck and immediately snapped to attention, saluting and reporting,
“Second Lieutenant Brittany McGowan reporting for duty.”
Lübeck returned the salute and asked,
“How do you know me?”
“I was assigned here to attend to your daily needs.”
“What branch of service are you in?”
“Medical corps.”
“Why did you choose me?”
“Captain, I didn't have much choice. It was either with those soldiers or with you.”
“Oh, you had a choice? Then you must be exceptional. Please sit down.” With that, Lübeck sat in the chair at the workbench, studying Brittany's features: short golden hair, a sharp jawline, fair skin, and eyes that were a deep brown-green.
“Where are you from?” Lübeck inquired.
“West Virginia.”
“Ah, a beautiful place. What year were you born?”
“Thank you. 1986.”
“My mission is Saturn orbit. That means two or three decades in deep space, confined within a warship. Are you mentally prepared for that?”
“Yes, I've undergone the assessments.”
“You're still young. Won't you miss home?”
Brittany smiled wryly.
“An alcoholic father, a mother who fought every day, a rebellious younger brother—there's truly nothing keeping me there. The place may have scenery, but it offers no livelihood.”
“Sorry for bringing up old memories.” Lübeck said no more, sitting quietly as Brittany tidied their quarters. Though her gray-blue uniform hung loosely, it still hinted at her feminine form. Lübeck searched her features for traces of Ruth, finding none. The promise made before their parting now seemed impossible to fulfill.
After lying in the medical pod for over half a year, compounded by Mars' low gravity, Lü Beck felt his muscles had atrophied. Sitting in a chair for even a short while left him exhausted. Seeing that Brittany had finished making the bed, he went over and lay down on it.
“What was it like reversing your age in the medical pod?” Brittany leaned in, curiosity in her voice.
“Induced coma, like surgical anesthesia. I remember nothing. Oh, my memories gradually returned as I was waking up. You haven't been on missions before, have you? Never had your age reversed?”
“No, this is my first time.”
“Wow, getting selected directly for the Space Force is no small feat.”
“Yeah, my physical fitness and vestibular balance scores were excellent during the physical. Later, I heard that completing a mission here could reverse your age back to normal, plus the generous pay. So I chose to come here, haha.” As she spoke, Brittany sat on the edge of the bed, arms resting at her sides. Turning to Lübeck, she asked,
“What about you?”
Her hips, straining against the fabric of her pants under her weight, accentuated her feminine curves. The slight bend in her arms as she leaned forward added a touch of graceful softness, undeniably capturing Lübeck's attention. He wondered inwardly: Was it the hormones from the age reversal, the heightened physical desires from over half a year of recuperation, or simply her attraction to him?
After a moment's hesitation, Lübeck replied,
“During WWII, I was a submarine captain in the Third Reich Navy. Later, I joined America's secret space program.”
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