Then had come the movie surprise. Though neither of them had much affinity for movie night, they decided to attend one. Much to their surprise, instead of poor quality canned music - the lights went down and stirring classical music began to play.
On the screen, the title appeared and both Angelo and Leneria gasped in surprise. It simply showed their names, and the next scene that appeared was the two of them in their dining lounge session. They watched in stunned silence as that scene ended and it drifted to another session, which had been taped by the ship's cameras.
Marcus was nearby. Angelo slid up behind him.
"What's going on Marcus?"
"Oh, hello Commander," said Marcus. "We found that after watching your pairings with Leneria that they were a great deal more... stimulating. No, that isn't the proper word. Your unions are much more evocative and pleasurable to watch than the professional movies."
"I see," said Angelo.
He went back to Leneria and took her hand, leading her back toward the medical suite - their ad hoc quarters.
"Come on," he whispered. "If I'm going to watch this - I'm going to be watching it first-hand."
A few days after that came the final word.
He passed the voluptuous and ever-tempting Menaea in the corridor. It had been some time since they'd been together.
"Hello, Menaea," he said with a smile.
"Oh, hello Commander," she said.
Even through her red skin, he detected a bit of a blush.
"Menaea," he said, "I always found you to be an amazing lover and I'd love to have at least one more time with you. What do you say?"
"Oh...certainly," stammered Menaea. "Just let me know a good time and we shall arrange a location."
"How about now?" said Angelo. "I'm free. You seem to be free."
"Yes, yes, of course," said Menaea.
It was odd for Angelo to detect the sort of reluctance he was feeling from her. She had always been the most enthusiastic and willing of his partners (except Leneria, of course).
She did, however, go with him into a nearby lounge, and lay down to accept his attentions.
He began at her belly and worked his way up. Even his kisses were meeting with resistance. Her response to his lips on her skin was tepid at best, and when he reached her lips there was a palpable reluctance.
"Alright, Menaea," he said, "what's with the cold fish routine? I'm fine with a 'no', but I find it a bit surprising from you."
"I don't know what you mean by referring to me as an underwater creature," said Menaea, "but... but..."
Menaea became the second Aquilan Angelo had ever seen cry.
"I'm so sorry, Commander. I know it is dreadfully rude of me to show reluctance, but I cannot do this."
"Okay," said a bemused Angelo. "I'm fine with that, truly. The question I would have is 'why'? Why can't you?"
"Commander, a great many of us have been watching you and Leneria with an unexplainable fascination. Your sexual unions are inspirational in regard to intensity and intimacy. I have spoken with several women who have coupled with you over the past few days and they are torn by two conflicting emotions."
"What are those?" asked Angelo.
"The first is disappointment. No matter how competent you are when it comes to sexual congress, they have all felt cheated in a way. Their unions with you have not achieved the level of intensity we know you share with Leneria."
"And the other reason?" asked Angelo softly.
"We feel... disloyal. We do not have a family as you would think of it, but Leneria is our sister and our dear friend. We feel she is entitled to you and you alone, and we are frankly perplexed as to why the two of you are not spending every moment you can together."
"I think that is a good question," said Angelo after some thought. "And I think it is something I intend to rectify. Thank you, Menaea."
He gave her an affectionate kiss on the cheek and set off to find Leneria.
When he found her, she reported she had been told much the same thing. She had begun to couple with Jensen, a tall and wiry redhead of Capellan stock. They had been in the middle of a rather frustrating session when he had broken it off and said he felt she should be with the Commander.
From that moment on, they did take full advantage of their time together. If they weren't making love they were talking. If they weren't talking they were simply sitting side by side, some part of their bodies always touching. It was clear they were falling deeply in love - but those words were never spoken.
With one week to go, they had 'the' conversation.
"So," said Angelo. "I leave in a week."
"Yes," said Leneria. "I was... I was wondering if you could perhaps apply for an extension. I feel... we feel you have made great progress in regard to learning about Aquilan technology."
"I can't do that," said Angelo. "The rules outlined by your people are actually very clear about that. No liaison can remain for more than three months. However, that isn't to say you can't come with me."
"But my place is here," she said. "I am to become the ship's physician."
"Well, sure," he said. "But doctor's always do residencies - work with other doctors. We talked about that."
She was struggling with the conversation - becoming more emotional by the moment.
"But I was going to do that on my own. That was to be my decision. Where will you be going after this?"
"Captain," said Angelo. "They haven't told me my ship yet, but it was confirmed I'd be getting a promotion and a ship once I leave the Alshain. Fleet rules are quite permissive in regard to partners these days. We build ships big enough that families are permitted and even welcome."
"Partners? Families? What do you think of me as, Angelo. How exactly would I be accompanying you?"
"Well, we could go as simple as domestic partnership."
"Domestic partners!?"
"I... okay, I'm not sure exactly what's going on here," said Angelo.
"Domestic parners, as I recall," said a blustering Leneria, "would imply some sort ofemotional bond."
"Well, yeah," said Angelo. "Come on, let's face it, Leneria - we love each other. I love you, you love me..."
Smack!
Even in his scuffles at the Academy, he could not recall being hit quite so hard as the slap she gave him. He had to fight to keep his balance and he was certain if he had a mirror he would see a red hand print emblazoned on his cheek.
"How dare you say such a thing!" she cried. "The nerve!"
"Okay, okay, I'm sorry," said Angelo. "That was wrong of me to assume on your part. But I do love you and..."
Smack! She slapped him on the other cheek.
"Son of a bitch, Leneria!" cried Angelo. "Why is this so upsetting?"
"I need you to leave, Commander Telegin."
"But..."
"Leave, Commander!" she screeched. "Leave and don't ever come back into my sight."
Angelo left the medical suite in more than one kind of pain. He had assumed things were going so well with Leneria. He, too, had concerns about what would happen with them upon his departure, but he never would have imagined such a reaction.
He wandered around and found himself in the quiet sex lounge where several couples were gathered. Not that he would have found any willing partners, but he wasn't in the mood as it was. He simply sat and stared into space - trying to grasp what was so wrong.
"Hello, Commander," said a friendly voice. It was the lovely Menaea, who had wandered into the lounge unaccompanied.
"What the fuck is wrong with you people?" asked Angelo.
"What do you mean?" she asked, taking his hand in hers - an unusual sign of friendship, but one which had been gaining popularity since his arrival.
"You've seen it," he said. "You yourself pointed it out. Leneria and I are meant for each other. We love each other... or at least I love her."
He felt Menaea flinch at the word love and turned to face her.
"Are you truly incapable of l
ove?" he asked. "Are Aquilans so cold, so divested of emotions that you find it repulsive. I'm trying to understand, Menaea, but I can't. Why does Leneria refuse to open up to me?"
"Oh, my poor Commander," she said.
In yet another rare display, she raised her hand to his cheek and caressed it in a gesture of comfort.
"We are capable of more emotion than you could possibly imagine, Commander," she said gently. "I think I may have an explanation for you, but you will need to be patient just a bit longer, yes?"
"I'll try," said Angelo. "But I don't have much time. I'm gone soon, you know."
"I know, Angelo," she said. "Stay strong, all will be explained."
She reached in and kissed him tenderly. It was the first kiss, other than from Leneria, that he had ever received from an Aquilan that was not sexual in context.
Angelo devoted himself entirely to his duties over the next couple of days, completing any reports that were due, and registering his own vidlog which showed his own frustrations.
"I thought," he said to the camera, "I thought I had cracked this nut. I thought I was going to be the one who figured them out. Neirna was right. All of my predecessors were right. This is hopeless."
Just then, there was a rap at the door. He opened it to find Menaea, Marcus, and A'nish. They all had goggles around their necks and Menaea held an extra set for him.
"I assume we are going to the Center?" he said.
"We are," said A'nish. "And we must warn you - this was a difficult hurdle to allow you to come."
"To come for what?" he asked.
"You'll see," said Marcus. "But we must ask that you be respectful beyond measure. Every member of the crew had to vote 'yes' before you were allowed, and there were still some with misgivings."
"I'll be respectful," said Angelo. "But I'm still not sure what for."
"It is for your answer," said Menaea. "You are about to see the answer to the mystery of us - and of Leneria."
He followed them in somber silence through what seemed to be an abandoned ship. They arrived at the Center to find every single crew member wearing goggles and gathered around the railing looking into the great gaseous tank.
Also around the perimeter, within the tank, were the energy-based Aquilans. All save for two were at the edges of the tank. At the very center were two Aquilans. The male, he couldn't be sure of, but something in the markings of the female let him know it was the same one he had seen before with Leneria.
"Is that the engineer?" he asked in a hushed tone.
"It is indeed," said Marcus.
A'nish came to his side then, and locked her arm in his. He looked about at all of the other Aquilans, and they were in a similar state. It was an odd site, to see them showing signs of general affection - but there seemed to be nothing erotic in the atmosphere.
A'nish and Menaea narrated the events to follow, always speaking in low and respectful tones.
"The engineer has completed her mission," A'nish said. "She has finished her design for the Alshain II. Therefore, she is ready to take her next step in life. The male is our chief diplomat. He feels that things are progressing well among Aquilis Humanis, and he is ready to hand over the reins to the younger of his skill set."
"Move on to where?" asked Angelo.
Menaea spoke next.
"You asked of love, Commander Telegin. You, like the other liaisons, have expressed great frustration at our unwillingness to show the deeper emotions."
Just then, the male and female in the tank began to glow. Where before, Angelo had felt lust emanating from the tank - now he merely felt joy, rapture, and yes - love.
"We are lusty beings, undoubtedly," said A'nish. "In our natural forms, we are driven by lust. We survive and flourish because of it."
"But," continued Menaea, "we are not incapable of love. We are fearful of it, but not incapable."
"Why are you fearful?" asked Angelo.
"Lust preserves us," said A'nish. "Lust fulfills our desires and infuses us with energy, both real energy and that of thought. However, when the time comes for us to move on - we must shed our skins. The male and the female you see before you are preparing to do just that.""See if you can guess," said Menaea. "Guess what it takes to dissolve the membranes which protect our interior."
"Love?" gasped Angelo.
"Exactly," said A'nish. "Commander, the human definition of the word 'nude' or 'naked' is to be without clothes. For an Aquilan, there is only one time in their entire existence that they are truly naked. It is this moment you are about to see."
The male and female in the center began to glow even brighter, and Angelo watched in wonder as their skins began to burn away - leaving their great bodies floating in the gaseous interior. Once their skins were gone, the colors within were even more exposed and beautiful. The brightness was almost overwhelming.
"Commander," whispered Menaea, "what you are about to witness is the most sacred and precious moment in all of Aquilan existence. It is not that love is taboo for us. Love is so holy as to be unmentionable out of respect for the two of our kind who are prepared to join one another in the ultimate act of love."
"Now watch," said A'nish. "You are the first of your kind to ever witness this blessed event."
The male then swam slowly into the female - who had expanded outward so that he might fully enter with no contact. Once he was fully within her inner chamber, she slowly contracted to envelope his entire body. Where before sparks had flown at their points of contact - now a red glow began where they touched and began to spread throughout the two Aquilans.
Angelo could not suppress a gasp as, in less than an instant, the structures of the two Aquilans collapsed in upon themselves with a frightening rapidity. From there, their two masses merged into one and expanded outward into a great blue sphere - within which were countless swirling organelles. Faster and faster the white lights inside the globe swam until the edges of the sphere began to blur. Finally, with a great explosion, the contents of the sphere shot outward and where there had been a bright light - there was now nothing.
Elsewhere, throughout the huge tank in the center, tiny little organisms were now zipping about. All of the crew had their hands upon the glass and were calling out greetings. Just then, two tiny tubules and three tiny cylinders...tiny, tiny Aquilans, came zipping up to the glass. Marcus, Menaea, and A'nish all put their hands to the glass and called out joyfully.
"Hello young ones!" squealed Menaea.
"Greetings, children," said A'nish with a smile.
"My best wishes," said Marcus. "I knew both of your parents. I am sure you will all do great things."
Soon, the little ones flitted off again. They sought out older Aquilans. Not the full adults, who were already back to coupling - but the adolescent ones. For the most part, the tiny newborns sought shelter within the interior of the females - but Angelo could see that the youthful males also showed a protective bent toward these tiny creatures.
The crew began to exit, smiles replete across their faces. Angelo thought he caught a brief glimpse of Leneria - but she was soon gone.
He walked back in silence with his three escorts at his side.
"What do you think?" asked Marcus.
"I think it's the most beautiful thing I've ever seen," said Angelo. "But I'm also trying to decipher what it all means."
"What do you think it means?" prompted Menaea.
"I think," began Angelo, "that it means Leneria is frightened beyond measure. Just as your drive for sex has not left you since entering these bodies - you are also still hampered by the ancestral instinct that to give into love means the end of your life."
"You are most perceptive," said A'nish. "Now do you understand why the one you love is so reluctant and upset?"
"I do," said Angelo. "But I also think it is a bit irrational. She is a human now, not an Aquilan. She is also a scientist. She should know better."
"Instinct and memory are irrational, Commander," said Marcus. "Logically,
she understands these things. Right now, she is struggling to overcome her inner demons which she inherited from half a millennia as another form."
***
Later that night, Angelo was rapping at the door of the medical suite.
"Who is it?" came Leneria's voice through the crack she had allowed the door to open.
"It's me, Lennie," said Angelo.
"I do not like that nickname," she said.
Sci-Fi & Fantasy Erotica: Volume 2 (Sci-Fi & Fantasy Erotica Series) Page 21