“Actually, one of my mission parameters is to rectify that,” Stephanie explained. “Kernislarn's been in contact with me. She's going to establish a passageway for us. Once we get there, I'll be able to use Steve's original portal console, to reestablish a new resonance with Hillside's portal.”
“Original console?” Cindy queried. “But I thought Hillside was his first sidereal portal site?”
“Not quite,” Stephanie replied as she resumed her assault. Forcing Cindy to concentrate on defending herself while she listened. “Hillside is where he built his first sidereal base of operations. But it was Kernislarn's people who first introduced Steve to certain key concepts on which he built his first portalizer.
It was a rather simple dedicated purpose device. That he custom built for the express purpose of establishing a resonance link with our portal system.”
“But I thought,” Cindy protested, as she began an aggressive left handed attack with her Staff. “That Steve's the one who built our portal?”
“And so he did,” continued Stephanie, as she countered with a technique that centered around alternating left handed thrusts with right handed ones. “But it was through a passageway opened between a seer from Wildernest and some ancient Native American shaman, that Steve brought the prototype of our portal system to Hillside in the first place.”
“Oh!” said Cindy, as Stephanie disarmed her with a move that ended with Cindy flat on her back. With one end of Stephanie's staff invading her very personal space. “Does that have something to do with the the fact that our artificial waterfall is actually supposed to be a replica of the falls at Wildernest?”
“Yes,” replied Stephanie.
Then she commenced a victory dance of sorts by mounting the other end of the staff and began gently rocking her hips.
Cindy was dressed in a tight looking one piece pink and white leather outfit that Sam had made for her. It was one of a set that he had insisted on making for her. A half dozen leather ‘creations’ he had said. He had wanted her to work with him on the first 5 of them but the last one, which was to be the only all black one, he then made without her input.
The bottom of the pink and white one was like a white skirt with pink flower patterns, that reached a little below the knees. Cindy had told him that the side of one leg could be left exposed by a slit that wasn't to expose more than half her thigh. Above the waist was to be pink on one side, and white on the other. From each of which a narrow strap rose up from the hip, curving up her back and over the shoulder on the opposite side. Then it would briefly expand to cover her breast as it curved down her chest on it's way to merge once again with the waistband of the skirt segment. She almost got what she asked for. Sam had cut and perforated much of the leather. Making it more revealing. Including a fairly transparent meshwork over the opposite hip and upper thigh. That left little doubt about what she wasn't wearing under it.
Sandra had provided the special nanomorphically enhanced leather, the set was cut from. Thus any one of them could be reconfigured into a variety of forms, including a nearly transparent vacuum suit. By default however, it looked and felt like a kinky leather outfit.
Stephanie was, as usual, wearing just her grass skirt. They were standing in front of the falls in the Great Hall because Stephanie said the view of the falls helped her to tune in Kernislarn's telepathic signal.
There were surprisingly few onlookers as they held hands. Cindy felt something tickle in her mind as she began to feel Kernislarn's unseen presence, leaking into her from Stephanie's hand. Then it seemed to her as if a covered wooden footbridge was forming over the cascading waters until it disappeared into the the middle of the flowing water. Then it seamed as if Stephanie was leading her by the hand as they walked across the bridge and into the dark passage beyond it.
The only people to see them disappear were Erika and Mike. Who was so surprised that he actually stopped whistling in mid tune. They didn't see any bridge. One moment the girls were there, the next they were gone. There had been only a split second in between, when their image looked distorted. Mike recovered first.
“It looks like Stephanie has been in touch with Kernislarn again,” he said.
“I do wish Stephanie would warn people when she's going to do that,” Erika complained. “It's unsettling.”
Cindy found herself staring at the waterfall again. Only it was bigger, louder and wetter. She could feel mist from the falls on her face. Then as she turned to look at Stephanie she saw that she was standing on a platform overlooking the falls. There was a narrow path connecting the platform to the small village by the falls. Standing at the end of that path was a blue skinned amazon. She wasn't wearing clothes but much of her skin had been decorated in symbolic tattoos.
“Welcome to Wildernest,” the amazon said. “I'm Kernislarn, mistress of this village. You must be Cindy. Stephanie speaks highly of you.” Then with a gesture over her shoulder she suggested. “Do follow me to my hut, that we may relax and speak well.”
Then she turned and led them to one of the nearby huts. It consisted of a mushroom shaped bamboo frame with a raised platform in the middle under an oversized dome shaped grass roof. They simply walked under the edge of the roof. Almost six feet in from the edge of the overhanging roof, there was a short two step ladder to a deck like platform, woven from strips of an unusually heavy form of bamboo. On this deck were a collection of stools and benches. There was a hole in the middle of the platform with a small stove like, stone fireplace in it. A clay stove pipe guided most of the smoke out through a vent like opening in the roof. The height of the platform was such that if you were an adult of average size and you sat on one of the stools, you had an unobstructed view of the rest of the village. Yet if you stood up, your head would be slightly higher than the roof edge, which would limit your view to a small circle around the hut. The bottom edge of the roof also aligned with the floor of a pair of upper decks that nearly encircled the central deck. Above the central deck there was also a small storage loft in the very top of the roof's dome. As they stepped inside, Kernislarn introduced a rugged man, who was a little shorter than herself.
“This is Argretoo, my husband,” she said. “He is the village robotech.”
Argretoo's body, like his wife's, was covered with tattoos. Though the patterns were quite different from the ones on Kernislarn's body. Cindy noticed that Argretoo had a massive nearly erect non-circumcised cock. Then with a gesture towards Cindy, Kernislarn spoke to her husband.
“This, my husband, is Cindy, of whom I've told you,” she said.
As soon as he laid eyes on Cindy, Argretoo's cock swelled to a full pulsating erection. That now extended so far that the foreskin no longer concealed it's head. Kernislarn, of course noticed her husbands reaction.
“Argretoo, has heard of your plan to team up with Stephanie to use up one man after another as you share them,” she explained. “So, of course he's hoping to be your first victim. But first we must discuss your training.”
“My training?” Cindy began. “What about my...”
“Stephanie has told me,” Kernislarn interrupted. “That your ready to begin training, while your augmented by ‘active’ body enhancing nanites. She says that your skills are so advanced however, that she fears she would be unable to ensure that neither of you were actually injured.
So she hopes I will decide to train you in the way of Wilderness. This I will decide in the morning. In the mean time why don't you and Stephanie see how long it takes you to wear out a man like Argretoo. That should make quite a show...”
Cindy was somewhat taken aback by Kernislarn's suggestion but, she decided to enjoy it when Stephanie bodily picked her up and placed her in Argretoo's lap. While lifting the hem of her leather outfit for her, as Argretoo lost no time embedding himself within her.
The Sunset over the falls was beautiful. When Cindy turned to face Kernislarn.
“That certainly was a beautiful sight Kernislarn,” Cindy said. “Thank you
for bringing me out here. But I get the impression that there's something else on your mind.”
“Stephanie said you were quick on the uptake,” Kernislarn replied. “This observation platform is one of my favorite places to sit and think.” Kernislarn pointed to a row of benches built in to back edge of the platform.
Taking the hint, Cindy sat down. She noticed that the rock ledge behind her, curved outwards slightly. It was almost like having a roof over the benches. Kernislarn sat beside her.
“It's also a good place for a private talk Cindy,” Kernislarn said. “Especially between sunset and moonrise, when there isn't enough light to see much of the falls. We will neither be disturbed nor overheard. You may have noticed Cindy, that were not big on privacy here.”
“That's for sure,” Cindy replied. “But I'm OK with it. I'm not the bashful type. Though I'll admit I was a little shocked when Jirunoo reached out to clean my backside for me at the community toilet.”
Kernislarn held up her hand and Cindy fell silent.
“That incident brings me to the problem,” Kernislarn continued. “But don't worry, she isn't angry with you. Though she feels that Stephanie should have explained our conventions a little better. But I'm not talking about it being easier for someone else to see what they are doing, when cleaning up back there after a bowel movement. Than it is to blindly reach back behind oneself. Though I too think Stephanie should have explained this part of our customs to you.
No the problem has to do with the nature of your comments to Jirunoo. It is never acceptable among us to suggest that another desires sexual relations with a member of their own sex.”
“But!” Cindy exclaimed. “Then why did you want to watch Stephanie And I...”
Again Kernislarn held up her hand.
“I was watching both of you pleasure my husband,” Kernislarn pointed out. “Not pleasuring each other.”
“But I distinctly remember that Stephanie and I also touched each other quite a bit in the process.”
“True enough,” Kernislarn admitted. “However our moral values don't have a problem with two members of the same sex helping each other time their climaxes to coincide with that of the member of the opposite sex that they are sharing. This is not the same thing as suggesting that another woman wants to touch you sexually, when there isn't a man involved.”
Cindy considered this for a moment.
“But surely you were aware of the attraction between Stephanie and myself?” she asked.
“Given the telepathic link I sometimes share with Stephanie,” Kernislarn explained. “I couldn't ‘not’ be aware of her inclinations. But while I was quite sure of how she felt about you. I could only suspect that the feeling was mutual. Until you said as much, like you just did, I simply could not even suggest that ‘you’ might be so attracted to other girls. Now at least we can discuss it.”
“Well if it's OK for me to enjoy helping Stephanie have sex with a guy,” Cindy began. “Then I can safely promise not to go beyond that while we are here and I can certainly otherwise confine my attentions to just the men.” Then after a barely noticeable pause, Cindy continued. “I will also try to remember, the next time some hot looking girl doesn't ask me before she touches me down there, not to call her a dike. Will that suffice?”
If the moon hadn't chosen that moment to rise, Cindy wouldn't have seen Kernislarn's smile but there would have been no mistaking the relief in her voice as she replied.
“Yes, for the most part I believe that will do,” Kernislarn said. “The only remaining obstacle is of little substance.” Kernislarn paused for effect. “We wouldn't dream of asking you to stop liking girls that way. But, given that you did also suggest that she might fare better if she asked you first, I'd like to know if I can safely reassure Jirunoo that, you will at least, refrain from ‘wanting her’ on purpose?”
Kernislarn's eyes didn't need the moonlight to see Cindy's face brighten with amusement.
“Well, I'll tell you what, you can tell her and anyone else you think might worry about it. That my attraction to Stephanie is about her. And not about the fact that she is a girl. I don't ‘usually’ feel that way about girls.”
Kernislarn nodded at the shimmering beauty of the moonlight reflecting from the water as it poured over the falls.
“I'm glad we had this talk,” Kernislarn replied. “It's worked out even better than I had hoped. But now the beauty of the falls by moonlight makes it likely that if we continue talking, we may well be overheard.
But there is another personal matter that is perhaps less sensitive. I've decided that I will accept you as an apprentice. This is not however, the same as being accepted into the sisterhood. But it is none the less, a serious matter. So I need to know if the risk of being overheard makes you feel uncomfortable discussing this mater?”
“I'm sure your more worried about our privacy than I am,” Cindy said.
Again Kernislarn smiled.
“Good!” she said. “I did want to say that I very much hope you find the terms of apprenticeship acceptable Cindy. It would please me to guide the woman of any apprentice of our Questor. What's more, if this Jake is truly going to risk standing up to the guild counsel. Then your need for what I can teach you couldn't possibly be any greater. So I'm willing to risk the effort on you, without exacting any further promise from you. Except of course this. If you accept apprenticeship from me, you will need to agree that from me, you will have no secrets. I may intrude on your very thoughts to determine what lessons you may need. And that if ever you feel you can not abide by what I teach, you will immediately consult with me about it.
If this is acceptable to you then you may accept my offer now. Will you be my apprentice?”
“Yes but may I ask you a question about Steve?” Cindy replied.
“You may certainly ask,” Kernislarn said. “Perhaps it will even be a question I can answer.”
“Stephanie told me that Steve actually needed your help to build Hillside's portalizer?” Cindy asked.
“Yes,” Kernislarn replied, “Perhaps tonight is the right time for you to hear that tale.”
***
“This is to be a retelling of events that began so long ago, that no one here remembers them,” Kernislarn began just before her first sip from the ceremonial teacup. “It was first told to me long ago by my mother. Who herself was not yet born when this tale was begun. Nonetheless, I tell you for a certainty, that this tale is a true retelling of what actually was.”
Argretoo, held aloft the remote control device, that was the symbol of his office. It beeped twice and then glowed with a dim blue light.
“The archives have been queried and conflicting records have yet to be found,” he proclaimed.
This was as close to asserting the accuracy of a story as any robotechnician ever came. Then he stepped down, leaving his wife alone on the central pedestal of the village meeting hut. He quickly sat between Cindy and Stephanie. Promptly placing his hands on their knees. He made no suggestive motions but his rising erection betrayed his thoughts. Cindy tried to concentrate on the story Kernislarn was now telling.
“Long ago while our world was still healing from the old ways,” Kernislarn said. “We were visited by a stranger from another star. He told us he was trying to map the universe. It is said that he took our laughter well.
Many years later he returned. He didn't stay long. And he didn't talk to us. But we knew he was there. We saw that he was looking for something. Then when he decided that it wasn't here, he left. That was the last we saw of him until one day when my mother, Pewanist, was but a young woman 20 years of age, he came back. His space ship had crashed in the forest. The spaceman was severely injured when Pewanist found him. She was not yet a healer in those days. Fortunately, she didn't have to be. There was something in him that healed his body before her eyes.
But within his mind there was a terrible wound. She gave him refuge while he suffered evil dreams and a waking torment that he would not n
ame. When pressed he would only say that he had seen and done terrible things. And that he had powerful enemies that he feared would bring harm to anyone who befriended him. Regardless of his claim to having committed acts so horrible that he could not stand to name them. Pewanist saw within him an honorable man. And it came to be that her heart became his.
For a time, they lived as one. Their happiness was only marred by his growing apprehension that his enemies might yet find him even here. Then one day he decided that he must go forth and find a place to build a secret fortress from which to fight his enemies. By that time, my mother had learned the ways of the sisterhood. And he had learned of our ability to form passageways between worlds and planes of reality. So he asked her to help him find a reality plane so far beside our own, that, should his enemies one day find his hidden stronghold, they would yet be unable to trace his path back to Rebirth.
She knew that he would leave her when he found what he was seeking. But she knew it was his fear for her safety that tormented him. Until it was an agony that grew stronger each day. His pain had become more than she could stand to watch. So she agreed to help him find such a place.
My mother, was a young sister of 35 years when she began to take him on a long series of wandering journeys through many passageways. Sometimes he would leave behind a small crystal that he said might one day help him find his own way back. They journeyed together in this way for several years. Until one day when he combined his considerable knowledge with what he learned from his journeys with my mother, to build two strange machines designed to make a different kind of passageway. Then once more, my mother opened a passageway to your world Cindy.
There they brought one of the machines. And after they established a safe a place for it, Pewanist returned with him back here. It was then that he bid her a tearful farewell and used the machine he had hidden here at Wildernest to open a strange door like passageway that he called a portal. Through which he departed to go build himself a stronghold. It was many years before he became such a powerful questor that he felt he could finally protect my mother from his enemies. And thus dared to return to Wildernest and to Pewanist.
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