by Tanya Jolie
He looks at me with a pained expression. “Can I ask you something of a...personal nature?”
I chuckle as I know what he’s going to ask, so I put his mind at rest. “Yes,” I say, “and yes, we’ve been...” I look for a polite way of putting it before giving up. “Rutting like animals.” A wave of relief washes over Deakins’ face.
“Oh, thank God for that. I thought it was just me.” He shakes his head. “I’m thirty-eight and behaving like a hormonal teenager!” He grins at me and I nod. “What the Hell causes that?” he demands, as if I’ve got all the answers.
I shrug. “Beats me, Deakins. I can’t understand it. At first I thought it was some kind of hormone they gave off, but I think we affect them as much as they affect us. Plus, it seems either it, whatever this is, is very specific, or once you have a...a connection with one of them, you’re immune to any others.” I laugh at his puzzlement. “I managed to get a different male to show me here,” I explain. “There was nothing between us at all.”
“Oh, I see,” he states. “Well, I’ve had a little success with communicating with her.” He jabs his thumb at the female, who strokes his head like a pet. “One of my little programs has managed to define a set of parameters I can work with, and I started a translation program.” Deakins points to the computer, which is grinding away at the problem. “Problem I’ve got is I need more of their language to make a more complete translation. I’ve only got a few words at the moment, and I can’t be sure if they’re completely right.” He looks at the awed expression on my face and grunts a little laugh. “Don’t look at me like that, Hetty,” he says. “It might not work at all.”
But all I can dare to do is hope. To be able to say even a few things to my alien, to know his name even, would be like a miracle.
I feel something tighten in my chest and squash it savagely back down. I’ve had enough of being under the spell of these hormones or whatever they are.
“What about Sierx?” I ask, and Deakins gives me a weary look.
“You’ve met her, right?” His sarcastic tone speaks volumes. “She’s in there.” He points into the sleeping area we all share. “But I’d stay away if I was you. Lady is not happy.” He whispers these last words as I rise to go see the security officer.
In the sleeping area, I can see there’s only one of the weird, angled beds left and I assume mine and Deakin’s beds have sunk back into the floor, where they came from to begin with. That alone tells me Sierx Nerravin has probably spent a lot of time alone, while we’ve been cavorting with aliens. I walk over to where she’s laying, pretending to be asleep.
“Sierx? How are you doing?” There’s nothing but silence for over a minute, and I pull in a breath to speak again when she rolls over. Her face is a mixture of hate, disgust and contempt, her features twisted by the feelings she’s clearly displaying. The urge to step back is almost too much, but I stand my ground, not willing to let her see how much she frightens me.
“How am I doing?” She parrots back at me with venom. “You and Deakins disappear to go fuck these fucking aliens, and you ask me how I’m doing, man?” She shakes her head. “I’m fucking done, man. Done with you and him both, man. I don’t know what kind of sick shit they got you two doing, but I ain’t want no part of it.” The stare she gives me is filled with barely contained violence, and this time I do step back. “Get the fuck out of here, man, and don’t never come back again, fucking traitor.” She spits on the floor at my feet, and I know there’s no way I can ever explain how I feel.
Deakins knows because he’s going through it with his female, but no one else in all of humanity would understand what we’re going through at the moment. I feel a tear roll down my cheek and turn to go back out to Deakins.
He sees me and comes over to give me a hug causing the large female to utter a low whine.
“No,” an artificial voice states from the computer. Deakins pulls away and looks at me in wonder. He turns to the female then back to me, hugging me again. She makes the same sound, and the computer repeats her negative.
“Shit! It’s only started working!” Deakins cries to me as he races to the computer. He taps a few keys and clearly says, “No.” The computer translates this simple word while we both stare at the female alien.
Her head tilts to one side as she looks from Deakins, to me, at the computer and back to Deakins again. She utters another sound which the computer translates, “Yes.”
Deakins laughs and orders the computer to tell her the same thing. He crosses to the alien and throws his arms around her in a completely unashamed display of love. My throat goes tight as Deakins strokes the side of her face, while getting the computer to translate his word over and over. “Yes. Yes. Yes.”
***
I have arranged refreshments for the three Intrellians, who I ordered here. I was concerned when, upon my return, I discovered my large female had left me. Her absence, however, did tell me which one of them was roaming around Acrulla’s insides, a practice I will have to insist she avoid in the future.
I seat myself at the head of the table I have asked Acrulla to fashion and await the arrival of my crew. They do not keep me waiting, appearing a few moments after I seat myself, and I take this as a good sign.
“Enter, be seated, take from my table,” My tone and words are intended to indicate friendship as Talacrus, Shaktee and Morjena walk in and seat themselves. The three of them give off a very obvious sense of tension in their movements and the absolute silence with which they take food and pour drinks. I cannot blame them. I cannot explain or excuse my actions regarding the large female, even to myself. I have quickly come to accept, however, there is some unbreakable bond between us, a link which has only deepened with our frantic and copious coupling.
“I begin this meeting by issuing a blood-bound oath.” I glance at my crew to see if there is any reaction. “Any word spoken within the confines of this room will remain in the confines of this room. No action will be taken against any who speak out against me inside these walls.” As soon as I finish speaking, I grab a knife and slash it across my arm, letting the blood pour from me and across the table where Acrulla absorbs it into his being. A howl escapes me as I cauterize the wound, but the searing agony is worth every scrap of respect I can get from these three. I grab a cup and drink the contents down in three huge gulps, the fermented brulla berries lending their flavor to the brew, which burns its way down into my thorax.
“I have some things to tell you,” I begin, trying to lighten my ominous tone, while explaining what has been happening with the large female. Once finish, I wait for one of them to speak, knowing almost instinctively it will be Shaktee, her jealousy forcing her to condemn me for my actions.
“You have never acted in such a way as to bring danger to us before,” Morjena replies, surprising me. “Point of fact, I clearly recall several occasions when you have put the safety of Acrulla and your crew before your own needs and wants.” Again I feel some surprise as the other two murmur their agreement. “So I say if it is your desire to keep the alien from the Royal family, I will not betray you.” He ends his measured words by draining his own cup.
“Any who know of me, also know I have offered myself to you a number of times,” Shaktee begins. It is she, of these three I have gathered to me, who will likely present the problem, and I wonder if she will openly challenge me. “I have never hidden the fact I would trade sexual acts for promotion and status, and I feel rage towards this alien for succeeding where I have failed.” I feel my hearts pulse a little harder and am about to speak when she holds her hand up. “However,” she continues, “you made it clear many times, before ever she came aboard, you had no interest in bedding me.” Silence fills the room as we all wait for Shaktee to continue. “My rise through the ranks has not been an easy one. I have suffered humiliation, rape and torture.” Her dark eyes search each of us in turn for any reaction. “Yet, never aboard Acrulla,” she adds. “I believe this is, in some measure at least, due t
o your leadership.” She looks at me. “Life may again become unpleasant if I were to reveal your secret.” With her words spoken, Shaktee falls silent and we all turn to the remaining Intrellian.
“Commander,” Talacrus begins. “Brother, I would follow you into the hereafter if you asked it of me.” Pride swells inside me as I hear the words I knew my brother would speak. He raises his cup, and I do the same, followed by Shaktee and Morjena.
“I am in noble company!” I declare in the traditional manner, and we all drain our cups. Now that I have the support of my senior crew, there is one more I must convince, and ultimately, it will be he who decides my fate.
***
“Bhentus.” Her name comes from the speaker attached to the computer, sounding like an ominous curse. Deakins repeats it, and the computer dutifully translates it into the whining song they use to speak. It must be quite an accurate translation because the effect on Bhentus is immediate. I look on as she grabs Deakins in a massive hug, her muscular frame actually lifting him off the floor. She brings her face to his, and I look away when I see her dark blue tongue dart forwards and into his mouth. Watching this pair makes me feel odd for some reason I don’t quite understand, and I wonder if this is what it looks like when my alien and I are together.
“Ah, right, okay Deakins, I’ll...er...leave you two to it, then.” I say with more than a little embarrassment.
“Wait a sec,” Deakins calls as he tries to free himself from Bhentus’ grasping hands. “Take this with you.” He laughs as her fingers dig into his sides. “Bhentus, stop.” Deakins laughs again, and I feel a smile cross my face. We might be from different species, but there are more than enough similarities in behavior to make us compatible. “Put this piece in your ear and clip the other section to your belt.” He slaps Bhentus’ hand gently as she makes a grab for his ass. “It’s linked to this computer and should be able to continue translating as you speak to them. Get off.” Deakins laughs at Bhentus.
“Thanks, Deakins,” I say while walking towards the door.
“Goodbye. Woman.” This comes from the earpiece Deakins just gave me, and I turn to look Bhentus in the eye.
“Bye, Bhentus.”
This particular species doesn’t seem to have much ability to use their facial expressions, but the surprise when I can speak their language is obvious, even if it is just a few basic words.
Taking a different route from the way I came, to avoid the humid heat and repulsive, pulsating...thing I came across before, I make my way through a long passageway where the light pulsates around me. It eventually widens into a larger chamber, although not as large as the other I was in, which has almost mirror-like walls, my reflection coming back at me from odd angles. I look at myself, seeing the curve of my large breasts made even bigger by the contoured walls. It’s while I’m looking at myself in the mirrored surfaces that I feel someone watching me and turn to see one of the aliens looking at me oddly. That presents a problem too. What am I supposed to say? “Take me to your leader?”
“Hello,” I offer tentatively, watching the look of surprise cross this male’s face. “I look for one in command?” I’ve got no idea whether Deakins’ program can translate the question or not, so I just have to leave it up to chance.
“Follow.” His command comes a second later, and he stalks off in the same direction I was already heading in. This individual is taller than most I’ve come across so far, and I have to scramble to keep up. I follow the lanky one along the twists and turns, which run through the ship, choosing which way to go apparently at random.
We end up at a door, and he jabs one of his clawed fingers at the door. “Here.” His single word is also his farewell, and he strides off into the maze of tunnels, disappearing from view in seconds.
For some reason I feel nervous anticipation at seeing him again but a little apprehension too, and I can’t explain it. We’ve lain with each other, been naked for days on end, washed one another in his shower, and I had no problems with any of it. Why should my being able to speak to him make such a difference? I don’t know, but I think it might. I don’t even know whether I should knock or just go in. I decide to let the ship decide and think about going through, the portal retracts up into the roof, and I take a hesitant step inside.
His room looks roughly the same as when I left earlier, apart from the large table, which has appeared from somewhere and is covered in food and drink, some of which has been eaten. My alien sits in a chair at one end of the table, looking as if he’s asleep and with something which trails from the ceiling attached to his forehead. I go across and gently shake his shoulder, feeling the muscles as tight as steel cables, contract under my fingers.
“Hello,” I say. “Hello!” I repeat when there’s no answer. It’s as if he’s unconscious, probably something to do with whatever’s attached to his head. I take a closer look and see it’s clearly part of the ship, which has dropped out of the roof.
Great. Now what?
***
I have always found it disconcerting when I merge with Acrulla. That it is a necessity makes no difference. It is still a disjointing, harrowing experience and not lost on me that becoming exactly like Acrulla might be in my future also. It becomes difficult to understand where my thoughts end and those of Acrulla begin, hard to keep the separation so my thoughts become his also. There is an awareness of being vast and ancient, something other than what I am, and the sensory input which he sends to me is almost overwhelming. I can feel people inside me, working and living deep inside my body to keep me healthy, and I know this must be coming from his thought center, but we become so closely linked it feels like they are inside me.
“Acrulla, my old friend,” I think to him. There is enough separation between us for this at least. “There is something of which I must speak.” I can feel the vast, ponderous mind of the Sentient Ship Acrulla turn some attention to me.
“Talacanthus.” His words are powerfully strong in my thought center. “Of what would you have me know?”
“There is one among the alien species who entered your care, a female...” I decide upon full disclosure, but Acrulla speaks before me.
“Is it your impression I am blind to the thoughts and feelings you emit when we bond, thus?” I sense amusement in his thoughts and wonder again what it might have been like to have known him in life, when he was still fully Intrellian. “Your actions regarding the female have echoed through the halls within the confines of my body, ere even you took her, albeit hearsay and rumor.” There is no one to blame for that than myself, I admit. Whatever power this female has, I am hooked, as if addicted to a narcotic which is wholly her. I do not even know her name, even though she chatters to me in her own language and points to herself, it is beyond my understanding.
“Since my incarnation within this body, I have linked with more commanders than I care to recall,” Acrulla thinks into my thought center. “Each became a part of what makes my entirety and guides the personality which once was the Intrellian, Acrulla.” He continues the explanation. “Your thoughts and feelings have been added to the collective through the link we now share. Have no concern, Talacanthus. I will not betray your feelings for this female.” A massive relief washes through me, and I prepare to sever the link, drawing my thoughts back into my own being before the proboscis detaches from my head.
My eyes open to behold a sight I will never tire of, the large female stands before me, looking me over as if she thinks I have an illness. I see the corners of her soft, inviting mouth turn up, and her eyes close in pleasure as I run my fingers through the fine strands of the substance which grows from her head.
“Hello,” she says and I hear her laugh when I jump in shock. How has she managed to learn my language?
“How is this possible?” I ask in wonder and look to see her shake her head then hold her fingers up, two of them a small distance apart.
“Hello, yes, no,” the words tumble out at random coming not from her but through some kind o
f device, and I understand. We can only use small or individual words to speak. Hopefully, this will change.
“Hello,” I say, not hearing it translated. A thought hits me then and I wonder what will happen. “Talacanthus,” I say and point to my torso.
***
“Talacanthus” comes through the earpiece, and I watch, wide-eyed, as he points to his chest.
I hope that’s his name and repeat it pointing at him. I hook my thumb back at me and say, “Hetty,” which he mirrors a second later.
So now we’ve been formally introduced. What happens next, I have no idea, but I think Talacanthus might as he strokes his hands up my arms and grips my shoulders, pulling me gently in for a kiss.
Although he hasn’t got any lips to speak of, his mouth is soft, the skin on his face is baby-smooth and warm against mine. I feel the same rush of desire course up through me, heating my blood and igniting my want. I feel the twin prongs of his forked tongue tickle across my lips and open my mouth a little letting him in. Talacanthus’ tongue is a joy and wonder to me on so many levels, and I hope I can find out one day how it has developed in the way it has. For now, I just enjoy the sensations as he probes my mouth with his tongue, both tips running across my own independently.
I wrap my hands around his head, scratching the back of his skull, which makes him hum in pleasure. I move my hands down to his shoulders and squeeze the firm muscles there. His fingers trail up and down my back, dragging his claws gently across me through the material of my coveralls.
I pull my head back and look at him, my nerves from earlier disappearing as I stare into the blue pools of his eyes. I take hold of the zipper at my throat and start to pull it down. Talacanthus stops me and takes over, pushing his long fingered hands down over my skin, gently stroking the top of my sensitive breasts. I feel a smile cross my face as he finds my nipples with graceful strokes of his strong fingers, making them harden and ache. I shrug out of the top half of my coveralls and shove my tits into his hands hard. For a species who doesn’t have nipples, he’s a quick learner.