Author's Notes:

'Jack's Wage Slavery Part 1 & 2' is the fourth story in the saga of Jack Danner. Minimal effort is made in this tale to explain the backstory so it is highly recommended you read the first three stories in the following order:

• Jack's New Job
• Jack's New Position
• Jack's Daily Grind

All characters engaging in sexual relationships or activities are 18 years old or older.

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Jack's Wage Slavery - Part 2

Chapter 12

Jack slowly surfaced from the depths of his mind and groaned from the pounding in his head.

He tried to move his arms but they seemed to be locked down to a platform he was lying on. His neck, waist, and legs were also clamped to the surface. He couldn't see anything in the inky darkness of the chamber he was being held captive in. Oppressive heat bathed his body and sweat covered his limbs. The air was too stale and breathing was difficult. He felt like he was suffocating.

A deep rumbling droned on and on in his ears.

He tried to call out but he couldn't get a breath and his voice was drowned out by the rumbling.

He suddenly realized he was going to die in this pit of darkness and heat.

Alone.

His mind flashed back to the nightmare he'd had not so long ago and how he'd woken up then with two lovely women sleeping on him. He desperately wanted that to happen again but his body was telling him this time he was awake.

There was a sharp creak sound and a light went on above his face, the brightness stabbing into his eyes and making his head throb badly.

"Open your eyes... worm thing."

Great, an Allsa Komanae. One with a poor grasp of human insults. Still, company was company. Jack slowly opened his eyes and saw the usual trio of cowl wearing figures standing next to the platform. The one in the center would be the speaker of course. An almost giddy desperation swept over Jack so he looked into the hood of the one on the left. "What can I do for you this fine day?" he croaked.

The center wasn't happy with being ignored. Not one bit. Jack received a jab in the side with some kind of nerve prod and he had to bite down hard to keep from screaming. When his vision cleared he saw the center disciplining the fellow on the left. Jack was pissed. He stared into the right cowl and grit his teeth. "And what the FUCK do you want?"

Once more the prod jabbed Jack and he growled his rage as he pulled at the bindings. As quickly as it surged his strength left him and he fainted.

When Jack woke he felt a straw being pressed between his lips. His first instinct was to clamp his lips tight as it could be poison. Then his situation returned to him. He sucked at the straw and was rewarded with stale, warm water. No poison. He drank his fill before the straw was pulled back, spilling drops across his mouth and chin.

Soft fingers wiped the moisture away.

He opened his eyes again and saw... an Altarian? No... similar but not quite the same. His eyesight was still blurry from fatigue. Jack looked at the hand hovering above his mouth. Three fingers, one thumb. Wiry strength in that hand. Lean muscles in the arm, covered with a fine grey fur. Small scars here and there where the fur didn't grow. Some looked like burns. The being was wearing some kind of baggy tunic over its torso and the fabric had seen better days. His eyes could focus now so he looked up to its... no, her face. He could be wrong as he'd never seen this race before but his radar was telling him this was a female. Regardless of the presence of horns.

Unlike his which grew up from his forehead and swept back over his head, hers projected from the sides of her head and curved down and forward. The tips were covered by rounded metal caps. Most likely to blunt the points. Grey with irregular bands of black, he thought they were lovely.

Jack looked left and right and couldn't hear anything over the droning sound that continued to dominate the sound in the room. He was still strapped down and he had no idea how long he'd been there.

He looked up at the woman once more. Large, shockingly pale grey eyes, small black leathery nose, again with a small scar crossing it, black lips in a wide mouth with one major difference from the Altarians. The points of two fangs could be seen resting on her thick lower lip. He'd have to see her other teeth to tell if she was a true carnivore or an omnivore like him. Her ears though, they were broad, furred triangles with white tufts. Definitely mobile, they were constantly moving, twitching, twisting and focusing the sounds around her.

From the little he could see she looked like she'd missed a few too many meals and been worked a little too hard. Still, she had a soft touch. Her fingers were back on his lips again, just the lightest of touches, and after all the abuse he'd experienced it was very soothing to feel a gentle caress.

"What... what are you?" she whispered.

"Human and Altarian," he replied as quietly.

Her face showed her confusion. "I don't know either of those names but how can you be both?"

"I was Human and... well, it's a complicated story. I've never met anyone who looks like you either. What are you?" Jack asked.

She pulled her hand away and her expression closed up. "I am nothing."

"Not to me you're not. Your touch was the first expression of kindness I've experienced since I was abducted. Thank you," Jack said sincerely.

She shook her head angrily and left the room.

He didn't know what he'd said to offend her but he was upset with himself for driving her away. He lay there on his back wishing she'd come back. When the door suddenly opened again he almost called out in his excitement. He throttled down his emotions brutally as they were clearly getting out of control.

Three cloaked figures again. He remembered the pain stick from the previous meeting so he held his tongue and watched carefully.

"Your discipline collar is ready. It will be placed on your neck and from that time on you will be punished for any and all insubordination with overwhelming pain. Our scientists have determined the boundaries of human resistance to pain through careful study and experimentation. Humans are no different from any other inferior race when it comes to the aversion to pain. It is a very effective means of control."

"Great, a pain collar," Jack thought. He wondered how his hybrid nature would affect his resistance to it.

As if reading his mind the Allsa Komanae went on. "This one is calibrated to inflict 50% stronger pain than a normal human collar would output. If unconsciousness is requested it will increase beyond that until the goal is reached. The collars are tamper proof. Charges will detonate if the collar is breached or if death is requested."

"If death is requested?" Jack thought. This sales pitch needed work.

"Collars are linked to our networks so your location will be known at all times. It can be activated at any time. If you were to somehow leave the area of the network the collar will render you unconscious and after a period of time it will detonate if it is not reset by your master. Is all of this understood?"

Jack saw no benefit in antagonizing them. "Yes," he sighed.

The one on the left stepped forward and touched something on the table Jack was strapped to. The sides of the headrest came up and clamped his head painfully tight until he couldn't budge. The table's neck restraint released and sunk into the table. Then the surface under his neck pulled away leaving the back of his neck exposed. The Allsa Komanae on the right then stepped forward and opened a long narrow black container. It reached inside and carefully lifted out a stiff band of small interlocking silver rectangles, two inches high by one inch wide and lined up along their wide side. How this... bar of metal was supposed to wrap around his neck Jack had no idea. The center of the metal band had a larger silver section that curved down to a point like a deep 'V'. It almost made him think of the expanding metal watch band on his father's watch but much larger. If he didn't know the evil intent of the device he would have been impressed with its beauty. Even in the dim light of the room the silver surface gleamed. The pattern on its surface was intricate and ornately detailed. He didn't understand why someone would go to the effort of making such a terrible device attractive. It made no sense.

The Allsa Komanae meticulously positioned the 'V' center of the band just below his Adam's apple and over the notch of his collarbone. It slowly lowered the device until Jack felt the cool metal on his skin. Then he felt the skin under the metal begin to prickle and crawl like a thousand tiny needles were pricking him. The ornate center link on the collar began to grip his skin and the area suddenly felt cold. The next two links settled against his skin and the prickling sensation continued. Once they settled and shocked him with their numbing cold the next two segments unlocked and lowered. Jack's discomfort was increasing and he had the oddest sensation of being slowly strangled. His breathing wasn't being impacted but he felt himself sucking in breaths in gulps. This caused the links already bonded to him to shift and adjust their positions with an odd high pitched hiss and chime sound.

The sensation began to become unbearable but there was nothing he could do as the ends of the collar slowly made their way around his extra wide neck. The cold got worse and worse and he had to grit his teeth together to keep from crying out. Then through the cold he felt fine metallic tendrils digging into the flesh and bones of his neck and this pain wasn't at all reduced by the cold. The collar was digging in. When the ends met and snapped together above his spine the pain spiked and it was all he could feel.

He screamed until he passed out.

Jack felt the soft touch on his lips once more. It was such a contrast to the last sensation he recalled he gasped involuntarily. The hand pulled back abruptly. His eyes cracked open and he was no longer in the dark chamber. He felt the softness of a mattress under him and the room was brightly lit from sunlight pouring in the windows. He looked around in confusion.

"Wh-" he began then coughed as his dry throat cracked. He felt hands holding a cup in front of his lips so he sipped at the water. It was cool and refreshing this time.

He laid back on the pillow and blinked his eyes until his sight cleared. The grey furred being was back, sitting on the mattress next to him. Jack resolved not to say anything that might frighten her off like last time.

She'd received an upgrade in her tunic. The new one still exposed her arms and seemed to reach her knees but it was white and clean. He looked down at himself and he was wearing the same kind of white tunic as she was. White really wasn't his color.

She was looking at his neck with a wary expression. He looked at hers and was horrified to see terrible scarring. The fur was gone in strips of scar tissue encircling her neck. There had to have been at least four of them around her neck just above a thin silver band much like his but without the ornate design on its surface. It had a small 'V' positioned at the base of her neck like his.

The scar just above the silver band looked fresh. The ones above were older and had all healed in the past. The oldest looking ones were wider and each seemed to be a little narrower until the current band which was barely as wide as Jack's pinkie finger.

"Is there something wrong with my neck?" he asked quietly.

She shook her head but she didn't take her eyes from the band. Jack slowly pushed himself to a seated position. The collar felt odd. The skin under it was still a little tender so he was aware it was there from little barbs of pain when he moved. However, it didn't tug as he'd expected it to considering how it was embedded in his skin.

With a glance at his companion he put his feet on the floor noticing the white slippers he was wearing. His nerves buzzed a little from the memory of the pain but he closed his eyes and took a few deep breaths. When he was ready he stood and walked over to the window. The sunlight struck his collar and splashed reflections over the walls. He was dazzled and staggered back... into her arms. He felt her strength as she steadied him. She was thin and small, the top of her head barely reaching his shoulder, but she had considerable strength in her hands and arms. The two broad toes on her cloven hoofs gave her excellent stability.

He got his balance again and looked at her. He needed to know what to call her. "Thanks."

She frowned like he'd insulted her.

"What's wrong?"

"Do not thank me. Do not acknowledge me. I am nothing. It is my role," she said slowly like it was a lesson he needed to learn.

"I won't do that. That's not who I am. I won't pretend you're nothing because that's not who or what you are!"

"You will be disciplined if you do not follow the roles we are assigned," she scowled at his stubbornness.

He shrugged. "Then I'll be punished. I'm not going to change who I am for them."

"Who you are isn't more important than survival!" she growled quietly in frustration.

"If I survive but I'm no longer a person I can respect, what have I survived for?" he asked.

She looked at him in fury. He took that as a good sign. She still had spirit.

"What do I call you?" he asked.

She looked at him like he was mentally challenged. "You don't call me anything!" she hissed quietly.

"Eve it is then." The name just popped into his head. Maybe because she was the 'first woman' he'd met in this awful place. He looked around. There was nothing out the 'window'. It was a light well, piping sunlight in from above. They were probably deep underground. This particular place wasn't too awful but the dark place where he'd met her had been. "Eve, is there a mirror around here where I can see myself and this collar?"

She was looking at him a little strangely then she shook her head and frowned again. She set off purposefully towards a doorway so he followed. He was relieved to see standard human compatible hygienic facilities for waste and cleaning. At least it looked something like a toilet and shower. But no way to see his reflection.

Eve touched the wall and it became a mirror. There they stood side by side. At least he wasn't dressed in that ridiculous leather and rhinestone outfit with the cape! He saw the same rounded metal caps Eve was wearing on her horns had been added to the points of his too. He stepped closer and inspected the collar. It really was a finely crafted and beautifully ornate piece of torture hardware.

"Any idea why my pain collar is so fancy?" he asked quietly.

"Discipline collar," she corrected with a sigh. "I was told we belong to the Prime. This symbol at the center represents the Prime, but... I have never seen a collar like yours." Eve said equally quiet.

"I wonder if that's a good thing or a bad thing." Jack mumbled.

A chime sounded and Eve rushed from the bathroom then darted back and pulled Jack's arm with her surprising strength to follow her into the middle of the room where they stood side by side. Jack looked at her in confusion and she scowled at him. "Eyes forward and down," she hissed quietly.

The door opened and in walked a single Allsa Komanae. Jack was momentarily confused. He'd never seen one on its own before. They always traveled in threes.

"So this is Jack Danner," the cloaked being before him said thoughtfully as it stopped a few feet away. "I expected... more."

Jack was too surprised to be insulted. The Allsa Komanae's voice was deep and rich, a far cry from the rough flat tones which typically emanated from the dark cowls. Its clothing seemed like it was made of finer materials as well.

"And you are?" Jack asked. He saw Eve twitch when he spoke.

"Ah, you have so much to learn about your new role," the deep voice sighed regretfully.

Jack's brain lit up and he found himself gasping on the floor as his body spasmed painfully.

"That was just a mild lesson in how not to speak to your superiors," the Allsa Komanae said in a conversational tone.

Jack got his arms under himself and painfully pushed himself up. Onto his knees. That was as far as he could get as his muscles were trembling in memory of the pain.

He felt Eve's hands on his arm and she helped him to his feet then immediately let go and went back to staring at the floor. Jack wanted to thank her but the cloaked figure would likely punish her. It was safer for her if he followed her wishes... while in the presence of Allsa Komanae.

"When I ask you to speak you may address me as 'First'. Is that clear?"

Jack almost replied but nodded his head instead. He heard First make a little sound of disappointment.

"You will also avert your eyes from any and all citizens. You are not worthy of looking upon your masters so you will not."

Once more Jack found himself on the floor, this time on his back. The remnants of the pain from his last visit to the floor hadn't left his muscles so now he had some serious cramping. He wasn't able to move his legs as the muscles just trembled. He wondered if the asshole was really using a mild setting or was playing at the top end of the scale. The latter seemed likely. Anything higher and he might not survive.

"Are you beginning to understand your new role? You may speak," First asked.

"I understand these lessons are likely going to kill me. I can't move my legs," he croaked.

First made an annoyed sound and left the room. When it returned it was followed by another Allsa Komanae who immediately knelt down beside Jack and ran some kind of device up and down Jack's legs. It froze then looked up at First and made a quiet hissing sound.

First hissed back much louder and the kneeling figure cowered.

"You are neither Human nor Altarian. You appear to be some kind of freakish hybrid. The collar was calibrated incorrectly. This will be rectified. Killing you before the Prime arrives would... displease her."

"So you aren't the Prime?" Jack groaned.

"I am First."

"That's not confusing at all," he sighed.

First was silent. Jack got the impression the self-important jerk was itching to push the pain button again.

"Take care of his legs," it barked at Eve and left. The other Allsa Komanae hustled after it and the door closed.

Eve bent down and got her arms under Jack's shoulders and dragged him backwards over to the bed platform. The bed dropped down into the floor and she pulled him right up onto it. Once she stepped off the bed lifted back up. Jack realized this likely meant they were under observation. Maybe by the Allsa Komanae who checked his legs earlier?

Once the bed was back to its original height Eve moved to the end of the bed and pushed his tunic up to expose his legs.

Jack grabbed the hem and pushed it back down to cover his privates. "Hey!"

Eve gave him an exasperated look. "I need to massage the knots out of your leg muscles."

"That doesn't mean you get permission for a free show."

"A free show?" she asked with a puzzled expression.

"You know, of my privates."

"There is no privacy. You need to accept this as your new reality. Our masters see all and know all. There can be no secrets from them," Eve explained slowly as she tried to tug the hem of his tunic up again.

Jack tugged it back down. "That wasn't what I meant by privates! I meant my... sex organs," he said uncomfortably. "Besides, there are all kinds of ways secrets can be kept. I'm not buying into this crap about their all seeing all knowing abilities. They aren't gods. They bleed and they die just like we do. I've personally seen it."

Eve's eyes were wide. She looked nervously towards the ceiling. Then she turned her eyes to him and scowled. "Let me do my job. I have been ordered to take care of your legs. I must do this."

"Sure but you don't need to see everything to do that. Here I'll lift it this high." Jack pulled the hem up higher but kept one hand in place to keep his essentials hidden.

She growled quietly but began at his feet.

God her hands were strong! Jack soon melted under her skillful kneading.

"Oh my god Eve, your hands are amazing! You were obviously sent from Heaven to resurrect my body."

She gave him another hostile look. "Stop calling me Eve and stop thanking me for doing my job! I told you I am nothing! You must learn this to survive!"

Jack just stared at her in frustration as she moved her hands further up his legs. The knots were larger the further up she went. They were also more painful to massage out but he held his tongue as the areas she'd completed felt so much better.

Finally she could go no further because of his grip on the hem of his tunic. She stopped and returned his frustrated look.

"What?" he asked.

"I need to go higher. Release your tunic. I have seen... sex organs of many species. Nothing is surprising, frightening, amusing, or even interesting anymore. I promise I will not scream or laugh or make any judgemental noises," she explained slowly to her dim student.

Jack sighed. "None of that was a concern." He frowned. He really did need her to finish. "Fine." He pulled his hands away and she pushed the hem up to his stomach. Her hands went right back to work and he had to grit his teeth as the knots on his upper thighs were especially large and sore.

After a particularly tight knot loosened he sagged to the mattress and she seemed to be done. He looked down at Eve to see why she was so quiet. She was looking closely at his groin with a confused expression.

"Hey! You said you weren't going to ogle my stuff!" Jack said sitting up to push the hem of his tunic back down.

She looked up at him in embarrassment. "I'm sorry. I haven't seen one that looks like yours. I- I can't figure out how it would work. It seems too soft."

Jack blushed. "Of course it's soft. It's in a relaxed state!"

"But- but it's just skin and flesh! There's no rigid plates, sheath, or even an exo-lattice to force a female open!" Eve exclaimed.

"Force a female open..." Jack's voice faded as he stared at Eve. "Have you had sex before?"

"Of course I have. My first two masters used me for the games. I won many, many times for them. I have been pitted against many different races. All have had some form of armor on their sexual organs to ensure penetration and delivery."

Jack's head was spinning. "Wait- wait! Games? Sex games? The Allsa Komanae make their slaves have sex for sport? As a competition?"

Eve was giving him that pitying look again. Such a slow student.

"Yes, Allsa Komanae can't have sex themselves but they can link their sensory systems to our slave collars in the games and feel what we feel. The slave that lasts the longest and delivers the most pleasure feedback through their link wins and the master of the winner earns a status promotion while the defeated is demoted. Based on the difference in levels between the challenger and the defender the resulting change can be small or dramatic. First achieved its rank through this means. Since the return of the Prime was announced the games were suspended. First ordered this as there are to be no significant status level changes until the Prime arrives. This was not a popular order as there are very few other ways to rapidly increase the level of Allsa Komanae.

Jack tucked that little bit of information away. Back to something she said. "You said the Allsa Komanae can't have sex. What does that mean?"

Eve glanced nervously towards the ceiling but no painful discipline struck so she seemed to take that as permission to speak. "It is believed they no longer have the physical capacity. They are an ancient race. They are heavily reliant on cybernetics, a field they are unsurpassed in. The discipline collars are just one example of their brilliant expertise. No one is sure how much organic life is contained within their robes."

"I've punched one before and my fist struck something organic in the hood... well, mostly organic. I felt something break."

Eve's eyes grew very wide as she looked at him. Then she moved back a little and looked to the ceiling once more. Still no pain.

Jack decided he'd better change the subject to keep her talking. "You say you've had two masters?"

"Five now." She pointed to the four scars circling her neck and the new collar.

"Why did they replace the collars? That looks terribly painful?" Jack said looking closer at the damaged to Eve's neck.

"No master would accept a slave with a collar once controlled by a competitor. Too risky that it might be detonated at an unfortunate time. When a slave is exchanged the old collar must be removed. Most slaves don't survive more than three exchanges." Eve said in a matter of fact tone.

Jack looked again at her scars. "You have endured a lot of pain in your life."

She shrugged. "It is my role." Jack scowled. "We will not be exchanged now that we belong to the Prime. No Allsa Komanae would dare challenge the Prime so she is our final master. Until she dispatches us herself of course."

Jack shook his head. She could show stubbornness to him but she was completely subservient to the Allsa Komanae. He thought of something. "How long have you been a slave?"

"I have always been a slave."

Ah, Jack thought. This explained a lot.

"Have you ever seen any others of your kind?" he asked.

"No." She looked in the direction of his groin again. "Will you tell me now how your sexual organ works? I am wondering if such softness would be an advantage or a disadvantage in a game."

Jack looked at Eve feeling distinctly uncomfortable. Time to change the subject.

"It works just fine. I don't get why they pit physically incompatible races against each other in the games." Jack growled.

"It makes the betting more exciting for the Allsa Komanae. You have to find a way to feel pleasure from your competitor, find a way to bring their pleasure to a peak quickly while maintaining your pleasure levels at their highest for as long as you can."

"What... what if your partner is causing you pain?" Jack asked hesitantly, thinking of her comment before about being forced open.

"Competitor, not partner. Slaves are not allowed to cause other slaves pain. Your collar will punish you for that. Remember, the Allsa Komanae are connected to the slaves in the game and they do not want to feel pain."

Eve sighed. "I enjoyed the games. I was good at it and I brought my masters great success until no Allsa Komanae would bet against me. I was retired from the games. My last two master's did not put me into the games."

"How long ago was your last... game?" Jack asked awkwardly. This was one of the most uncomfortable conversations he'd had in some time.

Eve shrugged. "I don't keep track of time like that. There is no point in it."

Jack nodded to himself. He supposed that made sense for her. He looked around the room. Besides the window to the light well the only other exit was the door at the far end of the room. "Are we going to be kept in this room indefinitely?"

"No, once you've been taught your new role we will be allowed to move to the Prime's slave barracks. I don't know what other slaves will be there. I guess we will find out when we get there."

"I don't get why the Allsa Komanae or the Prime for that matter need slaves." Jack said in confusion. He looked at Eve. "I mean aside from getting their jollies feeling other people's sexual activity."

"We are theirs to use as they wish. Manual labor, lab experiments, status symbols, entertainment... whatever they desire." Eve said slowly in her teaching mode.

Jack rolled his eyes.

"Haven't any of the slaves ever escaped? There must have been some slaves clever enough to get past the locator and the network sensor in the collar."

"Where would they go?" Eve asked.

Jack gave Eve a frustrated look. "Through a Gate then anywhere!"

"There are no Gates."

Jack froze. "What?"

"We are on the Allsa Komanae home planet. There are no Gates. The only way to leave it is on one of the interplanetary jump ships like the one we were on when we met."

"I was on a spaceship?" Jack croaked.

She looked at him in concern. "They are called jump ships, not spaceships but yes. You did not know?" Jack could only shake his head. "You would have been brought through a Gate to Allsa One. This is their central administration planet, the only one with Gates connected to the outer network. From Allsa One you were transferred to the ship. I was on the ship in stasis until we were well on our way back. Then I was woken to care for you as we returned to the home world."

"What about the Tik? They can open Gates to anywhere. Couldn't they find the planet?" Jack insisted.

"I have never met or seen a Tik but I have heard my masters talk of them. The Allsa Komanae do not allow Tik the leave the Cargo Gate terminal on Allsa One... except back through the Gates to the outer network of course. The coordinates of the home world are a secret. No Tik has ever 'found it'. Only the pilots of the ships know how to find it." Eve explained with a sad expression as she saw how distressed he was becoming.

"So... no way off the planet except on one of the ships. Has anyone tried to seize one of the ships?" Jack asked but he had a sinking feeling he knew what the answer would be.

"Your collar will incapacitate you automatically if you aren't authorized to be at the spaceport."

"Well that sucks." Jack flopped back on the bed and scowled. His chances for escape seemed to be slim to none. He'd have to rely on being rescued. He knew his friends the Altarians would turn over every stone until they found him. He'd just have to stay alive until they did.

Eve was watching his face closely when he sat back up and turned his eyes back to her. He knew what she needed to hear. He sighed. "Ok, escape is out. Survival it is," he said and her face lit up with a relieved smile.

"Good!"

"What do we do all day?" he asked.

"That will depend on what our master wants us to do. My previous masters had me run errands. Deliver sensitive messages, pick up packages, and some administrative work. This was after I was retired from the games. I don't know what a Prime will need from us. I hope I can be productive for her." Eve looked a little worried.

"Do we get time to ourselves? Time to exercise?" Jack asked as he looked at his slippers. He thought longingly of the new running shoes he'd purchased.

"There is a gym for maintaining our health." Eve said.

"I prefer to run. Distance running. Outside. Is that going to be possible?" Jack asked.

She gave him a sad expression and shook her head. He just nodded and frowned.

His stomach took that moment to remind him it hadn't seen food in some time.

"That I can do something about," Eve said as she stood and walked to a recessed slot in the wall. She examined the settings on the dispenser. She walked back to him with an apologetic smile. "Actually I'll need you to stand in front of the dispenser. Your bio profile hasn't been recorded in the machine so it hasn't been calibrated for your diet yet."

She helped him stand and lent him a shoulder to lean on as they walked back to the machine. The pain in his legs wasn't too bad. She'd done an awesome job of massaging them.

He stood before the dispenser and let it scan his body. The beam made him feel a little queasy but soon it was over and a tube of green paste and a tube of red paste were dropped into the machine's cavity. He pulled them out.

"What's this?" he asked holding the tubes up.

"Food," Eve replied curiously.

"Nutrient paste. This is nutrient paste. It's not food." Jack was pissed but he was also hungry so he tore the cap off of the red tube and squeezed out a drop to taste it. "Well... that's an unpleasant flavor. I'll just assume it's giving my body what it needs and bear with it, right?" Eve nodded nervously as she could see he was upset. He finished the red tube and moved on to the green. It tasted worse but he finished it too.

"So insufficient clothing, no running for exercise, crappy food, and I'm to treat my new masters like gods. I'm learning my new role quickly."

Eve was still looking at him nervously.

The door chimed and three Allsa Komanae entered. He looked to the one in the center. It lifted something and Jack's brain just had time to register it might be a weapon when his body felt like it was being lit up like a Christmas tree. He just had time to think 'Fucking assholes!' then blackness.

Chapter 13

Major Cha'Risa Ash was fuming. She'd already passed through her rage phase. The remaining members of her team waited patiently for her simmering anger to crystalize into decisive forward momentum. In the seven years they'd been together the team had grown accustomed to each other's idiosyncrasies.

They were reeling from the loss of their friend and colleague Ray Sharif who'd been their comm tech specialist and might still be their savior if they could get to his private data cache.

Unfortunately it was hidden on Earth and they were currently on Altaria. They could go to Earth but the moment they stepped through a Gate they'd be arrested for treason.

Once the Minister of Earth Security Council Ruan Steyn filed charges of treason against them they found their access to Earth's network was blocked. Their accounts were frozen. They needed to get back to Earth to locate Ray's personal data vault and find out if he'd been able to trace the abduction money from the LA Gate Terminus to its source. Ray had been a tech genius. Once he had the beginnings of a thread, in this case the smuggling ring at the terminus, tracking its connections wouldn't have been too challenging for him. He'd been murdered at the terminus but Mr. Steyn claimed he had Ray's report. He sent a copy of it to the Altarian Minister of Security, Hellna, who shared it with the team. The Major and Nann immediately identified the report as a counterfeit since Ray's digital signature was missing from the file. Ruan claimed this wasn't proof of anything as he suggested that Ray had been under attack and might have forgotten to add it. The Major's argument that Ray would never have filed a report without a signature regardless of the circumstances wasn't accepted. Ruan filed charges against the team the following day when they didn't voluntarily surrender themselves.

So here they sat in a very comfortable lounge in the Altarian Security Ministry headquarters with the two security officers, Gee and Bal, who were with them when their careers went off the rails.

Hellna walked into the lounge with a data comm. "Queen Elissa has supplied me with all of the historical records we have of the Mahrell Drun. These can be verified by the Tik who have their own records as some of them were there at the time and their history is passed down and shared amongst their population."

The Major turned to her and lifted her comm to accept the data dump. "Thank you."

"Do you have any idea of how you are going to reach the data cache yet?" Hellna asked.

"There are people I can reach out to. People I trust in high ranking positions but I can't call them from here," the Major sighed.

"You are not restricted to Altaria. You may go through the Gates to any planet you wish," Hellna said, tilting her head curiously.

"We don't exactly have a lot of experience with other planets. We work exclusively on Earth. I wouldn't know the first thing about which planets are safe for us to go to considering the hate the Allsa Komanae have for us," the Major supplied.

"Gee and Bal have offered to assist you in this next phase of the mission. They will take you anywhere you need to go," the Minister said gesturing to the two security officers who just nodded.

The team looked at the two ebony Altarians. When they'd first met them the trained commandos had written them off because of their dainty size, the seemingly useless gossamer gowns they wore, and their quiet natures. They quickly learned the agents were quick thinking professionals who held their tongues until they had something important to say, wasted no time on unproductive recriminations, and were surprisingly deadly in a firefight. Unlike the uniformly civilized behavior seen in the rest of the Altarian population the quiet agents apparently nurtured some blood lust. This was graphically demonstrated by Bal's almost gleeful enjoyment of using their organic explosives back on Rehm.

This especially endeared the agents to Leo and Maxim who also liked things that went boom.

"Alright, thank you. Where should we go to find Tik with the required knowledge of the Mahrell Drun to augment the Queen's report? It also has to be a hospitable world that we can contact Earth from."

"Chuuruthia," Gee said. "There are no Allsa Komanae on Chuuruthia. The planet also hosts a Tik enclave as the Tik have one of their Instantiation factories there."

"Where the Tik are born?" Nann asked curiously.

"Exactly," Gee answered. "The enclave will likely have some senior Tik who might have direct experience though it was a very long time ago."

They wasted no further time now that they had the beginnings of a plan. The trip back to the Gate Terminal was quick and the team was glad to see their weapons again.

"Please do a quick inspection as we will need to take them under our gowns once more," Gee said and Leo and Maxim made disappointed sounds. They took their weapons and skilled fingers ran through their inspection but found the weapons to be in exactly the same condition they'd been in when they surrendered them. With unhappy frowns they handed them over to Bal.

Once Gee had the Major's and Nann's weapons stowed they arranged a Gate to Chuuruthia and made their way to the Gate hall.

"I've never met a Chuuruthian. What are they like?" Nann asked.

"They are civilized and intelligent. Deeply empathic and highly cultured. A lovely people," Gee replied.

"Like Altarians then," the Major said as she confirmed her comm was secured in her pocket. Gee looked at the tall warrior and smiled.

"Thank you for the comparison. One difference is their males are equal to their females in all ways. An exceptional balance! Chuuruthians are highly sought after for their skills as physicians and surgeons and their scientific community is also very well respected on all worlds."

They approached the mirror surface of the Gate and stepped through. The Major immediately picked up the lovely scent of flowers. She felt herself relaxing and a smile slipped onto her lips. "It certainly smells like a nice planet," she remarked.

Gee and Bal exchanged the smallest of smiles. The glorious red and yellow flashes of light on the far side of the large Gate chamber was sunlight reflecting from the petals of the Chella Orchid, the official flower of Chuuruthia. The flowers also had a very pleasant scent which had a calming and sometimes mildly euphoric effect.

They approached the customs desk and the humans got their first look at a Chuuruthian.

They were a race of feline aliens which had been described as looking somewhat like Earth's Caracal cats. Small in stature at 1.5 metres tall, they had tan fur covered by colorful robes and they wore beautiful earrings in their large pointed ears.

"Welcome to Chuuruthia! May I have your names and purpose of your visit please," the clerk said.

Leo began to chuckle and that seemed to set Maxim off. Nann looked at the two men like they'd lost their minds but the Major just grinned at them.

"I am Gee and this is Bal. We are representatives of the Altarian Security Ministry. Our companions are Major Cha'Risa Ash, Captain Nann Graf, Corporal Leo Orlov and Corporal Maxim Volkov. They are from Earth's Security Council Force. Before we get to the reason for our visit I believe the Humans are a little sensitive to the flora."

"Ah! Our apologies! Here, have them smell this. It neutralizes the effect of the flower's scent." The Chuuruthian handed Gee and Bal some small white fabric packets. The Altarians distributed them and demonstrated how to use them.

Leo and Maxim both took a deep sniff and within seconds they were both frowning in embarrassment at their earlier behavior.

Nann indicated she was fine but the Major took a packet and inhaled deeply. Her grin softened and she looked at the Altarian curiously. "What was that?" she asked.

Gee pointed to the flowers. "The scent of the Chella Orchids can sometimes have a mildly intoxicating effect." She turned back to the Chuuruthian. "We need to speak with a Tik elder if any are available as we believe the Mahrell Drun are back."

"I'm not familiar with the name Mahrell Drun," the clerk said nervously.

"It is our belief that the Allsa Komanae are actually descendants of the Mahrell Drun. We have evidence that one of their Prime's has returned to reorganize and revitalize the Allsa Komanae. Comparatively the Mahrell Drun's skill at disrupting peaceful societies puts the Allsa Komanae to shame."

The Chuuruthian's long whiskers were trembling with nervousness. It didn't seem to know how to proceed.

"Perhaps you could point us in the direction of transportation to the Tik Enclave and contact Chuuruthian Security to have a representative meet us there. We will share our findings with them at that time," Gee suggested and the clerk nodded quickly. It pointed to the doorway at the far right of the building.

With a nod Gee led the group to the door and outside. There was an automated taxi service. Gee entered the number of people in their group and was notified a larger vehicle was on its way to pick them up.

The Major leaned in a little closer. "Why did that clerk become agitated when you mentioned the Allsa Komanae?" she asked.

Gee looked up. "The Allsa Komanae attempted to kill the Chuuruthian population with a genetically engineered virus. That's why you won't find any Allsa Komanae on the planet. They've been banned."

The commandos looked around the grounds of the Gate Terminal and were impressed with how beautifully landscaped they were.

A large, open vehicle with rows of seating descended next to the platform they were on and they climbed aboard once it stopped. Gee gave their destination and the vehicle slipped back up into the sky to rush towards the southern horizon. The speed of the vehicle increased until the land below rushed by in a blur but there was no wind distortion within the seating area.

"Outside of a few covert operations I can't go into the details for I don't think I've ever travelled this quickly at such a low altitude before," the Major remarked.

"Yes, this haste seems to indicate we've been given quite a high priority by the Chuuruthian air traffic authority," Gee agreed.

As they travelled they admired the scenery in the distance as the nearby terrain was moving far too quickly to watch comfortably. Soon they saw something glittering on the horizon and their speed began to diminish. They also saw a second vehicle moving on a trajectory similar to theirs. It was much smaller and enclosed. Their speed dropped quickly as they approached the source of the glittering. Dozens of brand new chrome Tik were flying here and there over a large building. All of them moved with a sense of purpose. Nann likened it to a bee hive.

The taxi settled to the ground outside of the building and the smaller vehicle settled down next to it where two Chuuruthians stepped out and walked over to meet them.

"Greetings! I am Security Minister Stenn and this is Secretary of Defence Kressel. I was informed that you have information regarding a possible Allsa Komanae mobilization. I was contacted by the Altarian Security Minister earlier indicating I should expect you. Am I speaking with Gee and Bal?"

Gee stepped forward. "I am Gee and this is Bal. Our companions are from Earth's Security Council Force." Gee made the introductions.

The Major stepped forward holding out her comm. "I have the data from Queen Elissa regarding the Mahrell Drun, a race that had their Gate revoked because of their destructive influence on the other worlds. We are going to speak with an elder Tik if any are available to get confirmation and potentially any additional information we can get on the Mahrell Drun." She looked over a Gee who nodded so she continued. "We have reason to believe Earth's chain of command may have been infiltrated and subverted by agents working with the Allsa Komanae and ultimately with this new Prime."

They began walking towards the entrance to the building and Gee continued. "Our Ambassador, Jack Danner, was abducted by mercenaries on Earth who passed him along to someone who used to be a senior Director in Earth's Trade Commission, a Mr. Goodson. He in turn smuggled him through a Cargo Gate with help from a smuggling ring to Rehm where the ones who ordered the abduction killed Goodson and took possession of the Ambassador. It was the Allsa Komanae. The trail goes cold at Rehm but it is our belief that the abduction was just one element of a plan to disrupt relations between Earth and Altaria."

The Chuuruthians looked at each other nervously, whiskers trembling. "We have long believed the Allsa Komanae were a blight on civilization. To hear they may be the descendants of a race excised from the Gate Network for exactly these kinds of crimes seems to validate our concerns."

"Indeed. However, we need more information on them so we can present this to people on Earth in positions of power that may be able to counteract the insurgence. We have no idea how deep the Allsa Komanae's influence goes within Earth's government."

"Do you know of people you can trust?" Minister Stenn asked.

The Major looked to him and nodded. "The difficult part will be contacting them. My team and I are all being charged with Treason so my calls will be blocked. A call from a Tik would not be."

"A call from the Chuuruthian Secretary of Defence would also go through I'm sure." Kressel offered.

The commandos all looked at the Chuuruthian in surprise. "Yes, that would be extremely generous of you. However, it might also put Chuuruthia's relations with Earth in jeopardy as Altaria's is now."

"There is no other race in the entire Gate Network we would be more honored to stand beside in such a conflict. The Altarians and the Chuuruthians are both known for our strict adherence to honorable and civilized behavior. The Allsa Komanae are the exact opposite. Someone needs to take a stand against them," Kressel said firmly.

"Thank you." Gee and Bal said with a nod towards the man.

They reached the doors and the two Altarians handed over the weapons they were carrying before they were admitted.

The team looked towards the Secretary of Defence to see how he reacted but he just smiled at their concern. "Not to worry. You entrusted your weapons with the Altarians. There is no better signal of your mutual trust which means the Chuuruthians can trust you as well," he said.

A Tik with some interesting stylized markings all over its chassis floated towards them. "Hello! Welcome to the Tik Enclave on Chuuruthia. I am BassDrop. How may I assist you today?"

Gee stepped forward. "We would like to speak to any senior Tik or any who might have information on a race called the Mahrell Drun. We have reason to believe they have returned and are attempting to destabilize relations between the Altarians and the Humans."

"There are Altarians and Humans present in this group as well as Chuuruthians. I see no hostility," it replied.

"The disruption is between our governments. The individuals you see before you are harmonious in our resolve to see this disruption end peacefully," Gee explained. "Is there a senior Tik present at the Enclave?"

"Yes, there are two. I will contact them. Please wait here." The Tik floated off down a hallway.

"BassDrop?" Maxim asked.

"Another human naming though I don't know what it means." Bal offered with a frown.

"Is music. Dance club music. Loud. Powerful. Is good," Leo grinned and Maxim rolled his eyes.

They saw the Tik returning.

"They will see you now. Please follow me." It set off down the hall and the group fell into step behind it. They exited out into a huge inner courtyard which was beautifully landscaped. In the distance they saw a low platform situated in the middle of the open space. Two Tik were sitting upon raised sections of the platform.

Leo suddenly made an excited sound. He moved closer to their guide. "Excuse please. You were in Moscow? On Earth?"

Without stopping its forward momentum BassDrop turned to face Leo. "Yes I was. Shortly after I was Instantiated I worked the Cargo Gate in the Moscow Gate Terminus. How did you know?"

Leo pulled up his sleeve and showed the Tik a tattoo he had on his thick right forearm. It was faded with age but it was a Spade shape with white beams of light emanating from behind it. The Tik chirped excitedly.

"Ah! I would often spend my enrichment time at Club Spade. The music was exceptional! I was allowed to make my own music there two nights a week. It was exhilarating! The club manager gave me my name!"

"That tattoo is from a Russian dance club?" Nann asked with a smile. "I thought it was military!"

"Music is good!" Leo insisted.

BassDrop extended one of its metallic tentacles and touched its chassis and the group saw the identical symbol painted there. "We are similar in our love of good music! Thank you for bringing this to my attention."

Leo excitedly pulled out his comm and touched the controls. Soon a booming bass line filled the space around them and Leo bobbed his head to the music. Nann reached over and shut it off as the wide eyed Chuuruthians were covering their sensitive ears. Leo looked towards them with a contrite wince. "Apologies."

Their guide had drifted to a stop as it looked at Leo. "Was... was that a recording of one of my sessions at the club?"

"Yes, is bootleg. You are famous!" Leo grinned. "I did not understand was you. Until now."

The Tik seemed to be stunned as it looked at Leo and the others without moving. Finally it began moving towards their destination once more though it remained facing Leo. It extended a tentacle towards the man and Leo took it in his hand once he saw Gee's gesture that he should.

"I am deeply touched that my creations are being shared amongst those who appreciate them. Thank you so much for sharing this. This is a unique experience for me. I will need to contemplate its significance," BassDrop said then retracted its tentacle and turned to face the platform they'd arrived at. It emitted a quick burst of noise and got a burst in return.

A bench rose from the deck of the platform across from the two old Tik. The group sat and took a closer look at the ones they came to speak with. Where the Tik they'd seen on their arrival were bright and shiny chrome, the chassis on these two were dull and badly pitted. They also showed significant wear and tear in terms of dents, scratches, and deeper injuries.

The newer Tik settled itself between them and the older Tik touched it with a tentacle. "Neither of the elders has the means to speak directly but they can tap into my speech center and speak through me. They will do so now."

"Hello, you may address me as One," said a deep voice. The old Tik on the left raised a tentacle. "You may address me as Two," gestured the other, it's voice higher in pitch.

"Why do I feel an almost uncontrollable urge to name them?" Nann whispered to the Major.

"The Tik developed a unique relationship with Humans who seem to have an overwhelming compulsion to name things," the deep voice said, sounding amused. Nann blushed at being overheard. "Our young have a compulsion to obtain names from Humans. We think it might be something in the Instantiation matrix but as it's essentially harmless there is no need to look further into it. Two and I were Instantiated millennia before this relationship developed, indeed longer than Humanity itself has been self-aware, so we feel no such need."

Two's voice returned. "I do admit to being curious as to what names you might have chosen in this instance."

Nann looked at Gee who nodded with a smile.

"One, Socrates. Two, Plato. The names just popped into my head as we sat down to face you."

The deep voice chuckled. "Interesting choice of names. Not really applicable to our true role-"

"I like it. I am Plato," Two said immediately adopting the name.

One made a noise which sounded strangely like a gasp of shock and annoyance. "Fine. You are Plato. Our visitors may still address me as One-"

"Socrates," Plato blurted, interrupting once more.

The noise emitted once more. "What if I don't wish to be addressed as Socrates?" the deep voice growled.

"You don't?" Plato asked.

There was silence.

"Might we begin?" the Chuuruthian Security Minister asked.

"Of course... you may address me as Socrates."

Nann grinned.

"Thank you. Socrates, Plato, you indicated that you have been alive for an exceptionally long time. During this lifetime did you ever have interaction with a race of beings called the Mahrell Drun? We understand they were forced out of the Gate Network and their Gate was destroyed," Stenn asked.

More silence.

Finally Socrates spoke again. "I haven't heard that name in a long time. Yes, we were working for the Kel-Fahr during the time of the banishment."

"Banishment?" Gee asked.

"The Mahrell Drun were master manipulators. They destroyed so many lives and even caused some races to slide back into the dust from which they sprung. The Tik do not follow a belief system which supports personifying good and evil. However, the Mahrell Drun's willingness to trick others into destroying life for their own selfish gain and their insatiable greed makes it very difficult for us to not think of them as evil."

Plato took up the tale. "When it was eventually discovered that they were the root cause of the destabilization of so many worlds the Kel-Fahr finally saw the threat and responded with all of their might. The Mahrell Drun had several worlds under their thrall which attempted to fight on behalf of their hidden masters but all perished. When the Kel-Fahr reached the Mahrell Drun's home planet they found it to be abandoned. Not one Prime was found. So they sterilized the world and destroyed its Gate."

Socrates' voice was rough as he continued. "The Kel-Fahr hunted down the Primes. There was never more than five at any time as their ambition made them fight amongst themselves if their numbers increased. However, only three were found and they were destroyed down to the atomic level."

"The other two were never found?" Gee asked.

"One should have been on their home planet. Primes always left one of their own on their home world. But the Kel-Fahr never found it." Plato answered.

"No evidence of the other one was found either."

"We suspect the Allsa Komanae are the descendants of the Mahrell Drun." Gee said.

"That is highly doubtful," Plato remarked.

"Why?" Gee asked.

"From the time of the banishment all Gates carry code that prevents Prime's from passing through them without being genetically damaged to the point of sterility. The Kel-Fahr imposed this code on the Gates and they are the only species this was done to. Allsa Komanae pass through the Gates all the time. They have done so for centuries yet their population remains steady."

"Have there ever been any dramatic increases or decreases in their population as one might expect with mass sicknesses caused by natural means or otherwise?" Stenn asked, clearly recalling their own near pandemic.

"No, looking at their numbers over time they progressed to their current population and have remained within five percent of that total ever since. Exceptionally stable but then so is the Tik's population.

"You are only tracking the Allsa Komanae who pass through Gates though. You don't know their population on their home world," Gee pushed.

There was some hesitation. "Yes... that is correct," Socrates conceded.

"Getting back to the Mahrell Drun, we have evidence that one exists and is in fact working with the Allsa Komanae. Would it be possible to get a digital transcript of the history of the Mahrell Drun and their subsequent banishment?" Major Ash requested.

"Of course. Did you meet this Prime? Do you have direct evidence of its existence?" Plato asked.

It was the Major's turn to hesitate. "No, we didn't and we don't. We just have a confession from one Allsa Komanae and a pattern of activity that seems far better organized than anything the Allsa Komanae have ever achieved before."

"With the Mahrell Drun, that's more than you'd typically get. We have done what we can. Good luck to you all," Socrates indicated.

"Thank you very much for your assistance with this!" the Major said.

The two senior Tik disconnected from BassDrop who moved to the Major. "I can upload the file they gave to me." She pointed her comm at the Tik and it touched the input jack for a moment. When it pulled the tentacle back she saw the file was in her storage.

"I'd like a copy of that as well if you don't mind," Secretary of Defence Kressel indicated and BassDrop uploaded the file to his comm as well. "We should return to my office so we can contact these trusted officials of yours on Earth."

The group followed their Tik guide back out to the entrance to the building.

Leo held BassDrop's 'hand' once more then they made their way back to the vehicles and set course for the Ministry of Defence's office.

Once more they were given priority and the vehicles reached the high velocity they'd had on the way to see the Tik. No one felt like talking as they were all deep in their own thoughts. The commandos understood that their next step would either get them the access to Earth they desperately needed or show them they could never go home. Gee and Bal sensed their unease and had no words of comfort to offer.

Soon they could see the beautiful low rise buildings of the Chuuruthian government's headquarters and their speed gradually slowed until they parked next to a two story building tucked back behind some lovely flowering trees. They exited the vehicles and followed Kressel into the building and down a long corridor to a large conference room. A younger female Chuuruthian rushed into the room.

"How may I be of assistance?" she asked Kressel.

"Fire up the comm system in here and get me a secure line to Earth," he replied. She immediately moved to the console and began setting up the protocols. The large display at the end of the room flickered to life. Kressel turned to the Major. "Who am I calling?"

The Major shared a look with Nann. "Brigadier General Rosseau. I served under him for five years. I trust him more than anyone else. He will be at the Ministry of Defence in Paris, France. I will give you his contact number." She sent him the data from her comm and Kressel forwarded it along to the tech.

"Once you are speaking to him and have his full attention, send him the data pack and tell him the following phrase, 'Major Ash says Shanghai Insider'. He'll know what that means." She looked around the room. "In case his comm is monitored where can we stand and not be in the camera's view?"

Kressel pointed to the corners of the room next to the screen. The team moved to stand in the blind spots and Gee and Bal joined them.

"Are we clear?" Gee asked.

Kressel looked at the young technician who checked the camera's view and nodded. He turned back to the Altarian's and the humans and they indicated they were ready. He took a seat next to Security Minister Stenn and nodded back to the tech. She set up the call then left the room. It was up to the Defence Secretary now. He initiated the call.

After a few moments a crisp male voice answered the call. The Chuuruthian's ID would have been presented to the person answering the call. "Office of Brigadier General Rosseau. How may I direct your call?"

"I need to speak with the Brigadier General." Kressel said, ears twitching to the cold tone in the voice. The screen was still only showing the emblem of Rosseau's office. No visual of the speaker. This was bordering on rude as the Chuuruthian's camera was on.

"Hold please." The audio cut to a piece of classical music. Moments later the screen flipped to a live feed of Rosseau sitting behind his desk smiling at the camera.

"Hello! This is Rosseau. How may I be of service to the Chuuruthian Secretary of Defence?"

"Greetings! With me is Minister of Security Stenn." They nodded to each other. Kressel continued. "Actually the reason for my call is to be of service to you. May I share with you a data pack a mutual acquaintance of ours asked me to give to you?" Kressel began.

Rosseau's eyes narrowed but he nodded.

Kressel pressed the submit button and the data pack was shipped to him. "Major Ash-"

There was a loud crashing sound and the General leapt from his camera's view. There was a staccato blurt from automatic weapon fire, multiple overlapping sounds, and rounds tore through the General's desk and chair then the connection went dead.

The Chuuruthian Defence Secretary looked stunned. "What just happened?"

Stenn leaned forward to check the connection as the others rushed back to stand next to them. "It was shut down from the other end," he supplied.

"What do we do now?" Nann asked.

The Major looked worried. "I- I don't know. My second contact is Colonel MacDenny in Canada. I was going to ask you to contact him next but not if-"

The line chirped with an incoming call. "It's from Earth! From the Ministry of Defence in France!" Stenn exclaimed.

Kressel nodded and Stenn opened the connection.

The screen filled with the angry face of the Brigadier General. He immediately spotted the Major and his eyes locked on her. "What the FUCK is going on?" he bellowed.

"Shanghai insider, sir," she responded.

"That much became obvious when my secretary tried to kill me." His camera panned to the grisly scene of his shot up office and the corpse of the office clerk who stupidly attempted to gun down a battle trained soldier. The General set the military grade mobile comm on the remains of his desk and plunked himself down on his chewed up chair to lean back. "What was on that data pack you sent me? You're going to need to send it again as my lovely antique desk and its comm are a write off," he said. They could see commandos behind the General. Ash knew these men. Handpicked to be his security detail. Not normally a requirement in his office.

Kressel sent the data pack to the new connection.

"We have an infiltration from agents of the Allsa Komanae who are now being led by one of their Primes, a Mahrell Drun. They specialize in disrupting civilizations and genocide through controlling governments from within. The data pack contains the data we personally gathered, historical text from the Altarian archives and direct confirmation from the Tik. I don't think there is a better source of proof aside from direct visual confirmation but the Tik informed us that's almost an impossibility where the Mahrell Drun are concerned. We can get additional proof but only from Earth and we'll need to be there in person to retrieve it. The report they are claiming was Ray's is a fake."

Rosseau frowned. "Getting you back to Earth is going to be tricky until we can clear your names. Every Gate is going to be watching for you."

"We'll find a way. We need to get that information! It's our best bet at exposing the leaders of the infiltration and clearing our names." Ash exclaimed.

The Brigadier General nodded. "When I heard that ass Ruan Steyn file charges of treason against you and your team I knew something was off. I'm terribly sorry to hear about Ray. He was a brilliant man. I'll make sure this information is distributed to people we can trust. Have you contacted MacDenny?"

"Not yet sir."

"I'll contact him myself. The bastard owes me money from our last poker night. Good luck!" He turned to look at the Chuuruthians. "My sincerest thanks for assisting Major Ash and her team, Secretary of Defence Kressel! I won't forget this!" With a final nod between the General and Kressel the line went dead.

Nann looked at her leader. "What now?"

The female tech entered the room once more. "Sir, there are two Tik here wishing to speak with you and the group."

Kressel gestured for her to show them in.

"No naming them unless asked!" Ash growled at her group. There were a few guilty looks as the thought had crossed their minds.

The tech showed two shiny, new Tik into the room. They hovered a few feet above the floor and the Major couldn't distinguish between them as they must have been newly Instantiated.

"Hello. The Tik you know as Socrates asked us to assist you in any way you require to expose the Mahrell Drun. The Tik have chosen to act as to not do so will lead to the loss of countless lives. We cannot condone this," one of the Tik said in a calm and even tone.

"We have been informed that at the conclusion of this mission we may request that you give us names. For now you may refer to me as four-oh-four and my partner as one-oh-one, a simple shortening of our Instantiation ID's. Is this satisfactory?"

The Major stared at the silver mechanical life forms in shock. Then she gave herself a shake. "It is more than satisfactory! Thank you. I'm not sure how-"

"If I may?" Gee said and the Major nodded.

The Altarian turned to the Tik. "It is my understanding that two Tik, if equipped with the required tech, may open an independent Gate. Are you two able to and willing to do this for us?"

"Yes. Where would you like to go?"

Chapter 14

Jack felt the most exquisite waves of pleasure radiating from his groin as he felt a soft mattress under his body. His skull, on the other hand, felt like a bag of broken glass. He couldn't move his head without making the grating, scratching, and jabbing pain worse.

So he held very still.

Normally that wouldn't be a difficult thing to do. He could laze in bed with the best of them. But add to the equation the delicious sensation of his cock being slowly driven deep into a hot, wet and very receptive body and being still is not such an easy thing to achieve.

He tried to open his eyes but that hurt too. So he listened.

The person riding his erection was trying desperately to be quiet but the occasional whimper leaked out.

It was Eve.

Her curiosity had obviously gotten the better of her and she'd decided to find out for herself "how it worked". From the sounds she was making she was enjoying her experiment and she sounded close.

Jack slowly let his eyelids relax and they opened. When his eyes focused he saw Eve had her eyes closed and she was clutching her small breasts through her tunic as she slowly lifted her body up and down on his hard cock. It felt pretty amazing for Jack too but he wasn't there yet. Eve was beginning to tremble.

Jack moved his hands to her hips and took a grip as he thrust his hips upward. His head hurt from his motions but he was relieved to feel the pain was diminishing.

Eve's reaction to his sudden move was much more intense. She made a loud drawn out noise that fell somewhere between a deep bass honk and a bleat. Her trembling became outright tremors and her eyes rolled back. Jack hammered his hips upward and she bounced against his pelvis. Her noises settled down into a steady moan as Jack got closer and closer to his release. When her body began to convulse she fell forward over him. He caught her in his hands and slowly lowered her to his chest. His hips continued to drive his cock up into her and she gave up on being quiet. The honking noises just got louder and more drawn out. How such a deep note could be coming from such a small body was a mystery.

Jack was worried Eve's noises would draw in company so he took her head in his hands and kissed her.

Eve's eyes shot open and she tried to pull her face away but her muscles were still trembling too much and she had no coordination. Jack stroked her lips with his and she slowly relaxed. When he playfully nibbled at her lips with his she convulsed again and began to kiss him back.

"Oh... oh... oh... what... please... more..." she murmured between kisses and her sweet little words were driving Jack to new heights of passion. He tasted her lower lip with a tongue stroke and Eve immediately wrapped her tongue around his and pulled it into her mouth to suck on it. She was making garbled honking noises and her tremors increased and her body clamped down on his cock as he was buried in her to the base. He felt her inner muscles milking his cock, rippling and squeezing.

This was it, her orgasm was taking her. She released his tongue and the sounds bellowing out of her made it clear she was truly enjoying her pleasure. It was too much for Jack and he erupted into her hot core.

"Oh! I feel it! It so hot! So much!" she gasped into his ear as her body pressed against his. They clung to each other as their orgasms rushed through their bodies. Their horns rasped and rubbed together, the strange sensation making them both cling tighter.

Finally their breathing settled down and Jack rested his head back against the pillows. He gently pulled himself free of Eve's body and she rested on the mattress beside him. He wanted a shower but he was willing to wait.

He wasn't really mad that Eve had done this but he was a little peeved that she hadn't asked. Truthfully, he wouldn't have refused her but being taken in your sleep is more than a little creepy.

The door opened with no warning and First entered with two guards accompanying it. Eve snapped up to her feet and kept her eyes on the floor. Jack dragged himself to his feet and stood next to Eve. He didn't drop his eyes.

First stood before Jack flanked by the two guards. It was practically vibrating with excitement so maybe it forgot about its command for Jack to keep his eyes down.

"That was an excellent demonstration. The integration of your nervous system with the exquisitely crafted and advanced collar is remarkable! I've never experienced such complete immersion before!" First practically gushed.

Jack's jaw dropped in horror. What he'd shared just now with Eve had been for them alone. To discover the sick bastard had been tagging along for the ride and feeling what he was feeling was a complete violation.

He turned his head to look at Eve but she wouldn't look at him. She turned her face away but he'd caught the shame in her eyes. She was sorry she'd done it. Something had changed for her.

He shuddered but he knew he had to survive until his friends found him. He was going home. He tipped his head and looked at the floor.

"You understand now. Don't you," the Allsa Komanae said slowly with a satisfied, smug tone.

Jack wanted so badly to drive his fist into that damn cowl and smash whatever First hid inside it but... not yet. He nodded.

"Excellent. It's time for you to meet your other companions. The Prime had very particular instructions on selecting her toys."

Jack just waited. With a satisfied noise First turned and left. The guards pointed to the door and Eve moved to follow First so Jack followed her with the two Allsa Komanae guards bringing up the rear.

They entered a large elevator with the guards keeping an eye on Jack who noted that they completely ignored Eve. She was a known quantity.

They exited on the ground level and left the building. There was a vehicle parked outside and Eve immediately headed for the open section at the back. Jack followed and climbed on. He saw she was clinging to the bar mounted on the back of the vehicle so he took hold as well. The muscles in his hands contracted and gripped painfully tight.

"They don't use stabilizer fields back here?" Jack gritted out quietly to Eve between his teeth.

"This is cheaper."

"Right."

Once the guards saw the slaves were secured they walked back into the building and First got into the passenger section. The car lifted and they were off.

Jack and Eve hunkered down next to each other to avoid the winds as they rushed across the landscape to destination unknown.

"I'm sorry."

Jack looked at Eve in surprise. She was sorry for following an order from her master? That was major. He looked closer and saw she was crying.

"Hey! Please don't cry! What are these tears for?" Jack leaned against Eve just a little more to bring her tighter against his body. Without his hands free, it was the closest he could get to a hug.

"I'm so confused! It- it's never felt like that before. You didn't know First was linked in. For you it was private so it was... honest. I've never..." Her eyes looked up into his and he saw her torment. "What were you doing with your mouth?"

"You've never been kissed before?" he asked in surprise.

"Kiss? That's what it's called?" Eve said in wonder watching his lips move then looked away in shame.

"Hey! Listen, I understand you were ordered to do it. I don't blame you. Yes, I was really upset when I found out what actually happened. But as you said, for me it was an honest expression of emotion. That hasn't changed. I like you Eve. Even if we weren't in this awful situation I'd like to get to know you better-"

"STOP! DON'T YOU GET IT? WE. ARE. DISPOSABLE! WE CAN'T GET CLOSE!" Eve yelled in his face then turned away from him, crying.

Her outburst finally shone a light on Eve's behavior to date. She'd been a slave for as long as she could remember. She'd survived. She'd done that while others had not. She'd seen those she might have cared for killed... for whatever senseless reasons the master's had. She was protecting herself.

Fuck he felt awful. He really had no concept of how hard it had been for her. "I'm sorry."

She shook her head but she didn't turn back to look at him.

Jack gave her the space she needed.

They rode in silence until they reached the outskirts of a city. As they made their way closer to the center of the core the buildings got larger but there was a uniformity to their design. There was no thought to aesthetics. The city was ugly but functional. They reached a rather large building in the center of the city and once again the only thing that distinguished it was its size and the fact that it had a series of outlier buildings attached to it.

Their vehicle was pulling up to one of these outlier buildings. When the car settled to the ground it was met by two Allsa Komanae security personnel. First exited the car and turned to face the two still locked in place on the back platform. He touched something on the car and the muscles on their hands suddenly relaxed.

As he stepped from the deck Jack caught himself about to turn to help Eve but instead he ignored her. He couldn't let First see he cared and he had to let Eve recover.

"She was crying. Why?" First paused to ask Jack.

"Bitch tricked me. So I had a few words with her." Jack growled. He found himself on the ground with just the memory of an astonishing amount of pain for a brief moment.

"You will refrain from any activity that disturbs the tranquility of the other slaves. Am I understood?" First said in a sinister hiss.

Jack could only nod as his jaw was still locked up. He pushed himself to his feet and leaned away from Eve who was moving to help. He glanced at her and saw her look of confusion at his lie.

"Good." First said in a pleased tone. "Let's introduce you to the others."

It led the way again and they fell into step behind it followed by the two guards. The entrance was at the midpoint on one of the long sides of the rectangular building. The doors were wide and Jack saw the inside of the building was completely open, one vast chamber. To the far left was what looked like bunk beds, obviously the sleeping area. There was some machinery straight ahead of them that may have been a gym of some kind. To the far right were the food processing machines and the bathroom facilities.

Standing by the food processing area were the others they were to meet. When they saw the Allsa Komanae they stopped what they were doing and moved closer to stand in a line looking at the floor.

Jack saw a human Caucasian man and woman, both fairly young and the woman was obviously pregnant. She looked like she was full term. The man had long black hair and a beard, his body was tall and slim, maybe a little too slim. His body was long limbed but his joints stood out in stark relief.

The woman had long brown hair and a round face. Her body, shorter than the man's, was just a little plump all over. Jack guessed the man was giving some of his rations to her.

Next was a being whose species Jack didn't recognize. It was tall and broad with powerful looking limbs. Scaled skin with an olive green tint. Wide jaws filled with sharp looking teeth. Menacing.

The next slave caused Jack's body to jolt in surprise. An Altarian! Tall, probably at the top end of their height range, and a beautiful chocolate brown. He saw her nose twitching and he began to smell a spicy musk. His body, of course, responded and her eyes flicked up to glance at him in confusion then back to the floor. She was twitching as her body responded to his scent.

Jack dragged his attention from the Altarian to the words First was saying. He'd missed some already.

"...skills they have or for some other whim. We do not question the Prime. Each was personally selected so they have been gathered here for her arrival. You two will sleep here, eat here, expel your waste here, and exercise here to maintain your health. You will be given tasks to do to maintain your mental acuity. Some may entail you moving from this building to another location and back. When you are assigned these tasks you will be given permission to move along a designated route. Stray from it and you will be punished. Outside of these tasks there will be no unauthorized departure from this building. Is this understood?"

Jack and Eve nodded.

First made a sound of satisfaction and left the building with the guards.

The moment they were gone the others all looked up at Jack and Eve. The man and woman were staring at him with undisguised fear. The scaled one walked closer and stared down into Jack's face.

"You are shaped like these soft ones but are not like them. You smell like the furred one but have no fur. What are you?" it asked in a gravelly voice.

"I'm both. A hybrid. I don't think I have ever met one of your species either." Jack responded.

"We do not travel beyond our world. I must go back to my mate. Once I have killed those who took me from her," it replied.

Jack nodded. It was good to have a plan. "I'm Jack."

"You cannot pronounce my name so you may call me Kekk."

With that the brutish being walked away to get its meal. Jack hadn't seen any scars on its neck. Its discipline band was wider than his but had no designs on it. Just a wide plain silver band with the V notch at the front.

"How- how can you be both human and like this one?" the tall man asked pointing to the Altarian who hadn't looked away from him since the Allsa Komanae left.

Jack heard the accent and he thought he recognized it from TV show's he'd watched back when he'd been a worker on Earth. They were South African. He saw no scars around their necks. Their Prime collars were much smaller and plainer than his. "How long ago were you abducted?" Jack asked.

"About five months ago."

"My name is Jack Danner. I'm Earth's Altarian Trade Commissioner and the Altarian Ambassador."

"Oh my god! I've heard of you!" the woman gasped. "The Goat Man! Lucifer!"

Jack rolled his eyes. "Oh please! I'm not the devil! I'm just a human who had a rather extreme reaction to an Altarian virus." At their abrupt pulling back he sighed. "It's not contagious. It affected me and me alone."

He looked at the man again. "Listen, are you giving your food rations to your... wife?" he asked spotting their wedding bands.

The man scowled at him. "What if I am?" he barked belligerently. "I'm not letting the machine scan her to know she's... expecting."

"Her collar will already have notified them of that fact. For her and the baby to get the nutrients they need and for you to remain strong for them you all need to get and eat your own rations," Jack said gently. The man glowered at him and the woman looked shaken. She was touching her collar. The man gathered the woman under his arm and they walked back to the ration dispensers. Neither offered their names to him. There was time for that later Jack supposed.

Eve gazed sadly at him and followed the couple.

The Altarian was looking at him with wide eyes. Her pink tongue swept across her upper lip and Jack felt his body react.

"How... how..." she said, struggling to understand why she was reacting to him. Her eyes went to his horns and Jack saw her bite her lip, triggering a response from him.

"What's your name?" Jack asked.

"Stella."

Jack grinned involuntarily as he heard her name. It suited her. "How long have you been here?"

"I- I think five years," she breathed, her eyes still locked on his horns. He saw two scar rings on her neck and a plain silver discipline collar with the Prime's symbol on it.

Jack knew this could be awkward as hell if he were to let himself do what his body wanted so desperately to do. There was no privacy in this building and it was likely they were being watched by the Allsa Komanae.

"I'm the consort to the Altarian Queen and the father of her two children. Do you know what that means?" Jack said quietly.

Stella froze and stared at him. After a moment she found her voice though it was extremely quiet.

"She's coming for you."

"Us."

Stella's face lit up with a smile that took Jack's breath away and he took an involuntary step towards her before he stepped back hastily. Her spicy heat was beginning to erode his control and he was tenting his tunic badly. As her excitement was plain to see by the six bumps showing down the front of her own tunic. She glanced down at him.

"Could we...?" she whispered.

"God I want to but I think we'd better try to hold off for as long as we can. The name of the game now is waiting for our rescue and surviving until that happens is paramount. I'm not sure if giving the Allsa Komanae extra pleasure is such a good idea. We should avoid their attention whenever possible." He sighed in frustration. "You've had two previous masters?"

"Yes- the first master I had was cruel. It was the one who ambushed the expedition I was a member of. We were investigating a site on a planet which once had a prosperous civilization. We wanted to record their history. A large group of Allsa Komanae led by the one who took me as a slave attacked our encampment at night and slaughtered the others. They left an explosive device to make the site look like we'd uncovered a weapon and it destroyed us. I was packed up with the artifact's we'd managed to find and shipped here. The cruel one spent a year torturing me at random intervals. Then First took me from it. Apparently the Prime wants me so she took me from First."

She was looking at his horns again and he knew what the next question on her lips would be. "Yes, you can touch them." He was going to warn her about the tips but they were capped now.

Her fingers were on them almost immediately. She reverently touched them and ran her fingers over their ridged surface. Jack was enveloped in her spicy musk and pulled back from her with a tremendous effort of will.

"We... we should eat... now." Jack said and gently pulled Stella's hands from his horns. Her eyes had an almost desperate look in them. It cracked Jack's resolve. "Let's at least wait until the others are asleep." Joy and anticipation shone from her eyes then.

They made their way over to the ration dispensers and Jack once more suffered through the nauseating body scan process before it dropped two tubes of nutrient paste into the collection slot.

Kekk was staring at him and Stella with a scowl. "What?" Jack asked.

"The pheromones you two are emitting is almost overpowering. Go mate and spare me the ordeal of having to smell it."

Jack blushed. "I'm sorry about that. It's not something we really have control over. It might be a better idea for us to wait until night. I am assuming that there will be less Allsa Komanae monitoring us at that time. No need to give too many of them a free show."

Kekk looked at him in confusion. "What do you mean 'free show'?"

"The Allsa Komanae can link into your collar's biometric feed so they can feel what you are feeling. They get to share the experience. Creepy bastards!" Jack growled and his head lit up with lightning.

He came to in the arms of Stella. Her eyes were filled with concern.

"Ow."

Kekk was looking angry but he gave Jack a small smile. "You forget they are listening?"

Jack wanted to sit up but being wrapped in Stella's arms while resting back against her soft body was absolute bliss. "I wasn't aware they listen to every word."

"Random intervals." Eve offered quietly and got punished for it. The pain didn't take her consciousness as it had for Jack but she was hurt. Jack surged up but a glance from her pain filled eyes stopped him. Stella pulled him back against her.

Kekk wouldn't be deterred. "How do we know when they are linked in?"

"Temporary Headache." Eve said through gritted teeth but she wasn't punished for that. Jack was staring at her with amazement as she was breaking her conditioning which had to be intensely difficult for her.

Jack suddenly recalled the sensation of glass in his brain when he'd had sex with Eve. "Glass." His face showed his shock.

"What?" Kekk asked.

"When First connected into my collar it felt like broken glass in my mind but it went away. I didn't know what it was at the time," he said absentmindedly stroking Stella's arm who was almost purring.

Kekk snorted to clear his sinuses and walked away to distance himself from the cloud of pheromones. "Do it and spare us." He sat at one of the exercise benches and ate his rations. Jack saw his ration tubes on the floor where he'd dropped them when he fell and picked them up.

"How can you claim to not be the devil when you lie with the beast?" the woman spat at him from the protective arms of her husband.

Jack sighed. "Great. Religious fundamentalists," he thought to himself.

"First off, Altarians are not beasts. They are Altarians. Beautiful, culturally advanced, and peace loving beings. We human's should aspire to be more like them. Yes, I still consider myself human. I was born and raised on Earth by loving human parents and my genetic alteration is only a recent event. If it made me a little more like an Altarian I can only call that an improvement."

"The Good Book says-" she began, her voice beginning to rise to the shrill levels of a zealot.

"DON'T! I know exactly what the book says. I've read it. It's a lovely book and there is a beautiful message of love in it which you've obviously missed the point of. If all you have is judgemental words in your vocabulary please keep them to yourself. Otherwise, I would welcome a conversation with you both. We could start with your names."

The couple was scowling at him, red faced. He hoped they came around before it was too late.

"You need to find it in your hearts to accept the real danger we are facing isn't currently present in the room and we need to work together to survive," he said with a sigh and got himself to his feet. The couple moved away without looking at him.

Jack pulled Stella up to her hooves and looked at Eve who was watching him with glassy eyes.

"I can't pretend to not care about you. I'm sorry." Jack said softly.

She nodded and moved to the exercise equipment as well.

Jack looked back at Stella and she smiled hopefully at him. "I think it still makes sense to wait for later. We should do our best to distract ourselves until then." A wave of the spicy scent wafted over him and he swayed. "We should remain at opposite ends of the building until then."

Stella bit her lip and nodded wide eyed as she felt his need for her spike. She turned and rushed away to the sleeping area.

Jack turned and went into the bathing area. He pulled his tunic off and hung it on a hook before stepping under a cold shower. After drying himself off he went back to the food area and ate his rations.

Fidgeting he realized he needed to run. Maybe there was a treadmill in the exercise equipment. He walked over and saw Kekk pushing against the arms of a resistance trainer. He looked to Eve and saw she was pushing against a smaller machine.

"Is there a machine I can run on?" he asked Eve. She stood and tugged on a bar on the wall. A panel folded down. She gestured for him to stand on it. When he did the wall panel in front of him lit up with a display of stats like distance and speed. He nodded and she pressed a spot on the screen. The surface under his feet began to move and he had to walk to stay in place. As he picked up his pace the deck sped up as well.

Jack smiled at Eve as he felt his muscles begin to warm up and stretch. She timidly smiled back at him then moved away to her own workout. He saw another spot that seemed to indicate wind so he pressed it and was rewarded with a gentle breeze against his face.

Jack closed his eyes and opened up his stride. Soon he was running at his full ground eating pace. The deck beneath his feet had enough give to absorb the impact but was stiff enough to push back when his feet kicked off. It wasn't as good as running outdoors but he supposed it would have to suffice for now. He ran until he felt his mind slipping into the euphoric state where the machine of his body worked as efficiently as it could and his mind took a back seat to the pure physical sensations.

A few minutes into this he felt it. Glass shards in his mind. The sensation was jarring and disorienting, causing his legs to lose their sync for just a second. It was enough. His left foot struck his right and his legs went out from under him. The deck couldn't compensate for this so when his body struck the fast moving surface he was flung outwards across the room to slide then tumble across the hard surface until he hit the doors head first and burst through them.

His discipline collar detected the unauthorized exit and proceeded to punish him.

Thankfully he was already out.

Once more Jack woke feeling blissfully soft fur against his cheek. The pleasant warm scent identified his pillow as Altarian. For just a second he let his mind believe he was back in his apartment on Altaria.

"Is he awake?" Eve's voice.

He cracked his eyes open to see her concerned face.

"Hey beautiful..." he murmured.

A series of emotions flashed over Eve's face. Anger, relief, joy, anguish, fear and finally hope which was the most powerful of all.

"How long was I out?" Jack asked, his voice cracking.

"A little over two hours." Stella informed him as he coughed.

Eve rushed away and hurried back with a water bottle. She held it to his lips and he took some long swallows. She pulled it back when he grunted he was finished.

Jack tried to get up but dull pain throbbed over his body.

"No, don't get up. You're pretty bruised. Nothing broken according to the medical scans," Eve said.

"What happened?" Jack's last memories were a little jumbled and whatever pain killer they'd given him was making it difficult to think.

Kekk moved closer to hear the answer as well. "It is good to see you survived. You were running so well then you were across the room smashing the doors down with your head."

"I landed on my head? That's a relief! I've been told male Altarians are exceptionally hard headed," Jack smiled.

Stella giggled and wrapped her arms around him to give him a gentle hug.

Eve moved a little closer and spoke quietly. "First called for me when the medics took you to the infirmary. It wanted to know what happened. It thought maybe Kekk threw you across the room. I described what we saw and it called in the Allsa Komanae who'd been monitoring us. There were three and one was acting very strangely. It kept mumbling excitedly to itself. One of the others informed First that the mumbling one had linked itself to you while you were running. First screamed in anger at the odd one for the unauthorized link but it just ignored him. I- I don't think its mind was working anymore. It ran from the room making an odd sputtering noise and the other two chased after it. First sent me to the infirmary to bring you back when the medics were done."

Jack was trying to put his memories in order and struggled against the fog of the painkillers. He might have a memory of the broken glass sensation.

Kekk looked at Jack with interest. "What experience did you share with it that could have unhinged its mind?"

"I have no idea. I was just running. Running feels really good. I get in a zone of pure physical effort. How that would affect them this way is a complete mystery to me," Jack said shifting position on the bed. He groaned in pain. "I think the pain killers are wearing off."

Kekk stood and moved away to get his evening rations.

"I will bring you your rations then you should rest. Just rest," she stressed as she looked at Stella who blinked her big eyes at Eve.

After Eve left Jack looked up at Stella. "She's right, I'm in no shape to properly show my full appreciation of your beauty and grace." She pouted and Jack smiled. "Come down here."

She carefully slid herself out from under him and moved down the bed to bring her face next to his. Jack gently took her face between his hands and brought her soft lips to his for a tender kiss. Her long and flexible tongue made a surprise visit inside his mouth so he sucked on it.

"Mmmmm..." she moaned and pressed her body against his. Sharp pains reminded Jack why this was a bad idea and he gently pushed her face back from his.

"Sorry, we'll have to try again when I've healed a little more," he moaned.

"What part of 'just rest' did you not understand?" Eve growled as she stood next to the bed with an assortment of nutrient tubes clenched in her hands.

"Sorry." Jack sighed.

Stella slipped from the bed and moved to the next one over where she could keep an eye on him.

"Red," Eve said holding out the tube to Jack. He grimaced but ate the contents.

"Green." Jack ate that one too. It was awful as usual.

"White. This one is medicine. It reduces inflammation and bruising, promotes tissue regeneration, and it contains a strong pain killer and tranquilizer to help you sleep and heal," Eve said, holding out the last tube. Jack looked at it with suspicion but she was insistent. He squeezed the paste out and his eyes opened wide in surprise. It was delicious! Like... barbeque chicken!

"That was the best tasting thing I have eaten since I got here!" he gushed. Then he felt pressure from his bladder. "Uh... I have to use the washroom. To pee."

Stella was immediately on her feet and next to his bed.

"Not you! He needs to pee not get sexually excited." Eve growled and Stella pouted. Eve saw someone strong enough to do the task easily walking back from the ration dispensers. "Kekk, could you assist Jack to the washroom and back?"

The large being looked at Eve then gently lifted Jack from the bed much to Jack's embarrassment.

"I'm sure I can walk." Jack blustered but Kekk ignored him as Eve kept pace to the facilities.

Kekk put Jack on his feet by a trough he could pee in but Jack's legs wouldn't support him. He was beginning to feel woozy.

"Uh... my legs are too wobbly to work but I really have to go," he said clinging to Kekk's arms as the scaled being stood behind him holding him up against his chest.

Eve stepped up beside them, lifted Jack's tunic and held his cock, aiming it at the trough.

Though her hand felt really good the pressure in his bladder was building so he released it and Eve made sure it hit the trough. The relief was intense and Jack just had time to wonder what the hell else had been in that white tube before he slipped into sleepy land.

Hours later Jack slowly began surfacing as the drugs left his system and sensation began returning to his body. He felt something soft pressed against his right side... and his left.

Sounds came next. Gentle breathing, blowing warm air across his chest from both sides. He opened his eyes and saw Stella tucked up against his right side and Eve up against his left. They both looked so peaceful and beautiful it brought a smile to his lips. His body began returning to him and he was please to feel the absence of the sore and stiff muscles. A dull ache had replaced the sharp pain he'd experienced before. Whatever was in that white tube was really fast acting! He wasn't sure if there was a price for that expediency.

He looked around the dim chamber and saw Kekk was sleeping on a workout bench far across the room. In the other direction he could see the human members of their group had hung blankets to act as curtains to give them privacy. And separate them from the beasts he supposed.

Looking down he saw his tunic was partially pulled up and Stella's right hand was up under the hem. Sensation in his body hadn't reached there yet but he was pretty sure what her hand was holding. Eve's left hand was resting on his lower abdomen just above what he could now feel Stella's hand resting on. It began to wake now that he felt the soft pressure of the hand on it.

Jack tried to think of a way to extract himself from between the two females without waking them but he was well and truly trapped between their soft and sensual bodies. Damn! He shouldn't have thought of it like that. His cock surged to life and fingers gently closed around it.

"Mmmmm... so hard. So... big!" Stella exclaimed as she woke with his growing cock in her hand.

Jack knew for a human he wasn't particularly large but on the Altarian scale he was. It was still flattering and he enjoyed her pleased surprise.

"Jack! Oh Jack, I need this!" she whimpered softly.

A second hand was touching him through his tunic and he looked at Eve. She looked conflicted and angry. She peered over Jack's chest at Stella and was about to bark something at her so Jack reached up behind her head and gripped her thicker fur there. She gasped as he brought her mouth over his and kissed her deeply. She struggled for just a moment then she was kissing him back. Her clever tongue wrapped around his and stroked it sensually. She was moaning as they kissed. Jack felt Stella climbing over his body and she suddenly rubbed her hot, wet opening along his shaft. She was ready and he was at maximum rigidity. She raised his cock up and lifted herself up to position the thick head against her tight pussy. She relaxed her muscles and the head forced its way inside.

Stella gasped and held still, trying to deal with the thick intruder she'd allowed inside. Her legs began to shake as it felt so good yet so frighteningly large. With the loss of muscle tone her legs buckled and gravity pulled her down, impaling her on his cock. Her mouth dropped open in a silent scream as she tried to adjust to his hot flesh so deep inside her and forcing her open so wide.

Eve needed Jack inside her. She wanted him so badly! She loved kissing more than almost anything else but it just lit the fire between her legs. She needed release!

She pulled back from the kiss and looked down Jack's body to see Stella already riding him.

"Eve. Eve!"

She looked back at Jack in desperation.

"Do you trust me?"

The question threw her for a second. "What? Yes!"

"Swing your leg over my face." Jack said with a gentle smile. She blinked at him but her body was already following his instruction. She found herself staring down at his smiling eyes between her thighs.

Then she was in utopia! He was kissing her there and it was wonderful! What he could do with his mouth took her breath away. Then she realized she'd forgotten to breathe. She gasped in a breath and it felt even better!

Jack stroked his tongue across her sensitive flesh and felt Eve jolt and tremble. He kissed and sucked and nibbled, feeling Eve love every second. He also began to drive his hips upwards against Stella and felt her clamp down on his cock. He slid his hand up inside Stella's tunic and took one of her upper nipples between his finger and thumb, gently squeezing and tugging on it.

Stella began to croon. Loudly.

Eve lifted herself off of Jack's mouth and turned to place her hand over Stella's mouth. Silence returned to the sleeping area except for the quite moans coming through Eve's fingers and the quiet wet slap of Jack's pelvis against Stella's.

Jack lifted Eve's leg back over his face and began again, this time with her facing Stella. Eve threw her head back with a gasp. Stella was watching the bliss on Eve's face and found it to be highly erotic.

Jack felt the glass shards bursting into his mind once more. He moaned into Eve's wetness and she jolted with the vibrations. He wasn't going to disappoint these two ladies just because of the creeps peeping in on his fun. He pushed the pain into the background and used it to sharpen his focus to double his efforts for Eve and Stella. He reached up under Eve's tunic to squeeze her modest tits and caress her nipples. He growled deep in his chest as he attacked her soft flesh with his tongue and the vibrations intensified her pleasure. She reached forward and grabbed Stella's topmost tits and squeezed them as Jack was doing to hers.

Stella felt her mind leaving her body. She was filled almost beyond endurance with Jack's hot cock and he was bouncing her roughly on his hips. Then Eve was playing with her tits. She leaned forward and kissed Eve, sliding her long tongue into her mouth and wrestling with the other female's equally flexible tongue.

Jack couldn't see what was happening from between Eve's thighs but he certainly felt both women suddenly bear down on him, their movements becoming urgent, signalling their imminent orgasms.

Jack moved his hands to Stella's hips and he roughly pulled her down against his body while he rapidly flicked his tongue against a ridge of stiff flesh near the top of Eve's opening. This was enough to push both women beyond their endurance. He was close behind.

Eve gushed her juices over Jack's face and he lapped them up as quickly as he could. This just pushed Eve's orgasm into overdrive and she pulled back from Stella's mouth to gasp in a shuddering breath.

Her mouth free once more Stella's crooning began again as her pleasure spiked. She felt Jack filling her with his hot cum and her mind spun with her joy. Spent, her muscles lost the ability to hold her up and she leaned forward against Eve who leaned against her in return.

Jack's pleasure went on and on as Stella's tight channel rippled and massaged his cock, squeezing all of the cum from it as his mind threatened to white out from the intensity. He let the waves wash over him and he floated on the bliss.

"BE QUIET! I will listen no longer to the horrid noises of your lewd debauchery or the foul cries of the filthy beasts you fornicate with!"

Eve leapt off the bed to escape the approaching man but Stella was still too overwhelmed by her release to see the danger. The angry male shoved Stella hard and she went over the opposite side of the bed to hit the floor beyond.

Jack's mind snapped out of his pleasure to see the man's angry sneer looking down at him as his fist rushed in to hit him. Jack instinctively tilted his head to protect his face and took the blow on his forehead instead of his cheek. It still hurt like hell but he heard the snap of bones in his assailant's hand.

Screaming in pain the man reeled back. Jack opened his eyes and looked up just in time to hear a dull thump. The man dropped to the floor like a puppet with its strings cut.

"NO!" Jack yelled and leapt from the bed to rush to the man's side but it was too late. His collar's explosives had been triggered and he was quite dead. It seemed impossible and it made no sense but he was gone. Jack didn't even know his name.

Kekk was immediately by their side. "What happened?"

"They killed him! He hit me and they triggered his collar!" Jack said incredulously.

"NNNOOOO!!!!!!! DREW! DREWWW!!!"

Jack saw the pregnant woman rush to the side of her husband. She pushed Jack away and dropped to her knees to scream and wail over her husband's lifeless body. Her cries took on a more painful tone as her water broke.

"She is leaking!" Kekk yelled.

Jack looked around at Eve who was gently lifting Stella to her hooves. Stella was nursing her elbow tenderly. "Eve! Call for the medics. She's having her baby!"

Kekk looked at Jack in surprise. "She is birthing a baby?

"No! I can't have the baby without Drew!" the woman wailed.

"I don't think that decision is up to you any longer. Your baby is arriving now. What's your name?" Jack asked.

The gasping woman looked at him in confusion.

"Your name." Jack pushed.

"Beth- AAAAAGGGHHH!"

"OK Beth. Your body is going to try to push the little guy out and you're going to have to help-"

"NNNAAAAGGHHHH!!!" Beth screamed and Jack placed his hands over her abdomen to try to get a sense of the baby's orientation. He had no experience with this but it didn't feel right. He looked desperately for Eve who was running back from the front door where the comm panel was located.

"There was no response from the monitoring station!" she called out. She knelt next to Jack. "Have you birthed a child before Jack?"

"No. I have some basic knowledge from a medic training course I took years ago. I- I think something is wrong," he said quietly into her ear and she pulled back to look at him in dread.

"Your hands are much smaller than mine. I need you to reach inside and confirm if the baby is head down. If you feel feet the baby will need to be turned. Head down and face up."

Eve stared at him with wide terrified eyes.

"You can do this-"

"No! Don't let that beast touch me!" Beth cried weakly.

Jack was worried about her flagging strength. "Beth! Far better the compassionate touch of Eve than the cold mechanical touch of our captors! This is for your child!" He had an idea. "What names have you chosen?"

He urged Eve to begin while he held Beth's eyes with his.

"M-Mary if it's a girl. Joseph... if a boy... rrrRRAAAUUUGGGHH!" Beth's scream was pain and fear.

Eve hesitated but Jack took a grip on her arm and gently pushed her hand inside. He kept pushing until her eyes widened in shock. "A foot! A tiny foot!"

"The baby is breach. You need to turn it." He glanced at Beth's tired face. "Quickly!"

Eve pushed her hand further in and Jack saw Beth's abdomen distend as the baby slipped end to end. She pulled her hand from Beth and looked at it in surprise!

"Excellent work! Beth! You have to push with the next contraction! Push with all your might!" Jack urged.

Beth nodded. When it struck she pushed with every ounce of strength she had left.

"That's it Beth! I see the head! Keep pushing!" Jack cheered as Eve helped guide the emerging baby out.

"One more push Beth! You can do it!" Jack said.

Beth looked into Jack's eyes and smiled tremulously. "You- you are human."

Jack looked back in surprise and nodded.

"You'll take care of my baby... won't you?"

"Beth, you'll take care of your baby. Come on, one more good push." Jack said nervously.

Eve looked up at him in panic. She had her hands down by the emerging baby and they had blood on them. A lot of blood.

"NNNNNGGGGHHHH!" Beth groaned as she pushed. Eve pulled and the baby came free with a gush of blood.

"promise me..."

Jack looked down at the woman in despair but nodded.

She closed her eyes with the smallest of smiles and slipped free of her captivity to join her husband.

As Jack watched Beth leave them a huge storm of rage built in his mind. He wanted the Allsa Komanae to die for this latest tragedy. All of them.

"Where the FUCK are they!" Jack growled.

"The baby isn't breathing!" Eve interrupted.

Jack gripped the baby by its feet and poked his pinky finger into his mouth to clear anything that might be there. Then he lifted the child upside down and swatted its small behind. It jolted and began to wail. He saw the shock and outrage on Eve's face so he gently handed the baby back to her. The sound of the baby's cries took Jack's mind to Altaria where his own child might be born without him to be there for it. His rage built again.

"Jack, is there a danger for them to still be attached?" Kekk asked.

"What? Uh, I think so. We need to cut the umbilical cord and some string to tie it off!" Jack said coming back to the moment. He pulled his tunic off and ripped the bottom hem off until he had a long piece of string. He looked around. "Do we have anything sharp?"

Kekk looked at the caps on Jack's horns then opened his mouth. Lots of sharp teeth in there. He closed his mouth and looked at Jack who nodded grimly and held up the link between the baby and its dead mother pinching the cord tight to seal it.

"Cut it here. That gives us enough to tie off."

Kekk leaned forward and with a quick snap of his jaws he bit through the cord. He immediately spat out the section in his mouth, his expression of disgust evident. "Ugh! That is vile! I must rinse my mouth out!" He quickly stood and rushed to the water dispenser.

Jack got Stella to tie the string around the cord fairly close to the baby while Eve held the calmed baby. He handed Stella the rest of his tunic to wrap the baby in.

Jack rested back on his hands and looked around. Two dead humans and one newborn baby. And the day had just begun. He looked at Eve who was staring at the baby in her arms like she'd just witnessed a miracle. Hell, she'd participated in the miracle!

Stella had tears in her eyes. When he raised an eyebrow at her she began to cry.

"I'm so sorry! This is all my fault! If I'd controlled myself this morning-" she cried softly.

Jack's temper flared. "What are you talking about? None of this is your fault. All of this is on our captors. Everything about this began with their kidnapping us. Confining us in this big open room with no privacy. That's on them! They didn't need to kill Drew! He wasn't a threat! They should have been here to save Beth!" He looked at the sleeping baby boy in Eve's arms. "It was pure luck that we were able to save Joseph!"

"No, it was not luck. It was you. You knew what to do." Eve said quietly, holding his eyes with hers. He was surprised to see how much admiration was in them. He looked down and shook his head. He was coated in blood and Beth's water. And he was naked.

He looked towards the doors and still no one had come to help them. He sighed and stood up. He helped Stella to her hooves as she wiped the tears from her eyes. They both helped Eve up. Kekk returned to the group and looked at the two dead bodies.

"Let's get cleaned up. I have no idea what's happening in the monitoring station to keep them from responding but the day is beginning. We're going to get company sometime soon." Jack suggested.

They made their way to the bathing area and Eve asked how to bathe the baby.

"I- I think it's too soon to bathe him. The umbilical needs to dry up, fall off and that area needs to heal. I know he looks like a mess but I think he's safer that way. I'm more worried about feeding him. He should have been breast fed to get his mother's immunities." He stroked the baby's head gently. So fragile and helpless. He looked around at the group entrusted to protect the newborn.

Eve, a petite horned and fanged but gentle female of unknown species who lived her entire life as a slave. Stella, a lovely chocolate brown Altarian female, kidnapped and tortured but a survivor. Kekk, a powerful green scaled male of unknown species. Vowing vengeance against his captors.

And himself. Oddest of the group. Half Human and half Altarian. The man Joseph's parents called the Goat Man.

The kid had too many challenges ahead of him. It was too hard to think about. Seeing Eve had the child in her care Jack turned and entered the showers.

He allowed himself to soak under the hot water then he scrubbed himself clean. He had a tender bruise on his forehead he had to be careful with. He dried off and brought a towel out to wrap Joseph in. He took back his tunic and carried it to the recycler. He shoved the torn garment into the chute and a moment later a replacement dropped into the dispenser. He pulled it on and sat on an exercise bench facing the doors. Stella walked over to him carrying Joseph in her arms. She handed the infant to him and moved to recycle her own tunic.

Kekk walked out to join Jack. He was already wearing a new garment. He looked at the small being in Jack's arms. "Human young are so helpless. I don't understand how they survive long enough to protect themselves."

"Parents."

Kekk looked to the other end of the room where the bodies remained under the sheet he'd pulled over them. He nodded to Jack then moved to sit on another bench facing the door. Stella returned with a fresh tunic and sat next to Jack.

They must have sat there for close to forty minutes when the front doors opened and First came barging in with six security guards. The prisoners all stood.

"Where are the humans?" First barked at them.

"Dead." Jack said.

"You killed them?" it hissed.

"No. You did," Jack replied coldly.

"What? I did no such thing!" First blurted angrily.

"We're under your authority for the Prime. Yes? Someone triggered Drew's collar. He punched me and someone under your command killed him for it. He just bruised me but he broke his hand doing it. He wasn't a threat or danger to anyone. He didn't deserve to die," Jack said, struggling to remain calm.

Silence from First. "Where is the female?" Its voice was grating and lacked its normal smooth tone. Probably not a good sign but Jack was too angry to care.

"The shock of losing her husband so suddenly caused her to go into labor but there were... difficulties with the birth. We tried to call for help but the monitoring staff, the same ones who killed Drew, failed to respond and Beth bled to death after we managed to save their child.

First turned to two of his security detail and sent them away at a run. It turned back to Jack. "Is... is that the child?" it said coldly.

"Yes."

"It needs to be taken to the Infirmary for a health check." First said.

"I assume the Prime wanted Drew, Beth and the child for her own purposes. The parents have been taken from her as well as their son. Do you know how to care for a human infant better than someone who was once a human child himself and had excellent human parents?" Jack knew he was really pushing his luck with First but he owed it to Beth to make the attempt to protect Joseph.

First was silent and Jack wished he could see the face inside that hood.

"Once the infant has been checked it will be returned to you. As you said, the Prime wants it." It pointed to Eve.

Jack handed Joseph to Eve who looked at him with big eyes. He smiled at her and she walked out the doors at a gesture from First who turned back to Jack.

"I will investigate the events and if I find anything to indicate you're guilt in the deaths of the Prime's humans you will wish you had joined them. This is for your insolence."

Jack felt a slow burning sensation begin like his limbs were being consumed by fire. It moved to his torso and slowly made its way to his head. He tried not to scream but the agony was unbearable. His eyes rolled back and he passed out. Kekk caught his falling body as Jack's mind retreated from the flames into the haven of oblivion.

Chapter 15

From her hidden position in the alley across and down the street from their target Gee peeked around the corner at the brownstone apartment. They were on a tree lined street in New York City. The Tik had come through and made them a Gate which took them to Earth but they'd warned that it would be detected so they'd have to move fast. There were a lot of police in the huge city to respond to an illegal entry when it was detected. Once through the Tik moved to their extraction point with the coordinates of a safe place to hide. When they came running the exit had to be there.

Ray Sharif's parent's home was just down the street. The Major said the first data cache was in Ray's basement apartment in his parent's place. They'd emerged from the Gate four blocks from the neighborhood and hustled through the back alleys and quieter streets to get to this location. They couldn't wait much longer as the authorities would be zeroing in on them.

"They've got a team watching the house. Do you see the truck large enough to contain a squad of commandos?" the Major said behind Gee.

"The Electrician's truck?"

"Yes, that's the one."

"We just need to prevent them from exiting the vehicle, yes?" Gee asked.

"Uh yes that would be lovely but how the hell are we going to do that?" the Major growled.

"Leave that to Bal and I. How do we get inside the apartment?" Gee asked.

"Ray's parents will let us in... I hope." She looked at Nann who nodded at her. Leo and Maxim indicated their readiness as well. "When I make the call they will know we are here so we have to move quickly."

"Right. Wait for my signal to make the call." Gee said and flicked her fingers at Bal. They pulled up the integrated hoods of their gossamer gowns. With a glance at each other they pressed something on their belts. There was a click, a buzz and they were no longer there. Rather, there was a rippling as light bent around their shapes. The faint buzzing moved away. The Major peered around the corner and had difficulty seeing the two agents moving up the sunlight dappled sidewalk.

The blurs moved quickly up the opposite side of the street from the van. When they stopped moving they were directly across the street from the van but the Major could no longer see them.

A taxi made its way up the street and passed the van. Once it was two car lengths past the blurs darted across the road to the van and disappeared once more.

The Major strained to see what was happening but their disguises made them almost invisible from this distance.

Then she noticed the blurs moving in opposite directions, towards the front slowly and faster towards the back. Between them stuck to the side of the van was a gleaming metallic wide strip of tape.

They were taping the truck closed? What the hell?

When the blurs moved out of sight she turned back to Nann to give her a worried look so she missed the bright flash of white light. Turning back she saw Gee and Bal running back to her position. The van had a scorch mark encircling it and the doors had been welded shut. The vehicle was rocking and there was a subdued sound of shouting but they were stuck.

The Major dialed the number she had queued on her comm. It answered on the first ring.

"Cha'Risa, it that you?" asked a deep gravelly voice.

Her throat seized up. It was Ray's dad. How was she supposed to answer for getting his boy killed?

"Are you here?" he continued gruffly.

"Y-yes sir."

"Meet us at his door." The line went dead.

The Major nodded to her team and they rushed across the road and up the street, the Altarians at their heels. They descended the stairs and rushed into the open basement door until they were all inside.

The team stood before a small, elegantly dressed older woman with dark skin. She was wearing a sad smile on her face. She opened her arms and pulled Cha'Risa into a hug and the big woman began to cry. An equally dark skinned man with short grey hair stepped into the room after locking the door they'd entered. He pulled Nann into a hug as well. Maxim and Leo looked lost and the older man shook their hands once he released Nann.

"I know you don't have much time so speak with Ray's construct and we'll get you on your way. You have some murderers to expose," the man growled.

"Ray's construct?" Nann asked.

"Hello Nann."

The woman spun and shrieked as she saw Ray looking at her from the display mounted on the wall.

"Ray?" the Major asked.

"Sorry Major, this is just a poor imitation of me. I've been uploading copies of my memories and personality matrix at intervals for years and incorporated that into a rather clever AI algorithm I wrote. It was triggered to be activated upon my death. It isn't sentient but it's as close as I could get and as current a copy of me as I could make. It knows all my tricks for hacking and cyber espionage. I assume you are looking for my data cache?"

"Yes!"

"You won't have time to get it from this location. You're going to have company in about three minutes. Point your comm at the screen. I'll give you the alternate location. Then you have to go!"

The Major pointed her comm at the display and it beeped as it received the coordinates.

"Go! You have less than three minutes. Dad, send them downstairs." Ray's simulation barked then disappeared.

"Right! Follow me!" the old man said and rushed out of the room towards the back of the house. The team followed and he led them into a small office against the back wall. He pushed the throw rug aside and lifted a trap door. There was a metal spiral staircase descending below the floor. Gee and Bal immediately rushed forward and dashed down the stairs with mini flashlights in their hands. The team followed with the Major going last.

"We will get them sir," she said.

"I know. Make them pay," he said seriously. She nodded and rushed down the stairs.

As she descended she heard a rumbling and looked up to see a large metal plate moving into place over the staircase. At the base of the stairs was a long tunnel leading east. Gee and Bal had already set off. The moment she arrived the others ran down the tunnel. There was a steel door at the end and Gee and Bal had it open. A wide tunnel ran north and south.

"North for 1 kilometer then we exit. Let's go!" the Major said glancing at her comm. Ray's simulation left her instructions as well as the address for the next data cache location. Tokyo? Shit.

They made it to the staircase leading up and found themselves in a maintenance shed. Nann cracked the door and peered out as a police cruiser raced by down the alley. "Geezus, we've stirred up a rat's nest."

"The old van in garage #24 across the lane belongs to Ray. The lock combo is 38-24-36," the Major read out.

Nann snorted. "Aren't those your measurements, Major?"

The large warrior blushed and scowled at Nann who just laughed. She looked outside again. "Clear."

She moved across the lane and undid the lock. Once the large garage door was open the rest of the group hustled across and climbed into the back doors of the van. There were two benches along the walls with handholds, obviously designed for a commando team. Nann rushed up and took the driver's seat while the Major settled into the passenger's seat.

"Hello again!" Ray's voice popped out of the dash and Nann jumped with a little squeak. The Major smirked at her while Nann's face burned.

"The windows of this van project and image of an elderly Hispanic couple so just drive sedately and you shouldn't have any trouble. If you do have trouble the van is armored and supercharged. The red button on the dash under the flip plate should only be used as a last resort."

"Paranoid much?" Nann said.

"You're saying this now?" Ray's voice asked.

Nann looked at the Major with a disturbed expression. It was too much like Ray, it was making her forget he was dead.

They got underway and followed Ray's advice, keeping their speed down and driving timidly. They made it out of the neighborhood and on towards the extraction point.

Ray's voice cut back in. "How do you plan to get to the next location?"

"Gate," the Major said.

"I'm reading that all Gates are in lockdown." Ray said.

"We have our own," Nann offered.

"Really? That's great! How close to it are we?" Ray asked.

"Three kilometers, why?" the Major asked.

"It's time to hit the red button. Like now!" Ray yelled and Nann flipped the cover and pounded the button. There was a huge flash outside the van and vehicles all around them including the two police cruisers racing up behind them, lost their lift fields in the massive EMP burst. Nann slammed the accelerator down and the van shot forward, destroying the illusion of its elderly driver.

She poured on the speed, careening through the city streets, bumping other vehicles to add chaos to the road behind them. Twice she had to make radical course changes to avoid the police blockades.

"Nann, take the next right then a hard left into the first alley. Get to the end and the alley across the main road has our Gate." Cha'Risa called out.

She swung them to the right and barely dodged and oncoming police cruiser which spun in place and took up pursuit down the alley Nann shot them into.

"OK, time for me to take over. Get into the back and strap in, fast!" Ray called out. Nann and the Major exchanged a quick look then unbuckled and jumped between the seats to buckle themselves in with the others. They grabbed the hand holds as a metal panel slammed down between the driver's compartment and the back throwing them all into darkness.

The van accelerated towards the roadway ahead when a police cruiser skidded to a halt at the far end, blocking their exit.

There was a loud pop in the back of the van and suddenly everyone was encased in impact gel. The van's nose dipped to grind against the pavement when the back cabin exploded upwards in a ballistic arc over the cruiser, over the road, and into the alley beyond. The compartment crashed down with a mighty boom and tumbled end over end until it just... disappeared. A brick wall suddenly snapped into place where they'd tumbled only moments before.

The badly dented metal compartment finally came to rest on a field of sand and rocks. It was night where they'd emerged and the closest man made light source was a very dry three day walk to the east.

The two Tik moved to the wreckage and using their powerful tentacles they carefully peeled back the metal walls. The moment the external pressure was removed the gel began to fracture and dissolve.

Maxim and Leo burst free gasping for breath. While the gel was porous enough to breathe in it did trigger claustrophobic reactions.

They looked around in shock until their eyes adjusted to the moonlight.

Major Ash and Nann broke free next and assisted the Altarians who both seemed dazed. Once they were freed they found a flat space on the ground and laid down. The Tik scanned them for injury but found them to be just badly shaken and disoriented.

"Where are we?" Maxim asked.

"Australian outback," one of the Tik offered.

"Our next destination is in Tokyo but the instructions say we can't arrive before 9PM," the Major sighed.

"Major Ash, we will need time to recharge as the Gate we had to rapidly alter consumed a large quantity of our energy. We can reach sufficient charge by 8PM local time."

"OK... but there isn't exactly anyplace close by to plug in," she gestured around them.

"There is plenty of sunlight. We will shut down into maintenance mode and deploy our collectors. This is why it will take until 8PM," it replied. She nodded and walked over to the bent open van compartment.

"Maxim! Leo! Help me flip this beast upside down. This will be our shelter from the sun today."

The two Tik also lent a tentacle or two and the makeshift cave came into being. It wasn't huge but they would be sheltered from the sun. They could take turns sleeping on the ground three at a time while the others sat in the open ends keeping watch under an awning made from the roof's sheet metal, torn and bent into shape by the Tik.

"Major." Gee called out weakly.

The large woman knelt down beside the Altarian.

"I would like to request that the next time such a means of travel is decided upon, we get thrown from the vehicle first." Gee said with a wobbling voice.

"Seconded." Bal croaked.

The Major grinned down at the dizzy agents. "If ever we find ourselves in that situation again I will personally leap from the back door with you both in my arms."

Gee patted her knee and slumped to the ground waiting for the world to stop spinning.

Cha'Risa stood up and joined Nann at the side of their shelter.

"Now for our next trick all we need to do is endure a day in the outback with no water," the tall red head said quietly. She shared a look with the Major.

It was going to be a long day.

Chapter 16

An antiseptic scent burned in Jack's nose as he awoke in a strange brightly lit room. He relaxed the moment he spotted Eve sitting in a chair next to his bed with Joseph in her arms. She smiled at him then her expression turned into a scowl.

"You must stop antagonizing First!"

"I just said what needed to be said," he frowned.

"It hurt you badly this time." she said in concern.

"What?" he mumbled.

"You were screaming in your sleep. About being on fire." She had a haunted look in her eyes.

"I'm sorry if I frightened you. It was bad this time but I wouldn't change what I did," he said stubbornly.

They were silent for a while. Eve watched Joseph sleep and Jack watched her.

She looked up at Jack and held his eyes. "They went mad."

His eyebrows went up. "Who did?"

"The monitoring personnel. The ones who were linked to you. When we had sex."

"What?" Jack looked at her, shaken.

"When I was in First's office they were trying to determine what happened to them. They think it's your collar. It was designed by the Prime. They don't have any other collars that can match it. They said it has far more... no, much wider bandwidth than anything they have. It saturates the feed and overloads those connected to it. They feel too much. Two of the monitoring staff were still connected when Drew punched you. One went into shock and the other flew into a rage and triggered the kill setting on Drew's collar. The other two, who disconnected before the attack, became excessively violent when they tried to stop it... but it turned on them. They killed each other. Only the catatonic one is still alive. That's why they didn't respond when we called for help."

Jack had a bad feeling forming in the back of his mind. "Why am I here in this... hospital room? Is this a hospital?"

Eve looked worried. "I've never been in this building before. No one aside from the Allsa Komanae are allowed in this building. It's where they go when they start wearing out."

Jack raised his eye brows at Eve.

"I've been around them for longer than anyone. I've seen them before and after a visit to this building. They always return refreshed and sharper of mind. I- I've seen their organics... before and after. No one pays attention to me."

"Their organics?" Jack asked quietly.

"The Allsa Komanae are largely cybernetic. They are geniuses with this tech. But their organics are... ancient and horrid. They all come back here for refreshing."

Jack leaned back and thought about that. He was currently inside a building where outsiders were forbidden. Where the Allsa Komanae migrated to replace their worn out organic body parts. There had to be a way to use that to his advantage.

"Did they mention why we were brought here?" he asked.

"No. First was... extremely agitated when it discovered what happened in the monitoring center. It was screaming at the others that you weren't to be used for sex games. I've never seen First lose control of its emotions like that. It ordered that you be brought here and sent me with them after we picked up Joseph from the infirmary. The baby is healthy and they gave me food for him. You mentioned the child should have been breast fed so I told them he needed liquid nourishment." She gestured to a bag on the floor. "I have several meals prepared for him."

Jack smelled something particularly foul. He looked at the baby and wrinkled his nose. "I think Joseph made a deposit in his..." he frowned. "Does he have something to wear?"

"The medics made him some small tunics. They're in the bag. He does smell very bad," Eve held her nose away from the infant.

Jack needed to do a little exploring to see if he could find a way to strike back at their captors. Maybe he could use this. He looked around. "Does this room have a washroom? Someplace we could clean Joseph up?"

"This building was never designed to have anyone but an Allsa Komanae in it and they don't need washrooms." Eve admitted.

"Perfect," Jack smiled.

He slipped from the bed and approached the comm panel by the door. He pressed the call button. Moments later someone responded.

"What do you want?"

"The baby has evacuated its bowel and I need to clean it up. I need access to water, clean cloths and waste disposal." Jack said with a calm voice.

"Send the female out to do this. You must stay in the room."

Jack smiled. "The female has never done this before with a human child. I must show her how it is done so that she may do it in the future. If it is not done right the child will develop sores on its body which will become infected and the child will die. The Prime wouldn't like that." Joseph chose that moment to begin crying. "Already the female waited too long to notify me of his condition and the infant's skin has become irritated. I hope it isn't too late."

There was a period of silence. Jack hoped they were panicking, or better, calling First to get permission. If it was in as bad a mood as Eve suggested-

"Stand back from the door! We will take you," burst from the comm.

Jack moved back to the center of the room and Eve stood beside him with the squalling baby. He took the child into his arms. He noticed Eve had tears in her eyes. "What's wrong?"

"I waited too long to tell you and the child is in danger," she whimpered.

Jack leaned in close. "No, I just said that to make them panic. The baby might have a little diaper rash but this is easily treated." He gave Eve a quick kiss and she squeaked. When he pulled back she was giving him a confused but heated look.

The doors opened and the three guards on the other side saw them gazing into each other's eyes.

"NO SEX! NO SEX!" the center yelled at them. The other two twitched.

Jack stood up straight and looked in surprise at the guards. Obviously First had left very strict instructions. He nodded and the three leaned back as Joseph's cries escalated in volume.

"We need to be quick!" Jack said.

The center moved down the hall to the left and the other two pointed so Jack moved and Eve followed.

They passed several rooms with Allsa Komanae working on others and Jack almost got to see one unhooded but the guards behind them pushed them forward.

Joseph's cries began to get truly plaintive. "Are we close? He can't take much more."

The leading guard stopped and spun around. It set off down a maintenance access way and opened up the first door they came to. Jack followed it in and saw the room was filled with tall silver canisters. Three closed canisters were sitting on some kind of conveyor setup against one wall. Mechanical arms mounted on the ceiling lifted three empty canisters from the conveyor and placed them in three empty slots on a pallet of empties. The three closed ones slowly moved through an opening in the wall and were gone.

Against the opposite wall was a sink and a flat work surface next to it. Jack laid Joseph on the surface and undid his blanket. The odor that came out was horrific and Jack had to lean back to avoid the worst of it.

"Oh my god that's foul! I'll need a towel to clean him and a new tunic from the bag." Jack gasped and looked back at Eve. She stared wide eyed at him.

"I didn't bring the bag," she squeaked.

Jack was delighted but he put a shocked expression on his face then turned to the center guard. "I need the bag." The lead guard sent a burst of static at one of its underlings who promptly rushed away. One down.

"There are no towels in the bag." Eve said as Joseph began to wail in earnest.

The lead guard hissed again and guard number two rushed away. Two down.

Jack quickly opened the towel all the way and there it was. Black and reeking like nothing he'd ever smelled before. He had no idea why newborn shit was black but it was nasty. Jack gagged and the last guard hit the door jamb in its haste to flee.

Jack quickly looked at Eve. "What's in these containers? Can you read this?" he said pointing to the strange scribbles on the sides of the canisters.

"It says 'Prime Source Growth Nutrients' but I don't know what that means." Eve read.

Jack lifted Joseph's feet and carefully wiped up as much of the black goo as he could onto the towel. "Stand here." Jack said to Eve to watch over Joseph.

As he turned the center guard stepped back into the room.

"Oh god it's dripping!" Jack shrieked.

The Allsa Komanae hit the side of the door once more as it fled.

Jack quickly moved to the full canisters and opened the seal on the nearest one. He scraped the gooey, dripping contents of the towel into the opening. He got the lid closed and rushed over to the sink just as the guard with the bag rushed into the room. The guard with the towels stepped in moments later followed by the leader as Jack washed the original towel in the sink. He got the remnants of the goo washed from the cloth and figured out how to make the water the right temperature for wiping the baby's bottom clean. He demonstrated this to Eve and he wiped the tiny bottom carefully until it was clean. There was just a little redness.

"It looks like we've managed to avoid the sores. His skin only looks slightly irritated," he said watching the lead guard as it walked around the canister loading mechanism. Jack began to sweat, worried it would spot something about the one he'd opened.

"Do you have some talc powder?" he asked the lead guard who jolted to a stop.

"NO! WE HAVE NO TALC POWDER!" it shouted at him. Obviously it was still a little upset.

The loader's arms lifted the tampered canister with its two neighbors and placed them onto the conveyor. Jack never looked at it directly but he looked into the cowl of the lead guard whose back was now to the conveyor.

"Cornstarch?"

"NO!"

"Fine." Jack said with a pout as he saw the conveyor move the canisters into the wall. He had no idea if his little act of rebellion would do anything or have any effect but it felt damn good to make the attempt at least.

Joseph had calmed as he was naked and clean.

Jack turned back to the guards. "How about some diapers?"

"I DON'T KNOW WHAT DIAPERS ARE SO... NO! NO DIAPERS!"

Joseph began to cry again.

"Tell it we don't have diapers," the lead guard growled.

Jack changed the baby as best he could and they were rushed back to the room.

Once they were alone Eve took Joseph and prepared to feed him from one of the bags of 'milk' she'd gotten from the medics. It had a spout which she was about to put into the baby's mouth.

"Hold on. It will come out too fast. He needs to suckle." Jack said and took the bag from Eve. He closed the spout and bit a tiny hole in one of the corners. He squeezed gently and a thin stream spurted out.

"Put this in his mouth and he should be able to suck the food out slow enough for him to swallow. Almost as if he was sucking on his mother's nipple." Jack handed it back to Eve who was watching him with wide eyes. He saw the desire in them and he leaned forward and kissed her. She moaned into the kiss and Jack had to pull away when her tongue became a little too demanding. Eve's face wore a lustful but confused expression. She did as instructed and soon Joseph was sucking his meal from the bag.

That taken care of Jack's mind was no longer occupied and it turned back to worrying about why he was in this building to begin with.

He paced until Eve asked him to stop. He made a makeshift bed for Joseph from the towels in the bag when he fell asleep in Eve's arms after his meal. She placed the infant on the towels then dragged Jack onto the bed.

She pushed him down and rubbed her palm over his stiffening member. He moaned and Eve grinned at him as she pushed his tunic up to expose his cock. She glanced up and extended her tongue out to lick its hot surface.

"Oh fuck!" Jack moaned softly.

Emboldened she ran her long tongue up and down its length and smiled at how Jack squirmed under her. When he'd used his tongue on her this was exactly the reaction she'd had so she knew she was doing something right.

She wrapped her tongue around his cock and squeezed it.

"FUCK! OH FUCK YES!" Jack gasped and his hips raised up off the bed. Eve was seriously turned on and wanted him now! She stroked his cock a few times with her tongue, drawing gasps and moans from Jack, then she climbed up his body to rub her wet opening along his stiffness.

Jack took her face in his hands and kissed her hard and she felt her mind drifting away. He suddenly shifted on the bed and pulled her body under his. His weight pressed her down against the mattress and she moaned feeling his hot cock pressed against her wetness. He shifted then he was inside her and it was glorious!

He slammed forward driving his cock deep inside Eve and she cried out and clung to him, her heels crossing behind his ass and pulling him deeper. He pulled back and drove forward again and again as Eve sucked on his tongue until she had to pull back to breathe.

"Harder Jack! Harder!" she whispered in his ear.

A thrill ran down his spine and his hips responded to her plea with increased speed and strength. He was hammering into her and she was whimpering with need as she was getting very close.

Jack's mind splintered as multiple glass fragments burst into it from many directions. He was too close to his release to stop now but the pain threw him off his pace until he felt Eve's hands on his ass, urging him to go faster. He threw himself back into the moment and moved his mouth down to Eve's neck. He wondered if she had the same instinctual reaction to a neck bite as Altarians. Considering her fangs he took the precaution of taking a good grip on the fur at the back of her head before he raked his teeth against her throat and growled deep in his chest.

If he hadn't taken that hold her fangs would have been in his neck as her body reacted violently. More of a fight reflex then. Noted.

When he pulled his head back to gaze upon her face he saw she was looking at him with wide eyes and she was panting from the adrenaline rush. He lifted her legs up to raise her ass from the mattress and began slow hard pounding strokes that reached spots he hadn't touched before. Her eyes rolled back and it felt incredible for him as well.

"Jack! Oh Jack! I- I can't take much more! It's- It's happening!"

"Let it happen Eve. Cum for me." Jack whispered and his gentle words tipped Eve over the top.

"Oh! Oh! Ohhhhhhhhh Jaaaaccckkk!!! Yesssssss!"

Her happy cries triggered his release as well and he felt his cock jetting hot cum deep inside her as pleasure washed over his senses. He gave himself over to it.

"Oh Jack! So good!" Eve sighed.

Jack lowered her legs back to the surface of the bed and dipped his face down to kiss Eve tenderly. Her body trembled under him.

He pulled his softening cock from her causing her to sigh and tremble some more. He laid down on the mattress beside her and kissed her lips once more. Then she pressed her face against his chest and began to cry.

"Hey! No tears! There's no need to cry," he whispered.

"It's going to hurt so much when you're gone," she gasped against his chest.

He thought about how she'd survived in this horror for so long. She really was incredibly strong. "I don't plan on going anywhere but you're right. We're not exactly in control of our own destinies at the moment. I can't promise anything except I won't give up hope. I won't give up trying to survive. I know in my heart that people out there are looking for me and won't give up until they've found me. People who won't be deterred by something as minor as the lack of Gates to this world. I won't leave this world without you. We all go."

He looked into her grey eyes and saw the beginnings of hope. "I consider myself incredibly lucky to have met you. I treasure the moments we can be together. Sometimes that's all you get. Moments. They should be happy ones and they should bring you joy when you think of them. I-"

There was a deafening boom from somewhere nearby and they were almost thrown from the bed. Joseph began crying so Eve leapt off the bed, scooped the child and his blankets up in her arms, grabbed the bag of his food and clothing and climbed back onto the bed before Jack even had time to sit up. Her maternal instinct was certainly intact.

They held each other and waited as silence returned. No alarms. No yelling. Just silence. Minutes passed.

Jack was about to get up to check the door when it slid open to show First standing in the entrance.

"Get on your feet!" it yelled. Eve was off the bed in a second, Jack close behind but not fast enough apparently as he found himself on his face, the memory of agony quickly fading. He pushed himself up and glanced at the panicked look in Eve's eyes. He shook his head minimally to her then kept his eyes down.

First entered the room alone and the door slid shut behind him.

"You're quite the disappointment to me."

Jack went still. Had First discovered his little poop sabotage?

"I had hoped to learn the secrets of your discipline collar with the equipment here but you've ruined that chance. I suppose it shouldn't be a surprise considering how savage and primitive the Human species is. Your base reflex is violence and destruction and it's so close to the surface! How your species survived to reach this point is a mystery. Ironically that very thing may be the reason your collar feed is so damn irresistible for us." First mused.

Jack was back on the floor writhing from a slow burning of his limbs. He sent Eve a warning look to be still and she stood trembling with Joseph in her arms.

"Eighteen dead because of you!" First raged over Jack who was seriously beginning to believe First was losing control if its mind. "All because six disobeyed direct orders not to connect to your collar's feed!"

Jack screamed in agony as fire poured over his body. First stood above him screaming at him in rage.

Then as quickly as it began it was over.

Jack lay panting on the floor, his limbs trembling with the afterimage of the burning. First stood above him, a faint trembling the only evidence of his previous rage. It turned and left the room. Two Allsa Komanae came in and grabbed Jack's arms and lifted him but his legs wouldn't work so they dragged him. Eve quickly followed.

They passed the open wall of the next office, destroyed by the explosion. The carnage inside was horrifying. The next room beyond that was one of the wards where the incoming Allsa Komanae got their rejuvenation treatments. The explosion had spread to this room as well, ripping through the occupants like tissue paper. Jack realized with shock that had the explosion been directed the other way it would have killed Eve, Joseph and himself.

He caught glimpses of the dead Allsa Komanae and realized Eve was right. Their fleshy parts were indescribably horrid. It looked like rot had set in.

When they got outside of the building Jack was thrown into the back of a truck. Eve scrambled into the truck with Joseph tucked in her arm. The doors closed and took the light with them. The vehicle began to move and the journey wasn't very long thankfully for the air in the back was stuffy and hot.

The doors opened and Jack recognized the doors to their barracks. He pushed himself up and staggered after Eve out of the truck and through the doors. Kekk was immediately there to support him and led him towards the sleeping area. Stella was watching Jack from Eve's side as they followed, the small female filling her in quietly.

Kekk laid Jack down on the bed and leaned over him. "I hope it was worth this pain."

"What?" Jack asked in confusion.

"When I last saw you, First punished you for your careless tongue and took you away. Now that you're back you are in pain once more."

"This time it punished me for causing the death of eighteen Allsa Komanae. I have no idea how they died but apparently six were linked to my collar as... Eve and I... expressed our desire for each other. Shortly afterwards there was a rather large explosion and the final tally was eighteen dead."

Kekk grinned in grim joy and Jack froze as Kekk's mouth of sharp teeth was a daunting sight.

"Apologies Jack. I am simply expressing my appreciation for your... achievements to date."

"I haven't done anything. It's the damn collar they put on me. It's like a drug to them! They can't seem to resist connecting then it fucks them up!"

"One can only hope more are drawn to its deadly call." Kekk chuckled and moved away.

Stella sat on the edge of the bed and looked at Jack with sad eyes.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

"Eve told me what First did to you. This is not its usual behavior. In the time I have been here it has been the most stable and calm of the Allsa Komanae. I'm worried for your safety," she whispered.

Eve sat down next to Stella and watched him with a concerned expression.

Jack remembered something and caught her eyes. "Eve, First linked to my collar." She nodded nervously.

He laid back on the mattress staring at the ceiling and considered how their continued survival now relied upon the good will of a being who might just be mad.

Chapter 17

As they huddled together for warmth in the alley Gee and Bal shared a look. They'd spent a day roasting in the dry Australian outback counting the seconds until their next jump through a Gate only to arrive in a misty rain in one of Japan's busiest cities. Once more they were going to have to be quick as the local authorities were going to be alerted to their illegal entry and Japan still had a very strict policy regarding visitors to their country.

The Major was getting their bearings. Apparently there was a hotel they had to find. The cache was hidden in one of the rooms. Luckily the weather meant less people on the street and the darkness should have assisted them but this area was well lit with large neon signs and LED displays.

"OK, our destination is only a block away. There is an alley behind the hotel that would make an excellent extraction point. Set it up here." Cha'Risa said to the group and showed the map to the Tik so they could get into position in the alley. "Leo, Maxim, I want you two to situate yourselves here and here to cover the alley and protect our exit." She pointed to spots halfway down the alley in either direction to enable them to get back to the Gate which would be across the alley from the back door. She nodded and the two commandos slipped away as the Tik shot upwards.

The Major looked at Nann and the Altarians. "We go in the front door and up to the seventh floor. Room 703. We will need to pop the electronic lock which will likely trip the alarm. We will only have ten minutes at most to collect the cache. Ready? Let's go."

Gee confirmed there were no police in sight so they stepped out of the alley and began making their way towards the hotel. They stayed a dozen paces ahead of the Major and Nann so they reached the hotel and looked in the doors as they passed. They saw nothing suspicious in the entrance or the hallway beyond so they slowed their pace and let the others reach the door and enter before they turned to follow. The clerk was arguing with the Major about something so Gee shot him with a tranquilizer dart as she passed on her way to the elevator bank. The clerk slid to the floor slowly with a happy look on his face.

"What the hell was that?" Cha'Risa growled out at she followed the Altarians into the elevator with Nann.

"A happy knock out shot. He will sleep for an hour and awake elated and refreshed with no memory of the last few minutes. This will also give us time before he contacts the authorities." Gee explained.

The Major frowned but had to admit it was a good idea.

They exited on the seventh and found 703. Before they could pop the lock its light went green so Nann looked at the Major then opened the door and rushed in.

A balding Japanese man stripped down to his undershirt, boxers and tall black socks shrieked in fear as the Major burst into the room after Nann, both with their weapons ready. The two Altarians followed closely and closed the door. They found themselves in a room made up to look like a classroom. The oddest thing was the bed pushed up against the wall with the cat lamps on the end tables; one black and one white.

A pretty young Japanese woman knelt on the bed wearing a school girl uniform staring at them with wide eyes. Gee noted that she was remarkably calm compared to the man. She was looking at the uniforms Nann and the Major were wearing and there seemed to be some recognition in her eyes.

The man began to babble and cry so Gee darted him as well. He slumped to the floor with a smile on his face and fear finally appeared on the young woman's face as she looked at Gee.

The display mounted on the wall suddenly came to life and Ray was looking out at them.

"Ray-kun!" the woman cried in a happy if desperate voice.

Nann looked at her with raised eyebrows then turned to face Ray, whose mouth was working in surprise but he wasn't saying anything. He finally got control.

"Nami-chan! I- I didn't expect you to be here!" Ray's simulacrum stuttered.

The Major's eyebrows rose in surprise at how realistic Ray had made his online avatar. "Ray, we don't have time for this," she growled.

Ray's image flickered and he came back with a smile. "The cache in this location is still secure. Major, walk over to the black cat lamp."

She gave the screen a frown but walked over beside the bed and approached a lamp shaped like a black cat. It was smiling with one eye closed.

"It needs a voice print so tell it your name and say 'open up neko'," Ray instructed. She glared back at the display but Ray just nodded. She turned back to the lamp.

"This is Major Cha'Risa Ash. Open up... neko," she said, scowling at how silly she felt.

There was a whirring noise and the cat's lower jaw dropped exposing one sharp white upper fang pointing downwards.

"Touch the pad of your bare pinky fingertip to the tooth. It will prick you and take a DNA sample to confirm you are you. If you pass then the cache will activate. Otherwise the cache gets fried."

Glaring once more at Ray's image the Major jabbed her finger on the tooth and felt the pinch. After a moment the cat's closed eye opened and both eyes lit up. Nami squeaked with glee and clapped her hands.

"So cute, Ray-kun!" she cheered.

"Thank you Nami-chan! Major, the cache is active. You need to physically connect your comm to it as the cache requires a wired connection. The port is in the mouth," Ray instructed.

Cha'Risa unspooled the tether from her comm and connected it to the small port in the mouth of the cat lamp. Her comm came online and she tapped the screen to confirm she wanted to accept the data. The transfer began.

Nann stepped closer to the bed. "Hi, I'm Ray's friend Nann. How do you know Ray?" she asked Nami.

The pretty girl smiled shyly. "Ray-kun is my boyfriend!"

Nann's face froze. She wanted to grin and tease Ray but the thing on the screen was just a digital copy. Nami obviously hadn't been told yet about Ray's death. The poor girl wasn't going to like the news. She looked to the display and was surprised to see the simulacrum's face showing so much compassion. She wondered exactly how advanced this program was.

The comm beeped indicating the file transfer was done. The Major unplugged the comm and retracted its cable back inside the device.

"It's time to go Major. You have four minutes to vacate the building. Police are incoming," Ray warned. "I'm going to set off the fire alarm in one minute. That will sow some chaos to cover your exit."

"When are you coming to visit me Ray-kun?" Nami asked sweetly.

The Major looked awkwardly at Nann who had an uncomfortable expression on her face. The sweet young woman looked between the two of them.

"It's ok Major. You and Nann get moving. I will speak with Nami-chan," Ray smiled and the girl beamed a smile at him. "Major. Nann, it was an honor serving with you both."

They nodded to Ray, once more wondering at the eerie realism he'd added to his surrogate. They turned and gestured to Gee and Bal who slipped out into the hall and raced for the rear stair case. The Major and Nann were close behind. The fire alarm went off before they descended more than a single flight. Ray's voice was repeating a Japanese word over the building PA system and he sounded intense.

"Something's not right." Nann said. They managed two more flights before civilians in their underwear and dressing gowns began rushing into the stairwell in a panic. This slowed their descent but they finally managed to get to the back door and slip outside with the others. Once more the mist helped hide them. They pressed themselves up against the back wall of the building as the others ran quickly down the alley in either direction.

"Something's definitely wrong. Where are the Tik? Where are Maxim and Leo?" Nann asked. She pulled her comm and sent a quick note. Just as she hit send there was a mighty thump and the building shook behind them. The team dashed across the alley and dove behind a dumpster just as the falling glass hit the road's surface and exploded in all directions. They looked up and fire was gushing out of most of the windows on the seventh floor.

The rear door burst open again and Nami stumbled out with three others falling onto the road. Gee and Bal darted forward and collected the dazed woman from the ground and hustled her back to the relative safety of their temporary shelter. The girl had been crying but now her face was covered in soot and grime.

"Nami! You need to go home, now. Get to safety!" the Major said once she'd caught the girl's attention.

Nami nodded and pointed up the alley.

With a nod from the Major, Gee and Bal quickly escorted Nami to the end of the alley. They confirmed the way was clear and the young woman rushed off in the direction of the subway. The two agents rushed back to the dumpster.

"Maxim contacted me. They and the Tik are hiding in a small park at the south end of this alley. The Tik had a little accident in the park and they never made it to the alley. The four of them can't now because there are four Earth Security Council Force personnel at the park entrance across the street from the building. They were the ones who fired the incendiary grenades into the windows of the room we were just in."

"That's outside the realm of reasonable responses wouldn't you say? Far beyond what the Japanese government would condone." Cha'Risa said. "These people need to be put down."

"If I may, we should incapacitate them for capture by the local authorities. Our cause will not be furthered by bloodshed of those who look like allies," Gee suggested.

"How do you suggest we 'incapacitate' four trained Earth Forces commandos?" Cha'Risa growled.

"The police will be here in one minute. Give us thirty seconds to flank the commandos. Then draw their attention. We will do the rest." Gee said looking up into her face calmly.

With a nod Gee and Bal raced down the alley at top speed. They looked like shadows leaping from place to place.

The Major shared a look with Nann then they made their way to the south end of the alley. Nann used the fiber cam on her comm to peek around the corner. Sure enough there were the four agents preparing to storm the hotel to confirm their targets had been killed.

"It's time. This should draw their attention," Major Ash stepped clear of the corner and sent a concussive round into the park's brickwork wall just to the left of the commandos. The exploding brick and mortar peppered the four painfully but did no serious damage.

They ducked behind the cover of a vendor booth and moments later Gee stepped out from behind the same booth and waved.

The Major and Nann ran towards the park entrance and saw the four commandos trussed up and unconscious on the sidewalk. A dart stuck out of each of their necks though one had a second dart sticking out of his nose.

"Let's go!" Gee barked and Bal followed her running partner into the park.

Nann gave the Major a surprised look then they ran after the Altarians.

A short distance into the park they saw a small food wagon on its side and one of the Tik wedged inside, covered in noodles, trying to gently get free. The old vendor was standing beside the wagon wailing and shouting at the Tik. At the far side of the park the second Tik was cradling a bunch of stray kittens in its tentacles.

"WHAT THE FUCK? GATE! NOW PLEASE!" the Major bellowed. The Tik jammed in the noodle wagon took a grip with its powerful tentacles and ripped the structure in two to get free causing the old man to shriek in dismay. Bal moved forward and bowed deeply to the man as she held out a metallic card. He stopped his tirade to watch Bal and when he saw what she was offering to him his wizened features lit up in surprise. Apparently Altarian IOU cards were a known commodity as the man returned Bal's bow, took the card and immediately fled with it clutched in his hand.

The second Tik arrived with Leo. It still had one of the kittens with it. "Where do you wish to go now?" it asked.

"Altaria! Ministry of Security! Now!" the Major barked as she heard the police arriving.

The Tik positioned themselves side by side and a deep hum began. The Gate snapped into existence between them and the group saw themselves looking back.

Leo and Maxim got a nod from Nann and they rushed through, quickly followed by the redhead. Gee and Bal pushed the Major through just as the police rushed into the park. The Tik shot through next and collapsed the Gate behind them.

The group stood on the green lawn before the Ministry building, enjoying the warm sunshine as security personnel ran towards them. Leo and Maxim surrendered their weapons as did Nann. Gee handed the Major's weapon to a waiting officer and the security staff relaxed recognizing the two agents. The group immediately headed for the building and quickly made their way directly to the Security Minister's office.

Hellna was coming around her desk as they entered. "Were you successful?"

The Major nodded, holding up her comm. They made their way over to a console where she'd be able to display the contents of the files she'd collected. She connected her comm and pulled up the files on the large display. Ray had created a record of his research process, verbally spoken and transcribed automatically as he worked. In addition to this were a series of documents showing his findings. The transcript helped describe these other documents, explaining what they meant and how he found them. Ray's signature was on this file. This was the report the Major had been expecting to find. She clicked on the transcript file and Ray's voice came out of the speakers under the display.

"This is Lieutenant Ray Sharif, documenting my findings for Major Cha'Risa Ash of Earth Security Council Force. It's, insert date here, and I am at the Los Angeles Gate following a money trail, catching the bad guys and serving up some cool justice. As Nann knows, nobody does it better than me."

Nann rolled her eyes and grinned at the Major but she had tears in her eyes too.

"Determining the members of the Los Angeles smuggling ring was child's play. This document," A file in the folder highlighted momentarily, "lists all of the accounts in use to collect and distribute the funds they earned for passing contraband through the Cargo Gates. And here are the names of these losers clearly linked to the accounts." A second file highlighted.

"Surprise, surprise I found a link to two other cargo distribution Gates, New York and Moscow, and I've added a few names from those as well but chasing this down is not my current priority so I am putting a bookmark in that."

"Now, there is no name linked to the payment for the shipment the Team followed through to Rehm. There is a bank account number however. I like these as they are my bullseye in the banking databases." The sound of rapid typing ensued before his voice returned. "This one, ah! It's a government account. Officially opened ten years earlier for managing the funds of a small project for a branch of Earth's Trade Commission. Let's just see if the Trade Commission has any recent references to the account." More rapid typing sounds. "Ok, the most recent activity in the bank account wasn't referenced in any Trade Commission documentation. So these transactions weren't part of any official Trade Commission business. In fact, the last official Trade Commission document reference to the account ID was its inclusion in a listing of stale accounts needing to be closed. The request memo came from... the Trade Commission's oversight department and was sent to Director Goodson. That- that name sounds familiar. His responding email indicated the accounts had been closed and included the bank's transaction ID to prove it. I'm going to look at the bank's transaction to see what our Director Goodson was up to..." Rays voice went quiet as the sound of frantic typing filled the speakers.

"Ok, I'm back in the bank records but the list of closures they received from Goodson didn't include the account in question. Huh. There is a transaction showing the account had a communication redirect on it... the new address is... ah, an anonymous mailing repository. This could be a dead end. Time to pop their hood." More typing. "Well, thank goodness for dumb criminals. The anonymous account was purchased with funds from Director Goodson's personal account. Bravo!"

The Major shared a look with Nann, Maxim, and Leo. The smugglers were paid from an account only Goodson had access to.

Ray's voice continued as files lit up in the folder for each of the pieces of proof he'd found. "I am flagging Lawrence Goodson, ex-Director of Earth's Trade Commission, as a prime suspect. I am now crawling all of his net accounts." There was a time jump in the recording as his tools needed time to do this work. "My search yielded some good results. The official net accounts have been closed and show no activity since the time he went on the run. Yes, it's that Mr. Goodson. The one who tried to kidnap Mr. Danner before. I did find the threads of a personal account which has been used to access the hidden bank account. So now I'm spelunking the history of this personal account to find any correspondence that leads me to the kidnapping request. Since the shipment went to Rehm I am checking if any messages came from there... and... nope. How did Goodson get the request for the abduction? Maybe it is in the deleted correspondence. It would have to be recent so these messages should still exist on the servers. Looking... looking... hello, what's this? He was corresponding with a dark net bulletin board. He has a recent message from the board. The board in question seems to be for underground anarchists. Clever. Time to dig a little deeper. Maybe these dudes know... Fuck me."

A screen capture file loaded and they were looking at the front page of the bulletin board. Just glancing at the subject lines on the messages made the hairs on the back of Cha'Risa's neck stand on end.

"This is a honeypot! It looks like a nasty little gathering place for anarchists to share their plans for shit disturbing but it's actually run by the Earth Security Council! What the hell was Goodson, a man on the run from this very agency, doing accessing this board? I'm logging into the Earth Security Council databases to review the board policies." There was another time jump and several files were highlighted in the folder indicating these contained the material he was speaking about.

"Ok, there are two levels of accounts on this board. Public accounts which can't see the internal, official flags or annotation fields on the messages and Admin accounts that see and maintain these internal fields. There is a field which indicates the message was planted. Fake leads which can be safely ignored by internal review processes until there are public responses. Here is the... bad thing. The message in Goodson's email contains the flags and annotation fields. This means he's logging in with an Admin account. How did he get a privileged access account? He was a criminal on the run at the time. I- I could follow this but I think it's taking me away from the goal of finding the source of the abduction message. Putting a bookmark in the privileged account question."

They heard the frustration in Ray's voice and Cha'Risa smiled. She knew this was the kind of issue that drove Ray nuts. Holes in security were his personal torment which was ironic for someone who exploited these same security flaws for what he did.

"Going back to the content of the message from the board, it looks very promising," Ray's voice picked up a little energy. He was getting closer to his quarry.

Another screen capture loaded and they saw a message referencing four numbers; two multipart ID's, a shipping ID, and a number representing a very large number of credits.

Ray continued. "Most would find the message to be meaningless but the first two ID's use a structure I've seen before. They represent individuals who work for a government agency on Earth. I'm going to look up the ID's. Be right back." A time jump in the recording. "The first ID belongs to Goodson from when he worked as the Director of the Trade Commission. Drumroll please! The second is the ID for Jack Danner, Earth's Trade Commissioner for Altaria. The shipping ID tracks to a warehouse on, you guessed it, Rehm. Coincidence? I think not!" Ray crowed.

"So the message is the kidnapping request directed specifically at Goodson. He'd recognize his own ID and he obviously still had access to the Trade Commission's personnel data. The rest of the message was the instructions, get Mr. Danner to that shipping address for this much money. I could probably spend additional time on reviewing past messages and find others directed to Goodson. Someone was working with him. Keeping him ahead of his hunters. I'm going to bookmark that task as well."

The team heard him sigh and smiled to themselves.

"Now that I have the actual message ordering the abduction I will track it back to its source. There are approximately thirty staff accounts that have access to the message board internally. The message to Goodson was created with an ID that belongs to a staff member who no longer works for the organization. The ID and account should have been retired. What the creator of the message doesn't know is that all records track the terminal ID of the user as well. Looking through the logs it seems the message was created by... shit. Hang on. I have to double check this." Another time jump occurred in the recording.

Ray's voice returned and seemed a little shaky. The team exchanged glances.

"Well, there's no mistake. The terminal in use when the message was created belongs to Ruan Steyn's executive secretary, Avery Mansfeld."

"Son-of-a-bitch!" Cha'Risa growled as Nann scowled. Maxim and Leo uttered some quiet Russian curses. Here was the source of their current misfortune.

"The man has access to every bit of secret and privileged data that passes through the Security Council. He's protected by being at the very center of the most secure network on Earth behind multiple levels of security and the strongest firewalls they could build." Ray chuckled. "Too bad for him I wrote most of that system. I'm going to hack into his workstation. Yes, I understand the severity of this breach of security I'm about to undertake but the evidence warrants it and I believe it's necessary. I'm going to do a file dump of his workstation. Performance is going to tank on his machine so there's a chance he'll guess he's been hacked but it's my best option for gathering as many of his files as I can get." The timestamp on the recording jumped again and multiple files highlighted in the folder.

"I- I did better than I thought before his workstation was pulled offline. I've attached the most incriminating files to this report. The entirety of what I collected has gone into Earth Security Council Deep Storage. No way to erase that without destroying the entire building. You'll find the files under my name plus the keyword 'Shanghai Insider'. The most important files are the extra contact list and the ledger. They were encrypted but seriously? Most of the names in the contact list meant nothing to me until I began linking them to their roles in government offices, the military, industry, and the media around the world. The ledger shows how the names from the contact list are all on the payroll of Mansfeld. The account he transfers funds from takes deposits from an offworld account which is a dead end to me."

There was some rapid typing and Ray's voice came back on. He sounded nervous.

"There is some seriously dangerous information in this report. I'm going to file it in my personal data cache and send a copy to the Major's account. Then I am going to disappear for a while. With all the poking I have done today that just seems prudent. Stay frosty!"

Ray's digital signature was attached to the report.

That's where the transcript ended.

"Good work Ray. Your best yet," Nann said quietly.

A grim expression on her face, Cha'Risa looked to the others. "We need to get this contact list and ledger to Rosseau and MacDenny. US Brigadier General Thane and Russian Colonel General Zutkov should also get the information. You'll note their names are not on the list. Speaking of which, the list can't be considered complete. There are likely many people below these names who work for them in that capacity."

"Ruan Steyn isn't on the list." Hellna remarked.

"He's being manipulated by his secretary, the actual power behind the scenes." Nann replied.

"What's your next move?" Hellna asked.

"We're done running. Now we go on the offensive." Seeing Gee's troubled look she added, "Peacefully."

Chapter 18

The three days after the explosion were very tense. At any moment Jack expected First to slam through the doors, fry his brain and kill the others. His childish attempt at rebellion came back to haunt him every night in his dreams.

They slept. Worked out. Ate. And repeat. None of the tasks he'd been told he would be doing came to pass.

Jack abstained from any further sexual intimacy but each night the two females would slip into his bed to take comfort in being held close.

Joseph seemed to be doing well. He ate his meals and slept through the night. The constant presence of both Eve and Stella who took turns cuddling the child close against their warm fur seemed to keep him content.

In the late afternoon of the fourth day three Allsa Komanae guards showed up and guided them out of the barracks, across a wide courtyard and into the main building. This was supposed to be the Prime's Palace but it just looked like a larger version of the square boxes infesting the rest of the city. There was no art or style to the building just larger rooms. Now that he was trapped inside an Allsa Komanae environment Jack was getting a very clear picture of the culture and perceptions of the race and it was frighteningly empty of beauty. There was no soul. The cubist skyline was mechanically cold.

They arrived in a vast chamber with a central dais with a throne mounted at its top. They were currently behind it.

Jack looked at his companions to see if they found this as ridiculously theatrical as he did but saw they were actually unsettled by it. Even Kekk looked nervous. Jack wondered if he was missing something or maybe he'd watched too many bad movies.

As they were led around to the front of the dais they saw someone was sitting on the throne. The Prime had arrived? Now Jack felt his nerves jump. There had been no warning! No time to prepare!

Once they'd moved far enough around to see past the sides of the chair Jack realized it was just First sitting in the Prime's throne. Obviously she hadn't arrived yet. Jack felt his body relax and looked once more over at the others.

Eve was carrying Joseph and held him close. Eyes on the floor and gently trembling.

Stella was studiously staring at the floor as well and Jack could see the tension in the corners of her lovely eyes.

Kekk had his head tipped forward but was looking at him out of the corner of his eyes. He seemed to be telling him to look down as well.

Fire danced through his nerves and Jack hit the floor, hard.

"Your continued insolence is becoming intolerable," First muttered, its smooth voice echoing slightly from its lofty position in the huge room. There was an edge of tension in its voice that hadn't been there before.

Jack stayed down on the floor as the cool surface counteracted the memory of the heat in his limbs. He turned his head so his companions could see he wasn't dead. He winked at Eve and her eyes flared with... something. So many emotions rushed by in them he caught his breath.

"Get him on his feet," First growled to the guards.

Jack felt their hands grip his arms and he was pulled up to a standing position. His legs trembled but held. He kept his eyes on the floor and the guards stepped back.

"We've been in contact with the Prime's ship. She's close and will arrive in two days' time. When she arrives there will be a grand celebration and the transfer of ownership will commence." Jack detected a hitch in First's voice. Something about that transfer was bothering it. It might have been... fear.

"Preparations are commencing rapidly now and the Allsa Komanae will be ready when our leader takes... this throne." Again, Jack heard the edge of fear. Something bad was coming for First or it thought so at least.

There was a deep boom sound from behind the group. Jack was the only one to look over his shoulder to see the three Allsa Komanae running towards the throne. Jack felt a flash of flames over his body causing him to stagger before he regained his footing. It had seemed more like a distracted lash than firm discipline as First was staring angrily at the new intruders.

"What is it? Can't you see I'm busy?" First growled.

The new three moved closer to the dais and the center took one more step. "Apologies First. Second and Third are dead."

"WHAT?!?" First bellowed as it surged to its feet. Its voice, amplified by its position, shook the room and the occupants.

"They reported for refreshing but... the Prime Source has been poisoned. They died," it said carefully.

"What... did... you... say?" First spoke softly as it descended the dais steps towards the waiting center.

"They are dea-"

"NOT THAT PART!" First screamed into its hood.

"Ah- the- the Prime Source... has been poisoned. Some kind of biological contaminant is spreading uncontrollably throughout the cloning chambers, boosted by the growth nutrient bath. It's reached critical levels... we're unable to purge it! The contaminant is growing out of control, feeding off the nutrients and its by-products are poisoning the Prime Source biomass faster than we can- EEERRRKKZZZzzz!"

First drove his fist through the head of the messenger who died immediately and dropped to the floor. The leader flicked clear the organic remains from its gloved hand and looked at it to make sure it was clean. It gestured to the other two to take the body away. They did so quickly and didn't stop moving until they exited the room with the corpse.

"Guards, take the slaves back to the barracks." When they moved to collect them First held up the hand which it had just used to killed the unfortunate messenger. "Except Jack. Jack will stay here to have a little chat with me."

First's voice was cool and smooth and emotionless. Jack felt a cold sweat spring up over his body. He heard Eve make a noise but Jack shook his head minutely and Kekk gently guided her past. Stella watched him with large worried eyes but he gave her a nod as she went by. Jack held still until he heard the door close on the far wall behind the throne.

"Would you care to say anything about this latest development Jack?"

He kept his eyes on the floor and simply shook his head.

"I'm going to find out. I simply need to speak to the guard-" First stopped talking when it realized the ones it had ordered to watch Jack were dead as were fifteen others. The only evidence, destroyed in the explosion.

Jack found himself on the floor. His body ached like he'd been punched from all sides at once. He moaned.

"It doesn't have to be this way Jack. Simply tell me what you did and I will send you back to the others."

Jack could hear the lie and just laid still as his muscles trembled.

There was a hesitant knock on the main doors.

"I'M BUSY!" First screamed.

"Apologies, First. The Prime wishes to speak with you."

First made an involuntary sound. Jack thought it very much sounded like 'no' but he kept that observation to himself. He might just get out of this alive-

Burning! Terrible, terrible heat ripped at his limbs, devouring his flesh and tearing screams from his body. Then it was over and Jack lay panting and gasping on his back as his consciousness began to slip away.

Before he slipped away he saw the dark hood of First peering down at him and heard its words.

"Put him into a containment cell in the sub-level. I'll deal with him later."

Then nothing.

Chapter 19

Gee and Bal sat in Hellna's office sipping tea and eating sandwiches the staff had brought in for them. The commando squad had been escorted to the fitness facilities in the lower level to take showers and have their clothes laundered.

The Tik had powered down to maintenance level and were enjoying a trickle feed from the power outlet on the wall in the outer office.

As they were finally alone Hellna did her debriefing with them while they ate and was pleased with their report.

Gee was stuck with a feeling of futility she just couldn't shake.

Hellna noticed her discomfort. "Gee, what's on your mind? Speak freely."

"We know who's responsible for Jack's abduction. We now know the secret network of spies on Earth that are working against us and the best interests of Earth. We even know the planet Jack is likely on though we don't have its location. The Tik are now willing to open Gates for us to investigate. All of this is wonderful but to actually retrieve Jack it's not enough!" she growled in frustration and Hellna's eye brows went up in surprise.

"We are not warriors. Outside of agents like Bal and I that is but there aren't enough of us to win a battle like this!"

The door opened and Queen Elissa walked in. "My apologies for overhearing your last comment but I agree with you. Altarians are sadly lacking in warriors. We are blessed with agents like you and Bal and rely upon you very heavily. I want to personally thank you for everything you have done so far and for what I will be asking of you in the near future. I'm afraid your skills may be put to a very severe test."

Gee and Bal were on their hooves and smiled at the Queen. "We are yours to command."

Elissa smiled at them in return. "Thank you. I have been working on something that will hopefully expedite our 'rescue mission'. The Tik are fully supportive of our efforts to get Jack back. As long as the mission falls within those parameters we have their help."

Gee frowned. "That may not be enough."

Elissa smiled enigmatically. "You'd be surprised what fits into those parameters."

Gee and Bal gave her a curious look.

"I can't say more until we have secured the assistance of our newest allies. You were right. We need more warriors-"

At that moment Major Ash, Nann, Maxim, and Leo walked back into Hellna's office looking refreshed and alert.

"What better warriors to call upon than those from the other planet under attack by the Mahrell Drun? The rescue mission will be led by the Altarians but Earth will be represented... if we can make them understand. What do you say Major? Can we make them understand?"

"Yes, but we are going to have to act fast. They killed Ray. They immediately discredited us. When I tried to contact someone I could trust in the military they tried to kill him. When we collected the cache they sent four Earth Security Force commandos who firebombed an entire level of a building to stop us. They are escalating their efforts to stop this information from getting out. I need to get this data to my contacts in the military so they can get it to the top levels of their governments. That's the only way the Earth Security Council will listen. If the message comes from their leaders."

"Do we need to go back to Chuuruthia to contact Earth?" Gee asked.

"I'd like to try contacting Brigadier General Rosseau's direct line from here. He contacted Chuuruthian Secretary of Defence Kressel with it after our initial call and I noted the comm ID so I should be able to reach him."

Hellna nodded and led the group over to the conference room where she set up the call on the large display mounted on the wall. The Major gave her the contact details.

The call went through and was picked up on the third ring. Voice only.

"Hello?" Rosseau's voice.

"General? This is Major Ash."

The screen flicked on and they could see the General with three other men. She recognized MacDenny and thought one was Thane but the fourth was new to her.

Rosseau spotted the Altarians standing to the side and addressed them first.

"Greetings Queen Elissa, Minister of Security Hellna. I'm Brigadier General Phillipe Rosseau of France. May I introduce Brigadier General Roger Thane of the USA, General Dalawar Singh of India, and Colonel Duncan MacDenny of Canada."

The Major looked to Nann who was checking the new name against their list and relaxed when Nann shook her head with a smile.

The French General turned back to Cha'Risa. "What the hell is going on Major? First I hear of an attack at Ray's parent's place in New York- don't worry, they're fine! Roger's people got there in time to pull them out," he added to calm her dismay. "Then there was a destructive chase through heavy traffic in an illegally modified truck, the rear cabin of which mysteriously disappeared when it crashed into a dead end alley. Next I hear you were spotted in Tokyo! A firebombing of a floor in a downtown hotel, three civilian deaths, and four Earth Security Force commandos taken into custody. When my team got there they found the ones in custody weren't you and your team! Obviously you're using Gates but how are you getting past the heavy security that's been added to all Gate terminals?"

"We have assistance of the Tik sir."

"You're going through the cargo terminals? They are under guard as well." Thane spoke up.

"The Tik elders on Chuuruthia assigned us two Tik who are opening independent Gates for us," the Major explained.

"Combined with the initial data you received regarding the Mahrell Drun, does not the direct support of the Tik lend credibility to our claims?" Queen Elissa asserted.

"It does for us." Rosseau said and the other men nodded. He looked back to the Major.

"We tried to get to Ray's primary data cache in New York but the house was under surveillance. We entered the house and spoke with his parents and a digital simulacrum Ray created of himself. He- I mean it informed us there was insufficient time to get the cache and escape so he- gave us the next location, Tokyo, and helped us escape. We managed to get access to the data cache Ray hid in the hotel in Tokyo. I retrieved the files and confirmed they were legitimately signed by the man. Most significantly, the files contained a list of names and a ledger of payments to these people. I'd like to send the data to you. You need to get this to the leaders of your respective governments. If you could also get them to Colonel General Zutkov-" She saw Rosseau suddenly frown. "What?"

"Yuri was killed in a 'tragic hunting accident' this week. I'd be interested to see if his successor is named in this report you have." Thane growled.

"The center of the web points to Ruan Steyn's executive secretary Avery Mansfeld. Steyn wasn't mentioned in either the contact list or the payout ledger but that may not exclude him from being involved. I am going to ship you the files now."

Rosseau nodded and prepared his comm to accept the files. Nann started the transmission.

As the files moved Rosseau addressed the group. "What do you suggest is the next move?"

Elissa stepped forward. "You will need to begin the process of identifying and dealing with the Mahrell Drun's agents within your society. We will reopen trade with Earth the moment that has begun. While that is happening, before the Mahrell Drun have a chance to change their game we take direct steps to find their source and prevent further incursions. The Tik support the removal of the Prime while we attempt to rescue Jack."

"That sounds very good but the Tik have been very clear on their refusal to allow us to use our Gates to move military forces between worlds. They are not for military use. To abuse this is to lose access to the network entirely. That's not something we are willing to risk."

"We will not be invading. We are on a rescue mission. The mission will be led by Altarians. As you know we are not an aggressive people and have no military forces of our own. We will not be attacking. We will be asking nicely for the return of our Ambassador and your Trade Commissioner to Altaria."

The four military leaders blinked at the Queen with confused expressions. Dalawar cleared his throat and brushed his bushy mustache back from his mouth. "Excuse me but they- may we be blunt and just say the Allsa Komanae for clarity?" He received nods for this. "They aren't going to just hand him over considering the efforts they made to capture him. Especially to such a polite and peaceful group as the Altarians."

Elissa nodded to him with a smile that made the men take notice. "Indeed but I never said we'd be going alone. We would welcome assistance from our good friends."

"We aren't invading so how many would be allowed to participate?" Rosseau asked carefully.

"Just a security detail to protect the peaceful Altarians. And as one of those Altarians will be me, a royal security detail should be reasonably expected to be in the range of no more than 100 highly trained... security specialists."

Hellna's voice rose above the others protesting the Queen's involvement. Elissa just held up her hands until quiet was restored.

"It is non-negotiable and the only way the Tik will support us... in the way they will," the Queen said calmly.

"The Tik are going to allow us to walk 100 armed troops through a Gate onto Allsa One?" Thane said with a doubtful tone.

"Heaven's no! We will invite your security specialists to join us on Altaria. Then I will get us to Allsa One via an independent Gate. I cannot go into details at the moment but you may trust that we will arrive on the Allsa Komanae world as promised. We will also keep our promise to the Tik that we will not be an invading force. We will not claim territory. We will not commit random and wanton acts of violence. We will address the local authorities to return Jack to us. How they respond to this will determine the course of action we may take. We will not leave without our Ambassador. We have proven to the Tik's satisfaction that the Allsa Komanae have kidnapped him. They will assist us in getting him back." Queen Elissa watched the faces of the men on the screen. They all seemed determined to be involved in this mission. That was good. Keeping the number down to 100 was going to be their difficulty.

"General Rosseau, please be aware that the six of us," Cha'Risa gestured to her team and the two Altarian agents, "are going to be counted in the 100." The man measured her with his eyes then her teammates and finally nodded.

"We have the data, will review it now, and will get it to the people who need to see it as rapidly as possible. Expect a call from us within the next few hours. If the Mahrell Drun are as organized and mentally agile as you say, we agree that our best defence against them is a rapid response, not giving them time to adjust to their new situation. We'll have your 'security detail' assembled quickly." Rosseau stated. With a final nod he broke the connection.

Hellna looked at the Queen hesitantly. "Would you care to tell us how we are going to get so many soldiers to Allsa One?"

Elissa smiled enigmatically at her Minister of Security. "It's been done before and we have friends with long memories."

Chapter 20

"FUCK!"

Jack woke with a start and gasped as he looked down at his body. It seemed to be in one piece and wasn't a burnt cinder. The terrible burning sensation was gone and he felt... fine. He looked around and saw he was in a small, square room which was open on one end. There was a water dispenser in the corner and what looked like a place to 'dispose of wastes' as the Allsa Komanae put it. Other than that there was no furniture in the room.

He stood up and walked towards the open end and saw something as he got closer to the opening. There was a slight orange glimmer over the space like a thin wall of light. Standing just inside it he felt an odd pushing sensation on his horns. It felt like something was pushing his head back and away from the opening. He carefully reached forward and-

"FUCK!"

Jack danced back from the light wall shaking his fingers which tingled from the shock he'd received.

"Everybody has to try that at least once," said a voice from outside.

"Hello? Who's there?" Jack asked.

There was a guttural rumbling with several clicks thrown in for fun. "Can you pronounce that? No? How about Ghia?"

Jack moved closer to the opening and peered across the dimly lit hall. There was another room like his and inside was... someone like Kekk! "Hello Ghia! I'm Jack. Do you know someone named Kekk?"

"KEKK? How do you know that name?" was her excited reply. Jack got the impression that his fellow prisoner was female.

"I was confined to a building with him and some others just... uh, how long have I been down here?" he said.

"Time is difficult to track in this unchanging place but I believe it has been roughly a day. Kekk is my mate."

"Ah! He isn't aware that you're here. He told me he had to return to you on your home planet." Jack explained.

"I'm leverage then. A means to control him," she said contemplatively.

"From what I've been told the Prime selected us for unknown purposes," Jack suggested.

"Oh, I know why my people were chosen. The Allsa Komanae need warriors. Our planet is within their area of control. They see us as a slave race of warriors. They intend to breed us and create their own armies."

"That... makes sense I guess. You are very physically intimidating compared to them," he offered.

"Except we aren't aggressive. We aren't suitable as warriors. Also, we have long gestation periods with just a single offspring and only go into heat once every four years. We breed too slowly for this plan. They did not think that one through."

"They aren't too bright when it comes to biological processes. The Prime is supposed to be brilliant in comparison."

"Which means she will quickly determine we have no value in this plan and will likely dispose of us. We must escape before that happens."

"Uh, the last update I got was that the Prime was just two days out and you say I've been here for one," Jack replied.

There was silence as Ghia absorbed this.

Jack leaned closer to the light wall so he could see the other cells down the hall. That pushback was still forcing his horns away from the field but he leaned in ever so carefully as he thought he saw someone watching him from inside a cell just-

SNAP!

Jack's head was spinning and the short hairs all over his body were standing on end as a high pitched whine buzzed in his ears. He tilted his head up and discovered he was lying on the floor of the room halfway back from the light wall.

He could just barely make out the sound of someone calling his name. He sat up and rubbed his arms to get the hairs to lie down. His tunic clung to him due to the static charge he'd picked up.

"Jack! Can you hear me?" a faint voice called from across the hall. Ghia.

He pushed himself to his feet and walked closer to the opening. He stayed back and peered across. She looked excited for some reason. The buzzing was finally settling down and his hearing was coming back.

"Wow! That force field really packs a punch!" he called out.

"Jack! That wasn't normal behavior for the force field! It gives painful shocks but not huge flashes of light and certainly not a momentary weakening across all of the doors! What did you do?"

"What do you mean, what did I do? I ignored the push back and got too close. It shocked me."

"Push back? What are you talking about?" she asked eagerly.

Jack blinked at her. "The push back. When you get close to the field it pushes back." Then he thought about that and it hadn't pushed his hand back. "Well, it pushes my horns back."

She was looking at his horns. "What are those shiny patches on your horns?"

He reached up and yanked his fingers away as the silver was cold! "GEEZUS! That's cold!" He looked across at Ghia. "It's pure silver."

"It reacted very strangely with the force field. The arc in your field caused ours to weaken momentarily. I believe if you struck your field hard enough with the silver you might overload the field and cause a massive electromagnetic pulse. We might all be able to exit from our cells.

Jack looked across the hall at her excited expression and shook his head. "Didn't you see what happened to me from just a small touch? It knocked me across the room on my ass and I passed out. It may completely fry my brain if I hit it harder!"

"You said yourself. The Prime is coming soon. She's smarter than the others. If we don't make an attempt now we may as well give up! Besides, the field will collapse before it can do you any serious harm. You didn't see it dim like I did." She paused as she thought of something. She looked towards the end of the hall. "Come to think of it the Allsa Komanae will likely have noticed that fluctuation and are probably on their way to investigate. We have to move NOW!" Ghia insisted.

Jack had to admit he was seriously worried about what First was going to do to him since he poisoned their well of eternal youth. He heard a noise from the entrance.

"Wait! Hit it with everything you have when they get in front of your cell! When mine fails I will hit them from behind!" she whispered to him.

Jack felt his nerves go on high alert. "This is fucking crazy!" he muttered to himself nervously as he moved back to crouch down with his feet braced against the back wall. This would let him launch himself forward when he sprinted for the force field. He decided to leap at it so he wasn't touching the ground when he hit. Hopefully this would keep him from grounding the charge through his body.

Motion caught his attention as the first Allsa Komanae began to come into view. Jack exploded up from his crouch and managed three hard steps before he flung himself like a flying missile at the field, horns first.

Jack had his eyes tightly shut as he hit but he was still blinded by the enormous flash. A shock instantly ran through his body and the boom was deafening. He didn't lose consciousness but his senses were dulled for a short period.

He became aware that he was lying stretched out on a concrete floor. It wasn't as smooth as his cell's floor so he was outside. He heard a quiet but high pitched warbling squeal nearby which was quickly silenced by deep concussive thumps. Then there was only silence.

He opened his eyes but there was only blackness. He immediately panicked that he'd blinded himself.

"Jack. Are you alright?"

Ghia. Nearby.

"I- I think I might be blind," he said, his voice trembling.

"There is no visible light since the blast. All electrical systems are down. I can see in infrared so I can see enough to move around. I have... finished killing the three who came in. The blast cut right through them. It was wondrous to see! I've checked but none of the devices they carry seem to be working. The EMP seems to have been much larger than I calculated." Jack felt her gentle touch as she lifted him to his feet.

SNAP!

"Ouch!" Ghia yelped as she got a shock from Jack. He was elated as he'd seen the bright blue spark. It meant his eyes still worked.

"Sorry. I picked up a bit of a charge from that burst," he said trying to get his footing. There was something on the floor near his feet.

"You are kicking a dead guard."

"Oh. Can you lead me out of here?" he asked and she guided him past the bodies.

They stopped again and he felt Ghia turning.

"We are leaving. You may join us."

"I cannot see." A deep voice said from Jack's left. It sounded like a Grellian.

"I can and I will lead you and Jack out but we must move quickly." Ghia said.

"Jack?" the Grellian asked.

"Hi. That's me," Jack said into the darkness.

"He's the one who freed us. May I touch your hand?" Ghia asked.

The Grellian made an odd groaning sound.

Jack recognized the Grellian's anxiety about touching a lesser species. He didn't have time for this. "You may scrub yourself with sand once we get out of this dark place. Let's go!"

Ghia positioned Jack and held his arm reaching backwards. He got the idea as he left it there until he felt the hard plating of the Grellian's hand in his. More groaning. Ghia pulled on his hand and he pulled on the Grellians and they made their way forward quickly. The door must have been open as he felt a little breeze. Ghia increased her pace and he pulled the struggling being behind him as they encountered a ramp.

"We are going to move very quickly and quietly now as we must reach the top of the ramp to get to the ground level. We will stop at the top. Be ready."

Jack kept a tight grip on both hands and realized if they all collided at the top due to their size he was going to be the gooey center.

Then he saw it. Light. There was light near the top of the ramp. He heard the Grellian's sigh over its heavy breathing as they didn't typically move this fast. The group slowed and came to a stop. The Grellian yanked its hand free of Jack's. He released Ghia's hand and they listened for voices. Nothing.

Ghia pushed through the door quietly and there was a twitching Allsa Komanae on the floor. She stomped on its hood and there was a quiet squelch sound and it went still.

"Not warriors eh?" Jack whispered and Ghia looked back at him in surprise then smiled.

They moved down the hall and came to a T intersection. The lights were off in either direction but to the left they could hear the hiss and squeal of upset Allsa Komanae. To the right was heat, smoke, and the acidic tang of burning electronics. The fire seemed to be growing so it wasn't safe to move that way. To go the other way meant encountering Allsa Komanae and these ones sounded alert.

"There is no other way to go. I wish we knew how many we were facing," Ghia said.

"Four. There are four," offered the Grellian. Jack looked up at the grey skinned being. Its tunic was torn and dirty. It had taken a beating but it looked like it wanted to give one now.

"You feel like getting a little payback?" Jack grinned at it.

"What is payback?"

"Beating on some Allsa Komanae," Jack clarified.

"Yes. I want that," it said in a deadpan tone.

Jack rolled his eyes and looked over at Ghia. "How about you and I run in at full speed and hit as many as we can while our friend here comes in to surprise them from behind."

"I am not your friend."

Jack scowled at the big grey dolt. "For now we have a common enemy. That makes us temporary friends."

It looked back at Jack with a frown on its stony face.

"That sounds like a plan. I wish I had a weapon though," she sighed. The Grellian suddenly walked back down the hall towards the ramp. Ghia and Jack looked at each other. Was it going back to its cell?

A moment later it returned. It handed Ghia something and they discovered it was the arm of the Allsa Komanae on the floor. The Grellian had ripped it free. It was mostly free of organic bits. Mostly.

"Thank you!" Ghia said to it.

"What about me?" Jack asked.

The Grellian stared at him then reached up, plucked the metal caps from Jack's horns and handed them to him.

"How? How did you get them off?" Jack gasped.

"They were loose. I simply pulled them free," it explained slowly as if speaking to an idiot.

Jack sighed. "Thank you." He looked at Ghia. "Let's do this before I lose my nerve." He put one of the weighted caps in each hand. Extra weight for his punch.

With a final nod to his companions Jack began to run down the hall. He picked up speed until he was running full out. He was leaving Ghia behind but he wanted all of his kinetic energy available when he reached the Allsa Komanae.

He spotted the group and luck was with him. They were standing at the entrance but were turned 90 degrees from the corridor opening so none of them was watching his rapid approach. As it had worked so spectacularly on the force field Jack launched himself into the cluster of three head first. The impact jarred his neck but the horrified screams of the Allsa Komanae made it all worthwhile as he tumbled over the three he knocked completely off their feet.

The one he'd hit directly was never getting up again. The next in line was badly hurt but struggling to get free. The third one was flailing wildly at him from the floor. Jack grabbed its arm and used the momentum to pull himself to his feet. The fourth Allsa Komanae was coming at Jack from behind and didn't see Ghia burst out of the corridor and swing the arm at its hood.

"Down!" she cried.

Jack dropped as the Allsa Komanae's fist swung at the back of this head. It ended up punching the now exposed tip of Jack's horn. The fist fragmented on the ultra-sharp, ultra-dense point just as Ghia's makeshift club broke the head in the hood. She had to leap to avoid running into the group and sailed over and past the fallen Allsa Komanae. Jack heard the heavy thump of the running Grellian so he threw himself to the side as it rushed out of the darkened hallway. It charged right over the hooded figures on the ground and stomped them to shards and paste.

When it was done it stepped free of the carnage and looked at Jack. "Payback is good."

Jack recognized the room they were in and knew how to get back to the barracks from here.

"We can get to Kekk and the others through there!" Jack said. He led the way as the three exited the building and after a quick look to make sure the coast was clear they raced across the open courtyard. It was dusk out and there were no lights for as far as they could see. In the distance they could hear screams of fear and rage as well as the muted noise of fighting with whatever weapons could be found. The slaves were taking their revenge and bloodlust was being sated.

The barracks doors were locked. Jack looked close at the mechanism and saw it needed power to keep the magnetic bolts from slamming into place. He found a mechanical lever to reset it but he didn't have the strength to break the magnet's pull. The Grellian reached past him and slammed the lever down, popping the lock and preventing its reuse.

Jack carefully pulled the door open. "Kekk!" he called out.

"Jack?"

"JACK!" yelled two female voices simultaneously from inside. He couldn't keep the grin from his face as he pushed inside and felt two soft bodies press up against him tightly.

He heard a surprised guttural rumbling with several clicks and realized Kekk had seen his mate. Jack saw them press their cheeks together.

"What happened?" Kekk asked as he looked over.

"I don't know," Jack replied.

"The electromagnetic pulse overloaded the communications center which was housed in the Prime's palace above the detention centre. When it exploded it took out the network administration center which was on the next floor up. The fire in the palace is out of control and has taken out the power grid to the entire city. The power utilities center is in a building adjoining the palace and is now on fire as well. Without these systems in place the discipline collars can't be activated."

Everyone looked at the Grellian who finished explaining and was looking around the barracks.

"How do you know all this?" Jack asked.

"It's what the Allsa Komanae were saying before we killed them," it said calmly as it continued scoping out the room.

"You can understand their language?" Jack said in surprise.

The Grellian stopped and looked at Jack. "Yes, I can understand the Allsa Komanae language. That is how I learned these things," it said slowly. Jack gritted his teeth.

"Where is Joseph?" he asked in a sudden panic.

"Don't worry, he's sleeping. We received more food for him and just fed him before the power went out," Eve said looking up at him.

"What caused the EMP?" Kekk asked.

"Ghia suggested I hit the force field on my cell with my horns as the silver on them reacted with the energy of the barrier. It worked better than I thought."

"Oh! Ghia, this is Eve and Stella. Ladies, this is Ghia, Kekk's mate." He looked to the Grellian who wandered away to the bathing area. Obviously no introductions needed there.

Eve was looking at Jack. "You're responsible for this?"

"Accidentally. I just wanted to get us out of our cells before First came back to torture me for poisoning the Prime Source or whatever it is." Jack's head whipped to look in the direction the Grellian walked. "Wait a minute! He said the network is down! I was told the collars would stun us unconscious then explode after a time if we left the network! The network being down should have triggered it!"

They all looked at each other in silence.

"Huh. I guess that was a lie." Jack huffed with a scowl.

"Do you realize what it means that the Prime Source is gone?" Eve asked him. He shook his head.

"It means it is very likely they are all going to die. There is no longer a way to replace their degenerating organic matter in a timely manner. They will also no longer be able to use Gates as that accelerates their decay. Not without a fresh source of poison free Prime genetic material."

"Like you'd find in, say, a Prime?" Jack guessed.

"Yes. She would have to donate a portion of her organic mass to be cloned. They will likely need to replace the entire cloning facility as the slightest amount of contaminant could ruin the new biomass. The problem is it takes time to clone organic matter. They can't do it fast enough to reach the quantity they had before which is required to support the current population of Allsa Komanae. Most are going to degenerate before the cloned tissue is ready for use."

Kekk and Ghia were looking at Jack in stunned admiration. He was feeling more than a little ill.

"Are- are you saying I'm responsible for genocide?" he wheezed as his knees began to wobble. He suddenly recalled his rage filled wish when Beth died for all of the Allsa Komanae to die for that.

Stella and Eve guided him over to a bench and sat with him.

Eve patted his hand. "There is still a chance for the Prime to save them. But she will be starting from a very small pool. I believe the Allsa Komanae are really just clones but incomplete pieces of a Prime whose entire biomass was given over to keep them alive. Likely until this other Prime was able to rejoin them. They can't mate. They are only clones. How the Prime intends to expand their empire I don't know."

It was getting too dark inside the barracks to see. The food processors were out. They had the components to make the nutrient paste but without power they had no food. From the sounds coming from the bathing area they still had access to water.

The Allsa Komanae on the planet were going to be pissed at this latest insurrection so they needed to plan how they were going to survive.

Jack sighed. He couldn't forget the matter of the Prime's imminent arrival. Wasn't that going to add a whole new dimension of fun to their current situation.

Chapter 21

When the truth came out on Earth the witch hunt began. No one trusted humans who sold out their people to aliens. It may not be politically correct but that's how the monkey brain of the Human species worked.

The list identified the first series of targets. Unfortunately, Avery Mansfeld was in the wind. He'd obviously planned his escape very carefully and made tracks shortly after his workstation had been hacked. He saw the writing on the wall and exited through a Gate, with assistance, to worlds unknown.

He failed to warn any of the others so when the authorities swooped in to collect the offworld spies there were a lot of surprised and angry conspirators. Colonel General Zutkov's replacement was indeed on the list and fell victim to his own hunting accident. How he managed to fall on his serrated edge hunting knife so many times was a mystery no one seemed to be in a hurry to solve.

The Generals and the Colonel made good on their promise to deliver the security specialists. Queen Elissa was informed that the troops would be coming through the Gate within the next few hours.

First through was Rosseau's platoon of twenty combat hardened soldiers. They set up on the lawn of the Altarian Ministry of Security. The leader of this group was a man by the name of Colonel Thierry Bertillon and he introduced himself to the Queen and gave her an update on their status.

Thane sent along a SEAL troop, comprised of eight five man teams. There had been quite a surge of interest from the SEAL's when the mission was first mentioned as this was the rarest of opportunities. They fell in next to Rosseau's group and their leader, Commander Jon Sinclair, joined the Queen.

General Singh arrived with his Indian Gorkhas, twenty two battle trained and seasoned soldiers. They were closely followed by Colonel MacDenny who had decided to lead his own group of ten handpicked specialists. Singh and MacDenny made their way over to the Queen.

With Gee and Bal, the Major and her three teammates Queen Elissa had their 100 'security specialists'.

Two ancient Tik made their way over to Queen Elissa's group. They waved at Nann who blushed in recognition. They had small boxes bolted to their dented sides.

"Hello, I am Socrates and this is Plato. We understand you are ready to embark upon your rescue mission for Ambassador Jack Danner?" Its voice came from the added on box.

"Yes. We are ready. I wish to thank you once more for your assistance in this matter," Elissa said with a bow.

Plato raised a tentacle. "When you reach your ultimate destination please determine if there are others who are in the same situation as Ambassador Danner. We have recently been reminded of an ancient Earth phrase, 'Where there is smoke, there is cake-"

"No! It's ''Where there is smoke, there is fire'!" Socrates growled.

"Ah... yes, that makes more sense. Fire. My point is if Jack Danner was kidnapped maybe others who we have noted the disappearance of are there as well."

"We will make every effort to rescue those who have fallen victim to such activities," Elissa promised.

Commander Sinclair looked over the amassed fighters and their gear and shook his head. "Pardon my skepticism but I still don't understand how we are going to safely walk all of these 'security specialists' through a Gate to our destination without being picked off as we enter. It's a choke point!"

Socrates turned to the Commander. "Who said you would be walking?" It whistled to two waiting silver Tik who promptly opened a small Gate and disappeared through it.

Singh looked at the Gate and back to the Tik. "I believe that Gate is much too small."

"Indeed. How about this one?" Plato gestured upwards towards the end of the field.

The group looked upwards as a huge ripple appeared in the sky. From their angle it just appeared as a slightly darker square of blue sky until they realized it was a mirrored Gate reflecting the sky above them. The scope of the Gate was beyond any they'd seen before. Even the largest Cargo Gates was dwarfed by this gargantuan portal.

"That is certainly large enough!" Singh muttered.

"But it's 500 metres up in the sky!" Sinclair noted.

"Humans are an impatient race." Socrates sighed.

"Indeed," Plato agreed.

Something appeared in the center of the mirror and grew as whatever it was moved towards them from the other side of the Gate. Once the sharp points of many sensor antennae were through the square structure they were mounted on pushed through the mirror surface. Then a wider square structure supporting the first. Then another, each wider than the previous.

"It- it looks like a building! On its side?" MacDenny asked.

Still the massive structure pushed through, ever widening though no longer in a steady progression of stacked squares. Now the surface was curved as it grew ever wider. The structure was throwing a massive shadow over the field below. When it reached its maximum width the Gate was just a few dozen feet wider. Then they spotted wide rectangular openings begin along the lower edges on the sides and its true purpose became clear at last. It was a ship! It was a flying... carrier!

And it was utterly silent.

"Oh my god. How- how is something so vast staying aloft?" Cha'Risa gasped.

Socrates moved forward to address the group. "Gravity field generators. Like you use in your vehicles and the Tik use for mobility only these are truly massive. This is the sister ship from a fleet of two. It is much smaller than its sibling. We call it the Blade of Reason. We renamed it as the original name only made sense to the species who commissioned it. We have brought this ship out of storage for the explicit use of Queen Elissa and her security detail for this rescue mission. It is manned by Tik who have been trained to operate it. It will not function for anyone else and it will go back into storage once this mission is complete. Is this understood?"

The awestruck humans just nodded.

"Is it going to... land?" MacDenny asked with a lump in his throat as the ship continued to arrive through the Gate. The end began to taper in so they could now get a true picture of just how colossal the ship was.

"No. There will be shuttles to bring the personnel and equipment up to the ship. They will arrive momentarily," Socrates said.

"Aside from the sheer power of its presence does it carry any offensive or defensive armament? It's a pretty big target floating in the sky." Sinclair asked.

"It is well protected and can deliver its own punch should that become necessary. As you have so accurately noted its presence was often enough to settle disputes," Plato answered.

They could see dozens of small flatbed personnel carriers flying out of the bays along the lower edge. They swung wide and landed on the field not far from the military personnel.

"It is time to hit road surface!" Plato called out.

"Hit the road!" Socrates corrected.

"That is what I said!" Plato barked back.

The officers left to organize their group's boarding the small carriers to get up to the ship.

One of the carriers landed next to the Queen's group and the two Tik originally assigned to the Major's team floated over to them.

"We have completed our original mission. We would like to ask if you could give us names now," the one they knew as 'four-oh-one' asked. The Major recognized it from a distinct scratch on its side that it received when it got stuck in the food wagon.

"Lapsha!" Maxim leaned forward to blurt.

Leo pointed to its partner which... still had the kitten, now sleeping, in its coiled tentacle. "Neko."

"Thank you! These are excellent names! We have also brought you the one you named Ray. It wishes to join the mission."

"What?" Cha'Risa gasped.

A shiny silver Tik which had approached from behind the other two hovered closer and waved a tentacle.

"Hello Major." The voice was unmistakably Ray's.

"How... how can this be..." Nann mumbled as she looked at her shocked reflection on the side of the new Tik.

"Ah yes, well... it seems my 'clever little AI algorithm' might have been far more clever than I thought. I came to the attention of the Tik on Earth as they are insatiably curious about all forms of life. My algorithm actually achieved a significant level of sentience. The copy I maintained and nurtured for years and finally activated with the final update was... me, but it wasn't stable. It would have rapidly disintegrated over the next few months. It wouldn't have been pretty. They offered me a chance to live. Of course I said yes! The Tik transferred me to the one form of body that could sustain my new non-corporeal being." He gestured to his new chrome body. "What's really weird though is how natural this feels. I didn't have to learn how to use my new body."

"It's really you?" Cha'Risa asked quietly.

"Yes, it's really me... but not the same me that was in my physical body." Ray explained.

"Geezus Ray! You found a way to cheat death!" Nann asked.

"No! The Tik examined my algorithm and couldn't find how it instantiated life. I've looked at it as well and I have to agree. On its own it shouldn't have done what it did. I'm glad it did but I don't know how to duplicate it. I- I thought it was just a clever copy. Besides the Tik won't transfer Human lives into Tik bodies even if they knew how. It would lessen the value on Human life."

The commandos moved forward to touch their fallen comrade.

"Shall we board the ship?" Lapsha said to the group gesturing towards the shuttle.

The Major, wiping a tear from her eye roughly, leaned in towards Maxim to speak quietly. "Lapsha?"

"Is Russian for 'Noodles'."

"Ah."

Queen Elissa followed Socrates and Plato and climbed onto the flatbed surface to walk up to the front by the driver's cab. The rest followed though Hellna remained on the lawn, a nervous look on her face. Elissa smiled down at her friend.

"Don't fret Hellna. I'm in the best of care. I will see you soon."

Hellna just smiled and nodded though the worry never left her eyes.

The shuttle lifted and moved closer to the army personnel where it settled down again. MacDenny, Singh, Sinclair and Bertillon boarded and moved up to speak with the Queen. The shuttle lifted once more and rose up towards the Blade of Reason. The Gate near its tail end had finally closed so it was now completely in Altarian space.

The shuttle passengers were struck speechless as the enormous vessel appeared to grow more unfathomably huge as they approached. Their minds were telling them it couldn't be. Nothing so massive and solid should be floating quietly in the sky pretending to be just another cloud.

They passed through a gentle energy field at the landing bay entrance and the shuttle moved well inside the bay before it landed by a large door leading inside the ship. Lapsha shut down the shuttle and they disembarked. Neko acted as their guide and led the group to the bridge. Vast displays encircled the chamber giving 360 degrees of visibility in all directions.

Socrates approached the Queen. "All of your security people have boarded. What is our destination?"

"Allsa One. The hub world for the Allsa Komanae. We will speak to the leader there to confirm the current location of our Ambassador. We will also find the coordinates of the Allsa Komanae home world," she answered.

"Will we be putting boots on the ground there?" Sinclair asked.

Queen Elissa turned to the man. "It will depend on how cooperative the Allsa Komanae are when we politely ask our questions. I don't expect them to be cooperative at all so we should have a team ready to do rapid strikes to obtain certain intelligence targets. Namely the Allsa One leaders. Collecting the coordinates for the home world will be a challenge. We know they use space travelling jump ships to fly between Allsa One and the home world. We will need a team to take control of the spaceport. Nothing gets off the ground. The coordinates to the home world will be known to the pilots. If the leadership of Allsa One does not provide us with this information securing a pilot for interrogation will be required. We will also need to disable their communications center so they don't warn the home world."

She turned to a nearby Tik. "May we have the map of Allsa One's capital on the display?"

One of the huge screens filled with a map of the capital city.

"Please highlight the Administrative Offices," she asked the Tik.

A long rectangular building near the center of the city lit up. "This is where the leaders will be. There will be three of them with staff."

Sinclair looked at the other officers. "Half of my group will collect these targets. The others will assist Bertillon's group with the spaceport."

Elissa looked to the Tik once more. "Highlight the spaceport next please."

This facility was on the outer edge of the map. Isolated from the city by a row of forested hills. There was a terminal building, administrative offices, three launch cradles and a vast cargo port.

"My team will take the spaceport," Bertillon stated and looked at Sinclair. "Your teams will take the ships." The Commander nodded.

"Colonel, my team and I would like to accompany you and your people as well," Major Ash requested and received a nod from the man.

"The Communications Center, please." The Tik switched the highlight to a building opposite the Gate Terminal.

"My lads will take this target offline." MacDenny grinned.

"My 'lads' will protect the Queen." Singh finished.

"We will arrive, make our request for the location of the Ambassador and once they refuse to answer, we will take the steps I just described. We must be prepared to move quickly. Now, Allsa One will have citizens of other worlds on it. Only the Allsa Komanae are to be targeted unless defensive fire is required. Is that understood?" Queen Elissa said and received nods from the men. "The Allsa Komanae restrict off-world visitors to the Gate Terminus, the Administrative Offices and the commerce buildings which are all within a two block radius of the Gate Terminus. Beyond that perimeter encountering a non-Allsa Komanae would be unexpected and the only non-Allsa Komanae at the spaceport will be kidnapping victims."

She looked into the eyes of each person standing before her. "How we do here will directly affect our success when we reach the home world. We must strike hard and fast."

She gestured to the Tik who had been helping her. "Get a copy of the map, brief your teams on their objectives and let me know when you are ready." More nods and they began to move towards the Tik. General Singh paused and looked back at the Queen.

"When we arrive like a harbinger of doom in their skies what if they choose a pre-emptive attack. We saw how long it took this ship to get through its Gate." Singh advised.

"If they choose to attack the ship the Tik assure me we are allowed to use the ship's considerable armament to suppress that fire. I'm told we only need to be 10% through the Gate to use the first and most destructive of these weapons. "

That seemed to satisfy them. They received the map in their comms and left to speak with their teams.

The Major and her team were still on the bridge with Queen Elissa so she turned to them. "While I'm trying to get the location of the home world from their leaders I want you to concentrate on these... space pilots. We need those coordinates!"

"We're on it," the Major said.

The two elder Tik approached the group after conferring with the Tik who operated the ship. "We are ready."

Gee pulled a package from an inner pocket and handed it to Queen Elissa. "This is from Hellna. She would like you to wear it while you are on this mission."

Elissa took the tissue paper wrapped bundle and opened it. Inside was a white gauzy garment much like the ones worn by Gee and Bal except longer and it had a wide hood. She looked at it in surprise.

"It's protection against projectile and energy weapons and the hood will not impair your peripheral vision's motion detection. Seal the hood and you have a five minute supply of breathable air and it's fire resistant. Additionally, it's proven to psychologically intimidate Allsa Komanae," Gee continued.

"It's also lovely," she said as she pulled it on.

"Regal!" Major Ash said as she smiled. The Queen answered her smile with a twinkle in her eyes. "We're going to join Colonel Bertillon's group so we'll be ready when we get there."

Bal stepped up to Maxim and handed him a small metal box. "Seeds. Make sure those ships never fly again." Maxim nodded and grinned widely at Bal who gave him the hint of a smile.

Once the team left with Lapsha and Neko in their wake it was just the Queen, Gee and Bal, and the two senior Tik on the bridge with the Tik operating the ship. The displays had returned to showing them the 360 degree view of Altaria.

Small windows appeared on the display for each of the military leaders. Each reported the readiness of their teams. The Queen acknowledged this and nodded to Socrates. The order was given and an enormous Gate snapped into place before the ship.

"Take us forward. Battle speed." Socrates called out.

There was no impression of motion but the ground below the ship began moving and they floated towards the huge mirror, touched it and began to slip through.

"I estimate we are moving three times faster than the ship was originally moving when it arrived on Altaria." Gee said watching the screen carefully.

"Two point seven eight times faster to be precise," Plato corrected.

The displays pointing forward began to show an entirely different world. The sun was in its late afternoon position on Allsa One where it was high noon on Altaria.

"We are picking up chatter from below. They have definitely noticed our arrival. We have incoming."

"Neutralize it," Socrates ordered.

There was a slight thump sound and the missile suddenly stopped like it struck a solid wall. The crushed rocket exploded ineffectively as it tumbled back to the ground.

"Target the source of that missile," the senior Tik said.

"Two Allsa Komanae atop a roof overlooking the main square. Reloading their weapon."

"Queen Elissa, your orders?"

"Taking them out might put innocent citizens at risk."

Sinclair piped up. "We could take the target out with a sniper round once we are in range."

"Do it." Elissa ordered.

The ship was now a third of the way through the Gate over the capital city and it was attracting plenty of attention. Skimmers were rising from the land below to fly towards the ship. The drivers and the passengers were pointing weapons out the windows of the vehicles.

"Is there a safe way to ground those skimmers? I don't want them falling onto the people below." Elissa asked.

"Take out the drivers. The vehicles will automatically return to the ground if they are unmanned." Gee suggested.

"These are your immediate sniper targets Commander Sinclair."

"Acknowledged."

They watched the screen as skimmer after skimmer suddenly stopped their ascent and began gently descending. A few brave or foolhardy passengers pushed their dead drivers from the vehicles and attempted to continue rising. These new drivers quickly joined their compatriots. Soon all of the skimmers were settling to the ground.

A second thump. "Second incoming missile destroyed."

Almost simultaneously the display showed the two Allsa Komanae on the rooftop flying to pieces as multiple sniper rounds intersected their bodies.

"Targets eliminated," Sinclair confirmed needlessly.

"Thank you Commander."

The ship was almost completely through the Gate and it was time for Elissa to speak to the 'powers-that-be' on the planet's surface. "Broadcast on all frequencies, please."

With a gesture from Socrates Elissa began.

"This is Queen Elissa of Altaria. Under my authority the Blade of Reason has entered the airspace above Allsa One's capital city. We are not here for conquest. We are here for our Ambassador Jack Danner who was kidnapped by parties under the orders of the Allsa Komanae. You have thirty seconds to respond to this message or we will take steps to locate him ourselves." She nodded and the signal was cut. They listened for a response but the chatter quickly tapered off into silence.

The Queen watched the clock counting down and at three seconds there was a crackle as a signal from the Administrative Office responded.

"This is First of Allsa One. You will leave our airspace immediately. We will be filing a war crime grievance with-"

The Queen looked at her military support. "Proceed with your objectives."

They quickly nodded and left to join their men. Soon shuttles were rushing out of the landing bays and racing down to the planet's surface. First's transmission appeared to becoming from his office in the Administrative building. The SEAL teams brought their shuttles down close to the entrances and they rushed inside.

Bertillon's shuttles and those carrying the second half of the SEAL teams rushed off towards the spaceport as MacDenny's two shuttles shot almost vertically downwards towards the Communications Center at breakneck speed.

"Aren't they going a little fast?" Queen Elissa asked and listened to their feed. "Is- is that laughter?"

Something was ejected from the gravity field on both open flatbeds. The field kept everyone and everything in place during maneuvers such as their nosedive. Once the objects were outside the fields they became gravity fed missiles dropping right for the rooftop antennae array of the Communications Center. The shuttles rapidly pulled away from these projectiles and swung wide in a loop to bring them in fast to the building's front entrance just as the satchel bombs took out the antennae. Grinning and laughing like maniacs the team rushed straight into the building amidst the chaos.

The shuttles heading for the spaceport had dropped down behind the ridge and visibility wasn't so good due to some low level clouds trapped by the ridge. Of course it also shielded the shuttles from being spotted as they rushed towards their target.

Queen Elissa held her breath for her new friends. It had to be frightening to be rushing into battle like that!

Maxim and Leo were grinning happily as they readied their weapons. The cloak and dagger stuff of hunting down the data cache wasn't really their forte. Kicking some Allsa Komanae butt, now that they could do! Nann hid her smile at their acting like two kids in the candy store and gave them a scowl when they noticed her attention.

"Are you school kids or soldiers! Wipe those smiles off your faces and stay frosty! This is as hostile an environment as we are going to get aside from the home world. Allsa Komanae hate humans. They want us dead and now that we're here on their turf they want us dead twice over," she barked and the two men quickly cleared their expressions and nodded.

Nann turned back to the Major who was checking her own weapon with a satisfied smile on her lips. "Not you too!" Nann grumbled.

"I'm excited too!" Ray said.

"Do you even have a weapon?" Nann asked.

"My brain!" Ray exclaimed.

Nann rolled her eyes. "Ugh, he's worse than he was when he was flesh and bone."

"No! Really! My brain feels like it's a zillion times faster and I don't need to type anymore! I can talk directly to any machine!"

"Are you going to think the enemy to death? What will you do when they shoot at you? You're not bullet proof are you?" she growled.

"With all these soldiers running around with weapons, they won't even notice one little Tik! You just keep an eye on your own fleshy butt."

Nann stopped and slowly turned to face the new Tik. "Did you just call my ass fat?" Nann asked quietly.

"What? No! I didn't! I swear I said nothing of the sort!" Ray sputtered, waving his tentacles in a placating way.

"That's what I heard him say." Cha'Risa said looking at Nann. Ray spun to look at the Major then back to the indignant redhead.

"Pretty cheeky for a voice in a tin can!" Nann growled.

"I'm sorry! I didn't mean-" Ray stopped when he detected Nann's belly shaking from her suppressed laughter.

"Oh... really funny. A million laughs. It's gang up on Ray day again is it?" he growled.

The Major had a tear in her eye as she patted the side of her friend's new 'body'. "It's really nice to have you back again Ray," she said.

Nann smiled and nodded. It was really nice but they were coming in hot and it was time to put everything else aside. She caught the Major's eyes and saw the same look in them. She scowled at her Russians and saw Ray was facing the base.

"Colonel! Gun emplacements in the towers near the front gates." Ray said using his superior vision to spot them. Bertillon spoke to someone on his comm and muzzle flashes could be seen from the shuttle next to theirs. The gate towers blossomed into two large fireballs.

"Looks like they just found out we are coming in. Major Ash, is your team with me or are you going after the ships."

"The ships, sir."

"Colonel Bertillon. I can see more long range communication antennae on the far side of the administration buildings. They will need to be taken out." Ray called out. The Colonel spoke into his comm once more and two of their shuttles accelerated to reach the far side of the building as they reached the front entrance. The shuttles with the SEAL teams began peeling off to head for the ships. They were leaving the closest ship for the Major and her team.

Bertillon's men picked off the few guards foolish enough to start shooting back.

The moment the shuttles touched down the troops were on the ground and running.

Maxim and Leo took point as they circled the building. Ray shot off to the right so they others let him go. They couldn't keep up if they wanted to anyway.

They got to the far corner of the building and peered around to see their target. The ship was on the launch cradle and it looked like there was a crew of Allsa Komanae scrambling to get it fueled for take-off.

Nann pulled her sniper rifle from her pack and snapped the long barrel onto it. She quickly calibrated the scope then in rapid succession took out the three men manning the hoses and the one operating the fueling truck.

They heard a rumbling behind them and saw two cargo trains skimming past them on the way to the ship. The one closest to them slowed down.

"Major! Get everyone on board! I have the trains slaved to me," Ray called out from the first open cargo bay. Leo sprinted the short distance to the second cargo car and jumped in. Maxim followed and the others ran for the end cars. The first train was drawing all the fire from the remaining Allsa Komanae by the ship's loading bay. They were close enough for Maxim and Leo to hit their targets and the incoming fire quickly stopped as they picked off the guards.

Ray had their decoy train move to the opposite side of the ship as they pulled in by the open cargo bay. He shut down the trains and they sprinted to the cargo door. Ray saw a group of ten small rectangular storage pods waiting to be loaded. He scanned them and suddenly froze.

"Major!"

"What is it?"

"The pods! They contain... children. Most are human children!"

"What?!?" She ran over to the first pod and went to open it.

"NO! They're in stasis. It's safer for them to stay like that for now. We shouldn't open them until we get them back onto our ship." Ray moved into the cargo area and scanned the pods inside. "I have three more in here. The rest are just full of normal cargo junk."

Nann and the Major kept watch as Maxim, Ray, and Leo moved the three pods outside onto their train in the last car. They moved the other ten onto the train which didn't leave much room for the team.

"Ray! Can you hack your way into the ship's navigation system?" Nann asked him.

"Uh, maybe. I can try but I'm going to need to get to a main terminal. The cargo area doesn't have a terminal and the crew has locked the inner door manually from the inside."

"Boys?" Nann said to Maxim and Leo. They rushed back into the ship. Moments later they rushed out and everyone ducked behind the engine of the cargo train. Nothing happened for a few seconds and Nann was about to ask when the charge blew. The noise was deafening and the lower half of the ship bulged outwards destroying the cradle the ship was sitting in.

They all peered over the engine at the destroyed ship. There was a tear in the hull plating up the side so wide Ray was able to fly through it into the Engineering department to find a terminal.

"Geezus! What the fuck was that?!? How much explosive did you use?" Nann griped, seeing the damage. "We should have been much further away!"

"Ship's hull contained blast... mostly. I used only two seeds. It took three to blow windshield." Leo muttered.

"You're using that crazy organic shit from the Altarians? You know that stuff's too powerful! The windshield would have been some kind of reinforced polymer on an armored personnel carrier! Of course it took more!" the Major barked.

"Bal said destroy ships. This does both," Leo answered.

Ray returned. "Sorry Major, the ship is dead as is the rest of its crew. They were behind the door when it blew. The blast cut the power to the computers too. I'll need access to a ship before Leo blows it up.

Taking a position on the engine Ray got the cargo trains moving again as his teammates got comfortable in the car directly behind the engine. Their shield train was still with them, out front between them and the remaining two ships.

Cha'Risa contacted the SEAL team at the second ship to let them know they were on their way. The Captain she reached reported the crew had locked themselves inside and without blowing a hole in the ship to get inside they were stalemated. They wanted the pilot for interrogation.

The trains approached the ship and they heard a siren start to wail.

"Uh Major, I think it's preparing to launch." Nann said.

"Leo, give Nann five seeds. Nann hit the side of that ship! Up top, away from the cargo hold."

"Captain, pull your team back. We're going to blow the ship!" Cha'Risa yelled into her comm.

They watched the SEAL team beat a hasty retreat as the cradle began to enclose the ship in preparation for launching it.

Nann prepared a payload round and Leo dropped five of the seeds into the impact gel. She slapped the round into her sniper rifle, aimed, and fired before the cradle was completely in position. Seconds later the ground jumped under them as the cradle split open and the top half of the ship tore free and crashed to the ground.

"I think it's a fair bet to assume this ship is dead too. Let's get to the cargo before it burns up," Nann called out over the noise.

They pulled up and Ray shot forward. He hooked a tentacle into the wreckage of the cargo bay door and ripped it open. He suddenly shot sideways as a plasma bolt fired out of the open doorway glancing off his side.

"OW! FUCK!" he yelled as Maxim leapt forward to fire three rounds into the Allsa Komanae lying on the floor of the cargo bay.

"RAY!" Nann screamed.

"I'm ok! He just grazed me but FUCK did that hurt!"

Leo walked up to Ray and gave him an angry shove. "You open door, you stand aside! Always!"

"Sorry," Ray said.

"GO! Check cargo." Leo said, rattled by the close call.

Ray swooped around Maxim and scanned the pods. "I have three more. All children. One is human." He began unhooking the pods from the restraints. Leo and Maxim carried the pods outside where the SEALs took them to the cargo train.

"Why are they stealing children?" the SEAL Captain asked as he reached the cargo bay.

"No idea. Ray, is there any chance you could get anything from the computers in this ship?" the Major asked.

"Sorry, no. We only have one more chance."

"What are you trying to do?" the Captain asked.

"We need a working computer terminal on one of these ships so Ray can read their navigation system to get the coordinates to the homeworld. Two out of the three ships have been destroyed. Last chance." Cha'Risa explained.

The Captain nodded and spoke into his comm to reach the sailors at the last ship. He spoke quietly for a few seconds. He looked back at the others. "They've breached the ship and are making their way inside. They know we need the ship intact."

Ray rushed away once more to a maintenance building on the edge of the tarmac and moments later they saw a large vehicle roll out of it and turn their way. It was some kind of firefighting equipment but best of all it had plenty of room for passengers. The cargo train which wasn't riddles with holes was now full of cargo pods so the personnel climbed onto the large vehicle. Ray got the shield train moving towards the third and final ship and had the full train follow. Then he got their ride moving and pulled it up beside the second train.

"We have the pilot!" the Captain called out, listening to his comm. His team cheered.

They pulled up along the side the third ship and Ray shut down all of the vehicles.

The Major called Queen Elissa.

"Major Ash! Is everyone alright?"

"Yes though Ray has a nasty scar."

"Oh my! Tell him to be more careful!"

"We found quite a few kidnap victims in the cargo of two of the ships. They are in stasis pods. They're all children."

"Children?" her voice was quiet.

"Yes, so far all children. They had to be recent abductions. Most seem to be human and the rest are from a bunch of different races."

"I'll send shuttles and Tik to pick them up." The Queen's voice had ice in it. "Excellent work Major. Please pass along my thanks to the others."

"Thank you. Captain Vickers tells me we have a pilot in custody and we are going to ask Ray to try to read the navigation logs of this ship."

"Excellent! The city administrators were killed by their staff before the SEAL teams got to them. It was a bloody battle but only minor injuries on our side. The teams are heading back to the ship. Keep me informed of your progress!" Queen Elissa said, her voice warming up considerably.

Ray was already flying over to the ship. The SEALs led the pilot from it and Ray went inside. He scanned the cargo and found five more children. The SEALs carried the pods outside and put them in the intact cargo bays of the shield train as Ray went up to the bridge. He scanned the computers and saw how he could interface with it. He found the navigation logs and began downloading them. Then he noticed something else.

The Major sent both cargo trains back to the spaceport double-time. Colonel Bertillon reported that all Allsa Komanae in the buildings were dead. They'd refused to surrender and fought to the death. All of the pilots in the base were dead as well. They'd taken their own lives rather than be interrogated. Cha'Risa frowned and watched their prisoner being led to the truck. Why was it acting so... calm?

SHIT!

Ray's voice blasted out over everyone's comm. "EVERYONE GO! THE SHIP'S ENGINES ARE SET TO OVERLOAD! GET CLEAR! NOW!!!"

"RAY! GET OUT OF THERE!" Nann yelled into her comm from the driver's compartment of the truck where she'd been familiarizing herself with the controls.

"No time to wait, I'll be right behind you! GO!"

Nann got the truck started and the sailors jumped onboard. The truck jerked forward then began to accelerate towards the admin buildings. Cha'Risa was standing on a platform on the back of the truck holding a grip bar as she watched for Ray.

They were almost back to the building when she saw something ejecting from the front of the ship towards them in a ballistic arc. Then the ship blew in a huge flash of white light. The shockwave raced outwards.

The truck swung wide and Cha'Risa clung to the handrail with all her might as the truck ducked in behind the shelter of the building before the blast wave struck. The building's windows blew out and the five story edifice shook on its foundations.

The Major frantically looked upwards just in time to see a tumbling ejection capsule drop into the trees of the ridge line a few kilometers away. No parachute had deployed.

Seconds later the shuttles arrived to pick up the cargo pods. Nann dropped down from the cab just as Maxim, Leo, and the Major ran past. "WHERE'S RAY?" she yelled. The Major just gestured for her to follow.

She chased them to the closest shuttle. The Major told the Tik pilot to lift off and head up the ridge line. It wasted no time and soon they were traveling north at treetop level. They found and hovered over the spot where the capsule had crashed through the treetops. The four commandos rode cables down to the forest floor. A few hundred metres further north they found the wreckage.

The pilot Tik joined them after it slaved the shuttle to its control. It ripped open the capsule's door and lifted Ray's motionless shape from inside. "His energy levels are much too low. We must get him back to the ship," was all the Tik said. The commandos hooked up to the cables and rose back up to the shuttle deck. They gathered around Ray as the pilot got them headed back to the Blade of Reason at top speed.

"God damn you Ray! You are NOT dying on us again!" Cha'Risa growled.

Chapter 22

Jack woke feeling almost unbearably hot and his arms were tingling. Eve and Stella were pressed up against him on both sides and his mind went to another moment so long ago where he'd woken between two hot females. He grinned.

"Are you awake now Jack?"

He lifted his head to look over Eve's head to see Kekk standing a few feet away. Behind him was Ghia looking anxious. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing is wrong. Just too many pheromones! We're going to find a place to have some private time then it is our turn to sleep. We will return shortly." He turned and Ghia took his hand. They rushed to the doorway and peered outside. They slipped out the door and were gone.

Jack dropped his head back and Eve snuggled in closer. He had to get up but Stella threw her arm over him and he was trapped once more.

He thought back to the conversation they'd had the night before. They knew they had no food and that was going to be a problem. The water was still flowing but there was no power. Once the power came back online they might be able to secure some food. Maybe. The communications and network services were the biggest threat as they controlled the collars but they weren't coming back on without power. The Grellian suggested they immediately go to the spaceport to get to the ships. Unfortunately they were quite a ways from that location and unless they could steal a ride walking was going to take all day.

They discussed plans for getting there the following day as Jack and Ghia were exhausted. In a huff the Grellian walked away from the group into the darkness... and didn't come back. Kekk looked outside and there was no sign of the large stony being. Their motley crew was minus one Grellian. Kekk and Stella took first watch and the rest slept. Jack was supposed to take a turn during the night but they let him sleep.

Now he was trapped under two soft and hot furry females.

Luckily Joseph came to his rescue as he began to fuss on the bed next to Jack's.

Instantly awake, Eve lifted her head to look over at the child and saw he was just waking. She smiled at Jack's happy grin.

"You are an excellent mother," he said.

She frowned and rolled out of bed but he caught the joy in her eyes as she moved to collect the child.

Stella clung tighter to Jack and he'd had enough. He saw the slight upturn at the corners of her mouth so he knew she was awake. He ran his teeth down her throat and released a deep rumbling growl. She bleated and grabbed at the sheets. Given his escape Jack gave her a sweet kiss and jumped off the bed before she could grab him again. She looked up at him with heat in her eyes and licked her lips.

"Am I really like that too?" Eve asked. Stella looked at her in surprise.

"No, not quite... but close. I think Altarians are naturally horny-" Jack stopped as his eyes rose upwards to the growths rising over his head.

Stella began to laugh until she couldn't breathe. Eve was watching the blush rising on his face with fascination.

Shaking his head Jack headed for the shower. He was still covered in sweat. He wondered what he was going to do about getting clean clothes.

The water was cold but it was refreshing and he was able to get clean. He was surprised Stella hadn't followed him in.

Jack walked out of the shower room putting his funky tunic back on. As it slipped over his head he spotted some stains that might be Allsa Komanae... blood? He sighed and pulled it down.

As it cleared his head he spotted Eve and Stella standing side by side looking at him with fear in their eyes. Then he spotted the stranger holding Joseph in her arms.

It was a woman. She was tall, as tall as he was, and wore a charcoal grey gown that hid her body but gave the impression that she was slim. Her head was exposed as the gown's hood was pushed back and he saw she had no hair, at all. Her skin was porcelain white which made the blue of her sensual lips seem darker. Those lips were smiling now.

"At last we meet Jack. I've been so looking forward to it."

Her voice was like the smoothest, sweetest honey dripping onto his tongue. He found himself wishing she'd keep talking then blinked in confusion.

"Prime?"

"Yes! Very good, Jack! You're not as much of a disappointment as my... underlings suggested you'd be." She practically devoured him with her large blue eyes. Glowing blue... wait, glowing?

"We need to have a little talk but this isn't the place so it's time to take a little sleep." Prime said sweetly. Eve and Stella collapsed like puppets with their strings cut. Jack took a step towards them but froze when Prime lifted Joseph in the air as if she was going to slam him down.

"You've damaged my prettiest work ever! That won't do. Hold very still now," she said and Jack was beginning to wish she would stop talking. Her voice was seriously messing up his mind.

He missed the Allsa Komanae sneaking up behind him until the stun rod jammed against the base of his skull and his brain lit up.

When he returned to his body he found himself naked on his back, secured to a table much like the one he'd been on when they attached the collar. He couldn't move his head and the memory of the pain that day came rushing back and his body jolted.

"Shhhhh... calm yourself Jack. Everything is fine."

It was Prime but he couldn't see her. The sound might have been coming from below the table.

"You really did a number on my lovely collar. I spent so much time on it ensuring it was perfectly calibrated to your biosignature so it could transmit every nuance of your experiences. Now I have to fix it while you are wearing it. I'm sorry Jack, this isn't going to be pleasant for you. The receiver is fried and that's going to require replacement of that link. That's... well that's going to hurt like nothing else you've ever felt." Her voice was calm like she was talking about something mundane like the weather.

Jack grit his teeth together as his body shook.

Prime went on oblivious to his discomfort. "I'll take care of that later. I'm so pleased the transmitter is still functioning perfectly. That would have ruined all of my plans. Once I have it recalibrated we'll take it out for a test drive. I may even share the feed with your friends over there as a nice break from all the pain. Oh yes, that's right, you can't see them. Well, it's the females you were with. They're getting a little disciplining now. I'll let you hear a bit of their sweet pain." She did something he couldn't see and suddenly he could hear Eve and Stella's cries of agony. Then it was gone. "Ah! Just a little bit. You don't deserve any more reward than that! Time for that recalibration."

She was silent for a bit and Jack began to feel flames licking at his toes. A band of heat and excruciating pain climbed up his legs. Jack began to hyperventilate as he tried to keep from screaming. His jaw clenched and he willed himself to rise above the pain. It was harder than anything he'd done before but he was next aware that the pain had already risen above his nipples and was still climbing. His jaw muscles were so rigid he was worried about cracking some teeth.

Then it was up to his chin and crossing his face. He held his breath and the band passed over his eyes and left through the top of his head. He gasped in a breath and every muscles sagged in relief. When he opened his eyes again he saw Prime was standing next to the table watching him with an odd expression.

"You didn't scream."

Jack saw something in her eyes then. Doubt. A flaw in her armor. It was only there for the briefest moment but he saw it. He closed his eyes and relaxed. He heard an odd sound and reopened them to see she had dropped her gown to her feet. Her skin was flawless and hairless. She had no breasts so he assumed her species weren't mammalian. He forced his eyes away from her sleek body.

"You- you look nothing like the other Allsa Komanae," he ground out.

"No, I don't do I." Her voice was pleased as she looked down at her body and smiled. "I'm an example of the perfection of our species while they are the result of a millennia of poisoning. They must be commended for their brave efforts to survive though. Of course that's not their doing to be truthful. It's just proof of the overpowering will of a Prime at work. The one who gave his being to this perverted cloning process to keep the species alive must have been desperate and possibly injured to have attempted something so bold. The results... a shadow of our glory but one which lasted... until you."

"Me?"

"You poisoned the Prime Source. A biological weapon strike against the very thing that kept them alive for so long. Now it's gone and they are all going to die. Slowly at first then in ever growing numbers until they are gone."

"Why are you saying that was me?" Jack asked, hoping to deflect her rage.

She reached up and pulled a corpse into view. It was suspended on a ceiling mounted rail. From the robes Jack knew it was First. "Do you remember this one? I had a long talk with it and it said some very interesting things before... well, you know." Prime explained. She reached up with her long white fingers and touched the ripped flesh almost tenderly.

"This one was truly a disappointment. Smarter than the others, I'd actually begun to think I could depend on it to get things done. I mean, it managed to arrange your capture. It followed my instructions to the letter and here you are! Earth and Altaria are at each other's throats and soon we will have a little bloodshed on both sides. Shouldn't be difficult to escalate that into something really vicious. Humans are truly barbaric at their core." She smiled down at him and stroked his cheek. "Capable of genocide."

Prime pointed over her shoulder. "The small grey one confirmed First's statements when I explained I would eat the baby unless she talked."

"Where is Joseph?" he asked.

Her blue eyes looked into his and once more he saw them begin to glow. That was oddly disconcerting.

"In a safe place. I have plans for that one. I have plans for all the children I've collected," she looked down at Jack with an almost doting smile.

"What?" he looked at her in shock.

"It's all part of the plan Jack. Of course you made it necessary for me to move my timeline ahead quite a bit. All of my people, dead at your hand. How am I going to rule if I don't have a loyal ruling class? I need to repopulate my race. That's what a Queen does. I'm the last Prime so I'm going to repopulate our world. You and me Jack, we're going to make some new Primes. Then once they are ready we will expand outwards once more.

"But... you could save some of your people if you gave them some of your tissue. They could be refreshed from your flesh. You don't need to steal children!" Jack gasped.

She looked down at him and he went completely still. The rage and revulsion on her face was terrifying.

"Give them a piece of me? Steal from perfection to feed their corrupt sickened flesh? If you weren't integral to my plans I would crush your brains between my fingers for speaking such blasphemy."

Jack just blinked at her as she struggled to get control of herself once more. "Ahhhh... very clever Jack. You almost made me forget myself and kill you. No. That won't do. You will help me renew the Mahrell Drun and the galaxy will fear that name again."

Jack suddenly realized she was quite mad.

"Why are your eyes glowing?" he asked to distract her.

She smiled and stroked his cheek with her slender hands. Then she slapped his cheek. His head rung from the slap as he was still clamped down on the table. Shit, she was strong!

"I will tell you. I was asleep for a very long time as my ship travelled from the Mahrell Drun home world to the first outpost world in the Allsa Komanae territory. It took far longer than expected and far longer than the equipment maintaining my perfection could cope with. When they thawed me out my beautiful eyes were gone. It had been too long. Luckily the Allsa Komanae are second to none when it comes to cybernetics. They matched the beauty of my natural eyes and improved what nature had given me. I see... everything! Motion detection down to the smallest increment. Every spectrum." She looked at him and smiled oddly. "But enough delays. I have a reborn race to create and you must do your part."

"Sorry, but we aren't even close species wise! How the hell are you expecting to get pregnant from me?" Jack gasped in exasperation.

"Your very nature is what makes this all possible Jack. Do try to keep up. You're a hybrid. A miraculous amalgamation of two completely different genomes. Do you have any comprehension of just how rare that is? Better yet, proving your viability you can impregnate both species! Your genetic versatility is exactly what I need! Primes are gifted with the ability to blend and alter our own DNA if we have access to the right source genome. This eliminates the problem of the Gate's effect on Prime genetics. I'll be free to travel anywhere!" She grinned at her captive audience.

"That's where you come in Jack. Before I set my plan of capturing you in motion I had one of my agents collect a sample of your DNA."

Seeing Jack's frown of confusion she grinned. "How many hands do you shake at those silly trade commission meetings? Jack, please, it was so simple to obtain the sample. I tested it and confirmed you were compatible. Then all I needed was to bring you to me. Getting to you on Altaria wasn't an option but you do love visiting your home planet don't you. Homesick maybe? All I had to do was whisper in the right ears that I wanted you, alive."

Jack's mind was reeling. She'd been plotting his capture well before he stepped into the trap.

"And here you are! With your seed I will be able to create a new race of Primes. I am ripe with eggs, just waiting for a new sequence to be written into them. I will spawn in abundance. Once I fertilize my eggs with your unique genetic sequence I will begin injecting those eggs into the children I collected. They will grow within the hosts, absorbing any genetic traits that may be suitable, until their hosts are completely consumed."

Jack stared at Prime in revulsion. "Oh fuck! Mahrell Drun are parasites?"

Again rage and madness flashed across her face and her hands went to his neck but even her long digits had trouble wrapping around his thick muscles.

Shaking she pulled herself back from the brink.

"Again... you are too clever. Far too clever. Once I have what I need I will need to dispose of you," she whispered aloud but Jack was sure she thought she was saying it internally.

She moved to the bottom of the table and climbed up. She made her way up until she lowered her body on top of his.

"This isn't going to work you understand. I'm not attracted to you. Frankly, you scare the piss out of me so getting sexually excited is probably not in the realm of possibility."

"Your fear excites me."

"That's lovely for you but like I said..."

Her face was positioned above his and her eyes were beginning to glow once more as she rocked her pelvis in circles over his limp penis.

"It's quite amusing that you believe that. You forget how driven your race is by its base urges and biology. Why do you think I created such a special collar to collect and broadcast so much of your body's sensations? It will let me know exactly what feels good and how to make you give me what I need. You won't be able to resist." Prime said calmly.

Jack suddenly felt the glass shards sensation in his mind. So not only was she trying to rape his body she wanted to rape his mind too. He was still limp but he wasn't kidding himself that his body wouldn't respond if she started doing something right. He was just fortunate that she was really bad at the whole seduction thing.

He looked into her eyes and there it was again, doubt. She could feel that he wasn't excited... at all. He knew he had to do anything he could to prevent her from killing those children. If that meant he needed to trick her into killing him then that's what he would have to do.

"Wow, you're a little out of practice with the whole sex thing. Maybe you should take up another hobby. I hear pottery making is relaxing," he said, his nervousness weakening his smirk.

Rage and doubt flared in her eyes once more. He prepared himself for a killing blow so he was taken completely by surprise when her mouth pressed against his. Her lips were wet and sticky and suddenly her tongue was in his mouth. He choked when she thrust it in too deeply. He thought of biting it but he couldn't. He just wanted her tongue out of his mouth. His lips began to tingle like they were going numb.

She pulled her face back and looked at him in frustration. Her lips were swollen and a deeper shade of blue. Her face was flushed with a blue tint as well and her breathing was coming in gasps. She was definitely getting excited but he just wanted to get away from her.

He blinked to focus his eyes as he began to feel a little strange. Sounds were slightly out of sync with his vision. The discrepancy was making him feel a little queasy.

She rubbed her groin against his but she was the only one who was receiving pleasure from that. She was getting closer but Jack was still limp as a cooked noodle.

Prime looked closer at his face and saw she'd left his mouth wet from the fluids her lips gave off. His eyes were glassy and he seemed to be unaware of his surroundings. She reached down and ran a fingertip over his lips and she felt a sudden surge of pleasure rushing through their link as his tingling lips reacted to the touch of her finger. When he let her fingertip slide into his mouth and gently sucked on it, flicking it with his tongue Prime threw her head back in their shared pleasure. She'd forgotten the effect her lips had when kissing. Seeing him suck her finger gave her an idea.

She pulled her finger from his mouth and he moaned. His eyes were rolling as the toxin in her mucus seeped into his bloodstream.

Looking at his cock she determined it would fit into her mouth. The tingling sensation on his lips applied there was going to do amazing things to this sensitive flesh. She could already feel his pleasure as she held it in her fingers. Tentatively she reached out the tip of her tongue and stroked up the thickening shaft.

"Ahhhhhhhhhhhh!" they cried out in unison. She pulled back and shook her head to clear her vision. The collar was transmitting his sensations too strongly. It was overwhelming her senses. She needed to recalibrate it once more to reduce the output but he'd have to go through that pain again and... she wanted more. She couldn't recall feeling this much pleasure... ever. Maybe if she shared the feed with the others. Limit it by spreading it around. She connected to the two females and shut off their punishment. They sagged in relief. Then she linked in the feed from Jack and dropped the sound wall around them. She wanted to hear if they were getting his signal.

She noticed his cock was beginning to soften so she stroked it with her tongue once more and kissed the tip.

"Fuck!" Jack yelled, his hips jumping involuntarily. Eve and Stella both cried out in joy as they felt Jack's pleasure and knew it was from him.

Prime found herself resting on Jack's legs as her mind was reeling from the blast of pleasure. The collar's feed was still too strong so she opened it up to the network. Let the miserable things feel a little pleasure as long as she got to continue. She realized she'd cum once already and wanted more. It had been too long!

She moved up to kiss the head once more and slowly took him inside her mouth to slide her lips down to the base of his cock, rubbing the sticky wetness over every surface as her tongue stroked and spread the liquid around. She struggled to continue as the bliss was almost two much. Jack's cock was hard as stone and felt hot against her tongue. His hips began thrusting and she wanted more. Soon she was taking him deep and running her tongue over every surface. She wanted more. MORE!

In the back of her mind a voice was crying out to her, telling her she was missing something important but she forced that voice back and concentrated and getting as much of his cock into her mouth as she could. She needed it. She wanted it. It was almost there.

"I'M CUMMING!" Jack shouted. Stream after stream of cum shot out into Prime's mouth and she swallowed as quickly as she could as her own body rocked through a massive release. She kept her mouth tightly fastened to his cock and sucked it dry.

After he came he was so sensitive the slightest touch sent huge surges of intensity. Prime pulled away from his cock but she stared hungrily at it.

His seed! She'd swallowed it! She suddenly realized she'd gotten carried away and forgotten her mission. Her mind filled with rage. It was his fault! He needed to be punished! She slapped his face and screamed as the pain surged into her mind. The strength of the pain caused her to fall from the table onto the floor. Eve and Stella cried out as well. The link! She'd left it open!

She lay there on the floor and realized she just needed to close the link then she could punish him as he needed.

She felt something happening to her body. Heat flushed through her limbs and she convulsed on the floor. Her mind was filled with static, deafening, overwhelming, then silence.

Some time passed and she became aware of herself again. She was still on the floor. She needed to do something. JACK! He... he needed to be punished!

She pushed herself up and looked down at Jack. Bad Jack.

Her body felt... different. Softer. She looked down at her porcelain skin with the hint of blue and saw her chest had swollen. Two darkish blue patches of skin rested atop the swelling. Touching the darker skin made her gasp as she realized they were sensitive! Pinching them felt... even better! She grinned.

"It's happened Jack! I'm new! The Tik can no longer stop me! Thanks to you!" He moaned in response.

She tore her mind away from this new development and turned to punish Jack.

Prime hesitated. She just needed to break her link to him but instead her hand was caressing his balls and this area wasn't feeling oversensitive. It felt... incredible. She leaned forward over the table and sucked Jack's balls into her mouth and ran her tongue over them. Her knees went weak as she felt the incredible pleasure washing over her mind. She tugged on the stiffening peaks of dark flesh on her chest which just added to her pleasure.

Under her body Jack twisted his wrist to get his fingers over her wet opening. He began to pump them into her as she sucked on his balls. His cock bumped against her face and she knew she had to have it in her mouth again. She felt so good from Jack's touch and from his bliss passing through their link. She released his balls and took his cock in her mouth down to the base in one stroke. She moaned as the link saturated her mind. It was so good! She struggled to remain conscious as wave after wave of bliss washed over her.

Once more she pumped her mouth up and down his cock and it took longer this time. Soon however she felt his cum filling her mouth as his fingers pulled hard against her sensitive flesh. She screamed her orgasm with Jack's cock pressing against the back of her throat. When she recovered she swallowed until he shrank in her mouth. She turned her head and rested it on his stomach as she laid across his body. Their afterglow was washing over her and her mind began to buzz once more.

His seed!

She was too drained to punish him for tricking her again. She would have to try again later. The very thought sent a wave of tingles through her body. She rested and contemplated closing the link but then she thought, not yet.

Noises eventually cut through the pleasing hum of her sated mind. Concentrating on the idea that she could reopen the link to Jack as she desired, she finally managed to shut it down. This broke the connection for everyone. There was a loud boom from outside the room.

Prime attempted to contact her personal guard but no one responded. She walked over to the windows and triggered their coverings to retract.

She was confronted with the impossible.

Floating in the skies above her city was... the ship she'd seen only once before as she fled Mahrell Drun in her sleeper ship.

"NO!" she screamed in rage.

The doors at the far end of the room blew open as a number of grim Human males rushed into the room, wicked curved blades held in their hands. Blue ichor dripped from their edges and more than a few of the men were wearing the blood of her people.

In their midst were two completely black Altarians who were on either side of a chocolate brown Altarian dressed in a white flowing gown. They moved forward as a group until they were just outside of leaping distance from the Prime who stood there, naked and shaking with rage.

"I assume you are the one called Prime?" the regal one in the center spoke.

Supressing her rage Prime nodded. "Queen Elissa I presume." She looked at the deadly agents at her side and the Human's guarding her. "Pet Humans or have relations between Earth and Altaria been restored."

"Relations are stronger than ever. It's amazing how unifying a common enemy can be." Elissa stated. "We also have the children you kidnapped."

"Thank god," Jack gasped from his restraints.

Prime glanced outside the window but couldn't see any of the Allsa Komanae.

"If you are looking for your people it seems most of them went mad shortly before we arrived and the others tried to kill them. It's a bloodbath out there but we got through relatively unscathed," the Queen said. She looked closer at the Prime's face. "You, ah, you seem to... you have a little something on your chin."

Prime lifted a finger to her face and wiped her chin. She looked at her finger. Jack's cum. She had some of his sperm. Not much but some. Her plan was saved!

She sucked the finger clean and froze.

DAMMIT!

There was a loud crackle as a mirrored Gate appeared on the wall behind Prime. Two senior Tik came through.

"Queen Elissa, you must return to the ship at once! We did not authorize you to leave it during the mission!" Socrates blurted indignantly.

"Yes, please accompany us back to the ship!" Plato insisted.

Prime grinned at the shocked and distraught look on Queen Elissa's face. "I'll be back for you shortly Jack." Prime called out and blue lightning shot from her eyes to strike at Elissa. In the chaos Prime leapt for the Gate. She knocked Socrates into Plato and the two went down in a pile. The soldiers began to rush forward so Prime jumped through the Gate.

The room went still and eyes turned to the Blade of Reason hanging above the city.

Queen Elissa had thrown her arm up and the new gown absorbed the lightning harmlessly. She smiled at Gee.

"Could someone please unlock me from this damn torture table before she gets back?" Jack called out.

A horrifying scream ripped through the silence of the room as Prime took a single, staggering step back through the Gate into the room. Her charred body was engulfed in flames and her mouth was stretched impossibly wide as she screamed in agony and rage. Socrates and Plato slapped her back through the Gate. And closed it.

Confused eyes returned to the ship.

"You don't really think we'd actually leave a Gate open to the ship when a Prime was in the room did you?" Socrates asked in dismay. "We entered the Gate from the other side of that wall," it said as it pointed back.

"She took the bait as you said she would Queen Elissa!" Plato said sounding very pleased.

"You two played your roles magnificently," Elissa said with a smile then walked over to the table where Gee and Bal were undoing Jack's restraints.

Jack was blinking in confusion. The toxin was slowly dissipating but it still lingered in his bloodstream making sound and light fall out of sync. He rolled over, gesturing for people to get out of the way then he hurled over the side of the table.

When he was done gentle hands rolled him back onto the table. He couldn't really track anyone with his eyes as the distortion was making him ill. He thought he saw Eve and Stella next to Bal.

"Where- where did she go?" he finally gasped with his eyes closed.

"Where she belonged. Mahrell Drun," Elissa said. "The Tik switched the Gate after they came through. If she'd known, she never would have voluntarily gone through the Gate."

"Why?"

"The world was sterilized millennia ago. Lost most of its atmosphere. Cooked by its sun. It no longer supports life. We wouldn't survive there. I'm amazed the Prime lasted as long as she did," Plato explained.

Jack heard some cranky crying and opened his eyes to see Joseph settling down as Eve took him in her arms.

"Queen Elissa?" he called as he closed his eyes again.

"Yes Jack?"

"Can we go home, please? Oh, and can someone get me some clothes?"

"Yes Jack."

Chapter 23

Running was a luxury he'd missed. As he reached the halfway point he let himself drop down to a trot then a jog and finally a walk.

He came to a stop on a bridge over a deep stream. He recalled jumping into one much like this one to rescue a child. It seemed like a lifetime ago. He turned his face up to let the early morning sunshine soak into his skin.

A woman walking along the path with her child in a stroller held her hand up to shield her eyes from the bright reflection being cast off of the slave collar Jack still wore. Jack pulled up the collar of his t-shirt to cover it and called out an apology.

In the three months since he returned home Jack had spoken with three separate Chuuruthian doctors. They'd all agreed after comprehensive examinations that he was safer to leave the collar in place. It's interconnection to his nervous system were too numerous and microscopic to remove without leaving him with some residual loss of sensation. What sensation he'd lose couldn't be determined easily.

The Altarian Security Ministry techs managed to make the explosives in it inert so there was no longer any chance of it exploding, which was a relief. They also confirmed that its receiver was dead but the transmitter was still active though there was no one left to receive and interpret its signals.

The collar wasn't painful, it didn't impair him in any way, and everyone who saw it was impressed with its beauty and workmanship... until they realized it was permanently attached to him.

For Jack, the sight of it brought back memories of pain... and the death of Beth and Drew.

"Excuse me?"

Jack turned his face and looked at the woman he'd blinded with his new jewellery. Her face tickled a memory and her name popped into his mind. "Miro?"

She beamed him a huge smile as she was so pleased he remembered.

"How's your arm? How is Meela doing?"

Her smile got even wider. "My arm is all healed up, thank you, and Meela is wonderful thanks to you! I never got to thank you for what you did for us that day!"

"It was my pleasure. I did feel a little responsible because that idiot was trying to get to me when she crashed into you two," he said with a frown.

"No, please! You weren't to blame! I got my day in court to speak out against her antisocial behavior and she's no longer a threat to the public."

She was smiling at him which made Jack start to feel restless so he shook Miro's hand, said his goodbyes, and waved as he started running back.

He really pushed himself hard the last few miles and when he arrived back at his condo door he was dripping wet. He stepped inside and heard the squeals of happy children. That always brought his spirits up.

"Good morning Jack!" Diana smiled and walked over with his daughter Emily in her arms. She was named after Diana's mother. He'd missed her birth and that was something he would never forgive his kidnappers for. Ever.

Emily was pure human. Not a spec of Altarian DNA to be found. While she was beautiful like her mother, she was blond like her father so Jack contributed something to the genetic mix.

He kissed them both and Diana pushed his sweaty body away. "Shower, now!" she said with a fake grimace.

He made his way to his bedroom and looked at the women relaxing in his living room. One notable absence was Stella. She'd spent a lovely week with him when they returned but she had a life she had to pick up on one of Altaria's colony worlds. She had a position at a University there. He missed her but he understood her need to get back to her life. The life that had almost been stolen from her.

He smiled and went to take his shower. He closed the bedroom door, carried some underwear into the bathroom and closed its door too. The door closing thing was a new habit he was teaching himself as there were so many kids in his place now.

He got the water running and let it spray over his head. He closed his eyes and let the heat wash away his tension. If he concentrated he could hear the voices of the ladies in the living room and the sounds of the children. He needed that these days.

Hands rubbed soap on his back and he smiled. He knew who it was without looking. The small but strong hands could only belong to Eve. She was living with him now too. Queen Elissa was arranging to buy out another neighbor and expand his condo as it was becoming tight. He wouldn't have it any other way though.

After the 'Grand Rescue', as the joint Tik/Altarian/Human mission had become named, and once the mad Allsa Komanae had been euthanized, the Tik documentarians arrived on the Allsa Komanae home world to dig up the names and home planet locations of all of the kidnap victims alive or dead. They were able to find records for Kekk and Ghia's planet and returned the couple to it but they'd had no success in finding Eve's planet. They'd done their best to track down her previous slave owners and their records but the planet was never referenced. Eve herself had no memories of any planet other than the Allsa Komanae home world so she couldn't help. They knew there was a planet out there where Eve's people lived. Maybe one day they'd find it but in the interim she was happy just to stay with him so she moved in.

Eve pressed herself against his back and wrapped her arms around him. He thought she was just giving him a hug but her hands rested on top of his thighs.

"Jack, do I... do I belong to you now?" Eve said quietly.

The woman who'd spent her entire life a slave was feeling a little lost with her new freedom. She needed him. Truthfully, he needed her as well.

"Yes, you're mine. For as long as you need me."

He felt her soapy hands move to wash a particular part of him until it became hard as steel. Jack rinsed the soap away and turned to face her, lifting her into his arms. He kissed her hard and she moaned into the kiss.

Jack pressed her body against the wall and ground his cock against her.

"Oh Jack! Yes! Take me! I'm yours! Please!" Eve sighed and her body shook. Jack squeezed her ass cheeks as he pushed the head of his cock into her tight opening. "AAAHHH!!! YES! OH JACK!" Her legs wrapped around him as he drove himself roughly into her deeply again and again.

His motions began to accelerate as she clung to him. She began to honk deeply and he didn't even try to suppress her noises. He had no idea where such a loud sound came from in her small body but it meant she was truly happy so who was he to take that from her.

"OHHHH OHHHH OHHHHH!" she cried and he felt her clamping down on his cock deliciously. He was a ways off so he let her ride out her bliss and when she began to show signs of sensitivity he slipped free and just held her as she gasped against his shoulder.

Eventually she pulled back and gazed up at him with her lovely pale grey eyes. She raised an eyebrow, an expression she was learning from him, to ask if he wanted to continue but he just smiled and shook his head. He kissed her tenderly and she stepped out of the shower to dry off. He washed his hair, careful of his horns, and rinsed off.

When he stepped out Eve was gone so he dried himself off and slipped on his briefs. He stepped out into the bedroom and got dressed in his casual clothes. It was the weekend after all. No work today. They had a dinner party at the Queen's residence to go to in the late afternoon but otherwise the day was theirs.

He went out to make himself breakfast and SennLann rushed up to him to get her morning kiss. She wasn't that frisky in the morning but she insisted on a kiss to start her day.

"How are the girl's?" he asked her when she pulled back with a sigh. Gold eyes locked onto his excitedly.

"They are amazing!" she gushed and pulled him over to see them in the playpen he'd bought for them. They had their mother's coloring and they'd grown to the length of Jack's forearm between his wrist and the inside of his elbow. He reached down into the playpen and stroked the cheek of one of them. The other one smiled as well. He wondered once more just how that worked. He couldn't wait for them to be able to talk and be able to describe what they felt. He smiled at SennLann once more and gave her a kiss on the forehead.

He walked into the kitchen and made his breakfast. Eve was there with Joseph. She adored the child and Jack had been worried that when they returned she would be distraught when Drew and Beth's families wanted the child back. It had been a nerve wracking month as they waited for word from the South African authorities but it turned out that the abducted couple had no immediate family and the family they did have wanted nothing to do with a child born on an alien world. Jack began the adoption process the moment he heard this but they were still waiting for the legal permission from Earth. Queen Elissa had granted Joseph Altarian citizenship in the interim.

Jack carried his breakfast out onto the balcony and relaxed back in a chair next to Diana. Emily was having her breakfast at her mother's breast and her mother was absolutely glowing with happiness and contentment. The brunette's previous nervousness was gone as she'd taken to motherhood in a big way. She was a natural.

"Hey beautiful," Jack said with a smile.

Sparkling green eyes looked back at him with love. She truly was lovely!

His plan for the day was exactly this. Just relaxing with his family until they went out to the party so that's what they did.

The Queen's residence was a large ranch style home in a very good neighborhood. Not exactly what you'd assume a Queen would live in but it was spacious and comfortable and reflected the class and approachability of the Altarian Queen.

Gee and Bal opened the door and were immediately pulled into hugs from Jack. He hadn't seen them since they'd returned him to Altaria as they'd been in charge of the clean-up work on Allsa One and the Allsa Komanae home world. He effusively thanked them once more for saving his life then held the door open for Diana who had Emily in her arms, Eve who was carrying Joseph, and SennLann with the twins in her arms. The two agents were a little shaken but secretly delighted by Jack's emotional outburst towards them. They guided the ladies and their charges into the family room where the other mothers were with their children.

Jack walked into the living room and saw a broad shouldered, powerful looking woman in a lovely sleeveless green dress. From her stance he saw that she would have been more comfortable in a military uniform. She was at ease... but not really. Her ebony hair was bound in a long braid down her back. Her skin held a rich brown color and her eyes were scanning the room.

Standing next to her was a lean redhead woman who was laughing with two tough looking grey haired soldiers who were attempting to balance their drinks atop a shiny but dented Tik.

"Hi, I'm Jack!"

The group turned to face him and his horns immediately captured their attention.

"Yeah, the guy with the horns," he grinned.

Cha'Risa stepped forward and held out her hand. Jack shook it and she smiled at him.

"It's an honor to finally meet you, sir," she said.

"Jack, please. Major Cha'Risa Ash. I believe the honor is mine. Gee and Bal's report said some pretty amazing things about you and your team." She nodded with a smile and he turned to the redhead as he said their names and shook their hands. "Captain Nann Graf." He spotted the spade tattoo which was his clue. "Corporal Leo Orlov." Then his partner. "Corporal Maxim Volkov."

Lastly he faced the man in the body of a Tik. If he could be a hybrid Human/Altarian why couldn't this human be part Tik? "Lieutenant Ray Sharif. I understand you were the one who named the bad guys AND got the coordinates for where to find us." He held out his hand and Ray placed his metallic tentacle in it.

"I'm just sorry we didn't get to you sooner, sir," Ray said.

"Just Jack, please. No... it had to happen this way," Jack said quietly, touching the collar unconsciously.

"Why is that?" Ray asked.

Jack looked at the others. He had their full attention. He saw the Major in particular was listening closely.

"If they hadn't successfully taken me the others would still be there. They would never have been found. You had to save them. They needed to go home. The ones who survived. For the ones who didn't you gave their families closure."

"But you avenged their deaths. It's true isn't it. You did that. The Allsa Komanae. They're all going to die. Soon. It's already begun." Cha'Risa said with an intensity in her eyes.

Jack saw her need for vengeance. He saw it in the others as well. They'd all been on Allsa One and the home planet. They'd found the mass graves of the dead slaves. Jack owed them this.

"Yes. Every last one of them will be dead within the next 3 years. The Allsa Komanae will be extinct," he said.

"I understand we're going to have to speed that along. They know their Prime, the last Prime, is dead. Their society is fragmenting rapidly. The concern is that these remaining splinter groups, as their brain functionality begins to seriously degrade, they might try something desperate. Violent. We're going back out there with the Tik to hunt them," Nann said.

Jack was well aware of the discussions about dealing with the remaining Allsa Komanae. He'd been asked to speak to a special council comprised of members from many of the Gate Network Worlds. Hellna was there representing Altaria and a newly appointed Minister of Security for Earth's Security Council was there as well. They were just two of the 33 representatives he'd faced in what could only be called an interrogation.

He'd been questioned about his memories of his ordeal, the Allsa Komanae leaders he'd met, the nature of the collar he wore, and most intensely about the actions he'd taken which led to the present circumstances. The actual content of the meeting was sealed but somehow rumors began regarding his role in their demise. The phrase 'Three can keep a secret if two are dead' may be true but for 33 it was hopeless. Cha'Risa's question to him was proof of how widespread the rumor had traveled as she and her team had just returned from Allsa One which was currently a restricted planet with very little access.

He cleared his throat. "I believe the plan is to send them to their home world to live out their last days. A one way Gate." Jack explained.

"Too good for them," Leo growled.

"Maybe," Jack nodded. He needed to change the subject. He looked to Ray. "I understand you have to wait a year before you are allowed to be repaired. A Tik appreciation rule." He smiled at the man/Tik.

"Yeah, I have to experience the 'fragility of life' and the 'consequence of action.' I get it. It's cool. I was exceptionally lucky. Many times actually."

Nann smiled at Ray and fondly touched his side.

Jack saw Gee and Bal enter the room. He smiled at the group. "If you'll excuse me I should check in with Queen Elissa." he said and received nods.

He made his way into the large family room and saw the women talking happily and holding their children. His children. Joseph included.

Eve was watching him. She was always conscious of him when he entered the room. He gave her a smile and she returned it. Her slave collar caught the light. Hers had been defused like his was but she'd decided to keep it even though hers was possible to remove. She'd told him as long as he had his she would keep hers. He couldn't help but see the comparison to wedding bands and the idea gave him some comfort.

Queen Elissa was also watching him. She'd spent a considerable amount of time with him since his return. She'd been with him when nightmares stole his sleep and she'd gotten him past them. She'd brought his smile back to him by focusing him on the life before him, not the death behind him. She'd guided him out the other side of the depression he'd fallen into and he felt like he'd been given another shot at life.

He caught her eye and she handed Max to Karrel who kissed the boy's face. Elissa joined Jack out on the deck for a moment of privacy. He took her in his arms and held her close.

"I need to thank you. I am surrounded by love and support but more than anyone, the one with the least amount of available time, you were there for me. How did you manage to spend so much of your time with just one of your citizens?"

She kissed him tenderly and smiled when she pulled back. "You were the citizen who needed the most help."

He was lost for words but his eyes told her how much that meant to him.

"That's why I'm Queen," she said quietly with a smile.