Author's Notes:

'Jack's Snow Day' is the fifth 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 previous stories in the following order:

• Jack's New Job
• Jack's New Position
• Jack's Daily Grind
• Jack's Wage Slavery Parts 1 & 2

********

Chapter 1

Jack greeted his day the same way he had every morning for the past year.

With a toe in his nose.

Actually, to be fair, it wasn't always a toe. Sometimes it was a finger. Or the tip of a tail. On a few occasions, near the beginning, it was a sharp little tooth. That was no longer allowed.

He opened his eyes and a happy, mischievous little face looked down at him, the tiny foot still planted across his mouth and the toe... in his nostril.

He tickled the pads of the foot with the tip of his tongue and was rewarded with high pitched giggles, one from the owner of the foot and one from her sister hiding at the foot of the bed. The tiny foot left his mouth but rested on his chest. Jack had no trouble bearing the weight of the two foot tall being standing on his chest.

"Zaina? What do you think you're doing?" he asked her as he did each morning. Well... the sister's took turns on alternate mornings but both heard the question.

Her eyes twinkled with excited anticipation. "Papa was making monster noises!"

"Papa's a monster?" he asked in surprise, his eyes wide. Zaina's muscles began to twitch in anticipation, her tail whipping back and forth, and she couldn't suppress the grin as she nodded.

He surprised her this morning by suddenly lifting his arms under the sheets and trapping her in a tangle. Two little voices shrieked in delight.

"Papa's a hungry monster!" he growled and pretended to bite Zaina through the sheets. More shrieking ensued and Adina launched herself onto the bed to rescue her trapped sibling.

Exactly what he'd been waiting for.

With one trapped in the sheets he grabbed Adina's leg and toppled her onto her back next to her sister. Then he pressed a foot from each of them together and blew a loud raspberry against the bottoms of the two's wiggling toes.

Their shrieks of laughter had an oddly harmonic synchronicity as the two shared the intense tickling sensation like a feedback loop between them. Their brains had linked sensory centers. What one felt, the other involuntarily did as well. Somehow they were able to distinguish who the sensations belonged to and, most of the time, they could ignore the secondary input.

Additionally, what one saw and heard, the other could choose to see and hear. They'd discovered there were differing levels of transference and control when it came to some of the senses. Scent for instance, was only minimally shared and often faded quickly. The family had been keeping this unique ability a secret as best they could in the three and a half years since they were born.

When he let go of the two legs and pulled the sheet clear of Zaina's head the two had matching expressions of dreaminess on their faces. They were blissed out within their connection. He knew from previous experience they'd come out of it in a few minutes and come looking for him again so he rolled out of bed, grabbed some work clothes, and went to take a quick shower behind a locked door. Just keeping the door closed no longer sufficed with three year old, curious kids in his condo.

He removed the protective caps from the points of his sharp horns, something else he had to do for the kids. Stepping into the shower he let it blast him with hot water and he quickly lathered up and rinsed off. He carefully washed his long sandy blond hair which hung down to his mid back. He ached to get a short haircut but he'd have to deal with a mutiny in both offices he worked in. He managed to wash and rinse his hair without scratching himself on his horns. He could have left the caps on but water always got inside and he'd forgotten to empty them before and had to listen to it slosh during a meeting or drip out at the worst possible moment.

He shut off the water and got out to dry off. He shaved, put deodorant on, put the protective caps back on his horns before brushing out his hair, and then brushed his teeth. Before he got dressed he used his towel to buff the slave collar which was fused to his neck. He'd like to ignore it but found if he didn't keep it clean and shiny the skin of his neck became irritated. So he took care of it. He got dressed and put as smile on his face as he looked at himself in the mirror.

Yeah, he was fooling no one with that smile.

The Queen had spent an extraordinary amount of time with him after his rescue from the Allsa Komanae and he was almost back to his old self but something was still missing. He tried not to burden anyone else with it so the smile went back on his face and he opened the bathroom door.

"RRRAAARR" roared from throats as the two small, ebony cat-like beings launched from the corner of the bed into his arms. He wrapped them up tight against his chest and kissed their cheeks as he walked them out into the living room where most of his family were. SennLann walked up to him and he dipped his face down to her to give her a good morning kiss. The girls wiggled free to race away down the hall to their room. Playtime waits for no man.

SennLann watched them go with a happy smile. When she turned back she smiled at Jack. "We let you sleep in just a little longer today. It was not a running day."

"Thank you. Yes, tomorrow I run," he responded. "Any word from Eve?" he asked looking at SennLann and Diana.

It was Diana who answered. "They had a much better night at the hospital. Joseph's fever broke and it's on its way back to normal." Jack sighed. The poor little tyke had one ear infection after another. The doctor said he would be prone to them during the next few years. Eve vigilantly stayed by his side. Jack called the Chuuruthian medical board to see if they had any suggestions but they hadn't had too many human infants as patients.

Jack collected a kiss from Diana and his daughter Emily. SennLann handed him a breakfast shake and he headed off to work.

He had a shift at the Embassy this morning and the Trade Commission this afternoon. The offices were just across a lovely courtyard from each other and the walk from his condo wasn't long. He made his way into the Embassy building and went up to the office. Stepping through the doors he said his hellos to the staff as he walked over to Denee, his personal assistant.

"Good morning Denee!" he said with a smile.

"Good morning Jack! You have some special guests waiting for you in your office this morning."

"Really? How long have they been there?" he asked.

"Not more than a couple of minutes but you shouldn't make them wait," Denee said with a smile. When he didn't move immediately she made shooing motions.

"Ok, fine!" he said with a grin.

He walked over to his office and knocked before entering. Once inside he paused and smiled at the two ladies smiling back at him from the chairs in front of his desk.

"Queen Elissa! Karrel! To what do I owe this pleasant surprise?" he said as he walked over and gave them both a quick kiss.

"Have a seat Jack," Elissa said with a smile.

"Oh, maybe this isn't a pleasant surprise?" he said with a worried tone as he moved to his chair.

"Don't be silly Jack. Of course it's pleasant. We have no bad news to deliver to you!" Elissa said.

"Ok, good. So, what can I do for you two?"

Elissa and Karrel shared a look and Jack's unease increased.

"I do have a favor to ask of my Altarian Ambassador," the Queen said and Jack unconsciously sat a little straighter in his chair.

"I need you to take a vacation."

Jack froze and stared at the two women in shock. They looked back at him with concerned expressions.

He tried to speak but his voice failed him at first. He cleared his throat. "I'm... I'm sorry. Did you just ask me to take a vacation? You... you do recall how... badly... the last one went?"

"Stop! That wasn't an issue with taking time off. That entire affair was the product of the insidious manipulations of a Mahrell Drun Prime! Who is now dead! Jack. You more than anyone know life moves forward. You cannot and must not allow yourself to fear what lies ahead. You also know we won't put you in harm's way, ever again. You mean too much to all of us!" the Queen exclaimed.

He nodded and looked to the windows. The climate on Altaria was stable and consistent so the view out his window rarely varied by much. This allowed his sense of time to sometimes feel like it was standing still. But he knew, as Elissa just said, life moves forward, regardless of our wishes and desires. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

"What-" He began again. "Is the vacation the favor you need?" he asked.

"No, what I actually need is for you to visit a colony world of ours. The planet is called Chrystan. It's ours only because it resides deep within the Altarian region of space. No Altarians live there as its climate isn't really suitable to us. It's a world of perpetual winter," she explained.

"Wait, if no Altarians live there why am I going?" he asked.

Karrel picked up the story. "The planet is populated by the Shreen. Hundreds of years ago the sun above their original home planet began to show dramatic, sudden, and unexplainable signs of instability. It was suspected that the Allsa Komanae were somehow involved as Shreen was close to their territory. The populace of the planet needed to be evacuated but their requirements for survival were so particular none of the worlds in the Gate Network had a suitable offering. The Tik scoured the records of all planets located by all races and found a reference to an icy ball we had located and written off as unsuitable. They approached us and we immediately offered Chrystan to the Shreen. The Tik and the Altarians evacuated the entire populace from the Shreen home world to Chrystan taking with them everything they could save. Only months after the last group was evacuated the sun flared and consumed the planet."

"I don't think I've ever met a Shreen before," Jack noted, curious in spite of his earlier anxiety. Queen Elissa was smiling fondly at him.

"They don't leave their new home. Ever. They've actually found it to be more hospitable than their original home planet. It isn't brutally cold, has a more stable orbit around a young sun, is geologically stable, has plenty of geothermal energy, and the resources are easier to access. The Shreen themselves aren't what you'd call a very adventurous people. Homebodies is a better description of their type. They do trade with the other worlds of the Gate Network but only through brokers," Elissa offered.

"Sounds like a snowy utopia. Why do you need an Altarian Ambassador to visit them?" he asked.

Elissa shared another look with Karrel who chose to answer. "We've received word, rumors really, of unrest. We'd like you to go as our official diplomat to speak with them to carefully and discreetly determine the source of this unrest so we can figure out if there is anything we can and should do to ease their minds."

"It is not our intention to interfere with their society. They've had a stable government for as long as they've been on Chrystan. We're just... concerned as close neighbors. Go, meet with their Queen and King. Speak with the cabinet members and walk amongst the people. The Shreen are really nice. It's distressing to hear this stability may be in jeopardy," Elissa requested. "They have amazing hot spring resorts. You like snow, don't you?"

Jack chuckled at the pleading tone in Elissa's voice. "I don't dislike it." He thought for a moment. It had been years since he went skiing. It might be fun to do it again. "These resorts. Do they offer skiing?"

"Skiing? What's that?" Elissa asked.

"Obviously, you're no snow bunny," Jack teased as he did a search on his computer filtering by Earth sports and found a vid. He spun his screen and played the vid showing a man carving his way down a mountainside in fresh powder snow up to his waist.

"Oh! How is he moving so gracefully and fast through the snow!" Karrel exclaimed. "Ah! What's that on his feet!" she yelped as the skier in the vid leapt over a small tree.

Jack froze the vid. He pointed to the long skis. "These are skis. Long very slippery boards which support the weight of the skier on the snow and allow him to move through it quickly."

"The Shreen have large wide feet for walking on snow. They wouldn't fit on these narrow things." Karrel said.

"I guess that answers the question of will they have skiing at the resort," he said and both ladies shook their heads.

He thought for a moment then pulled up a different vid. Nordic skiing was also fun and didn't require a mechanism to get you back to the top of the hill.

"Is this skiing too?" Elissa asked.

"Yes, this is a different kind but I also enjoyed it back on Earth. If you're sending me to a winter planet I want to do some skiing. This kind is easier to do without the resort having to prepare anything," he answered.

"Does this mean you'll go?" Elissa asked.

"Have I ever refused you anything?" he asked with a raised eyebrow.

She just grinned widely.

"Are you going to order some skis for yourself?" Karrel asked with a smile.

Jack looked at the two women. "No, I have to be fitted for skis at a shop that sells them."

They lost their smiles. "That means-"

"A visit to Earth first." He wondered if Queen Elissa would cancel her request but he saw a crafty look appear in her eyes.

"Challenge accepted. Be at the Gate Terminal in two hours for your trip to Earth," she said with a smile as Karrel looked at her in worry.

Jack looked at her in surprise. "Today?"

"As of this morning you are on a Diplomatic mission with a few days of vacation. Karrel will cover for you in the Embassy. Your Trade office appointments have already been shifted until you return," Elissa said.

Jack blinked in surprise. "Will I get time to pack before you push me out into the snow?"

They chuckled evilly.

Chapter 2

Jack hadn't traveled by Gate since the one visit to the Gate Network headquarters after his kidnapping to speak with the special council about the fate of the Allsa Komanae. Since then he'd stayed close to home. As he stood in the terminal he let the last of the chills run down his spine. He'd push through this. He held faith in Elissa's promise not to ever send him into danger. She'd let him pick the destination on Earth this time and he'd worked out the time of day and season so he was assured to have enough time to shop and the place should have a store catering to his needs.

He had on a green hoodie, his black one having been shredded by his horns. He had his protective caps on but he would pull the hood up only when they went through the Gate.

He was waiting on his escort. The Queen said she'd check to see if his favorite team was available and he smiled when he saw Gee and Bal walk in the door. They smiled back to him. He wanted so badly to pull them into a hug but he saw they were on duty so it was all business. They gestured for him to walk up to the customs and security agent. He gave their destination and were given the Gate ID.

They made their way into the Gate room and he pulled his hood up to hide his horns. Then they walked through the mirror surface. Jack felt just the slightest tingle and he was in Stockholm, Sweden on Earth. He marvelled once more at the simplicity of such an action and the magnitude of its significance. The Gates really were the most amazing invention ever! He looked around and froze when he saw the smiling faces. Here was Queen Elissa's answer to his challenge.

Tall, muscular, and truly imposing in her commando gear, with a nasty assault weapon over her shoulder and knives strapped to her thighs, Major Cha'Risa Ash stood front and center. Next to her a tall, slim redhead with a perpetual crooked smile, Captain Nann Graf nodded to him. Two almost identical, solidly built greying brush cuts carrying nastier looking assault weapons, Corporal Leo Orlov and Corporal Maxim Volkov grinned widely at him.

Finally, the last member of their team, a shiny Tik hovered at their side. Tik were neutral, always, and didn't take roles in the military. This meant this particular Tik was Lieutenant Ray Sharif. The first and only sentient AI created from a human mind. The Tik saved him and gave him a Tik body to preserve his mind as the matrix it was built on was degrading.

"Oh my god! I didn't expect to see you guys here!" Jack exclaimed happily.

Cha'Risa grinned and shook his hand. "We were in the neighborhood, London to be precise, when the request came through from a certain Queen to take care of her special package. Who could pass up a task like that?"

"It's so great to see you all! How have you been doing?"

"Really good! We just got back from hunting some smugglers," Nann said with a grin and the two men shared her delight but on them the grin looked a little bloodthirsty.

"Ray, is our transport ready?" Cha'Risa asked.

"It will be at the door when we arrive," he answered.

"Any chatter?"

"No Major. No indication that our presence has been noted at all."

"Good."

With a nod they made their way to the front of the building and stepped outside just as a small bus pulled up. They stepped inside, Jack spoke an address into the mic, and were moving back out into traffic in seconds.

"Do you have to get a security detail escort like this every time you shop?" Ray asked Jack.

"I haven't been back on Earth since... then," Jack answered.

"Oh, sorry," the man in the Tik body said.

Jack shrugged. "It's fine. I had to get back on the horse sometime."

"Where are we taking you today?" Cha'Risa asked.

"There's an outfitter for sporting goods I read about. I need to get fitted for Nordic skis. The clothes and all the gear," Jack said, suddenly feeling silly for having the commando team as escort on a shopping trip.

"Us as well," Gee offered.

Jack looked at Gee and Bal in surprise.

"Did you not know that we were going with you?" Gee asked.

"No! Nobody mentioned it! I was told there are no other Altarians there. Too cold. Are you sure-"

"We will be fine," Gee assured him.

"I don't think they will have any shoes that will fit your hooves," Jack said looking down.

"We will find something and make a custom solution before we leave," Bal said, scanning the traffic outside the window.

Twenty minutes later they pulled into a side street next to a busy sporting goods store. The commando team got out first and indicated the coast was clear.

Feeling more ridiculous with each passing moment Jack made his way inside with his jet black escorts. Naturally heads turned in the shop, from customers and staff.

An older man in the shops uniform approached and said something in Swedish then shook his head. "My apologies, Ambassador Danner. Can I help you with something?"

Identity out of the bag and he really had to admit the hoodie thing just wasn't cutting it anymore, Jack pushed it back and smiled at the man. "Yes, hi, I was hoping I might get outfitted for some Nordic skis, poles, shoes, gaiters, thermal wear, bodysuit, the works. My friends here need the same."

"Certainly Ambassador!" the man said with a delighted smile.

"Please, call me Jack."

The man nodded with a smile and gestured for them to follow. Jack was aware of each and every eyeball turned in his direction.

The man took time explaining their options and took weight and measurements of all three of them. Due to Gee and Bal's petite natures they were being outfitted with skis for teens. Jack's options were more limited due to how heavy he was. Finally they made their selections and the man moved off to get the order started as they tried on thermal clothing. Jack insisted they all get wicking undergarments and then wondered how that worked for furred beings. Item after item went into their baskets.

Occasionally one of the commando team would wander by and give him a nod to let him know they were on the case. It did make him feel safe.

As he sat on the bench a small boy approached him bravely so he gave the boy a smile.

"Are you a monster?" the little voice said.

Jack smiled in surprise at the innocent question and saw the boy's mother, not too far away, gasp in dismay. He leaned forward to speak quietly. "Only for my daughters and only when they ask me to be."

The boy's face lit up with a brilliant smile as he knew what that meant. His eyes went to the large horns and a small hand reached up to touch them. Jack just held still until the boy's curiosity was satisfied. He pulled his hand back and grinned at Jack as he ran back to his mother who was sending Jack a grateful smile. Jack just nodded to her with a smile of his own. He felt... much better.

Done with his shopping he saw the new skis came with bags to carry them and thanked the shop owner after he made his purchases. The man gave him a business card and looked at him hopefully. Jack smiled then posed for several pictures with the him and the staff who were super excited. The mother and her son got a picture as well. He and the Altarians then carried their purchases out to the bus, their silent escort scanning the street with their eyes.

Comfortably seated in the bus once more as it headed back to the Gate Terminal Gee and Bal were discussing the shoes they bought and how they could be customized. They did this while scanning the roads around them.

"All quiet Major, aside from a local radio station reporting on the surprise visit at a neighborhood shop from the Ambassador." Ray called out.

She nodded and turned to Jack. "You can call on us any time you need to visit Earth."

Jack looked her in the eye and saw she was still carrying her guilt for letting him get taken from the planet. He'd already explained he didn't hold them accountable but he wasn't going to dredge that up again so he just smiled and nodded.

"Maybe a dance club in Russia next time?" he said mischievously seeing Corporal Orlov's eyes widen in delight.

"Gods, no!" Maxim moaned causing the others to chuckle.

"You don't know good music," Leo huffed.

They made it back to the Terminal with no fuss and went inside. Jack shook their hands and saw Bal doing a trade with Maxim. She handed him a small box and the man's face lit up in a broad smile. In turn he handed her a set of three deadly looking, ceramic throwing knives. She gave him a rare smile for the items.

Jack saw the Major doing her best to pretend she hadn't witnessed the exchange. "Thank you very much for your protection. It did make me feel much more at ease. I'd like to be able to come back to Earth more often."

"You have an open invitation. As I said, call on us anytime!" Cha'Risa replied.

Waving at the team Jack followed the Altarians down to their Gate and stepped through to find themselves back on Altaria.

When they reached the exit Gee stopped Jack. "We will meet back here tomorrow morning at 10AM. Wear your... what did you call them?"

"Long Johns," Jack smiled.

"Yes, wear the warmest ones. I understand they will be having a snow storm when we arrive on Chrystan. It will be cold." She shuddered.

"Listen, I don't want you two doing anything you don't want to do! I know Altarians don't like snowy conditions-"

"We are going," Bal said with a frown.

Jack held up his hands in surrender. "Fine! We will see you both at 10AM."

"We?" Gee asked.

He looked at their curious faces. "Yes, we. I'm not going on my vacation alone. I'm going to a resort so I'm going to invite Diana, SennLann, and... well, not Eve as Joseph is ill but the other two and the kids."

Gee shared a knowing smile with Bal. "We will see you tomorrow at 10AM."

Jack watched them walk away feeling more than a little annoyed. They didn't know what the ladies in his life were going to say.

"What do you mean, no?" Jack said incredulously to Diana and SennLann at the dinner table that night.

Diana looked at him while she fed Emily. "Jack, I'm originally from California. Southern California. I don't do snow. I'm certainly not taking Emily to such an inhospitable place!"

SennLann was nodding in agreement. "Phem Kalos is a hot place. I do not like being cold. I will stay here with our daughters."

Jack pouted. Eve looked at him with sad eyes with the sleeping child in her arms. "I cannot go-"

Jack held up his hands. "No, I get it. Sorry. I understand you can't leave Joseph. That's fine. I just thought one or both of you might like to come. It's ok. I won't be alone. Gee and Bal will be there with me."

The ladies relaxed and he sighed.

That night when everyone had gone to sleep Eve slipped into Jack's bed and cuddled up to him. He typically went to bed alone but most nights he'd get a visitor... or two. It wasn't always for sex. Sometimes they just needed the comfort of another's touch or in this case they knew he did.

"I'm sorry I have not been here for you lately," Eve whispered.

"Please don't apologize for that. I understand that Joseph needs you now."

"I'm also sorry we can't join you on your vacation."

"Again, you don't have to apologize. It's fine. I am going to miss you though!" he said kissing her forehead as she snuggled closer to him.

Jack fell asleep wrapped up in Eve's arms and her love. It was just what he needed.

Chapter 3

The ground raced past under his pounding feet as Jack explored the pathways beyond his neighborhood in the early hours. There were very few others out exercising at this time of day and none would have been able to keep up with him. He was breathing like a bellows and his body felt good. His music player played the tone indicating it was time to head back.

He took the next path that veered to the right and smiled when up ahead he saw the opening to a single track path through the woods. It was a beautiful narrow earth path that hugged the side of a gently burbling brook weaving between the trees. As he turned off the paved path to slip into the forest he stopped his music and listened to the sounds of nature, his breathing and the muted thuds of his feet on the soil as he nimbly ran on the twisting trail. He was entering a state of Zen where running was life and life was running and he was one with the trail and-

FUCK-

In the split second before the collision Jack leapt sideways to avoid trampling three male Altarians who were suddenly standing in the center of the path facing him. His new vector drove him horns first into the trunk of one of the nearby trees.

Cr-CR-CRACK!

Jack fell back on his ass on the hillside, dazed by the sudden stop. His vision was filled with stars which gradually faded. He heard laughter and looked to the trail where the three males were enjoying his addled state.

"Look at the stupid look on its face! How incredibly dull witted it is."

"Not much more than a beast really."

"Ugh! Look how shiny and big his muscles are!"

The first two looked at the third. "And it smells funny!" number three quickly added.

Turning back to him the middle one snorted. "You didn't even see us step out onto the trail in front of you. Do you run with your eyes closed?"

With that bachelor number one kicked a little dirt onto Jack's chest with bachelor two following suit. "Stick to the paved paths, smelly human! The wooded paths are for civilized beings!" One said with a sneer.

With that the three males went on their merry way enjoying the sounds and sweet scents of the forest. Jack lifted a hand to his head and when he pulled it back he froze as his fingers were dripping with something red. He stared at his fingers then he realized it wasn't blood. He sniffed it and noticed the scent seemed extra sweet then it was all around him. He took a deep sniff and smelled... GowGow juice. He looked down and saw his hand was resting in a pool of the sticky red sap which was bleeding from the injured tree he'd run into.

Crk-CRIK-CRACK! BOOM-boom-boom!

Jack rolled away from the base of the tree just as the structural integrity of the trunk failed spectacularly. The damaged area had sheared off where he'd struck it, the top sixty feet of the trunk suddenly dropping five feet to slam into the ground and bounce. Jack looked up and saw the canopy was pulling loose of the surrounding trees. It began to lean towards the gap between the trees. Towards the Altarians.

"Oh... fuck."

Jack leapt to his feet and dodged around the slowly accelerating trunk to sprint down the trail.

"RUN!" he yelled.

"No, we won't because civil-" Bachelor number one said haughtily as he turned but his voice stuck in his throat when he saw the tree toppling towards him.

"RUN, YOU SILLY BASTARDS! RUN!"

Squealing in fright the three began charging ahead to outrun the falling tree. They could hear the smaller branches of the top snapping and popping. That's the section Jack really didn't want to be in when it struck the ground.

The canopy of the GowGow tree is where the GowGow seed pods lived. Fist sized, barbed grenades filled with extremely sticky goo. They exploded on impact tossing their hooked seed everywhere. Even if the barbs missed you the seeds would stick to any surface. Getting the sticky residue off was apparently a painful experience.

Jack quickly caught up to the Altarians but number three who'd been out front tripped and fell. His friends trampled him in their haste but didn't stop. Whimpering, number three held his arms up to be picked up like a child.

Scooping up the crying male Jack put on a burst of speed to dodge around the other Altarians by surging up into the forest and back down onto the path. He had a number of scratches on him from this move but now he was able to pour on the speed as he could hear the crashing sound behind him. The Altarian in his arms clung to him and shrieked in fear. Jack burst out of the trail onto the paved path and kept on running as the top branches struck the ground with a mighty crash.

Jack gradually slowed and then looked back.

There was no sign of the two other Altarians.

Jack stayed back as he could hear the occasional pop of a seedpod bursting. He gently set the male back on his feet. "Do you have a com? You'd better call for an ambulance-"

"HUMAN!"

They froze as they heard the voice of rage coming from somewhere inside the trees.

"Are you guys ok?" Jack called out.

"I... HATE... you," the voice petered out into a whimper.

"Yeah, I get that a lot from you guys," Jack said to himself then looked to the one standing next to him. "How about you? Do you hate me too?"

"No! You saved me!" it cried.

"Why did you guys jump out in front of me?" Jack asked.

The male pouted and looked back at the mass of tangled branches. When he looked back at Jack there was a new strength in his eyes. "My name is Numell. I apologize for participating in the childish prank my former associates, Darness and Jolleth attempted to play on you. We heard you coming as your feet make a deep thumping sound when you run. Darness said we needed to hide and step out to make you either knock us down so we could have you charged with assault or you injure yourself in some way." He looked ashamed. "I'm sorry. I'm weak. I let them make these decisions for me."

There was a whoosh sound from above as an Altarian Security Ministry vehicle swooped in to land next to the path. Gee and Bal stepped out, glanced at the fallen tree, heard the pitiful cries from within the branches, and glared in his direction.

"Numell, here's your opportunity to show real strength. Give a statement to these officers explaining what you just told me. Take responsibility for your actions as Darness and Jolleth should but probably won't. Strength of character is built this way," Jack said with an earnest expression. Numell nodded shakily then pulled his shoulders back and marched over to the agents. Gee recorded his statement while Bal came over to speak to him.

"Are you injured?" she asked seeing the red sap on his horns and in his hair.

"No. I clocked my horns against that tree really hard but I was only dazed for a short time."

Bal looked at him with wide eyes then looked back at the fallen tree. She turned back to him. "You knocked down a GowGow tree?" Then her eyes went up to his horns. She pulled a tissue from her gown and reached up to wipe the surface of his horn. Her expression froze and she rubbed harder. He pulled back in alarm.

"What? What's happened? Are they broken?"

"No! No, they are not damaged..." Bal said her voice tapering off as she stared.

"That can't be good," Jack muttered. He poked Bal to get her attention. "What are you two doing here?"

"There was a minor seismic event in this location and we knew you were out running so we naturally assumed you might be involved," she said with her trademark scowl.

"Not my fault this time... well, felling the tree yes but they caused it. Wait, did you say seismic?"

"An initial large spike, followed in rapid succession by two smaller spikes then a long drawn out thump which was the final impact of the GowGow tree clearly," she explained as her eyes slipped back up to his horns. "You have lost your protective caps."

"Dammit! They must have been knocked loose in the impact. I keep losing them!" Jack growled.

Emergency vehicles were arriving but they kept their distance from the tree out of concern of unexploded seed pods. Gee joined them and Jack waved at Numell as the male walked away.

Jack looked back to see Gee staring at his horns with her mouth open.

"For all that is good and holy would someone please tell me what's happened to my horns now?"

"Uh, they... it looks like they have GowGow juice on them. You need to wash that off. And the caps are missing," Gee said.

"Oh, is that all?" He sighed. "Can we go now? I just have to take a shower and get dressed. I'm packed and ready to go otherwise."

"Just you?" Gee said with a small smile.

Jack pouted at her. "Yes."

"Ok, let's go."

Pop! "AAAhhh... hate you..." a voice cried out.

"A new enemy is born," Jack sighed to the two agents.

"No, Darness and Jolleth won't be a problem. I've filed the report." Gee said and they boarded their vehicle. It lifted and flew them back to Jack's building.

"I'll see you shortly at the Terminal," Jack called out as he exited the vehicle. Gee nodded and they lifted off. Jack made it inside, up the elevator and inside his unit without bumping into anyone. As he entered his apartment that was a different story. The TV was on, showing the scene of the tree felling and they'd been watching. Three females rushed over to see him, all of them stopped to stare up at his horns.

"Enough!" Jack said, his patience at an end. He marched into his bathroom and looked in the mirror.

Red. Blood red to be exact. The sap from the tree had splashed over his horns. They looked like they were streaked with blood.

"GOD DAMMIT!" he yelled.

He grabbed a scrub brush, stepped into the shower and set the temperature as hot as he could tolerate. Lathering up the brush he ran it back over his horns again and again roughly, careful not to get too close to the tips. When his arms were shaking with fatigue he put the brush down, rinsed, quickly washed his hair and body and turned off the taps.

He stepped out into a steamy room and opened the window to let the heat out. He dried himself off, buffing the silver collar. Then he roughly buffed his horns until he heard the ripping sound of the tips tearing through the towel.

"Shit," he grumbled as he pulled back the tatters. He noted there was no red on the towel but the scrub brush was a little pink. Wiping the steam from the mirror with the ripped towel he looked up in dismay.

His matt black horns with thin white veins were now shiny black horns with thin red veins and thicker streaks of red from the midpoint to the tips which were completely red. A deep, dark, blood red.

He reached up and slid his fingers across the surface and they felt... slick, like he'd added a protective layer of clear coat varnish to them and ran a floor buffer on his head. His horns absolutely gleamed.

"Fuck me..." he moaned.

He thought he looked like a crazy person- no! A homicidal, crazy person! All he needed was some bits of flesh and dripping blood from his horns and he'd be set. At least the red stuff had only stuck to his horns. His hair and skin were free of the substance and its color.

"Jack? Are you ok? Can I come in?" a gentle voice called through the door.

He realized he hadn't brought in any clothes and there were likely kids outside the door. He wrapped the ripped towel around his waist completing the crazy look and opened the door.

"Oh! Oh my!" Eve's eyes immediately went up and she gasped quietly. "They're beautiful!"

"Beautiful?" he croaked.

"Well... in a raw, instinctive way. I- I don't have the words to describe it," she sighed.

He actually felt a little better. He took her face in his hands and kissed her deeply and she trembled in his grip.

When he pulled back she was breathing hard and he heard a soft moan from the door to his right. He looked to see the lust in Diana's eyes.

"Do you have time?" Eve whispered.

He glanced at the clock and growled. He didn't. "No. I'm running late. Dammit," he said softly.

Eve pushed his chest gently. "Get dressed. We'll be fine until you get back."

He nodded stiffly. "Do I have any more protective caps for my horns?"

Eve shook her head. "I'll get you a pair of mine." She ducked out the bedroom door around Diana who was still clinging to the door jamb eyeing him hungrily and a little desperately. He remembered she had a compulsive attraction to dangerous mates. Damn.

She slipped inside the door, closed and locked it. "Jack? Please?" she begged pitifully.

His own lust flared. He didn't have time but she was sliding her pants down and turned to present her curvy ass to him. She was so lovely and wanted him so badly.

He tore away his towel and dropped to his knees to run his tongue roughly over her pussy. He pulled on her hips, arching her back as he drove his tongue deep inside her wetness.

"OH FUCK, YES!" she cried out.

Before she could prepare Jack stood and shoved two fingers into her pussy, fucking her with them as her mouth dropped open and her eyes closed tight. He rubbed his slick fingers over his cock and drove it deep on the first thrust. He sucked the remaining nectar from his fingers as he slapped his pelvis against her ass hard and fast. He grabbed one of her big tits in one hand and squeezed it, tugging on the nipple as his other hand gathered up her long, raven hair.

Jack could feel her shaking uncontrollably as he overloaded her body and mind.

"Jack! Oh fuck Jack! Yes! Take me!" she pleaded quietly as he spanked her ass with his pelvis. His thrusting started to bump her against the door as she began to lose control of her muscle tone.

He was right there and so was she. He pressed her body against the door and changed to short, hard rapid thrusts as he bit down gently on her shoulder, the side of his horn pressing against her temple.

He heard her suddenly suck in a gasp as his 'alien' nature tripped her xenophilia. She reached up and grabbed the horn on the other side of his head and her body spasmed and clamped down on his cock as he drove himself deep one last time. Her body sucked and milked his cock as she squeezed him so tightly.

Diana eventually released her grip on his horn and braced herself against the door panting heavily as he withdrew from her body.

Breathing hard, Jack looked once more at the clock, cursed, and grabbed his clothes to duck into the washroom once more. When he came back out Diana was gone and Eve was standing there with the caps in her hand. They were the gold ones she'd had when she was on Allsa Komanae. He looked at them hesitantly then ducked his head down so she could put them on him. That done he kissed her once more and she pushed him back with a grin on her lips.

He grabbed his suitcase and the ski bag and rushed out into the living room. SennLann jumped up to give him a kiss. The kids were all playing in the living room and were deep in play mode. Zaina and Adina spotted the new color on his horns and squealed excitedly. They rushed over and leapt up into his arms to climb onto his shoulders to touch the color. He felt them both sliding their clever fingers over the shiny surface.

"So pretty Papa!" they purred in unison. The silky texture obviously triggering their unity.

"Thank you! Papa has to go so down you go," he said happily.

They scrambled down and gave his cheeks a kiss on the way by.

He bent down and gave Emily and Joseph a kiss and they went back to playing.

Jack looked around for Diana but she was nowhere to be seen.

"It's ok Jack. I'll let her know you said goodbye," Eve said gently.

Frowning he nodded and rushed out of his apartment lugging his stuff with him.

He normally spent an hour or so with Diana after she had one of her episodes just to ensure she knew he was there for her but today... he sighed. Eve would have to bring her back to herself.

There was a taxi waiting for him and he jumped in. The flight to the Gate Terminal was short but when he rushed in he saw two impatient looking ebony Altarians glaring back at him. Their glares faded as they took in the new look of his horns.

"What did you do?" Gee gasped.

"I did what you told me to do! I washed them. The damn stuff hardened and went all smooth!"

"Cold water? You washed them in cold water?" she asked calmly.

Jack blinked at Gee. "What? No, I took a hot shower..."

The two Altarians shared a pained look.

"So I should have used cold water?" he asked in exasperation. "How the hell was I supposed to know that?"

"We are late! Can we go now?" Bal said with a partial scowl as her eyes kept slipping up to his gleaming black and red horns.

They grabbed their suitcases and ski bags and walked up to the customs and security agent.

"Oh my god!" the agent gasped gawking at his horns.

Jack looked at Gee. "This isn't permanent is it?" Gee just shook her head so Jack wasn't sure if she was answering him or was just disappointed in him. Again. He pouted.

Bal slapped a palm on the countertop and the agent jumped. She apologized and asked them their destination.

"Chrystan," Bal said tersely.

The agent's eyebrows rose. "Chrystan?" she asked in disbelief.

"Diplomatic visit," Jack offered and she went all dreamy eyed when she faced him again.

"Yes, the last Gate on the left," she purred to him and he smiled at her.

His escort pushed him away from the desk and set course for their Gate.

"Wait! Should we put on our warm coats before we leave?"

"Chrystan's Gate Terminal should be warm enough and we'll change when we get there," Gee explained.

Jack hadn't had time to do any research on the planet or the people and felt totally unprepared. He froze in place and the two security agents looked back at him in frustration.

"This entire trip feels off. It's too rushed. I'm not prepared! I don't know the Shreen! I might do something embarrassing or diplomatically disastrous! What if I pick my nose and that turns out to be a declaration of war!"

"You pick your nose?" Bal asked with a frown.

"No! I'm just saying I might make some innocuous gesture that they mistake for an insult."

"Picking your nose in front of someone is rude on every planet and to all races." Bal explained in a matter-of-fact tone.

"Forget I said anything about nose picking!" Jack barked.

"You don't need to worry about such things with the Shreen. They are a very relaxed and tolerant people. You may be yourself with them. That shouldn't cause too much chaos." Gee said dryly.

Jack took a deep breath and got his nerves back under control. He nodded to the two agents and they continued on.

As they walked up to the mirror surface carrying their tall ski bags Jack thought they looked like a family just going skiing. That made him feel better. He smiled at that thought and wondered what kind of winter wonderland they'd be stepping into on the other side. A brief tingle later Jack looked around with a weird feeling of déjà vu. The room was identical to the one they just left. There was no castles of ice and howling winds. The white domed ceiling was the same non-descript Gate room as before. He felt a little disappointed.

They walked to the customs and security agent and Jack perked up. Here was his first Shreen in person.

It was sitting inside a glass booth and chilly air was pouring out of the little window.

"Name, Department, and reason for your visit," the being droned then looked up. Eyes widened in surprise.

"Jack Danner, Altarian Ambassador. Uh, diplomatic visit with a little skiing thrown in?"

"Jack Danner." The furred being's large eyes looked up. "Ah, the horny one."

Gee snorted as Jack frowned at her.

"Horned one. I'm travelling with my security escort Gee and Bal."

"What's in the skinny bags?" the agent asked.

"Our skis," he answered and got a blank look. "They are long boards we attach to our shoes to glide quickly through snow for fun."

Furry brows rose then the being shrugged. It pointed to the doors at the far side of the room and went back to ignoring them.

They made their way to the door but instead of opening to a vista of crystal spires and an endless expanse of white Jack saw a wide rectangular corridor sloping down as it went underground. It wasn't even made of ice, just a smooth white stone. They saw a Shreen walking quickly up the slope towards them.

Jack was now getting his first good look at one of the native population in motion and not mostly hidden inside a custom's booth. He took time to familiarize himself with its distinct characteristics. This one was tall, maybe a head taller than he was. The front side of its body seemed to be covered with a dense, felt like fur. A creamy white with darker tan rosettes and stripes. The back side may have been covered with long fur as he could see it swish around on her arms and legs. This fur was almost reddish brown. As Karrel had said their feet were wide and completely covered with the longer fur until it looked like the being was wearing big furry boots.

As he'd seen on the customs agent this one had large eyes, a deep grey color, and a black triangular patch which was the nose above a wide mouth. Its teeth were two grinding plates which just looked like wide bands of white teeth but with no gaps, at all. Tall, furry pointed ears projected upwards. The one approaching was only wearing a kind of kilt around its waist which went from hip to mid-thigh.

As it began to slow to a stop before them Gee looked to Jack who had begun to move forward lifting his hand. Gee blocked his arm with her elbow.

"Sorry, I just recalled. Keep your hands to yourself, at all times. Touching hands is only for sex," she said with a quiet voice.

Jack choked back his outraged response as he'd almost sexually assaulted someone with his first greeting. His face flushed with embarrassment and he stepped back as he watched Gee step forward to press her forehead to the Shreen... female.

He wasn't sure how he knew but his gut was telling him this was a female. The previous one he'd met had been male if he had to guess.

Bal mirrored Gee's actions then it was his turn and he stepped forward with a nervous smile and noted she appeared... excited.

After they pressed foreheads she glanced up in wonder at his horns then addressed him. "Hello! Welcome to Elleltris, the capital city of Chrystan. I am Tanz," she said in a higher pitched voice than he'd expected for so large a being.

"I'm a little nervous myself," he blurted with a self-conscious grin.

"Jack, that's her name. Tanz," Gee corrected him gently.

His face dropped. "Oh! I'm so sorry! I hate to admit but I came here unprepared. I know nothing of the Shreen so I apologize in advance if I make some socially inappropriate mistakes." He glared at Gee to remind her of her last second reminder.

"It's quite all right. We're a tolerant species. This you will learn quickly. We don't take offense without extreme provocation. Unlike one vile race who no longer exist due to your heroic actions!" she finished with a gush.

He blinked at her in confusion.

"She speaks of the Allsa Komanae. The Shreen have the most personal of reasons to hate the Allsa Komanae." Gee explained.

"Indeed! They stole our home from us!" Tanz nodded emphatically making the long fur sway.

Jack realized his impression of Tanz's size was being fooled by the thick mane of long fur on her body. If he took that into account she was actually rather slim, just tall and well furred.

He looked at Gee. "Does everyone know my involvement with their genocide?" he asked quietly.

"Such information proved to be impossible to contain," Gee replied nonchalantly as she seemed personally pleased it had been leaked so widely.

"We believe it was divine retribution, not genocide. Not that we are a religious people," Tanz corrected with a smile.

Jack wasn't sure how to respond to that so he just smiled.

"I am the Queen's Facilitator. I will be your contact during your visit on Chrystan." Tanz looked at the large bags they were holding. "What are these?"

"Skis. We use them for gliding quickly over snow. For fun and exercise. I understand we will be spending some time at one of your hot spring resorts?" Jack asked and Tanz nodded. "I hope to use them while we are there."

"Most definitely! The storm outside is expected to end in a day or so." Tanz smiled. "Tonight though we are throwing a dinner party for your visit so you may meet the Queen and the King in a less formal setting. This is something else you will discover about the Shreen. We don't insist on a lot of grandiose pageantry or ceremony."

Jack smiled gratefully. "That sounds wonderful!"

Tanz couldn't deny her curiosity any longer. "Your magnificent horns, they look different from the image I just saw before I came to meet you. They look..." her words failed her.

"Shiny?" Jack offered but she shook her head still struggling to find the word. He sighed. "Bloody and vicious?"

"YES! Wait- no. Aggressive? Something of that nature," Tanz shook her head and just smiled at him. "They are most impressive but they don't look like they did in the image."

"Yes, well... I had a little accident this morning. I was out running and to avoid colliding with someone I jumped aside and hit a tree. The tree sap stained my horns red. I'm hoping it fades and goes back to the original color."

"You weren't hurt?" she asked in surprise.

"No, getting hit in the head doesn't seem to be as dangerous as it was before I grew these," he said pointing up with a self-deprecating grin. "I'm much more hard headed these days."

She smiled back at him. "Shall I take you to the palace?"

Jack nodded and they followed her down the ramp. When they passed through the doors at the bottom Jack braced himself for an icy blast but walked into a cool breeze instead. Not frigid but he could see how he would shortly find it to be uncomfortable. They were in a small... parking lot with just two wheeled carts in it. One had seats for two and the other was longer with a cargo bed and seating for eight. Tanz gestured for them to put their bags on the back of the larger vehicle and she strapped them down when they were done. Gee and Bal were leaning against Jack while they waited for Tanz. He looked down at them as he felt them shiver.

When she turned from the vehicle she frowned in concern. "My apologies for the temperature. I can see you're finding it to be a little too cool for your comfort. This is how we keep all of our living and working spaces. I'll get you some warm outerwear for your stay."

"Thank you!" Jack said.

She gestured for them to get onto the cart. She climbed up onto the front seat and Jack moved to follow her onto the passenger seat but Gee pulled him after her onto the second-row bench seat. Bal pushed him to the middle then tucked her body up against his as Gee pressed herself against his other side. Smiling gently down at them he pulled his arms up and over their shoulders and hugged them against him pulling them in tighter. Gee let a sigh slip from her lips as the heat from his torso soaked into her chilled body. She studiously looked away, avoiding his amused look.

Tanz gave the cart their destination then turned in the seat to look back at them. She smiled at the Altarian's method of staying warm.

The cart rolled back smoothly and moved them out into another long rectangular corridor of the same white stone that stretched off into the distance. Jack finally realized they were going to remain underground.

Tanz saw his epiphany and grinned. "Yes, we don't live on the surface. We like the cold but we've adapted really well to living underground and it's so much easier to control the climate down here."

The tunnel they were gently rolling and bouncing through was brightly lit from evenly spaced domes in the ceiling. The walls were completely covered with some kind of leafy plant life. Their oxygen scrubbers and suppliers.

"The palace?" Jack asked.

"It's underground too. You were expecting a tall pointy structure built atop a mountain and made from ice perhaps?" she answered with a grin.

He nodded with an embarrassed smile.

"Not practical at all but very dramatic. We actually considered building one and got so far as having an architect draw up plans but no one wanted to live or work in such a drafty building. Ice buildings make their own air currents. Pah," Tanz snorted with a grin.

The corridor continued to slope downwards gradually. "How deep underground are we going?" Jack asked.

Tanz's eyes widened. "I should have asked, do you have a fear of enclosed spaces?"

"What? Oh, no. I was just curious," Jack clarified. He looked to Gee and Bal and both shook their heads. They looked toasty and content.

"Good. Well, the deepest we typically go is around thirty levels, most only being as tall as this one though we sometimes have much taller chambers. Any deeper and lighting the space isn't cost effective and we don't have plants that like growing that deep so air quality is at risk," the Facilitator explained.

They saw a brightly lit exit approaching. The road continued on but they were slowing. There was a fair amount of activity at the exit as well. Jack wondered if it was a welcoming committee or some kind of festivity to celebrate their arrival. As they got closer the cart rolled into a parking lot and found a spot to recharge in. Once the engine switched off Tanz jumped off and untied their luggage.

Jack had to nudge Bal to get her to disengage and move off the bench to go bet her bags. Gee stayed close to Jack until he slid off the bench then she was forced to get up and jump down to get her own bags.

Carrying their stuff they walked through the large sliding glass doors into a market place. Jack felt stupid for assuming they were there to see him. These beings were shopping for their daily needs or selling their produce or wares. The sights and sounds of the marketplace brought Jack sweet memories of the times when he and his mother went to a local market to buy food.

Everyone was wearing some variation of the kilt Tanz had on though some vendors were wearing aprons that went up to their chests as well.

He finally caught a physical characteristic that seemed to differentiate the sexes. Males seemed to have vestigial fangs projecting slightly over their lower lip. The females did not.

Outside of the plants for sale, almost every bit of open wall space housed the green plants he'd seen in the corridor they'd driven through.

They made their way through the wide lane running down the middle of the space and people nodded at Tanz and she responded. She said a few words to various individuals on the way and Jack noticed some anxiety she seemed to be able to calm with a word or two. He also received his share of curious looks but none stopped them or interrupted them in any way.

Beyond the large market place they entered another vast chamber which again was filled with people going about their business. This was a shopping district. It almost reminded Jack of one of earth's mega malls except the products on display had a more hand-made, craftsman quality to them. There wasn't a lot of tech for sale though the stores themselves used tech to track the transactions and to advertise their products. He saw a few people consulting their com units for information but for the most part the Shreen just talked to each other directly. He witnessed some good natured haggling but that was the extent of the confrontational behavior he saw.

It was true that some had stern expressions and moved about their business with a little extra haste but to Jack that just seemed normal for a crowd this size. Certainly it didn't hint at this unrest. Did it?

Once more, Tanz was called out to and answered back as they made their way through the area. She was obviously well liked and respected.

They finally exited the shopping district and passed through a wide circular court yard with lanes leading off of it like spokes. Ahead of them were some very wide doors.

"The Royal Palace," Tanz said proudly as she opened the doors and gestured for them to enter. Immediately inside the door was a large landing with a railing on the far edge. Off to either side of the landing were curving ramps leading downwards. They moved closer to the railing and saw the space down below was a vast audience hall with a raised dais at the far side with two chairs. For the Queen and King Jack guessed. Rows of benches faced the two chairs and directly before the dais was a small podium where someone would stand to address the royal couple.

The most spectacular thing about the room were the brilliantly colored and lit windows running from floor to ceiling. Jack grinned happily at how beautiful the colors splashing across the audience hall looked. He turned to smile at Tanz and he saw the delight in her own eyes.

"It's wonderful!" he said.

"It is. Come on. I'll show you to your rooms," she said moving towards the left hand ramp.

"We're staying in the palace?" Jack asked in surprise.

Tanz looked at him in concern. "You'd rather not stay in the palace?"

"No, it would be lovely! You just surprised me," he assured her.

"Special guests always stay in the palace, not that we get many. The dinner party will be in the great dining hall which is a few rooms over in that direction," she pointed to the right side of the Audience hall. "The royal apartment is up a few levels, and your accommodations are a few chambers to the left."

They reached the base of the ramp and Jack looked up. Around the edges of the huge chamber the walls were formed with ridges and gussets. At the top it looked like the canopy of a tree and the bottom looked like roots. The whole room had an organic feel to it. Even the benches seemed to rise up out of the floor.

"No public audience with the royal couple today?" he asked and his smile slipped away when he saw a troubled look pass over the Facilitator's face. She quickly hid it behind a smile.

"No, they're... taking a short break from that activity," she explained but he could tell she was uncomfortable so he withheld his next question.

Jack wondered if the Queen and King were too busy dealing with the unrest Elissa had asked him to investigate.

Tanz led them through a corridor to the left and they passed a beautiful library and a lounge before they reached the guest suites. She took them down the hall to the last three doors.

"The rooms are largely identical in amenities so you can choose the arrangement of who gets which room as you like. I will go make arrangements to get you the warmer outerwear and will pick you up for the dinner party. The dress will be informal. There is no need to wear finery," she informed them.

"There are inner doors between the rooms. Do you need these unlocked?"

"No-" Jack began.

"Yes," Gee and Bal insisted.

"I will take the first room and Bal will take the third. Jack will take the middle," Gee explained.

"OK," Tanz replied and opened the middle room's door. "There are mechanical locking mechanisms on each front door which can be locked from the inside at night if that makes you feel more secure. The palace is the safest place on the planet and the planet is a very safe place."

She went to the inner access doors and unlocked one on either side of the room. She pointed to the sliding panels at the far end of the room. "The bed is behind the privacy screens. The cleansing facilities are behind the first door inside the room. You can press that button on the wall by the door to summon any kind of assistance you may need."

She looked at them with a smile. "Is there anything you need right now?"

Jack looked at the two Altarians who looked back at him and they all shook their heads.

"Ok, good! I will come pick you up in a few hours. You are welcome to explore the palace if you like. The only off limits area is the royal apartments but doormen are there to prevent uninvited guests. You will get to meet the royal couple tonight."

"Thank you so much Tanz!" Jack said and she smiled as she leaned forward. He suddenly realized what she was doing and moved to gently touch his forehead to hers." She repeated this with the Altarians then left the room.

Gee and Bal immediately pulled Jack over to a wide couch and sat him down on the center of it. Then Bal rushed off to the bedroom while Gee settled herself on the couch next to Jack, lifting his arm to squeeze herself against his side. Bal returned with a blanket. Jack lifted his other arm as Bal tucked herself against him. The two agents pulled the blanket up to cover all of them.

Jack felt them shivering against him so he put his arms around them and pulled them closer. They rested their faces against his chest to get the warmth radiating from him.

"How can you be so warm?!?" Gee grumbled.

"Do not complain! He is the only heat source we have right now," Bal grumbled back.

"I would have thought you two would have wanted to explore the palace right away, learn all the nooks and crannies," he teased.

"We have memorized the layout of Elleltris," Gee said cuddling in closer. "Now hush. You should get some sleep as the party is likely to run late and you should be sharp when you meet with the royal couple."

Jack snorted quietly as he was sure they just wanted their heater to be still. So he was still and warm and soon they all dozed off.

Chapter 4

As royal parties went, this one sucked.

After the friendly welcome he'd received from Tanz and seeing how friendly everyone was, he was surprised by how stiff the royal couple behaved.

The Queen was a beauty! Tall, with dark grey long fur on her reverse side and brilliant white fur with dark grey rosettes and stripes on her front side. Light grey eyes and a grace about her that commanded respect. Jack thought she was also sad and hiding it poorly.

The King was almost the polar opposite in coloration. His long fur was white and the short dense fur on his front was dark grey with white rosettes and stripes. His eyes were deep blue which was apparently a new color for the Shreen since coming to Chrystan. Their environment and diet had changed and these changes were manifesting in new coloration in eyes and fur in some cases. Exciting times ahead!

At the head table he was seated next to the King and Tanz was on the other side of the Queen. The royal couple wasn't speaking much to each other and the head table was drawing anxious looks from the other tables.

The food had been unique and he'd enjoyed it after being assured it was safe for human and Altarian physiologies.

Jack was tempted to leap to his feet and break out his amazing disappearing napkin trick to try to pump some life into the party. He caught Gee's eye at the first table where she was sitting with some of the senior council members and their spouses. He pantomimed the beginning of his magic trick and she shook her head vigorously with wide anxious eyes so he slumped back in his chair and pouted.

The servers came by and cleared away the plates. Music began to play and there was an almost palpable sense of relief as this appeared to indicate the meal was over. The Queen rose and walked away with Tanz in her wake. They seemed to be making their way over to a group of older females on the far side of the room.

Jack heard the King sigh heavily and he caught him watching the Queen walking away.

He couldn't take it anymore and leaned his head forward to catch the King's eye which swung back to him.

"I'm sorry your majesty if I'm intruding but you seem a little sad. Would you like to talk about it?" Jack asked.

"Your majesty? I haven't heard that one yet. People just use the title. Since we're both... consorts of Queens, could you just use my name? It's Tyg."

Jack's hand twitched as he stopped himself from reaching to shake Tyg's hand. "Yes, of course Tyg. Please call me Jack."

Tyg pushed his chair back and stood. "I need a drink, Jack. Join me?"

Jack stood as well. "Lead the way."

They made their way down from the table towards a counter where guests were getting sweets and drinks. Tyg looked at the selection of bottles and frowned. "Lars, where is the local brew?"

A male standing beside the table gave the King a pained look. "I was asked not to bring it."

Tyg glanced over to the table the Queen was standing before with her back to them. He looked back to Lars. "The Hra Council?"

Lars nodded unhappily. "I was forbidden to bring it in... so I left a bottle outside the dining hall in the access way cooling in a chiller," he said with a rebellious little smile.

"You are salt!" Tyg cheered quietly and Lars worked to hide his grin, turning his back towards the table of elder females. The so called Hra Council Jack guessed.

Tyg looked desperately at Jack. "I cannot leave the dining hall before the Queen but you... you could slip out and bring back that lovely bottle for us."

"Certainly! Which door?" Jack said with a smile.

Without being obvious, Lars gestured to the servant's entrance in the corner over his shoulder.

Jack nodded and nonchalantly wandered away and felt eyes on him as he approached the door. He turned and saw Bal staring at him sternly.

"What are you up to?" she asked.

"Ah! So good of you to join me. Come with me for a second," he said scooping her up against his side. She wanted to protest but his heat felt good. She and Gee were wearing their thermal undergarments but it still wasn't enough. They wanted to go back to the room and hide under the blankets.

Jack positioned her in front of the door and pushed it open. "Keep this open just a little, ok?" then he slipped out into the hall before she could protest. He spotted the chiller and lifted the bottle out of it. There was no label but this had to be it as he saw no other bottles. He slipped back through the door to see Bal glaring at him. "Hey! I'm on a diplomatic mission here!" he scolded her playfully and moved away before she could interfere.

The King's expression was priceless as Jack arrived. He scooped up two very small glasses and led Jack to a small sitting area for two at the back of the dining hall. He sat and gestured for Jack to take the other chair. He put the glasses on the table and Jack put the bottle on the table between them. Tyg twisted the top oddly and the bottle was open. He poured a small amount in both of their glasses and Jack's eyebrows went up with how little was in his glass. He was a little worried at its strength.

"This is Lussht. You have to start small. Introduce your body to it gradually," Tyg explained.

They picked up their glasses but before Tyg could drink Jack caught his attention.

"We should toast."

Tyg looked at him. "What's that?"

"When people share a beverage like this we traditionally say something we are honoring by sharing the drink. We say something like 'to a successful endeavor' and then we drink. This shows we honor the person or thing we're toasting," Jack explained.

Tyg smiled. "I like that tradition! Let's do it! You're the guest so you do it first!"

"Ok, for my first toast I'd like to honor something that makes life so much better. To love," Jack said and raised his glass.

Tyg froze and looked at Jack's honest gaze. He looked like he might argue but he glanced across the room at the profile of the Queen and the protest died on his lips. "Yes... to love." They drank.

Jack felt the cool liquid slipping down his throat until it landed in his stomach. The cool sensation remained in his throat but his stomach bloomed into warmth which slowly ebbed.

Jack was trying to grasp the flavor but it eluded him. It was good but he just couldn't place it. He smiled across the table into the twinkling eyes of the King. "I like it!" Tyg grinned and poured two more. Just a tiny bit more this time.

"My turn." He paused and thought about it. "To freedom," he finally said.

Jack raised his glass and nodded. "To freedom." They drank.

The liquid felt like it rushed down his throat, this time on what felt like the slick patch of ice left by the first drink and the bloom of heat was larger. The flavor... damn. He couldn't catch it yet but he really liked it! "Oh, that's nice!" he sighed.

Tyg poured two more with a little more. He nodded to Jack indicating it was his turn.

Jack thought about his next move carefully. Then it came to him. "To second chances."

Tyg paused to think about that. His eyes were drawn across the room and he nodded slowly before looking back at Jack. "To second chances." They drank.

Jack held himself very still as the third shot seemed to skip his throat entirely and hit his stomach in record time, the heat bloom exploded and went right to his brain stem. The room went soft focus for just a moment and then settled down into a calm, happy hum.

Tyg's eyes kept tracking back to the Queen and he bit his lip.

"Should... should we do one more?" Jack asked carefully as his lips seemed to be moving on their own like they had something to say.

"Yes... but just the one."

Tyg poured and Jack tried to focus on how much he'd added to the glasses and if it was more than the last time. He shrugged as it was too hard to recall.

"My turn," the sad King said. "To regret."

"No! I won't drink to that thief!" Jack growled. He tried to calm himself but his mouth had something to say. "Regret sucks the joy out of life. The remedy for regret is Action! Perseverance! Honesty! Commun- Comm- Communic- Talking! Give me one of those and I'll drink!"

Tyg stared at the glowering Human with the frightening horns and nodded. "All of them!"

"Aye!" Jack grinned widely. "Now you're talking!"

They drank one last time.

Jack could feel the planet moving under his feet and heard the heart beats of everyone in the room. He wasn't sure what had been in his glass but he was pretty sure it was pretty FUCKING FANTASTIC! He felt like he could do anything! His emotions swelled.

He smiled at Tyg who was looking across the room at the Queen once more. "Talk to me Tyg!" he said leaning forward... or the room did.

"I'm going to miss my wife," the King said quietly.

"Why would you have to miss her?" Jack asked, confused.

"When I leave. I will miss her so much."

"Who is forcing you to leave?" Jack asked looking around the room for the bastards who would do such an awful thing.

"She's a young Queen. Youngest ever they say. The Hra Council are 'assisting her' but they just make her follow old rules. I can't do anything to help her. I'm not allowed to do anything!"

Tyg's incredible sadness swept over Jack and he struggled to keep from crying. He- he couldn't just stand by and see love destroyed! He took some deep breaths as the King looked in his eyes. "Do you love her?" Eyes flared and Tyg nodded emphatically. "Do you remember when you fell in love with her? Do you remember why you fell in love with her?" Jack asked.

Tyg gasped a deep breath of his own. "Yes! She was so young, we both were, and she was so brave when they named her Queen!"

"Is she still that woman?" Jack asked, the answer seeming so clear to him.

"She's losing her nerve, they are taking it from her."

"Who is?" Jack gasped.

"The Hra Council. They never liked me. I wasn't like them. I'm not from their class."

Jack reached across the table and grabbed the King's forearm in a tight grip. The male froze looking across the table.

Jack's blood was suddenly boiling. "What is your wife?" he growled.

Tyg's mouth moved then he was able to speak. "The Queen."

"What are you?"

"The King?"

"Are you asking me?" Jack said quietly.

"No! I am the King!" Tyg blurted.

"What does a King do for his Queen?" Jack stared deeply into Tyg's eyes and the male froze once more as some intimate things popped into his head. Jack frowned. "She's under attack. What do you do?"

"Oh! Defend her!" Tyg gasped in sudden comprehension.

"But you just told me you were running away!" Jack growled.

"She- she doesn't listen to me!" Tyg tried to explain.

"Has she lost faith that you will defend her? Stand by her? Who is more intimidated by this council?" Jack asked with wide eyes. He released his grip on the King's arm.

"Oh! Oh. But- I said some awful things," Tyg said.

"And you've forgotten how to apologize? What matters most here? Ask yourself that, ask yourself how you should have acted, then ACT!" Jack thumped the table with a fist and the bottle and glasses jumped as did the King.

"You're right. I- I have to act!" Tyg leapt to his feet and rushed off across the room.

Gee and Bal were suddenly by Jack's side. "What have you done?!? What did you do?!? Are you drunk? Did you grab the King? What did I tell you about keeping your hands to yourself?" Gee hissed rapidly but quietly at him.

He grinned happily and shushed her, pointing to the King and Queen.

They were standing off to the side with their foreheads pressed together. The King was speaking quietly but quickly to his Queen. Then he was speaking earnestly but forcefully to her but the Queen's reaction was just to smile wider and wider. Finally he got down on his knees and bowed deeply to her. She said something and he quickly climbed back to his feet and they rubbed their faces. The room erupted into cheers. The royal couple smiled bashfully and nodded to the council members and their partners.

Looking lovingly into the eyes of her husband she pulled her shoulders back and walked back to the Council of Hra. She bowed slightly and said something they really didn't seem to like. Some began to argue but froze when the Queen snapped her teeth together. She tilted her head and each of the old women got up and bowed to her. She said something else and they slowly walked from the room followed by a very happy Tanz.

"What did you do?" Gee asked again but softly this time as she watched the royal couple approaching with wide smiles on their faces. Jack stood and his smile matched theirs.

"If I might have a moment with Ambassador Danner?" the Queen said to the two Altarians. Gee and Bal nodded and slipped away to give them privacy.

"May I join you for a drink?" the Queen asked.

"Yes! Please!" Jack gushed as the King added a chair to the small table. Lars handed the King an extra glass with a huge smile on his face.

Once they were sitting Jack wondered how he'd managed the whole standing and sitting thing with his head so far up in the clouds. Tyg poured for the three of them, the Queen getting the smallest amount. She frowned at him but he whispered something to her and she smiled once more.

"I need to make a toast, to honor the most important thing in life. To love," Tyg said holding his glass up. The Queen matched his gesture and when Jack said 'To love' she said it as well. They drank.

Jack held the edge of the small table as the room began to accelerate. When he caught up with the room he smiled at the couple. "My goodness this is strong stuff!" he laughed.

They laughed with him.

"I cannot tell you how grateful I am you talked me out of my madness!" Tyg said to Jack sincerely.

"I am eternally grateful as well!" the Queen chimed in.

"There is no battle more noble of purpose than the one to protect love," Jack said with a wistful smile.

"That's lovely! Who said that?" the Queen asked.

Jack looked around in surprise. "I thought I just did." He looked at his glass. "This is strong stuff!"

The royal couple burst into laughter and Jack joined in without knowing why. It just felt really, really good!

Another toast was raised and this time the Queen insisted on toasting to Jack. He found that to be extraordinarily funny and they only stopped giggling to toss back the next shot.

The Queen was now up to a full glass like they were but still well behind on becoming drunk. She still had her daunting intellect front and center. "Jack, would you join us for one more last drink in our apartment. We have the most extraordinary view we'd like to share with you."

The King looked at the Queen with a big grin and nodded to Jack.

Jack certainly didn't see anything wrong with having just one more then he'd head off to his own apartment and that lovely bed he'd glanced at earlier. He nodded and they all stood. He couldn't get over how stable his body felt. No swaying, no overly loose muscles, he was able to move around with no sign of the whirling his brain was going through. Neat trick!

Gee and Bal approached seemingly ready to 'help him' walk back to their room. The Queen intervened.

"Jack will be joining us for just one more drink in our apartment," she said gently but it was the Queen speaking. Her tone brooked no argument.

The agents glanced at each other and looked to Jack who smiled happily.

"I'll be a long shortly. You two should head off to bed now. I'll see you in the morning," he said.

Knowing Jack was as safe in the palace as he was at home and seeing no alternative they bowed to the royal couple. With a final glance at Jack they moved off.

"This way!" Tyg said playfully and moved quickly towards the side door where the Lussht had been stashed. The bottle in question was clutched in his left hand.

The Queen moved after him and Jack felt himself being swept along after them like a bit of fluff caught in the turbulence of a passing skimmer.

Tyg took them down the service way, past the kitchen, up a hidden staircase and through two other corridors to get to a lift that brought them up two more levels. As they stepped out of the elevator Jack saw two larger Shreen standing on either side of double doors. They stood taller as the royal couple approached and Jack saw them smile slightly when they saw the happy smiles on their Queen and King.

"Good night!" the Queen said to them and they nodded. Jack and the King nodded to them in return and then they were inside the apartment, the doors closed behind them.

The wide foyer led into a sunken living room with cushions everywhere! Beyond that though was a window. An actual window! They must have been at ground level! Jack felt his legs moving him across the living room and up to the window where he looked out at a valley which was currently being swept by winds and snow.

The view took Jack's breath away and his mouth hung open in awe. Again, his emotions felt swollen beyond his ability to contain them.

He felt a brief touch on his shoulder and turned. The Queen was standing very close to him with a glass in each hand. She lifted one for him and Jack took it. "May I make a toast?" he asked.

She nodded and he noted how incredibly lovely and soft her light grey eyes were now that they no longer held such sadness. He looked to the King who was reclining back on some cushions in the living room... pit. Well, that's what it looked like to Jack. Tyg nodded emphatically with a smile.

Jack looked at the young couple, so much in love, and sighed. "This is a special toast. To a loving couple who has rediscovered the truth about how strong they can only truly be when they are united by their love. To the Queen and King!" Jack said sincerely and raised his glass.

They followed suit and the three threw back the undefinable elixir.

Jack found himself lying back against the cushions in the pit. He felt like he was floating in the clouds without a care in the world. Once more his emotions swelled to bursting and he gasped at the potent mix of bliss and despair that flashed by.

He heard a giggle to his left so he rolled his head slowly in that direction, careful not to hit the giggler with his horns. Pale grey eyes twinkled happily as the Queen rested on her stomach and elbows watching him. Tyg was on her other side smiling at Jack as well.

"See! He was only out for seconds! I told you he was made of tough stuff like a Ridger!" the King said with a grin.

The Queen happily rolled her eyes as Jack looked at Tyg. "What's a Ridger?"

"I'm a Ridger! I grew up in a back country village on the continental ridge, the foothills before the main mountain range. Life can be tough out there but the tough survive." Tyg explained proudly. The Queen rubbed her face against his and he smiled.

"I believe the Ambassador-"

"Jack, please!" he begged.

She smiled at him sweetly. "Then you must call me Lyn. In private only, of course." Jack nodded solemnly. She continued. "As I was saying," she gently tugged the open neck of Jack's sweater down to expose the deep V of the slave band on his neck. "Jack knows how to be tough and how to survive."

Tyg sighed in admiration when he saw the wide silver links of the necklace. That admiration turned to dismay when he saw the links were embedded in Jacks skin. "Char! How-"

Jack looked away, tears welling up in his eyes as his emotions once more threatened to overwhelm him.

"I'm sorry if I've hurt you Jack!" Lyn gasped.

"I don't understand. How did you get this device connected to you?" Tyg blurted.

The Queen turned to her husband. "You remember Jack was kidnapped by the Allsa Komanae?" He nodded. "They took him to their home planet and put a slave color on him. He's been through horrific torture." She looked at Jack. "I'm so sorry for reminding you."

"It's ok. The collar... it doesn't... speak to me of surviving. It reminds me of the victims who were killed by those bastards," he gasped. He bit down on his tongue to contain the truth.

"Every one of those deaths has been avenged Jack! You know this! It was at your hand!" she insisted.

"That's right! I remember now! You killed them!" Tyg said with a grin then flashed a worried look at his wife as Jack's grief over took him and he burst into tears.

Jack was having trouble breathing as his tears wouldn't stop. The mountain of grief and fear he'd been forcing deep into the recesses of his mind ever since he was rescued would no longer be denied. The Lussht disabled the locks on all of his mind's fortifications and the prisoners were all rushing out. He felt all the terror he'd experienced each time the Allsa Komanae lit up his nervous system with their slave collar and shock sticks. He experienced all of the dread of the damage they might be doing and the despair when the Chuuruthians informed him the collar couldn't be removed without permanent loss of sensation in unknown places. It all came crashing over him and he sobbed, muscles shaking.

When he eventually came back to himself he discovered he was clinging to the Queen and she was clinging equally tight to him, her forehead pressed against his. Tyg had his arms wrapped protectively around both of them.

"Are you ok, Jack?" Lyn asked gently.

"I- " he cleared his throat. He realized he had to get it out now or he might never say it. "I'm terrified of the collar. No... I'm terrified of how it took away my control. My illusion of control. It tore me wide open every time they punished me with it. It exposed me," he forced out of his tight throat.

"It can't do that anymore though, can it," her soft voice said gently.

Jack struggled to get his breathing back to normal. "No... it can't. The receiver... it's burnt out. The ones who knew how to interface with it are all gone."

"So, you can let go of that fear?"

"Yes... yes I can." He took some deep breaths then began to feel embarrassed for dragging these young people into his drama. "I'm sorry-"

"No! Don't deny the significance of letting go of this pain. I think you have been containing it all this time, yes?" Lyn said sternly.

"Yes..." he said with a faint voice.

"Now that you've set it loose how do you feel?" she asked.

He thought about that. He looked inside and discovered he felt... better. Lighter. More relaxed. And exceptionally clear minded. The fog of the drink was completely gone!

"Good."

"Good," she repeated with a smile.

"You are a smart Queen!" Jack said sincerely.

"She's the best!" Tyg said from her shoulder.

They gently eased their grip on each other and they sat up to smile at each other bashfully.

"Thank you so much for that. I... don't know why my emotions became so intense and overwhelming!" Jack exclaimed.

"Really? Huh. Lussht typically has a calming effect on Shreen though each batch is hand brewed and can have slight variations in its side effects," Tyg explained.

"Lussht? Now I know," Jack sighed.

"Jack?" Lyn said just a little nervously.

"Hmmm?"

"This may be totally rude and inappropriate but considering how intimate the night has been..." her voice tapered off as she ran out of nerve. She glanced at her husband.

"May we touch your horns?" Tyg finished for her and she gasped in relief as she looked hopefully at Jack.

He burst into a smile. "Of course you can. They used to feel dry and a little rough but since I got that tree sap on them and accidentally bonded the stuff to them the feel is much different. He leaned forward a little and each lifted a hand to touch his horns ever so gently.

"They're really strong so don't be shy about it. The caps are still on aren't they?" he asked.

"Yes, they are lovely. Why do you wear them?" Lyn asked.

"The tips need to be covered because they are exceptionally sh- sh- sharp." The room went into soft focus for Jack again. He smiled as a blissful calm settled over him.

"What's happening?" Jack asked Tyg.

"Are you feeling good again?" the King asked.

"Mmm hmmm!" Jack nodded with a grin.

"The waves have begun. Lussht stays with your system for a while. The waves of euphoria should diminish in intensity, eventually. Well, they do with Shreen."

Jack thought that was pretty funny because only seconds ago he felt clearer than he had in years. His chuckles turned into a laugh as Tyg and Lyn were drawn into his good spirits.

"What- hoo! What happens if I have more Lush?" Jack asked as he got control of this laughter.

"Not Lush! Lussht! Drinking more just extends how long you get the waves- oh! Here come minnneeee..." Tyg giggled quietly to himself as he slumped back to the cushions.

The Queen poured herself another glass and tossed it back. While she was gasping Jack grabbed the bottle and poured a little more for himself. Tyg shook his head at the offer.

The Queen got up and spoke into a little speaker on the wall. Gentle music began to play and she gracefully swayed around the foyer.

Grinning madly Jack clambered to his feet and made his way up to the foyer. He danced up to the Queen as she danced around him. Jack closed his eyes and swayed to the music. It was kind of folksy and orchestral at the same time and Jack heard hints of classical in there as well. At least it had a beat he could move to. He was no dance expert but his current buzz removed all of his inhibitions. He was also still giddy from the sudden release of years of tension and anxiety. He saw the Queen watching him dance and he held out his hand to her. She glanced at it in surprise and looked over at Tyg who was watching them with a huge grin on his face. He nodded to her and gestured for her to take the hand. The moment Jack felt her soft hand in his he gripped it and pulled her in close to dance and walked her through a few steps. He spun her around the gleaming floors of the foyer and her eyes were sparkling with excitement. He knew his moves were sloppy but he had passion and she seemed to be enjoying herself. The music slowed down a little with a dramatic beat so he tried to do a tango but the complexity of the steps eluded him.

Lyn was making quiet trilling noises almost non-stop and dragged Jack back to the cushions of the living room next to Tyg who watched them with interest. She stretched out her body over her husband's and rubbed her face on his. She whispered something to him and his eyes widened. He looked over at Jack who blinked back at him curiously. Tyg nuzzled his wife and she trilled at him as well. She turned to Jack.

"You will join us in lovemaking?"

Jack's buzz was happily humming through his nerves at the time so he didn't quite grasp what she'd asked. He smiled at her. "Hmmm?"

She was suddenly reclining on his chest, her face very, very close to his. She felt very good against his body. "You will join us in lovemaking?" she asked again, more insistently this time.

That got through but his ability to be shocked, embarrassed, shy, or intimidated were washed away with his inhibitions. He smiled up at her. "But- but I don't know how Shreen make love!"

"There is only one way to make love, Jack!" she laughed.

He smiled in return as he looked between the two. "No, no my young friends! There are many, many ways to make love!"

The Queen trilled excitedly and rubbed herself against him. She reached out a hand to Tyg and he took the hand in his. Both closed their eyes in happiness.

Jack's mind was trying to tell him something. Something about hands. Meh. It couldn't be important.

"Show us! We want to learn!" Lyn gasped as she refocused on Jack.

Jack laughed. "I'm no expert. I just know a few things."

"Teach us!" she trilled. Again Jack laughed at the happy enthusiasm. He was feeling so at ease he just nodded.

"Well, before I do I need to know something about what you do know. What is lovemaking to you?"

Lyn grinned and squirmed on top of him in embarrassment and the pressure was beginning to wake part of his anatomy.

"We take our clothes off and Tyg lies on me or I lie on him and we hold hands and rub our bodies together until they connect and we mate."

"Ah, ok. That sounds very nice. What about before that? What things do you do to get excited?"

"Before?"

"Things you do that make you feel like mating?"

She trilled and looked at her husband. "We hold hands and rub faces," he suggested.

"Do you kiss? Are your lips sensitive?" Jack asked curiously.

"Kiss? I don't know what that is," she said.

"May I? he asked the couple.

She nodded nervously and Tyg grinned. Jack took Lyn's head gently between his hands and caressed her mouth with his, taking small kisses as he went. He stuck with sensual surface kisses only. He smiled as he pulled back.

Lyn's eyes were wide and excited. "Again!"

"No, this time you do it with Tyg. Remember slow and sensual as you're just going for subtle feelings, like a tease.

Lyn scrambled over to her husband and climbed across his body. "Slowly," Jack reminded her. She nodded then took Tyg's face in her hands and kissed him for the first time. He moaned then trilled loudly making his wife trill back happily. Jack thought their noises were sweet.

"Undress!" the Queen commanded and Jack snorted. She looked at him questioningly.

"Take your time. Make the undressing part of the lovemaking," he suggested. They stared at him in surprise. "You can take your clothes off one at a time while the other one watches or you can help your partner remove their clothes and excite their bodies as you do it.

"Show me!" Lyn asked rolling off her husband to land on the cushions.

Jack nodded to Tyg. "The Shreen don't wear a lot of clothes but you have this lovely kilt." Jack slipped the first knuckle of his index finger inside her waistband and slowly slid his finger across her stomach. She began to gasp as her stomach muscles trembled.

He found the kilt's fastener buckle and undid it at her hip. He tugged the corner of her kilt down exposing more of her tender lower abdomen. Jack kissed there and she convulsed. He pulled back and looked at her in surprise. Tyg was watching wide eyed.

"Are you ok?" Jack asked.

She nodded and bit her lip so he peeled the kilt down a little more. He kissed this area and she convulsed once more and began to pant. Jack slipped the kilt down her legs and off. He picked up the scent of her heat and it was sweet and warm.

"She is very excited!" Tyg said to Jack indicating the wet lips surrounding her opening. She was very small and not compatible even with his average human endowment so the Shreen weren't a race he'd be having sex with. The lips seemed to have short tendrils on them and they swayed with her excitement, spreading their lubricant around.

"Here is another way to make love. Oral sex. It feels very good and is a beautiful way to give your lover great pleasure." Jack said.

"Oral? Using your mouth? Down there? What about the sharp teeth in your mouth?" Tyg exclaimed in shock.

"Lips and tongue, Tyg. Go ahead."

The male blinked at him, frozen.

"What's wrong?" Jack asked.

"That's... not done," he said.

"Why? Is there a safety or health reason?" Jack asked.

"No, no... it's not... natural."

Jack barked out a laugh. "Sorry, nothing is more natural than giving your partner pleasure. If it's safe to do, doesn't hurt but instead gives great pleasure then do it!" he said with a smile. Tyg still looked undecided and poor Lyn was shivering with need. Jack ran a fingertip over and around her opening, caressing the wet lips.

"YYYYEEEEESSSSSSS!!!!!" Lyn cried out as she was finally getting some pleasure.

Jack looked at the slick fluids on his finger tip as the couple watched him. He put his finger in his mouth and the couple jolted in shock. He looked at them curiously as he licked the juices from his finger. She tasted like... honey! Slightly tart honey.

"She's delicious, Tyg! Seriously you should do this!" he said.

"I- I don't know how! I don't want to hurt her!" he blurted.

Jack sighed. "Ok, watch and learn!" He dipped his face down between her thighs and gently kissed and nipped at her inner thighs. Lyn was jumping, gasping and trilling constantly. Jack saw Tyg was still with him watching his every move. Jack stuck his tongue out flat and stroked it across her rippling lips.

"AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!!!!!!!" the Queen cried out in bliss.

Jack ran the point of his tongue roughly over the surface of her lower lips and she trilled loudly as her body shook. When he plunged his tongue into her opening while sucking on the lips her cries went ultrasonic and her hands grabbed his horns and pinned his face against her sex as she convulsed through an enormous orgasm.

When she finally came down from her pleasure he pulled away and she reluctantly released his horns. Jack turned his wet face to look at Tyg. "Completely natural pleasure. She likes it. Learn to do it."

The King nodded as he watched his wife panting with a blissful smile on her face.

Jack pushed himself up to his feet and wandered off to the kitchen where he quickly washed off his face. As he was drying himself his body went through another 'wave' and he came back to himself gripping the edge of the counter as his body felt like it was going to float up to the ceiling. He smiled as the calm surge settled through his body.

He made his way back and heard a gentle trilling coming from the pit. He made his way down and saw Tyg was on top of Lyn but they weren't moving. He thought this probably got the job done but a little movement might enhance it.

"Hey Tyg. Rock those hips, man!" Jack suggested.

Tyg looked at him in question.

"Listen to the music and roll your hips to the beat." Jack demonstrated sensually rocking his hips to the music. "Different music, different feeling." Jack was beginning to fade so he sat on the cushion next to the Queen and smiled down at her.

She smiled back but her face was contorting with the intensity of the sensations Tyg was giving her with the rocking of his hips. They'd connect just to pull away and connect on the other side. This constant tug and press amplified the sensations and she was losing her mind. When Jack lifted her hand to his mouth and sensually kissed each and every knuckle she was seriously racing up on her release. Her hips were moving with Tyg's and he was beginning his orgasm. She looked up at Jack as he put her finger inside his mouth. Her eyes rolled back as a mighty trill burst forth. Jack leaned away from the noises the two were making and released Lyn's finger. He pushed himself to his feet and found they were taking him to the front door.

He was suddenly tired and the couple behind him showed no signs of stopping. He opened the door and slipped out into the hall. He looked over his shoulder and saw one of the doormen smiling at him.

"They need some couple time. I'm- I'm gonna go back to my room... but I have no idea how to get there."

"I will get you there Ambassador," one said as the other nodded.

Jack nodded then followed his guide. He lost track of the turns until they were standing before the door to his room. "Thank you!"

The doorman nodded with a smile and walked away. Jack slipped into his room and locked the door behind him. When he turned to face the room another 'wave' washed over him. This one was bigger and left him very foggy afterwards. He came back to the feel of two hands pulling him across the room. His body tingled as hands undressed him for bed. He purred at the feeling of their soft hands removing his clothes. He reached forward to touch the female before him but she kept pushing his hands away.

When Jack was down to his underwear Gee and Bal saw he was tenting them badly and shared a look. Gee pushed Jack back onto the bed and Bal, who was on the bed, pushed him to move up to the pillows. Bal turned and hopped off the other side to put away his clothes while Gee tried to tuck him in.

Gee found herself on top of Jack and his hands were squeezing her ass cheeks in a way she had to admit felt wonderful. She sighed and looked over at Bal who smirked with an armful of clothes and shrugged as she left the room to give them a little privacy.

Deciding to do this quickly Gee pushed herself up to sit on his legs. She pulled Jack's boxers down far enough to free his cock. She marvelled at how hard it was then straddled it and rubbed herself up and down on it and felt herself getting wetter and wetter.

Jack was moaning with pleasure when she finally tilted him up and drove him deep into herself. She rode him hard and fast but he showed no sign of reaching his release. She was tiring when Jack reached down to grab her hips and began to thrust up into her. Gee felt like a leaf in the wind. Her loss of control was complete when her orgasm suddenly struck and he continued to thrust through the explosion of her pleasure. In desperation she threw herself to the side, pulling free to land on the bed beside Jack. She panted and shook through aftershocks.

"Bal!" she called out once before closing her eyes and pulling the blanket over her head.

Her partner came back into the room and saw Gee was under the sheets and Jack was... exposed and very much still excited. Bal scowled at the lump of her partner under the sheets then walked closer to see what condition Jack was in.

He'd obviously drunk something that was impairing his ability to think. His eyes were rolling as he lay on his back. She looked down at his cock and it was large, hard and throbbing. She reached for it then pulled her hand back. She looked closer at his face and was caught when his arms went around her. His hand gripped the hair on the back of her head and his mouth was on hers and he was kissing her so deeply and sensually.

Her mind fluttered as she tried to react, to push him away, but the truth was... she liked him. He was childish and silly but in his heart he was a good person. There was also the fact that she had no suiters on Altaria. Security Agents don't get a second look from Altarian males. She needed to get her pleasure from time to time. She knew Jack could make her feel good... ah, fuck it. She wanted him.

Bal's arms went around Jack's neck and she kissed him deeply in return. Suddenly he rolled them over and his warm body was pressing her down on the mattress. Fuck, he felt so good! They rocked together for a minute until she was almost crying out for him to enter her when he raised his hips. She reached down and guided him to her opening and gasped when he slowly pushed himself in deeper and deeper.

She knew in his drunken state he was probably imagining Queen Elissa or one of the ladies he lived with but for now, for this moment he was with her. He felt good! Big! She felt so full and warm. This damn planet was so freaking cold! She wasn't cold now!

Jack's hips began to thrust faster and faster and she could hear him begin to rumble deep in his chest. That made her tingle. His teeth grazed her neck and she couldn't prevent her instinctive jolt of primal fear quickly followed by a wave of relief and a huge surge of pleasure as her release washed over her mind.

"Oh god Bal! You're so beautiful!" Jack moaned as he erupted deep within her.

She froze. Her sexual bliss was still flaring but the warmth that exploded through her now came from a different source. She clung to his large body soaking in the contact, the closeness, his connection to her.

When she came back to herself she was still under him... but he'd fallen asleep. He was incredibly heavy, he wouldn't wake up, and she couldn't move him.

Stupid human.

"Gee. Wake up."

"Hmmm?"

"Help get him off of me!" she growled.

Gee tugged sideways from the top while Bal pushed from the bottom until he rolled over onto his back. Gee smirked at Bal then climbed under the warm blankets to cuddle against Jack's warmth.

Bal pulled up the blanket as well. Then grudgingly tucked herself against Jack's other side.

Stupid warm human.

She couldn't keep the little smile from her lips so she pulled the blanket over her head to hide it.

Chapter 5

Jack awoke feeling the oddest sensations.

First to catch his attention was the physical. His nose and his toes were cold but the rest of his body was hot!

More profound than this was the incredible feeling of lightness. He was almost giddy with a sense of relief... but from what? What did he do to feel this way?

He cast his mind back to the night before and... frowned. His memories were cloudy and jumbled and the bits he could pull out were almost surreal. Going further back he recalled Tanz bringing them to the royal dining room and meeting the cabinet ministers and their spouses. Ah! He needed to get some time to discreetly pick their brains about the unrest on the planet.

Then he remembered meeting the royal couple. After the friendliness of everyone else he'd met they were surprisingly cold and stiff. Troubles in the relationship, he thought. They were so wrapped up in their own misery they wouldn't be aware of troubles in their kingdom. As a source of information on the unrest they were a dead end. As a young couple he hoped they could work it out.

As he continued on through his memories he remembered eating and being miserable then being with the King and drink- ah. He got drunk. Probing at the rest of his memories of the night was useless. They were a jumbled mess. What the hell had he been drinking?

Still, for a night after a bender he felt good. So good! Almost like a runner's high!

He looked to his left and right and saw lumps under the blankets. He lifted the blanket and yup. His two heat seekers. The reason he was sweltering under the covers. Guh, he needed a shower.

There was no way for him to get out of bed without pulling the blanket down and he knew... fuck it. He needed out. Down went the blanket and the cold air hit his bare, sweaty skin. Yikes! He tried to get up quickly but got a few slaps from the two sleepy heads before he was able to walk down to the end of the bed and step off. He looked back and they'd already pulled the blanket back up over their heads once more.

Shivering, he grabbed his toiletry kit, gathered some clothes and made his way quickly to the bath room. The shower was enormous! He dumped his stuff on the counter, grabbed his soap and shampoo and stepped into the shower. The controls were relatively simple to figure out and soon he was standing in a vertical stream of hot water. He played with the settings and finally found a way to reduce the flow so it didn't feel like he was being pounded to the ground by a torrent. He let the heat soak into his skin as he lathered up and rinsed.

He remembered the caps and reached up to remove them before he washed his hair. He shut off the water and stepped out looking for a towel but there were none. He looked back in the shower and saw a setting for what looked like air dry so he pressed it. The stall was filled with swirling, hot and dry air. He ran his fingers through his hair and eventually he felt dry enough. He shut it down and went out to finish cleaning up.

He felt clean, refreshed and still remarkably light. He buffed his collar with a small hand towel he found then pulled on his clothes. As he exited the bathroom, Gee and Bal brushed past him to get into the bathroom. They were moving stiffly and had dour looks on their faces. They really didn't like the cold. Now that he was dressed he was... comfortable. He didn't know what the plan was today. Tanz would be by... in about forty minutes to fill them in.

He poked about in the room until Gee and Bal came out of the bathroom. They were still moving a little stiffly and he suddenly recognized their movements from how Leffera and Karrel were after he'd been a little too aggressive with them during lovemaking. His jaw dropped and he moved to apologize.

"We will not speak of it. Nothing. Happened." Gee said looking him right in the eye.

Jack blinked, looking between the two agents then nodded.

Gee pointed to the couch and Jack moved to sit in the middle with a resigned sigh. They tucked themselves in next to him and Bal pulled the blanket over them.

"Could they not add a heater to the guest suites?" Gee grumbled.

Bal didn't respond to her partners complaints.

"I know you don't want to speak of what happened last night but could you clue me in to what happened after dinner?"

Gee looked up at Jack's face in surprise. "You have no memory at all?"

He fidgeted. "Well, I have some brief flashes but most of it is either gone or bizarrely surreal."

Gee grunted in annoyance.

"You spoke with the King and he seems to have reconciled with the Queen. They were very happy when we last saw them. They took you up to their apartment for a nightcap." Bal explained.

Gee and Jack both looked at her in surprise. She was usually so quiet.

"What? It's what happened!" she scowled and burrowed a little closer to Jack. They sat there on the couch for the next half hour until there was a knock on the door.

Bal threw back the blanket and leapt to her hooves to answer the door. She returned with Tanz who saw Jack and Gee getting off of the couch and folding the blanket.

"Good morning! Again, I apologize for the temperature. I have been assured your warmer outerwear will be ready this morning," she said in concern.

"That's great! Thanks! Good morning to you!" Jack responded.

"Yes, it is a very good morning indeed! I thought we might go to one of our best hot springs so you could see what makes Chrystan such a paradise... for us," she amended seeing the two Altarians looking so chilly.

"A hot spring would be lovely!" Jack agreed.

With a happy nod Tanz led them out of the room and palace. They walked back through the shopping district and the marketplace once more and Jack thought both areas seemed even busier than the first time they'd been through. The people still called out to Tanz and her responses were generating a lot more smiles this time. She was really popular!

They climbed back onto the cart, Gee and Bal once more making a Jack sandwich for his heat. They pulled out into the tunnel, continuing in the direction they'd gone yesterday.

"We'll be going around the city to get to the hot springs. Taking the cart is quicker," Tanz explained.

She was staring at Jack with a strange smile on her face. He was going to ask her about it when she turned and the cart rolled into another parking area. The air felt just a little warmer here making Gee and Bal perk up. The group walked through the doors from the parking lot and a gust of warm humid air caressed their faces. The entrance to the hot spring was just up ahead and there was a lot of Shreen coming and going. They went inside and Jack saw a large sign indicating the location and sizes of the pools. Tanz pointed out the one they would go to. If they were feeling adventurous there was a special treat with this large facility. Part of one of the large pools was outside. Swim under a wall and you could surface outside! Gee and Bal immediately killed that idea.

"Are you ready?" Tanz asked with a grin.

Jack looked for signs indicating men's and women's locker rooms but everyone who entered just headed in the one door. He had an uneasy feeling.

"Uh, Tanz? Is the change room for everyone? No separate room for male and female?" he asked.

"Why would we need separate- oh! I'm sorry, I forgot. We don't get many visitors. Shreen don't have inhibitions about displaying our bodies. Our kilts are functional and decorative, not to hide parts of our anatomy." Tanz said looking curiously at Jack's body. "Do you wish to leave?"

"No!" he quickly looked at the two Altarians who appeared to be willing to be naked as long as it meant they could get into the hot water. "I'm here to experience your culture so I'll go native." He stopped to think about that. "You don't wear anything in the water, do you."

"Of course not! The clothing would get wet!" Tanz laughed.

"We have clothes designed to be worn in the water. We call them swimsuits," Jack explained.

"How strange? What would be the point of covering your body with clothing if you wanted the hot water to touch your skin?" she looked at him incredulously.

"Well, a swimsuit is typically a very small piece of clothing that covers a very small portion of our body. Around the sexual organs mostly," Jack said, his face burning just a little.

"AHH! That's right! Human males have externally located genitals!"

"How about that swim!" Jack blurted and clapped his hands together.

Tanz looked confused by his sudden change of topic but led them into the change room. They each picked a cubby for their clothes, with biometric reader locks, and began to undress. Jack noticed that it took the Shreen all of a few seconds to strip off their kilts, place them into the cubby and be on their way.

Soon Jack was standing naked with the equally naked Altarians looking at Tanz who looked... much like she had previously.

"You look much different when you take your clothes off!" she said in surprise.

"Yes, that's true. Shall we go?" Jack asked and he gestured for her to proceed them.

They walked out into a much warmer corridor and the Altarians sighed happily. There were several paths leading to smaller pools but to get the truly local experience Tanz led them to the main pool where most of the community went to relax and chat.

When they entered the vast room the temperature went up a few more degrees and Jack could see Gee and Bal finally relax. They walked through a corridor that rained on them until they exited the other side drenched and frozen. The Altarians made a bee line for the large pool and waded in immediately. The room was a little prone to echoes and the white noise of the water fall they'd just walked through made talking impossible. Tanz nodded when Jack pointed to his ears and guided them further along. Gee and Bal kept pace with them from the water. They looked much happier in the water.

The sight of the Queen's Facilitator walking along the pool's edge with a tall, horned, furless creature was drawing attention. Heads turned and conversation lulled as they passed by.

Tanz was still being called to and nodded to her admirers.

They found a quieter grotto and slipped into the water. Now that Jack was up to his shoulders in the hot water he felt himself relaxing as well.

"Ohhhh this is niiiiiiiiice," he sighed happily and Tanz grinned at him.

"I'm so glad you like it! I was beginning to get the impression you were uncomfortable," Tanz said with a relieved expression.

Jack glanced over to check on Gee and Bal and saw they'd found an underwater ledge to sit on a little distance away which kept most of their bodies under the surface. Their eyes tracked the movements of the guests. He smiled at their vigilance. He turned back to Tanz who, he noticed, had moved much closer.

"To be honest, I'm not terribly comfortable being nude around strangers. It's not something I would normally do but as I'm on Chrystan and it seems to be how things are done I'll give it a go." Changing the subject once more he rested back against the side of the pool. "Was there a plan for the rest of the day?"

"The Queen and King were going to give you a tour of the city but they were up all night so they won't be able to join us today." Tanz said grinning expectantly at Jack.

He wasn't sure why she was looking at him like that. "What?"

"The royal couple were making love all night long after being seen sneaking out of last night's dinner party with you! One of the doormen informed me they were enjoying themselves quite... energetically as you slipped out of their apartment," she said excitedly with a giggle.

Jack blushed as he struggled to remember what she was talking about. He got flashes of a furred thigh up close and twitching and shook his head to clear the intimate image. Tanz's eyes were wide and twinkling with happiness. "I- I had a little too much Lussht last night and I may have... done things I can't recall clearly now."

"Do you like Lussht? I could get you some-" she chirped and began to move away to get some.

"No! Please!" he blurted, reaching out to stop her and caught her hand. When her eyes flew wide looking at her hand he snatched his back. "I'm terribly sorry about that! Human gesture! Means something much less intimate!"

She was looking at him oddly as she moved back to her spot.

"Listen, I wasn't really prepared for this visit and I haven't taught myself how to avoid all of the social taboos so I'm making mistakes. I know you said the Shreen are easy going but I'm finding myself doing things that might be seen as... taboo breaking." His mind flashed to the Queen looking at him with a dazed expression as he kissed her finger tips. He groaned quietly and put a hand to his forehead.

"Does your head hurt from the Lussht? I have not heard of that side effect," Tanz said quietly.

Jack realized she was much closer now. He knew she was the Queen's closest assistant so she was probably concerned he might be indiscreet with what he... might have done the previous night with the royal couple. "Listen, I won't tell anyone what we did or might have done-"

Tanz began to giggle.

Again, Jack was confused by her behavior. "What?"

"I spoke with the Queen and King first thing this morning. They were delighted to tell me about some of the fun they had last night and that you taught them thrilling new ways to make love!"

His face flushed as his mind carried him back to a scene of the Queen's face close to his, panting with lust. His eyes cleared and he returned to find Tanz almost leaning against him. He turned in surprise and his erection bumped into her soft fur.

A hand touched then gripped his cock under the water and she gasped.

"You're huge!" she cried out.

He knew he wasn't but perspective is everything. Jack shook his head and gently pulled back from her grip. "I- I think the heat is getting to me. I'd better go cool off. He moved to the side of the pool and climbed out.

Tanz watched him with a worried expression. When she saw his erection her mouth dropped open. She jumped when Gee and Bal moved past her quickly and climbed out to chase after Jack who was walking quickly back towards the change room.

Snapping out of her daze she scrambled to catch up.

He'd tried, he really did, but he'd never be a nudist. Too many eyes and he was just too shy. He spent a little extra time under the waterfall rinsing the hot spring water off and cooling his... passion. He spotted two dark shapes dart past him in the cold spray. They were spending as little time as they could in the cold water. He felt a part of himself shrinking so he moved on to the locker room to find Gee and Bal standing in the hot air dryers rubbing the water from their fur. The image started to bring life back to what had been shrinking so he turned away to find himself facing a distraught Tanz.

"I am so sorry if I disturbed you with my touch! I got the impression from the royal couple that you might be... at ease with such bold gestures."

Jack couldn't stop a chuckle from escaping and a smile began to return to her face. "I'm sure it sounded like that but remember, I'd had a fair amount to drink and for humans that can have a profound impact on our inhibitions. It makes some of us a little too relaxed about... everything. It can also degrade our judgement so we find ourselves doing stuff that perhaps isn't too wise."

He smiled at Tanz. "I'm glad the Queen and King weren't offended or hurt by anything I did with them last night."

She looked down again. "I don't understand how you made love to the Queen with something that becomes so large without hurting her!"

He fidgeted again. "Uh, while I don't have a clear memory of the night, I don't believe Humans are compatible with Shreen for having that kind of sex."

"Kind of sex?" she gasped with wide eyes. "Is that like the 'thrilling new ways to make love'?"

"Uh, yes."

Gee and Bal were dressed and standing at his elbow. "You should dry off," Bal said.

He nodded and with a nod to Tanz he made his way into the dryer.

"Has he taught you these thrilling new ways?" Tanz excitedly asked the Altarians.

The two agents shared a look and eyes twinkled. They saw the woman was almost trembling with curiosity. Gee leaned forward as if to share a secret and Tanz leaned in so quickly she almost lost her balance.

"As his security team it wouldn't be appropriate for us to make love with him but... I've heard that Jack is most talented with what he can do with his... tongue... down there."

Tanz trilled loudly in her excitement and eyes turned in their direction. She rushed off to jump in the air dryer next to Jack's. He smiled at her and wondered at her almost manic grin.

Jack left the dryer and got his clothes out of the cubby and got dressed. Once he had that layer, or in this case, layers of clothing between himself and the rest of the world he felt much better.

Then Tanz walked over with something large and furry in her arms. Gee and Bal joined them.

"They arrived! Courtesy of the Queen! Skrahak pelt coats! I asked the staff to bring them to me wherever I was so I could make sure you were warm." She handed Gee and Bal their smaller coats and the ladies tugged them on. Their expressions of bliss told Jack all he needed to know.

"What's a Skrahak?" he asked taking the larger coat from her arms. It was a little heavy. It was also very soft.

"They're a native predator on the planet. When they're small they're just a nuisance. When they get big they become a real threat! We've lost villagers on the Ridge to the big ones," Tanz explained.

"Not intelligent then? No sentience?" he asked.

"No measurable levels. Creatures of instinct, hunger and killing." Tanz said.

Jack felt a little better with the idea of wearing the coat of another creature. He pulled his on and found it to be very warm. A little too warm maybe. He had to leave the front open.

"You look like one of us! Almost." Tanz gasped happily.

"I need to thank the Queen for these lovely, warm coats."

"I'll pass along the message," the Facilitator said with a smile.

"If there are no plans for us this afternoon I'd love to do a little shopping in those shops by the palace for gifts for my family back home," Jack asked.

"The only plan I have is to invite you to an informal dinner with some of the senior council and their spouses. You met a few last night," she replied. "I have an apartment in the palace as well. I'm throwing the dinner party at my place. You're all invited."

When Jack heard the senior council would be there he saw an opportunity to fish for information on the unrest. His work ethic was kicking him in the ass for not addressing the issue Queen Elissa had specifically sent him here to look into. Instead he'd been playing! Now was his chance to finally begin his assignment! He nodded enthusiastically and Tanz gave him a dazzling smile.

They went back to the cart and this time Jack got to ride up in the front passenger seat as Gee and Bal were toasty and warm in their new coats. Tanz was pleased to have company up on the front seat too.

"Is there anything you need for the party?" Jack asked her as the cart zipped along the smooth roadway.

"Need? No, just your attendance!" she grinned.

He smiled and nodded back to her and got another of her whole body smiles. He wasn't sure how she did that but that's what it felt like to Jack.

They went their separate ways in the shopping district, Jack promising to be ready for dinner at 8:30PM, and she said she'd send a guide.

Jack didn't have any particular gifts in mind or people he needed to buy something for as they really had everything they needed, but he'd passed through the shopping district several times and it's energy, colors, and textures drew him. He'd spent so long reviewing products for importing to Altaria he was interested to see what the Shreen were capable of.

He wandered down the lanes looking into the windows, seeing what kinds of products each store was selling. When something caught his eye he made his way inside.

The first store to do this was a textile shop. One of the bolts of cloth shimmered iridescently and Jack walked in to take a closer look. The shop owner walked up to greet him as he touched the smooth fabric. Deepest blue, bordering on ultra-violet, it caught the ambient light and shimmered. As he moved it with his fingers the fabric appeared to ripple and flow like oil. It was mesmerizing!

"You have a keen eye!" the male said with a grin. "Reaver silk of the finest quality. Strong and beautiful!"

"What's a Reaver?" Jack asked.

Eyebrows rose. "Oh, well... it's a small creature that lives in the lowest levels of the natural caves. Very difficult to locate but their by-product is a strong thread which does peculiar things to light. We collected and wove the thread into these amazing fabrics. Are you thinking of making..." he looked at the shirt Jack was wearing under the coat. "One of those with this fabric?"

Jack smiled as he imagined how incredible Diana would look in a gown made of this. Oh! SennLann, Eve, and Diana! Maybe Elissa, Karrel and Leffera as well! Gee and Bal only wore their super tough gossamer combat gowns. "No... but I do have some ideas. How difficult is it to work with the fabric?"

"A very hot blade will cut it without risk of unraveling the weave. It can also be sealed with a very hot seam press. Did I mention the fabric won't stain, shrink, and is easily cleaned," the proprietor said eagerly. He could taste the sale. He was sure he would be able to get him to buy at least 4 spans.

"I assume this fabric is not... inexpensive," Jack said with a slight smile.

The shop keep pursed his lips thoughtfully. "Astute as well as a keen eye. Made from a rare substance it is highly prized... and valued.

"How much?"

The male pretended to consider the fabric but the tips of his ears were vibrating, giving away his excitement. "You'd need how much? We sell by the span," he said holding his arms outstretched.

"No. How much for the entire bolt?"

The male's face froze. His eyes slowly widened as he took in Jack's calm expression.

"I- the entire bolt?"

"Yes, how much," Jack asked again.

"Let me work that out for you," he replied. He looked at the bolt, confirming it was full and moved off to get his com. He punched in the number of spans on a full bolt then hesitated. He glanced at Jack and licked his lips. Jack raised an eyebrow and the male seemed to reconsider and punched in a unit cost per span. He pulled his shoulders back and turned the com towards Jack.

It was Jack's turn to freeze but he did so with no outward signs. He'd had years of practice with keeping his reactions contained in business deals. He seemed to be considering the number. "May I?" he said holding out his hand for the com. The shop keeper passed it over. Jack punched in a number to reduce the daunting figure by and handed it back. "I was thinking more along the lines of this?"

The male's eyes went to the new number and his surprise at it's not being reduced dramatically leaked out, just a little. He covered this up by rubbing his jaw with his hand like he was struggling to accept the number. He raised his finger and tapped another amount to add to Jack's number and passed it back.

Jack saw the proprietor had dropped his initial price, but not by much. Cocky. He sighed and the male's ears visibly twitched.

"No, that's just too dear. Shame." Jack said and handed the com back.

"You- you could always reduce the number of spans!" the shop keeper said earnestly to salvage the deal. The huge profit he was going for was slipping away!

"No, the spans are required for the project I have in mind. The Altarian Queen would have looked splendid in that material too." He sighed again.

"Queen Elissa?" the male squeaked.

Jack blinked at him. "Yes, I'm her consort."

"Oh! Yes! Of course you are!"

"It wasn't meant to be." Jack nodded to him and turned to leave.

"As it's for the Queen I suppose I could take a harsh discount on the unit cost," the male asserted.

Jack turned back with a concerned expression. "No, I wouldn't want you to sell it to me at a loss!"

The thought obviously hadn't occurred to him but now he felt like he'd been out manoeuvered. He'd made an overture on behalf of the Altarian Queen and if he didn't appear to be actually discounting his price significantly for her it might be seen as an insult. Going after the huge profit he'd originally set his price for was now too dangerous. He went back to the original equation and punched in the number of spans once more and multiplied this by... cost plus twenty five percent. It wasn't the extreme profit he'd lusted after but he certainly wouldn't be suffering. It was still a large sum. He showed Jack the number as his ear tips trembled.

"Oh! Are you sure?" Jack said, still containing his gasp. There went most of his savings. This was the most expensive thing he'd ever purchased!

The shop keeper smiled magnanimously. "Of course! For the Queen and yourself!"

"Thank you very much! I will ensure the Queen is informed of your generosity and I'm sure she will love the gift I intend for her," Jack said graciously as he transferred the credits from his com to the shop keeper's com.

The male smiled as he saw this quarter's budget and most of the next made in one transaction. Knowing the Queen would be aware of this shop was a huge bonus.

"Could you package it up so I can ship it home?" Jack asked.

"Of course sir. One moment!" he said and off he went to get some packing materials.

Gee was wondering what was taking so long so she came into the store and saw Jack touching the gorgeous fabric. She frowned as she smacked his hand away to touch the material herself.

"This- This is pure Reaver silk!" Gee whispered in shock.

He grinned back at her. "My Reaver silk," Jack said feeling oh so satisfied with his purchase now.

Gee faced him. "What do you mean?"

"What do you think I mean? I bought it," his smile beginning to be strained.

"Bought it? What do you mean, you bought it? How much of it did you buy?" she hissed looking around. Now Jack was frowning back at her but they went to neutral expressions when the shop keeper returned with a large tube.

"You're in luck! I still have the shipping tube the bolt will fit in. You can take it in that," he said watching the odd expression on the Altarian's face.

"Perfect! Thanks!" Jack picked up the bolt which was surprisingly heavy for such a thin and light material. He held it up while the male positioned the packing tube under it. Jack gently lowered it all the way in then they sealed the tube.

Gee's stare was making Jack uncomfortable. He thanked the shop keeper and lifted his purchase to his shoulder. He'd have to find a shipping office soon as this was too heavy to carry for long.

He saw a bench and made his way over to it and sat down. Gee was immediately at his side and Bal was standing before them with a concerned expression.

"What did he do?" Bal asked.

"What the hell?!? What do you mean by that? I just bought a bolt of fabric! I thought it would make some really pretty gowns! Why are you making such a big deal of this?" Jack growled quietly.

Gee looked up at Bal who looked back at her in question.

"Tell her what kind of fabric it is," Gee said, keeping her eyes on her partner.

"Reaver silkmmph-" Jack choked to a stop as Bal's hand covered his mouth as she looked at Gee with wide eyes.

"What percentage?" Bal asked.

"Pure."

Bal's eyes went to the tube. "How much on the bolt?"

Jack was seriously getting bugged by all this cloak and dagger behavior and pulled Bal's hand from his mouth. "Fifty spans or so! Would one of you please tell me what's going on?"

"Jack, I must confiscate this bolt." Gee said sternly. "For Altarian national security."

"Like hell! I just spent a small fortune on this. I'm having some gowns made!" Jack exclaimed.

The two agents shared a look.

"You know I hate it when you do that!" Jack grumbled.

"How much did you spend?" Gee asked.

Scowling at them Jack took his com out and showed them the transaction. Gee felt better when she saw it simply said 'a bolt of fabric'. The amount was staggering and they shared another look while Jack just clenched his jaw.

"Jack, the Altarian Security Ministry will pay you a thousand times this much for the bolt. It's basically priceless."

He shook his head in confusion. "What are you talking about?"

They were alone and Bal nodded to her so Gee opened her fur coat and pulled some of her black combat gown out through the opening. She looked Jack straight in the eye. "Ten percent Reaver Silk."

Jack looked at the incredibly strong, protective material she was tucking back beneath her fur coat. "Oh!"

They nodded, relieved he understood at last.

"I don't get it."

They groaned.

He scowled. "No, I get it's a national security issue now but how can it be such a secret and so rare if this guy is selling an enormous bolt of the stuff?"

Gee looked at Bal who nodded and slipped away to speak to the shop owner. When they were alone Gee spoke softly to Jack. "I've never seen so much in one place and I have never seen it pure. Woven into a composite of other materials it is incredible protection against most hand held weapons from projectile to energy based while still being lightweight. Our supply is... very limited and we've never been able to synthesize it successfully." She looked into his eyes. "You understand we wouldn't normally share this information but you have a very close relationship with our Queen and we know you can be discreet."

Bal returned. Gee nodded to her.

"There is no more. He indicated his nephew came upon a large old nest and they spent the better part of six years pulling the nest apart one strand at a time. His nephew has never found another nest and is an avid cave traveler."

"A Spelunker," Jack said.

They stared at him.

"It's another name for someone who explores caves."

They went back to ignoring him.

"We must take this back to the Security Ministry directly. It cannot be shipped." Gee said.

"Can you two carry it?" Jack asked.

"What? Why?" Gee asked.

"Because I have a dinner party to attend tonight. I still have a diplomatic mission to accomplish and I've made no progress at all so far. Tonight I get to feel out the senior council members." They stared at him in shock. "'Feel out' as in pick their brains! I didn't mean it the other way!" he growled.

"I'm not pleased with the idea of leaving you here on your own but Chrystan is as safe a planet as Altaria for you. Could you at least help us carry it to the Gate Terminal?" Gee asked.

"How do we get there?"

"We use the cart. It's self-driven. You tell it 'Gate Terminal' to go there and 'Marketplace' to get back. We will call for a lift when we get back which should be soon.

Jack stood and hoisted his soon to be confiscated fabric for his presents onto his shoulder and followed the two agents out of the shopping district, through the marketplace and out to the cart. He gratefully put it down on the back and strapped it down. Gee made to get in the driver's seat.

"No, let me as I'll need to make sure it listens to me so I can get back," Jack explained. Gee nodded to him and moved to the passenger seat. Jack got in the driver's position and pressed his finger to the spot he saw Tanz touch.

"Authorizing. Ambassador Jack Danner. Do you require assistance?" a voice said out of the speaker.

"No, I just need to drive to the Gate Terminal and back. Is that ok?" he responded.

"Authorized. State the Destination."

Jack realized he was talking to a machine. "Gate Terminal."

The cart powered up and got them on their way. Jack looked over at Gee. "It looks like this will be fine. I can try to send the cart back to the Gate Terminal for you if you like."

"Yes, please. That will expedite our return," she stated.

They rode on in silence and the cart dutifully parked in the lot. Jack carried the package up the ramp into the Gate Terminal. Then he waited for them to arrange for a Gate. When they were ready they stood before him.

"We are going to have to make a report to Hellna. This means we will not be back until late tonight or maybe early tomorrow morning," Gee explained.

"Do not do anything you think we would disapprove of," Bal said seriously.

Jack sighed and lifted the package one more time. The agents braced themselves and he gently placed it on their shoulders. They wobbled a little but managed to stay upright. Without a glance backwards they stiffly marched towards the Gate and stepped through.

And Jack was alone.

He had to admit that being without his Altarian companions for the first time since he was rescued from the Allsa Komanae made him... a little nervous. Then he thought back to the years he spent on Earth after his parents passed. The years he spent largely alone. Moving from one job opportunity to another. From one city to another. He didn't have anyone he could rely on and he'd survived on a world far more hostile to Humans than Chrystan.

His unease faded and some of the old Jack resurfaced. He had a job to do.

He made his way back to the cart and went through the authorization routine once more but got the cart to take him back to the marketplace. He even managed to get it to go back to the Gate Terminal on its own. He felt pretty pleased with himself about that!

The marketplace was still hopping and he paused a moment to breathe in the interesting and subtle scents from the produce on sale. He really wasn't sure which foods would agree with him so he didn't purchase any but the shapes, colors, textures, and scents were a feast for the senses. He was gathering attention as well so he moved on.

Walking back into the shopping district he realized he still had quite a bit of time before the party. He went back to mooching around in a few stores that sold toys and found small gifts for Emily and Joseph. He was struggling to find something the twins would enjoy. Their ravenous minds were advancing at a breathtaking rate, leaving their siblings behind.

He was passing a store which sold puzzles and toys when he saw the perfect gift for them. Grinning, he immediately bought a few in case they broke, damaged, or lost the toy. He couldn't wait to see them put their active little minds to work on these.

Moving on he looked for something for the ladies as his dress idea seemed like it was going to be a bust. Jack found a jewellery store which had lovely and unique bracelets and bangles. He picked out a few items and noticed the three clerks were all smiling at him strangely.

"This certainly seems like a happy shop," he said to the clerk completing his transaction.

"Thank you," she said unable to contain her glee.

"Really, everyone is so happy!" Jack said indicating her grinning coworkers. Jack thought back to his little walk through the marketplace and shopping district and considering the rumors of unrest he realized there hadn't been any sign of seething hostility, discontent, despair, or even boredom. Especially not in this store.

They giggled.

"We're just so thrilled to have you in our shop!" one gushed to him.

Jack blinked at her in surprise. "Really? Why?" Jack asked.

"You're the sex specialist!" the quiet one blurted and the group burst into giggles once more.

Jack's face must have shown his shock well as all three giggled harder.

"Who called me that?" Jack gasped.

"They call you that on the Entertainment channels," the clerk who finished his transaction said as she handed him his purchases. He stuffed the small bag in with the toys.

"Sex Specialist? I don't think I'm comfortable with that. It sounds too much like an official title, like something you'd give someone who went through years of advanced educations to become a doctor not a love doctor," he groaned.

"LOVE DOCTOR!" the quiet one moaned excitedly and the three began trilling. Loudly.

Jack nodded to them and hastily retreated from the shop. Hiding in his room until the party seemed like a good idea suddenly.

Spotting a shop that sold something he wanted to bring to the party he ducked in and purchased a large bottle of Lussht. It was the only beverage he recognized.

As he made his way back to the palace he began to notice he was being noticed more than before. They smiled. They nodded. They giggled and trilled. He smiled and nodded back but it was a little unnerving.

Finally he slipped inside the palace doors and made his way to his room. He only spotted a few Shreen on the way and none did more than nod in his direction so he felt a little better by the time he was behind his door. He draped the fur coat over the couch and dropped onto the cushions to relax a moment. He peeked into his shopping bag and grinned at the items he had thinking of the smiles they would make.

Seeing the time he realized he had plenty of time to freshen up. He pushed himself to his feet and went into the bedroom to select an outfit for the party. He took out some fresh clothes, his dark blue silk shirt and black dress slacks as he wanted to look nice for the party. It was casual but soft.

He went into the bathroom and had a nice long hot shower. He cleaned himself thoroughly and washed his long hair. He wished he'd remembered to bring a rubber band to tie it back or even a ribbon.

He had a quick shave, a little deodorant, then slipped on his clothes. Not too shabby.

He went back out to the living room and settled down to wait. He probably could have spent a little more time mooching around the shopping district but recalling his security detail's plea for him to limit the chaos, hiding in his room seemed more sensible.

Chapter 6

He bid his escort to Tanz's apartment a good night and turned to face the door. The fellow had led him deep into the palace and up a few levels so he wondered if they were close to the surface as the royal apartment had been. Pulling his shoulders back he knocked.

Moments later Tanz opened the door and gave him a dazzling smile. He smiled in return.

"Come in, please! Welcome to my home!" Tanz gushed.

Jack stepped inside and she closed the door. "I never like to arrive empty handed so I brought this," he said handing her the bottle.

"Lussht! Perfect! I'll put this in a chiller for after dinner! Where are your Altarian friends?" she asked.

"They had a... work issue to deal with tonight but they did want me to thank you for the invitation," Jack replied.

"No chaperone then. Good!" she said with an impish grin. "Come meet the other guests!"

He was smiling at her enthusiasm as he followed her into her apartment. There was a large bathroom just to his left and further along on the right was an entrance to a huge kitchen with delicious aromas wafting out. His mouth watered. He caught a glimpse of the kitchen being open into the next room then he was past the doorway. When they exited the hall into the living area he caught his breath. Much like the royal apartment the room was circular and dominated by a deep pit of cushions. This time however, instead of having a window on the far wall showing a view of the valley and sky, there was a huge dome window over the pit. As Jack walked forward slowly he looked up, his jaw dropping open in awe. The night sky was filled with stars and each was twinkling back at him.

"Oh my god, this is spectacular!" Jack whispered almost reverently. He could imagine reclining back on the cushions staring up at the stars for hours.

"I'm so pleased you like my apartment and its amazing view," Tanz said warmly.

Jack was pulled back to the here and now. "Yes, your place is gorgeous!" he remarked taking in the comfortable furnishings and lovely art. He spotted three couples waiting to be... reintroduced. He did recall meeting them the night before. OK, show time. His brain went into overdrive.

"Minister Berris and Hahn! So nice to see you again! Minister Mirs and Geng, a delight! Minister Phan and Minister Julli, good to see you too!" Jack said making his way through the group. The skill of remembering names and titles he'd picked up in his job as Altarian Ambassador came in handy. Each was delighted to be remembered and their spouses were equally pleased as so often they were not.

He ran through his mnemonic patterns to recall the positions each minister had in the Queen's council.

Berris was in charge of Agriculture and Health and her husband Hahn was a doctor.

Mirs, one of the two males in the cabinet, handled the Employment and Social Development portfolio while Geng took care of their children and ran a daycare with a neighbor.

The only husband and wife team in the cabinet, Phan was the Queen's Minister of Finance and the only other male. Julli was Minister of Tourism, a portfolio which currently had no off-planet ambitions. Jack had other ideas about that.

These were people who would have deep insight into the current state of the planet.

He'd learned the population of Chrystan was holding steady at roughly 750 million. This was fifty percent higher than when they were evacuated from their original home world. Better living conditions and improved diet were cited as reasons for the increase. The Shreen seemed to have an automatic mechanism for self-regulating their population in relation to their environment's resources. A concept that eluded Humanity's grasp to this day.

"Dinner is ready so if you would come this way," Tanz gestured and led them into a comfortable dining room with a beautifully decorated round table which facilitated conversation. She quickly removed two place settings and chairs as Geng helped spread out the remaining ones. She sat Jack with his back to the wall, facing the entrance to the living room, and without Gee and Bal present they were able to use a boy/girl seating arrangement. Covered dishes on the table contained the meal and Tanz began lifting off the lids. The scents were strange but appetizing and soon everyone was scooping out their favorites onto their plates.

Tanz returned from the kitchen where she'd put his bottle of Lussht in a chiller. She sat next to Jack and pointed out the dishes that were best suited to a human metabolism. It was warmer here at the table so Jack slipped the coat off his shoulders and let the chair take it.

They began talking about the hot springs which led to how difficult it was to take time off from their busy schedules to go to the hot springs. This segued into talking about their different positions and areas of influence. They were all proud of their work and satisfied with the progress they believe they made every day.

While Jack gleaned a good bit of information about the current health of major components of their society and it appeared very healthy indeed, he was no closer to finding the source of the troubles Queen Elissa mentioned. Perhaps it was a class gap? He'd been spending time amongst the leaders of the world's government and those closest to it, the city residents in the world's capitol. He would be visiting the other side soon, going deep into the countryside to a village where the resort was located. Perhaps he'd discover a disconnection between the government and its people. Understandably, 750 million people were a lot of individuals to keep happy. The local residents probably didn't represent a complete view and may not be an accurate representation. He would have to see.

"Jack?"

"Hmmm?"

"We lost you there for a second," Tanz teased.

"Sorry! My mind was so busy absorbing all this fascinating information while my body is digesting all this fabulous food!"

Tanz gestured across the table where an excited looking Berris was waiting to ask her question again.

"I was wondering if you've had any jobs where you had to live in conditions like we have on the surface."

Jack's mind immediately went to his time as a Park Ranger and he smiled. The other guests at the table leaned forward unconsciously.

"I've had many, many different occupations in my life but yes, I've had to work, and live, in conditions very much like the ones above us. It was back on Earth many years ago when I worked as a Park Ranger." He caught the question on Berris' tongue before she asked it. "Earth has land set aside for public recreational use. No commercial development allowed. Natural places in a world overrun by... never mind. The point of these parks is to preserve what little natural beauty we have left. Park Rangers protect the land by working as watchmen. Solitary guardians. The job didn't pay a lot but it was a job and I was good at it. Working the winter season was brutal but paid a little more so I took the job."

"What made it brutal?" Berris asked.

"Well, it was cold. Like it is upstairs. It was starkly white. Also like upstairs. But mostly it was the solitude. The closest you'd come to another human being during those long, cold winter months was when a military air transport flew by overhead, way up in the sky. A tiny silver reflection of sunlight off metal. Those were the only moments you'd know you weren't the only human left on Earth."

"You must have had some means to communicate with the world outside the Park!" Hahn argued.

"Sure. The Ranger posts had a direct line to the Park Headquarters. We could call anytime."

"There!" Hahn blurted in relief, knowing there was no way Human's would impose such isolation on another.

"Budget cuts eliminated the permanent staff in the headquarters during the winter months. We could leave a message on an automated receiver. These would be reviewed once a month when the regional supervisor made his rounds," Jack explained.

The table went silent. Isolation was not something the Shreen endured for long.

"One of the job requirements was to be able to keep it together mentally for the four or so months it took to get through the winter. Mostly nothing happened during those months. The silence was deafening. I did a lot of reading. No electronics. Actual paper books. The Ranger post I worked out of had hundreds of them. There was usually enough food and if things got desperate we were allowed to hunt but that had its own dangers."

"You hunted for your food?" Geng asked, a forkful of something red forgotten halfway to her mouth.

The memory still made Jack flinch. "Once." He looked around and saw he had every eye on him. He sighed and continued.

"There was a weird atmospheric event that winter which drew polar air south over the ocean and down the western coastline of the country I lived in. The snow that fell crippled our transportation lines, food shipments failed to reach their destinations and the bitterly cold temperatures froze water lines and downed our surface power grid. We had shortages of water as well as fuel. People who lived in houses with fireplaces went back to burning stuff for heat. Many hadn't used the fireplaces in years what with the price of firewood being so high. Many didn't know how to use a fireplace. There were a lot of house fires and a lot of people died from that or just freezing to death in the dark. Panic set in and it took the army clamping down on the movement of people to settle the situation. My shipment of supplies never made it and I only had another month of food rations. I was going to have to hunt while I could. The Ranger post had a powerful rifle and I knew there was a herd of deer moving through so I packed up my gear and headed out wearing snow shoes." At the curious look he smiled. "Our feet are much narrower than yours so we wear special shoes to spread our weight out over the snow so we don't sink." They nodded.

"I was a couple of hours out from the Ranger post, as far as I was willing to go that day when I heard the sound of a tree falling. I got closer and I saw a man had cut down four trees, sawed them into logs and was stacking them on a trailer behind a snow crawler, like a cart with tracks instead of wheels. He was working on the fifth tree when I got there. I yelled out for him to stop and he shot at me."

There was a gasp.

"He wasn't a soldier or really good with the weapon. Just a desperate man stealing wood to heat his home in the winter. I have no idea where the bullet went but it didn't hit me. I got behind a tree and yelled at him to stop shooting. Then I heard a loud growl and screaming. I looked around and saw the man trying to shoot a very large bear with his tiny handgun." Once more he saw their question. "A bear? Well, they can get really big, this one was, and are densely muscled and heavily furred. Long sharp claws on all four limbs and incredibly strong. Wide jaws with sharp teeth. Small black eyes with poor vision but a keen sense of smell. They usually leave people alone but there are times where they become a most dangerous predator."

The Shreen conferred with each other momentarily and Jack heard 'Skrahak' mentioned. Then Tanz shushed them so Jack could continue. Her eyes were wide with excitement.

"The man never had a chance with his handgun. The bullets just angered the bear. It reared up on its back legs and struck the man's head with a massive paw. Caved his skull right in, killing him in one blow. Stupidly, I screamed. The bear turned and started to run towards me."

More gasps.

"The rifle was on my back so I dropped the pack, pulled the rifle forward, and flipped off the safety. I think I might have wet myself I was so scared. Then the bear was in front of me and the rifle went off with a loud boom."

"Did it get you?" Geng shrieked excitedly and the red stuff on her fork flew off to land on her husband's cheek.

The table erupted with laughter except for Mirs who was wiping his face in annoyance.

Jack grinned at the female who was struggling to explain what she meant while the others gasped at the silliness of her question. He held up his hand to quiet the group. "Obviously I survived but I had to throw myself to the side after I pulled the trigger as it was charging. It still partially crashed into me and knocked the rifle from my hands and the wind from my lungs. As I lay there dazed on the ground I wondered when it would begin to eat me. It didn't so I sat up and saw I'd been incredibly lucky. My bullet had caught the bear between the eyes. I searched for and found my rifle and put it with my pack. I didn't have much time before it got dark so I dumped the cut wood over the man's body as a temporary burial to protect his corpse from predators looking for a quick meal. Then I used my knife and the man's sonic saw to butcher the bear and used the snow crawler and trailer to bring the bear meat back to the Ranger post. It helped me survive the winter but I was fired in the spring when I returned to Ranger headquarters. They didn't blame me for how I handled the situation but the public was pissed off that as a public servant I didn't protect the man. My bosses fired me as 'punishment' for them. It was a bad time."

"You eat meat?" Hahn asked quietly.

"On occasion," he responded carefully. "Humans are omnivores but on Altaria and here I restrict my diet to the local food."

"Would you eat an insect?" Hahn continued.

"Hahn!" Tanz cried.

"No it's fine! This reminds me of when I was a kid and a bunch of us would dare each other to eat more and more revolting things to prove how tough we were and how much of a weeny the other guy was," Jack grinned.

"Weeny?" Berris asked.

"It's a childhood taunt. We used it on kids who were afraid of everything," he explained.

"How tough were you?" Hahn asked curiously.

"The toughest kid on my block!" Jack grinned. "Until Tommy Berretti ate a Brazilian cockroach he stole from the zoo." He gestured how large the bug was. "Then he beat me up. Fame is fickle and fleeting. I've learned it's better to keep your head down and avoid it."

That earned him some chuckles and nods.

They finished up their meals and Tanz suggested they move to the living room to enjoy some after dinner drinks. Jack slipped his shoes off before descending into the cushions.

When she brought the chiller out with the bottle of Lussht he'd brought Jack promised himself he would limit his intake tonight.

The small glasses were handed out and Tanz got everyone's attention. "There is a new tradition we will follow tonight. The Queen told me about it this morning." There were a few giggles from the group and excited glances in Jack's direction. "Nobody drink until I say to, ok?" Nods all around. She added a small amount of Lussht to each glass and put the bottle back in the chiller.

"Now, we raise our glasses and one of us makes a statement indicating something or someone we are honoring. Everyone repeats what they said and we drink." She looked at Jack. "Am I doing it right?"

"Perfectly."

She beamed a smile at him. "Could you do the first one?"

"I would be honored," he said formally making her giggle.

"I would like to toast our wonderful host for making us an amazing meal and for gathering us together in a home as welcoming and beautiful as she is. To Tanz!" He looked at the stunned expressions on the faces around him. "Uh, you only have to say that last part."

"To TANZ!" they cheered and Jack grinned at the woman who was looking just a little overcome but happy. They tossed back the liquid.

This time he paid especially close attention to determine what it was about the taste that was so tantalizingly recognizable. Ice down the throat and boom! Heat in the belly. He sighed. He'd missed it again. Maybe one more. He was ok after two.

The bottle went around the glasses once more and Phan, who had been quiet all night leaned forward. "May I make the second toast?"

Tanz nodded and gestured for him to proceed.

"Thank you." He smiled bashfully to the others. "In light of the renewed love between our Queen and King I would like to make a toast to their love, may it serve as an example for all of us to follow, and inspire us to rekindle our own relationships! To love!"

"TO LOVE!" they bellowed and down went the Lussht.

Jack closed his eyes and felt the bloom of heat fill his being. He wasn't sure but he thought that happened much later in his drinking the night before. He opened his eyes and smiled at Phan. "You know, you really have the heart of a poet." The male dipped his eyes bashfully but his wife rubbed her face against his and he smiled lovingly at her.

Seeing the love in the couple's eyes Jack glanced conspiratorially over to Tanz. "You know it's the quiet ones that hide so much passion inside."

The group burst into giggles and Jack couldn't stop a brief snort of his own from escaping.

He looked down and saw the small glasses were suddenly half full. He was going to protest but this small amount would be fine.

"Who would like to make the next toast?" Tanz asked.

"Oh! I have one!" Geng said excitedly. She lifted her glass and looked at Jack. "To the love doctor!"

Jack's hand wobbled in surprise and he spilled some of his drink onto his hand. Before the liquid could drip from his fingers he transferred the glass to his other hand and licked his fingers clean. The slippery stuff had gotten between his fingers so he had to chase it with his tongue. When he glanced up after sucking his fingers clean he saw seven pairs of eyes locked on him. The bloom of warmth was making him tingle so he just smiled. "Sorry, what were we toasting again?"

Tanz burst into giggles which triggered the others. They raised their glasses and slammed them back.

Jack shrugged and finished off his glass. This time he really felt the rush and his head was drifting up into the clouds.

"Jack?"

"Hmmm?" he said turning his head towards the smooth voice.

"How did you become a sex specialist?" Tanz asked.

He snorted in amusement and shook his head. "That's silly. I'm no such thing!" he said with a grin.

"Is love doctor the right term?" she continued.

He focused on her lovely dark grey eyes, looking into his curiously. His mind was caught in a loop with that term. This wasn't the first time he'd heard it. When had he heard it first? Oh! In the shop today... but...

"Where did you hear that term?" he asked her.

She grinned and the others did as well. "It's on the entertainment news. You were in a shop and some ladies heard you say it. The title is very popular!"

Jack groaned. "I was teasing! I don't consider myself a love doctor or a sex specialist or even that knowledgeable on the topic. I like sex. A lot! I appreciate beauty where I see it but that doesn't make be special or unique and certainly not an expert. I just know a few things."

"Teacher," Julli gasped, eyes twinkling with excitement.

"To learning new things!" Tanz said lifting her glass.

Jack looked in his glass and it was full. He didn't recall anyone pouring but he tossed it back with the others.

The stars were so beautiful and he was so fortunate to be flying amongst them. So warm and comfortable.

"Jack?"

There was that delicious voice again. He smiled and turned his head to the side. Large soft eyes were looking back at him.

"Will you share your lessons with us?" Tanz asked gently. She was so sweet he thought.

"What little I know I will gladly share," he said with a nod and heard a trilling sound. He pushed himself up on the cushions to a seated position and saw the happy faces of the other guests looking back at him. "Hello!"

Giggles erupted.

He looked at Tanz. She was so very lovely. "What... what would you like to know?"

She smiled that whole body smile at him and his eyes widened in delight. She was absolutely radiant!

"We'd like to know about... the other ways to make love," she asked breathlessly.

He smiled and shook his head. "Which ones? There are many ways-"

Excited trilling burst out from a few guests.

"All of them!" Tanz gushed leaning closer to Jack.

He chuckled. "I don't think we have that kind of time." Her face was so close to his. "I would like to kiss you though. Would that be alright?"

"Yes Jack! The Queen mentioned something about kissing!" she breathed.

The image of Queen's face close to his and her reaction to his kiss returned to his mind and he felt himself begin to swell. That felt sooo gooood. He smiled. "I only showed her the initial stage of kissing."

He reached up to the back of Tanz's head and ran his fingers through the thick fur there. Her eyes became dreamy then flew wide as his lips caressed hers. The dreamy look came back full force as he nibbled his way across her mouth. When he pulled back she was swooning.

"Ohhh that was nice!" she sighed.

"How was it done? I could not see!" Julli moaned.

Tanz's eyes went big. "You must show her Jack! Then she can show Phan!"

Jack looked over at Julli who was smiling back at him eagerly and a little nervously. He was surprised and looked at Phan who was nodding. He moved up onto his knees and moved closer gesturing for Julli to do the same. Once they met in the middle he took in the differences Julli had to Tanz. She had much lighter coloration in her fur. Her front was almost butter yellow with grey rosettes and stripes while the longer fur was dark grey. Her eyes were light grey and wide with excitement.

"This is just the initial touch. It's gentle and light and very sexy." Jack said to his audience while he kept his eyes on hers. He gently held her face between his fingertips and she was already gasping from that. He looked at her to see if she was ok and she looked at him expectantly. He leaned in and gently kissed her trembling lips.

"Ooohhh!" Julli moaned and slumped against him.

Jack looked at her in surprise then over to Phan who was looking back in alarm.

Julli began to resurface and Jack moved her into the arms of her husband.

"I think that was a little too much for her," Jack said in surprise.

Tanz knee walked out to Jack's side on the cushioned surface. "It is all so new to us and you are so different. It can be... overwhelming."

"It was much easier to see what you did when you were in the middle. Perhaps you could demonstrate with Tanz and we could repeat with our spouses?" Hahn suggested.

Tanz nodded excitedly as she looked into Jack's eyes. Then she focused on his mouth hungrily and Jack's libido woke up again. He leaned in and kissed her as his hands massaged her scalp by her ears. She moaned and trembled as his mouth moved on hers. He pulled back and they were both breathing hard.

He looked to the others and they turned to their partners and mirrored his actions fairly closely.

"Slower Hahn. Savor the moment," he suggested gently. The male slowed and Berris sighed.

"Geng, you may kiss Mirs at the same time he is kissing you. It feels better when both partners are actively participating."

All of them picked up on that tip and soon moans were heard from the couples.

Jack smiled at Tanz and she suddenly leaned in to kiss him again. He was a little surprised but this time he caressed her lips with the tip of his tongue. She pulled back and trilled as her body went through a tremble.

"What? I missed that!" Hahn blurted.

Tanz was looking at Jack's mouth hungrily again. "He stroked my lips with his tongue!"

"Just the tip and lightly," Jack corrected.

"More!" Tanz moaned and pressed her body against his as she kissed him back. Her tongue came out to play and Jack struggled not to smile as he teased it with his own. Her body was grinding against his and her breathing was coming in gulps. He was seriously tenting his pants and she was rubbing against him.

Jack sucked her tongue into his mouth and Tanz made a garbled trill and sagged in his arms as her eyes rolled back. Jack tried to hold her up but the cushions under him were a poor foundation and he toppled back with her in his arms. At least the landing was soft though her body was heavy on top of his.

Faces appeared above his. Phan and Julli were looking down at him with excitement and concern warring in their expressions. "Jack! Are you alright?" Phan asked.

Jack chuckled as Tanz was coming around. "Yes, I think she just got a little too excited."

"Jack. Jack. Jack," she mumbled as she began to rub against him.

"What did you do there at the end?" Hahn asked, always sounding a little petulant at missing something fun.

"We were caressing tongues and I sucked on hers," he said and heard Berris trill excitedly. From his position under Tanz he couldn't see anyone else but he certainly heard the muffled trilling they made as they tried out this new kind of kissing.

"Jack you are so big. I want to make love to you but you won't fit." Tanz moaned softly.

"Other ways, Tanz," he sighed.

She pushed herself up to look into his face. "Show me these other ways! Show me!"

Jack laughed and she smiled down at him. She made a happy noise, pushed herself off and grabbed the bottle of Lussht to take a mouthful. Then she leaned over Jack and pressed her mouth to his. He parted his lips and she let half of the Lussht slide down her tongue into his mouth.

As he swallowed he realized she'd given him quite a bit this time. The bloom of heat shot out to the edges of his body and he sighed as everything felt so incredibly good and intense!

She sat back smiling shyly at him as he got back up to his knees. For a moment the room threatened to accelerate away from him but he focused on her and he caught up.

"That was a very sexy way to share the Lussht. Thank you!" Jack said to her. Julli grabbed the bottle, took a swig and pushed her husband down onto his back to kiss him some of the drink. Berris did the same as did Geng.

"The other ways!" Tanz begged cutely.

Jack began unbuttoning his shirt and her eyes twinkled happily as he pushed it back off his shoulders. He tossed it up onto the ledge that ran around the pit. Her eyes went immediately to the slave collar.

"Ohhh! It's beautiful!" she gasped and her hand twitched.

"You may touch it if you'd like," he said and her hand was immediately sliding over the delicate patterns etched into each.

"It- It's connected to you!" she blurted when she realized it didn't move freely.

Hahn was immediately next to them. "May I?" he asked.

Jack nodded and Hahn examined the links very closely and touched them to see their movement.

"How are they connected?" the doctor asked.

"Millions of microscopic metallic tendrils bonded to my nervous system," Jack said quoting the Chuuruthian doctor.

Hahn's expression hardened. "The Allsa Komanae. Permanent?"

"Yes, but I'm coming to terms with that." Jack said and was surprised by how calm he was. Instead of the fear and depression he normally fought against he just felt echoes of them. He sighed in relief.

Each of the guests came forward timidly and he let them all examine the collar with their fingers. He realized he really was coming to terms with the collar. Finally.

Once they moved back Tanz smiled at him and reached for the fastener on her kilt.

"Wait. Please allow me," Jack urged and she smiled and nodded to him. He undid his pants and dropped them, tugging them off and tossing them up on the ledge with his shirt. Now all he had on were silk boxers which he was tenting.

He guided her onto her back in the middle of the pit and leaned over her to kiss her again. She moaned happily. He moved his lips down her neck and kissed his way down to the waistband of her kilt. He undid the fastener and slowly peeled it back as he followed the fabric with his lips. She was writhing on the cushions and panting in nervous excitement.

"You aren't going to eat her are you?" Hahn asked suspiciously.

Jack snorted as that was exactly what he intended.

"Nothing painful as that. The occasional bite," he nipped at the inside of her thigh and she spasmed. "...and scratch." He dragged his nails over the inside of her other thigh and she trilled.

When he kissed her just above her wet lower lips her hips came up off of the cushions and he pulled the kilt from under her. She lifted her head to look down at him desperately. Jack made sure he had everyone's attention then he ran the tip of his tongue around her opening, stroking the tendrils and gathering up her sweet fluids.

"AAAAHHHHHHH!!!!!!!" Tanz cried out and everyone jumped. Hahn looked like he was going to intervene but Jack had been keeping an eye on him since his question about eating her. He had a hand up to stop Hahn then pointed to Tanz's face as he continued to stroke her with his tongue.

It quickly became apparent that Tanz was not in pain when she grabbed Jack's horns and ground his face against her wetness.

"NNNNNNNnnnnngggggaaaaahhhhh!" she grunted as the intense sensations tore through her.

When Jack switched to sliding his tongue deep inside her she began to shake and jolt. He pressed his lips to her lower ones and thrashed her with his tongue.

"AAAAHHHH!!! AAAHHHHH! GGAAAAAAHHHH!!!!!" she screamed as she gushed over Jack's face. He tried pulling back but she had a death grip on his horns. He had to wait for her to relax before he could come up for air.

Finally her body rocked through its last jolt and he pulled free. He looked up at Tanz's face and saw her eyes were closed and she was breathing hard. He wiped her juices off of his chin and sucked the honey flavor from his fingers.

He looked at the shocked faces of the others and smiled. "Delicious!"

The ladies all gathered around Tanz's face as her eyes rolled and she panted.

"Tanz? Are you ok?" Geng asked gently.

"So..."

They glanced at each other over their friend's face.

"So..."

Expressions became nervous and the men looked uncomfortable.

"So goooooooooood," Tanz finally managed to get out.

"I hope you were watching closely because I don't think Tanz will be up for another demonstration for a little while." Jack said to the men.

Surprising Jack, Tanz lifted her head to look at him. Her eyes looked a little dazed but there was no mistaking the heat in that expression. The ladies helped her sit up and she clung to them for support when the extra pressure on her groin made her tingle sharply once more.

"It was good?" Geng asked and once more her friends laughed at her question.

"Yes, Geng it was incredible! I liked it very much!" She sighed. "Jack is right, though. I need to rest." She paused then looked at Jack. "Did I... did I grab your horns?" she asked meekly.

Jack laughed and nodded. "Only with all of your strength. I could tell it was a goooo-" The room went soft focus and Jack slumped back on the cushions as the first wave blasted him with euphoria. It felt wonderful but in the back of Jack's mind a voice was saying it was too soon... and too strong.

"Jack?"

Eyes closed, he could only smile as that voice sounded so smooth and sweet. Like... honey. "Yes, honey?" He chuckled at his little joke. The voices were quiet as they talked amongst themselves. His mind tried to put names to the voices but sometimes he couldn't get his brain to cooperate.

"Did he call me 'honey'? What's honey?"

"Do you think he's experiencing his waves?" Definitely Phan.

"Something is trying to escape from the garment he is wearing!"

"Ah! Yes, I saw it when we were at the hot spring! That's his sexual organ. It's on the outside and inflates when he is excited." Beautiful Tanz.

"Inflates? With air?" A deeper... male voice. Probably Hahn.

Giggles.

"Hmmm... inflate was the wrong word. No, it gets hot so it's probably blood." Definitely Tanz.

"You felt it!?!" That was... Geng.

"Accidentally!" A pause. "It was very hot and hard!"

"I want to see it!" An excited Julli.

"It's moving on its own!"

"Jack, can we see it?"

He was starting to drift back into his body and he felt himself throbbing in his boxers. He hadn't heard the question but knew someone said his name. "Yes?"

There was a tugging sensation then gasps.

"Why is it so big?"

Jack began to chuckle.

"What's funny, Jack?" Tanz asked.

"I'm not big. I'm just average sized. I'm very flattered though. Thank you," he sighed with a smile.

"Why would he feel flattered about having an inefficiently large fertilization delivery organ?" Hahn asked.

A bold hand grasped Jack's cock.

"It is hot and hard!"

Jack opened his eyes and saw the ladies all sitting back on their feet as they knelt next to his outstretched legs. Julli was the one holding him but she removed her hand so Berris could try. Finally Geng squeezed him in her grip.

"Easy on the plumbing Geng, I may want to use it someday!" Jack chuckled.

The husbands were sitting behind their wives. Because he was tingling so wonderfully Jack had a naughty idea. He grinned slyly as he looked at the men.

"What's that look for?" Hahn asked suspiciously.

"Something you're gonna like. A lot!" Jack purred. He looked to the wives. "Ladies, it's time for your husbands to show you how much they learned watching Tanz and me."

Berris' eyes lit up as she was very eager to experience the licking method. She was unsure if her husband would be willing.

"I'm not-" he began.

"You're not a weeny, are you Hahn?" Jack said with an evil grin. "There are definite rewards if you do this and only disappointment if you don't."

Hahn looked at Jack, unsure how to respond.

"Trust me on this Hahn. Your lady will love it and you will be greatly rewarded!" Jack cajoled the male who finally nodded. Berris trilled and rubbed her face on his and he couldn't stop himself from returning the affection.

When Berris began to move to lie on her back Jack spoke up. "No. Stay on your knees but don't sit down. Lift your bottoms for your partners and spread your legs. Alright boys, you know what to do. Get those tongues working! Listen to their reactions and repeat the stuff they like."

Phan was the first to plant his face between his wife's cheeks. She trilled with delight and pressed back as he worked her feverishly with his tongue.

"OH! OH! OH! YES! PHAN! YES!" she gasped.

Not to be outdone by the Minister of Finance, Hahn energetically if sloppily began licking up and down. Jack saw the frustration on Berris' face. "Stiffen your tongue Hahn! Rub and probe, circle and suck." Berris immediately began trilling happily as Hahn altered his method.

Geng dropped her face to the cushions with her ass in the air as Mirs took her to heaven and back.

Tanz watched her friends all experiencing the bliss she'd had and smiled down at Jack who looked like he was going through another wave. She reached out and took his cock in her hand, marvelling at the heat, firmness, and its soft texture. Jack closed his eyes as bliss swept through him.

"Jack, I want to give you pleasure. Tell me how!" she said softly.

He opened his eyes and saw the beautiful female smiling at him. "Kiss me."

She leaned down and brushed his lips with hers and when she brought her tongue into play she felt his cock jump in her hand. She pulled back and gave him an impish look. Mimicking what he'd done for her, she kissed her way down his body until she was facing his erection. She looked up at him and extended her tongue. She smiled at Jack's excitement. When she stroked his shaft with her tongue he sucked in a breath and stiffened.

"Does that feel good?" she asked.

"Incredible!" was all he could manage. The pleasure of her licking him while the Lussht magnified his awareness of every sensation was rocking his world.

She ran her tongue up and down his shaft and sucked on his balls. It was Jack's turn to writhe and gasp under her ministrations. She noticed a droplet of liquid at the top and licked it off.

"Salt!" she exclaimed excitedly.

Jack jumped and the others paused to look at her.

She smiled up at Jack's dazed and confused expression.

"I tasted salt!" she gushed.

"Uh, yeah. I understand it can taste salty. Is that ok?"

"Yes!" she said with delight and began licking again with great enthusiasm. Jack threw his head back.

"Salt!" she cried again and smacked her lips. Jack grinned then his eyes widened as he saw the other females move closer to stroke his cock with their tongues. The males looked a little upset their mates were ignoring them. Jack saw the husbands were all very excited.

"Guys, it's time to make love to your ladies... from behind."

Phan needed no further instructions. He brought his hips in close behind his wife and drove himself home, pulling his wife's hips back to meet his pelvis. Hahn and Mirs quickly figured it out and they were soon pressed up tight against the asses of their wives.

"Don't just stand there, rock your hips in circles," Jack suggested.

Again, Phan was first to get into the groove.

"OH! AH! OH!" Julli cried out with each roll of his hips. She was struggling to keep her tongue involved with licking.

"HAHN! SO GOOD!" Berris moaned, slamming herself back into him. He grinned at Jack as the Human had been right. This reward was incredible!

Geng was beyond being able to make coherent sounds and refused to stop licking Jack. "UHHN! UUHN! UUHN!" she grunted again and again. Mirs was in heaven.

The surface of Jack's cock was covered in saliva and he felt his balls tightening up.

"Oh my god! I'm going to cum!"

"Now?" Tanz asked.

"Yes!" Jack cried out as the sensation of four tongues stroking and licking pushed him over the top. He erupted with a huge force, ropes of cum shooting upwards to land on the faces and tongues of the four females. They squealed in excitement as they tasted the liquid. None of it was allowed to go to waste as they licked themselves and each other clean. Then Geng's orgasm burst forth quickly followed by Julli's and Barris' from their husband's rocking and thrusting. The three males moaned loudly as they reached their own releases slightly after their wives.

Another wave from the Lussht crashed over Jack's already dazed senses. He just had time for one last admiring look at the stars above before the wave tumbled him all the way under.

Chapter 7

Jack blinked as sunlight crept down his forehead to poke annoyingly into his sleepy eye. He squinted and shifted his head to avoid the light but it was no use. He was up. Once more he realized he was intensely hot. He tried to move but a weight was lying across his body. He squinted against the sunlight and saw he was buried under furry bodies. Seven of them to be exact. He saw no kilts and felt no clothes on himself so he was waking naked in an orgy pit.

What. The. Fuck.

He tried to put together the events of the night before and recalled the lovely meal and the fascinating conversations he had with the Shreen who were currently sleeping on him but his memories began to fragment and twist shortly after that. He noticed the large bottle of Lussht lying on its side amongst the cushions.

Shit.

He knew some of his memories from last night would resurface but he still had holes from the dinner party two nights ago. He wondered what grief he'd created for himself, Gee and Bal, or Queen Elissa last night.

First things first. He had to extricate himself from the orgy pit.

He slowly slid his left arm free and used that one to get his right arm clear of Phan's grip. Now that he had both arms he pushed against the cushions and wiggled his body slowly out from under the pile of sleeping fur. He found his shirt, pants, and shoes but his boxers were likely somewhere under the pile of Shreen. He pulled his clothes on, slipped on his shoes and found his coat on the chair in the dining room.

As he walked towards the door he heard a noise behind him and turned in time to get wrapped in the arms of Tanz. Then her lips were on his and a chunk of the previous night came crashing out of the shadows in his mind. Once he got over the initial surprise he kissed her in return and she melted against him. Once the kiss ended she rubbed her face against his.

"Jack! Were you going to slip away without saying goodbye?" she quietly scolded him.

A guilty look passed over his face and he nodded. "Much of my memories from last night are messed up by the Lussht. I thankfully remember kissing you but I woke this morning buried under naked Shreen with no idea why. I don't know the social protocols for orgies. I've never been to one."

"What's an orgy?"

"Uh, it's when multiple people all have sex together," he explained.

Tanz smiled. "We didn't do that. You and I had wonderful sex and you taught the others your techniques. They had sex together. Oh! The four ladies did all lick you into a delicious orgasm."

A distorted memory of tongues licking his entire body played through his head but he was sure that one wasn't accurate.

"Oh, ok. Good. Well, I had a lovely time and I hope the others did as well."

"We did."

Jack and Tanz looked to see the others were joining them in the foyer. Hahn was grinning at Jack as Berris happily clung to him. They came forward and rubbed their faces on either side of Jack's. They moved back and the other couples took turns rubbing their faces against Jack's. He was a little overwhelmed by their affection and it must have shown as Tanz gave him a hug.

"I haven't slept that well in years. Not since I was a child in the sleep pit with my entire family!" Geng exclaimed.

"It's true! Jack gives off so much heat he feels like a family all on his own!" Julli grinned.

He snorted as he knew two Altarians that would agree with that statement. Speaking of them, "I'd better head back to see if my friends have returned from Altaria. It was truly wonderful to spend time with you all. I enjoyed myself immensely."

There was a chorus of compliments and goodbyes and with a final kiss from Tanz he headed out.

He was able to retrace the route from the previous night back to his room. As he walked in he saw Gee and Bal sitting on the couch in their fur coats.

"Good morning!" he called out.

"Good morning, Doctor," Gee responded. Bal just looked at him with a frown.

He rubbed his face. "Yeah, that's just a misunderstanding. I never claimed to have a doctorate. I need to have a shower as I'm a sweaty mess. I woke up naked in a sleep pit with seven naked Shreen. Lovely people by the way."

Two sets of eyes stared at him incredulously.

"How went your meeting yesterday?" he asked.

"Security Minister Hellna was very pleased with your acquisition and has promised to pay you for the item when you return." Gee said then gave him a frustrated look. "Please hurry. We are to meet our driver in less than thirty minutes at the parking lot next to the Marketplace. The King made arrangements for us to go to a different resort than the one we planned on visiting. It is a great distance away on the Ridge in his home village."

Jack grinned. "That's perfect! I'll get to talk with the working class! The King's people!"

"Hurry," Bal said sternly.

Jack frowned at her then went to get some clean traveling clothes. He took a quick shower and got dressed as Gee and Bal got the luggage in order.

Once he came out of the bathroom Jack was given a ration bar instead of being allowed to call for breakfast. He gobbled it down, grabbed his bags and they made their way out of the palace.

Everyone seemed to want to nod at Jack today and he smiled and nodded back to each of them as they walked through the shopping district and Marketplace once more. In the parking lot was a large enclosed vehicle the size of a bus. Jack looked closer and there was no question. It was a bus. He hadn't ridden on a bus for a very long time.

An old Shreen was standing next to it. He looked up when they walked through the door. "You Jack?" he called out.

Jack nodded and the senior nodded in return. He opened a door in the belly of the bus where they put their luggage and skis. This sealed up their driver opened the mail door and they climbed inside.

"Grab a seat and buckle in," the driver said as he moved to his seat behind the controls.

The deeply cushioned seats in the passenger section had four point safety restraints. Jacks eyebrows went up. As he buckled in he called out to the driver. "Why the safety harness? Aren't we travelling through the tunnels?"

The bus turned out into the wide tunnel and began to accelerate. Soon they were moving at a rapid pace.

"Tunnels only go half way to the Ridge. The rest is surface travel. Get comfortable with the harness now because taking it off when we're outside is not advisable."

Jack looked over at his Altarians but they were busy conversing with each other.

Now was as good a time as any to start his assignment. "What's the name of the village we're going to?"

"Boon Falls."

"Oh! There's a waterfall there?" Jack asked in delight.

The driver glanced back at him. "You do know the surface is frozen, don't you?"

Jack blushed. "Yes, sorry. On Earth we name places 'Falls' when there is a waterfall nearby."

"Oh," was all he got back. They rode on in silence.

"How did Boon Falls get its name?" he finally pushed.

"It's where the village founder, Boon, landed when he fell from the ridgeline above. There's a marker in the center of town where they found what was left of his body. The location was good so they built there."

He looked over and saw Gee and Bal were enjoying the dismayed look on his face. Jack settled back in his chair and closed his eyes. He'd pick up the conversation later.

The steady drone of the tires on the smooth surface of the tunnel soon lulled him to sleep. He dreamt of waterfalls so tall the water from them fell as rain on the lands below.

The bus jolted and Jack came awake with a start. He glanced around and saw they were no longer in the tunnel. The bus was in a large bay which looked like a bus terminal.

The driver looked back at him. "Ah! You're awake. We're getting equipped with tracks for travelling over the snow. Do you have eye protection?"

Jack looked to his left as Gee was handing him something. He took it from her hand and saw it was a pouch with goggles inside. "Yes."

"Put them on. We'll be outside in a few minutes. I just have to load our other passengers." With that he exited the bus.

Jack saw the goggles had a detachable strap so he unhooked one side and wrapped the strap around his head as he held the goggles over his eyes. He reconnected the strap and pulled it tight. They fit well and were pretty comfortable but there was no decrease in the amount of light. He looked over at Gee who glanced back. "The goggles do nothing!"

She gave him an annoyed look. "Wait," she said and turned back to Bal as they put their own goggles on.

Jack could no longer suppress his curiosity. "Gee. Why don't they use gravity repulsion tech? Flying would be so much faster."

She saw he would not be put off with a glare so she answered. "The Shreen do not like flying. They will not board a vehicle that does not touch the ground."

Jack leaned back in his seat in surprise. He hadn't heard of that before.

More Shreen climbed into the bus. Each paused when they caught sight of Jack and the Altarians. He gave them a friendly smile which probably wasn't as reassuring now that his horns looked like he recently gored someone.

The first two were older males who seemed to be travelling together and gave Jack a suspicious look.

The next passengers were a young female with an infant in a carrier. She returned Jack's smile though her eyes lingered on his horns. As she moved by Jack was able to see into the carrier and smiled widely when he saw the sleeping infant. Jack realized this was the first time he'd seen one. He thought that was a little odd.

While the oldsters moved to the back the female took the seats behind Jack. Once she locked the carrier into the seat by the window and checked on the sleeping child she moved to the aisle next to Jack.

"Excuse me Ambassador Danner?" she said in a quiet voice.

"Yes?"

"I just wanted to thank you for what you did for my cousin, Tyg."

"Ah, the King is your cousin?" Jack said with a smile. "This is a happy coincidence!"

She smiled crookedly. "Not really much of a coincidence since we're going to Boon Falls. There's only three distinct families living there. The population is mostly siblings and cousins. I'm Stef and behind you is my daughter Caal."

"She's the only child I've seen since I arrived. Are there no children in the city?" he asked.

"There are some but mothers do their best to return to their family when they are going to give birth. The child needs to be raised close to family." She smiled sadly. "There are always a few stubborn fools who put their careers above family and try to adopt a more separate lifestyle but that always leaves the children having difficulty integrating to society. These children... don't last long."

Jack was a little shocked to hear this. He looked at Stef and glanced back to Caal. She caught the implication.

"No, Caal is growing up with family all around her. I just brought her in to see a specialist as she developed a chronic ear infection. He gave me some Skrahak oil for ear drops and Caal will be fine after a few applications."

"I have a three year old boy at home with a similar ailment. I wonder if Skrahak oil would work for him. The doctors haven't been able to help him so far. Poor little guy."

"Pick some up and show it to your doctor," she suggested.

The driver stepped back on board and looked back to the two men at the back, nodding to them with a smile. He looked to the young female.

"You and Caal ready to go?" he said gruffly.

"Yes, Papa."

Jack looked at the driver in surprise. "Tyg's uncle?"

Stef smiled and nodded as she returned to her seat and strapped in.

The bus moved forward again but this time the ride across the paving wasn't smooth at all. The tracks made for a bumpy, and noisy, ride. They climbed up a long ramp then passed through the large doors to the surface. The bus was immediately bathed in the harsh white light of the sun reflecting off every crystalline snowflake for as far as the eye could see.

Jack's goggles snapped to dark and he only had a moment of disorientation with the rapid change. With the lenses filtering the intensity he could see the vast plain of white before them. There were small posts sticking up out of the snow at set intervals and they followed them, just to the right side of each as they passed.

The sound of their tracks diminished considerably in the snow but the ride still wasn't as smooth as it had been before. They went over a sizeable bump and their driver looked behind to see if anyone fell out of their chair. Jack was surprised to see his eyes were now almost completely black. It must have been some kind of protective membrane over the eye like a translucent eyelid. Built-in sunglasses.

The scenery was fairly stark until he realized the darkness on the horizon ahead of them, a darkness that began from the ground and climbed higher and higher wasn't a build-up of clouds but the foothills of a breathtakingly tall mountain range. He looked left and right and realized the mountains ran in both directions for as far as the eye could see. It was difficult to comprehend what he was looking at.

"I didn't think it was possible for mountains to get that big!" he muttered to himself.

The view captivated his attention for some time but after an hour the mountains seemed no closer. Bored, Jack looked over to Gee and Bal but they were sound asleep. The buses tracks were moving them quickly over the snow and the slight rocking motion was comforting.

Jack looked along the ridgeline once more, marveling at the sheer scale of the mountain range. It was definitely worthy of setting up a tourism package for off planet visitors. He'd meant to talk to Julli about that. An image of her trembling face between his hands invaded his mind making him jolt in his seat.

Dammit! What did he do at that party?

On second thought, he didn't really want to know.

He closed his eyes and let the rocking settle his nerves.

Jack became aware of a difference in the sound of the tracks on the snow. They were working harder. Then he noticed he was leaning back in his seat. He glanced out the front window and realized he could no longer see the mountains as they were climbing into the foothills. He looked left then right and a shiver went through his body as he realized they were already quite a way up into the foothills. The ridge ran away in both directions. The slopes here would be incredible for skiing. You could ski all day and only do one run!

It wasn't long before the land leveled off a little and lights could be seen ahead. The sun had recently disappeared behind the mountain peaks ahead of them and darkness was quickly covering the land around them.

"Boon Falls!" the driver called out as the bus turned a corner and lined up with an opening in the hillside. The bus bumped its way down a long ramp and pulled into a vast chamber carved out of what looked like the same white stone that Elleltris was.

The bus backed into a spot reserved for it and shut down. The driver popped the door open and a blast of cold air rushed in.

Jack looked over at the Altarians and saw them wincing. Gee glanced over at him with a grim look.

Their driver walked back to speak with them. "Not to worry, it's just the garage that feels this cold. The doors at the top of the ramp broke. I picked up the part. Inside the village is much warmer!" he smiled at the Altarians then Jack. He nodded to Jack. "Your guide will meet you inside the village doors."

"Thank you!" Jack said with a smile and the senior turned and headed out to open the cargo bay.

Stef moved past Jack's seat the infant carrier in her arms. "Enjoy your stay in Boon Falls."

"Thanks!"

The two older males from the back passed without a word and left the bus.

Gee and Bal were next to leave and Jack brought up the rear. They collected their bags and skis and followed the locals over to the door leading further into the hillside. Gee and Bal ran around the others to get inside first. Jack felt bad for them once more. He wished he'd been able to get them to just stay home but they'd insisted on joining him. The longer he was on Chrystan he more comfortable he felt with the people and the more he realized he could have done this on his own.

He caught up to them inside, well away from the door, standing next to an exhaust vent for a restaurant. The heat coming out felt good and Jack could see the two agents soaking up the warmth. He was going to insist that when he went skiing they would remain inside.

"Ambassador Danner!"

Jack turned to face the source of the young voice and saw a dark furred young male Shreen rushing up to him. He had to be half Jack's height.

"Hello. Are you my guide?" he asked.

"Yes! I'm Jett! I've been assigned to help you find your way to the resort and to see if there was anything else you need tonight."

Jack's stomach took that moment to grumble as he'd only had a stupid ration bar to eat today. "I'm very hungry. Is there a restaurant we could stop at for a meal?"

"The resort has the best restaurant in Boon Falls. I'll take you there now," Jett answered.

Jack nodded and with one more glance at his thawing friends he set off after Jett who was leading the way. Gee and Bal left the comfort of the exhaust fan to rush after them.

The walk was fairly lengthy as the resort proved to be on the far southern edge of the village. Along the way they saw shops then went through a large residential area and here Jack saw children. Lots of children. They were all amazed to see the tall, horned stranger walking through their neighborhood and it was only the presence of their guide that eased their nervousness. If anything, seeing Jett walk with them made them bolder. Crowds of the small Shreen followed them chattering and squealing until a few terse words from their guide sent them back to their homes.

Finally the dwellings dwindled and they were walking through a long corridor. Jack looked around but there were no openings in the carved tunnels here to indicate anything behind the walls. The ever present plant life adorning the walls kept the air fresh but the temperatures were just a little cooler than they'd been back in Elleltris.

They heard music up ahead and Jett smiled back at Jack. "We're almost there. They have a band playing tonight in the bar. Local artists. They're pretty good!"

Jack smiled back at the youth.

The corridor started to curve upwards and then they could see the entrance to the resort. The music got louder and Jack could see Jett getting excited. The tips of his ears were trembling.

Their guide took them in the wide front doors of the resort and up to the reception desk. He spoke softly to the female behind the counter who nodded and turned her smile on her new guests.

"I'm going to leave you here in the capable hands of Mara, the owner of the resort. I hope you enjoy your stay in Boon Falls!" Jett said and with a quick nod to the Altarians he made a bee line for the entrance to the bar to listen to the band.

"Ambassador Danner, Altarian friends, welcome to South View! As Jett said, I'm Mara, the owner. I'm the one you should ask for if you have any questions or concerns. I live at the resort as well so you can find me here at all hours."

"Thank you! I understand you have a restaurant, best in the village Jett said?"

She smiled, "A little hungry after your long journey?" At Jack's emphatic nod she chuckled. "The mayor asked me to let him know when you arrived so that he might join you for dinner this evening. Would that be alright?"

"Sure!"

"Excellent! He and his wife are just inside listening to the band so I'll get you settled into your rooms-"

"Room," Gee interrupted gently.

"Room?" Mara blinked. Jack looked at Gee in surprise as well.

"We will sleep with the Ambassador. He is very warm."

"Oh! Certainly," Mara said smiling at the two Altarians and glancing happily at Jack as she made an adjustment on her computer. His face flushed.

"You have our best room. The view south over the valley and the ridgeline is the best in the village," Mara said with a grin. "Our hot spring is down at the far end of this corridor," she said pointing to the left. "The bar is through those doors and is open from 4PM until 3AM. The restaurant is down at the end of the hall there and opens at 5AM for breakfast and closes at midnight. I've reserved a table for you during your stay which I believe is for three days?"

Jack nodded with a smile.

"If you could touch the pad here I'll key the door to your biometrics," Mara said gesturing to the edge of the counter. Jack touched the reader as did the agents and Mara nodded with a smile. "Ok, you're all set. I'll let the Mayor and his wife know you're on your way. They'll meet you at your table when you're ready."

"I'll be right back then," Jack said with a grin.

Mara smiled back and gestured for a young female to guide them up to their room. They took an elevator at the back of the lobby and went up two floors. The female led them down the hall and Jack opened the door. He saw it was roughly similar to the floorplan of the royal apartment. A popular design! The foyer had a large bathroom to the right and lead to a round living room with a sunken pit of cushions with a windowed wall on the opposite side. To the right was a door leading to the bedroom. Lovely furnishing and art on the walls. It was too dark outside to appreciate the view.

"If you have any questions or need anything please feel free to ask. I'm Becc."

"Thank you, Becc! I think we are good for now!" Jack said as the Altarians moved off to the bedroom to stow their bags.

With a slight bow the young female turned and left, closing the door behind her.

Jack followed Gee and Bal into the bedroom. He saw there was a large bed with multiple blankets but the room was cool, again a little cooler than they had the rooms in Elleltris.

"I am sorry for our intruding on your sleeping arrangements but Boon Falls is proving to be far colder than the capital. We would freeze at night," Gee explained.

"No. I get it. It's fine. It was a little embarrassing to hear you telling Mara about my being warm," he said.

Gee looked at Jack like he was her slow student. "The Shreen are communal sleepers. They sleep in the pit you see out in the living room. This bed and bedroom are strictly for non-Shreen visitors. Being the 'warm one' is a compliment."

"Oh! Well... thank you!"

"Don't let it go to your head," Bal said as she put her suitcase in the corner.

Jack frowned at Bal. "Shall we go eat? I'm starving! I need to stoke the fires that keep you two warm at night."

"By all means then," Gee said gesturing to the door.

They found the restaurant and the hostess guided them to a table where an older Shreen couple were seated. Jack could see Tyg's coloration in the male though his dark fur was peppered with grey and the female had pale grey long fur and snow white short fur with pale grey rosettes and stripes. The male stood and met Jack halfway around the table. He leaned his head forward and Jack touched his forehead to his. The female had moved to stand at her husband's side when Jack pulled back so he turned and touched her forehead with his as well. She was the first Shreen he had to bend down to as most were as tall as he was if not a little taller. Her eyes were twinkling with happiness as she smiled up at Jack.

"Welcome to Boon Falls! I'm the mayor, Ghen and this is my wife Asha. On a personal note I'd like to thank you for speaking to my son Tyg and his wife the other night. It's a major relief to his mother and I that the two of them have come to their senses. The good fortune of you visiting when you did and also being a Love Doctor-"

Gee snorted and wiped at her nose to cover the rude sound.

Jack looked at the mayor in embarrassment. "I'm not a Love Doctor. I'm not an Anything Doctor! I said the words while protesting this fact to some store clerks. I'm not really sure why that phrase became so popular or so wide spread. All I did that night was talk to them. Something in what I said touched the real love they felt for each other and they made it work themselves. They are more responsible for their new happiness than I am."

The couple looked at him with happy smiles and he realized his denial was falling on deaf ears.

They were standing at a table in the middle of the dining area with maybe twenty other tables around them, most filled with locals having their evening meal. Most of these were watching them casually like they were the night's entertainment.

At the far side of the restaurant was a large fireplace where flames danced over ornamental glass. Even from the center of the seating area Jack could feel the faint touch of the heat waves being radiated from the fireplace. None of the Shreen were seated anywhere near it as to them it would have been unpleasantly warm. Gee and Bal looked at Jack with just the slightest desperation in their eyes. He understood.

"Mayor Ghen, if you don't mind I'd like to release Agent's Gee and Bal," he gestured to them as he named them, "to sit closer to the fireplace. They'll have a better view of the room from there and keep warm at the same time."

"Oh! Well, certainly by all means," Ghen said as he nodded.

Jack smiled at him and nodded to the agents who immediately made their way to the far edge of the seating area where they found an unoccupied table for two... and moved it much closer to the fireplace. They moved the chairs then quickly took off their fur overcoats and let the heat of the flames soak into their chilled bodies.

The mayor glanced at Jack and they shared a smile. "Altarians don't care much for the cold, do they?" he said with a crooked smile.

Jack sighed. "No, they don't. They insisted on coming but I'm regretting that for their sakes. They feel the cold much more than I do."

Ghen gestured for them to sit but before they could the waitress came by and removed the extra place settings and chairs. She rearranged the remaining settings to give them all equal space. Jack smiled at her quick and efficient motions. Soon the three were sitting with comfortable space around them. The waitress returned with menus.

"I'm really hungry. What do you recommend?" Jack asked her and realized it was Becc.

She smiled and glanced meaningfully at the mayor who leaned forward.

"It has come to my attention that you may enjoy... eating meat?" he said quietly.

Jack's eyes widened in surprise. "I have been known to. Where did you..."

Ghen grinned at him. "We may be on the Ridge but we aren't completely cut off from the world. We have ways of learning things even out here in the wilds!"

Asha rolled her eyes and shook her head at her husband. "Tyg called. He and the Queen had a long conversation with her Facilitator. It came up that you're an omnivore."

"Oh! Well, yes, I did say that at Tanz's party." Jack acknowledged but he still didn't know where this was going.

"We've had a rash of encounters with some larger Skrahak in the nearby hills. When they get big we have to cull them or they get too bold and begin attacking the villages for food. They're carnivores. Our people have been out in the neighboring hillside hunting them down and we're close to finding the bull which is the largest one. Once we get it the smaller ones will scatter."

He looked a little uncomfortable but pushed on. "A few years back we had a group of Wuu visit the village to... hunt the Skrahak."

Jack looked at the mayor incredulously. "Wuu? The little balls of fur and bad tempers? They hunt?"

Ghen smirked and nodded. "Surprised me too but damn if they aren't fearsome in a group. They took down a four metre Skrahak and they only had spears. Tiny little spears. Gave me nightmares for a week." He shuddered.

"Anyway, they took this big one down and proceeded to slaughter it for its meat. They asked the cook here to prepare it and they ate a large portion of the beast that night. Make no mistake, Wuu are pure carnivores."

"Huh!" Jack exclaimed in surprise.

"We analysed the flesh and it's perfectly safe for consumption once cooked. As we have culled a number of them recently we have some meat on hand and the chef would be happy to prepare it for you. He said they called it a steak."

Jack's mouth watered as he was so hungry. "Would you be ok with me eating it in front of you? If you would I can eat something else."

"No! Please feel free to enjoy it. The Wuu certainly did," Ghen remarked.

"That would be wonderful then! I'd love to try a Skrahak steak!" Jack said smiling at Becc.

She leaned closer. "The chef asked me to ask you how you would like it cooked," she asked.

"What color is the meat uncooked?" Jack asked.

Becc's nose wrinkled. "Red."

"Ok, then cook it until it is just slightly pink in the center," he answered. Becc nodded and looked to the mayor and his wife.

"Our usual," Asha said and Ghen smiled at his wife.

Becc nodded and went to take the Altarian's orders but she didn't get too close to the table.

Jack returned his attention to the couple across the table. "I must confess, up until a few days ago I'd never heard of Chrystan or the Shreen and I feel terrible about that. I'm supposed to be Queen Elissa's Ambassador!"

"Don't feel too bad. The Shreen aren't exactly eager to make a nuisance of ourselves off the planet. In fact I don't think I've ever heard of a Shreen who left Chrystan. We like it here and if we need anything we can't get here, well, that's why we have a Gate in Elleltris and friends on the other side to bring those things to us, right?" the mayor said with a shrug.

"Nothing wrong with being, self-sufficient," Jack agreed and got a smile from the couple.

"We also heard you know more than a little about being self-sufficient but you've taken it to extremes!" Asha said in amazement.

Jack looked at her then recalled telling his story about being a Park Ranger. He smiled and nodded. "I did what I had to do to get and keep a job. It was a hard time in my life."

Ghen glanced over at a neighboring table and frowned at the occupant who was gesturing to him. Jack caught the exchange and glanced questioningly at the mayor who looked a little embarrassed.

"We use the restaurant frequently for town hall meetings and the tables have been equipped with audio systems to allow everyone to properly hear the head table which is this one. Would you mind if I were to turn on the table's broadcast unit? Everyone here is a friend and they'd love to hear your stories as well."

Jack looked around the room and saw smiles on the faces of the other Shreen. "Oh! Uh, I suppose that would be fine."

"The audio is also broadcast for those at home who can't attend the meetings," Asha disclosed.

Jack laughed and they looked at him in surprise. "Sorry, it feels like the amateur radio station I worked at when I was a teenager."

The mayor's eyes lit up and he gestured to the controls Jack just now recognized on the table. He'd thought they were for summoning the waiter. He smiled and nodded. The mayor pressed and held a spot on the table surface and a light appeared under his finger pad.

"Hello, this is Mayor Ghen at South View with my lovely wife Asha and our special guest Ambassador Jack Danner from Altaria- and originally Earth I suppose," Ghen said with the smooth practiced voice of a politician and part time radio host.

Jack suddenly realized that during his visit to Chrystan there was a distinct lack of televisions. He wondered if the Shreen just preferred the intimacy of radio. He saw he was being prompted by Ghen.

"Yes, I was born and raised on Earth and only recently found myself living on a different planet. Altaria has been an excellent place to live and now raise a family." Jack glanced at his 'audience' and they were all smiling while they ate their dinners. Some were watching but most didn't seem to need the visual component. He was fascinated by this but the mayor had moved on.

They turned their attention to Asha. "During the dinner you had with the Queen's Facilitator Tanz you talked about your job as a Park Ranger, a custodian of nature?"

"That's a nice way to put it," Jack said with a smile.

"You explained that during the winters you were alone? For months?" she said with a gasp.

"Yes, the winters in the region I worked were bad and we'd have to work the four to five months alone," Jack said, his voice holding an echo of that loneliness. He forced his shoulders back and smiled at the stunned faces of the couple. "My next job made up for that though because I was working as a pot scrubber in a chaotically busy restaurant in San Francisco's Chinatown. So many people rushing back and forth and not so much talking as yelling constantly. I hardly talked at all but I absorbed the constant buzz of language and human motion. I lasted there for six months until one of the managers dropped by and realized I was the odd man so out I went."

"They fired you because you were odd?" Ghen said in surprise.

"No, they kicked me out because I didn't officially work there. Directly after being fired by the Ranger service so publicly no one would hire me. I was wandering around the alleys looking for something to eat. The cook of this restaurant took pity on me after he heard my story. He took me in and fed me. In return I washed the pots as the pot scrubber hadn't shown up for work. When it got really busy and I proved I could keep up the cook let me stay. Luckily the original pot scrubber never returned. I slept in the back room and ate the discarded food the customers left on their plates. In that six months I worked really hard but more importantly, I disappeared from the public consciousness. When I was back out on the street looking for my next job Jack Danner wasn't a name that instantly reminded people of the public humiliation. I got a job as a Sanitation Engineer though I had to do a lot of fancy talking to bluff my way into that job." When he saw the blank looks from the couple. "With a large vehicle I collected garbage from the large containers behind the businesses and drove it to a place we dumped it."

Ghen smiled. "You sound like Tyg. Except he moved from job to job looking for something that fulfilled him."

"Maybe it wasn't a search for a meaningful occupation that caused his wanderlust. Maybe he was just looking for someone who fulfilled him," Jack suggested.

"More wisdom from the Love Doctor?" Asha said with a grin.

Jack moaned. "No, please let me address that. I'm sorry I ever put those two words together in a sentence. I wasn't claiming to be one. I am not now nor have I ever been, a doctor. I just offered a few words of encouragement, I don't even remember what they were. The Queen and King were the ones who found each other again. I am so glad they did."

Becc was returning with a tray with their meals on it.

"Ah, it looks like our food is arriving. We can pick this up later?" Ghen asked and Jack nodded.

Ghen turned off the broadcast and the plates were distributed.

Jack was stunned by the size of the steak on his plate. It was bigger than both his hands side by side, fingers spread wide. He looked at Becc. "I don't think I can eat this much steak!"

She smiled at him. "Eat as much or as little as you wish. No one else is going to eat it."

Jack thought about that. He was the only meat eater on the planet... other than the Skrahak apparently. He gave her a nod and picked up his utensils. The knife he had wasn't going to cut the meat. "Uh, Becc? Do you have a knife with a serrated edge to cut the meat?"

"Oh! I will get you one," she said and rushed away.

While he waited he tried the vegetables. They were delicious! So fresh! "These are amazing! Are they grown nearby?"

"All of the food is grown in the farms beneath our feet. If you'd like I can give you a tour tomorrow," Ghen said.

"I would love to see the farms!" Jack said with a big smile.

Becc returned with a wicked looking knife. "It's a root cutter," she explained.

He gave it a try and it did a reasonable job on the steak. He looked at the piece he'd cut free. It was hot with a slightly pink center. The real test. He raised the fork to his mouth and stopped halfway when he realized Becc was watching him with wide eyes. As was Ghen and Asha. Then he looked at the mesmerized faces at the tables around him. He glanced over at Gee and Bal and saw their disapproving scowls.

Meh.

He popped the morsel into his mouth and saw everyone jolt in unison. He ignored them and chewed slowly to capture the taste and textures. There was a slight elasticity to the meat like seafood but the taste was tangy bordering on spicy. He nodded happily and smiled to Becc first then shared the expression with the others watching. He swallowed and everyone jolted again.

"That was more difficult to watch than I expected!" Ghen remarked slowly.

Jack immediately felt bad. "I'm sorry. If this offends you I'll just stick with the vegetables which are excellent!"

"No! Please! I can tell you are enjoying it and I shouldn't have been watching you eat so closely anyway. Please enjoy." Ghen exclaimed.

Jack received nods from Asha and Becc, the latter looking a little flustered as she headed back to the kitchen.

He turned back to his meal as did the others. It had been quite some time since he'd enjoyed a steak. The closest he got to meat on Altaria was fish which SennLann craved and raided from his plate if he ate too slowly. Now he had Zaina and Adina eyeing his plate those nights as well. He was going to have to stock up on more fish.

It wasn't long before he reached his max and took one bite too many. He dropped his napkin over the plate to keep himself from eating more and pushed back a little from the table. Rubbing his full tummy he smiled at the mayor and his wife.

"It was enough?" she asked.

"A little bit more than enough. I'm stuffed! It was really good! Thank you!" Jack said with a sigh. This got grins from the couple.

"Good! Would you mind if we continued?" Ghen said pointing to the broadcast controls on the table.

Jack smiled and shook his head indicating he didn't. The mayor pressed the button again.

"Hello, this is Mayor Ghen at South View with my lovely wife Asha for part two of our interview with our special guest Ambassador Jack Danner from Altaria and Earth. Humans are omnivores and we've just witnessed him enjoying a Skrahak steak. Not something we see every day on Chrystan. He also indicated that he very much enjoyed the vegetables grown here in Boon Falls. With your varied occupational history do you have any experience with farming yourself, Ambassador?"

"Please, call me Jack. The only farming I've done personally was in our family garden. In the neighborhoods I grew up in, my parents, all the parents in fact, had gardens in the small plots of land behind our homes. We needed to grow as much food as we could because we couldn't afford to eat otherwise. Money was really limited even with everyone working at whatever jobs we could get. Farming on Earth by that point had been commercialized so there were extremely few independent farms left. The mega farms sold to the grocers but the entire mechanical process of harvesting and shipping meant the produce in the stores wasn't as fresh. Certainly not as fresh as the stuff we grew at home and not as good as I ate tonight!"

"I'll give you a tour of our farms tomorrow. I think you will be impressed," Ghen said with a smile.

"I'm already impressed with the produce itself!" Jack grinned.

Asha leaned forward. "Not to change the subject but changing the subject," she grinned, "I'm told you arrived with... skis? What are they and what do you do with them?"

"They are long slippery boards which connect to special shoes that allow us to glide along the surface of snow quickly and gracefully without sinking into it. We used them for recreation and fitness. I did some skiing a long time ago on Earth and I enjoyed it very much. I have to say this world is perfect for the sport. If you had a lift system for bringing skiers back up to the top of the slopes you could seriously have a very lucrative tourism based industry. The view and scenery is breathtaking. The food is amazing, and the accommodations are lovely. You'd probably have to expand if it becomes as popular as I think it might become. It was something I was going to speak with Minister Julli about at Tanz's party but... other things... happened," he finished awkwardly.

Asha giggled and Ghen grinned at him.

"Don't worry, we aren't going to put you on the spot and ask you questions about what tips you passed along to the attendees of that party," Asha said with a grin.

Jack sighed in relief.

"They've already done their own interviews and sang your praises," she continued.

Jack eyed her incredulously.

"One thing I would like to ask you about. My curiosity is driving me crazy. Are the gold caps on the tips of your horns ornamental or do they serve some purpose? They are lovely!" Ghen asked.

"Oh, thanks. They're to protect others from the sharp points. The horn tips are deadly sharp. Self-sharpening I've been told. The caps keep these points hidden and my kids at home safe. I have two daughters who've made a game out of waking me up every morning. I don't have to worry about them cutting themselves accidentally on my horns."

Ghen and Asha were grinning widely at Jack as his love for his daughters came through quite clearly.

They moved back to talking about some of the jobs he'd had and the conversation went on for some time until Jack yawned widely behind his hand.

Asha glanced at her husband who wrapped up the broadcast and thanked Jack for his time before shutting down the radio program.

Jack was surprised to realize everyone from the dinner hour was still in the restaurant. He smiled and nodded to them as they began to file out.

"I'm going to speak to Minister Julli about your idea. Do you think skis could be adapted to Shreen feet?" Ghen asked.

Jack glanced over to look at the feet of some of the departing guests and pictured how wide the skis would have to be to fit those big... he grinned widely.

"You have a strange smile on your face, Jack." Asha said, smiling curiously.

"Not skis! Snowboards! Oh my god! The Shreen would be natural snowboarders!" he exclaimed.

He pulled his com out and flipped through the vids he'd captured to show Queen Elissa. He scanned ahead in the one to get to the snowboarding scene. Then he turned the screen to the mayor and his wife. "This is snowboarding. Much wider surface but similar principle. You ride these down the slope but you still need a means to get back to the top of the slope once you get to the bottom."

They watched in fascination as the boarders swooshed back and forth, cutting through the powder snow.

"This looks like something the Shreen would like to do! Very much! Thank you for bringing it to my attention. Are there more movies like these?" Ghen asked.

"Yes, on the Earth network. Can you connect to that?" he asked.

"Minister Julli will be able to. Snowboarding. I think we may have something here!" Ghen said excitedly.

Jack looked at his com and pulled up the receipt for his ski equipment. "Do you have a com?" he asked the mayor. The male took his com from a pocket in his kilt. "I have a company you can contact to purchase a few boards from as a test case. Really nice people and they had some really beautiful boards in the shop when I was there." Jack transferred the details of the shop to the mayor's com and the Shreen's eyebrows went up.

"I didn't know you could do that with a com!" Ghen exclaimed and his wife rolled her eyes.

Jack grinned and dropped the vid onto the mayor's com as well. "You can send Julli this vid and the store's details to let her know you want her to look into it for you."

"How do I do that?" Ghen asked looking closer.

"Really Ghen! You need to get lessons on how to use your com!" Asha said in exasperation as she took the com from Jack's hand and created the message with the attachments. Then she pointed to the send button and Ghen sent it off with a grin. The mayor rubbed his face against his wife's and she gasped at his boldness in front of their guest.

"I'm beat so I'm going back to my room. Will I see you for breakfast tomorrow or afterwards?" Jack asked.

"If you wouldn't mind the company we'd love to join you!" Ghen said as Asha nodded with a smile.

"8AM?" Jack suggested.

"Perfect!" Ghen said and they touched foreheads before they headed out.

Jack walked over to Gee and Bal and they looked lethargic from the heat. "Come on you two, time for bed."

The agents got to their hooves and wobbled. Both sank back to their seats as Jack frowned at them.

"You overheated didn't you." Jack scowled and the agents had the good grace to look ashamed.

"Put your coats on. I'll carry you," Jack said and they looked up at him in surprise. They began to protest and stood but they weren't steady on their hooves. He helped them put their coats on then surprised them by bending down to wrap an arm around each just below their butts and lifting them against his chest.

"Hold on around my shoulders," Jack grunted and began to head back to the room. He got them in the elevator, up to their floor and down the hall to their room before setting them back on their hooves once more. He opened the door and helped them stagger inside. He took them immediately to the bed. As they undressed he got them both a large glass of water. He made them drink all of the water then he tucked them into the bed.

Then he took care of himself, getting ready for bed. He crawled under the blankets and felt them rest against his shoulders as he let himself drift off.

Chapter 8

Jack sat at his reserved table waiting for Ghen and Asha. He'd left Gee and Bal back in the room resting. They'd woken with bad headaches and he'd made them drink more water. While they protested he assured them he would only visit the farms then come directly back to check on them. Pouting, they agreed he could be without their protection for the morning. He'd smiled and given them both a kiss on the forehead. Jack thought it was a testament to how poorly Bal felt that she'd held still for the kiss. He tucked them back in bed and left them his Skrahak overcoat as an extra blanket so he'd be sure they'd be warm enough. He was wearing the thermal guard wicking bodysuit and the Nordic racing outerwear so he was plenty warm.

Sure, he looked like a rainbow threw up on him but he was warm.

"Good morning!" Ghen called out as he and Asha walked up to the table.

Jack got up and touched his forehead to theirs and gestured for them to sit. A new waitress was immediately at their side and they ordered their breakfast. Jack was able to order a small steak with his meal.

"Where are your companions?" Asha asked curiously.

"They aren't feeling too well this morning so I told them to sleep in," Jack said.

Ghen didn't turn on the broadcast system and they just spoke about the morning's tour. Then he made an odd sound.

"I just remembered! I got a reply from Julli this morning. She was very excited about the idea of bringing snowboarding to the ridge villages and will be starting a program with Boon Falls as a test case. She sent a request to our broker on Altaria to order some boards from the shop you gave us the name for. I hope you don't mind she quoted your name on the order," Ghen said with an excited expression.

Jack was really happy for Ghen but he was also concerned about how fast this was coming together. "That's great! Are you going to set up some designated areas for the snowboarding? The boards move really fast so there's always a risk for injury or worse."

"Yes, I've been researching how to build a snowboarding park from the material Julli got from the Earth Net. Fascinating! You were right, this sport was designed for Chrystan and the Shreen!" Ghen gushed.

Jack grinned at him as the food arrived. They didn't talk much as they ate the meal but they were very comfortable in each other's company.

As they were wrapping up Asha grinned at Jack. "Your clothing is most colorful this morning."

"Yes, it's a Nordic skiing racing suit. Normally I wouldn't dress so flamboyantly but it was the only suit in the store that stretched enough to fit my neck and shoulders. It's very warm!"

"We aren't going to lose you in the snow or a crowd of Shreen for that matter," Ghen teased.

They were done so they thanked the waitress and made their way back to the village. Jack attracted a lot of attention as a walking billboard for brands the inhabitants of Chrystan had never heard of.

They entered a wide corridor which led deep into the mountain. They boarded a small wheeled cart and Ghen drove them further into the tunnels. He took them down a few ramps and Jack felt a gradual increase in temperature and humidity. The scent of growing things filled his nostrils and he breathed deep with a smile. Ghen pulled off a ramp onto the next floor down and Jack gasped in awe. The excavated chamber seemed endless with row after row of vertical hanging gardens. The colors were spectacular.

"You may not lose me in the snow but I could definitely blend in down here!" Jack laughed and they joined in.

They parked the cart and walked among the rows talking to the workers who were maintaining the crops. Jack had to touch foreheads with quite a few of them and learned they were listening to the broadcast the night before. Most were amazed by how different he was from how he looked in their imaginations. They sampled a few fresh vegetables and made their way back to the cart.

They spent most of the morning repeating this and Jack was stunned by the variety of crops they had down here fed by the hot springs and grow lights powered by the village's steam driven generators. Jack discovered they shipped the produce to Elleltris and other cities with unmanned trains using gravity repulsion tech. None of the Shreen would ride in the flying vehicles but they had no problem with their products travelling in style and fast. The shipments only took an hour to reach market instead of taking all day like his trip had.

Once the tour was over they drove back up to the entrance of the village. Jack's head was spinning and his hosts were grinning from ear to ear, pleased with his reaction.

"Did you have any plans for the afternoon?" Ghen asked.

"I was hoping to do some skiing in the surrounding countryside," he said.

The mayor winced. "That might not be such a good idea until we've caught the bull Skrahak. I assure you I've had reports that they are very close to tracking it down. Maybe I can offer an alternative. Why don't you come up on the surface to see the original Boon Falls?"

"That sounds good! I need to check in on my two patients in the room." He lifted the small basket of fresh vegetables he'd collected for them. "They'll need some lunch too. Why don't I give you a call after lunch and if they are up to it I'll bring them along?"

"That would be great! See you then!" Ghen said and they did the forehead ritual once more before Jack trotted back down the corridor to the hotel. He nodded to Mara and took the elevator up to his floor. Grinning to himself he thought about mentioning elevator music to Mara to see if that would catch on like snowboarding promised to.

Entering the room he made his way over to the bedroom and saw the sheets move. Gee and Bal uncovered their heads and stared at his outfit.

"Tell me you didn't go out in public dressed like that!" Gee griped.

"Ah, good to hear you're back to your old self," Jack smiled.

"I smell food," Bal added.

"The gardens! Oh my god, they are magnificent and endless! I brought you lunch straight from the vine." Jack gushed.

When Gee looked at him with a raised eyebrow he sighed. "Yes I washed the food and the basket is brand new."

The two agents each picked something from the basket and took a bite. Their faces lit up with smiles and they ate voraciously. Jack snorted at the almost savage way they consumed the meal. By comparison his consuming the steak had been an act of absolute civility.

"The mayor and Asha have invited us to do a tour of the original Boon Falls which is apparently on the surface. It will be cold so if you aren't up to it I understand. He vetoed my suggestion about skiing as they have to catch and kill a bull Skrahak as it's dangerous to be around."

"We will come with you to see this original village," Gee said.

"As you are not skiing please change into clothing less violent to our eyes," Bal requested.

Jack pouted and went to get changed after snagging one of the cucumber like items from the basket and dodging Bal's slap at his hand.

When everyone was ready and Jack was back in his fur coat he called the mayor and arranged to meet where Jack last saw them.

They made their way back to the village and once they greeted Ghen and Asha once more they took an elevator up a few levels and stepped out into a large transparent dome. There was a set of doors ahead, like an airlock which Jack assumed kept the cold air out of the dome. He looked at Gee and Bal but they were wearing every layer of thermal protection they had under the fur coats. They seemed comfortable.

"It isn't too cold out there but we are in the shadow of the ridge above so the warmth of the sun isn't touching the ground here," Asha warned.

They made their way outside and Jack moved his goggles down over his eyes. While they weren't in direct sunlight the snow just a little ways down the hill was bouncing the brightness in their direction.

They walked uphill and saw the original excavations dug into the surrounding cliff face. These had been turned into boutiques and Jack was delighted to do a little browsing in the shops. The Altarians also appreciated being inside. Ghen and Asha spoke to each of the shopkeepers as they made their way from shop to shop. Jack was carrying several bags by the time they left the eighth shop.

Jett came running from further ahead panting with excitement. "Mayor! They got it!" he yelled.

Ghen stopped to look at Jett. "They got the bull?"

"Yes! Come see! It's a big one!" the youth gushed and headed back down the lane. It ran between two vertical cliff faces which gradually drew closer. Shops had been cut into the walls on both sides. Jack couldn't help but compare this to one of those villages catering to the upscale skiing community.

Ahead there was a large archway and a tunnel which they followed out into a field where many Shreen were gathered around a large flatbed cart. Covering the cart was a creature with the same kind of fur Jack and the Altarians were wearing.

The thing looked like a large furred slug to Jack. Except for its face... or the collection of boney plates where the face would be.

"It is a big one! Definitely a bull. Looks like we shouldn't be having trouble with the Skrahak for a while." Ghen said with a grin. He wandered off to congratulate the five Ridgers who brought down the beast.

Jack turned to Asha. "Does this mean it's safe to do some skiing tomorrow?"

"It should be. Once the bull is dead the rest scatter uphill back into the mountains," she explained.

"Uphill? This beast came from higher up?" Jack said in surprise.

"Yes, there are some big things up there. We stay out of the peaks. If they come down we kill them." Asha said with venom in her voice.

Jack blinked at her. "You sound like you really don't like these creatures."

She looked at Jack and sighed. "No, I don't. A larger one than this took my grandfather and his best friend. It went back up into the mountains so we never killed it. I take a little comfort each time we kill one. Seeing you eat the flesh of one was particularly satisfying," she said with a grim smile.

He just nodded to her. He knew how the need for vengeance felt. He wouldn't judge her for this.

They made their way back and stopped at a few more shops before calling it a day. They walked back to the dome and stopped to make plans for dinner.

"Are we going to do another dinner broadcast?" Jack asked.

Ghen's expression gave away his hopes and Jack just smiled and nodded. Asha was pretty happy as well.

"Tomorrow, I'd like to go skiing. That should be ok now, right?" Jack asked.

Ghen checked his com. "The danger of the Skrahak is over but I suggest you head out no earlier than 11AM as it will be warmer and the small stragglers will be long gone by then."

"That sounds good. As it will be my first time on the skis in a long time I don't plan on being out too long," Jack explained. Ghen nodded.

They made their way into the elevator and went back down to the new village's main level.

Before they parted Ghen caught Jack's eye again. "See you at dinner?"

"Yes!" Jack grinned and they went their separate ways.

As they made their way back to the resort Jack was so excited! He was going skiing! When he started to repetitively chant 'We're go-ing ski-ing!' he saw Gee and Bal weren't quite as enthused.

Well, they could stay home. He was going! It was his vacation after all!

Chapter 9

The powdery snow sparkled like scattered diamonds under the noon sun as Jack's skis cut through the frozen crystals. He found himself grinning stupidly as his breath puffed out in gusts of steam. This was much better than he remembered.

Of course the technology in use now compared to the last time he'd gone skiing improved the performance of the skis by light years. The bindings were small plates that used tractor beam technology to maintain an aligned connection with the linkage in the toe of his shoes. This allowed his shoes to rock up and down as his heels lifted and dropped with the stride and glide motions. The skis didn't rely on special waxes or rough scallops in the underside to give them the traction and frictionless qualities needed to kick off and glide. Instead, the binding read the pressure and position of each boot and took signals from the grips on the poles to alter the underside qualities of each ski. This also gave the skier the ability to brake if needed.

Jack, Gee and Bal had spent roughly an hour learning how to operate the controls of the skis until they felt comfortable enough to venture outside of the village into the hillsides nearby. Now they were moving quickly through pristine hills and meadows. The 'evergreens' they saw dotting the hillsides and providing windbreaks on their way looked like no tree Jack had ever seen but they served the same function apparently.

They'd been given a quick overview of the surrounding land and told which areas to avoid. There were a few places where hidden cliffs could end their playtime with a grisly conclusion. Keeping to the meadows was safe. They'd seen groups of teens out placing and maintaining the red hazard flags at the entrances to these danger zones. A service each village undertook to keep their people safe.

Jack stopped atop a small rise, set his brakes, and looked back. Gee and Bal were a distance back but they caught up quickly. Both enjoyed the skiing very much but they scowled at him for getting so far ahead. He ignored that.

"This is incredible!" Jack gushed.

Neither of them could deny the smiles that came to their faces for his enthusiasm.

"Yes, this is a most enjoyable activity," Gee admitted. Bal nodded at her partner.

"Maybe we stay out another thirty minutes then begin to head back?" Jack asked and received nods.

A terrifyingly deep roar cut across the hillside from behind them. This was quickly followed by the high pitched screams of teenage Shreen. They turned their skis immediately and headed back along their tracks as quickly as they could. Jack was behind the agents so he was forced to keep their pace.

They came upon one of the red flagged pocket valleys where the slope dipped down between two cliff walls and ended with a precipice. More screams and crying came from down the slope.

Bal looked back at Jack. "Stay here!" Then she and Gee went over the lip and swooped down into the shadowed place.

Jack stayed put for a record five seconds before he said fuck it and swooped over the edge. He got maybe five metres in before stopping atop the slope running down to a sharp drop off. Down near the bottom Jack could see two young Shreen backed up against the wall of the pocket valley, clinging to each other in mortal fear.

What was driving their fear was mostly hidden in the snow but to Jack it looked like a Skrahak, at least as big as the one he'd seen on that flatbed cart. The only thing keeping it from the kids was Gee and Bal putting shot after shot into its back from behind with their deadly little pistols. Unfortunately, the creature's bulk reduced the effectiveness of the bullets to merely painful annoyances.

It finally turned slowly to face the source of the pain. Gee... disappeared, though her skis and poles remained and seemed to move on their own up slope as Bal continued to pepper the Skrahak's side with bullets.

Once the creature was facing Bal, Gee dropped her camo and gestured for the teens to run towards her. She pushed them to keep going upslope once they reached her.

The Skrahak had reached some limit to the amount of pain it was willing to ignore. It roared deafeningly at Bal throwing up a huge gust of snow and ice crystals which pelted her. She staggered back and that was the opening the creature needed. It reached out a portion of its body and swatted Bal off of her skis.

Jack was already moving before Bal landed and found herself pinned to the snow by the appendage projecting from the beast. She couldn't breathe under the pressure of its grip. The boney plates of its maw were swinging over towards her and she could do nothing but watch in horror.

Racing downslope in a full tuck position to boost his acceleration Jack ripped off his hat and knocked the caps free from his horns. He had no other weapons and no time to think this through. He was almost flying as he reached the Skrahak. He slammed the ski's brakes on as he disconnected the bindings and shot over Bal's trapped body like a missile to strike the right side of the beast's jaw.

CRACK!

Gee froze as she watched in terror from across the snow as Jack's head and shoulders seemed to disappear inside the mouth of the Skrahak.

It screamed! It flailed and swung Jack's limp body from side to side as gore splashed across the snow.

Bal was no longer under its limb and pushed herself back from the grisly scene. She struggled to get breath back in her lungs as her eyes were locked on Jack. She saw his arms and legs spasm horribly then his hands reached up to grab the ripped edges of the hole he'd made in the side of its jaw. The beast renewed its efforts to fling Jack loose but this just made it scream louder.

Jack's legs found purchase for just a moment and he used that leverage to pull back hard. There was a terrible ripping sound and the creature finally managed to toss him loose. He spun in the air and landed in the deep snow just beyond Bal's prone body.

The Skrahak tried to roar but its face was destroyed and the pain turned the roar into a shrill squeal. It turned once more towards Bal.

Jack clawed his way free of the snow onto the packed down area and leapt to stand over Bal facing the Skrahak. His mind went back to another snowy scene and a man facing down an angry, injured beast. That hadn't ended well but he wasn't going to let this thing have Bal or Gee or those kids. Even if he had to kill it from inside its gut he would. He wracked his mind trying to think of something he could do.

Bal stared up at Jack standing between her and the Skrahak and for the first time in her life she froze. She knew she had at least one broken rib and was out of the fight. She knew she had to flee but Jack was there protecting... her. She was no help to him but as she stared at the strips of flesh and gore dripping from his horns and the blood covering his head and shoulders she was shaken to the core.

Jack lunged at the creature and it jumped back the same distance. That gave Jack some confidence. He recalled some old advice for confronting bears. He stretched himself as tall as he could with his hands stretched up over his head to make himself look as big as possible. Then he roared at the creature with everything he had. The scream of rage that ripped from him echoed off the walls filling the area. The beast shifted back again.

Then it began to rear up as well. Jack watched the torn maw rise up and up and still higher.

Jack wet himself, just a little.

The creature drew in a breath to roar back-

And disappeared.

A poof of snow was the only evidence it had been there at all. The cliff's snowy edge had given way under its concentrated weight.

Jack sagged and dropped to his butt on the packed snow. His body shook with unspent adrenaline. He felt a gentle touch on his shoulder and turned his head to see Bal standing there nursing her ribs. He immediately turned entirely around to face her in concern.

"Are you ok? Did it injure you?" he gasped.

"Why do you not listen when I tell you to stay put!" Bal scowled at him but he could see she wasn't really angry. He just smiled and shrugged.

Gee skied up to them and checked on her partner. Then she stared at Jack. "Why does he not stay put!" she asked her partner. That got an actual smirk from Bal.

The two teens approached, looking at Jack with wide eyes. The young male was Jett and his mouth opened and closed a few times as he took in Jack's bloody face and the shredded flesh on his horns. He truly looked fearsome. "How did you know?"

Jack looked at him. "How did I know what?"

"How did you know how to do the mating challenge?" Jett gasped.

"What are you talking about?" Jack asked.

"When two dominant Skrahak meet, they challenge each other and the victor impregnates the loser. Rising up and roaring is the challenge. It's instinctive. They have to respond. How did you know!?!" Jett asked again.

Jack snorted. He turned to the agents with a bloody grin and gestured to the cliff edge with his thumb. "I guess I really fucked him, didn't I!"

Gee and Bal rolled their eyes and moved to collect Bal's skis so they could leave.

"Hey! That was a good one! Come on guys! You have to admit..."

When they continued to ignore him he turned back to Jett with a sigh. "I was pretending to be a bear. A similarly frightening creature on Earth. I had no idea what I was doing. I'm just glad it worked out." He looked up the slope to where his hat was. His head was getting cold as the blood cooled. His horn caps were long gone.

He looked over at the young female and she looked very sad. "What's wrong?"

She looked mournfully at him. "I think it got Khee."

Jett explained. "Khee was out with us when the Skrahak attacked. We got separated. It followed us and cornered us in this box canyon. We haven't seen-"

"JETT! SHAY!" cried a voice from the top of the ridge.

The teen's faces lit up as they looked up towards their friend. Behind him was a large group of Ridgers all armed to take down the Skrahak. They rushed down the slope to check on them and Jett excitedly described the battle while Jack climbed back up the hill to get his hat. The group joined him, eyeing him and his bloody appearance especially the horns, and they made their way out of the shadowy pocket.

Jack immediately had a problem. Now that they were no longer in the shadows he couldn't see. He'd lost his goggles when he crashed through the jaws of the beast which was now dead at the base of the cliff. He had to close his eyes against the glare.

The Ridgers came up with a solution. Along with the others they loaded Jack, Gee, and Bal with their ski equipment onto the flatbed behind the snow crawler they'd driven out in and everyone rode in style on the way back. Jack pulled the hat down over his eyes and heard the horn tips tear through the fabric.

When they got back to the village they went down the ramp into the bay and everyone marched inside into a huge crowd of Shreen who'd come to see 'Jack the Skrahak killer'. News had travelled quickly and the mayor was right there to check on them.

"Mayor Ghen, is someone going to check on the body of the Skrahak?" Jack asked as he tugged the remains of the hat off. There was a collective gasp as the gathered crowd saw the carnage on his horns and the razor sharp tips.

Blinking in surprise Ghen nodded. "Uh yes! We have a team going to the spot right now."

Jack sighed in relief. "Great! Could you ask them to retrieve my goggles from it?"

"Your goggles?!?"

"Yes."

"Where are they?" Ghen asked faintly.

Jack paused to think about that. "Well, I likely lost them when I was in its mouth but it might have subsequently swallowed them."

Stunned silence. Jack blinked at the crowd. "What?"

A huge cheer went up and in the contained space the noise was deafening. Jack winced and looked to the two agents who were also shrinking back from the wall of noise. He pointed in the direction of the resort and they nodded. The mayor saw the gesture too and nodded to Jack.

The trio managed to get through the crowd and on their way and soon enough they were in their room. Jack kicked off his skiing shoes and walked into the shower fully dressed. He got the hot water going and carefully washed the blood and bits of flesh and skin from his horns. He was surprised to feel the surface of them had gone back to its original rough texture. The coating was gone. Maybe dissolved in the saliva of the Skrahak?

His body trembled as he recalled coming back to his senses inside its mouth. He'd been able to breathe thankfully but it was never a good thing to be in another creature's mouth.

He washed the outer layer of his ski suit and the blood came right off. Nothing stuck to the slick fabric. He peeled it off, wrung it out, and hung it on a hook outside the shower. He did this with each layer until he was down to his skin. That he scrubbed until it was pink.

Once he felt like he'd cleaned himself of every remnant of the beast he shut down the shower and turned on the air dryer. He realized he hadn't brought any clothes in with him. He sighed. Well, Gee and Bal knew what he looked like naked so he made sure his ski clothes were drying properly and left the bathroom.

Queen Lyn and King Tyg smiled broadly at him from the cushions of the living room pit as he walked into the room.

"Jack!" the Queen cheerfully gasped and climbed up to rush over and hug him, rubbing her face against his. As soon as Jack recovered from that Tyg was next in line.

"What- it's great to see you two again but what are you doing here?" he gasped and gratefully snagged the underwear from Gee's outstretched hand. Once he had those on he felt a little better. Gee continued to hand him clothes he immediately put on as the Queen answered.

"We heard the interviews Tyg's parents have been doing with you and decided to come visit so we might join you. Tyg missed his parents and home too."

Jack blinked at her. "The interviews? You heard them too? I got the impression that they were only shared with the village! He said they were for the people who couldn't... join us in the restaurant." Jack realized that could also mean the people in Elleltris.

"Exactly. The broadcasts are very popular! They play all over Chrystan and I understand there has been off world interest as well which is surprising as everyone beyond Chrystan seems so obsessed with imagery," Lyn said with a smile.

"What's this I hear about you going after a Skrahak all by yourself?" Tyg grinned. "You're going to make the Ridgers look like... weenies."

Jack laughed hearing the Earth term coming from Shreen lips. "Where did you hear that word?!?"

Tyg couldn't suppress his own chuckle. "Hahn won't stop using it! He said you used it on him at Tanz's party and now he's telling everyone he's 'no weeny'. I have to say, it's a fun term!" Jack just shook his head as he had no memory of calling Hahn that. They made their way to the pit and sat down.

"So, we just got here and never got a chance to see this Skrahak you bested. Did you bring it back to the village?" Tyg asked with eagerness.

There was a knock on the door and Gee went to answer it.

"No, it fell off a very tall cliff," Jack answered.

Tyg laughed with delight. "You scared a little Skrahak off a cliff and they call you 'Jack the Skrahak killer for that?" Jack just grinned at him and the Queen smiled with relief.

Gee returned with a tall Shreen male Tyg immediately recognized. With a cry of happiness he leapt to his feet to rush over to him. Jack and the Queen looked at each other and left the pit to meet a male that could elicit such a response in the King.

Tyg pressed his forehead to the large, strong looking male. He turned back to his wife. "This is Oleg! He's our champion Ridger! He and his team kept the village safe and cleared the region during the big migration two years back!" He turned back to Oleg hero worship plain on his face and the champion smiled back at him in grateful appreciation.

Then Oleg's eyes went to Jack and rose to his horns. The smile slipped from his face to be replace with... something else. Actually It looked a little like the expression on Tyg's face.

"I- I've come to return your property to you," Oleg said to Jack and Tyg looked at him expectantly. The male raised his hand and he had Jack's goggles. They looked no worse for wear until Jack saw the strap was in tatters, eaten away by the saliva probably.

Tyg looked at the goggles and smiled back at Jack. "You dropped your goggles out in the snow?"

Oleg turned to Tyg with a serious expression. "No, King. They were in the mouth of the huge beast."

"Mouth? Huge?" Tyg muttered in confusion. He turned back to Jack. "How did your goggles get into a Skrahak's mouth? Just how large was this beast?"

Jack fidgeted. "The goggles fell off after I crashed through the side of its face into its mouth," he said pointing to his horns.

The Queen cried out in shock, her legs giving out to drop her to her butt on the floor. Gee was immediately at her side to help her up and back into the living room pit to sit down.

"King, this was a Dynast Class Skrahak," Oleg clarified. Tyg's eyes flashed to the champion's face.

"But... they don't come down from the high mountain slopes!"

"No, they rarely come down. We believe they do during their own migration cycles. Being very territorial, this one may well be the same one that took your great grandfather but there's no real way to be certain," Oleg explained.

"How big?" Tyg asked.

"Nine metres, end to end," Oleg answered.

Tyg's face whipped around to look at Jack. "Are you insane? You attacked a nine metre Skrahak?!?"

"Hey! I couldn't really see how big it was at first and it wouldn't have mattered. It was going to eat Bal! Nobody, not even a big Skrahak, hurts my friends!" Jack barked back then looked around. He looked to Gee. "Where is Bal?"

She walked up to him and hugged him tightly. "I gave her some painkillers for her broken rib. She is resting under your coat. Let her rest," she finished when she felt him try to move to the bedroom. She released him and went to sit with the Queen.

Tyg was looking dazed.

Oleg cleared his throat and Jack looked back at him. "What would you like to do with the carcass?

"What?"

"You killed it. Its resources belong to you," Oleg explained.

"Oh! Uh, tell you what. I'll take one steak's worth of meat from it and the rest can go to Asha. She deserves the closure for her grandfather in case this is the same one." Jack said and the champion smiled at the poetic justice in this.

"You're going to eat the Skrahak?" the Queen gasped.

Jack smirked at her. "Not the whole thing! Just one meal as a symbolic act of defiance." He couldn't keep a straight face. "Actually just because I'm really hungry and Skrahak steak tastes amazing!"

Gee just shook her head as she rolled her eyes. Jack touched his forehead to Oleg's in thanks then walked over and sat next to the agent in the pit. He slumped back to relax against the cushions. There was a tearing sound and all eyes went to his horns which were embedded in the large pillow. Jack sat back up and looked back with a pout. He faced the others. "I'm sorry about that. I lost my caps out in the snow."

Gee went up on her knees on the cushions next to Jack and took his head between her hands. He looked at her in surprise thinking she was going for a kiss but she tilted his head down with a look of exasperation and examined his horns much closer.

"You've lost the GowGow coating. Likely it shattered in the impact. More worrying, you have multiple stress fractures on the front surfaces of your horns. We should return to Altaria for your doctor to look at these," Gee recommended.

Jack sighed as he heard the tone in her voice that told him it was more of an order, one he would regret ignoring once it got back to Queen Elissa.

"Tomorrow?" he asked and Gee smiled as she nodded.

Tyg was speaking quietly to Oleg and they touched foreheads once more before the champion nodded to the others and left.

"Well, you have an interesting story for your audience tonight!" Tyg said with a smile.

"I live in interesting times," Jack sighed.

Chapter 10

Jack woke with a terrible headache. He moaned and tried to lift his hands to his head but discovered he couldn't move his arms. His eyes flew open in a panicked response but he saw he was just buried in furry bodies once more. He tried to relax back against the pillows in the living room pit once more but the throbbing in his head wouldn't subside. He thought back to the night before to recall if he'd had anything to drink or eat which might explain the pain he was in now.

Ghen and Asha's broadcast dinner had been a lot of fun. The Queen and King had joined them at the table as had Gee and Bal, who had been feeling a little better. Oleg was also at their table but left part ways through the night to go on a patrol. They'd talked and laughed until the restaurant closed and afterwards made their way to Jack's suite with a bottle of Nii. The Queen promised it tasted lovely, generated a light feeling of euphoria, and most importantly had none of the seemingly random side effects of Lussht. It was another beverage you drank in small increments and the seven of them lounged in the pit taking sips as they continued to talk and laugh. This morning Jack had to admit the Queen was right. He'd felt wonderful last night and could still recall every moment until the time he nodded off in the pit. Obviously this had been seen as an invitation to get some shut eye with him. This was a genuine Shreen experience.

The pain spiked and he couldn't stop another moan from leaking out. Seconds later he felt a gentle touch on his forehead. He opened his eyes and saw Gee's concerned expression.

"I think we must take you home now," she said.

"What is wrong with Jack?" the Queen asked as she woke up and stretched luxuriantly over his body.

"Something is wrong with Jack?" Tyg blurted as he woke with a start. His parents were a little slower to wake.

"I slept so well last night!" Asha grinned with her husband then they lost those smiles when they picked up on the tension.

Gee pressed her lips to Jack's horns.

Jack looked at her oddly. "It's just a headache."

She frowned at him. "No Jack, it's not. Your horns are hot. We must take you to see Jinnae." She looked at the Mayor. "Could we catch a ride on the train that transports your produce to Elleltris?"

Ghen's eyebrows rose. "Uh, I suppose you could..." The idea was obviously disturbing for him.

"Haste is required," Gee said as her partner joined her. They did that thing where they talked with gestures and Bal's eyes widened in concern. She moved away to begin packing.

"We will leave our skis here if you don't mind. I'm sure Jack will wish to return to use them again soon."

"You are all welcome to come back any time!" Ghen said as his wife nodded.

"I apologize for us sleeping on you last night," Tyg said sheepishly.

"No, it's fine. A... genuine... Shreen experience I will treasure," he said through the pounding pain. "I have the fondest memories, those the Lussht didn't steal away, of Chrystan and its people. Thank... you for making me feel... so welcome!"

The couples tried to smile at him but they could see the pain he was in.

Ghen used his com to hold the next train and add a car to the end for the passengers. He instructed them to bolt down three spare bus seats into the extra car which shocked the people at the other end of the com until they learned it was a medical emergency for Ambassador Danner and his two Altarian companions. Then they jumped to it.

Tyg ran out the door to bring a cart up the corridor as the rest got Jack up and dressed. His muscles ached badly and he was beginning to realize that maybe this was more than a headache. He insisted in saying goodbye properly before boarding the cart. Tyg drove like a mad man, hand on the cart horn at every corner but he got them to the train station without killing them or anyone else. He helped them on board and told them Tanz would pick them up at the other end.

As soon as the car was closed up the train lifted off the platform and slowly accelerated away. Inside the car there was no sensation of movement and very little light. Filtered air kept them alive and fresh as the produce it was designed to protect. They were strapped into their chairs and Jack closed his eyes since there was nothing to see.

He came back to himself strapped down on a bench seat of the long cart Tanz picked them up in. Bal was sitting with him watching him with worried eyes. He smiled at her and she looked away as her bottom lip began to tremble. Jack took her hand with his and felt her tight grip. He rubbed the back of her hand with his thumb until his headache came back with a vengeance and he slipped under once more.

He surfaced again as Tanz walked him through the Gate to Altaria and thrust him into the arms of a medical team before she leapt back through the Gate to go home. After that he slipped under once more.

Jack was lying in a hospital bed when he next became aware of his surroundings. Adina was dangling down from the ceiling mounted I.V. stand while her sister was operating the controls to move the stand along its rail.

"Papa's awake!" Adina chirped and dropped down onto the bed with a gentle thump. Zaina was immediately by her sister's side as they plunked themselves down to sit on either side of him, leaning on his chest with an elbow and smiling.

He smiled back at his daughters and tried to speak but his throat was dry and he coughed. He pointed to the water and the cup on the table next to the bed and they worked as a team to pour him some water. Once he'd taken some sips to ease his parched throat he handed the cup back and they retook their seats.

"How are my beautiful girls?" he asked.

"Good! Are you going to stay awake now?" Zaina asked.

Jack blinked at her odd question. "Uh, I think so. Where's your Mama?"

"She is talking with the doctor. Asking when you're going to wake up," Adina replied with a smile.

"How... how long have I been asleep?" he asked and they began to fidget. "Sorry, never mind." He'd forgotten that they still hadn't worked out the concept of the passage of time. With the flood of sensory data their time sense took a back seat and they lived mostly in the now.

He suddenly remembered his present for them. "Ooo! I got you something when I was on Chrystan and I think you're gonna like it!" he said singing the last part. He grinned when their eyes lit up excitedly.

"What is it, Papa? What is it?" they squealed as they hopped up and down on the bed.

"What's going on in here?" SennLann said bursting into the room.

Jack turned his head to smile at the ebony beauty and... something felt... minutely different. He couldn't place it so he put it aside. "Hey beautiful!"

"Jack! You're awake! This is so good!" she exclaimed.

"How long was I asleep?" he asked keeping an eye on his daughters who were almost bursting with anticipation.

"A little more than a month," SennLann said.

Jack froze. "I've been asleep for more than a month?!?" he exclaimed.

Jinnae walked in with a smile on her face. "I thought I heard my favorite patient was up and around."

Jack looked at the doctor anxiously. "I was asleep for over a month! That can't be good! What happened?"

Jinnae stopped beside the bed and looked at him pensively. "Well... you broke your head. That needed to heal. We've had you on a feed to give your body the food it needed to make its repairs."

He blinked at the doctor. "Uh, ok... I think you may be simplifying the answer just a little too much."

Jinnae smiled. "Ok. You shattered the inner lattice structure of your horns and cracked the underlying skull plate. I'm afraid the horns couldn't be saved. Your body shed them."

Jack's eyes went wide. "I don't have horns any longer?!?" he gasped and immediately tried to reach for his head. His daughters were both lying across his body blocking his arms. They giggled at his struggling thinking he was playing with them.

The doctor shook her head. "I didn't say that. I said your body shed the damaged horns. The skull plate has healed and if anything has become a little denser with a new layer of bone lattice over the healed plate. Your horns... regrew. They're... magnificent!" she gushed with awe.

Jack's momentary elation at losing the horns immediately turned to caution. "I- I'd like to see them please."

Jinnae activated the camera on her tablet while SennLann collected her daughters. The doctor handed the device to Jack who turned it to face himself. He took slow even breaths as he slowly panned the camera up his face.

The base of the new horns was wider than before. Not much but noticeable to him. They were also black now, jet black with no thin white veins... or blood red stains, thank goodness.

The second thing he noticed was that the relatively smooth nature of his previous horns had given way to stepped ridges. Thick at the base the... rings became thinner the further out they got until they stopped altogether a short distance from the deadly sharp points which now curved inwards and forward.

The worst difference for him was their length. The new horns were at least four inches longer than his previous ones. Fourteen inches, he guessed.

"Why?"

Jinnae cocked her head in question. "Why what?"

"Why are they so different from my original horns?" he moaned.

"Oh! Well, the doctors here theorized that this was due to the fact that the original ones were grown while your body was undergoing its transformation. The horns picked up attributes from your original human skeleton. Smooth surfaced, stunted growth, and brittleness. The new ones are much more resilient!"

"Brittleness?" he gasped in shock.

"The damage to them this time was along all of the thin white veins. Those no longer exist. These... these are perfect!" Jinnae sighed happily.

She took her tablet back. "I'm going to keep you in overnight then you'll be released in the morning." She touched a few spots on the tablet to make notes and smiled at him. "Welcome back, Jack!"

With a final admiring look at his horns she turned and left.

"Give your Papa a kiss and we must leave. It is almost time for Diana and Emily to have their turn." SennLann said to her daughters who quickly climbed back onto the bed and kissed his cheeks. Then they slipped up to his ears to whisper to him.

"What did you get us?"

Jack grinned and kissed his girls before moving his mouth to their ears to whisper back.

"Tomorrow."

Smiling impishly the girls jumped back down while SennLann gave Jack a kiss. She gently nipped his bottom lip afterwards. "That's for worrying me," she said. He gave her a smile and a nod.

Once they'd left Jack thought about this latest development. So, he had new horns. Apparently better ones if less convenient for him. Not such a truly huge change in the status quo. He could deal with it. He'd have to deal with a new bout of getting stares, both shocked and admiring, but he was actually getting used to that as well. At least it bothered him less now.

The door opened and nervous green eyes looked in at him.

"Come in. I'm decent," he said with a smile which put one on Diana's face. She pushed the door open and carried Emily in on her hip.

"Daddy!" Emily squealed when she saw he was awake.

Jack smiled widely and held his arms up to take Emily in them. Once Jack had gotten his kisses from his daughter Diana leaned over and gave him a lingering kiss until Emily pushed her back so she could see him. Jack grinned at Diana.

"Daddy! Big horns!" Emily gasped.

"Yes, I broke my old ones so new ones grew in their place," he explained.

"Why?" she asked.

Jack glanced at Diana who rolled her eyes.

"She's discovered the all-powerful question, why. Don't fall for it. It's a trap!" Diana said as she ran her fingers through Emily's hair to straighten the mess out.

Jack grinned as he smiled up at the beautiful brunette. "I missed you!" he said and she glanced at him from the corner of her eyes. "I didn't get to talk with you before I left. I'm sorry about that."

"I don't know why you put up with me and my... issue," she said quietly.

"Diana, please. You know I don't believe you have any reason to feel that way!" He remembered the Shreen and the incredible closeness of their sleeping pits. The intimacy. He saw now that was what Diana needed. He'd have to convince her to visit Chrystan with him.

Her eyes were so lovely and green. He held them with his. "I love you, pretty lady. You're mine, you hear me?"

Her breath caught and she beamed him a huge smile as her eyes watered with happy tears. She nodded, not trusting her voice.

"Good! I hope you don't mind my new headgear," he said gently.

Her eyes went up and she bit her lip as she shook her head just a little. They shared another smile.

The next morning Jack got to go home and a month of lying around in bed had taken a lot out of him. He was surprisingly tired by the time he made it inside his condo. He vowed to get himself back up to peak as quickly as he could. He hated this feeling of weakness.

Eve was the first to greet him as he stepped inside. She gave him a lovely, warm kiss and handed him a box. He blinked at it in surprise. "You need to open this before you come in and see the kids who are bouncing off the walls with excitement that you are home," she explained.

Jack opened the package and inside were two horn caps intricately carved out of some white material. He saw a note as well and read it aloud.

"Jack, we hope this note finds you fully recovered from your injuries. In tribute to your protecting our people from the scourge of the Dynast Class Skrahak we present to you these horn caps made from the strongest of your foes jaw bones. Thankfully they proved no match for your mighty attack. The caps were made by Asha who is one of our best artisans and the carving tells the story of her grandfather, a mighty hunter in his own right. May they serve you well. With eternal affection, Queen Lyn and King Tyg."

Jack lifted one of the caps from the box and examined it. It was beautiful! There was a bas-relief image carved into the surface of Shreen battling a huge Skrahak. "My god, these are lovely!"

"Put them on before you see the children," Eve said and he nodded.

The caps slipped onto his horn tips and he felt them take grip. He looked in the mirror next to the front door and smiled. Eve smiled back up at him. He tucked the note back into the package. He'd have to write a thank you to them... no, he was going to thank them in person so they could see this beautiful artwork in use.

He walked into the living room and Joseph charged over to him and grabbed his legs. "Daddy!"

Eve looked down at her adopted son with pride and happiness.

Jack grinned widely and knelt to hug the boy who was showing more energy and... happiness than he ever had. Jack looked to Eve in delighted confusion.

"Your friends the Shreen sent us a bottle of Skrahak oil. Jinnae analysed it and said it was safe for Joseph so I've been giving him a drop in each ear before bed. The difference has been miraculous. I'm so grateful to them!" Eve explained.

Jack gave the boy's cheeks a kiss and he giggled then rushed off to play. Emily was next in his arms and got a kiss before chasing Joseph back to the toy bin.

From his position down on the floor Jack saw the eyes of Zaina peering out from behind the couch. Waiting to pounce. Without turning his head he spoke quietly to Eve who left and returned with the package he requested. Grinning Jack took the toy from the box. It looked like a simple white ball. He pushed his thumb against the soft rubber of its side, pressing hard as he'd been instructed by the store clerk. He felt the ball vibrate as it... awoke.

From the corner of his eye he caught Adina sneaking closer. He turned his head away from the twins giving them their chance to attack. He tossed the ball in their direction a split second later. He heard thumps and oofs from Zaina and Adina who'd collided with each other when the ball distracted them in their charge. He grinned at them. They looked at the ball which was gently pulsing with light from within and chittering angrily. Zaina boldly picked it up and it popped from her grip and bounced away in a random pattern.

The twins grinned at Jack and scrambled to untangle their limbs to chase after the fleeing ball.

"What is that?" SennLann gasped as she watched the orb bouncing rapidly this way and that avoiding capture by the twins.

Jack could see SennLann was struggling to keep herself from joining in on the chase, her wide eyes locked on the orb.

Adina dove and caught it between her outstretched paws. It flashed brightly dazzling her and she dropped it when she landed. It bounced quickly between the legs of Zaina who was almost on it when she was dazed by her sister's input. She flipped completely over onto her back. The ball skittered away down the hall and its chittering sounded smug now.

"A pursuit orb. That's what the Shreen call them. Fun, right?" Jack grinned. "I'm hoping it will help train them how to filter each other's sensory data while it's letting them play."

SennLann kissed Jack's cheek and chased after her girls in their hunt for the orb. Eve snorted in amusement.

Jack stood up and went to get the rest of his gifts which he handed out to the ladies. They were very pleased by his thoughtfulness and he got many kisses in return.

When they were sitting on the couch watching Joseph and Emily happily playing with the new toys Jack had picked up for them as well, Jack felt the warm glow of being surrounded by his family and sighed happily.

"You seem... more relaxed than before. More at peace," Eve noted looking close at his face.

He smiled at her and nodded. "I do feel a lot more relaxed." He looked at the two ladies with him and looked over the back of the couch to see SennLann. She was stretched out on the floor panting and smiling at him as she took a break from hunting the orb which still eluded capture.

He looked back at Eve. "I'm home with my family. The Shreen hold family as the most important element of their society. They have it right."

"Speaking of the Shreen and family, Queen Elissa would like you to visit her when you feel up to it," Diana said.

"Ahhh... right," Jack sighed. His assignment. Right. "Tomorrow. Today I'm with you guys."

Zaina and Adina jumped up on the back of the couch and each grabbed one of Jack's horns to steady themselves as they leaned over to give him simultaneous kisses on both cheeks. He felt them panting, out of breath.

"So... this means you like the present?" he asked and they hugged him tight before they scrambled away to continue the hunt with their mother.

Jack hugged Diana and Eve to his sides and settled back against the couch. This was his day.

The Queen's office was buzzing with activity as Jack sat in the waiting room with Elissa's assistant. Several delegates from different races had gone in to speak with Elissa and each had given Jack's new headgear a good stare before they were admitted. The most disturbing had been the Wuu. The tiny ball of fur had come to a complete stop before Jack and with no discernable eyes Jack had no way of knowing if it was staring at his ankles or his horns.

Unable or unwilling to learn the universal language the Wuu finally blurted something in its native tongue which its translation device said aloud.

"The bone caps. Skrahak?"

Jack looked at it in surprise. How could it tell what kind of bones the caps were made of?!? Still, he answered. "Yes. My kill." Take that!

The Wuu made a rude noise which the device didn't translate but attitude needed no translation. It wasn't impressed. It growled again.

"My pod kill four metre Skrahak with traditional bladed weapons."

Jack nodded as if impressed and the Wuu purred.

"I killed a Dynast Class Skrahak, nine meters, with only these," Jack said calmly pointing to his horns. He looked at the furry being, wondering once more where he should be looking to stare it in the eye.

The Wuu shrieked. "Lie!" bellowed out of the device.

Jack remained calm and smiled gently to the Wuu. "Ask Queen Elissa when you speak to her."

The assistant ushered the Wuu into the office and returned to scowl at Jack. "Why do you taunt the Wuu?"

Jack shrugged with a smile. "Respect is earned."

Ten minutes later the Wuu exited and once more stopped before Jack. It grumbled.

"You no lie."

Jack nodded and leaned forward in his chair. "One more thing we can agree on. Skrahak flesh is delicious." He smiled widely at the Wuu ensuring his 'fangs' were clearly visible.

The Wuu made an odd sound which could only be surprise then it purred loudly. It squawked once more.

"Have a profitable day Ambassador Danner."

It rolled away and once it was gone Jack looked at Elissa's assistant who was staring at Jack in shock.

"And that's how you earn respect."

He stood and walked into the Queen's office closing the door behind him.

"Jack! Are you my next appointment?" Queen Elissa smiled.

He grinned. "I am now." He walked over and sat in the chair before her desk as she looked at him with a raised eyebrow and the smallest of smiles on her lips.

His expression became serious. "I'm here to report on my failure to collect any information on the Shreen's unrest. The Queen and King are happy. The executive class are happy and productive making the lives of their people easier. The working class seem especially happy. I don't know... they're a happy bunch! Are you sure there's unrest there because I found no sign of it!" he said sagging back in his chair.

The Queen's mouth burst into a broad smile. "Oh Jack! You silly man! You dealt with the unrest on the first night! The relationship between the young aristocrat Queen and her King, a man from the countryside was failing and that shook the confidence of the people of Chrystan. They saw it as a sign. You mended their relationship and the people are happy once more."

Jack sat there stunned, looking at Elissa with his jaw hanging open.

She stood and came around her desk to walk to her door. She flipped the lock on it and walked back to Jack, her eyes on his horns. She took his hand and led him to her couch and sat with him holding his hands in hers.

"You mended the hearts of the Shreen. It seems that while this was happening you've been mended as well. I can see it in your eyes. My Jack is back. I've missed you."

He felt his heart swell with love for this beautiful and wise female before him. Then he was kissing her and she was pulling him down over her on the couch.

Her tongue chased his and his need for her flared. Their kisses became hungry. Clothes were tugged free and soon their naked bodies were writhing against each other trying to get even closer, to feel that intimate touch right down to their very souls.

Elissa used her hooves to pull Jack's ass closer and he felt himself sliding deep into her hot depths. She crooned happily and he moved his kisses to her jawline and nibbled down her neck causing shocks to jolt through her body.

"Oh! Oh! Oh Jack!" she moaned with need as his hips began to drive him forward again and again.

He was immersed in her spicy musk and his head spun with delicious pleasure as his need raced higher and higher. Soon his hips were pounding against hers and she was crooning loudly. The pace increased and they were both breathing hard from the effort.

He was so close but his strength was flagging and she needed release as well. Growling he dragged his teeth against her throat and she bleated as her body clamped down. He kissed her throat as his body fired up into hers in surge after surge while she floated on waves of bliss of her own.

Finally they both settled down back into their bodies and sighed in unison. This made them both laugh and Elissa smiled seeing the genuine happiness on his face as his laugh came from deep inside.

When she'd sent him on this mission she was hopeful the genuine kindness and warmth of the Shreen would reach that place in Jack's heart which was still wounded so long after his captivity. She'd done all she could to bring him back and had been mostly successful but something still blocked him.

Knowing his loving nature, Jack was the perfect choice for the mission and her faith had been justified. He'd found their pain and he'd healed it for them. They in turn had healed his. Everyone was happy.

Elissa had the man she'd fallen in love with, all of him. She was happiest of all.