《Huntress of K'Shaul》


 Chapter One – An Unexpected Encounter

    Merida had flaming red hair, freckles, and from the blush on her cheeks, it was clear she was feeling what I was feeling. I had no idea what was going on with me, but suddenly, I was as hard as I rock.


    But Merida and I were alone for a second, out in the open, near a big chalky white cliff, next to some petroglyphs. Behind us were thirty of our classmates, the professor, and the fat bus driver.


    Merida and I had made it to the cliffs first, for whatever reason, and we were the first to feel that strange energy in the air. The sky was a fierce blue as the sun baked the cliffs around us. The juniper bushes drooped, while the insects inside of them clicked away. It was so hot. In all kinds of ways.


    Merida was gorgeous, and we were friends, kind of. We shared our notes and talked about the class, mostly. She had a boyfriend. Besides, there was someone else in the class I wanted. Not that I could ever have her, though. She¡¯d made that clear.


    Merida and I stared at each other. Her nipples were sticking out from her tight blouse.


    ¡°Are you feeling that?¡± she asked in a breathy voice.


    ¡°Yeah.¡± I had to adjust my pants.


    Her eyes went to my crotch.


    Our little moment was interrupted as the rest of the class joined us.


    Professor Kroft started her lecture. ¡°The petroglyphs here are eight thousand years old. We can only guess their original meaning, though you¡¯ll notice the Kokopelli, the goddess, playing her flute. We think that in this case, it might have been warning to avoid this entire area. She is like the pied piper, from European folklore¡­¡±


    Her voice droned on.


    There were only two good things about the anthropology class I was taking at Colorado Mesa University. One was Professor Kroft, who was beautiful¡ª olive-colored skin, curly black hair, and sparkling brown eyes that made her seem younger than forty. The other was the fact that it was one class closer to graduating. I was so ready to get the fuck out of there.


    I didn¡¯t fit in. I didn¡¯t have many friends. It was a waste of money.


    I figured I would end up like my father, working as a general contractor, but unlike him, I wanted to actually save my money, and that meant a degree in business and accounting.


    I stepped closer to Merida. She smelled so good; I wanted to grab her and kiss her.


    She leaned closer to me, and her hand brushed mine.


    Her nipples were so hard.


    Everyone seemed to be listening to Professor Kroft except for me and Merida. We were both very distracted. Her hand brushed mine again, but this time, she let it linger there.


    Her skin felt so good.


    I glanced over to see Billie Lynn Kidd watching Merida and me.


    Yes, her parents hated her. They named her Billie Kidd. Well, she did break hearts like a gunslinger, so maybe it was a good name.


    I¡¯d fallen head over in heels with Billie, and I thought she might feel the same, but no. The second she found out I wasn¡¯t a football player, she¡¯d made it clear she wasn¡¯t interested. She went from warm and giggly to cold and hateful in seconds.


    And yet, she was watching me and Merida with a look of jealously on her eyes.


    Merida finally took my hand. Her palm was sweaty, but I didn¡¯t mind. She led me away from the class, down a game trail between two junipers.


    The minute we were away from the rest of the class, Merida whirled on me.


    I felt sweat drip down the side of my face. I was boiling hot, and my cock was like iron in my pants. The sound of the insects buzzing seemed to increase.


    That didn¡¯t matter because suddenly, Merida was unbuttoning her blouse and then pulling down her bra. ¡°Take off your shirt, Sid. I don¡¯t know what¡¯s going on, but I can¡¯t think straight. Let¡¯s just do this really quick and then get back.¡±


    My brain wasn¡¯t working so well.


    Things like this didn¡¯t happen, not to guys like me.


    But suddenly, I was staring at her perfect tits, freckled and full, her thick nipples pointing upwards.


    I took off my shirt, though I was struggling to think. ¡°Wait, Merida. Something is going on. Maybe something with the petroglyphs.¡±The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.


    ¡°Don¡¯t fucking care about the petroglyphs. Just kiss me.¡±


    Then she stepped into my arms.


    Her naked breasts were pushing up against my chest. I was smelling her perfume and her sweaty body, and suddenly, I felt her straddling my leg, pushing her center against my thigh.


    Her mouth found mine. We went from kissing with our lips to kissing with our tongues in seconds.


    I couldn¡¯t believe that the boring field trip had turned into me French kissing the cute redhead in my anthropology class. Her lips were soft and wet, and she smelled so good. She moaned as she grinded her clit on my leg. She sucked on my tongue as we both tried to breathe. My heart felt like it would explode out of my chest.


    Even without our wet kissing, our faces were drenched in sweat. Why was it so hot?


    Then I remembered the boyfriend. I didn¡¯t want this girl to hate herself for losing control.


    I took hold of her soft red hair. ¡°Wait. Merida. You have a boyfriend, right? What would he think of this?¡± My cock was telling me I was an idiot. But I wasn¡¯t someone who took advantage of other people.


    She gulped in a breath. ¡°I lied about having a boyfriend. I didn¡¯t like you like that, Sid, until, uh, five minutes ago. Now I want you to fuck me.¡±


    Was I hurt? A little.


    Was I going to do what she wanted?


    Fuck yeah, I was.


    ¡°Okay, Merida. But you can¡¯t be loud. I think Billie saw us come back here.¡±


    Merida smiled, green eyes twinkling. ¡°I¡¯d fuck her too. She¡¯s fucking hot in a bitchy cheerleader-y kind of way.¡±


    That pretty much summed up Billie¡ªblonde, into CrossFit, and only interested in football players at the local university, not even a Division One team. She needed to aim higher.


    Now that I knew Merida wasn¡¯t attached, I pushed her up against the cliff and French kissed her again, forcing my tongue into her mouth. I had one hand in her shorts, cupping her squishy ass, while the other squeezed her tits. Her big nipple pushed against my palm.


    I had to stop kissing her suck on her tit, hard, while pulling on her other nipple.


    She moaned again. ¡°Yes, Sid, be fucking rough with me. I¡¯ve never felt like this. It¡¯s like¡­it¡¯s like I¡¯m possessed.¡±


    I wasn¡¯t sure if Kokopelli was a fertility goddess, but I didn¡¯t care. I was possessed too.


    Then I was on my knees, pulling down her shorts and panties.


    She had shaved her pussy, and her lips were a bright pink.


    Merida was horny. Her juices had painted the inside of her thighs.


    I bent and licked them up, smelling her, and then tasting her.


    I¡¯d fantasized about her, like I¡¯d fantasized about Billie and Professor Kroft. I never would¡¯ve thought I would find myself in the desert sucking on her clit.


    But it wasn¡¯t enough for Merida.


    She turned around, naked from the waist down, except for her sandals.


    She bent over, so I could see her girl cum leaking down from her open hole. Her asshole was as pink as her lips.


    Then, I was behind her, with my jeans around my ankles.


    I sank my cock into her.


    ¡°Oh, fuck, you¡¯re big,¡± she gasped. ¡°I didn¡¯t think Sid Marshall would have such a big, fucking cock.¡±


    Normally, I would¡¯ve paused to enjoy the praise.


    But I was too far gone.


    I slammed into her, into her depths, which were so soft, so warm, so wet. Her juices soaked my groin, my thighs, my balls. Sure, I¡¯d had sex a few times before, but I¡¯d never been with someone so wet and horny. Those other girls soon tossed me aside, for whatever reason. I was so unlucky in love that I should¡¯ve moved to Vegas.


    Every thrust felt better and better. Every single cell in my cock was alive and tingling. She seemed to get wetter and tighter as she thrusted back into me.


    It was clear she didn¡¯t care if I got her pregnant. Maybe she wanted me to. But I wasn¡¯t going to stop until I filled her.


    My legs were screaming, and I was sweating gallons. The sun seemed to get hotter as we fucked. I loved how every part of her smelled, no matter how musky, and she was so pretty, her long red hair bouncing.


    She yelped every time I went deep. We were being loud, I knew, but I couldn¡¯t help but lose control.


    I pounded her, harder, harder, harder, until she literally screamed, ¡°Fuck my pussy, Sid! Fuck my pussy!¡±


    I heard Professor Kroft go silent, and I heard giggles and laughter.


    We were going to get caught, probably expelled, and of course, there was the public humiliation. I would probably be okay. For Merida, it would be different.


    I felt her come on me, her tight tunnel clasping me, squeezing me, and it was the most erotic thing I¡¯d ever felt.


    There was no way I could hold back.


    I grabbed her full hips, hard, staring down at the perfectly white skin of her ass.


    Then I was coming in her.


    And she could feel it. ¡°Yes,¡± she hissed. ¡°Fill me up, Sid. Fill me up with your horny fucking cum.¡±


    If I hadn¡¯t already been in mid-orgasm, that would have done it for sure.


    My head filled with bliss as I filled her. It was the most intense orgasm of my life, and yes, I might have transfer, or at least take the rest of my credits online, but it was worth it.


    It was this perfect feeling, and I couldn¡¯t help but continue to thrust into her until I had blown my entire load.


    ¡°Sid Marshall!¡± Professor Kroft stood there, with Billie, who had her hand up to cover her perfectly made-up face.


    Somehow, I wasn¡¯t all that ashamed. Fuck it. It was only college. ¡°Sorry, Professor, but that Kokopelli is one crazy bitch. I blame her.¡±


    Merida, though, suddenly was running from us. She scooped up her shorts and disappeared into the Juniper.


    I have to wonder how things might¡¯ve changed if Merida hadn¡¯t stayed where she was.


    Professor Kroft was squinting at me, probably trying to figure out what to do with me.


    Billie, though, suddenly went blank. It was like all the emotions had gone out of her face.


    She pointed and said something, but I couldn¡¯t hear what it was. A vicious wind suddenly blew into me, filling the entire world with a roar. Thunder followed, breaking my ear drums.


    I breathed in, and the air burned the inside of my nose, it was so hot.


    Turning, I saw what Billie was pointing at.


    A boiling wall of dark swirling clouds, filled with lightning, racing toward us. Any normal storm would¡¯ve brought cold, but not this one. The heat was unbearable.


    The storm cut across the landscape, heading right toward us. The black wall of clouds reached from the ground to sky, sucking in all light.


    The storm hit me first, and I remembered thinking I should pull up my pants.


    The strange energy storm did reach Professor KROFT and Billie, but I didn¡¯t know that at the time. I was too busy being incinerated by the lightning.


    I think I was killed, but I¡¯m not sure.


    For whatever reason, I entered K¡¯Shaul alone.

 Chapter Two – On a Patchwork World

    I didn¡¯t know it was called K¡¯Shaul when I first arrived, and it would take a long time to figure that particular mystery out. In the end, the place had a ton of names. It was, quite literally, legendary, but I didn¡¯t know that at the time.


    Standing there, on this new world, my first thought that I should probably pull up my fucking pants. Then I realized I wasn¡¯t wearing pants. I stood up and watched the black wall of boiling clouds sizzle across the landscape, but I was having trouble with what I was seeing.


    On the right was a rain forest, with huge redwood trees, ferns, and undergrowth.


    On the left was the desert outside of Grand Junction, in a perfect line, sagebrush, sand, and some of the drooping Junipers. A chunk of cliff wall rose above me about ten feet from where I stood. In the distance was some asphalt and half of the bus. And then there was just more desert.


    It was like someone had carved about fifteen feet of my world out of my world and slammed it down between the rain forest and a real desert, the kind with sand, only this sand was red.


    Shading my eyes, I glanced up, and yes, there were two suns in the sky, one that was yellow and one that was far smaller and the color of blood.


    The twin suns were in the sky above the red desert dunes.


    Above the rain forest, the sky was cloudy, and a light rain was falling, pattering down on the tall trees and undergrowth.


    I had to be dead. Or dreaming. Or tripping. Or all three.


    Something winking at me from out on the dunes. Some kind of metal was there, half-buried in the sand.


    I¡¯d grown up going on hunting trips with my uncle, who couldn¡¯t really hold down a job, but always seemed to have money. My own old man always worked and never saved a dime. It was why I was studying economics. I didn¡¯t want to end up like my father.


    But Uncle Marty was a different story. He had any number of investments working for him, and so he had a lot of free time. Me and my uncle would go hunting in the fall, but before that I had to pass a hunter safety class. I remembered the basic gun safety stuff, but more than that, they talked about surviving out in the wilderness, and how you can freak the fuck out if you¡¯re not focused.


    Uncle Marty had driven it home. First thing you do? Don¡¯t fucking panic.


    Second thing? Start a fire.


    A fire gave you focus. It also could be used as a signal. Even more than that? A fire was friend, you could talk to, nurture. It was something that kept you accountable because if you didn¡¯t take care of it, it would die. Friends don¡¯t let friends die.


    It was stupid, standing in the hot twin suns, to think about building a fire, but I wasn¡¯t going to question myself.


    I was swallowing some hard fucking truths. Better to take it easy on the logistics and do the next thing.


    I made my way to the bus, which had been sliced apart by the storm. The front was gone, but about twenty feet of the back had been brought over.


    I crawled inside, hoping someone had left something behind.


    Nothing but seats, seatbelts, and grimy floor.


    I could use it as a home base, though. I wouldn¡¯t want to be out in the open once the suns set. Or would they set? How did that work?


    There was a line separating the blue sky above me and the rain clouds above the forest. Another line separated my sky and the washed-out blue above the red desert dunes.


    What was going on?


    There weren¡¯t any matches on the bus. No lighter either.


    I drew a hand through my hair. I should¡¯ve been covered in sweat, but my hair was dry. Did I have a new body? Or had the stormfront magically dried me out?


    I felt my sanity tilt. ¡°Don¡¯t go there, Sid. Just try and build a fire. It¡¯s stupid, I know, and it¡¯s crazy you¡¯re talking to yourself, but come on.¡±Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work!


    Even with me going crazy, I felt the lust, and I got hard, slowly, but surely.


    ¡°No. That can wait.¡± I felt something inside turn into iron.


    ¡°Go check out the dune,¡± I whispered. ¡°And if you need to talk to yourself, you go right ahead. This is some trippy fucking shit. Let¡¯s focus on building a fire, getting shelter, finding clothing, and finding water. The rain forest is good for that, but you need something to collect that rainwater. Food is going to be an issue, but not for a while.¡±


    Fire. Shelter. Clothing. Water. Food.


    The order wasn¡¯t right. Water and shelter came first.


    ¡°What if there¡¯s no one else here?¡± I asked the bad question.


    That first wave of fear hit me hard.


    The second wave was worse. ¡°What if I¡¯m not alone?¡±


    Anything could be out there. I was clearly on another world¡­if not two.


    I couldn¡¯t think like that. I had to focus on survival, and for some weird reason, that meant a fire. Normally, I would have waterproof matches or a lighter, but at that moment, I didn¡¯t even have socks.


    Leaving the bus, I walked to the line on the ground. I stood there with one bare foot on the dry brown dust of Earth and the other on the rough, red sand of some other reality. What the hell?


    Something was half-buried in the sand. It was a red crystal, about the size of my fist. I picked it up, feeling the hot, smooth glass. I peeked through it and saw the dunes, painted an even darker color of crimson.


    I kept the crystal, not really understanding how important it would be to my survival.


    Jogging across the sand, I felt the heat of the twin suns frying me. It had to be at least a hundred and ten degrees, but it felt cool compared to that storm that had incinerated me.


    I ran toward the structure, half-buried in the closest dune. The closer I got, the more unbelievable my situation became. The metal of the object had a blue tint to it, and it was round, like your classic flying saucer. That was a spaceship covered in red sand.


    Getting closer, I saw that one side of the starship had been sliced open, like the bus.


    I approached carefully. I had no idea what I was going to find there. However, a fucking spaceship had to have more supplies than the janky bus.


    I climbed up the dune, my heart pounding.


    Reaching the edge, I pulled myself up.


    Yep, it was an alien spacecraft all right.


    An alien lay on the floor, one hand outstretched.


    I wasn¡¯t sure what it had looked like before the crash because only bones were left. Its skull had what looked like fangs. It was wearing some kind of gray jumpsuit, bleached nearly white by the sun.


    It had a thumb and three fingers¡ªthe tips were claws¡ªand on one finger was a ring.


    My Aunt Kathy had been crazy about jewels and could name all the major ones. This was an opal, definitely, in a simple bluish-gray steel setting.


    The crazy storm had cut off the front of my bus, but in the case of the starship, it had snipped off the bridge. But with all the dust and the bones, it seemed to have happened a long time ago. There was only the one room, and most of it was that steel-like blue metal. There seemed to be compartments, though.


    I climbed off the hot sand and stepped onto the cool metal of the ship. I gripped the red crystal. It wasn¡¯t much of a weapon, but it was something.


    Then, the red crystal disappeared from my hand¡­


    A second later, something moved, something small, and then, I watched in wonder as the opal ring scurried toward me. It had grown spider legs and before I knew it, it leapt toward my face.


    I put up a hand to protect myself.


    Sharp pain bit into my left hand, my ring finger, where I had hoped one day to wear a wedding band. I looked down in horror at the blood gushing down onto the floor. Those spider legs had dug into my flesh. The opal was gone, and it was only a steel ring, though the surface of it was rippling, like it was liquid.


    I tried to rip the ring off. The way it felt, those spider legs had wrapped around my finger bone. That ring was connected me. There was no taking it off.


    ¡°What the hell?¡±


    This felt like one surprise too much.


    Then the pain in my head made me fall to my knees. I clutched my head, but it wasn¡¯t my head, it was my eyes. My eyes were killing me.


    My vision went black and for a second, I died a little. How could I navigate the new world blind?


    Then the pain left my head and suddenly I was seeing static. Still, static never looked so good.


    The static cleared for a second, but I was seeing a readout right there in my vision. At first, all I saw were runes, but the pain returned, and it was like someone had taken a Dremel tool to the inside of my skull. Slowly, as the pain got worse, the runes turned into English. It was like my head was being re-programmed.


    I glanced around the ship and wherever I looked, I saw the same thing.


    <<< >>>


    Location confirmed: K¡¯Shaul.


    Power Source Found.


    Anomalous energy detected. Magic???


    New HOST detected. Primate species. Intelligence level???


    Primary mission incomplete


    Location unknown


    Biosystems Scanning¡­


    Results pending¡­.


    <<< >>>


    I now had a name for the strange world where I found myself. K¡¯Shaul.


    The ring felt like fire on my hand, but there was no taking it off. I felt a tingling in my toes and then a cramping in my calf. Even if I wanted to take it off, I couldn¡¯t because I didn¡¯t have a knife or even a hatchet. That¡¯s what I needed, a hatchet. I¡¯d read a book when I was a kid about someone surviving in Alaska and all they had was a hatchet.


    Well, hell, I was doing better than that. I had a fucking spaceship.


    Was it wrong that I felt kind of better about my whole situation because the goddamn ring didn¡¯t know where I was either.


    What I didn¡¯t like was the idea that the ring¡¯s primary mission was incomplete. What was its primary mission?


    Pain went from my calves to my knees. It was probably the scanning. Lucky me.


    Every second brought more agony. All I could do was claw at the metal floor as the pain went up my leg. What would happen when the scan hit my johnson?


    I doubted that it would feel every good.


    Where was Merida when I needed her?

 Chapter Three – Salvaging and After

    My knee joints were killing me. Uncle Marty had complained about knee trouble, but I was pretty sure what was happening to me felt different.


    Then my thigh muscles started to twitch.


    Oh fuck.


    I got into a sitting position, my back against the wall, and started to massage my legs. It helped a little. Still, it fucking hurt. But I didn¡¯t want to waste a second feeling sorry for myself.


    I was trying not to panic because of the ring in my finger. At least the bleeding stopped. Basically, with all the shit going on, I knew I needed to focus, or I would lose my shit. Maybe I¡¯d find more answers somewhere on the ship. What else would I find? Hopefully not another piece of jewelry that would wrap itself around my bones.


    Getting to my feet, I ignored the pain. Instead, I focused on my survival. I went to one of the cupboards and opened it up. Hanging there were more of the gray jumpsuits that the dead guy had been wearing. I thought one just might fit me. I fought through the pain in my thighs and put it on.


    It felt good to get dressed. Being naked on alien world was tough.


    Even better, the clothes seemed to change a bit, making me more comfortable. Was it special air-conditioned fabric? There were sandals there as well, and I strapped them on. I had clothes. This was good.


    Randomly opening cabinets on an alien spacecraft probably wasn¡¯t a good idea, and yet, what choice did I have? I wanted to find more gear¡ªa blade, a bucket, or something to start a fire with.


    That was probably unlikely.


    One cabinet might¡¯ve had food in it, but most of the it was dust.


    Another cabinet held tools, and I found something that looked vaguely like welding torch. A metal tube jutted out of a metal cannister. It didn¡¯t exactly feel natural in my hand, since I had a pinkie, but I could press the trigger. A blue flame erupted out of the tip.


    I had a way of starting a fire.


    The good news didn¡¯t end there. The torch¡ªalong with some other tool-like instruments¡ªwere in a metal container that I could use to collect water. I picked up what I thought was a hammer, but no, I¡¯d soon realized it was something else entirely.


    The next cabinet over held guns. At first, I was fucking laughing.


    Then I was screaming. The scan had hit my groin. It was like someone kicking me in the balls.


    I went down, gasping, trying to breathe as I looked up at all the weaponry. There were three rifles and three handguns, all made from the same dark, blue-black metal.


    Abruptly, the pain in my balls turned into pleasure, and my cock got hard as the scanning went up and down my length. It was like I was getting sucked off.


    I found myself on my back, grunting. Damn, but it felt good.


    I¡¯d never been hornier in my life. My first instinct was to grab my shaft and relieve myself of some of the pressure. My heart was thundering, and I couldn¡¯t breathe.


    The strange display came back after a pop of static.


    <<< >>>


    Primate species confirmed.


    Genitals analyzed. Nerve endings provide pleasure and reward for procreating. Function detected for successful ejaculation.


    Anomalous energy detected: Unknown source. Magic???Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.


    Biosystems scan resuming¡­


    Further results pending¡­.


    <<< >>>


    It was the second time the readout had mentioned unknown energy. Magic wasn¡¯t real, right? Then I remembered the red crystal. It had disappeared, and a second later, the ring had hijacked my finger. They had to be related.


    While my mind whirled, I felt the scan rise up into my abdomen. At first, it was painful, then it was nausea, and then it was a bad mixture of both. Luckily, I¡¯d skipped breakfast before the field trip.


    My lungs were filled the fire, and then I felt ice in my heart. The goddamn scan was going through my ventricles, and atriums, and aortas and shit, and that was bad, but the cramps in my shoulders, arms, and forearms were worse. The scan went through to the tips of my fingers, which tingled, and then, nothing.


    I expected to see the results.


    None came.


    All that pain and strangeness for nothing?


    I felt cheated.


    Picking up a pistol, I aimed outside the ship and pulled the trigger. A flash of red light struck the sands, making it smoke. I didn¡¯t know if it was simply an energy weapon or if there was a projectile.


    On the side was a screen, and it showed a rune, which my brain translated into twenty-four.


    So, the pistol had twenty-four rounds. I didn¡¯t see a magazine or any other way to reload, so I have to use those rounds sparingly.


    Grabbing a rifle, I touched the trigger and saw the screen light up. Twenty-five shots in the rifle as well.


    Slinging it over my shoulder, I scooped up the toolbox.


    I guess my bioscan results were still pending. Now, at least, I had some supplies.


    I tried to open up other cabinets, but they seemed locked. I couldn¡¯t find a way to open them. Maybe you needed claws, I didn¡¯t know. I could always come back.


    The jumpsuit had a pocket, which is where I put the pistol.


    I retraced my steps across the sands to get back to the bus. There I stashed the tools from the metal box and took the box to the rain forest but not before scrubbing the container with sand. That probably wouldn¡¯t do shit to disinfect it, but I had to do something.


    Rain still drizzled down onto the tall trees, as big as redwoods¡­no, these were bigger and stranger. In clearings I found ferns as well as strange broad-leafed plants that naturally collected the rainwater. Tipping them to one side, I could drain the moisture into my toolbox. Lucky for me, it was watertight.


    I collected up all the water and then drank all I could from another leaf. It tasted perfect, the best water I¡¯d had in a long time. It completely quenched my thirst.


    My water situation was good. That meant my chances of survival had gone up exponentially.


    Not that I really needed a fire now, I figured it was a good exercise anyway. If nothing else, I needed the company. Besides, it was going to get cold once night fell. I knew that from experience. The rain forest might not, but the desert would.


    Finding dry wood wouldn¡¯t be easy. Good thing I had the perfect way to dry it.


    I found a dead pine, far smaller than the redwoods, and drug it out of the forest.


    It was strange going from the damp cold of the rain forest and back into the desert heat. It was a sixty degree drop in temperature by taking a single step.


    Some of the tree limbs broke off as I pulled it through the undergrowth, and I made a ton of noise.


    In the distance, I heard a loud roar. Whatever had made that noise was big.


    Okay, so I wasn¡¯t alone. That fucking didn¡¯t make me feel any better, I can tell you that. Not at first. Then I realized that if there were animals there was food. I didn¡¯t have a knife, not that I knew of, but there were rocks in the rain forest. I could chip away stone to get an edge.


    Professor Kroft had talked about early stone tools, and I¡¯d gone down a rabbit hole on YouTube searching for information. Creating edges was an artform, and you needed the right kind of stone, but I might have a ton of time to practice.


    Or would the energy storm come back? Maybe I would suddenly wake up and it had all been a dream.


    My throbbing finger told me I wasn¡¯t dreaming. I¡¯d washed off the dried blood. Now I had to hope I didn¡¯t get an infection.


    Another roar echoed through the redwoods. It was closer.


    At least I had guns. And if the guns failed me, I had the hammer which wasn¡¯t a hammer, though, again, I didn¡¯t know that.


    I went back for the limbs that had broken off. Under some ferns, I found some dry grass and a few long, rotten branches, which were relatively dry.


    I dragged all my fire-building supplies back to the bus. It would provide me with some protection if the beastie came for me. I needed more ways to collect water other than those big leaves and my toolbox. There had to be more containers back at the spaceship. I¡¯d have to search more.


    I¡¯d just dumped the wood on the ground when another message flashed in my eyes.


    <<< >>>


    Possible optimizations detected.


    Biosystem scans resuming.


    Further results pending¡­.


    <<< >>>


    Part of me wanted to stay on the bus, but I was getting hungry. Skipping breakfast was good for not barfing when your biosystems were being scanned by alien technology, but it sucks when survival was on the line.


    Besides, I wanted to see what was doing all that roaring in the rainforest.


    I could let the wood dry while I went on some recon.


    I had taken three steps from the bus when suddenly, out of nowhere, Professor Kroft tumbled out of the air and onto the ground.


    I¡¯m not sure which surprised me more¡­the fact that she appeared out of nowhere or the fact that she was completely naked.

 Chapter Four – Surprise, Professor!

    Immediately, Professor Kroft scrambled to her feet and fell into the classic ¡°girl-trying-to-hide-the-good-parts¡± pose. She covered her big boobs with one arm and cupped a hand over her sex, which after I took a quick glance¡ªwas shaved down to a landing strip.


    The professor had long, black curly hair, a little frizzy after being hit by the storm. I¡¯d never seen it long. Normally it was bun, but now it cascaded down her back.


    Also, I¡¯d never seen her without glasses. I liked the glasses, but I guess they¡¯d burned up in the storm like everything else.


    I was surprised to see various tattoos on the professor. I wasn¡¯t going to stare, so I couldn¡¯t really get a sense of them all. There were some words, some images, a bird maybe, or a butterfly.


    ¡°Sid! How long have you been here?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Maybe an hour. Maybe more.¡± I thought about all the time I spent on the floor of the spaceship in agonizing pain. Was I going to tell her about the alien ring or the messages that kept appearing in my vision? ¡°What happened to you?¡±


    The beautiful professor stood with her mouth open. ¡°You were having sex with Merida. On my field trip.¡±


    ¡°That wasn¡¯t my fault,¡± I said. Then I smiled. ¡°Okay, it was half my fault. Merida grabbed me and led me away. I was surprised as she was, but suddenly, we were both so horny.¡±


    ¡°Me too,¡± the professor admitted. She still didn¡¯t drop her hands. ¡°It seemed Merida felt it as well. Did that strange storm consume her?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think so. But it hit me, obviously. What about Billie?¡±


    The Professor paused. ¡°She ran from me. I couldn¡¯t help but take a curiosity in the phenomenon. There were warnings, in the petroglyphs, about the lightning knife clouds, but I didn¡¯t understand it. I guess now I do.¡±


    She turned, slightly, to take in the towering redwoods rising up from the sage, juniper and dust where we stood. Then she took in the dunes. ¡°What is this place?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. I, uh, found a spaceship, and there might be a monster in the forest. At least I have guns and clothes. I can get some for you.¡±


    The professor turned, smiling. ¡°Clothes or just the guns? Perhaps you would like me better running around naked.¡±


    My hardon returned, making the front of my jumpsuit bulge.


    Her eyes went to it.


    She spun around.


    I had the perfect view of her ass, which was round and full, a wonderful attribute of her hour-glass figure.


    There was no way I could stop myself from staring.


    ¡°Obviously, Mr. Marshall, I¡¯m still aroused because I flirted with you, a student, and that cannot happen. I know, you have certain needs, and men your age are particularly, uh, hormonal, but let me assure you, you and I cannot be intimate.¡±


    I continued to stare at the line of her ass. To my credit, I didn¡¯t stoop to try and catch a glimpse of her sex.


    Finally, I marched away from her. ¡°Okay, Professor. I get it. Let me get you some clothes and a gun, but don¡¯t go anywhere.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not staying here alone!¡± I heard the alarm in her voice, but she soon got control of herself. ¡°Of course, I¡¯m going with you to this supposed spaceship. I cannot miss that.¡±


    ¡°Okay. Follow me.¡±


    We trekked toward the ship, but this time, several dunes shivered as sand slid and shifted. I thought I saw something moving underneath the ground, but soon the landscape was still.


    I kept my eyes open, rifle in my hands, while I told the professor about everything that had already happened to me. I let her know about the ring, the scans, and the possible optimizations, though I didn¡¯t know what that really meant.


    It was hard to concentrate with the naked professor right next to me, and I was so turned on already. There was something about the patchwork world that heightened our libidos. It was why Merida had pulled me into the bushes.


    We finally made it to the ship, and I have to admit that I was a bit disappointed when the professor zipped up her jumpsuit.


    However, once we stood face to face again, I noticed that I could see her nipples through the material, which adjusted itself to cover her. She¡¯d left the front unzipped a bit, so I could also see her cleavage. Why did she do that?This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.


    Like me, she was probably horny.


    When she bent over to strap on her sandals, I could see her tits dangling, and again, I got hard.


    I hid my erection by going over to a cabinet and grabbing her a rifle and a pistol. There were two guns left.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know how to reload them, but we have twenty-five shots a piece. I think they¡¯re like blasters, the energy weapons from Star Wars. I¡¯m not sure how I feel about that because if the monster is as big as I think it is, bullets might work better.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t like guns,¡± the professor sniffed.


    ¡°Yeah, well, I don¡¯t think the monster will like them either.


    She sighed. ¡°Fine. The pistol. You just pull the trigger, am I correct?


    ¡°Correct.¡± I tried some of the other cabinets again, but they were all still locked. Glancing around, I shook my head. ¡°I found a toolbox type of thing, but I¡¯d like something else to use to carry water.¡±


    The professor immediately came up with any number of good ideas. ¡°If we did kill an animal, we could use the stomach for a water skin. Also, the rain forest might have reed-like plants. In Borneo, I learned how to weave watertight baskets, though the skill is not unique to the peoples of that part of the world. There are many Native American tribes in the United States that could make extraordinary baskets including the Ute, the Apache, the Shoshoni, the Awani in California¡ª¡±


    I cut her off. ¡°I get it. That¡¯s good news.¡±


    The professor then wandered around the spacecraft, squinting. ¡°While I can¡¯t see very well, I do have some theories. The alien¡¯s cause of death is probably blunt force trauma from the crash. You can see that half of the spaceship was sheared off. It then crashed into the dune before being half-covered by the shifting sands. It could be the forces inside the energy storm reacts differently to organic material.¡±


    It made sense until I really thought about it. ¡°But it did bring part of the bus and those are Colorado junipers, so it doesn¡¯t just burn up inorganic life.¡±


    ¡°It might be beyond outstanding.¡± The professor sighed. ¡°No, it is definitely beyond our understanding.¡±


    She glanced down at the dead alien. ¡°If I were to guess, I would think the alien pilot was some kind of cat man hybrid.¡±


    ¡°Which means there might be cat girls on this world,¡± I mused, trying not to sound like a big nerd.


    The professor arched an eyebrow. ¡°A cat girl?¡±


    ¡°A neko, like from anime,¡± I tried not to be awkward. Explaining anime was never easy. Most of the time, it led to¡­


    ¡°Yes. I understand. Hentai, tentacles in inappropriate places, and other such adolescent fantasies. I know, Mr. Marshall. I know.¡±


    ¡°You can call me Sid,¡± I said. ¡°And I don¡¯t want to keep calling your professor, or doctor, or whatever. What¡¯s your first name?¡±


    We stood there for several long seconds, sweating. The inside of the spaceship was basically an oven, and we were both sweating buckets. I could smell her¡­both her perfume and her body.


    I didn¡¯t even try and hide my hardon. Fuck it. She knew what she was doing to me simply by standing there.


    I could feel the sexual tension. It was like we were kissing without kissing.


    She lifted a hand to one of her heavy breasts, to touch her nipple, and then she zipped up her jumpsuit. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Sid, but I think you should continue to refer to me as Professor Kroft. I¡¯ve gone my entire career without sleeping with a student, and I don¡¯t plan on that changing. Besides, we won¡¯t be here for long. We¡¯ll find a way home. Until then, you and I will have to, um, take care of our needs ourselves. Something about this place is triggering our libidos, obviously.¡±


    ¡°Magic,¡± I said. ¡°The ring¡¯s messages suggested there was a strange energy here when it scanned, you know, my junk.¡±


    ¡°Your junk?¡± she asked. ¡°There¡¯s a lot of junk there.¡±


    ¡°Thanks.¡±


    She closed her eyes. ¡°No, don¡¯t thank me. Just¡­just give me a minute. Would it be possible for you to walk back to the bus alone? I need some time to think.¡±


    ¡°And you want to do it here? It¡¯s really hot¡­¡±


    Eyes open and shining with lust, she licked her lips. ¡°I know. I like the heat. I like it when I get sweaty.¡±


    Then it hit me. She wasn¡¯t staying in the spaceship to think. She was going to get naked and masturbate like crazy.


    I wanted to stay to watch, but no, she¡¯d made her boundaries clear. ¡°Sure. I¡¯ll take the other set of clothes and the guns back to the bus. While you, uh, think.¡±


    She winced. ¡°I don¡¯t suppose you¡¯d help me bury the alien. It¡¯s presence here, might, uh, get in the way of me¡­thinking.¡±


    We moved the body into a shallow grave and then pushed sand over it.


    I kept thinking the ring would do something, or I¡¯d get an update, but no. How long would the scans take?


    ¡°Okay. Thank you, Sid,¡± the professor said. ¡°I¡¯ll catch up with you shortly.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    I was walking across the sands when I heard her unzip her jumpsuit. Then, images of her touching her tits and putting a hand between her legs filled my head. If she was feeling like I was, it would take ten seconds for her to make herself come.


    I forced myself not to think about her. I had to focus on survival.


    Why was Professor Kroft so certain we¡¯d get home?


    I wasn¡¯t so sure. What had happened to us was out of the normal. Maybe it had had happened to some Ute guy thousands of years ago and maybe and the other Native Americans left the petroglyphs as a warning. I could see Merida and the rest of the people standing around, after the swirling black clouds had passed, scratching their heads. They would certainly tell people to stay away.


    There had to be some time mechanics at work. Those black clouds had hit me first, but it couldn¡¯t have been hours before it reached Professor Kroft. What if seconds there were hours in the new world?


    Well, if the energy storm hit Billie next, she would probably show up eventually. Her and the professor had been standing so close.


    I hoped Billie had escaped. Being here with her would be a total pain in the ass. Then again, I wouldn¡¯t be competing against any football players. It would be her and me¡­and the professor, with her tattoos and desires.


    I turned around, hoping to catch a glimpse of the professor, but all I saw was the metal of the spaceship in the dunes. I took a deep breath. I was so hard that I couldn¡¯t think straight. But I wasn¡¯t going to jerk off in the middle of the desert, not when the sands shivered in the distance.


    I expected to see a giant sand worm, like from Dune, come bursting up.


    Instead, there was nothing except for a hot breeze.


    I made it back to the bus in time to see Billie come spilling out of the sky.


    One minute she wasn¡¯t there and the next, she¡¯s on her hands and knees, little titties dangling from her chest, as the sun reddened her pale skin. She was far thinner than my MILF-y professor, so much blonder, and yet, she had an ass just as round, though far more muscular. Billie¡¯s nipples were as pink as the professors, but far puffier.


    She looked up at me. ¡°What in the fuck, Sid?¡±


    I knew how to answer that, but I wasn¡¯t sure it was the kind of fuck she wanted.

 Chapter Five – WTF, Billie?

    I never knew someone could listen so furiously but that was the only way to describe Billie while she put on the outfit.


    When I gave her the pistol, she immediately fired five shots. She hit the tree I¡¯d dragged out of the rainforest three times, and the side of the bus twice. The wood was still too wet to catch fire, and she didn¡¯t hit any windows, but the bus¡¯s metal glowed red hot before cooling.


    The pistols seemed to fire some kind of superheated plasma. Later, I¡¯d look for some kind of projectile and couldn¡¯t find any evidence of one.


    ¡°Billie, I don¡¯t know how to recharge those weapons. You just wasted five shots.¡±


    She gave me a disgusted look. ¡°We just need to fucking find more bullets.¡±


    I got mad. ¡°Okay, genius, where? The local Big Five? Fucking Walmart? Redhawk Rifles off 23rd and G Road?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know!¡± she screamed at me.


    I¡¯d told her all that I knew, except I said that the professor was in the starship ¡°thinking.¡± I wasn¡¯t sure if the lust magic I was feeling affected her at all. It sure didn¡¯t seem so.


    But there was no fucking way I was going to let her scream at me.


    I kept my distance¡ªgetting in her face was a terrible idea. However, I kept my voice firm. ¡°If you fucking yell at me, I will leave you. We aren¡¯t in Grand Junction anymore, and we¡¯re not in college. And yes, I¡¯m just that guy in your anthropology class, but I¡¯m also the best chance you have of surviving this.¡±


    She couldn¡¯t match my gaze. Her eyes went to the ground. ¡°Sorry. I¡¯m scared. And showing up here naked was awful. I¡¯m glad you had something for me to wear. Thank you.¡±


    ¡°No more just doing shit, okay? We have to be careful, or we¡¯ll end up dead.¡± I tried to be gentler, but I was still so pissed off.


    Billie put the gun into her jumpsuit. ¡°Sorry. I didn¡¯t know, okay? Don¡¯t get your panties all up in a twist.¡± She pulled the crotch of her jumpsuit. ¡°Speaking of which, I can¡¯t believe I¡¯m not wearing underwear, but this feels pretty good. It¡¯s not giving me a wedgie or anything, but getting out of it to pee is going to suck. And speaking of which, do we have toilet paper? We need toilet paper, Sid.¡±


    I didn¡¯t say anything.


    We were on another world¡ªnot sure I could call it a planet because it wasn¡¯t following the laws of physics and here was this spoiled brat complaining about a lack of toilet paper.


    She must¡¯ve seen the expression on my face. ¡°What?¡±


    I sighed, trying to keep my temper under control. ¡°Maybe the energy storm will drop a Walmart on us. Until then, we¡¯ll have to make do. I found us water, clothes, and shelter, as well as the means to start a fire. Now, we just need something to eat.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m a vegetarian,¡± she said.


    Of course she was.


    ¡°I¡¯ll try and keep that in mind.¡± I went to turn away.


    ¡°You and Merida were totally doing it. Back at the field trip. I totally saw you.¡±


    And there we were, standing there in the dust, while the rain fell in the forest and the sun baked the sand.


    ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± I said.


    Billie¡¯s eyes went to my hand. ¡°Your magic ring better not give you the ability to see through my clothes. I saw how you were looking at me. You¡¯re probably always totally horny. Like all guys. Well, it¡¯s not happening.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t think it would,¡± I said. ¡°I¡¯m not a football player.¡±


    She made a face. ¡°What is that supposed to mean?¡±


    ¡°Nothing.¡±


    ¡°Noooooo¡­¡± It took her like five minutes to say that one word. ¡°It¡¯s not just nothing. You think that since I¡¯m a cheerleader I would only date a football player?¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you dating a football player?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Yeah. But I would date other people.¡±


    I knew I was wasting time. It was all pointless, high school shit, and I wanted to make sure that the professor was okay. Her ¡°thinking¡± was taking longer than I would¡¯ve thought.


    At the same time, I didn¡¯t have anything to lose. It wasn¡¯t like she¡¯d ruin my reputation or come after me. ¡°Fine, Billie. I think you were into me, but the minute you found out I wasn¡¯t a football player you lost interest. And you found one you liked, so it¡¯s all good. You¡¯re kind of a bitch anyway.¡±


    ¡°I am not a bitch!¡± She walked right up into my face. ¡°And I don¡¯t need you to survive. I¡¯ve been camping before. I know what to do, Sid.¡±Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation.


    Without another word, I turned around and hurried away from her. I told her I would leave her behind, and I meant it.


    I jogged away, moving quickly across the red sands, heading toward the starship.


    The professor was walking toward me, her gray jumpsuit striking a harsh contrast against the crimson landscape.


    Billie followed me, talking a mile a minute. ¡°Okay, I can be bitchy, which is different, and I just didn¡¯t like you like that, Sid. It¡¯s nothing personal. Yes, I thought you were cute, and yes, I kind of wanted to be with a football player, because in high school, I was so unpopular. I swore to myself that college would be different.¡±


    That made me stop. ¡°What were you like in high school?¡±


    Her blue eyes still were burning, and I knew, she didn¡¯t want to tell me a thing. ¡°I just wasn¡¯t popular, okay? Like, my mom was my best friend. It was kind of pathetic, and¡­and¡­we all have our secrets, right? I swore that college would be different, and it wasn¡¯t, not right away, until this year, when I decided to really get serious about things.¡±


    ¡°What kind of things?¡± I asked. ¡°What kind of secrets?¡±


    She sighed. ¡°The things a person does to be popular. How to look. Who to date. That kind of thing. I¡¯m sorry I yelled again. I don¡¯t want to yell at you¡­or anyone, really. I¡¯m just feeling all¡­¡±


    I could see the word ¡°horny¡± on her lips.


    So the magic of the place was affecting her as well.


    She licked her pink lips. ¡°I¡¯m just not feeling like myself. I guess I shouldn¡¯t be, because, well, you know, we¡¯re literally on another world. I do have a boyfriend back on Earth, and I can¡¯t just cheat on him, so let¡¯s just be friends, okay?¡±


    She was trying to make peace. However, hearing the ¡°let¡¯s just be friends¡± would never not hurt. In the end, it didn¡¯t matter, and I wasn¡¯t going to be an asshole. I reached out a hand. ¡°Fine. Friends.¡±


    Instead of shaking my hands, she leaned in and gave me a big hug.


    Her smell was in my nose, and I felt the heat of her body, which felt like it was a thousand degrees hotter than the two suns above us. I wanted to grab her and feel her ass. It had looked so good, but I knew it would feel even better. I wanted to squeeze it, and I wanted to kiss her.


    She had to be feeling horny, and I thought about trying something, but no, she had a boyfriend. And she had secrets. She wasn¡¯t telling me much about her high school experience, and I hadn¡¯t really seen her before we¡¯d taken the class together. It sounded like she was a sophomore. She seemed younger.


    She gave me a final squeeze and then stepped back.


    Her eyes dropped to my crotch. ¡°Oops. Sorry.¡±


    I was strangely apathetic. ¡°It¡¯s okay. It¡¯s just a part of being here. It¡¯s why Merida and I did what we did. We felt it even before the energy storm hit us. I¡¯m assuming you did too.¡±


    Billie blushed. ¡°Yes, but I don¡¯t want to talk about it. I¡¯m kinda of shy when it comes to that kind of thing.¡±


    ¡°Sex stuff?¡± I offered.


    She nodded. ¡°Yeah. Uh. Sex stuff.¡±


    The professor finally caught up to us. ¡°Miss Kidd. I¡¯m so sorry to see that you didn¡¯t escape the storm.¡±


    Professor Kroft still had a blush on her face, and yet, I could see how much more relaxed she was. She had her hair tied up in a bun, and she saw me looking.


    She touched it. ¡°Yes, I found some elastic bands and some other random objects in the starship¡¯s equivalent to a junk drawer. I gathered up what I could and put it in this bag. There are several pieces of cloth that might be useful.¡±


    I was curious to see what she¡¯d found, but I was also getting hungrier. That hunger wouldn¡¯t be going away any time soon. While it wouldn¡¯t become a real problem for several days, it was still a reminder that I had to go hunting monsters.


    ¡°What¡¯s happening, Professor?¡± Billie asked in a quiet voice.


    The professor frowned. ¡°Let¡¯s not have this discussion out in the heat. I am very thirsty, and we should seek shelter in the bus. But I¡¯m afraid I have no answers.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not what I wanted to hear,¡± Billie said quietly. A tear slid down her face.


    That girl had some violent mood swings. One minutes she¡¯s yelling and the next she¡¯s crying. It was like being with a tornado of emotions.


    The professor was being far more understanding than I would¡¯ve been.


    She took the girl¡¯s hand. ¡°Let¡¯s walk back to the bus. We¡¯ll feel much better with a little water. We¡¯ll get through this, Billie. Think about it. Whoever created the petroglyphs we saw must¡¯ve returned to Earth to warn others.¡±


    I didn¡¯t argue with her, but I was pretty sure that the drawings were made by the people left behind.


    I went through the bag and noted what might be useful for later on. The pieces of metal I could probably use, but I loved that we had elastic bands, since they could be used for any number of things. There was also some blue-black wire as well as some string. It was a good find.


    I made a mental list of our inventory:


    <<< >>>


    <ul>


    <li>Bag of crap containing elastic bands, steel wire, some string, bits of metal, and several pieces of gray cloth</li>


    <li>3 jumpsuits</li>


    <li>3 pairs of sandals</li>


    <li>3 pistols</li>


    <li>3 rifles</li>


    <li>Toolbox for water</li>


    <li>Various tools</li>


    <li>Welding torch</li>


    <li>Hammer</li>


    </ul>


    <<< >>>


    I did go into the rain forest, but I didn¡¯t find the monster. Instead, I found big, black birds, like overgrown crows, and I managed to shoot three down. They were smart, and it took me six shots to bring them down. I hated using that many charges.


    The rain was gone, and the sky was a bright blue, marked by misty clouds, slowly fading away. I thought I caught the smell of the ocean, but that place was so humid, I wasn¡¯t sure. As the sun set and the clouds dissipated, I looked up to see moons strewn across the entire sky. There must¡¯ve been a dozen, in various phases.


    It was so alien and gorgeous.


    Back with the ladies, I plucked the feathers off the birds. We didn¡¯t talk much at all. Too much had happened, and I think we were trying to process it all.


    Going back to our bag of crap, I found one of the bits of metal had a pretty good edge. Using the other pieces of metal, I managed to hone it into a dull blade. It was enough for me to cut through the pink skin of the ravens. Then, I scooped out the guts and found wet sticks.


    We cooked them on our fire like hot dogs, turning them over and over, until the flesh was blackened.


    I have to say, it was the best meal I¡¯d had in a long time. Yes, the outside was burned, and the inside was nearly raw, but it was food.


    I noticed Billie didn¡¯t complain a bit. She ate her raven and drank her toolbox water and was happy to do it. I was having a bit of trouble believing that Professor Kroft could weave a basket that was waterproof. I would have to see it to believe it.


    Nothing came for us while we sat around our fire. We started referring to the scarlet desert as Red Dune World, while the forest became Rainforest World. What we lacked in creativity we made up for in horniness.


    I was nearly bursting, and with every breath I took, I seemed to get even more aroused.


    At least Professor Kroft had had her ¡°thinking¡± time.


    I thought about taking some time to ¡°think¡± myself, but I was too tired. When the professor offered to take the first watch, I took her up on it.


    Lying on a bus seat, I was out like a light. But I wasn¡¯t asleep for long.


    Muffled moans woke me up.


    Bille was doing a little ¡°thinking¡± of her own.

 Chapter Six – Bus Encounter

    I heard a sigh, and then another moan, and then I heard a soft squeaking.


    Professor Kroft was outside, which left Billie and me in the bus. I was on the right side, near the front. She was down on the left near the back, two or three seats away.


    Without a doubt, Billie was touching herself. I sniffed and could smell her excitement, which soon had me hard as rock.


    I hadn¡¯t unzipped my jumpsuit because, like I thought, it was really cold. The bus offered us some shelter, though, and our body heat had warmed it up. The fire also helped because I¡¯d built it close to the opening.


    Professor Kroft was outside, sitting on the edge.


    Did she hear Billie?


    Obviously not.


    The squeaking continued, and then stopped abruptly. There was nothing for several long moments. Had she finished?


    That smell was driving me crazy. I wanted to get closer to it.


    I knew that would be a mistake. Billie had made it clear that she was going to be faithful to her football boyfriend.


    She thought I was asleep, which was why she was playing with herself.


    She let out a stifled groan. Then I felt the bus sway a little. She was really going at it. Had she unzipped completely? Probably not. I bet she had unzipped down to her waist, which meant that her puffy pink nipples were out. I could only imagine what they looked like, with her lying on her back, legs spread, as she rubbed herself.


    Was she just rubbing herself? Or was she pulling on her nipples?


    There was no way I could stop myself. I¡¯d come once the day before, with Merida, but then I¡¯d arrived in the patchwork world, which had something to do with sex, and maybe magic, if the ring was correct. I¡¯d seen both Professor Kroft and Billie naked.


    Here was one of the most beautiful girls at my college, masturbating like crazy not ten feet from me.


    Fuck it.


    I unzipped my jump suit, easing down the zipper, and even though I tried to be quiet, there was no way she wouldn¡¯t hear me.


    She tried not to moan, but she failed, and then she gasped.


    I had my zipper down. I grabbed my shaft, but it was already so slick with my pre-cum. I must¡¯ve stained the front of my jumpsuit. That was a problem for the next day.


    But I didn¡¯t care about the next day. All I cared about was stroking myself, listening to the cheerleader try not to scream out.


    ¡°Oh,¡± she whispered. ¡°Oh, fuck. Oh, fuck. Oh, fuck.¡±Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more.


    She sighed, probably frustrated that she was talking at all.


    I¡¯ve never been really loud during sex, but I was breathing hard, and I knew, she could probably hear me.


    No, she could hear something else. There¡¯s a reason why it was called fapping.


    My cock was dripping pre-cum, and there was no way to hide the sound of me fucking my hand.


    Girls have it easy. They have little clits they can rub, and normally, they can do it without creating a big ruckus. And yes, they get wet, but it¡¯s nothing like shooting a big load. For most women¡­I guess squirters were different.


    I couldn¡¯t stop stroking myself, no matter how loud it was. She didn¡¯t seem to mind, since she wasn¡¯t stopping me, or calling me disgusting, or telling me to get the fuck out.


    Of course not. Because she was the one who had started masturbating even though we were on the same bus. She then moaned, and even grunted a little.


    Did she come?


    The idea had me throbbing. I was right on the edge.


    ¡°Uh. Oh. Oh. Oh. Fuck.¡± The horny cheerleader hissed. If she¡¯d orgasmed, it was clear she was going for a second, or maybe even a third. Girls were so lucky.


    What was I going to do with my load? My only option was to get a piece of cloth, so I could clean up.


    Well, it wasn¡¯t my only option. I could go to Billie and see if she could help me with the problem. I could come in her mouth. Or I could come in her pussy. It would feel so good to sink deep inside of her. She was so fucking hot.


    I could imagine going to her and jerking off and coming on those perfect little titties. Or maybe I would come on her face. Seeing her proud, beautiful face with my seed on it would be so satisfying. She¡¯d look so slutty, and I bet if she were having trouble orgasming again, that would do it.


    I finally found the strength to let go of my cock.


    I got up but I knew I had to say something. ¡°I¡¯ll be right back.¡±


    My heart was in my throat. What would she say? Would she scream at me? Or would she tell me to fuck off? What would happen?


    Her voice came out quiet. ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll wait.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡± My soul was singing. This was happening. I didn¡¯t know what it meant, and right then, I didn¡¯t care. I just wanted to fucking come.


    Then I was hurrying through the bus. I went and grabbed the extra cloth out of the bag.


    Professor Kroft turned around. ¡°Oh, Mr. Marshall. Is everything okay?¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± I said. With my suit unbuttoned, it was obvious what I was doing. There was no way I was going to admit anything. ¡°Wake me if you get tired, Professor.¡±


    ¡°Sure, Sid.¡± She was smiling a little. Did she know something?


    Then I was hurrying back to the seat.


    There was no stopping me, but I wasn¡¯t going to stop. I was even harder, and there was even more pre-cum. I found myself on the edge. But now, I wasn¡¯t going to come until Billie did.


    I heard her, felt her, smelled her.


    She gasped. ¡°Are you close?¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± I said, not believing the turn of events. Just that day, she was saying she was not interested in me, and then, not a day later, we were jerking off together.


    ¡°Tell me when you¡¯re about to come.¡± Her breathy voice was unbearably sexy.


    Just thinking about what we were doing made me come. I gave my cock three extra strokes, and then, I gasped. ¡°Oh, fuck, Billie. I can¡¯t hold it.¡±


    ¡°Oh, fuck, I knew you could hear me. I know you could smell me. I love it, Sid. I love how my pussy smells. Come with me. Please. Oh, it¡¯s happening. I¡¯m coming¡­¡±


    Who knew she was that dirty? She¡¯d mentioned something about secrets. Was she secretly a nymphomaniac?


    She grunted as she orgasmed, and they weren¡¯t exactly delicate.


    Then it was happening to me. The orgasm made my head swim, it felt so good, and it felt so perfect. Over and over, I rode the waves the pleasure, and every piece of bliss meant another shot of semen into my hand. I was soon overflowing, and I knew I was coming on my belly, but I didn¡¯t care. I had the cloth to clean myself up.


    Billie gasped. ¡°Oh, I can smell you too. Oh, fuck, it¡¯s happening again. I love it when I come twice so fast. It¡¯s going to be such a big one. Oh. Oh. Oh.¡±


    This time, she didn¡¯t grunt. Instead, she whimpered through her orgasm.


    My head was swirling, and then, my vision was filled with messages from the ring.


    Weird timing, but I would take what I could get.

 Chapter Seven – Optimized

    Still coming down from my orgasm, I read through the display while I used the piece of cloth to clean up and then zipped up the suit.


    <<<>>>


    Biosystems scans are complete.


    Anomalous energy detected: Unknown source. Magic???


    Primate species re-confirmed. Relatively advanced biologically but limited in intelligence. Preoccupation with sexual activity. Admires females and their mammary glands. Additional fat cells on the chest of the females unnecessary but HOST would disagree. HOST enjoys the scent of the females due to their pheromones. More analysis needed.


    HOST¡¯s cellular structure confirmed.


    Mitochondria confirmed.


    Adenosine triphosphate confirmed.


    Optimizing.


    <<<>>>


    My body lit up like a Christmas tree, and with it, came pain. It was like my blood was boiling in my veins. It was like I could feel myself cooking.


    I rose up, staggered down the main aisle of the bus. I had to get the fuck out of there. I hit the ground, hardly feeling anything but the awful pain.


    Above us, a ton of stars spread across our little strip of Earth sky, but the sky above Red Dune World there was only a reddish darkness, which was probably from the red sun. I didn¡¯t know the how the astronomy worked. All I knew was that the eastern horizon looked like dried blood.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Professor Kroft staggered back as the fire popped and cracked.


    I couldn¡¯t talk, but I heard Billie, who was still in the bus. ¡°I don¡¯t know, Professor, but he¡¯s glowing. Why is he glowing? Oh my god! I wanna go home! I wanna go home!¡±


    Was I glowing?


    I just didn¡¯t want to be in fucking pain. What was the ring doing to me? What did optimizing mean? I wound up on my knees, in the sand, gritting my teeth.


    The professor approached me. Yes, I was glowing, very brightly, like I was cosplaying a lighthouse. I hoped it didn¡¯t attract the attention of that monster in the forest.


    ¡°Please, tell us what¡¯s happening,¡± the professor begged.


    Billie was sobbing in the bus. I wish she¡¯d get her shit together, but I guess, we were all handling the situation in our own special way.


    Mine was trying not to scream.


    ¡°Fuck!¡± I managed. ¡°Optimizing. Adenosine triphosphate. My cells. The ring.¡±


    She nodded. ¡°Yes, I see. ATP are the molecules that store chemical energy. If you are being optimized, you might have more energy, you¡¯ll be faster, stronger, more agile.¡±


    ¡°If. I. Fucking. Survive,¡± I growled.


    The professor gently touched my back. ¡°Don¡¯t say that. I don¡¯t want to lose you. Or Billie. We¡¯re in this together.¡±


    They were nice words, but Billie was still sobbing, and I had zero control over what happened to me.Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.


    I still didn¡¯t even know what the ring¡¯s primary mission was.


    It felt like forever, but slowly, yes, ever so slowly, the pain was leaving me, and the glow was fading.


    I looked down at my arm, and I was glowing so brightly I could see through the sleeve of the jumpsuit. All my veins and arteries were visible. It was like my skin was transparent and my blood had turned fluorescent. Then, when my blood stopped glowing, it was like I could see every one of my cells, glowing like a star. It looked like I was made of stars until those pinpricks of light faded.


    Then, all we had left was the light of the fire and bloody eastern sky.


    A second later, the ring gave me more bizarre news.


    <<<>>>


    Optimizing complete!


    51% successful.


    Anomalous energy detected: Unknown source. Magic???


    Anomalous energy used for optimization. Log file unavailable.


    Error: This unit¡¯s power source is low. Please find an AQUIA Charging Station or find anomalous energy source.


    Evaluating current circumstances.


    Results of evaluation pending¡­.


    <<<>>>


    So the ring optimized my cells using magic? Was this good? I didn¡¯t know what to think, but I was glad the thing had stopped at 51%. I had a feeling that a 100% optimization might¡¯ve hurt even worse. Fuck, it even might have killed me.


    All the numbers didn¡¯t mean much to me right then. I was just glad not to be in pain. But other questions remained. There was that whole thing about primary mission, and could it continue to evaluate current circumstances even though it was running out of battery?


    I wished I had a handbook on the alien ring, but there hadn¡¯t been a manual in the starship. There wasn¡¯t an End User License Agreement either. That might¡¯ve been for the best because I¡¯m pretty sure I wouldn¡¯t have signed the EULA anyway.


    I wasn¡¯t sure I was going to find a charging station, but if I could find another power crystal, it might help the ring work better.


    Billie came out of the bus sniffling and wiping away her tears on the sleeve of her jumpsuit. ¡°Is he bigger?¡±


    I stood up, and yes, for a second, the jumpsuit pulled up into my crotch. The shoulders and arms were tight, and I flexed, the jumpsuit almost burst.


    I wasn¡¯t fifty percent bigger, but I was definitely bigger.


    The jumpsuit then expanded out to accommodate my new size.


    ¡°Wait,¡± the professor said. ¡°Sid, unzip your jumpsuit. I think you have changed, but it¡¯s hard to tell. Come closer to the fire.¡±


    I was curious myself. I unzipped my outfit and let the top fall to my waist.


    Looking down at myself, it was like I had a stranger¡¯s body.


    The fire painted my abs with shadows, and yes, I had abs, a full six-pack for a second. And then, I watched in wonder as it became a four-pack as I fattened up a bit. ¡°Hey! Come on!¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s good,¡± the professor said. ¡°You need fat for energy. You still look¡­amazing.¡±


    I flexed my arms, and watched my muscles bulge¡ªbiceps, triceps, even my forearms. My chest was swollen and powerful. I felt amazing, like I had limitless energy.


    Going to school, working at job sites on the weekend, doing side jobs with my Uncle Marty, I had run myself ragged. Now, it felt like I¡¯d slept for a week. I was a little hungry, a little thirsty, but other than that, my body felt perfect.


    ¡°Oh my god,¡± Billie gasped. ¡°You¡¯re even more cut than Mike Westra. No way.¡±


    Both women were looking at me with lust and admiration in their eyes.


    The professor absently unzipped a bit, letting her hand linger on her breast.


    That simple motion got me hard.


    ¡°Wait. Hold up.¡± I turned away and walked away. Then I pushed the jumpsuit all the way down and yes, there was my cock, probably two inches longer and way girthier. I had a new johnson, bigger, and rigid.


    Talk about optimized.


    The professor and Billie were talking in whispers behind me. I don¡¯t know what they were talking about until I heard Professor Kroft whisper, ¡°It¡¯s okay. What you¡¯re feeling is natural. This is stressful. Just be gentle with yourself.¡±


    Billie was getting some needed counseling. Good. We couldn¡¯t have her falling apart. We all needed to be tough.


    I turned, taking in the bus, the fire, and the tall trees beyond. The skies were so different¡ªthe scarlet sky above me in Red Dune World, the normal stars of the strip of world taken from Earth, and then all the moons above Rainforest World. Such a strange place.


    I heard the whisper of sand moving behind me. The chitter of insects followed, but not normal sized insects. The noise was soon deafening. These were monstrous insects.


    Whirling, I saw the red sand was swarming with the things, creating a rippling carpet of horror under the crimson dark.


    The first bug leapt out of the sand, and more and more followed, hundreds, thousands, all about the size of the biggest dog breed you could think of.


    Huge bugs were coming for us, more than we could fight.


    It looked like I was about to test my new optimized body.


    The timing couldn¡¯t have been better.

 Chapter Eight – Testing Out the New Hardware

    I loved the movie Starship Troopers. Why wouldn¡¯t I? Killing giant bugs with big machine guns was every man¡¯s fantasy. Throw in a shower scene with hot girls, and you had the perfect movie.


    At that moment, I didn¡¯t know if there were any insects the size of tanks, but suddenly I had a sand flea the size of a Great Dane coming right at me. Behind it was an army of similar insects, digging up through the dirt and flinging their bulbous flea bodies into the air. Their front four limbs were sharpened bone while its long spring-like back legs allowed it to launch itself into the air. The thing¡¯s two long knife-like teeth were hollow, perfectly for impaling me and then sucking me dry.


    I couldn¡¯t run, not right then, and I didn¡¯t have my guns, but I could still fight. I caught the thing by its carapace and flung it into the oncoming bugs. I didn¡¯t even throw it with all my strength, and it still exploded into a thousand pieces, ripping through any number of the fleas.


    Another monster bug jumped at me, and I dodged it; it seemed to be moving in slow motion. That was an illusion. I was the one moving fast, everything sharpened by my adrenaline.


    I could see my leg glowing under my pants as I kicked my foot into the flea, shattering it in half. I was suddenly covered in goo. Maybe my foot should¡¯ve been jelly, but it seemed that along with enhanced strength, both my skin and my bones were tougher.


    Another giant flea leapt at me and a big slug of plasma struck it, melting through its carapace in seconds. I heard it squeal in pain. It was so fucking loud!


    Spinning, I saw that Billie had one of the rifles to her shoulder. She¡¯d unzipped more of her jumpsuit, and so not only was she a tough chick with a big gun, she was showing off way more her sweaty cleavage.


    Professor Kroft stood behind her, with a pistol out, though the teacher didn¡¯t look very confident. She did start firing, but she couldn¡¯t hit anything. Billie was doing the heavy lifting there.


    Fleas had swarmed them, and Billie was taking them out, one after another, with the plasma bolts. Every death brought a weird alien shriek.


    We were wasting so much ammo, and in the end, there was no way we could fight off the thousands of fleas. We had to run.


    I took three steps¡ªone, two, three, and realized I¡¯d jumped thirty feet. I¡¯d accidentally sped past both the professor and Billie.


    A whole new world of movement had opened for me.


    I crouched and sprang up, soaring through the air, and landing next to the bus.


    A flea tried to catch hold of me, and I punched it into goo. I was covered in bug blood, which is actually called hemolymph. Instead of red, this stuff was a pale yellow, and I was covered in the stuff. I kind of liked the zoology class that I¡¯d taken last semester.


    I didn¡¯t want to waste ammunition on an enemy we couldn¡¯t beat, not in a straight up fight. Besides, I wasn¡¯t sure how to make a bow and arrow, and so, the guns were our main tools for hunting. I planned on shooting more of the huge ravens for breakfast.


    If I lived through the night.


    ¡°To the trees!¡± I yelled to the women. ¡°We have to retreat!¡±


    We¡¯d drank most of the water from the toolbox, and so I tossed in the tools, but I kept the hammer out. It was a massive thing, more of a roofer¡¯s hammer than anything else, with a blunt end and sharp end.


    In my hands, either end would work.


    I sped over to Professor Kroft, thinking of giving her the toolbox, but I was going so fast I had trouble stopping. I overshot her by five feet.


    Dropping the toolbox, half full of water, I pointed. ¡°Grab that! Run there!¡±Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there.


    ¡°Don¡¯t order her around!¡± Billie screamed at me as she continued to shoot. ¡°She¡¯s not your slave!¡±


    ¡°Oh, for fuck¡¯s sake!¡± I cursed, but Professor Kroft took the toolbox without a word.


    I jumped past both women and smashed in the head of a flea with my newfound weapon. Turning, I killed two more with a might swing. Their squeals of pain felt oddly satisfying.


    Unexpectedly, a message from the ring lit up my vision.


    <<<>>>


    Evaluating current circumstances.


    Evaluation paused.


    Paraxen Multitool Detected


    Configure settings? Y/N


    <<<>>>


    ¡°No!¡± I screamed. My hammer was fine, though I wondered if I could turn it into a gun. At least a I had a word ¡°Paraxen¡± to work with. Was that the name of the alien or the name of the world?


    Right then, with ten thousand giant sand fleas trying to kill us, it was the wrong time to ask. The ring then gave me more bad news.


    <<<>>>


    Evaluation of current circumstances resumed.


    Error: This unit¡¯s power source is low. Please find an AQUIA C13 Charging Station or an anomalous energy source.


    Results of evaluation pending¡­.


    <<<>>>


    Yes, I knew its battery was low, but there was nothing I could do to fix that in the middle of a fight. I was simply glad the messages went away. Maybe the damn thing knew that if it blocked my vision it would have to find another host.


    I was bashing in bug heads left and right, giving the professor and Billie time to dash into the forest.


    Then I joined them, flinging myself into the air. I came down through foliage, rolling through ferns, and into a redwood. The limbs shook, and cold water rained down. My bell had been rung, but I wasn¡¯t going to let that stop me.


    The fleas would follow us into the forest. Our only hope was to climb as high as we could and hope that they couldn¡¯t find us. Luckily, the whole forest glowed with silver moonlight, thanks to the various moons overhead.


    I didn¡¯t trust myself to try and jump with any accuracy. This new body was going to take some getting used to.


    The redwoods didn¡¯t have any lower limbs, but there was some kind of twisted tree with pale bark that had a ton of branches, creating a lattice work between two of the giant pines. We could climb that weird tree up to the limbs way up high.


    ¡°Make for the redwood!¡± I called out.


    Billie grabbed a branch and let out a long, ¡°Ewww!¡±


    I grabbed a limb and was surprised to find it so spongey. It definitely wasn¡¯t bark.


    Professor Kroft was already ten feet above us. She called down, ¡°It¡¯s some kind of fungal growth, prospering in the shade between the trees. If it¡¯s carnivorous, we¡¯re in trouble. Or if the spores are poisonous, this could be the last night of our lives. However, it seems we don¡¯t have a choice.¡±


    That was the understatement of the year.


    We climbed higher and higher. Below us, the fleas were crawling through the growth. A few tried to jump at us and wound up hitting the mushroom tree. It made the whole structure shake. We were probably ten stories up when we finally reached the lowest redwood limb.


    We were able to cross over, and we climbed higher, until we found a series of limbs to rest on. While we could sleep up there, it wasn¡¯t going to be comfortable. Not only was the wood hard, but we couldn¡¯t really lie down. Even worse, it was a far colder than I would¡¯ve thought.


    Some of the fleas tried to leap up at us, but they couldn¡¯t jump that high.


    We were breathing hard, and I was glowing, or my muscles were at least, at least¡ª legs, trapezoids, shoulders, back.


    With each breath, the glow dimmed a little.


    We could see our bus, and it was crawling with fleas. In the distance, fleas had also swarmed the starship in Red Dune World.


    I was pretty sure the fleas had dug up the alien cat man corpse. If the fuckers drank blood, they would be greatly disappointed. I had to laugh. ¡°Like getting blood from a stone. A dead stone.¡±


    Billie sat there, pale, sweaty, with tears trailing down her cheeks. ¡°My life was so good. I was the best CrossFit instructor on campus even before I got on the cheer team. This fall, I would¡¯ve been at the football games. I¡¯m pretty sure I would¡¯ve hooked up with Mike Westa over the summer. We were going to intern at the same place. I mean, I¡¯m with Scott Fullerton, and he¡¯s cute and all, but he definitely has a drinking problem. And there¡¯s a good chance he¡¯s cheating on me with Joyce Perry.¡±


    I went to interrupt her. We had so many more important things to talk about.


    But Professor Kroft put a hand on me. It was like she knew what Billie needed.


    The CrossFit queen kept on talking. ¡°No, Mike was going to be the better bet. Mike Westa is prime husband material. He probably wasn¡¯t going to go pro, though, but his dad owns all these car dealerships in Denver. They have a lot of money. If I married Mike, I wouldn¡¯t have stayed at Mesa. I mean, Mike would graduate next year, so why would I stay? I could get into Denver University, and his family could help me with tuition. I¡¯d definitely graduate from there, but maybe I¡¯d stay and get my master¡¯s there. I wanted a degree, but come on, it wouldn¡¯t be long before Mike and I started a family. Our kids would¡¯ve been so beautiful.¡±


    Then her eyes went to me. ¡°But that¡¯s all not going to happen now.¡±


    Then she lost it. ¡°Because I have to fucking fight giant fucking fleas and crawl up a slimy fucking mushroom tree into a skyscraper pine tree to save my fucking life from¡­once again¡­giant fucking fleas!¡±


    Not sure which I preferred, her crying or her screaming.


    Billie Lynn Kidd was kinda sexy when she was angry.


    Then she turned that anger on me.


    Oh, shit.

 Chapter Nine – Under the Many Moons

    I had glanced away to look up at the moons. I was a little higher in the tree than Billie and Professor Kroft, and I¡¯d found a pretty comfortable way to sit. I could sleep leaning forward on another branch. The wet pine perfume of the redwood smelled pretty good.


    Then Billie pointed a long, manicured finger at me. ¡°And you, you! You get to be a fucking superhero! How is that even fair?¡±


    I held up my hand to show her the ring. ¡°Actually, I¡¯m just a host. This fucking ring could be giving me cancer for all I know. Or maybe it¡¯s the Paraxen Multitool¡ªwhatever the fuck that is¡ªthat is going to somehow kill me.¡±


    My hand dropped to my side, and I was surprised to find the hammer hanging from a loop that had quite unexpectedly appeared on my side. I hadn¡¯t even remembered slipping it into the loop.


    ¡°Paraxen?!?¡± Billie shrieked. ¡°That¡¯s a made-up fucking word. This whole world is pretend.¡±


    ¡°I would¡¯ve come up with something cooler than giant fleas.¡± Why couldn¡¯t I keep my big mouth closed?


    Billie jabbed her finger at my side. ¡°So you¡¯re saying your hammer thing is an alien artifact?¡±


    ¡°Multitool,¡± I corrected. ¡°Not sure how to configure it though.¡± I didn¡¯t mention that my ring might run out of power at any minute.


    Billie stared daggers at me. Damn, one minute we¡¯re sharing a hot moment in the bus together, and the next, she¡¯s trying to chop me into sushi with both her eyes and her words.


    Professor Kroft reached out and took both of Billie¡¯s hands. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry this happening.¡±


    Billie continued to glare at me.


    The professor forced Billie to look at her. ¡°We¡¯re going to get through this. We¡¯re going to find a way home. Please, don¡¯t give up hope.¡±


    I kept quiet. I didn¡¯t see that happening, but no use throwing fuel on the fire.


    Then I realized something else about my jumpsuit. Not only did I have a new cool loop for my Paraxen Multitool, but I should¡¯ve been covered in gallons of hemolymph, a.k.a. bug blood. Instead, my jumpsuit was perfectly clean. The air was wet and cool around us, but I was rather comfortable.


    ¡°Look at your clothes,¡± I said.


    ¡°What about this dumb romper thing?¡± Billie looked down. She¡¯d zipped her outfit up to her chin. Professor Kroft, though, had hers undone, letting the girls breathe.


    Billie didn¡¯t notice.


    Professor Kroft did. ¡°Fascinating. The material is self-cleaning. Perhaps it uses the molecules of the stains to reinforce its structure. I¡¯m rather warm, or at least most of my body is. My feet, though, are a little cold.¡±


    That¡¯s when I realized that I¡¯d left my sandals on the bus, which at this point was flea central.


    Billie was also barefoot.


    I let out a frustrated breath. ¡°Okay, Billie and I don¡¯t have our sandals. What else did we forget?¡±


    Professor Kroft winced. ¡°The bag of crap is back at the bus. And another rifle. The toolbox is down at the bottom of the mushroom tree.¡±


    The news could¡¯ve been worse. We had three pistols, two rifles, our clothes, and our lives. Oh, and the hammer, which might be magical, or at least configurable.


    I was about to say something relatively positive when Professor Kroft burst forward, pointing. ¡°


    Professor Kroft then pointed. ¡°Good gravy, what is that?¡±


    Both Billie and I followed her finger.Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.


    Rising up in the distance, well beyond the spaceship dune, was a structure that caught the first rays of the red sun breaking over the horizon. At least that section of land and sky. It was a tall tower, irregularly shaped, and I knew what it looked like to me.


    ¡°Termites,¡± I whispered, my zoology class paying off once again. ¡°That looks like a termite tower, like in Africa, right? That¡¯s not manmade. That¡¯s bug made.¡±


    As the red sun rose, we saw that the tower was crawling with things, and though we were too far to see what they were, I could only guess they were either fleas or some kind of desert insect, maybe ants, or maybe giant termites.


    ¡°Could it be the fleas?¡± Billie asked in a whisper.


    Professor Kroft answered quietly. ¡°I don¡¯t believe so, but we are dealing with alien fauna. Termites on earth create their mounds out of soil, saliva, and dung. Their mouths are very different from fleas.¡±


    ¡°Ew!¡± Billie complained. ¡°Their dung or our dung?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think they care.¡± Professor Kroft looked scared.


    Crossing the Red Dune World suddenly looked far less attractive.


    I was glad we¡¯d found a relatively safe perch when a roar echoed under us. We heard shrieks, screams, of the giant fleas, and the entire world under us was alive with activity. We couldn¡¯t see a thing because of the shadows and undergrowth. We could only hear the roars of some giant beast, the crunch of exoskeletons being devoured, the shrieks of the dying insects as they were eaten.


    Eaten by what, though?


    And there wasn¡¯t just one creature roaring under us, there were several.


    The spaces between the redwoods were wide enough for semi tucks to drive through, though a lot of that space was taken up by the mushroom trees, ferns, and other plant life. I¡¯d been too tired to explore the Rainforest World the before, but now, with my enhanced body, guns, and my multitool, I was curious.


    ¡°Should I go and see what¡¯s eating our flea friends?¡± I asked. ¡°It sounds like World War III meets Jurassic Park down there.¡±


    Neither the professor nor Billie could answer. The roars were too loud. As loud were the shrieks of the fleas. Those huge things were bashing through branches and ripping apart mushroom trees and flinging ferns left and right.


    Billie basically screamed, ¡°You are not going down there, Sid!¡±


    It all fell silent. Then the growling started. It was so deep-throated that I could feel the bass in my chest.


    ¡°What if I just go and take a quick peak?¡± I asked.


    ¡°No!¡± Billie hissed. She wasn¡¯t kidding around.


    I glanced at the professor.


    She shook her head. ¡°It¡¯s too dangerous. I think your time would be better served trying to understand the ring and how it might further help you. It certainly seems to be the key to our survival.¡±


    The apocalypse happening under this moved east, toward the Red Dune World. I thought maybe I¡¯d get a view of the monster but no. I did see the fleas leaving the forest, escaping back into the sand.


    A few minutes later, we heard sniffing and snuffling below us. I thought it might be a bear, or that¡¯s what it sounded like. Maybe a bear crossed with Godzilla. Then the ruckus moved away. The ground trembled with the footfalls of the monsters¡­there was clearly more than one.


    I hoped our toolbox hadn¡¯t been trampled, and long with it, my welding torch lighter, but chances were, both were lost forever.


    Now that we were safe, we found some water dribbling down from the branches above us to wash our faces, hair, and hands. I still wanted a shower even though my clothes were self-cleaning.


    After we¡¯d washed and drank the tree water, I went over our ammo situation. Two of the pistols were out of charges, thanks to Professor Kroft¡¯s panic and terrible aim. She must¡¯ve grabbed Billie¡¯s gun when she ran out. My pistol still had ten shots left. One of our rifles was empty, the other had five shots, and I was pretty sure our last rifle back on the bus had twenty-five shots left.


    I tried to get the ring to contact me, but no matter how much I swung the hammer, it wouldn¡¯t message me. There had to be a way to access the heads-up display, but I didn¡¯t know what it was. It was my first time with an alien ring on my finger.


    Maybe the ring would talk to me once it finished its evaluation. I hoped it hadn¡¯t completely run out of batteries. I needed to find another power crystal.


    Billie and the professor slept near the trunk of the giant tree while I climbed farther down the branch, since I was still amped up from the fight.


    The fleas had left both the bus and the starship, and the sands were once again calm, an ocean of serene sand, that held deadly secrets. The mound tower seemed to get bigger in the crimson radiance of the red sun rising, though it was so far in the distance, it didn¡¯t put out much light¡ªit only made the sky a darker shade of red.


    Would we be able to get to the bus and get our rifle and the bag of crap without the fleas coming back?


    Well, we knew they were now.


    I was more worried about our future. We needed a shelter away from those damn insects. However, the mysterious monsters in the Rainforest World might be even worse.


    Finally, I started feeling tired.


    I went back to the trunk and found Billie resting her head on Professor Kroft¡¯s shoulder. Both were fast asleep.


    Seeing them there like that was sweet, and yet, at the same time, I could only imagine them together. Normally, I would¡¯ve thought that would be pretty much impossible. But there was something about the strange world that was affecting our libidos. While else would Billie get so nasty with me in the bus?


    No. Something was going on.


    I could think all about it, since I was the only one awake. Guess I was taking first watch.

 Chapter Ten – Finding Privacy Rock

    I woke up the next day with a painful erection. God, I was so fucking horny, and the girls smelled good, even though their perfume was long gone. Something about their bodies made me crazy.


    I¡¯m sure the ring would say that it was their pheromones, and it probably was, but it was still weird. Normally, fighting for survival wouldn¡¯t make me aroused.


    My belly¡ªnot my new dick¡ªsolved the problem for me. I was starving, and that meant we needed to get down from the tree.


    Billie wanted to stay up there, but finally, Professor Kroft and I got her moving.


    The sun had risen both on the strip of Earth and in the Rainforest World, though we couldn¡¯t see it from our treetop perch. There was a dense mist, cold and wet, that would¡¯ve soaked us if our clothes didn¡¯t provide protection.


    Like with the stains, they absorbed the water and kept us dry. I was curious what would happen if we went swimming in them. I would imagine the material would get wet, but the minute we were out the water, it would be dry again.


    Climbing down was harder than climbing up, but we took it slow. We were soon standing on the ground, where looked like a slaughterhouse. Blood and bug parts were everywhere, crushed further into the soft soil by big three-toed footprints.


    I¡¯d watched the Jurassic Park movies. I had my theories.


    Then again, it might be the Jurassic period from another planet and not my own.


    Did the energy storm cut through time as well as space?


    On the way back to the bus, we found some purple berries, big and juicy, hanging in clumps on the limbs of a green bush.


    The professor warned us that eating random berries in a strange forest was a good way to end up dead. However, she had a method she used to test them. First, she said not to eat berries if they were a certain color¡ª green, yellow, or white. Next, she said we needed to avoid plants that had spines, bitter smells, or milky sap. Lastly, she used her fingernail to break open the berry. She licked the berry, checking for sweetness.


    Standing there in the forest, Billie and I were watching her closely.


    Professor Kroft¡¯s eyelids fluttered. ¡°Oh, yes, they are so sweet. Almost like a blackberry, but sweeter, without the hint of tartness. Now, I will eat one, and we¡¯ll wait fifteen minutes. If there is no cramping, and I don¡¯t think there will be, I¡¯ll eat another one. If I don¡¯t get sick or die, we have a food source.¡±


    Billie stood there with no expression on her face.


    There was no way I could guess what she was thinking.


    I knocked her with an elbow. ¡°Are you okay?¡±


    She nodded, almost robotically. ¡°Yeah. I was, you know, just thinking. In class, I would¡¯ve memorized all that and forgot it ten minutes after I aced the final. Now? I¡¯m pretty sure I¡¯ll never forget Professor Kroft¡¯s berry-testing method.¡±


    The professor laughed. ¡°And that is why Homo sapiens were so very successful. Trauma reinforces memory. Finding safe food sources was of the utmost importance, and starvation is the ultimate motivator, without a doubt. The human mind evolved to remember what is edible and what is deadly. So far, I am feeling fine. This is very good news.¡±


    Billie was staring at Professor Kroft with a look of awe on her face. The day was warming up, and like always, she had cleavage showing. The water had misted on the luscious valley of her breasts, and she looked so good, her hair tied up in a bun.


    Billie was clearly looking at Professor Kroft with a look of lust on her face.


    Then she turned to me, staring into my eyes. She knew I knew she found our teacher hot. Her eyes sparkled with lust. It was like she was getting off with me knowing. For once, she wasn¡¯t glaring at me. Her eye contact meant only one thing¡ªshe wanted both of us, me and the professor.


    Then Billie closed her eyes. ¡°This is stupid. Okay. So, we need to come up with a system. We all know this place makes us¡­uh¡­tingle. Don¡¯t make me say it. So, I think we can all agree that we can¡¯t just have sex all day long. For one, I¡¯m hungry. For another, I don¡¯t want to have to transfer to a new college once we get back.¡±


    If we get back, I thought. I didn¡¯t mention she wanted to transfer to Denver University after she married Mike Westa, the football player.


    Billie continued. ¡°If we were to hook up, well, it would be so awkward. And I don¡¯t want to cheat on my boyfriend.¡±


    I thought about mentioning the football player, but no, I didn¡¯t want to use Billie¡¯s breakdown from the night before against her.


    The professor nodded. ¡°I agree. But we can¡¯t wander off. For now, the bus and the spacecraft aren¡¯t safe. Nor will I think they¡¯ll be safe in the future, since, like us, the fleas know that they found a potential food source, and they¡¯ll return to the bus to see if that food source returns. My solution? We find a private place, we take turns, and we deal with our desires that way.¡±Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.


    Billie gulped in a breath. ¡°This is so embarrassing, but I think you¡¯re right.¡±


    Professor Kroft squinted. ¡°My eyes are not good, and I would kill for my glasses, but I think there might be a rocky outcropping beyond these bushes and those trees in the distance. If we are lucky, we might find a cave or an overhang.¡±


    While we waited to see if the professor got sick, we found a game trail through the undergrowth which led us to a pool surrounded by boulders piled against one another. That was why there was a game trail in the first place¡ªto help animals to get to the water.


    There was a little lip of rock that led to a cave-like overhang above the crystal-clear waters of the pool. I wasn¡¯t sure about drinking the water, not without boiling it first, but at the moment, there was plenty of leaves for us to drink from. The leaf water was fresh from the rain, and it was unlikely that anything had peed in it.


    Professor Kroft nodded at me. ¡°Stay by the sweetberry bush. I¡¯ll be with you in a moment, and no peeking, Mr. Marshall.¡± She said it with a wink and smile. That made me want to peek even more.


    Instead, I grabbed Billie¡¯s arm and led her away. It was like she wanted to stay and watch.


    We returned to the bush. The professor had the rifle, and she was only a two-minute run down the path. She¡¯d be fine.


    I tried not to think of her slowly unzipping her jumpsuit all the way, getting out of it, and then teasing her nipples while she rubbed herself.


    Billie shrugged me away. ¡°Okay, Sid. You don¡¯t have to grab me.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t grab you,¡± I sighed. This girl. What was I going to do with her?


    She brushed her hand over her arm. ¡°Okay. You didn¡¯t grab me. I¡¯m sorry I said that, but there¡¯s something I need to talk to you about.¡±


    ¡°Sure,¡± I said. ¡°We have some time.¡±


    I then remembered we might have a lot of time. I¡¯d waited for the professor a good half an hour the day before. Maybe she¡¯d be quicker today.


    Billie folded her arms across her chest. ¡°Last night, in the bus, before you were, uh, optimized, I¡­you¡­we.¡± She winced. ¡°This is so humiliating.¡±


    There didn¡¯t need to be that much drama. We¡¯d survived a giant sand flea attack and spent the night trying to sleep in a redwood, taking watches. ¡°I was there. I know what happened. Just spit it out.¡±


    Her worlds tumbled out of her. ¡°It was a one-time thing, okay? I was feeling insane. I probably should still feel insane. I¡¯m not going to cheat on Mike.¡±


    ¡°Scott,¡± I muttered.


    ¡°What?¡±


    I knew I was treading on dangerous ground, but I couldn¡¯t stop myself. ¡°Scott Fullerton. You¡¯re with Scott Fullerton, even though he drinks. Mike Westa is the better bet. You were going to hook up with him this summer.¡±


    She looked at me for a long time, and I wasn¡¯t sure if she was going to slap me or laugh.


    Turned out, she laughed. ¡°Right. Yes. Scott. He really is sweet most of the time, and he¡¯s trying to count his drinks and stop before he gets bad.¡±


    ¡°Gets bad?¡± I asked. She didn¡¯t scream at me for correcting her on the name of her boyfriend, so I figured I could keep going. ¡°He doesn¡¯t hurt you, does he?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± she said quickly. Too quickly? It was hard to say. ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have said any of that last night. I kinda freaked out, but in my defense, I¡¯ve never fought giant bugs before. And then the roaring and the growling and the monsters. I hate this. Do you hate it?¡±


    I thought for a long time, and I knew I needed to say what she wanted to hear, but I kind of didn¡¯t care.


    ¡°You like it!¡± she hissed like the words most pissed-off snake.


    Wow. You can pack a ton of accusations into three words.


    She didn¡¯t let up. ¡°You love being a superhero on another planet with two magically horny women and a ring of power, or whatever. Ring of power. That¡¯s a thing, right?¡±


    I wasn¡¯t going to answer that. Warner Brothers didn¡¯t need my help promoting their shit.


    ¡°I¡¯m not a superhero, Billie.¡± I held up the ring. ¡°And this thing calls me its host. There¡¯s a good chance that it¡¯ll kill me. I have no idea what it is, and it could be fucking up my cells as we speak, but yeah, this entire situation is kind of amazing.¡±


    Billie¡¯s lip quivered. ¡°How can you say that?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re on another world. I bet you a million dollars that there are dinosaurs here, or something similar, and I¡¯m guessing that energy storm is collecting all sorts of things from around the universe. I stood on the deck of a spaceship, a real spaceship, with a real alien. And there¡¯s the possibility of cat girls.¡±


    ¡°But what about your family and friends back home?¡± she asked. A tear a slid down her cheek.


    ¡°I¡¯m not close with my parents. My aunt and uncle, yeah, but I can tell you that my Uncle Marty would think this if the fucking coolest. And I¡¯ve been thinking about my Aunt Kathy nonstop. They would be happy I was having this adventure.¡±


    I could¡¯ve kept going. I could¡¯ve said that I was being spared decades of work in construction, job sites, invoices, taxes. Fuck. At least the ring wasn¡¯t asking me about my W-2.


    And who knew? There might be a way back, but I didn¡¯t think so.


    ¡°I¡¯m close with my mom,¡± she said. ¡°She¡¯ll be worried. No one will know what happened. She¡¯ll think I¡¯m dead. My dad, though, definitely won¡¯t give a shit. And my so-called friends probably won¡¯t either. I wasn¡¯t really me around them. I wanted so much to be¡­¡±


    She closed her mouth. ¡°Never mind. We¡¯ll get home. We¡¯ll figure this thing out. I shot a lot of those bugs yesterday. Professor Kroft would shoot better if she had a pair of glasses. Maybe your ring can magic up something.¡±


    I laughed. ¡°The ring did detect an anomalous energy source. It could be magic. I think it tapped into it somehow.¡±


    Billie sighed and turned away. ¡°I¡¯m going to try my best to keep it together. I don¡¯t want to be a bitch to you, or to Professor Kroft. I also don¡¯t want to be that whiny, crybaby girl in horror movies. I hate that. And I know, I¡¯ve been that here, and it makes me feel bad.¡±


    I risked everything by going up to her and touching her back. ¡°Listen. I was here alone, in the desert, and it was hot as hell, and all I could think about was finding a way to start a fire. We are all handling this stuff differently.¡±


    ¡°I just wished I wasn¡¯t so hungry,¡± Billie said softly.


    I was so fucking surprised when she leaned against me. I put my arm around her, and she put her head on my shoulder.


    A couple of months ago, this was exactly what I had wanted. Then she¡¯d turned so cold.


    I now knew what she was capable of, and I had to be careful. Hurt me once, shame on you. Hurt me twice, shame on me. Aunt Kathy loved that particular phrase.


    We chatted more, but it wasn¡¯t long before Professor Kroft came walking up the game path, putting her hair in a bun. ¡°I feel so much better, refreshed, clean, calm. And the berries are perfect. I say we eat our fill, and then you two can take your turn at Privacy Rock.¡±


    ¡°Not together, Professor!¡± Billie said out of nowhere.


    The professor took the outburst in stride. ¡°Not together.¡±


    I only shook my head and chuckled.


    Billie Lynn Kidd was showing me more of her human side, and yet she could still be such a spoiled little brat. I didn¡¯t think that was ever going to change.

 Chapter Eleven – The AQUIA Device

    We picked that sweetberry bush clean.


    Most of them were sweet, like a cross between a blackberry and the ripest of strawberries. Every so often, though I got one that was kind of sour. It was a good mixture of flavors though. I made sure that we all had the same amount because I wasn¡¯t going to hog them all just because I could eat faster than the girls.


    After some berries and leaf water, Billie took a rifle and went to Privacy Rock.


    Again, I could picture her stripping, her nipples getting stiff in the misty rain, which had started to fall. Would she bathe before she got herself off? Or would she get all hot and sweaty and then dive into the perfect waters.


    I kept getting hard in the jumpsuit, but I had other things to worry about. So far, we¡¯d not heard any more roars, and we thought the monsters¡ªpossible dinosaurs¡ªwere sleeping in because they¡¯d eaten so many fleas the night before.


    Another worry was the ring. It hadn¡¯t messaged me in hours. Had it run out of power? And what was an AQUIA charging station anyway?


    What I really needed was another power crystal.


    I explained my situation to the professor, and then, incredibly, she pulled a red crystal out of her back pocket. ¡°Like this?¡±


    ¡°Yes! That¡¯s it exactly!¡±


    ¡°I found it at Privacy Rock.¡± She tossed it to me, but her throw was off. The professor was not athletic at all.


    But something strange happened. The crystal curved through the air and soared over to my hand. But the minute it touched my skin, it vanished.


    The ring messaged me immediately!


    <<<>>>


    Current circumstantial evaluation paused.


    Anomalous energy source detected! Utilizing. Charged to 6% of full.


    Paraxen Multitool Detected


    Configure settings? YES/NO


    <<<>>>


    ¡°Fuck yeah,¡± I whispered. That was what did it. The ring just didn¡¯t have enough juice. Only six percent wasn¡¯t good. We needed to find more crystals.


    Professor Kroft smiled. ¡°Your eyes flashed a little. Is it good news, Mr. Marshall?¡± One of her hands rested on the pistol in a loop on her side.


    ¡°Very good news. I¡¯m getting the prompt to configure the Paraxen Multitool.¡±


    Static appeared in my vision.


    <<<>>>


    From linguistical patterns, this appears to be an expletive matched with slang in the affirmative. ¡°Yeah¡± is very close to ¡°yes.¡±


    Setting configuration must be confirmed in a clear manner.


    Configure settings? YES/NO


    <<<>>>


    ¡°Yes!¡± My voice was loud.


    Did I hear Billie moaning from over by Privacy Rock?


    No. That was probably only my overactive imagination.


    <<<>>>


    Paraxen Pairing Protocols Initiated


    Scanning¡­


    Five items found!


    <ul>


    <li>Paraxen Survival Suit</li>


    <li>Paraxen Multitool</li>


    <li>Weeper X15 Plasma Pistol Detected (10 Charges Left)</li>


    <li>Weeper X15 Plasma Pistol Detected (Empty)</li>


    <li>Tormentor4 Rifle (Empty)</li>


    <li>Tormentor4 Rifle (5 Charges Left)</li>


    </ul>


    Settings Configuration Error


    AQUIA Setup Incomplete. Configure AQUIA? YES/NO


    <<<>>>


    ¡°Yes!¡± I said quickly.


    I thought I understood the message. I¡¯d have to configure the AQUIA before I could configure the Paraxen Multitool. I was pretty sure I was running into trouble because the ring¡¯s battery was so low.


    More static crackled over my vision as a message appeared, the message winking in and out.


    <<<>>>


    Arkadian Quantum Universal Intelligence Assistant


    HOSTNAME: Sidney Richard Marshall


    HOST Species: Primitive Primate.


    HOST Optimization: 51% successful.


    Input name of AQUIA?


    Verbal Commands ON/OFF?


    This unit¡¯s primary mission is incomplete.


    Menu Options Pending


    Error: This unit¡¯s power source is low. Please charge to at least 10% for minimal functionality.


    <<<>>>


    I was right. The damn ring needed more power crystals to work. Or should I call them magic crystals? That explained some of the weirdness.The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.


    ¡°Verbal commands on!¡± I said, rather loudly.


    Professor Kroft kind of jumped.


    I apologized. ¡°Sorry. I¡¯m talking to my jewelry.¡±


    The menu option¡ªVerbal Commands¡ªflashed and was to ¡°ON.¡±


    I was on a roll. ¡°I want to change the name of the AQUIA to Opal. O.P.A.L.¡±


    Aunt Kathy¡¯s best friend was named Opal. She¡¯d made me a quilt when I was nine. I loved that quilt, and I still had it. For a second, I was homesick.


    The menu flashed, and I¡¯d set the name. ¡°Back to the main menu.¡±


    I went back, and I chose the Paraxen Survival Suit. It was self-cleaning, and there were any number of parameters, though some of them seemed broken. I could create boots, though, which would save my feet.


    The verbal commands were pretty intuitive. ¡°Short sleeves. Boots. Shorts. Capri pants.¡± Saying those words either shrank or extended the cloth, which seemed to be working like nanotech. I didn¡¯t need the sandals anymore, since the suit could provide me with footwear.


    ¡°Winter coat,¡± I said. And the material puffed out, like a heavy winter coat.


    I could reset it to the default, which is how we¡¯d put it on.


    Professor Kroft¡¯s face came into view. ¡°Good gravy, Sid. This is amazing. If Billie and I had rings, we could do that to our clothes, make dresses, create outfits. Are there any more settings?¡±


    There were.


    I could set the jumpsuit to different colors, different textures, and I could create camouflage. Adding a hood, I could blend into my surroundings. Basically, I¡¯d been given a magical cloak.


    ¡°Okay, Professor, let me try the Multitool.¡± I went to the menu options.


    <<<>>>


    Paraxen Multitool Activated


    New HOST detected.


    Primate¡¯s idea of tools questionable and limits of intellect detected.


    Arkadian Quantum Universal Intelligence Assistant in error state: 92% of normal functionality.


    Input name of tool.


    Limit Five


    Tool configurations:


    <ul>


    <li>Etrusca Roofing Hammer</li>


    <li>Add tool pending.</li>


    <li>Add tool pending.</li>


    <li>Add tool pending.</li>


    <li>Add tool pending.</li>


    </ul>


    <<<>>>


    The Survival Suit didn¡¯t give the error state message, so I could only assume that the Multitool needed more juice.


    I tried to create a rifle, but got an error message, something about too many moving parts.


    So I had to keep it simple.


    ¡°Input name, Betsy.¡± That was what Uncle Marty called his old lever-action hunting rifle. I always liked the name.


    Then I got to work. ¡°Add tool. Ax.¡±


    Holding the hammer, it suddenly lengthened, becoming a short-handled ax. It was the exact same size as a survival ax that my Uncle Marty had. The interface must¡¯ve been reading my thought patterns, which is why my suit turned into a winter coat I once had.


    That made sense. Language is based on our perception of things. A dog to one person might be chihuahua, while a dog to another is always a Golden Retriever.


    Since I couldn¡¯t make a rifle, I didn¡¯t try crafting a bow. We didn¡¯t have arrows, though I was pretty sure Professor Kroft might know how to make some.


    Up close, I had plenty of weapons. I needed a range weapon that was reusable. I knew exactly what I wanted.


    ¡°Add tool. javelin.¡±


    The ax lengthened into a throwing spear.


    I had to think. I only had two other ways I could configure the tool. I bet if the AQUIA device wasn¡¯t in an error state I might be able to make anything from a screwdriver to a plumber¡¯s wrench to a polearm.


    From reading through the menus, I was pretty sure I wouldn¡¯t be able to reconfigure the weapon, not if Opal didn¡¯t have more power.


    I¡¯d leave the last two slots blank until I needed them. Maybe on our travels we¡¯d discover a Home Depot, dropped on K¡¯Shaul by the energy storm.


    Professor Kroft watched, mouth hanging open. ¡°This is remarkable. Good gravy, that¡¯s programmable matter. You could do any number of things with such technology. This is a miracle.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s an Arkadian Quantum Universal Intelligence Assistant, kind of broken, which sucks, but hey, I have an ax. I needed an ax. But watch this, Professor. Opal. Configure tool. Roofing hammer.¡±


    The javelin morphed into a hammer.


    ¡°Opal. Configure tool. Ax.¡±


    The tool changed, so I had an ax in my hand.


    ¡°No sword?¡± the professor asked.


    I shrugged. ¡°We need to have actual tools to help us survive. Besides, why would I need a sword when I have a gun?¡±


    I configured a holster into my survival suit and slipped one of the empty pistols in.


    ¡°This is a long shot, but maybe I can re-charge it.¡±


    I went to the menu option and was given a nasty message.


    <<<>>>


    Weeper X15 plasma pistol (Empty)


    To recharge, place in Weeper C13 Charging Station


    Suggested purchase: Weeper C13 Remote Charging Station with Wireless Charging


    <<<>>>


    ¡°Ugh.¡± I couldn¡¯t help but grunt in frustration. ¡°You don¡¯t happen to have a C13 Charging Station, do you?¡±


    The professor¡¯s laughter was musical. ¡°I¡¯m afraid not.¡±


    ¡°Opal. Interface off.¡±


    There was a flash in my eyes, static, and then a final message:


    <<<>>>


    Evaluation of current circumstances resumed.


    Error: Power source low. 4% of full. Please charge to at least 10% for minimal functionality.


    This unit¡¯s primary mission incomplete


    Results of evaluation pending¡­.


    <<<>>>


    Billie walked up, looking clean, her hair combed, and a little glow on her face.


    ¡°Okay, people,¡± I said. ¡°We have to keep our eyes out for red power crystals. I¡¯m pretty sure they are magic. I need them for the ring. I named her Opal.¡±


    Billie rolled her eyes. ¡°Sure, guy. Magic crystals. Wait, you have an ax now? And boots? I want boots.¡±


    I flashed my ring at her. ¡°You need a magic ring.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not magic,¡± she said, snorting.


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t be too sure about that.¡±


    Taking them both in, I was struck by how sexy they were, beautiful, clean, and yes, I knew that both of them had just masturbated.


    Billie giggled. ¡°Did you just see the look he gave us, Professor? He¡¯ll be back in five minutes.¡±


    I wanted to protest, but she was probably right. My Paraxen survival suit was already adjusting to my bulge.


    ¡°Good,¡± the professor said, her eyes taking in my crotch. ¡°We have a lot to do. Don¡¯t dawdle, Mr. Marshall.¡± She seemed to catch herself. ¡°But still. Enjoy yourself.¡±


    I laughed. ¡°Not in the mood. I¡¯m just going to wash up a little. Be back in five. While I¡¯m gone, look for crystals. I¡¯m serious.¡±


    ¡°Yeah. Thanks.¡± I hurried away. Would it have been better if we didn¡¯t talk about the strange effect K¡¯Shaul was having on our libidos? No. Then we¡¯d have to sneak away, find privacy on our own, not talk to each other. Our very lives hung in the balance.


    We needed to communicate, no matter how embarrassing, and we were all feeling the same thing.


    Why was that? We¡¯d learn.


    I walked along the edge of the rock and found the overhang. It was cool there, and it was nice to get out of the mist. I had the ax, though I could turn it into a javelin at a moment¡¯s notice.


    Unzipping, I had to take a minute to marvel at my new cock. I knew at some point, if we didn¡¯t find a way back, the professor and the CrossFit queen would eventually give into the temptation. I would as well.


    But I wasn¡¯t about to rush them.


    Just the idea of those two, in the overhang, rubbing themselves, had me hard as rock. I thought of them together, kissing. Their bodies were completely different, but so sexy.


    ¡°Fuck it,¡± I hissed.


    We needed to find more power crystals, and jerking off wouldn¡¯t help us with that.


    Also, the professor was right. Berries weren¡¯t going to do it. We needed to retrieve our stuff back on the bus and then find a good place to sleep that night.


    The overhang was probably our best bet, though I would bet any number of animals would be coming to drink at the pool, and that would include predators.


    No, I was thinking of building a real home for us.


    Diving into the water, I found it surprisingly warm.


    It must¡¯ve been fed by a hot spring, deep down.


    I floated there, on my back for a minute, relaxing. The morning mist was burning off, and the sun was out, bathing all the moons in a bright radiance. I swear, I could feel both the sunlight and the moonlight as the air got hotter.


    Then I heard the rocks skitter across the cliff¡¯s surface before landing in the pool.


    That jerked me out of reverie.


    Treading water, I looked up.


    There, above me, at the top of the overhang, stood a woman in a leather tunic with sandals that went up to her knees.


    She looked Asian¡ªlight brown skin and black hair tied back with a leather thong. In her hand was a short bow, and on her back was a quiver of arrows. At her side was an honest to goodness flint knife.


    We locked eyes for a second.


    At first, I thought her eyes were brown, but no, they were striking dark green. Freckles were splashed across her nose. Those freckles seemed to move. Impossible. It must¡¯ve been a trick of the sunlight hitting all those moons in the sky above.


    A second later, she was gone.


    It was my first time seeing the huntress, but it wouldn¡¯t be my last.

 Chapter Twelve – Luck & Conversation

    ¡°How beautiful was she?¡± Billie asked, scowling.


    Professor Kroft only smiled at me indulgently. ¡°Surely not as pretty as you and I are, Billie. I think that¡¯s what Sid meant.¡±


    ¡°Yep. That¡¯s what I meant.¡± I was grateful for the way out of the sticky situation. But why would Billie be jealous? She had her boyfriend, Mike. Wait. Or was it Scott?


    We stood by the sweetberry bushberries as I told the girls all about my strange encounter. Somehow, Professor Kroft had braided Billie¡¯s hair into long pigtails. Billie looked good, kind of sporty, and ready for the day. She still didn¡¯t have the greatest attitude, however.


    ¡°The point is,¡± I continued, ¡°that we¡¯re not alone. I saw her, she was human¡­or she looked human at least. This is good. Also, she had arrows. We need help with arrows because I might be able to configure Betsy into a short bow.¡±


    Billie stopped scowling but now she was frowning. ¡°But the professor can make arrows, right?¡±


    Professor Kroft put a hand on her chest. ¡°I have an idea on how to make the arrowheads, but the fletching is beyond me. We should save the feathers from the ravens just in case we do befriend the mysterious huntress.¡±


    ¡°Why does she get a cool name?¡± Billie asked. Then she caught herself. ¡°Okay. That was petty. I¡¯m just afraid. What if there is a tribe of Amazons, and they, you know, want to initiate us by having this huge lesbian orgy?¡±


    ¡°We should be so lucky,¡± Professor Kroft whispered under her breath.


    Did I hear that right?


    Before it could fully register, the professor had another question for me. ¡°Did you try and track her?¡±


    ¡°I tried,¡± I said. But up there, at the top of the overhang, there¡¯s only the limestone. I searched the game trails, but I didn¡¯t see sandal footprints. If she is a huntress, she would know to hide her tracks.¡±


    ¡°Drat,¡± the professor. ¡°Good gravy, this is worrying.¡±


    ¡°There!¡± Billie said loudly.


    ¡°Where?¡± I was searching all around. Had Billie seen the beautiful huntress? And she was beautiful.


    But leave it to Billie to freak us out for nothing.


    Billie lowered her voice. ¡°No. Not the huntress. This ¡®good gravy¡¯ thing. Who even says that? And drat? Did you really use the word ¡®drat¡¯?¡±


    Professor Kroft nodded. ¡°Yes, Miss Kidd, I did. As for the expression, it comes from a Medieval English saying that compares the normal parts of life to meat and potatoes. The luxuries are referred to as the gravy. Good gravy. I can say ¡®Good Grief¡¯ if you prefer. Mother hated swearing, and so I found a way to curse around her.¡±


    I didn¡¯t know what to say. Professor Kroft had never opened up to us like that, and I didn¡¯t know a thing about her past. To me, she was simply my hot anthropology teacher.


    ¡°Sorry,¡± Billie said quickly. ¡°It¡¯s fine. It¡¯s just weird though.¡±


    The professor smiled. ¡°I¡¯m very strange, Ms. Kidd, but I¡¯ve learned to embrace it. Studying other cultures has helped. What is considered bizarre in one culture is perfectly accepted in another, and yet, there is a truth that pervades all.¡±


    ¡°What is that truth?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Cultures thrive when people work together. It is our evolutionary advantage. We don¡¯t have claws, we¡¯re not particularly quick, and our skin makes for poor armor. Even our teeth don¡¯t help us in combat. What we have is our intellect and our community. One man is easy to kill. A hundred men is harder. A thousand people, working together, is almost unstoppable.¡±


    ¡°So we¡¯ll work together,¡± I said.


    She nodded, her eyes soft on me. ¡°We are working together. And you, Sid Marshall, shall be our weapon, our protector, our provider.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the plan,¡± I agreed.


    ¡°I can do stuff,¡± Billie protested.


    ¡°Comic relief?¡± I had to laugh at my own joke.


    Billie narrowed her eyes at first. Then she had to smile. ¡°I do have a sense of humor, though you haven¡¯t seen much of it. And I¡¯m pretty. Your huntress might be a huge lesbian, and I can sweep her off her feet.¡±


    ¡°You know,¡± Professor Kroft started slowly. ¡°We also have your tribe of Amazons to consider. You leapt to the idea of an orgy rather quickly.¡±


    Billie blushed. ¡°Gosh, let¡¯s just continue our morning. What new horrors are we going to face today?¡±


    I switched my tool to an ax. ¡°Probably more giant fleas. We have to retrieve our bag of crap and the last rifle from the bus. And your sandals.¡±


    ¡°Maybe we¡¯ll find another ring, and I can get a cool pair of boots like you.¡± Billie grabbed my arm and pulled me away down the path that lead through the giant redwoods toward the bus.


    ¡°Above all,¡± I said, ¡°we need to look for more power crystals.¡±


    We¡¯d not gotten ten feet when a head popped up, making a fern sway. It was some kind of deer, or gazelle, with short antlers. Maybe it didn¡¯t need big antlers because it had tusks.The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.


    The tusked deer was chewing on the fern, mouth working, looking at us with wary eyes. There were other deer beyond it, a whole little herd.


    I came to a stop, and Billie went to say something, but I managed to shush her with a finger to my lips, and she covered her hand with her mouth. This was our chance to get meat, and I was glad she wasn¡¯t ruining it.


    Professor Kroft was smart enough to stop, going rigid.


    The tusked deer could bolt at any minute. They were big, far bigger than I would¡¯ve thought, though everything in the forest was larger than normal.


    I reached back, and Professor Kroft handed me the rifle. It didn¡¯t have a scope, though it did have iron sights. Pushing it to my shoulder, I didn¡¯t waste any time.


    The deer retreated a little, but that was perfect for me.


    Its front legs were exposed¡­as was its chest.


    If these were like normal deer, they would have a heart right behind their front legs.


    I aimed right where the leg met the body. Gently, I squeezed the trigger without taking a breath.


    I couldn¡¯t miss this shot. If we could get such a big animal, we could eat for days.


    No pressure, though.


    My shot surprised me, which was good. My aim was perfect.


    The plasma sizzled through the tusked deer, right where I wanted. It dropped to the ground while the other deer took off in a storm of hooves.


    I quickly ran forward, wanting to see how good my shooting was. At less than a hundred yards, I should¡¯ve hit my mark.


    I did. I found the blast had eaten through the rib cage and through most of its lungs and heart. The meat was still sizzling. The plasma rifle wasn¡¯t the best tool for hunting, but I didn¡¯t trust myself with the javelin yet. I¡¯d need to practice. Ideally, I¡¯d craft a bow, which made me think of the huntress again.


    ¡°Meats back on the menu, girls!¡± I said in triumph. ¡°The bus is going to have to wait! Let¡¯s see if we can find ourselves a kitchen back at Privacy Rock. But first, I¡¯m hoping my new ax is sharp. Wish me luck.¡±


    Billie started clapping. ¡°Oh my gosh, that was so epic! I can¡¯t believe you got him!¡±


    Professor Kroft joined her. ¡°Bravo, Mr. Marshall. If only we had some salt for curing. We could try smoking the meat, though we would have to be quick. The flies will come to ruin the meat. With the hot desert sun, drying the meat might also be an option, though I¡¯m going to have to really try and remember some of my ancient meat curing class.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m wondering how lunch is going to work with our vegetarian.¡± I had to tease Billie a little.


    She made a face. ¡°I was scared yesterday. I know I have to eat meat, okay? It¡¯s just not that healthy for you.¡±


    ¡°Healthier than not eating, right?¡± Why was I needling her? This was a mistake, and yet, I couldn¡¯t help myself.


    ¡°We had the berries,¡± Billie said in her defense. ¡°That was our carb, and we got phytonutrients from them, but we need a protein, so yes, I¡¯m totally going to eat the deer. Don¡¯t tease.¡± Then she actually pouted.


    I kind of actually felt bad. ¡°I won¡¯t tease.¡±


    Thumbing the edge of the ax, it felt sharp.


    I got to work, slitting open the belly. I wished I had an actual knife, but I didn¡¯t want to use my last tool configuration on a blade just yet. Besides, the bag of crap had those little bits of metal.


    In the end, I didn¡¯t have to do that good of a job cleaning it. We didn¡¯t have a way of preserving the meat, and so we¡¯d mostly eat the big muscles on the animal¡¯s haunches.


    The ax was very sharp, and that helped me.


    Normally, I wouldn¡¯t have gone after such big prey, since it took a lot of energy to deal with the meat, and there was a good chance it would bring in predators. However, it had been right there, and we were hungry. It would take a bit for our bodies to adjust to less food.


    I remembered cleaning deer that I¡¯d shot while hunting with Uncle Marty. For them, we¡¯d cut out the butthole while being extra careful not to nick the intestines. I wasn¡¯t going to really worry about that with the tusked deer I¡¯d shot.


    I ended up quartering the deer. I might¡¯ve been able to carry the entire carcass, but it was big, massive. We were going to be able to eat meat for days.


    Turns out, I was far stronger than I thought. Muscles glowing, I hefted the haunches onto my shoulders and only had to make two trips. Sure, my survival suit got dirty, but those bloodstains would soon be gone, absorbed and cleaned by the material.


    Back at Privacy Rock, we found our kitchen. There was a flat rock, under a tall mushroom tree, next to a little stream that trickled away from the pond. It was the perfect place.


    It wasn¡¯t raining, but it still took a bit to find dry wood.


    Like I said, everything in the forest was big. I found a fallen tree, and when I shoved it aside, a centipede the size of my arm sped away on a million legs. I was pretty sure it hissed at me before it fled. And there was a spider the size of a cat with a web between two other smaller pines. The thing was colorful and easy to see, but something that big did get my arachnophobia going.


    I had the girls gather dry grass, so I could use it to start the fire. My welding torch gave me the initial flame.


    While I thought I would have a hard time skinning the animal with the ax, it was sharp enough and there was enough of an angle, I was able to take the hide off relatively easily.


    ¡°We need to hang the other pieces of meat, but we don¡¯t really have rope. There was some wire in our bag of crap, but not enough. And the elastic bands wouldn¡¯t help us either.¡±


    Professor Kroft found some massive reeds growing along the edge of the pond. Working the edges, she pulled off a length of plant. ¡°We could weave these together to create rope. Billie, while Sid cooks, come and help me gather the strands, and then we can work on braiding them.¡±


    ¡°Like hair?¡± Billie asked.


    ¡°Very similar,¡± the professor replied.


    I never would¡¯ve thought an anthropology professor would be so useful out in the bush, trying to survive. Then again, she¡¯d studied how our ancestors had survived long enough to invent microwaves and Costcos.


    Normally, Uncle Marty would hang his deer up for a day or so, to let the blood drain off it. That was a way of tenderizing it and adding flavor, but at the moment, I was hungry. The raven meat from the the night before wasn¡¯t all that filling, and the sweetberries were only going to hold back the hunger for so long.


    Like most Americans, I was used to trying not to eat too many calories, and so my intake on a regular basis had trained my body to expect a variety of food at certain intervals.


    I was missing intervals, and I felt it.


    I found two Y-shaped branches and with some random rocks, I was able to anchor them to create a spit. Then, I turned the meat, roasting it over the flames. The sizzling meat had me hungry, and I was overjoyed to see that Billie and Professor Kroft had woven us several yards of rope. It looked pretty rough, knotted together, but it seemed strong.


    But where to hang it? And where were we going to sleep that night?


    The bus had been so comfortable. The overhang at Privacy Rock didn¡¯t really give us an escape route if we found ourselves facing a predator. I didn¡¯t want to get boxed in, and I knew that the pool would draw both prey and predator.


    No, we¡¯d have to return to the branches of our redwood tree, though that wasn¡¯t ideal either. We didn¡¯t know if there were giant eagles or any other animals that might swoop down on us. Besides, at that height, if we did run into trouble, falling was a real possibility.


    I wanted to build us a shelter, but there were the monsters to consider. Part of me wished I¡¯d simply gone and done some recon during the Jurassic Park battle the night before, just to get a sense of what they were.


    We needed to do some hardcore exploring.


    First though, we¡¯d eat, secure our meat, and retrieve our gear from the bus, and then I was going to find us a good place to sleep that night. Along the way, I hoped we¡¯d find more power crystals.


    Like us, Opal needed to eat.

 Chapter Thirteen – Reclaiming the Salvage

    Our unexpected lunch tasted so good.


    I expected the meat to taste terrible, but no, it was delicious, juicy, a little crispy on the outside, and so good. Cooking the crows had taught me a little about using a fire for cooking. Also, I wasn¡¯t exhausted, and that helped, and I remembered any number of lessons I¡¯d learned from my uncle.


    My little vegetarian dove in with gusto, and soon her face and fingers were greasy from the meat. We all would wash in the pool after the meal.


    After we ate, the girls went back to weaving our rope while I cleaned up. I was surprised at how much rope they had made when I was done. Billie insisted it was because they¡¯d both grown up braiding hair.


    It was early afternoon when we hung our meat near our redwood perch. I used piece of our new rope to tie two haunches¡ªthe big back thighs of the deer¡ªtogether so they could hang off the top of the tree.


    I would be taking the third haunch with me. I had a plan.


    The flies had already found the meat, and it wouldn¡¯t be good for long. Too bad we didn¡¯t have the resources to smoke it, salt it, or dry it. Not yet. That would change. I was just glad there were so many deer left in that herd we encountered. If I could find them once, I could find them again, when we were more prepared.


    Climbing up and down the mushroom tree was a pain in the fucking ass. There was no way that the redwood was going to be our permanent home. I was dying to know where the huntress was living, and if she was from a big tribe.


    Another part of me wanted to massacre the monsters, and then we could live on the ground, build a shelter, maybe add some fortifications. First, though we needed to rescue our rifle and supplies from the fleas.


    Before long, we were standing at the edge of the forest. Rainforest World¡¯s sun was shining brightly through the various moons above. The sky above the strip of Earth was cloudy. The scarlet-tinged sky of the Red Dune World showed both suns heading toward a western horizon we¡¯d never seen because our Earth sky and the Rainforest World¡¯s sky blocked the view.


    So far, the red sands were still. The starship winked at us from the distance. There wasn¡¯t a giant flea in sight.


    ¡°Okay,¡± I said. ¡°I¡¯m betting that the fifteen feet of Earth is safe, but the bus is right next to the red sand. If I get close, I think that¡¯s when the fun is going to start.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s bigger,¡± the professor murmured.


    Billie rolled her eyes. ¡°We know, professor. Sid¡¯s dick is bigger. Gosh, can we not stop talking about sex for five minutes?¡±


    She was such a brat.


    The professor smiled patiently. ¡°No. The mound, in the distance, it¡¯s bigger.¡±


    Billie laughed and snorted like a middle school boy. ¡°You said ¡®mound.¡¯¡±


    Where was the ultra-cool CrossFit queen? She seemed to be relaxing a little, showing us her dorkier side.


    I¡¯d been so worried about the red dunes that I hadn¡¯t really noticed the termite mound, but she was right. It was rising up into the sky, way in the distance. We could see shapes on the tower, moving about. They didn¡¯t look like fleas to me.


    Okay. Then what were they?


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter,¡± I said, ¡°unless they come looking for trouble. Fuck the desert. We have our very own rainforest, and there¡¯s a reason why Brazil¡¯s population is so much bigger than New Mexico¡¯s. Let the bugs build their mound into the upper atmosphere, I don¡¯t care. I care about getting our rifle and supplies. And dammit, I would love to get those bus seats out. Sleeping on wood isn¡¯t very comfortable.¡±


    ¡°It was terrible last night,¡± Billie complained.


    The professor nodded. ¡°You¡¯ll get no argument from me. If this goes quickly, I am hoping for a nap. I hardly slept a wink last night between the flea attack, the roars of the monsters, and the precariousness of our perch.


    ¡°Well,¡± I said. ¡°I¡¯m considering our options. Let¡¯s get our supplies and the rifle first.¡±


    I had a definite reason for bringing the haunch of meat, since I was pretty sure that we wouldn¡¯t be able to get to the bus without encountering our flea friends.


    ¡°Billie, you¡¯ll have the rifle,¡± I said. ¡°We want to ration our charges, since we don¡¯t know if we¡¯ll ever be able to recharge it. I didn¡¯t see anything on the ship before, but Opal and I have come a long way in the past few hours. Just lay down suppression fire. Professor, you have the pistol as backup. Only use it for emergencies. We might all be running like hell back to the mushroom tree if things go south. We¡¯ll see.¡±


    Carrying the hunk of meat over my shoulder on some of our homemade rope, I started for the bus. In the distance, the red sands rippled but nothing came closer.


    I could leap away, or that was the hope. I was still getting used to optimized body. I did have to wonder what would happen when Opal¡¯s power levels got above 10%. Maybe I¡¯d get further optimizations. Also, she was still analyzing our current situation. Maybe once she finished, she could tell me everything I needed to know about the strange world of K¡¯Shaul.


    I approached the bus, getting closer and closer.


    That was when the first flea emerged from the red sand not five feet from the bus. Others joined it, popping their heads up out of the sand. Their eyes were only black dots on their weird faces.


    I wasn¡¯t going to mess around. I whirled the alien deer meat around on the end of the rope and then flung it out as far as I could way out onto the red sands. All of those fleas leapt for it, hundreds of them, all fighting each other to get to the meat.


    My first thought had been to grab the rifle and bag, but standing there, I noticed that the energy storm had cut the bus in just the right place for me to grab the edge.Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit.


    Those fleas were fighting over the meat so well that I had a minute.


    But was I strong enough to pull the bus into the forest?


    I grabbed it and heaved it up. Those back wheels were working perfectly. My muscles glowed as I pulled it across the dust of my world. I tore up some sagebrush, ripped through some juniper, but slowly but surely, I pulled it across the ground. Sweat covered every inch of me. It was funny, but the more I needed my strength, the more strength I seemed to have.


    Then, I pulled it into the forest, down the path. Ferns caught it, and I let out a yell and pulled it through the undergrowth.


    Losing my grip, I found myself on the ground.


    Both Billie and the Professor stood on the side, their eyes wide and their mouth hanging open.


    At first, I thought they were impressed with me, but no, they were pointing out at something. They weren¡¯t saying a peep though.


    I grabbed the bus and hauled it another couple dozen feet through the rain forest. A few of the huge centipedes went running. One of those giant colorful spiders scurried away.


    Professor Kroft called to me in a whisper. ¡°Sid. You should come and see this.¡±


    I left the bus and pushed my way through some broken ferns.


    I knew why the fleas hadn¡¯t come racing to stop me from hauling away the bus.


    They were currently snacking on a giant rattlesnake the size of a dozen semi-truck trailers that had come slithering across the sands. I could see the tracks it had left behind, creating little mini dunes. It must¡¯ve smelled the meat. However, the fleas had overwhelmed it. Unlike with whatever monsters were in the rain forest, that giant snake didn¡¯t have the armor to survive. It was soon covered in the sand fleas, and they were all drinking it dry. It thrashed about, sending up clouds of dust, writing around, and then, it had lost too much blood and laid there as all the insects feasted.


    It was a pretty gruesome sight.


    Billie looked green.


    ¡°Hey,¡± I said to her. ¡°Don¡¯t throw up. You can¡¯t spare the calories.¡±


    She swallowed hard. Yeah, she was trying not to throw up. ¡°That¡­that¡­that thing¡­it can¡¯t be possible¡­¡±


    The professor was pale as well, with dark circles under her eyes. We needed to find a safe shelter, and we needed rest. The women had been pushed to the very edges of their sanity.


    Professor Kroft licked her lips. ¡°The snake has brown and yellow markings, which isn¡¯t good camouflage, and so, I don¡¯t think it¡¯s from Red Dune World. It must be from somewhere else, but where? I don¡¯t understand. A creature that size couldn¡¯t have come from the Rainforest World. We would have seen evidence of its passing.¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter,¡± Billie erupted. ¡°Because our guns wouldn¡¯t do jack shit against it. We can¡¯t fight stuff like that. And we can¡¯t sleep in the bus on the ground. Because¡­because¡­because¡­¡±


    I waited for the explosion.


    Then I got it. she wailed one final word. ¡°Monsters!¡±


    Then Billie was sobbing into Professor Kroft¡¯s chest. The older woman stroked the cheerleader¡¯s blond hair.


    I didn¡¯t know how to respond. I did know one thing. We had guns we needed to recharge, and I wanted to check the starship, one more time, for anything we could use. Unlike the bus, hauling the starships back to the relative safety of Rainforest World wasn¡¯t an option.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be right back,¡± I said as I grabbed the empty rifle and two pistols away from Billie.


    I moved past them and then I ran as fast as I could across our little strip of Earth. Then I launched myself into the air. I went flying into the air.


    Up high, I could see the grisly sight better.


    The stink of that snake would be stifling by the end of the day because that was a whole lot of meat to be left out in the blistering sun. I thought about trying to get to the meat, but no, it was covered in fleas, and their bodies were swelling. If I approached, they might see me as dessert.


    With the wind whistling in my ears, I started to float toward the ground, coming up fast. I relaxed and then I struck the ground and went rolling across the sands. I was going to have sand in every crack and crevice.


    Rising to my feet, I went running again, my boots churning in the sand. Sprinting through sand wasn¡¯t so easy, so I launched myself again into the air. This time I tried to land more efficiently, using my speed to fuel my legs. That worked out better, and I hit a patch of hardened ground.


    I was close enough that I could sprint into the starship.


    Inside, I activated the ring¡¯s display with the new name. ¡°Opal, I need help recharging my weapons. Do you have news for me?¡±


    Static messed up my vision for a second. Then I was given the same old information. Unknown energy was probably magic. The ring needed more power. Opal was still evaluating our current situation. Blah, blah, blah.


    I was simply glad that I could pull up the HUD when I needed it.


    ¡°Opal, yes, I know all that. But I need to recharge you, and I need to recharge our guns. Can you help with that?¡±


    The message I got was bad.


    <<<>>>


    ERROR: Loss of bridge integrity due to Ravana Storm. AQUIA charging station not detected.


    ERROR: C13 Charging Station detected. Error. Main reactor offline. Power unavailable. Please start Paraxen Explorer J-Class Starship to begin charging.


    WARNING: Primary Misson Incomplete


    <<<>>>


    ¡°Okay, Opal, what is your primary mission.¡±


    I was then told, in no uncertain terms, that it was still evaluating my current circumstances, and that I should shut the hell up.


    ¡°Well, you told me,¡± I grumbled. ¡°Opal, how do I start the Paraxen Explorer.¡±


    Opal seemed to get testy.


    <<<>>>


    This unit is in error state.


    Error: Power source low. 3% of full. Please charge to at least 10% for minimal functionality.


    Paraxen Explorer was critically damaged by a Ravana Storm. Unable to bring the main reactor online.


    This unit cannot comply. HOST queries not prioritized.


    Evaluation taking priority.


    Results of evaluation pending¡­


    <<<>>>


    It wasn¡¯t all bad news. A Ravana Storm had brought us to K¡¯Shaul, and it had basically damaged the starship beyond repair. Opal¡¯s batter was under four percent. That wasn¡¯t good.


    I did a cursory glance around the starship but didn¡¯t see anything new. I was probably missing something, but if I didn¡¯t get back to the rainforest, I¡¯d be flea bait.


    Leaving the spaceship, I took three giant steps and then I leapt maybe fifty feet in the air. I came down a hundred feet from where I¡¯d jumped. A few fleas pulled away from the giant rattlesnake, clumsily coming after me. They were ridiculously swollen with blood.


    Three more jumps and I was back in the forest, my leg muscles glowing. My bones had to be stronger because landing wasn¡¯t all that painful.


    I spun and saw a few of the giant sand fleas digging around where the bus had been. They might¡¯ve eyed the forest, but they weren¡¯t coming in after us.


    Maybe whatever had eaten a bunch of them the night before had them rethinking about returning to our territory. Well, the mysterious monsters were good for at least one thing.


    ¡°Why did you bring the bus back here?¡± Professor Kroft asked, still holding Billie.


    ¡°Because we need those seats. I think there might be something in the toolbox I can use to take them out of the bus. Also, that metal might come in handy.¡±


    Billie blinked at me, mouth hanging open. ¡°You can like fly.¡±


    ¡°Jumping is not flying, Billie. But I do all right.¡±


    She kept stealing glances at me. If she only liked football players, well, I had become something far better.


    We talked more about why I¡¯d gone to the starship and how I¡¯d made it back. But for most of that afternoon, I worked on removing the seats. I did find a wrench-like tool that helped me with the bolts, and it was evening when we started back to your redwood, dragging three seats behind us by their seat belts. That bus was as much of a treasure trove as the starship had been.


    After all that running, jumping, and working, I was hungry. My optimized muscles needed fuel. Luckily, we didn¡¯t have to hunt. We still had at least a hundred pounds of meat hanging off the mushroom tree.


    Or we did.


    Only one haunch was there, wedged between another branch and the trunk.


    Professor Kroft frowned. ¡°An animal wouldn¡¯t have only taken one haunch. Nor would they have run off with our rope. No, it seemed your huntress is also a thief.¡±


    ¡°Not my huntress,¡± I muttered.


    ¡°That bitch!¡± Billie screamed. ¡°That fucking bitch stole our meat!¡±


    She went on and on, but I was too busy looking at the ground. Her sandal prints marked the ground, and there were long marks of her dragging the big hunk of meat. That was why she needed the rope.


    It was the huntress, and she¡¯d left a trail for me to follow.

 Chapter Fourteen – Chasing the Huntress

    I debated what to do next. I could move faster alone, but didn¡¯t want to leave the girls alone. Every minute I waited, the huntress was getting farther away.


    I made the command decision. ¡°I¡¯m going after her. You two, get up into the tree. I¡¯ll leave you two with the rifles, and I¡¯ll take the pistol and the multitool. I should be fine.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Billie shrieked. ¡°You can¡¯t leave us. What if you die? What if another giant fucking snake like eats you? If you die, Sid Marshall, I will kill you!¡±


    I laughed. ¡°I¡¯m not going to die. I have too much to live for.¡±


    Billie calmed down a little, but tears were still on her face. ¡°It¡¯s because you love this.¡±


    Anger threatened to take me over. I fought to keep calm. ¡°That¡¯s the wrong word. I don¡¯t love this. You two get up the in the tree, now. If anything comes, you have the rifles, and you yell as loud as you can. I¡¯ll be right back.¡±


    Then I was jogging through the ferns underneath the towering trees.


    ¡°Opal, give my suit some camouflage.¡± Raising an arm, the fabric went from light gray to various colors of green.


    Following her trail was easy, yet I couldn¡¯t go as fast as I wanted. I had plenty of energy, and yes, I could turn on the speed, but my control wasn¡¯t so great. I didn¡¯t want to accidentally sprint into a tree.


    At least all the spiderwebs were gone. It took a bit when I realized I was following a trail that was part trail and part road. Wait, was that broken asphalt under all the tree litter? I crouched down and brushed away some soil to find very old pavement with even some chipped yellow paint. When had the Ravana Storm dropped that down? It seemed like something from earth, though the mushroom trees were definitely not from my planet.


    And the redwoods were wrong. Maybe it was a version of my earth?


    Big three-toed footprints marked up the mud. I had found the main avenue the monsters had used to come through the redwoods. It was also probably why the huntress had chosen to bring the meat this way.


    She¡¯d been in a hurry, so she didn¡¯t try and hide her footprints.


    Then, I came to an abrupt halt. I found remnants of the rope, and then, some blood and muscle.


    She had abandoned the meat. But why?


    Only one reason.


    Suddenly, out in the open, I felt very exposed.


    Overhead, cloud cover threw shadows everywhere, and I stopped to listen. I didn¡¯t hear a sound at first, not even the wind through the tops of the trees. Then I heard cawing in the distance, from those big crows we¡¯d eaten the night before.


    Then. Breathing.


    The Tyrannous Rex came charging out of the trees and onto the road. It had been waiting for me, and If I¡¯d have taken ten more steps, it would¡¯ve snapped me up.


    The thing was different shades of green, like my own camouflage. It didn¡¯t have scales though, more like armor, thick plates that gave it a rough, textured appearance. It was almost like it was wearing a helmet on its reptilian face.


    Wait. The armor didn¡¯t look like its skin. Was it wearing armor? That begged the question¡ªwho had made the armor for his massive beast the size of a greyhound bus. It had a long tail behind, snaking out from between its enormous feet with claws like swords. More like daggers, the talons on its three fingers were attached to surprisingly muscular and long arms. Those claws would completely shred me if I gave the thing the chance.


    Most of the time, though, the armored T. rex probably used its mouth to kill its prey. It had a mouth like a woodchipper.


    It came forward, roaring. This was the monster we¡¯d heard the night before. Holy shit, but this thing was enormous. Yeah, part of me was shitting my pants. Another part was loving the fact that I was seeing a dinosaur in real life.


    I loved dinosaurs.


    It was one thing to see them in books. In real life? It was a different deal. The smell of the thing was a mixture of mold, bad breath, and rotting meat. The stink hit me like a hammer. It also reminded me that I didn¡¯t want to die being chewed up in the thing¡¯s stinky maw.


    There was no way I was going to go toe-to-toe with the thing.


    Running, however, would only get me eaten. I whipped out my Weeper X15 and fired right into the back of its mouth. The plasma lit up its maw, so I had a great view of its teeth, fangs the color of amber against the red of its gums.


    It let out a roar of pure agony but that wasn¡¯t going to stop it.


    No, but luckily, the adrenaline surge gave me an extra boost of power. My muscles glowed as I dodged it, and then, not quite thinking, I raced up the muscles of its powerful legs.


    The bright green stuff covering it was some kind of hard fungi.


    Now I¡¯d seen everything¡ªa T. rex with mushroom armor. What the fuck?This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.


    I sped up the hard ridges and then I leapt off it, landing on half-buried pavement. I wasn¡¯t there a second before another T. rex came storming out, only this one was covered with a black fungus. It angled its head to gobble me up, but I was able to duck away, and then I was running, my quads like twin suns under the fabric of my survival suit.


    A third T. rex stormed out, this one bigger than all the rest. It too had the fungal armor, only this one was white. It snapped at me once, twice, three times, and I came within inches of being a tasty little snack for the big beasts.


    I dove and landed in a somersault, but my momentum carried me back to my feet. I had not planned that. The adrenaline was the likely culprit.


    For whatever reason, I immediately had names for them all. Jack was the white one, Reggie was the black one, and Green Albert was the dead one because as a rule of thumb, you should never eat plasma.


    I ran and leapt about a hundred yards and landed in ferns before stumbling. Bouncing into a tree, I was on my back, groaning and trying to breathe, though I couldn¡¯t. I¡¯d had the wind knocked out of me.


    With my diaphragm spasming, I managed to turn over onto my belly. I lay there, gasping, clawing at the soil. That¡¯s when I noticed a huge red crystal, the biggest I¡¯d ever seen, lying under some dried grass.


    Yes!


    I reached for it, and like magic, it ripped itself out of the yellow underbrush and flew right into my hand, where it disappeared.


    Opal was happy!


    <<<>>>


    Anomalous energy source detected! Utilizing. Charged to 8% of full.


    Evaluation speed increased by 33%.


    Results of evaluation pending¡­


    <<<>>>


    Opal¡¯s battery had jumped nearly five percentage points, which meant bigger crystals had more energy. We weren¡¯t at that magical ten percent yet, but we were getting there. I simply had to live a bit longer.


    I got up, ready to fight. But neither Jack nor Reggie were coming for me.


    The ferns dripped water on me, and I was a little chilly, since the sun had moved behind the clouds. My survival suit changed to better camouflage me. Was that why the T. rexes weren¡¯t chasing me down?


    I caught the whiff of a swamp. There was murky water somewhere close.


    Then I heard crunching and slurping and belching.


    I crept through the ferns and peaked out.


    Jack, the white one, was currently feasting on Green Albert¡¯s head while Reggie, the black one, was chewing on the dead dinosaur¡¯s long tail meat. Reggie slowly ate his way up to get to the haunches, but then Jack snapped at him, clearly telling Reggie to back the fuck off.


    I watched in wonder, my inner ten-year-old thrilled beyond belief.


    These weren¡¯t just dinosaurs, they were Tyrannosaurus Rexes, arguably the biggest, the baddest, and the best, and I was seeing them in real life, feeding off one of their own.


    It was a good choice. I was a bony little chicken wing compared to the twenty-two-ounce Porterhouse steak lying dead on the forest floor.


    Near me, the Rainforest World ended, and the Dinosaur Swamps began. In the far distance, above the treetops, a volcano was spewing lava down its slope. Between me and the volcano was a jungle of huge alien plants and black water and¡­more dinosaurs. The old name came to me at first¡­brontosauruses. No, that was the name of a species that didn¡¯t exactly exist anymore, since there was a mistake in reconstructing the skeleton. Another kind of dinosaur had been named first, and that was the name the scientists went with.


    ¡°Those are Apatosauruses,¡± I whispered. They were far away, but I could see their long necks reaching up to pull whole limbs off trees that bore a resemblance to the Louisiana bald cypress.


    There were all kinds of plant life, though, from huge flowering vines to massive trees with big flat leaves. It was an alien world, all right, but it seemed like the dinosaurs had found a way to live and thrive there.


    I stayed in the ferns of the Rainforest World to get a closer look, and soon I was standing on soggy ground. Not ten feet from me was a walkway, made from wooden planks, suspending over the water. Those weren¡¯t natural, but manmade like something you¡¯d find at a national park to keep tourists from getting their feet wet.


    Long serpentine shapes swished through the black water under that walkway. They looked far bigger than crocodiles. I had to remind myself they might be giant freshwater squid for all I knew. This was an alien patchwork world, after all, stitched together by the Ravana Storm.


    But who had made the walkway? It didn¡¯t look old¡ªfresh sap oozed out of the sawed-off edges of the wood. The planks had been awed off recently.


    I¡¯d told the girls that I¡¯d only wanted to catch the huntress and retrieve our meat. However, I couldn¡¯t resist the mystery of that wooden walkway. Turning, I saw that a trail had been cut through the forest, which would¡¯ve led to the main avenue where Jack and Reggie were currently feasting on Green Albert.


    I had a minute, and most likely, once the T. rexes finished eating Albert, they wouldn¡¯t be hungry for a while.


    The walkway held my weight, swaying a bit, ropes creaking. I could see where the rope supports were tried around spikes driven into the trees. Pistol in hand, I slowly walked across the planks. Above me, the sky had a strange orange tint to it, with a bright yellow sun shining through the haze. A single crescent moon hung on the horizon. Looking up and seeing the line in the sky, orange on one side and blue on the other made me smile.


    Billie had accused me of enjoying this. Fuck, I was trying not to but come on! I was in the middle of a dinosaur world, and I¡¯d just seen real T. rexes and Apatosauruses with my own eyes.


    The fun didn¡¯t end there. I was exploring a mysterious walkway, venturing into the unknown, with an Arkadian Quantum Universal Intelligence Assistant that still had a charge.


    I came to an intersection. To the left, the walkway took me to solid ground. To the right, the path snaked around more trees and disappeared into thick foliage, where vines hung down from mossy trees.


    There was no way I was going to trust those vines.


    Dryland would feel good under my feet.


    Still, I could feel the time ticking by. While the Dinosaur Swamps seemed to have plenty of day left, the light was fading in the Rainforest World. At least now I had a trail I could follow back, so I wouldn¡¯t get lost.


    Stepping off the walkway, I crouched to examine the stakes that had been driven into the ground. They were huge, with a big metal ring at the top¡ªthat was where the ropes were tied to.


    I shivered. The iron looked freshly forged. This walkway wasn¡¯t old, unlike the pavement under all the leaf litter in the Rainforest World.


    The trail cut through foliage, and I followed it through trees. Thorny weeds tugged at me, and I heard my survival suit rip. After pulling myself free, I watched as the fabric knit itself together.


    I ended up using my ax to cut a path because I didn¡¯t like any of the greenery touching me. We had poison oak around Grand Junction. It wasn¡¯t that common, but the itching had nearly killed me.


    Sweaty and tired, I was getting thirsty. I might have optimized cells, but I still needed to stay hydrated. Not bringing water with me was stupid, and there was no way I was going to go near that swamp water.


    I was about to turn around, but then the end of the path.


    A black obelisk rose up from the ground, dwarfed by the tall trees around it.


    I felt a dull thrumming in the air, like standing under power lines. Then I heard it, a deep buzzing, that set my teeth on edge.


    It was like the air around the obelisk was crackling with energy.


    There was no way I was going to walk away from such a mystery. Curiosity might¡¯ve killed the cat, but satisfaction brought him back.

 Chapter Fifteen – The Obelisk

    Craning my neck, the obelisk was probably seventy-five feet tall, and black, like polished obsidian. Runes were carved into the side, invisible except for when the light hit them just right. The closer I got to the structure, the more the air seemed electrified. I could feel it in my teeth, and that thrum started to give me a little headache.


    I cut through a final branch and found myself in a courtyard in the middle of the jungle, surrounded by trees and more dark water. Under my feet were polished black stones.


    The obelisk sat on a square base at least fifteen feet tall and twenty feet wide. The main part of the obelisk rose from the base, four sides, with a pyramid type point at the top. Those runes seemed to change every time I looked at them, though it was hard to tell. It wasn¡¯t like I could read some random ancient alien language.


    There were archways, like there should be doors there, but there weren¡¯t. The sides were solid black stone, with moisture leaking down the sides. Was that normal jungle sweat or something else?


    The archways were ornate, like Celtic knots, with various indentations.


    I crept closer, keeping back, but ready for anything. Nothing leapt out at me as I circled the structure. The base seemed like it could be hollow inside.


    Something flashed out of the corner of my eye. I found a small red crystal, in the dirt at the very edge of the courtyard. Getting closer, the crystal leapt to my hand and vanished. It only gave Opal a little power, but we were getting closer to the magical ten percent.


    With another power crystal in me, I had a wild idea.


    ¡°Hey, Opal, I know you¡¯re busy with your evaluation, and that my queries are not being prioritized, but could you help me with something?¡±


    I was surprised to get an answer.


    <<<>>>


    Evaluation of current circumstances paused.


    Please input a query.


    <<<>>>


    This was hopeful.


    ¡°Can you tell me what your primary mission is?¡±


    I didn¡¯t get anything. The second message hung in my vision, unwavering, and so I got closer to the obelisk.


    ¡°Opal, I don¡¯t suppose you can tell me what the structure in front of me is. Or would you spend days evaluating it?¡±


    <<<>>>


    Evaluation paused.


    Error: Power source low. 9 % of full.


    This unit¡¯s functionality increased by 35%.


    Sarcasm detected.


    Auditory settings initiated for HOST.


    HOST¡¯s primate species has limited auditory abilities.


    Would you like to switch to auditory messaging for easier interfacing during more casual interactions? YES/NO


    <<<>>>


    ¡°Yes,¡± I said out loud. I was surprised I didn¡¯t feel like a moron talking to myself. However, my voice didn¡¯t seem all that loud compared to the buzzing of the obelisk.


    The display vanished, and then I heard a sharp whine in my ear, like feedback. I had to wince. Maintaining my hold on my ax and my pistol, I pressed the backs of my hands against my ears. It was so loud, so painful, that I thought if it didn¡¯t end soon, I might go insane. Or find myself with shattered ear drums.Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on.


    I heard static, and then a robotic, slightly feminine voice.


    Auditory messaging initiated. HOST primitive sensory organs calibrated. Visual and auditory input accepted. Analyzing structure.


    The Arkadian Quantum Universal Intelligence Assistant had a lot of benefits, but a fast response wasn¡¯t one of them. I found myself sighing. ¡°Opal, if this takes forever, I shouldn¡¯t¡ª¡±


    Analysis complete. Fodoron Obelisk detected.


    ¡°Fodoron Obelisk.¡± I said the words just to feel them in my mouth. ¡°Is Fodoron like forbidden?¡±


    Linguistic similarities are irrelevant. Suggest ending interaction so Evaluation can be completed. Primary Mission is incomplete.


    Opal sure was focused. She had that going for her. ¡°Can you tell me who or what the Fodoron are and what the obelisk is? Can I get inside? Who made it?¡±


    The Fodoron are an ancient, lost civilization with anomalous technology found throughout the universe. The Fodoron Obelisk is an anomalous structure. More input needed. Please charge to ten percent. Please allow for Evaluation to complete. Can I continue Evaluation? YES/NO?


    ¡°Yes, Opal. Thanks.¡±


    It looked like I had to wait. I did like the new interface, though, because in combat, I didn¡¯t want Opal¡¯s messages blocking my vision.


    I had to think about what she¡¯d told me. The Fodoron were an ancient, lost civilization, probably like the Mayans, but then who were the Arkadians and the Paraxen?


    I wasn¡¯t going to interrupt Opal again. The best thing I could do to move things along was to find more crystals.


    In the end, the obelisk was simply another mystery to add to the pile.


    Now, I had to get back to the girls without running into Jack or Reggie.


    My mind raced as I went through all I¡¯d seen that day. From eating the sweetberries, to seeing the huntress¡­from the giant rattlesnake to the T-Rexes. Lastly, there was the final mystery, the Fodoron Obelisk. My mind was whirling.


    Creeping back through the ferns under the giant redwoods, I made it back to the main forest road. The sun had set completely, somewhere in the sky, but all the different moons gave me enough light, so I could see the trail.  Jack and Reggie had only left Green Albert¡¯s bones behind. I was thinking like a scavenger, wondering what I could do with the bones or the big chunks of fungal armor that the other T. rexes had torn away. However, messing around with spores probably wasn¡¯t a good idea.


    I made it back to our home tree without anything else happening. I¡¯d pulled down a leaf along the way to drink my fill of water, but I was getting hungry. It wasn¡¯t too bad because I¡¯d had such a huge lunch, all the deer meat I could eat.


    The soft white mushroom tree led me up to the bottom limbs of the redwood, and then to our little home away from. I had a surprise waiting for me. The girls had pulled the bus seats up to the top of the tree and had lashed them to the branches. It must¡¯ve taken awhile. They¡¯d even used some branches and rope to create a shelf to hold our gear. That wasn¡¯t all. We had fresh water in our toolbox and more sweetberries.


    Billie let out a long sigh. ¡°God, Sid, I¡¯m so glad you¡¯re back. When the sun set, we got so worried! And like, where does the sun go anyway? The skies in this freakshow don¡¯t make any kind of sense.¡±


    Billie seemed normal, but Professor Kroft was oddly quiet. Why was she giving me the silent treatment? I would¡¯ve expected that from the moody cheerleader, not the grown-ass woman.


    I lounged back in my bus seat, right in the middle between them. My bed was the closest to the top branches of the mushroom tree. Damn, but we needed a better shelter. Maybe if we could get into the obelisk, we could live inside. No. The thought of that thrum hitting me for hours on end made me nauseous.


    I drank a little toolbox water, ate some berries, and told them about my adventures.


    ¡°Fucking dinosaurs?¡± Billie asked in wonder. ¡°Why am I not surprised?¡±


    Professor Kroft again was quiet. It took a bit, and then she said in a quiet voice. ¡°We should probably cut some meat off the haunches. Starting a fire so late is dangerous, but we should eat the protein while we can.¡±


    Then, without a word, she started down the tree with the rifle slung over her shoulder. She¡¯d also grabbed the welding torch.


    ¡°Wait,¡± I said.


    It was like the professor didn¡¯t hear me, but I knew she did.


    I turned to Billie. ¡°What happened while I was gone?¡±


    Billie grimaced. ¡°Like I know! Before you got back, she was her normal self, talking about all this ancient human survival stuff. She talked for like forty-five minutes about finding clay and making pottery. We could use it for the water. Maybe she¡¯s nervous about her basket weaving skills? I thought she was going to weave waterproof baskets.¡±


    ¡°The swamps in Dino World might have the right reeds for it,¡± I said. ¡°I don¡¯t know about clay.¡±


    Billie bit her lip. ¡°I hate seeing her like this. You should go talk to her.¡±


    ¡°Me?¡± Why was I thinking that might be a bad idea? Then I had an image of me pulling the professor toward me and feeling those big tits pressed up against me. We¡¯d kiss, but that wouldn¡¯t be enough.


    Billie pushed me. ¡°Yes, you. I could use a minute. I think we¡¯re safe up here. At least I hope we are.¡±


    I knew what Billie would be doing with her minute, and I felt my pants get tight. I had no idea what to expect from a conversation with the professor. I really didn¡¯t know her that well, and so far, she¡¯d been handling our exile on the strange world with grace.


    Part of me would¡¯ve rather faced the T. rexes again than deal with the emotions of the older women. What was going on with her?

 Chapter Sixteen – Darkness and Doubt

    Professor Kroft had found a good place to start a fire. It was right in front of a massive redwood with a trunk so big you could park a Ford F350 inside and have room to spare for your biggest Husky rolling toolbox.


    I shouldn¡¯t have been surprised that she¡¯d found enough dry grass and tinder to get a little blaze going. It hadn¡¯t rained that much day in that world, and so things had dried out a little. We¡¯d be lucky if the dry spell lasted the night.


    It wasn¡¯t very dark, not with all the moons shining down. The few shadows were lit by fireflies the size of my fist fluttering around. The light show was beautiful.


    ¡°Are you seeing that?¡± I asked the professor.


    She didn¡¯t respond. Was she depressed?


    I had to know. ¡°Listen, Professor, normally, I wouldn¡¯t mind the silent treatment. But our lives are on the line, and I need to know you¡¯re not about to snap.¡±


    She crouched in front of the fire, feeding it sticks. For a second, I thought she wasn¡¯t going to respond. But then she whispered. ¡°Why did you leave Billie behind?¡±


    ¡°What?¡± I asked.


    She blinked and stared at me. It was like she was someone else. Her voice came out measured and fucking condescending. ¡°I said¡­why did you leave Billie behind?¡± She emphasized every word.


    I controlled my anger because I didn¡¯t want to say anything I couldn¡¯t take back. ¡°Billie suggested I come and talk to you alone because you¡¯re struggling, and we need to know what is going on with you.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± she said.


    ¡°And I have two dicks. You¡¯re not fine.¡± I thought about sitting, but no, this felt like a fight.


    The professor grimaced. ¡°Two dicks would be a lot to handle. But I¡¯d try anything once¡­if not twice. Sometimes it takes a bit to enjoy new depravities, but remember, it¡¯s only kinky the first few times. But I can¡¯t talk about that with you. Or Billie.¡± Her voice drifted off, and she seemed mesmerized by the flickering flames.


    She then cleared her throat and repeated her bullshit. ¡°I¡¯m fine. You don¡¯t have to worry about me. Now, why don¡¯t you get the meat started? It¡¯s late, and I¡¯m tired and hungry for something more filling than sweetberries.¡±


    ¡°No,¡± I said firmly. ¡°We¡¯ll start cooking once you tell me what¡¯s wrong.¡±


    She shot to her feet. ¡°You don¡¯t get to decide that. You don¡¯t get to rule over us.¡±


    She stormed over. Yes, she was taller than Billie but taller than me.


    Why was she acting like this?


    I stood my ground. ¡°I¡¯m not ruling over anyone. I¡¯m the only one strong enough to pull the meat down, and I don¡¯t want to do that until you come clean. This is important, Professor Kroft. If you were physically wounded, I would need to see the wound to help treat it. This is the same thing. Don¡¯t hide your pain from me, or it might fester.¡±


    ¡°Wise,¡± she said, a small smile pulling at the corner of her lips. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect wisdom from my B-minus student.¡±


    ¡°Not sure an A in anthropology would help me run my business better,¡± I said. ¡°No offense. I liked your class, but my GPA was the least of my worries, but let¡¯s talk about the here and now. I¡¯m glad you¡¯re here, and I think with your knowledge, you can help us survive. But your personality change in the last half hour has me worried. Maybe you breathed in spores, or maybe you¡¯re under some sport of a spell. According to Opal, there is magic in the air. Or were you poisoned? Did something bite you?¡±


    She laughed a little. She sounded exhausted. ¡°If only it was physical.¡± She closed her eyes and then turned away from me. ¡°Sid, I can¡¯t open up to you, but you¡¯re right¡­I am not in my right mind. I hardly slept a wink last night, and then today¡­the giant rattlesnake out in the dunes, and the dinosaurs, and the mysterious women in the forest. I¡¯m scared.¡±


    ¡°Only the one huntress.¡± I risked closing the gap with her and gently put a hand on her back. ¡°Look, Professor, I know this is all terrifying. I have a fucking alien ring connected to my bones, and it¡¯s optimizing me so it can go on some kind mysterious mission. It¡¯s all kinds of fucked.¡±


    She turned to me, and before I knew it, I was holding her.


    What had happened? What was happening?


    She had her arms around my neck. My arms circled her waist. She must¡¯ve worked out, because the muscles of her lower back felt solid. At the same time her big breasts felt so pillowy pushed up against me. I had the urge to grab her ass and squeeze it. She felt so good, so soft in my arms.


    She had her face in my chest, and my nose rested on the top of her hair. I smelled her hair, and her body, and while it was strong, it was like a perfume to me. Before I knew it, I was getting hard. There was no way she wasn¡¯t feeling my erection pushed up against her.If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.


    It was like we were slow dancing at a prom, only the age difference made that impossible. She was only a little younger than my mom, and her friends would¡¯ve made fun of her if she¡¯d taken a kindergarten to her high school homecoming dance.


    It was clear that this older woman was coming unglued. It was ironic because I figured Billie would¡¯ve been the problem child. Billie, though, was an open, bitchy book.


    The professor was different.


    She wasn¡¯t crying, though I had the idea that she might start sobbing at any minute. She murmured into my chest. ¡°There¡¯s no going home. Even if we could find the energy storm again, chances are it would take us somewhere else. The pictographs, near the Kokopelli, were a warning for others. We should¡¯ve listened.¡±


    I eased the professor back. ¡°How could we? We can¡¯t predict the future. When my mom died, I was nine, at school, and I threw up. It was just the flu, right? But the nurse called my mom to pick me up. She never made it. There was this big car accident, and she never made it to the school. For a long time, I blamed myself for her death.¡±


    ¡°You were vomiting,¡± she said softly. A tear tracked down her face, cutting through the dirt.


    ¡°Yeah, but that didn¡¯t matter. If she hadn¡¯t left work to come and pick me up, she¡¯d still be alive. Fuck, Professor, shit happens. There¡¯s no protecting ourselves from that shit.¡± We were still entwined, but she¡¯d dropped her arms to hold onto my hips. I had my hands still on her lower back, right above the swell of her hips.


    Professor Kroft glanced away. ¡°Billie thinks you¡¯re enjoying this.¡±


    I decided to be honest. ¡°Part of me is. I think part of you is as well.¡±


    Then she found my eyes, and I could tell she was pissed. ¡°That¡¯s incorrect, Mr. Marshall. I do not like being afraid. I don¡¯t like relying on¡ª¡±


    She pushed herself away from me. ¡°Please. I¡¯ll feel better after I eat and after I rest. If we have a pleasant night, I¡¯m sure my attitude will improve. I told you what was wrong with me. I¡¯m afraid, and I¡¯m so fucking aroused. This place has me thinking about sex constantly, far more than usual. And feeling your body, seeing your handsome face, and your cock, so fucking big and hard. It¡¯s bigger, isn¡¯t it? That¡¯s what you said, right?¡±


    She was trying to change the subject. I couldn¡¯t really blame her. We were all going to be dealing with the shit in our own way, but I had to make sure she was okay. ¡°Look, Professor, we don¡¯t know what is really happening to us, and we don¡¯t know if we¡¯re stranded here. But we¡¯re in this together, the three of us. We¡¯re stronger together. You said that Homo sapiens were so successful because we could work together.¡±


    ¡°We tell each other stories,¡± she said softly. ¡°The story of our tribes. The story of our gods. The stories of hope and survival. Maybe I¡¯m telling myself a sad story that isn¡¯t helping me.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. Are you?¡±


    She couldn¡¯t meet my gaze. ¡°Yes, and it¡¯s the saddest of stories, the story of sorrow, loss, and death.¡±


    ¡°Change your story, professor.¡± I didn¡¯t¡¯ have a clue if I was saying the right thing, but I wasn¡¯t going to stand there silently. ¡°We need to have hope. We need to trust that while life gives us shit sandwiches sometimes, but we also get peanut butter and jelly every so often.¡±


    Oddly enough, she smiled. ¡°I have a peanut allergy.¡±


    I laughed a little. ¡°Why am I not surprised? And Billie was a vegetarian, but you saw how she chowed down on the meat.¡±


    We laughed a little about that.


    I found myself staring into her green eyes. I saw new strength in them. ¡°Part of me is enjoying this, Sid,¡± she said softly.


    ¡°How so?¡±


    ¡°The adventure, the excitement, using the knowledge I¡¯ve spent my life accumulating. It really is an opportunity I¡¯ve dreamed of my entire life. To survive using my own intelligence and the natural world around us. But you can¡¯t tell Billie.¡±


    That made me smile. ¡°I won¡¯t. That would definitely push her over the edge.¡±


    The professor raised her chin. ¡°Yes, my new story will be one of hope and adventure. Life has given us this extraordinary experience. We shouldn¡¯t waste it.¡±


    ¡°Sounds good to me, Professor.¡±


    ¡°My first name is Holly, Sid. I think it is far past time that you and Billie use my given name.¡±


    I knew having us call her by her first name was a big step, and so I put out a hand. ¡°Well, Professor Holly Kroft, I¡¯m Sid Marshall. Pleased to meetcha.


    She took my hand and shook it, looking into my eyes for several long seconds. Her hand was soft, and her eyes were so brave.


    Then she sighed. ¡°You do know I¡¯ll have to see this obelisk for myself tomorrow.¡±


    That made me chuckle. ¡°If we¡¯re lucky, you¡¯ll be able to read some of the runes. Who knows, with your doctorate, you¡¯ll be able to find a way inside.¡±


    Holly smiled. ¡°No doctorate for me. I have a master¡¯s degree from Metro in Denver. I did extensive field research all over the Western United States and in Papua New Guinea as well as Malaysian Borneo. I was working on my doctorate from Phoenix University, and that was good enough for Mesa, at the time. Now, I¡¯m nervous that my basket weaving won¡¯t be up to snuff.¡±


    ¡°Is that why you thought maybe pottery would be better for storing water?¡± I asked.


    The professor¡¯s eyes traveled down my body, pausing at my groin, before she turned, obviously both turned on and embarrassed. ¡°Yes, but we¡¯ll still try the baskets first. I¡¯ll tend to the fire.¡±


    I had to adjust my suit. ¡°Yeah, and I¡¯ll grab the meat.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what she said!¡± Billie came walking out of the darkness, holding the plasma rifle. ¡°Are you guys okay?¡±


    The professor cracked a stick on her knee and tossed it into the fire. ¡°Yes, Billie. I was telling myself some sad stories, which scared me. Sid reminded me I need to be hopeful. We¡¯ve only been here a short time, and there is so much we don¡¯t know.¡±


    Billie came over. ¡°Okay. We¡¯re going to eat, right?¡±


    The CrossFit queen seemed far calmer, and I knew why. She¡¯d used her alone time up in the trees to take care of her desires. That probably wasn¡¯t going to be happening with me and the professor, at least not that night.


    It was going to take me a while to get used to calling the professor by her first name.


    Holly stirred the fire. ¡°Since we are stuck here for the time being, Billie, I want you to call me Holly. If I become distant and difficult again, I would like you to remind me to tell myself hopeful stories.¡±


    Billie¡¯s cheeks flushed. ¡°I¡¯m not fucking dying here, if that¡¯s what you¡¯re saying. I¡¯m going to get home. This is all just a weird dream¡­like, we might wake up any time.¡±


    Both the professor and I exchanged glances.


    ¡°Sure,¡± I said. ¡°This all might be a dream. But I¡¯m going to eat.¡±


    The professor went over and gave Billie and long hug. The embrace was nurturing, sure, but there was an edge to it, at least on Holly¡¯s side. I remembered how she¡¯d pressed herself up against me. She was doing the same thing to Billie. Would we be eating? Or would something else be happening?


    No, even though the professor was letting us call her by her first name, I didn¡¯t think she would let herself have sex with students any time soon. Besides, Billie had a boyfriend.


    And so, it was going to be another long night for me. Little did I know that I had something waiting for me the next morning.

 Chapter Seventeen – Fire Then Fear

    Our dinner that second night was good¡ªmuch better than the first. The tusked deer was far better and more filling than the crow meat. I ate my fill, but I knew it was only a matter of time before the flies got to it, or some critter figured out how to pull it down. While having the meat was nice, I wasn¡¯t going to let it become a burden.


    We didn¡¯t spend a ton of time that night talking around the fire. Nothing had attacked us, but I didn¡¯t know the forest well enough to trust that some nocturnal predator wouldn¡¯t leap down on us and drag us away.


    Putting out the fire was easy. I pulled a big leaf down on some massive plant and let the water gush down into the flames.


    We picked our way back to the mushroom tree in the moonlight.


    Our second night was much better than the first. The bus seats, lashed to the branches, gave us some much-needed cushion. We still took watches, and I had the idea that while Billie and I slept, Holly had a little fun with herself.


    As for me, I was exhausted. It had been a brutal day, and I needed to sleep. Besides, I was going to be taking the middle watch, which was hard because humans are meant to sleep in long, uninterrupted chunks.


    I wasn¡¯t happy when Holly woke me, and I had to force myself to stay awake, sitting on the bus seat high in the trees. I watched the clouds slowly swim through the sky, hiding the moons.


    I could smell the rain coming, and it got chilly, though my survival suit thickened to take care of that problem. I could¡¯ve configured the cloth into a coat, but I didn¡¯t want to disturb Opal. She needed to finish her Evaluation. I figured we¡¯d focus on finding power crystals the next day.


    About halfway into my watch, I heard an animal at the base of the tree¡­rustling, sniffing, growling. At first, I thought it was the T. rexes I¡¯d seen before, but no, they had a different sound. Whatever it was, I was pretty sure it had smelled the meat that was hanging from the tree down from us. There were frustrated growls I was hearing.


    I sniffed and smelled something strong and musky, like a wet dog, and then, the thing moved away through the forest. Whatever it was, it was big.


    I thought about what if it hadn¡¯t gone away. What if it had sat under our perch and waited us out? We only had so much water. No, the tree was a good temporary home, but we needed something more permanent.


    After three hours of sitting there, sometimes with my race going a mile a minute, other times trying not to fall asleep, I finally woke up Billie.


    It took a bit.


    When she finally did wake up, she squinted at me. ¡°We¡¯re still in nightmareland, right? Still in the tree, with the giant fleas, and the huge Godzilla rattlesnake, and the fucking dinosaurs.¡±


    ¡°Keep your voice down. The professor is still sleeping.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s Holly now,¡± Billie whispered. ¡°She wants us to call her Holly. She really was in a bad place last night, right?¡±


    ¡°She just got scared,¡± I murmured.


    ¡°Bitch, that¡¯s my job.¡± Billie smiled at me. ¡°I was dreaming when you woke me up.¡±


    ¡°Anything interesting?¡± I regretted asking that, but when I wasn¡¯t thinking about Opal, the strange patchwork world, or our predicament, I was thinking about sex.


    Billie smacked my arm. ¡°Such a horny boy! No, it wasn¡¯t a sex dream, unfortunately. It was weird, though. Wanna hear about it?¡±


    ¡°Sure,¡± I said quietly. ¡°But we can¡¯t disturb the professor.¡±This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.


    ¡°Holly. Right.¡± Billie paused and took a deep breath. ¡°We were back at Mesa, in our classroom, and Holly was giving a lecture about pottery. It was all so normal. Until the walls fell away, and we weren¡¯t in a classroom anymore. It was like this place¡­an ocean on one side of us, mountains on another, and a desert, and like a swamp, with a volcano, and lava. It was scary, that lava, I mean. But the dream is basically exactly what is happening to us. Not very exciting, I know, but it felt so real.¡±


    ¡°Ha, but we¡¯re living it, right?¡± I asked.


    ¡°We got naked. Like, everyone in the class was naked, and I was pretty sure we were going to have an orgy with each other. Merida was already, like, on her knees, about to suck on you¡­you know¡­your thing. Did she do that to you?¡±


    It took me a minute to remember. ¡°No. She was too excited. We went right to sex.¡±


    ¡°Did she feel good?¡± Billie asked. Then she held up a hand. ¡°Wait. I shouldn¡¯t have asked that. I¡¯m sorry. Forget about it.¡±


    I had to tease her. ¡°You said it wasn¡¯t a sex dream.¡±


    She smiled. ¡°It would¡¯ve been a sex dream, if you hadn¡¯t woken me up. Shame on you.¡±


    ¡°You think you feel bad. I was on the verge of getting a blowjob.¡±


    Billie giggled, and I felt happy to be there. I couldn¡¯t show it, though¡­not with Billie and not right then.


    The CrossFit queen sighed. ¡°Okay. You need to sleep, and you¡¯re right, we can¡¯t wake the professor. I hated how quiet and weird she got. She¡¯d been strong until then. But really, Sid, the professor is great, but you¡¯re our rock. I think she freaked out because you were gone for so long.


    ¡°Maybe not,¡± I said.


    Billie inhaled. ¡°If you hadn¡¯t come back, what would we have done? It was just the two of us, and we only have so many charges left on our guns. I don¡¯t even want to think about life here without you. Just the idea is scary.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m glad you feel better with me around.¡± I was serious.


    Then Billie did something unexpected. She got off her bus seat, grabbed a limb, and then leaned in to kiss my cheek. ¡°Thank you for being our rock. Sleep now. And don¡¯t think about my dream, or you¡¯ll be up all night with a big hardon.¡±


    It was like telling someone not to think about a big pink cartoon elephant. All I could think about were elephants.


    However, with Billie on watch, and with the professor sleeping soundly on the other side of me, I did finally fall asleep.


    Raindrops woke me. While the tree above offered some protection, trying to sleep with the sky flicking water on you was not easy. I finally woke up enough to ask Opal to give me a hood, which I used to cover most of my face.


    Then I slept until dawn.


    I woke to find Billie sleeping. Shame on that girl.


    Well, we¡¯d survived our second night.


    Breakfast was cold leftover dinner meat and some sweetberries.


    Then, we were going to take our morning baths at Privacy Rock. I¡¯d woke up as randy as an alley cat, and I needed some relief.


    I thought I would take care of the desire myself, but that wasn¡¯t what happened.


    I couldn¡¯t stop thinking about the hug that Holly had given me the night before, or how good Billie looked in the morning. Her hair was still braided, and yes, she shouldn¡¯t have fallen asleep on her watch, but the extra sleep did make her skin glow and her eyes sparkle.


    We had food and water, but we needed better shelter. I didn¡¯t want to get stuck up there, and if we did get attacked by giant bats or giant insects or whatever, fighting up on the branches wouldn¡¯t be easy. Both had been horrified that we¡¯d had a big, smelly visitor in the middle of the night.


    The girls had started another fire, just to keep warm, while I went off to Privacy Rock. I found huge, clawed footprints, like some kind of mutant bear, and realized it had probably been the animal that had smelled our meat. Making our home at Privacy Rock was not a good idea.


    I made my way to the overhang and stripped off my survival suit. Then I dove into the crystal-clear water. I used the mud from the eastern banks to scrub myself down, but I wanted to soap. Not sure if that was in the professor¡¯s wheelhouse, though I had talked to some hunters who rendered their animal fat and mixed it with the lye they got from hardwood ashes.


    I didn¡¯t know the specifics, but people had been making their own soap for hundreds of years.


    I rinsed all the mud off me, and then I climbed up onto the ledge. It felt nice to be clean again, and that warm water was a godsend.


    I knew I couldn¡¯t take all day, especially since Billie had woken up with a huge desire to go exploring. Both she and Holly wanted to see the obelisk, and I was curious about where the other pathway would lead. Along the way, we¡¯d scour the underbrush for the power crystals.


    I was about to get down to business, when the huntress dropped down.


    That¡¯s when the huntress dropped down. She had a stone spear in her hand, and for a second, I she was going to try and stab me with it.


    But no. She set the spear down and then pulled a short bow off her shoulder and put it and a quiver of arrows on the ground. She undid her belt, which had a stone knife sheathed at her side.


    She then pulled her leather tunic up and over her head.


    In seconds, she was naked.


    What was happening?


    I remembered Billie thinking that she might wake up at any minute. I couldn¡¯t blame her for thinking that. In a lot of ways, the patchwork world felt like a dream, and that made the huntress a dream girl.

 Chapter Eighteen – Another Unexpected Encounter

    I was sitting with my back to the wall, naked as the day I was born.


    The mysterious woman stood over me, naked.


    The huntress¡¯s body was far more like Billie¡¯s than the professor¡¯s, though the huntress had a far smaller chest. Her breasts were mostly big, brown nipples sticking out like erasers from her little boobs.


    Black hair, dark green eyes, and those freckles, which did move to darken her skin where the sunlight touched her.


    She stood there, proud, in front of me, as let my gaze drift down her face, to the stiff hard nipples and then to her muscled stomach. I couldn¡¯t see her ass, but I could appreciate her hips, were so round and full.


    Then I was surprised to see that she didn¡¯t have any pubic hair. I doubted she shaved, and yet, there were her blushing lips between her legs.


    Yes, she was turned on, but it was more than that. The insides of her thighs gleamed from her juices.


    I couldn¡¯t look away from her sex. She was there, standing only in her sandals. Why was she naked if she didn¡¯t come for a very specific purpose?


    ¡°No¡¯cha amooch cha¡¯kancha,¡± she said in a completely alien language. Her green eyes were checking me out, traveling up and down my body but lingering on my cock.


    ¡°I have no idea what you¡¯re saying,¡± I said. ¡°But I think I know what you want.¡±


    I stood up and approached her carefully.


    She was shorter than Billie, but more compact. She was so muscular, from her thick thighs to her sculpted arms. She was like sex personified.


    In the enclosed space under the overhang, I realized I could smell her excitement. She had a musky smell, that indescribable fragrance that I¡¯d experienced that first night with Billie in the bus.


    Before I knew it, I stepped up close. ¡°You feel it, don¡¯t you?¡±


    I was gazing into her eyes. The lust was making me brave, crazy almost. Both Billie and Holly had gotten off the night before, but I hadn¡¯t, and it was like I could feel the buildup, an energy in my body that needed a release. K¡¯Shaul had a way of making us all so crazy.


    She didn¡¯t glance away. ¡°Ha¡¯lancha makcha focha. Chooch, chooch, chooch focha!¡±


    I was betting that ¡°chooch¡± meant ¡°very¡± or ¡°extremely.¡± Was she telling me that she was as fucking horny as I was? It seemed so.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to kiss you now,¡± I said.


    ¡°Kiss,¡± she echoed. ¡°Kiss you now.¡± She smiled and then said, ¡°Bocha. Cha. Bocha. Cha. Cha. Cha.¡±


    Didn¡¯t know what any of that meant, but I was naked, she was naked, and I had warned her I was going to do something.


    Then, I was feeling her hot skin on mine. I could feel those long, thick nipples push into my chest. And then I was grabbing her ass.


    Fuck, I¡¯d been around Holly and Billie enough, and I so wanted to grab their asses, but I couldn¡¯t. I wanted to feel their tits, suck on their nipples, lick the slits between their legs, but they made it clear they couldn¡¯t with me.


    The huntress moaned at my touch.


    She kissed me, and it wasn¡¯t just a little kiss on the cheek, like Billie had given me.


    She pressed her lips against mine, moaning, gasping, and then she was giving me her tongue.


    I was beside myself with lust. One hand held her ass¡ªit was so plump and full, but underneath were iron-hard muscles. This woman made Billie the CrossFit queen seem out of shape.


    My other hand went into her hair, so soft, so thick, so clean. My girl had soap somewhere, though she didn¡¯t smell like soap. She smelled like sex.


    But I had to be careful. She was well-armed, and she¡¯d stolen our meat the night before. It wasn¡¯t like I¡¯d forgotten. And yet, there was no way I was going to let a little stealing get in the way of drinking her in.


    My logical mind was getting in the way. It wasn¡¯t a time for logic. It was a time to do all the things I wanted to do with Holly and Billie but couldn¡¯t.


    With her tongue in my mouth, she reached and grabbed my cock. She gasped and said something in her language, something about a ¡°grancha dicha¡± and gave my dick a squeeze.This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.


    I gasped into her mouth. I could smell our kiss. I wanted to smell every part of her.


    She went to drop to her knees, but I caught her under the arms. I wasn¡¯t sure I¡¯d ever been that fucking on fire in my life.


    She was strong, but I was stronger.


    I got her down on her hands and knees. I made sure she was kneeling on a combination of her tunic and my survival suit, so she was comfortable.


    I couldn¡¯t care less about my own knees. I spread her ass cheeks open, and I was looking at her holes. Her pussy was tiny and mostly brown, except she had a bright pink clit pointing out of a brown hood. The inside of her sex was also bright pink, so different than the brown swirl of knotted flesh of her other hole. She was oozing girl cum like crazy.


    Her scent drove me to bury my tongue into her sweetness. Her little hole was tight around my tongue. Was she a virgin? It seemed like she might be because she was so tight.


    Inhaling her primal scent, I fucked her with my tongue.


    I felt her reach between her legs, to diddle her little clitty, but she didn¡¯t need to do that. I would be more than happy to suck on it. I wanted to experience every part of her, every single square inch¡ªsmell it, taste it, fuck it.


    I got on my back, so I could lick her clit.


    I couldn¡¯t help it. I grabbed my cock and started stroking myself as I feasted on her swollen sex. She started grunting, and then, she stiffened. She was pressing down on my face, and then, she was orgasming. I could feel her little body spasming, over and over, as the pleasure hit her in wave after wave.


    Every blast of bliss made her grunt more. It was so sexy, and I almost came myself.


    Luckily, the huntress would have none of that.


    She turned around, and then, we were sixty-nining.


    I had my tongue back in her hole as she sucked the head of my cock into her little mouth.


    Oh, she was little, but still so sexy and strong. She must¡¯ve had to reach a little to get to my cock, but I appreciated her effort.


    I grabbed her head and started fucking her mouth. I could feel her teeth, yes, but her tongue and the rest of her were so soft, warm, and inviting.


    She was gagging a little, but she was also moaning, and fresh juice spilled out of her pussy to paint my face.


    I was bathed in the huntress¡¯s essence, and I wanted to drink nothing else until the day I died. Then she moved forward, licking down my shaft to tongue my balls.


    It seemed she was willing to do anything.


    A second later, though, she spun around. ¡°Fochacha!¡± she cried out. ¡°Fochacha! Dicha! Pucha!¡±


    I watched as she got her legs underneath her. And then, she was lowering her pink and brown pussy down on the head of my cock. We were both so slick with our juices that I slid into her easily.


    Her mouth had felt good, but that was nothing compared to the heaven of her tight snatch taking me into the depths of her core.


    Her pussy was looked like it was so full it might burst. Her little lips were clinging to the side of my cock, her little clitty quivering, as she sank down until I was balls deep in her.


    She had thighs of an Olympic gymnast, and she was so small, so slender, she had no trouble raising herself and lowering herself on me, up and down, up and down, fucking me.


    There was no way I wasn¡¯t going to come.


    The huntress had come out of the forest for the sole purpose of slamming her wet cunt down on my fuck pole. She was merely getting her money¡¯s worth.


    I¡¯d heard that someone women complained that guys with big dicks were hard to fuck.


    Not this woman.


    She was bouncing up and down on me, grunting at first, and then screaming, as she pulled on her nipples.


    I knew Billie and Holly would hear. They would know what was happening. Would they come in join us? Or would they come and watch and rub their clits and come while the huntress and I fucked like rabbits.


    The idea of girls masturbating while watching us brought me to the edge again.


    Then my logical mind finally broke through. I couldn¡¯t get the huntress pregnant, since the last thing in the world I needed was a hungry mother to take care of.


    Muscles glowing, I got up and easily pulled her off me.


    She screamed in frustration. Had she been about to come? She said some other things that I didn¡¯t understand, but then I was pushing her to her knees. I couldn¡¯t come in her pussy, but I could come in her mouth.


    She looked up at me, her eyes confused at first. Then she smiled, and that smile made my cock get a hundred times harder.


    She got to work, grabbing the base, and sucking my gleaming cockhead into her mouth again. This time, she had only one purpose and one purpose only¡ªto make me come in her mouth.


    She was sucking hard, stroking harder, harder and harder, gripping me, and moaning. While she had one hand on my prick, the other was between her legs. She was rubbing herself. For a second, she was quiet, and then she was grunting again, making those cute animalistic noises, as another orgasm swept through her.


    Her coming made me come.


    She¡¯d stopped sucking, she¡¯d stopped stroking, but suddenly, I was erupting into her mouth.


    I thought she might spit my cock out, but, no it was the opposite. She nodded her head, eyes on me, still a little hazy from her own orgasm.


    The heaven hit me hard. My whole body felt like I was on fire. I¡¯d basically been edging since the night before, and now, I was unleashing a torrent of sperm into her mouth. Over and over, I felt my cock spasm as I erupted into her mouth. Not only did she swallow me down, but she also closed her eyes and rubbed herself to another orgasm.


    I couldn¡¯t help but be jealous, watching her come again, as she nursed my cock until it finally started to get soft.


    Then, before I knew it, she was scooping up her gear: spear, bow, quiver, belt, knife and tunic.


    ¡°Wait,¡± I called to her.


    I went to grab her, and she dodged to the side, smiling at first.


    But then tears were brimming in her eyes.


    What had happened?


    Her words came out slowly, carefully, and she shook her head sorrowfully.


    She backed away.


    From outside, I heard Professor Kroft call out. ¡°Sid! Are you okay?¡±


    Clutching her gear to her chest, the huntress dashed away, nimbly finding footholds and climbing up the rock cliffs around the pool like a mountain goat. Then she was gone.


    ¡°What the fuck was that all about?¡± Billie screamed out.


    ¡°It was the huntress,¡± I yelled as I zipped up my survival suit,


    I came out to see both Holly and Billie smiling at me.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t, did you?¡± Billie asked.


    ¡°Long story,¡± I said, gasping a little.


    ¡°The oldest story, one that was at the beginning of our species,¡± the professor said. ¡°Let¡¯s talk about what just happened and why it was a very poor decision. I¡¯m shocked, Sid Marshall. Not surprised mind you, but shocked.¡±


    I felt like my eighth-grade girlfriend¡¯s mom had caught me with my hand down her daughter¡¯s shirt.


    What in the hell was Professor Kroft¡¯s problem?


    I¡¯d soon find out.

 Chapter Nineteen – Arrows and Arguments

    We ended up talking in our kitchen, the flat rock space near the stream that trickled away from the pool. The ashes of our cooking fire from the day before blackened the stone. I could smell the huntress¡¯s scent on me, and suddenly I found myself thinking about soap.


    The professor clearly thought that I needed to wash my brain out. ¡°Sid, what you did was dangerous.¡±


    I put my hands on my hips. I had nothing to be ashamed of. ¡°I judged the situation. I made the decision. We are wasting daylight talking about this. You wanted to see the obelisk, and I want to find more power crystals. Also, we need to find better shelter than the tree. The bus seats made it a thousand times more comfortable, but I didn¡¯t like being out in the rain. Besides, I don¡¯t want to get trapped up there.¡±


    Holly folded her arms across her chest. ¡°We¡¯re not talking about that. We¡¯re talking about the huntress.¡±


    Billie¡¯s eyes went from the professor, to me, back to the professor.


    I stood my ground. ¡°There¡¯s nothing to talk about. You know how this place is. I¡¯m pretty sure she was feeling the lust energy as much as I was, so what¡¯s the problem?¡±


    ¡°What about an STI?¡± The professor asked sharply. ¡°What about you getting that poor girl pregnant? What if she put some kind of spell on you? You said there¡¯s magic in this place.¡±


    Billie laughed a little. ¡°Like a love spell. Pussy whipped! Oh, Sid, are you going to ask her to marry you?¡±


    Holly shot Billie a warning glance. ¡°Billie, this is no time to joke.¡±


    The cheerleader shrugged. ¡°Uh, there are giant snakes and dinosaurs and we¡¯re all dying of horniness. I¡¯m sorry, Professor, but I think it¡¯s the perfect time to joke. If I didn¡¯t have a boyfriend, I would¡¯ve jumped on Sid. Come on. You can¡¯t tell me haven¡¯t thought about him that way.¡±


    Holly¡¯s mouth fell open, and she blushed. Then she got control of herself. ¡°We must be rational about our situation. Believe me, I understand that we have these desires. I¡¯m not immune to this place¡­however, if we lose control, it would change things. When we return home, things would be¡­awkward.¡±


    Billie snorted. ¡°Hate to say it, but things are already awkward. I mean, what we do at Privacy Rock is just¡­well¡­awkward.¡±


    I wasn¡¯t going to get into the middle of them, but it was obvious that Billie wasn¡¯t upset that I¡¯d had my unexpected encounter. I liked the idea of her fantasizing about me. She was gorgeous. I found the professor¡¯s reaction baffling.


    The professor turned on the cheerleader. ¡°Billie, we¡¯re trying to make the best of a bad situation. Sex complicates things. Believe me, I¡¯ve seen what it can do to people¡­if...well, let me put it this way. Every culture has taboos around sex for a reason. It can be destructive to a community.¡±


    Billie didn¡¯t back down. ¡°I know that. Just because you¡¯re older doesn¡¯t mean you get to decide what we can and can¡¯t do. Sid made his decision. If his dick falls off from huntress herpes, oh well, I guess he learned his lesson. Yeah, but I bet his ring isn¡¯t going to let that happen. As for the huntress getting knocked up, you didn¡¯t come in her, Sid, right?¡±


    I had to laugh. ¡°No, but the professor is going to tell us that doesn¡¯t mean I could¡¯ve have gotten her pregnant. Listen, I can see Holly¡¯s point. It might not have been the best idea, but when she stripped, it was clear what she wanted.¡±


    The professor didn¡¯t even seem to notice that I¡¯d acknowledged her concerns. ¡°Did you ask her about stealing our food? Did you even try to talk with her?¡±


    ¡°Different languages,¡± I admitted. ¡°She used a lot of ¡®ch¡¯ sounds. Believe me, after this, next time I have a gorgeous woman strip in front of me, I¡¯ll come and get you, Professor, so you can check her for STIs.¡±


    Professor Kroft¡¯s mouth fell open. She went to say something.


    I cut her off. ¡°Which one of you is going first? I¡¯m assuming you want to take a bath and, you know, get some relief.¡±


    Billie grabbed me and pulled me away. ¡°Let¡¯s have the professor go first. I think you both need to cool down. Sure, Holly is right. Random sex in a strange new world is probably not the best decision. On the other hand, from the little I saw of her, she was beautiful. Tiny. But beautiful. And Sid is only human.¡±


    I moved away from Billie, across the rock, and toward some trees. I didn¡¯t look back.


    Was I mad? A little. I was more frustrated with the whole place. Of course, without giving us a single answer, the huntress drops in on me and then runs off into the forest. I wished she¡¯d left some arrows behind. Or maybe her knife.


    Billie caught up to me. She grabbed some of the reeds, the ones we stripped to make our rope, and started ripping off fibers. She wrinkled her nose at me. ¡°You¡¯re mad. I think you¡¯re mad. I guess you have the right to be. I don¡¯t know what the professor¡¯s problem is. Last night she goes all silent, and then this morning, she¡¯s pissed that you finally got some real relief. Privacy Rock is only going to do so much. I bet once she calms down, she¡¯ll be better.¡±


    I searched the ground for power crystals ¡°Like I said. I see her point. I do. But I¡¯m not going to let myself feel too bad. This has been hard, being around you two, feeling like I feel.¡±


    Billie had a little smile on her face. ¡°So you¡¯ve been thinking about me and the professor together. Like together or one at a time?¡±


    I turned to her. ¡°Yes.¡±


    That made her laugh. ¡°I¡¯ve been fantasizing about that as well. If we are stuck here, it¡¯s going to happen. Part of me thinks we should just give in. But then I¡¯d feel terrible about Scott.¡±


    ¡°And Mike,¡± I teased.


    ¡°No, just Scott.¡± She sighed. She sounded sad.You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.


    I turned my multitool into a javelin and used it to push aside the ferns and underbrush, looking for more crystals.


    Billie continued to rip fibers off the reed. ¡°I¡¯m not like that. Well, let me rephrase what I just said. I don¡¯t want to be like that.¡±


    ¡°Like what?¡±


    ¡°The kind of girl who cheats. Even though I¡¯m on another world, in freaksville, and I might die at any minute, I don¡¯t want to lose my self-respect. It¡¯s one of the reasons¡­¡±


    For a second, I didn¡¯t really get she¡¯d stopped talking. I thought I found a crystal, but it turned out to be a normal rock in the shadows.


    Then I realized she hadn¡¯t finished her thought.


    I turned to her. ¡°One of the reasons for what?¡±


    She laughed. ¡°Oh, so you were listening. It¡¯s kind of weird how focused you can get.¡±


    ¡°Maybe. I always saw it as a good thing. I definitely don¡¯t have ADHD. I want to you to finish your thought.¡±


    She didn¡¯t respond right away.


    While I waited, I couldn¡¯t help but stare at her. She had some sweat on her face, and some of her braid had come undone. The morning mist was still around, but the sun was slowly burning it off. I¡¯d been right. We were losing our day to fucking arguing about stupid stuff.


    ¡°Fine!¡± Billie almost yelled. ¡°It¡¯s one of the reasons why I was such a loser in high school, okay? I didn¡¯t want to get a bad reputation for being a slut. There was this girl, Belinda Perkins, and everyone talked such shit about her. I didn¡¯t want that to be, and it could¡¯ve, uh¡­¡± Her voice died.


    Then she got loud again. ¡°Nope. Never mind. It¡¯s ancient history. It¡¯s not going to happen between us, Sid. I¡¯m sorry. And Professor Kroft isn¡¯t going to sleep with a student, but you have the huntress, so it, uh, works. I guess. You¡¯re lucky. I say enjoy it.¡±


    I couldn¡¯t help but grin. ¡°So that was your big secret? In high school, you weren¡¯t one of the popular kids. Well, welcome to the club. Most people aren¡¯t popular, so you¡¯re not alone.¡±


    She shook her head. ¡°Yeah. But. No. But. Whatever. It was different for me. Or I wanted it to be different. It¡¯s like¡­I didn¡¯t want to believe that I was this normal, dumb girl who would never get anywhere. I felt different.¡±


    ¡°Well, Billie, it looks like you were different. We¡¯re on another world. Congratulations.¡± I went back to looking for power crystal.


    ¡°That¡¯s a shitty thing to do, Sid,¡± Billie snapped.


    Suddenly, I was staring into the very angry face of the blonde.


    ¡°What now?¡± I asked. ¡°What did I say?¡±


    Billie pouted. ¡°The way you said that last word. You were all like, ¡®Congratulations, Billie. You¡¯re different because you¡¯re going to die here.¡¯¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t say that,¡± I said. ¡°You¡¯re putting things in my mouth.¡±


    ¡°Was that a sex joke?¡± Billie asked, grimacing. ¡°That¡¯s gross, Sid.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not a fucking sex joke,¡± I said, getting angry. ¡°You do have a destiny, or whatever. I mean, my Aunt Kathy says nothing is an accident. Maybe we were brought here for a reason.¡±


    Billie rolled her eyes like the brat she was. ¡°Oh, please, Sid. You¡¯re not talking about your ring¡¯s primary mission, are you?¡±


    ¡°No, I¡ª¡±


    Billie wasn¡¯t about to stop. ¡°I knew I was pretty, and I knew I could get a really hot guy, who had a ton of money. That¡¯s what I meant. And I could have a house, and kids, and the white fucking picket fence. I knew I could have it all!¡±


    I should¡¯ve stopped to think about my next words, but no, we were fighting. The morning was turning to shit right before my eyes. ¡°Maybe getting a hot guy wasn¡¯t the point. Maybe we¡¯re here to do something more important with our lives than to pay a mortgage.¡±


    Billie¡¯s eyes turned to slits. ¡°Are you saying I¡¯m shallow?¡±


    I held up a finger. ¡°No. Don¡¯t go putting words in my mouth.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be gross!¡± Billie then went to storm off. She got a half a dozen steps down the asphalt before spinning around. ¡°Oh, right, I can¡¯t just get in my car and drive home. I¡¯m stuck with you. Perfect! I open up to you and you get all shitty with me. Be nicer, Sid. Be better.¡±


    I was trying to figure out where our conversation went off the rails, but I couldn¡¯t. She¡¯d been so understanding and relatively sane¡ªreally sane compared to professor crazy pants, who came walking up, drying off her hair with one of the Paraxen wonder clothes. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    Billie marched past us. ¡°You talk with Sid, Professor. He¡¯s being mean. And I was on his side with the whole huntress thing.¡±


    ¡°You can call me Holly,¡± the professor said.


    But Billie was already marching through the ferns to get to Privacy Rock. I wondered if she was too mad to do anything but bathe. I was still trying to figure out what went wrong with the CrossFit queen, when the professor came up to me and took my hand. ¡°Listen, Sid, I was wrong.¡±


    These women had me so confused. What in the hell?


    ¡°What now?¡± I asked, not wanting to say something that would set her off.


    ¡°I. Was. Wrong.¡± Holly had a smile on her face. She was so much more relaxed.


    ¡°No,¡± I said. ¡°I should¡¯ve thought about the danger I could¡¯ve put us in. If this had been a horror movie, she would¡¯ve had three cannibal hillbilly brothers who would¡¯ve jumped down and bashed my head in the second I touched her.¡±


    Holly laughed. ¡°That was oddly specific. In the end, I forgot a few things about what it means to be young. I jumped into beds I shouldn¡¯t have because I was horny. Making mistakes is a part of growing up.¡±


    I squeezed my eyes close for a second. ¡°I¡¯m not ten, Holly.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not. You¡¯re in your early twenties. Fucking up is age-appropriate behavior, if you¡¯ll forgive my language.¡±


    ¡°Forgiven,¡± I said.


    ¡°Also,¡± Holly went on. ¡°You have your optimized cells. You probably could¡¯ve handled the redneck assassin ninjas.¡±


    ¡°Hillbilly cannibal brothers. Like in the Wrong Turn movies.¡± I chuckled. ¡°There were also these books I read, about the Goreback family, but those were cannibals in space, and they worshipped a clown. But anyway¡­¡±


    ¡°I hate horror movies,¡± the professor said. ¡°However, I understand the power of the profane and the thrill of fear when one is safe and on one¡¯s couch. But back to the subject at hand. I am assuming that if you did get an STI, that your ring would be able to tell you. She might even be able to fix it, and so, I am apologizing for the dressing down I gave you.¡±


    ¡°Dressing down? That sounds dirty.¡±


    She gave me a patient smile. ¡°Can you forgive me?¡±


    ¡°Forgiven. We¡¯re good.¡±


    The professor let out a long breath. ¡°This is a very difficult situation we are in¡­this place, the lust, the pressure to survive. If your huntress came for me, I would¡¯ve done the same thing you did. I thought of that while I was¡­bathing this morning. I thought a great deal about her, about you, and about¡­other things.¡±


    Unlike Billie, she wasn¡¯t going to admit that she¡¯d been fantasizing about a threesome together.


    Holly then changed the subject. ¡°What happened with Billie?¡±


    I tried to explain it, though I wasn¡¯t sure I was doing either side any justice. It had all happened so fast.


    The professor nodded. ¡°Billie is struggling. Unlike you and I, she does not find K¡¯Shaul fascinating. And unlike you and I, at Mesa University, she was living her dream of being the pretty cheerleader, loved and adored. That wasn¡¯t the case when she was in high school. Then? Her dreams are shattered, and she was brought here, where there is less adoration.¡±


    ¡°I really don¡¯t see her as shallow,¡± I said. ¡°When we first met, I thought she was the most beautiful girl I¡¯d ever seen. Now, everything has changed. I told her that it felt like we were destined to come to K¡¯Shaul.¡±


    The professor suddenly was staring at me. ¡°Do you feel like this is your grand destiny?¡±


    Then I was the one rolling my eyes. ¡°If I said I did, I would sound like a douchebag. But maybe we were brought here for a reason. I¡¯ve been looking for power crystals, but I haven¡¯t found any. I¡¯m wondering about soap, and I¡¯d love to have a stone knife.


    Holly let me change the subject, but I was wondering how Billie would be when she got done with her morning bath.


    Turned out, it was like she hadn¡¯t yelled at me. She pretended everything was fine and didn¡¯t mention the huntress once. Her bratty attitude was there, though, and I was thinking that was just who she was.


    Before I knew it, we were on our way to the obelisk.


    Holly¡¯s and Billie¡¯s first experience with the strange monument wasn¡¯t all that special. What happened after we toured the Fodoron Obelisk, however, changed everything.

 Chapter Twenty – Beyond the Obelisk

    Me, Holly, and Billie were on high alert as we walked down Rainforest World¡¯s main trail. Since I¡¯d found asphalt underneath the soil, I started calling it I-70. We didn¡¯t know what kind of creatures we might meet along the way.


    Both girls wanted to see real-life dinosaurs, and in the end, they weren¡¯t disappointed. When I first smelled the swamp, I pulled us off the trail. We crept through the ferns until we got close to the Jack¡¯s and Reggie¡¯s hunting grounds.  I made sure we were upwind from them, so they couldn¡¯t smell us.


    Like I thought, Jack and Reggie were near the swamp, gnawing on the carcass of a couple of big elk-like creatures. Reggie would drag it away, and in a flash of white mold armor, Jack would come and drag it away. The pair were otherwise preoccupied, so they didn¡¯t care about us.


    Billie¡¯s eyes were like pie plates. Holly, though, looked perplexed.


    Once they¡¯d seen enough, we continued on to the wooden walkway, which would take us over the swamps. I didn¡¯t find any power crystals, which was disappointing.


    We paused on the walkway as the girls took in the black water, the greenery of the trees, and the orange sky under the single yellowish sun.


    ¡°What did you think of the T. rexes, Holly?¡± I asked.


    ¡°I found it interesting. Predators use liminal spaces like that, between two ecosystems, to catch their prey.¡±


    Billie made a face. ¡°Liminal spaces like the back rooms? That¡¯s so nerdy.¡±


    The professor laughed indulgently. ¡°No, liminal spaces are transition or intermediate spaces, where one environment changes to another. I can see why they would be there, but I don¡¯t understand how they can maneuver through the swamp. There is not a lot of dry ground for them. Then again, with the Ravana Storm placing realities randomly, the ecology of this whole place is questionable.¡±


    ¡°You mean it¡¯s stupid,¡± Billie finished with a sigh.


    As we crossed, we saw the shapes swim through the dark water, and at the intersection, I considered doing a quick run through the vines to see how far the walkway to the right went. But no, leaving the girls last night for that long period of time had freaked them out. I had to be careful about that.


    Then we heard the drums, in the distance, start pounding. The rhythms were off, the pounding a strange staccato that would start and stop. It sounded far away, but that might¡¯ve been a trick.


    Billie shivered. ¡°What the hell? So maybe the huntress and her besties are throwing a rave, even though it¡¯s like eleven o¡¯clock in the morning.¡±


    ¡°Or maybe it¡¯s continuing from last night?¡± Holly suggested with a mischievous little smile. ¡°Back in my misspent youth, we¡¯d sometimes go twenty-four hours easily.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure it¡¯s not that.¡± Billie blew out her breath. ¡°Let¡¯s just go.¡±


    ¡°Maybe hillbilly cannibals?¡± the professor shot me a secret glance.


    ¡°Let¡¯s hope not.¡±


    We continued on toward the obelisk and soon reached dry land.


    As we walked down the trail through the thick foliage, Billie pressed a hand to her temple. ¡°Ugh. What¡¯s that buzzing sound?¡±


    ¡°The obelisk,¡± I said. ¡°We¡¯re almost there.¡±


    Holly also looked pained.


    I didn¡¯t like it either, but soon, it was worse. We were standing on the black stones around the obelisk, as it rose into the sky, thrumming with power.


    The professor walked around the base, gazing up at the runs covering the four sides. ¡°Without some sort of dictionary, I can¡¯t decipher the runes, but I do find this fascinating. Something tells me that this structure wasn¡¯t originally part of this world, since the stone is different from any that we¡¯ve seen.¡±


    ¡°Fuck,¡± Billie cursed. ¡°Yeah, like we¡¯d get any answers about this place. It¡¯s all a stupid mystery, and we¡¯re never going to get home. Can we leave? That thing is giving me a headache.¡±


    ¡°Which way do we want to go?¡± Holly asked.


    At first, I was confused. I thought there was only one path. But no, she pointed and across from us was another trail, half-hidden by vines, leading away from the swamp.


    ¡°Get behind me,¡± I said. ¡°Just in case.¡±


    Both girls had the working rifles, and I had a pistol along with my ax. I slashed through some vines to clear the trail.


    It was slow moving, but as we fought our way through, I felt a change in the air. It was cooler, and any breeze was good in that humid jungle. It was nearing noon, and I was getting thirsty. The toolbox full of water and the leaves full of rain felt far away.Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.


    We needed a way to carry water, either with pottery or baskets, but it was only our third day. First order of business was to survive.


    ¡°Do you smell that?¡± Billie asked.


    I sniffed. ¡°Yeah. Ocean.¡±


    We kept on going down the trail and then came to another line in the dirt. One side was jungle, the other was dryer, grayer dirt and sparse green grass that led to thick plants, but there were no trees. Above us, the sky was a normal blue, a little misty, a little cloudy, but nothing strange.


    A game trail, somewhat overgrown, cut through the grass. We followed the path down to the edges of the cliffs and a view of an ocean. A waterfall to the right tumbled down to the beach below.


    In front of us was a ridge of rock that led out to a single tree. Somehow, it looked familiar.


    The professor looked surprised. ¡°Good gravy, I might be wrong, but I believe that¡¯s an exact copy of the Lone Cypress near Monterrey in California.¡±


    The tree looked like it was in good shape, but there were other trees that hadn¡¯t fared so well, and they had been lodged in cracks on the cliff face. The ledges led down to a beach, about a hundred feet down.


    I had an idea forming in my head, but it seemed crazy.


    Then Billie saw something even more shocking. ¡°What in the fuck are those?¡± She was pointing out beyond the waves breaking on the long beach below the cliffs.


    Out beyond the breakers were skyscrapers, though they had seen better days. Plant-life covered the outside, and most of the windows were shattered. Several of the tall buildings looked like they¡¯d been cut in half, thanks to the Ravana Storm.


    Holly pointed at the horizon. ¡°Good gravy, that¡¯s the Transamerica building from San Francisco.¡±


    That made Billie smirk. ¡°Don¡¯t mention gravy. It makes me think of biscuits, and I¡¯m getting hungry again. So are we on Earth? I don¡¯t get it. We¡¯re not on Earth. So where are we?¡±


    I¡¯d been thinking about that in an offhand way. ¡°Maybe a pocket dimension. It¡¯s not like we¡¯re on a normal planet on a normal world. The sky wouldn¡¯t be so fucked up, and I think we can all agree, the sky is super fucked up.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re not on Earth,¡± the professor mused. ¡°And I don¡¯t think that the Ravana Storm cut away our section of Earth. I think it might¡¯ve copied it in some manner. In the end, it doesn¡¯t exactly matter. We are in a precarious position, and we must be careful.¡±


    ¡°So are we like copies of who we were?¡± Billie asked in horror.


    ¡°Maybe,¡± I said. I¡¯d thought about that as well. ¡°But even if we were, we wouldn¡¯t know it. In the end, we can¡¯t get too caught up in theories about what happened and what this world is. All I know for sure is that if we could get out to those buildings, we could get some good salvage. I mean, I like the idea of clay pots and watertight baskets, but even if we had an empty Coke can, it would help us.¡±


    Billie still wasn¡¯t getting it. ¡°But why are those skyscrapers out there?¡±


    I walked a little more out onto the ridge of the rock that led to the lone cypress. I turned. ¡°The Ravana Storm came and grabbed them at some point, and then it either dumped an ocean on them, or put them in the ocean. I don¡¯t know. There¡¯s also the pavement under the soil in Rainforest World. I¡¯m not sure when that was brought over either, but it kinda doesn¡¯t matter. We need to focus.¡¯¡¯


    That made Billie smile unexpectedly. ¡°There he is, Mr. Focus. What are you focused on? Building a fire?¡±


    She was teasing me, sure, but after our fight that morning, it also felt like a peace offering.


    ¡°No, I want to focus on a home.¡± I motioned to the lone cypress. ¡°This place is kind of perfect. The ridge gives us an easily defensible position. One way in and one way out for anyone who can¡¯t fly. We¡¯ll have a rope ladder, so if we do get overrun, we could climb down the beach below.¡±


    Both the women were listening to me, closely, and I was glad I had their undivided attention. They knew our redwood perch wasn¡¯t a long-term solution. Also, they trusted me, and I felt proud that I¡¯d earned that trust.


    I went on. ¡°Speaking of the beach, the ocean means fish, and that is a great food source. I think the professor can back me up on that.¡±


    She nodded. ¡°The ocean is an excellent source of food. Not only is there the fish, but also, if we could find edible seaweed, we would get much needed phytonutrients.¡±


    ¡°Me? Eating seaweed? It would be so fucking gross, but I guess I¡¯m eating meat already, so whatever. But what about monsters? There¡¯s bound to be like dinosaur sharks or whatever out there.¡±


    ¡°Maybe,¡± I said. ¡°But if we can kill them, we can eat them.¡±


    Holly nodded. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t underestimate the bounty of the sea. There¡¯s a reason why early civilizations thrived on the coastlines. And do you feel that? The weather is more temperate here, not too hot and not too cold.¡±


    ¡°Fucking Goldilocks,¡± Billie complained. ¡°The little bitch always wanted things just right. Well, the real world isn¡¯t like that.¡±


    ¡°But we can make it just right,¡± I said. ¡°We¡¯ll have fortifications, and I think I know what we can use as both a wall and a gate. As far as our home is concerned, those old trees would make good anchors. We¡¯d need to find something to use as nails, but yeah, I could build us a floor, and we¡¯d need a roof. We build it around the cypress. I¡¯m hoping the waterfall¡¯s water is clean, and we can run some kind of pipe from it to our house. Even without running water, this is a good place for a home away from home.¡±


    Billie folded her arms across her chest. ¡°But it¡¯s only temporary, right? I mean, I don¡¯t want to give up on getting back to Colorado.¡±


    ¡°We won¡¯t,¡± I agreed. ¡°But until we can find a way back, we need a safe place. This is going to be our best bet for a place that is secure, convenient, and comfortable.¡±


    The professor was there to agree with me. ¡°As far as we know. I can see the wisdom of this plan, though I¡¯m not sure about certain aspects of the design. What kind of fortifications were you considering?¡±


    ¡°I think we can use the bus to¡­¡± my words died in my throat.


    The biggest power crystal I¡¯d ever seen sat half-buried in some dirt near one of the dead trees wedged into the rocks of the ridge.


    When I got close, the crystal flew to me.


    Opal came to life. My vision flickered and then I was being given a life-changing update.


    <<<>>>


    Anomalous energy source detected! Utilizing. Charged to 15% of full.


    Evaluation speed increased by 50%.


    Evaluation of current circumstances complete.


    Would you like to hear the results of this unit¡¯s evaluation? YES/NO.


    <<<>>>


    I held up a hand to let the girls know something was up. ¡°Wait. Opal is finally above 10%, and her evaluation ended. Give me a minute.¡±


    Billie grimaced. ¡°I¡¯d be so surprised if your dumb robot gave us anything useful, I really would.¡±


    Holly sighed. ¡°Miss Kidd, please. Let¡¯s try and look on the bright side. At least we have something trying to help us.¡±


    But whose side was Opal on? I was fairly certain her primary mission didn¡¯t have anything to do with us.

 Chapter Twenty-One – Lost in The Repository

    Chapter Twenty-One ¨C Lost in The Repository


    I walked away from Holly and Billie to where the ridge came to a sharp peak. I¡¯d have to add some wooden planks there, but it wouldn¡¯t be a bad main hallway to our house near the cypress tree.


    The air was crisp, but not cold, and the ocean below smelled good.


    I carefully made my way to the tree and looked out at the lost section of San Francisco out in the waves. Leaning against the tree, I told Opal I was ready to hear all about her evaluation of our current circumstances.


    Her slightly robotic voice filled my head.


    HOSTNAME: Sid Marshall. Due to fluctuating energy levels, evaluation is only 78% accurate. All current data is subject to change. There is a 22% chance that queries will be rejected. Would you like to continue? YES/NO.


    ¡°Yes, Opal. I want to continue.¡± I couldn¡¯t help but laugh a little. Opal was basically a C+ student. Hey, it was a passing grade.


    The girls walked over to me, talking in hushed voices.


    However, when I asked Opal the question that was most on our minds, the girls fell quiet.


    ¡°Opal, what is this place?¡± I held my breath.


    Sector 654. Marusian beach and corresponding cliffs from the planet Marusia, part of the Oralongo subcontinent.


    ¡°What did you say?¡± Billie was nearly yelling at that point.


    ¡°She¡¯s telling me the name of the sector,¡± I replied. ¡°Opal, I don¡¯t mean the name of this sector. I mean all the sectors together. What is this world?¡±


    Inaccurate description. K¡¯Shaul is not a world, but a series of sectors, created by the Ravana Storms.


    That brought up an obvious question. ¡°What are the Ravana Storms?¡±


    An anomalous wave of energy that transports organic and inorganic matter to K¡¯Shaul, also known as the Repository.


    ¡°Why were we brought here but not our clothes? Why did it cut the bus in half?¡±


    Data on the Ravana Storms is limited. The purpose of the Ravana Storms is unknown. The nature of the Ravana Storms is unknown. The location of K¡¯Shaul, relative to known spacetime locations is unknown. The nature of K¡¯Shaul is unknown.


    I felt Holly¡¯s hand on my arm. ¡°Sid, I know you can hear her, but we can¡¯t. Could you possibly relay your conversation to us?¡±


    ¡°Sorry. So far, Opal is kind of telling us what we already know. She doesn¡¯t understand much, but she did call K¡¯Shaul by another name¡­the Repository. Like I thought, it¡¯s not a planet but more like a series of sectors.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s a repository?¡± Billie asked. ¡°Is that like where you get drugs from?¡±


    I chuckled. ¡°It¡¯s a place where you put stuff. So the Ravana Storm goes around the universe grabbing sections of other worlds and bringing them here. Opal doesn¡¯t know why or how. And she doesn¡¯t know what¡¯s going on here, but our little piece of beachfront property is in Sector 654, better known as Marusia.¡±


    ¡°Sid,¡± Holly said softly. ¡°If Opal knows the name of the sector and the name of the world, there must be a master list of sectors she¡¯s pulling from. Ask her if she has a map of all the sectors.¡±


    I didn¡¯t need to.


    HOST COMPANION: Professor Holly Kroft has a valid query. Marusian cypress tree detected. Extrapolation made by this unit. Accuracy within 98%. The Repository cannot have a map due to the changing nature of the landscape due to the Ravana Storms.


    ¡°Sorry, Holly, but Opal knew it was Marusia because of the tree.¡± I then relayed the rest of the information.


    Opal then burst out with new information that hit my eyes rather than my ears.


    <<<>>>


    Description adjusted. Sector 3.654.C. Further queries anticipated. Naming convention explained:


    <ul>


    <li>Universe: 3</li>


    <li>World_ID: 654</li>


    <li>Temporal stream: C</li>


    </ul>


    <<<>>>


    ¡°Hold on. I¡¯m getting something else,¡± I told the girls that we were actually in Sector 3.654.C, which meant the Ravana Storms pulls from across time and space as well as other universes.The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    Billie sighed, and it wasn¡¯t a happy sound. ¡°Fucking multiverse shit. I can¡¯t even escape from Marvel here. That sucks.¡±


    Holly was more reasonable. ¡°It¡¯s the multiple worlds theory in quantum physics, though it¡¯s always been theoretical. I¡¯m rather alarmed that Opal¡¯s analysis extends beyond your physical senses. How could she find that information?


    HOST COMPANION: Professor Holly Kroft has a valid query. This unit is capable of quantum scanning. This unit is in an error state due to fluctuating energy levels, so accuracy approaches 100% but is not 100%. Extrapolation parameter set to yes.


    I told Holly that basically Opal can scan the world around us, and she can make guesses.


    Billie laughed. ¡°So Opal can basically MRI you. Can she tell us if you have dinosaur syphilis or not?¡±


    HOST COMPANION: Billie Kidd has a valid query. HOSTNAME: Sid Marshall had sexual intercourse with an unknown partner. Sid Marshall does not have any foreign bodies or infections. Body optimized to 51%. Possible upgrades available with additional power. Charged to 15% of full. Unknown energy detected.


    ¡°No dinosaur syphilis and no space gonorrhea, Billie.¡± I couldn¡¯t help but sound a little smug. But then I had another question for Opal. ¡°Is the unknown energy really magic? And what¡¯s magic anyway?¡±


    Magic defined: 1) A power source of mysterious or supernatural origin that defies the scientific method. 2)The power of apparently influencing the course of events by using mysterious or supernatural forces.


    I told Holly and Billie the answer, though I wasn¡¯t about to forget what Opal had said. I loved that I had more upgrades available to me, once I found more power crystals.


    ¡°Okay, Opal, what is your primary mission? And don¡¯t say you can¡¯t tell me because of your power levels.¡±


    Holly laughed. ¡°Never give a woman a way out, Sid. Big mistake.¡±


    That made me wince. Damn.


    This unit¡¯s current primary mission is to remove error state caused by fluctuating power levels. Current error state is 92% of normal functionality. Unacceptable parameters. Find Sector X to reconfigure this unit. Sector X. Foiros Waystation.


    ¡°What¡¯s the Foiros Waystation?¡±


    Sector X is the location of the Foiros Waystation. The Foiros are superior feline entities and this unit¡¯s former host. The Foiros were able to anticipate the Ravana Storms with 76% accuracy. This unit traveled into a Ravana Storm with former host, HOSTNAME: ASSTUR NISTAA. Information limited due to security parameters and ethical considerations. Location of Sector X is unknown. Map of the Repository might be found at the Foiros Waystation in Sector X. More information on the Repository might be available at the Foiros Waystation in Sector X.


    Billie exhaled loudly. ¡°Sid¡¯s not saying anything. Why isn¡¯t he saying anything?¡±


    Holly was there to help. ¡°Give him a minute.¡±


    I was grateful for the information, but she was raising as any questions as she answered. ¡°Can you lead us to Sector X?¡±


    The location of the Foiros Waystation in Sector X is unknown. This unit¡¯s current primary mission is to remove error state caused by fluctuating power levels. Current error state is 92% of normal functionality. Please charge this unit to 100% for optimal functionality for additional information on this unit¡¯s original primary mission.


    We went around and around like that for a while. The bottom line was that she needed more power crystals. Sector X remained a big mystery, like so much else, but at the same time, we had a location where we could charge both Opal and our guns.


    I had other questions, like who were the Arkadian and who were the Paraxens, but for now, I had more important information.


    After telling the girls what Opal had said, I then asked the A.I. a question. ¡°Opal, I have a couple more slots open in my Paraxen Multitool. Can you bring up the menu?


    <<<>>>


    Paraxen Multitool Name: Betsy


    Tool configurations:


    <ul>


    <li>Etrusca Roofing Hammer</li>


    <li>Ax</li>


    <li>Javelin</li>


    <li>Add tool pending.</li>


    <li>Add tool pending.</li>


    </ul>


    <<<>>>


    ¡°Okay, Opal, no fucking around. I want a chainsaw.¡±


    ¡°Holy shit,¡± Billie breathed. ¡°Is this a good idea?¡±


    I ignored her.


    HOSTNAME: Sid Marshall. Literally sexual intercourse with this unit is impossible. Slang detected. Adjusting response. Chainsaw beyond multitool parameters.


    I¡¯d been prepared for that. ¡°Opal, can you configure the multitool to be a bow?¡±


    A bow is a length of flexible material and a string-like material that converts force from human musculature into potential energy. This stored mechanical energy is converted into kinetic energy upon release of the bowstring, and a majority of that kinetic energy is transferred to a projectile. Such a device is within this unit¡¯s capabilities.


    I smiled. I had her. ¡®Okay, Opal, but chainsaw isn¡¯t that different. It¡¯s a stick with a chain. Same thing.¡±


    A stick with a chain would be possible, including track and mechanisms for adjusting the material, but this theoretical chainsaw would lack power source.


    I wasn¡¯t about to stop. ¡°When I use my muscles, am I tapping into the unknown energy you detected?¡±


    Affirmative.


    ¡°If the unknown energy can be used to power my cells, I would think we could use it to power a chainsaw.¡±


    Billie sighed. ¡°Why do we need a chainsaw, Sid?¡±


    I ignored her for the moment.


    Analyzing. Pending results. 3% Complete.


    My heart sank. Would it take her days to complete the analysis? That meant more nights up in our tree, which I wasn¡¯t looking forward to. The climb up there was a pain in the ass, and another night of rain wasn¡¯t appealing. Also, it was only a matter of time before something attacked us up there. Fighting on tree branches would be tough.


    Billie wasn¡¯t about to stay quiet. ¡°Okay, fine, you want a chainsaw. But don¡¯t break Opal in the process. She¡¯s pretty useless, but she¡¯s better than nothing.¡±


    ¡°Let him try,¡± Holly urged. ¡°If Sid can build us a home, we need to let him. I hope this works.¡±


    I agreed whole-heartedly. ¡°Come on, Opal. Don¡¯t overthink it. You optimized my cells. You can optimize the multitool. You can combine science and magic.¡±


    Incorrect use of language. Science consists of systematic observation, measurement, experimentation, and the formulation, testing, and modification of hypotheses. Magic is a power source of mysterious or supernatural origin that defies the scientific method. Analysis complete. Would you like me to attempt to configure your Paraxen Multitool into a chainsaw? YES/NO.


    ¡°Yes,¡± I said.


    A second later, I was in agonizing pain. I collapsed on the ridge, and I would¡¯ve fallen if Billie hadn¡¯t been the CrossFit queen. She leapt forward and caught me while I writhed in pain.


    I was being optimized again, and it fucking sucked.

 Chapter Twenty-Two – Processing the Information

    I nearly blacked out, but I clung to consciousness because part of me loved being held by Billie. She gripped me hard, her fingers digging into my skin. Actually, focusing on her¡ªher perfectly beautiful face, her smell, the worry in her eyes¡ªkept me from going completely insane.


    She had caught me before I fell off the ridge. Holly stood over us, in the shadow of the Marusian cypress tree.


    ¡°What can we do?¡± Holly asked.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Billie shot back.


    Holly crouched and took my hand. ¡°Please, Sid. Talk to us. Is Opal saying anything?¡±


    I couldn¡¯t respond, but Opal wasn¡¯t saying shit to me. Then I felt the shift on my side, where I¡¯d kept the multitool as a hammer hanging off my side. If Opal really could craft me a chainsaw, I didn¡¯t want it accidentally cutting off my leg.


    Grabbing it, holding it by the handle, I watched as the thing went from a hammer to a kind of sword chainsaw. Twelve inches of handle and twelve inches of saw with about two inches of housing, so the whole thing was a little over two feet long. On the handle was the trigger. There was no safety on the thing.


    The pain was receding as static appeared in my eyes.


    <<<>>>


    Paraxen Multitool Name: Betsy


    Tool configurations:


    <ul>


    <li>Roofing Hammer</li>


    <li>Ax</li>


    <li>Javelin</li>


    <li>Yuskavarna Chainsaw Stick (power source = HOST optimized to 53% based on unknown energy source)</li>


    <li>Add tool pending.</li>


    </ul>


    <<<>>>


    The pain had been worth it. My body was optimized to 53%.


    ¡°Who are the Yuskavarna?¡± I asked.


    The Yuskavarna are a race of industrious marsupials with similar features to humans known for crafting houses of unusual features. From the word ¡°yuska¡± meaning blond. Social structure has strong family groups with head male and multiple wives.


    Suddenly Billie was screaming in my ear. ¡°What the fuck, Sid! Are you okay!? Tell me you¡¯re fucking okay!?¡± Then she burst into tears.


    I slowly stood up.


    Holly was holding Billie, while I tried out my new toy. ¡°I buzzed up the chainsaw, and there wasn¡¯t the satisfying roar, no, but that chain was chugging along on its track.


    Opal had more thoughts on the subject.


    Lubricant for chain needed. Warning. HOSTNAME: Sid Marshall might super permanent damage if tool is used for prolonged amounts of time.


    I explained to the girls what Opal had been telling me. Lubricant wouldn¡¯t be a problem, since we could melt the fat from the elk. The more interesting thing was that the tool was going to use my optimized cells. Basically, I had a magical chainsaw that was connected to me on a cellular level. I couldn¡¯t¡¯ help but think that it was similar to the mending enchantment in Minecraft, but instead of XPs going to mend my chainsaw, I would be powering it with my own body.


    I was going to take Opal¡¯s warning to heart. Prolonged use might cause permanent damage. Suddenly, I was keenly aware of my thirst. Crafting magical chainsaws was thirsty work.


    I had my multitool configured, and yet, there were so many more things I needed. Having a smaller blade to cut would be nice, as would a drill, but when I didn¡¯t want to use my last remaining tool slot. It seemed like I should be able to re-configure the multitool to allow more options, but Opal said that she was in an error state due to fluctuating power levels and so she could only do so much.


    I had to take my victory where I could get it.


    As it turned out, that waterfall near the ridge was clean water, filtered through rock, and while it had come from the Dinosaur Swamps, it tasted fine. I asked Opal twice about how safe it was, and she assured me it was fine.


    She also gave me a list of the worlds we had encountered, which I relayed to the girls.


    <<<>>>


    Sector 2.873.B (The Scarlet Hassra Wastes)


    Sector 1.303.A (Earth, Colorado National Monument)


    Sector 3.990.C (Nahall, Unknown Naming Convention for Rainforest Ecology Sector)The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.


    Sector 3.303.B (Earth, Section of Highway 1, California, pavement)


    Sector 2.303.D (Earth, Jurassic Period)


    Sector 3.654.C (Marusia, Greater Marusian Sea, beach, and corresponding cliffs of the Oralongo Subcontinent)


    <<<>>>


    I found it cool that our Earth was in the first universe and in the alpha timestream. Better yet? Our World ID was 303, like the old Denver area code. For Coloradoans, that was a big deal.


    It seemed Earth was a popular destination for the Ravana Storm, and I had to wonder if that meant anything. I liked that I had one thing confirmed. The pavement I¡¯d found had come from California, Highway 1, but not our Earth and not from our timestream.


    The rest of the information was just as interesting. Some sectors were going to have more information than others, and in the end, it might not matter, but it might. It all depended on how much Opal knew about them, and while she could do quantum scans, she had to be relatively close to them. For example, to test the water, we¡¯d had to walk closer to it, so she could see if it was safe to drink.


    If she could do nothing else, I would¡¯ve gladly had her bond to my finger bone again simply for that. That meant we could test meat, and if we did get an infection, she could tell us the nature of the disease. Not that we had any medicine.


    Maybe there would be more medicine and more supplies at the Foiros Waystation in Sector X. I couldn¡¯t think like that, though. I couldn¡¯t think that Sector X would solve all of our problems. For one thing, it might be a thousand miles away, across too many sectors to consider. No. I had to focus on the problem we already faced and keep it simple.


    The Dinosaur Swamps did have dinosaurs there, but there hadn¡¯t been people back during the Jurassic, at least not in our fossil record. So where did those walkways come from? Or the Fodoron Obelisk? Most likely, someone had come to colonize the place. I asked Opal how many universes and timestreams there were, and she said it was an impossible question to answer. She blamed her error state and lack of data and said it was all theoretical anyway.


    After drinking our fill of water, we didn¡¯t backtrack through the swamps. Instead, we walked along the cliff edges, which stretched into the distance. Heading south, we managed to find a game trail that led us to the right of the tall redwoods. Mapping out the place in my mind, Rainforest World ran alongside Beachcliff World.


    Beachcliff World had big seagull type birds, though they were about three times the size of Earth¡¯s gulls. They didn¡¯t care about us at all, and mostly seemed to eat stuff on the beach or go fishing in the rolling waves of the ocean. The buildings we¡¯d seen weren¡¯t the only things out there, and I thought I saw an island farther out.


    Holly said she could build us a canoe, so we could go explore San Submerged, or that was what we started calling it.


    We found a trail that cut to the left, and we walked through the familiar giant trees until we saw the crags of Privacy Rock in the distance between the giant trees.


    By that time, we were hungry and tired. After the pain of being optimized again, I could barely keep my eyes open.


    The last of our meat was hanging there, covered in flies, but my Uncle Morty always said that the meat was still fresh if the flies still liked it. I thought Billie was going to puke. She changed her tune, though, when Opal said it was still safe to eat.


    We started a fire, ate, and saw some more of the huge, tusked deer coming down the trail, though when they saw us, they turned tail. Like I thought, they¡¯d come to get a drink but weren¡¯t going to risk facing off with us.


    I hurled my javelin at one big cow but missed her, and the Paraxen multitool went sliding into the dense undergrowth. At first, I was worried if I would be able to find it, but Opal did a bit of scanning and led me right to it. Throwing it was risky, but if Opal could find it, then I wouldn¡¯t lose it. Breaking it, Opal assured me, was unlikely. But like in Minecraft, if I dropped it in a deep ocean and threw it into lava, it would be gone, so I had to be a little careful.


    While cooking an early dinner, I found a hunk of fat, melted it on a flat rock, and then I was able to adjust the rock to pour the oil into a little reservoir in the housing. The chainsaw greedily drank it up. I had my chain oiled.


    But I was too tired to work much that day. Being optimized tuckered me out, and we had so much to consider now that we had more information.


    Holly and Billie talked constantly, throwing out theories, getting excited about any number of things. Again, we talked like Sector X was our ticket out of here. I wasn¡¯t so sure. Maybe with power crystals, Opal could tell us more.


    I was going to concentrate on improving our current situation. Once we had water, food, shelter, and safety, we could consider our next moves. I wasn¡¯t too worried about Jack and Reggie. We still had our plasma guns, and it wasn¡¯t like the T. rexes could sneak up on us. Besides, they had plenty of food, hunting in both the Dinosaur Swamps and Rainforest World.


    No, what really worried me were those walkways, and the drums we¡¯d heard.


    Two other mysteries? The Fodoron Obelisk and the huntress.


    Where had she come from? Was she alone? Opal knew that I hadn¡¯t been exposed to dinosaur syphilis, but that was all we really know. Maybe if Opal got closer, she would be able to scan her, so we could get more information.


    We did have some good news. We could get to the lone cypress without going through the Dinosaur Swamps.


    As I ate, I looked around at the trees. There was no way I could cut through the adult redwoods, but I found some smaller pines which would be perfect for what I had planned. However, I kept thinking about nails. How could I hammer wood together without nails?


    Holly the anthropology professor was there with one possible solution. She said that we could create interlocking joints, though that took a lot of skill I wasn¡¯t sure I had. I¡¯d hammered shit together, sawed shit, and did any number of shit jobs, including cleaning up job sites, but fitting wood together¡ªlike with lock-rabbet joints¡ªwas going to take some practice.


    First, though, we had to survive the night.


    We¡¯d finished dinner, when it started to rain. To get out of the element, we climbed up to our perch and took shelter under the branches. We were drier, yes, but it was still a miserable experience. And it got worse when Billie closed her eyes, sighed, and then basically yelled, ¡°Okay. I need to pee, and I can¡¯t do it from up here. Can you guys come down with me? Please?¡±


    I was tired, but I couldn¡¯t say no. I was her protector. Holly came along because she didn¡¯t want to be up in our tree alone.


    We climbed down the mushroom tree and down to the ground. Billie went around to the other side of the big redwood.


    Which left me alone with the professor.


    Holly came close. ¡°Sid, there is an issue that I need to discuss with you.¡±


    I was exhausted, but I was also curious. What did the professor want to talk about?

 Chapter Twenty-Three – An Issue with the Professor

    The survival suit kept itself dry, but I could still feel the droplets of rain hitting me. I¡¯d added a hood, which helped. I felt bad for Holly and Billie, but there was nothing I could do to help them. Maybe, with more power crystals, Opal would be able to connect to their suits, but for now, we were simply lucky to have such nice clothes.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± I asked the professor.


    ¡°This morning¡­¡± Holly¡¯s voice caught in her throat. She tilted her head. ¡°This is difficult to talk with you about. This whole situation is so very difficult. Yes, the chores of survival are interesting, and part of me finds the adventure exciting, but another part of me longs for a bed, a house, shelter, the conveniences of modern living.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re going to work on a better home tomorrow. You¡¯ll see. I have a plan.¡± I hoped that would be the end of the discussion, but no, that was just wishful thinking.


    ¡°I know. And I trust you, Sid. About this morning¡­¡± again, she was having trouble getting the words out.


    ¡°Just tell me. Like a band-aid. Rip it off. What about¡ª¡±


    Then she blurted it out. ¡°I was jealous.¡±


    I remembered that Billie seemed to get upset when I¡¯d called the huntress beautiful. Was Holly upset as well? I wasn¡¯t following her. ¡°Why would you be jealous?¡±


    That was right when Billie came back, zipping up the front of her jumpsuit. ¡°Nothing like stripping to pee. Okay, guys, thanks.¡±


    The professor turned to the CrossFit queen. ¡°Billie, would it be possible for Sid and me to finish our conversation in private?¡±


    Billie¡¯s eyes went from Holly to me. ¡°Uh. Sure. I¡¯ll go climb up to¡­you know¡­the bus seats. It will be okay. I guess. I have a plasma rifle. What more does a girl need?¡±


    The professor ignored her bratty attitude. ¡°Thank you, Billie.¡±


    The blond girl started climbing but didn¡¯t stop complaining. ¡°Whatever. A monster will probably eat me, and I¡¯ll be dead, but you¡¯ll get your dumb private conversation, and I guess that¡¯s all that matters.¡±


    The professor took in a breath. ¡°You know this place has a certain energy that has excited all of our libidos. Alone, one can get some release, but you were with someone else, a new person, and you got true satisfaction. I was jealous, and so I lashed out, and I apologize.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± I said. ¡°Let¡¯s get back up there. Billie isn¡¯t wrong. There could be monsters up there.¡±


    Holly frowned. ¡°It wasn¡¯t fine. I need you to say you accept my apology. Can you do that for me?¡±


    ¡°I accept your apology, Professor,¡± I said.


    But somehow, I knew that wouldn¡¯t be the end of it.


    Holly still had her frown and furrowed brow. ¡°Do you have anything else to say?¡±


    The whole conversation was feeling like a trap.


    ¡°What else do you want me to say, Professor? I didn¡¯t plan for that to happen this morning, and it really might be a one-time thing. Are you saying you want me to stop it from happening a second time?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re missing the point of this conversation,¡± the professor said calmly. ¡°I would like you to say something about me and acknowledge my needs.¡±


    Don¡¯t get me wrong, I love women¡ªthe way they look, the way they smell, how they move through the world¡ªbut sometimes, when emotions were involved, they seemed far too alien for me to handle.


    I felt like she was testing me. Maybe that wasn¡¯t so weird, since she was my professor, but at the moment, it felt weird. Then¡ªout of the fucking blue¡ªI realized what she wanted. ¡°Holly, you¡¯re gorgeous. I would totally go for you, but you said you weren¡¯t interested because I¡¯m a student. I know what it¡¯s like to want to be someone and have to settle for¡­¡±


    I didn¡¯t finish the sentence. She knew what I was talking about.


    ¡°I¡¯m not gorgeous,¡± she said in a quiet voice.


    She totally needed me to tell her she was. ¡°You are, Holly. I mean, you are definitely the hottest teacher in Grand Junction. I bet you¡¯ve starred in the fantasies of thousands of students.¡±


    That made her blush. ¡°Between you and me, Mr. Marshall, I¡¯ve thought about all the boys¡­and the girls¡­fantasizing about me. It gets me hot. And I had an active dating life until recently. But I don¡¯t want to talk about that. You¡¯re about one thing, though. If the huntress does return, and if she¡¯s interested, I think you should have sex with her again. And this time, with Opal being more responsive, you might get more information about her and K¡¯Shaul. You will be able to scan her, won¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°That was my plan,¡± I said.


    Suddenly, tears appeared in Holly¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± I asked, and I was very patient. I didn¡¯t add the word ¡°now¡± as in¡­what¡¯s wrong now?A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.


    She blinked them away. ¡°It¡¯s nothing. I would like you to hug me and tell me everything is okay. That we¡¯ll get through this and find a way home.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure that¡¯s a good idea?¡± I asked.


    ¡°It¡¯s what I need. And I trust you.¡± Her voice was quiet. She was showing me this vulnerable side to her, one that I didn¡¯t even know existed. So far, she¡¯d been capable, logical, and level-headed when she¡¯d not been moody and quietly seething. I hadn¡¯t forgotten how she¡¯d changed the other night.


    Carefully, I approached her. I knew I wasn¡¯t going to stop myself from getting hard, not with that energy in the air all the time. We were all impossibly horny. The huntress had felt it, I had, and so did Holly and Billie.


    I gently pulled the professor into my arms. She rested her head on my chest, and I felt her tits press into me. All of her perfume was gone, and I smelled her body. She had a muskier scent than Billie¡ªBillie had a sweeter natural smell. At the same time, I didn¡¯t mind Holly¡¯s natural smell. In fact, she smelled fucking good.


    Like I thought, I was getting hard, holding her, feeling her soft body against me. She was warm, and I had a flash of us kissing. I bet she was a really good kisser. She¡¯d admitted to having a very active dating life. Rumor had it, she was bisexual, and more than once, I¡¯d heard rumors of her being seen kissing a woman. Not a student, not another professor, but maybe her girlfriend. Then again, people talked shit, all the time. However, the professor had lived an exciting life, going all over the world, doing her research. She deserved some respect, and yes, some love.


    I remembered my job. I found myself stroking her hair, which was softer than I would¡¯ve expected.


    As I held her and stroked her head, I whispered, ¡°We¡¯re going to make it through this, Professor. I¡¯m not saying what you want to hear. Logically, we have everything going for us. We have clean water and an ocean of fish. You saw how big those seagulls were. That¡¯s a great sign. Not only do we have Opal now, helping us, but I have this new, optimized body.


    She laughed a little. ¡°I can feel how optimized you are. It¡¯s bigger, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± I said. ¡°But I¡¯m going to honor what you said, Professor. I think you¡¯re in a vulnerable state, and I¡¯m not going to take advantage of you. So even if you begged me to fuck you, I wouldn¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°Because you have the huntress.¡± The bitterness in her voice was obvious.


    ¡°No, because you don¡¯t sleep with students.¡±


    She pulled back. ¡°Not even in the Sectors of the Repository?¡±


    ¡°Not even in the Repository,¡± I said. Every inch of my being wanted to strip her, smell her, taste her. I wanted to pound her from behind and watch her ass shake. My cock was telling me I was being an idiot. My head, though, needed the professor at her best. If I fucked her and she became a guilty mess, our lives would be on the line.


    Pulled back, she stared into my eyes, though, and I felt the pull to her kiss her.


    I couldn¡¯t look away. I felt like I was under some kind of spell.


    ¡°Sid. I know this is a bad idea. But I want you to kiss me.¡±


    There was no way I was going to refuse the offer. No fucking way. If Professor Holly Kroft wanted to kiss me, of course I would fucking kiss her.


    I really felt like a moron when I said, ¡°No, Professor. I can¡¯t do that. I know what it would lead to.¡±


    ¡°Please.¡±


    I couldn¡¯t catch my breath. My heart was pounding, and I was starting to sweat, even with the rain.


    Her eyes searched my face. It was like our souls were coming together.


    She needed me to kiss her, and that need was so naked, so brave. I leaned in and pressed my lips against hers.


    She inhaled, and grabbed me, hard, and straddled my leg.


    It was very clear what was going on. While I was rubbing myself against her, she was rubbing herself against me.


    I¡¯d wanted to smell her and taste her, and I was getting my fill, feeling her lips, so plump, wet, and warm. We were both gasping, and I felt like I was thirteen again, kissing my seventh-grade crush. Tasting her lips was one thing. Tasting her tongue was another.


    And yes, she offered me her tongue, as we explored each other. Her hands went to my ass, and my hands went to hers. We were coming together, in the chill rain that filtered through the tree branches above.


    All faith in myself went out the window. We were going to have sex, in the dirt, while Billie waited above. Maybe she would wonder what had happened to us and climb down. Maybe she¡¯d join us in the dirt.


    Holly found the strength to push me away.


    She gazed at me, breathing hard. Her big nipples were so swollen that they were pushing against the chest of her survival suit.


    Her mouth was open, and her lips were a little more swollen and wet than they had been.


    Her eyes were like diamonds in the moonlight. ¡°That was amazing, Sid. Thank you. Somehow, it fed me in some strange way. I think I¡¯ll be able to sleep now, despite my lack of release.¡±


    I couldn¡¯t say the same, but that was okay, because I too felt oddly satisfied for a minute. I¡¯d just French kissed my anthropology professor on another world. Also, I had a chainsaw tied to my mitochondria. Wasn¡¯t that every kid¡¯s dream?


    Life was good.


    ¡°Sid,¡± the professor said carefully. ¡°I so appreciate you not trying to take advantage of me. And that kiss¡­it was perfect. Thank you. I feel so much better.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re welcome, Professor.¡± I held up a hand. ¡°Holly. You¡¯re welcome, Holly.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve been a good student and a kind friend. And if you do get a chance to enjoy the huntress, kiss her once for me, will you?¡±


    I smiled. ¡°I¡¯ll probably do a little more than kiss. But after what we did, I think I might be thinking of you the entire time.¡± It was a little white lie. When I¡¯d been with the huntress before, all thought had gone out of my head. I figured the next time would be the same.


    Holly and I hugged one more time, and then we climbed up to our perch, but I wasn¡¯t fooled. Billie was still a little out of breath from beating us there.


    Right then, from the look in her eyes, I knew she¡¯d witnessed the kiss.


    We agreed that Holly would take the first watch, I would be second, and Billie last.


    Somehow, we all got to sleep despite the day¡¯s events and the rain.


    On my watch, I talked a little Opal, but mostly, I sat quietly, enjoying the moonlight. The rain would come again, but all the moisture made all the trees gleam and glitter. It was relaxing, but I didn¡¯t let myself fall asleep. I was thinking about all the work we would be doing the next day, all the cutting I would do, and lastly, the bus. I was going to use that bus for a very specific purpose.


    For some reason, I also thought about bamboo. Where could we find bamboo?


    Both Uncle Marty and Aunt Kathy loved the show Gilligan¡¯s Island. It must¡¯ve been a weird generation thing because to me, it was super dumb. Then again, a lot of those old 70s and 80s shows were dumb in a fun kind of way. But if we¡¯ve learned one thing from Gilligan¡¯s Island¡ªand not just that the girl next door is sexier than a movie star¡ªit¡¯s that bamboo had any number of uses.


    Opal had an internal chronometer, and while the days varied between the Sectors, so far, the Sectors we had encountered were all twenty-four hours, plus or minus a few hours. Opal let me know when it was time to wake Billie, so she could take her shift keeping watching.


    Waking the cheerleader, she immediately glared at me. ¡°I saw you and Professor Kroft kissing. What the fuck, Sid?¡±


    Unsurprisingly, the professor wasn¡¯t the only female in K¡¯Shaul with issues.

 Chapter Twenty-Four – Late Night Fight

    I had nowhere to run.


    For one thing, I was up in a tree, on the middle bus seat between Billie and Holly. It was starting to rain a little harder, but it didn¡¯t seem to bother the sleeping professor. She was the closest to the tree trunk, and so she had the most protection.


    ¡°Shush, Billie,¡± I warned the cheerleader. ¡°Don¡¯t wake her up. Besides, you can¡¯t be spying on people.¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t be kissing everyone, Sid. First the huntress, and then Professor Kroft. You think I¡¯m next, don¡¯t you?¡±


    I was so tired, and I¡¯d been so relaxed. This was bullshit. I had to fight to keep my anger under control. ¡°Billie, you¡¯ve made it clear you don¡¯t want to cheat on your boyfriend.¡± I didn¡¯t tease her about forgetting she was with Scott. Or was it Mike? I¡¯d forgotten myself.


    She opened her mouth to talk, but I cut her off. ¡°And Holly isn¡¯t going to have sex with me. She was feeling vulnerable. She needed a kiss. That was it.¡±


    Billie snorted and rolled her eyes. ¡°That was a super-hot kiss. And you were totally grinding on each other. Did she suck on your tongue? I mean, I¡¯m pretty sure it was that kind of a kiss.¡±


    I leaned forward, maintaining eye contact. ¡°I¡¯m literally not going to kiss and tell, Billie. And don¡¯t worry. You and I are never going to kiss.¡±


    ¡°Why not?¡± Billie asked in a hushed voice. ¡°Because you don¡¯t think I¡¯m good enough for you? Well for your information, Mr. Marshall, I wouldn¡¯t kiss you even if you begged me.¡±


    I was about to throw her out of the tree, or leave myself, when I saw how scared she was. This was just her lashing out, because she had been thrown into a crazy situation that she never could¡¯ve planned for.


    All her plans for her life¡­with Mike or Scott¡­or whoever had all gone out the window. Her white picket fence dreams had been destroyed.


    ¡°Billie,¡± I said quietly. ¡°I know you¡¯re scared. I¡¯m not sure what you heard me say to Professor Kroft, but we¡¯re going to be fine. I¡¯m not planning on kissing anyone.¡±


    ¡°What about your slutty huntress?¡± she asked.


    It was funny how much Billie wanted a fight. ¡°We don¡¯t know if the huntress will come back, so no, I don¡¯t have plans to do anything with the huntress. I didn¡¯t plan on kissing the professor. I told her no, but she begged me.¡±


    Billie licked her lips. ¡°I heard that. You were nice. You weren¡¯t just some horny asshole. I was surprised.¡±


    That made me laugh a little. ¡°Thanks.¡±


    That seemed to break whatever bitchy spell Billie had been under. ¡°No, it¡¯s sweet. Really. It just shocked me is all. I really thought we weren¡¯t going to be doing anything with each other, and then you and Holly get all kissy, and I felt¡­¡±


    She didn¡¯t finish.


    I finished her thought for her. ¡°You felt left out. One more time, you were the outcast, like you were in high school. And you swore college would be different, and so you positioned yourself to be successful. And you were. You played college well.¡±


    Billie smiled shyly. ¡°You were listening to me.¡±


    ¡°Every word. Say what you will about me, but I¡¯m focused.¡± I playfully punched her arm. ¡°I get why you wanted to marry Mike Westa. You wanted security, and I get that, especially now.¡±


    Billie blinked at me. ¡°You don¡¯t think I¡¯m shallow?¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter what I think,¡± I said. ¡°You¡¯re a survivor, and when you¡¯re a survivor, you look for safety and shelter. Isn¡¯t that what you and I are doing now?¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± she said in a quiet voice.


    ¡°So you can help with that,¡± I said. ¡°Tomorrow is going to be a huge day. You do know that everything has changed, right?¡±


    She didn¡¯t respond. Her eyes were far away, as she sat there, on the bus bench we¡¯d lashed to the tree. She toyed with the end of the rope.


    Finally, she shook her head. ¡°What¡¯s changed?¡±


    ¡°We have the name of this place. We have an A.I. who may not be 100% accurate, but she is a wealth of information. I don¡¯t think many people have been able to escape this place, but I think we¡¯d have a chance if we had her help. At one point, the professor said we couldn¡¯t give up hope. I think that¡¯s right. We have to believe in ourselves and each other.¡±Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.


    ¡°And embrace our destiny.¡± She gave me a little smile. ¡°See? I listen to you as well. I¡¯ve thought a lot about that. Maybe we are here for a reason. I like that idea. I like that you¡¯re a good guy, Sid. I really do. A lot of guys would get all pissed off, or they would whine and cry, and you¡¯re not doing any of that. You¡¯re focused on keeping us alive. Thank you.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re welcome,¡± I said. ¡°I should probably get some sleep. I have to use my body to power my chainsaw tomorrow. Hopefully, we¡¯ll find more power crystals.¡±


    That made her laugh a little. ¡°Did you ever think you¡¯d be trapped on some idiotic alien world with two crazy women? Sorry I keep being a bitch to you.¡±


    ¡°So stop,¡± I said. ¡°It doesn¡¯t help. You can see that, right?¡±


    She dropped her gaze. ¡°Yeah. I know. But it¡¯s like you said. I had all these plans, and now, I don¡¯t know what is going on. I¡¯m pissed off one minute, super horny the next, and terrified all the time. I miss talking to my mom. She would kinda keep me on track.¡±


    ¡°Would talking to the professor help?¡± I asked.


    ¡°I¡¯ve tried,¡± Billie said with a sigh. ¡°But she¡¯s like the opposite of my mom. Professor Kroft is all logical and strength and a little cold. My mom is all heart and warmth. Besides¡­¡±


    She glanced over at Holly, to make sure the professor was asleep.


    Then she leaned in close to me. ¡°With the professor, I keep thinking about how she brought her hot girlfriend to campus. She was like an Instagram influencer, or something, who was in Moab and came to visit. I saw them kiss once, in her office. It was hot. I think about kissing her myself, Sid. So yeah, I guess I was both shocked and a little jealous.¡±


    These girls would be the death of me.


    What could I say that wouldn¡¯t piss her off?


    I tried to make a joke. ¡°Well, Billie, if our professor kissed me in a moment of weakness, I¡¯m sure she¡¯ll let you kiss her.¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Billie said. ¡°It would be weird for us to kiss. But what about me and you?¡±


    I squinted one eye closed from the emotional whiplash. Not ten minutes ago, she told me, outright, that any kind of smooching would never, ever happen. At that moment, I was pretty sure Jack or Reggie, the moldy armored T. rexes had a better chance with Billie than I had.


    Billie only smiled. ¡°I know what I said but come on. It¡¯s only fair that we kiss. I still think about that first night in the bus. It¡¯s what I use when I¡¯m trying to¡­when I¡¯m at Privacy Rock. I felt so crazy and free and wild.¡±


    Remembering that night, I felt myself getting hard.


    ¡°Okay,¡± I said. But then I wanted to make something clear. ¡°Don¡¯t fuck with me, Billie. If this is some kind of trick, I¡ª¡±


    She hurried to push a finger against my lips, cutting off my words. ¡°No, Sid, I would never. That would be fucked up. I might be an emotional trainwreck, but I don¡¯t want to play games like that. Ever. So¡­please.¡±


    ¡°Please what?¡± I asked, finding it hard to breathe.


    ¡°Kiss me,¡± she whispered.


    I slid over onto the seat. I brushed her hair away from her face.


    Was I really sitting on the same bus seat with Billie Lynn Kidd? And how did she get that name anyway?


    But there I was, with the popular girl, the cheerleader, and the college¡¯s best CrossFit instructor. It was all happening.


    She was so beautiful and smelled so sweet.


    Her hair was a little rougher than the professor¡¯s, but I didn¡¯t care. I was so lost in the moment, so lost in her eyes, so incredibly moved by her beauty. She was this perfect woman¡ªperfect on the outside at least.


    I felt like I was under a spell.


    Billie licked her lips. ¡°Please, Sid. Don¡¯t tease. Kiss me.¡±


    I leaned forward. That morning, I¡¯d kissed the huntress. That night, a few hours before I¡¯d kissed Professor Kroft, and now I was kissing Billie Lynn Kidd.


    Our lips met, and we both gasped at the intensity. My heart pounded in my chest. Before I knew it, I felt her tongue brush my lips. Her tongue was smaller than the professor¡¯s, but then physically, she was smaller. Her lips were thinner as well, but I loved her taste and smell.


    She was moaning into my mouth, and I wanted to feel more of her body on me.


    It was like she could anticipate that.


    Before I knew it, Billie was straddling me. It was perfect. I felt the warmth of her crotch against mine. We were both sweating, gasping for breath, and it was like I could hear both of our hearts beating.


    Her breasts were so much smaller than the professor¡¯s, but I could still feel some squish. She had me wrapped up in her arms, and it was like our bodies were perfect for each other. The kiss was hungry, animalistic, and I found myself growling.


    I¡¯m not sure what would¡¯ve happened if the monsters hadn¡¯t come right then.


    Billie and I were kissing, and I was wondering if I could ask Opal to strip me naked immediately, when Billie leaned back.


    ¡°Sid, I hate to break this up, but do you smell that?¡±


    Sniffing, an awful scent hit me all of a sudden. It was awful, wet and murky, like rotting meat in a mosquito pond. We heard a whistling sound as well, and at first, it was hard to tell where it was coming from.


    The roars under us though? That was easy. Jack and Reggie had come calling, and I thought the smell was coming from them. But no, that had more of a moldy, lizard smell. The scent in the air was far wetter and nastier.


    Holly was wide awake in an instant. ¡°Good gravy!¡± Her voice cracked. ¡°What is happening?¡±


    Billie leapt off me. She clung to a tree branch and pointed. ¡°There. Oh my god. There. What are those things?¡±


    At first, I couldn¡¯t find them in the silvery light.


    Then. Yes.


    Dozens of things glided down into a nearby tree. A second later, we heard the strangled cries of the big crows being decimated in a cacophony of squawks and cried.


    That seemed to spark Jack and Reggie into frenzy. They were roaring, and growling, and yes, even jumping. I could feel the impact as they came slamming down onto the ground. It made the entire forest shake.


    Those flying things left that tree and went soaring through the skies toward us.


    I had to blink a couple of times. I felt my whole world tilt because what I was seeing was impossible. Well, if we could move through the sectors, so could other types of things.


    We were being invaded¡­by flying frogs.

 Chapter Twenty-Five – Midnight Flight

    Take a giant frog the size of a rottweiler and combine it with a flying squirrel.


    The flying frogs had huge Gollum-y eyes, like from the Lord of the Rings, and big mouths filled with long fangs the size of steak knives. The claws on their front legs were also no joke. They were flying killing machines.


    The nasty murky rotting stench came from the flying monster.


    Were they toads or frogs? I didn¡¯t know, but I was pretty sure we were going to have to use up the rest of our plasma charges if we wanted to survive the night.


    ¡°Billie, start firing, but only when they get close. Professor, get behind us with your rifle. Only fire if they get past us. I¡¯ll go up front.¡± We had a shitty plan, but it was a plan. I shoved my way in front of Billie, grabbed my ax and pistol.


    The first flying frog to reach us was shot down by Billie. The second one I brained with the ax. Black blood sprayed over us. They must¡¯ve had hollow bones because they were relatively easy to kill.


    Frogs flew past us and hit the branches, and then dropped down. Luckly, Holly was there to blast them. However, soon our tree was crawling with them, and I had no choice but to use both my pistol and the ax.


    I hacked through frogs, left and right, but then paused to shoot down the ones above us. I didn¡¯t want them dropping down on us. My enhanced body allowed me the agility to dodge attacks, and I had no trouble hacking apart frogs, but in the end, there were too many of them.


    Jack and Reggie were roaring their little hearts out beneath me. Most likely, they were disappointed that they weren¡¯t getting to eat the frogs like they¡¯d eaten the fleas. Well, I could probably help with that.


    ¡°Holly, the rope, we have to get down to the ground. Fast. We¡¯re not going to last five minutes up here.¡± I shot another frog in the head.


    Billie¡¯s rifle lit up the night as plasma burned through another frog.


    ¡°What about the dinosaurs?¡± Billie wailed.


    ¡°Leave them to me,¡± I said.


    A frog landed on my back, it¡¯s claws trying to shred my survivor suit. Luckily, the Paraxens had perfected clothing technology. The fabric held but the thing¡¯s gigantic mouth snapped at me, its fangs clacking against each other. Man, I could smell the nastiness of its breath up close. I did not want that thing biting me. I couldn¡¯t imagine what kind of bacteria it had.


    I holstered a pistol and flung it off me. It came gliding back toward me like an amphibian boomerang.


    I had an ax to take care of that. I batted the thing away, taking off its lower jaw. It fell to the ground, along with a couple of the other giant flying frogs.


    The T. rexes below had stopped roaring because their mouths were full of the frogs we¡¯d butchered.


    ¡°Holly, you and Billie get down the rope. Jack and Reggie are too busy eating to worry about you. I¡¯ll cover you!¡± I shot another frog, and then axed through another.A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.


    ¡°Opal, how many shots do I have left in the Weeper?¡±


    Four rounds left. You are fighting Flying Vorsan Swarm Toads, nocturnal nature, and quite deadly. They hatch in large batches and then fly through ecosystems, devouring everything in sight. They have very short lifespans. Once they start to starve, they procreate and spawn. Their eggs hibernate for up to a decade and then hatch all at once.


    ¡°Shut up, Opal!¡± I didn¡¯t need to have the Wikipedia entry read to me during the fight.


    Holly and Billie had descended, and it was my turn. ¡°Opal, I need gloves, extra thick, because I¡¯m going to be sliding down the rope.¡±


    Paraxen survival suit re-configured.


    Away went the multitool and the pistol, and then I suddenly had gloves sprouting from my sleeves. A second later, I was sliding down the rope.


    I came slamming down onto the ground right in front of Jack, the big white moldy mother fucker, who had half of a toad sticking out of his mouth.


    He was staring at me with his beady little eyes, but he wasn¡¯t attacking me. He almost looked curious even as he crunched through the toad in his mouth. What was going on in his reptilian mind? I had no idea, but this was the third meal I¡¯d given him. The first had been the fleas, and sure, his second feast had been his green buddy, but cats would eat their owners. It wasn¡¯t personal.


    Jack wasn¡¯t going for me, and neither was Reggie. Moonlight painted his black armor silver as he joined Jack in staring at me, noisily crunching through his own giant toad.


    I didn¡¯t dare move. However, I was ready if they came for me. I had four shots left in my pistol. One had been enough for Green Albert.


    Again, I smelled that nasty stink, and from above, probably fifty of the toads came flying down.


    The both Jack and Reggie couldn¡¯t care less about me. Jack let out a happy roar and slurped up two frogs at once. Reggie joined in, and those two had a blast, eating up the toads. And like with the fleas, the toads tried to rip through their fungus armor but were unsuccessful.


    I skittered back into the ferns that hid Billie and Holly.


    ¡°What just happened?¡± Billie hissed. ¡°I thought those dinosaurs were going to eat you!¡±


    ¡°Jack and Reggie?¡± I tried to feign shock. ¡°No, we have an understanding. They don¡¯t eat me, and I bring them food. Or I have so far.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not serious,¡± Holly sniffed. ¡°Those reptiles don¡¯t have the same social behavior as mammals. They are very simple creatures.¡±


    ¡°Maybe,¡± I whispered. ¡°But they¡¯ve saved us twice now. Remember, they aren¡¯t from our Earth¡¯s Jurassic Period. All bets are off on how they act. Besides, the fossil record can tell us a lot about dinosaurs, but we don¡¯t know how smart they are. Or what their social behavior was like.¡±


    ¡°We can make educated guesses, Mr. Marshall,¡± Holly shot back. ¡°Based on evolution, we can¡ª¡±


    Out of nowhere, Billie started to cry. ¡°I want a blanket. My feet are cold. My fingers are cold. I¡¯m wet. I¡¯m scared. Those frogs stink, and I hate this. I hate sleeping up in that tree like a monkey. I want a Marriott. I want room service. I wanna go home!¡±


    The professor wasn¡¯t showing her any sympathy. ¡°Why was she sitting on your lap, Sid? Well, not sitting. She was straddling you, and kissing you, if I¡¯m not mistaken.¡±


    ¡°Oh no, Holly,¡± I said, making sure to use her first name. ¡°You don¡¯t get to judge us. Billie saw us kissing, and she wanted a kiss, but believe me, it didn¡¯t start out that way. Can we talk about this later when we¡¯re not running for our lives?¡±


    Then I turned to Billie and reached out to touch her shoulder. ¡°It¡¯s okay. This is going to be our worst night, I promise.¡±


    Holly then sighed and took Billie¡¯s hand. ¡°Yes, Miss Kidd, this is difficult. We¡¯ll get through this.¡±


    Billie took a piece of Paraxen survival cloth out of her pocket and wiped her eyes and blew her nose. ¡°Sorry. It¡¯s just a lot. And I did spy on you guys. I¡¯m sorry. But I had to kiss Sid, like you did, Professor. I got jealous.¡±


    The professor nodded. ¡°Yes, I¡ª¡±


    ¡°Girls,¡± I whispered in a low voice. ¡°We have to get out of here. I¡¯d like to think that Jack and Reggie wouldn¡¯t snap me up in a heartbeat but that might not be the case. We can do all the emotions and have the discussion alter, but for now, come on.¡±


    They knew I was right, and they followed me without another word.


    If we were lucky, we¡¯d get through that night alive. Hopefully. Fuck. In a lot of ways, we were doing well. In other ways? We had a lot to learn about K¡¯Shaul.

 Chapter Twenty-Six - Escaping to the Overhang

    The clouds parted to give us an ocean of moonlight, so we could easily find the trail to Privacy Rock. Along the way, I collected firewood. Like Billie, we were all tired of being wet and cold. Unlike Billie, we didn¡¯t complain about it.


    I easily started a little fire on the edge of the overhang. I made sure Billie and Holly were okay before getting more wood, including some longer branches that we could light if something tried to attack us.


    Thank goodness that Billie and I had been awake. If we¡¯d not set a watch, we would¡¯ve been toad food.


    While I grabbed wood, I asked Opal about our ammo situation. It was as bad as I thought.


    <<<>>>


    Pistol empty


    Pistol empty


    Pistol = 3 charges remaining


    Rifle empty


    Rifle empty


    Rifle = 7 charges remaining


    <<<>>>


    At least the A.I. wasn¡¯t mad I¡¯d told her to shut up. Dealing with robots was easier than dealing with humans. What in the hell was wrong with Holly? One minute she¡¯s saying that she won¡¯t fool around with students, and the next we¡¯re kissing like she¡¯s my prom date and we have a hotel room.


    Same thing with Billie. Both those women were giving me mixed signals.


    At least with the huntress, I knew exactly where she stood¡ªand that was naked, in front of me, willing to get crazy with me.


    Returning, I found Holly sitting with her back against a rocky wall, holding Billie. The bratty blond¡¯s eyes were closed, but I knew she wasn¡¯t sleeping.


    I put the wetter sticks next to the fire to dry. Luckily, there wasn¡¯t much of a breeze, and the smoke was drifting out of the overhang.


    I squatted next to the fire. ¡°Okay, you two sleep. I¡¯ll take the last watch. We have a few more hours before morning.¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Holly said. ¡°I slept really well for most of the night. I¡¯ll keep watch, if you want to come and hold Billie.¡±


    The cheerleader pushed herself up to sit on her own. ¡°No, I¡¯m okay. That was just really intense, and I was already so tired. Sorry I keep losing it.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s understandable,¡± Holly said. ¡°As you¡¯ve noticed, I¡¯ve been ¡®losing it¡¯ as well. I can¡¯t believe my own emotions over these last couple of days. Can you both forgive me?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, Sid,¡± Billie said. ¡°Please don¡¯t hate me for being¡­you know¡­ being all bitchy all the time. Can you forgive me?¡±


    ¡°Forgiven.¡± I paused. ¡°I meant what I said, Billie, about having better shelter. Tomorrow might be the longest day of my life, but we¡¯ll have a better home by the time I¡¯m done, I promise.¡±If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.


    Holly smiled at me, her eyes glowing. What was that look about?


    Billie then gave the professor a friendly shove. ¡°And the next time you need to kiss someone, just come to me. Sid has the huntress. Us girls have to stick together.¡±


    The professor adjusted herself to sit up straight. ¡°Well, Miss Kidd, I hope it doesn¡¯t come to that. I had a moment of weakness, but I¡¯m feeling much better.¡±


    Billie laughed. ¡°Why do I feel like I just asked a guy to skate with me at Roller City and got shot down?¡±


    ¡°Oddly specific,¡± I muttered.


    A rather mysterious smile brightened Holly¡¯s face. ¡°Well, Billie, don¡¯t take it as a rejection. Take it that I¡¯m playing hard-to-get.¡±


    ¡°Oh, a challenge.¡± Billie had an equally bright smile on her face. ¡°I like a challenge.¡±


    The two of them together made my pulse quicken and my pants tighten. I couldn¡¯t let my imagination get the better of me. I had to quiet my mind, so I could sleep. Like I¡¯d told them, tomorrow was going to be a helluva day.


    Sleep did eventually find me, though I missed my bus seat up in the trees. Bares stone made for a terrible mattress.


    I woke up with the last of the wood burning. It smelled good, and I was glad for its warmth because it was going to be a rainy day. All the moons were hidden by a dreary layer of clouds.


    Holly was awake, and when she saw my eyes open, she pointed.


    There, across the pool, half-hidden in the ferns, stood the huntress. Hanging from her stone spear was the back leg of one of the toads. Her bow was slung over her shoulder, resting near the quiver. She gazed at us, out in the open, brows knit. Had she come for a little morning love?


    I wanted Opal to scan her, but that meant I had to get closer. Well, the huntress was about to become the hunted.


    Holly raised a hand in greeting.


    The huntress didn¡¯t move. She was probably a hundred feet from us, so it was hard to judge her expression, and yet, from that distance, it was clear she was conflicted.


    The professor dropped her hand and laughed a little. ¡°She¡¯s surprised to find you here with us. I would bet she thought she¡¯d get you alone again, and we¡¯ve ruined her plans. She is pretty, Sid. I understand why you didn¡¯t fight the temptation.¡±


    I got to my feet, moving slowly. ¡°I have to talk to her, but she has the right idea. The Swarm Toads would be a good breakfast.¡±


    Holly chuckled. ¡°I¡¯m glad that our Billie is sleeping. I do not think she would find the idea of roasted toad appetizing so early in the morning.¡±


    ¡°What about you?¡±


    ¡°Oh, Mr. Marshall, we are playing a game of calories. All calories are good, for we don¡¯t know when we can eat again, and our hanging tusked deer probably didn¡¯t survive the Swarm Toad attack.¡±


    She had a point.


    ¡°Sit tight, Holly, I¡¯m going to try and talk with our mysterious huntress.¡±


    ¡°I wish you well.¡±


    But a second later, the huntress was gone, vanishing into the brush.


    ¡°Fuck!¡± I didn¡¯t pause but dove into the water, swimming across to the other side. I then followed her through the ferns. My legs glowed as I sped after her. I was gaining ground on her, and I would¡¯ve jumped to catch her, but there were too many trees and greenery.


    I ran her down underneath a big pine tree with bushy boughs, like an overgrown juniper bush. There were soft, dry grasses underneath. Most likely, some critter had taken shelter there to escape the Swarm Toads from the night before.


    She spun, breathing hard. Then she waved a hand at Privacy Rock, saying a bunch of things, but after spending days with two temperamental women, I kind got the point.


    ¡°They¡¯re friends,¡± I said. ¡°You don¡¯t need to be jealous. I¡¯m not fucking them.¡±


    ¡°Fochacha?¡± she asked. I caught that word, but then she said a bunch of other stuff, and she lost me.


    ¡°Opal, can you scan her?¡±


    Scanning hominid. She is not human. Possible Arkadian ancestry detected. Linguistic pattern unknown. A lexicon might be possible with more data.


    Arkadian? Opal was Arkadian technology.


    ¡°I¡¯m Sid Marshall.¡± I pointed at my chest and then pointed at her. ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡±


    I was trying to start simple, but she wasn¡¯t getting it. She pointed in the direction of Privacy Rock, and then made a face. Then her eyes dropped, and I realized she was looking at my cock.


    That made me laugh. ¡°You have a one-track mind. I can respect that. But I need you to talk more, so my A.I. assistant can get some common vocabulary.¡±


    She pointed to my crotch, said a bunch of stuff, and I caught the word ¡°dicha.¡±


    What was the correct response to that? ¡°Sure, dicha. Fochacha.¡±


    That seemed to mean something to her. She let her spear drop to the ground. Her bow and quiver followed. Before I knew it, she was pulling her leather tunic over her head.


    So, she had come for sex after all.

 Chapter Twenty-Seven – Quick Encounter in the Pines

    My eyes took in her bare body, her little titties and her thick, brown nipples. Then she made it better by raising her arms over head, showing me her smooth underarms.


    We were under a huge fern, so we had a lot of protection from the rain.


    Before I knew it, I had a throbbing erection, and I started forward. After the night before, after kissing those two women, my lust was a painful thing.


    Then she was in my arms, and I was holding her ass in my hands, and I was kissing her. It wasn¡¯t a teasing kiss like with Holly and Billie¡­one that wouldn¡¯t lead anywhere. This was a far hotter kiss. She moaned with lust.


    Only, I wasn¡¯t prepared for what happened next.


    The huntress sucked on my tongue, before sucking on my lip, and then she was kissing and licking my neck. Her fingers fumbled for the zipper on the front of my survival suit. I helped her, still kissing her, unzip it down.


    I let the top drop off my back. Her little body was so hot, it was making me sweat, and so the cool air felt good on my skin. The misty rain wasn¡¯t bad, and yet, I knew it could start pouring at any minute.


    The huntress knelt before me, fishing my cock out of my clothes.


    She moaned as she sucked on it.


    I couldn¡¯t help but gasp. Oh, her mouth felt so good on me, so warm and wet. She gripped the shaft while sucking on the head, and then her fingers found my balls, caressing them, while she used her mouth to fuck my cock.


    I had to touch her soft hair, and I think out of touching Holly¡¯s and Billie¡¯s hair the night before. There was something magical about a woman¡¯s hair.


    Reaching down, I touched her nipples, which hardened even more. It was like her whole breast was nipple, and I found that so sexy.


    Her hand was between her legs, rubbing, and I looked down at her, her eyes closed, her pale-yellow skin a little freckled, but not like I¡¯d seen before. I didn¡¯t know how that was possible, and right then, with what she was doing to me, I didn¡¯t care that much.


    I liked seeing her sucking on me¡­while she touched herself.


    She stopped bobbing back and forth on my cock. With my sex held in her mouth, she started grunting as the orgasm swept through her. It was hot, and it got even hotter as she drove my cock into the back of her throat. She was choking on me as she came.This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.


    I couldn¡¯t help but grab her head and fuck her mouth. She seemed to melt, and her own pleasure was forgotten as she concentrated on mine. Being naked, out in the forest, drove my desire to new heights. But then I thought about what I would tell Holly and Billie, about this hot encounter, I could guess their reaction. They were going to be jealous of me, or maybe this would drive them into my arms again.


    Either way, it wasn¡¯t like I could stop, and I knew the huntress didn¡¯t want me to.


    She took her mouth on me long enough to say something, and I heard the word ¡°ona.¡±


    Then she was back on me, gagging on my dick before sucking on it harder.


    The combination of hard and soft sent me over the edge.


    ¡°Fuck,¡± I spat. ¡°I¡¯m coming.¡±


    She made agreeable noises, which spurned me on even more.


    The euphoria thrummed through my body, and I couldn¡¯t believe how intense it was. It was like I¡¯d been edging all day long, and I guess I was, or that was how it felt, with the professor and the cheerleader around. Add on the weird energy in the air, and it made every orgasm better and better.


    The huntress drank down everything I gave her, and she wasn¡¯t letting go of my cock.


    At first, I didn¡¯t know why, but then I saw she was rubbing herself again, and then, she was grunting softly again, as she felt the ecstasy.


    I¡¯d lost count of how many times she¡¯d come.


    But she got to her feet, smiling at me. Then, she pointed. ¡°Sid Marshall.¡± Turning her finger to herself, she said, ¡°Khanna.¡±


    I pulled the top of the survivor suit over my shoulders. ¡°So, you did understand me, Khanna.¡±


    She wiped off her face with the back of her hand and gave me an amused grin. She said a bunch more words as she pulled on her leather tunic.


    She nodded at me as she picked up her spear.


    ¡°Wait, Khanna,¡± I said. ¡°Those drums in the swamps. Are those your people?¡±


    But she was already moving off. ¡°Opal, do you need more?¡±


    Query is imprecise. If you are referring to the lexicon of the hominid in front of you, then the answer is yes. More vocabulary and grammar needed.


    ¡°Khanna, wait.¡±


    But she was already moving off through the ferns.


    I took three steps toward her but then wondered how it would look if I chased her down. Besides, I was pretty sure she¡¯d be back the next morning. She wouldn¡¯t be finding us in our perch or at Privacy Rock, though.


    We were moving across town.


    Finding toad pieces was easy, though, and I cut off a hunk and brought it back to Privacy Rock. Was I excited about eating frog meat? No. I simply wanted breakfast out of the way.


    Billie was just waking up when I got back.


    The professor gave me a little smile. ¡°How did it go with the huntress?¡±


    ¡°It went well,¡± I said. ¡°Opal scanned her but didn¡¯t get much. She might be Arkadian, though I don¡¯t know what that means. And it¡¯s not something I want to focus on. Today is moving day.¡±


    ¡°Where did you get that meat?¡± Billie asked.


    I didn¡¯t answer right away.


    The professor saved me. ¡°Do you really want to know?¡±


    Billie sighed. ¡°I guess not. But is it safe?¡±


    ¡°Opal said it was,¡± I replied, and then got work cooking.


    In the end, our unconventional breakfast tasted like chicken. It was fine. It was protein and calories, the kind of fuel I needed to create the perfect dreamhouse for me and the girls.

 Chapter Twenty-Eight – The Long Day

    After a quick breakfast of sweetberries and grilled toad, the first thing I needed was some building materials. I had found those pines on the trail connecting Privacy Rock to Beachcliff World. My chainsaw stick was ready, though I was going to have to use it with both hands. It definitely didn¡¯t have the weight or the length of the saws I was used too.


    There was something else I didn¡¯t notice right away.


    I cut down three trees, and then started buzzing through the limbs. My strength really helped, but it wasn¡¯t long before I grew lightheaded, then dizzy, and then I had to sit down. I was completely exhausted, and I¡¯d only being sawing for like five minutes.


    Holly saw it. ¡°It¡¯s the chainsaw, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°I think so.¡± I was sitting on a stump underneath another set of pines, trying not to pass out. I remembered when I¡¯d done a little cross country in high school, how tired I would get when I really pushed. It was like I¡¯d run a mile in under four minutes.


    The professor was frowning, clearly worried about me. I didn¡¯t blame her. I was worried about me as well.


    I was surprised when Billie was the one to come over. ¡°Turn your thingy into an ax. I¡¯ll hack through the smaller limbs. You want like a big log, right?¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± I said, wiping the sweat off my brow.


    Billie got to work, hacking through the limbs.


    The professor got me a leaf of water, and it hit the spot. I¡¯d never been thirstier in my life.


    Holly knelt next to me. ¡°I would imagine that¡­like anything else¡­you¡¯ll build up a tolerance the more you do it. Don¡¯t feel bad.¡±


    I laughed. ¡°I¡¯m using my body to power a chainsaw. I¡¯m glad we have the ax because look at Bilie go.¡±


    And Billie was working her ass off. It was impressive. She clearly needed to burn off some extra stress.


    Then Holly surprised me even more. ¡°An obvious solution is more power crystals. I will go and search for some. You stay here.¡±


    I wanted to argue, but I couldn¡¯t. I was having trouble staying off the ground. What I really wanted was to curl up into a little ball and go to sleep. Well, Opal warned me that I could die if I used the chainsaw too much. She wasn¡¯t wrong.


    With Holly gone, and Billie stripping off the limbs, I figured I might as well distract myself by trying to get some answers. ¡°Hey, Opal, so who are the Arkadians?¡±


    The Arkadians are an advanced civilization of galactic explorers. They are hominids, as you are, though much more advanced. Their research into quantum mechanics allowed them to bend time and space. They jealously guard their technology from other more war-like species. Many Arkadians prefer to stay anonymous because of the advancements they have made. Some have become victims of violence.


    ¡°Could Khanna be an Arkadian?¡±


    Khanna shares genetic material with Arkadians. More data needed. Given this unit¡¯s knowledge of the Arkadian language, a Lexicon will be easier to generate.


    I was getting used to Opal simply talking to me, but this time, I was given a warning message.


    <<<>>>


    Warning!


    Current error state is 92% of normal functionality.


    Error: Power source low. 4% of full.


    Please charge this unit to 100% for optimal functionality.


    <<<>>>


    That made me sigh. ¡°Yeah, Opal, I know. We¡¯re working on it.¡±


    The sharp drop in power had to be from the chainsaw. She¡¯d lost ten points of power from that little bit of sawing. No wonder I felt like hell.


    ¡°Opal, what about your former host. He wasn¡¯t Arkadian, I don¡¯t think. He was a Foiros, right?¡±


    The Foiros are a Felinid race from a distant planet. This unit has knowledge of his race, but Arkadian privacy laws dictate discretion.


    ¡°What about Paraxens?¡± I asked.


    The Paraxens are a race of merchants providing equipment and weapons to a variety of customers, which include both explorers and conquerors. Paraxens are a Reptilid race, advanced in nature, and very adept at providing their customers with the best products and services possible.


    I had to take a minute to appreciate the fact that I was being given proof of alien life. Humans weren¡¯t alone in the galaxy, or at least in one version of our universe. I never would¡¯ve known any of that if the Ravana Storm hadn¡¯t come through Grand Junction.


    I had to ask. ¡°Opal. You¡¯re not giving me cancer or whatever, right? I mean, I know you have a Primary Mission, but I¡¯ll be okay at the end of it, right?¡±


    Primary Mission incomplete. HOSTNAME: Sid Marshall must be kept functional to complete Primary Mission. Cells optimized to 53%. No cancer detected.


    Opal needed me. That made me feel strangely good.


    Holly returned, holding a big power crystal over her head. ¡°I found one! I hope it¡¯s a big one.¡±


    Billie wiped sweat off her brow. ¡°That¡¯s what she said.¡±This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.


    The minute I was given the crystal, I immediately felt better.


    <<<>>>


    Anomalous energy source detected! Utilizing. Charged to 16% of full.


    Power for Paraxen Multitool confirmed.


    <<<>>>


    ¡°Wow, that was a big crystal,¡± I said to the professor. ¡°Opal is up twelve points, and she has some extra for me.¡±


    ¡°I do like a big, hard crystal when I¡¯m working,¡± Billie joked.


    Holly smiled indulgently. ¡°Yes, I do agree. I also like a big hard¡­something. But let us keep our focus. I will return to our perch up in the redwood to retrieve our toolbox and supplies. I will then continue to forage for crystals, while you two work. It¡¯s not unlike searching for berries, though the crystals feel more random.¡±


    I was able to take down another tree with the chainsaw, but then I helped Billie strip the limbs.


    Resting helped me feel less exhausted, but it was clear every time I used the chainsaw there was a price. Cutting through the fallen trees, I was able to get eight long planks from each tree, but I only cut up two trees for a total of sixteen planks.


    Holly returned with our rope and the toolboxes and another power crystal. Thank goodness. I was down to below 3%, and I needed the magic. Opal wasn¡¯t back above ten, but I felt better.


    After shaking off the exhaustion, I could do normal work.


    We retrieved the bus seats from the redwood perch, and then I carried them back to what we started calling Lonetree Ridge. It was kind of ironic, since there was a town named Lone Tree in Colorado, near Denver.


    We kept our eyes on the ground, searching for more power crystals, as we made the trip, back and forth, carrying our stuff to our new home.


    The trees were way too heavy for the girls to help with, so we created a harness for me, and I dragged them down through the forest and out onto the cliff tops above the beach. It was raining in both the Rainforest World and the Beachcliff World, though the rain was so different. In the forest, the rain was misty and a bit chilly, but on the Beachcliff World, it was far heavier and as cold as fuck.


    But my survival suit changed depending on the environment, and while I wasn¡¯t warm, I wasn¡¯t freezing either.


    I had to make several trips, but I soon had enough trees for the entryway. That would include the door I was planning. At the same time, I wanted to lay down on the floor of the main house as well. There was no way all of that was going to happen on the same day, but I could get something in place.


    While we worked, I told the girls everything that Opal had told me. Billie hadn¡¯t asked about my encounter with the huntress that morning, but Professor Kroft wanted to know.


    I kept it relatively tame, but I did make it clear that Khanna and I had been intimate.


    This time, both girls took it relatively well. The professor even made a joke that she might ask for the huntress¡¯s services herself.


    Billie had laughed nervously, but I had the idea she might have the same idea. I didn¡¯t see that happening though. Fooling around with the huntress would be cheating, and Billie didn¡¯t want to cheat.


    Holly and Billie found rocks we could use to prop the logs up on either side of the ridge. I didn¡¯t trust the rocks completely, and so I used rope to lash the boards together. Our rope was wet, but that was good. It would tighten as it dried.


    The professor went looking in the swamp for more crystals and came back with one, a big one, which would allow us to cut more trees. She¡¯d also found some reeds she thought would work well for baskets. Holly was overjoyed that the pines trees we were cutting down had a ton of sap. The sap would provide us with both glue for our planks and also a waterproofing agent for her water baskets.


    We returned to the pines in Rainforest World, and while I sawed, Holly started weaving a basket, though what she was working on certainly didn¡¯t look like a basket. It was a squarish object of a million reeds all sticking out in opposite directions. But what did I know? I¡¯d hardly ever left Colorado.


    Then I was forced to take a break. Dammit, we needed more crystals.


    After resting up, I went to get my secret weapon.


    When I started east, Billie stopped chopping limbs. ¡°Where are you going?¡±


    ¡°To get the bus.¡±


    Holly was sitting on our pile of pine logs, weaving away. ¡°Why are you getting the bus?¡±


    I exhaled and wiped sweat off my brow. ¡°Because it¡¯s going to be our front door, or maybe a temporary home if we can¡¯t get the floor finished today.¡±


    Billie made a face. ¡°How are you going to get the bus all the way to the Lonetree Ridge?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m going to pull it. I pulled it into the forest. It¡¯s not easy, but damn, it¡¯s easier than using the chainsaw.¡± That made me laugh. ¡°Never thought I would say that, but it¡¯s the truth.¡±


    Holly frowned. ¡°Don¡¯t hurt yourself, Sid. The emergency room is like a million miles that way.¡± She pointed to the south.


    For all we knew, there might be an ER there, but would there be people there? We still had the skyscrapers out in the ocean to explore. That could all wait until our home was finished.


    I tried to make the professor feel better. ¡°I won¡¯t hurt myself, Holly. I¡¯ll be back before you know it¡­as long as I can pull it through the narrower sections of the redwood forest.¡±


    Billie came over to me. ¡°We can help. Come on. You can¡¯t do this alone.¡±


    ¡°I really can,¡± I said. ¡°You¡¯re not going to be able to do much.¡±


    ¡°Except keep watch,¡± Holly said. ¡°I can go while Billie continues to cut off those branches.¡±


    Billie made a face. ¡°There¡¯s no way I¡¯m going to be left behind. Or maybe the huntress might come for me.¡± She grinned. ¡°On second thought, I¡¯ll stay in hopes that will happen.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± Holly asked.


    ¡°No,¡± the cheerleader said quickly, ¡°just kidding. I¡¯m totally going with you guys.¡±


    In no time, we were making our way to the bus. I had to wonder if the fleas were still out there, or if another giant rattlesnake had come slithering across the crimson dunes. I didn¡¯t think our future would take us out there, but then I remembered the giant yellow mounds we¡¯d seen in the far distant.


    We already had my rope harness I¡¯d used to pull the trees. We hooked it up to the bus, and soon I was walking through the rainforest, pulling the bus after me. The girls were very helpful, pointing out the best paths through the trees. They also helped by ripping away ferns or other plant life that caught hold of the bus.


    Billie got in front of me, chopping away plants with the Paraxen ax.


    I doubted I could¡¯ve moved the bus an inch without the wheels in the back. Most of the weight rested on the tires, but I had to keep the front end from digging into the dirt. Holly helped a little with a little guidance here and there. If the front dipped, she¡¯d tell me, and I would take a fresh grip on the ropes and pull some more.


    I was sweaty, grunting, and it was hard, hard work, but I managed to pull the bus past Privacy Rock and to the road I¡¯d cleared on the way to Beachcliff World. Once there, the way was easy, but I had to avoid the sand traps. Keeping on the thick grass helped, but a few times we got mired.


    I pulled the bus onto the platform I¡¯d created using the logs.


    Like I¡¯d imagined, the bus became our front entrance, complete with a door we could swing open and closed. Also, we had extra benches for our beds. I was tired of trying to fold myself in half to fit on a single bench.


    Once I got the bus in place, and once I cut more logs, I let out a sigh.


    I was exhausted, but I still wanted to saw more planks out of the logs, so I could create a base for the home under the lone cypress tree. However, I wasn¡¯t sure how I was going to attach the boards to the logs underneath. What I really wanted were nails, but I had no idea how to make a forge. I thought maybe we could use sticks because the pine was such a soft wood. I also thought about making stone nails, but that was unlikely.


    I figured we could use pine sap and rope for now. Maybe the Ravana Storm would leave behind an Ace Hardware or a Lowe¡¯s.


    What was equally frustrating was that we were going to have to hunt the next day for our food. Yes, we had sweetberries, but we needed protein. And after the Swarm Toad invasion, most, if not all, of the big crows had been eaten.


    I wanted to get my house done, and I wanted to make sure we had rope ladder down to the beach. Hopefully, then we could add fish to our diet. If Opal could make a chainsaw that was attached to my cells, she could manage a fishing pole.


    The real question was if we would survive that night in the new place. We really didn¡¯t know how safe Beachcliff World was. The night before, we¡¯d been attacked by giant flying toads. Maybe giant flying fish would be next. At least we could eat them.

 Chapter Twenty-Nine – Six Sweet Gifts

    That evening, after hauling all the logs I could, we set up a new little home underneath the cypress. I even started a little fire in the rocks of the ridge. We were out of meat and too tired to eat, though Holly had finished her basket. She¡¯d used it to collect sweetberries, which we place on a flat rock. She then went and filled up the basket with water from the waterfall. The basket made the water taste like very weak gin. However, I was so thirsty I didn¡¯t mind. Having the anthropology professor around was useful. Not only did we have the basket, but we also had rope.


    Most of our rope went to securing the logs to create the walkway across the ridge, but we did have enough for a rope ladder down to the beach. That was our escape route in case we couldn¡¯t get out through our front door.


    Holly proved to be really good finding power crystals, and I was grateful. After all the sawing, Opal was closing out the day at a little more than eleven percent of her full power, and I was feeling pretty good.


    It had been a long day, and I figured all the excitement was behind us, but instead, we got the best surprise. As I was getting the fire ready, I heard a woman¡¯s voice cry out. ¡°Sid Marshall! Ema brocha hoggon flesha! Enna specha!¡±


    That was the huntress¡¯s voice¡ªKhanna.


    I hurried across the ridge, into the bus, which was empty of seats now, and through the back door. I didn¡¯t see Khanna, but there, lying on the ground, was the hind leg of some kind of hooved animal.


    It hadn¡¯t been skinned, but that hunk of meat was looking really good. That wasn¡¯t all. Next to the meat lay a bag of what I thought was Wonder Bead. It had those same brightly colored bubbles.


    My mouth dropped open. Seeing the plastic packaging didn¡¯t make sense. What was going on?


    I hurried out, checked left, then right, but didn¡¯t see any sign of the woman.


    Was she paying me for the sex that morning? She¡¯d been the one blowing me, but I remembered how she¡¯d orgasmed over and over. Maybe this was just a gift, or maybe it was something more.


    I made my way back to the women, who were setting up our bus seats. Now each of us had two of our own, underneath the cypress tree, sitting on the unfinished floor. Our little home looked cozy, especially with the fire starting to crackle in a ring of rocks.


    ¡°You guys will never believe what the huntress left for us?¡± I lifted what looked like a pig¡¯s leg as well as the plastic bag, which wasn¡¯t full. Turned out, it wasn¡¯t bread in there. And it wasn¡¯t from Earth, either.


    ¡°Did she leave a vibrator?¡± Billie asked.


    Holly moaned. ¡°Don¡¯t remind me of vibrators, Miss Kidd. That¡¯s cruel.¡±


    I didn¡¯t know what to say, as I laid the pig leg down. Then I studied the packaging. There were words on the white plastic bag, sure, but they weren¡¯t English. It looked like something made up, maybe like the fake language you¡¯d see in a Hollywood space superhero movie.


    I consulted with the one person who could tell us. ¡°Professor, is that any language you are familiar with?¡±


    Holly took the bag. ¡°That looks exactly like Wonder Bread.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what I thought.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s Wonder Bread?¡± Billie asked.


    Holly sighed. ¡°Oh, that makes me feel old. I remember when they discontinued making it, but oh, the memories. White bread, of any kind, was forbidden in my house growing up. Mother only served what she called ¡°real bread¡± which she made herself. It wasn¡¯t good. I could never complain.¡± She looked profoundly sad.


    But then, a second later, she was smiling. ¡°Oh, goodness. It¡¯s not Wonder Bread, but inside are six medium sized chocolate donuts.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Billie thundered. ¡°Junk food? From the huntress? I think I love her!¡±


    I had a disturbing though, and I wanted to address it right away. ¡°Opal, can you scan the food for poison?¡±


    The hind quarter of the animal comes from a species somewhat related to the Terran Sus domesticus family, otherwise known as swine. No toxins detected. The bag is from a different timeline, Twankinian in nature. Twankinian culture prized highly processed foods. Twankinian donuts are considered a delicacy in some spacetime continuums. Source of donuts unknown. Incorrect packaging. Translating the Twankinian now. The packaging originally contained a product called Happy Loaf.The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.


    I relayed the information to the girls.


    Clearly, the huntress had been to a section of Twankie that had been brought to K¡¯Shaul. Why she had left us such delicacies was a complete mystery.


    Billie suddenly was fighting tears. ¡°It¡¯s¡­it¡¯s a housewarming present. She saw what we are doing and wanted to make it special.¡±


    Holly¡¯s brow furrowed. ¡°A gift is one thing, but this bounty is another¡­¡±


    I had to laugh at the Professor. ¡°Who says bounty anymore?¡±


    Holly smiled. ¡°Apparently, I do.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t care¡± Billie shrugged. ¡°I¡¯m so happy! Let¡¯s eat!¡±


    I left to search the Dinosaur Swamps for more wood and for branches, so I could make a spit for the fire. The trail to the Fodoron Oblisk was easy to find, and I was soon hurrying down the path, looking for some branches. Along the way, I heard a soft grunting sound, almost like a moo. Pushing aside ferns, I was given a view of a field of dry grass and a dozen or so stegosauruses of various shapes and sizes munching on the grasses.


    I had to stop and stare at actual dinosaurs, moving, chewing, and mooing. They must¡¯ve smelled me because they ran off in a swish of ferns. I was going to cherish that moment.


    I found two Y-shaped branches from the Dinosaur Swamps and a long, very green limb I could use as a skewer.


    Back at the ridge, I used some rocks¡ªwe had any number of rocks to play with¡ªto make a spit. Soon grease from our meat dripped into our happy fire, making a crackling noise. Unlike the tusked deer and the crow we¡¯d eaten, this meat was far juicier, since it had more fat. I slowly turned the big hunk of meat as it cooked, and unlike so many of our other meals, I was confident this wouldn¡¯t be burned on the outside and raw on the inside.


    The girls were licking their lips, eyes bright.


    Soon, I pulled it off, and waited a bit, for the meat to cool.


    ¡°Let¡¯s just fucking eat!¡± Billie, the former vegetarian yelled. ¡°What are we waiting for?¡±


    ¡°After cooking,¡± Holly explained. ¡°The meat cooks after you take it off the heat, and then it will cool, and be the perfect temperature. We don¡¯t want to burn our tongues. After all of our work today, I¡¯m starving, but our patience will make eating more comfortable.¡±


    Carving off the meat with the ax wasn¡¯t easy, and again, I wished for a blade. And nails. I still didn¡¯t have a good solution to our nail problem.


    At the same time, it was getting colder. I thought of Billie¡¯s desire for a blanket. We would probably have to settle for animal hides. Then again, if Khanna the huntress could find us alien donuts in a Happy Loaf plastic bag, maybe a nice warm fleece blanket would show up on our doorstep.


    Then, as we sat on a few extra benches we¡¯d set up in our living room, we ate the roasted pig. Without a doubt, it was one of the best meals of our lives. We¡¯d already devoured the sweetberries, that was the hors d''oeuvres, and the pig was the main course. We even had dessert!


    We passed around Holly¡¯s basketful of pine water, taking sips, and then, we were ready for the chocolate goodness. We each had one. Holly had said she was going to save her second donut for the morning. I thought that was a great idea.


    But as we sat there, holding our donuts, I noticed that none of us were eating.


    Holding the donut, I realized this might be the last donut I would ever eat. Maybe I could figure out my nail problem, but to make donuts? That would require wheat, butter, sugar, and a deep-fat fryer. That all seemed impossible at the moment.


    ¡°Who¡¯s going to go first?¡± Billie asked.


    Holly sighed. ¡°I¡¯m being ridiculous. However, once I eat this donut, the experience will be over. It¡¯s a taste of home. I want to savor it.¡±


    Billie had another explanation. ¡°I¡¯m scared it¡¯s going to be gross. You know, since it¡¯s not like Earth chocolate.¡±


    She had a point¡­


    ¡°I¡¯ll go first.¡± Then I bit into the donut. Like any cheap donut, the frosting was waxy, but then the flavor hit my tastebuds. Oh, it was chocolate all right, a dark, bitter chocolate, like nothing I¡¯d ever tasted before. Then the sweetness of the sugary yellow cake part took over. It was a little stale, which wasn¡¯t surprising, but that chocolate goodness made the whole experience worth it.


    Both Holly and Billie were studying me.


    Billie had a look on her face that was both hopeful and disgusted. ¡°Well? Is it gross?¡±


    I had to laugh. ¡°Not gross¡­not at all. A little stale maybe but not bad. I¡¯m going for another bite.¡±


    Both the professor and the cheerleader both dove in.


    Billie sighed. ¡°Oh, wow, that¡¯s so good.¡±


    Professor Kroft had tears in her eyes. ¡°It does taste like home.¡±


    Billie saw the tears and then it was like she turned into a completely different person. ¡°Yes! It tastes like our home here, right here, under the cypress, on Lonetree Ridge. Our new Lonetree home. We¡¯re going to be safe here, Professor, and we¡¯re going to be comfortable, until we find another Ravana Storm that will take us home. And remember, we can each have a donut in the morning. I¡¯m not going to feel bad.¡±


    I was never going to be able figure out these women. I thought Billie would join the professor in the waterworks, but instead, the CrossFit queen was embracing our new home. It was nice there, in front of the fire. We were under the cypress, so if it rained, we¡¯d have some protection. We¡¯d still need to set a watch, but unless we encountered more predators who could fly, we had the bus protecting us.


    If the rain got really bad, we could escape into the bus.


    ¡°Thanks, Khanna,¡± I whispered. She¡¯d made that first night on Lonetree Ridge special, and eating that donut felt like the perfect reward for our long day of work.

 Chapter Thirty – Campfire Coziness

    That night, we laughed and talked while we ate those magical bits of processed fried cake. We could hear the rolling surf and then the clouds parted. Not only did we get a break from the rain, we could finally see the sky. A thick stripe of glitter, like rhinestones in the sky, gleamed above us.


    The professor stared upward, smiling. ¡°This world must have a ring, like Saturn. We¡¯re seeing the light glowing off the collection of ice crystals surrounding the planet of Marusia.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s kinda cool,¡± Billie murmured. She was changing. I think having a home was really helping her to relax.


    Along with the ring, the sky above us glowed with the biggest stars I¡¯d ever seen, which meant those stars were close. It gave us plenty of light. The professor thought that Marusia might be a planet in a galaxy closer to star clusters. There wasn¡¯t a moon, but with that river of light above, we didn¡¯t need one. The ocean waters reflected both the starlight and the ring.


    Holly sighed. ¡°While the ocean is nice, it does bring a cold, damp chill to our ridge. The fire is nice, but I agree with Billie. I would love a blanket. Or a pillow. I so miss pillows.¡±


    Surprise, surprise, Billie came up with a solution. ¡°You know, we could somehow dismantle the bus seats and make cushions for our heads. I know, I know, we¡¯d have to sleep where middle school kids farted, but beggars can¡¯t be choosers.¡±


    I stirred the fire. ¡°No, it¡¯s brilliant. That will really help.¡±


    ¡°Where do you think Khanna sleeps?¡± the professor asked.


    I considered her question. ¡°I don¡¯t know, but remember those drums we heard in the Dinosaur Swamps? I can¡¯t help but think those were her people.¡±


    ¡°Those seemed like a long way off,¡± the professor said. ¡°I believe she came from the south. I have no evidence to back my theory, and yet, I wouldn¡¯t want to live in the swamp. And I don¡¯t think she lives in the forest. She must¡¯ve gotten her Happy Loaf bag and dark chocolate donuts from somewhere.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s not forget that she stole our meat that one time,¡± Billie said, gazing into the fire. ¡°Despite what she¡¯s doing with Sid, we can¡¯t trust her.¡± Shen then shook her head. ¡°But I don¡¯t get why she gave us dinner. What is she thinking?¡±


    ¡°Not simply dinner but dessert.¡± The professor said, gazing into the fire.


    I thought about asking how she was doing without her glasses, but I didn¡¯t want to ruin the vibe. We were feeling good, maybe the best we¡¯d felt since coming to K¡¯Shaul.


    Holly continued. ¡°It must be a peace offering. If the donuts are precious to her, maybe this is her way of apologizing for stealing the meat. Or it could be that the gifts were for Billie and me, to thank us for allowing her to enjoy Sid¡¯s, uh, services.¡±


    Billie laughed a little. ¡°Uh, I could use some of Sid¡¯s services myself. But I can¡¯t pay you in donuts.¡±


    I turned to her, and I didn¡¯t hide my surprise.


    Billie lifted a hand. ¡°It was kind of a joke. No, I¡¯m not going to give up a hope that I¡¯ll see Mike again.¡±


    I was pretty sure she¡¯d gotten the name of her boyfriend wrong, but I didn¡¯t correct her. Again, no one was screaming, and no one was crying. It was a fun, comfortable night sitting on bus seats around the fire. We¡¯d have to lose some of the cushioning for our seats when Billie made our pillows from them, but that was okay.


    Again, I took the middle watch.


    I lay on my bus bench, looking at the stars through the trees. I started making shapes in the constellations, probably like my ancestors had done. I had my hood on, and my survival suit had thickened so I was warm. I missed having a pillow, but I figured we¡¯d get one the next day. Billie¡¯s idea was solid.This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    At some point, I knew the professor had gone off to be alone by the bus. I knew exactly what she was doing, but I was so tired, I didn¡¯t want to think about it.


    I thought that maybe Billie was doing the same thing, though she was down the way from me, on her own bus seat.


    A second later, I was unconscious.


    Nothing happened the rest of the night. I took my watch, like always, and I mostly just watched the ocean, though I also checked our front gate to make sure we were safe. The sound of the waves crashing did lull me sleep a little, but then I heard roars over in the Dinosaur Swamps, and I had to wonder if Jack and Reggie were out there hunting.


    It was a reminder that danger was never far away.


    I wanted to protect us from the dangers by building us a real house, with walls, windows, and everything. Maybe we could figure out how to get some glass. It would have to be thick, too, in case something attacked us from the air. Razor wire around the bus would also be nice in case our front door got raided.


    I couldn¡¯t help but feel proud of the home I was creating for us.


    Maybe the huntress gave us the gifts because she wanted a bus seat for herself and was too shy to ask. Not that we could really communicate yet. I had hoped that Opal would eventually be able to translate her words for me.


    Thinking about Opal, I had a very good question for her, something that might change our little home away from home for the better.


    That morning, I sat upright on my bench. Billie and Holly had grabbed more firewood, and we had our little morning fire going. The sky was completely overcast, and it was cold. I¡¯m from Colorado, so I know cold, but this was more of a wet cold that went right to my bones.


    ¡°Rise and shine, Opal,¡± I said. ¡°I have a question for you!¡±


    Yes, HOSTNAME: Sid Marshall. I am ready to respond to your query.


    ¡°We have that welding torch. You know what I¡¯m talking about, don¡¯t you?¡±


    Affirmative. Paraxen Dual Metallicar Tool. Good for welding and cutting.


    That was music to my ears. ¡°How much fuel do we have for the Metallicar Tool?¡±


    The approximate charge is a thousand Terran hours of use for both the welding tip and the cutting tip at Level 1. At Level 10, approximate charge is a hundred Terran hours.


    ¡°I love the Paraxens. They are literal lifesavers. So how do I change the tip?¡±


    This unit is pairing with Paraxen Dual Metallicar Tool. Updated. Ready for use. Level 1-10 with dual operations.


    ¡°Girls!¡± I said loudly, getting to my feet. I then carefully walked over the rocks and logs to get to the women by the fire. ¡°I have great news.¡±


    Professor Kroft smiled at me. ¡°Do you have coffee to go along with our donuts.¡±


    I chuckled. ¡°I said great news not miraculous news. No, seriously, this could change everything. I can use our welding torch as a cutting torch to cut metal off the bus to make nails.¡±


    Billie squinted one eye closed. ¡°Nails are important how?¡±


    Professor Kroft shushed. ¡°Now, now, let¡¯s celebrate, Billie. We have fasteners for the floor and walls of our home. This is good news because we have no idea if the sap will be an effective glue.¡±


    ¡°We can use it to hold things in place,¡± I said. ¡°And I still want to use joints to connect the pieces of the frame, but then we can hammer in the nails for additional strength. This is going to make this whole project so much easier. And if we find more metal, like razor wire, I can attach it to the bus. I have some experience welding, though I mostly have worked with wood. There¡¯s bound to be a learning curve, sure, but I have hundreds of hours to figure it out.¡±


    I had to celebrate with a donut.


    And then I wanted to get over to Privacy Rock. I figured I¡¯d have someone waiting there for me, and I could thank her for the donut in person.


    She was there that morning, and while I tried to get her to talk, she only wanted one thing.


    In the end, I had too much to do that day to force her to talk to me.


    We ended up in the overhang, with her against the wall, ass arched. She was looking over her shoulder, with a sweaty length of hair hanging over one eye. She looked and smelled like the heart of sex itself.


    With one hand, I grabbed her by the hair and got busy, ramming myself into her, forcing shrieks of pleasure from her. My other grabbed one of her tiny titties, and I wasn¡¯t gentle. I ended up pulling on her big nipple, which made her scream louder. As I slammed into her, she slammed back into me.


    Of course that made me come.


    While the girls had their fun the night before, at various times, not with each other, but alone, I got to be the huntress, and I was grateful for that fact.


    After the huntress left, I got busy building our house on Lonetree Ridge. Khanna said very little, but she did leave us other presents in the coming days. Nearly a week passed before she and I could have a real conversation.


    In the end, she wasn¡¯t with the drummers. In fact, she was absolutely, positively terrified of them.

 Chapter Thirty-One – Seven Days Later…

    A week flashed by in the blink of an eye.


    Now that we had a home base, we fell into a comfortable rhythm. Our days were spent gathering food and power crystals as well as weaving rope and cutting nails out of the bus. I took my time getting the frame just right, creating a platform that was rectangular, eighteen feet by twelve feet, the long side following the ridge. I measured for holes that would match the cypress tree and our fire pit. Using the Dual Metallicar cutting torch, I was able to cut a circle of the side of the bus and hammered it into place around the fire pit to protect the boards I¡¯d sawed from the pine logs.


    Holly noticed that most of the power crystals could be found on the border of sectors, almost as if the Ravana Storm had left them behind. With the power crystals, using the chainsaw was easier, but I still had to take long breaks, which made the whole project take longer.


    Cutting nails from the bus wasn¡¯t easy, but with some hammering and some filing¡ª


    we had a file in the alien toolbox¡ªwe were able to get some pretty good spikes. Even with the nails, I still cut joints into both the beams and joists of the platform. We added some sap to glue them together while I hammered the logs into place.


    Setting up those first support logs was the hardest part. I had to find really good places to anchor the ends. Luckily, I found several crevices that worked well, as long as I got my cuts right. In the real world, I would¡¯ve used concrete anchors, but I didn¡¯t have any.


    Holly went into detail about how the roman¡¯s had created concrete using volcanic ash, slaked lime, and water. There was a volcano in the Dinosaur Swamps, though it was far away. The real issue was the slaked lime, which came from superheated limestone.


    I thought we might be able to add concrete later, if we ever made any. For now, I would have to rely on rocks and crevices, that I sometimes had to hammer off chunks to stone to make better places for my support beams.


    Once my frame was in place, I started laying the joists.


    One of the best parts of that whole week was watching the girls light up as they saw our home taking shape. From cutting metal, to pounding nails, to sawing boards, it wasn¡¯t long before we had a floor as well as a whole collection of baskets, thanks to Holly, who was getting faster and better in her basket weaving.


    One night, we¡¯d gone walking along the beach, watching the waves roll in. Out in the distance, we saw shapes swimming around. The big giant things might¡¯ve been whales or maybe huge fish, which was what Opal thought, given her information on the Greater Marusian Sea.


    That could all wait. We weren¡¯t going to be visiting the skyscrapers of San Submerged any time soon.


    The beach stretched about a mile in each direction, ending in surf-soaked rocks that blocked our way. We found some seaweed that was edible, and we were able to kill some of the huge seagulls for meat. Like most things, they tasted like chicken. Drying the seaweed over the fire helped the taste, a little, but it still wasn¡¯t good. Eating it with the gulls helped, though. We¡¯d also found some nuts south of Privacy Rock. Most of the time, the peanuts were our breakfast along with some sweetberries. With her allergy, Holly didn¡¯t risk an anaphylactic shock, so she stuck with the berries.Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.


    I wanted to fish, and I had some ideas on how to get a fishing pole, but we needed a shelter first, and I¡¯d managed to throw my spear into the side of another deer. This one was smaller, but it was still several days of food, even after I gave the huntress one of the haunches.


    Khanna had blushed and said something, which sounded suspiciously like an apology, but she was clearly grateful. She returned the favor by leaving little presents by our front door. One night we got a bag of Twankie Krunchies, some kind of potato chip that was greasy and salty with a sharp radish taste. They were kind of nasty. Another night, we got some little candies in brightly colored wrappers. They reminded me of butterscotch but with a bit more vanilla.


    I knew Khanna was watching me work, though I didn¡¯t see her. Every morning, the huntress would meet me at Privacy Rock. We¡¯d have sex, and then she¡¯d take off. Opal promised me that she was slowly learning Khanna¡¯s language, though the huntress didn¡¯t talk much. Opal was also using the time to analyze the huntress, to see where she might be from. With her natural ability to survive on her own, Opal didn¡¯t think that she was really Arkadian, since those galactic explorers were so much more advanced.


    In the end, Khanna was primitive, but that was what we needed. Damn, if I could¡¯ve spoken her language, I would¡¯ve asked her to help us make flint knives. I needed a damn knife.


    After my time with the mystery woman, I¡¯d then go start sawing while Holly and Billie took their turn, bathing and doing whatever else, one after another, never together. Both were steadfast that they were going to get through their lust on their own.


    In that week, there was no more talk about kissing. That was okay with me. I had my girl, and I was slowly learning to anticipate Khanna¡¯s little moods. She was a strange one, and yet, so beautiful and strong.


    On the rainy nights, we¡¯d move our beds into the bus. Billie had made us bus seat pillows, which worked out pretty well. Holly had stripped the hide off the deer and had plans to make a deerskin blanket, though the fur on the skin was scratchy. She thought she could make the leather side soft, though she wasn¡¯t sure. Again, Khanna could help us with that.


    Once we ate through the meat, I took the carcasses out to where Jack and Reggie hunted along I-70, the Rainforest World¡¯s main road. I made sure that they saw me throw the meat to them before I sped off. I wanted them to associate me with food¡ªI would feed them, so they wouldn¡¯t eat me.


    I took several trips back to Red Dune World, if only to see the body of the giant rattlesnake slowly decay. Part of it was covered with the scarlet sand, while the suns slowly bleached the exposed bone. Other critters had come for the meat that the fleas had left behind, since they¡¯d mostly just sucked the blood out of it.


    The yellow mounds were getting bigger, taller, wider.


    I wasn¡¯t sure which troubled me more: those yellow termite mounds, those huge whale sized monsters out in the ocean, or the drums coming from the Dinosaur Swamps.


    At least we were eating, and so far, nothing had come to bother us on Lonetree Ridge.


    A week later, I was with the huntress, for our morning time at Privacy Rock. I was on my back, on the stone while she rode me, kissing me, pressing her tits against my chest.


    I reached back and grabbed her ass while I thrust into her.


    My finger brushed the swirl of her pucker, and she growled into my mouth. She seemed to like me touching her back there.


    She ground herself into me as I banged her harder. I came dangerously close to erupting inside of her. I didn¡¯t want to get her pregnant, so she took care of the rest. Using her hand and her mouth, she took me to the edge and over it.


    Grabbing her soft hair, I gave into the lust as I felt the ecstasy take hold.


    She only nodded in enthusiasm as I came in her mouth, and she drank down every drop.


    Rocking back to sit on her legs, she gave me a big smile. She said a bunch of stuff, and it must¡¯ve been enough for Opal to figure out her language.


    HOST COMPANION: Khanna the Huntress grammar and vocabulary translation task partially completed. Lexicon status 76%. Root is an unknown dialect of Arkadian. Khanna is distantly related to this unit¡¯s current understanding of Arkadian biology. Real-time translation ready. Uploading lexicon.


    Then the pain hit before I could stop her. I was being optimized again, and damn, it fucking hurt, and that bitch Opal didn¡¯t even have the common courtesy to warn me.

 Chapter Thirty-Two – The First Conversation

    ¡°Sid Marshall! Why hurt so? Khanna worried! Sid Marshall, please, tell Khanna what¡¯s wrong.¡±


    For a second, I wasn¡¯t sure who was talking, and then I realized that Khanna was referring to herself in the third person. The pain was slowly ebbing away, but that didn¡¯t change the fact that I was lying on my back, naked as the day I was born.


    Khanna had a concerned look on her face.


    I went to talk, but then it was hard to say anything as the static covered my eyes and the message took shape:


    <<<>>>


    This unit charged to 6% of full. Please charge to 10% for minimal functionality.


    HOST optimized to 54%


    Arkadian dialect detected. Knowledge of rudimentary Arkadian added.


    <<<>>>


    I¡¯d been enhanced again, and I was sitting pretty at 54% optimized. I had to wonder what 100% optimization would give me.


    ¡°Khanna,¡± I said. I went to say something in English, but I was thinking the words in Arkadian. What? Suddenly, I knew Arkadian, though I wasn¡¯t sure if Khanna could understand me. ¡°Khanna, can you understand me?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± she said, a look of wonder on her face. ¡°What is this sorcery, Sid Marshall?¡±


    ¡°Why are you calling me by my full name?¡±


    ¡°Khanna hear that name from you, from the old slut, and from the yellow-haired bitch. Khanna show respect. Sid Marshall not answer Khanna¡¯s question. Has sorcery poisoned your mind?¡±


    I showed her my ring. ¡°It¡¯s not magic, though there is magic here in K¡¯Shaul. It¡¯s technology, a fancy way of saying machine. Do you know what a machine is?¡±


    She frowned. ¡°A contraption¡­various moving parts¡­a cog, a wheel, and a mechanism. Yes, Sid Marshall, Khanna know. Khanna also think that ring not have any such mechanisms.¡±


    I laughed. ¡°You¡¯ll just have to trust me, but let¡¯s change the subject. Are you Arkadian?¡±


    ¡°Khanna is of the Fabrikata Enclave and the women of the Fabrikata Enclave.¡± She titled her head. ¡°Can Sid Marshall understand?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what the Fabrikata are,¡± I admitted. ¡°I¡¯m from a planet called Earth. Do you understand what planets are?¡±


    ¡°Worlds,¡± she said slowly. ¡°Realms. The evil storm came to cut Khanna away. However, Khanna was already alone, living in the Shade Forest. Khanna thought it was¡­Khanna frightened¡­¡±


    She stopped talking and started to get dressed. ¡°Khanna hate sorcery. Maybe Sid Marshall cast spell and seduce her. Maybe he steal Khanna¡¯s soul if she not careful. Maybe Sid Marshall and his bitches are from the Inferness. This was a mistake.¡±


    I got up. I didn¡¯t care I was naked. ¡°Look, Khanna, I¡¯m not from the Inferness. I¡¯m from a normal world, and we were sent here by the storms, like you were. You¡¯ve seen our home under the cypress tree on the ridge. You could join us. My bitches¡­uh, the women I¡¯m with, we¡¯re not, you know, romantic with each other.¡±


    Khanna had already dressed, scooped up her bow, quiver, and spear, and was hurrying away.


    I grabbed my survival suit and ran after her, naked.


    She did her mountain-goat maneuver, easily finding footholds in the cliff face and scurrying to the top of the overhang. I had to stop and put on my suit, gather my stuff, and climb after her.


    Getting to the top of the overhang, I saw she was heading south, so I sped after her, the muscles in my legs glowing.Stolen story; please report.


    She turned on me. ¡°More sorcery! Sid Marshall run too fast to be a man. How? Sid Marshall explain!¡±


    I raised the ring again. ¡°This is Arkadian technology. I¡¯m able to understand you because you speak a dialect of Arkadian.¡±


    ¡°Liar!¡± she spat. ¡°Khanna of the Fabrikata Enclave! Khanna ran away and was punished by the storms. Sid Marshall come and tempt Khanna, and Khanna give into her lust. Sid Marshall take Khanna¡¯s soul!¡±


    ¡°How?¡± I asked.


    She stood there, brow furrowed. We were in the misty forest, underneath several huge ferns, and while I hadn¡¯t seen it before, I noticed there was a definite trail stretching off into the forest. That had to lead to her home. I was too focused on her to look for power crystals.


    ¡°Khanna not know how Sid Marshall take her soul. Khanna not demon from the Inferness.¡± Her eyes darted to my face, and then to the forest, and then back to my face. It was clear she wanted to flee. She had not woken up that morning thinking that she and I would be talking.


    ¡°I¡¯m not a demon from the Inferness. I¡¯m just a normal guy.¡±


    She narrowed her eyes. ¡°Sid Marshall say what a demon would say.¡±


    I held up my hands. ¡°If I ¡®m a demon, I¡¯m kind of a stupid one. I¡¯m fucking clueless about most of what is going on around here in the good ol¡¯ Repository.¡±


    ¡°Why do you call it that?¡± she asked. ¡°It is K¡¯Shaul, spoken of by Khanna¡¯s ancestors, and sometimes called the cradle of all life. Somewhere, in these lands, is the Chieftain¡¯s Pavilion, and yet, one must be careful. There are wonders in the Pavillion, but there is also the doorway to the Inferness. Surely, Sid Marshall knows of the legends.¡±


    ¡°No!¡± I said loudly. ¡°I don¡¯t. Because I come from another fucking world!¡±


    ¡°A world of fucking?¡± Khanna looked interested. Then her eyes narrowed. ¡°See? Sid Marshall would steal Khanna¡¯s soul and take her to this world of fucking, and Khanna would be forever corrupted.¡±


    I sighed. ¡°If only I could go back to Earth. I can¡¯t. I¡¯m trapped. Like you¡¯re trapped.¡±


    She searched my face. ¡°Khanna cannot trust Sid Marshall, or the old slut, or the yellow-haired bitch.¡±


    ¡°But you can fuck me? How does that work?¡±


    She blushed and looked very ashamed. Then I noticed something. A bit of sunlight broke through the mist to shine on her. I watched as freckles gathered on the bridge of her nose as we talked. She was having a reaction to the sunshine. It was fascinating.


    I wasn¡¯t the only one to notice something odd.


    HOST COMPANION: Khanna the Huntress. Optimizations detected. Further study needed. Enhanced Arkadian biotechnology is anomalous. Language differences are anomalous. This unit is in an error state. Current error state is 92% of normal functionality. Unacceptable parameters. Find Sector X to charge this unit to 100% of full charge.


    Okay, even Opal was also confused. That made me feel better.


    ¡°Khanna sorry,¡± the huntress whispered. ¡°Khanna was tempted. Sid Marshall is so handsome. Khanna see old slut and yellow-haired bitch touching their puchas. Khanna know they feel lust, and Sid Marshall feel lust, and Khanna help him.¡±


    I felt myself soften. ¡°You did help me, and I think I helped you. Is that why you brought us the gifts?¡±


    ¡°To thank Sid Marshall and his bitches,¡± she said. ¡°And to perhaps make Sid Marshall feel¡­charitable¡­nay!¡± She shoved me. ¡°It is impossible. Khanna not trust you! Khanna weak, but Khanna must be strong. But this place! This place make Khanna feel like a shameless slut!¡±


    She tried to shove me again, but this time, I caught her arm. ¡°You¡¯re going to be stronger with us. We could work together to survive. You don¡¯t need to be alone. Or are you alone? Do you live with those drummers in the swamp?¡±


    I saw the fear in her eyes. ¡°Nay. Not the drums. Sid Marshall stay away from drums. Khanna stay away from drums. Please. Please!¡±


    Without another word, she tore herself away from me to run off through the forest, to the south.


    I took three steps toward her. It was clear she didn¡¯t want me to go after her, but I couldn¡¯t simply leave the conversation hanging like that. What about the drummer scared her so much?


    The whole encounter with Khanna left me frustrated to no end. No, I was going to go after her, at least to see where she lived and to explore the sector to the south of Rainforest World.


    Part of me wanted to race after her and leave Holly and Billie behind. They¡¯d be fine. But then I remembered this one night with Aunt Kathy. Me and Uncle Marty had worked late, and after leaving the jobsite, we¡¯d gone to a bar to get a couple of beers. My uncle hadn¡¯t called, and when we got home, my aunt was pissed.


    I¡¯ll never forget her saying that most women did better with more information than less.


    So I hurried back to Privacy Rock, skirted the pool, and found the professor and Billie near our lumberyard on the way to the Beachcliff World.


    I ran up to them. ¡°Hey, Opal figured out the huntress¡¯s language and we had our first real conversation. But then she ran off. I¡¯m going after her. I¡¯ll let you know what I find out.¡±


    Both women looked shocked.


    ¡°Wait, Sid¡­¡± the professor started to say, but I was already running back through the ferns. I didn¡¯t want to deal with the committee. That reminded me of something else my uncle always said. Better to ask for forgiveness than permission.


    I¡¯d deal with the fallout later.


    I ran past the familiar redwoods, pines, and slimy aspens, and then pushed through ferns to see a whole new Sector, or at least a partial one, that cut through both the rainforest and the beach cliffs that ran side by side.


    I now knew why the huntress lived to the south. She¡¯d found a slice of heaven.

 Chapter Thirty-Three – Home of the Huntress

    I was up on a little incline, staring down into a brand-new sector. The Ravana Storm had slapped a strip mall down a stretch of the rainforest, carving out the trees in a triangle. It wasn¡¯t a strip mall from Earth, and given the products, it must¡¯ve been from Twankie.


    However, Twankie had to be similar to Earth because there was an asphalt road, concrete sidewalks, and old mossy stoplights, only these looked like they were yellow, green, and blue. If they worked like Earth, it was yellow for stop and blue for go. Green was the caution light. Other dead streetlights had bird nests on top of them.


    I wasn¡¯t sure what two out of the four stores had been before the light had grabbed them, but one was definitely the Twankinian version of a 7-Eleven. That¡¯s not where Khanna lived, though. She¡¯d made her home inside the middle store. On the other side, there seemed to be a laundromat. She set up drying racks, with various pelts and hides hanging there. She¡¯d obviously had been there for a while.


    Beyond the strip mall was a scrubby plain that turned into a marshland where it hit the ocean. Here, there weren¡¯t crashing waves but stagnant water. In the distance, big, monstrous eagles hunted for fish. The rainforest continued to stretch on to the south as far as I could see.


    Walking down the trail, I eventually walked right onto the strip of asphalt.


    It felt strange to be on pavement after walking on so much dirt.


    ¡°Opal, do you have sector information?¡±


    Sector 1.910.A (Twankie, West Jerrinny, New Fun Boulevard)


    So, it was the same universe and timeline as Earth, and there were similarities, which meant Twankie had to be in the same universe, probably on some farflung world in a different galaxy.


    I approached the strip mall carefully. From the smell, I was pretty sure that the marshlands to the south were filled with saltwater. That meant that Khanna would have to travel to get water, which was probably at Privacy Rock. The concrete walls would offer some good protection for her, though I wasn¡¯t crazy about those big eagles flying around over the marshlands. One might try and fly off with Billie.


    Khanna came out of her little home in the strip mall. The glass front had all been smashed out. She¡¯d replaced it with sticks and mud to create a barrier. However, some of the windows in the strip mall were intact. Was it glass or some kind of plastic? Either way, I¡¯d love to add them to the house I was building.


    Khanna didn¡¯t have her spear or her bow and arrow. She stood there, hands on hip. ¡°Why follow Khanna? We have done sex, and now, Khanna have work to do!¡±


    I figured I would get this kind of welcome, so I didn¡¯t take it personally.


    ¡°I need to know about the drums in the swamps. Also, I don¡¯t like the idea that you don¡¯t trust us. I want to know why.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± She was scowling so hard it was like her face would break. ¡°If Khanna trust you, Khanna would have to tell you about her life¡­Khanna¡¯s sorrows and fears. Never! Sid Marshall is ruining everything!¡±


    ¡°Okay, fine,¡± I said. ¡°What about the drums?¡±


    ¡°It is the Sleezenaks. Stay away from the swamps. Sid Marshall has seen moldy dragon monsters. The Sleezenaks are worse. They are thinking creatures. And there is a shaman. He knows sorcery.¡±


    ¡°Like magic?¡± I asked.


    She nodded. ¡°Sorcery. I have seen it. The shaman¡¯s voice was in my mind. It is how I know what they are called.¡±


    ¡°I believe you,¡± I said. ¡°What¡¯s stopping this shaman and his Sleezenaks from leaving the swamps and finding you here? This is why you shouldn¡¯t be alone.¡±


    ¡°Sid Marshall is correct. Khanna maybe move farther south. But leaving home¡­this home¡­would be hard. Khanna like it here. But maybe ants on the plains be a problem. Khanna doesn¡¯t go there, like she doesn¡¯t go north. And the eagles, sometimes, they come. Khanna fight them before.¡±Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.


    She showed me her arm, and I watched in wonder as the freckles moved about her skin, thickening as we stood in the sunlight. I also saw several long scars on her arm. So I was right. The eagles were a problem.


    Why hadn¡¯t the shaman and the Sleezenaks come to our house on Lonetree Ridge? Maybe we¡¯d been flying under their radar, or maybe they didn¡¯t want to leave the swamps.


    ¡°What do the Sleezenaks look like?¡± I asked.


    The huntress paused to think. ¡°Lizards. And people. Tails. Fangs. Claws. Magic.¡±


    She¡¯s also mentioned something about ants, but I didn¡¯t want to get off track. ¡°You¡¯re not safe alone, Khanna. I don¡¯t know what happened in your past, and I don¡¯t need to know. But I do want you to trust us.¡±


    ¡°Maybe Khanna trust Sid Marshall,¡± she said quietly. ¡°But women, pretty women, can be cruel.¡±


    I thought about both Holly and Billie. They weren¡¯t easy to get along with, and after I first started hooking up with the huntress, there had been fireworks. Maybe she had a point.


    ¡°Women are pretty,¡± the huntress mused. ¡°I remember¡­¡±


    Her voice died, and I thought to ask more, but then she came forward. She grabbed my hand. ¡°Maybe Khanna and Sid Marshall do the sex again. Sid Marshall is pleasing to the eye. Come.¡±


    I found myself being led forward into her little house. She had a door of sorts, thick sticks tied with rope not unlike the rope that Holly had made. I could see where it fit into sticks, so she could barricade herself inside.


    Her room had a mattress made of straw, and she¡¯d found some paper bags to make herself a pillow. She¡¯d slept in leather hides, taken from the tusked deer. There was a rack where she hung her hunting gear as well as sweet smelling flowers. She¡¯d also found a couple of folding chairs from somewhere, and they were in front of a folding table.


    After making a home scavenging from a bus, I loved seeing how she¡¯d taken so much from the strip malls to decorate. That included what looked like a calendar, only there were forty days instead of thirty-ish, and all the smiling people had pink skin and fins instead of hands. Around the crown of their heads were tiny little tentacles. Those must¡¯ve been the indigenous people of Twankie. Would that make them twanks? They kind of reminded me of the illustrations of sea monkeys I¡¯d seen in the back of old comic books that Uncle Marty picked up for me.


    The huntress had been busy. She¡¯d chipped away little crawlspaces into the walls, but they were covered with homemade hatches, hanging off hooks.


    ¡°Can I see what¡¯s in the other stores?¡± I asked.


    She nodded and we took a tour. The store on the right was the Fun Food Mart, and it looked like a ransacked 7-Eleven from another world. The Twanks must¡¯ve been relatively human-sized, and they seemed to like sugar, salt and fat as much as humans did. That explained where the donuts had come from. The freezer section had been cleared out, though a sour smell still hung in the air. Most of the store had been pillaged, and the windows were gone, and sticks set into place. It was funny seeing different homemade things that Khanna had made amidst the metal shelves and other things. Sure, Khanna would be safer with us, but if we could pool our resources, we¡¯d have a much better chance of making it.


    On a turning carousal hung a collection of eyeglasses, and I wondered if any of them would work for Holly.


    We crawled back into her bedroom and then checked out the store on the right. It looked as if it might¡¯ve been under construction when the Ravana Storm cut it away. Gray bags were piled in the corner next to a shovel and wheelbarrow. My eyes brightened.


    ¡°Opal, tell me those bags are filled with concrete.¡±


    HOSTNAME: Sid Marshall query. Affirmative. The bags are Twankinian cement, Fun, Fast, and Fantastic is the brand name. Trademarked.


    ¡°Who are you talking to?¡± Khanna asked.


    ¡°A little voice in my head. Can I have one of those bags of cement?¡±


    The huntress frowned. ¡°Why does Sid Marshall have a voice in his head? Is it the shaman? Is it an evil spirit?¡±


    ¡°More technology,¡± I said. ¡°It¡¯s a long story but Opal isn¡¯t an evil spirit.¡±


    She harrumphed. ¡°And Sid Marshall expects Khanna to trust him? For the sex, yes. To tie our fates together? Nay. Let us get with the sex in my room. Khanna find tawanee flowers. We can make love under their scent.¡±


    We went back to her room, and suddenly, she was stripping again. That girl could get naked fast. She was clutching me to her perfect, strong body, and I kissed her.


    While we just had sex, kissing her again had woken me up in all sorts of ways.


    She was so strong and compact¡­I loved the feel of her body against mine.


    Tasting her, smelling her, made me want her all the more. Her room did smell sweet from the drying flowers, though I liked her perfume better.


    Movement caught my eye outside.


    Khanna hadn¡¯t replaced her door, and standing there, was Professor Kroft.


    She wasn¡¯t saying a word, and her eyes were bright. Not only were her nipples hard, but she had unzipped her survival suit down to her belly button.


    Since I¡¯d been kissing the very naked Khanna, I hadn¡¯t noticed.


    The huntress turned to take in the professor, who stood there, a blush on her cheeks. Khanna sighed, but then, she also had a sexy little smile on her face. ¡°Tell her she can stay and watch. Khanna understand the lust she is feeling. Khanna think watching might help her.¡±


    ¡°What did she say, Sid?¡± Holly asked.


    ¡°You¡¯re never going to believe it. She said you could stay and watch.¡±


    I figured the professor would leave.


    She didn¡¯t.

 Chapter Thirty-Four – The Voyeur Encounter

    Holly cleared her throat. ¡°Sid, I know you see me in a certain way, and I wouldn¡¯t want to jeopardize¡ª¡±


    I cut her off. ¡°Fuck, Holly, you don¡¯t get it. The minute the Ravana Storm hit usm everything changed forever. You¡¯re not my teacher and I¡¯m not your student. Khanna is okay with you staying, and I¡¯m okay as well.¡±


    Khanna got on her tippy toes and started kissing my neck. At the same time, she was straddling my leg, rhythmically rubbing herself against my thigh. She wasn¡¯t going to stop just because me and Holly were talking in a language she didn¡¯t understand.


    Holly didn¡¯t move and she didn¡¯t say anything. From the look in her eyes, I knew she still wasn¡¯t convinced that staying was a good idea. At the same, Khanna unzipped my survival suit all the way down and then grabbed my cock. Her hand squeezed me, and I could feel the huntress¡¯s slim fingers get slippery from my pre-cum.


    ¡°Sid,¡± the professor started slowly. ¡°I need you to be sure¡­because I¡¯m not sure. I¡¯ve never done anything like this before. I¡¯ve wanted to, but I had to be careful. Here, I feel far freer.¡±


    ¡°We are freer here, Holly.¡± I winced at the pleasure Khanna was giving me with her hand.


    The huntress then pulled my survival suit off my shoulders until it was around my knees.  I was naked in front of Professor Kroft, from my chin all the way down to my knees. There I stood, with my dick jutting out from my body. Next to Khanna¡¯s little face, I looked huge.


    Holly sucked in a breath. ¡°Oh, Sid, I can see your abs, your chest, and your¡­your cock. It¡¯s so big. If I stay, well, you know what might happen.¡±


    Khanna was going to show her exactly what was going to happen. I gasped as I felt her warm mouth close over the head of my dick. I seemed to get harder, and I knew I was leaking pre-cum continuously now. The huntress kept swallowing.


    She was bopping her head up and down on my cock. Several times, I hit the back of her throat, making her gag a little. Spit dripped down her chit and onto her little titties.


    Holly continued to stand there, toying slightly with the zipper of her suit. Her hand was pressed against one breast, covering the nipple. The other nipple poked through the fabric, easy for me to see. Her cheeks were flushed, and her eyes had never been brighter. They went from my face, down my body, and then I realized that Holly was admiring Khanna¡¯s body.


    Not only that, the huntress reached behind herself and pulled her ass cheeks open, so the professor could see both of her holes. Holly couldn¡¯t look away.


    ¡°Is she wet, Holly?¡± I asked.


    The professor nodded mechanically, mouth hanging open. She was breathing hard. She finally sputtered, ¡°Yes, Sid. I can see her. All of her. Did you already come in her today?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± I said. ¡°She let me come in her mouth. Why?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s so creamy,¡± Holly said. ¡°She must be really excited. Ask her again if it¡¯s okay.¡±


    Switching language happened without me even trying, and I had no idea how that worked because I only had a vague idea that the words coming out of my mouth were an Arkadian dialect. ¡°She wants to know if you¡¯re really okay with this.¡±


    Khanna stopped sucking on me and looked a bit bothered. ¡°Does the bitch want to watch us fuck or not?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s scared,¡± I said.


    Khanna threw Holly a look over her shoulder. ¡°Tell her if she stays, she should sit down. She looks uncomfortable and stupid standing there.¡±


    The huntress kept on stroking me, and so I had to talk while getting a hand job. I managed to keep my voice relatively normal. ¡°She says you should sit down. I think it¡¯s pretty clear she wants you to stay.¡±


    ¡°What about you?¡± the professor asked.


    I was as tired of Holly¡¯s indecision as Khanna was. In the end, I didn¡¯t care, though I couldn¡¯t say that. Besides, there was a chance Holly might join us. It would change things, but fuck it. ¡°Stay,¡± I finally said. ¡°Sit down. It¡¯s not like you¡¯re going to get porn any other way.¡±


    ¡°How do you know I watched porn?¡± Holly asked, gasping.


    I smiled. ¡°I didn¡¯t. But now I do.¡±If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    That made her smile. ¡°Good gravy, Sid, we¡¯re going to get ourselves in such trouble if I stay. But I can¡¯t leave.¡± She walked into the room and sat in one of Khanna¡¯s chairs. She adjusted it a little, to get the best view of us.


    I kind of wondered where Billie was, but another part of me didn¡¯t care. I was too excited about the situation.


    Khanna turned around and dropped her face to the floor. Her ass was in the air, and she wiggled it at me. ¡°Enough talking to this cow. Fuck me, Sid Marshall. Show her how we fuck.¡±


    I drank in the sight of her sex. She was completely hairless, and her little pucker was tight, little and brown. Her pussy lips were equally as brown, but her hole and clitty were so pink. She was creamy, and I watched as girl cum oozed out of her slit and dripped off her clit.


    The sight made me throw all caution to the wind.


    I got down on my knees, not caring how hard the concrete hard. I got the head of my cook all creamy with her juices before slipping inside of her.


    ¡°Oh fuck,¡± I said, not thinking. What language was I speaking in? I didn¡¯t know, but the words poured out of me. ¡°She is so fucking tight on me. God-fucking-damn.¡±


    I couldn¡¯t help but plunge in and out of her.


    I had to lower myself a little, since she was so small, and her little ass cheeks were only about as big as my palm. She was this compact little fuck beast, and I started slamming into her harder. My thumb found her rosebud, and I teased her ass while I fucked her.


    She moaned and started slamming back into me.


    I took that as a sign she was open-minded about anal. I collected some of her copious spend and smeared it around her back hole. Then I easily slipped my thumb into her tight pucker. My thumb made her even more tight, and I could feel my cock inside of her.


    ¡°Does it feel good, Sid?¡± the professor asked in gasp.


    For a second, I had forgotten she was there.


    No, Professor Kroft was on the seat, but she had unzipped her suit all the way down to the crotch. Finally, I was seeing her tits, in all their glory. I¡¯d seen her naked, briefly, after the Ravana Storm had dumped her in K¡¯Shaul, but now, it was totally different because she wasn¡¯t trying to hide herself.


    Far from it. She had said something to get my attention.


    Holly had a hand down her suit, touching her pussy. Another hand was holding a big tit. She¡¯d lost some weight during our adventures, but her chest was still just as plump. Her nipples were big and brown, but her areola faded from brown to pink to the color of her skin.


    I noticed some tattoos on her side, but all of my attention was on her tits and her tight belly down to where her pubic hair began.


    ¡°Yeah, she¡¯s tight, Professor,¡± I said.


    ¡°Which hole is tight?¡± Holly asked. ¡°You have your thumb in her ass, don¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± I admitted. ¡°She seemed to like it when I touched her back there.¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Holly breathed. ¡°It¡¯s a sensitive part of the body. While some cultures see it as unclean, the anus can be an erogenous sector.¡±


    There she was, ever the anthropologist, trying to teach me.


    For some reason, that got me mad. ¡°Let¡¯s see your erogenous sector, Professor. Or are you too scared?¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡± Holly licked her lips. ¡°Oh, shit, I¡¯ve been looking into her eyes, Sid. Khanna. She likes this. She likes me looking at her.¡±


    Every time I thrust into the huntress, she grunted, and both of her holes spasmed a little.


    Holly got up and stripped off the suit. Completely naked, she sat back down and spread her pussy wide for me.


    Unlike Khanna, the professor had a big, hairy pussy, with long brown lips that dangled a little. At the top was a round perfect pink clit peeking out of its hood. She might be shy, but her little button wasn¡¯t.


    Khanna fucked back into me. ¡°She wants you in her, Sid Marshall, but you¡¯re fucking Khanna now. Sid likes Khanna¡¯s pussy, I know, and Khanna likes looking at that slutty fucking bitch.¡±


    ¡°What is she saying?¡± Holly asked. ¡°She¡¯s talking about me, isn¡¯t she? Oh, she¡¯s so hot and sweaty.¡±


    The professor slipped two fingers into her pussy and started fucking herself, before taking them out and rubbing her clit. Her big tits were bouncing all around. Her nipples looked ten times as big as they had before.


    I gasped as I slammed my cock into the huntress. ¡°She says she likes looking at your cunt, and she called you a horny fucking bitch.¡±


    ¡°I am!¡± Then the professor did something I couldn¡¯t believe.


    The professor reached under herself and slipped fingers into her the brown crinkle of her asshole. With her other hand, she started wilding rubbing her clit. ¡°Come with me, Sid. Come in her pussy. I want to watch you fill her cunt with your fucking cum.¡±


    That wasn¡¯t all.


    Khanna was grunting and thrusting back into me, and then, I felt her. She was orgasming, and her tight little tunnel was squeezing me, over and over. She was making little squealing noises, which was so fucking hot.


    I barely pulled out of her when I started shooting. Without touching myself, the orgasm started. My cum splashed onto her, each reaching the back of her head. Every wave of the orgasm felt better and better as I covered her back and ass with sperm.


    When I slid my thumb out of her back hole, a little of my cum dribbled into her.


    Holly was grunting as well, coming again, and I watched as her pucker squeezed her finger as her pussy spasmed. Her own girl cum leaked out of her, matching the pulses of her orgasm.


    Khanna laughed a little. ¡°Sid Marshall, you make a mess on Khanna¡¯s back. There is a cloth, over there. Make Khanna clean now. Then go. Khanna will consider your words. Tomorrow, Khanna will go to the pool in the morning. Maybe we form enclave of our own. It would be Khanna, Sid Marshall, the old slut, and maybe that yellow-haired bitch. Is the blond bitch as horny as her mother?¡±


    I didn¡¯t know how to respond, and I had other things to worry about.


    Holly had zipped up. ¡°I¡¯ll be at Privacy Rock,¡± she said and hurried away.


    What was she going to tell Billie? What was I going to say?


    In the heat of our lust, I hadn¡¯t really thought of the consequences.


    Did I really want the huntress with us? There would be huge friction with Billie, because let¡¯s face it, Billie was a difficult brat at the best of the times.


    With three women, one of which I was having sex with, my life wasn¡¯t about to get any less complicated. But on the bright side, I had found concrete. I was going to build us all a fireplace. At least I¡¯d be warm and comfortable while I dealt with all the girl drama.

 Chapter Thirty-Five – One Last Good Day

    I didn¡¯t like leaving the huntress, but I did like taking the big bag of concrete away in the wheelbarrow along with a shovel. She said I could borrow them, but she wanted the tools back. I was fine with that. It felt good to use my enhanced body to do something so normal as throwing a heavy bag of concrete into a wheelbarrow and pushing it away.


    Moving through the rainforest, I came across Holly and immediately knew something was wrong.


    Holly turned, eyes wide. She lifted a finger.


    What had she seen?


    I caught up to the professor, who moved aside a fern. There, in a clearing, were a herd of triceratops. They were enormous, the size of cars, with the classic three horns on their heads. They were munching along, though one of the big males was keeping an eye out for predators. I would imagine that Jack and Reggie would just love to come and eat one of the three-horned beasts.


    I have to admit. The babies were cute.


    This was my life now. Those dinosaurs must¡¯ve wandered over from the swamps, right down I-70 and past our old home. They let out different sounds, a bellow here, a sneeze there, but mostly, it was the sound of them ripping ferns from the dirt and chewing, so much chewing, as well as a fair amount of grunting.


    ¡°I never thought¡­¡± Holly said in a hushed voice. She was clearly moved by the sight of the extinct animals.


    To make it even more strange, the sky was a jumble of moons. I was glad it wasn¡¯t raining for once, otherwise, the big bag of concrete in the wheelbarrow would¡¯ve been ruined.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± I whispered. ¡°I know what you mean. I would¡¯ve thought they would be like rhinoceroses, but no, these are so much bigger. And more alien.¡±


    The triceratops were more colorful than I would¡¯ve thought, ranging from a dark green to some cases, a dark purple, though that might¡¯ve been the trick of the light on their armored skin.


    Holly had her rifle, but the herd looked so peaceful, and they were so big that a lot of the meat we¡¯d get would go to waste. We needed to figure out our preservation problem, and that would come, in time, once I finished our home.


    The professor looked me in the face for several long moments and then glanced away. She spoke but she couldn¡¯t look me in the eye. ¡°Sid, we have to talk about what happened. I crossed a line. And good gravy, she was a stranger, a complete stranger. How can I ever talk to her again after that?¡±


    ¡°We don¡¯t need to talk about it, we¡¯re¡ª¡±


    Holly cut me off. ¡°We have to deal with the situation, Sid. Everything has changed.¡±


    I had to chuckle. ¡°Oh, like when we were taken from our planet and brought here? Is that the change you¡¯re talking about? Then, yeah, I agree.¡±


    It might¡¯ve been the wrong thing to say.


    Holly finally found the courage¡ªor the anger¡ªto look me in the eye. ¡°You know that¡¯s not what I¡¯m talking about. First, you and I kissed, and that was a mistake, because then you and Billie¡­I think about seeing you, up in the tree, with her on top, kissing you.¡±


    She closed her eyes. ¡°Dammit. Thinking about that is getting me all excited again. And I just came like three times. This place, this literal fucking place, is driving me crazy. Maybe that¡¯s why it exists. To drive people insane!¡±


    The male triceratops on watch bellowed, and the sound echoed through the forest. Those big crows took flight, flapping away. The Swarm Toads hadn¡¯t eaten all of the birds after all.


    The herd of dinosaurs charged away, the males surrounding the females and their babies as they thundered away. The big watchful bruiser took up the rear, and he kept throwing glances back at us. In seconds, the clearing was empty except for huge footprints and a whole bunch of Triceratops poop.


    Holly and I stood silently as we watched them go.


    The professor turned to me. ¡°So, in short, Mr. Marshall, I¡ª¡±


    This time I cut her off. ¡°We don¡¯t know why this place exists, Holly. And we don¡¯t know if we¡¯re ever going to go home. All of that is true. But we do know that we have to survive, get shelter, make sure we have food and clean water, and do all the rest of that. The huntress can help us. As far as the sex? We¡¯re not in middle school. We¡¯re all horny all the time. There¡¯s bound to be things we do that we normally wouldn¡¯t. It¡¯s fine. I don¡¯t think any less of you.¡±


    Holly sighed. ¡°I lost control. At first, I was so scared. You came back and said you were chasing after Khanna without us talking about it. We should¡¯ve talked about.¡±


    I wasn¡¯t going to let her derail our conversation. ¡°That¡¯s a separate issue. We¡¯re talking about what happened at the Twankie strip mall.¡±


    I didn¡¯t think I¡¯d ever get used to saying the word ¡°Twankie.¡±


    ¡°I was scared, Sid, and so I left Billie alone to chase after you. You know she¡¯s going to be a basket case when we get back to her. Then, in the strip mall, when I saw you and Khanna kissing, it was hot, especially as she got naked. I couldn¡¯t¡­I shouldn¡¯t have¡­we can¡¯t¡­¡± There was no way she was going to be able to finish those sentences.The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    I leaned forward over the wheelbarrow and stared into her eyes as I finished the sentences for her. ¡°You couldn¡¯t stop yourself. You shouldn¡¯t have watched us. We can¡¯t repeat what happened. How am I doing?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± she said. At the same time, she licked her lips as her cheeks flushed.


    I felt the pull to kiss her, to unzip her suit, and then finally get to feel those huge boobs with her big brown nipples that faded away to pink.


    I knew she was feeling the same.


    ¡°But right now, you want to kiss me, don¡¯t you, Professor?¡±


    Helplessly, she nodded. ¡°But I can¡¯t. You¡¯re my student.¡±


    ¡°Not here. I keep telling you that. Here, everything is different. I have alien technology infiltrating every part of me. We just saw living, breathing Triceratopses, who were oddly purple.¡±


    The professor snorted. ¡°I didn¡¯t see that coming.¡±


    ¡°Neither did I.¡±


    Holly looked helpless. ¡°Please, help me with this, Sid. Help me stay strong. It¡¯s like I have this opportunity to live out all my fantasies, with you, with Khanna, with Billie.¡± She blushed. ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have said that. No. We have to focus on survival. We can¡¯t let our base natures take over. It would never work, and if we got in too big of a fight, one of us might leave and never come back. We are stronger together. Let¡¯s call this morning a lapse in judgement, shall we?¡±


    I moved around the wheelbarrow to get closer to her. ¡°Do you know what I really think?¡±


    She nodded, and I saw the pain on her face. She really was being torn apart by her emotions.


    ¡°I think we¡¯ll all feel better once we have shelter, real shelter, and we solve some of the problems we¡¯re facing. Like meat preservation as well as getting Billie a cozy blanket. If we could get into a routine, I think things would go more smoothly. But¡ªand really listen to me¡ª


    at some point we¡¯re going to have another moment like we had this morning. You said you needed me to help you stay strong, and I¡¯ll try, but I want you as much as you want me.¡±


    The professor turned away. ¡°I have to think about this, about you and me. And Billie. God, what are we going to tell Billie? We should tell her the truth, but then what would she do?¡±


    I knew, but I didn¡¯t say a word. After I kissed the professor, Billie had wanted a turn, and I figured it would be the same deal.


    ¡°We can just go on,¡± I said. ¡°Business as usual. Let¡¯s not create a bunch of unneeded drama.¡±


    I was staring at her back, but even then, I couldn¡¯t help but stare at her shapely ass.


    If I hadn¡¯t had Khanna to help me with my own lust, there was no way I would be able to keep my hands off the professor. At the same time, I had to respect her boundaries. She said she felt bad about being sexual with me. Well, then, fine. But it wasn¡¯t my job to regulate her behavior. She was a grown woman.


    Finally, the professor turned to me. ¡°You¡¯re right. We¡¯ll say we talked with Khanna, we got the concrete, and from what I gathered, the huntress is considering your offer to join us. Is that basically what you two talked about?¡±


    ¡°Very basically.¡±


    The professor gave me a little smile. ¡°Next time, Sid, I¡¯ll try to be stronger. I really would rather keep our relationship friendly, but not romantic¡­for various reasons. Do you understand that?¡±


    ¡°For now, yes.¡±


    ¡°Only for now?¡± She tilted her head, that little smile not disappearing.


    I nodded. ¡°That¡¯s right. At this point, I think we all think we can find a way back to Earth, but from what I saw of the huntress¡¯s home, I think she¡¯s been here quite a while. You and I can be friends, but in a month, six months, a year? No, Holly, we¡¯ll given in eventually. And once we start, I don¡¯t think we¡¯ll ever stop.¡±


    She let out a shaky breath. ¡°I like that idea, and I think you¡¯re right. But let¡¯s focus on the day. We¡¯re going to go back to Billie, we¡¯re going to work more on the house, how that we have concrete.¡±


    ¡°Yes. I want to use the concrete for both the fireplace and a foundation as well.¡± I wanted her to take that in more ways than one. We were building all kinds of foundations.


    ¡°Khanna would really be a big help to us,¡± the professor said. ¡°She would be another pair of hands, she could help us forage for food, and she could make us a bow and arrows. Eventually, I think we¡¯ll find Sector X and possibly recharge our plasma weapons, but in the meantime, a bow would help us.¡±


    ¡°I agree. The Foiros Waystation is our best bet for survival. I haven¡¯t forgotten.¡±


    And yet, I couldn¡¯t help but think finding a specific place in K¡¯Shaul might be impossible, since the landscape could change in a heartbeat. We might get a strange alternate Manhattan Island thrown in between it and us.


    It seemed we had come to a kind of truce. We wouldn¡¯t tell Billie about the encounter, nor about Holly¡¯s desires and regrets, but we would see what Billie thought about the huntress joining us.


    As it turned out, when we reached Privacy Rock, Billie was there, in the overhang, with the rifle across her lap, looking freshly bathed and happy. ¡°Hey guys! Just enjoying my time off. You¡¯ve been working me to death!¡±


    We made our way to her.


    Billie looked at the wheelbarrow. ¡°Wow. Does the huntress live in a hardware store?¡±


    ¡°Twankie strip mall,¡± I replied.


    Billie laughed. ¡°That explains the donuts.¡±


    Holly leaned forward a little. ¡°You¡¯re not mad we were gone for so long? We talked with the huntress. We saw a herd of Triceratops. I feel bad for being away.¡±


    Yeah, Holly was feeling bad about all sorts of things. I wasn¡¯t. I liked what we¡¯d done and wanted to do it again. I knew I¡¯d never forget the sight of the professor naked, on that chair, and jilling herself off to three orgasms.


    Billie only smiled. ¡°I¡¯m feeling better¡­about this place, about us, about what¡¯s going on. This shit is fucking crazy, but so far, with Sid around, we haven¡¯t gone hungry, and our house is safe and beautiful. It¡¯ll be even better when we get our roof on. And we have concrete for our chimney! This is awesome. It really, really is.¡±


    I think Billie feeling better made Holly feel worse.


    The professor hid it well, though, it did make me wonder about Holly¡¯s past. There seemed to be something there that made her so conflicted, especially around sex. Then again, when it comes to sex, we all have our issues.


    That day, we worked on getting our corner posts built. I used logs to build the corners of our wall, just a few logs tall, so the corner post had some support. My homemade nails were working well, though I still created joints in the logs for the support. Giving it a rustic log cabin look was only an added bonus.


    We had roasted seagull for dinner, and that night, we spent another peaceful night on Lonetree Ridge. It was the next morning that things took a turn.


    Khanna never showed up at Privacy Rock.


    I waited for her, but nothing, and then, while Billie and Holly were taking their turns, I went looking for her.


    The trail was empty, and her strip mall was empty, and I called out for her.


    Nothing answered, except in the distance, I heard the shriek of the giant marshland eagles. Khanna had said the eagles were a problem, but she also said something about ants. Could she have been carried off my giant ants?


    Her homemade door lay in pieces all around. Her room in the strip mall had been ripped part, all of her sweet-smelling flowers had shredded, her chairs broken, and her bed ripped apart. Her spear had been broken in half and her arrows lay scattered around. I found her quiver and threw in as many arrows as I could. I didn¡¯t have a bow, but I had one last slot in the multitool available.


    Tearing out of there, I searched the ground. There were tracks¡ªlong claws, reptilian in nature, with a long line trailing them. That long line had to be from their tail.


    The Sleezenaks had finally come south.

 Chapter Thirty-Six – Finding the Drums

    Back at Privacy Rock, Holly didn¡¯t think twice. ¡°We go after her. If it were one of us, you¡¯d go.¡±


    ¡°Wait,¡± Billie said. ¡°But it¡¯s not one of us. It¡¯s a stranger.¡±


    That made me mad. ¡°She¡¯s not a stranger to me!¡±


    I was going crazy. I didn¡¯t want to endanger Holly or Billie by leaving them, but I couldn¡¯t abandon Khanna. She¡¯d clearly been terrified of the Sleezenaks, and even their drums had put a bad feeling in my belly.


    The professor picked the wrong time to turn clinical. ¡°From a strictly utilitarian view of things, rescuing Khanna does make sense, for she has any number of talents that would benefit us.¡±


    ¡°Like what?¡± Billie asked, which might¡¯ve been the dumbest question she could¡¯ve asked at that moment.


    ¡°I¡¯m going,¡± I said firmly. ¡°You two are staying. You¡¯re going to hunker down at the bus, with the rifle and the pistol. I¡¯ll have the Paraxen multitool, and now that I have arrows, I can configure my last slot into a bow.¡±


    I thought about the arrows for a second. They were tipped with stone arrowheads, but with my cutting torch, I could cut new arrows heads and then sharpen them with the file. That was the work of another day. I had to rescue Khanna first.


    Staring into the faces of the women, I tried to calm their fear. ¡°I¡¯ll come back. I promise.¡±


    Billie lost her shit. ¡°No fucking way, Sid. If you die, there¡¯s a good chance we¡¯ll all die. We need you. You have the fucking superpowers after all. And fucking Opal. What does she think we should do?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s not good at answering questions like that.¡± I did pause, and asked her, ¡°Opal, what are the Sleezenaks, and why would they kidnap Khanna?¡±


    Fifteen possible answers. From the evidence, this unit believes the most likely answer is that the Sleezenaks are a race of nocturnal cave-dwelling reptilids from Alslutra. Although little is known about them, given their appetite for the flesh of sentient creatures and their remote location, Khanna is most likely going to be butchered and prepared as a meal.


    I hated that her voice was describing those horrors without a hint of emotion in it.


    ¡°What did she say?¡± Holly asked.


    There was no way I was going to answer with the truth. ¡°The Sleezenak are probably reptile people from another planet. They live in caves and are nocturnal. Since it¡¯s daytime, I might have a chance. I¡¯m going. You both are staying.¡±


    Then I was moving away from them, hurrying.


    Billie came running after me. ¡°Sid, wait. Please. Wait.¡±


    I spun.


    She looked heartbroken, and that hurt. She¡¯d woken up in a good mood for once. Even with me and Holly disappearing on her, she¡¯d been in high spirits. All of that was gone now.


    ¡°Billie, my mind is made up. Go back to Holly. Get to Lonetree Ridge. I¡¯ll try and bring back something for us to cook.¡±


    The girl¡¯s eyes were glassy with tears. ¡°I don¡¯t care about that. We can¡¯t lose you.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not losing me,¡± I said. ¡°Besides, Opal won¡¯t let me die. She hasn¡¯t finished her primary mission, and I think it bothers her.¡±


    Then, before I knew it, Billie was hugging me, tight.


    I grunted. I shouldn¡¯t have been so surprised by how strong she was, since she was both a cheerleader and CrossFit instructor.


    She buried her face in my chest.


    I found myself stroking her hair, so soft and silky. ¡°It¡¯s okay, Billie. I¡¯ll be back. You don¡¯t have to worry.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s impossible. I¡¯m totally going to worry.¡± She pulled back and looked right into my eyes. ¡°Don¡¯t die.¡±


    With our faces so close, I felt the pull to kiss her.


    She must¡¯ve felt it too. She reached behind my head and gently drew me toward her. And then, I was kissing her, a real kiss, that wasn¡¯t about Holly or anyone else. It was about Billie and me, and I wasn¡¯t going to ask about Mike, or Scott, or whoever.


    I was too busy trying to breathe.


    She was gasping too when she gave me her tongue. I crushed her to me, holding her tightly. She was so different than Khanna and Holly. The professor was bigger, squishier while the huntress was all lean muscle and so much smaller. Billie was a perfect mixture of the two.


    I loved how she tasted before, how she smelled, and I never wanted to let her go.


    We¡¯d had a certain chemistry that I¡¯d felt from the beginning, but then her ambitions had gotten in the way. She was still a brat, but she was my brat.


    Finally, we broke the kiss, both of our mouths wet.


    She fearlessly gazed into my eyes. ¡°Like I said. Don¡¯t die.¡±


    ¡°It was quite the kiss,¡± I whispered.


    ¡°If you think the kiss was good, what do you think will happen if you don¡¯t die?¡± She smiled through her doubt. ¡°I¡¯m not promising full-on sex, or orgies with Professor Kroft, but Sid, things will have to change between us. Promise?¡±


    ¡°Promise,¡± I said. ¡°But I have to go.¡±


    ¡°Go then.¡± Billie rolled her eyes. ¡°I can¡¯t believe I¡¯m sending you away because Khanna is now definitely competition.¡±


    I had to laugh, and I was talking to her, even while I backed away. ¡°I don¡¯t know the rules of dibs in the Fabrikata Enclave, but I think Khanna called dibs.¡±


    ¡°There are more important things in the world than dibs, mister,¡± Billie said. ¡°Go and save her. I¡¯ll take care of the professor.¡±


    I tried to memorize Billie, standing there in her survival suit, her blonde hair pulled back into a braid, her cute face beaming at me with her cheeks all rosy from the kiss. Framing her was a wild forest of ferns and giant redwoods and strange slimy aspens.


    There was no fucking way I was going to die. First, there was the morning with the professor, and then there was that kiss with Billie, who promised me even more passion if I returned.


    But she wouldn¡¯t share me with Khanna, right? Maybe the professor was that wild, but not Miss Perfect, Billie Lynn Kidd. Then again, she¡¯d said things being different. What did that mean exactly?


    I sped through the forest path, found I-70 and the remnants of the ancient sidewalk, I slowed because I was nearing Jack¡¯s and Reggie¡¯s hunting ground on the edge of the swamps. I left the main trail and found my normal path which took me to the walkway. This time, instead of going left, I went right, heading toward those vines I¡¯d seen before.Stolen story; please report.


    The drums had started, and so I could follow them.


    I couldn¡¯t help but think that Khanna was lucky that we¡¯d talked, really talked, and she¡¯d told me that the drums were connected to the Sleezenaks. If she¡¯d have disappeared the day before, I wouldn¡¯t have known where to look.


    Crossing the walkway, the stegosauruses I¡¯d seen before were marching slowly through the swamp, searching for higher ground. I passed by a big apatosaurus, munching on the leafy trees of the swamp. It didn¡¯t seem at all bothered by the swampy water, not since they could tower above it, chomping down on tons of greenery with every bite.


    In the sky, pterodactyls went wheeling through the air on leathery wings, heading toward the smokey sky above the volcano. Unlike the week before, I didn¡¯t see any active lava flows, just the ash and smoke.


    The walkway took me over a big expanse of water, which rippled from whatever strange creatures swam in the murky depths. Tromping over the wooden boards, I found a ridge of dry land above the black water. Following a trail in the grass I headed east, towards another set of mountains, which had to be in another sector. Those mountains looked like big piles of tumbled rocks, thrown there by giants. As I got closer, I marveled at how huge those boulders were.


    The trail ended in more swamp water, and I had to leap onto another island.


    Something caught my eye. A power crystal lay on the ground. Perfect. Picking it up, I got the normal message:


    <<<>>>


    Anomalous energy source detected! Utilizing. Charged to 12% of full.


    <<<>>>


    I loved it when I got above 10%, which according to Opal provided me with minimal functionality. But she underestimated herself because she¡¯d worked wonders when she was well under 10% of her full capacity.


    Since I had the extra power, I figured it was time to pick my last tool. I got another message, confirming the results:


    <<<>>>


    Paraxen Multitool Name: Betsy


    Tool configurations:


    <ul>


    <li>Roofing Hammer</li>


    <li>Ax</li>


    <li>Spear</li>


    <li>Yuskavarna Chainsaw Stick</li>


    <li>Bow</li>


    </ul>


    Paraxen Multitool parameters full. Would you like additional configurations? Y/N


    Error. This unit is in an error state.


    Current error state is 92% of normal functionality.


    Error: Power source low. 12% of full.


    Please charge this unit to 100% for optimal functionality.


    <<<>>>


    For a second, I thought I would get more slots, but no, it seemed I needed to collect a lot more power crystals to make that happen. The tool re-configured itself into a short bow, complete with a string, and I was able to knock an arrow.


    I¡¯d been pretty good at archery in middle school, but that was a very long time ago.


    The drumming got louder, but why would the drumming be so loud if the Sleezenaks were nocturnal? Shouldn¡¯t they be sleeping?


    It took another couple of hours to slowly make my way across the swamp¡ªjumping from island to island¡ªto get to the mountains. I could¡¯ve gone faster, but I didn¡¯t want to bumble into a trap. I kept going, but I figured it was a good five miles from Lonetree Ridge to the Mound Mountains, or that¡¯s what I called them in my head at least. Along the way, I collected more power crystals and got above 20%.


    The swamp sector met the mountain sector in a line on the ground. One side was muddy dirt and the other was stone. At first, I lost the trail until I noticed another wooden walkway between two giant boulders. I had my path.


    When I stepped onto the stone ground of the Mound Mountains, Opal told me what it was called.


    New Sector detected. Sector 3.492.B (Zhang, Jiajia Mountains, South Lianglands).


    ¡°Anything I need to know?¡±


    Negative. Zhang is uninhabited. Foiros explorers named the regions.


    The drumming continued, and I didn¡¯t really understand how the sound could be so loud, until I saw the natural amphitheater, which surrounded a hole in the ground, a hundred feet across. The whole hillside acted as an amplifier to the beat.


    To get to the bottom of that perfectly round hole, there were steps carved into the rock, going around and around, leading to the bottom. That was where the drumming came from. It had to be where the Sleezenaks had taken Khanna.


    I started down the steps. As I descended, the drumming got louder and louder, until it was painful, but I quickly figured out a solution. ¡°Opal, give me a hood and reduce the sound by seventy-five percent.¡±


    The fabric creeped up neck and over my head, and soon, all I heard was a muffled booming. A dim red glow at the bottom of the hole matched the rhythms of the drums.


    When I reached the last stop¡ªthere were about two-hundred steps in all¡ªI came to the source of the drumming, a statue of gigantically fat lizard man with his tail over one big shoulder. The statue was maybe fifteen feet high, in the middle of a pool of water, which shimmered at every beat.


    That lizard man wasn¡¯t beating a drum, but at every boom, the statue¡¯s eyes flashed red. I couldn¡¯t see any kind of speaker or technology. That must meant¡­


    ¡°Opal, how is the statue making a sound?¡± My voice was drowned out in the booming but my A.I. must¡¯ve heard me.


    Unknown energy detected. Statue has no mechanisms. The sound has no origin.


    And yet, the statue was booming over and over, traveling up the sides of the hole and then hitting the hillside at the perfect angle to send it echoing through the swamps.


    The only light was from the statue¡¯s flashing red eyes. The rest was darkness.


    ¡°Opal, I need a light source. Can you help me?¡±


    Paraxen survival suit comes with bioluminescent configurations. This unit suggests a light source in your hood. Eye optimization not recommended at this time. Please charge this unit to 100% for optimal functionality.


    She was a broken record.


    I told Opal to light up my hood. I didn¡¯t want to mess around with my eyes at the moment, though it did open up a whole realm of possibilities, once Opal got to a full charge.


    Now, I could see perfectly.


    The lizard man faced east. Two passageways, carved in the stone, were on his left and right. I couldn¡¯t take both.


    ¡°Opal, do you know which way the Sleezenaks took Khanna? North or south?¡±


    Scanning area. Looking for biological residue. There is a great deal of activity in this area. Arkadian biology detected to the north.


    Arkadian biology meant that Opal had found Khanna. That was good news for me.


    I knocked an arrow, trying to remember everything I could from my middle school P.E. archery unit. I had a sleeve, so that was good, but I needed finger guards.


    ¡°Hey, Opal, I need you to create a hard material to cover my middle and ring finger. That would help me when I fire arrows.¡±


    This unit understands the needs of an archer.


    The suit lengthened to perfectly cover those two fingers.


    ¡°Hey Opal, if Zhang is inhabited, why are are there Sleezenak relics here?¡±


    Scanning. Processing. This unit believes statue was brought here. Other evidence of Sleezenak construction. This unit believes the Sleezenak were hit by a Ravana Storm and brought here just as you were.


    The passageway had been carved out of the rock, and it was perfectly smooth. I didn¡¯t know how the Sleezenaks did that, but if they had magic, then anything was possible.


    I felt myself going downward, and I passed by an abyss, where strange winds blew a foul smell to me. From the abyss, I passed through a large cavern which held the remnants of an ancient city. One weekend, my Uncle Marty had taken me to Mesa Verde and the cliff dwellings there. It had been a great trip, and I¡¯ll never forget the mysterious ancient ruins.


    The cave felt like that. There were ruins but no lizard men, homes built into the crevices, caves, and cracks of the huge cavern.


    There were other statues of the fat lizard god, like the one at the entrance, and these were booming as well. Though these were stranger because some of the statues had the flashing eyes and big drum sounds. Others sat quietly. It seemed to be random, but they kept the rhythm up, over and over, boom, boom, boom.


    ¡°Opal,¡± I whispered. ¡°Okay, so the Sleezenak made the stairs down here, and they put their creepy statues all over the place, but what about that city? That looks like an ancient city.


    This unit does not know the origins of the city. Scanning. Wood detected. Carbon dating suggests the wood is tree-point-five million years old. Unknown origin. There is nothing in the Foiros archives to suggest Zhang was ever inhabited.


    ¡°Probably doesn¡¯t matter,¡± I muttered. ¡°Hope it doesn¡¯t matter.¡±


    A big archway marked another passageway, and it was clear where I needed to go, though I kept consulting Opal, making sure I was following the right path.


    Under the arch, through more of the rock corridor, and then I came to a sudden stop because in front of me, on either side, were alcoves. In those alcoves, stood two lizard men.


    They were motionless. And ugly.


    Big bulbous eyes. A big horn sticking out from the top of their head. Talons tipped the ends of their fingers. They had big flat feet which also had claws. Both had their tails wrapped around themselves. They didn¡¯t have clothes, but a harness made of leather. Hanging from it were various stone knives and axes. Each held a spear.


    It wasn¡¯t like they had eyelids covering their big, bulbous eyes, so I had no idea if they were seeing me or not. Were they dead?


    I didn¡¯t dare whisper a question to Opal. I did turn my hood lights down a bit. If the Sleezenaks were nocturnal, they must be sleeping. Or hibernating maybe?


    There were more alcoves on either side of the weird hallway. Why were they in the hall and not the city?


    Not my circus. Not my monkeys.


    I was there for one particular monkey, though, one with Arkadian DNA, and her name was Khanna.


    There were hundreds of the Sleezenaks, all sleeping, both in that hallway and other corridors, branching out from a courtyard, where there was another statue there. Tied to the statue, holding her hands over her ears, was Khanna.


    Only she wasn¡¯t alone.


    Levitating over her was the spookiest Sleezenak of them all¡ªthe shaman that Khanna had mentioned. He seemed fast asleep.


    A shock went through me.


    In his clawed hands was a staff. At the tip was the biggest, reddest power crystal I¡¯d ever seen.

 Chapter Thirty-Seven – The Bright One

    The lizard man shaman floated with his tail wrapped around himself. He was gigantic, way bigger than the other Sleezenaks. I¡¯d guess the shaman was eight feet tall and weighed five hundred pounds, easily, most of that weight in his massive tail.


    My eyes went to the power crystal at the end of his staff. That thing was so huge that it might get me to 100%. The power crystal flashed in time to the drumbeat. I felt a little tingle at the back of my neck. I was around magic, real magic.


    Could I get that power crystal in the staff without waking the shaman up? It was doubtful. I could find other power crystals, but I couldn¡¯t find more Khannas. If I could escape with her, it would be worth leaving such a big crystal behind.


    I kept my voice to the barest whisper. ¡°Opal, ax mode.¡±


    My multitool went from bow to ax. The arrow went back into my quiver. If those lizard men woke up, I would have to bash my out.


    I severed the leather ropes binding Khanna to the statue.


    Her eyes were wild with fear, and I noticed the tearstains on her cheeks.


    My adrenaline was singing in my ears, and the rage felt like an inferno inside me. I wanted to murder every one of these fuckers.


    I put my finger to my lips.


    She nodded, quickly, and we were about to leave when the drumming stopped¡ªthe sudden silence felt like a slap in the face. The flashing red lights in the lizard god statues eyes and from Mr. Floaty¡¯s staff all winked out. The only glow was from my hood.


    That darkness felt as ominous as the quiet.


    Then Mr. Floaty¡¯s staff lit up. And the hissing started.


    The lizard men were coming alive, unwinding their tails.


    I caught hold of Khanna¡¯s hand. ¡°We¡¯re leaving.¡±


    Then the slippery, slithery voice of Mr. Floaty erupted in the air above us. ¡°Sakata will not allow it. All praise Sakata!¡± His staff lit up, though the light was strange. It hurt to look at it, like it wasn¡¯t supposed to exist at all. And the other Sleezenaks didn¡¯t mind at all.


    It was funny, but I missed the drumming.


    The first Sleezenak to come out of his alcove got my axe in the head.


    I chopped his skull in half, spraying the wall with gray brains and black blood. The stink that followed nearly made me puke. The Sleezenaks themselves didn¡¯t smell much like anything, but their blood smelled like an overflowing porta-potty in hell.


    Sure, I killed one, but we were surrounded by hundreds.


    ¡°Khanna and Sid Marshall cannot make it through them all!¡± Khanna wailed.


    If these things were nocturnal, and if they were sensitive to light, I thought I might have the perfect way to escape.


    ¡°Opal, light up the suit, as bright as you can, every square inch!¡±


    Suddenly my survival suit turned into a blinding beacon. Even I found it too bright.


    Khanna grunted in pain.


    But it had the desired effect. The Sleezenaks retreated into their alcoves, claws held up to their faces to block out the light. Even Mr. Floaty hissed in pain.


    But me and Khanna were running our asses off, sprinting down the stone corridor.


    One lizard fuck reached for me, and I chopped off his hand at the wrist. Another bumbled out, and I cut off his head with a single swing.


    Khanna lunged forward and snatched his harness off his body. On it hung a stone knife and a hatchet. She managed to through the harness on before tossing the hatchet into a lizard man in front of us. Her ax struck his eye, and he went down, but she got more knives, more hatchets, as we made our mad dash down the hall, tossing some, keeping others.


    The minute we made it to the archway of the stone city, everything went dark. Khanna clung to me, hyperventilating.


    ¡°Opal, what happened to the suit?¡±


    Magic detected. A darkness spell, focused on you, has created a void of light. This unit has configured the Paraxen survival suit correctly. Unnatural darkness will affect the Sleezenaks as well. Adjusting settings to compensate. The closest enemy fifteen feet and closing.If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    I had an idea, however dumb. ¡°Opal, we¡¯re going to keep running, but you have to tell me if I¡¯m about to hit anything. You can sense any obstacle, right?¡±


    Correct. This unit can scan for obstacles.


    I was running blind, but I was running, and we crossed the stone city with a ton of help from Opal. If I started to run at an angle, she would let me know, and if there was a crack or a rock on the floor, she¡¯d warn me.


    Better yet, we outran the darkness. Suddenly, my suit was blindingly bright all over again.


    Behind us came a storm of hissing.


    Flying above the rest of the Sleezenaks, was Mr. Floaty, the red crystal glowing.


    For a second, I thought about turning my ax into a spear and throwing it at him, but I couldn¡¯t lose that tool. It had become critical to our survival. Stopping to fire arrows also didn¡¯t seem like a good idea.


    But Khanna had an extra ax. She flung it and Mr. Floaty had to stop to smack it away.


    It was all the time we needed. We fled up the sloping passageway, past the abyss to our right, and back to the hole and the statue there.


    For a second, I thought the statue was going to come alive to stop us.


    But no, it wasn¡¯t drumming, its big red eyes were dark, and it was just lifeless stone for a second. Wait. Red eyes?


    ¡°Opal, are there power crystal in that statue?¡±


    Negative. No power crystals detected except for the 5X crystal in the shaman¡¯s staff.


    I didn¡¯t know what the 5X crystal was, but it sounded good.


    Khanna and I were about to head up the steps when a whispery voice slithered through the air. ¡°Stop!¡±


    There, in the corridor, was the Sleezenak shaman, or whatever, standing on his clawed feet, pointing his staff at me. ¡°You, Bright One, have stolen Sataka¡¯s Flesh. He will reclaim her, for she is now marked. I am Enak. It is the name that shall be on your lips when we devour your hindquarters. For you too are marked.¡±


    How did this guy speak English? That was what I heard anyway.


    But it was clear that Khanna heard something else. ¡°You claim Khanna? No one has claim on Khanna, except Sid Marshall. I spit on you. I spit on Sakata!¡±


    But how was she able to understand him? Magic¡­it had to be. If he could mark us with that magic, then he would be able to find us, which meant even if we escaped, he could find us.


    Khanna didn¡¯t actually spit at him, but she did throw an ax.


    It went end over end toward his face. With a flash of his staff, Enak knocked it away.


    But by that time, I had grabbed Khanna and sped away, my legs glowing. Throwing over one of my shoulders, I leapt up to the second row of steps, far away from Enak and the rest of his lizard buddies.


    Dozens of Sleezenaks tried to follow up the stone staircase. However, the minute they left the darkness, they hissed and shrank back, clawing at the light.


    With Khanna still on the shoulder, I raced out of the hole and down the path leading back to the Dinosaur Swamps. Now that I knew where I was going, I could really turn on the speed.


    Khanna clung to me as I sprinted across the swaying wooden walkways.


    We were nearly to the Fodoron Obelisk when the drumming started again, and now that I knew where it was coming from, I couldn¡¯t get the image of the fat lizard man statue¡¯s eyes, flashing red with every pulse.


    When we reached the end of the wooden walkway, I sat Khanna down, so I could rest. We were both sweating and out of breath.


    I had a moment of quiet, and then, a shivering, shaking Khanna threw herself onto me, holding my tight.


    It took me a minute to realize she was weeping. ¡°Sid Marshall, oh, Sid Marshall. It froze Khanna¡¯s blood, to be there, to be with those things, with Enak telling Khanna his evil plans.


    Come the darkness, they were going to take Khanna to another statue of Sakata, in a secret place, and they would feast on me. Khanna¡¯s feet, her legs, her hands, her arms. They would¡¯ve eaten Khanna alive, Sid Marshall.¡±


    ¡°Never,¡± I said, kissing her head. ¡°Not while I can still breathe. I won¡¯t let anything happen to you, I promise.¡±


    ¡°Enak¡¯s voice, his words, how can we both understand him? How can that be?¡±


    I squeezed her tight. ¡°That was magic. Tell me what happened to you.¡±


    The huntress clung to me as she went over her very strange day. It had started the night before, when she¡¯d been thinking about joining us. The Sleezenaks had come for her, had broken through her defenses, and grabbed her. They could see better than she could in the night because of their eyes.


    She¡¯d tried to fight them off, but there had been too many. They had taken her to their lair, where she met Enak, at the little Sakata Chapel, where I¡¯d found her. Thinking back, the courtyard had been ornate. Enak had told her about her fate, and that she should be grateful¡ªbeing a part of Sakata¡¯s Feast would make her immortal.


    That part made me shiver. I thought back to what Opal had said about the Sleezenaks eating sentient beings.


    She said that when the drumming started, it was so loud, she thought it would kill her or drive her insane. She had clapped her hands over her ears. The red light of the shaman¡¯s staff was awful, even worse than the absolute darkness that she¡¯d experienced before the drumming started.


    Enak had called it Sakata¡¯s Heartbeat, and he explained that it kept their enemies away as well soothed his wives, so they could rest in the darkness, unmoving, lulled to sleep by the drumming.


    Yes, Enak was the only male. All the rest of the Sleezenaks were female. It wasn¡¯t like I could tell. They weren¡¯t mammals, and so, there were no mammary glands. And I wasn¡¯t too interested in studying what they had between their legs.


    Khanna had given up hope. Then I had appeared¡­


    She pulled back to gaze into my eyes. ¡°Why did you come for Khanna?¡±


    I had to grin. ¡°Because Khanna wasn¡¯t there to help me start my morning.¡±


    For a second, I was gifted by her shy smile, and then she started to cry again. ¡°Khanna is so sorry. Khanna did not come to live with Sid Marshall when he asked. Khanna not trust your other bitches. But Khanna trust Sid Marshall now. Khanna trust him forever and ever!¡±


    Then she was grasping me. ¡°But we not safe yet. Khanna think Enak mark us in some way. Khanna is afraid for when the darkness falls. They will come for us.¡±


    I eased her back. ¡°Yes, the Sleezenaks will come for us, but we¡¯ll be ready. I have a plan.¡±


    Khanna looked at me with complete trust in their eyes. ¡°Sid Marshall is the bright one. Sid Marshall will keep Khanna safe. All will be right.¡±


    ¡°All will be right,¡± I agreed.


    It was late afternoon by that point, and we only had a few hours of daylight left.


    For whatever reason, the skies between the sectors had synced up, which was good and bad. If time flowed differently between the sectors, we could¡¯ve had days to improve our defenses. As it was, we only had a handful of hours. But I hadn¡¯t lied. I did have a plan.


    If they really wanted to eat me, well, two could play at that game.

 Chapter Thirty-Eight – Defending Our Home

    I had to pick up and carry Khanna past the Fodoron Obelisk because for the longest time, she simply stood there, mouth open, as the strange structure thrummed, sending out waves of unknown energy. Nothing had changed with the obelisk, and I found that both reassuring and a little bit worrying. It was like the thing would continue to hum until the end of time.


    Then we raced across the grass and sands of Beachcliff World to get to the bus.


    I was relieved to see that both Holly and Billie were there.


    Running up to them, they could see something was wrong, and both looked worried. They scrambled out the bus to hug me, both of them¡­at the same time.


    Holly blushed when she reached out to take Khanna¡¯s hand.


    The huntress looked at it in wonder.


    Billie rushed forward. ¡°We shake our hands. Can you understand what I¡¯m saying? Shake. Hands.¡±


    She turned and shook hands with Holly.


    I explained the basics while Khanna frowned. It was clear that she didn¡¯t trust the women and touching them was like shaking hands with a convicted serial killer on death row.


    But I didn¡¯t have time for girl drama.


    While I summarized Khanna¡¯s rescue, the professor tried to ask questions, but I made it clear I wasn¡¯t going to give her every little detail. We only had a few hours to get our defenses in place. Once again, I wished for razor wire.


    I had some ideas for traps, and we would definitely sharpen stakes, so if they tried to get over the bus, or if they tried to go around the side, they¡¯d end up getting impaled.


    We had a few rounds left in our plasma weapons, and while I hated using them, I knew there was no other way. As for Khanna, we found a perch for her in a nearby tree. Hidden away in the leaves, she¡¯d be the perfect sniper. She was outside of our main defenses, but she was also very fast and very good at escaping into the foliage. She could fight and then run if things weren¡¯t going our way.


    We also had stone knives and hatchets that Khanna had taken from our escape. They were primitive, but I¡¯d been wanting a blade for a while now.


    The professor¡¯s face was absolutely green with fear.


    Billie was flushed with courage. ¡°We are not going to fucking lose our home to these fucking lizard bitches. So this Enak has a fucking harem? Well, if he comes at us, he¡¯s going to lose a lot of wives.¡±


    Finally, she could channel her angst and anger into something.


    The real unknown was the magic. We¡¯d experienced a little of Enak¡¯s sorcery, and it had been powerful, and we had to assume that he would simply fly over the bus to get to us. What if he could levitate the other Sleezenaks? That would be a problem.


    But we¡¯d deal with one thing at a time.


    I took a three arrows from Khanna, and left the rest, since that would be her main weapon in the coming fight. The huntress offered to give her spear to Holly or Billie, but I didn¡¯t want them that close to the fight.


    Billie would have her guns, and Holly would be her backup.


    The professor wasn¡¯t a warrior, but she was still useful. She was good at whittling spikes, and we peppered the ground in front of the bus with the punji sticks, half-buried below the surface of the sand.


    We had other traps¡ªpiles of rocks along the edges of the bus. The rocks looked stable, but if any of the Sleezenaks stepped on them, they¡¯d find themselves falling to the beach below.


    Holly, Bilie, and I stood on a platform I¡¯d built on top of the back of the bus. The platform was basically a bunch of raw logs, lashed together, and supported by the bus and some big beams set into rocks on the side. I¡¯d piled boulders around them, but if we survived, I¡¯d reinforce them with concrete.


    We had Khanna¡¯s spear, a few other sticks we¡¯d sharpened, and several big rocks that Billie and Holly could throw. We had one plasma rifle with seven charges and one plasma rifle with three charges. Billie had both, and she¡¯d only use them in emergency situations.


    The sun set, and things were quiet. Above us, the light reflecting off the ice in the planet¡¯s ring dispelled a lot of the darkness. Then, we heard Khanna call out from her perch in her tree across the sand from us. ¡°Khanna see them! They are coming!¡±


    The first of the lizard men broke from the trees, racing toward the bus. They were hissing so loudly that it sounded like one of the bus tires had sprung a leak.


    A few screamed when they hit our spikes in the sand. I loved the sounds of Sleezenaks stepping on our punji sticks. But most of them reached the bus and tried to climb over.


    I fired an arrow, killing one, while Billie hurled rocks.


    The Sleezenaks tried to get around the side of the bus, but the minute they stepped on the rocks, they became part of an avalanche. Hitting the hard beach below wouldn¡¯t feel good, nor would the big boulders that would rain continue to rain down on them.


    A big group of lizard women formed a platform with their bodies, helping their sister-wives climb up onto the bus. One of the lizard bitches raced toward us. In a flash of crimson plasma, Billie gunned her down.


    I fired an arrow and missed, but my last arrows killed sank into her chest.


    Then Enak appeared, floating ten feet off the ground. The ruby on his staff glowed with an evil light. His voice seemed to come from everywhere. ¡°Marked, marked I say. Sakata must feed! Sataka, of the Inferness, must be placated!¡±


    Like we thought, our little fortress wasn¡¯t going to work against aerial opponents, though it seemed only Enak could fly. An arrow came out of nowhere to pierce the neck of a Sleezenak below him. A second arrow killed another. Our sniper in the tree was doing good work.Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.


    Billie shot another lizard chick, while I rushed away from the girls. ¡°Okay, Opal, time to shine. Every stitch of my suit needs a thousand lumens of eye-blistering light.¡±


    Opal lit me up.


    The Sleezenaks screamed in pain because while we had light from the ice ring, that was nothing compared to the shining beacon of blinding radiance I¡¯d become.


    Slashing left and right with my ax, I killed two Sleezenaks, one after another, before leaping from the end of the bus. I struck Enak and pulled him out of the air. I tried to grab the power crystal on his staff, but then we slammed into the ground, and I was surrounded by the lizard bitches.


    One arrow appeared in a Sleezenak¡¯s neck, while another sank into another lizard bitch¡¯s chest, while a third arrow came out another lizard woman¡¯s eye.


    Khanna was absolutely deadly with her bow.


    I got to my feet and tried to crack Enak¡¯s skull open with the ax, but he blocked my attack with his staff. An invisible force punched into me, and I was thrown back.


    Opal was as surprised as I was.


    Unknown energy detected. Possible Telekinesis. 5X power crystal detected. Unable to retrieve. Possible Telekinesis providing protection.


    A Sleezenak speared me in the back, and though it didn¡¯t tear through the almost magical fabric of the Paraxens, it did hurt like hell. Spinning, I cut down two more Sleezenaks. Their nasty black blood splattering me in the face.


    Khanna had left her perch to join me, her last arrow knocked and ready. ¡°We follow Sid Marshall¡¯s plan. Only one part is defending the ridge. The other part is running.¡±


    ¡°And hoping to God they follow us!¡±


    I shouted to the shaman, ¡°Hey! Enak! We¡¯re marked, right? So come and get us!¡±


    Then me and the huntress went off running down the main trail through the Dinosaur Swamps, toward the Fodoron Obelisk and the walkway behind. I had to pray that Billie and Holly would be okay. I thought they would be, since they weren¡¯t marked.


    Enak let out a loud hiss that set my teeth on edge.  A second later, we had a whole battalion of Sleezenaks chasing after us. Finding us was easy. I lit up the swamps, and suddenly, every insect in a thousand miles came after me. But I was running too fast to get a mosquito bite. There was no way that Khanna could¡¯ve kept up with me, so I picked her up and carried her like before.


    ¡°Khanna hope that bitches are okay,¡± she whispered to me as we ran. ¡°Khanna maybe want to trust them. If Sid Marshall trusts them.¡±


    ¡°Sid Marshall does trust them,¡± I said. ¡°But that doesn¡¯t mean they¡¯re perfect.¡±


    We sprinted past the Fodoron Obelisk, hit the bridge, and kept going.


    I slowed down to make sure the Sleezenaks could follow us. I didn¡¯t hear any more of the plasma rifle, and I wanted to take that as a good sign.


    I set Khanna down for a second.


    Then I asked my A.I. what she thought. ¡°Opal, do you think all of the Sleezenaks are following us?¡±


    Answer to query is unknown given the distance and lack of information on their troop count. However, this unit believes that there is a high probability that all the Sleezenaks are in pursuit, given the nature of the mystical mark the shaman believes is on Khanna.


    Basically, she was taking the long way around to saying that she didn¡¯t know.


    A spear went soaring over our heads. Another one Khanna caught and flung back. It went right through the lead Sleezenak.


    Enak was flying over the lizard women with his ruby staff glowing.


    Taking Khanna in my arms again, I went to sprint away, but I¡¯d only taken three steps, when suddenly, vines lashed out and grabbed us. The wooden bridge buckled as a giant tree sprouted to the side of us, the huge branches going to grab us. I figured if those limbs started squeezing us, they wouldn¡¯t stop.


    Grunting with exertion, I broke the vines. Holding Khanna in one arm, I chopped through all of the greenery grasping at us. Once freed, we went speeding away.


    Then I leaped up and over more enemy plants brought to life by Enak¡¯s sorcery.


    I landed on dry land, and again, paused, as more of the Sleezenaks came running. Yes, we were marked, sure, but I wanted to make sure they were following me, especially for this last part.


    Dimming down my suit, I waited. When they got close enough to hurl spears at us, I took off again.


    I reached I-70 a few minutes later. The wide pathway through the redwoods was filled with shadows even with all the light from the many moons. I ran south, Khanna gripping me with terror. ¡°This is the moldy dragon monster¡¯s territory. This is suicide.¡±


    ¡°No, Khanna, you¡¯re wrong. This is homicide.¡±


    The Sleezenaks poured out of the ferns and onto the main highway as Jack and Reggie stormed out. They clearly saw me and Khanna, but they also clearly didn¡¯t care. No, both of the T. rexes went running north on their giant legs.


    At first, the night was filled with the sharp cries of the Sleezenaks, but then, a grislier sound followed as Jack and Reggie crunched down on lizard bones, left and right.


    I set Khanna safely down behind some bushes and went back, avoiding Jack¡¯s tail, which was swinging around like a happy Golden Retriever eating his Purina. I picked up a fallen spear, feeling the weight in my hands.


    Enak flew above his wives being eaten by the T. rexes, and I could clearly see him in the glow of the 5X crystal on the end of his staff.


    I hurled the spear with all of my might, muscles glowing from the exertion. The spear went right through him, and he fell out of the sky. He hit the ground, and I couldn¡¯t believe it, but he pulled the spear out of his chest and tossed it away.


    His voice appeared in my head. Sakata has given me eternal life. A simple spear cannot end my power or my heart.


    I ran and jumped and came down on his chest.


    The first thing I did was grab the power crystal, and suddenly, I was filled with an ungodly amount of energy. Opal seemed overjoyed. At first.


    <<<>>>


    Anomalous energy source detected! 5X Power Crystal detected. Utilizing 5X crystal. Charged to 62% of full.


    This unit is 48% away from optimal functionality. Please charge to 100%.


    <<<>>>


    Just like a woman, Opal was never happy.


    Overflowing with power, I hacked Enak¡¯s head off his shoulders. I then cut off his arms and was working on his legs when Jack lunged forward. He was careful not to bit me as he took the shaman¡¯s entire body in his body.


    Then it was crunch, crunch, crunch.


    I didn¡¯t think being immortal would be too much fun when you¡¯d be spending eternity in a dinosaur¡¯s large intestine.


    I left Jack to his meal and returned to where Khanna was hiding in the ferns.


    She pointed.


    Reggie was still killing and eating Sleezenaks. Jack had turned and was staring at me while he chewed on the shaman¡¯s dismembered corpse. It might¡¯ve been wishful thinking, but I was pretty sure I saw both amusement and gratitude in his eyes.


    That kind of made sense, since whenever he saw me, he always ate well. Food can bring people together like nothing else.


    I wasn¡¯t taking any chances, and so we took the long way back to hour home on Lonetree Ridge. Again, I sprinted, as fast as I could, only letting the suit glow enough that I could still see where I was going.


    Returning to our home, I stopped to take in the carnage. Sleezenak corpses littered the battlefield in front of the bus.


    On the battle platform stood Holly and Billie, bathed in the ring¡¯s light crossing the sky above us.


    I let out a yell. ¡°Holly! Billie! We won! We won!¡±


    They climbed down and opened the bus door for us.


    Then, we were back in the bus, laughing and talking about what had happened.


    A few of the Sleezenaks had stayed, but not many, but Billie had taken care of them. However, she¡¯d used up every single charge. If she¡¯d missed, both women had been ready to fight with their stone knives.


    My plan had worked perfectly.


    Given how nasty Sleezenak blood was, we all had to bathe, but luckily, the waterfall was perfect for that. I went and tossed all the bodies back into the swamp, figuring that the dinosaurs there would take care of the meat. For a second, I thought about eating the dead Sleezenaks, but hopefully we¡¯d never be that hungry.


    We had a celebratory fire, and for the first time, Khanna was going to stay the night with us. It felt like such a victory. I wasn¡¯t sure if we were done with the Sleezenaks or not, but I was pretty sure Enak was gone for good.


    We were clean, riding high from the victory, and we weren¡¯t upset at all when it started to rain. We took shelter in the bus, and I turned, just as Billie gave me a big smile. ¡°I¡¯ll take first watch.¡±


    I was glad she was taking first watch, but what did that smile mean?

 Chapter Thirty-Nine – Midnight Encounter

    The rains lashed down, pounding on top of the bus, and the wind had the cypress tree swaying wildly back and forth. Billie had taken the first watch, and while I¡¯d tried to sleep, I couldn¡¯t shut off my head.


    We¡¯d taken out Enak and most of his wives, but I wasn¡¯t sure we¡¯d seen the last of the Sleezenaks. We¡¯d come a long way during our time K¡¯Shaul, but I still wasn¡¯t satisfied. For example, we needed a roof for our house.  That was why we were all in the bus. Normally, the rain on the roof would¡¯ve been soothing, but not with the winds screaming.


    Billie had taken her post at the back of the bus, looking out the window. I was relatively near her while Holly and Khanna were closer to the front. We¡¯d put up some logs across the entrance to keep the worst of the rain away.


    Tossing and turning, I couldn¡¯t get comfortable. I¡¯d gotten used to sleeping on two bus seats out under the tree. Wouldn¡¯t you know it, but I finally drifted off when Billie finally came to wake me up to take the late midnight watch.


    She¡¯d known I¡¯d been having trouble sleeping. ¡°I¡¯m okay to stay up more. I think you finally relaxed.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± I yawned and stretched. ¡°I¡¯ll take over.¡±


    Billie sat next to me. Behind us, we could hear Khanna snoring a little. Both her and Holly were fast asleep, about fifteen feet away from us.


    Billie looked like she had something to say, and then I remembered the smile.


    I wasn¡¯t in the mood for a long conversation, but when you¡¯re living with three women, you quickly learn that talking is part of the deal. Besides, that smile had to mean something.


    ¡°What is it?¡± I asked her. It came out a little rough, so I softened my tone. ¡°If you need to talk about something, I¡¯m here.¡±


    She bit her lip. ¡°I need to¡­uh¡­relax.¡± She gave me a long, pleading look.


    I laughed a little. ¡°Too late for a trip to Privacy Rock?¡±


    She didn¡¯t say anything, but she looked pained.


    I tried to make her feel better. ¡°I won¡¯t look. I mean, if you want to¡­¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to.¡± There was obvious frustration in her voice. ¡°I mean, I do, but I¡¯m tired of doing it myself. I want to do it with someone, and you¡¯re a someone, but you¡¯re more than that, Sid. You didn¡¯t just save Khanna¡­you saved all of us.¡±


    Was she saying what I thought she was saying? My suit got a little uncomfortable.


    She put a hand on my leg, which only made the discomfort worse¡ªor better¡ªdepending on your point of view. ¡°I know I¡¯ve been difficult, and I know I said I wanted to be faithful to Scott, but this place is driving me crazy. And it doesn¡¯t help that you look so good. And having Khanna around, knowing what you do with her, it¡¯s just¡­¡±


    I let her talk, though I knew where this was headed.


    For a second, I wondered if I should tell her about Holly watching Khanna and me, but no, I wouldn¡¯t do that without talking to Holly first.


    After several seconds of silence, she shoved me. ¡°Say something!¡±


    ¡°What do you want me to say? This is your decision. If we did anything, we¡¯d have to be quiet.¡±


    She smiled. ¡°The rain is so loud, and those two are so out, they wouldn¡¯t wake up.¡± She leaned forward. ¡°We can¡¯t have¡­like¡­full sex. But maybe a little kissing. A little touching. I want to come with you, like we did after we first got here. I think about that all the time.¡±


    That last sentence made me so hard it was almost painful. For a second, I was worried that if we started, I wouldn¡¯t be able to stop. What did she mean by touching?


    I thought of Khanna and wondered what she would think. I couldn¡¯t be sure, but I had the idea she assumed that I was having sex with the women I was with. She¡¯d been fine with Holly watching. Would she be fine with me kissing Billie? It seemed like it.


    To be sure, I¡¯d have to wake her up and ask. I didn¡¯t want to do that.


    I wanted Billie¡­pure and simple. I thought again of Uncle Marty¡¯s favorite phrase¡ªbetter to ask for forgiveness than permission.


    I gently took Billie¡¯s soft head in my hands and pulled her lips to mine. We both gasped at the intensity of the connection. She felt perfect, right there, kissing me. It wasn¡¯t simply her smell, or her taste, it was her heat, so warm compared to the cold rains outside.


    Like before, it wasn¡¯t long before she was straddling me, rubbing against me, while we kissed. She was moaning a little, and I didn¡¯t shush her. Instead, I explored her mouth with mine. I wasn¡¯t gentle, I had her in my strong arms, and I licked every part of her mouth¡ªher lips, her tongue, even her teeth, enjoying both the hard and soft parts of her.Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    She pulled back. ¡°Oh, fuck, that¡¯s hot. It¡¯s like your fucking my mouth with your tongue. I¡¯m already so wet. We¡¯ve already kissed, Sid, but I want to do more. I want you to finger me¡­ finger fuck me, hard. Can you do that while you kiss me?¡±


    I eased her away, so she was standing in front of me. I then unzipped her suit, pushing it down to expose her tits. Glancing over, I could see the shapes of Holly and Khanna sleeping. It definitely added a spice to the encounter. They could wake up at any minute. If they did, they would get to see the cheerleader in her glory, her cute B-cups, her puffy pink nipples and maybe the little triangle of hair between her legs.


    I went to pull her suit off completely, but she stopped me. ¡°No, Sid. If we were both naked, we¡¯d have to have like¡­full sex. We can¡¯t do that. Just kissing and touching, okay?¡±


    I wasn¡¯t going to argue. I was too full of lust. Seeing her naked tits was driving me crazy.


    I went back to kissing her, and then, yes, I finally got to touch those puffy pink nipples, which hardened in the palm of my hand. Her breasts fit my palms perfectly, so much smaller than Holly¡¯s chest but so much bigger than Khanna¡¯s.


    Billie sat down next to me. She unzipped my suit down to my belly button. It sounded so loud even with the rain battering the bus. Then she was reaching in to grab my dick, squeezing it a little.


    ¡°Oh, fuck,¡± she hissed. ¡°Such a big horny cock. And I¡¯m not the only one who is wet. You¡¯re pre-cumming like crazy.¡±


    Having this hot girl squeeze me felt like heaven. I couldn¡¯t breathe. I couldn¡¯t think. My heart sounded like fucking Sakata¡¯s Heartbeat in my chest.


    I kissed her while she squeezed me, but that wasn¡¯t satisfying. I had to taste other parts of her. I went and sucked a nipple into my mouth. My hand reached down and found her soaked slit. Her pussy hair was drenched with her juices.


    I slipped a finger into her heat. Her smell was filling the bus. I wondered what kind of dreams it would give the other women sleeping near the front.


    ¡°Two fingers,¡± Billie whispered. ¡°Stretch me out, Sid. Oh, I can¡¯t stop thinking about your big cock in me. But we can¡¯t. But someday.¡±


    Her words put a fresh throb in my cock. I was sitting on my side, facing her, and too far away for her to keep her hand on my sex. I was okay with that. I loved that I could get to explore her.


    I slid another finger into her, and I felt her spasm, tightening a little, but holy shit, she was already so tight. Part of me couldn¡¯t believe it was finally happening. Another part knew it was inevitable, given the situation we were in.


    She reached down and started rubbing her clit. I could feel her fingers on that sensitive little pearl. At the same time, I was tonguing her mouth like I had before.


    I remembered what she¡¯d said and started thrusting my finger in and out of her. Every time I slammed my hand into her, she grunted as her horny little hole got even juicier. She was leaking her girl-cum down her thighs. Her whole groin was a mess.


    The harder I fingered her, the more she rubbed her clit, until I knew it was inevitable.


    She broke the kiss to growl, ¡°Suck on my titty, Sid. And don¡¯t be gentle. Fuck me. Suck me. Bite me. Hard. Fucking hard.¡±


    I went and latched onto her hard nipple while I drove my fingers deeper and deeper into her overheating milky depths. At the same time, I gave her nipple a little bite, enough to push her over the edge.


    She yelped and then, she was gasping, as the orgasm conquered her body.


    Her pussy gripped and released my fingers, over and over, matching the blissful spasms that ran through her.


    I thought we were done, but no, she hissed at me. ¡°Keep sucking. Keep biting. Oh, fuck, I¡¯m so turned on. I can come over and over and over. Do another finger, Sid. Stretch out my horny little cunt.¡±


    I was surprised she used the c-word and that she wanted another finger. She was already basically full. Her elastic little opening stretched to accommodate my ring finger. It wasn¡¯t long before she was coming again.


    She came three times, before she grabbed both my hand and my head. ¡°Oh, fuck, Sid, that was so good. But you need a turn.¡±


    She set me down and got between my legs, gazing at my cock, which was oozing pre-cum. It twitched a little.


    ¡°I want to suck it,¡± she whispered. ¡°But I can¡¯t. No. I said kissing and touching, but I so want to suck it, Sid.¡±


    ¡°Then suck it,¡± I whispered back.


    Instead, she licked her hand¡ªwhich was so hot¡ª and then grabbed my cock and started jerking me off, stroking me perfectly.


    ¡°It¡¯s so big. It¡¯s so hard. It¡¯s so soft as well. Oh, it would feel so good inside me. I can¡¯t help it. Can I suck you, Sid? Would that be okay?¡±


    Like I was going to say no. ¡°It would be fine. More than fine.¡±


    ¡°Just this once, okay?¡± her eyes were glued to my sex. ¡°Just this one time.¡±


    ¡°Just this once,¡± I said, joining her in her delusion.


    With the weird sexual energy in the air, it was pretty clear that this wasn¡¯t going to be a one-time thing, but whatever she needed to tell herself was fine with me.


    Then, she was doing it, her mouth closed over the top of my cock, and I felt the inside of her mouth. It was as warm and wet as her pussy. Her hand continued to stroke me as she sucked.


    I could smell her pussy in the air, and her girl cum was still on my fingers. Everything was pushing me closer to the edge.


    Her mouth felt so perfect. She had given into the temptation, and she was tasting me, smelling me, experiencing me and clearly loving it. She was rubbing herself again.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to come,¡± I warned her.


    She sucked, and then, I was spurting my sperm into her mouth. She drank down every drop. It was so good, so intense, that I couldn¡¯t help but gasp and grunt through every single feeling. Over and over, I felt it, and it was so hot, and knowing that Billie was getting off on it as well made it even better.


    Because as I was coming, she was coming, as well¡­grunting, sucking, swallowing, her eyes fluttering in ecstasy.


    We wound up, half-naked, cuddling on the bus bench.


    She kissed my arm, sweetly. ¡°Sid, I¡¯m sorry we can¡¯t go all the way yet. It¡¯s just¡­I don¡¯t want to be a cheater. But I guess I am. I shouldn¡¯t have given you the blowjob.¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t tell anyone,¡± I said. ¡°This is an impossible situation, and we¡¯re only human.¡±


    ¡°Do you think we¡¯ll get home?¡± she asked.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, Billie. I really don¡¯t.¡±


    And that was the truth.


    I didn¡¯t tell anyone about our encounter, like I didn¡¯t tell Billie about what Holly had done at the strip mall. But the truth was bound to come out at some point.


    And when it did, I knew there might be fireworks¡­of all different kinds.

 Chapter Forty – New Home

    I would¡¯ve liked to say that the next day was easy, but I was dealing with three head-strong women, one of which couldn¡¯t speak English.


    We were all up early, making our way to the Twankie strip mall, where we had some of the waxy dark chocolate donuts and some dried meat. The huntress knew a thing or two about preserving meat, which would definitely come in handy. Then we spent the rest of the day making trips back and forth, clearing out the convenience store and bringing it back to your place. It was quite the find¡ªsoaps, shampoos, even some medical supplies. We had cooking oil now, a variety of snacks, and even some adult beverages.


    The Twankie sodas had so much sugar that they weren¡¯t going to go bad anytime soon.


    Khanna hadn¡¯t known about the soap and shampoo, and her eyes widened when she smelled the different bottles. I could see a little glimmer in her eye. She wanted to smell good for me, and I found that so sweet.


    Scavenging was fun, though the variety of items were strange. Opal helped with translating the strange writing. There was some kind of fish paste in a can, called Funtime Popfish Fish Paste, and according to the advertising, it was the funnest and the fishiest!


    The glasses I¡¯d seen before weren¡¯t going to work for Holly, since they were reading glasses, and she was nearsighted. I didn¡¯t know how to solve that problem. She did grab a pair, which would help her with her basket weaving.


    Between trips, I used the Paraxen chainsaw to cut up some lumber for our roof. The sooner we had a roof and some logs for walls, the better. It could be our citadel in case our bus gate failed.


    Opal¡¯s battery was over 50%, so I could go far longer with the chainsaw than I had before. She still complained that she was in an error state, and that she hadn¡¯t completed her primary mission, but I could ignore most of that.


    One thing that was weird. All the bodies of the Sleezenaks below on the beach were gone. They had provided a tasty little snack for something.


    I thought about what horrors there might be in the seas as we gathered rocks for the chimney. I was going to finish the roof first and then make the chimney. Cutting around the rock would be easier than measuring everything beforehand.


    Throughout the day, Billie kept throwing me smiles, and I smiled back. The night before meant something to her.


    I wished Holly could be as happy as the cheerleader, but Professor Kroft seemed infinitely uncomfortable around Khanna, given the strange threesome we¡¯d had.


    As for the huntress, she didn¡¯t stop frowning. It was clear that she wasn¡¯t exactly thrilled to be around other women. Something from her past made it hard for her, and she wasn¡¯t about to start chattering away.


    I couldn¡¯t help but think it might be a mistake for us all to live together.


    At the same time, I hated the idea of Khanna being on her own.


    During the day, we heard the distant drums. I didn¡¯t think we¡¯d killed all the Sleezenaks, but I sure was glad that Enak was gone.


    That night, around our fire, Khanna didn¡¯t say a word.


    She mostly looked at me and tried to ignore both Holly and Billie.


    That wasn¡¯t going to work. Holly finally broke the silence. ¡°Khanna.¡±


    The huntress didn¡¯t meet her gaze. Instead, she looked at me.


    ¡°You have to talk to her,¡± I said as gently as I could to the huntress.


    Khanna then managed to turn toward Holly. ¡°Yes, woman. What do you want from Khanna? Khanna will never trust you.¡±


    ¡°What did she say?¡± the professor asked. ¡°It doesn¡¯t sound very, uh friendly.¡±


    There was no way I was going to translate every word. ¡°She is wondering why you said her name.¡±


    Holly cleared her throat. ¡°Khanna, I want us to be friends. I know the language barrier is difficult, but I think we can get past it. We might be here a while.¡±


    ¡°Ugh!¡± Billie said loudly. ¡°Let¡¯s not think that way! We need to think positive!¡±


    Khanna glanced at Billie and then focused on Holly, and then nudged me.


    I translated.


    Khanna nodded. ¡°Tell her that Khanna will learn your strange tongue. Tell her that Khanna has only had one friend in her life, a sister, and she is dead. Tell her that if she wants to watch us again, Khanna would not be against it. Both these women are pretty, but Khanna likes the older one better than the yellow-haired bitch.¡±


    Again, I chose my words carefully, leaving out the whole voyeur thing and her preference for the professor. Billie still didn¡¯t know about our little encounter in the strip mall, and Holly didn¡¯t know that Billie and I had crossed a line the night before. Neither did Khanna. We were going to have to talk about the setup at some point, but not yet. I wanted to get our house done before we had more drama.


    ¡°I would¡¯ve liked to have a sister,¡± Billie said. ¡°But is it me, or does she sound lonely?¡±


    Khanna had been hurt, clearly, but we didn¡¯t know how or when.


    Holly looked a little relieved. ¡°I¡¯m glad to have her. I really am. She knows how to dry meat, and if we could get some salt, and a smokehouse, we could really solve our food problem. I wonder if she knows how to fish.¡±


    ¡°I hate fish!¡± Billie said loudly. ¡°But oh well. Another thing we need to add to our to-do list is recharge our guns.¡±


    ¡°At the Foiros Waystation,¡± I said. ¡°We need to find it, sure, but not until we have a secure and stable homebase.¡±This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there.


    The Sleezenaks might come back. We had to be prepared.


    Khanna had mentioned something about the Chieftain¡¯s Pavillion, and that there were wonders there but also a doorway into the Inferness. As far as I could tell, the Inferness was like hell, and Sakata was one of its denizens.


    The huntress passed me a bottle of Twankie Firedrink, which tasted like cinnamon schnapps, but with kind of a fruitier kick, like a cinnamon apple liqueur. Billie loved how sweet it was.


    For me, it was better than the sodas we¡¯d sampled.


    I took a swig. ¡°But what I¡¯d really like is to find enough power crystals to get Opal to 100%. We don¡¯t need to wait for Sector X to get her fully recharged.¡±


    Holly took the bottle. ¡°And perhaps with more power, she¡¯ll be able to give you more optimizations. She also might tell us more about her primary mission.¡±


    I¡¯d thought long and hard about that.


    For the next couple of nights, we slept in the bus, taking our normal watches, and I thought Billie and I would hook up together, but in the end, we were too tired.


    But every morning, Khanna and I would have sex at Privacy Rock. Holly didn¡¯t join us, but I was okay with that.


    My times with Khanna were special.


    I was memorizing her body, her smells, her tastes, the little noises she made. And at first, I thought it was just about our animal needs, but no, things were changing between us. Khanna would touch me during the day, a little caress on my arm, and I would catch her staring at me¡­and smiling at me when I caught her.


    It was sweet.


    Billie was still a brat, all fiery and difficult, but she never aimed her anger at the huntress. Holly, on the other hand, was more distant.


    It took us a week to finish the house. We strengthened the foundation by anchoring our support struts with concrete. I nailed on a sloped roof, so the rain would run off. We treated the lumber with pine sap, the same stuff that we used on baskets. For additional waterproofing, I laid down ferns, so our house looked like it had a thatched roof. Again, I thought of Gilligan¡¯s Island.


    I was especially proud of the chimney, cemented together, with a central opening. We added a little oven space in the back, where we could bake bread or warm things up.


    We had the bus seats, but Khanna insisted on using her mattress. She set up her own little room by the tree. I think she really liked having her own space. In time, I wanted to bring the strip-mall windows over, but for now, I left the sides and back open, though I did build low walls to keep flying predators from bursting in.


    Our home was both convenient and defensible.


    Finishing that house was one of the proudest moments of my life. Under the sparkling line of light overhead, I stood on the cliff, watching the women organize our things, talking, and for the first time, Khanna even smiled at Holly.


    Billie shouted something, and rolled her eyes, but then laughed. She was enjoying herself for a minute, and I was glad.


    We had a house on the strange world of K¡¯Shaul, and yes, it looked rather primitive, but it was safe. We had extra food from the Twankie store, and it would only be a matter of time before we preserved enough meat that we wouldn¡¯t have to worry about starvation.


    Nothing had attacked us, though I had seen giant footprints, probably Jack and Reggie, probably wondering where I¡¯d run off to.


    Standing there, watching the surf roll in, seeing the last light of the sun glimmering off the half-submerged skyscrapers of San Submerged, I couldn¡¯t help but be grateful.


    We had survived. We were going to thrive. And my future with the three women? I didn¡¯t know, but the strange lust floating in the air wasn¡¯t going away, and both Holly and Billie had needs.


    How long would we be able to keep our desires under control?


    I had Khanna, so I was okay, but what about the other two women in my life.


    And would we find a way home? It didn¡¯t see how because even if we could throw ourselves into the Ravana Storm, the universe was a big place, and we might end up anywhere.


    No. The Fodoron Obelisks were a better bet, though not even Opal knew what kind of secrets they kept hidden.


    That night we celebrated finishing our home. We laughed and drank more of the Firedrink, telling stories, and slowly, Khanna was picking up on some words. For the rest, I translated.


    When I woke up for my watch, Holly hugged me unexpectedly. She smelled so nice. Holly preferred the muskier scents while Billie chose the sweetest and fruitiest soaps. Khanna liked the spicey stuff, and I took whatever was left.


    I pulled Holly close, liking how she felt against me. Billie was sleeping on her bus seat near the fire. Khanna was in her little space near the trunk of the tree.


    Holly gripped me back hard. ¡°Thank you, Sid. Thank you for not running away screaming. I know both Billie and I can be a lot.¡±


    I eased the professor back and looked into her eyes. ¡°You don¡¯t need to thank me. We¡¯re in this together. We¡¯ll find a way back.¡±


    ¡°Maybe,¡± Holly whispered. ¡°But maybe not. I¡¯m trying to focus on the here and now. And right here, right now¡­things are good.¡± Then her smile widened. ¡°And they¡¯re bound to get better. We still have those skyscrapers to explore out there.¡±


    ¡°And more power crystals to find,¡± I said.


    Holly went to her bed, while I stayed up, keeping the fire going.


    It started to rain as a chill wind came blowing in from the ocean. My partial wall was doing a good job blocking it, but I¡¯d have to add some support there.


    I woke up Billie, for her shift, and I was surprised when she kissed me, on the lips. She lingered as both of us gasped.


    It was intense after so many days without us kissing.


    ¡°What was that for?¡± I asked.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been wanting to do that for days,¡± she whispered. ¡°But I definitely think that Khanna is the jealous type.¡±


    ¡°I think you¡¯d be surprised.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Billie said with a sigh. ¡°This is all so confusing. Did I cheat on my boyfriend? Yes. Will I probably do it again? Yes. But he¡¯s a zillion miles away, and I¡¯m on a weird mixed-up world with both dinosaurs and spaceships. So yeah¡­¡±


    I had to chuckle a little. ¡°So, yeah¡­¡±


    Billie kissed me again. ¡°Now you go to sleep.¡±


    But then we were kissing once more, our tongues touching, and both of gasping. She pulled me away toward the front door.


    It felt like I was fourteen again, sneaking out to be with my friends.


    We made it to the bus, which only had a single seat left, for the person on watch. Without the fire, it was freezing, but soon, I didn¡¯t care about that.


    I was sitting, with my suit unzipped and pushed down to my knees.


    Billie knelt in front of me, taking me into her mouth, and it wasn¡¯t long before I was coming. She swallowed every drop.


    Then it was her turn, but she didn¡¯t want me to go down on her. She wanted me to kiss her, pull on her puffy nipples, while she rubbed herself into two delicious orgasms.


    Billie hugged me and stayed in the bus to keep watch. She was wrapped in a blanket of deer skin, a gift from Khanna while we took watch.


    I sneaked back into our house, and I was on my seat, when Khanna woke up and pulled me away. She was half-asleep, her hair uncombed, but that didn¡¯t matter. She was still beautiful to me.


    We settled into her bed, the two of us, the fire burning low. Our little nest was so comfy.


    I wound up on my back, with the huntress on my chest. I thought she was asleep, but then, she raised herself up to look into my eyes.


    ¡°Khanna loves you,¡± she said abruptly. ¡°In the darkness, Khanna lose hope. But then, Sid Marshall comes to get Khanna. Sid Marshall makes home for Khanna. Khanna not alone anymore.¡±


    Tears filled her eyes, and I felt the emotion choke me.


    Her voice broke as she whispered, ¡°Khanna never alone again.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± I said, caressing her hair. ¡°You never have to be alone again, Khanna. I¡¯ll be there for you. Always.¡±


    ¡°Always,¡± she whispered.


    Right then, I knew, if we found a way home, I would bring Khanna with me. No. Khanna wouldn¡¯t fit in there. She was a huntress, a wild woman of the forest.


    It was then that I knew the truth. I wouldn¡¯t leave K¡¯Shaul, not as long as Khanna was there.


    I told her my truth. ¡°I love you too, Khanna.¡±


    Then she broke down and wept on my chest.


    I held her while she sobbed.


    Back on Earth, I hadn¡¯t really fit in, and maybe that was why my dad was so distant. I hadn¡¯t wanted his life. I was far more comfortable with my aunt and uncle, in the mountains, hunting and fishing.


    I thought about the conversation I¡¯d had with Billie, when we¡¯d first been taken by the Ravana Storm. Did I have some destiny?


    I didn¡¯t know, but I did know one thing for sure¡­


    K¡¯Shaul was a savage, unpredictable place, but it had also become my home.

 Book II - Chapter One – Professor on the Beach

    I woke up to hear the waves crashing on the beach below.


    It had been two weeks of peace and quiet in our house on Lone Tree Ridge. We¡¯d fallen into a nice routine, and yes, we still heard the Sleezenak drums during the day, but nothing attacked us at night.


    I¡¯d gone back to the caves under the Mound Mountains to see how many of the Sleezenak had survived the fight. Either we¡¯d killed them all or they had left because the place was deserted. I did notice that only that first statue of Sakata was there, drumming away, but the rest of the statues were gone. Did they get up on their own or did someone grab them? I figured I wasn¡¯t going to solve that mystery any time soon.


    I loved mornings because that was when Khanna and I would cuddle. I patted my little bed I shared with Khanna, but it was empty. We¡¯d killed more deer and had a variety of leather blankets now, and Holly Kroft, my favorite MILF-y anthropology professor, had woven us mats to cover the bus seats we slept on. We¡¯d figured out how to make them comfortable, and even Billie Lynn Kidd, the bratty CrossFit queen with the boyfriend back on Earth wasn¡¯t complaining¡­about that, anyway.


    She was trying to be faithful to the boyfriend¡ªScott, or Mike, maybe¡ªbut she was failing. We didn¡¯t fool around every night, but I wasn¡¯t surprised when she woke me up with kisses or more. I couldn¡¯t blame her. K¡¯Shaul had a strange energy that made us constantly horny.


    Billie was a little less angry but also a little sadder. It seemed to me that she was giving up on finding a way home.


    Holly was the opposite¡ªshe was confident that once we found Sector X and the Foiros Waystation, we¡¯d discover some magical doorway that would get us home. Forces had stolen us from Earth and dropped us on K¡¯Shaul, so there had to be other forces that could undo that process.


    I glanced over and Billie was sleeping, but both Khanna and Holly were gone. The huntress usually took the last watch, which meant Holly should still be sleeping. Where was she?


    I put a hand near the coals of the fire and still felt heat. I slid some wood onto the fire for Billie.


    Pushing through the door, I walked out onto the wooden pathway, which connected our house to the bus, where we¡¯d built our watchtower. The bus acted as our main gate.


    Khanna was up there, wrapped in a blanket. The rest of the world was lost in fog.


    I raised a hand. ¡°Khanna, have you seen Holly?¡±


    The words that left my mouth weren¡¯t in English. Opal¡ªmy Arkadian Quantum Universal Intelligence Assistant¡ªdid the translating on the fly. My English transformed into a dialect of Arkadian, which Opal thought was thousands of years old. She was still studying the language. The Arkadians were a race of mysterious space explorers that had made any number of scientific advancements, which included an advanced understanding of the spacetime continuum. My current theory was that the Arkadians were responsible for the Ravana Storms that swept through the universe, cutting off pieces of planets and transporting them to K¡¯Shaul, also known as the Repository. K¡¯Shaul had dinosaurs from an alternate Earth, a spaceship, giant bugs, lizard man shamans, and old sections of highways as well as a Twankinian convenience stores.


    Because of the spaceship, I had a futuristic multitool named Betsy.


    Khanna frowned at me. ¡°Khanna see the old slut climb down to the beach. It¡¯s stupid. She seemed upset. Maybe we lose her. Shame, that would be, for the old slut isn¡¯t worthless like the other one, the yellow-haired bitch.¡±


    ¡°Billie is not worthless.¡± Thankfully, we were speaking ancient Arkadian and not English. ¡°She¡¯s a really good shot with the rifles.¡±


    ¡°Those light sticks are worthless,¡± Khanna sniffed.


    She wasn¡¯t wrong. All our guns were out of charges. That was another reason why we needed to find the Waystation.


    ¡°I¡¯m going after the professor. If Billie wakes up, be nice to her.¡±


    Khanna grimaced.


    She¡¯d made it clear that while she loved me, she would never trust the other women I was with. I didn¡¯t know why. I only hoped Khanna would eventually be nicer to the other women I was with. For now, I had other concerns.


    ¡°Opal. Can you scan the beach? Is Holly there?¡±


    HOST COMPANION: Professor Holly Kroft is down on the beach, at the edge of this unit¡¯s scans, to the south.


    ¡°Thanks.¡±


    I¡¯d finally gotten Opal up to 70% of her full battery. That had extended her scan function, which really helped in all kinds of ways. She still insisted she was in an error state¡ª92% of her normal functionality¡ªbut I wasn¡¯t sure how much that extra 8% would get me. Maybe at a 100% battery, she wouldn¡¯t complain so much. I was also hoping for more optimizations. I was sitting pretty at 54% optimized, and already, I was faster, stronger, and more agile than your normal human, almost to the point where I could leap over tall buildings with a single bound. She¡¯d also optimized the language center of my brain.


    I climbed down the rope ladder attached to the edge of our house. A hundred feet down, I hit the beach and walked through the fog. What was Holly thinking? We didn¡¯t know if the beach was safe. Something had dragged off all the Sleezenak corpses that had fallen onto the beach.


    I hurried across the sands until I reached Holly, who was in her white Paraxen survival suit, barefoot, with a hooded leather cloak she¡¯d sewn herself.


    Khanna wasn¡¯t wrong. The professor was really good at making things. She¡¯d woven waterproof baskets, which took a shitload of skill. And she¡¯d learn quickly from Khanna on how to preserve meat and tan hides. We had a smoker now, on the side of our ridge, and we¡¯d found a niche on the face of the cliff. There we created our meat locker, using stones, Twankinian cement, and planks for a door.


    Initially, clean water and food had been my main concern. Now, I had other things to worry about.


    Holly quickly wiped away her tears. ¡°Hello, Mr. Marshall. I¡¯m fine. You shouldn¡¯t worry about me. I needed to be alone, and the ocean is beautiful, even with the fog.¡±Stolen novel; please report.


    ¡°If you¡¯re fine then why are you crying?¡±


    She went to talk. But then started weeping again.


    I went and hugged her, and instead of resisting, she rested her head against my chest. I wasn¡¯t going to push her to talk. We all dealt with stress differently. Holly put up a tough front, but inside, I know she struggled to make sense of what had happened to us. This wasn¡¯t the first time I¡¯d held her while she cried.


    ¡°I hate relying on you,¡± she said finally.


    I eased her back so I could look at her face.


    ¡°Did I hear you right? Rely on me? We rely on each other, Holly.¡±


    She stepped away from me as she again wiped the tears away. ¡°But you know that¡¯s not true. Khanna is alive because of you. If you hadn¡¯t rescued her, the Sleezenak would¡¯ve eaten her. You saved me and Billie time and again. No, Sid. You¡¯re the most important person in our community. Then Khanna. Then me. I¡¯m not used to¡­¡±


    I waited for her to finish. We stood there in silence for a long time.


    I had to chuckle. ¡°Yeah, you¡¯re not used to living on another world. I¡¯m not either. I¡¯m glad you see me as important, but come on, we¡¯re all important in our own way. I just had to defend Billie with Khanna. Don¡¯t make me have that same fight again.¡±


    Finally, the professor could laugh. ¡°Billie is our resident sharpshooter. That is how she sees herself. Once we get the guns recharged, she¡¯ll be happier. I know she wants to contribute.¡±


    ¡°She does,¡± I said. ¡°She takes second watch, which sucks. She works tirelessly. And we both know when she¡¯s not being a brat, she can really help with morale. Every now and again, she¡¯s our best cheerleader.¡±


    ¡°That follows, since she was an actual cheerleader.¡± The professor paused. ¡°All of what you are saying is true, but she still has her doubts about her role here. And she¡¯s been sad lately, far sadder than me and my silly morning tears.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean morning tears?¡±


    The professor didn¡¯t answer. She didn¡¯t have to.


    ¡°Have you been crying every morning?¡± I asked.


    She nodded, looking uncomfortable and a little ashamed.


    I shook my head. ¡°Damn, Professor. You have to tell me these things. You know keeping this shit to yourself is only hurting you. I¡¯m sure you know some case study about therapy or whatever.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to burden you, Sid,¡± she said. ¡°I want to be the strong one.¡±


    I looked her dead in the eye. ¡°I can be strong for the both of us.¡±


    A little smile curled the side of her mouth. ¡°You said it before¡­you like the challenges of this place. You like that K¡¯Shaul forces you to focus, and you¡¯ve found love. Am I wrong?¡±


    I didn¡¯t say it, but even if we could go home, I wouldn¡¯t leave Khanna alone on K¡¯Shaul. Also, a part of me was curious about Opal¡¯s primary mission. It seemed important somehow. Did we have a grand destiny on K¡¯Shaul?


    I easily dodged the professor¡¯s question. ¡°I¡¯m feeling better about our security. I would like to explore the San Submerged skyscrapers out in the ocean and see if we can find more supplies, maybe a backpack, for the trip to Sector X. Khanna and I have been working on a canoe.¡±


    ¡°Would you go home if you could?¡± she asked.


    The professor was too smart to allow me to evade her questions for long.


    I was forced to answer. ¡°I would make sure that you and Billie got home. But can you imagine Khanna in modern-day America? Can you see her eating at MacDonald¡¯s? What kind of life would she have there?¡±


    Holly took a moment to carefully choose her words. ¡°Maybe she would like it. Modern day America offers luxuries undreamed of by ancient peoples. You should ask her.¡±


    I had thought about it. But the possibility of getting home seemed unlikely.


    And she wasn¡¯t wrong. I liked how focused I was, and I found great satisfaction in all that we¡¯d accomplished: building a home, creating the smokehouse and the meat locker, finding more berries, finding ground nuts, though we had to be careful. Holly had a nut allergy. I¡¯d also made some friends, kind of. Maybe Jack and Reggie, weren¡¯t really my pals, but were allies. They were a pair of Tyrannosaurus Rexes with fungal armor, one white and one black.


    I had enough on my plate.


    Suddenly, Opal¡¯s voice filled my skull. Power crystal detected thirty meters to the south.


    I really did love Opal¡¯s extended scanning range. It made finding crystals a million times easier.


    ¡°Walk with me,¡± I said. ¡°Opal found a power crystal.¡±


    We made our way, walking along the edge of the ocean as the waves crashed.


    I was surprised when Holly grabbed my hand, and we walked, holding hands. I liked how warm she was, and thanks to the soaps and shampoos we found in the Twankinian convenience store, she smelled good.


    She was feeling insecure, that was obvious, and if holding my hand made her feel better, I was glad to do it.


    Thirty yards south of us, a red light glimmered in the water. So, the power crystal hadn¡¯t been buried¡ªit had been brought in by the surf.


    ¡°Opal, do you detect other crystals farther out?¡±


    Negative, Sid Marshall. No other crystals detected. Extrapolating, there might be more, since the Ravana Storm brought those skyscrapers from a variation of your homeworld. More information needed. Current theory: Power crystals are a residual effect of the Ravana Storm phenomenon.


    I left Holly to wade into the surf. The water was frigid, but I soon caught the power crystal as it rolled along the sand. When my hand got close, it raced through the water and vanished.


    A message appeared in my vision:


    <<<>>>


    Inferna Energy detected! Utilizing power crystal. Charged to 72% of full.


    This unit is 28% away from optimal functionality. Please charge to 100%.


    <<<>>>


    I felt the surge of power fill my body, which was new.


    Even newer? She had a name for the energy now. ¡°Opal, what is Inferna energy?¡±


    The message changed.


    <<<>>>


    Due to fluctuating energy levels, evaluation is only 78% accurate. All current data subject to change. There is a 22% chance that queries will be rejected.


    Inferna energy is a theoretical concept outlined by Arkadian research on anomalies found in the universe outside of the known spacetime continuum. Processing information. Results pending. All further queries on Inferna energy de-prioritized.


    <<<>>>


    The professor looked at me curiously. ¡°What is she saying?¡±


    ¡°Well, she has a name for the magic. She just doesn¡¯t want to answer my questions about it, though. In other news, my queries have been de-prioritized.¡±


    The professor smiled and patted my hand. ¡°Poor baby. Now you know how I feel. In some ways, with Khanna around, I feel like I¡¯ve been de-prioritized.¡±


    ¡°Never.¡± I had to sigh. Dealing with Opal wasn¡¯t exactly easy, but she was an invaluable resource¡­as long as I found her power crystals.


    Holly and I walked and talked more, holding hands, until we found the bottom of the ladder. We climbed up to our house as smoke drifted from the chimney. With the sun rising higher in the strange patchwork sky, Khanna had left her post and had rekindled the fire. Inside our little house, the walls half complete, we found a warm home with a fire crackling.


    Billie was up, combing her hair, before braiding it. ¡°There you lovebirds are. What have you two been doing?¡±


    ¡°Love?¡± Khanna was slowly picking up English, and she seemed most interested in learning words about love and sex.


    ¡°Just kidding, Khanna,¡± Billie said. She wrinkled her nose. ¡°How much can Khanna understand me?¡±


    ¡°More and more,¡± I said.


    Khanna smiled and laughed a little. ¡°Holly watch. Holly watch us fuck.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Billie asked.


    The professor cleared her throat. ¡°It¡¯s nothing. Let¡¯s get some berries for breakfast. We need coffee. I bet you a million dollars there is coffee out in those skyscrapers.¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Billie said. ¡°I want to know what Khanna meant.¡±


    My heart sank. We hadn¡¯t told Billie about Holly watching Khanna and I together. It hadn¡¯t happened again, though Khanna wondered why Holly didn¡¯t join us during our morning sex at Privacy Rock.


    Holly swallowed hard. ¡°Before Khanna joined us, I went looking for Sid, and I found them, in Khanna¡¯s strip mall, and I, uh, decided to watch. I shouldn¡¯t have. But you know what this place does to our libidos. It also has a negative effect on my judgement, it seems.¡±


    Billie¡¯s mouth dropped open. ¡°You watched them? But what about you not sleeping with students?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t sleep with him. But you did. I¡¯ve heard you and Sid in the bus at night when you think I¡¯m sleeping. I know you¡¯re not being faithful to Mike. Or is it Scott?¡±


    Suddenly all our secrets were spilling out, and both of those women were furious.


    What in the fuck was I going to do?


    Khanna wasn¡¯t going to help any. She just sat there, smiling as Holly and Billie went at each other.


    I had to handle things on my own.

 Book II - Chapter Two – Spilled Secrets

    Chapter Two ¨C Spilled Secrets


    ¡°That¡¯s enough!¡± I never raised my voice, so it was a big deal.


    Billie, of course, went to say something, but I shot her a warning look. Then I turned on Professor Kroft. ¡°Billie and I didn¡¯t have sex. We fooled around but it wasn¡¯t the full thing. You have no right to be upset. Neither of you do. We have to keep our heads here.¡±


    Billie¡¯s cheeks were flushed, and I knew she wanted to scream herself hoarse, but she was staying in control for now.


    I addressed her next. ¡°Since that one time Holly watched Khanna and me, nothing else has happened. Fuck, girls, this is not the time to get jealous.¡±


    Then Billie did lose control. She didn¡¯t scream but she ran, sobbing, out the front door.


    Holly sighed. ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have reacted like that. You have to go after her, Sid.¡±


    I ignored her for now. I then addressed Khanna in her native language. ¡°And you, Khanna, you can¡¯t stir the pot.¡±


    The huntress squinted at me. ¡°What pot? Khanna only cook a little. But we have no pot.¡±


    I was not in the mood for witty wordplay. ¡°You can¡¯t upset the other women. You did that on purpose.¡±


    Khanna shrugged. ¡°These bitches will betray us. Khanna doesn¡¯t care about them. Khanna only cares for Sid Marshall.¡±


    ¡°But I care about them,¡± I said firmly. ¡°If you love me, you¡¯ll treat them with respect. Now, instead of cutting firewood or working on the canoe, I have to go talk with Billie. This was not on my to-do list today.¡±


    Khanna understood how important our work was. She dropped her head. ¡°Khanna sorry. Khanna not want to add to Sid Marshall¡¯s work.¡±


    ¡°Well, you did. Remember that next time.¡± Then I was running through the door. Instead of climbing down the beach, Billie had gone through the bus and out the back door. She turned to the right and headed south down the familiar trail which led to Privacy Rock and our lumberyard.


    ¡°Billie! Wait up!¡±


    Like that was going to happen.


    The cheerleader kept right on going.


    I took a running jump and easily flew over her. I had gotten used to my landings and didn¡¯t trip a bit. Spinning I was close enough to grab her. I did so very, very gently. She was looking for a fight.


    ¡°What, Sid? Just tell me you want Holly and not me, okay? Then we can just go on with our fucked-up lives in this fucked-up place.¡± Her face was a mess of tears.


    Somehow, she looked even more cute when she was upset. ¡°Billie, Holly just watched us. You and I did a lot more. Remember, I¡¯ve been into you since the day we met.¡±


    It was easy to be honest with my feelings. I was on another world, with an optimized body, and I had Khanna to keep my bed warm at night. In the end, I was fine with whatever Holly and Billie decided.


    Billie sighed. ¡°I guess I feel guilty. And I want to be with you again. But we can¡¯t, right? Khanna would probably kill me. She could. She¡¯s a badass. And Holly is like some fucking genius, a cross between Martha Stewart and Little House on the Prairie. You have them. You don¡¯t need¡­¡±


    She cast her eyes down and shook her head. More tears fell.


    ¡°You think we don¡¯t need you?¡± I asked.


    She shrugged and didn¡¯t say anything.This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    I slowly lifted her chin. ¡°Let me remind you¡­when the Sleezenak attacked, you were the one who led the fight. Holly herself said that she¡¯d probably be dead if it wasn¡¯t for you. We do need you. We¡¯re stronger together.¡±


    She hugged me tight.


    I expected more sobbing, but she was strangely quiet.


    Then, not so strange, she pushed me away. ¡°You smell so good. You¡¯re so hot. I was so stupid. But I missed my chance. I¡¯m going to be alone forever now, and I¡¯ll probably die here. Or Holly and I will lez out at some point because we¡¯re both so fucking horny all that time. Oh, I forgot, she doesn¡¯t sleep with students. We¡¯ll just watch each other jill off. God, even that sounds hot. I¡¯m fucking dying, Sid. I need¡­well. You know what I need.¡±


    I thought about grabbing her and fucking her right then and there, but I stopped myself. ¡°I¡¯ll talk with Khanna. If she¡¯s okay with it, we can work something out.¡±


    Billie blinked. ¡°What?¡±


    Uh oh. Why did she seem more upset than relieved?


    ¡°I said I¡¯ll talk with Khanna. We don¡¯t know what she thinks. She was fine with Holly watching. I think she actually liked it, though she says she¡¯ll never trust either of you.¡±


    Billie looked disgusted. ¡°I know what you said, Sid. You think you can have a harem here. Well, fuck that. I am not going to be a member of your perverted harem.¡±


    Now I was getting angry. ¡°I don¡¯t get you. You know Khanna and I are having sex, but you still want to hook up with me from time to time. I¡¯m not starting a harem. I¡¯m offering to help you out with sex.¡±


    She laughed, but it sure as fuck didn¡¯t sound happy. ¡°So me, Holly, and Khanna have tons of sex with you, all the time, and probably with each other, and you don¡¯t think that sounds like a harem? What grade were you getting in anthropology? A G minus?¡±


    ¡°Funny.¡± Then I started to laugh.


    I couldn¡¯t help it. G minus was funny, and our anthropology class seemed like it was a million years ago.


    To my surprise, Billie started to laugh as well.


    And it didn¡¯t stop. The harder she laughed, the harder I laughed, until we both couldn¡¯t breathe. Soon we were both crying we were laughing so hard.


    Finally, I got a breath in. ¡°I had like a high B. Which was surprising because I didn¡¯t work all that hard.¡±


    ¡°I know. I had an A.¡± Billie brushed the tears from her cheeks. ¡°Sid. I take back what I said about the harem thing. I know you¡¯re just trying to do the best you can. Wouldn¡¯t it be weird, though? I mean, you and me, and you and Khanna, and then maybe Holly as well? Wouldn¡¯t you get tired?


    HOSTNAME: Sid Marshall has been optimized to 54% and can easily address the sexual needs of three females. This unit does not see an issue either erections or orgasmic ability.


    Opal rarely offered any kind of information without prompting, and I thought it was funny.


    ¡°Why are you smiling?¡± Billie asked, a little miffed again.


    ¡°Opal said my body is optimized to handle the sexual needs of three females. I don¡¯t think I would ever get tired. In fact, it would be a dream come true. While I wouldn¡¯t call it a harem, it would kind of be like¡­you know¡­¡±


    ¡°A harem,¡± Billie finished with a smile. ¡°Let me think about all of this. I don¡¯t want to cheat, but it¡¯s not like I¡¯m married. Or on Earth. Both Scott and Mike wouldn¡¯t think twice about fucking Khanna if they were here. Or Professor Kroft for that matter.¡±


    ¡°That says a lot,¡± I said. ¡°You¡¯ve thought more than twice about staying faithful.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s kind of all I think about.¡± She sighed. ¡°Talk to Khanna. I¡¯m still not sure what I want to do.¡±


    ¡°Do you want to go back to Lonetree for some breakfast?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Ugh! Sid! Yes! But I miss coffee! Why couldn¡¯t the Twankies be as obsessed with coffee as us humans!¡±


    I grinned. ¡°Not sweet enough. The Twankies love the sweet stuff. But I¡¯m thinking if we can get out to those San Francisco skyscrapers, we¡¯ll find a whole bunch of things.¡±


    Walking back to your house, I guess I wasn¡¯t too surprised when Billie took my hand. She needed the same reassurance that Holly had needed on the beach. We were surviving, but we still had a lot of things to consider.


    At some point in college, I¡¯d learned about Maslow¡¯s hierarchy of needs. Food, shelter, clothing, were the bottom. But then you had security and then love and belonging.


    We were progressing nicely. At the top was self-actualization. For me, that meant something a bit extra, since I was literally being optimized. To what end, I didn¡¯t know, but I had to trust Opal and hope for the best.


    Back in the house, Holly and Khanna weren¡¯t talking, and there was tension in the air, even though the fire snapped and crackled happily. Our little one-room house was warm compared to the cold fog outside.


    Billie went over and hugged Holly. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Professor. I don¡¯t want to be jealous. And I hope you¡¯re not jealous. This is all so complicated.¡±


    The professor chuckled. ¡°I was jealous, but we need to stay strong. You¡¯re right, this is complicated, and sex would only make things even more murky.¡±


    Billie shot me a helpless look but then nodded. ¡°You¡¯re right, Professor. We should stay strong.¡±


    It was kind of a lie. I knew Billie was rethinking a lot of things, and I needed to talk with Khanna about her expectations.


    Holly and Billie talked more, making amends and repairing their relationship.


    The huntress watched with interest. Then she turned to me. ¡°Khanna thinks those bitches are insane. They fight and then they love each other. See? They will betray Khanna. But Khanna does not care. Khanna loves Sid Marshall.¡±


    ¡°And Sid Marshall loves Khanna.¡±


    I hope the huntress would feel the same after I talked with her about Billie.

 Book II - Chapter Three – Canoe Conversation

    Chapter Three ¨C Canoe Conversation


    That afternoon, Holly and Billie were resting after their morning of work.


    The clouds had burned off, and Khanna and I were working on our canoe at the top of the beach cliffs. We had a clear view of both Lonetree Ridge and the skyscrapers rising out of the ocean.


    I was using my ax to chop through the wood of the tree, cutting out a seat. Khanna had a wedge of sharp rock that she was using to clean up my work, smoothing away the rough flakes of wood. We¡¯d already carved our two paddles, and we had a ton of rope to tie stuff to the boat.


    I¡¯m not sure I¡¯d ever seen someone as happy as Holly when Khanna had shown her how to chip flint to make an edge sharp enough to cut with. We¡¯d found flint on a trip to the mountains surrounding Club Sleezenak.


    We were almost done with the canoe. Khanna wasn¡¯t very excited about it.


    ¡°Khanna does not understand why we go to towers out in the ocean. It seems dangerous. How good can salvage be?¡±


    ¡°Mostly I think we we¡¯re going for the coffee,¡± I said. ¡°No. I¡¯m kidding.¡±


    Khanna scowled at me. ¡°Sid Marshall always joking. Be serious with Khanna. She¡¯s afraid.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid,¡± I said. ¡°I have my magic. I can scan the waters to make sure we know where the monsters are, so we can avoid them, okay?¡±


    Khanna wiped the sweat off her face. ¡°Khanna still thinks too dangerous. We have food, shelter, and water. What else do we need?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the thing,¡± I said. ¡°We don¡¯t know. I¡¯m hoping we find some supplies that will make exploring easier. We need to find the Foiros Waystation in Sector X.¡±


    That brought on another scowl. ¡°Exploring too dangerous. Khanna and Sid Marshall have good life here. Khanna even getting used to the bitches. Though Khanna never trust them.¡±


    The huntress had given me the perfect time to bring up Billie¡¯s concerns. And yet, did I trust that Billie would jump into bed with me? No. I didn¡¯t. She seemed too fucking fickle to ever commit. Why was I risking what I had with Khanna for the chance to sleep with Billie?


    Well, I¡¯d promised her I would, and I was a man who kept my promises.


    ¡°Fuck it,¡± I whispered in English. Then I went to Khanna, grabbing her hand as she scraped the splinters off the inside of our canoe. ¡°Khanna, there¡¯s something I want to talk with you about.¡±


    Khanna looked me right in the eye and smiled. ¡°This is about you, the bitches, and fochacha.¡±


    Fochacha was an interesting word. The closest word to it in English was ¡°to fuck¡± but it meant more than that. To the Fabrikata Enclave, where Khanna had grown up, it had more of an animalistic aspect to it. Their word for lovemaking was momachecha, which was also one of the words they used to describe eternity and marriage. Momachecha was more about the soul than the body.


    ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± I said. ¡°With you and I, it¡¯s momachecha. With them, it would be¡ª¡±


    I was so surprised when tears sprang into her eyes. She then dropped the flint scraper and ran from me. She didn¡¯t just hurry away at a jog, no¡­she went sprinting down the coast, running as fast as she could.


    It was almost like she was afraid of me right then.


    Like with Billie, I had a simple solution to that. I took three huge steps and then leapt, the muscles of my legs glowing. I went floating down and onto the sandy trail on the cliff edges. I hit and spun.


    But because she was optimized, the huntress was faster than Billie and tried to race by me.


    I grabbed her, which might have been a mistake. Her momentum spun us both around, and we wound up on the ground, with me on top of her.


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    She had her eyes closed, and she was crying, tears leaking down her face. Then she was sobbing.


    A second later, she pulled me down, kissing my face, and holding me tight.


    She was little but oh-so strong. I let out a grunt. Was she trying to squeeze me to death. Why was she crying? Why was she kissing me with such passion? Why were all the women on K¡¯Shaul so emotional?


    ¡°Khanna, what¡¯s the matter?¡± I asked.


    It took a few minutes, since she was crying to hard.


    Even when she tried to talk, she couldn¡¯t.


    After several deep breaths, she managed actual words.


    I felt her hot breath against my ear. ¡°Sid Marshall says it is momachecha. Khanna feels that too. Khanna was lost in the night. Sid Marshall, full of light, found her. Khanna was lonely and her heart was withered. Sid Marshall gave her life, breath, a full heart. Khanna will never be lonely again. It is momachecha. Khanna never feel it before. She wanted it, but she never felt it.¡±


    I pulled back, resting my weight on my arms. Even with her tear-stained cheeks, she never looked more beautiful to me.


    ¡°Why did you run from me?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Khanna not run from you. Khanna run from herself. She was too happy to hear you say we are in momachecha. She flees before Sid Marshall changes his mind.¡±


    ¡°That will never happen, Khanna. I¡¯ve always wanted to find someone, someone I could trust, and I know I can trust you. But I need to know more about your past. I need to know more about your world and the Fabrikata Enclave.¡±


    She closed her eyes. ¡°In time, Khanna tell you. But Khanna feels shame. Sid Marshall will understand, maybe, since he shares momachecha with Khanna.¡±


    Then it hit me all at once. ¡°We¡¯re married, aren¡¯t we?¡±


    Her eyes were open, staring into my soul, so trusting and full of love. ¡°In just a handful of nights, we have known such love. Khanna forbidden to marry back in the Fabrikata Enclave for she was a handmaiden. That has changed. She is on K¡¯Shaul now. Khanna is free forever now.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± I said. ¡°You¡¯ll be free as long as I¡¯m breathing. We¡¯re not just going to survive here. We¡¯re going to thrive. You have my word.¡±


    ¡°And Sid Marshall never lie.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s fuckin¡¯ right.¡±


    Then I kissed her, savoring every second.


    What had we even been talking about? Oh, right. Suddenly, neither Billie nor Holly seemed that important.


    We were close to Privacy Rock, and so I picked her up and went there.


    We¡¯d added another woven mat there and some soft grass as well as some leather blankets. It was our little home away from home, and for Khanna and me, it was where we had the best sex of our lives.


    In seconds, we were naked, and I was inside of her.


    She was so warm and wet around me, so alive and excited, and with every thrust, she let out shrieks of pure pleasure. I¡¯m not sure I¡¯d ever seen her so turned on. It wasn¡¯t just that we were together, taking care of our animalistic needs, it was more than that. We were joined in our pleasure, in our hearts, and with every moment, we grew closer and closer.


    Until it was too good.


    She pulled me down to kiss her. Her hungry little mouth found mine, though kissing was hard. We were gasping, breathless, at the intensity of our connection.


    Then it was happening, I was coming, deep inside her. Over and over, we shared in each other¡¯s ecstasy.


    I wound up on my back with her resting on my chest.


    ¡°What do you mean handmaiden?¡± I asked.


    ¡°The Fabrikata Enclave are all women, and we serve the Iron Descendent, the Last Chieftain, the Insatiable. But no, Khanna not serve him. Khanna ran away to the Shade Forest. But that all Khanna tell Sid Marshall for now. Later. Right now, Khanna just want to hold her specha momach.¡±


    ¡°Specha momach¡± meant¨C ¡°special one that fate brought to me.¡±


    I felt that as well. I wasn¡¯t to press on her revealing more, though I was dying of curiosity. We lay for a bit before I knew we had to go. I didn¡¯t want Holly and Billie to worry. They liked that Khanna and I worked on our canoe within earshot of Lonetree Ridge.


    Getting dressed, the huntress gave me a wicked smile. ¡°You want to fochach those other bitches, don¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°I have you,¡± I said. ¡°I don¡¯t need them.¡±


    That made her laugh. ¡°The Fabrikata have stories of men always wanting new pucha.¡±


    It wasn¡¯t rocket science to know what pucha was.


    ¡°Maybe that¡¯s true,¡± I said. ¡°But why do I feel like you are teasing me? You¡¯re okay with it, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    She smiled, and it was both sad and weary at the same time. ¡°Khanna knew she would have to share you. Khanna knows how to share. Khanna also knows the touch of a woman. K¡¯Shaul gives us desires. Maybe Khanna feel bad that your other bitches have to do without. They don¡¯t have to. Khanna has your heart. They can have a turn with your dicha. Maybe Khanna watch like old slut did.¡±


    So, in the end, I did have her permission. At the same time, I could see she was conflicted. In time, I knew that she would eventually tell me all about the Fabrikata Enclave. It was just going to take a while.


    We walked back to the canoe, but I left Khanna to work on it alone. I wanted to check in.


    That¡¯s when I saw the curtain of light, racing across the water, northwest of Lonetree Ridge.


    It was the first time we were seeing a Ravana Storm in K¡¯Shaul.


    Holly and Billie were up on the watchtower above the bus, pointing and screaming.


    The black clouds, streaked with lightning, were heading right toward us. The heat of the storm hit me all once while the thunderous roar of the cataclysmic storm set my teeth on edge.


    What new kind of landscape was it bringing to K¡¯Shaul and would it drop that new territory right on top of our new home on Lonetree Ridge?

 Book II - Chapter Four – A New Sector

    Khanna was wild-eyed. She grabbed my arm, screaming something, but I couldn¡¯t hear a word because of the roar of the Ravana Storm. The boiling darkness completely covered the ocean and the sky.


    I picked up the huntress and carried her away. Then I didn¡¯t bother with the bus. With her in my arms, I took a running leap off the cliff edge. We flew over the beach far below us, and for a second, I thought I might overshoot the ridge. But no, I landed on the main walkway behind the watchtower.


    There was no to communicate to the women. I¡¯d wanted to tell them to grab our supplies, but no, the howling winds and thunder made any communication impossible, and we didn¡¯t have the time to grab any of our shit.


    I gently pushed Khanna toward the bus. She took the hint, sprinting away.


    In the meantime, I raced up the tower and picked up Billie. Then I sped across the bus and leapt from it. I landed and turned to go get Holly, but what I saw made me stop in my tracks.


    The strange storm didn¡¯t stretch from horizon to horizon but came at us like a black rectangle with ninety-degree angles. It was leaving the new world behind it¡ªrolling green fields, like Ireland maybe.


    Holly left the watchtower and ran across the top of the bus. Without pausing, she threw herself off. What was she doing?


    No, I knew¡ªshe had complete faith in me.


    I did catch her, and we both tumbled to sand just as the huntress joined us.


    It was pretty certain the wave would cut right through Lonetree Ridge, which would fucking ruin the weeks of work we¡¯d put into our home.


    But then?


    A new sound joined that whistling wind and thunder. For a second I was confused. I¡¯d heard that sound before, from the Fodoron Obelisk, that same thrum, otherworldly and awful.


    The black storm took a forty-five degree turn to the northeast.


    Holly and I were on the ground while Billie and Khanna stood over us. All of our mouths opened as the storm moved past us, completely blocking our view to the north. Thankfully, it had missed our ridge. The heat had us all sweat-soaked, and the electricity in the air made the hair on my arms stood straight up. Those dark clouds seem to destroy all light that touched them. It was like looking into the very idea of darkness itself. The thrumming got so bad that all the women were on the ground, their hands pushed over their ears.


    For me, Opal took care of my hearing issue.


    HOSTNAME: Sid Marshall. Warning. Switching off hearing to preserve eardrum physiology. Decibels at dangerous levels.


    ¡°Opal!¡± I yelled, but I didn¡¯t hear a thing. ¡°What is going on?¡±


    The Fodoron Obelisk is altering the expected course of the Ravana Storm. Scanning for more information.


    Everything was silent as I watched the darkness move past us, cutting through the Dinosaur Swamps. More of those Irish green hills was left behind, adding another sector to the strange world of K¡¯Shaul.


    The green hills stretched north as far as I could see. A few oddly shaped animals were on hills in the distance. At first, I thought they were sheep, but no, they were something different.


    Watching the ocean gush over the newly created lands was amazing. I couldn¡¯t hear the roar of the gushing water reclaiming the land, but it was clear that it was making a ton of noise.


    Restoring HOSTNAME: Sid Marshall¡¯s auditory abilities.


    Suddenly, I could hear again.


    The ocean was churning and churning over the new land. How many power crystals were being lost under all that water? I hated the idea.


    Khanna ran to me and threw her arms around me.


    ¡°What in the fuck?¡± Billie cursed. Instead of being afraid, she seemed angry.


    Holly squinted at the hills. ¡°Without my glasses, my eyes aren¡¯t very good, but I¡¯m not blind. Are those sheep?¡±


    ¡°Maybe,¡± I said. ¡°Is everyone okay?¡±


    ¡°No, Sid!¡± Billie yelled. ¡°My ears are fucking ringing, and I¡¯m scared shitless. Whatever the fuck that storm was, it was coming right for us. I hate how it sounds. I hate it so much. And the thrumming. Ugh, I feel like I might fucking puke at any minute.¡±


    I held Khanna.


    Billie¡¯s eyes went to her, then to me, and then she turned. ¡°I¡¯m fine. But now what? What do you do when suddenly a new world appears right next door to you?¡±


    I told them what Opal had said about the Fodoron Obelisk.


    ¡°Fascinating,¡± Holly whispered. ¡°Could it be a clue to K¡¯Shaul¡¯s history and purpose? Perhaps the Obelisk is open. We still haven¡¯t been inside.¡±


    It took me less than a second to decide what to do. ¡°I¡¯ll go and check out the new world. If those are sheep, not only will we have more meat, but we¡¯ll also have wool. I could go for a wool blanket.¡±


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    ¡°It would be so fucking itchy!¡± Billie complained. ¡°But maybe that would be better than the leather blankets, which kind of smell. I hate this. I want a blanket, no, I want a comforter, a mattress, like a dozen pillows, and my phone. Yeah, my phone, and I want to scroll Instagram until my fingers fall off.¡±


    Khanna turned to look at Billie before looking up at me. ¡°The blond bitch seems like she is speaking nonsense. Is the bitch speaking nonsense?¡±


    I switched language. ¡°She¡¯s just scared. Like you were.¡±


    Khanna stiffened and stepped away from me. She scowled. ¡°Khanna not afraid. Khanna worried for Sid Marshall. Sid Marshall not cover his ears.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡±


    Billie stood with a hand on her hip. Such a brat. ¡°Are you two done making fun of me?¡±


    ¡°We weren¡¯t making fun of you. Khanna just wondered if you were afraid, and I said you were.¡±


    Billie seemed to soften. ¡°I was afraid. I am afraid. What if the Fodoron Obelisk doesn¡¯t work next time? We could lose everything.¡±


    ¡°Perhaps we didn¡¯t lose everything, but we certainly lost our chance,¡± Holly said quietly.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± I asked.


    Holly sighed and pushed a trembling hand through her hair. ¡°We didn¡¯t think to throw ourselves into the Ravana Storm. It might¡¯ve taken us home.¡±


    ¡°Opal, would the storm have taken us home?¡±


    HOST query impossible to answer without more information. All available data suggests the Ravana Storm brings landscapes, materials, and biological entities to K¡¯Shaul. Extrapolating upon that theory, it would suggest the Ravana Storm would send affected entities to other parts of K¡¯Shaul along the area affected.


    I relayed the information.


    Holly shook her head. ¡°We should try.¡±


    ¡°No!¡± Billie said quickly. ¡°That would be insane. It might just melt us like it melted off our clothes. I¡¯m a girl who likes to take risks, but not when dealing with something that hacks apart realities. Ugh. What am I even saying? I sound so nerdy.¡±


    That made me laugh. ¡°Look. You three stay here. I¡¯ll go and check out the new land. Besides, there should be some power crystals there since the Ravana Storm just came through. I¡¯d love to get Opal to 100%.


    Khanna frowned at me.


    Billie laughed. ¡°Uh, the huntress is not going to stay here with us. She hates us. But she loves you. That¡¯s pretty clear.¡±


    ¡°Khanna, I need you stay here and protect Holly and Billie. Can you do that for me?¡±


    The huntress¡¯s frown turned into a scowl. But then she surprised me. ¡°Yes. Khanna not like it, but she will stay. Khanna protect bitches. Khanna work on canoe.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s great. Thanks.¡± I pulled her close and kissed her forehead with both Holly and Billie watching.


    I couldn¡¯t read their expressions, since they were still freaked out by the close call. And yet, it seemed like they might be jealous.


    I went and hugged them. With Holly, it was a little stiff, but with Billie, it was different.


    She pulled me close and held me tight. ¡°Don¡¯t fucking die on me, Sid Marshall.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡±


    Then, before I knew it, I kissed her on the forehead. It felt so natural.


    I left them to run down the path toward the Fodoron Obelisk.


    I found it, still thrumming loudly, but no doorways appeared.


    Opal did some scanning, but nothing had changed. Like before, the four sides of the Obelisk¡¯s base was locked up tight. The runes on the sides of the Obelisk were the same as well. Thanks to my quantum A.I., she had mapped out every sigil.


    After checking the obelisk, I ran to the walkways that the Sleezenak had built over the water. One walkway ended at a green hill that cut through the heart of the swamp. For a second, I wondered if the Ravana Storm had hit the Mound Mountains and Club Sleezenak, but no, the drums continued to pound in the distance.


    Stepping onto the grass, I was given an amazing sight. It seemed I wasn¡¯t the only one curious about the new world. A herd of huge, armored dinosaurs¡ª Ankylosauruses¡ªwere grazing on the new grass. Looking up, skies above the two world were separated by an exact line: New Ireland had a normal blue sky with a normal sun. The Dinosaur Swamps had a hazy orange tint to it.


    The Ankylosauruses kept an eye on me. A few of the big males were flexing their club-like tails while the mothers got in front of their little youngsters.


    I kept my distance, so I wouldn¡¯t cause a stampede.


    ¡°Opal, what can you tell me about the new sector?¡±


    Sector 3.667.B (Eru, Hill District, Southern Continent)


    ¡°I¡¯m going to need more than that.¡±


    I headed away from the herd of dinosaurs while Opal chattered on.


    First mapped by the third generation Arkadians, the Eru has no sentient life on it, but there are carbon-based mammals, a wide variety of herbivores, with few natural predators. There are some predatory birds as well as packs of canine type creatures but not many. Several power crystals can be found along the border with the swamps.


    Instead of running toward where we saw the sheep, I ran along the border, and yes, I found a few small power crystals. Picking them up, I absorbed the energy, and Opal told me, triumphantly, she was at 79%.


    I took a right and sped across the green landscape, topping hills and leaping off them. I floated down, landed on glowing legs, and kept on running.


    I stopped at the sheep¡­well, they were kind of like sheep. Except the animals had eight legs. Spider sheep? No, they ate the grass with normal herbivore mouths and had two normal eyes. Except for their legs, they looked normal. In my head, I started calling them octosheep.


    I wasn¡¯t going to go home empty-handed.


    I turned my Paraxen multitool into a spear and flung it as hard as I could. Betsy struck a sheep right through the heart while he rest of the herd went charging off.


    I was pretty proud of my throw.


    Scooping up the sheep, I set it across my shoulders and started the journey back.


    We¡¯d survived the Ravana Storm, and I got a little more information on K¡¯Shaul. The Fodoron Obelisks did have a purpose after all.


    I remembered what Opal had said about the Eruvian animals. I didn¡¯t like the idea of predatory birds coming after us on Lonetree Ridge. And what were Eruvian dogs like?


    Yes, we still had some worries, and yet, I couldn¡¯t help but be grateful. Lonetree Ridge was still around, we still had our house, and now we had a new food source.


    Life was good.


    On my way back to Lonetree Ridge. I didn¡¯t need to go through the dinosaur swamps. I could follow the new strip of land¡ªNew Ireland¡ªback to the ocean.


    It had cut about a hundred yards north of our waterfall. Walking along with the octosheep over my shoulders, I traced the sides of the cliffs it had shorn through.


    Would I really want to jump into the middle of something that could cut through mountains like a hot knife through butter?


    I would¡¯ve said we¡¯d been lucky it hadn¡¯t cut through our home, but it wasn¡¯t luck, it was the Fodoron Obelisk.


    The ocean had spread out to cover part of the new grasslands. The pounding surf had torn off big chunks of the grass, making the water a dark green from all the debris and dirt. All that soil was going to do interesting things to the impossible ecosystem.


    Already, I could see fish leaping and jumping, which brought more animal life.


    Out there, about five hundred yards north of the skyscrapers, I saw a scarlet light glowing in the water. If that was from a power crystal, it had to be the biggest one yet. I had to get it, clearly, but first, I had to check on the women back at Lonetree Ridge.


    Our world had changed, but that only meant more resources and the promise of more adventures.

 Book II - Chapter Five – On a Walk with Billie

    Chapter Five ¨C


    Back at Lonetree Ridge, I dropped the octosheep onto the rock next to the main platform.


    Holly brushed her hands through the thick wool. ¡°We don¡¯t have a spinning wheel to process the wool, but I think I can rig something up. And there¡¯s so much meat!¡±


    Khanna was already pulling out her stone knife.


    Billie stood back, frowning, with her arms across her chest. ¡°We¡¯re going to need some vegetables, you know. We can¡¯t just eat meat and berries. And we¡¯re almost out of the Twankie bread. Where can we get more bread?¡±


    Khanna looked puzzled. ¡°Bread?¡±


    I translated the word for her. In her stone-age Arkadian, it translated into something like baked wheat paste. I had the idea that her culture thought bread was too hard to make and not really worth the effort.


    ¡°Tell the young bitch we don¡¯t need bread. We need salt for the meat.¡±


    I relayed the information to the other two women leaving out Khanna¡¯s unfortunate word choice. God help us if she ever learned the English word for bitch.


    Holly struck her head. ¡°Good gravy, I¡¯m such an idiot. We can boil the seawater. For that, we need a pan, though. I am less inclined to use evaporation given the fact that we don¡¯t know what kind of alien bacteria is in the water.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, great, a pan,¡± Billie¡¯s voice was so bitter. ¡°Let¡¯s just bop on over to Wal-Mart. No, wait, we can just order one off of Amazon. Why didn¡¯t we think of that before?¡±


    ¡°Sarcasm is not helping,¡± Holly said stiffly.


    It wasn¡¯t. But why was Billie being so difficult? Well, more than usual.


    I told them about the gigantic power crystal I¡¯d seen out near the skyscrapers. ¡°I don¡¯t know if we can find pans or not, but we need to try. We¡¯re almost done with our canoe, and then I¡¯m going to go out there.¡±


    ¡°Not alone you¡¯re not!¡± Billie stamped her foot to drive home the point.


    Khanna was staring at us. ¡°What is the bitch saying?¡±


    ¡°She doesn¡¯t want me to go out on the canoe alone.¡±


    The huntress laughed sharply. ¡°Sid Marshall won¡¯t be going alone. Khanna will be with him. Tell the young bitch not to worry.¡±


    Billie scowled. ¡°She keeps using that word, huncha. What does it mean?¡±


    There are times in life when the only good answer to a bad question is to lie. Huncha translated into ¡°bitch¡± almost directly. In this case, it meant ¡°rabid female dog looking to bite anyone that comes close because she is crazy and kind of stupid.¡±


    ¡°Huncha means lady,¡± I lied. ¡°But it doesn¡¯t matter. I should go alone. Khanna can stay here to protect you. I¡¯ll have Opal with me, doing scans. If anything huge comes up to take a bite out of the boat, I¡¯ll oar my ass off.¡±


    Holly shook her head. ¡°Khanna won¡¯t let you go alone, but I understand the situation. Any extra passengers would only weigh you down more. Eventually, we should make two canoes and hammer them together as the Polynesians did. You are going to put a strut on the canoe to make it an outrigger, are you not?¡±


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t planning on it, Professor,¡± I said patiently. ¡°But I¡¯m glad you see the logic of what I¡¯m doing. I¡¯ll talk with Khanna. I think I can get her to stay.¡±


    In broken English, the huntress told me I was full of shit. ¡°Khanna no stay. Khanna go. Khanna love Sid Marshall.¡±


    Billie suddenly was a bit less bratty. ¡°Wow. English. She¡¯s a clever huncha.¡±


    Khanna laughed. ¡°Huncha!¡± She even smiled at Billie, and the two had a moment.


    That made me feel better.


    Billie, though, was only calm for a second. She threw her hands into the air. ¡°Fine. You¡¯ll go and die, and then we can¡¯t go find this Waystation X place, so we won¡¯t be able to recharge our guns, and I¡¯m fucking useless, so we¡¯ll die too, but okay. Fine.¡±


    Khanna chuckled and shook her head. ¡°Huncha.¡±


    Billie rolled her eyes. ¡°I¡¯m so over this. I¡¯m going for a walk.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll go with you. Let¡¯s head north.¡±


    Holly gave me a long look, but I wasn¡¯t quite sure what it meant. Was it desire? Jealousy? Fear? I don¡¯t know, but then she glanced away, focused on the octosheep. ¡°Khanna and I will start preparing the meat. We can smoke it until we figure out the salt problem. You two go but be careful. And hurry back.¡±


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    Billie and I collected some supplies¡ªsome dried elk meat and some baskets of water we could sling over our shoulders using length of ropes. I had Betsy, my multitool, as well as a quiver of arrows. We made our way through the bus and across the river, which fed our waterfall. We walked until we found the slope that led from the cliffs down to the beach, or in this case, the grasslands.


    We crossed into New Ireland and started over the hills, keeping close to the beach. I wanted to get a good sense of the landscape north of Lonetree Ridge.


    After about a mile of walking in angry silence, we hit the edge of the rolling green hills only to discover more of the Marusian see cliffs. The beach extended north as far as I could see. But there was another sector to the east, a blacker, darker place.


    Standing between sectors, we could see shapes out in the ocean, happily playing. They looked like huge sea otters.


    Billie didn¡¯t seem to notice. She sipped water from one of the baskets we¡¯d brought. ¡°Thanks for coming with me.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re welcome.¡± I felt like those two words were safe to say. Anything else felt like they would send Billie off into another explosion? It was like having a conversation with an atomic bomb.


    I thought I was doing okay until the bomb went off. ¡°I know, Sid! I know I¡¯m the problem. I know I¡¯m a bitch. I wish I could be a huncha, or whatever the fuck, but I¡¯m not. So what in the hell are we going to do with me?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not that bad.¡± Fuck it. I wasn¡¯t going to tiptoe around her. ¡°But yeah, you can¡¯t just keep losing your shit all the time.¡±


    I got unexpected laughter. And not just a little.


    Again, Billie and I started laughing our asses off, standing where the grass met the sand in a perfect line. It was like when we¡¯d laughed about her G-minus joke. It made sense for us to laugh. The shit we¡¯d gone through was insane, and yet, at the same time, we were surviving. We had a lot going for us, including a home that was protected from the Ravana Storms.


    Billie wiped the tears from her eyes. ¡°Oh, that felt good. Seeing that black storm come through really scared me. It was like I was just starting to feel comfortable on Lonetree Ridge, and then, no, fuck you. You¡¯re not safe, Billie.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re about as safe as we can be here,¡± I said. ¡°We beat the Sleezenak. And I have some ideas on how to add to our security.¡±


    Billie turned a little, eyes on the sea where those happy critters played. ¡°It¡¯s not just safety, right? It¡¯s this tug-of-war inside of me. I think maybe we¡¯ll find a way home, and I get excited. And then I really think about leaving, and I get sad for some reason. Then I¡¯m upset at myself for the idea of staying. And then it all starts over again.¡±


    ¡°What can I do help you, Billie?¡± I asked.


    She turned back to me and looked me in the eye for what felt like a long time. A blush painted her cheeks. ¡°I think you know.¡±


    It was both a challenge and a request.


    I stepped up to her and took her hand. I then pulled her to me.


    She came along, eyes wide.


    ¡°You look scared,¡± I whispered.


    ¡°I am.¡±


    ¡°Of what?¡±


    She swallowed hard, her mouth open a little. ¡°Of how I feel toward you. You¡¯re not just some guy I¡¯m going to date. You¡¯re different.¡±


    ¡°How?¡±


    She closed her eyes. ¡°I can¡¯t say. You¡¯d think I was dumb. But I had this dream the other night¡­¡±


    I thought she might let go of my hand, but no, she held it tight. In fact, she stepped closer, and I could feel her thigh against mine.


    ¡°I won¡¯t think you¡¯re dumb. Tell me about the dream.¡±


    ¡°Well, I¡¯m on K¡¯Shaul, and its night, like all the time, and I¡¯m around Holly or Khanna, and we¡¯re doing survival stuff. Then it¡¯s like I go blind¡­I can¡¯t see, and I feel so cold. Then, you come up, and you¡¯re like the sun, and I just want to be close to you. It¡¯s like you light up my whole world, and you¡¯re so bright and warm, that you chase all the shadows away.¡± She kept her eyes closed even as tears leaked down her cheeks.


    I felt my own eyes fill with tears. I had never heard anyone say anything like that to me, not even my aunt and uncle, and they loved me like the son they never had.


    This was different.


    ¡°It¡¯s not dumb,¡± I said in a thick voice. ¡°I want to be your sunlight.¡±


    Her eyes opened, and they looked into mine, and we stood there for a long time. She was gorgeous, passionate, and yes, she had gone from screaming to laughing like a fool to crying. At the same time, I liked standing in the middle of her storms. If I was the sun, she was the storm.


    Then she took her free hand and touched the back of my neck, holding my head, as she kissed me.


    I drank her in, smelling her, tasting her, feeling her soft, wet lips against mine. And then, her tongue touched mine, and I found myself growling.


    This felt different than the other times. This felt more like how I felt with Khanna, this love, this desire to protect her, to make sure the darkness never touched her.


    She pushed her leg against my cock as she straddled my leg. She was rubbing herself against me as we kissed.


    Then, all of a sudden, she pulled herself away and took a few steps away from me across the sand.


    ¡°This is it¡ª¡± Laughter clipped her words. ¡°I¡¯m going to go completely and totally insane with lust. You and I can¡¯t¡­you know. Do the deal.¡±


    ¡°Yes, we can.¡± That kiss had me feeling reckless. If she was an atomic bomb, I was going to run right into the center of the mushroom cloud.


    She whirled on me. ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Khanna and I talked. She won¡¯t tell me much about her past, but I have the idea she came from a tribe that was mostly made up of women. She says sharing isn¡¯t a big deal.¡± I didn¡¯t add that she had made a distinction between fochacha and momachecha.


    Billie eyes widened.


    ¡°You look scared again,¡± I said.


    ¡°Yeah. I am. Scared of what I¡¯m feeling. Scared of this place. Scared of sharing. I¡¯m not sure I can share you¡­not with how I feel.¡±


    It was clear that Khanna wanted love and not just sex. In short, she wanted momachecha from me, and that made everything more difficult.


    I was about to say something when a scream echoed across the landscape. From above, we saw three huge, winged shapes. My first thought was that we were being attacked by dragons. Then I saw the sloped shape of their heads, the long head with the big toothy jaws, and the leathery wings catching the winds coming off the ocean.


    I had to smile. ¡°Holy shit, those are pterodactyls.¡±


    ¡°And they¡¯re coming right at us, Sid!¡±


    I grabbed her, and we ran not across the sand, but on the far firmer ground of grassy New Ireland.


    Remembering the threat the flying swarm toads posed, I couldn¡¯t help but curse. Fuck.


    Those huge flying dinosaurs could rip our house at Lonetree Ridge to pieces. We needed something better than arrows to go up against them. We needed our plasma guns.


    First, though, Billie and I had to survive.

 Book II - Chapter Six – Wasteland Refuge

    With those three massive death birds in the air, we had no place to hide. It was either beach or grassland because there wasn¡¯t a tree or building in sight. It was clear the three dinosaur birds were hunting, and they should be. An Eruvian octosheep would make an excellent meal.


    With no cover, it was a matter of fight or flight, and I wanted to fight, but I didn¡¯t want to risk Billie. I could make it harder for the death birds to hit me. I had Opal alter my survival suit, so I was better camouflaged. I would¡¯ve done the same thing to Billie¡¯s suit, but my A.I. wasn¡¯t paired with her outfit.


    I scooped her up, and then I turned on the afterburners. We both went streaking across the grass. I launched myself off a hill. When I hit the ground, I kept my feet moving.


    It wasn¡¯t long before we were approaching the dark world I¡¯d seen from a distance. There were crumbling buildings there under a sky choked with black clouds, the blackest I¡¯d ever seen. In the sky was the line that separated the sectors¡ªon one side was the blue of New Ireland and the other was the cloudy city. Or was that the smoky city? It might¡¯ve been smoke.


    Regardless, the pterodactyls had seen us.


    They came zooming down, and I had to give up on flight and engage in the fight. I switched my multitool to ax mode.


    Billie was under me, hiding, as the first bird swooped.


    A gigantic claw reached me, and I swung the axe, cutting off a talon in a spray of blood.


    The death bird screamed and clutched its wounded limb to its belly.


    The others circled, probably trying to figure out if we were worth it. They weren¡¯t leaving though. If they were hungry enough, they would try to get us again.


    I took off running with Billie and we made it to the first building, a crumbling cement structure. Crossing over, the smell of burning chemicals filled my nostrils. I had to wince.


    ¡°There¡¯s a new sector, Opal. What are we dealing with?¡±


    Sector 1.213.B (Voeux, Dezme Province, Fry City)


    ¡°Not really helping, Opal. Can I breathe the air? Is that smoke? Any monsters you can detect?¡±


    That is smoke from several infinity fires burning in the sector. Prolonged exposure will cause issues in HOST COMPANION: Billie Lynn Kidd. This unit can filter out the chemicals in HOSTNAME: Sid Marshal¡¯s respiratory system. Define monster for this unit. Are there any predators or sentient creatures with ill intent? Ill intent cannot be detected. No biological threats detected except for the three pteraxels above you.


    Okay, they weren¡¯t pterodactyls, but something similar. And I would be okay in Fry City, but Billie wouldn¡¯t be. Noted. I didn¡¯t plan on being there long.


    Once inside the crumbling concrete structure, I changed my multitool from an ax to a bow. I nocked an arrow. Most of the roof was gone, but there was a section of concrete we could take cover under.


    A pteraxel landed on the cement wall across form us. Another landed right on the concrete above us, making dust rain down on us. The whole world was shaking. The wounded death bird circled us, screeching its little heart out. Losing a talon must¡¯ve really hurt the thing.


    I fired an arrow at the reptilian bird across from us. It let out a shriek before taking off, but it didn¡¯t fly very far. It soon dropped out of the sky, hitting the ground somewhere to the north of us.


    The bird above us peeked at us from the roof.


    I put an arrow through its head.


    It slumped down, right into the room with us. It stank like a swamp.


    The wounded pteraxel continued to fly overhead, screeching and squawking, clearly upset I¡¯d killed two of its friends.


    For several long seconds, Billie and I waited inside the place. There wasn¡¯t any furniture, just bare cement and the dead pteraxel.


    ¡°What was this place, Opal? And what¡¯s an infinity fire?¡±


    Voeux suffered from environmental collapse brought on by several nuclear wars. Infinity fires burn advanced plastics with distinct chemical properties. This unit¡¯s scans suggest that this section of Fry City comes from fifty thousand years in the future. Scanning continued. This unit detects possible vehicles and some signs of sentient life in Fry City. Infinity fires are the Voeuxian term for the various pseudo-nuclear chemical conflagrations.


    So it was a wasteland. and dangerous too.


    Billie coughed weakly. ¡°What¡¯s she saying?¡±


    I relayed the information.


    ¡°Great,¡± Billie whispered. ¡°Finally we found a sector worse than all the other sectors combined. I fucking hate how this place smells. We should get back to Lonetree Ridge.¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡± Then I had a thought. ¡°Opal mentioned there were birds of prey, but I didn¡¯t think they would be like pterodactyls. We¡¯re just lucky we didn¡¯t run into the dogs. She did say, though, that there weren¡¯t that many predators. Maybe we just got unlucky.¡±


    ¡°Okay, so what does that mean for us?¡± Billie¡¯s face was smudged. Her expression was grim.


    ¡°It means that we have a relatively safe strip of land to explore east. At least it will be safe for a while, since I dealt with at least three of the pteraxels. We need to find Sector X, and we¡¯ve been given a street that might lead us to Sector X. I need to get that gigantic power crystal first, and while I¡¯m out there, I can grab some stuff from San Submerged. Then we can all hit the road.¡±


    Billie sighed. ¡°Worst. Road trip. Ever. Well, at least now I can¡¯t wait to get back to Lonetree Ridge.¡±


    I didn¡¯t mention that Opal had mentioned something about vehicles and sentient life in Fry City. I didn¡¯t want to add to Billie¡¯s fear.


    It wasn¡¯t long before the wounded pteraxel finally realized we weren¡¯t worth the trouble, and the monster bird finally flew off.


    The pteraxel had been squawking and screaming so much that once it was quiet, we heard the dull of pounding of drums in the distance.


    Billie¡¯s eyes were wide. ¡°Do you hear that?¡±


    I nodded. ¡°Opal is that Sleezenak drumming?¡±


    Unknown drumming detected. Uknown source. Similarities to known drumming sounds possible. Similar rhythms suggest possible relationship with Sleezenak. More information needed.


    ¡°What did she say?¡± Billie asked.


    ¡°She¡¯s a definite maybe on the subject.¡±


    Once it was quiet, we didn¡¯t wait very long before we ventured out from the building.


    Soon, we stood on a green hill, gazing at Fry City¡¯s blasted landscape. I didn¡¯t see any cars, only ruins, but I would have to take Opal¡¯s word for it. The wasteland blackened the northern horizon. I couldn¡¯t get the smell out of my nose, and that drumming continued.


    Now that we weren¡¯t being attacked by death birds, the walk back to the beach cliffs didn¡¯t take all that long.


    We found where the three sectors met¡ªNew Ireland, Fry City, and the Beachcliff World.


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    Billie turned to me as the surf thundered in the distance. ¡°So what we were talking about when the pterodactyls attacked us?¡± Billie asked.


    ¡°You and Khanna sharing me,¡± I said.


    ¡°Oh. Right.¡± Billie¡¯s laughter came out bitter. ¡°I said that I¡¯m like totally obsessed with you, and I wasn¡¯t sure I could share. Okay. Fine. But then we ran for our lives from fucking dinosaur birds into the worst smelling place in the universe. It¡¯s like the apocalypse shit out a nuclear war. My lungs still feel like they¡¯re burning. And it should go without saying that I fucking hated the music.¡±


    I chuckled. ¡°That¡¯s funny.¡±


    Billie sighed. ¡°That¡¯s me saying weird stuff I¡¯d never normally say.¡±


    ¡°I like it when you¡¯re not hiding who you are.¡±


    Billie came up to me, close, and took my hand in hers. ¡°You see? That¡¯s why I like you. You¡¯re so sweet. And then there¡¯s the fact that being around you makes me crazy fucking horny. I hate that you have another woman in your life, one that is fine with sharing, because if Khanna was like ¡®no fucking way is my man having sex with anyone but me¡¯ then that would change everything. But no, she¡¯s like, ¡®whatever, you can have sex with Billie, and Professor Kroft can watch, and we¡¯ll have huge orgies.¡¯¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think we¡¯ll ever have huge orgies,¡± I said in my defense.


    ¡°We better!¡± Bille nearly shouted. ¡°I mean, if we¡¯re doing this sharing thing, we should fucking share, like everything, all the time. It¡¯s kind of like¡­perfect, you know?¡±


    ¡°How is that perfect?¡±


    She only laughed and ran onto the sand.


    I ran after her as she jogged down the sloping sands to the ocean water.


    She didn¡¯t stop but ran giggling into the surf.


    Our Paraxen survival suits were not only self-cleaning, but they dried immediately.


    Billie let a wave wash over her, and she stood, there shivering, her hair wet. ¡°The water is freezing!¡±


    I walked into the water, wincing at the frigid temperatures. Holly had felt the water at some point and said it felt like the ocean near Santa Cruz, in northern California.


    ¡°It¡¯s good that it¡¯s cold¡± I said. ¡°That means there will be more life. Cold water draws more fish and larger and animals.¡±


    ¡°Why does that not make me feel better?¡± she asked. She then pointed. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡±


    To the north of us, we saw little houses built into the cliffside. They looked like the cliff dwelling in Mesa Verde in southern Colorado, little houses made out of clay, like caves in the crag.


    ¡°Opal, do you detect any life signs in those cliff dwellings?¡±


    Negative. The cliff dwellings do match the homes of ancient Marusians. Marusia, while mostly covered by oceans, has many such villages on the various island chains.


    ¡°Anything?¡± Billie asked.


    I shook my head. ¡°No life.¡±


    She then rushed over and took my hand and led me out of the surf. ¡°That¡¯s perfect.¡±


    ¡°Perfect for what?¡± I asked her.


    We stood on the beach, the clouds providing us with a break from the sunshine. A light misty rain began to fall, just enough to chill the skin.


    Billie then kissed me, on the lips, and I enjoyed her slightly salty flavor. Her skin was warm compared to the cold air. I went to kiss her more deeply, but she stepped back.


    ¡°It¡¯s like this perfect fantasy,¡± she said. ¡°It¡¯s like how I used to dream about being shipwrecked on a deserted island. Except, you know, with that, there was the possibility we¡¯d be rescued.¡±


    ¡°We probably won¡¯t be rescued, Billie, but I¡¯ll do everything I can to get you home.


    ¡°Sure, Sid, but until then, you¡¯re going to help me,¡± Billie said in a very serious tone of voice.


    ¡°How am I going to help you?¡± I asked.


    Billie started walking away, but as she did, she unzipped her survival suit. She then pulled it down to her waist.


    I had a view of her naked back and her muscular arms.


    She turned around. ¡°Are you going to come help me or what? If I have to explain everything to you, this is never going to work.¡±


    Being on K¡¯Shaul, I was always a little turned on, but seeing her naked back made me crazy with lust.


    But then Billie giggled and ran, heading toward the cliff dwellings.


    I could¡¯ve used my optimized muscles to get to her, but no, I was happy to chase after her like a normal human.


    At the bottom of the ladder, Billie paused to pull her survival suit back on. She then scurried up the rungs and into the little house.


    I climbed up after her. It was going to feel nice to get out of the wet mist.


    Billie met me at the door. ¡°I think we¡¯ve found a nice little home away from home.¡±


    Across from us was a mattress covered by a variety of pelts and furs. Near the bed was a little pile of kindling next to a fireplace. A little table made from driftwood completed the picture. The place was sparse, but clean. Outside, a chill rain had started to fall. Storm clouds darkened the skies. A little window in the mud still provided us with plenty of light.


    ¡°Opal, any bed bugs or other critters?¡±


    Negative. There is some dust, but this room has not been utilized, in any meaningful way for an indeterminate amount of time. This unit believes this ancient Marusian dwelling is more than two centuries old.


    ¡°Thanks.¡± It didn¡¯t mean the bed was two hundred years old, only that the world was. It seemed the Marusians themselves hadn¡¯t been brought along.


    ¡°What did she say?¡± Billie asked.


    ¡°No bed bugs.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the mattress made of?¡±


    Answering HOST COMPANION: Billie Lynn Kidd¡¯s query. Mattress is stuffed with Marusian sleeping kelp, a type of seaweed that expands when dried. The mattress itself was fashioned from that same kelp, woven into a fabric.


    I relayed what Opal had said.


    ¡°Weird,¡± Billie whispered. ¡°It doesn¡¯t smell like seaweed.¡±


    Then, me and my former crush stood there, somewhat awkwardly. The only sound was the surf below.


    ¡°You should start a fire,¡± she said softly.


    She walked farther into the room, unzipping her survival suit before peeling it off her shoulders. She then pushed it down and stepped out of it.


    There was she was¡­as naked as the day she was born.


    ¡°But you¡¯re naked.¡± It was a lame thing to say, but my head wasn¡¯t working very well. My eyes went from her gorgeous face down to her perfect B cup breasts capped by pink puffy nipples. Then I drank in her entire body¡ªher waist, her hips, and the triangle of blond hair between her legs.


    Billie smiled. ¡°I am naked. You¡¯re going to be naked soon. A fire would feel so good.¡±


    It wasn¡¯t long before I had a little fire snapping and crackling. The wood was so old that it was easy to light.


    Billie knelt on the bed, wrapped in fur, while I worked.


    The fire removed the chill from the room.


    I turned, and she gave me a big smile. ¡°Come here.¡±


    I knelt down in front of her. The mattress was surprisingly soft. Our little shelter would¡¯ve been gloomy if not for the happy fire burning away.


    It was so nice and warm in there with her.


    The fire put a golden glow on one side of her face. The other side was lost in shadows. ¡°Sid, I want to be honest with you.¡±


    ¡°Good,¡± I said. ¡°We wouldn¡¯t want you to keep your emotions hidden. You¡¯re such a mystery sometimes.¡±


    That made her laugh. I was grateful. ¡°Right. I¡¯m sooooo hard to read.¡±


    ¡°So hard,¡± I agreed.


    Then she kissed me, and this time, it was long and sweet. I inhaled her familiar scent, a little musky after the pteraxel fight.


    She drew back and looked me in the eye. ¡°I want this. I¡¯ve thought about the fact that I have to share you, and I¡¯m okay with our setup. You and Khanna. You and me. And I bet it won¡¯t be long before you hook up with Professor Kroft.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know about that. Holly has made it clear that she still sees us as students.¡±


    ¡°Maybe that gets her hot,¡± Billie said. Then she took hold of the zipper on my suit and pulled it down until my chest was visible.


    She bent and licked the exposed skin. Before I knew it, she had pushed the survival suit off my shoulders and halfway down my arms. She had let the fur fall back, and I was given a view of her breasts. Her ass was in the air, and I couldn¡¯t help but put a hand on one cheek and gave it a squeeze.


    Then she kissed me again.


    Unexpectedly, she pulled back. Her voice was hushed. ¡°I¡¯m not like normal girls. I never have been.¡±


    I smiled. ¡°You¡¯re not like a werewolf, are you?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± she said, sighing. ¡°Don¡¯t laugh at me.¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t. You¡¯d yell and throw things if I did.¡±


    Her eyes dropped, and she was suddenly staring at the mattress. ¡°I¡¯m weird, Sid. In all kinds of ways. If I¡¯m going to be trapped here, and if I¡¯m going to be living out my fantasies, I¡¯m not going to hide myself anymore. I want to know if you can handle that.¡±


    She then looked me full in the face, and I could see how afraid she was.


    I think a part of her expected me to reject her.


    Instead, I leaned forward and kissed her gently. Moving to her ear, I whispered, ¡°I¡¯ve been optimized by alien technology fueled by magic. I think I can handle anything you can dish out.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m super nasty,¡± she said. ¡°I love to smell things. I love to taste things. Maybe I am a werewolf but more like a sex werewolf. I don¡¯t want to hold anything back.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want you to.¡± Staring into her eyes, I wanted to make it clear that I was determined to accept her as she was.


    But how weird could she be?


    She smiled. ¡°If I can¡¯t be myself in this fucked up place, where can I be?¡±


    ¡°Why haven¡¯t you felt free to be yourself?¡±


    She winced and looked down. ¡°That¡¯s a whole big story. But a lot of it was because my dad was such an asshole. Nothing was ever good enough. I had to wear a mask. My mom¡­I love my mom¡­but she encouraged me to hide myself away. To wear a mask. To watch every word I said. At home it was bad, but at school it was worse. I saw how people who didn¡¯t fit in were treated. I swore to myself I wasn¡¯t going to be an outcast in college. I was going to win the game, no matter what.¡±


    I¡¯d thought all of that popularity stuff was stupid, but then, I had other shit going on. Most of high school was just a lot of talk and posturing. I¡¯d rather go hunting with my uncle.


    ¡°Even if you win the game,¡± I said, ¡°it¡¯s only four years. Maybe eight if you win both high school and college. Life is a lot longer than that.¡±


    ¡°And it¡¯s stupid, right? I mean, I¡¯m with a guy and I can¡¯t really remember his name, so how important is he going to be, really?¡±


    ¡°So you¡¯re breaking up with Scott? Or is it Mike?¡±


    Billie giggled. ¡°It¡¯s Scott. I wanted to get with Mike. But not anymore.¡±


    ¡°Why not?¡±


    She grew serious. ¡°Because I found someone better. I won¡¯t forget your name, though, Sid. Never.¡±


    It was my turn to feel shy. ¡°Well, it¡¯s probably more about K¡¯Shaul than it is about me.¡±


    ¡°Maybe,¡± she whispered. ¡°But there¡¯s more to it than that. You never once pressured me or Holly into doing anything we didn¡¯t want to do. You¡¯re a good guy. I¡¯m so glad I¡¯m here with you and not Scott or Mike or whatever.¡±


    Then she tackled me, and I wound up on my back on the mattress.


    ¡°I want to really be with you,¡± Billie said. ¡°I¡¯m done with those boys back home. I want you, here, now.¡±


    I kissed her, long and hard, and I wasn¡¯t going to stop until we were both satisfied.


    .

 Book II - Chapter Seven – Cliff Dwelling Encounter

    Billie¡¯s skin was as hot as the fire that crackled next to us.


    What she said was even hotter. ¡°I want to feel your skin on my tits.¡± She pushed me back and laid on top of me. Our kisses grew hotter, wetter, as she brushed her nipples up and down my chest. She then pressed herself down onto me.


    Our tongues touched as I reached back and grabbed her naked ass in both hands.


    Being a CrossFit instructor, her ass was equal parts squish and muscle, so soft and so hard at the same time. And compared to Professor Kroft? So little. It was bigger than Khanna¡¯s though.


    My cock was iron in my pants. That morning, I had fucked Khanna, and now, I was about to have sex with a brand new woman. The thing that really blew my mind was that they knew about each other.


    It was heaven.


    Billie moaned into my mouth. ¡°Oh, my skin was so hungry for you. See? That¡¯s such a weird a thing to say. But you¡¯re feeding me. I don¡¯t care that the words sound weird.¡±


    ¡°I think I have too many clothes on. If I¡¯m going to feed you, you should take off my survival suit.¡±


    ¡°Gladly.¡±


    She pulled off my survival suit. The kelp mattress was so soft under me.


    ¡°I want to smell you,¡± Billie sputtered. ¡°All of you.¡±


    Before she could ask me if that was weird, she got on all fours, sticking her ass in the air. Then she was sniffing my balls. It made my cock spasm, flicking pre-cum onto my stomach.


    ¡°You smell so fucking good, Sid. I know it¡¯s nasty, but I love it, so sweaty and musky and animal. Your cock smells so good, it makes me want to fuck it.¡±


    Then she started licking my ballsack. When her hand went to my cock, I had to arch my back because it felt so good. But her hand was nothing compared to her mouth. She went from licking my balls to sucking on my cock, way down into the back of her throat, her spit dripping down onto my stomach.


    She gagged, came up, and jerked me off while she bent forward to lick my thigh.


    ¡°I like the way my spit smells on your skin as well. Oh, God, I can¡¯t wait. I need you inside of me!¡±


    There was nothing stopping us now.


    She climbed onto top of me, and I had my eyes closed for a second, as she tried to stuff my cock into her dripping sex.


    Opening them, I found her looking at me, right in the face.


    Then, I found her softness. I pushed forward into her tight tunnel. It was a heaven of slick heat, so tight, around me.


    ¡°Yes,¡± she hissed, her eyes fluttering. ¡°Oh, this is what I needed. You¡¯re stretching me out, Sid. Kiss me. I want you to fill my mouth like you¡¯re filling my pussy.¡±


    I took her head and forced my tongue into her mouth. I had one of my hands in her hair while the other was on her ass, holding her open, as I thrust over and over up into her.


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    She was breathing hard, inhaling, smelling our kiss and our sex.


    She broke the kiss. ¡°Oh, it feels so good. I have to fuck it! Hard!¡±


    She got her legs underneath her, and then, with me watching, she started bouncing crazily up and down, her tits flapping up and down her chest. Her nipples weren¡¯t puffy now. They were hard nubs bouncing up and down.


    She was strong enough to pound herself on me for a long time. Every time she slammed down onto me, she yelped. I felt every nerve ending tingling, and it was like she wanted to milk the cum out of my balls.


    I was on the edge when she got off me, standing up, shaking.


    She massaged her legs. ¡°My legs are burning like fire, but I like it. And I like how raw my pussy feels now. But I want to come. Can you lick me and make me come, Sid? Oh, I smelled you, and now I want you to smell me!¡±


    ¡°Bring it to me,¡± I said.


    She backed up and straddled my face, falling forward.


    We were in the classic sixty-nine, with her wet sex in my face, and yes, she smelled musky and dirty, and I loved it. The fire gave me the light I needed to see every lip, every line, every crinkle of her pussy and ass. She was open, dripping juices down her thighs, and even her little pucker was all creamy.


    That sent her off. ¡°Do I smell good, Sid? Do you like the way my pussy smells?¡±


    ¡°I fucking love it!¡±


    ¡°I do too!¡± Then I heard her sniffing me. ¡°I love how we smell together. I¡¯m gonna taste it. I¡¯m going to lick my pussy cum off your cock.¡±


    She went from smelling us to tasting us.


    Two could play at that game.


    I grabbed her ass and forced my tongue into her open slit. Even though I¡¯d fucked her a little, she was still so tight, even around my tongue.


    I went from tonguing her to sucking on her clitty.


    She grabbed my cock, hard, and pushed her face against my thigh. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s happening. I¡¯m coming in your mouth. I want you to drink me up, Sid. Drink my pussy up!¡±


    She started grunting as she came, over and over, her body spasming.


    Every time I thought her orgasm would end, fresh convulsions would start.


    It put a fire in me.


    The minute it was over, I stood, picked her up, and laid her down onto the ground.


    Then I got on top of her, sliding into her heat. I thrust into her, lost in her wet warmth.


    She was screaming with every thrust. I had to be a little careful with my optimized body, and so I only glowed a little bit, as I pounded her.


    Then, she screamed, ¡°Kiss me!¡±


    And I did.


    I lowered myself, feeling her sweaty tits brush against my skin. I kissed her, I fucked her, and I could hear her inhaling deeply. I smelled what she was smelling¡ªthe heat of her cunt and the sweat on our bodies. There was no holding back.


    I grunted as the first wave of my orgasm hit me.


    It was like the whole world stopped in that moment of pure pleasure. It felt so perfect, so right, that I couldn¡¯t believe Billie and I had waited so long. It wasn¡¯t that she was beautiful and sexy¡ªshe was both of those things. It was more that we knew each other so much better now, and she¡¯d trusted me not to run screaming when she¡¯d shown me how inhibited she could be. Was she holding anything back? It didn¡¯t seem like it, and I loved that.


    Her hand went to my ass as she pulled me deeper into her.


    ¡°Yes. Come in me, Sid. Put your cum in me. I want it, every day. Every day you¡¯ll need to fuck me.¡±


    And I did, wave after wave of pleasure, splashing her insides with my seed.


    I wasn¡¯t even thinking about birth control. At that moment, I wasn¡¯t thinking about anything except her hot body and those hot words she¡¯d said.


    Yes. Billie and I were going to have a lot of sex together.


    She was this wild thing, as wild as Khanna, and maybe even more so.


    I couldn¡¯t believe it.


    Only I could.


    K¡¯Shaul kept us all horny as well all the time.


    But why?


    I stayed inside of her, my face pushed into the crook of her neck. I kept most of my weight off her by resting on my arms.


    She then nuzzled me, clearly wanting another kiss.


    She sniffed my lips. ¡°Am I weird? You must think I¡¯m weird.¡±


    I kissed her, tasted her, and yes, smelled her. It made my softening cock get hard again.


    ¡°I like how weird you are,¡± I told her.


    She smiled. ¡°We¡¯ll see. That was only the calm, outer suburbs of my weirdness. Maybe if this works out, I¡¯ll show you the city limits. If you don¡¯t run screaming, maybe I¡¯ll let you see the city sewers someday.¡±


    ¡°I think I¡¯ll love your sewers,¡± I said with a laugh.


    That made her laugh as well, but then, we both got serious again.


    We were already for round two.


    Round three followed soon after.


    It was dark by the time we returned to Lonetree Ridge, carrying various things we salvaged from the Marusian cliff dwellings. The rain came and went several times, but by the time we reached Lonetree Ridge, it was a downpour.


    Even with the gifts, Holly and Khanna weren¡¯t happy.

 Book II - Chapter Eight – A House Divided

    Up on the ridge, the rain continued to fall as we huddled in our house, our fire crackling. Outside, the long white lines of surf continued to surge onto the sands. Billie and I were in trouble. I¡¯d lugged back the driftwood table, three kelp mattresses, and a ton of the soft furs that were so much better than our hard leather blankets.


    Holly sat quietly while Khanna ranted and raved.


    ¡°Khanna worried sick. Sid Marshall and blonde bitch maybe never come back. Then what would Khanna do? This is not fair, Sid Marshall. This is not fair at all!¡±


    Holly gave me a weak smile. ¡°I don¡¯t know what she¡¯s saying, but I agree with her.¡±


    Billie sat on a bus seat with her arms crossed. ¡°This is so unfair. We weren¡¯t even gone that long. And this is probably not about us going for a little walk¡ª¡±


    The professor raised her hand. ¡°I must protest. It was not a little walk. It was hours and hours away. Yes, I am pleased that your brought mattresses and blankets, but we simply can¡¯t spend that much time away from each other.¡±


    Khanna nodded at me. ¡°Khanna not know what old bitch say, but Khanna agree.¡±


    I dared to smile, but I wasn¡¯t going to laugh, not with now upset the two women were.


    ¡°It¡¯s going to happen,¡± I said. ¡°I¡¯m not going to be on a leash. Yes, we should¡¯ve come back and checked in with you. We got a little distracted¡ª¡±


    ¡°I knew it!¡± Holly said, jumping to her feet.


    I¡¯d given us a high ceiling, so she didn¡¯t bump her head.


    ¡°Knew what?¡± Billie asked in a dangerously quiet voice.


    The Professor cleared her throat. ¡°Yes. Well. That might¡¯ve been inappropriate of me. We don¡¯t need to discuss it further. Khanna and I have made our thoughts clear.¡±


    They had¡ªin two different languages and in two completely different ways. Holly had controlled her anger for the most part. Khanna had unleashed her rage, but mostly, it was fear. They¡¯d been scared. I could understand why. If they¡¯d been gone for that long, I would¡¯ve torn K¡¯Shaul apart to find them.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± I said. ¡°I should¡¯ve come back and let you guys know we were safe.¡±


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Holly said with a tip of her head.


    Khanna gave me a dirty look. ¡°That sound like apology to Khanna. Sid Marshall say sorry but Khanna need more. Khanna need oath you never leave her again.¡±


    Time to switch languages and work on the other girl. ¡°Khanna, you have my word. I will do a better job of setting expectations. If I¡¯m going to be gone for hours on end, I¡¯ll tell you.¡±


    The huntress lifted her chin. ¡°Won¡¯t just tell me. Khanna be there with Sid Marshall. Together, they spend hours on end.¡±


    ¡°Well, Khanna, we already have a problem. Tomorrow, I¡¯m going to take the boat to retrieve that big power crystal out in the ocean. I¡¯m also going to explore the skyscrapers. I don¡¯t think you should go with me.¡±


    The huntress¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Of course Khanna go with Sid Marshall. Khanna can swim. She is very proud of swimming ability. Why Sid Marshall leave when he might need Khanna most?¡±


    Billie chuckled. ¡°Well, that¡¯s not good. Khanna is completely freaked out. I bet Sid is telling her about him going off on his own to get that gigantic power crystal.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s this now?¡± the professor asked. ¡°I don¡¯t think any of us should go anywhere alone.¡±


    I was then forced to explain my plans in two languages to three irate women.


    Basically, my argument was this: going out into the ocean was dangerous, but between Opal and I, we had things covered. She would scan for anything that wanted to eat me. And I had the optimized body to get away. Bringing anyone with me was a bad idea.


    ¡°Khanna going!¡± the huntress declared.


    ¡°Khanna should go,¡± Holly said two seconds later.


    ¡°What?!¡± Billie basically yelled. ¡°I should go.¡±


    ¡°No,¡± the Professor said. ¡°I won¡¯t allow it.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean you won¡¯t allow it? You are not the boss of me. Sure, you were my teacher for like ten minutes, but I¡¯m an adult. I can do what I want. So back the fuck off, Holly.¡±


    The professor realized she had overstepped her boundaries. ¡°I apologize. You are right. I have no say¡­in anything I guess.¡±


    She stood up and hurried out of our house and into the rain.


    Billie pointed to the open door. ¡°Sid. Go after her. She¡¯s really upset, and I bet it¡¯s not really about your stupid idea of going out alone. I think it¡¯s because you and I got so¡­uh¡­distracted today.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡± I stood up. ¡°Billie, we can¡¯t all go in the canoe. If you don¡¯t want me to go alone, Khanna is the logical choice.¡±


    The huntress heard her name. ¡°Sid Marshall better be saying Khanna going.¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Billie said. ¡°But it¡¯s going to suck, Sid, not knowing what¡¯s going on with you out there. But go to Holly. Make things better.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll try.¡±


    I knew where Holly would be. There were only two places out of the rain¡ªour house and the bus.


    Scooping up a couple of furs, I hurried across the walkway, passed by the ladder leading up to the guard tower, and then found a warm place in the bus.


    Professor Kroft was sitting on the floor in the back.


    She raised her head to look at me. ¡°Ugh, good gravy, here we are again, Holly Kroft, having difficulty reigning in her emotions. And co-starring Sid Marshall as her very handsome therapist.¡±


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    I couldn¡¯t help but laugh. ¡°I thought Khanna was the one who referred to herself in the third person. It¡¯s not that surprising, Holly.¡±


    Sitting next to her, I covered our legs with one of the furs. The rain created a rhythmic music, tapping on the roof of the old bus that had done so much for us.


    She blew out a breath. ¡°So you and Billie hooked up. That¡¯s what the kids are saying nowadays, right?¡±


    I thought about how wild and free Billie had been. It had been intense, surprising, and so hot. Billie was far more sexual than I ever would¡¯ve thought. In that way, she wasn¡¯t like the girls I¡¯d known at all back in Colorado.


    Holly finally laughed, and it sounded sad. ¡°Wow. That good, huh?¡±


    ¡°It was something,¡± I said. ¡°But yes. Billie isn¡¯t too worried about her boyfriend back on Earth. She¡¯s moved on, and I can see why. What she had with Scott wasn¡¯t going anywhere.¡±


    ¡°Or is it Mike?¡± Holly asked.


    ¡°My point exactly.¡±


    We sat in the stillness for a bit, listening to the rain tapping.


    ¡°How is Khanna going to react to this news?¡± Holly asked.


    ¡°We talked about it this morning. She said she was okay sharing me.¡±


    Holly nodded. ¡°I see. And what does Billie think about your morning ritual with Khanna at Privacy Rock?¡±


    I shrugged. ¡°Billie said she is going to try things out. She understands the situation.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure I do,¡± Holly said in a low voice. ¡°Khanna might¡¯ve come from a culture that embraces polyamory, but Billie was raised in mainstream American culture. The idea of monogamy runs deep. It¡¯s one of the reasons why I never got married. Part of me could see the appeal of a single partner. Another part thought it might kill me because I need to feel free. It¡¯s important to me¡­with how I grew up.¡±


    ¡°From what you¡¯ve said, you and your mother had a difficult relationship¡­¡±


    Holly¡¯s smile was sad. ¡°That¡¯s putting it mildly. Both of my parents were very religious, and they expected me to walk lockstep with them through this life and into the gates of paradise. They had me locked down, so tightly, that rebellion was unthinkable. My mother wanted a large family, but there were complications during my birth. They were left with only me to mold and shape. My only escape was reading, and in the library, I found a book about other cultures. I realized that there are many ways to live life, and not just the path Mother and Father were walking. When I graduated from high school, I never went back. I wanted to learn all the ways people live life and that¡¯s what drew me to both anthropology and sexual psychology. There are any number of ways to view sexuality.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t know about the sex part,¡± I said. ¡°You don¡¯t talk about it much.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right. Because I¡¯m your anthropology professor. But you see, the indoctrination runs deep. I have a strong moral code, whether I like it or not.¡±


    I thought of my uncle, who also had a strong moral code. He¡¯d stayed faithful to my aunt, even when the women at the bar threw themselves at him. It created a stability that allowed him to do a lot with his life, including being a father to me.


    ¡°There¡¯s a lot to be said for a strong moral code,¡± I said after a bit. ¡°My uncle stayed faithful to my aunt, even when the women at the bar basically threw themselves at him. It gave him a stable life, which let him do all sorts of things, including being a father to me. My real father was problematic.¡±


    ¡°Ah, families,¡± Holly said with a sigh. ¡°You do know what Tolstoy wrote about families?¡±


    ¡°What¡±


    ¡°All happy families are alike; each unhappy family is unhappy in its own way.¡± Holly took my hand. ¡°Thank you for listening. You have this way of making me feel so safe. More than that, you listen, really listen. That is rare.¡±


    ¡°Rare for men?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Rare for people.¡± Holly paused. ¡°I can¡¯t throw myself into your bed, Sid. I¡¯m sorry. I want to. You know I want to, don¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°I do,¡± I said. ¡°There¡¯s no pressure on my end.¡±


    Holly smiled. ¡°Of course there isn¡¯t. You have two beautiful women to satisfy you. I¡¯m jealous. But I¡¯ve explored human sexuality enough to know how powerful and dangerous it can be. I know how deep my own desires run. I have to be careful. My chastity is me being careful.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m here whenever you need to talk.¡±


    Holly sighed. ¡°But you weren¡¯t here today, for those hours and hours.¡±


    We¡¯d circled back to where we first began. ¡°Which is why I¡¯m going to try and not be gone for so long, but I can¡¯t really swear that what happened today won¡¯t happen again. I¡¯ll do my best, but there¡¯s a lot of world to explore, and we have no idea how far away Sector X might be.¡±


    Holly sighed. ¡°I just got so worried. You know why.¡±


    ¡°Because you rely on me,¡± I said.


    She nodded. ¡°And I don¡¯t like that feeling.¡±


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t either,¡± I admitted.


    ¡°Sex would make me even more reliant on you.¡± She let her head fall back against the bus, closing her eyes.


    I took a moment to study her face. Yes, she had a few wrinkles, but she was still so beautiful. It kind of made my heart ache. But I already had two gorgeous women to satisfy. Could I add a third?


    With how I felt right then, yeah, I could. Opal had confirmed that with my optimized body, I would be able to answer the call.


    Holly turned to me. ¡°I¡¯m glad Billie is getting some relief. I won¡¯t lie¡­I¡¯m tempted. I know if I asked, you would let me watch. Maybe not with Billie but with Khanna. Definitely.¡±


    I felt the pull to kiss her, and I might¡¯ve risked it, if a second later she hadn¡¯t turned away.


    Another sigh. ¡°But no, Sid. I wouldn¡¯t be able to stop myself from joining in. We¡¯ll just keep going the way we have been. I¡¯ll be fine.¡±


    I had to chuckle. ¡°Well, if I can help in any way, just let me know.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll be sure to do that.¡± Her smile was slow and sly. ¡°How good was it with Billie?¡±


    ¡°Surprisingly good. There is more to her than I would¡¯ve thought.¡±


    The Professor laughed a little and snuggled in close to me. ¡°And I would¡¯ve thought she was the slightly vapid cheerleader who was obsessed with her own vanity and had little room for anything else.¡±


    ¡°I thought that too.¡±


    Holly looked up at me. ¡°Would you mind putting your arm around me? I¡¯d like to be held. It¡¯s been a hard day. I thought for sure the Ravana Storm would come slicing through our home.¡±


    I put my arm around her, and soon, she was resting her head on my chest. I felt the softness of breasts push against me. She smelled strong¡ªher own sweet scent. I felt myself getting excited. I had to stop that, though. She¡¯d made it clear what she wanted.


    She nuzzled my chest before she said, ¡°So tomorrow, you¡¯re taking the canoe. I want to go¡­more out of curiosity than anything. And to know where you are at any given moment. It¡¯s going to be rough waiting with Billie for you and Khanna to come back.¡±


    ¡°Khanna shouldn¡¯t come with me.¡±


    Holly lifted her head off my chest. Our faces were so close, and again, I wanted to kiss her. But no. I had to stop myself.


    The professor smiled. ¡°Listen, Sid Marshall, Holly Kroft knows that Khanna will not stay behind. Khanna would strangle demon whales with her bare hands and swim across the world to be with her Sid Marshall. Holly Kroft know this.¡±


    ¡°Stop,¡± I said laughing. ¡°It¡¯s not her fault she¡¯s speaking this archaic version of Arkadian. Yeah. I think you¡¯re right. I feel better that she can swim, but I don¡¯t want anything bad to happen to her. I¡¯ve never felt like¡­¡±


    I couldn¡¯t say I had never loved anyone like I loved Khanna, not to my lonely professor who was currently cuddled up in my lap. I didn¡¯t want to make her feel worse.


    But it was too late.


    Holly¡¯s laughter was sad as she rested her head back on my chest. ¡°Enjoy your love, Sid. It¡¯s one of my life¡¯s great blessings. Maybe someday I¡¯ll have the courage to join your harem.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not a harem,¡± I said in protest.


    ¡°Then what is it?¡± she asked.


    I had no answer for her.


    Holly and I eventually returned to the house, where we had dinner, and Khanna continued with her English lessons. At the same time, Holly and Billie practiced their ancient Arkadian.


    All in all, it was peaceful night, and Holly loved her new mattress as well as the furs. I¡¯d though to get real American mattresses from the skyscrapers, but now we didn¡¯t need them.


    When it was time to go to bed, Billie rose on her toes and kissed my cheek. ¡°You sleep with Khanna. I¡¯ll wake you for your watch, but let¡¯s just say, the bus is going to see more action.¡±


    ¡°Love the bus,¡± I said with a smile.


    ¡°Love the bus,¡± she agreed.


    The next morning, Khanna and I dragged the canoe down to the waters.


    Holly and Billie were there on the beach with us, watching with wide eyes and pale faces.


    Both of those women relied on me. There was no way I was going to disappoint them by dying. But that ocean wasn¡¯t just one sector, it was many, and what we found was rather surprising.


    Another Fodoron Obelisk lay out beyond the skyscrapers. And wonder of wonders, we found a way inside.

 Book II - Chapter Nine – Out on the Water

    The canoe lay on the beach near the waves, fully loaded for our adventure. We had Khanna¡¯s spear, a bow, a quiver of arrows, and various odds and ends, including some smoked elk meat and a couple baskets of water. I had the multiuse tool, the welding torch, and my own quiver of arrows.


    Before we left, Khanna went over to Billie, and I expected a fight.


    The huntress spoke in broken English as she took Billie¡¯s hand. ¡°Thanks to you for letting Khanna go with Sid Marshall. You stay. Thanks to you very muchly.¡±


    Billie turned beet red. ¡°It¡¯s okay, Khanna.¡±


    Khanna nodded, turned to Holly, nodded again, and then returned to the canoe.


    I went over and hugged them both. ¡°Stay on the ridge. You¡¯ll be safe, and you¡¯ll be able to see us from up there. Depending on the currents, I plan on rowing past the skyscrapers to check them out. Then we¡¯ll get the gigantic crystal. If the buildings look promising, we¡¯ll go back in for salvage.¡±


    ¡°Be so careful, Sid Marshall!¡± Billie said in a loud voice. I had never really heard her raise her voice back on Earth. Then again, she had hidden herself away to fit in.


    ¡°Yes, Sid,¡± Holly said in a far quieter voice. ¡°Be careful.¡±


    ¡°Careful is my middle name.¡±


    Khanna got into the bow of the canoe, and I shoved it into the water before hopping in. Then we had to concentrate so we could time our departure perfectly.


    We made it over the first wave before it broke. My arm and back muscles glowed as we fought our way over the next set of waves and then we were out passed the swells, gently being raised and lowered by the dark water of the surf. I had to modulate my strength, or we would¡¯ve rowed in circles. As it was, I switched back and forth between sides, really digging into the water when I needed to.


    ¡°Opal, do we have anything under us?¡±


    Puff Otters detected in the area. Gramble Whales detected. Vakvak Squid detected. None of which pose a threat.


    Something gigantic and white passed under us in complete silence.


    ¡°Opal, is that a Gramble Whale?¡±


    Unknown entity beneath us. This unit cannot evaluate the threat. It seems to be some kind of prehistoric shark.


    Khanna turned to scowl at me. ¡°What is the spirit in your head telling you?¡±


    ¡°Nothing much.¡± I kept it casual even though my stomach was churning. I didn¡¯t like that the unknown creature under us was in the shark family.


    But soon the shape swam away.


    We oared toward the skyscrapers. We¡¯d have to pass them to get to the crystal.


    Nothing was attacking us at the moment, and so I asked Khanna, ¡°Why did you thank Billie?¡±


    Khanna stopped rowing and didn¡¯t answer for a long time. She didn¡¯t turn around when she answered, ¡°The young bitch wanted to come. Sid Marshall not want her to come. Sid Marshall not want Khanna to come. Perhaps he say no to both. Young bitch could¡¯ve thrown a fit, but that did not happen. Khanna happy, so Khanna thank her.¡±


    ¡°I appreciate it,¡± I said. ¡°We need to live peacefully together.¡±


    ¡°Khanna thank young bitch¡ª¡±


    I cut her off. ¡°Billie. Her name is Billie.¡±


    The huntress sighed. ¡°Khanna thank Bil-lie¡±¡ªit was a struggle for her to get the syllables out correctly. ¡°Khanna must be nice. Khanna share Sid Marshall with Bil-lie now. Khanna smell her on Sid Marshall after he come back to bed.¡±


    She wasn¡¯t wrong. Even after our day of sex, Billie had woken me up for my watch with a kiss. We then sneaked out to the bus to bang each other senseless before she went to bed, and I enjoyed the night, which passed peacefully enough, though I thought I heard Sleezenak out in the jungles of the Dinosaur Swamps.


    ¡°Are you going to be okay with sharing?¡± I asked.


    Khanna laughed. ¡°Khanna share always. Khanna is fine for now, but soon Bil-lie will turn into evil bitch. Khanna and Bil-lie will fight. Khanna stronger. Khanna win.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not going to happen. Billie understands the situation.¡±


    ¡°Khanna hope Sid Marshall is right.¡± But the huntress¡¯s sigh made it clear she had her doubts.


    We passed by the skyscrapers, disturbing some of the huge seagulls, which went squawking out. The rising and falling tide swept water in and out broken windows near us. Inside, it was dark. Anything could be in there.


    Between buildings, I saw a tower rising out of the fog. Not a tower, an obelisk. A Fodoron Obelisk.


    There was an island on the other side of the skyscrapers, one that we hadn¡¯t seen.


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    ¡°Wait, Khanna, look!¡± I pointed.


    ¡°Khanna hate spire,¡±: she said in a low voice. ¡°Evil magic. Please, Sid Marshall, the sky towers are bad enough, but spire is awful to Khanna.¡±


    ¡°Sorry, Khanna, but I have to check it out.¡±


    Then I steered us onto a broad avenue between the buildings.


    A few times, we almost hit the side of the skyscraper as the ocean rose and fell, but we oared quickly through the submerged city. The dark windows stared at us like dead eyes.


    Once we emerged on the other side, sunshine cut through the clouds to shine on the obelisk. The island was maybe the size of a football field. There was no plant-life, just ocean-stained stone. I didn¡¯t see any sign of animal life at all, no bird shit, nothing. The only sound was the thrum of the obelisk. I heard it even with the gush of water swishing through the buildings of San Submerged.


    The obelisk seemed like a carbon copy of the one in the Dinosaur Swamps, except from my angle, I noticed something.


    ¡°Khanna, I know you don¡¯t like the obelisk, but I have to go check something out.¡±


    She hissed but didn¡¯t stop me from oaring close to the island. I spun us around, so I could grab the smooth rock and haul us close. Then, I couldn¡¯t believe it. There were a ton of the power crystals lying scattered around the bottom of the obelisk.


    I slid out of the boat and hurried over. It was long before I was sucking in power crystals, left and right. Opal hit me with message after message, as I continued to creep closer and closer to 100%. I was going to do it. I was going to get a full charge.


    Or so I thought. I was at 97% when I picked up a fairly large crystal. This would get me to 100% easily.


    The minute the Inferna crystal disappeared, I was given a very disappointing message:


    <<<>>>


    Utilizing Inferna crystal. Charged to 99% of full. This unit is 1% away from optimal functionality.


    Error detected.


    This unit is in an error state. 92% functionality detected. Inferna crystal maximum charge reached. Please take this unit to an AQUIA charging station for reconfiguration and a full charge.


    <<<>>>


    I picked up several more crystals but got the same error. I couldn¡¯t get to a hundred percent, not through crystals alone. It wasn¡¯t that big of a deal. It wasn¡¯t like I was going to give up on our quest to find Sector X.


    I let Opal know I didn¡¯t want to use any more of the crystals and that we should save them. I put the extra crystals into a basket. It wouldn¡¯t be bad to have a good supply of the crystals in order to keep Opal at 99%.


    Khanna could see I was disappointed. ¡°Sid Marshall is sad.¡±


    ¡°No, Khanna, I¡¯m fine. Hold on. I want to check something. Opal. Any sign of the shark?¡±


    Creature is circling the island and nearby structures. Motives unclear. Bramble Whales are feeding on kelp-like material from Sector 2.174.B. Neighboring oceanic sector from unknown world. Likely source of the shark creatures.


    ¡°Okay. Keep me posted.¡± I eased myself onto the rock.


    Glancing up, I saw that the sky in the distance was a different color, more of a pale pink though there was still a lot of fog in the air. I dubbed the new sector Shark World.


    ¡°Wait. Opal. Did you say creatures as in multiple shark creatures?¡±


    Affirmative. This unit detects a variety of creatures hunting for prey. A Gramble Whale has been killed five hundred meters to the south. Possibly sentient humanoid shark entities are harvesting the flesh with coral knives.


    ¡°Wonderful,¡± I muttered.


    New Sector detected. Sector 3.903.C (Veesus igneous rock from Blood Island region. Rock samples from planet creation 1.2 billion years ago).


    I was about to ask her another question when Opal found a new region.


    New Sector detected. Sector 3.303.B (Earth, Section of San Franscico downtown, California, North American Continent)


    ¡°Wait, Opal. Was that the same sector the section of Highway 1 that I found in the Rainforest World?¡±


    Affirmative. Same reality signatures detected. Sector likely brought here in the same Ravana Storm event.


    I didn¡¯t think it was an accident that Earth had been hit by the energy storm more than once. I also thought about what the storm might¡¯ve left behind back in Colorado. Did it just grab the place and copy it? Or did it leave behind another world? Was there a strip of jungle in the National Monument where we¡¯d been grabbed?


    Khanna sighed. ¡°Poor Sid Marshall. The spirit must be poisoning his mind.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not poisoning my mind, Khanna. Stayin the boat. I¡¯ll be right back.¡±


    Leaving the basket of crystals with her, I approached the obelisk, wincing at the sound of the thrumming.


    Approaching the structure, I confirmed what I¡¯d seen from the water. In the Celtic knots above the doorway, there was an indentation about the size of a big power crystal, far bigger than what I¡¯d seen so far. Was it ten times bigger? It seemed so.


    My heart sank. It seemed the only way to get in was to slide a power crystal into the housing. Or that was my theory, anyway. I needed the actual crystal to prove it. That might¡¯ve explained why there were so many other Inferna gems lying around. Someone might¡¯ve been bringing them here to test them, but all of them proved to be too small.


    Maybe it was one of the shark men swimming around.


    I heard the gentle swish of a paddle in the water. Khanna was keeping the canoe close to the island even as the various currents tried to pull her away.


    I walked around the obelisk and realized that only one of the Celtic patterns had the indentation. It was the one that faced east, though in the ever-changing landscape of K¡¯Shaul, directions didn¡¯t mean much.


    But the way forward was clear. We needed to bring the gigantic crystal back to Fodoron Island to unlock the door. Well, it wasn¡¯t like the crystal would get me to a 100% charge.


    I hurried back across the rock as Khanna paddled the canoe up against the stone. I slipped back into it and then started paddling like hell. This time, we were seeing the city from the east side. It looked similar, except I saw that some of the windows higher up were still intact. It seemed to be apartments. This was some great fucking news. We might find some great salvage there.


    We cut through the water, heading away from the island.


    Opal kept me updated on monster sharks below the surface. So far, nothing had come up to take a bite out of us. I hoped that remained the case. I didn¡¯t like the idea of sentient man sharks with coral knives cutting up a whale, but if they didn¡¯t bother me, I wouldn¡¯t bother them.


    Another one of the huge pale shapes passed underneath us.


    Khanna was absolutely silent. Swear poured down her pale face, completely clear of freckles under the clouds. It seemed her freckles only moved about when she was in the sun.


    HOSTNAME: Sid Marshall. You are a hundred meters from a 10X power crystal.


    She continued the countdown as we grew closer. Fifty meters, forty meters, twenty, ten¡­and then we were over the crystal. I could see the red glimmer deep down beneath us.


    ¡°Opal, how far away are the shark men?¡±


    Fifty meters, which should be the limit of their eyesight. Primate eyesight is ten times worse in a liquid environment.


    ¡°Anyway, you can optimize that?¡± I asked.


    Processing. Optimizing host for underwater activity. One moment.


    The pain hit my eyes first, and I cried out, slamming hands over my face. Then the shrieking agony went through my brain and down into my lungs.


    It felt like I was breathing razorblades.


    Being optimized wasn¡¯t fun.

 Book II - Chapter Ten – Underwater Activities

    I couldn¡¯t see, and I couldn¡¯t breathe, but I was able to keep the canoe from tipping as Khanna rushed into my arms. She was holding my head to her chest.


    ¡°Sid Marshall! What sorcery is this? Why are you crying out? Is it the evil tower? Is it the spirit in your head? Oh, please, Sid Marshall, talk to Khanna!¡±


    I¡¯d never seen her so upset.


    I eased her back, even while it felt like steak knives in my respiratory system. ¡°It¡¯s okay, Khanna. I¡¯m just preparing to dive down there to get the crystal. I¡¯m okay.¡±


    Her face was so bleary, I could hardly see it. But with every blink my vision got clearer and clearer, until, finally, thankfully, it was back to normal. My breathing also straightened itself out. I felt a little cramping, but not much.


    Luckily, this optimization hadn¡¯t taken very long. A message appeared in my vision.


    <<<>>>


    Processing complete. HOSTNAME: Sid Marshall optimized to 57%. Ready for underwater activities. Paraxen survival suit will adjust automatically in the water.


    Optimization cost analyzed and confirmed. Current charge is 59% of full. This unit is 41% away from optimal functionality. Please charge to 100%.


    <<<>>>


    It took forty points of charge to give me another optimization, but if I could breathe underwater, it would be worth it. I¡¯d done a little competitive swimming in elementary school and loved it. Sixth grad was a long time ago, but swimming with fins had to be like riding a bike.


    No use hanging out at 59%, I used my supply of crystals to get back to 99%. I was fully loaded and ready to go.


    ¡°Opal, let¡¯s make sure we¡¯re on the same page. I¡¯m going to grab the 10X crystal, but I don¡¯t want to absorb it. I want to take it back to Fodoron Island.


    Affirmative. This unit will configure your survival suit to accommodate the crystal.


    I turned to the huntress. ¡°Okay, Khanna, I¡¯ll be right back. If there¡¯s any trouble, don¡¯t come into the water, okay? I mean it. I¡¯m going to be fine. But I¡¯m worried about you.¡±


    She sat in the bow, with an arrow knocked. ¡°Khanna listen. Khanna obey.¡±


    But the fear in her eyes told a different story¡ªshe would die to protect me. The thought put a lump in my throat. I couldn¡¯t let things come to that.


    I kissed her, and then I transformed Betsy into my trusty spear.


    Slipping overboard, I sank down into the water.


    I felt a slight itch in my eyes, and then, after blinking a few times, my vision cleared. I could see perfectly, and the saltwater didn¡¯t sting my eyes. Opal had come through. I could see really well underwater!


    I was about twenty feet above the 10X crystal, half-buried in a sand bar. The glowing gem was surrounded by a thick kelp forest. Dark shapes darted through the shadowy plants that swayed with the current.


    Puff Otters detected in kelp. No danger detected.


    No, the real danger were the shapes in the distance, white shark-shaped men who were butchering a dead whale on top of what looked like a semi-truck and trailer. How the big rig had gotten into the Marusian Ocean was anyone¡¯s guess.


    Not my circus. Not my Mack truck.


    I¡¯d been holding my breath, but I needed to breathe, so it was time to try out my new lungs. Wincing, I inhaled a little.


    Water gushed into my nose, and my first instinct was to cough. I fought the urge, and soon the cold water filled my lungs. It felt so fucking weird. However, I exhaled like I normally would, and soon I was breathing seawater. The boots of my survival suit had turned into my fins.


    I dove down to the bottom. The pressure started hurting my ears, but a second later, it cleared on its own, and I felt fine.


    I reached the big 10X crystal, pulled it out of the sand. My fingers tingled. The big hunk of crystal radiated energy like nothing I¡¯d ever felt before.


    Survival suit configured to accommodate the crystal.


    I slipped the crystal into a little pouch Opal had created on my back.


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    I turned around to swim back up. If I could get back into the canoe without a fight, I¡¯d be glad.


    Then a shape came zooming out of the kelp.


    I had my spear, and I almost stabbed it, until I saw it was one of the otters, only this one was easily as big as I was. No, it was a little bigger. I¡¯d seen sea elephants that large but not a dog-faced otter with curious eyes. While I couldn¡¯t be sure, I thought it was a female.


    She zoomed around and around me.


    By this time, I¡¯d settled on the ocean floor, hidden from the shark men by the swaying kelp.


    The otter then swam close, working her back feet flippers. Her neck puffed out a bit, helping her stay buoyant. She held her hands like she was praying.


    I smiled at her. She was mostly black, but she had a splotch of bright white hair on her head.


    Her name came to me¡­Grandma Otter. I wanted to talk to her, but while most of my body had adjusted to the water, I wasn¡¯t sure my voice box would work.


    Other otters came around, but they were more fearful than curious.


    It wasn¡¯t long before I felt like I was on display. There had to be a couple dozen of the cute creatures¡ªlike underwater dogs. So furry and cute, I loved their whiskered faces.


    I knew why Opal had called them puff otters. They were so puffy!


    I swam close to Grandma Otter and put out a hand. She came close, and before I knew it, she was touching my hand and my arm. She was being gentle, so I didn¡¯t worry. She pushed her face into my arm, so I just had to pet her fur, which was surprisingly soft and so very thick. She swam back so I could caress her head. I scratched under her chin, and she let out a high-pitched yeep sound. She seemed to like it.


    A second later, Opal¡¯s voice erupted in my head.


    Uknown giant shark entity approaching. Harnesses detected. Six shark humanoids are attached to the harness. Incoming. In five, four, three¡­


    Harness? What the fuck?


    While it had been fun to play with the otters, the big crowd had drawn an unwelcome presence.


    A giant prehistoric shark swam overhead before diving down. Blinders made out of woven kelp covered the monster¡¯s eyes. A seaweed harness was strapped to its body, and gripping the harness were six giant shark men. The classic Great White shark fin stuck out of their backs. They all had giant shark heads with rows upon rows of teeth. And like their shark bus, they had seaweed harnesses, which held a variety of tools, including their coral knives. One had a net, holding a bunch of power crystals, radiating with Inferna energy.


    All their black eyes were on me, greedy for the 10X crystal on my back.


    I dove past Grandma Otter and worked my fins, hoping the otters would bolt for safety. I was ready with my spear because there was no way I was getting out of there without a fight.


    The shark men left their bus, tails swishing as they swam toward me. My leg muscles glowed as I darted up to meet them.


    One of the shark men outpaced the other, a jagged coral blade in his fist.


    My optimized reflexes kicked in, and I drove my spear into his chest. Fighting underwater wasn¡¯t easy, but I had the raw strength to impale that fucker.


    He thrashed around, filling the ocean with blood.


    Another shark man came forward, trying to bite me. I swam over him, spun, and stabbed him in the back. I felt something hit my shoulder, and I figured it was a knife, but my survival suit held.


    Motion from the side caught my eye.


    The shark bus had sensed the blood, and it had swam down, mouth wide open, coming at me from the side. Suddenly, all I saw has a horizon of teeth and the darkness of death. I was going to end up eaten, chewed up and swallowed.


    The shark men had stopped their attack, probably because they wanted to see me get gulped down.


    If it ate me, I was going to use my spear to give it a bad case of indigestion.


    Before it could snap me up like a jalapeno popper, Grandma Otter swam and grabbed me. The otter then puffed itself up so much with air that we zoomed toward the surface. Around me were other otters, fattening themselves up to be as buoyant as possible.


    Everything was a blur, we were going so fast, and then, we were up and out of the water. It took me a second to realize that we were floating above the ocean.


    I tried to take a breath, but there was a ton of fluid in my lungs.


    Warning! Expelling water. There might be some discomfort.


    No shit. I started coughing, wheezing, and even puking out water. Finally, after clearing my lungs, I could breathe normally again. That¡¯s when I realized that Grandma Otter and I were flying.


    Was I dreaming? No, there were a dozen other puff waters drifting through the air above the ocean.


    The four surviving shark men were near the surface, glaring at us. Below them, their bus shark had devoured one of the fuckers I¡¯d killed and was chewing on the other. I took some grim satisfaction in that.


    I called down to Khanna, in our little canoe. She was staring up at me with wide disbelieving eyes. ¡°Start rowing toward Fodoron Island, Khanna. I¡¯m okay for now.¡±


    Khanna sat blinking, looking overwhelmed. Yeah, flying otters will do that to a person. Then she got to rowing again. I didn¡¯t think the shark men would go after her, since she didn¡¯t have a power crystal.


    Grandma Otter let out a yip, and then in a weird series of wiggles flew us away from the shark men. All the other otters yipped in response, and it almost sounded like a language.


    Grandma Otter wiggly flight wasn¡¯t very pretty or elegant, but her puff power kept us out of the water and the threat there. The other otters followed us for a while before unpuffing and dropping down into the ocean with a splash. Once in the water, they zoomed away easily from the threat.


    As for me and Granda Otter, we drifted over to Khanna. Grandma put me in the boat before unpuffing herself. Then she splashed down into the water, swam back up, and then lay on her back. She yipped some more. It was like she was warning us about the shark men.


    ¡°Yeah, Grandma, I understand. We¡¯ll be safe. You should get out of here, though. Thanks so much!¡±


    She yipped more, gave me a happy otter grin, and then went swimming away.


    Khanna¡¯s smile was almost as beautiful. ¡°Sid Marshall has a new lover. Should Khanna be jealous?¡±


    ¡°Uh, no. I don¡¯t like my women that hairy. Besides, I prefer to stay within my own species, no offense to the furries.¡±


    We paddled our canoe toward Fodoron Island with my chest, shoulder, and back muscles glowing.


    We were about ten feet from the island when Opal gave me a warning.


    HOSTNAME: Sid Marshall! Incoming attacker detected. Take precautions!


    Our best bet was to get to the island. We were so close!


    We didn¡¯t make it. Something struck our canoe. Khanna went into the water, and I followed her. I didn¡¯t fill my lungs with ocean because we weren¡¯t going to be in the sea that long. I was going to fucking kill the shark men and then find out what was inside the Fodoron Obelisk.

 Book II - Chapter Eleven – Shark Fight

    Luckily, my foot found a rock under the water, and it gave me the leverage to throw Khanna onto the island. She somersaulted elegantly and landed on her feet. Good girl.


    I used every bit of my jumping optimization to launch myself out of the water. I came down on land and spun, ready to fight. The shark bus came zooming up from the depths with the four shark men back on board.


    But they hadn¡¯t overturned our canoe. So who did?


    A dozen shark men came swimming through the frothing water. They were armed with a variety of coral weapons from spears to axes to machetes.


    Khanna gripped her spear, ready for a fight. I didn¡¯t see her bow and quiver, and so I figured her other weapons had been lost when our canoe overturned. Our waterlogged boat floated just below the surface.


    The first of the new shark men emerged from the ocean. Water dripped off his scaly skin. He didn¡¯t simply have the seaweed harness. He wore a coral necklace around his thick neck. At the center of the necklace was a small crystal, glowing red.


    He pointed his glaive, at me, a weapon crafted from driftwood, tipped with a coral blade. He bellowed out some words in some strange, very loud shark language.


    His lackies surged forward.


    ¡°Get behind me,¡± I warned Khanna.


    The shark men swarmed the island. With them were the four shark fucks I¡¯d fought before. I wasn¡¯t going to mess around. No way was I going to die without getting into the Fodoron Obelisk. And I had Billie and Holly to take care of.


    I turned Betsy into a Yuskavarna chainsaw stick. I sawed off the head of one shark man, and then cut through the leg of another, the chain squealing through bone. Blood splashed my face. Cutting up shark men was so much easier than cutting wood. Yes, the bone took a little energy out of me but not that much. Besides, Opal was 99% of full. I had energy to spare.


    Khanna darted forward and speared the wounded shark man in the eye.


    A knife slashed my shoulder, but I cut off the offending hand with the chainsaw, enjoying both the shriek of the chain as well as the howls of pain. Khanna finished him off with a thrust of her spear.


    I just needed to dismember them a little. Khanna could act as cleanup.


    We took out another batch of shark men, then another, until finally, the chieftain shark came splashing out of the water. He landed and slashed at me with his coral glaive.


    I tried to cut through the wooden shaft, but he parried me every time I even got close.


    Besides, after using the chainsaw almost continually, I was feeling a little dizzy. I¡¯d only recently been optimized for underwater action, so my energy levels weren¡¯t at their maximum levels. I knew Opal¡¯s own charge was dropping precipitously. I wouldn¡¯t get a warning until she fell below 10%.


    The shark man spun and bashed me with his tail, which I¡¯d forgotten he¡¯d even had.


    It knocked me off balance, and then, with a flourish, he beat the chainsaw stick out of my hand. It fell to the rocks, going quiet. Without the chainsaw screaming, the world felt completely silent.


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    Khanna called out. ¡°More fish men coming out of the ocean on the other side!¡±


    I glanced up.


    Khanna hadn¡¯t lost her bow after all. With her quiver on her back, she¡¯d scrambled onto the obelisk, standing high above me on the top of the base. Balanced there, she sent a feathered shaft into the eye of another shark man.


    Somehow, I knew they¡¯d keep coming until I killed their chieftain.


    At the moment, though, I didn¡¯t have a weapon.


    Every time I went for it, I found myself nearly impaled by the chief¡¯s glaive.


    I plucked the coral knife out of the fist of a dead shark man, and then, I had to duck and dodge as the chieftain came at me, again and again.


    Another shark man had come from the depths, one of the four that I¡¯d evaded with Grandma Otter¡¯s help. This guy had the net full of power crystals. Perfect.


    I drove my knife into his belly, and spun him around, using him as a shield against the chieftain.


    The glaive tore half of the wounded shark man¡¯s face away, and I shoved him forward.


    ¡°Opal! It¡¯s crystal time!¡±


    Then, I felt the ring start pulling in the crystals, powering herself up by all those crystals that the shark man had collected from the depths of the ocean. The numbers flashed before my eyes until I saw she was back at 99%.


    The power hit me all at once, and the next time the chief stabbed at me, I grabbed his own weapon from him. I was powerful enough to rip it away, and then I used own glaive on him. I drove it into his heart. Then I whirled and slammed it into his neck, cutting off his necklace.


    Gore splattered me, but I was quick enough to catch the gleaming red crystal.


    It was gone in a flash as Opal used it to give both her and me more power.


    Near max power, I tossed away the glaive, scooped up my chainsaw stick, and got to work, ripping through the last of the shark men. There wasn¡¯t that many, though, since my huntress had been busy with her bow.


    She pointed. ¡°Sid Marshall! More coming! So many more!¡±


    That wasn¡¯t what I wanted to hear. I wasn¡¯t the least bit tired. I¡¯d been using the saw, but I still had a ton of energy. All those power crystals, all at once, had me feeling like a superhero.


    The shark men broke out of the water, but they didn¡¯t come for us.


    They dragged the corpses of the other shark men back into the water. At first, I thought they were retrieving the corpses for some kind of funeral, but no, they all started to eat them. The water was blood red around us, which brought in another couple bus sharks, who also started to snack.


    Khanna climbed down from the base of the obelisk and stood there, sighing. ¡°Sid Marshall. Shark men take arrows before Khanna retrieve them. Now we have to make more arrows. Khanna not happy!¡±


    ¡°Look on the bright side, though. We don¡¯t have to fight every single shark man in the ocean. They seem to be leaving us alone.¡±


    Khanna laughed grimly. ¡°Because they know we kill them if they don¡¯t flee.¡±


    She wasn¡¯t wrong.


    I didn¡¯t want to get stabbed in the back, so I waited until the shark men finished their cannibalistic buffet. When all the meat was gone, they grabbed hold of the harnesses on their shark buses and disappeared into the depths.


    Soon, the wasn¡¯t red anymore. It was strangely peaceful.


    Watching all the shark cannibalism had ruined my appetite, not that we had any food. Khanna had rescued her weapons and one basket of water, but the rest was under the sea. She sipped some water while I went after our canoe.


    Once it was safely on the island, I drank some water and then collected up any stray crystals. I had a little basket full. It would be a good snack for Opal.


    We were losing daylight, which wasn¡¯t good, because while we¡¯d captured the 10X crystal, I didn¡¯t want to leave without checking out the skyscrapers. There were monsters in the ocean, and underwater fighting was not something I liked.


    Finally, it was safe for me to try the obelisk.


    Khanna stood behind me. ¡°Khanna does not like this, Sid Marshall. Khanna hate this place. She hate that building. She spit on it.¡±


    And she did indeed spit at the Obelisk.


    ¡°Just stay behind me and keep watch.¡± I wasn¡¯t sure what to expect.


    Taking the 10X crystal, I slipped it into the Celtic knot above the blank stone. A second later, the rock melted away, and the air vibrated with a terrible energy. It was even worse than what we¡¯d felt back in the Dinosaur Swamps.


    I couldn¡¯t help but wince. But for Khanna, it was worse. She let out a strangled cry.


    Inside was darkness for a second. And then, way in the distance, a crimson light flashed. It was impossible, but the Obelisk was bigger on the inside than it was on the outside.


    I kinda wasn¡¯t surprised, but I didn¡¯t take that as a good sign.


    To get to that light, we had to walk through a lot of darkness.

 Book II - Chapter Twelve – Inside the Obelisk

    ¡°Khanna not want to go in, Sid Marshall.¡± The huntress was clearly terrified.


    I took her hand. I''ll be right here with you. You don''t have to be afraid. Do you trust Sid Marshall?¡±


    She nodded.


    I have to admit I was putting on a brave face. Taking her hand, we both entered into the Obelisk for the first time.


    Truth be told, it wasn''t just Khanna and me. Opal was there as well.


    Paraxen survival suit adjusted for dim conditions. Vision enhanced for darkness. Source of light is ten meters inside. Extra dimensional space detected.


    Yeah, no shit.


    My suit gleamed and everything came into focus. My vision was enhanced, I could tell. The walls weren''t stone; they were metal, and at least thirty feet away. It was like walking into a metal cube, and our shuffling footsteps echoed strangely. Khanna''s hands were sweaty in mine, and I felt her trembling. There was the faint scent of sulfur in the air.


    ¡°Are we on K¡¯Shaul, Opal?¡± I asked.


    HOSTNAME: Sid Marhsall and HOSTNAME COMPANION: Khanna are not on K¡¯Shaul. No known quantum signature detected. Unknown location. Extra dimensional space detected.


    Why did that not make me feel better?


    Khanna didn''t ask about Opal''s answer. Instead, she muttered, ¡°Bad sound is gone. Khanna happy.¡±


    She was right. The thrum was gone. I found the absolute silence unnerving, so I was glad our footsteps were so loud on the metal floor.


    We slowly walked to the source of the crimson light.


    On the floor was a complicated pattern of the scarlet radiance. Each line of the pattern gave off a wispy smoke, which explained the sulfur. Above the sigil floated a solid stone sphere, about two feet in diameter, perfectly round and polished. The bottom of the sphere reflected the light.


    Khanna had her eyes squeezed closed.


    ¡°What now, Opal?¡± I asked.


    This unit has no point of reference for further activity in this extra-dimensional space. Extrapolating, this unit suggests physical contact with the sphere.


    Great. She wanted me to touch the damn thing.


    ¡°Fuck it,¡± I whispered.


    Keeping one hand in Khanna¡¯s, I put the other on the sphere.


    It lit up as various patterns like the Celtic knots outside appeared on the stone. That same pattern appeared on the metal walls, and suddenly it was too bright. Khanna didn¡¯t open her eyes, not one bit.


    For a second, it was hard to see. Then I saw that between the Celtric knots, there were images of different places, like perfectly crisp video, showing a desert, a mountaintop, and yes, a swamp.


    ¡°Hey, Opal, is that video of the Dinosaur Swamp I¡¯m seeing?¡±


    Affirmative. The image seems to be connected to the Fodoron Obelisk found in Sector 2.303.D.


    It took a bit, but I saw how the patterns in the walls and ceiling were a map, and each video corresponded to an Obelisk. I could see the ocean where we were, and I traced the newly created sector of New Ireland as it cut through the ocean and across the top part of the Dinosaur Swamps, where the other obelisk was. Yes, I could see how this could be very useful.


    However, there were quite a few places where the map was shrouded in darkness.


    ¡°Opal, do you have any theories about why some parts of the map are blacked out?¡±


    Data suggests that the dark spaces on the map are due to inactive Fodoron Obelisk.


    That made sense. South of where Khanna used to live, there was a blank space in the map. Across from that blank space, I found an image of the yellow desert with the termite towers we¡¯d seen being built. Below it, there were several sectors lost in static. I didn¡¯t know what the static meant, but I didn¡¯t think it was good. Then I saw a sizzling white light move across the face of the map. That had to be a Ravana Storm chopping up the world even more.


    While I gawked, Opal was busy gathering data.


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    Scanning. Processing. Inferna energy usage is ten percent of 10X crystal total power used for every five minutes inside Obelisk. Warning. Data suggests if crystal loses all power exit will close.


    ¡°How long do we have?¡±


    You have been inside Fodoron Oblisk for ten minutes. You have 90% of crystal power left, which translates into eighty minutes remaining before exit is sealed. Only a 10X crystal will open the portal into the Obelisk. From current data and crystal discovery patterns, 10X crystals are exceedingly rare.


    I realized the video on the walls was also on the sphere, and that I could expand the video or contract it, which then expanded the territory. It was like zooming in on a picture that I had on my phone. Damn, but I missed my phone. Opal was about a thousand times better, but old habits die hard.


    ¡°Hey, Opal, if I expand the territory the Obelisk covers, could I actually block more of the Ravana Storm?


    Affirmative. Protection of territory can be expanded or contracted using the sphere. Scanning complete. Pairing permission requested by Fodoron Obelisk. Would you like this unit to pair with Fodoron technology?


    ¡°Wait, so you can interact with the Fodoron technology more directly than just my touching the sphere?¡±


    Physical contact is primitive but effective. Arkadian Quantum Universal Intelligence Assistants were created to be more efficient than HOST.


    Khanna sighed. ¡°Khanna does not like Sid Marshall murmuring to spirit in his English. Khanna does not like this place at all.¡±


    ¡°Sorry, Khanna. Hey, Opal, what are the risks of pairing with the Obelisk?¡±


    Unknown.


    ¡°What do you think?¡±


    This unit does not think that HOST and this unit process data in the same manner. This unit understands the risks of pairing with Fodoron technology are not zero. The consequences might be contamination, destruction of internal systems, a complete discharge of battery life, or death of HOST and HOST COMPANION.


    ¡°Why do you say that? Do you detect anything evil?¡±


    Evil is a moral concept outside of this unit''s capability. While some cultures consider Inferna energy to be evil, data suggests that the use of said energy can be used in any number of ways, some of which might be considered detrimental to the physical and mental health of sentient life. Other usage could benefit sentient life.


    ¡°Inferna sounds an awful like the Inferness,¡± I said, suddenly.


    Khanna hissed. ¡®Do not talk about the Inferness. It might bring demons. Can we leave now?¡±


    ¡°Not yet.¡±


    I had a decision to make. Should I risk having Opal pair with the Obelisk? There was no reason to. We could always come back, once we got more data. I¡¯m sure Opal was processing a whole bunch of information.


    But at least we had a rough map of the sectors.


    The Fodoron Obelisk where we stood was the most western of the obelisks, and then Dinosaur Swamps, and then there was one way north in the sector above Fry City, a cold blasted tundra of ice and snow.


    Farther east, I saw video of a high alpine forest, with big mountains rising up into vicious storm-filled sky. The very top of peak, almost lost in the black clouds, was a structure that looked similar to the Foiros spaceship. It was a few sectors over from New Ireland, and some of those sectors were blank. The Waystation was nearly at the center of the map, the perfect place for Sector X.


    I had to grin. ¡°Opal, is that the Foiros Waystation?¡±


    Affirmative. The Foiros Waystation would have an AQUIA charging station. Current charge is 99% of full. Please charge this unit to 100% for optimal functionality and for additional information on this unit¡¯s original primary mission.


    I was about to tell her how much of a pain in the ass she was, when a gigantic, winged creature came swooping through the air above the Waystation. It landed on the edge of the place and roared. It was massive, a huge reptilian beast, with black scales. Around it swirled mini tornados. Lightning dramatically threw forks through the dark sky.


    ¡°Hey, Opal, is that a dragon?¡±


    Dragons are mythical creatures that have symbolic significance to many different cultures across the universe. The animal in question should not be able to fly, given the nature of its body and its wings. Unknown species. More data needed. Damage to Foiros Waystation detected. Possible damage to reactors. More information needed.


    ¡°Unknown species my ass¡­that¡¯s a dragon.¡±


    The dragon took off into the air and left the frame of the camera image. I tried to adjust the camera, but I couldn¡¯t figure out the controls. I did end up getting a view of the mountain slope below the Waystation. There was a bunch of stuff there, but it was hard to see what it was. I could only assume that if Opal was paired to the Fodoron Obelisk, she¡¯d have more control over the camera. I wasn''t ready to risk the pairing just yet. I had a lot to consider. Also, I wanted to make sure the 10X crystal worked at the Fodoron Obelisk that was closer to us.


    ¡°No, Opal, don¡¯t pair with the Obelisk. Let me think about what our next move should be. I am wondering about the Obelisk in Sector X. Do you think it might be special?¡±


    Unknown. Pairing to current Obelisk would be a source of information that could answer that query.


    ¡°Yeah, but we¡¯re not going to do that just yet.¡±


    I was about to go when the tundra cam in the sector above Fry City showed a collection of motorcycles zooming past the camera. They were there and gone in seconds. Had they been motorcycles, or were they snowmobiles? I wasn¡¯t sure, but something about them put a bad feeling in my belly.


    Back in Fry City, Opal had mentioned something about vehicles and sentient life. It seemed she had sensed some kind of motorcycle gang. Maybe they¡¯d killed all the Sleezenak but kept a statue of Sakata around to act as a drum machine.


    Leaving the Obelisk, I took the 10X crystal out of the housing. The thrumming returned, and in a flash, quicker than the eye, there was solid stone instead of darkness.


    Khanna and I were back on K¡¯Shaul, and the sky was gloomy, and it was raining. We still had some daylight left, but Khanna looked so miserable and exhausted I knew our Marusian sea adventures were over.


    ¡°Let¡¯s head back to Lonetree.¡± I kissed her cheek.


    Khanna threw her arms around me and sobbed.


    So much for the tough huntress act. Yes, she¡¯d been able to go into the Obelisk with me, but it had taken everything out of her. I couldn¡¯t really blame her. After the day we had, we could use a break. And I was dying to tell Holly and Billie about the Fodoron Obelisk.


    On the way back, we saw the rowboat tied off to one of the buildings of San Submerged. That rowboat would change everything.

 Book II - Chapter Thirteen – Home Fires

    I know a rowboat might not sound like a big deal, but it led to a serious discussion about safety. And when I say discussion, I mean a huge, emotional fight.


    Khanna took the canoe back to shore while I worked the oars on the rowboat.


    We pulled onto the beach to find Holly and Billie waiting for us there.


    ¡°You guys were gone forever!¡± Billie complained. ¡°What happened. What did you see? Where in the fuck did you get that rowboat? And did you find coffee? Tell me you found coffee.¡±


    ¡°We ran out of time,¡± I said. ¡°I¡¯ll tell you everything at home.¡±


    The rowboat was heavy, but I¡¯d dragged a bus through a rainforest, so it was no big deal for me to carry it up the beach. I set the boat next to the rope ladder.


    Holly was strangely quiet, and Khanna never spoke much around the other girls.


    That left Billie to do all the talking. ¡°So, we¡¯re all going tomorrow, right? I want to go to the skyscrapers. Hanging out here all day long without was fucked. I love the professor, but she was sick with worry. I was too. So, tomorrow, right?¡±


    It was like Billie was a little dog, barking up a storm.


    ¡°Let¡¯s discuss that over a dinner.¡±


    We had the mutton from the octosheep, and it was good, but I was starting to miss spices¡­a little garlic, a little salt, a little pepper. It really adds to a meal.


    At least we had some soda, thanks to the Twankinian convenience store, though the Happy Grape Mouth Explosion flavor made my teeth ache because it was so sugary. I had to cut it with some water.


    A storm had rolled in, and the rain was falling in sheets as I told them about our ocean adventure. We sat on bus seats, around the central fireplace, which I¡¯d created using cast-off stones and the Twankinian concrete. Our Marusian mattresses worked so much better than the bus seats.


    Holly¡¯s face got darker and darker. I¡¯d thought Billie would be the most difficult to deal with, but in some sense, she was far easier. If Billie was thinking or feeling it, she was saying it. Holly, though, tried to keep all those emotions to herself, and they could come out at the worst times.


    Khanna listened. I tried to keep my language simple, so she would understand.


    In the end, Billie had a thousand questions. ¡°You got to ride a flying otter? I¡¯m so jealous! But wait, the shark men didn¡¯t attack you after you killed their leader guy, but instead literally ate the dead?¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± I said.


    ¡°Literally,¡± Khanna muttered in English. Then, in ancient Arkadian, she added, ¡°Yellow-haired bitch say what happened. Does not need that word.¡±


    I shot the huntress a glance.


    ¡°Bil-lie,¡± she said softly.


    ¡°What?¡± the cheerleader asked.


    Khanna was quick on her feet. ¡°Bil-lie have good words.¡±


    Billie brightened. ¡°Thank you.¡±


    It was such a lie. But sometimes a little lying can smooth things over.


    I sipped more of the grape soda. It was a mouth explosion all right. I spent most of the time telling them about what I¡¯d seen in the Fodoron Obelisk.


    ¡°This is great news!¡± Billie shouted. ¡°We know where Sector X is. Maybe the ice dragons are nice.¡±


    ¡°Maybe.¡± I paused to look at Holly. ¡°My real question is about pairing Opal to the Obelisk. I¡¯m pretty sure the 10X crystal will work in the Dinosaur Swamp¡¯s obelisk. What do you think, Holly?¡±


    ¡°I think this is all terrible news. I hate that you can¡¯t charge Opal to 100% using power crystals. And if several of the Fodoron Obelisks have stopped working, the Dinosaur Swamp Obelisk might fail. Then we could hit by a Ravana Storm. In a sense, we are no closer to understanding this place than we were this morning.¡±


    You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.


    Damn. Talk about a doom and gloom attitude.


    ¡°We got into the Obelisk,¡± I countered. ¡°We have a map of K¡¯Shaul. Also, there''s a good chance that once Opal pairs with the Obelisk, we''ll get a lot more information. The very fact that pairing is possible is a good sign.¡±


    Billie giggled for a second before sobering. Then she gave Holly a ton of attitude. ¡°I think he has you, Professor. This is great news. And it¡¯s not like we can¡¯t rebuild if the Ravana Storm does hit us. I think we should risk connecting Opal to the Obelisk. Fuck it. Let¡¯s live dangerously.¡±


    Khanna eyes were on the Professor. The Huntress didn¡¯t understand every word, but she seemed to understand that Khanna was siding with me.


    The Professor¡¯s eyes turned into slits. ¡°Don''t be a child. What do you think we''ve been doing these past weeks? We live in constant danger. Risking Opal is the very essence of stupidity.¡±


    ¡°Are you calling me stupid?¡± Billie asked.


    I wasn''t going to let things spiral out of control. ¡°That¡¯s enough. No one is stupid. We are ending this conversation. We don''t have to make any decisions as far as the Fodoron Obelisk goes. The bottom line is that pairing Opal with the obelisk without her being at 100% charge is a bad idea. She admits she¡¯s in an error state. I say we table this whole conversation until we reach the Foiros Waystation.¡±


    Billie was still solidly in brat mode. ¡°But she called me stupid.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t call you stupid,¡± Holly returned. ¡°I merely critiqued your argument.¡±


    ¡°By calling it stupid.¡±


    Khanna was eating the roasted mutton like it was popcorn. She was clearly enjoying the drama.


    I waded into the fight. ¡°We have a plan. We don¡¯t need to fight about this. Professor, I¡¯d like you to apologize to Billie. You did call her argument the essence of stupidity. That was going to far.¡±


    Holly opened her mouth to protest. But I think she then knew I was right. ¡°Okay. Billie, I¡¯m sorry for what I said. Today was a terrible day, as you well know. Not knowing where you were, Sid, was intolerable.¡±


    ¡°I agree,¡± Billie said. ¡°We have a rowboat now. Tomorrow, we will all go to the skyscrapers. Opal can scan for more shark people, right?¡±


    I knew once I found the rowboat I wouldn¡¯t be able stop them from coming. For a second, I thought about not taking it back, but it was so much more comfortable than the homemade canoe that Billie and I had made.


    I put another stick on the fire. ¡°We¡¯re going to turn around if Opal sensing anything, okay? I¡¯m not risking your lives. Khanna saw firsthand how dangerous it was.¡±


    ¡°Dangerous,¡± Khanna agreed in English. ¡°Kill shark people.¡± She thought for a minute. ¡°Shark people kill.¡±


    The hunters gave me a wicked smile. In ancient Arkadian she added, ¡°Then Khanna not have to share Sid Marshall with yellow-haired bitch.¡±


    ¡°Wrong attitude,¡± I said. ¡°Sid Marshall would be sad if he lost yellow-haired bitch.¡±


    Billie laughed. ¡°He¡¯s talking about us, Professor. We¡¯re hunchas.¡±


    Holly stood up. ¡°I¡¯ll take watch. I need some time alone to think. I am glad that we¡¯re going to San Submerged together. I¡¯ve been so very curious. Thank you, Sid, for not insisting on going alone.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re in this together, Professor.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s Holly. No need to be formal. Colorado Mesa University is so very far away and such a long time ago.


    She left us.


    Khanna didn¡¯t seem a bit worried about any of that.


    Billie, though, frowned. ¡°She did call me stupid, right? Or was I just being sensitive?¡±


    ¡°She was upset,¡± I said. ¡°I really don''t think she meant anything by it. How was she today?¡±


    ¡°Bad,¡± Billie said. ¡°I mean, she pretended not to be, right? But that¡¯s what she does.¡±


    ¡°Shows a strong face but has a fragile heart.¡± I stared into Billie¡¯s face. ¡°You¡¯re kind of the opposite. You seem to have a fragile heart, but you don¡¯t. You¡¯re strong, far stronger than I would¡¯ve thought, especially those first few days.¡±


    Billie smiled, a blush on her face. ¡°I lost my shit, all right. I still can get so emotional, but I¡¯m feeling more solid inside myself. A lot of that is thanks to you.¡±


    Billie and I shared a moment. The rain pattered on the roof of our little house. I took some pride in the construction, since the wood, the pitch, and the ferns we laid over the top had proved surprisingly waterproof. We were warm, safe, and dry.


    Khanna shoved me. ¡°Enough talking to yellow-haired bitch. Sid Marshall talk to Khanna now, and look at her with love, like you look at yellow-haired bitch.¡±


    Billie addressed the Huntress. ¡°You don¡¯t have to be jealous.¡± Her voice was soft. ¡°We¡¯re sharing him. It¡¯s okay, I know he loves you. No, he adores you.¡±


    ¡°Love,¡± Khanna said in English. Her whole demeanor had softened. ¡°Khanna love Sid Marshall. Billie love Sid Marshall.¡±


    I felt time stop. What would Billie say to that? I knew how I felt toward Khanna. She had become the most important person in my life. If I had found a portal back to Earth in the Obelisk, I would¡¯ve sent Holly and Billie home, and I would¡¯ve stayed in K¡¯Shaul with the Huntress. Or maybe I could take Khanna back with me. I still couldn¡¯t picture her sitting in a Taco Bell.


    Billie stood up to avoid commenting. ¡°Uh, wow, look at the time. We should, uh, get more wood. Or something. I¡¯ll go and check on the professor.¡±


    Billie went to the door, turned, and seemed to get even more embarrassed. ¡°Sid, you know I care about you, right?¡±


    ¡°I do,¡± I said.


    ¡°Love is just¡­dangerous.¡± She seemed torn in half right then. Part of her wanted to say she loved me. Another part was scared.


    Khanna furrowed her brow. ¡®Love not dangerous for Khanna and Sid. Love is big.¡±


    ¡°For me it¡¯s dangerous,¡± Billie said. ¡°Maybe someday, I¡¯ll brave enough for love. Thanks for rubbing it in Khanna.¡±


    She turned.


    Khanna looked confused. In Arkadian, she asked. ¡°What does Bil-lie mean by rubbing? Does she go to play with herself?¡±


    ¡°No.¡± I had to be honest. ¡°She thinks you were trying to make her feel bad by talking about our love.¡±


    Khanna was shocked. ¡°No. The English is hard for Khanna. She not understand. But in her heart, she knows she feels love for you, Sid Marshall. Like Khanna, who will always love you. Always momachecha.¡±


    She kissed me.


    For a second, I thought about having sex with her right there, in front of the fire, but that wouldn¡¯t be fair to either Billie or Holly.


    Besides, we had to get some sleep. The next day was important.

 Book II - Chapter Fourteen – Lucky Break

    A good night¡¯s sleep helped make things better with all of us.


    Holly was back to being both agreeable and helpful. Billie didn¡¯t seem to hold a grudge against Khanna, which was good, and Khanna didn¡¯t seem to care about what the other women said or did. At least she wasn¡¯t actively cursing them.


    Rowing out to San Submerged was far easier in the rowboat since I could sit on the back seat and work two oars in oarlocks at the same time. My chest, shoulders, and traps glowed brightly, and it was kind of cool seeing which muscles were engaged by rowing.


    We¡¯d waited until the fog burned off, and the sky was clear and blue. The sea itself was murky, thanks to the Ravana Storm that had dropped New Ireland into K¡¯Shaul, but Opal didn¡¯t detect any shark creatures.


    We oared quickly up to the first building.


    I reminded the girls of what we were looking for. ¡°I¡¯d like to see if we can find any guns, but at the top of my list are backpacks for us. It¡¯s going to be a long trip to the Foiros Waystation, and we should have plenty of gear. The baskets are great, Professor, but water bottles would be better. Along those lines, cooking utensils would be ideal. And while the Twankinians have kept us supplied with processed sugar, I¡¯d really like to find some spices. Which brings up the subject of salt. If we had a pot, we could boil the seawater to get salt, which we could use to flavor our meat as well as use to preserve our meat.¡±


    ¡°Stop saying the word ¡®meat¡¯ so much.¡± Billie was on the bow, obviously enjoying the sun. ¡°I would love to find some garlic salt. My mom basically sprinkled garlic salt on everything. We had the big Costco shaker. I would love to find a Costco.¡±


    Holly seemed a little on edge. ¡°It is doubtful that we¡¯d find a big box store in downtown San Francisco. At least not one that we could access above the water.¡±


    I worked the oars and lined us up with the building closest to us. ¡°That¡¯s the thing, Holly. It¡¯s not our version of San Franscisco. It not only comes from a different timeline, it comes from a different universe. We really don¡¯t know what we¡¯ll find there.¡±


    The professor gave me a little smile. ¡°If I am to be honest with you, Sid Marshall, as I endeavor to be, my number one priority is coffee. If we could find coffee, it would make the whole trip worth it. We can synthesize any number of things, but coffee does not make that list.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not wrong.¡± I got down to business. ¡°Okay, guys. It¡¯s go time. I¡¯ll go first, then Billie and Holly, and then Khanna will take the rear guard. Okay? We don¡¯t have time for much discussion inside there. I¡¯m calling the shots.¡±


    ¡°Sir, yes, sir!¡± Billie barked. ¡°You are the king, and we are your loyal subjects. You¡¯re the general, and I¡¯m just your hot soldier. Do we need to sign some kind of form for you and me to be together? Like a love contract?¡±


    ¡°Ms. Kidd,¡± Holly said stiffly. ¡°I¡¯m right here. I know that you and Sid have a new understanding, but you do not need to flaunt it.¡±


    I expected a fight. But Billie hadn¡¯t liked Khanna talking about how much she loved me, and it seemed the professor was just as sensitive. Billie realized that.


    ¡°Sorry, Professor,¡± the cheerleader said. ¡°Should I tie us off?¡±


    There was an open window, and near it was a desk just inside.


    It was odd, staring down into the murky water, knowing there might be fifty stories underneath the surface.


    ¡°I got it,¡± I said.


    After securing the oars, I made my way across the boat, through the window, and I tied our rowboat to the desk. It was an office, and thanks to the glow of my survival suit, I had plenty of light.


    ¡°Hey, Opal, is there anything in here that we might have to worry about?¡±


    There are any number of biological entities, including birds, insects, and sea creatures. This unit is scanning and will continue to scan and compile data on the possible lethal threats any of the biological entities might pose to HOSTNAME: Sid Marshall and his companions.


    Why didn¡¯t that make me feel any better? At least there was nothing trying to rip me apart at that moment. The floor was covered in six inches of dirty water, but underneath I could feel spongey carpet. I was glad I was wearing boots.


    ¡°Can we come in?¡± Billie called to me.


    I didn¡¯t answer. My eyes went to a calendar, where there was a picture of some guy with a weird duck-like nose and mutton chops. Wait. Mutton chops? Then I noticed the date on the calendar. January of 1973.


    ¡°Holy shit,¡± I whispered.


    I was standing in the middle of a room that had a ton of desks with inboxes and typewriters on them. Actual typewriters. Going to the calendar, I saw that it was Richard M. Nixon, and his inauguration was on January 20. I had to wonder if Watergate had happened on that Earth and in that timestream.


    ¡°Sid!¡± Billie wailed. ¡°You¡¯re freaking us out!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m freaking out!¡± I yelled back to her. ¡°It¡¯s 1973.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


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    I saw a big sign on the wall, stained with mold and half-covered in seaweed. The corporate logo for Ameritronics had two little robot people looking out from the ¡°Os¡±. One was a girl robot because she had a little pink ribbon on her head.


    ¡°Mr. Marshall,¡± Holly called to me. ¡°Is it safe for us to enter?¡±


    ¡°Yes. I think so.¡±


    Then I saw the skeletons floating in the water against the wall. Ratty, half-burned clothes covered the bones, which had been picked clean. How long had the bones been in the water?


    I was about to ask Opal when Billie entered. She made a face. ¡°Ew. It smells. And what in the fuck is Ameritronics?¡± She gripped Khanna¡¯s long, stone spear.


    Holly followed her. Khanna came next. The Huntress had an arrow knocked in her bow. She didn¡¯t have many arrows left in her quiver.


    Holly lifted a sheet of relatively dry paper. ¡°It seems Ameritronics was a very successful electronics company in the 1970s, specializing in, and I quote, ¡°consumer computing products including the award-winning ¡°Number Puncher¡± personal computer. Would you like to know the tagline?¡±


    That was when I noticed the boy robot in the logo had boxing gloves on.


    ¡°Sure, Professor,¡± Billie answered.


    ¡°Punch your data right between the eyes. Report on your progress and don¡¯t get knocked out by your competition.¡±


    ¡°Wordy,¡± Billie whispered.


    Khanna¡¯s eyes were wide. ¡°Many machines. Are they useful, Sid Marshall?¡±


    ¡°Not unless we need to take a memo.¡±


    I slogged my way forward and found the breakroom. Behind me was the boss¡¯s office. Ahead of me looked like the door into the hallway.


    ¡°Wait! Sid!¡± Billie rushed forward. ¡°Don¡¯t leave us behind. This place is creepy as fuck. Did you notice the skeletons? I noticed the skeletons.¡±


    ¡°And their singed clothes,¡± Holly muttered. ¡°Was there a fire? Or did something burn them?¡±


    We hustled into the breakroom. It was your typical refrigerator, sink, and counter deal. A stove with an oven was against the wall. All the appliances were a very dark avocado green. It went with the orange lightshade over a flowery orange Formica table and matching chairs.


    The cupboards were a lighter shade of green. The wallpaper was a mixture of green, orange, and brown stripes. The whole place was retro and hideous, as hideous as Nixon with sideburns.


    On the counter was a coffee maker (Master Coffee X-15 to be precise) as well as something called a Zapper Infrared Oven. Was that a precursor to the microwave?


    ¡°If there¡¯s a coffee maker,¡± the professor muttered. ¡°Perhaps¡­¡± She went and opened a cupboard. We had hit paydirt. There was coffee there, a big thing of Smackers Instant Coffee with Flavor Gems! Next to it was a big, red can of U.S. Cup Dark Roast coffee with coffee filters.


    Billie opened another cupboard and there were plates, bowls, and a ton of stuff we could use. Another cupboard revealed a selection of pots and pans, some quite big. This breakroom was loaded.


    I knew why. The boy robot¡¯s name was Adam, and along with Eve, there was a poster of them happily cooking together, with the words, ¡°Happiness and Health come from Home Cooking.¡±


    Billie was already piling stuff on the table. ¡°So, we have a big crockpot still in the box. The cookware is all from the same brand, Rooctonic. It¡¯s non-stick, so that¡¯s good.¡±


    ¡°Rooctonic?¡± Holly wiped some sweat off her face. It was strangely hot in the building. ¡°God only knows what kind of chemicals they used on their cookware. I don¡¯t use Teflon for that very reason.¡±


    ¡°Beggers can¡¯t be choosers, Professor,¡± I said. ¡°Besides, we have Opal. She can scan us to make sure it¡¯s safe. Gather up everything.¡±


    Khanna found the knives. She rubbed her thumb along the edge of a butcher knife and smiled. ¡°Machines mean nothing to Khanna. But this is good knife. Good pots. Good for cooking.¡±


    Holly found a cabinet full of spices. ¡°Not sure how many of these will be good¡­it¡¯s such a moist environment, but we can take them and see. You know, perhaps Opal could help us find natural-occurring herbs and legumes. We could grow our own garlic and onions to add some flavor to our fare.¡±


    We had such luxury problems. We had plenty of food now, but the next step was making meals that tasted good. I liked the idea of a garden. All we needed to do was find the plants, which again, Opal could help us with.


    Billie slammed a plastic silverware tray onto the table. ¡°Okay, we got super fucking lucky. I vote we leave before we end up like the skeletons outside.¡±


    ¡°Hold up. Opal, what can you tell me about this building and Ameritronics.¡±


    From my analysis, Sector 3.303.B was brought to K¡¯Shaul twenty years ago. Human remains show signs of electrical attack. This unit has no record of an Ameritronics. More data needed. Adam and Eve are biblical characters, co-opted as mascots of Ameritronics and feature heavily in their marketing materials.


    ¡°Is the cookware safe?¡± I asked.


    Derivation of Perfluorooctanoic acid, detected. Different molecular composition detected. Safe at elevated levels of heating. No chemical compounds poisonous to Humans or Arkadians detected.


    I relayed the information. ¡°Put everything on the table, and I¡¯ll carry it out. I¡¯m so glad the company encouraged their employees to cook.¡±


    Holly set the can of Smackers Instant Coffee on the table. ¡°I¡¯m very pleased we have coffee.¡±


    ¡°And Luptun tea,¡± Billie put in. ¡°I found a big box of it. Most of the spices are from Eden Valley, that¡¯s the brand anyway. I found a big container of Eden Valley sugar. It¡¯s all clumped together, but we should be able to smash it apart.¡±


    The table wouldn¡¯t fit through the door, and I didn¡¯t want to mess taking off the legs, so I changed Betsy into an axe and hacked apart the doorframe and the wall. I then carried the table through the widened entryway, rather pleased with the salvage.


    While Holly and I loaded up the rowboat with our kitchen supplies, Khanna and Billie went to explore the big offices. I kept asking Opal if there were any threats, and she didn¡¯t find any.


    While I loaded up the rowboat with our gear, Holly tied everything down with our rope.


    Surprise, surprise, Billie came back with a revolver, a Smith & Wesson .357 Magnum with a six-inch barrel. She¡¯s also found some extra ammunition, a gun belt, and a holster. She strapped the belt around her and looked like quite the gunslinger, if you ignored the survival suit.


    She was all smiles. ¡°The boss man believed in protecting himself.¡± She also held up a thick blue book. ¡°I found the Ameritronics Employee Handbook. It gives a history of the company. I¡¯m hoping to read more about everyone¡¯s favorite robots, Adam and Eve. I wonder if they broke away from Ameritronics and started this universe¡¯s version of a sex toy company.¡±


    Khanna had an apple box full of different bottles.


    Billie explained that. ¡°We also found booze, like a lot of booze, because it seems the bosses liked to drink back in the 70s. Can you confirm that, Professor?¡±


    Holly frowned. ¡°I¡¯m not that old, Ms. Kidd. That was before my time.¡±


    We added the box of alcohol, along with a few boxes of cigars, and gigantic desktop lighters to the pile of boxes in the rowboat.


    I cleared my seat, but Khanna, Holly, and Billie would have to hang onto the ropes to get back to the beach. It was good ninety minutes back to the beach, probably more, since we were so loaded down. That Formica table and chair set wasn¡¯t light.


    Holly saw what I was thinking. ¡°You want to keep looking, don¡¯t you?¡±


    I smiled, sheepishly. ¡°We got lucky early. Opal says there isn¡¯t a storm or shark people around. I say we keep exploring.¡±


    Billie patted the handgun at her side. ¡°Bring it on. I have a fucking gun, and I¡¯m not afraid to use it.¡±


    Holly frowned. ¡°Sometimes when you pushy your luck, luck pushes you right back.¡±

 Book II - Chapter Fifteen – Penthouse of Terror

    We finally found a directory near the elevators, which were as dead as doornails. We could hear the ocean water sloshing around inside the shafts.


    It seemed that we were in the Phillp P. Zuulman building, and the first twenty-five floors were for the Ameritronics Corporation, LLC. From what I could gather, Ameritronics was basically a mixture of Microsoft and Dell, controlling both the software and the hardware market. It was a whole different planet. The next ten were for Good Neighbor Insurance Company. Above the Good Neighbors¡¯ Insurance company were private residences, with a series of penthouses at the top.


    We didn¡¯t necessarily need any more office supplies, and I wasn¡¯t sure how well armed the insurance company people would be, so I figured we¡¯d go right to the top.


    Being inside the stairwell of the half-submerged skyscraper was an unnerving experience. It wasn¡¯t dark, not with my suit glowing, but the swirling water down below sure was loud. We were about halfway up to the penthouse, when we heard the squealing sound. It came from far below us. And like the slosh of the water, the shriek bounced around the walls. A second later, it was silent.


    ¡°Did you guys here that?¡± Billie asked, face pale. ¡°I kind of want to pretend I didn¡¯t hear anything.¡±


    Khanna frowned. ¡°Khanna hear, Bil-lie.¡± She turned to look at me. ¡°What does your spirit say?¡±


    HOST COMPANION: Khanna the Huntress¡¯s query is difficult to answer. No known lethal biological entities detected. There are many biological entities in the area of an unknown nature. Please continue with caution.


    I simplified all that. ¡°We¡¯re fine. For now.¡±


    We hurried up to the top. I was simply glad that the boat was loaded and ready to go in case we needed to get out of their fast. If any of the shark men returned and tipped it over, I was going to be pissed. We¡¯d found some good stuff.


    Getting through the door to the penthouse was easy. I had an axe and superhuman strength.


    Unlike the Ameritronics offices, this place wasn''t under a foot of water. However, the colors were exactly the same. You had green, light green, and avocado green with various hues of browns and oranges. The fixtures were a yellow metal, but I didn''t think it was real gold.


    The place was dusty and had a bad smell, but we found any number of cushions on the couches, throw pillows, and other things, like comforters and blankets, that we could use to make our beds so much more comfortable. We''d want to wash them, of course, but after some scans, Opal said they were relatively clean. No lice or any other biological matter.


    ¡°There are more dishes, pots, and pans in the kitchen,¡± Holly called out.


    Around the place were pictures of a middle-aged guy and his family. He had a wife and two daughters, all blond and pretty. He seemed to be living his best life all right. I checked out the master bedroom, which had a dusty window and a view of the coast. In the far distance, I could see Lonetree Ridge.


    I wanted to make sure our boat was still down below, so I took my ax to the window. It only took a couple swings to smash through the window. A chill wind blew in, and I shivered a bit.


    ¡°Are you all right, Sid?¡± Billie called from the other room.


    ¡°Just fine,¡± I called back.


    Leaning out, I could see the rowboat far below. It was still there. We were way too high to jump down into the water without killing ourselves. The squealing in the stairwell, though, was still bothering me. What had made those sounds?


    ¡°Opal, are we still in the clear? Any of the squealers on their way?


    Negative, HOSTNAME: Sid Marshall. No threatening biological entities detected.


    I went over to the nightstand, opened it, and found a few books, some reading glasses, and a letter to the guy, Carl Zuulman. I had to wonder if Carl Zuulman was related to Phillip Zuulman, the guy who the building was named after.


    In the drawer was a leatherbound journal. It might go well with the Ameritronics Employee Handbook that Billie had grabbed. Did I feel bad about grabbing some random guy¡¯s journal? Not really. Most likely he was dead, and besides, he was from another universe. That made it seem more acceptable for some reason.


    I went to the bedroom closet and swept aside some leisure suits and some super ugly sports coats. There were some women¡¯s clothes as well and some nice coats. ¡°Girls, I found women¡¯s clothes, if you want something from 1973 or earlier.¡±


    In the back, I found a shotgun and several boxes of shells. It was a .12 gauge with most of the barrel sawed off. That was going to give us some maximum spray.


    Why did I feel like I was in a video game, scrounging for weapons? Well, I was picking up power crystals like I was in a video game. Why not grab some free guns? I also found a hunting rifle, with a scope. It was a bolt action .306 and a scope. All in all, it was a nice gun and laying on the ground were boxes of ammo. Luckily, there was a dusty duffel bag there that I could pile the ammo boxes in.


    ¡°Thank you, Carl Zuulman,¡± I said out loud.


    That was the first thing that started to go wrong.


    Khanna screamed out my name from the other room. ¡°Sid Marshall! Why did you say that name? What do you know of the Iron Descendant?¡±


    She came charging in. She looked both terrified and pissed off. I slung the hunting rifle over my shoulder. I kept the shotgun in my other hand.


    ¡°I found clothes in here as well!¡± Billie said.


    Holly called out as well. ¡°And I found camping gear, Sid, in the third bedroom. It seems that Carl Zuulman enjoyed the outdoors.¡±


    It was clear, though, that Khanna didn¡¯t give a shit about them or anything. ¡°The old slut said that name as well. What do they know? What do you know?¡±


    ¡°Nothing!¡± I said. ¡°It¡¯s just the name of the guy who lived here¡­and the name of the man who built the building. Maybe it was his father. I don¡¯t know.¡±


    I should¡¯ve been happy that we were finding so much good stuff, but I couldn¡¯t not with Khanna standing there, glaring at me.


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    Then things got worse as Opal¡¯s voice flared up in my head.


    Biological entities detected, swarming en masse in the stairwell. Electrocytes detected. Biological entities will emit an electrical charge. Biological entities are cephalopodic in nature.


    ¡°Professor! We have company. What are electrocytes? And cephalopods are squids, right?¡±


    Khanna snarled at me. ¡°Khanna does not have time for your stupid English. If this is Zuulman¡¯s building, it is Padishan¡¯s Pavillion, and we must leave. Now! There is a way to the Inferness down below. Demons come.¡±


    ¡°Khanna, trust me. We¡¯ll deal with one thing at a time.¡±


    I ran into the main living room, and already, we could hear the squeals outside.


    Holly was pale. ¡°Cephalopods are the class of marine mollusks that include squids, cuttlefishes, and octopuses.¡±


    Billie snorted. ¡°I think you mean octopi.¡±


    ¡°No, the word comes from the Greek, not the Latin. As for electrocytes.¡± The professor didn¡¯t get the change to impress me more because the door opened, and inside sprang dozens of huge black squid, their skin sparking. The entire room was filled with electricity. The hairs on my arms stood up straight.


    These things didn¡¯t just run on the ground, but no, air sacks filled, and when I saw them puff, I knew they could float like the puff otters could. Only these things could use their tentacles to fling themselves across the room.


    One launched itself off the doorway and streaked toward me. I was fast enough to cut the thing in half with my axe.


    ¡°Get behind me!¡± I roared. ¡°And grab guns as you go!¡±


    The professor peeled the hunting rifle off my shoulder while Billie snatched up the shotgun. An arrow appeared in the next electric squid. It shrieked and squealed as it hit the floor.


    Khanna already had another arrow knocked but her quiver was already nearly empty. I¡¯d have to deal with the flying squid up close and personal.


    A dozen of the creatures struck me all at once, and it felt like I¡¯d stuck my finger into an electrical outlet. I¡¯d done that as a kid. I was lucky I¡¯d survived. However, it¡¯s hard to fight and be electrocuted at the same time.


    Warning! Lethal levels of electricity detected. HOSTNAME: Sid Marshall in danger. Adjusting. Optimizing. Processing.


    I was glad that Opal was at 99%. I needed all the optimization I could get! The problem was, I was out of the fight for a second. An electric squid wrapped its arms around my neck and started to squeeze. Another was around my leg. Another around my arm. They were squeezing the fuck out of me and hitting me with enough voltage to light up Detroit.


    ¡°Sid Marshall!¡± Khanna screamed.


    She¡¯s put away her bow and was using her spear, but it wasn¡¯t enough to stop a squid from zapping her. Like with me, the octopus immediately started to strangle her. Khanna went white.


    ¡°Fuck this!¡± Billie screamed. She leapt forward and opened fire with the shotgun. That spread cut through three of the squid floating around. The professor had picked up Khanna¡¯s spear and started stabbing.


    Khanna continued to spasm on the green carpet.


    I wasn''t optimized fully yet, but I wasn''t going to let these squiddy fuckers get the better of me. Going in and out of consciousness, I pulled one off my arm and crushed it to death. My fingers. Another I plucked off my leg and tore it in half. That left the guy around my neck. I couldn''t breathe, but breathing is overrated anyway. The problem was, I felt my windpipe being crushed. But I was gonna crush it first. I managed to get my fingers up through the tentacle, and then it was just a quick bit of ripping, like a psycho third grader pulling the limbs off a daddy longlegs, I eviscerated the thing. But more were coming.


    Billie¡¯s shotgun fired again and again until I heard the click. She was out of shells. We had to get out of there.


    Khanna managed to get to her feet, just as three squid flew toward her.


    At the last second, Billie threw herself in front of the tentacled fuckers and the first one hit her, and she went down.


    Khanna shrieked. ¡°Bil-lie!¡± She was strong enough to pick up the unconscious cheerleader in her arms.


    The doorway was jam packed with the octopuses. There was no getting out of the stairwell.


    Opal gave me more bad news.


    Optimization failed. Please charge this unit to 100% for protection against electrical attacks. This unit suggests avoiding electrical attacks for continued biological functioning. Primary mission incomplete.


    At least Opal was honest with me. She didn¡¯t want me zapped again because she hadn''t completed her primary mission, whatever the fuck that was.


    ¡°To the master bedroom!¡± I managed to gasp.


    I led the way, swinging my axe left and right, splattering electric squid across the apartment. There was no getting all of that blood, ink and brains out of the shag. Once inside I slammed the door closed. I knew how smart octopuses were on Earth, so I knew they could work the door handle. I slammed the big dresser against the door and then piled more stuff on top of that.


    The door banged open, but the dresser held for now.


    Khanna carried Billie and put her on the bed. Khanna had survived the initial attack, but then, she was tougher than most in all kinds of ways.


    The professor looked sick with worry. ¡°What now, Sid?¡±


    Going to the window, I looked down.


    ¡°Hey, Opal, what is the percentage chance of me surviving the fall down to the ocean?¡±


    Surface tension of water from this height is lethal for Terran primates. HOSTNAME: Sid Marshall has a 75% chance of injury to skeletal structure. 98% chance of survival.


    Great, I''d survive, But I couldn''t say the same thing about the professor and Billie. ¡°Hey, Opal, what are the chances that Khanna would survive?¡±


    Enhanced biological functions detected in Arkadian primate. Reinforced skeletal structure detected. Optimizations detected. HOST COMPANION: Khanna the huntress would have similar percentage chances of survival as HOSTNAME: Sid Marshall.


    I hadn¡¯t expected that answer. Opal must have been doing some additional scanning, but this was the wrong time for me to discover all that. It did explain the freckles, though. I wondered if all the women in the Fabrikata Enclave had been optimized.


    Electric slammed against the door, throwing sparks.


    The professor started hurling blankets, pillows, and bedding out of the window.


    I wanted to point out that the mattress on the water wouldn''t do shit if I hit the ocean at terminal velocity. I''d let the professor go crazy. I had a question for Opal.


    ¡°Opal, I need a rope. Is there anything in this fucking apartment that¡¯s like rope?¡±


    Extension cord detected behind the bed.


    Underneath the shag carpet was a bright orange extension cord. It only took a second for me to tie it around the massive bed.


    I then hurled myself out of the window. The cord tightened, and I went smashing through the window of the apartment underneath us. It was another bedroom, only this one had more of a Hawaiian tiki bar feeling to it.


    I bashed the rest of the glass out of the window, and then I grabbed the mattress and put it on the windowpane to act as a landing pad for the girls.


    I climbed back up the rope, my muscles glowing.


    Holding onto the cord, I reached out a hand to Holly. ¡°Come on Holly, time to leave.¡±


    She immediately threw herself into my arms, and I lowered her down onto the mattress, sticking out of the window.


    ¡°Khanna! You¡¯re next! Hurry!¡±


    ¡°Khanna not leave Bil-lie! Blonde slut save Khanna!¡±


    I motioned to her. ¡°Come on. Billie doesn¡¯t want to see you die. I¡¯ll grab her. Don¡¯t worry.¡±


    The huntress gave Billie one last helpless look. And then I lowered her onto the mattress underneath me.


    I¡¯d just grabbed Billie when the door burst open, knocking over the dresser. The electric squids were about to swarm us.


    Holding Billie in one arm, I swung into the apartment below.


    Weirdly enough, the professor again started throwing out more bedding out the window. The ocean around our rowboat looked like a Bed, Bath, and Beyond had thrown up on it.


    I kept Billie in my arms as we made our way through the Hawaiian apartment and back out into the hallway.


    Opal confirmed that the colony of electrical squid was still up in the penthouse. That allowed us to race down the stairwell, but those squids weren''t stupid. Or maybe they were. They followed us into the Hawaiian apartment, but I had closed and barricaded every door.


    By the time the squid made it into the Ameritronics offices, we were rowing our way back to our shore. The professor had collected up as much of the bedding as she could from the water around us.


    As I rowed away from the squid hive, Holly, who was sitting on top of the table we¡¯d tied to the boat, gave me a weak smile. ¡°At least now our new bedding is relatively clean, thanks to the oceanwater.¡±


    ¡°Sorry, Professor, it¡¯s not new. It comes from the 1970s.¡±


    ¡°New to us,¡± she argued.


    Khanna hung off the side. With one hand she gripped our rope. With the other, she held onto Billie. I¡¯d never seen the Huntress looked so worried.


    I couldn¡¯t blame her. Suddenly, my adventures in K¡¯Shaul didn¡¯t seem so fun.


    I had to remember. K¡¯Shaul was not a safe place.


    When Billie¡¯s eyes flickered opened, Khanna let out a shocked sob. And then? The huntress cried like a baby over the cheerleader. What?

 Book II - Chapter Sixteen – The Fabrikata Enclave

    I hauled the fully loaded rowboat across the sand then used a rope and pully to lift the salvage up to the top of the ridge. Thanks to Holly, we had a ton of comfortable bedding now. I stowed the rowboat and our canoe underneath the ladder.


    Even though Billie regained consciousness, she was still pretty messed up from her encounter with the electric squid. We put her to bed while Holly hung the sheets, blankets, and comforters up to dry in the afternoon sunshine. It wasn¡¯t raining, and it was clear enough we could see the line of ice crystals crossing the sky.


    Khanna, though, wouldn¡¯t leave Billie¡¯s side. It seemed everything had changed between them, and Khanna kept asking if Billie needed anything in broken English.


    ¡°No,¡± Billie said, her voice slurring a bit. ¡®I¡¯m¡­I¡¯m fine. Just need to sleep. Never felt anything¡­like that¡­¡±


    I tried to calm Khanna down. For whatever reason, that was a huge fucking mistake.


    ¡°Khanna, she¡¯s going to be okay¡­¡±


    ¡°Sid Marshall doesn¡¯t know that for sure! Sid Marshall can¡¯t know.¡± The Huntress shot to her feet. ¡°Bil-lie save Khanna. Maybe Bil-lie die¡­just like¡­¡±


    Then Khanna shrieked and went running out of her house.


    Billie coughed a little. ¡°You should go after her.¡±


    This was my life, chasing after the emotional women on Lonetree Ridge, when they went running off after an emotional outburst. It had happened with Billie, with Holly, and with Khanna, multiple times.


    I sighed. ¡°This is my life now. You know, I don¡¯t mind the physical work of survival, but the emotional work just might kill me.¡±


    ¡°Poor baby. Nobody said having a harem would be easy.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t have a harem,¡± I growled.


    I went out the front door, but Khanna wasn¡¯t there. Holly was, and she shot me a worried glance. ¡°Khanna went out to the Point. Anything I can help with?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure yet.¡±


    I¡¯d put in a little wooden walkway on the outside of the house, and I used that to walk to what we called the Point, the westernmost edge of the ridge. The sun was sinking down toward the edge of the ocean, and the sky was alive with oranges, pinks, and an array of blues. A sweet wind blew from the ocean. Yes, it smelled sweet, but the truth was, the various oceans held dangers we¡¯d been lucky to survive. I was a little surprised that the shark men had been easier to fight than the electric squid.


    Khanna sat on a bus seat we¡¯d moved out to the Point just that afternoon. For now, the flowery orange chairs and Formica table were outside, but I planned on building a front patio, which could act as an outdoor living room. I also had plans to build a deck out on the Point and create another firepit. I¡¯d like an awning because it rained all the time, but I wasn¡¯t sure what kind of waterproof fabric we could use.


    I could picture us all out there, cooking over the fire and enjoying each other¡¯s company. Lonetree Ridge was already so welcoming and comfortable, but I wanted to make it really special. We needed more places for the women in my life to cry in peace. I¡¯d thought Khanna was beyond tears, but no, she sat on the bus seat and wept, her whole body shaking.


    I went to her.


    Part of me wished that Opal would be able to help me, but Opal was as silent as the grave.


    ¡°Khanna¡­what¡¯s wrong?¡±


    The Huntress gulped in a breath, tried to talk, but then continued to cry, eyes squeezed shut, mouth open, tears raining down.


    This was going to take some time. I took her in my arms and held her while she cried. I stroked her hair, but I couldn¡¯t help but let my mind wander. We had backpacks, we had bedding, and the mission to San Submerged had been a success. Yes, we¡¯d come dangerously close to death, but that was the reality of K¡¯Shaul. I was little surprised that Opal had failed to optimize my body in the fight against the electric squid, and it had taken quite a bit of energy to even try. She had dropped to 77% of full, but I still had enough Inferna crystals to get her back to 99%.


    I continued to hold Khanna tight until she finally stopped sobbing. It took a little bit longer for her breath to return to normal.


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    We were both quiet as the sun touched the edge of the horizon.


    ¡°I lost Djevojka,¡± Khanna whispered.


    ¡°Tell me about her.¡± My heart nearly stopped. Was Khanna finally going to tell me about her past in the Fabrikata Enclave?


    ¡°Djevojka was my specha momach before Sid Marshall. It was forbidden, though, for the women of the Enclave to be special in that way. We could have the sex, but there couldn¡¯t be love. All love should be for the Iron Descendant.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what that means, Khanna. Who was the Iron Descendent?¡±


    ¡°The First and Forever Chieftain. The Iron Descendant, a man with a metal body, but inside was the soul of Zuulman, the First Padishan, lost to time. Lost to time.¡±


    I felt the hair on my arms stand up. ¡°Like Phillip Zuulman and Carl Zuulman of the Ameritronics corporation?¡±


    ¡°Khanna does not understand Sid Marshall¡¯s words. The man in the picture was a man, not the Iron Descendant. We were created to worship the Iron Descendant, to serve his needs¡­to him, we were to be specha momach. But he wasn¡¯t alive. It was all trickery, for the First Wife, the Eternal Sultana, to control us.¡±


    ¡°Was the Iron Descendant a robot?¡± I asked her.


    That didn¡¯t work. Khanna obviously didn¡¯t know what a robot was. She kept talking, as if I hadn¡¯t said a word.


    ¡°When a girl reached nineteen summers, she was prepared for the Iron Descendant, given strong liquor, taken, washed, and then, she was set on the altar. Then, the Iron Descendant came forward, a metal man, and he¡­would take her maidenhead.¡±


    ¡°Did that happen to you?¡± I asked gently.


    Khanna nodded sorrowfully. ¡°Afterwards, there was the Wand of Life, for children, because the Iron Descendant couldn¡¯t make the onalayla¡±


    I knew that last word. It was sperm.


    ¡°The Eternal Sultana administered the Wand of Life, and she said it was for the good of the Enclave, and maybe it was, but it was cruel. She was cruel. Only once did Khanna submit. All other times, Khanna make excuses. Khanna smart. But then, when Djevojka reached nineteen summers, she was to go. She was chosen. She would¡¯ve¡­it would¡¯ve happened to Djevojka. Khanna say to her that we run away. Khanna tell her to keep it a secret. Djevojka knew who her mother was. Normally, that was forbidden knowledge. We were told that all the women of the Fabrikata Enclave were the daughters of the Iron Descendant and the Wand of Life. No one had a mother, only a father. A lie¡­¡±


    I knew what happened after. ¡°Djevojka told her mother, didn¡¯t she?¡±


    Khanna nodded. ¡°And her mother betrayed her. Betrayed me. We were to be taken, killed, like the boys were killed. No boys allowed in the Fabrikata Enclave, only women, women with the souls of servants. Khanna not have such a soul. Khanna fight but it was too late. Djevojka killed by Eternal Sultana¡¯s guard, and then Khanna flee. Never to return. Evil. Betrayer.¡± Khanna spat on the ground.


    She then looked me full in the face. ¡°Khanna tell Sid Marshall that Bil-lie and the old slut¡ª¡±


    ¡°Holly,¡± I corrected her.


    ¡°Hol-ly, ¡° Khanna said slowly. ¡°Khanna think they betray her and Sid Marshall, like all women. Khanna know how, Bil-lie and Hol-ly not betray us. We family now. Bil-lie so brave. Khanna so wrong. Khanna sorry, Sid Marshall. Khanna so sorry.¡±


    She started weeping again.


    I held her tight. ¡°You were alone for a long time, weren¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Alone, in the Shade Forest, but Khanna know how to survive. The Sultana live in palace, with metal servants, with magic cooking, but Khanna not grow up like that. Khanna know the forest. Khanna alone for a long time¡­until the Black Storm came and put her here. Khanna not care, but Khanna so focha all the time.¡±


    Focha was kind of like the word ¡°lust¡± only it was more like the ¡°the madness of lust,¡± almost hinting at a psychosis.


    ¡°Then Khanna see Sid Marshall. Then rest happens.¡± The Huntress kissed me tenderly. ¡°Khanna now have specha momach. Khanna now have everything. But maybe Khanna lose it. Khanna now have heart open to Bil-lie. Would Bil-lie have a heart big enough for Khanna?¡±


    It was a question I couldn¡¯t really answer. Billie had said she¡¯d had all kinds of fantasies about everyone on Lonetree Ridge. That had to include Khanna. But fantasies were one thing. Reality was another.


    I took Khanna¡¯s hands in my mine. ¡°I don¡¯t know about Billie. I do know I¡¯m honored and grateful to you for telling me about your past. I¡¯m sorry about Djevojka. She died when the Eternal Sultana tried to arrest you, didn¡¯t she?¡±


    The Huntress nodded. ¡°Khanna not trust anyone. Now, Khanna trust you, and Bil-lie, and Hol-ly. Khanna learn English. We become our own Enclave. But Khanna not have babies for Sid Marshall. Khanna not get pregnant from Wand of Life. Khanna maybe not ever get pregnant.¡±


    I kissed her. ¡°Let¡¯s not make any assumptions. Let¡¯s just take things a day a time.¡±


    I hadn¡¯t forgotten what Opal had said about her. She was enhanced in some way, and I didn¡¯t know if that was from her mother being impregnated by the so-called Wand of Life. Who really knew what all that meant.


    I was about to ask when Khanna pointed.


    Then I saw them, in the fading light of day. There were red lights twinkling out in the ocean. It took me a minute to realize what they were. Shark men chieftains, a ton of them, were out there sitting on their bus sharks, with their eyes on our ridge. I counted them¡­a least a dozen of the power crystal necklaces, and with them were hundreds of shark men. It was an invasion force.


    Part of me wanted to swim out there and start hacking apart shark men to get the power crystals around their necks. Another part knew what I had to do to defend Lonetree Ridge from any and all invaders. I¡¯d been putting it off, but now it was time.


    Khanna frowned. ¡°Those shark men not happy to eat their own dead. Those shark men want to eat us.¡±


    ¡°Maybe, but we¡¯re not on the menu. I do have an idea for a buffet though, and those shark fuckers would make an excellent main course. But I don¡¯t want to talk about them for now. If we pull up the rope ladder, they¡¯ll have a helluva time trying to attack our ridge. And we have the bus as well as guns now. And, I think I know how to find us some good guard dogs.¡±


    It was time to test the intelligence of my favorite armored T. rexes.

 Book II - Chapter Seventeen – Morning Coffee

    The shark men didn¡¯t attack that night. We were still taking watches, so we would¡¯ve seen them if they tried it. At this point, they didn¡¯t seem to have the same kind of flight abilities that the electric squid and the puff otters had. That meant they would have to launch an assault the old-fashioned way, which gave us every advantage.


    The next morning, Billie still wasn¡¯t her normal self. She was sluggish and quiet, though she did perk up when Holly brewed up some instant coffee.


    After some scanning, Opal confirmed that the coffee as well as the spices had some kind of preservative that our Earth didn¡¯t have. It seemed the world of Ameritronics was just a little more advanced than we were.


    I have to say, after drinking nothing but water and the stupidly sugary Twankinian sodas, having a strong cup of super dark coffee was a great change of pace. Those Flavor Gems made the difference. Smackers Instant Coffee had been smart to trademark them.


    Billie, curled up in one of our new blankets, sat on a bus seat near our fire. She spent a full minute just smelling the coffee, which we¡¯d poured into one of the four Ameritronics mugs we¡¯d brought back from our salvage trip. ¡°Is it me, or is the coffee amazing?¡±


    Holly, sitting nearby, sipped hers. ¡°For instant coffee, it¡¯s delicious, though I would like to try the US Cup Dark Roast. We have coffee filters, and maybe, if we ever figure electricity, we could bring the coffee maker over from the Ameritronics building.¡±


    ¡°We could do pour-over.¡±


    We all quirked an eyebrow at her.


    Billie shrugged. ¡°What? I worked for a summer at a coffee shop. It¡¯s not rocket science. Besides, I never want to go back to San Submerged. Those flying electrical squid were so awful.¡±


    Khanna hadn¡¯t tried the coffee yet. She seemed to be very suspicious of even the smell. Her English was getting better. She replied to Billie. ¡°We no go back. Monsters. Bil-lie almost die.¡±


    ¡°But I didn¡¯t, Khanna. I¡¯m okay.¡±


    Was she? She still seemed so pale. Opal said she wasn¡¯t poisoned and that she should recover, but the zap had taken some of the fight out of her.


    Tears filled Khanna¡¯s eyes. ¡°Bil-lie save Khanna. Khanna say thank you. Khanna sad that¡­that¡­¡± The emotion cut off her voice.


    Billie left her seat and went over to the Huntress. Billie took both of Khanna¡¯s hands in hers. ¡°I know this has been hardon us all. I know you didn¡¯t trust us. I know, with Sid, it¡¯s complicated.¡±


    Khanna shot me a helpless glance. She wasn¡¯t understanding all the words.


    I helped translate.


    Khanna sniffed back her tears. ¡°Tell Bil-lie that it is complicated. But we share. And maybe more. Maybe Khanna learn to love Bil-lie because she is brave. She save Khanna. And there is more than enough desire for us to enjoy.¡±


    I wasn¡¯t sure sharing all that, right there in front of the professor, was a good idea. I softened it a bit. ¡°Khanna said she understands how complicated things are with us. But she admires your bravery, Billie, and maybe, you and her will become closer.¡±


    Holly coughed out a laugh. ¡°Yes. And so, Sid Marshall¡¯s harem grows. Well, Billie, you wanted a big lesbian orgy, and you just might get one.¡±


    Billie¡¯s eyes flashed. ¡°Don¡¯t go there with me, Professor. Your sarcasm is not helpful, and I won¡¯t let you shame me just because you have issues with our situation. And after your little almost threesome with Khanna and Sid, it¡¯s pretty fucking hypocritical for you to judge me for my desires.¡±


    Holly closed her eyes. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. You¡¯re right.¡±


    Khanna glanced back and forth, clearly mystified. She then caught my eye. ¡°The women are upset because maybe Khanna, Sid Marshall, and Bil-lie have love? The old slut is upset and jealous. The old slut is complicated.¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± I said.


    Billie had stood up for herself, and the anger had put a little color on her face. ¡°I think you heard more about Khanna¡¯s past last night. Am I wrong?¡±


    ¡°No, you¡¯re not wrong.¡±


    Billie looked at Khanna. ¡°We¡¯d like to hear more about where you came from. I know you told Sid. Would you tell us?¡±


    Khanna¡¯s eyes widened, and her mouth feel open. For a second, I thought she¡¯d bolt. But she swallowed hard and nodded. ¡°Yes. Tell them. Tell them how Khanna stand up to the Eternal Sultana. Tell them Khanna is strong, and so sorry for Djevojka. Khanna so lost without Djevojka. Khanna was so alone in the Shade Forest. Khanna was so alone on K¡¯Shaul.¡±


    But not anymore.


    We spent the morning talking, and with three women, I was simply glad it was only a half-day of talking and not the full day. Women love to process things out loud, and for us men, it takes patience to listen and not tune it all out.


    At one point, we talked about how nice pancakes would be. We had the pans, but we didn¡¯t have the batter, and processing grain wasn¡¯t easy. Khanna¡¯s culture might have robots and artificial insemination, but it seemed they hadn¡¯t embraced bread or wheat products of any kind. I joked with Opal that the Fabrikata Enclave might have a collective gluten allergy, but she didn¡¯t have the data to prove or disprove it. Khanna didn¡¯t have Celiac¡¯s Disease, though, that much was clear because she was optimized.  I asked about her freckles, and she said all of her people could protect themselves against the sun. The Enclave had any number of stories about weak people getting sunburns.


    Mostly, we talked about Khanna¡¯s past and our adventures the previous day in San Submerged. I wanted to go back. There had to be pancake mix there as well as syrup, and we¡¯d need more coffee. Opal thought that at least one of the other buildings was an apartment complex, which meant we had a ton of homes to plunder.


    This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    We¡¯d just have to deal with the electric squid problem. There was also the shark problem, but I didn¡¯t want to tackle that issue right then.


    Holly agreed to start going through the Ameritronics Employee Handbook while I said I would check out Carl Zuulman¡¯s journal. The books, though, were not our top priority.


    I physically felt the benefits of keeping Opal at 99% charged, and I wanted to keep her that way. That meant having a good supply of Inferna crystals. I wasn¡¯t going to use the 10X crystal. That I was going to save for the Fodoron Obelisk.


    I¡¯d spent time with Billie and Khanna, but there was another person I needed to check in with.


    ¡°Hey, Holly, do you want to go out and do a little crystal hunting?¡±


    ¡°Sure,¡± Holly said.


    Billie felt better about us leaving now she had more guns with ammunition.


    I had Opal give me an ammo count.


    <<<>>>


    Smith & Wesson .357 Magnum ¨C 30 Hollow Point Rounds


    Mossburg 12 Guage Shotgun ¨C 20 Shells


    .30-06 Remington hunting rifle ¨C 45 Core-Lokt Pointed Soft Point bullets


    <<<>>>


    Billie waved at me with the thirty-ought-six as we left, with Khanna standing near her, giving her new friend shy glances. Khanna had smiles now. I think a part of her missed hanging out with another girl, since she¡¯d grown up in an all female cult.


    With Billie, we¡¯d gone north. So with Holly, we walked south and then east, taking the familiar trails that led us down the Beach Cliffs, through the rainforest, and past Privacy Rock. We saw the bush where we had our very first Sweetberries, the slimy aspen tree that we used to climb up to our redwood perch, and the avenue where I¡¯d dragged the bus off the sands. I took a quick detour to try and find Jack and Reggie, but they weren¡¯t in their normal hunting grounds.


    Before we knew it, we were back on our little patch of Earth, Sector 1.303.A. It was rather comforting to be back under a Colorado sun, standing around Juniper bushes, back with the familiar smells of the Grand Junction desert. The Foiros spaceship was still there, half buried in the red sands, and in the yellow desert, the termite mounds continued to grow. We didn¡¯t have the sector designation for the Yellow Desert, otherwise, Opal would¡¯ve known what types of creatures had were building those towers.


    Beyond the Yellow Desert weren¡¯t just blank zones on our map. That was what had appeared to be static on the screens.


    Going south, we found a strange dead forest on our left, like a petrified forest. Basically, they were sticks rising up from the mud. I immediately dubbed it the Dead Stick Forest. The real designation was Sector 1.113.B (Baylon, Yibalon Wastes in the East Lybor continent). That meant there was a West Lybor continent, but I didn¡¯t want Opal to go into detail about the geography of another world in a vast multiverse.


    ¡°Found one!¡± Holly burst out. She tossed me a good-sized power crystal.


    I caught it. ¡°Thanks!¡±


    I was already at 99%, so I put it in the basket.


    I couldn¡¯t help but tell Holly. ¡°That¡¯s a big one. Nice work.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡± Holly gave me a smile.


    ¡°You don¡¯t do that much anymore,¡± I said.


    ¡°What¡¯s that?¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t smile much.¡±


    That made her laugh. ¡°Well, Sid Marshall, nearly dying all the time does that to a person. I had a nightmare about the shark men last night, and I didn¡¯t even have to fight them.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not just that. We¡¯ve had to fight for our lives at other times, but you seemed more okay than you do now.¡± There was no good way to say it. I had to be blunt. ¡°Professor, you¡¯re getting worse.¡±


    She stopped walking and stood there in the strange Dead Stick Forest. She had her hair pulled back into a ponytail, and she looked good. She smelled good too, thanks to the Twankinian products. We would have a ton more soap and cosmetics from San Submerged once I became squid proof.


    ¡°You¡¯re doing it again.¡± The professor¡¯s voice pulled me out of my reverie.


    ¡°What am I doing?¡± I asked.


    ¡°You¡¯re planning. You¡¯re probably thinking about how much time you should spend in the Fodoron Obelisk and how much of the 10X crystal you should use at a minute per percentage point. Also, you have your various homebuilding projects, including the deck and the outdoor kitchen. But really, you¡¯re trying to figure out the best way to get us to the Foiros Waystation.¡±


    She¡¯d caught me, and I had to grin. ¡°Sorry, Professor. Guilty as charged. I¡¯m glad we found what we did in San Submerged. At least that mystery is solved, and we have gear for the trip to Sector X. I¡¯m happy.¡±


    She looked at me for a long time. ¡°You are, aren¡¯t you? What about the shark men?¡±


    ¡°They haven¡¯t attacked us yet, and I have plan. Believe me, I have a plan.¡±


    She came closer and took my hand. ¡°I love that about you. I know you¡¯re so much younger than I am, but you really are an old soul. Why is that?¡±


    She was so close to me, and I loved her touch. She was beautiful, smart, but troubled.


    We got caught up in each other¡¯s eyes. ¡°You¡¯re not answering my question. What are you thinking about now?¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t want to know.¡±


    She got a serious look on her face. ¡°Maybe I do.¡±


    ¡°I was thinking about how pretty and smart you are.¡± I didn¡¯t look away.


    The professor squeezed my hand before dropping it. ¡°It¡¯s the K¡¯Shaul Effect. I¡¯m not that pretty. And I¡¯m old enough to be your mother. But we weren¡¯t talking about me. We were talking about you. Why are you so focused and mature? Did you have a good relationship with your father?¡±


    I shrugged. ¡°Sometimes it can be hard between a father and a son. My dad is an okay guy, but he put work first, which is admirable. He just wasn¡¯t good with his time¡­or his money. So no, me and my dad weren¡¯t close. My Uncle Marty, though, was a different story. We were close, went hunting, and we just kinda understood each other. He was super successful and had a ton of time to hang out with me. Also, my Aunt Kathy, she was like my mom for most of my life. When my real mom died in the car accident, well, it hurt, but there was Aunt Kathy, to help me through it.¡±


    It was a long speech, but I could tell that the professor was really listening.


    ¡°If we ever get back, I¡¯m going to thank your Aunt Kathy. She did a good job with you. You¡¯re good with us, Sid¡­with me, with Khanna, even with Billie. I can see why she fell in love with you.¡±


    ¡°Billie or Khanna?¡±


    ¡°Both.¡± The professor turned away. ¡°Thank you for not pressuring me¡­for letting me have my space. We started this conversation with me being troubled. You¡¯re not wrong. I am troubled. I have to admit something to you¡­I¡¯ve been mourning Colorado. While I enjoy the challenges of survival on K¡¯Shaul, I would return to a more comfortable life if I could. The problem is, I don¡¯t think we¡¯ll find a way home. Part of me is relieved. Sometimes, giving up hope is a freedom.¡±


    Though I could only see her back, the way she said the words, she made it seem sad.


    ¡°Look at me, Professor.¡±


    She not only turned back around but drew close.


    I kept my voice gentle. ¡°Embracing our life here isn¡¯t necessarily giving up hope. It¡¯s being here, in the moment, and living our lives one day at a time. Aunt Kathy would say that we should bloom where we are planted. This is where we are planted. Let¡¯s bloom.¡±


    Again, we locked eyes, and I knew we both felt that connection. Yes, it was the K¡¯Shaul Effect, certainly. Our desires were turned up to high.


    But now, we¡¯d spent enough time together, that we really knew each other. She admired me, and I admired here. No wonder she¡¯d been so moody. She was beginning to truly accept our situation, and though she liked parts of it, giving up on modern-day life in Colorado was a lot to process.


    ¡°Someday,¡± she whispered, ¡°I¡¯m going to kiss you again.¡±


    ¡°It won¡¯t be just a kiss, Holly. We both know that.


    ¡°I¡¯m counting on it.¡±


    We ended up hugging, and I held her for a long time. Her body felt so good next to mine, and I knew even though we weren¡¯t getting naked, my touch was somehow helping her cope.


    We found two more crystals on the edge of the Dead Stick Forest, and I added them to the basket.


    On the way back, we held hands.


    Again, Holly squeezed my hand. ¡°There¡¯s something else you¡¯re planning on doing, isn¡¯t there?¡± Leave it to the professor to read me so well.


    ¡°Yeah. I¡¯m going to get guard dogs for Lonetree Ridge.¡±


    ¡°I think I can guess their names.¡±


    That made me laugh.


    I wasn¡¯t at all surprised when she asked, ¡°How on Earth are you going to get Jack and Reggie to Lonetree Ridge.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll see,¡± I said. ¡°I have a plan.¡±

 Book II - Chapter Eighteen – Getting Stuff Done

    I kept returning to Jack¡¯s and Reggie¡¯s hunting grounds on the edge of Rainforest World and the Dinosaur Swamps but they weren¡¯t there. Opal scanned for them, but they hadn¡¯t been around in several days.


    I really hoped nothing bad had happened to them.


    During those days, since I couldn¡¯t find my guard dogs, I knocked some things off my to-do list. We gave the bedding a thorough cleaning, I gathered more lumber for my back deck project and did some planning.


    Before I started a big construction project, there were two things I wanted to accomplish, and that meant taking a little trip to the Dinosaur Swamps.


    Our first stop was the Fodoron Obelisk. I wanted to see if I could get access. Sliding the 10X crystal into the housing, I was very happy when the stone melted away and the entrance appeared. We didn¡¯t have much time. The 10X crystal had 80% of it¡¯s charge left, which meant we had eighty minutes, but I wanted to ration that, since such big Inferna crystals were rare.


    Both Billie and Khanna clung to me as the maps appeared, the red energy glowing around, as we saw the other active Obelisks showed us various sectors of K¡¯Shaul.


    Holly walked around the central sphere with her mouth open. She was blinking, completely overwhelmed by the energy and spectacle. ¡°This¡­this is incredible.¡±


    Again, Opal asked if she should pair with the Obelisk, and I got a bad feeling in my stomach. I told her we¡¯d wait until she was at 100%. That seemed to satisfy her.


    Again, we saw the motorcycles in Fry City, and again, they were too far away for us to see who was riding them. However, this time, I did catch a glimpse of power crystals, glinting off the bikes. Some of the motorcycles were powered by the Inferna gems, while others had internal combustion engines. Exhaust pipes leaked smoke as they drove the blasted streets of Fry City.


    I didn¡¯t want to spend a bunch of energy hanging out in the Obelisk. The only reason I was there was to make sure that we could use our crystal to gain access.


    We left and made our way to New Ireland. We got lucky and found a herd of the octosheep.


    Billie took down three of the sheep with the hunting rifle. She was a good shot¡ªthree shots and three sheep dropped. They were good-sized males as well. Khanna and Billie carried one, each of them walking holding legs, while I lugged back to the two, one over each shoulder.


    We made our way back down to Lonetree Ridge and dropped off two of the octosheep. We took a second to shave off the wool and did some butchering. We then hung the corpse up to drain.


    I knew Jack and Reggie were more nocturnal than your average dinosaur, and I hoped that they would find a way back to their hunting ground that evening. If not, I¡¯d leave the sheep to lure them back. When the suns started to set in the various skies, we all left for the hunting grounds.


    I made sure that the women were okay, hiding back in the ferns, and then I crept through the underbrush.


    ¡°Opal, can you scan for the T. rexes?¡±


    Affirmative. HOST COMPANIONS: Jack and Reggie are fifty meters away. Analyzing fungal armor. Anomalous fungal compounds detected! Fungi is not native to any known versions of Earth. Scanning. Processing. Please wait.


    ¡°Not native, Opal? What does that mean?¡±


    Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site.


    Pausing processing to answer HOSTNAME: Sid Marshall¡¯s query. Potential source of fungi unknown. One possible explanation is that the fungi in question crossed from an unknown sector taken from an unknown world.


    Great. I was dealing with a couple of T. rexes infected by some alien form of athlete¡¯s foot. Well, things on K¡¯Shaul were never boring.


    I wasn¡¯t going to mess around. I was going to really test to see what kind of relationship I had with Jack and Reggie.


    Laying the sheep down in the ferns, I walked right out into the open with my survival suit glowing a little. The two T-rexes were chewing on a couple of tusked deer carcasses.


    Both turned to stare at me with their tiny eyes. With the sun setting and the lights reflecting off the many moons above, I was still the brightest thing in the forest.


    ¡°Okay, Jack¡­Reggie, you¡¯re not attacking me. That¡¯s a good sign. I think you know that I¡¯m better for you alive than dead. Is that the case?¡±


    Jack let out a series of grunts. Reggie hissed. They came forward with their nostrils flaring as they snorted.


    ¡°You''re sniffing to see if I have food, aren''t you? Well, I''m wondering what you¡¯ll do if you think I don''t have food.¡±


    Jack moved first, stomping closer, until he was within a couple of yards of me. If he bit me, we¡¯d be really testing the limits of my survival suit and optimized skin. Both might be like aluminon foil compared to the strength of the dinosaur¡¯s jaws.


    The T. rexes didn¡¯t smell too bad, not like athlete¡¯s foot, just kind of a dusty smell.


    Jack¡¯s huge head brushed me, and his nostrils flared again. He had to be smelling the sheep.


    He was close enough for me to touch. I put a hand on one of the fungal ridges covering him. It wasn¡¯t dusty or dirty, jut a hard unyielding layer of mushroom stuff. It almost felt like plastic.


    Reggie roared and shoved Jack aside, and I crouched, ready to leap away.


    Jack was almost knocked over, but he withdrew, letting Reggie have a turn sniffing me. It was like I was dealing with two Labrador Retrievers and not monstrous predators whose only instinct was to kill and devour anything made of meat. Damn. I was made of meat.


    I touched Reggie, and he kind of shoved his face against mine.


    ¡°Sid Marshall.¡± A quiet voice whispered to me.


    It was Khanna. She¡¯d crept to the edges of the ferns. Her eyes were wide. Behind her stood Billie and Holly, equally frightened.


    Those girls¡­I¡¯d told them to stay back.


    Jack raised his head to stare at them, and a second later, Reggie was as well. Both of them took in the women, who stood with their mouths hanging.


    Jack sniffed the air, grunted, and then pushed Reggie back to get to me.


    Jack¡¯s nostrils flared again, and this time, he looked at me with some annoyance in his eyes.


    ¡°I think I know what''s wrong, Jack. You''re wondering why I''m not feeding you? Is our relationship only based on food? I''m kind of okay with that. Hey, since you girls obviously can''t listen to directions, you could make yourself useful. Grab a sheep and toss it out here.¡±


    Khanna and Billie laid one of the sheep out in the open.


    Reggie was faster¡ªhe was a little smaller than Jack and more slender. Reggie snapped up the sheep in a heartbeat, chewing loudly. Jack was not to be outdone. The big white T. rex lunged forward and ripped the sheep in half. Both chewed vigorously. The squishing sounds were almost as disgusting as the crunching sounds. But those were happy dinosaurs as they filled their bellies.


    I walked by them, as they ate, and picked up the other sheep, with my muscles glowing.


    It was a good sign at the Jack and Reggie weren¡¯t going for me or the women once they crunched through the sheep. They made happy grunting noises the entire time as they ate.


    When they were done, they turned to me, and I tossed them the second octosheep.


    Jack grabbed the head, Reggie grabbed the bottom, and they ripped the thing in half.


    Billie stepped forward. ¡°Sid, you¡¯re genius. They aren¡¯t going to eat us because we are bringing them food. This is awesome.¡±


    ¡°Careful,¡± I said, my heart pounding. I hadn¡¯t realized I was breathing so hard. I really hadn¡¯t known if my plan would work, and if anything happened to any of the girls, I would never forgive myself.


    Billie went up to Jack¡¯s big leg¡ªhe seemed to be a little tamer than Reggie. ¡°I have to pet it. I can¡¯t believe it¡¯s an actual dinosaur.¡± She touched the leg.


    Jack twisted around to look at her, noticed it was one of the humans there, and then went back to eating. It was exactly like a dog, more interested in eating than us humans.


    Processing complete. Sentience detected. Fungal growths on large reptiles form complex patterns. More data needed. Possible communication. Possible.


    ¡°Wait." My mind raced. "Opal, are you saying that you can talk to the fucking mushroom armor on the back of the T. rex?"


    Affirmative.

 Book II - Chapter Nineteen – Yeasty Feet

    I stood in the glade near where Rainforest World met the Dinosaur Swamps.


    Scanning. Processing. Please refrain from querying while this unit scans and processes the fungal pattern.


    Billie backed away from Jack. "What are you and Opal talking about?"


    Holly, though, finally stepped out of the ferns and into the glade. She¡¯d heard what I¡¯d said to Opal. "I understand. Communication might be possible. The human brain is a complex series of neurochemicals and electricity. Neurons fire as different electrical impulses take place within the cells. It could be that the mold on the dinosaur might have that same complexity. We know very little about the human mind."


    HOST COMPANION: Holly Croft understands basic concepts. Scanning.


    While us humans were freaking out, Jack and Reggie just kept on chewing like it was no big deal that they might be covered in sentient fungal armor capable of communication. I had to laugh or go crazy.


    Jack and Reggie finally finished chewing up their sheep, and they looked at me like chihuahuas ready for another bowl of Alpo. However, that was not going to happen at the moment because I was busy with my alien ring and potentially sentient fungi.


    Finally, Opal got back to us.


    Scanning complete. Processing complete. Sentience detected. Language possible. Query advised. Waiting for query.


    I had to let the women know what was going on. "Okay, girls. It looks like we can talk to the fungal armor on the dinosaurs. Don''t look at me like that. I''m not in charge. I only work here."


    Billie''s eyes widened. "What do you say to dinosaur mold? I have no idea. Like¡­okay, I think I got it.¡± She lifted a hand. ¡°¡¯Hello. We mean you no harm. We will give you food if you guard our front door.¡¯ How was that?¡±


    ¡°That is unlikely to work, I think,¡± Holly said.


    Billie frowned. ¡°Well, excuse me. I''ve never fucking talked to a dinosaur before.¡±


    We all really were staring at Billie like she had grown another head. Khanna looked at me and asked in ancient Arcadian, "Khanna not like that Sid Marshall speaks to spirits. Khanna think this is bad idea. Khanna think we should run."


    I had to calm the huntress down. " I think it''s going to be okay. Let''s just see what the nice dinosaur mushrooms have to say.¡±


    I turned my attention to my friendly artificial intelligence. "Okay, Opal. Ask them if they can understand you. And tell them that we come in peace. I think that''s a good place to start."


    Billie snorted. "We should say something like, ''take me to your leader.¡¯ Who knows, they might be from like some like fungal empire. I can''t believe this is my life."


    Opal ignored her.


    HOSTNAME: Sid Marshall. Query accepted. Transmitting data. Connection complete. Dialogue is possible between entities. Translation activated.


    I had no idea what the A.I. was really saying to them, but I only could hope that it wouldn''t get us killed. It took a minute, but then I heard a different voice inside my head. It was high-pitched voice, like a chipmunk inhaling helium.


    You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.


    Funny stick people with yeasty feet. Greetings. We appreciate the food stuffs you provide for our World Beast. You have been helpful in keeping the colonies alive. We thank you.


    "Uh, you''re welcome?" I said out loud. I could probably have used some sort of telepathy, but I wasn¡¯t going to risk muddying the waters. ¡°So how did you find¡ª¡±


    The voice cut me off.


    Yeasty foot person. We find your sentience surprising. With your limited eyesight, we understand you can only see primitive color patterns. You may refer to me as White Colony.


    I was about to respond when a different voice erupted in my head. It had that same high-pitched tone, but this one was in a lower register, a huge man¡¯s voice sped up. We should not talk with stick person with yeasty feet. We provide food for our World Beasts on our own, White Colony. Many of our advanced teams have been repulsed by their natural immune system. Funny stick people have powerful bodies. Unnecessary communication. They are limited beings with disgusting procreation habits.


    Billie stood with her arms crossed. ¡°Uh, Sid, do you wanna let us know what''s going on?¡±


    ¡°It''s complicated. Uh, Black Colony doesn''t like us, but White Colony seems interested in being friends.¡±


    White Colony had definitely thoughts about that. Funny stick person with potentially comfortable groin and underarms. Friendship is unlikely, since while you provide us with sustenance for our World Beasts, we cannot offer services in return. What service could we provide you while we wait for your bodies to wither and die before we colonize your cells for our own purposes as is our way, the Way of Molzo. We will merge with you upon the eve of your death.


    Black Colony didn¡¯t like that response. White Colony, you should not have told the strange primate with too much enemy bacteria in their stomach and intestines that we might one day colonize their cells. You should not have mentioned the Way of Molzo.


    Khanna gripped her spear. ¡°What are the spirits of the monsters saying to you now, Sid Marshall?¡±


    ¡°Uh, I¡¯m not sure. I think they have a religion, and it has something to do with eating us when we are dead.¡±


    White Colony didn¡¯t like that answer. No, strange slender creature with delicious orifices¡ª


    I cut them off. ¡°Sid. You can call me Sid. Can I just call you Jack and Reggie? It¡¯s what I named the T. rexes.¡±


    White Colony, or Jack, didn¡¯t seem to mind the interruption. Yes, Sid, we will refer to you as Sid. I will be Jack. Black Colony will be Reggie. What did you call Green Colony before you slew Green Colony¡¯s World Beast?


    ¡°Green Albert.¡±


    Billie let out a frustrated grunt. ¡°Once again, we¡¯re left out of the conversation. He''s talking with dinosaurs and we''re standing around here with our thumbs up our butts. Sorry, Professor.¡±


    Holly shrugged. ¡°It is frustrating, but I trust Sid¡¯s discretion.¡±


    ¡°Sorry, girls, but I have to keep talking with Jack. I think I¡¯m making progress.¡± I turned to the white T. rex. ¡°I didn¡¯t know that you were sentient mushroom armor. Sorry.¡±


    It is all right, Sid! We didn¡¯t know you were sentient either until only recently.


    Reggie wasn¡¯t so friendly. The level of sentience is still up for debate. Our World Beasts have instincts that could be confused with sentience. I am leaving to find more food stuffs. My control over my World Beast is slipping. My World Beast certainly believes that Sid and his yeasty feet would make a fine meal.


    Jack literally sighed in my mind. Black Colony, I doubt your control is slipping. You are impatient for you do not believe Sid offers us benefit. And you are angry that Green Colony has left us. Lastly, you are worried he knows of the Way of Molzo, but I say, all should know the Way of Molzo!¡±


    ¡°Where is Green Colony?¡± I asked.


    But Reggie stormed away, the thing¡¯s giant footsteps making the ground shake. It then roared, probably in frustration.


    Jack gave me a long look, and I could see some kind of intelligence there. The sentient fungus¡¯s spores must¡¯ve infiltrated his brain. I will leave you now and speak with Reggie. I believe I can convince them that working with you would be interesting and productive. I do want this to be an equal partnership. If you provide us food, what can we provide you?


    ¡°You could come and keep watch over our house. There would be more food for you, as long as you don¡¯t mind eating sentient shark people. I think they might be sentient. Not sure.¡±


    I will consider your words. Goodbye, Sid, and thank you for the food stuffs!


    Jack then went charging away, down the broad highway, trying to catch Reggie, otherwise known as Black Colony.


    On the way back to Lonetree Ridge, I went over aspect of my strange conversation with the fungal colonies covering the T. rexes. In the end, it had worked out better than I could¡¯ve ever hoped for.


    But what was the Way of Molzo?

 Book II - Chapter Twenty – Slumber Party

    I had a hard time sleeping that night. Luckily, I had plenty to keep my attention. For one, Khanna slept with her leg thrown over mine and her head resting on my chest. She made little noises in her sleep, which were so cute. She looked serene, completely gone from the world.


    We were using a mixture of the San Submerged bedding and the soft seaweed blankets we got from the Marusian cliff dwellings. The pillows were probably the best part of our find. They felt like heaven under my head.


    We were near enough to the fire that I could watch the flames eat away at the wood. Every so often, there would be a snap, then a crack, and I¡¯d watched the sparks fly up the chimney. I couldn¡¯t look at the stones of that fireplace without a fair amount of pride. When I got tired of looking at the fire, I could turn my head to catch a glimpse of the Marusian ice ring above, a pathway of glittering light across the middle of the sky. The stars on either side struggled to compete with that line of radiance.


    There were still so many mysteries to solve, and we¡¯d been given another one. Where had Jack the White Colony and Reggie the Black Colony come from? Where was Green Colony?


    I was still awake when Holly came in from taking watch.


    That had been a source of contention. Did we need to take watch when Opal was continuously scanning the area around us? She was the ultimate burglar alarm. Khanna didn¡¯t have an opinion, Billie thought I should decide, but the professor maintained we couldn¡¯t trust our fate to a machine that was only 92% operational. We all agreed that if we could get Jack and Reggie to guard our front door, we could all sleep through the night without taking watches.


    However, there was one thing I liked about our night-time ritual.


    Holly woke up Billie, who left out the front door to take her turn in the watchtower above the bus. She was well-armed now, a true Billie the Kidd, right down to the pistol at her side. We kept the long guns up in the watchtower for anyone to use.


    Once Holly had stopped moving around, I slipped out of bed. I quietly added more wood to the fire. It wasn¡¯t raining, but it was still chilly outside. A fog had blown in, blocking our view of the alien night sky.


    I crept out of the front door and made my way up to the tower, where Billie was wrapped up in fur-lined winter coat we¡¯d found. On her feet were fuzzy boots as well. She looked like a commercial for 1970s ski resort.


    Billie smiled at me. ¡°There he is, my hero, and a guy who can make friends with alien mold.¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re not friends yet.¡± I went to her and sat down on the bench I¡¯d built for the tower. We even scavenged a cushion for it.


    I pulled Billie in to hold her. She put her little head on my chest, and I felt her warmth. She smelled so different than Khanna. I loved the little differences between them, and yet, there were similarities as well.


    Billie sighed. ¡°Don¡¯t make me too comfortable. Going back to sleep would be just too easy.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re lucky,¡± I said.


    She raised her head to look into my eyes. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Why can¡¯t you sleep?¡±


    I didn¡¯t know what to say. I didn¡¯t know myself.


    Billie knew me too well. ¡°You¡¯re thinking about Jack and Reggie.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m thinking about Jack and Reggie. You do realize what it means, don¡¯t you?¡±


    She squinted. ¡°Uh, you feel bad about all the bacteria you killed when you cleaned bathrooms? Maybe your nights wouldn¡¯t have been so lonely if you¡¯d had mold friends before?¡± She wrinkled her nose. ¡°See? I¡¯m so weird! I never would¡¯ve said stuff like that in Grand Junction. Here, though, I can be as weird as I want because this place is so fucking weird.¡±


    I laughed. ¡°Yeah. I guess it is. No¡­it¡¯s just that¡­¡±


    Something moved down by the pathway. My heart skipped a beat until I realized it was only Khanna, wrapped up in a polyester blanket. She climbed up the ladder and sat down next to us.


    Her eyes went from my face, down to Billie¡¯s, and back to mine.


    Why did I feel like I¡¯d just been caught cheating?


    Khanna, though, smiled shyly. ¡°Maybe Khanna snuggle with you?¡±


    I didn¡¯t know what to say. Would Billie be upset? Juggling the emotions of these women wasn¡¯t going to be easy. It was kind of like living in a powder keg when your hair was on fire.


    Billie saved me from the awkward moment.


    Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings.


    ¡°Sure, Khanna. There''s room for you.¡± Billie scooted over so I could be in the middle.


    Khanna sat down and immediately put her arms around me and pushed her face into my arm.


    Billie lay on my chest, and I could tell that she was staring into Khanna¡¯s eyes. ¡°You know, Khanna, as you learn English, we¡¯ll have work on pronouns. Instead of saying Khanna, you can just say ¡®I¡¯ or ¡°me.¡¯¡±


    Khanna jerked her head up.


    I expected an explosion.


    Instead, Khanna asked, ¡°Could Sid Marshall tell Khanna what Bil-lie has said? Not all the words are clear to Khanna.¡±


    I translated.


    Khanna thought for a long time. Then she spoke in broken English. ¡°I¡­Khanna¡­I taught words that way. Khanna not think of myself as myself. Think of myself as other person. And nobody is themselves. They are the name the Eternal Sultana gives them. Even now. Even now.¡±


    Khanna blinked at the tears.


    There was a reason why she didn¡¯t use pronouns. It was just another symptom of being raised in a cult.


    Billie¡¯s eyes filled with tears. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for that, Khanna. I know what it¡¯s like to be told you¡¯re not yourself. My father¡­he sounds like the Eternal Sultana.¡±


    That made the Huntress laugh unexpectedly even as tears leaked down her cheeks. ¡°But Bil-lie¡¯s father a man, not an Eternal Sultana. Bil-lie is funny.¡±


    Billie laughed as well. Then she got serious. ¡°I¡¯m more than my name. I had to be. I know it doesn¡¯t mean anything to you, but growing as Billie the Kidd in elementary school was rough. I hated every single one of the cowboy jokes.¡±


    ¡°Cowboy?¡± Khanna looked at me questioningly.


    I tried to give her the ancient Arkadian equivalent. ¡°It¡¯s a warrior on horseback with guns that herds large herbivores from one city to another.¡±


    Khanna cocked her head and answered. ¡°Khanna¡­I¡­heard of mystical knights, armed with magic sticks, riding forth from a legendary place. Khanna dream of meeting a knight, a man, brave and strong.¡±


    ¡°How did you know about men?¡± Billie asked. ¡°I mean, you grow up only with women. Is that right?¡±


    The huntress nodded. ¡°Khanna say to Sid Marshall. Then Sid Marshall tell Bil-lie. Is that okay?¡±


    ¡°Sure,¡± Billie said.


    The Huntress sighed. ¡°Khanna see pictures, in ancient books, and there was the Iron Descendent. We were to love him as the only man. It was the will of the Eternal Sultana. But Khanna never love the Iron Descendent, not his metal body and not his soul, Zuulman, the First Padishan, lost to time.¡±


    I relayed that back to Billie.


    Billie leaned forward and kissed Khanna¡¯s cheek. ¡°Compared to all that, pronouns are not a big deal. You keep talking like Tarzan.¡±


    ¡°Who is Tarzan?¡± Khanna asked.


    Billie was at a loss for words. She furrowed her brow. ¡°How do you explain Tarzan to someone? I mean, it¡¯s like a lost orphan being raised by monkeys and basically becomes a superhero.¡±


    ¡°Raised by apes, not monkeys,¡± I said. ¡°My uncle had all the original Edgar Rice Burroughs books. Tarzan was okay, but I liked the Pellucidar books better.¡±


    Khanna looked lost, but she merely shrugged and snuggled back into my arms. I saw that she was holding Billie¡¯s hands, and Billie¡¯s eyes were sparkling. She was wide awake now.


    I remember how she had tenderly kissed the Huntress so tenderly. It was a kiss of friendship and comfort, but I could only imagine what it might turn into.


    Billie laughed and kissed my cheek. ¡°I don¡¯t understand what he said either, Khanna, so don¡¯t feel bad.¡±


    ¡°Khanna not feel bad. Sid Marshall and two crazy bitches say many things Khanna not understand.¡±


    Again, I waited for the explosion, but it never came.


    Bilie only smiled. ¡°Yeah. I can¡¯t blame you for calling us crazy bitches. It¡¯s been rough, living in this weird place, which has somehow managed to get even weirder than it was before. Fucking sentient mold on dinosaurs. What in the fuck does that make them? Fungasaurs?¡±


    I laughed and kissed Billie¡¯s forehead. ¡°Don¡¯t look at me. I only work here.¡±


    Billie pulled back, her smile turning into a mischievous grin. ¡°Look at you, Mr. Sid Marshall, all cozy and warm with your girls up in the watchtower. Two out of three ain¡¯t bad.¡±


    More movement caught my eye, and down below, I saw Holly with her blanket wrapped around her body leaving our house.


    Billie saw it to. ¡°Maybe you¡¯ll go three for three tonight?¡±


    ¡°Not likely.¡±


    Holly climbed up the ladder and stood there. The lines around her eyes deepened as she smiled. ¡°Well, don¡¯t you three look cozy. Why wasn¡¯t I invited to the slumber party.¡±


    Khanna straightened. She had stiffened next to me. It seemed the Huntress was comfortable around Billie now, but the professor was a different story. ¡°Not party, Hol-ly. Khanna¡­I¡­woke to empty bed. Came looking for Sid Marshall. Found him here with Bil-lie.¡±


    Billie raised her hands. ¡°Don¡¯t blame me. I¡¯m just taking my watch. I didn¡¯t expect this much company. What are you doing up, Professor?¡±


    Holly sighed. ¡°My story is the same was Khanna¡¯s. I woke up in our little house alone. I got afraid¡­terrified, actually.¡±


    Khanna looked perplexed. ¡°Hol-ly not need to fear. Hol-ly strong, smart, and call out to Sid Marshall, and Sid Marshall save her.¡±


    The professor¡¯s smile turned weary. ¡°Yes. I rely on our Sid Marshall for a great many things, including my safety. But I am not certain how strong I am, Khanna. I fear that you three have outpaced me on that account.¡±


    ¡°Nope,¡± Billie said. ¡°We¡¯re all strong in our own special ways. Together, we¡¯re unstoppable. Nothing can break apart the Sid Marshall Enclave.¡±


    Khanna choked back a sob and hid her face in my arm.


    We were shocked for a second, until Billie got it. ¡°Yeah, Khanna, we¡¯re an Enclave.¡±


    ¡°We are an Enclave,¡± Holly agreed. ¡°Scooch over, so I can sit with you guys.¡±


    We moved and Holly sat on the other side of Billie. We were all huddled there like crows on a powerline, and I felt so rich. More than that, I felt safe with these women. I swore to keep it that way.


    We were silent for a bit until Khanna broke the silence with a sigh. ¡°Khanna glad to find new Enclave. Khanna never leave Sid Marshall and Bil-lie.¡± She didn¡¯t add Holly. Not yet.


    Holly must¡¯ve sensed that because she cooled a bit. ¡°You know, Khanna, we might want to work on pronouns, since that might save us some time in communication.¡±


    Billie grabbed Holly¡¯s hand and squeezed it. ¡°You¡¯re a little late to the party, Holly. We already talked about English lessons.¡±


    Khanna sighed again, but this time, it was dramatic, clearly meant to be a joke sigh. ¡°I see no party. There no canananas.¡±


    Billie and Holly looked at me to translate.


    ¡°It¡¯s, uh, basically hors d''oeuvres you have during different rituals and festivals throughout the year. It literally translates as holy party food.¡±


    Billie held up an imaginary glass. ¡°Here¡¯s to holy party food!¡±

 Book II - Chapter Twenty-One – Salted Meat

    That night, it still took me a long time to get to sleep. For whatever reason, my mind wouldn''t shut off. I turned to the book that I''d grabbed out of the penthouse apartment. Even with our time streams being different, I was pretty sure that Carl Zuulman was dead, so I didn¡¯t feel too bad about reading his journal. Thanks to my survival suit, I had plenty of light to read.


    It was the daily thoughts of a man running a successful company, and it was his to-do list as well as a place for him to rant. Goldie in finance was going to be the death of him. She wouldn¡¯t stop nagging him about receipts. That was fine because it helped him during tax prep time.


    Reading about taxes soon got me to sleep.


    The next day was all about packing for our trip. We had everything we needed to find the Foiros Waystation. We just needed to throw it all together in a way we could carry it. The previous day we''d started boiling seawater to get the salt. It was a day of constant fires with a pot bubbling over it as the water burned off and only the salt was left.


    I wasn¡¯t sure of the process. I thought you salted meat that was already cooked, but according to both Khanna and Holly that wasn¡¯t the case.


    My back deck wasn¡¯t built yet, but we did create a kind of outdoor kitchen with a firepit and a shelf of rocks where we could balance our various pans while the water bubbled. We also had the Formica table. Luckily, I was strong enough to move it around with ease, so we had a work bench out there, balanced on the rocks.


    We still had the sheep carcass we¡¯d kept for ourselves, and Khanna used one of our new knives to cut off the meat.


    She was thrilled. ¡°Sid Marshall! This knife is miracle! What is the metal you call it?¡±


    ¡°Steel,¡± I said, as I lifted the cooler and set it down.


    ¡°Steel,¡± Khanna whispered. I knew she wouldn¡¯t forget it. Now that she and Billie were getting closer, Khanna was learning English vocabulary left and right. I thought about what she¡¯d said, how she was taught not to feel special, which is why she wasn¡¯t jumping into the world of pronouns. She was trying though. ¡°You¡± and ¡°your¡± were easier for her than ¡°me¡± and ¡°mine.¡± Having her use the word ¡°I¡± was going to be the real challenge.


    Billie came out of our house and yelled to us. ¡°Should I bring my new coat? How cold do you think it¡¯s going to be?¡±


    It had been like that all morning. Billie had a million questions about what she might need for our trip to Sector X.


    Holly, Khanna, and I were out back, working on preparing the meat.


    I wiped some sweat from my forehead. It was a nice, warm day, and the sun was out. ¡°Well, Billie, you¡¯ve seen as much of New Ireland as I have. We don¡¯t know how cold it¡¯s going to be.¡±


    ¡°Okay!¡± Billie then was back inside, going through our stuff. Before our trip to San Submerged, packing would¡¯ve been a lot easier. Now, we had so much more stuff.


    Holly lifted a pot off the fire and used a stick to attack the crusty residue at the bottom of the pan. She poured the salt into our bowl. ¡°You knew about metal, Khanna. Why didn¡¯t you have metal knives?¡±


    Khanna sighed. ¡°Metal for Eternal Sultana not for Iron Descendant¡¯s brides. Stone good enough for them. Steel knife is very fine. Can Khanna keep?¡±


    ¡°Sure,¡± I said.


    The Huntress let out a squeal and came over to me and kissed me on the cheek.


    Holly threw us a glance from her pots. ¡°And I¡¯m sure you now know how to make a very nice leather sheath for it. You are very talented.¡±


    Khanna didn¡¯t respond but she did smile.


    Billie came out. ¡°Uh, so, we have four canteens, but should we bring more water? Do you think it¡¯s going to rain? I¡¯m not sure my new coat will do so well in the rain. And I¡¯m worried about my lungs from Fry City. I breathed in that air. Could I have gotten lung cancer? It feels funny when I breathe. It doesn¡¯t hurt or anything. It just feels funny. Should I be worried?¡±


    She went on and on


    Khanna put her knife down and went over to the cheerleader. The Huntress¡¯s hands were bloody from butchering the sheep. ¡°Bil-lie. You¡­came to K¡¯Shaul naked. Khanna come to K¡¯Shaul naked. Khanna and Bil-lie¡­we¡­survive. This journey easy. No worry. No worry.¡±


    Billie¡¯s cheeks flushed. She was clearly embarrassed. ¡°You¡¯re right. You¡¯re right. It¡¯s not like I have a ton of stuff to go through. I guess I¡¯m like my mom. She used to freak out before a trip. I can¡¯t believe we¡¯re leaving our little home, and for what? Sleeping on the ground, and we have a tent, right? Just the one tent, but it¡¯s a two-person tent. It¡¯s going to be tight fit.¡±


    I didn''t have the heart to tell her that a two-person tent really only slept one, so that having three people in there wasn''t just going to be tight, but basically, they would have to sleep on each other. I was looking forward to that part.


    ¡°We do have a quite a bit of stuff,¡± I said. ¡°I¡¯m going to bring the cooler filled with salt and meat. We have the tent and some other supplies as well as the guns. We won¡¯t be traveling light, but we¡¯ll be okay.¡±


    When Khanna went over to the table, Billie followed. I could see the two were getting far more comfortable with each other.


    Billie straightened her a little, her eyes on Khanna. ¡°I¡¯m sure the tent will be fine. It¡¯ll be fun. I had a friend in elementary school, and we used to sleep in a tent in her backyard. But I kept thinking a bear would attack us. Crazy, I know, because we were in the middle of Grand Junction, but in my defense, there have been bear sightings there.¡±


    A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.


    ¡°No bears.¡± I was glancing around, doing some measuring for the deck I wanted to build. ¡°Besides, Opal will be scanning constantly. I have plenty of crystals to keep her at 99%.¡±


    Holly picked up one of her waterproof baskets and filled another pot with seawater. She set it on the stones to get it boiling. ¡°I am praying that once she gets to 100%, we¡¯ll learn more about her primary mission.¡±


    I filled the bottom of the cooler with our salt. We¡¯d then add a layer of meat before we added more. ¡°And we can pair her to the Fodoron Obelisk. We better start getting some fucking answers.¡±


    Billie couldn¡¯t take her eyes off Khanna. ¡°Yeah, the tent is small, but I¡¯m sure it will be okay.¡±


    That made me laugh. I knew what was on Billie¡¯s mind. It was the K¡¯Shaul Effect. All of us were thinking about sex all the time.


    The Huntress¡¯s lips curled into a little smile. Billie¡¯s obsession with the tent wasn¡¯t lost on her.


    We spent the day packing, salting the meat, and then coming up with a way for me to carry most of the stuff. In the end, we had a little sled that I would pull across the grasses of New Ireland. That would get us to Fry City, but once there, we might be able to find a vehicle. When Billie and I had been there before, Opal had said something about cars, and we did see motorcycles. I could picture us all zooming over the hills on motorcycles.


    Part of me wanted to get the trip over, so I could come back and work on the deck.


    That evening, we ate dinner on the Point, next to the fire flickering in the pit. The fire had been going all day, and so there was a pile of coals there, gleaming red. We¡¯d cooked up some tusked deer on the coals, seasoned with garlic salt and lemon pepper we¡¯d taken from the Ameritronics breakroom.


    It was the best meal we¡¯d had in weeks. We even had dessert¡ªTwankinian Sugardrop Pies, which were like Hostess¡¯s cherry pies, but a bit sweeter, if you could believe it. Sugardrops were the Twankinian form of cherries.


    Holly came out to join me. Billie and Khanna were in the house, talking, and laughing. Well, Khanna was laughing. Billie, on the other hand, was full of giggles, nervous, somewhat horny giggles. We could see them near the fire, since our house didn¡¯t have walls. I still needed to add. Windows from the Twankinian strip mall. Or maybe not. I kind of like to having it open so we could smell the ocean and hear the surf. I¡¯d considered turning it into a bunker, with thick walls, and no windows. But already, we had basically a fortress. However, I¡¯d been thinking about wooden walls we could slam into place.


    Being outside felt so good. I realized I had spent way too much time indoors back in Grand Junction. It was a shame, since one of the joys of living in Colorado were all the outside activities.


    Holly pulled me out of my reverie. ¡°Mr. Marshall, I need your help with something.¡±


    ¡°What is it, Professor?¡±


    ¡°Mr. Marshall, I need you to tell me to quit worrying. However, unlike our Billie Lynn Kidd, I''m not worried about our little journey. I worry about the ramifications of the sentient mold covering the dinosaurs. They did not tell us where Green Colony went.¡±


    ¡°Are they dinosaurs or are they fungasaurs?¡±


    Holly sighed. ¡°I suppose the name was inevitable. But seriously, Sid¡­¡±


    I tried to make her feel better. ¡°I''m not sure they knew, Professor. I mean, Holly. Khanna will eventually learn English, and I¡¯ll start calling you by your first name. You''re not my teacher anymore.¡±


    Holly looked at me over the flames. ¡°You¡¯re right. I¡¯m not. And with every day passing, the reality of that seems to carry more weight.¡±


    Khanna let out a laugh that was very close to a giggle.


    The professor glanced over at them. ¡°Those two seem to be getting along. I''m glad. I think it''s important for Billie to have friends.¡±


    ¡°What about you?¡± I asked.


    Holly tilted her head. ¡°I fear that we have strayed from my original topic of conversation, namely, the existential meaning of sentient mold. If that fungus can be sentient, what else can be alive in this world? What if White Colony isn''t as friendly as he seems?¡±


    ¡°Jack? Jack is okay. And Reggie isn¡¯t that bright, not when it comes to concealing the truth. Actually, Holly, talking to the fungi has made me feel better about the whole situation. We have obvious value, since we keep their World Beasts alive. And dealing with sentient fungal armor is probably a lot easier than talking to the T. rexes.¡±


    ¡°Their reptilian brain is something I can understand.¡± Holly paused. ¡°But with Jack and Reggie, we simply don¡¯t know what we¡¯re dealing with.¡±


    ¡°It comes back to the Way of Molzo,¡± I said. ¡°It seems to be their code, but I don¡¯t know what it is, so I don¡¯t an opinion yet. While we¡¯re gone, I¡¯m not too afraid of the shark men coming up and messing with our stuff. I mean, they have plenty of meat in the ocean. No, I think it¡¯s power crystals they want. While we¡¯re gone, there won¡¯t be any Inferness energy up here to tempt them.¡±


    ¡°I hope you¡¯re right.¡±


    Again, Khanna laughed. This time, we heard her say, ¡°Khanna. She no use pronoun!¡±


    Billie responded. ¡°Your face is a pronoun!¡±


    That made Khanna giggle. ¡°Bil-lie¡¯s language is silly. Bil-lie is silly. Ha! That is sounding the same.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s called a rhyme, Khanna.¡±


    ¡°A rhyme? Can Khanna do it all the time?¡±


    ¡°You can when you start using pronouns!¡±


    That made them both laugh.


    Holly looked past me and into the night. For a second, I could see how lonely she seemed. I wanted to make her feel better.


    ¡°You know, Holly, you¡¯re not alone. You¡¯re a part of our Enclave.¡±


    Holly nodded and smiled a little. ¡°Yes. The Sid Marshall Enclave.¡±


    ¡°We are not calling it that. Just like Carl Zuulman didn¡¯t name his company after himself, or his grandfather, we¡¯re not naming the Enclave after me.¡±


    ¡°But what if I insist?¡± Holly asked. ¡°The Marshall Enclave has a certain ring to it. I worked for the Marshall Plan after World War II.¡±


    That made me roll my eyes. ¡°Whatever.¡±


    ¡°Are you enjoying Carl¡¯s diary?¡± Holly asked.


    I shrugged. ¡°Running a company certainly isn¡¯t very sexy. I¡¯m in the middle of the tax season right now, fiscal year 1971. He¡¯s glad Nixon is in the White House. I don¡¯t think Watergate happened on that world.¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Holly said. ¡°The fantasy of things is very different than the reality. Most of the time. Billie has been obsessed about how small the tent is. I think I know why.¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡± I didn¡¯t know what else to say, so Holly and I sat in the quiet, the only sounds were the surf below, the crackle of the fire, and the soft chatter of Khanna and Billie talking. After that much girl talk, Khanna¡¯s English was bound to improve.


    I had to say something, but I kept picturing the three women in the tent, naked, and me crawling on top of them. The image drained all of the blood out of my brain.


    Finally, I cleared my throat. ¡°So, uh, how goes it reading the Ameritronics Employee Handbook?¡±


    Holly¡¯s eyes sparkled. ¡°It was from a different time, I¡¯ll tell you that much. I¡¯ve only read a little, but there is a guide to cigarette smoking in the workplace. An extensive guide. Like I said¡­different time.¡±


    We talked more, but we cut it short because tomorrow was going to be a long day of travel.


    My plan was to get a good night sleep but that wasn¡¯t meant to be.


    This time, it was Billie woke me up. I was sound asleep, with Khanna lying on my chest, when Billie shook me awake.


    My eyes popped open, and I saw the glow of the coals. Then I focused on Billie, who put a finger to her lips.


    From the gleam in her eyes, I knew what she wanted¡­


    Careful not to wake Khanna, I again put a log in the fire before leaving the house with Billie.


    ¡°Where do you want to go?¡± I asked.


    ¡°To the bus. I have a blanket and pillows.¡±


    ¡°Thank God for the bus,¡± I said, laughing a little.


    ¡°Come on,¡± Billie said. ¡°I¡¯ve been so horny all day.¡±


    That wasn¡¯t very surprising¡­just another day on K¡¯Shaul.


    What was surprising is that Khanna joined us that night.

 Book II - Chapter Twenty-Two – First Threesome Encounter

    It wasn¡¯t that cold of a night, but there was a light rain, tapping out a comfortable rhythm on top of the bus.


    Billie basically threw me on a seat, threw a blanket around her, and straddled me. Her mouth met mine, and I inhaled her sweet scent. Her body was an inferno against mine, but her kisses were even hotter.


    It wasn¡¯t long before we touched tongues.


    Billie growled into my mouth as she rubbed herself against me. I was wondering why we hadn¡¯t taken off our clothes. That seemed like the stupidest thing in the world. Why weren¡¯t we naked? Getting out of the survival suits wasn¡¯t all that easy.


    Billie had the same idea. ¡°Why aren¡¯t we naked?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re asking me? You¡¯re the one he threw me on the bus seat.¡±


    ¡°I love this fucking bus. ¡°Billie giggled. ¡°It¡¯s literally our fucking bus.¡±


    She then got off me. She unzipped the suit until I could see both her cleavage and her belly button and the top of her pubic hair.


    She peeled the suit off one shoulder. ¡°How do I look?¡±


    ¡°Perfect.¡± I moaned as I pressed myself up into her. ¡°You¡¯ve been thinking about the tent, haven¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± she said. ¡°Me, you, Khanna, and Holly in that tiny little tent. We¡¯ll have to be on top of each other. Or closer. In each other.¡±


    She pulled the survival suit down, exposing her chest. Her puffy nipples had hardened into long, throbbing points. She stripped the rest of the way off. I loved the golden triangle of fur between her legs. After spending so much time with Khanna, who was hairless from the eyebrows down, it was a welcome change. I liked women of all shapes, sizes, and hairstyles.


    Billie unzipped me and pushed my suit back. I raised my hips as she pulled it all the way off.


    I was as naked as she was. Like her, I didn¡¯t care about the cold. Every bit of her skin radiated heat, and when she pressed her tits against me, it was like I was being scalded.


    She got back on top of me, and my cock found her dripping opening. She sank down on my shaft, hissing, ¡°Oh, fuck, yeah. I needed this, Sid. I needed you inside of me.¡±


    I was all the way inside of her as she leaned down and kissed me. Feeling her heat around me, I reached back and grabbed her muscular ass.


    I was about to start pounding her when I sensed someone watching us.


    ¡°Wait. Billie.¡±


    Billie must¡¯ve felt something weird as well because she also turned.


    We both were staring at Khanna, who stood in the rain, naked. I had no idea how long she¡¯d been there, but she looked good, with her body dripping with rainwater. Her big nipples were pulled tight on her chest. My eyes went to the slit between her legs, just a little line between her thighs.


    Billie reached out and motioned to the Huntress. ¡°It¡¯s okay, Khanna. You can come into the bus. I have a blanket for you.¡±


    Khanna climbed up into the bus. She took and blanket and wrapped herself up into it.


    She was gazing at our naked bodies, and I couldn¡¯t help but my pull out of Billie a little, before pushing my cock up into her. It was just a tiny little motion, but it felt so good.


    Billie¡¯s eyes fluttered. She moaned.


    Khanna sat next to us, covered in the blanket. Her eyes blazed with lust. ¡°Can Khanna kiss¡­you.¡±


    I didn¡¯t know who she meant. The one fucking time I didn¡¯t want her to use a pronoun¡­


    Both Billie and I answered at the same time. ¡°Yes!¡±


    Khanna pushed her lips against mine. Kissing Khanna while fucking Billie was the pinnacle of my existence. I gasped into Khanna¡¯s mouth while I thrust up inside the cheerleader, over and over, getting us both messy with her juices.


    Khanna stopped kissing me, and I watched as she took Billie¡¯s head gingerly in her hands.


    My heart leapt into my throat. My cock became iron.


    I was about to see two horny girls kiss in real life.


    Billie¡¯s eyes were half-closed from the pleasure she was feeling. Yet, she was staring into Khanna¡¯s eyes.


    It was like the Huntress had lost some of her courage.


    Billie was there to urge her own. ¡°It¡¯s okay, Khanna. I want it. Billie wants Khanna to kiss her.¡±


    The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.


    The Huntress smiled and then, she gently kissed Billie.


    It was so tender, so loving, almost full of reverence. When Khanna loved someone, it was a love that was forever, and I saw the way the two women came together. It was more than their lips, more than their bodies, it was their hearts and souls.


    For a second, it was more beautiful than sexy.


    It was like the world had stopped for that kiss.


    Clearly both of them were feeling the power of it.


    Khanna broke the kiss first, and she pressed her head against Billie¡¯s forehead. Both the cheerleader and I were motionless in that moment.


    Khanna turned back to me and kissed me with that same intensity. I wasn¡¯t just having sex with one woman at a time, but it was like all three of us had found a profound connection in that moment.


    ¡°Beautiful,¡± Billie whispered. ¡°You guys are beautiful together.¡±


    Khanna shook off the blanket, and she kneeled on the bus seat. She kissed Billie again, only this time the Huntress cupped one of Billie¡¯s breasts. She caressed the nipple as the two kissed, this time, with tongues as well as lips.


    The flavor of our intensity changed going from more tender to something that vibrated with an almost aggressive energy.


    Khanna¡¯s hands went down Billie¡¯s belly to touch her clit.


    At the same time, I put a hand on Khanna¡¯s muscular body, feeling the hard muscles of her abdomen before touching the softer flesh of her hips, then her ass. Reaching farther, I caressed her sex, wet with her girl cum.


    I easily slid a finger into her hot hole. She was wet and loose enough for me to add another.


    I loved playing with both girls but in very different ways.


    Billie leaned back to let Khanna touch her button.


    ¡°Yes, Khanna. Oh, Khanna, you know exactly where to touch me. I love it so much. I¡¯m so close. No, I¡¯m there. Oh, god, you¡¯re making me come.¡±


    Billie grunted, and I felt her spasm around me even before she told us what was happening. It was like someone with a velvet glove was slowly squeezing and releasing my shaft.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m coming, Khanna. You¡¯re making me come on Sid¡¯s cock.¡±


    I felt very spasm of her tight tunnel.


    Billie was sweating, and the inside of the bus felt like it was a thousand degrees. I thrust up into her, suddenly on the edge myself as Khanna turned to kiss me more. She shoved her tongue into my mouth while she grabbed my fingers and started to using my hand to fuck herself hard.


    Billie let out a final moan. ¡°It¡¯s your turn, Khanna. I know you want a turn with Sid.¡±


    ¡°Yes. Yes, please.¡± Khanna¡¯s voice came out as a whimper, weak with lust. ¡°I need it.¡±


    Billie got off me. Even though the bus was hot, it wasn¡¯t as warm as Billie¡¯s body. I felt the relatively cool air on my shaft, but not for long.


    Khanna bent and took me in her mouth.


    She wasn¡¯t just tasting me, she was tasting the depths of Billie¡¯s pussy as well.


    The thought nearly made me come.


    Even Billie was amazed.


    ¡°Holy shit,¡± the cheerleader gasped. ¡°She¡¯s not very shy, is she?¡±


    I was too busy keeping myself under control to answer her.


    Khanna gave my cock a last lick before turned around and bending over, with her legs slightly spread. ¡°Now, do it, Sid Marshall. Fuck me.¡±


    I loved hearing her say those words.


    I got up behind her, took hold of her small, slender body and easily slid into her. She was tighter than Billie, but that didn¡¯t matter much, since both of them felt so good. It was just one of the little things I noticed about them and their different bodies.


    I took Khanna¡¯s hips in my hands and started slamming into her.


    ¡°Ai! Ai! Ai!¡± Khanna couldn¡¯t stay quiet, feeling me so deep inside of her. Every time I slammed home, she yelped. It was like her pleasure was mine.


    Billie came up on the side, naked, eyes wide. ¡°I can¡¯t believe I¡¯m watching you two together. I¡¯ve thought about this a thousand times, fantasized about it, knowing what you did at Privacy Rock. Yeah, but seeing it as a million times hotter than imagining it. She¡¯s so little and strong. I love her tiny little titties. Can I touch you, Khanna?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± the Huntress gasped. ¡°Please.¡±


    Billie caressed the woman¡¯s back, feeling her muscles there, before cupping one of Khanna¡¯s soft butt cheeks.


    Her other hand cupped one of Khanna¡¯s breasts, which was really just nipple, except now that she was bending over, there was a little more to work with.


    Billie couldn¡¯t contain herself. ¡°I can¡¯t believe I¡¯m doing this. I can¡¯t believe how fucking hot this is.¡± She was touching Khanna all over, and then, she even brushed her fingers across Khanna¡¯s face.


    A second later, Billie traced Khanna¡¯s lips with her fingers.


    Khanna sucked on Billie¡¯s finger, growling, as I continued to pound her.


    Joyfully, I¡¯d reach a plateau where it felt like I could go forever. It was all the ecstasy and none of the orgasms for a minute, though I wasn¡¯t sure how long I had.


    Billie was letting Khanna suck on her fingers, but the other was teasing Khanna¡¯s nipples, pulling on them, pinching them, caressing them.


    ¡°She¡¯s sucking on my fingers, Sid,¡± the cheerleader breathed. ¡°It¡¯s like she wants to fuck your cock and suck on it at the same time.¡±


    I couldn¡¯t say a word. I was too busy appreciating the bodies of the women, Khanna¡¯s ass and tight hole and Billie¡¯s naked tits. Both of them were the more gorgeous women I¡¯d ever seen, and I was with them at the same time.


    Distantly, I felt the cold bus floor under my feet, but that was easy to ignore.


    Billie let out a strangled cry. ¡°I can¡¯t help myself!¡±


    She got underneath Khanna. Laying on her back, Billie began to suck on Khanna¡¯s long nipples, but this time, Billie had her legs spread. She was rubbing herself while she suckled on the Huntress¡¯s scant tits.


    I knew what was about to happen.


    Billie lifted her hips, and I could hear her grunting as she orgasmed. Sucking on the tits of another woman had made her come.


    There was no holding back. Before I knew it, I was erupting. I went from being on top of the plateau to being thrown off it. I didn¡¯t even have the presence to pull out. Before I knew it, the pleasure filled my brain, and I managed to grunt, ¡°Holy fucking shit.¡±


    Then, I was pouring myself into the depths of Khanna¡¯s body.


    Over and over, I felt myself gushing into her. The world had been reduced to our orgasms, first Billie¡¯s and then mine.


    Khanna glanced back, her long black hair sticking to her sweaty face. She smiled at me. In ancient Arkadian, she said, ¡°Khanna think Sid Marshall just gave Khanna baby. Iron Descendant couldn¡¯t, but he bad and ugly and metal. Sid is good and handsome and fleshy.¡±


    Billie then pulled Khanna down for a kiss.


    Opal had been listening.


    HOSTNAME: Sid Marshall¡¯s spermatozoa withheld. A child would delay any attempts to find the Foiros Waystation. Primary mission incomplete. Please charge this unit to 100% for more information.


    ¡°That¡¯s the plan,¡± I muttered.


    Khanna and Billie continued to kiss.


    Sure, it was going be a long night, but I¡¯d lost more sleep for less good reasons.


    In the end, I had sex with both Billie and Khanna three more times, and while the girls kissed and touched each other, both didn¡¯t seem ready for more. That was okay with me. This was a huge step.


    While Holly didn¡¯t come out to join us, I wondered if she¡¯d heard us.


    It wasn¡¯t until the next day, after we¡¯d spent the morning walking across New Ireland, that the truth came out.

 Book II - Chapter Twenty-Three – Crossing New Ireland

    I gripped the rope to my drag sled, otherwise known as a travois, as we slogged across the green grasses of New Ireland. We had our supplies piled up on the crossbars between the long poles. Mostly, it was camping gear and our cooler filled with salted mutton, but we¡¯d also brought the empty plasma weapons as well. I was impressed at how well the ends of the poles slid through the grass and wet dirt. I was using a lot of energy, but I was so strong it didn¡¯t feel hard at all. Even better, I had a basket full of power crystals to keep myself refueled.


    It was cloudy but not rainy.  We topped a hill and started down the other side. So far, the skies were clear of pteraxels, and we hadn¡¯t seen any of the vicious dogs that Opal thought might be in that world.


    In the distance was the blackened skies of Fry City. We didn¡¯t know how far New Ireland extended east, but it went beyond that strange, toxic place. I didn¡¯t think we¡¯d run into the motorcycle gang as well as we stayed on the seemingly endless grassy hills.


    It was actual a nice walk, and I wasn¡¯t worried about rain. With our survival suits, we¡¯d be dry ten seconds later. We even had a solution for Khanna. In our gear, we¡¯d brought a poncho, and we¡¯d forced her to put it on. During the fashion show, she looked so cute covered in plastic. Billie wore one backpack, while Khanna wore the other. All of us had a canteen clipped to our suits.


    Holly had crafted a basket with straps, which she had slung over a shoulder. She carried the shotgun. Billie had the holster on her hip and the hunting rifle over her shoulder.


    Billie¡¯s eyes absolutely glowed when she looked at Khanna, and the Huntress had kisses for both me and Billie. We¡¯d come along way, but then, Khanna had grown up around only women. Her first great love, Djevojka, had been a woman, so for her, it was kind of normal.


    Billie didn¡¯t just have a buddy, she had someone she could kiss and caress. It was stupid to think that Holly wouldn¡¯t notice. Khanna and Billie were walking behind us, joking and laughing like they were best friends forever.


    The professor walked right next to me as I marched forward with the travois trailing behind me.


    ¡°Sid, I have something delicate to talk about.¡±


    I was gonna beat her to the punch. ¡°Yeah, Professor, what you think probably happened last night did happen. I figured you knew. I guess I should say I''m sorry.¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Holly said quickly. ¡°There''s no need to apologize. When Billie gave in to her temptations, it was only a matter of time.¡±


    I had to laugh. ¡°I''m glad you thought so, I didn''t really have a clue.¡± I wasn''t going to let the conversation slip into any kind of awkward silence. ¡°So, Professor. I''m assuming you''re not taking it well, but that''s a bad assumption. You might be fine with the whole thing.¡±


    ¡°I assure you¡­I''m not fine.¡± The words came up bitter, but she seemed to catch herself. ¡°Let me put it another way¡­my reaction to what I heard in the bus last night does not put me in a very positive state. That, however, is not your concern. I can''t ask you to suppress your desires, especially here in this very strange place. I don''t you to change one thing about your life. I just wanted you to know that I knew. That''s it.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s it?¡± I gave her a long look.


    ¡°That¡¯s it.¡± She looked very serious, and I knew, it was the wrong time to joke, but I was feeling a little feisty.


    ¡°So you don''t want an invitation next time? Because, you know, that would help us out, I think. Billie wanted a big lesbian orgy. Sex between three people is a m¨¦nage ¨¤ trois, right? But I think sex between four people is an orgy? Is that how it works?¡±


    I was very glad when Holly laughed.


    She added a mischievous little grin when she said, ¡°No, Sid, sex with four people is a foursome. I believe an orgy if five or more, though the rules differ between cultures.¡±


    Holly then let out a shout. ¡°Sid! Look!¡±


    She ran ahead and came back with a good-sized power crystal, gleaming in her hand. ¡°Where do you want it?¡±


    I stopped walking and smiled. ¡°We were just talking about orgies, and so, that¡¯s a loaded question. I certainly don¡¯t want it in any of my orifices. Just shove it against my chest and Opal will do the work.¡±


    Holly came close enough for me to smell her. With the look of concentration on her face, she pushed the crystal near my chest. It didn¡¯t even touch me when it vanished. The familiar message appeared in my vision. Opal was at 99% but wanted to be at 100%.


    Holly gazed into my face. ¡°Your eyes glow a little with red light when you get power. I hadn¡¯t noticed that. How did Opal like the crystal?¡±


    ¡°Let me ask her¡­hey, Opal¡ª¡± I didn¡¯t even get the question out when Opal¡¯s voice appeared in my head.


    HOST COMPANION: Holly Kroft has asked a question that assumes an emotional reaction. I do not have emotions. I have my primary mission, which requires me to be to be at a hundred percent of my full functionality. Please charge to 100%.


    This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    I lied and said, ¡°She loved it. You should hear her go and on about how delicious that crystal was.¡±


    HOSTNAME: Sid Marshall is not relaying objective truth. Sarcasm detected.


    Holly laughed a little. ¡°I don¡¯t believe you.¡±


    ¡°Neither did Opal.¡±


    We started walking again.


    ¡°You know,¡± Holly said out of the blue. ¡°You did have a foursome last night. Opal was there. If I did join you, it would be by definition, an orgy. It does give one food for thought.¡±


    ¡°Probably just the K¡¯Shaul Effect, Professor.¡±


    ¡°Definitely the K¡¯Shaul Effect,¡± she breathed. ¡°You know, I was very carefree and wild in my younger days after I escaped my parents. I''m not a prude.¡±


    ¡°I never said you were.¡±


    Billie and Khanna caught up with us.


    Holly must¡¯ve been feeling feisty as well. ¡°Billie. Khanna. I was just telling Sid about my wilder, younger days.¡±


    Billie¡¯s face was already red from laughing with Khanna. But now her eyes were sparkling as well. ¡°Ooh, tell us the dirt. Was it college, and were you in a sorority, and were there big lesbian orgies?¡±


    Khanna cocked her head, went to say something, and then thought better of it. She looked at me for some explanation.


    What could I say? In ancient Arkadian, I said, ¡°It¡¯s complicated. You know Bil-lie.¡±


    That made the Huntress smile. ¡°Khanna know Bil-lie.¡±


    Holly gave Billie a friendly little bump with her hip. ¡°What is it with you and wild sorority orgies? This isn¡¯t the first time you¡¯ve mentioned them. Are you sharing a secret fantasy?¡±


    ¡°No!¡± Billie made a face. ¡°Gross! You can¡¯t talk about my fantasies! You¡¯re like, my anthropology professor.¡±


    Holly took the outburst in stride. It was clearly a case of protesting too much. ¡°I was your anthropology professor, Ms. Kidd. Here, I am your friend and ally in the struggle for survival.¡± The impish smile on Holly¡¯s face was mysterious. What was it implying?


    There was no way to know, but she returned to the topic at hand. ¡°I assure you, Ms. Kidd, I wasn¡¯t ready to explore my sexuality until I was out of college. Actually, I was in grad school, traveling to Borneo, when I met two British women who were in the same program I was. We hit it off right away. They were very funny.¡±


    ¡°That I can believe,¡± Billie said. ¡°English people can be so funny.¡±


    Khanna couldn¡¯t keep up with the English, and it was clear she was ignoring our conversation to scan the horizons for signs of trouble.


    Holly continued. ¡°It wasn¡¯t until one of the women kissed me, after a night of drinking, that I understood the situation. The two were a couple and wanted me to join them. That was a month of exploration I quite enjoyed. It wasn¡¯t meant to last, and no, Mr. Marshall, I was never a part of an orgy.¡± She stopped to count on her fingers. ¡°Wait. That is not true. We met another couple from Germany. Five makes an orgy, correct?¡±


    Billie¡¯s mouth was open, her eyes were wide, and she couldn¡¯t talk for a second. Then she snorted. ¡°Uh, more than three is an orgy.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a foursome,¡± both Holly and I said the same thing at the same time.


    That made Billie laugh.


    Holly, though, got serious. ¡°In the end, when life events impinged on the fantasy of our threesome, I was the one that found myself on the outside. Diana and Ivy had each other, and I ended up along. Worse yet, the experience awakened desires in me that I still can¡¯t quite comprehend. For one, I found that I was bisexual. The other? I enjoyed the rhythms of that kind of love.¡±


    ¡°What kind?¡± Billie asked. ¡°Sorry, but I¡¯m not understanding.¡±


    ¡°I enjoyed the energy and conversation of a polycule. It didn¡¯t last long, but¡­¡±


    Billie grimaced. ¡°Polycule? Oh, right. I¡¯m glad you didn¡¯t say throuple. I hate that word, though, I guess¡­¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re a part of a throuple,¡± Holly finished.


    ¡°I guess I am,¡± Billie conceded.


    ¡°What happened with Diana and Ivy?¡± I was kind of invested.


    ¡°Ivy¡¯s mother died, and they had to take care of her father, and I had to return to the States, and I didn¡¯t have enough money to visit them in London. In time, the fire faded. However, it left its mark on me. Humans are very social primates, and our connections are hardwired into our neurochemistry. When you are around the same people, day after day, you eventually share the same bacteria.¡±


    ¡°Our periods have already synced up,¡± Billie said. ¡°Which is totally weird.¡±


    ¡°We were created to be with our people.¡± Holly fell quiet, and we walked in silence a bit. ¡°I had trouble finding my people after that. I was rudderless. And wary, I suppose.¡±


    Khanna finally let a sigh and nearly shouted in ancient Arkadian. ¡°Sid Marshall! The old slut goes on and on. What is Hol-ly saying? Khanna cannot understand.¡±


    I tried to summarize. ¡°She ended up having sex with a couple for a bit, and then things fell apart. She misses being a part of a family.¡±


    ¡°The old slut has our enclave. What is the matter with her?¡±


    ¡°I think she¡¯s afraid of being hurt again.¡±


    Khanna seemed to take a minute, like she was trying to fully understand what I was saying. Then she nodded. ¡°Yes. Khanna understand old wounds. Khanna not call her old slut. Khanna call her Hol-ly. And I¡­I try and use pronouns. Tell her I honor her and her journey.¡±


    Then it was Billie who was frustrated. ¡°What are you guys saying to each other?¡±


    ¡°I told Khanna about Holly, and Khanna said that she¡¯s going to try and use pronouns. She added that she honors Holly and her journey.¡±


    Holly seemed strangely moved by that. ¡°Thank you, Khanna,¡± she said in near perfect Arkadian. Holly then laughed and said in English, ¡°But I don¡¯t mind you calling me an old slut. I suppose I am¡­or more correctly¡­I would like to be.¡±


    Billie laughed. ¡°You knew she was calling you names. Was she calling me names?¡±


    Holly shrugged. ¡°You¡¯ll have to improve on your ancient Arkadian if you want to know. What can I say? I¡¯m very adept at languages.¡±


    For a second, it really did feel like a family, and it was like we were coming closer and closer. I wasn¡¯t going to pressure the professor, but now I had a little better understanding of her. It wasn¡¯t just about her being our teacher. She was afraid of being hurt again. I¡¯d like to say I could understand, but I¡¯d never been all that close to anyone outside of my aunt and uncle, and they had given me unconditional love. I¡¯d had crushes here and there, but nothing serious.


    Other than her shallow boyfriend¡ªwas his name Mike or Scott?¡ªI was pretty sure that Billie was the same.


    But Khanna? Khanna had loved Djevojka and lost her. She knew about loss and grief, when a relationship ends, and the only thing left is a lingering emptiness.


    A couple hours later, we stood in front of Fry City, the ruined buildings, the black sky, the foul stench in the air, and for several long seconds, none of us moved. That place seemed like a deathtrap.


    But down one crumbling street, I could see a sooty vehicle that reminded me of an old Cadillac my uncle had. I had thought to go in there in search of a vehicle, but the travois was working just fine. I didn¡¯t want to risk running into the motorcycle gang.


    But then, we heard the roar of engines. From out of the ruins came the bikers I¡¯d seen in the Fodoron Obelisk.


    For the first time, I was seeing their riders, and I just had to laugh.


    I liked to laugh before a good fight.

 Book II - Chapter Twenty-Four – Bad Biker Battle

    Some of the motorcycles had the power crystal on their fuel tanks, but others were definitely gas-powered, thundering like day three at Sturgis. My uncle had a Harley Davidson, and he drove it loud. He said it was to warn other drivers he was there, but I could see the twinkle in his eye. He liked scaring the shit out of the neighbors when he took his bike out.


    There was a wide variety of motorcycles from choppers to fat boys to sleek Asian bikes to dirt bikes. The bikes were all different, but the riders were all the same: Sleezenak, sitting so their tails curved over their shoulders. Normally, they were nocturnal, afraid of the light, but we¡¯d gotten unlucky with New Ireland. It was a dark and cloudy place.


    A thought hit me¡ªthat drumming in Fry City was probably from the Sakata statues. These Sleezenak were dressed in rough leather clothing, armed with stone axes and spears. A few had riders who started whirling slings over their heads.


    I wasn¡¯t worried about me, but I didn¡¯t want anything bad to happen to my friends. It was too late to race into one of the ruins, like I¡¯d done with Billie. We¡¯d never make it, but we needed some kind of cover.


    I shouted orders. ¡°Fall back to the hilltop. Billie, give me the magnum. Get as many as you can with the rifle. Holly, don¡¯t shoot until they¡¯re close or you¡¯ll never hit them. The shotgun is for close range only. Don¡¯t worry about wasting ammo. Our plasma guns will get fully charged once we reach Sector X. Khanna, only use your spear when you¡¯re out of arrows.¡±


    The women nodded, and we hurried back to the top of a hill. The girls could hide behind the crown, giving them some cover. My fingers were wet with sweat on the revolver. I only had six shots, and I had to use them wisely. There wasn¡¯t going to be time to reload.


    A stone crashed into my chest, knocking me back a bit.


    Damage sustained. Repairing cellular structure. One moment. Estimated energy use 3% of total. Please charge this unit to 100% to ensure host¡¯s survival. Primary mission incomplete.


    ¡°What the fuck, Opal! You can heal me?¡±


    Affirmative. Further enhancements possible with 100% charge.


    Say what you will, but at least she was consistent.


    ¡°Keep me healed,¡± I told her. ¡°I have plenty of power crystals.¡±


    I felt a warm feeling in my chest as she repaired the damage. I wasn¡¯t even going to have a bruise.


    Billie was lying prone, which not only made her less of a target, but it would steady her shot. Good girl.


    Khanna was on her knees, just below the crown of the hill. An arrow flashed from her bow and pulled a Sleezenak off their motorcycle. Holly had her shotgun, but she was shaking so bad, I wasn¡¯t sure she¡¯d be able to use it.


    There were hundreds of Sleezenak bikers coming for us. And the biggest one, on the biggest fat boy motorcycle, had a pickax with a long, slender power crystal tied to the end of the shaft.


    His eyes caught mine. He was the male, and all the Sleezenak with him was his wives. I realized what had happened. The surviving wives of the last chieftain I¡¯d killed had taken most of the Sakata statues and fled to Fry City to find another male to bond with.


    I took a second to consider which of my weapons I wanted to use. The chainsaw stick was powerful, but I was going to be facing multiple opponents at the same time. I didn¡¯t want the chainsaw bouncing back and hitting me in the face, so I went with the ax. I could wield it better one-handed, since in my other hand, I¡¯d have the magnum.


    My job was to keep the motorcycles from racing up to the top of the hill while the girls took out the lizards with their long-range weapons. It was me against an army of lizard people on motorcycles, way too many for us to fight, but there was no place to hide. We didn¡¯t have a choice.


    At least I could be a target. I raced down and easily dodged the first motorcycle. I hacked through a leg and set the rider spinning into the dirt. The Sleezenak went tumbling into the wheels of another bike, which toppled them over.


    I fired point blank into the face of an oncoming biker, blowing most of her head off. One tried to spear me, but I pivoted and hacked off an arm. It¡¯s hard to drive your bike with only one arm. The first wave went down from my work, Billie¡¯s bullets, and Khanna¡¯s arrows.


    Some of Sleezenak came for me, but others gunned their bikes, going for the girls at the top of the hill. One got close, but the boom of Holly¡¯s shotgun meant she wouldn¡¯t be a problem anymore. Bikes began to pile up on the hilltop, which gave the girls more shelter.


    If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement.


    I¡¯d lost track of the new shaman in all the fighting. It wasn¡¯t long before the magnum was out of bullets, and I stowed it in loops on my survival suit.


    One good thing about the fight. If I got close to a bike with a power crystal, I could steal the power source. Opal was giving messages left and right as she used the crystals to keep herself charged while she healed me.


    I eventually started tossing motorcycles into the incoming horde, and I could take out two or three Sleezenak at a time. I could smell gasoline in the air, and it wasn¡¯t long before I tossed a motorcycle and there was a huge explosion, which took out more of the Sleezenak.


    It was clear. We were hopelessly outnumbered. We had to get out of there and bring back reinforcements. I hacked the head off a Sleezenak but grabbed her motorcycle before it went into the dirt.


    It was one with a power crystal. ¡°Don¡¯t take the crystal, Opal. I need to use it to power the bike.¡±


    The throttle was like a normal motorcycle, and I raced through fallen backs, back up to the top of the hill. I fish tailed a bit but soon roared up to my friends. ¡°Girls! Grab bikes. Billie, Holly, do you know how to ride a motorcycle?¡±


    I figured Billie would but what about Holly?


    Both were pale, and Holly had a gash on her forehead.


    Khanna was out of arrows, but she¡¯d found a sling, and she was hurling rocks. ¡°Khanna, you¡¯re going to get on the motorcycle behind me. We¡¯re going to retreat.¡±


    Billie worked the action of the rifle and shot a biker coming at her. Piles of bodies and bikes littered the hilltop. At least we had any number of motorcycles to choose from.


    I pulled up next to the Huntress.


    ¡°Get on, Khanna,¡± I said to her. ¡°Use your spear, so we can provide Holly and Billie some cover.¡±


    Khanna gave me a very worried look but managed to overcome her fear. She climbed on, and we drove over the top of the hill. She speared Sleezenaks while Holly and Billie found bikes.


    ¡°I hate this so much!¡± I thought that had come from Billie, but instead, it was Holly. She looked miserable even though she¡¯d chosen a really nice motorcycle. It looked out of place on K¡¯Shaul¡­it should¡¯ve been in Tokyo. Holly had the shotgun over her shoulder as she went speeding across the grass. But she wasn¡¯t thinking clearly.


    She was going in the wrong direction. I had planned on going back the way we¡¯d come, but no, she was heading east. That would take us to Sector X, but that was where the reptilian biker shaman had taken most of his army.


    The huge Sleezenak on his fat boy and fifty other bikers went roaring after her.


    Billie gave me a helpless glance. ¡°Do we go after her?¡±


    ¡°We don¡¯t have a choice!¡±


    Khanna then shrieked. ¡°Look! The storm! The storm!¡±


    We hadn¡¯t seen it coming because all of those dark, swirling clouds had been hidden in the sky above Fry City. However, it was clear that another Ravana Storm was heading straight toward us.


    Holly was too panicked to stop and turn around. Besides, it was all happening so fast. We now had the Sleezenak bikers, the big chieftain with the power crystal pickax, and the Ravana Storm to deal with.


    I was about to go after Holly when another wave of Sleezenaks hit us. Billie¡¯s rifle boomed again and again. Khanna and I kept the bikers away from her but there were just so many. Meanwhile, Holly was getting farther and farther away.


    Again, I smelled gasoline from a bike, and I had an idea.


    Driving by, I leaned over and lit the ground on fire with my welding torch. The flames streaked across the ground, found the gas tank, and then, one after another, fallen motorcycles started to explode. The heat and noise was incredible. As was the shrapnel. Another dozen biker Sleezenaks died in the blast.


    That gave us our escape.


    I gunned my bike and heard the whine of the engine, powered by the crystal, and then I went tearing off down our hill, racing toward the Holly, who was way in the distance, running scared. We weren¡¯t going to catch her.


    Billie was behind me. We were heading right toward that storm. For a second, I considered driving right into it. Would it take us home? Or would it take us to another part of K¡¯Shaul? There was also the possibility it would kill us outright. Maybe we¡¯d just gotten lucky to be brought here. Look what the storm had done to our bus.


    The air crackled with electricity and the entire world became the thunderous crackle of the storm. It was right in front of us.


    I roared down a hill and then topped the next one. In front of me was swirling black darkness wreathed with lightning. I couldn¡¯t see a thing, couldn¡¯t hear a thing, and somewhere in that mess was Holly. Or had she made it to the other side? I didn¡¯t know.


    Billie pulled up next to me, her face was white, and her eyes were wide.


    The storm crackled past us leaving behind a roaring sound.


    The ground dropped a good twenty feet. The Ravana Storm had sliced through a hillside when it laid down the new landscape. Below were rivers of bright red lava cutting across a flat plain of black razor-sharp rocks. It was at least a mile, maybe more, of a lava bed, roaring with heat. I could also hear the snap and pop of the liquid rock cooling.


    ¡°Opal, give me some good news. Can you scan for Holly?¡±


    Scanning for HOST COMPANION: Holly Kroft. Holly Kroft not found. New sector detected. Sector 4.303.D (Earth, Equator, Hadean Eon)


    Once again, this was Earth, but this was from a whole other universe, a 4th universe, and a D timeline. A whole series of meteorites came falling out of the heavens, hitting that cooling rock, one after another. The sky was a swirling dark red, like blood mixed with ash, and the smell of sulfur blew across us. For a second, I couldn¡¯t breathe.


    I had a horrible thought. ¡°Opal, is there oxygen in the new sector?¡±


    The atmosphere is composed mainly of hydrogen and helium, with significant amounts of water vapor, carbon dioxide, methane, and ammonia.


    So the answer was no.


    Opal did have some good news.


    The new sector¡¯s atmosphere will change as the sectors between zones mix. Oxygen will be introduced in large quantities. Unknown processes detected. This unit¡¯s theory is that the Fodoron Obelisks also help with the integration of new sectors.


    At some point, we might be able to explore what I thought of as Lava World, but it wouldn¡¯t be for a while.


    We had to wait for the Hadean Eon rock to cool.

 Book II - Chapter Twenty-Five – Friends and Enemies

    A thousand feelings hit me all at once. I was fucking furious, but then I thought of Holly, scared and all alone, and my heart broke. I was sad, but no, fuck sad, I was devastated. But how could we have known another Ravana Storm would hit? It had all turned to shit so fucking fast.


    The shaman pulled up on the hill across from us, and for a second, he was alone. I wasn¡¯t sure how many of his troops had been hit by the storm, but I heard the roar of engines racing up to him. We only had a second.


    He called out to us in a slippery, whispery voice. ¡°Sakata has delivered you unto us, for us to feast on your meat and your intellect. The Sleezenak will have vengeance, for I have heard how you slew Enak. I am Enok, and I will slay the slayer, me, and my brides.¡± I could understand what he was saying, thanks to Opal, but I knew Billie and Khanna were clueless.


    ¡°That¡¯s not going to happen, Enok, and if you try, you¡¯ll all fucking die. If you don¡¯t want to meet Sakata in person, you¡¯ll leave us the fuck alone.¡± I knew there was no way I could talk sense into this big iguana dickhead. I thought about leaping over and grabbing the pickax, but we¡¯d been lucky to survive their initial attack. I wasn¡¯t going to press my luck. Not yet.


    Enok big lizard face broke into a smile. ¡°You have a third woman among you. She was taken by the storm. Or perhaps she made it to the other side. Either way, we will find her. We will use her flesh for the glory of Sakata!¡±


    Suddenly, my whole vision went red. I¡¯m pretty sure I¡¯d never felt that much fury before. Holly was gone, and this lizard fuck was trying to tell me how much he wanted to kill and eat us.


    I roared, "Opal! Spear mode!" I shouted.


    Betsy shifted into a spear, and I hurled it with all of my might. It went from my hilltop to his hilltop and right through Enoch''s heart. Actually, it went through Enoch and out the other side to slamming into the grass.


    My anger got the best of me when I realized what I¡¯d done. "Oh shit, I threw Besty."


    Well, I had to get her back now.


    "Khanna!" I shouted. "Get on Billie''s bike and get out of here. Head back home. I¡¯ll be right behind you.¡±


    Billie''s lips quivered. "But what about... what about... what about Holly? We can''t just leave her."


    I didn''t want to yell at her, but I found myself roaring. "We are not leaving her. We are getting my tool, and we''re getting reinforcements. Then we''re going to murder every last one of those Sleezenak mother fuckers."


    Both Khanna and Billie had never heard me sound like that. And to be honest, I sounded like a roaring monster, but I didn''t care. We¡¯d been split apart for the first time since we''ve come to K¡¯Shaul, and I found the whole situation intolerable. I hadn¡¯t survived all this time to lose someone I cared about. I had built a house for all of us¡ªall four of us. And to have one person missing? Well, it felt like I might as well torch the roof myself.


    Khanna knew enough not to argue with me at that point. She jumped onto the back of Billie¡¯s bike. They took off and I was glad. I gunned my back and raced down my hill and up the other side.


    My bike roared up the other side, full throttle, and I was going so fast I hit the crown and found myself in the air. The rest of the Sleezenak were coming up the other side, and I buzzed through them with pure murder in my heart. I had reloaded the magnum, so when I got to the top, I had one hand on the accelerator while I shot lizard bitches left and right.


    I saw my spear, picked it up, and then did donuts, spraying mud. And originally, I thought the lizard bitches were coming after me, but no, the situation was far stranger.


    Like Enak before him, Enok got to his feet, since these Sleezenak shamans were so damn hard to kill, since they had the blessing of Sataka or whatever. However, Enok was only standing there for a second when another Sleezenak slicked off his head with a stone ax.


    ¡°I will be leader now!¡± the murderer hissed.


    Two other Sleezenaks dropped their bikes, and both went for the power crystal pickax.


    ¡°I am to be shaman now!¡± one hissed.


    ¡°Nay, I am to be shaman!¡± the other answered. ¡°I will grow in stature and power. Sakata will bless me as master of the harem.¡±


    ¡°No, me!¡±


    Other Sleezenak joined in the fight, all of them trying to grab the power crystal pick. But the minute one had the weapon, another would come and grab it. On and on it went. It seemed that not all of the Sleezenak were females, and now, the ambitious males were fighting one another to take charge. I was reminded of male elk rutting with each during mating season.


    For a second, I thought about grabbing the pickax myself. That was a big damn crystal on it. If I had it, maybe the Sleezenak would leave me alone. However, there was no way of getting it without being swarmed. I didn¡¯t think I would take over the Sleezenak harem because I couldn¡¯t tell the males and females apart.


    There were hundreds of Sleezenaks, some on bikes, some in trailers connected to bikes, and some in sidecars. There was just too many to fight, and if I got mired down, I didn¡¯t trust my new healing ability that much.


    Besides, my main mission was to find Holly. I was betting she was alive and on the other side of Lava World. We needed time for that liquid rock to cool and we needed an army to wipe out the Sleezenak once and for all.


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    With stones from slings whizzing by my ears, I raced my bike after Billie and Khanna across the landscape. I was so very glad we weren¡¯t walking. No, we had the bikes, and we could chew up the miles easily. We ripped through the grass to find the hard dirt underneath, and while it wasn¡¯t pavement, it wasn¡¯t bad.


    We buzzed back as fast as we possibly could, all the way to where the Dinosaur Swamps began. At first, I thought we''d have to leave our bikes, but then I saw the wooden walkways, and without stopping, I drove my bike onto the slats. The Sleezenaks might¡¯ve been psycho lizard bitches, but their bridges were sturdy enough to handle me and my bike.


    Billie and Khanna followed me through the Dinosaur Swamps. Our bike engines didn¡¯t have the roar of Harleys, but they were loud enough to send a herd of Stegosaurus running through the black water.


    I realized during the fight that we¡¯d left a lot of camping gear on that hilltop. Well, we could go back and grab it. I wasn¡¯t going to waste a second of time. We had to find Holly.


    I cursed myself. I should¡¯ve tried to find where the Sleezenaks had gone. I¡¯d been na?ve to think that they had left for good. I wouldn¡¯t make that mistake again.


    We made it back to Rainforest World, to Jack¡¯s and Reggie¡¯s normal hunting grounds. Of course, it was daytime, and so they weren¡¯t there. I called out to them. ¡°Jack! Reggie!¡±


    Billie and Khanna looked pale. It had been a little over an hour, and yet, it had felt like a lifetime since we¡¯d seen Holly.


    ¡°Opal, scan the area. Any sign of Jack and Reggie?


    Affirmative five hundred meters to the Tyrannosaurus rexes in question. Due East. Metabolic rates are slowed. Possible explanation is that they are sleeping.


    ¡°We¡¯re going to wake them up. We have to because the Sleezenaks are in the process of getting a new leader.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Billie asked.


    I explained to them about what I¡¯d seen and heard after I¡¯d killed the new shaman.


    Billie sighed. ¡°I couldn¡¯t understand a thing that guy said, but I was pretty sure he was an asshole who wanted to kill us and eat us? Was he an asshole that wanted to kill us and eat us?¡±


    ¡°Pretty much,¡± I said. ¡°The males are now fighting to get the magical pickax. The one who wins takes over the harem.¡±


    ¡°Damn, I thought all the Sleezenak were girls.¡±


    ¡°Guess not.¡±


    Billie got a determined look on her face. ¡°Fuck those lizard bitches. We need to talk about Holly, Sid. What happened to Holly?¡±


    Khanna was absolutely silent. We¡¯d lost a member of our Enclave.


    Seeing her so silent broke my heart a little more. ¡°We¡¯re going to find her. But first, we¡¯re going to get help. You guys stay here.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re coming with you.¡± Billie got off her bike and hit the kickstand. She was completely comfortable around the motorcycle.


    ¡°Where did you learn to ride?¡± I asked.


    ¡°I had a bad uncle,¡± Bilie said. ¡°The only thing he was good for was letting me ride his motorcycle around the church parking lot for hours on end.¡±


    Khanna came up to me. ¡°Sid Marshall. We find Hol-ly, yes? We go back and find her. Please. Hol-ly is part of our Enclave.¡±


    ¡°She is,¡± I agreed. ¡°Come on.¡±


    We all marched through the rainforest until I saw a path I¡¯d not noticed before. There were broken ferns and broken trees that led to a wide glade where the grasses had been flattened.


    We crept through the ferns. There, in the glade, we saw the two T. rexes, snoring loudly. Both of them. They were nocturnal, mostly. Maybe it was because the sentient fungi covering them didn¡¯t like the sunlight. Well, good, because New Ireland had been cloudy and dark all day long, and evening was coming.


    ¡°Stay here,¡± I said to the girls.


    I went to walk into the glade but found a power crystal. It was a small one, but I grabbed it anyway.


    <<<>>>


    Inferna Energy detected! Power Crystal detected. Utilizing crystal. Charged to 99% of full.


    This unit is 1% away from optimal functionality. Please charge to 100%.


    <<<>>>


    I only had a few crystals left, but I wasn¡¯t worried. That pickax was probably a 5X crystal. I did want to ask Opal how much Inferna energy our bikes used.


    I had to pause for a minute. How do you wake up a sleeping dinosaur?


    Sounded like a bad joke a seven-year-old would tell you. I didn¡¯t have a punchline.


    ¡°Jack! Reggie! Wake up! I need your help!¡±


    Jack opened one eye and stared at me. Sid, you have not brought food stuffs. Black Colony will not be pleased. Oh, right, you do not call us by our color. You refer to us in a series of strange syllables.


    ¡°You said you were going to go talk to Reggie, right?¡± I asked. ¡°How did that go?¡±


    Reggie is suspicious of you, and they are upset about Green Albert. They have a resentment against you for the murder of their friend. I liked Green Albert as well, but I also understand your position. You wished to remain alive and breathing in your own World Beast body. There is a violence in nature that we understand.


    Reggie kept on sleeping, snoring loudly.


    ¡°Look, Jack, here¡¯s the problem. We lost one of our friends to the Ravana Storm, and we have to find her. In the way are the Sleezenaks, those were the lizard people you ate before. One of my many meals I provided you.¡±


    Yes, the reptiles. They were indeed delicious. Would you know where we could find more?


    ¡°Yes,¡± I said. ¡°But it¡¯s far away. We¡¯d have to journey there, and I¡¯m not sure Reggie would want to go that far.¡±


    At the mention of his name, the big black T. rex woke up. Why are you talking to the strange stick man with yeasty feet again? I told you I am not pleased that you spoke to him of the Way of Molzo. I also remember what he did to poor Green Colony.


    Jack immediately responded. He has more reptile meat for us. We only have to follow him. It would be a far journey, but Sid has brought us food stuffs on many occasions. Our friendship could be beneficial.


    Reggie rose to his feet and roared. Big crow-like birds flapped away. But what of Green Colony? They were to join us in the fight against Yellow Colony, who has betrayed the Way of Molzo!


    Jack stood and roared as well. We agreed not to talk of Yellow Colony! For now, let us help him. Perhaps he can help us find Green Colony. He has mystical ways. He can speak with us, can he not?


    Reggie made a loud grunting noise like when my uncle got made the Denver Broncos lost a football game. Yes. He has mystical ways. Maybe if he helps us find Green Colony we trust him more.


    I was losing patience. The longer we messed around there, the longer Holly would be gone. If she was still on K¡¯Shaul. If she was still alive at all. And if she could evade the Sleezenaks. So I just blurted out, ¡°Isn¡¯t Green Colony dead?¡±


    Jack snorted, his huge nostrils flaring. Death is not always death for the Colorspore Colonies. Death Spores come for Green Colony¡¯s World Beast. Green Colony is forced to flee. Maybe Green Colony is alive but looking for a new World Beast. Maybe Green Colony has been dispersed into the Great Cloud All Around, never to return.


    I was curious about Yellow Colony, but at that point, it seemed like a sore subject. It seemed safer to just focus on one color at a time. If I could find Green Albert, it would go a long way to winning his trust.


    Jack was easy, but Jack seemed a lot smarter than Reggie.


    ¡°Okay,¡± I said. ¡°Point me to where I might look.¡±


    It was Jack¡¯s voice in my head that gave me the impossible news. Everywhere. Green Colony is now everywhere and nowhere at all.

 Book II - Chapter Twenty-Six – Quest for Albert

    I was going to get a second opinion because while I liked Jack, I knew that the Colorspore Colonies saw the world very differently than I did.


    ¡°Excuse me, Jack, Reggie¡­¡±


    I walked away from them.


    Reggie wasn¡¯t about to let me walk away without a dig at me. I can smell your female primates. They are more yeasty than you. I can smell them easily.


    I wasn¡¯t going to pass that along.


    ¡°Opal, so did you find Jack and Reggie because they¡¯re T. rexes or because they¡¯re Colorspore Colonies?¡±


    Colorspore Colonies is not in this unit¡¯s database of known species. More research required. Paring with Fodoron Obelisk might enhance this unit¡¯s knowledge of K¡¯Shaul¡¯s more extraordinary fauna.


    I took that as a good sign. It wasn¡¯t a no. Neither was it a yes, though. ¡°Opal, the fungal growths on the dinosaurs are the Colorspore Colonies. Can you find more of them? I¡¯d like to find any of the remaining spores that covered the T. rex with the green mold armor.¡±


    I was pretty sure I was the first person in the universe to ever use those words in that order.


    One moment. Processing. Scanning. No spores detected.


    I was getting frustrated. My aunt hated computers of any kind, but my uncle was the opposite. He loved gadgets and figuring out how things worked.  Most of the time, dealing with Opal was fairly easy, but right then, I felt like my Aunt Kathy trying to save an email attachment.


    ¡°I would be surprised if it was that easy, Opal. I asked if you could find Green Colony, since we¡¯d been close to them before, and you have a better understanding of the species.¡± I knew she would complain about my language. ¡°I know you don¡¯t fully understand them, and if you were fully charged, and if you paired with an Obelisk, this would be easier. I get all that. But is it possible to find Green Colony?¡±


    This unit appreciates HOSTNAME: Sid Marshall¡¯s understanding of the situation. This unit believes it can find remnants of the spores if they still exist. Please return to the last known location of Green Colony.


    I turned to Jack and Reggie. ¡°If I can find Green Albert, will you help me find my friend? I have to warn you, it¡¯s a long way, and we¡¯ll be facing hundreds of the Sleezenak on motorcycles. That¡¯s a kind of machine. I¡¯ll show you.¡±


    Reggie just had to grumble. Machines are made of metal. Metal is not a food stuff. Machines are a waste of time.


    Jack, as always, was more reasonable. If you pull our friend from the Great Cloud All Around, we would be very happy. I¡¯m sure even Black Colony would show you their gratitude and both of us would journey with you to the ends of K¡¯Shaul.


    That sounded good to me.


    I did find it interesting that Jack knew about K¡¯Shaul, but how in the fuck could we find a mixture of spores? And, if we found them, how could we transport them? I certainly didn¡¯t know how the Colorspore Colonies worked, and even Opal was fuzzy on the strange, sentient fungi.


    I took only thirty seconds to explain the situation to Billie and Khanna, in the simplest English I could think of.


    Billie, of course, grimaced. ¡°How are we going to find fungus, Sid? This is fucking weird and stupid, and I just want to find Holly.¡±


    Khanna stood with her arms crossed, her eyes blazing with fury. I knew she was leaning into anger because the sadness was too hard to bear. I understood that completely. I also knew that she would unleash all that fury and sorrow on the Sleezenak when we broke through their army and crossed Lava World.


    ¡°I want to find her too, Billie. This is our best bet.¡±


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    The cheerleader sighed. ¡°Fine. I suppose you''ll need a jar. We took a bunch from the penthouse.¡±


    I had totally forgotten about the jars we¡¯d grabbed. ¡°Yeah, a jar would be great.¡±


    Billie grabbed the Huntress¡¯s hand. ¡°Come on, Khanna. We can grab some food and water at Lone Tree Ridge. Get the jar, come back, get mold, get on our motorcycles, drive all the way back, to that weird lava place and kill more lizard people. But you have to promise me, Sid, that we¡¯ll find Holly tonight.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re going to find Holly,¡± I said with a ferocity that made Billie wince.


    Then, I was walking around the T rex¡¯s hunting ground, acting like an annoying first grader. ¡°Find anything, Opal? What about now? What about now? Have you found Green Colony yet?¡±


    Opal had the patience of an Arkadian Quantum Universal Intelligence Assistant, which meant, she was okay with me asking all the time, but she did eventually say her scans would be more effective if I didn¡¯t bug her so much.


    Opal suggested I walk in a spiral, going a meter out, then five meters, ten meters, then fifteen. Walking in circles through the redwood forest was making me crazy. It got even worse when Billie and Khanna returned with the jar. They¡¯d eaten, drank some water, so they were doing okay.


    ¡°Find anything?¡± Billie asked.


    ¡°Not yet,¡± I growled.


    Khanna looked like she might either puke or throw punches. ¡°Sid Marshall maybe not trust his spirit. Maybe spirit is stupid. Khanna say we go back, now, and find Hol-ly. But maybe Hol-ly is gone, stolen away by the demon storm. Maybe Hol-ly in the Inferness now, damned forever. Damned forever.¡±


    Billie was chewing on a nail. ¡°What is she saying, Sid?¡±


    I told the truth. ¡°She¡¯s worried about Holly.¡±


    ¡°Join the club.¡±


    I was about to give up. We were a hundred meters from the hunting grounds. Surely, Green Albert was gone. But then, I saw a squirrel scamper away from us and run halfway up a tree. I called it a squirrel, but although it had the big bushy tail, it also had six legs and tusks. Well, if the deer could have tusks, so could the squirrels. The rodents were pretty rare, but we had seen them before. Instead of being a golden-brown color, this one was green.


    Opal gave me the good news.


    Green Colony detected on a small mammal. Green Colony matrix is too simplistic for communication. Sentience unlikely given the small amount of spores. Spore growth detected. Retrieve small mammal.


    But the squirrel was on the big redwood, and there was no tree near it that I could climb. I would have to make the jump and grab the squirrel before it got higher.


    ¡°We don¡¯t need a jar,¡± I said to Billie. ¡°We need a basket. I don¡¯t think this squirrel is going to be as chatty as our favorite T. rexes are. Wait here.¡±


    Billie¡¯s mouth dropped open. ¡°What the fuck, Sid? What kind of shit are you talking?¡±


    Khanna had picked up some of our slang. ¡°Sid Marshall talk fuck shit with spirit. Fuck shit spirit is wrong.¡±


    I hoped Opal didn¡¯t take that too personally.


    I backed up.


    The green six-legged squirrel wasn¡¯t running away, but it didn¡¯t seem very happy either.


    I know once I grabbed it, there was a good chance it would bite me, so I had Opal give my survival suit gloves.


    Then I ran toward the squirrel.


    The minute it sensed that kind of movement, it darted up the tree.


    I launched myself in the air, aiming higher on the tree. My aim was perfect. It raced up the tree and right into my hand. I grabbed it, and like I thought it, it squealed and tried to rip my hand apart with its tusks. When that didn¡¯t work, it scratched, bite and squeaked bloody murder.


    By that time, I was floating down through the air. I came mashing down through the branches of a slimy aspen tree before rolling ass over teakettle through ferns.


    The squirrel continued to wrestle around in my hand. The animal¡¯s green fur felt like normal fur, silky soft.


    I shook the squirrel a little. ¡°Hey, Green Colony, I don¡¯t know if you can understand me or not, but you have got to fucking relax. I¡¯m going to take you back to your friends.¡±


    I was pretty sure I was dealing with a rodent and not a sentient fungi, but still, the little animal finally stopped struggling.


    I¡¯d been scratched up and bruised, but Opal told me she was working on fixing that. Total energy usage would be 3%, which seemed to be the going rate for minor injuries.


    Walking back to the hunting grounds, Billie and Khanna stood there, blinking.


    ¡°Nice jump,¡± Billie said finally. ¡°Uh, did you catch it?¡±


    I held up the green tusked squirrel. ¡°Yeah. Got it. Though, I¡¯m not sure if Green Albert is still alive or not. I¡¯m hoping Jack and Reggie can tell me.¡±


    Jack came thundering out of the rest and stood there, towering over us. Reggie was right behind him.


    I held up the terrified squirrel. ¡°Uh, I¡¯m pretty sure your friend found a World Beast.¡±


    Jack¡¯s laughter filled my head. That is not a World Beast, Sid. That is a Bridge Beast, something Green Colony could use to keep themselves alive. This is a happy day! Green Colony will not grow in strength, knowledge, and sentience without a far larger creature.


    At that point, I had something in mind, the perfect World Beast for Green Albert, but I didn¡¯t say anything. I kinda wanted to keep it a surprise.


    Khanna pounded her spear on the ground. ¡°Now we go! We go save Hol-ly!¡±


    I walked over to Reggie, who eyed me and the squirrel. ¡°Are you going to help us, Reggie?¡±


    Reggie lowered his huge nose and sniffed. Yes. You found Green Albert, and I am grateful. We will find him a World Beast, but first we eat your Sleezenaks. They are delicious and very crunchy but not too crunchy. Then, maybe, one day, we tell you the Way of Molzo.


    I didn¡¯t give a fuck about Molzo. I wanted to wipe out the Sleezenak army and find Holly.

 Book II - Chapter Twenty-Seven – Long Distance Call

    We quickly discovered that Tyrannosaurus rexes were not built for long distances.


    Khanna was behind me on the backseat of the motorcycle, while Billie rode next to us on her own bike.


    Opal said the energy crystals powering our bikes had about 3% of their total charge left. That should give us about 100 miles. It was approximately ten miles back to where Lava World began, so it wasn¡¯t like we were going to run out of power.


    We could¡¯ve made that trip back in no time at all, except the T. rexes with us kept getting distracted.


    The white T. rex gave me a long look. Our World Beast¡¯s brains are seeking rest and food, and we are giving him neither. We have full control over the dinosaurs up to a point. We are moving as quickly and as safely as we can, but we have certain limitations. We are sorry if we did not make that clear."


    At that point, we were paused on a hill, and the sun was setting over New Ireland.


    Billie shot me a glance. "Are you having a chat with your buddies there, Sid?"


    Khanna scowled. "Sid Marshall talking with two spirits now¡­ spirit of beasts and spirit from the Inferness in his ring. Khanna not like any of it."


    I sighed. ¡°I understand that, Khanna. And Billie, yeah, the T-Rexes are having problems keeping up. Sorry this is taking so long, but it gives us more time for the Lava World to cool.¡±


    "I''m not really worried about the lava," Billie said. "I''m more worried about the Sleezenak being more powerful at night. And Holly.¡±


    I hated the idea of Holly spending the night alone in some new sector. "We have to hurry. Come on, Jack."


    Reggie¡¯s voice appeared in my head. Stickman, what you are asking us to do is difficult. If you hadn''t helped my friend Green Colony, I would not be doing this, stickman, with your yeasty feet.


    I was glad I had won Reggie''s trust. As for Green Albert, we¡¯d put him in a basket and tied him to the back of my bike. Even after feeding him some nuts, the squirrel was not doing well. He¡¯d lapsed into some sort of strange, almost comatose state. I think it was because he was so scared and couldn¡¯t escape.


    It took a bit, but I got the fungasaurs moving again.


    I asked Jack about Green Albert. Basically, Green Colony was using the squirrel as a stopgap until he could find a larger animal, and then he could take it over and have a true World Beast big enough for a bigger spore colony, which would allow him to become sentient again.


    I almost asked where the Colorspore Colonies had come from, but no, it wasn¡¯t the time nor the place. We had to focus on killing the Sleezenak and finding Holly.


    With the T. rexes moving, I sped, running recon, because I did not want to get ambushed again. So it took us almost three hours to make the crossing. The various suns had started to set, which drove me absolutely crazy. It also fueled my fury, so I was glad when I saw the Sleezenak biker gang camped out at the Lava World¡¯s border.


    When I saw them, I went to turn around, but then I had an idea.


    I drove up until I was just out the range of their slings.


    I then yelled, "Hey! Bitches! Did you guys figure out who your leader is? I hope so because he¡¯s at the top of my shitlist.¡±


    The biggest Sleezenak marched forward. I wasn''t sure how big he''d been before, but now he was towering above the rest of them. His eyes closed an evil crimson. I knew he also had a shield made from what looked like a car door that had been cut out with a welding torch. That was probably to prevent me from throwing my spear into his chest.


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    The new shaman eyed me. "I am Onak. I have taken over, and I lead the Sleezenak now. You have bested us again, but now we have the numbers, and you are alone. There is no way you can defeat us. Sakata will bless us, and we will feast upon your flesh, for Sakata enjoys the screams of the thinking creatures that we devour."


    It was a long speech. I wasn''t impressed. "All right, fucker. If you''re going to come and eat me, you know, you are welcome to fucking eat me, but first, you have to catch me." With that, I spun my bike around and went zooming off. I did not go as fast as I could have, because I wanted them to follow me¡­right into a trap.


    I did have to wonder about Sakata and the Inferness. Was there any truth to that or was it the power of the Inferna crystals that gave the shaman his size and limited immortality?


    "Hey, Opal, is it possible for me to talk with Jack and Reggie from far away? You found them at five hundred meters, which is far, but it¡¯s not like our communication is based on sound. Not sure how you do it, but I need to talk to them. Now.¡±


    It was such a long shot. But again, my fungal buddies didn¡¯t have ears. They weren¡¯t hearing my voice. At the same time, it wasn¡¯t like I was smelling them when they talked. Opal did all the translating on the fly.


    It took a while, but Opal finally responded. HOSTNAME: Sid Marshall has a query requesting information on the forms of communication that I have with those entities known as White Colony and Black Colony, also known as Jack and Reggie.


    ¡°Yeah, basically. I need to talk to them right now. I want to lead the Sleezenak into an ambush. I can¡¯t tell Billie and Khanna that, but if I could warn Jack and Reggie that I¡¯m coming back, we could set up a trap.¡±


    Opal wasn¡¯t impressed. Your plan is suspect. On what you refer to as New Ireland, there are no structures to hide behind and the hills are shaped in such a way as to make such subterfuge difficult. Being nocturnal, the Sleezenaks have superior night vision.


    ¡°What about Fry City? We¡¯re close. I could meet the T. rexes and the girls there. Do you think they all left the city to come after us?¡±


    Answer to query is unknown. Data conjecture available. Prioritizing queries versus actions for HOST¡¯s survival, which is necessary to complete this unit¡¯s primary mission.


    I sighed. ¡°Yes, I know you love your primary mission. Trying reaching out to Jack and Reggie and tell them I¡¯ll meet them and girls in Fry City. Can you do that for me?¡±


    Opal then gave me a very Opal response. Processing. Processing. Processing. Attempting spore link at a distance. Using quantum thread theory to establish link. Link established.


    Then, unbelievably, I heard Jack. It was like he was standing next to me. Sid! Greetings! We do not see you, but we hear you, both Black Colony and me. We have a limited ability to interact with other colonies, but not at such a large distance.


    "Chalk that shit up to magic, Jackie. Okay, this is what you are going to do. You guys are going to turn to the north and run into the city. Find a place off that main road to hide. I¡¯ll find Khanna and Billie, and then the three of us will lead the Sleezenak into an ambush. You got it? Jack?"


    Both Jack and Reggie answered. We understand your strategy!


    I had no idea what Billie and Khanna would do once the fungasaurs left. Knowing Khanna, she would be glad to get rid of them. Billie would be mystified, but she would keep going east. She knew I would find her.


    It wasn''t long before I saw Billie and Khanna, the gem on the bike glowing in the growing darkness.


    Behind me was the roar of engines. Clouds of smoke and dust choked the sky from the vast motorcycle armada chasing after mer.


    I stopped to talk to the girls for a minute.


    Instead of talking, Billie yelled. "What the fuck, Sid? Suddenly, the dinosaurs just leave, and you¡¯re gone, and we hear the Sleezenaks coming, and I¡¯m shitting my pants and trying to keep Khanna from melting down."


    Khanna had a grim smile on her face. "Khanna not shit or melt. Khanna trusts Sid."


    Billie wasn''t going to let that lie. "I trust Sid too, Khanna. I¡¯m just a little stressed.¡±


    I kept my voice nice and calm. ¡°We¡¯re going to lead the Sleezenak into the city. That¡¯s where Jack and Reggie are. I can talk to them from far away, and I told them the plan. Sorry there was a communication breakdown. Are we good?¡±


    Billie seemed a little more relaxed. ¡°Yeah. Good. Fine. But I¡¯m running out of bullets. Holly still has the shotgun, but is it okay if I keep the magnum? I don''t have a magic axe, spear, chainsaw thing."


    I smiled at her. ¡°Well, good thing I do. Keep the magnum.¡±


    Then, the three of us went tearing away, throwing dirt behind our back wheels.


    The Sleezenak followed us with their shaman in the back, his magical pickax shining like a teardrop of blood.

 Book II - Chapter Twenty-Eight – Fry City Fight

    Billie, Khanna, and I buzzed into the city and into the stench.


    Like before, Billie complained the whole time. Above us, there was a swirling maelstrom of toxic bullshit in the air.


    The Sleezenak biker armada were right on your tail.


    We passed by an alley and Jack reached out to me. I see you and hear you. We will stay hidden. We are very impressed with your tactics. We are very hungry. Weare looking forward to a fine meal.


    For the first time, I had to kind of wonder. "Hey, Jack, are you and Reggie going to be okay? I mean, the Sleezenak are fighting us with stone-age weapons. You won¡¯t get hurt, right?¡±


    This time, it was Reggie that responded. Stickman! We shall be fine. We will thicken our protective layer to keep our Worlds Beast¡¯s alive. We understand the vitals of these creatures very intimately. You worry about keeping yourself alive, so you can provide us more food stuffs in the future.


    "Ah, Reggie, I didn''t know you cared."


    Turning, I saw the big black T. rex in an alley. He then gave me a long look which is kind of hard to describe. It was part amusement and part gratitude. He really did appreciate me finding his green friend.


    Reggie was on one side of the street while Jack was on the other. They¡¯d found good places to hide in wide streets just off the main drag. I saw a Cadillac that looked in pretty good condition, but first things first. We had an army to fight.


    Once we got past the fungasaurs, I slowed my bike down for two reasons: I didn''t want them to lose us, and I didn''t want to run into another army of lizard bitches down the road. In the end, I didn''t have to worry about that. Jack and Reggie were smart. They could communicate at a distance, but they waited until the first line of bikers moved past them. Then they pounced.


    It was an amazing sight. The T. rexes lunged forward, both of them at the same time, right into the middle of the Sleezenak army. Jack ripped one lizard bitch off her motorcycle, sending the bike crashing to the ground. I''m pretty sure Jack swallowed that Sleezenak whole. With his feet, he started crashing through others, kicking and stomping. Jack had thickened the armor on his feet, so he wouldn¡¯t get hurt. That was good, because we were going to need that to cross the lava field.


    As for Reggie, he didn''t gulp down his food. He chewed and chewed, smacking Sleezenak with his tail, until he swallowed. Then he ate another one, biting the Sleezenak in half. This time, he spit it out to chomp on another lizard woman. He was going to kill a bunch and then eat them.


    "Hey, Jack, we have a lot of these things to kill. Can you eat them later?


    Jack was too busy munching to respond, but he soon followed Reggie''s tact.


    As for Billie, had left her bike and climbed up a fire escape. Halfway up, about 20 feet off the ground, she set up a little sniper¡¯s nest and started picking off Sleezenaks before they could even get to the T. rexes.


    Khanna was near me, but I didn''t want her to wade into battle. "You stay here, Khanna.¡±


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    The Huntress wasn¡¯t just going to stand there. She had run out of arrows a long time ago, but she had a sling, and she knew how to use it. In the ruins of the post-apocalyptic city, there was plenty of ammo¡ªgravel, crumbling brick, and random rocks littered the ground around us. She whirled the leather strap around her head, and her aim was precise. Again, her optimizations were paying off.


    As for me, I rushed in, because I wanted to find Onak and get that power crystal.


    Using my ax, I bashed my way through the Sleezenak, who had abandoned their motorcycles to fight me. One bike had been smashed up so badly from Reggie¡¯s tail that the back wheel had come off. I picked it up, so I felt like a medieval warrior, a shield in my left hand and an ax in my right. I had Opal extend my survival suit over my head, so I had kind of a helmet. Thick gauntlets covered my hands.


    After I¡¯d killed dozens of the Sleezenak, I realized some started running away.


    Sure, we were massacring them. We had two giant T. rexes on our side, a blond with a boom stick, and an enhanced warrior slinging deadly stones with amazing accuracy.


    The fungasaurs were especially deadly. I noticed Jack and Reggie had thickened their helmets to cover a good portion of their eyes, so none of the Sleezenak could sling stones into their brains. The two T. rexes were armored killing machines, and I realized I¡¯d gotten lucky killing Green Albert.


    I thought we were going to win the day easily when I saw the new shaman coming rolling into the city. Standing with his magical pickax ready, the shaman stood on a trailer being pulled by two motorcycles.


    Flanking Onak were several Sleezenak with power crystal spears. They weren''t big spearheads, but they glowed with an evil power, and I knew there was a good chance they could cut through Jack and Reggie''s armor. I wasn¡¯t going to let that happen.


    I picked up a stone spear and hurled it with all my might. It went through one of Onak¡¯s escorts and her bike spun away from under her. Grabbing another stone spear, I hurled at the shaman but missed. It went into one of the Sleezenak behind him.


    I didn¡¯t have time to throw a third spear.


    The shaman leapt into the air and hung, floating. He then flew toward me.


    How could he fly? I wanted to fly!


    I blocked the pickax with my tire shield and tried to cut off his leg. My ax slid off a magical shield made of red light.


    Onak landed and knocked my tire out of my hand.


    We exchanged blows, but he was good, fast, strong.


    One of his spearmen came to cut me, but then a bullet tore off his face. Thank you, Billie Lynn Kidd.


    A stone from Khanna¡¯s sling killed another.


    The T. rexes continued to roar as they worked up a grisly appetite. Jack and Reggie would have plenty to eat if we survived the fight.


    I wanted to end the battle quickly, and suddenly I had a plan. It was a little risky, but mostly it was going to be painful.


    Onak swung his pick at me, and I raised my arm. The crystal went right through flesh, nearly breaking my bone. Pain lit up my brain, making time slow down.


    Damn, that hurt.


    But Opal knew what to do.


    A second later, I got her normal message about utilizing the Inferna crystal.


    And suddenly, Onak¡¯s magical pick was only a long length of wood.


    Meanwhile, fresh energy went through me.


    The shaman''s face fell for a second, and then I chopped it in half, but I didn''t stop there. I hacked off every limb. I wasn¡¯t taking any chances.


    Seeing their shaman butchered made all the surviving Sleezenak rethink the fight. Most likely, they had other crystal weapons, but we had smashed the main part of the army.


    I didn¡¯t hear Billie¡¯s gun, so it was pretty obvious she¡¯d run out of bullets.


    That kind of didn¡¯t matter.  The remnants of the biker gang, including some of the spear women, fled on their motorcycles, heading north down the street and deeper into Fry City.


    It was night, so there weren¡¯t any drums, but I would bet there would be the next morning.


    Only a few dozen of the Sleezenak escaped us.


    Jack and Reggie, with the fight over, just stood around chewing on Sleezenak, clearly enjoying themselves.


    I reached out, "Hey Jack, how is your meal?"


    Jack gave me a toothy T. rex smile. My feet hurt. I slipped on one of the machines, but these bones are very crunchy and give my dinner a nice mouth feel. The entrails give it a rather sharp taste, but we enjoy the finer delicacies of life.


    ¡°Uh, I¡¯m glad, but I¡¯m kind of sorry I asked.¡±

 Book II - Chapter Twenty-Nine – The Way of Molzo

    Even Jack and Reggie didn¡¯t like the pollution of Fry City, and they ended up going back to New Ireland to continue their Sleezenak dinner.


    I helped by tossing Sleezenak out to them. It was kind of strange hurling lizards at them, one after another, like they were bags of potatoes, but I was feeling good. Not only had Opal healed my arm, the spear crystals put her back to 99%. We¡¯d won the war, and now, we were free to search for Holly.


    We were all desperate to get going. Fry City was in complete darkness, and the absence of light was unsettling. New Ireland was much better. Two moons gave us plenty of light. I¡¯d thought about taking the Cadillac in Fry City, but the motorcycles were far better offroad. I was worried that the car didn¡¯t have enough clearance.


    I approached Jack and Reggie as they sucked down all that lizard meat. They ate the whole thing, all the bodies, and didn¡¯t spit out the leather.


    ¡°Are you going to be able to digest the leather clothes?¡± I asked.


    Jack stopped eating and gave me a long look. Yes, Sid. These bodies are very adept predators. At some point, we might vomit bones and other detritus, and yet the flesh will nourish the bodies of our World Beasts. We thank you.


    ¡°We¡¯re going to leave you, guys,¡± I said. ¡°We have to find our friend.¡±


    Reggie didn¡¯t respond. He just pulled off another body off the pile and chomped done on it like it was a big chicken nugget¡­with a tail.


    Jack gave me a very frowny look. We will be very full of meat when we are finished. We aided you in the destruction of your enemy, and we are grateful that we could help. We would like a favor. Would you take our friend, Green Colony, and find them a true World Beast?


    Reggie finally said something. He will not do it. He does not care about us or our kind. He only used us for his selfish needs. Blessed Thinkers are loathe to help us because they don¡¯t know the Way of Molvo.


    Before I knew it, I lost my temper. I needed to find Holly and arguing with Reggie wasn¡¯t helping us. At the same time, I didn¡¯t just want to abandon the T. rexes. ¡°Fine, Reggie, I know you are never going to trust me, but Jack does. You trust Jack, don¡¯t you?¡±


    Jack had stopped chewing. It was clear he was waiting for Reggie to answer.


    By that time, Billie and Khanna purred up next to us on their motorcycle, the power crystal gleaming on its gas tanks.


    Billie was pale. ¡°Come on, Sid, let¡¯s go. No need to get all upset. They¡¯re just dinosaurs.¡± Her laughter came out sad. ¡°Yeah, I can¡¯t believe I just said that.¡±


    ¡°We have to go,¡± I told the dinosaurs. ¡°You can stay if you want¡­¡±


    Jack glanced over at Reggie with such a hopeful expression. We have eaten enough. Come, Black Colony. Let us go with Sid and his yeasty friends.


    Reggie belched. His breath stank of chewed up lizard bitch. We will trust White Colony. We will go with them while we digest our food. We can come back to this place to eat more later.


    I was kind of surprised by that, but I was glad they were with us.


    We took off from Fry City, though again, the fungasaurs were slowing us down. I was torn. We had headlights on our motorcycles, so we could go faster, but then we wouldn¡¯t have our escort.


    We went back to the hill where we¡¯d had our first battle with the reptilian biker gang, gathered up our stuff, and then followed Holly¡¯s tracks, relatively y fresh in the soft ground of the hilly grasslands.


    We were moving slowly up a hill when Reggie¡¯s voice appeared in my mind. Stickman, I want you to understand me more. I will trust White Colony and Green Colony until the end of the time. I was alone when I first came to K¡¯Shaul, on a very nice World Beast, a Sacred World Beast, what we call the Grand Beast of the Blessed Thinkers. I didn¡¯t know if a predator would find my Grand Beast and kill it, dispersing me to the Great Cloud All Around. On Molvo, the Grand Beasts are raised by the Blessed Thinkers, Servants of Molvo, who understand the Way of Molvo and honor us.


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    I wasn¡¯t sure I was understanding. Luckily, I had an ace in the hole.


    ¡°Opal, can you help me out?¡±


    Molvo is the name of their world and their deity. The Blessed Thinkers are a sentient race of hominids, not unlike yourself, that realized that the Colorspore Colonies were sentient. They bread the Grand Beasts, which are similar your hippopotamuses. They are very large herbivores, and they are very powerful, with few known predators. The Ravana Storm must¡¯ve captured the Grand Beasts when it took Reggie from Molvo.


    Both Jack and Reggie heard Opal, since we were so connected with each other.


    Jack liked what he heard. Yes, a concise explanation.


    Reggie, though, sounded pissed off. That is what I said. I was very clear. I was on K¡¯Shaul a long time, alone, but then I met White Colony, whom I did not know on Molvo. Here, we became comrades. We were being hunted by large canine predators, and we ran from sector to sector, and we feared we would lose our World Beasts before we found replacements. In the rainforest, where it is warm and wet and nice, we found a home. There, we found new World Beasts, beasts savage enough to kill anything that tried to harm us. Green Colony had already found his new World Beast. He greeted us. He helped us with the very difficult rituals of World Migration. We have strayed some from the Way of Molzo. That shames me.


    Jack¡¯s huge footsteps came down next to us, smashing down, over and over, boom, boom, boom. Jack snorted. Now, Reggie, we will tell Sid the Way of Molvo. He is our friend. Do you agree?


    Reggie sighed. We agree. We are not happy. But we understand.


    Jack continued. The Way of Molvo is to honor life. The Way of Molvo means we only use the Blessed Ignorant for our World Beasts. It is against the Way of Molvo to use a Blessed Thinker as a World Beast no matter the size. The Way of Molvo dictates that the ideal World Beast do not eat other beasts but eat of the plants of the World. However, predators can be used as long as Blessed Thinkers are not devoured.


    Reggie disagreed. No, White Colony. The Way of Molvo says only the planteaters should be World Beasts. We are breaking the rule by using predators as our World Beasts, but we have no choice. We ate of the Sleezenak, and they are of the Blessed Thinkers.


    And suddenly the two were in a theological debate.


    Jack had a counter argument. Not Blessed Thinkers. They are Hateful Thinkers. They violate the Way of Molvo by eating the flesh of the sentient. We are in alignment with the Way of Molvo if we embrace a more liberal view of the doctrine.


    Reggie grumbled, I find your justifications troubling. Yet, I agree. We had little choice in the matter. The Way of Molvo does say that life is better than death, though death is important. We can learn much from death.


    Jack continued that line of thought. That is why, when Blessed Thinkers die, we visit their flesh and watch, learn, and experience the passing of their flesh as the death spores and other bacteria feast. In the end, all will die. There are important lessons to be learned from that.


    I thought about our conversation. Like us, the Colorspore Colonies had been caught by the Ravana Storm and brought to K¡¯Shaul. And like us, they were just trying to survive any way they could.


    They didn¡¯t know any more about K¡¯Shaul than I did.


    Finally, Billie yelled at me. ¡°What are you and Jack and Reggie talking about? I¡¯m hoping it¡¯s a way to find Holly faster because going this slow is killing me.¡±


    ¡°This is what we¡¯re going to do,¡± I said to her over the purr of my engine. ¡°When we hit Lava World, we¡¯re going to split up. Jack will walk north of us, by a thousand meters, and Reggie will talk south. We¡¯ll keep an eye out for any sign of Holly. In the end, we can cover more territory that way.¡±


    Billie threw me a kiss. ¡°You¡¯re so smart.¡±


    Khanna looked confused, so I told her the plan.


    She nodded. ¡°Many eyes are better. Khanna also know your spirit will look. Khanna is learning to trust your spirit.¡±


    ¡°Good, because Opal is very useful.¡±


    It wasn¡¯t long until we hit the lava fields. By that time, I¡¯d explained the Way of Molvo to Billie and Khanna, in two languages.


    Khanna just assumed the spirits were lying.


    Billie, on the other hand, got a goofy look on her face. ¡°Now I feel bad for throwing all the moldy things away in my mom¡¯s refrigerator. They might have been the Blessed Thinkers.¡±


    ¡°No, I think if the refrigerator mold were sentient, it would be a Colorspore Colony. We¡¯re the Blessed Thinkers because we¡¯re sentient. It¡¯s a whole thing.¡±


    Billie smiled. She looked like she was in better spirits, but she was still so tired. The day had felt like it had lasted a week, and it wasn¡¯t over just yet.


    The sky above Lava World was completely dark, the stars blocked out by the thick atmosphere. At least there was a good amount of oxygen there now. Standing on the hill, we saw that the black plain was lit up here and there by pools of glowing lava. Here and there, a few fountains of liquid rock went splashing across the dark ground. Most of the liquid rock had cooled, however, and we found a path through the fountains and pools.


    Jack and Reggie understood their assignments. Jack angled toward the north while Reggie walked the southern route. The two T. rexes still had their armored feet from the battle with the Sleezenak.


    Opal continued to scan for Holly. She also kept us on the right path, avoiding any places where the crust of cooled rock was too thin. We didn¡¯t want to end up wading through lava.


    Not walking with our T. rex friends felt strange, but I could reach out to them at any time. Opal made sure to check on them to make sure they were okay. If they did get into trouble, there weren¡¯t any World Beasts, not a single mouse, on Lava World that they could escape to.


    We just had to hope for the best. Finding Holly was our number one goal.