NanoSymbionts

by Joseph Philbrook

  The woman sucked in her breath suddenly. She had obviously not thought of that connotation to the words. Before she answered, she took a firm hold of Sam's swollen snake.

  “Well I'm going to have to ask him about that,” she said. “But I intend to hold him to the letter of his word. At least so far as it comes to this one's first experience down there on Slowlane.”

  Three hours later the biological inspections officer walked in to tell them their shuttle was ready. He was greeted by the sight of his wife swallowing Sam's snake while Jake was busy screwing her from behind.

  The room was full of the scent of extended sexual activity. The two redheads appeared to be doing their best to coax another orgasm from Jess. The blond pilot was stretched out on one of the sofas. Apparently worn out. At this point Sam looked up, then looked the officer squarely in the eyes.

  “Just a moment sir,” Sam said. “I think we are just about...”

  As he said this Sam's eyes lost focus as his orgasm began. Which appeared to excite the inspector's wife enough for her to begin experiencing another orgasm. Which in turn triggered Jake's obviously powerful release.

  The shuttle moved smoothly and silently as it lifted off the moon and began a controlled descent to the surface of Slowlane. The atmospheric insertion was so smooth they almost couldn't tell when it happened.

  “I can't believe how smooth that reentry went,” Sam commented.

  “That's got something to do with their advanced energy science,” Jess informed him. “They won't give us the details of course but they have some way of reliably applying enough balanced repulsor and attractor field energies that they can make the transition so gradual as to avoid all that bouncy turbulence that most space landers have to weather. It also means they don't need to spend much on heat shielding either...”

  “But I thought you described this world as ‘a backwater, low tech paradise with a spaceport’ when you first told me where we were going?” Sam protested. “I mean I thought the moonbase looked kind of advanced. But now your telling me they even have advanced technology that we don't?”

  “Well yes, I think I did say that,” Jess replied. “Let's see, I call this a backwater world because it's not listed in any of the regular guild trading directories. Nobody runs anything like a regular shipping or passenger service to the place. It's almost as hard to do business here, as on a restricted planet like Earth. You haven't seen the lifestyle the people here maintain yet. It is a low tech paradise because they have the technological resources to deal with emergency situations. But they choose to leave the worst of it out of their daily lives. They do use high efficiency electronic lighting and communications. But they do so in a limited way. They make good use of environmentally friendly technology to run trains, airplanes and even some automobiles. Yet the majority of the people are more likely to use horse drawn carts and wagons than anything with a motor. They have steamships. But wherever practical they choose to use sailboats. Wait till you see a bit of the planetside below. You'll see.”

  Eventually the shuttle landed on a sparsely populated crescent shaped continent called Wildland. The landing, like the rest of the flight, went slow and smooth. When they stepped outside the shuttle, Sam got his first view of the shuttle's exterior. Unlike the airtight boarding ramp at the moon base, they disembarked via a portable set of stairs that were rolled up to the shuttles passenger hatch. He was surprised to see that the shuttle was an almost spherical craft. It was covered in what looked to him like a bunch of built in satellite dishes. There wasn't anything even remotely like a rocket engine on it.

  The ground was like the surface of a well maintained gravel road. They were in the middle of an open space about twice the size of a baseball field. There was a short wooden fence around the perimeter of the gravel area. The ground on the other side of the fence was covered with some kind of grass. Except for where there was an gateway in the fence. Of these there were six. Two were large enough for the truck that was backing up to some kind of freight ramp that appeared to be attached to the other side of the shuttle.

  They were escorted through one of the smaller gateways, down a narrow brick paved footpath leading to a long low wooden building. For the most part, the path was a straight line. Except that nearly midway between the landing field and the building it spit into two paths. Forming an elliptical ring around a most peculiar looking tree, with a protective fence around it.

  “That's a daggerthorn tree, isn't it Jess?” Jake asked.

  When Jess nodded, Jake turned to face Sam.

  “That's one tree we need to recognize Sam,” Jake said. “Lets hear what you know about it.”

  “OK,” Sam replied. “According to the shuttles database, the daggerthorn tree is an unusual form of flowering evergreen tree with a central trunk like cluster of entwined stems that can sometimes rise to a height of 35 feet. The last 5 feet of which will be a plume like burst of thin upward reaching branches covered with short bright green needles and short but sharp toxic thorns, terminating in either bright red blossoms or dark brown seedpods. Below the plume, all of the branches are thicker and unlike the plume, they angle downwards from the trunk. These lower branches are usually thorn free. The lower branches are covered with long dark blueish green needles. Each of these branches is longer than the ones above it so that by the time the lowest branches touch the ground, they form an ellipse with an average radius roughly equal to the tree's height.

  Where these bottom most branches touch the ground, they sprout bulbous appendages called thornpods. From which spring, plume like vertical shoots up to 10 feet tall. Those shoots are covered with short needles, resembling the ones in the plume, except that these are the same dark blueish green shade as the bulk of the tree. These shoots, also bristle with long purple thorns. All of the thorns on a daggerthorn tree, whether the short ones in the plume or the long ones around the bottom parameter, are covered in an extremely concentrated form of the plants toxic sap.

  These trees are actually a hybrid between a terrestrial shrub which had almost completely failed to thrive during the terraforming process and some local microorganism that survived the process, by forming a sub cellular symbiosis with the plant cells. Unlike most plants The stem segments don't just grow longer at the tips of new growth. But it grows longer along it's entire length as it gets taller.

  This tree also behaves differently depending on the climate in which it grows. In some regions it grows only in isolated singular plants. The seedpods of which, never germinate within a thousand feet of the parent tree. In cooler/dryer climates it grows in clusters that huddle together close enough that the lower branches often touch before they reach the ground. In which case, they generally twist around each other in such a way as to be able to lean on each other for support.

  Under normal conditions, none of them form new branches below the ones that either touch the ground, or entwine with those of a neighboring daggerthorn tree. Thus, providing one knows how to get past the deadly outer thorn wall, a daggerthorn tree or better yet cluster, provides an excellent emergency shelter from the elements.

  I believe that the recommended way to safely get past the thorn barrier, is to carefully lift up two or three adjacent thornpods, until you can pass under them. Of course one must take care not to touch the thornpods themselves with bare skin. As they are covered with nearly microscopic thorns that sometimes abruptly grow bigger on contact. And, if it's possible, are even more toxic than the other thorns. Incidentally the daggerthorn's sap, excluding the concentrated form in it's thorns, makes an excellent insect repellent.”

  By the time Sam finished his description, they were standing in the doorway of the low building.

  “Good job Sam,” Jake said just before he stepped through the door into a large lounge with many chairs.

  “There are rest facilities along the left wall, should you need them,” the young serviceman who had escorted them said. “There are some food vendors along the right. You are requested to remain
in the building until they process your entry visa's. After which someone will bring them to you and explain whatever transport options you may have.”

  Less than an hour after making planetfall, their pilot asked to talk to them privately. She led them to a small conference room. Then, after they were all sitting around an oblong table, she began to explain.

  “Welcome to the Wildland spaceport,” she said. “I'd warn you about the dangerous local wildlife, but your not scheduled to stay here very long. Actually though, I've a few things I do want to tell you. But first you should know that this room is monitored by an automated system that scans all conversation against certain security protocols. And then if none appear violated, stores the conversation against an unlikely command review for about one year before it's automatically deleted. Now the next thing is, I'm going to be flying the air transport that will be bringing you to Firstland. I understand you intend to visit prime: David Miller?”

  She paused long enough for Jake to nod.

  “That's the plan anyway,” he said.

  “That's fine, but how your going to get there is one of the things I'd like to discuss,” she continued. “I have to fly all the way to Capital city before I'll be at liberty. You have the option of getting off at Westport and then either taking a commercial flight northeast to the central region where prime Miller's estate is located. Or even, if you have the time to enjoy it, taking slower overland transportation. This is the usual route that I believe Jess here has taken before.

  However, if you elect to ride with me all the way to Capital city, I will be able to provide you with myself as a personal tour guide along the way north from there to prime Miller's estate. And since I'll be with you, I'll be able to get you seats on faster government flights for however much of the trip you chose to fly. Though I must say, that particular overland route has some beautiful scenery.

  Basically this all boils down to the fact that if you travel with me. I can pretty much guarantee you won't lack for willing female company. Otherwise you might not get quite so much of it. It is up to you of course but if I'm going to reserve your seats all the way to Capital city, I need to know before we take off. Which is scheduled to happen in about an hour.

  I'll be on leave for just over two weeks. My husband won't be joining me until the second week. So I'm hoping you'll elect to travel with me.

  Oh, one other thing you should realize, Firstland isn't like the moonbase or even this spaceport. While it's not uncommon for people to occasionally give their spouse permission to umnn ‘play’ with someone else. The traditional view is that such things shouldn't be done so casually nor as often as what tends to happen in the service. Generally if you want to get it on with a married woman, you first make acquaintance with her husband. And then you can ask him if he minds if you inquire if she would like it to happen. Then the both of you together can ask him if it's OK. It is, like most things here, a slow process. On the other hand, every now and again some married person will casually mention that they already have permission. In which case it's almost considered impolite for even complete strangers to ‘not’ offer to share it with them. But that circumstance is not very common.

  Which brings me to my last point, if your not going to travel with me, then this next hour might be the only chance we'll get. For me to do something about Sam's first planetside sexperiance. But if you are, then I'm hoping you won't mind putting it off for a few hours. Because frankly I'm a little sore down there and I'd like to enjoy it too.”

  “Well in this case I think I can speak for all of us,” Jake said with a glance at his two friends. “When I say it's only fun if everybody involved is enjoying it. I've no objection to getting there via Capital city.”

  “Good!” she said. “In that case, since we'll be traveling together socially while I'm on leave, then it's only right that you should know my name. I'm Mary, Mary Hunter. My husband's name is Arnold.

  We will be on the plane for about 5 hours or so. There will be some refreshments available onboard. But I suggest you think about getting something for lunch from one of the vendors along the side wall.” Mary stood up and opened the door. Then as she gestured suggestively towards the open doorway, she continued. “I'll send someone to collect you from the main lounge in about 45 minutes.”

  The food vendors carried a variety of food items. There were assorted soups at the first vendor's stall. Another vendor had an assortment of meat filled sauces that were served over rice. Yet another was doing a brisk business selling some kabob like, meals on a stick.

  Sam noticed that the other customers were paying for their food with what looked like some kind of wire. Each one produced a roll of it and measured out a short length of it. Then the vendor cut the length from the customers spool and tucked it into a collection bin.

  “Boss,” Sam said. “It just occurred to me that they probably don't take visa here, right?”

  “Jess, I think you told me that some of the vendors at the spaceport have an uplink to the guild banking system,” Jake said. “Do you think this would be a good time to acquire some local currency?”

  “No problem!” Jess responded.

  Then he pulled up the Guild Interbank access screen on his hand held micro computer. Turned the screen so that it faced the kabob vendor, waved and pointed at it. The young man nodded, pushed a couple buttons on his counter and then mostly ignored them. A few seconds later an old women entered the shop from a door in the back. She came forward and looked at the banking image on Jess's hand held.

  “You look like newcomers so I'm thinking you need local funds,” she said. “The only question is how much?”

  “We will be planetside for a while,” Jess replied. “So lets make it three standard pocket rolls.”

  The ladies face brightened considerably.

  “Certainly Sir!” she said. As she produced her own hand held.

  She touched a few buttons then held it out towards Jess who pressed a stud on his. Then both handhelds chimed and the lady smiled. Then she clapped her hands. An old gentleman walked in from out back. He produced three small spools of wire, which he handed to Jess. Who pocketed one spool and passed the other two on to Jake and Sam.

  “So just how much wire is one of those kabobs anyway?” Jake asked.

  The old man and lady both looked puzzled.

  “How much is a what?” The man asked.

  Jake pointed at one of them.

  “The price of a mealstick depends on which delicacies are on it,” the old man said. “But the one your pointing at will cost you just two inches of prime.”

  Before Jake could peel any wire off his spool however, the lady spoke up.

  “But we wouldn't think of charging you for mealsticks today,” she quickly said. “We thank you for the trans-world business. And in appreciation we ask that each of you accept a mealstick of your choice. Free of charge.”

  The expression on the old mans face indicated that he most certainly would have charged them for the mealsticks. What he said was, “But of course, what was I thinking?”

  Jake would have insisted on paying but he got the distinct impression that the lady would be insulted.

  “That is most generous of you,” he said. “I thank you for your kindness. Boys, it looks like you can each pick out a kab..., that is a mealstick.” Then he gently lifted the one he had pointed at from the rack.

  Jake was chewing on a bit of some kind of onion when Sam commented.

  “These kabobs are delicious,” he said. “That was real nice of that lady to give them to us for free.”

  Then he took a bite out of a piece of lamb from his stick. As Jess almost choked on the mouthful of chicken that he had been enjoying.

  “Actually Sam it was just good business sense,” Jess explained. “And besides, believe me, we paid for it. Slowlane may have extreme restrictions on trans-world trade. But they highly prize offworld trading credit's, especially from the guild interbank. I ordered three ‘standard’ rolls. Any one of
which is worth more than they usually make in a year. The Guild bank would have paid them a 10% transaction fee for a liquid capital sale. If the bank realized we needed the capital to buy merchandise from them, it would only have wanted to pay them 5%.

  Aside from which Slowlane's government will give them a significant tax break if they exchange the trans-world credits we paid them for local currency. And no doubt, that lady is hoping that their vendor seal will still be on the rolls next time we need to buy something. It's sort of like an advertising ploy.” Then Jess sized up a piece of beef and just before biting a chunk off of it he added. “None the less, I'm glad she thought of it. This is mighty tasty.”

  Chapter 17 Exercise

  “Look Cindy,” Stephanie said. “The only way this is going to work is if we separate the sex from the exercise a little.”

  “How so?” Cindy asked as she let the dancer slip out of her embrace.

  “I've got an idea,” Stephanie said. “How about we just exercise for now. Then tomorrow, I'll take you on a field trip where we can play a sex game. During which we could have threesomes with one guy after another. But when we are just by ourselves, like now, we just exercise.”

  “Well, I guess we can at least try it,” Cindy said.

  Then she picked up her staff and commenced defending herself. She did good this time. It was almost two minutes before Stephanie got through her guard and lightly tapped the tip of her nose.

  “Your improving Cindy,” Stephanie admitted. “But you've still got a way to go.”

  Cindy leaned on her staff and looked Stephanie squarely in the eyes.

  “Field Trip, as in to another sidereality?” she asked. Or were you thinking of getting me on a spaceship?”

  “Actually, I was thinking of taking you to meet someone at Wildernest,” Stephanie replied.

  “Wildernest?!?” exclaimed Cindy with a puzzled look. “I hadn't heard that Sandra had succeeded in reestablishing the resonance link yet.”