Probe

by Douglas E Roff

  “I’ll get back to you on that. I need to talk to a couple of folks then we might have a fun new thing for you to try.”

  Helena smiled. “I’m not going anywhere.”

  Chapter 56

  “Really Dad, that’s what you want me to try? What did Misti say?”

  “She said sure, if you want to go there. Up to you though.”

  “And Noki and Alana? What did they say?”

  “Misti said yes. I would think that’s all the approval you might need.”

  “No, Dad, I hardly think so. If the girls say yes, I’ll try it. All the girls. A trial run. But this is dangerous and mostly for her. This isn’t just an unprepared newbie; it’s an interspecies experiment. Shouldn’t she know?”

  “Normally yes. But in this instance, no. Do your mind thingy, then if she’s still OK, I want you to go everywhere in the four corners of her mind and get everything we need. Language, secrets, everything. This is better than waiting for Bella. She can help a lot, but later. We need a small miracle right now; we can fill in the spaces later.”

  ***

  “All cameras and electronics out. I’ll sweep myself. Nothing but us alone and no surveillance. Promise?”

  “Of course. I’m not the voyeur in the family. I leave this entirely up to you and Misti.”

  Edward had proposed that Adam use his skills to enter Helena’s mind, give her the mind sex she wanted, but then go off exploring the rest of her psyche on his own. Edward had surmised, based on conversations with Adam, that Adam’s skills now included roaming the mind of a subject while they both simultaneously were engaged in some other activity. And, he could roam independently and stealthily.

  Adam asked Edward to preclear the episode with the ladies; Adam estimated that the initial foray would last be minutes, similar to the initial encounters with Alana and Noki. Edward said he had gotten the pre-clearance from Misti, and the experiment into the mind of a Gens was about to go forward.

  ***

  Adam elected to have his encounter with Helena in Rod and Cindy’s quarters, the quarters least likely to have spy gear installed. Adam swept the premises anyway and found nothing.

  Helena entered the room, having been told what was about to take place, at least with respect to psychic sex. Helena said, “OK, what now.”

  Adam said nothing and began to undress Helena. He said little and wasn’t particularly gentle. He had been told by Danny that the Gens way wasn’t particularly romantic, and that Helena was all Gens. She had shared with him many of the things she liked and was continuously asking Danny to play harder; she would tell him when enough was enough. Helena’s fantasies were rough and extreme and her libido crossover from natural state to human was a mixture of the two.

  Adam found Helena to be very physically appealing and his reticence to accommodate her most violent, and extreme desires non-existent. Somewhere in his unconscious mind, Helena would be the whipping girl taking punishment from Adam for the sins of her kind. If Adam thought this to be beyond what Helena desired, he was wrong. It was role play to Helena and getting “in the mood” not terribly difficult.

  Adam sat in a recliner brought in from the staff TV Common Room, then pulled Helena on top of him by her hair. He entered her in a single and unkind thrust and began a slow, rhythmic cadence for a few minutes. He then he placed his fingers on her temples and entered her mind.

  What Adam thought would be a short exploration of Helena’s mind and life proved to be incorrect. He coupled and explored for a few minutes, then disengaged. Then he re-engaged and coupled with Helena all through the evening and well into the next day. When he finally disengaged from her for a second time, he left her asleep and alone in the room. He opened the door, requested food and drink, then went back inside and began all over again through the afternoon, evening and overnight again. When they left the room the next day, Helena asked to go home to her apartment, and be left alone so she could rest and recuperate.

  Adam said no and re-engaged with her for another day. At the conclusion of this tryst, he allowed her to leave, exhausted and unable to function normally. What had been fun for a day or so ended up being quite unpleasant. At least that was what Adam thought.

  Helena slept all that day, then asked Adam, once she regained her composure, if he would honor her again. He did – and virtually continuously for the next day and a half. Only the impending departure of the family from South Dakota to London interrupted their continuous coupling.

  “Will I ever see you again,” she asked Adam when he stopped by to say goodbye.

  “Oh yes. I believe we have much unfinished business and, if you are willing to couple again, I would be honored to join with you again.”

  “When?”

  “Soon. I’ll make the arrangements.”

  “Don’t be long. You are a wicked, wicked young man. Are there more like you?”

  ***

  Helena, now somewhat recovered and rested, reconvened in a conference room with Bella, Adam and Misti. She knew that Misti was married to Adam and expected to hear a hurt human wife go off on a diatribe against her. However, she mused, someone as insignificant as his mate could never understand what had just taken place between her and Adam St. James. That was beyond anything ever experienced by any Gens female ever and she could care less about what this whiney human female might want.

  However, Helena was wrong. Instead of a rant about coupling with Adam, the couple came to the meeting bearing good news for the Gens matriarchs. Each was to be offered a deal and the ladies were free to accept or decline it. No punishment or coercion was in play and no action would be taken against the ladies or their children. Jason was an exception and Adam, was quite clear that Bella’s son was highly motivated to begin the genocide. If he ever saw the kid again, would kill him on sight.

  Adam looked at Bella and began, “I don’t want this to descend into a personal vendetta, but I believe you’re well aware of your son’s thoughts on the matter.”

  “I am. Truthfully, as a Gens, I’m not clear why you released him. I accept that you are not in the mood to kill for the sake of animal blood lust, but, given half a chance, Jason will kill you.”

  “Sure, and if he tries, he will not survive the encounter. He’s young and in no way approximates the skill that I possess. He’ll be dead, and I will take no pleasure in the act. At least I hope not.”

  Helena wasted no time. “You have news for me?” Helena wasn’t normally tactful, but she wasn’t stupid.

  “Yes. We can continue any time, but we would like to hold off until you hear our proposal for each of you. We think you both may have reason to accept our offer and our terms.”

  Bella looked on curiously. “Go on.”

  Helena said, “Does your wife agree to allow us to be … intimate. I know how jealous human women are. And weak.”

  Misti said, somewhat piqued, “If you want my husband for some fun and games, this is probably not the way to get my approval. And trust me, you do. So, if I were you, I’d sit there and shut up while he explains the parameters of the deal. Otherwise he’ll turn you down, not me. Personally I don’t care, and I’m not the jealous type.”

  Adam spoke, “Lest you misunderstand who my wife really is, the two fellows from the Grand Canyon incident know her well. I was shot up and incapacitated. Misti took over the firefight and it was she who killed almost all of your men, then captured and kidnapped your two warriors. That’s right, a human female. If I let her loose on you right now, you’d both be dead within minutes.”

  Helena, contrite, said, “I have already spoken with the men. My apologies.”

  Adam continued, “What I propose is that both of you will come with us, along with your children, to one of our command centers. You will not actually be with us, but near us. You will have a secure home and everything you need for your children. If you cooperate, you will be free to do as you please within limits. The only limits we will place on you is not t
o have any contact with any of your kind. If you do, the deal’s off, you go back to South Dakota and your kids go to their papa.”

  “How do you define ‘cooperation’?” asked Helena.

  “A lot of sex with me. Others if you wish. I place no restrictions on your ‘others’ except those imposed by local law and preventing spreading STDs to me and anyone else with whom you may choose to couple. Your kids can go to school locally or have tutors. Up to you.”

  “What’s the catch?”

  “Nothing. Just what I said. But I expect you to help with translations, decryptions and related issues. It won’t all be playtime.”

  “OK then. I agree. I assume I’m going to sign something.”

  “Nope. You fuck up, you die. No court of law involved.”

  Helena said, “Even better. You could easily have been born Gens. Maybe later …”

  Adam smiled at the lascivious Helena and turned to Bella. “As for you, you may be living somewhere else, or maybe with your sister. Yet to be determined. And you will be working with our translation and decryption teams directly, along with your sister. Lots of translation, long hours and long days. You will have your kids with you and Octavio too if that’s what you both wish. Again, as I said to Helena, if you lie and try to make contact with your fellow Gens, you and your children die. Octavio may have feelings for you, but he knows that your kind is still out to kill us all. Betray him and he probably won’t wait to give me the pleasure of sending you off to paradise.”

  “That’s all?”

  “Why? You have more to offer?”

  “I do. So, does Helena.”

  “Why would you? Either of you.”

  “If I told you, you might not believe me. Certainly, your father doesn’t.”

  “Try me.”

  Bella ignored the question. “I accept your deal. And I will explain why to you later but not now. You will need proof and I will supply it. Words mean nothing to you or to him. I understand that, and Helena and I will help you in ways even you cannot imagine.”

  “A hint?”

  Helena said, “Societas Callum. Mixed Gaelic and Latin. Don’t hurt yourselves thinking about this one.”

  Adam said, “White Dove Society? What’s that?”

  “I’ll whisper it in your husband’s ear at our next coupling.”

  Adam looked at Helena and said, “Right this way. What’s your fancy?”

  “I’ll whisper that in your other ear.” She stopped, then turned to Misti. “Don’t wait up. I’ll need him until we leave.”

  ***

  On the plane, his family and friends on board, couldn’t help but stare at Adam.

  Misti spoke up first, “Well?”

  “Well what?”

  “Well…”

  “Enlightening. Pleasurable and incredibly sensual, yet wild and frightening all at the same time. Their well is deep and the crossover from natural state to human state is unlike anything I have ever experienced. But at the crossroads, in between two states, is something that cannot be described.”

  “You had orgasms?”

  “Oh yes. Many. I have promised to pleasure her more in the future. And soon. That’s the deal.”

  “No, that’s the deal we were going to discuss. You have three women with a vote on that matter. Remember that.”

  “I will show each of you everything I experienced, every raw feeling and limitless emotion. And afterwards, if you say no, no it will be. But this is a gold mine and we need to mine every gram we can. And Misti, feel free to connect yourself. I guarantee you that you’ll be more likely to enjoy her fetishes than me.”

  Misti had no idea what he was going on about, but she would once she got him alone as soon as they got home. Then Noki and Alana would each have their turns and see for themselves.

  Misti would get to the bottom of this and quickly. She would enter his mind and explore, just as she’d been taught. No longer was it a one-way street where Adam controlled all activity. Noki had been the first to experiment and what she learned she passed on to her fellow travelers. The sisterhood was now knitted together by mind exploration and not just with Adam.

  Noki had taken the first steps toward the initiation of her own independent explorations, without Adam, and she had been successful. Noki was now entering the minds of both Misti, and Alana and, surprisingly, Misti had proven herself an incredibly imaginative and quick study in all aspects of mind travel. She had begun her personal journey as a non-believer and ended up a skilled acolyte

  The pace of expansion was moving rapidly. No longer tethered to Adam, and free from their own ignorance and self-doubt, they explored. First with each other, then with other willing students. First it was Vera and Hannah, soon it would be others. At first Misti was concerned that Adam would feel left out, no longer necessary. But the truth was it was a massive relief to him. He had more pressing matters to consider and Adam needed to devote less time to educating his acolytes and more time to developing new facets of his amazing ability.

  The educational component of his mental skills had become time consuming and largely theatrical. That there were acolytes who could and would teach the discipline to new adherents delighted him. That he had, had connected deeply with Helena, formerly a different species, had intrigued him. He wanted to press the matter and explore more of the Gens mind. As he did, he discovered new skills and abilities; most simply appeared to him without effort while others required work, patience and practice.

  But it began to frighten his wife. Adam was far out in front with skills development both in kind and mastery. No matter what Misti, Noki and Alana did, they would never catch up to his abilities. And it seemed as though his abilities were progressing exponentially, while theirs were increasing quickly, but unevenly and somewhat arithmetically.

  She decided to speak to the harem and decide what to do. They couldn’t lose Adam at this point, but they no longer knew even how to assess where he was. They would have to try to rein him in or he’d have to agree to slow down. Neither was ever going to happen; what was they just didn’t know yet.

  But how, she thought, would they even broach that subject with him? The things they often loved most about Adam were the things they also truly detested.

  Cognitive dissonance at its finest.

  Chapter 57

  Helena walked in to the small dining room reserved for meetings and working lunches. Bella had arrived a few minutes earlier and was seated at the dining room table, scribbling something in her notebook.

  Helena said, “Why all the secrecy? Couldn’t we just talk at your place. Or mine?”

  “Well, we could have,” said Bella. “But where’s the fun in that. Besides I like the warmth of this room, and really, what I want to discuss with you isn’t so much a secret as it’s just private.”

  Helena said, “OK what’s on your mind today then? The girls are dating; Octavio wants a divorce? The coming apocalypse?”

  “The girls are fine, and Octavio is still a dreamy dream. So different from Paulo and I guess that’s really one of the big reasons I want to talk to you.”

  “How so?”

  “I’ve noticed a big change in the girls since we came here, and Octavio came into our lives. Paulo barely had time for them and never took a second out of his day to even acknowledge them. The girls were usually sullen and moody; they were anxious and acted out on a daily basis. They were unhappy all the time. I didn’t know what to do for them; I knew this was going to be their lives for as long as they lived.”

  Helena said, “Enzo’s the same. Loves our son, doesn’t have any time for the girls. But isn’t that the Gens way. I mean in the Collective anyway?”

  “Yes, but as you know, not back home. Not the way we were raised. And not among the humans. It’s different. Octavio’s different. He spends all his free time with me and the girls. His little ladies, he calls them. He takes them around the base, to his workouts, running and even to his martia
l arts training. He got them pink Gi’s, so they could feel like a part of his “kung fu” exercise. The other men take time to teach and talk to them, to support and encourage them too. In fact, all the men on base have been kind and concerned. They stop by my quarters from time to time with little gifts for the girls. Most have families of their own, girls at home, and understand how difficult this might be for the girls.”

  “So?”

  “Octavio comes over every morning and makes breakfast for them. He makes heart shaped pancakes with smiley faces for them on Saturday morning. Sometimes animal shaped pancakes that he decorates. He reads to them at night and watches cartoons whenever he can. One time when I was out and came home he was under a tent they made from bed sheets and he was having tea time with them.”

  “What’s the problem then? They like him. So, what?”

  “The problem is they love him, not just like him. They smile all the time; they’re happy and don’t fuss. They behave. They have come alive and blossomed being around him. And, for that matter, so have I. I don’t think I can go back to the way things were before we were kidnapped. I can’t go back to Paulo, and my old life. I just can’t.”

  “You know that’s not possible don’t you. Enzo and Paulo will demand our return at some point. And we’ll all have to go. That includes the kids.”

  “No, I won’t. I have decided I will not go back. Our husbands will punish us in some way, isolate us more than ever before. I can’t do that. I just can’t. Besides if word gets out we can’t transform, he’ll kill us. He might kill us anyway. Paulo will make Jason do the execution. He’ll kill the girls too.”

  Helena thought for a moment, wondering what Bella had in mind. She was right; Enzo would punish her, and the children harshly, and confine them to their home at a minimum. Death would follow in due course, an accident or mishap of some sort. Helena always considered this hardship to be the political price that was her lot in life; no choices or options.

  “What are you thinking?”

  “I’m going to ask the Human and his wife to give us all permanent asylum. Allow us to stay under their protection forever.”