Scerior Part II

by Jilly Bowling

  Allorus knew he couldn’t lie to him so answered honestly “When I found out what had been done to them, I couldn’t understand how they had survived. I didn’t think of the damage done to their minds, only that done to their bodies. I admit that I am smitten by Rebecca, I want her and intend to have her as my mate, but even if she were to turn me down, now I understand the damage done to their minds, I would still ask you to help them”.

  “Very well Lord Allorus; I will consult with my peers and let you know if we think we might be able to help”. Kheta bowed and turned to leave.

  “Thank you, if you can help it would be a fantastic thing; not just for these females but also those Lord Acorus might rescue during his forays into Africa. I’m sure if he is successful in Africa he will instigate plans to search other countries for the Xenorii”.

  “Quite”. Kheta said sedately and left.

  Allorus grinned to himself, why did the Escorii still make him feel like a naughty child?

  Returning to the flight deck he resumed his duties and spent the day meeting council leaders, his own officers and dealing with problems from provision supplies to fighter captain’s reports; they were still patrolling the Northern hemisphere from their position over Washington.

  Late in the afternoon Kheta sought him out along with two other Escorii males.

  “Ah, have you come up with an idea?” Allorus asked.

  “Yes we think it may be possible. It is a dangerous procedure; some of the females may not be able to take the discomfort it may cause. We have decided that we will only do it to those who have no hope of ever recovering, the decision must be ours and ours alone, once we have examined them”.

  “What about any relatives they may have? They may refuse permission to try”.

  “We must have complete control of this procedure. Humans could not possibly understand what has to be done so would be unable to give permission. It is a big test for you Lord Allorus; you must take all responsibility for whatever happens. Maybe you might wish to wait until your father returns?” Kheta said looking at Allorus quizzically.

  Allorus frowned, was Kheta saying he didn’t have the guts or the power, to make such a decision? “Thank you Kheta I will make a decision soon; after I have spoken to both Sceriae and human doctors. My father has enough to worry about without this but I will speak with Lady Joanna and listen to her views. I will let you know whether you will be required or not. Oh, incidentally, I haven’t seen a report about how your interrogation of the two Xenorrii prisoners is going”.

  “No, I’m afraid they have become catatonic; whether through losing their whips or a diet low in blood we do not know. Further interrogation has had to be suspended while we give them more blood. Pig’s blood seems to suit them best, but of course there is a shortage of pigs, as well as other animals. We drain as much as we dare from our collection of animals; we do not want to damage or kill them by taking too much. The Xenorrii are not worth damaging other species for. I will let you have the report so far, but it says very little, if you would like it”.

  “No Kheta, I trust your judgement. Carry on as you are doing until they either die or get better. Do not hurt other creatures for those beasts”.

  Once the Escori had gone Allorus sent a message to Jo asking if he could speak to her. She was staying in the new town watching over the new hospital and schools while Acorus was away.

  As the afternoon turned into evening Allorus’ second officer appeared on the flight deck, to take over from him; once he had been briefed Allorus hurried to his quarters eager to shower, change and go to the canteen to meet Rebecca. When he entered the crew’s mess hall she was sitting with the friends he’d met the night before. Smiling at her, he joined the small queue at the buffet table and helped himself to a plate of food and a drink. Carrying his heaped plate, utensils and his drink he carefully made his way to Rebecca’s table. When he got there Mark moved along so he could sit down; looking at Rebecca his eyes asked the question and she smiled and told him to sit, he was welcome.

  Suddenly realising that the canteen had become quiet he looked around, only to find that everyone had been watching him. As he raised an eyebrow they all looked away and continued talking, the noise raising to a babble once again. Turning back to Rebecca he caught her grinning at him and to his consternation he felt himself become hot, surely he wasn’t blushing? To cover his confusion he turned to Mark and asked how his day had been.

  “A bit rough really, we lost a patient today”.

  “Oh, I’m sorry, what happened?”

  Mark sighed “A young woman called Estelle managed to tear all her stitches out. Her groin and femoral artery had been damaged and she had a raging infection. She was quiet and thought to be asleep; under her covers she ripped each stitch out one by one. The pain must have been terrible but she never made sound. The only indication the nurses got was the blood soaking along her bottom sheet, so thickly that a few drops dripped onto the floor. She died from loss of blood before we could save her”.

  “Why didn’t the Escorii know what she was doing?” Allorus demanded.

  “One of the other patients attacked a nurse; hurt her quite badly and the Escorii all rushed to help get her under control”. Mark explained.

  “How is the nurse?”

  Once again Mark sighed “She has a broken nose, lost a tooth and has two black eyes”.

  “My stars, the female must have been strong!”

  “Madness makes even the frailest of people stronger”.

  Allorus looked at Rebecca “Were you involved in this?”

  “No I was in another cubicle with Reed and his wife. He really is at the end of his tether, and seeing that girl raging mad, then the one who killed herself, affected him badly. He even asked me if it would be kinder to put the worst cases to sleep”.

  Allorus frowned “What did you tell him?”

  “What could I say? Apart from the usual platitudes like `Where there’s life there’s hope`. We all feel so helpless, none of us has ever dealt with people who have gone through such a trauma. I’m new to nursing, but even experienced nurses, some who’ve nursed for twenty years, have never experienced anything like this. It used to be a joke ` Abducted by aliens`; whoever thought women would be abducted by alien monsters, raped and constantly bitten for their blood. It’s like some silly old movie, `Raped by alien vampires`. “Rebecca said, once again with tears in her eyes.

  Allorus was sunk in thought, he’d heard Jo shout at his father that if the Sceriae hadn’t abducted girls to their galaxy, the Xenorri would never have found Earth. Was all this the Sceriae’s fault?

  Suddenly he wasn’t hungry and he pushed his plate away. No wonder his father had become distant and short tempered enough to make Jo leave him. It showed how much she must love Acorus to still be with him, knowing that the Xenorrii’s attack on Earth had most likely been the Sceriae’s fault.

  Finally he said “I’m sorry, I intend to do everything I can to help these females. Rebecca, may I have a word with you before you retire?”

  “Of course, you can walk me to my room again if you like”.

  “Right, I have to go to the flight deck so I’m going your way”. He said noticing the quickly hidden grins of the people around them. As he walked out of the canteen behind Rebecca he glared at those they passed daring them to look at him. Everyone took the hint and pretended to carry on with their conversations. Once out of the canteen he placed his hand lightly on Rebecca’s neck and felt her shiver. When he looked at her she was wide eyed as if she was wondering at the reaction she’d had to his touch.

  Inexperienced with young females as he was, he realised that he’d have to move very slowly with her. Physically it would be so easy to hurt her, and he was at a loss about how to seduce her. The prostitutes on Scerior had all been very experienced with how to deal with young lustful very lar
ge Sceriae males and usually took the lead; Rebecca was probably a virgin or at the most inexperienced. In this with his father away Allorus had no one he could ask for advice.

  When they reached her room she waited for him to open the door, then taking his hand led him inside. Closing the door behind them he turned back to her and took her gently into his arms. When she moved towards him he relaxed and found her mouth with his. Her kiss was so sweet, she tasted of fresh air, that he hardened instantly. This time she didn’t tense up but pressed even further against him, allowing his tongue to run around her mouth, feathering over her inner lips he sucked her in deeply, delighted to find her tongue caressing his mouth in return.

  Desperately trying to maintain control he slipped his hands under her tunic and caressed the satin smooth skin of her back, then the delicate skin at the side of each breast. Rebecca’s hands moved up into his hair, her breasts rising and tautening as she did so. Cautiously he slipped a long finger inside her bra and gently stroked upwards towards her nipples. Before he could get carried away he felt her stiffen in his arms, she was nervous. Grasping the last remnants of his control he took his hands away and gently ended the kiss.

  Rebecca looked up at him and sighed. “You said that you had something to discuss with me”.

  Bringing his eyes back into focus Allorus indicated that she should sit in the chair next to a small table and took the other himself. It was too small for him and he perched on it uncomfortably, keeping his eyes off the bed.

  “I spoke to Kheta yesterday about whether he thought the Escorii males could help the traumatised females. He went away and discussed it with his fellow interrogators and they decided that it could be possible”.

  Rebecca’s excited “Oh fantastic” interrupted him and he held up a finger in warning.

  “Don’t get too excited. He told me it could be painful and dangerous. Some of the most traumatised could die, and the Escorii want sole authority about who they treat. No doctors or relatives opinions would be taken into account. The authority to give them the go ahead would be mine, and the blame if it all went wrong. Kheta suggested that I wait for my father’s return, as he has been making difficult decisions for a long time but he could be away for months. At the moment he is out of communication with us and has more important things to think about”.

  “Some of the women could die, but others could get better? I understand that it’s a difficult decision but some will die anyway and the others will have a miserable life. If you want my opinion I think it’s worth the risk; it’s a gamble but if it works think of all the people who could get their lives back”.

  She got up and went to him. Sitting on his knee she snuggled into him and Allorus nearly lost his mind as the feel and scent of her surrounded him. He had to get out of this room or he would fling her onto the bed and ravish her. The chair creaked underneath him and he stood up, picking her up in his arms. She wrapped her arms around his neck and trustingly turned her face up to his. He could feel his constraint weakening so he kissed her on her nose and set her down.

  “I’m going to speak with Lady Joanna and seek her advice. She’s extremely smart and has been dealing with difficult decisions for years, I’m sure she will help us. If I send for you to come and speak to her, please don’t think I am playing the big I am, its protocol”.

  Rebecca grinned “I understand Sir. If you find a way to help those poor women I’ll put up with protocol”.

  Allorus swatted her bottom “I see you will be a problem to my dignity. Maybe I should insist on you calling me sir all the time!”

  “Yes sir, three bags full sir. Oh”... she squealed as he lifted her up and kissed her hard.

  “Right, I must go. Don’t tell anyone what we have been discussing. Some would be really against the idea”.

  “Like Reed for instance, he could be a problem”.

  “If we decide to go ahead he will have no choice”. Allorus said firmly. “I’ll see you tomorrow, sleep well”.

  As she shut the door behind him Rebecca was smiling.

  Chapter 8

  As Allorus was studying reports from all over the world, including Africa, Jo popped her head into the small cabin that he used as an office. When he saw her he jumped to his feet saluting her.

  “Hi, please sit down Al, you sent word that you need to discuss something with me”.

  “I did, but we need to talk somewhere more private than this. I hesitate to ask but would you feel comfortable talking in my quarters?”

  Jo frowned, this must be serious “Of course I don’t mind talking in your room. First though, is your father alright?”

  “Oh yes” Allorus moved out from behind his desk and ushered her out “I’ve had no personal message, but official communications we received this morning state that all is going as planned”.

  As they walked towards his quarters, Jo quizzed him on what was happening in Africa, and he filled her in as best he could. The mixed human/ Sceriae army had discovered groups of indigenous people hiding in desolate areas, almost starving to death, and sent them back to their secure base on the coast, where they were being fed and cared for. From them Acorus had discovered that the Xenorrii were holed up somewhere, raiding the continent often and snatching small groups of people and wild animals.

  Once in Allorus’ quarters Jo sat at the table where drinks had been laid out and waited while he removed his helmet, then poured them both a drink.

  “Right Allorus, tell me what’s bothering you”. She said taking a sip of her drink.

  So he told her his idea about the traumatised females, what Kheta had said and his dilemma, whether to go ahead with it or not.

  Jo didn’t interrupt him but as he talked her face became grave. “Are none of them improving?” was all she asked.

  “One or two, and of course they would not be chosen for the trial”.

  “Of course if it worked it would mean that any more women rescued would benefit from it too. Why are you hesitating to approve it?”

  Allorus sighed “What if it doesn’t work? Makes them worse or kills them. Reed’s wife would be one who was chosen as she had shown no sign of improvement. Because the Escorii want total control he would have no say in the matter. If she died he would hate us. It may spoil the relationship between Sceriae and humans, and I would be held responsible”.

  Jo looked at him quizzically “And you couldn’t bear that? I thought you had broader shoulders than that; all of us in power have to bear the responsibility if anything we instigate goes wrong. You make decisions everyday, some right some wrong. Why is this different?”

  Allorus looked down but didn’t reply.

  “If you want my help you must be honest with me”.

  “Mmm, well you see, mmm, I’ve become friendly with some human nurses and doctors. They are at the end of their tether and wondered if I could help,” he said lamely.

  Jo smiled “What is her name?”

  Allorus looked up and met her eyes, “Rebecca”.

  “And you like her?”

  “She’s conscientious, hard working, kind and pleasant to be with”.

  “Also very beautiful”. Jo stated.

  “You know her?”

  “No but from the look on your face she’s got under your skin. Have you slept with her?”

  “No, no she’s a decent girl”, he stammered.

  “So that is really your dilemma. You want her, need to impress her and think that by helping her patients, she’ll fall into your bed”.

  “It doesn’t sound very honourable put like that. I know I shouldn’t want her, I must take a half breed mate, but I can’t get her out of my mind”.

  “How does she feel about you?”

  “I think she likes me, she responds to my kisses, but she is so petite I daren’t go any further in case she doesn’t want me
, and I can’t stop”. Allorus put his head in his hands feeling embarrassed.

  Jo regarded him thoughtfully; he was so honourable and yet he didn’t trust himself where sex was concerned. The Sceriae males had discovered that mating with a human female was such fun that they had freed their libido and were forceful, exhausting lovers. Due to her idea to bring experienced call girls to Scerior, the males now grew up to enjoy and need sex. For a small human virgin they could be terrifying and Jo found herself thinking even more of Allorus than she had before. She liked all Acorus’ sons and admired the way they were being raised, so she desperately wanted to help Allorus. If Acorus had been there he would have told his son how to make love to an inexperienced girl; but he wasn’t so it was down to Jo.

  “Allorus, I know the plan is to breed true Sceriae males with the half breed females, to keep your race as pure as possible. However if you fall in love with a human it wouldn’t be fair of you to take a half breed as your mate. You would be offering her second best if you love somebody else. We abducted females taught your males about love as it didn’t exist between Sceriae males and females before. Respect, liking and admiration were the feelings your ancestors felt for their mates, not love. Some might say it was a better way, but once love comes into the equation it displaces everything else. Do you think you love Rebecca?”

  Looking thoughtful he said “I don’t know, but she makes me feel, oh I don’t know, as if I want to hold her and keep her safe forever. With the prostitutes I have used it was enjoyable and a release, but I wasn’t aware of them, just a female body. With Rebecca I want to give her pleasure, I want her to want me above anybody else. Just holding her in my arms makes me feel good. But I am so afraid that I will hurt her!”

  Jo picked up her mug and sipped her drink, giving herself time to think what she should say. “I know that when you used the call girls you didn’t hurt them or it would have been reported to me. It’s different with them, I know, but you must have taken a small woman, as a lot of them are small. I’m small and your father is as big as you; he never hurt me, frightened me to begin with as I had no choice because in all reality I was a slave. He treated me gently and made me want him; women are made to accommodate most males, all you have to do is make her want you as much as you want her. If she loves you as much as you love her, it won’t be difficult to do. Just move slowly and notice how her body reacts to you. I’m sure I don’t have to go into the mechanics of making love, the call girls would have shown you that”.