by Michael Berg
“Um, no. I say you are quite a ...”
“Hey, I know what you are going to say, and frankly, you can save your compliments for later tonight. I am sure they will work to your benefit then.”
“I wasn’t trying to...”
“I know silly. It is me saying...anyway, let’s walk. I’m sure I will be safe with the Steward of Earth Defences by my side.”
“You can be confident there Beth,” Bobby replied slapping his throb pulse ray gun hanging from his belt.
“How lethal is your throb pulse pistol Bobby?”
“Very lethal if there is such a thing. It has various settings so I can refrain from killing. I really don’t like killing. It is just I feel bound to my role as...”
“Yeah I can sense your sense of worth. Call it intuition if you like, but I get the feeling you are a man of integrity. Come on then,” Beth slapped Bobby on the behind, and he quickly returned the favour again noticing the firmness of Beth’s own rear end as he had the night before during their love.
“More later,” she called to him setting off at a jogging pace.
“What’s the hurry?”
“No hurry, I just felt like running a bit,” Beth told him when he caught up to her a few seconds later. “I know you have the energy anyway. You already showed me.”
“I like to keep fit. It is part of the job as...”
“Yes, as a space commander. Well I hope you have some exciting stories you can tell us tonight.”
“I have some good ones.”
Chapter 4
The mercury had just topped one hundred degrees when Beth and Bobby had sat down out back of the house to catch a few breaths after a morning spent walking and talking. Valeena joined them after they had been sitting for ten minutes mostly just gazing out beyond the shade to the glare of the midday sun. She had finished her work and was now poised to relax.
“How has your morning been Bobby?”
“Fine thanks Valeena. Beth and I walked a good five miles.”
“She is fit.”
“I know.”
Valeena cast a look deep into Beth’s eyes, enquiring as to whether she had made love with Bobby during their morning walk. Beth knew what was coming and immediately sent her response to the negative. They had refrained from any physical contact aside from friendly pushes and slaps, and at times where Bobby took Beth’s hand to help her.
“Stop it. You know I wouldn’t,” Beth said aloud when Valeena refused to cease her look.
“Stop what?” Bobby asked.
“She wants to know if I took advantage of you somewhere out there.”
“I see. Nobody takes advantage of me. You should know my character is not open to being manipulated. Some have tried, but most have failed....in recent times. There was a day when I was young and naive when I might have fallen for something, but my uncertain energy is long gone now.”
“Is it Bobby?”
“Yes it is Valeena.”
“One can never be absolutely certain though.”
“You are right. What are you getting at?”
“Oh nothing, just conversation really. I mean nothing by it.”
Valeena had a look in her eye Bobby took for one of seduction. She appeared as though she wanted to melt the afternoon away in the clutches of him – an afternoon for a long slow session of love. He was right to an extent as for all three of them, such a thing was probably their best option in the oppressive heat. Inside there was state of the art air-conditioning and so it was likely to be their fate later to escape the afternoon heat.
Bobby recalled how the Vindors liked the heat. Their space craft were heated inside to a point any human would find extremely uncomfortable if they were not wearing a thermal controlled space suit. This heat within the Vindor spheres then made for a bigger fireball whenever Bobby launched electric ray missiles and they hit their target. At their temperature, any slight explosive disruption immediately engulfed the craft with a white hot veil dissipating into the vacuum of space almost as soon as it appeared.
After about half an hour, Bobby was hot enough to retire inside to the cooled air, leaving the two women to lie on sun lounges in the shade of the veranda. He had fallen asleep by the time they came inside, so they chose just to lie on either side of him and let the moments play out. Neither of them were tired - rather they were feeling energised and wanted more of Bobby. They could not help themselves though as their arousal was almost automatic and as they were, it was hard not to act upon.
He awoke hard as his head thumped the bed post when he rolled over during a dream. In an instant his eyes were open and he was rubbing the spot he had struck. When finished, he looked more carefully at the two women – they were looking directly at him in silence.
“Are you alright Bobby?” Beth asked.
“Yes, I’m fine thanks Beth. I didn’t know you two had arrived. How long was I out for?”
“About an hour. Would you like some water? I have some here.”
“Yeah thanks.” He took a long drink watching the two women as they again watched him.
“We want you again Bobby,” Valeena said the moment he was finished.
“I thought it might come to such a thing.”
“Yes Bobby, We can both handle you. Can you handle us again? Valeena needs to...”
“Needs to what Beth?”
“Feel you again dear. I am of as much desire as Beth,” Valeena took up where Bobby had interrupted Beth.
“Feel me again. Are you sure I am not the one doing the most feeling when it comes to love?”
“I don’t know how you can say such a thing Bobby. Your strong hands on our skin is sumptuous to us and your long...slow tenderness...”
“I get the picture.”
“We feel in different ways Bobby. Valeena and I would love to love you.”
“Is this what my stay here is about? Am I your filling station?”
“Oh so eloquently put, but yes. We are like the parched land needing the elixir and juices of love as we are so dry without them Bobby.”
“You have quite a hunger...thirst. Can it ever be quenched or satiated?”
“Can yours?”
“I suppose in ways but then it comes again.”
“As does ours. We feel it come again and again.”
“Like waves of Vindor fighting craft.”
“What did you say Bobby?”
“Oh nothing. Anyway, I think I might have a time out and go for a drive. My head is swimming and I think some long miles will clear things up.”
“You are coming back though aren’t you?”
“Yes Beth, but for now I think I need to be alone.”
Five minutes later, Bobby was speeding along the road leading west away from the bordello, leaving Beth and Valeena alone to do whatever it was they did whenever they were in such a situation of being by themselves at the three story house.
Bobby had tried to figure out what the women would be up to on any given day at the remote bordello. Being in such a state of order, the house obviously required regular tender, yet aside from its upkeep, Bobby struggled to determine what else could keep the women occupied. There had been no through traffic since he had arrived. The place was basically deserted – almost entirely devoid of life, and yet these two were here among almost nothing. In itself, remoteness was not really an issue for Bobby as he was aware of exclusive retreats and he had also spent many hours in the depths of space. Something else was apparent yet distant, and as keen as he was being the top space commander, Bobby was determined to get to the bottom of this mystery.
Two had already presented themselves to him in fine style. He was quite taken with Beth and Valeena and he felt he could play them a little as they were playing him. As a single man, he had no remorse necessary for this adventure of intimacy being a rally of what was to become tit for tat. The game was already well underway - he knew how to play, they knew how to say just the right things to gain his confidence from deep within their fe
minine mystique.
Bobby was seasoned as a veteran of many space battles and so this event arising out of his casual stay at the remote bordello, presented him not with a battle in the usual sense, but a battle to refine his wit in anticipation of what lay ahead during the second night of his stay. As he drove on, Bobby began to notice something strange about the countryside.
At regular intervals, he could see clusters of boulders forming large arrangements in shapes familiar to him yet he could not determine why. He could not recall having seen these stone formations during his drive towards the bordello. Perhaps he had failed to notice due to his wandering mind recently released from the demands of duty and strategy to fight Vindors. Bobby considered this. He was sharp, altruistic, venerable, and physically adept. Normally such details were easy to reconcile in his mind so he considered this oversight must be attributed to him being more fatigued from his service than he realised.
Around the next bend he brought his hovering Cadillac to a full stop. In front of him stood a man beside a cow, motionless in the middle of the road. Bobby immediately sought to help the man who appeared to be stuck due to his beast being non compliant to the man’s attempts at moving it from the road.
“Can I help you sir?”
“You are most kind. This beast refuses to budge. It is as if she has something on her mind.”
“She is your companion yes?”
“Oh she is. I love Betsy.”
“Is she a milking cow?”
“No sir, she is my companion only. I live a simple life free from the hurdles most people must jump.”
“Good, then maybe together we can persuade her to move. I am glad she is not a milker or beefer as I do not taste the flavours of milk or meat.”
“So you are vegetarian then?”
“I certainly am. Are you?”
“There is nothing or nobody capable of persuading me to be otherwise kind sir. I take not to devouring the essence of living creatures. Let me introduce myself. I am Jonathon Livingston.” He offered Bobby his hand to shake – both men were around the same height just over six feet, but Jonathon had longer hair and some day’s growth as a beard in contrast to Bobby’s cleaner cut appearance.
“Nice to meet you Jonathon. I am Bobby Regal.” He shook Jonathon’s hand feeling an instant rapport with him.
“Well nice to meet you too Bobby. I say, you have a fine automobile there.”
“It comes with my job, well as a benefit. I don’t aspire to material life.”
“I can understand. One good machine is an allowance for us all.”
“Indeed, and this is my only machine.”
“I say. Are you the Bobby Regal of Earth defence fame?”
“Yes I am the Steward, but fame is not my prerogative.”
“Ah, a decent down to earth man. I like you already.”
Without much effort, Betsy was easily persuaded by Bobby and Jonathon to leave the road where she had chosen to stand and gently turn over some cud. Bobby thought fleetingly if she was making Jonathon wait so they could meet, but then determined such attributes of consciousness were not normal for a cow.
“She must like you. I trust her you know. She knows a good character.”
“I wonder why she wouldn’t move for you then when I was coming around the corner.”
“Maybe she knew you were coming and wanted to meet you. Look, see her lovely big eyes watching you. She must like you Bobby.” Jonathon’s words almost confirmed Bobby’s fleeting thoughts strangely.
“Hmm, I have experienced similar....two women inexplicably drawn to me just today and yesterday.”
“Were you at the bordello? I know it is about five miles down the way from where you came.”
“I did come from there in fact. Do you know anything about it?”
“It is a strange place full of mystery. Rarely is anyone seen coming or going, yet I have heard it defies its’ outward appearance on the inside. There is a strange effect coming from there. It is as if it fades in memory as if it disappears for a time. Those who are there are playing tricks on the mind.”
“Indeed it does, and yes, I have found it strange. I came across it and was curious, though not for the reason it is established. Something about it drew my intrigue.”
“I have lived in these parts long enough and yet over time the bordello has remained as it is at present.”
“Do you think it strange?”
“My word yes. I am trusting of your intentions for you are our Steward, so I feel free to speak with you on this. Will you join me for some tea? My house is but a few ridges away.”
“How is it you and Betsy have come so far?”
“I am not sure, but she wandered off earlier today. It is only now I have been able to catch up with her.”
“Perhaps then she may have journeyed to be here at this time as you said.”
“Perhaps Bobby. Come, we can travel slowly if your car will permit.”
“Yes it does. I will walk with you and Betsy Jonathon. The car can follow in automatic mode so it self drives just behind us.”
“Marvellous. Your machine is quite a beauty.”
For the next mile and a half, the two men led Betsy back to Jonathon’s farm, a ramshackle affair with outbuildings strewn here and there around the small wooden house.
“Have you noticed the arrangements of the boulders around here Jonathon,” Bobby asked as they sat on his front porch sipping bourbon whiskey after having chosen a stronger brew than a cup of tea.
“Yes I have. Strange as it seems, they have been re-arranged in recent times. I cannot explain it aside from reverting to some of the old legends from around here. Some speak of times at the just prior to the beginning of the century when the stones were first noticed. Records are sketchy, but back then people say men came and gathered the stones and...”
“It is as if they have been placed.”
“Yes, the stories are of men coming and arranging them. Why it is, I don’t know aside from it being said by some who minds travel the fringes of society, of this area having special significance and the stones are moved by spirit energies.”
“I wonder then what it represents.”
“Hard to say, but I am suspicious of those who live at the bordello. I have always thought they are up to something.”
“You could be right. The two women I saw there certainly set your mind wandering. I have never met anyone like Beth and Valeena, but I cannot see how they would move the stones.”
“Ah, so those are their names. I have seen them a few times, but didn’t know their names.”
“Do the stones contain significant minerals? Maybe they are used as focus points or meridians for some type of ceremony by some group.”
“Perhaps. It is just you never see who does it.”
“So it happens in darkness.”
“Yes, they appear moved at sunrise.”
“I was moved at sunrise after last night at the bordello.”
“Oh, I see.”
“Not how you may think Jonathon. I certainly did not stop as one would for service at such a house. It seemed to happen without much decision as if I was drawn into something I could barely control.”
“But you did hold on long enough to satisfy two women though?”
“Yes I did. Strange as it seems, they both wanted as much of me as they could get...at once.”
“Perhaps they were taken with you being Steward and all.”
“Maybe so.”
Betsy chose to come up to the two men as they sat on the edge of the porch, offering her soft nose to Bobby so he could give her a rub. She had finished chewing her cud and was looking for some attention before settling down to commence digestion of the salivary grasses in the third of her four stomachs.
“She really has taken to you Bobby. I think you must hold good energy yourself, otherwise she would likely shy away and keep her distance.”
“She is sweet Jonathon. You must love her company.”
&
nbsp; “She is all I have out here in these remote parts. It has been a long time since I was married and well, there is no sense in visiting the bordello.”
“But your relations are not too close.”
“Oh don’t take me for one of those weirdo types. She is just my lovely girl.”
“Sorry mate. I suppose this whiskey is getting to me in some way.”
“No problem Bobby, as long as we are on the same level. How about something to eat? This drink makes me hungry.”
“Sure. Where are we at with time?”
“Almost six.”
“Good, then we have plenty.”
“I have as much time as I can live. My life is pretty simple here.”
“Would you like a hand fetching food?”
“She’s right mate. I’ll just grab some stewed black eye peas and bread. Hold on a moment.”
Bobby finished rubbing Betsy’s nose as she withdrew from the porch to re-locate under the large shade tree just beyond where Bobby had parked his car.
He watched her slowly amble over to the shade, thinking of how simple her life here was with Jonathon. Bobby often considered what it would be like to live a simple way in contrast to the highly demanding job as a space commander, and at this time he gave it more consideration than he ever had previously. In the few seconds he allowed himself to let go and immerse himself, Bobby drew a personal resolution to place himself into this type of reality once his work as Steward was done.
“Here, try this Mister Steward. Take another whisky too. I know your car has self drive, so don’t worry if you become too inebriated to drive. Anyway, you are welcome to stay here the night.”
“Thanks Jonathon, but I will return to the bordello later. For now though, I am keen to enjoy this black eye pea stew in a sandwich.”
When the sun was casting its last golden rays across the land to their west, both Bobby and Jonathon had long finished their stew and were onto their fourth whiskey. The smell of well roasted vegetation and soil tingled their affected senses as the men fell into a somewhat drunken state. Jonathon had insisted on healthy strong serves of alcohol barely combined with ginger ale.
“Not a bad stew Jonathon.”
