by Judy Mays
“We have them,” the chief engineer interrupted.
“Take us out of orbit immediately,” Char snapped. “I want to get away from this planet now. Ademis, take charge. Lori, let’s go. They may need medical attention.”
* * * * *
Blood spurting freely from the wound in her shoulder, Brianna collapsed to the floor. Falling to his knees, Miklan pressed his palms on the wound to staunch the bleeding.
“Quick,” he ordered when the door slid open, “we need a doctor!”
As instructed, Kindis dem al’ Eliana had waited near the transport station. When the exploratory party materialized, she entered the room and moved towards Miklan. “I’m a nurse,” she said, nudging him aside.
Doctor Rodak don al’ Bakom entered Transport as Eliana finished speaking.
Miklan tried to rise, but Bakom jabbed a hypodermic needle into his arm. He collapsed instantly. Bakom’s other assistant, Zator don al’ Odam, silenced Cindar the same way.
“This is even better than I’d hoped. Leave them. We’ll take the specimen they brought back. Hurry, wrap it up before that damned Alalakan gets here.”
The ship’s medical team arrived as Bakom and his assistants were leaving transport with a bundle of canvas.
“Hurry,” he ordered, nodding towards Miklan and Cindar. “They’re unconscious. Get them to Medical as quickly as possible. My assistants and I are taking this specimen that was trapped in the transport beam to the facilities I have here on the ship. Tell your captain I’ll inform him of my findings when the examination is concluded.”
The leader of the medical team did not think to question him. After all, Dr. Bakom was First President of the Academy of Science. Who better to examine a lifeform from a previously unknown planet? Granted the thing they were dragging out had a human outline, but getting Miklan and Cindar to Medical was more important than some unknown specimen. Miklan’s hands were covered with blood.
* * * * *
Char stopped pacing when Cindar and Miklan were carried into Medical. Both were hastily stripped and placed in medibunks.
“All of Cindar’s vital signs are normal,” Lorilana’s assistant called. “I don’t understand why she’s unconscious. That’s never been a side effect of transport before.”
Lorilana frowned. “Miklan’s the same. No wounds on either of them. Where did all this blood come from?”
Char stepped next to Lorilana and stared at his unconscious crew members with a worried frown. “Conjecture?”
The doctor shook her head. “I don’t know. Jaylin, did you notice anything unusual in transport?”
“No, Dr. Bakom had already stabilized them. He and his assistants took the specimen caught in the beam to his lab.”
Char stiffened and turned towards Jaylin. “Bakom was there? What specimen? What did it look like?”
“I don’t know, sir. They’d already wrapped it in lab canvas when we arrived. It did seem to have a human outline, though.”
He whirled towards the door. “Damn Bakom and his sex experiments! Lori, come with me. If the inhabitants of that planet are human, he may well begin a war.”
“Jaylin, draw some blood and see if there is anything in their systems that shouldn’t be there. As long as their vital signs stay normal, let them sleep,” Lorilana ordered as she followed Chardadon out the door.
* * * * *
Odam rolled Brianna from the canvas and lifted her onto the examining table. Heedless of the blood that began to seep from her shoulder once again, he raised her arms above her head and clamped her wrists firmly into place. Moving to the bottom of the table, he spread her legs and fastened her ankles to the clasps located on each side of the table. Then he began to methodically cut away her clothing. His thick tail began to jerk as her body was revealed.
“Are you sure this is wise, Doctor?” Eliana asked as they stepped next to the table where the woman lay. “Wouldn’t it be better to wait until we’re back at the Academy? Or at least until we care for her wound?”
A hungry grin settled onto Bakom’s face as he caressed Eliana’s buttocks. “No, my dear, we can’t wait. Alalakan will surely discover our little project and take it for himself. You’ve begun the program sequence on the computer?”
“Yes,” she answered as her superior slipped his hand inside her shirt to pinch her nipple.
Bakom slipped the shirt over Eliana’s head and cupped her left breast. “Wonderful. Now, Odam, what do we have here?”
“I don’t know if it’s human,” Odam said breathing heavily, his thin nostrils flaring as he stared at Brianna’s naked body, “but it’s certainly female.” He stripped off his clothing.
Sliding his hand down the inside of Eliana’s pants, Bakom cupped her buttock, his fingers stroking, seeking. She shifted, spreading her legs.
Bakom continued his exploration as he turned his gaze to the woman. Eyes narrowing, he contemplated what fate had delivered into his hands. “Yes, she certainly is female. Now let’s see how she responds to mithrin.”
Deep in her subconscious, Brianna returned to the previous day in Dr. Gustovson’s laboratory.
Brianna gasped when she saw what lay on the examining tables. “Aliens! Where did they come from?” Joy blossomed in her heart. She knew humans weren’t alone. There was intelligent life out there somewhere.
“Where they came from doesn’t matter to you. You’re only here to assist me, not to think. Gather your recording equipment and pay attention!” Dr. Gustovson snapped as he fitted a headset equipped with an earpiece and a microphone onto his head. “Now, where was I? Oh, yes. The alien being designated Specimen A is approximately 6.5 feet in length and 200 pounds in weight. Face—slightly elongated, tapering to a pointed chin. Two eyes, color brown,” he said as he lifted an eyelid, “somewhat large with thick lashes, set one on each side of small nose. One mouth with thin lips. No facial hair. The skin is very human-like, with a slight, ivory tint. The scalp is covered with short, fine brown hair—silky texture. One ear on each side of the head, lobeless and stretching upward to a point. The left ear seems to have some sort of growth on the inside. Whether this is characteristic of the species cannot be determined until an examination is performed on the second specimen.
“The neck is proportional to the body. Torso—slender with fine, almost invisible body hair, somewhat prominent pectoral muscles. Two arms, each jointed by an elbow. Arms ending with hands each containing five digits: four fingers and an opposable thumb. Two legs, bending at the knees, lower legs stretching to ankles; two feet with five toes each. Very human-like.
“Genitalia, one relatively small, slender penis. One scrotum…” Gustovson frowned. “No, it’s too far back, and there’s no connection to the penis.”
He bent over the body and motioned Brianna closer. “Look! Vulva behind the penis! A hermaphrodite? Those aren’t enlarged pectorals on the chest; they’re small breasts! A species able to repopulate from single individuals. Amazing!”
Brianna shook her head. “But doctor. The penis is located in front of the vulva. It couldn’t impregnate itself. The scrotum isn’t connected. That can’t be a penis; it must be the clitoris.”
The scientist snorted. “Bah! Why so elongated?”
Not for the first time was she grateful that her immediate superior was practically asexual. “There’s an opening. It must be the urethra.”
Gustovson puckered his lips. “Well, you may have a point, but evolution is not kind to a species with a complicated sexual process. Here, help me turn it over. The scrotum is so far back, examination from behind should shed some light on the subject.”
Carefully, they rolled the alien’s body over.
“Hmm, the scrotum seems to be attached to the base of the tail. Interesting, the tail is completely hairless. But then, there is very little body hair. Even the pubic hair is very fine,” Gustovson murmured absently as he probed the body. “This is indeed a puzzle.”
He turned off his microphone.
As th
e doctor puzzled over the alien’s genitalia, Brianna lifted the tail. She ran her hand along its length—hairless and smooth. She bent it—somewhat supple, though it only curved forward. She smiled. Aliens with tails! When she reached the end of the tail, her smile became a frown. The tail thickened about eight inches from the end. Unlike the tails of most animals on Earth, this tail didn’t end with a tip but rather a knob—a knob with extra, loose skin over it.
“Doctor, look at the end of the tail.”
Gustovson grabbed the tail and stared at the end. “What? Well, well, who would have thought?” Returning to what he considered his professional voice, he turned the microphone back on. “Tail, approximately 3 to 3.5 feet long with a two inch diameter, extending to a thick, blunt tip. Since the anus is underneath the base of the tail, as expected, the small opening at the end of the tail could be for seminal fluid. Conjecture? The creature doesn’t have a tail, rather a very supple penis. With as flexible as the penis seems to be, it is entirely possible for the alien to impregnate itself. However, the hermaphroditic theory will remain questionable until a complete dissection is performed.”
He turned to Brianna. “Miss O’Shea, a dissecting kit.”
“Uhhhhhhhhhh.”
Brianna spun back around and stared at the alien. Its eyes blinked a few times, then remained open. “Doctor, it’s alive!”
Gustovson spat a curse then rounded on Brianna. “Miss O’Shea, we are on the brink of one of the most amazing discoveries of the century. Perhaps we are even helping to save our world. Who knows what these aliens have planned. Now is not the time to be squeamish.”
“Squeamish! This is an intelligent life form.”
Eyes narrowed, Gustovson turned to face her. “Miss O’Shea, this is my laboratory. I can do damn well whatever I please. The only reason you have this job is because your father is an old colleague. Now, do as I say or get out.”
Brianna was jolted back to consciousness by a sharp pain in her thigh. Moaning, she opened her eyes.
Three people looked down at her, two with unconcealed lust in their eyes and one with pity.
“How long before the drug takes effect?” Bakom asked.
“Only a few minutes,” Odam answered. “I gave her a full dose.”
Brianna couldn’t understand a word they said.
Her right shoulder was on fire, and she could feel blood seeping sluggishly from her wound.
Then a new fire surged through her bloodstream. Pain and heat enveloped her. Moaning, she arched her back. Her groin and nipples were on fire! She jerked against the bonds wrapped around her wrists. She had to touch herself!
The wound in her shoulder opened. More blood began to flow.
Sobbing, Brianna tried to close her legs against the fiery pressure in her loins.
Then someone grabbed her wounded shoulder. She fainted from the pain.
* * * * *
Halting before the door to Hold 3, Char palmed the door switch. Nothing happened. “That bastard’s crazy if he thinks he can realign the door codes.”
Lorilana grasped his arm. “Mind your temper, Char. You don’t want to ruin your family’s plans.”
He scowled, but nodded curtly. Taking an orange card from his belt, he slipped it into the door panel and punched in the override. The door slid open and they entered the Hold where they were greeted with the exact scene he had imagined. Both of Bakom’s assistants were naked, as was the humanoid on the table.
When Eliana stepped behind the table and Char got a good look at Bakom’s specimen, he felt as if someone planted a fist in his stomach.
A woman—a beautifully exotic woman.
Fiery red hair tumbled over the side of the table in an auburn waterfall. Pale skin, which any woman in his family would envy, glowed under harsh laboratory lights. Full breasts with rosy nipples rose and fell with harsh breathing. A narrow waist tapered to flared hips where a splash of equally fiery pubic hair curled at the juncture of her thighs. Long legs stretched to the end of the table.
Familiar, heavy pressure exploded in Char’s groin. However, the blood pooled under her shoulder and dripping to the floor immediately checked his ardor.
Striding to the table, Char grasped Bakom’s upper arm and jerked him around. “What the hell do you think you’re doing?”
Hate blazing from his eyes, Bakom snarled, “Release me, Alalakan. As an unidentified species from an unknown planet, this being falls under the jurisdiction of the Academy.”
Lorilana stepped to Char’s side. “She’s too human in form to be subjected to the primary tests, and as a voting member of the Academy board, I’ll testify to that.”
Bakom glared at Lori. “That still puts it under Academy jurisdiction, Doctor Sendenton.”
“That may be,” Char growled, eyes narrowed, “but she’s wounded and bleeding. She goes to Medical now.”
“You have no right!”
Char crossed his arms over his chest. “I have every right. As captain, I have complete command over everyone on this ship. Would you care to read the Confederation rule book?”
“Get out!” Bakom snarled. “I’m entitled to the privacy of my own quarters.”
“These are not your private quarters. It’s a cargo hold, and no humanoid will be transported to Drakan in the cargo hold of my ship,” Char stated flatly. Shoving Bakom aside, he unfastened the woman’s wrists. Lorilana had already freed her ankles. Ignoring the waves of fury rolling from the smaller man, he gathered the woman into his arms and turned away.
As his two enemies disappeared out the door with his specimen, Bakom turned his smoldering gaze on his assistants.
Both Odam and Eliana had wisely placed the table between themselves and the angry captain.
“Come, both of you,” Bakom growled as he tugged at his belt. “I’m in need of comfort.”
Chapter Two
The woman’s thick auburn hair cascaded over Char as he carried her towards Medical. Held in thrall by the sexual stimulant, she struggled in his arms, but the blood loss she’d sustained weakened her enough so that he was able to carry her easily.
“She’s weakening,” Lorilana muttered in a worried tone. “I don’t know what we’ll do about replacing the lost blood. Simple fluids may not be enough.”
Char said nothing. The agonized expression on the woman’s face didn’t hide its exotic beauty. Her face was rounder than those of his people, her lips fuller. Stunning green eyes fluttered open and stared unseeing into his. Thick, dark lashes rimmed those eyes while the well-shaped auburn brows above them contrasted sharply with her wan complexion. Even with blood seeping from her shoulder, she stirred him as no woman had in a long time. His glance drifted down to her taut nipples.
I want her.
Lorilana palmed open the door to Medical, calling in crisp tones for her assistants and various pieces of equipment. “First, mithrin antidote. I wish I knew how much he gave her,” she stated. “I wish I knew what her metabolism was like. We’ve got to get this shoulder cleaned out. Jaylin, get that hair out of the wound.”
Char’s voice was sharp. “Don’t cut it!”
He refused to acknowledge the inquisitive look in Lorilana’s eyes and concentrated on the woman. Lights flashed as the medibunk registered an occupant when he laid her down then stepped back out of the way. He ignored the blood smeared on his uniform.
Lorilana placed her stethoscope on the woman’s chest. “Heart rate, slow—too slow, I think. Breathing is awfully shallow. I think we can count on the integrity of the medibunk for basic information. It seems to fit within human parameters. The respiration and heart rate seem to be accurate, so everything else is probably correct also.”
Char remained where he was. “Will she live?”
Lori placed her hand on the woman’s forehead. “I don’t know. If there hadn’t been so much blood loss, I’d say she had a good chance, but…”
“Doctor Sendenton, I think you should look at this.”
“Not now, Jaylin.”
“You really have to look at this,” the young woman insisted.
Lori tsked and strode to the computer. “What is it?”
“I put a sample of the blood from Miklan’s hands in the computer and, well, see for yourself.”
After looking at the screen, Lorilana glanced up at Jaylin then reread the data. “Impossible.”
Char stepped forward. “What?”
Ignoring him, Lorilana removed a small slide from the computer terminal. Returning to her patient, she gently smeared blood onto the slide. Placing it back in the computer, she entered a command.
“Amazing. Exactly like Medirian blood. I don’t know who she is, but she’s definitely human. Jaylin, how much Medirian blood type O positive do we have in storage?”
Punching up the data, her assistant answered, “Three bags, and we do have two or three Medirians with that blood type on board if that isn’t enough.”
“Set up an IV immediately.” Lorilana turned to Char. “I think we can be fairly certain that she’ll live.”
Char nodded once and turned toward the door. “Very well, I’ll be in Command.”
* * * * *
Miklan regained consciousness slowly. Struggling, he sat up.
Lorilana placed restraining hands on his shoulders. “Lie back down, Miklan. There’s some sort of chemical in your bloodstream that we can’t identify. We have to keep you under observation until we analyze it.”
“It’s a sedative of some kind,” he muttered still struggling against her. “Let me up. We have to help Brianna. Bakom surprised us as we transported in.”
“Lie back down! And that’s an order. If Brianna is the woman who returned with you, she’s safe. We have her right here.”
He relaxed immediately.
Lorilana turned to her assistant. “Inform the captain Miklan is awake.”
