Jake's lips twitched when Ardammt scowled darkly at him again before he drifted off. That big Vaneallan really didn't like him one bit. Oh, well that little Tegan liked him well enough, he knew.
But what to make of these two? Jake believed they were aliens from space. He'd seen two much weird and wild crap in his years as a war correspondent not to accept that anything could happen and often did. But these two definitely had secrets to keep.
And what about these Cantellans Tegan and Ardammt spoke of with such knee knocking dread? What were those things? Were they like Nazis? Like terrorists? Or were they some creature from outer space thing with a dozen tentacles and three rows of razor sharp teeth? Acid for blood? Or one big eye like a Cyclops? Jake shook his head. Probably they wouldn't be finding out. These Cantellans probably wouldn’t loose track of their prey and just beat it back for points yonder with their tails between there legs. That’s considering they had tails. Or legs.
It wasn't long before the jostling of the old truck lulled Jake into a droozy state. As his eyes drifted closed Jake stared idly at the odd metal cuff around Ardammt's right ankle. Funny sorta clasp on the thing.
Page awoke with an alarmed start and looked around. Jake was dozing with his head back and his mouth open. Ardammt dozed, his slightly pointed chin resting on top of Tegan's dark head. Tegan also slept, turned sideways between Ardammt's legs, her cheek leaning against Ardammt's chest. Page was so excited he could barely contain himself. Aliens at last. And they were just as his thesis had stated. Almost more human than humans. Good, Page thought happily. I wasn't dreaming again. I really have found some beings from another planet. And they're human!
Page couldn't believe his luck. It was like winning the lottery. Aliens! The lads back at the university would be bowing and scraping in object apology if they knew that his thesis, hell, his whole dissertation that alien life was more similar than dissimilar to human life on Earth was damn spanking true!
Page liked Ardammt. Of course, Page was the kind who liked most people, except maybe Doctors Schuyler, Erwin, and Worthington. But, really, how could you like somebody who tried to kill you? Anyhow, Page did like Ardammt. Indeed, the blond man seemed an angry chap, but it sounded like he was lugging around some heavy duty emotional baggage.
Tegan. Now Page really liked her. She was so interesting. She was obviously young like Ardammt. Early twenties, at best. And so pretty with her long red brown hair, dark blue eyes, and creamy curves. But more than that she had strength of character and a quick mind that Page found fascinating to the point of arousal.
Here was a woman who didn't play games or simper and preen. She knew what she wanted, what needed to be done and did it. Which for Page was almost as alluring as that magnificent bust he'd caught a glimpse of earlier. Now that had been something to see! High and straight and firm and pink with soft tender nipples hardening in the air conditioning. Smiling happily to himself Page dozed off again, dreaming of a certain red - brown haired alien girl with a lots of courage and gorgeous nipples.
********
The truck rattled to a rumbling stop at the rusty front gate of Page's grandma's little farmhouse. The small square house of gray random stones looked out on the dusty road through twin multi paned windows. A short path of weed choked flagstones marched up to a narrow door of faded red.
Page proceeded the others over the cracked stones and turned the key in the rusty lock He elbowed open the warped door. "Come on in and have a seat, It's been a long day."
Jake rolled his eyes as he followed Page, Ardammt and Tegan into the tiny lounge. "You always were a master of understatement, mate." Jake sank gratefully into a dusty red armchair that tilted with drunken crookedness. "I never imagined when I visited you today that I'd end up running for my life with a couple of aliens in tow."
Ardammt had lowered his long frame onto the lumpy green chintz sofa next to Tegan, but at Jake's words he started to rise with one of those deep dark scowls of his. Tiredly, Jake waved him back down. "Settle, will ya, mate? I didn't mean nothing by that crack."
Ardammt subsided with another scowl for good measure.
Page was disappearing into the small kitchen. "Anybody hungry? I think there's some pizzas in the freezer!"
Ardammt threw the kitchen doorway a confused look. Pizza?
"So," Jake ventured. "You said you two have been traveling. Where is there in outer space to travel to? Are there strange new worlds, new civilizations to discover?"
Ardammt scowled at Jake, but Tegan, her head resting on the back of the sofa and her eyes closed, answered. "There are endless worlds. The civilizations and cultures are so many there is no way to count them all. Human, humanoid, non-human. So many." She seemed to sigh the last two words.
"And these cultures know about our little Earth?"
Ardammt snorted. "Of course. Earth is the humor of the known galaxy. Young wealthy fools from Far Atyns with more time than brains make trips in bizarre ships and dress in strange costumes to try to frighten ignorant humans."
"Hey," Page said, having wandered back into the lounge. "That's rad. So those little gray men everyone always talks about don't exist? It's just a joke?" Ardammt nodded. "Awesome. Oh, I got the pizzas in the oven. Ever had frozen pizza?"
Ardammt shook his head. "Agro-grain?"
"How's that song?" Jake asked.
"Agro-grain. It is the major crop of our home system. Our sister planet Rulgarea is totally devoted to the growing of the Agro-grain. There are plantings and harvests the entire standard year."
Jake seemed impressed. "Is that so? And you export this grain?"
"Yes. The near systems are all well fed because of our grain. Agro-grain has a high content of healthful substances."
Page was impressed too. "Really? So you don't have famine?"
"Famine?" Ardammt turned the word over in his brain for a moment, then shook his head. "No. All of the near systems are well fed."
"How come we don't get any of this Agro-grain?" Jake asked.
Ardammt sneered. "Earth is on the far arm of the Fortaran Galactic core."
"So there," Jake said. He threw a glance at Page. "Golden boy sure put me in my place, didn't he, mate? By the way, it looks like your girlfriend is asleep."
Ardammt glanced down at Tegan, her eyes still closed and her cheek nestled against his shoulder. Ardammt gave Tegan a tender look, taking her sleep slacked hand in both of his much larger hands and holding it in his lap. When he looked up he found Page and Jake both staring at him.
Ardammt scowled at them both, which was a feat since Page was still hovering in the kitchen doorway keeping one eye on the ancient - and frequently unreliable - oven.
Jake laughed quietly. "Is she your girlfriend?"
Ardammt scowled like he suspected a trick, but eventually answered Jake. "No. She is my life sister." At Jake's dumb look, Ardammt snorted. "Finally something you don't understand, Earthman? Then I shall explain. There were five of us, including myself and Tegan. All of our parents were killed in an accident when were all young children. We were all reared together. Hence we are alike to siblings birthed from the same parents. Tegan had a life mate, but he is... gone. I am her... friend, I believe you term it, and whatever else she needs."
Page had returned from removing the pizza's from the oven. "That's fascinating!" He turned to Jake, who was mulling over that 'whatever else she needs' remark. What else would she need? "See, mate. I told you alien societies were just as complex as ours."
"That you did," Jake agreed with a deadpan face. “So you folks come from the core systems?” Ardammt nodded. “How’d get all the way out to little old Earth? What about the speed of light and all that important stuff?”
Ardammt sneered. “Interplanetary space travel was perfected in the core systems endless generations ago.”
"So was pomposity it seems," Jack quipped.
Ardammt pinned Jake with a murderous scowl and Jake was certain that if Tegan hadn't been asleep on hid shoulder Golden Boy
would have been pounding Jake's face in about now. Fortunately, all the big lug could do was scowl blackly. Which was enough, thank you very much.
Jake was saved from a severe scowling by Page poking his curly head around the door of the lounge. "Pizza's ready!"
Ardammt looked down at Tegan. She was awake and looking up at him, her dark blue eyes shadowed. "What is it?" he asked her quietly.
"Culli."
He squeezed the hand he still held. "I know." He stood up, drawing Tegan to her feet. "Come. The Earthman has prepared meals. Do you need to eat?"
"Probably." Tegan tiredly followed Ardammt behind Jake into the small kitchen. Page was setting two enormous round platters on the scarred table. "Pizza, everybody!"
Ardammt stared suspiciously at the meal. "What is it?"
Page squinted his eyes in thought. "The crust is ground wheat grain mixed with salt and water and a leavening agent. The red stuff is a smashed and cooked vegetable called tomato sauce. There are other sliced and diced veggies such as mushrooms, green peppers and onions. And the white gooey stuff is mozzarella cheese. Cheese is really cultured cow's milk."
Ardammt stared down at the nearest pizza as if he expected the cheese to reach up and grab him around the throat. Tegan glanced quickly at Page as if she suspected he were lying about the tomatoes being vegetables.
Jake groaned. "For pity sake, people. Eat up!" Jake reached for a huge slice of the nearest pie and stuffed it in his mouth, pulling the strings of mozzarella from the main pie with his fingers and tucking them in his mouth as he chewed happily. He smacked his tomato sauce laced lips. "Damn good stuff!"
Tegan couldn't help it. She laughed at the picture Jake made with pizza sticking out of his mouth and rivulets of tomato sauce running down his chin. She reached for a smaller slice and took a healthy bite. Chewing, Tegan nodded and motioned for Ardammt to help himself.
Ardammt eyed Tegan like she'd completely lost her mind, but he grabbed a large slice and yanked off a big bite with strong teeth. A few chews and his dark eyes widened in surprise. Swallowing fast, Ardammt shoved huge bite in his mouth.
Jake laughed outright. "See, Golden boy, we Earthmen are pretty civilized, after all. Pizza proves we didn't miss our stop on the evolutionary train."
Ardammt ignored Jake and instead reached for a slice of pizza for each hand.
****
Jake watched as Ardammt ushered Tegan into the bedroom Page had indicated. "Your aliens are smash up, mate."
Page sank into the sofa gratefully. "What's that supposed to mean?"
"Look at them. In the same bedroom together."
Page quirked a wicked grin at Jake. "Should I fetch your smelling salts? You've been in too many bedrooms over the years to play the prudish maiden aunt now, mate."
"So have you," Jake countered with a grin.
Page pinked a bit. "Yeah, but I'm not the one sticking my nose in their bedroom door, am I?"
"Nope. But what I'm wondering is how they're going to get back into outer space. According to Golden Boy, Earth isn't exactly Paddington Station for UFOs."
Page sighed and shook his head. "I don't know. I've been working on that myself. I'm crazy that I met them, but they can't stay out here forever."
Jake was silent for a few minutes. "You know," he said finally, "I thought you were nuts."
"Huh?"
"Right. I didn't believe there was human life in outer space. Certainly nothing like that little cutie Tegan. But, damn, if you weren't right on it." He glanced at the closed bedroom door. "Right on it."
****
It was dark in the small bedroom. Ardammt sat down on the edge of the bed and removed his boots and stockings. Tegan removed her boots and stockings as well as her tunic and stretched out next to him. She sighed.
Ardammt looked down at Tegan. "Are you weary?"
"Yes. We've escaped the Cantellans. Again. Now we also have to escape Earth."
"You always wanted to come here."
Tegan smiled. "Yes. But I didn't want to be marooned here."
"We will escape this planet too."
Tegan laughed. "So confident." She threw him an assessing look. " I know you don't like the Earthman."
"I don't. Why should I? Because they appeal to you? You were always fascinated with Earth. You loved Vanealla, but yet you couldn't wait to leave."
"Yet when I did have to leave I didn't want to go at all. And now we cannot go back."
Ardammt heard the regret in Tegan's voice. "I know. But traipsing across the galaxy gets wearying after a while."
Tegan nodded. She knew Ardammt had only left Vanealla because he believed he needed to look after her. It'd be a waste of speech to tell him that she would have been fine; he'd never believe her. "Lie down."
Ardammt looked Tegan speculatively. He knew what she was demanding and he was more than willing to give her what she wanted. He always had been every time she asked. But... "I'm not Culli, Tegan."
Tegan smiled at him in the dark, nodding. "I know who you are, Ardammt. I always have. The darkness doesn't hide that from me. It never has."
"Indeed?"
Again, Tegan nodded. "Lie down."
Ardammt lay down next to Tegan, his hand moving to curve gently over her full breast. "I am yours to command."
Ardammt could almost hear Tegan's smirk. "I know this." She moved his hand away and shed the chemise and wiggled out of her trousers.
Ardammt watched her, his heart starting to beat hard as he realized Tegan really wanted him this night. It had been a while. Since they'd left Vanealla fours years earlier. And even before that, as Tegan had claimed Culli as lifemate a month before they'd had to leave. Now Culli was missing, perhaps dead, and Tegan needed him.
He stood up abruptly and quickly shed his clothing before returning to Tegan. Her body was smooth and supple as he ran his hands over breast and stomach and thigh. Tegan moaned in her throat. She gripped the roaming hand. "You are mine to command, remember. So on your back, Vaneallan."
Ardammt's eyes glimmered up at Tegan. "Your command, " he whispered. Tegan smirked at him. She threw a leg over his hips and straddled him. The feeling of his arousal enticed Tegan and she parted her thighs, sliding her hips down onto Ardammt's long smooth penis until his shaft filled her to the hilt. She smiled and sighed in contentment.
Ardammt groaned as Tegan started to move upon his penis, her woman around his stiff shaft tight and warm and so inviting. Her breath was already coming in shallow pants. Up and down she moved, Ardammt meeting her movement for movement, his own ecstasy mounting with Tegan's until they both broke at the same moment with quiet gasps of fulfillment.
Tegan smiled down at Ardammt. "Thank you."
Ardammt mock scowled at her. "Do you believe you are done, my very one? No. Now I am in command." With Tegan still straddling him, still impaled upon his stiff penis, Ardammt flipped them both over and drove into Tegan like a frenzied thing, occasionally leaning down to drop a harried kiss upon her parted lips, moist and swollen with passion.
Tegan laid back and sighed with contentment, delighting in the feel of Ardammt's penis driving that sweet agony into her woman until she blew apart like an exploding star, particles of her falling everywhere as Ardammt drove against her once more with a satisfied grunt as his seeding surged deep into her depths.
Still impaled by Ardammt's long shaft, they both fell down into the dark mists of sleep.
Six
"The Bracelet"
"Hey! I'm making omelets for breakfast. What do you want in yours?"
The two VaneallansS paused in the kitchen doorway, a reddish brown and a white blond head swiveling towards Page presiding over a mound of various veggies on a cutting board at the counter. Puzzled looks were in both sets of those dark denim eyes.
"What are your words?" Tegan asked.
Page grinned at Tegan. He felt happy to get away from the Center, even though he was probably definitely fired. But it didn't matter a bit. He had his proof that life exist
ed elsewhere in the galaxy. He had proved it to his buddy. And that Tegan was one good-looking girl. Yep, he was happy. "Breakfast?"
Tegan shook her head, reddish hair floating to and fro like precious silk. "No. The other word. Omelets?" She rolled her tongue over the word as if trying it on for size.
Nodded. "Yep. Omelets. Hens - that's a bird - eggs scrambled and cooked with vegetables or whatever folds inside of the eggs." He shrugged. "It sounds weird I know. But it's dang good, let me tell you."
Tegan glanced at Ardammt who, with that perpetual scowl in place, shrugged noncommittally and dropped into a chair to stare suspiciously at the colorful carton of orange juice perched on the table amongst four plastic cups.
Tegan frowned at the top of Ardammt's head before turning a look back to Page. "Proceed," she permissioned him. She settled in a chair across from Ardammt, picked up the morning paper and began to scan the front page with intent concentration.
Page watched Tegan as he chopped onions and tomatoes and julienned a green pepper. "Do you have newspapers on Vanealla?"
Tegan glanced up immediately. "No. But we do receive...news. There is a events service on Meri Callatra that can be accessed from hundreds of thousands of terminals on many worlds. It will give you all manner of... news and such. It's like your newspaper, but also totally different."
"Sounds a lot like news feeds." Page nodded. "I guess outer space isn't as different as we thought."
Tegan seemed to contemplate this as she handed off some of the newspaper to Ardammt. "Yes. There is one main language. You call it English. There are secondary languages, many cultures and ways across the galaxy. We've learned to live in harmony. Except a few."
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