The Planet Epenthet

by: Dennis R. Humphreys

Twenty-four days after their stop over at the planet Risus for supplies they ran into trouble. The two astronauts where on an exploratory mission for their mining company in this quadrant of the galaxy. They were looking for precious metals and a mineral called diopolite, which was rare but non-expendable energy source various worlds were using. They tested planets, planetoids, moons and asteroids in their efforts. They'd do chromograph testing first. If it looked good, they would send robots to the surface to do the drilling ansd tests.

The morning started off good, having eaten a delicious breakfast of bacon, eggs, friend apples, coffee and orange juice all from one tube. Basically, it was vomit in a toothpaste tube. At least this was better than what you had on Earth. The people there were dictated what to eat under government regulation and it was in a tube as well, but it was recycled garbage with flavorings and nutrition added. There were so many people creating so much trash it had to be recycled for the majority of people to eat. Non-recycled food was becoming rare and was only fed to the oligarchy that ruled everything. Even since the attempt to eliminate the world of ninety percent of its population back in the 2030s failed, the ensuing problems became exponential.

They two men no sooner had finished eating when something struck the ship. It was a small meteorite. The hole was quite visible when they looked and computer alerted them there was a breech. It was a self-sealing mechanically-organic hull that took care of the breach but it couldn't take care of the damage the meteorite did upon impact with the engine. The large ceramic engine that powered the mining shuttle was destroyed. Forest Isenbach, the lead man on the two man team, was pissed. He complained about the things were done, not just with his company by the last two he had been with. His argument was to make the shuttles a little larger to accommodate a back-up or spare engine. These were five year trips and assuming nothing would happen to disable the ship or a problem you could limp into some space station or planet to get fixed was asinine. Now they were stuck. They could radio to the planet they left for help but it would be at least a twenty-four day wait and more likely around thirty days. There wasn't a choice so Forest had his partner, Brian Finnigan, make the distress call. They were floating freely in space, hopefully not towards anything with a large gravitational pull before they were rescued. They were moving at a good speed when the meteorite killed their engine and they would continue to move a good speed for quite some time out in the vacuum of space.

“They said they'd head out within three days... stay busy,” Brian told Forest.

“Yeah, that translates into five days. When they expect something from us that isn't even life-threatening they want it right away,” Forest complained.

“We normally just sit around and twiddle our thumbs when we travel from here to there but at least we're looking and checking the equipment on a regular basis, so we don't get bored. Now I have to spend a month with you staring at the walls!” Brian kidded.

“Oh, fuck you. They should make it mandatory to pair up good looking women when they send out a guy on these trips,” Forest told his partner.

“Hey, I'd settle for you in drag after almost three years out here,” Brian joked.

“You're looking for some serious shit from me, aren't you?” Forest answered throwing a book at him that just floated by his head when he ducked. Without the engine they were without gravity. It would feel funny in thirty days when they get their engine and the gravity back on line.

Sure enough there was hang-up and the got a message three days later they wouldn't be able to leave for another two days.

“You called that,” Brian told his partner.,

“There was nothing to call. I think that's their standard operating procedure. What the hell are you going to do?” Forester told Brian as he settled back in his chair and turned on his headphones to listen to the music.

Mid-day several days later they team was killing time sitting in their seats when suddenly a shadow passed across the large star that was providing lots of light. The shadow passed over the shuttle and suddenly it was dark, attracting their attention.

“What the hell is this,” Brian yelled as he got up and leaned towards the window to see what was causing the shadow. It was a ship, a very large one. It had opened a door with a long extendable ramp that appeared ready to scoop up their ship. Then there was a slight nudge they felt. Forest had gone to the window as well to look.

“That's one big fucking ship. It's too soon for one of ours,” the leader proclaimed.

“I wonder whose it is?” answered Brian.

Soon it was pitch black in their ship as the ramp door closed, swallowing it. Then artificial lights came on and illuminated figures coming towards their ship. They were all women.

“Looks like you got your wish... women. I hope we're stuck on their ship for a while. Maybe I should pretend I'm hurt,” Brian thought.

As the two geologists looked out the window four women came to it and knocked on the glass. The glass was old style but when the engine was shut down the glass sealed things off because the plasma field that was there only stayed on with battery power for about five minutes. That would be certain death.

Brian certainly did tricks on this side of the window for the ladies. They seemed friendly enough, so Forest opened the door on the side of the craft. A ramp automatically unfolded out of the door and ended on the floor of the alien craft... but then again they were the aliens invading the ladies' planet.

The women stood at their end of the ramp and didn't board. They appeared wary and waited for the two astronauts to come down the ramp. Brian was all smiles but the women were dead pan serious. There were six of them standing there and each was as attractive as the other. Forest wondered if it would be the same on the planet's surface.

“Take me to your leader!” Brian cracked but the joke went unrecognized.

Forest, on the other hand did the best he could explaining with his hands that their craft was broken. They seemed to understand.

They indicated they were to follow the one to where she led us, which were seats that protected any passengers on board for travel. When they sat down the leader pointed at a window where a large planet could be seen, their planet. From what Forest understood it was called Epenthet.

Within minutes the others were buckled into their seats and ready to head to the planet's surface. They watched the two men but didn't seem friendly since they didn't smile. Different Earth culture avoided smiling at time so why would a different planetary culture do the same. Brian was going of his way though to endear himself to them.

Their ship passed through a cloud cover that surrounded the planet, much like earth. The sea there appeared more green than on Earth while areas of the planet where there was land were more of a bluish green. The land overall had more of an orange cast to it.

There seemed to be a great city where they were about to land. Its buildings were very geometric and very simple, much like block buildings the way they were constructed. The city was built on a hub design with wide roads radiating from the center, where there was a very large sized building standing taller than any of the others. Its color was slightly different as well. All around it was an estimated three hundred acres of paved ground before other buildings arose. This part appeared to be for landing flying ships... taking off, landing and just to leave parked.

As they descended, another group of people came out of the main building, ten in all... that were women. They appeared more like guards and Forest assumed they were their escorts. They would most likely be taken to whoever the leader was here. The two astronauts were taken by the ships crew then and everyone went into a room that sprayed them with a horrible smelling substance wile the rest of the ship was closed off. They must have been guaranteeing there was nothing infectious brought to the ground. It appeared the entire ship was about to be disinfected. A strong wind was created after their dowsing that dried them and their clothes off with a minute or so. Then they all left through a door in that room down a ramp where the guards met them.

They put face masks on them and were told to breath. There was a sweat smelling, very pleasant substance emitted in it that was probably some kind of anti-bacterial. After a minute it was taken off and they were escorted into the great building. It was simple inside too where it's decorations weren't. Clearly it was the palace and everything in the city led to it. The main room was huge with a rug that covered most of the floor in one piece. The rug had to be about 2 acres in size. No loom could have made it, only a multitude of hands working on something like that could have accomplished the feat.

There was a great chandelier hanging form the thirty foot tall ceiling in the center. It was the root system of a great tree that appeared to be gilt in gold. From it hung crystals of various sizes where they were coupled with some kind of lights. In the center of the room along the back wall was a great throne, adorned with carvings of strange beasts that may or may not have been from the imagination of the artist. Other carvings of more beasts stood off to the sides around the throne and separate from it, while high relief sculptures of similar beasts hung on the walls to the ceiling. The entire wall was one of movement with an organic flow that was arresting to the eye.

The throne was empty as we were led to the base of the six steps that led up to it. As we stood there a creature, the size of a large dog came out from under the throne where it must have been laying. Its features weren't just fearsome, they were terrifying in every respect. Its brow was prominent, shading three large green eyes, while skin hung in folds down the sides of its head. Its ears were long and pointed, standing upright with tufts of hair on the ends. A single main of hair ran from its brow to its hind quarters then tapered to the tip of its long tail. It's legs were thick and powerful with long claws bent like bows. There were great yellowed teeth protruding from its mouth, from the top and bottom jaw.

Then there was a great snapping sound in the room that went on for several seconds and two women came through a curtained doorway among the carved beasts. They stopped and held them open as another woman, dressed in fine, transparent clothes entered. If she wasn't the leader, she was of very high standing.

The others in the room all knelt as she came into the room. The two visitors remained standing since they weren't told otherwise. All there had been were women... beautiful women, with this woman, who had just entered, being the most beautiful Forest or Brian had seen. She sat one her throne as the beast tethered there placed his head on her bare leg. She pet the creature lovingly and finally looked at the two astronauts and said something to the beast where he then crawled under the throne and disappeared from view.

“Where have you two come from,” she asked but hers was a strange tongue of which neither of the travelers had the least comprehension.

“I'm sorry but we don't understand,” Forest replied.

“Run the library of dialects and see if our computer can identify their language so we can communicate,” she announced and she motioned Forest to keep talking, at least that's what he thought she wanted, and so he complied. He and Brain began a conversation for whatever she wanted them to talk for.

Twenty minutes went by and monosyllabic utterance began out of thin air. They were garbled and unintelligible at first but then they started becoming more defined and complex becoming multiple syllables. After a few minutes of that, there were suddenly speech patterns that were understood. Then things became silent.

“The woman on the throne then spoke, in perfect English. I am Queen Epens of the planet Epenthet. With whom am I speaking and from what planet are you from... the computer knows now but I haven't been told?” she smiled warmly.

Forest and Brain were suddenly taken back by the transformation and understanding.

“I am Forest Isenbach and this is my associate Brian Finnigan of the planet Earth. A meteorite pierced our ship's hull and made our engine non-functional. We have been drifting in space awaiting our rescuers and would have been there for a while waiting for them if it wasn't for the kindness of your people,” Forest told her.

'I'm glad we were able to help. You are welcome to stay here as long as you wish. We will have a welcome dinner tonight in your honor as is our custom, so be prepared to eat and drink hard and long!? she warned.

“Zanti... Libro... show or guests to their rooms and prepare baths for them to get that disgusting disinfectant off. “Yo9u may want to nap a bit because the festivities will go on for a while later. Unless you have any questions, I will go about my duties.”

“I have one. How were you able to so quickly analyze and interpret our language?” Forest asked the queen.

“We have had space travel for thousands of years. In the early days we sent out explorers to monitor various planets for communications. Later we sent out intelligence gathering monitors all over the galaxy and outside of it to gather various languages and decipher the meanings. Somewhere in the past one of our monitors gathered your language and interpreted it, before today, so we could have a conversation.

“The English language has changed a lot in just a couple of hundred years. Your computer seems to be pretty up to date,” Forest told her.

“Our monitors are always out and about. Once they identify a planet that is becoming more complex, they monitor it very closely and regularly,” she answered as she stood to leave. Everyone in the room knelt again.

“Are the languages the only thing they monitor?” Forest asked qs she began to walk to the curtain. She stopped and turned smiling.

“Perhaps we can discuss the answer later. It will give us more to talk about then,” she said and then quickly turned and disappeared through the veil.

“Come with us,” one of two women told the men to show them to their room.

They followed them down a long, large hallway. Large urns line the walls on both sides, maybe four feet tall all painted in intense colors, abstractly. More high reliefs carved from wood hung on the walls depicting strange creatures. Several chandeliers made from the root system of trees hung from the ceilings like the great one in the throne room.

The two women walked through the door to their room and invited them in. The room was large, perhaps fifty by fifty feet square. There were two large beds whose headboards were made of thick wood, carved with more of the beasts. To the one side was a small pool for bathing that would easily seat a dozen people. The water in it was kept hot and flowing constantly though it. Steam rose off of it and dissipated in the air. There was a faint smell of flowers, probably an oil that was placed in the water. Great mirrors hung on the wall opposite the open doors to a balcony overlooking a large, concreted area that was part of what the ships used.

There were rugs too positioned in different ways in the room. They appeared hand-made like the huge one in the main room. They were v ery colorful qs well, in juxtaposition to the walls, ceiling and floors which where gray, similar to the color of cement. The outside of the building was the only surface with color. All the other building u=you could see were the same gray shade.

The two women went immediately to the pool of water, dropped their clothes and climbed in. They beckoned Forest and Brian to join them without words. Brian was naked in seconds, climbing into the water and splashing everyone to laughter. Forest, more conservatively got into his bath not as the leader but as a skeptic. He was always slow to abdicate to any seeming tradition.

“Come on Forest... loosen up!” taunted Brian as he splashed his superior. Forest didn't see himself that way. He felt they were more equal, but someone had to make a final decision of there was an impasse or if expediency was necessary.

They women had some kind of natural brushes and large cloths that they dipped in a tub of what appeared to be liquid soap. And began scrubbing the two men. Brain was in nirvana as the woman scrubbed everywhere there was skin.

Forest felt odd at first but then relented to the pampering. It felt good. The soap had a tingling sensation to it and smelt good... not floral but a clean smell that was unidentifiable. He hoped being subject to a strange substance on a strange planet or any of the other food and drink later, wouldn't encourage strange reactions. These people seemed human enough and the air was breathable they couldn't be too far off the same gene pool. It seemed on the couple of the inhabited worlds they knew now the people could have all been from Earth. The studies scientists had done on Earth showed that the people were close cousins. The couple physically different ones discovered, had been bio-engineered and not natural hybrids.

Forest wasn't expecting to fall asleep easily in unfamiliar surroundings or where any hist of surprises could occur, but he did. Brain did as well. After three years in space, huddled on a cot size air mattress the bed was heaven. Sleep overwhelmed him in minutes. It seemed they had just fallen asleep when three hours later the two women came into the room to get their charges ready for the party.

“I haven't that well in years,” Brian commented.

“I haven't slept that well... in 3 years,” Forest added.

“Any chance for a back rub?” Brian asked the woman assigned to him, or so it appeared, whether she was told, or she decided, it was the one that attended him earlier and seemed to be giving him the attention now.

“Lay down,” she ordered and which she didn't have to repeat, she straddled Brian's butt and began digging into his back with her long fingers. It looked painful but Brain was in his glory.

“Would you like a back rub? Lebro asked Forest.

Once again, Forest was a little skeptical in unfamiliar surroundings different circumstances. The people, these women seemed nice enough, but he hadn't been exposed to enough of the people or the place yet. Brian on the other hand was diving in with both feet. But then Brian was a party animal.

“No thanks. Maybe later,” he told her as she dried him off. There were lose fitting, light clothes laying on the bed for them to wear. He hadn't noticed them there before ...did they somehow magically appear. Forest wondered.

The clothes were appropriate to the planet for it was a tropical place. The women wore little and what the wore was sheer. Which made Forest ask the question he wanted to know the answer.

“Are there any men on this planet?” he asked Lebro.

“No, there aren't. But I'm not at liberty to explain. Perhaps that is something the queen can explain to you,” she told him.

“Why aren't you at liberty to explain?” Forest inquired.

“I'm not qualified,” she spoke briefly.

“Not qualified? What kind of qualifications are required to answer why or why there aren't men on the planet. I don't understand,” Forest told her.

“The queen can enlighten you later,” Lebro assured him.

Brian was lying there having turned his head to look at his partner. When Lebro finished talking, he shot Forest a look and raised his eyebrow. Forest shrugged back.

It was time to eat and the men had to follow the two women to the dinning hall. On the way there Brian started talking to Forest in a subdued whisper.

'Strange there aren't any men here. It's like the stories of the Amazon women in Greek literature. What do you think is going on? Cloning maybe?” he asked.

“Could be. They're certainly far enough advanced for it. Maybe they clone themselves naturally. One out of ten thousand Earth women can clone themselves naturally without men. That could be the reason for those old Greek stories about a tribe of Amazon women. Maybe they can do it on a regular basis,” Forest finished saying as they walked into another large room with long plank tables forming a squared off U-shaped table.

There were probably a dozen servants setting the tables and embellishing them with a variety of foods and drinks. Large vases housing huge arrangements of exotic flowers decorated the tables every ten feet or so. Forest felt overwhelmed since the celebration was to welcome them. However, it was making him more suspicious as well. The two ladies showed them to their seats on either side of the apparent queen's place and then stood several feet behind them against the wall. Everyone sat on the floor on the thick, handmade rugs that adorned the palace. Guests were beginning to enter then and were funneled by the guests of honor, to be introduced, and then seated.

There appeared to be enough places set for about a hundred people and soon all the places were filled with women. Brian looked out over them like a wolf in a pasture of sheep. Forest wondered who might really be the sheep. He just wasn't sure.

The last one seated was the queen. She came into the room after the loud snapping noise sounded as before... it was obviously their version of sounding trumpets on this planet. The queen smiled at both Forester and Brian, seated on either side of her, as she squatted to her seat, exciting Brian with her revealing clothes. It appeared she was wearing gauze, and not enough of it to use as a bandage.

The queen watched both her honored guests, clandestinely, but Foster watched her quietly as well, noticing her attentions. The food was good but unrecognizable. Foster hated to ask what he was eating. He didn't want to ruin his meal. However, he noticed the queen was the only one out of everyone there, not eating and wondered why. She was only drinking the interesting beverage served, which was alcoholic.

“You're not eating,” he finally asked.

“I'm not very hungry. I love watching everyone else have a good time though. How about you... are you having as good time, Mr. Isenbach?” she asked the astronaut as she sipped from her glass.

“Please, call me Forest,” he told her.

“Certainly, Mr. Forest,” she added.

“No I mean, just call me Forest, not the Mister. Mister is a formal thing,” he told her.

Here they had first and last names, it seemed, but when they want to express formality they just said the first and last names together, addressing the person.

“I will do that... Forest, “she smiled. Forest felt it was a little flirtatious but smiled congenially back at her.

“Your people are sending out ones to take you back to fix your engine?” she asked

“Yes, they'll probably bring an engine with them to replace ours,” he told her.

“How many men will they send to do this?” she asked.

“Well, it will probably be two people. They should be done in one day though,” Forest told her.

“Perhaps we will have to have a 'good-bye party' for you and your friend before you leave then,” she proposed.

“You're too kind,” I told her as I noticed Brian and the women next to him getting very friendly. I also noticed the woman, Zanti, that had been assigned to my partner, getting a little perturbed.

The queen noticed me looking and so she turned to look as well. When she turned back around, she was wearing a broad smile.

“You may call me Iya. Your friend seems to be enjoying himself. Men are not seen much on this planet,” she told me, reminding me of the earlier conversation I had with Zanti.

“Why is that?” I asked then wanting to know why.

“It's a genetic predisposition. We live a very long life here so there isn't a need for constant coupling. However, the children we do conceive when mated by a man is almost always female. The few males born usually die within a few months,” she explained.

“On my planet, female babies are stronger than females when first born as well but nature seems to strengthen them, surpassing women in time,” Forest informed her.

“So you're telling me we have much in common?” she asked smiling her mischievous smile again as before while she drank from her glass.

“Well, ... I guess maybe I am,” the astronaut answered. “No matter who you are or where you're from most people have more in common than not.”

But as she drank from her glass again, she placed her hand on his thigh and squeezed it gently.. There seemed to be that sweet smell again that he smelled earlier. The flowers in the vases emitted a strong, almost hypnotic odor that made his head swim, or perhaps it was whatever he was drinking. Forest looked over at Brian as he and his neighbor were half lying on the large pillow she had behind here, supporting hr back. He had to remind him before he got too far about federal law and it enforcement concerning sex with aliens. It had been on the books since the later part of the twentieth century before anyone admitted there were aliens. Forester followed the carefully and didn't want to have to cover for his partner even though they were half a galaxy away from home, and who would know out here anyway? However, they would be debriefed half a day when they returned to Earth before taking their five year vacation and he didn't want to lie if the question arose. They would detect such a thing.

All he could do was try to catch his partner's attention and shake his head. He wasn't able to say anything without others being aware of what he said or becoming suspicious if they both left the table and went to another room. He didn't want to hurt relationships with a new alien species.

Brian was too far gone to even accidentally look his way. He wished a fresh breeze would come into the room... that smell... that odor of the flowers was overwhelming. He felt like he was drunk and at its mercy. Forest was perhaps even feeling a little paranoid by it. He felt everyone was staring at him, especially the queen.

Then the queen stood up with several other of the women, including the one that was next to Brian. Now was the chance to warn about the law while they were away. Music started, a loud percussion oriented orchestration to which now it was obvious the women were about to dance to.

“Brian, remember the federal law about having sex with aliens,” Forest warned him.

“Come on Forest, you aren't going to hold me to that way out here, halfway across the galaxy, are you?” Brian asked.

“I won't bring it up but if they do in the debriefing I can't lie... they can detect that. Then we both get in serious trouble,” Forest answered him.

“She's incredible! Look at her dancing... look at the queen dancing. It's obvious she's has a thing for you. Lord, that dance they're doing is downright raunchy and in our faces. How the hell can you say 'no' to that?” he asked.

He was right. It would have been unpolite not to watch since this whole thing was for them but watching for more than a couple of seconds took care of anyone that had erectile dysfunction.

“Did you like our dance?” the queen asked as she sat down next to me again.

“It was very... sensual,” I replied as Brian went right back to lavishing attention of the woman next to him. As I watched, Libro left her spot by the wall and joined the two of them. Brian was a goner. As soon as I saw that I knew it.

We finished the meal with some desert but half the people there weren't eating it because they were involved in other things. It reminded Forest of what used to go on in ancient Rome where these things turned into orgies. He wasn't surprised, with the lack of men here, when he saw the women getting involved with each other. It didn't help with his own conviction of trying to obey the law.

He watched as the Brian and the two women left the table together. They were probably going back to their room. He certainly wasn't going back there anytime soon to have to put up with that and trying to sleep. His convictions would be out the window in a minute.

“Would you like to take a walk? I can show you the gardens,” the queen suggested, Forester happily agreed just to get out of the midst of the debauchery that was unfolding.

They began walking outside. It was cooling off considerably and at least he got out from the smell of the flowers. Out in the open his head became clearer.

Iya was a beautiful woman. That was obvious to a blind man, but she surpassed that in the late evening sun. It was difficult being around her without saying or doing something, he'd regret. They walked through the gardens . Strange little birds flew among the blooms, reminiscent of humming birds, and invaded them with their long beaks, to drink and carry nectar to their nests.

As they walked, she took hold of his hand. He let her, not that he didn't want her to, but he was afraid where it might lead. He had only known her for a short time and didn't know this species. He felt he needed to know before hand, more, if he were to eventually break the law and sleep with her. Did he feel an attraction? An overwhelming one. If he were on Earth and she were an Earth woman, there was no doubt he'd find himself waking up in the morning with her.

“Why don't you come with me to my chambers, tonight?” she asked within a couple minutes of taking his hand.

“This may sound odd coming from a man but I'd like to know a little more about you before going there,” Forest told her.

“You disappoint me. I planned on pleasing you all night long,” she answered.

“We have time. There isn't a rush is there?” he asked her, as he positioned himself in front of her and they stopped walking.

“There's always a rush when passion unveils itself. My heart beats strongly for you and my lips moisten with expectation,” she told him.

She certainly knew how to phrase things just right to get a man excited... to get Forest excited. He kissed her deeply and passionately but still he did not want to give her hopes for that night. Maybe in a few days things would be different but he was determined not to succumb to her. When he finished kissing her be breathed deeply. The intoxicating odor of those flowers was there, overwhelming and powerful in its ability to cloud the mind. Then as he kissed her lightly again on the neck, he realized it wasn't flowers releasing the scent. It was her. He could smell it on her flesh. It wasn't a body oil or perfume either, it was coming from her!

“I thought it was the smell of flowers I smelled earlier but now I realize it's coming from you. Am I right?” Forest asked as he looked into her lavender eyes.

“All the women here emit such an odor when they are ready for sex. It makes the act more intense between a couple and slows things down some so the act is extended, sometimes all night long because of it. When it does happen the feelings are also intensified greatly,” she explained.

“It's a wonder men ever resist,” he commented.

“Normally they don't. In this part of the galaxy, men know when they smell such a fragrance, they don't have to work hard to become satisfied. They become willing participants,” she told him.

“It's like an anesthesia and an intoxicant!” he deduced.

“Come with me tonight to my chamber. You will not be disappointed,” she insisted.

“I don't think I could be with you, only for myself, failing to use some kind of restraint,” he told her, and she pulled away then.

It wasn't disappointment or rejection... it appeared to be genuine anger. Her eyes lit up as she looked away over the field of flowers, seemingly to hide her anger. Forest went to her and put his hands on her shoulder. They were tense.

“Are you alright?” Forest asked her.

“Just... disappointed. I was looking forward to spending the night with you, but if you're that certain to wait, I succumb to your wishes. As queen here I can only demand so much. Sometimes the heart rules,” she told him, covering her thoughts well as she seemed to calm, her anger subsiding.

“It will happen sooner than later,” he assured her.

“I'm going to my chambers then. I will see you in the morning... good night,” she told him giving him a passionate kiss that was less a good night than a last effort to convince him to follow her.

“I'll stay here awhile and enjoy the sunset. The colors here are different than on Earth. Good night, Iya,” he told here, and they kissed again briefly.

He watched as she walked away. She was so amazingly beautiful. He almost found himself calling after her to wait, as he ran after her and follow to her chambers.

He felt like he did in the eighth grade with his first serious crush. Daria Fallon. She was a short, cute blonde he couldn't stop daydreaming about. It almost became an obsession. He timed everything to be in the same spot he knew she would be for accidental meetings. Somehow being near her so much, would propel her heart his way. Perhaps she would think they were destined to be together since they ran into each other so much. It was never meant to be, and she ended up with the class bully but she did calm him down a bit. They ended up living together a few years later. He also found out from some of her friends later, that she had had a crush on him. That's when he realized it was sometimes better to make your feeling known than to hide them. If he had spoken up things could have been so different.

Forest watched as the sun went down past the mountains, enveloping the palace in sudden darkness. The sounds changed with the lack of light. Strange nocturnal sounds surfaced. There were also distrubing large shadows in the air, barely visible. They were like large bats, maybe even more reptilian looking... like pterodactyls, gliding silently through the air. They left out large screeches periodically to announce their presence.

As warm as it was, there was a chill in the air as the evening gave way to full night, so Forest decided to go inside to his bedroom. Then he thought, Brain was there with the two women. How long would he have to put up with their sounds of passion? At least the room was large and perhaps he could take a chair to the other side from where they were.

He walked down the long hallway to where his room was and entered through the door, closing it quietly behind him. He avoided looking over at Brain's bed, but he heard strange sounds coming from it and was forced to peek.

Something was not quite right. He could tell there were three people there but there was a large amount of squirming and heavy breathing. Among the sounds was a muffled utterance, almost a painful one, or one that might be considered a plea. Foster walked slowly and quietly to the bed adjusting his eyes as he went. The sun had gone down and offered no illumination from the outside but there were some kinds of lights these people used that could be adjusted in brightness. These were dimmed substantially so it was difficult to differentiate things in the shadow. It was when he finally got to the bedside he saw clearly.

There, sandwiched between the two women was Brian. He seemed attached to both of them. The one in front of him, the woman he sat next to at dinner, seemed to be stuck to him while the right side of Brain's face down to the jaw, was attached to the right side of her face. He couldn't turn too well to look at Forest but did so partly while trying to see him with his eyes. Being attached like he was he was unable to speak very clearly but Forest was able to make it out.

“Help me, Forest. Help. They're absorbing me...” he mumbled.

Forest looked in horror realizing they were doing just that. The two women laid there attached, their heads back in some kind of intoxicated state. Their eyes rolled back in their heads with some kind of glassy covering over them. They were unaware of Forest's presence and in fact were aware of nothing. There was a greasy film over their bodies too. They were in fact absorbing his partner. Forest jumped on the bed and tried pulling their bodies away from each other, but his fear was realized. They were absorbing him. About an inch of either side of Brian's body seemed to be engulfed by theirs. Their bodies were undergoing some kind of tremor appearing action... perhaps orgasmic, as they seemed to further devour Brian. Brain didn't seem to be in pain. It was more fear. Even to try an separate them now would be most likely mean death for the three of them. There would be too much trauma to their bodies and too much bleeding to avoid it.

As forest looked and tried to pull the women away from Brian again and again in answer to his pleading, their skin appeared attached but theirs was over his. He ran to the clothes that were by the bed, their uniforms they landed with, and pulled out a penknife he had. He would try a small incision to see what he could see.

He opened it and climbed back onto the bed. As he tried to make a small incision between the attached skin at their intersection in the front, near the ribs, a putrid liquid squirted out. Some landed on Forest's hand while some landed on the blade. It burned his hand and Forest pulled it back, letting go of the knife. The knife laid there and a mist came off of it like acid burning the metal. Forest ran and put his hand into the pool of water and went back to the bed. The knife blade had broken off.

Forest knew he couldn't do anything to save Brian. The only thing he might do is get to Iya and see what the hell was happening. Perhaps he could save himself. He ran from the room into the hall but came face-to-face with Iya and four other women standing behind her with weapons. It wasn't a surprise visit, and it was obviously in answer to what the queen knew Forest would find going to his room.

“Hello Forest, love. You look like you found something... unnerving?” Iya conjectured.

“What the hell is happening in there?” the astronaut asked, watching the guards with her.

“Why don't we go back inside your room and sit. I'll explain while we watch,” Iya told him. So they went back and she sat on Forest's bed, patting next to her for him top sit. The guards stood by the door and the balcony.

“That is the end to their love making that you can watch. Isn't it beautiful? When the lovers reach the height of pleasure our women exude a substance that causes them to begin absorbing their lover to provide nutrients for the woman and their offspring. That smell of flowers you commented about, is intoxicant but it is something that numbs the man as he is absorbed so it isn't painful,” she explained causing Forest more questions as he looked in disbelief.

It was the black widow spider on Earth eating the male after he impregnated the female. There were a number of insects and arachnids that did such. It wasn't rare but a species advanced like this... it was. She went on appearing to second guess his other questions.

“I am the only woman here that is immortal. When I am impregnated, I will give birth to other females, but no males. All the women on this planet are my daughters. The others give birth and can be either male or female, sometimes both. We trade with a nearby planet our male babies for some of their adult males that are getting older to keep their population suppressed while breeding our women,” she went to explain.

Forest, in a million years, could never think of such an arrangement with any advanced civilization. It seemed preposterous and bizarre. However, if this was the reality, it had been dealt with somehow.

“It takes three weeks to completely absorb our lover... eight weeks to give birth. During that time and a period of weeks after, there is no need to eat. We absorb our lover's make up and their memories. In a way they become immortal as well. That which makes you, you, becomes an inherent part of us. That's pretty much it. What do you think?” she asked.

“I think it's barbaric and evil,” Forest told her.

“I'm sorry you feel that way. It's a biological development I didn't even have control over. It is just a fact. In time perhaps you will accept it and give in to my passions. Guards take Forest to my chambers and lock him in the anti-chamber. Care for him well. Give him whatever he wants there. But he is to be my guest... forever, if need be,” she instructed.

Forest was locked in the anti-chamber. The door to it was barred but open to a full view of the queens' bedroom. There was a small window overlooking the concrete paved area outside. He had a cot to sleep on and a small table with a chair. Each item was molded as one unit so it couldn't be pulled apart and used as a weapon.

Then he thought of the rescue team. It was possible they could rescue him when they got here but they needed to be warned. They would get to the area looking for their ship and discover an inhabited planet in the area. They would assume the aliens had already found the two astronauts and taken them to their planet. They would come there looking for them and fall prey to the same enticements they were presented with and become breeders and food for these women. Forest and the rescuers might never cross paths now.

A few weeks later, Forest heard a whirring outside the palace. It sounded like the ion engines of an Earth ship. He stretched up to the single, small window in his room and looked out. He could see a ship landing in the concrete field. It was the rescue team... two or three unsuspecting repair engineers that would be unwilling participants in the perpetration of this species inhabiting the planet. In a biological sense there was nothing wrong with it... Forest came to terms with that. A species had no control over what biology designed for it. But if it represented a danger to another species, that species had the biological right to defend itself... nothing wrong with that. It wasn't a matter of justification, judgment or retribution. It was just a fact and a reality of existence.

He had no idea how he could warn the rescuers... not from in here and the queen would certainly not let them meet. They'd want to see the two of them and the only thing the queen could do was lie. To say they weren't aware of them. Then Forest saw his ship sitting out in clear view. It wasn't there before. Was the queen using it as a trap for the rescuers... perhaps saying they found the ship afloat with no sign of the crew.

“Attention... Queen Epenthet has come,” the woman announced to the room where a dozen of the planet's inhabitants congregated, while three rescuers stood where Forest and Brian were just a few weeks earlier.

“Welcome, gentlemen and madam. I am Queen Epens of the Planet Epenthet. Whom do I have the pleasure of addressing.

The three were surprised to hear her speak in English and wondered immediately how that was so.

“I am Issac Taub, head repair engineer. These are my assistants, Jill Bradbury, second in command and Ralph Stantton, senior software engineer. We had a distress call a few weeks ago from two of our geologists requiring a new engine so we came here to install it. We were unable to locate them but discovered your inhabited planet. Naturally we came here, and I see you have their ship outside. Are the two geologists avaiable?” Issac asked her after his introduction.

“I'm sorry to say we have no idea of your two geologists. One of our ships discovered your alien ship adrift in our orbit but no one was aboard. The crew brought the ship back with them.

“I suppose we will repair the ship and take it back with us. We'll spend as few days, if you don't mind, looking for them. If we can't find any trace the only thing we can do is to leave with their ship.

“Suit yourself. Meanwhile you'll be my guests tonight. We don't get many visitors here and a celebration is in order. Food and drink will be in abundance, so I hope you are hungry,” she announced as she did with Forest and Brian.

She left her throne then after kissing her dog-like creature and petting him. Her two escorts held the curtains back as she removed herself from the area.

The three repair engineers were show to their quarters and about an hour later they went to work on the shuttle.

Forest observed them from his small window but was unable to yell to them since they were too far away. If he raised his voice too loudly in the attempt the queen would stop him, or at least the guards would. He didn't want to risk it in case a better opportunity arose.

He watched though, hoping perhaps someone from the team would look his way and he could motion to them. If only one of them would see him, and saw him motioning, one would come closer to the window where he could warn them, but no one looked. They were too conscientious with their job.

Within a few hours they had removed the damaged engine and placed it outside on the ground. It was light enough for two to handle since it was made of ceramic material. It was light, heat resistant and impervious to wear. The engine was indestructible unless damaged by a heavy blow, like the meteorite.

Forest had the idea of taking a sheet from his cot in his cell. It was white and thought it might be more visible if he could wave it out the window when they eventually came back to the building, so he took it off his bed and waited.

Meantime, Iya had come back to her room to prepare for dinner. She stripped naked and entered the pool of water as her two attendants did likewise to wash her. The pool was between the bed and the cell and the room where Forest was imprisoned.

She ignored her prisoner but she enticed him in the pool with the two women as they began kissing and fondling each other. Forest wondered if they became very passionate if there was a fate awaiting her two attendants as what would await Forest if he was with her. In fact he wondered since women were the ones that exuded the binding substance for absorption what that would mean with three women together experiencing the heightened emotions. He watched as they flaunted their exhibition and the queen more so since she knew Forest was watching. After they washed her and dried her the three went to the queen's bed where they went absolutely insane with their lovemaking. Forest was turned on by the sight and couldn't stop watching. Their screams of pleasure filled the room. He hoped they would finish and leave. He didn't want to get caught signaling the repair team. While the two attendants rested, Iya sat on the edge of the bed facing Forest and played with herself keeping hi,m from doing anything. She was intent on turning him on, seducing him so they could mate and she would absorb him.

He casually went to the window and looked out, but the team was gone. He must have missed them coming back into the building for the festival. He cursed to himself at his luck.

He sat then on the cot and watched Iya as she continued until he saw her violent shudder. When she was done, she yelled at her attendants to get up and dress her. They did. There wasn't much work to that since the clothes were one piece, lose fitting things. The three of them left in just a few minutes, to go to the dinner.

Forest sat on the cot. He didn't know if he'd have another chance to warn the three that had come. If they succumbed to the advances of the women here tonight, there wouldn't be a tomorrow for them. He laid back on the cot looking at the ceiling. Some sort of bug was crawling across it and Forest zoned as he watched it. Time went by but he couldn't sleep. He was preoccupied with the incidents of the last three weeks. It already seemed like a month had gone by. Even if escaped here now there was no place to run too. Perhaps if the repair crew were still around tomorrow and they got the replacement engine into the shuttle, he stood a chance if he could get out of the cell. However, he had no idea what their weapons were like or the capabilities of their ships. At least he'd be killed trying to escape and not become part of an alien or its offspring.

As Forest lay there looking at the ceiling for hours, he heard talking. The door opened up and Iya entered the room alone, laughing. Forest heard other voices subsiding into the background, going down the hall.

“Sounds like you had a good time,” Forest commented.

“I was as wonderful celebration. My two attendants are taking two for your friends with them to their rooms for the night. I'll have to get two more attendants for the next four days,” she giggled in triumph.

“I want to ask you something,” Forest began, and she looked at him expectantly. “Earlier, you and those two attendants of yours went at it pretty hot and heavy but you didn't absorb them. Why is that?”

“We only absorb men as part of the procreation process. The proper chemical for absorption is only released in conjunction with male hormones,” she informed him.

“So, you can have all the sex you want with females without absorbing a woman?” he clarified.

“That's right,” she answered. “You're never going to leave here now. You might as well consider having a night of absolute pleasure for your last night. You will become apart though of the eternal. Your memories will become part of mine and our child. The wisdom will grow exponentially,” she told him as if that was enough to sway him.”

Forest sat on the edge of his cot again watching Iya play with herself. She was self-indulgent. When she was done, she rolled over, her bare back facing him, and went to sleep. If only he could get out of here but it had some kind of a digital lock and looked impossible to open. Perhaps he could create an electrical charge of some kind...

He wasn't sure when he fell asleep only that he awoke to the sounds of Iya bathing with her two new attendants. Forest knew what that meant. Two of the repair team had sex during the night and were in the process of being absorbed. He wondered about the third team member and what would become of her if something already happened.

He looked out of his window and saw nothing. If he could escape this room he could get to the repair ship. He wouldn't need to replace the engine now in the shuttle. If he could only get hold of the woman in the team maybe she could help in his escape and they could take off in that ship.

He watched for her but didn't see her. Maybe they killed her since there was no use for her for their reproduction purposes. Still, he watched and then the third day after the party he saw her walking towards the ship. She had to know by now the other two in her crew were gone. What did she think happened to them?

He watched intently since Iya wasn't around to signal her with the sheet. Now was his chance, she was coming back to the palace as he watched. He looked around at the bedroom door just to be safe before unfurled the sheet through the window. The slight breeze that blew made it wave and more noticeable. She noticed it. He saw her looking and she altered her steps towards the window. When she got there, she was outside the window and about eight feet below it.

“Thank God. I'm Forest Isenbach. I was the one that called in the distress signal three weeks ago. I've been trying to warn you about these women. They killed my partner, and they must of killed the two men you were with. We need to get out of here. If you can come in here and let me out we'll take your ship and escape,” Forest told her.

“Why would I do that?” she replied, “I like it here. I'm a lesbian anyway and this place suits me fine. I have no intention of leaving. I met someone here our first night and I plan on staying. You might as well resign yourself; you're staying too.”

Forest was shocked and suddenly his plight was incurable. What was the chances the only woman coming here from the outside was a lesbian? The Fates were indeed cruel. He looked at her and spoke.

“Well at least get me out of here. You can stay I'll leave,” he told her.

“Forget it. I'm not getting on the bad side of these ladies. You get yourself out of this,” she told him and walked away.

“Bitch,” he replied but she just gave him the finger as she walked into the other doors.

Now what? The only thing he could think of was to agree to the queen's proposal to get out of the cell. Then make a run for it. If he were lucky he'd get to the shuttle before he was apprehended. If he got to take off he may or may nor get shot down. He'd die trying.

The next day he awoke to an explosion. He rousted him out of a sound sleep without any ideas of what it was. It sounded like one of the exploratory ignitions as a geologist, he set off many times after drilling holes and setting a charge to obtain samples. The place shook and when he sat up he noticed Iya was gone already.

He climbed onto his cot to look out the window. There was Iya with several of her people and the lesbian traitor. They were busy looking at the remnants of his ship and the repair ship. As he watched, Iya and the lesbian turned to him and waved. He dropped off the cot and slumped to the cot, his elbows on his knees as he looked at the floor. That was that. Even if they sent another ship out to try and find the repair ship now gone missing, Iya's people would probably have the debris cleaned up by then. There wouldn't be a trace of them ever having been there.

What to do? There wasn't much of an alternative. Now that Iya knew he had planned to escape and tried to talk thew woman into helping him, he'd never get out of his cell except for one reason. He wasn't about to do that but wondered what the hell his solution would be except to spend the rest of his life getting older in this cell while Iya remained unchanged as an immortal being.

Days went by and Forest stood steadfast. He said nothing and didn't do anything. He appeared the perfect prisoner, resigned to the fact he was there to stay. He began talking more to Iya and it looked like he was coming around to her way of thinking. He watched her as she played with herself and with other women. He wondered why he hadn't seen her with other men they might have brought in ot even bothered with Brian or the other two men from the rescue ship. She seemed to have focused on him. Then that really didn't matter now.

“You seem to be coming around to me,” she mentioned one morning after stepping out of the pool with her two attendants.

“What choice do I have? Like you pointed out I'm never leaving here. I might as well enjoy myself my final hour or so here,” he told her, resigned that that was how it was to be.

“I'm glad you feel that way now. You mean a lot to me and are very special. I will make your last hours... beyond comprehension,” she told him. “Tonight?”

“Tonight. I'd like to go to the room you put Brian and myself in when we got here to put something on that is special to me. Unless you disposed of everything,” he told her.

“Nothing has been touched. Everything is still the same as it was,” she replied. “I can take you there now if you'd like.”

“That would be fine with me,” he told her.

She left him out and he grabbed her passionately, massaging her with his hands as he held her close in a passionate kiss. He nuzzled her neck and bit it softly as he ran his tongue up along her jaw and to her ear lobe, making her shudder softly as he did so. When they separated, she took his hand and led him out of her room and down the hall to the one he last saw Brian in. She waited at the doorway watching him as he walked into the room, going directly to the bed Brian was absorbed in. He felt among the sheets and found the penknife that he dropped there that night. The smaller blade had been eaten away by the acidic substance the woman emitted when he began to cut her, but the larger blade was still there, intact. He pulled out the blade that was still there and looked at it. Pulling up the tunic he was wearing he put the blade to his genitals and turned to Iya who was smiling sexually at him. The smile quickly faded when she saw what he was about to do and before he could say anything, he made a single slice that ended his ability to ever have sex again.