11: More Machinations

Others have seen what is and asked why.
I have seen what could be and asked why not.

Pablo Picasso

‘Alright, the power is shut off for this section of the ship, as approved by the Captain. It’s late enough there aren’t many people active now, so if we work fast, hopefully we won’t be observed.’

‘You realize the extent of the risk we’re facing here,’ Kaci reminded him.

‘All the more reason to shut up and work, so we’re less likely to be discovered.’

“Just get those cables stowed and I’ll connect the necessary communication links,” Zita said aloud.

“Okay, those are the last of the conduits. Now we just have to create enough space in here for...”

Lamar and Mui hurried past, carrying a large container covered by a thick blanket. ‘I don’t think anyone noticed us. Are you ready for us to ... connect this friggin’ thing up yet?‘

‘Yeah, we’re still making room for it,’ Ivan said. ‘We’re situating it behind the high-power conduits, so no one is likely to check back here and discover it. It would require them to shut down the ship’s energy supply, once again, to determine what we’re up to.‘

“Do you need a hand?” Lamar asked. “After all, we ain’t doing nothing waiting for you to finish.”

“Nah, these connections are pretty precise. A sloppy connection will fry major portions of the ship—or your little container. We need to ground it sufficiently so it doesn’t end up as a blackened husk.”

“That’s the last of the conduits,” Zita announced, stowing the cables behind others to hold them in place. “Since the rest is merely heavy lifting, I’ll leave it to you guys until it’s time to reconnect them.”

“How much time now?” Kaci asked.

“I’ve got 12:37 and counting,” Mui said, consulting her watch.

‘Damn, someone’s likely to pass by eventually,’ Ivan mumbled, as he anchored several thick cables behind a cooling vent. ‘Give me another few moments, and we’ll be set.’

“I’ve got the base prepared,” Zita said. “As soon as you’ve got the necessary space, I’ll bolt it down so it won’t shift.”

“Okay, I’ve got this section open. That should give you room for the base,” Ivan said, stepping aside to reposition the other cables.

“I’ve got these,” Kaci said. “You help the others with the payload.”

“One nagging load, coming up,” Mui declared as she and Lamar hefted the cumbersome device.

“Set it here, inside these marks,” Zita instructed.

They shifted their burden, negotiating in into the precise position and eased it down. Zita fastened the Tandorian bolts into place. Since they were biological, the metal merged, the nut literally wrapping around the bolt.

“Those are set,” she announced, shifting to the others.

‘Are we still clear?‘

‘Betty’s stationed in the hallway. If anyone approaches, she’ll know before they can observe anything and intercede.’

‘Only if she knows who to search for,’ Kaci reminded them. ‘Otherwise, she won’t know until they stumble upon us.’

‘Don’t sell her short,’ Al advised. ‘Like the rest of us, her skills have rapidly advanced the more we use them, testing our limits. She’s capable of a lot more than she was before.’

‘That’s the last of the bolts,’ she said telepathically, conscious of how incriminating anything said aloud was. ‘You can release our know-it-all friend now while I establish the necessary connections.’

‘How long has it been?‘

‘16:22,’ Mui said.

“Just another second and you can start covering everything up again,” Zita said.

“Take your time,” Ivan advised. “If you leave any loose connections, there’ll be hell to pay.”

“Don’t worry. I know my job. I’m not used to working with these high-energy conduits, but I know how to properly ground the things so it’ll absorb a sizeable energy release.”

“Less gabbin’, more fixin’,” Ivan suggested.

‘Okay, that’s it,’ Zita announced. ‘The “package” is secure and connected to the proper outlets. I’m going to attach the secondary power source so it boots up and becomes operational before we join the main connection. I’m talking to Al. He’ll interface with it to instruct it how to proceed once it awakens.’

‘18:38,’ Mui announced.

‘Package activated,’ Kaci said as various lights lit up in an established pattern no one was familiar with. Even though it was said via their private link, they were still nervous about revealing what they were actually doing. ‘Give it another few seconds.’ Everyone paused, waiting with bated breath. It had been a long time, and any number of things might have gone wrong. ‘Al says it’s all clear. He’s established communications and initiated the proper safety guidelines, so we shouldn’t have any difficulties. Let’s cover it up again, reconnect the primary power and see whether it blows.”

‘Please,’ Mui corrected. ‘Nothing is going to “blow”. We’ve grounded everything, but it doesn’t mean the sudden power surge won’t fry his little transistors if our hurried connections aren’t aligned properly.’

‘Technically, they’re trepidors, not transistors,’ Kaci reminded her.

‘A rose, by any other name, will still burn ya’, baby!‘

The four engineers worked in concert arranging the various cables. Once they were safely stowed, Kaci and Ivan connected the high-energy conduits again.

‘Someone’s approaching,’ Betty announced. ‘I’ll head them off, but you’d best finish it off so they don’t notice the activity.’

Much of the conversation, as normal, was conducted through Zita’s telepathic links. The others worried about distracting her, but she handled the telepathy without much conscious thought, since it was mainly handled by her aids. Everyone seemed to intuitively know when to speak aloud, and when not to, so they hadn’t slipped up—yet!

‘Warn them that we’re reconnecting the power conduits,’ Mui suggested. ‘Given the severity of feedback exposure, few will risk peering in. That should buy us enough time to secure everything.’

“Okay, the conduits are secured,” Kaci announced. “We’re double checking each connection. Just another moment...”

“That’s it,” Ivan said. “Everyone back up and we’ll restore the main power.”

“This cable carries more energy than every country on Earth could produce over fifty years,” Kaci warned, unnecessarily.

‘The security guard is waiting with me,’ Betty announced. ‘He’s eager to see the finished product. Apparently, he’s been hearing about and noticing the quality of your work. Maybe if you guys weren’t so damn precise, people wouldn’t be as likely to study it in such detail.’

‘As long as they don’t open it and start tracing the power flows, we’re safe. Let them admire the handiwork, as long as they don’t muck with it.‘

‘Who’s the security officer,’ Gary asked, listening in like most of the team. This moment impacted them all, whether they were actively involved or not, so everyone was monitoring how it unfolded. ‘Since I know them all, I can tell you how tenacious they’re likely to be.’

‘It’s Brggrck,’ Betty said.

‘Good. He’s reliable, but he’s not terribly pushy or inquisitive. He’s unlikely to cause trouble, but just wants to see us in action.’

‘Maybe so, but he’s one ugly mother, so I’d rather not cross him, either way.’

Securing everything, Kaci and Ivan reattached the covers, bolting them in place, ensuring the seals were professional enough no one would chance risking damage by taking it apart again. They both stood and backed away. She lifted her hand, holding her open palm to the others, clustered by the door and ready to duck if anything went wrong.

“Full power on in five ... four ... three ... two ... one,” Kaci announced, dropping her hand. Nothing much changed, though the hum of energy flowing through the lines reverberated through the room, providing a reassuring background rhythm.

“That’s it,” Ivan declared. “It’s working.”

“Good,” Zita said. “I’ll inform the bridge that the ship is back online.”

‘Now if our package is sensible enough to bide its time, otherwise it’ll alert everyone. I’m not sure I could be that patient.’

“Well, it’s late,” Zita said, having alerted the necessary parties. “We’d best turn in for the night, if everyone expects to start their normal routines in the morning. Good work. This was the most critical part of the entire enterprise.”

“Mryzzl,” Al said, opening their quarters’ door and welcoming her in with a gentle kiss on the cheek. “We’re glad you could make it.”

“Why wouldn’t I?” she answered as Betty and Xi welcomed her with warm embraces, “when I have not just one, but three interested suitors after given up on relationships a long time ago. Besides, I wasn’t up all hours of the night, completely revamping the entire ship’s power supply.”

“We can’t sneak anything by you, can we? We were hoping most of those aboard wouldn’t notice if we did it in the middle of the night.”

“You forget who you’re talking to,” she countered. “We widows are delegated with all the non-exciting maintenance tasks, like record keeping and bookkeeping. I can’t help but notice when something unusual happens, like most of the ship’s power shutting down for an extended period.”

“Well, you can blame our engineers for that. I didn’t have much to do with it, other than providing emotional support.”

“Our people like showing off for him,” Betty explained, “claiming he helps boost their quality and reduce their installation times.”

“Well, whatever you’re doing, your influence must make a tremendous difference. Not only are your people accomplishing more than the rest of the engineering team, the quality of their work is exceptional. The fact you could rewire the entire ship’s electrical system in that short a period of time is astonishing, and it looks better than I’ve ever seen it once you finished. The power efficiency is significantly improved.”

“Our guys noticed a few worn connections,” Al explained. “Since everything is so well grounded, there was little chance of a catastrophic failure, but it was draining off a noticeable amount of energy you’d normally allocate for other things.”

“Please, don’t feed his ego any more than it already is,” Xi said, guiding her to a seat beside Al and Betty. “We have a hard enough time keeping it in check.”

Mryzzl glanced around. “Even here. Most people put a minimal effort into maintaining their private quarters, yet yours is practically pristine, with plenty of personal effects scattered around showing each of your personalities.”

“We try,” Betty said, blushing slightly. “It makes it feel more like a home. After all, there’s a good chance it’ll be our last, so there’s no sense going into battle disheartened and discouraged.”

“And what about that huge table you had here,” Mryzzl said, tapping their heavy coffee table. The sound, metallic before, was now softer, like a sturdy polymer.

“What do you mean?” Al asked, instantly on guard. “It’s always been here.”

“No, you always had a display table, with roughly the same dimensions, but this isn’t it. Trust me, I’m very detail oriented. I recognize when something’s been swapped out or modified. Crew pilfery of supplies is rampant, so you learn to notice these things.”

“The other one kept getting in the way, and was too heavy to manage,” Betty explained. “Since we kept it purely for sentimental reasons, we simply substituted something easier to work around.”

“Of course, Al would never notice,” Xi added. “Men never see anything staring them in the face and right under their noses.”

“Enough about the furniture,” Al chuckled. “We’re more interested in you. After all, this is our first official date.”

“I’m still confused by this term ‘date’ you keep using. It translates as ‘evaluate a potential partner’, but since most Tandorians are joined to a bond-mate at an early age, we don’t need an extra step to determine if we get along with someone. We already know.”

“Still, you’ve got to admit, this isn’t your typical situation,” Xi countered. “If it were, you’d still be sitting back in your quarters twiddling your thumbs.”

“I’ve got to concede your point there. This is hardly typical, and I’ve got to commend you for entertaining the notion, even if we don’t proceed any further.”

“Nonsense.” Al leaned in. “You’re a beautiful woman, captivating in intellect as well as charming. Frankly, I can’t understand why all the available men aren’t pounding on your door, demanding a shot at your affections.” He leaned farther in and gently pressed his lips against hers. She accepted the kiss, but when he pulled back, she did too.

“What the hell was that?”

“Uh, it’s the most common form of Earthling affection. It’s called a kiss, though if we were to progress, it gets more intimate.”

“You mean, with tongues?” she asked, as if repelled by the thought.

“Uh, yeah,” Al responded, caught off guard.

“Look, I’m not saying I’m not interested, but have you considered the potential health risks? While you likely share the same biomes and wouldn’t necessarily respond violently to the introduction of alien ones, the rest of us aren’t accustomed to them. It may be a little early to cavalierly experiment with our lives.”

“I ... uh ... hadn’t considered that.” Al turned his head slightly. “So how do you show affection?”

“Like this,” she said, leaning forward and rubbing her face along Al’s in an intimate-looking exchange, her eyes closing and purring lightly as they did.

When they broke apart, each considering the other’s response, Al spoke first. “Your feathers are ... surprisingly soft.”

“It’s even more surprising that that,” Xi announced, leaning forward to study Mryzzl’s face more intimately. “The feathers on her face not only changed colors, but they expand, as if caressing your face.”

“I’d noticed her feathers responding almost independently,” Betty observed, “changing colors and expanding or contracting, like a peacock’s tail spreading when they’re trying to attract a mate.”

Al reached out, running his hand along her face.

“Ow!” she cried, pulling back and patting her facial feathers back down. “Please, never rub against the grain! It pulls the roots in the wrong direction. Always press down, as if combing or soothing.”

“You mean, like this?” Al leaned in again, rubbing his face against hers, moving it down past her nose before switching sides and descending on the other side.

“Much better,” Mryzzl conceded.

“Excuse me,” Betty said, “but I’ve got to try this. I’ve never made out with a chick before.”

Mryzzl seemed slightly taken aback, but didn’t pull back as she pressed her face against hers. They nuzzled like that for several seconds before separating again.

“It’s fascinating,” Betty said, caressing her own face. “Each part of your face feels different and has its own texture.”

“I hate to suggest this, but your own featureless skin seems so ... difficult to decipher,” Mryzzl said, reaching out to caress Betty’s face. “How can your species communicate emotions? It’s so smooth, with little tactile sensations, and it reveals nothing of your emotions. It’s like a canvas blanket, draped across your face.” Al and the others weren’t sure how their aids picked canvas for the analogy, but they understood the comparison. Al touched his face.

“Now that you mention it, I can see how it wouldn’t be as easy to read. Human skin is amazingly resilient, though. It withstands the near-freezing conditions in outer space for a surprisingly long time, provides protection and makes locating parasites easier.”

Al reached out, running his hand down her exposed arm, her feathers fluffing up, their colors changing both before and after his hand passed.

“My turn,” Xi announced, trading positions with Betty and leaning in and nuzzling Mryzzl for longer than the others had. “I don’t know,” she said, finally disengaging. “I think I agree with her, as much as I appreciate kissing you two, there’s something to be said for making out with chicks.”

Mryzzl giggled, which was a unique, surprising chirping sound. “My aids translate your word ‘chick’ as ‘flying creature’, but my kind has never flown. Our ‘birds’ possess flexible scales which divert or accelerate air flow, which allows flexibility in flight, something which feathers wouldn’t help with.”

“It sounds more efficient for flying, but it doesn’t appear as attractive.” Xi moved in for a second make-out session, running her hand along the sides of Mryzzl’s head and arms.

“I think I’m learning the difference between comfort and excitement in her feathers’ colors,” Betty said, pointing out the differing areas to Al.

“Now that we can see it so closely, it’s easy to spot the differences.”

Betty poked her bond-mate in her side. “All right, it’s obvious you like our new date, but let’s give everyone a shot.”

“Spoil sport, just when we’re getting into it,” Xi said, sticking her tongue out at her.

“Your species is very focused on tongues,” Mryzzl said, observing the others. “Does taste play a role in your sexual attraction?”

“Not taste,” Al said, leaning in for another nuzzle, “but as we’ll demonstrate later, oral sensations can be incredibly powerful elements.”

“Geez, there’s nothing as boring as describing how mechanical our emotional responses are,” Xi complained. “How about we let her learn on her own, rather than providing half-baked, partial descriptions?”

“Fair enough,” Al conceded, still nuzzling Mryzzl before pulling back. “How far do your feathers extend?”

In answer, she ran her hand along Al’s chest, taking in the various shapes under his Tandorian attire. When she reached the fastenings, she started opening them, one at a time. “Why don’t we do as Xi suggests and see for ourselves?”

“You’re free to play with Al,” Betty said, leaning in and doing the same with Mryzzl, “but we prefer seeing more of you, too.”

“Me too!” Xi said, sliding in beside her and nuzzling Mryzzl’s face.

“Hey, girls! The idea was to not scare her away,” Al chided.

“Hey, yourself,” she countered, waving to indicate Mryzzl’s empty cheek. “She’s plenty into this already.”

“That doesn’t mean anyone likes making it obvious.” Al stood, removing his shirt. Despite the attention paid to her, Mryzzl ran her hand along Al’s pale skin, curious about his mostly featureless surface until she reached a couple of anomalies.

“What these?”

“Those are scars from when I was shot by the police back home.”

“Police, as in law-enforcement?”

“Well, a radical offshoot. They decided we had access to skills and alien technology which they could use, so they tried to capture us, either legally through questionable arrests or by illegally kidnapping or murdering us.”

Betty sat up. “It was Xi and her orb that saved his life. Despite the extent of his injuries, the scars from it are minimal. The hospital never expected him to survive. When he did, they warned he’d suffer from life-long complications. Yet he was hiking through wild forests a few hours later, evading gunfire from our pursuers.”

“Was that what first drew you to her?”

“No, we were already involved by then. Before being shot, Al instructed everyone to hide so our enemies couldn’t find and leverage one against the others. But Xi marched into his hospital room and started treating him over the objections of the staff.”

“The doctors realized it was only a matter of time until someone else tried to assassinate me, so they were eager to get me out of the hospital and somewhere safe. Instead of going into hiding, we made one last try at reaching the ancient Tandorian ship which eventually brought us to Tandor.”

“Ah, the infamous memorial table.” Mryzzl tapped the large covered block before their sofa, the sound now reminding them of their deceptions. Al, Betty and Xi glanced at one another, unsure how to respond.

“Although it was important to us, we decided the memory was more vital than the unwieldy obstruction.”

“How did you even know about it?” Al asked, their intimate activities largely forgotten. “You’ve never been to our quarters before.”

“We widows are involved with most of the ship’s record keeping, plus we like to gossip. Word gets around.”

“The captain obviously couldn’t resist talking,” Al summarized.

“It isn’t every day someone boards the ship with large components from a decommissioned vessel, nor are allowed to. Word spread before you’d even brought it aboard.”

“It’s difficult escaping that kind of curiosity,” Betty said, glancing at the others, her not expounding on the idea speaking volumes.

“I didn’t mean to pry,” Mryzzl apologized, reaching for Al’s belt. Hoping to move beyond the awkward situation, Xi nuzzled her face again. Al unbuckled his and dropped his pants, while Betty and Xi helped Mryzzl remove her blouse. When he removed his underwear, Mryzzl’s eyes widened, which was striking on her, as they were already wider than any human’s, and looked owl-like, furthering the bird analogy in their minds.

“See something you like?” Betty teased.

“It’s ... it’s so large,” she gasped, reaching out delicately, almost afraid to touch it.

“It’s actually quite average for humans,” Al told her, flexing his muscles so it jiggled. She yanked her hand back, as if it might bite. “But even on Earth, we have bigger penises than even larger mammals. I guess it makes up for our lack of ornamental features like feathers or crests. For us, we’re primarily attracted to symmetry, as it’s an indicator of decent genetic stock and an absence of underlying medical conditions.”

“I can see that, given your ... plain appearance,” Mryzzl said, again reaching out to touch his erection. “For Tandorians, it is those very irregularities which tell the most about someone, revealing their scars, sacrifices and struggles overcome. Someone who’s ordinary is no great prize. After all, due to our aids, our medical concerns are much less than your human ones. We don’t suffer from those types of genetic irregularities.” After running her hand across it, she lightly grasped it.

“Here, if you’re unfamiliar with it, let us show you how it works,” Xi teased, sitting up and taking over. She wrapped her hand around Al and began slowly jerking him off, his foreskin sliding over the head. Mryzzl nodded, so they assumed her aids correctly translated the term.

“Be careful of these,” Betty instructed, poking his testicles, as Xi replaced Mryzzl’s hand with her own. “They’re very sensitive and human males protect them at virtually any cost.”

“They’re a favorite target in fights,” Al explained, sighing as Mryzzl grasped the technique. “Thus we learn early not to provide easy opportunities.”

“I can see why this works for attracting mates, since you have little else to signal your physical attraction. Still, it takes some ... getting used to. These...” she indicated his face with her other hand, “expressions of yours are much harder to identify. I can see why you stare in each other’s faces so much. You’re afraid you’ll miss some important signal, which is abundantly clear with other species.”

“Despite its size, it’s much smaller than human babies at birth,” Betty explained, “so it isn’t so hard to accommodate, though some women like larger ones and others don’t. We’ll have to see how it fits you. If it doesn’t, there are alternatives.”

“We weren’t expecting this to proceed without some difficulty,” Al acknowledged, watching her feathers flair each time she glanced at his size. She was right; it was easier to identify trouble spots early on with her feathers.

As Mryzzl continued to examine it with her hands, the others concentrated on the areas they’d exposed on her. Her chest feathers were of a different consistency than her facial ones. Betty ran her hand along her chest, until locating and parting her feathers where her breasts protruded. Mryzzl tittered.

“We’re generally shy, as we consider that our most unattractive feature, being so ... naked, lacking attractive features and so ... bumpy.”

“Well, there are other attractions to them,” Betty said, running her finger along the end—expecting to locate her nipple.

“What are you doing?” Mryzzl asked in a curt voice.

“Uh, I was assuming, in order for you to advance into a collective civilization, you probably nurse your young. If so, you likely have especially sensitive nipples for providing children nutrients which helps establish bonds, not just with your babies, but also with lovers.”

“Hmmph! You make a lot of assumptions about a species you’ve never encountered ... but you’re mostly correct.” Mryzzl directed her hand down, where she discovered a series of smaller bumps along her lower chest, grouped together in tight pods. As Betty ran her thumb over one pod, Mryzzl shivered.

“Umm, now that’s much better. The other region is for display purposes only, to attract mates. This area is for nursing young, who require more food than a single dimple like yours would produce.” She paused. “I never associated them with sexuality. Never having children, I never really paid them much attention.”

Grinning, Betty lowered her head, nuzzling the feathers aside with her nose, and fastening her lips around the alien areola-pod. It was odd, touching one caused the others to contract. She experimented, licking one and ignoring the others, but each seemed to trigger a sympathetic response in them all.

Finally, Betty opened her mouth wide, took in the whole things, and sucked, since there was too much to lick individually.

The tiny bumps contracted and released a light foamy liquid, which had a distinctly odd taste. She drew back, grimacing slightly. The substance continued to foam along her tongue and gums, producing a strange tingling sensation. Intrigued, she dove back in, slowly adjusting to the situation.

“Oh my!” Mryzzl exclaimed, the pods expanding under Betty’s oral ministrations, releasing more of the foamy substance.

“That’s why we’re so focused on mouths when we have sex,” Xi explained, as Betty continued. “Watch.”

As Mryzzl observed, Xi knelt in front of Al, pumped his dick a few times and proceeded to lick it. Accompanied by Al’s moans, she proceeded to work on it.

“I ... I can see the attraction,” Mryzzl gasped. “On our home world, such plain organs are viewed as unattractive, with children rejecting them as soon as they can eat solid food.”

“Really?” Betty asked. “We generally have to wean our kids, otherwise they’d never stop.”

“It’s the uneven, irregular texture that irritates them,” Mryzzl explained. “Though, again, with your featureless skin, I can see the attraction as it provides a ... distraction to focus on with so much ... empty terrain.”

Betty sat up and giggled like a little girl. “Maybe it’s the milk. It tastes funny.”

Al and Xi glanced at one another, not sure what brought that on, but Mryzzl didn’t appear to notice.

“No, the milk and the lubricant are different, and serve distinct purposes. It actually helps them process and absorb the milk, which is loaded with protein and enzymes.”

“I don’t mind,” Betty said, her voice now taking on a sing-song cadence. “Is fun!” She then attacked another of her areola-pods.

“Well, much like how we incorporated Xi into our pair-bond relationship,” Al continued, “we’re attracted to those irregular features, and to your own. We each offer strengths the others lack, so together we enjoy more than any of us possess singly or even as a pair.”

“His... ‘dick’ gets even larger when you do that,” Mryzzl observed.

“That lets us know how much he appreciates it,” Xi said, grinning as she rubbed it against her cheek.

“Me ‘preciates her, uh, ... nippie?” Betty added, poking the item in question with her finger. She then switched her focus to another of Mryzzl’s pods.

Al and Betty glanced at one another again, but Mryzzl continued without pausing.

“We ... don’t spend much time getting each other prepped,” Mryzzl explained. “Usually, once we entice the other with our displays, the sex happens quickly and isn’t very involved.”

“Not for us,” Xi said, raising her head and revealing Al’s turgid and saliva coated organ. “Although it’s often over much too fast for our tastes, we appreciate dragging it out as long as possible. The tension is frequently the best part of the experience.”

“The longer we delay, often varying the pace to ease back on our immediate excitement, the more intense the climax,” Al explained, caressing Xi’s head.

“That makes sense. Like with everything else, the lack of efficient displays means you have to work three times as long to accomplish the same thing.”