Steve trudged along the stone corridor. His boots clicked on the hard floor. It was a dank place, with water stains oozing down the walls and the odd drip landing on his shoulder. Steve imagined the dungeons of the castles of ancient Earth had been like this corridor. Dregal liked it though and where Dregal went Steve went. He had been Dregal's slave for five years now and so dungeon dankness was now his habitat.
Oh well at least Dregal gave him the opportunity to go out in the ship, Steve thought. He liked trading, always had. On Earth he had been one of the most successful stockbrokers in his firm. Dregal knew a good bargain when they saw one, and he had seen one in Steve. It was a pity Dregal wasn't keen on sharing the profits but at least the work was satisfying. There was a problem though. Dregal was a slave trader. Steve loathed the life of a slave but that was the life he was helping Dregal inflict on other creatures of the universe.
Steve came to a large metal door painted in rust. So much water had infiltrated its surface he was sure one day it would crumble at his touch. He gave it a shove and it creaked open. Through the opening came the clatter of many voices. It never ceased to amaze Steve how many strange sounds could be interpreted as languages. The bar was certainly full this night.
Dregal rolled to Steve's side like a giant tumbling spider. He reached out one of his numerous tentacles and plucked the credit dij from Steve's pocket. From his central ball of orange, sensory flesh came a bubbling sound.
"Good enough," he said in a voice like dripping water.
It had taken Steve months to catch on to Dregal's language. It hadn't occurred to him that the dripping, bubbling, gargling sounds were the way he spoke. Dregal had insisted Steve understand his language. Com unit power cores were expensive, too expensive to be used up on a slave.
"Your Gargoolan friend was asking after you before." A tentacle shot out and pointed out the Gargoolan at the end of the bar.
Everyone was keeping a wide berth of him and Steve didn't blame them. The Gargoolan excretory system consisted of millions of insect larvae that covered them from head to hoof. They smelt of rotten meat and tended not to attract many friends.
An Alool (a wormlike creature with no olfactory capacity) sat down beside the Gargoolan. It watched the Gargoolan's larvae for a moment then licked its lips with its blue, forked tongue. The Gargoolan hissed then vacated his seat when the Alool was undeterred. He sat down again before Steve.
Dregal gargled in disapproval as the bar cleared. He rolled over to the Alool and served him. Steve took in a deep breath of fresh air and stepped up to the Gargoolan.
"A Saldorian whisky thanks," the creature said cheerfully. He slid his credit dij across the counter. Underneath it was a slender brown packet. Steve slipped it into his pocket and replaced it with another small packet. He made the transaction on the credit dij and slid it back to the Gargoolan.
"That stuff'll kill you, you know," Steve remarked as he poured the whisky.
The Gargoolan snorted and two maggots shot out of his nostrils and landed on the bar. "Not as quickly as it would kill you," he answered. He scooped the larvae up in his saucer-like hands and placed them back on his person.
Steve snorted too. He turned with the whisky bottle still in his hand and made a quick exit through the metal door. That grotesque smell lingered in his nostrils and he was glad for new air as he trotted down the dank corridor again.
At the far end of the corridor was another rusted metal door. Steve caught a glimpse of his ship through a hole. It was a small, teardrop shaped ship with a triangle shaped wing out either side. Steve slipped outside. He loved that little ship. It was his freedom, as was his little purchase from the Gargoolan.
Steve dug his fingers into his pocket and drew out the small packet. He opened it and a strong tobacco smell rose to his nostrils. It wasn't real tobacco but it was the closest he'd found. He fetched his papers from another pocket and rolled a cigarette. He hadn't even been a smoker on Earth, or at least not a serious one, but he had seen enough over the last few years to tip the scales. He needed something to calm his nerves. And who cared if he died doing it. He was better off dead than being a slave anyway.
He sighed, and poked the cigarette in his mouth as he made his way down the short ramp to the ships landing bay. He lit the cigarette as he came to the tail of the ship. There was a dent there in the hull he'd have to fix later.
A soft hum filled the air, and Steve stopped to listen. It was almost a human sound. Steve took a long drag on his cigarette and made his way to the front of the ship. The sound was close, and escalated until it sounded shrill like a flute. It couldn't be another human though. He blew out a plume of smoke. He hadn't seen another human since the war.
Steve rounded the front of the ship and looked down over the escarpment. The sound was coming from amongst the crates and bins of the alley down there.
Steve sat down on the edge of the escarpment. He liked the sound. It filled him with the same calm he got from the cigarettes. He took a swig of the whisky and indulged in another suck on the cigarette. What with the music and his addictions he'd be relaxed in no time. He blew a plume of smoke into the alley.
The music stopped, and someone coughed. Steve took the cigarette from his mouth and looked down between his legs at the escarpment. The cough had sounded closer than the alley. And he hadn't heard a cough, other than his own, since before the war. He squinted. Could there really be another human down there? It was too dark to see.
The soft hum started up again. It was definitely closer than the alley but he couldn't see anyone. Or was that bump of rock beside that ledge someone? The humming stopped again.
There were voices now, voices over indulgent in the 's' sound. Steve lurched back from the escarpment and flattened himself on the ground. Three Saldorians slithered their way into the alley.
"I heard her," one of them hissed.
Steve's heart pounded in his chest. The sight of these giant, snakelike creatures always filled him with dread. He could have forgiven the Saldorians for bombing mankind and obliterating them like that. But they hadn't. They'd eaten them. He remembered that day vividly. He had hid, trembling, under his desk as those snake jaws distended to swallow his friend whole. Mankind had been digested into extinction, and he, Steve, was the very last human. The snakes had all been full by the time they'd found him so they'd played with him instead. They'd slapped him around until he was numb and bewildered, like a cat does with a mouse. Steve had begged for his life, and they'd spared him. They'd taken him back to Saldor and sold him at the slave market.
"She's not here. Come on," the second Saldorian muttered.
"But I heard her," the first one complained.
"Dumb idea of the Captain to want a live Medullan at the feast anyway," the third one piped up. "What did he expect? That he'd be able to eat her before she implanted him? Let's go."
Steve breathed a sigh of relief as the Saldorian's slithered off down the street.
A Medullan. Steve had never seen a full grown Medullan before. Dregal made a swift trade selling their eggs to the Saldorians though. The Saldorians found them a delicacy, intergalactic caviar. Was that who had been humming?
Steve wriggled forward and peered over the escarpment. Was there really someone there? He threw himself back from the edge as he came face to face with two large brown eyes. His heart was pounding but calmed as a half-sized human form crawled over the escarpment. She wasn't human though. Her arms and legs were out of proportion with her body, and she didn't have any distinguishing gender features. Her hands and feet had three digits each with webbing in between them, and her skin was patch-worked all over with all the colours of the rainbow. She sort of looked like a frog.
She stood on two feet and walked up to him. For a moment they just studied one another, her head slightly tilted to one side. Then she coughed again. She squatted before him, took the cigarette from his fingers and tossed it over the escarpment. Steve blinked, but he wasn't angry. She had such beautiful eyes.
Her tiny mouth curved into a smile. Steve's heart was suddenly pounding again. It had been so long since he had seen a smile. He was ashamed of all the Medullan eggs he had traded now. He could have saved them.
She started humming again. He didn't have to be a coward though. He didn't have to do what Dregal told him to do. He could operate the ship. He didn't need to be a slave all his life. He had a means of escape.
"Come on Dregal," the hissed voice of a Saldorian sounded. "We can hear her singing."
"I'm telling you," the com unit buzzed. "I trade in Medullan eggs, not the adults. I don't have any Medullans on my premises."
The Medullan had suddenly stopped singing. Her large eyes were fearful. Those snakes were going to eat her.
Steve jumped to his feet and grabbed her hand. He listened. Dregal was coming about the right side of the ship. Steve ducked under the bulbous nose of the ship with the Medullan. They came out just under the hatch.
"I can smell her," the Saldorian hissed.
"Steve? You out here?" Dregal gargled.
Steve swallowed hard. He'd been safe with Dregal. Was it such a good idea to leave him now? The Medullan caught his eye and Steve knew what was right. He carefully opened the hatch. The Medullan understood. She let him help her up into the ship then turned back to him. She held her hand out to him.
"Steve. Where are you?" Dregal gargled again.
Steve turned from the Medullan. Maybe he could just hide her. He lifted himself into the hatch and came face to face with those large eyes of hers again. No. There was nowhere Steve could hide her that a Saldorian wouldn't sniff her out.
The Medullan turned from him and trotted over to the ship's consol. Steve swallowed the bile in his throat and turned too. He wrenched the hatch shut. He couldn't let her be the main dish at a Saldorian feast.
She had already strapped herself into one of the chairs before the consol. Steve plonked himself down in the other. His hands trembled as he did up the belt. Was he really doing this? He glanced to the Medullan. Yes. He was definitely doing this. He punched the ship into overdrive and the engines roared their protest. Then they shot off the edge of the escarpment. They swooped over the city and were propelled into the backs of their seats as the ship careered into space.
The Medullan was suddenly singing again. It was the sound of utter triumph. Steve grinned. He'd done it! He'd escaped! He wasn't a coward. He'd never felt such exhilaration before. He was free!
The Medullan reached out a long thin finger and pressed the autopilot button. Steve turned to her. Those beautiful eyes sought out his. They really shouldn't go into autopilot. They hadn't set any coordinates. But then what did it matter where they went? Steve was starting to feel as though he wasn't attached to his seat anymore but was lifting above it. The Medullan reached over and unclipped his belt. Her eyes remained fixed on his. A tingle of pleasure ran through his body where she touched him. An aura of colours surrounded her. She was so beautiful, and yet he felt so tired. He closed his eyes and let out a long sigh.
"Steve!"
Steve jerked his eyes open. He was encircled in tentacles. They turned him upside down. Then he was on his side. And a moment later right-side-up again
"Steve." It was Dregal. "Steve. Did she implant you? Wake up. What did she do?"
Do? Implant? Where was he? Dregal stop turning me!
"Answer me!" Dregal gargled. "Did she implant you?"
"No," Steve groaned. What did 'implant' mean?
Dregal sat Steve on the floor. He held his head, feeling groggy. Where was he? He looked down at the floor. There was a metal surface with circles embossed into it. What was he doing on his ship? He'd finished the trading mission Dregal had sent him on. Then he remembered. The Medullan! Where was she? A soft hiss sounded.
Steve looked up and scrambled back until his back hit the wall. A very large Saldorian stood before Dregal. The Medullan was draped over the snake's jaws, the colours of her hide dull.
Steve's whole body sagged. Soon enough she would be dished up on a plater before some Saldorian official. He hated his life! He hated being so helpless. Why had he even tried to save her? He knew the Saldorian ships were superior to Dregal's. Why had he even bothered?
Dregal's ball of tentacles suddenly hid the Saldorian from view.
"If he's been implanted I will hold you personally accountable," Dregal gargled, the com unit not doing justice to the anger in his voice. "Do you have any idea how valuable he is? I paid a small fortune for him."
The Saldorian hissed again. Steve shrunk down further behind Dregal.
"Mmm. Tasty those ones are. A pity we didn't save a few to breed for feasts. I'll pay you nine thousand Droplas for it. Captain would appreciate it more than a Medullan."
Nine thousand Droplas! Steve trembled all over. Dregal would never have to work again!
"Get off my ship!" Dregal gurgled. "He's worth ten times that."
Steve gave a relieved sigh and buried his face in his knees where they were tightly curled under his chin. He would never leave Dregal again.
The pitter-patter of Dregal's tentacles approached Steve as he heard the snake slither off.
"Are you sure you weren't implanted because I could make my fortune if you were and were no use to me."
"I don't even know what you mean," Steve admitted. "Please don't let him eat me. I'm sorry." If there was one thing Steve could do well it was grovel.
Dregal gargled. "Implanted her eggs into you, you fool. That's what Medullans do. That's why there's always so many of the damn things hanging about."
Steve didn't look up. So Medullans could use any life form to grow their offspring.
"She didn't do that to me," Steve insisted. But could he be sure? He looked up at Dregal slowly.
Dregal bubbled in disapproval and rolled like a giant tumbleweed seed over to the consol.
"You better hope she didn't because you're no use to me implanted. They'll take over your mind and you'll be trying another ridiculous notion like the one you just tried."
Steve swallowed hard. Under no circumstances was he going to come to his end at the jaws of a Saldorian. He looked about on his person. He still had his clothes on. Surely the Medullan couldn't have implanted him through his clothes. Steve froze. There was a tiny speck of blood on his shirt. He stared at it for a moment. Maybe he'd been sprayed with her blood when the Saldorian had killed her. He glanced to Dregal then slowly lifted his shirt. There was a trickle of blood at his belly button. He slammed his shirt back down as the engines roared.
Dregal gargled again. "Are all slaves as demented as you?" he demanded. "Medullans are not to be trifled with. Medullan eggs suck all they can of you and fill your mind with stupid thoughts and you would never have tried to escape if that Medullan hadn't filled your mind with such a ridiculous notion."
Steve was beginning to like that ridiculous notion. And there would be time for him to concoct a better plan. He lay his hand over his belly. Better to die trying to escape than lie down like a coward before the jaws of a Saldorian.
By the time they got back to the ship's landing bay Steve was feeling nauseous. He was glad Dregal didn't insist on rolling him about again to check for implantation marks. Dregal held onto him tightly with a tentacle as they marched from the ship and into the dungeons. He was still gargling at having had to chase after Steve. It wasn't as if it was Steve's fault. If the Saldorians hadn't let the Medullan escape he never would have met up with her.
Steve sighed as Dregal wrenched the door to his room open and hurled him inside The door slammed as Steve sat down on the pallet he had for a bed. He heard the numerous beeps of the lock. Damn. Dregal would know soon enough that Steve had been implanted. And then it was off to the Saldorian kitchens for Steve. Roast Steve on the menu for the Saldorians. No, they'd probably just grab a limb each and nibble on him until he gave up the ghost.
Steve glanced down at his belly. Was this what pregnancy was like for a woman? He had heard of morning sickness but he didn't know it came on this quickly. He swallowed at the bile that was threatening to bubble up in his throat. He should have learnt more about pregnancy when he was on Earth. But it wasn't as if he'd expected to be pregnant, ever. Was this what a teenager felt like when they got caught out? His whole world was going to be turned upside down by these things growing in his belly.
Then his face blanched and he hiccuped his panic and quickly placed his hand over his mouth. How were they going to come out! This was insanity! He wasn't adequately designed for this. He swallowed at his burning throat. No. This wasn't the time to panic. What if he could find another Medullan? Surely if a Medullan could so easily put eggs into a being then they knew how to get them out too.
Steve swallowed again and carefully stood and walked over to his info-unit. He sat down tentatively as his stomach rolled over again. He tapped up the intergalactic Net and typed in Medullan. Someone had to know how he could remove Medullan eggs. He almost choked on what he discovered and rushed to the organic waste disposal pipe and emptied the contents of his stomach.
The Medullans came from Dregal's home world. No wonder he traded in their eggs. He wondered if Dregal knew how to remove them. He finished with his toiletries, washed his mouth out and dried his face on a towel then went back to the info-unit. He was feeling much better already. He sat back down and read. Funny but they were writing as if the Medullans were mere animals, a Class 3 in intelligence. That couldn't be right. He was a Class 2 and he couldn't control other people's minds. Was that not deemed an intellectual ability in the intergalactic sciences? He was suddenly eager to soak in all the information he could find. After all it was the only way he could find answers to his dilemma.
Steve woke with a start and glanced up as a bowl of food was dumped before him.
"So she did implant you then." It was Dregal.
"Implant me?" Steve murmured, his stomach convulsing at the sight of the slime green mixture in the bowl. The info-unit was flicking information passed him faster than his eyes could take it in.
A large tentacle slammed down on the consol and hit the kill switch.
"They've already got a hold of you," Dregal gargled.
Steve turned to the tentacular creature. "Don't be silly, I haven't been implanted."
The Driblak pointed to Steve's belly. "Then what's that?" he demanded.
Steve looked down and his heart skipped a beat. His belly was stretched out before him like he was full term. It was wedged under the consol. And oh, did it ache!
He groaned as he freed himself of the consol and flopped onto the pallet. How had they grown that fast? And were they going to grow that big again by tomorrow? His body wouldn't be able to take it!
Dregal gargled again. "It looks like I'll have to get in touch with the Saldorians," he hissed.
"No!" Steve launched himself up and flopped back onto the bed when he didn't have enough momentum to right his distended stomach. He rolled from the bed and got to his feet again. "No. Dregal, come on, can't you help? You're from the same planet as the Medullans. Surely you know how to get these things out of me. You've got to help me Dregal."
Dregal left without so much as a hiss.
Steve blinked after him then sighed. So that was it. He was to be a Saldorian human burger, stuffed with caviar.
He looked down at the bulge inhibiting the view of his feet. There had to be something he could do.
"Couldn't you at least take me to your home world Dregal?" he shouted out.
"No!" came the bubbling reply. Steve blinked. It wasn't like Dregal to wait outside Steve's door.
"So what's it like living with Medullans?"
Dregal gargled in disapproval at the conversation.
"Ohh come on Dregal. You evolved alongside the Medullans. You must have some defence against them or you wouldn't be able to harvest their eggs."
"A Medullan doesn't grow eggs, a Medullan only implants them," Dregal gargled.
"Then where do you get them from? Could you harvest mine?"
"No," Dregal answered.
Steve frowned. "Why?" he demanded.
Silence. Then Steve heard the pitter patter of him retreating. Steve sighed and sat down on the pallet again.
It suddenly occurred to him that he hadn't heard the lock beep. The Driblak had forgotten to lock the door! Steve crept over to the door and grinned as he opened it. He tried to peer about it but his belly was too large. He walked about the door. Dregal was well out of sight so he trotted off down the corridor, holding his belly all the while because it jiggled as he ran.
The ship was sitting on the landing bay all bright and shiny, and Steve felt an exhilaration rise up inside him. There were no Saldorians to chase him this time. He would have no trouble getting to Dregal's home world and there he would get these things out of his belly. Following that he could do as he pleased.
He trotted to the hatch and tried to hoist himself up into the ship, but his belly kept catching under the hatch. He struggled for a while then groaned and turned about and hoisted himself up backwards. What was the bet he wouldn't fit in the seatbelts anymore either. He grabbed the sides of the hatch and hauled himself to his feet. Man, even walking was a problem now, if you could call what he was doing walking, it was more like a waddle. He closed the hatch and made his way over to the consol. He was right. He had to lengthen the seatbelt considerably to get it about his wide berth.
When he had finally accomplished that task he set the coordinates and launched the ship. He held his hand over his mouth at the G-forces because it gave him the worst nausea yet. Soon enough it was over though and he smiled to himself and languished in his seat. He'd be there in an hour or two.
He looked down at his stomach as it gave a sudden jolt. Oh hell he hoped he found some help before they decided they wanted to come out. He couldn't imagine how it could be done, and the idea of it coming out how it did in a woman was just too terrifying to put into words. Maybe they were preparing to exit now and that's why they were moving. His stomach looked like a pond rippling with fish. Maybe they were hatching inside him and then they'd eat their way out of him!
A wave of grief washed over him. Sure, he had said often enough to himself that he was better off dead but he hadn't really meant it. His chin wrinkled up and before he knew what was happening he was blubbering like a babe.
"I can't die, I'm too young. I've barely started my life."
It was some time before Steve realized what was happening to him and when he did he gulped back his tears and wiped his eyes.
He glared at his stomach. "You're not making me into a woman," he growled at it. "I'm not going in for all that sensitive stuff." His belly rippled more furiously.
Steve sighed. "You know you'd have been better off having a Mum for a Mum instead of a Dad but I guess you didn't have any choice in the matter."
Steve stroked his belly and the movement finally settled. He felt so tired now and he was so hungry he wished he had thought to guzzle down Dregal's slime before he had run off. Oh well, he'd have to find something later. His eyelids were getting heavy and he let his head rest back against the chair. It wouldn't hurt to have a snooze before he got there. He drifted off still stroking his belly.
Steve woke to a snuffled snort and a faint beep. It got louder as he looked blurry-eyed about at the consol. He could barely move. When he looked down at the seatbelt and saw how tightly it was wedging him into the seat he understood why. His belly had sprouted a dozen odd centimetres more. He lengthened the belt again then stretched his hand out and killed the alarm. He'd arrived. He took off the autopilot and flew the ship down towards the large green planet before him. He discovered a rocky outcrop in the middle of a swamp, and carefully landed the ship on it.
Now what? He hadn't spied any cities. Where did the Medullans live? He needed help.
Steve hauled himself to his feet and groaned, hooking his arm about his belly to help with the weight of it. He staggered over to the hatch. His legs were bowed under him and he felt like the weight was going to crush him.
He unlocked the hatch and was puffing by the time he'd finished doing it. The simplest things seemed to be a huge effort. He gave a mighty push at the hatch and it barely swung open. He almost swung out with it. Steve clutched at the side of the hatch then slid to his knees.
"Steve!" Steve's heart skipped a beat at the bubbling voice and he was relieved to find Dregal emerging out of another ship parked nearby. He was gargling furiously however.
"Come on," he growled. "Get yourself over here. We've got to get out of here. What insanity made you come here? Oh don't answer. I know what it was."
Steve wished he could join Dregal. He felt so weak and he was sure he could see his belly growing before him.
"Come on," Dregal hissed.
"I can't," Steve groaned.
"What do you mean you can't, don't you make me come and get you," Dregal answered.
"But I can't move," Steve groaned. His belly had pinned him to the floor of the ship.
Dregal bubbled furiously. "I should have just sold you to the Saldorians when I had the chance."
He rolled out of the other ship and gave a mighty hiss like a pot boiling over on a cooking unit.
"You stay right where you are," he bubbled.
"I told you I can't move," Steve answered.
"I'm not talking to you," Dregal bubbled.
Then who? Steve thought. A moment later a dozen odd Medullans descended on Dregal, humming delightfully. Steve started to feel drowsy. It was almost amusing watching Dregal hold the frog-like creatures at bay with his many tentacles. Only more kept coming until Dregal was no longer in sight he was so thick with them. Then all of a sudden the great ball of Medullans collapsed in on themselves (and Dregal), and Steve's head fell back against the side of the hatch and he slept.
Steve woke to find himself lying on the floor of the ship. His cheek was cold on the hard metal. He listened for a moment because there was a soft hum coming from the direction of the consol. Something was different. When he looked down and saw his belly was gone he didn't know whether to be relieved or disappointed.
He lifted his head then sat up slowly. He wasn't wearing his shirt and his belly was wobbly like jelly. A thin pink scar cut across his abdomen but even as he studied it it faded and disappeared. Where were the eggs, he wondered.
He turned about and stopped at the sight that met his eyes. Dregal was in the corner of the room. His tentacles were waving about before him and his central orange ball was covering in great pus-filled blisters. Steve gulped. He didn't respond as Steve stood and walked up to him.
All of a sudden there was a giant pop, and Steve gave a cry of horror as a wet, octopus-like thing landed with a splat on his face. It gave one of Dregal's famous hisses then leapt back to its sire and scrambled up a tentacle. Steve stepped back as all of a sudden the air was full of flying young. The moment they landed however they scuttled back to the protection of Dregal's tentacles. Steve grinned.
"What are you grinning at?" Dregal gurgled as the last blister popped and spewed out his miniature.
Steve shrugged. "I didn't know you were a female Dregal."
"Who said I was?" Dregal hissed, curling his babies into his tentacles and rolling over to Steve.
"Well," Steve pointed out the young.
"Well if you hadn't made me come back here this never would have happened."
Steve suddenly realized what had happened. "So the Medullans are the males of your species."
"They certainly are not," Dregal gargled. "We are two totally separate species We evolved in close quarters. That's all."
"What do you mean?"
"You realize I'll have to kill you if I explain it to you don't you," Dregal said.
"You were going to sell me to the Saldorians."
"Well I won't be now. I'm going to need your help." He lifted his tentacular young towards Steve. Steve took a step back and grimaced. He wasn't keen on the idea of being a nanny.
"So."
Dregal hissed then pulled his tentacles back. "It's how we breed," he said reluctantly. "The Medullans implant us. That's why we have to protect them from the Saldorians."
"Protect them! You sell their eggs."
"Well that's what the Saldorians want of them."
"So you sell your young to them!" Steve was appalled.
"Not our young," Dregal gargled. "The ones that are implanted in other species. Medullans just can't help themselves. All they ever do is breed and implant other species."
Steve frowned, "So you did know how to harvest me. Why didn't you help me?"
Dregal gargled. "I wanted to see what a full term Medullan/Human cross looked like. We've been trying to evolve the Medullans into a Class 2 species for centuries now. A Medullan's never implanted a Human before."
"But you were."
"Well I had a think about it. And it's just as well. I think we have finally succeeded in finding the match we were hoping for."
"What?"
Dregal pointed a tentacle towards the consol and Steve turned to find a girl sitting on one of the chairs there. The screen was flicking information before her so fast Steve could barely read it. Steve wasn't interested in the screen though, for before his eyes the girl was developing into a very human looking adolescent woman. Steve walked up to the consol, took his jacket from his chair and wrapped it about the woman's shoulders. She looked up. Steve gulped. She had golden hair like his, and those beautiful brown eyes that the Medullan had had.
He smiled. The woman tilted her head to the side, just like the Medullan had done when she was studying him. She mimicked Steve's smile. Steve had never seen anything so wonderful in all his life.
"Of course," Dregal said, rolling up to Steve, "we'll need to breed a few more to be sure."
More? Steve reached over and gently took her hand in his. She slipped off the chair and stepped up to him and slowly wrapped her arms about him. Steve grinned and hugged her back, tears springing to his eyes. He was no longer the only human in existence.
"Steve? You understand we will need to breed more."
"More? Yeah, that'd great," he said. Then he blinked and looked up at Dregal. "So you mean you sell the eggs that have been implanted in Saldorians back to the Saldorians."
"Yes, of course."
Steve grinned at that, getting a perverted sense of fun out of the thought the Saldorians were eating themselves. It felt like justice to him.
The woman looked up at Steve and grinned. Steve grinned back. Maybe the human race hadn't been devoured after all.
"I will call you Amanda," he said softly. He had always liked that name.
Karyn King has been writing science fiction and fantasy since she was eight years old but has only in 2005 begun to share her writings with the publishing world. She lives in Whangarei, New Zealand where she is the proud owner of a garden full of monarch butterflies and ducks.
© Karyn King
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