Chapter 105: Earth.Talking to Sloan and getting human clothes was nothing but a blur. Speaking with Octnavin and JP was nothing but a mist in his mind. By the time Chasm got on the spaceship to take him to Earth, he was in a haze of pain and betrayal. Chasm had been on hundreds of ships, but some part of him was so broken and angry that at the moment that he didn't even notice the differences of the Dagerstanteen's space vessel. He went to his assigned room and slept. As the ship approached Earth, Chasm was awakened by JP. The alien inspected Chasm's body thoroughly. JP touched Chasm from the tip of his head to the tip of his toes, trying to sense if Chasm was carrying a Dagerstanteen baby alien. When JP stroked over places only penetrated by Rhylent, in his head, Rhylent lost his temper. Chasm didn't pay any attention to Rhylent's rage at him sharing his body with JP. At least Chasm didn't lie about what was happening to him, and besides, JP wasn't the first alien to touch him and
Chapter 106: Maybe whiskey will work?"I'll be home later tonight. Don't watch TV all day." Elijah's words didn't stir Chasm from where he curled on the man's couch. As soon as he heard the door click shut, Chasm rolled over and stared unseeingly into Elijah's apartment. It had been three weeks here on Earth, and Chasm was no closer to being happy here than any of the other places he had lived in his life. Even though Elijah took him all over the city and showed him one thing after another, all of the sight-seeing left Chasm hollow. He missed the view of the mountains, and he missed Norwell even though she lied to him. And he missed… all of Rhylent.Chasm found the remote and turned on the television. The show was the one he had watched before. The music played, and the characters flashed across the screen. While he stared at the laughter and drama, he thought about Rhylent. His thoughts brought the alien to his mind. Though the link had started to fade, Chasm still felt the connectio
Chapter 107: In the hospital. The beeping wouldn't let up, and Chasm didn't know how to get the annoying noise to stop. Was this a new kind of cruelty? His head throbbed, and his mouth was so dry he felt like he had not drunk water for years. While agony beat at him, he tried to turn off the beeping with his mind. Would he have to listen to that damn sound over and over again forever?As Chasm gained full consciousness, the steady beep had him confused. He didn't think he was in Elijah's apartment. His entire body screamed after every inhale and exhale. Chasm was used to pain, but this frozen pain feeling was new. He couldn't move, and that was the thing that he didn't understand. Where was he that he was suffering like this? It was as if his body now matched the torment in his soul.Chasm's eyes opened first to a fuzzy light and then to a white paneled ceiling. The room was primarily white walls with pale blue and tan accents. Odd-looking machines were to his left and right, and he w
Chapter 108: An important conversation.The soft bed of Nebos was warm, and Chasm didn't want to wake up. He didn't want to return to the agony he was swimming in before. Eventually, sleep left him, and his eyes opened to light streaming and dancing on the ceiling of vast waves of silk. Turning his head, Chasm knew where he was the second he felt the silk glide on his skin. He was home. Chasm lifted himself onto his elbows and looked to his right. Norwell sat at the end of the bed with her back to him. She didn't turn around or move as he shifted to a sitting position. Rhylent stood in the doorway that was open to the garden. The alien also had his back to Chasm and didn't turn around or move either. Both aliens were silent as Chasm shifted to the foot of the Nebos bed. He tipped his head at Norwell. Being quiet was never Norwell's gift. "You brought me here to fix me, but you don't want to talk to me?""I want to talk to you." Norwell turned her head, and her golden eyes looked w
Chapter 109: The mark of the Rosh.Norwell rode him, and Chasm threw his head back on the Nebos in sheer, unadulterated joy. His penis was encased in heaven, pure and bright. He moaned out his pleasure as Rhylent slipped into his back entrance. The slick oil-covered tentacle pressed and played until he was twisting, turning, and begging for more.It was so nice to be home. What was he even thinking? Sloan was right. Earth had nothing on this.Suddenly, Norwell froze on top of him. He wiggled to get her to bounce on top of him again. He tried to thrust up inside her wet heat, but she had him pinned. He should have noted long before now how heavy she was. No human girl was this strong either."Norwell," he groaned. "Fuck me.""I think my Chasm has learned some new words from Earth.""I think my Chasm has given up on his caution." Rhylent laughed. "She will fuck you as you put it. Just wait."Chasm gasped as Rhylent slipped into his body a little deeper. The alien's sense tentacle used me
Chapter 110: The end of... Catch and Release.Chasm paced back and forth in front of Rhylent. The alien sat at the table like he didn't have a care in the world. He leaned back and tipped his head up to the sun. Chasm wanted to shake him until his tentacles fell off."I thought you said she would come back?" Chasm glared at the alien."So brave to scowl at a Dagerstanteen warrior. I should take you into the bedroom and distract you just for that.""You know I can't think about sex when I'm worried. What if Norwell doesn't come home?""She will.""You said that when a Rosh is happy, they reproduce, and then they come back. She isn't here. What if she is hurt in the mountains all alone? What if something got her?" Chasm couldn't believe that Rhylent wasn't more concerned. Didn't he love her at all?"Yes, I love her. Yes, I care, but Norwell is a Rosh. She can kill anything. Norwell is stronger than me.""But…""Chasm." Rhylent turned and pinned Chasm with a stern look. "Norwell could kil
Chapter 111: JP and Voice.Place: Dagerstanteen's palace. Inside JP's lab. JP's perspectiveJP didn't know who poisoned the future ruler of the Dagerstanteens… yet. Rubbing his tentacles together, he strode out of his lab. His failure beat at him with every step he took. What he knew about the Ply Weed was still so limited. What he needed to do was travel back to the moon of Franca.Trying to calm his annoyance, he inwardly cringed at the idea of leaving the palace to hunt down a weed of all things. All this work, and in the end, he wasn't helping in the search for his lost sibling. Fenton was still not found. In every aspect, he was failing his family. He needed to think. Reaching his sleeping chamber, JP used his mind to ask Rhylent to ready his ship. When he was finished talking to his sibling in his head, JP headed into the room that held his loominairin. His gray Nebos fluttered, sensitive to his frustration. After JP paused, he shaped his Nebos into a stool. Once seated in fron
Chapter 112: Meet Ike, AKA Voice.Ike sat at his eating table across from Fenton, Queen Shay, and Shay's daughter, Princess Lee. He absently petted the end of his long black hair braid while the three of them grumbled over his announcement. "Can we discuss this?" Fenton asked as he shook his head. The bolo beads on the tips of his purple tubes clacked together as if seconding the Dagerstanteen's question. "Can we talk about options?""Discuss if you must, but you all know that we don't have another idea." Ike let go of his long hair and studied Fenton's sharp gaze. "We keep talking about this repeatedly, but the answer is always the same. I must sacrifice myself. The Panchen Fire grows bigger and bigger every day, and soon I will not be able to contain it in my body. The fire must be returned to the heart of the Planet Albeon. It is the only way to keep everyone safe. You all know the dangers if this continues.""I think what Fenton means is that we—" Queen Shay wiped at a single tear
Chapter 136: The end of... Life and Death.Standing between his grove of apple trees and his rows of orange trees, Ike stopped and inhaled the blossoms in the wind. The bright star of the Dagerstanteen planet had him closing his eyes and sighing in delight. He'd never been outside this much, and he was addicted to the warm fresh air. He grinned. There were a few things he was addicted to now, one of which was the three humans laughing, chatting, and strolling toward him.Ike opened his eyes and smiled at the three men walking between his carrots."Ike," Chasm called. "We are here to learn.""Thank you for agreeing to take care of my plants while I travel with JP." Ike nodded."Caveman." Sloan approached him using the nickname he'd given Ike after they met. Sloan held up his hand, and Ike slapped Sloan's palm before his new friend jogged over to where the row of raspberry bushes was growing. "This is badass."Ike glanced at Chasm and raised an eyebrow."It means good," Chasm translated.
Chapter 135: Taking the fire back.JP didn't make a sound after Lee's announcement, but Ike could see his thoughts moving in a whirl. JP was making plans. The alien was rigging up a way to pull him from the fire if he said yes. The alien was also simultaneously trying to figure out how to keep Ike alive for a long time if he didn't hold the fire and if they didn't get the lifesaving water. Ike was very old and his Dagerstanteen blood would only do so much. Plus, all the humans needed the healing water. It wasn't just his life they were talking about here."I…" Ike pictured going back to the rain planet. He would have to watch time tick by while he held the fire again. The loneliness would eat at him. "I will have to return to the sanctuary," Ike murmured."Never," JP snapped."You do know that you burned that to the ground, right?" Keltrix asked."I will forbid you from returning to your old home." Octnavin's sentence was unmovable stone. "If you were to take the ember and regrow the P
Chapter 134: Life after the fire.As soon as Ike had the sensation of being set on a cold table, his eyes opened wide. It had been a long time since Ike felt the sensation of cold."JP?""He is here."Ike looked into Keltrix's eyes and then pushed away from the tentacles holding him. He sat and swung his legs until he was on the edge of an exam table in a laboratory."Where am I?" Ike glanced at Keltrix and then at Octnavin. Next to him on a second table was JP. The alien looked burned from head to toe. He wasn't moving, and Ike felt panic. Did the fire kill JP? Why was everyone acting like it didn't matter?"JP?" Ike set his hand on his blackened skin. The hard surface was rippled and rough."What is that thing that Sloan likes to say?" Keltrix asked Octnavin."He bounces back fast." Octnavin crossed his middle tentacles over his chest."Yes," Keltrix agreed. "That's it.""Where are we?" Ike glanced at the leader of the Dagerstanteens. "Is JP dead?""This is our ship, and we are parke
Chapter 133: At the fire temple.Ike kept himself conscious by listening to the Dagerstanteen that carried him. JP found the most boring things to list in Ike's head until he had to fight not to sleep. Although Ike struggled to stay awake, he did agree that JP kept his emotions and the fire calm.As the air got colder, the cooler air had him focusing. The six of them started to climb up a wide rock staircase on the closest side of a small mountain. The guards that had followed them stayed at the bottom. All around them was water, and there were no sides or railings to the steps. One move to the left or the right, and they would fall into the dark, murky moat.Ike lifted his chin and tipped his head as they marched. His heart beat a little faster when he spotted the Panchen Fire Shrine.This is where he would die.When they reached the end of the staircase, JP stepped onto smooth marble. Ike noted that the water lapped at the highest point and splashed like the liquid wanted to take ove
Chapter 132: Albeon.When Ike awoke, he was cradled in JP's tentacles, but the skin was not soft and silky. The tentacles that held him were stiff and hard and throbbing with heat. The alien had turned his skin into armor, and Ike didn't know why.Blinking rapidly, Ike was about to explain again how he was heading to Albeon no matter what JP said, but as he focused his eyes, he was shocked and speechless at what was happening around him.JP stood in front of Princess Lee and three old Albeon women. Ike knew who those women were. Shay had told him about the three elders. There was Dilma, Payson, and Rolla. He was finally on the planet Albeon and besides the women in front of him, all around the open field, stood male Albeon guards of every shape and size. The number of weapons pointed at him was concerning, and he found himself holding his breath.On the right of JP stood Octnavin holding a sizeable pink bundle in his arms. On JP's left side stood a fully armed Keltrix like a silent sen
Chapter 131: Out of control. Fenton and Shay stood in his living area. As Ike walked out of his bedroom, he began to roll a cigarette. He felt nauseous and wanted to curl up and cry and rail against the unfairness of life. But he wouldn't do that in front of anyone. He could fall apart later when he was alone. Right now, he had to get dressed and leave with some dignity. He could hear Baja in his head. He needed to get it together and keep the fire calm."Ike—" Fenton stopped when JP strode out of Ike's bedroom. "JP? What are you doing here?""Greetings," Shay murmured as her eyes went from JP to Ike. "I didn't know he was...." Shay lifted her eyebrows and then grinned. "What were you doing in your bedroom?""Talking." Ike gave Shay a warning look to let it go and then brought his cigarette to his lips."Arguing," JP said at the same time."Did you bring me a new ship?" Ike asked as he lit his cigarette and ignored the Dagerstanteen."I brought mine. I will escort you." Queen Shay nod
Chapter 130: Time to leave.Ike used JP's tentacle as a pillow as he stared at the ceiling above his bed. For the last two days, he'd had sex, talked, ate, laughed, and had more sex. In the end, he did everything he could so that he wouldn't have to tell JP that he was going to his death. He'd never been this happy, and he hated to end his relationship with the Dagerstanteen but....He knew he had to, and soon.Any moment Lee or Shay would show up with a ship, and he was leaving to fly to Albeon. He must get rid of the fire. The flame was staying calm right now, but the blaze could get out of control, and it was only a matter of time before the fire burst from him. His exhaustion was rising from trying to keep the fire from blowing, and he was scared to find out what would happen if he ran out of energy. He would not be responsible for that kind of destruction. Ike had to tell JP and explain. It was the right thing to do.Ike rolled over and cushioned his cheek against JP's shoulder. H
Chapter 129: Playing."I cannot believe I am about to make a fool of myself." Ike sat in the middle of the bench and stared up at the massive instrument. The strings were on the right and left and came down from a long bar across the top. He couldn't even reach some parts of the instrument unless he got up and ran around. He refused to be that ridiculous.Cracking his knuckles, Ike paused as he decided he would play the easiest song he knew, and even though he couldn't hit all the notes, it would probably sound good enough that his ears wouldn't bleed."Any time," JP teased."You'll regret this." Ike glared at the alien and then reached his hands outward and wiggled his fingers.JP made a slight giggle under his breath.Ike ignored the alien and began the song. He plucked at each string until the notes shimmered in the air. The sound waves rolled off the loominairin, and he grinned at the beauty of the music. The song was simple, and he had just reached halfway went JP moved behind him
Chapter 128: Flying back home.When Ike awoke, he pulled himself into a sitting position and leaned against the front window of his ship. He was naked and covered in a blanket. After he rubbed his eyes, he glanced over his shoulder. His home planet was coming into view."What happened?" Ike bounded to his feet in shock and then wrapped the cloth around his waist. He hunted for his armor and picked up the pieces of clothing strewn all over the command deck."I do not know what you are asking me. Nothing happened." JP gave him a quick look before he went back to flying his ship. "You fell asleep after you reached your third climax. You have quite the stamina. I think that is your Dagerstanteen blood." The alien sounded amused. "When we were free to leave the ocean floor, and there were no threats to the ship, I took over flying and let you rest. I said goodbye to Tullie for you.""I bet you did," Ike muttered as he pictured what JP probably said about Ike being placed in a sexual stupor