Caputpedes

"You reached him, didn't you, Emily?"

"Yeah! He wasn't very talkative, but he's alive. At least for now."

"I'm happy to hear. You look exhausted. Listen, doing that will get easier with practice. It will become less tiring. Also, if you get closer to him, which I know is your plan, then less distance means clearer communications."

Duxie seemed to be balancing things in her mind.

"You need to decide whether to focus on getting closer, or trying to make contact again. Even a fast learner like you, and to be honest I've never seen a faster one, even you can't do both things at the same time."

"OK. I get it. I take his message as meaning he's likely going to be in trouble, or is already, and wants me to stay out of it. Like that's going to happen!"

I reached a decision myself.

"I think I'm going to get a lot closer, and then try talking again. I've got a sense of where he is from our interaction. So, tell me how I get there."

"Well that rather depends on pronouns. You said I, but earlier Na-ri seemed to be a part of your plans. Theoretically, you could move the whole ship, but my advice would be different in each case."

"OK, tell me about how I travel myself. This is my mess to sort out, my boyfriend to save."

"No you don't, Emily. I'm coming with you. We agreed. Or I'll ask Duxie to send me there independently."

She turned to the squid.

"You can do that, right?"

Duxie indicated that she could.

"So it's settled. Right, Em?"

I was torn between annoyance and gratitude. It seemed sensible to focus on the latter. Even, rather comically, wearing my shower-cap, I could tell her mind was made up.

"OK, you win, Na-ri. Duxie, how do I get both of us there?"

I smiled at Na-ri and she kissed my cheek. I was worried about getting her involved, but I guess she already was.

Duxie, explained the process, which was not complex. In my new state of being, I could survive quite happily in the vacuum of space, and could also easily deal with the massive acceleration involved in interstellar travel. Given this, she mostly focused on how best to look after Na-ri. That wasn't overly onerous either. I began to think that maybe this could work.

We decided on a trial run, before Duxie left us. I formed a protective capsule around Na-ri, and simply thought about the two of us floating alongside the vessel. With the same swirling of clouds that seemed to accompany pretty much any event in my life nowadays, we were outside the ship. Na-ri's capsule was transparent and I was in what I had decided was now my customary body, my original one that is. We looked at each other and grinned. Another moment of thought and we were back in the ship with Duxie. This was clearly a piece of cake.

"As I say, you are a quick learner, Emily. You will be surpassing me in no time at this rate. When our kind have children, you can maybe predict what they will be able to do, based on the parents. But when a new entity is created by the machine, as both you and I were, there is always some unpredictability. For whatever reason, you seem to be a natural. I'm actually a little jealous."

Her body colorations told me a different story, perhaps one of pride in what she had helped to create.

"But listen, Emily. Ability is one thing, knowledge is another. There are things I still need to tell you, tell you both, about your destination and what to expect."

The three of us moved to the ship's shared area, and I squatted on a cushion as Duxie explained many of these things. As for Na-ri, she sat next to Duxie and cuddled against her body. Both girl and squid seemed to have formed a connection, maybe, as Duxie had suggested, as a result of the tube filling; it certainly was a very intense thing to share. It took Duxie a long time to cover all she wanted to impart; the best part of half a day went by. She even asked questions to make sure we understood. Seeing Na-ri so close to Duxie through those hours made me miss David even more. But, if I was ever to see him again, I had a job to do and needed to focus.

Finally satisfied that there was no more to tell, it was time for Duxie to say her goodbyes, holding each of us in her tentacles and squeezing us to her.

"Good luck, Emily. I hope you find a way."

"Thanks, Duxie, I really am terribly grateful."

"And Emily, if you really need something, if you have a real problem..."

"You mean if Na-ri is in danger, right?"

"...OK, let's go with that if you like. But if it's important, reach out to me. The way you did to David. You have my consent, OK?"

I nodded and kissed Duxie's head. Her last words were to Na-ri.

"Be careful, beautiful. And remember you owe me a date in Cumatra."

With that, her form was surrounded in clouds and then gone. It was just the two of us now, a shapeshifting, quasi-humanoid telepath with superpowers and her human friend. Both missing our respective tentacled lovers.

Time to get going.

We were close now, close enough according to what Duxie had said. Even at our enormous velocity, a fraction less than light-speed, the journey had taken time, though much less from our point of view. Na-ri and I had agreed to putting her in my version of suspended animation for the duration. We were now on a moon circling an outer planet in our target system. It was a big moon, large enough to have a breathable atmosphere. Though it was far from its star, with the incident light being proportionately dim, tidal effects from the adjacent and massive planet made the temperature relatively balmy. Not beach weather, but no need for specialist clothing either. This also meant vulcanism, and the air smelt slightly of sulfur.

The moon was sparsely habitated, not by creatures like I had become, nor even regular humanoids like Na-ri, but by a diminutive sub-species, who might -- if the term was not seen as offensive -- be described as dwarfs. They called themselves the Misoí. There was no real local economy, beyond subsistence farming, so they acted as migrant workers, serving the needs of people like me on an even more massive inner planet, the one we were heading for. Duxie had told me about this moon and that 95% of its diminutive natives resided, at least temporarily, on Caputpedes, the ancestral home of what was now my kind.

Before leaving our vessel, and resigning our positions, Na-ri and I had woken Chief Officer Alvarez and given her a cursory explanation. I was in a hurry and the extra time defrosting her had been annoying. I should have planned things better, but my ideas on what to do had evolved rather too rapidly for that. The alternative would have been to have her wake to an empty ship. Despite my pressing need, that seemed utterly wrong. As it was, we left Samantha with a lot to take in and her head spinning. I could still see the shock on her face as Na-ri and I dematerialized in front of her. The report she would have to file about her two missing crew members would certainly make interesting reading.

Returning to the present, we had arrived on the outskirts of a Misoí settlement, and I revived my friend. Na-ri compared the experience favorably to regular cryo-stasis and seemed in pretty good shape; even claiming to feel very rested. Rest was something I no longer really needed, the time awake on the journey had allowed me to digest what Duxie had told us, and to begin to formulate some ideas, I now had at least the outline of a plan. I needed to talk to Na-ri about some elements of this, but there was something more urgent to do first. I wanted to try to contact David. But not here, we needed some accommodation. I also had a plan for that.

We were both still in our uniforms, which was not going to work at all. I told Na-ri that I'd explain everything later, but that we needed to change. The effort was minor, and I didn't even need to concentrate that much, let alone close my eyes; I guess Duxie was right about my powers. In seconds, I was clothed in a long, flowing dress of heavy, sumptuous, burgundy material, traced with gold piping. Na-ri's robe was simpler, less adorned, but still made from rich material and in a dark purple. Her hair was braided in a complicated manner, forming almost a skullcap. Mine was entwined in a golden headdress. At least according to what Duxie had described, we looked like a Caputpederean noblewoman and her vassal. Time to venture into town.

We had gone mere meters into the settlement when some of its inhabitants approached us. Our appearance had the desired effect. There were bows and curtsies. A younger-looking Misoí scampered off and soon we were joined by a person of some importance, the town elder. She welcomed us, and said that rooms in her residence were at our disposal. Thanking her, I explained that Na-ri was human and so would appreciate some food and drink. This was no problem, my kind was the primary source of Misoí income, and it made sense that they would look after us; just as Duxie had suggested.

Once we were alone, I asked Na-ri to watch the door and settled myself on the floor in the center of the room. For this, I did need to close my eyes. I began to reach out to David, just as I had many days earlier. I prayed that nothing bad had befallen him during the intervening time.

"David. It's Emily again. David, I'm close. Please answer me."

The delay was much less this time and the response clearer. The room fell away and I was in a dully lit space with David's form in front of me. We could talk normally.

"Oh, Emily. What have you done? Why are you here? You can't help me. I want you, and our future child, as far away from here as possible. I'm fine, did you not understand my message?"

"Nice to see you too! You're fine, are you? Let's see, shall we?"

I concentrated more and David's actual location appeared to me. I was now standing in it. The room was bathed in white light, a large transparent cylinder dominated the center. It was filled with liquid and had a sole occupier, a rather startled-looking octopus.

"How did you do that, Emily? I can't do that. What are you?"

He seemed almost scared. He'd given me consent to talk, I didn't stand on ceremony and probed his mental state.

"Right, you're far from OK, are you? You can't hide from me, not now. Is this what you hoped for when you made the machine for me?"

"I... Emily... I don't... how are you doing all this? It takes a long time to be able to do these things. And you are also doing stuff I have never heard of."

"Stop changing the subject, so like a man! So let me tell you about how you are doing, shall I?"

I didn't wait for a reply.

"So, I guess the good news is that they didn't decommission your consciousness. But you are imprisoned here in perpetuity. Trapped in a cage that is impervious to your telekinesis. And don't you dare tell me it's not really telekinesis, understood?"

I softened my tone; this wasn't really how I had seen things going.

"I'm so sorry, David. But you are alive. I guess you were telling the truth that you weren't in imminent danger, but you can't live like this. I'm going to find a way to fix things."

"You can't, Emily. It's Caputpederean law and no one messes with the Banishment Enforcement Agency. I'm deep in their citadel, and maximum-security doesn't come even close to describing it. Anyway, you'll be questioned as soon as you arrive. How are you going to explain yourself? You will be arrested too, and how is that going to help anyone?"

"Let me worry about that, I have some ideas. But tell me, is this channel secure, could they be eavesdropping?"

I was still aware of David's thoughts and he seemed to have given up on convincing me to flee. I guess he knew me pretty well, and that it would have been a pointless exercise. Instead he accepted I was going to do what I was going to do, and seemed focused on practicalities. I'd clearly trained him well, in some areas at least.

"OK, Emily, you win. As normal."

He couldn't resist the rider, men!

"Given you've been fucking with my brain yet again, despite promising not to, I don't think that's the smartest of comments, do you?"

The sheep-octopus hybrid he metaphorically adopted in situations like this, which to be honest were way too frequent for the health of our relationship, was to the fore as he quietly replied.

"No, Emily. I was trying to help, but sorry... again."

"How about you leave helping to someone competent going forward?"

Picking up on my mood, he hurriedly moved on to answering my earlier question.

"OK, Emily. Inter-Caputpederean conversations are sacrosanct, even for felons like me. They are protected in law, so I think we are OK. But maybe let's be careful. We should talk infrequently, and make the conversations short. Agreed?"

"Agreed, I had better go then."

"Yes, Emily. But something else. Actually two things."

"What is it? I thought you said this should be quick."

"I'll be quick."

Ignoring his own statement, David gathered himself.

"So, I can't tell myself. I gave you consent, but not the other way round. Are you still... did you decide to...?"

My heart melted a little. He could be totally asinine, but he was my asinine coleoid at least.

"I'm still pregnant, I want to be pregnant, and everything is totally fine in that area, if in few others. What else?"

Again he paused and then blurted out words rapidly, maybe conscious of time.

"Emily, thank you. Thank you for not giving up on me. I didn't want to guilt-trip you, but I love you so much, and it's wonderful to talk to you. I think your new state of being suits you, but I know why you did it, and just how difficult that must have been. So thank you, thank you again."

He could be so sweet when he dropped his stupid male protector bullshit.

"I love you too, hun. Of course I wouldn't abandon you. But I have to go. Don't give up hope. Na-ri is here too and we are going to fix this, I promise."

I placed my hand on the side of his tank and he extended a tentacle to meet it. Then I snapped back into the room with Na-ri.

"He's alive, Na-ri. Alive and safe. But he's in solitary confinement in the BEA citadel. This is not going to be easy; it's not going to be quick, but I have a plan. Let me tell you about it."

I was smiling and Na-ri picked up on my good mood, though she then took things in a different direction.

"I'm so glad that David is OK. I want to know all about it, Em. But..."

And here she looked at the floor, head on one side in faux shyness.

"But you also promised me I'd be the first person you'd fuck, post transition. I don't know if it's the suspended animation, or if my fondness for Duxie's kind had multiplied my fondness for you in your new state, but could we...?"

I smiled, a warm relaxed smile. Maybe I was reassured that David was in no immediate danger. It could be that Duxie's "fix" also prevented me from worrying too much. Perhaps it was just as simple as my pregnancy hormones still raging. From Na-ri's side, I guessed that she was missing her squid lover and craved a distraction; I empathized. For whatever reason, I knew that I wanted her. I really wanted her. And I also had a mischievous idea.

Lifting up the layers of my noblewoman's dress, I revealed I had neglected to put on a noblewoman's under garments. Na-ri's face was a study in both surprise and desire as she realized what I had done to myself.

"Oh, Em. You are totally impossible. But I do quite like the idea of sucking your cock. It's a nice big one."

Without getting undressed, she knelt in front of me, and soon was trying to take my considerable length, one that I had just willed into being, deep in her mouth. If my plan was going to be successful, I figured that it would be good for Na-ri to have some practice. I'd also now discovered that her skills in fellatio were pretty amazing, this could just work. I closed my eyes, let waves of enjoyment bathe me, and tried my best not to cum too quickly.

Emily and I had been on Caputpedes for a few weeks now. Her plan for slipping under the radar of local law enforcement, the BEA in particular, had worked beautifully so far. Sometimes Em got a little despondent, but I tried to keep her positive. I felt like we were making progress and she had always said that things would not go quickly. She had briefly checked in with David a few times, not enough to draw any suspicion. He was no worse and no better. I would hate the solitude. I had only met David when he was pretending to be someone else, but I knew Emily's feelings for him. Had seen what she had done, what she was still doing, to try to help him. I wanted to help him too. But right now I had other things to worry about.

I was nude. That was not so uncommon nowadays. I was on my knees, my arms held wide by chains. Ditto. All around bright lights shone on me. Bright enough for me to feel their heat on my naked skin. On my black hair, which, I mused, was a less than ideal color for this situation. Around me, in the dark, I could hear vague noises. Rustles as things moved. Low murmurs. Then I heard something else, a clip-clop sound.

Lights swiveled and picked out a shape approaching the pool of light where I was bound. A large shape. Brown, muscular flanks were highlighted. Long, graceful legs. A tail flicking, seemingly in excitement. Then a large, long head with pointed ears, a flowing mane, and a white blaze. It reared on its hind legs, its forelegs flaying the air. And it whinnied. With its body raised in this manner, it was evident that the creature was a stallion. It crashed back to a quadrupedal stance with a clatter of hooves, and shook its head from side to side. Froth appearing from its jaws. Its eyes wide in evident enervation.

From all around me I heard shouts. Words of encouragement to the stallion. Words of derision towards me. It trotted forwards, and lowered its head, nuzzling my face. I felt its hot exhalations through flared nostrils on my breasts. Magically, the far ends of my chains were released and clattered to the floor noisily, pulling my arms down with them. The horse startled at the loud clanking. It reared up again, its hooves dangerously close to my face. I crouched back on my haunches, my hands protectively in front of my eyes, too terrified to move. More and louder voices cried out on all sides. The stallion stomped back onto all fours, and whinnied more insistently. It walked forwards, seemingly agitated, passing on my right. Its warm, furry flank brushing my shoulder. I was acutely aware of its size, its strength, my smallness, my fragility.

Jeers and shouts arose from around me, which unsettled the horse further. It pawed the ground. I reached out a hand, eyes closed, to try to pat its side. Aiming to sooth it. Instead my hand made contact with something else. A flexible rod, that swung from side to side as my hand touched it. It had heft to it and was long. It was warm, it was alive. My touch seemed to soothe the beast, and that was my main priority. Now there were cheers from the surrounding darkness.

Opening my eyes, I saw my hand around the animal's penis, semi-erect and clearly filling quickly with blood. It was big, it was fucking big, and getting bigger. But my touch also seemed calming. The skittish behavior stopped, and the horse stood still. I stroked its cock, and the stallion's agitation abated. I shuffled on my knees, moving to a better position, the flattish end of his member in front of my face. Gripping him a few inches from the tip, I moved my head forwards. All was silent as I opened my mouth, stuck out my tongue, and slurped long and lovingly at its head. Then noise erupted. Voices now urging me on.

I took a deep breath, opened as wide as I could, and tried to accommodate its girth with my distended lips. The flange around its head was too big. But, with a move of its legs, the horse pushed forwards and forced its tip inside me. A gasp went round the room. The beast took another step forwards, its cock surging into my mouth as its body advanced. I reached forwards, and placed a hand on its massive thigh, trying to slow its advance. But it was too strong for me. More inches were shoved into me. The flange reached my throat. It was now me whose eyes were bulging as my human throat tried to defy the laws of physics and anatomy by accommodating so impossibly large an intrusion. The voices around me cared little for either physics or anatomy and screamed for more.