Friendly Competition

"Then the argument won't take long to resolve!"

Railha considered for a moment, scratching her fluffy chin with her black claw again, then Datz leaned across the bar with a determined expression on her face.

"I'll do it," she hissed, "Elysians never turn down a challenge."

James turned to look up at Railha expectantly, and after a moment of hesitation, she shrugged.

"Very well, I also accept the challenge."

"May the best...alien win," James said, calling over the bartender.

"What are we drinking?" Datz asked. "Raises the hair, or some human drink? Railha, you know medicine, what is safe?"

"Wine should be safe for us to drink in large quantities. It's similar in taste to raises the hair, and while the alcohol content is far higher, it should not be immediately dangerous. We would lose our faculties long before it did our bodies any lasting damage."

James ordered a bottle from the bartender, realizing when neither of his companions offered up any credits that he was expected to pay for it all. Good job they couldn't handle their drink, or he'd be eating MREs for the next couple of weeks...

The portly man placed a shot glass in front of both aliens, then set a bottle of red wine before James, who was starting to suspect that he was a mute. Maybe he was just used to dealing with Borealans and found it best to stay out of their way. It certainly seemed wise from where James was sitting.

"So, how do we do this?" Railha asked as she took the first shot glass in her hand. It was minute in her giant, sausage-like fingers, as if she was holding a glass from a dollhouse.

"You drink at the same time, and the first one to quit or pass out loses," James explained.

Datz picked up a glass too and waved it at James, who filled it with wine. It was all rather absurd, drinking wine in shot glasses as if it were the strongest vodka known to man. But as long as it did its job, he might be able to weasel his way out of this situation before either of the aliens laid claim to him.

Datz was the first to go, slamming the drink and grimacing as she swallowed it, glaring defiantly at Railha. The Polar followed suit, downing the glass of red wine in one gulp, and placing her shot glass back on the counter. James suppressed a smirk as he refilled the glasses, watching the aliens take a second shot. It was so hard to take them seriously

"I won't lose to you," Datz spat, "my body is the peak of physical fitness. Unlike you, you...fat hairball." She had been drinking before the competition had started, and she was already beginning to slur her words. James was starting to worry, the plan wouldn't work if Datz lost outright.

"My fat is for insulation," Railha whispered to James. "My weight is entirely appropriate for my species. Besides, I think I carry it quite well, wouldn't you agree?"

James didn't reply, pouring the pair a third shot as he tried to keep his eyes off her ample bust, her chest straining against the fabric of her white lab coat as it rested heavily on the counter.

"Leave him be, we're not done yet," Datz grumbled. "Besides, you won't get anywhere that way, they don't respond to your Polar conniving."

"They most certainly do," Railha shot back, "they prefer it. I know from experience."

"Nope," Datz spat as she raised another glass to her lips and drank it down. "Humans like it when you take charge."

"I'm sitting right here," James protested, but they ignored him as they continued their feud.

"You can't just take them by the hair and have your way with them," Railha continued. "What if they don't like you? What if they fight back? You'll get in trouble, and they'll throw you in the brig. Did the integration program teach you nothing about human social norms? Besides, they're fragile creatures, you can't just treat them like a subordinate pack member."

"Strength is the norm, they respond to it, as does everyone. Can you honestly say that if the biggest, strongest Patriarch on Borealis took you, you'd fight him off?"

"Well...he would certainly have to woo me first," Railha said as she drank another shot. James had decided to just keep quiet and continue replenishing their drinks, with any luck, they would lose track of how much they had consumed.

"Bah, have you seen Patriarch Elysiedde? He looks like he was chiseled from bedrock by artisans, you'd fall on your back and open your fat thighs at the sight of him."

"See, this is the problem with you Equatorials," Railha said, her own speech now starting to come through a little less eloquent. "No appreciation for romance, all you want to do is fuck like savages, and then go your separate ways. Humans don't like that any more than Polars do, they want to make a connection, they want you to make them feel special and...wanted."

"Say that to the last recruit I had," Datz laughed, "he wasn't complaining. He wasn't walking straight afterwards, either."

"And will he come back because he can't get you out of his head? Will he bring you gifts and shower you with attention in that adorable way that humans tend to do when you've charmed them?"

"What's the point of all that?" Datz asked skeptically. "If I can have him now, why wait? If I want him a second time, or a third, then I'll go fetch him."

Railha shook her head in disbelief, and sighed, gesturing for James to pour her another shot.

"When you eat, do you go straight for the main course, or do you savor the entree? Every subtle taste contributes to the overall dining experience, you want the flavors of your cheeses or your veal to complement and enhance the main course, even the garnish adds to the mood. The strawberry and rhubarb in your pavlova is as much a component of the meal as your suckling pig, the condiments as important as the choice of meats."

"Trust a Polar to compare sex to food," Datz laughed. "Screw the entree, I want juicy meat and lots of it. When I attend a banquet before the winter, I want my pick of the dishes, and I want to eat my fill until I pass out. No waiting around for the servers to bring me this and that, I want to sink my claws into a freshly roasted carcass and strip it until I see the white of its bones."

"And this is why Elysian cuisine doesn't make it out of Elysia," Railha said, turning her nose up at her surly companion.

"Sex should be raw and violent," Datz clarified, her eyes glazing over as she daydreamed about the subject. "Like a good fight, you listen to your gut and trust your instincts. If you overthink it, you lose that primal fire."

Railha shook her head as she drank another helping of wine, what were they on now, five or six shots each?

"You know, we have a human in our company, maybe it would be best to just let him decide who is right?" Railha leaned down so that she could whisper into James' ear. He could feel her warm breath on his skin, carrying the scent of wine. "How about it, James? What would you choose?"

His cheeks flushed red, and he looked around momentarily as if someone in the room might be able to help him, but the crowds had thinned as their competition had gone on. Most of the personnel had gone back to their quarters to get some rest before their next shift.

"You're already doing it wrong," Datz complained. "Here, watch this."

She discarded her cigarette and exhaled a cloud of smoke, then set upon James. She gripped him by the collar and spun him in his chair so that his back was facing the bar, then lifted him out of his seat with the ease that one might lift a doll, slamming him onto the counter and looming over him. She sank her clawed fingers into his hair, gripping him somewhat painfully, then slammed her oversized lips against his. His yelp of surprise was cut short as she forced her long, rough tongue into his mouth, the wet muscle wriggling like some kind of fleshy serpent as she subjected him to a deep and sordid kiss. It just kept coming, like some kind of party trick where a magician would pull a length of ribbons from his pocket, thick and powerful as its tapered tip explored his head. He did his best to fight it off with his own tongue, but the muscle was so wet and vigorous, slimy with her saliva as it bulged his cheeks. He felt it glance the back of his throat, and he choked a little, the organ painting the inside of his mouth as it roved and coiled.

Nobody had ever kissed him like this before, it was wanton and greedy, callous in its indifference to his human limitations. Something about that made his heart hammer in his chest, his legs going weak as she dragged the kiss out. Datz tasted of wine and tobacco, her tongue wrestling with his own as she held him by the hair, her claws pricking his scalp. She had him pinned against the counter, trapped between the fake wood finish, and the weight of her body as her large breasts rested atop his torso. They were so damned heavy, it was like having two military backpacks laden with gear perched on top of him.

Shivers ran down his spine like questing fingers as she licked and mouthed, her lips full and soft as they interlocked clumsily with his own, a strand of her thick saliva escaping to wet his chin as her organ grazed the roof of his mouth. This wasn't a kiss, it was an invasion, crude and bawdy. Yet he couldn't help but push back against her in search of more. His cheeks burned fever hot as he started to see stars dancing before his eyes. He was beginning to run out of air, and with her larger lung capacity, Datz might not even notice. His spine arched off the bar as she delivered an especially deft and salacious swipe with her slippery tongue, his brain fogging.

Just as he was starting to feel as if he might pass out, she released his hair and drew back with a wet smack. A strand of her viscous drool connected her rosy lips to his, before she wiped it away with the back of her hand, grinning down toothily at the panting wreck that she had created.

She lifted him again, and dropped him roughly back into his seat, turning him to face the bar as if nothing had happened. James took a moment to get his bearings as he leaned on the counter for support. His chest was heaving, his heart pounding, an unwelcome erection now straining against the fabric of his underwear.

"Look how red he is," Datz declared to Railha with a wave of her hand. "That's how you woo a human." She turned her attention back to the beleaguered James and leaned in close, pinching his ear between her sharp teeth before murmuring to him in her husky voice. "If I told you to, you'd come back to my quarters with me, wouldn't you? You'd do anything I wanted, right?"

Before James could stammer his reply, Railha wrapped her long arm around his shoulders, pulling him away from the Equatorial and hugging him against her paunchy body as if to protect him from her. He felt himself sink into her bust, as soft as melting butter, the fluffy fur of her chest tickling the back of his neck where it protruded from her collar. Datz frowned at her, crossing her arms.

"Nonsense, I'm sure he's shocked and insulted by your unsolicited advances, isn't that right James? So uncouth..." He didn't reply, still recovering from Datz's invasive kiss. "You just skipped all of the foreplay, there's no tact, no finesse. A kiss should start slow and gentle, then build along with your arousal. It grows more intimate until it reaches a crescendo, where you can't help but fall upon each other. All you did was stick your tongue down his throat," she added with a disparaging glance towards the scowling Equatorial. Datz slammed another shot of wine, getting comfortable in her seat as if she was about to watch a show.

"This is how you're supposed to do it," Railha declared, cupping James' face in her furry palm and turning him towards her. Her eyes were so stunningly blue, reflective in the low light of the dingy bar, her feline pupils expanding into dark circles. Her unwavering stare sent a fresh shiver rolling down his spine as she leaned closer to him, and again, he felt his heartbeat begin to quicken. Her fur was silky and soft against his cheek, and she stroked him with her padded thumb as she closed in, placating and considerate in comparison to Datz's ruthless attentions.

"Relax," she whispered, her voice low and reassuring. "I won't bite."

She touched her forehead against his, chuckling softly, then drew him in for a kiss. Her lips were smooth and soft, her first embrace little more than a peck, then she caught his lower lip between her teeth and tugged it gently. All the while her downy hands were cradling his face or stroking his hair, warm and fluffy, the prick of her claws sending pleasant shivers rolling down his spine. He felt as if he were floating on a cloud, surrounded by white velvet as Railha mouthed a little more ardently, slipping her tongue into his mouth ever so slightly to tease him with her copper taste. She too smelled of wine, but it was joined by the wonderful scents of the soaps and perfumes that she must use to treat her fur.

She seemed reluctant to push deeper, modest, and measured in her gentle embrace as though waiting for him to reciprocate. Finally, the teasing became too much for him to bear, an unfamiliar urgency rising in his chest as he met her kiss. He leaned into her inviting body, delving his fingers into the delicate fur on her cheek as she wrapped her arms around him tightly. He felt her hand on the back of his head, another crawling down his spine, her dexterous tongue swirling in his mouth with such practiced skill that it set the hair on his arms standing on end.

She rewarded him with placid strokes and doting flurries, tender and loving, as if she might express some deep longing for him through nothing more than her deft movements. Her organ was just as long and as rough as Datz's had been, but the way that she maneuvered it was so much more sympathetic and subdued. James felt his muscles relax, letting her hold him with a hand on the small of his back for support, her fingers combing his hair and sending pulses of tingling pleasure through his body.

She broke away for a moment, keeping him close, wetting her lips as he panted.

"Do you like it? Do you want me to stop?"

"God, d-don't stop," he mumbled. Railha smiled and closed in again, leaning him over so that he was almost prone in her arms, Datz grumbling to herself as she watched them with her drink in hand. This next kiss was stronger and more passionate, her long tongue sliding past his lips and coiling around his own like a snake ensnaring its next meal, his breath coming in sharp gasps whenever she relented a little and gave him room to breathe. It was so thick and meaty, its somewhat rough, feline surface grazing him as she piled more of its obscene length inside. The upper surface was covered in fine barbs, but the underside was just as smooth and as velvety as that of a human, slick with her saliva. She moaned softly as she roved, the sound making his erection throb beneath his clothing, his eyes watering as she explored his throat.

He sucked it and played his tongue over its surface, their slimy flesh entwined in a wonderful dance, Railha relentless in her efforts. James worried that he might climax if she were to touch him below the belt right now, such was the intensity and raw sexuality of her kiss, becoming less measured and more erotic as it dragged on.

She broke off suddenly, her tongue sliding back out his mouth like a giant strand of spaghetti, leaving him feeling cold and dissatisfied as she propped him up on his chair again. It took him a moment to remember where he was, and what he had been doing, his face a shade of beet red as he looked up at her.

"See?" Railha said with a proud tone, directing her comment towards Datz. "That's how it's done, I have him wrapped around my finger. I wouldn't even need to ask him to follow me back to my quarters, he'd do it of his own accord. That's the beauty of a little foreplay, a bit of tenderness."

James shook his head as he tried to dispel his dizziness. The damned aliens were using him as a prop in their game, treating him as if he wasn't even there, and it was starting to get on his nerves.

"It's plain to see which approach he prefers," Railha continued as she took another shot of wine. Datz sneered, following suit, both of them growing drunker as the competition went on.

"That was only a kiss," the Equatorial protested. "If I had him on his back, he wouldn't look twice at you."

"Is that so?" Railha replied, a sinister smile curling her lips. "Would you care to put that claim to the test?"

Datz slammed a newly empty shot glass down on the bar and wiped her mouth on her sleeve.

"Any day, Polar." She leaned her arm around James' neck, putting more of her weight on him than he could support and almost knocking him off his chair. She was uncoordinated and clearly inebriated. "Lemme take him into the supply room for a quickie, I'll show you how Elysians fuck," she slurred. James' face burned again, this time with embarrassment at the alien's vulgarity. "See? He's down for it."

"Blushing doesn't necessarily mean that he's happy," Railha stated, "they do that when they're embarrassed or angry too." The Polar had started on the drink later than Datz had, but she too was growing clumsy. "Making love in a supply closet, the very idea..." She stood unsteadily on her long legs, placing her heavy hand on James' shoulder and pricking him through his uniform with her pointed claws. "Let's take him back to my quarters, then he can decide who the winner is. Straight from the horse's mouth, as the humans say."

"What's a horse?" Datz mumbled.

"What about the drinking competition?" James protested as Datz rose from her bar stool and brushed herself off. "You're not finished yet!"

Railha steered him towards the exit to the Pinwheel's torus, Datz following behind them.

"This is a matter of philosophy now, my dear James. You must settle an age-old feud, and decide once and for all which of the two races does it better."

"I don't know about this...I'm supposed to be back at the barracks for roll call tomorrow morning," he protested as she guided him towards the door.

"So you're already expecting to spend the night with me?" Railha said, glancing down at him with a smirk. "How presumptuous of you, James."

"I-I didn't mean anything by it, I'm just..."

"Relax," she said, leaning closer to him to nuzzle his hair like a cat. "We're going to have some fun. You want to come with us, right? Did you like my kiss? Do you want me?"

His heart quickened again, he wasn't accustomed to this kind of attention, and he stammered his reply.

"Y-yes, I suppose, I mean-"

"Excellent," Railha declared as she clapped her enormous hands together. "Follow closely now, you wouldn't want to get lost on the station."

Far from making the Borealans pass out and allowing James to slip away, his plan had completely backfired. The two aliens were now as drunk as sailors, intent on settling a disagreement that clearly pre-dated their encounter at the bar. Oh well, it was sure to be more interesting than languishing in the recreational facility or heading back to the barracks for an early night, and he felt a sort of morbid curiosity overcome him as the pair of aliens led him away.

CHAPTER 2: THREE'S A CROWD

The trio marched along the torus, the donut-shaped habitat that housed most of the Pinwheel's facilities, weaving through the crowds of personnel that clogged the walkways. The structure was spun around the central hub like a wheel to create artificial gravity, as it was too large for the AG fields that were used on spacecraft. It was decorated to give the illusion that the occupants were walking through a street on some terrestrial planet, rather than the interior of a giant space station. The structures that extended from the walls on either side of them were sculpted to look like the facades of buildings, complete with windows and colorful awnings, and there was an abundance of flowers and trees in planters. The ceiling above their heads was painted sky-blue, dotted with fluffy clouds, and the massive lamps that simulated the sun were now darkening as the station neared its night cycle.