Gateway to the Stars

"The machine seems to... to be... malfunctioning a bit." His voice is strained but the panels around the room are coming into focus.

"Let's keep the focus on you." He says with some effort.

"Tell me how you arrived here."

WHOOSH, the panels light up showing the shimmering portal at the heart of the Hotel Murano, your gateway to the stars.

"I stepped through a portal." You say and right on queue, you watch as your hand reaches through the curtain of energy and you are pulled across the galaxy.

Droust is watching intently.

"A transubstantial gateway - those are rare, and exceedingly dangerous. I assume you had an anchoring mechanism?" The images flicker before you and you see Lia and Arven gathered around you, looking at the ruby bracelet.

"This is an anchor... "

"... Looks vaguely Bravidian. Maybe from the Abhaile cluster?"

Droust rubs his chin thoughtfully. "Abhaile cluster... Abhaile... " and you briefly get a vision of your hand, rugged and chapped, holding firm to the tiller of a sail ship, flying through a horizon of never-ending sand-dunes. The name on the tiller reads "Silencio Modular Solar Skiff - Abhaile". You look back and see Terreah, your beautiful wife, her full breasts exposed to the sun, a white skirt bunched around her waist in the style of the people here on the Shaido planet.

She looks so stunning, her pale nipples like soft flower petals, begging to be kissed. You feel yourself getting aroused...

"Stop!" Droust snaps, frustration leaking into his voice. He takes a breath. "Does your species have a history of psychic abilities? I think there is some sort of feedback look occurring."

You shake your head. "Sorry." He takes a breath.

"Let's focus on the reason for my visit. Show me the wreck of the Benediction." You frown in confusion. "The anomaly that you encountered." He explains.

The panels hum to life and there it is, the wreckage of the ship, floating all around you. You see Esiar's pod floating ahead of you as you squink into the pulsating light of the anomaly.

"So it was still active when you were on site." Droust muses. "Did you enter...yes, I see that you did." He follows along as you make your way through the broken ship, not bothering as you and Esiar loot the wreckage.

"Wait!" He says as you come across the black ichor. "There it is. The parasite."

Suddenly you are falling back into the backwards abysm of his mind and find yourself in heavy blue robes, sitting near the back as a hunched old man in spectacles, fiddling with a panel of knobs and buttons. An older woman, with an elaborate headdress is droning on, her words slipping in and out as clearly Droust struggles to pay attention.

"... crossing the void, accessing all possible dimensions. We believe this will finally bring us closer in body and spirit to the First Starwalkers - may we stand forever in their divine presence - for they must have too crossed the void to come to this universe..." she drones on but your, or rather Droust's attention is drawn to the pinprick of light, cracking into existence in front of the old man's equipment.

"The First Starwalkers, the holy frontrunners of our people, must be in one of these alternate worlds. Thanks to Reverent Jeremiah's groundbreaking research, we are now able..." but the sound is too great and the woman turns, alarmed to face the light.

It pulses, brighter and brighter, and then there is a terrible noise, a ripping in the fabric of reality and out pours the ichor. Black and writhing, it quickly engulfs the old man and swarms forward, a black screaming sea of endless faces, open mouthed...

"Let's refocus here." Droust says, his hands white-knuckled on the ring. "Intense emotion can overload the buffer, making this process difficult so let's get back to what happened on your ship."

"Uh... there was an accident?" You say and the panels show the burst of electricity, and then watching yourself from the ladder.

"Oh! Someone was able to cross over. We theorized that someone could travel through... wait, these are your memories?" Droust asks as the panels show the notBrenna.

"That? That's my evil sex clone." You answer as nonchalantly as possible.

"Why sex clone... oh, I see." He watches through your eyes as you see notBrenna riding Chet for all he's worth next to the Gyrodrive. "That is... odd."

You feel a stiffening in your pants. Skirts. You look down, confused, but Droust is clearly shifting uncomfortably, his eyes glued to the screen. The scene shifts, you are netted in the cargo bay and Arven is shedding his clothes.

Droust makes an uncomfortable sort of coughing noise.

"Yes, well, um." He adjusts his robes. "How did you manage to correll this...uh this woman who crossed over?"

The scene shifts as you see her body floating out into the vastness of space.

"Well, that is one way to do it." He takes a breath and the images dim for a moment as he takes his hand off the ring.

"The only other thing I require clarity about is what information you shared with the Admiral." He redoubles his efforts and the prickling sensation magnifolds, shivering across your whole body.

"Uh... I didn't end up talking much." You say, embarrassed and apologetic. Shame flashes across your face, your cheeks burning hot as Admiral Tristai's assault on your body plays out over the screen.

That heat from your face spreads to your fists, balled in rage. The desecration! The hypocrisy! How dare she profane the Word with her vile deeds! The Pontificate will hear of this - she must be Unlived! That foul lightskirt! She doesn't deserve the rank of Admiral.

The stream of thoughts comes pouring in from Droust, his hands clenched tight onto the ring. The prickling sensation increases as your memories play out before him, the mix of arousal, disgust, anger and outrage blending together into a vicious cocktail as Admiral Tristai's moans reach a crescendo in your ears...

zzzzkkKSKKSKKXZzzzzzz

The panels flash blinding white and POOF all the lights in the room go out except for a single orange light floating distantly in the ceiling. You drop the control ring out of your hands and it clangs on the floor. You shake your head, pressing your hands into your eyes, trying to squeeze the smoke from between your ears but your face is scratchy.

Scratchy from your beard.

You look down at your hands in shock.

"Oh shit." You say, you voice thick, gravely and male. You are in Droust's body!

Peering through the darkness, you see yourself, body crumpled on the floor, metal circlet hanging disconnected from the ceiling like a discarded halo. You roll yourself over so you are lying on your back.

You seem fine, if asleep. Your body is taking long slow deep breaths and there's no visible injuries. You marvel, for the second time in as many days, at the opportunity to see yourself from the outside. It is always easier to find flaws in yourself on camera or in the mirror but here, seeing through another person's eyes, your beautiful hair splayed out on the floor and the flickering orange light illuminating your hourglass figure. Well, you can see the attraction.

You feel a stirring beneath your tabard, like a fist being clenched beyond your control and your breath begins to come up short. Oh hell - getting aroused by your own body? That is too weird. You shake your head and weigh your options.

You take several deep breaths, trying to steady yourself in the strange body and then reach deep within this mind, looking for answers. What did Droust want - why was he here? The memories burbled up, sudden and piercingly clear.

"But I don't understand... the Pontificate has always supported our work." The woman from your vision earlier with the elaborate hat, is now standing in a darkened chamber on an OCC ship, the twisted interlacing ductwork of the walls growing deep and ominous.

"Unfortunately, that avenue is at an end." You reply. "Since the outbreak, it is essential that knowledge of this incident be contained. If the people knew the truth... "

"What? That the First Starwalkers are dead? That they were killed by this...this parasite! And all that we have left of their remains is the bones of their ships, cast aside in another dimension like so much garbage?" Her voice is bitter and angry but she's backing away towards an open hole in the floor.

Lightning quick, you draw your Daisycutter. BAM BAM BAM BAM!!!

The recoil shakes your arm as pink glowing shards erupt out of the weapon and arc towards her, spraying her leg, arm and side of her face. They stick into her exposed flesh, pulsating twice before exploding in little bursts leaving blast marks up and down her body and face.

She screams, clutching her wounded face and begins frantically whispering to herself, rocking back and forth.

"Through the trouble they may come and go but good times never go, so if the road gets rocky, girl, just steady as we go." She moans to herself.

"If you think quoting scripture is going to alleviate your judgement before the First Starwalkers, you are sadly mistaken." You say, closing the distance between the two of you and drawing a white curved danger from within your robes. With a single smooth motion, you slide the blade into her. Her head cocks back, eyes in shock.

You lean in and whisper. "At least let me finish that part of the Word for you." A wry smile twists your lips. "When the storm comes, shelter me. I don't say a word anymore and you know exactly what I mean." Shuddering, she takes her last breath but you continue.

"In the darkest times you shine on me, set me free, forgive me."

She whispers back, her voice barely audible as the Word releases with her soul, "Steady as we go." and she is gone.

You wipe your blade on her tabard and then begin pulling her body toward the exposed hole in the floor. With her dispatched, the only remaining loose end was the mercenary ship you detected traveling through the wreckage of the Benediction.

You open your eyes, adjusting back to the dim light of the interrogation chamber, hands shaking. This man means to kill you. You, and your friends and probably the Admiral and Novice Diana at this rate. You've got to get out of here.

You press the button on the wall panel and the door diolates open. You glance back at your unconscious body, still sleeping soundly, before closing up the room. You wave at two guards, floating on a platform with a searchlight, making a slow circuit around the room. They swoop down.

"You sir," the guard offers a quick one-shouldered bow. "Stay here and make sure no one enters or leaves this interrogation chamber unless accompanied by me. Understood?"

"Yes, arch-magistrate." The guard answers without question, fear evident in his voice. You turn to the other guard.

"I need to bring the other prisoners from the ship in for questioning, take me to their cells."

"They are all in the holding tank, sir. Come with me." You step onto his platform and it sails off through the cavernous chamber to a grate on the floor some distance along the space. The platform lands and the guard hits a button, opening the grate. Peering down, you see movement in the wet crawlspace underneath. Chet, and Arven! You try to suppress your delight at seeing them.

"You lot! On your feet, no funny business." Chet's hands are still in manacles but there is no sign of Arven's mechanical arm. The two of them look ragged but no obvious injuries. They wearily pull themselves up out of the crawlspace and climb onto the platform.

"Who are you?" asks Chet.

"No talking!" The guard snaps. Arven gives a bitter laugh.

"That's what I've been telling him for years." He mutters. The guard turns towards Arven menacingly but you hold up your hand to forestall him as the platform sails back towards the interrogation chamber.

"Peace, Arven and Chet. All will be revealed." You resist the urge to give them a big wink but Chet is craning his neck, trying to see into the other holding tanks below the grates as you fly over them and Arven is just scowling.

You land in front of the interrogation chamber and disembark.

"Do you need any assistance with the prisoners?" The guard standing by the door asks.

"I need no such help with the likes of them." You are hoping that the menace will stop any further questions. It seems to work, the guard giving a satisfied nod and diolating the door. Chet, Arven and you step inside and the door closes behind you.

"No!" Chet shouts, rushing to the side of your body, crumpled on the floor. "What did you do, you bastard!"

"Wait... " you begin but you feel Arven's large hand clamp around your neck and throw you to the ground, squeezing tight, trying to crush your throat. "WAIT!" You wheeze.

"I'm Brenna!" You gasp.

"What?" Arven snaps, not releasing you but at least not moving any farther.

"She's alive." Chet confirms, and your heart goes out to him as he lovingly strokes your body's cheek after checking for breath and pulse.

"Chet, search him." Arven commands.

"I'm Brenna, I promise. Arven, we shared Al'Laquarian Brandy together our first night. It's me, damn it!"

Arven releases you and you struggle to your feet, gasping. Chet pulls out your Daisycutter from your waistband and points it at you.

"Okay, if you really are Brenna, when we were last making love in the Engine room, what did we do for the first time?" You wrack your brains, trying to remember.

"Uh, we had sex?" You offer lamely. He points the gun at your head.

"And..." He asks suspiciously.

"Um..." you remember the Kalchik creature floating, "In the engine room? I don't know what you want."

"First, you put your finger in my butthole," He says proudly. "Then..."

SMACK. Arven clocks Chet in the side of the head.

"What the fuck, Arven?" He shouts.

"You idiot." Arven rumbles. "That was her evil sex clone." Chet's eyes go wide.

"Oh yeah... I forgot about that. Damn, that was pretty fun too." He then looks down at the gun he was pointing at you and quickly holsters it, embarrassed.

"Sorry. Sorry about that." he says sheepishly.

"Look, I know this is confusing but I need to switch back to my body and out of this creep, so once the transfer is complete, can you knock this guy out?" Arven nods.

Before you forget, you retrieve Droust's knife from its hiding spot where Chet missed it and hand it over to Arven who takes it with a vague smile of amusement.

You then pull your body to a sitting position and affix the circlet to your own brow before retrieving the ring. As you grasp it, the machine whirs to life and you feel the bubbling presence of Droust's mind, confused and distant.

"Where... " you see yourself struggling to form words but you don't give him a chance. You make the leap of consciousness, willing yourself back into your body and with a crackle of energy, you are back. Back in your own beautiful, normal body.

You quickly stand up and remove the circlet from your head.

"Now, Arven."

Droust turns in alarm just as Arven slams his head into the wall. He crumples to the floor, his tabard a dark pile of rumbled clothing.

"Okay, what now?" Chet asks as you start pulling the clothes off of Droust.

"Chet, I'm going to give you his robes and I want you to get to the Silent Leopard and get it ready to fly. Make sure to check on the exterior paneling near the cockpit, I saw some of the black ichor there when I was doing my spacewalk."

Chet nods.

"Arven, make sure he gets there. I have a feeling we are going to need to blast our way out of here so have the engines ready to go." you say.

"What are you going to do?" Arven's eyes are full of concern.

"I'm going to get Lia and then find Esiar. I don't know where they are..." but then again, you do. An image rises unbidden to your mind's eye; Lia suspended by crackling red bands of energy in mid-air. On the third level near the nose of the ship. Droust had met with her... interrogated her... before coming to the holding cells and those memories are left in your mind. Fading fast, like a half-remembered dream but it is there.

"I am going to get our friends and get them to the ship, just be ready when we arrive, we might be coming in hot."

"We will be ready," said Arven.

"Don't worry, Brenna, we won't let you down." said Chet.

You see the two of them there, broad muscular Arven and slim Chet, standing in the dim flickering light of the broken machine and eerie curved panels. Two men stranded on this strange alien ship, imprisoned and abused but ready to face death or worse for you and their shipmates. Their eyes are earnest and caring. Your heart swells with love and affection for them.

In a rush, you sweep forward and kiss Arven, reaching up to wrap your arms around his neck, finding his lips and pulling yourself to him. He wraps his lone arm around your waist, pulling you tight and kissing you long and deep.

Chet awkwardly rubs the back of his head and glances over at Droust, still unconscious in the corner.

"Just you wait!" You say to Chet, finally coming up for air. You untangle yourself from Arven and leap over to Chet, running your hands through his tangle of hair.

"I've got some for you too." and then your lips are on his, tongues tangling, pressing your body against his lithe frame.

He kisses you back, tentative and then enthusiastic. You take his hand and put it to his breasts, which he squeezes and pulls roughly leaving you breathless and excited. You look back at Arven who is watching intently, a fire in his eyes.

"You ready to see your dream come to life?" You say playfully.

"Here? Now?" He says, incredulous. "You are much insane, Brenna. But I like it.""

"What dream?" Chet asks, confused. You take his hand and guide it down your stomach and inside the waist of your skirt, into your panties where his skillful fingers find your already wet pussy, throbbing and ready.

He needs no further invitation, swiftly moving to work your clit, sliding his fingers up and down your slit and then strumming it fast.

"We are going to have sex, Chet," you whisper breathlessly into his ear. "And he..." you whimper as Chet once again finds your mark and a mini-orgasm threatens to buckle your knees. "... he is going to watch."

Chet gives you a lopsided grin. "He is right. You are crazy." and buries his face into your neck, kissing your collarbone and descending lower and lower. While he is distracted, you fumble with the zipper on his jumpsuit, pulling it all the way down and pushing it off his shoulders, leaving him in just his boxers.

You hear a rustling behind you and see Arven. He has undone his pants, revealing his full engorged cock. You wave him closer and reach out, grasping the throbbing velveting member and giving it a few loving strokes. Arven moans appreciatively.

Chet pushes his jumpsuit out of the way and sheds his boxers. His cock is smaller than Arven's but thick and clearly aroused. Still holding Arven's in one hand, you grasp Chet's in the other and stroke them both in slow steady motions, watching the waves of pleasure sweep across their faces. Their moans are an echoing chorus, both men literally in the palms of your hand, their pleasures at your bidding.

Finally you release them and push your own panties out of the way. You lay down on the smooth surface of the chamber floor and spread your skirts. Looking up at your men above you, you give Arven a smile.

"Are you ready?" you ask.

"Yes." He says breathless, you can tell his close already.

"Okay, Chet, it's time." Chet kneels between your legs and once again his fingers find your clit, two pressing up from inside you and his other hand working you from the top.

"ah ah ah AH AH AH!" Your cries fill the air, echoing on the reflective panels of the chamber.

"Oh FUCK!" You shout as it hits, a blinding wall of light as the orgasm sweeps through your body, shooting thunderbolts through your limbs and flooding Chet's hands.