Jack's Daily Grind

"Hello, I'm Maurra. I worked on Bal. She's going to be fine. She's lost some blood but the bullet missed her internal organs and only broke a rib. We got all the pieces and bonded them back in place. She's going to need to take it easy for a month but she'll fully recover."

"Can we see her?" Jack asked.

"In a few hours. She's still sedated and needs to recover from her blood loss. If you'll excuse me," Maurra smiled and moved away.

"Thank you doctor!" Jack called out and received a smile as she went back behind the doors.

There was a commotion from down the hall near the elevators and they watched two ebony furred agents moving in their direction followed by the Minister of Security Hellna, a light tan furred female he didn't recognize, and three male Altarians.

Jack was surprised as he'd never seen more than one male at a time. Aside from the male schools he didn't think they liked to be near each other. It was some kind of competitive instinct. He noticed they were each wearing a necklace with a small metal ball containing what looked like leaves. To Jack they looked like those tea leaves infuser you dunked in a cup of hot water. Maybe the smell let them tolerate other males.

The group stopped before Jack and Gee and he saw Hellna looked uneasy.

"Hello Jack."

"Hi Hellna, what's up?"

She glanced at the three males who were looking rather smug.

"These three males represent 'The Enlightened Consortium of Male Altarians' also known as TECOMA and in light of the fact that the Queen has announced you as her Consort-"

"OH MY GOD! I forgot Elissa was having our child! How is she? How is the baby?" Jack interrupted.

Hellna held up her hands to calm Jack and smiled. The three males lost their smug expressions and were beginning to look indignant at being ignored.

"Queen Elissa is well and blissfully happy. Your... second son is doing very well. Perfectly healthy and absolutely beautiful!"

The males made impatient sounds to get her back to their point.

"Don't get your panties in a bunch boys, Hellna and I are discussing important stuff here. We'll get back to your COMA party soon enough. When can I see her?" Jack was looking away so he missed the look of outrage on their faces.

The woman he didn't know stepped forward. "Hello, Ambassador Danner. I'm Narelle, Minister of Justice. That's actually what we're here to discuss. Your right to be Queen's Consort has been challenged. It's an ancient law but the challenge has been legally registered and we must follow it to the letter." She gestured to the male in front to step forward.

"I am Lunnae, lead speaker for 'The Enlightened Consortium of Male Altarians'. We do hereby serve notice of challenge to one Jack Danner of Earth that he must defeat us in unarmed combat to prove he is worthy of being the Queen's Consort."

Narelle nodded. "The challenge has been properly issued."

Gee took that moment to step forward and stare down the males. "Do you realize we've just returned from Earth where Jack challenged an armed and battle trained Human soldier in body armor and Jack defeated him? That streak of silver on his horn? The remains of a silver bullet, the fabled ammunition used against Earth's most feared monsters! Jack. Will. CRUSH. YOU!" Gee screamed and Jack reached over to pull her back to his side. He was stunned by her rage. He'd never seen an angry Altarian and it was just a little bit frightening... and strangely endearing. Gee breathed in pants as she glared at the males who all looked like they desperately wanted to be somewhere else right now.

Lunnae finally got control over his flight impulse and turned a weak smile towards Gee. "His brutish size is not being disputed. He must complete the challenge or face the consequence."

Jack was getting impatient. He wanted to go see Elissa. "OK, fine. Line up and I will knock you three down and we can be done with this."

Narelle had an uncomfortable look on her face. Jack looked to her. "What?"

"I'm sorry Jack. It doesn't work that way. The challenge was registered by TECOMA. You must defeat all of their members."

"How many is that?" he asked.

"We are 245 members strong," Lunnae grinned.

Jack looked at him incredulously. "You managed to get 245 males to join your little boys club? Wow! Good for you!"

Lunnae smiled with pride then he heard the insult. His smile turned to a look of anger. "How I loath you!"

Jack grinned then his grin got really wide. "Wait a minute! You're Denee's Lunnae, aren't you! You already have an axe to grind with me, don't you!"

Hellna stepped forward with an outraged look at Lunnae. "Axes are NOT allowed in this challenge! Seize it!" she told the guards.

"What?" Lunnae squeaked.

The two ebony guards moved to him and roughly searched his person while he screeched and yelped.

"Sorry, 'axe to grind' is just an Earth phrase that means he has an ulterior motive. He has an issue with me because he didn't meet Denee's... sexual expectations. I mean after she'd been with me. Denee was indiscrete and told him this."

Hellna smirked and looked back at Jack. "His reasons for filing the challenge do not matter in this instance. The challenge was legally registered and issued."

"Fine! Let's do this!" Jack barked. He stood a ways from the group and gestured for Lunnae to come at him.

"First Challenger?" Narelle called out.

The male hiding behind Lunnae was pushed forward until he stood facing Jack.

"State your name for the record," Narelle said.

"Liolla" he squeaked, trembling. Jack dropped his fighting stance. This was pathetic.

Narelle looked at both of them. "Begin."

"FORFEIT!" Liolla screamed and dropped to the ground in a ball.

Jack looked at him incredulously then looked over at Hellna.

"First battle goes to Jack Danner of Earth," Narelle intoned officially.

"Well... that was easy," Jack mumbled. Liolla was still trembling on the floor. "Next," Jack said.

Narelle's expression became pained again. Jack rolled his eyes. "Now what?"

"The challenge was registered for each battle to be scheduled on their own day," she stated.

"One a day?!? That's 244 more days!" Jack growled.

"On behalf of the remaining 244 combatants I hereby register the requirement of the Abstinence Clause," Lunnae said springing his trap. His face split into a wide evil grin.

Jack looked at the male in confusion. Then he looked over at Hellna whose face was going through a series of emotions. Shock, dread, rage, and finally despair. She looked over at Jack with sad eyes.

"I'm sorry Jack. He's legally able to request this and it must be complied with. She looked at Narelle who continued the point.

"I will assign you a Judge who will remain with you during the remaining 244 days. They are never to be outside of your immediate vicinity. If you are separated from your Judge you will forfeit. The clause which has been enacted requires you to remain on Altaria and refrain from sexual congress. Should you have relations of a sexual nature with a female, you will default and forfeit."

"What exactly is the penalty of forfeiting?" Jack asked. He had no idea what being a Consort was so maybe it wouldn't be so bad to lose it.

"Banishment from the lands owned by the female the challenge was issued for," Hellna uttered.

"You MONSTER!" Gee leapt at Lunnae but Jack caught her.

Hellna nodded sadly. "Yes Gee, in this case the female is the Queen so Jack would be banished from Altaria and all Altarian worlds. To return would mean his death."

"You didn't see the mob on Earth wanting Jack to be killed just because he'd had sex with an Altarian. Earth is no longer a safe place for Jack either," Gee growled. Jack was really starting to worry about her state of mind. Gee pulled away from his hands but she remained by his side.

"Hey! I don't know why there are so many gloomy faces. It's just 244 days. I've gone without sex for longer than that before. It wasn't fun but I did it!" Jack grinned.

Hellna walked up to him and took his hands. "Jack, were you told that you're emitting male musk? It tells us how healthy you are, how you rate as a mating companion, and sometimes as in your case it's a score card. We know you've been very, very... very popular. Going from that to nothing is... well, it's not possible."

Jack looked at Lunnae and saw his vicious glee.

He pulled his hands back from Hellna's and walked over to the male who looked up at him in defiance.

"Go ahead, strike me. Forfeit now!" Lunnae said with a tremor in his voice.

Jack grinned at Lunnae. "I'm not going to hit you. I'm going to outlast you... again." He grinned at the look of suppressed rage on the male's face. He turned his back on the male and walked back to Narelle. "Hook me up with a Judge and let the games begin."

Narelle spoke with someone on her phone and once she hung up she turned to Jack. "Judge Aaros will meet you at your apartment tonight."

Jack snorted. "Did you say Judge Eros?"

"That sounds similar but I said Aaros. What is Eros?" Narelle asked.

"It's a word from an ancient language on Earth that means the expression of sexual love. Seems kind of contrary to have a Judge named that considering her job will be to ensure that the expression of sexual love doesn't happen."

Hellna looked like she was ready to leave. "Gee, you need to be debriefed about today's activities. You will come back to headquarters with me," she said. Gee frowned then nodded and walked over to her boss. Jack shared Hellna's look of concern about Gee.

Then her worried look was for him but she shook his hand and headed back to the elevators with Gee.

Narelle got Jack's attention. "These agents will be your chaperones back to your apartment. They will ensure you do not default. They will also be your protection detail until Gee and Bal are both able to return to service." She hesitated. "Whenever that will be."

"I want to see Queen Elissa," Jack said.

"That won't be possible tonight. She is back at her residence and you need to go to your apartment to meet the Judge. You should call her when you get home."

Jack looked at the three males. "I don't have to bring these wankers with me do I?"

"Why did he call us wankers?" Liolla whined at Lunnae.

"What's a wanker?" the quiet male finally spoke.

"Shut up fools! Don't give him the satisfaction! I don't know what a wanker is... but it can't be good!" Lunnae spat.

Narelle ignored the bickering males. "No, their business with you today is almost done. They must announce to you the time and place for the next battle and it must be within a day. If they fail to provide an opponent within that time they forfeit. If their opponent does not appear and they do not replace him with someone else from the list then they forfeit.

"We will meet Jack Danner at 10AM in the courtyard in front of the Embassy," Lunnae sneered.

"See you then, Tinkles," Jack said hearing an angry growl in response. With a nod to Narelle he made his way to the elevator. He had some calls to make.

Chapter 3

"What do you mean you can't come to see your son?" Elissa said using her monarch voice.

"I'm kind of under house arrest at the moment. I'm waiting for a Judge to come to my apartment to begin her babysitting session. Which will last 244 more days apparently."

"I don't understand why you need a Judge to watch you. What have you done?" she asked with a pout.

"It's actually what we did. We had a child which apparently made me your Consort. This pissed off a certain group of Altarian males but especially one who filed a challenge against me as Consort. Unarmed combat against all 245 of them, one a day for 245 days."

"Jack, Altarian males are no match for you!" she purred.

"That's what got me in this trouble. They also filed an Abstinence Clause. No sex with females until the end of the challenge."

"WHAT!?!"

Jack leaned back from the screen. The Queen's outburst was a little more emotional than he expected.

"THAT WON'T DO! Jack, I want another baby!" she cried.

"What? But you just had one!" Jack exclaimed.

"Yes, but to keep the ages close I want to immediately get started on having a girl like Leffera is having!" the Queen complained.

"Leffera's having a girl? I'm having a daughter?" Jack asked, stunned.

"Oh! I'm sorry, maybe I wasn't supposed to say anything until Leffera mentioned it," she said, looking contrite.

"I'll be speaking with her shortly," Jack said, pulling himself together. "Listen, I don't think there is any way out of this challenge but to play it out. The next time I get to have sex is 244 days from now."

"244?!? I heard 24 days which would have been tortuous enough. Oh Jack, you're not going to last!" she gasped.

"Wow! Thanks for the vote of confidence!" he growled.

"It's not a lack of confidence in you Jack. It's simple biochemistry," she tried to explain.

"Yeah, whatever. Listen I will try to visit as soon as I can. I want to see my son. Have you named him?" he asked.

Elissa looked a little bashful. "Actually, I was hoping you would have a good name for him, like you did for my grandson."

"I do have a name but I need to see him to see if the name fits him," Jack explained.

"Wait! I'll get him!" Elissa jumped up and rushed from the room. Jack was left looking at the empty room. He heard a cooing sound as Elissa walked back into the room with a bundle in her arms. "Jack, may I present to you, our son." She held the tiny baby up to the camera.

Once more he couldn't get over how tiny Altarian babies were. He was squirming a little and made a cranky face. Jack started to cry silent tears as he smiled at the little miracle.

"Jack? Are you sad?" Elissa asked, surprised.

"No. These are tears of happiness. He's perfect! He just made a face that reminded me of my grandfather. If you wouldn't mind I'd be honored if we could name him Max," Jack explained.

"Such a short name!" she said and Jack could hear the question and hope in her tone.

"Yes, that's the version friends and family use. The formal, full version is Maximilian," he said and smiled at the look of surprise and excitement on her face.

"Maximilian! That is a perfect name for our son! So grand and proper for a Prince! It has that unique sound in the middle yet rolls off the tongue!" Elissa gushed. "Oh thank you Jack! You've made me so happy! I cannot begin to tell you!"

"I'm glad I could give you this as that other happiness is going to have to wait," Jack said.

"We will see!" the Queen said, her regal voice back. "I will speak with you tomorrow. Sleep well!"

Jack was left looking at the blank screen as she hung up.

"Good night, Max," he whispered to himself.

He ran his fingers back through his hair and realized he still had the rubber band tying it back. He tugged it off and shook his hair out. God! It was getting long! He dropped the band on his dresser.

He walked out of the bedroom to see the two agents sitting comfortably in his living room.

"No sign of the Judge yet?" he asked.

"Five minutes out." The one sitting in the chair by the window said. They hadn't offered their names and when asked they just stared at him. He recalled Gee and Bal's stiffness at first but they showed some personality at least.

It was getting close to 10PM and Jack had a special call to make with Leffera. He'd need his privacy for that one but he needed to be sure that he wasn't going to default based on a technicality.

Jack found himself needlessly tidying his tidy apartment and realized he was doing it because of the judge who was going to be there any second.

The two agents got to their hooves and went to the front door. Jack hadn't heard anything but they opened the door. The judge was standing in the doorway framed by the two ebony agents which may have been why her white fur seemed to shine. Or it could have been the fact that she was standing under the ceiling light. Regardless of the cause the brilliance of her white fur was jarring. He knew intellectually that the monochromatism genetic mutation which caused the agents to be entirely black from their fur to their eyes also produced the opposite, a completely white Altarian. He just hadn't been prepared to see one in person. She stood in the doorway staring at Jack with the same look of surprise.

"Horns!" she said.

This was enough to jar Jack out of his stupor. He moved closer. "Yes, hi! I'm Jack Danner, the human with horns."

She squeezed her eyes closed. When she reopened them she seemed calmer, more controlled. "My apologies Ambassador Danner. Of course. Please forgive my rudeness in staring and blurting out the obvious. I was caught unprepared."

"As long as you forgive my rudeness at staring. I also wasn't prepared to meet someone with your unique coloration. It's quite beautiful! I mean you're quite beautiful!" he stumbled.

Her eyes snapped to his and he could see she was looking for something in his expression or tone. When she saw he was just giving his honest opinion she smiled sweetly then shook the expression from her face.

"I am Judge Aaros. It will be my duty to ensure you abstain from sexual contact with females for the next 244 days or until the challenge is withdrawn by the applicants."

Jack nodded.

The agents nodded to the judge and looked at Jack. "We will be back in the morning to take you to work."

"Uh, I want to get back to my morning exercise routine. I run a few miles at a pretty brutal pace for Altarians." He looked at the judge. "Apparently I have to keep you in my vicinity. How is that going to work?"

"I can follow you on my personal skimmer. I rode it to get here tonight," she replied.

Jack turned back to the agents. They were giving him smug looks. "We can keep up."

"OK, but don't say I didn't warn you. You may want to talk to Gee about it. I start at 7AM," he said. With matching smirks the agents left.

Jack glanced at the time. Just about time for the call. He walked into the apartment with Aaros following.

"I need a point of clarification. When the rule states I cannot have sex with females may I assume this means sex where both partners are within physical proximity and are able to touch each other?" he asked carefully.

The judge looked at him askance. "Of course! What else could it have meant?"

A tone from the bedroom announced an incoming call. "That would be a friend of mine calling. We were going to have phone sex." He began to blush.

"Phone sex?" she said, confused.

"Hold that thought." Jack walked into the bedroom and answered the call.

"OH THANK GOODNESS! I thought you were going to make me wait until the morning! I'm going crazy here!" Leffera gushed.

"Hi Leffera! Hold that thought a minute. I have a court assigned roommate I have to confer with before we can proceed," Jack said and watched her eyes go wide as Aaros walked into the camera's view. "Leffera, this is Judge Aaros. Judge Aaros, this is Leffera."

They exchanged hellos and the judge turned back to Jack. "How do you intend to have sex with your communication device?"

"Well, first off I don't intend to have sex with the device. We will touch ourselves while watching each other."

"Ooooohhhhh Jack! You're going to be naked too!?! This is going to be better than I thought. I may have to come over there afterwards to clean you though!" Leffera moaned.

"Actually you can't. Long story short, my role as Queen's Consort is being legally challenged by a group of males and one of the conditions is I must abstain from sex with females until the challenge ends. 244 days from now," Jack explained.

"OH MY GOD! JACK, YOU'LL NEVER MAKE IT!" Leffera yelled in dismay.

"What the hell is it with everyone having such a low estimate of my willpower to resist sex?" Jack growled.

Leffera began to cry.

"Ah, please don't cry! It's going to be ok! I swear it will," Jack pleaded.