Journey to Year 1,000,000,000 Ch. 06

Victor though a moment. The beginnings of an idea started to appear in his head. "If you can't solve her equation, have her solve yours."

Teldoc looked confused. "That's not the way it works here. Women make equations to give access to their bodies, not men."

"Who is to say how anything works? You developed a whole new method of interrogation, called kindness. Something no one ever thought to try. And look how successful that was."

"Yes, but this is different."

"No different," said Victor, shaking his head. "Go to Celesta, and tell her if she wants your body, she has to solve your equation."

"Do you think she will?" Teldoc looked uncertain.

Victor grinned. "It's obvious. All she needs is an excuse. Give her one. Just... don't make it too difficult."

"I won't," said Teldoc. "I'll try it, Victor. But... if it works, I can't tell her where the idea came from."

"My lips are sealed," said Victor.

"You... wish me to seal your lips?"

Victor held up his hands rapidly. "No no no! That was just an expression. A manner of speech."

"Oh," said Teldoc. "Because, if you wish, I really could seal them."

"That... that won't be necessary," said Victor.

********

"So you inflicted pain when Lowers relieve themselves, to see how long they could delay their release. Hardly a novel experiment," said Senderock, not bothering to hide the contempt in his voice.

"It's a standard behavioral experiment," said Arnack.

"And that's your problem," said Senderock. "You do all the standard experiments. Where is your creativity? Where is your imagination?"

Taylor heard a giggle, and guessed that Prelnick was there too, somewhere.

"That's why I had you spare one of the females for my experiment, a much more interesting experiment," said Senderock. "A two level test of restraint."

"Two levels?"

"You shall see," said Senderock.

There was a flash, and Taylor found himself in the center chamber. With him was Jennifer, and Lieutenant Obongo Babangida.

"What madness have you planned now?" Taylor asked.

"You shall see," said Senderock.

Jennifer started to breathe more deeply. So did Babangida.

"What's happening?" said Taylor.

Jennifer smiled at Babangida. He smiled back at her.

"We shouldn't," Jennifer whispered. But she was smiling as she said it.

"We should," said Babangida. He went over, and took her in his arms.

Taylor's eyes widened as he realized what was happening. "No!" he cried. "Obongo! Get a hold of yourself!"

But Babangida wasn't listening. Both he and Jennifer were lost in lust. They both felt a burning need, Babangida, in his large black penis, and Jennifer, in her clitoris and vagina. The need to have sex.

Babangida was the most attractive man Jennifer had ever seen. The black security chief was six foot two inches tall, had a muscular chest, and big, strong arms. He was the largest man she had ever been... was going to be with. As soon as Jennifer felt his strong lips press against hers, she knew she wasn't going to resist. She knew she couldn't resist. She needed sex, and needed it badly.

"No!" Taylor cried, pulling Babangida away from her. "Control yourself!" he cried.

Babangida gave Taylor a strong shove, and moved to take Jennifer in his arms again. He needed to put himself inside Jennifer, and needed to do it right now! Nothing must be allowed to interfere.

Taylor lunged forward, and pushed Babangida away again. Babangida roared and punched Taylor in the stomach. Taylor felt like he had been hit by a compression gun. As he went down, Babangida lunged again, hitting him in the face.

Taylor fell to the ground, and the world faded for a moment. When it returned, Babangida had taken off his own shirt, and Jennifer's Survey Service dayshirt. He then watched helplessly as Obongo pulled off her Survey Service standard issue bra.

Taylor groaned and struggled to get up. He had to stop this from happening! Babangida was facing away from him, but Jennifer could see what he was doing.

"No, Michael!" she cried. "Stay down! Just stay down!"

Taylor couldn't believe what he was hearing. As he watched Babangida suck on her nipples, Jennifer cried, "Just let it happen, Michael! Just let it happen!" And then she closed her eyes and groaned, as Babangida sucked on one of her teats.

Just let it happen!

The words struck Taylor with more force than any punch. He lay there, weakly propped up on his elbow, as he watched Babangida undress and strip Jennifer of her remaining clothing. Then Obongo quickly removed his own. Taylor saw, to his immense horror, that Babangida was already erect. His large black penis was at least two inches longer than Taylor's, and much wider. Taylor watched with wide eyes as Babangida lay Jennifer down on the ground, and got between her legs. He kissed and fondled her, and it seemed to Taylor that Jennifer gave as good as she got.

And then the moment came when Babangida lifted himself up, and Taylor got a view of that monster between Babangida's legs from a side view. It was huge and glistening and black, like the color of dark pudding, and looked like the shaft of an enormous bear. Jennifer looked Obongo straight in the eye as she felt the pressure of his organ at her lower entrance. And then Taylor watched helplessly as Babangida inserted his large black penis into Jennifer's trembling white body, inch by inch, as he filled her completely.

Taylor heard Jennifer gasp as Babangida completed the connection, as his penis disappeared completely inside of his first officer.

Jennifer felt the fullness of being taken and smiled up at him. Obongo, feeling reassured, looked down and smiled back. He started to pump her, thrusted into her with slow deep strokes, his organ glistening with her juices every time it emerged.

Jennifer made sounds ever few seconds. "Oh... oh... oh... oh... oh... oh..." though whether it was out of pain, or pleasure, or both, Taylor could not tell. He watched helplessly as his security officer had sexual congress with the woman he loved. Was Jennifer enjoying it? Or was she merely giving in to protect Taylor?

And then... and then... the worst moment of all. As Babangida was plowing into her, Jennifer actually turned her head, for a brief moment, and looked at Taylor, and seemed to smile at him.

But it was not just any smile; it was a smug, satisfied, self-indulgant smile, a smile flaunting the power she had over him. It was as if she knew she was hurting him, as if she enjoyed it, as if hurting him added a forbidden spice to the illicit moment that made it all the sweeter.

All doubt vanished from Taylor's mind when Jennifer turned her gaze back to Obongo, wrapped her arms around his back, and moaned, "I'm almost there. Harder, Obongo, faster!" Taylor watched as she smiled and kissed him furiously as the enormous black shaft pumped her more intensely. "Oh.. oh.. oh ohohoohohoh, OBONGO!" Jennifer cried, and then he gave a ferocious yell, and Obongo's body stiffened as he released, deep within her.

Taylor watched, still immobilized by shock and surpise, as they lay together in the aftermath, with Obongo's large black body on top of Jennifer's smaller white one, still impaling her deeply, for a long, silent moment. And then Obongo pulled out slowly, letting her feel every inch as he vacated her, his large cock still hard and glistening. Jennifer exhaled and her breasts heaved as she felt him pull out of the most intimate part of her. Babangida smiled at Jennifer, as he gave her a hand to help her get up. She took it, and smiled back at him.

Taylor looked at her, grinning broadly at Obongo as her labial lips gleamed with wetness, and he felt like his head was going to explode in agony.

But then, Jennifer's smile slowly faded as her mind started to clear. She shook her head, and looked around as if awaking out of a dream. She looked down, and touched herself in an intimate place, and raised a finger coated with white fluid. "Oh my God! What did I just do? What did we just do-"

There was a flash of light, and they were transported back in their cells. Jennifer, looking mortified, scrambled to put on her clothes. Babangida did the same.

"That was so incredibly clever, Senderock!" said Prelnick. "I never saw such an interesting experiment with the Aurora crew."

"That's because it's never been done before," said Senderock smugly.

"You will have to come to my quarters tonight and explain how you thought of it," said Prelnick.

"So I will," said Senderock.

"This has been a very disappointing performance, Captain Taylor," said Arnack. "You responded with no more restraint than a wild animal. You are truly lacking in any elements of Xetan. I can see that you more closely resemble the Lowers than you do the Ascended."

Taylor said nothing. He just kept looking at Jennifer. She avoided his gaze. Jennifer had been influenced by the aliens to do what she did... but when she gave in to it, she had seemed to actually enjoy it.

Just let it happen.

Those words would haunt him forever.

Taylor had thought that Jennifer loved him, that he was her secret love. Now he was no longer so sure. He was no longer sure of anything.

********

Taylor didn't know how much more of this he or the crew, could endure. Pain was only part of it.

None of the pain was permanent; any pain he endured would go away in minutes or seconds. But the memory of it would linger in his mind for days. Every time he felt a jolt of pain, of a needle through his belly, he would feel himself breaking down, just a little bit more.

But the pain was not merely physical. There was also the humiliation, the shame, and the strife that was being generated by these experiments. By now Taylor had figured out that they were doing more than merely testing their ability to restrain themselves; there was another, larger meta test going on. To break their devotion to each other. To drive them apart.

And it was working. He felt a wedge growing between himself and Jennifer, as well as Lieutenant Babangida. Crew members who had inadvertently given pain to other crew members found themselves the subject of resentment. Taylor could see it in their faces. He could feel it in their mood.

All except Bill Carey. Oddly enough, this awful experience had the unintended result of driving the two of them closer together. Taylor felt himself developing a mutual respect for his second officer, and felt the same from him.

It seemed impossible for each experiment to be worse than the one preceding it, but somehow it was. And the newest one, the brainchild of Senderock, was the worst of them all.

Podiums appeared in their cells, podiums with a button on them. When the podium lit up, they had three seconds to press the button. Pressing the button would inflict pain on whoever they were thinking of. If they refused to press the button, the pain would be inflicted on themselves.

"We're not playing your sick little game, Senderock," Taylor snapped.

"Really?" Senderock sounded very, very amused. "You may not play, Captain Taylor, but can you be so sure about the rest of your crew? Let us begin, and see!"

The first podium lit up. It was Taylor's. His pulse raced. He knew what it meant. But he refused to press the button.

He felt a stabbing pain in his head. He grabbed his head and screamed. It went on for a few seconds. Then it stopped.

Then Jennifer's podium lit up. She stared at it in horror. She refused to press the button. Soon she too was screaming.

They all resisted pressing the button on the first round. They all endured the pain rather than transfer it to someone else.

"All right," said Senderock. "What a great example of restraint from fine Survey Service officers! But will you be so valiant when the pain level is increased by... twenty percent?"

The second round begin. The pain did increase, but it felt more like fifty percent worse as Taylor screamed, grabbing his head again.

The others endured the pain. The pain felt so terrible to Suki, that her hand trembled over the button. But she didn't push it.

Crewman Rudy Garrett was the first to break. When he saw his podium turn bright he sobbed, and hit the button. Immediately, Lieutenant Babangida howled in pain.

When it was over, he glared at Rudy. "Why did you pick me, man?"

"I had to pick someone!" Rudy cried.

That broke the dam. Suddenly other crewmen started pressing the button when their turns came, and soon nearly everyone was doing it, everyone, predictably, except Taylor and Bill Carey. Every time someone picked someone else to give pain to, that person would turn on them and give them pain in return, when their turn came. Babangida gave Rudy pain after Rudy gave him pain; Jennifer gave Suki pain after Suki gave Jennifer pain; McCrae gave Karen Levenson pain after she gave him pain, and so on. Hand in hand with the pain giving was a buildup of anger, and resentment towards others. It was tearing the crew apart, as it was intended to.

But Taylor and Bill Carey didn't participate. They endured the pain. Taylor even endured it even when Jennifer gave him the pain once. He glared at her.

"Play the game, Taylor! Don't just absorb the pain on yourself!" Was she concerned for him, or angry with him? In this twisted environment, it was impossible to know.

But Taylor refused to deal out pain, no matter how badly it got. He saw a look of admiration in Bill Carey's eyes as he too, refused to dole out pain. At first. But finally it got so bad that Bill felt compelled to give in. His hand trembled as he pressed the button, and Jennifer shrieked in pain.

"Hey!" Taylor cried. "Why did you pick Jennifer?"

"I'm sorry! It's the first name that popped into my head!" Bill cried.

One on level Senderock was pleased. Nearly everything was going according to plan. The crew had turned on one another and were betraying each other.

But one resistor remained: Taylor. He seemed immovable.

And then something happened.

Karen Levenson gave pain to Doctor McCrae, and McCrae died.

He collapsed to the ground.

"McCrae!" Karen cried.

"That unit no longer functions," said Senderock. "Continue to play the game."

"Revive him!" said Taylor.

"He is not very useful," said Senderock. "This is the second time he has died."

"Revive him!" said Taylor.

"In return for what?" said Senderock.

There was a pause.

"Your friend does not have much time," said Senderock.

Taylor swallowed heavily. "I... I will play your game."

"Play it now."

And suddenly, Taylor's podium lit up.

He thought rapidly. He only had three seconds.

He pressed the button.

Jennifer screamed in pain.

She looked incredibly hurt when it was over.

But Taylor was watching McCrae. He saw a blue light appear over him, and then McCrae started breathing again.

"Let him rest! Don't make him play!" said Taylor.

"Very well. As long as you do!" said Senderock.

Taylor played the game. No one missed the fact that he gave half his pain allotment to Jennifer, and half to Babangida. In turn, they both gave him their full pain allotment.

The experiment continued for several more minutes, before they were allowed to collapse to the ground. They could feel the pain seeping out of their bodies, but even after the pain was gone, they still felt incredibly sore and exhausted.

"Wonderful. Simply wonderful," said Senderock, with a big smile on his face. His giant egg yolk eyes made his smile look even more malevolent.

"You set a new record for resistance, Captain Taylor," said Arnack.

"Yes, you resisted twice as long as the previous record holder, Captain Margaret Astor of the Aurora," said Senderock. "Most impressive!"

"Please... make this stop," said Taylor, his voice filled with pleading. "Surely you have enough data from these... experiments."

"We can always gather more data, Captain Taylor," said Arnack. He paused. "You do not wish to continue the experiments?"

"No!" Taylor cried.

"We could end them... if you agreed to serve us in another way," said Arnack.

"How?" Taylor asked.

"As our slaves."

Jennifer restrained a gasp.

"What... would that mean?" Bill Carey asked.

"Whatever we wanted it to, of course. Obedience in all things, without question. But it would get you out of this laboratory. There would be no more experiments." Arnack paused. "I'm not supposed to reveal this, Captain, but I'm afraid they get significantly more... challenging, after this one."

More challenging?

"You're all tired. Rest. Think about it. The next experiment does not begin until tomorrow morning. You can give me your answer then," said Arnack.

********

"They'll kill us," said Rudy Garrett. "If we keep going like this, they'll kill us."

"As the resident expert on dying, I'm inclined to agree," said Doctor McCrae. He seemed recovered from his latest brush with death, but his skin was pale and he felt weak.

"What are you saying? That you want to be a slave?" said Bill Carey.

"No," said Rudy. "I'm saying I want to live. Better to live as a slave than be dead."

"That's what it's really been all about," said Taylor. "These experiments. To see if they could break us."

"I'd say they succeeded," said McCrae, raising an eyebrow.

"Are you going to agree to become a slave, Doctor?" Carey asked.

"Yes," said McCrae.

"I am too," said Suki suddenly.

"Suki?" said Taylor, sounding surprised.

"I... I can't stand it anymore, sir," Suki said. She knew she had let her Captain down.

"I agree too," said Jennifer suddenly.

"You too, Jennifer?" said Taylor, with hurt in his voice.

"Yes! You should agree too, Michael," she said. "Agree to their... demands." Jennifer couldn't quite herself to say the word.

"You want me to become a slave?" said Taylor.

"I want you to live," said Jennifer.

Taylor's emotions were all confused. He had started to think of Jennifer as an enemy. He had give her pain her and she had done the same to him. But now that the latest experiment was over, he could see that she still cared for him. At least she didn't want him to die. Or... did she just want him broken, so she would feel better about giving in herself? His mind was so twisted by these experiments that he didn't know what he felt about her.

Taylor took a deep breath. "You can all choose for yourself," said Taylor. "But I will never agree to be a slave."

"And neither will I," said Bill Carey.

Nevertheless, Taylor spent an uncomfortable night tossing and turning as he thought about it. He tried to dream of Pamela, but couldn't.

********

Teldoc came into Victor's quarters, looking very satisfied. "Ooooh," he said, sinking into a chair.

"Tired?" Victor inquired.

"I was just with Celesta," said Teldoc. "For the past three minicycles."

"I take it she solved your equation," said Victor.

"She did!" Teldoc sat upright. "Victor, you were so right! When I asked her to solve an equation to win... me, I felt so foolish... but she reached out and solved it on the spot! And then we.. we....."

"Was it nice?"

"It was glorious!" said Teldoc. "I'm gifted down there, you know."

"Really?" said Victor.

"You can't tell, I know. By your measurement, in inches.... I'm at least two inches. That's a good half inch longer than the average male. Perhaps five eighths of an inch longer than Sithro."

"Two inches!" said Victor. "I've never heard of a male so well endowed. Celesta must have been pleased."

"Astonished," said Teldoc. "She said she could barely accommodate my size inside her! She loved it! And when she was done, she asked me when I would have my next equation ready for her!"

"You sound very happy."

"I am very happy. Thank you, Victor."