Realms of Eden: B4 - First Battle

Sydney put his arms around the woman as she sobbed hysterically against his shoulder. "Sydney I don't know how to stop it! I thought we had succeeded the other day but it seems that the channel is open and no matter what we do with her or where she is she is going to be overwhelmed by the passion on this boat! Eventually everywhere. She is going to go insane if she cannot control it!"

Sydney had a thought and asked Kel how long the dose of sleeping injection would last. Kel retrieved the package from the table where she had left it and read off 4 hours for an adult and more than 6 but less than 8 hours for a child. "OK," breathed Sydney, "I need a computer terminal."

He moved quickly to the workstation Bonnie pointed out tucked into an alcove just down from the pilot's station. He started up the machine and then stopped chuckling stupidly and without pre-amble said, "Alfred?"

"Right here my boy, took you long enough didn't it?" the smiling green face on the overhead screen greeted all of those present. The green faced man saw Serenity looking at him with wonder and welcomed her, "Hello Serenity I hear you have had an interesting journey back to our world!"

The little woman nodded sadly. Without warning she was suddenly up and over the side of the boat her body arching out gracefully as she sailed into the air and into the clear waters some 18 metres below.

Sydney moved to follow her but Bonnie and Jo beat him to it. "Look for us later," came hurriedly from Jo as the two women leapt after Serenity. Kel reported that they were all swimming to the nearby beach.

"If I may make a suggestion," said Alfred and Thelma turned to the screen and waited. "Get everyone else off this boat as well and onto the island. Let's just leave you three and Jenny on board and send the rest of them out shopping with instructions not to come back until they are summoned. Let's see if a little less, shall we say tension, might help out our little girl for a while."

"Leave it to me," said Thelma and she disappeared down below. Shortly the hubbub of happy agreement was echoing to her subtle suggestions and soon the boat was clear of everyone except Thelma, Kel and Sydney.

Thelma told Kel that she had sent spare clothes and credit cards for Jo, Bonnie and Serenity with Wendy along with strict instructions to keep the women in sight.

Sydney nodded and with a heavy heart he turned back to the little girl he was supposed to be protecting and thought how hopeless he was turning out to be doing it. His shoulders slumped as he sat in a chair beside the bed. Holding her hand as she slept quietly he allowed the tears to overflow from his eyes and drip unchecked onto his clothes.

Alfred broke the silence and quietly informed the remaining team that he was aware that there was a fairly well equipped sick bay aboard the boat. Thelma nodded having checked it out on her first lot of exploring. The computerised doctor remarked that though it may not have everything they needed it was a good start and suggested that they check the beds out and prepare one for their small charge.

Kel and Thelma, grateful of having something useful to do, patted Sydney's shoulder as they passed him and headed to the room located on the second level. "What do you want me to do Alfred?" Sydney asked the concerned visage on the screen above him.

Alfred's suggestion was quietly given. "Just hold her hand son."

Alfred checked through thousands of case files in his databases cross checking and comparing for symptoms similar to those that he was observing, not only in Jenny whom he thought was unique but in the rest of the party. Something about the whole sexual atmosphere on the boat was wrong! "Yes," he muttered to himself, "they all have a strong dose of love me, love you in their general attitudes. But this is getting towards being a full on orgy!" Uttering of the word hit his memory banks like a high blast of electricity.

He began running a diagnostic on the equipment in the boat's sick bay and waited. Observing the determined young man that he honestly called a friend pick up his little charge and carry her limp body down in the lift he watched him hand her over to her mother before he made his request.

"Sydney," he called to the man in his mind and saw the change in expression that always alerted him to the fact that he was being heard. "I need you to get a sample of all of the water on board this boat. You need to get a little bit from every shower, drinking tap and even from the ice machines into some specimen jars and label where they came from."

Sydney nodded that he understood and gathering up some jars from the cupboards in the sick bay and a pen and began to set off. Thelma stopped him at the doorway. "What are you doing?"

He explained Alfred's request. Thelma paused and then called out, "Alfred can you bring up the schematics of this boat?"

No sooner had she requested it than the details were being displayed on the large monitor at the nurses' station near the sick bay entrance. "See there are only three reservoirs on board," she pointed out the three tanks stationed on the lower deck and traced their plumbing from each one to the service areas. All of the tanks provided drinking, washing and bathing uses throughout different sections of the boat. Septic uses were from treated seawater and recycled grey water. So Sydney and Thelma only needed to gather three samples and they were quickly back with a cup from each one.

Alfred instructed his charges on extracting and readying the samples for the analysis equipment and disappointingly he pronounced them clear in a short time. He shrugged his shoulders as he gave them the news via the console and his expression was one of continued speculation as he observed the remaining adults and the child.

He saw that despite the seriousness of the situation they found themselves in that the women were continual fidgeting and touching. He whispered in Sydney's mind. "Take a deep breath young fellow and tell me what you smell."

When Sydney began naming chemicals and other more mundane items Alfred interrupted. "No, concentrate on the females!" Sydney closed his eyes and sniffed deeply. His body reacted immediately, his heart beat began to increase and quickly his shorts were tightening around his pronounced erection.

"They're on heat, Alfred, all of them even Jenny!" The young man was distressed, his need to flee the room was evident and Alfred suggested that he go and clear his head. Sydney bolted from the room and upon reaching the railing around the second level deck immediately threw up over the side. Personal disgust filled him that he was excited by the scents of a nine year old girl that should not have even been in the state she was in for at least another ten or twelve years.

Sydney stood there trembling as the ocean breeze ruffled his hair as he breathed the salt spray clearing his senses a little. Proceeding down one level he found himself in the exercise room on the lower deck. He switched on one of the running machines and stripping off his shirt began to warm up his legs and body. Soon he was pounding down the simulated road the machine projected and lost in thought he ran kilometre after kilometre.

Alfred was in search mode again as he carefully gleaned information from Sydney's nano-bots as the boy ran. The computer was comparing the molecular breakdown supplied by the tiny machines to records that he had access to from every medical centre across the Oceanic region. The process took a long time, even at his super-fast computer speeds. Alfred was despairing of finding a solution when suddenly his retrieval programs recorded a hit and he quickly slid the records into his fast access memory banks.

What he saw had the little green man bellowing with disbelief and his booming curses penetrated Sydney's trance-like running state and had the two women in the sick bay cowering from his scowling face.

"Sydney!" he shouted and the man appeared, hardly out of breath and wiping off his sweat with a towel in front of the screen. Alfred watched the man carefully and then surprised everyone by asking him to stop wiping himself and to stand still.

He turned his eyes to the two women who were surreptitiously touching each other and he saw that they were barely restraining themselves in their desire to move to the strong male standing semi-naked in the room. He hazarded a guess that it could have been any man standing there and the reaction would have been the same. It being the man that they both loved the chemicals now in their bloodstreams was making the attraction a thousand times more potent.

"Sydney I want you to scrape some of your sweat off into one of the vials like the ones we used to test the water," and watched the man comply.

What to do about the sluts, he thought. Sluts was all he could use to describe them as they were very close to being mindless fucking machines! He needed to get this buttoned down before their overheated hormones reacted and took over the last remnants of sense that they had.

He whispered in Sydney's mind as the young man carried out his specimen gathering. "I am sorry Sydney but I need you to knock out Kel and Thelma. You will find a couple of sleeping canisters in the draw to your left. If you don't, everyone on this boat is going to die."

The boy's back stiffened but he covered his retrieval of the injections with his big frame and palmed two, hiding them in his towel. He made his way around the chairs that the two women fidgeted in as they watched his muscular body with the intensity of a hawk looking for prey.

When he was behind them he pressed his palms into their exposed necks when they tilted their heads to receive the kisses they believed were coming. The two women sagged like rag dolls and the man whispered, "Sorry ladies, doctor's orders."

There were two other sick beds in the room and he quickly laid both of the women on them. At Alfred's suggestion he secured them to the beds using the straps attached to the bed for such purposes, which wasn't surprising as they were on a boat that could sometimes be affected by rough seas.

Sydney sat in the chair regarding the green man's face in front of him. "You had better have a good explanation for this Alfred; otherwise my balls might be Thelma's next set of earring pendants." Despite himself Sydney smiled as he recalled another set of circumstances that had almost resulted in his nuts being threatened with the same fate.

Alfred smiled back. "Look at them now!"

Sydney observed the two women tied on their backs on the bed and he noticed that their hips were shifting slightly; rocking almost. Barely audible noises were coming from their throats. He lifted his eyebrows in question at Alfred and was surprised when the green man's face contorted into a mask of rage!

"What is it Alfred, tell me please? What is going on?" implored Sydney.

Alfred's demeanour smoothed to its normal professional look and his voice came out slightly flat and emotionless. "Not yet Sydney. First we have to find the source of the drugs but before we do that we have to prepare some antidotes. I am afraid you are not going to be able to do that by yourself. We need a couple of professionals but unfortunately the three I have in mind are just as infected as those two and I suspect young Jenny is as well."

Sydney threw his hands up in the air. "What about some local help?" He pointed out the window to the hospital that was visible just back from the beach on the island that they were anchored off.

"Possibly," replied the green man, "I'll check."

His face was gone, unnecessary but Alfred always found it easier to remove his image from around humans to give them the feeling of dealing with a person rather than a machine and he laughed a little inside. Alfred always stunned himself a bit when he found himself reacting in human ways and he reflected that it had only started happening since the arrival of Sydney Douglas. In some ways he found the thought comforting that he was being affected by someone who was going to change the world.

His search through the San Cristobal personnel records turned up some interesting names and finally he found a colleague of Greg Collins whom Alfred had 'met' several years ago. In fact it was as recently as late last year. He dialled her number in voice mode only and was relieved when the doctor answered the phone with a professional, "Xavier Masterton."

He re-introduced himself and the woman's tone turned curious as she asked him to confirm their last meeting. Satisfied that she was indeed talking to the delightful green man that appeared on the computer console in Greg Collins' office late last year she asked him what was up.

"Can you see that floating motel out in the bay from your window?" Alfred asked.

When she confirmed that she could indeed see the big party boat he asked if she would like to attend a medical emergency on board it and help some rather unique cases in the process. The doctor's interest was piqued and she quickly scanned her appointment calendar and saw that apart from a few minor meetings, easily deferred, she could accommodate his request.

Alfred thanked her profusely and then proceeded to dictate a list of medical supplies that she would need to bring with her as well as answering her questions on available equipment. Alfred duly supplied a list and apart from a small piece of analyser equipment that she could borrow, without problem, she assured the man, she could be there within a few hours.

Alfred said he hoped it would be soon enough then added that he did have three medical personnel on board. He told her that he believed they were also infected and would probably be as good as useless. Xavier asked about the possibility of bringing along a competent nurse. Alfred agreed that it would be a good idea, "Another male would be ideal!" he suggested.

Xavier frowned, thinking and then asked Alfred to wait punched in another phone number and talked rapidly to someone on the other line. She returned to Alfred and said, "All set, see you in about two hours."

Alfred returned his image to the screen as was shocked to see Sydney's face staring hungrily at him, as if the man was lost in a very erotic daydream. The man's face showed extreme emotions, his eyes unfocussed and his mouth opened in a pant. Obviously something had happened to him whilst he turned his attention to setting up medical assistance.

"Sydney," he called tentatively and receiving no response he called a little louder before finally yelling at him as loud as the computer systems' speakers would allow. The man shook and the blood returned to his face. As his eyes refocussed he looked at Alfred as if nothing unusual had occurred.

"What were you doing?" asked the green man quietly.

Sydney blushed a little and said, "Eavesdropping."

"On who?" Alfred wanted to know and Sydney indicated the two women still tied to the beds only now their hips had stopped moving and their throats no longer moaned. The two actually looked like they were in exhausted natural sleeps.

"What did you do to them?"

"Fucked them senseless," was the smiling reply.

Alfred wanted to know more and he indicated the still form of Jenny who also exhibited signs of sleeping an exhausted sleep rather than a drug induced coma.

"Her as well," he replied. "Though not in her little girl form, her adult mind one," he added.

"Tell me more please Sydney you may have just bought us some time and I need to know what you have done."

Sydney tried to explain to the computer his mind links with the party, explaining how he had connections to everyone through his crystal lights and spinning globes. He suddenly felt that he was failing in his explanation to the green man until Alfred suggested a correlation between him and Sydney's nano-bots. Sydney's eyes lit up and he nodded enthusiastically except he pointed out that with his connections he could see and feel them. Not only that he could interact with their dreams and influence emotions and thoughts. Alfred began to grasp the complexity of what the boy was trying to tell him and urged him to continue.

Relating to the computer about the gift that Thelma had given him and the enhancement of that from Nugua was easy. Alfred knew of some of the realms residents and their powers, he was not sure how he knew but it didn't matter now. Sydney told him about how he had interacted with Bonnie to help her over the problems that David had caused with his selfish desire to have her and Jenny. "I could interact with her nightmare to give her some relief, but I had to create a whole new scenario for her at the beach to break the link to David. I did it again now," Sydney finished.

Alfred's smile was genuine as he suddenly realised what Sydney had done. "So my boy you gave them the ultimate prize and entered their dreams!" He nodded to the bodies on the beds, "Gave them their dream fucking!"

Sydney nodded and his eyes watered. "Except Alfred they weren't dreaming of the real me. The person they were seeing was some monster that didn't care about them, it was just using their bodies and it was awful. I could hear their screams when I first decided to look in on them to make sure they were ok."

Alfred regarded him tenderly for a moment. "I hope you changed that very quickly!"

Sydney's face hardened as he affirmed that with some very graphic violence he had displaced the monsters. His version of the events he played out to replace the scenario of being the rescuer who was rewarded by the fair maiden who quite naturally rewarded him enthusiastically and vigorously.

Alfred gave a soft chuckle but quickly silenced it when he saw that Sydney was still upset and he guessed that Jenny was not quite so lucky. Sydney shook his head and related how he had saw Jenny's tormentor trying to ravage the little girl's body. Angrily he slew and removed the nightmare and held the little girl tight. He created a growing up scenario for her taking through to her twenty-first birthday and giving himself to her as a gift.

Sydney finally chuckled. "With bows in all the right places as well."

Alfred laughed out loud and he found himself wishing he had a body to hug the young man and he hoped his face showed the pride he felt for the boy.

"You did well Sydney. Let's see why you seem to be immune to all of this activity, shall we?"

Soon the samples of his sweat and blood that Alfred got him to supply were spinning in the centrifuge and the components separated onto slides that Alfred had Sydney prepare and place into the small electron microscope as well as through the automated analysis machine.

As the machines whirred Sydney did his own internal investigation of his body. It was something that he was learning from Jenny and occasional from Esmeralda when she looked in on him from time to time. The thought of the little Zygotian gave him a small worry, she should have been here! Along with Orial and Marmess where were they! He gave a small moan that Alfred heard as he monitored the machines.

"What is it Sydney?" he asked quickly.

"I have a message from Orial, whatever is afflicting the others on this boat has taken Es and Marmess out as well. Alfred! They are all in a coma somewhere in the realms, I can't get to them!"

"Sydney! Stop!" Alfred yelled as Sydney bounced around the sickbay trying desperately to think of someway to help the aliens.

He spun to face the computer console at Alfred's shout. "I assume that Orial and Marmess are Zygotians the same as Es?" the green faced man asked.

"Yes, they are Serenity's and Jenny's guardians."

"Then they will have had their body chemistry aligned with those two as Es does to yours. Though it seems a bit odd that Es is affected by whatever is in their systems but you are not. Sydney has anything else happened to you that I don't know about?" The face on the screen looked questioningly at the big man as he stopped to consider Alfred's comments.