Tripletit 02: Saving The Planet

The maid laughed.

"That's not the effect of the coffee..."

She leant over to kiss me.

"Welcome to the planet. I'm sure you'll enjoy your stay."

She left in a flutter of skirt whisking out of the door.

After breakfast I showered, shaved and dressed. My clothes had been washed, dried, ironed and carefully folded during the night. I went to the gymnasium. There were sets of sports clothing for the guests' use. After a better workout than I had managed for years I needed another shower. If all brothels on Tripletit were like this one I could imagine living in one.

At ten o'clock promptly I knocked on the door of room 36. Chloe opened the door.

"Come in Derek."

I entered. This room had touches of her personality unlike the other room. There were pictures on the walls, a few small sculptures on shelves, and more furniture.

"This is my home, Derek."

"I'm honoured, Chloe, but why? You don't do this for every visitor, do you?"

"No. Rhonda spoke to me after I left you last night."

"Rhonda? How did she...?"

"Know where you are? Our intelligence services are very efficient. We knew who you were before you landed and had some idea why you came to this planet. Rhonda is one of our agents. So am I. This whole establishment is run by the intelligence agency, at a profit, but mainly for intelligence gathering."

"I'm not sure I like that."

"You have nothing to be afraid of. You have come here with an overt purpose that could be to our benefit and have made no secret about who you are and what you represent."

"Then why?"

"Why send you to me? We didn't want you to be the victim of one of our more unscrupulous women. Some refuse to let a man free from their embrace until he pays more. Paying to have sex with a woman here is easy and painless. Paying for her to stop can be expensive."

I could imagine the situation. Wrapped in Chloe last night I couldn't have freed myself. If she had wanted to prolong the coupling beyond my endurance I would have had no means of escape.

"OK. So I have been escorted and protected. Against whom?"

"Mr Trelawney, there are other humans on this planet who are prospecting for minerals. They haven't asked for permission or announced their presence. They are pretending to be tourists who want to experience the wilderness. Tourists don't carry surveying equipment nor rock drills as they do."

"Do you know who they are?"

"Their individual names are phoney. Some of their equipment has partially erased markings something like 'Dunnel and Hagstack'."

"Donald and Hogstock! Them! The worst set of claim-jumpers and rip-off artists galaxy-wide!"

"You know them?"

"Too well. They are barely legitimate at their best. They have raped minerals from many undeveloped planets and left massive environmental damage almost everywhere they have touched."

"And you don't?"

"If your government has done any research about me at all you should know better than that, Chloe... Is Chloe your name?"

"Yes. I am Chloe. And yes, we did research you and your company. You get glowing recommendations from everyone we contacted."

"So we should. We have been extracting minerals for thousands of years since my distant ancestors founded the company in a place called Cornwall on Old Earth. I still have the family name but I am a very junior part of the company."

"That's a lie, Derek. Probably the only one you've told. You are part of the main company board and next in line to be managing director."

I shrugged my shoulders. I had been caught out. That information was supposed to be confidential but if a planet's intelligence agency applied serious resources any secret could be revealed.

"What happens now, Chloe?"

"We will co-operate with you. We will provide guides and mineral experts to accompany you."

"And spies to see what I'm up to?"

"Yes, those too. We are inclined to trust you but this is our planet. We need to protect it."

"Have you got spies with Donald and Hogstock?"

"I can't answer that."

"What would have happened if I'd gone to another place last night?"

"Whichever one you went to I would have been there. I was following you. I came in the back way as you were in the foyer."

"Why you, Chloe?"

"Because I have a degree in geology."

"You are a highly talented intelligence operative, Chloe."

"Most of us are. It is a comparatively well paid career."

"If you have a degree in geology, obtained on this planet..."

Chloe nodded.

"Why has the exploration of this planet's minerals been neglected?"

"Geology is a minority subject. We, that is the women on this planet, are strongly gregarious. We don't like being alone or away from the towns. We have done some exploration in groups but not very far from the settlements. We become more uncomfortable the further we go, especially at the beginning of each month and particularly in April. Any real exploration would mean being away for more than a month. Unless we were a group of at least a dozen we couldn't bear it. Sandra, our minister of natural resources, discourages exploration further afield because of the dangers to us. Partly because of her opposition and partly because of our inhabitants' natural reluctance we don't have the finance to equip a group that large for a long expedition."

"But Donald and Hogstock have?"

"No. They are prospecting with pairs of human males."

"How many pairs?"

"Only two that we know about. There might be others if they entered illegally. Any humans that are here legitimately we know about."

"All of them?"

"Yes. All. Their mistresses would report to us if they vanished for more than a day or so."

"Why?"

"Because the women would be frightened for the men. The women can't understand how a man could live alone. Even a short absence causes distress to the mistress."

"Are there are men who don't have mistresses?"

"On Tripletit?" Chloe laughed. "There are many more women than men. Any unattached man would be swamped by available females."

"Even me?"

"Especially you. Rhonda had to try very hard not to seduce you in the library. You are not just single and unattached but rich. You are a highly desirable partner."

"So how do I protect myself and how do I get to go prospecting without being swamped by women?"

"I'll protect you."

"You, Chloe? How? Won't you want to be with the group?"

"I can manage to be on my own if I have a man to cuddle."

"So you'll come with me?"

"Yes, partner."

That was it. Chloe had declared herself my partner. Partner in exploration. Partner in bed. That statement staked her claim on me. I could only free myself from her by a public and shameful repudiation.

Over the next few weeks I equipped and organised three twelve-women exploration groups to survey different parts of the continent that had not been adequately prospected for minerals. I doubted that they would achieve much except to gain experience. They were the best geologists the planet could produce but their field experience was abysmal. The paperwork to allow the expeditions was almost the worst mind-boggling gobbledegook I had dealt with on any planet. Without Chloe and Rhonda's help I would have failed to get permission.

Chloe, Rhonda and I studied satellite scans and photographs of the planet's surface for days on end. Both women hugged me each time we met. I enjoyed being wholly wrapped in their bodies. I enjoyed Chloe more each night. By the end of the first week I was wrapped in Chloe all night long and yet fully fit and raring to go the next morning.

The following weekend was the first of the month, the first 'hunting' period since I had landed on Tripletit. I wasn't expecting the impact on the women of the planet. Every woman I met wrapped me in a tight hug and held me there for at least a minute. It took me half an hour to get from my hotel room to the dining room for breakfast. The waitress wrapped me tightly while she took my order and again when she delivered it.

As I ate breakfast Rhonda arrived. She sat beside me, reached over, picked me up, sat me on her lap and folded her body around me so that I was almost invisible to anyone else.

"How are you enjoying the hunting, Derek?" she asked as she sipped her coffee.

"Nice, Rhonda, but..." I felt awkward as I peered upwards to the underside of her coffee cup.

"But you are worried that you are the prey? How do you think you would fare walking to my office today?"

"I think it might take all day to get there."

"It might. You might not even arrive. Someone might like you so much that she'd borrow you for a couple of days."

"Oh."

"Most men on this planet stay indoors or very close to their mistresses at the start of the hunting weekend. Human males need protection at this time. That's why I'm here wrapped around you, and why Chloe will be here in the next few minutes. We need to do some work today in between other things. Have you finished breakfast?"

"Yes."

"Then I'll carry you to your room. That way you'll be protected..."

Rhonda didn't give me a choice. She stood up and carried me from the dining room all the way to my room. She put me down so that I could open the door. Inside she sat on my bed, pulled me to her, and wrapped herself around me again. Her blouse seemed to have become undone. My face was being gently eased towards her right breast when the room's bell sounded.

"Blast!" Rhonda said forcefully.

She lifted me from her lap and sat me on the bed before crossing the room to admit Chloe. Chloe looked at both of us.

"Even you couldn't resist, could you, Rhonda?"

"No. Could you in my place?"

"No."

Chloe lifted me from the bed and, still standing, wrapped her body around me until I was squeezed between her left and right breasts. My weight was supported by her hips and the friction between our clothes.

"We need you to be alert and in full command of your faculties, Derek. When Rhonda's ready I'll give her to you."

I could just see Rhonda's face. She seemed startled and then grateful. She opened her blouse and released her left breast. Chloe passed me to Rhonda who clutched me to her tit. I swallowed as her milk began to flow. Soon Rhonda had stripped both of us and I was wrapped in her body. I didn't notice when Chloe left, nor when she returned an hour later bearing a fresh pot of coffee. Only when Rhonda released me was I aware that Chloe was back but clothed differently.

"Derek," Chloe said softly, "we need to move fast. It seems that one of the Donald and Hogstock teams have found some mineral deposits and may be preparing to stake a claim. We need to forestall them. Are you ready to leave? Now?"

I dressed myself quickly before replying. I felt incredibly fit and healthy.

"Yes. I'm ready. Where and when?"

"About five hundred miles away. Now. Or as soon as we can get there. Rhonda will fly us as close as we can get, then we walk, or ride if we can. The plane is loaded. All I need is you. I couldn't go on my own and none of our teams are anywhere close. Ready?"

"OK," I replied, "but what about equipment?"

"Everything you brought is on the plane."

"Let's go..."

I suddenly thought about getting to the airport. I'd be impeded by predatory women. Rhonda seemed to read my thoughts.

"Chloe will cuddle you while I drive. No one will bother someone so obviously claimed."

They didn't. Even after a session with Rhonda, Chloe's body was still desirable. I scarcely noticed the drive as I snuggled in Chloe's embrace. She carried me on to the plane past the airport women before strapping us in a seat designed for a Tripletit woman cuddling a human male. Rhonda took the pilot seat, performed the pre-flight checks and taxied to the end of the runway. Once the control tower gave us clearance she took off as if she was a fighter pilot. Even cushioned in Chloe's arms I felt the g-force of the acceleration.

Once we were cruising at altitude Chloe relaxed her grip on me. She shouted in my ear over the noisy engines.

"We should be there in ten minutes. I hope that we have some mounts waiting for us. If not, we have to walk at least twenty miles."

Rhonda landed us bumpily on a grass strip hacked out of the forest. Beside a hut was a Tripletit woman holding two large animals. To me they looked like giant horses with lizards' heads.

Chloe remarked "Good. We have some onagers."

"Onagers? They don't look like onagers to me."

"They're not. Onager is the closest word in English to our word for them so onagers they've become. They can be aggressive."

I didn't like the idea of animals that large being aggressive. However Rhonda, Chloe and I were soon hauling the equipment out of the plane.

Rhonda introduced me to the onager handler.

"Joy, this is Derek. Derek, this is Joy."

While Chloe held the onager's reins, Joy wrapped herself tightly around me. I could get to enjoy this greeting custom. Joy's scent was faintly horse like, presumably from the onagers, but her breasts pressed against my head soon made me feel that she was another very desirable woman.

"Chloe," Joy said above my head, "you may have a problem. Onagers don't like human male scent. The others..." We knew she meant Donald and Hogstock's prospectors. "...had to shoot their onagers in self-defence. Have you got anything that could disguise Derek's scent?"

"No. Except..." Chloe paused. "We're upwind from your onagers. They should have smelled Derek already and they don't seem concerned. Rhonda? Hold your gun ready. I think we have a solution."

Chloe took me from Joy's embrace and held my hand as we walked towards the onagers. They raised their heads as we got close but seemed docile. Chloe stroked one. She motioned to me to do the same. I reached up and stroked an onager's leg. It seemed to purr noisily.

"OK, Joy. I think we've solved it. Rhonda made love to Derek before we left. His scent is hers. If I..."

Joy laughed. "Do you need an excuse?"

There is an Earth expression 'Don't frighten the horses' but making love to keep onagers docile is different.

"No," Chloe admitted, "but if it keeps the onagers quiet... Joy, could you look after Derek while Rhonda and I load the supplies?"

Jo took my hand and led me inside the hut.

"They'll be some time, Derek. We could..."

Joy started to strip. I got the message. Soon we were lying on her bunk with me wrapped inside her. Her need seemed more insistent than either Chloe or Rhonda's. She held me so tight, thrusting her breast so deep inside my mouth that I couldn't have asked her to stop if I had wanted to. Unlike the others Joy's body wrapped me harder. I was helpless and could only respond to her thrusting. If the others didn't come back soon I was afraid that I might be suffocated by Joy and die. But if I was to die, I couldn't think of a more pleasant way to go.

Eventually Joy shuddered in release. Her body's grip eased slightly. She slid her breast out of my mouth.

"Thank you, Derek. I don't know how much longer I could have remained without sex. Staying away from people is unnatural for us and we have been away for a couple of weeks. It wasn't so bad while we were together but I've been alone for two days and it's a hunting weekend."

I couldn't reply even without a mouth full of breast. I was on a high from Joy's euphoric milk and only just beginning to regain my breath. Joy lowered me to the bunk and started to dress herself. When she was completely clothed she started to dress me. I took over as the effect of our coupling began to energise my body.

Joy kissed me and pushed me towards the door.

"Go for a quick run. It'll do you good."

It did. After about half a mile of running around the clearing I returned to the onagers. The three women had loaded the onagers. Rhonda hugged me, followed by Chloe and Joy. Rhonda climbed into the plane and took off. Joy hugged me again before setting off to join the rest of her geologists. Chloe lifted me on to an onager's back. I didn't know how I could mount or dismount without her help. These onagers were larger than most Earth elephants.

She led the way along a faint trail through the forest. Whatever had made the trail it wasn't onagers. Our onagers crashed through the forest like bulldozers, swerving only for the larger trees. We were protected from the debris by the onagers' heads. In less than a couple of hours we were close to where Donald and Hogstock's prospectors were expected to be. It didn't take us long to find them. They had a large bonfire sending smoke and flames high in the air.

Chloe lifted me off my onager. Leaving them grazing on trees we approached carefully. Their campsite was a mess. The stream was stained with minerals from their assaying. Piles of metal drums containing noxious chemicals were scattered around, leaking on to the ground carelessly.

Chloe whispered in my ear: "You told me they were planet plunderers, Derek, but I didn't expect this much damage so soon. They've ruined more land in a couple of days than our whole population would do in a year."

"This is only the beginning," I whispered back. "They're just testing for the mineral deposits. Once they start production they would rip out the forest for miles around and pollute the soil for hundreds of years."

"And you wouldn't?" Chloe hissed at me.

"Mining is destructive. It can be done with respect to the environment and everything can be restored as it was but that costs money. Donald and Hogstock are only interested in making profits and then moving on. My company is concerned about the longer term. We want to be welcome and work with local people over generations, not for a few months of ripping out the more valuable deposits and moving on to the next planet."

"So what have they found? Can you tell?"

"I have a good idea. I'll need to get closer. Stay here..."

Chloe reached out a hand and patted my shoulder.

"Don't be long."

I crawled through the undergrowth until I reached a pit where they had been digging. I collected a few samples from the side of the pit and crawled back to Chloe. I checked the samples with the instruments from my backpack. The indications were enough to show that there was a rich seam of bauxite. I put my finger to my lips and motioned that we should move away.

Once we were about half a mile from their camp I sat down.

"This is bauxite. It needs massive energy supplies for the deposit to be worthwhile using. That might mean a nuclear power plant..."

"Here? That's monstrous!" Chloe exploded.

"That wouldn't bother them. It would concern me and my company. Where else have they been?"

"The other geology team are about twenty miles away. We'll join them."

When we arrived at the Tripletit geologists' camp I was hugged by all dozen women. The hunting weekend had affected all of them even though they were a long way from human males. As we talked I was passed from one woman to another and wrapped in her body before she reluctantly released me to go to a colleague. It took a long time for the full story to be told, perhaps longer than it should have done because every woman wanted to hug me. Sometimes I had to struggle to ask a question because a breast was thrusting itself into my mouth.

Donald and Hogstock had assayed at six sites. Two were barren but samples taken by the women showed usable mineral deposits at the other four. Including the bauxite there was enough proven minerals to provide most of Tripletit's needs and probably some for export. The survey had barely touched a small part of the planet within easy reach of the capital. If mineral deposits were as common elsewhere, Tripletit could become a major producer of minerals for this whole galactic sector.

"Chloe, we need to stop Donald and Hogstock claiming the minerals. They already know that Tripletit is worthwhile. How are mineral extraction rights assigned on this planet?"