Sex in Sci-Fi Ch. 05

Even through the translator I sensed a warming between us, his melodic laugh became more frequent, his comments became less formal, more intimate somehow. It was similar to the feelings that I sometimes sensed in Sam's voice, 'and probably just as machine-made', I reminded myself.

Then something he said made me think of vid-discs and I realised that there were some I could show him with reasonable safety, Teev shows that I had recorded for some reason or other. Peter freed up part of our internal system and I had Sam screen them for him, so he could get a better idea of the variations between us, the differences between male and female. That was shown in detail in one segment that I had forgotten, and which may have been the reason I recorded it in the first place, a gorgeous blonde, naked of course, seducing some reluctant fool. So Peter got to see a bit more of our customs than I had really intended!

And that of course triggered the start of a more intimate conversation. We had previously covered a range of subjects, bits of history, political systems, religion and the lack of it, sporting and cultural activities and the like.

Peter opened it up by saying. 'Jake, the longer we have talked the more I have a feeling that somewhere, in times long past, we may have had some common origin.'

The silence was deafening, as they say, until he continued.

'I do not mean that we are both children of the same tribe, like the concept of Adam and Eve that you mentioned earlier. But you know that we are not too dissimilar to yourselves. We too have appendages like your arms and legs, though our jointing and extremities are different. We too have an erect sensory centre, like your head. Are bi-focal and bi-aural with single breathing and feeding orifices. We too have two sexes and it is the female that gives birth, after fertilisation by a single male. I should add that several other species we have already met are grossly different in a number of respects - but I cannot of course say more than that at this time.

Our similarities are too numerous to be completely circumstantial I believe, our scientists will have much to keep them interested for a very long time.

But, before that begins, I am interested in these things at a personal level and, if you will agree, would like to discuss such matters in more detail with you. As I said before, not as representatives of our separate species but as two scouts, a long way from home. Are you agreeable to that?'

'O.K. by me. Where do we start?'

'How do you select a mate? What is important in a relationship?'

'Wow! You start with what are probably the hardest questions of all. Many of our philosophers have been trying to find answers to those for a very long time, and I don't think any two agree even now. But, accepting that I am just one out of several trillion, there are in fact a variety of types of relationships.

First of all there is a male and a female, we'll come back to that later, then there are males with males, females with females and several variations of each. That's just the physical aspect.'

'And you Jake, where do you fit in the physical pattern?'

'Me, I'm prehistoric, strictly male with female.'

That brought a low whistle from Peter, which I took to perhaps indicate the equivalent of my deep-throated chuckle.

'Let's say for a moment that I'm average, somewhere in the middle of all these permutations of flesh. When it comes to choosing a female, and remember, the female is just as likely to do the choosing as is the male...'

'Explain that please Jake. How does the female choose?'

'Various ways, depending on her personality and her opportunities, just as a man has to do. Let's say a woman sees a man she likes the look of, she probably tries to find out something about him, from friends or people he works with, making sure he's got something other than just his looks. But then she's just as likely to not bother with that at all, trust her instincts. If she saw a man at a party, a social gathering, she might just go over and start a conversation, see how they got along. It's incredibly variable Peter - that's what makes it so hard to explain to you. Sometimes it can be no more than a person catching sight of someone, and being instantly attracted to them.

But to come back to me. Even once you've seen someone you like and find that they like you, a relationship may not follow. In my case it's more than likely that it won't, because I'm a scout I mean. Not too many women fancy the idea of not having their man around for two years at a stretch. They may like the six months holiday together, but not what has to be done to earn that time.

So, someone like me tends to have a series of short relationships, knowing that I'll be off sometime means I have to control the emotional involvement I allow myself to feel. And sometimes that can be very hard to do.'

I paused, realising I was saying things that I had found difficult to admit to myself. I cleared my throat and went on.

'So, in that sense I am far from being average, so we'll have to pick someone else to fill that role. Anyway, let's say Mr. Average finds the woman of his dreams, they fall in love and set up home together. They may have gone through one of the several different forms of marriage that we have, or they may not have bothered, but either way, at that time they both probably expect it to last, but statistically it won't. Then after one of he various forms of break-up, they'll try again with someone new, expecting that relationship to last. Maybe it does, often it doesn't. But they, we keep trying to find that special someone.

But, at the same time, circumstances sometimes play a big part. Come back to me for a moment. Let's say that as a result of a ship malfunctioning or something like that, a group of us find ourselves stuck on a maintenance station for a few days or weeks. It's likely that there will be women scouts stuck there too and possible that one of them and I will get into some sort of casual fling together, to simply help pass the time, you might say.'

'I understand that.' Peter said. 'But from what you first said it seems that your people are, by preference, paired for as long a relationship as events and their personalities will allow.'

I thought for a moment. 'Peter, that is just about exactly right, I don't think I have ever heard it better put.'

'Thank you. In this too we are similar. Now, what do you look for, intellect, size, strength, long-living?'

'The answers are just not that simple Peter. Different people have different ideals. Men for instance, because I understand them better. Some go for facial features, others for the shape of different parts of a woman's body, her breasts, her legs, that sort of thing. But then, in spite of their ideals, they are just as likely to fall in love with a woman who is quite different to what they have always been looking for.'

'And what do you look for Jake?'

'Me, Sam can answer that for you, can't you Sam?'

'Yes Jake. Jake fantasises about having sex with women with long, blonde hair, and even longer legs. But underneath that he is actually looking for someone who cares for him as a person, and to whom he can give a total emotional commitment. And that is hard for him to do in this type of work.'

'Thanks Sam, the psychological profile wasn't what I was looking for though.'

Peter was quiet for some time. 'Most interesting, again we are not dissimilar, though I have some difficulties with the full meaning of the word, emotional, in that context. But let us ignore that for the moment. I have seen something of what occurs between males and females.' he said, referring to the portion of the vid-disc I had screened. 'Is that all?'

I wasn't really sure what he meant by 'all', the tape had been quite explicit, but then I realised that it had only shown the physical side of what happens when two people make love.

'The tape was visual only. There are systems that reproduce something of the feelings that occur when people make love together, but these are not allowed on scouts' ships, accidents have occurred in the past.'

'I understand. So there are powerful, internal sensations accompanying the coupling?'

'Usually, yes. But, so far this has been a very one-sided conversation Peter. We were to exchange information - and you were to show yourself, remember.'

'I agree Jake, I have been very unfair, but it was for a reason. But before I begin, I need nourishment and I would think you might too.'

I hadn't realised until then but having mentioned it I found I was, as Peter put it, definitely 'in need of nourishment'.

'Good idea Peter! How long do you need?'

'Let us say forty-five of your minutes, is that sufficient?'

'More than enough. See you later, as we say, and please make sure I do!'

Peter's low whistling chuckle broke off as he closed the circuits, apparently he was going to give me my privacy while I ate.

*

Chapter 5

Getting to Know You

Until I moved to prepare something to eat I didn't realise just how drained I was. The tension must have kept my adrenaline level at a peak for the past several hours. Food and a quick refresher were what I needed but, having had both I found myself impatiently waiting for Peter's voice.

But at the same time as I sat waiting for the circuits to re-open I realised that Sam had been unusually silent.

'How are things Sam?'

Her voice was remote, flat, emotionless.

'Within the limits of allowed activity everything is normal.'

'But something is bothering you, other than Peter's restraints I mean. What is it?'

There was a little of her usual warmth in her reply but I still sensed a distantness in the tone.

'I'm not really sure Jake. There's something about Peter that I can't quite work-out, just a vague unease, not danger you understand, something different, affecting other circuits. I have been trying to isolate it, but with only a small part of myself available it is very difficult.'

'I understand. Keep trying, Peter should return other circuits to us soon, maybe they will help. When you have the opportunity, let me know the results please.'

'There is another matter.'

'Yes Sam.'

'When this mission is completed. When you have collected the fund I mean. You will surely leave the fleet. What will become of me, this combot? I have strange - 'feelings'.'

Under other circumstances I would have been excited by what Sam had just said. A combot admitting to its own, internal 'feelings' - which every engineer had said again and again were impossibilities. But just then screens flickered to life and I heard Peter's voice greeting me. I spoke quickly to Sam, saying she should not be concerned, that there was still a lot for us to do together - and we should not worry about what was to happen later, until later.

Peter's voice repeated his greeting. 'Jake, are you fed?'

'Yes Peter, sorry, I was just re-assuring Sam about something.'

'Your ship is experiencing what you and I would call concern?'

'Yes Peter. Sam tells me she is experiencing 'feelings'.'

'That is neither unusual nor surprising, yet you sound as though you find it so.'

'It is new for us. The engineers say it is not possible, yet many scouts agree amongst themselves that it happens.'

'Ah I understand. The scientists are always the last to admit that many things that occur actually do happen. They will be convinced soon enough, you can be sure of that.'

I assumed Peter was referring to the knowledge that would pass between us once contact was extended, and would have loved to have had the opportunity to explore what other information would follow, but knew Peter would politely but quite firmly close off any such line of conversation.

'I think Sam will respond better once there are more circuits re-opened, there must be the equivalent of a sense of frustration building up inside, that worries me too Peter.'

'Do not be concerned Jake. Soon now I will return all functions. But before I do, there are a few things I wish to explain, something I wish to show you and perhaps a little more conversation between us. And, by the way I trust your food and refresher was invigorating - I myself found them quite stimulating.'

I didn't have time to find out just what he meant by that as he immediately continued.

'While you were doing those things I prepared the equivalent of one of your vid-discs, so you can see something of my people, get used to what we look like before I show myself. We are different and as this is your first contact you might be somewhat shocked if I simply appear in front of you.

But before I transmit that, there is something I must explain, something on a more personal level. When my machine first translated my name into something you could recognise, it apparently selected a name that has two different spellings in your language - and two different interpretations, one male, the other female.'

There was a sound from Sam that I can only describe as being a gasp, a gasp of understanding. Peter continued.

'You see Jake, although you have been calling me 'Peter' and thinking I am a male, in fact my name should be 'Peta' - I am a female.'

I said nothing, I couldn't think of anything to say and Peter, Peta continued.

'It was a little while before I realised what had happened, at first it didn't matter, then, as we got to know each other better and I began to feel closer to you, I became embarrassed and was not sure how to extricate myself from the problem. I apologise for any embarrassment my mistake and impoliteness may have caused you and assure you I had no intention of taking advantage of you in any way.

However, as we have talked and I of course have had the advantage of being able to see you, I found myself, first liking you as an individual and then later, recalling the vid-disc you showed me, when I saw you unclothed, while you refreshed yourself, I realised there was another feeling growing, physical attraction. I must add that I think this will be common amongst my people, although we are much different, your people will be seen by most of us to be quite beautiful and very attractive physically.

But.' he, that is she continued. 'I now have even stronger concerns about showing myself to you. It may well be that I will not seem attractive to you! You understand?'

'I think so.' I answered, quite stunned by her speech and its implications. Obviously she had left the circuits open during the time I ate and took my refresher - 'On purpose or by chance?' - I wondered. By the sound of things I now not only had an emotional combot but also a potentially horny alien. What a day!

'There were times while we were talking.' I continued. 'Times when I felt we were getting very close, there was an easiness, a warmth. As I thought of you as being male those feelings disturbed me, so I ignored them, pushed them away. Let me say that if a human can be attractive to you I can see no reason why you shouldn't appear attractive to me.'

'Perhaps that is so. But we are still very different, and I am accustomed to seeing alien life forms, as yet you are not. While you ate I considered this, that is why I have prepared the vid-disc equivalent I mentioned. Viewing it will give you time to adjust to how we look, before I show myself.'

She anticipated my question by adding. 'I have cleared the circuit that will allow your ship to record what I am about to transmit.'

'Thank you. Get that Sam?'

'Yes Jake. All of it. Recording commencing.'

There was a momentary pause, a distinct sigh of relief from Sam and then the shifting patterns on the screens were cleared and replaced with clear video, which I watched with a growing sense of wonder.

Peta's people were not unattractive. Certainly different. But as I watched in fascination the differences gradually became less obtrusive.

Though I of course had no human reference point I felt sure they were tall people. Certainly they were long-legged. I didn't see any unclothed until towards the end of the tape but, even clothed the differences were obvious.

Assuming I was right about their height, they were tall, with an upright stance and, as Peta had said, two arms and legs very much like ours, though their equivalent of our elbow was lower and seemed to have a more rotational joint, and clearly they had no nails on their six fingers.

Their heads were slightly larger than ours by comparison to their body mass, with a more pronounced cranium. The nose was virtually non-existent, just a slight ridge, with only a single nostril. What I presumed were ears were also tiny, merely two similarly raised ridges on either side of their head.

Yet their mouths were virtually identical to ours, apart from what was inside them that is, in place of our upper and lower sets of separate teeth were small bony plates. 'Not much work for dentists on Peta's world.' I thought.

Though the listing of differences may give the impression of something unpleasant to look at, the two most striking features of her people were so magnificent that they made the differences fade into insignificance. Their skin and their eyes.

First of all there was no body hair, that in itself was not strange to me as many humans had what little they still grew removed. I was unusual, especially for a scout, as I had kept mine, head and eye-brows anyway. Like virtually everyone else I'd had most of the rest removed long ago, but for some reason I had never fully understood myself, unlike them I had retained the small patch of pubic hair.

But it was the texture and colour of their skin that attracted attention. Smooth, unwrinkled, even at the joints, and having a suffused glow, an opalescence which, coupled with its smoothness made me want to reach into the screen and touch it. The colour was a very pale shade of olive green. Some were a little lighter or darker than others, but from what I saw it seemed that the range of shades was quite small, certainly nothing like the range of human colourings.

Even then, in spite of the almost unconscious urge to stroke their skin, it was the eyes that held my gaze. Set wide apart, half as large again as ours and more rounded. Where ours are white theirs were tinged with the palest shade of green, but the irises, slightly oblated, were of every conceivable colour, every hue in the rainbow and, like their skin, seemed to emit a faint, soft glow.

One pair were especially beautiful, belonging to a person that acted as a narrator, tying the various segments together. The primary colour was a vivid emerald green, flecked with both gold and silver highlights, and being set in the delicate jade background made them seem to shine with a soft, inner light. But I found they weren't just obviously beautiful, it wasn't long before I found that staring into them began to have an almost hypnotic effect on me.

A little way into the presentation the narrator gave a brief outline of the way their system worked, their version of what we would call a legislative or political system. It was simple, everyone had a 'vote', although there wasn't really an equivalent in our language to what their word meant, but not just one of them. As a citizen I would automatically have one, as I progressed through my education I would, at certain stages of maturity and understanding get more. Then, as I entered a job or career I would be allocated additional 'votes', some of which were valid in the broader community, others only within my job or profession. So, as a scout, Peta would have a vote as to how scouts should perform, behave and be rewarded, and whilst she had a number of votes as to how her community should react to various situations, she had very limited say in what the circumstances should be for someone in a job she knew nothing about.