Spark the Runner Ch. 06

The Further Continuing Adventures of Spark, Tonya and Okami

Author's note: This is a continuation of previous years' Geek Pride event Spark the Runner stories (1 thru 5). It isn't necessary to read the previous ones to enjoy this one, but you might find it entertaining...

Okay, so somehow I have a perverse need to keep this one going. In the spirit of fair warning, this continues where the last one left off and continues both the physical and metaphysical adventures, the nonhuman relations and so forth, mostly on Earth and with more attention to Tonya's evolution. It also concentrates on the Solarian Consortium's efforts to get up and running.

The Geek Pride event isn't a contest. That being said, voting and comments are how I know how well I am pleasing you, the reader. Enjoy.

*~ *~ *~ *~ *

When we last left our intrepid adventurers...

"You really kicked over the ant hill."

Tonya, Spark and Okami sat at the table, sipping wine and smiling.

"There are so many conflicting meta and datasphere spikes happening, it borders on the impossible to track," the Professor went on. "I'm sure there will be several power surges as the various criminal elements vie for supremacy, before they realize that Tonya's message was very clear. I expect a rather violent purge. My guess is at least a couple of weeks for it to settle down, to where the Blood Alliance gets back to trying to conduct business."

"My hope was sooner than that," Tonya told him. "However, anything that brings them to the table in a cooperative mode will be good."

"How long do you think we need to stay on Earth, in case reinforcement of the message is needed?" Spark asked.

"I would guess one to three months," the Professor told him. "You could take a goodwill tour of the Consortium enclaves, establish your presence, return to Mars better prepared to wheel and deal. We have identified nine seas, or oceans, which we will want to harvest. Four are serviced by two enclaves, while five are serviced by only one. If you were to spend a week on each enclave, including travel, you would be right at three months."

"Would that mean I would travel, also?" Charlie asked. She was still in awe of the fact that Tonya could conduct a mass execution with her mind. And that the Professor was by no means a decrepit old man. Not with the "adjustments" the Crescians had made for him.

"Of course, my dear," the Professor told her. "What better way to learn our structure and operations than accompanying the four of us on a world tour?"

"Wow... that sounds just... awesome," she answered, almost dreamily.

"We'll make sure you get a workout," Okami chuckled.

"Where would you suggest I have the child, Professor?" Tonya asked.

"Wherever you are when your water breaks," he answered, tongue in cheek.

"You're pregnant???" Charlie was floored. A pregnant sex maniac that killed with her mind was way beyond anything her imagination was prepared for.

"Yes," Tonya admitted. "About 14 weeks. And I am serious, Professor. Where is the best place for me to have my child?"

"You're fine on Earth, Mars is almost as good, and I'm not sure about Recensere or the other planets, or their spacecraft, but it wouldn't take much for a civilization as sophisticated as the Crescians' to do an adequate job," the Professor told her. "So seriously, wherever you are when your labor starts."

"What kind of itinerary are we talking about, for the enclaves, Professor?" Spark asked. He was starting to think in terms of what if something went wrong...

"There are two covering the North Atlantic," the Professor explained. "Virginia Beach and Penzance. And two covering the South Atlantic -- Rio and Luanda. Two more cover the North Pacific -- Vancouver and Shizuoka, and two more for the South Pacific -- Chimbote and Brisbane. We've got one covering the Arctic at Utqiagvic, one covering the Antarctic at Palmer Station, one covering the Mediterranean at Malta, one covering the Indian Ocean at Sri Lanka and one covering the Caribbean and Gulf in the Cayman Islands. So nine managed bodies of water and thirteen enclaves.

"We had thought about one for the Black Sea, but that area is too politically unstable at the moment."

"So Lizzie will be 27 weeks pregnant when we want to go back to Mars. And/or Recensere."

"I believe that is about right," the Professor agreed. "Why do you ask?"

"Because I think I'm going to want to talk to the Crescians about hitchhiking before we get that far. Probably a lot less traumatic on mother and child."

"Good point," the Professor nodded. "I'm sure we can arrange it."

* * * * *

"We have a rough itinerary set up," the Professor was explaining to Spark, Tonya, Okami and Charlie over breakfast. "It's going to be somewhat of a whirlwind. We're going to do one travel day to get to an enclave, one rest day, three days onsite and a rest day. Then repeat with one travel, one rest, three onsite and one rest. That gives us six day weeks and the seventh we bank against snafus. We're going to try to go generally eastward.

"That makes our first stop Virginia Beach. Then Penzance, Rum Point, Rio, Luanda, Palmer Station, Negombo, Valletta, Brisbane, Chimbote, Shizuoka, Vancouver and wrapping up at Utqiagvic. You can read up on each of the stations while we travel or on the rest day. The people we have recruited to run these stations and the extraction project are sharp, and excellent in their fields. They give loyalty and professionalism and they expect it in return.

"We have carefully chosen people who are not xenophobic. In fact, we've gone for as unprejudiced as possible. Which means the people are still human and not perfect. Tolerance is big on our list of desirable traits. Each station has a mix of Admins, Engineers, IT nerds and Muscle. We may run into some of the Crescians who also travel from station to station, helping to troubleshoot and generally providing oversight. You may also run into some Vegans. Turns out they are incredible engineers.

"We have procedures for handling problems and you'll be expected to observe them."

"Are we going to get a chance to look at the hardware?" Spark asked. He wasn't alone in being curious about exactly how the stations were going to extract and process the materials for export.

"You will get a chance to poke and prod at anything and everything you want," the Professor smiled. "Just don't gum up the works."

"Wouldn't dream of it, Professor," Spark smiled.

"You break it, you fix it," the Professor clarified.

"Probably not," Tonya interjected. "If he breaks it, I will fix it. And ask Okami to determine some suitable punishment."

"Oh, goody!" Okami smiled that strange Canilupe smile.

"So mostly, this is so we're familiar with what we're peddling out amongst the stars," Spark summed up. "Just to clarify."

"Essentially, yes," the Professor nodded. "You need to be able to describe not only what is available for trade, but how we provide it, in enough detail to convince our trade partners that we know what we're doing. You won't be expected to delve deep into engineering details, although Lizzie would probably be able to. Just appear competent. The Crescians will be doing a lot of the middleman work."

"I am sure we can handle that, Professor," Tonya told him. "Please let us know what we need to pack so that we can be ready to go when transportation is available."

"We will wait another day, to see if Moscow simmers down," the Professor explained. "By then, we should have gathered everything we need for our trip."

"Thank you, Professor," she smiled to him. "I think I will begin reviewing the information we have about the enclaves."

"I'm going to jack in for awhile," Spark decided. "I've got some brokerage stuff to deal with and some friends to update. I should be available for a late lunch, or dinner."

"I think I'll steal Charlie off for some shopping, if it's okay with everybody else," Okami told the group. "If we use one of Lizzie's limos, we can be fairly discrete. I'm not going to need much, but I think Charlie ought to have a business wardrobe."

"I think that is an excellent idea, my dear," the Professor decided. "Will you mind if I accompany you?"

"Not at all!" Okami grinned. "Charlie? Any problems if the Professor tags along?"

"Oh, no! Not at all!" Charlie still seemed a bit breathless from the idea of globetrotting and getting paid for it.

"Then let us all meet back here for dinner," the Professor suggested. Shortly thereafter, he, Okami and Charlie headed out while Tonya and Spark headed to separate rooms to follow their own pursuits.

* * * * *

"I was not aware the Crescians were supplying extraction technology," Tonya commented as the group sat at dinner. She had discovered that fact while studying up on the enclaves.

"More brokering than supplying, my dear," the Professor told her. "We facilitated meetings between the Earth engineers and the Crescians, and in turn the Crescians dealt in the Vegans and Regulans, who consulted on the design specs -- though the Solarian companies did the actual development and hold the patents. Compensation for intellectual property comes informally, by way of a slight discount on our product."

"Ain't cooperation great," Spark remarked, then added, "and you might want to pick up some shares of Metadyne Limited. The rumor is, they're perfecting telepathic controls for complex systems. That will be profitable on this planet, and off."

"An excellent idea, Jamie," the Professor smiled. "And I'm not even going to ask how you know."

"Professor, I have been reviewing the enclaves and their chosen locations," Tonya interjected. "Some of the reasons, I understand. Others I do not. At a guess, the chosen locations are proximate to both technological resources and political ones as well. I would think to minimize any infighting."

"And to block Al'yans Krovi influence as best we can," the Professor nodded. "In each location, we were able to establish a banking and communications system undetected and unopposed. We bought property through a maze of realtors, all in the name of a new manufacturing plant. I believe 'windmills' was the original cover story. Something of little economic interest to the Blood Alliance.

"We managed to get all thirteen enclaves up and running, developing and deploying the extraction technology, before the criminal element were aware of us. We also developed political connections, bureaucratic and otherwise, to help run interference when the Al'yans Krovi did find out."

"So our first stop, Virginia Beach, is both the western north Atlantic Ocean, but also our liaison to the North American Federation," Tonya stated by way of confirmation.

"Yes. What used to be the United States, Canada, Northern Mexico and Greenland, which was ceded from the Danes after the Wars of Attrition."

"And the enclave employs a wide range of ethnicities," Tonya stated again.

"They all do," the Professor told her. "One of our priorities and policies is to promote as much integration as possible. We want not only to break down any xenophobia relative to our new trade partners, but to eliminate as much inter-human prejudices as possible as well."

"Does that imply rampant sexuality?" Tonya asked. "Given the Crescian proclivities."

"It certainly does," the Professor grinned. "A randier bunch of hard-working Capitalists are not to be found. It is amazing what prejudices humans will give up for a good roll in the hay. And a good paycheck."

"Will Jamie, Okami and I... and Charlie, by extension... disrupt normal operations at the enclaves if we engage in our usual socializing?"

"Is your 'usual socializing' what I think it is?" Charlie asked, a bit hesitantly.

"If you're thinking it's 'fuck everything in sight and leave it with a religious experience', then you're probably right," Spark commented. "We tend to be either very well controlled, or we go overboard. In this case, though, I would think we'd need to be careful... wife... until we know more about how the enclaves operate. And, they may not all be the same."

"Agreed, husband..." Tonya smiled. "We will simply adjust to expectations. I am very interested in the extraction technology and hope to meet with some of the Engineers. Being able to address those concerns to our other partners seems important."

"Which it probably is," Okami observed. "Whereas I'm interested in how our Solarians are dealing with the extraterrestrials, especially in terms of overcoming the usual human xenophobia. Will any of our partners, besides the Crescians, be at the enclaves, Professor?"

"Almost certainly," he replied with a slight smile, "though not guaranteed, because they come and go as needed."

"Who could we run into?" Spark asked, trying to frame in his mind what the encounters might look like to Charlie.

"Well, the most likely would be Vegans and Regulans, because they are a large part of the engineering support," the Professor told him. "We have the occasional Sirians and Denebites... the Sirians are great at labor relations with the platform gangs -- they'll work side-by-side with them under the roughest of conditions -- and the Denebites are great Administrators, and very well received by both the clerks and managers, for want of better terms.

"To my knowledge, we have only had one visit from the Callistians, when we were setting up the Negombo Enclave. They had very specific mineral interests and wanted to be onsite to consult. I don't believe we've had visits from the Antarians or Arcasians. I've heard rumor of another race being groomed, somewhere out in Draco, probably near the Eltanin or Gamma Draconis star system, but since it isn't official you don't need to worry about them."

"So the three randiest trading partners and the religious experience," Spark paraphrased. "That should get interesting."

"I'm sure Charlie can handle them," Okami broke in. "She's right up there, after all."

"Why do I get the feeling I'm missing something?" Charlie asked in a great combination of tentative and suspicious.

"Because you are," Tonya told her. "There is no adequate way to explain what sexual relations with these different races is like until you actually experience them. Even meta projection falls short. However, I agree with Okami that you will do fine. Especially if you are with us."

"I think this is only the second time I've felt nervous about sex," Charlie told her. "The first had something to do with virginity."

"You'll have plenty of time to read up on our partners, dear," Professor Lenox told her. "Tomorrow morning we will limo to the Old St. Louis depot and take the high-speed rail to Richmond, then a limo to the Virginia Beach enclave. That will be less than twelve hours and most of it in an environment where you can relax and study.

"The enclave has VIP quarters reserved for us where we can unwind before our whirlwind of meetings. And you will have a day off, a day of travel and another day off to study after that. I will want you to be socializing with the administrative staff, primarily, and our extraterrestrial guests. Your ability to navigate the bureaucracies will be essential in the future."

"Understood, sir," she told him seriously, then paused with a thoughtful look. "Is there going to be any standard kind of protocol about who's doing what and with what and to whom? I ask because you've obviously noticed I'm randy all the time and I don't want to step on any toes -- or other favorite body parts."

"In general, when Lizzie and Okami and I have been traveling, the three of us sleep together," Spark told her. "Sexually, we usually end up in a threesome, foursome or moresome depending on who's with us. With you and the Professor along, I'm not sure how the dynamics will work. But the idea of just asking for what you want coupled with the no-means-no rule will likely apply.

"If we're 'entertaining' anyone else, Xeno or Human, the three of us form what has become known as The Triad, or Symbiote, which is the form we present when we want to stress the symbiotic nature of our relationship. Whether you form your own relationships, or join a group, remains to be seen. You will have a lot of input when it comes to what you want to do and what might be expected of you."

"So there aren't any jealousy issues or like that to be worried about?" Charlie asked.

"Not really," Okami jumped in. "Ask for what you want, take no for an answer, be kind... that will pretty much do it."

"Even if I'm wanting alone time with Jamie or the Professor?"

"Especially if you want alone time with either Jamie or the Professor," Tonya answered. "Is that what you are wanting? Alone time?"

"Well..." Charlie paused. "I love Okami for a bedmate... and her tongue is unbelievable..."

"But you would like a cock for the night," Tonya suggested.

"Actually, yes," Charlie admitted.

"Which cock would you prefer?"

"Either is fine, I think," Charlie decided. "I just don't want to offend anyone."

The Professor reached in his trousers and pulled out one of the Solarian credits. "Heads, Jamie, tails, me," he told Charlie, then he flipped it. It came up tails.

"It would appear I have lucked out tonight," the Professor smiled. "Everyone, please be sure you've packed both your usual bags and a jump bag. We want an early start in the morning. I have requested the limousine be here at zero-six-hundred. We will have light fare available on our way to the rail depot and a full breakfast available once we board."

"Yes, sir," Spark smiled. "Up and functional before six. A laudable goal we will endeavor to achieve."

"In which case, husband, do you not have a certain duty to perform before you sleep?" Tonya smiled.

"One that includes me, I hope?" Okami added.

"Oy!" Spark dramatically moaned, back of hand to forehead. "The infamous husbandly duty... I hope to survive, Professor, and see you in the morning."

The Professor began to chuckle, but was brought up short by Charlie asking, "so is the equivalent Professorial duty?"

"I believe it is," Tonya smiled. "Please do not break our friend."

"A laudable goal I will endeavor to achieve," Charlie grinned.

* * * * *

"Can I get some sleep, now?" Spark sounded completely wiped out -- mostly because he was. Tonya and Okami had run him through the proverbial wringer several times before they let him sleep. Tonya had boosted his functionality around zero-five-hundred, but he was still tired.

He, Tonya and Okami had done another sex marathon, mostly trying to sate Tonya, which didn't seem possible these days. Her naturally high libido had taken off with the pregnancy and she only felt compelled to rein it in when she had to attend to business. Okami was nearly as randy and both loved how Spark connected with them, physically and metaphysically.

They'd managed to get sorted by the time the limo showed up and had coffee and light pastries available to them on the ride to the Old St. Louis HSR terminal. Now they were ensconced in their pods in the Business Class section, the steward had come through with the complimentary snacks and drinks, and the train was getting ready to leave.

This express run only made four stops getting to Richmond. There was a light rail commuter run that went to Norfolk, but the Navy Yards weren't there anymore. The terminals were named after the cities that used to be there, now mostly ruins. Instead, new construction centered around research and manufacturing installations which had grown up to take their places.

"Sure," the Professor told him. "We've got an hour to Louisville and a half hour there, then an hour to Charleston and half and hour there. Then it's an hour to Charlottesville and another half hour, and a half hour jump to Richmond. That's five hours if you can sleep through the stops. We can take the light rail to Norfolk and a limo to the enclave "