The Marnott Liaison

"It wasn't what I originally thought, either," I admitted. "But in the heat of the moment, I was feeling attracted to her and it all seemed reasonable. After all, Marnott have done it with who knows how many other species without harm. I'm beginning to wonder if we reacted to each other's pheromones in some way."

"Hmmm. Nobody else who has been around the Marnott have reported anything like that. Anyway, the doctor wants a cheek swab to run another DNA check." She pulled out a sampling stick, swiped the inside of my cheek and inserted it into a tube that she labeled and set aside.

Nurse Jackson looked down at me and asked, "How long are you going to wait before you ask me to help you with that erection?"

It was tenting my hospital gown and the blanket over my waist. "I was going to take care of it myself. Is that part of the changes, too? A persistent hard-on?" I asked.

"Uncertain. Over the past ten days that we have noticed, you have averaged one erection roughly every six hours, lasting an hour before subsiding, during which your gonads have been busy pumping out a fluid that is a lot more complex than ordinary pre-ejaculate fluid. There are a lot of RNA strands floating around in it, but no sperm. We suspect these strands might be capable of transforming humans in the same way as you have been, since Marnott females secrete RNA in a similar way. They do not seem to be viral in nature, but we're taking precautions as if you are infectious."

"So, how do you plan to help me with the hard-on?" I asked.

I could tell she was grinning, even behind the mask. "I've been told I give a pretty good hand-job. Although I'll have to stay gloved. Besides, we want a sperm sample from you, and that's the best way to get one. You haven't even had a nocturnal emission in the whole time you've been here. After about forty erections, your balls must be throbbing."

I said. "One of many aches, I'm afraid. But go ahead, Nurse Jackson."

"I think you'll want to call me Tonya from now on," she said.

"Okay, Tonya."

Tonya pulled my blanket and sheet down, then slid my hospital gown off, revealing my erect cock, surrounded now by purple pubic hair, and nearly purple itself it was so engorged. As soon as she removed the catheter, precum or whatever my body was producing in its place began dripping from the tip and along the shaft. Tonya opened a sample cup and set it on the tray table next to the bed. She then circled my wet shaft with one gloved hand and began to stroke, lightly, spreading more of the fluid along its length. The new ridges were unbelievably sensitive, and my back arched, even before she reached the one around the glans, which made me groan.

She chuckled, then said, "This might not take long, if those new ridges are that sensitive. Do you want me to get you off fast, or do you want me to tease it out a bit and blow your mind?"

"Give it your best shot, Tonya," I answered. "I don't think I'll last long, regardless."

She was a mistress of the tease, stroking with a very light touch, over the ridges and over my glans, keeping me right at the edge for minutes at a time, letting go when she sensed I was getting too close. If she had squeezed just a little more, I would have exploded, but she didn't. I began regretting that I had dared her. I moaned, I screamed, I begged for relief.

After what had to be 20 minutes but felt longer, she tightened her grip just enough and my balls visibly spasmed. She grabbed the sample cup with her other hand, pointed my cock towards my stomach and stuck the cup in front of my glans just as I exploded, splattering the inside. Stroking and squeezing, Tonya managed to catch all of my spurts in the cup, without spilling a drop, and squeezed the last dribbles into it as well.

She set the half-filled cup down and covered it with its lid with her dry hand, while using the hand whose glove was slick with my precum to pluck a wet wipe from a dispenser to clean me up. She walked over to the medical waste bin in the room, threw the old gown, the wipe and then her gloves into it, then put on a fresh pair of gloves from a box on the wall. She returned, made a few notes on a label and sealed the cup with it. She set that aside, then helped me put a new gown on and slipped the sample and the DNA swab into a ziplock bag.

"Feeling better?" she asked, smirking behind her mask.

"Second best orgasm I've ever had," I answered.

"Second? What was better?" she asked.

I answered, "The orgasm I had with Gellor that started this whole mess. Although the feeling that I was about to black out might have been the nanites starting their thing, rather than just the intensity of the orgasm."

She snickered, then growled, "God, I hope you get ruled medically safe for me to fuck you. Human women need a chance to be your #1 again. I have to get this to the lab, then take care of other patients. Get some rest."

As she left, I thought, 'If I'm not human any more, will it ever be safe to have sex with a human woman again?'

I fell asleep soon after.

~~~~~

A few hours later, I awoke when Doctor Wilkins returned with the test results from my samples. She said, "We don't understand it, but all of your sperm cells now contain 29 chromosomes, not the 23 that a human normally has. We aren't even sure which ones determine gender, as the shapes have all changed. We also examined some of your other cells from the latest cheek swab, and newer cells are also showing 29 chromosomes, while the older ones are still 23, but modified by the nanites. We've already started sequencing the new genome. How both sets of cells are co-operating and not treating the other as an invader is beyond us. Maybe the Marnott know more."

"Is the same thing happening with Gellor?" I asked.

"Apparently so. We contacted her doctor after we got these results and he reported back that she is now developing eggs in her womb, which is not supposed to happen until after she mates with a male Marnott, and gains a 40th chromosome. These eggs have 29 chromosomes as well, instead of the 39 that are normal to Marnott children, while the parents have 40 in their normal cells. We are speculating that you might be able to impregnate her, if you had intercourse again. If you did have children, with the same genetic structure, you might be the start of a brand new species. A small one, but distinct from either Homo Sapiens or Marnott and likely not fertile with either one."

I said, "You are taking precautions in case the RNA in the seminal fluids I'm producing are capable of transforming other humans. If they are, I could possibly expand this species by having sex with other women, transforming them, then impregnating their new eggs, is that right?"

"It's possible, but far from certain. We believe that your nanites played a vital role in your reaction to the Marnott RNA. Without them, you might not have reacted to it at all. In the Marnott, uptake of new genetic material is apparently a natural function in how they become fertile with their first mate, modulated by their own nanites in some way that they're hesitant to talk about. Somehow, Counselor Tukta's system reacted to your genetic material as if it was Marnott RNA. How a human female would react, with or without nanites in them is unknown. It would be a big risk to ask someone to be an experiment, if it might kill them because the DNA substitutions happen differently."

I sighed. I needed to see Gellor to see where she stood with all of this. If we were the only members of a new species...

~~~~~

Chapter 4: Threat Response

~~~~~

Two days later, Dr. Wilkins discharged me, saying that the nanite activity in my body had returned to a monitoring function, and the last of my nipple tissue had sloughed off. She no longer had a reason to keep me hospitalized, although she warned me not to pursue sexual relations with human women until they could determine if it would be safe. The changes to my penis had also stabilized, and the ridges were not quite as sensitive as the day I had awoken. I hadn't gotten another erection, though, so I would have to see how they behaved then.

Gellor arrived for a visit just as I was signing discharge paperwork.

"How are you, Paul?" she asked.

"Still more than a little freaked out by all this," I admitted. "How about you?"

The smile on her face looked forced. "Surprised, curious, a little nervous. I am not sure how the Diplomatic Service will react to the news that I might not be Marnott any more. I could have my commission revoked. Worried about you and whether I am to blame."

"Did you have any way to predict that this would happen?" I asked.

"None," she answered.

"Then you are not to blame, my dear," I said, pulling her into a hug. She grabbed me in return, and I felt her relax in my arms. Then I noticed two small but hard nipples pressing into my chest. I almost laughed at the irony that she had gained something that I had lost.

When we finally parted, she said, "I was on my way to do some shopping for human foods to program into our replicators when I heard that you were being released from this hospital today. Would you like to join me, then have another dinner with me tonight? I think we have much to discuss."

"I'd say we should eat at my apartment, except I'm sure the food in the refrigerator is probably spoiled. I would still like to stop by there for a change of clothes, though."

We completed the discharge process, and I left the hospital on foot, and we headed to a local market to shop.

We were walking towards the produce aisle, when I heard her ask, "Why do they have so many different versions of the same foods?"

I answered her, "Different companies compete to produce foods that consumers want. Sometimes it makes a difference in quality, other times of price, sometimes not. It might be redundant, but the reverse situation would be monopolies with higher prices."

She looked at me strangely and said, "I did not ask that aloud, Paul, and I thought it in Marnott. You can hear my thoughts?"

I concentrated, then answered, "I can hear any one's thoughts, if I focus hard enough."

That's when I caught a stray thought from the other end of the produce area we'd just entered. 'There she is. Alien bitch.'

Focusing on that, I realized that there were three armed men, intent on kidnapping Gellor. "Gellor, we have to get you out of here," I blurted, before the first gun was raised in our direction.

It was aimed at me, and fired.

How my instincts knew to throw up a telekinetic shield to block the bullet I may never know, but suddenly there was a translucent blue disk between me and the gunman, about the size of a dinner plate. It flashed when the bullet hit and reversed course, traveling back along the gunman's arm and into his chest. Two more bullets from the other two attackers were likewise repelled. In less time than it took to tell, all three men were down.

I knew in an instant that they were all dying from their wounds, their hearts no longer beating. But before they died, I was able to scan enough of their thoughts and memories to find out that they were three white nationalists who had extended their "whites first" agenda into an anti-alien screed, but were not part of any larger plot. They thought that by kidnapping Gellor they could get the Marnotts to ally themselves only with America, white America specifically. There had certainly been enough folks expressing that opinion on the news channels I could view in the hospital, to my disgust.

I was already calling 911 as they each went silent in my mind.

I turned towards Gellor, and could sense her amazement instantly. "You should be safe, now," I reassured her. "They seem to have no other associates in the area."

"You stopped them," she said in awe. "Telekinesis, too?"

Before I could answer her, the 911 operator came on the line, and I identified myself and the situation. At first, he did not want to believe me, but soon realized there were two other people calling from the same store, telling the same basic story - 3 gunmen, stopped when their bullets ricocheted off of glowing circles, although those hadn't yet been connected to me.

The rest of our afternoon was taken up with dealing with the police, giving statements, and fending off press who showed up even sooner than the police did.

Security camera footage from the store was on the 6 o'clock news, clearly showing 3 energy disks popping into existence in a straight line between me and the gunmen, the guns firing, the disks flashing, the gunmen being hit by their own ricochets, then falling to the ground.

This was also how I learned that the press was camped outside of my apartment, so I instead retreated to the Marnott ship with Gellor, under police escort. We watched the continuing television coverage while sharing dinner. Gellor had at least been able to complete her shopping, getting all of the ingredients for several dishes that she wanted to have her ship's replicators attempt. First up was a perfect rendition of Beef Stroganoff. Gellor was delighted with her first experience with a human dish, especially when I told her it was restaurant quality.

Neither of us was terribly surprised when a salt-shaker slid across the table into my hand when I began reaching for it. Apparently, my newfound telekinesis was good for more than bullet-reversing shields.

I do not know who at the hospital leaked my medical history, but by the time the 10 o'clock news was coming on, the reporters were already calling me not only a metahuman, but had tagged me 'Metaman', as if I were some superhero come to life.

Hell, they were already suggesting what my costume should look like, complete with a capital M in the middle of a translucent blue disk on the chest, since that was the only "power" they knew about.

"I'm a bigger news story than you are, Gellor," I said to her.

"I assume that is not a good thing in your eyes, Paul?" she asked.

I grimaced, saying, "Not when our press has a way of disrupting your life when they think they need to know every last detail of it. I was anticipating them being nuisances over First Contact. This will be a whole different level."

"Stay here, then," she said, then I caught the thought, 'with me,' which I could tell caught even her off-guard. She was falling in love with me. And I with her.

"Have we bonded, Gellor?" I asked.

"Our doctor is not sure, Paul," she answered, quietly. "Emotionally, I feel drawn to you. Like you, I have undergone some physical changes, although more slowly and with no loss of consciousness. I am developing breasts like your females have, although only a nipple and the beginnings of an areola have become visible on each side of my chest. However, medical scans say mammary tissue is developing underneath. Also, the sensory organs around my vagina are rearranging, slowly, with a strong likelihood that I will develop a human clitoris as well. Lastly, my body is now producing some hormones that humans produce and Marnott do not. We are uncertain where the changes will end."

"I still don't understand how any of it is possible? We believe the cancer fighting nanites in my blood are somehow responsible for my genetic changes, but how would that affect you?" I asked.

Gellor replied, "We have nanites, too, Paul. Every Marnott does from childhood. But they are responsible for defending the 40th chromosome, not creating it. Normally, they do nothing during the mating of two Marnott virgins. Somehow, your nanites caused mine to intervene and a safe 40th chromosome was formed from your DNA, otherwise I would likely have died from a malformed one. Perhaps most importantly for the two of us, eggs have begun forming along my uterus as would happen after bonding. But they are eggs with 29 chromosomes, just as your sperm now has 29. Based on that, you and I may now be capable of producing offspring who would be hybrids of our two species. The two sets of nanites somehow formed that DNA structure, too. It is likely that neither of us is capable of reproducing with our own species now, just each other. I am definitely feeling the urge to bear you children, Paul, which goes along with a Marnott bond."

"Me, too. We will discuss that prospect, I promise. But I need to ask, you just said your nanites defend your 40th chromosome. What is the threat posed to it?"

Gellor shrugged, the first time I had ever seen her do so, and sensed her own surprise at using the human gesture. "It's the reason we mate for life. RNA sequences exchanged between Marnott men and women on first mating are responsible for creating the extra chromosome that allows for our fertility, in the males as well as females. Our naturally evolved response to mating with a different lover after the first is for the RNA of the new mate to fight to replace the 40th chromosome from the first lover. This competition would make most Marnott very sick, almost like a viral infection, and could even be lethal as it sometimes caused cancers. We call it infidelity fever. It is in response that we are as a matter of survival and we are very careful in choosing a mate, since it is for life. Still, some Marnott males with mild reactions to the fever would attempt to gather a harem by mating with multiple virgins and taking their risks with the infidelity fever causing cancer. The females would all be bonded to him and could not safely leave to find new lovers."

"Where do the nanites come into it?" I asked.

Gellor answered, "When we developed the technology for nanites, one of the immediate applications was to address this fever and the harem-builders. First, the nanites produce emotions of strong revulsion should we attempt to violate our bond or someone else's bond. This serves as a strengthening of the taboo. Second, should that revulsion still be overcome, the nanites work to prevent the new RNA from taking over by reinforcing the old and preventing the formation of cancers, much as yours are designed to do. We remain bonded to our first mate, even more strongly."

"Wouldn't it be simpler to program the nanites to allow you to mate with others without any harm?" I asked. "Why this revulsion effect?"

She answered, "Our society has long opposed a cure, believing that mating with one person for life is the way things are supposed to be. The political will to change that has never arisen. Our ancestors wanted the nanites to make it easier to avoid cheaters and to prevent bond switching, to strengthen monogamy, not to weaken it. With the nanites, even a virgin can tell that a prospective mate is already bonded, so they can avoid being tricked into sex. Although it's only the cheater who gets sick, the person they've tricked would be bonded to them for life as well. Every Marnott receives these nanites as children, even before our puberty stage, along with inoculations for diseases. It's routine."

I asked, "Where does that leave those whose mate dies before them? Are they able to find a new mate, or do the nanites always warn them away?"

Gellor frowned, saying, "Before the nanites, a Marnott might risk the fever with a new mate, until the 40th chromosome was successfully conquered and the two were bonded to each other. That was socially acceptable. With the nanites in place, a new bond is not possible, so those who lost their mate before having children are allowed to have the nanites neutralized for a period of time, and then have to endure unrelieved infidelity fever to establish a new bond. But if they have children, they are not allowed to do this. My mother died before I reached school age and my father was not allowed to seek a new mate. He chose to return to the Diplomatic Service, and I was raised by my mother's parents, until I was old enough to join myself. I served with him on my first assignment. Because we store out patterns during interstellar travel, he had only aged three more years over the course of several intervening assignments. He had fallen in love with a female of another species on the world where we were both assigned. Although they could not have children together, they were happy, and he intended to remain there the rest of his life. We parted on good terms when I got a new assignment to a different world. He died not long after that."