The Plant Pt. 04 - April

"You also know what happened to our research, don't you?" April asked.

"Yes," he said after a moment. "Again, I apologize. I had no choice but to remove it. There's no telling what could've happened if it fell into the wrong hands."

"You lied to me," April said. "Was my job here a way to keep me quiet?"

"No," he said. "I saw the way you reacted to the plant, and I felt you would be an asset to the work here. And you've proven me right. I take it you've been reunited with your plant."

"Yes," April said. "But you're skirting the issue. What do you know about these plants?"

"I can tell you that we have much to learn from them, April," he said. "We're just now starting to get a basic understanding of what they have to offer. Surely you can see that."

"Thing is, I do understand what you're saying," April told him. "But you should've trusted me enough to tell me the truth."

"You're right, April," he said. "You were my best student and I should've taken you into my confidence. Unfortunately, I was prevented from doing so. Forgive me? Please?" April couldn't stay mad at him, as much as she wanted to.

"I guess so," she said. "This time. Next time, though, I'll kick your ass," she added, laughing. Alan laughed with her. "So, when are you leaving?" she asked.

"We'll be leaving in just a short bit," he said. "So, how are you getting along here?" he asked after a few moments.

"Getting along quite well, actually," she said. "I enjoy the work, and yes, it's quite different from what we did in the lab. I've made a lot of friends and I'm getting used to my new quarters."

"I'm glad to hear that, April," he said. "I think you could go far here." They talked for a bit more about work and school. Eventually, he looked at his watch. "We'd better get going," he added, addressing Lucinda. He turned back to April. "It was good seeing you and I hope to see you again sometime soon, April."

"Good to see you again as well, Alan," she said. "Good luck with your new assignment." As Alan and Lucinda began to walk away, Lucinda turned back and whispered in April's ear.

"He loves you, you know," she said. April looked at her, confused.

"Who?" she asked. Lucinda smiled.

"Jake, who else," she said quietly before turning away. April stood there, stunned. How did this girl know that? She watched the two of them go back to his car and drive off before going back to her apartment. When she got there, the first thing she noticed was Jake, quivering in his pot.

"What's the matter?" she asked as she walked over to him. "Are you not feeling well?"

"Jake... scared," the plant said in her mind as a leafy tendril reached out to her. For a moment, she thought the plant would start crying, it sounded so pitiful.

"Scared?" she asked. "Why would you be scared?"

"Afraid queen leave with doctor," he told her. "Leave Jake alone again."

"I would never leave you alone," she said. "I'm not going anywhere. And even if I did go, I would take you with me."

"You would?" Jake asked.

"Yes, of course," she said. "I need you."

"Really?" Jake asked in a manner that reminded her of a child needing comfort and love.

"Yes," she said. "By the way, how did you know I was seeing Dr. Johnson?"

"Companion told me," he said in her mind. What, she asked herself. Was he in telepathic contact with Lucinda? How could that be? After everything she had experienced lately, it wouldn't surprise her. Maybe, she thought, that's how Lucinda knew Jake loved her. She decided to find out what she could about these "designated companions."

"Well, don't you worry about a thing," she said. "I'll never leave you alone again. Did you tell Lucinda that you love me?"

"Yes," he told her. "Is queen mad?"

"No, of course not," she said. "I love you too."

"You do?" he asked, his leaves shaking in excitement.

"Yes," she said. "No one makes me feel as good as you."

"Does queen want to... play?" he asked.

"Oh, yes," she moaned. "Most definitely."

...

October 23, 2020:

Theresa mentally prepared herself for the annual Council Review and thought back over what had been accomplished here. She never dreamed when she walked into Margaret's shop so long ago that this would be the result.

Over the last year, the tempo of operations at the Colony -- a self-contained compound cleverly disguised as a botanical research facility -- had increased significantly. Although botanical research did take place at the secure compound, there was much more going on behind the scenes.

Construction had ramped up significantly on new buildings which would house newly-acquired workers. Although most of the work was done by human-Gingravik hybrids, the Council agreed with Theresa that outsiders would need to be brought in to complete some of the less confidential work. That meant hiring candidates who were not only qualified to do their jobs, but who were also young, single, physically fit, and open to new and somewhat radical ideas.

The hiring process had begun and new candidates were brought in. Theresa was concerned, however, that some of the new hires might become romantically entangled with each other, perhaps causing them to get distracted from their work or worse, become potential security leaks that would have to be dealt with. The last thing she wanted were raging hormones getting in the way of their objective.

After consulting with the Matrons and the facility's top scientific advisors, she tasked them with creating "designated companions" for the outside male employees. The advisors all said it could be done and would help mitigate potential problems. All they would need was a suitable model, a "blank" fertilized embryo and DNA from the male candidates.

The program had become a rousing success. In addition, all female employees were mated to male Gingravik. Some, like April, were mated with hybrids. As a result, the human employees saw no need to engage in sexual liaisons or complicated relationships with each other. In addition, productivity and morale was as high as one could possibly imagine.

And now, one year since the last Annual Review, she stood in front of Margaret's monitor, waiting for the connection to be established. Before long, they heard the slight ping, indicating the subspace connection had been established with the Council, located on a planet orbiting a yellow star several hundred light years away. The monitor flickered to life and they saw a row of large plants, their stalks facing them. Theresa knew the very large plant in the center was the Emperor. She and Margaret bowed slightly as the image coalesced.

"Ah, Queen Mother," the Emperor said. "Once again, your delightfully smooth mons pubis excites our visual receptors and titillates our stalks. Images of your exquisite nudity have prompted numerous erections and ejaculations across the Empire."

"Thank you, Emperor, I am truly honored," Theresa said.

"It is us who are honored, Queen Mother," the Emperor said in response. "I have reviewed your report for the previous cycle, and I am truly impressed with your progress. You have accomplished more in the last three of your years than in the previous 200. I understand the satellite facilities are now being established."

"Yes, Excellency, they are ramping up even as we speak," Theresa said.

"Good," the Emperor said. "When will they be at peak production?"

"The plan is for them to be fully operational shortly after the first of the year," Theresa said. "We hope to see Gingravik DNA go global by the middle of next year. The planners tell me if everything goes as planned, we could see global Human-Gingravik integration within a few generations."

"Wonderful," the Emperor said. "I could not help but notice that your engineers have very successfully integrated Gingravik technology with your own. I am quite impressed. I believe yours is the first non-Gingravik species to do so."

"Thank you, Excellency," Theresa said. "The engineers tell me the two technologies are quite compatible and easy to integrate with each other."

"I am also interested in hearing about these, er, designated companions you have devised for your male human workers," the Emperor said. "Please tell me something of those."

"Of course, Excellency," Theresa said. "I felt that something needed to be done to keep the employees, well, focused, on their work. The female workers have their Gingravik mates, but there was nothing for the male workers. After consulting with our engineers, we came up with the companions.

"They appear to be fully human females on the outside, and they function as human females. But they are more Gingravik than human on the inside. Each one is genetically designed to the specifics given by the make workers and each one is totally devoted to their human male partners.

"Since implementing the companion program we have notice a significant increase in productivity, morale and retention. The male workers are dedicated to their jobs and there have been no instances of inappropriate behavior between any of the human employees whatsoever," she said.

"Very novel thinking, Queen Mother," the Emperor said. "I'd also like to inquire about your latest human acquisition, er, April Jennings. I understand she was mated to a hybrid before coming on board."

"Yes, Excellency," Theresa said.

"I'm surprised you allowed the hybrid to continue," the Emperor said. "From what I heard, his emotional development and his ability to procreate was hampered by the treatment he received from the humans."

"Yes, his emotional development was hampered," Theresa said. "Part of that was from the trauma of being involuntarily separated from the female. The damage was done when his body was examined. The researchers who did that were unaware of the consequences of the examination. They did not act out of malice toward the hybrid.

"We were also concerned about his emotional and psychological state when he was brought here. Part of his condition was due to the composition of the soil where he germinated. I did not feel it right to terminate him since his condition was not of his own doing. We worked hard to restore his health and he is doing much better now that he is reunited with April," she said. "They have connected and appear to be quite happy with one another."

"Noted. Your compassion toward this hybrid is most... Gingravik, Queen," the Emperor said. "While he may not be able to procreate, he can still live a happy and relatively healthy life. I am touched." He turned a stalk toward the First Councilor. "And the pandemic?"

"The pandemic is having the desired impact, Excellency," the First Councilor said. "The human governments are responding as we predicted. The ongoing political and economic upheaval will help mask our operations and spur the planet's inhabitants to seek... alternatives."

"Peacefully?" the Emperor asked.

"One can only hope, Excellency," the First Councilor said. "Unfortunately, humans have a tendency to get... violent... at times."

"So I've noticed, Councilor," the Emperor said. "What have you put in place to mitigate that?"

"Our functionaries are pushing for more lockdowns and perhaps more masking, Excellency," the First Councilor said. "Even with the potential presence of viable vaccinations. Human media operatives are doing their best to keep the population under control. Our hope is that the message will reach enough humans to get the job done."

"Let's hope they are successful, Councilor," the Emperor said. "I understand there is an upcoming election in your region, Queen Mother."

"Yes, Excellency," Theresa said. "We have filtered much of the political news here out of concern it could interfere with our work, but much of the country is torn right now."

"Do not concern yourself with that, Queen Mother," the First Councilor said. "The outcome has already been guaranteed, although that, too, will certainly cause even more political upheaval. It has been factored into our plan and should help further mask our operations. Your focus needs to remain on the work at hand."

"And it will," Theresa said.

"Very good, Queen Mother," the Emperor said. "Let me end this meeting by saying that we are very pleased with your overall progress, Queen. I trust you will continue your work until the job is done."

"Yes, Excellency," Theresa said. "Marsook's will be done."

"Yes, of course," the Emperor said. "And I look forward to the day when you will accompany me into the world body known as the United Nations where we will announce the Human-Gingravik Compact."

"As do I, Excellency," she said.

"From this moment forward, you are to be known throughout the Kingdon as Queen Tere, the queen mother of the Gingravik Prefect of Earth," the Emperor said. "Long live the Queen!"

"Long live the Queen," the councilors said in unison.

"I'm flattered, Excellency," Theresa said. The Emperor turned to the other councilors before speaking.

"Please excuse us for a moment. I wish to speak privately to the Queen," he said. The councilors nodded their stalks before turning away. "You may remain, Facilitator," he added before addressing Theresa.

"Queen, you should know that you have become something of a celebrity throughout the Empire," he said. "One cannot watch a single infocast without a mention of you, and many of our seedlings spend much time ogling your delightful form."

"I was not aware of that, Excellency," Theresa said.

"It is true," he said. "I'm sure you're aware that we are quite fond of the human female form. The Empress wants to know if you would be willing to provide us with a moving image of you with your consort."

"You mean, you want to watch us coupling?" Theresa asked.

"Yes," the Emperor said. "If it's not too much trouble, that is."

"I believe we would be honored to mate for you and the Empress," Theresa said with a smile.

"The Empress would be delighted if you could do so," he said. "Just one question. Is it true you can take more than one of his stalk-ends at a time inside you?"

"Yes, Excellency, it is," she said, blushing.

"Oh my," the Emperor said. "That must be quite the challenge."

"Sometimes," she said.

"Well, Queen, the Empress and I look forward to your exhibition," the Emperor said. "Until then, may all your orgasms be blessed."

"Thank you, Excellency, and the same to you as well," Theresa said before the connection was ended.

...

"You seem rather taken with this female queen, Excellency," the First Councilor said when the High Council reconvened.

"As is most of the Empire, Councilor," the Emperor replied.

"Yes," the Councilor said. "These human females are quite easy on the visual receptors, are they not? You do realize she was not always so... pleasing."

"I know, Councilor," the Emperor said. "We have her consort to thank for her transformation. He has done a remarkable job. It seems he has also managed to make her more Gingravik than human in many ways."

"Indeed," the Councilor said. "These humans can be quite... self centered and uncaring at times. And brutal when necessary. Their history of warfare and conflict bears that out."

"Let us hope it never comes to that, Councilor," the Emperor said. "I shudder to think of the consequences."

"As do I, Excellency," the Councilor said.

"Perhaps it is time we consider your plan, Councilor," the Emperor said.

"You mean, bring human female embryos back here to the home world?" the Councilor asked. "For study and procreation?"

"Yes," the Emperor said. "I want you to consult with the engineers to see if it can be done."

"Very well, Excellency," the Councilor said. "It shall be as you command."

...

Margaret looked at Theresa when the connection ended. She was proud of the young woman and all she had accomplished.

"So, you have been renamed," she said. "Do you realize the significance of that?"

"No," Theresa said.

"Tere was the name given to the first Empress, many years ago," Margaret said. "According to Gingravik legend, her petals launched thousands of spores into the depths of space looking for new worlds to settle upon."

"Really? Like Helen of Troy? What happened to her?" Theresa asked.

"It is said the Empire was born through her," Margaret said. "She lived a long life and died in her mate's branches, beloved by everyone. Her mate died shortly thereafter. He couldn't bear living without her. Much of what the Gingravik believes came from the two of them. You already know his name."

"Oh?" Theresa asked.

"Yes," Margaret said. "He was called Marsook. It is believed he and Tere watch over the Gingravik even to this day. Your consort can tell you much more."

"Wow," Theresa said, surprised. This was the first she had heard of this. She, like so many others in the inner circle, frequently invoke his name as a form of blessing and greeting. She slowly began to understand the significance of what the Emperor had done. "It seems I have some rather large shoes to fill," Theresa said quietly.

"More than you know," Margaret said. Standing up, she took Theresa in her arms and held her as a mother would hold her daughter. "I want you to know that I am so very proud of you, Theresa. And I love you as if you were my own daughter."

"Margaret, that's so... kind... of you to say," Theresa told her. "You're like a second mother to me." Margaret smiled at that.

"Thank you, my dear," she said. "Come now, we have much work to do."

...

To be continued...