The Plant Pt. 05 - Revelation

"And how is your lovely companion these days?" Theresa asked.

"Delightful and delicious as always, mother," Harmon said. "In fact, she is ovulating even as we speak."

"Then what are you doing here?" she asked in response. "Go, see to your duties. Impregnate her and produce another grandchild for your father and I."

"Yes, son," Bernie said in his mind. "Always remember your priorities."

"Yes, father," Harmon said. "If you will excuse me..."

"Of course, son," Theresa said with a wide smile. She watched as Harmon left her office. While he appeared to be a man in his mid-thirties, Harmon had only been in existence for a few years. He was actually one of the first three "children" Theresa and Bernie produced together, which made him half-Gingravik. His rapid growth and maturity came as a result of Gingravik technology given to Margaret.

He was also permanently mated to one of the first successful "designated companions" produced at the fledgling facility. Like the other companions, Cassiopeia, or Cassie, as she liked to be called, is a strikingly beautiful woman -- what some would describe as sultry. She was crafted specifically for Harmon, to Theresa's exact specifications. Even her vagina was designed to comfortably accommodate Harmon's nine-inch penis.

Theresa remembered the day Harmon was first introduced to her. She got out of her bed, naked, walked to him and gave him a deep tongue kiss. Then she dropped to her knees and eagerly sucked his cock until he ejaculated in her throat.

The two of them were united in the Gingravik fashion and now happily live as husband and wife. But they have yet to produce any offspring, thanks mostly to Harmon's work ethic. He spends far too much time working, Theresa and Bernie agreed. But Cassie, being the understanding and loving spouse she is, never complained.

"Always the workaholic, that one," Bernie said.

...

April was fuming when she finally got back to her apartment that day. The first thing she heard when she entered was banjo music. And it was loud.

"What IS that racket?" she hollered out.

"Earl Scruggs. Foggy Mountain Breakdown," Jake said in her mind after turning the music down. "Wanna dance?" He sensed her frustration and changed his tone. "I'm sorry. Are you alright, my queen?"

"I'm sorry, Jake, I didn't mean to yell," she said. "I had a rough day today."

"Then sit with a cup of tea and tell Jake all about it," he said in a soothing tone.

"Good idea," she said. She made her tea, then sat on the couch next to Jake and relayed the day's events. Jake listened patiently as she spoke. He could tell she was a bit upset, and decided to let her vent.

"Maybe you should have a quiet dinner and soak in the bathtub for a while," he said when she wound down. "If you like I can make a Denver omelet for you. I've been practicing you know."

"That sounds heavenly, Jake," she said. "Thank you for being so good to me."

"It's because I love my queen," he said in her mind.

"And I love you, Jake," she said.

...

The next six weeks were extremely busy ones for April. She dived into her work, analyzing the data she and the team got from their experiments and their testing. She limited her "experimentation" to the weekends, reserving Mondays for the follow-up testing.

While all of the samples produced positive results, the most intense experience she had was with the native male Gingravik leaves. This didn't surprise her, given what she already knew about the plants. The first time she used it, she nearly collapsed from the sudden flash in her mind. The sex with Jake that followed was the most intense she had ever experienced, and left her quivering from multiple orgasms.

About halfway into the study, April approached Theresa about including a human male volunteer to participate in the study. Theresa agreed that would be a good idea, and managed to produce a male lab worker who, like April, had experimented a bit with marijuana during his youth.

Bill Abernathy went through the same initial screening April did, and seemed eager to try the new product. April wasn't surprised to learn that he also experienced heightened sexual arousal with his companion. He also reported a measurable increase in the size of his penis and he found that his endurance had increased significantly.

But there was more. The dreams that followed were the most intense and livid that she could ever remember. More than that, she felt... different. It was hard to put into words. It was almost as if her IQ had increased several points in just a short period of time. She found herself exploring concepts she had never even imagined. And, she no longer had to be in contact with Bernie to communicate with him. Bill reported similar results in his trial.

All of this went into her journal, along with the test results that seemed to corroborate her personal experiences. According to the test results, her brain activity had increased by as much as 35 percent, and her blood work and urine samples showed a significant improvement in her overall health. Bill's test results were similar.

If these findings were correct, she surmised they could easily live to be more than 100 years old. But, she wondered, would their bodies return to "normal" once the testing period was complete?

During that time, Theresa and Bernie visited her once a week. Bernie communicated with Jake as the girls talked about April's work. April loved to watch the two plants exchange information and she shared her experiences with Theresa, who took the time to review April's journal.

"I almost hate to see this test end," April said that first Monday in August when they came by her apartment.

"Maybe it doesn't have to," Theresa said.

"What do you mean?" April asked.

"There are... things in the works. I can't get into all of it, naturally," Theresa said. "I'm sure that by now, you have a fair grasp of what is happening here."

"I do," April said. "At least I think I do, anyway."

"And how do you feel about that?"

"Things have to change," April said. "As a species, we simply can't keep going on as we are now. If the Gingravik can truly save humanity from itself, then we owe it to ourselves to help make it happen." Theresa smiled as she considered April for a moment.

"What happened to being a traitor to your species?" Theresa asked, reminding April of the conversation she had with Margaret when she was still in college. April chuckled at that.

"I've learned much since then," she said. "I've seen things in my mind I can't fully comprehend. I've also seen what's taking place in the world right now."

"The dreams? Are you still having them?"

"Yes, every night," April said.

"Do they frighten you?"

"No, not anymore. It's almost as if I'm being given a glimpse into another future, or possibly even another world."

"Perhaps you are. I do know that Harmon is very impressed with your work, and the Council has taken notice as well," Theresa said. "We're going to expand the parameters of your research. I'll get with Harmon about that and he'll be speaking to you shortly." She saw April looking intently at the mark on her chest. "What's on your mind, April?" she asked.

"I was just wondering," she began slowly. "What's it like being married to Bernie?"

"Well, it's a bit different. For starters, there's a lot more involved than just saying vows. You have to... demonstrate... your commitment to each other."

"You mean, have sex?" April asked. Theresa nodded her head.

"Yes. The Gingravik are a very... physical species. Sex is a big part of the joining ceremony. It signifies the depth of your commitment to one another. Fully opening yourself to your mate in the presence of others proves your complete dedication to the relationship. Then there is the marking," she added, indicating the round green tattoo on her chest.

"Does it hurt?"

"It tingles a bit at first," Theresa said. "But that goes away pretty fast. Why are you asking? Are you thinking of permanently joining with Jake?"

"I've been thinking about it a lot," April said. "But I'm not sure how to bring it up. Does he ask? Do I? What's the protocol for this? How do we make it happen?"

"Well, there is no set protocol as you put it," Theresa said. "If you want to be his mate for life, then you simply ask. If that is his desire as well, he will accept."

"Then what?" April asked.

"Let me know and I'll take care of it from there," Theresa said. "I should let you know, however, that once you are marked as Jake's life-mate, there is no going back. You cannot simply divorce the way humans do. Are you prepared for that level of commitment?"

"I am," April said after a few moments.

"Then perhaps the two of you should discuss it. The sooner, the better," Theresa said. "But make sure you are ready to devote yourself to him for the rest of your life before you ask."

"I will," April said. After Theresa and Bernie left, April sat on the couch next to Jake.

"Are you alright, my queen?" Jake asked.

"Yes, I am," she said. "How are things progressing between you and Bernie?

"Very well," Jake said. "He has taught me much about my kind. Our language and history -- our legends. He has also taught me how to adjust my proteins to keep you as healthy as possible for as long as possible."

"Oh?"

"Yes. I promise I will keep you in tip-top shape. I want you around for a very long time to come."

"I would like that as well. Jake, you know that I love you, right?"

"Yes," Jake said in her mind, his anxiety apparent. "Why do you ask?"

"You say you love me as well. How much do you love me?"

"There are not enough words in any human language to express that, my queen," he said. "I could tell you in Gingravik, but you wouldn't understand."

"Do you love me enough to spend the rest of our lives together?" she asked.

"Oh yes, my queen," he said. "More than you know. Wait. Are you asking me to unite with you? For life?"

"Yes, that's exactly what I'm asking," April said. Jake started trembling and she heard a slight sob in her mind.

"I have wanted that for so long," he said. "I didn't know you felt that way about me. Of course, I will be yours. For life. Oh, my queen. You have made me so happy."

"And you make me so very happy, Jake," she said. He wrapped several leafy branches around her and held her to him. "I'll talk to Theresa and get things started."

"YES!" he exclaimed in her mind. That night, they made love to each other, relishing each other's bodies and minds.

...

Theresa, Margaret and Bernie took their places in front of the large monitor in Margaret's office and waited for the connection to the High Council to stabilize. Finally, the image snapped into place and the audio translation software kicked in and synchronized with the video.

"Ah, Queen Tere. Once again your delicious nudity graces our monitor and titillates our visual receptors," the High Councilor said. "Consort, you have been blessed with a delightful mate."

"Thank you, Councilor," Bernie said in response.

"We received video of your er, exhibition, my Queen," another councilor said. "It has been widely accepted throughout the Empire."

"Thank you, Councilor," Theresa said.

"The Emperor and Empress concur with the general public. Earth girls are quite... delightful."

"I'm glad you approve, Councilor," Theresa said.

"Indeed," the councilor said. "Many have expressed a desire to have one or two for themselves. We never thought it possible one bipedal humanoid could handle so many appendages at one time."

"As I have said before, human females can be extremely versatile," Theresa said.

"Yes, you have," another councilor said.

"To business, if we may," the First Councilor said. "Queen Tere, as you know, variants to the original virus are appearing as scheduled, and they seem to be having the desired effect. Human authorities are responding as we predicted, and it seems the political upheaval is reaching unprecedented levels."

"In addition, there are other crises on the horizon that threaten the general order of things," another councilor said.

"In consultation with this Council, the Emperor feels it is time to present an ambassador to your world authority," the First Councilor said.

"An ambassador?" Theresa asked.

"Yes," the First Councilor said. "We have dispatched several spores to your planet. In addition, we will transmit the genetic code you will use to integrate those spores into humanoid bodies. We realize it will take some time for those bodies to mature and acclimate, but that will give us time to make our initial contact. Have you been successful in placing operatives at your United Nations?"

"We have, Councilor," Theresa said.

"Excellent. That will make initial contact easier. You will also need to create a credible image for your world's representatives."

"That could take some time," Theresa said.

"Yes, we know," the Councilor said. "I would suggest using one of your satellite facilities. Perhaps construct a compound suitable for the occasion. Complete with the necessary personnel, security, that sort of thing."

"We will see to it immediately," Theresa said.

"My Queen, we have also examined your study into this substance you call 'G.' Are you confident it will help facilitate our integration without negative side-effects?" another Councilor asked.

"At this point, we are quite certain, however, we are continuing our research to make sure noting has been overlooked," Theresa said. "After all, six weeks with only two test subjects is hardly sufficient for a full study."

"Agreed. And the human researcher who performed this study -- how is she performing?"

"Quite well, actually, Councilor," Theresa said. "She has grown considerably over the last six weeks and has even submitted a request to join with her mate. I will handle her counseling personally."

"Good, good," the Councilor said. "Proceed with extreme caution, my Queen. These are perilous times for your planet and we must be careful."

"I agree, Councilor," Theresa said.

"Then we will take up no more of your time. You have much to do and little time in which to do it. Until we speak again, may Marsook smile upon your endeavors."

"And you as well, Councilor," Theresa said before the connection was cut. After the connection closed, the First Councilor regarded the others before speaking.

"It seems things are progressing faster than we anticipated," he said in his native language. The others concurred. "Are we any closer to a solution for obtaining some human female embryos?"

"The scientists think they have found a solution that will ensure safe transport, but they say there are still some risks," a second councilor said.

"Do you think Queen Tere will willingly provide the embryos when the time comes?" a third councilor asked.

"I believe so," the First Councilor said. "As long as we are honest with her regarding our intentions. She knows what we face as much as we do."

"Indeed. But we must be careful not to raise the public's hopes too much, no matter how much fun Earth girls seem to be," the Second Councilor said.

"You are right, my friend," the First Councilor said. "And yes, Earth girls do seem to be a lot of fun. Come, let's take a break and watch the exhibition one more time." The others shook their branches with excitement as they agreed.

...

Margaret looked at Theresa after the connection had closed. She wondered what was going through the younger woman's mind. Theresa looked out the large picture window, deep in thought. Then she turned back to Margaret and Bernie.

"Margaret, I want you to put together a team. We will need to start construction of this ambassadorial compound as quickly as possible, and I want our best people on it," she said.

"Yes, My Queen," Margaret said.

"We will need all the trappings of a legitimate government before we can even consider having an official meeting. Put together a committee so we can start planning. And activate our operatives in New York," Theresa said.

"Of course," Margaret said. "Consider it done."

"And Bernie, I will need your help as well."

"That was always my intention, my Queen," he said. She smiled as she looked at him.

"Where would I be without you, my love?" she asked him in her mind. Bernie shook a few of his branches as he responded.

"I think we both know the answer to that," he said.

"Yes, we do," she responded. "Come, sweetheart, we have much to do."

...

To be continued...