The War to End all Worlds Pt. 02

After what felt like an eternity, the grainy green shapes morphed, then flowed into that familiar visage.

"What?" The voice dripped with contempt.

"Mr, ah, von Sebttendorf," Sinclair said, his face beaming with sweat. "We have a, uh, tiny prob-"

Sinclair's throat felt as if a vice had clamped down on it. Tightening. Squeezing.

"I did not contact you to be distracted from the work with your problems, Herr Sinclair. You shall accomplish your objective. Or your Klan will find itself a new courier." The tightness increased even more. Sinclair felt his vision going black. Then the line disconnected and the holding image appeared again. He collapsed to his knees, gasping, his hand going to his chest. The door rattled again. The jew banker, again.

"Sonny, are you all right in there?"

Sinclair panted. His eyes flashed as he grabbed onto the booth's wall, hauling himself to his feet. A flop of pale blond hair had plastered itself before one of his eyes. He flipped his head to get it away.

"Fine."

###

I woke with a quiet gasp. The dream had been so vivid...and so...disturbing. I had seen Mr. Sinclair's face – blond and pale and blue eyed, with a manic energy that shimmered beneath the skin, even when he was supposedly calm. But that other man...he remained vague, as if his face had skimmed out of my mind, like a pebble skipped across a pond. Leaving the splashes, the ripples, but no pebble. I shifted, slightly – and saw that I had fallen asleep next to Tjen. We had made a small nest of red vines, the thick tubes being softer than the floor. She was nude – she had cast off what little clothes she wore the instant the door was barred...

There had been nothing sensual or sexual in the act. She merely seemed to find clothing distasteful, and had been slightly amused that I had kept mine on. If the chill of the evening had disturbed her, I hadn't felt it or heard it. She was still sleeping, her face masked by the curtain of her black hair. Her bared breasts were tipped with those perfect, dark red nipples. The chill that was slowly receding with the dawning of the day had coaxed them to eager hardness. The urge to reach around and squeeze her was...intense.

And shameful.

My father was dead and burned. I was hunted by madmen with guns, on a manhunt for a man who would kill millions, and here I was...admiring a Barsoomian's bared breasts. I shook my head, as if trying to get flies off my back. The motion woke Tjen. Her head turned, her hair spilled away, and she smiled ever so slightly up at me.

"Gipp," she murmured. "I slept well in your embrace. Thank you."

I flushed. For some reason the simple words struck me almost as hard as the sight of her lithe, athletic body did. Her belly was as flat as a board, and still lined with muscle. The urge to do more than simply tweak her nipples grew more intense. I pushed it down just as hard, forcing myself to my feet. I walked to one of the windows, grabbing and twisting the red vine away. I winced as I looked out on the street. There were cops – and workers, doing their best to clear the tracks from the violence last night.

"Sinclair is still out there, hunting for us," I said.

"How do you know?" Tjen asked, sliding to her feet, stretching her arms behind her back – could hear a rippling popopopop from her spine as she flexed it.

I turned to face her as she turned away from me – bending forward. The pert hairlessness of her sex made me gulp. She rummaged in her detached belt pouches, then drew out something that looked a knife hilt. But the blade, rather than being straight, curved in a hooked, almost L shape. She flicked a switch and a beam of pale blue light leaped from the curve of the L to the base of the handle. She started to skim it along her arm, flicking it. Each time she flicked it, grime and grit went flying, and her skin took on the slickness of fresh oil. The added glisten and smoothness made my breath catch.

"U-Uh...dream...it..." I trailed off as she turned, looking quizzically at me. The skin cleaner skimmed along her breasts, leaving then glistening and clean.

"I was not aware that humans could view events from a distant place or time while dreaming. I thought this was only an ability Red Martians had – those bred by the Tripod Builders to do such things, at the very least." She started to rub the cleaner along her belly, carefully sweeping it over and around her belly button.

I gulped. "W-Well, there are...seances..." I shook my head. "What is that?"

"A skin cleaner," she said, simply.

"Such a...poetic...name..." I trailed off as she rolled her shoulders, then turned her back.

"Gipp, would you please use this on my back. I cannot easily reach it," she said, holding the skin cleaner back to me. I took the skin cleaner – it felt heavier than I expected. I gulped, then gently brushed it along the nape of her neck, reaching up to push her hair out of the way. As I held it up, Tjen closed her eyes. She flexed her back to make it easier for me, then purred like a spoiled kitten – deep in her throat.

"You didn't purr when you used it on yourself," I muttered.

"You use it more forcefully, I find it quite pleasant," she said, then gasped as I applied slightly more pressure – the humming, glowing 'blade' not seeming to cut, no matter how hard I pressed. She bit her lower lip. "Ah. The crick in my lower back is no longer troubling me. Ah..."

My member was hard enough to almost strain my pants. Tjen rolled her head forward. Her voice was husky as she continued: "We shall head for the flying machine port and find a way to reach Berlin. But it would be useful if we could know how to narrow our search. And thus, I suggest that I administer oral pleasure to you. As you are quite aroused, it shall be relatively easy." Her lips quirked in a faint smile.

All at once, my arousal vanished as if it had evaporated. I drew away, frowning slightly. "My father died last night, Tjen."

She turned to face me. Her eyes were filled with pain and worry. She bowed her head, low. "Please, forgive me. I did not mean to..."

I shook my head. "It's not your fault Tjen. I find it quite, ah...flattering." I smiled at her, my hands going to her shoulders. She felt so smooth, freshly cleaned. But not slick, like I would have expected. She looked up at me, pursing her lips slightly. I continued. "But I don't think I have it in me. Not so soon."

"I could...try something," Tjen said. "If it would not offend you."

I smiled. "With a preamble like that, how could I say no, Tjen?" I asked, caressing her chin.

She nodded. "Then I shall dance for you."

I blinked. Images of Tjen, suffocating and miserable in a ballerina's gown, forced to pirouette to the dulcet tones of the Dance of the Sugarplum Fairies, flashed through my mind. It was not exactly what leaped to mind when I thought of 'sensual' and 'arousing.' But before I could say anything, Tjen had pushed me onto my butt. I sprawled there, and watched as Tjen stepped away from me. She kicked a bit of debris away from her bare feet. Then she stretched her arms out. Her hips moved from side to side to a beat that I could not hear. I felt my mouth start to dry as she slipped her arms along her sides, down to her hips. She crossed them over her belly, turning. The movement of her shoulders caused her breasts to press together, accentuating their subtle curves. Her belly undulated, moving like a snake as she twitched her hips to that beat.

She flipped her hair forward. My breath caught as she covered herself with it. Then she twisted her head, flipping her hair to the side, twining it around her shoulders as she started to curve and twist her whole body, causing delicious jiggles to travel along her, from her feet to her shoulders. Her breasts bounced fetchingly as she lifted her arms over her head. Her hips writhed from side to side as she slowly knelt to the ground while keeping her feet almost touching – which caused her knees to flare outwards. It spread the soft petals of her sex. I wanted to reach for her, but I couldn't move, hypnotized as I was.

Then she stood. She stepped to me, then swung around. Her ass filled my view as she bent forward. Her hips rose and fell invitingly and my tongue almost lolled out. She was able to twist and move her hips in such a way that her whole rump slapped together, the cheeks of her butt connecting with a quiet clapping sound. She was slick as she had ever been – the raw sensuality of the dance infecting her as much as me. I grabbed onto her hips, unable to do anything but act. I dragged her onto my lap as she mewled happily. My hand found her tit, squeezing her roughly. If she minded, she made no sign of it. Instead, she sighed and arched her spine to mash her breast into my fingers.

My free hand was down, between our legs. But I was not stroking the molten furnace between her sex. I was tugging at my zipper. My member slapped against her folds and she cooed, quietly. I hadn't thought I would be ready for this but...now...now? Now I wanted nothing but to feel her heat around me. I squirmed, pushed her forward ever so slightly, then thrust into her as she slipped herself onto me. Her sex fit my cock like a glove and she milked me as I slammed up into her.

I was shamed at how quickly my raw pleasure overcame my instincts. I knew I should have held back, I should have tried to prolong myself to pleasure her. Instead, I simply buried myself in her. My balls clenched and I shuddered – my seed spurting deep inside of her. She gasped – but I could hear the note of dissapointment in her voice. A wild desperation filled me. I leaned forward, kissing and sucking on her neck. One hand pinched her nipple, with my other found the bright pearl of her clitty and rubbed and rubbed and rubbed. My lack of expertise warred with her own obvious need, and soon, I was feeling her climax as if it was my own. Her sex clenched on my still pulsing shaft, and we both quivered.

Then...

Collapsed.

We sprawled in the dust, ugly basement, and it was at that moment, more beautiful than a palace. Panting quietly, she whispered. "I will begin to foresee."

"I...don't want to let you go," I murmured, squeezing her against me lazily. Tjen chuckled throatily.

"Then do not." She closed her eyes.

We both lay there. I could feel her tensing. I craned my head around, and saw her brow furrowing. I watched her, frowning slightly. She opened one eye – and it was not the deep, black void that I recalled from the last time she had foreseen the future. Instead, it was merely her uniquely beautiful, blue within blue iris. It was filled with growing consternation. She frowned, then writhed, squirming away from me. I let her slip from my arms, despite my urge to cling to her. She stood and stalked away from me, my sex glistening along her thighs.

"This is perplexing and confounding!" she said, turning to face me. "I cannot find the place where I will foretell the future."

I slowly pushed myself to a seated position. "W-Why not?"

"I do not know! If I knew, then I would state the reasons why, so that you would not be confused or uncertain!" She slammed her foot into the ground, setting off a delicious cascade of jiggling along her whole frame. I blinked at her.

"W-Well, um..." I drew my legs under me. "If it's something wrong with your...body or the organ that lets you foretell, maybe we should find a doctor?"

She tossed her head. "No."

"On second thought, that is an obviously stupid idea," I said, putting my hand over my face. Most of the doctors wouldn't even think to look at a Soomie. Hell, most of the doctors in New York would have deigned to look at a black man. I tugged my lower lip forward, then let it go, thinking furiously. "You can see into minds and bodies, right? That's how you read me, right?"

She nodded, looking quite serious.

"Use that ability on yourself," I said, nodding quickly, my legs crossing before me – growing as careless of my nudity as she was of hers. It felt more and more natural, the longer that we stood here, talking like this. I smiled slightly. "I know it might seem odd, but...maybe it will help?"

Tjen opened her mouth to respond. Then she closed it. Her brow furrowed as she considered. She looked as if she was viewing my idea from every angle, unwilling to simply dismiss it out of hand. I felt a growing affection for her – silly, I know? To think that I wouldn't be affectionate to a woman who had shared my bed twice in as many days. But the sex had been so sudden, pushed by a kind of desperate urge. A need beyond the things that drew humans together – a need to save the world. Could affection even exist in such a relationship?

I didn't know.

But...

She was doing her damnedest to bring it out in me.

Tjen nodded. "I shall attempt to see into myself. I have never tried. Red Martians were not encouraged to do such things, and I now realize that this may have been so the Tripod Builders could better control us. Would you please shake me awake, if I seem to be in distress. If I fail to waken, strike my face. Enough of an impact shall rouse me."

As she spoke, she knelt.

I smiled. "Can...I hold you while you do it?"

Tjen considered this as seriously as she had considered my first idea. After a few moments, I decided I appreciated that. She nodded, then sat herself down on my lap. There was nothing erotic in this moment – well, nothing much erotic. But that did not mean it didn't fill me with a delighted warmth. I closed my arms around her. And as she closed her eyes, I could feel a strange sensation. It was like standing too near to an active, shielded MPU. Then the sensation grew more focused. I felt my attention being drawn to a space between Tjen's forehead. I could feel the grainy, pulpy sensation of her brain. It was...grotesque and...fascinating. Then I felt a hard lump of crystal between her ears. I tensed – but she smirked and chuckled.

"No, no, that is normal..." she whispered, her voice dreamy.

"Y-You...can you feel that too?" I asked.

"I do not know how, but you are viewing with me..." she whispered. "Hush."

The sensation of awareness traveled along her spine. I could feel the fibrous nerves that twined outwards, reaching for her arms, her breasts, her belly, more. I could feel the softness of her organs and was fascinated by the differences. I felt the way her heart beat. I felt the way her stomach sloshed. No, strike that. I was fascinated by the similarities now. Her attention swept lower.

Both of us gasped.

Both of us opened our eyes. She looked at me.

I looked at her.

"You're-" I started.

"I'm-" she said.

"Pregnant!?" we finished.

TO BE CONTINUED