Through the Looking Glass Ch. 08

Lisa stammered for a moment, then, "Uh... yeah, that's right. Bras come in different sizes for different size women."

Luna cocked an eyebrow, "You cannot augment the size of your mammary glands?"

"Well... yes we can, but not on command," Lisa uttered, not entirely sure how to explain breast implants, "Human female breasts swell a little during sexual intercourse and when they're nursing their newborns, but we can't make them bigger the way you can."

"There are not many species that are able to alter their appearance the way we can," said Luna, sighing again and making her boobs contract to their original size, "We only augment parts of our bodies for coupling enjoyment."

Lisa smirked a little at that, curious as to what kind of 'coupling' the Krellin enjoy, as Luna placed the bra back on the table. But Lisa was startled next when Luna grabbed her wrist as she reached for a tarp-like cloth draped over another table.

"Lisa..." she said in a shaky whisper, "don't."

She looked puzzled at Luna, then scared not entirely sure she wanted to know what was under the cloth.

"Those are the... 'fossilized remains' I spoke of earlier. You may look if you wish, but..."

Lisa snatched her hand away from the table, slightly rattled at the thought of what the Krellin uncovered and feeling her stomach tighten up, saying, "That's alright, I'll... take your word for it."

Luna noticed the gauze in her palm stained a dark red and said, "You are injured. Bala?"

One of the female Krellin, the team's on-site medic, came over to the two others with a kit. She removed an odd looking probing device and asked Lisa to show her the wound on her hand. Examining it, Bala clicked the device on and a blue light lanced out of the tip, which she waved across the gash. Lisa's palm tingled as the skin was pulled and knitted together, the dried blood flaking away, and healed without a scar once she finished.

Amazed, Lisa smiled and nodded to Bala, saying "Thank you." and decided not to tell them that it wasn't necessary; her wounds, as well as Mitch's, would heal once they crossed over to the next dimension.

"I may have found something of interest, Mitchell," said Demm, adjusting the controls of his computer, "This article mentions something about a disease." He then transferred the image over to the screen in front of Mitch.

He looked at the old newspaper section displayed, its front page dominated by the words, 'Epidemic Deaths Triple Within Year' in bold print. Lisa and Luna joined them at the screen as Mitch read through the headline article, the date on the paper was obscured but the last two numbers that could be seen were, '...44'.

"Typhus?" said Lisa, bewildered, "Is that like typhoid?"

"No," Mitch mumbled, scanning through the print, "it's completely different from typhoid, but some of the symptoms are the same: high fever, chills, rashes, delirium. Typhoid was transmitted through contaminated food and water, and then through carriers of the disease. Typhus was carried to humans through fleas, lice, and mites, mostly in overcrowded jails and prison camps during wartime where conditions weren't exactly on the 'clean' side. Third world countries were the most susceptible."

"But they developed vaccines against those old diseases, didn't they? I was vaccinated against them when I was young; so were you."

Mitch nodded to Lisa, "Yeah, I know; every kid was. But apparently not here, either that or the scientists who developed them never..." Shock plastered Mitch's face as he looked at the headline again and the partial date, "'44, during World War II..."

"Is this conflict significant?" asked Demm.

"Yes, it was. Allied countries stopped a dictator and his regime from taking over the world. Some important vaccines were created in Eastern Europe during that time where a major part of this war took place..."

Lisa joined in with Mitch's train of thought, "The Nazis invaded Eastern Europe, as well as other countries around them."

Mitch nodded, tapping a finger against his pursed lips, "If I remember correctly, the Nazis forced scientists to create vaccines for them; I can't remember who. The vaccines were smuggled out of the occupied areas and distributed throughout Europe and Asia. But in this dimension..."

"They didn't force the scientists to make anything, they... killed them," said Lisa, aghast, "The vaccines were never developed..."

"...and the diseases were allowed to run rampant," finished Mitch, equally appalled, "It started with typhus, then maybe with typhoid. After that, rubella, malaria, measles... there was nobody left that came up with vaccines in time to keep them in check," he leaned against the table, "The diseases ran wild, and everyone... ...oh, God."

Lisa wrapped her arm around his and laid her head on his shoulder, her eyes shut tight in frustrated disbelief, "...oh, no."

"I am sorry, Mitchell," said Demm, gripping his shoulder in support, "We have seen results of this very situation on other worlds."

"Are you and Lisa in danger from this?" asked Luna, the worry in her voice was plain.

Mitch raised his weary head and shook it, "No. Lisa and I were vaccinated against these diseases when we were children. We still carry the anti-agents in our systems; we're immune."

Lisa wiped a tear from her face and turned to Luna, "What about you? Are you in danger?"

Luna shook her head 'no', "We scanned your world for any bacterial pollutants and viruses that may be harmful to us, it is standard procedure before investigating a planet. We have inoculated ourselves against them and are safe from their effects."

"If there was any way to change this, we would assist you."

Mitch smiled at Demm, "I appreciate that, I really do. But Lisa and I promised ourselves that we wouldn't interfere with the history of whatever dimension we travel to. We've already done this in a few other universes, and I don't know what the outcomes will be; they could hurt rather than help," he stared at the paper headline, then shook his head, "No, what's done is done and if this is the way it's suppose to be in this dimension... so be it."

"Mitch is right," Lisa added, wiping away the last of her tears, "there's nothing we can do to change this even if we wanted to or had the ability, but we can still help you. We can give you an idea of what we're like and what we could have accomplished."

"Thank you," said Demm, "You have given us much already, but you could fill in any gaps in our investigation."

Mitch stuck out his hand, which Demm took into his, "Done."

Demm suggested that Mitch and Lisa eat and rest for a short while before diving into the artifacts found by the Krellin, to which Lisa agreed with earnest. Noly inputted the data taken by Luna on the scientists' metabolisms and ordered a nourishment processing unit to replicate the appropriate foodstuffs.

Mitch and Lisa wandered about the camp area to stretch their legs and relax, fascinated by the space craft and the technology around them. After taking a bite of a nutrition square that tasted like fruit, Mitch pulled out his recorder while Lisa snapped some pictures with her camera.

'April 9- I was right about the goings-on in the dimension we were in; somebody was manipulating and using the robotic nightmares that were attacking the surviving humans. I, along with members of a resistance group, managed to put an end to the one running the show. The survivors can start rebuilding and getting on with their lives without computers and robots lurking behind every corner.'

'We arrived in the next dimension a few hours ago, and it turns out to be a mixed blessing. The good part is that beings from another world are here; actual extraterrestrial, sentient life forms somewhat similar to us with a few exceptions. The bad part is that Lisa and I are the only two human beings alive on this Earth; everyone else apparently died from a disease epidemic about sixty-odd years earlier.'

'The beings, called the Krellin, are here to investigate and survey our world for scientific interests and possibly to establish an outpost colony. We have no objections to this, since we will be leaving tomorrow and this Earth is now uninhabited. The Krellin are friendly and eager to learn about us, and we've established a good rapport with them. We are just as eager to learn about them.'

'After we rest for awhile, Lisa and I will help them with their survey. They have uncovered a number of relics that they want us to identify, and I believe this will give them a better understanding of what human beings were like here.'

Turning off the recorder, Mitch munched on his 'fruit' square and watched Lisa clicking away at her camera and storing the images. Again, her nude body melded with the outdoor scenery perfectly, and Mitch could see she enjoyed being naked in the wilderness. She finished with her picture taking and joined Mitch near the heating unit.

They relaxed in the warm sunshine, observing Demm and his crew going about their business and discussing plans for further investigations of the Earth in the present universe.

"You know, I've been wondering about something," said Lisa, pointing to the small disk below her ear, "Why do we need these disks to understand the Krellin? We didn't need them before."

Mitch crinkled his brow in confusion, "What do you mean?"

"When we were in the dimension where the Romans ruled, we both understood the Latin they were speaking and they understood us, without any kind of translation device. Why do we need one now?"

Mitch thought about it for a minute, then, "Maybe because our brains responded to our languages only. All the languages we know of came from right here on Earth. English, Russian, German, Spanish, even Latin; whether we understand them or not, we know in our minds that they exist. To my knowledge, no one has ever heard a language from another world, so maybe our brains can't comprehend it and can't translate it or let us speak it. It's only a theory, but it's a logical guess."

Lisa nodded, then turned back to the Krellin and snickered, making Mitch look at her quizzically, "They seem comfortable walking around not wearing anything, I wish we were more like that. I'll bet we'd have a lot less problems in the world if everyone was naked."

Mitch shook his head, "I think the climates would say different, especially winter. And besides, everyone might be screwing around too much to get anything done."

Lisa laughed as she observed Demm and Luna speaking closely with one another, as couples often do, and her cheeks reddened a little when she asked, "Did you see the size of Demm's... unit?"

Mitch scrunched his face, "I'm not in the habit of comparing... 'unit' sizes with other guys."

"It's as thick as my arm," she said, wrapping her fingers around her wrist and idly wondered what it looked like fully erect, if beings like Krellin males got erections, "I bet Luna enjoys it."

"All right, enough," Mitch scolded, then reached over and tickled the underside of her bare breast.

Lisa giggled and squirmed away from his teasing fingers, "Quit it, you're making me horny." Mitch could see that, because her nipples were starting to bud.

After resting for a while, they returned to the main tent structure with Demm and Luna. Mitch and Lisa immediately dived into the relics the Krellin had found and helped them identify the various items.

"This," said Mitch, pointing to the inner components of an electronic device, "is... well, what's left of a device called television, that 'TV' I mentioned earlier." The screen for the most part was surprisingly intact, but the rest was a mixture of broken tubes, frayed wires, and corroded electronics, "This device would broadcast sounds and images using radio waves, mostly news updates and entertainment programs."

Demm nodded, "We had something quite similar to this in our distant past. We still have a few of these devices on display in our archives. Did all humans have this technology at their disposal?"

"Well, at the time, no. Television was available, but it didn't become really popular until after that war we talked about. During the war, only some people had television, but after it was over almost everyone had one within a decade or two."

The two scientists spent the rest of the afternoon and early evening identifying unearthed treasures, from tools and household kitchen appliances to machine parts and toys, including a baseball bat. They first thought it was a primitive weapon of sorts, and Mitch had some difficulty explaining the game to the Krellin who didn't seem to quite catch onto the concept.

When the sun finally dipped below the horizon, the group gathered around the heating unit, still discussing human attributes and customs.

"As a physician," Bala started, "I am curious about your species' physiology. May I ask about a certain physical trait, if it is not too personal?"

"Of course, Bala," answered Mitch.

"How do humans reproduce?"

Lisa choked a little on the water she was drinking, but recovered quickly, "Uh... well, usually through sexual intercourse."

"You mean physical coupling?"

"Yes," said Lisa, going on to explain the process of how a child is conceived, with the Krellin listening in intense fascination, "...and after the fetus has incubated inside the womb for about 270-odd days, the female pushes the baby out of the womb through the vaginal opening. The baby takes its first breath of air and starts its life with its new parents."

Bala nodded, "Quite similar to how our young are reproduced, but the incubation period is only about half the time of yours. We Krellin also engage in coupling for enjoyment. Do humans practice this coupling for pleasure, too?"

Lisa blushed a little, feeling her body respond to the intimate and stimulating conversation, "Yes, we do. And most do it as often as possible when they're young adults."

"Is there a certain way a coupling would be successful in producing offspring?"

Mitch shrugged, "Well, humans engage in sexual intercourse in different ways, different body positions. But as long as the male's sperm is deposited into the female's womb sufficiently enough, conception of a baby is almost guaranteed barring any preventative or medical reasons."

"That is what prevents me from becoming pregnant," Lisa piped in, "I have a device inserted in my uterus that prevents pregnancy."

Luna nodded, "That would be the small artificial object my initial scans detected. You do not wish to bear offspring?"

"Well, Mitch and I have discussed it and decided that we should wait until we're ready to take on the responsibility of raising children. But he's right: pregnancy is almost guaranteed if the coupling is successful."

"Would you demonstrate how this is accomplished?"

"Bala," Luna warned, after seeing the somewhat alarmed look on the scientists' faces, "that may be too intimate an action for Mitchell and Lisa to perform. Humans may consider the act of coupling private; other species do."

Lisa chuckled a little, "Well, most humans do, yes. There are a few that enjoy having sex where they can be seen by others, it heightens their excitement. Most humans enjoy watching others having sex but, for the most part, they do it by watching recordings and images of it."

Luna tilted her head and asked, "You and Mitchell have visually recorded your coupling activities?"

Mitch laughed, "No, we haven't. Those types of images were commercially available to humans to watch in private. Some enjoyed this type of entertainment while others considered it 'obscene'."

"I do not understand why coupling would be objectionable," said Alik, one of the security beings they first met in town, "From what you've explained to us, the violence in your history would be viewed as obscene, but some did not object to it. Yet, humans did not approve of viewing coupling acts, even though it is more pleasurable."

Mitch nodded sadly, "And I agree with you. Sometimes I don't understand it either, but that's because humans can be a complicated species. Personally, I'd rather watch humans having intercourse than watching them try to kill each other."

"Humans can be confusing," Lisa agreed, "but not all of them are like that. We are a good people; at the very least, we want to be." She sipped her water as the Krellin took in what they were saying and continued, "We still have fun, though; we did in another dimension... well, until we had to leave." Lisa went on to explain what she and Mitch did in the universe where open sexual relations were permitted, up to a point, and how it apparently came about.

"That would be stimulating," said Luna after Lisa finished, "and much more preferred over violent acts."

"Well, they seemed to enjoy themselves," said Lisa with a smile, "and you're right: much more preferred over violence."

"What is this 'oral sex' you mentioned?" asked Bala.

Lisa giggled, "Well, it's when you stimulate your partner with your mouth."

"Like this?" Demm leaned over to Luna and kissed her warmly, Luna smiling at him with nothing but love.

"Well, that's part of it... but it's more... um..." Lisa then got a wicked grin and looked at Mitch with a gleam in her eye. Mitch could see her nipples budding when she asked, "You want to show them?"

She didn't give Mitch a chance to answer. She got up out of her seat and stood in front of him, offering her hand. Feeling his cock starting to stir, Mitch took it and joined her in front of the Krellin. He took her into his arms and kissed her with passion, their hands roaming all over their bodies.

Luna brought out her scanner as Lisa finished kissing Mitch, then lowered herself down to kneel in front of him and licked her lips at the sight of his dick.

"This is how a female stimulates a male with oral sex," said Lisa, almost clinically as if she were making a documentary. She took Mitch's semi-limp penis in her hand, gently stroking and caressing it, then proceeded to give it a tongue bath. Her wet weapon flicked and slathered all over his cock, and the Krellin watched in fascination as it grew to its erect length.

Finished with bathing it, Lisa parted her lips and allowed Mitch's hard prick to slip between them, and she gently suckled the fat head making him moan with pleasure. Then she let the shaft slide into her mouth and, cupping and kneading his balls, started bobbing her head up and down.

Luna scanned the pair during their demonstration, running the red scanning beam over them and recording their bodies' reactions.

"Interesting," she remarked, feeling a peculiar tingling in her body, "quite similar to our species. The nerve endings in the gland at the tip of Mitchell's phallic member are being stimulated, and reproductive cells are being created in the testicular nodes. The glandular node below them is producing fluid." She flipped the readings over to Lisa, "Her body is responding to the stimuli as well. Her mammary glands have increased in size, and her coupling receptacle is producing moisture. Both of their body temperatures have increased, as well as their circulatory and respiratory rates," she took her eyes off the device to view Mitch and Lisa and said in a husky voice, "but I have never seen coupling stimulation achieved in this manner."

With her free hand, Luna reached down and took hold of Demm's penis, gently stroking it as her breathing became more labored.

"Luna, stop that," said Demm, feeling his cock starting to fatten.

"I cannot help it," she responded, feeling her own genitalia starting to tingle, "this activity is stimulating my reproductive system."

Mitch and Lisa only heard half of the exchange between Demm and Luna and ignored Luna's playing for the most part, for they were too distracted by their own stimulation. Mitch huffed and moaned as Lisa's mouth and tongue danced all over his cock, her teasing fingers coaxing out the cum that was sure to burst forth from his balls at any moment.