Case Study: Interspecies Mating, page 4
The furry male gave him a dull look over his short muzzle, ears twitching. “You’re late.”
“Yeah,” Rizor agreed, not even bothering with excuses.
Vigo reached into his robes and pulled out a white bracelet with a silver face. Rizor had seen everyone wearing them so far – including Vigo and Zeffir – and figured they were some kind of passkey or something and that he’d get his own sooner or later.
As he took it, Vigo explained, “Since you’re here, that means you’re part of the experiment. That device is going to be reading hormone levels, electrical activity in your heart, and skin changes.”
“Why is that necessary?” Rizor asked even as he put it on, sealing it in place.
“Because we don’t know who, if anyone, will have their mating impulses tripped by the humans. They’ve proven themselves capable of mating and breeding with the domini. Part of our research is to determine how, and if they can do it with anyone else. So, to that end, everyone has to wear these in case their instincts are triggered.”
A mate, huh?
Rizor hadn’t ever really given thought to what would happen if he scented his mate. Which struck him as odd only now. Had he really been so completely focused on revenge he had forgotten even something so basic and important?
He didn’t really expect to find a mate among the humans. The ratchi didn’t have the same trouble finding their mates as some other species. Their strong sense of smell made it easy, even across a large distance.
Maybe he should try that? When he went back to Hr’ssri. What would it be like to have a mate? To bring a female home to his mother? To have her scoring his scales with her claws as he held her down and pumped his seed into her wombs?
It was, surprisingly, a pleasant thought. Strange.
“When the humans get here, we’re going to direct them there,” Zeffir said, pulling him out of his musings. He pointed to a door at the back of the docks. “It’s a large conference room big enough for all of them. We’ll introduce ourselves to everyone at once and explain how we’re going to be splitting them into groups to make this easier. Vigo is going to be in charge of studying the actual mating process. I’m in charge of studying the reproductive process.”
“Got it,” Rizor said, looking through the large port windows. He could already see the incoming starship that was bringing the humans.
“Everyone else has already been alerted, so I’ll tell you too,” Vigo said, putting his tablet into his robe and out of sight. “If anyone’s mating impulses trigger, they’re to separate themselves from the humans and report directly to me. If you have to restrain them to make sure they do, you have permission.”
“They’re not allowed to approach their mate first?”
“No. We need to keep as much control over the process as possible. Human mating instincts are not yet known. They seem to think they don’t have any. So, if one of us is triggered, we want that person isolated before meeting their mate so we can study the human from the very start of the process. They have all been warned it could happen. They understand.”
Did he mean the staff or the humans? Before Rizor could ask, Zeffir interjected.
“Try not to display too much aggression around the humans if you can. They’re a very delicate species and they don’t respond to violence well.”
“Which ones? The males or the females?”
“Both. They’re fairly similar.”
That was unfortunate. Even in pacifistic species, there tended to be at least one gender that was capable of fighting. The feathery farasie, of which he scented a mated pair nearby, were completely herbivorous and peaceful, but the males of their species were still big and strong enough to protect their females and roosts if need be.
How did humans survive as a species, and proliferate to this degree, if they couldn’t do that?
He only got to ponder the question for a moment before the thud of the docking ship focused him back to the task at hand.
The process was quick and simple. The doors connected and sealed, and the light overhead indicated the connection had been made correctly. There was a short period of silence wherein all the gathered staff and scientists waited. Eager. Even Vigo, for all that he looked like he was bored this entire time, was staring at the ship with steady anticipation.
The door finally opened, and the first person out was a domini female – one of the crew operating the vessel. Her species was covered in flesh, but they were capable of quick and efficient camouflage that turned her the same yellow-green as the suit she wore.
The tension got tighter as everyone waited. Rizor’s tail shifted against the ground, now genuinely curious about this fragile species that was apparently worth all this trouble.
Then, the first one stepped out, and he understood.
It was a female. Fleshy, like the domini, though her skin was a shiny, dark, rich brown. Like most other fleshy species he knew of, she had a pair of breasts on her chest. But they were strangely large and high and bounced with each step she took. He had never seen the appeal of that feature before – ratchi females never had breasts – but he kind of understood looking at hers. There was just something so decadent and erotic about the sight.
The rest of her body was nothing to be ashamed of either. She had a tight dip in her waist, followed by a wide flare of her hips, only to taper down through her thighs into a pair of long, sensuous legs. For some odd reason, she had exaggeratedly long heels on her shoes, lifting her higher off the ground. They looked great.
She moved like she was attempting to seduce him. Each step rocked her hips, bounced her breasts, and tossed the long, dark quills on her head. Her body was sleek and seductive. She smiled and it seemed to make her eyes sparkle as she said something he couldn’t hear to the domini female.
“That will be Shoshana Carter,” Zeffir was saying beside him. “She’s a social worker. She’s here to make sure the subjects are treated fairly and safely.”
Shkri, his cocks were hardening in his groin just looking at her. Did all humans look like that? Move like that? It didn’t even look like she was trying. The plain, black pants and simple white blouse she wore were obviously professional, even if they were in an unknown, human style. Yet, still, everything about her exuded sex and sensuality.
Rizor didn’t realize his jaw had fallen open until Zeffir, chuckling, closed it.
He cleared his throat, swallowing, as he shook his head, trying and failing to clear it.
“The first time is always a surprise,” Zeffir said with a small amount of amusement, as Vigo looked on, unimpressed. “Beautiful, aren’t, they?”
“Wasn’t the exact word I was thinking of,” Rizor mumbled, returning to staring at the female.
Shkri, her hips. And that ass. Those lips. Females of his species didn’t have quills on their heads the way males did, so there was no reason for those tight, flexible quills going down her back to make him hot, but they did. He imagined grabbing them, yanking as he thrust deep into her sweet cunt.
Oblivious to his reaction, she turned to say something to the people inside. It looked like she was encouraging them to come forward.
It was at that moment, he scented something.
Something incredible. Indescribable. Sweet and rich and powerful. It filled his nose and fogged his brain. He couldn’t stop the bellowing hiss in his chest or the way his claws twitched as his upper jaw suddenly began to ache. He had never smelled this before, but he knew exactly what it was. He didn’t need a textbook or an awkward conversation with his mother to know. Even if he had never seen another person in his life, he would have known this feeling.
Possession. Desire. Aggression.
Mine.
A quick, high-pitched beeping from his own hand barely cut through the fog. He ignored it as he took a step forward. The only thing that mattered was the source of that scent.
That beautiful female. His female. He had to hunt her down. Hold her down. Fuck her while she screamed in ecstasy until her wombs were seeded with his young.
Hands suddenly grabbed him. Offensive. Wrong!
He tried to turn, to strike, but found his arms pinned to his sides. His line of sight was cut off with sparkling, bright orange skin, as a familiar, male scent surrounded him.
“Zeffir,” he hissed through his teeth.
“Easy, Rizor. Focus on my scent.”
“Foul!” No! He needed only his mate’s scent.
“Yeah, I bet it’s not nearly as sweet as whatever you’re smelling now, huh?” Zeffir chuckled as the huge, strong male forcibly dragged him back. Not without effort. Rizor couldn’t bring himself to assist. Not when everything in him screamed to run forward.
“Let’s calm you down,” Zeffir said, shielding him from the humans with his wings – the inner skin of them so much brighter than the rest of his dusty, blue hide. “You can hunt your mate later. We have to talk to her first.”
Hunt. Mate. Yes. Must hunt.
Pretty female. Soft female. Fuck her. Claim her. Breed her.
Rizor kept shaking and hissing even after the doors into the docking room closed, cutting him off from the source of that delectable scent.
It didn’t matter. It was too late now. He had it in his nose, burned into his brain.
His female.
His mate.
Chapter 2
Shoshana
“All right, people, quiet down! Let’s go over this one more time!”
Like a teacher at the front of the school bus during a field trip, Shoshana balanced one knee on her seat as she looked out over the cabin of the spaceship she was on. It was about equal to a medium sized airplane and was similarly situated on the inside. There were two columns going down the cabin, two seats per column, with a surprising amount of room. She thought spaceships were supposed to be cramped and tight.
Instead, it was roomy enough for all one hundred test subjects, five scientists, herself, and the three domini flight attendants to be seated comfortably. She called them flight attendants, but the trip itself was only a couple hours, they had pretty much just been there to make sure everyone was seated and safely buckled in place.
“Okay, thank you,” she smiled as the chatter stopped and all eyes turned to her. One hundred test subjects from the ages of twenty-five to sixty – fifty male, fifty female. All of them looked excited. She could hardly blame them.
If it wasn’t for the hard knot of anger in her belly, she might be just as excited. As it was, this entire event had turned bitter in her mouth. Knowing why she was really here, knowing she hadn’t actually earned it, kind of put a pall over everything.
But she still smiled. She was still professional. Because no matter the real reason she was chosen, these people still needed her. That was enough to keep her going.
That determination gave her the strength to get dressed every day. Putting on her best, most professional clothing. She reached up and pushed her braids back behind her ear. She had gotten them done expressly for this trip. The small braids would last longer than a straightener but could still be pulled back into a professional ponytail.
Because no matter what else, she was going to do this job and do it with the same carefully planned perfection as any other job.
One of the domini females handed her a small microphone so she could speak over the intercom – nothing groundbreaking or exciting. The interior of this ship had been designed specifically so that the only technology accessible to them would be stuff they were used to – not including the engine and flight controls, of course.
“Thank you,” she said into it, smiling at everyone. “Okay. We’re coming in for a landing. There will be a welcoming party when we arrive. I’ll disembark first and find our route. What you’re going to do is follow a line on the ground, it’s going to take you to a conference room. Find a seat. Doesn’t matter where. You’ll get further instructions there. We’ll hand out room and group assignments at that time. Leave all your belongings. Those will be brought to your room while we’re in the meeting. If you have anything out, please place it in the small carry-on bags. I shouldn’t have to say it again at this point, but no phones. No cameras, no recording devices. A way to contact home will be provided, but if I see any contraband, it will be confiscated until the end of the study, and you may be subject to penalties.
“Feel free to gawk at the aliens. They don’t mind, they understand it’s our first time around other species. There is bound to be miscommunication. Please keep that in mind and be understanding yourselves. It goes both ways. If there are problems, you can come to me directly.
“Finally, please be on your best behavior. You are research subjects, but you are also representing humanity. Let’s try to portray ourselves in a good light, all right? This is like dating. We need to make sure they’re comfortable with us before we let them know how weird we are.”
The lighthearted reminder earned a spattering of laughter as Shoshana put away the microphone and once again took her seat. She immediately picked up her clipboard and went through her notes. Usually, she would have her phone or tablet for this but, like the others, she had been forced to leave those behind.
Every effort was going to be made to ensure that she and the other humans were exposed to as little advanced technology as possible. However, invariably, they would see something. They were trying to prevent anyone from recording anything they shouldn’t and bringing it back, including photos and videos.
While she was being asked to steal outright.
The reminder curdled the breakfast in her gut, and she had to force herself to focus. It didn’t escape her notice that John had failed to mention a third scenario in his carrot and stick speech. If she went through with this and was caught, it would be the end of her career completely. She would be escorted off Lunar Base in shame and everyone would know it.
That had already been communicated to her. She had been in discussions with a man – male – named Zeffir, one of the head researchers. He explained as much as he could to her but didn’t know everything. When she asked why, he told her that she should have been working with their head of security, but he was running late.
Shoshana did not appreciate tardiness. Or unreliability. But if the head of security was careless, that made her – ugh – job easier.
As bad as she felt though, it was impossible not to be excited when she looked out the window and saw the landscape of the literal moon rising up to meet them. She was going to be the first black woman on the moon. And sure, she hadn’t gone through rigorous astronaut training, but it was still meaningful. No matter what else, they couldn’t take that from her.
The shuttle locked into place and the domini females reminded everyone to remain seated as Shoshana stood. One of the females was already stepping off the shuttle as she took one last look over everyone’s head. They were all beaming, excited, shifting eagerly in their seats. It was kind of funny to her that they were all dressed in normal, casual clothes. For some reason, it felt like they should be in some sort of space suit, but they weren’t.
This was a human study. They wanted them to just be human.
Shoshana was the first human off the ship. The large docking room was massive, open. The ships locked into place in concave half-bubbles that pushed into the dock, allowing the access door to connect without needing to depressurize then repressurize the entire room.
There were aliens here. More domini – who she was used to seeing since those were the ones who initiated first contact. But there were so many other types as well. Aliens with wings and fur and feathers in a variety of colors.
She didn’t get a good look though. Despite what she had said to the others, she didn’t want to stare openly at these people. It seemed rude and she wanted to maintain a sense of control and professionalism so the other humans would trust that she knew what she was doing. Hard to be confident in someone who was just as shocked and amazed in a situation as yourself.
She found the line on the ground – which turned out to be a gently glowing blue light – then turned to gesture for the others to stand and come out. The first people in the row were on her in seconds and she was reminding them to follow the line as they stared in open mouthed wonder.
The gathered aliens showed them where to go, as if it weren’t obvious. The humans waved. The various aliens chuckled and waved back. The sense of excitement only grew.
Shoshana was standing there, supervising the disembarking, when a giant feline alien came up beside her. He almost looked like a tabby saber-toothed tiger walking on two legs. His eyes seemed to glow, even in the bright light, and were a vibrant bottle blue around a slitted pupil.
And he was big. Most of the aliens were big. Or, more accurately, humans were shorter than what was considered average in the universe. He didn’t really tower over her, but she couldn’t mistake that this burgundy robe wearing male was probably twice her weight, if not more.
He also had a weird thing on his nose. Like a plug worn by swimmers directly over his broad nostrils that sat on a short, square muzzle.
“Shoshana Carter?” He asked in a growling kind of tone. It didn’t sound aggressive, more like that was just how his voice came out.
“That’s me,” she said brightly. “And you would be?”
“Vigo. Head researcher.”
“Nice to meet you. Is Zeffir not here? I was told he would be my initial contact.”
“He had a sudden matter to attend to. He’ll be back shortly. I’ll take his place until then.”
“Great. We’ll get everyone into the conference room and then we can begin.”
“Certainly. How are you feeling right now, Shoshana Carter?”
“Just Shoshana. And I feel great. Why?”
He looked her over for a second before grunting once. “No reason. Just making sure the flight went well.”
That seemed a bit suspicious. Not really what he said but the way he said it. They couldn’t be on to her already, could they? She hadn’t even done anything yet!
