SULTRY NIGHTS - PART 29

During the weeks since the Sultry flagship had left Mirtandos for the Terran mission, there had been some big changes on that planet.

 

Gloria’s recovery had been dramatic.  She had lost a lot of blood during the birth of the twins, and for a while it was feared that she may not survive, even with the skilful ministrations of the Mirtandon medics. But unknown to them, the two new small voices in Gloria’s head had been constantly joining with Adamil’s familiar one, until one night they united in one primal scream:  ‘MOTHER!’  Nadia was in her usual place dozing beside her daughter’s bed, lulled by the tick tick tick of the life-support machines when Gloria suddenly sat bolt upright, clapped her hands over her ears and joined her own loud scream to the one in her re-awakened brain.

 

After that, both twins had begun to thrive, and Terran Ruthie’s child had begun to walk.  What with with their first child Adamil, and the baby born to the Sultry surrogate, the household was becoming quite a lively place; Gloria had employed carefully chosen nursemaids to help with the care of these very important children, who, after all, were the hope for the survival of the two nations.  Nadia was enjoying being Grandmother to all the children, a role she had never dared expect or even hope to play.

 

Benobil, however, found the constant chatter of women and the sound and smells of small children a constant irritation, even though they stayed mainly in the wing of the house especially renovated as a nursery, and with Gloria so bound up with childcare these days, and not yet fit nor eager for coupling after the damage done by the birth; well, who could blame him taking his pleasure elsewhere?  So most nights he sought the company of some of the females who were now beginning to appear in Mirtandos; as well as several Sultry there were also some rather attractive Terran bodies now hosting Mirtandon essences who had been the first harvests from the Mirtandon reapers on the Terran mission. 

 

All were eager to join him in his bed; after all, he was now the most powerful man on the planet; but he was always careful not to leave any of his seed which could develop into further progeny – in any case, until the full procreation and re-population scheme was properly organised, the Committee had decreed that there should be no unauthorised conceptions.  Of course, Gloria would be none too pleased either, and she was now the most important of the Sultry on Mirtandos.

 

This arrangement therefore suited Benobil very well, and took his mind off the annoying voices constantly echoing inside his head of his children; luckily, as each one matured, the psychic link between child and Father would lessen; it was already becoming weaker between himself and Adamil, like a rope being stretched until it eventually snapped – and Benobil couldn’t wait for this to happen.  He was still a little puzzled, if quite thankful, at the lack of communication from the female baby, but he took the advice of the scientists and accepted that this was just as a result of the male child being the dominant twin – not that the lusty cries coming from her really suggested that she might be in any way subservient.  He had wondered about having her checked for paternity; but as he was sure that the male was definitely his child – he supposed the scientists were probably right. And there were much more important things to worry about.

 

Like the invasion and subjugation of Sutra.

 

As soon as the Sutran Pioneer flagship carrying both Sutry Harvesters and Mirtandon Reapers had left for Terra, twenty of the fastest Mirtandon warships had been fully armed and set off for Sutra. Invisibility shields had been just one of the scientific discoveries that the Mirtandons had not cared to share with the Sultry, and they were caught unawares.  The High Council were now all under arrest, as well as all those scientists deemed to be of use, and the Mirtandon Generals were in charge of the planet.  The personnel aboard the Sultry ships now orbiting Terra, including most of the Mirtandon reapers aboard, remained unaware of the situation, their business being kept as normal as possible by the execution of the Sultry military communication officers back on Sutra, and the installation of Mirtandon Essences in their bodies, so that no-one would be any the wiser.  The Sultry civilian population were kept under guard in their homes, with strict rules and curfews, and the ultimate penalty for those who were unwilling to conform.

 

Blissfully unaware of all this, back on Mirtandos Gloria had also known nothing of the death and resurrection of Drusilla with Karinth’s essence: she had no reason to doubt the story that she had been given, that the Pioneer Officer had been taken ill but had recovered in time to re-join the expedition.  She also had no idea of the extent of the Mirtandons’ scientific prowess, and that they were able to combine two essences in one body where desirable, so that ‘Drusilla’ was now in fact a perfect fusion of both Drusilla and Karinth.

 

Benobil had managed to conceal from her the plot to seize control of both the Terran expedition and the planet Sutra itself; and that even now Mirtandon ships were surrounding her home planet whilst their generals accepted the total surrender of the Sultry High Council.  Communication between the two planets had been blocked except for key personnel; when Nadia had wondered why she was unable to communicate with her friends on Sutra, she was told there was a heavy metofire storm affecting all channels which would not pass for several days.  Official Sutry communicators were forced to carry on as usual, on pain of death, in order to maintain the pretence of business as usual, so the first anyone on board the Pioneer flagship and the other ships in the Sutry fleet stationed around Terra knew of the coup was when Drusilla-Karinth appeared in the High General’s private room one evening, letting herself in unannounced, much to Soraia’s fury.

 

‘I did not bid you enter, Karinth!’

 

‘Indeed you did not, Soraia.  And you should really remember to call me Drusilla on board ship; we don’t want to spread alarm amongst the crew’.

 

‘Well, Drusilla, what do you want?  A little entertainment perhaps?  I know how much you used to enjoy your private times with dear Natalia!’

 

‘Soraia – You are too kind!  But if we get too close how do I know you won’t be tempted to try to kill me?  After all, you have already killed me once!’

 

‘Yes indeed, and here you are, more lovely than ever – and if I may say so, much more confident and attractive than before.  I do believe being Karinth suits you.’

 

As she ran her fingertips lightly across Drusillas’ breasts, she was gratified to detect a slight awakening of interest in the other Sultry, and moved forward to whisper:

 

‘I think we can come to some mutually satisfactory arrangement.’

 

‘Indeed we may, Soraia;  I confess your air of power and the memory of what you did to me before does rather excite me.’

 

‘I have done many things just as exciting as that which I am sure would interest you – shall we make ourselves comfortable, and I will tell all’.

 

It was not long before the two Sultry were side by side on the large couch, and had relieved each other of their garments, with Soraia whispering into Drusilla’s ear tales of cruelty and conquest.

 

‘Tell me about when you murdered me, every detail!’

 

‘Oh, you wicked, wicked girl Drusilla!’

 

And she continued her story, until Drusilla had reached her peak of enjoyment.

 

‘Your turn now, Soraia – I have something very special for you!’

 

Then, sitting astride the eager High General, she begins to rock back and forth until Soraia closes her eyes in the anticipation of ecstasy – then leans forward and slits her throat.

 

Climbing off the bed, she stands watching Soraia grow paler and paler as her life blood slips away, until her breath begins to come in rasps, then stops altogether.  Then she dresses. takes Soraia’s communicator and leaves, locking the door behind her.  She decides to tell the rest of the crew that Soraia is indisposed, leaving her in charge of the ship, and instruct the Mirtandon scientists on board to dispose of the body.

 

Re-activating the handset, she presses a button.  The call is answered at once:

 

‘Soraia?’

 

‘No, Natalia.  This is Captain Karinth, or Drusilla if you prefer…’

 

The old firm is back in business.