Beasts

Beasts

By Vic James

vicjames2@hotmail.com

Copyright 2013 by Vic James

http://www.vicjames.com

Please donate to nifty, so they can continue publishing stories: http://donate.nifty.org/donate.html

This story is fiction. None of the characters are based on real people. You can see a list of my stories at the Nifty Prolific Authors page by my name.

Fifteen

We took a shower.

While Digger washed my back, he said. "You said you missed Alek. How much?"

I frowned.

"Thirty?" I said. "No! Thirty-one!"

He laughed.

"Thirty-one! That's a lot of missing!"

I laughed.

"It is! I only miss my old job two!"

"Do you still want us to live near each other?" he asked. "The three of us?"

"Yes. I told him when I spoke to him earlier that I had really been excited about living with him at the Innstibble. How do you feel?"

"He's my best friend and he's terribly lonely."

"Oh, Digger! What should we do?"

"Do you still want him sexually?"

"I feel guilty about it, but yes, very much."

"Don't feel guilty. I'm glad you want him. You can make him happy, and the sex the three of us had was really hot. I miss it."

"I'd like to make him happy. I think I'd like him to live with us, but I don't know if I should say anything if I'm not sure."

I sighed as he entered me.

"We can try it. If it doesn't work, it doesn't work," Digger said. "Did you like it when we were both inside you?"

"Yes."

"I did, too. While you were in the tank, I jacked off frequently watching you drink his spunk. You seemed to enjoy it so much."

"I would love to do it, again, just not on public video."

Digger sighed.

He sucked on my earlobe before whispering, "What about a cocktail of both of ours?"

He wrapped his arm around my dick and began stroking it.

"Cocktail. I like that. Yes, Digger! I want to do it! I'll stir it with your cock and then lick the spoon clean."

"Fuck, baby!"

I grinned.

"Would you like it if the three of us slept together every night?" I asked.

Digger didn't respond.

"Is that a silent yes or a silent no?"

Digger sighed.

"I don't want to try to convince you one way or the other, Eric. I don't want you to be pushed into anything that would make you unhappy."

"That sounds like a silent yes."

"Alek feels like he doesn't belong anywhere," Digger said. "He started to feel like he had a family, and then it was taken from him. I know you can make us both happy. I am sure of that. What I'm not sure about is whether making both of us happy would make you happy. I know you are basically monogamous. Personally, I don't have a preference. Polygamy has its advantages, too. Sex can get boring with monogamous couples. That doesn't happen as often with relationships that aren't monogamous. But I will be very happy in a monogamous relationship with you."

His feelings surprise me a little, but I realized they shouldn't. He owned a sex club, he wasn't raised by a religious fanatic. Digger was willing to be monogamous for my sake. So it came down to what I wanted. Unfortunately, I didn't know what I wanted! I knew I wanted Alek, but how much? And how? As a spouse? I didn't want to be a temporary spouse. I was sure of that. But permanent? Maybe! That was as much as I could say.

"Next time you talk to him, tell him you want to have sex, if you haven't already."

"I will."

I tilted my head back and we kissed. I came while we kissed.

We dressed and then went and visited my mother.

"Are you going back to Earth?" Mother asked me.

I looked at Digger. He was looking at me. I had a feeling the question was significant. Then I put it together. 'Are you going back to Earth to get shot, again?' was probably what she meant.

"I don't want to deal with terrorists, Neos, or otherwise. Are there options?"

"The moon," she said.

"Where the most dangerous Neos live," I added.

"Are imprisoned. That's important. The prison is on the opposite side of the moon from the colonies."

"I would imagine people have been breaking out of prisons since there were prisons, Mom."

"There is no traffic between the colonies and the prison. No transportation of any kind is allowed. Supplies come from Earth, not the colonies. Long-range land vehicles are no longer allowed on the moon. If they escape, they will need a spaceship. If they get one, they aren't going to take it to the lunar colonies. They'll use it to escape to Earth," she said.

"Are you and Jib going to live there?" I asked her.

She sighed.

"I'm trying to convince him."

"It's difficult bringing up a baby on the Moon," I said to her.

"Are you going to adopt?" she asked.

"No. Dr. Rosenbloom said I can give birth in this body."

My mother's mouth fell open.

"Are you serious?"

"Yes."

She shook her head in disbelief.

"He told me your new body would be enhanced, but that is quite an enhancement!"

I nodded.

She was silent for a moment.

"If that is true, maybe the moon is not the best place," she said. "But Loonies do it, after all. I'm going to ask Jeff if a Beast baby could grow up healthy on the moon."

She brushed her shoulder-length brown hair out of the way and touched her meme.

Mom hated doing her own hair, and I doubted there was a hairdresser on the station. That proved she loved me!

I took Digger's hand and held it while we waited.

While we were waiting, something occurred to me.

"How safe are Pan and Jock on Earth?"

"Jock got a very large settlement. They have even better security than Alek."

"That's no way to live," I said.

"It may be the only way to live."

I sighed. I thought about alternatives. We could find a private island and buy it. Then I realized we would be cut off, and unable to escape easily if someone discovered our location. We could live in a big, secure compound on Earth. A nice prison, in other words. There was the moon. Long-term low gravity was all right for adults, but could be damaging to babies without constant exercise. Mars was cold and bleak. It would be a prison even more depressing than the one the Neos inhabited on the moon. There was a space station, like the habitat we were in. It would be boring, but close to Earth and the moon. Maybe it was best. Then I realized that Dr. Rosenbloom picked the station to inhabit. He had already decided it was safest, and he was smarter and had more knowledge of the dangers we faced than anyone else. I looked at Digger.

"Do we have to leave here?"

"Dr. Rosenbloom said we could stay as long as we like."

"Permanently?" I asked.

"I think so. We can ask."

I nodded.

Mother spoke.

"He agrees that it is difficult to raise a healthy, growing child on the Moon, even a Beast. Without enough exercise beginning as an infant, a native Loonie can't live anywhere else."

"Well, that's that," I said.

"Do you want to go back to Earth?" she asked me.

I looked at Digger.

"We never even spent the night at the Innstibble."

"I know. Pan and Jock are living there."

I thought for a moment.

"I feel like a coward, but I don't want to worry every time I walk down a sidewalk."

"You aren't a coward," Digger said.

Mom nodded.

"The danger is real, unfortunately," she said. "I never stop worrying about Jib. The news is just as depressing as it was when you were shot. There are a lot of angry people with guns-and worse."

The floor vibrated.

"What was that?" I asked.

"Dr. Rosenbloom's shuttle leaving the station. It is probably going to pick someone up on Earth," Mother said. "It usually leaves this time of day."

"If you are going to have a baby, I don't think I want to live on the moon," she said. "I will spend my time worrying about the baby's health, instead of its safety. Jib will be relieved when I stop asking."

"I still want to get married there," I said. "And Dr. Rosenbloom wants me to demonstrate my new body. That reminds me. Is Dad on the moon?"

"Yes, he's at the prison."

"Did they catch both people who shot us? I know they got one of them."

"Yes. They are both there, too."

A chime sounded.

"Enter," Mother said.

It was Dr. Rosenbloom.

"Come in, Doctor."

"I take it you are discussing where you will live," he said, tilting his head and focusing one eye on us.

I nodded.

"I just heard that there is intelligence suggesting a new round of attacks on Neos and Beasts by the Humanist Coalition."

"I've never heard of them."

He nodded.

"One of many violent extremist groups."

Dr. Rosenbloom sighed.

"I am considering alternative places to live. One possibility is living on a habitat like this one, but much larger, possibly in Lagrange point four. Another is starting a new colony on Mars. Would you have any interest in living there?"

I wasn't all that keen to live on Mars. It was abandoned, after all due to its inhospitableness. Of course, the moon was an even more hostile environment, but it was close to Earth. Still, I had faith in Dr. Rosenbloom, and I remembered what he said about Beast 4.0 being able to breathe the Martian atmosphere. That was only one generation away. I was Beast 3.0, as incredible as that was to me. If I could live an hour in the vacuum of space, I could probably take long walks on the surface of Mars without a space suit. And in fifteen or twenty years, we might be living on the surface without suits. I looked at Digger.

"How would you avoid the problems that caused the first colony to be abandoned?" Digger asked him.

"The latest generation of nanites I'm testing will keep us alive, in the event of a catastrophic atmosphere loss on Mars for about twenty hours."

Twenty hours without a suit! I could take a very long walk on the surface, I thought.

"In addition to recycling the air in our lungs, they can capture carbon dioxide from the Martian atmosphere through our skin and transport it to the lungs where it is converted to oxygen. Eric can do better than that. One of his lungs can capture Martian atmosphere directly, while the other remains sealed and recycles oxygen. None of us will live in terror of an air leak. If something goes wrong, we will have plenty of time to get to into suits, or even walk to a vehicle. This generation will also produce an insulated layer of tissue on the skin for protection from cold and blocking harmful radiation from the sun. Unfortunately, the layer looks like scales, currently. We need to continue working on that."

"We could walk on the surface without suits!" I said.

He nodded.

"That is my intent. I think it will make a difference. I do not plan to use the original colony site, either. Let me show you."

He brought up a hologram. It showed the Martian landscape zooming by. We flew into Valle Marineris. It was unmistakable. The motion stopped where one section of canyon wall was covered with glass.

"This is the site. You don't have a sense of scale, but it is quite large. There will be rock above the site, with a view of the canyon running the length of the colony. Every apartment will have a view of the canyon. The rock above us will block radiation and debris from space, and the view will reduce feelings of claustrophobia. As you may or may not be aware, lichen shrubs have been planted inside the canyon in several areas near water ice. This site is close to a large lichen forest. If you can consider a group of three foot tall bushes a forest." On Mars, it was! "I think it will be psychologically beneficial to be able to see life outside the colony site. The fact that the site is large, will also help."

I nodded. I agreed. It was the difference between life and non-life, a significant difference. It was something the moon would not have. And the lichen might be genetically engineered, but so was I!

"And if the glass breaks?" Mother asked.

"It isn't glass, of course, but a wall will descend and seal the affected area until it can be repaired."

"You seem to have already decided on Mars," Mother said to him.

He nodded.

"It is my preference, but without enough colonists, the colony would not be viable."

"Why do you prefer it over an orbital habitat?"

"It would be too close to Earth. Too easy a target."

Mom nodded her head.

"There would be lots of traffic to and from Earth and."

"Oh, I understand completely," she said. "I was just curious."

The display changed to the inside of the colony. We looked at the opposite canyon wall. Looking up, you could see the Martian sky.

"I chose a location that allows sunlight to shine in for a while each day.

"Would you like us to live there?" I asked Dr. Rosenbloom.

He stared at me. I started to get uncomfortable. Finally, he said, "Yes."

"Then we will," I said.

I looked at Digger. He nodded.

"Did you ask that because you thought I was just being polite?" he asked me.

"Partly that. But also, you've done so much for us, I would like to do something to please you," I told him. "I'm very grateful, and I don't want to worry about terrorists."

He nodded his head.

"I may need monetary help setting up the colony," he said to me.

"Well, I'm willing to help," I said. "I haven't funneled any capital into the charitable foundation. Just profit."

He nodded. Then he turned to Mother.

"And you, Mrs. Parsons?"

"I'm going where my grandchildren will be. I just hope I can convince Jib."

"If you go, he will join you. However, I plan to ask him to design and run the colonial water system. I think he will find it an irresistible offer."

"I hope so."

He turned back to us.

"It will be safe, safer than Earth. And safer than we are now. We will control who lives there. I have asked Pan to come here to discuss it. I hope he will accompany us, too. We need a minimum of two hundred people to establish the colony."

I thought about Alek, but I had a feeling he would not want to come with us. That made me sad.

"I am going to get rid of this body. Harry will be delighted. It was a great body for living alone in Alaska. It is much less so here, and on Mars, it will be useless." He turned to me. "How are you finding your new body?"

"I love it. Mirrors still startle me, but I will get used to that."

He nodded.

"You can always have cosmetic surgery. You can have your original face, if you like."

"If I don't adjust, I will. But I think I will keep this one. It's a reminder of what has happened."

Dr. Rosenbloom looked down. I heard him sigh.

"I am going to be going into a tank soon for my conversion. Do you wish to conceive soon?"

"Can he really have children?" my mother asked him.

"Yes. But he needs a series of hormone injections, first. Beginning with Beast 3.0, both sexes will be fertile, but males cannot fertilize themselves."

"I'm not ready, yet," I decided. "I will wait until you are out of the box."

He nodded.

"Do you think I should wait until the colony site is ready?" I asked.

"There is no need for that, although you can wait, if you wish. I will be contacting my Beasts and offering the chance to come with us to Mars. If it looks like two hundred are willing to commit, I will have work on the site begin. It will be built by robots. I plan to remain conscious for a few hours each day in the conversion tank. It's not pleasant, but I have too much to do to be unconscious for eleven months. Eric, are you willing to put one hundred million into the colony?"

"I would be willing to give three times that, or more, if it is needed. What else am I going to do with it? I would much rather be safe than rich."

"Thank you." He sighed, and I thought it sounded contented.

"I will probably go into a conversion tank tomorrow. The plan right now is for me to be awake from two pm until 6 pm each day, beginning three days after I go in. Those first three days are always very painful, and I want to sedated for them."

I thought of Em. I wondered if she would want to come. I suddenly began worrying about her.

"Can we invite people to join us on Mars?" I asked.

"Who did you have in mind, humans or Beasts?"

"Beasts."

"Yes, absolutely. Any Beast who wishes to come is welcome, although they will have to contribute financially to the colony, if they are able. Humans will have to be carefully screened."

I nodded. Very carefully screened, I thought.

"I don't mean to say I want to exclude humans. In fact, I would prefer that it not be an exclusively Beast colony. Perhaps Beasts with human spouses or friends will come," he said.

He shut the hologram off.

"Do you wish to return to Earth for anything?" he asked us.

I thought about it. I had no possessions there, other than the clothes I'd bought at Dack's and never worn. I could buy clothes on the moon.

"I don't," I told him.

Digger shook his head.

"Very well."

He turned to Mother.

"Do you want to convert? You know the advantages."

She sighed.

"I want to discuss it with Eric and Jib before I decide."

He nodded.

"Harry or Richard can help you if I'm already in a tank."

"Thank you."

He turned and left.

"Well. That was a surprise!" my mother said.

"Do you think you can convince Jib?" I asked her.

"Yes. I'm sure. How can he turn down a job like that?"

She rubbed her forehead.

"What was it like, Eric? Did you dream?"

"No. I wasn't aware that anything had happened."

"That's what Jeff said. I just.the idea of a queen.it's so."

She shivered.

I had no idea what she was talking about. A queen? A queen what? I looked at Digger. He didn't look confused.

"What queen?" I asked her.

"The version of nanites you have assemble a 'queen' out of themselves. She-as if nanites had sexes-resides in one of your lungs. She directs the activities of worker nanites. She consists of linked nanites, with the intelligence of the sum of her parts."

That was really strange!

"How big is it?"

"Small," Digger said. "About a millimeter across. Rosenbloom said that the queen formation is really the major enhancement of this generation of nanites," Digger said. "She, or it realized what happened when you suddenly found yourself in vacuum. She directed the other nanites in your body to do what they did: seal your mouth and nostrils, and begin converting carbon dioxide in your lungs into free oxygen and carbon. I have a queen, as well. She decided which of my injuries to heal first when I was shot."

"When were you in a vacuum?" my mother asked me.

"Dr. Rosenbloom demonstrated that as one of my body's capabilities. I was in vacuum and comfortable."

My mother shook her head.

"I'm glad I wasn't there. I would have given that man-or bird-a piece of my mind!" She sighed. "And I owe him so much."

"He wants me to demonstrate it on the moon's surface, too," I told her. "He wants to convince people to upgrade their bodies. I agreed to do it. In fact." I looked at Digger. "Maybe we should get married in vacuum. I mean outdoors, on the moon."

Digger grinned.

"I'm game if you are."

"I am!"

He nodded.

"I think I'll wear a spacesuit to my son's wedding. Won't I be chic?"

I laughed.

We talked about Mars for a while.

"I suppose I would be better off with a Beast body on Mars," she said.

"You would be safer. I know I would feel better if you had one," I told her.

"Would you?"

"Yes. Not only will you live longer, but you and Jib could have kids."

"Hmm. Do you know, that never occurred to me! I'm not sure I want another child, but it is a colony. Well, that decides it. I will go into the box when Jeff does. No. Wait. I don't want to miss your wedding. I'll go in after that."

We talked for a while. Then she said she wanted to call Jib. I was getting horny, anyway.

"I think I need a nap."

"Of course," Mother said.

We left.

Digger sniffed me and smiled.

"Once she's a Beast, she'll know you were lying," Digger said.

I grinned at him.

"I will probably still say it. Admitting to my mother that I want you to fuck me, is not easy."

He laughed.

"I understand, completely."

As we walked, I said to Digger, "If we go to Mars, I will really miss Alek," I said.

"We just need to convince him to join us. He needs a purpose in his life."

"Don't you think he'll refuse?"

"I'm sure he will, but eventually, he will give up. We've got months to convince him. I doubt we will be living there very soon. Especially with Dr. Rosenbloom in the box."

We walked into our room. I knelt and pulled Digger's pants down.

"You don't seem sleepy."

"No. I want a drink and a fuck."

I watched his cock grow erect.

"I love you. I love you," I said to it.

He laughed.

"He loves you just as much."

"Does he? I look different."

"Eric, I watched you transform over months. I'm very aware it's you."

I nodded.

"Now, I want to make a request," he said.

"Sure. What?"

"I want to watch you suck yourself before you suck me and I fuck you."

I grinned at him.

"Do you like it?"

"It's very hot. I know how much you like your own jizz now."

I was embarrassed, but it was true.

"It doesn't seem like it's my own. It is from that hot guy in the mirror."

Digger laughed.

I got undressed and got on the bed. Digger pulled up a chair and began stroking himself while I got into position. I decided to try it sitting up. I bent over and swallowed my cock. I couldn't get over how flexible my body was. It required no effort at all to take my cock into my mouth. I began sucking. Out of my peripheral vision, I could see Digger slowly stroking his cock. I bobbed my head on my cock. I could taste my precum. It was very tasty.

I found myself thinking about Alek again. I was about to get a mouthful of my own spunk, but I would have much rather had his. I wondered if we could convince him to go to Mars with us. If he didn't have a spouse, he probably wouldn't. Digger said he started to feel like we were a family. That meant he wanted to be in our family. That was fine with me. But was that enough? Maybe if he had a baby of his own. Could I give him one? Should I give him one? The view sucking my cock wasn't all that great. I played one of his fliks and watched it as I sucked. I decided to call him.

"Hello?"

"Hi, Alek. It's Eric. I'm sucking myself while I watch one of your fliks."

"Are you?"

"Digger's jacking off while he watches me."

"Fuck! I wish I was there!" he said.

"We wish you were here, too."

I groaned as I watched the flik.

"Did you come?" Alek asked me.

"No. You just ejaculated all over some lucky guy."

"Oh, fuck, Eric! Do you want it that badly?"

Digger reached over and started stroking my shaft while I sucked on the head.

"Yes, Alek."

I moaned again as my own warm semen shot into my mouth. Digger climbed on the bed. He pressed me down.

"Alek wants me to give you a drink for him," Digger said to me.

Once I was on my back, he straddled me.

I stroked his cock and said, "What a good idea."

I began licking the head of his prick as Digger sighed.

"He really loves your cock, buddy," I heard Alek say to Digger.

"I know. He loves yours, too," Digger said.

I stroked him as I licked. I held his balls with my other hand.

"Oh, baby," he murmured.

"I hate to do it, but I need to let you go," Alek said. "I'm on a date and it's not going well. I need to dump this guy."

I laughed.

"Bye," Digger and I both said.

I could taste precum. I squeezed some out of his cock and licked it off the head.

"Yum!"

He laughed.

"I'm very glad you like it. I make it just for you."

"Oh, thank you!" I said.

"Make me cum, baby. Have your drink."

I sucked on his cock and fondled his balls. He sighed.

"I am so glad you want a lot of sex. I've gone without for so long."

I felt bad about that, but it also made me happy, and I was grateful to him.

"Aw, fuck!" he said as he came. I gulped down his cream and began stroking his shaft. He fed me a nice sized load. When he was done, I backed off him. I watched the slit on the end of his cock open and a little more semen oozed out. I licked it up.

He fell onto the bed next to me. I ran my hand over his side.

"You are so handsome, Digger. I still can't believe you want me."

He leaned forward and kissed me. I yawned and we took a nap.

"Why don't you call Alek, again?" Digger said, when I woke up.

I laughed.

"He may start refusing my calls!"

"He can take the shuttle with Pan and Jock."

"OK! Good idea!"

"This is Alek."

"Hey, Alek! It's Eric. You know, Digger's boyfriend."

He laughed.

"Oh. Him."

"How is your date?"

"Over. I dropped him off about an hour ago."

"Not a cliff, I hope."

Digger and Alek laughed.

"It was boring, but not that bad!" Alek said. "Besides, they are no cliffs around here. I would have to drop him off a balcony."

We laughed.

"The reason I called is that Pan, and probably Jock are coming up for a visit today or tomorrow. Will you come with them?"

"Hmm. I suppose I could."

"I feel like part of my family is missing with you on Earth," I said.

Digger gave me a thumbs up.

Alek sighed.

"I miss both of you very much," he said.

"We miss you. Can you come up for a visit?"

"I can. I'm not doing anything right now."

"Good. Can you make it a permanent visit?"

Digger laughed.

"I mean it!" I said.

"What exactly are you asking? Do you want me to live on the station?" Alek asked.

"I want you to live wherever we live," I said. "I want us to live together. Maybe it will work, maybe it won't. But I think we should try. We will make sure any bed we get will always hold three."

Digger pulled me into his arms and kissed my forehead.

Alek sighed.

"Is it a bad idea?" I asked him.

"A little scary," Alek said. "But not bad. Where are you going to live?"

"We can discuss that when you get here."

"OK."

"OK, what? OK you'll visit or OK you'll move in with us?"

"I'm not sure about moving in. I will come up with Pan. I'll bring enough to stay a while."

"Good!"

"I'll call Pan, now."

"Good."

I wondered if I should mention Mars. I decided we better convince him to live with us, first.

"Bye, Alek," I said. "See you soon."

"Good bye."

He disconnected.

I looked at Digger.

"You didn't mention Mars. I'm glad."

I nodded.

"I decided we better convince him to live with us, first."

Digger nodded.

"Are you sure you want him to live with us?"

"Not one hundred percent, but pretty sure. I'm thinking about offering to give him a baby to get him to go to Mars with us," I said. "How do you feel about that?"

Digger stared at me.

"I know you like Alek, but that I didn't know you like him that much. Hmm. If the three of us are living together, you aren't exactly giving him a baby. The baby will be with his half- brother or sister, living with us. They will both be our children."

I nodded.

"Do you think it's a bad idea?"

"If you are willing to do it, I think it's a great idea. I don't know how he will feel about it, though."

"It's the only thing I could think of that might convince him. Has he ever mentioned having kids?"

"Only in the sense of not ever wanting them. He hates babies. They don't use toilets."

I laughed.

"OK. Not paternal. We'll have to think of something else."

I stroked Digger's cheek. He smiled at me.

"I think we should tempt him with a family. He may love it enough to come to Mars with us."

I nodded.

"Enough about Alek. Would you mind fucking me, now?"

He grinned.

I frowned.

"What's wrong?"

"It just occurred to me. How do Harry and Dr. Rosenbloom.do it?"

"Harry fucks him. We've talked about it. Harry doesn't particularly like the bird body. And by 'doesn't particularly like', I mean despises." I laughed. "The bones are porous to reduce weight, which makes them fragile. He has to be very careful when he just hugs him."

"He's going to have to do without for a while. Harry, I mean."

Digger nodded.

Digger's expression changed. He tapped his meme. He mouthed, 'Alek'. I nodded.

While he was talking to Alek, I scooted down on the bed and swallowed Digger's meat. I began sucking him, again. Then Digger touched my meme and I was included in their call.

"Rosenbloom just announced the colony on B-channel," Alek said.

"What's B channel?" I asked.

"Say 'Take me to B channel' to your meme. It's a private Beast news and announcement channel," Digger said.

Alex spoke. "Rosenbloom said that he expects conditions on Earth to deteriorate before they improve. For that reason, he has decided to leave and make Mars his new home. He said we are all invited, but will be expected to contribute to building costs, if we are financially able to do so. Did you two already know?"

"He told us he was thinking about it. He didn't say he decided already. I thought he was going to wait to see if anyone wanted to go. He mentioned needing at least two hundred colonists. I assumed he would wait until he had enough commitments."

"I'm sure he got yesses from everyone he asked," Digger said. "Half the Beasts on Earth would follow him, if they could."

"Do you feel any differently about living with us?" Digger asked him.

"I know I will be bored out of my mind, but I can't help but feel that conditions are going to choose me to especially deteriorate on." I laughed. "If he says he expects them to get worse, I believe him. I don't like things the way they are."

"Would that have anything to do with having your home blown up and then getting assassinated?" I asked him.

"A little."

"Bored is better than dead," I said.

"Yes, that is probably true. I ought to know. I was dead for a while," Alek said. Then he sighed. "And I'm bored now. Every time I leave the Innstibble, I worry. So I spend time alone, here. Boring."

"Digger said you are getting sucked at the Wild Life."

"Yeah. And I get to see my security guys roll their eyes every time I go there."

Digger and I laughed.

"I'll make sure a wall in our room has a hole in it to make you feel at home," Digger said.

Alek laughed.

"Bitch! Anyway, I spoke to Pan, already. I am coming up with Pan and Jock. A few other Beasts are coming with us."

"I should call Em," I said, looking at Digger.

He nodded.

"I'll see you tomorrow," Alek said. "Bye."

"Bye."

I immediately called Em.

"Em, it's Eric."

"Eric! How are you? When did you get out of the tank?"

"Yesterday. I'm now a Gorilla. I'm adjusting."

"That has to be weird, seeing a different face in the mirror."

"It is. Em, Digger and I are going to Mars with Dr. Rosenbloom."

"Wow! I just heard the announcement."

"Does the idea appeal to you, at all?"

"You know, it does. I don't have a job right now. That's your fault."

I felt sick.

"Did you get fired because of me?"

"No. I quit because of you. The head of my department chewed me out over a really minor mistake and I had the money you gave me. I told him to screw himself and quit. He thought I was joking. Anyway, I got an offer to teach in Vancouver, but I didn't want to leave Texico. So I'm between jobs. The longer I'm unemployed, the more I like it."

I laughed.

"You are not going to believe this, but Dr. Rosenbloom told me my new body can gestate a baby."

"Eric!"

"I'm a male, too!"

"Wow! Are you and Digger going to have one?"

"I think so. At least one, but I'm going to wait until Dr. Rosenbloom is out of the box."

"That's just incredible!"

"I know!"

She sighed.

"I've missed you, Eric. Digger gave me status reports, but it's been a long time for us. How did it feel to you? Were you aware of time passing?"

"No. No dreams, nothing."

"Well, that's best. I can't imagine what a year of nightmares would be like."

I nodded.

"Are you and Digger going to get married?" she asked.

"Yes, but I'm not sure when. I don't even know if flights depart from here to the moon.

"Did anyone you know die from the Neos' nanites?"

"No. They didn't put them in our water, thank goodness."

"I'm glad of that, anyway."

"After the three of you got assassinated, we had Agents on every street corner, just about. I would imagine that discouraged them from doing it here."

We talked for a while. I got to hear her perspective of all that had happened. I turned to Digger after we disconnected.

"When should we get married? My mother will be going in the box soon."

"We can do it whenever you want. Do you want to invite Alek?"

"Yes."

"Let me call your mother, first," Digger said.

While he was talking to her, I got a call.

"Eric La Roche?"

"Yes."

"Hello, Eric. My name is Marshall Owens. I'm a reporter for Sunvision. I would like to interview you."

"Oh?"

"We would like an exclusive interview, in fact."

"Why would I give you an exclusive interview?"

"I'm glad you asked that! The head of Sunvision is a Beast, Meredith Amberton. Her brother is Harry Amberton, Doctor Jeff Rosenbloom's partner."

"Oh. OK."

"I would like to interview you on the moon, perhaps at your wedding. Meredith heard it will be quite newsworthy. Have you set a date?"

"No. Soon, I hope. We have to arrange transportation to the moon."

"I assumed you had your own ship."

I almost laughed. When? When would I have had time to buy a ship? I had barely bought underwear!

"I just regained consciousness yesterday."

"Oh, yes. Hmm. Will you agree to an interview, and exclusive coverage of your wedding?"

"Sure. Yes."

"Would you like us to pick you up there? My team will be flying to the moon for the interview. It's on the way."

I laughed. It was!

"Will you hold, Marshall?"

"Certainly."

"Digger, there is a guy from Sunvision who wants to cover our wedding and interview me. Do you mind?"

"No. Dr. Rosenbloom is counting on it."

"Right. Anyway, he wants to know if we would like them to pick us up on their way to the moon. They would take us."

Digger frowned.

"That's odd, but I don't see what harm it would do."

"When do you want to get married? I would like it to be sooner, otherwise, my mother won't be able to attend."

"Anytime is fine."

"How about tomorrow or the following day. Alek, Pan, and Jock will be here."

"That's fine."

I called Mom.

"Mom, we are thinking of getting married tomorrow or the following day on the moon. Do you want to go?"

"Of course! I'm glad you are hurrying. I want to get in that damn box before I lose my nerve."

I grinned.

"It's great, Mom. You'll love your new body. If you don't, you can go back in the box for another year."

She groaned and I laughed.

"Talk to you later."

I disconnected and spoke to Marshall.

"There could be six of us going to the moon."

"That won't be a problem. Umh. I won't be able to pay for the interview, Mr. La Roche."

"I wasn't expecting it."

"Normally, exclusive interviews and events are purchased, but our budget won't allow us to transport your party and pay you."

"It isn't a problem."

"Excellent! When do you think you might like to go?"

"Tomorrow."

"That will be fine. I will call you once we know our estimated arrival time at Beasthold."

"Beasthold? What is that?"

"That's the name of the habitat. Did no one tell you?"

"No."

"I'll be in touch. Thank you, Mr. La Roche."

"You are welcome. Bye."

"We are going to the moon tomorrow."

Digger grinned.

"You are trying to marry me before I change my mind, aren't you?"

"No. Alek will be here. If you refuse, I'll marry him."

Digger grinned.

"No one has gotten him anywhere close to an altar."

"Yes, but they didn't have fathers who tried to kill him!" I said.

We both laughed.

"How about more sex?"

"That sounds perfect," Digger said.

If you enjoyed, it, please let me know.