The Brown Unicorn - Chapter 4
The Brown Unicorn
A Fantasy
by
Rocco Paperiello
Disclaimer
This story is intended to be just a fun story. But it will include some intimate relationships between young males. If you don't approve or are offended, then how come you're reading this? Go to some other Internet Site. (Of course some people actually cultivate being offended; if that's the case, read right on). As far as detailed descriptive sex acts, I think you may find some good ones in other stories right here on Nifty, but as of now I do not envision a lot of explicit detail in this one.
If, for some legal reason, you are not allowed to read this in your area of the world because of illogical laws, again I will not condone (publicly) anyone breaking the law, so either move or read sentence four. I definitely don't want the thought police after either of our callipygians.
Please, this story is the product of my imagination, so if you ever want to quote some of it, please e-mail me and also give proper attribution. As of now no one has permission to put this story on another Internet Site.
This story is entirely fictional, and no character is fashioned after any living being.
Note that an author enjoys feedback. It will be appreciated and all e-mails will be answered.
Rocco Paperiello
roccopaperiello@yahoo.com
This is the second story I have posted on Nifty. The other story, "Two Boys," is in progress and can be found under Young Friends or Interracial.
Story
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Chapter 4 -- "First" Contact
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Baual was now actually frightened. And this he was not accustomed to. He turned to is friend: "Please Chong, tell me that you know precisely what you are doing."
But unfortunately no such words of comfort were forthcoming. Chong didn't quite understand it himself. He had felt certain just moments before, but now his certainty had fled. In fact, for the life of him, he could not understand the strange urgency that had so commanded his awareness for the past 20 or so minutes. And then he thought of possible consequences and his one possible defense -- meager as it might be. "Baual, please, please tell me that you placed the coordinates into the navigational computer?"
"Of course. Once you gave them to me, that part was quite simple. Overriding all the security codes -- now THAT was difficult. Could you please tell me just why you felt it to be a matter of life or death for us to take this reconnaissance shuttle?"
But Chong could no longer even totally understand his own motivation. He had felt SO absolutely certain. But now nothing. But guilt. He has no doubt earned not only his own serious reprimand, but one for Baual as well. And for what? In fact he could no longer even sense in what direction he just minutes before held life and death certainty that he needed to go. Only that it was urgent, important, and the destination necessarily close. Otherwise the shuttle would have been of no use. Its range was measured in light minutes, rather than parsecs. Not that he hadn't pulled off such a stunt before. About four months ago he had wanted to prove to his father that he was fully capable of handling one of their shuttles. He had fully powered it up and set in course and destination. Of course that time, he had had already obtained a set of coordinates that had taken literally days of computer time. But he had not dared to actually override security -- that involved severe penalties from whose consequences not even his father could protect him. And he was intelligent enough to now realize that his course of action had not been precisely logical. For the first time in his short life he was truly frightened. Not necessarily at the obvious consequences -- they would be severe enough, but more so of his own mind. What had ever possessed him to actually take control of a shuttle? And worse, to also coerce his best friend into joining him in the consequences. He could also sense that his friend was likewise frightened; guilt was now becoming a very noticeable mass in his stomach. There was only one possible recourse. He looked up at his friend.
"Baual, whatever you do, do NOT allow those coordinates be lost. I am starting to believe that they may be the only thing that can now possibly save our hides."
"But Chong, I am suddenly confused. In fact, right now I can not for the life of me understand just why I was cooperating with you. I can't believe I let you talk me into this. My god, how are we going to get us out of this one?" And indeed, looking at him one would suspect his bafflement was even overriding his fear.
"Baual, again, whatever you do. DO NOT LOSE THOSE COORDINATES. There is no way in creation I will be able to reproduce all the coordinates necessary to navigate the faster than light drive required in eleven dimensional space. And I have no idea right now in which direction they would have taken us."
At that precise moment some internal alarm had sounded and they both could hear the emergency lockdown of the shuttle bay. Suddenly Chong reared on his friend. "Baual, remove the navigational computer from the internal shuttle system -- NOW!"
Although, no longer under what he now thought of as some subtle compulsion, Baual nevertheless, respected his friends intelligence and knowledge of the shuttle's systems to know that this seemed to be of paramount importance. He complied -- and only seconds before the entirety of the shuttle's systems shut down by some obvious overriding command not under their control.
"Tanks Baual. I believe we did that just in time. Otherwise all navigational coordinates would have been erased. And they will be our only possible defense."
Baual did not particularly like the sound of that. "That would seem to imply that we will NEED a defense. So the brilliant Chong has no other strategy of escaping from this mess." The small despair could easily be discerned in his tone.
Baual smiled and remarked: "Well at least, I do not believe that a 16 year old would be given the death penalty."
At least he was able to retain a small portion of his humor, thought Chong.
And about this precise time, almost half a continent away from where Ariambalee stood, there was a very angry magician who had just smashed against the chamber wall a small goblet whose mark bore the authentication of a craftsman none other than Alexie Markham himself -- believed by many to have been the greatest silversmith of the previous century. His slave cowered against the far wall; although his master had been reclusive and secretive over the past few months, this manner of outburst had been heretofore unknown. The slave sincerely wished he knew just what has been happening to his master over the past several months. For the first time in twelve years since he had pledged himself to his master, has he entertained the thought of actually disobeying. A thing that would have been almost inconceivable to him short months ago. But he was starting to believe that his master was no longer in his right mind. A fearful thought indeed for a magician now so powerful. The slave was desperately trying to decide from where to summon help. A seemingly impossible task he realized if his master would discover his plan and take measures to thwart him. At this thought a measure of dread filled his soul.
The magician's thoughts were quite different. How was that insignificant, insufferable, green hided abomination of inhuman flesh able to have done that? It took me almost twenty minutes to be able to sever their communication, not even considering the possibility, the real possibility, that it could have been gone on for literally hours before he even detected it. And also disturbing was the fact that he seemed so unable to control his own emotions lately. Things were definitely not going as planed. Definitely not. He would now have to make some contingency plans and also discover what and to whom the message might have reached. He was now thankful that he had had the foresight to have drained every erg of magical power from his unfortunate slave. He looked at his slave and started to realize that he was now a liability. Something would have to be done. He was wondering how he could have had any regard for him at all, although a dim portion of his memory did realize that that had been the case. Before he had acquired his enlightenment. What a serendipitous stroke of magic that had been. Yes indeed.
Back aboard the Vanguard IV, a seriously apprehensive Baual, and a deep in thought Chong, were sitting in the officers' conference room -- there were no courtrooms as such aboard the ship -- awaiting the Captain's return from engineering. Captain Yew had just determined what precisely had happened if not HOW it had been possible. He wanted to be armed with this information before confronting his own son. This time it was more than a teenage prank. This was serious. Because of this he had given his first officer actual authority over the preliminary court being convened in just a few short minutes. A phlegmatic man by nature, he was now threatened by an anger he had not experienced his entire life toward someone he loved. And he didn't like it.
Having returned to the officer's conference room Captain Yew took an unaccustomed seat besides his First Officer Terry Blake, who now occupied his own captain's chair. He merely nodded his head toward his First Officer. He was at least thankful that his estimable science officer, Conrad Harper, had finally determined precisely what had happened. "Please Terry. Conrad has determined what has happened. It should now be available on your PAT." (PAT stood for their personal acquisition terminal, which could wirelessly link to the main ship computer).
Blake took command. "Kim, since you have put me in charge, then I will take charge, and for the time being I will conduct this as an informal inquiry. Conrad, I know what you have put into your report, but how about describing what happened and include any nuances that you didn't feel appropriate for your formal report."
Chong interrupted: "Dad, please let me explain. I . . ."
Kim experienced a very unaccustomed feeling of anger. "Chong, you will . . ."
But that was as far as he got. Blake interrupted him. "No Kim, please, let me handle this. Chong, for now please let Officer Harper speak. You will get your say. Conrad?"
"Well what happened is quite simple. Someone overrode all computer security codes, all four levels, and powered up Reconnaissance Shuttle One. They had also programmed the navigational computer aboard with apparently a solution viable set of trans light speed coordinates for a jump within less than thirteen light minutes of a double star within it very planetary system. I might point out by the way, that there appears to be no possible habitable planet in that system according to our scans. No planet at the right distance from the double star. And according to all known models of planets of a double star system, the likelihood of such a planet being able to consistently support any advanced life is so remote to be essentially untenable. There is simply too much variability within such a system."
Conrad Harper looked at his audience wondering if he was going too far a field. He pulled his thoughts back to the primary issue. "The two boys had only failed to egress from the ship because the shuttle bay door got stuck. Just what caused the door to stick is still not known. However, to have overridden the security codes would normally have taken a class seven computer at least twenty minutes to complete and then only if the person doing it had access to our primary codes. We have also discovered that such primary codes had been accessioned by Master Baual Abu within the past two hours, and he also made use of our computer. Both serious breaches of ship security and protocol. We have not yet determined how he could have accessioned our primary codes. I would hope that he will tell us himself. To have then powered up the shuttle would have merely taken a competent pilot. But to have actually formulated a solution viable set of coordinates to jump WITHIN a planetary system would have been virtually impossible. It is simply not done. Our entire crew, using the entire capability and memory of our main computer MAY, and I emphasize MAY, have been able to do it given say several months to work no it, and then I would be frightened to actually chance such a jump. So right now the question is directed to Chang. Where did you come up with those sets of coordinates that you fed into the navigational computer aboard the shuttle? And by the way, good work preserving them."
All eyes turned to Chang. He first apprehensively looked at his dad. "I'm not exactly sure. I mean I am sure, but I have no way of convincing you, or even myself for that matter, that what I am about to tell you is actually the truth. But at the time I was absolutely convinced that I received the coordinated from a resident on the planet to which I was headed."
There was an immediate cacophony of noise as all five officers made some kind of comment. Finally Officer Blake was able to restore order. "Please Chong, that is even far fetched for you. How can you expect us to believe you? It is improbable to the point of impossibility. By what sub space radio, and from what person on what habitable planet was able to transmit to you, in a language you no doubt could understand? First, our long range sensors show no habitable planet within 0.1 light years of our position let alone within the system you were aimed. No such message has been received aboard this ship. And no human could possibly be on such a planet even if it existed."
Chong loudly sighed. "All right, then explain exactly how I could have come up with the coordinate set? You already said that it was also impossible. And I have other information. The planet does exist. It is habitable. There are people on it. And the person who gave me the coordinates is named Ariambalee, and . . . I am pretty sure he is not entirely human, even if he can speak English. Thinking back on what has happened, I am convinced of two things. One, I had been under some kind of compulsion, and two . . ."
Chong suddenly realized that he could not finish what he was about to say. He was suddenly surprised that he had actually considered it.
Blake looked at Chong. "Surely what you were just about to say could be no more incredible than what we have already heard. Please continue." All eyes went back to Chong.
Finally Chong decided what could it now matter. In light of everything else. "Very well. I can only say that I feel that somehow we communicated by some kind of telepathy. And not only were we able to communicate on a surface level, we also somehow communicated at least a significant portion of all our thoughts. I could even see what he was looking at. That is why I know the planet he is on is not only habitable, it is quite earth like. And why he is not quite human, and. . ." Chong still had difficulty actually saying it.
His dad now looked at his son. "Son, and what? How can this last fact possibly be any more improbable than what you have already claimed?"
"Dad, not improbable, just difficult. Please do not think any less of me. Ariambalee is like me."
"What? You just said he was not quite human. You're not making sense." That was Blake.
"What I mean is he is gay like me. I could feel what he was feeling, at least to some extent. And he could understand some of my feelings. We both felt drawn to each other. Intimately drawn. I think that is at least part of the reason it was me he contacted and not some one else aboard this ship. And he desperately needs our help. I felt it to be a matter of life and death."
Kim was only momentarily surprised by his son's last revelation. But, he realized that he had had a lot of the evidence in front of him if he had only taken the time to give it notice. And he was now wondering if his son had some special regard for his friend Baual. He could now look back and discern a number of things his son had said and done. And how he acted around Baual. And how he didn't act around any girl he knew. Definitely the signs had been there if he had taken notice.
Kim tried to quiet the loud murmur in the room. He looked at his son and noticed that he and Baual were staring at each other. He turned toward his first officer. "Terry, could I please have a moment in private with my son? And by the way, my recommendation would be to investigate, as soon as possible, just what might exist at the termination of those coordinates. Further, you might also consider having a shuttle actually make that jump. I know we need to gather more information, but at least just consider it as a possible option."
He stood and walked over to his son who had also stood. Chong looked at his father, happy to note that his father seemed not too angry. "Dad I ..."
His father interrupted. "Chong, I do not know yet if you can be extricated from this mess unscathed, but there are definitely personal matters that we now need to resolve. We need to talk. In private. Please."
Chong felt a bit relieved. Maybe he can survive this after all. He still had a bit of dread confronting his father about his sexual orientation. He looked over at Baual and found him still staring. "Shit," he thought. "Have I lost him too?"
His father guided him into the Captains office. "Chong, please. Sit down."
Chong was trying to read his father, but as usual he could read very little emotion there. How could he and his dad be so different? He did not even seem to take after his mother. For the first time in quite awhile he felt suddenly so bereft. It had been quite a number of years since his mother had died, yet now he felt that loss so strongly.
He was almost afraid of saying anything to his father. How would he react? How would his entire family react? He thought he had known and that's why he had not said anything. But if only he could keep his father's affection. That's all he figured he would need. Well, and maybe Baual`s continued friendship.
"Chong, why didn't you tell me? Are you that unsure of my love for you? You must believe that you can never lose that. Please believe this."
Chong stood and held his father tightly. His father, normally not a person to demonstrate his feelings, gripped his son with at least as much heartfelt feeling. "Dad, I needed to hear that. Thanks. It's just that so many people in our culture are still so disapproving. I just didn't know. I was afraid of losing you."
"Chong, you could never do that. This will take a bit getting used to. And fortunately your two older brothers can easily carry on the family name. But I want you to be happy."
"I am right now. I just hope that Baual can understand. I have gotten so close to him since we've been together on this ship. But I don't know if he could understand."
"Well, we have much more important things to decide right now. And to understand. Chong, how certain are you about all that you have said?"
Chong looked up with sudden concern. "Dad, I can be no more certain. I know how I respond to other boys; and not to girls. I don't. . ."
"No. No, I don't mean that. I trust you to be sure of your sexual orientation. I mean this message or whatever it is."
"Oh. But that's another problem Dad. I am sure, but when I think how impossible it must look, I have doubts. But then I remember how so connected to Ariambalee I was for those few minutes and I'm certain again. I guess I'm a bit confused. And dad, there is one more thing I haven't mentioned. This connection was more than what I described. It was so much deeper and intense. I feel like I almost know him." Chong was afraid to go further. He indeed felt like he wanted to be with Ariambalee. It was hard to understand himself, let alone explain it to his father. He was barely 17 years old, yet felt so certain of his feelings. At least for those few minutes. And when that connection suddenly ceased he got worried. It was as if something outside themselves severed the connection. "Dad, if I can believe what I both learned and felt I am sure of the following. This other person on this planet and I were able to almost feel like we were intimately joined. Not physically but at least mentally and even emotionally. I could feel his emotions. He is young like me, and even felt attracted to me on some mental and emotional level. I also could think some of his own thoughts. He was mortally frightened of something which loomed in the near future. He wasn't exactly sure himself, only that it involved a group of fanatics on his own planet who now had the aid of a very powerful individual. And what was even worse, this individual was also somehow linked to some other spaceship making its way toward his planet. And the intentions of those aboard this other ship were not friendly. There are many more details, but there is one other thing that you need to know but I barely believe it myself. Ariambalee was able to contact me and even instill in me a sort of friendly compulsion to act as I did. He was able to do this . . ."
Chong stopped, stood up, and started pacing, not able to look at his father. How could he actually expect his father to believe this last impossibility?
His father realized that something was deeply disturbing his son but his need to gather all possible information directed his response. "Son, let me say that you will never loose my love and my respect, but I need to know everything if I am to make my best decisions. Please continue. Surely nothing can be more improbably than what you have already delineated. And one thing you mentioned I am curious about. How can a compulsion be friendly?"
Chong's feelings were so entangled right now he wasn't sure how he felt about a number of things. But one thing he was becoming more relieved about. He believed he and his father and he were still on good terms. "Well, remember that Ariambalee and I shared some of our very thoughts. He laid this compulsion on me and then also gave me the ability to resist it if I chose to. It's more complicated than that but it would take me quite a while to explain it, and to tell you the truth, I am not certain I can. He sort of gave me the ability somehow to not only throw off this compulsion, but to also put it on others. Unfortunately, I wasn't certain of this until after the episode was over and I was thinking back on what I had done. That's one thing I need to ask Baual to forgive me for. I now realize that I placed almost the same type of compulsion on him without consciously realizing it. I do now and I am truly sorry. I think that is why I was so easily able to get him to cooperate with me in spite of the serious consequences."
"Chong. If what you say is true, than I suspect neither of you are completely responsible. But I still find it had to believe it nonetheless. Nobody can compel another to do something."
"Dad, nor can anyone come up with a complete solution set of coordinates for a jump to within a planetary system without months of computer time. Nor can someone read the mind of a superior officer in order to obtain the primary computer codes. But yet I did do these things."
"Chong, I still. . ."
"Dad, there is, however, something I did that was far worse than everything I have already mentioned. I said that I could have thrown off the compulsion given to me by Ariambalee. And I did."
"But son, why is this of any consequence?"
"Because I did it BEFORE I entered the shuttle!"
Both son and father looked at each other and realized the implication. Chang, was therefore still guilty of serious breech of security and misuse of command equipment. It was Yew who spoke first. "Then what I still then do not understand, is why you continued in your actions?"
"Because I knew how serious and important my mission was. Remember I was in Ariambalie's mind. For some reason he realized that our ship was needed in orbit of his planet and the only way I could think to get it there was for me to make you come after me in the shuttle. Dad, they desperately need us there!"
"But why?"
"Sorry Dad, but I don't know. Even Ariambalee didn't completely understand why."
Yew then stood up and commanded the computer to operate the view screen. He stood there a good couple minutes just looking out at a universe of amazing stars. He seemed to come to a decision. "All right. I think we need to investigate. But as I told Blake I will let him make this decision. I can't be seen to be unduly swayed because my own son is so inextricably involved. But I need to understand one more thing. Chong, how is all this still possible? How were you compelled? How did you compel Baual? How did you acquire these coordinates? How did this Ariambalee know about this other menace? And lastly how did he even know about you and this ship?"
Chong, shuddered, took a deep breath, and answered: "Magic." The word, though barely spoken, reverberated loudly from wall to wall. "Dad, the planet on which Ariambalee lives has magic. And that's why I said that he wasn't quite human. Ariambalee is a sort of magical creature himself. He's an elf."
The conversation that son and father had over the next 20 minutes brought both of then closer together, but was not able to bring any further enlightenment to the situation. Thirty minutes after that, all officers, along with Chong and Baual were back in the officer`s conference room. Most of what Chong and his Dad had discussed was now being bandied about by all concerned. Eventually Baual pulled Chong aside and asked: "Chong, is it true. Did you actually somehow make me do those things?"
"I'm so sorry Baual. But you have to believe me. I realized that I had been under some compulsion at the start but didn't realize at the time I was doing it to you. Only afterwards did I understand what must have occurred."
"Chong, it's hard to understand. And afterwards I couldn't understand myself how I allowed myself to do something so obviously and so seriously wrong. I am sort of relieved in that regard. But how could you do that to me?" Fortunately for Chong, Baual seemed more curious than hurt.
"Please Baual. If I had realized that's what I was doing I would have stopped. But it had never even occurred to me that I COULD do such a thing. I don't mean decide to do it, but be ABLE to do it. Can you understand?"
"Chong, I think I'm starting to. And if that is the case, then I guess I have some kind of defense. But how about yourself? You can even be tried in a military hearing!"
"Baual, I think that this whole thing is so far more important than any possible hearing, I can't seem to get worried. At least not yet. But I AM so worried about something that is more important to me right now. Are we still friends?"
Baual was obviously surprised by this question. "But as long as I know that you didn't do that to me on purpose, what should cause us not to be friends any more?"
"Well, now that you know that I like boys. I've even had fantasies involving you." Chang felt he couldn't possibly worry about revealing this after all the other revelations that morning.
Baual smiled. "Look. I'm only sorry I can't return your affections -- at least in the way that you might wish. I am hopelessly only attracted to girls. But I guess I am actually flattered. And the ONLY thing I am angry at you about is that you didn't trust me enough to tell me before now."
Chang grabbed his friend and held him tightly. An errant tear escaped his eye. "Thanks Baual. I really didn't want to lose your friendship."
Of course it was at that very moment that Chang's father chose to notice his son again. "Ahem! Please. Please limit outward displays of intimacy to more private areas of the ship." There were a few chuckles from the others present.
His father really wasn't too concerned about this, but he felt saying what he did could go a ways in relieving the gathered tension. "We need to continue this proceeding and make some decisions."
It was First Officer Blake who then continued. "We have generally come to the conclusion that IF what we have heard from Chang is even partly accurate, we need to investigate. For innumerable reasons, not the least of which is the possible discovery of not only an earth type planet, but also an earth type civilization. Conrad has asked the computer to analyze what we know and all historical records, and has determined that is it is indeed possible that an earth colony ship could have come through this area of space several hundred years ago. We have also concluded that we need some corroborative evidence. If possible. Chang, how DID you obtain that solution set for navigation in 11 dimensional space? Only another computer -- possibly a computer on a lost colony ship -- could have produced it."
"I am not sure. All I can say is that, while I was sort of joined with Ariambalee, we were able somehow to see our exact relative positions. And we suddenly knew how to program the computer. Please don't ask me how. I don't know. I had thought that it was Ariambalee who gave them to me, but now I am not quite sure. But there is something that Ariambalee mentioned concerning my ability to possibly do this. He said that it was level two magic. (Usually able to not only able to manipulate one's own body and environment, but also that that of other people so long as they are either near enough, or if you can establish a special rapport with them). He said I was obviously a magician. But as soon as we became disconnected, I don't think I could have come up with a formula for a simple La Place Transform. So I just assumed that it was Ariambalee who actually performed that particular magic."
There then ensued a big brouhaha over the possibility of magic even existing. That was when Chang got one of his so typical "ideas." He went to Baual and they engaged in a whispered but fevered conversation. Baual finally said he'd "do it."
Chang approached his Dad. "Dad, maybe I CAN somehow corroborate some of this."
"How?"
Maybe I can still compel Baual to do something. He said he'd cooperate. After I pleaded a lot." Baual smiled over at his friend.
The demonstration was setup. Baual stood in front of the room and said to Chang. "OK, but if it's anything embarrassing, I'll get even later." There was even some laughter.
Baual was then told to resist doing anything. Chang then "asked" his friend to dance a jig. And that was exactly what Baual did. Fortunately it was only for several seconds. When questioned, Baual said that he just had an overwhelming desire to do what Chang had asked. Then Blake spoke up. "Chang, do that to me!"
The same thing occurred. In short order the entire officer group were starting to be believers. But there still were serious reservation. Another heated discussion ensued. Then suddenly Baual started rising mysteriously upward. With no apparent means of levitation. Both he and Chang started smiling. They decided during the later discussion by the officers that maybe Chang could do something else, if he really believed himself to be some kind of magician. Baual said he always wanted to be able to fly. Conversation abruptly stopped at the spectacle. Suddenly Chang collapsed, and Baual fell a half meter or so to the floor.
Copyright 2006 by Rocco Paperiello