Epiphany

Introduction

It has been nearly 2600 years since the Science Institute discovered a genetic mutation which was reoccurring at an unnatural rate. Genetic mutations are one in a million deviations of the normal genetic code of life. Most are one of a kind and unnoticeable, others result in dangerous defects within the organism they occur, but some are much more profound. Changes over millions of years due to genetic deviation are the natural cycle of evolution. But this mutation is repeating much too frequently to be considered natural.

The Singula have managed reproduction with genetic engineering for over four millennia in order to ensure healthy, productive, and socially accepted additions to the community. Through the Collection Ceremony, genetic material was drawn from the parents and skill strands were incorporated into the sample based on what professions the parents wished the child to be qualified to pursue. Markers for hair color and type, facial features, and physical attributes, such as size and build, were then combined with the selected skill strands into a fertilized ovum. The Collection Ceremony climaxes with the Planting of the fertilized ovum into the mother.

During Collection Ceremonies it was discovered the marker for gender selection had mutated in one out of every 4761 individuals. Only the marker which produced a female birth was present. This, over time, will result in the slow extinction of a species. The investigations which followed would later determine that this was much more than a random mutation, but an engineered virus designed to wage war on a people from across the galaxy. The Science Institute assigned many different names to the anomaly, but over the centuries, the slang reference "Arch-Virus" has become the accepted name.

Advancements in genetic engineering have provided a relative carefree existence for the last 1200 years. Diseases have been rendered ineffective due to the development of disease resistant immune systems and cloning techniques have extended life spans to over 200 years, all a benefit from the research surrounding the Arch-Virus. Early hypotheses sought to blame the Arch-Virus on hundreds of years of genetic engineering, but this would eventually pass. Even though quarantine efforts were made to contain the Arch-Virus, the frequency of male births slowed until the last was born six generations ago. The same genetic engineering that was first blamed for causing the Arch-Virus eventually saved the Singula from extinction by providing a means of reproduction in the absence of man.

Space exploration found worlds devoid of humanoid life with evidence it once flourished upon them. Dozens of planets, once full of diverse cultures, spot the galaxy as reminders of forgotten civilizations. Analyzing fossilized remains from each world finds traces of the Arch-Virus. The Space Surveillance and Exploration Consortium (SSEC) have been plotting the origins of the Arch-Virus. The trail of destruction can be tracked through the Singulus System, passing through the two closest systems. Presumably one before and one after since the Singulus System lies between them, but it is unclear which system was affected first. A thirty-one week journey takes you to the Pantylus System which was once the home to a fierce warrior race. Scientists' best guess is the populations of the Pantylus System went extinct over 10,000 years ago. In the other direction, the Topelius Sector is a twelve week space flight. Topelius 2 was found with only primitive plant life. Little evidence remains of the humanoid culture once dominant there, but it too seems to have died out over 8,000 years ago. Beyond the Topelius Sector, the route splits into two directions toward some of the densest star systems in the galaxy.

Expedition Forces of the SSEC are traveling in all three directions in search of evidence...

Chapter One

The Space Surveillance and Exploration Consortium (SSEC) command and control center, located in the Aphrodys Region, houses the key officials charged with unlocking the origins of the Arch-Virus. Executive Tianna Assmay is the SSEC's third headmistress since the Science Institute authorized its creation 392 years ago. The Consortium is a collection of privately operated Intelligence, Manufacturing, and Research firms utilizing their resources to develop technologies vital to the investigation into the origin of the Arch-Virus. Although a private entity, the SSEC is tightly controlled by the Oversight Council...

Senior Administrative Aid, Labria Delatha, softly knocks on the door leading to Executive Tianna's private bath chamber. Nervously waiting for Tianna's response, she debates whether to open the door or wait for her to acknowledge the knock. This is the first time since she was appointed to her position two months ago she has needed to intrude on the Executive. After another moment of waiting, Labria takes a deep breath, and gently pushes the door open just enough to peek around the door. Seeing no sign of the Executive, she pushes the door the rest of the way open and slowly walks around the corner to find Tianna stepping out of the shower.

Tianna exits her large shower and takes a towel off its hook next to the shower opening. She leans forward so that her shoulder length crimson hair is only a foot or so off the ground and tightly wraps the towel around it to draw the moisture out. After just a moment, she unwraps her hair and with a quick snap stands upright flipping her hair out of her eyes. The forceful motion sends a ripple through her body causing her ample breasts to bounce and muscular ass to shake. Aware her Senior Aid is thoroughly inspecting her muscular body, she asks "Do you have a reason for interrupting my shower". Labria doesn't respond, too shocked by the vision before her. Tianna insinuates, "If I didn't know better I might think you are in here to watch me in the shower." Shocked and embarrassed, Labria tries to play down in fact; she was staring at Tianna's body. Her face has turned a light shade of pink from her embarrassment, but her rock hard nipples poking through her uniform top reveals her true feelings. Since the bath chamber is warm and steam filled, the only explanation for her erect nipples is that of arousal.

Stumbling over her words, Labria finally utters the words "Central Counselor". This draws a quick glance from Tianna, wanting to know what her Senior Aid means. Labria finds a small amount of composure, allowing her to say "Central Councilor Lilith Sapph is on the Holo-Array asking to speak with you".

Tianna, now the one searching for some composure, tells Labria to quickly get her another towel because the one she has is already soaking wet. As Labria turns around with the fresh towel, Tianna tosses the wet towel to her, simultaneously grabbing the dry one from her hands. The soaked towel hits Labria across her full chest and the moisture quickly soaks through her top turning the white micro-fiber uniform top transparent. If that wasn't bad enough, micro-fiber uniforms also shrink quite a bit when wet. Tianna watches in anticipation as the buttons on her Aid's micro-fiber uniform top pull against one another. The micro-fiber material stretches, revealing a hint of the firm orbs about to break free, and just then Labria's firm breasts explode out of her uniform. This abrupt release forces her breasts through a series of bounces. Grabbing at her chest to control the movement produces the unintentional sensation of pleasure as her still rock hard nipples roll across her fingers. Nearing a state of panic, Labria franticly asks "How am I going to address the Central Councilor? I don't have a spare uniform top and I can't wear one of yours!" Each position within the SSEC requires a different uniform color. Wearing a uniform color or type above your rank is a serious regulation violation.

Tianna hands Labria a towel and says, "Calm down. Everything will be fine. Use this towel to cover yourself and make up an excuse if the Councilor inquires about your uniform malfunction". As Labria reluctantly makes her way to her office, Tianna shouts, "Ask the Councilor if she would permit me to contact her once I have had the time to dry off and get dressed. I'm sure she will, so hurry. I need your assistance in getting ready." Labria nods and continues toward her office, keeping the towel close to her chest.

Labria activates the Holo-Array Emitter and takes her seat to address the Central Councilor. She is not receiving a signal from the Councilor's Emitter, but her control panel indicates the two Holo-Arrays are still connected. The Councilor must have turned off the Emitter while she was waiting. It isn't until this moment that she glances down and realizes Tianna has given her a hand towel and it is not large enough to completely cover her ample breasts. In the midst of her fuming, a voice interrupts her ardent thoughts and her attention jumps back to her duties. The Central Councilor's Attendant, Toriale Tribade, answers the communication with an aroused "My, My, My, I must have pleased someone important recently. I didn't realize you're 'features' where so luscious."

"Not now, Tori, I don't have time for your perversions. Where is Central Councilor Sapph? I asked her to wait while I retrieved Executive Assmay for her," Labria franticly states.

"The Councilor asked me to hold the connection until you or the Executive came back. I'll transfer your signal to her Emitter in a little bit, but I'm not letting you off the hook that easy. You owe me an explanation. I desperately need to know what happened to you're uniform top," inquires Toriale.

"I'm in a huge hurry right now, Tori, the Executive is waiting for me to return. Please, just transfer me to the Councilor. I really need to get back to Tianna," states Labria.

"OK. OK. I'll transfer you...after you drop the towel. I just have to see the rest of those scrumptious looking tits," demands Toriale.

"What! You want me to do what," questions Labria?

"I want you to lower the towel, sit up straight in your chair, cup the bottom of your tits, and gently squeeze. Squeeze your tits and run your fingers across your nipples until they get nice and hard. Oh, and close your eyes. That is what I want you to do until I tell you to stop," states Toriale.

"You want me to close my eyes, drop my towel, and fondle by breasts? Sure, and when I open my eyes you will have transferred me to the Councilor. I don't think so," replies Labria.

"You don't have much choice. I will not transfer you to the Councilor until you do what I've asked. If it makes you feel better, lock your console to keep us connected. That way the only way the Councilor could see you would be if she were watching with me, and that isn't very likely," proposes Toriale.

Labria is stunned. She just sets there with her mouth wide open. After locking the console as Toriale suggested, she looks around her office and drops her head. Looking down at her hand towel covered chest and then back up to Toriale's image displayed by the Holo-Array Emitter, she says "You better not be recording this! I've begun scrambling this signal anyway, just in case." With a frustrated sigh, she slowly lowers the hand towel into her lap. Watching, as Toriale's eyes widen, Labria scoots up in her chair and gently palms each of her massive breasts lifting them slightly. As waves of embarrassment and then excitement overtake her better judgment, she closes her eyes and begins to squeeze. She moves her fingers up and over her nipples, allowing each fingertip to apply a light flick until both nipples are rock hard. She opens her eyes and drops her hands into her lap which gives her massive chest a nice bounce. "Are you happy now," asks Labria?

Much to Labria's surprise, the image being displayed by her Holo-Array Emitter is that of Toriale fondling her own breasts. She is beyond stunned as she watches the Central Councilor's attendant unfasten the buttons of her micro-fiber uniform top and expose her own chest. Labria knows she should look away but for some reason she cannot. The earlier waves of excitement have returned but this time embarrassment is absent. Hoping to speed things along, Labria proposes, "Please, Tori, transfer me to the Central Councilor and I promise we will continue this another time."

"Not yet, you aren't playing by my rules. I didn't tell you to stop or open your eyes. Keep going until I tell you to stop this time," demands Toriale as she slides her uniform top off her shoulders.

"You better hurry; you don't want to keep Executive Assmay waiting too long. Go on, close your eyes and get to playing with your tits."

"One last time, Tori, and you can forget my offer to continue this another time," shouts Labria! She closes her eyes and places her hands back on her breasts. Squeezing and manipulating each globe with haste she hears Toriale moan. As the moans become more sensual, Labria cannot fight the urge to peek any longer. Her eyes open slightly to find Toriale leaning back in her chair vigorously masturbating. Labria tries to hide her surprise but her eyes are drawn to Toriale's right hand, rapidly forcing at least two fingers in and out of her sex. Her facial expression must have changed, because her Holo-Array playmate became aware she was being watched.

"Well, it seems I'm not the only one doing a little watching. I wasn't sure if you were going to enjoy our activity or not. It has been rumored you don't play with others, but maybe that rumor is false. Are you sure we can't finish this another time, in person maybe," quipped Toriale.

"I don't play with others! Playing with others and letting you masturbate to my bare bosom are two very different...activities. This is over, transfer me to the Councilor at once," demands Labria as she scoops the hand towel from her lap and drapes it back over her chest as best she can. "I can't believe I let you manipulate me like this. You have sunk to a new low, Tori."

"Thank you, Labria, I do aim to please," laughed Toriale. "I'll transfer you now. Oh, and I can't wait to...see...you again."

Labria leans forward and unlocks the emitter console. The image of Toriale fades out, and after a brief wait, the image of the Central Councilor appears before her. It isn't the Councilor, though, it is a previously recorded hold screen image of the Councilor asking whoever is viewing to please wait and the 'Central Councilor of the Singula' will be with you momentarily. Labria finds herself still somewhat shaken from her activities with Toriale. She is unsure what possessed her to even participate with the whole episode but she can't help but feel her anxiety from unexpectedly becoming topless played a role in participation.

The hold screen image flickers and Labria suddenly realizes that the Central Councilor has activated her own emitter and is receiving the Aid's image. She quickly glances at her chest to make sure she is as covered as she can be and addresses the Councilor, "I apologize deeply, Central Councilor Sapph, for making you wait. Executive Assmay was in her private bath chamber taking a shower when you called, and as you can see, my efforts to inform her has resulted in my uniform top getting wet. To keep you from waiting any longer, Executive Assmay wishes to contact you a short time later so she may finish drying off and get dressed".

The Councilor sets silently in her chair, taking in the view of Labria's firm breasts. Since the hand towel is not large enough to cover both breasts and the slightest motion reveals most of one breast. The silence is unnerving to Labria and it is causing her to nervously fidget in front of the Councilor. Trying to mask more than her breasts, Labria is unaware the motions of the hand towel are keeping her nipples hard and adds very noticeable protrusions from behind the thin cloth. Labria's fingers have become numb from tightly gripping the corners of the hand towel as she waits for the Councilor to speak. As her restlessness intensifies, she unknowingly pulls one corner of the hand towel out of her left hand completely revealing herself to the Councilor.

Councilor Sapph responds, "You do not need to be so formal, you may address me by my first name, Lilith. Fetching Executive Assmay from the shower does indeed explain the pleasant greeting I have received from your beautiful breasts. Tianna may contact me at her leisure once she has gotten dressed. Have a pleasant day and I look forward to seeing you again".

Labria thanks the Councilor and in turn wishes her a pleasant day as she leans forward to turn off the Holo-Array Emitter. Labria glances toward the controls and is mortified to notice her exposed breasts, complimented with erect nipples, dancing free. She leans back in her chair and places the hand towel across as much of herself as she can. She speaks aloud to herself, "Calm down, Labria. Settle your nerves. Relax. Do not dwell on the thinks that have happened this day."

Reflecting on what has happened in the last half hour, she is not sure how to deal with these unusual events. Having her chest burst from her micro-fiber uniform top in front of Executive Assmay was certainly unexpected. The recollection she fondled here breasts while Toriale watched and then masturbated was still shocking. No explanation, excuse, or emotion can describe her thoughts from having just addressed the leader of her people topless. The longer she thinks about it, the angrier she becomes with the realization Executive Assmay is responsible for setting this entire situation into motion. She quickly makes her way toward Tianna's private bath chamber, free bosom bouncing with each forceful step.

Reaching the door, Labria extends both hands to shove the door to the bath chamber open without knocking or even slowing down. As she turns the corner, she is frustrated to find the Executive still naked, flipping through the many uniforms in her walk-in wardrobe. Labria steps into the wardrobe and leans up against the wall behind the Executive. She wants the Executive to know she is there, but will not say a word. Waiting for Tianna to acknowledge her return, Labria stands silently taking in discriminate peeks at the Executive's muscular frame. With each passing moment and peek, Labria's angered gaze slips into a mesmerized stare.

Tianna, straining to remember the contents of boxes on the upper shelf of her walk-in wardrobe, finally speaks to Labria. "Is the Central Councilor still waiting on the Holo-Array or has she agreed to let me call her back in a few moments". Labria responds with the short and sweet one word response of "Agreed". Tianna chuckles, aware of her Senior Aid's frustration. Looking over her right shoulder at Labria, observing her Aid's continuing efforts to cover herself with the hand towel, she asks "How was your conversation with the Councilor". Labria hesitated to respond but, after a short period of silence, blurted out the answer of "How do you think!" Tianna chuckles again then suggests "You may as well put down the hand towel, since it isn't doing much to hide anything".

Labria thinks for a moment then drops the hand towel to the floor, crossing her arms under her chest which draws them together and pushes them forward in a most pleasing manor. She stands at Tianna's back, just an inch or so from poking her back with her erect nipples. Visions keep flooding her mind with ways to take revenge on the Executive. Her first thought involves rare Florallure plant extract finding its way into Tianna's afternoon refreshment. The effects of the Florallure are well documented as a crude aphrodisiac, leaving the recipient completely free of inhibition. Labria could plan this for an event, perhaps an evening the Executive is entertaining a group of Regional Councilors. That would certainly make for some interesting press. The fact that the Florallure is illegal, mostly because of its ability to cloud one's memory, causes Labria to move on to another thought. Her next idea involves another exotic plant, the Vividac, to be added to the Executive's bath or shower. The Vividac plant is a skin irritant. As it penetrates the skin, it confuses the nerves and causes them to be hyper-sensitive. To compound this problem, the more sensitive the skin, the more affect the Vividac plant has. The simple act of walking would no doubt send the Executive into orgasms as the hyper-sensitive folds of her sex would have to glide across themselves. Labria begins to really like this plan since it would force the Executive to stay naked for as many as two weeks. She feels this plan would work but is unsure how would negatively affect Tianna? The Executive would become aware of her problem while in her Private Bath Chamber and would be able to stay secluded until the effects diminish. The more she thinks of this the more she realizes how difficult it would be for her to pull this off. Tianna would know of Labria's involvement and there is no telling what action she would take as retribution. In addition to that, the Executive might take to her treadmill and embrace an endless number of orgasms.