**All characters are age 18 or older.**
The Desperians were creatures that, in their natural form, strongly resembled octopuses. Terran octopuses had one eye and eight arms. Desperians had one eye also, but they could vary their number of arms (or tentacles), as needed. And not only the number, but also the form and function could be varied to suit the job at hand. The tentacles could be hollow or solid, flexible or rigid, uniform or tapered, long or short, thin or fat. If they needed to change location, they created two or more legs. If they needed arms and hands, they simply created them with as many fingers as needed. The variety available was virtually unlimited. Much of the time, however, when they didn't need tentacles, they were just roundish blobs with one eye.
They had large brains through which they communicated telepathically and they were very intelligent and technologically advanced.
They were explorers of the galaxy, moving rapidly from planet to planet in huge starships that could travel much faster than light. But their exploring was not only to gain knowledge; they were also looking for a species that was suitable to aid them in reproducing. A virus plague had destroyed their ability to reproduce. So now, as they explored, they examined every creature they discovered to see if it had DNA that was sufficiently complex to be adapted to Desperian DNA. They would die out as a species if they didn't find a compatible species soon.
Desperians had excelled in their technological advances. One discovery which was very useful to their exploration was the "dyna-stasis field," commonly called the D-S field. When alien specimens were collected for study-especially for reproductive study-they would be put into a D-S field where their reproductive act could be carefully observed. It worked much like the controls on a video device, where a scene could be fast-forwarded, played in reverse or slow-motion, paused, or re-wound and replayed any number of times. It was not video that was being thus manipulated, but the actual action itself. Any creature in the field was at the mercy of the experimenters who found it to be a very useful tool to discover the nuances and small details that are sometimes critical in totally understanding the reproductive act of a new species under study.
And so it was that, one day, Professor Persed brought a group of students to the xenobiology lab to instruct them in the use of the D-S field.
"We have entered orbit around a planet which the inhabitants call Earth. The dominant creatures are called Terrans, or humans. We have collected some floral specimens and will soon be ready to begin observing the fauna. We expect that the fauna will be more suitable to aid us in our own reproduction, especially the humans, but this floral specimen will be quite adequate to demonstrate the use of the D-S field." These words had been telepathically communicated to the group of 12 students who had entered the lab with Professor Persed, who then turned his eye to the other Desperian in the lab and thought, "Dr. Skoti, would you please demonstrate and explain the D-S field to these students?"
"Yes, happy to do so," thought Dr. Skoti. "Welcome to the xenobiology lab. Xenobiology is one of the most fascinating subjects in the galaxy. It is my great joy to travel the galaxy examining alien species and learning all about them. Their reproductive habits are as varied as the species themselves. They never cease to amaze me in the ways they can find to multiply their numbers. Consider this floral specimen which you see on this table. We have learned that the Terrans call it a lily. This lily has just reproduced, but I have reversed the process to a point just before the reproduction so that you can watch it again in slow motion. First, let me describe what you are about to see so that you will understand it as it happens."
Dr. Skoti extended two tentacles to act as legs and walked over to the table. Then extending another tentacle with a sharp point on the tip, he pointed to each part of the lily as he named and described it.
"This portion is called an anther. It's job is to produce pollen. Pollen is one of the substances needed for this plant to reproduce. The pollen needs to travel from the anther to the stigma on the same or a different flower, where it will pass through a pollen tube to an ovule. The ovule is the other substance needed to reproduce. When the pollen grain unites with the ovule, they develop into a fertile seed which will then grow and produce another lily plant."
Dr. Skoti stepped back and paused as he considered what he had just told the students.
"I guess that pretty much covers it. It is a very simple reproductive process, much simpler than many of the ones we have observed on some planets. It will help me to demonstrate the D-S field to you, but it is of no use to us Desperians for reproductive purposes. Our DNA is much more complex. But, as I said earlier, this lily has already reproduced, then I reversed the process using the D-S field so that you can watch it happen again. I will now set it to forward, slow motion, and pause it at each step so that you can observe closely. Some of the action takes place internally. The viewscreen on this scanner allows us to see what is happening inside. Any questions before we begin?"
Hearing none, Dr. Skoti thought, "Let's begin. Come closer and watch this anther as this reproduction proceeds slowly. . . . Notice the pollen as it flies off the anther. There are many more grains than needed. . . . Now, some of the pollen is sticking to the stigma. . . . The pollen has disappeared into the pollen tube and is descending to the ovule. The scanner allows us to see inside the stigma and pollen tube. . . . Here, at the bottom is the ovule, the goal of the pollen. In a few seconds it will reach and fertilize the ovule. . . . There, done. Now, I will speed up the process so that you can see the fertilized ovule become a seed. . . . There, done. Have you noticed that there is very little telepathic activity with this specimen? It is of a very low order of being."
"Now, another advantage of the D-S field is that you can observe this whole process in reverse. Let me demonstrate." He extended a newly created arm and hand, adjusted some dials and buttons and they saw the whole process begin to reverse. "The seed is un-developing and becoming just a grain of pollen and an ovule. . . . Now, notice that the grain of pollen has separated and is moving UP the pollen tube, away from the ovule. . . . Suppose you are especially interested in learning more about the motion of the pollen within the pollen tube. You could observe the action repeatedly like this." He again adjusted some dials and buttons, and the students watched the grain of pollen go up and down the pollen tube several times. "You can do that with any part of any reproductive process just by using this D-S field. It is the most useful tool we have in xenobiology."
"Now, why don't you students take over and familiarize yourselves with this process and with the controls. Discuss the action among yourselves while I converse with Professor Persed."
The students excitedly came forward. They gathered around the table and controls and began
playing with fertilizing/unfertilizing the lily. They were careful to limit their telepathic communication to within the group, in order to allow Dr. Skoti and Prof. Persed to have a private telepathic conversation.
"Thanks for bringing your students," thought Dr. Skoti. "We need to keep young people interested in xenobiological reproduction if we expect to continue as a species ourselves. We are long overdue to find a compatible species to produce some young for us."
"Do you think you will find anything among the fauna of this planet?" asked Prof. Persed telepathically.
"My initial observations of the humans give me a lot of reason to have high hopes," thought Dr. Skoti. "I am now ready to bring some specimens aboard for analysis to confirm or deny my suspicions. I am glad your students will be here to observe this."
"I am happy to place them in your care. Call on me if you need anything."
"Class," thought Dr. Skoti, "Prof. Persed is leaving you with me to observe the next experiment. I am about to transport two human subjects here for experimentation in the D-S field. I have been observing two young specimens who are preparing to reproduce. We will transport them to this table in a D-S field and observe them reproducing in great detail and make a final determination about whether they will be suitable to reproduce our own species. And I think we will be able to make much better telepathic contact with them as they seem to be of a higher order than this lily. Any questions before we begin?"
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William Robert Johnson (affectionately called Billy Bob, of course) was the heart throb of the graduating class of Marfa High School. Since graduating three years ago, he and his sweetheart,
Sally Ann Dugan had become a serious couple. Though not technically engaged, yet everyone expected it because they were fucking like rabbits. Everyone knew it. In small Texas towns everyone knew who was fucking whom. They were just waiting for Billy Bob to get some more dependable employment. So far all he had was temporary seasonal work on area ranches.
"Hey, Sally Ann, what say we drive out to the rest area on the highway tonight and watch the Marfa Lights?" asked Billy Bob.
"What you mean is, 'Why don't we drive out to the rest area and fuck.'"
"Guilty as charged. How did you know?"