Growth And Lust

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Hey its my first story! I wanted to write a story with good character development and with an in depth story, then before i knew it, it was pretty long. Sorry if you don't like the build up, but i hope you enjoy.

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Ginrar leaned against the wall of the gathering hall, sighing in boredom due to being at the same meeting countless times before. The company she worked for did this every year, cycled in new recruits for the growth and harvest project, said goodbye to past employees who decided they were done with the solitude.

This company was different from any other in the fact that it grew planets, the company 'Growth', was about finding suitable planets that were uninhabited but relatively easy to terraform and cultivate a product until the planet itself could be sold for an incoming species to inhabit and grow on and call it their own.

For example, think about how a manufacturer could source enough lumber to make tables, chairs, bed frames, cooking utensils and anything else it could be shaped into; now think about how many people need these products on their own planet that might not be able to sustain that kind of resource growth. Now multiply that by 20 or more planets, how do manufacturers keep up with enough resources to supply the demand?

Growth terraforms a planet that all it does is grow trees and sells the manufacturer the lumber at a lower cost. Once the planet reaches a point that the air quality and landscape are suitable for an interested species, Growth will sell it for 1.5 times the cost of the planet itself. This provides a good return for Growth and covers the cost of supplies to make the original planet, to find the next one, and start the process of tree growing again to keep up with manufacturers demand.

But the business wasn't solely focused on trees, instead, it was anything you could imagine that could be reproduced. It's a genius business and if someone had the capital to start, it would eventually just start making that person money and just like the CEO of Growth, they could keep a whole planet for themself and use it for any form of entertainment they wanted.

But there is one tricky part, the employer has to find an employee who can be on the planet and take care of all the small stuff. Equipment repair, growth monitoring, fungi control, water purity, and the employee has to live with the ever crushing weight that they could be the only single living being on the planet and are solely responsible for their own survival and health. Employees can of course request supplies to help with this, but it does come out of the employee's paycheck; employees can also bring whatever supplies they want or need, fuel, vehicles, tools, and in some instances, family.

If that wasn't complicated enough, employers have to find the right employee for the planet so that they don't die upon arrival. They wouldn't put an oxygen breather on a methane planet that would cause the employee to choke to death as soon as the shuttle doors opened. Employers complete this part by asking as little questions as possible, no past occurrences would be brought up as long as the potential new hire had common sense and signed the waiver not holding the company liable for any injuries or death that could fall upon the employee.

Medical aid was at the ready in the form of autonomous drop ships, at the expense of the employee of course, if funds were not sufficient to cover cost, the company would give you a 2% interest loan to ensure it recouped its loss and employees could pay off their debt and continue working.

Ginrar knew all about this seeing as how this was now her 10th meeting to re-sign her waiver, pick up supplies, and depart to the new planet that was growing wheat. She silently thanked her luck "At least it wasn't fecal fungi..." she thought to herself as she looked at the all-to-ecstatic boar-bred that was stomping his hoof at the great news. Gin rolled her eyes as she saw the management droid buzzing towards her, a skinny stick of a machine that housed a single camera in the top and two wheels on the bottom.

"Hello, Ginrar, eager to sign your waiver again?" the droid said as it seemed to stare at her in what felt like a cheery manner.

"Ya, can I sign now and leave?" She said in a stern tone that caused a small passerby to scurry away in fear of catching the same hatred as the droid.

"Will you accept a trainee this time?"

"No." she said while looking annoyed at the thought of a pest breaking her peace.

"You have reached your denial limit for accepting a suitable trainee. If you do not accept now, termination could result." the droid said with a harsh tone.

"The last one tried to kill me."

"And you were granted 5 years of personal recovery time and given a bonus of wages."

"That doesn't make up for it."

"Shall I take your final answer as a 'No'?

Roke sat blank faced as he accepted his joyous new circumstances, quiet solitude where no one would pry and he would not have to deal with troubles from his past life. 'Finally, peace.' he thought to himself as he rolled his hands in one another.

"I heard their people can break inside your head" Roke heard from behind him. He started to glance over his shoulder to hear what tall tales of the human species were being spread but decided against it. Instead, he stood and headed to what he assumed was a bathroom.

The little creatures behind him chattering away were exchanging tall tales not of his species, but of the tall monster of a female in the back leaning against the wall. "She threatened that if she couldn't sign she would destroy the management droid!" The same small creature who passed by Ginrar earlier said in a hushed tone, "Imagine how many others she has killed, her kind don't like droids because they can't read their minds' dialogue." The others coward in fear just looking at Ginrar in the back.

"She's at least 10 feet tall, and horns on her head to gowg her victims to death, fire red skin dyed in the blood of her enemies, eyes that can see better than any predator and claws to disembowel any unlucky enough to cross her." the little one said to himself. "W-why would they let such a beast in here with us good and honest folk?

Roke signed his waiver and sat through employee orientation, listening diligently to know what he could and could not do and to ensure he was taking all necessary supplies. He looked around the room observing some of the new recruits with him but also eyeing the veterans lining the out skirts. He wasn't surprised to catch a few eyeing him as well, he didn't stop his gaze across the room but just took note of the ones looking at him.

When humans joined the galactic stage, they were met with frightened contempt. An animal that could survive in almost any climate, eat most anything to survive, and endurance that could last for days. Skilled warriors that had been honing their skills by killing their own for centuries.

But Roke just laughed at that, he just liked to think of himself as a regular being in an extraordinary galaxy. The employees were soon released, told to return to their assigned platforms, and they would be launched to their new work space, I.E. 'go sit with your stuff and we're gonna shoot you across space to an empty planet with a to do list!'. He was overjoyed at the prospect of finally being alone and free, he heard about a trainer but from what he'd seen of how others liked to give humans a wide berth, he expected that trainer to be on the other side of the globe collecting their portion of wheat.

Ginrar looked at the oddity that her new trainee had sitting in the bay, where she also had her personal belongings, she had a single rectangular box with all her gear sitting on the deck. It was only 4 feet high, roughly 12 feet long, and 6 feet wide, fully enclosed with dull metal walls so it looked very unassuming. The trainee had what appeared to be some form of transportation with a small house on the back and another smaller form of transportation sitting on an arm behind it. "What the fuck is this dumbass gonna do with this?" she said as she tried to make sense of the screaming colors and oversized set up.

Roke stepped off the lift heading to his bay so he could be shot across the galaxy and stopped in his tracks, he was dumbfounded at what he saw, or rather who he saw in his bay staring at his gear. She had to be at least a foot taller than him, maybe 7.5 ft tall, she had crimson red skin that seemed to look ominous compared to the apple red truck he owned that she was standing next to. Her hair was a shimmering deep black and unbelievably thick as it flowed over her shoulders in waves down to almost mid back.

What really caught his eye was the set of horns on her head, one on each side right above where her ears probably sat. He could not tell for sure since her hair was so thick and seemed to hide anything else that could be underneath its luscious wavy locks. The horns fascinated him, they were strong looking, reminding him of a rams horn, but they went forward branching off in 2 places making 3 points in total.

As the horns went forward towards the front of her head, the first branch came out as a short chubby spike that pointed slightly forward and down. The main horn continued forward and up with another smaller and thinner spike pointing up and back.

He was transfixed on them until he started moving his eye line down as if to size up his "opponent." She wore a puffy black coat that hid all semblance of shape and size of her midsection. The cargo pants she wore that were supposed to be solely for utility, however, left little to the imagination as they clung to her thick muscular thighs and firm glutes. He could see the slight muscle lines shifting under the pants as she shifted her weight to examine his set up.

He noticed her body language change and raised his eyes to where hers should be, sure enough they were looking down at him but they also threw him off; where he was expecting white with pupils he saw only an inky blackness. A single fiery ring in the center of each eye led him to believe that she was looking through him, her face blank of all emotion. He knew this expression all too well as it was often his own laxed position he subconsciously resorted to without a second thought.

Ginrar looked down at the human that had been standing just off the platform, she sized him up but did not go on guard, if he was going to attack like most did to her kind it would not be in such a crowded arena. His skin was pale but his hair was dark brown, his blue eyes transfixed on her legs but rising to meet her sight when she turned her body to face where her eyes had already moved. 'That will be his opening attack,' she thought to herself. They always try to cut her down, thinking it will make it easier to finish her off.

'Roke' was the name she had been told. He stood 6'4'' and weighed 210 lbs according to the application records he had filled out. His broad shouldered frame stood unmoving in what seemed like a ready position.

Ginrar had every right to examine and mentally dissect him, her species was rare but strong, her kind were hunted religiously when they first came into the light as it was rumored they could see into their enemies mind and read their plans. True she could see into her opponents mind, but it was only if their mental fortitude was weak, the person being read could allow her in and she could peruse what was in their immediate thoughts, but she could not dig down to their secrets unless invited. The reader could of course give their subjects verbal or physical reminders that brought their secrets to the top.

No one believed her species when it was explained and since they were so ominous in the first place, people thought they were a species of monsters that wanted to enslave others by breaking their minds; so if someone could kill or break one of her kind first, they would find a hefty reward by some private benefactor. So this always made her suspicious of all around her.

Most anyone would never stand a chance against her, they lacked the speed and strength and would fall dead at what would be considered simple child's play to her species . She was Tallhee, powerful and unwavering, but he was human and from what she had been told they were the same. But instead of speed and strength, they had something she hated dealing with...stubborness.

"What is this shit?" she said in a monotone voice, gesturing towards all of Rokes' belongings.

Roke looked at his set up and said "It's my home." He made sure to not sound too smug or hostile since he didn't want to raise any bad blood between him and his new coworker.

Ginrar tried to look inside his mind when he answered and was met with a sound akin to tv static. 'Great...a fuckin idiot...or someone with training,' she thought to her self as she turned and walked away from him to the back of his 'home'.

He walked behind her and as their platform had its sides enclosed by walls that came up from the floor and sealed them inside, he breathed a sigh of relief. Ginrar while not able to read his thoughts was able to pick up on his lightened demeanor, which in turn made her relax a little as well.

"This is from my home planet, it's an older model four by four that can run on the bi-products of the companies' chemical manufacturing. The unit on the back is a camper which just means it has a bed for me to sleep in, a bathroom, and a kitchenette. This side has a heater and air conditioner to cool the camper, and the bed is in this part over the cab." he said as he pointed at the front area of the camper.

"And what is this then?" She said pointing at the 2 wheeled orange contraption on the back.

"That's a dirtbike, it can also run on some of the chemicals but I actually have to pay for that stuff and mix in a fuel additive. The fuel for the truck is free since the company would have to pay to dispose of it since its classified as chemical waste." He said.

"But why is it so small?" she asked.

Roke kind of laughed at how a bike perfectly sized for him would seem like a child's plaything to her size, "I'm sorry, I don't mean to laugh, it surprisingly fits me well and is something I enjoy riding for pleasure. Plus, I can use this for quickly covering distances around the area that are too far to walk. The truck can travel long distances and stay in place getting solar energy and storing water I can use for cooking and cleaning. The bike can cover a great area around the truck and I can return quicker on it."

She understood and left it at that, nodding her head and walking to her box that was just sitting on the floor.

Roke removed a pin that locked the arm to the truck, allowing the arm holding the bike to swing away from the back and he entered the camper through the rear door. It was a pop up camper to save weight and allow for better stability off road, he raised the roof and locked it in place.

Sitting at the indoor table he couldn't help but wonder what she was doing outside, he peeked through the window and saw her sitting criss cross legged on top of her box. She reached her hand towards the box and as it came close a panel opened that her hand entered, rifled around, then came back out with a book. 'Neat' is all he could think as he leaned back in the chair and reached for the laptop, 'watch a movie, eat something, nap, then maybe we'll be half way there' he thought to himself.

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"I promise, I'll stay here, forever...just p-lease, don't...."

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Roke snapped awake, knees jumping into the bottom of the camper's table while grabbing at his own clothes and searching the small area. He calmed his breathing and ensured he was still in the safety of his home, his breathing slowed and he assessed his situation. 'Fell asleep' he thought to himself as he looked at the dark screen of the laptop and empty wrappers from the power bars he had as an excuse for lunch. He looked out the window at Ginrar starting to stand up on her own metal box and look around, he noticed she was still wearing the coat and he realized he was slightly cold in his camper as well.

Ginrar stood outside, not looking at Roke in his camper, she was not able to read him but picked up something before she saw the camper and truck shake. 'When he sleeps, his mind opens,' she thought to herself, marking this fact in her memory for future use; she wasn't totally sure but she had a feeling he might not be after her or even know about her people's attributes but she wasn't ready to let down her guard, yet.

They were both up and moving now, Roke because he didn't want to close his eyes and go back to something, Ginrar because she knew they were where they needed to be. The platform shook and settled, Roke stuck his head outside the door and looked towards her "Hey dude, are we there yet?".

She simply looked at him, 'the fuck is a dude?' she thought, before saying "Yes".

Roke started closing everything up and lowering the roof, he climbed out of the back door and onto the floor taking a few steps back to swing the arm holding the bike back to the rear of the truck and locking it in place.

The walls of the bay didn't move but smaller doors on each side raised up allowing them to exit, ramps extended down to the soft earth below, air hissed and hydraulics settled as the craft finished its landing sequence and accounted internally in its system that both life forms arrived at their destination unharmed and alive.

Roke looked at her box wondering how she would move it when it raised on its own, levitating a few feet above the floor it followed her as she walked to an exit. He started the truck and drove it to the same door she had walked out of. He eased down the ramp and drove onto the dirt while examining his surroundings and seeing the red coworker removing her shoes and socks.

He noticed the nails on her fingers were a deep brown that shimmered in the sunlight and came to a fine point, he saw her toes were the same she curled them into the dirt and stretched them back out again.

They were the only two life forms on the planet for now, besides some common bacteria in the water that was going to be there with every new planet, and the plants. He saw rolling mountains in the distance with a forest running some of the landscape, bodies of water scattered around, and fields of wheat as far as the eye can see.

"Listen up because I will not sit here and hold your hand. I'm going that way," she said as she pointed to her left, "You go that way." she swept her arm to the right and pointed in the opposite direction. "In two months I'll come and find you. Follow your map and call in for the equipment you need. It's all autonomous so it will run on it's own but you will have to guide the droids to where they need to be and how long they run. Also, mark in their maps where water holes are and ensure safe pathways to them. Oh, and keep up with the maintenance schedules; if the droids can't bring water to the fields or cut the wheat, you'll need to repair them. You don't have to stay in one place but don't worry about not going far enough, we're gonna be here awhile." she said as she walked away to his left.

Roke was more than happy to be on his own and gave her a two finger wave with a simple "See ya then, don't be afraid to call if you need me." as he cranked the wheel and drove to the right, the craft that just dropped them off now closing its doors to prepare for departure.

Ginrar watched him leave and tried to remember the last time someone spoke to her like that, no ulterior motives, no maliciousness, a simple farewell with no fear or relief to see her leave. She turned and started off, she crouched down and did a few bounces in the same spot to stretch, her toes spreading in the dirt before her legs uncoiled and shot her into the air.