Comprehension

(this one starts a little slow and honestly is a bit more in the weeds, but I wanted to set a few things down and reinforce a few others. Skim to the end if you're not interested in exo-biology :) )

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"Megan? You with us yet?"

Megan was somewhere new.

She had showered? Yes, she had. She was in a robe. There was a cup of tea in her hands, almost too hot. She was seated in a booth, vinyl cushions in a light relaxing blue. Across from her, a woman...her boss...Janice!--scooted into the other side, setting down her tablet and cup on the table. Janice was a weird combination of giddy and concerned as she stared at Megan, waiting for the girl to reload.

Megan blinked. "...what? What the hell is going on?" Why was it so hard to focus? Did that happen? Really? Why wasn't she panicking? She began to realize that she was in a company lunchroom--booths, tables, a kitchen with a bored staff preparing for the lunch rush. How did she get here? Why didn't she notice? What th--"Seriously, what the hell Janice?"

Janice just smiled. "There's my girl...so this is the hardest part of the job--explaining the job. Big G is...well, it's weird. It exists outside of time--did you understand any of the Exobiology thing? No worries, no one does--but basically...It's basically a big computer, right? We ask it questions, it comes out with answers. But since it doesn't think like us, or understand time or space like us, the answers didn't make sense. Until we found ways for people to bond with G."

Megan couldn't help but be a bit scathing. "Is that what you call it? Bonding??"

Janice ignored the sarcasm--this always happened. "Yeah. Bonding. When the tendrils interact with you--you've noticed the sensations start as soon as it touches you? It's beginning to connect at a "astral/temporal/mental infusion" is what the lab boys call it. But to you and me--it's making a connection with your whole nervous system. Memories, ideas, opinions, how you walk and move and blink. Big G thinks a little more like you, and you think a little more like it, getting to know you."

Megan couldn't help but narrow her eyes. "And--so why does it... you know...?"

Janice grinned. "Poke you like a pornstar? Because your sense of self is alien to G. It doesn't understand the idea of being just a single individual living in a past, present, future. The best way to understand your brain is when your sense of self is out of the way, and the best way to do that is--"

"--make me orgasm. Repeatedly."

"Yep! When you're 'there', G has a better understanding of how you--and all the other girls, and all the other pods--understand and feel and think without your ego blocking it. So it can then make better decisions about the questions we ask. So your job is not just to orgasm--you're job is to think about the trigger words and bond with G while it processes a bunch of data, direct it's thought process. And you--" she tapped the tablet's display of chaotic lines and data--"did great for a first day! We need to start at three hours a day to let you get used to the bonding, but also for health reasons--you can get addicted if we don't manage it, or get confused about time. That's why you're so loopy--you're getting 'unlocked' from the present. It'll get better with time--no pun intended."

Megan sipped her tea. Why did this all sound so normal? "But why me? And why aren't I...freaking out? D-did you...?" she looked at the tea, thought of all the water bottles! "Is it the water? Are you brainwashing me?!" Janice's eyes widened in the terror of a middle manager being accused of a crime. "What? No! The water is a special blend--mint, cucumber, lime, some herbal blend! It's harmless! You can buy it in stores!" She reached over and grabbed Megan's hand. "No, you were picked for two reasons. First, you react positively to the Verdant Sigil--most people don't. They get disoriented, panicky. Those like you become more open to experiences, which is why you're taking this all like a champ. And second...you had a good interview. You were a good working, fun experience, seemed nice. You weren't forced to be here or anything. This is just a job, and one you are good at. If you want to quit you can, but I don't think you will." Janice gave a wry grin. "I mean, this isn't the worst job you've had, right?"

Suddenly, the doors burst open from both sides. On the left, women--some from Megan's pod, but dozens of new faces--came in. On the right, a men of all shapes, sizes, and colors. Janice glanced at her watch "oh crud I was hoping we'd get more quiet time. Lunch rush--are you doing ok? Do you need food or something? Listen to your gut on this--if you need something get it."

Megan started to answer but then stopped. "...no, I'm good. Why am I good? I should be starving?" Janice nodded. "Big G again. To keep your body um...functional?...it provides a lot of replicated nutrients, pharmaceuticals, hormones while you're bonding. Long term exposure well...take a look" She waved out, and again Megan couldn't help but notice how healthy everyone was. Most of the men were fit, tall, strong. The women were all athletic, curvy. Everyone looked young, and they all seemed taller than Megan. There were some larger ones, but even they seemed to be carrying it in a way that made them seem happy. As she glanced around, she noted she was squeezing her legs. The whole room was full of incredibly good looking men and women, and--

"What's with the green eyes?" Janice grinned. "Long term exposure side effect. They can come and go. And before you ask about the people with strange eyes walking you through strange events; we're not mind controlling or anything. It's...ok, this will be weird but--when you get the green eyes, you can sorta...see potentials. You know what's going to be likely, so you can kinda...guide things." Janice squeezed Megan's hand. "We knew you were going to be here because Miss Ventner saw you here. You're here because you were meant to be here. You let Big G merge with you because you knew you would want to after it had happened. Future influences past. It's kinda tricky but...just go with the flow. If things feel dreamy, then let the dream walk you through. Does that make sense? Do you have any fears, or concerns?"

"I...no." Megan didn't feel anything wrong. She was actually sort of happy. Thrilled, even. "No, I think...I think I'm gonna like it here." Janice broke into a big smile, and so did Megan. This felt right. "So...what's next?"

Janice reached into her coat pocket. "Well, now, you get a little bonus." a plastic card was slipped across the table. "It's a gift card. You can't go back to bonding for the day, and it's still two weeks out for payday, so go have a little fun. You'll come in the morning tomorrow, and in the afternoons for a while we'll try to get you up to speed and help you figure out how to implement the coding we give--this is still a job! We need you to be able to focus while you're...bonding. But otherwise--go get your stuff in your lockers, have some fun, and we'll see you tomorrow!"

That evening was Chinese takeout for Grant and Megan, and a bottle of wine all on the company's dime. "So?" asked Grant, "how was the first day? Did you figure out what you're doing?" Megan felt a microsecond of panic before she blinked and grinned. "Oh, it's great. Basically I sit in a cubicle with a set of goggles on my face, show me pictures and they ask me questions. Some make a lot of sense, some are like 'do you like carrots?'. Apparently my reactions help them 'coordinate their business strategy' or whatever." Megan raised her glass to cover her face--somehow she knew what she was going to say before she said it?? But it was--it was what she would have said if she HAD thought about it. Like she had the time, before she had the time? Huh.

Grant had seemingly ignored all of this, moving on to talk about his day--apparently also a good one. So Megan ignored it and had another glass and a second serving of chow mein.

With both of them in a good mood and a bottle of wine between them both, it wasn't surprising the couple ended up falling into bed together, passionately making out and drunkenly trying to pull off each other's clothes. After some playful tugging and giggling, Grant finally succeeded in removing Megan's bra and let her fall back on the bed. "Damn...you are amazing..." he stared down at her delectable body, his lust obvious from his eyes and his hard cock. Megan's eyes twinkled as she looked over his body--not a buff guy, but broad-shouldered and hairy in way that was cute. "Oh, I had some money left so I got something else..." She rolled over onto her knees, spreading her cheeks just enough so light would catch the bejeweled plug inside her.

Grant's cock twitched as his eyes widened. "Holy shit, seriously?" This had been one of those things that Grant lightly explored with a few grabs and running fingers when they had started dating, but had always been off the table. He didn't know what the heck had gotten into Megan but he certainly wasn't going to stop and figure it out now. He grinned like an idiot at Megan moved the toy from her and wiggled her butt. "Go ahead, baby..." With a groan Grant pushed inside her, eyes closed in joy as he grabbed her hips and began grinding into her.

Megan meanwhile was rubbing her clit and dreaming of work. Grant was a great lover, and she loved the feeling of him inside her, but she couldn't help but remember how Gthyagos had slipped along every bit of her body simultaneously. And that was just three! How many tendrils could she take, she wondered. How good was it to feel herself filled from all ends! As her body began to tingle she dreamed more--dreamed of how nice it would feel as Grant filled her back door, if Gthyagos could abuse her wet pussy! How nice it would be to be filled like that while she lapped at Heather's pussy--no, cunt. Heather had a cunt...taste her juices running down her chin! Or to kiss and lick at Janice's plump ass, pushing her tongue into her--

Heather was derailed as her body shuddered and sparks filled her eyes. Grant screamed out and pushed deep inside her, exploding and filling her, before collapsing on top of her. The couple breathed deeply, before Grant slipped out of her and rolled over.

Megan was trying to catch her breath in more ways than one. First, that had felt great. Second, she was trying to realize when she started being interested in women, especially her coworkers. Third, she was searching to see if she was supposed to feel anything like guilt or surprise at having sex hallucinations about her coworkers.

"Oh babe...holy shit that was great" Grant muttered. She could tell he was tired--the wine and what felt and sounded like a powerful burst from him. She kissed him on the cheek and cuddled into his shoulder--then rolled out of bed to make sure her alarm was set for tomorrow morning.

She had a busy day at work she had to be ready for...