On Another World

Ahhh...Chapter Six at last! As usual, this took far too long and I have to once again thank the fans of this story for your patience. I have recently obtained Dragon Naturally Speaking, a voice recognition program...it helps make it easier, but not necessarily faster. It should help in one area...in theory. If there are any more spelling errors, you can blame the software, not me.

It may seem at times, in this chapter that I am jumping around a bit too much. I ask that you be patient with me as I am building characters and situations for future chapters.

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Everyone stood motionless, staring at the pool of steaming, bubbling goo that had been, until a moment ago a living, breathing being. It had happened so quickly, no one had the time to even blink. I was at a loss, not knowing what to say. I suspected this was going to be even worse than it appeared to be.

"I was right...it was Orcus." Njörun said to no one specifically, seemingly proud that she had correctly determined Thor's true identity.

Seq-qah wept silently at my side. I looked at her and said. "It's going to be okay, little one."

No, Master! She just saved your life.

She nodded toward Njörun.

That was my responsibility...I have failed in my most sacred duty.

She continued to weep.

We will discuss this later. You have not failed!

But Master....

No! Drop it for now we

will

talk about this later.

As you wish, Master.

She responded contritely.

For the next few moments, no one said or did anything and then Njörun turned slowly to Týr and asked. "May I have a moment to prepare?"

He dipped his head in what I assumed was a nod.

I looked at him. "Prepare for what?"

"She took the life of one of our own. Hence, her life is forfeit."

"Forfeit?" I nearly yelled, incredulous. "No trial or anything?" I jabbed my finger at the cooling puddle on the ground. "What if he had killed me?"

"It is not the same." Týr said.

"Not the same? You arrogant son of a...." I snarled through clenched teeth. "And if I were to blow your brains out?" I pulled out my Colt and aimed at his head.

He just shrugged. "It would still not be the same."

"For all your advanced technology, for all your supposed superior intelligence, you're really no better than we are."

Another shrug. "True."

I holstered the Colt and turned to leave.

"Dee-Ess. Wait...please." It was Njörun.

I stopped, looking back at her. "What?" I barked.

"It is not exactly what you are thinking." I could almost sense a pleading quality to her voice.

"Explain!" I spoke sharply not caring if I sounded rude or uncaring. The truth was at this point, I meant to be rude and I really didn't give a damn about any of them anymore.

"I will not really die...not in the way you understand death."

I gestured her to go on, not saying anything.

"I will be transformed into another life form. All of my memories will fade away. The being you know as Njörun will cease to exist. But, I will live."

"Is that not the same as dying?"

"That would depend on one's point of view, would it not?"

I mulled that over for a moment. "So, what is it that you want?"

Njörun hesitated. "I have chosen to become Qoo-jan. And I require...no, I would ask for your help."

"How?"

"If I am to become Qoo-jan, I must remain on this world. What I am asking is that you aid me in my transition. You above all others on Terrania, I have to trust."

"Why me?"

"Since my choice requires me to remain on this world, you will be one of only a few who know of my true origin. I can think of no better way to become acclimated to my new existence"

"Are you sure that this is what you desire?" Týr asked her.

"I am." She said.

With that, Týr pulled a small device from his belt and pressed a button on it. Once again, there was a brilliant flash of light and what looked like a circular shower stall with an odd-looking showerhead appeared.

"A conversion chamber." He said to me, as if it was common knowledge.

Njörun approached Týr and kissed him. I stared, because I had not ever imagined that the Olygard were capable of showing any kind of emotion.

She turned and entered the chamber. The moment she closed the door behind her, the glass walls became opaque, concealing everything within.

Týr actually appeared to be unhappy. I sensed some reluctance from him. I looked at him, arching an eyebrow.

"She is my mate," was his only response. He then pressed another button on the device he held.

The chamber suddenly became brightly lighted for within. Violet light shot from the top into the early morning sky. A soft humming sound emanated from it.

Týr looked at me. "This will take a few moments. Once this is done, you will never see me again." He nodded at the chamber. "Her killing of Orcus has changed everything. I cannot be involved in any way after this."

"I'm still a bit confused. It seems that we had no way of knowing if Thor...Orcus actually meant to kill me. Njörun had to know what would happen to her."

"Yes."

"Yes?"

"Yes. She knew."

"Then, why?" I asked.

"She has been very unhappy with her existence for quite some time now. We Olygard do not engage in sexual activities, except for procreation. Sex for pleasure is not known among our race."

"She is your mate. Do you not love her?"

"Not as you understand love. You simply cannot conceive how emotions fit into our way of life. Love, as you know it, is alien to the Olygard."

"You're probably right, and I'm fairly sure I wouldn't want to."

The soft humming stopped. The light from within went out, the chamber door opening. I could not help but stare as the most beautiful Qoo-jan woman I had ever seen stepped out. I had been on this world for a while now and had seen many beautiful women, all paled in comparison to the creature before me.

Njörun was fully Qoo-jan now. She was short, even shorter than Seq-qah. Her soft, delicate facial features made her an absolute pleasure to look upon. She was, of course, nude. Her breasts were a bit too large but were nicely shaped. She was also a bit wider in the hips than was normal but again, it looked exceptionally good on her. She approached me.

"My Lord, I am here to serve thee."

"Njörun?"

"Yes my Lord, but I will need a new name. Wouldst thou honor me by giving me one?"

I looked at her, thinking. Her beauty made it difficult to take my eyes away from her. "Noj-jah. You are now Noj-jah."

Týr interrupted. "I wish you well." With a brilliant flash of light, he and the chamber were gone.

Noj-jah breathed a sigh of relief. She opened her hand and showed me two small tablets. "Quickly my Lord, take one and put it into thy mouth."

I did as she asked. Once inside my mouth, I noticed that the tablet was completely tasteless and it seemed to immediately dissolve into nothing. Yet I somehow knew that something of it remained inside. She took the other and put it into her mouth. "This will allow us to communicate over the vast distances. I may no longer be Olygard, but I will still help thee."

"You have a plan?"

"Yes my Lord. We will no doubt soon encounter some Tushüks. Thou shouldst then sell me to them. I could then observe and report to thee."

"You would be my spy." I snorted.

"Yes my Lord. But, I wouldst prefer the word, agent."

Something that she had said before came to mind. "How long before all that was Njörun is gone? How much time do you have?"

"My Lord, I took certain precautions before I entered the chamber. The one thou knewest as Njörun will never be fully gone. I did not want to inform thee of that before Týr departed. Most of my memories and personality will eventually vanish. However, my desire to help thee will remain. I can best assist thee as a slave to the Tushüks. This I wish with all my heart."

"Master, she is lying." Seq-qah said to me. "Look at her eyes."

I did not need for her to tell me this as I could feel Noj-jah's deception. Also, I saw that the gold flecks in her black eyes disappeared. "You are Qoo-jan now. Remember that I could feel your emotions and all that comes with them."

"To be completely honest, I would prefer to remain with thee. I can and will put that aside and serve thee, the best way I can. I must confess that I now have certain feelings for thee now that I am fully Qoo-jan. I am unfamiliar with what I am feeling. Is this what your people call love?" Her eyes were returning to normal.

"I cannot answer that right now. Your emotions are not coming to me very clearly. But whatever it is, it is not important at this time." I lied. I could indeed feel her new infatuation toward me but wanted to avoid any more complications.

Then, she turned to Seq-qah, walked up to her, placed her hands on her shoulders, and touched foreheads with her. They stayed like that for a long moment. Noj-jah then spoke. "Please take me to the slave wagon, sister." They left together.

Half an hour later, we were ready to go. Seq-qah and I led the party, followed by the slave wagon, and then the supply wagon. Seq-qah, unlike the rest of the women was not required to be naked. She wore only her short wraparound skirt with her sandals. She was easily identifiable as a physician by the lack of hair on the sides her head and the tattoo. The sides of her head were not shaven, as we know it. Instead, they were treated with an ointment that prevented any growth for several cycles. As a physician, she was considered to be different from the other slaves, slightly higher in cast, though still a bound slave.

Nothing was said about what had happened until just before midday. Just before then though, the wind shifted from the south and I could smell the ocean. I knew from the map that we would soon be traveling along the coast itself.

At midday, I looked at Seq-qah and asked.

What did she have to say to you?

First Master, she put my mind at ease about my failure to protect thy life. She told me that she intended to kill Orcus the moment he appeared. While I fully understand that there was nothing I could do, I am still not fully please with my performance.

I tried to tell you.

I relaxed, inwardly. I thought that perhaps, she might not be so hard on herself. At least, I hoped so. I smiled at her.

Nonetheless, Master. I can live with the way things happened. I shall not fail thee again.

She paused a moment, obviously very deep in thought. Then she continued.

Master, tonight, thou needst to take her to thine bed and take her virginity. If she is to serve thee as an agent with the

Tushüks, she must be bound to thee. Thou knowest that I love thee deeply and whilest it does not please me to have thee bound to yet another, it must needs be done. It will make her completely loyal to thee.

I knew she was right, though I did not like it much. In my youth, bedding a different woman each night was perfectly okay with me. But now, even though my new body was young, I was in fact, almost middle-aged in my mind. I was quite ready to settle down with just one woman. That was not to be, apparently...not yet anyway. There was no longer any doubt in my mind that I was in love with Seq-qah. I could be content to spend the rest of my years with her alone. But here on a new world and with a new life, that was not yet possible. But I would make it so...someday.

That evening, while camp was being set up, Seq-qah and I walked south through the woods toward the ocean, which we could now hear. We came to a long wide beach of black and purple sand. The sand itself was mostly black with quite a few grains in various shades of purple and violet. Also, scattered about the beach was what appeared to be bones of several sea creatures...some quite large. It looked as though they had been there for a very long time.

Then. "Look Master!" Seq-qah stared at the water.

Emerging from the waves was a humanoid creature, with grey shark-like skin and inky black hair. It was female... of that there could be no doubt. It was no surprising to me that she wore nothing. She approached us.

As she got closer, I could see that she had several rows of sharp white teeth, much like sharks on Earth. Her eyes were also shark like and were a bright yellow. Her skin was smooth and a medium grey, except for the front of her torso, which lightened to off-white. There was no hair at her pubic area. Other than the hair on her head and matching eyebrows, there was no hair anywhere else. Other than her hair, she appeared to be a shark, albeit in human form. She was one of the Retaw People. I had read about them during my research before leaving the city. The Retaw spent nearly all their lives living in Terrania's oceans, venturing onto land only for mating and procreation. As a race, they stayed mostly to themselves. Contact with the 'Land People' was rare, but not unheard of.

"Greetings." She said. Her voice was smooth, very feminine, yet still rough at the same time. "I am Akula." She looked seductively into my eyes. "I have been waiting for you."

"You have been waiting for me?" I asked skeptically.

"Are you not The One?"

"He is, but how did you know?" Interrupted Seq-qah. "And how did you know, he would be here now, at this place?"

"His arrival has been foretold. I would know him anywhere." Akula stated. She did not answer Seq-qah's second question.

Unlike the Qoo-jans, I could feel nothing from her. In a way, it was kind of a relief. "What if anything, can I do for you?"

She gave me a saucy grin and said. "You can give me a child."

"What?" I stared at her. My thoughts raced.

I'm supposed to have sex with...her?

That idea was a little unnerving to me. Not that she was unattractive. On the contrary, she was what we used to call 'hot' on Earth. Her rough shark-like skin and those teeth gave me pause though.

She went on. "The legend says that a Retaw woman would mate with The One and that the Retaw and the Land People would live in peace thereafter."

"I did not know that there was a war between us."

"There is not, of course. This will simply ensure peace between our peoples."

I looked at her solemnly. "I mean no disrespect, but I do not wish to mate with you at this time."

Akula smiled. "It is not necessary for you to accomplish this at this time. Nor with me, specifically. You will know when the time and the girl are right. I wish you well, my lord, Dee-Ess." With that, she walked seductively back into the water, dove in and disappeared.

Master, it would seem that you are in great demand.

Seq-qah's voice chuckled inside my head. I still found it baffling that she could love me as much as she claimed and still be so willing to share me with others. I wondered how she would feel when I was finally able to settle with just one woman...and she would be the one I chose. At the same time, I was not really sure exactly why I desired a monogamous relationship with her in particular. But, I did. I loved her more than any other woman I had ever known. And I had only known her a few days. It seemed as though I had known her all of my life. It felt that way to me. However, I needed to continue, as I have to avoid bringing undue attention to my mission or myself.

I returned my attention to the ocean. The waves crashing on the shore were much smaller than I expected, considering that, this ocean was nearly twice as big as the Pacific. The water looked almost exactly as any ocean back on Earth, albeit perhaps a little bluer. There were many birds similar to the seagulls I remembered from before, although these were very brightly colored. Greens, blues and yellows with a sprinkling of red. Otherwise, they looked the same as the sea birds from my previous life.

We returned to the camp to find the evening meal ready and waiting for us. There was something that was very similar to beef stew, which had a rather gamy taste, but was still good. The bread had a lightly sweet taste to it and was quite delicious.

After we ate. I sat down by the fire and cleaned the Colt. Seq-qah sat close by my side and gazed lovingly at me.

I shall miss not sleeping with thee tonight. But fear not, as I have told thee before, we Qoo-jan are nothing if not patient. I love thee, Master.

And I, you.

I said figuring it was past time that let her know how I felt about her.

She looked at me, stunned.

Master?

Yes, Seq-qah. I love you.

Seq-qah beamed at me, clearly very happy. She slid over next to me, threw her arms around my neck and kissed me deeply and passionately.

I am thine forever, Master.

"Poor girl." I muttered in mild sarcasm.

"Master!" She said, playfully swatting my arm. For some reason, I felt her love of me more intensely than before. Why this was, I was uncertain.

"You'd better behave yourself." I scolded her jokingly.

I love thee, Master.

And I you, little one.

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Later that night, I went to my bedroll to find Noj-jah patiently yet nervously waiting for me. She smiled up at me as I undressed. "I must confess to you that I am a little frightened." She slid over to one side and held the blanket up for me to join her exposing herself. She went on. "Sexual relations among the Olygard is not a truly enjoyable experience."

"Is it painful? Or simply not enjoyable?" I asked her.

She went into a brief description of sex among the Olygard. "It is all done rather clinically. The female gets onto a table designed for that purpose, on her hands and knees. Then the male takes her from behind."

It was what we would call doggie style on Earth. She went on describing it. Apparently, the male's penis is never more than about 4 inches long and rarely exceeds 1 inch in circumference.

"The actual act rarely takes more than a few seconds." She said matter of factly. The way she described it, there was no pleasure in it at all. She also told me that she was also a virgin in her prior existence.

"Why?" I asked her.

She simply said. "Týr and I never found the time. Nor had Týr ever shown any interest." I detected a note of sadness in her voice.

As I crawled into the bedroll next to her, I told her. "Then I would have to say that you are in for a very different experience tonight. I should tell you that this will most likely be painful for you to start with."

"I have done much research. Thou wilt recall that I told thee, I had a great interest in human sexuality. This includes the Terranians and Qoo-jans. Pain or no, thou cannot know how much I am looking forward to this. Please, my Lord, take me."

Once again, I was captivated by her beauty. Even Seq-qah, who I come to love, was almost plain in comparison. Noj-jah turned over and started to get on her hands and knees. I stopped her.

"Just relax." I said softly. "You should be comfortable as possible your first time. She lay back, spreading her legs and smiling. As I began to position myself over her, she reached down and gently grasped my cock, her hands trembling. Her eyes opened wide. "My Lord, it is much too big. I'm afraid that it might damage me."

Seq-qah's voice interrupted us from her bedroll near by. She'd apparently been eavesdropping. "It will not! It may hurt for a brief time, but will not injure thee in any way. Take her, Master!"

I lowered myself upon her and found that she was already very wet. Without hesitation, I plunged into her fully, tearing through her hymen as if it never existed.

Noj-jah yelped in pain, her body, becoming stiff as a board. After what seemed hours, but in reality was little more than a few seconds, she relaxed. She wrapped her legs around my waist and thrust her hips upward repeatedly. "Master, it is more than I ever dreamt or could hope for. I could love thee, I believe!"