The spaceship Orion hung in orbit, circling the waist of planet Toettut. Tiny multiple UAV's swarmed around the Orion to guide it safely to the surface. They kicked up clouds of orange gases and dust as they spread a translucent sheet across the moonscape. This close to the moon, a mere eighty thousand kilometres, was a view to die for.
Toettut had been terraformed three hundred years ago and served as a planetary resort for multiple species. Two thousand years had passed since humanity had had a first contact with an Alien species. Humans had to finally acknowledge that we were not alone in the Universe.
All species were welcomed here and diplomatic liaisons were opened for commerce and cultural exchange on this far outpost. Intergalactic agreements sanctioned the opening Mega-City for a place of safety for all beings to reside in.
Jean transferred ships twice to get to her last destination on the Galactic Space Station on planet Toettut. Her newest assignment was to provide an escort service and reproductive vessel for one of the alien's species, named the Uord. The thirty year old woman was more than willing to be a part of such an experience. She was one of the many people who would be interacting with the aliens on a daily basis.
She passed through several security checkpoints and health inspections before finally getting her visa stamped.
After riding for fifteen minutes in an airbus shuttle, in which her heart was pounding with excitement, Jean finally reached the hostel. A cool breeze blew gently over her, sensing a sweet smelling scent through her nostrils. Despite the extraterrestrial design of the construction in front of her, this place was really quite pleasant.
Jean hadn't been in touch with foreign species since she lived in Earth for most of her life.
She took out her portable makeup kit and looked at herself in the small mirror. She applied some rouge on her cheeks to disguise the paleness of her skin. She wanted to give a good first impression to the Uord.
Then she paused to think.
How do the Uord estimate human beauty? Shrugging, she tossed the makeup kit back into her handbag. She muttered a short prayer to herself and then walked to the lobby. A hybrid being suddenly walked up to her and helped Jean to carry her bags: insisted on it.
She noticed that he looked a little different from other human men. His skin was tanned a dark maroon and silky, with muscles of someone who exercises a lot. She also noticed that the front of his costume was occasionally stretched by bustling muscles. He in fact had a brawny head. His face was serene and long; his behaviour polite and ready for any questions that she might have for an explanation.
The creature pressed the doorbell and they waited.
She sucked in a sharp breath when the door hissed opened. An extremely tall and bony looking man stood before them in a dignified posture. He wore a pair of black goggles around two saucer sized eyes. His clothes were old fashioned looking as if it belonged to a different age of Earth's ancient past.
"Hmm, you must be Jean Rene," he said with his hand stretched out. "You are late."
"Yes" she blinked and offered her hand clumsily.
The creature looked at her hand thoughtfully as if trying to remember something. Then suddenly, he yanked her forwards making her fall on to the floor. Jean's handbag back slid off her shoulder, plummeting to the floor besides her.
"What was that about" asked Jean stunned and rubbing her sore arm. "You nearly yanked my arm out of its socket."
"Terribly sorry," he said. "I am still not familiarized with your human greeting customs. Was not that the customary greeting on Earth?"
"Not really," she groaned and got to her feet. "But, it's okay."
"You must be tired," he grinned so widely that he almost looked like a skull. "Come on in. I'll explain how things will work. My name is Brick... my human name anyway. My real name would be too difficult for your vocal cords to pronounce."
"You're not human," she asked sarcastically as she glanced at the tail wrapped around her waist. "I would never have guessed."
"Not at all," he grinned widely unaware of her sarcasm. "But I have copulated with so many humans that I almost feel as though I were one of you."
As she walked inside she saw that one of his large bony hands took her luggage, the other grabbed her fallen handbag and a tail wrapped around her waist. He moved forwards and tugged Jean and her luggage in with him. Jean was so stunned by the sight she didn't resist. He massaged her spine with the tip of his tail with long, sweeping strokes.
"Would you like some refreshments?" There was a distinct British accent in his tone.
"Umm..." she hesitated for a few seconds remembering the earlier incident and decided to play it safe and shook her head absentmindedly.
Refreshments were not what she wanted at the moment. Knowing her luck this guy would probably bring her raw meat or something that would eat her up instead.
Brick led to a huge room with a huge sectional sofa in the centre in the form of a 'C'. In the middle of the sectional sofa was a raised dais with a bizarre looking sculpture which seemed to constantly changing form.
"Sit down and please wait." He gestured at the empty wide couch. Jean unquestioningly did so. "I'm going to call the manager."
He then went into another room. Jean took the occasion to observe her surroundings. It wasn't what she had been expecting, but then again she had no idea what to expect.
The walls were decorated with priceless paintings of human and alien artists that had been protected by an invisible force field which occasionally flickered due, probably to a malfunction or a bug in the system.
There was one thing that did have an 'alien' appearance and it was a sculpture at the centre of the dais. It looked like it was made out of metal, then it changed to look like it was made of wood and then it would change yet again to look like it was made of stone.
A mumble of voices filtered toward her. Jean made out the tones of a woman, speaking hastily and with some acidity, and then the lower tones of a man talking convincingly.
Very clearly, she heard the woman's voice say: "She's two days late, I'm just wondering if she's going to handle it. These Earth girls don't know what they are getting themselves into."
More passive, but still clearly, Brick replied: "I do possess a medical degree in human medicine. I can give her the full treatment myself."
"That's not the problem. The problem is that Earth girls are too prudish for this job."
"She seems very reasonable, Matron Mary."
