by snavej » Thu May 01, 2025 9:41 am
- Motto: "Follow your instincts and your common sense."
I am the Transformation and the Light by John H. Evans, Feb.-Apr. 2025
“Wow, purple eyes,” said Supyd as she came face-to-face with the ancient god’s original mortal form. “Head fur, light brown skin, ten fingers, ten toes, relatively slim.”
“I was not a heavy eater when I was a fleshling, aeons ago,” said Stohv. “I transitioned to energy and spirit when I was in my prime, before I could be fattened up.”
“I never got the chance to fatten him with my cooking,” said Kohnphid, walking up to Stohv. “He whisked us off so suddenly. He changed us from flesh to spirit. Now we’re on this eternal quest to defeat the forces of darkness but what are we becoming, lover?” She pressed her ageless, svelte figure against his smooth skin and fondled him slowly.
“Shadows move,” said Stohv. “They play across us but they don’t linger forever. You’re taken aback by our forwardness, Supyd. We left shame behind long ago. I like your wide green eyes. You like part of what we’ve shown you, at least.”
“You truly read us, connect us too,” said Supyd. “It’s a lot to take in. I never knew what my people thought before. Your nature spirits relax us while your god side energises us. We function effortlessly here.”
“That’s just as well after what you’ve suffered,” said Kohnphid. “All your men are gone. It’s such a tough break!” She stroked Stohv’s thigh sensuously. He couldn’t help but smile. Supyd couldn’t help but feel a pang of jealousy.
“I just learnt that you tried to warn us, many millennia in the past,” said Supyd. “We took no heed. We were rash and arrogant. We thought that we knew best. We didn’t believe your disembodied voices when they spoke to us in quiet moments.”
“So, what’s to be done?” asked Stohv. “I have the power to rescue your society, rebuild it in many ways. Which do you prefer?”
“Maybe our society has failed,” replied Supyd. “The majority of us are considering abandoning our world and joining another.”
“Joining our world, you mean,” said Kohnphid. “The sheer power is irresistible to you all. I get that but...”
“…be careful what you wish for,” continued Supyd. “I know. We would have to serve in your many wars.”
“Or factories, or service centres,” said Stohv. “It’s not all about combat. Most of my people don’t fight anymore.”
“Why not?” queried Supyd.
“Because they just execute enemies from a distance,” said Stohv. “Here’s what they did to a local god three days ago.” He showed a hologram of a planet being hurled abruptly into a star. The brightness of the scene was dimmed to show the moment of destruction and the resulting eruption of plasma from the star’s surface.
“He died?” asked Supyd after a few moments of stunned silence.
“Physically, yes,” replied Stohv. “Spiritually, he went back to his home universe. He won’t be allowed back here. We’re organising forces to cleanse this entire universe of his kind.”
“There are quintillions of those bad boys in your universe,” added Kohnphid. “However, there are also quintillions of good guys here. Now that we’ve tipped the balance in their favour, the good guys can press ahead and win the war. The infection will be purged. Sorry, no offence.” Supyd felt a ripple of grief. All the men and boys in her world had been killed by artificial plagues recently. Without intervention from other worlds, her species would be extinct in less than a century. The only hope was intervention from more advanced beings. On the positive side, her hosts had provided telepathy to Supyd and her surviving sisters. It was time for discussion. This went much faster than a spoken discussion. Stohv and Kohnphid waited patiently.
“This news about winning the war across the universe is heartening, yet we need to chart our own survival,” said Supyd. “There are tremendous opportunities here. Has everyone explored them? Can a decision be made?”
“We need a clearer picture of the situation,” said the collective. “We might not have long. Many of us have impaired health. The plagues and privations have hit us hard.”
“Say no more,” interjected Stohv. “To begin, this is me.” He removed the familiar background and showed them all a vision of a machine world, full of great towers and wide-open plains where robots and vehicles were scattered around, attending to their own business. It was, essentially, a planet-sized city of unfathomable complexity and advancement. The view was staggering but the women’s collective mind kept its cool.
“How is this you, exactly?” asked the collective.
“I’ll give you the simple, dramatic answer,” said Stohv. “I am this world and more besides.” The planet convulsed and started to reorganise its component blocks. The robots and vehicles went to alcoves and cubicles where they could be fixed in place to avoid being slung off into space. A few minutes later, the planet had been completely reformed into a gigantic metal creature that was powerful enough to annihilate solar systems.
“Stohv is my original name but now I am Primus,” said the creature telepathically. “I am on a multiversal crusade to crush evil forces. I can’t destroy them all but I can neutralise the worst of them. I’m restoring hope to millions of universes.” There was a minute of stunned silence from the collective and then they found their voice again.
“This is beyond amazing,” they said. “We never dreamt that we could be in a place like this, seeing such marvels. Why are you concerned with our foolish predicament? We’ve ruined our race and now face extinction.”
“Your species can regenerate, with the right help,” said Primus. “Your society can be revived. The exact method is for you to decide.”
“We feel that we’re not yet ready for a grand cosmic adventure,” said the collective. “We came to our world to experience life there. We still want that life, if possible.”
“The old way is no longer viable,” said Primus as he converted back into planet mode. “Your society must adapt to a new way of life or perish.”
“Agreed!” said the collective.
“The plagues will be eliminated,” continued Primus. “Your bodies will be repaired and improved. Your immune systems will be overhauled and strengthened. You will receive extensive assistance with post-war reconstruction.”
“What about men?” asked the collective.
“I think you know the answer to that one,” said Primus. “You need to learn to live without them.”
“But how?” queried the collective. “They were deeply troublesome but vital for procreation.”
“Alternative arrangements are possible,” said Primus. “The best way to explain is via direct experience. Each of you will experience life in a rebuilt world.”
* * * * *
Supyd lost consciousness. After a while, she dreamt that she was floating through space. She was drawn toward the Primus planet. The metal tower continents rushed to meet her. She plunged between them. Despite her speed, she saw legions of robots crawling and running across the tower surfaces. They were maintaining the towers, preventing them from crumbling and collapsing. Down she flew, going deeper into the intercontinental chasm. Darkness grew as the sun was obscured and artificial lights became fewer. When the black enveloped her completely, a gateway opened. Passing through, fast as a bullet, she emerged into another world. This felt like home. The sunlight had the right warmth and glow to it. The trees below looked familiar, though much more numerous than before. The cottages dotted about had the correct architecture. She wanted to take a closer look but she didn’t know how to slow her flight. She glanced around and saw a small aircraft approach. It was swift, sleek and shiny. There was no visible place for a pilot.
“Alright, let’s adjust your trajectory,” said the aircraft as it came close and kept pace. “You need to turn right here and curve back a few kilometres.” Supyd felt herself being pulled into that manoeuvre by an unseen force.
“What’s happening?” asked Supyd. “Why can I fly now? Where are we going?”
“You’re a free spirit and you’re going home!” said the aircraft. “I’m Unness, by the way. I’m a Transformer, a child and servant of Primus. I’ve been assigned to supervise parts of your world, including you and your new life.”
“This looks like my world but I don’t know the region,” said Supyd. “I can’t see any landmarks. The woods have recolonised the land.”
“The scars of war and disorder have been healed,” said Unness. “Your people live in peace and harmony. However, there have been profound changes. Prepare yourself. The new situation will probably be unsettling.” There was no time for proper explanation. Supyd found herself drawn down to a cottage. As she was about to hit the roof tiles, she blacked out again.
* * * * *
Supyd awoke in a stranger’s bed and half-opened her eyes. She could hear someone moving about close by. Supyd looked sideways at the source of the sound. She saw round, shiny, metal surfaces shifting about. They glinted in the morning sun. She opened her eyes fully and saw a pair of flexible metal buttocks wiggling less than half a metre from her face. She gasped and looked upwards. She saw the owner of the buttocks turning to see her.
“Good morning, Supyd!” said the metal woman cheerily. “I’m just tidying a few things for you. This bedroom was a little disorganised.”
“Where am I?” asked Supyd. “This isn’t my bedroom.”
“This is your house now,” said the metal woman as she turned to face Supyd. “Primus is giving you all a chance to see the possible future of your world.”
“You’re a … Transformer, right?” asked Supyd. “You folks are helping us recover from our idiotic wars.”
“Well remembered,” said the metal woman. “I’m Unness, by the way. I’m here to guide you.” Unness stood patiently at the foot of the bed while Supyd returned to full wakefulness.
“If you can transform into an aircraft, where did your wings go?” said Supyd sceptically. “Did you take them off?”
“No, ma’am!” said Unness. “We always keep our wings with us, although they change into other body parts.” She demonstrated by transforming to aeroplane mode and plonking herself on the bed. There was just enough room for her to rest there without pressing on Supyd.
“You’re lucky that I’m small,” said Unness. “Most Transformers are bigger than this and also less attractive to organics.” Carefully, she transformed back to primary woman mode. She lay next to Supyd and grasped her left hand to show affection. Although she was a small Transformer, she was still heavy. The bed sagged beneath her. Supyd looked at her. Her features were attractive but alien, silver with softly glowing eyes.
“Unsettling, yes,” commented Supyd. “That’s clear now! What more will this day bring, I wonder?” She rolled over and got out of bed. The air was warm but she sought clothing for modesty.
“Don’t get dressed yet,” said Unness, lying back with her hands behind her head. “You have biological functions to address.” She smiled as her perky silver breasts pointed skyward. Supyd looked down at herself and saw large ‘growths’ on her belly and lower ribcage. They were like eight cylinders of skin with rounded ends at the top. The lower ends tapered and pointed at her genitals. The cylinders were slightly curved along the contours of her body.
“What the hell are these?!” exclaimed Supyd. “Never mind, I need the toilet!” She rushed to evacuate her bowel and bladder. As she sat there, unloading rapidly, she examined her ‘growths’. They were integrated with her body. They didn’t appear diseased or inflamed. They were full of unknown material. She couldn’t guess their function. She prodded them. They felt slightly lumpy.
“Don’t damage them,” said Unness, who walked over and leant against the frame of the open toilet door. “You need them in this new world.”
“That’s easy for you to say, with your forever-perfect flat stomach and hard abdominal muscles!” snapped Supyd. “These things make me look fat! Or pregnant. Or deformed. I don’t know what! I’m SO shocked!”
“Please don’t be,” said Unness. “They’re there to keep you safe and bring you pleasure.”
“Don’t talk tripe,” growled Supyd. “This is all as weird as heck. If you’re here to help, why not wipe my down-belows?!”
“No problem,” said Unness. “It’s better than fighting a war. Bend forward please.” When that was over and hands had been washed, Supyd and Unness went to a window looking out onto the large garden.
“Another good thing about this rebuilt world is the chance to forget some types of shame,” said Unness. “There are NO men or boys here, only women and girls. The male gaze is extinct. You can go out nude and not worry about it. Just make sure that it’s warm enough. Nudity is fully legal. Look, there are two walking down the road.”
“Holy Hannah!” exclaimed Supyd, seeing the two unclad pedestrians.
“Shame is not the only issue here,” continued Unness. “There are also practicalities to consider. For a start, you should release those sepins from your gavani. If you don’t, they’ll die later today. That’s a no-no!” She pointed at the fleshy cylinders on Supyd’s stomach.
“They come out where?” asked Supyd, her mind reeling.
“From your gavani’s entrance,” said Unness. “I just wiped it clean for you.” Supyd prepared herself mentally, took a deep breath, put on slippers and went outside. She stood on the nearest lawn and stood with her legs apart. She closed her eyes and tried to open the lower sphincters of the cylinders. After ten seconds of focus, the one in the left centre opened. A small gush of liquid burst out, followed by a thin, soggy life-form. It resembled a chederunk, having a long, slim body and short legs. It was covered in fur. It started to wake from its slumber. Supyd stepped slightly to the left and released another wet beastie a few seconds later. She repeated this until all eight of her cylinders were empty, two minutes later. It was a relief and a literal weight off her body. The groggy creatures soon gained enough mobility to scamper off into the undergrowth.
“Well done,” said Unness, stepping onto the lawn behind her. “They have several more mating attempts ahead of them, if nothing kills them sooner.”
“Were they trying to mate with me?!” queried Supyd. “Will I have chederunk babies now?!”
“No, of course not!” replied Unness. “That group failed to deposit sperm. You simply sent them back into the wild to try again with another woman. Maybe she will have a baby: a normal girl baby like they’ve always been.”
“So, you’re saying that those animals are men?” asked Supyd. “Have you Transformers done this? Have you decided to punish all men by turning them into tiny, short-lived … bush dwellers?!”
“They’re not men as such but they contain elements of men,” explained Unness. “They give women babies and pleasure. Just you wait until they start that!” She grinned and winked at Supyd.
“This is sick!” complained Supyd. “I don’t want this! I’m uncomfortable with the whole situation.”
“Hello Unness! Hello Supyd!” said a naked woman walking along the road fifty metres away. “Isn’t it a glorious day to be alive?!”
“It sure is!” said Unness, waving a greeting. “The bright sunshine is already charging me up!” Supyd waved too despite residual embarrassment about their nudity. The woman on the road passed by without stopping.
“Don’t be downhearted,” said Unness quietly to Supyd. “How about breakfast? This garden is part of your small holding. Try the pretion fruit over there. I’ve heard that they’re delicious.” They walked over to the pretion bushes and Supyd picked the fruit.
“Wow, the flavour is incredible!” she said as she tasted it. “This will be my main breakfast today, that’s for sure!” Pretion fruits contained most of the nutrients that people needed in their diets, so they were often called ‘the staff of life’. Unness watched, pleased that something here was satisfying Supyd. After a few minutes, Supyd had picked enough. She devoured the final one as they walked back to the cottage.
“All food is organic now,” said Unness. “Most people are obliged to grow at least some of their own. There are exceptions such as the infirm and those with low quality soil in their gardens. They are fed by the fortunate majority, who have super-abundant harvests.”
“That’s great,” said Supyd, still chewing. “What’s that hole in my wall?” She pointed at the wall to the right of her cottage door. There was a small opening at ground level
“That’s the sepin hole,” replied Unness. “That’s how they can reach you at home.”
“I’ll have to block it,” said Supyd. “Any old creature could wander in there.”
“Most of the time, it is blocked,” said Unness. “There’s a little door. You can open it when you’re ready.”
“Ready for those creepy sepins?” asked Supyd with a dismayed expression. “I’m nowhere near ready! Hey, what’s that?” A sepin had run from the bushes and brushed against her ankles. She looked down. The sepin was sitting fearlessly in front of her. He was standing on his hind legs and rearing up to gaze imploringly into her eyes. His red face was shiny and his dry fur was fluffy. Although there was some resemblance to a chederunk, he was much cuter. She grabbed him with her right hand and lifted him up. He was used to this so he didn’t struggle. She studied him closely. He seemed to have only one nostril in the middle of his tiny nose. When he blinked, his eyes sank into his bulbous, red head so that they were flush with the facial surface. His mouth was small and hard to see when closed.
Supyd released her grip and balanced the sepin on her left arm at eye level. Quickly, the sepin ran up her left arm and curled himself around the back of her neck. He reached up and started giving her little kisses and nuzzles under the chin and around the ear. Supyd was pleasantly surprised and mildly tickled.
“No way!” exclaimed Supyd with a little laugh. “You were right, Unness. He feels like a little furry man, or even gentleman!” The sepin reached further and kissed her on the lips. Supyd felt tingles starting to spread across her body.
“You know, maybe I am ready!” said Supyd. “I take it back. It’s been so long since I met someone this cute and affectionate. I’d forgotten how to deal with it.”
“This one is only the first,” said Unness. “He’s a scout. It’s his job to check your receptiveness.”
“He’s winning me over!” said Supyd as she held the sepin in her arms and rubbed him against her face. Although he lived down in the weeds, he smelt fine. He started purring like a lefein. Then he started singing in a high-pitched voice. Several other sepins emerged from the greenery and ran across the lawn to Supyd.
“Alright, how do I do this?” she asked Unness.
“It’s possible to do it standing up but lying down is easier,” replied Unness. “That way, they won’t have to claw their way up your inner thighs.” Holding the first sepin with her right hand, Supyd lowered herself onto the lawn and lay flat with legs apart and knees bent. The first sepin slipped out of her grasp, ran across her body, turned around and pushed his head into her gavani. Supyd gasped. It certainly had been a long time!
“Close your central sphincter and open one on the side,” advised Unness. “Let him go up there.” Supyd focused once more. The sepin nudged her repeatedly with his head. She managed to open a cylinder and he pushed his way inside. Meanwhile, ten other sepins had reached Supyd’s gavani. One entered her. She let him into a cylinder. The rest of the sepins shoved and struggled. Two minutes later, all eight cylinders were filled. The remaining three sepins nuzzled the gavani entrance for a few moments but soon realised that they’d lost this race. They wandered off to find another woman.
“That was intense!” said Supyd. “It was really intimate, like a painless reverse birth of long, thin octuplets.”
“It’s awkward at first but it gets easier soon enough,” said Unness. “How does it feel now?” She knelt on the lawn.
“Like big, heated underwear,” said Supyd. “It’s comfortable and it should help reduce pain later in my cycle.”
“Most of that pain has been engineered out,” said Unness. “We’ve made a lot of improvements in this new world. Still, you deserve plenty of comforts. You’ve been through so much!”
“How do they breathe in there?” asked Supyd.
“There are small air holes,” replied Unness. “You supply air from your lungs to them. You also supply small amounts of liquid food and sedatives. That way, they don’t struggle.”
“It’s all coming together now,” said Supyd. “I’m guessing that the liquids build up during the day and night. By morning, there’s a risk of drowning so the sepins should be released.”
“You got it!” said Unness. “It’s sad when sepins drown or have an overdose of sedatives. However, sepins are common in places like this. They love to live near women. Their lives revolve around women. They always try to please you. Their lives are short but full of meaning.”
“This new world is looking better and better,” said Supyd, laying her legs down flat and enjoying the warm sun on her skin. “If I have to carry this fat lump all day, it’s a small price to pay.” She stroked the cylinders from top to bottom, using both hands.
“That’s the way, keep the sepins happy in there,” said Unness. “Appreciate your purrilla and it will reward you.”
“My what?” asked Supyd.
“This sepin container of yours with the eight compartments,” said Unness, pointing at it. “It’s called a purrilla because the sepins often purr together inside. That’s good for you and them. Just stroke and they will respond.” She moved to straddle Supyd, with her knees on either side of Supyd’s hips. Watching Supyd’s facial expressions, she stroked the purrilla rhythmically with her hands. Moments later, the sepins all started to purr. Unness smiled and continued.
“How is this supposed to…” began Supyd before realising. “Oh, I see… Ohhh!” She gazed into Unness’ eyes as they glowed brighter. The buzzing stimulation set off a swelling cascade of electric joy. Supyd was brought to her erotic peak by this alien seductress using a set of little vibrating animal-men. It was bizarre but it rocked her world. When it finally ended, several minutes later, she napped spreadeagled in the sun while the tireless Unness got up and did chores for her. Unness adored this assignment and wanted more.
* * * * *
“You’ll have to excuse me but I’m new here,” said Supyd later that day at the cottage as she searched for the zij caddy. “This is my world but not my era. I’m a time traveller, in a sense. It was explained to me that I’m inhabiting the body of a contemporary woman called Distann. She agreed to let me step into her life for a few weeks or months. The exact length of stay depends on my speed of learning.”
“Unness and her people have explained it to us,” said Hoshquin as he sat on her couch. “They also told us your background. I offer my most profound condolences for all your losses. I hope that this era is treating you better.” He was a large alien man, brought from a faraway planet as a volunteer helper.
“It certainly is,” said Supyd as she opened container after container in the kitchen area. “So far, no one has abused me or done anything offensive to anyone. It’s utopia.” She stood still for a moment and stared into the middle distance. She reminisced about her past.
“And that’s the problem!” she added gravely. “I … can’t … handle it!” She turned to face him, holding up her hands in exasperation and looking sad and anxious. She had a ‘haunted’ expression.
“Well, you have plenty of help available here!” Hoshquin assured her. “For a start, there’s a domestic robot. Two cups of zij, please: one medium and one extra-large.” A slender, advanced robot emerged silently from a closet in the corner of the room. It was vaguely the size and shape of a person but it was obviously a utility machine, with various arms and tools for multiple functions. It glided over to the kitchen area and found the zij caddy on one of the counters. It turned to Supyd and addressed her.
“Let me do this,” it said in a soothing tone. “I was informed that you’re a visitor. Relax and I will serve you refreshments.” This was yet another welcome surprise yet Supyd found it a little disconcerting. She wasn’t accustomed to being waited on by robots and aliens. In her previous life, there wouldn’t have been any cooperation with those types. It had been a harsh time of conflict and distrust. She was trying to forget that it was difficult. She walked over to the couch and sat down. Her sepins purred a little, sensing that she was troubled.
“I don’t deserve this,” she said as she slumped down on her seat. “It’s too much, too soon.”
“We all need time to rest and recuperate,” Hoshquin reminded her. “Make the most of it. That’s what I’m doing.” He smiled broadly, extended an arm and stroked her hair lightly.
“Really?” said Supyd, finding it hard to believe. “I thought that your people came here to serve.”
“We are serving but it’s easy work for us,” said Hoshquin. “Your society is idyllic. The people here are fine and upstanding. They just need extra support because they have no men or boys.”
“Yes but aren’t you homesick?” queried Supyd. “You’re from a distant world in another galaxy.”
“Our world is remarkably similar to yours,” said Hoshquin. “My people can live here with minimal assistance. We can eat most food, drink most beverages, survive most diseases, tolerate the sunshine…’
“Ugh, don’t mention diseases,” said Supyd. “My entire family was killed by infections. Most of my friends died that way too.”
“I’m so sorry,” said Hoshquin as the robot brought the zij. “At least you got through that.”
“Yes, because I had special help,” said Supyd. “I knew some top military medics. They gave me many new or experimental antidotes and antibiotics. I survived but with tissue damage and disfiguring lesions. The Transformers are trying to fix my original body while I inhabit this one.”
“Distann is a wonderful, generous woman,” said Hoshquin. “I’ve known her for years. I hope that she’s enjoying herself, wherever she’s been sent for the duration. They didn’t tell me her current location. Perhaps she’s travelling.”
“She left me her memories but I’m having trouble accessing them,” said Supyd. “That’s why I couldn’t find the zij. My inexperience and disturbed emotions are blocking the memories. With luck, I’ll find a way through soon.”
“In the meantime, why not have a hug?” offered Hoshquin. She looked into his eyes. He pointed at his lap with his left hand. She sat on his large thighs and he held her body in his strong arms. She was enveloped in soft, long, warm, dark blue fur. It felt so good on her bare skin. Hoshquin lowered his head so that her head was covered by his beard. Now, only her lower legs were visible from the outside. The couch had been reinforced so it didn’t collapse under the weight of two people on one seat.
“You’re my new favourite soft toy,” joked Supyd. “You remind me of home when I felt most secure and supported. I used to nest in a pile of fabric and fake fur.”
“You remind me of my children, when their mothers occasionally visit for a few hours,” said Hoshquin. “It pains me that I can only hold the kids a few times per year. Working here helps me and my fellow men to experience more interpersonal warmth.”
“That doesn’t sound fair,” said Supyd. “Why do your women do that?”
“It’s not their fault, really,” replied Hoshquin. “It’s their nature. For millions of years, women on my world have been fiercely independent and savage. They’re proud of being able to survive and thrive alone, without men. They’re strong and resilient. They hunt and gather fearlessly with babies clinging to their backs and older children following close behind. Men usually live together in villages, farming peacefully. Every few months, the women return to the villages for brief visits and even briefer copulation. Both men and women have reproductive organs in hidden skin pockets on our backs. We stand back-to-back and exchange fluids. There’s no romance, just a short-lived urge to mate. After half a day of relaxation, the women take their children and march off to the next hunt or whatever.”
“When’s the next time you’ll see your kids?” asked Supyd, luxuriating in a furry cocoon.
“In about nine weeks,” replied Hoshquin. “There’s plenty of time before then to enjoy the company of women here. When it’s time, one of the higher races will send me home for another family visit. Maybe this time the kids will be interested enough to listen to my stories of your world! Otherwise, they’ll play games and cause mischief as usual.”
“I should be thankful that I don’t have to live like your women,” said Supyd. “Please pass my zij.” He did so and she savoured it slowly in her living den. She was incredibly grateful to spend quality time in this big, fuzzy, alien man’s arms. He was most patient with her. She wasn’t too cheery right now but he was determined to raise her spirits. He wasn’t one of her people but he was the best-known substitute. Furthermore, unlike her previous men, he had no intention to harm her. He didn’t even have the correct equipment for an intimate assault.
“Remember Supyd,” murmured Hoshquin. “No matter what happened before, whatever you did, you still owe yourself basic comforts. You’re safe here. Let bygones be bygones. Look forward to a promising future.” She put down her cup and let her whirling worries dissipate. Eventually, she and Hoshquin fell asleep and had excellent dreams.
* * * * *
“Supyd, wakey wakey,” said a voice outside the blue fur. “Have you forgotten? We must deal with the kancitid problem over in Guullie’s garden. You agreed to come and help.” Supyd poked her head out of Hoshquin’s embrace. She saw her neighbour Riabolna, who had let herself into the unlocked cottage.
“Darn,” she muttered. “I did promise that two days ago. When I was Distann, I mean. You were told about that? Anyway, it’s been so momentous visiting this place that I lost track of time. I suppose I expected Unness to wake me. Have you seen her?”
“No, she zips around so fast in aeroplane mode,” replied Riabolna. “She must be coordinating a lot of people and activities. I don’t know when she’ll return.”
“She’s doing a great job, as far as I can tell,” said Supyd. “Today, she introduced me to the glorious benefits of Hoshquin, sepins and purrillas.”
“That’s a lot!” agreed Riabolna. “It takes a long time to get used to those pleasures and still function in society. Here we are, at the start of your acclimatisation journey. Now, get yourself ready, put on clothes and sturdy boots. It’s cooler this evening and you need protection, more from the trap boards than the kancitids.”
“Trap boards?” asked Hoshquin, waking up. “What are they?” He moved his arms so that Supyd could get up. She hopped off his lap and went to the bathroom.
“We all have them,” said Riabolna. “Supyd has some in her shed outside. They’re needed for trapping kancitids. She should also bring her trident. Those menaces are hard to kill. You hear me, Supyd?”
“Yes, trap boards and trident,” said Supyd loudly from the bathroom. “How hard can it be? I’m sure that it’ll be fine.”
“There seem to be more kancitids around here lately,” said Hoshquin. “Do you think that they’re reducing the sepin population?”
“Not yet,” replied Riabolna. “Still, we must control them. I hate to see it when they slaughter our brave guys.”
“Cup of zij while we wait for her?” asked Hoshquin. Riabolna nodded. They chatted and drank for fifteen minutes while Supyd tried to get ready in an unfamiliar cottage. Finally, she managed it and the three set off for Guullie’s place. It was only a kilometre and a half, so they walked. Towards the end, Hoshquin carried the trap boards and tridents because he was stronger. The trio met up with the rest of the hunting party on the road outside Guullie’s garden. Everyone was quiet to avoid spooking the kancitids. The party split into two groups and went left and right to encircle the garden. Talk was discouraged. Everyone knew the drill. This was a compulsory monthly exercise. No one wanted kancitids around here.
The growing beds in the garden were largely empty. Guullie and her family had cleared any crops, shrubs and large weeds. The only significant plants left were a cluster of bushes where the kancitids lived. The hunters formed a ring of trap boards around that area. They were careful to allow no gaps between boards. They waited silently for a few minutes to settle the kancitids’ nerves. After that, one of the women produced a sepin from her bag and threw him into the bushes as live bait. Supyd gasped at this endangerment of a cute, loving sepin. The little guy came sprinting out of the bushes, pursued by four hungry kancitids. These opportunistic predators were ugly reptiles with patchy coats of feathers and six legs each. On average, adults were a metre long.
One of the women rescued the sepin by leaning forward and snatching him up. The kancitids gathered round and tried to reach him but it was too late. Tridents stabbed down. Two of the hated lizards were killed outright. A third was pinned down with a prong through the back leg. The fourth fled to the bushes. A young woman jumped the boards and chased it. Supyd was also inspired to chase. She managed to divert it away from the bushes. This enabled the other woman to intercept and spear the hapless fugitive, which expired within seconds. With a heave, she lifted it on the points of her weapon and brought it to the corpses of its associates. She dropped it there and then drove the trident into the body of the pinned lizard, thus completing the hunt. This had been relatively easy. Other women checked around the area and found no more unwanted sepin-murderers. The hunt was over until next month unless an urgent case needed attention before then.
Supyd came over and looked at the four dead reptiles. This whole hunting experience was giving her flashbacks to the war. Kancitids were vulnerable because, although they ran fast and manoeuvred well, they were poor jumpers and couldn’t tunnel. They were unable to vault the trap boards or make underground lairs. Prepared hunters could corner and finish them quickly. It reminded Supyd of tough times in a prior age. During the war, there had been situations where people had been trapped and exterminated. Supyd could still remember their expressions as they died. She wished that she didn’t.
“Calling Unness,” asked Supyd telepathically after the hunt. “Are you there? What should I do next? I just helped kill four kancitids who were eating sepins. It brought some bad feelings to the surface.” In response, a burst of positivity lit up Supyd’s mind. It was Unness with her support team listening.
“Everything’s going to be alright,” said Unness. “You’re on a very safe world. There should be someone called Naxpiel close by. Speak to her. She’s been assigned to clarify things for you.” The connection closed. Supyd looked around.
“I heard that,” said a woman only ten metres away. “They want me to give you some background.” Supyd turned to meet her as she sauntered forward.
“I’m a near neighbour,” said Naxpiel. “I live five doors from you, a few hundred metres beyond your house.” She pointed into the distance. “I’m good friends with Distann, so it feels right that I give you what help I can. Let’s sit down on those benches.” They went across the road to a small square that had four long benches. They sat down next to each other but on separate benches.
“You must be upset,” said Naxpiel. “What’s your primary concern tonight?”
“This is a real out-of-body experience,” replied Supyd. “My actual body is being kept alive by aliens in a completely different reality. They put me in this borrowed body. It feels strange in a way that I’ve never known before. I’m flip-flopping between belief and disbelief. Also, I’m feeling guilty. I’m being given lovely sensations but I have a wicked past. I should be on trial for serious crimes.”
“I’m unfamiliar with your crimes,” said Naxpiel. “There’s no evidence of them in this world. You should put them aside and focus on today. To begin with, have you released your baby sepins yet?”
“I, er, what? … No, I don’t recall…” replied Supyd, confused. “Do I have any?”
“All women need to do this, nearly every day,” said Naxpiel. “Please stand up and walk forward a few metres. You have a secondary womb below your primary one. You should open the sphincter and empty it sometime tonight. If you don’t, there’s a chance of infection later. That chance grows daily. Shall I demonstrate the emptying process?”
“Er, I… guess…” said Supyd. They stood about five metres from the benches. Naxpiel was already lifting her skirt to expose her gavani. She stood with her legs apart and opened her secondary womb with practiced ease. There was a small gush of translucent liquid from her gavani onto the floor. Hundreds of identical, miniature sepins were in the liquid. They were scattered about between Naxpiel’s feet. A few were stillborn but the rest were able to walk straight away. They were slow at first. They laboured across the road surface, attempting to get away from their mother and find cover. They were clearly vulnerable but precociously mobile.
“And that’s where sepins come from!” said Naxpiel, like a schoolteacher.
“Oh, mercy me!” exclaimed Supyd, astonished. “They’re your tiny babies! Are you going to love them and look after them? Will you keep them in a crib?”
“That’s not how it works for sepins,” said Naxpiel. “We might love these babies but they’re built to be self-sufficient. They’ll wander the land, eating and growing. Most will die. Their bodies will become food for other creatures. The fittest and luckiest will survive and reach adulthood. Anyway, it’s your turn to release.”
“Alright,” said Supyd, slightly reluctant. “Give me a moment.” She pulled off her underpants and put them in her pocket.
“Yeah, here’s a basic dressing lesson,” observed Naxpiel. “Ditch the knicks. There’s too much traffic in that direction. Acclimatise to the chill wind on your nethers. It saves the hassle of yo-yo pants. Free the gavanii!” Supyd giggled nervously as she stood with legs apart and searched for a way to drop the mini boys. It only took half a minute. She located and relaxed the novel sphincter. The amniotic fluid dripped and then rushed down, carrying her odd offspring to a hard landing. They behaved just like Naxpiel’s babies, following their instinct to run and hide as soon as possible. Supyd was speechless for a moment. Stepping back a few paces, she looked over her bunched skirt at her diddy lads’ dash for freedom.
“Since we’re here with our gavanii out, we can empty our purrillas too,” said Naxpiel. “My eight guys have been in long enough.”
“I thought we did that in the morning?” said Supyd. “That’s what happened to me earlier.”
“There’s no set time,” advised Naxpiel. “It’s flexible, as long as you don’t drown them. Have you picked a favourite yet?”
“Why would I?” asked Supyd. “They’re all good. Besides, I can’t even see them!” She stroked them with her right hand, through the skin of her purrilla.
“Use your intuition,” said Naxpiel. “Is there one that seems best somehow? Don’t worry, this isn’t a test. Try to pick one that feels good.” This was tricky. Supyd thought about it for a minute.
“Tough call,” she said. “They’re all quite similar. Maybe the one in cylinder three.” She shrugged.
“Mine is cylinder five,” said Naxpiel. “We retain the favourites for a minute and release the others.” The two women squatted down, opened their sphincters one at a time and let gravity do the work. Supyd thought that this was a great way to lose weight fast. A few minutes later, they stood up again. The fourteen adult sepins were shaking themselves to dry their fur more quickly. The purrilla fluid, which had antiseptic properties, washed away most of the residual amniotic fluid.
“And now?” asked Supyd, watching the sepins wander away.
“It’s better on that lawn,” said Naxpiel, pointing to a public patch of sward next to the square. “We should lie down for comfort.” Supyd raised her eyebrows for a second. They went over to the lawn. Naxpiel stopped a metre from the green and released her chosen sepin, leaving her purrilla vacant. She caught the sepin in her hands and held it semi-firmly.
“This is the secret power of the sepin,” she announced as she stroked the sepin under the chin with one finger. “Well, not so secret to me. I’ve seen it a million times already.” The sepin shook itself in a wiggly way and the skin around its neck started to detach. In a remarkable feat of flexibility, the little creature used its legs to pull back the outer layers of its body, revealing a phallic shaft beneath. This shaft was approximately fifteen centimetres long and four centimetres wide. Supyd’s jaw dropped. This was, perhaps, more amazing than the baby sepin birth.
“A walking erection disguised as a woodland beastie!” she said with glee. “Do they do the job fine?”
“Oh yeah!” said Naxpiel. “They always perform well. In fact, we’re the ones who disappoint them occasionally.”
“So, we’re going to do this here and now?” asked Supyd.
“There’s no point in delaying,” replied Naxpiel. “This is our birthright. I want my satisfaction. Now, you have a choice. You can either use your sepin for immediate intercourse or you can have it give you some foreplay first and then ravish you. If the latter, then take off your dress and lie down with me.”
“They do good foreplay!” said Supyd, opening her dress and letting it fall off. “Also, I’m getting used to this ‘shameless society’. My old embarrassment is melting away.” Stepping onto the grass, she released her sepin and let him shake himself awake. Both women lay down and let the sepins do what came naturally. Their little legs worked hard, pushing hard against the ground to give thrust. Soon, two secondary wombs had been refilled while their owners had enjoyed primal jolts of pleasure. The women relaxed afterwards as the sepins slipped out of their gavanii and slithered away into the greenery.
“Good talk!” said Supyd, deeply impressed. “I’m gaining a profound understanding of this new world.”
“The education will continue, for as long as you need,” said Naxpiel. “Lessons are given daily on demand. I hope that it’s not an imposition!" They laughed as they revelled in the post-coital glow.
* * * * *
That night, Supyd dreamt of being surrounded by young men. They said nothing but acted menacing. They moved closer. In response, Supyd opened her gavani and waited. The men faded and became mere misty shapes. By mystic means, she drew them into her gavani where they condensed into harmless fluid. She was left isolated but in control and therefore at peace. She could relax and appreciate whatever the future brought. She awoke at her cottage, sharing the bed with Naxpiel. Was this a relationship or just a bid for warmth? It certainly was warm. Supyd was parched. She rose quietly and had a drink. On the way, she noticed that her purrilla was full again. The sepins had entered her while she slept! Their stealth was impressive. As she performed her ablutions, Supyd realised that Distann’s body was accustomed to nocturnal invasion and hadn’t woken. It had also sent the sepins to their cylinders automatically and then closed the main sphincter to prevent overpopulation. Several minutes later, Naxpiel walked into the bathroom, still sleepy and dishevelled. Her purrilla was also full. One of the cylinders was twenty percent larger than the others, stretched by the ‘giant’ within.
“I’m guessing this is normal?” said Supyd, pointing at Naxpiel’s purrilla.
“Oh, yes indeed,” said Naxpiel. “Sometimes I get a good one. Mr. Big here will pump me tonight, that’s for sure!” She smiled lasciviously.
“No, I mean sepins filling us when we’re unconscious,” said Supyd. “Shouldn’t we be in control of them?”
“It’s part of the new world, sweetie,” said Naxpiel as she washed her face. “We need sepins almost every day. We give permission for them to have purrilla access, day and night. It’s harmless and it saves time later. Distann and I have an arrangement, like so many women. We programme the sepin door to admit sixteen at night. That way, we both have full complements by morning.”
“And you stay over here regularly?” queried Supyd. “When I went to bed last night, I assumed that you were going to let yourself out and go home.”
“We’re not on a rigid schedule,” said Naxpiel. “On average, it’s twice a week. It depends on our activities and feelings. Distann doesn’t mind if I go home or stay and snuggle. Sometimes, we go to my place and snuggle there instead.”
“I’m still getting used to all this,” said Supyd. “In my time, things were quite different. Women were rivals, not comfy bed buddies. You can understand why I’m nervous!”
“Don’t worry, there’s no hostility here,” said Naxpiel. “We hardly even have a cross word! Anyway, I won’t stay long. I’m going home in half an hour. My weeds need plucking. I’ll have one of your pretions for breakfast. In return, you can have one of my pretions later.” The two women took turns using the facilities. They shared a shower. Naxpiel showed Supyd how to wash her purrilla without setting off a sepin purring session. She was so gentle! Supyd wished that her old boyfriends had been like that, in the disastrous past. She wept as Naxpiel sponged her down. Naxpiel soon noticed and consoled her with an embrace. The warm water rolled down their bodies, as if trying to wash away their cares. After the shower, Supyd was dried off and put in a soft robe. Naxpiel made her a hot drink and advised her to relax in an armchair for a while. Gardening should be done but it could wait an hour or two. As Naxpiel headed home, she met Riabolna arriving.
“She’s been crying,” said Naxpiel quietly in passing. “Something about men long ago. I didn’t fully understand the details, only the sad sentiments.”
“I’ll do what I can to help!” said Riabolna before going indoors to speak with Supyd.
“Oh, hi Riabolna!” said Supyd as her friend entered and closed the door behind her. “Sorry to leave you last night after the hunt. I got talking with Naxpiel and one thing led to another.”
“It’s fine,” said Riabolna. “We know how these things go, especially for newcomers like you. Did you have a good evening?”
“It was surprisingly good!” said Supyd. “I finally learnt the true purpose of sepins and how they ‘do the do’, so to speak. It was sudden and unexpected but highly satisfying. When Naxpiel and I recovered, we went back to my place and talked about the hunt. She told me that, over thousands of years, more creatures have learnt to exploit sepins. Usually, they eat the baby ones. Now, they’re starting to eat the adults. Sadly, more microbes are infecting the sepins. To counter them, scientists have been making new medicines and distributing them to sepins.”
“That’s right,” said Riabolna, who had sat down in an armchair facing Supyd. “Every year, we go to the local clinic for a sepin check. They treat any illnesses and take blood samples to find new strains of disease. They check us at the same time, of course.”
“Everything’s well organised here,” said Supyd. “You’re all committed to it. That wasn’t the case in my day. We were crashing through life, heedless of the damage we caused. I saw one of the last men die. He’d lived alone for years. He’d protected himself through isolation. Then, one day, an airborne pathogen was released. He opened a window. The pathogen entered and infected him. He went out to look for help but it was too late. He died in the street. A group of us found him. I never saw another man after that. Women weren’t affected by the pathogen but enemies tried to kill us in other ways. My friends were eliminated one by one. I ended up hiding in the hills, eating weeds and berries. It wasn’t enough. I was weak when the Transformers arrived and rescued us all. We survived but we’re traumatised and now we’re trying to find new lives for ourselves.”
“It’s hard to know what to say,” commented Riabolna. “Your end-of-the-world stories are beyond my experience. ‘Time heals all wounds’, though. The more peace you have, the more you forget the horrors of the past. I say we go out and whip the garden into shape.”
“You’re quite right,” said Supyd, finishing her drink and then standing up. “A bit of light work will banish the gloom.” She cast off her robe and strode out into the small field of crops. She’d seen a rake earlier, leaning on a support frame. She used it to rake up hundreds of weed seedlings that were only just taking root in the otherwise bare earth. It was an easy way to begin. Meanwhile, Riabolna had taken up secateurs and was pruning some of the perennial food bushes to encourage strong regrowth. Weak or dead twigs were no use. As the two women worked their way from row to row, the strong spring sunlight topped up their tans.
“Hey, come over here!” said Riabolna after an hour of repetitive but important work. “I just noticed that your skozaij bushes are under attack.”
“Oh criminey!” exclaimed Supyd, feeling hot and bothered. “Who or what would dare?!”
“Golden bagules,” replied Riabolna. “They’re sucking the buds. However, they’re still young and haven’t done much damage yet.”
“Do we have a spray for them?” asked Supyd, her gardening knowledge rusty and incomplete.
“Maybe they used sprays in your day but we don’t,” said Riabolna. “They’re far too damaging to the environment. Don’t forget that sepins live here too. They have no protection.”
“Well, that’s an objection we can’t ignore!” said Supyd, laughing a little as she realised the critical importance of organic agriculture in the world of sepins and gavanii.
“We have to crush them by hand,” said Riabolna. “It’s the most effective way. Be thankful that this is only a small holding, not a huge, old-style, factory farm.” They gathered their weeds and twigs from before, put them in a pile and set light to them. The small bonfire didn’t make much smoke. The ashes would fertilise the ground and not hold many annoying weed seeds. After that, they went back to the skozaij bushes and started squashing bagules between their fingers. It wasn’t nice to kill them but Supyd wanted plenty of fried skozaijes in summer, so these thieving pests had to go. It took over half an hour to exterminate all the bagules. The women’s fingers were liberally coated in the blood of their victims. They went to the garden water tap and washed off the blood before having a drink.
“I’m getting a headache,” complained Supyd. “We’ve been out in the sunshine for a couple of hours.”
“We’re idiots,” said Riabolna. “We didn’t wear sun hats. Anyway, I think that we’ve done enough for now. We’ll go in for lunch and then come out again later when it’s a bit cooler.”
“Great plan,” said Supyd. “There’s no hurry. My hunger pangs are starting. Let’s see what’s in the pantry.” They trooped indoors and set about some simple food preparation. Minutes later they were in the dining room, chewing rapidly through their lunch. After that they had extra drink, cleared the dishes back to the kitchen and then sat in the lounge once more. Supyd sat and stroked her purrilla a few times absent-mindedly before remembering what purring sepins could do to her.
“I really have to be careful with these eight little fellows!” she chuckled. “They would use any excuse to bring me off!”
“Yes, it can be inconvenient,” said Riabolna. “It happens to us all. We’re trying to do something serious and/or important but then we activate our purrillas accidentally. We end up lying on the floor, jisming. It’s awkward but everyone understands except the smallest girls, who haven’t learnt about sepins and gavanii yet.”
“I tell you, this is a pretty minor problem,” said Supyd. “I should know. I’ve seen such terrible events before I came here.”
“That’s exactly why we requested the sepin system,” said Riabolna. “It puts so much right. For example, before sepins most women had no sex most of the time. Now, nearly all women have it nearly every day! That extends from pubescent girls to the most elderly or infirm. Hardly anyone is sexually frustrated, so society is super calm now.”
“Wait, you say that under-age girls get sepins?” queried Supyd.
“They get the half-grown ones,” replied Riabolna. “You haven’t seen any yet. They don’t approach adult women, only girls.”
“In my day, there was a law against that kind of thing!” said Supyd, somewhat shocked.
“The entire situation has changed,” said Riabolna. “Your generation annihilated all men and boys. Consequently, we have a totally different system now. There are no men left to exploit girls, which was the problem before. Their replacements are the sepins, which are engineered to serve us. They would rather die than turn against us.”
“So, it’s fine and legal for girls to get railed nightly,” said Supyd. “There’s no risk. Mothers must demonstrate everything beforehand, presumably.”
“Mothers, grandmothers, sisters, aunties, cousins, great aunties, teachers, policewomen and many more,” said Riabolna. “There’s no shortage of help and advice. Some girls think that there’s too much. Nevertheless, it’s important to prevent unwanted pregnancies. Girls need to learn sphincter control.”
“It’s absolutely vital,” agreed Supyd. “Otherwise, they’d make a massive mess!”
“Quite so!” said Riabolna, laughing at the double meaning.
“This world of yours seems better and better, the more I learn about it,” said Supyd. “I just worry that it won’t last. The men didn’t last, after all.”
“We’re doing our level best to preserve the sepin system,” said Riabolna. “As I said before, there are regular health checks. Women are encouraged to report any problems. We monitor the most dangerous microbes and develop vaccines for new strains. We kill or control any creatures who deplete the sepins too much. The sepin population is monitored as far as possible. Any mutations in the little guys are assessed.”
“What happened to all the kinbars?” asked Supyd. “I haven’t seen any around here.”
“All kinbars were either culled or shipped to Whittur Dosikland,” replied Riabolna. “They run wild over there. None are allowed to leave. The fundaquats are all there too. Whittur is basically a dumping ground for undesirable species.”
“Good gravy, you exiled all kinbars and fundaquats!” muttered Supyd. “That would’ve been a major crime in the old days!”
“It was heart-breaking but we had no choice,” said Riabolna. “They were tearing the guts out of the sepin population. They would’ve assassinated our entire race. It was us or them. Thankfully, we had a big place like Whittur to contain them.” Supyd was shocked. She hadn’t realised the full impact of the sepin system. It had, essentially, wiped out most of the pets in the world. Only pets that were harmless or safely contained were allowed now. On the other hand, women treated sepins as short-term pets. However, sepins were supremely disloyal. If women tried to keep them for more than a day, they soon sickened and died. They needed to be out and about, finding their own food and seeking women while avoiding predators.
“Why are sepins like they are?” asked Supyd. “They always live wild. They refuse domestication. So many die out there, just beyond our reach.”
“This is what they wanted,” said Riabolna. “Their spirits talked to our saviours during the Death of Men. They wanted to live like this, learning to survive and thrive in a difficult environment, with no significant support from us.”
“So, the high mortality rate isn’t a problem?” queried Supyd.
“It’s actually necessary,” said Riabolna. “Imagine how many baby sepins we produce each day: trillions! If more survived, we’d be swamped.”
“Are you happy with this set-up?!” asked Supyd.
“It’s better than many alternatives, I’m sure you’d agree,” replied Riabolna. “I’m not overjoyed with all the casualties but death is normal across the universe. This set-up works in our favour. I’m thankful for that!”
“Well, that’s fine for you but I’m feeling guiltier and guiltier,” said Supyd. “It’s hard to bear. I need help. I want to talk with Unness. She can give me telepathic mind medicine. Give me time. The gardening can wait.” She gave the signal and was in touch with Unness immediately. The Transformer could tell that Supyd felt terrible.
“I’ll be there in a few minutes,” said Unness. “Let me tie up some loose ends quickly.” Supyd acknowledged her.
“Another drink?” she offered.
“Yeah, I need one,” replied Riabolna. “The sepins do too!” Supyd went to the kitchen and fetched two drinks. Supyd drank up straight away, unsure what fate would bring next. Riabolna lay back and sipped slower. Soon enough, the two women heard Unness hurtling through the sky. There was a rumbling rush of air that stopped abruptly, followed by a thump as she landed. Seconds later, she walked through the door. She brushed a little dust and debris from her head and body. A second Transformer followed her. He was like her but half a metre taller and shaped like a man. He had to duck down to enter because he was slightly too tall for the door. Supyd and Riabolna turned their gaze to him and their eyes widened.
“Oh, it seems that I am quite the distraction!” he said with a grin. “I’m Havyo; pleased to meet you!”
“He’s got…” said Riabolna to Supyd.
“Yes, it’s really…” said Supyd.
“Hypnotic, you mean,” said Unness. “That’s a common reaction.”
“I’m trying to think of something else but…” said Riabolna.
“I can’t take my eyes off it!” said Supyd.
“Ladies, focus!” said Unness, a little peeved.
“It speaks to me,” said Riabolna. “Deep in my soul. Deep in other places too.”
“Should I cover it?” asked Havyo.
“NO!” yelled Supyd and Riabolna together.
“It’s too gorgeous!” said Riabolna. “Where have you been all my life, Havyo?”
“I don’t normally come down here,” he replied. “My main duties are on the star ships in orbit.”
“He’ll stay there most of the time,” said Unness. “He makes women here too flustered.”
“So shiny and perfect,” said Supyd. “Are you available, Havyo?”
“No, Supyd,” said Unness. “Primus doesn’t allow it. Also, he’s with me. We’re exclusive.”
“But I can still give you a ride, Supyd,” said Havyo. “In the aerial transport sense, I mean. Unness and I combine into a single-seat aircraft. We can demonstrate outside.”
“Are you leaving already?” asked Riabolna.
“Supyd wants to visit her old home,” explained Unness. “It won’t take long. We’ll be back soon.”
“Ah, I see!” said Riabolna. “Goodbye for now, everyone.” Unness, Havyo and Supyd went outside.
“We could teleport but you want to see the lay of the land,” said Havyo. “That’s easy enough and good exercise too.” He stretched his limbs to prepare.
“Put this flight suit on,” said Unness in the garden. “It’s colder where we’re going.” Using her advanced technology, Unness produced a flight suit from a higher dimension. She put it next to Supyd and it fitted itself around the woman’s body. Boots were included. The whole ensemble was snug and warm. Meanwhile, Unness and Havyo transformed and combined. A transparent hatch on the top side opened and Supyd boarded. There wasn’t much spare room in the passenger compartment but that didn’t matter for a short trip.
“You might be interested to know that my shiny, perfect part converts into a locking pin,” commented Havyo. “I slide it into Unness’ body and it holds us together indefinitely.”
“Woah, it must be super strong and hard!” said Supyd. “You’re a lucky, lucky couple!”
“Absolutely,” said Unness. “Now, let’s go!” They rose a few hundred metres and then rocketed across the landscape. Supyd was not subject to high g-force because Unness and Havyo had a propulsion system that cancelled out the effect. They banked slowly left and right so that Supyd could see the landscape. She saw a patchwork of small farms stretching to the horizon. Dotted between were natural features like pockets of woodland, streams, wetlands and hillocks. There were also thousands of lanes and dozens of main roads.
“Superb, isn’t it?” said Unness. “If I were a flesh woman like you, I’d live here for at least one lifetime. I’d meditate on the sublime beauty of nature while living off the land and enjoying the company of millions of thirsty sepins. I’d let them have their way with me as often as I could stand. Of course, I’d have to raise many daughters but it wouldn’t be a burden. I’d teach them the pleasures of life and they’d be as happy and laid-back as me. It would be paradise, in my opinion.”
“No, you’d be bored silly,” said Supyd. “I’ve seen your mind. You’re too advanced for this life.”
“Don’t forget that we have time travel,” said Unness. “I’d go way back to my youth and savour this world more deeply.”
“Alright, you win the argument as usual,” said Supyd. “Now, just fly.”
Unness and Havyo accelerated massively. The landscape below became a blur. A special ‘soft’ force field shunted flying creatures out of the way without hurting them. A few hundred kilometres of ocean glided by beneath the flying trio. Minutes later, they reached their destination: a wooded hilltop with an observation tower poking up above the canopy. The upper viewing platform was large enough for the Transformers to land vertically.
“Brace!” said Havyo. He and Unness transformed. Their parts whirled and morphed around Supyd, who gritted her teeth and held her body stiff. The Transformers gripped Supyd firmly as they landed on their feet. When they were balanced, they put her on the ground, standing up. She could then relax (or at least try).
“There, that was no trouble, was it?” said Unness cheerily. “We’re right where you wanted to be. Remember that we’re in the future. A great deal has changed. The buildings you knew have been demolished. The vegetation is much thicker. Even a few hills have been reshaped or removed.”
“Does this even mean anything to you?” asked Supyd bluntly as the gusty wind blew her hair backwards. “Isn’t it trivial? You’re intergalactic warriors, after all.” She stared at the Transformers for a moment and then walked forward to lean on the safety railing.
“It’s true that our attention is divided,” said Havyo. “But that’s normal for us. We always do several things at once.”
“Rest assured, you have a piece of our attention,” said Unness. “It’s sufficient, believe me.”
“This is where I was rescued,” said Supyd as she stared into the distance. “I was on this hill, outside the abandoned research centre, slowly starving. I didn’t have the energy to climb the fence, let alone do any testing inside the facility. Besides, there were no more people left to use as experimental fodder. This place was my last hope but I had come here in vain.”
“Such scenarios are familiar to us,” said Havyo. “We’ve been around! Societal collapses are common.”
“How many do you reverse, though?” asked Supyd pointedly. “You can’t fix them all, surely! Why pick us?”
“We feel your passion,” said Unness. “Loudly, it shouts across the universe. It’s powerful but it needs guidance. We tried our best to convert it from genocidal rage to regular, stable love and care for others. We found you at a nadir and we raised you toward a future apex. It was a benevolent act but also spiritual medicine for the cosmos. Your redirected emotion resonates through many other worlds, near and far.”
“I don’t feel part of that,” muttered Supyd, looking down. “I should…”
“You won’t jump from the tower,” said Unness. “We can control your body. No death dives for you, girl!” Through the power of telepathy, Supyd was forced to step away from the edge. She wept as she was taken down the rusty column spiral staircase. A few minutes later, the trio emerged at the base of the tower. Through teary eyes, Supyd could tell that they were now surrounded by cracked and crumbling foundations.
“That was the canteen,” she said, pointing listlessly at a concrete rectangle in the ground. “The labs were on the right. The storage sheds were on the left. The incinerator was behind us. This was where we engineered our doom. We couldn’t stop. The needs of the Jagon Eternal Empire were paramount. The enemy men had to be exterminated. They were evil incarnate.”
“So unfortunate,” said Unness. “Your people made the wrong choices and went down the wrong path. Still, we’ve given you a new chance. It’s best if you focus on that. Don’t dwell on the past.”
“We should walk around for an hour or so,” said Havyo. “If you stay fit, you’ll get more and better sepins, Supyd.”
“We’ll try to find my old house,” said Supyd. “It’ll be depressing but there’ll be a degree of closure.” She left the ruins and headed down the old access road, which was now just a footpath through the forest. Unness and Havyo followed, watching her. In places, the path deviated from the original route because of tree growth. After a kilometre, the three noticed movement going from left to right. Several small creatures were scuttling across the path in both directions.
“Sepins,” said Unness. “This is one of their little highways. Look at them go!” She’d had some involvement in the development of sepins, so she was proud to see them roam the land.
“Silent and determined,” said Supyd. “Almost like an army. Why are they all going through here?”
“They’re simply transferring between villages,” said Havyo. “They come this way to avoid traffic on the roads.”
“Sensible,” said Supyd. “I’m still having trouble getting used to it, though. The loss of all men has led to this change in the entire ecosystem. Hordes of specialised creatures were bred to fill the gap. I never thought that anything like this would ever happen.” Some of the sepins heard her voice. A few dozen bounded toward her, to see if she wanted any of them. Havyo and Unness sent them away using telepathy. They resumed their prior journeys, squeaking and grumbling as they went.
“Let’s move on,” said Havyo. “More will bother you soon enough.” The trio stepped over the busy sepin highway and walked briskly away. They drew closer to Brip Chimt Village, where Supyd’s old house had been. Something was bothering Supyd.
“You know you should put it away,” she said to Havyo. “It might start trouble in the village.”
“You’re right,” said Unness. “Time to hide the silver sausage.” She leapt onto Havyo, clamped her legs around his waist and impaled herself on him.
“Show off!” muttered Supyd. “Anyway, that position is even more distracting.”
“I’m not finished,” said Unness as her body began to morph. “This is our combined ‘respectable’ look.” She shaped herself quickly into a suit of armour around Havyo. Together, they looked fully covered and most formidable. Havyo lost a little flexibility but he could get around well enough. They proceeded into the village. There were a few dozen women on the streets, going about their daily business. They watched Havyo in awe and trepidation. Supyd and Havyo marched past them rapidly, taking a left turn and heading for the edge of the village.
“It’s changed so much,” observed Supyd. “Only the road network has the same basic plan.” They continued until they reached the spot where Supyd’s house had been. Small parts of the broken foundations were still visible. The rest of the area consisted of earthen mounds and overgrowth. An ancient stone monument poked up between two mounds.
“That small standing stone is the only marker left that refers to you and this site,” said Havyo, pointing at the half-buried monument. “It was put here a few centuries ago. The inscription is obscured. No one visits here anymore. No one wants to know about you and your generation. They’ve moved on.”
“Huh, typical,” said Supyd as she stepped onto the foundations. “This is pretty weird, standing here. My life was centred in this rectangle of stone. Now it’s ancient history like the Darilamor Confederacy.”
“We’ve felt that emotion before,” said Unness, transforming and detaching herself slowly from Havyo. “We look young but we’re ancient too. We’ve seen many homes come and go.”
“This is where I had my major ideas,” said Supyd, standing halfway up a small mound. “This was my study. I’d sit here and let my mind wander. I found amazing new ways to restructure genes. I devised delivery mechanisms…” She remembered something long forgotten. She stopped speaking and gazed at the ground before looking back at Unness and Havyo. They read her mind.
“I wondered if you’d remember this,” said Havyo as he teleported a particular stone out of the cement foundation and laid it in Supyd’s outstretched hand. “Your secret backup files are in this hollow stone. They should still be intact. The interior is waterproof and undamaged.”
“Even without you here, I could do so much with this data!” said Supyd as she clutched the stone. “I might be able to resurrect men! There are huge possibilities!”
“We don’t recommend…” said Unness before she and Havyo disappeared abruptly, without warning.
“What?” exclaimed Supyd, looking around in confusion. “Where did you go? Are you coming back?” She couldn’t feel the Transformers telepathically anymore, nor anyone else. A vital connection had been lost. A sense of unease started to seep into her mind. The sepins in her purrilla sensed her mood and became a little agitated, writhing in their cylinders. She stroked them to calm them. They settled down again. She felt like she used to before the Transformers arrived. There was an old fear of the Noyginec Splinters, the many enemies of the Jagon Eternal Empire. They infiltrated regularly and had to be beaten back by all possible means. Occasionally, their agents even reached Brip Chimt Village.
“How can this be?” wondered Supyd. “Did we trigger some kind of interdimensional event?” The village behind her had gone silent while the sounds of nature had increased. She turned and looked down the road. The vegetation had grown further and the road had shrunk to a footpath. She gawped in horror. She was trapped in an unprecedented situation of almost instantaneous changes in the landscape. A fairly large bug landed on her neck. She swatted it but it had already stung. She felt a sharp pain as she stared at the crushed bug smeared across her fingers. More bugs were approaching, their wings tuned for stealth. They landed on her suit and she flailed at them, killing another six. Two more gave up and flew away, seeking easier targets. Supyd wiped her hands on fallen leaves. These oversized gnats were messy and disgusting. She started to feel a little woozy. She stood still, watching for more attacks. Her vision began to blur. She realised that the sting had affected her but didn’t know how or why. Panic rose in her mind. Just then, the air around her crackled and groaned. Something was manifesting with sharp, focused, unnatural power.
“Found you at last,” said Unness as she appeared in a complex, distorted way. “You went out of phase. This is a nexus point for you and your society. We’re about to rephase you. Stay still.”
“Maybe I can’t!” complained Supyd. “I’ve already been infected or poisoned. My muscles…” Unness stared at her, giving the appearance of stability despite glitching like an uncontrolled special effect display. Supyd could feel her body being altered fundamentally. Eight sepins struggled in her purrilla. Her spirit became detached from her flesh, which was being retuned on a subatomic level by Transformer technology. She lost consciousness as the world changed around her.
* * * * *
“Oh, I’m back here,” said Supyd when she awoke. “Those bugs failed to kill me, I presume.”
“That’s right,” said Kohnphid as she reviewed the incident, which had been recorded holographically. “It was interesting, though. You crossed into an alternate timeline. We tried to prevent it but we’re not omnipotent. Not yet anyway.”
“Parallel universe,” mused Supyd. “From the overgrown state of the road, I’m guessing that the population was low there.”
“That was another post-apocalyptic situation,” said Kohnphid. “It was like your world but viruses were being spread by the bugs. The viruses were wiping out people and many species of animals too.”
“Mother of mercy!” muttered Supyd. “Was that my doing too?!”
“Partly, but you were dead by then,” replied Kohnphid. “Other women finished your work and then they were killed by viruses. Those germs mutated within hours and eliminated most women.”
“More on my conscience,” said Supyd. “Extra billions of lives snuffed out.”
“The other Supyds are not you,” Kohnphid pointed out. “They’re similar but separate. They choose their own fates. Don’t take on their guilt.”
“I already have a crushing burden of guilt,” said Supyd. “Do you have any idea how that feels?”
“Come over here,” said Kohnphid, beckoning. “Look at the sky.” Supyd went to her and stood on her left side. Kohnphid put her left arm around her. She was nearly the same size as Supyd but the strong grip on Supyd’s left shoulder hinted at tremendous power.
“What’s out there?” she asked rhetorically. “It’s the so-called Raving Spindle Galaxy. How many life worlds are out there? About a million. How many people? About fifty trillion. How does that compare to our kill count? A drop in the ocean!” Supyd turned her head to look at her. What was this goddess saying?! Kohnphid looked back at her with a little smile.
“You see, I’m much worse than you,” said Kohnphid. “I’ve been involved in genocides big enough to make yours seem like a light slap.”
“And the guilt?” queried Supyd.
“It’s still in here somewhere,” said Kohnphid, pointing at her head. “I haven’t felt it for billions of years, though. I’m just one of the crowd. I play my part in mowing down our enemies.”
“So, you feel nothing?” asked Supyd.
“I feel plenty but I’ve learnt not to let emotion get in the way of our divine mission,” replied Kohnphid. “I ride the waves and move on. I always have support whatever happens.”
“You mean that I should do the same,” observed Supyd. “Master the pain and continue life?”
“It takes time but you can do it,” said Kohnphid. “I used to be timider and more self-critical but then I toughened up. Soon, I met Stohv and was catapulted into the big leagues: the god tier, in fact. He united all the people of our planet. He sent us on this mission-to-end-all-missions. Now, here I am helping unfortunate mortal number zillion-and-one.”
“The scale of that is hard to grasp,” said Supyd. “I’m still struggling to come to terms with the cost of my own work. Worst of all, I killed the few nice men I knew.” She sagged in Kohnphid’s firm grip.
“You’re young spirits,” murmured Kohnphid in her ear. “The young make mistakes. It’s natural. You’ll have plenty of other chances, believe me.”
“The end of the world is not the end of the world,” said Supyd. “Reincarnation is real. You’ve shown us that directly. We will go on!” Her tears flowed as she watched the scene outside: shiny Transformers zipping about on the Cybertronian surface under the glorious glare of the Raving Spindle.
“I want a holiday here!” she suggested eagerly. “The sightseeing is superb!” Kohnphid smiled and nodded. That would be no trouble at all.
* * * * *
Last edited by
snavej on Mon Jun 23, 2025 10:45 am, edited 2 times in total.
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