The doors to the Nokotoans' stasis pods pop open and they awaken. And as planned, they are just outside their own solar system. They quickly double check their precious cargo of passengers in their pods. The passengers are all resting peacefully and in perfect condition. They contact their home world of Kotowahn and inform them they have returned safely and will be landing shortly.
The ship settles on the landing pad gently just outside their most prominent city. They don't have many large cities. There are no skyscrapers, but this is the equivalent of Earth's capital. Most of their people live and work in farming communities. But it's not unusual for someone to also be trained and certified for space travel, doctor, ambassador, elder, etc. They leave home to perform their other duties when required then return home to their ordinary lives. While Anlo misses his family and is ready to be home, his worry for Zeta keeps him from being truly happy to be home. People are rushing about, mostly men, because males out number females more than 13 to 1 here, and their population is dwindling slowly. It is already half what it was a few centuries ago. There are plenty of assistants to help check and unload the stasis pods with their precious cargo.
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"Anlo," calls a comrade, "
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Anlo steps up to the pod to check it himself with his own hand held PC. His mouth drops open from shock. "Zeta..." he says stunned, "
His other comrades and several assistance come over to see what's going on.
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"" says Anlo preparing to open the stasis pod containing Zeta.
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" I know she is not supposed to be here, but at least she is alive and well.>" " " " " Anlo nods his agreement and gets back to work. He finishes quickly and accurately. One of the reasons he was chosen for this assignment is because of his ability to work quickly while rarely making an error. The main reason is his pleasant, easy going, patient disposition. After finishing his tasks, Anlo slings his bag over his shoulder. He lays his hand on the clear door of the stasis pod with Zeta inside and stares at her for a long moment. She is beautiful and resting peacefully. He sets the pod to hover mode and guides it over the transport pad with himself. " Anlo's parents and brothers are waiting for him by the indoor transport pad for their home. They rush onto the transporter pad to greet him warmly. He hugs his mother and kisses her cheeks, then all three of his fathers and all six of his younger brothers. He takes in a deep cleansing breath of fresh country air. Even the smell of goto dung finding its way into the house from off in the distance is comforting. " Anlo places his hand on the clear lid of the stasis pod. " " " " " Anlo turns to his mother, " Anlo's six brothers are too intrigued with the small woman in the stasis pod to pay attention to anything Anlo is saying as he leaves the transport room with their parents. They begin talking among themselves as they stare at the small woman. " Bayden is three years younger than Anlo. All of the brothers are three to five years apart, except for the identical twins, Rayee and Rayou. Bayden thinks for a minute, "" " " Rayee, one of the twins born after Bayden and before Zarek, Sextus and Septimus, makes an irritated noise, opens the stasis pod and lifts the sleeping Zeta into his arms. " Rayee thinks for a moment. He could place her back in the pod and definitely avoid Anlo's anger. Except his urge to mate is too strong. He decides, " Zeta feels herself being carried. She hears men's voices. She can't understand what's being said and they sound far away. The strange language sounds vaguely familiar. She feels herself laid down and large hands on her. She fights hard to pull herself up out of the darkness into full consciousness. It feels like a mouth on one of her breasts. A man's voice raises. She thinks it must be some kind of strange erotic dream as she hears another man raise his voice. Then it hits her. It sounds like Anlo's language. Zeta feels someone licking her intimately. If she's having an erotic dream with Anlo in it, she wants to see him. "Anlo," she murmurs as a body covers hers and penetrates her. She finally manages to get her eyes open and screams terrified. Whatever is on top of her, penetrating her isn't Anlo. It isn't even a man. She's never seen anything like it before in her life. She doesn't know what the hell is on top of her as she screams. " " " Rayee and Rayou attempt to remove Krag. Krag growls and snaps at them. It digs its front claws into Zeta's shoulders. It is not going to be removed from Zeta until it is finished. " " Rayee motions for Rayou to help him with Krag. This time, even though it struggles, they remove it and carry it outside. Septimus shakes his head, " Bayden steps up nervously to the reluctant mate bed where Zeta is strapped down. He's feeling guilty, but his urge to mate is too strong, " "Please," Zeta begs as she cries and struggles against the restraints holding her down. "Please, let me go, please." But they don't understand her. Bayden slowly climbs onto the reluctant mate bed and between Zeta's thighs. He wipes tears from her face as he tells her, " As Bayden catches his breath, Rayee asks, " " " Anlo spends nearly two hours trying to convince the Elders to allow him to take a small spacecraft with folding ability with a small crew to return Zeta to her home world and children. And even though Anlo's mother feels his passion, she agrees with the rest of the council. Folding space is dangerous even when the conditions are perfect, and conditions are not perfect right now. Plus, it was too many resources to use for returning one individual home. Zeta had arrived safely and that was something to be grateful for. When the gate at her world is complete, she will be able to return her world safely. They would all be able to travel back and forth to Earth fairly freely and safely like they are currently able to do with several other inhabited worlds. "" his mother apologized " His mother and fathers follow him out of the communications room back to the transport room where he left the stasis pod with Zeta in it. His brothers are nowhere in sight and the pod is empty. Anlo slams his fist down onto the pod's lid, "" Anlo runs followed by his parents who have never seen him so angry. He's sure where his brothers have taken Zeta. He burst through the door of the storage shed just as Sextus is releasing a satisfied sigh. Anlo grabs Sextus by the hair and rips him off Zeta, who is crying pitifully. His mother begins to untie the straps restraining Zeta as Anlo yells at his brothers. " " " " " " Anlo steps over to where his mother is hushing Zeta gently as she sobs. "Zeta," Anlo says softly as he gently pushes hair away from her face, "...Zeta..." Zeta slowly lifts her eyes to his. She knows those beautiful eyes of indigo and gold and her sobbing softens. "Anlo," she says softly reaching for him. She touches his face, "Anlo" she says again and falls unconscious. " Anlo lifts Zeta into his arms and cradles her against his chest. She seems smaller than ever to him as he carries her to his quarters. He sits in a chair hugging her to him as he sheds a few tears of his own. He kisses her forehead and cheeks as he rocks her gently and smooths her wavy hair away from her face. Anlo's mother pauses for a moment just inside the double door entryway of Anlo's quarters and watches the way he's holding her, hugging her and kissing her face. She now understands why he argued so hard with the council for this small woman. He's in love with her. She continues in and sits the first aid kit on the dinette table by Anlo and Zeta. Anlo's mother, Jonina, takes a hand held medical scanner from the first aid kit and scan's Zeta with it. " " " " Jonina runs the bathe. Then together she and Anlo carefully bathe the unconscious Zeta. She's a mother of two and her body bares the evidence of previously being pregnant. But to Anlo, it's still a beautiful little body. Soft where is should be soft. Plump and round where it should be plump and round. They towel dry her, wrap her in a warm blanket and lay her in Anlo's bed. " Jonina shrugs, "" Anlo nods his understanding and lays down next to Zeta. Jonina shuts the door behind herself as she exits his quarters. " "