Chapter 9

They are driven out to a crater and find themselves standing at the top of the ancient crater.

"This crater's been here for millenniums," states Jeff. "It's been here longer than human beings have walked the face of the earth."

"Yes," confirms Greta staring vacantly down into the crater, "We have been watching and waiting for a long time. There were no advanced life forms when the vessel within the meteor containing our queen and drones crashed here. Even with the water here, this crater was created. The vessel carrying our queen and drones disintegrated to nothing long ago."

"It's not the same queen that crashed still running things now," ask Jeff.

"No," answers Greta, "Our life cycle is longer than yours, but not that long. Yet we all have the memories from all the previous queens. Unlike yourselves, when one of us dies, the knowledge of that one is not lost. But we can change that for you. With us, no one would be forgotten or lost and all would be focused and productive."

"As perfect as you make it sound," Jeff skeptical, "Nothing is ever perfect. And you should be very aware by now that we human beings treasure our freedom."

"You are also adaptable and intelligent," Greta responds. "You would become accustomed to us. And you would come to honor us as our previous hosts did. But first, we need to find a way to be with you and leave behind these inadequate creatures," pointing to the roach attached at the base of her own skull.

Greta runs her hands up her own body and squeezes her own breasts, "These bodies are more sensitive and versatile than the bodies of our original hosts. We look forward to being able to enjoy them properly."

"Well," says Jeff starting his decent down into the crater. "Let's see what we can find."

They take soil and rock samples from the bottom of the crater and return to the lab at the urgent care to examine and tests their samples.

"Jeff, look at these fossils," request Steve.

"Opabinia fossils are rare," Steve tells Jeff. "Soft tissue life forms like this usually decay too rapidly to be fossilized. But what struck me funny was how much these Opabinia fossils we found in the crater resemble the parasites inhabiting the cockroaches now."

"Well," says Jeff, "Let's ask someone."

Jeff steps out into the hall and the first person he sees is Melody, "Hey, Melody."

Melody pauses. Her head turns slowly in his direction. Her head tilts as she focuses on him, "Do you require assistance?"

"Yes," answers Jeff, "We'ld like you to look at something for us and tell us anything you know about it. The more information we have to work with, the better."

Melody follows him into the lab.

"We found Opabinia fossils in the crater yesterday," explains Jeff, "And Steve was just commenting that there is quite a resemblance between the Opabinia fossils and your form now," he points to a specimen in a petri dish.

Melody looks from the fossils to the specimen in the dish and back to the fossils. She points to the fossils, "This is our form when we arrived. We have evolved some since then."

"So you've been on this planet since its infancy," states Jeff.

Pause, then Melody answers, "Basically, yes." Then she twitches involuntarily.

Greta enters the lab and informs Jeff, "If you have more questions, we will answer through the Greta. Individuals like the Melody, who have abused various substances, frequently malfunction.

"Malfunction how," ask Jeff.

"It depends on the severity of the individual's abuse," answers Greta. "But we are dealing with a number of individuals who are going through withdrawal. The Melody only occasionally vomits or urinates on herself. With many others, it's much worse. When we are finally able to integrate with you properly, many of these problems you suffer from drug and alcohol abuse will disappear because there will be no substance abuse."

"And we just have to give up our freedom of choice and individuality," says Jeff skeptically.

"The individuals, Greta and Melody, are still here," says Greta, "But unfortunately as things are, we cannot integrate with you properly. We do not wish to control you in this fashion. We wish to live with you, partner with you."

"So how have you survived all this time," ask Reana.

"If it had been desert here when we crashed," explains Greta, "we would not have survived. But there was water."

"Does it matter if it's fresh water or salt water," ask Yvette.

"No," answers Greta, "And this planet being in its infancy as you say, there were no advanced life forms. We expected to parish in such a harsh, violent and un-evolved environment. But the queen and her drones bred and multiplied. Plus, the queen ordered drones to attempt to breed with any other life forms closely resembling ourselves. Just in case we became extinct, at least some of our DNA would survive. But the queen remained hidden while workers explored. And this planet changed many times. But our place where the queen was hidden remained safe and changed very little for a long time."

"But this isn't the same queen," states Jeff.

"No," answers Greta, "a queen only births a new queen when the end of her life cycle is near. Our current queen is young but contains all of the prior knowledge of the previous queens."

"If something happened to the queen," ask Reana "what would happen to you?"

"I am only a worker," explains Greta, "Without the queen, we would be the last generation of our kind and all the knowledge we have would perish with us. We would live out the rest of our life cycle. But it would be a sad hopeless existence, knowing we are the last."

"Yes," agrees Reana, "that would be sad. Your previous hosts must have been much more advanced than ourselves."

"True," confirms Greta, "We have so much to share with you."

Jeff rubs his hands together, "Let's call it a day. Tomorrow we sleep in and take it easy."

"You won't be coming in tomorrow," inquires Greta.

"No," Jeff answers, "Tomorrow's Sunday and we've worked six days straight from very early in the morning until quite late every night. Surely you've picked up from the minds of the people you're using that human beings require mental and physical rest on a regular basis. After all, you've done an excellent job of keeping them fed, bathed and in clean clothes."

"Yes," confirms Greta, "We are aware of your needs, physical, emotional and sexual. We have found that many of you do not care for yourselves properly either by over eating, under eating or just eating the wrong things. Some exercise excessively while many don't exercise at all. And some have strange thoughts about sex and its practice. Rarely has any rational thought truly gone into the selection of a mate. Everyone you know believes you and Reana are perfect for each other. Going by the high intelligence of both of you, this assessment seems correct. Yet we are unaware of the genetics for both of you, but we see no reason at this time why you should not reproduce together. As for the rest of the town, we are compiling genetic information in order to determine who is best for whom for reproduction. For now, all sex is protected and for recreation."

"People are having sex," questions Yvette

Greta tilts her head as she looks at Yvette, "Yes. People want sex. People need sex. We enjoy the sex through them. So yes, we bring them together for sex. But we have been careful not to bring them together with people they have no attraction for. The Melody is very open to sex with almost any male. Likewise, many males are eager for sex with the Melody including the Jimmy. The Jimmy is open to sex with almost any female. He has a strong attraction for Reana. He would consider it a significant accomplishment to mate with Reana."

"That will never happen," states Reana.

"He is aware of this," responds Greta. "But it does not keep him from wanting you. And now that the Greta knows how the Jimmy is, how many times he's cheated on her, how he really feels about her, she no longer wants to marry him. She only cheated once with someone she cares deeply for and she felt so guilty for it. And the abortion, she really wishes she hadn't done that."

"She would do things differently if she could," ask Brian.

Greta looks at him for a moment before she answers, "Yes. She hopes for a second chance with him now."

"Good," says Brian, "That's good."

"Are we ready to go," ask Jeff.

"Yes, I'm exhausted," answers Reana as she hops off her stool.

"Me too," says Yvette, "This is all fascinating, but I'm pooped."

They all go home to Reana's house like they've been doing every night since the carnival. Reana and Jeff retire to their room. Yvette sleeps in Reana's childhood bedroom. While Steve and Brian sleep in Jeff's recently vacated room.

It's Sunday morning and Steve and Brian wake up to what appears to be a quiet house. They're usually the last ones up after Jeff has called for them. Breakfast is usually ready. They've worked hard for the past week putting in ten and twelve hour days learning all they can about their invading enemy. Both young men need to unwind badly.

"What do you want to do," Brian asks Steve.

"We could get breakfast started," suggest Steve.

Brian makes a face at Steve, "You can't think of anything more creative than that, man. Besides, if we catch Jeff and Reana's kitchen on fire, they'll skin us alive."

Steve thinks for a moment, "There has to be a creative way we could wake Yvette up. Then she can start breakfast."

Brian smiles broadly, "Now you're thinking. Let's go."

Brian and Steve sneak upstairs. The first bedroom they come to is Reana's childhood bedroom, currently the guestroom. The door is ajar a few inches and they can see Yvette sleeping peacefully.

Brian hears something and grabs Steve's arm. In a whisper he asks Steve, "Did you hear that?"

Whispering, Steve asks, "Hear what?"

Both young men are silent a moment. Their silence is rewarded when they both hear a moan come from Jeff and Reana's room.

Steve looks at Brian and asks in a whisper, "Do you think they're..."

Brian nods affirmatively and motions for Steve to be quiet as he leads the way to Jeff and Reana's bedroom door stealthily. When they reach the door undetected, their reward is the door is ajar wide enough to actually poke your head through.

Jeff and Reana aren't aware they're being watched. They know they're not alone in the house so they're being quiet. They roll over together so that Reana's straddling Jeff. As Jeff guides the rhythm of Reana's hips with his large competent hands, he sighs, "Oh, Reana."

Brian and Steve can hardly believe they're lucky enough to stumble upon this. The sheet is keeping them from seeing as much as they would like to see, but they're both still thrilled as they watch Reana's hips glide over Jeff.

Yawning and rubbing her eyes, Yvette steps out of her bedroom. Things are fuzzy, so she slides her glasses on. She focuses on Brian and Steve confused as to why they're both crouching outside of Reana and Jeff's bedroom.

Sleepy-eyed and still a little fuzzy headed. Yvette pads up behind them and looks through the ajar door. Her jaw drops open and she's suddenly wide awake.

"You perverts," Yvette shouts as she starts slapping both young men. "What do you think you're doing? (Slapping!) Perverts! Freaks! Sex fiends!"

Technically, both young men could easily defend themselves against little Yvette. She isn't any taller than Reana or Greta. She's boney with a fiery temper when she's pissed off. Yet they both just take what she's dishing out as they shout, "Ouch!" and "Stop!" and "That hurts!" while they twitch away from her stinging slaps.

At the sound of Yvette's voice just outside their door shouting, "You pervert!" Reana and Jeff freeze.

Sliding off of Jeff, Reana ask, "You don't think Brian and Steve were..."

Jeff's face is angry as he answers, "Yes, I do." He hops off the bed, heedless of his own nakedness because he's furious.

Jeff yanks open the bedroom door and ask, "What in the hell is going on out here?"

"Oh my," exclaims Yvette throwing her hands over her eyes and turning her back on Jeff.

At the sound of Yvette's exclamation, Reana hops off the bed with the sheet wrapped around her.

Brian and Jeff both take in Jeff's nakedness and Brian says, "Damn, Jeff, you could choke a horse with that," as Reana appears beside Jeff wrapped in the bed sheet and throws up enough sheet in front of Jeff to cover his groin.

Steve looks down inside the front on his pajama bottoms. He shakes his head slowly and says, "That's so not fair."

Jeff points an angry finger at both young men, "I'm only going to tell you this once. Sex between Reana and me is not a spectator sport. If you pull a stunt like this again, I will kick both your asses."

"Yvette, are you all right," ask Reana.

"After seeing the size of that," says Brian, "We should be asking if you're alright."

"I'm fine," says Reana irritated with Brian.

"I'm okay," Yvette answers Reana, "I just saw more of Jeff than I ever thought I would."

"Sorry, Yvette," apologizes Jeff. To Brian and Steve he says, "You two get the hell away from our door." Then Jeff slams the door shut.

"I don't believe you two," Yvette grabbing a wrist of each young man and pulling them along behind her. "You're both a couple of sick perverts."

"Naw," says Brian, "We're just a couple of normal, healthy, horny young men."

"If this is all there is available from the male population," Yvette pulling them into the kitchen, "I may never get married... For now, you're both going to help me make breakfast."

Jeff's long legs stride back and forth across the room as he paces while clenching and unclenching his fist.

"You may have scarred poor Yvette for life," Reana tells Jeff. "She's saving herself for her wedding night."

Jeff notices a sad tone slip into Reana's voice. He stops pacing to sit beside her on the bed, his anger being washed away by his concern for Reana. He asks her, "What's wrong?"

Reana throws on a smile that doesn't reach her eyes, "Nothing," she insists.

Except, Jeff knows her too well. His dark brows furrow and he says her name firmly, "Reana."

Reana's beautiful lips draw into a frustrated line. She insists, "It's nothing. Or at least nothing either of us can do anything about."

"We can still talk about it," Jeff reminds her. Then he lifts her chin and kisses her.

Reana explains, "Yvette is saving herself. Greta chose Jimmy. Melody chose who she gave her virginity to. I guess I'm just a little sad because Super Jock stole my choice. Even if it had been a bad choice, at least it would have been mine." Reana touches Jeff's face, "I could have saved it for you, given it to you."

Jeff takes her in his arms, "But you did give it to me. What Super Jock did was simply physical dominance. He didn't touch your soul, your bright beautiful soul. And he didn't touch your heart, your pure loving heart. That little piece of skin Super Jock broke doesn't matter. You gave me your real virginity, the only virginity that matters. You gave me you, all of you, including your heart and soul willingly with love. And I know every time we make love, you give it to me again."

Reana kisses Jeff. She needed to hear what he said. It healed something that was still broken inside her. They pick back up where they left off before they were rudely interrupted. And this time, they don't bother with trying to be quiet.

Reana and Jeff come downstairs fresh from the shower and fully dressed. Yvette, Brian and Steve are all showered, dressed and fed. And even though breakfast is cold, Jeff and Reana are grateful that it was made.

Reana pops a plate in the microwave, "Thanks for making breakfast, Yvette."

Yvette can't make eye contact with Jeff or Reana, "No problem."

"What about us," ask Brian, "Aren't you going to thank us?"

"It's just not fair," says Steve staring at the floor, "It's just not fair."

"Stop saying that," Yvette tells Steve.

"What did you and Steve do," Jeff ask Brian.

"We helped make breakfast," answers Brian.

"Well, if you were actually useful," Jeff tells Brian, "Then we thank you. If not, then we don't."

The microwave beeps. Reana takes the plate out of the microwave and divides the warmed up food between herself and Jeff.

"It's not fair," says Steve.

"Shut up," Yvette tells Steve, "I didn't get blessed with big boobs, but you don't hear me whining about it."

"What's he whining about," ask Reana cutting a sausage link.

"We all got a good look at Jeff this morning," Brian reminds Reana, "Steve feels like he got cheated."

Reana shrugs, "Size isn't really important is it?"

Yvette answers, "I don't really have any experience, but I don't think it should matter."

"For a girl with experience it matters," says Steve.

"Steve," Jeff tells him, "It doesn't matter. It's not important. If it matters to her, she's not the one, she doesn't love you."

"That's easy for you to say," responds Steve sourly, "You've got it all: tall, good looks, a successful writer, good job, money, big cock, super models and now Reana."

"It didn't happen overnight," Jeff tells Steve, "I was a short husky kid with thick glasses. And I screwed up a lot along the way. I finally got my growth spurt and my parents got me laser eye surgery as my college graduation present and there were suddenly so many women throwing themselves at me I didn't know which one to nail first and I attempted to nail them all. I was a first class ass for a while and it nearly cost me my two best friends, which would have cost me Reana.

I didn't know that at the time. Reana was just a baby. But I finally pulled my head out of my ass because I didn't want to lose my best friends and they were right and I was wrong. Plus, I didn't want to end up alone or worse, end up married to someone like Gloria. Size mattered to her. When Reana calls her Miss Super Model, she's being nice because what she really is, is a Super Bitch. And yes, Reana's mine now, but I had to wait for her."

"What do you mean you had to wait for her," ask Steve.

"She was too young when I realized I was in love with her," explains Jeff. "Plus, I was still punishing myself with Gloria. I've known I've been in love with Reana since she was sixteen. But she was my ward, I was her guardian. It was my job to take care of her until she could take care of herself. My responsibility to her came first. What she needed came first."

"Can you say exactly when you knew you were in love with me," Reana ask Jeff.

Jeff takes her hands, "You were a little more than seven months pregnant and Super Jock's parents were giving us hell trying to win custody of our son. It was the last thing either of us wanted for him and you said, 'Maybe I should keep the baby.' I told you if that's what you wanted, I was with you one hundred percent and offered to marry you in name only and the baby would never have to know how he was conceived and I would be his daddy. You took my face in your lovely little hands and gently pressed your lips to mine and said, 'Thank you, Jeff.' That was the moment I knew I was in love with you."

"When you offered to marry me and be our son's father," shares Reana, "That's when I knew I was in love with you. But you were with Gloria. And you took so much crap from her, I was sure you must have been hopelessly in love with her. I knew you loved me. But I didn't know you were in love with me. You hid it well. I didn't think I had a chance with you until you two finally broke up."

"I had stopped putting forth any real effort in my relationship with Gloria at the beginning of the pregnancy," admits Jeff. "You needed me. She didn't. But I finally made it officially over with Gloria when you were coming home for the summer after your first year away at the university and I had all these plans for things I wanted to do with you over the summer and she wanted me to take a trip with her. And I was like, no, Reana's coming home and I've got to get the house ready, I don't have time for a trip right now. Not to mention I just didn't want to go. So Gloria went off on a tirade, accused me of fucking you and called you a little slut and some other unpleasant things. And I said, 'Gloria, we're finished. It's over. Don't call me because I'm not going to call you,' and I hung up on her."

Yvette asks, "What happened to the baby?"

Reana explains sadly, "A week after Jeff proposed that first time and offered to be his daddy, I went into premature labor and he was stillborn. Doctors couldn't tell us exactly what went wrong. He just died inside me. They said it was like SIDS, Sudden Infant Death Syndrome. No one had done anything wrong or could have done anything to prevent it."

Jeff squeezes Reana's hand. His grief is easy to read on his face, "We lost our son. We buried him next to Reana's parents." He kisses her fingers, "But we're going to have more children. Give him at least five siblings, we want a big family."

A tear runs down Reana's cheek, "I'll have ten if you want ten. If we get through this alive, I'll have as many as you want."

"Come here," Jeff guiding Reana onto his lap. He holds her and shushes her.

"Listen," Jeff tells all of them, "It only takes one to make a difference and there are five of us. We're going to get through this. Tomorrow, we're going to drive into town and work at the lab in the urgent care center. We are going to continue to work hard and be cooperative. Around lunch time, I'll bring up that we need to see their present surroundings. That we need to know what all they're being exposed to and what not. We'll collect soil samples and everything like we did at the crater."

The front doorbell rings.

"Sounds like we have company," says Steve.

"Let's not keep them waiting," Jeff gives Reana's bottom an affectionate pat as they rise from his chair.

Jeff unlocks and opens the front door.

Greta steps inside and says, "The door was locked."

Jeff responds, "I don't know your range of emotions or if you even have any. So I don't know if you're capable of understanding that we're afraid. We have fears."

"We are capable of understanding," responds Greta. "We possess all the emotions you possess including love. And we want you all to be in good spirits, to have long happy productive lives."

"Mom, Dad," Yvette calls as her parents carry in a duffel-bag, followed by Steve and Brian's parents, who also have duffle-bags.

"Your parents were concerned for your wellbeing," Greta explains, "Worried that you might not have enough clothes. So we packed you each a duffle-bag and brought them so they could see you're alright. And we hope seeing them helps you as well."

Yvette slowly approaches her parents and takes the duffle-bag. She's never seen her parents this quiet before. She says, "Thank you," then runs upstairs with the duffle-bag as Jimmy, Tammy and Melody step in carrying some groceries they go straight to the kitchen with.

"We brought you some groceries as well," says Greta. "We understand that there are more than just Jeff and Reana here. And when you last bought groceries, you may have only planned for the two of you...

Was bringing their parents a mistake? Yvette's parents believe she is upset and Steven and Brian don't seem happy to see their parents."

"It's not that we're not happy to see our parents," Steve explains, "We love our parents. But seeing them like this is disturbing."

Steve and Brian's parents put down the duffel-bags and exits the house. Jimmy, Tammy and Melody come out of the kitchen and exit the house too.

"Our apologies," says Greta. "We did not mean to cause further distress."

"Distress," repeats Reana, "you didn't mean to... You want us to have long happy productive lives... Timmy Taylor was only ten years old. He's not going to get to live a long happy productive life."

"We are sorry for the lives that were lost. We did not know we would cause a panic," responds Greta, "We gained control of the situation as quickly as we could. We certainly did not intend for anyone to die, especially not young offspring. We need to learn how we can merge with you properly to bring you the peace you deserve...

You will still drive into town tomorrow and work in the lab?"

"Yes, we will," Jeff assures.

"Will Yvette be alright," ask Greta.

"She will," Reana answers, "Timmy won't."

Greta's head does a slow nod and she steps outside.

"Greta wait," calls Brian, and he rushes out onto the porch where he catches Greta by the arm.

Reana, Jeff and Steve squeeze into the doorway to see what's going on.

"Why didn't you tell me you were pregnant," Brian asks Greta.

"Greta thought it best if you didn't know, if no one knew," answers Greta.

"But I love you," Brian tells Greta nearly vibrating from his emotions as Greta just stands there. "I told you I love you. I begged you to dump Jimmy. I knew he was cheating on you. He brags when it's just the guys. Tells us how stupid you are. I wanted to tell you, but I was afraid to see your reaction and that you wouldn't believe me."

"Greta may not have believed you," says Greta, "At that time, Greta truly believed Jimmy was the one for her, that they were destined to be together because she gave him her virginity. And despite her strong feelings for you, she thought what happened between you was a fluke."

"But I love you," insist Brian, "Not that lying, cheating, alcoholic Jimmy. That was our baby you got rid of, our baby."

"Greta is sorry," says Greta, "She would change it if she could, but she cannot. And the Jimmy is planning on kicking your ass."

"Even if he tried, he couldn't do it," Brian unconcerned with Jimmy's threat.

Greta starts down the steps, but stops. She turns back to Brian and tells him, "Greta wishes you to know, she loves you too." Then she continues down the steps. She climbs into the driver's seat of the minivan they drove out in and drives back to town.

Reana steps out onto the porch and up to Brian. She asks, "Are you okay, Brian?"

Brian sniffs as he answers, "Fine... She loves me..." He nods his head, "She loves me.