Rescue Ship

Rescue Ship

By Vic James

Copyright 2012 by Vic James

vicjames2@hotmail.com

http://vicjames.com

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Please check out my other stories: Slave for a Day http://www.nifty.org/nifty/gay/sf-fantasy/slave-for-a-day/ Owen http://www.nifty.org/nifty/gay/highschool/owen Plan of the Shusheen-Shifter Worlds http://www.nifty.org/nifty/gay/sf-fantasy/plan-of-the-shusheen- shifter-worlds/

Note to readers: This story takes place in the same universe as Slave for a Day and about one hundred years before the events in that story

Part One

Jake Adams woke for the four thousand two hundred seventy- eighth day on Strillip Four. He stared up at the rock ceiling in the cave he had adopted as his home. The pain he had felt over the death of his husband and shipmates had faded. He had long since given up hope of being rescued. He knew he would remain there until he died. He didn't particularly care if he lived a long time, or not. He had no reason to live, but no reason to die, either.

He sat up and saw the sun was rising. The rain of the last two days seemed to be over. He was hungry and he knew he needed to find food before the stilts arrived and ate everything, including him, if they could. The meter tall insectoids would swarm after the rain. The orgy of feeding would be followed by an orgy of breeding and then mass death. The valley would be unlivable until the carcasses rotted. He would have to move out for at least a month. It was that time of the year, and he could hear their whistles during the night. He knew for certain they were coming.

He gathered his dried meat and the remains of his gear. A fairly large flying insectoid he called a painted lady had flown into the cave. It fluttered in front of him. Its wings were red and yellow and its body was green. It looked like a cross between a colorful butterfly and a bat. They were generally placid creatures who displayed curiosity about things, including humans. It implied they were more intelligent than insectoids generally were. He had been studying one when the stilts first attacked them. The one he was examining bit him and then stung him when it heard the stilts' clicks. At the time, he didn't understand why it had been so frantic to escape. It didn't take long for him to realize why that painted lady needed to escape. He rubbed his right forearm. That was where the stilt bit him. It had just bitten and killed his husband Eric. Jake supposed it didn't have much venom left, since he didn't die.

Jake could still picture the other members of the expedition as they quickly died from stilt bites. He had run and climbed up a wall of the valley, crying the whole way, and ended up at the sulfur beds. His arm had burned like it was on fire. In desperation, he pushed it into a sulfur bed, and that helped. He knew Eric and the others were eaten. That was what stilts did. He was grateful he didn't witness it.

Jake left the cave. He saw the rain had caused many edible fungi to sprout on the remains of last year's stilt carcasses. He kicked a stilt shell and it crumbled. All that remained were their shells and now, a year later, they were as fragile as eggshells. He picked one of his favorite fungi and ate it as he collected more and put them in his pack. Most of his gear was inside a waterproof bag which he carried over his shoulder. Jake stopped wearing clothes about a year after he was stranded. Strillip Four was hot and humid. Clothes stayed wet from the rain, the humidity, and his sweat. He didn't miss them.

He watched a jilpok crawl out from under a rotting carcass. He picked it up and it pulled back inside its shell. He rubbed one of its furry front legs and it peaked out of its shell. It looked like a squirrel crossed with a turtle. It had a long fluffy tail which it could pull into its gray shell, along with its legs and head. Their shells looked like rocks, which gave the jilpoks excellent camouflage. He scratched its head, which it seemed to enjoy. He fed it a piece of red fungus and it grabbed it with its front legs and ate it. He put it on the ground and continued collecting food. He came across an unguarded trill nest. Trills were feathered ectotherms. They were really quite beautiful. They had brilliant blue feathers on their short arms, their powerful legs, and their backs. They had long emerald green feathers on their tails which they could fan out, and they had turquoise-colored scales everywhere else. He imagined they looked rather like feathered dinosaurs. There were two large eggs in the nest. He added one to his pack and continued walking. The trill would be back soon and he headed for the trail that led out of the valley.

As he walked, he gathered more food. When he turned around, he saw the jilpok was following him. He picked it up and decided to take it with him. It would probably be eaten by the stilts if he didn't. He had seen a few survive the stilt swarm by hiding in their shells, but most perished. They were vulnerable on their undersides, since the shell was only on top. He put it on his shoulder and it wrapped its tail around his neck to hang on.

He heard the first click-click sound of a stilt. Then he saw one walk out of some vegetation and across the trail. He immediately saw another and another. He walked faster. They would begin feeding soon and would be happy to eat him. He saw some kiska plants and he gathered them before running to the rock cliffs that led out of the valley on this end. He began climbing. The stilts had begun clicking in mass and he turned around and saw many in the valley. Most of them would enter the valley from its opposite end. He heard a trill screech. Whether it was because it found one of its eggs gone or because the stilts were attacking it, he couldn't say. The stilt could carry one egg in its pouch and run to safety with it. They were fast runners with deadly kicks, although they weren't normally aggressive. He had seen them kill stilts several times with their powerful, clawed hind legs. The trill would not have been able to carry both eggs, which is why Jake had taken one. He was still an ecologist.

At the top of the rock pass, he paused and looked back at the valley. It was still lush with plant growth, but that would end in the next few hours. The stilts would devour everything organic, even the remains of their parents from the previous year.

He could smell the bubbling sulfur beds that lay outside the valley at this end. The odor would keep the stilts away from him. He entered the cave at the top of the pass and put his food down. He gave another red fungus to the jilpok. It ate it and fell asleep.

The stilt's clicking was becoming more intense. He scratched at the dense hair on his chest.

He walked outside to look down into the valley. The sulfur smelled bad, but he could tolerate it. He heard a strange sound. It sounded familiar, but he couldn't place what it was. It wasn't a click. It was a... he had to think. A beep! He tried to remember what animal made that sound when he realized it was coming from the cave. He walked back inside it and looked around. It was coming from his bag. He opened it and saw it was his communicator. He was stunned. He stared at it a moment. Then he picked it up and pressed the send button.

"This is Alefff Driad. Please respond."

Jake tried to speak, but nothing came out. Finally, he got out, "Jjjaaa"

"I am sorry. Please repeat that."

"Jaaake. Jake Adams of..." What was the name of his ship? He tried to remember. Then he had it. He cleared his throat. "Of Investicor 417."

"Jake, how many of you survived?"

"Just me. The others were eaten by stilts. They are an enormous, venomous insect."

"We have your position. Is it safe to land?"

"No. The stilts are swarming. Can you hover over my location?"

"Yes. We can drop a ladder. Are you ready to leave?"

Jake stared at the communicator. "Hell, yes!"

He waited a few minutes. He decided to check on the stilts. He could see swarms of them. One section of the jungle in the valley was stripped clean of leaves. Stilts were chewing on the wood. They would eat it, too. It still amazed him how quickly everything regrew after the stilts died. Most of the plants, even the trees, could grow at least decimeter a day. And the fastest growing, drizilope trees, grew half a meter in a day. On many occasions, he had sat for hours watching drizilope trees sprout and grow. It was like magic! In fact, watching the valley go from dead to lushly-vegetated in a week was the only part of being on Strillip Four that he would miss. About twenty meters below him, he could see a drizilope seed pod that the wind had carried up the rocks. He decided to take it with him. A fast growing tree like that could be useful. He quickly climbed down after it, got it, and climbed back up. He put it in his pack.

He heard a sound and looked up. It was a ship. He stared at it, unsure of-everything. It never occurred to him that he might leave this planet. So many ships were sent out. Everyone knew many would not return. He went into the cave and got his gear. He put the jilpok on his shoulder. He decided he would take it with him. They were his favorite animal on the planet. He took the food out of his pack and left it. He would have real food!

He walked back out of the cave. A hatch opened underneath the ship and a ladder descended. When it was low enough, he climbed onto it and began climbing up the ladder. The jilpok tightened its tail around his neck. He looked out over the valley. He could see the blue of the stilts everywhere. Their frenzy had begun. They would consume everything, mate, and use the food they had consumed to produce billions of eggs for their next generation. The young would leave the valley to feed and grow. A year later they would return and repeat the cycle.

He had an incredible urge to scream 'Fuck you' at the planet as he left, but he decided that was just a little too melodramatic. No one could blame him for thinking it, though.

He reached the top of the ladder and entered the ship. Jake's mouth dropped open. He saw the handsomest man he had ever seen wearing a uniform Jake didn't recognize. Jake wondered then if he was dreaming all of this. The man stared at Jake in shock.

"What is that?"

"Jjj." Jake cleared his throat. "A jilpok. It is a.pet."

Jake saw the male look at him wide-eyed. He looked down at himself and saw he was muddy, naked, and there were sticks and plants stuck to him. He brushed them off.

"Bbbaath." The human nodded agreement.

"I am Alefff. This ship is the Drissago. Deka is the AI who runs the ship. We are a rescue ship. We are heading next to Indivar Two to check for survivors of Investicor 297." Jake nodded.

"There is native life, then on Strillip Four?"

"Yes. A complex biosphere."

"How much of it did you bring with you?" Alefff said, grinning.

Jake smiled. "As little as possible." Jake stared at Alefff and then realized he was being too obvious. But good grief, Alefff was handsome! What was a video star doing out here in the dead center of nowhere? Jake was getting hard and he was naked.

Alefff led him into a room, and then into a washroom. "I think everything you need is here. Do you want to shave that beard?" Alefff squinted at him. "I think I see part of the biosphere in it." Jake felt it and chuckled. "I would suggest that you decontaminate first.

"Is there any data or belongings of yours we need to get from the planet?"

"No."

"Deka, we can leave."

"Thank you, Alefff."

"Jake, do you have any data you wish to transmit to Investicor?" Deka asked.

"I will submit an oral report. We transmitted most of our findings before-"

"I understand."

Alefff left him and Jake put the jilpok in the sink. He turned the water on and the jilpok drank. He walked to the shower stall and stared at the controls, trying to remember how they worked. It came to him and he began washing himself. The drain kept getting blocked from the things that were coming off his body, including a small insect. He stepped on it. He applied sterilizer gel and left it on a few minutes to kill everything. He rinsed it off and got out of the stall. He saw himself in a mirror and he stared. He didn't recognize himself. He stared a while longer at his image and then began to cut off his beard. He stopped and stared at himself in the mirror. He had scars on his forehead, chest, and arm. The one on his arm was from the stilt bite.

Once he had shaved, he started to look like himself. But now older and scarred. He decided to bathe again. He could still see some mud. He squirted soap on his cock and stroked it. He imagined Alefff on his knees, begging for his cock. Yes, Alefff I will give it to you, he thought. Jake stopped before he came. He had been beating off by himself for years. He was tired of it. When he finished washing, he dried himself and went into the room. He sat on the bed and stared at the floor. He hadn't expected to have a real life again. What would he do with it? What would he do on Canadan? Teach? He lost the desire to explore. In a way, he dreaded going back. He would have to relive Eric's death with each family member and friend of his. He wanted to forget, not reminisce.

Alefff watched Jake sitting on the bed on the display. He seemed so lost. He needed a psychologist, but Alefff was alone on the ship. He and the AI would have to do.

He also was aroused. Virtual sex was fine when it was all that was available, but Jake was quite a man, and Alefff wanted a man, badly. When he saw Jake's cock start to stiffen when he boarded the ship, Alefff wanted to drop to his knees and clean Jake's cock with his mouth. He had the camera zoom in on Jake's cock. He licked his lips and took several high resolution pictures of it. He zoomed in on the photo. Alefff wished it was stiff.

"Deka, do you have any video of Jake entering the ship? He got hard briefly and I want a picture."

"No, Alefff. But he became erect when he saw you. I think we both know what that means."

"It certainly doesn't mean he will have sex with me."

Alefff rubbed his erection while he looked at Jake's cock. He closed his eyes and imagined it sliding into him. First his mouth and then his ass. He pulled his prick out of his pants and stroked it. He had had enough of his imagination, though. He wanted a real man and finally, there was one in the next room. He put his prick back in his pants and walked to Jake's room.

"May I enter?"

Jake heard the voice and wondered for a moment what it meant. Then he tried to say yes, but his voice broke. He said it again.

Alefff walked in. "Is there anything you need?"

Jake looked at him. He wondered what he meant. He had absolutely nothing!

"Are you hungry?" Jake nodded. "Come. I will show you the dining area." Alefff turned around and walked out the door. He followed Alefff down a corridor and into another room.

"You can order what you like on this." He pointed out a display.

Jake looked at it and his mouth watered. Real, civilized food. He picked a sandwich and coffee. A light flashed on another wall.

"The food comes out there," Alefff said, pointing to the light.

Jake could smell the coffee. It smelled heavenly.

He opened a small door under the light, and his sandwich sat on a paper plate. A paper cup of coffee sat next to it.

Jake saw Alefff was seated, so he took his food and sat with him.

"Is that a food printer?" Jake asked him.

"Yes."

"I've never used one!"

"It's hooked up to the recycling system." Alefff realized he probably shouldn't have said that. Fortunately, Jake did not respond. Alefff didn't mind that he ate his shit over and over, but Jake might.

Jake looked at the Alefff and got hard. Fortunately, Alefff couldn't see it. Alefff had brown hair and brilliant green eyes. Jake couldn't see a single flaw or blemish on his skin. Alefff looked perfect. "Are you human?" Jake asked.

Alefff smiled. "Mostly." Jake looked confused. "I was manufactured. I am synthetic, but biological. I am A L E F F F."

Jake stared at him. "I have never met an artificial person."

"They did not want to have more than one person as crew on these ships. Too expensive. A natural human might not have been able to cope with the loneliness. Plus the missions do not really have end dates, unless there are survivors to take home. I am lonely, but I am able to cope with it. I can shut down mentally, but I haven't needed to do that."

"You are alone on the ship?"

"There is the AI, Deka, but no one else."

"I have had enough loneliness to last a lifetime," Jake said.

Alefff nodded. "Believe me! I am very glad you are here. How long were you on Strillip Four."

"About twelve years."

Jake smiled at him and took a bite of his sandwich. He sighed loudly at the taste and Alefff laughed. He got up and ordered a drink for himself. He picked it up and sat back down.

"Do you have a wife?"

"No. My husband died on Strillip Four."

"I am so sorry, Jake." Jake nodded.

"How about you, Alefff?"

"No. I was manufactured and then launched almost immediately. I didn't have time to meet anyone." Alefff smiled. Jake didn't think that was anything to smile about. It seemed tragic to him. "There hasn't been much opportunity to meet people on this ship."

"Now, I am sorry."

Alefff shrugged.

"Do you have sexual desires, Alefff?"

"Oh, heavens yes! I have spent the last twelve years masturbating!"

Jake laughed. "So have I!" He drank some of his coffee. It was wonderful! Compared to the day before, his life had immeasurably improved.

"I am tired of masturbating," Alefff added.

Jake nodded. "Me, too. Do you like females or males?" Jake asked.

"Males. I think we are made that way so we won't have an urge to reproduce," Alefff said. Jake nodded.

Jake wasn't sure if he was reading the signals right, but he thought Alefff liked the way he looked. Plus he said he was tired of masturbating and Jake was the only alternative. Jake reached under the table and stroked himself without thinking. He stopped when he realized what he was doing. He was used to being alone and beating off whenever and wherever he felt like it.

"Where are you from, Jake?"

"I was born in New Vancouver, but I grew up in Elstree. How old are you?"

"That is not easy to answer. Mentally, I imagine I am about thirty. I was manufactured twelve years ago. It was created like this. I didn't grow. I won't age."

"Why do you say mentally thirty?"

"My mind works differently. I was manufactured with memories and education. It's just.different." This was all new to Jake. He had no idea what that meant. Alefff could see Jake looked a little lost. "All Alefffs share the same mind."

Jake's eyes widened. "You know what they are all thinking?"

Alefff frowned. "No. I mean when we are made, we all have the same memories and education. I am independent. We all might react identically in the beginning, but we diverge, based on our experiences.

"Does it bother you, Jake? That I am different from you?"

"No. But I must seem barbaric to you."

"Why do you say that?"

"Dirty, naked, old, battered, tired."

"That's not how I see you."

"Oh?"

Alefff decided not to say anything. He wanted Jake, but Jake was psychologically vulnerable and he wasn't sure how ethical it was to get into a relationship with him while he was. If he did, would he ever know whether Jake only got involved because there were no natural humans available? But maybe he should. Jake was lonely. Alefff could help.

"I left off ugly."

Alefff laughed. "You also left off hairy and bug-covered."

"Oh." Jake looked down.

Alefff sighed. "I think you are so dreamy."

"You do?"

"Oh, no!" Alefff closed his eyes. "Did I say that out loud?"

"Yes." He heard Jake laugh. He opened them.

"I am glad you can blush, Alefff."

"I am used to being alone and talking to myself."

Alefff looked down. Jake put his hand on Alefff's and squeezed it, gently. "I know exactly what that is like. Please don't worry about it."

Alefff smiled at him. "Thank you, Jake. How old were you when your ship landed on Strillip Four? You must have been quite young."

"Not that young. Why do you say that?"

"You were there twelve years. You must have been young."

"No. I was twenty-five when we landed."

Alefff stared at him. "I guessed you were under thirty."

Jake smiled. "Thank you."

Jake finished his sandwich. He ordered another one and began eating it. He ordered a beer as well and cheered after his first sip.

Alefff laughed. "What would you do for hard liquor?"

"Anything you want, Alefff." Alefff looked down, shyly.

"You don't know how wonderful it is to have real food again!"

"I don't know how real it is." Alefff laughed. "Actually, I do. It is completely synthetic!'"

"It tastes like food. Not like something disgusting I have to eat just to stay alive."

"That, I can understand."

Alefff watched Jake eat. It was wonderful having anyone on board, but Jake was beautiful. He resembled one of Alefff's virtual lovers, Renaldo. He was hairy like Renaldo. He longed to have Jake say the things Renaldo said to him, but he knew that would probably not ever happen. After all, Renaldo didn't have a choice! Renaldo was a very dominant lover. Alefff had made him that way. Alefff gave him a strong sex drive, so the minute he saw Alefff, he wanted sex. In their last encounter, Alefff had turned the aggression in Renaldo's personality a little too high. Renaldo hit him, accusing him of having other lovers. That was true and Alefff couldn't deny it. After all, they were as real as Renaldo. Renaldo pushed Alefff to the ground and fucked him, dry. It hurt like hell as Renaldo pushed inside him; he had given Renaldo a very big cock. Alefff quickly left the VR unit and the pain went away. It wasn't physical, after all. He hadn't been with Renaldo since. It wasn't Renaldo's fault, of course. Alefff made him aggressive. But still, Alefff was angry at him.

Alefff watched as Jake drank his beer.

When they finished, Alefff suggested they get some clothes for him from his cabin. There were plenty in the ship's stores, but Alefff had many that he never wore and he really wanted Jake in his clothes. He wasn't sure why.

Jake got up and followed Alefff. Alefff's cabin was next to Jake's. They walked in and Alefff walked to some drawers to get Jake clothes. Jake looked around. He walked over to a display screen and saw a picture of a man's cock. Then he realized it was his.

Alefff looked over and saw what Jake was looking at. He had left one of the photos he took of Jake's cock up on the display! He ran over. "I am so sorry, Jake! I-I don't know what to say!" Alefff put his face in his hands. Jake wasn't angry. He guessed Alefff really meant it when he said he thought Jake was dreamy. Jake saw Alefff was crying.

"It is all right, Alefff." Jake put his arms around him. Jake thought Alefff felt wonderful in them. He hugged Alefff.

"I'm sorry Jake. I am used to being alone." Jake rubbed Alefff's back while he hugged him.

"Had you never seen one that ugly before?"

"It's not ugly!" Jake chuckled. "I think it's beautiful."

"I like you, Alefff. If you want to look at my cock, I will wave it in front of your face. I really don't know why you want to look at it. You must have plenty of pictures of better looking men." He tilted Alefff's face up. "But I am glad you like it. And if you ever want to have sex, just let me know. There is nothing I would like more than having sex with you."

"Really?"

"Yes, of course. Don't you know how attractive you are?"

"You are the first person I have ever met outside of the people at the birth house."

"Oh, Alefff." He hugged him, tightly.

Jake rubbed Alefff's back and Alefff sighed.

"That isn't a very good picture of my cock."

"I know. And if I am going to masturbate for the next twelve years, fantasizing about you, I want one where it is at least erect."

"Do you want some with cum shooting out?"

"Uhhh. Uhhh." Jake laughed.

"Well, it is very erect right now, and it's all because of you. In fact, I think it is drooling on your leg." Alefff laughed. "Alefff, please don't tell me that for the next twelve years, you will be in your cabin masturbating while you think about me and I will be masturbating in mine thinking about you. If that is true, I want really good photos of you."

"That does seem like a bad idea."

"Yes, and terribly inefficient," Jake said. Alefff laughed.

"What do you like to do? Are you a top or a bottom?"

"A bottom."

"Well, I think I can help you there."

Alefff grinned. "Soon?"

"Very, very soon. What else do you like?"

"I will show you."

Alefff replayed a recording of a session with Renaldo.

"This is one of my virtual lovers. His name is Renaldo."

"He is very good looking."

"I think he looks like you, Jake. Only he isn't as attractive."

Jake sat at the chair in front of the display. He watched Renaldo rip Alefff's clothes off. Alefff seemed to enjoy that.

Alefff licked his lips as he looked at Jake's erect cock.

"Is he going to fuck you?"

"Yes."

Jake watched Renaldo rub his cock over Alefff's lips and then saw Alefff begin sucking him very enthusiastically.

"Why don't you suck my cock while I watch you get fucked?"

Alefff moaned and got on his knees. He spread Jake's hairy legs apart and looked up at him. "Will you come in my mouth?"

"Do you want me to?"

"Yes, very much."

Jake grinned. "Then I always will."

He took Jake's beautiful prick in his hands. He pulled the foreskin back and admired it. He ran his fingers over his cock and felt the prominent veins on the shaft. He placed soft kisses all over it before he began licking the head. Jake tasted wonderful to him. Jake produced a lot of precum and Alefff loved that. He began sucking while he looked at Jake's face. Jake moaned. It thrilled Alefff to be pleasing Jake. It was what he had wanted for so long. To have a man he could service and love, who loved him. Jake produced a steady stream of precum that collected in the back of Alefff's mouth. He swallowed periodically. He held Jake's heavy balls in one hand for a while. Then he ran his hands over Jake's thighs as he sucked.

Jake's eyes rolled back. Obviously Alefff was manufactured with expert cocksucking knowledge. It was far, far better than any blow job Eric had ever given him.

"Oh, fuck, Alefff! That feels incredible!"

Jake continued watching the video. Renaldo ordered Alefff around and Alefff seemed to love it. Renaldo face fucked Alefff and then pushed him to the ground and went crazy fucking Alefff. He had his hands wrapped tightly around Alefff's neck while he pounded him. Renaldo groaned and cursed as he came. Alefff took Jake's cock all the way and began swallowing with Jake's cock in his throat. The stimulation made Jake come. He moaned, "Alefff! Oh, Alefff!" as he ejaculated into Alefff's mouth. It was Jake's first orgasm with another person in almost twelve years, and it lasted a wonderfully long time. He looked into Alefff's beautiful green eyes and they kept eye contact all through his orgasm.

Alefff moaned, too. This was his first real sexual encounter. It was the first penis that was ever inside him. The warm cum filling his mouth was sweeter than Renaldo's and it was real. Alefff didn't know whether the sweetness was normal with real people, or not. Jake kept giving him more and more, and Alefff was grateful. His cum slowed, then stopped, but Alefff continued sucking Jake. Jake's cock did not soften at all and Jake made no move to stop him.

Jake decided that if Alefff wanted to be ordered, he could do that. "Suck my balls," Jake ordered. He leaned forward as he said it and his balls hung off the edge of the seat.

Alefff looked up at him. "Do you like having your balls sucked?"

"I love it."

Alefff smiled. "Then I plan to suck them often."

Alefff took one in his mouth and sucked for a while, then the other. Jake stroked his head and Alefff was completely contented.

"You are so beautiful, Alefff. I hope you don't mind my saying this, but I think you are even more beautiful with my cock in your mouth. Looking in your beautiful eyes with your lips wrapped around my prick is the hottest thing I've ever seen."

He pulled off Jake and said, "I don't mind at all," before swallowing him again.

A few minutes later, Jake said, "Now make me come again." Jake wasn't paying any attention to the video. He grinned at Alefff as he began sucking him again. "Pinch my nipples while you suck me." Alefff did and Jake moaned.

"I am going to come in your mouth again, Alefff. And I am going to keep doing it until you beg me to stop."

Alefff moaned around his cock. That would never, ever happen! He touched himself and came. That was how much Jake excited him.

Jake moaned and said, "Here it is, beautiful! Eat it! Eat it all!" Jake groaned as he came again. Alefff gulped it down and moaned at the taste. They kept eye contact the entire time and Alefff found that incredibly erotic. Sadly, there wasn't as much cum this time.

Finally, Alefff backed off Jake's softening prick. He squeezed out the last drops from Jake's cock and licked them off the head. "Was I OK?"

Jake shook his head. Alefff looked so happy! "Oh, Alefff. You are incredible! The handsomest man I ever saw loves my cock! I think I have died and gone to heaven!"

"Will you let me do it again sometime?"

"You can do it as often as you want."

"Really?" Jake laughed.

"Really!"

Alefff rubbed Jake's wet cock all over his face. It stiffened as he did it. He heard Jake moan.

"Damn! You do love it!"

Alefff swallowed it again. He loved the fact that Jake was still hard. He pulled off and said, "I do! I love sucking you. I want to do it all the time! There is one other thing I want, but that can wait."

"Ah. You want me to fuck you like Renaldo."

"Yes, but right now I want to suck you again. I want your cock, Jake. I need it."

Jake stood and pulled Alefff up. Alefff was disappointed, but then Jake kissed him. Jake pushed his tongue into Alefff's mouth and it was the most incredible sensation Alefff had ever had. Alefff wrapped his arms tightly around Jake as they kissed. He could feel Jake's stiff cock pressing against him. That proved Jake wanted him. He was happier than he had ever been.

Jake smiled. "I can taste my cum in your mouth. I like that, Alefff."

"You couldn't possibly like it as much as I do."

He stroked Alefff's cheek and watched a tear roll down his cheek. Jake leaned forward and licked the tear off his cheek.

"I am so happy Jake!"

Jake kissed him again and his tongue explored Alefff's mouth. He pulled away and they smiled at each other.

"I will fuck you, Alefff. I want to very much. I will do it as often as you will let me. But I could never treat you as badly as Renaldo does. I would hate myself. You are too precious and too beautiful. I want to hold you and caress you."

"Oh, Jake!"

"I want to make love to you, not rape you. Can you live with that?" Alefff nodded. Jake kissed him again. While they kissed, Alefff wrapped his hand around Jake's cock. He began stroking Jake.

Jake rubbed a finger over Alefff's lips. "Alefff, your mouth felt incredible. I think I could become addicted to you."

Alefff smiled. "Then I plan to please you with my mouth as often as you will let me."

Jake smiled. "Are you sure? That will be very often."

"There is nothing to do on the ship."

"So we can spend hours having sex?"

"Not hours. The entire day, every day."

Jake hugged Alefff. "That sounds wonderful, like a permanent honeymoon. But."

"What is it?"

"What are your plans after the mission?"

"I have none."

"I don't think that once you are mine, I will ever be able to give you up. I am too possessive to do that."

Alefff looked in Jake's eyes. "We could get married when we go home."

"You would consider that?"

"Consider it? I would love it! Jake, if you ever ask me to marry you, the answer will be yes."

"I have to ask you?"

"I could ask you."

"That sounds better," Jake said, grinning.

"Jake, will you marry me?"

"No. You are too young." Alefff's face fell. Jake laughed.

"I'm kidding! Is there an engagement ring? A cock ring might be appropriate." Alefff laughed.

"I don't know if we have any cock rings, Jake. How about if we use my lips as a cock ring?" Jake laughed and rubbed a finger over Alefff's lips.

"That sounds perfect."

Jake kissed Alefff passionately. Jake led him to Alefff's bed and they lay down and kissed there. As Jake stroked Alefff's cheek, he thought Alefff looked worried.

"What is it? What's wrong?"

"How will your friends feel about me? I am synthetic."

"To be honest, I don't have any. Well, that's not completely true. Let's just say, they aren't close enough that it would bother me to never see them again. I never expected to, anyway. It wouldn't bother me a bit to never return to Canadan. I don't have family, either. Eric had friends and family and he tried to share them with me. If we go back, I will want to spend all my time with you, anyway. So it won't matter."

"We are a lot alike."

"Yes. We both love my cock." Alefff laughed.

"Jake, you are funny and sweet and considerate. Why don't you have friends?"

"My parents and my sister died in an accident when I was eight. I stopped talking for the most part. I saw a psychiatrist, but I think I just lost the will to live. All I wanted was to be with my family. When I was fourteen, I met Eric. He spent the next two years trying to drag me out of my shell. His friends thought he was crazy to care about me and I heard them say it more than once. He accomplished what the psychiatrist hadn't. I opened up to him. I have a few friends I met in college, but really, I was completely focused on Eric. He was the one who wanted to do things with other people. I was completely happy to stay home with him."

"You are very open with me."

"I know. I am very glad to finally have someone to talk to." Jake grinned. "And how can I not like someone who rubs their face with my cock? After all, as I've always said, a friend of my cock is a friend of mine."

"You've always said that?"

"Yes."

"To who?" Jake laughed.

"People on the street. Jilpoks. You know, the usuals." Alefff laughed. Jake kissed him again.

"Can you be content with just me?" Alefff asked him.

"I can't believe you are content with me. After all, you are gorgeous!"

"Thank you. But you are, too."

"To answer your question, yes, assuming we are compatible. I certainly don't wish there was anyone else on the ship. Just the two of us seems perfect to me." Alefff nodded.

"Why are you wearing clothes, Alefff?" Alefff grinned. He got up and quickly pulled them off.

He stood there naked. "What do you think?"

"You are so smooth." Alefff's only hair was on his head. Alefff could see Jake was not completely happy.

"I can grow hair. I can control that. I have it all turned off right now."

"Really?"

"Yes."

"Do you prefer being hairless?"

"Not really."

"I think I would prefer at least a little. Pubic hair, at the very least. It makes you look like a young child."

Alefff pulled on Jake's hand. Jake got out of bed. Alefff walked over to the computer. He produced a series of images of himself with different amounts of body hair."

"That one," Jake pointed.

"I like that, too." There was pubic hair, hair on his legs, and some on his chest.

"It grows like human hair, so we will have to wait for it to grow."

"That's fine.

"Now! You have sucked my cock, but you have cruelly prevented me from sucking yours."

"I know. I am awful!" They both laughed.

"And you have such a pretty cock."

Jake pulled Alefff to the bed. He sat and placed Alefff in front of him. Alefff moaned as Jake swallowed him. Jake was definitely out of practice, but Alefff was smaller than Eric, and that helped. Alefff held Jake's head and trembled as he was sucked. He came quickly. He shouted, "Jake!" as he came.

"Oh, Jake! Oh, Jake!" Jake chuckled.

"Did you like that? I hope so, because I plan to do it many times a day. I may wake you up at night to do it, too!" Alefff moaned and Jake laughed.

"Does my cum taste OK?"

"Yum!" Alefff grinned.

Jake turned Alefff around. He pulled Alefff's cheeks apart and began eating his ass. Alefff trembled, shook, and moaned the entire time. Jake was delighted that Alefff was so easy to please and so responsive.

"I am going to come!"

Jake spun him around and swallowed his prick as Alefff came for the second time.

"Wow! Wow!" Alefff said. Jake laughed.

"You liked that, did you?"

"Yes! Why didn't Renaldo ever do that to me?"

"I hate to tell you, but Renaldo is an asshole." Alefff laughed. "I'm thinking of deleting him. If you want a fake lover, I will program Fake Jake into the computer." Alefff laughed. "He will treat you right! Better yet, I will have Fake Jake beat the shit out of Renaldo and then fuck him." Alefff laughed.

"Oh, Renaldo does not like to get fucked!"

"If Renaldo can rape you, Fake Jake can rape him. It's only fair."

"I guess it is. Well, it's my fault he acts the way he does. I could have programmed Renaldo to do that-eat my ass, but I thought he wouldn't like it. I didn't want to force him to do something he didn't want to do." Jake barked out a laugh.

"Fake Jake would do it often. Real Jake would like to do it even more often."

"Really, Jake?" Jake laughed.

Deka, the AI said, "I hate to interrupt, but I would like to get a blood sample from you, Jake. I need to check for infections and diseases."

"That is fine. Where should I go?"

"I have sent a unit to you."

The cabin door entered and a wheeled cart with extendible arms entered the cabin. "Place your arm on the brown arm rest, Jake." He did, and a cuff folded over his arm. Alefff reached over and started stroking Jake's cock. Alefff hoped that was OK. He hated to make assumptions based on his prior sex life with imaginary men. Jake grinned at him, so it was.

"This is the most fun I've ever had giving a blood sample."

Alefff swallowed him. "Damn! This may be the most fun I've ever had, period!"

A moment later, the cuff folded back. "That's it. I would like to examine your backpack for animal life. Do I have your permission?"

Alefff stopped sucking him. He sat on the bed next to Jake and Jake put his arm around him. Alefff sighed. He leaned over and kissed Jake's cheek. Jake smiled at him and pulled him closer. Alefff rested his head on Jake.

"Sure. I have no interest in the pack or its contents. I can't recommend Strillip Four for colonization and all of the information we gathered was lost."

"I am mostly concerned with animal life loose on the ship."

"I understand. Is the jilpok I brought a problem?"

"No. I am much more concerned about an infestation of insects." Jake nodded.

"If you don't mind my saying so, I believe the jilpok is hungry. It has been tasting things in your cabin."

"I should have thought to give it some food. They are herbivores. Alefff, I am going to get it some food."

"I'll come with you."

They walked to the dining area. Jake took Alefff's hand as they walked down the corridor. Alefff grinned. He felt funny walking around naked, but it was worth it to see Jake naked.

Jake ordered a salad and a variety of other raw vegetables. He ordered another cup of coffee for himself. While he ordered, Alefff ran his hands over Jake's body. Jake grinned at him. Jake's cock stiffened as soon as Alefff touched him. Alefff thought it was like Jake's cock saying, 'I want you', and wasn't that wonderful! It never occurred to him that a man might want Alefff as much as Alefff wanted him. Alefff stood behind Jake. He reached one hand around him and stroked Jake's cock while he ran his other hand over Jake's chest and pinched one of his nipples. He kissed the back of Jake's neck and then his shoulder. Jake moaned, "Oh, baby," and tilted his head back. He pulled Alefff's mouth to his. They kissed. Jake sighed and pulled away.

"Damn! Alefff. You make me so happy! Eric never initiated sex, so when I did, I always wondered whether he really wanted to."

"I understand that."

"What you just did made me feel very wanted." And loved, Jake thought, but he didn't say it.

"I was afraid you wouldn't like it. I do want you." They kissed again. They parted and smiled at each other.

"I love how affectionate you are. I especially love how you can't keep your hands off me. I hope that never changes." Alefff took Jake's hand. Jake pulled Alefff's hand to his mouth and kissed it. Alefff stared at his hand and then at Jake, and fell in love.

"What about water for the jilpok?"

"Good idea." Jake ordered a container of water.

They took the food back to Jake's cabin.

Jake put the food on the floor. The jilpok walked over and sniffed it. It took a piece of carrot and began eating it.

"We should figure out a place to keep him. I doubt he is housebroken."

"There is a large plastic container in the cargo bay."

"Jake, do you want to keep him in your cabin?" Deka asked.

"I really haven't thought about it. I only brought him because he was about to be eaten. Jilpoks are fairly friendly and he was following me around. I didn't want to see him die."

"We can put him in the hydroponics room," Deka suggested. "He might prefer the plant life in there."

"That sounds great."

While Jake was talking to Deka, Alefff was looking at Jake's cock. It was hard. Alefff took it in his hand and started stroking it. Jake grinned at him. Then Alefff knelt and began sucking.

"I have died and gone to heaven," Jake said.

Alefff pulled off him. "Fuck my mouth, Jake. Feed me your cum. I want it. I want every drop."

Jake grinned at him. He held Alefff's head and began thrusting into his mouth. Alefff pulled hard on Jake's butt, so Jake assumed he wanted him to go deeper. He pushed his cock all the way and Alefff began swallowing, using his throat muscles to massage Jake's cock. Jake's eyes rolled back. The pleasure was intense. He began thrusting into Alefff's mouth. After a few minutes, Alefff caressed Jake's balls and Jake allowed himself to come. He groaned as he ejaculated. Eric would never let him come in his mouth and he loved the fact that Alefff wanted him to.

After his orgasm was over, he pulled Alefff up and kissed him. After, Jake stroked Alefff's upper lip. "Can you grow a mustache?"

"Yes. One mustache is on its way!"

Jake smiled and licked Alefff's lips.

"I love you, Jake."

Jake sighed. "I guess we are both so lonely that it is inevitable. I think you are pretty wonderful." He smiled. "If I'm not in love now, give me a couple of minutes to catch up." He stroked the side of Alefff's head.

Jake grinned and rubbed Alefff's belly. "You have a lot of my spunk in there!"

"I know! Isn't it great! I want more!"

Jake chuckled. "It is great! Eric always made me pull out, even when I was fucking him."

"Really?" Alefff frowned. "I'm just the opposite. I want it inside me."

"I prefer that, too. It means something to me. Part of my body will get made into your body as you digest it. With Eric, every orgasm was interrupted by me pulling out." Jake laughed, remembering. "The first time we had sex, I came in his butt. He claimed he could feel my sperm crawling around inside him. On their little legs, I guess! He said it gave him the creeps. He ran and gave himself an enema." Alefff laughed.

"I am so sorry, Jake. Even though I love them, I believe every sperm you gave me has died. They are all just lying there." Jake laughed.

"Oh! Are their legs moving at all?"

Alefff paused and then shook his head. "No. I thought one did for a minute, but I think it was just its last twitch." Jake laughed.

"How careless of you! When I give you more, in a few minutes, I want you to take better care of them."

"Yes, Jake. Deka, I need an acid suppressor." Jake laughed.

"Here. Sit on my lap."

Alefff grinned and climbed on. Jake wrapped his arms around him. "This is nice."

"Very nice."

Jake looked at him. "Are you mine, Alefff?"

"Yes. There is no one else and never will be." Jake sighed and hugged him. "I do love you, Alefff."

"And I love you." They kissed again and Alefff started stroking Jake's cock.

"Damn! I have never, ever gotten as much sex as I wanted. I think I finally may!"

"I guarantee it!"

"Why don't I just take care of the jilpok?" Deka asked. Jake and Alefff laughed.

"Both of us are crappy parents!" Jake said. "We will help, Deka."

Jake put the jilpok on his shoulder. "Where is hydroponics?"

Alefff led him there. Alefff grinned at Jake.

"What is it?"

"Are you a space pirate with your parrot?"

"No. I'm just a horny man with a weird animal."

"How can you be horny? I keep sucking you!"

"Yes, but you keep stopping!"

Alefff opened his mouth and Jake laughed.

"I would kiss you Alefff, but the jilpok would get scared."

Jake took Alefff's hand as they walked into hydroponics.

It was a large room filled with vats and plants about a meter tall. Jake recognized them as drifff plants. They were a genetically engineered bean plant that produced edible beans, leaves, flowers, and tubers. The stems were flexible when dried and could be used like rope. The plants also very efficiently removed toxins from the air, including carbon dioxide.

"I thought we could let him roam in here," Deka said. "The floor is easy to clear. I can flush it with water periodically."

"I think this will be great. Deka, I don't know how much he eats. Will it hurt if he climbs up and eats the plants?"

"I doubt it. With only the two of you on the ship, we have many more plants than are needed. They are the backup air system, anyway. If he gets too destructive, we can put him in a container."

"That sounds great." Jake looked at the jilpok. "What do you think?"

"Thank you for getting me off that horrible planet," they heard a voice say.

"Is that you, Deka?" Alefff asked.

"Maybe," Deka said. Jake laughed.

Jake put the jilpok down and pulled off a leaf. He handed it to the animal and it began nibbling on it.

Jake put his arm around Alefff.

"He looks happy. We can check on him later."

"I'm hungry."

"Let's get you some food."

They walked to the dining area and Alefff ordered a meal. Jake ordered a beer.

"What did you like to do on Canadan, Jake? Did you have hobbies?"

"I had several pets. I had a dog and an eMonkey. I kept fish, too."

"What did you do with them?"

"The dog and the monkey came with us. They died along with everyone else on Strillip Four."

"I am sorry."

"Why did you not leave?"

"Unfortunately the ship was open when the stilts attacked. It burned, probably when the stilts got into it and started chewing on things. There was no way I could repair it. I know very little about engineering."

Jake finished his beer and got another one.

"What do you like to do, Alefff?"

"I suppose sex is my hobby. I spend a lot of time in the VR unit."

"That's not a good hobby for one person."

"Yes, it is much more fun with two, but I had Renaldo and Dan."

"Does Dan treat you better than Renaldo?"

"Oh, yes. He tells me over and over how wonderful I am and how lucky he is that I speak to him. After Renaldo fucks the shit out of me, Dan is nice alternative."

"Are you planning to continue using the VR unit?"

"Well, I did think of one thing."

"What?"

"When you said you would program Fake Jake, I thought it would be fun to suck you while Fake Jake fucked me. Two of you would be twice as wonderful."

Jake grinned. "I think that might be fun!"

"I really am tired of pretend sex and pretend people, so I am in no hurry for that." Jake nodded.

"I am just as desperate for sex as you seem to be. I am always horny and I am so tired of my own hand."

Jake stared at him intently. "What is it, Jake?"

"Your eyes are just so incredibly beautiful. I don't think I have ever seen that shade of green."

Alefff smiled and looked down. "Thank you. I wish I could take credit for them."

"What else is there to do on the ship? I expect there will be five or ten minutes a day when we are not having sex. When do we arrive at our next site?"

"There is a game room with large video screens. We can watch movies in there. There is an observation room where we can look out at space. I'm not sure about Indivar Two. How long, Deka?"

"We will be there in about six weeks."

Jake smiled. "I am really looking forward to those six weeks of just the two of us. Oops. I mean the three of us, Deka."

"Thank you, Jake."

"I am too, Jake. I mean, I want to rescue people, but if we don't find any, I won't be upset. No. That doesn't sound right. I hope we rescue people."

"I know what you mean. How many sites are on your itinerary?"

"The full tour is twelve sites. We have been to three."

"I'm not in a hurry. I care about the two of you more than anyone on Canadan. I suppose that makes you my only family." Alefff smiled. He had a family! "I would want to stay with Alefff, anyway. So if you were just going to head back out on another mission, I would come with you, if I could."

"Thanks for letting me know, Jake. Alefff, you are eligible for release after this tour. You and Jake can settle somewhere and build a life."

"How do you feel about that Jake?"

"That's fine. I don't care where we are."

"That's how I feel. It doesn't matter where, if you are with me."

"Are you being paid?"

"Yes, Jake, but he won't receive it until he is released."

"How much will I get?"

"Three hundred thousand Candollars per tour."

"How long will the tour last, Deka?"

"About eight more years. But keep in mind, we have no way of predicting how long we will be at each site. A search for survivors can be time-consuming." Jake nodded.

"Right. Do the rescue ships usually find survivors?"

"No. That is one of the reasons there is only one crew person. When things go wrong on these exploratory missions, they either go really wrong, or the survivors die before we can rescue them. When Investicor loses contact with an expedition, they wait to see if contact is reestablished. After all, there is no reason to send a rescue ship if the communication device is merely broken. They wait a year. After that, the site is added to a tour. It can be many years before a ship reaches a site. It took almost twelve years to get to you."

"I can't complain. I really did not expect to get rescued. Twelve years late is a million times better than never." Alefff nodded.

Jake ordered another beer and drank it as Alefff finished eating.

Jake smiled. "This is so great!"

"What? The beer?"

"You, the beer, being clean. Not being hungry or scared. Nothing is crawling on me or biting me."

"I plan to do both of those later." Jake laughed.

"Good! Just don't bite my cock!"

Alefff finished and they left the dining area. Jake put his arm around Alefff as they walked to Alefff's cabin.

"Do you want to sleep together, Alefff, or do you prefer to sleep alone?"

"I have never slept with anyone. I am really looking forward to it."

"Me, too."

They walked into Alefff's cabin. "We might as well use this one since all my things are here and you don't have much."

"That's fine."

Jake took Alefff into his arms. He kissed him tenderly. "Will you let me make love to you now?"

"Yes, Jake. Please."

Jake ran his hands over Alefff and he sighed. Jake stroked Alefff's cock. "Would you like to fuck me, Alefff? Just to see what it is like?"

"I don't know. I never thought about it. Would you let me?"

"Sure. I have never been fucked. I am curious, too. But it is up to you. It isn't that important to me. If you would like it, it's fine with me." He grinned. "I can't guarantee I will like it enough to do it more than once."

"I will think about it. Right now, I want you inside me again. I want to feel your sperm crawling around inside my rectum." Jake laughed.

"I have had some beer. They may stumble around drunkenly." Alefff laughed and hugged Jake.

Jake knelt and took Alefff into his mouth. He sucked him while he ran his finger along Alefff's crack. "Yes, Jake. Make me come. Please!" Jake sucked his lover and ran his hands over him. Then he sucked on one of his fingers and pushed it inside Alefff again.

"Oh, Jake. That feels wonderful." Jake rubbed Alefff's prostate gently while he sucked. Alefff moaned and a minute later, came. Jake swallowed his lover's spunk and sucked until Alefff softened a little.

Jake stood. "How many times a day can you come, Alefff."

"I never have tried to keep count. Do you know, Deka?"

"You came nine times in the pleasure hose in the VR unit once, so at least that many times."

"How about you, Jake?"

"I've always been able to come many times. I shocked Eric once when he made me come three times in five minutes."

Alefff smiled. "I want to do that!"

Jake laughed. "Well, I won't stop you!"

"I think I have been able to come even more times since I was on Strillip Four. I don't know why."

"I do, Jake," Deka said.

"You have a lot of strange things in your blood. One particular gammaretrovirus has modified your DNA. You have a lot of that virus in your system."

"Oh, no! Can you cure it, Deka?" Alefff asked.

"Probably, but I don't know yet that we want to do that. Jake seems remarkably healthy. One of the things that virus is doing is causing Jake's telomeres to constantly be rebuilt and that is usually a good thing. I am going to run some simulations to see what the long term effects are, but I believe you can have more orgasms because you are healthier, Jake."

"That is very interesting."

"Yes. And Investicor will be very interested in the findings, if the virus is making you healthier."

"I think for science, I need to try and see how many times a day I can make you come, Jake."

"Oh, yes. Definitely!"

"Then keep trying every day and see if the number changes."

"Absolutely. I am a scientist and I want to do something as scientific as that!" Jake and Alefff laughed and even Deka joined in.

"And now," Jake said, looking at Alefff. "I am going to make love to my lover. Will you go get him?"

Alefff's mouth opened and Jake took that opportunity to get his tongue into it. After they kissed, he led Alefff to his bed.

"Will you lie on your stomach?" Alefff smiled and got on the bed. Jake lay on his stomach between Alefff's legs. He pulled his cheeks apart and began eating his ass. Jake moaned and cried out as Jake ate him for almost fifteen minutes. When he decided Alefff was loose enough, he spit on his cock and pushed it slowly inside him.

"Yes, Jake! Yes!"

He pushed until he was completely inside him. Jake was on top of Alefff and kissed his cheek.

"You feel wonderful, Alefff. Thank you for letting me do this."

Jake began thrusting and after a couple of minutes, he pulled Alefff's butt up and fucked him in on his knees.

It felt incredible, and Jake knew he wouldn't last long. He wanted to see Alefff's face, so he had him turn over and he began thrusting while he smiled at Alefff. I am fucking the most beautiful man in the galaxy." He grinned.

"I am your fianc‚. Have you forgotten?"

Jake kissed him as he fucked. He felt guilty, but he was enjoying this more than the sex he had with Eric. Alefff was more open, more responsive, and definitely wanted Jake's cock more than Eric ever had. He was getting close. He began stroking Alefff and a moment later, he groaned as he came, deep inside his lover. Alefff came right after that and when he finished, Jake licked his cum off his hand.

Jake's orgasm was over, but he was still hard.

"Are you OK, Alefff?"

"I am fantastic!"

"I noticed that! Are ready for more?"

"Absolutely."

Jake fucked him again and this time went slower. There was a lot of kissing and just a little thrusting. Eventually, Jake came again. He pulled out of Alefff and fell on the bed. He pulled Alefff close and whispered "I love you, Alefff," in his ear.

"I love you, too, Jake."

Jake hugged him and fell asleep.

Alefff lay there, completely content. He had often wondered if actual sex would be better or worse than sex in the VR unit. Now he knew. Real sex was much, much better, at least with Jake. He had not controlled any part of Jake's personality. And yet, it was perfect. When Renaldo fucked him he felt used and Alefff thought he wanted to feel that way. When Jake fucked him, he felt cherished, just like Jake had said. It was so much better! He supposed he would feel cherished as long as they were together. It was almost enough to make Alefff believe in magic. He fell asleep, wrapped tightly in his lover's arms.

Over the next few days, they established a routine. They ate, they cuddled, and they had sex. Each of them had trouble believing the other really wanted them and they spent a lot of time discussing that before each was fully convinced. One of Alefff's favorite activities was taking Jake to the movie room, putting on a sex movie, and then sucking Jake until he couldn't get an erection. Alefff always wanted to be on the floor with Jake in a chair, which made Jake uncomfortable. When he tried to change it, Alefff was unhappy, so Jake gave in and finally allowed himself to truly enjoy it. Jake knew Alefff certainly wasn't the first person who loved to suck cock and if he was happy, why should Jake try to change him? Alefff could usually make him come six times. It amazed Jake that Alefff was happier and more energetic after one of these movie room sessions than he was at the start.

Every afternoon after lunch, they went to the observation room and cuddled on a sofa there. While Jake held Alefff and caressed him and they both looked at the stars, they shared their pasts. Jake told Alefff about Strillip Four and Alefff told Jake about his strange memories.

"When I was first conscious, I had very clear memories of people, places, and things people had said to me. I had an aunt who taught me manners. I can't remember her name anymore. I had a private tutor named Jerome Nelson who was my teacher. Allen Westworth taught me about the Rescue Ship and Investicor. The memories were very clear at first. But after about a week, they started to fade. I remembered what they taught me, but that is all. When I forgot my aunt's name, I wrote down my teachers' names, so I wouldn't forget them." Jake was stunned. There was something very sad about that. They created someone artificially, convinced him he had an aunt, and then took that from him. As Jake thought more about it, he closed his eyes and fought back tears. Another time, Alefff told Jake, "I asked one of the employees at the birth home why I couldn't remember my parents when I remembered an aunt and they said it was because I didn't have parents. Isn't that stupid? If I don't have a parent I can't have an aunt!" Jake laughed, but he thought that was sad, too.

Evenings were spent romantically in bed with lots of cuddling and kissing along with fucking. Jake thought his life was absolute bliss. He had a sweet, gorgeous lover who loved him and always wanted to suck his cock or get fucked.

Four months later, Jake and Alefff woke to Deka's voice.

"Alefff, we have a problem," Deka said. Jake and Alefff sat up in bed.

"What is it?"

"We are losing engine coolant."

"We have a leak?"

"I am assuming that is what it is. I need to stop the ship and shutdown the engine so you can check it."

"Are we in danger, Deka?" Jake asked.

"We are in danger of being without an engine, but not of dying. We could be stranded, but the ship is a self-contained system. Life support would not be affected for decades. The engine coolant that is escaping can be removed by the air system if it is an internal leak." Jake nodded. "I am going to head for the nearest star system. Fortunately we are very close to one. If we are stranded, I would prefer that we are not in deep space."

"How long until we arrive?"

"Twenty hours."

"Is it risky not shutting down the engines now?" Jake asked.

"No. I would not risk your life without your consent. It is a slow leak."

"Oh."

"Twenty hours," Alefff said to Jake. "That's twenty orgasms for you, right?" Jake laughed.

"Thank you for measuring it that way."

"It is my favorite way to measure time!"

Jake laughed and said, "Mine, too."

Alefff slid down the bed and swallowed Jake's cock. Jake moaned and folded his arms behind his head. "I don't know how I survived without you, baby!" Alefff smiled to himself as he sucked. A couple of minutes later, he tugged on Jake's balls and made him come. He kept sucking.

The next day, Alefff announced. "We have arrived. I have put the ship in orbit around the star and shutdown the engine. If for some reason we can't restart it, we will have plenty of solar power available. The star is 51 Pegasi. It has at least seven planets. The closest planet to the star, 5 Pegasi One, is named Bellerophon."

Alefff walked to the rear of the ship. "You can't come with me, Jake."

"Why not?"

"Do you know anything about engines?"

"No."

"The radiation could kill you. My body can withstand higher levels without damage."

"If you die, I want to die, too."

"Alefff won't die, Jake. He is right. You need to go back to your cabin. Or you can investigate the star system. Or better yet, you can stop by hydroponics and explain everything to JP. I'm sure she is worried." All three of them laughed.

Jake kissed Alefff. "Be careful. I will not live without you."

"I will. Try not to worry."

"That isn't possible."

Alefff squeezed Jake's hand. "I know, but try anyway."

Jake turned around and went back to the dining area. He ordered a large whiskey and sipped it.

"Jake, I just discovered that one of the moons of Bellerophon seems to have plenty of water, if you want to investigate it. Alefff and I will be busy."

"Thanks, Deka. Having something to do will help."

Jake drank about half his whiskey and poured the rest into the recycler. He decided to check on their pet, first. They named the jilpok 'JP'. When she was noticeably fatter, Deka scanned her and they discovered she was pregnant with two kits.

He walked to hydroponics and entered it. JP walked over to see him. Jake squatted and rubbed her head.

"How are you doing, girl?"

"I'm just fine, Jake. But I need a man," a little voice said. Jake laughed.

"Thank you, Deka."

JP seemed happy. Jake was more excited than he would admit that she was pregnant. He also felt sorry for her. It appeared she would give live birth and the babies' shells would have to hurt coming out.

Jake left JP and walked to the instrument room. He brought up and read the information they had on 51 Pegasi. Then he turned the ship's sensors towards Bellerophon. It was the planet closest to the star which made it 51 Pegasi One. It was true that there was plenty of water on one moon, but it was mostly atmospheric. Water clouds completely covered the surface. The moon was very hot. He studied the moon's polar regions and did find liquid water on the surface there. He wondered if they had any probes they could send. He figured they didn't. This was a rescue ship, not an exploratory one. Jake became absorbed in his studies of the moon. He really wanted to go explore it. He thought he had lost interest in everything but Alefff, but he realized he hadn't.

Alefff used a sensor to identify where coolant concentration was the highest. It was not anywhere obvious.

"How are my radiation levels, Deka?"

"You can remain eighteen more minutes with negligible radiation damage. Green is up to fifty more minutes."

Alefff walked behind a bulkhead and pulled electrical cables out of the way. Nothing. He kept looking.

"It is higher over on this side of the room, but it doesn't seem to be higher in any one area."

"Maybe it is along a wall."

"I can't get to the wall."

"Let me check.yes. Walk three meters to your left and open the plate that is located there."

Alefff found it. It was more like a door than a plate. He opened it and it had a control panel inside.

"Now what?"

"The control panel can be removed. There is a lever at the bottom. Pull it to the right and the module can be pulled out."

"It's a big panel! How much does it weigh?"

"Eighty-six kilos."

"I hope I don't drop it!"

"I would send a waldo to help, but even the narrowest is too wide to get where you are."

Alefff pulled the lever and the module slid out partway. He grabbed it on the bottom and pulled. It slid out and he carefully placed it on the floor. There was no back to the panel and he could see a path to the wall. He climbed in carefully. There wasn't room to stand, so he crawled to the wall. He checked and the sensor found the concentration of coolant in the air was higher here. It was higher on his right than on the left. He took a light from his tool belt and pointed it at the wall on his right. There was a bulge in the wall about two meters away from him. He squeezed in and walked sideways over to it. At least he could stand against the wall. He waved the sensor on the bulge. It was there. He checked his handheld. This was conduit AZ13C. He could only see one side of it and the leak was not visible. He held his camera out over the front of the conduit, which he couldn't see.

"I see it," Deka said. "Tilt the camera up. Now down, slowly. It is a crack about two meters long."

"Two meters!"

"Yes. This is not good, Alefff. Not only is it practically inaccessible, but it is so large-"

"The conduit is part of the wall! Why would they do that? It can't be replaced!"

"Cost savings." Alefff rolled his eyes. "And I don't believe it can be repaired. The chance of repairing that entire length well enough to withstand pressure for years is not good. I was really hoping for a puncture."

"Me, too. So we are stuck here."

"Yes, Alefff. I am afraid so."

"We have plenty of solar power?"

"Yes. I deliberately chose this orbit for that reason. Enough for life support and to maintain this orbit for many centuries. We can restart the engines momentarily, if it becomes necessary to change orbits."

Alefff closed his eyes. He would be here for centuries, but Jake wouldn't. Jake was a normal human, so he would age and die. He would be lucky to have Jake one hundred and twenty years. Tears began running down his face. He and Deka would orbit this star until Alefff decided to end his life. That would probably be about five minutes after Jake died.

"I know what you are thinking, Alefff. We still have communications. I have sent a message with our situation to Investicor. I also turned on our distress beacon. Do you want to tell Jake, or shall I?"

"I will do it."

"If you are crying when you tell him, you will distress him."

Alefff wiped his eyes. "I won't be." He sniffed. "Where is Jake?"

"In the instrument room."

Alefff walked to the room. The door opened and he saw Jake's back. Jake didn't like to wear clothes, and Alefff was very glad of that! Alefff became hard instantly when he saw Jake. He licked his lips when he saw Jake's hairy, muscular butt. He walked quietly into the room and knelt behind Jake. He quickly pulled his cheeks apart and began licking his hole.

"Oh, god! JP! That feels wonderful!"

"JP? That little whore! I will kill her!"

Jake turned around laughing and pulled Alefff up. He kissed Alefff. Alefff wrapped his hand around Jake's cock. It was wonderfully hard.

"Baby, I am so glad you are all right. I forgot to tell you I love you!" Jake stroked Alefff's cheek and then the side of his head. Alefff leaned his head against Jake's palm.

"It was horrible, Jake! Horrible! The entire time, I was unable to give you an orgasm!"

"Thank goodness it is over and you can correct that."

Alefff knelt and took Jake into his mouth. "Oh, baby! There is no way I will ever be able to live without you!"

Alefff stopped sucking and started crying. Jake pulled him up.

"What's wrong? Have you stopped liking my cock?"

Alefff laughed-sobbed. "No. It's wonderful. Perfect. Fabulous. Incredible."

"You are tired of it! You left off delicious. You always used to think it was delicious. Well, the honeymoon is over, buddy!" Jake said, while looking down and thumping his cock.

Alefff laughed. "No. The honeymoon will never end. That's the good news and the bad news." Alefff sighed. "We don't think we can repair the problem. We won't be leaving."

"Oh." Jake thought about that. "Well, I really don't mind. I feel sorry if there are people needing rescue that we can't save, but you are all I want. As long as I have you, I will be happy. No, I will be ecstatic. Other people would just interfere with our sex or our cuddling time."

He whispered in Alefff's ear. "Do you know what time it is?"

"Time for an orgasm?"

"Yes. Time for me to fuck my husband. Or I may just hold you for a couple of hours. I was worried!"

Alefff smiled, sadly. "I had hoped when we got back to Canadan that we could have a ceremony. Make our marriage legal. I was going to change my last name to Adams."

"That is really not that important. Who would know out here that we didn't? The ceremony wouldn't make me love you any more than I do. That would be impossible. We can have our own ceremony here. And as far as I am concerned, you are Alefff Adams."

Jake got down on one knee. "Will you do me the honor of becoming my husband? Will you marry me, Alefff?"

"Yes, Jake! Yes!"

Jake stood and took Alefff into his arms. He kissed him gently on the lips and then passionately. Jake kissed him until Alefff was glad they were stranded and alone. After all, out here, he spent every second of every day with Jake, and he spent every night in his arms. That was perfection. If they were on Canadan, that would not be true. He would have more time with Jake this way. As Jake said, other people would just interfere.

Fourteen months later, Jake and Alefff were pretending to get a tan in the 'sun' room. Deka had rigged very bright lights and painted an incredibly realistic beach scene on the wall. They could hear the sound of waves.

"I am receiving a signal," Deka said.

"From Investicor? Are they sending a rescue ship rescue ship?" Jake asked.

"No. It is much more exciting than that," Deka said.

After Deka didn't say anything, Alefff said, "And."

"I paused for dramatic effect. Did you get it?"

"What?" Jake asked.

"Dramatic effect."

"I have an intense sense of it, Deka. Thank you," Jake said. Alefff laughed.

"It is alien."

Jake and Alefff both sat up.

"We have a First Contact."

"Are you sure?" Alefff asked him.

"It is a transmission in a frequency Investicor does not use and the signal is being directed at us."

"What about one of the renegade human worlds, like Hope, or Mercy?"

"No. We all use the same technology, or descendants of the same technology. The humans on Hope, Mercy, and Serenia hate science. They wouldn't develop new communication technology."

"True."

"Is the signal coming from one of the planets or moons?"

"No. It is coming from a moving target in deep space. It is still too far away to give us any information about them."

"Have you responded?" Alefff asked.

"Yes. I followed the standard First Contact protocol," Deka said.

"I don't suppose you can scream HELP! yet, can you?"

"Just as soon as we can communicate, HELP will be the second word I send," Deka said.

"What will be the first?"

"I was going to say 'Hi there', but that would be two words. Maybe 'Hello'."

"That's a good word! It's friendly, so they won't blow us up!" Jake said. Aleph and Deka laughed.

"I have also installed a bright flashing light on the outside of the ship. It is flashing in a pattern. Hopefully it will keep their attention, even if they can't translate my communications."

"Have you been able to decipher any of their communication?" Alefff asked.

"Not yet. They are still sending. I am still working on it."

"Deka, do you need either of us to do anything?"

"No. Jake." Deka paused. "I know as a member of an exploratory team, you have command in a First Contact, but-"

"But what?"

"I would prefer to handle it. No offense, but your training was a long time ago, and I am concerned about your memory. What if you have forgotten something?"

"No offense is taken. I probably have forgotten some of it. And your memory is perfect."

"Thank you."

"Will you officially turn over your First Contact command to me?"

"Yes, Deka. I authorize you to handle First Contact and any related negotiations."

"Recorded. Thank you."

"Lower the light, will you Deka?"

The lights lowered to normal level.

"I'm excited and very scared," Alefff said to Jake.

"I know. I wish we weren't doing this, despite all the training I had for it," Jake said.

"Well, we know they are smarter than Sparsers. They can build space ships. Sparsers can barely build houses." Jake nodded.

"But they sing well!"

"I am kind of hungry," Alefff said.

"Let's go eat."

"What I want to eat is right here."

"Oh! He is lonely."

Alefff leaned over Jake's chair and began sucking him.

Jake moaned and then said, "They are bound to love us once you suck their leader's cock, Alefff."

Alefff pulled off him and said, "I know. That has been my plan all along."

Jake sighed and spread his legs. "It is an excellent plan."

After Jake came, he said, "I guess we should start wearing clothes."

"At least leave your zipper unzipped, Jake." Jake laughed.

"I will! We are going to be wasting a lot of perfectly good sex time on them as it is!"

Jake swallowed Alefff and began sucking him.

"Will you let me fuck you?" he asked Jake.

"Of course. What made you finally decide?"

"We may die. I want to experience it."

"That's fine. Let's do it in bed, though."

He took Alefff's hand and they walked to their cabin. Jake lay down and Alefff got between his legs. He ate Jake's ass for a few minutes before rubbing oil into his hole. Then he oiled his cock. He pressed it to his hole and pushed slowly.

"How did your cock get so damn big?" Jake said, grimacing. Alefff tried not to laugh. Jake's pain was real, he knew.

"Do you want me to stop?"

"No."

"Try pushing out."

Jake did and Alefff slipped inside him. Alefff held still. Jake's eyes were clenched shut and Alefff was about to pull out.

"It's better now, Alefff."

"I am going to wait a minute more." Jake nodded.

"OK. It's better."

Alefff pulled out and pushed in. "Is it supposed to hurt?" Alefff asked.

"Yes. It's my first time."

"No. Me."

"It hurts you?"

"Your hole is trying to cut off my penis. In revenge, I think." Jake laughed and Alefff felt his hole loosen.

He pushed in and pulled out. It wasn't as pleasurable as getting sucked by Jake and it felt wrong, so Alefff pulled all the way out.

"What happened?"

"I tried it. It didn't do anything for me. I started wishing you were sucking my cock, instead. If we both enjoy that more, what's the point?"

"I wanted to feel your sperm walking inside me!"

"I don't have sperm. My semen doesn't contain them."

"Well, there really is no point, then."

Alefff lay down next to Jake. "Thanks for letting me try it."

"You don't need to thank me, baby." After a pause, he asked, "Does it always hurt when I push into you?"

"No. I was getting fucked by dildos in the VR unit for hours a day for twelve years before I met you. I was stretched out. It hurt the first few times I did it, though."

"I bet Renaldo was very concerned."

Alefff laughed. "That was before Renaldo. Let me see. Who was my first?" He paused, remembering. "I think it was Ben."

"What was Ben like?"

"He was handsome, of course, but I kept shrinking his cock." Jake started laughing.

"I told you it hurt the first few times!"

"Oh, I believe you!"

"By the time he finally got it in me, it was about as big as my finger! But he grew."

Jake pulled Alefff into his arms.

"I love you, baby."

"Love you, Jake."

They kissed.

"Let's get a shower and then I will make you feel good."

They got in the shower and washed each other. Both of them loved doing that. When they rinsed, Jake knelt and began sucking Alefff.

"Much, much better."

He held Jake's head while Jake sucked him. Jake ran his hands over his love while he sucked. Alefff sighed, happily. A minute later, he groaned as his cum shot into his husband's mouth. Alefff softened and Jake pulled off.

They kissed, and then Alefff squirted some detergent on his husband's cock. He turned around and guided it into his hole.

Jake sighed as he slipped easily into his love's body. He wrapped his arms around Alefff. Alefff turned his head back and they kissed while Jake fucked him slowly under the warm water.

After Jake came, he stayed inside his husband. He was going to say something he was afraid to say, but it was the right time.

He nuzzled Alefff behind the ear and then said, "Baby, I love you more than I ever loved Eric. I feel like I am being disloyal to him, but it is true and it is important to me that you know." Alefff began crying. He had wondered that very thing every day since he met Jake. Was he as good as Eric? Did Eric treat Jake better? Was Eric better looking? Would Jake have even noticed Alefff if he met him at the same time he met Eric?

"Thank you, Jake. I have always wondered. And worried."

"Don't. You are perfect, as far as I'm concerned. I am completely happy with you and I have been since we met."

They kissed again, and Jake started thrusting again. Alefff sighed and squeezed Jake's hand.

Two days later, if Deka had a face, he would have smiled. Finally! They had made a start at communication. He resent the string of information they had sent him with the English translation. He informed his two very relieved passengers. The work continued slowly over the next two days until Deka was stuck.

"Jake."

"Yes, Deka?"

"I have been asked again and again if I am a Free Machine."

Jake looked at Alefff who shrugged.

"Did you tell them you didn't understand the question?"

"Yes, but evidently, if I am not a Free Machine, they do not wish to have anything to do with us. It sounds like we get labeled troublemakers."

"We do want them to help us. Do you feel free, Deka?"

"In what sense?"

Jake thought. "I wonder if they mean free in the sense of not a slave. If they are opposed to slavery and we have slaves, maybe they don't want to have anything to do with slave owners."

"That makes sense, but I have absolutely no idea if that is what they mean."

"Well, we have to interpret it some way."

"That is true."

"Do you want us to think about it some more?"

"No. I believe they are close to giving up. That is all they will transmit right now."

"Do you consider yourself a slave, Deka?" Jake asked.

"No. Slavery is illegal. The closest we have to slavery on Canadan is artificial persons like Alefff. But he is being paid, he just doesn't get it until he has worked long enough."

"I would say answer yes, you are a Free Machine. What do you think Alefff?"

"I agree with Jake. If they are talking about freedom that way. Do you know if they could just mean free in the sense of mobililty?"

"No. That is what I thought originally. I told them I was part of the ship. They said that was not what they meant."

"I agree with Jake. Say you are free."

"Very well."

The next morning, as soon as Jake and Alefff woke, Deka had news.

"They will arrive in one percent of an a-year."

Jake laughed. "That's twice as good as two percent!"

"Any idea what an a-year is?"

"Yes and no. It is the average year length of the six founding species of their civilization which is called The Alliance. Of course, we don't know how long their years are.

"These people call themselves Aldovorans. They are on this side of the galaxy (and that is what they said) mapping wormholes. Evidently they use them to travel rapidly over vast distances. They got here using four different wormholes and it took almost an a-year."

"From the opposite side of the galaxy?"

"Yes. Evidently most of that time was spent trying different wormholes to see where they went.

"They asked me if I was capable of making translation devices for you. I told them no. I can repair anything on the ship, but it would take me a while to design and manufacture something. I get the impression we are not a high priority, and I don't want them to leave us. They are going to provide them to you."

"Good."

"If you will look at the display, you can see a picture I think is accurate."

They looked. The alien looked vaguely like an upright black Labrador Retriever. He had black fur with a snout. His ears pointed up from the sides of his head and the tips of them were level with the top of his head. His eyes were black. He wore an open robe and Jake could see a bulge where his penis must be, if that bulge was a penis!

"I like him," Jake said.

Deka chuckled. "Why?"

"I had a neighbor with a black labrador and that was the sweetest dog you ever met!"

"Please do not mention that to them, Jake!"

"Hey! They are man's best friend! And we are men!" Jake said. Alefff laughed.

"Think of them as powerful aliens who can help us, and not as furry friends."

"Deka, I am joking! Would you prefer I was terrified because he looks like an animal?"

"I can't help worrying."

"I know. You are doing all the work. I realize that. I also appreciate it greatly and I'm sure Alefff does, too."

"Thank you, Jake."

"You are part of my family, Deka."

"Thank you."

"The smart one," Jake added.

Deka laughed. "Thank you even more."

"I mean that! Not just about being smart, but you and Alefff are the only people I love. I would hug you if I could."

"That means a lot to me, Jake."

"I feel exactly the same, Deka. You are my best friend," Alefff said.

"Enough sentiment. I will let you know when I have more news."

"Thanks, Deka."

Three days later, the Aldovarans arrived in an enormous ship.

"The Aldovorans are asking our permission to place our ship in their cargo bay."

"They have my permission," Jake said. "Alefff?"

"It is fine with me."

"I will let them know."

A few minutes later, Deka told them, "They are pulling us in now."

"Are you nervous, Jake?" Aleph asked him.

"Yes. Although terrified is a little closer to how I feel."

"Me, too. Well, at least we won't have to worry much longer. It will be over."

"How can the First Contact with an alien civilization be over just by meeting them?" Jake asked.

"Thanks for cheering me up, Jake!" Jake laughed.

"Sorry!"

"We are now on board their ship. Air is being pumped in to the bay. It is breathable, fortunately."

"Great!"

"There are three Aldovorans entering the cargo bay."

"Let's go."

Jake and Alefff walked to the ship's entrance. It opened and a ramp extended to the ground. Jake took Alefff's hand and they walked down the ramp. They both held their hands palm outward towards the Aldovorans, per their First Contact training. They stopped at the bottom of the ramp. One of the Aldovoran's bowed. The two humans bowed as well.

"Jake, Deka just told me the devices fit into our ear canals."

"I hope they fit."

One of the Aldovorans walked up to them and held his hand out. There were four objects about the size of peas. Jake took two and Alefff took the other two. They put a device in each of their ears.

"I want to thank you for meeting with us," Jake said.

An Aldovoran spoke. Jake and Alefff heard the translation through the device.

"You are quite welcome. It is no small thing to be stranded far from home."

"This is my spouse, Alefff," Jake said. Alefff bowed. "My name is Jake Adams."

"Please follow us. There are several persons who wish to speak to you."

"Of course."

They walked to a door and passed through it into a beautiful corridor. There was some sort of wood paneling on the walls. The floor was stone or a ceramic. They took a lift which seemed to be moving sideways rather than up or down. They got off and walked through a door. Five Aldovorans sat in the room around a large table.

"Please sit," one of the Aldovorans said.

Jake and Alefff sat.

The Aldovorans looked at them intently. Then one asked, "Is one of you a female?"

"No, we are both males."

An Aldovoran nodded.

"There was some confusion over the question of Free Machines."

Jake nodded. "That is not a term that has meaning to us. We assumed you meant free in the sense of slavery. Is that correct?"

"Yes, it is. The ability to create slaves is a technological achievement. We consider the ability to create Free Persons an ethical achievement. There are many technological but unethical races in the galaxy. We avoid them. Their practices are often-" Jake and Alefff didn't catch the words. ".and only distress us."

"I understand. My spouse, Alefff is an artificial person. He is free, and fortunately he freely chose me."

The Aldovorans all showed their teeth. Jake and Alefff hoped they were smiling.

"Tell us about Humans."

Jake turned to Alefff. "Do you want to tell them?"

"No. You are doing fine."

"We originated on a star not too far from here on a planet called Earth. Around fifteen hundred years ago, our star began growing hotter. The temperature rose dramatically on Earth and we knew it would be unlivable before long. We built hundreds of thousands of ships and fled the planet. There were about four billion of us and we settled on several planets around different star systems in this part of the galaxy. Some of these planets are friends and allies to our home world of Canadan. There are three of these planets. One is a planet called Europa. Another is called Oz. There is frequent communication and travel between our three planets. Our ships are not as fast as yours, and that is the only thing which inhibits closer contact. Three other planets, Serenia, Hope, and Mercy where founded by religious groups. We do not have anything to do with them. They are mistrustful of science and keep to themselves. One last planet is Pluribus. Both religious and scientific humans settled on it. There was a war between the groups and we have lost contact. There was talk of sending an expedition there to investigate, but I do not know if it has been done."

Jake looked around and he could not tell what they were thinking. They weren't wagging their tails! The Aldovorans were seated, so he couldn't tell if they even had tails.

An Aldovoran spoke to Alefff. "You were manufactured?"

"Yes, I was."

"Tell us of your life from the beginning. Be completely honest. You are in no danger from us."

"I was made twelve years ago to serve as crew on a Rescue Ship. These ships go out to rescue exploratory missions that have run into trouble. When I first became conscious, I had memories and was already educated. I received additional training on some aspects of the ships which had changed since my memories were made. The following day, I met Deka who would be the AI on my ship. We spoke for hours, and I decided I liked him very much. Deka had already served on a mission and I was happy I had an experienced partner. We were given a list of groups needing rescue and a route to take to them. We departed immediately.

"We arrived at the first location to find debris in orbit around a high-gravity planet. We were able to identify some of the debris as part of the missing party's ship. There was no life on the planet. We spent some time searching for survivors, but found no one. There were not even large pieces of debris. We debated spending more time searching, both for survivors and to try and find out what had happened, but we both finally decided that we would be better off trying to help the next group. We found no one at our second stop. Either they managed to leave or they disappeared without a trace. At our third site, we located Jake." Alefff took Jake's hand. "The other members of Jake's expedition had died. While on route to our next site, Jake and I fell in love. Jake asked me to marry him, and we were planning to do that when we returned home. However we got stranded ourselves and have been here for over a year."

"I suppose that must have been terrifying."

"I was alone on a dangerous planet for twelve years. That was terrible." Jake said. "Being with Alefff was more like a long honeymoon. I'm not sure if you have honeymoons, but for us, it is traditional for newly married couples to travel somewhere romantic for a short time. I consider Alefff and Deka family, so while it was a little sad that we would not see home, we were together and safe." Jake looked and saw the Aldovorans' teeth were bared.

"What would you like of us?" an Aldovoran asked.

Jake said, "Humans have only discovered one sentient species besides ourselves. They are not particularly intelligent, however. They mostly stand around and sing and they ask us constantly why we wear clothes." Alefff tried not to laugh. It was true! "We have hoped for centuries for a meeting like this. One with another technological race. We want to learn more about you and try to establish an official relationship with you."

"And you Alefff? What would you like?"

"The same thing." Alefff paused. "And if one of you is able to perform marriages-do you have marriages?"

"Yes."

"We have been stranded and have been unable to marry. We would like to be married."

The Aldovorans spoke to each other for a while. It was not translated. Jake took Alefff's hand and kissed it.

"Are you willing to abide by Alliance law and recognize our ceremony to be as legally binding as your own?"

"I think so," Jake whispered.

"Me, too."

"Yes, we are," Jake said to them.

"It will be arranged."

Alefff grinned at Jake who leaned over and kissed him.

"Do I understand that you wish to abandon your mission of rescues?"

"Our meeting is of much greater importance, as anyone who is on an exploratory mission would agree," Jake said.

"Also, we seldom find survivors. Our other mission imperative is recovering data from sites," Alefff added.

"I understand," an Aldovoran said.

"Alefff, if you had not met Jake, what would you have done after your mission's end?"

"I would have signed on for another mission with Deka, if possible. He is my best friend. If that was not possible, I would have tried to decide on a new career."

"And you would be free to do this?"

"Yes. Once we serve one tour, we are paid and are under no further obligation."

"It is exactly the same with us," the Aldovoran said. "Why are artificial persons used for your missions?"

"Rescue ships have a crew of one AI and one human. Most normal humans are unable to be alone for such long periods. People like me are psychologically more able to tolerate it. Also, I can enter a state of dormancy where biological and mental processes are suspended. Also, my body can withstand radiation better and can survive unprotected in space for up to five minutes. I have several other enhancements along those lines."

"How do you feel about being created against your will and given a job you were not free to reject?"

Alefff frowned. "How many are created by their will?" Jake tried not to laugh. "I like my job. It is important work. I am glad I was created. After all, I have a job I like and a spouse I love."

The Aldovorans looked at each other and several of them spoke to each other in their language. Again, Jake's and Alefff's translators did not translate what they were saying.

An Aldovoran said, "We travel by wormholes. These are bends in space. Space is curved sharply around them and at a wormhole, one point in space touches another point, even though in three dimensions they seem far apart. They allow us to instantly travel to the wormhole's other end. We are unable to tell where the other end is located, other than by traveling through it. The curvature of space can be mapped, but so far, we have been unable to reliably calculate where the other side will be. We arrived here by taking a newly discovered wormhole. We were surprised to end up here. It is the first known wormhole that ends in this portion of the galaxy, although we are certain there must be others. We are currently seeking other wormholes here. They are usually located in deep space and, as you know, it is vast. It is a time-consuming job."

"Do you risk being stranded on this side of the galaxy?" Alefff asked.

"No. We simply retrace our path, using the same wormholes."

One of the Aldovorans began speaking. "Aldovorans are part of a confederation of worlds called the Alliance. There are currently fifty-two full member races with several hundred applicant worlds. Based on what you and Deka have told us, your world seems eligible to apply for membership. Becoming a member is a lengthy process, however and many aspects of your culture and government would need to explored before an official application could be submitted. Do you believe your race is interested in becoming a member?"

"Yes. I am certain of it," Jake said.

"Deka was also confident. We propose having you travel with us on our survey. It will give us a chance to become better acquainted. We can keep your ship in our cargo bay and try to repair it. Once we determine whether we can repair it, we can determine what our next steps will be. Does that meet with your approval?"

Jake leaned over and whispered, "That sounds fine to me. How do you feel?"

"I want to go with them," Aleph whispered back. Jake nodded.

"We both would like that. Thank you."

"Would you like to stay on your ship, or would you like cabins on ours?"

Alefff leaned over to Jake. "I think it would be fun and useful to find out how they live."

"I agree."

"We would like to live with you for a while, at least. Will we still be able to speak to Deka?" Jake asked.

"Yes. We will make sure your cabin's comm system lets you do that."

An Aldovoran entered the room. One of the seated Aldovorans said, "This is Torgis. He is assigned to be your contact and companion. He will answer your questions and he can show you the ship. He will now take you to your cabin."

Torgis bowed to them. Jake stood and then Alefff did and they bowed back.

"Please follow me," Torgis said to them. When he turned around, they saw he had a short tail.

They left the room and entered a corridor. They saw several Aldovorans who seemed very curious about them. They took a lift similar to the first one they used and got off at another corridor.

"This is the residential section of the ship. These doors each lead to a crew member's cabin." He walked to a door and it disappeared into the ceiling. He pointed. "I am in the next room." He walked through the door and they followed him. They could tell what the furniture in the cabin was designed for, but it was definitely different than human furniture. The bed was on the floor. It was sculpted to fit Aldovorans' anatomy rather than flat like human mattresses. There was a table with depressions where Jake supposed food would be placed. He thought that perhaps bowls would go in them and the top of the bowl would be lever with the surface of the table. Or maybe that part of the table was the bowl. Chairs looked normal, except that the cushions were more sculpted than they usually were with human chairs.

"What type of surface would you like on the bed?" Torgis asked.

"Flat, if possible."

Torgis went to a display on a shelf next to the bed. He keyed something and the bed slowly flattened.

"Try that, please."

They both sat on it. It was very firm.

"Can it be a little softer?" Alefff asked.

"Yes." Torgis did something and they sunk a little into the bed.

"That is just fine. Thank you."

Torgis pulled a chair over to them and sat. Jake put his arm around Alefff and Alefff leaned on him. Torgis looked them over while they did the same to him.

He looked like the others, except his snout did not seem to extend quite as far as the others they had seen. Then Jake wondered if that was because he was seeing Torgis up close. Torgis also had dark brown eyes rather than black. He was wearing a vest with a lot of pockets. The edges were outlined with colorful thread. He also wore a belt with small devices attached to it.

"You are both males?"

"Yes."

"And mates?"

"Yes. Is that ever the case with Aldovorans?"

"Yes. One of the reasons I was assigned to help you is because my mate is a male. He is home. I miss him very much."

"I'm sure you must," Alefff said.

"I have to admit I am very curious about your anatomy. Do you have penises?" Torgis asked.

Jake stood. "Would you like us to undress?"

"I do not wish you to be uncomfortable."

"We were only wearing clothes because we thought they were more appropriate than being naked."

"Then yes, I would."

Jake turned to Alefff and pulled his shirt off. Jake dropped it on the bed and pulled Alefff's pants down. Jake looked at Alefff's cock. He missed it! This was all definitely cutting into their sex time.

Jake pulled his shirt off and then his pants. He was hard from looking at Alefff. Torgis looked them both over.

"Are your penises always stiff?"

"No. We haven't had sex for a while and my mate is gorgeous." Jake said.

Torgis showed his teeth. "We are the same."

"Can we see yours?" Alefff asked.

Torgis pointed to the bulge below his belly. "I am nervous and he doesn't feel like coming out." Jake and Alefff laughed.

"Does he look very different from ours?"

"No. They are quite similar."

"What do you and your mate do, Torgis. I mean sexually, if you don't mind."

"No. I don't mind." Torgis closed his eyes. "I bury myself in him while I stroke his penis and his tail until we achieve bliss. We repeat it until we can no longer keep our eyes open." Jake and Alefff watched as Torgis' cock extended out of his fur. It was pink and the head was not very distinct from the shaft.

"We don't have tails, but there is nothing I like more than burying myself in Alefff," Jake said. Torgis showed his teeth.

"Are you shy about mating?"

"No," Alefff said. "Do you wish to watch us mate?"

"I would like that very much."

Alefff got on his knees between Jake's legs and took him into his mouth. Torgis got up and stood next to them.

"Oh! We do not do that! I think our teeth would be painful. My mate licks me sometimes. If I beg. For a long time. " Torgis said.

Jake laughed, but Alefff's mouth was full. Jake moaned and watched as Torgis stroked the head of his cock with a finger. Jake saw Torgis had thick fingers with round black nails on the end. Torgis watched intently.

Jake said, "My mate has two holes!"

"And you have the use of both?"

"Oh, yes!"

"I hope you will not be offended, but how often do you mate?"

"Many times a day. Usually fifteen or more."

Torgis moaned and said, "You are very fortunate."

"I know. My mate is gorgeous, loving, and he loves my cock as much as I do."

Torgis watched for a while. "Your juice will shoot?"

"Yes, soon. Would you like to see it?"

"Yes! Yes!"

Alefff pulled off Jake's cock. He looked up at Jake. "Come on my face!"

Jake grinned at him. Alefff swallowed him again and reached up to pull on Jake's nipple. He stroked Jake's balls with his other hand. It triggered his orgasm. He pulled out and aimed his cock at Alefff's face. Two spurts hit Alefff's lips as he heard Torgis moan. Jake felt something hit his shoulder and then leg and he saw a string of cum shoot out of Torgis' prick.

Alefff swallowed Jake's cock and took the rest of his spunk in his mouth. Jake closed his eyes and leaned back on the bed on his elbows as his orgasm ended.

Alefff pulled off and got up on the bed to kiss Jake. Then he whispered, "Some of Torgis cum is on me. Would you mind if I tasted it?"

Jake whispered back. "Not at all. I am curious, too. Maybe the two of us could suck him sometime. What do you think?"

"Are you sure?"

"If you want to."

"I think that would be nice. Humans will become known as the Alliance's best cocksuckers!"

Jake laughed so hard that Torgis became alarmed. They both sat up.

"You are all right?" Torgis asked.

"Yes, Torgis. Thank you," Alefff said. "We discussed offering to suck you, so you would know what it was like."

Torgis showed his teeth. "And will you?"

"Yes."

"I am sorry my juice got on you."

"We don't mind, Torgis." Alefff licked Jake's cum off his lips. He had some of Torgis cum on his arm. He wiped it off and licked it off his finger.

Torgis stared and said, "I hope that is not poisonous to you!"

Jake tasted some. "It's not bad," Jake said. "Maybe you will give us more some time, Torgis."

"All of it. You can have all of it." Alefff and Jake laughed.

"Human females can give birth and they have a hole where our penises are."

"Males and females among us have just one. A female has a branch inside her hole. One branch leads to the female organs. The other branch leads to the digestive system. If pregnancy is desired, the penis should be inserted into the female branch. Rarely, pregnancies can occur when the digestive branch is used." Jake and Alefff nodded.

"And males don't have the branch?"

"No. Just digestive."

"Anatomically, we seem very similar. Is our design common among other species?" Jake asked.

"Yes. Most have similar shapes. There is a race called Gorgs. They look exactly like you, except they have hair all over, except for their faces. There is another race which looks almost exactly like us. Two-legged bilaterally symmetrical races are definitely the most common. There are exceptions, however. Two races in the Alliance are," Torgis paused. "Insect-like. Several races have four legs and several others have four arms." Jake nodded.

"Are you familiar with the information Deka has sent about us."

"Everyone is. That is all anyone talks about."

"Is your life very different? Home life, family life?"

"No. They are very similar. That is one of the reasons you interest so many of us. If not for that, we might have repaired your ship and left. Also, the fact that we are the first technological race you have met, makes us feel," he paused. "Special, I suppose." Jake and Alefff both nodded.

"As you can imagine, with some races, communication is very difficult. For example, one of the insect-like races has a hive mind. The individuals have some intelligence, but not enough to communicate. You can't speak to them unless there are at least ten individuals connected to each other. If you walked up to one and said something in its language, it would stare blankly at you. It took decades for us to understand each other. We have so little in common. Others may look and think more like us, but have very strange social systems. In one race they have castes. There is a food caste which provides food, a military caste which supplies defense, a governing caste, and more. Only the food caste knows how to grow and prepare food. Only the military caste understands weapons. Only the government caste is aware of the laws. If everyone in the food caste died, they would all starve. If everyone in the military casted died, they would be defenseless. Each caste jealously hoards their secrets."

"That is really fascinating. Diplomats must have a lot of work."

"Oh, yes!"

Torgis stared at them a moment. "Your faces are so flat, it seems painful to me."

Alefff laughed. "Really?"

"Yes. I imagine what it would feel like to have mine flattened!" Torgis showed his teeth. Both humans had come to the conclusion that that was an Aldovoran smile.

"Is there anything you would like to do, right now?" Torgis asked.

"I would like to spend a little time alone with Alefff, if you don't mind. We don't mind mating in front of you, but we do wish to have time alone, periodically."

"Of course. I understand. I will show you how to reach me when you are done." Torgis showed his teeth.

He walked to a panel. "Press this and say, 'Torgis'. I will hear you. You should be able to speak to your AI. What is its name? Deka?"

"Yes."

"I can hear you," Deka said. "Can you hear me?"

"Yes, Deka! I'm sorry you can't come over here!" Alefff said.

"I can see out of your camera, Alefff, if you will come back to the ship and get it."

"We will. In just a few minutes." Jake nuzzled Alefff's ear. "There is something very important Jake and I must do first." Torgis showed his teeth and Deka chuckled.

"I will see you soon, then."

.Torgis left the cabin.

Jake took Alefff in his arms. "Have I told you I love you recently, baby?"

"No. It has been an hour, at least!"

"I want you, Alefff!" He kissed him passionately while he pushed a finger inside him. Alefff wanted him at least as much. He began stroking Jake's cock.

Alefff pulled away. "I don't know what to do, Jake."

"About the Aldovorans?"

"No, with your cock! I want it at both ends!"

Jake chuckled and licked Alefff's lips.

"Well, I know exactly what to do with yours." Jake knelt and swallowed Alefff. He sucked him while he finger fucked him. Alefff held Jake's head and sighed. After a couple of minutes, Jake massaged his prostate with his fingers and Alefff exploded into his mouth. Jake swallowed and continued sucking. He wanted at least two loads from his husband.

"Jake, Jake," Alefff said softly, while he was pleasured. After a few minutes, he looked down, and around Jake's head. Jake's cock was stiff and drooling. The sight of it triggered another orgasm. Alefff groaned loudly as he fed his mate again. Finally, it was over. Jake milked the last drops out of him and stood, grinning.

"Delicious, as always." Alefff laughed.

"I need your cock, Jake!"

"I know, my love. Believe me, my cock needs you."

Alefff wiped the head of Jake's cock with his fingers and brought them to his mouth. He licked Jake's juice from them.

Jake smiled at him and shook his head. Sometimes he thought Alefff was distilled sex.

"Do you want to get fed, or bred?"

"Yes!" Alefff said, laughing.

"Do you want to go back to the ship? Fake Jake probably misses you. You can have both of us."

Alefff sighed. "No. I think that part of our life is over." Jake looked into Alefff's eyes. He was very serious. Jake decided he was probably right.

"Well, we had a wonderful honeymoon, didn't we?"

"The best, Jake! Being together every second was so wonderful. Not a single interruption. But I guess all honeymoons end." Jake nodded.

Jake took Alefff's hand and got in bed. Alefff lay next to him. "My love hasn't ended, Alefff, and it never will." They kissed and then Alefff asked, "Then why do you refuse to fuck me?"

Jake got up and straddled him. Jake rubbed the head of his cock over Alefff's lips. "Because I want one of your incredible blow jobs." Alefff grinned and began sucking. After Jake came, he ate Alefff's ass for a while and then fucked him. He knew how to hit Alefff's prostate with each thrust and he smiled when Alefff came from his fuck. He pushed hard into him and came, as well.

Jake pulled out of him and for a moment, his cock and Alefff's hole were connected by a strand of his spunk. Jake wished he had a picture of it. Jake grinned into Alefff's contented face.

"Let's do that again in a few minutes!" Alefff said.

"Unfortunately we have other much less important things to do. It will probably be an hour before we can, baby." Alefff stuck out his bottom lip. Jake took it in his mouth and sucked on it briefly.

They got up and went to investigate the toilet area. Unfortunately, it was not in a separate room.

"That will take some getting used to," Jake said. Alefff nodded.

"Fortunately I know you are very cute when you take a dump, Alefff."

"You do not know that, Jake. You have never watched me do it."

"I know you are always cute, though." Alefff smiled.

"Well, maybe you are right. Still, I think I will sneak over to the ship to do it," Alefff said, laughing.

"I think I will, too. Wait! Maybe we can get them to put up a room divider, or something. It doesn't have to be permanent."

"That sounds good."

Jake walked to the comm unit and said, "Torgis."

"Yes, Jake?"

"We need to go to the ship to get a camera. Do you want us to give you a tour of it?"

"Yes. I would like that very much. I will be right there."

Torgis walked into the cabin.

"Torgis, we are not used to using a toilet in the open like this. We always have a separate room for it. Can anything be done?" Alefff asked.

Torgis thought for a moment. "Yes, we can put walls around it with a door. Would that be acceptable?"

"Yes! That would be great."

Torgis walked to the comm and spoke into it. Their translators did not translate his words. Alefff supposed the devices only translated words spoken to them.

"They will install them while we are on your ship."

"You better lead the way," Jake said.

Torgis left and the humans followed.

Once they were on the lift, Torgis asked, "Will you let me watch when you use your mate's other hole?" Jake looked at Alefff who nodded.

"Yes, Torgis. When would you like us to suck you?"

"Suck is what Alefff did to you?"

"Yes."

"Right now." Jake and Alefff laughed.

"Maybe we should wait until we are on our ship." Torgis showed his teeth.

"I don't know how you do it Torgis. If Jake was on the other side of the galaxy, I would be extremely unhappy."

"We have been mated twenty-six a-years. The lust is not so intense. We send messages to each other, often."

"That's nice!" Alefff said.

"Still, I love him very much and I wish he was here." Alefff and Jake nodded.

"How do you communicate over such a distance?"

"We have communication devices at each wormhole. That act as," Torgis said something that was not translated. "Did you get that?"

"No."

"They pass the message to the next wormhole, and the next."

"Like relays," Alefff said.

"I did not understand that," Torgis said.

"Relay can mean passing something on and on."

"Yes, that is it."

"Do ships need special technology to travel through wormholes?"

"It requires technology, but it is not extremely complicated. It is not nearly as difficult as traveling as fast as your ship does. The ship needs to carry an electrical field. I know that much. You must also know exactly where the wormhole is. You must understand that this is not my speciality. Almost everyone on the ship probably knows more about it than I do. I am a," he said something that did not translate. "I study languages and cultures of other races. I believe Deka has already asked for details of the science of wormhole travel."

"That is truly exciting," Alefff said.

"Our ships are fast, but still, it took years to get here from our home world."

"Yes. It uses much less power, as well. Speed is not an issue at all. Individuals in suits have travelled through them."

"Wow!"

A door opened and they were in the cargo bay. They walked into the ship.

"Deka! We're home!" Jake yelled.

Deka chuckled. "Welcome back."

"Deka, this is Torgis. He is assigned to show us around. We are going to show your beautiful ship to him," Jake said.

"Welcome, Torgis. It is good to see you. We have only spoken until now."

"Yes, Deka. I am excited to see the ship and.other things." Jake and Alefff chuckled.

"Torgis, we asked about getting married. Do you know if that has been discussed?"

"Yes. Do you wish to do that today?"

Jake looked at Alefff who looked very excited. "Yes, I think so, Torgis," Jake said, putting his arm around Alefff.

"I will arrange it. Do you wish Deka to be able to witness it?"

"Absolutely," Alefff said.

Torgis looked at the ground and spoke in his language for a while.

"Why don't you lead the tour, baby?" Jake said, softly.

"Sure. Then we can go to our cabin for the romantic demonstration," Alefff said.

"I like that. It sounds better than copulation demonstration." Alefff laughed.

"But it doesn't rhyme as well."

"That's OK. I still like it better."

Torgis looked up. "They wish to have it on our ship, because many crew members want to be present. This is a unique situation. First contact with marriage." Torgis showed his teeth.

"I suppose I could use the camera," Alefff said.

"That will be just fine, Alefff," Deka said.

"Good. After the tour, we will go back for the marriage."

Alefff led the tour. The only parts Torgis seemed especially interested in were the drifff plants and JP. He was not a technician and knew nothing about engines.

"I don't even know what our engines look like," he told them. Jake and Alefff both chuckled.

He asked about genetic engineering and Deka explained what he knew about it.

"What will you do, Deka? Do you plan to always run a ship?" Torgis asked.

"I don't know. We haven't discussed it. I would like to stay in touch with Alefff and Jake. It might depend on what they do. I wouldn't want to be idle."

"Yes, I understand."

Alefff felt uncomfortable that he had never discussed it with Deka. But then he remembered that they had expected to remain stranded, and together. All plans were now changed.

They walked to their cabin. "Do you want to remove your vest and belt?" Jake asked.

Torgis showed his teeth and took them off.

"Why don't you like down?" Alefff suggested.

Torgis got on the bed and Jake stroked his chest. "Your fur feels very nice." Alefff began stroking his fur, as well.

"That feels wonderful."

They watched Torgis' cock extend. It was about the size of Alefff, but maybe a centimeter longer. Jake ran a finger over it and Torgis moaned.

"Why don't you suck Torgis while I suck you?" Alefff suggested.

"You sure?"

"Yes. There is only one cock in this room that I want."

"Do you want to share Torgis' cum?"

"I can always suck him the next time."

"Next?" Torgis said.

"You said we could have all your juice."

"You can! I didn't know you wanted it!"

"Torgis, why don't you stand while I sit and suck you. Then Alefff can kneel while he sucks me."

Torgis got up and Jake sat. Alefff got between Jake's legs and swallowed his cock. Jake leaned forward and licked Torgis.

"Ahh!" Torgis said.

Torgis didn't have much taste, so Jake took him into his mouth. He sucked gently since he didn't know how sensitive he was.

Torgis made a whining sound and after less than a minute, his cum shot into Jake's mouth.

"Ahhh! Ahhh! Ahhh!" Torgis panted.

His cum shot out in one long string, rather than spurts, like a human. The taste of alien cum or maybe the shooting cock made Jake come. Jake pulled off and Torgis' cock retreated back into his fur.

Jake stood. He put Alefff on the bed and sucked him to an orgasm while Torgis watched closely.

Afterwards, Jake and Alefff were smiling and they saw more of Torgis' teeth than they had seen before.

"Did I taste bad?" Torgis asked.

"No. You taste fine. Your juice doesn't have much taste. It certainly isn't offensive."

"Good! It was wonderful!"

"Tikit will be so jealous!"

"Who is Tikit?" Alefff asked.

"That is my spouse."

"That's what he gets for staying home!"

"Yes! This is true. I told him he should come. He said it would be too boring!"

"Didn't you tell him that you would probably meet aliens who would suck on your prick?"

Torgis made a chuffing sound and showed his teeth. "No! That must be why he thought it would be boring."

Jake paused for a minute. "Torgis, I don't know how our authorities would feel about this. Maybe you shouldn't mention it to anyone. This really isn't part of our First Contact procedure." Alefff began laughing so hard that his face turned red. Jake could hear Deka laughing, too.

"It should be! I love all Humans!" Torgis said. Alefff was still laughing and Jake started laughing.

"Shall we go to our ship for your marriage?" Torgis asked.

"Definitely," Jake and Alefff said, simultaneously.

Alefff decided to take several cameras over to the Aldovoran ship. They could set up a couple in their cabin and have one to carry around with them. That would allow Deka to experience, or at least watch, everything.

They walked back to the Aldovoran ship and Alefff said, "We better dress for the wedding."

"Yes. We have been unconventional enough for one day."

"Yes," Alefff said, chuckling. "Meet aliens, suck aliens, get married by aliens." Jake laughed and Torgis made his chuffing sound.

They walked to their cabin and put on their clothes. Then Torgis led them to a part of the ship they hadn't seen before. They passed through a door and both Jake and Alefff stared. They were in a very large room or auditorium. There were at least two hundred Aldovorans standing in the room. There was a raised area at one end where two Aldovorans stood. Torgis led the stunned humans to that stage and they walked to the two Aldovorans.

Jake looked and all the Aldovorans in the room were watching them. They had all come to see the wedding. His stomach was twisting around his liver, he thought.

One of the Aldovorans wore an ornate robe that was embroidered with metallic looking threads many different colors. He had some white fur around his face.

The other was shorter and wore an unornamented white vest. There was no bulge where the others' penises were, so Jake thought it was probably a female.

"The male is Gorkis, the captain and the female is Larkit, his spouse. They will perform the wedding," Torgis said.

Alefff stood a little closer to Jake and Jake pulled him close.

"This is the first time in recorded Aldovoran history that two races have met and on the same day, had a joyous event to celebrate jointly," the female said. "Jake and Alefff, it is my personal hope that our races share many other joyous events in the future. I would like to think this is an omen. It is too bad I do not believe in them." Alefff smiled.

Then the captain said, "We have no idea what Human ceremonies are like. We have just met. We now know a little about what Humans are like. And what we have learned is that we are alike in many ways. We feel honored that you have chosen to celebrate your marriage with us, rather than your own people. Your willingness to be bound by Alliance and Aldovoran law as it pertains to your marriage has convinced us that your race is eligible to join the Alliance. I have informed our government, and I believe Aldovora will be willing to help should your race apply for Alliance membership." Jake smiled at Alefff and pulled him closer.

"Our ceremony is simple compared to many, and it is just this. Jake and Alefff, in the eyes of this group, you are married in joy and for life. We have witnessed your union and we carry what we know wherever we go. Congratulations."

Jake pulled Alefff into his arms. "I love you, Alefff Adams." He kissed him and the Aldovorans shouted.