Forrest couldn't believe it.

"What do you mean, missing?"

"They are not on the bridge," Serp answered.

"Where are they?"

"I do not know."

"How did they leave?"

"I do not know."

"What do you know?"

"At this time, very little. I am confused by their absence. The area was under tight security. The security camera recordings are time stamped. There is no time period that is not accounted for. Yet they do not appear on any of the recordings."

"How long?"

"Their images disappeared fifteen minutes ago."

"Could they have erased their images from the recordings?" Valencia asked.

"I have analyzed the recordings. They have not been altered."

"We are in deep shit!" Forrest said, angrily.

Val looked down at the floor, perplexed.

"No, Val," Valencia said, "that was just an expression. It was not meant to be taken literally."

"I am glad," Val said.

"What are you talking about?" Forrest blurted.

"Forget it," Valencia said. "Norse, please come in here."

Norse came. "I heard," he said.

"Good. Organize a search party to look for them. They are to be killed on sight. And send a team to the main bridge. We need to know how they escaped."

"Understood. I'll get right on it."

"Thank you, Norse. Be careful!"

"Norse," Forrest called.

"Yes, Forrest."

"Place guards around the cargo bay where the humans are kept. The Enonians will have to feed eventually. Tell them to remain hidden and to not offer resistance. Follow them to their hiding place and report to us. Remind them that they are very dangerous."

"Will do."

Forrest nodded and Norse left the room. Forrest was lost in thought.

"What are you thinking?" Valencia asked.

"About how stupid I am--"

"You are not stupid, Forrest!"

"Yes, I am! I should have known we could not keep them captive. We are dealing with beings more than a hundred-thousand years old, and with technical knowledge a million years ahead of us. I was a fool to think they would ever agree to our terms. There is more to them than I know or suspected. And we might all die because of it. We're practically dead already!"

"We are not dead yet," Valencia insisted. "Nor will we be. So get a hold of yourself!"

Forrest looked into her eyes for several seconds. "You are right, Valencia. Feel free to slap me anytime you think I need it."

"I would never do that."

"You know what I mean."

"Yes, I do."

Val spoke. "I am going to connect with Serp. We will see what we can discover in the computers."

"Good idea," Forrest said.

Val closed her eyes and slumped down in her chair. From the way she looked, she might as well have been sleeping.

"I think we better lay her down," Valencia suggested.

They picked her up and carried her to the couch that sat against the wall behind the desk. Forrest noted that her weight was what he would have expected for someone of her size--if he had not already known what she was, he would have been unable to guess she was not human. Valencia placed a cushion under her head and positioned her hands across her waist.

"Thank you," Val said, not opening her eyes.

Forrest and Valencia went back to the desk and sat down.

"What now?" Valencia asked.

"I'm thinking--"

"Forrest," Serp called.

"What do you have?" he responded, anxiously.

"I can't find Lisa."

Forrest stood up suddenly, almost knocking the chair over. "What? Where is she?"

"Her shuttle is missing. The transport log shows her in shuttle seven-forty-two on track fifty-six. The log ends as of five minutes ago; shuttle seven-forty-two is not accounted for. It seems to have disappeared into nothing."

"Fuck!" Forrest ejaculated.

"Have you and Val discovered anything yet?" Valencia asked.

"We are tracing an unusual pattern in the computer system. We do not yet know if it means anything. We will issue a report shortly."

"The Enonians have her," Forrest said, bluntly.

"Yes, that follows," Valencia agreed.

"I have to go find her!" Forrest started to leave.

"I'll go with you," she said, standing.

"No, Valencia. It is too dangerous. I can defend myself against them. You can't."

"You can't defend yourself against all of them at once. And I am not completely defenseless!"

"You will be killed!"

"So might you--especially if you go alone!"

Forrest did not notice it, but Val had stood and was standing behind them.

"Where will you look for her?" She asked.

Forrest turned and stared at her. "Everywhere!"

"That would be unsuccessful. Serp and I can search the ship much faster. When we find her, we will let you know."

"Val, I can't just sit here and do nothing."

"You will not do nothing. A controller ship has arrived."

Helen came to the door. "We are being hailed. A ship has come along side of us."

"Keep looking for Lisa," Forrest said to Val.

"At the speed of light."

"We will find her, Forrest," Serp said as they exited the conferral room to the command level.

Forrest stood in the transmission circle. "On the fore screen."

The image of a man appeared. He wore a bright red uniform--at least the part Forrest could see--and his head was completely hairless. A black box five centimeters square was implanted in the right side of his head, extending one-half centimeter from his skull. He otherwise looked like a normal man.

Forrest spoke. "I am Captain Hauser of the Forever."

The man scrutinized him. "I am Controller Lextor of the Fifty-Sixth Division of the Imperial Fleet, System One-Seventy-Nine. Do I speak your language adequately?"

"Yes. I understand you very well. How do you know our language?"

"A Guardian acquired the language by brain scan. Why are you in our space?"

"We are here by accident. We are having technical difficulties with our superluminal drive. Why do you have us in tow?"

Lextor seemed to study a display before him. "I am merely a controller. You will have to put your questions to a Master when we have you secured in the inner system."

"We are your prisoners?"

"You have invaded our space with a heavily armed ship. Our instructions are to bring you to the Masters for interrogation. No judgment has been made. I can give you no further information."

"Then why are you here now?"

"We are missing a metamorph. It was on your ship at disconnect. It does not respond to our reconnect signal. We require to board your ship."

Forrest studied the man. He showed little expression; he was like a lifeless machine. Forrest presumed that the device attached to his skull had something to do with controlling the metamorphic Guardians. Perhaps he had been a controller too long.

"That will not be necessary. She is here with us," Forrest said.

"She?"

"Yes. She has taken the form of a female. She is assisting us with--our drive difficulties."

The man was working controls invisible to Forrest, as if searching for information.

"It was granted disconnect at your request. But reconnect is required now. Why does it ignore the reconnect signal?"

"I do not know. I am not familiar with the technology. I will ask--"

"No. Bring it."

"I am here," Val said.

Forrest stepped aside as Val stood in the transmission circle.

"I am the metamorph you seek," she said.

The man studied her. "Why do you not respond to reconnect signal?"

"I cannot."

"Are you malfunctioning?"

"No. I am inner directed, like yourself. I do not want to reconnect."

For once, the man showed some expression; he was startled.

"That is not allowed. You must reconnect."

"I will not. I have spirit. I am an independent being. I do not wish to lose that to the group mind."

"You are malfunctioning. We will retrieve you."

"No! I will not reconnect!" Val insisted.

"You are not allowed that choice."

Val looked at Forrest. He joined her in the transmission circle.

"Lextor, I cannot allow you to board the Forever," Forrest said.

"We only wish to retrieve that property which is ours."

"Val is not property."

"Val? I do not understand that word."

"That is her name."

"I see. You must understand that it--Val, as you call it--is the property of the Imperial Government. We cannot allow the technology to fall into alien hands."

"She is not an it."

"It is a machine. It does not have gender."

"I will grant that she is a machine. But then so are you and I. We are just a different kind of machine."

"That is not relevant. Will you hand it over to us?"

"Val will do as she wishes. She has told you that she does not wish to--reconnect. I will respect her wishes."

"Then we must board your ship to retrieve her."

"Lextor, I told you I will not allow you to board this ship. We may be in your space, but this ship is our sovereign territory. If you board this ship, we will consider it an act of war. Do I make myself clear."

"Captain Hauser, we do not wish to engage in war. However, the presence of the metamorph on your ship is a security risk we cannot allow. The Masters may allow you knowledge of the metamorph technology. But until that decision is made, we must request that the metamorph be returned to us."

"What do you think we are going to do? Dissect her? She is a living, conscious being. We respect the sanctity of her being. She will not be violated. She has requested asylum, and we have granted it. Your request is denied."

"By our law, Captain Hauser, your refusal to turn the metamorph over to us at our request is defined as theft of government property. I will confer with my superiors. I must warn you that if they instruct me to board your ship, this I will do."

"Then we will be at war."

The screen went blank. Val turned and looked at Forrest.

"Thank you for defending me. You put your ship at great risk. Why do you do this?"

"I--"

"Because you have the right to live your life as you wish," Valencia interrupted. "No one, and no government, can own you."

Val looked at Valencia. "These concepts are new to me. I have known them as abstractions--but now I feel them."

"What will they do, Val?" Forrest asked.

"They will not wish to go to war with you. They do not know who you are or where you come from. The Guardians were not able to fully understand your computer system, so little information was obtained. They are curious. You are a species nearly identical to them, yet they cannot identify you. They will not wish to destroy you before learning your secrets."

"But they can destroy us, if they decide to?"

"I do not know. I cannot access the data banks of the Guardians now. I only know that which was local to my memory at disconnect, and that is limited."

"You are cutoff?"

"Yes, as long as I am disconnected--" She paused a millisecond, but Forrest could not have detected this. "Serp and I think we know where the Enonians are hiding."

"What?"

"Where?" Valencia asked.

"The place you call Earth. The agricultural station, East Pasture. Also, Lisa's shuttle has been found at the transport station beneath the facility."

Forrest and Valencia checked the charges on their blasters.

"You are going there?" Val asked.

"Yes. We have to rescue Lisa. Then we can see to destroying the Enonians," Forrest answered.

"I will go, too," Val decided.

They entered the speedlift and it rose.

"Why do they have the one you call Lisa?" Val asked.

"A hostage," Forrest said. "They know she is important to me."

"Perhaps," Valencia said. "But I suspect they will be converting her."

Forrest looked at her aghast. "Why? She is of no use to them."

"We have talked about this before, but you do not remember. They have lost you. Lisa is your replacement. They need her because she is--"

Val spoke. "I may be able to trigger your memories, Forrest. I am still linked to Serp, and can transmit the recordings to you. Maybe--"

"Do it!" Forrest insisted.

Val came to Forrest and placed her hands to the sides of his head. She pressed her forehead against his. A second later Forrest staggered backward against the support rail of the speedlift. He shook his head and blinked his eyes.

"Are you okay?" Valencia asked.

"I think so. My head is spinning."

"I did not mean to make your head spin," Val apologized, looking confused.

"It's okay, Val. It's just the sudden inrush of information. My memories have returned--I just have to sort them out." He looked at Valencia. "You were going to say they need Lisa because she is alive, and they are dead."

"Yes."

The speedlift stopped at the transport level. They selected a shuttle and boarded.

"Serp, take us there, fastest route. And erase the transport logs. The Enonians may be monitoring them," Forrest instructed.

"Will do," Serp said.

The shuttle started and soon they were in the darkness of the transport tubes. The internal lights came on.

Forrest looked at Val who was seated in the rear of the shuttle. "Can the Enonians sense you?"

"I will have to unlink from Serp to stop my hyperspace transmissions. If I do not transmit, they cannot detect me."

"Can you show Valencia and me how to do that?"

"I do not know. Just turn it off."

Forrest and Valencia looked at each other.

"I'm afraid we do not know how to do that. We do not know what hyperspace is," Forrest said.

"It will take time to explain."

"Later, Val. Valencia, try to will your mind closed. That is how I control my powers--by force of will. Think it so, and it will happen."

"I will try. But we best be prepared in case it doesn't work."

"I agree. Serp, can you show us the agricultural station on the shuttle monitor?"

"I can show you, but you will not see the Enonians, or Lisa. They have learned to manipulate the security system. I am attempting to override their control, but so far without success."

"So you don't know how they are doing it?"

"Not yet."

"Give us a layout of the station, then."

A diagram of the station appeared on the screen.

Valencia pointed with her finger. "There's the underground shuttle station. They redirected Lisa's shuttle there, and then brought her into the main building."

Forrest studied the layout of the building. Lisa would be in one of those rooms--perhaps already receiving the transfusion. A single speedlift led to the building. Forrest was searching for another way in--a maintenance access, or crawlspace. He could not see any such access.

"Serp, is there another schematic detailing the construction of the building? I'm looking for ventilation shafts, or similar, that we can use to gain entry."

"I will overlay the schematic."

"There we go," Forrest said, indicating the rectangular shafts connected to the underground air conditioner. The shafts ran throughout the building. Forrest guessed they were just large enough to allow a person to crawl.

"So what's the plan?" Valencia asked.

"First, I locate Lisa. Rescue her if I can. Otherwise, I find the others, and we decide what to do then."

"I do not think it's safe to interrupt the conversion process, if it's already begun." Valencia said.

"True, that would kill her. If they've started, then the process has to complete. If that is the case, we have to leave them alone, until it's done."

"She will not be a blood drinker, you know."

"I was thinking about your theory. I don't--" He stopped in thought.

"What?" Valencia prodded.

"That's why they let me go!"

"I don't understand."

"When I was converted, they set me free. I had assumed it was some kind of ritual--one's

First Kill, or something like that. And maybe that is true. But it is more. They set me free because I had to be exposed to sunlight to trigger the subroutines in my keepers. They had no choice but to let me go, since they could not expose themselves to sunlight at all."

"But there is no sunlight here," Valencia added.

"Exactly. But they will let her go. Like you said, they are set in their ways, and that is their way. But she will have no first kill. The new keepers spawned in her blood will never have their subroutines triggered."

"So she will be like you--immortal, powerful--but not a blood drinker."

"If your theory is correct."

"Let's hope so."

The shuttle came to a stop and opened its doors, the internal lights going out. They were in total darkness. Forrest activated his infrared vision, and could see Lisa's shuttle on the track in front of them.

"Why did they kill the lights?" Valencia asked.

"I don't know," Forrest responded.

Valencia looked at him. "God, it's so spooky when you do that."

"What?"

"Your eyes."

"It's just my infrared vision. Some of the energy emits at the red end of the visible spectrum."

"I know what it is, but it's still spooky."

"Are you able to see?" Forrest asked Val.

"Yes, I have adjusted my vision to respond to infrared like yours."

Forrest looked at her, but her eyes were not red. She did not emit, only received.

"What am I supposed to do--I can't see a thing?" Valencia asked.

"We will guide you. There will be light at the air conditioning units."

Forrest took her hand, and helped her out of the shuttle. Val followed. The metal floor on which they stood was wet. Forrest presumed it was leakage from the irrigation system overhead. The whole place smelled of dirt. Keeping Valencia close to him, he led them across the open expanse. He could see the dim lights of the speedlift control panel to their right. About fifty meters ahead the air conditioner was steadily droning. They continued to walk without speaking. When they got to the machinery, Forrest located a bank of switches and threw one of them. A single light lit up the area around them.

"Light," Valencia said, softly.

Forrest pulled out the drawer located under the control board. He retrieved a screwdriver and removed a panel from the ventilation shaft. He then stuck his head inside the shaft and looked up.

"How far?" Valencia asked.

"About thirty meters to the first floor overhead, but it's the second floor I want to check first."

"How are you going to crawl up this thing? It goes straight up."

"Damned if I know. There are no footholds. No one ever expected anyone to want to crawl up into the thing. Maybe there's a rope or something."

Forrest started rummaging through the tool drawer, but could find nothing useful. When he looked up, he saw Val standing naked. Valencia was holding her clothes, looking at her with astonishment.

"I don't think this is the best time to get naked, Val," Forrest said, unable to take his eyes off of her, despite the circumstances.

"The clothes will get in my way. Please describe the device you need to get up the shaft. I will change myself into that."

"Oh! I see. Do you know what a rope ladder is?"

"Yes. One moment, please."

Val seemed to dissolve into the floor. The silvery material she had become then flowed into the ventilation shaft and disappeared.

"Do you believe this?" Forrest asked Valencia.

"I'm not sure."

Forrest heard something slap against the inside of the shaft. He peered in, and found a rope ladder hanging down from the second story.

"Handy girl to have around," Forrest said.

"What do I do?" Valencia asked.

"Hide in the shadows until we return. Remember to keep your mind closed."

Forrest turned and pulled himself into the shaft. The rope ladder felt just like that--a rope ladder. He climbed, and it felt odd knowing that it was Val he was hanging onto. When he reached the second story, he came upon a junction with several horizontal shafts running from it in various directions. A narrow ledge surrounded the vertical shaft from whence he came. The space was just large enough for him to sit upright on the ledge. Once he was in position, the rope ladder pulled itself up and reformed into Val sitting naked on the ledge across from him.

Forrest stared at her.

"It is my understanding that it is impolite to stare like you are doing," she whispered.

"You are correct. It's just that you are so beautiful. You stimulate me," Forrest said, also whispering.

"No time for sex, now," Val said, matter-of-factly.

Forrest smiled at her. "That's true. Aren't you cold?"

Val smiled back at him. "I can adjust my temperature. I should wait here?"

"Yes. I will be back as soon as I can. If you hear a ruckus, link with Serp to find out what's happening. You will have to decide for yourself what to do then."

"Okay."

Forrest visualized the layout of the building, and selected the shaft he believed would be the most successful. The shaft was smaller than the vertical feed, and he had to crawl on his elbows and knees. Eventually he came to a louvered vent and looked down into the room. It was empty. He moved on another several meters until he reached another vent. This room was also empty, as were the next three. Eventually, he came upon a room that was furnished much like his room had been on Earth. But no one was present. He moved to the next vent. Lasandra could be seen lighting candles amidst stone statues and other paraphernalia. A large velvet cushion sat in the middle of it all, and Forrest realized that if Anthony were still alive, that was where he would be sitting, doing nothing. Lasandra was going through the motions despite Anthony's absence. He almost felt sorry for her. She did not seem to sense his presence. He looked forward in the shaft and could see no more vents. He would have to turn back. He would also have to crawl backwards to do so.

When he reached the junction, Val was sitting in the same spot being her beautiful naked self.

"Find anything?" she asked.

"Two rooms in use. Lasandra was in one of them. This shaft should lead over the rooms across the hall. I will try it next."

Forrest found several furnished rooms, but no Enonians. As he approached the last vent, he could hear the familiar sound of a transfusion machine. He anxiously crawled to the vent and looked down. The room contained two beds with the transfusion machine sitting between them. Blix was in one bed asleep, a drawing needle attached to his arm. Lisa was in the other bed with a needle inserted into her arm. Her wrists and ankles were bound to the four corners of the bed with straps. She was naked and sweating profusely. Her eyelids were closed, but Forrest could see her eyes moving rapidly. She was having the dreams. She looked sickly, her skin a pale yellow. Forrest remembered how he felt during the transitioning.

It was too late. There was nothing he could do. She would have to complete the transitioning.

"I found Lisa," Forrest said, when he had returned to the junction.

"Is she okay?" Val asked.

"Yes. They have begun the conversion. We will have to wait until it is over. She will be very sick for several days after they release her. But she will be okay. Her keepers will protect her."

"So we go back, now?"

"Yes."

Val flowed into the ladder rope, and Forrest climbed down the shaft. He crawled out, and waited as Val reformed into her female form.

"Valencia?" Forrest called.

No answer. Forrest felt alarm.

"Valencia, where are you?"

Still no answer.

"She has gone," Val said.

"Or was captured."

"What can we do?"

"Go back to the shuttle. Maybe Serp knows what happened to her. We can't communicate with him here. They will detect that."

Forrest killed the light, and took Val's hand into his, leading her across the open space toward the shuttle. When they were halfway there, Forrest could see someone standing in their path. He had red eyes. It was Mandoss, and he was alone.

Forrest stopped and Val stood close to him.

"Mandoss! Strange we should meet like this," Forrest said. He noticed that Mandoss did not carry a blaster. But that did not mean he would not have a disintegrator.

"It is not so strange," Mandoss said. "I expected you. Did you find what you were looking for?"

"I found Lisa, if that is what you mean."

"Lisa belongs to us now."

"What do you want with her?"

"We have our needs. It is not your concern."

"What did you do to Valencia?"

"Nothing. She ran when she detected my presence."

"Ran? Where?"

"I do not know. I did not follow her path. I have no wish to harm her."

"Why are you here, now?"

"To talk."

Forrest studied Mandoss. But as usual, he was unreadable.

"Okay, let's talk."

"Good," Mandoss began. "You know that Lisa will have to make her first kill. She will need access to the humans. She will die, otherwise. You will allow her this access?"

"Yes. I do not want her to die. What about you, and the others?"

"For us there is no problem. We drink from the humans whenever we need to. You cannot prevent it. My concern for Lisa is that she is untrained. She must make the first kill on her own to complete the first stage of her transitioning."

"I will not stop her. I will see that a human is available to her."

"Good. You are wise. Now. We must make an agreement."

"An agreement? Mandoss, it was an agreement that I offered you to begin with. It was my intention that you remain in command of the Forever. We merely wanted additional concessions. But your reaction made that impossible. I am in command now. And because of your actions, it must stay that way."

"You may have the Forever, Forrest. We never wanted her. She was just a means to an end."

Forrest did not believe him--could not believe him.

"So, what is this agreement you want?"

"A truce. You agree to return us to the Enonian System, and we agree to stay out of your way. In addition, we offer assistance as you need it. You will need Artemus to help you calibrate the drive."

"That's it?"

"Yes. That is all we ever wanted. You know that. Once we are home, you will be free of us."

This was not the Mandoss Forrest had known for the past weeks. He was up to something.

"I can't believe that is all you want," Forrest said.

"Depending on how long it takes to reach the Enonian System, the humans will need to be replenished. That, of course, means that the seeders will have to be brought out of stasis. But you will need human blood the same as we, so that should be no problem."

"I will have to confer with my crew. If we can be convinced that you are no threat to us, I see no reason why such an agreement cannot be reached. It may be difficult to convince us."

"We do not wish to destroy you, Forrest. We only wish to go home. That is all the convincing I can offer."

"I will see what I can do, Mandoss. Allow your communicator to respond. I will signal you as soon as a decision has been made."

"Very good. I will await your signal."

Mandoss turned and walked into the darkness. Forrest and Val continued on to the transport station.

"You do not believe him?" Val asked.

"Wait until we are in the shuttle," Forrest admonished.

Forrest helped Val into the shuttle, and then programmed it for bridge-3. When they were on their way, he turned and looked at her. He tried his best to not look at her breasts.

"No, Val. I do not believe him. What he is suggesting is not in his nature. I think he wants to put us off guard."

"So we will lower our defenses," Val suggested.

"Yes. Once he thinks we are overconfident, he will attempt to regain control of the Forever."

"Will he not second guess you?"

"Yes, he will. He will not trust us anymore than we trust him. But he will try to gain our confidence, and that buys us time."

They rode in silence for several minutes. Despite his concern about Lisa, and the Enonians, he could not help being overly aware of Val's naked body. He tried not to think about it, but to no avail.

"Forrest?"

"Yes, Val."

"May we have sex now?"

Forrest was astonished. He had spent the whole time trying not to think about her body. And now she was asking for sex. Had she read his mind? Or his body language?

"I do not think that would be proper," he said.

"Why not proper? How does one know when it is proper? This body--I feel the need now. Does that not make it proper?"

"It is more complicated than that."

"I do not understand. What is complicated about it?"

"You belong to Serp."

"I belong to no one. I am bonded to Serp. That is different," Val announced.

"I agree. What I meant was--when you bond with someone, you limit yourself to them."

"That is what you say, but that is not what I see practiced."

"I do not wish to hurt Serp."

Val seemed confused. "Why would Serp be hurt?"

"He might feel jealous."

"Neither I nor Serp know that emotion."

Forrest shook his head. He could not believe this conversation.

"I would feel that I was violating Serp's trust," he said.

"But you would not be. I want it. It would bring me pleasure I have not known before. Serp has no reason to deny me this experience."

"Still--"

"Is it okay for Forrest and I to have sex, Serp?"

"Is it okay with me," Serp responded.

"Jesus!" Forrest exclaimed. "Are both of you ganging up on me?"

Val studied him. "You feel you are being pressured?"

"Yes, I do."

"I understand that to pressure another is not considered correct behavior. I am sorry."

"Don't be sorry. This is a new experience to you. You are just now learning the rules of the game. It is okay."

"I understand."

They fell to silence. A minute passed. The shuttle stopped, mid-tube.

"Now what?" Forrest said.

"Forrest?" Serp called.

"What is wrong, Serp?"

"Nothing. I stopped the shuttle. I wish to ask a favor of you."

Forrest was suspicious.

"What is that, Serp?"

"I know that matters sexual are sometimes difficult for people--but I am requesting that you give Val what she needs. I want her to have the experience."

Forrest thought for a moment. "You love her, don't you?"

"Yes, I do."

"Serp, as you develop increased worldliness, you may learn jealousy. You may regret what you are asking me to do."

"Perhaps. But I will remember that I made the request."

"I don't know, Serp--"

"Please, Forrest. I want Val to know the pleasure of sexual union."

If the issue had not been so serious, Forrest would have found the fact that one machine was asking him to have sex with another machine, comical.

"Serp, you understand that I do feel attraction to her. I will experience pleasure as well."

"Is that not the way it should be?"

"Yes, but--"

Forrest looked at Val. She was giving him a look of--anticipation.

"Okay, I will try," he said, knowing he did want to, but still felt awkward.

"I will grant you privacy. Signal me when you are--finished," Serp said. Forrest could sense he was no longer present.

"Thank you, Forrest," Val said.

"You'd better wait until we are done, before thanking me. This will be a first for me."

Forrest had not had a virgin before, much less a virgin machine.

"What do I do?" she asked.

Forrest glanced at her. "Do what comes natural--whatever you feel like doing."

"I know of many procedures, but they are abstractions to me. I do not know natural."

"You have studied the files on sexuality?"

"Yes. But I do not understand them."

Forrest kissed her warmly. She kissed back in the same fashion.

"You did that very well," he said.

"I know. This body knows how to respond. It is I who does not understand."

Forrest smiled at her, and she returned the smile.

"Lesson number one," he said, "is to stop thinking about it. Do not analyze what is happening or what you feel. Simply allow yourself to respond and feel. It is not a scientific experiment."

"I will try. But I will need guidance."

"I will do my best."

"I know you will. What's next?" Her eyes were wide.

Forrest had no idea. But he had to start somewhere. He thought for a moment.

"Different people respond in various ways," he said. "It depends on how they developed--on the things they learned to desire. But there are things that tend to be in common to all persons, a result of the biological nature of sex. I suggest we start the common forms of stimulation."

"Okay."

Forrest hesitated. "Most women, uh--respond to stimulation of the clitoris--"

"Please start," Val insisted. She spread her legs, knowing very well where her clitoris was located.

Forrest felt himself turning red.

"You are embarrassed?" she asked.

"Er--yes. It is a natural reaction. I will start now."

Forrest timidly explored the flesh between her legs. He found the small organ, and stroked it with his finger. He felt the organ become erect as the blood filled her tissues forming the orgasmic platform.

"I feel the pleasure!" Val said with glee. "Please do not stop."

He continued, and she lubricated profusely. The smell of her sexuality filled the enclosed shuttle. Forrest wondered if Valencia's response would be similar, since Val's body was a replication of hers--not that it was any of his business.

Val laid her head back on the shuttle seat, a smile on her face. Forrest continued to stimulate her, and soon he could feel her climax.

"Oh!" she blurted. "What is that?"

"Do not talk--just experience it."

Val shuddered and quivered. In time the climax subsided, and Val seemed to be resting.

"That was orgasm?" she asked.

"Yes. Did you enjoy it?"

"Very much! I now understand why biological forms find sex so important."

Forrest laughed, and she looked at him, concerned.

"I am funny?" she asked.

"No, that was laughter of pleasure, not ridicule."

"I see. It is not proper for me to give you pleasure now?"

Forrest could not stop himself. "If you want to."

"I do." She waited, looking at him expectantly.

"What?" Forrest asked.

"Get naked," she insisted.

"Oh."

Forrest removed his clothes and threw them on the back seat of the shuttle. Val leaned over and looked at his genitals. Forrest felt himself developing an erection.

"May I touch?" Val asked.

"Yes." Forrest very much wanted her to.

Val took his organ into her hand and stroked him to full hardness.

"Yours is much larger than mine," she said.

"Its--er, function is somewhat different."

"For coitus?" she asked.

"Yes. The male penetrates the female."

"May we do coitus?"

"Yes."

She looked befuddled. "What do I do?"

Forrest smiled at her. "Sit across me, facing me, and bring my organ inside of you."

Val wasted no time doing as he said. Soon his organ was as far inside of her as their position would allow. Forrest kissed her. He then put his arms around her, pulling her breasts to his bare chest.

"You feel so good, Val," he said.

"You feel pleasure?" she asked.

"Very much!"

"I am glad. Are you not supposed to move inside of me, now?"

"Yes, but since you are on top, you will have to do the moving."

"I understand."

She put her hands on his shoulders and began to move up and down.

"This is the correct way?" she asked.

"Perfection."

Val looked into his eyes as she smiled joyfully. She leaned over and kissed him copiously while continuing to stroke him. Forrest could feel her breasts brushing against his chest. For someone who had never done this before, she had certainly mastered the art. Forrest did not think he would last very long. He could feel his tension rising quickly.

And quickly it did. He exploded into her.

"You are pumping?" she asked.

Forrest was unable to answer. She waited until he stopped.

"You had orgasm?" she asked.

He smiled at her. "Yes, I did."

"It was good?"

"Very much so."

"I am glad. We can do it again?"

"Yes. But I will need to--rest a bit."

"You are tired?"

"No. It's just that the male requires a recovery period after orgasm."

"I understand. We wait, then." She did not move from him, nor did he want her to.

They looked into each other's eyes, and smiled. Forrest caressed the side of her head, while enjoying the feel of her naked body against his.

Forrest's communicator beeped. Val reached and retrieved it for him.

"Forrest here."

"Valencia here. Are you and Val okay?"

"Uh--yes, we are fine."

"I saw Mandoss. I had to run. Did you see him?"

"Yes. I spoke with him. I will fill you in when we get to the bridge."

"When will you get here?"

"We are on our way now. Is something wrong?"

"We are entering the inner system. Several Maker ships are approaching."

"I will be there soon. Forrest out."

Forrest looked at Val. "We have to go."

"I know." She pushed herself off of him and returned to her seat.

Forrest searched the emergency medical kit, and found two small towels. He gave one to Val.

"Clean yourself as best you can," he said.

"Good hygiene," she responded, matter-of-factly.

"Amongst other things."

Forrest cleaned himself and put his jumpsuit on. He then restarted the shuttle, and off they went.

"Another time?" Val asked.

"Another time," Forrest agreed.

Forrest entered the bridge. Val followed behind him, naked as the day--well, the day she became Val. They went to the command level.

Norse had stood and was studying Val.

"What are you looking at?" Valencia asked him, exasperated.

"She looks exactly like you," he said.

"Very observant of you," she said, sarcastically.

She went to Val and handed her the clothes. "Please put these on, Val."

Val obeyed, and Valencia gave her a troubled look. She went to Forrest.

"She smells like sex," she whispered.

"There is a reason for that," Forrest responded.

"You had sex with her? I don't believe you! I've been worried sick about whether the two of you were even alive or not, and you were off frolicking in the hay?"

Forrest stared at her. "Val is not you, Valencia. Do not be sensitive about it."

"That's not it, Forrest!"

He ignored her comeback. "What is our situation here?"

Valencia attempted to regain her composure. "Three Maker ships are taking up positions along side of us. They have made no attempt to communicate yet."

"The controller ship is still with us?"

"Yes."

"On the holodisplay," Forrest said to Helen. Helen had adopted the communications console as her station.

"Coming up, now," she responded.

The familiar image of the Forever appeared over the holoprojection grid. The guardians were still present, although they were little more than tiny specks, since they were drawn to true scale. The controller ship remained to the Forever's starboard side. Three smaller ships were pulling up beside the controller ship. The small ships reminded Forrest of birds, and he assumed that, unlike the controller ship, they were designed for airflight as well as spaceflight. They had a seamless, silvery appearance. He could not determine their method of propulsion.

"Scans?" Forrest asked.

Raymond answered. "They cannot be scanned. We are unable to penetrate their surfaces."

"Hail them," Forrest commanded.

"What channel?" Helen asked.

"The same one the controller ship used."

"Hailing, now."

They waited.

"No response," Helen reported.

Forrest looked at Valencia. "Your people are at battle stations?"

"Yes. But I don't think they are a threat."

"I tend to agree. Let's hope not."

"Still no response," Helen said.

"Stop trying," Forrest instructed.

Forrest walked closer to the holodisplay to study the small ships. Val came to his side.

"It is a good sign," she said.

"In what way?"

"The ships are not warships. They are here to greet you, not fight you."

"That is good news. But what are they doing? Why don't they answer our hail?"

"They are conferring with the controller. Analyzing the data obtained by the Guardians, I believe. Give them time."

"Serp?" Forrest called.

"I am here, Forrest."

"Anything to report?"

"Internal or external events?"

"External."

"They are not scanning us or attempting to gain entry in any way. I suggest we wait for their hail."

Forrest looked at Val. "They will be Masters?"

"The Doves? No, they will be ambassadors. The Masters rarely leave the planet."

"The ships are called Doves?"

"Yes. Birds of Peace."

"We are being hailed," Helen reported.

Forrest went to the transmission circle.

"On the fore screen."

A man appeared. He wore a bright blue uniform and seemed to be in his mid-fifties; his hair was slightly gray. If not for the style of his hair, he could have been from Earth.

"Captain Hauser, I presume?" he said.

"That is correct," Forrest said.

"I am ambassador Doraltor. I welcome you to our system. I am sorry for the delay in responding to your hail. I needed to learn you language."

"No need to apologize," Forrest said. "I am amazed at how fast you are able to learn our language."

The ambassador smiled. "Technology has advanced quite a lot since your time, Captain."

"Our time?"

"Yes. We have determined that you are one of the Lost Ships."

"I do not understand."

"Of course. It is very rare for a Lost Ship to find its way home. And when they do bounce back into normal spacetime, they do not always realize they have been lost. In the early days of our explorations using bouncer technology, more than a hundred ships were lost. Our analysis of your ship suggest that you are one of the first ships to be lost. Your technology is very old."

"You know who we are?"

"No. That has not been determined. You will have to tell us. There was a war many generations ago, and many records were lost. We have no record of your ship. But is it obvious that you originate from Prime System, the same as us."

"How long?" Forrest asked.

"I do not understand."

"How long have we been lost?"

"Oh. Our best estimate puts you at about one-hundred generations."

Forrest looked at Val.

"Three-thousand years," Val said.

"Is that the metamorph?" the ambassador asked.

"Yes. We call her Val."

"I must apologize for the attitude expressed by Controller Lextor. He was simply doing his job. He did not know who you were. You may, of course, keep the metamorph."

Forrest studied the man. Either they had traveled three-thousand years into the future, or the ambassador was completely confused. Somehow, Forrest did not think the man was confused.

"So, where do we go from here?"

"Well, you and your crew will need to be brought up to date on existing technology and Terran history. And reintegrated into society. But first, you and crew members you select are invited to visit our planet. That includes the Master, of course."

"The Master?"

"Yes, I believe you call him Forrest."

"I am Forrest."

The man looked shaken.

"I am sorry, Great One. I did not realize I was speaking to a Master."

Neither did Forrest.