Chapter 03.2
As Worth closed the connection, his smile faded. He had had another disturbing dream last night. It was Anna, again. And this time Anna was having sex with a woman. Normally this would be a fantasy for many men, but in Worth's dream it was somehow unpleasant. Anna was on top of a woman, dominating her, controlling her, and the woman was moaning in pain. Anna seemed to be drawing something out of the woman and putting something else into her. Something black. Something foul. Something that made Worth shudder.
Worth had had to see for himself that Anna was all right. She obviously was. He probably was just experiencing separation anxiety. His concern would probably resolve itself when Anna returned.
Fannie flirted outrageously with Anna all during the day, rubbing against her, giving her sly glances and wide smiles. Anna tried to get her to tone it down, worried that Colonel Carpenter or Dr. Apentang would notice. But Dr. Apentang was busy doing an anthropological survey of some of the bones she had recovered, and Colonel Carpenter was focused on something else. As Anna tried to work on the Magnatron, or at least to pretend to work on the magnatron, Fannie came over and rubbed her breasts against Anna's back.
"Not now, Fannie," Anna hissed.
"I can't help it," said Fannie, kissing the side of Anna's neck as her arms reached around and squeezed Anna's breasts. Anna's nipples immediately got hard.
Anna turned around and faced Fannie, her face flushed. She held Fannie's hands. She knew what Fannie was going through. She was being stimulated.
"Tonight," Anna whispered. She reached forward and gave Fannie a brief kiss, which didn't turn out to be so brief. She felt Fannie's lips grind against her own and got even more excited.
"Tonight," she said again, literally pushing Fannie out of the lab.
What was wrong with her? Anna had never been attracted to women before. But now she could not wait to get into Fannie's pants again. The Voice had done this to her. It had turned her into some kind of nymphomaniac.
Time crawled on little feet. Finally, the night shift came, and Commander Ryan McKenna and Anna knew what they had to do. They returned to the women's quarters.
This time, they reception they received was quite different.
"Oh thank God, you've finally come!" said Fannie, actually reaching forward and hugging Anna. She was clearly eager to be Infected again.
But Annika was a little more ambivalent.
"I'm not sure about this," she said, even as she shamelessly rubbed her vagina through her workpants. The Infection inside of her, even in its weakened state, had heightened her sexual arousal fourfold. She looked up as Ryan silently approached her. "I'm a married woman, Ryan," she said.
Ryan put his arms around her. "Would you like the burning to stop?"
Annika rubbed herself even harder. "Yes," she said, looking extremely conflicted.
Ryan grabbed her rubbing hand with his own. "I can make it stop," he said. He looked into his eyes. "We just need to do it one more time, and the pain will stop."
Annika looked into his dark eyes. "Just one more time?" she whispered.
"Just one more time. That's all you'll need," said McKenna.
Annika shivered, feeling herself becoming partially hypnotized by something alien in his eyes. She gave the slightest of nods, and Ryan leaned forward and kissed her, and her body actually shook with pleasure.
Ryan worked casually, rubbing more pheromone into Annika's face and hands, making sure that all resistance was defeated. Once he saw that she was out of her mind with need, kissing and hugging him with abandon, he removed all the clothing from her unresisting body, and then got undressed himself. Annika's eyes widened as she saw his big, hairy penis, already partially erect.
By this time Anna and Fannie were already nude and kissing each other on the other bed. Anna felt fewer qualms about Infecting Fannie a second time. Fannie seemed to be eager for it.
But that's only because I already partially Infected her once before.
In moments Annika was naked, and lying back on her bed, her legs spread, her eyes glassy, her knees lifted. Annika's body was totally submissive, and her eyes were filled with adoration for Ryan. She was ready to be Infected. Ryan, without a hint of an expression on his face, got between her legs and started to enter her, while on the other bed Anna was rubbing her nude body against Fannie Mendel furiously.
McKenna' affect troubled Anna. Infection had seemed to turn him into a robot. He was controlled, but not in the same way Anna was; his entire personality seemed to have been lost. Anna subjectively felt her personality was still in place, even if her motivations had been shifted. She wondered why McKenna had reacted so differently to Infection than she had, and wondered how Annika and Fannie would react once they joined Us.
Soon Anna heard womanly moans and even screams from the other cot. Gone was the prim and proper Dr. Hansen, the seemingly asexual dry scientist with her blonde hair in a bun who seemed light years removed from flirting or sensuality. In her place was a woman with her hair spread out like a teenager, wrapping her legs around Ryan McKenna and moaning for him to go "harder, faster" as he plunged into her mechanically, like a machine. But then the virus had done the same to Anna. It could do it to anyone.
Meanwhile, Anna, having planted the seeds of alien control in Fannie the previous night, found her only too eager to let Anna do whatever she wanted to her. Anna enjoyed Fannie's luscious body, and large breasts, but she also enjoyed draining more of her energetic brain cells. A girl could get to like this, Anna thought, as she began to suck more of Fannie's mental energy. Fannie didn't seem permanently harmed by this; she was merely a little tired at the end of the process. And her mental energy tasted so good! It made Anna feel so powerful, so rejuvenated.
Infect the female.
Anna, no longer questioning the orders of the Voice, wet her fingers with her own vaginal juices, and then put them inside Fannie. She did this several times and then worked on bringing Fannie to climax. She didn't only want to infect Fannie, she also wanted Fannie to enjoy it.
Meanwhile, in the other bed, Commander McKenna's thrusts grew faster and faster, until at last he let out a primal groan as he pushed himself one last time powerfully into Dr. Hansen, driving her head back and making her cry with joy as he Infected her yet again with his Serum-laced sperm.
After that it was just a matter of waiting. The girls lay calmly in bed, Annika by Ryan, and Fannie by Anna. Anna heard McKenna tell Annika how beautiful she was as he tenderly rubbed the blonde woman's body, and Annika smiled in a way Anna had never seen before. Meanwhile Fannie looked adoringly into Anna's eyes, supremely happy, even through the burning feeling rising within her.
"Pain," Annika gasped.
"It will be over soon," Ryan assured her.
And it was.
"I feel a tingling in my head," said Fannie. She winced. "And... and some sharp twinges."
"That's just the virus rewiring your brain," said Anna, touching her hair lovingly and kissing her on the forehead.
"I'm scared," Fannie whispered.
"Don't be. Soon you'll be a part of Us," said Anna. She didn't know what had made her say that, but it sounded so natural, so perfect.
Sure enough, a few minutes later, Fannie and Annika shuddered, grabbed their heads, and screamed. And then they abruptly went silent.
"Contact has been made," said Annika, sitting up.
"Contact has been made," Fannie repeated woodenly, sitting up at the same time.
"We must go back to the cave," said Annika.
"And we must return before the morning shift," Fannie added.
Anna noticed a change. When she had infected McKenna a second time, he still had been reluctant to go to the cave, and she had had to persuade him in a way that still made her blush. But after Annika and Fannie's second time, they were eager for it.
We had made Anna more potent. More Infectious.
They all suited up to go to the cave. As they did, and Anna noticed the four of them entering the airlock, she was reminded of something that Annika had said a few days ago. In the logs of the Merricus and the Jerricus, the onboard cameras reported one person leaving the ship and returning, and then two leaving and returning, and then three, and so on, until they all left and never returned.
It seemed that that was what was happening here. Was this what the aliens planned? To take them all over, and leave them stranded in the cave?
Anna no longer cared very much. She felt a hungering now for mental energy, a hungering she had never felt before, and she wanted more if it. If that meant taking over the remaining crewmembers of the Aoife, she no longer had any qualms about it.
When they got to the cave, they all eagerly undressed. No one was reluctant now. McKenna escorted Annika to a cocoon, and she obediently let herself be penetrated and sealed in. But Fannie showed some unexpected fears at the last moment.
"You want me to go in there?" she asked. Her Voice was telling her it was a good place, a great place, the best place to be right now, but a part of Fannie that still exercised reason wasn't quite so sure.
"Yes," Anna said.
Fannie started trembling. Something inside of her warned her of peril. She looked so vulnerable, trembling, with her large round breasts and lovely curved ass reflecting the odd yellow cave light.
As Anna finished undressing, she heard the Voice say, help her.
Suddenly, a large cocoon opened up, big enough for two. Anna smiled at Fannie and took her by the hand. Fannie smiled back nervously. Together, hand in hand, they walked to the cocoon and entered it. Anna was still smiling reassuringly at Fannie as they both were penetrated by a fleshy rod and the cocoon sealed around them.
And then the pain began.
"It burns," Fannie gasped.
Anna wrapped her arms around Fannie and kissed her on the lips. "I know." And they both lost consciousness as they hugged each other.
When all was done, and they regained consciousness, they put their clothes on, suited up, and returned to the ship.
Four members of the crew were now full-fledged members of Us.
"Are you going to take the last two crewmen?" Anna asked, to no one in particular. She no longer believed the Voice when it said it only needed the four of them. It had deceived her too many times.
Do you want us to take them?
"If you are, I want to be involved," said Anna firmly. Four of the crew were Infected now, and Anna was no longer strictly necessary for seduction. But she didn't want to risk missing on the chance of feasting on the mental energy of one of the two remaining crewmen.
You have served us well. Which one would you like to infect For us?
Anna didn't hesitate. "Dr. Apentang." She had seen him once in the group shower. Before Anna had become part of Us, she wouldn't have given him a second thought. But now that Anna had new appetites to fill, the sight of Dr. Apentang's large African organ filled her with lust.
They didn't waste any time. The girls, Annika and Fannie, went together to seduce Colonel Carpenter. He wouldn't stand a chance against both of them. Anna went to Dr. Apentang's little study. She found him studying data from several screens.
"Dr. Apentang?" she asked.
"Yes?" he said, without really looking up. "I'm really quite busy."
Anna, with newfound boldness, put her hand over his, and started rubbing it.
"Yes?" he said, looking annoyed, then puzzled, and then, confused. That was followed by relaxation as Anna started to rub other parts of him.
Five minutes later Kofi was lying on his back as Anna gingerly lowered herself onto him. She had never had sex with an African man before, and she had to admit she was more than a little intrigued. His dark brown penis was the thickest she had ever experienced, and she had to work him in slowly. The old Anna would have been mortified to have sex with a man who was barely an acquaintance; but the new Anna, with her rewired brain, enjoyed poling up and down on him, as if his thicker size were a more potent firehose which could somehow put out the flames burning deep within her.
Soon Anna felt herself stretching on the inside as she got use to his size and girth. When she felt she had been opened enough, she started to move up and down, establishing a good rhythm. Kofi began to groan as he felt the pain as the Infection seeped into his penis, and he tried to get up, but Anna growled and pushed him down, keeping her weight on his shoulders as she continued to work herself up and down, up and down. She felt the first wave of mental energy from his mind as she stole it from him... and it was love. Love, for his wife. Anna felt bathed in the waves of love she was stealing from Kofi's brain. A small number of his brain cells, filled with loving memories of his wife, shriveled up and died, and the accompanying mental energy was transferred to Anna. She felt bathed in radiance.
When they were done, and Kofi felt the sharp pain in his head come, and then go, he sat up and said, "Contact has been made." And Anna realized that had never happened before, not after a single Infection.
Success. You have achieved the minimal acceptable level of potency.
"Does Kofi have to go back to the cave, to be upgraded?"
That is no longer necessary. Now that you have the required potency level, you potency will be inherited by those you Infect. you were an excellent choice for our first carrier.
"What happens now?" Anna asked.
"Now, we need to infect someone on the Bellerophon," said Colonel Carpenter, with a certainty his newfound alien control gave him.
Anna's jaw dropped. "I thought we were done. I thought once we took the Aoife, that was the end of it."
"We need at least one person on the Bellerophon," said Annika. "It's for our own protection."
"At least one?" said Anna said. "Do you intend to take the entire crew?"
"No, of course not," said Fannie, putting a friendly arm on Anna's shoulder. "We only need one. Just one."
Anna looked around her. She felt outnumbered and surrounded. This has been all her doing. She had been key to Infecting the entire crew. And now They had taken ever more tighter control of her. Each act in their service only served to make her more and more a slave for Them, with fewer and fewer options to resist.
Anna looked at their blank faces, the blank faces she had helped create, and desperately tried to make the best bargain she could. "So only one more person? And then we're done? Then that's the end of it? For sure?"
"Yes," said Commander McKenna, but his blank face didn't convey any confidence. "You're the logical candidate to go, but if you're not comfortable, we can send-"
"I'll do it," Anna said quickly. She wanted to be in control of this, or at least as much control of this as she could, given the circumstances. She didn't want the slightest chance of Worth getting Infected.
"Who will you Infect?" Dr. Apentang asked.
Who indeed?
Anna paused for a moment, and thought rapidly. "Major Bill Reynolds." Of all the crew members, she felt he was the most... accessible. He had flirted with her on the trip, smiling and teasing her. She felt somewhat comfortable with him... as comfortable as she could be having sex with any man who wasn't her husband.
"That will be acceptable," Fannie declared flatly. She was no longer a mild mannered electrical engineer. She was a planner for Us.
"Once I've Infected him, can we all go home?" Anna asked.
"Yes," Colonel Carpenter reassured her.
What was she doing? As she looked around the conference room table, she realized that somehow she had fallen into working with aliens to bring an Infection back to Earth. But right now her immediate concern was protecting Worth. Her brain hadn't been so rewired that they had destroyed her love for him.
And so, within the hour, she made a holocall....
"Hello dear," said Anna, smiling pleasantly.
Worth looked at Anna. She positively glowed. Her hair was perfectly combed. She looked incredibly rested. Her skin was perfectly clear. Her cheeks were radiant and pink, her eyes bright. She looked energetic and happy. Even her breasts seemed... perkier. A new bra?
Worth had never seen her looking better. Worth hoped he looked half as good to her.
"Hello, Lieutenant Commander," said Worth. "You're looking so... so..."
"So what, Captain Rogers?" She said, smiling innocently.
"So gorgeous," Worth breathed.
"Is gorgeous a proper military term to be exchanged between fellow officers, Captain? Anna asked, batting her eyelashes as she gave another coy smile.
"In this case, yes," said Worth. He took a breath, and tried to clear his head. "So, what news do you have for me today?" He braced himself in case she asked for another extension. He wanted her back on the ship, now. His fears for her, totally irrational, totally unsubstantiated, had only multiplied in the past few days. That was one of the problems with having ESPer powers. The mind received signals that it simply didn't know how to interpret.
But Worth's fears were not realized.
Anna smiled at him and said, "I want to come home, Captain Rogers."
"Home?" said Worth. He looked surprised. "Really? Are you sure?"
"Unless you don't want me back," she added, giving her little smile.
Does he know what had happened to me? Does he suspect?
"I thought you were in love with your bones," said Worth, a bit irritably.
Ah. He's just upset that I left him.
"I'm more in love with your bones," said Anna. "In fact, when I get back, I want to jump them, Captain Rogers. More than once, if you're up for it." She gave that flirtatious smile again.
Worth's jaw dropped open. That was his Anna, but she was so... sensual! He smiled broadly. "I'll talk to the Colonel."
"Love you, Captain."
"Love you, Lieutenant Commander."
"We have a problem," said Colonel Bolden.
"What is it?" Worth asked.
"We haven't gotten psychometric reports from Aoife in three days," said Colonel Bolden.
"What do they say about that?"
"Commander McKenna said he was looking into it. Then Colonel Carpenter said he was looking into it. They both say Conchita is functioning normally, that there must be some problem in the computer to computer transmission."
"Maria?" Worth asked.
"I cannot diagnose the problem, since I am unable to interlink with Conchita," said Maria.
"And now Anna wants to come back," said Bolden. "How did she seem to you, Captain?"
"Fine," said Worth. "Better than fine, in fact."
"Better than fine?"
"Well, you know the stress of being locked up in a spaceship for months isn't good for any of us. But Anna, well, Anna looks like she's just come back from a week at a resort in the Bahamas."
"But she didn't act abnormally?" Bolden asked.
"No, not at all," said Worth.
Bolden paused, considering. Then he said. "All right. Tell Anna to come back. But I want her to go through a full decontam, and a full examination. Once we see about her, we'll make a decision about what to do about Aoife."
Anna felt her heart jump as she stepped out of decontam and entered the medical bay. Her husband was standing there, looking as gorgeous as ever. If only he knew what sacrifices she had made to protect him.
"Why hello there, Captain Rogers," said Anna. She leaned forward to give him a chaste kiss, which he eagerly took, and more. He felt a warmth on her lips which excited him, but then she pulled back, a little too quickly.
"My dear Captain, there's no need to rush things," said Anna, giving him a knowing look.
"Very well," said Worth. "Would you remove your clothing, please?"
"I think you've been waiting to say that for a whole week, haven't you, dear?" Anna asked.
That was classic Anna, and yet, also something more... more seductive, more flirtatious. Something had changed, however subtle.
Anna slowly undressed, her eyes always on Worth as she enjoyed seeing the effect she had on him. She took off her dayshirt and Survey Service bra, showing him her breasts, her breasts which had most recently been rubbing against Doctor Apentang, and before that Fannie Mendel. She took off her pants and hooked her fingers into her Survey Service panties and smiled at him, to be sure she had his undivided attention. She loved how he simply froze as she slowly pulled her panties down, showing him her rich triangle of luscious reddish brown public hair. Her hair down there wasn't as red as the hair on her head, but Worth always seemed to like it well enough. She spread her legs casually, showing him her labial lips which Ryan McKenna had recently filled with his semen. Twice. "I'm ready to be examined, Captain," she said softly, hopping onto the examination table where she spread her legs even further. She smiled as she saw him shiver slightly. She thought he saw an erection forming in his pants which he tried to cover up with his Pad.
"Let's have a look at you," said Worth, sounding flustered as he approached her. As he began to examine her, she let her hand graze between his legs. So she was right, he was hard! "And after we're done, perhaps I'll examine you," Anna winked.
Worth only reddened further.
Anna couldn't help herself. We had amplified her sexual appetite. She found herself hungering for her husband's touch.
As Worth gradually examined parts of her body with a hand scanner, the Voice spoke to Anna.
This is a perfect opportunity. You can infect him now.
Anna was startled, but tried not to show it. We agreed not to Infect him.
But you have your coverings off, and his could be off in seconds. He is willing.
He is willing, but what if someone is watching?
What do you mean?
I sense Colonel Bolden is suspicious. What if he is watching this examination? Wouldn't it be suspicious if Worth makes love to his wife during her decontam exam?
Would the Colonel normally be watching such an exam?
He might.
Anna knew this was unlikely. But she was desperate, and would say or do anything to protect Worth. And so Anna restrained the Voice, and herself, during the exam, and was careful to touch Worth as little as possible, even as she felt the urge to rip off his clothing and make passionate love to him. Here was her husband, her dear sweet husband, and yet she couldn't make love to him! It was intensely frustrating.
Worth continued to examine her, saying little, which made Anna a bit nervous. Does he know? Worth had ESPer powers like herself, though not as strong.
As he examined her face, Worth thought he saw something in Anna's eyes. No, it would be more accurate to say that he felt something in her eyes. A hungering. But when she caught him looking at her, her face broke into a smile, and whatever Worth saw, or had imagined he saw, vanished.
"You may put on your clothes now," Worth said, making a notation on his Pad, which he carefully held at waist in front of him. When he was done, he held the Pad there.
"Really? I was just starting to enjoy myself," Anna teased, as she slowly put on her uniform. That got a small smile from him.
"So?" she asked him, once she was dressed.
Worth's face was unreadable. "You're clear."