Fantasy Journey to Year 1,000,000,000

"Because it's actually what they want. For us to fight among ourselves," said Elizabeth. "That's the purpose of this entire exercise, I believe. And we're playing right into their hands. I am your team leader, and you will listen to me. The food that every person gets is their own property. They can do with it as they will. If they want to share it, they can. If they want to eat it all, they can do that as well. It's each person's decision. I will have no more fist fights over food, do you hear me?"

No one answered her, but they all looked down. Her authority had been reestablished.

The next time food materialized, no one grabbed for someone else's food. But they did ask.

"Please, Midge?" said Susan McClure. "I'm hungry."

"I'm hungry too," said Midge Watson, feeling all eyes on her as she rapidly gobbled her food cubes.

"Just one, Midge, please, just one," Susan pleaded.

Midge shook her head.

"All right Susan. I'll give you one," said Barbara Wells. She was hungry too, but she felt guilty, and her heart was breaking for poor Susan.

"Really?" said Susan, rushing over to her. So did the other resistors who had gotten less food. Barbara shrunk back.

"All right," said Barbara. She reached out to hand Susan a food cube. Susan snatched it from her and eagerly put it in her mouth.

"Give me one too, Barbara," said Wade Tanner.

"And one for me," said Bruce Anderson.

"No... no...." said Barbara. But then they were grabbing for her food cup, and it went spilling, and soon they were rolling on the ground, fighting each other for a single food cube, resistors and collaborators alike.

After that, none of the collaborators volunteered to give up a food cube. Never again.

"You will find this next test much more pleasant, Captain Taylor," said Arnack's voice.

"I'm so relieved to hear that," said Taylor dryly. "By the way, where is the rest of my crew?"

"They are all here, and well cared for, Captain."

"Being experimented on, you mean."

"Yes, that is exactly what I mean," said Arnack.

"Why are there no scientists with us?"

"They are part of a different kind of experiment, Captain," said Arnack. "But you had best be focused on your own efforts."

"Efforts to do what?"

Suddenly there was a flash of light, and Suki Tanaka appeared in his cell. Taylor looked around, and saw Karen Levenson had been transported to Bill Carey's cell, and Judy Russell had been put into Rudy Garrett's cell...

And it was boy, girl, boy, girl.

Taylor started to get an uneasy feeling what was going to happen next.

Senderock shook his large head. "This is no test. Males are naturally attracted to females. It will take little effort to get them to mate with each other," he said, sounding disgusted.

Taylor and Suki looked into each others' eyes, startled as they discovered what was expected of them.

"It is no such test," said Arnack. "The males will only be moderately stimulated. It is the females, who show greater restraint, who will be stimulated the most."

"We're not going to do it," Taylor yelled. "We're not going to perform for your amusement!"

But even as he said it, he saw Suki staring at him with lust in her eyes.

It didn't take much persuading to make Suki attracted to Taylor. She was already attracted to him, strongly so. All she had to do was to overcome her inhibitions.

Captain's girl... you can be the Captain's girl, Captain's girl... he's so sexy... Taylor is so sexy, so very sexy....

And Suki believed it, because it was true. Ever since he first stepped onto the bridge. she had been attracted to those green eyes and dark haired smiles and broad shoulders and big chest. Suki knew, somehow, that there was something going on, or something that had gone on, between the Captain and Jennifer Hale, and knew that under normal circumstances that she wouldn't have had a chance with him... but circumstances were far from normal here.

Captain's girl, Captain's girl... you can be the Captain's girl again.

The thought would have repelled her under other circumstances, but right now Suki found it powerfully appealing.

Suki took a step towards Taylor.

Taylor took a step back. "Fight it, Suki."

"I don't want to fight it," Suki smiled. She wrapped her arms around him, and drew him close. "Captain... my deeeear Captain...."

Taylor cast a quick glance over at Jennifer's cell. For some reason, Jennifer was the only woman in their group who hadn't been paired off with a man. Taylor was grateful for that, but didn't know the reason why she had been spared. If anything, he should have been the one to be paired off with-

He felt Suki's lips pressing against his.

"No, Suki," he murmured. But he didn't push her away. Taylor felt sexually aroused, there was no denying it. Suki was an attractive woman, with round eyes and large, bulbous Southeast Asian breasts and long, dark, hair. Suddenly he felt a burning need, deep within himself. He needed, sex, badly. His penis throbbed with intense desire. He needed release. Specifically, he needed to release, inside of a woman... and Suki was rubbing against him, there for the taking. More than that, she was eager to be taken.

"Don't you find me attractive, Captain?" she said, with dark eyes.

Taylor did. There was no doubt about that.

"Yes, but-"

"Then let it happen," She said. She kissed him. He felt her warm, soft breasts pressing against him through her shirt. "Just let it happen."

She was so attractive, so sexy.

And he needed a woman so badly.

Taylor felt her unbuttoning his shirt. Then her hands snaked inside. It felt like electricity wherever she touched him. He looked into her dark eyes, and he was lost.

The same scene was being repeated in cells all around him. In Bill Carey's cell, Karen Levenson was pressing against him, telling him practically the same thing.

"But I'm married," said Bill.

"Shhh.. shsssh... that was millions of years ago," said Karen, removing his Survey Service dayshirt with only token resistance. She smiled as she rubbed his hairy chest.

"But it's not right," Bill insisted, even as his man nipples got hard.

"It is all right," said Karen, her eyes filled with lust. "It's all going to be all right." She assured him, as she pressed her lips against his.

Suki started to strip Taylor of the rest of his clothes: first his shoes, then his pants, and then his underwear. Every time he started to object, she kissed him, and her thick Asian lips filled him with lust and desire. Then she took off her own clothes. He was started to see her large, pear shaped breasts.

But not too startled.

They were exactly as they had looked in his dream two nights before.

Suki was so sexy. As she pressed her heavy breasts against his chest, Suki, totally stripped of her inhibitions, started to stroke Taylor's male sex organ, which was rapidly hardening under her exotic Asian feminine touch. "Do you like this?" she whispered.

"Ooooh," Taylor groaned, as he felt a painful and pleasant tingling up and down his shaft.

Suki pulled him down to the ground and smiled seductively as he let himself be pulled down. "That's right, Captain, my dear Captain," she said in a loving voice. Suki lay down on her back, slowly, luxuriantly, with a sexy smile, and then pulled him down so he was lyng on top of her. Taylor, to his immense shame, felt his erect penis sandwiched between their bodies, as Suki started to kiss and rub against him.

"Suki... we shouldn't... not in front of the others," said Taylor. But he was mostly fighting with himself. Taylor's penis felt like it was going to explode as it rubbed against her soft pubic mound. He felt such tremendous need, the need to put it in her, the need to fill her with his seed, and Suki made it ten times worse by being so available for the taking.

"It's all right, Michael," Suki assured him. She pushed him back slightly and lifted her knees. Then she gave him a wolfish smile and grabbed his penis, and started to aim it.

"Please...." Taylor said.

"Please what?" said Suki, with the same wolfish smile. "Please don't? Or do?"

Taylor himself was not sure.

And then Suki decided it for him.

She grabbed his organ and, feeling around a bit, inserted him into her.

Immediately, the head of Taylor's penis was tremendously stimulated.

So tight! So wet!

Instinctively, he started thrusting. All resistance was gone now, all questions and reluctance flown out the window. All that was left was intense need.

Suki smiled as she felt him starting to move in and out of her. "That's right, that's right... what a good boy. Such a good boy you're being. Just like that," she said, enjoying the feeling of having Taylor inside of her. But more than that, she enjoyed the feeling of breaking him down, of making him submit to her, of getting something she thought she could never have.

Suki groaned sensually as Taylor's penis continued to massage her tight Southeast Asian tunnel. She still couldn't believe this was happening. "It feels so good, being a Captain's girl again."

Again?

She saw the questioning look in his eyes.

"On the Bonadventure. My last ship. I was a Captain's girl," said Suki. She talked to him intimately, even as he continued to make love to her. "Captain Waters made me perform for him... in his bedroom, with the door open... in the cargo bay... in the control room... while Ensign Flaherty watched... he liked an audience... just like now... do you feel all the eyes on us, Captain? Do you?" She smiled up at him. "The women, they are all envious of you Michael. They want to fuck you. And the men, all of them, they wish they could be you. You, inside of me, right now." Her dark eyes were filled with lust.

The entire experience was overwhelming, but Taylor found Suki's voice, her tone, so intoxicating. The thought of fucking Suki in front of his crew should have filled him with shame, but Taylor felt the exact opposite, an exhileration he had never felt before, not even with Pam. Taylor felt rather than saw the gazes of his crew on him as he pumped in and out of Suki's tight Asian space. What he was doing was a terrible breach of discipline, terribly improper, but it also felt so terribly good! The thought of taking her in front of her peers, in front of his own men, caused an extremely pleasurable pressure in his balls which went up and down his shaft.

He looked into her dark eyes, and saw her sly smile. Suki had seduced him, in front of the entire crew. She had demonstrated a power over the Captain of the ship and let everyone know it; but rather than feeling humiliated, Taylor found himself rapidly approaching a tremendous orgasm.

"I didn't like it when Captain Waters did it," Suki whispered. "But I do like it when you do it!" Her words made Taylor's penis throb with joy, her dark gaze exciting him without end. "I like it now, because I'm the one taking you." Her words hit him like a ton of bricks.

"Tell me you like it, Michael." She pressed her large, Asian pear shaped breasts against him. They felt soft and warm and glorious.

"Tell me you want me." She wrapped her legs around his back. He felt her vaginal walls tighten around the head of his organ. He groaned from the incredible sensation as he thrusted into her. He couldn't hold out much longer. He was about to cross a biological line that couldn't be uncrossed.

"Tell me you need me." Her voice was pleading, now.

Taylor stared into her eyes, and felt himself passing the point of no return, and was completely ruined. "Yes... yes... yes!" he cried. And then Suki gave a broad smile, and cried out with him, and Taylor felt enormous gobs of semen whip out of the head of his organ, and squirt deep inside of her. But even in his moment of triumph, he heard someone cry "No!", and he looked up.

Taylor saw Jennifer, in her cell, watching him with a fallen face, with tears in her eyes. As Taylor flooded Suki's insides with his manly sperm, he found himself looking at Jennifer's shocked face, and felt shamed.

They should have made me done it with you. I wanted to do it with you, Jennifer!

Taylor lay collapsed on top of Suki for a long moment. He was acutely aware of her warm body beneath his. As he came down from his high, he started to realize what he had done. He slowly pulled out of her and lay on his back. In moments, his mind once again became his own. Taylor, in a shocked daze, looked around at the other cells, and saw other members of his crew completing the ritual of reproduction.

Taylor watched as Bill Carey, working between Karen Levenson's legs, suddenly stiffen and cry out. His face was full of joy, and shame, when Taylor caught his eye. Taylor turned hastily away to another cell, where he saw crewman Rudy Garrett climax on top of Judy Russell. In yet another cell, Ensign Torrence was releasing sperm from his heavy balls inside of Sarah Emberson. Then Taylor looked back at Jennifer's cell again, but her shocked expression caused him to look hastily away.

Suki, unaware of what was going on around them, gave Taylor soft kisses on his neck and chest. "That was so good... so very good.... Michael... my dear Michael...." She grabbed his hands, which made him feel even more embarrassed.

Taylor slowly turned his eyes to Suki, her smiling face, staring at him admiringly; down to her heavy breasts,and finally to her crudely stretched vaginal lips... crudely stretched... and he had been the one to stretch them. Taylor flushed as he remembered pounding in and out of Suki's vagina as if he were living someone else's memories. The significance of the act he had just participated in hit him like an magnetic hammer. Suki, unaware of his inner turmoil, continued to look at him adoringly. Something that should never have happened did happen, and things between them would be different forever. Suki stared at him, even as she rubbed her wet pubis, and her eyes went down to his shrinking, wet, red organ. And then there was a flash, and Suki was returned to her cell, as they all were.

Taylor felt her eyes on him as they all got dressed, the crew, looking at him with shock and surprise; Jennifer, looking at him with hurt in her eyes, and Suki... Suki, looking at him as if a new and vital bond had been formed between them.

"This was no challenge at all," Arnack complained. "Even Captain Margaret Astor of the Aurora had more restraint than you did, Captain Taylor. Frankly, I'm disappointed in you."

"I'm so sorry you're disappointed," said Taylor, with a grim voice that suggested the opposite. He looked over at Jennifer. He could see the hurt in her face.

Technically, they weren't lovers. They had never made love. In fact, Jennifer was married to someone else, to another man named Michael. But there was a bond between them, and that bond had been shaken by what had just occurred.

As Suki's head started to clear, and the alien's influence started to clear from her head, she realized what she had done. She had seduced her own Captain in front of her crew and had sex with him! And even worse, she had told him about... about.... She shook her head. "Captain, are you all right?" she said anxiously. The effects of whatever Arnack had done to her were wearing off now.

"I'm fine," Taylor said.

"Captain I'm so... so... sorry," said Suki, as she rapidly dressed herself. Her pear shaped breasts flopped around as she frantically tried to reattach her Survey Service bra. "I didn't think... I didn't mean....."

"It's all right, Ensign," said Taylor. He knew she felt bad, and he didn't want her to feel guilty about it. "Of all the torture we've experienced so far, this was the most... endurable."

Jennifer glared at him. But Suki gave him a little smile, which made him feel better, but there was also something about her smile that also discomforted him... there was no longer shame in that smile, but also... could it be... flirtatiousness? And then his gaze turned back to Jennifer's hard stare.

We're not a couple! You're married to another man! Taylor felt like yelling.

All the crewwomen who had seduced men felt it necessary to apologize to them. But not all the men who had been seduced felt the need for an apology.

"There's no need to apologize," Rudy Garrett told Judy Russell. "It was quite... nice, actually."

And then it was Judy Russell's turn to blush.

"Are you really attracted to me, like you said?" Rudy asked.

Judy turned away.

"I didn't think so," said Rudy.

Taylor tried not to look at Jennifer. But secretly he was worried. Why hadn't they made Jennifer a part of this experiment? He wondered if they had another use in mind for her.

After several days, the disparity in the food rations of the scientists ended. Those who collaborated got the same rations as those who resisted--only six small red cubes per meal.

"Why?" Vincent whined, to no one in particular.

Suddenly they heard the voice of Almoxin. "You must do more to prove your value."

"What must I do?" Vincent said, looking up at the second floor, where he saw Almoxin, staring down at him with those big egg yolk eyes.

"You must offer your allegiance to the Ascended, and willingly become our slaves."

Vincent's jaw dropped open. "No," he said.

Wade Tanner gave a bitter laugh. "So you broke down and collaborated, and see what you've gotten for it."

Another day passed, with everyone on half rations. When Almoxin saw that starvation alone wasn't changing minds, she turned to pain. She jabbed each of them with pain in different parts of their bodies.

"Say it!" Almoxin shouted, her giant bug eyes blazing.

Elizabeth shook her head. But then she cried out with pain.

"Say it!" Almoxin demanded.

Elizabeth cried out again.

"Just say it!" Almoxin said again.

Everyone watched, wide-eyed, as Elizabeth dropped to the floor, sobbing.

"Is everyone here as brave as your commander?" Almoxin asked. "It is just words. Say the words, and end the pain. Vincent, say it!"

Vincent looked at Elizabeth. He saw her, on her hands and knees, slowly shaking her head. "No, Vincent," she whispered.

"Say it!" Almoxin barked. His big egg yolk eyes burned into Vincent's head.

"I... I...."

"Go on!"

"I...." Vincent suddenly felt something like a needle going through his belly. He screamed. "I am a slave! I am your slave!"

"Good," said Almoxin. "Very good."

Suddenly Vincent started to smile. His head fell back and he giggled.

"What are you doing to him?" Elizabeth demanded.

"He is being rewarded. It feels good, doesn't it, Vincent?"

"Yes, yes, it feels good," Vincent. He felt a wave of orgasmic pleasure, all over his body. It was like he was getting a nude massage. It was so warm, and soft, and comforting.

"Tell us, Vincent, what are you?"

"Your slave," said Vincent. "I am your slave." He found himself staring at Elizabeth's small but firm breasts sticking out of her Survey Service blouse. She snarled at him, and Vincent turned away.

After Almoxin broke Vincent, the other collaborators fell into line, one by one. All it took was a few jabs of pain, and before long six of the eleven scientists were declaring their loyalty to the Ascended.

Elizabeth watched in horror as six men and women who she had respected and admired betrayed their Survey Service oaths and their planet. There were only five of them left now, herself and Wade Tanner and Susan McClure and Bruce Anderson and Norman Thompson. The tension between the two groups was so thick now that one could almost cut it with a knife. It was even worse when the collaborators started getting more food again.

Wade Tanner saw that Carl Parker had twice the food cubes that did. "Give me some of your food, you lousy traitor!"

"No!" Carl yelled. The food cubes went flying, and they started to fight each other. Elizabeth tried to separate them, but they were too strong. Finally she and Bruce Anderson grabbed Wade while Barbara Wells and Vincent Roman held onto Carl.

"You lousy traitor! When we get back home the Survey Service will execute you!" Wade yelled, even as his arms were pinned down by Elizabeth and Bruce Anderson.

"That's enough!" Elizabeth cried. "You're right about one thing, Wade! If there's any justice to dispense, it will be done by the Survey Service, and not you." She glared at Wade. "And if I ever see you touch another member of this science team again, I will have you court martialed myself. Do you understand me?"

Wade just glared at her.

"Most interesting," said Almoxin. "By this time, Head Scientist Regina Tang of the Aurora had already conceded, as did her entire scientific staff."

"Head Scientist Regina Tang did not seem to have the leadership qualities of Doctor Elizabeth Shaw," Terratin observed.

"Head Scientist Regina Tang was ranked as a Lieutenant Commander in the Survey Service Reserves; Head Scientist Elizabeth Shaw is ranked as a full Commander; perhaps that suggests greater leadership ability, and greater ability to inspire restraint among others," said Almoxin.

"Interesting. We must study the concept of primitive leadership hierarchy as it relates to resistance further," said Terratin.

Conditions only got worse. Not only were the new slaves required to declare their allegiance to the Ascended, they were required to dress the part as well. A silver collar and a single piece of black underwear materialized in front of each collaborator.

"What is this?" said Vincent, picking up the collar and underwear.

"The attire of slaves," said Almoxin. "You will put it on now."

"There's.. there's no part to cover the top... just underwear?" said Midge Watson, holding the black panties with distaste.

"Slaves will disrobe, and put on the required attire, or suffer punishment."

The collaborators looked reluctantly at each other. They had no choice. They started to get undressed.

Vincent took off his clothing first, aware of all eyes on him. He removed his shirt and then his pants and then, hesitantly, his underwear. He wondered what Elizabeth was thinking as his naked penis was on display. He looked up at her and saw her pretending not to look at him. He gulped and quickly put on the black underwear. It was tight, very tight, as if it were made for a woman. His organ felt incredibly confined in the small black webbing.

The others started to undress once Vincent had broken the ice. Wade Tanner mocked Midge Watson as she undressed. "That's right, slave. Undress. Undress for us. Give us a show."

Midge looked to Elizabeth to stop the harassment, but Elizabeth was purposefully looking away.

Midge whimpered as she removed her shirt and unbuckled her Survey Service bra. Her breasts were tiny, but she was incredibly protective of them. She looked at Wade and saw the gloating grin on his face. She quickly looked away and removed the rest of her clothing, and then put on the black panties.

And then came the collar. Midge put it around her neck... and snapped it shut. She immediately tried to unsnap it. It would not budge.

"It doesn't come off," Midge cried.

"Of course not," said Almoxin. "Not for slaves."

Everyone had put their collar, except for Vincent. He had been toying with his, trying to delay the inevitable.

"Put it on, Vincent," said Almoxin.

"You heard the lady," said Wade. "Put it on, slave."

Vincent looked desperately at Elizabeth. She wouldn't even look at him anymore. He found himself again staring at her small breasts sticking out of her Survey Service dayshirt. She wrapped her arms around her chest self consciously. Vincent reached up with trembling hands and put the collar around his neck. He felt/heard it click into place.

"What a good little boy," said Wade mockingly. "I can't wait to see what is in store for you slaves next."

"Observe!"

There was a flash of light, and Almoxin and Terratin appeared before them, wearing white robes. Elizabeth was taken aback by their giant eyes, big foreheads, and most of all, Almoxin's sinister smile.

"Welcome, slaves!" said Almoxin. "You will now address me as master! On your knees, slaves! On your knees!"

The six scientists got on their knees. They looked especially pathetic and worn out, each with a silver collar around their neck and wearing nothing but black underwear. Midge Watson's tiny breasts pointed outwards, but Barbara Wells' larger mammaries slunk downwards. Vincent couldn't help but stare at them.

"What are you?" Almoxin asked.

"Slaves," said the former scientists.

"Who do you serve?" Almoxin asked.

"You, Master!" they said with one voice.

"So obedient," said Terratin.

"Such excellent progress," said Almoxin.

"Much more quickly than the crew of the Aurora," said Terratin smugly.

"With the ones we have broken, yes," said Almoxin. "Slaves! We are going to use you, your knowledge, and your experience. We are going back in time to conquer your precious Earth, your Survey Service. Will you willingly help us?'

Vincent bit his lip. But he said, "Yes, Master!" along with the rest.

"Will you help us to conquer the Earth in your time period?"

"Yes, Master!"

"Will you give us information to betray your precious Survey Service?"

"Yes, Master!" they cried.

That was too much for Wade. "Why, you little traitors!" he yelled. He sprang for Vincent. Vincent shrank back, but Wade collapsed to the ground, writhing in pain, before he had taken three steps.

"Obedience is rewarded," said Almoxin dispassionately. "Resistance is punished." She turned to Elizabeth. "What do you think?"

"You must be feeling very proud of yourself, to have intimidated a group of docile scientists," said Elizabeth.

"We are. This is another form of restraint we are testing for. Restraint in abandoning your stated ideals. Your resistance is markedly low. You surrender your values so easily. This has all the makings of a truly remarkable experiment," said Almoxin. He waved a hand, and all the slaves disappeared in a flash of light.

"Where have you taken my people?" Elizabeth cried out.

"They are no longer your people, or your concern. They are our slaves. As you soon will be," said Almoxin. She stared at Elizabeth with those giant eyes for a long moment... and then Almoxin and Terratin disappeared in another flash of light.

Elizabeth went over to Wade. "Are you all right?"

Wade nodded, sitting up.

"None of this makes any sense," said Susan McClure. "I mean, of course they can break us. But what use would we be in an invasion of Earth? Why would they even want to invade Earth in the past?"

"I don't know," said Elizabeth. "I'm more worried about where they took our people."

"What do you think they are doing to them?"

"If I had to guess, I'd say more intensive brainwashing," said Elizabeth.

"Brainwashing?" Wade snorted. "They have already declared themselves to be slaves. What more brainwashing to they need?"

"I don't know," said Elizabeth, wrapping her hands around herself as she looked around.

"It's all about allegiance," said Teldoc. "Testing your level of restraint in abandoning your principles under pressure."

"I rather thought so," said Victor.

"It all goes back to Xetan, of course," said Teldoc. "The purpose of these experiments is to test your allegiance, to your Survey Service, to your Earth, to your crewmates."

"And the more pressure you put on us, and the more we resist straying-"

"The more Xetan you have," said Teldoc. "And conversely, the easier you are made to stray-"

"The less Xetan we have," said Victor.

"Exactly," said Teldoc.

"My fellow crewmembers... I take it they are going through... unpleasant experiences?" said Victor.

"Yes," said Teldoc.

"I wish I could help them," said Victor pointedly.

"It was all I could do to help you," said Teldoc.

"And I thank you for it," said Victor. "From what you tell me, if we could convince the Keepers that we have Xetan, they would see us as equals, and let us go. Is that correct?"

Teldoc frowned mightily. "I do not believe the Keepers could ever view you as equals... but, if you could show sufficient Xetan, yes, they might be persuaded to let you go. Perhaps."

"How can we then persuade the Keepers that we have Xetan?" Victor asked.

"I do not think it is possible," said Teldoc. "And you should be more focused on your own peril."

"What do you mean?"

"Almoxin and Terratin have been inquiring about your progress. They are skeptical of my... methods, and want further evidence that you have fully abandoned your allegiance to your ship and crew. If we do not satisfy them, you will be put back into the experiment."

Victor shrugged. "What would satisfy them?"

"Statements that you have abandoned your Survey Service, and will serve the Ascended."

"That's simple enough," said Victor, with a smile. "Take me to them." He got up.

Teldoc held out a restraining hand. "Wait."

"What is it?"

"When you confess your allegiance... you cannot be so... so...."

"So what, Teldoc?"

Teldoc struggled to find the right word. "So cheerful about it."

Victor smiled again. "I'll try to restrain my enthusiasm."

Victor knelt before a group of Ascended, with his head bowed. He wore only a control collar and black underwear, the trappings of a lowly slave.

"What are you?" Almoxin intoned.

"Your slave, Master," said Victor, with a defeated expression on his face.

"What is your purpose?"

"To help you defeat the Survey Service and to conquer the Earth."

Almoxin glanced at Teldoc. He had been suspicious about Teldoc's reported progress. But the scientist Victor Berman did seem to have been thoroughly broken.

"In fact, Master, I have some ideas on how your invasion can be even more successful," said Victor.

"You do?" said Almoxin.

"Yes," said Victor. "Simply go back in time three hundred years before we left. We wouldn't even have spaceships then. We would be totally defenseless."

Almoxin was impressed. Not only was this being totally enslaved, but he was enthusiastically offering suggestions on how his race would be conquered.

"We humans are a lowly people," said Victor. "We respect those with power and authority. Once you show us your power, many of us will welcome being your slaves with open arms."

There was a murmuring among the Ascended. Never had they seen a slave so eager to be enslaved! Teldoc worried that perhaps Victor was overacting, but Almoxin looked pleased.

"I have to admit, I was skeptical at first, but you really have done exemplary work with this test subject, Teldoc," said Almoxin. "I will add four science status points to your halo."

"Four points? Thank you, Keeper!" said Teldoc.

"I want you to produce a thorough report on all your methods that led to this result. It could be invaluable."

"Yes, Keeper, at once."

Almoxin turned to Terratin, and gestured to Victor. "Transport this slave back to the experiment. He can serve as an inspirational role model for the others."

"No!" Teldoc cried.

"No?" said Almoxin. "You dare say no to me, Teldoc?"

Teldoc started to shake. "I just meant... I wanted to keep this subject, for a while longer."

"Why?" said Almoxin. "Your task is complete. He is thoroughly broken."

"Yes, he is, but there is still much to learn," said Teldoc. "I want to perform a brainscan of his mind, to observe similarities and differences from the other test subjects." He saw the beginnings of hesitancy in Almoxin's face. "The results could prove invaluable in future experiments."

Almoxin considered for a moment. "Very well, Teldoc. But do not delay too long. I want this one back in the main experiment soon."

"Of course, Keeper."

When they returned to the chamber they had talked in before, Victor said, "Thank you."

"You are welcome," said Teldoc. "But we do not have much time. Soon they will return you to the main experiment. I cannot delay them much longer."

"Well, then we will have to think of something, won't we?" said Victor. "Now, can you help me get this collar off?"​