Way of the Iidi

lo'Whots being flown to Capetown

Here in this blog post is the final part of the story about how Azynov and Yōd met Colleen inside the AR Simulator. Previously, Colleen's partner, Lakum, asked Azynov and Yōd to escort her two daughters to Yerophet. Their goal was to test a new hierion field for its ability to protect the settlers of Yerophet against telepathic emanations from the native Kerub.

Colleen spent several weeks searching through Kerub villages for a willing test subject who could participate in hierion field experiments. With the help of her guide, Maturin, Colleen finally found a test subject who was willing to leave her home village; a Kerub named lo'Whots. However, by bringing lo'Whots to Capetown, Colleen has attracted the attention of a special services unit of the police.

Colleen taken into police custody.
Original cover art by Bob Stanley.

Having arrived on Yerophet, Azynov and Yōd were told that Colleen was being interrogated by immigration police and threatened with arrest. Now, Azynov is trying to use his influence to get Colleen released so that they can begin testing the new and improved hierion containment field.

At the end of Part 6, police Inspector Aerfete had just informed Azynov that Colleen would be released, on the condition that reparations be paid the the Kerub. The Kerub are demanding 25,000,000 Ozols in exchange for lo'Whots.

The Yerophet Experiment
Part 1  -  Part 2  -  Part 3  -  Part 4  -  Part 5  -  Part 6

Part 7, Frost Hills to Bailisbury

The stern-faced Inspector Aerfete repeated the price, "25,000,000 Ozols."

Azynov look out his wallet and said, "As an experienced traveler, most of my cash is hidden in my luggage, but I can give you a down payment, call it bail for Colleen." He tossed ten 100,000 Ozol certificates down on the desk.

Aerfete smiled, picked up the money and counted it. "Very well, Azynov." She opened a drawer of the desk, grabbed a phone and put it in her pocket. "You say you have the full 25?" She put the money into the desk drawer, closed the drawer and then took her own phone out. She pressed a button on her phone.

Azynov was saying, "I could get it all for you right now if you were impatient, but I suspect you can wait a few days."

"When you have all the money, 24 million in cash, give it to my agent, Priscilla." Aerfete put her phone back in her pocket, walked past Azynov, opened the office door and went out into the interrogation room. She crossed the room, opened the door to the hallway, turned back towards Colleen and said, "Okay, Colleen. Consider yourself under arrest. House arrest. Azynov has paid your bail." Aerfete reached into her pocket, pulled out Colleen's phone and tossed it to her.

Another plainclothes officer entered from the hallway, stood beside Aerfete, saluted and said, "Agent Zeravla, reporting for duty." Standing at attention with her chest thrust out, Zeravla looked like a comic book caricature of a muscle man, but she was a curvaceous lady police officer.

Aerfete continued speaking to Colleen, "Agent Zeravla will stay at your home and keep an eye on you. She'll be providing me with hourly reports on your activity." Aerfete strode back into her office and closed the door.

Agent Zeravla jerked her thumb over her shoulder, "Let's go." Colleen turned her phone back on then put an arm around each of her daughters and led them out of the interrogation room, following along behind Zeravla who walked quickly towards the elevator. Yōd, Azynov, Maturin and lo'Whots were trailing along behind.

In the elevator, Yōd asked Azynov, "How much did Aerfete take for bail money?"

Agent Zeravla

Agent Zeravla answered, "One million Ozols." She glanced at Azynov and noticed him admiring the protruding curves of her tight fitting shirt. "I'd say you got off cheep for a felony police bribery case."

Azynov felt distracted and confused. He muttered, "Aerfete did not seem concerned about me..."

Colleen told Azynov, "Thank you for posting bail. I'll pay you back."

Zeravla asked Colleen, "Why should you have to pay Azynov, unless you are planning on breaking the terms of your bail settlement?"

Colleen said, "This is absurd. Aerfete is no judge. She can't enforce the ridiculous rules she is trying to impose on me."

"You want time before a judge?" Agent Zeravla laughed, "Go ahead. Violate the terms of the agreement. After the judge hears your case, it will be my pleasure to lock you up with a pack of illegal immigrants down on floor -84." The elevator door slid open.

Original cover art by Malcolm Smith
and Leopoldo Raul Morey y Pena.

First they went to the back offices behind the main lobby and collected Sybski. Maturin took back her phone from Sybski then the robot led the way to the parked aircar. Everyone climbed into the aircar and soon they were out of the parking facility and rising up into the busy airspace of downtown Capetown.

During the flight to the Bailisbury suburb of Capetown, Shery spoke quietly to Colleen, "Mom, when can we test my new containment field?"

Colleen replied, "Well make a detailed plan as soon as we get home. I suppose I should check in with Riqi." Colleen used her phone to make a call to the condo, “Riqi, we'll be home soon. How go the preparations for our guests? Excellent.” Putting her phone back in her pocket, she looked at the row of luggage near the cargo hatch. "Where is the hierion vial?"

Shery went to one of the suitcases and returned with the vial. She handed it to her mother and said, "I used one of the old model 17 vials that you gave me about ten years ago."

"Partial rebuild or did you strip out all of the old circuitry?"

Shery asked, "So you have not gotten any details from Nyky? I told her all about this."

"No. Kresso does not understand any of the technical details."

Kresso told Shery, "Sometimes when you talk, I'm not actually listening to you spew the jargon or describe the latest equation that you fell in love with."

Colleen placed a hand on Shery's arm and reminded her, "Not everyone is cut out to be a physicist."

While Colleen listened to Shery's description of the new hierion field equations she had discovered, Yōd spoke quietly to Azynov, "Something has changed the timeline here on Yerophet."

Azynov was turning over the facts in his mind and trying to solve that puzzle. He and Yōd had previously looked into the future and seen Colleen's fate on Yerophet. In the original timeline, Colleen had never moved from Frost Hills to Bailisbury. A series of experiments with Shery's hierion containment field took place in Kerub villages. Azynov asked Yōd, "Do you remember the name of the original guide?"

Yōd was snuggled up next to Azynov on the front passenger flight couch. She was still having trouble keeping her mind focused on business. She's wormed her way under Azynov's winter coat and rested her hand in Azynov's lap; from the stiffness of his penis, she could tell that he was also fighting off the the telepathic emotional control signals that had been influencing their thought processes for the past day. Yōd shook her head trying to clear her thoughts, "No, but I'm sure it was not Maturin. It was something like Andy Jollen or Jimmy Andrews..."

"Well, it does not matter. Inspector Aerfete made it clear enough, Maturin squeezed into the Simulator from outside, just like we did."

Yōd had the same suspicion, but she asked, "How can you be sure?"

"We'll have to ask her."

In the forward compartment, agent Zeravla was sitting in the co-pilot's seat next to Maturin. She had been looking over her shoulder at the passengers and now said to Yōd, "What are you two whispering about?"

Azynov replied, "Your boss got us wondering where Maturin is from."

The aircar was exiting from the busy airspace of central Capetown, so Maturin activated the manual controls. She turned on her microphone and spoke through the speaker in the passenger compartment, "Azynov, come up to the flight deck."

Azynov unbuckled his restraint belt, went to stand between Maturin and Zeravla and looked out the front window. Night was falling and he could see a long string of lights floating in the air up ahead; commuters returning to the suburbs after a day in the city. Maturin said, "Watch what you say. You may have heard this old saying on Earth: what goes around comes around."

Azynov chuckled, "As a young boy, I read it in the Bible: as ye sow, so shall ye reap."

Maturin nodded, her eyes still scanning the heavy aircar traffic, "And if you make me explain my origins and my past, so will your origin be revealed."

Agent Zeravla asked Maturin, "Azynov is a drug smuggler or something worse... what are you hiding about your past?"

Maturin shrugged. "You're the police investigator, you figure it out." She glanced at Azynov and told him, "You better go back to your seat, in just a moment I'm going to begin taking us down."

Azynov returned to his seat and strapped himself in. Yōd buckled her own seat-belt. The aircar tipped to the side and Maturin took them down into Bailisbury.

Yōd asked Azynov, "Well?"

Azynov nodded, "She's from Outside, too. There is no doubt."

A minute later, Maturin had completed the descent. The aircar landed and moved inside a little hangar beside the condo which was a modular unit that existed as part of a large residential complex. Colleen warned her guests, "Button up your coats. It is only a short walk into the house, but the hangar and the connecting walkway are not heated."

Carrying one of the small travel bags, Colleen led her daughters into the house where they were met by Riqi, the household robot that had accompanied Colleen to Yerophet. Colleen told the robot to bring inside the rest of the luggage. Colleen immediately showed her daughters the upstairs bedrooms that they would use during their stay on Yerophet. Colleen had filled their closets with clothing, all still with the tags attached. "Anything you don't like, we can exchange."

By the time Colleen came back downstairs, Riqi and Sybski had hauled all of the luggage in from the aircar. Colleen had Riqi take the remainder of her daughter's bags upstairs while she showed Yōd and Azynov to their room. She told them, "This is the master suite. There is a nice hot tub in there." She pointed through an archway then went to find Shery.

Yōd and Azynov hung up their winter coats in a closet then started to unpack their suitcases. Agent Zeravla came in and asked Azynov, "How much money do you have?"

Azynov replied, "Chill out Priscilla, I'm going to have to tap an off-planet source to get all 24 million."

Priscilla reached into her pocket and pulled out a pair of shiny metal handcuffs. She spun them around the end of her finger. "Give me what you have, or I'll put you in cuffs... believe me, you won't have a restful night."

Azynov opened a hidden compartment in one of the suitcases and pulled out some cash. He handed Zeravla 8 million Ozols, all in 100,000 Ozol bills.

Smiling at Azynov, agent Zeravla counted the money then dropped her pants. Yōd wondered if  Zeravla's behavior was also being influenced by Sybski. If Zeravla could be sufficiently distracted... Yōd tried to formulate a plan, but she found herself wanting to reach out and feel Zeravla's shapely bottom.

Zeravla stashed the cash inside her self-heating long-johns. Pulling her trousers back up, she said, "You are one third of the way there." She gazed speculatively at Azynov. "How are you going to get the rest of the money?"

Azynov said, "You better take my advice and wait patiently. I could get the money right now, but if I did..." He moved his hand in a slashing movement that was directed across Priscilla's neck.

Priscilla laughed and asked, "Are you threatening me? What is your game? Smuggling from Old Earth? Or smuggling to Earth?"

Yōd explained, "Both ways, but all we deal in is information."

Priscilla added, "And illegal robots and underage girls."

Azynov asked, "Robots are illegal here?"

robots of Triskelion

"Robots are sometimes imported to Yerophet for dangerous work." With seeming disinterest, Priscilla rather casually checked one of the other suitcases, but found no hidden compartment. "Smuggling in un-authorized robots is a crime."

Yōd said, "Don't harass us about traveling with Colleen's children. Their mother, Lakum asked us to escort them to Yerophet. She had to stay on Triskelion and take care of her young son."

Agent Zeravla moved close to Yōd. Zeravla and Yōd were of similar height, but the police agent was fifty percent heavier, with a thick torso and powerful arms and legs. Zeravla reached out and grabbed a fist full of Yōd's hair. "Don't give me orders..." Priscilla let her fingers flow through Yōd's soft hair, "...unless they include instructions for getting my hands on Azynov..." She glanced at Isaac, "On Azynov's money." She turned her gaze back towards Yōd and said, "I thought Colleen was their mother."

Yōd did not like the way that Priscilla had been looking at Azynov. Caught up in a kind of emotional madness, Yōd felt a jealous rage building up inside, then when the agent's hand touched her, Yōd suddenly felt a powerful rush of lust and a desire for physical contact with the other woman. Half amused by Priscilla's stereotypical 'tough guy' behavior and wondering if maybe Riqi was now working in coordination with Sybski to control her thoughts, Yōd tried to relax and stay alert. She thought: it would be so easy to just fantasize about being in bed with Azynov and Priscilla. Yōd's mind quickly filled with pleasant memories of her threesome with Vyky and Azynov.

Azynov told agent Zeravla, "The girls have two mothers."

Priscilla shook her head. "I've heard that on Triskelion everybody screws the robots. I don't think I want to know how the children are produced."

Yōd said, "Don't worry, the robots are not used as artificial insemination devices."

Zeravla growled at Yōd, "I don't believe anything you say." She stopped playing with Yōd's lovely hair and turned back to Azynov, "What are you going to do, call the Earth Embassy and tell them to bring you the rest of the money?"

Azynov shook his head and replied, "No, that is not my plan." However, Azynov had to admit that Zeravla's suggestion might have some merit.

Zeravla narrowed her eyes, stared intently at Yōd and asked, "Why are you staring at me?"

Yōd shrugged, "You are a beautiful woman. How did you end up working for the police? Is it your sex appeal that qualified you for Unit 23?"

Zeravla laughed, "Part of my job is distracting people. The big boobs and shapely ass usually distract men..." Zeravla reached out and again touched Yōd's hair, brushing a wild strand away from her eye. "...in your case... well, you'd be downstairs conspiring with Colleen if I wasn't here distracting you."

Azynov told Zeravla, "Keep your filthy hands off of her!" Azynov was feeling silly, like he was being forced to speak lines for a part in a play. He'd never before felt such a violent rush of jealousy.

Zeravla went to Azynov, grabbed the bulge in his pants and squeezed. "Don't give me orders. I give the orders. Now you've gotten me mad. Get the rest of the money. Now!" With Sybski still pushing the emotional control centers of his brain, Azynov was dismayed to find even more blood flowing to his penis under the stimulation of Agent Zeravla's touch.

Azynov reached out and grabbed onto Zeravla's right breast and squeezed. As a replicoid, he could easily ignore pain. Ignoring Azynov's grip on her own breast, Zeravla adjusted her grip and squeezed Azynov's testicles. After a moment she said, "So, neither of us is going to cry out in pain. Get me that money or I'll play this game with Yōd."

Thinking that Zeravla was behaving like some kind of robot, Azynov let go of her breast and said, "Fine, but remember. I warned you." He activated his Reality Simulator recall routine, which immediately popped both Azynov and Yōd out of their position within the on-going Asimov Reality simulation. They instantly re-appeared inside Grean's workshop in Eternity.

Grean's Workshop

Yōd collapsed against Azynov; she was sobbing. For the first time in about 24 hours, Azynov felt his mind clear. He could actually hold Yōd in his arms without wanting to ravish her. He wondered what Yōd had been going through during the past day. He gently stroked her hair. "How are you doing, my love?"

After about five minutes of weeping, Yōd could finally speak. "What a relief to have that bastard Sybski out of my mind. Now I can remember! Isaac, don't you remember when I decided to take Kresso back to Triskelion? Then I forgot! I was trying so hard to remember to take Kresso and Sybski back to Triskelion, but that robot blocked my memory of having made that decision."

Yōd lifted her head off of Azynov's shoulder and they looked into each others eyes. Azynov said, "Yes, now I can remember, but something derailed our plans." He tried to think through all the events of the past day, but he felt that there were gaps in his memories. Still, his mind had not been seriously damaged. "For some reason, you've been the main target for Sybski's attention, but I apologize for when we were on the observation deck. You were telling me to stop and I kept forcing myself on you..."

There was a sound behind Yōd. She turned and saw the Iidi. Yōd said, "You!"

The alien creature did not speak, but Yōd could sense its thoughts: I tried to protect you. Yōd could see in the alien's memory how she had prevented two other passengers on Litless Toru from walking in on Azynov and Yōd while they were having sex in the observation alcove.

Azynov asked the alien, "Why did you follow us to Yerophet? How did you get here, inside the Workshop? You followed us?"

The Iidi activated the main Viewer of the Workshop and an image filled the screen. There was the Iidi, in the Workshop with Grean the Kac'hin. Like you, I've met Grean. Grean gave me the ability to come here, to her workshop.

Yōd said, "I think I understand. You must have been Grean's agent in Alastor Cluster back in the Phari Reality. Then she probably continued making use of you in later Realities, whenever there was a need to use the Simulator."

The Iidi inactivated the Viewer. You understand. Good. Now, when you return to Alastor Cluster, try to relax. Have some fun. You can't defeat the pek.

Azynov vented some frustration, "That bitch was just squeezing my balls! Is that having fun, Yerophet style? And Sybski, erasing our memories while amplifying our sexual desires..."

The alien explained: Priscilla, Agent Zeravla, she is pek. Let her win, for now. You can't defeat her... even the bumpha just let Priscilla have her way. She's in a good mood and trying to make this whole ordeal an exciting adventure for you... a distraction... something you will want to remember. My advice is: play along. Good luck... The Iidi turned away.

Yōd knew that the alien was ready to depart; she shouted, "Wait! Tell us what is going on! Why are the pek taking so much care to adjust events in this run of the Simulator?"

The alien looked back towards Yōd. This isn't really about you, but take the pleasure that you are given and help create the needed future. Yōd, I beseech you... be a peace maker. Then the Iidi was gone, disappearing from the Workshop as suddenly as she had appeared.

Azynov nodded. "Now, I begin to understand... it must be... Priscilla is also controlling our minds, our thoughts... while playing the role of a police force special agent."

Yōd took a deep breath and felt better about herself. Apparently everything happening on Yerophet was some kind of game, all aimed at controlling her behavior, limiting what she knew, altering the decisions she might make, all without actually preventing Azynov and Yōd from continuing their investigation of the origins of human telepathy. Yōd thought: if it is me against the pek, I'm lucky to be doing as well as I am! She asked Azynov, "Should we go back in time and watch for when Maturin appears on Yerophet?"

Azynov replied, "No, that would do us no good. She could just leap frog us. Forget about Maturin, she's probably another agent working for the pek and her job was to control Colleen, not us. I want to know what is behind this absurd shake down for 25 million Azols. I'm going to figure that out so I can play this game... so I can happily shove all that damned money up..." Azynov paused and smiled, "...in Priscilla's face."

Yōd suggested, "Take us back to Inspector Aerfete's office."

Azynov activated the Viewer and soon they were watching Aerfete at work in her office. Azynov and Yōd quickly learned that Aerfete and Zeravla were operatives in a secret police division called Unit 23. Unit 23 handled sensitive cases with planetary significance. Working out of the 359th floor of the police building, they often pretended to be part of the Immigration Division. Azynov and Yōd watched Aerfete speaking to her supervisor, "You want me to arrest Colleen on bogus charges?"

Original cover art by Earle Bergey

The voice of the unseen supervisor came through Aerfete's phone, "I suspect that there is some link between her and these recent deaths of settler children. This is a planetary security matter."

Aerfete said, "I checked. Those 25 kids who died last week were not anywhere near Colleen."

"With the Kerub involved, close proximity is not important. Don't try to second-guess my decisions, Aerfete, just do as you are told."

Aerfete protested, "I also checked the money angle. Colleen does not have 25 million. What is the sense of demanding so much money?"

"Don't presume to question me. Follow orders or I'll replace you with someone who will get the job done."

Aerfete said, "I'll follow your orders, but if this all blows up in your face, don't expect me to take the fall for an illegal house arrest."

"Relax, nothing will go wrong. The only worrisome part is the role being played by the young girl... however, no permanent damage will be done." The phone call ended. Aerfete sat in her chair, contemplating the unusual behavior of her boss.

After watching the look of concern on Aerfete's face for a moment, Azynov turned off the display. Yōd suggested, "We could trace that phone call back to its source."

Azynov shrugged. "It seems like someone knew that I would be arriving on Yerophet and that I would have plenty of money to throw around."

Yōd asked, "Maturin linked up with Colleen as soon as she reached Yerophet. Do you think Maturin could be trying to extort money?"

"It makes no sense. Why would anyone go into a Reality Simulator and try to extort money from simulated people? It is a stupid waste of time. The only thing of value here inside the Simulator is information."

Yōd nodded. "So, who wants to hide information from us and why?"

"And if it is -for sake of argument, let's say it is the pek- then is there anything we can do about it?"

"Not according to that Iidi." Yōd wondered, "Why all the games? The pek could just erase any of our memories that they don't want us to have. They could do it without us even noticing. There is another level to this game that we have not yet discovered."

"Or maybe we did already discover the whole truth, but the pek erased part of what we once knew." Deep in contemplation, Azynov rubbed his chin then he declared, "When I'm back on Yerophet, first thing, I'm going to warn Kresso. Participation in this telepathy experiment must not be safe for the poor girl."

Yōd sighed. "I'm afraid that as soon as we return to Bailisbury, Sybski will take control of our minds once again."

Azynov shook his head, "You've been the center of Sybski's attention. Put up a fight, distract the robot and I'll warn Kresso."

Yōd laughed at Azynov, "You talk a brave fight, but I've seen you in action. You're a guy. One little telepathic push at your emotions and you turn into a mindless sex machine."

Azynov shrugged. "I'm sorry for forcing myself on you when we were on the Observation deck of Litless Toru... I'll never be able to make up for that beastly behavior."

Yōd hugged Azynov. "Don't fret about that. In some strange way, when I saw you going wild, it woke me up and allowed me to achieve some self-control."

Azynov asked, "Self-control? Is that what was going on when you made love to me on the Observation deck?"

Yōd giggled. "I was having fun and making the best of the situation." Thinking about agent Zeravla's spectacular physical features, Yōd thought: if she is really a pek, it would be fascinating to see... Yōd was imagining a hot sexual encounter with Zeravla. She murmured, "This is a great opportunity to... learn more about her... about the pek." 

Azynov imagined that just as Yōd had been unable to resist playing with Danni, she was now on course to a sexual experiment with Zeravla. "Well, if you get Zeravla in bed I hope you enjoy yourself. I've got other concerns. I'm not going to let Kresso come to harm."

Yōd asked, "Well, if you don't want to take her to bed, what do you want to do about Agent Zeravla?"

Azynov chuckled, "I also want to have some fun with her, but not in the same way you do." He stepped closer to the dataport. "Let me get a name and a phone number." After a minute working the command console in Grean's workshop, Azynov activated the return algorithm on a slight temporal shift, slightly rewinding the AR Simulator so as to allow Azynov and Yōd to alter their interaction with agent Zeravla. Yōd and Azynov were back in their room, inside Colleen's condo, looking at their suitcases. Azynov told Yōd, "Get naked woman. I want your sexy body in the hot tub before Agent Zeravla arrives.

Azynov also took off his clothes and brought a robe with him to the tub and hung it on a peg. Yōd put a hand into the tub then quickly ran back to her luggage. She pulled out a small gel dispenser tube and ran back to the tub. Azynov was just climbing in when Priscilla arrived. Azynov slipped under the surface of the water and asked her, "Enjoying the view?"

Agent Priscilla Zeravla walked over to the side of the tub. Yōd activated the array of spray jets and massage bubblers and said, "Jump in Priscilla, this is great." A layer of soap bubbles began to form on the surface of the water.

Zeravla asked Azynov, "How much cash do you have in your luggage?"

He replied, "I told your boss that I'll have to make arrangement to have the money delivered."

Agent Zeravla went to a circuit box on the wall and shut off the power to the tub. She ordered Azynov, "Get to it."

Azynov pointed, "Can you bring me my robe?"

Zeravla laughed, "Don't be bashful, I already saw all your equipment. You don't have anything I haven't seen before."

Azynov climbed out of the tub and got his datapod out of the pocket of the robe. He called the Earth Embassy and asked to speak to Celkzer Achiphill. He was connected to the Embassy's  Financial Services officer and Azynov said, "This is Tornten Markensin. I just arrived on planet today, Historical Institute business. I need 25 million Ozols in order to pay reparations to the Kerub." While Azynov listened to a barrage of puzzled questions from Achiphill, he looked back and forth between Yōd and Priscilla. "Look, call the Capetown police, special Unit 23... they'll answer all of your questions. I already gave Inspector Aerfete a million Ozols."

Yōd was now letting her cute breasts float at the surface of the water with her red nipples popping in and out of the drifting soap bubbles. Azynov felt the blood flowing to his penis. He listened to the Information Services officer in the Embassy growing more and more angry, then Azynov said to Achiphill, "Listen, I'm in a bit of an awkward bind at the moment, so I can't really explain the details. Just tell me, how soon can you get me the money?" Azynov climbed back in the tub. "Okay, then call me back when you know." He broke the connection to the Embassy, set down the datapod on the rim of the tub and told Priscilla, "Well, it might take a day or two. Markensin is going to have to have a chat with Inspector Aerfete about the reparations."

Agent Zeravla said, "Clever move, Azynov, but it will do you no good."

Yōd asked innocently, "Priscilla, could you please turn the power back on?"

Agent Zeravla went back to the circuit box and turned the power on. Maturin came into the room and announced, "We're fixing dinner. Are all of you willing to eat fish?" A minute later she left with their food and drink preferences.

Azynov said, "Climb in Priscilla. Take a soak before dinner."

Priscilla came over to the tub and told Azynov. "You can't get away with lying... claiming that you work for the Historical Institute."

Azynov shrugged, "Maybe you don't know everything. Could it be that there is more than one Historical Institute? I am here in Alastor Cluster doing historical research."

Yōd had her hand on Azynov's penis. She giggled and said, "That's close enough." She could feel Sybski at work, firing up her lust by telepathic manipulation of her mind. She could not stop herself from speculating: if Priscilla was really a pek agent, she might have vast experience -millions of years of experience- and be a lot of fun in bed... or in the tub. She told agent Zeravla, "You are missing out on all the fun."

Priscilla pulled off her clothing and climbed into the tub. "How did you find out about Unit 23?" Azynov thought it strange that Zeravla did not really seem to care; it was as if she was reading a script, or repeating words that someone else told her to say.

Yōd moved into Azynov's lap. In a goofy Russian accent she said, "Azynov has ways of making you talk." She took Azynov's hot erection inside her and added, "Particularly women."

Azynov said, "What is more important, Priscilla..." He tried to resist the temptation to grab hold of  Yōd and quickly ride her to an orgasm. He wiped the sweat off his brow and said, "The question is: how you are going to explain to Inspector Aerfete that you told me about Unit 23 and the secret operations on the 359th floor?"

Priscilla watched Yōd sliding up and down on Azynov's penis. She licked her lips and asked Azynov, "How do you expect to avoid punishment for impersonating Tornten Markensin?"

Azynov laughed. "Achiphill doesn't know who I am. I met Markensin on Numenes a couple of weeks ago. He's some sort of agent for the Historical Institute, collecting information about Alastor Cluster and sending reports back to Earth. Anyhow, I'm just trying to draw the attention of the Embassy staff to your boss and this absurd 25 million Ozol scam."

Anchored to Azynov and unable to move across the tub, Yōd pointed to the little tube that she had set on the edge of the tub and asked Priscilla, "Can you hand me that tube of lubricant? The soap in this water is washing away my own natural lube."

Priscilla picked up the tube and read the label: Fire Gel 2000. She grinned and tossed the tube of gel to Yōd. "I'd tell you two to get a room, but I guess this is your room."

"Yes, Colleen gave us the master suite, but feel free to come..." Yōd pushed some of the lubricant up inside herself. "You can join us in here any time you get lonely. You are very cute, in a weird, exotic kind of way."

Priscilla said, "As a Unit 23 agent, I'm only supposed to get personally involved with the marks when I'm ordered to do so. If agents get too friendly with criminals then Aerfete skins them alive."

Azynov said, "All will be fine if we get our stories lined up... so relax... I can edit this hot tub session out of the recording."

Priscilla asked, "Recording?"

"My datapod is recording everything we say."

 Priscilla got out of the tub, laughed and said, "Well played." She picked up Azynov's datapod. "It isn't even on."

"It is a special model. It constantly records."

Priscilla tossed the datapod into the tub, picked up her clothing and left the hot tub room. She quickly dressed, but hung her bra on the bedpost. She did not bother to fully button up her shirt to its stiff collar. With one last glance back towards the tub, she departed from the master suite.

After a minute of rather undignified but enthusiastic splashing, Yōd achieved an orgasm and relaxed against. Azynov. "I've been wanting to do that all day long. That was fun."

Azynov was startled by the look of wild triumph on Yōd's flushed face. He stroked her wet hair. "I'm glad you're satisfied. Despite her big erect nipples, I didn't get the feeling that Priscilla was able to fully relax and enjoy herself in the tub. It seemed she wanted to join the fun and play with us, but it is almost like she had to follow a script..."

"She's got a great body, don't you think? But I agree, she's like an actress, putting on a scripted show."

"I hope she comes back after dinner. You were distracting me so much I did not really get a good look at her."

Yōd stood up, pulling herself away from Azynov's rock hard penis. She said, "I want to find out where Zeravla went and I suppose I should help prepare dinner. You come down as soon as you deflate and can get back into your pants."

Azynov asked, "What is in that gel you used?"

"I don't know. The tube is floating around in here someplace." Yōd climbed out of the tub, "The lady onboard Litless Toru who sold it to me said she could guarantee that the gel is good for a full one hour make-out session." Yōd dressed and went downstairs.

Azynov turned off the water jets, found the tube of Fire Gel and his datapod then he took a cold shower.

When Yōd got downstairs, Priscilla was on her phone talking to Inspector Aerfete about Celkzer Achiphill and Tornten Markensin. Colleen and her two daughters, Shery and Kresso, were in the living room, planning the final details of an experiment with the hierion containment field. Sybski sat in one corner of the room, watching Kresso.

Yōd was tempted to speak to Colleen about the possibility of someone getting hurt during the telepathy experiment, but then she was struck by a powerful wave of hunger. All her thoughts about telepathic robots faded away and Yōd joined Maturin and lo'Whots in the kitchen where they were helping Riqi with the evening meal preparations.

Azynov was the last one to settle in at the big square table in the dining room, sitting in the chair next to Yōd's. She winked at him, reached under the table cloth and patted the protruding bulge in his pant leg and whispered in his ear, "That fire might last more than an hour."

While everyone ate, Colleen described the telepathy experiment that would be conducted after dinner. "We will test if the containment field can block lo'Whots." Colleen told the Kerub, "Remember, you must first try to establish telepathic contact with the test subject, and then really try to maintain contact. Shery's job will be to break your telepathic connection." The Kerub nodded.

Yōd asked, "Who is the test subject?"

Colleen shrugged, "Nobody has been able to figure out why the Kerub can sometimes make telepathic links to humans. It seems like a random effect. However, Kresso is the obvious choice for this experiment. It is the youngest settlers who are most sensitive to the Kerub and Kresso is also known to have her own telepathic abilities, so I'm hoping it will be easy for lo'Whots to establish a link to Kresso's mind."

Agent Zeravla looked at Kresso and asked Colleen, "If this girl is a natural telepath, how do you know it is safe for her to be the test subject? What if there is positive feedback between lo'Whots and Kresso? Can you risk the experiment going out of control?"

Colleen laughed. She was still trying figure out what game was being played by the police. If Priscilla was a pek agent, as Colleen thought likely, then she probably knew far more about telepathy than anyone else in the room. "What's wrong? You are not in the mood for our little science experiment?"

Zeravla shrugged and replied, "You have your goals and I have mine. I'd really like to know if Kresso can read my thoughts."

Kresso told Zeravla, "I can sense that you are trying to hide something from me, but I can't see your individual thoughts."

Zeravla nodded. "So you say, Kresso. Still, somebody told Azynov about Unit 23." Priscilla pointed at the young girl. "You are my suspect."

Shery asked, "What is Unit 23?"

Kresso laughed and suggested, "It sounds like a porn movie about a giant dildo."

Yōd explained, "Unit 23 is a super secretive division of the Capetown police force, but Agent Zeravla can't seem to stop talking about it."

Zeravla told Yōd, "You're a comedian... about as funny as a screen-door on Yerophet."

Azynov laughed, "Relax, Priscilla... try to enjoy Yōd's twisted sense of humor. You'll get your money. I have no intention of editing that routine out of the script."

Colleen said, "Secret police, eh? No wonder that nosy Inspector Aerfete was acting like judge, jury and executioner."

Azynov suggested to Colleen, "I suspect that Zeravla has been planted here with us in order to act as a distraction. Let's try to ignore Aerfete and Priscilla and keep on track for the telepathy experiment." Finding it difficult to ignore Yōd's hand under the table and Priscilla's partly unbuttoned shirt, Azynov struggled to remember what he had wanted to tell Kresso... something about the telepathy experiment... He spoke directly to Kresso, "We want to find a way to protect the settlers, so don't allow yourself to be distracted by Unit 23 and their games."

___________________________

After dinner, everyone assembled in the living room and Shery placed her vial of hierions on a table. She announced, "I'm ready to begin. Nyky?"

Colleen and Kresso were in two chairs facing each other. Yōd and Sybski were on either side of Kresso, expecting her to become unconscious when the containment field activated. Kresso looked past Colleen to where lo'Whots sat on a couch. Suddenly, Kresso felt very warm. She glanced at Azynov and pulled off the pink hoodie she was wearing, revealing the little white bra that Yōd had bought her the previous day. Kresso began taking off her skirt.

Colleen jumped up and took hold of her daughter's hands. She asked Kresso, "What are you doing?"

Kresso muttered, "It is dreadfully hot in here."

Colleen said, "No," She turned and looked at lo'Whots. "Listen to me, Kresso: it is not hot in this room. That is a false idea that you got from lo'Whots, by telepathy."

Kresso gave her head violent shake. She again looked across the room at lo'Whots and said, "Damn it! She's good." She folded her arms across her chest and told her sister, "Go ahead. Let's get this over with."

Shery activated the containment field and unscrewed the top of the hierion vial. A sparkling cloud swirled upwards from the vial and then hung in midair, directly above the vial. Kresso slumped, tumbled out of her chair and fell towards the floor. Sybski caught the girl, easing her gently down onto the carpet. Yōd slipped a pillow under Kresso's head.

Colleen sat in her chair with her eyes closed. Agent Zeravla asked Colleen, "What's going on? Can you make telepathic-"

Just then, there was a knock at the door. Riqi pulled the front door open and a young woman came inside along with a gust of cold air. Maturin asked, "Who are you?"

"I'm Courier Nephe, from the Earth Embassy." Nephe set down the small case she was carrying and took off her coat and gloves. Azynov picked up the case and set it on a little table to the side of the front door. He tried to open the case then said, "Give me the key."

Nephe asked, "You're Tornten Markensin?"

Azynov asked, "How did you find me? You were supposed to call."

Nephe said, "Inspector Aerfete told us that this is Colleen Toddarro's house and that we would find you here. I just spoke to her... she's waiting outside in her aircar."

Azynov insisted, "Open the case."

Nephe repeated, "You're Tornten Markensin?" Nephe pushed a datapod towards Azynov and said, "I need you to sign a receipt for the delivery."

Azynov was out of patience. The whole situation was absurd. He entered his signature into the electronic device and said, "Never mind who I am. Just open the case, make your delivery and get out."

In the Ekcolir Reality.
Original cover art by Robert Jones

Just then Yōd said, "Something is wrong!"

Sybski turned Kresso over onto her back and started performing CPR on the girl.

Inspector Aerfete came into the room, rushing through the front door. She was on her phone ordering an emergency medical response team to come at once. Then Colleen opened her eyes, stood up and rushed to Kresso while telling Shery, "Move the containment field to the Kerub. Aim at her head!"

Shery grabbed the vial and pointed the containment field towards lo'Whots. The glittering hierions seemed to merge into the Kerub and then surround her. Suddenly the robot stopped pushing on Kresso's chest and said "She's breathing again."

__________________________

Later, after the medical team had come and gone and Kresso had been diagnosed as just having a few cracked ribs from Sybski's overly-enthusiastic CPR, Colleen sat with her arm around Kresso, who was drinking from a mug of hot chocolate. While partly undressed and dead, and with the front door repeatedly thrown open, she'd gotten chilled. She now had her pink hoodie back on and had gratefully pulled on her thermkyrt bottoms when Shery handed them to her.

Colleen asked her daughter, "Did you have telepathic contact with lo'Whots?"

Kresso looked around the room. The courier from the Embassy, Nephe, Inspector Aerfete, Agent Zeravla and two uniformed officers from the Bailisbury police force were near the front door having a long, heated discussion. Kresso asked, "Where is lo'Whots?"

Colleen replied, "I sent Sybski, Riqi and lo'Whots out to the guest house... but lo'Whots apologized for using her full telepathic force on you. She was surprised to discover a human with such powerful telepathic ability."

Kresso slowly shook her head and told her mother. "I think lo'Whots, all of the Kerub, are on a different wavelength than we are. You were there with me in our shared thought space when I fell asleep. It was you, me and..."

Colleen nodded, "And something else was there. It was trying to hide, but it was with us in the domain of our shared mind-link. At first, I suspected the robots, but it was powerful!" She told Kresso, "It shut off your brain but then, later, it was also what got your mind working again... after you had died."

Yōd told Kresso, "Sorry you were dead so long, I was delayed... it took me a few moments to realize what was happening."

Azynov had his arm around Yōd, "I'm confused. What exactly happen?"

Yōd shrugged, "Maturin can explain it better than I can."

Maturin was pulling on her heavy coat, "No, I'm on my way out." She hugged Colleen and said, "Good luck with your experiments." Maturin turned and went to the front door. A moment later she left with the police and Nephe. The sound of departing aircars faded into the quiet of the cold night.

Colleen asked Yōd, "Tell me, what's your connection to Maturin?"

Yōd said, "I'm from outside of this Reality and so is Maturin. She was sent here to prevent me from..." Her voice trailed off.

Azynov touched Yōd's cheek. "What is it?"

"Ask me again in about a year, Isaac." Yōd rested a hand on her abdomen. "For now, let's just say that when the hierion field came on, I found myself linked to Maturin. We were part of a mind clone network. I could tell that she was linked to Kresso, but then I realized that Maturin was waiting for me to agree to a deal. A trade. Kresso's life for..." She giggled. "It is all so silly. I made the trade, so Maturin brought Kresso back. All is well."

Azynov grumbled, "What a pile of bull-"

Kresso jumped out of her mother's embrace and hugged Yōd, "Thank you."

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"No, don't thank me." Yōd told Kresso, "This never happened originally. It was my presence here on Yerophet -in Alastor Cluster- that messed everything up and led to your death." Yōd took a deep breath. "But everything is repaired, now." She tugged at Azynov, "Let's go to bed. Tomorrow there's a spaceliner departing for Ottengla, Alastor 284. We need to get up early and catch a connecting flight to the spaceport."

Up in the bedroom. Azynov and Yōd were snuggling under the blankets of the big bed in the master suite. Yōd was playing contentedly with Azynov's erect penis where it pressed against her belly. Confused about the events of the evening, Azynov was trying to get more information out of her. "What's this about Ottengla?" Azynov felt plenty horny, but it seemed as if Sybski was no longer fanning the flame of his lust and so he could think and he was more curious than horny.

"When we were linked telepathically, Maturin told me that Colleen has planned going next to Ottengla... for a second test of Shery's containment field. But it is too dangerous for Colleen to go to Ottengla. Something about an encounter with space pirates. So you and I will make the trip to Ottengla and test Shery's hierion field. We can send a report back to Triskelion. It is the least we can do to pay Colleen back for... the death of her daughter."

"You're making no sense, Yōd."

"Oh, shut up and get your hot penis between my-"

Just then there was a tap at the door and Colleen came into the bedroom. Colleen laughed and said, "I hope I'm not interrupting."

Yōd said, "Azynov is dithering, so come... come in. I have something to tell you." She sat up and told Colleen, "I might not have made myself clear, but tomorrow Azynov and I are going to take Shery's prototype containment field to Ottengla. We'll send you a complete report on our findings. Meanwhile, you'll return to Triskelion with your daughters."

Colleen nodded, "Yes, I think I got most of that plan for the future when all of us were telepathically linked." Colleen sat on the corner of the bed and said, "I'll agree to your plan, on one condition. Next year, come for another visit to Triskelion and tell me what this is really all about."

Yōd agreed. "Very well. And by then, I expect you and Shery to have found a practical way to shield the settlers of this world. They can't run around putting containment fields around the head of every Kerub."

Colleen confidently stated: "Shery and I believe that that by quantum computation we can find other solutions to her field equations... better solutions that will allow for larger containment fields, at least big enough to shield a human if not an entire house. We will test those fields back on Triskelion, with the assistance of lo'Whots."

Azynov warned Colleen, "There is also something that you need to know about your son, Myquena. He is very sensitive to Kerub telepathic emanations. I advise you: when you reach Triskelion, don't allow lo'Whots to subject Myquena to powerful telepathic signals."

Colleen nodded, "Thank you for the warning. I will exercise caution. If a problem arises, maybe Lakum can take Myquena on an off-world vacation."

Yōd was eager to turn her attention towards Azynov and a little experiment that she wanted to perform. Yōd glanced sadly at Azynov. With all this talk, Azynov was no longer looking like a rock of Gibraltar. Yōd pointed towards the door and told Colleen, "Now, if you don't mind..."

Colleen rose to her feet, turned towards the door and slipped out of the bedroom just as Yod slipped herself around Azynov's slightly drooping erection. However, there was one more interruption. A voice said, "Just one more thing, Yōd."

Azynov asked, "Who is that?"

A reply came as a seemingly disembodied voice, "I'm a nanoscopic replicoid, Qaz. Listen to me, Yōd. I know that you agreed to keep secret what you know about Lakum. You must hold on to that secret for a year, and it will not be easy. During that time, you will have multiple telepathic sessions linking you back to Earth. You can't really be trusted not to blabber about telepathic robots. So, I'm going to have to put a block on some of your memories for one year. The block will then lift automatically at that time."

The room fell silent. Azynov said, "Well, that was weird. I wonder who else is watching us."

Yōd sighed with exasperation, sensing that Azynov had been thoroughly distracted. And now, Zeta had just activated a telepathic link to Yōd. She did not want to tell Azynov that Zeta was there, but Zeta noticed the emotional flame that was in Yōd's mind and could sense what Yōd was doing.

Zeta told Yōd: I knew it was just a matter of time until I caught you two in the act. Zeta's reaction quickly became a new source of sexual stimulation for Yōd and she could no longer control herself... experiencing an orgasm, her muscles contracted and Azynov's rather limp penis was pushed out of her vagina. Yōd gazed down at Azynov with disappointment, but his philosophy was to never be in a rush when chasing after orgasms. His mind was elsewhere.

Azynov said, "Tell me, what's so important about Lakum and the robots of Triskelion?"

Yōd rolled over onto her back, reached to the little table beside her pillow and grabbed the tube of gel. She applied some Fire Gel to her labia. Busy with the gel dispenser, Yōd murmured, "Eh? Lakum? I think that's also the name of some kid at Observer Base. Zeta has been badgering me for information about the original Lakum, "Forget about her... them..." If not for the invading thoughts of Zeta, Yōd would have been unable to give a coherent answer to Azynov's question. Yōd had already forgotten almost everything about the Lakum who lived with Colleen on Triskelion. And right then, SybSki was amplifying Yōd's sexual passion more intensely than ever. "I'm much a more interesting subject, Azynov, and I feel like I owe you an orgasm, or two."

Azynov laughed and held her tight in the circle of his arms. "I'm not counting orgasms, my love."

Yōd had given up trying to resist Sybski's interference with her emotions; in fact, she was close to completely forgetting the whole idea of telepathic robots. "According to Maturin, this pregnancy is going to be extra long, so I want to start saving up orgasms for later, when I'm twenty pounds heavier and too tired to stay up all night playing with you."

Azynov had no objection to providing Yōd with pleasure. He got on top of Yōd and applied himself to the task of meeting her needs. Vaguely, towards the back of his mind, he wondered why Sybski was still at work in Yōd's mind, not only altering her emotions but also helping Yōd forget about robot telepathy. Then he decided that he did not really care about that. He'd become interested in Fire Gel 2000 and wanted another data point... the question was if it's guarantee was good for two separate hour-long erections in the same evening. If so, he'd have to return to Litless Toru and find that particular little shop that had sold the tube of Fire Gel to Yōd.

________________________

Having completed my written version of the story (The Yerophet Experiment) that I had received from Yōd by telepathy, I asked Zeta to read it. When she was done, Zeta said, "I guess it all makes sense... now. During the past year, the pek did not want you or I thinking about the possibility of Dani or Nirutam having telepathic powers. And I suppose they also knew you would be trying to find the Lakum copy here in the Final Reality. So, by messing with Yōd's memories, the pek were able to kill two birds with one stone."

Nirutam's selfie, Maturin.

I sighed. "I suppose I'm happy to hear that Nirutam's selfie, Maturin, is making herself useful at Observer Base."

Zeta complained, "It does not seem right that Maturin first killed Kresso then brought her back to life."

"Well, I think that makes sense, too. Sure, it was horrific for Colleen to see her daughter die, but it was all for a reason. After that traumatic experience, it became possible to convince Colleen to go back to Triskellion. She thus avoided being captured by space pirates during her visit to Ottengla."

Zeta asked, "What was the role of the Phari in all this?"

"I'm guessing that the bumpha were able to exert enough pressure on the Phari to make it possible for Colleen to make progress on Yerophet. I suspect that lo'Whots was a "special Kerub" in that she was designed to be willing to work with Colleen. Providing such a collaborator for Colleen made possible another small step towards the goal of establishing an endosymbiont-based Bimanoid Interface that will work with humans. Of course, that all must have played out somewhat differently in the real history of the Asimov Reality."

Zeta shook her head. "Yōd did not provide you with any technical details. I'm still confused about why the hierion containment field caused Kresso to lose consciousness."

"I can only guess. I assume that Shery's new type of field opened a data channel for linking minds together by way of the Hierion Domain. However, in order to allow a strong telepathic link between Kresso and her mind clone, Colleen, the girl's zeptites had to be shut off. I think Shery's hierion field could suppress or inactivate Kresso's zeptite endosymbiont, but doing so probably caused a major shock to her brain and put her into a sleep-like state of consciousness."

 Zeta asked, "If so, then why all the hand waving by Dr. Ektenor about people like Kresso already being free of zeptites?"

"That was a smoke-screen. Dr. Ektenor did not have much self-confidence, so he was given the belief that he was free from the influence of zeptites. That gave him enough confidence to be persistent and it made him keep plugging away in the lab, imagining that he could make a great scientific discovery. In the end, Colleen made the scientific advances and Ektenor contented himself designing advanced sexbots."

Reflecting on how her sister had been turned into a seething tangle of emotions, Zeta chuckled, "Poor Yōd really got worked over by the robots of Triskelion."

I noted, "It was mostly Azynov who had the task of working her over, although I noticed that Yōd never provided us with an account of her sexual tryst with Danni. That could have been a wild ride."

Trying not to think about Yōd having sex with Danni, Zeta asked me, "How did the pek give the robots of Triskelion their telepathic powers?"

I guessed, "They may have used their G-sym technology, the same tool they used to make the telepathic Kac'hin. In the end, the overall goal must have been to use Alastor Cluster as a laboratory where the existing G-sym system could be gradually modified into a new telepathy system suitable for humans. Colleen was given the Preland technology for the standard pek Bimanoid Interface that they routinely use to help species transcend to the sedronic domain. With that as a starting point, Colleen could work to adapt that Preland technology to the Phari endosymbionts that existed inside people such as the Alastor Cluster settlers. And at the same time, Lakum had been given mind clone technology to make development of human Phari-endosymbiont-based telepathy easier. Lakum designed and crafted Kresso to be a mind clone with telepathic abilities similar to the settlers on Yerophet."

Zeta mused, "Well, in the end, Yōd figured out what the pek had been doing. Maturin's efforts on Yerophet only temporarily delayed Yōd from sharing with us what happened. And now we know the truth about robot telepathy in the Asimov Reality." Zeta reflected for a moment then asked, "What was the role of Qaz in the events that took place on Yerophet?"

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"Qaz must have been cooperating with Priscilla to assure that everything the pek needed to have happen actually did happen. Qaz could massage things and make sure that all the humans involved got what they wanted. In the end, nobody was hurt. No harm, no foul."

Zeta told me, "In the end, I have to wonder what the active ingredients were in Fire Gel 2000."

I laughed. "I hope you are not complaining about my performance in bed."

Zeta shook her head, "No, I'm not really complaining. However, Azynov and Yōd were sent into the AR Simulator in search of lost information about advanced technology in Deep Time. They are going after the technology behind human telepathy, but while they are inside the Simulator they should not pass up the opportunity to report on other technological wonders."

The Yerophet Experiment

I put my arms around Zeta. "Maybe the secrets of Fire Gel will be revealed in Yōd's next telepathic transmission."

Related Reading: the rest of The Yerophet Experiment
                              Part 1 "Sherylyn",
                               Part 2 "Robots of Triskelion",
                                 Part 3 "Kresso",
                                  Part 4 "The Sybski Effect",
                                   Part 5 "The Iidi",
                                    Part 6 "Maturin" and
                                     Part 7 "Frost Hills to Bailisbury"
                                         (the last part, on this page, above)

Next: dumbing down blogging in the age of "smart" phones

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Yerophet

This blog post has Part 6 of Yōd's account of the adventures of Colleen and Lakum in the Asimov Reality (that part of Deep Time also known as the Phari Reality). Living in the Final Reality, Azynov and Yōd had been given access to the Asimov Reality Simulator so that they could investigate the origins of human telepathy.

In Part 1 of the story, Azynov and Yōd traveled to the Planet Triskelion A in Alastor Cluster where they learned about the "Colleen Model" of human cognition. Colleen was one of the few humans who was aware of the fact that human bodies contain a zeptite endosymbiont. Those invisibly small endosymbionts were used to strictly control human behavior in the Phari Reality, preventing most productive scientific research and blocking nearly all new technological advances during the Space Age.

The 5 most recent Realities of our Reality Chain.

The only exception to that zeptite-mediated block of technology development occurred at Central University on Triskelion A. There, Dr. Ektenor and his robotic collaborators had devised a sophisticated micro-hierion field. The lucrative practical use of hierion fields was in the mining operations of Triskelion B, but a hierion shield had also been deployed around the University in an attempt to keep its scientists free of zeptite-mediated mind control.

Unbeknownst to Colleen or any human, the pek had (in the Foundation Reality) devised the G-sym method for human telepathy which allowed the Kac'hin to take control of Eternity. However, the Kac'hin were not exactly human.

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Kac'hin telepathy is powered by zeptites which are composed of sedronic matter. Humans knew almost nothing about sedrons. However, Colleen had traveled to the far future and obtained a set of infites from the last Prelands. Knowledge encoded in those infites made Colleen the galaxy's leading expert in how to use hierion fields to control sedrons; in particular, Colleen could now use a type of micro-hierion field (devised on Triskelion in Dr. Ektenor's laboratory) to shield the human settlers of Yerophet from telepathic signals emanating from the Kerub.

During the Trysta Truce, the bumpha were helping R. Nyrtia develop human telepathy (in the far future, that effort culminated with creation of the tryp'At) while the pek developed the Ek'col (a human variant that was used to end Trysta's mission on Earth and allow for the Trysta-Grean Pact and an end to the Time Travel War). In the time when Azynov and Yōd visit Triskelion, a Phari endosymbiont is being developed by the pek in Alastor Cluster which will adapt the G-sym telepathy system for use with femtobots.

Yerophet

On the various planets of Alastor Cluster, humans are being subjected to artificial selection through interactions with native creatures. In this way, humans are evolving who can use femtobot endosymbionts as adapters for their zeptite endosymbionts, but that is a slow process and so far, only weak, mostly subconscious forms of human telepathy exist.

On Yerophet, the Kerub are being retro-evolved by the Phari in an attempt to provide a model of a femtobot endosymbiont that, if transferred to humans, could achieve R. Nyrtia's goal of human telepathy, but the pek are subverting that effort in order to advance their own goal of crafting the Ek'col human variant. To craft the Ek'col, the pek have long been inserting Asterothrope gene patterns into the human population of the galaxy.

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To speed up progress on the development of human femtobot endosymbionts, Colleen's partner, Lakum, was given access to mind clone technology by the pek. By using the micro-hierion field generators of Triskelion, Colleen and her daughter Kresso could share a powerful form of technology-assisted telepathy. The pek intend that this technology would, in the future, be gradually transferred into femtobot-endosymbiont form allowing them to create the Ek'col. However, it can also be used to allow study of the Kerub femtobot endosymbiont, the gift from the Phari that will become a prototypical model that aids in the development of functional tryp'At and Ek'col endosymbionts.

The pek plan is proceeding on schedule until Azynov and Yōd arrive in Alastor Cluster and begin to use the AR Simulator to reveal the origins of human telepathy. The pek want to hide their role in creating human telepathy from the Editor. The pek worry that they have violated the Rules of Intervention and they don't want that revealed (by the Editor or anyone else) to the Huaoshy. However, the pek have another even more pressing reason for keeping secret the existence of robot telepathy on Triskelion.

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The pek have long had an effort on Triskelion to use that world as their access point in Alastor Cluster for reverse-engineering the sedron-based G-sym telepathy system and adapting it for use with hierions and Phari endosymbionts. The pek have been trying to selectively allow progress towards development of human telepathy based on hierions and femtobot endosymbionts, but without allowing other types of research and technological developments. On Triskelion A, to limit research in other areas, the pek have adopted the "Grean method": using telepathic (G-sym) robots to distract researchers and deflect them from "dangerous" research.

With Yōd present as an "outside" observer on Triskelion, the secret of how the pek use robots to control human behavior is in danger of being revealed. In Part 2 of the story, Azynov and Yōd meet Vyky, a robot that was carefully trained by Dr. Ektenor to think and behave like a human.

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In particular, Dr. Ektenor took pains to endow Vyky with a sophisticated understanding of his own sexual preferences and fetishes. Within a day of reaching Triskelion, Yōd had already experimented with human-robot sex. Now, upon meeting Vyky, Azynov begins to wonder what it might be like to see Vyky in action, using her extensive training to bring sexual pleasure to a human.

As described in Part 3 of The Yerophet Experiment, on the last evening of Azynov and Yōd's visit to Triskelion, Dr. Ektenor attends a dinner party hosted by Lakum and he brings along his "personal" robot, Vyky. Also present at the party are Azynov and Yōd and the three children of Colleeen and Lakum: Sherylyn, Kresso and Myquena. The young girl, Kresso, has recently begun experiencing a strange type of periodic "seizure".

Part 3. Kresso's telepathic connection to Colleen.

Vyky's presence at the dinner party unexpectedly allows Kresso to discover that the robots of Triskelion have telepathic abilities. This startling discovery has been made possible by Shery, a talented mathematical genius who recently devised a new type of experimental hierion field. Kresso can achieve simultaneous telepathic communication with both her mind clone, Colleen, and Vyky.

In an effort to counter the danger that Yōd will tell the Editor about pek use of telepathic robots in Alastor Cluster, the pek send Nirutam's selfie, Maturin into the AR Simulator.

Yōd on the Litless Toru.

In Part 4 of the story, Sherylyn, Kresso, Azynov and Yōd travel to Yerophet. During that journey through outer space, first Yōd and then also Azynov are "attacked" telepathically. They experience first-hand how the pek make use of telepathic robots to control human behavior on Triskelion. However, since they are no longer on Triskelion, Azynov and Yōd turn their suspicion towards Sybski, a medical robot who has come on the space flight to Yerophet in order to monitor Kresso's 'seizures'.

Below is Part 6 of the story of Colleen and Lakum's adventures in Alastor Cluster as told by Yōd to the Editor. When Kresso arrives on Yerophet she meets a tragic fate, but the Fates are no match for Azynov's resourceful lover, Yōd and Colleen's assistant, Maturin (the selfie of Nirutam).

The Yerophet Experiment
Part 1  -  Part 2  -  Part 3  -  Part 4  -  Part 5

Last day on Litless Toru.

Part 6, Maturin
Now less than 12 hours from Yerophet, Yōd insisted on having her breakfast by the pool, which onboard Litless Toru meant a simulated tropical beach with a wave machine creating gentle waves that tickled Yōd's feet while she ate.

Azynov had mistakenly worn long sleeves and long pants to breakfast. Wiping a trickle of sweat from his brow and looking past Yōd, Azynov watched the two girls. Shery and Kresso had finished eating and now they were walking together along the simulated ocean shore, showing off their long legs to some boys who were playing volleyball on the beach. Azynov commented to Yōd, "Yesterday mini-skirts, today short-shorts, what is planned for tomorrow when we are on Yerophet and the temperature is well below freezing?

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Dreading the coming cold on Yerophet, Yōd was wearing as little clothing as possible, specifically, a bikini swimsuit that she had bought the previous day. Her first idea had been to eat breakfast in the little hot tub that was in the master bath, attached to their bedroom. Azynov had pointed out that the hot tub was not really large enough to hold 4 people. Yōd had said, "I was only planning to invite you."

Azynov marveled at Yōd's one-track mind, which had become captivated by thoughts of pleasure and playing sexual games. Feeling regret for his own behavior on the Observation deck, Azynov tried to remind Yōd about their mission and goals. "When convenient, I'll make love to you in a hot tub, but today might not be the day. We have to get ready for the frigid conditions on Yerophet."

Dreading to cold climate of Yerophet but also recognizing her responsibility to care for Shery and Kresso, Yōd had then requested breakfast in the ship's restaurant that gave its guests the warmth of simulated tropics. Yōd decided that a worthy goal for the last few hours before their arrival on Yerophet was to store up some pleasant memories of being hot enough to sweat.

Now Yōd looked away from her breakfast plate and glanced at Shery and Kresso. Her thoughts now back on clothing, she explained to Azynov, "Shopping for Kresso was easy; she simply wants to duplicate Shery's wardrobe. Kresso is in a hurry to grow up and be just like her big sister, but her mother has been getting in the way of those aspirations."

Azynov laughed. "So you are spoiling the girl and giving her everything she wants." Yōd was biting into an orange slice and juice dripped on her chest. Azynov leaned forward, "Let me clean you up." He stuck out his tongue.

Yōd laughed, "The other guests are watching... I'm not going to let you lick my breast." Azynov handed her a napkin, but she did not bother using it. "I'll leave the sweet drippings there and you can take care of them later, in private."

Azynov sighed contentedly, "Just as you say, sugar tits." The girls had reached the wall at the far edge of the beach simulation and were now coming back towards the table. Azynov watched Kresso splashing playfully in the water. "I'm surprised to see you competing with Kresso and acting like a school girl yourself."

"Why not? I never got to attend school. Anyhow, when I act wild and crazy it distracts Kresso from her worries and the fact that she's a telepathic freak. Suddenly discovering her telepathic powers has been an unsettling experience for the poor girl." There was something else that Yōd wanted to tell Azynov... it was on the tip of her tongue but... she again glanced over her shoulder at Kresso. "You know Azynov, she does not need to be with us on Yerophet. We'll be able to test Shery's new shield without any help from Kresso."

Azynov shrugged, "That is true for you too, particularly since you despise cold weather. If you are worried about Kresso then we can put you two on a return flight to Triskelion as soon as we reach Yerophet. Even better, you two could simply stay on Litless Toru. After three stops on other planets, this ship will be back on Triskelion and ready to start the loop again." Azynov felt a powerful feeling of déjà vu. There was something else he wanted to say about the idea of a return flight to Triskelion, but the thought refused to bubble up to the surface of his conscious thoughts.

Yōd covertly glanced towards the entrance to the beach where she had asked Sybski the medibot to wait. "I'm most worried about that meddling robot. Kresso and I could take that monster machine back to Triskelion and keep it out of your hair."

"Sybski?" Azynov looked towards the robot. "I'd prefer a more direct solution: turn of the robot's power source." Azynov placed a hand on Yōd's bare arm. "Call me selfish, but I'd prefer to have you with me while on Yerophet." Yōd leaned across their little table towards Azynov and now they kissed and competed to slip their tongues into each others mouths. Yōd had her hand under the table, resting on the growing warm lump in Azynov's pants. Yōd's mind was simmering with a fantasy vision of making love to Azynov on the beach, but there was something nagging at her... something she had planned to do today... yes, she could take Kresso back to Triskelion, but the idea of being apart from Azynov was painful. No, there was no need for that... Kresso hadn't had another of her strange seizures during the trip. There was no good reason to rush her back home...

Shery and Kresso had returned and were standing beside the table. Shery wiped some sweat from her brow and told Yōd, "I thought you bought breast shields."

Yōd pulled her tongue out of Azynov's mouth and looked down at her erect nipples where they protruded against the thin fabric of her bikini top. She asked Kresso, "Have you been telling Shery all of my secrets?"

Kresso replied, "Of course." Then she moved very close to Yōd and whispered, "Well, there is that one thing you warned me not to talk about."

Shery had moved to the opposite side of the little table and, standing close beside Azynov she was telling him, "You know, people at the other tables can see that Yōd is stroking your-"

Yōd took her hand off Azynov and told Shery, "Don't go sticking your cute nose into other people's business."

Shery asked, "Is it only robots like Vyky who get to stick their noses in your-"

Azynov placed a hand over Shery's mouth, "Am I going to have to separate you two again today?"

Yōd tried to clear her mind of a vision of Vyky's head between her legs and the feel of the robot's tongue... Yōd said, "We all need to get along together today and do our clothing shopping for Yerophet. Most of the time we will be in heated spaces, but we must be prepared for the freezing conditions that we will face when outside."

Azynov said, "I don't want to scare any of you, but after we reach Capetown, we will head out the the Kerub frontier. Colleen had been staying in a place called Frost Hills. The average temperature there this time of year is forty below zero."

Yōd moaned. "Why didn't Colleen delay going to Yerophet until summer arrived?"

Azynov explained, "Yerophet has an extremely eccentric orbit... the next summer is still about 800 Earth days away."

Shery asked, "What do people do during the endless winters?"

Yōd's mind filled with fantasy thoughts of staying warm on Yerophet with Azynov in hot tubs and beds piled high with blankets, Azynov told Shery, "Outdoors sports a very popular such as snow biking, ice fishing and ice sailing."

Kresso said, "I'm with Yōd. I hate cold. I'll just sit inside by the fireplace, thank you."

"If you want to make friends among the settler children, you'll go outside and play. They know how to dress for cold days." Azynov added, "And out in Kerub frontier districts like Frost Hills, every village has a statue of Forgetful Francesca."

Shery looked at Azynov to see if he was going to give details. She prompted, "That poor girl who froze to death?"

"That is the legend from hundreds of years ago. One of the first settler girls, a member of the Tuntoci sect who awoke late and tried to walk to morning services without putting on coat, gloves and scarf."

Yōd added, "And now in the past two years, many other settler children have done the same sort of thing. At first the phenomenon was called mass hysteria, a kind of death cult, but Colleen is certain that Kerub telepathy is the cause."

There inside the Litless Toru restaurant that simulated a tropical shore, talk of the cold climate on Yerophet could not actually cool anyone down and even the lightly dressed Yōd had become over-heated. She glistened with sweat and Azynov thought he had never seen her looking more beautiful.

Yōd finally led Azynov, Shery and Kresso back to their suite of rooms. Walking along the promenade deck inside Litless Toru dressed only in her swimsuit, Yōd was quickly cooling down. Upon returning to the suite, Yōd slipped on a silk robe and soon then they were off to the market deck to do their shopping. She announced, "I'm going to get one of those fancy thermkyrt suits."

Sybski the medibot followed along for the shopping expedition and was soon being used to carry a large number of bags full of the clothing purchases.

When it looked as if Sybski could not possibly hold any more and they were going into another footwear shop, Azynov suggested to the robot, "Why don't you take that load back to our rooms?"

The machine replied, "I'm not even close to reaching my carrying capacity. And, besides, it is my main duty to keep an eye on Kresso."

Kresso stared speculatively at Sybski for a minute then asked her sister, "Shery, is there a way to modify your hierion field so that it might not put me to sleep?"

Shery was trying on a pair of insulated boots with thick soles. She stood up and now towered over her younger sister even more than usual. "There are an infinite number of ways to modify the field, each corresponding to a solution for the hierion field equations. I'm simply using the first real root which requires the least complex frequency modulation pattern."

Azynov suggested, "Isn't there something like a volume control for your field generator? Maybe if you reduced the power slightly..." Azynov fell silent. He had no idea how Shery's little field generator actual worked.

Shery laughed and took off the big boots. "I can't change the physical laws of the universe. What you are suggesting would be like asking me to reduce the gravitational constant."

Yōd asked Shery, "Why do you think the hierion field knocked Vyky unconscious?"

Shery shrugged and looked at Sybski. She handed the boots to him and then ordered the robot to take all the new clothing back to their suite of rooms. Sybski tried to argue with Shery but she was firm. After the robot was out of sight and Yōd was paying the shop-keeper for the boots, Shery finally replied to Yōd's question. "The first thing I want to ask my mother about is the possibility that it was she who inactivated Vyky. There was a very real danger that Vyky would notice Kresso's telepathic touch and then warn the robots of Triskelion that their secret telepathic abilities had been revealed."

Kresso objected, "I told you, the robots knew that Colleen and I were able to learn that secret from Vyky's memories. I did not understand what was happening at the time, but think about it. Vyky was not only linked to my mind, but she was also linked telepathically to other robots!"

The boot-seller looked quizzically at Kresso and in an uncertain voice told her customers, "Enjoy your visit to Yerophet."

Walking down the main causeway of the market deck, Yōd held out her hand to Azynov, "I'm running out of money."

Azynov pointed to a cash exchange kiosk. "Let me get some smaller bills." Reaching into his pocket, he headed for the machine.

Shery went with Azynov and Yōd asked Kresso, "I thought we were going to keep robot telepathy secret."

Kresso shrugged, "It is not easy for me to keep secrets from Shery. Anyhow, it is best if she knows what is going on."

Azynov must buy lo'Whots

Azynov stood in front of the kiosk and fed a 100,000 Ozol note into the slot. He used the controls to request a set of smaller denomination bills.

Shery was at his elbow and commented, "Wow, you must be rich. I suppose everyone on Earth is wealthy."

Azynov shrugged. "Don't believe what you see in the fantasplays about Earth." He slid open the door of the kiosk and pulled out 8 10,000 Ozol notes, 10 1,000 Ozol notes and 100 of the 100 Ozol notes that were the highest denomination most of the Litless Toru shop keepers would accept. Azynov handed Shery a 10,000 Ozol note, two of the 1,000 Ozol notes and 20 of the smaller denomination notes, "Here is some spending money for when we are on Yerophet. If your sister needs anything, just buy it for her."

Shery put the money into her pocket, "I'm not used to carrying so much money. We use electronic exchange on Triskelion."

Azynov gave Yōd half of the remaining money. Next, they walked towards a shop that specialized in self-heating thermal long-johns. Azynov was still thinking about the mystery of why Vyky had been inactivated by Shery's hierion containment field. He suggested, "Let's not make wild guesses and give voice to speculative theories. I'm willing to wait until we can talk to Colleen and find out from her directly what she was able to accomplish upon being telepathically linked to Vyky."

Shery said, "If you three were not such frightened little pussies we could activate the containment field and let Nyky telepathically link to Colleen right now."

Yōd put her arm around Shery and said, "Go ahead and call me a pussy, but I promised your mother that there would be no more use of your telepathy-amplifying field until we reached Yerophet and had a chance to consult with Colleen about the safest way to use the field."

Shery laughed, "I'm an adult. I respect Lakum's advice, but I'll use my hierion containment field as I see fit."

Kresso asked Shery, "You are not worried that Sybski might..." She fell silent and looked at Yōd.

Shery asked, "What?"

Kresso replied, "Nothing." She looked away.

Shery looked back and forth between Yōd, Kresso and Azynov. "What is going on? Apparently I'm no telepath, but I can tell that you three are not telling me something."

They had reached the thermal underwear shop. Yōd took off her robe and handed it to Azynov. She started pulling on a tight-fitting thermal top. She suggested to Shery, "I would not be surprised if you have some weak telepathic connection to Kresso. You two often seem to know what the other is thinking."

Shery pulled off her blouse, tossed it to Azynov and slipped into thermals. Her head emerged and then she tugged the tight-fitting fabric down over her perky breasts. She told Yōd, "Don't try to distract me with talk about telepathy. What is the big secret about Sybski?"

Azynov said to Shery, "Don't try to distract me by flashing your-"

original cover art by Edward Valigursky

Just then, Sybski came into the shop. Azynov fell silent.

Yōd asked the robot, "Back so soon? How did you find us?"

The robot replied, "It was not difficult; I systematically visited all the shops selling winter clothing."

Kresso and Azynov were pulling on thermal pants. When Kresso got hers pulled up over her shorts, she looked at herself in a mirror and complained, "Why is thermkyrt so clingy? I look like a skinny boy."

The shop's owner explained, "Thermkyrt if very expensive... I charge by the square centimeter. Most people prefer to pay for as few cms as possible, but if you are going to Yerophet I advise you not to skimp."

Azynov told Kresso, "Money is no object."

Eventually, Yōd bought Kresso a set of thermals that was several sizes too large, with a muttered comment to Azynov, "The girl is growing like a weed. We can't risk her out-growing her thermals while on Yerophet."

Azynov shrugged, "I'm sure they stock and sell plenty of thermkyrt on Yerophet."

Exiting from the shop, Yōd handed the bag full of thermals tho Sybski and said, "Take these back to our rooms. Launder all of the new clothing. We'll meet you back at the suite after we eat lunch." Again Sybski argued, but eventually he did as he was ordered to do.

After visiting two more shops to buy enough luggage to hold all their new cold climate clothing, Yōd then selected a restaurant and they settled in for their noon time meal. A waitress seated them in a booth. Shery had a newly purchased scarf around her neck. She stroked the soft fabric of the scarf and asked again, "What is the secret about Sybski that you are hiding from me?"

Yōd was snuggled up against Azynov on their side of the booth. Her silk robe had worked its way open revealing her red bikini top. She told Shery, "I'm certain that Sybski had been using his telepathic ability to play with my emotions."

Shery grinned and asked, "Old Sybski? He knows nothing about human emotions. He's old school... as cold as a fish... not at all like the newer sexbots that have become so popular."

Azynov suggested, "The older model robots of Triskelion might not have been designed so as to express human emotions, but that does not mean that Sybski can't manipulate human emotions. In fact, it might explain the brutal aggressiveness of Sybski's efforts."

Yōd smiled at Azynov and nodded. "Exactly. And the worst part is, he does not hesitate to use his telepathic ability on us even when he can't see our reactions. He just keeps pushing the same emotional button, again and again. I would not be surprised if Sybski does not even know how his telepathic powers are being deployed... it is almost as if someone else might be using his pre-programmed robotic circuits to attack us."

Shery asked, "Someone else? What are you talking about?"

Yōd told Shery, "For example, last night..." For a moment, Yōd drifted into her own sweet memories from when Azynov has swept her off her feet and taken her to their cabin. Yōd put her face close to Azynov's. It seemed like he was lost in his own remembrance. Then Azynov and Yōd shared a quick little closed-mouth kiss.

Shery and Kresso both asked simultaneously, "What about last night?"

When she was done kissing Azynov, Yōd replied, "Oh come on, Shery, you know... when you got so horny that you had to run off to your cabin and push that big vibrator up your-"

Shery said, "Hey! I used my little vibrator last night."

"Okay, so I don't have a telepathic link to your mind. But you get the point. I would have used the big one. Anyhow, Sybski, or somebody using Sybski as a tool, has been activating our sexual desires in an attempt to keep us confused and unable to think straight. And it goes beyond just amplifying my emotions. I have the feeling that he made me forget something important."

Azynov asked, "Forget what?"

Yōd shrugged and kissed the tip of Azynov's nose, "Of course, I can't remember. But I know there was something important I was going to tell Kresso or do with her today."

Kresso said, "During this trip, you've done everything that I've asked you to do for me. I've been wondering if that was simply because you are nice or if there is another reason for it."

Yōd thought about the special relationship between Sybski and Kresso. Yōd asked bluntly, "Kresso have you ever used any of the household robots for..."

Kresso said, "Ew! Are you asking if I've had sex with Sybski? That's disgusting. He's such an old model, I doubt if he even has a penis."

Shery said, "Oh, he has one. Or at least he used to. I checked, back when I was 12 or 13."

Azynov asked Shery, "You let that robot-"

"No. Lakum is opposed to human-robot sex. She passed her biases on to both Kresso and I. However, I was curious."

Yōd said, "I believe I've been the center of Sybski's attention, but as soon as I told Azynov about the robots of Triskelion having telepathic powers, he was also attacked."

"Attacked? Sybski assaulted you two?"

Yōd replied, "Not Physically."

Shery was growing impatient. "Yōd, what exactly are you talking about?"

Yōd shrugged. "There seems to be no limit to what Sybski will do. He just keeps pushing at me until I give in..." She glanced at Azynov and he nodded. "If you must know the worst, Sybski made me give Azynov a blow job in public."

Shery laughed. "Where was this?"

"In one of those little alcoves on the observation deck."

"Nobody saw you?"

"No. But we ran into an alien right after..."

"Big deal." Shery was not impressed "That's kid's stuff on Triskelion."

Kresso added, "In sex ed, they tell us that oral sex is a good way for two horny kids to experiment before moving on to vaginal sex."

Yōd sighed. "Listen, the people on Triskelion do not have a typical human society. The population is dying out and some desperate actions are being taken by the government in order to prevent human extinction. All that to the side, my point is, I would never have behaved the way I did on the observation deck unless Sybski had been at me for hours, making me think about sex and making me burn with unnatural desire."

Shery was skeptical, "So you say. I've seen how you and Azynov behave. You are totally in love. Just this morning at breakfast you were giving him a hand job under the table. I would not be surprised if you are at it again as we speak. That's just the way you two love birds behave, all the time."

Yōd placed both of her hands where they could be seen. "That's not the point, Shery. Sybski is still at it. I'm getting better at resisting the sexual impulses that he forces upon me, but it is a relentless attack. And if he has made me forget something important then there could be disastrous consequences once we reach Yerophet."

Their lunch arrived and was placed on the table before them. Shery said, "Even if you are right, Yōd, what can we do about it? I'll tell you what I'm going to do. If Sybski makes me get sexually aroused I'm going to relax and enjoy it. There simply are not enough orgasms in the world."

Yōd laughed, "I'm not trying to convince you that Sybski is a threat to our safety. You asked what the secret was and I told you." Yōd was ready to drop the discussion and eat.

Shery could not leave it there. "And I'm telling you that I'm pretty horny most of the time. I often fall asleep with a vibrator between by legs. The only thing special about last night was the display that you and Azynov were putting on... the two of you there in your skimpy robes, cuddled up together. The sight of you two got me sexually aroused. And what did you expect?"

Kresso said, "Sounds like I went to bed just a little too early."

Yōd told Kresso, "You didn't miss anything. And besides, I'm sure that Azynov and I couldn't show you anything that you have not already seen in you sex education class."

Conversation turned to plans for Yerophet and Azynov explained to the girls how they would travel by air from the spaceport to Capetown. After their meal was completed, they carried their empty luggage back to the suite, packed and then went to the debarkation deck of Litless Toru.

Everything went smoothly; they first debarked from Litless Toru and then caught their flight to Capetown. About halfway through the flight, Yōd got up to stretch her legs and saw that one of the passengers was an Iidi. She looked carefully and thought: Surely this is the Iidi who was on the Litless Toru.

Returning to her seat, Yōd told Azynov about the Iidi. He shrugged, "I'm taller than you. I saw the Iidi when we were boarding this flight." Azynov and Yōd speculate on why the Iidi might be interested in Yerophet.

Inside the Capetown airport, while collecting their luggage and loading it all on a cart, a heavily dressed woman approached them and spoke to Kresso, "You must be Colleen's daughter, Kresso."

Kresso nodded. "And you must be Maturin." Kresso introduced Maturin to her sister and then to Azynov and Yōd.

After exchanging greetings, Maturin explained, "Colleen sent me to collect you. She had planned to be here for your arrival, but she was forced to go downtown to the provincial police headquarters."

Shery asked, "Mom was arrested?"

Maturin explained, "No, I did not say that. It is rather complicated." Maturin elbowed Sybski out of the way with a muttered, "Get out of my way, bot. I'm taking over." She grabbed on to the cart and asked, "This is it?"

Yōd nodded, "Yes, but maybe we should open up these two big bags and get out our coats."

They moved away from the baggage outshoot with Sybski trailing along behind. Pausing just inside the doorway that led to the parking structure, they could feel cold air coming through the doors every time they opened. Yōd, Azynov, Shery and Kresso pulled their heavy winter coats out of the suitcases and put them on. Maturin said, "The aircar is heated, but it will be best if each of you can individually adjust your own clothing to assure comfort."

Kresso was looking out the window at the blue sky of Yerophet and pressing her hands against the sides of her head. Yōd asked, "Are you alright?"

Kresso lowered her arms and replied, "I can feel Colleen's mind."

"Can you speak to her telepathically?"

"No, not at this distance, at least... and..."

"And what?"

Kresso said enigmatically, "Something is in the way."

They exited from the climate controlled airport terminal and entered a large parking complex that was partially open to the outside air. Yōd checked the air temperature and found it was slightly below freezing. Soon they we aboard the aircar and Maturin flew them out of the airport. Warm air circulated through the interior of the aircar, but that moving air was only slightly above freezing.

Yōd looked out the window at the frozen landscape of fields and forests passing below. Settlement of Yerophet had begun about two hundred hears previously after introduction of a type of wheat that could grow and ripen rapidly during the short summer thaws of equatorial Yerophet. The airport fell behind and ahead could be seen the tall buildings of Capetown. To the far north, the frozen ocean glittered white and it was partially obscured by low clouds. Yōd tried to ignore the frozen sea and thought longingly of her fantasy: making love to Azynov on a warm tropical beach. She imagined some hot oral-genital contact and then imagined being able to push Sybski out of her mind.

Briefly, Yōd looked at Sybski, who as usual seemed to be intently watching Kresso. Internally repeating the mantra: Sybski can't control me, Yōd managed to think for a time about her past study of Yerophet history. The earliest human settlers on Yerophet followed a religious ritual of purifying their food. By sect law, they were required to grow their own food. Only the first generation of settlers depended on a variety of wheat that could grow quickly on the planet's surface. After that, underground farms were constructed and provided most of the food. However, the religious fanatics still performed their ancient food purification ritual, which included subjecting all foods to intense gamma ray bombardment. Their belief was that foods were contaminated with invisibly small parasites. To stay free of the parasites, the food purification ritual must be carefully adhered to, including a set of blessings for the purified food.

 Yōd's thoughts shifted to a little ritual that she liked to perform with Azynov. It involved taking advantage of his early morning erections. There was a saying she had learned on Tar'tron: morning wood is mighty good. She closed her eyes and fantasized about waking from a sweet dream and finding an early morning Azynov erection warm between her legs. But in her fantasy, it was not Azynov who had awoken her, but rather a buxom woman who had her powerful tongue pushing creatively and methodically at Yōd's genitals. Then, frustrated with the persistence of Sybski in forcing her to endlessly think about sexual pleasures, Yōd popped her eyes open.

Yōd noticed that Kresso seemed pale and had closed her eyes. She asked the girl, "Are you getting motion sickness?"

Kresso did not open her eyes. "I'm trying to contact mom."

After glaring at Sybski for a minute (the robot ignored her) Yōd asked Maturin, "Where are we going?"

"We are going to the condo. You can unpack and-"

Kresso spoke with a firm, clear voice, "No! You will take us directly to the police building. Mom needs help."

Maturin did not change course. "It would be best to wait at home while Colleen completes her business downtown. She will call me if she needs anything."

Yōd told Maturin, "I agree with Kresso. We will got directly to Colleen's current location. Either take us there or drop us off so that we can hail an aircab."

Relenting, now Maturin requested clearance to enter the crowded downtown air space. Traffic Control took control of the aircar and the autopilot activated. The aircar tipped and entered into a sharp turn towards downtown. Maturin sat back in the pilot's seat and turned towards Azynov who was in the adjacent seat. "The autopilot is showing a 12 minute ETA for arrival at the police building."

Yōd asked Maturin, "You could call Colleen by phone right now?"

Maturin looked over her shoulder to where Yōd sat in the rear passenger compartment. "No. Colleen turned her phone off when she reached the police headquarters. She would call me if she wanted to. However, may I suggest that we all sync our comdevs?"

Azynov, Yōd, Shery and Kresso all pulled out their datapods and allowed them to sync with Maturin's phone. "I've also shared with you Colleen's personal code number, the one she has for use in the Yerophet communications network."

The aircar tipped to the side again and took a curving path down into the core of the city. Giant looming buildings now surrounded them. Azynov asked, "What is the population of Capetown?"

Maturin gave some numbers, "The city is currently over the design capacity of five million. During the past six months, two million refugees have come in from the surrounding rural districts. The migration has been on-going since the start of the troubles, but Colleen and I only moved into the city yesterday. Colleen had become adamant about not having guests out at the ranch."

Yōd asked, "Ranch?"

"My ranch out in Goslewenn, where Colleen stayed after her arrival on Yerophet."

Shery asked, "Where is Goslewenn?"

"It is a tiny hamlet right on the border of Kerub territory, on the fringe of Frost Hills District." Maturin added, "There are several Kerub villages conveniently close to my ranch. One is the home of lo'Whots, a native who agreed to help Colleen with her work."

Azynov asked, "How did Colleen get in trouble with the police?"

"When we moved into the city, Colleen insisted on bringing along lo'Whots. However, the police don't want any Kerub in the city."

The aircar ducked into the government parking structure at the City Center. In front of a gate, a man in uniform approached the hovering aircar. Maturin opened her side window and cold air blew into the car. The parking attendant asked, "How long will you be here? The fee for this size vehicle is 100 Ozols an hour or 1000 a day, paid in advance."

Maturin asked, "100 an hour? That's insane."

"We are out of room. Just wait until after all of the hicks have come to town. You should have taken public transportation."

Azynov leaned across Maturin and handed a 1000 Ozol certificate to the attendant. The man put a parking sticker on the side of the aircar, opened the gate and waved them inside the parking facility. However, there were no available parking spots for the rather large aircar.

After five minutes of searching through the multi-level labyrinth for a place to park, Yōd told Maturin, "Stop here by this elevator and let us out."

Maturin asked Sybski, "Can you drive this car?"

The robot nodded and replied, "The controls are standard."

Maturin gave her phone to the robot, "Call Azynov when you find a parking space." Maturin ran to join the others in the elevator. Soon they were inside the crowded police building, in a large lobby that was overflowing with refugees on top of the usual tide of business. Maturin explained, "After there were deaths out in the country side, the flow of refugees began. It just keeps getting worse. Last week there were 25 people struck down out in Frost Hill District."

Yōd asked, "Struck down by what?"

"Cold. The question is, why are settlers going outside without their cold climate gear and freezing to death?"

Azynov looked at Kresso and asked her, "Is this why Colleen wants Shery's new shield? To stop these deaths?"

Kresso nodded. "It is some kind of te-" She looked uneasily at Maturin and fell silent. Then she said, "It is a problem with the natives, the Kerub."

Finally making their way the the head of a long line of grumbling people, Maturin asked one of the office attendants where Colleen was. Maturin was told that they could wait in the lobby until Colleen had completed her police business, or better, go home. The office official puffed out her chest and pointed at the crowded lobby, "Please, be seated."

Azynov pushed forward past Maturin and then leaned across the counter towards the woman and whispered, "We are needed inside, in order for Colleen to conduct her business." He read the woman's name off of her badge, "Officer Rartee, we have come all the way from Triskelion to-"

"Triskelion? Are you rich?"

Azynov smiled and pushed a 1000 Ozol certificate into Rartee's hand, "Just tell me where to find Colleen Taddarro."

Officer Rartee checked the datapod at her side and told Azynov, "Floor 361. It is some kind of immigration case. I'll clear you through security Mr... ?"

"Azynov."

"What is your ID number?"

"I'm just in from Triskelion. I don't have a Yerophet ID."

Rartee gave Azynov a visitor's pass. "Okay, this will get you past security if you tell them your name is Azynov."

Azynov said, "All of us." He looked over his shoulder at Maturin and Yōd. "Including those two girls. They are Colleen's daughters."

Rartee muttered, "Bloody refugees. Listen, Azynov, this could earn me a reprimand. You have to make it worth my risk. The chief doesn't want me waving foreigners and children into the upper floors."

Azynov pulled the 1000 Ozol certificate out of Rartee's hand and gave her a 10,000 Ozol certificate. "Thank you for your flexibility."

Azynov turned away from the service window and pushed Maturin and Yōd towards the elevator. "Immigration department, floor 361." The electronic passcard activated the elevator for access to the upper floors, but Azynov could not enter in 361 with the elevator car's datapanel. A voice said: Immigration Department, floor 360.

The elevator shot upwards then slowed. Kresso said, "Colleen is nearby." The elevator door slid open and they stepped out into the lobby of the 360th floor. They had to get into another long line. While they waited, Maturin asked Azynov, "How did you talk that police officer into letting us come up here?"

Azynov laughed. "I have great personal charm. The ladies usually do anything that I ask." Yōd was holding onto Azynov's arm and leaning against him. She had taken off her winter coat and had it flung over her shoulder.

Maturin looked back and forth between Azynov and Yōd and looked carefully at Yōd's abdomen. "You two have a family?"

Yōd could see the Maturin was looking at her belly. "We have a baby on the way. How did you know?"

Maturin ignored Yōd question and said, "It is not wise to bring young people here. Almost all of the deaths out on the Kerub frontier have been children who go outside to play and freeze to death."

Yōd asked Maturin, "Exactly what is your relationship with Colleen?"

"I've been paid as Colleen's guide. Paid well. Colleen found what she was looking for."

"What was that?"

Maturin replied, "lo'Whots."

"The Kerub?"

"A very special Kerub."

They had reached the front of the line and Maturin said, "We are here to help with the Colleen and lo'Whots case."

The officer behind the counter barely looked up. He slid a datapad across the counter and said, "Full names and planetary ID codes." They entered the data into the device then pushed the datapad back across the counter. The officer pushed a passkey across the counter. "One floor up."

They returned to the elevator and with the new passkey the datapanel now accepted floor 361 as a valid input when Azynov entered that number. The door closed and the elevator car gave a tiny shimmy of motion. The door opened again. Yōd asked Azynov, "Did we just go down?" Kresso nodded.

They stepped out of the elevator car. On the wall it said: Floor 361", but this floor of the building was different than the other floors they had seen. A long empty corridor stretched before them. They took a step down the hallway and suddenly a yellow line appeared on the floor. They followed the line to a door. Maturin lifted her hand to knock on the door, but then the door slid open. Inside was Colleen and the Kerub, lo'Whots.

Colleen sprang to her feet and embraced Shery and Kresso. Maturin asked lo'Whots, "How are you doing?" Shery and Kresso both stared at the alien.

The alien replied in a language that Maturin seemed to understand. Maturin said, "Elts tet teyn olrey."

Colleen turned to Maturin and said, "Don't make any promises. We've made no progress against the bureaucratic tide."

Colleen finally shook Azynov's hand and told Yōd, "Thank you for delivering my children."

Yōd asked, "Are you sure it is safe for the children to be here?" She rested her hand on her abdomen.

Colleen explained, "Lakum and I know that this world is safe for mind clones, otherwise I would not be here and we certainly would not have allowed Kresso to come here."

Yōd was skeptical. "How can you know? You have an explanation for the strange deaths that have struck the settlers?"

Colleen began to speak but then a plainclothes officer came into the interrogation room through the back door. This was Officer Aerfete, who was handling lo'Whots' immigration case. Aerfete acknowledged the presence of the new arrivals from Triskelion. Looking into Azynov's eyes, she said, "Normally we punish rich folks from Triskelion who bribe police officers, but in this case your presence might be beneficial." She gestured towards lo'Whots and told Colleen, "We've checked your story. As a fellow human, I believe your account of the situation, Colleen, but the Kerub are making difficulties. According to the parents of Miss lo'Whots, she was abducted by you. They are not happy and they say that they want their daughter back with the tribe."

lo'Whots spoke in the pidgin language that had come into use on Yerophet, "Ne, be wid Colleen hefsith anaber."

Officer Aerfete nodded to lo'Whots. "And I believe that you are with Colleen voluntarily. That does not make your immigration any easier, particularly at this time. Turning her attention back to Colleen, Aerfete asked, "I also confirmed that you recently rented an place to live in the Bailisbury District. May I ask how you managed to get such a nice place in the middle of this crazy housing crisis?"

Colleen sighed. "Officer, I'm sure you are perfectly well acquainted with the concept known as 'money talks'. Maturin has deep connections here on Yerophet and I provided a bit of money..."

Officer Aerfete gazed speculatively at Maturin. Just then, Azynov's datapod signaled an incoming call. It was Sybski. "Sir, I've parked the aircar and I'm on my way into the station."

Azynov nodded and told the robot, "Thank you for letting us know, Sybsky. Just wait in the main lobby." He broke the connection.

Officer Aerfete asked, "Who is this Sybski?"

Colleen replied, "One of my household robots from Triskelion."

Aerfete sprang out of her chair and exploded, "Another robot?" In a calmer voice she said, "We don't have enough room for all the people crammed into Capetown, so it is not happy news to have anyone arriving from off planet, but why must you be importing robots?"

Colleen said, "My robots will not get in anyone's way. They are members of my household."

"I understand things are different on Triskelion, but here, robots are not trusted for anything but seafarm work and mining." Aerfete pulled her phone out of her pocket, looked at the data screen, then glanced at Maturin. "That call was made using your phone?"

Maturin nodded. Aerfete made a call of her own, "Rartee, listen carefully. There is a robot in the building. Should be coming into the lobby right now."

Rartee said, "You must be joking."

"No, this is the Colleen case, trying to spin out of control. The robot's name is Sybski and it is using the phone of a Frost Hills resident named Maturin. Don't let that robot mingle with the refuges. Hold Sybski in the back offices." Aerfete ended the phone call and looked at Maturin. "And so we come to the issue of Maturin, who I have also investigated. Long-time resident of Frost Hills District, recently move to Bailisbury. Do I have that right?"

Tired of holding her heavy coat in her lap, Maturin tossed it on the table. "Officer Aerfete, I respectfully suggest that we stay focused on the matter of lo'Whots' request to live in Capetown. It is a simple immigration case that a year ago would not have attracted police attention."

"Perhaps not, but things have changed during this past year."

Colleen said, "Let's not let anti-immigrant prejudice interfere with this case. Let's follow the written law."

"Even the laws against bribery?" Aerfete looked back and forth between Colleen and Azynov. She asked Colleen, "How long have you known Maturin?"

"Almost a month. I hired her as my guide soon after I arrived from Triskelion."

"And during most of that month, you lived at Maturin's ranch out in Frost Hills?"

"That was our base of operations for our trips into Kerub territory. Why do you ask?"

Aerfete explained, "It is my job to investigate unusual immigration cases."

"There nothing unusual about-"

Aerfete asked pointedly, "Who is Riqi?"

Colleen replied, "My household servant."

Aerfete added, "And a robot. When you arrived on Yerophet, why didn't you declare to the immigration officials that you were bringing a robot on planet?"

Colleen shrugged, "Nobody asked, so I said nothing. Look, why are you pretending that this is an immigration case? Why can't we-"

Aerfete interrupted, "Tell me, Colleen, how many Kerub do you think have applied for immigration during the past month?" Colleen said nothing. "I'll tell you: one. Your friend lo'Whots here. I've worked Immigration for ten years, and I've never heard of a Kerub coming into a human city." Aerfete turned back to Maturin, "And then there is Maturin, a long time resident of Frost Hills who has no record at all of being on Yerophet until she bought an expensive ranch out on the frontier less than a year ago." Aerfete asked Maturin, "What planet are you from?"

Maturin said, "Why do you ask? I doubt if I can provide you with a satisfactory answer."

"The truth will suffice."

"Birth records out in the Kerub frontier are notoriously bad. I wasn't born in a city hospital, so you have no record of my origin. I can't prove I was born on Yerophet."

Colleen said, "Look Aerfete, we are drifting away from the case at hand. I believe that lo'Whots has submitted a valid immigration request. Her request was already approved by the immigration office. Why is the police department holding everything up?"

"I explained that to you six hours ago, Colleen, but I'll repeat what I said for the benefit of refreshing your memory and for the new arrivals." Aerfete glanced at Azynov, "I could throw you in jail for bribery in the case of your purchase of the Bailisbury condominium. The real-estate agent has confessed to taking a bribe. He foolishly deposited the money in a bank account which got flagged for police review."

Colleen laughed. "You can't throw me in jail because nobody has filed a compliant. Part of Yerophet law is the principle of 'no harm, no crime'."

"Still, it offends the Yerophet sense of justice that a rich foreigner from Triskelion can buy a fancy condo while millions of refugees struggle to find warm places to sleep each night."

"And I told you, Officer Aerfete, that I'm here on Yerophet to help with the problem that is creating this flood of refugees. But instead of letting me get on with my work, you have me sitting here in the police station."

"Ah, yes. The hierion fields." Aerfete took out her phone again and looked at the data screen. "I've checked on what you told me... all that mumbo-jumbo about hierion particles and fields." Aerfete looked up from the little display screen, "Tell me, what is a femtobot? What is a zeptite? Nobody at Capetown University seems to be familiar with these terms."

Shery spoke impatiently, "I'm a physics student. I study hierions. School children on Triskelion learn about hierions. I'm sure you learned from your research that hierion fields are used to mine Triskelion B. Just because there are no physicists on Yerophet does not mean that hierions don't exist. Femtobots are nanoscopic devices composed of hierions. Zeptites are similar, but they have sedron components."

Aerfete complained, "Unfortunately, I have not found an expert on Yerophet who shares your belief in zeptites."

Sherry pulled out of her pocket a small device, her personal hierion shield. "We take zeptites seriously enough to shield ourselves from their damaging effects."

Aerfete took a similar device out of her pocket and tossed it to Colleen. "My technical advisor told me that this is harmless, so you may take it back."

Colleen stowed her shield in her pocket. She told Aerfete, "Your ignorance is a poor excuse for abusing your police powers."

Aerfete shrugged. "Your point is well taken. Why should Colleen be held for questioning simply because Inspector Aerfete has never heard of sedrons? However, in these times of crisis, I can't totally ignore the bizarre nature of this case and I exercised due diligence by having your belongings studied." Aerfete focused her attention on Colleen. "Let's cut to the final act. Allow me to propose a compromise. Rather than throw you, Azynov and lo'Whots in jail, I'll send you home with a police escort and subject you to house arrest. I have a list of demands, Colleen, so tell me, will you agree to 1) run a small housing project, keeping everyone in this room at your Bailisbury condo, 2) don't let this robot Sybski run around and incite any conflicts, and 3) don't allow anyone to know that you have a Kerub living with you?"

Colleen laughed, "You want to place me under house arrest? My dear Aerfete, it sounds like you are trying to place everyone here under these stay-at-home restrictions."

"No not everyone, just the known felons. Your daughters can go out, I suggest you send them food shopping so that you need not leave your condo."

Colleen asked, "What crime has lo'Whots committed?"

"I don't know. Her parents assured me that she is a terrible criminal, and that either she must return to her tribe for punishment... or... we here in Capetown must pay reparations."

"Reparations? For what?"

"I can't explain Kerub laws and customs. Apparently lo'Whots recently gave birth to a child, so there is a small baby who she abandoned when she went off to live with Colleen. The Kerub consider the theft of lo'Whots a horrible crime, although I must say, they seem to blame lo'Whots as much as anyone. However, I've been told that in order to avoid a planetary scale diplomatic crisis, either Miss lo'Whots must return home or the reparations must be paid."

Colleen asked, "The Kerub are putting a price on lo'Whots?"

"They are. And apparently the parents of lo'Whots feel that she is worth a lot to them. Their price is 25,000,000 Ozols."

Colleen laughed. "I don't have that kind of money."

Next: The Yerophet Telepathy Experiment

Azynov said, "Inspector Aerfete, I'm from Earth. I would like to speak to you, in private."

"Earth... yes, I noticed that you claim to be from Earth. Why are you here on Yerophet and what makes you think that you can bribe police officers?"

Azynov got to his feet, went to the back door of the interrogation room and opened it. "Let's step into your office and I'll tell you."

Aerfete went into her office and leaned against her desk. Azynov closed the door, turned to face Aerfete and asked, "How much cash do you want?"

Aerfete repeated the price, "25,000,000 Ozols."

Next: Part 7 of The Yerophet Experiment, "Frost Hills to Bailisbury".

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