Chapter 5: Revelation

Monday, June 14, 2021

April Jennings looked around her spacious company-provided apartment as she recalled what her supervisor said that day during her one-year review. It was hard for her to believe she had been here at Gingravik Botanical Research for one full year already. It seemed like it was just yesterday when she came here.

“April, you’ve done excellent work since you’ve been here, and I must say it has been a pleasure having you with us,” Mike Hollingsworth, her lab supervisor, said. “Your attention to detail, your willingness to learn new concepts, and your initiative have all been far above expectation.”

“Thank you, Mike,” she told him. Of course, she was pleased to learn that she would receive a nice raise to her already generous salary, along with the possibility of an elevation to a line lead position and/or possible fieldwork.

It had been quite a year for her. She sipped on her tea as she thought back over the last several months. She never imagined she would have it so good when she was struggling through college. Now here she is, in the job of her dreams, living in a spacious luxury apartment provided to her for free, with everything in walking distance.

And the facility that housed the company was unlike anything she could ever have imagined. Most of the place was clothing-optional, and it wasn’t unusual to see naked employees having sex with their companions out by the swimming pool. By now, she had become so used to the open nudity that she often went without clothes around her apartment, much to Jake’s delight.

And then there was Jake, the plant she had discovered so long ago in the park. Jake turned out to be a godsend in so many ways. Sure, he could satisfy her sexually unlike any human male ever could, thanks to being equipped with twelve large penises. But it was more than that – much more.

Jake turned out to be far more intelligent than anyone knew. On top of that, he was warm, considerate, gentle, and yes, even funny. He would quietly listen as she shared her thoughts, feelings and even helped see her through her own frustrations. He never berated her, never made fun of her, and always took her concerns seriously.

Seeing how intelligent he was, she started teaching him to read and was surprised at how fast he picked it up. Soon, he was reading everything he could get his branches on. Having developed his tactile abilities, she bought a tablet for him so he could read books online if he chose. He read as much as he could, from “War and Peace” to highly technical books and online erotica, which surprised her a bit.

Oddly enough, he developed a rather eclectic taste in music and old movies. He especially liked watching Humphrey Bogart and John Wayne movies with her. In short, he was unlike so many human males she had known in her life.

She took exceptionally good care of him and found that he was rapidly outgrowing his pot. She had him transplanted into a much larger pot – one that incorporated a motorized cart with a scissor lift to give him extra mobility. With a bit of training, he was able to go where he wished and do pretty much whatever he wanted.

Like all plants, Jake needed to be pruned periodically. He guided her, letting her know which leaves and branches needed to go. She could hear him express contentment in her mind as she gently clipped the leaves away.

“That feels so much better,” he told her when she finished. She took the small pile of leaves into her kitchen and nearly threw them away, but had second thoughts. She dried the larger leaves and ground them up, finding they made an excellent – and rather tasty – addition to her meals. She also had another idea.

Like so many others, she had smoked marijuana several times when she was younger and wondered if perhaps she could smoke the dried leaves she cut off Jake. The company didn’t have any rules against smoking, but it didn’t encourage it, either. She looked through her things and found that she still had nearly half a packet of paper from her college days, so she rolled some of the dried leaves into a joint and lit up.

She was surprised that the aroma reminded her of her grandfather’s pipe. She was also surprised to find the smoke didn’t irritate her the way marijuana smoke did. She inhaled the intoxicating smoke deeply and held it in her lungs as long as she could.

All of a sudden, she felt as if a switch had been flipped inside her head. Her mind was open to things she had never before thought possible. Recalling the old story from the Bible, she wondered if maybe this is what Eve felt like when she bit into the forbidden fruit. Then something else happened.

Her body was suddenly overpowered with lust the likes of which she hadn’t ever felt before. Her pussy became so wet that her juices literally dripped down her bare legs. All she wanted to do was fuck. She quickly finished the small joint, rubbing her dripping pussy as she did so, then stood in front of Jake, her bare feet spread wide apart.

“Fuck me, Jake,” she moaned. “I need you to take me in your branches and fuck my brains out. Please, baby.”

“As you wish, my queen,” Jake said in her mind. He reached out with several branches and pulled her in close. She eagerly sucked one of his giant cocks as he buried two more inside her creamy wet pussy. They coupled for hours and she finally collapsed after more than a dozen mind-blowing orgasms. He gently carried her to her bed and laid her down, covering her with a blanket.

“I love you so much, Jake,” she moaned as he wiped her forehead with one of his large leaves.

“Jake loves his queen as well,” she heard in her mind before falling asleep. She slept soundly that night and vowed to keep this to herself. She kept a baggie of the dried leaves handy for future use and used it only a couple times since as she wasn’t sure if there would be any long-term effects.

“Did you have a good day today, my queen?” she heard Jake whisper in her mind. Snapped out of her thoughts, she felt a soft tendril wrap around the top of her head. Turning to one side, she saw Jake had positioned himself next to her. He held out a paper towel with what appeared to be a sandwich. It was hard to tell, as the sandwich was overflowing with ... something.

“I tried to make you a tuna salad sandwich, just the way you like,” his small voice said in her mind. “I’m afraid I made a little mess, though. I’m still not very good with your kitchen implements.” She smiled and chuckled to herself as she took the sandwich.

“You’re so thoughtful, Jake,” she said. “Thank you. It’s perfect.” She took a bite and a glob of tuna salad, which had far too much mayonnaise, dropped onto her foot.

“Oops,” Jake said in a contrite tone of voice.

“That’s okay, sweetie,” she said. “It’s my fault for letting it drop. I’ll take care of it.” She cleaned it off with the paper towel and finished her sandwich.

“How was your day?” Jake asked. “Did your review go well?”

“Yes, it did,” April said. “I got a nice raise, so I stopped at the store and ordered some lingerie you can rip off of me later.”

“Goody,” Jake exclaimed.

“Come on, let’s go see if there’s anything left of the kitchen,” she said with a laugh.

The large monitor flickered to life as Margaret and Theresa stood in the office. Soon, the images of the Gingravik High Council appeared.

“Councilors, it is good to see you again,” Margaret said.

“And you, Facilitator,” the High Councilor said. “And Queen Tere, it is always an honor to see your delicious and exquisite nudity grace our visual receptors. The Emperor and the Empress wish to extend their gratitude for the moving images you and your High Consort graciously provided. They want you to know they are honored that you have shared your most intimate moments with them.”

“The honor is mine,” Theresa said.

“The Emperor would like to share your images with the public, with your permission, of course.”

“Of course,” Theresa said.

“The Empress was also impressed with your ability to accommodate so many of your consort’s appendages at the same time,” the Councilor said. “She wants to know if this is a common trait with human females.”

“We have designated breeders who routinely take up to four of their mates’ appendages at any one time, Councilor,” she said. “Human females can be quite ... elastic and accommodating in that regard.”

“Four? Oh my ... I am sure the Empress would like to see that.”

“We can arrange for a video if she would like,” Theresa said.

“That would be most ... appreciated,” the Councilor said.

“Consider it done,” Theresa told him with a smile.

“On to business, my Queen,” the Councilor said. “As you know, things have progressed according to our plan. Political upheaval and uncertainty about the virus continue. We have unleashed a couple of new variants designed to keep the human scientific and medical community busy. Meanwhile, we expect to see even more upheaval as your civil authorities struggle to deal with new cases.

“Therefore, we are authorizing you to proceed to the next level. Are the satellite facilities fully functioning?”

“They are, Councilor,” Theresa said. “By now, Gingravik DNA has been spread over about 15 percent of the entire human population and we expect to see the integration of that DNA to grow significantly over the next year or so.”

“Excellent,” the Councilor said. “Then perhaps it is time to sort out your human employees. Find out which of them might become problematic in the future. I would recommend you proceed slowly, with caution, so as not to reveal too much.”

“It would have to be done very carefully, so as not to raise alarm,” she said. “I would hate to have to wipe the memories of so many people. I will need time to develop something.”

“There is no rush, my Queen,” the Councilor said. “Take as much time as you need to get it right. We have waited for several of your centuries to get to this point.”

“Very well, Councilor,” Theresa said.

“We will be in touch soon, my Queen,” the Councilor said. “And we very much look forward to your ... video.” The connection closed and Theresa looked at Margaret.

“I’m not looking forward to this,” she said.

“You knew it would eventually come, my Queen,” Margaret said.

“Yes, I did. But I’m still not looking forward to it. Everyone here has worked so hard.”

“Yes, they have. But I’m sure you’ll come up with something that is more than fair. And compassionate,” the older woman said.

“There’s no rush, so that gives me some time to think it over,” Theresa said. “I’ll be in my quarters with Bernie if you need anything. Oh, and make arrangements to video one of the designated breeders for the Council, if you would. Make sure to select one of the screamers. Preferably one who squirts. And make sure to get lots of dirty talk. Set it up at the main pool in the inner circle and schedule it for this coming Sunday.”

“Should I arrange for an audience as well?” Margaret asked.

“Yes, why not. Complete with refreshments. Perhaps some popcorn as well. The Council wants a nasty porn video, so let’s give them one. Let’s show them what Earth girls can do,” Theresa said with a smile.

“Yes, my Queen,” Margaret said. “Perhaps we can include some of the top breeders and make it a contest.”

“That’s a lovely idea, Margaret,” Theresa said. “I’ll leave it in your capable hands.”

“Thank you, my queen,” Margaret said. She watched the younger woman pad naked to the large door that led to her spacious quarters. She didn’t envy Theresa this assignment. If it were up to her, things would be handled much differently.

Friday, June 18, 2021

April got home a bit late that afternoon, having stopped at the store to pick up the sexy lingerie she ordered. She knew it wouldn’t last very long, but she felt Jake deserved a special treat. She put the package down and went into her bedroom to disrobe. She selected a full body stocking, knowing that Jake loved to rip these off of her body.

She admired herself in her bathroom mirror before stepping into the living room, where Jake was watching television. His leaves began trembling with excitement as he saw her enter the room. She smiled and headed for the kitchen, where she pulled out her bag of dried leaves. She rolled a small joint, then lit it up and inhaled deeply as she walked back into the front room. Then it hit her.

“Wow,” she thought as images and concepts began flowing into her mind – images she couldn’t even begin to describe, like an alien planet filled with plants just like Jake, and tiny spores traveling through space at incredible speeds.

“What?” Jake asked as a tendril touched her arm.

“Huh?” April asked in response.

“Why did you say, ‘wow?’” he asked her.

“I didn’t say anything,” she told him.

“I heard you. In my mind. You said, ‘wow’ after you inhaled,” he said.

“But I didn’t say anything out loud,” she told him, confused. “You actually heard my thoughts?”

“I did, my queen,” Jake said. Jake, as it turned out, wasn’t the only one who heard her thoughts. In the central part of the compound, another Gingravik heard them as well.

“What’s the matter?” Theresa asked Bernie when she saw him perk up.

“The human researcher, April Jennings,” he told her. “Her mind has opened.”

“What?” Theresa asked.

“Her mind has opened. I cannot explain it, but she is now able to communicate through her mind.”

“And you heard this?”

“Yes,” he said. “I believe we should visit her and find out how this happened.”

“I agree,” she said. “First thing in the morning, though. Right now, I need you inside me.”

“Of course, my queen,” Bernie said as he stretched out his branches to accept her nude form.

The next morning, April admired her body in the full-length mirror after climbing out of the shower. She had to admit that the last year with Jake had done her a world of good. She toweled herself dry, then brushed her hair. She thought about putting on some clothes, then changed her mind and decided to remain naked.

She walked into the front room and saw that Jake had placed a large plate containing an omelet where she normally sat. She grabbed a cup of coffee and sat down.

“I hope you enjoy your omelet,” Jake said in her mind.

“Why thank you, Jake, that was so sweet of you,” she said. “And I see you remembered to take the eggshells out this time.”

“Only the best for my queen,” Jake said. She took a bite and savored the flavor.

“This is delicious,” she said. “You’re becoming quite the cook.”

“I’m glad you like it,” he told her. “I enjoy making tasty things for my queen.” After she finished, she put the plate away, then cleaned up the kitchen, with Jake’s help. She was about to sit down and catch up on the news when her doorbell rang. She looked through the peephole and saw Theresa. She wondered what the CEO wanted so early on a Saturday morning as she answered the door.

“Good morning, April,” Theresa said. “I hope we’re not catching you at a bad time.”

“No, not at all. I just finished breakfast. Please, come in,” she said. She watched as the naked woman walked into the apartment, followed by a large plant, who she knew to be Theresa’s consort, Bernie. She also took note of the dark green circular tattoo just above Theresa’s cleavage that she didn’t recall seeing before. “Is everything alright?”

“Yes, everything is fine, April,” Theresa said. “Bernie and I need to talk to you for a bit, though.”

“Oh? Well, would you like something to drink? Coffee? Tea?” April asked.

“Tea would be perfect, please,” Theresa said. April went into the kitchen, followed by Jake. She noticed Jake was nervous and spoke to him as she made the tea for her guest.

“Are you alright?” April asked.

“I’m ... scared,” Jake said.

“I’m sure everything will be fine,” April said. She finished making the tea and took it back out to Theresa, who was sitting on her couch. “So, what brings you two out so early?”

“April, something has come to our attention and we need to talk to you for a bit,” Theresa said as she took her tea.

“What’s that?” April asked. “Is there a problem with my work or something?”

“Oh no, your work is just fine. We’re very pleased with you so far, and I agree wholeheartedly with your supervisor’s assessment of you,” Theresa said. “In fact, I think you’ll go a long way here. But there’s something that I feel we need to discuss. Have you noticed any changes in yourself recently? Specifically, in your mind?”

“My ... mind?” April asked.

“Yes,” Theresa said. “Bernie tells me he heard you last night. Or to be more precise, heard your mind.” April recalled what happened after she took a drag off the joint she rolled last night. “Would you mind telling me what happened? Don’t worry, you’re not in any trouble.”

“Well,” April began. At first, she was a bit scared but decided to tell Theresa the truth and let the chips fall where they may. “I’m not quite sure how to explain this. Last night, I rolled a cigarette made with some dried leaves.”

“Leaves you collected from Jake?” Theresa asked.

“Yes,” April said. “I’ve only done it about three times over the last several months and I found it enhanced our time together.”

“You mean, it enhanced your sex with Jake,” Theresa said.

“Yes. I also noticed last night that it gave me visions of things in my mind. Things I can’t quite explain. I remember thinking, ‘wow,’ and it seems Jake heard me in his mind.”

“He was not the only one who heard you,” Theresa said, looking at Bernie. “What kinds of visions did you have?”

“Strange visions,” April said. “I saw a planet populated with beings like Jake. And Bernie. I also saw tiny spores flying at great speeds through space. I don’t know what it means and I couldn’t make any sense out of it. I’m really sorry. I won’t do it again, promise.” Theresa smiled as she patted April’s arm.

“There’s nothing to apologize for,” Theresa said. “This IS a research facility, after all. I’ve just never heard of anyone using the plants’ leaves like that before. Tell me about the other times you’ve used it.”

“Well, the first time, it felt like a switch being flipped in my head. And I found myself getting ... excited. More excited than ever before,” April said.

“You mean, sexually?” Theresa asked.

“Yes,” April told her. “The other times, I felt the same, but not quite as intense as the first.”

“I see,” Theresa said. “Did you add anything to the leaves?”

“No, nothing,” April said.

“What gave you the idea to do this?” Theresa asked her.

“Well, I remember smoking a bit of marijuana when I was younger and I just had a wild idea to try it the last time I pruned Jake. So I dried a few leaves and put some aside.”

“Interesting,” Theresa said. “You say you saw a planet populated with beings like Jake?”

“Yes I did,” April said. “What does it mean?” Theresa looked at Bernie for a moment before speaking.

“Perhaps you should explain it to her,” she told Bernie. The larger plant moved toward April, extending a branch out to her. April knew he wanted to make contact with her mind to communicate with her, so she let him.

“Please allow me to examine your thoughts, April Jennings,” she heard a soothing baritone voice in her head. She nodded her head and let him make contact with her. “Tell me, using only your mind, how you feel about Jake.”

“I love him dearly,” she thought in response. “I’ve never loved anyone like him before. He’s everything to me.”

“I am glad to hear that, April Jennings. How would you feel if you learned he was not of this place, this planet you call Earth?”

“It wouldn’t change a thing,” she thought in response.

“Good, April Jennings,” he said in response. “Because I know he loves you just as much if not more. You see, our kind originates from a planet far away from here. We are of a species known as the Gingravik.” She had suspected something like this for some time but had never said anything about it to anyone.

“Gingravik? You mean that’s not just the name of the company that owns this facility?” she asked.

“Correct, April Jennings. Does that surprise you?”

“Actually, no, it doesn’t,” she thought in response. “I’ve wondered about this for a while and to be honest, what you say makes sense to me as a scientist.”

“I can see that,” he responded. She felt him move through her mind as he explored her memories. As he did, a memory came to her that she couldn’t place. It was a discussion with a somewhat older woman about the plant she found in Fairfield Park when she was still in college – the plant now known as Jake.

“I see you’ve met the Facilitator,” Bernie said in her mind.

“The ... Facilitator?” April asked.

“Yes. The woman you know as Margaret. The shopkeeper. She told you about the Gingravik, but you weren’t ready to accept her explanation. So she wiped that memory from your mind,” he said. “It was good that she did. Perhaps I can give some context to her explanation.”

“Please do,” April said.

“Very well. You see, Jake and I are of a species with a superior intellect and a superior libido. The main difference between Jake and I is that he is a hybrid – the result of a union between a Gingravik female and a human male. I, on the other hand, am fully Gingravik. You see, April, our kind have spent the last 500 of your years observing the human species.”

“To what end?” she asked.

“To join in a mutually beneficial partnership.”

“You mean a conquest, don’t you? You seek to conquer the human race, isn’t that right?”

“Some might view it that way, but that is not how we operate,” Bernie told her. “We are not a militaristic race. About 55 years ago, the young people of this planet coined the phrase, ‘make love, not war.’ We truly live by that maxim. If given a choice, we would much rather spend our time copulating with our mates than anything else. Additionally, we are, in your language, a patient species. And we have been patiently working for about 200 of your years to get where we are now.”

“So why all the subterfuge?”

“That is easy to explain. Your species is a divided one. And it does not readily accept change. Many things keep your race from coming together. Old hatreds get in the way of progress. You fight wars over words in old books and arbitrary lines on maps. You judge others by the color of their skin while others kill in the name of invisible deities or worse yet, for the sheer fun of it. This is not the Gingravik way. You are advanced in so many areas, but yet you continue to hold to your ancient hatred like a child clutching a toy. Because of that, we were forced to operate in secret.”

“We are not all like that,” April told him in her mind.

“You are correct, April Jennings,” Bernie said. “But unfortunately, far too many of the leaders of your species are. Until they learn and accept the benefits of a mutual partnership with us, we must continue to operate ... covertly.”

“I take it your species has done this kind of thing before,” April said.

“Yes, more than once,” Bernie said. “You see, our kind was subjected to a disease many years ago by a race even more militaristic, brutal and sadistic than yours. A hideous species known as the H’tq’uiy. That disease targeted our females and killed many of them. Many more were rendered infertile.”

“Oh my God,” April said. “What did you do? Did they come back?”

“We put things in place in case they came back. You must remember, until then, the concept of weapons and warfare were totally foreign to us. They never came back, but we learned later they ended up destroying themselves with their own weapons.”

“Were you ever able to recover from the disease?”

“Despite our best medical minds, we were unable to fully counter the effects of the disease. Seeing the possible death of our species, Empress Tere launched many spores into space looking for new worlds to settle, and new species for us to partner with.

“The hope was that we could find a species suitable for our needs – one that was both visually appealing and mature enough to understand our needs. We had limited success and were able to join with some. Through those partnerships, we were able to build the infrastructure of our current empire, but we are not yet out of danger.

“About 500 years ago, we discovered your planet and began watching, patiently waiting for the time when we could approach safely. As time went on, it became clear that your species would never voluntarily unite. So we spent many of your years looking for individuals we believed might be sympathetic to our plight. The woman you know as Margaret was one of them. Once she learned the benefits of a partnership with us, she joined and is now our Facilitator on Earth.

“And Theresa? How does she fit into all of this?”

“Ah, yes. Theresa. I remember the day we first met,” Bernie said. In her mind, April saw a picture of a thin, mousy woman wearing horn-rimmed glasses and a long dress that hid her basically shapeless form. “She may not have been much to look at by human standards, but I sensed a beautiful, loving woman under that lonely plain exterior. I was attracted to her from the beginning. She took me home and we ended up together. Believe it or not, she was the first to successfully mate with one of our kind.

“In the space of about three of your years, she gave birth to about 100 hybrids. Because of that and her excellent leadership, she is highly exalted by our kind as Tere, Queen Mother of Earth.”

“Queen Mother?” April asked, shocked at the terminology. “Wow.” She heard him laugh in her mind.

“Indeed,” Bernie said.

“I have so many questions,” she thought. “So tell me, who gets what from this partnership?”

“A fair question,” Bernie responded. “And one that deserves an answer. You must understand, our quest is one of survival, not conquest. We simply want to continue our existence. In return, we offer your kind freedom. Freedom from war, disease, hunger, poverty – all the things that have plagued your species throughout your history.”

“Disease – you mean like the covid?”

“Yes.”

“Why haven’t I been told any of this before?” she asked.

“Because you weren’t ready to hear and accept the truth. But your mind has been opened to new possibilities.”

“This is all so ... overwhelming,” April said in her mind. “I have so many questions, but I don’t know where to begin.”

“That is understandable. Perhaps you should think about what you have learned so far. Don’t worry. All of your questions will be answered in due course,” he said in her mind.

“Are you going to tell Jake about his heritage?”

“If you would like me to, yes,” he said.

“Please do. He deserves to know the truth,” she told him.

“You are a good person, April. Jake is lucky to have you as a mate. I can tell you love him a great deal. I would be happy to teach Jake about his heritage. In the meantime, consider what I have told you. When you are ready to learn more, we will talk again.”

“Thank you,” she said before he left her mind. She rubbed her head and looked at Theresa before speaking. In the meantime, Bernie wheeled himself to Jake and the two plants had intertwined some of their branches.

“How are you feeling?” Theresa asked.

“Overwhelmed,” she said. “So, you’re the Queen Mother of Earth?” Theresa smiled before answering.

“Yes, I am,” she said quietly. “Many of the hybrid beings here are of my offspring. Believe it or not, I am technically a great-grandmother many times over.”

“You look pretty good for a great-grandmother,” April said with a sly smile. “Are you and Bernie, uh, an official couple?”

“You mean, are we married?” Theresa asked to clarify. “Yes, we were officially united in the Gingravik way and our union is recorded in the Hall of Records on the homeworld. Technically, he is my husband, united until death. He has literally made me the woman I am today.”

“But you’re not wearing a ring,” April said. Theresa smiled and brought her hand to the tattoo above her breasts.

“No, Gingravik marriages don’t include rings. But I do have this,” she said. April looked at the tattoo and saw it had a strange symbol in the middle of the dark green circle. “The symbol indicates Bernie’s lineage, and it includes a sample of his DNA. He has one as well, at the base of his main trunk that includes my DNA and a symbol of my family lineage. In this way, he is literally part of me. And I of him.”

“But what happens if you split up or get divorced?” April asked.

“The Gingravik know nothing of divorce. When they mate, it’s for life. And before you ask, the mark never goes away and can’t be removed.”

“Bernie showed me an old image of you in my mind,” April said, changing the subject. “You’ve really become a very beautiful woman.”

“Thank you.”

“You’ve changed a lot since you met Bernie,” April said.

“Yes, I have. In more ways than one. When I first met Bernie, I was nothing like I am now. I was not very attractive, to say the least. I didn’t even have what you would call a ‘figure.’ When I was younger, everyone teased me and call me ‘Olive Oyl’ after the old cartoon character. No one ever even bothered to ask me out on a date. My mother once told me I needed to develop my brain since I didn’t have much of a body. I grew up alone, unwanted and unloved. I hated myself. Nothing I did seemed to make any difference.”