Chapter 9: Bring The People Together Again

Lattus - Late Evening

Bill was fidgeting in his sleep as he lived long ago nightmares of death and destruction. Sweat soaked his body as Ada gently shook him awake.

"I am sorry, champion. I did not mean to go so deep. I am afraid I got caught up in your life. I ask forgiveness."

"Did you cause those dreams?"

"I was looking at your motivation and your intent, and saw something dark. I was afraid it was something that could hurt the queen or her people, so I looked. I am glad I did, for you are not only a champion, but also you are a hero. I still went beyond what you agreed to. The queen will not be pleased I went that deep."

"I am not happy that the dreams are back, but did your visit satisfy you as to my intent?"

"Yes."

"Then how deep you went is between you and me, and does not need to be mentioned to the queen."

"Thank you, champion. I think I will enjoy my first time with a man."

"You've never been with a man?"

"No, but I believe you will be gentle and kind. Most of our men do not care about the women they are with, and the experience is not pleasant."

"I will go as slow as you want my lady. This gift you and the queen offer me is a great honour, and I will endeavour to be worthy of it."

He rolled to his side in the chair and looked at Ada. He touched her hair and stroked it to her cheek. His fingers softly rubbed to her neck and ran to her shoulder. She shivered as his fingers teased her soft skin. He gently nuzzled her ear with his lips and whispered her name. She turned as their eyes met and their beings merged.

Her hand moved to his hair as she guided his lips to hers. As they separated, Ada said, "Let us have dinner before we retire for the night."

They had a light dinner of fruit, bread and some type of fish. Alpha and Beta removed the trays of food and they sipped more wine. As they finished their wine, Ada seemed to hesitate. She pointed to the bed with what appeared to be a change of heart. "We might as well get this over with."

"I am truly sorry you feel this will be unpleasant. I will try to make it less so."

"We shall see. To be honest, I am somewhat afraid." She dropped her gown and motioned him to remove his clothes.

After Bill disrobed, he took Ada's hand and went to the bed. When they were next to it, he gently ran the backs of his fingers across her cheeks and down her neck. He stepped behind her and laid his hands on her shoulders and gently caressed her collar bone. He moved his fingers to her neck and slowly moved under her long blond hair. The tension in her neck pulled her muscles into tight ropes that strained to keep her head stiff and unmoving.

He gently lowered the now confused woman face first to the bed and moved his fingers back to her shoulders. As his fingers moved to her shoulder blades, he heard a deep breath pass her lips. He moved to her spine and worked the way back to her head. Bill could feel the tension passing from her body as she relaxed under his massage.

His hands moved to just below her shoulder blades and used the heel of his hand to push hard against her back to push her into the bed. The more he worked, the looser her muscles became. Soon, sighs came from her lips. He pushed at the top of her buttocks, for several minutes before going back up her spine. When he went back down her body, he went to the outside of her back and lightly brushed the side of her breasts. Her breathing became more labored as the massage reached her butt checks.

Her legs became limp as he slowly milked them. She actually giggled when he rubbed her feet and pulled each of her 10 toes. He leaned forward and kissed each instep and rolled her to her back. He reversed her massage and went up her legs. When he reached the junction of her legs and body, he went right past it without stopping or touching. Bill proceeded upward and gently pressed her abdomen and let go. His hands moved upward with a moderate pressure on the soft middle. He also passed her breasts without touching them.

When he returned to her shoulders and neck, he placed his middle fingers on each temple and gently pressed while making small circles in front of her ears. He removed one hand and replaced it with his lips. He made soft kisses up and down the side of her neck and then whispered in her ear.

"You are so beautiful. So soft, like a soft summer meadow. So fresh, like a spring shower. Your eyes are the stars at night, and your aura is like heaven on earth. Allow me to bring you offerings of joy and pleasure. You are a goddess sent to humble me with your power. Let me worship at your temple."

His mouth moved to her lips as his hand moved to the back of her head and rested softly on her hair. The first touch of her lips drew electricity out of the air and drove to their very souls. Her eyes flew open in amazement, and then closed in contentment. His lips moved with a slowness of one touching old dynamite. Soon her lips responded and mimicked his movements.

When he parted his lips slightly, her tongue charged into his mouth looking for a mate. As their tongues became acquainted, his hands moved down her sides. Her body was like fine linen stretched over a metal frame. Her hard body could be felt tensing in the unaccustomed sensations of male and female lust.

He reluctantly broke the kiss and trailed small licks and kisses down her neck to her chest. To this point he still had avoided her breasts. Now he kissed the base of each and spent time in the valley between them. First one and then the other, he kissed slowly working his way toward but not touching her nipples.

Without touching her nipples still, he moved downward. Kissing his way to her navel, he kissed it with just a touch by his tongue. She shuddered at the touch, but he did not stop his progress. He kissed down the outside of her leg until her reached her foot. He kissed each of the toes he had earlier pulled and kissed my way back up the inside of her leg. When he reached her body, he let out a soft breath on her lower lips.

She jumped when he kissed the outside of her lower labia. A gentle kiss on each side of her womanhood started moans from her lips. A light lick to separate her gateway caused her to jump. Pushing his tongue into her channel caused her to jump so much as to lose the physical contact between them.

As he resumed his tongue's journey into her vagina, she started squirming on the bed. Her body heat rose with the volume of her moans until his mouth captured her clitoris.

Ada screamed. A river of nectar squirted from inside as he moved to capture her fluids. She was still spouting as her body lost all tension and she went lax. In panic he pulled away from her and looked at her face. As she slept, a smile was on her face.

"Damn," he said in wonder. "She passed out."

Lattus, The Next Morning

Breakfast with the queen was fruit, sweetbreads and juice. There was something that looked and tasted like a mild cheddar cheese, but since there were no animals, it couldn't be cheese. They sat around a stone table with glass plates and cups. All foods were finger foods.

"Well, is anyone still upset with me for forcing you together last night?"

Ada blushed. "I am amazed at your insight. I will miss your champion when you claim him for your bed."

"We can work out something at that time. You will not have to lose him, maybe just share."

"Uh guys. Did you forget that I'm setting here?"

"No," they replied together.

"Well, do I have any input here?"

Neither woman said a word, but they both gave him a look that was enough to make him drop the subject.

"Well, would you let me know what you want me to do when you decide?"

Ada patted his knee. "Of course dear. Do you have any objections to my sharing one of your experiences with the queen?"

"Of course not."

"Thank you. Will you excuse us for a moment?"

"Sure."

Ada took the queen's hand and they both went into a trance. About 90 seconds later, they came out of it. The queen looked at Bill with concern.

"What did the woman doctor from East Africa do after you saved her life?"

"She filed a complaint with the international court in Switzerland. I was brought up on charges of interfering with an aid agency and kidnapping. My government provided for my legal defence and I beat the charges. I spent a year in prison while the trial was going on. Afterwards, I was warned not to attempt to operate with any United Nations program again.

"I was so mad at what they got away with that I took my retirement. Someone in the military gave me a star when I retired, so I didn't have to worry about money. I moved to the North Carolina coast and rebuilt a sailing ship. This was what brought me to the island."

"You saved her life, and she tried to put you in prison?"

"Yes, but she thought she was right and I was wrong. About two years after I left the army, an old buddy sent me an intelligence report about the woman being part of an Arab terrorist group. I don't know what she had against us, but I no longer took it personally. She was just crazy."

"You have seen terrible things, but still your heart is good," replied Ada. "I better understand you now. I could only feel your burdens, not how you handled them. Again, our queen showed more understanding than I."

"It doesn't matter now. Are we now on the same team? If we are, that is what is important."

"Yes we are."

"Good. The first thing we need to find out is if our friend in the stockade is telling the truth. I believe you think he is?"

"I think he is telling the truth to the point of attacking you. His mind is unclear during that act."

"What about killing the queen and her guards?"

"He wasn't even there. He and the two men who were guarding him were looking for food."

"We could have an innocent man here. If we do, what do we do about it?"

"You are the champion," replied Queen Lisa. "It is your choice."

"I understand, but it is a wise man who seeks council when all the facts are unclear. Lady Ada, do you have a thought in this matter?"

"I like the thoughts about how important human life is, but some thoughts are hidden from me. Why?"

"My thoughts were hidden from you before you visited my mind. Could you do that to him?"

"Only if he lets me, but he could still hide parts of his mind if he wanted to."

"Could you tell if he was hiding something?"

"Yes."

"Would you consent to helping me talk to the man again?"

"Of course, Champion."

They again brought the man from his cell, but this time Bill did not tie him to his chair. He was worried, and he looked from Ada to Bill. He glanced at Alpha's and Beta's knives and then looked to the floor.

"We have more questions for you. First, can you convince us that we should believe you?"

"I've been racking my brain to try to come up with some way to convince you I'm one of the good guys. I realize that if I were in your place, I wouldn't believe me either."

"Well, that doesn't help us. What did you do before you became a pirate?"

"I designed computer systems for banks. I think that is the only reason they didn't kill me before. They thought I may have been able to raid banking systems."

"Could you?"

"Most likely, but I would have been able to limit the damage. I don't think they were all that bright, so I might have been able to leave a trace to where we were at any one time."

"Have you ever raided computer systems before?"

The man looked down at his feet. "Yeah, when my wife developed cancer, my insurance cancelled me because they held one of my payments long enough to be late. That saved them a few thousand bucks and put her out of the medical system. I went into their system and transferred half a million dollars to an offshore account and paid the doctors and hospitals for her care. The delay in the money and treatment allowed the cancer to spread. She died from a cancer that could have been defeated.

"I went off my nut. I destroyed the bank accounts of three hospitals, 5 doctors, and the insurance company that cheated me. I was caught because I didn't really try to hide. I went to jail for 5 years, escaped and stole a small boat. I was hoping to get to some safe harbour when I was captured."

"Would you mind us checking out your story?" Bill asked.

"I don't know how you could, but knock yourself out."

"Put your hands on the table."

"Christ, not that shit again."

"This will not hurt you. You are going to have your hand held by a beautiful lady."

He looked at Ada, shrugged his shoulders, and put his hands on the table. Ada took his hand and they both went into a trance. Thirty minutes later, Ada came out of the trance. The man was still out.

"He is telling the truth. He is actually hiding the pain of his wife's death from himself. That is what I felt hidden. It was doubly tough on him. His wife was with child. I feel he is a good man."

"Thank you Lady Ada. When can we get him awake?"

She touched his hand again and he woke. Tears were running down his cheeks. He sobbed as he collapsed to the table. They gave him a few moments to compose himself before they continued.

"What is your name?"

"Samuel Gooden."

"Sam or Samuel."

"Most people call me Sam."

"OK, Sam. We need to find something for you to do. Technology does not work here, computer skills are useless. Do you have any hobbies or other skills?"

He looked at Bill with doubt in his eyes. "Yesterday you were going to cut my fingers off, and now you're trying to find me a job. What am I missing?"

"That we believe you. We are a small community, so there ain't no such thing as a free lunch here. We need to find something for you to do to make a living. Did you have any hobbies?"

"I was raised on a farm. I love to garden."

"Excellent," exclaimed Ada. "We can always use another farmer."

"Well, I guess the queen's chief advisor has spoken, and I agree. I am sorry for the rough guy treatment. Can we get past that?" Bill offered my hand.

Sam took the offered hand. "You had to do what you had to do. I did point a spear at you after all."

"Good. Now, how do we get Sam started on his new life?"

"That's it? You accept me? What if you're wrong?"

"If I'm wrong, you would have a very short and painful rest of your life, but we both know I'm not wrong, don't we?"

"Yes we do."

Ada asked Bill, "Could you have Alpha or Beta take him to the Agriculture building and introduce him? They will get him oriented. I would still like to talk to Sam after he has settled in. We need to learn more about where the other 6 men got off to. Is that acceptable to you Sam?"

"Of course, Lady Ada."

As Alpha led Sam away, Ada and Bill embraced. "Thank you for your help, Ada. I could have made a serious mistake about this man without your input."

"We, as you say, are a team. I like this team concept."

"Good. Now that that's taken care of, I need to start training. How does that work?

Training the Champion

Bill thought training would be long and arduous. He was right. The first weeks were made up of Alpha and Beta taking turns entering his mind for 10 hours a day. They taught him military tactics more suited to a world without gun powder, manual combat techniques, history of Atlantis, ethics, and other basic skills of the champion. Another 6 hours a day were spent in physical training and development of the manual combat techniques taught in mind link.

After the first day of training, he wanted to crawl in a hole and die. Bill thought Ranger training was tough. It was a Sunday picnic compared to this. PT started out with a 10 mile run with an 80-pound pack on his back. It took almost a month before he was able to make the full 10 miles without breaking his stride and walking about half of it.

After the run, he would spend 2 hours in mind meld. Then they went into a series of dance steps with a 30-pound sword. The 30-minute non-stop routine moved into a hand to hand combat lesson. The style of fight was something he had never learned before, but was not as effective as some of the Ranger training he'd had. He decided to learn the new style and teach the Ranger style later on.

The humiliating thing about this process wasn't that Alpha and Beta never left his side. It was that while he was crawling through the training, they never broke a sweat, nor mussed their hair. He was a physical wreck by the end of the day, and they were as frisky as puppies.

After the first month, different specialists took over his education. Alpha and Beta still ran PT. He learned and relearned quantum mechanics, magic theory, and mind control. Math pounded his brain until he felt like an imaginary number (square root of negative one designated as "i"). Can you imagine how much trouble the illusive little "i" has caused math students through the ages? Anyway, concepts that were way beyond current mathematical theories were pounded into his mind, and by some miracle were understood.

Chemistry, medicine, physics, and other concepts filled and stimulated his brain. At the end of six months, he was totally exhausted. Bill was given a week of rest, and then it was time to be the champion.

His first job was to be introduced to the warriors on the island. The champion was also the chief warrior, and was expected to if not defeat the other warriors, at least give them a challenge. The first test was with one of the queen's guards, Delta.

Delta was the biggest of the warriors. She was 6 feet 6 inches and 290 pounds of pure rock. He wasn't really sure if he was expected to take out that woman, or test the breaking point of his bones. Alpha whispered in his ear. "We will heal you when she breaks your body. We will still love and respect you while you recover."