Chapter 1

Aelinor had just finished her morning chores around her hut in the deep woods and was looking for the herbs and other plants that reinforced her reputation as a witch. She didn't much care for being called a witch, but the locals thought that her nostrums and potions were magic. She had been at the job of hedge witch for most of her adult 30 years and expected to die of old age any time now. But, since there was no one else around who knew as much as she did about the medicinal properties of plants, she felt that she just had to keep on doing her job as long as she was able.

Aelinor had never married, partly because she wanted to stay out of the sight of the local lord. If she could hide from him, she could avoid serving the mandatory 2 weeks in the castle brothel every year. Also, she had never really seen a man who could hold her interest for more than a few minutes. So many men seemed intent on taking advantage of their superior status over women. Most men were so afraid that she would turn them into a toad that they tended to avoid her. Since she had long ago learned to satisfy her sexual needs by herself, she had no need for a man.

On this day, she had decided to visit a part of the woods that was usually avoided because of its reputation for harboring a malign spirit. She didn't believe in such things, but she had not visited the area before because of its distance from her hut. She had so thoroughly picked over her usual haunts that she was forced into this virgin territory, and she had high hopes of finding what she needed before winter set in.

She was running a quick survey to see just what was available before picking her plants. Suddenly, she heard a voice in her head. At last! A female, and one mature enough that she won't panic when I talk to her ... Aelinor, please listen to me; I won't harm you, but I need to talk to you. You can answer me by just thinking what you want to say.

"Who are you, and how are you able to play this trick on me?"

Aelinor, please pay attention! I told you that you don't have to talk out loud, just thinking of what you want to say is sufficient. I am harmless to you. I am not human; I am not a spirit; I am a machine. Please calm down and let me explain why I am here and what I need from you.

"OK ... oops ... sorry." I don't know what a machine is; I don't know if I have ever seen one. You haven't told me your name, you must have one. I would be more comfortable talking to you if I had a name to use. And how do you know my name; I never told it to you!

Scenes of everyday life flashed through Aelinor's brain, each scene staying just long enough to register what she was "seeing." This seemed to go on for hours as Aelinor was shown slices of life on Earth during the 22^nd century. She got a general feeling of happiness from the people she observed, with no hint of the general dread that everybody experienced in her time.

Aelinor looked down where Armor had instructed and saw a small amulet on a golden chain. It was quite beautiful, and it was a piece of jewelery that any woman would be pleased to wear. She slipped it over her head and was immediately struck a mighty mental blow! Aelinor actually staggered from the shock, but also immediately realized that it was worth the momentary discomfort. She now had available the entire body of knowledge of the human race up until approximately 11,000 year ago. After that, the memories were limited to what Armor had actually observed, and that was not much, considering that he had spent most of that time in a obscure segment of a forest.

She could see, now, why this area had the reputation of being haunted. Every female that had come his way had been greeted by Armor, and she had run away after no more than a few exchanges of thoughts with Armor. For over 11,000 years, Armor had been trying to recruit a savior for Earth, and Aelinor had been the first one to hear the whole story without panicking. By the nature of his construction, he had been forced to ignore men as potential candidates.

Aelinor could now see a kind of glow off to one side. She seemed to be pulled toward it by an irresistible attraction. Armor said, What you see in front of you is my being. I am a suit of armor which will let you identify those human bodies occupied by Glaxoi. I will also render you well nigh invincible and invulnerable. Some things can harm you while you are wearing me, but none of them were available to the Glaxoi when I was constructed. The next step is for you to don me, but I must warn you that once you put me on your body, you can never take me off. If you are willing to become the hero needed to free Earth from its bondage, remove every bit of your clothing, but retain the amulet. As you don me, I will conform to your body and become like a second skin.

Aelinor was absolutely enraptured by the idea that she could return Earth to the near paradise that it had been before the Glaxoi had arrived, so she unhesitatingly followed Armor's instructions. The order she was to use in donning Armor was obvious, so she proceeded with alacrity. The first item was the "pants" which provided protection from the waist to the ankles. As she slipped on the pants, she felt something push against her urethrae and anus, tubes seemed to slip inside her painlessly. When the tubes were in place, she could no longer feel them. As soon as they slipped into place, she knew that she would no longer have to piss or shit like ordinary people; Armor would handle that for her. She had also felt something slide into her vagina and she realized that she would no longer be troubled by her menstrual cycle.