Chapter 22

The next month was hectic. Supplies flowed into Fordem, and were then ferried by air to each village in turn. Troyal even managed to commandeer a much larger freight-flyer, allowing us to transfer each shipment in just a single trip. At every location, I informed the elder of all the facts surrounding the citadel's repression, whilst Teel supervised the unloading and provided advice on planting.

We planted the fields of the last village towards the end of autumn, barely giving enough time for the crops to mature before frost destroyed them. To provide further evidence of our good intentions, a volunteer from the city remained in each village to act as a liaison. They assisted with any problems arising from the upcoming harvest, and suggested ways for them to become more independent from the citadel.

The volunteers were almost exclusively unattached males, and I warned them of the possible dangers of forming relationships with the women of the settlements in which they'd be residing. Clearly my message was not voiced strongly enough as during her occasional visits, Teel reported that each had a gaggle of female admirers in tow.

The elders of each settlement pledged to help when the time came to make a stand against the citadel, although some had reservations about any use of violence. Most however, were so embittered by the High Council's actions that given half a chance they'd have marched on the citadel, and declared civil war. I strongly discouraged such overt measures, assuring them that a more realistic plan of campaign was being worked upon. This was a slight inaccuracy, but at least served to avoid premature confrontation.

Exhausted from our herculean effort, everybody in the city took time to recuperate and take stock. It felt incredibly fulfilling to have achieved what we did in the time available, and I idly wondered if foreign charity workers from my time derived this degree of satisfaction from their achievements.

As I lay awake one night, my reverie was disturbed by movement nearby. A warm body snuggled against me, whilst hands slipped around my middle and gently stroked my chest.

"Teel?" I guessed.

"Mmm," she purred. Her soft breasts pressed against my back as her hand descended to caress my stirring cock. I wondered what had caused the change of heart, as I relished the delightful sensation of the contact.

Turning around, I took her in my arms and touched my lips to hers. After kissing her passionately, I slid my tongue inside where it cavorted with its counterpart. Her fingers squeezed my shaft and then aligned me with her opening. After months of abstinence, I pushed forward and felt her lips enfold me in their soft embrace.

"Teel, we should be careful," I warned.

"Please, Mark," she implored.

Unable to resist her pleas, I embedded half my length in her and savoured the tight confinement of my cock. Teel wrapped her arms around my body and then pulled us closer together, impaling herself completely in the process.

I rested for a few heartbeats to regain my breath, then slowly began to stroke within her channel. Teel gasped with each thrust, driving me wild with desire. With all restraint abandoned, I relentlessly plundered her charms. Memories of our times together in the citadel returned, and I strove to reprise the energy with which we'd pursued our pleasure. My only regret was that Nella was not around to share in our passion.

My climax approached and I attempted to withdraw, but Teel's arms and legs imprisoned me. When I could hold out no longer, I cried out in relief as I flooded her with my seed.

Neither of us moved for what seemed an eternity. Finally, I crawled free and collapsed onto my back, exhausted. Teel laid her head on my chest, listening to the rapid beating of my heart.

"You should take a shower and clean yourself out inside," I advised jokingly. "We don't want a repeat of the consequences from last time."

"What consequences? A baby you mean?"

"What else could I be talking about?"

"What if I want a baby? I am a surrogate remember. It's my job to produce the next generation."

"I'm not sure I'm quite ready to be a father again," I explained. "Four children in a year are more than enough."

"But I want it, Mark. I'd desperate to feel a baby growing inside me again."

"Are you serious?" I gasped, sitting up in alarm. "What about Vanessa?"

"We discussed it, and decided we both want to have a child to look after together."

"You seem to have it all planned out," I accused. "Do I have any say in the matter?"

"I thought you'd be happy. You wanted to be with me again and you can be, at least while I try to conceive."

Teel's admission took away some of the edge of what had been a very pleasurable experience. I realised that I had no real cause for complaint, but it still rankled to be employed as little more than a stud.

"What about Nella?"

"I have to move on," Teel replied sadly. "Any change in the citadel situation will take years to bring about. From what I can see, they've become even more intransigent than ever, particularly with respect to the villages."

I had to accept the validity of her argument. In the short term, I could see little that we could do to influence their behaviour.

Teel's hands cradled my cock, plying it between her fingers until she succeeded in restoring my prowess. She smiled and lowered her head, taking me in her mouth and pleasuring me in ways she knew that I couldn't resist. I guided her efforts, relishing the feel of sliding within her luxurious warmth. Sensing the imminence of my release, she withdrew and lay back, spreading herself wide, in open invitation.

Despite the rather blatant manner in which I was being used, I couldn't deny her wish, if it was really what she truly desired. I crawled atop Teel's voluptuous body and took possession of it, thrusting leisurely as I made love to her for the second time. My hands fondled, and then gently squeezed her generous breasts, flicking the erect nipples back and forth. Teel sighed with passion, relishing the feel of me inside her and doubtless hoping that my semen would reach the necessary spot.

The following morning, I woke alone. Teel had doubtless disappeared to comfort Vanessa and relate the successful outcome of her mission. I washed, dressed and then set off in search of sustenance. Grant was sitting in quiet contemplation.

"We're stirring up a hornet's nest," he opined.

"The situation has been allowed to endure for far too long," I replied. "One way or another, things are going to change."

"That's what I'm worried about. We've fermented dissent within the villages and the High Council is soon going to put two and two together, and conclude that we're at the centre of it all."

"What can they do?"

"I don't know, and that's what worries me. We're boxing them into a corner. Their Guardian force still has enough of a sting in the tail to produce a lot of damage."

"We can defend ourselves, when the time comes."

"Not against a concerted attack. I wish we still had the suit, or some of the other weapons that were at the facility."

"Which facility is this?"

"It was located many miles from here, almost as far as the southern coast, in the centre of a large forest."

"Avalon?" I gasped.

"We never knew its name. It was largely disused, but in one of the lower levels, we recognised the suit for what it was. There were massive stocks of projectile weapons. Any small enough to transport, we brought back with us, but the larger ones would have been incredibly useful to us now. There were even large tracked vehicles, with long barrels that fired explosive rounds."

"Tanks?"

"There was no fuel for them, but I'm sure we could have improvised."

"I don't even think heavy armour would stand a chance against the flyer's weapons. I'm sorry, Steven, but a stand up fight is not one we can win."

"You're probably right," he conceded.

"Do you remember where it was located?"

"Only roughly, it was several years ago. We only happened upon the place after rumours about it reached us from a messenger from another city."

Memories of Jenny resurfaced, and I knew that once the conflict was over, I would make every attempt to locate the facility, in the desperate hope their status pods were located there, and remained intact.

My reverie was disturbed by a commotion from nearby. The door flew open and a man that I vaguely recognised staggered into the room. His clothes were in tatters and his hands and face were covered in blood.

"James," Grant gasped. "What happened?"

The man had been stationed in Frecken, as an advisor to the village.

"The Guardians discovered a field that we'd planted, and recognised it for what it was."

A small crowd entered the room to hear the rest of his story.

"The flyers came back the next day, six of them. They destroyed every single field, even the ones planted with the seed they'd provided. After that, they set buildings alight, destroying all the food stocks, the storehouses, the bakery. They didn't seem to care who or what got in the way; they just razed the place to the ground."

We sat in stunned silence as he continued to relate the horror.

"There were many casualties. They marched the village elder into the square and shot him in cold blood in front of half the villagers. They told everyone that they had brought all the consequences on themselves, by co-operating with the thieves that had stolen property from the citadel, and threatened the established order.

"People are dying every day from their injuries. There's no food, and no likelihood of any in the short term, other from the neighbouring communities. There's fear that the same sort of action could take place elsewhere. The other villages are doing their best to disguise our crops, but I'm not convinced it will be enough."

"It's started," Grant announced. "I feared this may happen."

"We have to do something," I urged. "This is murder. We can't let it continue?"

"What can we do?"

"We have weapons. We can help defend their property."

"Against heat weapons? We're severely outclassed," Grant sighed.

"We must do something."

"I won't risk our people's lives. We did our best to help, but this is out of our hands now."

"We put them in this situation. We need to organise them, before it's too late."

"This was your idea, Mark. You have to shoulder some of the responsibility."

"Fine. Whatever. I'll go there alone if that's what it takes. I won't stand by and idly let the citadel do this to their own."

"And what will you do?" Grant shook his head sadly.

"I don't know. I'll find out when I get there."

About a dozen men from the city chose to accompany me. Peter and Jeremy were the first to volunteer. To my surprise, Teel and Vanessa also joined us, having played a major part in helping the villages become more self-sufficient.

"Don't be angry at Dad," Vanessa, told me. "He's spent all his life building up what we have here, and he doesn't want to sacrifice everything for people who he doesn't know, and doesn't believe can be helped further."

"I have to try," I replied. "I set all this in motion. Your dad's right, I am responsible but I can't hide here in the city, not when there's a remote chance that I can help."

"That's why we're coming with you," she sighed. "We've got two dozen Trogs to carry what food we can spare. We won't know how bad things are until we get there, but we'll do what we can."