Chapter Text
Limbs upon limbs.
The first pair of long, slender, though well-muscled, arms with equally taut hands, gingerly held onto the cloak, while the secondary and tertiary ones reached down to assess Max's frame. More arms, about six or seven pairs, though smaller and shorter, and also only 4 fingered, held its elongated, well-built, humanoid torso suspended to the ceiling. Starting where its hips should be, a long,freakishly long, insectoid abdomen began with yet more limbs, though this time of the arachnid variety, bending to allow their setae hairs to stick to the ceiling, and by extension the rest of the multi-segmented, red hulled, abdomen which twisted around the ceiling like a river. The abdomen alone must've been at least 30 feet long.
The creature above tilted and twisted its head like an owl, as it dropped the cloak and reached across to lock the door through which they came. Two large, perfectly round eyeballs stared down as their lips curled from one end of the face to the other. Their hair was tied into an intricately braided bun, and a few loose strands of long, silky-looking, red hair framed a peachy face. The four pairs of hands, each with fingers about as long as her entire hand, hovered around her body, tracing the shape of her limbs and joints with a seemingly sensitive and advanced somatosensory system.
It looked like the sacrilegious bastard of a centipede-centaur and the Momo-paralysis demon.
"Oh, what marvel Da'tqah-T'au brought me today. And you're a live one too" they mused, their voice melodic, lilted, and pleasant, and thus quite jarring compared to their appearance.
They brought the four pair of hands in front of Max, and offered them with the palms facing upwards. It was as straightforward a gesture as any, but Max was still in the middle of short-circuiting, so when she didn't put her hands into theirs, their head tilted to the side even more, the smile somewhat waning.
"Ah, permit me, littleearthling"they said, "I assure you that I will not be dropping you anymore"
A slight nudge from Tau's knee persuaded Max's body to move, and she apprehensively allowed thethingto pull her up to her feet.
"My my, where are my manners?" they hummed then, and the blonde watched as the whole of their torso and part of the abdomen dropped from the ceiling, twisting into an upright position whilst the rest still clung to the ceiling. They lowered themselves even further until their head achieved eye-level with Max, and it was then that she had to fight tooth and nail to not turn and book it.
Animals, aliens, space-orcs, bloodthirsty sci-fi janitors,the works, she can handle any day. A more creature demon hybrid from Satan's reject pile was however not something she could comprehend easily.
"I am Iej'i" they said, their black eyes getting even wider as they observed Max up-close, an equally black serpentine tongue darting briefly past their lips as they seemingly tasted the air.
Max felt herself backing into Tau, momentarily regaining comfort at his familiar heat and presence. Such relief was short-lived when he proceeded to nudge her forward again, clearly amused by her reactions.
Iej'i's eyes then seemingly relaxed, and with that those unsettling eyes did too, taking on an almond-shape as the lids resumed their normal position. And with that, the face became rather pretty-looking, black lips taking on a coquettish turn and long rounded, elf-like ears drooping with eased excitement. A skin-tight, purple, halterneck, crop-top, covered their chest, with their midriff and abdomen devoid of clothing save for colorful belts and shawls. All of their humanoid arms wore various bracelets, rings, and vambraces.
"Do you have a gender?" she then managed to squeeze out, instantly face-palming internally. Of all the things to ask about its unique anatomy and being, and that was what she went with?
"I am female" they started after chuckling, obviously not perturbed in the slightest at such questioning, "but after I found my bond, I prefer to go by male pronouns. My bond is quite the influentialthing."
He, Iej'i, pointed to the middle section of their abdomen, where on the underside a nub of about 2 feet protruded from the supple chitin. On closer inspection, the nub, which had seemingly fused into the segment of Iej'i's abdomen, had segments of its own, as well as arms that had at one point held onto the body it merged with.
It seemed that Iej'i had fused with a male of their species like angler-fish do on earth. A fascinating prospect given that the eternal sperm-donor male had apparently fused not only body, but infused part of his personality into his partner. Though, to which degree would be hard to tell, if at all possible. Max wondered if that process created a new person, or two minds sharing a body. From his use of pronouns when referring to himself, Max could deduce that he saw himself as singular. The fact that he had referred to the fused nub as athing, and didn't even deem it worthy of having its name revealed, also didn't bode well for the autonomy and existence of whoever that nub once was. Matriarchal structures would be easy to infer from such.
Her inner goblin wondered if the nub-male ever got to taste post-nut clarity and regret his decision before it got assimilated into Iej'i. Her more sane part meanwhile was wondering how they reproduced and merged in general.
"Now little human, what is your name?"
"Oh, I'm Maxine, a-and I refer to myself as female too" she said with embarrassment, wondering if she had all her bases covered or if Iej'i would want to know if she was coupled similarly to him.
"Now" Iej'i began after folding his hands "are you owned and to be traded, or...?"
His gaze, somewhat hopeful and ecstatic, drifted toward Tau, who huffed briefly and shook his head. The beads in his tresses clinked gently against his chest armor and shoulder pads as he did so.
"That's alright too. So what brings you to me then?" he asked , his gaze drifting back to Max, and though somewhat deflated, he still seemed curious and eager to interact with her.
Tau removed his bio-mask and began to speak the first syllable of his answer, but the centaur-centipede was quicker.
"Shush!" Iej'i said, bringing one of her hands up into a halting sign "do not answer for the female".Ah, matriarchal indeed.
Behind her, Tau rolled his eyes. The silence stretched, and she could feel both their gazes boring into her, one with the intensity of curiosity and the other with silent encouragement.
"I uh..? Tau wanted to shop around for gear"
"I need the ooman in gear that makes sure she doesn't crumple at the first whiff of danger, and manuals oncommon. Also I'm looking for a specific self-learning algorithm. Preferably one that has been trained on ooman language" he butted in.
"What an honor! To be able to outfit a first-time traveler!"the enthusiasm in his voice was contagious despite his unsettling appearance.
Iej'i's eyes gleamed with excitement as he raised his numerous hands in a jubilant gesture. The cacophony of clinking bracelets and rings sounded almost like a celebration as he surveyed Max from head to toe.
Iej'i's hands, which seemed to float effortlessly in the air, scooped her up quicker than she could register,and with a quick motion, Max found herself at the other end of the store, standing atop a pedestal surrounded with mirrors and racks upon racks of gear each different and meant to accommodate people of many shapes, sizes and preferences.
Tau cleared the room in a few steps and came to lean against one of the sturdy-looking shelves, his expression clearly dissatisfied at having been left behind and his entertainment cut short.
"Oh, right, you're here too" he said, almost off-handedly whilst his many hands plucked and sorted through the many attire, his attention shifting between the gear and some device he had booted up.
"Is that a way to treat your best ally? Someone who brings you illustrious hides and biological components?"
"Hah Tau, you must excuse me, even a grand Yautja-Warrior and his needs pale in the presence of a human. So rare and illicit they are,"his voice melodic and soothing, and wholly at ease, a stark contrast to the previous interactions between Tau and the aliens at the booth. The two of them must've known each other for a long time.
On an unrelated note, given how interested, almost enviously, Tau glanced at the large sections in Iej'i's body, Max wondered if theyhad gotten it onat one point. Her companion seemed oddly hung up on size after all, lamenting her twig-like stature and scoffing at small creatures in general. Perhaps another outlet of his blatant superiority complex.
"Do humans breathe through their skins?" asked Iej'i suddenly, after closing the holscreen he was looking at. His expression was somewhat embarrassed, as though he felt uneasy about not knowing things.
"Pah!" intercepted Tau teasingly "my database concludes that ooman's respiratory systems are wholly internal"
Max rolled her eyes, wondering just what kind of database his people had created over the years.
"Human skin does absorb oxygen to some degree as it is beneficial for the reproduction of cells, but our main respiration happens through our lungs. Our skin is also mildly absorbent to minerals, chemicals, external hormones, and the likes. We also absorb lipids better than water."
"Hmm, that is handy. Creatures with solely cutaneous respiration are hard to outfit" he mused "but you will still need to adopt a prophylactic regime"
A slight alarm woke in her chest, and Tau tilted his head in expectation for an explanation.
"Many environments, both naturally occurring or industrially, have toxins aplenty. Over the long term, they'll take their toll if you are to absorb even a marginal amount so long as it happens continuously"
Max looked quizzically over to Tau, who turned his head with a huff, his thoughts and expression unreadable to her.
"I'm not surprised Da'tqah-T'au has not made such preparations for you yet. He and his people are notoriously ignorant to the plights and needs of more fragile species" continued Iej'i as he hovered next to Tau's shelf, playfully nudging the Yautja, and to Max's surprise; actually knocking him aside a good bit. He then used his other hands to retrieve a multitude of flasks.
"A mineral and medicine solution designed for creatures with sensitive and absorbent skins should dull your skins intake. You humans are iron-based and your people adaptable enough, so I think there should be no adverse effects"
Iej'i held the open flasks to her face, and she was immediately taken aback by the pungent smell of brine-pool.
The following moments included Iej'i sliding the pathetic excuse of a teal lab shirt off of her shoulders, Max shrieking like a cat, Iej'i rubbing the saltine-and-whatever-else solution into her skin, and Tau not hiding his amusem*nt in the slightest.
"Ah, relax yourself. Your mamaries are not much to look at" said Iej'i, words that were meant to calm her, yet did nothing but agitate her further at yet another jab at her small tit*. She didn't think there was anything more embarrassing than whatever was happening at that moment, but she'd come to eat her words within the next 30 minutes.
Max could feel her cheeks burning as Iej'i's hands worked the briny solution into her skin. The sensation was cold and oddly invigorating, and despite her embarrassment, she had to admit it felt strangely refreshing. Iej'i's touch was surprisingly gentle, the multitude of fingers moving with practiced ease.
"Do you frequently treat visitors this personally?" Max managed to ask, trying to distract herself from the situation, trying to fill her mind with images of Toonz's plush paws as opposed to frames from poorly scripted p*rn.
Iej'i's smile widened, the corners of his lips curling even further. "Only those as fascinating as you, little human. Usually I let my clients do this themselves, but you are a rare treat in these parts. Many of us have never seen your kind in person. Your skin changes colors depending on your mood. I didn't know that"
"Great," Max muttered, feeling like a specimen on display ash she rubbed her increasingly reddening cheeks.
"Do not worry," Iej'i continued, his voice soothing. "You are among friends here. Da'tqah-T'au seldom travels in company. You must be very special for him to bring you along."
Max glanced over at Tau, who was now examining some message on his gauntlet. His expression was inscrutable, but she could sense his attention on her, even if he pretended otherwise.
"Would you tell me where you found this golden-maned human?" asked Iej'i, earning a swift "no" in response.
"Why do you need to outfit her so thoroughly, Da'tqah-T'au?" his tone light but curious. "Planning on taking her into particularly dangerous territory?"
Tau looked over, his eyes narrowing slightly. "Anywhere is dangerous for an ooman. She's under my protection. I can't afford any mistakes."
Something in Max's stomach flipped at the blatant declaration. Up until that point he'd been stand-offish about her being at his side, and he was yet to give a proper label to whatever their connection was.
"Ah, ever the cautious warrior," Iej'i replied, his big eyes twinkling with amusem*nt. "But I see your point. Humans truly are as fragile as the rumors suggest" he mused, and as if to prove this point to himself, he dragged one of his nails across the skin on her stomach, leaving behind an angry red line, "they need all the help they can get."
Max frowned, a spark of defiance igniting within her. "We're not that fragile," she protested, "we can be pretty tough when we need to be."
Iej'i chuckled, "I have no doubt of that. Your continued existence at the side of a Yautja is proof enough. But physical resilience is another matter. Here, let me finish this up."
The centipede-centaur tugged at the rim of her pants, and in an instant Max came to wrap her hands around his wrists, stopping him. "I- I got the message, thank you! I'll be finishing this up back on ship" she said, her voice high from anxious pitch.
"Suit yourself" relented Iej'i, but not without sparing her midriff another longing glance "But if you would permit, I would love to see your reproductive organs"
Max balked, not even registering the annoyed "lay off, oomans are prude," coming from Tau.
"Wha-? Why?"
"Ah, you see, dear one, encountering a human is quite a rare occasion, so it may be my only chance to find out out if our species are anatomically compatible. You are mammalian, right?"
Max opened and closed her mouth as her brain continued to lag behind. Somewhere behind her Tau smacked against one of the segments of Iej'i's abdomen, enough to voice his annoyance, not enough to break the rules of hospitality.
"What exactly are you asking here?" she voiced slowly as she crossed her arms instinctively in front of her chest. "To me it almost sounds like flirting" added that nasty-intrusive-thoughts-goblin of hers.
"Well" grinned Iej'i "bedding a human would be quite the tale to tell amongst space-farers. But that would only be part of my inquiry"
Every sane and courteous part of Max was howling in her to shoot this proposition down and not ask any more questions, but her curiosity about Iej'i's anatomy and thought process was winning out against rationale.
"What's the other part?"
The shop-owner adjusted his body, and Max watched as a jet-black, slickened tube emerge from a slit in the second segment above the nub-male. The hole at the tip of the fleshy tube looked stretchable and leaked a red-ish goo.
Max's cheek turned blood red in an instant, her throat tying into a knot as she turned and mouthed "what the f*ck" back at Tau, who had brought one of his talons to his brow ridges, rubbing them as he looked like he wanted to be anywhere but there.
"Would you be willing to carry a child for me?"
"Iej'i, the ooman will absolutely not be carrying your spawn" groaned Tau, pointedly staring at the human in question, and avoiding looking at the vulgar organ hanging above.
"Shush. Do not answer for the female" repeated Iej'i, though this time stricter in tone, making Tau actually relent his protests. Max figured that she wouldn't want to wager upsetting the exhibitionist at this point either. There was technically no harm no foul happening either way, just a bit of casual nakedness and unveiled sex offers.
"I-" stuttered Max "I think you're skipping a few steps here. And a few explanations!"
"Ah, I see. I should not have skipped the preamble" claims Iej'i, as if that's what was the faux-pas about the whole situation. "My people are technically classified as parasites since we can choose not to gestate our own eggs, and instead insert them into similarly built environments. Our people back in the ancient days came to make use of our planet's resident mammals; sizeable non-sentient cattle farmed for meat and incubation. These days we refrain from using unwilling participants, or creatures unable to consent, so many of my sisters gestate themselves. Traditional insertion is just a novel and practical thing, saving me the metabolic cost, and earning bragging rights amongst peers the rarer the more fruitful the incubator. I pay handsomely for my carriers."
"What a complicated, but versatile, reproductive process",was all Max could take away from that. Her cheeks still burned, and the heat continued to travel up her ears and down her collarbone. Never mind the proposition, what would come after the egg would be ready to hatch? Would it rip the host apart? was the host expected to hand back the newborn? Or would the babe slither into the wilderness and rejoin society once it came of age?
"And then?" asked Max, seemingly exciting the shop owner as the tube twitched.
"Do not tell me you entertain such ideas!" said Tau with shock and exasperation.
"Shush. I'm just curious!"
With one arm she covered her chest (because she had decency), and with the other she pointed at the nub, then at the segment above it. "So your bond provides the sperm, and up here it fertilizes your eggs." Iej'i nodded, and she then pointed at the segment with the slit and the exposed tubal pseudo-penis. "And you can either gestate yourself and birth them, or evacuate and insert them into a, presumably, willing incubator?"
"Correct" purred Iej'i, "you humans catch on quickly"
"And then? How does the pseudo-pregnancy go? What happens with the hatchling?"
Max felt the ghost of a hand at her nape, and another travel down her spine. She wasn't seriously considering anything, but she'd be lying if she said she wasn't feeling off-kilter due to the blatant smell ofsexin the room. There was something obscenely illicit about the whole thing (not a xenophile my ass), and something that also triggered her monkey-brains fight or flight response.
"I can fertilize myself at a moment's notice. The egg will develop a soft membrane within minutes, which will make insertion easy. During insertion a substance is released which induces pregnancy in the insertee as the ova are deposited in the womb, so that it may nourish. The eggs mature within a tenday, and emit hormones that induce labor when they are to be released. You then give the eggs to me, and I send it to my home planet into a larva-kindergarten as soon as they hatch and the strongest sibling has eaten all the others. "
--Iej'is raging pheromones had always caused his knees to buckle, on the few occasions he was unlucky enough to encounter him after he had copulated, both fruitfully and un-fruitfully. He was aware of this species' practices, he was just lucky enough to not have heard it out loud since the he-female was only interested in other females. However, with Ax's adrenaline mixing into the perfume, he felt like he had gotten punched right into his intestines. He had to be mindful to not unsheath himself at this rate, and his righteous parasite-averse codex was doing the heavy lifting of keeping his thoughts straight. Iej'i was a gentle soul, so there was no risk of anything going awry, so long the ditz didn't manage to somehow agree to the proposition.--
--A curious part of him was interested in seeing the two of them copulate (for no other reason than the scientific observation of a parasitic implantation and gestation given his people's study of Xenomorphs,of course. Absolutely). Another part, the confused one he'd discovered earlier, reared its head with possessiveness of his trophy, and another, the one that was steeled and wise, listed all the reasonable reasons for not allowing this thing to happen under any circ*mstances.--
"That is quite the fascinating process! But alas, we're kind of on a tight schedule-"
"Oh well, I figured I couldn't ask of you to stick around for so long. Yautja are notoriously hard to tether to one place. But I'll not relinquish the first part of the offer. You can still f*ck me if you'd like."
"Iej'i, for the love of Paya-"
Max's mind raced, trying to process the jumble of emotions and information thrown at her by Iej'i's straightforward propositions. Her cheeks still burned, but now she was faced with the challenge of keeping her composure amidst the swirling co*cktail of embarrassment, curiosity, and a hint of something she couldn't quite place.
"Uh, I appreciate the... offer, but I think it's best if we stick to the task at hand," she stammered, casting a quick glance at Tau for support. He met her gaze with a nod of approval, though his eyes carried a hint of relief.
About an hour later, the two intrepid, and unlikely partners left the shop, withalmosteverything they were looking for, a heavy awkwardness hanging between them, and not being able to look at one another.
Tau cleared his throat, his body somewhat more tense than usual. His expression was hidden beneath his bio-mask, and he still refused to gaze at the blonde. "You did well to refuse," he said as he turned to head toward the docking bay "I wasn't so sure you would. I would have wagered you'd be relieved to find a remedy for your lacking physiology, nevermind your people's need for physical contact."
"Tau you absolute bastard"
Max hurried along the bustling corridors of the space station. The diverse array of creatures passing by was both mesmerizing and overwhelming, but she was too preoccupied with her recent encounter to fully appreciate the sights. Tau’s remark stung more than it should have, and she struggled to keep up with his brisk pace.
“You think I would jump ahead and f*ck to my heart's content? And my tit* are fine, thanks!” she shot back, her voice laced with irritation.
Tau motioned to glance over his shoulder, but halted, continuing to look straight ahead. “You seemed quite fascinated. Too fascinated for comfort.”
Max huffed, rolling her eyes. “It was curiosity, Tau. I’m not about to… you know, with a creature I just met, no matter how interesting their biology is.”
"So the prerequisite is toknowa creature with interesting biology more thoroughly?"
"Can we go back to not talking filth?"
