••••••
SEMI-NAKED OVER-PERFUMED WOMEN lounge in and around bubbling fountains. Soft Muzak plays. The women wait impatiently for multiple rounds of pleasure with Scott.
“I’d have never guessed Scott’s mind was full of concubines.”
Reynard’s sarcastic tone masks his lack of understanding of the shifting landscapes they move across.
“Are these all the women—”
JC stops counting at forty-two. “He’s anything but xenophobic. It’s an impressive number. Many species here don’t care for Osirians.”
“Beyond the women.” Reynard points at suits of battle armor guarding the chamber. “His perfect design?”
“If he doesn’t stop collecting conquests, he’ll never finish the armor.”
“I would have thought as a woman you’d be more upset about his infidelities.”
“Why should I care?” she asks.
“Women in my time were always upset when men cheated.”
“A rather immature view of copulation. Osirians aren’t a race designed for life mating. Having knowledge of five hundred species, Aus should know how her current mate is.”
“So it’s a matter of if she cares.”
Reynard bolts through the women to a familiar face. As Amye turns he realizes it’s Kymberlynn.
“I never thought their appearance was close.” JC says.
“When did you ever see them together?” Reynard asks.
“Sandman!” JC chases the floating creature through an archway.
Reynard slides through the opening into an identical harem.
“We have to find Scott and stop the Sandman.”
“I thought this was Scott’s mind?” Reynard asks.
“Somewhere in here, the personality we think of as Scott is who we need to protect. The mind is a vast universe unto itself.”
“How do we locate Scott?”
“Think of Scott’s mind like a sexual maze, a lucid dream of sorts. He’s so preoccupied with making love to women his whole intellect has become a series of harems. To find him we have to find the exit.”
PRINCESS AURORA ESCAPES her dream. Wet sweat soaks her clothes.
“Athena!”
No response.
She stumbles to the door. She catches herself on her reading chair. “Athena!”
Faltering, she leans a moment against the doorframe.
It takes her a minute to reach Amye’s quarters. She presses the door chime. You better not be drunk. I need you.
Amye hangs out of the door as it opens. “What do you want, your highness?”
“There’s a Sandman attacking.”
“I don’t care.”
“What about Reynard? You still care about him…don’t you? We have to help him.”
“Get his new girl to protect him.”
“Amye, what’s wrong with you? Where is the woman teaching me to protect myself?” Michelle asks.
“She just wants a drink.” Amye mumbles, “She wants to forget.”
“The woman training me would never forget her friends.”
“You’re more trouble than you’re worth, princess.”
“I need you to help me. You’ll never win him away from Leeka if you don’t save him.”
Neither of them notices the slowly melting dream catcher outside the Commander’s quarters.
SCOTT SNAPS HIS fingers before giving a signal to the bartender for his usual order. A lime-green beverage slides down the bar. He snatches it and turns mid drink to take a gander at the dancing patrons.
“Doug would enjoy the loud noise,” JC says.
“Are we a part of this dreamscape?” Reynard asks.
A skinny, busty brunette dances toward Scott. She wiggles her body all around him, making sure to shake all of her voluminous figure against him.
“You want to enjoy the wiles of the women here?” JC asks.
“Somehow I doubt I’d stroll away clean.”
Scott flashes a conjugal smile, placing his drink on the bar. He takes the girl in his arms and kisses her neck. She screams for him to take her right there in the bar. He sits her on the bar before ripping open her blouse. She moans with each rough caress of her breasts.
“We go from Harems to a bar containing lewd women. Are the Sandmen in control or is Scott?”
“The Sandmen twist what’s already there,” JC explains.
Scott’s tongue meets with the girl’s. Blood squirts from his lips as razor teeth cut into his mouth. Her body transmogrifies into a slick, green, scaly creature digging her claws into his shoulder blades.
The female sprawls onto the floor, her body cleaved in two.
Reynard flicks the katana, sending blood droplets to the floor and leaving the blade clean.
Scott’s shocked face remains stained with blood. “Smerth’n hell, Reynard.”
“It’s only a dream induced by a Sandman,” JC attempts to convince him. “You must wake up.”
“We’ve got to defeat them.” Blood gushes from Scott’s mouth.
“Not we. Come, face me you bastards!”
The Sandman with a canyon groove cut across the ivory appears. It charges, snapping massive jaws.
JC concentrates all her mental energy, shooting a blue beam from her headband.
The Sandman howls. Fading from reality, it drags Reynard with it.
“TOMORROW WILL BE the official ceremony.” Maxtin attaches the captain’s pips to Gibson’s collar. “They won’t let me award this honor to you publicly. It befalls to the Senate chairman to remind the military their responsibility to the citizens.
“I accept this honor, Admiral.” She remains at attention, only raising her chin to allow his fingers to slip in her collar.
“You have earned this. I am proud of you.”
“Thank you, Admiral. I will diligently perform my duties as you have taught me.”
He inspects his work to make sure the pips are perfect in placement. As close as he is, Maxtin spots the water collection in Gibson’s left eye.
“This is what I have worked for in my career.”
“Your family would be proud,” he says.
“My father’s pride will be affirmed when we defeat the Mokarran.”
Maxtin takes a wooden, latched box from his desk. “When you are able to christen the restored Deliverance, you will be closer to your goal. You are one of the finest officers I’ve met.” He holds out the box. “I’ve a gift for you. One I grant to all those I’ve trained.”
She wraps her fingers around the box. Before he releases his grip, he says, “My wisdom on battle, war, life—some of it comes from this tome.”
She opens the box, smiling as she traces the bound leather book cover.
“The
