Jailmates Read online

  “They take care of their vulnerable populations?”

  “They have almost no crime because of their strict honor code. Their health-care system is ahead of its time and cares for everyone. The disabled are cared for, and no one is allowed to starve. A strong work ethic is universal on their planet, built within an honor code. They are a member planet in good standing with the coalition. They send their allotted ratio of troops to the coalition military, and when there are large-scale humanitarian crises, their planet is usually one of the first to send aid.”

  “I don’t want to sign an unbreakable contract and be tied to a bunch of scumbags or gangsters, is what I’m saying.”

  “I believe I understand your dilemma. Let me assure you that Veraci ethics and morals are very similar to human ethics and morals, and I saw nothing that would trouble me about this contract, or Mohrn or their family, were it me signing it. There is a fraud clause in the contract allowing for termination by either party if fraud is discovered. Do you wish for me to contact a coalition attorney to represent you?”

  I lie back on the bunk, my hands laced behind my head. “No, we don’t have the time. The contract is written to protect me in case they try to go back on the terms, though?”

  “Oh, Pfahrn do not break contracts. That is why their ambassadors are now usually required as negotiation facilitators with coalition factions trying to settle disputes. They are very trustworthy.”

  “But I’m protected?”

  “Maxim Colonies will guarantee your contract in the unlikely event they fail to uphold their end. The contract will contain the standard simplified basics section at the top with the terms, including payment. Then the contract itself specifies the details. Would you like to review it now?”

  “Yes, please. Can you send it to my com?”

  “Certainly.” He withdraws his own from a pocket. A moment later, I hear mine chirp. I grab it and look, and yes, there is the contract.

  “Okay.” I take a deep breath. “I’m guessing I’ll be having sex with her several times, at first, for you to do the fine-tuning you were talking about?”

  “Yes. At least a week together, perhaps longer. Between us? I feel badly for Mohrn.”

  “You’ve met her?”

  The narrowing of the Veraci’s eyes is probably their version of side-eye. “Them, yes. I have met them.”

  “I’m sorry, but they’re pink. That’ll take me a while to get used to. What’s with the hair?”

  “It’s an evolutionary holdover, similar to human hair. It’s not really hair. It’s a sensory device, more similar to whiskers on felines. It’s sensitive to touch and has nerve endings at the roots, but while they do shed, they don’t cut it like humans do. They style it to a certain extent, but not the way humans do. They wear it natural, or they slick it back completely smooth, or they wear it like Mohrn wears theirs in their picture.”

  I pull up her picture. “What color is her—their eyes?”

  “That’s difficult to say.”

  I glare at him. “What? It’s an easy question, Doc.”

  “Not really. Their eye color changes, fluctuates. Pfahrn eye color usually ranges from brown to golden and even a little reddish, depending on their mood and activities. Mohrn, however, is ishblane, to use their term. A mutation. Mohrn’s eyes are normally a shade of blue, but will likely shift during different circumstances.”

  “Like what?”

  “Sexual excitement, or anger, perhaps. You did read the information section about mating heat rage, correct?”

  “Assume I didn’t and tell me.”

  He actually chitters, so I know I’m driving him nuts right now. “Really, Simon, it’s imperative you read everything I included in the information packet.”

  “Why? If I do what you tell me to, do I really need to learn about the ancient history and contract laws of Pfahrn? I can study after. Tell me about that mating rage.”

  Irritation is apparently a universal trait shared among species. The Veraci lets out a huff before he continues. “When Pfahrn reach adult sexual maturity, which happens later in life than for humans, they go through an intense period where their hormones fluctuate, and levels of their venom can reach critical levels in their body. Some of that venom is expelled in sexual fluids, through reaching the Pfahrn equivalent of orgasm, and some of it happens through biting their partner. While a mating heat rage can happen after a Pfahrn is out of that initial period, usually if it’s going to happen, it’s before their hormones have leveled out. Shock, trauma, extreme anger—anything like that can unexpectedly trigger the rage. When that happens, they must be taken care of as soon as possible, or a condition similar to septic shock will set in and kill them within a few hours.”

  “Taken care of?”

  “Sex. Penetrative intercourse. Must be with a partner, not just masturbation.”

  “Okay. So what augmentations are you going to need to do to me, minimum?”

  “Physically, we’ll have to enlarge your penis, and—”

  “Wait, what?”

  “Your penis. You do realize Mohrn is nearly eight feet tall, correct? They don’t have a vagina, but there are similarities to human physiology. For things to work correctly, we’ll enlarge your penis.”

  I’m…stunned. I need a moment to process that. “By…how much are we talking?”

  “We feel a minimum erect length of thirteen inches and a girth of approximately eight inches around should suffice. Perhaps larger, if it’s not terribly uncomfortable for you.”

  I laugh. “Um, okaaaay.”

  I’ve confused him. “Is that a problem?”

  “Oh, sure, yeah, you’re going to give me a bigger cock—no, that’s not a problem.” I’m no slouch to start with. I’m about seven inches long erect.

  They’re going to pretty much double my equipment.

  I giggle.

  Yeah, I’m good with that. What human guy wouldn’t be?

  And I’m getting paid for it.

  “Your testicles, of course, would also increase in size,” he adds.

  A thought hits me. “Eh, does that mean surgery to shrink it all later?”

  “No. Luckily, that part of the human anatomy is very elastic to start with. We will focus the bionanotech to create the increase. If you wish to keep the size change at the end of your contract, you may do so. If you wish for a partial or full reduction, we will reverse the process as necessary to achieve the size you desire. If you experience any discomfort at any point in the process, we have topical and injectable anesthesia to relieve that.”

  “And the translator stuff? I can keep that, too?”

  “Absolutely.”

  “And if I decide on more augmentations during the contract?” I want this clarified.

  “We can easily make alterations at any time once we’ve saturated your system with bionanotech. It will also help with healing, should you get injured. Especially minor injuries like cuts, things like that. We’ll also use it, in conjunction with DNA and hormone infusions, to help adjust your bodily functions. That way, when you do have sexual intercourse with Mohrn, the fluid bonding that usually occurs between Pfahrn can be replicated as much as possible between you. Hormone exchanges, sexual responses, all of that.”

  I slowly nod. “You can guarantee through the bionanotech that I’ll be able to…perform?”

  “Absolutely. One of the things we’ll be doing during the initial alignment phase between you is tuning the bionanotech both of you will have so that we can smooth the differences as much as possible. You’ll be able to consciously will yourself to erection, if necessary, and any other responses needed during mutual intercourse.”

  “So they’re not that different from humans?”

  “Not terribly, no. Their reproduction is different, but that won’t be an aspect of this, so it’s not an issue.”

  “Explain to me how they mate, again?”

  Well, that was a mistake on my part. I should have asked for pictures instead. He was
so boring that I immediately started losing interest before he even got to any good parts.

  Bottom line is they bite for sex and reproduction, but they have different ways of biting depending on if they love the partner, or are just trying to breed with them and aren’t mated to them, or a situation like this, where it’s strictly for relief and maintenance. Apparently, their skin is far tougher than human skin. They bite a thicker area when they’re not trying to make a baby, or if they are but aren’t mated, I guess. I…kind of lost track.

  I guess I’m getting a protective shirt to wear.

  Yay? “And you will give me the support I need to get back and forth to the prison, tell me where to be and when—all of that? I don’t want to screw up and cause her problems.”

  “We will coordinate all of that for you,” he assures me. “And we will shepherd you through it all, for the entire contract term. We have a vested interest in the success of this venture. We’ll also be wanting to take plenty of samples from you both at various stages, especially before and after matings.”

  Of course they will.

  Patents.

  “Thanks.”

  “Please go through the contract and information packet,” he tells me once we finish talking. “Once you do, I’ll answer any further questions you have. Shall we say, 21:00 hours? After evening meal?”

  “Sure. Sounds good.”

  He leaves me alone and I pick up my com to start reading.

  But I first look at Mohrn’s picture again.

  I feel sorry for her—them.

  I just hope they’re patient with me.

  I have a feeling I’m going to need it.

  Chapter Seven

  I’m a mech-tech, not an attorney. I forced myself through my military enlistment contract, and only because Mom sat right there with me and made me go through it, line by line, before I signed it. That had been nearly physically painful.

  So is this.

  Yes, there’s an introductory section in the contract with plain-Standard terms laid out in a way that’s fairly clear. I guess that’s a uniform coalition-wide stipulation in contracts now. It’s a basic summation section.

  That’s pretty easy to understand—I make a lot of money to have sex with Mohrn on a schedule set out by the scientists with Maxim Colonies, and if I try to resist, I’ll be forced to medically.

  My life basically revolves around being available for her. Them.

  Whatever.

  It specifies my signing bonuses, salary, expenses that’ll be paid, accommodations, and Mom and Helleia’s secondary educations. It also specifies I’ll have my choice of augmentations, free, and can keep them at the end of the contract, if I choose. Removal is guaranteed free if I choose not to keep them.

  Let me tell you something. After five years of getting shot at and nearly killed on a regular basis, this is a dream job. I’m not even joking about that.

  I have to look up a lot of the legal jargon to figure out what’s being said. There is a clearly labeled section regarding cancelling the contract, and that part is also fairly straightforward—I can’t. There is a maximum time period I will be held to before it expires, five Standard years, with a potential for Mohrn to end it early if it is determined they are out of that hormonal period and I’m no longer needed, and penalties and remediations available to me if they fail to uphold their end of the contract. But the terms are underwritten by the MC and will be guaranteed by them.

  I can’t lose, right?

  When H’looder returns, I want to talk some more. “I didn’t see the fraud clause in the cancellation section,” I say.

  He pulls up his copy on his com and shows me. “It’s in the fraud and representation of all statements section.”

  “Oh. I didn’t see that. It wasn’t in the cancellation section.” I wonder what else I missed, but then I think of the money.

  I think of Mom and Helleia.

  “Technically, it’s not a cancellation clause,” he says. “It’s to do with fraud or misrepresentation, which is invalidation, not cancellation. A fine point, but one Pfahrn consider important. Did you read the entire document?”

  “Read, yes. Understand? Not all of it, no. But I guess that’s irrelevant.”

  He fluffs with impatience. “It’s not irrelevant, Simon. You must thoroughly understand what you’re getting into.”

  “I’m getting paid extremely well to have sex for five years, or less, with a nonhuman, and Mom and my sister will get a completely paid full secondary education as a result. Does that sum it up?”

  “Well, yes, but—”

  “And I get to keep the augmentations I want to keep, at no cost to me, at the end of this, right?”

  “Well, yes, but I mean—”

  “Okay, then.” I scroll to the signature page on the contract, activate the thumbprint box, and press my thumb to it. Then I scribble my signature where indicated. Mohrn’s signature is already there, as is someone else’s I believe is her parent or witness or something.

  I hold my com unit out to H’looder. “Witness it.”

  He studies me for a moment. “Are you certain?”

  “Have you lied to me about anything?” I ask.

  “No!”

  “Have you held anything back not in the contract?”

  “Absolutely not.”

  “Okay, then.” I indicate the com. “Sign as my witness, please. I have a family to think of.”

  He wears what is for a Veraci a very solemn expression. “And you understand this contract, once I witness it, is not revocable on your part?”

  “Unless there’s fraud on their part.”

  “Exactly. Which, from everything we’ve researched, there is not.”

  “Then I understand.”

  “You don’t want to wait until we reach Axind 5?”

  “No. I want to get started with whatever you need to do. You said if I do that it’ll give me extra time at home with them. I don’t want this decision hanging over me, and I don’t want to risk someone else swooping in and taking this chance from me. That’s too much money for me to turn down, and too big an opportunity for my mom and for Helleia for me to walk away from it.”

  He studies me for another long moment. “You are a good son and brother, Simon.”

  “Yeah, well, I try. Not like they’ve seen much of me lately.” I shake the com at him. “Witness it, please.”

  He finally takes it from me and presses a finger to the device’s screen, as well as scribbles his name in the witness box. He returns it to me and I hit the complete button. His own com dings a few seconds later. After checking his com, he nods.

  “It is complete and registered with our system, and will be filed with the Pfahrn legal system. Thank you very much, Simon.” He extends one of his hands and holds out a finger to me.

  Honestly? I damn near choke up at the trust he’s got in me. This means he can’t be a bad dude, right?

  I extend my right index finger and hold it out, waiting. He lightly taps my finger with his, the Veraci equivalent of a fist bump and a very rare gesture indeed. It’s the closest thing they ever have to casual physical contact with people who aren’t related to them.

  “You are not only helping yourself and your family by doing this,” he says, “but you are also helping advance scientific research, as well as helping Mohrn. I am sure they will be very grateful to you for your participation.”

  “I’m grateful for a chance to help my family.” I sit back. “And I promise I’ll do my best to remember to call her them, but I hope they’re patient with me. Again, the whole pink thing keeps throwing me.”

  * * * *

  We agree to start in the morning, after breakfast. Tonight is mine to do with as I want. I tap into the ship’s entertainment system and watch vids while stretched out in bed. I’ll also get to sleep in later than I’m used to.

  Since I was never able to get home for visits while in the military, when I had leave, or just a weekend pass, I usually spent it sleeping
. If we were somewhere I could find easy fun in a brothel or holo brothel, then sometimes I had a visit there. Occasionally, I spent an overnight with a female from whatever unit I was currently assigned to.

  But…yeah. No real hobbies, other than reading. Hard to take up a hobby on a ship when you have to live light because you never know when you’ll be shipped out at a moment’s notice, or where you’ll be shipped to.

  I mean, yeah, I had PT, of course. That was required. But I haaaaated it. I don’t plan on gaining a ton of weight now that I’m out. I’ll force myself to maintain some sort of regimen to stay in shape.

  I figure that can wait a couple of weeks, though.

  I need a little downtime.

  And I want to psych myself up for what I’m about to do.

  Them. Them. Them.

  Yeah, still going to be difficult.

  They’re pink.

  I know I’ll eventually get through it. I really don’t want to come off as a dick to Mohrn. I’m also not going to show up swaggering and swinging my…

  Heh. Well, yeah, I’m going to have a really big dick, yay, me!

  Okay, focus.

  I mean, I don’t want to be an asshole. Seriously, I don’t. I’ve always prided myself on trying to be a stand-up guy. With Mom and Helleia, I had a front-row seat to how shitty guys can be to women. I beat up a few guys in primary who were dicks to Helleia, because she’s my little sister and I won’t let guys be dicks to her.

  I do not want to go into this being that guy.

  This whole situation will be hard enough on Mohrn. I want to be compassionate, caring, kind, and…

  Well, if I have trouble performing, I know H’looder will shoot me up with whatever the heck I need to perform and get through it, so there is that.

  I stay up a little too late, I waddle down to the galley for an ice cream sundae for a late-night snack, and I sleep late the next morning. Well, later than I’m used to being able to sleep.

  Fuck, this is fantastic, so far.

  After breakfast, I follow instructions on my com to get me to H’looder’s main lab. There I spend the next few hours as a guinea pig. He supervises as his technicians take a bunch of full body scans of me, and samples from me. Blood, saliva, skin, hair, urine—and, yep.