Read Online Starport: Zeta Prime (Alt) by S.A. Jackson - Free Book Online Page A

liquid onto their palms, its
fragrance heady and pungent. With smooth strokes, six hands worked
the scented oil all over Jillian’s body, across her thighs, over
her breasts. They worked in silence, concentrating on the task.
Gooseflesh broke over her skin, this felt so intimate, almost
erotic. It had been a long time since she had been touched in such
a way and she had to admit, it was extremely
pleasurable.
    “ Ouch,” s he exclaimed,
grabbing the back of her head as something sharp attacked her. She
ducked away, noticing one of the aliens brandishing a bony
object.
    “ Gentle, Cara,” o ne of
them admonished.
    Still
gripping her scalp, Jillian looked at Cara, who mimed brushing her
own hair to her with the object. That torture device was a comb?
Gritting her teeth, she turned her back to Cara, wanting to please
the women. Feeling as though her hair was being torn out, she
stifled her yelps as it was brushed smooth.
    Shana
and the other female retrieved pieces of fur from the last bag, and
began fastening it around her. Jillian looked down at her body–her
breasts were barely covered by a small strip, her navel was on
show, the second strip a handkerchief shaped skirt, falling only to
the top of her thighs–she was pretty much naked, her exposed skin
shining from the oils.
    The three aliens fussed around her for a while, and
then Jillian sensed a
distinct change in atmosphere as she was surveyed. It became heavy
and serious–the joviality of their mood earlier now serious and
expectant.
    The one they had called Cara took her wrist gently, and she
was marched back to the village in silenc e. As they approached, Jillian could still hear the
drumming — and something else–more melodic, like several woodwind
instruments weaving notes together. The tone was jolly and upbeat,
but she felt her heart race ahead of the drums. What the heck was
going on?
    The center of the village had been transformed. Ornate
posts had been erected in a walkway to the middle clearing. Off of
each, the red tendrils that normally swung from the trees were
draped like ribbons. It seemed the whole village had gathered
outside, and as they got closer, they erupted into song and parted
so that Jillian and her
guardians had a clear path to the front, where Faron stood,
waiting.
    She was shoved towards him, and kept her gaze
to the floor at first. Confused from the attention and the way her
heart had stuttered when she’d seen him. She soon looked up,
however, feeling his eyes on her and he placed his forearm
alongside hers and lifted them up. One of the older looking aliens
came forward and began to wrap one of the tree ribbons over them,
binding their arms together. As he did so, the villagers circled
them, moving as fluid as water around and around.
    Jillian could not
make out any of the words in this strange chant. The tone was too
different to what she had learnt, like song. Too quick and
changeable to understand. Frustratingly, she could but watch as the
ritual unfolded before her, odd and compelling.
    Once the elder had finished their arms were completely
bound by the ribbon and a fire was lit in front of them. The elder
passed ea ch tribe member a
handful of an ash-looking substance as they rotated around in the
circle. This was thrown, one by one onto the fire as they passed,
sending green sparks shooting from the flames. Jillian tried to
take it all in. The noise, the dancing. Then she looked to the male
beside her–he had not taken her eyes from her this whole
time.
    A
male came forward from the circle and unraveled the ribbon holding
their arms, jabbering the whole time. Once freed, he pressed his
forehead to Faron’s and bent
to do the same to Jillian. Before she could even begin to make
sense of it all, Shana tossed her up onto her back and swept her
away, followed by shrieks and cheers from the
others.
    She was
set down inside one of the huts. Turning her body slowly in the new
surroundings, she was amazed at what she saw.