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Subject: {ASSM} REV "Life Cycle of the Kaelen 2/5" by artie (MF ROM SCIFI?)
Date: Sat, 29 Jan 2000 04:10:04 -0500
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<1st attachment, "lck2.txt" begin>
(c) Copyright 1999 by artie@netgate.net

   This work may not be reposted or redistributed without the prior express
written permission of the author.

   A work of fiction, meant for adults.  Read something else if you are not
an adult, or are offended by stories with sexual content.  Then again, if
all you're looking for is in-out, in-out, in-out, you should probably read
something else.  I welcome constructive comments.  Enjoy.

   Thanks to Homer Vargas and Denny for their insightful comments.

   Life Cycle of the Kaelen

   Ellen Grode, Mission Commander Dale Kendai, Mission Specialist

   Part 2 Answers -- Learning

   A few days later, Dina rescued me from the morning breadmaking. 
Actually, I was enjoying the work.  I'd learned to let my hands do it while
my mind focused on women talk: how the various children were doing, who was
likely to pick whom for a mate, that kind of thing.  That was another
linguistic anomaly; a woman picked her mate, but He somehow had to bless
the selection.  We heard the sad tale of one poor girl who was heartbroken
at not being able to have her first pick.  Who is this He?

   Dina rescued me and led me to walk by the small pond.  She had her usual
three kaelen, and a visitor who quickly scampered to my shoulder.  We sat
by the edge of the pond, away from the falls barely audible in the
distance. Sitting down seemed to be a cue for our kaelen to start singing.

   I liked Dina.  She had been a good guide, even though I could tell she
was unsure at times.  This seemed to be one of those times.

   "Dina, what is troubling you?" I asked.

   She smiled.  "We have been talking." ("We" being the guiding group.)

   "You have not made Dale your husband," she said.  (While I've been
rendering everything in colloquial form, the verb she used for "have made"
was from the same root as the verb for making bread.)

   "He is my husband," I replied.  I certainly felt that way.

   She frowned a bit.  "But you have not *made* him your husband." She
emphasized with the hand gestures of mixing and kneading the dough.  I
looked at her.  "I do not understand."

   She shook her head, evidently not understanding either.  She repeated
with more emphasis both in her voice and in her gestures, "You have not
made him your husband."

   I sighed.  We were at an impasse.  What could I say?  I told her the
truth.

   "I don't know how."

   That seemed to be a revelation to her.  She lit up with a broad smile.
We stood and walked back to the village, back to the area reserved for the
women in the guiding group.  Dina had me wait outside one hut.  She spoke
softly and went inside when invited.

   She stepped out with an older woman, who also had three kaelen.  Dina
gave me a hug and hurried off.  The older woman said, "I am Adda."

   I remembered her from our first night; she'd been one of the eight.  We
walked back to a slightly different spot near the pond and sat down again.
Once again, our kaelen started up softly.

   She looked at me with wonder.  "You are far from home."

   I smiled and sighed.  You couldn't say "light-year" in their language.
"Yes, farther than you can imagine, farther than you have words to say."

   She picked up one of her kaelen, an old male.  He flipped on his back
and let his belly ridges be rubbed, hissing in satisfaction.  "You weren't
raised with Him."

   It was a question as well as a statement, and definitely used the
anomalous form of He, Him, we'd puzzled over.  He was the kaelen?

   "No," I answered truthfully.

   She sighed and smiled.  "Then we must teach you, as we would a young
girl."

   "Thank you, Adda," I told her.

   She smiled, but it was a smile with an edge on it.  "You must learn
well. If you cannot make Dale your husband, some other girl will."

   This was a shock; Dale with someone else?  "But he is my husband," I
said.

   She smiled softly.  "Not until you have made him so." She took my hand
and held it lightly.  "But you will.  He sees you are right for each other.
It is just some of the girls that don't, and, well, he is just a man."

   With that we stood up.  We went back to one of the central areas.  Adda
bid me to wait for her.  I pondered linguistics until she returned with a
teenage girl.  I recognized her, one of the older teenagers without kaelen.
Her name was Tala.

   Adda leaned over and took the kaelen from my shoulder.  "Tala will teach
you well."

   Tala sat next to me.  We looked at each other for a while.

   Finally I asked, "Where do we begin?"

   She laughed.  "We start with this." She made a clicking sound, tongue
against the soft palette, pursed lips almost as if sucking.  "Close your
eyes and do this," she told me.

   I tried it.  She did it again, and I repeated.  After a while I was
doing it well enough for her.

   As I was following her, my mind raced.  Where have I heard this before?
It sounds like one of the sounds the kaelen make.

   Another set of memories popped into my head.  I'd seen children, even
teens, acting up occasionally, yet rarely.  An adult nearby would start
making that sound and the child would calm down.  I even remember Dale
telling me of becoming frustrated while working, upset at the lack of
initiative the men showed, and having some of the men in the crew start
making that sound.  They seemed surprised, even startled when Dale didn't
calm down immediately.

   We spent the rest of the morning practicing the one sound.  As we broke
for lunch, Tala told me, "We will practice every day.  You must only
practice with me, not around Dale or others.  Understood?"

   She was treating me with respect, but still as a child.  I smiled and
said, "Yes Tala," using formal language.  She laughed and gave me a hug.

   After lunch we practiced a different sound.  This was a cooing sort of
trill.  It was much harder; she was much more exacting.  We took frequent
breaks, practicing both sounds.

   I was glad to get back to Dale and our evening meal.  In our hut I told
him of the day's events.  He was as curious as I was.  I took more notes,
then we curled up together.

   As I held him close, suckling him as we both love so much, I recognized
the sound the kaelen in the hut were making as the first sound I'd
practiced with Tala.  As I mounted him making passionate love, the sound
they were making was similar to the second one we'd practiced, but not
quite the same.  As we snuggled afterwards I recognized that first sound as
he suckled again, then a different, slower clicking as we drifted off to
sleep.

   Tala and I spent the next four days sitting alone by the pond, no kaelen
in sight, teaching me different sounds.  It was easy for me, practicing
with my eyes closed; my talent and training in linguistics becoming useful.
I was more aware of the sounds the women made, and of the sounds the kaelen
in our hut made at night and in the morning.  I was learning a language for
talking to the kaelen.  But why?

   I told her I wanted to try what I'd learned, but Tala kept admonishing
me not to, every day telling me I'd get to try soon.

   Three days later, after our evening meal, I saw Tala speaking with Adda,
both of them occasionally looking my way.

   I wanted to tell Dale about it, but by the time we got back to the hut,
we were both in a frenzy.  Strangely, I ended up on my back again, with my
legs around him.  How I wanted to squeeze him to me with all my strength,
but it was all I could do to keep my legs around his trim and muscular
waist.  Through a haze of desire I recognized our chorus was indeed a
chorus tonight; there were three sounds being made.  All were similar to
ones I'd learned, but yet different.  Through the night I remained on my
back, riding through orgasm after orgasm, feeling Dale pump into me,
filling me with his seed again and again.  We continued past lunch the next
day and slept through the afternoon.

   We woke before the evening meal.  I intended to wash, but Dina and Adda
intercepted me as I headed to the pool, taking me to a different area.  We
sat down in a very nice clearing among some very soft moss.  I was
surprised to feel tired and soon lay down on my back, my head and shoulders
propped up slightly, their kaelen singing a chorus of notes I thought I
recognized.

   They told me I'd done very well studying with Tala.  I'd have one more
day of lessons.

   "And then?" I asked.

   They smiled.  "And then the next day comes."

   We laughed together.  Dale joined us a little later, along with Dina's
husband, bringing food for all of us.  Dale had bathed.  He looked tired
and sore.  Even though we'd only been apart a short while, the first words
out of his mouth were, "I'm so glad we're together again."

   I laughed and said, "I love you.  You are mine." Adda and Dina seemed to
think that quite appropriate.  We ate a leisurely meal.  I let Dale feed me
while I lay on the moss.  I looked at him longingly; this would be a
wonderful place to take him, on this nice soft moss.

   But we ate, then washed our faces and hands, and retired for the
evening. I held him to me to our chorus, which sang a single tune as I
drifted to sleep feeling him still inside me.

   The next day I told Tala I simply had to bathe before we could practice.

   She smiled and joined me in the pool.  We went over to the small falls,
washing our hair in the cool fresh water.  A little way away from the falls
she told me, "You have learned faster and better than we expected.  Your
last lesson is very simple.  Three sounds." She made the first clicking,
sucking noise we'd studied, then a cooing trilling one, and finally a
slower clicking.

   We moved to our usual spot and practiced this tripart mantra, a few
minutes on each.  At one point I opened my eyes; it was during the cooing
trilling sound.  I was surprised to see that Tala's nipples were quite
erect; she was showing all the signs of intense physical arousal!  I closed
my eyes quickly, opening them again for the slower clicking.  After a
minute or so of this, Tala looked like she was having a very difficult time
staying awake, remaining sitting up.

   When I peeked to see her reaction to the first one, it was a very
peaceful look.  Where had I seen that look before?  It was familiar.

   We practiced again after lunch.  Just before we would stop for the
evening meal, Adda joined us, walking up as we were doing the first
clicking, sucking sound.  My eyes were closed but I heard her sit, and I
heard her kaelen echo our sound.

   "Very good," she said.  The kaelen stopped.  "Open your eyes."

   We both opened our eyes.  I noticed Tala looked very spaced out, almost
blissed out.  Tala looked to me and smiled.  She turned to Adda and said,
"She is ready."

   Adda said, "Thank you, Tala."

   Tala turned to me.  I bowed to her, as I would to one of the leaders,
and said formally, "Thank you Tala; thank you for teaching me."

   She smiled, bowed to Adda, and left.

   Adda turned to me.  "That was very good of you."

   I told her, "I meant it from my heart."

   She gave me a broader smile and said, "She is very good.  She will be
one of us."

   When Adda said that, she used the inclusive form of "us," including me.
I was somewhat surprised at that; I expected Tala would be part of the
guiding group.  But was Adda including me in that group?

   She laughed slightly, seeing my puzzlement.  "Come, you have time to
freshen up before our meal.  Rest well tonight; I will see you in the
morning."

   I washed up and met Dale for our meal.  I love him so much, and I know
he loves me.  Back in our hut we talked a little about the day's events,
but soon curled up together.  As usual, we went to sleep in each other's
arms, his mouth at my breast, and my belly filled with his warmth.

   The next morning Adda met me after breakfast.  We walked over to the
small pool in silence.  We both bathed.  Afterwards we walked over to a
different part of the ceremonial area.  She led me to a small hut.  She sat
down outside.

   "Go in, lie down, and do what Tala has taught you.  Do each sound for as
long as you can, and as many times as you can.  I will be here."

   I know I gave her a puzzled look.  She smiled and waved me in the hut.
"Please."

   I went in, took off my skirt, and lay down.  Rather than the usual woven
mat, there was a layer of the soft moss on top of the mat.  It felt
heavenly.

   I lay back, seeing perhaps a half dozen kaelen in the thatch above me. I
closed my eyes, and started with the clicking, sucking sound.

   I started, and they replied.  As they did, I felt that wonderful feeling
of comfort, of security, of peace envelop me.  How I wanted to hold Dale to
my breast, to feel him suckling me.

   I kept up that sound for some period of time.  Not knowing what else to
do, I switched to the cooing, trilling sound.

   Again the kaelen echoed.

   This time I was filled with passion.  I was beginning to understand. 
But Tala had trained me well, so even as my mind raced, I kept up the
sound, and the kaelen echoed.  I must have stopped somewhere along the way,
but they didn't.  My mind was filled with the sound, and I was filled with
passion and lust.  I was wet, and so incredibly horny.  My passion built
and built until I found my hands moving on their own, one to my breast, the
other to my clit.  A slight press and squeeze was all it took to send me
crashing into orgasm.

   And still they kept on, cooing and trilling.  Without a touch I reached
orgasm again, and again.  Finally I remembered the last sound, and taking a
deep breath to control my panting, I started making the slower clicking
sound.

   After a few seconds the kaelen responded.  The passion faded, and I
faded into blissful sleep.

   I awoke on the moss and laughed gently.  I was understanding.  I
remembered Adda's instructions.  I began with the first sound again,
feeling comfort fill me.  Then I moved to the second, giving myself now to
the orgasms I knew were coming.  Then I did what Dale loved, going back to
the first sound, to suckle him again after making love, and then the third
sound to go off to sleep.

   I did this I don't know how many times, four or five at least.  I talked
to the kaelen, and they responded.

   I awoke to find Adda sitting beside me.

   She smiled and said, "You have learned well.  No word of this to him
tonight.  You will rest tomorrow, both of you, and tomorrow night you will
make him yours."

   I sat up.  I understood.  "Yes Adda.  Thank you."

   As we left the hut, I noticed some of the other women quickly bringing
tinder and unbaked bread and setting them inside the small hut in which I'd
spent the day.  We took a leisurely dip in the pool afterwards.

   In the water, I asked Adda about the women.  She told me it was a
special bread, one we would share tomorrow.

   As we walked back to the others, I thought I had the answers.  I thought
I understood the puzzle.  I was only half right, if that much.

   I knew now that the kaelen responded to the different sounds by emitting
something, drugs or pheromones, and incredibly powerful ones.  I'd learned
a vocabulary of over twenty sounds; I'd only used three of them.  But those
three were zingers.  They were all I'd need to "make" my husband.

   Pheromone based conditioning; that was it.  No wonder it was hard for
Tala to teach me, no wonder the others were surprised when Dale didn't
respond to the clicking sucking sound by relaxing.  They'd been conditioned
to these sounds all their lives.  A person starts making the sound, the
kaelen respond by emitting pheromones, which results in a corresponding
probably endocrine response in the individual, who relaxes.  Did I get that
right?  Hell, I'm an anthropologist and a linguist, not a neurobiologist.
But still, it fits.  Stimulus, response, response.  Condition it strongly
enough and you should be able to go from the first stimulus, the sound,
direct to the response in the individual.  Was that Pavlov, or Skinner?  No
wonder Tala looked turned on!

   I was laughing, drunk with my understanding as I saw Dale.  I swept him
into my arms, kissing him passionately.  I was so looking forward to
"making" him mine.  It was as close to a wedding as we were likely to get
here.

   After our meal we returned to the hut.  He immediately asked "What is
it? You found something." I kissed him and said, "It can wait.  I need to
hold you."

   He smiled, and softened into me as I held his head to my breast, even
though we were sitting up.  I looked up to see four kaelen in the hut. 
Should I?  Adda said not to.  I heard a soft sound outside; someone making
that clicking, sucking sound.  The kaelen echoed.  I gave in to it,
becoming conditioned myself.  I lay back and held him to me.  I barely
noticed the change in tune that sent us off to sleep.

   Choosing and Making

   The next morning Dina and Adda led us off to a separate area for
breakfast.  We sat with the other two women.

   Adda handed me the bread, saying, "This is special bread for us to
share. Today is a day of rest for both of you."

   We shared the bread.  It had a different taste.  After a few minutes I
felt as if I was relaxing, melting somehow.  I looked at Dale and saw his
shoulders had loosened down.  I chuckled a bit.  After those sessions
yesterday, that hut had to be loaded with pheromones.  That's why we bathed
after some of those sessions.  The bread must be loaded with them and their
components.

   Either Dina or Adda spent most of the day with us, watching us bathe,
neck, cuddle, but not make love.  We napped in the afternoon in that soft
mossy spot, a group of kaelen singing us off to sleep.  We bathed again
before the evening meal.  After it, Dina led Dale off by the hand.  He gave
me a longing look.  I smiled and waved.  Then Adda turned to me.

   "Come with me."

   As we walked along, she told me "This is usually done by a girl's
mother. I've been chosen to do this for you." She turned and gave me a big
smile.  "I'm happy and honored," I told her, formally and with a bow.

   We walked to the hut of one of the eldest women; a widow who seldom left
her hut anymore.  We both bowed to her in reverence.  She smiled to us. 
It's amazing that with their diet, these people keep almost perfect teeth.

   The woman must have had a dozen young kaelen on her.  Adda turned to me
and said, "Pick one."

   I looked at her questioningly.

   She nodded.  "Take your time.  He will help."

   Over the last few weeks I'd begun noticing more differences in kaelen.
With Adda for example, even though the three she carried were almost
identical in size, I could now tell them apart.  I knew which one seemed to
like her left shoulder.

   This was the first time I'd been allowed to actually touch a kaelen on
my own.  Before, they'd come to me, or others such as Adda had given them
to me.  Now I understood why youngsters, especially adolescents, and
sometimes Dale would have one; they were being used to moderate behavior.
But didn't that imply a sensing mechanism?

   I reached out to touch different individuals.  One seemed to tolerate my
touch.  Another skittered away.  After a few more, as I was getting
dejected, I touched one and he hissed in pleasure.  I picked him up gently
as I'd seen others do, and put him on the palm of my hand.  He was a
youngish male, about ten inches long.  He wiggled his body and antennae,
brushing my arm with them, then flipped over on his back.  I rubbed the
ridges on his abdomen and he hissed in pleasure and wiggled his legs.

   Both women laughed softly.  The old woman said, "You have chosen well.
He likes you." Again, it was that formal He.  I'd guessed correctly; "He"
was the kaelen.

   I looked at Adda and smiled.  "Now what?"

   She put her arm on my shoulder.  The kaelen in my hand, my kaelen now,
righted itself.  He brushed my arm again with his antennae.  Then he slowly
moved up my arm.  His feet tickled.  I saw him stop near a drop of
perspiration on my forearm near the elbow.  I saw and felt a small tongue
flick down and consume the drop, then the others near it.  Then he
skittered up my arm to my left shoulder.  His feet tickled again.  I felt
him go through my long black hair, and felt what seemed to be an antenna
touching my cheek and my neck, his tongue active again against the sticky
underside of my neck.

   We walked to the area of ceremonial huts.  I saw Dina sitting outside
one.

   Outside the hut Adda gave me a hug.  "Now go inside and make your
husband," she said.  "You know how.  Again and again until he is yours."

   My heart raced as I entered the hut.  It had moss on the floor.  I could
get used to this.

   I could tell Dale was nervous, excited.

   "What's happening?  Is everything all right?" he asked.  He was sitting
up naked.  I moved to my knees, slipping out of my skirt.

   "Everything is wonderful," I whispered.  Then I started the soft
clicking sucking sound as I held his head to my breast.  I felt the kaelen
on my shoulder turn around, so his abdomen was over Dale's head.  As the
kaelen began to echo me, I saw his abdomen move back and forth.  I heard
Dale take a deep breath, and felt him relax.  I took a deep breath and felt
it take me as well.  So comforting, so peaceful.

   I held him and rocked him in my arms, alternating between telling him I
loved him and singing along with my kaelen.

   After a while he'd melted into my arms; his suckling had almost stopped.
I lowered him back to the moss.  I felt down his body; his cock was limp. I
knew how to fix that.  I started making that trilling cooing sound.  My
kaelen responded, hopping down onto Dale and perching on his head, his
abdomen waving over his nose and mouth.  Dale took a deep breath and
moaned. I felt him stiffen in my hand.  Soon I slid on to him and began to
ride him.  I trilled again and leaned down to my kaelen to take a deep
breath.

   As if sensing what I needed, he climbed atop my head.  As I breathed,
sitting up slightly, the passion filled me.  I rode Dale through one
orgasm, and his coming deep inside me triggered my second.

   As he softened in me I slid off and held him to me again, starting the
first sound.  The kaelen responded, as did we both soon after.

   After a few minutes of that I started in with the trilling cooing sound
again.  My kaelen was still on my head, so we both felt the full force.  I
screamed as Dale came inside me, pushing me over the edge yet again.

   I suckled him again, feeling him relax.  I still wanted him.  I knew
what he was capable of, those two occasions when we'd been so frantic, when
he'd taken me so many times.  The linguist in me remembered the sounds and
could now separate them better; it had been a chorus from the kaelen, two
or three different sounds.  There was at least one that sounded like the
passionate sex sound, and there was one that sounded like the sleep sound.
I guessed that one kept me wiped out on my back.  So the other was the hot
bunny love trigger.  I knew there were different variations -- one to
excite him, one to excite both of us.  Which was which?  I went with
linguistic intuition and started the cooing trilling variant that sounded
male.

   My kaelen responded by hopping onto Dale's head again.  Soon Dale was
moaning and I was riding him.  I leaned over and took a deep breath. 
Nothing.  I was amazed at the specificity.  I rode him until he came in me
again, then switched back to suckling and comforting once more.

   Dale started moving underneath me as if to get away.  I started the
clicking sucking sound again to comfort him.  After a few seconds though my
kaelen emitted a high pitched chittering sound, something I'd not heard
before.  As I was wondering what was up, I felt something skitter across my
leg and up my shoulder.  Another kaelen had joined us.  It hopped down to
join its brother, and was soon clicking away.  Dale settled once more into
my arms.  I felt my original kaelen moving along my body, tonguing up
moisture.  Had I worn it out and it called for reinforcements?

   After a while longer I started the cooing trilling that would enflame us
both.  As I rode him, I thought more of the vocabulary I'd learned.  I knew
now which sounds aroused just him, both of us, and guessed at which one was
for just me.  With that and my guess at which one kept me on my back, I
assumed the additives signifying just male or just female.  I smiled; there
was another sound in my vocabulary, a male sex one, but incomplete.  There
was one way to find out.

   I started making that sound.  Both kaelen echoed me, and Dale was soon
moaning and erect.  I slid on him once more.  It felt so good to ride him.
I picked up my chosen kaelen and holding him near my mouth made the sound
that should bring me to orgasm.  He repeated it, with his brother still on
Dale's head making the other sound.  I inhaled deeply and was filled with
fire.

   I rode Dale through orgasm after crashing orgasm.  Through my fog I
realized what I was doing to him, riding him without release for so long,
so I started the sound to release us both.  Both kaelen responded, and soon
Dale thrashed below me in orgasm, filling me once again and pushing me over
the edge.  I collapsed on top of him.

   I touched the kaelen, silencing them.  They skittered to my shoulders,
tonguing as they went, as I collapsed on top of Dale.  I heard him
whimpering and felt his lips moving rhythmically.  I slid to bring him to a
nipple and started the kaelen comforting us again.

   That felt so good: having him suckling gently, floating in bliss,
comfort, and peace.  As we floated, having slid apart, I felt kaelen feet
and tongues on me, especially picking up the fluids from between my legs.

   Even though I was still somewhat delirious, I started another cycle. 
The kaelen responded, and our bodies followed.  I rode him, now speaking to
him and holding him to my nipple, telling him he was mine and I loved him.
Then as I felt another orgasm approaching I leaned over and whispered in
his ear, "Come for me, now!" My psychology profs would be proud of me; I
remembered that a strong stimulus-response pair can lead to stimulus
generalization.

   He moaned and shuddered and I felt him pulsing into me again.  I
squeezed the last drops out of him as I came, collapsing forward again.

   I was thirsty; my throat was dry.  I guessed at the sound to send him to
sleep.  The new kaelen hopped down onto Dale's head and echoed me, waving
his abdomen.  Dale soon sighed and I felt his body relaxing, going limp.  I
moved to the entrance to the hut where the water should be.  I took a big
drink, wiggling my hips a bit, feeling our mixed juices run down my legs,
mingling with the sweat.  I sat and rested, watching him sleep.

   I felt his legs as I moved up along his body a while later.  I
remembered a favorite from our early days, when I had my period and he
would be so horny.  I started the cooing trill that would bring him to
passionate release as I caressed his cock with my breasts.  He was soon
moaning and erect.  I ground into him and he started flopping around
underneath me.

   I guessed at the sound to keep him still.  I gave that sound to one of
the kaelen and put him on Dale's head.  Soon his moaning increased but his
body relaxed, except for his cock.  Then I moved down and took him in my
mouth.  I could taste my own flavors mixed with his.  I moved a finger
under him, and when I pressed on his asshole, he came in my mouth.  It
wasn't much, but it was his, and he was mine.

   I moved back to his head and kissed him, sharing what I hadn't
swallowed. He whimpered a little so I held him again to a nipple and
started comforting us.

   This time I was rewarded by both kaelen making that high chittering
sound.  We were joined by a third, who clambered up to my head and echoed
me, sending us into comfort.  When I felt my arms starting to give way, I
started the slow clicking to send us off to sleep.  I heard at least two
kaelen echo me before I faded into bliss.

   I awoke before dawn to the sound of a light rain.  As I rolled to my
side I felt feet skittering up to my shoulders and head.

   "Good morning boys, feel rested and ready to work again?" I whispered.

   I started the comforting sound and moved Dale to my right nipple; the
left was a bit sore.  He was hardly conscious, but soon sucking on me as I
told him I loved him.  I was enjoying floating in the bliss.

   My arms were feeling wobbly, so I rolled over to my back, squishing in
the now very wet moss.  It felt grand.  I started the cooing trill for us
both, and soon Dale was on top of me, thrusting so well.  There was enough
light to see his eyes were glazed, but he was smiling.  I was soon crashing
through one continuous orgasm, and was wondering if I could control my
panting long enough to have one of the kaelen relax my body, when Dale
came, shivering and pulsing weakly into me, then collapsing on top of me.
As he slid off to my side I called to the kaelen to send us off to sleep.

   The next time we woke it was late morning.  Dale was sitting up a
little, somewhat dazed.  He had a long drink of water.  He saw me stir and
handed me some.  I drank it eagerly.

   He looked at me with love, disbelief, I don't know what.

   "What?" he asked.

   I set our gourd cups down and pushed him to his back.  I straddled him,
looking him in the eye.

   "This," I said, then started the cooing trilling again.

   The kaelen started in, and soon Dale moaned and his eyes rolled back and
he held my waist.  I impaled myself on him again and rode us to a crashing
orgasm.  Afterwards I held him close, had the kaelen comfort us, and
whispered to him over and over, "You're mine now and nobody can take you
away from me."

   We floated in bliss for a while.  Looking out of the hut, it seemed to
be mid-morning.

   "Wake up sleepy head," I said, kissing his sweaty head.

   He moaned and rolled around a little.

   "Like to rinse off with me?" I asked.

   He smiled.  "Only if I can walk."

   We crawled for the entrance to the hut.  Our skirts were nowhere to be
seen.  As we approached the entrance, hands reached in and helped us out.
The hut was surrounded by about a dozen women, all from the guiding group.
Other younger women were rushing up carrying armloads of something.

   Adda was right next to the hut.  She helped me stand, and I gave her a
big hug.  She whispered in my ear, "You are one of us."

   I laughed softly; I had three kaelen.

   One of the younger women helped me down to the pond.  It took two to
help poor Dale.  Once in the water he was easier for me to hold.  I held
him floating in the water.  I looked back to see the hut in which I had
made my husband being set up for baking bread.  I laughed gently as I
looked down on him, floating on his back, my arm supporting his head and
shoulders, keeping his face above water.  He looked so peaceful, so serene
with his eyes closed.  I had made my husband, and now they were making
bread; another special bread for us to share.

   We went over to the small falls and I pulled him up.  "Wake up darling,"
I said as I raised him from the water.  "Wake up and hold me."

   He smiled as he regained his legs.  We stood under the side of the
falls, hugging and kissing, letting the cool water wash our hair.  Now I
had better understanding for this part of the ritual; we were rinsing off
the pheromones from a very wild night.

   We moved away from the falls and moved in the water again, washing,
hugging, and kissing.  Soon I saw Adda motioning to us from the bank.  It
was time to get out.

   We left the pond.  I was immediately rejoined by my three kaelen, who
had been with Adda while I was in the water.  I recognized the one I'd
chosen.  Or had he chosen me?  I reached out and took him from Adda.  I
rubbed his ridges gently, silently thanking him.  I put him on my right
shoulder.

   As I reached for the other two, they seemed eager, even anxious to
return to me.  I thanked them as well, putting one on my left shoulder; the
other clung to my arm.

   Two young women led me to a nearby long, seat-level rock.  Dale was
seated at one end.  Some of the unmarried girls were combing out his hair,
trimming it and his beard.  His eyes were closed and he was breathing
slowly.

   They sat me at the other end and began their work on my hair.  It felt
good to have it combed out.  My kaelen skittered down from my arms and
shoulders to my legs to give the girls room to work.  As the girls worked
they hummed a simple melody; joining in with the girls working on Dale. 
The linguist in me spotted the slow heart rhythm; a very gentle, comforting
tune.

   I felt a brushing between my legs, then small tongues.  I opened my eyes
to the soft laughter of the girls to see my kaelen picking up the moisture
and remnants from my inner thighs.

   Once our hair was prepared, we were given special skirts to wear.  Their
weave was much finer than that of our daily custom.  I laughed gently as I
looked at Dale; he was standing, but still floating in a cloud.  One of the
girls smiled and took his hand, leading him to me.

   My kaelen on my shoulders again, my chosen one on my right, I tucked my
husband's right hand into the back of my skirt.  I looked at Adda, who
smiled and nodded.  She turned and we walked back to the village center.

   The mid-day meal was already underway as we entered.  The normal chatter
slowed and stopped as we approached.  Adda looked quite serene.  I felt
triumphant and radiant.  We walked a slow circle around the gathered
people, then sat at Adda's usual spot.

   Once we were seated, Tala approached us formally, offering bread and
fruit first to Adda, then to me.  After Tala handed us our food, while she
was still seated, I reached out and hugged her to me.  I whispered in her
ear, "Thank you, Tala, my sister." She withdrew with a smile that stretched
from here to the twin moons, and outshone the noonday sun.  Adda smiled to
me as well.

   We ate.  I fed Dale, who was still a bit dazed.  After lunch we returned
to our old hut.  Inside we lay down and I cuddled Dale to me.  I started
the kaelen comforting us, then led us off to sleep.

   When I awoke late in the afternoon Dina was outside our hut.  I stepped
outside, letting Dale sleep.

   I had a special ritual to perform at the evening meal, a ritual to honor
my mother and the elders.  When everyone was seated, Dina and I would go
retrieve the special bread that had been baking in the hut I'd used to make
Dale my husband.  She would help me retrieve it.  When we returned to the
group, I was to serve Adda first, then the other guides.  I was to save a
portion for me.  When I was seated, we would eat this bread first.  It was
only for the women, not for Dale.

   I nodded, and asked, "I'd like to give some to Tala as well; she is my
sister.  Is this permitted?"

   She laughed and said that for me, it was.

   I returned and woke Dale gently, holding him to me again, suckling him,
and having my kaelen envelop us in comfort.  Soon Dina returned and said it
was time.  I woke him fully and we put on our special skirts again.  I
tucked his hand into my skirt and followed Dina to the central area.

   Dale was more alert now; I could feel his fingers feeling my bottom,
caressing me as we walked.  I put more sway into my hips to encourage him.

   Dina led us once around the group.  Then Tala took Dale's hand and
seated him next to Adda.  Good, this would make it easier.  He gave me such
an apprehensive look as I started to walk away; I leaned over to him,
kissed him on the forehead, and made the clicking sucking sound a few times
quietly in his ear.  I heard him sigh and felt his shoulders drop a little.
I stood and followed Dina.

   Two girls were tending the bread making in the hut.  When we approached,
they bowed and left.  Dina and I removed the baked bread on the sticks,
placing it on a large leaf to make it easier for me to carry.

   We walked back to the group.  We circled them again, and I made my
presentation.  As I handed bread to Adda I said clearly, for all to hear,
"Thank you, mother." She gave me a beatific smile, and I saw tears forming
in her eyes.  I made my presentation to the other women, saving enough for
two at the end.  Then moving in front of Tala, I handed her a piece, much
to her surprise.  I said, "Thank you, my sister," and bowed my head.

   As I moved to sit next to my husband I was surprised to see Tala sobbing
not so quietly.  I leaned over, put an arm around her, and made the
comforting sound in her ear, squeezing and rocking her slightly until I
felt her relax.  My kaelen knew somehow not to join in.

   I sat up again and looked at Adda and the other women.  Adda smiled and
nodded, and took a bite.  We ate our bread.  It had a definite smoky, tangy
flavor to it.

   After that, we had our usual meal of fish, bread, and fruit, with the
usual conversation.  At the end of the meal rather than simply dispersing
as usual, Dina and Tala led us to the gap in the trees where we usually
entered the clearing.

   Starting with the elder women, everyone filed past us, giving each of us
hugs.

   While the hugs I received from most were formal and perfunctory, I got
special hugs from Adda, Dina, and Tala.  Some of the men too put more into
their hugs.  I noticed Dale got a number of slow sensual hugs from some of
the unmarried women, one of whom sighed wistfully after hugging him.  That
brought some tittering and laughter.

   One little girl, who couldn't have been more than six, extended her arms
up to me very expressively.  I picked her up and held her in my arms,
saying, "Thank you." When I put her down she said with the truth and
understanding of a little one, "You belong here."

   I don't remember much more of the receiving line; my eyes and mind were
cloudy with tears.  But soon the area was empty save for the youngsters
cleaning up.  Dina was beside me.

   She held my hand and said softly, "You have honored us all, especially
Adda, especially Tala."

   We hugged and I burst into tears.  I hugged Dale to my side, and soon
the three of us were together.  As I sobbed, Dina started the comforting
sound.  This time our kaelen chimed in, and soon I felt much better.

   Leading us back to our hut, Dina told us, "Tomorrow we will work
together all day making bread and preparing.  I will wake you early.  You
will take Adda's meals to her in her hut.  Tomorrow night you will learn
much more."

   Seated in our hut, I spent a while updating this report, something I'd
not done for a few days.  Since we were on planet without physical
instrumentalities, we used a backup approach we'd developed while in orbit.
Using the ship's ability to sense my body position and movements, and its
ability to project images into my visual field, I typed on a keyboard
visible only to me.

   This requires more bandwidth in our personal links with the ship.  As I
started, my kaelen became agitated, and indeed moved closer to the main
link node implanted under my breastbone, and to the power node implanted in
my right femur.  They started their comforting noise.

   As I wanted to retain a clear head for a while, I stopped typing and
waved a finger in front of them, saying "No, no, no." They stopped.

   I went back to typing, concentrating on my work.  After a few minutes I
felt antennae touching me along the neck, the middle, and the legs.  Then
they started making a low thrumming sound, one I'd not heard or learned in
my studies.  I decided to let them continue.

   And rapidly my mind not only cleared, but became incredibly sharp.  I
found myself imitating the sound, learning it as so much seemed to fall
into place.  It was similar to the effect of the drugs we use to accelerate
learning, but orders of magnitude better, and I felt sure it would be
without the ugly side-effects we've endured.

   I flashed back to our initial greeting.  I'd been surprised at the time
that a pair of obvious outsiders weren't met by an armed party.  I
shuddered.  We had been met by an armed party; armed with kaelen.  While I
don't recall the exact sounds the kaelen were making, there were a few.  I
remembered and recognized some.  We had been surrounded and quickly
rendered incapable of attack.  I felt the conviction that if we had been
considered dangerous, we would have simply gone to sleep and never been
allowed to wake.

   So much was clearer now about the symbiotic relationship between kaelen
and their (female) host.  I'd wondered what they ate.  Now I knew they
lived on the moisture and secretions from their host, and felt certain
their bonding was for life.  That's why I saw the same kaelen with the same
people.  Is their life span the same as their host?  I felt this was the
answer, and it filled me with wonder and awe.  How had this symbiosis
developed?  Is it limited to the female human?  And where were the females
of the kaelen species?

   I looked over at Dale.  He was typing furiously as well, updating his
ecology report.  My kaelen had gone quiet; I started the low thrumming
again.  They answered and I felt another burst of mental clarity.  I placed
one on Dale's head, the abdomen wafting over his forehead.  Dale took a
deep breath, and turned to me with sharp eyes.

   "That is incredible!  My mind is clear, clearer than it's been in days!"

   We talked for a while; I filled him in on my training and deductions on
the pheromone producing capabilities of our symbionts.  I also gave him my
analysis of our first greeting.  He nodded grimly; it made sense, so many
things made sense.

   We typed a bit and talked more as the effects wore off.  There were
still so many anomalies in this society, this ecology.  That we felt there
were anomalies strongly implied we did not understand the basic mechanisms
at work, and those mechanisms were far different from that which we
expected.  We both felt the answers were in the symbiotic relationship with
the kaelen.

   Our clarity began to fade into normal evening tiredness.

   I put my hands on his thighs.  "So tell me, how was it, being made into
my husband."

   He sighed and smiled.  "I love you.  I didn't know until we came here
how much I love you.  You take me to such a wonderful place, such a
wonderful fog that's only you.  I don't know how to describe what went on
in that hut.  I do know at sometime I gave myself to you, fully,
completely."

   I felt a stirring between my legs, and a feeling in my breasts.  I knew
what I needed.

   "And what would you like now, my husband?"

   He sighed and smiled, his eyes losing their focus, his eyelids moving to
half mast.  "Take me back to your soft place.  Make me yours again, and
after we make love, take me to sleep in your arms."

   And that is what I did.

   The Cycle Begins Again

   Dina kept her word, waking us as the sun was rising.  We were joined by
her husband.  We went quickly to an area off to the side of the bread
making spot.  Dina gave me bread, fruit, and water to take to Adda.  I was
to place it inside her hut, empty the chamber pot if need be, and return as
quickly as possible.

   When I returned, the men were nowhere to be seen.  Dina was mixing bread
and motioned me to her side.  "Our men are gathering wood for baking bread.
We must make a fresh batch and have it ready." Once mixed, the dough may be
stored wrapped in leaves in the cool ground for days.  We usually have an
unbaked supply set aside, especially during the stormy season when we may
not be able to make bread every day.

   We worked through mid-day, stopping only for me to take Adda's meal to
her.  I was given larger portions than normal, as for breakfast, and Adda
consumed them all.  We paused for lunch as we mixed and kneaded bread.

   As we worked Dina told me some more of the history of the village.  Adda
was from a long line of elders, guides.  Under my gentle questioning she
led me to hypothesize that membership was a genetic trait.  If your mother
was an elder, you were likely to be, but it wasn't a foregone conclusion.
He (there was that "He" again) selected who was to belong to this select
group.

   I started the low thrumming again, wanting to have an especially clear
head for a while.  My head cleared quickly as both our kaelen joined the
song.  Dina soon gave me a look of astonishment.

   "Is this new to you, or just something I haven't been taught," I asked.

   She looked at me with some awe.  "I've never experienced this before."

   I smiled.  "It clears and sharpens." They don't have a word for "mind."

   She nodded and practiced the sound.

   "Tell me about Adda?" I reminded her.

   She told me again Adda was from a long line of elders.  Her only
daughter became one of the group when she made her husband, acquiring two
kaelen.  Then she died giving birth to a daughter, Tala.  The phrase I
translate as "died" was closer to "became one with Him," but the context
made the meaning clear.

   That explained some of the reactions; I was glad I had honored Adda and
Tala.

   My mind skipped back to some of the ritual phrases.  "Who gives us life?
He does.  Who brings us peace?  He does."

   I thought about the society a bit more.  Once married, couples seemed
strictly monogamous.  But teens, the unmarried, mated like bunnies. 
Eventually pairs were formed, tested, "made," with His blessing.

   I recognized more of the pattern now.  Young girls helped raise the
younger children.  They went through a period where they were obviously
trained to speak to kaelen, but were not bonded with them.  There was quite
a lot of sexual experimentation in the post-puberty teen group, obviously
taking place under kaelen influence.  From what I remembered of psychology,
this was probably very good for deepening the conditioning in both males
and females.  Then the females went through a period in late teens where
they did not have access to kaelen; this is where courtship and mate
selection occurred.

   That made sense; selection of mates was made with a clear head.  Under
kaelen influence, kaelen control, you would madly mate with anything.

   So why the hell weren't we awash in babies?  That question kept
reoccurring to me as well.

   It was answered by a cold thought.  "Who gives us life?  He does."

   My thought was aborted by the return of the men, and by some other girls
carrying a fruit I'd not seen very often.  I knew it grew high in trees,
that was about all.  Dina took them and wrapped them in leaves, along with
some gourd cups.

   It was getting close to time for the evening meal.  We moved all our
preparations to a hut at the edge of the ceremonial area, far away from all
else.  As we walked back to the central area, Dina spoke to us in a somber
voice.

   "Take Adda's meal to her; return and eat with us.  After the meal, Dale
will go back to his hut.  We will go to Adda and the cycle will begin
again. You will remain in the hut with Adda.  Dale, you will bring food and
drink for as long as they are in there; Tala will help you.  It will be two
or three days or more."

   I took Adda her meal, selected by another of the elders.  It had a lot
of fish -- more protein than usual.  I returned and we ate in silence among
the chatter of the others.  Tala and Dina, a few of the other women, seemed
excited, expectant.

   After eating we headed to Adda's hut, stopping to relieve ourselves
along the way.

   Dina stood back, motioning me to Adda's hut.

   I felt something formal was needed here.  "Are you ready, my mother?" I
asked formally.  I looked back at Dina, she smiled and nodded.

   Adda came out of the hut smiling.  She hugged me.  "Yes, I am ready, my
daughter."

   "You are far away from home, aren't you?" Adda asked as we walked to the
ceremonial area.  It was a phrase she used with me often, especially when I
asked questions, which I did frequently.

   I placed a hand on her back, my eyes filling with moisture.  "I'm not
sure anymore, mother." I thought of the long jumps underneath space, and
the hundred and thirty years it would take for the light that shone on the
place of my birth to reach here.  Would I ever see that place again?  Did I
want to?  Where is home?  What is home?

   We turned as we reached the area and went to another small hut, built
almost into a group of trees.  It was extremely well protected.  We stopped
and then I noticed Dina was behind us.

   Slowly, formally, Adda took her kaelen off and handed them to Dina.  She
motioned to me and I did the same.  The kaelen seemed agitated as well,
more so than for normal separation such as when we bathed.

   We crawled into the hut, and in the dim light I saw one of the few
ornamental artifacts I'd seen since planetfall.  Underneath a woven cover,
woven finer than the ceremonial skirts celebrating our marriage, and of
some age, was a container shaped from the trunk of a hardwood tree,
polished to amazing smoothness and shine.

   Adda sighed and lifted the lid.  "Choose three with well dried leaves.
Choose carefully."

   I moved up on my knees to look in the container.  It was filled with
small oval objects wrapped in leaves; each was about six inches in length
and perhaps three or four wide.  Most were wrapped in leaves which felt
dry; the occasional leaf still felt somewhat green, although it was
difficult to see colors in the dim hut.

   I touched them in turn, finally selecting three.  I handed them to Adda,
who put them on a broad leaf.

   She replaced the lid on the container, and returned its cover.

   She folded the leaf around the three ovals and we left the hut.

   Outside the kaelen were even more agitated.  We walked back to the
prepared ceremonial hut.  Peeking inside, I saw moss matting.  What was to
happen here?

   Adda handed me the leaf containing the three treasures I'd chosen.  She
turned to Dina and reached for a kaelen.

   "You are the one I chose, so long ago," she said, her voice rich with
emotion.  She rubbed him gently, smiling.  Then she sighed and entered the
hut.

   Dina said, "Join her.  I will be outside."

   I entered the hut.  It was still twilight, with some light filtering in
through the opening.  Adda had removed her skirt; I did the same.  For her
age, which I estimated to be mid forties, she had a beautiful body.  It
saddened me somehow.  She was grandmother to a beautiful teenage girl.  But
Adda and I were probably about the same age chronologically, even though
Dale and I looked to be in our late teens.  That was advanced technology at
work.  What was their average life span here?  It seemed to be sixty to
seventy years.  Even with no further medical treatment, I knew that barring
accidents, Dale and I would live well past a hundred and sixty.  With the
proper treatments as we approached a hundred twenty or so, we could exceed
two hundred, and enjoy it.

   Adda spoke to me, bringing my attention back to the present.  She was
lying down.  Her kaelen was agitated, almost dancing on her head.  She
patted the moss next to her and I sat.

   "Open them, one at a time, and place them here," she said as she
gestured to the area below her navel.

   She took a deep breath, exhaling slowly.  I thought I saw her mouth
moving in the calming, comforting pattern.  What was she preparing herself
for?

   I opened the large leaf and picked up one of the bundles.  I unwrapped
it.  Inside was a cocoon, a very thin covering.  I tore it from one end; it
separated easily, revealing its contents.

   I was astonished.  I was holding an insect.  It had to be the female
kaelen.  Where the males are long, almost sticklike save for the abdomen,
the females were smallish and oval, their body parts close together, their
feathered antennae as long as their bodies.

   My eyes filled with tears as I raised it to my lips and kissed it.  I
felt Adda's hand on my thigh and looked at her smiling face through my
tears as I put the first one down on her.  This ritual was evidently to
replace the three kaelen who were now mine.

   The male kaelen raced down from Adda's forehead to the female.  It made
chirping noises as it circled, caressing it with its antennae as its
abdomen twitched about.  I felt flashes of strange feelings; exhilaration,
strange synesthesias as the female kaelen began to move.

   "The others," whispered Adda.

   I unwrapped the other two and placed them just as reverently on her
belly.

   The male was moving faster than I'd ever seen a kaelen move before; I'd
thought of these insects as being slow, but that seemed to be a matter of
choice.  Remembering our initial greeting chilled me; with that speed,
these were formidable weapons.  We could not have escaped.

   The strange sensations continued to flood me as the male revived the
females.  I steadied myself with my hands.  I looked at Adda; she was
making the comforting sound again, now audibly.

   I put a hand on her forehead lightly, and started making the sound
myself, stroking her forehead.  She managed a smile as she sighed to me,
glancing at me before her eyes drifted closed.

   I kept up my work comforting Adda while I watched the male.  The females
seemed to be revived from their torpor now.  The insects' antennae touched
and waved in what I soon saw were patterns.  How I wished I had a wide band
recording of this.  Then the male stopped and began moving along Adda's
body.  I felt her tense, so I resumed my comforting, with my voice and with
my hands, one on her forehead, one on her forearm.

   The male raced around her body, from head to toe.  He circled a spot on
the top of her right foot.  Then he raced to a female and they exchanged
signals with their antennae.  He moved slower this time, and she followed
him to Adda's right foot.

   When they reached there, the male circled again, making a strange
keening sound.  Through the dim light I thought I saw a drop of something
at the tip of his abdomen.  Yes, I did.  He lowered his abdomen and touched
the drop to Adda's skin.  Moments later she gasped and her body shook. 
Then the male lowered his abdomen once more, and even though the light was
dim, I saw a stinger extend.  The stinger passed through the drop on Adda's
skin, and into the skin beneath.  When it pulled free, I saw a spot of red
coloring forming through the drop on her skin.  The female moved her
abdomen over the drop the male had left.  Her abdomen contracted and she
exuded something; it looked like a worm.  What's the term?  Larva?  It was
about two inches long, and one end attached itself to Adda's skin where the
male had left its mark.  Adda gasped again, then shivered as it made
contact.  After a moment I saw the larva start to redden, to expand.  It
was filling itself with her blood.

   While this was going on, the male had found another spot, this one just
above her left breast.  The same ritual was repeated with the second
female. Adda's reaction was less intense at the second drop and the second
larva attaching itself.  The third female was led to a spot on Adda's left
foot, almost at the little toe.

   As the third female was producing her larva, I noticed the first two
females had returned to Adda's groin, just above her thatch.  The male and
the first female exchanged signals and the male raced off again.  Adda's
left arm was lying palm up by her side.  The male found a spot about a
third of the way up her forearm from her wrist.  I could see the vein
underneath, even in the fading light.  I moved Adda's right arm so her palm
was also facing up, giving the male better access.

   Adda's breathing was more regular now; a relaxed smile was on her face.
Occasionally she moaned and shook with what seemed to be pleasure.  I could
smell her arousal.

   Each of the three females placed a second larva.  The first one then
placed a third.  How long would this continue?  But that was the last.  The
females returned to her groin, folding up again, antennae going down.  The
male rushed to each larva in turn, in the sequence in which it was placed,
seven in all.  They were all filling with blood, almost doubled in size
now. Thank God Adda was a strong woman, large and healthy.  Now I knew why
she rested today, and why she ate so much.

   The male went to her forehead and began another keening sound.  Adda
sighed and her body seemed to relax more.

   Then the pheromones hit me, and I lowered myself to the moss as safely
and quickly as possible.  My muscles turned to jelly.  I was filled with
bliss, and felt a strange sensation in my extremities.  I imagined my blood
vessels expanding; what's it called?  Vasodilation?  That's what the
linguist in me thought before I sank into the bliss.

   I awoke before dawn, sensing some movement outside the hut.  Food and
drink had appeared.

   "What do I do?" I whispered, hoping someone was here to guide me.

   Dina's voice came from outside the hut.  "Raise her head and help her
drink.  Give her all the juice.  The water and bread are for you."

   I noticed two different liquid gourds.  I took the one with the juice,
almost a fruit syrup, and raised Adda's head carefully.  The male kaelen
made a chirring noise, waving his abdomen.  Adda stirred slightly, and I
felt my body become amazingly alert, my heart racing.  Yet she seemed
almost totally sedated!  The effect of the larvae must be exceptionally
strong!  I remembered the chirring noise, and raised the gourd to Adda's
lips.  I gave her some of the thick liquid slowly, not wanting her to
choke. She swallowed, and then her mouth moved as if for more.  She took
the rest quickly, smiling when done.  I reached for the bread and had two
bites and some water before the male started keening again.  I collapsed
into bliss, barely being able to put down the water without spilling it.

   I awoke again about midday, judging from the sun angle.  I'd collapsed
on my side, and my left arm took a while to recover from its odd position.
I quickly ate the bread and drank the water, then used the chamber pot and
cleaned up Adda where she had gone on the moss.  Then I gave her more
juice. We went through the same cycle as before, but this time I was ready
for it and was able to lie down on my back before I faded out.

   The next time was mid-afternoon.  I looked at the larvae.  Of the seven,
four were long and thin, and three were oval in shape.  Evidently we had
four males and three females.

   Our cycle of eating and sleeping continued for I'm not sure how long. 
Occasionally the male kaelen would check the larvae, stopping to feed on
beads of sweat on its way back to her head.

   Then after one cycle I awoke fully.  It was mid-day.  Rather than seven
larvae attached to Adda, I saw seven cocoons attached to a green leaf on
the side of the hut next to her.  The male was sitting over the spot on
Adda where the last of them had been attached.  I watched as he lowered his
abdomen, again touching a drop of liquid to her skin.  The drop touched the
open sore where the larva had been attached.  The skin seemed to change
before my eyes.  I looked to the spot on her right foot where the first one
had been; a round reddish mark was all that remained.  I smiled as another
piece of the puzzle fell into place.  That explained the small reddish
scars on the women.  They represented new kaelen.

   I was about to call to Dina for guidance when the male kaelen made
another sound, sort of a whirring.  Five kaelen rushed in -- the other two
to join Adda, and my three.  My three seemed happy to be back with me
again, racing along my body, picking up drops of sweat and moisture.  They
hadn't fed in some days.  How many?

   Adda seemed to be sleeping naturally.  I prodded her arm; she seemed to
have normal muscle tone again.  Dina entered the hut, with her kaelen.

   "What do we do now?" I asked.

   She smiled, then gave a quiet gasp as she surveyed the scene.  "Seven!"

   We wrapped all the cocoons in leaves, detaching them carefully from
where they hung.  When the females were wrapped, Dina placed them on a
large leaf and folded it.  The males were wrapped and placed on Adda's
belly.  The female insects were still sitting in place.

   Dina exited the hut and motioned for me to follow.  Tala and another
girl her age were waiting outside, as was Dale.  He moved to me, but Tala
and Dina blocked him.  The girls helped me stand.  We started walking to
the other hut.  We stopped outside its entrance.  Dina was carrying the
leaf with the three female cocoons.

   She said to me "You know where these go," holding the leaf out to me.

   I nodded.  First I took off my kaelen, my chosen one first.  I kissed
his abdomen as thoughts swirled through my head.

   All three kaelen on Dina, I took the leaf and went inside the hut.  I
removed the cover, and the lid, then placed my three small packages in with
their sisters.  I replaced the lid and the cover and left the tent.

   I tried to stand too quickly and almost fell.  As Dina helped me to my
feet, my kaelen rushed over her arms back to me.

   When we returned to the hut, Dale, Tala, and her friend were all gone.
Sitting outside the hut was a large gourd with juice in it, and a wooden
instrument which looked like a pestle.  Dina picked them up and waved me
inside.

   The male cocoons were nowhere to be seen.  The three females were on
Adda's body.  She seemed to be sleeping soundly.

   "What do we do about these?" I asked, pointing to the females.

   Dina looked at me and smiled.  "They have joined Him, their journey
complete."

   I was stunned as tears filled my eyes.  To be born as a larva, remain in
the cocoon, then be unwrapped to mate and produce a new generation, that
was the female's role.

   I saw Dina place the three females into the gourd, then take the wooden
implement and use it as a pestle.  She ground them for a few minutes,
mixing thoroughly with the juice, then strained the mixture into another
gourd.  She handed it to me.  "Give her the first sip," she said.

   I raised Adda's head gently.  As I did so her eyes opened and she smiled
at me.  I held the gourd to her lips and she drank.  Dina stopped my hand.
I lowered Adda and she closed her eyes.

   "Drink, quickly," Dina whispered.

   I took three or four gulps, about the same as Adda, trying to leave the
same for Dina.  It had a pungent taste amidst the fruit flavor.  The vapors
as they entered my nose sent me reeling.

   I handed the gourd to Dina who gulped down the remainder, then leaned me
forward onto Adda's body.

   As she did so I heard Adda moan, and I felt it rising in me.  My body
was swept away in an overwhelming rush of tangled, scrambled sensations.  I
saw, felt, heard, tasted, smelled the fabric underneath spacetime.  As I
was enveloped in an orgasm of a different dimension, I felt Adda's
presence, and Dina's.  And I felt my own mother's presence as she slept in
her bed, so far away.  I could feel the fabric of the sheets on her skin,
feel the reduced gravity in which she lived.  Then orgasm enveloped us all
and my mother and her startled cry faded over the staggering distance.

   I awoke to the keening of our kaelen.  It was mid morning outside.  The
three of us sat up slowly and hugged.  We all had tears in our eyes.  We
helped Adda out of the hut; Tala and some other girls were there and helped
us to stand.  As we moved to the pond to bathe the rest started baking
bread in the hut we'd left.

   Dina and I helped Adda into the water, leaving our kaelen in the
branches at the bank.  She was still a little weak, but recovering quickly.
She was a strong woman.

   We washed mostly in silence.  Then as we were rinsing Adda's hair under
the falls, running our fingers through her long black and gray strands, she
pointed into the sky.  One of the moons was still visible above the
horizon. She turned to me with a look of wonder, awe, astonishment.  With
tears in her eyes, she pointed out to the great beyond and whispered, voice
full of emotion, "That far away?"

   I nodded, tears filling my eyes.  "No: much, much farther," I whispered
as I held her.

   So she had felt the distance, the connection.  Dina held us as well and
I heard her sobs.

   As we moved to the shore, Adda looked into the sky again, then turned to
me and asked, "And you came here?"

   I nodded, holding her hand.  "We came to learn from you.  And we have
learned so much, yet so little."

   She shook her head and smiled.  We walked together to the central area.
People were gathering for lunch.  Dale was seated next to Tala.  He saw me
and jumped up, running to me.

   I held him in my arms as he wrapped his around me.  "Oh I missed you
so," he told me.  I hugged him and said softly, "I missed you too." Then I
held my mouth next to his ear and hotly made the comforting sound while I
held him, until I felt him soften.

   We sat and ate.  I was ravenous, as was Adda.  I noticed Tala looking
Adda over carefully.  After the meal, Dale and I talked softly as we
walked. I had been gone four days.  Word had spread quickly in the village
that Adda had seven new kaelen.  Dale heard from conversations that it was
the norm to have one for one.  Two was not uncommon, but three was very
rare.

   Back in our hut we quickly snuggled together.  Dale was hungry on my
breast, and I was hungry to hold him.  With just a little lead from me, my
kaelen took us deep into comfort.  From there we moved through passionate
lovemaking.  I relaxed on the bottom, feeling my strong and wonderful
husband plunge into me.  We returned to comfort afterwards, and went to
sleep unaided.

   Dinner was interesting.  I knew we had more special bread.  I would have
guessed it would be distributed as before, to the older women in the
guiding group at the beginning of the meal.  Humility is sometimes hard to
learn.  This bread was distributed to the unmarried women, and it was
distributed at the end of the meal.  They consumed it greedily and hurried
off, each with an unattached male.

   I was still chuckling at that as we entered our hut for the evening.  We
curled up together and Dale said, his head between my breasts, "Please
don't leave me for a while.  I need you."

   I held him to me and started the kaelen comforting us.  "I've got you,
and you're not getting away," I told him.  After a while I asked softly,
"Would you like me on top of you?" He shivered slightly as he squeezed me
and nodded his head, still at my breast.

   I moved him to his back and with our kaelen's help rode us both to
ecstasy.  I comforted him to me again afterwards, without kaelen help, and
we went to sleep.

   END of Part 2 Life Cycle of the Kaelen

   by artie@netgate.net http://www.asstr-mirror.org/files/Authors/artie/www
http://artie.web1000.com/

   

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