Fenris Perrywinkle: The Great Galactic Duel

The sky gives way to stars as we leave the earth’s atmosphere. Amanda looks very comfortable sitting in the pilot’s seat. She never moves or touches any of the instrument panels – she simply keeps the beam of blue light centered on her forehead.

Space travel in this Everbright craft is quite strange. The stars don’t whiz by like in regular sci-fi movies; it’s more like one space scene fading into another, then into another, then into another. I suspect we’re not moving in a linear fashion like we do on earth.

I move closer and inspect my girlfriend. Her eyes dart to mine, but she still doesn’t move her body.

“What –“

She cuts me off again. “I have a mental link with the ship. The computer reads my mind, and takes me where it feels I need to go. I don’t have to picture anything or anything else like that. I just relax in this chair, and the computer does the rest.”

I nod my head a couple times to fake like I completely understand the concept. “Would it work for me, too?” I ask.

Amanda cocks an eyebrow for a moment. “Maybe. Like I said earlier, they did have to evolve your body to be able to accept star power before-hand. Even though you’ve been devolved to a point, it might still work for you.”

I nod some more. I confess, I’ve still only got one thing on my mind. She looks so amazing in that alien bodysuit.

She smiles. “I don’t have to be able to read minds to see what you’re thinking right now. I think the ship knows where we need to go, so…”

The brunette stands and wraps her arms around my neck. Even in the dimly lit cockpit, I can see her pupils expand a little.

My arms find her narrow waist and I pull her into me. Our lips connect and soon we float away together on a river of passion. I have to say, making out with someone that can defy gravity is unlike anything you’ll ever experience. Talk about a firm body, too! It’s hard to describe, but Amanda feels like she’s made of soft stone. Come to think of it… I’m not entirely sure if I’m digging this or not. Maybe she’d feel more normal if she wasn’t encased up to her neck in that dang bodysuit. And… what is that smell? Can’t she bathe anymore?

What’s going to happen if I try to have children with this woman? Would I still have all my soft bits afterwards? She’s super hot, but now I’m starting to second guess myself. I mean, just look at me. I’m making out with a brunette goddess and all I can do is talk to the readers.

Unfortunately, in additional to her super high IQ, Amanda also has a super high emotional IQ. She senses something is wrong and leans back a little. “What’s wrong? Am I hurting you?”

I shake my head a little, step back from her and lean against one of the consoles. “No, no, not at all. I guess I’m a little more exhausted than I realized.”

Her brow knits a little and I’m pretty sure she knows I’m not telling the whole story. “You’re thinking about Jennifer again, aren’t you?”

I really should have seen that coming. I really should have.

“No, I’m not, actually,” I reassure her. “Promise.”

Her eyes narrow. I’m hoping she’ll let it go, but I don’t think I’m that lucky.

A soft beep from the main viewer saves my bacon. I guess I really am that lucky.

Amanda glances over her shoulder. “We’re here. I’ll make you comfortable in my quarters. You can sleep off whatever it is that’s bothering you.”

She blinks several times, and the side door slides open again. I follow her down a long hallway. This place seems familiar somehow.

Another door slides open at the end of the long hall. A lavishly decorated apartment of sorts awaits. Everything has obviously been molded out of alien material – but it’s got a regal charm to it. The carpet is super soft, a large bed dominates the main room, and bizarre looking alien art adorns the walls. A large half-moon shaped bay window, grabs my attention. As I approach it, I begin to recognize where we are. My blood runs cold.

From Amanda’s quarters, I have a bird’s eye view of the alien stadium floor. It’s like the corporate party rooms at the hockey stadium or something.

Something green flairs behind some windows at the very far end of the vast room below. Several bolts of alien energy slam against the windows and make everything shake a little.

“What the crap is happening?” I shout as I fall backwards onto the bed.

Amanda opens a small hole in the window and fires several bolts of energy back at the glowing green light. She quickly closes the opening.

“That’s your ex saying hello. She and I like to exchange ‘pleasantries’ whenever one of us comes home.”

My heart skips a beat. “Jenn’s quarters are over there?”

The brunette nods. “Yes. The corporations that run the death match like to keep close tabs on their champions. That and they think being in relatively close proximity to each other intensifies the fight when it comes time. They really are quite ruthless.”

My mind feels like it’s spinning in my skull. “This is all so crazy,” I whisper.

Amanda approaches the bed and places her hands on her hips. I can’t help but look her up and down several times. My mouth suddenly goes dry. “What… (ahem)… what was it that you wanted to show me that was so important?”

She stretches her neck a little. “It can wait until you’re rested. Take a nap. You’ll find you sleep as soon as your head hits the pillow.”

I do as I’m told and creep backward on the bed. I’ll lie down like she wants, but there’s no… way… I’m… going… to…

I awaken with a start. What just happened? I’m down to my prison briefs and under the covers. Something warm stirs beside me. Amanda turns over and gives me a smile.

My heart goes into overdrive. Did we just… sleep together?

Again Amanda discerns my thoughts. “That was nice, Fenris – but before you ask, no, we didn’t have sex.”

I feel a wave of disappointment crash into a wave of relief.

She slips from the covers, still encased in that darn alien bodysuit. As hot as she looks in it, I’m starting to get tired of seeing her in it.

“Were you in this suit long enough to figure out there are no openings?” she asks.

“I… uh…” I guess I remember that. I don’t think I ever really noticed.

“Well there aren’t. I’m basically wearing a form fitting condom. You couldn’t impregnate me even if you wanted to at this rate. On the plus side, it’s continually leaching and expelling toxins from my body – so I don’t have to use the bathroom ever either. Of course… there is a bit of an odor that comes from my waste by-products being atomized and expelled from the suit. You didn’t notice did you?”

I totally noticed. That explains the smell. I’m most certainly not telling Amanda that though. I shake my head. “No, you’re daisy fresh.”

She smiles. “Liar.”

She walks into the kitchen area and begins digging through the refrigeration unit. “Are you hungry? I mostly subsist on star power right now, but I still like to eat occasionally.”

I slip from under the ridiculously comfortable comforter and begin scanning for my clothes.

Amanda speaks from the other room. “I tossed your clothes in the de-atomizer. They were nasty and disgusting. The computer will make you some new ones. Just step into the glowing closet.”

I do as I’m told. The door shuts behind me and I feel like I’m being tickled by a thousand little feathers. An instant later, the door opens again and I step out in a custom tailored suit!

Amanda enters the main room again holding a bowl of cooked animal flesh. I’m just going to pretend it’s chicken and beef. She looks me up and down and a smile spreads across her face. “There’s my handsome man.”

I catch a reflection of myself in a large mirror. Dang. I really do look amazing now. I’ll never be able to go back to my Walmart wardrobe.

The brunette pops a couple of pieces of meat in her mouth. “Don’t ask. Just pretend it’s chicken and beef. It’s actually super good.”

I pop a few pieces in my mouth and she isn’t wrong. Dang. I didn’t realize I’d given up all this when I refused to fight my fiancé. I mean, I still wouldn’t have done it of course, but… dang. My own space ship. My own apartment. Food on demand. Clothes on demand. This is seriously sweet!

“Okay,” Amanda says as she swallows the last of the ‘beef’, “let me show you what I found. You’re not going to believe—“

The brunette is cut off as the blonde’s voice suddenly fills the room. “I want to see him, Amanda!”

Amanda looks to a tiny bobble embedded in the roof of the room. “That’s not what you said at the prison… Sweetie.”

“I don’t care! I still love him and I want to see him!”

“I thought you were so confident that you’re going to win tomorrow!”

“Fine. There’s a slight chance you might get lucky or something. Now please… I want to see him.”

Amanda rolls her eyes. “Fine. I’ll share because of the two of us, I’m the bigger woman.”

There’s a moment of silence. Amanda looks at me with a little grin.

“He’s there listening, isn’t he? We’re both double Ds and you know it!”

I think my brain just exploded. Amanda just keeps grinning.

“Fine. If it will keep you from whining for the rest of the night, I’ll send him over now.”

“Fine!”

A little chirp signals that Jenn has stopped communication.

“She’s so easy,” Amanda laughs and disappears into a side room. She returns a moment later and tosses me an envelope. “Have a look at that while you’re with your blonde bimbo.”

I’m not sure what to say at the moment, so I just nod and head to a door with a down arrow on it. It slides open as I approach and I step in. Amanda calls out as the door slides shut, “She can’t have sex either, so don’t get too excited!”

The doors open a moment later and I find myself once again staring at the arena kill floor. The odor of death still hangs in the air.

Jenn rockets toward me in the air and scoops me up in her powerful arms. “Come on, Fenris. Let’s get you away from that brunette bimbo.”

A short time later, I find myself in Jenn’s quarters. It basically looks just like Amanda’s, except for a few highlights that reflect Jenn’s sense of style. She was always one to stay on top of current fashion.

And speaking of being on top, she basically tackles me and starts kissing me straight away. It feels like a ton of bricks just fell on me, but I do my best to smooch past the pain.

After a few minutes, she sits up with a troubled look on her face. She runs her hands down the front of her body. “I’m sorry, honey. I know we haven’t been together for several months, but… this suit… it doesn’t let me…”

“I know. Amanda told me.”

She frowns and snuggles up close. “Did you and her… you know. While you forgot me.”

I stroke Jenn’s hair a little and look her in the eye. “I haven’t had sex since the first night we rented that cabin in the woods.”

“The night before we were abducted?” she asks.

I nod.

“Do you love her?”

“You already asked me that.”

“I know but…” Jenn trails off and stares at the bobble embedded in the ceiling. “You’re listening in? Really?”

Amanda’s voice fills the room. “All’s fair in love and war, honey. And you did the same to me.”

“Ugh! Close communication!” A soft chirp signals the communication being cut.

Jenn doubles up her fists. “Ugh! I hate her! I hate her so much! I can’t believe you love that tramp!”

Experience has taught me to tread lightly when she gets like this. I remember now how she once tossed a plate at my head when I said the wrong thing in our first apartment.

“It will all work out in the end,” I say in my best reassuring voice. I try to rub her shoulders, but they’re rock hard and I can’t even make a dent.

Jennifer makes her way to the window, opens a small hole and sends a volley of energy bolts at the other woman’s quarters. Amanda’s answering volley hits Jenn’s big bay window a few seconds later.

“Look, she wanted me to look something over,” I say and hold up the envelope in a desperate attempt to change the subject. “She said it was important. Let’s look at it together, okay?”

Jenn calms down a little and kneels on the bed beside me. “Fine.”

I open the envelope and a single picture falls out. Jenn picks it up and wrinkles her nose. “What’s so important about a picture of Philander Jefferson? He runs the games. So what?”

I take the photo from her and see an extremely fat man talking to a group of aliens. I feel my face starting to turn red with anger.

“He does all the announcing too. You saw that at the beginning of our fight, remember? He calls himself ‘Games Master’. It’s so unoriginal, it drives me up the wall. Why do you look so upset?”

I crumple the picture as best I can for dramatic effect. “Amanda and I know Philander by a different name, Jenn. Warden Jefferson.”

And suddenly, it’s all starting to make sense.