The Plant: War

The following is the seventh entry in my long-running series, “The Plant,” and is set about three months after the end of “The Plant Pt. 06 — Ambassador.” (The first part was published in June 2019) It may help to read the previous entries in the series to understand the full context of what is happening here.

My apologies for taking so long to get this up, but it was necessary as part of it is loosely based on actual current events and issues, including the invasion of Ukraine. For those who are familiar with my work, this is quite different from what I usually submit…

Many thanks to all those who took time out of their lives and schedules to beta-read this story. Your suggestions have helped make this a much better story. I would also like to thank those who offered comments and constructive criticism on my previous stories.

Warning: This story includes discussions of current topics and certain political issues between the characters.

…

A brief synopsis of the story so far:

In part one, we meet Theresa Hemmings, a young, mousy woman whose life is forever changed when she is given a strange plant that sports a dozen small penis-shaped “appendages.” What she does not know is the plant is actually an extraterrestrial being, a member of the species known as the Gingravik. Margaret, the storekeeper who gave her the plant, works for the Gingravik as the species’ “Facilitator” on Earth.

The plant, which she named “Bernie,” grows under Theresa’s care and she ends up having sex with it. By the end of the story, she has fallen in love with the plant and has given birth to the first of what would be many “pods” produced by their coupling.

In part two, the Gingravik sends a female spore to Earth to determine if human males can successfully couple with Gingravik females. The experiment ends tragically, however, the female ejects many fertilized spores, giving Margaret hope the species could thrive in the wild.

In part three, we meet April Jennings, a college biology student who comes across a strange plant one day in a local park. She digs the plant up and takes it to her room for study. With the help of her professor, she examines the plant, not knowing that it is the result of a coupling between a human male and an alien female. She also ends up having a sexual encounter with the plant, which is later taken to the Colony.

Theresa, meanwhile, has changed significantly since first meeting Bernie. By now, she is considered the “Queen Mother” of Earth and has taken on a leadership role in the effort to spread Gingravik DNA around the world. Thanks to the Gingravik High Council, a large compound known as the Colony, has been built for the express purpose of building the Gingravik base on Earth.

In part four, April starts her new job as a researcher for the Gingravik Botanical Research facility, unaware that it is really the main alien base on Earth. Here, she is reunited with the plant she found and names him “Jake.” The two end up falling in love with each other.

In part five, April learns the truth about Jake and the Gingravik presence on Earth and Jake learns of his extra-terrestrial heritage from Bernie. April was also tasked with performing research on something called “G,” a product consisting of dried clippings from Gingravik leaves, after she discovered their mind-opening, aphrodisiac effect.

Theresa used the “G” to enhance an open-air sexual exhibition for the High Council, designed to demonstrate the sexual prowess of Earth women. The Council was quite pleased with video they received of the event.

Toward the end of the chapter, April proposes to Jake, who gladly accepts her request to be mated for life. The Council also announces its plan to present an official ambassador to the United Nations.

April and Jake are officially mated in part six, and the stateside Colony is abandoned for New South Marsookia, as first official contact with a world body is made. The Secretary-General of the United Nations and his delegation meet with Ambassador Tsod and Theresa, who is now officially known as Queen Tere, the Queen Mother of Earth.

The chapter ends when Theresa/Tere officially announces the Gingravik Prefecture of Earth.

…

The end of “The Plant 06 — Ambassador”

Theresa, Tsod, Margaret, Bernie, Greta and several others stood in Theresa’s spacious office in the NSM Capitol building as they toasted the announcement. Greta shook Theresa’s hand as she congratulated her on the announcement.

“Thank you, Greta, that means a lot,” Theresa said. “Do you think the Secretary-General saw it?”

“I’m certain of it,” Greta told her.

“Do you think he’ll respond?”

“I’m sure he’ll send a communique to you and Tsod,” Greta said.

“And then?”

“It’s difficult to say. Who knows how the world community will react.” Margaret spoke from her console on the other side of the room.

“I’ve made contact with the Emperor and the High Council,” she said. Everyone turned to see the large monitor spring to life. Greta was shocked when she saw the group of high-ranking Gingravik on the screen.

“Ah, Queen Tere, your delicious nude form graces our monitors yet again,” the Emperor said.

“Thank you, Your Excellency,” Theresa said.

“We want to congratulate you on your announcement,” the Emperor said. “You should know that the entire Empire caught your performance. You have done us all proud with your work.”

“It is my honor to serve, Excellency,” she said.

“Yes, of course,” the Emperor said in response. “But you do know that the real work is only beginning, I hope.”

“Yes, Excellency, I do,” Theresa said. “I look forward to any… guidance you may bestow on me.”

“You have my full support, Queen Tere,” he said. “If there is ever anything you need, all you have to do is ask. You have done much for the Empire and we are grateful.”

“Thank you,” she said.

“But now, it’s time to celebrate!” he said, causing the other Gingravik to shake their branches. “Let the fireworks begin!”

…

And now, “The Plant Pt. 07: War”

Thursday, February 17, 2022:

“Are you absolutely certain about this, my Queen?” Tsod asked.

“Yes,” Theresa said. “This would be a good deal for both our countries. We can help Ukraine eliminate its radioactive waste with no side-effects and in return, we would have a fully-functional botanical research facility. With that facility, we can more easily spread Gingravik DNA across Europe.”

“But now is not a good time to do this, my Queen,” Tsod said. “Not with Russian troops right across the border in Belarus.”

“We won’t be in Ukraine itself,” Theresa said. “We’ll be on board the royal yacht Mar’rldn in international waters south of Snake Island. Besides, Putin has said he doesn’t intend to invade and he wouldn’t dare attack an unarmed neutral vessel in international waters. Didn’t you read that link I sent you from the Atlantic Council website? It’s not in his best interest to invade. Surely he knows that.”

“Yes, I read that article, my Queen,” Tsod said. “And as much as I respect Harlan Ullman, I tend to disagree.”

“Why?” she asked.

“Simply put, I do not trust Vladimir Putin,” Tsod said. “But I see you are determined to do this. So, who do you plan to meet and when does this take place?”

“We will be meeting with a delegation from the Ukrainian Education and Science Ministry on February 23rd,” Theresa said. “April Jennings will accompany me to demonstrate the method she devised to neutralize their waste material. She has also performed thorough tests on the soil samples we received and she will share that information with them.”

“Who else is going with you, if I may ask?” Tsod asked.

“Harmon Caldwell, Dr. Alan Johnson and a team from our main research center,” Theresa said.

“No one from the diplomatic corps?” Tsod asked.

“Not this time, Tsod,” Theresa said. “We’re simply going to discuss the underlying technology of the deal. We might get into some of the framework, but nothing will be finalized until you and the Ukrainian foreign ministry can iron out an acceptable package. I do know that if this goes well, they have indicated they would recognize us as a sovereign entity.”

“Yes, that is my understanding as well,” Tsod said. “If so, they would be the first. What is your itinerary?”

“We will fly to Pisa International Airport in Italy, then drive to Marina di Carrara, where the Mar’rldn is currently docked. From there, we’ll go by sea to the rendezvous point south of Snake Island in the Black Sea,” Theresa said. “The Ukrainian delegation will fly out by helicopter and meet us on the twenty-third. The current plan is to spend three days in discussion, then return.”

“In and out,” Tsod said, nodding his head. “The sooner you can conclude this, the better, my Queen. But I would feel better about this if you took some armed security.”

“As would I,” Bernie said, wheeling his cart into the room. Theresa and Tsod turned to look at the plant, his large penises focused on his mate. His cart’s speech synthesizer/translation device was recently updated to give the large, bushy Gingravik a more human-sounding voice. “Of course, I would prefer to accompany you on this trip.”

“I know you would, Bernie, and so would I. But things are different now that we have declared our statehood. In my absence, you will be the titular head of the Prefect,” Theresa said.

“Very well, my Queen,” Bernie said. “Have you made progress with any of the other nations, Ambassador?”

“It has been extremely difficult, Lord Bernard,” Tsod said. “As you know, all of the Silicon Valley tech giants and their affiliated ‘fact-checkers’ say we do not exist. They have declared our existence to be ‘fake news’ and ban anyone who even mentions our name. I cannot tell you how many times foreign diplomats tell me they do not believe I exist, even as they look me in the eye. We cannot even establish an account from which we can post.”

“Yes, I can see how that would be frustrating, Ambassador,” Bernie said. “It’s almost enough to make me think the entire species is turning stupid. Present company excluded, of course. What about that woman the United Nations left behind? Greta Schultz? Has she been any help at all?”

“Not much,” Tsod said. “She tells me the bureaucracy at the UN can be very difficult to get through.”

“That does not surprise me, Ambassador,” Bernie said as he shook his branches. “I will do as you ask, my Queen. But I agree with the Ambassador. You should take security personnel with you. I understand the armory on the Mar’rldn is fully-equipped.”

“Of course, dear,” Theresa said.

“Has there been any activity at the Colony, Facilitator?” Bernie asked Margaret, who, until now, had sat quietly in the room.

“No, Lord Bernard,” she said. “According to the daily reports, there has been no activity whatsoever since we left. I expect to receive today’s report within a few hours.”

“Very well,” Bernie said. “Perhaps we have successfully managed to elude the feds after all.”

…

Alvin Johnson looked through the window in his small security shack. He watched as a long line of dark military-looking vehicles and black SUVs came up the road that led to his gate. He was one of five security contractors who worked in this post.

Other than those four men and some other contractors who came to the facility, he had seen no one else at the compound since last November, just before Thanksgiving. He didn’t mind, really. It was a very quiet post, and he was paid well to sit and watch television, read or surf the web while nothing happened at the remote facility.

It wasn’t always like this, though. Before everyone left, the place was a hive of activity. He especially enjoyed seeing the scantily-clad women who sometimes came to his post, like that CEO, Theresa Hemmings. She was one good-looking woman, he thought. And she was always so nice to everyone. He remembered the last day they were here. Ms. Hemmings herself called him to see if they would be alright.

The long line of vehicles rumbled up the road, and he wondered what was going on. The lead vehicle stopped at his post, and a gruff-looking man in a dark suit and sunglasses rolled down his window. Alvin stepped out of the guard shack and approached the vehicle with his clipboard. He was required to take note of the license plates and identification of everyone who drove up.

“Can I help you, young man?” Alvin asked.

“Special Agent Smith. FBI,” the suit said, holding a set of official-looking credentials. “Open the gate.”

“Hold on there, young man,” Alvin said. “I need to check your drivers license and registration.”

“Did you hear what I just said, old man?” Smith growled. “I’m with the fucking FBI and I have a warrant to search this facility. Now open the fucking gate before I have you locked up for obstructing justice.”

“No need to be an asshole,” Alvin said. “Just doing my job, same as you. You got that warrant with you?” Smith showed him a folded piece of paper. Alvin took it, read it, then handed it back. “Alright, I guess you can go in.” He hit a button on his console, and the gate opened. He knew the surveillance camera would capture the vehicles coming inside.

Hands on his hips, Alvin watched the convoy make its way into the compound. He hadn’t seen this many government vehicles in one place since he left the Army 50 years ago. There were a lot of men and a lot of serious firepower here.

He even spotted what looked like heavy machine guns and a couple of modified tanks. What the hell were they expecting, he wondered. After the last vehicle entered the compound, he closed the gate and sent a report, complete with video.

…

“Find anything?” Smith asked as Agent Harrison came up to him three hours after entering the compound. Harrison shook his head.

“Nothing, boss,” he said. “Not even a fingerprint. There’s nothing here but dust. Whoever they are, they did a damn good job of cleaning up.”

“What about the airfield?” Smith asked.

“Zero. Zilch. Nada,” Harrison said.

“Just doesn’t make sense,” Smith said. He pulled out his cell phone and made a call.

“There’s nothing here, sir. Not even a partial fingerprint,” Smith said when the man at the other end answered.

“Bullshit,” the man at the other end said. “Someone there knows something. Do what ya gotta do. I want answers and I want them yesterday!”

“Yes sir,” Smith said before ending the call.

“Well?” Harrison asked.

“Recall the detail. I’m going to see what I can get outta that smart-ass security guard,” Smith said.

“Careful. He’s an old man, you know,” Harrison said. Smith snorted.

“Yeah, I know,” Smith said with a wicked smirk. He had a lot of recent experience scaring innocent older people lately and found that he liked it.

…

Alvin watched the long convoy leave the compound and closed the gate after the last vehicle came out. He was surprised when it pulled up next to his shack and wondered what would happen. The driver-side door opened, and Smith got out, adjusting his tie.

Smith donned a light jacket that read “Federal Terrorism Task Force” before approaching the shack. He found that generally helped intimidate the people he spoke to.

“Mind if we talk for a bit?” Smith asked.

“Not at all. Come on in,” Alvin said. He went into the shack and sat down in his chair. Smith followed and looked around the hut a bit. He saw a small book, picked it up, and flipped through the pages before looking at Alvin.

“What’s this?” he asked.

“Called a pocket constitution,” Alvin said. “I like to read it from time to time. Took an oath to protect and defend that before you were a glimmer in yer daddy’s eye. You might want to familiarize yourself with it sometime.” Smith snorted.

“I’m a federal agent,” he said, tossing the book back on the desk.

“All the more reason why ya oughta read it from time to time, don’tcha think?” Alvin asked. Smith chuckled, but Alvin saw no humor in his laugh.

“Tell me, Mr. Johnson,” Smith said, looking at Alvin’s badge. “How long have you worked here?”

“I reckon about five or six years now,” Alvin said.

“You know what kinda work they did here?”

“Some kinda research facility,” Alvin said. “It was called a botanical research facility, so I guess they worked with plants. All above my pay grade.”

“When did they leave?”

“A few months back. November, I think,” Alvin said.

“You know where they went?” Alvin shook his head.

“No idea,” he told Smith. “I get paid to keep track of who goes in and out of this gate. That’s it.”

“Anybody come or go recently?” Smith asked.

“Only people through here in the last three months are you and that battalion of soldiers that came with you,” Alvin said. Smith nodded his head and looked around some more. His eyes fell on a red baseball cap hanging on a wall hook. He picked it up and looked at it closer before eyeing Alvin.

“What’s this?” he asked.

“That’s called a baseball cap, Agent Smith,” Alvin said.

“That’s SPECIAL Agent Smith to you, Mr. Johnson,” Smith said with a hint of anger. “Now tell me, what IS this?”

“Like I said, it’s a baseball cap,” Alvin said. “From my grandson’s Little League team. I used to coach before I retired.” Smith nodded his head and put the cap back.

“Where were you on January 6?” Smith asked.

“I don’t know. What year?” Alvin asked.

“Don’t get smart with me, Johnson. You know damn good and well what year. Last year,” Smith said.

“Don’t know. What day of the week was it?” Alvin asked.

“I think it was a Wednesday,” Smith said.

“If it was a Wednesday, then I woulda been right here, working a shift,” Alvin said.

“Uh huh,” Smith said. “Ever been to Washington?”

“You mean, like Washington, DC?” Alvin asked.

“Yeah,” Smith said.

“Fifty years ago. I guarded the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier for a while after I came back from ‘Nam,” Alvin said.

“You were in the Army?” Smith asked.

“Air Cav,” Alvin said. Smith nodded his head. “You ever been shot in the line of duty, ‘Special’ Agent Smith?”

“Can’t say that I have,” Smith told him.

“I have,” Alvin said. “Damn near didn’t make it home. Tell you what. You get yourself one of those little red badges of courage, then come see me. I’ll buy ya a beer. Deal?”

“Deal,” Smith said.

“Anything else?” Alvin asked.

“No, not at this time, Mr. Johnson. But I may want to talk to you some more,” Smith said.

“I’ll be here,” Alvin said as Smith turned to leave. “Wait a second.” Smith turned and barely caught the small booklet Alvin tossed at him. “Keep that. I got another one. Read it sometime. You might just learn something.” Smith nodded his head and left the shack. Alvin watched him get back in the black SUV, then sent his report.

When Smith closed the door, he ripped the small pocket Constitution and tossed the two halves into a trash bag. Harrison watched him closely.

“What’s that?” Harrison asked.

“A pocket Constitution,” Smith said. “Can you believe it? He actually suggested I read it.” Harrison chuckled.

“One of those, huh?” he asked derisively.

“Yeah,” Smith said as he pulled out his phone. “Let’s go.” As Harrison drove, Smith pulled out his phone and requested a dossier on an Army veteran named Alvin Johnson.

…

Margaret read the reports as they came in from the old stateside Colony and looked at the video Alvin sent. She went into Theresa’s office and saw her queen naked, impaled on one of Bernie’s 12 massive cocks.

“Um, excuse me, my Queen,” she said. Theresa stopped long enough to look back at Margaret. “I hate to interrupt…”

“That’s okay, Margaret,” Theresa said. “This isn’t anything you haven’t seen before. What is it?”

“I just got a report from the security guard at the old Colony,” Margaret said. “The FBI was there with a large number of soldiers.”

“Well, it certainly took them long enough,” Theresa said. “I take it they weren’t happy to find nothing.”

“No, they weren’t,” Margaret said. “But the security guard who was on duty seemed to think they might be back.”

“Let them come back,” Theresa said. “It’s their time to waste.”

“What should I do with this report?” Margaret asked.

“First, make sure the security people there are taken care of. Then see if you can find out who was in charge of that little raid. You might have to reach out to our operatives in Washington,” she said.

“Yes, my Queen,” Margaret said before closing the door. Theresa turned back to Bernie.

“Now, where were we, my love?” she asked as she took one of her mate’s penises.

…

“Can you believe it? Theresa wants me to join the team meeting with the Ukrainians,” April said as she sat down with the shrimp salad Jake had put together for her. He had gotten much better at handling kitchen utensils over the last few months and rarely made much of a mess in the kitchen. Not that April ever complained. She thought it was sweet how he bent over backward to please her and never complained about picking up after him.

“That is good news, my queen,” Jake said. “But isn’t it a bit dangerous with the Russians so close?”

“Theresa says we’ll be meeting the Ukrainian delegation on a royal yacht in international waters, so I don’t think we have much to worry about,” April said as she took a bite of her salad.

“I hope you are right,” Jake said. “How long will you be gone?”

“Only a few days,” April said. “We’re flying to Italy in a couple days, then taking the Mar’rldn to the rendezvous point. We’ll spend three days in talks, then come back.”

“I will miss you so much, my queen,” Jake said sadly.

“And I will miss you as well, my love,” April said.

“I have news as well,” Jake said.

“Oh? What’s that?” April asked.

“You know Lord Bernard has asked me to consume as much as possible about computer science,” he said.

“Yes, I know,” April said. “How is that coming along?”

“So far, I have absorbed the equivalent of a Master’s degree at MIT,” Jake said.

“Wow,” April said. “I’m impressed. All that in just three short months?”

“Yes,” Jake said. “So Lord Bernard has invited me to help him with some special projects. I’m not allowed to talk about them with anyone, though.”

“Oh, Jake! That is wonderful. I am so proud of you,” April said. “You don’t need to explain anything. I understand completely.”

“You are really proud of me, my queen?” Jake asked.

“More than you’ll ever know,” she said. “We need to celebrate.”

“Oh?” Jake asked.

“Yes,” April said. “This is a special day for my mate. I know! Why don’t I put on something really sexy and you can rip it off of my body then make mad passionate love to me?” Jake shook with excitement, his leaves trembling as he clapped some of his branches together.

“Yes!” he exclaimed. “I LOVE ripping clothes off of my queen!”

“And I love it when you rip my clothes to shreds and ravish my naked body,” April said, her excitement growing. “Let me finish my dinner and then I’ll go change into something more… comfortable.”

“I like the sound of that,” Jake said, shaking with anticipation. April finished her salad, then went into the bedroom.

“No peeking,” she said, looking back at her mate with a mischievous smile. A few minutes later, she came back wearing a black fishnet body stocking. She strode to her mate and stood over him, her legs spread. “Well? What do you think?”

“Oh yes,” Jake said. “Come to papa!” She giggled and sat down on the couch, putting a leg on each side of Jake so he could have access to her.

“Do it, baby,” she moaned, running her hands along her legs. Jake extended his leaves and covered the fishnet stocking with his dew, causing them to rip open. He worked his branches into the holes he made and tugged. Not too hard — just enough to cause the flimsy fabric to rip. April moaned in delight as he systematically tore the stocking off her body.

“You are so sexy, my queen,” Jake said in her mind as he destroyed her lingerie.

“I love it when you do that, baby,” she said. “It feels so damn… sexy… when you strip me naked like this.”

“Should I stop for a bit?” Jake teased as he toyed with her ruined stocking.

“No! Don’t stop! Rip them off of me, baby,” she moaned. “Please!” She felt a jolt as his dew dissolved the top half of her stocking, exposing her bare breasts. She loved how it felt on her nipples and rubbed it into her skin. Jake continued ripping and destroying the garment as April moaned and squirmed in delight as each piece of cloth was torn from her body. Her shaved pussy was dripping wet, and she needed him inside her.

“Ahhhh,” she cried as one dew-laden leaf rubbed against her pussy, depositing some of the viscous liquid on her clit. She instinctively began rubbing herself as she spread her now-naked legs wide for her mate. “Please, baby. Fuck me now!”

“You are so delicious, my queen,” Jake teased. “Are you sure you’re ready for this?”

“Quit teasing, baby,” April moaned. “Do me! I NEED you in me! NOW!”

“As you wish, my queen,” Jake said, extending one of his twelve hard penises until it penetrated her wet pussy. She moaned in delight as he gently worked his way into her. After a couple of minutes, he worked a second, then the third penis inside her. She took the fourth penis in her mouth and sucked as the other three fucked her.

After the first four penises erupted inside her, Jake replaced them with four more, and they continued coupling. April lost count of her orgasms as Jake continued to pound inside her. By the time all twelve penises had ejaculated in her, she was little more than a quivering mass of flesh.

Jake bundled his branches together, lifted her, and carried her into the bedroom. She wrapped her arms around his central stalk and held on as tight as possible. She looked at her mate when he laid her in the bed.

“I love you so much, my husband,” she whispered.

“And I love you more, my queen,” Jake responded before April fell asleep with a satisfied smile. Jake lovingly pressed a leaf against her face as he considered his beautiful human mate. He

could never imagine life without her and knew he would miss her terribly when she left for her mission.

…

Friday, February 18, 2022

“What the hell do you mean, you found nothing?” the older man bellowed.

“Just that, Director,” Special Agent Smith said. “We found nothing. Not a partial fingerprint. Not a stray piece of paper. Nothing. It’s like they sterilized the place before they abandoned it. There was a security man at the gate, but he was less than useless.”

“You expect me to tell the big guy you found absolutely nothing? Even though you had a small battalion of agents with you?”

“I would expect you to pass on what we found, Director,” Smith said. “I can go back and press the security guard again, but I don’t think anything will come of it.”

“Speaking of the security guard, boss, you picked one helluva man to fuck with,” Harrison injected, dropping a folder on the desk in front of Smith. “Alvin Johnson. Army veteran, Silver Star, Bronze Star with combat ‘V,’ Purple Heart, Army Commendation Medal, Combat Infantryman’s Badge. Real war hero.”

Smith sighed heavily as he shook his head. The agency had taken a lot of heat over the last couple of years. He knew what would happen if word got out that an agent was too harsh on an aging war hero who had been shot in Vietnam.

“Democrat or Republican?” the Director asked.

“According to the local voter registration rolls, he’s listed as an Independent,” Harrison said. The director nodded his head and turned his attention back to Smith.

“Leave the security man alone,” he said. “Whoever operated that place is now gone, and there’s nothing we can do about that. But that doesn’t mean we’re completely empty-handed.”

“What do you mean, Director?” Smith asked. The older man dropped a folder containing satellite photos on the desk. Smith opened the folder and looked through the images.

“What’s this?” he asked as he thumbed through the pictures.

“Satellite photos,” the Director said. “If you look closely, you’ll see the aircraft that left the facility seem to… disappear once they reach international waters. As you can see, some of them headed southwest, while others went southeast. We tried to extrapolate their destination based on their heading at the time they disappeared, but we haven’t been able to come up with anything. Yet.”

“That’s not possible,” Smith said. “From what I saw that facility looked like it could’ve housed thousands of people.”

“Yes,” the Director said. “We estimate as many as 25,000. Perhaps more.”

“Do we have anything else?” Smith asked.

“It just so happens that we do,” the Director said. “I’ve had teams of analysts on this for the last month or so. Last November, shortly after this mass exodus, the Secretary-General of the United Nations and a group of diplomats left New York in a very sophisticated long-range aircraft that flew in the same general vector as many of these aircraft.

“They came back in the same aircraft a few days later. We don’t know where they went, and all anyone will say is that he participated in some kind of climate change meeting. But all of the climate people we’ve spoken to said they have no knowledge of any such meeting,” the Director added.

“Interesting,” Smith said.

“It gets better,” the Director said. “There was a massive shift of funds into something called the 1st IGC Bank. We have no idea where the money originated from, but we know that almost all of it was held offshore. We have nothing to suggest that any laws were violated, but the shift, in and of itself, was quite interesting.

“Then, on the evening of December 3, this went out over social media,” the Director said, handing Smith a tablet. “Go ahead, play it.” Smith pressed the play button on the video and watched as a totally nude woman sat at a desk with two unfamiliar green, gray and black flags behind her.

“Good evening, ladies and gentlemen,” the woman said, looking directly into a camera. “Thank you for taking time to join me this evening. As you know, I’m not one for long flowery speeches, so I’ll come straight to the point.

“I am here to officially announce the formation of the Gingravik Prefecture of Earth. What that means is that we are now a sovereign entity. Our work will continue, but from this moment forward, it will be done independent of any authority or government on Earth save our own.

“All of you who joined me in this transition know who we answer to, and what we pledge our allegiance to. I want to thank each and every one of you for your hard work, your dedication, and your loyalty. You have earned my everlasting gratitude. And my undying love.

“To the rest of the world, please know this. We seek only peaceful coexistence. We make no demands, issue no ultimatums. We have already reached out to the United Nations in hopes of establishing diplomatic relations with the world community.

“There will be more to come in the following days and weeks but tonight, I ask only that you join me in celebrating this moment. May Marsook’s will be done, and may each of you be blessed in your own special way. Thank you and goodnight,” she said to loud applause. Smith ended the video and looked at the Director, shocked.

“We were able to get that video squashed before it went viral,” the Director said. “As you know, the administration works closely with a number of tech companies, so this video and any mention of ‘Gingravik’ is monitored and, thanks to various algorithms set up by these companies, immediately removed.”

“Gingravik. That’s the name of that facility we went to,” Smith said.

“Yes, it is,” the Director said.

“Do we know who this woman is?” Smith asked.

“We have no idea,” the Director said. “She was introduced as ‘Tere, Queen Mother of Earth.’ We have no other information on her whatsoever. For all we know, she’s simply an actress performing a role.”

“She mentioned the United Nations,” Smith said. “Has anyone from the UN mentioned this?” The Director shook his head.

“No,” he said. “And they’re stonewalling all of my inquiries into it. I’ve spoken with our ambassador to the UN, and she assures me she’ll look into it. But she hasn’t learned anything yet.”

“What do we do now?” Smith asked.

“I’m assigning you and Harrison to an inter-agency task force set up by our friends at Langley,” the Director said. “Effective immediately. I understand there’s going to be a lot of travel involved, so pack accordingly.”

“Yes, sir,” Smith said.

“Get me some answers,” the Director said. “Immediately if not sooner. We need to know who these people are working with and if they’re a threat to national security.”

“Got it,” Smith said.

…

February 20, 2022

April stowed her luggage in the closet of her spacious stateroom aboard the Mar’rldn and joined Theresa on an upper deck. They had arrived at Marina di Carrara without incident, and the hybrid Gingravik crew had assumed their posts with no problems. Captain Sean MacFarland reported to Theresa that all was ship-shape and the boat was underway.

As the boat moved slowly out of the port, they saw a much larger yacht moored to a pier. Theresa pointed at it before speaking to April.

“See that?” she asked. April nodded her head. “That’s the Scheherazade. I’m told it belongs to Vladimir Putin.”

“That’s a big boat,” April said.

“Yes, it is,” Theresa said. “I’m told it has gold toilet paper holders and a tiled dance floor that drops to become a pool.”

“No way,” April said. Theresa nodded her head.

“I’ve also been told it’s like a mini-city and every surface is either marble or gold. Every screw in that thing is supposedly gold-plated,” she said.

“That’s just a bit much,” April said.

“Yes, I agree,” Theresa said.

“How much do you think he paid for that?” April asked.

“I’ve seen estimates that suggest over $750 million,” Theresa said. “Meanwhile, the average Russian makes just over $6,500 a year and struggles to eat.”

“That’s so wrong,” April said.

“You’ll get no argument from me,” Theresa said quietly. She looked at the younger woman before speaking. “Please do me a favor, April.”

“What’s that, my Queen?” she asked, causing Theresa to smile.

“Never let me forget where I came from,” Theresa said. “And never let me get like… that,” she added, looking at the massive yacht. April knew what Theresa meant. She knew of the queen’s humble origins and how her Gingravik mate transformed her into the beautiful and powerful woman she is now.

“I won’t… Theresa,” April said. Theresa smiled and hugged April like a sister.

“Thank you,” she said. “By the way, I hear Bernie has enlisted Jake’s help.”

“Yes, he has,” April said. “He seems to really enjoy whatever it is Bernie has him doing. I’ve never seen him so animated. I’m really proud of him.”

“I’m glad,” Theresa said. “Bernie is very impressed with your mate’s work.” April smiled broadly at that. She loved hearing others praise her Gingravik husband.

“He’s very happy to be doing whatever it is he’s working on,” April said.

“How are things between the two of you?” Theresa asked.

“Wonderful,” April said, thinking of the last sex-filled night they spent together. “I’ve never been happier in my life. I miss him so much.”

“I know how you feel,” Theresa said. “I miss Bernie as well. But we’ll be back home soon enough.”

…

“You have reason to believe these people may be working with the Russians?” Smith asked the short, somewhat rotund man standing in front of him.

“Yes,” the man said, running a hand through his already-disheveled hair.

“What makes you think that?” Harrison asked.

“Because,” the man, identified only as “Jones,” said. “We don’t need a reason,” he added after shaking his head. “That’s just the way it is.”

“So, what are your plans?” Smith said.

“We have extrapolated a possible destination for all of the aircraft that left the facility you two searched,” Jones said, pointing at a spot on a map attached to the wall. “We believe

they went here. And that’s where you two are going.”

“But… there’s nothing there, according to your map,” Harrison said.

“Trust me, something is there,” Jones said. “And you two are going to find out what. And you’re going to find out what’s going on there, and verify they’re working with the Russians.”

“How do you plan to get us there?” Smith asked.

“Do not concern yourself with that. We have many ways of inserting operatives into hostile territories. I understand you are both scuba-qualified,” Jones said.

“Yes,” Smith told him. “Why?”

“You’ll find out soon enough. There is an aircraft waiting for you at Langley Air Force Base,” Jones said. “These men will take you there. They will provide you instructions along the way. You are to follow their instructions to the letter,” he added, pointing to two other men in dark suits and sunglasses.

“How do we get back?” Harrison asked.

“You will be instructed on that before you are inserted,” Jones said.

“Is that all?” Smith asked.

“Just one last thing,” Jones said. “If you are captured, we will disavow any knowledge of your existence. Is that clear?”

“Crystal,” Smith said, looking at Jones.
…

February 23, 2022

Theresa, April, Harlan, and Alan stood on the deck and watched as the Ukrainian helicopter touched down. Crewmembers quickly secured the aircraft and rolled a small set of steps when the side door opened. Four people climbed out — two men and two women — and made their way across the deck.

Theresa, fully dressed so as not to distract their guests, led April, Harlan, and Alan as they met the four Ukrainians. She sighed resolutely, chafing a bit at the unaccustomed cloth shell, even such fine cloth as the Gingravik synthesize. She would have preferred to be in her natural state — nude. But too much hung in the balance. Four of the yacht’s crew members approached and grabbed the visitors’ luggage before disappearing.

“Alina, it is so good to finally meet you in person,” Theresa said, extending a hand.

“And you as well, Your Majesty,” Alina said in accented English.

“Please, call me Theresa. Let me introduce you to my colleagues. This is Dr. Alan Johnson, Harmon Caldwell, head of botanical and pharmaceutical research, and April Jennings, one of our top botanists. Harmon also happens to be my son,” Theresa said proudly.

“It is a pleasure to meet you,” Alina said. “Let me introduce my colleagues. This is Anatoliy Karpenko, Boryslav Kravchuk, and Myroslava Fedorenko.” They all smiled as they shook hands.

“Why don’t we go inside,” Theresa said. “Lunch is being served, so I thought we could get to know each other a bit before we get to business.”

“That sounds wonderful,” Alina said. They went inside, and Theresa led them to the main dining room, where eight places had been set. Cards were placed, indicating where each of them should sit. After they had taken their seats, orderlies poured each a glass of wine and put covered dishes in front of them.

“This looks delicious,” Alina said when an orderly uncovered the dish, revealing a shrimp salad.

“Everyone, please help yourselves,” Theresa said as she took her first taste. The others followed suit.

“May I ask you something?” Boryslav asked April.

“Of course,” April said.

“I could not help but notice the mark on you and the Queen,” he said, looking at the mating mark on April’s chest, the top part of which was visible over her blouse. “Could you explain that, please?”

“Certainly,” April said. “That is the mark I accepted when I married my mate.”

“You wear a mark instead of a wedding ring?” he asked.

“Yes,” April said. “This is more than just a sign of my marital status. It contains a sample of my mate’s DNA along with the sign of his house. And it can’t be removed, like a wedding ring.”

“I… see,” Boryslav said. “And your mate?”

“He has a similar mark with a sample of my DNA,” she said. “With these, we are forever connected in a way that’s difficult to describe. He is always a part of me, and I am always a part of him.”

“Interesting,” Boryslav said. “Did that hurt?”

“It tingled a bit at first,” April said. “But that went away pretty fast.”

“But what happens when one divorces?” he asked.

“Divorce is unheard of in Gingravik society,” Theresa interjected, causing Boryslav to look at her, surprised. “When one takes a mate in the Gingravik fashion, it is literally for life.”

“And do you have such a mark?” Myroslava asked Harmon.

“Yes,” Harmon said. “Both Dr. Johnson and I are mated as well. Our marks are simply hidden by our clothing. As April said, with these marks, we are forever connected to our mates.”

“The Gingravik feels very strongly about fidelity,” Theresa said. “Once marked in the mating ritual, we are incapable of infidelity.”

“Incapable?” Anatoliy asked. “How is that possible?”

“It works on two levels, actually,” Alan said. “The first is cellular. As April and Harmon suggested, once marked, we are connected to our mates for life. It’s far more than a symbolic exchange of rings. With my mate’s mark, her DNA is part of me. Simply put, it is literally impossible for me to be attracted to another female.”

“So, if a beautiful woman came to you, removed all her clothes, and offered herself to you, you would feel nothing?” Anatoliy asked.

“Precisely,” Alan said. He pulled out his wallet and showed Anatoliy a photo of him and his mate, Lucinda. “This is me with my mate, Lucinda. Do you honestly think I could possibly find anyone more attractive than her?” Anatoliy looked at the photo, his eyes wide.

“She’s very beautiful. And… naked,” he said, surprised. “You have no problem with your mate being undressed like that in public?” Alan laughed at that.

“She’s in her natural state, the way she prefers. And no, I have no problem with it whatsoever,” Alan said. “She is my mate, and I know she will never feel attraction to another man. The way I would never feel attracted to another woman.”

“Is this… normal in your society?” Anatoliy asked.

“Yes, it is,” Theresa said. “We are very open about our sexuality and we are not ashamed of our natural state.”

“I will definitely have to visit your country,” Boryslav said with a smile. The others laughed at that.

“We would love to have you come visit us, Boryslav,” Theresa said.

“You said this works on two levels,” Anatoliy said, addressing Alan. “What is the second?”

“Well, the second is more of a defensive mechanism,” Alan said.

“You mean, as in attempted rape?”Alina asked. Alan nodded his head.

“Precisely,” he said.

“I do not quite understand,” Alina said.

“Let’s just say that someone making an unwanted advance would not like the outcome,” Theresa said.

“We will definitely have to discuss this further,” Alina said. They talked a bit more as they finished their meals and adjourned to another room, where they sat down around a large table. Alan carried a briefcase and opened it up, pulling out eight folders. He handed one to everybody present.

“Here are the reports from our initial research,” he said.

“Have you had any luck?” Alina asked. Alan smiled.

“No, Alina, we haven’t had any luck,” he said, causing Alina’s face to fall. “We’ve had success.” Her face lit up, as did the others on her delegation. “Luck is reserved for those who gamble,” he added. “April, would you care to explain?”

“Yes, Dr. Johnson,” she said, opening her folder. “We were able to synthesize a plant-based compound that, when applied to the core samples you provided, completely neutralized the radioactive material in less than two weeks.”

“Neutralized?” Boryslav asked, confused. “How?” April turned to Alan.

“Dr. Johnson? Would you care to explain?” she asked.

“Of course,” he said before launching into a scientific discussion that shocked the four Ukrainians. What he said made perfect sense to them, even though it was way over Theresa’s head. When he finished, Myroslava turned to April.

“Were you successful with the uranium sample we provided?” she asked, referring to a tiny sample provided to April’s research team.

“Yes,” April said. “We were able to successfully break it down. It took about a month to completely break the sample down, but it’s now completely inert.”

“Would it be possible to apply this compound to the entire exclusion zone?” Anatoliy asked, referring to a 30-kilometer area around the Chernobyl plant evacuated by Soviet authorities just hours after the 1986 disaster.

“Perhaps, if it’s done strategically,” Harmon said. Boryslav turned to Alina and said something in Ukrainian.

“I’m sorry, what?” Alan asked.

“Boryslav wanted to know if this compound could possibly work on the Elephant’s Foot,” she said.

“Elephant’s Foot?” Harmon asked. “What’s that?”

“It’s basically a mass of melted nuclear fuel mixed with concrete, sand, and core sealing material beneath Reactor Number 4,” he said. “The reactor itself is sealed within a sarcophagus, but the foot is still quite hot. There are concerns that it could trigger another explosion if it hits groundwater. At the very least, it could contaminate drinking water for centuries. Even now, a few minutes near it will bring certain death.” Alan, April, and Harmon looked at each other, shocked.

“I… wasn’t aware of that,” Harmon said. “I would have to consult with our nuclear scientists before making any kind of statement on that.”

“Boryslav has been monitoring that situation for quite some time,” Alina said. Harmon nodded his head.

“Would you be willing to consult with our team on New South Marsookia?” Harmon asked Boryslav.

“I would, if it would be permitted,” he said, glancing at Alina.

“I believe we can get permission for that,” Alina said.

“Well, it looks like you’ll be visiting our country after all,” Theresa said. They talked for quite a while, taking periodic breaks to stretch, refreshing their drinks, and using the head. They adjourned for dinner at about 5:30 pm and stopped talking shop. They finally called it a day at 9:00 pm and went to their staterooms.

…

February 24, 2022

Theresa woke up to the sounds of boots on the deck outside her door and above her. She heard shouting in English and Russian, then automatic gunfire. She sat up and quickly dressed. Then she heard a hard knocking on her hatch. Looking through the peephole, she saw Capt. MacFarland.

“What’s going on?” she asked when she opened the door.

“We’ve been boarded by Russians,” he said. “Quick, get your passport and come with us, my Queen.” Theresa quickly grabbed her passport from her nightstand and followed Sean. She saw a tall uniformed soldier with him and nodded her head.

“I’m right here, my Queen,” he said, bringing his rifle up.

“Thank you,” she said. They turned and began running down the corridor to a ladder well. She heard a shot from behind her and heard the soldier cry, “Ouch,” as the bullet went through his shoulder. She saw the dark fluid staining his uniform, but he never slowed down. She heard another shot and saw a hole appear in the middle of his head. His eyes opened wide, and he fell to the deck, dead.

Theresa looked at the soldier in shock. No one had ever taken a bullet for her before, let alone two. And now, one of her beloved soldiers lay dead on the floor at the hands of the Russians. And all he ever did was protect her. She wanted to do something for him, but Sean stopped her.

“There’s nothing you can do for him now, my Queen,” Sean said. “Let’s keep going.” They continued running but didn’t get very far. Two Russian soldiers in dark uniforms came down the ladder well and pointed their rifles at them. They stopped and turned, but more Russians were behind them.

Sean dropped his pistol and held his hands up in surrender. Unlike the soldier, he was fully human and would not fare well if he were shot. A man in a Russian officer’s uniform came up to them and said something, but Theresa couldn’t understand what he was saying.

“English?” she asked.

“You are American?” the officer asked in thickly-accented English. Theresa shook her head.

“Gingravik,” she said, showing him her passport. The officer frowned as he looked at her funny, then looked at her passport before addressing her again.

“What is Gingravik?” he asked.

“I am,” Theresa said. “We all are. This is an unarmed neutral vessel on a mission of peace in international waters. By attacking this vessel, you are committing a war crime.” The officer laughed, then waved a hand at one of his soldiers, who came forward.

The officer barked an order in Russian and watched as the soldier zip-tied Theresa’s hands behind her back. He had a hard time taking his eyes off what he could see of her body. He did the same to Sean, then motioned for them to follow the soldiers.

Theresa and Sean followed the soldiers to the main deck, then walked across a plank to a Russian warship next to the Mar’rldn. She saw April, Harmon, Alan, and the four Ukrainians. She looked around and saw two of her own security troops. The officer barked another order, and a group of soldiers took her and Sean into the belly of the ship.

The first thing she noticed was the stench of the vessel, then she saw the Russian men leering at her and April as they made comments in Russian. They were led to a small room that contained even smaller cells. The women were placed in one cell while the men were split up and put in the other cells.

Their zip ties were cut, and they were pushed into the cells. Theresa turned to the officer who captured her.

“You’re making a big mistake,” she said. “I wish to speak to your superior, now!” The officer glared at her for a second, then slapped her across the face.

“How does it feel to wish, American cunt?” he asked with a sneer before saying something in Russian. The men around him laughed.

“Say no more, my Queen,” Sean whispered from the adjacent cell. The officer smirked and nodded his head.

“Queen, huh? You should listen to your lapdog, ‘queen,’” he said, sarcastically emphasizing the word, “queen.” Theresa tasted blood in her mouth and spit it on the floor at the officer’s feet. He looked down for a moment, then back at her before laughing. He said something in Russian to the men around him, then left with Theresa’s passport.

“I managed to get a message off to headquarters,” Sean whispered to her. “I also made sure the transponder is activated.”

“Thank you, Captain,” she said. “How are your men?”

“Most of them were killed fighting off the Russian soldiers,” he said. “There were just too many of them. I should have died with the crew.”

“No,” she said. “You did the right thing.” She turned to April, shivering with fear as she sat on the narrow metal bench next to Alina. “Are you alright?”

“No, my Queen,” she said. “I’m scared. I’m sorry.” Theresa put an arm around her and tried to comfort her.

“It’s alright, April. Bernie and Ambassador Tsod know where we are,” she said.

“Be careful, Your Highness,” Alina said. “These are Russians. They’re not exactly known for following international rules.” Theresa nodded her head as she thought about her options. Then it hit her. As the Queen Mother, she was the one everyone else looked to for guidance, strength, and leadership.

She looked at everyone in their cells, trembling with fear. She thought of the brave soldier who died protecting her, and something inside her snapped. Then she spoke with all the conviction she could muster.

“We are Gingravik,” she said. “What the Russians have done is nothing short of an act of war. Before this is over, they will learn to tremble at the mention of our name! We will keep our heads held high and our wits about us. Do NOT let them see fear in your face. Understand?”

“Yes, my Queen,” they all said quietly.

“I can’t hear you!” Theresa said, louder. “Do you understand?”

“YES, MY QUEEN!” everyone shouted. A young Russian soldier came to the cells and yelled something as he waved his rifle. Everyone looked at him with anger in their eyes. He looked around and slowly walked away when he saw they weren’t intimidated by him.

They felt slight movement through the deck and realized the ship was moving away from the Mar’rldn. Shortly after that, they heard the throaty report of naval gunfire and a series of explosions in the distance.

“I believe they’ve just sunk the Mar’rldn,” Sean told Theresa. “No doubt to hide their crime. No matter. The mayday has already gone out, and a report has already been sent to NSM.” Theresa nodded her head.

“What happens now?” Alina asked quietly.

“How is your Shakespeare?” Theresa asked.

“I do not understand,” Alina said.

“Julius Caesar. Act Three Scene One. ‘Cry Havoc! And let slip the dogs of war.’ Putin wants a war. If I know my mate, he’ll give Putin a war the likes of which he won’t believe,” Theresa said.

…

Tsod was beyond furious when he saw the report. According to the captain of the Mar’rldn, the royal yacht had been surrounded by four Russian warships shortly after another warship attacked Snake Island.

The vessel had been boarded by Russian soldiers, who swarmed the ship, killing anyone who resisted. The ship’s crew fought valiantly but were overwhelmed by the heavily-armed Russians. At least five security soldiers had been killed but took several Russians down with them.

“Can you track the delegation?” he asked a bleary-eyed Margaret.

“Yes, I have them, Ambassador,” she said. “They all appear to be on a Russian warship heading for Sebastopol. I have initiated an emergency communication with the home world.” The door opened, and three more came into the room — Bernie, Jake, and Greta Schultz, the representative from the United Nations.

“What is their status, Ambassador?” Bernie asked, anger in his voice.

“Their vitals appear good, so far, Lord Bernard,” Tsod said. “But they have been captured by the Russians.” Bernie turned to Jake and shook his leaves as he said something in his native language. Jake shook his branches in response and turned to another console. Tsod looked at Greta.

“Can you reach anyone at the UN who can intervene?” he asked.

“I can try,” she said, pulling out her phone. She went into another room as Tsod and Bernie turned to the primary monitor, where an image of the Emperor and the High Council appeared.

“Ambassador, what is the meaning of this report?” the Emperor asked.

“Excellency, Queen Tere and her delegation were captured by Russian forces in the Black Sea,” Tsod said. “They were on a mission of peace with a delegation from Ukraine when the Mar’rldn was attacked. Their vitals appear good so far.” As the Emperor and the Council conferred, Greta returned to the room, and Tsod turned to her.

“Well?” he asked.

“I’m afraid the situation is worse than you know,” she said. “Russia invaded Ukraine early this morning. Right now, the abduction of your people are considered secondary to that.”

“Secondary?” Tsod asked. “They just abducted our head of state on this planet.”

“I know,” Greta said. “And we’re all shocked by that. But right now, the invasion is front and center.”

“I am beginning to think it was a mistake reaching out to your so-called United Nations,” Tsod growled. “What good are you if you can’t even keep one mad dictator from invading a neighbor and abducting another nation’s head of state?”

“I’m sorry, Ambassador,” Greta said. “Please do not judge us over this. It is… complicated. The whole world community is shocked by what has happened. Believe me, we will do everything in our power to correct this.”

“And so will we,” Tsod said, turning back to the monitor.

“Do what you must, Ambassador. Keep us informed,” the Emperor said.

“Yes, Excellency,” Tsod said.

…

Sometime after the guard left, a man in civilian clothes came to the cells. Referring to something in his hand, he looked around at the people in the cells before seeing his intended target. He pointed at Theresa.

“You! Come,” he ordered in accented English. Theresa stood, and the cell door was unlocked and opened. The man began to put a hand on her shoulder, but Theresa recoiled from him.

“Do not touch me,” she hissed. The man smiled, but there was no warmth in his smile. He motioned for her to accompany him with an open hand.

“Please,” he said quietly. Theresa went with him to a small room. She was ushered in and ordered to sit on one side of a small table. A guard pulled out a set of cuffs, but the man waved him off. “I don’t think those will be necessary. Where is she going to go?” The guard nodded his head and backed out of the room, closing the door.

The man pulled out a pack of cigarettes and offered one to Theresa, but she declined. He pulled one out and lit it, taking a deep drag before speaking.

“So, would you mind telling me who you really are?” he asked after looking at her passport.

“I am Tere, Queen Mother of the Gingravik Prefect of Earth,” she said calmly. The man snickered and took another drag off his cigarette.

“That what it says here as well,” he said. “Please. I am not stupid. There is no such thing as Gingravik. Facebook says so.”

“Yet, here I am,” she said. The man tossed his cigarette on the floor and crushed it with his shoe.

“Yes. Here you are,” he said slowly. “You sound… American. California, perhaps.”

“I was born in Arizona,” she said. “And I lived in California for a while. But I am who and what I say I am.”

“What were you doing here in the Black Sea?” he asked.

“We were on a mission of peace in international waters with members of the Ukrainian Science ministry,” she said.

“I find that difficult to believe,” he said. “It is more likely you work for the CIA and you were here to collaborate with the Nazi regime in Kyiv. But to what end?”

“It sounds like you are more uninformed than I originally thought,” she said. His focus turned to her cleavage and, specifically, to the greenish mark between her breasts.

“What is that?” he asked, pointing at her mark.

“It’s my mating mark,” she said.

“You are married?” he asked.

“Yes,” she told him.

“But you wear no rings,” he responded.

“No,” she replied. “In our culture, we take a mark to signify our marital status.”

“Remove it,” he said. “I wish to examine it for bugs or tracking devices.”

“No,” she said. “It cannot be removed.” His face turned red as he pulled out a switchblade, flicking the blade open for dramatic effect.

“Then I will cut it off of you,” he said, lunging forward. As soon as the hand holding the blade touched her skin, a bright flash of static erupted from the mark and enveloped his hand. He dropped the knife and fell back into his chair, holding his injured hand. He looked at the blade and saw it had burned into two pieces.

“I told you not to touch me,” she said calmly. “You do not have my mate’s DNA, and you tried to touch me without my permission. You should have listened.” He looked at her, rage on his face.

“You WILL talk to me, bitch,” he growled as he started to unbuckle his trousers.

“So, you plan to rape me now?” she asked calmly. “You honestly think you can fuck me into submission? Trust me, the pain in your hand will be nothing compared to what happens to your pathetic little dick if you even try.” He looked at her, shocked. This was not how it was supposed to go. She should’ve been on her knees, begging for mercy by now. “You call yourself a man? You’re pathetic,” she said, laughing. He had to get control of the situation and fast. He took a deep breath to collect himself.

“So, what would you have me do?” he asked.

“The best thing would be to release me and my people as soon as we reach port. Then you will publicly apologize to all of us and let us make arrangements to go home,” she said.

“And if I don’t?” he asked. She shrugged her shoulders.

“Then what happens next will be on you,” she said. The man gathered his things and called for the guard. They led Theresa back to the cell and locked the door. He spoke to an officer in Russian before leaving.

“What happened to his hand?” Alina asked.

“He tried to touch me,” Theresa said.

“I heard him telling that officer he needs to speak to his superiors in Moscow,” Alina said. “He’s not very happy right now.” Theresa smiled.

“Good,” she said.

…

“Have you got it yet?” Tsod asked Jake as the younger hybrid’s branches flew over the touchpad.

“Just about,” Jake said as he continued to work. “There! Got it.” They all looked at the primary monitor and saw a familiar face — one they had seen on the news many times. He apparently didn’t know they had hacked into his communication system. He continued to look down at papers on his desk, one hand on his head.

“Mr. President,” Tsod boomed, causing the man to jump in surprise. He looked up, frowning, to see who had dared to disturb him.

“What… Who…”

“Mr. President, I am Ambassador Tsod of the Interstellar Gingravik Consortium,” Tsod said.

“I do not have time for you,” the blond-haired man said in Russian as he waved his hands. The system instantly translated his words, so Tsod heard his response in English. “Contact my Foreign Minister, and perhaps he can work you into my schedule in a month or so.”

“Very well. The bombing starts in five minutes,” Tsod said, causing the man to look up in surprise. “Jake, target Moscow.”

“Yes, Ambassador,” Jake said. “Targeting Moscow. Would 100 megatons be sufficient?”

“I think so,” Tsod said. “But add a few more just to make sure.”

“Wait! Wait,” the Russian president said, holding up his hands. Tsod signaled Jake to hold.

“Have I got your attention now, Mr. President?” Tsod asked.

“Yes,” Vladimir Putin said. “Who are you? What do you want? How did you manage to contact me?”

“I told you, I am Ambassador Tsod. I am speaking to you from the Gingravik Prefect of Earth,” Tsod said. Another man whispered something in the Russian president’s ear as they watched. Putin looked at the monitor when the other man stepped back.

“This is impossible. Facebook says you do not exist,” Putin said, his brows furrowed.

“I know. So does Twitter. So do most of the so-called ‘fact-checkers.’ Nevertheless, here I am,” Tsod said.

“So, what do you want?” Putin asked.

“At about 0500 Crimea time, four of your warships attacked a yacht that belongs to the Prefect. Your soldiers abducted several people from that yacht after killing most of the crew. One of the people your soldiers abducted is our head of state on this planet,” Tsod said.

“I demand the immediate release of all individuals your troops abducted and demand that you compensate us for the loss of our vessel and the unnecessary loss of life at the hands of your soldiers,” he added. The same man appeared and whispered something in Putin’s ear as they watched. His eyebrows raised when the man left.

“I am not aware of that, Ambassador,” Putin said with a smirk. “I am aware that we took several undercover American CIA operatives into custody as they were plotting with the Ukrainian Nazis to attack Russia.”

“Mr. President, you are woefully misinformed,” Tsod said, and Putin raised a finger to silence him.

“Those individuals will be brought here, to Moscow, where they will be tried and executed as spies,” Putin said. “Nice try, Ambassador. If that’s who and what you really are.”

“Mr. President, you are on the verge of sparking an interstellar war,” Tsod said. “If you do this, understand that you and your entire country will be completely and utterly destroyed. If you survive, you will become humanity’s first interstellar war criminal. I urge you to rethink your position.” Putin laughed at that.

“Your Hollywood will have to do much better than this,” Putin said. “I have said all I intend to say on the matter.” As he spoke, Bernie wheeled his cart in view. Putin’s eyes widened as he saw the large leafy plant, and Bernie turned his twelve penises towards Putin’s image.

“What Hollywood trickery is this?” Putin asked.

“SILENCE, MEATBAG!” Bernie declared. “You will release my queen NOW! Or I will personally remove that pathetic appendage you call a sex organ and feed you into a pain amplifier!” At first, the Russian President’s face registered shock. Then it softened, and he began laughing.

“I give you credit. Your special effects are quite good. You almost had me convinced for a moment,” Putin said. Then his face turned hard. “But I mean what I say. Your people will stand trial here and will be publicly hanged as spies. Goodbye.” He leaned forward, and the video feed was gone. Tsod turned to Jake.

“Did you get him tagged?” he asked.

“Yes, Ambassador,” Jake said. “He cannot defecate without us knowing about it.” Tsod smiled.

“Good job. Get me the Council Chamber,” he said. Jake worked the console, and soon, they were looking at the High Council and the Emperor.

“What is your report, Ambassador?” the Emperor asked.

“The Russian president says he intends to try our delegation and publicly execute them as spies,” Tsod said.

“Even after you identified yourself and explained who they had taken?” the Emperor asked.

“That is correct, Excellency,” Tsod said.

“This makes no sense,” the Emperor said. “Why?”

“Part of the problem is the human’s information system,” Tsod said. “It is tightly controlled by a small group of very large and powerful companies that dictates what the humans are allowed to perceive as reality, regardless of what is right in front of them. Lord Bernard’s team has been working to find a way around that, but it will take some time.”

“And time is something we do not have,” the Emperor said. “Very well, Ambassador. We will use their weakness to our advantage and create our own reality for them. You are authorized to unleash the D’o’wr. I will dispatch a squadron to your system in the event escalation becomes necessary.”

“Yes, Excellency,” Tsod said. Bernie and Jake wheeled themselves into view of the Emperor and

Council.

“With your permission, Excellency, I would like to accompany the D’o’wr,” Bernie said. “They have my mate and one of my offspring.”

“And I would like to join them as well, Excellency,” Jake said. “They have taken my mate also.” The Emperor considered the two male Gingravik before him.

“You are Gingravik,” he finally said. “And it is your right. Are you up to the struggle?”

“Yes, Excellency,” Jake and Bernie said in unison.

“Very well,” the Emperor said. “Adjust your proteins accordingly. Bring our people back. And teach the meatbags a lesson they will never forget.”

“Yes, Excellency,” Bernie said. The connection ended, and Bernie turned to Tsod. “You have the coordinates for our people and the Russian president?”

“Yes, my Lord,” Tsod said.

“Good. Keep track of them. Arrange for two extreme high altitude stealth aircraft. Feed the coordinates to those aircraft. Jake will accompany a squad to the Russian ship and I will go to Moscow with the other,” Bernie said. “I made a promise to that meatbag and I intend to see it through. In my absence, you are in charge of the Prefect, Ambassador.”

“Yes, Lord Bernard,” Tsod said. “When do you wish to leave?”

“Ten minutes ago,” Bernie said.

“I understand. May Marsook go with you.”

“Of course,” Bernie said. The two male plants left the room, discussing their plan on the way.

…

Theresa woke with a start when she heard footsteps. When she looked up, she saw the man who interrogated her earlier, and he had a smirk on his face as he leered at her body.

“What do you want?” she asked.

“I just wanted to inform you that I spoke to my superiors in Moscow,” he said. “I have been instructed to take all of you there.”

“Why?” Theresa asked.

“To try you as American CIA spies,” he said. “And then to hang you. In public, for all the world to see.” He laughed, then walked away. Everyone looked at Theresa, scared. She thought for a moment before saying anything else.

“Don’t worry,” she said. “We’ll be alright. Bernie won’t let anything bad happen to us.”

“How?” Alina asked. “They don’t even know where we are.”

“Yes, they do,” Theresa said, her hand over her mark. “Our marks can be tracked if necessary, and they know exactly where we are.”

“But how will they be able to get to us?” Myroslava asked. Theresa smiled before answering.

“We have… ways,” she said.

…

Bernie and Jake awakened the two squads of D’o’wr, then briefed them on the upcoming mission. The D’o’wr were part of a special project Theresa devised about six months before announcing the formation of the Prefect.

The D’o’wr were, for lack of a better explanation, the Gingravik version of special forces operators — fearless and engineered for combat at the cellular level. Four squads of ten D’o’wr had been completed so far, and this would be the first time their special skills would be tested.

They were briefed on their missions, equipped, and transported to the main airfield on New South Marsookia, where two GA-745E stealth aircraft awaited them. The high-tech aircraft had been designed and built by the Consortium on New South Marsookia specifically for such military operations.

Capable of high-altitude hypersonic flight, nothing like them existed anywhere else on the planet. However, some companies have been working on such a craft for years. The aircraft was invisible to modern radar, and they included circuitry that made them invisible to satellite imagery. The designers had given the advanced aircraft vertical take-off and landing capabilities.

After loading the aircraft, they took off and reached a cruising altitude of 90,000 feet — roughly 5,000 feet higher than the record set by the U.S. SR-71. They reached Mach 8 in short order and would be over their targets in just under two hours.

The two aircraft reduced their speed and altitude at the set time so Jake, Bernie, and the D’o’wr could safely execute their precision HALO jumps. After Bernie and his contingent of D’o’wr left their aircraft, it quickly clawed its way into the sky, circling Moscow as it awaited the signal from Bernie.

The plane containing Jake continued flying to a point along the Italian coast after he and his D’o’wr companions made their jump.

“GERONIMO!!!” Jake screamed from inside the protective canopy of his armored military cart as it fell toward a spot in the Black Sea.

“Maintain radio silence,” the lead D’o’wr said over his radio. “Concentrate on your targeting screen.”

“Sorry,” a chastised Jake said quietly. He turned to the screen in front of him. He did as he was told, making the necessary adjustments to ensure he landed where he was supposed to — on the deck of the Russian warship far below him. If he missed his target, he would end up at the bottom of the Black Sea.

The chute opened at a preset altitude, and Jake — along with his D’o’wr companions — were safely on the ship’s deck. As soon as he landed, the protective canopy opened, and he was free to operate. They fanned out over the ship, quickly dealing with the stunned Russian sailors who were no match for them.

…

Theresa and everyone else woke with a start when they heard the scream of klaxons and frantic orders shouted in Russian over the loudspeakers. They heard gunfire and the sounds of boots running on the decks above them.

“What’s going on?” April asked.

“It sounds like someone has boarded the ship,” Alina said. Theresa smiled.

“The D’o’wr,” she said.

“What?” Alina asked.

“Our version of special forces,” Theresa said. “The cavalry has arrived.” Before anyone could celebrate, they heard a horrific noise and saw a metal door fly through the air before crashing on the deck.

“YEEEEHAAAAA!” screamed a voice very familiar to April and Theresa. They smiled at each other, realizing it was Jake. “Yippee ki-yay, motherfuckers! Come to Papa! Papa Jake’s got something for your asses!”

As they watched, a camouflaged cart rolled past them, two chain guns dispensing death at two thousand rounds per minute. Jake’s penises were pointed forward, spewing something that worked like a fast-acting acid, liquefying the Russians now frantically trying to scramble away.

“Wh…What was THAT?” Myroslava asked.

“That was my mate,” April said.

“THAT was your husband?” Alina asked, shocked.

“Yes,” April said. “Isn’t he magnificent?”

“We have some things to discuss,” Theresa told Alina with a smile.

“Indeed,” Alina said. A huge man in a black uniform came to the cell door. He examined it for a few seconds, then grabbed the bars with both hands and, with a grunt, tore it off its hinges, tossing it to the floor.

“Corporal Tonsen at your service, my queen,” he said, looking at Theresa. “Is everyone alright?”

“We are fine, Corporal,” Theresa said. “Thank you for asking. What is your status?”

“The vessel is nearly secure, my Queen.” he said. “The commander has been taken into custody and is being brought here.”

“Good,” she said. Tonsen removed the doors from the other cells, freeing the male captives. “How many came with you, Corporal?” Theresa asked.

“Four D’o’wr along with master Jake, my Queen,” he said as Jake wheeled back to the cell.

“Four of you took out this entire ship?” Alina asked.

“Five, counting master Jake,” Tonsen said. The Ukrainians were shocked when they took in Jake, his pot now sitting in an armored military cart. Its wheels were designed to traverse the knee-knockers and steep ladder wells common to ships like this one. Alina and Myroslava gasped when they saw his 12 penises.

“Jake, you came for us,” April said as she approached him, her arms spread wide.

“Of course, my queen,” he said, wrapping his branches around her, carefully keeping his dew-laden leaves from contacting her clothes. They heard footsteps from one end of the corridor. They turned to see the captain, the officer who slapped Theresa, and the intelligence officer who interrogated her. Their hands were zip-tied behind their backs as they were led by one of the D’o’wr to the cells.

“Did any of these meatbags harm you, my Queen?” Jake asked Theresa.

“Yes,” Theresa said. “This one slapped me,” she added, pointing at the officer. “And this one threatened to rape me,” she said, pointing to the intelligence officer.

“Did they touch you?” Jake asked April.

“No, not yet,” she said.

Jake let April loose and turned his attention to the two frightened officers, his penises pointed in their direction. He slowly wheeled his way to them.

“You dared to harm my Queen. For that, you shall die, meatbags,” Jake growled as he looked at the two officers. The officers shook their heads, frightened. The D’o’wr holding them let loose and stepped back as he knew what was coming. Jake pointed his penises at the two officers and spit a stream of liquid onto the two of them.

The two officers appeared to melt before their eyes as they watched, screaming in agony. The ship’s captain and the remaining Russians before them trembled in fear as they witnessed the two officers being liquefied.

“Anyone else want some of this?” Jake asked, his words translated into Russian by the cart. The Russians shook their heads in response. Neither Theresa nor April had ever seen this side of Jake before and didn’t quite know what to make of it. For that matter, they had never seen any Gingravik act out of anger before. But these were unusual circumstances for all of them.

“Is Lord Bernard with you?” Theresa asked after a few quiet moments.

“No, My Queen,” Jake said. “He is in Moscow with another squad of D’o’wr.”

“Moscow?” Alina asked.

“Yes. He intends to capture Vladimir Putin,” Jake said.

…

Bernie opened the canopy on his cart as soon as it landed on the roof of the building where Vladimir Putin’s signal originated from. The squad of D’o’wr landed the same time he did and went straight into action, silently taking out a squad of heavily-armed Russian soldiers with their bare hands.

They approached the door that led inside, and one of the D’o’wr tore it off, tossing it onto the roof. They made their way inside, taking out two more soldiers before coming to a large, heavy wooden door. One D’o’wr drew his fist back and struck the door, causing it to fly off its hinges.

They charged into the room and saw several Russian soldiers aim their automatic weapons. Bernie took out three of them where they stood, their bodies instantly turned into puddles of goo on the floor. As the D’o’wr took out the rest, Bernie wheeled himself to the bed where two people lay.

One of them — Vladimir Putin himself — reached for a pistol on his nightstand, but Bernie destroyed the weapon before the Russian president could get it. The other person in the bed, an attractive woman appearing to be in her early forties, covered the top of her body with her sheet and stared at the large leafy Gingravik next to her lover.

“Wh… What ARE you?” Vladimir asked.

“I am Lord Bernard, High Master of the Grand Order of Marsook, Husband of Tere, Queen Mother of the Gingravik Prefect of Earth,” Bernie said, his military cart translating his words into Russian. “According to your Facebook, I do not exist. I had originally planned to remove your puny sex organ and stuff you into a pain amplifier, but I have spoken to my Emperor and have been authorized instead to offer you a choice.”

“What choice?” Putin asked.

“It is simple. Life or death.”

“I am a reasonable man,” Vladimir said. “What do you propose?”

“Recall all of your forces and withdraw from Ukraine and Belarus,” Bernie said. “And I mean ALL of Ukraine, including Crimea. Publicly apologize to the people of Ukraine for your illegal invasion, apologize to the world for your threats, and apologize to the Interstellar Gingravik Consortium for abducting our Queen and our people. Then resign. After that, submit yourself to the Interstellar Criminal Court and beg for mercy.”

“Is that all?” Putin said, laughing. “And what is the other choice?”

“Take a look around you, meatbag,” Bernie said calmly. “The alternative is death and complete destruction. For you, your country and your people. Your nation will cease to exist and your name will be remembered with hatred throughout the universe for all time. I understand you have two daughters from a previous marriage.”

“Leave them out of this,” Vladimir hissed.

“Why? You threatened to publicly execute one of my sons, along with my wife,” Bernie said before turning to the woman. “Did he tell you what he intended to do?”

“No,” the woman said. “Is that true, Vladimir?” she asked, looking at the older man next to her.

“I threatened to execute American CIA spies working with Ukrainian Nazis,” he said. “I did not know their names or relations.”

“Then you would have no problem with us executing Katya or Masha in exchange,” Bernie said, causing Vladimir to look at him with hatred.

“You wouldn’t DARE!” Vladimir exclaimed.

“No, it is not the Gingravik way,” Bernie said. “But you? I would have no problem turning you into a puddle of goo, like your soldiers over there.”

“I will order my soldiers to execute your people right now, on the spot,” Vladimir threatened.

“No, you won’t,” Bernie said. “My wife, my son and my people have already been liberated and your ship is now in our control. And we have control of the Scheherazade. Consider it payment for destroying our yacht.” Vladimir and the woman with him looked at Bernie with shock.

“A squadron of vessels is on its way to this system even as we speak,” Bernie added. “They await my signal. What shall I tell them?” Vladimir looked at the woman with him for a moment, then looked at the liquefied remains of the soldiers on the floor.

“I do not have all night,” Bernie said. “What is your answer?”

“Alright! I accept your terms. But I need to use my comm station to send the order,” a defeated Vladimir said.

“You can use the comm station on our aircraft,” Bernie said. “Now, get moving. And for Marsook’s sake, please cover your body.” Vladimir nodded his head, then turned to the woman.

“Go on back to Switzerland. I will contact you when I can,” he said. The woman nodded her head as Vladimir got dressed. The D’o’wr escorted him to the roof as Bernie followed to ensure no one was behind them.

Once on the roof, one of the D’o’wr activated his radio and sent the signal. Within a minute, the GA-745E that had been on station slowly came down and hovered just over the roof. The back door opened, and a ramp came down. The D’o’wr entered, along with Vladimir and Bernie. Once inside, the ramp lifted, and the aircraft took off.

…

“What is it?” Theresa asked as she stood on the bridge of the captured Russian ship. A critical message had been received. The Russian communications operator handed a slip of paper to his captain, who shook his head as he read it. The Russian captain gave the message to Sean, who was now commanding the captured vessel.

“It looks like Putin has called off the invasion,” Sean said, handing the message to Alina.

“There’s more to it than that,” Alina said as she read the short message. “He’s ordered an immediate cease-fire along with a withdrawal of ALL Russian forces out of Belarus, and Ukraine. Including the Crimea, the DNR and the LNR. And he’s offering an apology and says he will make a public statement in due course.” Tears fell from her face as she handed the note to her colleagues.

“This is wonderful,” she said, hugging Theresa. “I don’t know how you did it, but thank you!”

“You’re welcome,” Theresa said, returning the hug. “So, what is the plan now?” she asked Jake.

“We are to rendezvous with the Scheherazade here,” Jake said, pointing to a spot on the chart of the Black Sea.

“The Scheherazade?” Alina asked. “Are you talking about Putin’s luxury yacht?”

“Formerly Putin’s luxury yacht,” Jake said. “We… liberated it from him in payment for the loss of the Mar’rldn. One of our GA-745E aircraft will provide cover as we return to New South Marsookia. Unless, of course, you wish to return home quickly. If you like, Alina, we can provide you and your team with a lift back to Ukraine.”

“That would be nice,” Alina said. “Thank you.”

“Lord Bernard has also arranged a salvage operation for the Mar’rldn,” Jake said. “A specially-equipped GA-745E is on the way with a crew and a security detail.”

“Good,” Theresa said. “We have much to discuss, Alina,” she added, glancing at Jake. “Perhaps once we are aboard the Scheherazade…”

“I think the sooner, the better,” Alina said. “But first, I could use a shower.”

“Me, too,” Theresa said.

“But, I have just one question, to satisfy my scientific curiosity. Where are you from, Jake?” Alina asked. Theresa nodded her head slightly.

“I germinated here, on this planet,” he said quietly. “But my kind are not originally from this place.”

“I can believe that,” Alina said. “How long have your kind been here?”

“About 500 years,” Jake said.

“It is a… long… story,” Theresa interjected.

“Apparently so,” Alina said. “Why have we not heard of this before?”

“For starters, the Gingravik are very adept at operating undercover,” Theresa said. “When we did go public, however, tech companies labeled our existence as ‘fake news.’ That’s made it very difficult for us to make any headway in the world community.”

“I can understand that,” Alina said. “I can also understand your desire to keep this under wraps, but I have to wonder. Does anyone else know about this?”

“Yes,” Theresa said. “The Secretary-General of the United Nations, along with about nine of his diplomats. We spent a weekend with them last year in hopes they could help introduce us to the rest of the world. So far, they haven’t been any help.” Alina snorted at that.

“That I can believe,” she said.

“Perhaps we should consider a scientific exchange between our two countries larger in scope than we previously discussed,” Theresa said.

“I would like that very much,” Alina said. “Given what has happened, I’m certain President Zelenskyy would probably want to meet you. If that happens, I suggest you be candid with him about… this,” she added, nodding toward Jake. Theresa nodded her head.

“I think you’re right,” Theresa said. “Right now, though, my first priority is a shower…”

…

Tsod smiled as he received the reports from the two D’o’wr squads. From what he read, they were a rousing success. He looked up at the array of monitors on the wall and saw that several news networks worldwide had what they claimed was important breaking news. He picked up a remote and unmuted one monitor.

“This just in to Fox News. In a surprise move that has many in the Kremlin scrambling, Russian President Vladimir Putin issued a surprise cease-fire order to all of his military units in Ukraine. In addition, the units have reportedly been ordered to immediately leave Belarus and Ukraine, including the two breakaway territories and Crimea.

“Vladimir Putin has also reportedly issued an initial statement apologizing to the Ukrainian people and has asked them not to hold his actions against the Russian people. Efforts to reach the Kremlin for verification have been unsuccessful so far. It is unknown where the Russian President is currently located, and no one in the Kremlin has issued any statement on his whereabouts.

“While the Russian High Command is scrambling to deal with this situation, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is wasting no time celebrating the news, calling it a vindication of his stance that the invasion constitutes a war crime.

“In a somewhat related report, port authorities in Italy said that a yacht believed to be owned by Vladimir Putin was seen leaving Marina di Carrara early this morning. No one knows if Putin is on the vessel, but eyewitnesses claim the flag on the boat was removed and replaced with another banner, one that no one has yet been able to identify,” the anchor said. “The vessel was last seen heading east.”

Tsod snickered as he muted the monitor and checked reports coming from other networks. All of them were saying pretty much the same thing. Margaret came into his office and looked with satisfaction at the monitors.

“Not bad for someone who doesn’t exist,” she quipped. Tsod chuckled at that. “By the way, I have two visitors from the FBI downstairs I need to deal with.”

“FBI?” Tsod asked, surprised.

“Yes. They were captured after they penetrated the island’s protective screen underwater,” she said.

“How did that happen?” he asked.

“They were dropped by a CIA aircraft with diver propulsion devices,” she said. “They were spotted as soon as they crossed the screen and were intercepted by the Coast Guard. I had them brought here to the basement.”

“Need any help?” Tsod asked.

“No, I’ve got it covered,” she said with a smile. “But thanks for asking anyway.”

…

Special Agent Smith and Agent Harrison, both of the FBI, looked up as the door opened. A somewhat older woman came into the room and closed the door. She nodded to the guards, who returned the gesture, then turned her attention to the agents.

“Special Agent Henry Smith and Agent Jack Harrison, FBI,” she said while looking at their credentials. “You’re just a bit outside your jurisdiction, aren’t you?” The two men looked at each other, not saying anything. “Don’t look at each other. Look at me,” Margaret snarled.

“Where are we? What is this place?” Smith finally asked.

“New South Marsookia, the capitol of the Gingravik Prefect of Earth,” Margaret said. “You are both here illegally. What are you doing here?”

“We have questions about a facility your people abandoned last year,” Smith said. Margaret shrugged her shoulders.

“So?” she asked. “That doesn’t give you the right to violate our border and enter our country illegally.”

“Illegally?” Smith asked.

“Yes. Didn’t you just hear me tell you this is the Gingravik Prefect of Earth? Please, try to keep up,” Margaret said. “You’re working with the CIA, aren’t you?” Both of the FBI agents looked at each other nervously. “Of course you are. The tail number of the aircraft that dropped you two into the ocean just outside our protective screen was identified as one used by your CIA for, how was it described? Oh, yes, extraordinary rendition.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Smith said.

“Bullshit,” Margaret hissed. “I may not look it, but I’ve been at this longer than the two of you have been alive. No doubt, if I contact your superiors, they’ll disavow any knowledge of your existence. That is what I would do in their place. The question now is, what do I do with you? Do I keep you in jail forever? Or should I just… kill you?” The guard snickered, causing the two agents to recoil in terror.

“You can let us go,” Harrison offered.

“I could, but then more of you would be back to finish what you started,” Margaret said. “On the other hand, if I keep you here, more of your people would come in hopes of rescuing the two of you. And if I just kill you outright, more of your people would come looking for revenge. Quite a dilemma, wouldn’t you say?”

“I see your point,” Harrison said.

“Killing us would get you nothing,” Smith countered.

“Except for a bit of momentary pleasure,” Margaret said, reveling in Smith’s discomfort. “Fortunately for you, murder is not the Gingravik way. We only kill when we have to. And for the moment, the two of you do not pose a serious threat. So, how were you planning to get out of here?”

“We are to be picked up by a submarine in less than 12 hours,” Harrison said.

“Well, we wouldn’t want you to miss your ride home now, would we?” Margaret asked. “You’ve been here for a while now. I suspect the two of you are probably a bit hungry, aren’t you?”

“I think we both could use something to eat,” Smith said.

“Well, never let it be said that we mistreated you,” Margaret said. She spoke to the guard, who smiled as she whispered in his ear. When she finished, she turned back to Smith and Harrison. “I’ll have two designated attendants bring you some lunch. Enjoy.” She left the room, and the guard smiled as he watched the agents squirm in their seats.

A half-hour later, two voluptuous women came into the room. One of them pushed a cart with two covered dishes and a bottle of… something. Smith and Harrison noticed they were both naked. The women put a plate in front of them and poured a green liquid into two glasses.

“Bon appetit,” one of the women said. “Enjoy.” They stood as the two men ate their salads and drank the liquid.

“This is good,” Harrison said after taking a swig of the liquid. “What is this, by the way?”

“Greenberry wine,” one of the women said. “We make it right here. Drink up.” Harrison finished the glass in one swallow and held it out.

“May I have some more, please?” he asked.

“Of course,” one of the women said with a smile as she filled his glass.

“Um, is it normal for you to be naked like this?” Smith asked, trying to maintain his professional bearing even as his body responded to the wine and the sight of two of the most beautiful women he had ever seen before.

“Of course,” one of the women purred. “It is our natural state. I see that you approve,” she added, looking at Smith’s crotch.

“This one approves as well,” the other woman said, staring at the bulge in Harrison’s trousers.

“We must see to this,” the first woman said, unzipping Smith’s trousers. Smith began to protest, but the woman put a finger to his lips. “It will be alright. This is what we were made for,” she said with a gleam in her eye.

For the next three hours, the women ravished Smith and Harrison in every way they possibly could. The two FBI agents were not quite prepared for what the two women did to them. They were unaware that the guard had taken several pictures of them in multiple compromising positions with the women.

When the attendants were finished, the two drained men were asleep on the floor, naked and covered with sweat and female juices. Margaret came back into the room and collected the camera from the guard. She looked at the two FBI agents as she spoke.

“Let them sleep it off. Then get them dressed. I’ll print out copies of these photos. We don’t want them to have bad memories of their trip, after all,” she said as the guard laughed.

“Yes, Facilitator,” the big man said. “I’ll take care of it myself.” A few hours later, the two agents woke with a massive headache. They realized they were naked, then remembered what had happened. The guard stood over them.

“Get dressed,” he ordered. Smith and Harrison fumbled about as they retrieved their clothing.

“Wh… What happened?” Smith asked.

“Looks to me like you two just got your brains fucked out,” the guard said. “Gingravik style.”

“What happens to us now? Are you gonna shoot us?” Harrison asked. The guard looked deep in thought for a moment before answering.

“Nah,” he said. “You’re going back home.” Smith and Harrison looked at each other for a moment, shocked.

“You’re sending us back home?” Smith asked.

“Yeah. We got bigger fish to fry right now,” the guard said. “Hurry up now. The Facilitator will be back soon.”

“What fish?” Harrison asked.

“I’d tell ya, but then I’d really have to shoot ya,” the guard said sarcastically. After about a half-hour, Margaret came back into the room.

“Bring them,” she ordered. The guard motioned for the two men to leave the room. They walked down a long corridor until they came to another room. Margaret turned to the two agents.

“We’re letting the two of you go back home,” she said, donning a pair of dark sunglasses. The guard followed suit. “But there’s just one thing.”

“What’s that?” Smith asked.

>SNAP<

The two agents didn’t wake up until they were in their temporary quarters on the submarine sent to pick them up. Smith rubbed his aching head, trying to get his bearings, and Harrison was doing the same.

“What the hell happened?” Smith asked.

“Beats the hell outta me,” Harrison said. “Where are we?”

“Unless I miss my guess, we’re on a submarine heading home,” Smith said.

“Home? From where? The last thing I remember, we were talking to that Jones guy from the CIA,” Harrison said. Smith thought for a few moments before responding.

“Same here,” he said. Just then, the door opened, and Jones stepped inside. They noticed that he had two envelopes in his hand and he didn’t look too happy.

“What the fuck is wrong with you?” Jones asked. “I sent you on a critical mission to collect information, and you two decided to have an orgy. What the fuck?” He tossed a series of photos on the table in the tiny room. Smith and Harrison looked at the images, shocked.

“I… I don’t remember anything like that,” Smith said. He looked at the photos showing him eagerly licking the smoothest pussy he had ever seen. “And believe me, I’d remember something like THAT.” Other images showed him fucking the same woman, and Harrison was also photographed having sex with another woman. He shook his head as he looked at the photos.

“I don’t remember anything like that either,” he stammered. Jones looked at the two of them.

“Seriously?” he asked. “You have sex with two women and you have absolutely no memory of it? You expect me to believe that?”

“But it’s true,” Smith said. “I have no memory of anything like that. In fact, the last thing I remember is talking to you in your office.”

“That was four days ago,” Jones said. “Do you expect me to believe you remember nothing of the last four days?”

“But it’s true,” Smith said.

“Same here,” Harrison echoed. Jones shook his head as he paced the tiny room.

“Can’t you just send us back in?” Smith asked. “At least now you know there’s something out there.”

“It’s not that simple,” Jones said. “Not anymore.”

“What do you mean?” Smith asked.

“Russia invaded Ukraine. Then Putin ordered his troops out about 24 hours later. No one knows why. Hell, no one even knows where Putin is right now,” Jones said. “For the time being, you two can consider yourselves suspended pending a full investigation.” Just then, an officer came to the room.

“You need to come to the briefing room right now, sir,” the officer said. “You need to see this.”

…

Bernie and the fully-armed D’o’wr squad escorted a blindfolded Vladimir Putin into a small room at the island’s secure holding facility after the GA-745E landed on New South Marsookia. When the blindfold was torn off of his head, Putin looked up into the angry face of the largest man he had ever seen in his life.

“Kneel before Tsod, meatbag,” one of the D’o’wr said, kicking the back of Putin’s leg. The Russian president went down to his knees and glared at Tsod.

“Welcome to New South Marsookia,” Tsod said in Russian. “You remember me, I’m sure. Nevertheless, I’ll introduce myself again. I am Ambassador Tsod of the Interstellar Gingravik Consortium. By kidnapping my queen, her son, and her delegation while on a mission of peace in international waters, you have committed an act of war against the Gingravik Empire and a war crime.

“Lord Bernard has graciously allowed you to live so you can correct your mistakes. I am glad to see you have held up part of your bargain. But there’s two more things for you to do. It is time for the first. You must immediately resign as president of the Russian Federation,” Tsod said.

“I will nuke you out of existence first,” Putin said. Tsod laughed at that.

“Did you hear that? Vladimir here says he intends to nuke us out of existence,” Tsod said, causing the others to laugh. He bent over and put his face right in front of the Russian’s. “I don’t think so, puny human,” he said. “Besides, your Facebook says we don’t exist. How can you nuke something that doesn’t exist?” Tsod stood back up and regarded Putin with disdain before speaking again.

“So, you refuse to honor your part of the bargain Lord Bernard made to keep you alive. Very well.” He turned to the D’o’wr. “Take him to his cell.” The soldiers snapped to attention and grabbed Putin by the arms, lifting him to his feet.

“Walk,” the lead D’o’wr said. Seeing no choice, Vladimir obeyed his captors and was led out of the room. Bernie wheeled himself next to Tsod.

“What is my queen’s status?” he asked.

“She is safe, Lord Bernard, thanks to Jake and the D’o’wr,” Tsod said. “All of the delegation is safe and on their way to rendezvous with the Scheherazade. The Russian forces have begun their retreat from Ukraine and Belarus.”

“That is good news, Ambassador,” Bernie said.

“We have other problems.”

“Oh?” Bernie asked.

“Two American agents were captured as they penetrated the security screen around New South Marsookia. The Facilitator has already dealt with them,” Tsod said.

“She… killed them?” Bernie asked.

“No, Lord Bernard. They were treated quite humanely. They were fed, then questioned. And then introduced to two designated attendants. The Facilitator removed their memories of the previous four days before releasing them,” Tsod said.

“They will be back,” Bernie said.

“Yes, I suspect they will. If not the same two agents, then the Americans will send others,” Tsod said. “What do you suggest we do, my lord?”

“We must inform His Highness of these developments first,” Bernie said. “Then I will need to contact the squadron.” Bernie saw the troubled look on Tsod’s face. “What troubles you, Ambassador?”

“I am concerned that we may be on the verge of interstellar war,” Tsod said.

“How so?” Bernie asked.

“The Russians and the Chinese are quite close. The new American administration also seems to have close ties to both regimes,” Tsod said. “If all three of them unite against us, it could be disastrous.”

“And the United Nations?” Bernie asked.

“So far, they have been useless,” Tsod said.

“What is the status of our other facilities?” Bernie asked.

“They are secure and on high alert. So far, the humans have not located them,” Tsod said.

“Let us hope it remains that way,” Bernie said. “Who takes over in Russia if Putin cannot lead?”

“As I understand the Russian Constitution, that would be the Prime Minister. In this case, Mikhail Mishustin,” Tsod said.

“What do we know about him?” Bernie asked.

“He has been in the position for about two years and is considered a rock star among technocrats, according to a Foreign Policy article I read about him,” Tsod said. “He seems to be quite… efficient. But I do not know if he holds the same expansionist dreams as Putin. He has very little say in military matters, from what I have been able to gather.”

“Who do you see as a potential successor?” Bernie asked.

“There are several candidates, but if I had to pick one on a bet, I would go with Sergei Shoigu, the Minister of Defense. I have read that he goes hunting and fishing with Putin and shares the same vision regarding Ukraine,” Tsod said. “If not him, then perhaps Nikolai Patrushev. He’s been with Putin since the 1970s. Regardless of who gets the job in the long run, I have no doubt that person may be just as volatile and dangerous as Putin.”

“And we would be right back where we started,” Bernie said. “We need to contact the Emperor and the High Council immediately.”

“I agree,” Tsod said. “Let’s go back to my office.”

…

“What the hell is he babbling about?” FBI Special Agent Smith asked as he watched the red-faced Russian general on the monitor. The general was so upset that spittle flew from his mouth as he ranted and raved.

“According to the translation, he claims the CIA has kidnapped Vladimir Putin,” the CIA man known only as “Jones,” said, reading the translated transcript handed to him by one of the crew members. “He’s placed Russia’s nuclear forces on high alert and says the American government has four hours to return Putin.”

“Or what?” Harrison asked. Jones looked at him before responding.

“He’s threatening to nuke the entire planet,” Jones said. “Says it’s either return Putin ‘immediately’ or be responsible for the deaths of billions of innocent people.”

“He’s mad,” Smith said.

“Yes,” Jones said. “And he’s angry as well.”

“Did we kidnap Putin?” Harrison asked.

“Don’t be ridiculous,” Jones said. “Of course not. But apparently, someone has. And they’re blaming us.”

“You think our friends here may have done something?” Smith asked.

“Hard to say,” Jones said. “I don’t see how they could’ve pulled off something like that, though.”

“What else is he saying?” Smith asked, looking back at the monitor where the Russian general was still spewing invective in his native language as he pounded his desk.

“He’s countermanded the order Putin gave to evacuate Ukraine and Belarus,” Jones said. “He’s basically ordered the Army to go back and kill everything that moves.”

“What’s our response?” Harrison asked.

“SAC and our forces in Europe and the Middle East have been placed at Defcon 3. The rest have been put on Defcon 4,” Jones said. “The administration is looking at even deeper sanctions against Russia unless they back down.”

“Sanctions? Seriously? So, what are our orders?” Smith asked.

“For the time being, our operation here has been put on hold,” Jones said. “We’re on our way back to Pearl for further instructions. Just so you know, you two aren’t off the hook here. We still need to get to the bottom of this… incident,” he added, tapping the envelope in his pocket.

…

The Emperor and the High Council were furious upon hearing news of the new threats issued by the Russian general. Tsod, Bernie, Margaret, and a team working with Bernie were furiously responding to the unique situation.

“We must contact the Queen and get her and her people off that Russian warship,” Tsod said.

“I will take care of that,” Bernie said, his branches flying over his console. He saw Jake’s form on his monitor in less than a minute.

“Lord Bernard,” Jake said when the communicator on his cart pinged. “What can I do for you?”

“Is the Queen nearby?” Bernie asked.

“Yes, she’s right here,” Jake said.

“I need to speak with all of you, immediately. Is it safe?” Bernie asked.

“Yes, it is. Let me get the Queen.” Jake wheeled his cart to Theresa and got her attention. “My Queen, Lord Bernard wishes to speak with you.”

“Yes, Bernie, what is it?” Theresa asked as she looked at her mate’s form on the monitor.

“My Queen, the situation has changed. The Russians are now threatening to nuke the entire planet. We need to get you, your team and the Ukrainians off that warship, immediately,” Bernie said. “I have sent orders to the GA-745E shadowing the Scheherazade to pick you up. The aircraft should be there in just a few minutes.”

“What about the yacht?” Theresa asked.

“A civilian crew will take it to Odesa, then hand it over to the Ukrainians. The Ukrainian delegation can either take that or ride here with you. The choice is theirs,” Bernie said.

“Let me talk to them,” Theresa said.

“Please hurry, my Queen,” Bernie said. Theresa nodded her head and turned to Alina.

“The situation has changed,” Theresa said. “The Russians are making new threats, and this time, they’re threatening the entire planet. We have an aircraft coming to pick us up. You can either come with us to New South Marsookia, or take the Scheherazade to Odesa. If you choose to come with us, we will provide transport back to Kyiv when the situation stabilizes. I can’t guarantee your safety once you board the yacht.” Alina spoke with the other three Ukrainians for a few moments, then turned to Theresa.

“We still have to conclude our discussions, so we’ll go with you,” she told Theresa. “I will need to check in with my superiors in Kyiv as soon as possible.”

“You can do that from the aircraft,” Theresa said. She turned back to Bernie’s image on the monitor. “We’re all coming back, my love,” she told him.

“Good,” Bernie said. “Get ready. The aircraft will be there in just a minute or two.” The connection closed, and Theresa turned to both delegations.

“Quick, we need to get everyone on deck. The aircraft will be here very soon,” Theresa said.

“I’ll take care of that, my Queen,” Harlan said, motioning for everyone to go ahead of him. Sean turned to the Russian commander.

“Stop the vessel. Now,” he said. The Russian captain nodded and barked orders to his crew, who instantly complied.

“Can you disable their comm and fire control stations?” Sean asked Jake.

“Yes, but which ones are they?” Jake asked. Sean looked around before answering.

“Hell if I know. Disable them all. They can row this rust bucket back to Russia for all I care,” Sean said before turning to the Russian captain. “I’d like to say it’s been nice, but I can’t. I will tell you this. There’s a very large aircraft about to descend close to your deck. Do not even think about firing on it. It will be the last thing you do. Understand?”

“Da,” the Russian captain said quietly as Jake melted several consoles on the deck. They left the smoke-filled bridge and made their way to the helicopter landing pad on the deck. When they got there, they heard a horrific noise and looked up.

As they watched, a large strange-looking aircraft appeared right out of thin air and hovered over the deck. They saw several massive guns trained on the ship, and a door opened on the front of the craft. A ramp descended to the deck, and everyone began to climb on board. Once everyone was seated inside, the ramp retracted, closing the door.

Theresa and Alina looked out the window next to their seat as the aircraft lifted from the deck of the Russian vessel. They felt the g-forces as the aircraft accelerated to just under Mach 5. A flight officer came to them.

“Welcome aboard, My Queen,” he said, standing at attention. “It is an honor to have you with us today. The cloaking device is activated and we are approaching hypersonic speed. Is there anything we can do for you?”

“Yes, Lieutenant,” Theresa said. “My friend here needs to contact her superiors in Kyiv. Would it be possible to make that happen for her?”

“Of course, My Queen,” the Lieutenant said. “Please, ma’am, come with me.”

“Thank you,” Alina said before leaving her seat. Theresa looked across the aisle and saw April sitting next to Jake.

“I can’t believe you actually jumped out of this thing,” April said. “And from what? 35,000 feet? You are so brave, my husband.” A D’o’wr sitting across from them nodded his head and chuckled.

“He sure did, ma’am,” he told her. “Seemed to enjoy himself as well.” A couple other D’o’wr sitting nearby laughed at that.

“I’ve never heard anyone yell ‘Geronimo’ like that on a HALO jump before,” another D’o’wr said. April laughed and looked at her mate.

“You really did that?” she asked.

“Well, it seemed like the thing to do at the time, my queen,” he said. “Careful, sweetheart,” he said as she got close to one of his larger leaves. “I have to readjust my proteins back to normal. I’d hate it if you got injured before we got home.”

“I’d hate that as well,” she said. “I love you so much, Jake. And I’m so very proud of you.”

“I love you, too, my queen,” he said. “When I learned the Russians took you, I simply had to come help rescue you.”

“I’m glad you did,” she said. “I was so scared, but when I heard your voice on that ship, I knew we would be alright.” Alina came back with the Lieutenant and took her seat.

“My Queen, we have reached a cruising altitude of 87,500 feet and are flying at Mach 7. ETA to New South Marsookia is just under one hour 15 minutes,” he said. “We contacted Lord Bernard to let him know as well.”

“Thank you, Lieutenant,” Theresa said. The officer bowed slightly and turned to his duties. “Were you able to reach your superiors?” she asked Alina.

“Yes,” Alina said. “They are relieved to hear we are okay, and they approved moving our meeting to New South Marsookia. They asked me to pass on their gratitude for rescuing us from the Russians.”

“Any word on the Russians?” Theresa asked.

“It seems the level of madness among their leadership grows with each passing minute,” Alina said. “Now they claim that even our pets are Nazis and their generals are telling the soldiers they must return to rape and kill every living thing in Ukraine, be it man or beast.”

“What if we returned Putin to Moscow?” Theresa asked.

“That would not satisfy their lust for bloodshed,” Alina said. “And they would see it as weakness. They would call it a victory and send their troops back in anyway.” Theresa nodded her head.

“I understand,” she said. “I must see to the troops. I’ll be right back.” She got out of her seat and approached the D’o’wr, who gathered around Jake and April.

“Attention!” a senior sergeant ordered when he saw her approach. They all stood at attention until Theresa spoke.

“At ease, gentlemen,” she said. They all relaxed somewhat. “I just wanted to thank you for all you’ve done for us.”

“The honor to serve is ours, My Queen,” the sergeant said. The others nodded their heads in agreement.
“Nevertheless, I owe you all a debt of gratitude that I will never be able to adequately repay,” Theresa said. “And master Jake, it seems I owe you a debt of gratitude as well. I have heard good things about you.”

“Thank you, My Queen,” Jake said. “I could not sit at home while you and my beloved were held hostage by the meatbags. No offense intended.” They all laughed at that.

“None taken, Jake,” Theresa said.

“In fact, My Queen, master Jake proved himself to be the equal of any D’o’wr,” the sergeant said. “With your permission, I would like to name him an honorary D’o’wr in recognition of his bravery and courage under fire.” The others agreed.

“By all means, Sergeant,” Theresa said. The sergeant reached under his outer vest and pulled off his service badge. He bent down and pinned it to Jake’s pot.

“Master Jake, for your service, I hereby appoint you an honorary D’o’wr,” he said with a smile. “I would be proud to serve with you anywhere.” The others applauded and shouted their agreement.

“Thank you,” Jake said. “I am honored. I will wear this proudly for the rest of my days.”

“You know what this really means, don’t you?” Corporal Tonsen asked with a smile.

“No, what?” Jake asked.

“When we get back, the first round of beer is on you,” he said. The others laughed and applauded.

“Oh!” Jake exclaimed when he realized what Tonsen meant.

“Don’t worry, dear. I’ll make sure you have enough money to cover it,” April said to laughter.

…

“The delegation is on its way back,” Bernie said when he received a report from the pilot of the GA-745E that picked up Theresa and the others from the Russian vessel. “They should be here in just over an hour.”

“Good,” Tsod said. “What’s your status?”

“I have realigned and repurposed six satellites,” Bernie said. “Three will be used to transmit our response and the others will be used to lay down the dampening field.”

“Can we cover all of Russia with those three satellites?” Tsod asked.

“We can cover just over 97 percent of the country,” Bernie said. “It will be enough to ensure that nothing electronic operates in the country until the squadron arrives in three days.”

“What about generators or solar power units?” Tsod asked.

“Nothing,” Bernie said. “All electric fields will be dampened, even those used in motor vehicles, generators or solar power units. That means no lights, no communications, no transportation, Internet, nothing.”

“In short, they’ll be living as they did in the 19th century,” Tsod said.

“Pretty much,” Bernie said.

“All right then. Let’s do this,” Tsod said. They turned to face a set of cameras. With a press of a button, their images were broadcast to a satellite that relayed the signal worldwide. Once they got confirmation that all broadcast networks had been linked to their signal, Tsod began his presentation.

“Ladies and gentlemen of planet Earth — good day. I am Ambassador Tsod of the Interstellar Gingravik Consortium, broadcasting to you from the Gingravik Prefect of Earth,” he said.

“On the morning of February 24, soldiers of the Russian Federation, under the orders of Vladimir Putin, invaded the sovereign nation of Ukraine — a war crime under your so-called international rules of order. That same day, Russian forces attacked an unarmed yacht in international waters, killed several of its passengers and crew, and abducted several others.

“Those individuals included Tere, Queen Mother of Earth, and her son. Both of them, along with others, were part of a delegation participating in a mission of science and peace. The vessel was clearly marked. Nevertheless, Russian forces opened fire on it anyway, with no regard for international law.

“When informed of these facts, Vladimir Putin falsely claimed they were agents of the American CIA and threatened to publicly execute them as spies. As any sovereign nation would, we took action to protect its citizens and its head of state. We liberated those abducted by the Russians and, in retaliation, took Mr. Putin into custody so that he might stand trial as an interstellar war criminal.

“As you can see, Mr. Putin is alive and is being well-treated, despite the charges leveled against him,” Tsod said, giving viewers a look at Putin in his clean but small cell.

“For the last hour or so, the planet has witnessed the madness that has taken over the Russian leadership. We have heard their generals spew lies as they threaten nuclear annihilation of the entire planet. We have listened to them talk about turning Ukraine into a parking lot. The world has heard them tell their soldiers to return to Ukraine so they can rape and kill every living thing in that nation.

“These are not the actions or words of rational 21st-century leaders. These are the actions and words of bloodthirsty maniacs bent on destruction for its own sake. These words and actions are simply unacceptable.

“We are a peace-loving people, but we cannot sit still while this madness rages. Some world leaders have spoken of sanctions, but history teaches us that sanctions generally do not produce the desired result. Therefore, we will punish the Russian leadership by denying it that which the rest of the world takes for granted.

“Unfortunately, the Russian people will suffer, but only until they step up and install a government that cares more about its own people than its quest for bloodshed, violence, and war. The ball is in their court.

“In a message delivered last November, Queen Tere announced the formation of our prefect here on Earth. As she stated, we seek only peaceful coexistence with the people of this planet. We prefer peace, but will defend that which is ours. Good day.”

The camera focused on his hand, poised over a small red button. He pressed it, and the video faded to black. The world watched, wondering what that meant, but those in Russia instantly learned what it meant as lights and electric power flickered out.

Cars died where they sat and would not start. Phone and Internet service died, and people frantically realized they had no means of communicating with anyone else. In an instant, an entire nation found itself thrown back to the technological standards of the 1800s. Those equipped with emergency generators tried starting them but to no avail.

Tsod turned to Bernie, who shook his leaves to indicate the operation was a success. Bernie pulled up the video from an orbiting satellite, and they could see the darkness that enveloped the Russian Federation. Tsod smiled as he contacted Theresa.

“My Queen,” he said when her face appeared on his monitor.

“Ambassador Tsod,” she said. “That was quite a performance. What did you do to Russia, by the way?”

“Lord Bernard and his team created a dampening field that covers nearly all of the Russian Federation, using some of our satellites,” Tsod said. “In short, we have denied Russia electric power. Which means no communications and no Internet. Anything that produces an electric field has been dampened.”

“I’m impressed,” Theresa said.

“Thank you, My Queen,” Tsod replied.

“We will be landing at New South Marsookia soon,” she said. “The Ukrainian delegation has returned with us, so they’ll need accommodations.”

“I will pass that on to the Facilitator, My Queen,” Tsod said.

“They will also need some basic provisions, including clothing, since theirs went down with the Mar’rldn. I don’t think they’re quite ready to go native just yet,” she added with a smile.

“I will pass that on as well, My Queen,” Tsod said. “And how are you holding up, My Queen?”

“I’ll be okay. Thank you for asking,” she said. “I think we all could use a nice hot shower and some rest, though.”

“Of course,” Tsod said. “It’s good to see you again, My Queen.”

“And you as well, Tsod,” she said, ending the call.

…

“What the absolute fuck was that?” Smith asked after Tsod’s broadcast.

“I have no idea,” Jones said as he reached out to his superiors at Langley. He spoke into his phone quietly for a few moments, then his eyes grew wide. He ended the call and looked at Smith and Harrison.

“Russia’s gone dark,” he said quietly.

“Dark? What do you mean, dark?” Smith asked.

“Just that. Dark. Look,” he said, showing Smith and Harrison a satellite image taken of the Russian Federation. The photo showed a large dark mass where there should have been some indication of civilization. “Satellite imagery indicates the entire country has lost power, and even vehicles have lost power.”

“How is that possible?” Harrison asked.

“I have no idea,” Jones said. “I could see sabotage affecting some of the country’s power grid, but even then, vehicles and emergency generators should be able to continue operating. Nothing works there now from what I’ve been told. Absolutely nothing. I can’t explain it.”

…

The GA-745E carrying Theresa, the D’o’wr, Jake, and the other survivors of the Mar’rldn, landed safely at New South Marsookia. The large back door opened, and the ramp was extended when the giant aircraft stopped. Theresa and her contingent let the D’o’wr leave with their equipment first. She motioned for everyone else to disembark and was the last to leave the airplane.

Bernie, Margaret, and Ambassador Tsod stood at the bottom of the ramp. Next to them were Alan, April, Jake, Harmon, and the Ukrainian delegation. Tsod bowed his head slightly and smiled as he saw Theresa.

“My Queen, it is so good to have you all back home,” he said.

“It is good to be home, Ambassador,” she said before introducing the Ukrainians.

“Welcome to New South Marsookia,” Tsod said after shaking their hands. “I have arranged a driver and a vehicle for your use while you are here. Please make yourselves at home. If there is anything you need — anything at all — please do not hesitate to ask.”

“Thank you, Ambassador,” Alina said. “I think right now, we could all use a hot shower and a bit of rest.”

“Of course,” Tsod said. “Margaret, our Facilitator, will see that all your needs are met. We have arranged rooms for you at the Marsookia Resort.”

“What about clothing and personal necessities? We lost all those when your yacht was sunk,” Boryslav said.

“I will see to that,” Margaret said.

“Thank you,” Boryslav said.

“But how will we pay for all of this?” Myroslava asked. “Everything I had was on that boat.”

“You are our guests,” Margaret said. “Everything has already been arranged.”

“Thank you,” Myroslava said.

“You are welcome,” Margaret said. “I will go with you to the resort to help get you settled in.”

“And we’ll see you in the morning,” Theresa said. “For now, rest, relax and enjoy your visit.”

“Thank you again, for everything,” Alina told Theresa.

“You are most welcome,” Theresa said. They said their goodbyes and watched as Margaret and the Ukrainians climbed into their limousine and left for the resort. Theresa turned to Tsod.

“Please, get me home. I absolutely HAVE to get out of these clothes and into a hot bath,” she said.

“Me too,” April said.

“Of course,” Tsod said. “It has been a long day for all of us.” They got into the waiting limousines and left the airfield.

…

“Oh my God, this feels so GOOD,” April exclaimed as she stretched out in her tub. Jake had outdone himself, filling her tub with hot water, and he had even added some bath oil and bubbly stuff to make it more enjoyable for her.

“I hope you enjoy it,” Jake said, still in his camouflage military cart.

“It’s absolutely divine,” she moaned. “I feel like my whole body is covered in grime.” She looked at him through half-closed eyes and felt a stirring between her legs.

“Are you okay, my queen?” he asked, concerned.

“I was never so scared in my entire life,” she said. “I thought they were going to kill us. Or…”

“Yes, I know,” Jake said, not letting her finish her sentence.

“But you came to rescue me,” she said.

“Of course,” he said quietly. “Is it not what husbands are supposed to do when their mates are in danger?” She smiled at that.

“Yes, it is,” she said. “I was so proud of you, the way you charged into that cell block, challenging the Russians the way you did. ‘Yippee kiyay, motherfuckers?’ Where did you get that from?”

“I saw it in a movie,” Jake said. “It just seemed like the right thing to say at the time. Did I do okay?”

“Oh sweetheart, you did more than okay,” she said. “And it was the perfect thing to say. In fact, it was the bravest thing I have ever seen in my entire life. I’ll bet those Russians peed their pants when they saw you charging them the way you did. You know what else?”

“What, my queen?” Jake asked.

“It made me hotter than hell for you,” she told him. “I wanted to fuck your brains out right there for all of them to see.”

“Oh my,” Jake said.

“Are your proteins back to normal?” she asked.

“Almost,” he said. “I need to purge myself one more time just to make sure. I wouldn’t want you to get hurt, after all.”

“I understand, my love,” she said. “Hurry and do what you need to. I NEED my big, strong mate inside me so bad.”

“As you wish, my queen,” Jake said.

…

“It feels so GOOD to get out of those clothes,” Theresa said as she lay in her tub. “I can’t believe I stayed dressed for so long.”

“It is so good to have you back home, my queen,” Bernie said as he washed her body.

“I missed you so much,” she said.

“And I missed you as well,” Bernie replied.

“I suppose I owe you and Ambassador Tsod an apology. I should’ve listened to you,” Theresa said quietly.

“All things considered, I think it actually worked out well. Imagine the damage the Russians could have inflicted on Ukraine if we had not intervened,” Bernie said.

“I suppose you’re right,” Theresa said. “You should’ve been there. You would have been so proud of Jake, the way he rushed in and charged those Russians on that ship.” She chuckled at the memory.

“Yes, I saw the body cam footage,” Bernie said. “The Emperor got a kick out of that as well. I understand that Jake’s battle cry is now being heard across the Empire.”

“Battle cry?” Theresa asked.

“Yippee kiyay, motherfuckers,” Bernie said. Theresa laughed at that.

“Believe me, you had to have been there to fully appreciate that,” she said. “What did the Emperor say?”

“He intends to make Jake a Hero of the Empire,” Bernie said. “The first in over 250 years.” Theresa nodded her head.

“He deserves it,” she said. “As do you, my husband. For the way you went right into the heart of the beast to get Putin.”

“I was simply doing my job,” Bernie said.

“Well, you are still MY hero,” she said. “And I love you so very much.”

“And I love you as well, My Queen,” he said.

“Have you adjusted your proteins?” she asked.

“Yes,” he said. “Why do you ask?”

“Because, when I get out of this tub, I need you to feed me,” she said with a mischievous smile.

“I think we can arrange that,” Bernie said.

…

Margaret and the four Ukrainians stood in the lobby of the Marsookia Resort. They had just checked into the hotel, and Margaret passed them a plastic credit card. They looked at the green and black cards with their names and account numbers before pocketing them.

“These cards are good throughout the Empire,” Margaret said. “You can use these to purchase whatever food and personal items you may need while you are here.” She looked at Alina and Anatoliy. “I see you two are married.”

“Yes, but not to each other,” Anatoliy said.

“Well, I suggest the two of you refrain from drinking the greenberry wine,” Margaret said. “It has some… rather interesting… side effects. The seafood here is quite good and the beach is just outside those doors.” They looked around and noticed several people naked by the swimming pool.

“Uh, those people are…”

“Naked? Yes, that is perfectly normal here,” Margaret told Boryslav, who seemed to be a bit embarrassed.

“Well, then maybe we should get something to eat, go buy a few things and retire to our rooms,” Alina said.

“I think I may check out the beach after we get settled in,” Boryslav said.

“I just might join you,” Myroslava said with a smile. “If you don’t mind, that is.”

“Of course not,” Boryslav said. “I would enjoy your company. It looks very nice out there.”

“Yes, the water here stays warm year-round,” Margaret said. “Unless there’s something you need, I’ll return to my duties. If you need your driver, just call the front desk.”

“I think we’ll be fine, Margaret,” Alina said. “Thank you for everything.”

“You’re welcome. Enjoy your stay,” Margaret said. The four Ukrainians went to one of the shops to purchase clothing and toiletries. After they settled into their rooms and enjoyed a hot shower, they met in the restaurant, where they consumed a seafood lunch.

“Is it just me, or are the women here extraordinarily… hot?” Boryslav quietly asked Anatoliy after taking a bite of his lunch.

“It’s not just you,” Anatoliy said. “But I’m a happily married man. I can’t dwell on it too much, if you know what I mean.”

“We both know your wife would cut off your dick and feed it to the dogs if you messed around on her,” Boryslav said.

“That she would,” Anatoliy said, returning Boryslav’s laughter.

“I think I’m going to retire for the day,” Alina said after finishing her meal. “I’ve had about all the excitement I can stand for one day.”

“I think I’ll do the same,” Anatoliy said.

“I’m heading to the beach. It looks too nice to stay cooped up inside, if you ask me,” Boryslav said.

“Yes, it looks quite nice out there,” Myroslava said. During their college years, she and Boryslava had been an item, but their work had taken them in different directions.

“You two enjoy yourselves. But not too much,” Alina said with a knowing smile. “I’ll see you in the morning.”

Boryslav and Myroslava headed out the door as their colleagues went back upstairs. They walked down the steps to the beach, enjoying the fresh air. When they got to the bottom, they were met by a man in shorts and a t-shirt.

“Excuse me, folks, but there’s no clothing allowed beyond this point,” he said. “You can undress there,” he added, pointing to a covered area with rows of small lockers. “Your things will be safe here.” The two Ukrainians looked at each other as they considered their options. Eventually, Myroslava shrugged her shoulders.

“What the hell,” she said. “We’ve already seen each other naked before.”

“Are you sure?” Boryslava asked.

“We’re both adults,” she said as she began peeling off her clothes.

“Well, okay,” he responded, following her to the lockers. Holding beach towels in front of their bodies, they returned to the man, who nodded his head and opened the gate to the beach. They looked over the sandy beach and saw several others walking around, totally naked, without a care in the world. Then they saw a couple having sex as others walked around them.

“Uh, is that allowed?” Boryslava asked the man opening the gate.

“Absolutely,” he said. “They’re consenting adults and they aren’t hurting anyone.”

“Oh,” Boryslava said. He turned to Myroslava and smiled as he shrugged his shoulders. She smiled back, and the two of them walked onto the beach.

“It really is beautiful here,” Myroslava said.

“Yes, it is,” Boryslav said, hiding his growing erection with his towel.

“You might as well stop trying to hide what’s growing under that towel,” she said, giving him a sideways smile. “I have seen it before, if you recall.”

“Yes, it’s just… I’m not used to being like this in public, where everyone can see,” he said. She dropped her towel and faced him with her feet spread shoulder-width. He took in her C-cup breasts, toned legs, and the treasure between them.

“Neither am I,” she said. “But you have to admit, it is… invigorating, is it not?”

“Yes, it is,” he said. She walked up to him and took the towel out of his hands, throwing it on the ground with hers. Wrapping her arms around his neck, she kissed him deeply.

“We’ve never made love on the beach before,” she said. “At least not in broad daylight with people walking around.”

“No, we haven’t,” he said.

“Then what are you waiting for?” she asked. “An engraved invitation?” Smiling, he kissed her face. The two of them fell to the ground in a passionate embrace, oblivious to their surroundings or the people who smiled as they passed by. They made passionate love to each other until they realized they had been there for over two hours.

“I can’t believe we’ve been at it for so long,” Myroslava said.

“There’s just something about this place,” Boryslav said.

“Why don’t we take this back up to your room?” she asked.

“Sure,” he said. They got up and walked to the gate, dressed, and went into the resort. “What was that stuff Margaret said we should avoid?”

“I think she called it greenberry wine,” Myroslava said.

“Why don’t we get some and take it up with us?” he asked.

“Okay,” she said. They went into the store and bought a bottle of the green liquid before going to his room. When they got there, he turned on the large television mounted on his wall and scrolled through several stations as Myroslava went into the bathroom until something caught his eye.

“Come look at this,” he said. She came out, wiped her hands on a towel, and looked at the television. Boryslav turned the sound up so they could both hear.

“…satellite photo provided to BBC by U.S. Defense officials moments ago indicates how widespread the phenomenon is. The dark area you see here is the Russian Federation. Compare this to another photo taken just 48 hours earlier. The only part of Russia that seems to have any power is the Kaliningrad Oblast, a small enclave surrounded by Poland and Lithuania that was captured by Stalin’s forces during the Second World War.”

“We spoke to a Russian man who brought his family out of Russia on foot,” the British reporter said. “He reportedly walked over 50 kilometers, his ailing wife in a makeshift wooden cart he and his sons pulled as they walked. They crossed the border into Latvia and trekked five kilometers to Karsava, where the nearest hospital is located.”

“My wife needs medical care,” the man said in Russian as another voice offered a translation. “Nothing in Russia works. Nothing! No lights, no car, no radio or Internet. Nothing! Not even this flashlight. The hospitals cannot provide care because they have no power, so I brought my wife here to get treatment. I blame Vladimir Putin. He cannot even keep the lights on!”

“A group of journalists who came out of the country on horseback also gave their account,” the reporter added. “They told us the same thing.”

“Nothing in Russia works,” an American man said, echoing the Russian man interviewed earlier. “It’s as if a switch was flipped and the whole country went back over 100 years, technologically. I’ve never seen anything like it. Generators, cars, you name it. Nothing electronic works in Russia.”

“Air travel into Russia has been banned,” the British reporter said. “Earlier today, a small aircraft believed to be owned by one oligarch backing President Vladimir Putin went down. According to the sole survivor of the crash, the plane lost power as soon as it entered the country and went down. This was just one of the hundreds of flights that went down when the country was blanketed by this mysterious power outage just hours ago.

“Some believe this outage happened immediately after a speech broadcast earlier by a man claiming to be an ‘Ambassador Tsod’ of something he called the ‘Interstellar Gingravik Consortium.’ Fact-checkers, however, say this is not possible as no such entity exists. Officials in the UK and the US are still unsure as to what, exactly, caused this. Efforts to reach anyone in Russia have been unsuccessful. This is Graeme Harding, BBC World News, reporting from Poland.”

“They really did it,” Myroslava said as Boryslav muted the television.

“It seems so,” Boryslav said. “But is it really so surprising? We have seen so many things these last two days that simply defy logic. Compounds that can neutralize radioactive waste, intelligent plants from another planet capable of liquefying people, aircraft that no one else has developed. Who knows what they are capable of?”

“At least they are on our side,” she said. “They did get Putin’s army out of Ukraine and they rescued us from the Russians. Who knows how many atrocities they may have prevented? My father still limps from the Russian bullet he took protecting my mother when Putin invaded Crimea in 2014. So I have little sympathy for the Russians right now.”

“I understand,” he said. “I hope Alina presses this queen for more information before committing us to anything.”

“I’m sure she will,” Myroslava said, her demeanor changing after recalling the trauma her parents experienced. “Look, if it’s all the same to you, I’d like to go to my room and get some sleep,” she said after a few awkward moments. “I had a wonderful time today on the beach. Perhaps we can pick this up tomorrow. But I’m really very tired. I’m sorry.”

“That’s alright,” he said, giving her a hug. “I had a wonderful time with you as well. I’ll keep this in the refrigerator for now and maybe we can share it tomorrow.”

“That sounds good,” she said with a smile. “Goodnight, Borys,” she said, giving him a kiss. He returned the kiss and escorted her to the door.

…

“Just tell me the truth, Ambassador. Are you responsible for the blanket power outage in Russia?”

“As a matter of fact, yes,” Tsod told Marco Gutierrez, the Secretary-General of the United Nations, a man he spent a weekend with the previous November.

“Do you have any comprehension of the humanitarian crisis you caused, Ambassador?” Marco asked. “Millions of people could potentially die.”

“I suppose you would rather I let Putin’s generals unleash nuclear hell on the entire planet, killing potentially billions of people,” Tsod said. “After they publicly executed my queen, her son, and a number of other innocent people. Is that what you are telling me? That I should just bend over for every dictator with a bad attitude?”

“Of course not, Ambassador,” Marco said. “But there are protocols for this sort of thing. Besides, everyone knows the Russians would never launch a nuclear weapon. The response would literally destroy them, and they know it.”

“Yes, just as all the ‘smart’ people said Putin would never invade Ukraine,” Tsod said. “We tried it your way, Mr. Secretary-General. And what did we get? Your technology companies and so-called ‘fact-checkers’ claim we do not exist, and as a result, no diplomat on the planet will even talk to us,” Tsod added, frustrated. “They kidnapped our people in an illegal attack on an unarmed vessel in international waters and threatened to murder them. We had to do something.”

“I understand. But tell me, Ambassador. Just what were your people doing with the Ukrainians anyway?” Marco asked.

“Frankly, Mr. Secretary-General, that is none of your business,” Tsod said.

“I see,” Marco said. “The Russians claim President Putin was kidnapped. Are you responsible for that as well?”

“We apprehended a man charged as an interstellar war criminal,” Tsod said. “That man just happened to be Vladimir Putin. The Interstellar Criminal Court is reviewing his case now.”

“Dammit, Ambassador. You can’t just go around grabbing anyone who makes you mad,” Marco said.

“But dictators like Putin can abduct whomever they please and threaten to murder them in public,” Tsod said. “Is THAT how your system works?”

“Of course not, Ambassador,” Marco said.

“That’s what it looks like from where I sit, Mr. Secretary-General,” Tsod said.

“I understand your frustration, Ambassador,” Marco said. “And I understand your desire to see justice done. But it must be done properly.”

“And by the time any of your diplomats even return my call, Putin would have murdered my queen,” Tsod said. “That is completely unacceptable to us.”

“I take it that you are not going to release Putin?” Marco asked.

“Not until OUR protocol is followed,” Tsod said. “He will appear before the ICC after they have reviewed his case. We will proceed from there.”

“And the people of Russia?” Marco asked.

“I feel bad for what they are going through. But they are the ones who put Putin in power to begin with. Their future is in their own hands,” Tsod said.

“I see. Can we at least send a representative to ensure Putin is being treated properly?” Marco asked.

“Of course, Mr. Secretary-General,” Tsod said. “Can we at least expect a follow-up from you when we ask for it?”

“Yes, Ambassador,” Marco said. “I apologize if you feel you have been given short shrift.”

“Apology accepted,” Tsod said. “I will arrange for a flight to bring your representative to New South Marsookia and let Greta know.”

“That is acceptable, Ambassador,” Marco said.

“Look on the bright side, Mr. Secretary-General,” Tsod said. “The Russians are out of Ukraine, and as a bonus, they cannot consume any fossil fuels,” he added with a wry smile.

“I am glad to hear the Russians are out of Ukraine, Ambassador,” Marco said. “As for the ‘bonus,’ I’m not amused.”

“Que sera, sera,” Tsod said. “We’ll be in touch. Good day.” With that, he ended the connection and looked at Theresa.

“Sometimes, I think you enjoy your work just a bit too much, Ambassador,” Theresa said. Tsod smiled at that.

“It has its moments,” he said.

“What do you think the Secretary-General will do?” she asked. Tsod shrugged his shoulders.

“There really isn’t anything he can do,” Tsod said. “Of course, he could ask the UN to sanction us, but we’re not a member of the UN, and any official action on his part would require him to publicly admit that we actually exist. Doing so would no doubt get him banned from his precious social media. He could send a strongly-worded letter but that, too, would become public record.”

“A paper tiger with no real teeth, then,” Theresa said.

“Pretty much. And he knows that we will do what we need to do regardless of what he says,” Tsod told her.

“I’m scheduled to meet with the Ukrainian delegation soon,” she said. “Would you care to join us?”

“Of course,” he said.

“Just so you know, Tsod, I intend to disclose the truth about who we are,” she said. “They deserve to know.”

“I suspected as much, My Queen,” he said. “Are we talking full disclosure?”

“Full enough,” she told him. “Every state is entitled to its own secrets. Ukraine has theirs, as do we.”

“I understand,” Tsod said. “Just… be careful.”

“I will,” she said.

…

The Ukrainian delegation woke up early, ate breakfast, and headed for the Capitol building to meet with Theresa. They were eager to get things moving again and looked forward to the meeting. They exited the electric vehicle when the limousine stopped at the Capitol’s VIP entrance. They were escorted to a conference room reserved for the summit.

Theresa, wearing only a blue robe, stood when the Ukrainians entered. They were stunned to see her so casual but took it in stride, considering what they had experienced. She greeted them with a broad smile and introduced them to Tsod.

“Please, have a seat,” she said. “I trust you slept well last night.”

“Yes, Your Majesty, we did,” Alina said. “Thank you for asking.”

“You are welcome,” Theresa said. “Before we get started, I would like to tell you a little story.” The Ukrainians looked at each other, surprised, before responding.

“Of course,” Alina said. Theresa began her brief on the Gingravik, giving them the Reader’s Digest version of the Gingravik story. They were stunned to hear the alien species had been watching Earth for some 500 years before successfully mating with a human female.

“What is it these Gingravik want?” Alina asked.

“The same as us,” Theresa said. “To live in peace.” Alina looked at Tsod before speaking.

“And you, Ambassador. Are you human, or Gingravik?” she asked.

“Both, actually,” he said. “As you can see, I am human in form and function. Like you, I consume nutrition. My body processes it and eliminates waste much like yours. Like you, I have a mate. She looks like me. I look like her. We consummate our relationship much as you do. Internally, however, I am Gingravik.”

“How is this possible?” Myroslava asked.

“Please understand,” Theresa said. “Theirs is truly a superior intellect, and I’m not ashamed to say, a superior libido. The Gingravik love life, and would rather spend their time making love than anything else.”

“But why us?” Anatoliy asked. “If what you say is true, and I don’t doubt that it is, are there not other species they can interact with?”

“Yes, there are other species,” Theresa said. “But of all the species they have encountered, ours is the most compatible. Both physically and philosophically. You would be amazed at how much we have in common.”

“So, how were you able to make all of this possible?” Boryslav asked.

“Before coming here, we spent a great deal of time and effort integrating the two species,” Theresa said. “It was not easy, believe me. We had to work under the radar, so to speak, in order to keep prying eyes from learning about us before the time was right.”

“How do we know these Gingravik aren’t here to conquer Earth?” Alina asked. Tsod chuckled at that.

“Unfortunately, much of what the human race thinks of extraterrestrial species is due to its entertainment sector,” he said. “Too many people watching too many old Hollywood science fiction movies.” They all chuckled at that.

“I sincerely hope this revelation does not hamper our relationship,” Theresa said. “I believe we have much to offer each other.” Alina looked at her colleagues before responding.

“Your Majesty, I truly appreciate your candor in this matter,” she finally said. “I know it could not have been easy for you to share this information with us. I have seen your people in action, and I am forever grateful to you for saving us from the Russians. I think I speak for all of us when I say that we look forward to a long and fruitful relationship with you.” The other Ukrainians nodded their head in agreement.

“Thank you, Alina,” Theresa said. “That means a great deal to me.” She looked up at Tsod before continuing. “Would you care to join me in a little celebration?”

“Of course,” Alina said. Theresa stood, prompting the others to join her. Anatoliy and Boryslav tried in vain to divert their eyes when Theresa’s robe opened slightly, revealing the smooth skin underneath. They all followed her to a large room where a giant monitor was attached to one wall. Jake, Bernie, Margaret, and the two squads of D’o’wr stood in front of the blank monitor. Theresa nodded at Margaret, who activated her console and pressed several buttons.

The Ukrainians gasped when they saw the Gingravik Emperor and the members of the High Council on the monitor. The plants moved their branches as they conferred, then turned to face the gathered assembly.

“Once again, your lovely form graces our visual receptors,” the Emperor said. “It is good to see you have been liberated from your captors.” Theresa bowed slightly before responding.

“It is good to be back, Excellency,” she said. “And I have these D’o’wr to thank for that, along with Lord Bernard and Master Jake.”

“Yes,” the Emperor said. “Which is why we are here today. Would the D’o’wr please come forward?” The soldiers lined up in front of the monitors and stood at attention in their dark uniforms.

“For your bravery and courage under fire and for rescuing our beloved Queen, I hereby name you Knights of the Empire,” the Emperor said. “My Queen, would you please do the honors?”

“Of course, Excellency,” she said, stepping forward. Tsod joined her after she motioned to him. She picked up a stack of small blue boxes and handed some to Tsod before coming to the first soldier. Opening a box, she extracted a medal and pinned it on the man’s uniform before kissing him on the cheek. She repeated her actions for each of the soldiers. When she finished, she stepped back.

“Thank you,” the Emperor said. The D’o’wr smartly faced to their left and marched back to their places. “And now, would Lord Bernard and Master Jake come forward, please?” Bernie and Jake wheeled themselves in front of the monitor, and both were still secured in their military camouflage carts.

“I am truly impressed by your work and dedication these last few days,” the Emperor said. “You have shown the people of Earth what it is to be Gingravik, and you have my undying gratitude. Lord Bernard, for your bravery, your planning and your actions in apprehending the criminal who abducted our Queen, I name you a Knight of the Empire and award you the Emperor’s Medal. My Queen, would you please present the awards?”

“Yes, Excellency,” she said. Picking up two boxes, she pinned the medals to Bernie’s pot and gingerly kissed his large central stalk before stepping back.

“And you, Master Jake,” the Emperor said. “For your role in rescuing our Queen and her delegation, I name you a Knight of the Empire. And for your conspicuous gallantry and enthusiasm in the face of enemy fire, I name you a Hero of the Gingravik Consortium, the first to be so named in over 250 of Earth’s years. My Queen, if you would please, do the honors.”

“Yes, Excellency,” she said, motioning for April to join her. Picking up two boxes, she handed one to April and approached Jake. She pinned one medal on his pot as April attached a much larger medal. Both women kissed one of Jake’s leaves, and April smiled with pride as she fastened the Hero’s medal to his pot.

“I’m so proud of you, my husband,” she whispered.

“I want you all to know that you have restored my faith in the Gingravik people, and your exploits have lifted the spirits of the Empire. Thank you,” the Emperor said to applause.

“Excellency, I would like to introduce the Ukrainian delegation if I may,” Theresa said.

“Of course,” the Emperor said. Theresa motioned to the four Ukrainians, who came forward. She introduced them to the Emperor and stood back as they regarded the large plant on the screen.

“I am honored to meet you,” the Emperor said. “And I sincerely hope we will enjoy a long and prosperous relationship.”

“The honor is ours, Excellency,” Alina said.

“Please, give my regards to your brave president. Enjoy our hospitality, and know that the Empire stands with you and your people in this difficult time,” the Emperor said.

“Thank you, Excellency,” Alina said. “I will pass that on to him.”

“Well, if you will excuse me, we have a bit of celebrating to do,” the Emperor said. “I look forward to seeing you again, My Queen.”

“As do I, Excellency,” Theresa said before the connection ended. She turned to the Ukrainians. “Thank you for joining us,” she told them. “I hope this helps ease whatever fears you may have had of us.”

“I’m glad you invited us to be part of this,” Alina said. “I’m just not sure how I’m going to explain all this to President Zelenskyy without ending up in a mental hospital.” They all chuckled at that.

“I’m sure Ambassador Tsod will be more than happy to help in that regard,” Theresa said. She turned as April came up to them.

“Excuse me, My Queen,” she said. “The D’o’wr have invited Bernie, Jake and I to join them for a little celebration. With your permission, we’d like to go with them for a bit.”

“Of course, April,” Theresa said with a smile. “Have fun. You’ve earned it.”

“Thank you, My Queen,” April said before leaving. Theresa looked at her mate, who came up to her.

“I promise not to be gone too long, sweetheart,” he said.

“Alright, dear,” Theresa said. “Have fun. But not too much.”

…

The uniformed D’o’wr gathered in the corner bar raised their glasses and offered a toast to Bernie, Jake, and each other. They drank the beer down and ordered another round as Bernie tasted the liquid using one of his leaves. He had never tasted the stuff before and wasn’t sure how his system would handle it. Nevertheless, he didn’t want to appear rude, so he participated in the festivities. After celebrating with the others for a bit, he begged off.

“I really have to get back to the Capitol,” he said. “But thank you for inviting me.”

“Our pleasure, Lord Bernard,” one of the D’o’wr said. “Thanks for joining us.”

Jake, however, wasn’t as cautious and emptied half his glass at once, using multiple leaves to soak up the liquid through osmosis. April was shocked to see her mate consume so much at one time, especially given that he had never tasted alcohol before.

“Careful, sweetheart, you don’t know how that will affect you,” she said quietly.

“I’m fine, shweetheart,” he slurred.

“You’re drunk!” she said, laughing.

“I’m not drunk. I’m Jake,” he said, wrapping one of his branches around her body. “Ooh, come to Papa, sweet thing,” he added. “Let’s get down with our bad selves and boogey!” She laughed at that.

“Boogey? You’ve been watching far too many movies, dear,” she said.

“Never!” he replied. “C’mon, let’s go cut a rug. We can show these people how to really get it on!” He grabbed her hand with one of his branches and pulled her onto the dance floor, where he twirled his cart around and waved his branches in time with the music.

“Woo hoo!” he exclaimed. “This is fun!” April couldn’t help but laugh as she tried to keep up with Jake. The soldiers laughed and applauded as they watched Jake dance in his armored cart. They celebrated and danced the rest of the day, not leaving the bar until long after the sun had gone down. Jake and the soldiers said their goodbyes, and April guided him back to their apartment.

“Ooh, if I had a head, it would hurt like hell,” Jake groaned the following day. “Remind me to never do that again.”

“Don’t ever do that again,” April said with a smile.

“Thanks,” Jake said. “It was fun dancing with you, though.”

“Yes, it was,” she said. “And yes, I had a good time celebrating with you as well. You earned a night out.”

“So, you’re not mad at me for getting drunk?” he asked.

“No, not at all,” she said. “Just don’t make a habit out of it.”

“I won’t,” he said.

“I want you to know that I really am very proud of you,” she said. “You earned those soldiers’ respect, and you’ve earned the Emperor’s gratitude. That’s not easy to do. I just don’t want to see you let it all go to your head, if you know what I mean.”

“You mean, you don’t want to see me turn into a conceited, self-absorbed asshole,” Jake said. “I read that in a story somewhere.”

“I wouldn’t use those exact words maybe, but yeah, something like that,” she said.

“You are right, my queen,” he finally said. “I can see how easy it can happen. I want you to be proud of me, though.”

“I AM proud of you, my love. You were so brave when you rescued us. And the whole Empire sees you as a real hero, which you are. But I love YOU. The REAL you — the kind, sweet, gentle Jake that you really are. You make me so happy, and I love the fact that you would come to my rescue the way you did. I just don’t want to see you turn into something you’re not. Does that make sense?”

“Yes, my queen. It does,” he said. “Maybe I should not carry these medals all the time.”

“I think that is wise, dear,” she said. “I tell you what I’ll do. I’ll find something to mount them on and we can display them on the wall. What do you think?”

“I like that idea,” he said. He turned his penises toward her before speaking again. “April,” he said softly.

“What?” she asked.

“I love you so very much,” he said. “I could not imagine living without you.”

“Oh, Jake, sweetheart. I love you too,” she said.

“Thank you,” he said.

“For what?” she asked.

“For keeping me grounded,” he said. “I know I can get a bit silly and stupid sometimes, and it felt good to be praised like that in public. You don’t know what it’s like to be part human and part Gingravik. You are fully human, so you never have to experience that. Hybrids like me are often looked down upon by natives like Lord Bernard.”

“That’s right. I almost forgot. Your sperm donor was human,” she said. She was surprised at this revelation. She never imagined the Gingravik were capable of bigotry, and she had never heard Jake mention this before.

“Yes. And from what I saw in the Facilitator’s notes, no one knows who he was. He was just some drunk guy on the street,” Jake said. April sensed his sadness in her mind and saw what looked like a tear on one of his leaves. She gently brushed the tear away.

“I happen to know for a fact that Lord Bernard thinks very highly of you. Otherwise, he would not have taken you under his branches the way he did,” she told him. “And you most certainly are not stupid. After all, you absorbed the equivalent of an MIT degree in three months. And as for being silly, well, that’s just one of the things I love about you.”

“Really?” he asked quietly.

“Absolutely,” she said. “You are my husband. The love of my life. And you are MY hero as well as a hero of the Empire.”

“And I don’t really need to advertise it, do I?” he asked.

“No,” she said. “Everyone already knows.” She sensed something else in him and thought she heard sniffles in her mind. Suddenly, he wrapped his branches around her, and she heard sobs.

“I love you so much, my queen,” he sobbed. She broke down crying as she held him.

“I love you too, my sweet, sweet Jake,” she said as tears fell down her face. “Come on. Let’s get cleaned up and get to work, okay?” she asked after a few minutes.

“Okay,” he said quietly.

…

“Good morning, April,” Theresa said when April came into the conference room with her stack of notes. “I heard you and Jake were the life of the party last night.”

“We… had a good time, My Queen,” April said.

“April, when it’s just us, you can call me Theresa. How is Jake this morning?”

“He says that if he had a head, it would hurt like hell,” April said, causing Theresa to laugh.

“I can imagine,” she said.

“Theresa, can I ask you something?”

“Sure, April. Anything,” Theresa said.

“What do you know about Jake’s parentage?” April asked.

“I’m afraid I don’t know very much at all,” Theresa said. “I know that he was the result of a failed experiment involving a human male, but that was before we even got the Colony ramped up all the way. Why?”

“Jake is under the impression that native Gingravik like Lord Bernard look down on hybrids like him,” April said.

“I have heard that myself,” Theresa said. “But I assure you that Bernie holds Jake in very high regard. And I have never heard him disparage any other hybrid. In fact, at this point, there are far more hybrids than natives here.”

“I know. It’s just that I’ve never heard of such a division since I’ve known Jake,” April said.

“If Jake feels that way, perhaps others do as well, and we’re just not aware of it,” Theresa said. “I’ll talk with Bernie about that and see what he says. If it’s an issue, we need to deal with it sooner rather than later. Thank you for bringing that to my attention.”

“You’re welcome,” April said.

“We’d better get set up. The Ukrainian delegation will be here soon, and we have a lot to cover today,” Theresa said.

…

“Good morning, My Lord,” Jake said as he took position behind his assigned workstation. Bernie noticed that Jake was in his old motorized cart and also saw the medals and badges were missing from his pot. He smiled to himself in approval and gave what passes for a nod among the Gingravik.

“Good morning, Jake,” Bernie said before switching to his native telepathic mode. “It’s good to see you back.” Jake looked at Bernie, understanding the meaning of his statement. “And remember, you may call me Bernie when it’s just the two of us. We are Gingravik. Our sap is the same color of green, as the humans might say.”

“Thank you, Bernie,” Jake said in response.

“I understand you had quite a time celebrating after I left,” Bernie said.

“Yes,” Jake said. “It was… fun.”

“I’m glad you had a good time. You deserved it,” Bernie said. “I would’ve stayed, but my system isn’t very good at processing alcohol.”

“Apparently, mine isn’t very good at it either,” Jake said, causing Bernie to chuckle. Just then, Tsod came into the room.

“Good morning, Jake,” he said. “Good to see you back in form.”

“It’s good to be back, Ambassador,” Jake said.

“Any word on the situation in Russia, Lord Bernard?” Tsod asked.

“The situation there deteriorates by the minute, Ambassador,” Bernie said. “Protests have already broken out across the country, and it appears several government ministers have left Moscow. I presume they are heading to Kaliningrad to set up provisional government offices there.”

“Oh? How are they managing to do that?” Tsod asked.

“According to our satellite photos, it appears they are using buses pulled by teams of horses,” Bernie said, bringing a photo up on the large primary monitor. The picture showed five buses, each with a team of horses connected to the front of the vehicles.

“Well, you have to give them credit for thinking out of the box,” Tsod said. “How long do you estimate the trip will take?”

“Ordinarily, it’s a 16-hour drive using the route they’re taking. Using horse-drawn buses like this, it’ll take weeks or maybe even months for them to reach the Latvian border,” Bernie said. “The roads are clogged with stalled vehicles and refugees trying to get out of the country.”

“A lot can happen in that time,” Tsod said. “What’s the word on the squadron?”

“They should be in range within two days,” Bernie said. “Our satellites can hold until then.”

“Good,” Tsod said. “Anything else on your plate today?”

“I have a meeting with our ICC representative,” Bernie said. “It appears the court will approve our motion to arraign Mr. Putin.”

“Excellent,” Tsod said. “I’ll get with the Facilitator and see if we can arrange a flight for a UN representative to come and make sure our guest isn’t being mistreated. I’m also going to be tied up with the Queen’s summit with the Ukrainians for most of the day. Let me know if you need anything else.”

“I will, Ambassador,” Bernie said. Tsod left the room, and Bernie turned to Jake. “I must leave for my appointment and will most likely be gone for much of the day.”

“Very well,” Jake said. Bernie considered Jake before responding. He noticed something different about the young hybrid and recalled the discussion he overheard between Theresa and April.

“Jake,” Bernie said, getting the hybrid’s attention.

“Yes?” Jake asked.

“You should know that you are a far better man than your sperm donor could ever be. I realize that I should have expressed to you this much earlier. I apologize for not doing so. And for the record, I am proud to call you my friend,” he said. “Do you understand? Proud. You are a much better man than most native Gingravik I know.” Jake turned to Bernie as he absorbed what the native Gingravik just said.

“Yes, I understand,” Jake said. “Thank you for being my friend. That means more to me than you know.”

“You’re welcome, Jake,” Bernie said before leaving. Jake felt better after hearing what Bernie told him and turned to his work, determined more than ever to make his superior proud.

…

The next three weeks flew by. The Gingravik squadron arrived and took up stations in geosynchronous orbit over Russia, reinforcing the dampening field that covered the Russian Federation.

Theresa and Tsod concluded their summit with the Ukrainians and were pleased with the outcome. Alina contacted her president and reported that they were prepared to begin finalizing an agreement that would include a scientific exchange between the two countries.

The situation in Russia deteriorated even further. Rural areas of the country were slowly transitioning into a more agrarian lifestyle that resembled life in the 1800s. Still, people living in urban areas like Moscow were having a much harder time living without power. Worldwide media outlets had shifted their focus from the invasion of Ukraine to what they now called the “humanitarian crisis” in Russia.

Millions had fled the country and were languishing in camps in Latvia, Lithuania, and other countries that bordered the Federation.

Millions more were dying from starvation or lack of medical care. The buses carrying the government ministers and their cargo were only one-half of the way to Latvia, even with soldiers on horseback clearing the road of refugees in front of them.

Violent protests had broken out throughout the country, with millions of Russians now demanding the government turn the lights back on. Instead of listening to the concerns of their people, the generals in charge turned the Army loose on their own citizens. Buildings were burnt to the ground in response.

An opposition leader, Ivan Federov, was rapidly forming a core of supporters who demanded that Vladimir Putin be forcefully removed from office. Federov’s support grew with each passing day, and by now, many were demanding a new election so they could put him in office.

Theresa, Tsod, Bernie, Jake, and Margaret sat in the secure conference room, now called the “War Room,” as the image of the Gingravik commander appeared on the monitor in front of them. Theresa made introductions, and the briefing began.

“We are ready to map out the shadow grid, My Queen,” the commander said.

“Shadow grid?” Theresa asked.

“Yes,” the commander said. “Once activated, it will block all solar radiation to the target area. Given the size and complexity of the Russian border and its territorial waters, it will take our technicians about 24 of your hours to configure and test. Then another eight hours to allocate sufficient power. After that, it can be ready to activate at any time.”

“And this grid blocks ALL solar radiation? Light and heat?” Theresa asked.

“Yes, My Queen,” the commander said. Theresa thought for a moment before addressing the group. She was quite disturbed about this and looked at the commander.

“What would happen if we did this?” she asked.

“Of course, all photosynthesis would stop, so crops would likely die fairly soon. Trees might last a bit longer. With no solar radiation, all water would eventually freeze. Temperatures would drop even lower than they are now. Eventually, all life in the targeted area would die off, and it would become a frozen, lifeless wasteland,” he said. “It would not happen all at once, of course, and such a sudden change would cause even more widespread chaos and panic in the region. The entire society there would collapse in a very short period of time.”

“What you describe sounds like… genocide, Commander. That seems a bit… draconian… to me. Not to mention unacceptable. I thought you said Russia is already close to collapsing,” she said, looking at Tsod.

“Yes, My Queen,” Tsod said. “They are. Very close.”

“And you said they are incapable of launching an attack against anyone at this point,” Theresa added.

“At this point, yes,” Tsod said. “At least, a modern attack. They could still send their troops into combat using century-old technology, but without anything electronic or mechanized, it would not go well for them.”

“And this Federov. What do you know about him?” she asked.

“Ivan Federov is a politician from a small Russian Oblast,” Bernie said. “He is a decorated veteran of their military, anti-Putin, anti-Communist, very well-liked and respected by his people. He hates the current system and is seen by many as a real reformer. Putin has even threatened to put him in prison more than once. I believe that if an election were held today, he would probably win.”

“Do you share Lord Bernard’s opinion, Tsod?” Theresa asked.

“Yes, I do, My Queen,” Tsod said.

“Jake, you and Bernie have personally encountered Russian soldiers in combat. What is your opinion?” Theresa asked. Jake was surprised that his queen would call on him for an opinion. Before speaking, he gathered his thoughts, not wanting to appear silly or uninformed. All eyes turned to him as they awaited his response.

“I believe at this point, they simply want to exist, as we do, My Queen,” he said. “We have responded against them with quick and decisive action. We now have their leader who faces trial for his war crimes, and their people are feeling our wrath. I do not believe the Russian authorities wish to encounter us again.”

“I tend to agree, Jake,” she said. Tsod and Margaret nodded in agreement, and Bernie shook his stalks.

“Nicely said, master Jake,” Bernie responded.

“Thank you, My Lord,” Jake said.

“I see no reason to inflict more suffering on the Russian people at this time, Commander,” Theresa said. “Let’s put a hold on this shadow grid.”

“As you wish, My Queen,” the Commander said as Tsod looked at a message that had just come to his phone.

“What is it, Ambassador?” Theresa asked.

“Our visitor from New York is here to see Putin,” Tsod said.

“Alright, we’re done here for now, so see to it. Let me know if he wishes an audience,” she said.

“Yes, My Queen,” Tsod said, leaving the room.

Philip Carson, one of the delegates who accompanied the UN Secretary-General in November, was hand-picked by Marco to visit New South Marsookia to check on Vladimir Putin’s status. After arriving in IGC One, the luxurious long-distance aircraft known as “The Queen’s Own,” and settling into his hotel room, he was escorted to the Capitol, where he met Greta and Tsod.

“Ambassador, it’s good to meet you again,” the large black man said, extending a hand. Tsod shook his hand and invited him to have a seat.

“It is good to see you again as well,” Tsod said. “How is the Secretary-General these days?”

“Busy,” Philip said.

“I’m sure he is,” Tsod said. “How long will you be here with us?”

“I’ve been asked to stay until Mr. Putin’s trial is finished,” Philip said. “Knowing how the court system is, I figure that could take a while.” Tsod snickered at that.

“Perhaps not,” Tsod said. “Our ICC is known for speedy trials and swift justice. I assure you it certainly won’t take four years,” he added, referring to the lengthy trial of Slobodan Milošević that ended when he died in 2006. “The ICC has agreed to hear the case against Putin and they have set a date. That trial will take place in three days. You are welcome to stay and observe if you wish.”

“Thank you,” Philip said. “May I be candid with you, Ambassador?”

“Please,” Tsod said, holding his hands out to his sides.

“As much as I like and respect you and Queen Tere, I do not approve of the actions you have taken,” Philip said. “You abducted the leader of the largest power on Earth. A man with thousands of nuclear warheads at his disposal. That is not how we do things here. If you wish to be part of the world community, you need to act like it.” Tsod nodded his head as he took in Philip’s words.

“And let me be equally candid, Philip,” he said, anger present in his voice. “That man’s military attacked a clearly-marked neutral vessel on a mission of peace in international waters. His soldiers killed several of my countrymen in an unprovoked attack. They abducted MY queen, along with her son and her entire delegation. One of his men threatened to sexually assault my queen, and Putin himself threatened to murder her and the rest of her delegation publicly. I have his statement on video.

“Maybe that sort of thing is okay with you and your so-called ‘world community,’ but it is NOT okay with us. We took action, and we rescued our people and apprehended a war criminal,” Tsod said. “As I told the Secretary-General, we tried doing things your way but have met nothing but resistance. Your information gatekeepers have effectively made it impossible for us to speak with anyone.

“Personally, I do not care if you approve of our actions or not,” Tsod added. “You are welcome to stay and observe the trial if you wish. But do not lecture me about decorum.”

“I understand, Ambassador,” Philip said. “I apologize for the treatment your people received. For the record, we do NOT approve of what happened to your queen and her delegation. Right now, I am concerned with Mr. Putin’s human rights and that is all.” Tsod snorted at that.

“Human rights,” Tsod said. “As I recall, we discussed that the last time you were here. You speak of human rights, yet Russia — one of the biggest violators of your human rights, in my opinion — sits on your United Nations Human Rights Commission. Do you not see the irony in that?”

“I admit, when you put it that way, it doesn’t make much sense,” Philip said. “Just so you know, there are efforts underway to remove Russia from that commission.”

“That sounds all well and good. But you see, Philip, this is the problem we have. The inconsistencies we see in your world body make it very difficult for us to take you seriously,” Tsod said.

“We’re only human, Ambassador,” Philip said with a wry smile. Tsod smiled back as he nodded his head.

“Yes, so I’ve noticed,” he said. “Well, shall we go visit your friend?”

“He’s not my friend, Ambassador,” Philip said. “But yes, I would like to see him if that’s acceptable.”

“Of course,” Tsod said, motioning for Philip and Greta to join him. When they got to the secure detention facility, a guard escorted them to the private cell block that housed Vladimir Putin. The guard led them to the locked door and opened the observation window so Philip could look inside.

The reasonably short 69-year-old Putin looked up to see Philip eyeing his cell. He said nothing and turned his face away, not interested in who might be looking at him. Philip looked around and took in the clean cell. He noticed the twin bed, the desk, and chair along one wall, the standard water unit in one corner, and a large television monitor attached high on the wall.

“He looks well, considering the circumstances,” Philip said.

“What did you expect?” Tsod said. “We’re civilized people here. He has a small, but comfortable room, clean sheets, a television, and he gets three meals a day. He’s even allowed an hour of outdoor exercise every day and a doctor is on hand to ensure his health. In fact, he’s treated much better here than people in his prisons are treated, from what I have seen.”

“And he has an attorney and a translator?” Philip asked.

“Naturally,” Tsod said.

“Alright. Well, I’ve seen all I need to for the moment, Ambassador. Thank you for bringing me here,” Philip said. They left the secure facility, and Greta joined Philip as he returned to his hotel to write his report.

…

Three days later, Tsod, Theresa, Bernie, Harmon, April, Philip, and Greta met back up and drove to the facility. They were escorted into the room where Putin’s case would be handled. A series of cameras and monitors were set up, and Putin was brought into the room, shackled. He looked tired and angry but healthy. He glared at Theresa, taking in her near-nude form, before sitting in his chair.

The large monitor in front of the room came to life, and they found themselves looking at what appeared to be a typical courtroom. On one side of the room sat a large, leafy Gingravik male.

“That’s the prosecuting attorney,” Tsod whispered to Philip. A door slid open, and a tall reptilian being entered the room.

“All rise!” a similar being ordered from one side of the room. Everyone stood as the judge entered the room. He sat, and everyone else did the same after a nod of his green scaly head.

“That’s Judge Tf’rnk,” Tsod told a wide-eyed Philip. “I’m told he has a reputation as a hanging judge.” The judge’s bright yellow eyes blinked as he looked through the paperwork in front of him. Then he looked toward Putin. Everyone remained quiet as he read the list of charges against Putin. When he finished, he addressed Putin’s defense attorney.

“How does the defendant plead?” Tf’rnk asked. A humanoid male rose to respond.

“The defendant pleads not guilty, Your Honor,” the attorney said.

“So noted,” the judge said as the lawyer remained standing. “Yes, counselor, what is it?”

“Your Honor, I have submitted a motion to dismiss this case as Earth is not a member of the Interstellar Criminal Court,” the defense attorney said. Tf’rnk turned to the prosecuting attorney.

“Your response, counselor?” the judge asked. The Gingravik lawyer shook his branches as he spoke into the translation device.

“We recognize that Earth is not a signatory of the ICC, however, the victims of the defendant’s crimes…”

“Alleged crimes, counselor,” the judge said, interrupting the lawyer.

“Alleged crimes… are subjects of the Interstellar Gingravik Consortium, which is a signatory of the ICC. In fact, one of the victims is Tere, Queen Mother of the Gingravik Prefect of Earth.”

“Very well,” the judge said. “Motion denied,” he added, looking at Putin and his attorney. They spent the next several hours examining and cross-examining the evidence, including the video of Putin speaking with Tsod. They also put Theresa, April, Bernie, Harmon, and Tsod on the stand to testify, taking only one half-hour break for lunch.

When they returned, it was the defense attorney’s turn to make his case. When Putin stood to testify, he erupted in anger.

“I do not recognize this CIA joke,” he screamed. “This isn’t a court of law, it’s a Star Wars bar scene! I do not recognize your authority! When I am out of here, I will nuke you all out of existence!” The judge picked up what looked like a rock and pounded his bench with it.

“SILENCE!” he thundered. “I know nothing of a CIA and I certainly know nothing of a Star Wars bar scene, whatever that is. I do, however, know disrespect, and it will not be tolerated in my court. Counselor, you will advise your client to remain respectful or I will have him restrained and gagged. Is that understood?”

“Yes, Your Honor,” the defense attorney said. He turned to Putin and said something in Russian, causing Putin’s face to turn white. The testimony resumed when the defense attorney finished counseling his client, and Putin remained respectful. However, he gave short, terse answers to questions put to him.

Both sides rested their cases, and the judge adjourned for the day, giving instructions that closing arguments would start in the morning. Two giant guards led Putin back to his cell, his attorney close behind. The others left the detention facility and headed back to the Capitol, stopping only to eat.

“Well. What do you think so far?” Tsod asked Philip.

“It went smoother than I thought it would,” Philip said. “By the way, how many other species are out there?”

“Quite a few,” Tsod said. “Almost all of the space-going species are members of the court. Perhaps one day, humanity will join them.”

“You really think that’s possible?” Philip asked.

“Anything is possible,” Tsod said. “Isn’t that right, My Queen?”

“Yes, it is,” Theresa said. “If anyone had told me ten or fifteen years ago that I’d be a queen with a husband as wonderful as Bernie, I would have told them they were insane.” Their attention was drawn to a Gingravik Broadcasting Network news report of the day’s trial.

“The war crimes trial of Russian dictator Vladimir Putin began today on New South Marsookia with testimony provided by several individuals, including Putin and Her Majesty, Queen Mother Tere of the Gingravik Prefect of Earth. While the Queen Mother and others told harrowing stories of their captivity by the Russians, Putin exploded, with threats to use nuclear weapons against the court and everyone involved in his trial,” the nude female news anchor said.

The reporter then showed a video of Putin screaming in Russian at a monitor, his face red, spittle flying out of his mouth. After the short video, the broadcast returned to the reporter.

“Court observers told GBN they believe Putin may be suffering from a form of mental illness, but they doubt it will impact the court’s decision. In a statement provided earlier, the Queen Mother’s office says she is happy to assist the court in any way possible and trusts that justice will be done.

“Putin’s attorney told GBN the Russian strongman is under great stress but will cooperate with the court and accept whatever verdict is handed down. Closing arguments are set to begin early tomorrow morning. A verdict will be announced within two days of closing arguments.

“Efforts to post news or video of the day’s proceedings to social media outlets on Earth were unsuccessful, with tech giants calling the reports ‘disinformation’ and ‘fake news.’ Fact-checkers on Earth continue to say there is no such thing as the Gingravik Consortium.

“In somewhat related news, the crisis in Russia continues to take its toll on millions of people in that country as the weeks-old power outage drags on. In a scene somewhat reminiscent of old American western movies, horse-drawn wagon trains made their way into Russia with loads of portable camping stoves, fuel, kerosene lanterns, drinking water, and dehydrated food packets known as MREs.

“The provisions were donated to the Russian people by several charitable organizations, including the Red Cross. We have heard many stories of people — including some who used to work for the government security forces — forced to eat rat meat cooked over open campfires. One Russian man told us this was the first real hot meal his family has eaten in two weeks.”

The scene changed to a video of a distraught Russian man who spoke in rapid Russian as tears fell down his face. A translation was provided at the bottom of the screen.

“Thank you so very much,” he cried as he held a food packet close to his chest. “This is the first hot meal my family has had in more than two weeks. All of our food is spoiled and we have no clean running water.”

“Who do you fault for this?” an off-camera male reporter asked. The man listened as the question was translated. Then he gave his answer.

“I blame Vladimir Putin for this,” he said in Russian as a translation was provided. “I hope he rots in hell,” the man added, spitting on the ground. The male reporter appeared on camera.

“That is the response we’ve heard from many here on the ground just outside the Russian border,” he said. “Mike Johnson, GBN News. Back to you, Tia.”

“Thank you, Mike,” the female anchor said. “A group of Russian government officials finally arrived in Kaliningrad to set up provisional offices. They say they intend to reach out to the world and coordinate recovery efforts in Russia. They maintain the power outage is the result of an American CIA operation.

“When asked about Putin’s location, they claimed the Russian President is still very much in control and is leading efforts in Moscow,” she added with a raised eyebrow. “One minister said they intend to rain nuclear fire on whoever is responsible for what happened to the power in Russia.

“Meanwhile, calls are growing for new elections and regime change in Russia, with opposition leader Ivan Federov said to be crisscrossing the country on horseback, speaking to Russians wherever he goes. Federov is calling for eliminating the old system, which he says has oppressed the Russian people for many years.

“Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is offering help in the form of humanitarian aid said to have been paid for by selling two luxury yachts believed to be owned by Putin. The move by a man whose country was invaded by Putin’s forces just a month ago has been lauded by world leaders.

“And that’s it for this edition of News Wire. For the Gingravik Broadcast Network, I’m Tia Yar. Good night.” The scene ended, and viewers were treated to a triple-headed remote-control dildo advertisement.

“I bet you won’t hear that back in the States,” Tsod told Philip.

“No,” Philip said. “You won’t. In fact, this is the first I’ve heard of some of this. I’m beginning to appreciate your frustration, Ambassador. You must think the whole planet has either turned stupid or deliberately gone mad.

“I admit, I have begun to wonder a time or two,” Tsod said.

“So, what do you think will happen tomorrow?” Philip asked.

“Both sides will offer their closing arguments, then the judge will make his decision,”

Tsod said. “He’s tough, but fair, so I wouldn’t be surprised if he doesn’t render a verdict tomorrow.”

“What if Putin is found guilty?” Philip asked. “What will happen to him?”

“That’s hard to say,” Tsod told him. “Cases like this usually end up with a death penalty. They’re rare, but they do happen. I honestly don’t know.”

“I guess we’ll find out tomorrow,” Philip said.

…

They all filed back into the room the next day and watched as the attorneys made their closing arguments. Both sides made excellent points in support of their position. The reptilian judge listened quietly, taking notes as the attorneys spoke. When they finished, he looked over his notes for a few minutes before speaking.

“In the interest of justice, I will confer with the ICC Board of Directors and review all of the evidence presented over the last two days,” he said. “In addition, I will review the history of this planet Earth and of this… Russia. I expect to render a decision within five Earth days. Court is dismissed.” The court emptied with a bang of his rock, and Putin was taken back to his cell as the others went their way.

As promised, the judge called the court back into session on the morning of the fifth day. Theresa, Tsod, and Philip went back to the detention facility. She watched as Putin was led into the room, still in chains.

They stood when the judge entered the chambers and sat at his direction. He cleared his throat and looked at everyone on his monitor before starting.

“Will the defendant please rise?” he asked. Putin and his attorney stood up. “Vladimir Putin, it is the judgment of this court, in consultation with the ICC Board of Directors, that you are found guilty of all charges.

“But never let it be said that this court is without mercy. In reviewing your case, along with the history of your state and planet and the briefs provided by your defense team, the court feels that you have been rendered ignorant by the information gatekeepers of your planet and your own intelligence services. Whether that is deliberate or by accident, this court cannot decide. But it does not matter. Even though you were woefully uninformed, you STILL made the wrong decisions.

“Therefore, the sentence of death is commuted. In reviewing the history of your planet, this court found there is nothing more frightening to a person like you than to face the wrath of those you have oppressed. In that light, this court orders you to be returned to your sovereign state at the Queen Mother’s earliest convenience, where you will be incarcerated for the remainder of your life, however long that may be.” Putin looked around, and his gaze fell on Theresa.

“My Queen, when do you think you can return the defendant to his homeland?” the judge asked.

“It could be a few days, Your Honor,” she said. “Russia is still in the grip of a nationwide power outage and I just learned this morning that a new election will happen this week. It could take a few days for the result of that election to be made public.”

“I understand,” the judge said. “I will leave that in your capable hands. In the meantime, the defendant is remanded into custody. Court adjourned!” The court cleared with a bang of his rock, and Putin was hauled back to his cell to await transport. On his way out, he looked at Theresa.

“You should know my FSB operatives will take care of my opposition,” he growled in Russian. His lawyer translated for him, and Theresa chuckled at that.

“You should know that your entire operation has collapsed, convict,” she said. “Your FSB operatives have been running like rats from the people you oppressed. There is no place they can hide. Your time is up.” His face turned white when the lawyer translated her words for him. “Get this slimy meatbag out of my sight,” she told the guards.

“Yes, My Queen,” they said in unison before pushing Putin forward.

…

“We just received the word from our surveillance satellites and the squadron over Russia, My Queen,” Margaret said a week after Putin’s conviction. Just then, Tsod and Bernie came into the room.

“Have you heard?” Tsod asked.

“What? What?” Theresa asked.

“The election results are in,” Tsod said. “Federov won in a landslide. He received 78 percent of the vote.”

“That is good news,” Theresa said.

“He’s set to make his acceptance speech in just a few minutes in Gorkiy Central Park,” Tsod said. “Our orbital surveillance satellites are in place. We can see it, but we won’t be able to hear anything.” He picked up a remote and turned the monitor to the right channel. As they watched, a large, muscular man with short dark hair strode to the stage.

He picked up an old-style horn and spoke to the large crowd gathered in the park. They couldn’t hear him, but they did see the positive reaction he got from the group. Tsod looked at Theresa, who nodded her head. He pulled out his cell phone and touched an icon before putting it back in his pocket.

They both knew it would take a few minutes for the dampening field to completely dissipate and a few more minutes after that for any change. A few minutes later, they noticed Ivan had put the horn down and reached into his pocket.

He pulled out what appeared to be a smartphone. His face lit up, and he held the phone aloft so others could see it had power for the first time in weeks. Then they saw others reacting the same way. As they watched, lights began to flicker on and off in the park.

Shocked and emotional, Ivan dropped to his knees and held his hands in the air. Others looked around, surprised at the sudden change taking place around them. They saw people jumping up and down in the crowd, hugging each other. Theresa smiled as she looked at Tsod.

“It will probably take a few days for their grid to stabilize,” he told her. “So I would hold on getting in touch with him if I were you.”

“Of course,” Theresa said.

The restoration of Russia’s power was the main story on the news that night. Neither Theresa nor Bernie were surprised to hear the leader of the Russian Orthodox Church call it a “sign from above” that the Russian people had done the right thing by electing a new leader. In a way, they thought, he was right…

Theresa decided to wait a whole week before contacting the new Russian president. In the meantime, she kept the satellites and ships on station, just in case something happened. She was pleased to see reports that life in Russia was slowly returning to normal. She was equally delighted to hear the old leadership had been arrested or fired. At the end of the week, Bernie and Jake established a connection to Moscow.

“Good morning, Mr. President,” she said. Ivan looked up and smiled.

“Good morning, Your Majesty,” he said. “I spoke with Ambassador Tsod yesterday, and he indicated you would reach out to me. It is an honor to meet you.”

“And an honor for me as well, Mr. President,” she said.

“Please, call me Ivan,” he said. “I get the feeling from talking with your ambassador that you are the ones responsible for our recent power situation.”

“Yes,” she said. “I apologize for the inconvenience to your people. I had hoped to limit the outage somewhat, but I was informed that was not a realistic expectation.” He smiled at that.

“I… understand,” he said. “Ambassador Tsod explained the entire situation. I suppose it was far preferable to something… worse, no?”

“I tend to agree,” she said.

“There are many here who see it as divine intervention or at the very least, a sign from the heavens,” he said. “I’m not sure how people will respond knowing it was done by someone on Earth.”

“Well, we can just make it our little secret,” she said. He smiled and nodded his head.

“Of course,” he said. “What can I do for you this morning, Your Majesty?”

“We have something here that belongs to you,” Theresa said. “Specifically, a certain former president.”

“Ah, yes,” he said. “I understand he is now a convicted interstellar war criminal. The first human to have such a designation.”

“Yes he is. You do not seem surprised or shocked by that,” she said.

“No. I have long believed that we are not alone in the universe,” he said. “There are simply too many stars and galaxies for it to be otherwise. Amateur astronomy has long been a favorite hobby of mine. As a boy, I used to look into the night sky and dream of meeting people from other planets. Besides, I saw the surveillance video of your… apprehension of Mr. Putin.”

“Oh,” Theresa said. “Then you’ve seen my husband in action.”

“Your husband was part of that raid?” Ivan asked. “Which one was he?”

“He was the bushy one in the camouflage cart,” Theresa said.

“THAT was your husband?” Ivan asked. “I thought that might’ve been a remote controlled unit.”

“No, Mr. President. That was my husband,” Theresa said.

“Not exactly how I would’ve imagined an extraterrestrial being. So much for preconceived notions, yes?” Theresa laughed at that. “Who else knows of this?”

“The Secretary-General of the United Nations and the Ukrainians,” she said. He nodded his head in acknowledgment.

“I have had my own issues with the UN for some time,” he said.

“What about the Ukrainians? What are your intentions regarding them?” Theresa asked.

“If you’re asking if I intend to continue Putin’s war of aggression, Your Majesty, the answer is no. I intend to live in peace with our neighbors,” he said. “We have our own concerns at the moment.”

“Of course,” she said. “So, what do we do about Putin?”

“Are you prepared to return him to us?” he asked.

“I am,” she said. “I just have one small favor to ask, if I may.”

“What is that?”

“I understand your penal colony number six in the Orenburg Oblast is one of your harshest prisons,” Theresa said. “I would be… grateful… if you could see to it that Putin serves his time there.” Ivan smiled as he considered Theresa’s request.

“The Black Dolphin,” he said with a knowing smile. “I see you have done your homework, Your Majesty. I believe we can make that happen. When do you think you can have him brought back?”

“I can have him at Sheremetyevo Airport in, say, three hours,” she said.

“Three hours?” he asked, shocked. “You certainly do not waste time, Your Majesty. Our airspace is still closed to commercial flights, but I can clear the way for your aircraft to land there.”

“I would appreciate that, Mr. President,” she said. “I will see you then.”

“Of course,” he responded, still somewhat surprised.

…

Ivan Federov stood with a camera crew and a security detail on the tarmac at Sheremetyevo Airport as he watched for the aircraft carrying Vladimir Putin to land. He glanced at his watch and noted the three hours were almost over. He had been in constant contact with the control tower, who reported no aircraft had been spotted in the vicinity.

Suddenly, they all heard an ungodly noise above them. An enormous, strange-looking craft materialized out of thin air as they watched. It hovered over the tarmac for a few seconds, then slowly descended as it extended its landing gear. Everyone standing on the tarmac almost expected the thing to open fire on them.

After the GA-745E stealth aircraft settled on the ground, a large door opened in the front and a ramp extended to the deck. They saw a woman wearing a long red cloak next to something that looked like a large plant in a cart. On the other side was the tallest man any of them had ever seen. As the woman walked down the ramp, they saw that she was completely naked underneath the garment. The plant in the cart appeared to drive it next to her.

Behind them was a formation of armed soldiers escorting a man in an orange jumpsuit, a blindfold over his eyes. He wore a collar around his neck, and the lead soldier held a leash as he pulled the man along. Ivan recognized the woman as Queen Tere and was slightly flummoxed at seeing her nearly naked in public.

“Welcome to Moscow, Your Majesty,” he said with a slight bow of his head, trying to keep his eyes off her nudity.

“Thank you, Mr. President,” she said, offering a hand he accepted. “This is my husband, Lord Bernard, High Master of the Grand Order of Marsook, Knight of the Gingravik Empire,” she added, looking at Bernie. Ivan looked at the giant, bushy alien next to the nearly-nude queen and bowed his head slightly.

“Lord Bernard, it is a pleasure to meet you as well,” he said. He noticed what looked like a dozen large penises among the leaves and wondered…

“And I, you, Mr. President,” Bernie said through his attached speakers.

“This is Ambassador Tsod,” Theresa said, indicating the six-foot-eight-inch man next to her. “I believe you’ve spoken to each other before.” Ivan looked up at him as he offered his hand, and Tsod took it in one of his large hands.

“A pleasure to meet you, Ambassador,” Ivan said.

“And you as well, Mr. President,” Tsod said.

“We have something for you, Mr. President,” Theresa said, taking the leash from the lead soldier. She handed it to Ivan, then pulled the blindfold off Vladimir’s head. The former president blinked his eyes to get used to the light and looked at Ivan before speaking.

“Federov,” he hissed. “Your president is back. Get these shackles off me, then stand aside so I may take my rightful place,” he added in Russian. Ivan laughed out loud, encouraging the others to do the same.

“No, Vladimir,” he said. “I AM your president now. And the shackles remain.” He handed the leash to one of the soldiers standing next to him. “Take this prisoner to Penal Colony Number Six in Orenburg, immediately.” The soldier snapped to attention and acknowledged the order. “Make sure he arrives safely, otherwise you and your whole detail will find yourselves taking his place,” Ivan added firmly. “Am I clear?”

“Yes, Mr. President,” the soldier said, his face turning white. He had heard stories about the Black Dolphin and had no desire to spend time there. After the soldiers took Putin away, Ivan turned back to Theresa.

“My apologies, Your Majesty,” he said. “The former president still has supporters among the military. It will take much time to reform a country like ours and we are only just beginning.”

“I understand, Mr. President,” she said with a smile.

“I have been told that Facebook says you do not exist,” Ivan said. “Yet, here you are.”

“Here we are,” Theresa said. “In living color.” Ivan chuckled at that.

“Thank you for returning Putin, and for helping me realize a life-long dream,” he said, glancing at Bernie. “Perhaps one day, I could visit your land and learn more about you.”

“Perhaps,” Theresa said. “I would like that very much, Mr. President. And thank you for helping to restore my faith in humanity. If you will excuse me, I have duties I must attend to.”

“Of course, Your Majesty,” Ivan said. “As do I.” After saying their farewells, Theresa and her delegation turned and went back into the giant aircraft.

“A new friend, My Queen?” Tsod asked when they got back inside the GA-745E.

“Perhaps,” Theresa said. “At least we haven’t gained a new enemy.” The giant craft lifted off the tarmac and disappeared as it raised its landing gear. Everyone present heard a tremendous roar as the plane left the field.

…

Jones turned the monitor feed off when the strange-looking aircraft lifted off the tarmac and disappeared from view. He considered the two FBI agents and the other operatives at the table.

“You realize this will probably never be seen outside the Russian Federation?” he asked them.

“Something like this can’t be completely erased,” Smith said. “It’s bound to get out.”

“And it’ll be squashed the second it does,” Jones said.

“What was that thing in that cart?” Harrison asked.

“Looked like a giant plant to me,” Jones said.

“A giant plant with about a dozen penises driving itself in a cart? Speaking to the Russian president? How can we possibly explain that?” Smith asked.

“We don’t,” Jones said. “As far as the outside world is concerned, that doesn’t exist.” Smith and Jones looked at each other, confused, before turning back to their CIA boss.

“So, what do we do now?” Smith asked.

“I will need to consult with my superiors,” Jones said.

“Why not just open diplomatic relations with them?” Harrison asked.

“Then we would have to admit they exist,” Jones said. “And that is out of the question. At least for now. But I think we know where their main base of operations is located. This isn’t over, gentlemen.”

…

Theresa, Tsod, and Bernie got back to the Capitol building a couple hours after leaving Moscow. Margaret came into Theresa’s office.

“The squadron has departed, My Queen,” she said. Theresa nodded her head.

“Did you take care of that package for me?” Theresa asked.

“Yes,” Margaret said. “And the Emperor said the embryos would be loved and well-cared for. Three designated caretakers and one Matron volunteered to go with them. They’ll be in stasis for most of the trip. I also sent some necessities for the children.” The Empire’s scientists had wanted to get their hands on actual female embryos to see if they could find an answer to the problem that had plagued the female population of the Empire for years.

“They understand this could be a one-way trip?” Theresa asked.

“Yes, they do,” Margaret said.

“You have done a remarkable job as always. Thank you, Margaret,” Theresa said.

“With your permission, My Queen, I would like to go spend some time with my mate,” Tsod said.

“Of course, Tsod,” Theresa said. She also wanted to spend some quality time with her mate, and left shortly after Tsod, Bernie in tow.

…

Vladimir Putin was not happy about the treatment he received at the hands of the guards at the penal colony known as the “Black Dolphin.” He was escorted to a tiny 50-square-foot cell that already held one inmate. He looked at the thin man, who didn’t appear to be very friendly.

“What are you here for?” Vladimir asked.

“Cannibalism,” the man said, his grim smile revealing blackened teeth. Vladimir’s blood ran cold…

…

More to come…

Notes: The Scheherazade is an actual yacht, said to cost over $750 million, and believed to be one of two owned by Vladimir Putin. According to photos posted online, the vessel sports gold toilet paper holders, self-leveling pool tables and a dance floor that drops to become a pool.

The Atlantic Council article mentioned in this story is real, as is the penal facility known as the “Black Dolphin.” According to an online documentary I watched, one of the inmates was sentenced to life for murder. He reportedly ate his victims…