The Ride. Tom Ph.D. Anderson
in front of the nearest point recorder. The point recorder was not equipped for sound so I made the hand signals showing that these kills were not mine. To emphasize the point I pulled out a piece of broken ceramic blade out of one of the wounds. As the only blade I carried was the belt cutter, and that blade was not designed for fighting, the wound was not made by me.
I tried to cheer myself up with the thought that there were only 10 left and maybe I would only come across dead ones. There was no sign of Kinzu warriors, only Kinzu blood on the stones.
Three setti charged me from a side corridor as I came around a bend in the main path. As they closed with me The Ride began. At the last instant The Ride moved and the spines missed. The setti moved to try to strike me, but The Ride continued to move me so they were in each other’s way and the spines missed time and time again. At last The Ride moved and the nearest setti was between me and the other two setti.
The Ride avoided the leading setti’s spines and moved close enough that my body was able to push away the spines from the bottom of the slit they were coming out of. With the other hand my body pushed through the thin muscle sheeting and into the soft setti flesh up to my shoulder. My body grabbed something the size of a double human fist and with my knees up against the side of the setti shell pushed with all my might. My slime drenched arm emerged holding a still beating organ and the setti collapsed.
My body swung its arm at the other two setti splattering them with slime and they recoiled, but almost immediately attacked again. Again The Ride moved so the spines barely missed and moved in close so my body could strike. By the time the last setti circled to have a better shot at me, my body already had another setti heart in hand. The Ride moved and my body struck. The third setti heart completed my collection.
I was in control again. One by one I dragged the three setti shells in front of the nearest point recorder. I placed the three hearts in front of them and made the signal that these three kills were mine.
Five setti accounted for and seven to go. I hadn’t gone very far when I heard the low tapping of setti feet in the distance. Louder and louder, they were running for me as if they wanted to end this. There were five of them and I was praying for the click that would begin The Ride so I could go from participant to spectator. They were much too close when it clicked in.
The Ride moved to barely avoid the spines of the nearest setti and moved close in so my body could strike. Slime covered arm and heart in hand The Ride moved to barely avoid the other four. Again my body struck and there were three. Avoiding the spines of all three The Ride moved so one setti was between me and the other two. My body struck and there were two.
When The Ride moved next there was no need for my body to plunge my arm in to pull out a heart. The setti I was nearest to fell to pieces as the last setti sliced it apart the better to get at me. The Ride didn’t move fast enough that my body was totally missed, but the spine was only able to cut through clothing and a thin layer of flesh as The Ride moved away. The Ride moved again and my body struck. Heart in hand, but covered head to toe in setti slime, I was in control again.
I had only two to go. One at a time I dragged the four setti shells and the largest piece of shell from the fifth setti in front of the nearest point recorder. I signaled with hand and head movements that one of the setti had been killed by another setti, but the other kills were mine.
As I walked along I followed the trail of setti slime. I was tired, the setti slime I was covered in was beginning to dry, and I earnestly hoped the last two setti had been wounded and were already dead.
Half my wish came true. I came upon one setti shell lying on the ground and the last setti standing over it. The setti made an earth shattering roar and charged me. It was the first noise a setti had made other than the tapping of their feet and the wiz as a spine sliced through the air. It didn’t matter. The Ride began. I watched as my body moved, struck, and heart in slime covered hand The Ride was over.
I looked at the setti that had roared at me. To have a setti roar at you is considered to be an almost magical event. This was the Setti I would harvest my belt from. I pushed my hand into the soft flesh and pushed apart the cords of muscle surrounding the base of the spine. I pulled on the spine and it came out easily as if the setti were making a gift of it to me. I measured the spine around my waist and used the belt cutter to cut the spine to the proper length. I saw the blue center of the spine at the fresh cut. I used the tip of the belt cutter to slice my finger and let several drops of blood fall on that center until it turned the red color of my blood. After removing my shirt I wrapped the belt around my waist just below my ribcage. The weakness that swept over me as the belt began to feed caused me to fall to my knees. The weakness passed and I felt the belt’s power surge into me. The belt was part of my life now. We would learn from each other.
I walked out of the mine wearing my new setti spine belt. There were hundreds of Kinzu waiting for me on the hillside and the thunderous chant of their cheers shook the ground. I was picked up and carried to the Great Hall. Everyone wanted to shake my hand and slap me on the back.
To kill so many setti alone, even with a force rifle, would have been an amazing feat. To kill that many setti with bare hands was a feat for the ages. I was in danger of being torn to pieces. Everyone wanted to touch me, to have some of my magic rub off. I had never felt like a hero before. I was soon surrounded by guards for my own safety.
My trip home was arranged by Merritt. At door of the small star transport Merritt gave me a hug. “Bob I’m not coming with you on this trip. I have hired a team of women to take care of you on your way back. They come very highly recommended. You need to rest and relax and consider your future.” As Merritt turned to leave a woman took my hand and pulled me into the transport.
As the other women walked in the room they all radiated sexual prowess. They lined up in front of me. The six women dropped their dresses and stood before me completely naked. They were all about the same height and they all were large breasted. Each girl’s breasts were shaped differently, but all of their breasts were incredibly beautiful. The first had long, thick, shiny, night black hair, and an exotic face. “My name is Victoria,” she said as she pulled me close and kissed me. The second had multi-shaded, thick, blond hair and a cheerful, sunny face. “My name is Suzanne,” she said as she took me in her arms and kissed me as well. The third had long, auburn hair, and glowed with assurance that this would be the best trip of my life. “My name is Shay,” she said as she held my hands and carefully took my lips in hers. The forth had short, shiny, night black hair with thick bangs down past her eyebrows. “My name is Ayana,” she said as she grabbed me tightly and sent her tongue deep into my mouth. The fifth woman had full, shoulder length, dark brown hair, and a quiet confidence about her. “My name is Patricia,” she said as she held my head in her hands and kissed me gently. The last had long, well cared for, light brown hair, and a face that shined with her desire to make me happy. “My name is Marlena,” she said as she held me tight and brought her lips very close to mine and waited for me to kiss her. When I did, Marlena encouraged me to send my tongue into her mouth for a moment before she pulled away and gave me a loving smile.
Victoria took my hand and spoke for them all. “We are here for your pleasure. Trust us. We will see to your every need.” I knew I had been drugged, possibly with something on their lipstick when they kissed me, but they were all so beautiful I didn’t care. It was a great trip. My every desire was met immediately. If I was thirsty a glass of something delightful and refreshing was there for me. If I was hungry just the right snack was produced. If a woman’s lips or breasts or hair caught my eye, without a word being spoken, she came over to play with me. Victoria was the first of them to make love to me. We kissed and caressed and when I was ready she mounted me. After Victoria pulled my orgasm from me, I fell asleep in her arms. I woke to find Patricia and Marlene on either side of me. They were wide awake and smiling at me, eager to help me start the day.
My days were filled with shapes and colors and sounds and visiting places that had been lost to the dusts of time or fairyland places that I knew could never have existed. The days went by far too quickly. Each night a different woman would make love to me. Each morning two different women would be on either side of me when I woke up to help me start another perfect day. I was never allowed to do anything but lay back