Generations

Chapter 2

The evil that will not die!

Author's Note: Chapter One has been rewritten

"And that's how it happened," Emily concluded. "We went at it late into the night, really enjoying it. Actually we only stopped because Leo got tired. I wouldn't have guessed my body could react so powerfully. I went into a frenzy. I would call it a sensory overload," she sighed. There was a dreamy look in her dark eyes for a moment. She shook her head as if to clear it. "It was because he had held me so tenderly in his arms and I knew he would help me find closure... I just wanted him to love me and to feel him inside me. As I became aroused I felt this strong physical need for satisfaction as well, it's something that is a little hard to explain to pure humans..." Emily rubbed her green cheek, "it was my first time and I had always wanted to wait until I had a boyfriend, but in that moment, I really did not care anymore... us hybrids have stronger libidos than human girls, that would be it. I know how some of my sisters carried on," Emily flicked a strand of hair away from her eyes and resting her elbow on the table, leaned her face on her hand. "How am I going to make up for this?"

"That was so stupid, showing you that horrible clip," said Larissa, feeling indignant. "I hope he felt awful about it afterwards." Couldn't Emily think on that? Why should gorgeous men get a free pass for things? Her friend's dark eyes were still shining with tears. This man had been nothing but trouble.

"And you mentioned that he was willing to eat junk with you, Emily, hm?" Larissa added, folding her arms across her chest. "I can't eat junk with you of course."

"I'm sorry, Larissa, but that is what I told him," said Emily with a little groan, rubbing her temples with both hands. "The doctors say it's to do with my half-human metabolism that I can't get spots or gain weight. You're sensible that you eat right." She looked Larissa in the eye. "I needed company because you suddenly had a night shift. It's desperately lonely when you're not here and Leo did not turn down my invitation because I'm a freak..." her bottom lip quivered.

Larissa gently stroked Emily's long, silky hair, "such taunts from total idiots are not worth noticing."

Emily sighed and put her arm around her friend's shoulder.

"You don't need this bloke," said Larissa, "he's married as you said and who needs the attention of someone who would cheat on his wife?"

"Blame me as well, Larissa," said Emily, "I hate that I was part of it. I don't know what's the right thing... the wife deserves to know." A single, shining tear trickled down her cheek.

Larissa hated seeing that unhappy look on her friend's perfect face. She reached out and gently brushed the tear away from her green cheek. "You definitely don't want to get involved with his marriage. He'll tell his wife himself, if he's got the balls for that as well as for s*x. It's noone else's business to do it for him."

"Leo is a good man," murmured Emily. "I'm sure he will do the right thing. He also knows people who knew the Dax - my father. I could help in with his research in return. We need to talk over what happened carefully and say -" here Emily took a deep breath, "that we mustn't let it happen again."

Larissa supposed this had been the crux of the matter. Emily's lover had claimed that he could give her closure on the subject of her origins. Was Leo a proper researcher or had he just wanted to get into her pants? Frankly, Larissa wondered whether he would have opted to work with either a hybrid or a genetically engineered being who was ugly or plain.

"If you're meeting him again, I'm going to as well," said Larissa decisively. "I'll soon see what this guy is really about." Larissa could see an expression of anxiety in her friend's large, dark eyes so stood up and kissed her prettily formed nose. "It'll all be fine, love. We'll get through this. Let's hope he's serious about helping you. He can make up for the problems he's caused that way."

At that moment, Leo was steeling himself for a confrontation with Thea. His wife had been at a conference in Berlin and had had to stay overnight that night he was with Emily. He felt that he had broken the bond of trust between them which allowed them both to travel away from home with no worry. Unless he could confess all to Thea right now... He had bought her favourite flowers, pink and mauve roses that would change their hue over time. He hoped he had made preparations enough...

Thea arrived back after a long airbus journey, plainly tired out and somewhat stressed. Her mascara was smudged which indicated she had had to stand while on the bus, with no opportunity to touch it up. They hugged and kissed in greeting.

"What a nightmare," said Thea, leaning against him. "It's been uproar... and I've been standing up all the way back."

Leo felt he couldn't possibly burden her with the knowledge of his infidelity just yet. "Why don't we go to bed early?" he suggested. "I got you some flowers, by the way," he added, handing her the roses.

"Oh darling, that's so sweet of you to think of me," said Thea, brightening.

"If you have a bubble bath, it'll take your mind of the stress," said Leo.

Thea readily agreed and when they went to bed that evening he offered to massage her just the way she liked. As he rubbed her smooth back, he still couldn't stop thinking of Emily. The brightness of her green skin, her warm smile, the way her dark eyes sparkled and the funny way she had of wrinkling her nose when disgusted (as when talking about Genutec's crimes a generation previously). It wasn't fair, he knew, but he couldn't help but compare Thea's naked body unfavourably to Emily's. Thea's breasts were firm, but they were quite small, even for the breasts of a young, pure human woman.

As he lay down cuddling Thea as a prelude to their habitual lovemaking, he recalled Emily's embrace, the feel of her voluptuous breasts and the taste of those luscious, forest green lips. He recalled vividly how they had come together in a delicious tangle of limbs... and how he had found in her a young woman who was as passionate for him as he was for her. Perhaps this was due to her hybrid libido - the Dax certainly had not had a normal human sexuality. But would he ever find the same level of satisfaction with a human woman? He put his arms around Thea and kissed her full on the lips, as hard and as passionately as he had Emily's, imagining for a moment that it was her there with him instead.

"You are in the mood tonight!" said Thea, when their lips broke apart. He did not allow himself to sigh as he opened his eyes to see her pale face in the dim light, instead of Emily's green one. Thea was a wonderful woman and they had a solid relationship together. He could not throw that away or hurt Thea either. A single s****l lapse was one thing, but he would not continue to let his wife down. They made love and he kept himself at it, making sure he pleased her and did not fall asleep before she was fully satisfied. The question of facing the dawn and telling Thea the truth still remained unanswered.

Early the next morning Larissa and Emily had breakfast together as usual. The early morning sunshine streamed through the kitchen window, causing Emily's hair to shine with an emerald sheen as she busied herself with the food producing unit. Larissa was glad that she had been able to comfort her friend the previous evening, but Emily was still a little subdued. Larissa felt like taking this Leo by the collar and shaking him.

Larissa was only having a single grapefruit for breakfast today. Emily had prepared a pile of toast with buoyberry jam, goat's butter and emerald syrup for her first course and was ploughing through the lot with her usual gusto. "You sure you don't want more grapefruit, Larissa?" she asked, eyeing the other grapefruits on the table. "I told you, this diet of yours is overdoing things."

"No no, you have those as well Emily," said Larissa shaking her head. Emily poured emerald syrup on the first grapefruit and quickly spooned the whole fruit into her mouth so that only the peel remained. Her green cheeks bulged for a moment before she swallowed. At that moment, Emily's holophone sounded, with the tune from Beethoven's Ninth symphony. She snatched up the small device and her lovely face broke into her characteristic warm smile.

"Leo! So glad to hear from you!" Her voice took on a graver tone, "Listen, Leo, about the night before last..."

She paused and listened intently, then gave a little sigh and nodded. "I'm sure you will do the right thing..." She listened intently once more and smiled again, "of course I would be delighted to meet you this evening, after my shifts have ended,"

Larissa coughed and said loudly, "Emmy, your kippers are about smoked don't you think? They're going to fill the flat with a fishy smell." She tapped the food processing unit hard.

Emily blinked and nodded at her, "listen Leo," she said. "I would really like Larissa to come with me at 8 PM." She gave Larissa a quizzical look. Larissa nodded back. "Larissa's really fun, you'll like her."

Emily put down the holophone. "That's settled then," she said, pushing her long hair away from her face. "We'll both meet Leo at his office at 8 PM."

Larissa nodded. "I'll look forward to it," she replied. "And we can think of a modest sort of outfit for you to wear this time."

At 8 PM Leo paced his office. As much as he had tried to distract himself in work that day, he could not stop thinking of Emily and kept wishing she were there with him and that he could hug and kiss her beautiful face over and over - or anywhere his lips would reach would do. If only that didn't count as betraying poor Thea. He wondered what exactly his feelings for Emily were. Certainly, she was good company and seemed a sweet girl, but their relationship must remain on a professional level only, without indulging in more passion. He was a grown man now, he shouldn't be letting his hormones rule him.

He had volunteered to help her with finding closure about her conception and she was volunteering to help in his research. She deserved to feel whatever comfort she could find at learning more of the Dax and to feel liberation from the horrific taint of the Dextror. That was the purpose of this meeting.

He kept thinking this as there was a knock at the door and he pulled it aside. Emily stood there, looking as magnificent as ever. She was not wearing a nurse's uniform or a revealing dress, but she now had jeans and a tight fitting leather jacket, which did more to reveal her bulging breasts than conceal them. Her long silky hair hung loose as always and her bright green skin looked just as lustrous and shiny as he remembered. And her full lips looked just as ripe for kissing.

"Leo!" she exclaimed, flinging her arms around him. He hugged her back and felt the familiar feeling of arousal. Perhaps she felt it too for she gave a tiny moan and kissed him on the side of his neck...

There was the sound of a loud and deliberate cough from the doorway and they broke apart. A girl with shoulder length frizzy, blond hair now stood there.

"Leo, is it?" said the newcomer. "How do you do? I'm Larissa."

There was an odd stiffness in her voice. She offered her hand and Leo shook it and she quickly drew it back again.

"I'll cut to the chase," said Larissa abruptly. "Leo, I know what went on between you and dear Emily."

"Sorry Leo, but I do trust Larissa with anything and trust is important," said Emily rubbing her green cheek. "I trust her never to tell another soul," she patted Leo on the arm, "I do have trust in you as well."

Larissa frowned. Leo wasn't sure he liked Emily's friend very much.

"Our relationship is professional," he said aloud. He could not bring himself to say, merely professional. "Do sit down." He gave his usual chair to Emily and selected the other two office chairs, harder and less comfortable, for himself and Larissa.

Emily pushed her long hair away from her face, watching him with those shimmering, dark eyes... "I have got a contact from the media who knew your father and is happy to meet us, Emily," he said aloud.

Emily put both her hands to her face, eyes wide. He almost forgot Larissa was even there as he gazed back at her.

"You will like Krystal," he said softly, "she is the one who took the Dax from Genutec's lair and helped him defeat the monster, Dextror. That horror is not about to come back!"

Outside, the evening shadows were lengthening. A jewel thief was making his way down a back alley after a successful heist. He had been hooded and cloaked and in a tight body suit, so no images or DNA material had been garnered from him. He peered furtively out of the alleyway and seeing that the coast was clear, was about to dart out when he heard a terrible, hoarse, rasping sound from behind in the darkness of the alley. He whipped round. The shadows in the alley were deepening, but there was a darker shadow, slithering towards him. A formless mass draped in black fabric stopped in front of him and a harsh, gurgling voice sounded: "You have something I want..."

"You don't get my jewels, whoever or whatever you are," said the thief, brandishing a particle gun.

"Not your jewels..." rasped the strange shape. Suddenly it cast aside its wrappings and revealed its true self - the last sight the thief would ever see just before it tore him limb from limb. Steaming viscera were strewn all over the alley.

"Yess... not your jewels, but your heart. I can use one of those to rebuild myself," the horror continued, although the thief was now dead. "The Destroyer can never die. Soon I will renew myself and the doom of all humans and hybrids will ensue..."