The Cresperian Alliance (11 page)

"What... do you think...” Piki shot a quick glance at Bangler, who had wandered away from Nunez to get a glass of water, and struck up a conversation with McAllister, “...might be liked?"

Tomlinson glanced at his mate, wide-eyed, and Sira had a mental impression he'd held up his hands in a desperate, “don't ask me” gesture. She smiled to herself.

"My observations indicate, current trends notwithstanding, that pale blonde hair and bright blue eyes, with your current figure, might be very... liked,” Sira said with a straight face. “Why don't you use your palm computer to pull up some photographs, and... Oh! I know! Ask Sergeant Bangler to help you pick attractive features? You know each other, and as he's... unattached, he brings no special bias to the matter, as for instance, John here might do, because of his relationship with me."

"Ooo, I like,” Piki decided happily. She got up to fetch her computer.

Tomlinson raised an eyebrow, watching the other Crispy walk away. “Smooth, hon."

Sira shrugged, a mischievous grin on her pixyish face. “I thought so."

"You know it could end up hurting one or both of them. She's got a lot of mental issues after that rape, and she does NOT understand the ramifications of what she's starting to feel for him."

Sira sighed. “What would you have me do, John? The more she develops mentally and emotionally under our tutelage, the more attached to him she grows. He SAVED her, and she knows it. He took two bullets intended for her. She loves him for that, if for no other reason. If he refuses her, it is already too late to prevent it hurting her. He is also more open to her than anyone else on this vessel—you saw how he grinned when she smiled, while everyone else looked away. I picked up his reaction at that point; he thought she was cute, John. As in ‘attractive cute,’ and that, in her half Cresperian form. Besides which, if she cannot get past the trauma of the rape with him, she will not get past it at all. At least this way there is a chance they may both find what they want."

"Speaking of what we both want,” John said, drawing Sira out of the small conference room, “let's find someplace to talk."

There was no one in the women's bunk area, and they ducked inside it. “If I'm caught in here, I'll never hear the end of it, so I'll make it quick,” Tomlinson said. He suddenly dropped to one knee, holding out a glittering object. “Sira Whitman, will you marry me?"

Sira's eyes went wide, and she fairly lit up from within. “Yes, John Tomlinson, I will! I will!” she exclaimed joyfully.

"Good,” Tomlinson said in some relief, standing and slipping the diamond solitaire on her left hand before kissing her thoroughly.

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Tomlinson thanked his friend aboard the sub crew who'd snuck the engagement ring aboard, he and Sira made their momentous little announcement, and the tutoring classes continued. But Sira sent Piki off with Bangler to the captain's tiny ready room so they could concentrate.

"So... you want me to help you figure out how to... to look?” Bangler asked, confused. “Why?"

"Because I do not know what is considered attractive to humans,” Piki explained, her English improving every hour. “And I know I am... ugly... to them, right now. I want to be like Sira and be pretty to humans. I do not wish to frighten them, or to be... be caught... again...” Her voice trailed off.

"You're not ugly,” Bangler found himself protesting, “just... different. Why don't you ask Sira? I'm not... I'm not good at stuff like this."

"Sira says she only knows what she finds attractive in a male, now she is female. And John is biased, he says, because he loves Sira. Dr. Forcula is married; Nunez is female. So Sira suggested you, since you are,” Piki shrugged, “I think the word is... unpartial?"

"Impartial,” Bangler corrected automatically. “Listen, John didn't have anything to do with this, did he?"

"No,” Piki cocked her head in puzzlement. “It was all Sira's idea. John did not know what to suggest."

Bangler let out a breath he didn't even know he'd been holding. “Okay, I guess so. What do you want to work on first?"

"I think face shape,” Piki decided. “Here are some face shapes I found in my computer.” She hit a button, then toggled through several images on the small screen, holding it so Bangler could see it.

"Mm... lessee...” Bangler muttered to himself as he studied the facial structures. “Oh. Look here. This lady has really pretty bone structure.” He pointed to a particular photograph.

Piki studied the image. “Wide, high cheekbones, a high forehead, and firm jaw,” she noted. “She looks strong, this woman. I am not certain I am so strong, Bang-bang."

Bangler stared at her. “You not only survived a rape and beating, but you rendered your attacker incapable of attacking again, then healed yourself? Piki, that's nothing to put down."

Piki looked up at him doubtfully. “You... you think I am... strong?"

"Very.” He nodded vehemently.

She considered a few moments, then nodded her agreement. “All right. Strong face shape.” Piki hit a button on her palm computer. “Now hair color. Dark or light?"

Bangler shrugged. “I tend to like pale blondes, myself. Other men, obviously, have different opinions. Can you change it once you do it, if you decide you don't like it?"

"Oh yes,” Piki said. “I can... be... any woman I wish."

Bangler wondered if he had imagined that orange bifurcated eyes could give him a seductive glance. He shook off the thought, then suggested, “Well, try blonde for a start, and we can always change it if you don't like it."

"Blonde,” she hit a button, and different shades of blonde hair came onscreen. “Which one?"

Wordlessly, Bangler pointed at the platinum shade. Piki entered confirmation.

They went through lips, nose, and ears the same way, Piki offering options from the computer, and Bangler helping her choose. But when they got to her eyes, Piki got a surprise.

"I... I dunno,” Bangler confessed. “I... can't seem to see you with any other color than the one you've got."

"Orange?” Piki wondered. “I thought humans did not have orange eyes."

"Well, not true orange,” he admitted. “But you can get some really interesting shades of brown and hazel that are fairly close.” He shrugged. “Make them human shaped, with round pupils, then maybe darken the orange shade a bit. That oughta work, and you'll still look like... you."

Piki blinked. “But I will not look like this at all, Bang-bang,” she pointed out, sweeping a hand down her body. “How can I look like... me?"

Bangler flushed slightly. “One of our poets—dam- er, dang if I know which one, said something about the eyes being the windows of the soul,” he explained. “I'd like to be able to see the Piki I know right now in your eyes, even after you've changed."

"You... do you like me, Bang-bang?"

Uh boy,
Bangler thought, mentally backpedaling. “Sure, Piki, we're friends,” he declared. “After all that crap back in Scotland, of course we are."

Piki smiled happily, and Bangler decided that, in spite of what he'd been told about the half morphed appearance, she definitely looked cute. He was also beginning to conclude that his nickname—especially his new one—wasn't so bad after all.

"All right,” she declared, “dark orange eye color, and—which shape?"

"This one,” he pointed to an image.

Piki clicked several buttons, and the little computer built up a composite image based on the selections they'd made. She looked at it for a moment, then nodded approval and showed it to Bangler.

Bangler had all he could do not to gasp.
Dear God, she's gonna be gorgeous. Utterly, totally drop dead gorgeous. And those eyes... I can hardly stop staring.
He shook himself back to normal. “Yeah, Piki, you're gonna look great,” he said in deliberate understatement. “I think that's perfect."

"Now,” she declared, “what about body? Are my arm and leg proportions right?” She held out her arms and spun slowly in place.

Bangler raised his eyebrows as he scanned her up and down. “I... don't see anything wrong with ‘em, so I guess so."

"Neck? Breasts and hips? Waist?"

Bangler swallowed hard as he scanned the green, furry, but rather voluptuous body. “It all looks good to me,” he said, then caught himself, hoping her perceptive sense hadn't caught the Freudian double entendre.

Piki turned away briefly, ostensibly to enter the information into her little computer, but in reality she hid a hopeful smile. When she turned back to him, it was gone. “Skin color?” She held out the computer for him to see “color swatches."

He picked a rather dark tan tone, and she entered it, then the computer built up a complete, full body, nude image. Bangler's mouth suddenly went dry.

"Um, yeah, that'll look really nice, Piki,” he concluded. “Burroughs, you said?"

"Yes."

"You'll get a lot of attention from the guys, Piki."

"As long as they are nice to me, that is fine,” she averred. “But if they are mean, and try to touch me there, they will not mate anymore, ever.” The fuzzy green face developed an amazingly fierce scowl, considering it was still half Crispy in structure.

Bangler ran a hand over his hair.
Geez, I can't let that go by. She has to understand about sex and... and that it's only bad if it's forced. That two people in love, married, are supposed to enjoy it. How the hell...? Tomlinson! Get me outta this! You and your girlfriend! Argh!

"Piki,” he finally ventured, “touching there... between two people who want it... isn't mean."

"Isn't mean?” she wondered, her attention suddenly focused on him. “Explain."

"Uh boy. I don't know if I'm the right one to be explaining. Maybe Dr. Forcula or Medic Nunez would do better..."

"Why cannot you explain, Bang-bang?” Piki insisted. “If we are friends, please explain. I do not know they so well."

"Them,” he corrected, distracted.
In it whether I like it or not, I guess,
he thought. Bangler drew a deep breath and plunged in.

"Piki, touching there is a part of reproduction for humans. And whether you believe God created us—which I know Cresperians don't—or evolution, it's SUPPOSED to be pleasurable between mates in love. Very pleasurable.” Bangler tried not to flush and failed; he could feel the heat blazing in his face.

"But... it hurt,” Piki protested.

"Because he didn't consider YOU at all,” Bangler explained. “He didn't love you, he was only using you to feel good, just like he was using you to ‘fix’ him. You weren't ready, physically, mentally, or emotionally. You're right, he was a bad man, and he did that badly. A good man, who really loved you, would make sure you were completely ready before he tried, and then it would feel good to you, too."

Piki's mouth slit crumpled on one side, and Bangler recognized it as the beginnings of a human expression of doubt. “Have you ever touched?"

Bangler felt his face get even hotter. “A few times,” he admitted. “I thought I was in love for awhile, but she turned out not to be the right one.” He paused. “I decided I'd wait until I was sure next time. It... didn't end well at all."

"Did it hurt?"

"In a way. The ending of the relationship did, anyway. Emotionally, though, not physically, like yours did."

Piki considered him with that piercing orange gaze. “Have you BEEN touched?"

"...Yes."

"Did it feel... good?"

Shit dammit to hell and back...

"...Yes."

Piki nodded. “You are a good man, Bang-bang. Some day when I am ready, I shall have you show me.” She turned toward the main conference room. “Let us join the others now. I want to show Sira what I am going to look like."

Uh boy,
Bangler thought in dismay, standing up and following.

The next day the
Sea Wolf
surfaced, and Units Faith and Hope—with their adjuncts—were transferred, in rapid succession, to the battleship
USS Franklin
; the aircraft carrier
USS Seahawk
; thence by helicopter to the mainland; then by cargo planes and vans to the Enclave. It made for two excruciatingly long days.

But by its end, Peter and Karen were starting to take on a vaguely more human shape, although they had a considerable way to go; and Piki's hair had transmuted from dark green to a pale green with lighter streaks. Her face was slowly changing as well; the semblance of a nose and ears were beginning to form, as the mouth developed thin lips and became more flexible. All in all, Tomlinson declared, it had been a successful mission.

Then they reached the Enclave and got the news.

"...Yeah, all hell is breaking loose,” Hand Anderson noted to the two newly arrived teams. “We got all of Operation Cavalry successfully conducted, especially the British expedition, White Horse. We lost two guys in China on Red Horse, and one in the Middle East from Black Horse, but we got all the Crispies home in one piece."

"What shape were they in?” Peggy Nunez asked, concerned. “You've already gotten the medical reports on ‘our’ Crispies..."

Hand shrugged. “The only Crispy left in China refused to change, when he saw what happened to Lau and his buddy Chu—who went SO off his rocker the Chinese themselves ended up shooting him. But they still wanted Dalunith to change, and since he wouldn't, he was tortured for it. It was sort of like the Greek myth of the guy sentenced to roll the stone up the mountain, only to have it roll to the bottom when he reached the top. They tortured him, he healed himself; they tortured some more, he healed it. On and on. The last beating was pretty severe. They banged on his head with what look to have been metal pipes. Cracked his skull. The fact he's Cresperian has to be the only reason he's not dead. But he's got brain damage he's trying to heal. He could use some help with it, though."

"Shit,” Bangler expostulated, only to get an elbow in the ribs from Piki.

"NICE talk,” she reproved. “You promised."

"Sorry,” Bangler muttered. “That IS a good reason to use a curse word, though, Piki. That's a very serious injury.” To his gratitude, no one laughed, or even grinned. They were all too aware of what the Crispies they'd rescued had been through.