The Gold Feather

I deliberately studied each passenger who came through security and into the waiting area for the shuttle. It was from force of habit. The years working on various highly sensitive projects taught and trained me to look carefully for anything unusual. On my first vacation in years, I was headed back to my favorite place in this quadrant of the galaxy.

A tall, gorgeous redhead strode catlike into the waiting area and flowed into a seat. From the feline way she moved I was sure she was a scentar from the old earth. I’d heard about this advanced human subspecies, but had never even seen one. Her simple dress clung to her like a second skin, moving flawlessly just enough to show it was not attached. It was an unusual color, a deep red with amber overtones, almost Titian. As she sat, our eyes met and locked for a moment. A sudden, intense feeling of physical pleasure ran through my body. It was felt more than thought and caught me off guard. I am never caught off guard and it bothered me big time.

When they called my group to board, she stood and walked toward the gate right in front of me. She was slender, almost fragile. My eyes would not leave her body and its fluid movements as she climbed up the steps into the shuttle. I have never seen anyone whose body moved so smoothly.

This is one lucky day. I thought to myself as she slithered into her assigned seat and I realized it was next to mine. As soon as I settled in my seat she turned and looked directly into my eyes as words emanated from the most inviting, full, red lips I had ever seen.

“I’m Leura Clauson. Who are you please?”

Her directness and the musical sound of her voice surprised me even more than her exotic appearance. “Uh Draxel, Draxel Sil—call me Drax.” I was uncomfortable and ill at ease.

“Have you been to Stentor Seven before?” her silky voice chanted softly. “This is my very first visit to the Vegan star system.”

“Been there several times,” I struggled to say. The barely detectable smell of her sweet breath was like warm milk. Her perfume hung just on the edge of awareness. It was there, but as soon as I thought about it, the scent was gone. “I’m going on my first vacation in years and this is my favorite place to visit. Are you on vacation?”

“No, I’m a botanist on a research project. I plan to study plants growing in the low gravity and artificially controlled atmosphere.”

The lilt of her speech was enthralling. It wasn’t an accent, just very musical. “A scientist! I’m impressed!” I smiled as I spoke thinking that was a huge understatement. “How long will you stay?”

“At least one stellar year. My grant may be renewed for an additional year. It’s my first major assignment—and what was that little smile about?”

“Just a little private joke—on me.” Her perception was amazing.

“A secret?”

“No, just a laugh at myself.” Her directness, too, was a surprise.

“Tell me.”

“Let’s say it’s just something I’d rather not tell someone I’ve just met.”

She switched the subject smoothly. “What’s your profession?”

“I’m a gravity propulsion engineer. Do design work on craft like this one we’re on.”

“And you are vacationing?”

“Yep! This vacation is long overdue and Stentor Seven’s my favorite place to visit.”

“I’ve seen the digirecords, but those are quite bland. No beauty or poetry, so tell me about it.”

“It certainly is beautiful, spectacularly beautiful.”

The shuttle’s engine hum increased and it rose slowly from the pad to start the two-hour trip. The motion was quite noticeable, but would disappear as soon as we cleared the atmosphere and the main drive kicked in.

“How did it come to be? The records were very sketchy about the planet’s origins; they just mention that it was artificially created with no explanation. What does that mean?”

I was becoming more comfortable and overcoming that sense of misplaced reality. “It was once a small, sterile planet a bit smaller than Mars and about two thirds its mass. It’s the right distance from the red dwarf star, Stentor, for a life supporting environment. Focused gravity beams were used to tow huge ice planetesimals in from the Stentor Oort cloud. They melted and became the oceans and created the atmosphere, mostly carbon dioxide. Special vegetation was introduced to consume the Carbon dioxide and add oxygen to the atmosphere, but you already know about that, don’t you?”

“Most of it, yes. That’s one thing I studied, the conversion of primordial atmospheres. All botanists study that early in their schooling since it has been used to modify so many planets to support life.”

“Then you should also know that a wide spectrum of the biota from earth-like environments was also introduced. It took almost six hundred years of a great chaotic profusion of these plants on the land and plankton in the seas to bring the atmosphere to its present mixture, very much like earth’s. Am I right?”

“The introduction of the biota, yes, but the six hundred years it took? I don’t remember being taught about that.”

“That’s probably because the exact time for the change varied from place to place. After that, temperatures, pressures and everything else were adjusted for human habitation and the biota thrived. Then, later, many larger life forms were introduced and soon flourished. The combination of optimal rotation rate and distance from Stentor, along with lots of work over the years gave us a semitropical paradise covering the entire surface.”

“It sounds wonderful.”

“Because of the low gravity, plants grow to immense size and spectacular proportions. That, I trust will be the focus of your research project.”

“You are correct. Please tell me more.”

“Well, the scenery is magnificent. In this light gravity, stable mountains rise seventy thousand feet with sheer cliffs and unbelievable waterfalls from the almost constant rain in the mountains. The muted sounds of the slow waterfalls and of the unusual rivers are like a chorus of musical mumbles. Then there’s the ocean. Waves on the ocean can grow huge, yet they seem to roll in slow motion. The surf amazes everyone with spectacular thirty foot breakers tumbling slowly and gently onto the sand.”

“I can see why it’s such a popular vacation spot. How about the weather?”

“The weather is marvelous, mostly sunny and warm with fractal-like white clouds moving slowly across hazy, pale blue sky. In order to have adequate surface pressure, the atmosphere is kept many times deeper than on your home planet. Because of this, no stars can be seen at night and the central star, Stentor appears bright red. Clouds can rise as high as fifty miles and the winds always drift by gently.”

“That’s amazing, very different from Earth.”

“Then there’s the rain, the unbelievable warm rain. Because of the low gravity, raindrops fall slowly, congealing into large blobs which grow to near tennis ball size before they blow apart by the air as they fall through it. The soft pelting of big blobs of warm water feels great.”

“I heard about the rain. I can hardly wait to experience it. It all sounds like a paradise. I hope I can spend my leisure time enjoying a few of the things you describe. Would you show me around while you’re on vacation? I don’t mean to interfere with your plans, but I know no one else here.”

I was beginning to believe my good fortune might overwhelm me. “Why, yes! Gladly! I have no specific plans—none at all.”

“Wonderful. I want to explore for the first few weeks. I’m certain to find many new things to experience. It all sounds so exciting.” Just then the main drive took over and the hum and vibrations ceased. We soon cleared the atmosphere and were on our way.

Over the next hour I relaxed completely as we spoke about families and friends. She drew pleasant experiences out of my memory and shared her experiences as a child and about growing up. There was an unusual quality to her stories. They were very softly emotional. Incredibly, I could almost feel her joys and pains as she described them.

After a long pause in our conversation I realized she had fallen asleep. Her head against my shoulder brought on pleasant sensations. As she snuggled down against me I examined her closely. Her hair was extremely fine with individual hairs growing unusually close together. It was the same dark red as her dress. She turned a bit and put her hand ever so gently on my right arm. Her pale amber skin was baby soft and unflawed. Her hand felt like satin, almost frictionless. By now I knew she was far too perfect for a normal human. Scentars were reported to have unusual emotional abilities. She certainly seemed to possess those. I noticed a golden pin high on her dress, the only adornment she wore of any kind. It was a feather, about an inch long and quite fragile. It looked like a real feather, but very tiny.

The hum of the landing drive followed a slight bump. Leura sat upright without the slightest hint she had been asleep. I looked blankly at her. “You slept the last hour almost without moving. I wish I could do that.”

“Just concentrate on pleasant thoughts and close your eyes. You’ll go right to sleep.”

I smiled at her easy answer, still concentrating on the lovely gold pin. “What’s that pin your wearing? It’s quite beautiful.”

“A gift. My mother gave it to me when I completed my studies. It’s the only jewelry I ever wear. It’s supposed to signify fidelity.”

“That’s one I never heard before.”

“Actually it’s a special kind of fidelity. Fidelity to a treasured experience with someone you love. My mother loved me very much, and I her. It’s about the wonderful life we spent together before I left home. Specifically, it’s commemorating our last day together. That experience will never happen again.”

“That’s beautiful, sad, but beautiful.” I felt undeniably and intensely forlorn for just a moment as she spoke.

“Yes, I gave her a similar pin. It’s a family custom. We both knew we would never see each other again.”

I’m sure my shock showed. “Why not?”

Her voice had changed almost painfully. “It’s a bit complicated. We just knew our paths would never cross again.”

The sorrow within me became almost overpowering. “How can you be so sure?”

Leura was intensely melancholy for just an instant. “Please, I’d rather not talk about it.”

I felt a sudden intense change to anxiousness. It was almost overwhelming. Then, just as suddenly, it was gone and I felt fine. “What was that all about?” I said out loud.

“What was what all about?” her clear, silky voice had returned.

“Sorry. I just had a very strange feeling for an instant and it startled me.”

Once more Leura shifted mental gears without hesitation. “Would you be able to help me to my hotel? This is all so new to me and I’m a bit nervous about going there alone.”

“Certainly! I have no commitments.”

“You’re sure it won’t be an inconvenience?”

“I’d love to see you to your hotel.” Once again I could hardly believe my good fortune.

As we approached the hotel I explained, “Buildings like your hotel are constructed in ways unimaginable on planets with normal gravity. Look at those giant overhangs, the huge spans, and those fragile overhead structures with plazas, walkways and open spaces.”

“Yes, it is quite extraordinary,” she said as the air car dropped us at level 196 of the hotel. It landed smoothly on the cantilevered plaza. Leura picked up the one small bag she carried and danced across the plaza right to the edge. She was a little girl spinning with excitement from one side of the outside walkway to the other as we walked to her room.

“I’ve never been up this high in the hotel. How’d you manage such a room? I thought the upper floors were reserved for foreign dignitaries?”

“And foreign botanists,” she quipped as she flipped her hair and, with a flourish and hand-printed the door which slid soundlessly into the wall and then closed silently behind us after we walked inside.

I was dumbfounded. The room was decorated in shades of the exact same colors as Leura’s dress and hair. “This can’t be accidental. How’d you get your room decorated to match—you?”

Her look and demeanor changed and she laughed in that sensuous, lyrical way. No longer the little girl, her voice changed its timbre and now sounded sensual—almost like a flute or muted violin. “I plan on being here for at least a year so they gave me my choice of decoration. Do you like it?”

“It takes some getting used to, but it certainly is beautiful.” Once more I smiled as intense warmth and pleasure passed through my entire body and “Wow!” popped out involuntarily.

Leura turned on music I had never experienced. In its unusual tones and mixed rhythms I sensed more than heard the plaintiff cry of a loon, the rustle of pine trees in the wind, the crashing of waves on a rocky shore and even the sounds of passion. It bordered on being visual and was very pleasing. She switched the glass outside wall from clear to one way. We could see the beauty of Stentor Seven stretched out before us, but no one outside could see in.

Once more I became aware of her delicate perfume, just on the edge of my senses as she walked over and looked straight into my eyes. The warm milk-like fragrance of her breath also caressed my sense of smell. It was intoxicating. She reached up and gently placed her wrists on my shoulders. Her hands hung loosely, just touching my back. I hated the shirt that lay between her hands and my skin.

“Now, Mr. Sil, I want us to dance together. Would you like that?”

Completely out of my element and on the edge of losing any hint of control, I replied lamely, “Yes, I would.”

What the hell is happening? I wondered to myself. I was now totally beyond rational control. She slipped her silky fingers around my neck, took my hand and moved to the music. I looked directly into her eyes. They were a dark blue with just a hint of red in the black of her huge pupils.

“Pull the little ring at the back of my collar,” her soft voice commanded.

With a slight pull her dress changed from the dark red-amber to an iridescent blue-green. She began moving rhythmically against me to the hypnotic beat and sound of the strange music. The sensation penetrated my whole body which flushed with warmth.

“Now, dear Drax, I want to show you my appreciation for what you are going to do for me.”

She pulled me gently into the bed where cool satin sheets caressed my skin. I could hardly tell the difference between those sheets, her skin and her silky dress. Something akin to fear, but not actually fear, surged through my being. I was perceiving everything with intensely heightened senses and enjoying every delicious moment.

“Lie on your stomach. I want to give you a massage,” she urged.

I immediately complied. Her long, slender fingers were soon working up and down my spine, around my shoulder blades and neck and finally down the back of my legs. I had never felt so ecstatic, so totally aware, in my entire life. Just when my body had turned completely to jelly, she stopped the massage and began dragging her fingers lightly over my bare arms. Then I felt her lips moving up and down the back of my neck. The stimulation to my skin was ecstatic. She stopped and lay down on her stomach beside me.

“My turn.”

I was overcome with passion and amazement. “What do you want me to do?”

“Just do to me what I did to you. Don’t you think that’s fair?”

I remembered a line from the distant past and uttered it under my breath, “Resistance is futile.”
I began in the middle of her back. The fabric of her dress seemed just like a second skin. Unbelievably soft and satiny, it moved smoothly to my touch. She had no taut muscles. After I massaged her for a while she rolled over on her back and looked up at me, those dark eyes boring into my very essence.

“Tickle me please. Slide your fingertips slowly and gently over my skin. Just barely touch me. Just like I did to you. You liked that didn’t you?”

“I prayed you’d never stop.”

“Do it until I can’t stand it anymore. Then we can weep together.”

“Weep?”

“Weep for joy. Ultimate joy.”

“I’m game. Joy sounds great right now.”

“You’re doing wonderfully. When both of us are completely overwhelmed with delight—then we will weep.”

I felt as if I would explode. Every touch of my fingertips on her silky body drove me to new heights of ecstatic pressure. After what seemed like hours Leura rose slowly, slid over beside me and began brushing my hands and arms with her fingers as I continued touching her. When I could stand it no longer, I stopped moving my hands.

She sensed the change and rolled ever so slowly onto her back pulling me down with her.

Those dark blue eyes seemed to bore into my very soul while her soft voice hummed quietly, “Weep my love. Weep for us,” —Her voice trailed off into silence.

My mind and senses virtually exploded, a long, delicious explosion of complete abandon. I completely lost my sense of gravity and seemed to float in the midst of the continuing soundless eruption. I had never before felt such intense pleasure. The center of my very being separated from my head and floated through my body. Intense feelings ricocheted between pleasure and melancholy, then delight and despondency, never remaining for long in any single state.

After a soft eternity, Leura’s near whisper floated through my head. “Thanks dear Drax. Thanks for life and love.” I opened my eyes and looked at her. I was surprised to see tears running from the corners of her eyes. I drifted once more in complete, all-engulfing, feeling-filled silence.

Things changed—suddenly and drastically. Normal gravity had returned. When I reached for her, all my grasping hands found was a slightly damp, rumpled cotton sheet. What the . . . I thought as I opened my eyes to the shock of a bright, sunlit window in a beige room. I was alone and in a different bed in a different hotel. Outside, the sun was rising over the unmistakable skyline of Cleveland Ohio. “My God!” I said out loud. I was incredulous! “I never . . . almost forgot who I was,” came stumbling out of my mouth.

A flash of realization made me check my watch. I saw there was barely enough time to get to my breakfast meeting with Arlo Trippy, the engineer who was my NASA contact, working with me on their part of the Eegis project. I dressed quickly, grabbed my suit coat and headed for the dining room. Arlo was waiting as I walked in.

“Right on time. I like people who are punctual.”

“I almost wasn’t. You wouldn’t believe the wild dream I had last night or rather this morning. At least, I think it was a dream. It seemed so incredibly—real.”

“Sometimes dreams can seem very real.”

“This one sure was.” I shook my head. Still, bewildered. “Well, let’s get down to our little problem. That’s reality.”

“Certainly.” Arlo paused and gazed intently at my coat lapel. “What’s that pin you have on? You weren’t wearing it yesterday.”

I glanced at my lapel. Firmly attached was a tiny gold feather.

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