We picked that sweetberry bush clean.
Most of them were sweet, like a cross between a blackberry and the ripest of strawberries. Every so often, though I got one that was kind of sour. It was a good mixture of flavors though. I made sure that we all had the same amount because I wasn’t going to hog them all just because I could eat faster than the girls.
After some berries and leaf water, Billie took a rifle and went to Privacy Rock.
Again, I could picture her stripping, her nipples getting stiff in the misty rain, which had started to fall. Would she bathe before she got herself off? Or would she get all hot and sweaty and then dive into the perfect waters.
I kept getting hard in the jumpsuit, but I had other things to worry about. So far, we’d not heard any more roars, and we thought the monsters—possible dinosaurs—were sleeping in because they’d eaten so many fleas the night before.
Another worry was the ring. It hadn’t messaged me in hours. Had it run out of power? And what was an AQUIA charging station anyway?
What I really needed was another power crystal.
I explained my situation to the professor, and then, incredibly, she pulled a red crystal out of her back pocket. “Like this?”
“Yes! That’s it exactly!”
“I found it at Privacy Rock.” She tossed it to me, but her throw was off. The professor was not athletic at all.
But something strange happened. The crystal curved through the air and soared over to my hand. But the minute it touched my skin, it vanished.
The ring messaged me immediately!
<<<>>>
Current circumstantial evaluation paused.
Anomalous energy source detected! Utilizing. Charged to 6% of full.
Paraxen Multitool Detected
Configure settings? YES/NO
<<<>>>
“Fuck yeah,” I whispered. That was what did it. The ring just didn’t have enough juice. Only six percent wasn’t good. We needed to find more crystals.
Professor Kroft smiled. “Your eyes flashed a little. Is it good news, Mr. Marshall?” One of her hands rested on the pistol in a loop on her side.
“Very good news. I’m getting the prompt to configure the Paraxen Multitool.”
Static appeared in my vision.
<<<>>>
From linguistical patterns, this appears to be an expletive matched with slang in the affirmative. “Yeah” is very close to “yes.”
Setting configuration must be confirmed in a clear manner.
Configure settings? YES/NO
<<<>>>
“Yes!” My voice was loud.
Did I hear Billie moaning from over by Privacy Rock?
No. That was probably only my overactive imagination.
<<<>>>
Paraxen Pairing Protocols Initiated
Scanning…
Five items found!
<ul>
<li>Paraxen Survival Suit</li>
<li>Paraxen Multitool</li>
<li>Weeper X15 Plasma Pistol Detected (10 Charges Left)</li>
<li>Weeper X15 Plasma Pistol Detected (Empty)</li>
<li>Tormentor4 Rifle (Empty)</li>
<li>Tormentor4 Rifle (5 Charges Left)</li>
</ul>
Settings Configuration Error
AQUIA Setup Incomplete. Configure AQUIA? YES/NO
<<<>>>
“Yes!” I said quickly.
I thought I understood the message. I’d have to configure the AQUIA before I could configure the Paraxen Multitool. I was pretty sure I was running into trouble because the ring’s battery was so low.
More static crackled over my vision as a message appeared, the message winking in and out.
<<<>>>
Arkadian Quantum Universal Intelligence Assistant
HOSTNAME: Sidney Richard Marshall
HOST Species: Primitive Primate.
HOST Optimization: 51% successful.
Input name of AQUIA?
Verbal Commands ON/OFF?
This unit’s primary mission is incomplete.
Menu Options Pending
Error: This unit’s power source is low. Please charge to at least 10% for minimal functionality.
<<<>>>
I was right. The damn ring needed more power crystals to work. Or should I call them magic crystals? That explained some of the weirdness.If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.
“Verbal commands on!” I said, rather loudly.
Professor Kroft kind of jumped.
I apologized. “Sorry. I’m talking to my jewelry.”
The menu option—Verbal Commands—flashed and was to “ON.”
I was on a roll. “I want to change the name of the AQUIA to Opal. O.P.A.L.”
Aunt Kathy’s best friend was named Opal. She’d made me a quilt when I was nine. I loved that quilt, and I still had it. For a second, I was homesick.
The menu flashed, and I’d set the name. “Back to the main menu.”
I went back, and I chose the Paraxen Survival Suit. It was self-cleaning, and there were any number of parameters, though some of them seemed broken. I could create boots, though, which would save my feet.
The verbal commands were pretty intuitive. “Short sleeves. Boots. Shorts. Capri pants.” Saying those words either shrank or extended the cloth, which seemed to be working like nanotech. I didn’t need the sandals anymore, since the suit could provide me with footwear.
“Winter coat,” I said. And the material puffed out, like a heavy winter coat.
I could reset it to the default, which is how we’d put it on.
Professor Kroft’s face came into view. “Good gravy, Sid. This is amazing. If Billie and I had rings, we could do that to our clothes, make dresses, create outfits. Are there any more settings?”
There were.
I could set the jumpsuit to different colors, different textures, and I could create camouflage. Adding a hood, I could blend into my surroundings. Basically, I’d been given a magical cloak.
“Okay, Professor, let me try the Multitool.” I went to the menu options.
<<<>>>
Paraxen Multitool Activated
New HOST detected.
Primate’s idea of tools questionable and limits of intellect detected.
Arkadian Quantum Universal Intelligence Assistant in error state: 92% of normal functionality.
Input name of tool.
Limit Five
Tool configurations:
<ul>
<li>Etrusca Roofing Hammer</li>
<li>Add tool pending.</li>
<li>Add tool pending.</li>
<li>Add tool pending.</li>
<li>Add tool pending.</li>
</ul>
<<<>>>
The Survival Suit didn’t give the error state message, so I could only assume that the Multitool needed more juice.
I tried to create a rifle, but got an error message, something about too many moving parts.
So I had to keep it simple.
“Input name, Betsy.” That was what Uncle Marty called his old lever-action hunting rifle. I always liked the name.
Then I got to work. “Add tool. Ax.”
Holding the hammer, it suddenly lengthened, becoming a short-handled ax. It was the exact same size as a survival ax that my Uncle Marty had. The interface must’ve been reading my thought patterns, which is why my suit turned into a winter coat I once had.
That made sense. Language is based on our perception of things. A dog to one person might be chihuahua, while a dog to another is always a Golden Retriever.
Since I couldn’t make a rifle, I didn’t try crafting a bow. We didn’t have arrows, though I was pretty sure Professor Kroft might know how to make some.
Up close, I had plenty of weapons. I needed a range weapon that was reusable. I knew exactly what I wanted.
“Add tool. javelin.”
The ax lengthened into a throwing spear.
I had to think. I only had two other ways I could configure the tool. I bet if the AQUIA device wasn’t in an error state I might be able to make anything from a screwdriver to a plumber’s wrench to a polearm.
From reading through the menus, I was pretty sure I wouldn’t be able to reconfigure the weapon, not if Opal didn’t have more power.
I’d leave the last two slots blank until I needed them. Maybe on our travels we’d discover a Home Depot, dropped on K’Shaul by the energy storm.
Professor Kroft watched, mouth hanging open. “This is remarkable. Good gravy, that’s programmable matter. You could do any number of things with such technology. This is a miracle.”
“It’s an Arkadian Quantum Universal Intelligence Assistant, kind of broken, which sucks, but hey, I have an ax. I needed an ax. But watch this, Professor. Opal. Configure tool. Roofing hammer.”
The javelin morphed into a hammer.
“Opal. Configure tool. Ax.”
The tool changed, so I had an ax in my hand.
“No sword?” the professor asked.
I shrugged. “We need to have actual tools to help us survive. Besides, why would I need a sword when I have a gun?”
I configured a holster into my survival suit and slipped one of the empty pistols in.
“This is a long shot, but maybe I can re-charge it.”
I went to the menu option and was given a nasty message.
<<<>>>
Weeper X15 plasma pistol (Empty)
To recharge, place in Weeper C13 Charging Station
Suggested purchase: Weeper C13 Remote Charging Station with Wireless Charging
<<<>>>
“Ugh.” I couldn’t help but grunt in frustration. “You don’t happen to have a C13 Charging Station, do you?”
The professor’s laughter was musical. “I’m afraid not.”
“Opal. Interface off.”
There was a flash in my eyes, static, and then a final message:
<<<>>>
Evaluation of current circumstances resumed.
Error: Power source low. 4% of full. Please charge to at least 10% for minimal functionality.
This unit’s primary mission incomplete
Results of evaluation pending….
<<<>>>
Billie walked up, looking clean, her hair combed, and a little glow on her face.
“Okay, people,” I said. “We have to keep our eyes out for red power crystals. I’m pretty sure they are magic. I need them for the ring. I named her Opal.”
Billie rolled her eyes. “Sure, guy. Magic crystals. Wait, you have an ax now? And boots? I want boots.”
I flashed my ring at her. “You need a magic ring.”
“It’s not magic,” she said, snorting.
“I wouldn’t be too sure about that.”
Taking them both in, I was struck by how sexy they were, beautiful, clean, and yes, I knew that both of them had just masturbated.
Billie giggled. “Did you just see the look he gave us, Professor? He’ll be back in five minutes.”
I wanted to protest, but she was probably right. My Paraxen survival suit was already adjusting to my bulge.
“Good,” the professor said, her eyes taking in my crotch. “We have a lot to do. Don’t dawdle, Mr. Marshall.” She seemed to catch herself. “But still. Enjoy yourself.”
I laughed. “Not in the mood. I’m just going to wash up a little. Be back in five. While I’m gone, look for crystals. I’m serious.”
“Yeah. Thanks.” I hurried away. Would it have been better if we didn’t talk about the strange effect K’Shaul was having on our libidos? No. Then we’d have to sneak away, find privacy on our own, not talk to each other. Our very lives hung in the balance.
We needed to communicate, no matter how embarrassing, and we were all feeling the same thing.
Why was that? We’d learn.
I walked along the edge of the rock and found the overhang. It was cool there, and it was nice to get out of the mist. I had the ax, though I could turn it into a javelin at a moment’s notice.
Unzipping, I had to take a minute to marvel at my new cock. I knew at some point, if we didn’t find a way back, the professor and the CrossFit queen would eventually give into the temptation. I would as well.
But I wasn’t about to rush them.
Just the idea of those two, in the overhang, rubbing themselves, had me hard as rock. I thought of them together, kissing. Their bodies were completely different, but so sexy.
“Fuck it,” I hissed.
We needed to find more power crystals, and jerking off wouldn’t help us with that.
Also, the professor was right. Berries weren’t going to do it. We needed to retrieve our stuff back on the bus and then find a good place to sleep that night.
The overhang was probably our best bet, though I would bet any number of animals would be coming to drink at the pool, and that would include predators.
No, I was thinking of building a real home for us.
Diving into the water, I found it surprisingly warm.
It must’ve been fed by a hot spring, deep down.
I floated there, on my back for a minute, relaxing. The morning mist was burning off, and the sun was out, bathing all the moons in a bright radiance. I swear, I could feel both the sunlight and the moonlight as the air got hotter.
Then I heard the rocks skitter across the cliff’s surface before landing in the pool.
That jerked me out of reverie.
Treading water, I looked up.
There, above me, at the top of the overhang, stood a woman in a leather tunic with sandals that went up to her knees.
She looked Asian—light brown skin and black hair tied back with a leather thong. In her hand was a short bow, and on her back was a quiver of arrows. At her side was an honest to goodness flint knife.
We locked eyes for a second.
At first, I thought her eyes were brown, but no, they were striking dark green. Freckles were splashed across her nose. Those freckles seemed to move. Impossible. It must’ve been a trick of the sunlight hitting all those moons in the sky above.
A second later, she was gone.
It was my first time seeing the huntress, but it wouldn’t be my last.