I stood on the surface of the moon, the desolate landscape stretching as far as I could see. What I was planning was way beyond anything I’d attempted before, and I wasn’t even sure it would work, but just to be safe I was taking precautions against damaging the various landing points for human exploration here. I’d already encased the Chinese site and all the other Apollo missions except this one. I stared at the Apollo 11 site, half grinning at the stupid director’s chair I’d placed here years ago. Of all the sites up here, this is the one that absolutely had to survive. It was man’s first steps on another world. Race, creed, religion, nationality, it didn’t matter. Humanity as a whole was represented here, before politics and money drove them back into low orbit for decades before the Chinese said, “our turn.” Like most optimists, I chose to ignore the fact that it was politics that drove them up here in the first place.
Concentrating, I formed a clear bubble around the site, even including my ridiculous chair. One couldn’t tell from the surface, but the bubble extended underground as well. A perfectly clear ball, indestructible by any means known to man, everything inside of it locked in stasis. Long after the moon was gone, this ball would remain. An eternal reminder that man once walked the heavens. I stepped back and admired my work. To my knowledge, only another deity would have the power to breach that barrier, but I could be wrong. There’s still a lot I don’t know about the galaxy. Satisfied with my work, I popped back to the dining hall just as everyone was sitting down to breakfast.
“Morning, ladies. Ah, Drake. When did you get here?”
The large cat-man nodded at my greeting. “Just a few moments ago. Goddess Persia came to invite Aura to breakfast, and she was kind enough to extend me an invitation as well.”
“You’re always welcome here, buddy. You’ve been an immense help these last couple weeks. Um, should I be worried that neither of them are here right now?” Glancing around the large table, I saw Shu and Linda deep in conversation as usual, Rhia and Lily, who’d moved in a week ago, were digging into their breakfast, and Hannah and Su were standing ready to serve as needed. Isabella was still down on Earth, unsure of what she wanted to do just yet. Persia and Aura were the only ones missing. Wait, no Ryo either. That got my attention. She never misses breakfast.
Drake chuckled. “I do not believe you have to worry. Goddess Persia said something about new clothes for Aura. My sister is still too unsure of herself around you to allow the goddess to slip her into your bed.”
I nearly choked on my coffee as he said that but recovered and managed to wipe my mouth with a napkin as I regained the ability to speak. Both Rhia and Lily were smirking but remained steadfastly focused on their plates.
“Ah, right,” I said. “If I may ask, what drew you two towards the sibling relationship you’ve developed? You’ve been together a long time, right? Wouldn’t that kind of closeness lead to something a little more… intimate?”
He shook his head. “To develop that kind of relationship with an Oracle is the same as a death sentence where we’re from. They are to remain untouched by all, and unseen except by their closest guards. Hence the robes she wore when we met you. No, as I have mentioned before, I have known her since she was a child. After watching her grow up, the idea of seeing her in that fashion does not appeal to me. What are these? They are delicious.”
“Waffles. Try them with some butter and syrup,” I passed the mentioned items over. “Wait? You said untouched? You mean…”
“She has never known the touch of a male, beyond an occasional embrace for her brother. Of course, that may change in the near future, I suspect, if Goddess Persia has her way.” He said it so matter-of-factly as he inhaled his waffles. I remember when my father and I first learned that my 16 year old sister was sleeping with her 20 year old boyfriend. The only thing that stopped us from driving over to his house was Mom in the rearview mirror with a double barrel and a raised eyebrow. Now here I was talking with a guy that didn’t seem to mind my wife trying to add his virgin sister to my harem. Incidentally, it turned out Mom had already taken care of the creep with a phone call to the cops while Dad and I were clearing out the gun safe and loading up the car. If looks could kill, Lisa’s would’ve vaporized half the neighborhood when the cops dropped her off an hour later.
Linda and Shu were now watching me, both grinning broadly. Rhia pretended to not pay attention as she busied herself with her tea, and Lily was blushing furiously. I couldn’t see Su or Hannah, as they were standing behind me, but I was pretty sure I knew that Su was maintaining her professional demeanor in front of our guest and Hannah was grinning like an idiot, as she does any time the topic of sex came up. I was still pondering if I should say anything in response to Drake’s last statement when the door to the dining hall opened up.
Persia danced through the door, sundress lifting up as she spun, revealing her marvelous thighs, and I couldn’t help but smile at her energy. She was a completely different person from when we first met two and a half weeks ago. Before, Hannah was the energetic one around here, just a pulsing ball of sexually charged charisma. Persia had since surpassed her. She didn’t exude the nymphomaniac desires of Hannah, however. Thank heaven for that. I could barely keep up with either of them as it was. No, Persia’s energy was much more vibrant, radiant, and any other synonym you could think of. She was happiness personified, and she brought that to everyone she met, including the timid woman who stepped through the door behind her, Ryo trotting along at her heels.
“Oh!” Lily perked up. “That looks delightful! I knew it would look good on you, Persia, but man can Aura rock it!”
Aura blushed as Lily fawned over her, but Lily was right. The lithe woman was dressed in a pair of skin tight, hip hugging capri jeans, low top walking shoes, and a sleeveless, collarless shirt that hung off of one bare shoulder and exposed her belly button. Her hair was pulled into a loose ponytail that hung over her opposite shoulder. She was breathtaking. Even Drake paused in devouring his food admire her. Persia looked over and saw me at the head of the table. She beamed me a smile and trotted over to give me a hug.
“You weren’t there when I woke up,” she pouted. “I was lonely and cold.”
“Lonely? Rhia was still sleeping when I got up.”
“I have things to do as well,” Rhia said. “I was up not long after you left.”
“See? That’s why I went to visit Aura and invite her over. I know she must be just as lonely on that ship, so now here she is! Tada! What do you think, My Husband?”
I smiled as the woman in question took a seat on Drake’s other side, doing her best not to make eye contact with me. “I think she looks lovely. You did a good job.” I mean, she was already a work of art. Persia just liked finding new ways to frame her. Persia beamed and kissed my cheek as a smile flitted across Aura’s lips. Drake reached over and patted her hand, his cat-like mouth pulling up at the edges.
“Hey, John,” said Linda. “Not to interrupt your little moment you’ve got going on over there, but are you sure I can’t talk you out of this? I’ve already got billions invested in the Eastern Alliance’s plans, and you’re going to fuck all that up.”
“Sorry, sweetheart, but I’m not changing my mind. We’ve already discussed this. I’ll help you guys out with another venture, but this is something I’d like to do for our new friends. There really isn’t any place we could send them on Earth where they won’t be immediately discovered by humans and asking them to live in a place like this isn’t fair after they’ve spent so much time in an asteroid.”
Linda sighed and buried her face in her hands as Shu rubbed her back reassuringly. “I know, I know. It’s just a LOT of money. It won’t sink the company, but we’re gonna feel it.”
“Can’t the resources be diverted elsewhere? Like underwater?” Lily tossed in.
Linda’s head popped up out of her hands and stared at her. “Underwater?”
“Um, yeah. Why not? Why spend so much energy getting off the planet when there’s so much space left to explore on Earth? It’d be like that show with the cute blonde boy and talking dolphin.”
Linda and I exchanged a look, then back to Lily. “You’ve seen seaQuest?” Linda asked.
“Is that what it was called? I only saw a couple episodes. My dad loved to watch reruns, but I couldn’t get into it. I was more of a Babylon 5 fan, even if the special effects are dated” she said offhandedly.
Linda was suddenly on her knees next to Lily, gripping her hands tightly. “Marry me!” she said. As Lily turned bright red and started making cute sounds of confusion, Shu walked over and grabbed Linda by the ear, pulling her back to her seat.
“Ow ow ow ow baby! I was joking! You know you’re the only woman for me!” Linda pleaded, however Shu noticed Linda making a heart shape with her hands and mouthing I Love You to Lily. Shu gave Linda’s ear a twist and calmly turned to the rest of us.
“I’m afraid Linda and I need to have a private discussion,” she said sweetly. “If you’ll excuse us. Good luck, John. I hope your plan works.” The Chinese woman then left the dining hall, dragging the pleading trillion dollar tech mogul behind her. Lily sat in her seat motionless, clearly still in shock. Persia was happily feeding Ryo from her plate. Rhia and I continued to enjoy our drinks while Drake and Aura looked mortified.
“Um, should we be worried about them?” asked Aura, finally meeting my eyes.
“Those two? Nah. Happens all the time. At least once a week. Don’t worry. They love each other too much to let a joke come between them. All the same I’d give their room a wide berth for the next couple hours.”
“Better make it three, My Lord,” said Su. “Mistress Shu got an extra ear twist in before they left.”
I grimaced. “Ouch. Alright, everyone leaves them alone till lunch. Two twists mean Shu’s actually kind of pissed. Linda’s gonna have to work overtime this morning.”
“I’m sure she’ll hate every minute of it, My Lord,” said Hannah as she collected my plate.
“I’m sure she will,” I smiled at Hannah.
Drake finally seemed to have his fill of waffles, which was an impressive display in itself. Wiping his mouth with a napkin, he looked at me. “So what is this plan that she was talking about? You have failed to mention it to us, but it appears to be about us.” He indicated himself and Aura, who was daintily picking away at a vegetarian omelette. I didn’t know what the wrap was made of, but she seemed to be enjoying it. I did find it interesting that she was a vegetarian that travelled the stars on a ship full of carnivores.
Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.
“Well, I was trying to keep it a surprise, but Linda killed that. See, as I told her, I’ve been trying to think of a place for you guys to put down roots and live your lives. There isn’t any place on Earth to put you where you wouldn’t be discovered sooner rather than later, and humanity isn’t ready to discover extra-terrestrial life yet. They’re still wrapping their heads around the concept of me. I also don’t want to force you guys to live in anything like this place. Nice as it is, it’s still not too different than being stuck on your ship, and I don’t want to do that to you again. Sometimes you want to feel the sun on your face, right? Breeze flowing through your fur? So, I’m going to do something amazing.”
“And that would be?” Aura asked, curiosity in her silver eyes.
I smiled and leaned back in my seat, placing my hands behind my head.
“I’m going to terraform the moon.”
*
An hour later we were finished with breakfast. Rhia had gone down to Earth to make a surprise visit to the U.N. General assembly to inform them on my behalf what I was planning to do, minus the aliens moving in part. Her goal was to ensure no one panicked as the moon changed in the sky. Linda and Shu were still barricaded in their room while Hannah and Su were off doing whatever maids did. I had offered to send Aura and Drake back to their ship in case something went wrong, but they asked if they could remain and watch. Lily refused to leave as well, so now the three of them were sitting with Persia in the ballroom, comfortable couches lined up facing the large window that looked over the moonscape. Ryo was curled up between Aura and Persia, napping the day away.
“Alright,” I said. “I’m still not sure how this is going to turn out, or even how long it’s going to take. I’ve never tried anything on this scale before. I’ve reinforced our home just like I did with my preservation bubbles out there, so it should be fine in the worst case scenario, but Persia, I’m counting on you to get everyone out should everything go wrong.”
“Do not worry, My Love. I will take care of everything.” She smiled at me reassuringly, her golden eyes twinkling. I leaned down and gave her a kiss, grateful for her support. As I straightened up, Lily leaned over and kissed my cheek, telling me that I “got this.” I laughed and thanked her, then felt a hand softly grab mine. I looked down to see Aura had taken it and pulled it to her lips, where she gently kissed my palm as her silver eyes bored into mine.
“Good luck, God Zek-” she stopped herself, then gave me a shy smile. “Good luck, John.”
On her other side Drake smirked, an interesting look on such a cat-like face, then gave me a thumbs up. Half wondering who taught him that, I smiled at Aura as I pulled my hand away, closing it into a fist as if to hold on to that sweet kiss, the feel of her soft lips on my palm fresh in my memory. I gave Ryo a quick scratch behind her ears, waking her from her nap. She looked up at me, then scooted herself over to lay her head in Aura’s lap and went back to sleep. Laughing, I turned and walked toward the landscape on the other side of the window, popping myself to the featureless wastes where everyone could see me from inside.
Unsure of how to go about this, despite the big game I was talking earlier, I decided to sit cross-legged on the dusty surface. Resting my hands on my knees, I closed my eyes and expanded my senses into the ground beneath me. The sensation felt similar to my life sight, and I soon became aware of every rock, crater, fissure, hole, and piece of moon dust around me. As my senses expanded, there were areas that appeared as a void. I recognized these areas as the preservation bubbles I’d erected and my home behind me. Slowly I was able to encompass the entire planetoid.
Confidence rising, I began to imagine what I wanted, which was essentially another Earth like world. Calling back to my old gamer days and the countless hours lost at night building civilizations, I imagined a random world generator and selected what I wanted in defiance to what nature would dictate. I was a god after all. This was my world. 40/60 land to ocean ratio. Polar caps, varying foliage from jungle to forests to plains. Vast plains to build cities on. An abundance of mineral resources. A wide variety of plant and animal life. Everything a planet should have to support and maintain life.
Time held no meaning for me as I moved within my imagination. Adding hills and mountains here, leveling fields there, carving a path for a river through this valley. A voice in the back of my head kept telling me what I was doing was impossible. It went against the very laws of nature and science. I scoffed at that voice. What good was being a god if you couldn’t upend all known science from time to time? And so I worked. Trying to perfect my little world. I gave it an atmosphere and a slight rotation, enough for a 24 hour day. Weather patterns and a tilted axis for seasonal changes. Life. I let life evolve as it would. I sat there and watched my little world orbit the Earth and most of a cycle around the sun. Looking for any flaws, anything that may have gone catastrophically wrong, but everything moved as it should. My world worked. I had done it.
*
Time may have stopped for John, but for Earth and his family on the moon, it continued on. Rhia returned from her trip to the U.N. and discovered everyone in the ballroom staring out the window at the figure sitting fifty yards out. She watched with them for a while, then reluctantly returned to her duties. John had countless meetings set up with world and religious leaders all the time, and even if he seemed lazy and childish most of the time, he rarely missed an appointment he set. While he was indisposed, it fell to her to make those meetings and help push his goals and wishes. She prepared herself for a long haul. Since she didn’t know how long his experiment would take, she expected to cover down for him for a few days. She was confident she was overthinking it, having witnessed his powers of creation on many occasions, but it was better to be safe than sorry.
*
“Is there no way to help him, Oracle?” Drake asked Aura.
“Please, Brother, it’s Aura now. Have you gotten so old that you forget after three months?” she teased. He chuckled and looked over at her. He never could have dreamed that the shy, traumatized girl that had been placed in his care so long ago would not only be healed, but smiling so brightly at him. Her gaze returned to the window and the god sitting so calmly in the vacuum and sighed. “I wish there was. He did not realize the scale of what he was attempting to do, and we can only offer up prayers for his success.”
The mention of prayers reminded Drake of his own devotion and worship of a goddess, and he smiled inwardly to himself.
“Speaking of prayers for success, you’ve been spending a lot of time with Goddess Persia lately.” Aura blushed at his comment.
“She is eager, and, I confess, so am I. But it may be some time before we see the fruits of our labors, and he may have other things on his mind once he returns to them. Us.”
“Oh?” Drake inquired, but was met only with a smile.
“Dear Brother, a girl has to have her secrets. When she is ready for everyone to know, you shall.”
*
Lily tossed and turned in her bed, unable to get any sleep. She hadn’t dreamt in the five months John had been sitting out there. Every day she went to the window to watch him. She was amazed at the transformation that was taking place out there as plant life bloomed, clouds formed, and the sky turned blue. She was amazed, but she missed John. She’d hardly gotten a chance to know him before this. She’d made up her mind to go along with Persia’s plan, and then he’d stepped out on her. She went to the ballroom instead of laying in bed staring at the ceiling. She chuckled as she found Persia and Aura cuddled up on the couch. Naturally Aura was the big spoon. It was a given with Persia being the way she was. Lily grabbed one of the blankets folded up next to the other couch, wrapped herself up and lay down, watching the rain slide down the glass.
*
“I miss him,” whispered Hannah.
“Me too,” Su said softly, stroking the smaller woman’s blonde hair.
Hannah lifted her head up from Su’s breast, which she’d been using as a pillow as they lay together in bed. “How much longer do you think?”
“I’m not sure, love. He hasn’t moved a muscle in half a year. If the mistresses were worried, we’d know it by now.”
“You know Mistress Rhia wouldn’t show it even if she were. Mistress Persia seems to be getting more agitated lately though.”
Su smiled. “Well, I think she has good reason to be. He really should hurry up, if only for her sake.”
Hannah scooted up the bed until her head was on the pillow next to Su’s. Wrapping her arm and leg over Su, she pulled her closer until their foreheads were touching. “I’m going to have to discipline him when he returns. Keeping his ladies waiting like this.”
“Oh really?” asked Su. “Since when are you in charge of discipline around here?”
“Um, well, I am going to be his wife eventually, so that will fall under that.”
“Is that so? What about me? I’ll also be his wife, and I’ve been with him far longer than you. So who would be in a better position to discipline?”
“Um…”
Su kissed Hannah’s nose. “Let’s not worry about this now. He’s going to be with us again soon, I feel it, and he’ll be with us the rest of our lives. We’ll have plenty of chances to discipline him together.”
Hannah grinned broadly, then kissed Su. Su returned the kiss, and soon the worries of the world disappeared as the two women got lost in the heat of each other.
*
Linda and Shu strolled hand in hand through a small town in China, gazing up at the moon.
“It looks so different than what I’m used to,” remarked Linda. Her eyes took in the green, white, and blue marble that hung in the sky. The moon was so much brighter these days as sunlight reflected off the oceans now flowing across the formerly dead rock.
“I imagine he has to be close to finishing by now,” said Shu. “Lily was telling me the other day that she saw something that looked like a rabbit running across the field where he sits.”
Linda whistled. “From moon dust and rocks to plants and animals in seven months. If I had any doubts about his divinity, they’re gone now.”
Shu chuckled. “You know what he’s doing goes against everything we know of nature and world creation, right? It’s impossible.”
Linda stared wistfully at the moon, a small grin playing across her lips. “When has that ever stopped him before?”
Shu pulled Linda around to face her and draped her arms around her waist. “We’ll see him soon. Then we can make up for lost time. Lots of lost time.”
Linda laughed, wrapping her own arms around the woman she loved. “You’re right. We have a LOT to make up for. Persia’s already got a pretty big head start though.”
Shu kissed Linda. “Our time will come. Let’s go. My family is eager to meet you.”
*
Persia leaned back into Rhia as they stared out the window, watching the clouds pass in front of the sun. She missed him dearly. It was October when he’d taken a seat out there, and May had just rolled around. When he first stepped out, she’d visit him often. Just sitting next to him for hours at a time, never touching him in case she broke his concentration, but just wanting to be near him. Rhia would accompany her sometimes when she wasn’t busy. She’d also sit and watch him through the window with Aura. They’d long become friends, having traded their personal histories and learning each other’s secrets and desires. Persia was happy and unsurprised to learn that they both shared at least one desire, and he was just fifty yards away.
“Mmmm,” she sighed. “He’s happy.”
Rhia nodded and smiled. “Yeah. I feel it too. It’s a sense of accomplishment. I think he finally realized he’s a Creator now.”
“Oh, Aura is going to be so happy. I think she’s going nuts being cooped up in that ship.”
“I thought you were going to ask her to move in here?” Rhia asked.
“I did. She said she didn’t want to get in the way when he returned,” Persia said.
Rhia wrapped her arms around Persia and rested her hands on her stomach, then kissed Persia’s cheek. “Silly girl. She still doesn’t understand what you’re trying to do? It’s been eight months. You’ve done everything but send her a harem application form.”
“She does. I think she wants to hear it from him though.”
Rhia laughed. “I think he’s going to have his hands full when he gets back. She may be waiting a while.”
Persia shook her head. “No. Not John. He’d never do that to anyone. Not if he knew their happiness depended on him.”
“Well, let’s see how he handles your surprise first. Of course, then we’ll have to tell him about my-” Rhia was saying, but she suddenly sat straight up at the same time as Persia.
““He’s awake!”” they both said to each other. The form in the field hadn’t moved yet, but they could feel him through their link.
Rhia gave Persia a quick kiss, then stood up with a wide grin. “I’ll go get everyone else.”
Persia nodded as she left, hearing Rhia call for Su and Hannah as she ran from the room. She stood up and walked over to the window, Ryo at her side as always, and pressed a hand against it while the other rested on her large belly.
“Are you ready to meet your father, little one?”