FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

The craft bounced and jostled, as Hart remained strapped in place. The shuttle rode down through the atmosphere, ash choked in thick black clouds that coated everything in a sticky layer. Hart checked a small device strapped to his wrist, going over things.

Shevos. Small little world, filled with small little people. Out of the way and quiet. A backwater colony, with no ties to the scientific community, no big names standing in his way, no rivalries, nothing. He could do his work in peace. Perfect. Even more so, work on this world would be challenging. Shevos was a small colony for a reason.

In the early days of expansion, Shevos was a dream. A dream that its rich soils and plentiful abundance of minerals could be tamed. That dream failed. The tectonic activity and sheer number of active volcanos that spewed endless ash into the sky where unbreakable in their stubbornness. Ironically, the people that stayed behind on Shevos to make a life, were as stubborn as the world they lived on.

Hart looked out to all the other various people strapped into holsters among the shuttle. Apparently he wasn't the only one looking for a challenge amidst the peace and quiet backwater colony life. He rested his head against the cushioning material of his seat, bracing for the bumps of final descent.

Hart had traveled all around in his work. He'd seen many worlds, many people and customs. And he'd seen every kind of greeting, until today. Shevos had no cities. No grand spiraling towers and constructs that spanned across the world. It was an outpost. And all it had was a simple landing pad for the small craft that now carried him and fellow arrivals. Hart had seen even little outposts like this. But what he'd never seen before, was people.

Despite the fact that this small outpost was protected by shielding, the landing pad was surrounded by people. Wearing the clothes of the simple. Workers, aliens, men, women, kids. Covered and stained in ash. Dirty and worn. And as Hart stepped out among the others, he was greeted along with the new arrivals by the assembled crowd, who cheered and clapped.

A woman who stood out among the crowd spoke into an amplifier as the crowd came to a slow silence.

"Hello to everyone! Welcome to Shevos! Our colony, as you can see, isn't very grand. But I hope that you people enjoy your stay! Which is why I am proud to be here to welcome you to our community!"

The crowd cheered and clapped once more, as they surged forward to invite the newcomers along. Hart passed through the crowd, headed towards the speaker. Along the way he received cheerful hellos and pats on the back. Already, his choice in Shevos was..... interesting. Hart pushed on through the crowd, until he found the speaker, an unremarkable woman, as plain as the rest, boasting a smile. He held out his hand instinctively.

"Hello! I'm Dr. Hart! And you are?"

The woman smiled, shaking his hand.

"Anita, Dr. Hart. I guess you can call me the mayor around here! Good to meet you!"

Hart nodded.

"Likewise! But I take it you know who I am?"

Anita nodded.

"Oh I know who you are, Hart."

Anita smiled.

"Believe me, a lot of others have come before you. Shevos can't be tamed."

Hart simply smiled.

"Then what are you doing here?"

Anita reached out and patted him on the shoulder, before heading back out into the crowd as a small device followed in her wake, a simple drone fit for some everyday tasks. Her voice sounded out through the crowd once more as it was amplified.

"All right everyone! As part of a long standing tradition here in our community, I would ask that all of the new arrivals come to the main base of our outpost! We all have something special planned for you and we'd all personally be happy if you could join us!"

Hart, standing in the crowd like a sore thumb, dressed in the apparel of someone higher, simply shrugged his shoulders. Why not? If he was going to call Shevos home for a while, why not start off on the right foot?

Hart followed with all the new arrivals into the main structure of the outpost, undoubtedly the largest building among everything else here. The new arrivals were separated, and lead to a stage of sorts that stood above the rest of the main floor. As they stood there, the population of the outpost began to arrive in full.

Down below on the main floor chairs had been set up in rows, and one by one, people arrived and took their seats. Anita stood on the stage with the arrivals, and started passing out small chips with numbers on them. She spoke as she passed them along to everybody.

"Okay people, here's the deal. You're new in our community. The first thing you should know is that we are very close. To survive on Shevos, we all have to work together. So we have a long standing tradition for new arrivals and outsiders. Take a number, and wait until yours comes up."

Anita passed a chip along and Hart took it, looking over the holographic number. He didn't know whether to be amused or worried. Number 3. What was he going to be asked to do? Unknown to him and all the others on the stage, other beings from the community had now spilled in and simply stood if they could not sit. A small community indeed, but still large enough to pack into the main base of operations and run out of room. Anita surveyed the crowd down below, before speaking as she amplified her voice with the drone beside her.

"Okay then, citizens of outpost Number 1, and only 1! Are you ready to get things started?"

The crowd down below clapped in response, as Anita turned to the assembled crowd on stage.

"And how about our new arrivals? Are all of you up for a few words about yourselves?"

A resounding set of "yeses" could be heard from the crowd as Hart sighed from relief. Introductions. He was fine with those. He could do those easily enough. And so, as numbers were called, people stepped up to the front of the stage, and spoke a few words. Hart mused on what he would say, lost in thought as Anita put a hand on his shoulder, as it was his turn already. She smiled as the drone at her side hovered close to him.

"Everyone, this is Dr. Hart. Take it easy on him, but he's our new botanist, agriculturalist and resident plant specialist. Dr. Hart, if you'd like to say a few words?"

Anita looked over to him, winking. Hart nodded, stepping up to the stage.

"Thank you, Anita. Let me just say that Shevos wasn't initially my first choice. But, being here now, I can see that I made the right one."

Hart paused.

"I know, right now, my reception is probably less than welcome. You've all had a lot of specialists come down here, promising that you would have forests, and clean air. Your world, Shevos, would be a paradise."

Hart continued to watch the crowd, and he could see. The skeptics. Those that no longer cared. And some, who still listened.

"I don't make those promises. Because I know that challenges take time to overcome. So, with some time, all I can do is hope that I can figure out a way to do what I came here to do. Give Shevos plant life."

Hart sighed as he stepped back, to the quiet applause from the crowd, a few claps here and there. For such a small group of people, they knew how to make one feel unwelcome. Hart merged back into the crowd as the next person went up to say their words. Anita approached him through the crowd.

"Hart. I'm sorry, about the reception."

Hart smiled, shaking his head.

"It's no worry. I understand. A botanist is useless on this world. And your community thrives off people who are useful."

Anita sighed.

"Listen, if you don't want to stay for the next part, which is more community traditions, you can leave. Your lab is on the outskirts of the outpost, out by the barriers."

Hart mused on it.

"No. I think I'll stay. I want to start things off on the right foot here."

Anita smiled.

"You blew that chance when you said you were here to give Shevos plants."

Hart shrugged.

"We'll see, in time. Maybe I'm right. Maybe I'm wrong."

Hart looked out to the assembled collection of beings down below.

"Either way, if I am wrong, your people won't be surprised or disappointed."

Anita smiled.

"You're not like the others. Give it a shot Hart. If there's one thing I know well, it's having a little faith."

Hart smiled.

"Thank you."

Anita pushed her way back through the crowd up to the front of the stage as things continued on. Hart stood with the crowd, thinking on things.

As the arrivals wound down through talks of who they were and what they came here for, the second part of the gathering took place. Bids. Every new arrival had a number. And bids were taken on the number. Hart soon learned that this was just another act of the community in good standing. They had no money to give. But, with some sense of humor, they voted.

The individual with the highest bid at the end of the timer, had the right to escort the new arrival around the outpost. Show them things, and generally invite them into the community and make them feel welcome. Hart's turn had come up now, and, no surprise to him, his reception was cold. As he stood up on stage, the silence and stillness of the crowd was like being shot at.

Only a few bids were placed. Just a few people. Some of them for the sake of humor. And then, through the crowd, a hand shot up. A voice spoke from the silence.

"250 credits!"

Anita pointed out to the back of the crowd, as the voice that rung out went completely uncontested, and the timer drew to a close. She smiled as she pointed out amongst the crowd.

"Sold! For 250 to another of our resident specialists, miss Cho'Tekaan!"

The crowd clapped as Anita stepped over to Hart, patting him on the shoulder.

"Careful Hart. She's a wild one."

Hart was promptly shuffled along off stage, and from there, he made his own way to the back of the complex to the exit. Standing by the door, was a rather short alien. Shorter than him by about a foot. He could tell instantly he wasn't dealing with any Human because of the number of arms.

The alien was clad in a special environment suit, blackened and charred from exposure to the ash and toxins outside in Shevos's own natural weather. He couldn't tell much or even guess what the alien was, as the suit was bulky and thickly armoured, easily hiding the true form of the being underneath.

Sitting atop the suit was a rounded orb for a visor, smeared black with ash. The suited figure clearly bowed, extending one pair of her double set arms out. Hart took one of the suited mechanical hands, shaking it, as he stared into the visor smeared in ash.

"Hello! I'm Dr. H-"

The alien interrupted, speaking in a voice that was clearly soft, considered feminine to most, but spoken with some difficulty.

"Dr. Hart. Plant specialist. Good to meet you!"

Hart raised his eyebrows.

"And you are Ch-"

"Tek. Call me Tek. Prefer second name."

Hart nodded.

"Okay Tek. Pleasure to meet you!"

The handshake was broken, Hart realizing that he had parted ways with a hand now streaked in ash. Tek, the alien before him, started moving. The suit she wore hid her origins completely, save for only a few hints as to what she was. Multi jointed legs hinted at strong legs. Tek moved oddly, her movements fast and calculated, almost twitchy. Hart followed along as she left the building, stepping out into the complex. Hart spoke as Tek continued moving.

"So, Tek. You're a specialist. What kind?"

The alien turned, simultaneously pointing all four arms at herself.

"Dirty work, outside colony. Gather resources and mine."

Hart nodded.

"You're a miner?"

The globe atop the suit shook itself.

"Not miner. Explorer. Scout for machines."

Hart nodded.

"Surveyor then. Okay. Why me?"

Four sets of arms crossed themselves in the suit Tek wore.

"Specialist. Intelligent. Not like most here. Simple people."

Four hands began twirling in the air as if searching for the right words. Three armoured fingers on each hand moved elegantly through the air like a dance.

"Not bad people. Me. I'm different. Specialist."

Hart nodded.

"You don't get along with most here. Not your type."

Two hands gave him the thumbs up while two other pointed at him. Tek promptly turned around and started moving once more, but headed away from everything. In her direction lay an airlock that lead to the outside of Shevos, beyond the energy barrier over the outpost. Hart stayed put, calling out.

"You're not going to show me around town?"

Tek stopped, shrugging as she pointed with her arms.

"Big one behind you is operation center. Small ones are houses. Airlock to the north, landing pad to south, lab to the west, and more homes to east. Outpost, not town. Looks same after a while. Nothing interesting anyway."

Hart simply smiled.

"I take it that's the end of the tour?"

Tek bowed once more before speaking in that sharp voice, easily strained to speak common, even if common was a simple universal language.

"Tour ends. Good to meet you. Back to work. Will be back in two days."

The alien turned once more, moving towards the airlock. Hart called out, one last time.

"Tek! Be careful out there. It was nice meting you too."

The alien spoke as she walked.

"Careful outside, easy. Be careful, inside. Outpost tired of failures. People stressed."

Hart nodded, watching as the suited alien turned the wheel on the airlock, and stepped into it, closing the door behind her. Hart stood out on the barren ground, taking in the sights of the outpost. He smiled. Tek was right. All the metal and reinforced structures made for orbital entry that were dropped here as a colony all did look the same. Hart started heading east.

She said that was where his lab was after all.

Hart was used to all manner of labs. From simple to advanced, he'd seen the ropes. And this one was workable. As he browsed through the lab, looking like it was left undisturbed for some time, he brought sections of it back online, one at a time. He had the test chambers for plant life. He had the supercomputer for calculations. And he had a small technical bay for automated machinery. He could certainly make this work.

And work he did. Hart began setting up the equipment he had brought himself, unloaded from the passenger shuttle, and began to make the lab his own. By the end of the first night, everything was up and running. And Hart began to run tests. The first thing he needed to do was learn about Shevos. He already knew a fair bit about it. And, indeed, he himself was sitting in a small crater under a protected energy barrier on the fringe of some great volcanic mountain stretch.

But he needed more. He needed soil data. Weather patterns. Readings across the entire planet. Hart knew that simply planting a plant into the ashen soil would never work. Shevos had oxygen, but low levels of it, choked out in ash and fumes from volcanoes. It was high in tectonic activity. And had little to no surface bound sunlight or bodies of water. But Hart knew it was possible.

There were untold trillions of catalogued plant life forms across the galaxy. Why, some of them were even sapient and intelligent. And out of all those plants, all that adaptability, there had to be one that could fit for Shevos. There had to be one form of plant life that could tough it out. And he knew that. In fact, going off his own offhand memory, he knew that out there, was an incredibly durable form of plant life.

It was of unknown origin, and traveled as spores. It was so capable, that it could even grow on frigid planets covered in ice and snow. It was hyper adaptable. But too adaptable. When it made landfall on a world, the spore like plant proceeded to choke all other life forms and plant life out. Its hyper adaptability made it toxic to life forms that tried to eat it, and its speed and growth factors enabled it to outpace all other plant life.

Too adaptable. The long term goal for Shevos was cultivation. Use the rich volcanic ash to grow crops. But in order to do so, Shevos needed clean air, and clean skies. Volcanos and tectonic activity weren't the issue here. It was getting things kick started long enough to cause a chain reaction. And for that, Hart needed the toughest plants he could find. But first, he needed more information. And he didn't trust the old database on the computer in the lab. He needed it updated.

In his searching, Hart stumbled onto an exo-suit, vaguely resembling the one Tek wore. It was a sturdy environment suit, built for a human operator. That was perfect. And in the small automated bay, Hart found drones. For the next day, he worked to maintain both the suit and the drones, and make sure they worked properly. He hadn't set foot outside since. But it seemed like one person in the outpost wanted to see what was happening.

Anita stepped through the airlock into Hart's lab, knocking on the doorway. Dressed in dirty simple gear like all the rest, the woman gave him a simple smile as she leaned outside the automated machinery bay.

"You know that's all automated right? You don't have to get your hands dirty."

Hart looked up, smiling.

"My old teacher taught me that part of being a botanist was jumping in and getting your hands dirty. Having a little hands on with your work is important."

Anita watched Hart as he continued examining a drone.

"So, you've been here two days. How do you like it?"

"There's a lot of ash."

Anita chuckled.

"You haven't gone outside have you?"

"No."

"How was your partner?"

"Tek?"

"Yes. Tek. I hope she didn't put you off."

"She didn't. She's.... different. Doesn't live around here does she?"

"She's an outsider. Lives out at a small outpost of her own. Only ever really stops by for supplies and to deliver things for us."

"I get the impression Tek isn't very fond of this place."

"Tek is.... different. Compared to most out here, she's strange, even for an alien. She has trouble with common. I suppose that doesn't help either."

"You know what species she is?"

"No. Tek never actually came here on a transport with others. She landed here herself."

"So her base, outside of your outpost, is her ship then?"

"That's right."

Hart set the drone down he was working on at his feet.

"And you say she signed up for a job here?"

"She contacted us remotely. Made landfall, and showed up outside the airlocks one day to say hello. Never saw her out of that suit before. She's a tough one Hart. Works very hard. But she's part of the community. Just like you."

Hart stood up with a stretch.

"Thank you, Anita. But I'm no stranger to this. The scientific community is always full of the same stuff. People butting heads."

"So why'd you come out here?"

"Because I can do my work in peace and quiet. I can do my job. You know, the stuff I was taught and schooled in? Out here, there's no walls in my way. Just me, and my nice little green friends."

Anita smiled, pointing up to the large display across the central room of the lab. A large collection of holograms, data, camera feeds, everything Hart needed.

"Looks like you've got another friend."

Hart looked up to the camera feeds outside the lab. Stepping across the ashen dirt in her suit was Tek, blackened in soot as ever. Anita smiled.

"I'll leave you to it Hart. Don't work too hard now."

Hart nodded, looking back down to the partially deconstructed drone in the bay. No sooner after Anita had left, had Tek walked in after her. The alien's head swiveled under the glass dome of her suit, taking in the lab. She spoke quickly as usual, before Hart even had a chance to say hello.

"Good equipment. You work fast."

Hart smiled.

"Indeed I do. Glad to see you again by the way."

Tek looked over to the vacant suit that remained stationary in the bay.

"Going outside? Not like a botanist."

Hart smiled.

"I'm a bit of a traditionalist. My old teachers liked to get their hands dirty. You have to actually be with the plants, to know what you're doing."

Tek stood, four arms idle as the globe like visor swiveled around once more. She pointed out to the drone at Hart's feet.

"Need help? Modified mining drone, built it myself."

Hart's brows furrowed.

"You built this?"

Tek nodded, as best she could under her suit.

"Worked with other botanists. Tried to help."

Hart smiled, as he stood up and wiped his hands, passing by Tek to look over the data on the holograms in the main room.

"Ah, so that's why you're talking to me!"

Four hands went up in unison defensively.

"No. Not like that. Heard news of new specialist coming here. Did research. Know about you."

Hart turned around as he looked over the data on the holograms. He smiled, something coy as he looked over the suited alien before him, still holding four arms up defensively. Hart nodded.

"I get it. I see. You're a fan of my work. My research. You're an honest to god fan!"

Four hands shook themselves again.

"No. Yes. Complicated. Admire your different approach."

"Approach to what?"

"Too much politics in science. You don't play that game."

Hart smiled.

"So what game do you play Tek?"

"Excuse me?"

"You come here, in your own ship. Set up shop. Outside the range of this outpost. And help the people here. You signed up to live here. But you came here on your own."

Tek's arms went down as they crossed themselves behind her backside.

"Like a challenge. Want to help people. Shevos is quiet. I can do my work out here."

Hart nodded.

"And you're not just a surveyor are you? You run the machines and the remote mining here to help the colony."

Hart pointed to the drones in the bay.

"But you take some of that metal for yourself don't you?"

Tek remained still, holding all four arms at her back like a statue. Hart could simply smile.

"You're building something, aren't you?"

The ash smeared visor nodded.

"Idea for colony. Can't do alone. Need your help. I know machines. You know plants."

Hart quickly looked over data as it scrolled across his screens.

"You want to be a partner then? Like a colleague?"

Tek's hands unwound themselves from her back as she relaxed.

"Yes. Tried with others. Didn't go so well."

Hart turned around, stepping over to Tek, looking down at the globed visor that stared at him.

"What are you building behind their backs Tek?"

Four hands went up into the air defensively.

"Not like that. Outpost is..... doubtful. Stubborn. Don't believe in the impossible."

Hart's eyebrows raised.

"Okay Tek. Partners?"

Hart extended a hand out, as once again Tek moved quickly, grasping it and shaking.

"Partners. Must move soon, have to get back to work."

"I can give you a hand if you want."

"Picking up supplies. Simple work. But thanks."

Tek nodded as she broke the handshake with Hart, turning the globed visor towards the suit that sat in the equipment bay.

"Be careful outside. Shevos, no place for botanist."

Hart smiled.

"That's what everybody says so far. We'll just have to see won't we?"

Tek simply nodded once more.

"Wait and see. Good or bad future? Hope it goes good."

Tek turned around and walked off, leaving Hart in his lab without another word. He had to get back to work as well.

Ash streamed and fell against the visor of Hart's suit, as he stood on a blackened ridge, nearly knee deep in fresh ash. He was wrong, initially. Shevos did have some sunlight. He could see it now, streaming in through the clouds in scarce sunbeams. That was good. Pockets of atmosphere that weren't completely closed up. Hart stood on the ridge, looking out to the closest mountain, easily hundreds of miles off, but still immense in size.

Black ash and smoke billowed from it, a never ending factory of toxins and light blocking material. Hart nodded. He'd do it. Plant work was his specialty. And if he knew one thing about plants across the galaxy, it was that they were surprising. With enough of them, those volcanoes could spew toxins out all they wanted. And the plants could take care of them. The key was the plants themselves.

They needed to be adaptable. Hardy, tough, and boasting a high absorption rate. Yet with so much ash, they'd be buried before getting a chance to grow. He needed hyper growth as well. Hart looked out beyond the ridge to plains of ash, and spotted movement. Something small in the air, speeding along. There it was. A progress report! The modified mining drone sped along to its programmed destination, headed Hart's way.

In only a few minutes, it sped to a stop right above him, staying still. Hart nodded. Good. Soil samples. Air samples. Air current track logs. He'd need all this. And geographical information too. Taking the physical samples and connecting cables to the computer he always kept on his person to the drone, Hart let all the data upload, staring out to the fields of rolling ash beyond.

He wondered, what Tek was doing. She was a surveyor, and stuck to her job like glue. But she was apt mechanically too. Seemed to enjoy building things. She was always of few words. But Hart felt, that of all the people here, he could talk to her. Anita, the outpost proclaimed main center of authority was kind and supportive. But simple, like the other people. One of these days Hart had to take a trip out of his lab and go visit Tek.

But as the data uploaded, all the information he needed appeared on his network. That was exciting. Now he could get down to the real work. Finding the right plant for Shevos.

Hart barely looked up as boot steps could be heard on the floor of his lab. He sat at his table, slouched with his head down, as the main set of holograms played out information and readings, projections and everything else. By now this was common. He'd spent months like this. Hart spoke, tired.

"Hello, Tek."

The suited alien walked up behind him.

"Any news?"

"No. Same thing."

Hart looked up to the data on his holograms.

"This computer gives projections. I take the best, and I start growing plants. Subject them to the conditions of Shevos, and they fail. Even with a sufficient oxygen output, they fail. Even the plants that don't need water fail."

Tek stayed silent.

"I don't know what to do Tek. I've taken the best results and tried planting them outside. Cultivating them. Taking care. And they fail."

A gauntleted hand placed itself across his shoulder.

"Done more than most. Accomplish more."

"I haven't done anything."

"You stay."

Hart looked up to suited alien beside him.

"I need to do more than that Tek. Everybody here stays."

The globed visor he'd long become familiar with nodded.

"You are right. Need to do more."

"I don't know if I can do any more. Am I just going to keep going through every plant until I run out of them all?"

Two other hands brought themselves up and pointed at him.

"Not plants. You."

"Me?"

Two hands gave him the thumbs up.

"You not like most. But you are Human."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"You are stuck to land. Views, stuck on ground. Stubborn, like ground."

"Well, they should be. Plants come from the ground."

Tek shook her head.

"Yes. But maybe, don't have to stay in the ground."

Hart sighed when Tek suddenly latched on to his arm and pulled him up to his feet.

"Come. Want to show you. Get in suit."

Hart shook his head.

"Tek, please. I know you're try-"

"Project finished. Ready to show you."

Hart stopped his resistance and stood, as Tek slid her multiple appendages off his arm.

"It took you all this time to finish your work?"

Tek nodded.

"Big project. Hard to do alone. Did it anyway. But need help."

"Help with what?"

"Need you. You need help too. Different approach."

Hart started walking absent mindedly to the suit in his tech bay. He stopped as he looked over the short alien who had crossed all four arms over her chest plate.

"Okay Tek. I'll give it a try. Show me what you've got."

The short alien bowed briefly, letting him power up his own suit as he slipped inside.

The trip across the ashen plains took longer than expected. It seemed like Tek lived farther off than expected. And her transport was built for only one rider. The trip was long and slow as the simple hovercraft struggled with the extra strain. But eventually, as they crossed vast ashen plains, at the very foot of one of Shevos's garden variety mountains, was a spacecraft. Obviously old, worn down, yet still functioning. It lay suspended in the air roughly a few stories off the ground.

Tek slowed the craft down to a small stop as they came to rest at the base of the ship, which was now obviously much larger than Hart gave it credit for. Tek lived up to her work. This was a mining craft. Dirty, ugly, with no pleasing aesthetic or design. Function over form. Tek stepped off her seat, speaking to Hart.

"Wait here, will be back."

Hart nodded, getting off the makeshift part of the craft he'd hung on to the entire way here. Tek strode off through the ash, stepping under a well rounded out depression in the ashen soil. The gravity lift activated and pulled Tek up through the air quickly, pulling her into the bulk of her ship.

Hart waited, taking in the area around him. Quite a remote location. He shrugged. Guess it came with the job. He was like that too in a way. Hart waited by the lift, looking up to underside of the ship suspended above him. Docking bays and doors, for releasing equipment of all sizes covered the bottom. Harnesses for carrying more on the outside were packed in wherever possible. This ship was a workhorse.

Hart spotted movement, as Tek rode down the lift. As she rode down, one of the docking bay doors opened, and something large was released from it. Tek reached the ground first and strode over to Hart as she watched the piece of equipment descend. She placed two hands on the suit of his shoulder as she patted him.

"My project. My point of view."

Hart watched as a haphazard arrangement of what looked like spare parts descended down the lift, vaguely shaped like a bowl.

"Tek, what is that?"

"Prototype."

"Prototype, of what?"

The globed visor of her suit swiveled in his direction.

"Come."

As the bowl shaped collection of parts came to rest on the ground, Hart approached it. And was surprised to find the center hollowed out. He looked over to Tek.

"It's a bowl."

"People put plants in pots. Carry them. More than bowl. Idea."

"How?"

Tek pointed with all four arms to herself.

"Home world. Mine is low G. My kind, built to jump. Built to glide."

Hart looked over the device as ash blew past him.

"I think I see. Different viewpoints, right? So what does this do?"

Tek ran her hands along the edges of the device.

"Fly."

"Wait, you mean you built a micro anti-grav engine into this?"

Tek put one hand up as she gave Hart the thumbs up.

"More than just micro engine. Self-sustained power system. Filters extract moisture in atmosphere. Device high in clouds. Gets more sunlight."

Hart nodded, as he understood.

"It's a carrier. You put the plant in, and set it off."

Hart ran his own hand along the rim of the device.

"Tek, you'd need hundreds of these. Thousands. Maybe even millions."

"You need millions of plants too. Make these for all."

"Tek, that's-"

"Impossible."

"Well, yes."

"Growing forest on Shevos, impossible."

Hart raised his hand up to argue as Tek cut him off.

"Design, simple. Mass production easy. Need only metals."

Hart lowered his hand down.

"You're crazy Tek. That's genius. But crazy."

Tek gave him four thumbs up.

"Not crazy. Perspective."

Hart laughed.

"You want to build a flying forest. One tree at a time?"

Tek nodded. Hart extended his hand.

"I'm in. We do it together. I'll find the plants. You build the pots."

Tek took Hart's hand, more noticeably than usual. A grip shared between the two. Colleagues no longer. Friends instead.

1 Year Later

Hart sped through ashen plains as dust rained down as always, headed towards the only place he could. The only place where he could truly tell the good news. He'd done it. He'd finally found it. He found a plant that was durable enough to survive Shevos's climate. And he was so excited that he had to tell it to Tek in person. Beyond the vast plain before him at the foot of the mountain lay Tek's ship, as always. Hart sped up as much as he could, wanting to close the distance as soon as possible.

Hart never left his lab very often. He was a rare sight around the outpost. And in the year that had long since passed, he'd set foot into Tek's ship once. A haphazard space filled with tools and equipment stacked about in what looked like random piles. He knew how to get into her ship. Tek gave him access. Another sign of their original partnership having turned into an easily trusted one.

And so now he stood, in the hangar bay. He was about to step off the platform when the comms sounded out across the ship.

"Take suit off. No ash inside ship. Hard to clean."

Hart chuckled. Hart could see why. He could feel why. Looking up to the ceiling above him, he saw the telltale evidence of why Tek was supposedly so moody about ash. The ceiling of her ship was coated in a material, almost invisible. Nearly invisible strands and pathways that formed a complex webbing. In the low gravity of her ship, ash and dust was stirred up easily.

Hart had only been in here once before. But this time, the sight of webbing along the ceiling was normal to him. Tek was no longer such a mystery to him. For now he knew what she was. Hart stepped out of his suit, and in the low gravity of her ship, he bound forward with ease, heading towards the bridge. Doors opened willingly for him with no protest. The webbing on the ceiling sprawling out across the entire ship as he went.

Hart followed the maze of pathways through Tek's ship, through piles of equipment and seemingly useless junk, until he found the bridge she called home. The only part of her ship that was free of her work. It was spotlessly clean, just like she tried to maintain everywhere else. To this day, still a major contrast to the suit he'd seen her in for most of his time here. Hart stepped onto the bridge, looking out through the viewports that gave a 360 view through reinforced windows on the bottom hull of the ship.

"Tek. I've got good news. Really good news."

The bottom floor of the bridge was standard steel plating and deck plates, with holographic displays in the center of the bridge along with chairs and other things. But, as usual, the ceiling was covered in web which spiraled up to the center of the bridge, up into a tunnel above the holographic display and command table. Tek rode down from that tunnel upside down, watching him.

The first time she had done this, Hart had nearly been spooked bad enough to run. But this time, he knew it was Tek. As alien as she looked, this was her. And by now, he knew her well. Two pairs of bright green eyes watched him from the front of her head, the dark irises focusing on him like razors. Four armoured mouthparts split apart to articulate the sounds Tek had so much trouble speaking normally.

"Good news?"

Hart nodded with a smile.

"I found it."

"Plant. You found the right one?"

Hart nodded happily.

"I did. I did it Tek!"

In the gravity she was accustomed to, Tek was agile. Easily spinning herself into an upright position as she fell with grace to the deck plates. Hart couldn't help but chuckle. She, and by extension, him, where outsiders to the outpost. And yet they both looked the part. Tek wore a simple jumpsuit layered in pockets and harnesses, and by now Hart's lab coats and clothing were worn down to something a little more weathered. Outsiders or no, they were a part of the community. And the news they would bring would solidify it.

Tek bowed as was one of her customs, crossing all four of her armoured hands together as she watched Hart.

"Knew you'd find it."

While two sets of eyes watched Hart from the front, another set on the upper side of her head, small and harder to see, observed things as she turned her head in somewhat erratic movements.

"I wouldn't have found it without your help Tek. Your idea changed some of the rules. Gave me some more room to work with."

Hart stepped forward, extending a hand. One hand of Tek's came out, boasting three fingers of a dull sandy brown carapace, sharpened to points that could easily dig into softer materials. Tek nodded.

"Thank you, Hart. Tried idea. Not prete- not high strung."

Tek suddenly pulled Hart close, wrapping two of her lower arms around him as she hugged him. Hart returned the gesture, if slowly. Under the jumpsuit Tek was all carapace. Odd angles and ridges.

"I didn't know it meant that much to you Tek. You're welcome, I guess."

While Tek held the embrace, her other free pair of hands reached behind her and pulled several levers on her command console. Hart knew she was good at multi-tasking because she had more eyes than most. Even a smaller secondary pair at the back of her head like the ones that adorned her sides. With the pull of the levers something ignited in her ship. Tek broke the embrace as she turned away.

"Come. We'll move ship. Drop prototype off at lab. Start today."

Hart spoke as he crossed his arms, smiling, knowing that Tek could see him no matter what he did.

"I don't think I've ever seen you so excited."

Tek's head twitched as she worked around the central table of the bridge.

"You neither. Fun for both."

Hart chuckled.

"Yeah. I guess it is huh?"

Tek looked over her shoulder as she pulled down another lever to ignite the engines in her ship.

"Fun for outpost now, too."

With nightfall on Shevos having long washed over the planet, even the dim rays of sunlight passing through the clouds having vanished, in the dark of night, the first prototype was launched. Hart and Tek worked to transplant the latest batch of plant life into the haphazard prototype, running a few last minute tests.

And then they broke the news to the outpost. By now, people were curious as to why Tek had moved her ship in the first place. Gathering at the entrance to Hart's lab as the two moved back and forth hurriedly. So it was with great excitement that the outpost joined the two when they hauled out a ragged looking assembly of what merely looked like spare parts, boasting a living tinge of green in the middle of it.

And outside the airlock of the outpost, Tek and Hart watched their work come alive. Behind them through the barrier the entire town supported them. And outside, Tek had prepared one last surprise. A ripcord would start the process. The first launch. Tek held the handle out to Hart, and the two counted down. On the last count, the cord was pulled by both of them.

The engine sparked to life, and the device began to float. Behind them the outpost cheered, a silent spectacle behind the barrier protecting them. Hart worked coordinates on his computer, and watched as the device moved on its own, rising higher into the sky. The lights it boasted on its frame soon vanished as it traveled far on the currents of ash, and for now, that was it. Or so they thought.

The town's celebratory mood ignited, and Tek and Hart were wanted for the celebrations. Drawn into the cheering crowds, no longer outsiders. Hart received overwhelming support from people, faces even by now he'd come to know well despite his relatively solitary nature. Who was he to refuse? Even Tek joined in on the fun. It was a spontaneous night.

The outpost had ignited into something else in the wake of the first launch. And everybody joined. In the main base of operations, the population gathered. A simple night of fun quickly erupted. Dances and buzzed talk erupted in the crowd. People relaxed in their chairs, letting it all go. For once, one night on Shevos, everybody was calm.

Hart sat in his suit still, watching the crowds go by. Pats on the shoulder and congratulations, thank-yous, and I'm sorries never ceased. Tek sat with him, having pulled the visor of her suit up, watching the crowds buzz as she drank something out of a straw in between her four mouthparts.

"Outpost happy."

Hart nodded, setting his own drink down. He didn't normally partake in festivities. Especially those with alcohols involved. But, just this once. Hart laughed.

"We did it Tek. Look at them!"

"Still work to be done."

"Work is work Tek. Those people know that. But this is different."

"Different like me and you?"

Hart set his bottle down, scratching his head.

"I guess. Different for them to have such good news."

Tek had long ago finished her own drink off, now absent mindedly fiddling with the straw in between her four mouth parts.

"What happens now?"

Hart watched the crowds as they passed by.

"I don't know. We wake up tomorrow and we get back to it?"

"Want to leave ship here."

Hart set his own drink down.

"Really? Thought you liked it out there."

"Close to outpost. Easy to plant more."

Hart nodded.

"I'm not opposed to that."

"Need to order more plants. Start crop."

Hart nodded.

"I know. Funds are a little tricky right now. I'm basically going off contacts and favors."

Tek tilted her head.

"Can help. Outpost would support."

"Oh, no, you don't have to do that."

Tek stood up, visibly wobbling briefly as four arms caught her balance quickly.

"No. Stay here. Wait and see."

Tek headed off through the crowds, passing by more people who congratulated her as well. Walking up to the raised platform that was often used for speeches, Tek clapped all four hands together and Hart watched as the crowds turned. An amplifier built into her suit did well enough to get her point across.

"Attention please! Thank you for support."

Tek wobbled briefly as she watched the crowd.

"Project start today. Good start. But hard to do alone. Will need help, in the future."

One pair of hands pointed to Hart out of the crowd.

"Hart will need help. Funding. Hope we can help. Thank you."

If the night wasn't evidence enough of the high spirits in the outpost, the crowds easily cheered and clapped for Tek's simple message. Tek wound her way through the crowds and stood at Hart's table.

"Going home now. Long day."

Hart nodded, smiling.

"Thank you, Tek. That means a lot to me."

Four hands came up in sluggish gestures, as Tek leaned farther and farther along until she fell, still managing to catch herself with the help of Hart.

"Don't drink often. Motor skills affected."

Hart helped Tek up, chuckling as he realized he too wasn't on stable feet.

"That makes two of us. Come on. Your ship isn't so far now. We both need some sleep. Big days ahead."

Hart stepped out of his suit as it unclamped around him, feeling the low-g of the ship remove some sort of strain on him. Tek was likewise trying to do the same, but struggling. Four hands and not one was able to disengage the locking clamps on her suit. Hart leaned over to help.

"No ash on the ship right? Gotta follow your own rules Tek."

Tek shook her head in her partially opened suit.

"Not Tek. Call me Cho. First name."

Hart undid all the clamps and watched as Tek's suit unsealed. Giving her a hand, Hart helped pull her out.

"Didn't know your names where used for different things. What's Cho for?"

Tek shook her head.

"Never mind. Help get back to bridge."

Tek became a stumbling mess clinging to Hart desperately the farther they moved into her ship. Likewise, Hart was really starting to feel things in his system as well. Every step was hard fought even in the low gravity, and Hart couldn't help but laugh along the way. This was almost like a college memory. Early days when excitement was high, and he was barely even worth the title of his profession.

Through laughter and stumbled, uncoordinated efforts the two made their way through the ship, until at last the familiar observation deck of the bridge greeted them through a 360 view of Shevos's active volcanoes in the night. Tek pulled herself away from Hart, making her way over and leaning against the railing of her ship as she looked outside through her ports. Likewise, Hart clumsily made his way over, catching the view of the outpost down below.

"We're not strangers down there anymore Tek."

Two pairs of green eyes examined the outpost down below while one smaller eye on the side of her head watched him. A simple contoured head with smooth ridges made for passing through air. Four sandy armoured mouth parts moved as she continued watching down below.

"Part of outpost. Good. Fun."

Hart nodded.

"Didn't think I'd do it."

"What?"

"Start all this. What we're doing here. Do you know how big it is?"

"Impossible."

"That's right! Impossible. But we did it. You and me."

Hart extended a hand outwards, somewhat shakily. Tek's eyes caught the movement as she turned to face him, extending one hand out to shake his.

"Thank you Tek. You're a good colleague."

Tek gave three thumbs up, nodding.

"Good friend. Thank you for listening."

Hart smiled.

"So. We've still got lots to do. I should go. Get some rest. You too."

The handshake was broken and Hart turned, only managing to stumble and laugh before Tek caught his shoulder.

"Don't think I can make it back on my own. Would you mind helping me?"

Tek slid Hart back around to face her, two pairs of eyes watching him steady.

"Had to help me get here. Motor functions messy."

Hart chuckled.

"Drinking stuff made from dead plants. Not my thing Tek."

Hart stumbled again and Tek held him upright with another hand on his other shoulder.

"Should stay, Hart."

"You wouldn't mind that?"

Tek couldn't display any form of emotion on her face save for the occasional twitches of four mouth parts. But her eyes focused on his like a target.

"Want you to stay."

Tek reached out with a lower secondary hand and grasped Hart's. Hart, mildly buzzed, realized the gesture. Tek was about movements. Her people communicated through moving. And the simple hand holding his made him realize it.

"Oh. Tek. I didn't mean it like-"

Tek brought the only remaining free hand of hers up to Hart's mouth.

"Understand. Impossible. Like forests. Like project. But have to try."

Tek was as off as Hart but in her environment she had more control over Hart, directing him up against one her port windows, pressing his back up against the glass. Tek removed her hand from Hart's mouth.

"Tek, wait. I didn't know about this."

Tek tilted her head.

"Know now."

"Tek. You're a friend. You're a colleague."

Tek held her grip on one of Hart's hands and brought his close to her.

"Workplace romance? Not professional?"

"No, it's not that."

"Want to stay friend?"

"Well, yeah."

"Can still be friends."

Tek pulled Hart's hand close to the top of her suit, up to the simple zipper, wrapping his fingers around it as she simultaneously unbuckled straps around her waist. Four green eyes watched his closely.

"Hart. Like you. From first day. Special. Different from others."

"You too Tek. I just didn't think you ever meant it that way."

Tek pushed one of her sandy coloured hands up to his mouth.

"Pull zipper. Want to show you."

Hart spoke lightly against her hand as she eased up.

"Show me what?"

"Care. Respect. Deserve it."

Tek pushed down on Hart's hand as he watched the zipper of her worn suit slide down, watching as it slid all the way down and stopped at her hips. The suit didn't open in full but stayed parted, barely hinting at what was inside. Hart nodded.

"Okay Tek. We're friends. I want to stay friends."

Tek used another secondary hand to pull his other hand up to her suit, tilting her head in the process.

"My ship. Nobody knows my ship."

"Just me and you?"

Tek eased off on Hart's shoulders as her other pair of hands held his neck, taking care not to dig sharpened fingers into soft skin.

"Secret. No telling."

Hart watched Tek closely. Part of him was excited. He was tipsy and light headed. He had to admit. He did enjoy Tek's company. But he never picked up on her cues before now. But he was always curious. Tek kept herself hidden and covered. She was a mystery, even still after having shown him her face.

Hart pushed apart her jumpsuit, watching it part. Her gear always hid her frame. Always hid her biology. And now it was all right there. Her torso, just like her head, was smoothly ridged. Sandy brown carapace. But it was thin. Thin and small and coated with a fine layer of what looked like short fur adorning her lower shoulders, neck and chest. Beyond her thin chest her body thinned even more, showing a gap in her natural armour.

A chink of reddish leathery flesh that was toned and showed only wiry muscle. And below, Tek's hips flared dramatically, covered in more carapace but easily twice the width of her shoulders. Raw power and strong legs, a body built for jumping and gliding, absorbing hard landings. Perfectly adapted. Like the plants he so admired for their natural cunning and adaptability. Hart nodded.

Whether or not it was his drunken mind that made the call he didn't care. He liked Tek. She liked him. And he wasn't afraid to admit that his life as a man of science led him down lonely avenues. Staring at Tek's eyes which could focus on his like razors, green eyes that were still and calm. He nodded silently. Tek was alien. So far beyond him. But staring at her sleek form, smooth and sharply defined in aerodynamic ridges, a thin lanky body and flared hips.

He wanted that. And she wanted to give it. He smiled, pulling her jumpsuit apart further.

"Okay Tek. Show me. I'm in."

Tek brought all four arms up to his shirt, easily cutting through the cloth with her sharpened fingers.

"Waited long time Hart. Friend. Colleague. Want to show you."

Four hands pressed themselves up against glass as Tek pushed herself closer to Hart. Shorter than him to be sure but her presence and intensity was known as four eyes on her front and the ones on her side focused on him.

"Shevos hard to tame?"

Hart nodded, feeling as sloping carapace pressed against his chest. Tek tilted her head.

"Botanist harder. Like a challenge."

Hart smiled down at Tek.

"You sure we won't make a mess of your clean deck?"

"Who said mess? Not me. Now I know."

Hart smiled as Tek reached back to herself and began to pull her suit off. He stayed against the window as she somewhat clumsily stepped back from him to show him more. He realized here and now what he was getting into. This wouldn't be easy. But it would be fun. He liked a challenge too.

Tek slid free of her suit, finally showing everything. Hart's eyes stayed on her, drawn to her. This was new. This was Tek. A slim aerodynamic upper body meant for gliding and flexibility in low gravity. Thick sandy carapace with hints of reddish tones to them highlighted by sharp green eyes. It was something that Hart was instantly drawn to.

Tek's hips. Wide and flared, boasting powerful legs. And something more. It had always remained hidden relatively well until now. Behind Tek was another portion of her body, small, flattened and somewhat round. A small abdomen boasting more sharpened ridges for gliding. Tek held all four arms out as she stepped onto the deck plating.

"Not scared? Not like first time right?"

Hart chuckled, eyes drawn to Tek's movements. He knew how she worked now.

"No. I like it Tek."

Tek gave two thumbs up, letting her lower arms straddle her hips.

"Me and you. Different. But know Humans. Can see you watching."

Hart was aware of how comfortable this was. It surprised even him. He was okay with this.

"What am I watching Tek?"

He hadn't noticed it before in the gaps between Tek's natural armour plating. But more reddish brown leathery flesh was present in between the joints of her thighs and lower torso. Tek slid her hands across her hips and stepped forward on powerful spring like legs, making note to do her best to sharpen and slow her drunken movements as her hips swayed sharply. She knew what he was watching. She approached slowly, up until she pressed up against Hart once more, four hands pressed against glass.

"Watching sways. Can't keep eyes off."

Hart smiled as Tek's upper pair of arms straddled his own chest, controlled with delicate precision so as not to hurt him. Tek's own eyes watched him back, sharp and intent, distracting him from her movements. Bending her abdomen between her legs, Hart missed the fact that one small pair of secondary legs on the sides of her abdomen unfolded out, and carried with them nearly invisible strands from an opening in her armour that she fed to her secondary hands below. Before Hart knew what was happening, Tek sprung her trap.

Sticky fibers were quickly wrapped around his wrists that bonded to the glass in seconds and trapped his hands, while Tek's other pair of arms joined and wrapped more fibers over his waist, pinning him to the window. Tek tilted her head as Hart pushed against the fibers, sliding a hand across his chin.

"Not trying to hurt. Relax."

Hart clenched his hands, feeling no give as the fibers Tek spun over him seemed unbreakable.

"What are you up to then Tek?"

Tek pressed herself close, easily and casually shredding through the waist of his pants with sharpened fingers.

"Challenge. Nothing easy on Shevos."

Hart smiled.

"You're a tease. Who knew?"

Tek leaned back away from Hart, and pressed her hips forward close to his. Her lower pair of hands straddled the softer material that lined her thighs as she swayed her hips slowly. Tek's upper pair of arms went to exploring Hart, sliding along with care. Tek focused all of her muscles to keep still everywhere but her hips as she made a point of swaying them close to Hart but never coming into contact, watching with satisfaction as he was completely drawn at her movements.

"My people, use motion. Easy to speak in old times."

Hart nodded.

"I bet they use it for things like this right?"

Tek slid away and spun on two clawed feet with ease as she displayed her backside to him, keeping her lower pair of arms resting on her hips as she flexed her top pair and rested them on her head. Two small green eyes watched him from the back of her head, as she did the same in full, rotating her hips in slow spirals.

"Motions important. Show partner care. Show partner want."

Tek's abdomen shuddered as it flattened itself out into a display of rippling armour pates.

"Hart. Tell me."

By now Hart was tired of being pinned to the window, and let himself slide as he relaxed his legs. Tek's sticky fibers held him like iron.

"Tell you what?"

"Tell me. Your ideas. What do you want?"

"I'm not sure I know what you're asking."

Tek spun around, lowering all four arms to her hips as she straddled her thighs. Four mandibles quivered as she watched him.

"Like Shevos. Ideas. What you want to do? Can help you."

Hart nodded slowly. He understood.

"It's a secret Tek. Let me free and I'll see what I can come up with."

Tek stepped forward slowly, taking note to make every last motion deliberate and enticing. She pressed in close, pressing her smooth carapace up against his skin as she slid her hands up his arms and held them in hers.

"Not like you. Different biology. Could be difficult."

Hart smiled.

"Plants are like that Tek. Different parts. Just takes some time."

Tek tilted her head.

"Want time now? Good!"

Tek slid a razor like finger through one of the bindings across Hart's wrists.

"I'd like some time Tek. Do some research. Study up on things."

"What happens after?"

Hart smiled, moving his free hand across Tek's armoured back as he pulled her close.

"Study first. Then act."

Tek slid another finger through his other wrist binding.

"Say you want to. Say you like challenges."

Hart nodded.

"You're a challenge Tek. I think I can beat you."

Tek slid her secondaries across his chest.

"Partners?"

"I think that'd be a great idea Tek."

Tek slid her hands through the binding around Hart's waist.

Hart was freed and now had access to what his eyes always fell to. Tek was right however. Tek's hips swayed and moved and drew attention to them but on inspection it was plain to see that nothing was down there. Hart knew that Tek couldn't feel much through her exo-skeleton. But he learned fast.

Her lighter armoured midsection rippled and responded to him when his hands roamed over it. A toughened hide that was still durable yet soft to the touch, smooth and flexible. But Hart always found himself at Tek's hips. And through some experimenting, he soon learned something. The flexible material of her thighs was a weak point.

Tek's various armour plates shivered visibly and from the moment he touched her thighs. And he soon realized the rest from there. Tek's front thighs were shaped like that for a reason. From the back, he could slide his arms down in between the thickly armoured carapace of her legs, along the smooth material and grip her tightly and easily where her armour plating resumed.

Tek never told him anything but merely showed him when he was doing it right. And right now, he was doing it well. Tek had pressed herself up against the window of her port view, using two hands to hold herself against the glass while her other two worked with him down below. They clasped his carefully, gently, and helped spur him on as he learned all of her buttons.

And he spotted all of her tells. Her four armoured mouth parts quivered. The layer of fuzz that adorned her back, shoulders and lower neck stood up, even changing colour as it flushed a dull reddish brown. Her abdomen shook. And he loved it. He loved watching his simple actions across the smooth material of her thighs spark something.

But eventually, he wanted more. His own baser instincts wanted to be met when he held such a grip on her. It didn't take Hart long. Her abdomen was the key. Lucky for him, he was larger than Tek and found no trouble working around it. And he was right. Armour parted aside at the end of Tek's abdomen to reveal something soft, even more sensitive than the smooth folds of her thighs.

A different biology, but distinct enough that Hart knew he found the right spot. And he was ready. Through it all Tek eventually resigned to letting Hart do his thing, placing all four hands against the glass and letting the ripples of pleasure consume her. Hart held her abdomen up as he lined things up properly.

Any alcohol he'd had earlier in the evening had long since washed out of his system. It was just him now. And he still wanted this. Maybe he didn't see it before now but Tek was more than just a good colleague to him at this point. Hart made sure to keep her feeling good, and letting himself go, he slid in completely.

Immediately Hart knew he made a mistake when he entered with resistance. It was tight. Too tight. And to prove his point Tek gasped and her smaller secondary pair of legs unfolded themselves from her abdomen and started moving, brushing themselves up against Hart's hips. Hart seized up as Tek looked back to him, frozen in place.

"Wrong.........one."

Hart cursed. Three choices and he picked the one that made web.

Tek's abdomen tensed and clenched on Hart, almost painfully, before causing both him and Tek to gasp. Hart felt something push against him, warm and fluid, and realized what it was as Tek's smaller secondary legs brushed at his side. Tek gasped at the feeling too, one of exasperation of not being able to follow her own muscle memory, and one part pleasure as the warm web fluid coated everything. Hot and intense but not yet sticky.

For Hart, he couldn't get enough. And he had an idea. Tek was tense. But not in absolute pain. He saw the reactions from her. She liked it too. Hart nodded, smiling.

"Tek. You like challenges right?"

Tek turned her head back to Hart to speak to him.

"Hart. Dirty! Not suppose-"

Hart slid out just enough and felt the reaction immediately. Tek's abdomen pulsed as it tried to push the webbing along further, only to be blocked again. Tek's smaller secondary pair of legs brushed against Hart's sides frantically. Tek was cut off from speaking as she leaned down against the glass and parted her four mandibles into something of a moan. Hart smiled. He knew exactly what he was going to do.

Hart gripped Tek's thighs and pulled out slowly, being forced along by the ripples in her abdomen as it tried to rid itself of the blockage and let the web fluid escape. Hart couldn't stop himself even if he wanted to as he was forced free, and with one last push he slid free. Tek gasped on the release as all she could do was lean against the port of her window.

Web fluid escaped, falling freely to the floor in long strands as Tek's secondary legs could only brush against Hart's hips on some vain attempt to collect it. Hart let himself rest below her abdomen, feeling occasional strands of webbing drip across him, warm and mildly sticky. He brushed his hands along the soft material of Tek's thighs, watching as she calmed down. Hart smiled as she tilted her head and he was greeted by one of her eyes on the side of her head.

"Sorry Tek."

"Mistake. Different biology. Not your fault."

Hart smiled once more.

"Different perspective Tek."

Tek turned her head to look back at Hart squarely now.

"Hart."

"Yes?"

"Don't you da-"

Hart leaned down and grabbed hold of Tek's hips once more, lining himself up again as he pressed inwards into the very same entrance. Tek tensed immediately and Hart felt her abdomen respond with more web fluid and controlled contractions with special muscles. Hart slid in, and felt the welcome feeling of warm fluid press and flood around him, and then slid out.

Tek was powerless in the exchange and resigned to simply pressing her forehead up against the window along with all four of her arms. Hart waited briefly as he watched the flow of web material begin to slow, and then slid in once more. Tek tensed every time he entered but moaned every time he slid out. It was a fine balance of discomfort and then release, and Hart soon found a way to maximize everything.

Letting himself slide free and then waiting for a short time before going back in as web fluid continued to flow created an intense feeling as he pushed against the fluid and rippling insides of Tek, and then release as he let himself be pushed out. Tek's legs shook as Hart eventually sped up to a workable rhythm and eventually Hart couldn't do it anymore.

Pulsing insides and the contrast of warm webbing being pushed through and then sliding alongside him with release pushed Hart over the edge, and with one last push against it all Hart held on to Tek as he released. Tek gasped as Hart simply smiled, still clinging tightly to Tek's thighs.

"Hart! Naughty!"

Hart slowed down from his rush as he remained in place, leaning against Tek.

"You know you liked it too Tek. Different perspectives right?"

Hart chuckled as Tek pushed herself off the port glass of her resting place, turning her head to Hart. Her four mandibles quivered and all eyes focused on him sharply. Tek gave Hart a look as she tilted her head. She couldn't smile with her mouthparts. But Hart was suddenly aware of what he'd just done.

"Hart. You like webs?"

Hart nodded slowly.

"I like webs too."

In Tek's own ship, in her own gravity, she was in control. And Hart was helpless to watch as Tek pinned him to the glass temporarily. Tek leaped up to her ceiling with ease, and spun multiple strands together until two durable looking slings hung from the ceiling. Hart was freed, if only for a moment, before Tek's mastery of her movement and control in low gravity allowed her to capture him again.

Tek slid herself into the slings that hung from the ceiling, resting herself comfortably in them as she maneuvered Hart over top of her. Tek knew the basic fundamental traits of Human biology and knew that Hart's species didn't have the most stamina when it came to intimate encounters. And with that Tek was happy to match Hart.

Harts legs were pinned against the sensitive skin of Tek's thighs as Tek maneuvered her legs upright, using her own massive strength and flexibility of her lower torso to her advantage. Resting her legs against the strands of web in the slings she had made, Tek had the flexibility to curl her abdomen up to Hart. And she paid him back in full, coating his thighs in webbing before plunging herself down on him. Tek's webbing solidified and kept her abdomen pinned tightly to hart.

Tek's body did what it was supposed to and milked Hart completely. Tek was lost in the throes of pleasure as was Hart. But her plan eventually came into play. Hart burnt out before she did. And he was trapped. Still in pleasure. But unable to release because his stamina was gone. Tek paid him back in full and enjoyed every minute of it.

Resting in the slings gently, she wrapped all four of her arms around Hart as he laid on top of her, exploring the softer nature of her friend. Eventually even Tek had to stop, her own body having limits to how long it could go before needing rest. Cutting herself carefully away from Hart, she relaxed now, keeping Hart held close in the sling she had made. Hart rested the back of his head against the smooth angular armour plating of Tek's chest and the soft fuzz that adorned it.

Early dawn was breaking on Shevos, nothing notable really, but the change in light as things grew brighter once more began to flood into the port views of Tek's ship. Tek stroked two sharpened hands through Hart's hair as she rested two other arms across his chest.

"Outpost will talk about us."

Hart chuckled, keeping his eyes closed as he rested.

"Let them talk, Tek."

"Cho. Use Cho now."

Hart rested his own hands over top of the ones on his chest.

"That's your first name. What's it for?"

"Tek. Is name used for friends. Cho is for partner."

Hart smiled.

"Now they'll really know something's up."

"Hart. We should do this again."

"What? When? We're going to be pretty busy soon. We need to get more plants up into the atmosphere."

"Every launch. We celebrate."

"Tek.. sorry. Cho. That's a lot of celebrations. That's imposs-"

Cho squeezed tightly onto Hart as she rested her head on his shoulder.

"Impossible. Like plants on Shevos. Like flying forest."

Hart chuckled.

"Like beating your challenge."

Cho wrapped her other pair of arms around Hart now.

"Never thought you'd like me Hart. Thought it was impossible."

Hart chuckled.

"I guess that's what Shevos is then."

"What?"

"Impossible. Just from the perspective is all."

The two rested in the sling together as the light slowly filtered into Tek's ship. Hart looked out to the bleak ashen landscape outside.

"I don't feel like working today Cho. We should just stay here. Take a day off."

Cho moved one of her arms, reaching out towards the control panel of her ship nearby. With some effort she found a simple lever and pulled it down, watching as shutters descended across the windows. Cho grasped Hart's hands in all four of hers.

"Windows closed."

Hart smiled.

"Different perspective. It's nighttime again."

Cho let out a visible sigh that was felt even by Hart through the armour plating of her carapace.

"Sleep now? Spend day together?"

Hart looked over his shoulder to Cho as he smiled.

"I think that's possible."