The Enlightened
Part one of a two part shortstory that takes place after ch 15 but before ch 16 of An Endless Voyage.
Excalibur came out of hyperspace above a planet in the Pleiades-Maia system for some R&R THe Lee and the Jackson joined them moments later.The locals of a canine colony in the pleiades-merope system had told Maya this place was some sort of resort/spa like those on Aphrodite III, so Maya decided to check it out rather than spend two weeks in hyperspace just to get to relax on Aphrodite III. This planet was a mere 2 hours from pleades-merope system they'd been in making repairs, even with the hyperdrive still less than a hundred percent. Scanning the planet from orbit revealed it was indeed a sort of resort, but it also showed that the entire population was canine, and all were kuvaszok, great pyrenees, and maremma sheepdogs, to be precise. That was curious, but it also made Maya giddy. for the first time in her life, she could truly relax, surrounded by millions, or billions of her fellow LGD's. For once Natalie wouldn't have to order her to take shore-leave. She would be beaming down herself, with Tom, Amaia, Hank, Karen, Callie, and all the pups. As the first group. Work on the ships would continue, as Maya would lead a team down first, then when she reported back they'd all send down parties for r&r. rotating the work crews in the process. Maya had Erika open a channel to anyone on the planet to let them know to expect visitors. the screen lit up to show a young badger-marked great pyrenees girl in priestess robes. "Welcome to paradise." she said with a smile. "Have you come seeking enlightenment, or do you intend to use those weapons aboard your vessel to disturb our tranquil peace?""Ah'm here fer r&r." Maya said. "An Ah'm very much intact if thats what y'mean.""As are we." the woman replied. "You are kuvaszok, that makes you a sister, you are most welcome here in paradise.""Ah'll be beamin down with sum folks shortly." Maya said. "Mah husband, our pups, mah wife, an' some close friends. whatever it costs Ah got money. Ah want the full treatment. fer all a' us.""Very well we will see to your needs, miss...""Maya. Admiral Maya Dixon Hammond a' the avengin' aces.""very well, Maya, no payment is necessary. we ask only you leave your instruments of death behind, and that you enjoy yourselves. let the goddess of estrus bestow her fruitful gifts upon you, and be happy. live life to the fullest, free in mind body and spirit.""Thanks." Maya said. "Anythin' else?""Just do no harm" the woman said. "In all our time here, no one has taken a life in malice or in accident....how old do you think I am?""Ah dunno, bout mah age, er a bit younger." Maya said. "Ah jus turned 29, s' tween that an 19 ah reckon.""I am three thousand, five hundred and forty one." the girl said. "And I just had puppies last spring. ""How?" Maya asked"eternal youth is a gift of the gods."
the woman said. "you may love estrus, but do you truly embrace each cycle, not for the physical pleasure alone, but fully explore it?""Ah guess not." Maya said. "We'll be there soon, Excalibur out." the comm ended. Maya left Kayla in charge, and headed for the transporter room................. "Y'ready hun." Maya asked Tom as she helped him place their suitcases on the transporter platform.
"Ready as I'll ever be." Tom said. " you think these people will have as much of a fun place as Aphrodite III...I mean, they sound more concerned with enlightenment than bodily pleasure.""Ah never bim more shure a anythin in mah life." Maya repliied. "These folks're truly free."Tom helped Hank pull Karen and her stroller bed onto the platform, making happy faces at the pups in the process, then he lifted May in his arms, and Maya helped the others onto the platform.Misty got on herself, and then Amaia. Holly said the transporter was locked in on a stone clearing in front of a building, and then when Maya gave the order, she activated the machine............. They found themselves standing on a circular slab of polished marble, with roads of gemstone bricks leading off in all directions. Immediately in front of them eas a large gold building, with a swimming pool carved from solid ruby on the left, and a natural hotspring on the right. the temperature was perfect to Maya, but Tom and Hank both said it was a little chilly. The air was crisp, fresher than any they had smelled, free of any pollution. There was not a cloud in the sky. The star maia, their sun, shone brightly, vibrantly across the surface, as it began cresting on the horizon. It was the most beautiful sunrise any of them had ever seen.people went about their daily buisness all around them. adults and children, solid whites and badger colors, pyrenees, maremmas, and kuvaszok alike. Their attire ranged from scantily clad bathing suits, to the sort of robes the priestess wore. Many smelled to be in heat. In fact the very atmosphere had a faint hint of a honey smell to it. it really was paradise, in every sense of the word. "I think we're in heaven." Hank commented. "Look at how beautiful this place is." He was looking at everything as a whole of course."Yeah, and check out that pyrenees over there by the pool." Tom said. "or the maremma chick bending over picking flowers....""Really Tom?" Karen said. "Is that all you think about?""Well they're hot." Maya said."You too?" Amaia said. "This place is beautiful, and the first thing you two do is check out the locals' rumps....seriously.""Can we go inside, mommy?" Misty asked. "Shure." Maya said. "Ah reckon we better go sahgn in, then ah'll see bout gittin youns some friends t' play with.They started towards the main building, figuring there had to be some kind of office or
something in there., but when they reached the steps, the priestess from the comm stopped them.She looked at Amaia, then Tom, and Hank, then turned to Maya and said. "you bring outsiders into our most sacred place. what is the meaning of this." there was no malice in her voice, but it was clear she meant buisness nonetheless. This is no place for a cat....and whatever you two are...you are not like us.""Amaia's one a us." Maya said."She's mah wife, an' this's mah husband Tom. our pups, mah friend Karen, an' her husband Hank, an' their pups.""Is this true>" She asked Amaia."I am a fugitive from my people." Amaia said. "They disowned me because I fell in love with Maya and rejected their arranged marriage. I would very much like to seek enlightenment if you will have me.""I left my world to be with Maya too." Tom said. "As Hank has to be with Karen. We wish to learn your culture, and relax in your hospitality.""There are more like us on our ships." Karen spoke up. "All mammilian races.""A spaniel." the priestess said. "I never thought your people would venture this far from home.""I am a mercenary." Karen said. "Like Maya. I owe Maya my life.""Then welcome." the woman said. "Paradise welcomes all who would seek enlightenment." she paused then "I am Persephone, high priestess of the enlightened. All those you see are kindred spirits. Like me they walk the path, free to embrace all wonders of life openly, and without regret. I am their spiritual leader in name only. More like a spirit guide really, pointing them in the right direction, as I now do for you. ""Why are you all ... well...I mean...aren't LGD's a warrior race?" Tom said."Our kind have that potential, yes." Persephone said. "Our intellect and powerful bodies have the potential to do great harm, but we focus our energies instead on exploring ourselves, mind body and spirit. We make love instead of violence. Embrace the bliss that is Estrus completely and unconditionally, and open our hearts to the divine. we have no desire for material wealth. what is ours is yours for so long as you walk among us." "You're trying to achieve oneness with all." Tom said, looking like he had an epiphany."Yes. Ascension as you call it, arising to a higher plane of existance, is among our goals." Persephone confirmed. "And this one, is not your biological child?" she pointed to Misty."Nah. Ah found 'er adrift." Maya said. "She's mah daughter though same's the rest.""I believe we have more in common than you think, young Maya." the priestess said. "Though you carry the stain of war, your heart is as pure as mine. why do you wander the galaxies so?""Cause Ah'm a merc." Maya said. "Ah go where the payday is...an' cause ah love adventure. the thrill a' the unknown.""Exploring one's self is the greatest adventure of all." Persephone said. "Let us go inside,
and we may get you settled in."Maya used her communicator to let Excalibur know they were welcome, and advise they wait a day before sending anyone else. the people were welcoming, but wary of outsiders............................. Once inside the building, Persephone and three other priestesses, a maremma, and two kuvaszok, took their things to a great commons area. then showed them each where they would sleep. then she had Maya take her younger pups to a play area, where hundreds of LGD puppies their age were playing. Misty was old enough, as she was coming into heat, to join the adults as Persephone showed them around. Persephone showed them where they could go to find solitude for deeper meditation if they wished, and then the relaxation facilities, and finally back in the commons area a place to eat, and to sit for group meditations, and a place for public exploration of sexuality as well. This was denoted by in-heat-dogina shaped rugs which indicated places for each person to be. In fact the symbol of a swollen (Y) leaking honey was prominet throughout the facility. ........................ Once they settled in, a co-ed bath in lustral water, followed by ingestion of a purification fruit, colonics for all, and a mineral bath before heading down for a communal meal.Karen's young pups were held by Tom while she and Hank were bathed. then Tom gave them back and took his turn. Owing to the fact the cleansing methods were intended for LGD physiology, some things had to be modified to work with humans, and the tiny spaniel, but it all worked out in the end. The communal meal, was meat. pure red meat, sun cured, retaining all its nutritional value. the milk freshly pumped of expecting mothers, cheese made from that milk also, whole grain breads, and various fruits and veggies. it was all 100% natural, and free of additives. this to was a part of the purification. They younger pups were all eating with their parents, and Maya's pups were no exception.after the meal, the pups were all taken to play together (aside from misty and others her age), then Persephone and the other priestesses lit candles, and Persephone guided them all in a group meditation.Maya had to admit it was more relaxing than Aphrodite III. Though her overactive mind was slow to clear out and focus its undivided attention on the guided meditation.Still, when she finally did get ''in the zone'' she was able to accurately visualize the room around her without looking at it.Tom had an easier time of it as he regularly meditated on Excalibur.Karen managed to visualize Hank beside her, right before it was over. but much of her troubel was from the pups suckling her now quite tender teats..................... Next Persephone insisted they all explore their sexuality. She was empathic so she knew Misty only trusted Maya to
explore her at this point.SHe had a deep brown and white badger pyrenees and a white maremma lead Hank to one of the mats. then she led Tom away herself. A kuvasz from the village led Karen away, while a maremma priestess fed the pups from her own teats. a white pyrenees led Amaia away, and all the others paired off too. It was indeed a giant orgy technically, but it wasnt just sex. they were exploring eachother's emotions as well as their physical bodies. understanding not only what the other liked, but /why/ it felt good to them as well, and getting to know eachother on an intimate level, spiritually and emotionally as much as physically................................................Part 2 coming soon