Service Snake

	Gray scales against gray sky. Thunder rumbled in the distance. Humidity became cloying in the July heat, but a snake couldn’t sweat. The wind would chill him sufficiently. With a magnifying glass, Kyain slithered through the narrow, dilapidated streets. Holding the note up to the sky, he searched again for any clues.
	Scouring the messy rooms gave the detective little to work with. Titus was always a messy guy, making it hard to determine whether the scene was how his timber wolf date left it or if something sinister had occurred. The windows were open, there were scratches on the glass, and claw marks consistent with Titus’ were on the bedsheets, but the only thing left was a note. Scattered among the empty cans and discarded wrappers was a green sticky note. Dark blue pen was used to scrawl a hasty message on it.
	“Salutations Kyain! I hope you’re well. Everything is fine, I just happened to find a good job over in the country. No time to stay. Say farewell to everyone for me! -Titus”
	“Not a chance”, Kyain muttered under his breath. Titus had loved his new apartment. He had brought his snake over to see it the weekend he moved in, all to be closer to him. Why leave now?
	Police wouldn’t get involved. Even the unusual damages meant nothing to them. Evidence of unusual behavior and damage wouldn’t persuade them and the mention of Titus at all made them clam up. It wasn’t a missing fur case to them, just a guy who got cold paws moving closer to his boyfriend.
	With a sigh, Kyain kept wandering around, asking anyone who could have seen any hints. The apartment Titus lived in didn’t reveal anything, but the neighborhood might. Might. If anyone would open up.
	“Never seen that wolf before. Just some lightshow last night. Maybe your pal just got drunk somewhere?”, a young lynx said.
	“I don’t go out at all. This is why I don’t”, spoke a rotund, unshaven gator.
	“Sure. I saw the girl. How much you paying?”, sneered an unpleasant bobcat.
	No leads. Nothing. Nearly with tears in his slit eyes, he clutched the note close. “Why Titus? Why did you leave? We…I miss you.” Too many questions passed through the sullen snake’s mind. With no one left to ask, he reluctantly turned back.

	Darkness filled the sky quickly. A thunderhead had moved in. Downpour and thick, black clouds blotted out what light was left for the day. Lights flickered above the snake’s head. Pounding rain hit the windows. A miserable night through and through. Clutching a mug of cocoa tight, the snake coiled into a chair and let whatever old movies were on air play. He cast aside the newspaper, skipping the obituaries. Yawning, the snake could feel the edges of his vision grow fuzzy as sleep slowly encroached on him.
	Thunder roared. Electronic hums cut out. Complete darkness filled the room. Blinking a few times to shake the sluggishness out, the reptile groaned. Annoyed, he started feeling around for his phone, until the television flickered on. Static covered the screen, and a horrible hum filled the room. The dim light cast a sickly glow around the room. Shivering Kyain felt his skin crawl.
	Snatching his phone, he turned the TV off. Slinking away to his room, he threw himself into bed. Muttering, “probably just the circuit breaker...” he forced his eyes shut. Something in the back of his mind was unsettled. His heart was pounding. Minutes of fitful tossing later, an unnerving sound occurred right next to him.
	[b]Creeeeeeeeak…[/b]
	Right next to the bed, the sound of footsteps and creaking wood. Panicked, Kyain sat up. His eyes adjusted to the faint light and saw nothing. All he could hear now was the storm. “Just my imagination” Kyain slowly spoke between deep breaths. The door had been opened. It hung there, slowly swinging into the room. Even the bright lights from outside revealed nothing. Shivers ran from his head all the way down to his tail.  Eyes widening, he asked himself, “What’s that light?”
	Facing the window, a steady beam of light glared down at him. It seemed to pull him in. A moth to flame, he could feel it get closer. Closer. The bed beneath him seemed far away. The long noodle felt weightless as he became enveloped by light. Piercing pain filled his head as he suddenly felt tired. Irresistibly sleepy. Darkness crept into Kyain’s vision, the monochrome light making out an image.
	Breathless, Kyain weakly spoke, “Ti…tus?”

	Gasping, Kyain woke up. Blinding white light filled the room. Pupils contracting into slits, Kyain tilted his head and scanned the room. White tiles. All of it. Seamlessly connected white tiles from floor to ceiling. The only furniture was the white table he lay on. Groaning, the reptile did his best to sit up.
	[b]Clink![/b]
	Then he fell flat on the table. Raising his head showed him something disturbing. Three lustrous, metallic bands wrapped around him. One over his torso, another over his hips, and the third over his tail. His arms were bound to his sides. Only his head could move to any degree, limited though it is.
	Trying to wiggle and attempt a sidewind, the bound noodle grunts loudly. There must be some escape. Somehow. Wiggling his shoulders, reaching around with his tail, and flailing did weren’t helping in the slightest. Laying back, he put his mind to work. How to escape? [i]“If this is a hostage situation, what would they want? What could I negotiate? Why would they want me? Is Titus in danger?”[/i]
	[b]Pssssh.[/b]
	Pneumatic sounds echoed to his right. Turning his head, he watched two tiles near the ground slide up. Kyain gasped. A familiar face walked in. “Titus!”, he shouted. The timber wolf walked into the room. Tan and cream fur with a green cross pattern down his chest, the thick-rimmed glasses in front of golden eyes, and flame marks distinguished him from any other wolf. With his missing partner was a steel canister with unknown symbols printed on them. Panting and shaking, Kyain’s tone became more curious than excited. “Titus?”
	[b]Pssssh.[/b]
	More panels slid away. A giant computer pushed out of the wall. Screens flickered to life, one detailing Kyain’s head, rotating in circles. Text appeared, but none of it was from any language the reptile in question could recognize. Titus began to walk over to the computer. Waving his paws in front of it, more text began to appear.
	[b]Pssssh.[/b]
	Before Kyain knew, the same sound came from above. In an instant, thud resounded inside his skull. Stars danced in his vision for a second as he tried to focus. Trying to shake his head to focus, he felt something stuck to him. Cold and hard metal was fastened to his head. No matter how he wiggled about, he couldn’t see the device attached to him.
	“Hey, Titus! What’s happening? What’s going…on?” His eyes widened and jaw dropped. Titus unscrewed the top of the jar off. Wriggling, wrinkly tissue was in his partner’s palm. Violet, one eye, and a few odd tentacles protruded from the organism. It resembled a brain.
	Wordlessly, Titus placed the being into a disk on the side of the computer, which it readily drew into the main body of the machine. The second screen lit up, showing the same being, and spinning it like with Kyain’s headshot. Pulling down a lever, a hum began from the computer.
	“Titus, please! What is this!? What you doing!?” Grunting, Kyain felt his head feel tense. A migraine of untold ferocity sprouted in his skull. Strong pulling sensations came from the device connected to his head. The snake’s vision began to blur, and his senses were failing. “Ti…Titus!? Why are—” No longer could Kyain feel his body, control his mouth, or even sense anything. Ringing echoed in his memory. One last, loud sound that sprang from his skull.
	[b]POP![/b]

	Only darkness remained. Floating in oblivion with only his thoughts. Kyain was left to question: why? Why did this happen? Time passed. However long it was didn’t matter, but regaining some feeling cheered the snake up.
	“What happened?” A question sprang up in Kyain’s mind. “Why do I sound tinny?” Vision flickering on, he struggled to make out what he was seeing. Rows upon rows of jars stacked from floor to ceiling, each with a pinkish, wrinkled organ floating inside green, bubbling fluid. A brain? Beneath each jar was a small speaker, a panel with various lines with the unknown language on them, an image, a primitive-looking camera, and a nameplate in English. Looking around there were all sorts of furs and scales here.
	Voices echoed and crackled around him. They all said stuff like, “Another unfortunate soul”, “Welcome to the vats…”, “How’d they get you?”, and “Just comply with whatever they say.” 
      Confusion dripped from the snake’s voice, “Vats? What vats?”
      Next to speak was a higher pitched voice. “Salutations. You’re a brain in a jar, like all of us now”, it explained. The voice was more than familiar. Kyain knew that greeting paired with that pitched meant someone he loved was here. Excited, he searched around.
      First, he found a large, gruff, fat crocodile image beneath a small, smooth brain with “Kyle” on the nameplate. Some tropical, buff, kind-looking lizard with “Monroe” on the nameplate beneath a rather massive, wrinkled brain. Next was a colorful dragon with one scar over his right eye and blue fluff over his snout and head. The name “Dragon” was on the nameplate beneath a large, wrinkled brain. Scanning further, Kyain’s eyes settled on one jar across from him, one row up. Inside was a wrinkly, small brain with the image of a meek, fluffy timber wolf with golden eyes. The nameplate read “Titus.”
	Static sounded in Kyain’s ears as he gasped. Glee filled his voice as he shouted, “Titus!!!”
	Muffled, garbled crackling came back to him. Soft, sweet melancholy filled the wolf’s voice as he responded, “Great to see you again, Love.” No doubt about it, definitely the same Titus. Giving a sad chuckle, he added, “I’m sorry that we have to meet again like this.”
	“I’m just glad I got to see you at all. What happened to you?”
	With a sigh, Titus began to recount, “Well, took a walk the week prior to getting abducted and I noticed a strange light in the sky. I felt inspired by your detective work and wanted to take a peek myself. Ran into some odd-looking furs and scales with jars coming down and dropping off a larger gator. I thought they hadn’t seen me, but when I woke up in their operating room, they said I ‘saw too much’ so here I am.”
	Gentle humor in his voice, Kyain tried to cheer up the wolf. “Curiosity killed the cat then. Or abducted the wolf and snake. I spent so long searching for you.”
      Joy broke the wolf. Crackling came from the lupine’s speaker for a minute as he stuttered and stopped. Eventually, Titus responded, “Thank you.”

	[b]Pssssh.[/b]
	Even through the static of the poor microphones they had for hearing, there was no mistaking that pneumatic sound. A door had opened. Swiveling their cameras to the left, any conscious brains were gazing at the entrance. Slowly, a snake began to sidewind it’s way in. Kyain gasped again. It was like looking into a mirror. His face kept creeping closer and closer, until it was in front of his jar, then it turned to face him.
	Saluting the bodiless snake by turning his arms in a position the resembled quarter-after-three on a clock. Staring with a cold intellect, it spoke with a monotone voice, “Good day, reptilian. This body has been appropriated under Conquest Code 36422. In accordance with Nervous Law formed by the Alien Mind Preservation Party, your brain has been preserved exactly and shall be sustained on this ship. You are allowed to reconnect to this body at any time to regain use of your senses and witness events “in the back seat” as it were. Failure to behave appropriately or causing disruptions will result in the revoking of this privilege, and possible termination of frontal cortex. Do you understand?”
	If Kyain had his eyes, he would be starting blankly. A minute passed as he attempted to process what was said. “Uuuuuuh…Yes?”
	“Excellent. Enabling reconnection software.” With that, “Kyain” began to slither away.
	Suddenly, Kyain’s mind felt different. There was some extension, just in reach for him. Warm, familiar, safe. Reaching out to it, he felt as though he was putting a suit on. Camera feed going dark, he sat there as he felt the air on his scales and felt his heart beating. For a brief second, he assumed he would open his eyes, and see that this was all a dream…until he saw the white tiles of the hallway.
	Try as he might, he couldn’t manage anything else. [i]“Move!!!...Damn.”[/i] No matter how many times he commanded his arms to move like he used to, even mentally thinking about it, they wouldn’t respond.
	[i]“Impossible. Desist at once”[/i] a voice in his mind echoed.
      Apprehension grew in the snake’s head as the commanding voice filled his thoughts. [i]“Who? How?”[/i]
      [i]“You were told two minutes and fourteen seconds ago that the reconnection software would only allow access to senses from your original body. Do not test my patience.”[/i]
      Holding back a slew of insults and frustration, Kyain sighed. [i]“Nothing else I can do then…Can we talk a little?”[/i]
      [i]“Discussion is allowed. I have all rights to refuse to answer any questions.”[/i]
      [i]“Why are you all here?”[/i]
      [i]“As part of Imperial Decree 980, all diseased populations have been ordered to collect new bodies with which they may restart their lives. Vacant bodies are to be incinerated to contain plague and reduce likelihood of extinction.”[/i]
      [i]“Theft was your only option?”[/i] Kyain thought indignantly.
      [i]“No treatment exists by which our forms may be healed. New bodies would need to be sourced elsewhere. No fauna exist in our home system capable of supporting nervous systems similar to ours.”[/i]
      [i]“Is there no other way?”[/i]
      [i]“All other methods have been exhausted.”[/i]
      Pleading would do nothing. Even the robotic cadence of the voice couldn’t disguise the desperation the alien had. Dissuading someone that far over the edge required knowledge the snake didn’t have. Another sigh, another dead end. Lacking any other avenues to pry and find recourse, Kyain prepared to cast off the body and just stay in his jar…then he heard guilt.
      [i]“Might it be possible to…coexist with you? It is undeniable this situation is subpar for both parties involved. Additionally, I find the presence of the body’s original brain…comforting.”[/i] At this point, the alien had stopped slithering. It began to hold its breath, fists clenched tight.
      Perplexed, Kyain was stunned silent. What words could possibly be used in this situation? Feelings of anger, sadness, jealousy, and pity flashed through his mind.
      A moment later, a defeated voice entered his mind. With a sigh, the alien looked down towards the white floor and thought, [i]“Hesitance is understandable. For what it is worth, I offer my apologies. Other members of this fleet have discussed the joys they have found in befriending their ‘brain buddy’ as they have put it and I desired the same.”[/i]
      [i]“…Sure. What’s ya name?”[/i] Kyain thought. The sight of the alien coiling up in his body being depressed was too much to bear.
      Perking up the alien began to clap softly with his stolen hands. Kyain could feel the smile on his face while he said, [i]“Zekqin.”[/i]
      [i]“Fine. Zek…qan? What are we doing now?”[/i]
      Giddy, the hijacked snake began the shake his arms with enough vigor to bounce slightly. [i]“Oh! Um…um…”[/i] Snapping his fingers, a holographic panel appeared in front of Zekqin’s snout. Leaning forward, the new snake squinted at the translucent text. “Uh…basic training to learn the ins and outs of this body and then…” Zekqin clapped his hands to his face and squealed in joy. “Then I have a vacation for a week!!!” Suddenly clapping his hands over his maw, he started gazing left, then right. Slithering quickly down the hallway he scratched the back of his head and chuckled again. [i]“Apologies. I get excited rather easily.”[/i]
      Traveling through the interior of the alien’s base, Zekqin began to wave at anyone he saw while he passed. A couple lionesses bowed back, a gator belched, a tiger slapped his rear on the way past, and more. Soon, the new reptile raised his holographic device to a white tile with odd scrawling on it, and it raised up with the same pneumatic sound the rest did. Inside were screens with the alien language on them. Stethoscopes of various sizes, a couple treadmills, dumbbells, a few oximeters, as well as needles with the biohazard symbol on them. A tan wolf stood at the back, facing the monitors dressed in a lab coat.
      “Good day, Zekqin. I have been assigned to test your compatibility with your current body, step forward.” Turning around, it was Titus’ body. As formal as he looked, there was an indelible smile on the new wolf’s face.
      Quickly slithering forward, Zekqin held his arms out and wrapped them around the fluffy guy and shouted, “Kezak!!! I thought you had a different job.”
      “I had my shift covered. Needed to see you again.” Reaching up, the wolf pulls Zekqin’s head down and licks his snoot.
      Giggling, he nuzzled back. “B-Babe, Kyain’s watching.”
      “So is Titus~ He wanted me to give you both something sweet and told me to take care of his partner.” Without breaking his gaze, Kezak grabbed a stethoscope and began to measure the snake’s heartrate.
      Thinking to himself, Kyain couldn’t help but feel jubilant. [i]“Awwwww. Titus~”[/i]
      “He’s been giving me a lot of advice on what to do.” The wolf kept swaying his hips as he strapped an oximeter to the reptile’s finger. With a satisfied smirk, he withdrew both devices once finished. “Seems like your mind linked to the circulatory and cardiovascular systems. Sidewind over to the barbells and we’ll test your adaption to those muscles.”
      Nodding rapidly, Zekqin responded, “Sure thing, Love!” Internally, he was wondering, [i]“Uuuuh…I’m forgetting. Can you remind me what sidewinding is?”[/i]
      [i]“It’s ya movement. You wiggle your way over there like you have been.”[/i]
      Taking deep breaths, Zekqin began slithering to the exercising equipment. Deftly taking ten pounds in each hand, he kept raising them up and down. To show off, he began raising himself up to the ceiling on his tail. More symbols appeared on the monitors, gauges filled up slowly.
      Self-Care education and aptitude testing continued at a steady pace. Zekqin performed brilliantly on the strength test. Arm up, arm down, arm up, and arm down. Touch was still a sense, and one Kyain was privy to. Vicariously feeling his senses was still better than never feeling again. The rush of endorphins Zekqin felt as he kept flexing and using each arm was a funny feeling. Envy wouldn’t leave his thoughts, but Kyain kept quiet. He knew what trying to impress someone was like.
      In light of those facts, a thought occurred to the bodiless noodle. [i]“You could try flexing ya arms when you’re done. Show off a little!”[/i]
      Without delay, the snake could feel his arms raise to the side of his head. Tension built in his biceps after that. One eye shut in a wink while Zekqin looked down at Kezak. “You like?”
      Chuckling, the wolf nodded politely. “Good work, Love. I believe we’re done.” Wagging and swishing showed the alien’s true feelings, or maybe Titus’ feelings. Waltzing over with a swagger, both minds in the snake could see the wolf’s hips sway to each side while he walked to the back wall.
      “Brilliant! Before I return down to the surface tomorrow…I see you’ve gotten comfortable with your new body, Love. Would you care to go on an excursion with me?” Clenching his fists again, the new snake stared with bated breath.
      Turning to face his partner, the new wolf gave a wink. A cheeky grin crossed his muzzle while he growled, “Of course, Love~”
      
      Kezak walked a couple steps ahead of them, claws softly clicking off the metal floor. Through the corridors and around any bend, he was nearby. Wagging his tail, and smiling, he seemed comfortable with his new arrangement. Comfortable enough to not cover up or clean the leaking coming from his legs or suppress the smell of heat.
      Thoughts and feelings swirled in Kyain’s mind. It was hard to tell if the thoughts were his or Zekqin’s at this point. One thing he was certain of was how tempting that booty was, even if there was an alien up there. As they parted, images of long, cozy nights of procreation filled the snakes’ minds. Dreamily, they slinked through the ship to their room. Concentration became a necessary step to avoid having their hemipenises from poking out of their slit.
      Shaking his head, Zekqin began to ground himself. Taking a breath, he stared down the hall and began to relax. [i]“That went well. I hope you had enjoyed the examination too. Thank you for your assistance with technical terms and muscle coordination.”[/i] Robotic, but only in wording. Veils of code and will were the only things stopping Kyain from seeing the lewd snake’s thoughts in more detail.
      [i]“Riiiiiiight~ Can’t wait for the fun tonight.”[/i]
      Nervously chuckling, Zekqin did his best to recover his composure. Seconds later, he thought back to his friend, [i]“Hehe…Yeah. Uh, c-can’t wait for it myself. First time doing this in a new body.”[/i]
      Pangs of jealously echoed in Kyain’s mind. With a resigned mental sigh, he did his best to give a metaphorical pat on Zekqin’s back. Suddenly, lightbulbs lit up in sequence in Kyain’s mind. [i]“Weeeeell, I could be there too and help ya. Be there and give you some tips~”[/i]
      [i]“W-Would you!? Yes, please!”[/i] Rushing, the new snake did his best to slip past the buff tropical lizard, tall, lanky salamander, chubby husky, purple dragon, and more. Grabbing his mate’s paw, he pulled the biped along. Past the mess hall, washrooms, memory transfer chamber, and brain preservation hall, he stopped suddenly by another white, plain door. In a quick motion, he pressed his hand to it and wrapped the other around Kezak’s shoulder. Ushering the wolf inside, he reached around to turn on the lights and slither in, the door closing behind them.
      Less a bedroom and more of a private hostel room, the lights showed off the bare room. Light poured from a fixture in the center of the ceiling, illuminating the same gray metal floor as outside, a tall mirror across the room from the door, a couple shelfs for clothing, and a thin bed suspended with cable. No color existed anywhere in the room that wasn’t a shade of gray. Kyain didn’t have much time to examine the room, as Zekqin quickly slithered over to the bed, Kezak in tow. Despite the board-like appearance, when the large constrictor threw himself and the wolf into it, the frame began to expand, and the mattress started to depress and conform around the forms laying on it.
      “Get yourself comfortable, Love~ We won’t be able to do this again for a bit” chimed Kezak. In an instant, the alien instantly adjusted Titus’ face to give bedroom eyes to the larger being. One paw was holding up his head, while the other idly traced an amorphous shape on the reptile’s chest. His breathing had slowed down. Only the faintest of puffs came from his nose as the new canine’s nostrils flared with each exhale.
      A dumb grin crossed Zekqin’s face while he laughed faintly, slowly reaching out to rub Kezak’s muzzle. Swallowing, he worked up the courage to say, “Of course, Love~ We’ll have plenty of fun.” There was no need for decency now. Zekqin stopped trying to keep his hemipenises inside his slit. Both began to peek out of their musky confines, hinting at what would come.
      Wordlessly, Kezak moved his tracing paw up behind Zekqin’s head, and pulled. With shocking deftness, Zekqin got pulled into a deep kiss while the paw slid down the snake’s spine for a loose hug. Sounds of kissing and an occasional canine pant filled the room. Smells of heat and fertility filled their noses. Slight movements began to add up as both partners began to shuffle closer to the other, their hips soon meeting.
      Closing his eyes, Zekqin began to instinctively thrust his hips, blindly shooting for his partner’s snatch. Wetness spreading over his lengths clued him in on the right location. Subtlety, Kyain began to think back, [i]“Use ya tail. Wrap him up in your coils.”[/i]
      Zekqin didn’t respond. No thoughts, even intrusive, came in to answer his passenger. Kyain’s thoughts seemed to have free reign. Obediently, Zekqin began to shift the muscles in his tail. Long, powerful muscles flexed and relaxed, forming a screw motion over the wolf he was beginning to penetrate.
      Coiling felt good to the constrictor. Kyain’s mind was buzzing with happiness. Happy to see Titus. Happy to stay connected to his body. Happy to feel all the fun himself~ Even though he didn’t possess his genitals anymore, the sensations were transmitted perfectly back to his jar. Hormones and neurotransmitters were dancing in the synapses between neurons, leaving the snake with an unusual lust burning in him.
      Faint, soft squelching joined the kissing noises as Zekqin’s body pushed between the wolf’s mounds. Cozy, familiar feelings flared brilliantly between both consciousnesses in the snake, the quiet moan from Kezak eliciting a thrust.
      Lupine arms began to wrap tightly around the snake’s chest. Between pants, the new wolf softly eked out, “I…I’ve never used th-these parts before. It f-feels interesting.” Uncontrolled, wild squeezing began to grip both lengths inside him. Gentle shudders rocked his body, the thick muscle of the constrictor absorbing the force with ease.
      “T-There, there, Love~ We’ll ex-explore together.” Groaning, Zekqin began to pick up the back. Lewd slapping could be heard as hip collided with hip, length buried in folds, and while both partners kept leaking more fluid onto the other. Zekqin’s own inexperience was catching up to him. Kyain could sense a familiar tension in his (former) rods.
      Unruly moans began to echo across the room as both aliens began to put their new equipment through their paces. Lust unlike any Zekqin had known surged in his mind. Lust that soon boiled over. “Aaaaaaaah!” was all the snake could manage as he slammed his hips against the wolf, dicks pulsing with ropes of seed searching for a new home. Zekqin’s mind was fried with the new feeling. Eyes rolling back, he stared up at the ceiling in a dazed state, riding out the rest of his orgasm.
      Kezak seemed to already be in Cloud Nine. Panting could be heard through the alien’s haze. Muscles began to desperately squeeze the hemipenises, milking every drop possible. One last lewd moan escaped him before Kyain could feel the alien wolf go limp, resting in the coils.
      Cumming without a body was a new experience, to say the least. Kyain could feel the same elation that always followed shooting a load, but only had a phantom sense of that shot. Reeling, the brain began his best effort to recover from a high. Soothing afterglow began to work through Kyain. As Zekqin’s mind began to wink out, slipping into unconsciousness, Kyain felt the connection fail. Returning to the jar hall, he began to slowly piece together the odd sex. 
      [i]“Guess there’s some benefit to this arrangement”[/i], was all he could manage. Words were failing him while his brain was abuzz with activity. One thing did break through the haze: an image of a gravid Titus, laying eggs containing adorable snake-pups. Unable to express himself with a smile, Kyain began to relax, slowly letting his own mind wind down into sleep as well.