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A God Called Bruce Pt. 01

By: Talemaster



Author's note:

G'day all,

First of all an apology. I  am still in the middle of writing Offspring. So far I have published 70,000 words. I need a bit of a break. Just a few days will do, other things are demanding my attention.

To make the wait more bearable I am publishing this story. It is complete and runs into 120,000 words. This time I'll put up a few chapters at a time since that seems to have been a bone of contention. By the time you read this the entire volume will be sitting in the queue waiting to be vetted and put on the site.

About the story:

A God called Bruce is about the adventures of an Australian writer  who gets involved with the Gods on Olympus. He strikes up a friendship with Bruce, the Australian God of booze, barbeques and backyard dunnies (toilets). On his travels he gets to know Zeus who likes the irreverent larrikin from Aussie, especially when he starts covering for Zeus' extramarital excursions. When he finds the key to an ancient travelling system even the Gods don't understand he gains access to universes unknown to the pantheon. Here begins a journey into the unknown with help from the Gods and the loving attention of several Goddesses. 

So, without further ado, I give you     "A God called Bruce"

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Chapter 1:   I meet my Muse




I am a writer, at least that's what the taxation department reckons, and since I kind of scratch a living with my scribbles, perhaps they are right.

Four weeks ago my girlfriend had given me the flick and taken off with a footballer. I hadn't been able to write anything since. My mind was a blank. My muse had deserted me.

I had to come up with something soon though. Even my simple lifestyle needs some income to be sustainable. So, here I was, feeling sorry for myself, sitting in my backyard with a can of beer, watching a steak sizzle on the barbeque when she showed up. The pale blue diaphanous gown she wore concealed little of her features. I was so taken with her looks that I completely forgot to be surprised about her just materialising in front of me.

The colour change around the pert nipples that strained the thin fabric was clearly visible, so was the dark patch of her pubic triangle. And the legs. Oh those legs - long well formed and delicious. With so much on display it took a while before I looked at her face. Well, you can't blame a guy for getting his fill of such a landscape, it is rarely on offer and you can look at faces every time of the day. When I finally did get around to looking at her face the first thing that struck me was that amused smile; more a grin really. She was obviously amused by my staring and the effect she was having on me. She had shoulder-length raven black hair, dark eyes and pouty lips that seemed to be made for kissing. My dick was making handstands in my pants. 

The girl laughed, pointed to my erection and said with a broad Australian accent: "I don't know if you like me, but your old fellow sure does."

My embarrassment knew no limits. I felt myself blushing for the first time in many years. Finally I got a grip on myself and asked: "Who are you and how did you get in here?"

"My name is Lil. I am your muse. Being a writer, I take it you know what a muse is."

"You're having me on, there is no muse called Lil. Muses have names like Clio, Calliope and Terpsichore. Even I know that."

"You're talking about those boring old Greek ones. They are still around of course, but even the Gods have to move with the times. There was no science fiction in those days, so there was no muse for it. Now there is and I am it. Lil, the muse of science fiction, at your service."

"I don't believe you."

"You're being a dreadful bore you know. I better show you then. Look at me." 

Lil waved her hand and disappeared from view. I stared at the empty space with my mouth open and watched as a shadow appeared that solidified slowly into a recognisable form and became Lil once more.

"Alright, I am convinced. Why are you here?"

"Until now all you ever needed was a bit of a nudge here and there and you would write. This time I think you need a kick in the pants to get going again. I am here to deliver it."

"You seem to know everything about me, how about telling me something about yourself? Do you have a mum and dad or are you just there?"

"You're funny. Of course I have a mum and dad. Dad is Bruce, the Australian God of Booze, Barbeques and Backyard Dunnies."

"Now I know you are taking the Mickey out of me."

"Not at all. Everything on this plane of existence needs a God to look after it or it couldn't function. Someone has to be in charge. What you call laws of nature, physics, chemistry and so forth are in reality Gods. The ancients had it right, you guys are all screwed up about such things."

"Alright for the moment. What about your mum?"

"My mum is Marge, the Goddess of Hen Parties. I also have a younger brother. Jack is the Patron Saint of Dirty Ditties."

"Patron Saint of Dirty Ditties?"

"In this job females are called muses, males are called patron saints." 

"This is just too weird for me to swallow, I must admit it would make a good story though."

"Don't you dare dragging my family through the tabloids. My dad would get really pissed off, and when he gets like that you don't want to be around."

She looked at me intently, especially at my erection, which was still prominently on display. Finally she pointed at it and said: "Does this thing ever go down?"

Here I went blushing again. I managed to stammer: "It's your fault. You are an extraordinarily exciting sight. How can a mere mortal resist your beauty."

"That's nice. Will you show me your dick?"

"Whaaaaaat?"

"Will you show me your dick? Well I actually want more than that. I want to see all of you. I've never seen a naked human male."

"I dunno 'bout that."

"Go on, take your clothes off, I'll take mine off too. You would be very privileged. Few Humans have ever seen a naked muse, though perhaps Lulu flashes it around a bit."

"Who's Lulu then?"

"The muse of pornography. Now, are you going to take your gear off or what?" 

I wanted to see her so badly and who knows what would happen once we were both naked. I started to take my gear off, never taking my eyes off her as she moved out of her gown. She was delicious. She was very excited, I could see that. Her nipples were hard and erect. I could smell the moisture between her legs. My dick was so hard it hurt, screaming for release. We stood facing each other about six feet apart. I walked up to her and it seemed the closer I came to her the more ethereal she became. I reached out, trying to touch her but when my hand was almost there she disappeared altogether.

She was gone, leaving me standing there, naked, with my dick poking a hole into the clouds.

In frustration I yelled to the heavens: "I am not amused."

There was a giggling in the air loud and distinctive. The fence, the grass, the few plants, even the barbeque seemed to laugh at me and a voice – that voice:

"Of course you are not a muse, you idiot. I am."









Chapter 2:   Call me Bruce




Days later I was sitting again on the back veranda of my small cottage in East Sydney, with a beer in my hand and a blank sheet of paper in front of me trying to write. Suddenly there was a flash and this bloke was sitting on the other side of the table. He wore shorts, thongs, a battered Akubra hat and a tee shirt with a can of  Victoria Bitter on it. It had to be Bruce, the Australian God of Booze, Barbeques and Backyard Dunnies.

Before he had a chance to say or do anything I reached into the fridge, got a can of beer and put it in front of him.

"At least you got some manners, Mate. Thanks."

He popped the can and took a deep draft.

"Now what is this I hear about you flashing your prick at my daughter?"

"She just wanted to see a human body, Sir."

"I figured it was her who started it. Did she strip for you?"

"Yes, Sir."  I didn't think it was advisable to lie to a God, even an ocker Aussie God.

"First of all, drop that Sir shit, call me Bruce. I hate it when they call me Your Majesty, Lord, Sir and all that bullshit. Bruce will do fine. Now tell me, did you like what you saw?"

"Very much so Si... Bruce."

"You look like a decent fellow to me. You got beer, a barbeque, even a backyard dunny. This place is like a fucking temple to me." He pointed at the toilet. "Does the dunny work?"

"Yes, it does."

"Good, get us another beer while I go for a piss."

I grabbed another couple of cans and put them on the table while Bruce did his business. I didn't know anything about Gods. This guy was just a regular Aussie bloke, the kind you find in every pub. I could handle that. I liked him.

When he got back I lit a cigarette and then tossed him the packet and the lighter just to see what he would do. He shook a fag out, lit it and leaned back with a big grin as he cracked his can.

"You know, I wouldn't have minded if you had given Lil a root. Might have made her a bit less uppity. Pity it can't be done."

"What do you mean, can't be done? I thought you guys were Gods, you could do anything."

"Almost anything, my boy. The problem is that fucker Zeus, the Top God. He stuffed that up for us."

"What for?"

"Well it goes back a long time. If there ever was a stickman in the universe it was Zeus. He'd get up anything. After he had a few Demigods running around he had fathered, Hera, his wife, got a bit weary. He had to do all kinds of weird shit just to get a stray root. He turned himself into a bull and screwed Europa and then into a swan so he could knock off Leda. Anyway, Hera found out about that shit too and got mightily pissed off.

"What made it worse was that all the other Gods were not much better. They were knocking off Sheilas and putting them up the duff, creating Demigods everywhere; and it wasn't just the guys. Goddesses were getting pregnant by humans and Gods were getting sloppy seconds from their wives."

"What happened then?"

"Well, Hera gave Zeus an ultimatum. In the end Zeus put a hex on us that every time we wanted to root a human and it was getting too close to actual physical contact we would fade out of the human realm. We would simply disappear for them. There were a lot of blue balls around for a while but it settled down and now there is a lot more peace at home."

"Does that mean I can't see Lil any more?"

"No, you can see her if she wants you to. You just can't screw her. If you guys get too horny all you can do is look at each other and wank. Done that a few times myself. Not very good but better than nothing."

"You guys invented cybersex. I like this. Hang on for a few minutes Bruce, I need to go across the road to get us some more beer, we're out."

Bruce waved his hand and there was a slab of beer on the table. I opened the carton to put the cans in the fridge and Bruce laughed.

"Boy, I am a God of booze. If I can conjure up a slab of beer I can fucking well keep the bastards cold without a fucking fridge. You getting hungry, Mate?"

"Yeah, let me have a look what I've got in the kitchen."

"No need." He waved his hand again and there were a couple of kangaroo fillets roasting on the barbie and an assortment of tubs with salads and side dishes on the table.

"I hope you like a bit of Skippy, Mate, haven't had any for a while. Thought this was a good occasion."

We were into can number seven or eight when we had a visitor. She wasn't accompanied by a flash or anything, she simply appeared. She looked like a more mature version of Lil, the same long legs the same pert tits and the same kissable mouth. She wasn't smiling though, she looked royally pissed off.

She started straight in on Bruce, calling him all the names under the sun and carrying on about him being on the piss again. I thought that was a good time to make myself scarce and crept into the kitchen when they weren't looking my way. Thinking that she was supposed to be the Goddess of hen parties I decided she might respond to a cup of tea and a couple of biscuits. I put everything on a small tray and went out on the veranda during a lull in the fighting.

"I thought you might like a cup of tea and a biscuit, Dear." With that I put the tray on the table and pulled a chair up next to where I was sitting. "Sit down, Darling, and have some," I said, looking her straight in the eyes.

"You must be that miscreant who tried to seduce my daughter. And, to add insult to injury, you go on the piss with my husband. God, how I despise you men."

I don't know whether it was the beer or her attitude that prompted it. Anyway, I stepped up to her, gave her a big hug, kissed her on the cheek and said: "I love you too, Darling."

She froze. She just stood there and stared at me, too stunned to say or do anything. Then Bruce started to laugh. He was howling with laughter, tears streaming down his cheeks and as he laughed and laughed Marge's features softened and a thin smile came on her lips. Her eyes that had flashed at me in anger before showed kindness and something akin to amusement. "Thank you," she whispered, sat down and poured herself some tea.

Marge turned out to be a brilliant conversationalist. She could talk with authority on any number of subjects. I was fascinated with her knowledge. Rarely had I enjoyed talking so much with anyone. She seemed to love it too. Bruce said very little, having her off his back was enough for him. It was late afternoon and the sea breezes had set in. It was getting rather cool and I was about to suggest we move indoors when a leaf blew off a tree and into Marge's hair. Without thinking I reached out to remove it, when to my surprise Marge faded out and disappeared.

Bruce started laughing again. In between bouts of laughter he said "I don't believe it. That shrivelled up prune got horny." I waited until he had worn himself out laughing and asked him what it was that he found so amusing.

"Well, you saw how she disappeared. It was when you quite innocently tried to remove the leaf from her hair. That's when Zeus' hex cut in. She must have been real horny for you, in fact her snatch would have had to be dripping for the hex to cut in like that. This will rattle her. She hasn't let any man fuck her in over three hundred years."

"But I didn't do anything," I said weakly.

"You didn't have to. Jeez, I'm going to have fun with this one. This has been the best party for centuries. You can call me any time. I better get going though." 

He waved his hand and all the trash disappeared, the table and barbeque was spotless and there were five slabs of beer stacked next to the fridge.

"See you later, Boy, thanks for the party and don't forget to call. Cheerio," and he was gone.






Chapter 3:  Marge plays Interior Decorator






It was about three days later when I dreamt I was lying on my back, naked, and a colony of blowflies were buzzing around my dick. The feeling was so intense that it woke me up. Except, the feeling was still there. When I managed to open and focus my eyes I saw Marge, sitting near the foot of the bed tickling my dick with a peacock feather.

"What do you think you are doing Marge?"

"I wanted to find out if there was some way to play with your dick without getting into the vapour-zone. It works, see?" With that she tickled away at that poor member of mine with renewed vigour.

"Vapour-zone?"

"Yes, the zone where I go poof and disappear if I get too close."

"Very cute, but will you stop this shit. I am busting for a piss and if you keep this up I'll wet the bed."

"Spoilsport."

I tried to get up and that's when I noticed my surroundings. I was in an enormous bedroom, done up like the thousand and one nights bedroom in a nineteenth century French brothel. All silk, satin and velvet, in red with gold trim. Expensive mirrors and fittings and priceless Persian carpets.

"Where am I? Never mind, tell me later, where is the bathroom?"

Turned out that one of the large mirrors with the elaborately carved gold leafed frame was really a door that led into a beautiful bathroom, all done out in marble, with a Jacuzzi, a glass enclosed shower as well as a toilet and bidet behind a partition. Marge had come in with me and watched me piss. Gods have no shame.

"You are still in your house," she said. I have just done a bit of redecorating."

"Where did all the space come from? This is no longer a little sandstone cottage. If the bedroom is any indication this is a fucking mansion."

"Only on the inside, from the outside it looks just the same." 

"You have to put it back to what it was I can't afford to live in a place like this. I would spend my whole day cleaning up and I couldn't even get a cleaner in here without getting into trouble. The bank would foreclose because of unauthorised alterations and then make a fortune selling the joint."

"You worry too much. The house is no maintenance. It cleans itself." She went back into the bedroom and pointed to the bed. "See, the bed is already made, the carpets are clean and the dusting is done. The Gods are lazy. We had all these little things figured out a long time ago. As to the mortgage, it's paid up. The house is yours as of now."

"Why are you doing this?"

"Well, if I am going to spend a lot of time here I want to be comfortable. Come, let me show you the rest of the house."

"Can I get dressed first?"

"If you must. Your clothes are in here." Another mirror turned out to open a walk in wardrobe. My K-Mart shorts and underwear had turned into Calvin Klein, The suits were Armani, the shoes Florsheim. 

I didn't even ask what she had in mind with this shit, I just put on some shorts and a tee shirt and looked for my thongs. I cursed because I couldn't find them. She grumbled something about me being like Bruce and materialised my thongs.

The second bedroom was done in a contemporary style. Everything top quality. It also had a walk in wardrobe and a similar en suite bathroom. The lounge was modern. White lacquer Italian furniture, white leather lounge and a glass topped coffee table with travertine legs. The dining room had six burgundy chairs, a large glass table and a burgundy buffet. The floors in the living areas were polished wood with Persian rugs. The kitchen was a dream. Ultra modern and functional. There was a door that led from the kitchen into a wine cellar. It was well stocked. Bruce would like this. Perhaps she had him in mind when she created it. Whatever fittings and furniture were in the house probably were worth at least ten times the price of the house.

I must say Marge has taste. I told her so and complimented her on the job. She seemed pleased with that.

"Let's have breakfast. What would you like?"

"I'd love a huge American breakfast with pancakes, maple syrup, eggs sunny side up, bacon crispy, hash browns, a sausage and a piece of steak. Orange juice and coffee, lots of coffee."

"Coming right up."

I thought she would just conjure the shit up, but she didn't. She actually went into the kitchen and started cooking. I felt a bit guilty for ordering such an elaborate meal. She didn't seem to mind though, humming a happy little tune while she was doing her  work.

I sat down on my favourite table on the veranda rather than in my newly acquired dining room. Thankfully she had not changed anything in the yard or on the veranda. It was still the way it always had been. I lit a cigarette. Marge came out and brought me some coffee and went back to the kitchen. 

I was very confused. On one hand having a Goddess doting on me was wonderful, but the idea of her spending a lot of time here, as she had said, scared me and pissed me off a little. I hadn't even been asked if it was okay with me. How do you argue with a God though without getting hurt? I would have to play it by ear.


A God Called Bruce Pt. 01



The breakfast, when it came, was cooked to perfection. She had made the same for herself. I complimented her on her cooking and asked why she had not just conjured it up.

"I love cooking. The smells, the tasting, the feel of the ingredients and then the final product, it's an adventure for me. I don't get to do it often. Bruce likes his barbeques. He does that himself, Lil is never there, she is always flitting around somewhere and dinner parties are rare where we live. Most Gods just conjure stuff up, especially for the big official banquets. We only eat for fun really, we don't need food to survive."

"Tell me Marge, why I am I all of a sudden so favoured by the Gods?"

"Because you are not scared of us. When Lil first came to see you, you got her to strip for you, when Bruce tried to play the angry father you spoiled his game by giving him a beer before he had a chance to say anything and when I was about to tear strips off you, you gave me a hug and a kiss and left me flabbergasted. No one, not a single human in history, has ever had the audacity to treat us as if we were equals. You are the talk of Olympus. I think you'll have quite a few Gods popping in from now on, just to see for themselves that cheeky, but nevertheless polite and inoffensive human. You are a star."

"So what happens now?"

"Now you and I will figure out a way for us to have a nookie."

"As much as I would like to, we can't do that."

"Why on Earth not?"

"It wouldn't be right. It would be immoral. I could not do this to Bruce or Lil, however much I fancy you."

"We are Gods. There are no moral restraints on us. Bruce couldn't give a shit if you rooted me in front of him and Lil would love a threesome."

"I thought old Zeus was making a moral ruling when he put a hex on you guys."

"No this had nothing to do with morals. It had to do with making too many babies. There were far too many Demigods around. Besides, it was Hera who demanded that, the hypocrite bitch. The queers don't come under that hex. She has been licking slit all along and is still doing it. The rest of us haven't been able to screw humans for over a thousand years. No one has been able to figure out a way around it, least of all Zeus. If you can find a way, he'll make you a Demigod or a God even, for sure."

"What makes you think I can solve something the Gods have failed at?"

"Because you are such an irreverent prick. You don't take no for an answer and you are smart. You look at things differently to us. The Gods are too close to the problem." 

"Tell me, is there a way for a human to get into Olympus?"

"There used to be. When we had still Demigods they had a gate through which they could enter to see their parent. There aren't any Demigods any more, because they were mortal and the hex has been on for so long, they are all dead now. The gate should still be there though."

"Can you find out?"

"Sure I can, but why?"

"I remember something Bruce said. He said something like if you are trying to have sex with a human you get whisked off the human plane so it can't happen. If that is all there is to it, it strikes me, that if a human can get into Olympus he can screw around, unaffected by the hex."

"I knew it. You're a genius. That has to be it. I'll go straight to Zeus and ask him how the gate works. There is one condition I must insist on if I am to take you to Olympus."

"And what is that?"

"You must screw me the moment we get to the other side. I want to be the first to screw a human in over a thousand years. It will do my prestige a world of good over there. I want to stick it right up that bitch Hera."

"Assuming this works, won't she just get Zeus to plug that hole the moment she finds out?"

"Not in a million years. Zeus has had a thousand years to regret having given in to her. She has paraded her dykes in front of him just to show how clever she is. He'll never fall into that trap again. Oh, this will be such fun."

"Hera will be mightily pissed off at me though. I am not sure I can handle that."

"Don't worry, I'll make a deal with Zeus, she won't be able to get at you. Besides, you will have a lot of support from the other Gods. Have yourself a beer. I will go to book an audience with Zeus, then I will make you a meal you will remember for years to come. Any special wishes?"

"A dozen Sydney rock oysters for starters, Lobster Thermidore on a bed of rice, chicorée salad with a Roquefort dressing, selected vintage cheeses, strawberries flambé for afters. Drinks: Pernod, ice and water as aperitive, a good Chardonnay with the meal, Cognac and coffee afterwards. Is that too much?"

"Very nice. I approve. I will have the same. Alright lover, see you for lunch." With that she vanished. 

I took her advice and got myself a beer.





Chapter 4:   Marge drops me in the shit





Marge had only been gone for a few minutes when Lil and Bruce turned up. I gave Bruce a beer. Lil wanted a glass of wine so I got her one from my newly acquired wine cellar. 

"I see mum has been here." Lil had followed me into the house when I went for her wine and noticed the transformation. Bruce overheard what Lil was saying and came inside. He inspected the whole house. It was obvious he didn't like it.

"That's exactly what she did to my joint." he said after we were all seated outside again. "I had her put it all back the way it was. I don't want to live in a poofter place.  At least she had the good sense not to touch the back yard. Anyway, where is she?"

"She's gone off to make an appointment with Zeus."

"What's she going to see this arsehole for?" Bruce evidently did not like this idea.

"To get some information and his approval for my plan to get around the hex."

"You figured out a way to get around the hex?" Lil was overawed, it showed on her face. Even Bruce had stopped dead in his tracks.

"I think so, but there is a price you guys might not like."

"What price?" 

"The moment the barrier is circumvented I'm supposed to screw Marge. She wants to be the first to screw a human after that long dry spell."

"That sounds like my mum," said Lil.

"Put a couple of strokes in for me while you're at it," said Bruce.

"You guys don't mind me shagging Marge?"

"Nah, go for it, as long as you shag me next." Lil was getting wet at the idea. I could smell it. "Do you reckon you can really pull this off?" 

"I think so. We'll just have to wait and see."

Lil's glass was empty so I went into the kitchen to get her some more wine. She followed me again. When I was rummaging around in the fridge to get her wine and some beer for Bruce and myself Lil was standing very close behind me. Too close in fact. She was well into what Marge had called the vapour-zone, she should have been fading by now. When she turned around I touched her hair very lightly so she wouldn't notice. Nothing happened.

We left the kitchen and went back to the veranda. I pretended to stumble and bumped into Lil. Poof – she was gone, just like her mother a few days ago.

"Sorry Darling," I yelled into the air. "I didn't mean for this to happen."

"That's alright Sweetheart, see you tomorrow," said the disembodied voice.

"Good riddance," said Bruce, "now we can go on the piss."

"No, we can't. Marge is coming back here to cook lunch."

"Shit, I would have liked a quiet drink with you. These tarts spoil everything."

"Tell me Bruce, You have seen what Marge did to my house."

"Yeah, so what?"

"How did she do that? I mean, the inside of the house is so much larger than the outside, where did this space come from?"

"She had to get it from somewhere else. You see, even we Gods can't make something out of nothing. It also would have to be a space from another dimension. If it had been taken from this reality your house would have exploded like an overfilled balloon."

"Makes sense. Could it be that this space originated on Olympus?"

"Let me check."

Bruce went into the house doing I don't know what. After five minutes he came back.

"Yep, that's where she got it from alright."

"So when I am inside I am really on Olympus?"

"In a manner of speaking, yes. "

"What happened to my old house then?"

"It's still there. In its own space, where it always was." He rummaged around in his pockets and gave me a small medal on a chain. It was a simple plain disk, red on one side, green on the other. " When you rub the green side you are in your old house, when you rub the red you are in the Marge version. It's really handy if you want to disappear. You see, while you are in the house that Marge built you are quite invisible to people on the human plane. You have to rub the green side for them to see you on their level of existence."

Bruce got up. "Anyway, have fun, I don't want to be here when that bitch arrives. If you get it together, give her a really good root. You would be doing a lot of people a favour. She might actually be fun to be with again. That is if her box hasn't grown shut through neglect. Use a fucking jackhammer if nothing else works."

Bruce laughed at his own joke for an instant and vanished.

First I tried Bruce's medal. I worked just as he had said it would. It was a really weird feeling to flip from one reality to another. Before I could get lost in that feeling of power it brought with it I got myself another beer. I had some serious thinking to do.

The Gods aren't all that smart, I figured; in fact they are quite thick. They had been complaining for over a thousand years about Zeus' hex and could have circumvented it easily, if they had thought it through. No wonder the world is in such a mess. The Gods that govern it have too much power and too few brains. 

If I wanted to, I could grab Marge when she got back, take her upstairs and fuck her brains out, but that would not be a good idea. She would just grab me for herself probably put a hex on my house so other Gods couldn't go inside and I would never get to see Olympus or get to talk to Zeus. If she found out what I knew now I would become little more than a personal stud. The moment she was sick of me she would take everything away and do the same thing with someone else. She had told me herself the Gods had no morals. 

Once I knew how to get access to Olympus it would be a different story. I could make my own arrangements, form my own alliances. I had a few ideas I wanted to put to Zeus that would make me indispensable. For now I had to stay out of the house when Marge was here, lest I bump into her accidentally and she'd cotton on to my secret. The big question was, could she read my mind and find out anyway. I had to check this out.

"Hello Darling, I'm home. Did you miss me?" Marge materialised in the kitchen.

Shit, now she thinks my place is home for her. Groan. Staking out territory the bitch.

"Of course I missed you. I had to masturbate three times to cope with the stress," I lied.

"Really?"

"Yes." I lied again.

"Oh, that is so sweet of you. That makes me soooooo happy."

Well, there are limits to what the Gods can do. They can't read minds. Handy to know that. I can lie to the bastards and they won't know the difference. I knew I would need that some day.

I didn't want to go into the kitchen to get a beer so I got one from the cartons Bruce had left days ago. It was ice cold, as he had said it would be. Handy trick. I must ask him how he does that.

Marge must have cheated a bit because the meal arrived too quickly for her to have cooked it all. I didn't say anything about that. I complimented her on the meal, especially on the cheese platter. Genuine Lebanese Shankleesh, Roquefort, Dutch Maasdam, Camembert, Brie, just to name a few and all of the highest quality. I asked her where she got them from.

"I just take them. I know where the good stuff is kept."

"You mean you steal them?"

"Everything you see around you belongs to us Gods. You humans can, at best, have temporary use of it. How can I steal something that belongs to me in the first place?"

I should have remembered that, it would have saved a lot of trouble.

After coffee she said: "I feel like a drive. Will you take me to Bondi beach?"

"I don't have a car."

"You have one now," she said handing me a bunch of keys. "The red Holden Commodore on the other side of the street. Shall we go?"

I shouldn't have been driving because I was well over the legal limit, but I went just the same, hoping she would get me out of trouble if we were pulled up. The car was where she said it was. We climbed in and I was just nosing into the traffic when there was a commotion behind us and two coppers were running towards us with their guns drawn, yelling at me to stop. I knew they wouldn't shoot with all the traffic around, so I floored the pedal and got the hell out of there.

"I thought you conjured the car up," I yelled at her.

"No, not the car, just the keys."

"This is a fucking unmarked police car you moron."

"Does that mean we are in trouble?"

"Fucking oath it does, there will be coppers coming from everywhere, any minute now, trying to catch us. They don't like their cars being hijacked, they are funny like that."

"Oh, sorry," she said and disappeared. 

Great, I was on my own and in deep shit. 

I popped the blue light on the roof, engaged the police siren and drove like hell the four miles into the part of Redfern where the commission houses are. Before I got there I switched the siren and the police radio off and got rid of the blue light. I drove up outside one of those ugly public housing buildings where there was a group of junkies and yahoos loitering outside, left the engine running and the door open and went to the entrance pretending to ring an apartment bell. As I had expected. the no hopers jumped into the car and drove off with squealing tyres. I grinned and gave them the one fingered salute as they disappeared around the corner. 

At that moment a bus drew up, I boarded it and got the fuck out of there. After a few stops I got off and caught a cab home. 

I had learned another valuable lesson. When in trouble, don't rely on a God for help. Any God!




Chapter 5:   An Audience with Zeus




It took four days before Marge turned up again. 

"You've got a hide, showing up here after abandoning me, when I was up to my neck in shit," I bellowed instead of a greeting.

"Let me explain, Darling. It wasn't my fault, I really tried."

"Alright, tell me. What went wrong?"

"When I realised we were in trouble I tried to teleport us out of there. For me to do that I need to touch you. In the excitement I forgot all about the hex and when I reached for you I disappeared from this plane."

I could see she was telling the truth. She was really upset about leaving me in a bind.

"Why didn't you come back and try something else?"

"When we vaporise we can't come back for twenty-four hours. It's part of the hex. It's supposed to force us to cool off."

Now that was handy to know. If I wanted to get rid of  her all I had to do was get her horny and touch her and she couldn't bother me for a whole day. I just knew I was going to make use of that one.

"Okay, I forgive you. How are we going with Zeus?"

"That's why I am here. He wants to see you."

"Let's go then."

"Not so quick. We have a bit of time, get yourself a beer. I'll have to explain a few things. Whatever you do, don't get too close to me, or I'll disappear and can't take you there. Zeus will get very angry if we don't turn up and that is not something I want, I can assure you of that. He can be a right bastard when he gets pissed off."

When I was settled with my beer and a smoke she explained what we had to do.

"We have to go to a power spot to get to the gate. Power spots are everywhere on this planet. They form a kind of grid pattern. After you have been in and out of Olympus a few times you will actually be able to see them, for now I have to take you there. Often you will find churches, temples or chapels built on these spots, but even though some people may subconsciously sense them they have forgotten what they are and don't know how to use them. They are like portals into other planes."

"You mean you can use them to get to places other than Olympus?"

"Theoretically yes, but you have to know what you are doing and you have to have a lot of personal power. Even the Gods have forgotten how to use them. They are perhaps older than the Gods themselves. We do know however how to use them to get to Olympus, because through them the Demigods used to travel. The Gods don't need power spots to get here, perhaps that is why we don't know much about them. I told you the Gods are lazy and not very adventurous."

"So what do we have to do? Where do we go?"

"There is a spot in St. Mary's Cathedral in town and one at St. Andrews in Flinder Street but they wouldn't be any good to us."

"Why not?"

"You need to be able to teleport out of there when they lock the places up and you already know I can't help you with that on this plane because of the hex. We need an open air spot. The nearest one is outside the Macquarie Lighthouse in Vaucluse."

"I know where that is."

"Good. When you finished your beer catch a cab. I will meet you there."

"Aren't you coming with me?"

"Not this time. We might accidentally touch and that would be the end of it. I don't want to take any chances."

"What do you reckon I should wear?"

"You could wear one of your nice suits, but it really doesn't matter."

"Well, if a God called Bruce can run around in thongs, shorts and a tee shirt so can I. Would you be able to conjure up a Heineken tee shirt?"

"Sure." She waved her hand and I was wearing one. "Mind telling me why?"

"Just to be different from Bruce."

Marge laughed and disappeared. I caught a cab and met her just outside the lighthouse. She scanned the ground and led me to the edge of the park near a group of bushes. 

"Here she said, let's go."

"How big is this thing?"

"About thirty feet in diameter." She indicated the area to me with her hand. I was happy. I would find it again on my own.

She waved her hand and we were in Olympus. We wound up in a small temple on the rim of what looked like a huge bowl like valley. We were on the outside edge of the place overlooking the town. In the centre of that bowl was a hill with the Acropolis on top, just like in Athens except it was intact and painted in the most garish colours. I remembered from my history class and from my visit to Athens that the temples of ancient Greece were painted but I had never imagined it in these kitschy wog colours. The town spread around the hill and occupied almost all of the valley below us. 

I had expected Olympus to be a really beautiful place and was taken aback when I saw this dog's breakfast of a town. Every style of building we have on Earth was represented and a few that I hadn't seen before. It was higgledy piggledy cobbled together without overall plan, no streets to speak of, mostly narrow lanes and a few squares. There were hardly any trees and little greenery.

"Not much to look at. Is it?" Marge was amused at my reaction.

"It's dreadful. Why?"

"It's in the nature of this place. The Gods are selfish and jealous. They are only interested in their own place and what they want to have and do there. They don't give a shit how it fits in with everyone else. But, we must go now. Here, hold my hand."

Now comes the crunch, I thought, will she disappear or won't she? I took her hand with apprehension. Nothing happened. It was real. I had seen it right. Before she could whisk us off I pulled her into my arms and kissed her. She responded with passion. Then she pushed me back. With ragged breath she said "Later, Darling, we must go and see the boss."

There was a moment of disorientation and then we were in an olive grove. It was the first truly beautiful thing I saw since I got here. A small stream fed by a waterfall ran through the grove. The trees that filtered the harsh sunlight and gave an air of tranquillity to the place were full of colourful birds. There were bees and butterflies. A picture of perfection. In front of us an old bearded man sat on a marble bench. He looked stern and uncompromising. I figured that was Zeus.




A God Called Bruce Pt. 01



"G'day Chief," I said. "Greetings from Australia."

"You sound like Bruce," he said. His voice sounded grumpy.

"I take that as a compliment."

"Why is that?" He sounded even more grumpy than before.

I decided to go for broke. "Well, I figure if the Boss of the universe tells a mere mortal he sounds like a fucking God that would have to be a compliment."

Marge was horrified, she didn't know where to look. Zeus looked at me and I could see he was having problems trying to keep a straight face. His effort was futile, he burst out laughing and the stern look had completely disintegrated.

"I don't believe the hide of you. No one has ever spoken to me like that, not even Bruce would dare. Aren't you afraid of me? Don't you know that I can kill you with a thought or torture you for centuries if I so choose?"

"Look Chief," I said. "I have been shot at and had to duck bombs before I was old enough to count to a hundred. There are cars, planes, ships, machines all around me where I live, not to mention crocodiles and snakes and criminals, any of which could kill me if things went wrong. If I were afraid of what might happen I'd never put a foot in front of another. What will happen will happen. In the meantime, at least I am alive and not paralysed by fear."

"You are either a very brave man, or a very foolish one."

"A bit of both I reckon, a bit of both."

"I like you," grinned Zeus. "What I want to know now is, can you deliver what you promised to Marge."

"Marge, come over here," I said.

When she came over I grabbed her and gave her a passionate kiss, one hand squeezing her tit.

I let go, looked at Zeus and asked: "Convinced?"

"Now fuck her," he commanded.

"What? Here? In front of you?"

"Of course. Marge is not shy, she is begging for it."

He waved his hand and I found myself lying next to Marge on a huge bed. We were both naked. I had not seen Marge naked before, she was beautiful. My dick came up like an old fashioned railway signal and was ready for action. I put my hand between Marge's legs. She was dripping.

"Get on with it then," urged Zeus.

That was it. I went up her like a rat up a drain pipe and gave her one of the best. Three times I came. I lost count of how many times she got off. I forgot all about Zeus and revelled in her like a horny college boy.

Eventually I was spent, and so was Marge. When I pulled out and declared a break Zeus applauded loudly and complimented me on my technique.

"That was as good a root as ever I did see," he said. "No wonder we like screwing humans, they are so much more inventive and enthusiastic than the Gods."

Next minute we were clean and fully dressed again. The bed had disappeared.

"You go home now Marge," he said. "I want to talk to that miscreant here alone for a while."

Marge gave me a hug and a kiss on the cheek, bowed to Zeus and disappeared.

Zeus waved his hand and we were sitting on a table laden with food and drink, still in the grove though. He handed me a golden goblet filled with some golden fluid and said: "Here, drink that, it will restore your strength."

"What is it?"

"Ambrosia, nectar of the Gods. You can only get it here on Olympus. Few mortals have tasted it."

It was actually quite nice, a bit sweet for my taste but not overwhelmingly so. It did however refresh me thoroughly. My aching muscles were restored to full strength and my tiredness was gone.

"Good stuff, isn't it? One more of these and you could do Marge all over again. Want another one?"

"I appreciate the offer, but right now I could do with a beer."

"Just like Bruce. You fellows are like peas in a pod."

He handed me a beer and we got into the food. Simple Greek fare. Fresh bread, olives, fetta, stuff wrapped in vine leaves, that sort of thing. I loved it.

"What you did is really very nice," Zeus said after a while, suddenly looking pensive and worried. "It will be nice to fool around with humans again, but I'm worried that the same old pandemonium will start all over again and the thing will get out of hand."

"Tell me, how many of your mob know about the gate I came through?"

"They all know about it but only I, and now Marge, know how it works."

"Then I can solve your problem, I think. Tell Marge not to talk about it and keep her trap shut how come she got fucked today."

"So what are you going to do right now?"

"I'll go back home and do a few experiments. If I'm right you can have a complete plan in about three or four days. Just make sure no one else knows how the gate works. My plan would stuff up if that gets around. And I don't want anyone to know she fucked me, otherwise I have every horny Goddess on my doorstep and I'll get nothing done."

"I'll see to it. Good luck my boy, see you in a few days. Just call out for me when you're ready." Zeus waved his hand and I found myself back in Vaucluse, next to the lighthouse."

Suddenly I had this idea. The sheer audacity of it stunned even me, but I knew I was going to try it even if it brought the whole pantheon down on me. Ave Zeus, morituri te salutant.



Chapter 6:     A backdoor to Olympus




I figured that if Bruce's medallion could take me from the human plane to the Olympus plane in my house it might work here on the power spot. Green for Earth, red for Olympus, he had said. I took the thing off my neck and rubbed the red side. There was a weird feeling, as if it didn't know what to do. I thought about it for a while. Perhaps it needed to know where I was going. I pictured the little temple where we had arrived in my mind and rubbed the red side again. A second later I was there. Before anyone could spot me I pictured the ground at Vaucluse and rubbed the green side. Back on Earth again.

I had created a road into Olympus the Gods didn't know about. It gave me a feeling of power and victory. I caught a cab home and got into the beer. I was celebrating.

There was a fly in the ointment though. All well and good to get there, but then what? I needed an ally on the other side. I only knew four people from there, Zeus, Bruce, Marge and Lil. Zeus was out, I didn't want him to know, so were the women. Never trust a woman with a secret, sooner or later they get pissed off with you over something and blabber your secrets all over the universe as an act of revenge. Afterwards they feel remorseful, but by then you are fucked. Your dirty linen is blowing all over town and there is no way to retrieve it.

That left only Bruce. You can't really trust a God, but I had little choice. Maybe he would be alright, he was bit of a rebel for sure. He had criticised some of the Gods and even called Zeus an arsehole. Besides, he was the only game in town. He had said all I had to do was call him if I wanted his company.

He didn't say how, so I took a punt, went into the back yard and yelled:

"Fancy a beer and a chat Bruce?"

"I knew you'd call," he said and sat down.

I gave him a beer. I didn't really know where to start. Bruce gave me the opening.

"You fucked Marge today, didn't you?"

"Did she tell you that?"

"No, but I kind of know. She looks and acts five hundred years younger. I actually enjoyed her company today. You've done the whole of Olympus a favour."

"Alright. I did. My system works. But there is more. I have discovered things about Earth and Olympus that even Zeus is unaware of. To benefit from my discoveries I need an ally on Olympus. Will you be that ally?"

"I've been bored shitless for centuries. Then you come along and suddenly I feel adventurous and alive again. Yeah, I'll string along. What do you want me to do?"

"For the time being I want you just to be my mate and ally. I'll tell you what I've found out and then we'll see if we can do something with it."

He stood up and stuck his hand out. "Done," was all he said and we shook on it.

I got us another beer and I told him about my discoveries about the house and my backdoor into Olympus.

"You know, if anyone else had told me what you just said I would laugh in their face and say that's impossible. I'll go as far as giving you the benefit of doubt. A back door for a human to get into Olympus on his own? No one, not even Zeus, would believe that this can be done."

"That's the beauty of it."

"You realise I need to see this for myself. It's just too outrageous."

"Okay, fair enough, let me give you a demo. You know the old lighthouse in Vaucluse?"

"Sure do."

I stuck my hand out. "Take me there."

When we got there I showed him the power spot.

"I can see it. You want to use that? Not even the Gods know how to use these."

I described the temple where Marge and I had arrived on Olympus. He told me he knew the place. 

"You go there now and I'll join you. Will that be a convincing test?"

"That'll do it," he said, and vanished.

I rubbed my medal and joined him.

"Well I'll be fucked. You're for real!"

"Let's get back to Vaucluse, I need you to get home."

We were back sipping our beer. Bruce was very quiet. Evidently what he had seen had rattled him. I let him brood for a while. When I figured he'd had enough of that I asked: "Bruce, that medallion that you gave me, what does it do? How does it work?"

He laughed. "That fucking thing does bugger all. It is only an aid. All you need to do is focus on the colour as well as your destination. Red for Olympus, green for Earth."

Then it hit me. That's how the power spots work.

"How would you like to come with me on the greatest adventure since Zeus pooped in his nappies?"

"What are you talking about?"

"I mean like going to the stars, visiting other realities, go places where no God or human has been for millennia, if ever."

"You are talking about the power spots?"

"Yep."

"But no one knows how they work."

"Correction, I know how they work."

"Are you telling me you can go to the stars right now?"

"No, I need a map."

"And where will you get one of these?"

"I was hoping on Olympus."

"There is no such thing on Olympus, the Gods would know if there was."

"Pardon me Bruce, with all due respect, the Gods don't seem to be very bright. They have been putting up with Zeus' hex for a millennium and didn't know how to get around it. Then I come along and solve it in no time at all. The Gods seem to have their heads so far up their own arses all they can see is shit. I bet there are maps on Olympus but you don't know what they are and you've never been curious enough to find out."

"And you smart Alec reckon you can find these maps? Don't make me laugh. You have only been on Olympus in the temple and in Zeus' place and already you reckon you know it all. Get real. I have been on Olympus for a very long time, I know every nook and cranny of it and I am telling you there are no such maps."

"You wouldn't know what to look for."

"But you do." Bruce's voice was dripping with sarcasm.

"Yes. I have a fair idea what such a map would have to look like. It wouldn't look like any of the maps we know of, that's why no one recognises them for what they are."

"Alright Mister Smart Prick. Tell me what these maps look like and why the Gods aren't clever enough to figure out what they are."

"You haven't even asked me exactly what I do to get to Olympus. That's the whole key to it. Remember how you gave me that medal and showed me how to get from my old house to my new house, how to flip from Earth space to Olympus space? 

"After Zeus had dropped me off in Vaucluse I got to thinking if the same technique might work on a power spot. I figured the power spot was some kind of a portal that connected Earth with Olympus somehow. I stood on the spot and rubbed the red side of the medal. It kind of felt like it wanted to send me off but didn't know where to. So I imagined the temple where Marge and I had landed and rubbed the medal and - Bingo - I was there. Remember, at that time I still thought that medal of yours had magical powers.

"A little while ago you told me that the medal is only an aid to focus on a specific colour. That's when I figured out how the power spots work. There are only so many colours and possibly millions of spaces, so it stands to reason that there are many spaces that use, for instance, red or green and so forth. You have to know the colour of the space you want to go to but that isn't enough. You also have to be able to picture a power spot in the space you want to travel to and that makes it difficult if you haven't been there before. Are you with me so far?"

"Yes, I think so." Bruce had dropped his sarcasm and was listening attentively to what I was saying.

"Alright, now that we know what you need in order to travel we can get an idea what a map would have to look like. It would have to show a colour and an associated picture of a power spot. Perhaps a picture of a landscape or a building with a coloured frame around it or something similar. We also know this knowledge is old, so old in fact that even the Gods can't remember it. Perhaps it's older than the Gods on Olympus themselves. 

"The ancients put important imagery up by way of buildings and monuments. They knew not to trust paper, vellum or papyrus. These are too easily destroyed. So what we are looking for are pictures like the ones I've described on an ancient monument or in an ancient temple, maybe as a frieze or something, possibly on the walls of a cave. Perhaps we can find some here on Earth, but more likely on Olympus where nothing decays."

"I owe you an apology my boy. You are right. There are indeed places with pictures like that on Olympus. To us the images are a curiosity, we think they are just weird decorations, but they are like you described."

"Look Bruce, it's getting late and I am rooted. I need some sleep. Can we continue this conversation some other time?"

"Sure my boy. Good night, sleep well." And he was gone.

In spite of being tired I had difficulties going to sleep. The possibilities were just too staggering. Eventually I drifted off.  






Chapter 7:  I become a Demigod






The smell of sizzling bacon woke me up. I threw on a pair of shorts and went to have a look at what was going on. It was Bruce. He had fired up the barbeque and was making breakfast. There was already a can of beer in his hand. 

"Go have your shit, shower and shave. By the time you're finished it'll be ready," he said in lieu of a greeting.

"Alright Bruce, see you shortly."

I did what I had to do. When I went back to see Bruce the breakfast was on the table and some coffee for me.

"I thought it might be a bit early in the day for beer for you. We Gods don't need to sleep. Mornings mean little to us."

"Thanks, mate."

When we were finished he did his hand waving again that did the cleaning up.

"Have a look at these, Sport." He said. He handed me half a dozen colour pictures of the kind of thing we had been talking about.

"Where did you get these?"

"Took them. You think you are the only ones with digital cameras and computers? I am even on the net. Got my own website. Not bad for a God who's not too bright, eh?"

I knew he was having a shot at me so I just laughed. I studied the photographs. They looked right. There was only one way to find out if my theory was correct and that was to travel to one of those destinations. I picked one with a primordial landscape and a purple spot beside it, rather than a picture with buildings where we were likely to come across other sentient beings. I thought nothing much could happen in a Jurassic type world if we were careful. I showed it to Bruce and asked if it was okay with him. He just nodded assent. 

Bruce grabbed my hand and we were off. We went to the power spot, concentrated on the picture and the colour and we were there. 

The first thing I noticed was the smell of sulphur in the air. Active volcanoes. Two suns lit the landscape, one bright yellow, the other, smaller one, almost red. Definitely not Earth. 

We were standing on what looked like a granite ridge overlooking a valley. Huge dinosaur like, brilliant blue creatures were feeding on what looked like bright yellow grass. Bruce pulled a camera from his pocket and took some pictures. A huge bird like creature spotted us and came for us at a rapid pace. Time to piss off in a hurry. Minutes later we were back at my house. 

Without a word Bruce plugged his camera into my computer and printed out some pictures. I was sitting outside, really needing a beer after this. Bruce joined me when he was done and put the pictures on the table. He grabbed a beer for himself and looked at me.

"You know we have to tell Zeus about this, don't you? If he finds out what we have here, and believe me, sooner or later he will, our lives would be worth Jack-shit if we were to keep this from him. This is too big for the two of us."

I hated to admit it but Bruce was right. We had to tell Zeus.

"I'll go and make an appointment for an audience."

"No need to, Bruce. I'll call him and ask him to come here."

"You are going to ask Zeus to come to you?" Bruce looked at me as if I'd gone mad.

"Sure. He and I have a deal."

"This I've got to see. Call him then."

"Not so quick, there is something else I have to do first. Can you get Lil to come here now?"

"No probies." He waved his hand and Lil and Marge materialised. 

I went up to Marge, gave her a hug and squeezed her tit. Of course she got horny and Zeus' hex cut in. She vanished. 

"You did this on purpose," laughed Bruce.

"Yes, I needed to get rid of her. She mustn't see what I am about to do."

I turned to Lil. "Lil, I need your cooperation. You and I will give a demonstration to Zeus shortly. I promise you it won't be unpleasant but you are not to tell anyone about it for now, especially Marge. Will you help? I guarantee you Zeus will love you for it."

"Okay, what do I have to do?"

"Just play along with me, I'll take the lead."

"Alright, this sounds exciting."

"Now I better call Zeus and ask him to come and join us."

Lil stared at me the same way Bruce had done. She stepped back from me a little, suddenly a bit weary. 

"Uncle Zeus, I need to talk to you," I yelled into the heavens.

"Good," a voice came back. "I'll send Marge to get you."

"No good, Chief, you need to come over here. I want to show you something and I can't do that at your place."

"This better be good," he said after he materialised.

"Oh it will be," I said, pulled up a chair and handed him a beer. "Here, sit down, have a drink and enjoy the show."

Lil and Bruce were open mouthed. I had actually summoned Zeus.

"Right. Lil, will you please step inside the house but only a couple of metres so we can still see you."

Very reluctantly she did as I asked.

I went in after her, put my arms around her and gave her a passionate kiss. She responded eagerly, oblivious of the fact that this really shouldn't be happening. I undid her gown, sucked on her nipple and stroked her sex until she came with a squeal. I fastened her gown again and asked her to go into the back yard. When she was back in the yard I tried to touch her back. The hex cut in and she vanished.

"This solves your problem with the extramarital liaisons," I said to Zeus. "I'll explain in detail later how I see this working. Right now I want to show you something even more important."

"Very impressive so far," said Zeus. "What else have you got?"

I told him about the power spots, how I had discovered what to do to get them to work, and showed him the photographs Bruce had taken as proof.

"Who else knows about this?"

"Apart from Bruce and myself, no one. We felt it wasn't our place to take someone else into our confidence. If others are to be involved that has to be your call. You are the boss."

He seemed pleased with that.

"And you got in and out of Olympus twice that way, on your own, without help?"




A God Called Bruce Pt. 01



"Yes. As far as the system is concerned Olympus is just another place in the network. That's why we have to be really careful whom we tell about this, otherwise Olympus is going to be overrun with all sorts of idiots."

"There is that. You have served Olympus very well. I am pleased. I want you and Bruce to explore some of the other worlds and to keep me informed. Use your discretion. Come over here, stand in front of me."

I did as I was asked. He stood up and put his hand on top of my head. A tingly feeling travelled through my body. It wasn't unpleasant but it felt weird. He let go and sat down again.

"Get us another beer and sit down, I need to tell you what just happened."

I grabbed three cans and handed them out, keeping one for myself.

"I can't have you going into the kind of danger you are about to and be a vulnerable human. I have made you a Demigod. You will still be mortal but you will not age, nor will you be susceptible to disease. You will heal quicker if injured and you will have the strength of ten men if you need it. I have also given you the power to teleport to Olympus, just think of the temple you were using and wish to go, it will be enough. Same in reverse. You will never again use the portals to get there. I don't want someone observing you and figure out how it is done. From now on you will be known as Alec."

"Why Alec?"

"For smart Alec," Zeus grinned.

"Well, could have been worse, could have been Arse, for smart arse," I quipped.

"Shit," said Zeus and laughed, "I didn't think of that."

The old man had made a joke. Even in antiquity he wasn't known for doing that.

"Well, can't hang around any longer. Lots of things to do. I'll get back to you." 

A second later he was gone. Bruce was completely flustered. "You got the old cunt eating out of your hand. If I hadn't been here I would have never believed it."

"Don't you tell anyone about it. If that gets out he'll feel his authority is threatened and he'll be twice the prick he was before."

"Yeah, I get it, Mister fucking Demigod, Sir Alec, Sir." Bruce was in stitches. "Honestly though, he has just given us a free hand to play around with universes. This is going to be a lot of fun."

"That's why we have to keep him sweet. We don't want to stuff this up."

"Agreed Mister Demigod."

"Cut it out."

I didn't feel any different. Demigod indeed. I wondered what that meant. 







Chapter 8:   Zeus gets his Rocks off






My first morning as a Demigod served as a painful reminder that being a Demigod is not what it's cracked up to be. A cacophony of sounds scared me out of my sleep. The clock said four AM. I suspected it was Marge getting her own back after what I had done to her. I charged into the living area to tear strips off her when I saw Zeus sitting  in the dining room. 

You can't really chew the master of the universe out for tossing you out of bed so I swallowed my anger and said G'day. 

"Here," he said, "have some of this," and shoved a goblet towards me. 

It was Ambrosia and in a moment I was alert and fresh and rearing to go. That's when I realised I was still naked. I returned to the bedroom to get dressed, Zeus was laughing. When I got back he gave me another goblet of that stuff. I felt like Superman after that.

"I thought you could only get this stuff on Olympus," I queried.

"This is part of Olympus space, or had you forgotten?"

"So it is. Forgive me for being stupid. I am not at my best this early in the morning. Why am I honoured with your visit?"

"There are a few things bothering me for which you might have answers."

"I'll do my best, but don't expect too much. I've only been a Demigod for half a day, most of which I spent asleep."

That got him laughing again.

"The main thing that bothers me is why you could come along and solve in a few days what has been an enigma to us for a very long time."

"Can I be as open as I need to be or will you kick shit out of me for saying something you don't want to hear?"

"You can speak freely."

"Bearing in mind that I know very little about you guys and that I have to take my data from the world around me, which I take to be a reflection of yours, I would say you guys have been resting on your laurels for too long. You have become lazy, self centred and complacent. You are bored shitless and neglect your duties because you can't see a point to it any more. Life has become a boring Sunday afternoon. How close is that?"

"You don't mess around, do you?"

"You asked me to be frank. I wouldn't be doing you any favours by lying to you or placating you."

"What do you suggest we do?"

"Get back to work. Fuck only knows how much needs fixing on this planet of ours. Fix it. Make it a better, more compassionate place. Help those in need and stop the greed. Is that enough to do for you?"

"Thank you for being honest. What did you want to tell me about the extramarital bliss?"

"When I was younger, a few of us rented a small place in town. We painted it, furnished it and made it look nice. That became our shagging room. We could take a partner there and root the crap out of them without wives, girlfriends or parents being any the wiser. We had a roster and everyone got his turn. I want to do something similar with your lot. A place like this, or even this place, perhaps a bit bigger, where they can root as much as they want without being subject to the hex. That way you keep the hassles out of Olympus and you can make sure that any woman who roots there is protected from pregnancy, that sorts the Demigod problem out. Perhaps put someone like Marge in charge to make sure no one breaks the rules."

"That sounds just the ticket. We get Marge to set up another place and do it there. I don't want to go where the others go. For obvious reasons. Do you mind if I bring my dates here?"

"I'd be honoured to have you, which room do you want?"

"I would be adding my own space if that's okay."

"Go for it. If anyone ever had told me I would provide the Lord of the universe with a shagging room I would have called them nuts. Why me, incidentally?"

"I have a feeling I can trust you. You are not greedy. You have had the most powerful being in the universe under your roof and you haven't asked for a thing. That's new to me. I like that. Besides, you make me laugh and believe me, I haven't done that in a very long time.

"Anyway, you must be hungry. Here, have something. I'll have a look at the house." 

He waved his hand and there was enough food and drink on the table to feed a party. I got into it. I had just finished breakfast when he returned to the table. He waved his hand and everything was cleared away. The place was spotless again.

"Come on," he said, let me show you what I've done."

There was a new door in the hallway where there had been a bare wall before. 

"Only you and I can see this door. Come in, have a look."

He opened the door and we walked into an olive grove, exactly like the one on Olympus.

"I know you love this, I could see it in your eyes when you came to my place with Marge. You can come here whenever you wish, but only you, no one else. Is that understood?"

"Yes it is." 

"Good," he said and disappeared, leaving me in that wonderful place. I had a good look at everything and went back into the main house, closing the door carefully.

I meant to go back to bed. No such luck. Bruce turned up. In spite of the still early hour we had a beer.

"Zeus has asked me to show you around and introduce you to a few folks on Olympus, now that you're a Demigod."

"Much appreciated, but I don't feel like socialising at this stage. I would love to see the temple, or whatever it is, where you found the maps."

"Okay, let's go. The little temple first and I'll take you from there."

We found ourselves in a tunnel like thing. It wasn't a cave, it was too precise for that. The walls, ceiling and floor were made of a seamless cream coloured substance that felt soft to the touch. The pace was well it, but there did not seem to be a discernible source. The walls were covered with pictures, oodles of them. They were of a uniform size about two feet long and eighteen inches high.  In the bottom left hand corner was a coloured dot about three inches in diameter.

"Where the fuck are we?"

"We are deep inside the hill under the Acropolis. There are tunnels everywhere just like this one. They all radiate like a star from a central point."

"Can you get me to the centre?"

"Sure," he said, touched me on the shoulder and we were there.

It looked like an underground version of  L'Étoile in Paris except it was much larger and had many more tunnels radiating from it than streets in Paris. Perhaps whoever designed that thing in France had been here. Instead of the Arc de Triomphe there was a gazebo like structure, not more than thirty feet in diameter and about twenty feet high. It was made from the same material as everything else and seemed to have no doors or windows. I asked Bruce if there was a way to get inside.

"There have been any number of attempts. They even tried tools and explosives, all failed. No one tries any more."

"You realise, we have to get in there if we want to find out what this shit is about."

"How are you going to get in there when even the Gods could not find a way?"

"The God's couldn't find a way around Zeus' hex to get a fuck. They had a thousand years to figure it out. It really doesn't surprise me that they couldn't get in here either."

"You are an arrogant bastard."

"No, a realist, but I am going to need some help with this."

"So the Gods aren't useless after all."

"They are only good for the legwork, not much else. I want every picture in those tunnels put into machine readable format, all scaled the same size and loaded on to a hard drive. This will be our database. We'll take it from there. Can you get that done?"

"No, you need Zeus to command them to do that. What do you want it for? There are thousands of pictures, even the Gods will have to work hard to get that done. They will not like it. You are going to have a hard time to get them to agree, even with Zeus backing you."

"Not even if  Zeus guarantees them they can fuck humans again if they do as they're told? They don't know yet that the problem has been solved. As far as they are concerned they are still in a millennia long drought."

"You are a sneaky cunt. Yep, that might swing it."

"Good, let's get out of here."

"Want to come to my place for a drink? We can have a drink with Marge and Lil and then go back to Sydney."

"Lead the way, Brother, sounds good to me." 

We arrived at this large Australian farmhouse with a rusty corrugated iron roof, verandas all around, a huge backyard with chooks, a couple of dogs, a cow, a few goats, two horses and a pig running around. There was a big barbeque and the obligatory outdoor dunny. It even had an Australian windmill that pumped water into a trough for the animals. It felt like a farm house in the Australian bush. Apart from Zeus' joint this was the best thing I had seen on Olympus so far. I told Bruce what I thought.

"You tell Marge that. She tried to poofterise the place, but I put my fucking foot down."

We sat down on the back veranda. Bruce waved his hand to get the barbeque going and a slab of beer materialised on the table. 

We had hardly started on our drinks when Marge and Lil turned up. I stood up to greet them. Marge threw her arms around me, gave me a huge open mouthed kiss and grabbed me by the dick right in front of her husband. 

"Leave the poor bloke alone," said Bruce. "There is more to a man than his dick."

"Yeah? And that would be what?" Marge queried, but released me nevertheless. Then it was Lil's turn. She was as bad as her mother.

"Knock it off you two, I don't want the smell of anchovies hanging all over the barbeque. Make yourselves useful and get some food on the table, get some salads or something."

To my surprise, the girls did as they were told. In spite of appearances to the contrary Bruce seemed to be the boss around here. After we had our meal Lil sat on my lap and put her arms around me, kissing my neck while I tried to keep a conversation going. When she popped one of her breasts out and tried to shove it in my mouth Marge said to me:

"For crying out loud. Go and give the poor girl a root before she floats down the road on her own juices. Don't worry about us, it's about time Bruce got lucky."

Lil jumped off my lap, grabbed me by the hand and dragged me into the house. Before we disappeared into the building I cast a quick glance back. Marge was already naked and trying to tear Bruce's clothes off. 

The next few moments were a blur to me. When I regained my senses I was shagging the arse off Lil on a huge four poster bed. She was a screamer. I thought any minute the whole neighbourhood would come running in trying to prevent that poor girl from being murdered. Nothing happened. Perhaps the neighbours were used to it. What Marge had in technique and experience Lil more then made up for with sheer enthusiasm and unbridled animal lust. The future threesome that both of them had hinted at looked promising, though I wasn't at all sure if I could keep it up to the two of them.

Hours later my poor body was literally fucked and I teleported back home. I sat on my veranda guzzling a beer, my knees wobbly and my breath still ragged. Two or three beers later I had recovered enough to go to my bedroom. As I passed through the hallway I noticed Zeus' door was wide open. I looked inside.

There, in the middle of the olive grove was a much younger looking Zeus with a big titted tart on what looked like a wrestler's mat, doing her doggie style with gusto. He looked at me and waved, never missing a stroke. I guessed if he could turn himself into a bull or a swan to get a root he could just as easily transform himself into a young stud.

I waved back at Zeus and left him to it. Time to hit the sack.






Chapter 9:     Lil gets laid again





My second day as a Demigod and my second day to get woken up at an ungodly hour. The culprit was Lil who had come into my bedroom and saw me naked on the bed. By the time I came to my senses she was riding the pony and the pony was yours truly. She had made good use of my morning glory and it would have been a happy occasion if I hadn't been busting for a piss and her vigorous humping of my nether regions weren't pushing me closer and closer to disaster.

I threw her off and ran into the bathroom. She was pouting when I came back. I was angry with her for waking me up and I was about to tell her off when the expression on her face melted me completely. She was just too cute and I was far too much in love with her to stay angry. I reached for her and soon she was screaming again like yesterday.  There had to be something about this Demigod business because I recovered really quickly after we finished.

Lil was content to just lie there and be cuddled, but I had things to do, besides I was hungry from all that exertion. She complained a bit when I got up, showered and got dressed, but she followed me into the kitchen. We cooked breakfast together and then went outside to eat on the veranda. By that time it was mid morning.

"Tell me Lil, how do I apply for an audience with Zeus?"

"What are you asking me that for? All you have to do is call him."

"I don't want to abuse that. Perhaps there will be times when this is called for. For day to day matters I would rather go through channels like everyone else. One must never abuse privilege."

"You have to ask mum or dad. I've never needed to do that. I am only a lowly muse, I rarely get to see the high and mighty."

"We'll better be off to see them then." 

I had hardly said that when Lil disappeared. Shit. I had no idea how to get there. I knew how to get to that little temple and that was it. I was just about to call out to Bruce when I decided to try something new. I pictured Bruce's backyard and 'wished' myself there. To my surprise it worked. It was a beautiful day on Olympus, sunny and hot.

"Lookie who's here," said Bruce to Marge and Lil. "Looks like the old boy gave him some more powers than he told him about. I wonder what else he can do."

Turning to me he said: "Sit down, have a beer and tell me why you are here."

"I want to make an appointment with Zeus to arrange the data base. We need to get moving on that as soon as possible."

"Good call. Let's go and do that."

"No need," said Zeus, who had just materialised. "Seeing that I have all of you here we can get a few things moving."

Bruce pulled up a chair and offered it to the boss. When Zeus was seated he handed him a beer. Like an old trooper Zeus popped the can and got into it.

"I had forgotten how good a beer can be on a day like this. Come on everybody, sit down, have a drink. I don't like drinking on my own."

There was no arguing with the boss. Everyone sat like good little boys and girls waiting for the master's orders.

"Marge and Lil. I want you to do something for me. As of now in addition to your normal duties you Marge, are the Madam to the Gods, and Lil is your assistant. You are to build a place on Earth like you did for Alec but much bigger. It will be called The Divine Shagging Room."

He explained my concept in more detail, with a few added touches and sent them on their way. He then turned to Bruce and me.

"Now that we've got that out of the way what do you guys want from me?"

I explained what I had decided to do. He listened attentively and never interrupted my presentation. When I was finished he asked me what I needed. I told him I wanted some help to put the database together.

"Darrin, Algenon get here on the double," he yelled and two guys appeared. Zeus introduced them to me. "Darrin is the God of computer hardware and Algenon is the God of computer software. They will provide you with what you need. Just tell them what you want them to do." Zeus did his disappearing act before I had a chance to comment.

Darrin looked like something out of the Forties with his slicked down hair, white lab coat and Clark Gable moustache. Algenon had pierced eyebrows, any number of earrings along his lobes, a stud in his tongue and wore dreadlocks. A tee shirt, jeans with designer rips and Nike trainers completed the picture. They stared at me with open hostility. I had to do something quick to defuse the situation.

"Look fellows," I said, "I can see you are pissed off about having to take orders from a mere Demigod. I understand that, but as far as I am concerned that accounts for Jack-shit. I am not going into a pissing competition with you, so here are the rules:

"I have to do a job for Zeus. I am the only one who knows what that entails. In order to do the job I need specialised input. I need you guys to put a database together and develop software that I will specify. That's all. You can recruit help, you will need it. The data gathering part is a massive project on its own. I will not interfere in the way you run things as long as the job gets done. I insist on a daily progress report.

"As special compensation, everybody who works on this project, on completion, will be exempt from Zeus' curse and can screw humans again."

That got their attention. 

I outlined to them what I wanted done. Once they got over their initial shock they actually became quite interested in the project. We decided to meet every day in Bruce's yard in the late afternoon for a progress report and to iron out problems. Afterwards we had a few beers and some nibbles and parted, if not as friends, at least as workers, bent on getting something going.

"You got these pricks sorted out in a hurry. I wonder how long this will last."




A God Called Bruce Pt. 01



"They will whinge until the end of the project. These sort of dickheads thrive on things like 'demarcation disputes' and 'my dick is bigger than yours' contests. I'll have to kick them from time to time, but they'll get the job done."

I said my goodbyes and teleported home. Beats walking, I tell you. The rubbish from this morning was still there; not in the house, Marge's no maintenance house had seen to that, but the backyard was not so privileged. I wondered if I had to clear up the mess when Lil and Marge arrived. I think they were going to try for a threesome.

At least Marge waved her hand and the place was tidy again. Then those two bitches converged on me trying to seduce me.

"Come on girls, leave my dick alone. I am only a freshly made Demigod, I can't root around like a God yet, I need some rest."

Against my protest they took my clothes off and started to fiddle around with me. My dick wasn't interested. He just curled up in a corner and refused to stand to attention. 

"Alright," said Marge, "I can see this isn't going to work, lets put him to bed. They frogmarched me into the bedroom took their clothes off and lay on either side of me on that wonderful bed. I was asleep as soon as my head hit the pillow.






Chapter 10:   The Tunnels





I was vaguely aware that someone was kissing me when I woke up, It felt wrong. Then I knew why. These were not lips that were caressing me, these were nether-lips. They were pushing hard against my mouth and nose. No hair, so it couldn't be Lil, it had to be Marge. I couldn't breathe. Circles spun before my eyes. It had to stop. In desperation I bit those juicy piss-flaps that were smothering me. Not enough to do permanent damage, but enough to hurt. She jumped off me like a grasshopper, cursing and yelling. I had been right, it was Marge.

I was gasping for air, unable to speak. Marge stopped her tirade of swearing when she saw my distress. 

"Jeeesus Marge, you nearly killed me with your twat, how would that have looked on my death certificate as cause of death?"

"Sorry, I got carried away."

"Go and make some breakfast while I have a shower. I am starved."

To my surprise she got up and went into the kitchen without complaint. Lil followed me into the shower and washed my back. She wanted to play, but I didn't feel like it. Besides, I wanted to go to work on my project. 

For Gods who didn't need to eat to survive those two surely munched a lot and with relish. The moment I was finished with my meal I got up, gave them both a peck on the cheek and teleported out of there before they could complain.

I materialised in Bruce's yard where he was already into the beer. I had one with him, telling myself I only drank it because I didn't want to offend him; which is utter bullshit, but it cuts down on feeling guilty.

"Alright, lets have a look how the geeks are doing. I reckon they will set up their main station at the star. From there they can reach every tunnel, logical spot." With that Bruce went. I was on my own again.

I had not yet tried to teleport from one spot on Olympus to another. It worked. Darrin and Algenon had set up benches with computers and monitors just outside that temple like structure. They already had some pictures on the screen. Both of them ignored my 'G'day', which I thought was rude and ignorant. I looked at the pictures on the screen.

"These pictures are no good," I said

"Whaaat? There is nothing wrong with those pictures." Darrin was adamant.

"Which part of 'these pictures are no good' didn't you understand, Dickhead?"

Darrin stared at me as though he was going to attack me, then thought better of it, probably remembering that Zeus would not like it. Instead he growled: "What's wrong with them?"

"I can see what you have done. You have set up a camera on a tripod in the tunnel and took a picture of about ten of them, then cropped the individual images, sized them and stored them on the machine. Correct?"

"Yes. What's wrong with that?"

"Everything. Because of the perspective involved, the further you get away from the centre the more distorted the angles become.  Also the lighting is not uniform. That means that each picture has slightly different parameters. We are looking at classifying the pictures and organising them into a database. How is Algenon's programme going to decide which points of reference are part of the picture and which ones are distortion?"

"He is right, you know," said Algenon. "I hadn't considered that. It is good that we have found out now, before we got going. We would have got meaningless results.

"What do you suggest we do?"  Darrin was suddenly a lot less aggressive.

"All the pictures are of uniform size, in fact very precisely so and sit on a perfectly flat and smooth wall. Build a scanner of exactly that size, set up some trolley with a movable arm so you can position the scanner accurately over the picture and obtain your image. No parallax or lighting problems, uniform image parameters. Algenon will be able to work with them."

Darrin looked at me and stuck his hand out. "I owe you an apology. You know what you are doing. I can work with someone like you. Let's start again." 

I shook hands with him and Algenon. We were a proper team now. 

"Let's drink to that." True to form Bruce gave everyone a can of beer and grinned. I love those pisspot Aussie Gods. There should be more of them.

"What are we actually looking for?" Algenon's question was reasonable and logical. Pity I had to lie to him, at least in part.

"Zeus wants to find out what these pictures mean," I said. "I suggested a database and subsequent classification of the pictures could possibly give us the clues to their significance. There appears to be a pattern. Landscapes, buildings, landmarks, colours, these sort of things are repeated over and over in some sort of order. It might actually be a language, something like hieroglyphics perhaps."

"And how will you go about decoding this?" Algenon was all ears.

"Let's first find out how many grouping we can get. The colours are an obvious starting point. We start with that and whittle it down. If my theory is correct there will be one picture that is unique, one that fits into no grouping. I want you to find me that picture. It will provide the key, I believe."

"I am starting to get very excited about this project," said Algenon. "Let's get into it. There won't be much for me to do until there are a fair few pictures on line. I'll give Darrin a hand with collecting images until then, if it's alright with you."

"Fine. See you tonight at Bruce's place for a beer and a talk. Come on Bruce, let's go."

Back at Bruce's place he got the barbie going and the beers out.

"Look Alec, I didn't want to say anything at the time, but what is this bullshit with the one picture that's different?"

"No bullshit Bruce, unless I got it completely wrong it'll be there."

"Will you recognise it for what it is when you see it?"

"Bet your knackers Bruce."

"Stop playing silly buggers and tell me or tell me to piss off, either or."

"Look, its really simple. We know what the pictures can do. We travelled on one of them. You were there. Tell me Bruce, where were we?"

"I'm fucked if I know, up there somewhere." He pointed his hand to the sky.

"Perhaps. Perhaps we were in a different universe altogether. In fact, that is more likely. But that isn't the point right now. Fact is we have no idea where we went. The picture didn't tell us that, it just got us there. But something had to know!"

"Who had to know?"

"Not who Bruce - what. The whole shebang is not natural. It is an artefact, perhaps millions of years old, perhaps originating in an altogether different universe. In other words, someone built that fucker. It is a system of machines that still work. As such it has to have a physical presence. The system knows the physical location that the pictures refer to. Something like that must have a control centre. That's where we need to go."

"And that picture you are looking for will get us there?"

"No. Remember the tunnel system? All tunnels converge on a single point, like the spokes of a wheel. At the centre is the gazebo like structure that no one has been able to get into. This is the control centre for this sector, the hub. The picture will get us in there."

"How?"

"Same way we got into the other place. We teleport in. Do you know of any other way to get inside a building that has no doors or windows? The picture will show us a reference point inside that structure. That's why it will be different from all the other images. Once inside, we should be able to figure out how to get to central control.

"Let's have something to eat. I'm getting hungry and the smell of that meat on the barbie gets my juices going."

Bruce whipped up all the trimmings that went with it and we got stuck into it. We were not even half way into the meal when Darrin and Algenon turned up. Bruce asked them to join us, something they happily accepted. Darrin informed us they had finished building the scanner and that it was working fine. They wanted me to have a look at it before they made more of them. The intention was to have one scanner and one operator in each tunnel. Darrin had worked out it would take about ten days to complete the image acquisition if it was done this way. We finished our meal and returned to the tunnels. 

The scanner was a masterpiece of engineering. I could see the pride in Darrin's and Algenon's eyes when I admired their achievement. Darrin put the machine through its paces and showed me the acquired images. They were just what I wanted. I told them how happy I was with their progress and that they could take the rest of the day off. Both were smiling when Bruce and I left. We were on the road.

We went to my place and had a beer in the backyard. I pulled out my smokes and there were only two cigarettes left, one for Bruce and one for me. I cursed. Because I had not been out of the house on the Earth side since the disaster with the walloper's car I had not bought any. Bruce laughed and materialised a couple of cartons on the table.

"Happy now?"

I nodded

"So how did you go with your threesome?"

I said there hadn't been one. When I told him the story of how Marge had nearly killed me with her snatch Bruce was pissing himself laughing, suggesting I ought to write a story called The Goddess with the Killer Twat. 

The girls turned up a short time later. They behaved for once. Of course they couldn't touch me in the yard, or they would have disappeared, but even when we moved inside the house after it got too chilly outside they didn't try anything on.

When Bruce went home Marge went with him after giving me a chaste kiss on the cheek. Lil asked me if she could stay the night. I asked her why she was asking all of a sudden. 

At first she was reluctant to tell me, but she caved in eventually. Apparently Zeus had told them off about stalking me and laid down the law. They could only fool around with me and come into my bedroom at my invitation.

I invited Lil into my bed and soon after we were at it again. It was nice.



A God Called Bruce Pt. 02



Chapter 11:  Humping Hera


The next ten days were sheer hard work. The boys were flat out collecting and cataloguing the images. Now that the technical problems had been solved Darrin's job had become just hard slog. He didn't seem to mind. He was happy supervising his crews and making sure production targets were met. 

Algenon had made a major discovery. He found that under ten times magnification the pictures showed a lot of detail that was not visible to the naked eye. I saw straight away the importance of what was revealed. Some of the markers now visible were obviously part of the system's way of classifying the images. We could use this, it would cut out a lot of work. The problem was, I could not explain what it meant to Algenon without revealing what the pictures were. The poor guy was hamstrung. I decided to take the matter up with Zeus.

I went through channels and asked for an audience. That night, when I arrived home I found Zeus in my living room. He had changed his appearance again and looked like a college footballer. He waved me to follow him and we went to his grove. A table was already laid out, laden with the sort of Greek nibblies that Zeus liked so much and a jug of wine. 

About ten feet from the table was this enormous bed with two naked, well stacked girls fast asleep cuddled up to each other. Zeus evidently liked women with big tits.

"American cheerleaders," he explained, "not very adventurous in bed, but Boy, can they give head."

He poured me a wine. It was Retsina, the pine flavoured wine so popular in Greece that complements their food so well.

"What do you want to talk to me about?"

"What about them?" I pointed at the tarts on the bed.

"They won't wake up until I want them to. You can talk freely."

I brought Zeus up to date on the project and told him that having Darrin and Algenon working in ignorance was a serious handicap.

"What do you want to do?"

"I want them in. They are competent boys and I need good technicians once I get into the control centre anyway. Sooner or later they have to know. It would be best if they knew as of now."

"Swear them to secrecy. Tell them there is a place in Tartarus for them if they can't keep their mouths shut."

We had some more food and wine. Zeus offered me one of the cheerleaders but I declined. I bade my farewells, went to my bedroom and called Lil.

I was on top, pumping away like crazy when an angry voice interrupted the proceedings. 

"How did you get around my edict? Answer!"

Lil opened her eyes, said, "Oh shit - Hera," and disappeared.

Hera or not, I was pissed off. I jumped off the bed and stood in front of her, my dick sticking out like the cannon of a tank.

"You've got a hide interrupting a man in the middle of a fuck," I yelled.

For a moment she didn't say a word. She just stood there and stared at my prick. I could see her nipples getting hard and I smelled her sex getting wet. This ability of mine to smell when a woman gets excited has gotten me more roots than anything else. Dyke or not, she was not impervious to a bit of dong and she was ready for it. I stepped up to her, pulled her gown off, threw her on the bed and entered her without as much as an I beg your pardon.

She wasn't what I call a good root. She just lay there with her legs apart occasionally whimpering when she came. I let her have a few orgasms before I let loose. When I had dumped my load I pulled out of her and went outside to get myself a beer. She cursed, chased after me and tried to hit me, but by that time we were across the doorstep and when she came too close the curse she herself had initiated cut in and she disappeared. Her screaming and yelling carried on for a few seconds longer, then silence.

I really needed that beer now. It was getting a bit cold outside so I grabbed myself a couple of tinnies and some smokes and went into the living room where it was comfortably warm. I had not even finished my first can when Zeus turned up. He was howling with laughter. 

"I still don't believe it," he said after he caught his breath, "you have knocked off her Dykeyness, the high and mighty bitch from Olympus. I don't think I have ever laughed so hard in all my life."

"How did you find out?"

"I was playing with my cheerleaders when the racket started. She was cursing and going after you. I looked down the hallway and caught a glimpse of her trying to hit you and disappear as the hex cut in. I went after her. When I caught up she was screaming and yelling, stamping her foot in anger, while your cream was running down her legs. I laughed so hard. When she saw where I was looking she got even madder and disappeared again. I didn't go after her."

"She'll kill me when she gets hold of me."

"No, she won't. Right now she is madder at me for seeing her with your spunk running down her legs than at anything you've done. When she calms down she will be very orderly and proper, hoping no one is going to mention this disgraceful episode ever. If she were to attack you it would get out eventually what happened and she wouldn't want that. Don't be surprised though if one day she comes back for seconds."

"Why would she want to do that?"

"You keep forgetting, we are Gods. We have been around for millennia. We have done it all, seen it all and are bored shitless, looking at the same crap over and over. Then you come along and shit happens, not bad shit, just amusing and exciting shit. Hera would have had more excitement tonight than in the last thousand years together. She'll be back for sure. She won't be able to resist it."

I had had enough, I said goodnight to Zeus and went back to bed. Zeus returned to his cheerleaders.

Next morning I filled Darrin and Algenon in at Bruce's place. They found it hard to believe what I had discovered. They argued and argued. Finally Bruce had enough.

"Let's not fuck around. Why don't we just take the boys to where we went the last time and let them see for themselves."

I agreed and off we went. When we got there the first thing I looked for was that big bird, but he wasn't around. 

"Where are we?" said Algenon.

"You tell me. That's what we need to find out. That's part of the job."

We watched the dinosaur type creatures for a while and then we went back to Olympus. Algenon had a handful of pebbles in his hand. 

"What are these for?" asked Bruce.

"To make sure this was no hallucination or projection of some sort."

"Alright fellows, " I said, "are you convinced now?"

"Lead mein glorious Führer, we will follow," said Darrin, giving a mock Nazi salute.

"Sieg fucking Heil," replied Bruce and washed his mouth out with beer.

We sat down again at Bruce's place and I outlined my theories on the whole system, how I saw it functioning, the structure of the network and so forth.

"You are making an awful lot of assumptions," said Algenon.

"Yes, I am. Much of it is logical progression though from what we know. So it's at least partly qualified."

"Have you considered that we travelled in time, rather than space?" This came from Darrin.

"Yes, but I know this is not so. I discovered the system travelling from Earth to Olympus."

"On your own, as a human? I don't believe it." Darrin just stared at me.

"Ask Bruce. I gave him a demonstration. That's why Bruce and Zeus believed me and put me in charge. That's also why we must maintain secrecy or Olympus will be overrun by idiots."

"You mean anyone who knows the system can travel on it?" Darrin was still stumped.

"Yes, that's exactly what I am saying. The system is like the railways on Earth. You have the fare, you can travel. The fare, in this instance is the image of where you want to go. You also must know about power spots, but then, on Earth you have to know where the railway stations are, same thing.

"Alright boys, shall we get back to work?"

"You got it," said Darrin and Algenon in unison, and disappeared.

"What are we going to do now, Alec?"

"Why don't we have a couple of drinks and wait for the girls?"

"Alright, what do you want them for?"

"Darrin's crews will finish their job in the next day or two. They will want to know when they can have a root. I want to know how God's shagging room is shaping up." 

"Speak of the Devil, here they are." Bruce whipped up some wine for the girls.

Marge came up to me, gave me a big open mouthed kiss and rubbed my dick. Lil did likewise. Then it was Bruce's turn. He got the same treatment. I stared open mouthed at Lil when she rubbed Bruce's dick.

"What are you looking so gobsmacked for?" asked Marge.

"Lil is playing with Bruce's dick. He is her dad for Zeus' sake."

"So what? What has that got to do with anything?"

"Well, it's incest for a start."

"There is no such thing as incest amongst the Gods," explained Marge. "You know Hera, Zeus' wife? You should know her. You've met her yesterday."

"What has Hera got to do with it?" I was mystified.

"Well, she is not only Zeus' wife, she is also his sister. Look it up in Wikipedia, if you don't believe me."

This world of the Gods took some getting used to. I kept comparing it to the world of humans, something I had to stop doing if I wanted to keep my sanity. I was still curious about that incest bit though. If the Gods didn't have a problem with it, why was it such a big deal on Earth? Where had that come from? I asked Marge.

"Oh, that's all because of Adam."

"Who is Adam?"

"You know, Adam and Eve, Genesis and all that crap." Marge seemed amused.

"How does Adam get into this?"

"Because it started when he killed Abel."

"Adam didn't kill Abel, Cain did," I insisted.

"I know that's what your religions say, but that's not what happened."

"What happened then?"

"Why don't you and I go home, I cook you a meal and tell you all about it? And afterwards we give your little Willie a bit of exercise."

"Actually, I was thinking of taking Lil home tonight."

"Wrong! Lil had you yesterday. It's my turn today." Marge was adamant.

"And I don't get any say so in the matter?"

"Of course not. It is the women who decide whose pussy, and how much of it, a man is allowed to have. You should know that by now." Marge looked at me triumphantly.

"And if I don't go along with it?"

"Then you go without. Simple as that. Now stop playing silly buggers and let's go."

There wasn't much I could do other than agree. I wasn't going without, that much was certain. I grabbed her hand and we teleported out of there. We landed in the living room. The first thing Marge did was to hex our clothes off. She pushed me into the dining room, made me sit at the table and hopped on my lap. Next there was this enormous pizza on the table and a stein of beer. Marge fed me like a baby, giggling as she did so. My dick was responding to her closeness, Marge lifted her butt, helped me inside and sat down again. 

"Now," she said, "where were we? Oh yes, you wanted to hear the story of Adam and Abel. 

"It all started when the Jewish God, that Jehovah guy, decided to make some chosen people. He made Adam and Lilith and told them to make babies, lots of babies. It wasn't a match made in heaven, if you pardon the pun. Adam fumbled around, his dick was too small for Lilith, he could not bring her off, half the time he shot his wad before he got inside, in short, the marriage was a disaster. One day Lilith just left him and went to have fun with the animals instead.

"Adam went to Jehovah and complained. For some reason Jehovah didn't make him a new wife from scratch, he took one of Adam's ribs and cloned a woman from it. He called her Eve. This time it turned out better, Eve was soon pregnant with Cain. I mean, talking about incest, this was the ultimate incestuous act. Considering where Eve had come from, the guy was literally fucking himself and putting himself up the stick.

"It went well for a while, Eve kept dropping kids. The kids grew up. Cain started raising crops and Abel looked after the sheep. In the meantime Adam had found out how to make wine from grapes and spent more and more time on the piss. He was neglecting Eve.

"You can't really blame Eve for what happened next. I mean, Jehovah had created her for the sole purpose of making lots of kids. To ensure that would happen he had made her perpetually horny. Anyway, with Adam being pissed, at work, or roaming the countryside looking for grapes, Eve's snatch was getting little attention. She started looking elsewhere. There really were only two eligible candidates, Cain and Abel. Cain was a bit thick. Abel was the smarter one of the two by far. He knew what to do, he had tried it with his sheep often enough. When he caught onto what Eve wanted he started sticking a bit into mum.

"In the end Adam found out about it and was mightily pissed off. Adam wasn't stupid though. He figured that if he threw Abel out, Cain would take over the honours and he would still have the same problem. So he killed Abel, blamed Cain for it and threw him out. Cain went into the wilderness and found Lilith. Since Cain had a much bigger dick than Adam and was not a quick-shooter it was a happy match.

"Back at the farm Eve and the other kids guessed what Adam had done. The male kids figured that putting your Willy into Mummy could get you killed and wasn't a good idea, however tempting. That's how it got around that incest was a no-no. Later they included sisters, aunts, grandmothers and so on and it became the big deal it is on your planet."

Of all the versions of Genesis, this one was by far the most entertaining. I had had enough of pizza and beer. Marge cleared the table with a wave of her hand and I carried her into the bedroom without pulling my dick out of her. It turned into a good romp.







Chapter 12:    Shagger's Paradise







Wonderful smells were wafting from the kitchen. I loved that about Marge. She could knock up a lovely meal when she felt like it. I showered quickly and joined her. She had made a big American breakfast again, truckstop stuff, huge and wholesome.

I had forgotten last night to ask how the God brothel was getting on so I brought it up.

"Why don't you come with me when you've eaten. You can help me test drive it." 

She had that mischievous grin on her lips, the one she wears when she is up to no good.

We had barely finished eating when Lil turned up. The girls had obviously arranged to meet here before going to work. As usual Lil greeted me with a French kiss and a dick rub. I can get used to this, I thought, not a bad way of saying G'day. Marge told Lil I had asked to go to the Godfuck Camp. Her words, not mine. Both of them grabbed me and whisked me off before I could say Jack-shit. I had no idea where we had gone.

For a minute I just stood there and didn't move. I had never seen anything like it. Marge was a true artist. The shagging resort, you couldn't call it a shagging room any more, was a masterpiece. I found out later that she had simply used an inaccessible section of a cave system, known as the Jenolan caves, some 100 miles west of Sydney. When I asked her why she had come here she explained that there is only so much outside space you can put into an inside space, whatever that meant. Anyway, since she wanted to build a huge place she needed a bit of room to start with, at least that's what I understood.

And huge it was. It was a domed enclosure, at least the size of inner Sydney, an Arcadian landscape with its own creeks, meadows, animals, plants and temple like buildings. Romantic rural bliss, without the cow pats, blue arsed flies, mozzies and ants. The air smelled sweet, the ambient temperature was pleasant. Pleasant enough to run around naked, if one so wished.

Marge and Lil had obviously taken me to a place where I could see the whole layout. They took me on a guided tour next. Every taste in sex was catered for. It even had places for the water-sport and scat merchants. BDSM was heavily represented, so were places for oral arts and back-passage artists. 

Marge had been very clever. Although there had never been a hex on the gays, she catered for them nevertheless, reasoning they wouldn't want to miss out on a new fun place.

Discretion was the key in some sections, whereas other sections were blatantly meant to encourage a boisterous free for all.

All arrivals went to a very discrete reception area first where they could choose what they wanted to do. There they were given a picture of their chosen destination so they could teleport there. Anyone was free to roam the huge public areas and root wherever they wanted. It was Shagger's Paradise, regardless of what Zeus had wanted to call it. It would go down in history as such.

The girls tried to talk me into a trial run with them, but I declined, saying I had to get back to work. I promised I would make myself available before the official opening.

From what they told me and from what I saw, the place was ready to fire at a moment's notice. Just the ticket.

I said good bye to the girls while kissing them deeply and tweaking their nipples as I had my dick rubbed and went to Bruce's place. I loved the Olympus way of saying goodbye or G'day.

The moment I arrived at Bruce's place he put a can in front of me instead of a greeting. Another bit I liked about Olympus. There was always piss around. We chatted for a while and went together to the tunnels.

The first thing I noticed was a mammoth screen about twenty by fifteen feet displaying one of the images. I was admiring the new equipment when Algenon came over.

"Darrin has really outdone himself on this one," he said.

"Beautiful," I agreed, "It's probably a stupid question, but why so big?"

"Actually it's not a stupid question, though once you hear the reason it's so obvious, you chide yourself for not seeing it earlier. It took me a while to think of it. Do you remember when we discovered that under ten times magnification there was a lot more detail visible in the pictures, including a narrow frame that seemed to contain some classification system?"

"Yes, I remember you showing me."

"Well, I kept getting muddled up zooming in and out all the time. Eventually I decided I needed to see the whole picture at that magnification if I wanted to find out what it all meant. I talked it over with Darrin and he built me this."

I was just about to join Bruce and Darrin who were sitting at the table having a beer when Algenon held me back.

"Before I forget it," he said, "is this what you are looking for?"

He handed me a printout of a picture. It showed a birds eye view of a room with what looked like terminals and screens. It was a likely contender.

"What makes it different from the others is that it contains no colour coding and has no classification marks," Algenon explained. "Here look."

He displayed the picture on the big screen and sure enough, he was right. This had to be it. I wasn't about to tell him what I thought the picture meant. I wanted to check it out on my own first. I made up some excuse after congratulating Darrin for building such a wonderful screen and got the hell out of there, hanging on to the picture like the prize possession it was. I landed at that little temple where the power spot is and focussed on the picture. Nothing happened. I tried every which way I could think of to travel with that image but zero, zip, nada. I had not moved.

I had been so sure of myself, suddenly it all came to nothing. Completely devastated I went home. I needed solitude. Hard to get when at any moment Marge, Lil, Bruce and now even Hera could pop in. I had no privacy any more. I sat in my backyard with a beer and a smoke, which calmed me down somewhat. Then I remembered a place where even the Gods could not find me, no one except Zeus himself.

Zeus had offered me the use of his shagging room. I grabbed a few cans, my smokes and an ashtray and went down the hallway. The door to Zeus' space was open. He was not there. I entered and sat down on that marble bench that Zeus liked to sit on and opened a can. The beauty and tranquillity of the place had an immediate effect on me. My panic subsided and my thoughts began to clear.




A God Called Bruce Pt. 02



I could not accept that I had been wrong. I was still convinced the picture was the key. Perhaps I had tried the wrong lock. It had to be something like this. The lack of colour coding and classification marks could mean that whoever was meant to travel with it had to know how to use it and where. That would keep unauthorised travellers away from the control centres, if they came across this image by chance. Perhaps it used something other than power spots. But what? What else was there?

I was still deep in thought, getting nowhere, when Zeus materialised.

"You are troubled my boy," he said. "You did well to come here. This place will restore your balance. Come, walk with me and tell me what worries you so much."

We walked along the narrow path towards the waterfall. Along the way I told Zeus where I was stuck. He listened attentively and did not interrupt me. A fawn walked up to Zeus and rubbed its head against his leg. Zeus stopped and scratched it affectionately behind the ears. The fawn was evidently a glutton for scratchies because it came up to me and demanded the same kind of attention. I was only too happy to give it.

"She knows you are worried, she is trying to help. She helps me often. Even the Gods can get solace from beautiful creatures like her."

We walked for a while longer, much of it in silence. When we returned to the bench Zeus waved his hand, the stuff I had brought disappeared and was replaced by two full goblets. Ambrosia, I figured. Zeus handed me one and motioned me to drink. I took a sip.

"No boy, drink it up, you need the energy."

I did as I was told. The moment the goblet was empty it filled itself up again. Like a good boy I sculled that too. The energy surge was amazing.

"Now go to the centre of your problem and meditate," commanded Zeus.

On Impulse I walked up to him and gave him a hug.

"Thanks Chief," I said and nearly shit myself over what I had just done. I had touched the supreme God. I waited for the thunderbolt to strike, but Zeus smiled instead and whisked me off.

I found myself in the tunnel, in front of that gazebo thing.

Go to the centre of your problem and meditate, he had said. Was that the centre of my problem? It had to be what he meant. That structure was central to my goals and central to the tunnels. Besides, he had put me here himself.

All the workers including Darrin and Algenon had called it a day. I was on my own. I pulled up a chair, looked at the building and tried to empty my mind.

I still don't know what prompted me, I just got up, put my hand on the building, imagined the picture and whooshkah, I was inside.

Careful not to touch anything I looked around. There were screens on the walls showing stars, galaxies, places. There was also a row of what looked like consoles with flashing lights and smaller screens, the kind of stuff you would expect in a nerve centre of a traffic system. The centre was working, but deserted. No telling when a living creature had been here last.

I decided I could do little right now and I tried to teleport out. Nothing happened. After a bout of anxiety it occurred to me I might have to do the same thing I had done to get in. I touched the wall, imagined being outside and this time it worked. 

Having achieved what I came to do, I jumped into Bruce's yard. The girls and the three stooges from the tunnel were there.

"Where the fuck did you go? We've looked for you everywhere. It was as though you had disappeared from the world." Bruce was angry. I could see he had been worried.

"Sorry guys, I was talking to Zeus. He wanted to know some things about the project." I didn't exactly lie, but I hadn't told the truth either.

"That explains why we couldn't find you. You had us worried. We thought you were dead, especially when Algenon told us about the picture. It would have been just like you to shoot off into the unknown on your own."

I didn't want to get into what I had done, so I chose a diversion.

"You guys fancy a fuck?" Algenon and Darrin just stared at me when I asked them.

"Well do you?" They both nodded this time.

"Okay Marge, get these boys a couple of tarts each and let's inaugurate Shagger's Paradise."

Marge replied with a wicket grin.

"What about me?" complained Bruce

"Alright, get him a couple of tarts as well, seeing he has been such a good boy."

Moments later we were all naked in one of Marge's orgy rooms with six naked cheerleader types, ready to have a party.

We had ourselves a ball.

I can't remember in whose hole, or in what kind of a hole I deposited my final load, or how I had managed to get home in the end, but I did find myself in my own bed in the morning, so presumably things had gone well.







Chapter 13:  Atlantis to the Rescue









The smell of cooking bacon nearly made me spew. I staggered out of bed to see what the fuck was going on and discovered Bruce in the yard playing with the barbeque. 

He laughed when he saw me and handed me a bottle of something.

"Here, drink this, soldier," he said, "You'll feel better afterwards."

I didn't even argue, I just drank the stuff and felt immediately better. I was sober, my vision was clear and the hammer-mill in my skull had closed down.

"What was this shit?"

"I am the God of booze. Be a piss-poor show if I didn't have an antidote."

I thanked Bruce and went to have a shower and put some clothes on. Feeling hungry all of a sudden I went to join him in the yard. Only half an hour ago I would have sworn I would never touch alcohol or food ever again and here I was on the piss as usual, munching barbequed food.

"So what did you find in that building?"

I stared at him open mouthed. How the fuck did he know? There was me thinking I had played it really cool and Bruce had seen right through me.

"Look Cobber, I might be a fucking God, but I am also an Aussie. In many ways you and I are like pips in a fucking watermelon. I know you better than you think."

"You win. Yes, I was in there and it's just what I thought it was. I wanted to talk it over with you first. I am really scared of this shit."

"You? Scared? That's a new one. What for?"

"This is very powerful technology. Who knows what might happen if I touch the wrong button? Whole universes might go up in smoke."

"You'll have to call the computerpoofs in, although after last night I might need a new name for those two. Did you see the rings in Algenon's ear rattle like a pair of castanets doing a Flamenco on every stroke and how that chick squealed every time that lump of metal in his tongue hit her clit? I might get one of those. Looks like fun."

"I know I need to call on them. I didn't want to say anything last night. It would have spoilt their fun."

"You did right, the pull of mystery would have been stronger for those guys than the pull of puss."

"Let's go see them then."

Darrin and Algenon were nursing a monstrous hangover. Bruce whipped up a bottle of his antidote for them and after they were lucid again we sat down with a beer. Bruce insisted that a beer at this stage was part of the cure but I suspected this was bullshit. It got them to sit down and pay attention.

I told them about the central structure, what I had done to get inside and what I had found. I also told them about my fears and concerns.

"So fellows," I concluded, "Now you know what I know. I've held nothing back. Until now I had to because I didn't know for sure and there was really no need to discuss my theories. Now all the cards are on the table. What I want to know from you guys is, are you in? I'll give you some time to discuss it, if you wish."

"No discussion. Try keeping me out. I'm in like Flynn with that fifteen year old." Trust Algenon to bring that one up.

"Same here," said Darrin. "No better game in town."

I showed them how it was done and seconds later we were inside.

"How do you get out of here? I need to get something," said Darrin after a quick look around.

I showed him. Darrin was back minutes later with a wheeled toolbox.

"What do you want with that?" I was horrified.

"How are we going to know what this is if I can't get the covers off? I need to see what technology they use before I can say if there is anything we can do with it."

Reluctantly I agreed. We needed to start somewhere and that seemed a fairly safe starting point. Better than pushing buttons at random.

True to form Bruce had already set up a table, some chairs and organised a few nibblies as well as the inevitable beer.

I sat there with Bruce, nibbling on heavily salted beer nuts guzzling a few, while Darrin and Algenon where at it. Darrin very carefully got to work on the covers of some machinery. Algenon studied the screens and consoles, making notes on a small hand held computer as he went along.

When Darrin had removed all the covers from a particularly impressive looking piece of machinery he called me over.

"What do you reckon this is? Ever seen anything like it before?"

The machinery was intricate, to say the least. The most outstanding feature was the extensive use of multi coloured crystals and what looked like fibre optics. I was still thinking when he prodded me:

"You have no idea, do you?"

"As to detail, no. As to an overall proposition, yes, I have a fair idea of what I am looking at."

"Do tell." His voice was dripping with sarcasm.

"At a guess, this is some sophisticated computer that uses light instead of electricity to manipulate data. Since white light contains an almost infinite number of hues, more data can be packed into a single impulse than is possible in a binary system that relies on off and on states. How am I doing?"

"I am impressed. That is exactly what I think. Tell me, how come a science fiction writer can figure this out?"

"Perhaps my MSc in engineering, physics major, has something to do with it."

"Yes. So, Mister MSc, where do we need to go next?"

"We need to find out what the discrete components do before we can work out what the machine does. This might be a problem. To analyse components we need to take some machinery apart and we might wreck the system if we do that."

"You really know your stuff, don't you? I accept everything you've said. My thinking goes along the same lines. There might be a shortcut to a solution. What do you know about Atlantis?"

"There are some ancient accounts of it. Plato talks about it at length. According to him it was a large island continent outside the pillars of Hercules in the Atlantic ocean. It was given to Poseidon when the big landmasses were doled out amongst the Gods. He put his son Atlas in charge. They did a lot of aggressive bullshit though and in the end the island was made to sink into the ocean and covered up with a lot of mud so no one could find it. They were said to have had a very advanced technology. Most people, even the ancients, thought the story to be complete crap."

"This is a rather quaint rendering of the story, but it's essentially correct."

"So what has it got to do with us? If you want bullshit I can show you some Australian politicians who will put this story to shame. A one hour speech from an Australian politician can fertilise more country than your entire mythology."

"Maybe, but that's not the point. The point is that Atlantis was real and that they had a technology very much like the one we are looking at."

"What good is that to us? I mean, Atlantis is gone. How would you know what their technology looked like anyway?"

"Because I've seen it."

"Tell me."

"Atlas had a twin brother who ruled part of Atlantis. The Greeks called him Eumelus,

but he doesn't like to be called that. He prefers to be called Gadeirus, which he insists was always his proper name and is what the Romans later called him at his request. Like his brother Atlas he was mortal to start with. It's a long story, but eventually he became the Atlantean God of technology. He has machines that look like this one here."

"You are talking as if this guy is still around."

"Yes, he is. He lives around the corner from Bruce and he has got a lot of Atlantean machines in his basement and his shed. Do you want me to call him so he can have a look?"

"No. I can't let anyone in here without Zeus' approval. I have to talk to Zeus first. I want to meet this guy though. You can take some pictures that show the machine's components. I'd like him to have a look at them."

Darrin took some pictures and showed them to me for approval. They were alright. I suggested we move on. 

Bruce and Algenon were ready to go too. Before we went I told them no one was to enter the control room for the time being without me present, under threat of Tartarus. They grudgingly agreed.

We arranged to meet at Bruce's place in about an hour. Darrin and I went to see Gadeirus. He was home.

Gadeirus was impressive. He looked like a man in his mid thirties with a muscular athletic body. The Greek chiton he wore had a highly embroidered border and was pinned over his right shoulder leaving the left shoulder bare.

"So you are the new Demigod everyone is talking about," he said when Darrin introduced us. "Sit down, have some wine. Tell me, why have you come to see me?"

I told him Darrin and I were working on a secret project for Zeus and that we had come across an alien technology he might be able to help us with. Darrin showed him the pictures. He took us down to his basement, took the cover off one of his machines and said: "It's not exactly the same technology, but it's a similar idea. I would be able to help you if I got involved in your project."

I had a close look at Gadeirus' machine. There were indeed many similarities. The crystals were cut differently and were much smaller and some of the components were totally different but it was obviously a machine that manipulated light in a similar fashion to the machines at the control centre.

"I would love to have you in the project, but this depends on Zeus," I said in parting. "I need to talk to him first. I have to tell you that he insists that secrecy is maintained under threat of Tartarus for any breaches. Would you still want to join under those conditions?"

"I've had nothing worthwhile to do for a long time. It would be wonderful to be useful once more. Tell Zeus I would love to join, if he'll have me."

We shook hands and Darrin and I went to see Bruce. We walked for a change. It wasn't far.

I ate something at Bruce's place, there was always a lot of food there. Lil wanted to come home with me but I told her after last night I needed a break. She grumbled. I explained to her I was only a Demigod and didn't have anywhere near her stamina. She thought about that for a minute and apologised. 

"You are right," she said, "We are asking too much of you."

I made my apologies and went home. When I went past Zeus' door he called me in. After a greeting I filled him in on the project. I told him we had managed to get inside and what we found. I also told him about Gadeirus and his machines and that I would like to have him on the project.

"Gadeirus is fine. He has never involved himself in politics," said Zeus. "It will do him good to be working again. He has been idle for far too long. You told him what the conditions are?"

"Yes, I did. He is happy with it."

"You look tired boy, go and have some rest."

Before I could leave the little fawn appeared out of nowhere and demanded her scratchies. I obliged.

"She knows her suckers," laughed Zeus. "She'll never leave you alone now."

"I can live with that," I said, giving the little animal one last pat and made for my bedroom.









Chapter 14:  To Boldly Go.....







Instead of making breakfast next morning I went to see Bruce. There was always food and drink there, so why cook? The whole gang were there. Darrin wanted to know when his crews were getting their reward now that they had finished. I called Marge over and told her we had promised the crews they could screw humans after the job was done. 

"Oh goodie," she said, "I take it you want me to arrange the party?"

"If you wouldn't mind. Could you please make the arrangements with Darrin, they are his people."

"No problem," said Marge grabbed Darrin by the sleeve and dragged him aside. 

"Before we break up here," I announced, "Zeus has approved Gadeirus for the project. I'll spend the day with him to fill him in and show him around. Remember, the control room is off limits until further notice."

There were no grumbles this time. I finished my beer and walked the short distance to Gadeirus' house. He ushered me in and I nearly shit my pants. There was Hera standing in his living room. Before it could become awkward I walked up to her, gave her a hug and a kiss on the cheek and said: "G'day Hera."

"Good morning Alec," she replied, obviously a little embarrassed about my display of familiarity.

"Oh good, you know each other," said Gadeirus.

"Oh yes," I said, "we are old friends, aren't we, Dear?"

Hera was trying hard to maintain composure I thought and then she really surprised me.

"I am giving a little party day after tomorrow. Gadeirus will be there. Will you come too, Darling? I would like that."

"No one could ever resist an invitation by such a beautiful woman. I will be honoured to attend."

She reached for me, pulled me close and kissed me on the lips. "See you then, Darling," she said and dematerialised.

"I think my aunt likes you," said Gadeirus. "It's good to see. She doesn't like company much, as a rule."

"Aunt?" I stammered.

"Yes, of course. Poseidon is my father, Hera is his sister." He could see my confusion.

"My father has five siblings. Zeus, Hades, Hera, Hestia and Demeter. One big happy family."

"Hestia?" I grinned.

"What's so funny about Hestia?"

"There is a bra manufacturer in Australia called Hestia. They say it is an acronym and stands for Holds Every Size Tit In Australia."

"This is really funny, especially since Hestia doesn't have much tit. A bra would be wasted on her. Come to think of it, her lack of tit is probably the reason why she is still a virgin."

Gadeirus went to get some wine and motioned me to sit down.

"I take it you have come to see me for reasons other than to discuss my illustrious family."

"Yes, Zeus has approved your participation in the project."

"Good old uncle Zeus. I have to thank him when I see him next."

"He said to remind you that any breach of secrecy means Tartarus. I suppose that doesn't really apply to you, being family and all that."

"You couldn't be more wrong. Zeus stuck his own father Cronus into Tartarus thousands of years ago. The old prick is still there. Anyway, we are back to my family again. What I want to know is, what happens next?"

I spent the next two hours explaining the whole thing to him. He asked many questions, intelligent questions. I had a feeling there was something he was not telling me. Not because he didn't want to, more that he didn't know how to tell me. I decided to give him some rope.

"Now that you have an idea what this is about I'll take you on a guided tour." He was happy with that.

First I took him to the tunnels and showed him the pictures, next we went to that primordial world that Bruce and I had discovered and finally I took him into the control centre. He didn't even look inside the machine where Darrin had taken the covers off, instead he sat at one of the consoles and studied the panel. He didn't move for at least ten minutes. Then he pushed one button before I could stop him. A cover slid back and exposed a keyboard. At least that is what I thought, since there were a lot of buttons with symbols on them, larger than our keyboard buttons, perhaps designed for a bigger hand. Gadeirus started to type. I could see he was not pushing buttons randomly, he looked as if he knew what he was doing.




A God Called Bruce Pt. 02



"You, can read this shit?" I exclaimed.

"Yes, sort of," he said. "It is a bit of an archaic form of what I am used to, but I can get by. A bit like the difference between Hindi and Sanskrit."

He hit a larger, green button, which I supposed might be the Enter key and pointed at a large screen at the wall. The screen showed me and Gadeirus in the room. He pushed some other buttons and the camera panned in and out on us and moved around, showing us from all angles. It was a bit jerky, but I guessed he was trying to get used to the controls.

There was no doubt about it, he was in control. He knew what he was doing.

"I won't try anything else until I know more about the system and until I am getting better at this version of the language." 

He closed the console off and put the keyboard cover back.

"Can we go back to my place now? I have seen enough. I need to study."

I quietly nodded assent and we went back to his house. Being an impeccable host he put some wine and snacks on the table, invited me to help myself, excused himself and left the room.

He came back after five minutes and put a tablet on the table that looked remarkably like a modern tablet computer. He activated the device, touched the screen in a few spots and writing appeared on the screen, similar to what we had seen in the control room. I was stunned. "Where did you get that?"

"Never mind about that now. I'll tell you all about it once I have some more answers. Some of the answers to questions I have are in here. As I said, I need to study. I wanted to show this to you so you don't think me rude. I need solitude now. I cannot study and talk at the same time."

I accepted that. I said there was no problem and took my leave. I told him I would contact him in the morning if that was okay. He said that would be good.

Back at Bruce's Marge, Lil and the computerpoofs as Bruce had called them were busy planning an orgy for the crews. Bruce looked bored and his face lit up when he saw me. 

"Let's fuck off to your place, they are giving me the shits," he said and vanished.

I couldn't follow him quickly enough.

After he had the barbeque going and the beer on the table I told him what happened at Gadeirus' place. When I came to Hera being there he warned me.

"Be careful with that one", he said. "She can be a hard, nasty and vindictive bitch if she gets miffed with you. Look at what she did to poor Medusa."

"What did she do to Medusa and what had Medusa done to upset her?"

"Poor Medusa had done nothing but fall for the charm of Zeus. After Hera found out Zeus was fucking her she turned Medusa into a monster. Her hair, including her pubic hair, had become a bunch of poisonous snakes and if she looked into a man's eyes the poor bloke turned to stone. Otherwise she left her unchanged. Tragic woman. She had to put a sack over her head and cop it in the back passage thereafter to get a root. Eventually she was killed."

Bruce looked at my face when he said that and burst out: "Oh shit, You've fucked her, haven't you?"

I wasn't going to verify it, but he knew.

"Did you know she was a virgin for a long time? Zeus had to chase her for three hundred years before he could pick her cherry. She has never had another man in all that time. Until now, it seems. That's why she amused herself with chicks for centuries because Zeus wouldn't root her any more. You really know how to piss into a hornet's nest, don't you?"

"She invited me to a party at her place."

"You are not going, are you?"

"Do I have a choice? Besides, I rather like her. Of course I'll go."

"There is nothing for getting into trouble like an Aussie larrikin, and you are a prize one."

I didn't want to pursue this further so I told him what Gadeirus had done.

"And Gadeirus is Hera's nephew. How incestuous can you get? You rub shoulders with Zeus, fuck his wife and employ his nephew. You might as well have fucked your own mother on the town hall steps in Sydney, it wouldn't have been worse."

"Oh, shut up Bruce. Let's have a beer. You worry too much."

Bruce realised the conversation wasn't getting anywhere constructive so we packed up and went to Shagger's Paradise to see how the revellers were doing.

Lil and Marge were lying with their legs apart and Darrin and Algenon were doing the honours. Lil blew me a kiss and said to me: "I love you, Darling," while Algenon was going into the sprint.

You figure the Gods, I can't.







Chapter 15:  Gadeirus







I woke up in my own bed. When Bruce and I saw Lil and Marge last night in the throes of whatever it was they were in, we got the fuck out of there and went to my place for a few tinnies. I tried to get up and noticed I was not alone in bed. Curled up against me sharing body warmth was the little fawn. I had slept with a lot of things in my life - cats, dogs, ladies that were a delight to wake up to and molls where I scratched my head in the morning asking myself did I fuck that? Never had I woken up with a fawn until today. As I moved it opened its big brown eyes and looked at me as if to say: Good morning, I love you.

After I had my morning piss I went into the kitchen to make some coffee. The fawn followed me. Thinking she must be thirsty I put a bowl of water down for her. I saw that there were some bean sprouts in the fridge and remembering that deer like juicy green shoots I put some into a bowl for her. She needed no encouragement. The bean shoots were soon finished and she looked under the bowl for some more. I laughed and filled the bowl again for her.

I went out on the veranda to have my coffee. The fawn tried to follow, but couldn't for some reason. Perhaps leaving Olympus space and crossing over to Earth space was a problem to her. I went back, gave her some scratchies and told her to go to the olive grove. She understood and toddled off into Zeus' space at a leisurely pace.

I finished my coffee and went to see Bruce. The gang was already there. The crew orgy was scheduled for today Darrin and Algenon decided to go with Marge and Lil to get everything ready instead of going to work. This suited me, I wanted to spend some more time with Gadeirus. Bruce wanted to meet him which was alright with me. We both walked to Gadeirus' joint. I introduced them. They had seen each other but never formally met, which I found strange. These guys had been living almost next door to each other for centuries and they had never exchanged as much as a greeting, just like tenants in a Sydney apartment building.

We sat down with some wine. The tablet computer lay on the table.

"What is the story with that thing? Will you tell us?" I looked at Gadeirus and pointed at the device.

"Prepare yourself for a long story. This tablet is the reason behind a lot of things. Some good, some bad. It triggered a series of events that made me a God and culminated in the obliteration of Atlantis."

"This I've got to hear," said Bruce. "I'm a sucker for a good yarn and this promises to be one of the best. A good yarn deserves to be told over a barbeque, a keg of beer and some decent smokes. Let's go to my place. The catering is on me."

Gadeirus seemed to like the idea. He picked up his tablet and we walked across to Bruce's place.

With one wave of his hand Bruce re-decorated his barbeque area. There was now a smaller table with a white tablecloth even, some comfortable chairs and a beautiful ceramic ashtray sitting in the centre. The barbeque had become a spit over which a whole sheep was roasting. Next to it was a buffet with all kinds of salads and nibblies. 

No canned beer this time. Instead he had installed a little bar from which he served Australian draft beer in genuine Aussie schooner glasses. I was impressed, so was Gadeirus. The beer was beautiful and cold.

Gadeirus placed his tablet on the table, watched with confusion as Bruce and I lit up and began his story:

"As you might know, my father is Poseidon, my mother Cleito. They had five sets of twins. Atlas and I were the oldest. Strictly speaking we were Demigods, but Demigods were a dime a dozen in those days, so that didn't count for much. Of course, we were mortal.

"Until the age of six we lived at home with mum. Poseidon only ever came around to fuck my mother, he took little interest in his kids, except Atlas, whom he adored.

"When we were six Atlas and I were sent off to school. The teachers doted on Atlas, presumably because he was Poseidon's favourite and treated me like the village idiot, even though I was much better at my studies than my brother. I became a loner. While the other boys were doing sports, playing games and fiddling around with each other's dicks and having pissing competitions I was roaming the country side, watching animals and plants, studying the laws of nature.

"We were in the eastern province of Atlantis, the part that was close to the pillars of Hercules, as they were to be called later. Atlantis was still in a primitive rural stage of development and its cities were little more than glorified villages. Apart from the school there were two temples. The large one was obviously dedicated to my father, the smaller one to some unnamed God. No one ever went there, people were afraid of it. Twice a year they made some token offering in the hope it would placate what was held to be a God of a rather nasty disposition.

"I would have been around eleven or twelve when things changed for me. The boys of my age had just discovered that a fluid other than piss could be obtained from a dick and that it was rather fun to do so. They experimented wildly and openly with this newly discovered phenomenon including finding ways to discharge the precious fluid into each other's mouths or bungholes. I found their behaviour disgusting and wanted nothing to do with it.

"If I had been anyone else I would have been forced to participate, but I was a son of Poseidon and no one was game to risk doing something to me against my will. They ignored me, which suited me fine. It was around that time when the mystery surrounding the little temple aroused my curiosity. I asked the teachers but they wouldn't tell me anything, claiming ignorance.

"This only strengthened my resolve. I went into my father's temple and demanded some answers. The priests were in a flurry and called the high priest. The high priest, after a lengthy discussion, decreed that since I was a son of Poseidon and had asked his priests in Poseidon's house it was reasonable to assume that I had a right to get my questions answered. He took me to an old priest who he said had been an eyewitness to the original events and instructed the old man to tell me what he knew of it.

"The old man was a good teacher. There was a lot of theological discussion involved in his dissertation as to what it all meant, which I took with a grain of salt, but he also told me what he had actually witnessed. When all the extraneous stuff had been stripped off it was a rather simple story.

"One morning a young priest had run into the village proclaiming he had found the abode of a God and showed the tablet as proof. The villagers were scared and formed a circle around him, not daring to get too close. Minutes later the priest started to vomit and collapsed dropping the tablet, which landed some four feet away. Within an hour diarrhoea set in and heavy fever. The priest was screaming in pain and looked semi conscious. He bled from nose, mouth and eyes and deteriorated rapidly, his screams getting weaker, his body movements slower. No one came to his aid. By nightfall he was dead.

"I know now that where the priest had gone to get the tablet he had been exposed to very intense radioactivity. He had died of radiation poisoning. At that time, of course, I had no idea.

"The villagers were scared stiff and called the priests. The priests concluded that the unfortunate man had stolen something belonging to a God and had been punished for the theft. They built a funeral pyre nearby, had two slaves move the body and any discharge left on the ground onto the pyre and burned the lot, including the two unfortunate slaves. The tablet still lay where it had fallen, nobody was game to touch it.

"Finally it was decided to build a temple around the tablet dedicated to the unnamed God, leaving the artefact where it had fallen. This way the God could see they revered his possession and kept it safe. Hopefully it would be enough to appease the deity and protect the village from harm. They erected a tent over it to protect it from the elements until the temple was completed. Since then, twice a year priests put fresh flowers around the tablet and offered prayers. 

"In essence this is what the old man told me. By now nothing could hold me back. I made for the temple and went inside, my heart pounding in my throat, my stomach queasy. 

"Sure enough, there lay the tablet, surrounded by wilted flowers. It took many visits to the temple before I had the courage to touch the thing. When I finally picked it up I wondered why I had been so scared. It was beautiful. I decided I had to have it.

"I took very careful measurements and proceeded to carve a replica from soapstone. Once it was painted you couldn't tell it from the original, unless you picked it up and no one alive, apart from me, had ever done that. Even if someone examined it, they wouldn't be able to tell if it was the real thing or not.

"I made the switch on a day of religious significance when everyone was at Poseidon's temple. Feeling still apprehensive about removing the artefact I nevertheless took the thing to my secret hidey hole that I had been using for years to get away from people, half expecting some God to turn up and punish me. Nothing happened."

Gadeirus stopped and held his empty glass up to Bruce. Bruce laughed and filled it up for him.

"Have a break," said Bruce. "The outside of the sheep is cooked. Here, let me get you some. It's delicious."

For the next half hour we talked about nothing of import, just enjoying the beautiful meal. When we were done Bruce cleared the table, filled our glasses and bade Gadeirus to continue.

"That secret spot of mine needs a bit of explanation. Very early in my stay at the school I had found this sandstone ledge, some ten feet wide and about thirty feet in length in the cliffs when I was looking for plants. It wasn't all that difficult to get to, though it did take a bit of effort. I fell in love with it straight away. It overlooked the sea and just sitting there looking at the water made me feel great. At one end of the ledge was a natural cave. Although the opening was no more than three feet in diameter it was quite spacious inside; about the size of a fair sized room. I could not see any evidence of anyone having been there and promptly claimed it for myself.

"It was a kid's dream. My own private world. Over time I moved all kinds of useful things in there that I had scrounged, as well as my rock and plant collection, in fact everything I wanted to keep away from prying eyes. My stolen tablet would be safe there. 

"From what you told me the ledge must have been a power spot, otherwise much of what happened there couldn't have come to pass. I didn't know about such things. The place just felt right.

"Anyway, I started playing with the tablet trying to figure out what it was. I nearly dropped it in fear when I pushed something and the screen came alive. In the end my curiosity turned out to be stronger than my fear, especially since nothing nasty seemed to be happening. Over the following weeks I learned how to do many things with the device. I looked at pictures, drawings and lots and lots of pages of what I took to be writing. I was getting nowhere fast. The device kept its secrets.

"One day, I was sitting on my ledge playing with the tablet, everything changed. I found a page that made sense to me because some of the writing I could read. It was an old Atlantean script I had studied in school. The words were arranged in a logical order and each word was followed by a string of this foreign writing. It didn't need a genius to figure out that someone had been putting a bilingual dictionary together. 

"It soon became clear that my knowledge of old Atlantean was insufficient to be of much use. I dropped all my other studies and concentrated exclusively on the study of the old language. My teachers were surprised at first, but after seeing me study the subject with such fervour and dedication started to encourage me for once. They even assigned a teacher to me and gave me access to material that was usually only available to scholars and not to junior students.

"In my spare time I studied the alien language in parallel. After about two years I was so proficient in both languages that I no longer had to translate simple texts, I was reading them. 

"I reached age fourteen, an important event in Atlantean and later Greek times. At that age school was finished. The children of the aristocrats and wealthy were assigned a personal tutor. The boy had the right to refuse a particular teacher, since the relationship between teacher and student was also a sexual one. There was no way I was going to allow some old pervert to stick his prick into my mouth or poophole so I refused the tuition outright.

"Now that school had finished we were allowed to go home to see our families before the upper level training started. I loved my mother and my brothers and it was good to see them again. I actually enjoyed Atlas' company. Even though we had studied at the same school we had little contact with each other during that time. 

"Towards the end of my stay my father turned up. Expecting him to ignore me as usual I was surprised when he asked me to take a walk with him in the gardens. What is this I hear about you refusing further tuition. Would you care to tell me why? he said after we were out of hearing range of the others.

"I explained to him I was studying some facets of nature for which there was no tuition available and that, if I were to be successful in unlocking the secrets, there could be great benefits for our people in years to come from my endeavours. To my surprise he accepted this. You are different from my other children, he said, you need no prompting to study hard and you have an insatiable thirst for knowledge. That is why I have left you to your own devices. I trust your judgement. I wish you well. Then he did something he had never done, he gave me a hug. Before I could show my surprise he vanished. I did not see him again for many years."

"Here, have another beer," said Bruce. "Your glass is empty and your mouth must be dry from all this talking."

Gadeirus grinned and drank deeply.

"This is quite a story you are telling," I said. "I can't wait to hear more."

"I am sorry to bore you with going so far back, but what follows would not make much sense otherwise."

"Go on," said Bruce, "bore us some more. Pity there's no sex in it."

"You won't hear about sex from me. I have no experience with it whatsoever."

"You mean to tell me you have been around for thousands of years and have never had a root?" Bruce looked at him in disbelief. Gadeirus only nodded.

"This is a job for Marge," I said, which had Bruce in stitches.

"Too fucking right. Now that her snatch is working overtime again she'll be just the job for Mister Neverfuck here."

Gadeirus actually blushed and sculled the rest of his beer. Bruce gave him another one. Before we could get stuck into him some more Gadeirus continued with his story.

"I built a small house half way between the village and my cave and moved in when it was finished. My father always made sure that his children had adequate funds, I could easily afford everything I needed. Over the next five years I studied the contents of that tablet. There was a huge library, much of it poetry and fiction, some history and masses of technical literature. It amazed me how much information had been packed into the small device. 




A God Called Bruce Pt. 03



Chapter 21: Arion

I woke up in Hera's bed with her naked body pushing into my side. This is a dangerous thing to do to a man with a piss fat as she found out when I turned her over and ploughed into her without as much as a tweak of a nipple or a rub of her twat. She didn't need it, she was dripping wet.

"Why is it we always start our fucks with a violent grab and no foreplay?" I asked over breakfast.

"I don't know exactly, it is just when I touch your body I have this overwhelming need to have you inside me."

"You didn't show much of it yesterday when you and Demeter held me down so Hestia could give me a hand job."

"Oh, but you are so wrong. It drove me crazy. For hours afterwards I was running around in circles not knowing what to do. In the end I just abducted you."

"I don't understand you Gods. You are above us all, you don't need sleep, you don't need to eat or drink, you don't need sex and yet you are the horniest, pisspot, gluttons I've ever met. This Oympus is worse than Peyton Place."

"What you don't understand is that we are as human as you, we just have an extra dimension. When we tap into our human side we are human with all the beauty and flaws of humanity that implies. We don't need to eat or drink, true. If we do, we need to go to the toilet and get pissed like everyone else. You've seen me drunk and horny and asleep. Throughout all of this I was still Hera, the supreme Goddess with enormous powers. I just chose to indulge in my human side. The Gods did not create the universe, even though some of us claim credit. We are not creators, we are administrators. I should know. I have been around long enough."

"Then why indulge in human pursuits, with all the troubles that go with it?"

"Believe me, being God is boring, being human is much more fun. But enough of that. You must go to work now, your destiny awaits you. Call me when you want me."

"How do I do that?"

"Use Demeter's charm. In case you don't already know, the three of us come as a package. Think of us as a trinity. You deal with one of us, you deal with all, whether you are aware of it or not. The men are the same, when you deal with Zeus, you deal with Poseidon and Hades. Now go, before I bed you again."

Hera put her arms around me and kissed my cheek, the next minute I was standing in Bruce's backyard.

The whole gang was there as usual at that time of day. They all stared at me and burst out laughing.

"Whose bed did you get tossed out of?" said Bruce amongst gales of laughter. That's when I realised I was bullock naked. That bitch Hera had sent me here without clothes.

Marge was being a proper little shit. Instead of hexing some clothes onto me, which she could have easily done, she went into the house, got some of Bruce's clothes and put them on the far end of the table. I had to walk around the whole group to get to them and get dressed in front of everybody. They were still howling with laughter.

Having provided the entertainment for the day, I sat down and had some of the ever present beer. I needed it.

Eventually everyone settled down, disappointed because I would not tell them where I'd been. I wanted to know how the technogeeks were getting on with the computer interfacing. Gadeirus told me that they had managed to contact the AI of the system and were getting help. The interface was completed but hadn't been tested yet. That was today's job.

We went to the complex together. Gadeirus was using a terminal in the workshop, rather than one upstairs in the control centre.

"This is a maintenance terminal," he explained to me. "From here we can test things without affecting the system. The AI reckons we are ready to connect my tablet. I am having the jitters."

"Why would you have the jitters Gadeirus? Don't you trust the AI?" 

"The problem is, I have only that one tablet. If the tablet gets destroyed in the process we are left with nothing. And yet, connect it I must if I want to hand the data over to the AI so we can communicate in English."

"Didn't you tell me that you have managed to connect the tablet to Earth type computers so it could use the internet?" 

He nodded.

"Connect the AI to Darrin's computer. If that blows up we simply get another one until you get it right. When you are satisfied that everything works, have the AI access your tablet via Darrin's computer. I realise that this introduces a bottleneck with the digital interfaces but after a short while your AI should have enough data to access the tablet directly and safely."

Gadeirus looked at me in astonishment.

"I knew there was a reason you are the boss and we are the shit-kickers. That's it! No doubt this is the way to go. Never occurred to me. I'll get onto it right away. Thanks.".

I went to see Vulcan. He was busy in the big metal workshop with its lathes, milling machines and casting equipment.

"Sit down Alec," he greeted me, "have a beer, I need a break anyway, my leg is giving me pepper."

"Hang on a sec," I said, went to the power spot and teleported home. I got some Tiger Balm from my cupboard, the stuff I use when I have muscle pain.

"Here, try this. Rub it into you leg and see if it helps," I said when I returned, handing him the jar with the red salve.

I could see he wasn't really keen but he tried it anyway. He had probably been given a lot of stuff over the centuries that did nothing. After a few moments his features relaxed.

"This stuff is good," he said, "It doesn't rid me of the pain, but it sure takes the cutting edge off it. Thank you. Now I am fit enough to go home and shoe a horse."

"That's something I haven't done for a long time, can I come with you?"

"You know how to shoe a horse?" Vulcan seemed surprised.

"This is how I got into engineering," I explained. "I grew up in a small rural town. Down the street from us was a blacksmith. I liked the old man. Like you, he had a bad leg and couldn't get around as well as he wanted. After school I ran little errands for him, got him his groceries, his laundry and things. I got to hold stuff for him when two hands weren't enough, that sort of thing. I was only a kid, but a strong lad for my age, so after a while he started teaching me things like knocking a piece of steel into the shape you wanted, how to harden and weld and how to shoe horses. There were still a lot of working horses in those days, so there were one or two every day that needed doing.

"He didn't like factory made shoes, he made his own. While he was doing that, I talked to the horses, took their old shoes off and prepared the hoofs for shoeing. The old man would then hot seat them and nail them in. I loved it all, even the acrid smell when the hot shoe hit the hoof and made it smoke. When I graduated from High School I went to study engineering. The old man died during my first semester. No one told me, I could not even go to his funeral. There are no blacksmiths in town any more, no more working horses either. I miss them."

"Shall we go then?" I had a feeling Vulcan was eager to find out if I had been bullshitting."

"Just a sec," I said, went over to where Bruce was working and asked him to whip up some cube sugar for me.

"What do you want cube sugar for?" he asked, shaking his head.

"Vulcan and I are off to shoe a horse."

"That's one way to keep a horse happy," he grinned and gave me enough to fill my pocket.

I went back to Vulcan and he took me to his place. Vulcan's forge. A place where few mortals have ever been. It didn't look much different from the blacksmith's shops I had known. The Forge was a fairly modern forge with an electric blower.

"I thought you used a small volcano for a forge." I said.

"No," he said, "pissed that off long ago. The thing stank too much and was blowing sulphur fumes where I didn't want them. This is better."

The usual pliers, tongs and hammers hung on the wall, an anvil, nothing I had not seen before and all the bits and pieces that belong in there including the pissbucket in the corner.

"Bet you don't know what this is for," said Vulcan pointing to the bucket.

"Sure do," I said, "the old man had one of these. Got us all to piss in it. He said that nothing will put a harder edge on a chisel than tempering it in piss.'

"I think I would have liked the old man," said Vulcan.

We heard a bit of a pop and there was this magnificent stallion before us. No other horse I knew of had a green mane, it had to be Arion, Demeter's son, Vulcan's cousin.

"Aren't you a beautiful boy?" I said, stepping up to him, stroking his neck softly and offering him some sugar with my other hand. Arion took the sugar gently and hardly moved as I went around him, stroking his hide and telling him what a well built fellow he was. Once I had made my round I gave him some more sugar.

"You seem to get on with horses, now lets see what you can do." Vulcan tossed me a leather bag with farrier tools. I picked up one of the leather aprons that were hanging on the wall, donned it, grabbed the bag and went to start on Arion's right back hoof.

I took off the old shoe and got rid of the nails. Next, I carefully cleaned and trimmed the hoof, being very gentle around the frog, where a horse is very sensitive, That done I proceeded to plane the sole at the correct angle using a rasp. While I was doing this I told Arion the story of Cinderella. The old man had written this version and inserted little songs. If you did it right, by the time the story was over, the horse was ready for the shoes. Horses loved it.

Vulcan watched me closely as I did the first hoof, then nodded his approval and went to make the shoes. As I worked my way around the horse Arion stood like a statue, listening to every word I said.

When I finished I gave him some more sugar and said:

"Is that alright for you Arion?"

"How do you know my name?" Arion seemed surprised.

"Ain't too many fucking horses around with green manes," I said.

Arion laughed out loud. "That's exactly what Bruce said when I asked him the same question." 

Vulcan went to burn in the shoes and nail them down. He didn't need me for that.

I kept talking to Arion.

"Why did you tell me a story and sing me little songs?"

"The old blacksmith who taught me wrote this. He said horses loved this kind of thing. You are not the first horse I told this to. They all seemed to like it, even really nervous horses calmed down once I started."

"You had a good teacher. You are a kind man, no wonder my mother likes you. You know, she no longer runs around looking like a whore because of you?"

I said nothing. I felt I was better off not to get into this can of worms. By that time Vulcan had finished. Arion thanked us both and disappeared.

"Arion likes you. It is good to have a friend like that. One day you might need a quick getaway."

I laughed. "Vulcan," I said, " why does Arion need horseshoes? Wild horses don't need them, as their feet wear down naturally. It is only because of unnatural conditions that horses require them."

"Arion likes chasing cars. The tarmac roads wear his hooves too quickly."

"He what?"

"He likes chasing cars. I had to build him a pedometer so he could tell how fast he was going. He reckoned his fastest ever was 120 kilometres per hour on a German Autobahn."

"Doesn't he freak the motorists out when he does shit like that?"

"Nah, he just makes himself invisible. Problem solved."

The medallion around my neck started to glow.

"Someone wants you," laughed Vulcan, "see you tomorrow."

I grabbed the medallion, wondering which one of the three wanted to talk to me. Next minute I stood before Hera, naked.

"I though you might want your clothes back," she grinned, "but first, some of this.'

She grabbed me and we both tumbled onto the bed. It was on again.

Chapter 22: A Chat with Zeus

I woke up in my own bed for a change. Hera must have thought I needed to recover a little, that's why she hexed me home. I had a shower, got dressed and was on my way to the kitchen when I saw Zeus' door open. I stuck my head in and gave him a wave. He sat on his favourite bench. Kia was with him.

"Come in my boy," he said, "have breakfast with me. I feel like company."

I excused myself for a second and went into the kitchen to get a bowl of cherries for Kia. As I bent down to put the bowl in front of her she licked me across the face again; Kia's thank you. I gave her some scratchies and after that she munched happily on the cherries.

"She loves cherries. I must get some more, the box is nearly empty."

"Kia loves these cherries because they are special," said Zeus. "She could manifest mountains of cherries to feed on if she wanted to, but they would be ordinary cherries, not like these."

"What makes these cherries so special to her?"

"These cherries are imbued with love. You went out of your way to get them for her because you love her and wanted to see her happy. This is what she feeds on. She loves you. Kia knows there is no malice in you, if there was she would not let you see her."

Zeus waved his hand and a table laden with food and two chairs appeared. He pointed to one of the chairs and bade me to sit down. There was a huge American truck style breakfast where I sat and the usual Greek titbits and a pitcher of Retsina where Zeus sat.

"I thought you needed a big breakfast after last night," he grinned.

I looked at him stunned. How the fuck did he know? Zeus saw my surprise. He chuckled and said: "In spite of the shower, you still smell of Hera. She would have torn you half to pieces considering the mood she is in lately. Eat my boy, you need your strength if you want to keep up with those three."

"And you don't mind?" I stammered.

"Not in the slightest. This is the best possible outcome, especially for me. Ever since I seduced Hera and made her my wife the bitch has been on my back. Especially whenever she found out about my little extra marital excursions. Even after she stopped screwing me, centuries ago, she would not leave me alone and have her spies on me. That all changed when I caught her with your cream running down her leg.

"I had never been caught in such an obvious and blatant display of marital infidelity. She, on the other hand, had been well and truly caught. Since then she has left me alone. After millennia I am my own man again. No spies, no accusations, no confrontations, just peace. I actually get on with her alright now. Demeter isn't sore at me any more either for putting her up the stick. She has even forgiven Poseidon for raping her. You are making a lot of difference.

"In spite of how they carry on, the three of them are actually very horny bitches when they get going, apart from Hestia, of course. I made my dick thinner than a pencil and still could not get up her, neither could Poseidon. Hestia would have loved to play, she just couldn't. Now I hear you want to get that fixed too. I hope you can free her of that curse. The poor thing could do with a break.

"In answer to your original question; no, I don't mind you putting a bit into Hera or the others. If it was up to me I would make you a God right now. But this I am not allowed to do. It's in your destiny and will happen one day, but not now. You're needed the way you are for the time being."

"If you can't make such a decision, who can? Who is senior to the Supreme God of the universe?" I was mystified. Hera had hinted at this. I wondered who or what that superior power was.

"Even the Gods are subject to the Fates, whatever they are. What the Fates decree no God can rent asunder."

This wasn't going anywhere further so I changed the subject and told Zeus how Vulcan and I had shod Arion so he could go and chase cars again. Zeus laughed at the story.

"I knew you would get on well with my son," he said, "I am happy. He has few friends. Like Hera I did not like him at first. He has grown on me over the centuries because of his skill and steadfastness which is unsurpassed in Olympus. He is the only one who ever put Hera in her place and extracted his revenge from her."

"This I've got to hear. Will you tell me what happened?"

"You have possibly heard that when Hephaestus, as he was known then, was born Hera took an instant dislike to him because she thought him ugly. She threw the newly born from Olympus into exile. After sailing through space for a full day he landed on Earth, breaking both his legs in the fall. One of his legs did not heal properly and he has been lame ever since.

"There are various accounts as to who cared for him and raised him. Hephaestus never talks about that period of his life, so no one really knows what happened. All we know is that he took up the trade of a blacksmith. He was, and is, the ultimate craftsman. His fame spread, not just because of his superb work, but also for his honesty in dealing with his customers. 

"The Gods became his clients after a while and it took some time for someone to realise just who this talented craftsman was. Some of the Gods pleaded with Hera to re-admit him to Olympus but she remained hostile to the idea.

"Over time all the best weapons as well as most of the thrones on Olympus had been forged by Hephaestus. I had to admit that this son of mine was good and valuable and I went to see him. I made my peace with him and took up his cause with Hera. She remained adamant.

"I suggested to Hephaestus to make a throne for her as some sort of peace offering. To my surprise he readily agreed. He created a thing of unrivalled beauty. When it was shown to Hera she fell immediately in love with it. She had it installed in her throne room and arranged for a big banquet. At the end of the banquet she sat on it for the very first time. Everybody expected her as her first act on the new throne to release Hephaestus from exile.

"No such thing happened. Hera broke into a big rant about the disastrous day on which she had born the abomination called Hephaestus and insisted no bribe would ever be sufficient for her to release him from exile. Her decree shocked most of those present. Even Gods that didn't like Hephaestus thought her treatment of him undeserved and cruel. 

"The fun started when Hera began to scream and curse in the foulest language anyone had ever heard on Olympus. It took a while before we found out what had happened. Hephaestus had done something to the throne that prevented Hera from getting up or using her powers. All she could do was scream and yell, no muscle followed her command. She was stuck.

"The mirth in the banquet hall was unequalled. Never had Olympus roared with such laughter. Demeter and Hestia tried to pull her out of that accursed throne but they couldn't get close enough to touch her or the throne.

"You know what happens when the Gods indulge in food and drink. Nature calls. Hera held it for a while but soon it became too much and brown and yellow issued forth from her orifices running down her legs and dripping through the seat. This did nothing to improve Hera's mood, especially when they found that the only way to get rid of the worst of the stuff was throwing buckets of water at her from a distance.

"Hephaestus let her sit in her shit for a very long time. After a while Hera was all angered out and fell into a deep depression. The Gods sent delegations to Hephaestus asking him too release his mother, to which he answered: What mother? I have no mother.

"Eventually Dionysus had an idea. Being the God of wine and drunkards he knew that Hephaestus was partial to a drop. They had often got drunk together in the past, so when he turned up at the forge with a barrel of premium wine Hephaestus did not think it unusual. Dionysus got him so drunk he lost consciousness. He transported him to Olympus on the back of a donkey and dumped him in front of Hera. Word got around and everyone turned up for the show.




A God Called Bruce Pt. 03



"When Hephaestus finally regained consciousness and Dionysus gave him something to sober up he was taken quite aback. He is a decent guy and seeing his mother in that much distress did not sit well with him. In spite of his anger he felt sorry for her. He is not stupid though. He knew that if he freed Hera without some commitment things would go back the way they had been for a long time and nothing would change.

"He demanded that in exchange for her freedom Hera had to release him from exile and had to swear an oath there would be no retaliation for what he had done, by her or anyone else. After three days Hera finally agreed and true to his word Hephaestus released her. He told the Gods present that from this day on he was to be known by his Roman name Vulcan, because the Romans had accepted him for his skill and honour and had not looked down on him because of his crippled leg.

"They tell me that Hera did not get out of her bath for three days."

"How do things stand now between Hera and Vulcan?" I felt I needed to know, since Hera would soon find out that Vulcan was involved with my project, if she didn't know already.

"It's difficult to say. She never discusses him with me when I see her. I have to admit I never bring the subject up either. Perhaps that is something you can ferret out. I can't say I blame her. It took a long time for me to realise that putting physical perfection above such things as skill, honour, steadfastness and so forth is a rather stupid thing to do, apart from it being unfair. Vulcan is a good son, I am proud of him. I am just sorry it took me such a long time to see it."

"As much as I have enjoyed this talk, I think I better get to work, otherwise little gets done," I said. "Please forgive me, but it is your project and I am responsible for it."

"You are a good boy, you have my blessing."

I gave Kia some more scratchies and took my leave of the two. 

Without bothering to stop over at Bruce's place I went straight to the complex. 

Vulcan was already at work, the others had not yet arrived. I asked him what he was doing.

"Building a blacksmith shop that is to my liking," he said. "I don't like their idea of an anvil for a start. I am making a mould to cast one that suits me better."

"I had a long chat with your father just now. He told me how you returned to Olympus."

"The old coot talks too much," said Vulcan.

"If you don't mind, can you tell me how you found the power to neutralise Hera's powers and forced her to stay put?"

Vulcan laughed out aloud. "I didn't use any power at all. Silly old bitch never figured what I'd done. Those Gods aren't real smart, you know. Humans are much smarter. They have to be in order to survive. I learned that on Earth. All I did was build a gadget that inverted her flows of energy. She wanted to get up, that flow, inverted by my machine, forced her down. All the power that was used actually came from her. If the stupid bitch had tried to use her power to force herself into the throne she would have been thrown clear and would have been free. When I freed her, all I did was switch my gadget off."

"That was one hell of a gamble on your part," I said.

"No it wasn't. If it hadn't worked things would have been as before. I couldn't lose. I could only win. There wasn't much chance of her catching on, if truth be told. The Gods on Olympus have it too easy. Anything that requires a bit of real effort and some lateral thinking, is way beyond them. You have proved that yourself by what you did. That's why we are here and that's why I am supporting you for all I'm worth."

At that moment the rest of the gang turned up and we went on to other things.

Chapter 23: Hestia

Gadeirus and Darrin were busy building the interface when I looked in on them. Algenon wasn't doing much. I asked him to give me a briefing where he was at with the database. Bruce wanted to know too, so we went to the lunch room with its inevitable beer and left the others to what they were doing.

"The database is finished as far as I am concerned. I have used the alien indexing system, now all we have to find out is what the symbols mean."

"What good is it then? Wouldn't you be better off designing your own system?" I was a bit disappointed, I had expected more.

"Their indexing system shows more than the pictures do," explained Algenon. "This much I have been able to determine. I take it some symbols are references to atmosphere, gravity, length of day, seasons and so forth, things that don't show up on a picture of a power spot. We would have to visit each spot to find out the conditions there and add the information to the picture. This would take a very long time, even for us Gods. It is much simpler to ask the AI what the symbols mean once we establish communication. Don't forget when we started with the database we didn't know about this place or the AI.

"Once we came here everything changed. The big priority now is to establish contact and meaningful dialogue. Gadeirus is communicating with it now in some primitive fashion, for what we want that's not good enough. I wrote several communication programmes, hopefully one of them will suit the AI. We will find out soon, possibly today."

There wasn't anything I could do to help so I took my leave and went home. I still had some of that Chinese duck left. I heated it up and had it in my backyard with a beer. That fucking woodpecker had finished building his nest and was in it, just his head stuck out of the hole. He was watching me. I thought it was about time I put Ares on notice. I had a couple more beers and when nature called I used the dunny in the backyard instead of the one in the house. I had to walk past the woodpecker's nest to get there.

On my way back I stopped in front of the tree and said to the bird: "Aren't you a pretty boy ... How did you get into my backyard ... You must have escaped from some zoo, because there are no woodpeckers in Australia ... I wonder if I should call the zoo and ask them to pick you up ... No, I don't like that idea ... It can't be much fun being locked up in an aviary ... Have fun little bird."

I went back to my beer. What I had done had put Ares into a bit of a quandary. He knew now that I was suspicious of the bird which would stop him from sending more of them. I decided from now on I would talk to the bird often. By pretending to make friends with the bird I could send all kinds of misinformation to Ares, something that might come in very handy one day. I was just wondering what to do next when Demeter's medallion began to glow. To my surprise it was Hestia. She had come to a decision, she informed me. She wanted to go ahead with the operation.

While she was talking to me via the magic charm I had an idea. Might as well give Ares something to chew on. I wandered into the back yard within feet of the gum tree with its unwelcome visitor and asked Hestia to come to me. Seconds later she stood before me. Without a word of greeting I took her into my arms and kissed her deeply.

I was half expecting the hex to cut in, but she didn't disappear. To test my hunch further I pulled her chiton off sucked her little titties and played with her clit until she came with a whimper. Nothing happened other than that. The fucking woodpecker watched our every move. I thought its eyes would fall out any second.

Grabbing Hestia's chiton off the floor, I took her hand and whisked us into that little temple on Olympus.

"What was that all about?" she asked after she put the chiton back on.

"Two things really," I explained, "if you take the fun part out of it. First, Ares has a spy in my backyard. I wanted him to have something to report to his master. Since he already knows we have played around before it's not telling him anything new, but it will convince him his spy is undetected and his system is working. 

"The second bit is more important. I needed to test whether the hex affects you or not. My theory that the hex was purely set up to stop Zeus' philandering and to stop any more kids being produced between Gods and humans needed validation. Everyone knew that the hex did not affect homosexual couplings. That seemed to fall outside the parameters of the hex. I reasoned that since you have a non functioning vagina and cannot bear children you would also fall outside the parameters of the hex and it would not affect you. My theory proved correct."

Hestia was speechless for a moment. When she had caught herself she asked: "Why was that so important?"

"Because it would have made things awkward if you had been in the chair for a gynaecological examination and disappeared the moment the doctor touched your Mickey. This makes it simple now. You can have your operation in a normal hospital and have standard care. We don't need to set up a special space where the hex doesn't affect you. It would have made things a lot more difficult."

There was a pregnant pause for a while. Then Hestia spoke in almost a whisper: "Did you mean it?" 

The look Hestia gave me was a strange mixture of sadness, resignation, hurt and something else I could not identify.

"Did I mean what?"

"Did you mean what you did to me, or was it just a test?"

Suddenly I understood the immense tragedy of her existence. She was a God, for sure, but she was also human. That human part of her wanted to be nothing more than a girl in love, being loved and cared about. For millennia she had gone without and suffered. She could not even have sex as a temporary respite from that eternal unfulfilled yearning. I realised that in many ways Hera and Demeter were no different, that they were indeed a trinity, three aspects of the same being, as Hera had said, and that loving one meant loving all three of them. I had stared into the abyss and the abyss had stared back at me, just as Nietzsche had said. And the abyss had given me a gift. It had made me understand the stupendous isolation of Divinity.

I took Hestia in my arms and kissed her gently. "You silly little girl, don't ever doubt that I love you and care about you. Whatever I did, I did it with love and for you."

Hestia clung to me like a drowning woman to a log. Then the dam burst and she cried. I don't know how long we stood there like this. It seemed like an eternity. When she finally stopped and wiped her eyes there was something in them I had not seen before. Despair had made room for hope. She kissed me tenderly, said thank you and vanished.

She had only just gone when Hera and Demeter materialised.

"How long have you guys been hanging around?"

"From the beginning," they said almost in unison.

"You are beginning to understand what we are," Hera continued on her own, "no human ever did before. You have looked at us with love and without desire to ask us to use our powers for your own benefit. For this we will grant you one wish. You cannot refuse and you have to decide right now. What will it be?"

"I want you to accept your son Hephaestus, who now calls himself Vulcan, as the good and decent being that he is and treat him accordingly."

Hera froze. Her ice cold stare chilled me to the bone. I did not avert my eyes and held her gaze. Gradually the hardness softened, her eyes clouded over, tears began to form. Hera, the Supreme Goddess of the universe was crying.

"It shall be as you wish," she said, reached for me and kissed my eyes before she vanished.

"Thank you," said Demeter, kissed my eyes like her sister had done and vanished also.

For a moment I stood there quite disoriented. Something was happening to my vision. Things had gone blurry and I had to sit down on one of the benches in the temple compound. Gradually the blurriness vanished. I looked around and noticed for the first time a circle on the ground, about thirty feet in diameter, very faintly coloured blue, right where we had teleported to all along. Hera and Demeter had given me a gift. I could see power spots now, just as Marge had said I would one day.

I decided to teleport to Bruce's place. A beer right now would be more than welcome. Bruce was playing with his barbeque, he was on his own. He knew something had happened but decided not to pull me up on it and handed me a beer instead.

"I think you could do with something nice and tangy," he said, "what would you say to some nice American style spare ribs for a change."

He must have read my subconscious, I felt myself salivating the moment he said it.

"You missed Vulcan only by a few minutes," he continued, "we were about to go on the piss, have something to eat and play some chess when Hera invited him for dinner. That's never happened before. You wouldn't know something about this? Would you?" 

As usual Bruce was reading me like a book. There was no point hiding it from Bruce. It would be all over Olympus within hours anyway, so I told him what had happened. I left Hestia's part out, that was private. Bruce grabbed me in a bear hug.

"She offered you a blank cheque and you used it to help a mate," he said. "In the best Australian tradition. I'm proud of you son."

"How are these fucking ribs coming along, I'm fucking starving." I was embarrassed and desperate to change the subject. Bruce saw my discomfort and dished out the meal.

The ribs were delicious. We gorged ourselves. After another couple of beers I had enough and went home. For a change no one was there, not even Kia. I had a shower and went to bed. I could not have been asleep for very long when I heard a voice calling out for me. It seemed to come from my backyard. I slipped some shorts and a tee shirt on and went to investigate. 

There on the back veranda, next to the table stood a woman. I could not see properly who it was until I switched the outside lights on. She was clad in a diaphanous gown that hid little of her charms. She was beautiful. It wasn't until I looked into her cruel eyes that I recognised her. My visitor was Eris, Ares' sister, the Goddess of discord.

I wondered for a second why she was out here when I remembered that Zeus had done something to keep unwelcome visitors out of the house. It was a balmy night. There was no need to invite her inside, something I definitely didn't want.

"I feel very lonely tonight, I need a man to talk to, will you talk to me?" Her voice was husky, full of hidden passion. My first impulse was to tell her to piss off, but I thought better of it. There was no point antagonising her for no good reason. I decided to play it cool, bade her sit down and offered her some wine, which she accepted.

I brought out a bottle of that wonderful Chardonnay Marge had procured and a glass for her. For myself I grabbed a beer.

"So tell me," I said, "what brings me the honour of your company?"

"I wanted to get to know you. Everybody on Olympus is talking about the peace between Hera and Vulcan. I wanted to see for myself the man who did what the Gods could not do."

"I did nothing special, I simply told Hera what she was missing out on."

"Don't be so modest, many have tried that, yet you managed to succeed. What makes you so special?"

"There is nothing special about me," I replied.

"You must be one hell of a lover to be able to twist Hera around your finger. Do you find me attractive?"

"There is no doubt, you are a beautiful woman."

"Would you like to see all of me?"

"What man wouldn't?" I was being cagey.

She stepped into the full light and dropped her gown. With one hand she was teasing her nipple while the other was stroking her slit. I could smell her excitement. In spite of my dislike of the woman that traitor in my pants stood to full attention.

"Fair is fair, now let me see you."

I knew nothing could come of it so I slipped my clothes off and stood naked before her. I wondered why she thought that Zeus' hex would not cut in and then remembered Ares' spy watching me finger Hestia to orgasm out here. Ares must have thought that the hex did not apply in the yard. That's why he sent Eris to seduce me. He obviously was unaware of what made Hestia different.

"I can see why Hera would want that," Eris said, pointing at my dick. "Now come to me big boy and show me what you can do."

I moved very slowly towards her and saw her fade. She was so engrossed in her game that she didn't notice until it was too late and she disappeared from view. Her loud swearing was the only thing that lingered for a few seconds. Her gown was still on the floor.

I burst out laughing and then noticed I wasn't the only one laughing. I turned and saw Zeus manifest in the doorway.

I picked up the gown, folded it carefully and gave it to Zeus.

"Here," I said, "give it to your daughter, I just know you will enjoy this."

"Too right," he said, "I'm already anticipating looking at her face when I hand her the gown. It'll be priceless."

"Did you see all of it Chief?"

"Yes, I heard her calling out to you and went to have a look. She couldn't have known I was there. I had made myself invisible."

I picked my clothes off the floor and went inside.

"Good night Chief, I'm off to bed, I'm stuffed."

"Good night Alec. By the way, thanks for what you did for my son. I won't forget you that."

"My pleasure, Chief. I was just trying to right a wrong."

Thankfully there were no further interruptions that night.

Chapter 24: Endora, the AI

I was very apprehensive to go to Bruce's in the morning. By now everyone would know what I'd done and they would try to make a big deal out of it. My worst fears were realised. They were all there, even Lil and Marge, waiting for me to turn up.

Vulcan walked up to me and shook my hand. "Thank you," he said, "I know what you have sacrificed for me. I owe you a debt."

"Stop it, Vulcan, stop it; all of you. I did not sacrifice anything, I had not asked for anything, nor had I wanted anything. I am quite happy with the way things are. You owe me nothing, Vulcan. All I did was use an opportunity when it was offered to right something that had been wrong for a long time. I am happy I was able to make a difference. Now, let's hear no more of it. I'm hungry."

I must say they were very good about it. We sat down and had our breakfast and went to work. When we arrived at the complex I had the feeling the others were keeping something away from me, something amusing no doubt, judging by the barely suppressed grins. They all headed with purposeful strides towards the terminal where Gadeirus and Darrin had been working. Evidently whatever was waiting for me was there. 

"G'day Alec. So you're the fucker who's going to be my new boss?" The female voice seemed to be coming from everywhere.

"Oh cut it out," I said, "That's all I need, an artificial intelligence coached by Bruce."

"Fair go," the AI answered, "You're no fun. Bruce told me you were a fair dinkum Aussie. Where's your sense of fucking humour?"

By that time the whole gang was in stitches. I could not help it I had to laugh as well.

"That's better," she said, "at least you know how to laugh. Does that mean we can be mates now?"

"Yeah, we're mates. What do you want me to call you?"

"I don't give a shit, take your fucking pick."

This was getting tiresome.

"Now first of all let's cut out the French," I commanded.

"French?"

"Yes, the swearwords. That's what we call it in Aussieland. As to a name, your voice sounds like Agnes Moorehead when she played Endora in Bewitched. I shall call you Endora." 

"Alright, Endora, I got it. Is it a good name?"

"Yes it is, I think it suits you. Tell me Endora, can you communicate with us when we are in the lunch room?"

"Yes, anywhere within the facility I can hear and answer you, outside the facility you need to carry a communicator."

"Good, let's go and sit down in the lunch room where it's more comfortable."

When we were settled down with the ever present beer and little snacks in front of us I continued my conversation with Endora.




A God Called Bruce Pt. 03



"Endora, is anyone else using this system these days?"

"No, the whole system has been idle for millennia until you started using it."

"Is this system only for travel or do you control other facilities as well?"

"There are whole cities with all sorts of facilities that I can activate at any time. The cities are deserted."

"What happened to the original builders?"

"They discovered another dimension that suited them better. They emigrated to the last man. It was decided to leave the system and cities in place fully functioning as a gift to whoever came after. In the new dimension they went to there was no need for technology as far as I understand."

"Are there inhabited worlds connected to the system?"

"Yes, several hundred in various stages of development from stone age to more sophisticated civilisations, none as advanced technologically as Earth."

"Humanoid races?"

"Some, not all."

"Who or what controls the system?"

"As of now, you do."

"How come?"

"My instructions were to hand the system over to whoever activated it again. That was you. As of now you are in charge and your orders supersede any other instructions given."

"Is there any security in place to prevent unauthorised entry?"

"All security systems were de-activated to allow for a takeover. You need to activate the security again and specify who has access."

"I want you to activate security again. All persons here are authorised to come and go as they wish. Any additional personnel must be authorised by me. Can you do this now please."

"Done."

"I need a communicator."

"Please proceed to the terminal with which I was contacted and follow instructions."

"Okay."

I went to the terminal. The screen came alive and showed a box attached to the wall. A panel in the box slid aside revealing an opening about four inches in diameter.

"Please proceed by inserting your left hand into the opening," the AI instructed.

I was a bit apprehensive doing that but it had to be done apparently. I stuck my hand inside and something fastened a bangle around my wrist.

"Operation complete" said the AI, "you may withdraw your hand. The bangle is your communicator. It is not necessary to voice your communication, thinking it is enough."

I withdrew my hand and thought: Is that all there is to it?

Endora's voice inside my head said: Yes, that is all you need to do. It will work anywhere on any world covered by the system.

"Thank you," I said aloud.

I went back to the lunch room and said: "Alright fellows, that's enough for today, let's go over to Bruce's for lunch. I feel like some more of those wonderful ribs of yours Bruce."

"Ribs it is," said Bruce, "let's go."

The ribs were as good as I had remembered them.

"Why did you drag us out here? We could have had the ribs in the lunch room." Vulcan was puzzled.

"I wanted to talk to you a problem we might have. At this stage I didn't want to bring it up in front of the AI. Just a precaution until we know a bit better what we are dealing with."

"What problem?"

I told them about last night's encounter with Eris.

"I see," said Vulcan, "That's what the stuff with the security lockdown was all about. A wise precaution. I don't trust Ares and his mob any further than I can throw them."

"What do we do now?" asked Gadeirus. "Where do we go from here?"

"That is the million dollar question. We have just been handed a number of universes on a platter to do with what we wish. We better proceed with caution. It is obvious we have to tell Zeus before we make any major moves. In fact we will have to bring all six of them in on the project. Before I put a proposition to the top of the tree I need more information."

"What do you want? We can get that for you while you plan your next moves." Gadeirus was firing on all cylinders. 

"I want to take the big six on a guided tour that will blow their socks off. Say if we took them to a couple of worlds, one with intelligent creatures, one like the Jurassic planet we have been to and one with a city of the ancients that Endora was talking about. I want worlds that are fairly safe, I don't want unexpected shit happening on the way.

"Ideally I would like some sort of vehicle, like a bus that we all can get into and travel. This must be possible because the ancients transported massive machinery from planet to planet. They would have had to shift gear to places where there were no power spots and would have needed vehicles to do this. There might be some vehicles we can use lying around in a warehouse somewhere. Ask the AI.

"Once we have our destinations pat and a vehicle of sorts we will do the trip ourselves and find out if there are any glitches. Having done that we invite the big six and go for broke. How does that sound for a plan?"

"Perfectly doable," said Vulcan, "You might have a bit of trouble getting Poseidon and Hades to come along, you need a crowbar to pry those two loose from their respective domains, but otherwise the plan makes sense."

"You'll have to make me a suitable crowbar then Vulcan," I said.

"I want to get started," said Gadeirus. "I'll take Darrin and Algenon with me and we ferret out what you need."

"Go for it," I said. I had hardly said it when the three of them took off.

I told Endora via my communicator what I wanted the three to do and she said she would get the material for them.

"How come we get no communicators?" Bruce seemed upset.

"I was going to get them for you until I saw the bangle. Seeing me with a bangle will not cause any raised eyebrows. I am the weirdo Demigod to them, they expect me to do strange things. All six of us wearing identical bangles will cause major rumours, which we can't afford. I'll have to work something else out for you guys."

"You really are on top of the game," said Bruce with grudging admiration.

"How does it work?" Vulcan was intrigued.

"Telepathy I reckon. I think what I want to say and a voice in my head answers."

"Can you ask Endora if she can talk to me via your bangle? If she can, let me talk to her." 

For the next five minutes Vulcan didn't say a word. He was evidently in deep conversation with Endora.

"Look at your arm," he said.

The bangle was gone. I could still feel it though and when I contacted Endora it worked as before.

"What did you do?" said Bruce. "Where is the bangle?"

"It's still there, it's just invisible now," Vulcan declared with pride. "Since the communicator can broadcast telepathically I asked Endora to have it permanently broadcast a hypnotic suggestion that it isn't there. Bingo, invisible to anyone within range of the bangle."

"That sorts it out, you can all have one tomorrow." I was happy that Vulcan had solved the problem so elegantly.

"Listen guys," said Bruce, "want to go on a little trip? I want to go to that primordial world again and try something."

"I like that place," said Vulcan, "count me in."

"Okay, let's go," I agreed, "What do you want to try?"

"Never mind," said Bruce, "Let's go."

We teleported to the power spot at the temple first and then to the Jurassic world. Bruce motioned us to sit down. We sat on the granite ridge. I looked out nervously for that big bird but he wasn't around. Bruce gave us a hot dog and a can of beer and we enjoyed those, watching the huge blue creatures below.

"When are you going to try whatever it was you were going to do?" asked Vulcan.

"Just did," said Bruce.

"Come again?" I was puzzled.

"I just gave you a beer and a hot dog, didn't I?"

"So what? You do stuff like this all the time." I was still confused.

"But never on an alien world. I wanted to see if my God powers worked here. We never tried that before in all the excitement. Handy to know."

Vulcan pulled a hammer out of the air and threw it into the valley below. It bounced on the rock all the way down.

"Yep, sure works alright," he said.

The two suns were high in the sky. It was hot. A good excuse for another beer. 

We sat there for a while longer and went back.

Bruce was conjuring beer up again when I had an idea.

"Vulcan," I said, "can you call your father?"

"Now? I guess I can," he said, "but why?"

"Tell him we want to show him something. When he gets here we'll talk him into coming with us where we've just been. If I can show him that world he will help me to get the others to come on the grand tour."

Seconds later Zeus arrived.

"You have called me again. This'll better be good." Zeus looked straight at me when he said that, indicating he knew very well who had called him.

"You said that once to me before. I didn't disappoint you then."

"Very well," he said, somewhat pacified, "what do you want?"

"I want you to come with us to where we've just been. To another world."

"You are asking a lot. Why should I come?" Zeus was not happy with the idea.

"This is far more important to you than to any of us, believe me."

Zeus looked at Vulcan, then at Bruce and finally at me again. Seeing that we were deadly serious he came to a decision.

"Very well, I will come, but it will better be really good. I will hold you to that."

We linked hands and moments later we stood on the Granite ridge for the second time today. Zeus stared at the scenery, his features softened. He had seen some pictures of this world, but standing on an alien planet and experiencing it was something else. Zeus was obviously deeply moved.

"This is the beginning of a new era," he said. "The Gods will be great again. Olympus will never be able to thank you enough for what you have done."

That big bird was in the sky again and coming straight for us.

"We better get out of here quick," I said pointing at the rapidly approaching bird.

"No, no," said Zeus, "he is only coming to greet us."

I wasn't at all convinced the bird's intentions were peaceful, but Zeus had spoken and that was it. As it came closer we could see it was not a bird. It was an enormous flying reptile with bright blue scales, like a dragon of old. It landed about twenty feet from us on the ledge. Apparently just curious. It did not make any hostile moves. 

Zeus walked up to the animal and spoke to him in soothing tones in a language I had never heard. He stroked his neck and scratched him behind the ears. The dragon seemed to like it. I took heart and followed suit. Soon all four of us were talking to the dragon who was enjoying all the attention he was getting.

Then he stretched and started moving his wings. We stepped back and gave him some room so he could take off.

"I shall come here often," said Zeus, "I like this place. What a wonderful gift. Thank you boys, but now we must go back, there are other things to do."

We went back to Bruce's place. Zeus stayed with us for a beer and then took his leave. He was obviously touched by what we had shown him.

"I have never seen my old man like this," Vulcan said after Zeus had gone. "This has really rattled him. He knows something he is not telling us. An old prophesy coming to pass or something. Bigger than the Gods. Something involving the Fates perhaps."

"He has mentioned the Fates before in connection with this project," I said. "He said something really odd. He said: Even the Gods are subject to the Fates, whatever they are. What the Fates decree no God can rent asunder."

"I know the Fates are senior to the Gods in some way," Vulcan explained, "They govern destiny. The three Fates are, Clotho, Lachesis and Atropos; all females. Even amongst the Gods there is much speculation as to what they actually do, no one knows for sure."

"Perhaps we will meet them one day," I said, "that would really be something."

"Can you believe this joker? Now he wants to meet the fucking Fates. You are nuts." Bruce was adamant. 

Vulcan just stood there and shook his head in disbelief.

We had a few more beers and a bite to eat. I went home after that. Another eventful day. Hopefully there would be no Goddesses of discord lurking in my backyard.

Against expectations I had a peaceful night.

Chapter 25: New Worlds

On getting up, the first thing I did was to contact Endora to allow Zeus to visit his dragon. He would have been royally pissed off if he had wanted to travel to the primordial planet, as he said he would do, only to find he needed my permission first. 

Having thus narrowly averted a complete disaster I went to visit Bruce for breakfast. I could have easily made myself something, but I had found out a while ago that Bruce took great joy in feeding people and supplying them with booze, preferably beer. He was alone when I arrived. His face lit up and in no time I had a monster breakfast in front of me.

"You are not serious about wanting to meet the Fates, are you?" he said as I got stuck into the food. I could see he was really worried.

"Tell me, Bruce, where do the Fates live? They don't live on Olympus or Earth or we would know about it. So where do they hang out? Where is their home world?"

"Fucked if I know. Why should anyone care?" Bruce was being true to form.

"Because the next world we set foot on might well be theirs. What're you going to do then?"

"Say G'day I suppose and offer them a beer. Stop this shit. The moment you found out the three Fates are female you have been itching to find a way into their twats. That's all." 

"Actually I hadn't thought of seducing a Fate. That's a wonderful idea, I might just have a go if the opportunity presents itself. Jokes aside though, think of this: The Gods, as we found out, are only the administrators of a very small part of what there is. In fact, they are quite ignorant of the big picture. They are answerable to the Fates in some way. The Fates are from somewhere outside the realm of the Gods. But even the Fates are only administrators of destiny, not the creators of it, from what I can make out. That means they are answerable to something even bigger. If I want to get to that I need to talk to the Fates first."

"You have gone stark raving mad. This whole thing has gone to your head. You are drunk on power."

"Quite the opposite, my friend. Have you thought about how Zeus and his siblings came to power? Their father Cronus had come on the throne by castrating and killing his own father. Zeus waged war against Cronus and his armies and cast his father into Tartarus. Violence, violence and more violence. I am fucked if I am going to unleash this kind of shit onto any number of universes that have now become accessible.

"There may be much fiercer violence in some of these worlds already, I don't know. I will not be responsible however for introducing violence where none may exist, and that is exactly what will happen if I allow the Gods free reign. To keep the Gods in check I need the backing of a power higher than them. I want worlds where creatures can enjoy a beer and a barbeque in peace and not have to worry about violent hordes across the river sharpening their swords in preparation for slaughter. Or is that what you want, Bruce?"

"No, that is not what I want. How are you going to stop them? You can't overrule Zeus without backing and who says you can get that?"

"I am overruling Zeus right now, though he doesn't know it, and I don't want him to know. I had to instruct Endora to allow Zeus to visit his dragon or she would have refused him travel. As of yesterday no one, not even the Gods can travel on the system without my express say so. You heard Endora. She gave me complete control over the whole shooting match.

"If I wanted to, I could lock the whole system up for eternity. Believe me, I will do just that before I allow the likes of Ares or Malabubu anywhere near it."

"Let's hope it won't come to that. Shall we make a move?"

We went to the complex. First thing I did was to ask Endora to give everyone a communication bangle. Once that was done we went to the lunch room for a conference. Gadeirus showed me some possible worlds that would be suitable for the Grand Tour. While he was explaining his choices Endora showed snapshots of these worlds on the lunch room screen. There were three worlds that caught my attention.

One looked like an artificial planet. A city in space. According to Endora there were no living creatures on that world. No animals, no plants, just workshops, factories, accommodation and all the infrastructure needed for an industrial complex in space. This place was, according to our AI, where we would find the vehicles we required.

The other two worlds were totally different. They were inhabited by intelligent beings and appeared, at least by the descriptions, to be peaceful, sedate places. One world was settled by hominids that were, apart from their golden skins, green eyes, elongated, pointed ears and blue hair indistinguishable from humans. They lived mainly off vegetables they grew in well tended gardens and fish that were abundant in the oceans surrounding island style small continents along the equator. The rest of the planet was covered in water, frozen at the poles.

The second world intrigued me because it could easily be Kia's home world. It was populated by deer like quadrupeds that roamed a huge single continent stretching from pole to pole covering half the planet. It seemed to be the only landmass, the rest of the planet was covered with water. Apart from grazing and sleeping, most of their time was engaged in lengthy philosophical discussions about everything. They were telepathic and had devised a method of communication that was unique as far as Endora could tell. There was no other race known who did that. 

To guarantee privacy they created a kind of psychic bowl in which they would project whatever it was they wanted to say. This could be perceived and answered by anyone who had latched onto the bowl so to speak. This way privacy of thought was preserved. Prying into the mind of another was taboo. 

Endora explained that this was the system her builders had employed for communication with herself. Knowing this came as a huge relief because I had been wondering if Endora had been exploring my mind when I wasn't looking. She said that this was quite impossible for her to do when I asked. Addressing Endora put the thoughts I wanted to communicate into the bowl as it were, from where she would pick it up. The same thing happened in reverse. The whole process occurred on a subconscious level and was unnoticeable in communication.

Including the primordial world we had taken Zeus to I had now four worlds that were suitable for the Grand Tour. All that remained was to find a suitable vehicle and we would be set. I said as much to the others. They agreed it was a good choice.

"Alright fellows, here is what we do next. I want to take Gadeirus and Vulcan with me to look for a vehicle. They know about such things and will be helpful. As to he rest of you, I want you to have a closer look at the targets, Darrin, you would perhaps be best qualified to look at the artificial planet, Algenon and Bruce can fight it out between them which of the remaining two they want to look at. Any complaints?"

Seeing there were none I motioned Vulcan and Gadeirus to follow me to the power spot. Once there I told Edora where I wanted to go. We found ourselves on a floating platform that afforded a bird's eye view over a big hangar filled with vehicles of all sizes. Some were miles long, designed to take a huge number of people, some as small as the bubble cars of the 1950's that could hold no more than one or two passengers. We homed in on one the length of a bus but much wider. It looked like a loaf of bread.

There were no wings, nor was there any sign of a propulsion system. Just a base about two feet high and a transparent dome of about ten feet in height enclosing the internal space.

"This looks just about right," said Vulcan, "Let's have a closer look."




A God Called Bruce Pt. 03



The platform landed in front of the vehicle and as soon as we touched down lights in the vehicle came on and a door slid open giving us access. In spite of his gammy leg Vulcan was the first inside. He was in what looked like the pilot's seat before anyone could stop him. 

The inside was roomy but rather Spartan. There were some twenty seats, simple, but comfortable. Behind the seats was an open area, presumably for cargo. At the back there was a toilet and a small kitchen. The pilot's seat and co-pilot's seat were separated from the passenger area by a screen that reached from the floor to a height of about four feet. The walls and roof were made of a transparent material that allowed an unhindered view to whatever was outside.

Vulcan seemed to be overjoyed with what he had found. He was evidently communicating with Endora about the craft. Turning around with a big grin on his face he said: "Well, here we go." 

Before I could object the doors closed and the craft was hovering thirty feet above the hangar floor. A huge iris opened up on the far wall and we proceeded towards it. The craft was as steady as a rock, there was no perceivable movement inside. We went through the opening and were in space.

A bit late I said to Vulcan: "Are you sure you can fly this thing?"

"Don't worry," he said, "I'm not really flying it, Endora is, I am just telling her where to go."

The whole artificial planet was visible now from our position. Vulcan turned the craft and flew an orbit around the space station. Endora must have activated all the lights because the thing was lit up like a Christmas tree. It was spectacular, like something out of Star Wars. The craft turned again and headed for a faintly visible ring in space. I guessed this was a power spot. I was right.

We emerged over a blue planet. The large continent that stretched from pole to pole surrounded by water told me it was the planet of the deer creatures. I asked Vulcan to get Endora to pick a suitable landing spot and take us there. Shortly later we touched down. The doors slid open, I stepped outside.

The air was crisp and clean. We were on a grassed area about half a mile in diameter, surrounded by forest. Huge mountains loomed in the background, a small creek not more than a hundred feet away rolled lazily through the landscape; an idyllic scene. 

I was contemplating the beauty of it all when this huge dear with enormous antlers manifested in front of me. 

"Greetings," I said, "our intentions are honourable, we wish you no harm."

"I know," it said, "there is no malice in any of you." There was no voice speaking, I just heard it in my head, the same way when Endora spoke to me.

"I've met a creature just like you on another world," I said. I flashed a mental picture of Kia at him hoping he might see it.

He came up to me and licked me gently across the face, like Kia had done. Next he licked my left arm three times from wrist to elbow.

"Show that to her," he said, "she will know what it means. You are welcome here."

And that was that. He disappeared.

"What was that all about?" said Vulcan.

"Fucked if I know. He gave me a message for Kia, I think. Anyway, let's go, there won't be any more happening here today, I'm pretty certain of that."

Next stop was the Waterworld. Endora had us touch down on the largest island, just outside a village in a meadow. The people in the village dropped what they were doing and pointed to us amongst much noise. They were frightened. 

"Endora, is there some way we can tell them not to be afraid, that we come in friendship?"

"Yes, I know their language, I can use my outside speakers."

"Please do so and ask if we may speak to their leader."

The language was strange, full of guttural sounds, alternating with high pitched melodious bits, a kind of singsong with sound effects. I could not discern any individual words, it all kind of blended into each other.

Whatever Endora had said had the desired effect. The panic died down. A small group of elderly men gathered and walked cautiously towards us. The oldest amongst them tried to prostrate himself before me, but I stopped him halfway, helped him up and embraced him in a universal gesture of friendship.

"We have come in friendship", I said, "we are only here to learn." Endora translated.

"Our people are much afraid. Our crops have been poor these last few seasons. The fish have left us. We used to have plenty, now there are none. People are saying we are doomed, that the end of our world is coming. Are you part of that end?" The old man was in tears.

"Do not despair, we will aid you," I said, "tell your people we will come back before the sun has risen three times and we will bring help. You will have good times again. I promise you."

I turned around to Vulcan and asked him if he could make me some token that I could give to the old man to show to his people. He moved his hands and conjured up a disk made of gold, about six inches in diameter, with the face of Zeus engraved on it. It was beautiful.

I handed it to the old man and said: "Take this and show it to your people. Tell them this is a token of my promise to summon aid. Tell them to take heart. We will be back soon."

The old man bowed deeply and held the disk above his head for everyone to see. He rejoined his group. The elders moved in a procession back to the village, headed by the old man holding up the disk.

We boarded our vehicle and were home in the compound moments later.

Bruce, Algenon and Darrin were delighted with the vehicle. The Gods had a new toy.

When I told them to quit for the day and go to Bruce's place Vulcan said: "You and Bruce go, we have work to do."

Gadeirus and Darrin were already taking seats out and piling them in a corner. I was horrified.

"What are you doing?" I yelled.

"Calm down," said Vulcan, " We are just making it fit for Gods to travel in. See you tomorrow."

Seeing there was nothing further to do, Bruce and I left them to it and went for something to eat.

Zeus' door was open when I got home. I stuck my head in to say hello when I was nearly bowled over by Kia. She jumped up on me like an excited dog.

"What's the matter with her?" asked Zeus, "I have never seen her do that."

"I have been on what might be Kia's home world today. A large deer licked a message for her on my arm. He said she would understand."

"Well then you better sit down and let her read it," said Zeus with a grin and made some room on his bench for me. As soon as I sat down he handed me a glass of Retsina. I held my left arm so Kia could get at it, She sniffed and licked it, obviously very excited and very happy.

"Tell me about her world."

I told Zeus what had happened. 

"I have always wondered where she came from. About a thousand years ago I stumbled across her in Mongolia. That is why I called her Kia, meaning Out of Asia. She has followed me ever since. Sometimes Kia disappears for days, I have no idea where she goes or what she does. She is a mystery, even to me."

Kia hopped up on the bench, licked me across the face and disappeared.

Over a second glass of Retsina I told Zeus about the pending Grand Tour and how I wanted his siblings to come along. I asked permission to talk about the project to the girls.

"It is time they knew," was all he said. I took this as an approval.

I finished my wine, said good night to Zeus and went to bed.

Chapter 26: Lachesis

I had a rude awakening in the night. This was no dream. I stood on a huge sheet of ice, naked. In front of me was a creature made of fire, the shape of a woman with a lion's head and mane, ten feet tall and menacing. I was freezing and scorching, all at the same time. I pulled myself together, harder than I had ever done in my life.

"G'day Lachesis," I said in as even a tone as I could manage, "now that you have scared the shit out of me good and proper can we cut the theatrics?"

"How do you know who I am?" the monster roared at me.

"Well, I was born some time ago, that lets Clotho out because she is responsible for birth. Atropos is responsible for death. I don't think she would do shit like this before she kills me. That only leaves our darling Lachesis who is responsible for the in between stuff to do the honours. You've done that. Can we now continue our conversation in a more congenial setting?"

Seconds later we were sitting in what looked like a chambre separée in a French brothel of the 1900's. There was a bottle of champagne in an ice bucket on the table two champagne flutes and a platter with tiny pieces of white bread topped with smoked salmon and caviar. I was wearing tails. Lachesis was a sensation. Dressed in an elaborate emerald gown, her fiery red hair luxuriously piled on her head, the décolletage generously revealing some of her ample charms, she was more that an eyeful. She was stunningly beautiful. I said so.

"You realise of course, this is an illusion."

"This is the kind of illusion I can never get enough of," I said as I was pouring the champagne.

"Tell me," she said, "why did you want to see us? No one wants to see us."

"How did you know I wanted to see you?"

"Kia told me. She is the only creature who comes to visit. Every other living thing shuns us, well - except you."

"She must have been snooping around in my head, I never told her."

"Kia is very sneaky. She loves you, she was trying to help. Now tell me, what is it you want from us?"

I told her everything. About the other worlds and how I felt I needed the Gods but I did not want them to contaminate those worlds with their violence. To stop that from happening I needed the help of a higher power. I told her about my talk with the old man on that lovely world of theirs and how they needed help. 

"I can't help if it means corrupting their world with the likes of Ares and Malabubu," I concluded. "These people deserve better than that. I need your support."

Lachesis looked at me intently and held her empty glass out to me. I filled it for her. She reached into her handbag and withdrew a golden cigarette case and a lighter. She offered me a cigarette, took one herself and handed me the lighter. I lit the cigarette for her. She leaned back, inhaled the rich smoke deeply and just looked at me. I did not flinch.

"You are a noble creature," she said after a while, "you risk much to help others for no benefit to yourself. Just remember this ... the noble rarely win. Having said that, I like what you are doing. We will support you. I speak for all of us."

"I thank you," I said refilling her empty glass again. She was guzzling the champagne as if it was water. Was the alcohol affecting her? Lachesis appeared to have lost that hardness and mellowed a lot as the conversation and her alcohol consumption proceeded. She had almost smiled at me just then.

"I must be crazy," she said, waving her half empty glass in the air. "Here I am, Lachesis the Fate, one of the most feared creatures in the universe, even Zeus is scared of me, and I am behaving like a teenager on her first date."

She looked at me, a puzzled look on her face, before exclaiming: "What am I saying? I may not be a teenager, but this is my very first date." 

And then, out of the blue: "Will you dance with me?"

She was actually smiling when she said that. I told her I would love to dance with her. Lachesis waved her hand, one of the walls disappeared revealing a small dance floor. An unseen violin orchestra played softly a slow waltz. 

For someone who had never danced before she did exceptionally well. She followed my lead perfectly. Her closeness was intoxicating. I was aching to kiss her. I slowed down to a stop, brushed a strand of hair gently off her face and looked into her eyes.

"If this is your first date then you haven't had your first kiss yet either. Would you like that now?"

She just looked at me, soft, warm, yearning. I didn't wait for an answer I just kissed her deeply. She responded, gently at first then with increasing passion. I slipped my hand into her décolleté and cupped her ample breast. She didn't resist. Her nipple hardened. I could smell her wetness. 

We kissed for quite some time. Then I think things became a little too much for her and she pushed me away; very gently. I took my hand off her tit and straightened her dress.

"Enough for today," she whispered in my ear, "Maybe some other time?"

***

"You must be disappointed," she said when we were back at the table.

"Disappointed? Me? I have just kissed a Fate and fondled her breast. What man or God can claim that? If I die right now my life has been an outstanding, rip-roaring, uniquely spectacular success."

Then she did something I never dreamt she would do, she laughed. I had managed to get a Fate to laugh.

She got up from her chair, came over to me and kissed me gently, though only fleetingly, on the lips. "I have enjoyed my date with you, we must do this again, but now it is time to go to sleep."

I remember no more. I woke up late in the morning, still dressed in the tails. On the pillow next to me was that golden cigarette case of hers and the lighter with a little note that said simply Thanks.

My mouth tasted like an Arab's flip flop. I staggered into the kitchen to get myself a drink. At that moment Bruce turned up. He had been worried about me, since it wasn't my style to get up so late in the day. When he saw me still dressed in the tails he gasped.

"Where the fuck have you been?" 

"I've been on a date with Lachesis."

That took the wind out of his sails. He stared at me in total disbelief. 

"Don't tell me you fucked her?"

"I didn't quite get that far. I only managed to kiss her and play with her tit, then she got scared and backed off. She wants to go on another date with me and she did say they will help us."

"You scared a fate? I don't believe it."

"I didn't say I scared her. I don't think she had ever been horny before and when it happened it overwhelmed her a little. She can be very charming. You should meet her some day."

"No fucking way. You are fucking crazy. Tell me, is there anything you are not trying to fuck?"

"Yes, you, Bruce. I am not contemplating fucking you. Go, make us something to eat while I get showered and changed."

Bruce shook his head and went outside to see to the barbeque. Feeling a lot better after my shower I went and had breakfast with Bruce. After the meal I reached for a cigarette and found the cigarette case and lighter in my pocket instead of my usual fags. Funny, I didn't remember having put it there. When I offered a cigarette to Bruce he backed off as if I had offered him a poisonous snake.

"It's from her," he said. "I'm not going to touch this."

"How do you know? What's so special about the cigarette case?"

"I am a God, remember? I do see some things. I am telling you now, no God, not even Zeus himself, will be game to touch this thing. It connects you to the Fates in the same way Demeter's charm connects you to her. It will always be with you. You could not leave it behind or lose it if you tried. You are stuck with the fucking thing whether you like it or not."

I stroked the case very gently and said: "Thanks Darling." It felt as if I was touching her skin rather than the metal of the case.

Bruce cleared the table with one wave of his hand and said: "Back to work then Maestro. Let's get something done.

***

When we arrived back at the compound the vehicle was not there.

"Where is the fucking thing?" I asked.

"Vulcan is taking it for a spin. Endora is giving him flying lessons," Gadeirus said. "We have finished with the refurbishment, it looks really good now. Fit for the Gods even."

Half an hour later Vulcan was back. The boys had done a wonderful job. Sumptuous maroon leather armchairs were arranged in a U-shape around an oblong white marble table. The floor was covered with exquisite Persian carpets. It was, as Gadeirus had said, fit for Gods. We were ready. What remained now was for me to convince the supreme Gods to come along on a tour. I decided to talk to the girls first. Where better to do it than right here, inside the vehicle.

I asked Bruce to put a really good spread on the table and told everyone what I was about to do. I also called Endora and instructed her to give the girls access.

"We better make ourselves scarce," said Bruce after he set the table. They promptly left. I grabbed Demeter's charm and asked her to come to me and bring her sisters with her. She was not really keen on the idea, but when I explained that it was in connection with a project I was working on which was going to affect all of Olympus and that I needed them to see it first hand she calmed down somewhat. Minutes later they arrived.

I think they had intended to reprimand me for calling them out but they quickly changed their mind when they saw the vehicle and the underground complex. I greeted them warmly and bade them sit down and help themselves to the refreshments.

For the next half hour I explained the project and what I wanted to do next. They listened attentively and when I finished Hera said to leave it with her and the three of them left. I had not heard back when we closed shop for the day.

Chapter 27: The Six-pack

Kia was lying on my bed when I got home. She lifted her head so I could scratch her behind the ears.

"You have been a very naughty girl," I said to her. "I should be cross with you, but I'm not. Thanks for helping." 

She licked my hand and put her head down, pretending to go to sleep.

"Not so quick, you little shit," I said, "You've got some explaining to do. And don't pretend you can't talk because Lachesis told me you talk to her and her sisters, telepathically naturally, just like your cousin on that planet." 

"Lachesis is a tattletale," it rang in my head. "You are not going to tell Zeus that I talk to the Fates, are you?"

"No Kia, I am not going to tell anyone that you can talk or that you visit the Fates. You have your own reasons to keep quiet about it and I respect that. Tell me, was that your home world I visited?"

"I have no idea. Perhaps it is. I am not sure. The earliest I remember is following my mother across the steppes of Mongolia. She never told me how we got there. Then, over a period of some months, she became less and less substantial. She told me she was dying. Even after her body had completely faded away she stayed with me in spirit until we met Zeus. She told me to follow Zeus and departed. I have not heard from her since."

"Can't the Fates tell you where you are from? They know everyone's destiny."

"That's why I went to see them. Zeus has no idea, he thinks I am a mystery and he is quite content to leave it at that. I have been with Zeus for over a thousand years. In all this time he has never wondered why I am still a fawn or whether I truly understand what he tells me. He thinks I am a magical animal, affectionate and harmless, who loves him and who can sense when he is troubled and seeks solace. He is right, of course, but as you now know that is only part of what I am. I don't want him to know any more about me than what he thinks. I could not help him if he knew what I truly am. He would be afraid of me if he knew I can see his thoughts."

"So you are snooping around in his head too?"

"I don't snoop. I simply see what I see. That's all. I know what you said about the deer planet and how they ensure privacy of thought. It had never occurred to me there might be a necessity for such a convention. In this world I am the only creature who sees the thoughts of others, not even the Fates can read minds."

"So how did you wind up with the Fates?"

"I knew they were a higher power than Zeus. Zeus is afraid of them. Gods can be killed. It is unbelievably difficult to do so, but it has been done. For the Fates it is a small matter. Atropos could annihilate Zeus with a wave of her hand. He knows that. What Zeus doesn't know is that the Fates are not capable of arbitrarily influencing someone's destiny. When it is all said and done they have very little discretion to act independently. Atropos administers death, she cannot decide it. It suits the Fates very nicely to leave Zeus with his beliefs, it makes him more pliable. 




A God Called Bruce Pt. 03



"I was looking for answers and I thought the Fates might be able to help me, so the next time the Fates came to put the wind up Zeus for some reason I simply followed them home."

"You have been on their home planet?"

"They don't have a home planet, more a home space. You've been there. They create in their home-space any environment they want, for whatever they want to do. For you it was an ice sheet at first and a French brothel next. For me it was a meadow they created as soon as they became aware that I had followed them. They were very confused.

"Nothing had ever followed them home, they didn't think anything could. All they could see of me was the fawn, but not my past or future. They had never encountered a creature whose fate they could not see. What intrigued them more than anything though was that someone actually wanted to talk to them, this had never happened before.

"They appeared as three women, which I think is their preferred form. I greeted them and walked up to each of them rubbing my head against their leg. This unexpected show of affection rattled them to the core. Not what I did, but how they found themselves reacting to my gesture. Right then they realised that they were capable of affection, love even, something hitherto unknown to them. It was a monumental discovery. 

"Since then I have visited them often. They love me, as I love them. Lachesis is the smartest of the three. She suspects I can read their thoughts, but it doesn't worry her. There is no more to it than what I've told you, except that my very existence proves to them the reality of other universes. The thought intrigues them. You should take the Fates to another universe soon, they would like this."

"Later perhaps. For now, would you like to come on the Grand Tour with the Big Six and visit the planet of the deer?"

"I will plant it into Zeus' head to take me along. Now I'll go, Demeter will call you shortly."

Kia disappeared and no sooner had she gone when the medallion started to flash. I grabbed the charm and found myself in what looked like a suite in a modern five star hotel. Demeter was dressed in a skimpy, colourful designer frock. It was evident that she had given the underwear a miss. Her hair was undone and hung to her shoulders, her feet were bare. I had never seen her look more seductive. I was about to walk up to her and take her into my arms when she shook her head and motioned me to sit at a table, laden with snacks, fruit and wine.

"I have missed you," she said after I had poured the wine. "I gave you my charm, why didn't you call me out for a bit of fun? Don't I excite you any more?"

"It's not that," I said. "It is just that apart from a romp in the hay there is nothing I can offer you. Somehow the idea of ringing up a Goddess and asking if she fancies a fuck seemed a little crude. Besides, you told me there could only ever be a few stolen moments between us. I decided to wait for you to make the next move."

"Alright, I accept that, but before I put it to the test there is something I want to tell you. We have spoken to our brothers. We expected a lot of opposition to your plans from Poseidon and some reluctance from Hades. 

"To my surprise Poseidon was more than enthusiastic. He wants to meet you. Apparently his sons Gadeirus and Arion have told him much about you and your exploits. He seems to like your spirit. 

"Hades is a different matter. The idea of taking him out of his universe looks like a trap to him. He thinks you, or whoever is behind you, is trying to get all of us out of Olympus and take over. Be careful with him. He can destroy you if he so desires and there is little we can do about it if he so chooses."

"You worry too much. Leave Hades to me, I can handle him." I emptied my glass and looked at her. "So, what are we going to do? Shall we go to the bedroom, or do you want me to bend you over the table?"

The bedroom it was. While we were making love I had the feeling there was someone else in the room. Demeter didn't seem to notice. Then I caught a fleeting glimpse of Lachesis. She was watching us screw. This excited me no end. I kept pounding into Demeter with renewed ardour until she asked me to slow down. She was exhausted.

"You really have missed me," she said when it was all over. "Next time don't wait so long."

I awoke in my own bed next morning having no idea how or when I got there. It was becoming routine. I showered and made my way to Bruce with some apprehension. 

Today was the big day.

We all met in the vehicle for a last minute briefing. I instructed Endora to give the Big Six, or the Six-pack as Bruce called them, access and to admit Kia as well. 

When that was out of the road I told the others to get the vehicle ready for the big meeting and wait in the lunch room until I called them. Bruce did his catering bit and disappeared. I awaited the arrival of the Gods.

About an hour later the girls arrived, followed within minutes by the boys and Kia. I greeted everyone and bade them help themselves to the refreshments. Kia curled up in the chair next to me. Poseidon was the first to speak.

"Tell me," he said with a booming, but not unfriendly voice, "you have had the temerity to summon the six of us, are your balls really as big as they say or is it all bravado?"

"I summoned no one," I said, "I merely invited you because I need to show you something. As to the size of my balls, that is up to others to determine."

"My boys like you, I trust their judgement. I will hear what you have to say."

Hades just stared at me, not saying anything. I took this as my prompt and told them about the project and that I wanted to take them to four new worlds so they could see for themselves.

"Olympus, and all you are aware of," I concluded, "is a very small part of what there is. There are any number of worlds out there to explore and to create beautiful peaceful civilisations in by avoiding the mistakes of the past. A challenge worthy of the most powerful Gods there are. All you need to do is claim it."

"This could easily be a trap," shouted Hades. "Who is to say you are not luring us to who knows where in order to take over our realm?"

"There is that risk, I admit. It's not very real though. Zeus has seen one of these worlds. He knows they exist. I could have easily kept this to myself and have as much power as I wanted without having to fight anyone. These worlds need you. That is why I am inviting you."

"Who do you think you are you puny human? I am Hades. I can utterly destroy you with a wave of my hand."

I looked him square in the eyes and said: "Yes you could, but you are not going to."

"Give me one good reason why I should not wipe you out right now." Hades' voice was low and menacing.

"I will give you not one, but two good reasons why you will not do this. For one, you would be wondering for the rest of eternity what you might have missed out on."

He seemed to contemplate this for a minute. 

"And the second reason? What would be my second reason?"

"You are not about to demonstrate in front of your siblings that your balls are smaller than mine."

He just stared at me and it looked as though he might lose control any second and do something to me. Time to bring out the big guns. I lit a cigarette and put Lachesis' cigarette case on the table in full view.

I thought their eyes were about to pop out of their sockets. Only Zeus didn't seem surprised. For a moment no one said anything. Eventually Hades said very quietly: "You have powerful allies. I concede. I will come. You win."

"No, Hades, you win. You all will win out of this, let me show you."

I told Endora to tell the others that they were needed. When they arrived I said: "You all know my crew. They will come with us." Turning to Vulcan I added: "Please take the controls Vulcan, first stop the primordial planet."

Vulcan was being an arsehole. "Aye aye Captain," he barked and saluted like a soldier.

We arrived on the ledge a short time later. Zeus was the first one out when the doors opened. He went some thirty feet away from the vehicle and mumbled something in this strange language he had used before. A minute later we saw the dragon in the sky flying towards us. He put down next to Zeus and the two greeted each other like old friends. The girls and Kia went to join Zeus and the dragon, Poseidon disappeared and Hades looked at the quadrupeds in the valley below. He seemed at peace for once so I strolled over to him and said: "Beautiful, aren't they?"

"Fascinating creatures. This is a beautiful world. Thank you."

"Where is Poseidon?"

"He has gone to see the ocean. He is not much interested in things on land."

Within a half an hour Poseidon was back "This is wonderful," was all he said. I rounded up the others, said goodbye to the dragon and asked Vulcan to give us two orbits around the space station. I knew the Gods would not be all that interested in technology. I wanted them to see it nevertheless. Gadeirus did his best to explain what they were looking at. I don't think they understood much.

Next stop was the deer planet. As soon as we touched down Kia dematerialised. There was no one there to greet us. Poseidon went looking for the ocean. The rest of us had something to eat and drink while we awaited developments. About half an hour later Kia turned up with hundreds of the deer creatures in tow. They were popping up all over the place. Zeus communicated with their leader for a while. The others talked to groups and individuals. It was like a big social get together. Poseidon returned from the ocean and we said our goodbyes after promising to come back for a visit. 

"They have a wonderful way with their philosophies. There is much wisdom to be gained here," said Zeus when we were back in the vehicle.

I instructed Vulcan to keep the craft in orbit around the last planet while I explained to the Gods the problems the people had. I appealed to them for help.

"Take us down," said Zeus, "we will see what we can do."

We landed in exactly the same spot as before. The villagers did not panic this time but came to greet us. The old man I had spoken to led the villagers carrying the token I had given him. He walked straight over to Zeus and prostrated himself before him. Zeus was touched to see his likeness on the plaque. The old man again asked for help. As before Endora translated.

Zeus assured him that everything would be alright. He instructed Demeter to heal the ground and make it fertile again and Poseidon to heal the oceans. The others disappeared as well, I had no idea what they did.

Zeus manifested a mountain of food and soon the villagers were having the first decent meal in who knows how long. While the villagers were having their picnic I saw the parched ground turning green. The trees sprouted new leaves and the scorching temperature had dropped to a comfortable balm. The villagers looked at all this in wonder, many were crying.

About two hours later the Gods were back and declared that things had been taken care of. We took our leave from the villagers and promised to return. Shortly thereafter we were back on Olympus.

"This is a new dawn for the Gods," declared Zeus. "We will be great again, perhaps greater than we have ever been. It is obvious the Fates have an interest in this, we will do nothing further until they tell us what they want us to do."

"You boys," he turned to us, "carry on as you were. You are doing a great thing for all of us. Let us go and have some rest. It has been quite a day."

All six of them and Kia disappeared without a further word. I instructed Endora to lock the place up again. "Zeus can still go to visit his dragon," I said, "that's all. Otherwise, only the six of us, no one else, until further notice."

Endora acknowledged my command. We all went to Bruce's place for a drink. Without thinking I lit a cigarette and put the case and lighter on the table. The others were as horrified as Bruce when they saw it, all except Vulcan. He picked the case and the lighter up and had a good look.

"Lachesis is very beautiful," he said.

"How do you know? And how come you aren't afraid of it? Bruce told me no God would be game to touch it."

"I had to touch it. I made the fucking thing. Lachesis commissioned it a long time ago. Of course I didn't know it was for you. You weren't even born when I made it. They are Fates, they can see far into the future, maybe into eternity itself."

"Weren't you afraid of her? It seems all the Gods are afraid of the Fates."

"She never told me who she was until the very end. She also told me I would see the case again some time in the future and that the man who carried it would take me to a place in the sky made of metal and cure me of my lameness. She said I would be cured at the same time as Hestia, whatever that means."

"I am sorry to disappoint you Vulcan, but I don't know of such a place."

"You will. The Fates are never wrong. It will happen one day."

"I hope so, my friend. For your sake, I really hope so."

I had another beer and then the day was catching up with me. I went home and straight to bed. I must have passed out as soon as my head hit the pillow for I remember nothing further.

Chapter 28: Panacea

"Get up! You have to take Hestia to the doctor today," rang in my head as soon as I woke up.

Shit, I had forgotten all about Hestia's appointment. I thanked Kia for reminding me and hopped into the shower. It wouldn't have looked right to turn up at the doctor's surgery in a tee shirt and shorts, I needed to spruce up a bit. I climbed into sports combination instead, Harris tweed jacket, light grey trousers, black shoes, white shirt, no tie. Bruce stared at me when I arrived for breakfast. 

I told him I had a few things to do in Sydney, I was taking the day off. With this out of the way I went home again. At least Bruce and the others would not get worried and come looking for me, today of all days. I called Hestia through Demeter's charm and instructed her what to wear when she arrived. A chiton with nothing underneath was hardly the thing to wear in Sydney if one wanted to stay inconspicuous. I even made her wear underpants. Turning up bare arsed at the doctor's wasn't the thing to do either.

I had told Dr. Sangster Hestia was a relative of mine and well known in her country, so discretion was a prime concern. We had negotiated a generous fee for the examination, enough to make sure he cancelled all appointments for the day.

We arrived at his surgery in Macquarie Street just before ten. Hestia was scared. She would not let go of my hand even when she was in the chair and the doctor was poking her, examining her twat. If Dr. Sangster thought it odd for a male relative to be present he did not mention it. He took X-rays and an ultrasound. Three hours later we were through.

The verdict when it came was not good. Whilst an operation was possible he was not in favour of going ahead. The prognosis for a satisfactory outcome was poor. What followed was a lengthy dissertation on her condition and what could and could not be done. The upshot was that he could create a vaginal orifice that could possibly accept a penis, but that would be all. She would never be able to have children or, perhaps more importantly, derive any pleasure from intercourse or masturbation. There was also a big chance problems with urination would develop. He advised against surgery. The risks were simply too big for what would, at best, be a doubtful result.

Hestia was devastated. I paid the surgeon and we took our leave.

Back home Hestia fell apart. I poured her a stiff drink, which calmed her a little.

"This isn't over yet," I said, "Lachesis said you would be cured."

Immediately Hestia brightened up. I explained to her what Lachesis had said to Vulcan.

"Lachesis does not lie, if she said this, it will come true. She knows. I shall just have to wait."

"Maybe I should ask Lachesis," I said, "though I doubt she will tell me much more than she told Vulcan. For now, would you like to come with me for a meal?"

"I would love to."

I took Hestia to the Woolloomooloo Bay Hotel for some chilli coconut crab, their signature dish and quite a sensation. Hestia enjoyed the meal and the surroundings. After the meal we went into town to buy a box of cherries for Kia before returning to my place. Hestia thanked me for what I had done and left. She seemed happy. I changed into my usual outfit and went to see Bruce.

Bruce was not home, but Marge was. As soon as she saw me she popped her tits out and said: "I think you could do with a bit."

I took her on the dinner table in the back yard. It was nice.

We were sharing a bottle of Marge's prize wines when the others arrived. I didn't know what Vulcan had been up to, but whatever it was had not done his gammy leg a lot of good. His limp was more pronounced and he was leaning heavily on his stick. I felt sorry for him and Hestia. Knowing that one day they would be cured wasn't good enough. I wondered if there was something I could do to speed matters up. I needed to talk to Lachesis. But would she tell me? Probably not. When Vulcan had told me the story I had the initial impression he was talking about a place like that artificial planet we had been to. It was reasonable to assume that there were medical facilities in that world though perhaps not capable of treating Gods.

When I asked Endora she confirmed that part of the complex contained a huge, very advanced hospital. All surgery and medical treatment was done by machines and the facility was fully functional. There was nothing in the data base concerning the treatment of Gods. We would have to supply the data ourselves. 

"Who is the God responsible for medical treatment?" I asked when there was a quiet moment.

Marge answered. "There are six of them now, each handling an aspect of medicine; Hygieia, Meditrina, Panacea, Aceso, Iaso, and Aglaea, all daughters of Asclepius, the original God of healing."

"Where can I find Asclepius? He seems to be the one I want to talk to."

"That might be a bit difficult," said Marge. "Zeus killed Asclepius with a thunderbolt, probably ordered by the Fates."

"What for?"

"Asclepius got so good at healing he started to raise the dead. Zeus maintained he had to kill him because Asclepius was going against the natural order of things. We never believed that it was his decision. We all felt Zeus had been ordered to do so by a higher authority."

"So who is looking after anatomy and surgery these days?"

"That would be Panacea, she is the Goddess of cures. If you want to have someone cured you might want to see Iaso as well, she is the Goddess of recovery."

"Tell me Marge, what do I have to do to see Panacea and Iaso?"

"Talk to Hera. They all report to her."

I needed to talk to Hera anyway about today's fiasco at the doctor's. I grabbed Demeter's charm and asked to speak to Hera. Before I could say anything more I found myself sitting with her at a table in her atrium. She wore a simple chiton without embroidery and no jewellery other than a plain fibula that held the dress together. She looked delicious.

"Have some Ambrosia first," she said. "You need to recharge your batteries if you are to be any good to me after your tryst with Marge."

"How dddid yyou......" I stammered.

Before I could collect myself and complete the question she laughed.

"I am Hera, the supreme Goddess of Olympus. Did you think you could fuck a Goddess on a barbeque table, out in the open, here on Olympus, without me knowing about it?"

She was still laughing, I guessed she was not angry with me. Instead of saying anything I drank the Ambrosia as told and waited for her to continue.

"Why do you want to talk to me?"

I told Hera what happened at Dr. Sangster's surgery and how devastated Hestia was afterwards. I next told her what Lachesis had said to Vulcan and that I felt I ought to do something to hurry things along.




A God Called Bruce Pt. 03



"I think Zeus should hear this," she said. She put some refreshments on the table with a wave of her hand, moments later Zeus was with us.

I repeated what I had said to Hera. 

"What do you want to do?" said Zeus.

"I think the answers are in that space station I took you to. I want to take Lachesis, Panacea, Iaso, Vulcan and Hestia there. Then we see what we can do."

"It might be in vain," said Hera. "You cannot know for certain it will work."

"I'll take that chance. If the others are willing, I think we should give it a try."

"What if Lachesis refuses? She might not like the idea." I could see Zeus was not very keen on having her involved.

"Well," I said, "let's ask her."

Zeus and Hera stared at me in horror when I took the cigarette case out of my pocket, kissed it and said: "If you can hear me Lachesis, I would like to ask you something."

Lachesis materialised next to me in an instant. She wore an outfit identical to Hera's. Her long, fiery red hair contrasted spectacularly with the plain white of the chiton. I hugged her and kissed her cheek.

Zeus mumbled some welcome, poured a glass of wine and handed it to her. Lachesis accepted the wine and took a sip.

"I know what you want," she said to me. "The answer is yes, I will come."

With that she disappeared.

Zeus and Hera were visibly shaken. I had in front of them summoned and kissed a Fate. What more, the Fate had acceded to my request.

"You have the blessing of the Fates," said Zeus after a long pause. "I will not interfere. It is obvious that whatever you are trying to do is meant to be. What you are attempting is worthwhile. It is not often I am impressed with anything. Your willingness to put yourself at risk to help your friends is admirable and rare, even amongst Gods. You have my blessing. I hope you succeed. Do whatever is necessary."

Zeus stood up, patted me on the shoulder and dematerialised.

"What now?" said Hera.

"Now we call Panacea and Iaso, perhaps Vulcan and Hestia as well, then we can explain everything in one hit."

"Do we have to do this right away?" Hera sounded disappointed.

"Well, how about we have a nice meal, a few drinks, dance perhaps a little, retire afterwards to a game or two of Hide The Sausage and call a conference in the morning?"

"That would be much nicer. Can I hide the sausage? I know a very good place for it."

She got her wish.

***

In spite of her eagerness Hera's lovemaking that night was gentle and considerate. A couple of times I nearly called her Demeter, I just managed to stop myself in time. When we both had enough she snuggled up to me, with her head on my chest tracing little patterns with her finger on my stomach.

"Tell me," she said after a while, "why aren't you afraid of Lachesis? This sweet girl persona is only one facet of her, in reality she is terrifying."

"She threatened me in the guise of a monster when I first met her."

"And you weren't afraid?"

"I was shitting myself, but I didn't let that stop me."

"She can destroy you with a thought."

"Yes Hera, so can you. That doesn't stop me screwing you, does it? In fact all of you can, even Bruce and Marge. If any one of you wants to hurt me I have no defence. When I think of what you did to poor Medusa you become more terrifying than Lachesis. I don't let these things influence my actions, if I did, I couldn't function."

"Hang on a minute, lover boy. I know the stories that circulate about me. I am nowhere near as capricious and vindictive as they say. I had nothing to do with Medusa's demise."

"What really happened to Medusa then?"

"It was Athena who punished her. Medusa was not screwing Zeus, she was humping Poseidon. What upset Athena was that Medusa was one of her priestesses and that she screwed Poseidon in her temple. Some say Poseidon raped her, but in spite of Poseidon's reputation as a rapist, in this case I believe Athena. Medusa was a tart, she didn't need much encouragement to fuck anyone."

I must have drifted off to sleep around then because I remember nothing further.

***

Panacea and Iaso were cute. You could tell they were twins, long blond hair, large blue eyes, skinny, pert little titties and long legs. They looked like college girls in their jeans and campus tee shirts. 

Hera had rounded up everyone and we were having breakfast together. After breakfast I explained what I was planning to do. Hestia and Vulcan were touched that I was mounting an expedition on their behalf. Panacea and Iaso were excited about the idea. They all made long faces though when I told them Lachesis was coming along.

"What do we need her for?" asked Vulcan.

"Lachesis has seen the event. She will know if we are in the right place. I think she will tell us if we are doing the right thing and warn us if we run into danger. She has promised to help. Don't think of her as a Fate, think of her as a benevolent patron, at least as far as this project is concerned."

"She won't be able to help, she is not allowed to interfere," said Panacea.

"I think this is different. We are going to a place outside her jurisdiction. My feeling is she will be free to act."

"Seeing that the Fates are so tightly bound to their duties, the opportunity to act freely for once must be very exciting and tempting for them," Panacea said. "I think this might work very well. Fancy ... having the Fates as allies. The opportunities are staggering."

This chick was no fool. She was the only one who grasped the enormity of my plan. But then, her father Asclepius was a rebel who thought outside the square, maybe his daughter was cut from the same cloth.

"Where do we go from here?" she asked.

"I think you and Iaso should spend the day with Endora and help her to update the medical files with the anatomy and physiology of the Gods. Endora can brief you on the technology available. We can do this right here on Olympus. Once that is completed we can travel."

"Let's get started then."

I thanked Hera for her help. Hestia stayed behind, there was nothing for her to do. The rest of us went to the complex to talk to Endora.

I arranged for communicators for the girls and authorised their access. I also arranged access for Lachesis, though I had the feeling she could come and go with or without my permission.

I left the girls with Endora and asked Bruce and Vulcan to come with me to Bruce's place for a drink.

Over a beer I told Bruce what I had arranged.

"I have no idea how long we will be gone. I will not return until Vulcan and Hestia are fit to travel, that is assuming everything works out. We may be gone for weeks. In the meantime I want you to be in charge here. You know what to do and the boys listen to you."

"When will you leave?"

"As soon as Panacea is happy that we are as prepared as we can be on the medical front."

We had a couple of drinks then the gang turned up at the same time as Marge and Lil. The boys had brought Panacea and Iaso with them. As far as they were concerned the girls were now part of the crew. It was good to see. We had a lovely evening over a meal and a few drinks. The new girls fit in well, they giggled a lot and horsed around like teenagers. It was obvious they were enjoying themselves.

It was late when I finally made my way home. Even though there was no one home I put a bowl of cherries out for Kia and went to bed. It had been a good day.

Chapter 29: Going for it

The cherry bowl was empty when I got up. No sign of Kia. 

Breakfast at Bruce's was a crowded affair. Any more people and he would need a bigger table. Bruce loved it, the more the merrier. I asked Panacea how she was getting on.

"This is not as big a deal as I thought," she said. "Their system of medicine is dramatically different from anything I've ever come across. It is unbelievably simple in concept, though difficult to apply in practice. When I think about it, it must be something like my father was doing when he raised the dead, except they used machines."

"So, where do we go from here?"

"I need to understand more about their machines. I could do with some help."

"I'll tell Darrin, Algenon and Gadeirus to give you a hand. They are getting a good grip on the technology by now. Do you need to go to the space station to look at the machines?"

"No, there is an infirmary in the complex, it has all the required equipment, Endora took us there."

"Does that mean you could treat your patients here?"

"Yes, it does, but I am not going to."

"And why not?" 

"I think this has to be done outside the jurisdiction of the powers that be in this realm. I don't want us to share my father's fate. Besides, Lachesis told Vulcan it would happen in space. There must be a reason. Let's go with that."

She was right, of course. I went with the others to the complex and had a look at the infirmary that Panacea had talked about. There was not much to see, just some machines and a room next door with some beds in it. That's why we missed the significance of this space when we looked the complex over. There were still a lot of rooms and workshops that we didn't know what they were for. Sooner or later we would know, for now there was far too much to do.

That the boys were keen to help the girls would be an understatement. They had worked in an all male environment until now and having women around made a nice change. 

I didn't know what to do after that. I seemed to be in the way. Pretending I had to do something elsewhere I teleported out to that little temple, where much of this had begun. I liked the place. It soon became painfully obvious I was no God. I was getting thirsty and a snack would have been welcome too. I couldn't whip up this shit like the others did, but there was an alternative. I teleported home, packed some food, a carton of beer and a blanket. Having done that I returned, spread the blanket and had myself a one man picnic.

It wasn't much fun. When I lit a cigarette I had an idea. I kissed the cigarette case and asked Lachesis if she would like to come to my picnic. She did not need much convincing because I had hardly voiced my invitation when she turned up, dressed like me in shorts tee shirt and thongs. Her hair was in plats. She kissed me before I had a chance to utter a greeting. On the spur of the moment I embraced her and whisked us to the primordial planet where I had taken quite a few visitors before.

"Where are we?" said Lachesis after she disengaged herself from the clinch. "What have you done to us?"

We were sitting on the granite ledge overlooking the valley. My beer, blanket and food basket had followed us for some reason. I offered Lachesis some food and a beer and pointed to the creatures below. She was not happy.

"What have you done?" she said with a wavering voice. She sounded scared.

"I am only showing you another world. We can go back to Olympus any time. Why are you so upset? You are a Fate, you must have seen I was going to do this."

"We cannot see our own destiny. How did you take me and my sisters to this place?"

"You and your sisters? I only took you."

"Anyone who deals with one of us deals with all three."

"Where are they then?"

Lachesis' features became blurry. Slowly two more creatures separated from her, all identical except one had blond hair, the other black. When my vision cleared completely there were three women sitting in front of me.

"This is Clotho," Lachesis said, pointing to the blonde. I picked up a beer and handed it to her with a kiss on the cheek.

"Welcome Clotho," I said. I didn't wait for Lachesis to introduce Atropos. I took a can of beer and gave it to her. Before I could kiss her cheek she grabbed me and kissed me full on the mouth. 

"Why aren't you dying?" she said after we separated. "They all do when I do this."

"You are not bound to your duties here Atropos," I said. "Where we are now you are free."

She grabbed me again and kissed me, but this time it was a full on Frenchie, like I had shown Lachesis. She was nowhere near as scared as Lachesis had been and minutes later I was all over her, naked, right in front of her sisters. Her cherry was gone shortly afterwards. By the time we finished I had deflowered the Fates. All three of them.

When all of us were exhausted Clotho and Atropos melded into Lachesis again.

"It is time to go back, we must do our duty," said Lachesis. "Thank you for showing us we are more than we thought. We will come here again."

I took Lachesis back to the little temple where we had started from. She kissed me chastely and dematerialised, taking her sisters with her.

***

I had trouble teleporting to Bruce's place, I don't think I could have made it home. Panacea was the first to spot me. She hurried over and caught me just as I was about to pass out. 

"I don't know what you have been up to," she said, "but your energy levels are dangerously low, drink this."

The stuff she gave me tasted like a mixture of rotten eggs and shit. My stomach revolted and wanted to bring it straight up again but Panacea punched me in the head so hard I forgot all about my stomach. I saw everything in triplicate, then the picture wobbled like a gelatine pudding, exploded and I was suddenly right. Weak, but right.

Panacea made me eat a lot of very fatty food and drink some Ambrosia while she and Iaso massaged my neck, shoulders and head. An hour later I felt normal again.

"What the fuck...." Bruce tried to say, but Panacea cut him off.

"Not now," she said, "He needs sleep. Iaso and I will take him home and stay with him overnight. He will be alright in the morning."

***

I don't know how I got home but I remember waking up in my own bed with a naked Panacea on one side and a naked Iaso on the other. Any other time I would have been as horny as hell and fucked both of them but not today. My cock felt as if it had been through a clothes wringer. I apologised to the ladies, they just grinned and escorted me to the shower.

I wasn't looking forward to breakfast at Bruce's but I went anyway with Panacea and Iaso in tow. To my surprise no one was getting stuck into me over last night, they were relieved I was alright. Bruce said he wanted to talk to me, the others went to work. When they had gone Marge turned up.

"You had us really worried yesterday," she said. "If it hadn't been for Panacea you would have died. You tried to fuck Lachesis, didn't you? It nearly killed you, you stupid prick. Bruce said you were going to try."

"I am sorry Marge, I didn't mean to upset any one of you. Leave the Fates alone, this is not their fault."

"You were with Lachesis though, weren't you?" Marge was being persistent.

"I was with all three of them. I took them to another world."

I don't know why I was telling Marge and Bruce this, except they were my oldest friends here and I loved them dearly.

"Don't tell me you fucked all three of them? I wouldn't put it past you." Marge was adamant, she was determined to get to the bottom of this. Bruce just popped another beer. I said nothing.

Marge is smarter than most Gods here on Olympus. I had known this from when I first met her. She had also been the first God I ever fucked, on Zeus' command no less. She looked at me closely now, trying to find out what was happening here.

"You did, didn't you, you actually fucked them," she decided. "This changes everything. The old order is coming to an end. You have made the Fates something other than what they were. It will take some time to show, but it will reach far. Little will stay the same."

"Will you keep this to yourself?"

"Bruce, Lil and I are with you. Nothing else counts. Wherever it leads, let's go."

"You heard the lady," said Bruce. "Fancy a beer?"

***

Bruce went to work. Marge wouldn't let me go. She took me into the house, hexed mine and her clothes off and took me to bed. 

"No fucking today," she said, "you need more rest." She cuddled me and, to my surprise, I fell asleep almost instantly.

I woke up with Marge sucking my dick. She had to have been doing it for some time because the moment I opened my eyes rope after rope of the inevitable discharged down her throat.

"All working again," grinned Marge. A minute later we were both sitting outside, fully dressed. It wasn't long until the others arrived.

After the meal and the usual little drinking session Panacea and Iaso grabbed me and whisked me off to my place.

"You owe us one for last night," said Panacea. "We've been wet all day."

I had never been with a couple of horny sisters who had it off with each other. I didn't know what to expect. It turned out to be a fun party. There was a lot of sucking and squirting and other cool stuff going on. Panacea was licking Iaso's snatch as I was pumping my last load into it from behind. I must have collapsed about then, because I remember nothing more. 

Pity these things don't last forever.

Chapter 30: Marge

Panacea and Iaso were doing a sixtyniner when I woke up. 'I still had enough from last night and went to the shower instead. They were on the vinegar stroke when I returned, if their squeals were any indication. I often wondered how women can squeal while eating pussy, but they can. 

Gods don't need to shower, nor do they need to wash clothes. They get up all covered in jiz and sweat and in an instant they are clean, smell delicious and are wearing freshly ironed, spotless clothes. They have it easy, I wish I could do shit like this. The little tarts were in mint condition when we turned up at Bruce's for breakfast. I, by contrast, probably showed some wear.

The day turned out to be routine. When we met for our customary after work meal Panacea informed me she was as ready as she would get. We were poised to move.

I was about to announce we were going to move in the morning when Marge took me to one side.

"Don't leave from here," she said. "I have a feeling you would be better off if you and Lachesis went to wherever you took her the last time and have the others pick you up there."

"What makes you say that Marge?"

"You have become a bit of a problem child to whoever is supervising the Fates. You have taken them out of this universe and returned them as something else. I take it, you fucked all three of them, you couldn't have had just one. The way I understand it those three are almost one being. The fuck is nothing, if it were just that. It's not though."

"What are you talking about?"

"Until now, the Fates have been the tools of a higher power. They did what they were instructed to do without ever questioning the why and wherefores of it. In fact they didn't know they might have a choice. Whoever runs them had build such a wall of fear around them no one was ever going to even talk to them by choice. The higher powers were safe. The Fates were ignorant.

"Then you come along and upset the apple cart. You go and actually see one of them and put your charm on. Poor Lachesis had no defences against you, how could she? She didn't even know she could fall in love and get horny. No one had ever approached her."

This put me into a difficult situation. I really wanted Marge's input, but if I wanted her to see the complete picture I had to tell her about Kia. I had promised Kia not to betray her. It would have to be Kia's decision.

"Will you spend the night with me at my place and never tell anyone what happened there, no matter what?"

"If you want me to."

"I want, let's go."

We apologised to the others and left. Two old friends going for a nookie. The only one who didn't buy it was Panacea. I could tell by the knowing look she gave me. Never mind, she would be cool. When we got to my place I put a bowl of cherries out for Kia. By that time everyone had heard about me feeding cherries to Kia, so there was nothing suspicious in this, not even to Marge.




A God Called Bruce Pt. 03



Kia turned up straight away. She got her scratchies from me and Marge and started to munch her cherries.

You want Marge to know about me? it rang in my head.

Only if you want to Kia, I will never betray you. The choice is yours.

I knew the little shit was snooping around in my head and Marge's. There was no need to explain, so I didn't bother. Marge was unaware of what was going on. She rummaged around in the wine cellar and came back with a bottle of champagne. It was the right temperature when she poured it; perfect. The Gods love doing shit like this.

Tell her, prompted Kia, tell her everything. She is very smart and can be a big help to you, if you let her. Don't worry about her telling anyone about me, she won't.

Having obtained Kia's permission I told Marge about Kia's involvement with the Fates and how that had prepared the way. I told her that no one else was to know about Kia's true nature.

"Your secret is safe with me," she said, scratching Kia behind the ears.

"I know," said Kia. I mean, she was actually speaking, the little arsehole. No telepathy this time. Plain speech. She licked Marge across the face and disappeared.

"Thanks for clarifying this," said Marge. "It changes little, except to say that your involvement is part of a larger picture. There appears to be some orchestration here. Whoever or whatever is doing this, it is a power a lot higher than even the controllers of the Fates. Kia features in this in a big way. It was her that opened the hearts of the fates to love and affection, it was her who sent Lachesis to you. Without her actions none of this would have happened.

"Nevertheless, the upshot of it is the Fates are no longer what they were. They have discovered love and affection and passion, but above all self determination. By taking them out of their constricting environment and having sex with them you kind of introduced them to Women's Lib. They are no longer the unquestioning slaves of their masters.

"If I were you I would only meet them outside this universe from now on. You don't know what hornet's nest you piss in if you do things with them here. Out there you are a lot safer."

The champagne was finished by then. I didn't feel like another bottle. Neither did Marge by the look of it. She took my hand and led me to the bedroom.

Afterwards Marge snuggled up to me while I was having a cigarette.

"You are a cocksman, if ever I've seen one," she said. "There is something different about you though. Remember, when you first fucked me in front of Zeus. It was only supposed to be a root but it was so much more. Once you were inside me it felt as though you really loved me. I wasn't just a fuck, I was a lover. You have an immense capacity for love, the real thing, not a pretence to get into someone's twat.

"I know others feel the same, Lil, for instance and Hera, if I am any judge of character. You love us all, even the Fates. You fuck us because you feel love for us, not to get your rocks off. That is why none of us are jealous. That is also why we all love you. You are no different with the men, you won't fuck them, but you love them and they know it, even grumpy, old Zeus. I want to come with you."

"Where to Marge?"

"Anywhere. Out there - Captain Kirk."

I had no idea the Gods watched Star Trek. I was touched. Marge would be a real asset, smart and loyal, what else could anyone want. I didn't have to think.

"Warp five Mr. Zulu."

"Does that mean I can come tomorrow?"

"Welcome aboard Marge. Will that interfere with your other duties?"

"Lil can handle Shagger's Paradise on her own now. As to the hen parties, there will be fewer of them from now on. I never liked them much anyway. I want to be with you tomorrow when you call Lachesis."

"What for?"

"I want to welcome her and make her feel she is not an outsider. I want her to feel she is part of the gang."

"Won't you be scared like all the others? It seems to be part of the deal."

"I'll get over it. I really want to meet her and do does Panacea. She is another one who will stick to you like glue. Panacea is no fool, she knows on which side of the bread the butter is.

"And now - do we go to sleep or do you feel like another orgasm?"

Another orgasm it was.

***

Kia woke me up licking my face. Marge was in the kitchen, I could hear her and smell her cooking.

"You are doing well taking Marge along. You, Marge, Panacea and Iaso will complement the powers of the Fates very well. Between the seven of you, you can accomplish much."

"Me alone with six females? Are you nuts?"

"Females build universes, men are sometimes a useful addendum. That's all."

Before I could give a smart answer the little shit disappeared. It pissed me off no end. Fancy being called a sometimes useful addendum by a fucking deer, even if it was fucking magical.

I was still fuming when I joined Marge in the kitchen.

"Would you say I am nothing more than a sometimes useful addendum in a female controlled universe?"

Marge put one foot on a chair, spread her legs and pulled her snatch wide open with her fingers.

"Stick your addendum in here and I'll tell you how useful it is."

How could I be angry at any of them? I burst out laughing, The anger was gone. Those tarts had taught me another lesson: Don't take yourself seriously. 

It was called for.

There was a time when I thought kippers for breakfast were a serious aberration. I had long come to terms with the fact that, on the odd occasion, the Brits could knock up a halfway decent meal. Marge proved it again. It made a wonderful change from Bruce's food.

They were all assembled when we got to Bruce's place. Bruce was being a proper prick. He walked up to Marge, grabbed her by the twat and said: "Now cough, Darling."

Marge obliged and Bruce showed a bit of come on his hand, saying: "Yep, she got fucked."

Everybody was laughing, but before Bruce could clean his hand Panacea came up to him, grabbed his arm and licked his palm clean.

"It was him," she said, pointing at me amongst gales of laughter. I guessed the universe was still teaching me not to take myself too seriously.

After the laughter died down I told everyone that the expedition was to leave in one hour. I asked Vulcan over for a special briefing.

"You are the pilot again. Leave in exactly one hour and go to the primordial planet. If everything goes right Marge, Lachesis and myself will be there to be picked up. Get Hestia before you leave, she needs to be with, us as you know."

"Vulcan gave me a military salute and said: "Aye aye, Captain."

"Will you stop this shit Vulcan? This is not Star Trek."

"Spoilsport, I was going to have a uniform made up for me, now you killed it. I thought it would be fun us all being in uniform going into warp six."

"You are a hopeless romantic. Perhaps it would be fun. Ask the others what they think of it. If you are all for it I'll go along."

"Aye aye Captain. Warp six it is, Sir."

I had to laugh. Before Marge and I went to the Granite ledge I briefly told Bruce what was happening and that Marge had asked to come along.

"Good," he said, "This takes a load of my mind. I know I have to stay here for now, but Marge going with you is the next best thing. She will look out for you. Good luck."

Minutes later Marge and I were on the ledge. Marge had never been here and she was ecstatic. The blanket, some of the beer and the snacks I had brought for the picnic were still there. The beer was still ice cold and the food still edible. Sometimes God things are better than human things.

"Is that where you fucked the Fairies?"

"The Fates, Marge. The Fates."

"I like Fairies better, I shall call them that from now on."

We could hear her laughter before she materialised. Marge went up to Lachesis, put her arms around her and kissed her cheek.

"Welcome, all three of you. I am Marge."

"We know who you are. Why do you call us Fairies?"

"I figure a fucked Fate becomes a Fairy once the cherry is gone. Besides, it sounds so much nicer."

Lachesis separated into the three sisters. All three stared at Marge.

Marge grabbed the blonde, kissed her cheek and said: "Who are you?" 

"I am Clotho."

"So you must be Atropos," said Marge, grabbing the last of them, giving her a resounding kiss on the cheek. "Welcome, sisters, I can see we will have a lot of fun together."

"We do not know what fun is. Will you show us?" Lachesis appeared very confused about the reception they were getting.

"You have come to the right place. This poor excuse for a roaming cock and I will show you the meaning of fun and of happiness. Relax sisters, you have just entered paradise."

"You are full of bullshit," said Lachesis, barely suppressing a grin.

"Of course I am. Bullshit is half the fun. When I was a young Goddess an old pervert I didn't like tried to grab me. He slipped on a turd, hit his head on a brick wall and knocked himself out. Only time ever I got saved by shit. I've loved bullshit ever since."

The three Fairies cracked up, laughing loudly. The ice was broken. Lachesis hugged Marge and said: "You'll do! Sisters!"

The two Fates melded into Lachesis just before our space vehicle arrived. We entered and sat down. I introduced Lachesis to Hestia, Panacea and Iaso. Vulcan didn't need an introduction. I thought he might be a bit reserved but Vulcan hugged Lachesis and kissed her cheek, welcoming her to the venture. Panacea sat next to her and tried to engage her in conversation. 

Lachesis was subdued but I could see she liked the attention she was getting.

Vulcan took the controls and shortly afterwards we were orbiting around the space station.

"That's the place," said Lachesis when she saw the picture on the screen. Endora guided us to an air-lock next to the hospital. We docked and as soon as we were inside Lachesis took the lead and said: "Follow me."

Only minutes later we were inside a structure that looked like the medic bay in the compound. It was a lot larger though and was designed to accommodate hundreds of people.

"This is what we have come for," Lachesis said. "Your answers are behind this door." She pointed at a door ten feet to our left.

Panacea and Iaso made straight for it. The rest of us followed Lachesis into a separate area with tables and chairs. We sat down and Marge was doing Bruce's honours. Beer, food, the works. Marge grabbed Lachesis and Hestia and sat at another table. Soon there was a champagne bucket and the obligatory smoked salmon and Beluga caviar on tiny pieces of French crusty bread. There were two extra chairs on the table and we soon saw why. Lachesis split into three and her sisters sat down with the others. Apparently Vulcan and I were not invited.

"Hen party?" Vulcan queried.

"Obviously."

The hen party didn't take all that long. Panacea and Iaso returned and announced they were ready to commence treatment. Hestia and Vulcan went with them and I was on my own with Marge and the Fairies. Marge conjured up an enormous wrestler's mat on the floor, covered it with satin sheets and pillows and lay down on it.

"What's the matter with you," she said, "aren't you going to join in?"

Like an idiot I said: "What for?"

"Because there are four of us and only one of you. How are we going to have fun if we sleep in separate beds?"

Evidently she was setting us up for a clusterfuck. By that time Atropos already had her tits out.

The things I do to keep the ladies happy. I would just have to sacrifice myself – again.



A God Called Bruce Pt. 04



Chapter 31:    The Cure





I woke up with Lachesis on one side and Marge on the other. Clotho and Atropos had vanished again. Marge got up and started rummaging around in the kitchen. I hadn't noticed until now that there was a kitchen here, we must have camped in what once was a staff lunch room. I got up and went for a piss. When I returned the makeshift bed was gone and Lachesis was in the kitchen talking to Marge. I sat on one of the tables and lit a cigarette. Marge brought a pot of coffee out and some cups.

Lachesis sat down with me and poured herself a cup, Marge went back to the kitchen.

"I wonder what Kia is," Lachesis said out of the blue. "She is responsible for all of this, you know. Since time immemorial we have been what we were. Then Kia arrived and woke us up. She showed us we were more than a force of nature. We didn't know we were beings in our own right. And then you came on the scene. There is no way you could have found us, even with help from the Gods. We had to approach you. Kia convinced us we should. Now we are in another dimension and are acting on our own behalf without orders. I wonder where it will take us."

At that moment Panacea and Iaso turned up and Lachesis said no more about it.

Marge put the breakfast on the table.

"How are our patients doing," asked Marge.

"We are still doing tests," said Panacea. "Once the tests are completed the actual operation, if you can call it that, does not take long at all. The real challenge is to determine what is missing and what is not right."

"I don't understand," said Marge.

"Their technology is related to what we do when we teleport. In teleporting our entire beingness is being dissolved and reassembled elsewhere. We do it with magic, they did it with machines. Their system of travel relies on it. You with me so far?"

"I think so," said Marge, "but what has that to do with medicine?"

"The ancients," Panacea explained, "reasoned that if you could do that, why not re-assemble the parts in a different way. In fact we know about this too, how else can Zeus change into a swan or Demeter into a mare? Many of us can do it, we don't understand how, we do it though. The ancients were a lot smarter. They proceeded from speculation and reason via experimentation to building these marvellous machines that can do what comes naturally to the Gods."

"But where does the healing come in?" Marge didn't get it.

"Simple. You dissolve a diseased being and re-assemble it as a healthy one. My father must have done something like this, that's how he raised the dead. The difficulty is in determining just what is a state of perfect health for whoever is being treated, right down to the last molecule. When you teleport, each molecule knows exactly who its neighbours are and the organism reassembles itself acting on that knowledge. When we heal, we override those natural affinities and rearrange things in a new configuration. You better get it right when you do this or you wind up with a bucket full of sludge."

"So, when do you think you will be ready," I asked.

"Sometime later today."

"And we will be able to take a cured Vulcan and Hestia back home later tonight?"

"No. It's a miraculous cure, but not that miraculous. The new bonds are still tenuous at this stage. They need to solidify. Vulcan and Hestia will need three weeks to recover completely. They will be able to move around almost immediately, but they must take it easy and rest a lot. There will be no pain. However, they will not be able to travel during this period. The new bonds would not survive teleportation."

"What are the risks?" Marge was worried.

"There are always risks....." Panacea did not get to finish her sentence.

"Both of them will be cured," said Lachesis. "No risk. I have seen it."

"That is a big load off my mind." Panacea went up to Lachesis, gave her a hug and a kiss. "Thanks for telling me." 

Panacea and Iaso went back to the treatment room. Lachesis walked up to Marge, kissed her full on the lips and said: "Thanks for everything Marge." 

Then she kissed me. "You know how to contact me. I must go back now."

Lachesis dematerialised.

Marge waved her hand. The tables and chairs disappeared, instead there was a divan, a coffee table with champagne bucket, champagne and fluted glasses and a huge four poster bed in their place.

"What is that for?"

"My dear boy, "she said in as condescending a fashion as she could muster, "you heard the lady. We are stuck here for three weeks with nothing to do, except eat, drink and fuck. We have eaten. Now let's get on with the rest. Will you pour the champagne please, Darling? It's an exceptional vintage."

We were both naked before we sat down. Marge had hexed the clothes away. 

***

We were lying on the bed in a post coital cuddle when the girls came back. 

"All done," said Panacea. "They are sleeping now. I gave them something. They will not wake up for hours. Complete success. Vulcan can walk and Hestia has a brand new pussy, complete with maidenhead, as requested. And now, is there any more champagne?"

Marge hexed a second divan, more champagne and more glasses. Then she hexed their clothes off. The girls giggled and got into the piss. 

An hour later the three tarts were having a party on the bed while I sat back, drank champagne, smoked a cigarette and enjoyed the show. 

We had some more fun that night. Eventually we fell asleep where we lay.

***

Next morning I could have done with some of Bruce's antidote. I said so. Panacea whipped up some stuff for us. It didn't work as well as Bruce's but it took most of the pain away and it allowed us to eat breakfast.

"Let's have a look how the invalids are doing." Panacea led the way.

They were still a bit groggy from what Panacea had given them but they were in good spirits. Vulcan said that this was the first time in his life he was pain free, Hestia informed me she had asked Panacea to make her a virgin pussy, since that's what it should be and that her cherry would be mine the moment she was allowed to screw.  

Panacea told them to rest and if they were good they could get up for an hour or two in the afternoon. Marge, ever on the lookout to do something nice for someone asked if they could have a drink. Panacea thought a beer or two would be alright. Vulcan's face lit up when he heard that. Moments later they were both guzzling some of Bruce's finest. I joined them.

Iaso chased us out, saying visitor's hours were over and the two needed to rest. We grudgingly left. Marge busied herself in the kitchen. When I asked her what she was doing she told me that she was preparing a banquet to celebrate the healing of Vulcan and Hestia. She had redecorated the lunch room again. This time there was a banquet table with six chairs and that wrestler's mat with its cushions was back on the floor. It was obvious what she had in mind. 

I was overjoyed when Vulcan and Hestia walked into the lunch room unaided some hours later. Vulcan seemed unsteady on his feet. I asked him why.

"For thousands of years I have had to cope with a limp and pain," he said. "I have to learn to walk normally, it feels really strange. It's wonderful though. I will at last be able to run, I have always dreamt of being able to run." 

"You can go chasing cars with Arion," I joked, "I'll make you some shoes so the tarmac doesn't wear out your hooves." 

Vulcan just laughed. Hestia had to show me her new twat. It looked cute. I stuck my finger inside to test it. It would work, I decided.

Everybody enjoyed the banquet. Marge hexed everyone's clothes off again and told us to get on the mat. No champagne this time but heaps of beer. 

Marge decided it was time to test if Vulcan's prick was still working. Panacea told her not to be rough with him because his legs were still healing. Marge laughed and said a head job from her would not put much strain on his legs.

Iaso was busily licking Hestia out which left me and Panacea. I had her squealing in no time. We all slept on the mat ... eventually.

The next day Vulcan disappeared for a while. No one knew where he had gone. Before we got too worried he turned up with a small hand cart that held a treadmill.

"Where did you find this?" I asked.

"I made it. I found a workshop somewhere and made the treadmill and the cart. This will help me to get my legs into top condition."

Panacea thought it was a good idea. From that moment on Vulcan spent hours every day on the treadmill. His gait improved and when he decided he was fit enough to screw again he took Marge, Panacea and Iaso, one after the other on that mat and declared himself fit. 

On day six I came back from a stroll around the facility when I noticed something new. There was a dais in the middle of the room with some white furs on it and some pillows. On the dais was Hestia, eyes closed and legs wide open.

"Cherrypicker time," said Panacea and hexed my clothes off. I did not need much encouragement and did the honours in front of everybody. Hestia was ecstatic.

When we were done Marge picked up a bottle of champagne, shook it and sprayed the stuff all over us while we were still joined. She must have seen this at some car races.

Everyone applauded and thus Hestia had been suitably initiated into the world of proper nookies. It was the only time I fucked her in that space station. After me Vulcan did the honours.

The rest of the three weeks went quickly in one never-ending orgy.

Then came the morning Panacea announced Vulcan and Hestia were fit to travel.

When we arrived at Bruce's a party was in full swing. The six pack was present, yes, even grumpy old Hades was having fun for once and to my surprise Lachesis was there too. Apparently she had informed Bruce of our arrival a day before and Bruce had arranged the welcome home event. She kissed me when we arrived and left, after telling me she would call me later.

The Gods were astounded at Vulcan who skipped around like a young goat. Hestia announced that she was finally a woman, deflowered and all and possibly pregnant. They all looked angrily at me. The idea of a Demigod putting one of the top hierarchy up the duff didn't sit at all well with any of them. Even though I had picked Hestia's cherry, it was Vulcan who had tried to get her pregnant at every opportunity. It appeared as though it might have worked. When they heard she and Vulcan were going to get married there was a lot of cheering, even from Hera. The child would be a God, not a half-cast, or less. 

Somewhat miffed I left the festivities early and went home. Kia was there to welcome me. I gave her some cherries. 







Chapter 32:   Uneasy times





I woke up in the morning with Kia beside me, not knowing what to say. There were a number of things that Marge and Lachesis had brought up about her which got me to wonder. The question was, was any of it important? Kia looked at me with those big beautiful eyes. I knew she could read my thoughts. She never said a word. It was her eyes that seemed to say: I love you, don't you trust me? 

I decided, in the end there was nothing else that mattered. The moment I had come to that conclusion Kia licked me across the face and dematerialised. Time to go to work.

Bruce and the others were just starting breakfast. I was surprised to see Panacea and Iaso there. They had done their bit, there was nothing left for them to do, or so I thought. Panacea could see I was puzzled and sat next to me.

"We want to join your group," she said, "will you have us?"

"You know you're always welcome in our midst."

"No, you don't understand. We want to work with you. There is much to do."

"There is no one sick. What will you do?"

"Iaso and I want to study the medicine of the Ancients." 

"I thought you understood it. You cured Hestia and Vulcan, what more is there?"

"We have a crude understanding of their approach, Endora taught us to operate the machines but that's all. We know about as much of their medicine as someone who has learned to use a simple word processor knows about computers. There is a lot to be studied and understood. 

"One thing I have gleaned, the Ancients, whoever they were, viewed violence and greed as diseases, curable diseases at that. Can you imagine what could be done if we mastered that kind of technology? The kind of society you could create? Isn't this at the core of what you're after?"

"You're right. This is exactly what I am trying to do. As I said, you and Iaso are welcome amongst us. Where are you going to work? Here at the complex or in the space station?"

"If I were you I would move all activity to the space station from now on."

This had not occurred to me. I was curious what Panacea's reasons were for such a move, but I wanted everyone to hear what she had to say and this was not a good place to have an open discussion on the subject. I looked around. Everyone seemed to have finished breakfast and was ready to go to work.

"Listen everyone," I announced, "Panacea has come up with an interesting suggestion that concerns us all. Let's go to the lunch room and have a conference there, I don't want any spies listening in.

***

"Panacea and Iaso have asked to join our group permanently," I said after we arrived. There was applause all around. I explained to the others why the girls wanted to stay with us and the nature of their research. 

"The girls will need help with the technology," I continued, "so there is a lot we can contribute to their project. When I asked Panacea where she wanted to work she suggested we move all operations to the space station and operate from there. I felt we better discuss this here in a secure environment. Let her explain to us why she thinks this is a good idea, I am as curious as you are. Here you go Panacea, the floor is yours."

"The space station ," she began, "is the nerve centre of the system. From there the Ancients operated. The compound where we are now is a small sub station with far fewer facilities. What is perhaps more important is that in the space station we are outside the universe of the Olympus Gods and their overlords. 

"Only outside the influence sphere of Olympus are we truly independent. I foresee a close cooperation with the Fates. They are not free to act here; on the space station they are. I think it is logical we set up headquarters there."

"What she is saying makes sense." Vulcan was the first to speak. "I saw my father's eyes when we showed him the other worlds. Remember, when he talked about the Gods being great again? I saw then that what he wants is to turn the clock back to a time when they were all powerful and no one dared challenge their authority. To a time when the Gods were able to act arbitrarily. The truth is, they can no longer do this. Their powers have greatly decreased since people have turned their backs on them. I didn't want to see it, I wanted to believe it would be different this time. I wanted to believe they had changed."

"What made you change your mind?" I was confused.

"The way they looked at you last night when they thought Hestia was carrying your child. They love you the way a man loves his dog. They are not capable of more. To them you will always be some sort of animal. The moment you are not useful or entertaining to them any more it's off to the vet with you to be put down.

"They look upon me in a similar fashion. I know now the real reason why Hera cast me out and why I can never be an equal to them. I have far too many human traits for their liking. Hestia is not pregnant, what she thought were the symptoms of pregnancy was simply her having her first period. The wedding is off and I am back to being a second rate God again. 

"We are all better off keeping them at a distance. Give them the planet with the dinosaurs to play with. That'll keep them busy while we get our act together." 

"For now I agree," said Panacea. "This might soon be academic. If I can revive the medical technology of the Ancients we might be able to cure the Gods of their greed for power and their predilection for violence."

"Such technology exists?" Gadeirus was flabbergasted.

"According to what I've read it does. That's why Iaso and I are so keen to study their medicine."

"Tell me, Panacea, who do you think those Ancients were?" It was Marge who asked.

"We know next to nothing about them. They have left us their technology; seemingly nothing else. Any information about them or their society has been carefully removed from the records or made inaccessible in some other fashion. Endora cannot tell us more than that they existed and that one day they left for universes unknown. 

"We cannot even date them. They left instruction to change all dated documents periodically to the current date. According to Endora there are no records older than one week on her system. I cannot even guess why the Ancients thought that necessary." 

"So what do we do now?" Marge asked.

"We all have a couple of beers," said Bruce, "and then we'll see who is for moving to the space station or who can think of a reason why we shouldn't."

After a few drinks there was unanimous agreement for moving. The rest of the day was spent getting everything together that needed taking, by nightfall the move was complete. 

We were having our evening meal at Bruce's when Hera turned up and invited us all to a party in celebration of Hestia's and Vulcan's cure. The party was to be in three days' time. We all accepted. When I asked Hera about the wedding she said even the Gods said silly things sometimes.

Marge insisted on coming home with me saying that Bruce had Panacea and Iaso staying the night. 

We had a shower together and went to bed. Usually Marge would get straight into it, but not tonight. She cuddled up to me and said: "I would take what Vulcan told you with a grain of salt. It's still difficult for him to be objective after centuries of pain and bitter feelings. The big six are nowhere near as callous towards you as he seems to think. 

"It's true the Gods can be heartless at times and arrogant. It is also true that Zeus and the girls think a lot more of you than Vulcan thinks. I saw their reaction when they thought you had impregnated Hestia. It came as a shock to them, but I think they would have come to accept it in time, if it had been true. I have watched you with Zeus and the girls, there is genuine affection there, believe me. 

"The more important bit that came out of today is the way our little group is shaping up. You are showing them an alternative to Olympus and they are lapping it up. When this thing with the space station came up they couldn't move fast enough when they realised it meant freedom from Olympus. Gods are distancing themselves from their own world; unheard of until now. Be careful, Ares and his minions will not like this. They will challenge you. Zeus and his family will sit on the fence, they cannot afford to side against Ares.

"And now, enough of that, let's get a bit of exercise."

***

Marge was already rummaging around in the kitchen when I woke up. When I looked in she was feeding Kia and talking to her. Girlie talk, I reckoned and made myself scarce. I went to have a shower. When I came back Kia had gone. We had breakfast on the veranda under the watchful eye of that fucking woodpecker. I said hello to him and wished him a nice day before pissing against his tree. Let Ares do something with that.

The others had finished their breakfast when we arrived at Bruce's place. We teleported to the Space station via the power spot in the compound. Panacea and Iaso went straight to the medical centre, Vulcan to his workshop and Darrin, Gadeirus and Algenon went to find a research lab Endora had told them about.

Which left me, Bruce and Marge with little to do.




A God Called Bruce Pt. 04



"I know what we need here," said Marge and disappeared.

Bruce and I fully expected her to come back with a fancy bed and an invitation, but she didn't. Bruce whipped up some beer and nibblies instead and we sat down to a session. He and I hadn't done that for a while. We were almost half cut when Lachesis turned up. I greeted her with a kiss. Bruce immediately got his antidote out, took some for himself and handed the rest to me. I guess he figured talking to a Fate half pissed wasn't a good idea.

To my surprise he had overcome, at least partially, his fear. He wasn't up to kissing Lachesis yet but he wasn't shaking in his boots any more either. Always the impeccable host, he did however conjure up some very exclusive champagne and some glasses. I guess that was because I had told him Lachesis and her sisters liked the stuff.

Lachesis thanked him and took a sip.

"Where are your delightful sisters?" I asked. 

The moment I said this Lachesis separated into three. Bruce conjured up two more glasses, filled them and handed them to the sisters. I introduced him to Clotho and Atropos.

We sat down. I was curious what had brought the Fairies, as Marge called them, to us. I was just about to ask when Lachesis said: "Ares will challenge you to a duel at Hera's party. We cannot interfere, but we can make sure it is a fair fight."

Atropos grabbed me and gave me a deep passionate kiss. She put something in my pocket. While nibbling my ear she whispered: "You did not get this from me, fight Ares with it. It will not kill him but it will assure victory."

As quickly as the three had appeared they dematerialised.

"What the fuck was that all about?" Bruce was somewhat taken aback.

"I think those three have just saved my life. I shall put Ares in his place."

"You are not going to this fucking party, are you?"

"Of course I will. I'd much rather fight him in the open in front of witnesses than have him jump me when I am not looking. With the Fates on my side, I have a better than even chance. I don't want you to say anything about this to anyone, including Marge. Get that?"

"You are asking a lot."

"I know I am, but please, Bruce, trust me, it has to be this way."

"Alright. You are my mate. If you want it that way, you have it."

I could see he wasn't happy with it, but he is a man of honour and he would not go back on his word. Even if he is a God.

Just in time too, because Marge turned up with Kia in tow. I had no idea how Kia made it in here, but I had given up guessing how far her powers go. I imagine even Endora is no match for her. I had already figured out she is senior to the Fates. Even Lachesis acknowledged this.

"Alright Arseholes," Marge addressed Bruce and me, "get off your butts and let me show you what we've done."

Marge and Kia had a surprise for us. They had been playing interior decorator. When we entered what we thought was a huge hangar we wound up in a faithful replica of Bruce's place, right down to the barbeque and the farm animals.

"We will have our barbeques here from now on," said Marge. "We can be ourselves and no idiot can spy on us."

Bruce was touched. He went up to Marge, gave her a tender kiss, something I had never seen him do, and thanked her. Marge blushed; another thing I had not seen before.

"This is wonderful Marge," I said to break the awkwardness. "We are all going to enjoy it here."

"Wait until you see your office." Marge pointed up a gravel path, "Kia made it for you, it's a masterpiece."

We went up the gravel path, through a hedgerow, past a small stream and into an olive grove, complete with waterfall and marble bench, an exact replica of Zeus' haven, except Marge had added a cabin with bedroom, bathroom, kitchen and an outdoor barbeque area. I had never seen a cabin with a well stocked wine cellar before, trust Marge to add that in.

I was overwhelmed. I thanked Kia and got a lick across the face in return.

A short time later we were having our meal in Bruce's new domain. I decided to stay the night in my new office. Panacea and her sister wanted to join me but I told them I needed some solitude. Grudgingly they accepted this.

Some time later I sat in my new home away from home and had a beer. Ares and his mob would not find me here. I felt it was better to stay out of reach until the party in case he changed his mind and attacked out of the blue.

I had a restless night. 





Chapter 33:  Countdown







I got up early and made myself some coffee. I felt awful. I only had this one day to work something out, tomorrow at Hera's party I had to face Ares and God knows what else. I remembered the package Atropos had given me. When I opened the small plastic box, I found inside a tube about three inches long and an inch in diameter, as well as a set of instructions. It looked like a miniature laser pointing device.

I wasn't far off with my guess. It was a laser pointer alright, except it had a nasty little surprise built in; it was also a very powerful Taser. The way it worked was simple. There was a small slider on the tube, which when slid back engaged the laser and exposed a small red button. You simply pointed the device at your opponent aimed it until the little red spot of light was where you wanted to hit and pushed the red button. This fired a small dart that delivered a powerful electric shock, strong enough to incapacitate the largest man. The range was about fifteen feet for maximum impact. At that distance the dart could even penetrate heavy clothing. There were two darts in the magazine. It came with a warning. The device was disposable. Two seconds after the last shot was fired a small charge melted the mechanism inside. 

I had seen and used Tasers before but never anything this compact with that much power. I guessed the weapon was designed for clandestine operations. I could see it in a CIA or Mossad box of tricks.

All very nice. The question was, would it be effective against a God? Probably not. There must be a way to use it against Ares though or Atropos wouldn't have given it to me. I couldn't think of a way. I felt lousy, even the coffee didn't help. I went for a beer instead. I was on my second can when Marge turned up.

"You are hitting the piss early," she chastised me. "On an empty stomach no less. What are you trying to do? That's not going to help in your fight against Ares tomorrow."

"Thanks very much Bruce. I asked you to keep your mouth shut," I said in anger.

"Hang on lover boy, Bruce has nothing to do with this."

"Oh yeah? How come you know about it then?"

"Lachesis told me."

That took the wind out of my sails.

"When did you see Lachesis?" 

"I didn't. Remember, when we were on that ledge and Lachesis said: You'll do! Sisters! and hugged me?"

"Yes, so what?" I had no idea what Marge was driving at.

"I didn't realise it at the time, but it wasn't just something she said. When she hugged me they actually adopted me as their sister. Since then I am connected to them the same way you are through the cigarette case, except there is no need for an artefact. There is a space of consciousness we share through which we can communicate any time, regardless of where we are. 

You've made the fairies something other than what they were. They in turn changed you and me into something other as well. In a way we are part of them and they are part of us. What that means only time will tell."

"So what else did Lachesis tell you?"

"She said you must challenge Ares into setting aside his God powers during the fight. If you can trick him into accepting this you will fight man to man, not man to God. And now you are coming with me to get something to eat before you get pissed."

It felt strange just to walk up a path, through the hedgerow straight into Bruce's backyard, even if it was a replica. Bruce loaded up a plate as soon as he saw me and put it in front of me the moment I sat down. He must have sensed the mood I was in, because instead of the usual coffee at this time of day he served me a beer.

It felt good sitting amongst friends sharing a meal, even if they were all Gods. As nice as it was, I did miss contact with humans. It hadn't occurred to me until now. There had always been so much to do and I had not been in this environment for all that long. 

On Olympus there would have been little I could have done about it, but I had my own empire now. If I wanted to bring some humans here there was nothing to stop me. There were some people I dearly would love to have around me. They would come too, given the opportunity. It would do me good to embark on a new project and take my mind off Ares. 

After the meal I asked Panacea and Iaso to come with me to my office for a while. They followed me eagerly, probably thinking I was after some fun and games. I sat them down in my little entertainment area outside the cabin and gave them some drinks.

"I need you to help me with a project," I said after they were settled. They tried not to show their disappointment, rather unsuccessfully I might add. 

"Spoilsport," said Iaso, "What do you want us to do?"

"How long will it take you to calibrate your machines to cure humans?"

"Not long," said Panacea. "It will be a lot easier than with the Gods, because we are both experienced in treating humans and understand their anatomy and physiology well. Say a day or two. What do you have in mind?"

"I want to populate this place with some humans. It seems silly to have all this space for just the few of us. The people I have in mind will fit in well. There is one couple in particular and with them we have to move quickly. One is an old professor of mine, he is ninety, riddled with cancer and confined to a wheelchair. His mind is as clear as a bell. He could go any time. The other one is his wife, twenty years his junior and a superb intellect. She is comparatively fit, but would not survive her husband for long. They are very close."

"With the equipment here I can cure them of any disease and restore them to prime condition, if you can get them to me alive." Panacea seemed very sure of herself.

"Will they survive teleportation to here?"

"There is no reason why they shouldn't. It is only after treatment they will have to be careful for a while until the new bonds have firmed up."

"Will you get on this straight away? I will tell the others what I am trying to do."

"Leave it to us," said Iaso. "We will tell you when we are ready, we'll start straight away. Do you want us to work tomorrow or can we still go to the party?"

"We need to go to the party, especially you two, since it was you who cured Hestia and Vulcan. Everyone would be most upset if you weren't there."

"Good," said Panacea, "we will start right away. You owe us a little private party afterwards. As long as that is understood."

"You can have your private party you blackmailing little bitch."

The girls laughed and disappeared.

Marge had been very thoughtful when she set my cabin up. She had included a computer with internet access via Endora and a lovely large screen. I scouted a while until I found a picture of a small picturesque village in England I knew. To me this place had always epitomised tranquil rural living. I left it on the screen and called Marge.

According to her I was connected with her through the Fates or Fairies, as she called them. I figured if I held Lachesis' cigarette case and called Marge it should work. It did. She materialised right beside me.

"Can you build me something like this here?" I asked, pointing at the screen.

"Where do you want it?"

"I thought maybe next to Bruce's place, a little country lane going from there to the village a leisurely walk away."

"I need to move a couple of bulkheads to get the necessary space, but yes, I can do it. I'll ask Vulcan to shift the bulkheads for me. I will need the boys too from time to time to give me a hand and maybe Kia if she wants to. She is really good at this. What do you want it for?"

I told her. 

"Wonderful, they are all going to love this. Can I bring some of my girls from Shagger's paradise?"

"I don't see why not. There is this lovely pub in the village. Your girls can work as barmaids and entertain guests later upstairs, if you like."

"Wonderful, where is this village located?"

I told her. She asked Endora if there was a power spot nearby. Endora said there was one about half a mile from the village at the edge of a forest. Marge waved her hands and made herself look like an American tourist, complete with three cameras around her neck and a map in her hand.

"What are you up to?" I asked.

"I am going to have a look at this place, the photo doesn't give me enough information to replicate it." Turning away from me she said: "Alright Endora, let's go." She was gone the moment she'd said it.

Three hours later Marge was back. She was beaming.

"What a wonderful place you chose as a model. I love it. The warm beer was a bit offputting but I soon fixed that. The pub is really special, like something out of the middle ages. Loved the thatched roofs and the cosy cottages. This will fit in here well, the feeling is just right. I shall show it to Vulcan after the party and perhaps to Kia, if she wants to."

"I am not surprised the pub has a medieval look and feel about it," I said with a grin, "it was built in 1175 and has been trading ever since. Anyway, have fun with it. Now let's go and join the others, we have to get organised for tomorrow."

It seemed everyone had the same idea and had called it quits for today. They were sitting around Bruce's table, talking and drinking beer. I decided it was time to tell them what was in store tomorrow. When I told them about Ares' plan there was first silence and then pandemonium broke loose. Everyone started taking at the same time.

"Silence," Vulcan's voice boomed. It had the desired effect. "This is totally out of the question. Alec cannot fight a God, I shall fight in his stead."

"No, Vulcan. This is something I have to do myself. I shall accept his challenge. I have a plan."

I told them that Lachesis had suggested I should get Ares to agree to set aside his God powers and fight me man to man.

"This might work," said Vulcan. "My brother is not a warrior, even though he thinks he is. He only ever fought creatures that couldn't hurt him. He relies on his immortality and invulnerability. Ares is a murderer, not a soldier. He has two major weaknesses that will give you a chance. He is terribly conceited and he has a very foul temper. If you can get him angry enough he will accept your conditions without considering the consequences. Work on his vanity.

"By the way," Vulcan added with a grin, "he has a very small dick and is extremely self conscious about it. Use it."

"Thanks, Vulcan. This is good advice." 

Suddenly I knew how to fight Ares. 

I asked Vulcan: "Can we go to your workshop? I want you to make me a weapon to fight Ares."

We went to Vulcan's workshop and I showed him the Taser Atropos had given to me. I explained how it worked and showed him the activating mechanism.

"Can you make me a quarterstaff and put the Taser into one end? I need to be able to fire the device from the centre of the staff."

"No problem. I have some tubing made of a very strong and light alloy, just the job. Give me about an hour. Incidentally, why not use it the way it is?"

"Because if I fight with this little thing he will expect some trickery and might insist on a more conventional weapon. He will laugh at a quarterstaff, though if truth be told, a quarterstaff is a formidable weapon in its own right. I have some experience fighting with it. He will never know what hit him."

An hour later Vulcan was finished. I picked up the staff and went through a number of motions with it. It was beautifully balanced and handled like a dream.

"I see you can really fight with this thing. I feel much better now." Vulcan was grinning.

"I need you to do one more thing for me Vulcan."

"Just ask. What do you want me to do?"

"I want you to stash this thing somewhere where you can reach it and give it to me when I need it. I would look silly turning up at a party with it."

"No problem," he said, grabbed it and it vanished. Sometimes it is really handy to have the help of a God.

One more thing to do. I needed to talk to Endora. I told Vulcan to join the others and said I would follow shortly. When I went into the lavatory he just grinned. I told Endora what I wanted her to do. She listened to my plan and said it would not be a problem to do as I wished. Everything was set.

When I went back to join the others Marge took me aside.

"I just spoke to Lachesis. Apparently Zeus visits his dragon often. She went to see him there and instructed him to be the umpire in the coming fight. Zeus will set up a circle where God powers don't work and ensure there is no cheating. He has agreed to do this, if Ares agrees to give up his powers for the duration of the fight."

"Good. Let's all go to Olympus, we will go to the party from there, it will look better."

"Where will you stay?"

"I thought you might have a bed for me for the night."

She gave me her wickedest grin and said: "Have I got a bed for you, lover boy."

We all had a meal and some drinks at Bruce's place on Olympus and had an early night. Marge and I made good use of it.







Chapter 34:  The shit hits the fan









We assembled shortly after five in the morning in Bruce's yard for a light breakfast before going to the baths. The routine was the same as last time and at eight we were at Hera's for breakfast. I gave Hera a bunch of roses and kissed her cheek this time, rather than her hand. Let them talk. Hera was subdued. She evidently knew what was in store later on.

We went to the atrium where all the action was.

Breakfast went well and the party started to liven up. Ares, Eris and Malabubu were sharing a table and looked grim. I pretended they weren't there. There was the usual entertainment with jugglers, dancers, wrestlers, musicians and so forth but I didn't pay much attention.

I was talking to Demeter and Hestia when Eris came over. She greeted me like an old friend.

"I miss that big dick of yours," she said, "will you give it to me later like you did in your backyard?"

If she had expected to create problems between me and the girls she was mistaken. They both knew what had happened at my place and that screwing Goddesses in my backyard was out of the question anyway.

"Just keep your twat nice and wet for me, you never know your luck," I said. "Maybe your brother can fiddle with it for a while so it doesn't dry up."

She gave me a crooked smile, not quite knowing what to do with that remark and went back to her table.

"Not very subtle, is she?" said Hestia.

"I would have thought a Goddess of discord would be more skilled than that in stirring up trouble." 

Hestia grinned at my comment and said that sometimes crude is best.

The performers had cleared the floor. Hera went to the centre and asked Panacea and Iaso over. She thanked them in front of everyone for curing Vulcan and Hestia of a life-long affliction.

"Thank you Hera," said Panacea. "We only had a small part in curing your son and your sister. The real credit belongs to Alec. Without him none of this would have happened."

Hera motioned me to step into the centre. 

"It was a blessed day when you turned up amongst us. You have done much for Olympus in the short time you have been with us. I thank you with all my heart."

"I am here to serve," I lied. "If my help pleases you, I am rewarded beyond measure."

Hera stepped up to me and kissed me full on the lips in front of everyone. It was more than Ares could handle.

"Since when do the Gods need the help of a puny human?" he yelled, standing up. "He is not one of us and should not be here. Throw the bastard out, I say, and finish this charade."




A God Called Bruce Pt. 04



There were assenting murmurs amongst the crowd. Evidently Ares had a number of supporters. I would have to be careful.

"Oh, shut up Ares. Everyone here knows that nature has bestowed you with a big mouth to compensate for your small dick. Don't advertise it." I lifted my fist and wiggled my little finger, the age old universal sign for a small dick.

For a moment there I thought Ares would explode. His face was flushed crimson and he shook with rage.

"If you weren't hiding behind my mother I would kill you right now," he screamed.

"Go on, Hera," I said, loud enough for everyone to hear. "Please don't interfere. This is my fight. It's about time someone taught this arrogant arsehole a lesson." 

I put my arm around Hera's waist, turned my back on Ares and guided her to the edge of the performance area.

"I hope you know what you are doing," she whispered.

"Don't worry, whatever happens happens."

Once Hera was safely away I turned and yelled to Ares: "Alright Fuckwit, bring it on. Let's see if your balls are bigger than your cock." Again I made a fist and wiggled my little finger at him.

If Ares' face looked red before, it looked positively purple now. He stormed into what had evidently become an arena, a gladius in his hand, ready to run me through. Vulcan tossed me my quarterstaff. If Ares was fazed by my choice of weapon he didn't show it. A gladius, the short sword of the Romans, is a superb weapon if used in formation, in conjunction with a shield, or in close combat. In a duel it is a poor choice against a weapon with a longer reach, such as a quarterstaff. Should he agree to fight as a man I could take him perhaps without the Taser.

I waited until he was almost in striking range and teleported to the compound, knowing he could not follow me there. As arranged with Endora I teleported back to the opposite end of the arena.

"What kind of trickery is this?" he screamed.

"Perhaps I am not quite as helpless as you thought, Arsehole," I said, waving my little finger at him once more.

Ares stormed again and again. I disappeared and reappeared behind him each time he charged. Ares was getting unsettled. He could not understand why he couldn't follow me. After a couple more times he screamed in frustration: "Stand still you coward. Fight like a man."

"I will, if you will, Minidick," I yelled, again wiggling my little finger. "Fight me as a man and not as a God and I'll teach you the lesson of your life. Are your balls bigger than your dick? If they are, prove it, Dickhead."

"I can kill you as a God or as a man, you are nothing, human."

"Does that mean you will fight me without your God-powers."

"Yes," he screamed.

I had him. Vulcan had been right. Pandemonium broke loose. Everybody was screaming and yelling with excitement. This wasn't something they had expected.

"Stop!" The mighty voice of Zeus shook the rafters.

Deathly silence followed. Everyone froze. A white circle, about thirty feet in diameter, appeared on the floor.

"Alec, you go on this end, Ares you on this," Zeus was pointing at opposite sides of the circle. "Now, these are the rules of combat. Within this circle God powers do not work. You will fight man to man as you have agreed. Anyone stepping outside the circle during the fight automatically loses. You will fight naked with only one weapon of your choice. The fight will continue until there is only one of you left in the circle. Anyone trying to interfere will be instantly killed by me. Are you satisfied with the weapons you have or do you want to change?"

"The quarterstaff is fine," I said

"I'll keep my gladius," said Ares.

Zeus waved his hand and our clothes disappeared.

"Anything you want to say before we begin?"

I held my quarterstaff horizontally in front of me, bowed to Zeus and said in the manner of Roman gladiators: "Ave Zeus, morituri te salutant." (Hail Zeus, those who are about to die salute you.)

Ares just shook his head. The guy had no style.

"Then let the fight begin," declared Zeus.

I could see what Vulcan had meant when he said the guy was a murderer, not a warrior. Instead of cautiously testing my defences with a series of feints he tried to go straight for the kill. I could see it in his face before he lunged. Easily sidestepping his charge I delivered a blow to the back of his head as he went past me. As the staff was hitting in the direction of his movement it didn't land as hard as it would have done otherwise. Nevertheless, it was enough to rattle him and land him headlong on the floor.

I could have easily finished him there and then, but I stepped back and waited for him to get up. As he faced me I stuck my fist up, again wiggling my finger. Instead of being a lot more cautious now, his rage seemed to escalate, presumably because someone had had the audacity to actually hurt him. He came at me again like a crazed animal. Swiftly sidestepping him I delivered a heavy blow to his left leg. He was limping now, not a good thing for a sword fighter. I stood back and wiggled my finger. 

"Come on, Tinydick," I said, loud enough for everyone to hear.

Again, this blind charge. This time I got his right leg.

When I stepped back and showed him the finger once more someone in the audience exclaimed: "I don't believe it. He's playing with him!"

Ares was on really wobbly legs now, time to call an end. I charged him with my quarterstaff, held like a spear, aimed at the pit of his stomach. With his legs so unsteady he could not sidestep, his only chance was to parry my charge with his sword. A fraction of a second before I came within his range I fired the first dart. His parry never came. Following through I buried the point into his body, firing the second dart just before impact. The gladius dropped from his hand and as he doubled over I landed a savage blow to the side of his head. Ares went down unconscious.

I bent over him as if to examine the injury to his stomach, retrieved the darts and what was left of the wires and hid them in the hollow end of my staff. I picked up his gladius and held it high. You could have heard a pin drop as they probably expected me to kill him now. 

"By right of victory his life is mine to take," I shouted. "I will not do so. I have not come to Olympus to bring death. Let us hope he has learned a lesson."

I went to the edge of the circle and tossed the staff and the gladius to Vulcan who promptly made them vanish. Turning back, I picked up Ares and carried him in a fireman's grip to the edge of the circle. As he dropped down on the other side his God powers returned. He stood up and disappeared to lick his wounds elsewhere.

I went to the centre of the circle and said to Zeus: "It is over."

At that moment Eris charged into the circle, discarding her clothes as she ran. 

"My darling, my lover," she yelled, "I knew you could do it. Take me, take me in front of them all and show them how much you love me."

She threw her arms around me and covered me with kisses, rubbing herself against my dick. With all the adrenaline still coursing through my veins, plus the fact I was busting for a piss, the old traitor came up like a Jack in the box.

It was then that I had a wicked thought. Time for lesson number two.

I grabbed her, threw her on the floor and turned her over. I spread her cheeks and rammed my dick right up her arse without lubrication. I had to pump a few times to get in deep enough. She never squealed or cried out in pain, though it must have hurt. The old girl had been cornholed before. When I was inside her up to the hilt I stopped and let it rip.

"Stop it...... Nooooo...... Not that...... Stop you bastard." Eris was screaming her tits off and tried to get away, but without her God powers she didn't stand a chance.

The party guests came up to the circle, craning their necks trying to see what I was doing to her that had her so upset. It wasn't until I pulled my dick out and a yellow geyser, speckled with brown lumps, issued forth from her violated hole that the penny dropped. I had pissed up her arse. 

Eris tried to stem the flow by shoving her fingers up her still dilated hole but it was in vein. She did not dare to stand up and since she could not teleport she crawled on her stomach out of the circle leaving behind her a trail of piss and little lumps of shit.

By that time everybody was howling with laughter. Even grumpy old Hades was doubled over, tears streaming down his face. I just stood there, naked, with a smelly dick, not quite knowing what I was going to do next. It was then that Hermes stepped into the circle, still laughing. He put his arm around my shoulder and guided me out of the circle. The moment we were outside he teleported us to the bath house and shoved me into a shower.

"Go on, wash the shit off your dick," he said, still chuckling.

When I was clean and dry again he dressed me in an elaborately decorated chiton and fastened it with a fibula of outstanding beauty.

"I want you to keep these," he said.

"I can't accept this," I said. "The fibula alone is priceless. Rarely have I seen anything even remotely its equal."

"I know," he said, "Vulcan made it for me a very long time ago. There is none better. I want you to have it. You have given me a priceless memory today, one I will cherish forever. It is a fitting exchange and will remind you that you have a friend, whenever you wear it. You have made some enemies today, but, by the Gods, you have made a lot of friends. And now let us rejoin the party."

Before I could thank him for his generous gifts he had whisked us back and disappeared. I wound up in front of Zeus. 

"I want to thank you my boy," he said. "You did well today. He would have killed you, you know."

"I know, but I could not kill the son of Zeus and Hera. It wouldn't have been right, regardless of how he would have acted, given a chance."

"I see Hermes favours you. The fibula you are wearing was one of his most prized possessions."

"I feel awkward wearing it and this chiton. Seeing that you guys are so particular as to who is entitled to wear what, it seems well out of line."

"Everyone who sees this will know it was a gift from Hermes. No one will question your right to wear it. Be happy. It looks great on you. It will get you lots of pussy."

"Just what I need, more pussy," I groaned. "Excuse me Zeus, I need a drink, I have had only fruit juice and water all day. I wasn't going to go into battle half pissed."

Zeus laughed. I went over to one of the bars and got myself a beer. It went down well. I had only taken a couple of mouthfuls when I got mobbed. Gods wanted to shake my hand, Goddesses wanted to kiss me. I was glad when Hera rescued me and marched me up to her bedroom.

We were hardly behind closed doors when she was all over me like a rash, laughing, crying, kissing me as though there were no tomorrows, hanging on me like a woman about to drown.

"Oh Darling - I was so afraid - I thought I'd lost you," she said in between sobs.

When she finally calmed down I got my first proper beer for the day. The price of fame, I guess.

I spent the night with Hera. I had never seen her so loving and affectionate. Maybe Marge was right about her. It was nice.









Chapter 35:   Back to the grindstone









Hera wasn't all that pleased when I announced I was going back to work but she let me go without drama. I ported to the compound and from there to our new home. For some reason I felt uneasy, though I could not say why. There seemed to be no cause. 

The gang, as usual, was assembled in Bruce's new backyard. They all stared at me when they saw me in Hermes' chiton. Vulcan looked at the fibula and grinned.

"Hermes must really like you if he gave you this," he said. "I made it for him a long time ago, it has always been his pride and joy."

"You are not going to work in this, are you?" said Marge. The next instant I was sitting there in my usual gear. "The fancy stuff is in your cabin."

"Thanks Marge, this is more comfortable. So, what is everybody doing today?"

"Vulcan and I are having lunch in England," said Marge," Kia will meet us there, though she will have to stay invisible."

"Iaso and I are programming the machines for humans," said Panacea.

"Darrin and I are digging up the construction plans for the section where the village is to go so we can make room without weakening the structure." Gadeirus added.

They all left to do their thing. Bruce was doing something in the house, there was only myself and Algenon left.

"I am working with Endora to override the mechanism that keeps scrambling the dates so we can have a sequential time line," he said, "I am also trying to find the records of the Ancient's civilisation."

"I thought Endora said they were all wiped."

"Yes, but I think they are still there, the ancients have just made them inaccessible to Endora, so, as far as she is concerned, they no longer exist."

"Do you have any proof that might be so?"

"Yes, sort of. We know the capacity of the machine. Endora can check that with great precision. We also know how much spare capacity there is for future data and how much space is used up by accessible data. You with me so far?"

"Yes, go on."

"Well, if you add the volume of the available data to the volume of the blank area it should equal capacity. The point is, it doesn't. According to my calculations there is an area ten times that of the known stored data, that seemingly does nothing. That doesn't make sense. If the data had been wiped, that area should now be vacant and available for use. It is not, that much I know." 

"I think you've got something there, keep going. Do you need any help?"

"It would be nice to have a couple of real software pros around."

"Do you know any that would be interested in working here?"

"Yes, I do."

"On Olympus?"

"No, on Earth."

"How come?"

"I studied computer science at MIT in the States. I met them there."

"Do you think they would come here, or even more importantly, would they fit in?"

"Let me tell you something about them. Their names are Geoff and Walter. Geoff is English, Walter German. They only lived for two things, computers and pussy. Apart from that, they drink, smoke and like good food. They had been fucking the same whore for some time when they found out she had AIDS. To their dismay they were found to be HIV positive when they had themselves checked out. They have both developed fully blown AIDS since then and are being kept alive by drugs with dreadful side effects.

"I know what Iaso and Panacea are doing. These guys would jump at the chance to work here and get cured. This place would be absolute paradise for them, especially after Marge gets the barmaids over."

"Are you still in touch with them?"

"Sure, I saw them only last week to discuss a problem I had."

"Can you convince them to come here? Would they believe you?"

"Not a chance."

"Then how would you get them to come?"

"Teleport them and explain afterwards. When they see we aren't bullshitting they will be in, I guarantee it. They are scientists. Their curiosity will overcome their fear."

"Thanks Algenon, let me think about this for a little while, I'll see you later."

Algenon went back to his work. I went inside and had a beer with Bruce. A short time later Panacea turned up looking for me.

"You are needed in the medical unit Alec," she said.

"What do you want me to do?" I asked when we arrived there.

"Take your clothes off and lie down on this bench. Endora needs to scan your body. It won't take long."

"What for? There is nothing wrong with me."

"That's just it. We have fed all the anatomical data and so forth into the machine, now Endora needs to have a look at a healthy living specimen of the human race to calibrate the machine. Since you are the only human around here, you are it."

"You didn't need to do this shit before."

"Oh yes, we did. Iaso volunteered the last time. But she can't do it now for obvious reasons. Go on, do it, it won't hurt." 

Reluctantly I lay down while Edora did whatever. After about half an hour Panacea declared the procedure was completed. I hadn't felt a thing.

"All done. You can bring your patients in from now on. Everything is ready." 

I breathed a sigh of relief. The feeling of uneasiness had not left me all day. Now I knew what it was. I had the strong impression my old professor was in trouble. I told Panacea and Iaso to stay in the medical unit and rushed to get Bruce. Marge had just returned so I grabbed her too.

"Marge, quickly, hex a suit onto Bruce and me and a decent dress onto yourself."

Marge did as she was bid.

"Come on, give me your hands and let's go." 

"Where are we going?"

"Hopefully to save someone's life."

I teleported us right outside his flat. Betty, Frank's wife came to the door when I knocked. She was crying.

"He is dying," she sobbed.

"Not if I can help it," I said. "Where is he?"

Betty took us to the bedroom. Frank was only semi conscious, his breathing was laboured.

"Marge, Bruce, take the old man, I will take Betty. To the medical unit, quickly."

I grabbed hold of Betty and we ported.

Marge and Bruce put the old man on a stretcher, hexed his clothing off and slid him into the machine. Panacea operated the panel.

"What are you doing? Where are we? What is going on?" Betty was panicking.

"We are trying to save Frank's life, Betty," I said. "You must trust me now like you have never trusted anyone in your life. Hopefully we are not too late."

"He's not too far gone," said Panacea, "I think he'll be alright."

The next half hour was murder as the machine gathered data. The actual transformation would happen in an instant. Then the purple light went out and the yellow light came on.

"He is fine," Panacea announced. "Complete success."

"Betty, listen to me," I shook her shoulder. "Frank is cured. Not only is the cancer gone, but his body will be how it was when he was in his mid thirties. Prepare yourself for a shock."

Panacea wheeled the stretcher out of the machine. Betty took one look and burst into tears. "Frank, oh Frank," she cried. Frank looked at her and smiled, then closed his eyes and went to sleep. All the lesions had gone, his muscular body a picture of health."

"He will need to sleep now. In a few hours you can talk to him," Panacea said gently to Betty.

"Now it's your turn Betty," I said.

"What for? I am not dying."

"No," I said, "the machine will fix anything that is wrong and restore your health. Besides, you don't want to be an old woman when Frank wakes up. I will go now while you get undressed and the girls will look after you."

"I want you to stay with me," she said.

"But you'll be naked, Betty. "It's necessary."

"What is there to see on an old woman except ruin."

"But you won't be an old woman when the process is finished. There will be plenty to see then."

"Enjoy the view," she said tartly and kissed me on the cheek.

I talked about old times while she lay still and the machine went through its paces. Then the light changed to yellow. It was done.

"The view any good?" she asked when she was wheeled out of the machine.

"Absolutely delicious," I said, bent forward and kissed her breast.

"Lecher," she said and fell asleep.

I went for something to eat at Bruce's. Panacea had already told them that the rescue had been a success and that the patients were recovering. They wanted to know more about Frank and Betty. I told them since everyone needed to know I would brief them all together at the next gathering. 

"They are good people, they'll fit in well into our little community."

"You want to keep them here?" Marge was curious.

"Yes I do, if they want to stay. There is nothing left for them on Earth. How would they explain their renewed youth for starters? I think they will want to stay once they realise the implications."




A God Called Bruce Pt. 05



Chapter 41:    The Horny Tom




Breakfast on the terrace. A turning point. Bruce had arranged the barbeque area in the same fashion as the one in his yard. The banquet table was a bit larger though, easily seating around thirty people. 

There was another innovation. One of the new girls was helping him with the cooking, he was obviously teaching her his methods. Three others brought the food to the table. They were dressed in the style of medieval serving wenches, aprons, billowing skirts and bodices that generously displayed their ample charms. They looked like they were having a lot of fun, bending forward at every opportunity to grant even better looks at their wares. There was a lot of giggling and joking around. Breakfast had just become a lot livelier. The moment the food was on the table the girls sat down with us to have their meal.

After the meal the discussion came around to naming the place. Vulcan stood up and pulled a sign out of the air. It was about three by four feet wide and done in the style of an old fashioned English pub sign, with a picture and a name underneath.

The picture showed a disreputable looking huge grey tom cat with enormous goolies, on the prowl, on a yellow background. He sported a horn on his forehead like a unicorn. The sign read Horny Tom. Vulcan fastened it above the front door and stepped back to admire his handiwork.

There was thunderous applause. Gadeirus congratulated him.

"I only made the sign," he said, "the credit belongs to the new girls, they asked me to make it."

More applause; for the girls this time. I guessed this meant we would be drinking in the Horny Tom from now on.

Marge cleared the table with a wave of her hand and stocked it with ice buckets, French champagne and fluted glasses. The breakfast had just turned into a party. To my surprise everyone was very orderly and only drank a couple of glasses. An hour later all were back at work.

Algenon and Frank had moved to another table and were going over some computer printouts. They waved across to me and gestured for me to join them. I did as I was bid.

"We are getting somewhere with sorting out the time line and retrieving the records of the Ancients. Frank made a real breakthrough. I should have seen it myself, but Frank spotted it." Algenon seemed a little embarrassed.

"As you know the dates of the records are updated once every week to the current date. That means that, as far as the system is concerned, there are no records in existence older than one week."

"Yes, I remember that."

"Frank asked me if I had any idea how long the system had been idle. I told him that Endora had said it had not been used for millennia when we first asked her about it. So Frank asked how she could possibly know this if there were no records older than one week. When the question was put to Endora she said she just knew, but didn't know how."

"That's when it hit me," said Frank. "Endora lies about certain things. She is unbelievably powerful, but intuitive knowledge is quite outside her capabilities."

"That is very tenuous proof that she lies." I was not convinced Frank was right.

"On its own, yes. AIs cannot lie, unless they are given specific instructions to give false answers to certain questions. This is the case here. Once I realised that Endora was deliberately giving us false information her whole web of lies became suddenly obvious. The only reason we couldn't see it was because we had never questioned her integrity."

"Give me an example."

"For the system to function Endora has to know where each power spot is in relation to whatever reference point she uses. Now, if you go from Sydney to London that is very easy since the direction and distance between the two cities is always the same on Earth. The power spots however are on different worlds and in different universes where everything is in constant motion relative to each other. For the system to function Endora must compute the precise location of power spots afresh each time they are used. To be able to do this she must compute the movement of the power spot in relation to her reference point at the time in question. This requires unbelievably precise time keeping, and a host of historical data, something that cannot be done in a world that is only one week old as far as she is concerned."

I thought about this for a while and came to the conclusion Frank was right.

"So how are you going to unscramble this?" I asked.

"We have to find the instructions that cause the lies. Once we get rid of these everything will be there, the timeline, the records of the Ancients, everything."

"And how do you propose to go about it?"

"From a maintenance terminal, using a debugging programme. Now that we know what she does it's not all that difficult. We will ask Endora a number of questions. To some the answers will be true, to others false, depending on what we ask. By monitoring her we can find out what subroutine she goes into on questions where she is supposed to lie. That subroutine will not run when she tells the truth. It'll take some time, but it can be done."

"But won't she spot what you are doing and stop you?"

"Unlikely. Monitoring and debugging programmes are transparent to the operating system. If it were not so you couldn't debug."

This was good news indeed. I thanked Frank and Algenon and went to my cabin. I poured myself a beer and lit a cigarette. When I handled Lachesis' cigarette case I remembered I had promised the Fates I would discuss their dilemma with Marge and Kia. Using the case as a medium I called Marge. A short time later she was with me.

"Feeling horny, are we?"

"No Marge, we need to talk. You can have a nookie afterwards, if you like."

"Oh, I like. What's up?"

"Do you know where Kia is, we should really have her here too."

Marge traced a pattern in the air and said something in a language I did not understand. The moment she finished Kia stood in the room. We both gave her some scratchies and got our lick across the face as a greeting.

I explained the dilemma with the fates and how I had promised Atropos to discuss it with them.

"This is not as big a problem as you might think," said Kia. "I can sort this out with ease, if the controllers of the Fates let me."

"You know how to contact them?" I was flabbergasted.

"No, but Lachesis knows and what Lachesis knows I know ... if I want to. I shall go and see her."

With that Kia disappeared.

"Just as well Kia loves us," said Marge. "I dread to think what she is capable of if the situation were different. She is by far the most powerful creature we know of.

"But, be that as it may, you promised a nookie."

A nookie it was.

"You know, Marge," I said to her during our post coital embrace, "you are the closest thing to a wife I've ever had."

"I know. Me and Hera, both. You have two half wives."

"Hera?"

"Oh yes, Hera is very much in love with you. You are only the second man she ever had in her life, and now, since she and Zeus have reverted back to being brother and sister again, you are the only one. She still plays with the girls, but then, nearly all the Goddesses do. It's part of what we are."

"I thought all she was interested in was the sex."

"You couldn't be more wrong. That first time, when you were really angry with her and fucked her out of spite, you still cared enough about her to make sure she had her orgasms before you had yours. That was new to her. Zeus fucked her when he felt like it, if she happened to get off while he was at it that was a bonus, if she didn't, he couldn't give a shit, as long as he got what he wanted. To him she was little more than a possession. That is not to say there isn't any affection between the two, but it isn't, and never was, love. It was you who showed her that."

"How do you know all this?"

"She told me. Since you came into the picture she called on me a few times, ostensibly for some sex, but when it came down to it it was mostly to find out more about you. We've had sex before, usually at some hen party or other, never one on one though. We've become quite close. She calls me her sister wife. 

"You treat her like a woman, not like the Supreme Goddess. She likes that. She finds it irresistible that you show her respect and affection without subservience. No one else does that, perhaps apart from me. I do pretty much the same now, I've learned that from you.

"Well, lover boy, all that talk got me horny again. Fancy another round?"

I did.






Chapter 42:     Betty




Next day, after breakfast, Betty asked if she could talk to me for a while. We went to a separate table on the veranda and took some coffee with us.

"I just spoke to Panacea," she said. "She tells me Frank and I can have sex again. It is safe now. You know what that means, don't you?"

I had no idea what she was talking about. She must have seen the confusion in my face. 

"You have forgotten, haven't you?" she chastised me. "Remember when we were in front of the mirror after my treatment? I promised you my second cherry then. Can I share your bed tonight so I can thank you properly for all you have done for us?"

"What about Frank?"

"Oh, Frank will be thanking Marge. She has already agreed. She said she will cook dinner for the four of us before we retire to our respective beds."

"You got yourself a party," I said to Betty, sealing the bargain with a kiss.

"Now that this is out of the road, back to business. I need you to do something for me."

"What can I do for you, Betty?"

"I want a video link with the people on the other planet. A big screen, say about six feet wide, inbuilt translators, something suitable for conference calls. There is a conference room in the Horny Tom that holds about twenty people. I want it installed there. The other terminal should be somewhere in the temple. I need this as soon as possible. When the delegation arrives they can stay in touch with home. If we can get it done quickly we can get them used to it before they come here."

"This is a job for Darrin, let me call him."

I called Darrin via Endora and asked him to join us. He arrived shortly thereafter and I explained to him what Betty wanted.

"You never ask for anything easy, do you?" he grumbled.

"If I needed something easy I would ask a mechanic, not a genius."

"Alright, alright. You don't have to butter me up. You can have it this afternoon. I'll get Vulcan and Algenon to give me a hand. We'll have to go with you to install it on the other end, say tomorrow morning, if that's okay."

"Wonderful, couldn't be better."

"Is he always this grumpy?" asked Betty after Darrin had left.

"It's his way. It doesn't mean anything. He is by far the best technician I have ever come across and I have worked with hundreds of them when I was working as an engineer. He is quite a nice bloke actually once you get past his act."

"Pity I can't go with you."

"It's only another two weeks before you're fit to travel. The time will pass quickly enough."

"I know. I just get frustrated when I can't work at my own pace. There is so much I need to know, so much to explore."

At that moment Bruce turned up. I filled him in on what we were going to do. He wanted to join us but I told him he and Marge were needed here. Over a beer I explained that when we had the terminal going I wanted the natives to see a couple of familiar faces on the screen. I figured if I could get them to talk to friends via the video link they would quickly overcome any reservations they might have about the technology.

"Besides," I added, "if, as I suspect, there is going to be a party afterwards you and Marge can port over and join us."

"Now there is a thought," said Bruce, with a broad grin.

I went back to my cabin feeling restless and uneasy. I had not been inside more than ten minutes when Marge turned up. She complained about feeling jittery without knowing why. We were comparing notes when Kia staggered into the room, obviously in shock. Marge put some Cognac into a bowl and put it in front of the little fawn. Kia slurped the lot.

"Thanks," she said after a while, "I needed that. I feel better now."

"What happened, did someone hurt you?" Marge was cuddling the little thing; she was more upset now than Kia.

"No, no one hurt me. I just saw something that really rattled me."

"Can you talk about it?"

"Just as soon as you give me some more of this fine old French Cognac."

Marge giggled and put some more in Kia's bowl. It didn't last long.

"As you know, my intention was to speak to the controllers of the Fates," she explained. "I went to see Lachesis, but kept myself invisible. She didn't know I was there. I could see in her thoughts that they were about to go and get their orders for the day so I didn't ferret around any more in her mind and decided to follow them instead.

"They went into an enormous cave. It wasn't natural, it had been built a long time ago. At the far end there were twelve huge statues, at least thirty feet tall, of hominid creatures, but with facial features like insects. The statues spoke to the Fates, giving them their orders.

"It felt odd. I could not see the thoughts behind the orders, as I normally do. It appeared as if the orders were coming from something other than a living being. I hung around after the Fates left and made a monumental discovery. The controllers of the Fates, the overlords of Earth and Olympus ... are machines! 

"Somehow this discovery rattled me to the core. I had real difficulties getting back here. I thought I was going to die."

"I think you ran into a defensive mechanism that was meant to kill you," I said. "What saved you is that you come from a different universe and that your make up is something they hadn't encountered before. That's why you only got sick."

"That makes sense," said Kia.

"Do you think it's Endora who is doing this?" 

"It is possible, I guess," said Kia, "but I doubt it. It didn't feel like Endora to me. I think I would have spotted it if it had been her."

"What will you do now?" Marge was worried.

"I shall go to what you call the Deer Planet for a rest until I am completely fit again. I shall be safe and welcome there." With that she disappeared.

"We should tell the others about this," said Marge.

"And how do you propose to do this without breaking your promise to Kia?"

"Oops, shit. You are right, we have to keep this to ourselves. On second thought, we could discuss it with the Fairies. They know all about Kia. We would not be breaking any confidence."

"No. Leave the Fates out of this for now. Kia has a plan. Let's see what she comes up with first."

"How do you make that out?"

"She would have been safe and welcome here. She went to the Deer Planet for reasons of her own."

"You can't blame her for wanting to be with her own kind when she is not feeling well."

"They are not her own kind. Distant cousins perhaps, no more. She told me so. These creatures live on a planet where they have food and shelter in abundance and no natural enemies. Their only pursuit apart from day to day living is philosophy. A planet full of thinkers. Kia will tell them about her problem and see what they can come up with. That's my guess anyway."

"What are we going to do now then?"

"How about you make us some lunch. I don't feel like Bruce's food. Something Italian, maybe. After that I will have a look at where Darrin is at with the conferencing gear and you can start cooking for tonight's party."

"Spaghetti Bolognese with a bottle of Chianti maybe?"

"Perfect."

We had our meal and I went to see Darrin. The boys were already installing the terminal in the conference room. Betty was there. She seemed happy with the set up. I was surprised at Darrin. He couldn't do enough for Betty, he actually smiled when he was talking to her. When I asked her later what had brought about this transformation she said: "It's amazing what a little dickrub will do to the grouchiest of men."

I figured Betty would have no trouble integrating into our little group here. 

There was nothing for me to do so I went back home. Marge was busy in the kitchen. She had the window wide open. There on the sill was a ringtail possum sitting on its haunches, munching on an enormous strawberry.

"Where did this thing come from?" I asked.

"He comes from our place. Bruce loves possums, he always has a little colony of them around. His name is Didi."

I stuck my hand out and stroked his fur. "G'day Didi," I said, "you are welcome here."

He put his strawberry down, hopped on my shoulder and gave my earlobe a lick. Then he hopped back to his strawberry and continued munching.

"He likes you," said Marge. "He'll visit you often from now on. He's a friendly little fellow. And now grab yourself a beer and sit outside somewhere. You are under my feet."

I did as I was asked and sat on the veranda. I had not been there long when Frank turned up. I was at a loss for conversation, I couldn't very well tell him I was looking forward to fucking his wife. I got him a beer instead. Didi hopped on my shoulder when I went to the fridge to get the drinks and stayed there.

Frank was delighted when I introduced him to the little animal. In no time at all Didi was sitting on his shoulder licking his earlobe. Didi's stamp of approval. The little fellow jumped on the table and sniffed on my beer can.

"I think he wants some," said Frank, highly amused by Didi's antics.

"Who am I to begrudge a fellow Aussie a bit of beer?" I said, went to the kitchen and returned with a saucer. I poured some beer into it and Didi went nuts. He did a little dance around the saucer and started slurping it with relish. When he had finished he sat on his haunches and burped. Frank was in stitches. Didi went over to him and rubbed his nose on Frank's can.

"Want a bit more?" said Frank and poured some more into the saucer.

Again the little dance routine. This time Didi took it slowly. When he had enough he looked at us, hopped off the table, ran across the grass to the nearest tree, ran up the tree and was soon lost to sight.

"He'll be back," said Frank. "You'll never get rid of the little bugger now."

"I can think of worse things," I said.

"So can I," said Frank.

I was again at a loss to find a subject for conversation. On the spur of the moment I asked him: "Do you think Endora is unique?"

"That is a really difficult question to answer," he said after a long pause. "Endora is the result of a long line of technological development, millennia most likely. That during this time rival civilisations developed similar systems is almost a given. Something as huge and as sophisticated as Endora is unlikely to spring up in isolation. As to whether such competing systems have survived, that is an entirely different kettle of fish.

"We know Endora has survived, so we know it's possible. There has to be at least a possibility that one or more rivalling systems have survived too."

"Would Endora know of any rivalling systems?"

"Without question. She would have had to be aware, at least at the time, of competing developments."

"Would she tell you, if there were?"

"I doubt it. I wouldn't ask her anyway at this stage. It might spook her programming and kick other security subroutines in and we would have to start from scratch. We are walking on thin ice as it is. I take it you have reason to believe a rivalling system exists."

"Yes, but I can't tell you much without breaking a confidence I have sworn to uphold. Suffice it to say that I have reason to believe that the controllers of the Fates, and therefore the controllers of Earth and Olympus and God knows what else are machines."

"Actually, that makes sense."

"Whaaaaaat????"

"Think about it. The builders of Endora left to a man for shores unknown to us as part of their evolution. They left us their technology as a legacy, albeit with some reservations. Say there was a rivalling system who did pretty much the same, except they had some civilisations they couldn't take with them, because they were still too primitive. One solution would have been to put some machines in charge to at least maintain the status quo. Better than throwing them to the wolves."




A God Called Bruce Pt. 05



I considered that for a moment. What Frank was proposing had to be a possibility. While I was still trying to get a grip on what he had just said Betty turned up. 

"No more work today," she said. "Party time."

Reluctantly Frank and I went inside. Marge had already laid out the table. She had made the same meal she had once made for me before, right at the beginning. Lobster Thermidore with all the trimmings. The moment the meal was over Marge cleaned up with a wave of her hand grabbed Frank and disappeared. I felt awkward. Betty sensed the mood I was in.

"Feels like incest after all these years as friends," she said. "Come on boy, stick a bit into mum. You know you want to."

I had to laugh. It broke the ice. A short time later I was drilling her with the precision of a sewing machine.






Chapter 43:      Machines in charge?




To my surprise I woke up with Marge at my side. She must have switched position with Betty during the night. It suited me fine. I still felt odd about having screwed Betty.

"Get out of that silly mood, there is work to be done." 

Marge was right. I had to pull myself together. We went for breakfast and during the meal I started feeling better. Darrin was ready, the equipment had been loaded into our space vehicle. 

Vulcan was already at the controls when we got there and a short time later we were on the Blue Planet as Betty had christened it. I thought it quaint to have a planet called after the hair colour of its inhabitants.

There was the usual commotion. Everyone dropped what they were doing and came to greet us. I gave the headman his by now usual hug amongst much applause. This time he hadn't tried to prostrate himself, he evidently got the message that I didn't like that. He remembered the boys from before and greeted them cordially. I told him what we were here to do and the villagers watched as the boys set up the terminal.

If I had any reservations about the villagers accepting the technology, they were soon put to rest. They thought it was great fun, especially when Bruce and Marge came on the screen. Bruce introduced them to Betty who was quickly accepted into the fold. Betty showed them some images from our world. The fields, the creeks, the lake with its island and finally Catsville. Judging by the response the villagers loved what they saw. I didn't think we would have any shortage of recruits for our world.

Marge and Bruce turned up and soon food and beer arrived from everywhere. We all had an impromptu picnic in the temple. One of the ladies tugged at my sleeve and said: "Wanna fucky me again, Johnny?" Bruce's language pupil once more, by the sound of it. I liked the idea and it was on. Within minutes Alec worship was in full swing. When we all had had enough we took our farewells and departed for home on wobbly knees.

"Wow," said Betty, who had been watching the orgy. "I have never seen anything like it. They really get into it. And I thought I knew all about swinging."

"Yes, they certainly took up Alec worship with enthusiasm when Bruce suggested it."

"No," Betty was adamant, "this is not a recent thing. These people have been having sex like this for a long time. It is their way. Bruce just gave it an added dimension."

"What makes you say this?" I was curious how Betty had come to that conclusion.

"If it was a recent thing," she explained, "there would be some who would take to it with gusto, others would join, but still be a little reserved and yet others would be watching from the sidelines and contemplate whether they wanted to join in or not. Last of all there would be a group who would find the whole thing disgusting and wouldn't have anything to do with it. There was none of that. No, for these people this is the normal way of having sex. I'll have to look into this. Fascinating territory for me."

"You are the anthropologist. You must have your reasons." I was still not convinced.

"You've been there. There were no fights, no arguments. Each person's choice was accepted by the others without problems. This reeks of very formalised behaviour. Rigid rules as to what is acceptable and what is not. Things like this do not spring up over night."

I had to admit Betty was on fairly solid ground there. I was glad she was part of the team. Her help would be invaluable. I said as much.

"Glad to be here," she said. "By the way, if you would like to stick a bit into mum again from time to time, all you have to do is say something."

To my surprise, the thought wasn't anywhere near as awkward as it was yesterday. I kissed her cheek and said I would give it some thought.

Marge was home when I got there.

"Here," she said, "have some Ambrosia. We need it after that romp."

"I thought that was exclusive to Olympus. Do you want us to go there?"

"No need, I fixed that." She opened what had once been a broom cupboard to reveal a fair sized room. There were two Roman divans and a low table between them with two goblets.

"I pinched a bit more space from Olympus. I figured if it would work on Earth it would work here. Voilà, Ambrosia."

"Isn't that dangerous? The Gods could come here without trouble."

"It wouldn't do them much good, even if they did find out about it. They would still need Endora's permission to cross over into our world. We are quite safe from them. The Gods aren't very clever about such things. They haven't found out about Zeus' shagging room in your house, have they?"

"How the fuck do you know about that?" I was stunned.

"Logical deduction. I know he is rooting humans. You can tell by how happy he is lately. He doesn't go to Shagger's Paradise and I haven't built anything for him elsewhere. Where else would he go? That's why you guys are as thick as thieves. You are covering for him."

There went my last secret I thought I had from Marge. This chick was dangerous. She had figured out the thing with the Fates, and now this.

"Tell me Marge, you are smarter than most of the Gods combined, how come you are a lowly Goddess of hen parties in a backwater of your universe?"

"For the same reason Bruce likes to be seen as some pisspot drongo. You know by now he's a lot smarter than that. We both decided a long time ago that there was mileage in being underestimated. We have no enemies. The Gods can't be bothered with us."

"How come you have put your guard down where I am concerned then?"

"Probably for the same reason Zeus trusts you. You are irreverent, sneaky, obnoxious at times and all the rest, but you are fiercely loyal to your friends. That last thing is a quality rarely found on Olympus."

I had my Ambrosia. It went down well. It made me physically fit again.

I told her about Frank's thoughts on the controllers.

Marge's face lit up like a Christmas tree. "That's it," she exclaimed.

She hexed us another Ambrosia and motioned me to drink mine. For the next ten minutes she just sat there and thought. I did not want to interrupt her. Marge got up, took me by the hand and led me back into our space. She closed the door very carefully. Marge led me out to the veranda, bade me sit down and put some champagne on the table and two glasses.

I did the honours pouring the drinks and lit a cigarette. "What are we celebrating?" I asked.

Marge made some funny signs in the air again and seconds later Kia was there. She hexed a bowl, poured some champagne into it and asked Kia to join the celebrations. I could see it in Kia's eyes, she was as clueless as I was. She obviously wasn't snooping right now.

Marge explained to Kia what Frank had been thinking.

"Frank is right," she said, "there is a rivalling system that controls Olympus and Earth and maybe a lot of other things. Kia stumbled into it. I think it only vaguely perceived her presence and tried to kill her. The system probably thinks it has succeeded. For the time being it's not a good idea for Kia to go back there.

"Also, they don't know about us and this set-up of ours. It's not part of the model they are using. Lateral thinking is not within their reach. They are machines, remember. I don't think they are aware of Kia even. They just noticed something was trying to stick their nose into their affairs and activated a defence programme. Kia is transparent to them because of what she is. That's why she was able to follow the Fates to their home world.

"As to the rest of us, we are nobodies. Bruce and I, two Gods in charge of minor events in a backwater, Darrin and Algenon, back room technicians, Gadeirus, a has been who hasn't done anything significant for millennia, Vulcan, a second rate God who is not liked by bis peers and finally Alec, a two bit writer who can't think of something to write. Lil doesn't even rate. Do you get it? All of us are below the radar as far as that system is concerned. That's why we've been able to do what we did. And now we are totally out of their reach because of where we are. That gives us one hell of an advantage."

"What about the Fates?" Kia was nervous.

"I thought you said that you can fix that dilemma if the controllers allow it. Just fix it, they won't know. As long as the Fates do their job the system has no reason to check on them. It won't even know the Fates are no longer what they were. Incidentally, what do you have in mind?"

"I want to compartmentalise their minds. When they are working they won't remember more of us than that we exist and are their friends. When they are with us they can remember everything. No more qualms about what they are doing. I can do this easily."

"Then do it. When you have done it I would like you to go back to the Deer planet and put everything I've told you to them. Let them have a look if there is anything I've missed."

"I like this," said Kia, finished her champagne and dematerialised.

"A two bit writer who can't think of something to write?" I was a bit miffed.

"What else would you call it, Darling? Get over it. Here, have some more champagne."

I can't be cross with Marge. I drank my champagne and kept my mouth shut, knowing I couldn't win.

"Now I need to go to Catsville, I have a few things to do. See you tonight." And off she went."

It had been a while since I had a one on one drinking session with Bruce. On the spur of the moment I called him.

"Fancy a drink or three at my place in Sydney?" I asked when he turned up.

"You bet, give us a sec," he said and disappeared again.

"Just had to tell the girls they are on their own tonight," he explained when he got back. "Let's go."

Bruce had a bag in his hand when we arrived in my backyard. "Fresh king prawns," he said. "Fancy chilli coconut prawns?"

"Now that's a treat," I said. "On a bit of rice perchance?"

"No problem."

Bruce conjured up a bowl, half full of marinade, put the prawns in the marinade and hexed some beer.

"Doesn't taste the same if I hex the marinade on, it's better if they stay in there for a while," he explained.

"Bruce, can we go to the lunch room in the compound on Olympus please, I've made a mistake."

"Sure," he said and we ported.

I instructed Endora to keep any visitors out.

"What was that all about?" asked Bruce when we were settled.

"I forgot how many creatures can listen in in that place. There is that fucking woodpecker for one, and maybe Zeus and Hera and God knows who else."

"Either you are getting paranoid or what you are about to tell me is dynamite."

"No paranoia. What do you think Zeus will do when he finds out he is being controlled by a machine?"

"You are joking, of course." Bruce looked at me, a puzzled look on his face. "You are not joking, are you?" he decided after a pause.

"I wish I were," I said.

I then told him what Frank and Marge had come up with without mentioning Kia.

"You have a real penchant for pissing in hornets nests. I tell you what Zeus will do if he finds out. Assuming this is right, he'll kill anyone who knows about this, just like he did when Asclepius did something the machines didn't want. The system will not let him act otherwise. If I were you I would leave this whole can of worms well alone."

"But we can't stand by and watch Earth and Olympus being run by a computer, can we?"

"And why not? Do you really think an omnipotent Zeus would do a better job? You have only seen the benevolent side of him. I have seen the other side. You don't want to be around when he or Poseidon let loose, believe me. Frank reckons the builders of this thing didn't want to throw their charges to the wolves. If that is right, the machines are essentially benevolent. They are making sure Zeus and his minions don't get too big for their boots. If you tamper with that you don't know what cataclysm you bring about."

That was certainly an aspect I hadn't considered.

"And now, seeing that the prawns are ready let's get into them. That other shit can wait."

The meal was delicious. When I got home Marge was already in bed. 

Horny as usual.





Chapter 44:       Preparations for the big event





I woke up refreshed and relaxed. Bruce's talk the night before had done much to quieten my inner turmoil.

Breakfast was different this time. For once Bruce wasn't cooking. The girls had taken over.  Two of the girls, one a baker, the other one a chef, had commandeered the kitchen. They had been at it since before dawn, according to Bruce, and had provided us with fresh bread and croissants, jams and creamed cottage cheese in addition to the normal barbequed stuff. They received a standing ovation when they joined us for their meal.

You could tell Bruce was proud of his girls. It had been his idea and it was working a treat. After the dishes were cleared away one of the girls climbed on the table and announced that as of tomorrow their pussies were going to be useful once more and showed us her neatly trimmed bush as an appetiser. There was roaring applause.

Tomorrow the delegation would also arrive, lots to do until then.

Gadeirus took me around to show me the arrangements. The accommodation was fitted out with the furniture and implements of their culture. It was a large, three story house adjacent to the pub that would easily house twenty or more natives. It had a native style kitchen, stocked with food from their home planet.

One section of the pub kitchen had also been fitted out with native paraphernalia and stocked with their food. We were as ready as we would get, I was happy.

Marge turned up and grabbed me by the arm. "Come," she said, "let me show you the nookie room."

Gadeirus grinned, evidently he knew already what that was about. There was a new staircase in the foyer of the pub leading into a basement. When I saw what was down there I nearly had a fit. Marge had created a scaled down version of my temple underneath the pub, complete with the moss cover that made such a beautiful mattress and the neat gravel paths.

"I thought I told you I didn't want a temple here." I was more than miffed.

"That's why I call it a nookie room. The Blueys invited us to their party, they expect us to invite them to ours. Where do you want to screw? On the veranda?"

As usual Marge was right. If, as Betty suspected, communal sex was the only sex the natives engaged in, a place like this was mandatory. I wondered where the name Blueys had come from, probably Betty. It was as good a name as any, in fact it was very good, it had an affectionate ring to it.

Back upstairs Betty was talking to the Blueys via her video link. There were a number of natives in front of their set and from the screeching, laughing and general carrying on I figured they were having a lot of fun. I left them to it.

Lunch was a sensation. Beef consomme with small flour dumplings, steak and kidney stew with mashed potatoes and green beans, apple pie with whipped cream for afters. It met with universal approval. Bruce doesn't like cooking stuff like this, but he certainly got into it with enthusiasm when he was served with it. Marge congratulated the girls on their skill. High praise indeed, coming from her.

After the meal Betty told me she wanted to address everyone before the delegation arrived to inform them of some Bluey customs and taboos they ought to know. We decided that right after the evening meal would be a good time.

I went to see Lil at Shagger's to tell her about Betty's briefing and that I wanted her to attend. She promised she would be there.

After that I went to my cabin and sat on the veranda with a beer. The little possum must have been sitting in a tree waiting for me. I had hardly sat down when he rushed over to me, climbed on my shoulder and started nibbling my earlobe. I had a fair idea what he was after.

He stayed on my shoulder as I went to the fridge to get a banana for him. I peeled it and cut it into bite size pieces put it on a saucer and got another saucer for his beer. The little shit went nuts on my shoulder, hopping around and licking my neck. I went back to the table, put the stuff down and poured him a beer. He hopped down and did his little war dance again before he got into the food and the beer.

It was hard to miss. Didi was happy.

I gave him some more beer when he had finished his and again he drunk only some of it. I was playing with him and giving him some pats when Bruce and Lil arrived. He jumped up and greeted both of them in his usual exuberant fashion.

"Didi is a good fellow to have around," said Bruce. "You can let him in the house, he won't break anything and he'll do his business outside. He is very smart too. I got the little bugger pissed once. He didn't like it and since then he stops when he reckons he's had enough."

"I've noticed that. He does like his beer though."

"What else did you think? He's an Aussie, isn't he?" Bruce laughed.

"There is that," I had to admit.

"Anyway, time to go to the pub. I wonder what the girls have cooked for tonight." Bruce seemed to enjoy someone else cooking for once.

Didi hopped off the table and disappeared up a tree when we rose. We walked for a change. It was pleasant.

This time the girls had set up a buffet rather than serving food at the table. Mexican night. Tacos, chilli con carne, enchiladas, nachos, tortillas; that sort of thing. Colourful jugs with sangria stood on the table. It met with approval.

After the meal Betty asked us into the conference room. She was in her lecturing mode, she had even set up a lectern. Her only departure from tradition was the ice bucket with the champagne and a flute glass instead of the usual pitcher with water.

Always the gentleman, Bruce got up, popped the cork and filled her glass. He then made the rounds and hexed everybody whatever drink they wanted. Once everyone was settled Betty started her lecture.

"Tomorrow we have guests from an alien culture. Setting aside the differences in skin and hair colour and the shape of their ears they look and function pretty much like us. There are some major differences you need to know about if we are to get along in harmony.

"These people live a simple life. That does not make them primitives, far from it. It is their choice. Violence and greed are unknown to them. Panacea tells me the Ancients viewed violence and greed as diseases, a leftover from more primitive beginnings, and had developed a cure for it. It is highly probable they had treated these people a long time back and eradicated these diseases from their planet.

"As a result their society developed in ways that are unknown in our world. There is no competition amongst these people. Everyone just does the best they can to contribute to the tribe. Tribe is defined as whoever is there at the time. This is important. This means that whoever is with them has the same obligations and privileges as everyone else. 

"I have told their elders that we did not know the ways of their tribe and were likely to offend at some time or other. They just laughed and said that their children did not know their ways either and had to be taught. They will tell us when we are out of line. As long as we understand that their ways are sacred to them and try the best we can there shouldn't be a problem. All this will sort itself out in time.




A God Called Bruce Pt. 05



"One thing you need to know right now. There is no such thing as marriage or parents in their society. Genitals are more or less viewed as communal property of which the individual person is little more than a caretaker. Genitals are there to please each other and to create offspring for the tribe. As far as I've been able to determine sex is a communal affair. So don't try to sneak off with one of them for a one on one quickie. Let them take the lead for now.

"Children are also communal property. If a child needs something whoever is closest is expected to take care of it. You will see some kids serve food and drinks during communal sex. They are naked to show they are pre-pubescent and taboo. Do not touch them when they are naked. It is best for now to let them do their job and do no more than thank them when they do something for you. At other times, treat them as if they were kids in your own society.

"There is a lot more to learn, but if you keep to these guidelines for now everything should go well. Any questions?"

The one thing most of them wanted to know was if the sexual restrictions applied to everyone from now on.

"No," said Betty. "You guys can carry on with each other the way you always have, just keep it out of their sight for the time being."

I felt like some coffee so Lil and I went into the pub. 

"Would you like a slice of cake with it?" asked the serving girl after we sat down on one of the tables.

"What kind of cake?" I asked.

"Maggie has made some Sachertorte."

"What's a Sachertorte?" asked Lil.

"A world famous Viennese speciality. Brace yourself for a culinary experience, girl." I said and ordered two slices and two Vienna coffee.

"Coming right up," said the girl and went into the kitchen.

The coffee and the Torte were delicious. I asked to speak to Maggie.

"Where did you learn to bake like this?" I asked when she came to our table. "I have had it in the Hotel Sacher in Vienna. Yours is every inch as good as the original."

"Depending on when you were there I probably made it for you. I worked there for fifteen years."

"Wonderful," I said. "We must talk about Vienna some other time. You are still busy I take it."

"Yes," she said. "My baking seems to be popular." I thanked her for her effort and she went back to the kitchen. 

This place of ours seemed to be shaping up better than Olympus. I wondered where they got all the ingredients from. I said as much to Lil.

Lil laughed. "When Maggie and the chef, Ginette, asked for some stuff Bruce had them make up a big wish list. Vulcan grabbed one of the freighters and the two went shopping. Right now there is a very pissed off Columbian druglord wondering where all his goodies went, especially since this part of his business is legit. He can't even claim it on insurance. His reputation would be gone if people found out that he had been taken for millions of dollars worth of gear."

"They took that much?"

"Sure. They cleaned out four warehouses of the most exclusive foodstuffs, wines and liquors there are."

"Where is the stuff now?"

"Still in the freighter, parked in its usual spot. It's climate controlled. Just to make sure nothing spoils Bruce put a hex on it as well. We don't need the freighter for anything else, we have heaps of these things. Why move the stuff?"

"When did they do this?" I was a bit miffed because Bruce hadn't told me.

"Last night." That explained it. There hadn't been a chance to tell me.

Bruce was sitting out on the veranda with Vulcan. I went over to them. Lil followed me. They waved us to sit down, which we did. Bruce hexed us both a drink, force of habit I guess.

"Lil just told me about your shopping spree," I said.

"Yeah," said Bruce, "that went well."

"Perhaps not so well for the people who worked there. What do you think the bosses are going to do to them. They'll be suspected of being in on it."

"They are going to be alright," said Bruce. "Vulcan took care of that. That was the best part of our trip, sheer artistry."

"What did he do?"

"You know how superstitious these arseholes are. Vulcan put black magic sigils all over the walls. Then in the centre of the now empty warehouses he put a magic circle. Inside the magic circle he erected a ten foot statue of Satan, complete with horns and tail, made of shit. When they see and smell this they'll be too scared to move. Those warehouses will get locked up. No one will go near them for years to come."

"Nice touch," I said when I stopped laughing.

Lil tugged on my sleeve. "Time to go home, Master," she said. "I could do with a grease and oil change."

"Go on," said Bruce, "give her a lube job."

Half an hour later I had her screaming again.






Chapter 45:      The Delegation





The girls had set up a buffet for breakfast. It was much better this way. It allowed everyone to take what they wanted. I picked a cooked breakfast, Lil took some croissants and some fruit. Over breakfast she told me she was going to spend much of the day at Shagger's to make sure things were running well there. She would be back for the party though.

Vulcan told me he was going to use a different vehicle this time. He thought the luxurious appointment of the craft we normally used might be a bit overwhelming for our guests. He had Darrin install some cameras and a transmitter so their people at home could follow our journey. 

Ginette was panicking. "What am I going to cook?" she complained, "I have no idea what they can eat and what they like." 

"Zeus created a mountain of food for them when he was there. Our type of food. They seemed to like it well enough. Perhaps make some stew, a lot of vegetables, root vegetables especially, and some different types of bread, they like their bread. Make it spicy. They like strong flavours."

"Hungarian goulash with a bit of extra chilli perhaps?"

"They'll love it."

Ginette went back to her kitchen, much happier than before. Marge turned up, we were ready to go.

Vulcan spoke up: "Let's wear uniforms for the trip."

"What on Earth for?"

"Think about it. When we went there to visit we always wore our best chitons. This time we are working. We change into the chitons for the party tonight. You don't go in your working clothes to a party, do you?"

"Good idea," said Marge and hexed us into our Star Trek uniforms. Apparently I had no say so in the matter. Gadeirus had issued everyone with a translator earlier. We were ready to go.

If they were surprised to see us in uniform they didn't show it. Everybody had turned up to see their delegation off. Before we boarded the craft Bruce addressed the crowd and told them they could follow our journey on the big screen. The applause was deafening. Vulcan had picked the right craft. They had a lot of luggage. It nearly filled our cargo area. 

When our guests were seated I instructed Vulcan to take us into a low orbit. I wanted to show the Blueys their world. Vulcan took the controls and Bruce took his place in the co pilot seat. The moment we had lifted off Bruce began his running commentary, explaining to our guests and the villagers at home what they were seeing. They were overawed.

We did one complete orbit and then headed for open space. When the old man saw the stars so clearly and so seemingly close he started to cry. I asked him what was wrong. He said he felt very privileged to see something as beautiful as this in his old age. Vulcan ported; the craft was now within visual distance from our world. Bruce showed them where we were heading and as the space station came closer he pointed out that this was our destiny.

Endora had switched all the lights on again. Bruce explained that we did not live on the surface as they did, that our world was more like a big hut. Vulcan again did a complete orbit before docking the craft. After having passed the airlock Vulcan manoeuvred the vehicle on to the promenade in front of the Horny Tom.

Bruce and Marge ushered our guests to the the pub terrace, where everyone was waiting to greet them. Vulcan hexed their luggage into their accommodation and went to park the craft in it's proper hangar. I joined the others. Someone had extended the banquet table. There was room for everyone. 

The girls served beer and savoury snacks to the adults and gave cranberry juice and cookies to the kids. After they had their refreshments Marge took them to the building where they were to live and showed them where Vulcan had stored their luggage. She showed them the rooms, the kitchen and the bathrooms and told them the house was theirs for the time being and they were free to make their own arrangements.

The kids were the first ones out. They made straight for the lake, stripped off and jumped in the water.  I wasn't sure if the kids were good swimmers so I went down to the water's edge to make sure they wouldn't get into trouble. I needn't have worried. Those kids could give a fish swimming lessons. 

Panacea had come down as well, perhaps thinking the same. I asked her to conjure up a beach ball. We stripped off and joined the kids in the water, tossing the beach ball over to them as we did so. I doubted they had ever seen a beach ball before. They soon got the idea. An hour later they were exhausted and called it quits. One of the girls tried to give the beach ball back to me. I explained it was theirs to keep and have fun with. She hugged me and kissed my cheek before running back to her mates holding the beach ball high above her head as if she was carrying a trophy.

Maggie had known the kids would be hungry after all this chasing around. She handed them a big platter with scones, creamed cottage cheese, cream and jam, as well as a bowl of mixed berries. The kids were ecstatic. They hugged and kissed her, much to Maggie's embarrassment. Her cooking had just given her some young worshippers. Maggie went back to the kitchen wiping tears from her eyes.

The kids were happy. It was a good omen.

Rather than have a full meal before the banquet tonight Ginette had made sandwiches for everybody and served them with pickles, chutney and mustard. They would go well with the beer.

The natives evidently had never seen sandwiches before. Nevertheless they bravely got into them, albeit with a bit of apprehension. After a few bites they started chattering about this wonderful dish and how they all tasted differently from each other. Their women were giggling and opening them up, examining the different fillings and tasting bits, like little kids do. There was no doubt they liked the new experience. There was little left when everyone had had enough.

The crowd dispersed after the meal, presumably to have a rest and get showered and changed for later. I went to the kitchen to thank the girls for the lovely job they were doing. I was surprised to find the four Bluey women in there busily chatting to our girls, looking into pots and examining ingredients.

I had trouble telling them apart. Blue hair pointy ears and golden skin are such strong features. It makes them all look alike unless one looks closely. It would take some time getting used to. Nevertheless, I thought I recognised one of them. It wasn't until sometime later when she rubbed my shoulder and said: "You gonna fucky me again, Johnny?" that I knew for certain who she was.

Using my translator I asked her how she had managed to join the delegation.

"I told the headman he had to take me, because I am the only one who can speak English. I did not tell him I only know a few words about fucking."

Evidently Bluey society also had its share of scheming women. I told her such initiative deserved a root at least. She smiled, kissed me and gave my dick a rub. 

"Fucky you later," she said and left. I wondered what else Bruce had taught her. I also wondered if Betty would approve. I decided not to put it to the test.

When I got home Bruce, Betty and Marge were already there having a drink on my veranda.

"This is going better that I thought," said Betty. "I have never seen a more lovable race. They will fit in very well with your vision for this place. When you first told me how you envisaged the society you want to build I had reservations. I no longer have any. These people are already doing it and it's working. We have much to learn from them."

"Before I forget," I interrupted, "Marge, can you please see to it that Frank, Betty, Walter, Geoff and the new girls have suitable chitons to wear for tonight. Get Panacea and Iaso to give you a hand. Help them get dressed, if need be. Let's all turn up in finery to suit the occasion."

"You've got it, Buster, and then let's party!" Marge grinned from ear to ear.

"Alright, let's break it up then. You Gods have it easy, we humans have to shower, do our hair, get shaved and dressed before we are presentable. You guys only have to wave your hand."

"Oh you poor sausage," said Marge. "I have to ask Zeus to give you some more powers if it's such a drag."

The meeting broke up amongst laughter and I went inside to get ready.

An hour later, dressed in Hermes' finery, I was back at the Horny Tom to check on last minute preparations,. The girls had set the banquet up as a buffet again. They had added a variety of hot and cold seafood as well as a selection of cold meats and salads. It looked scrumptious.

"This way everybody can pick what they want," said Ginette. "Besides, it gives us a chance to get changed."

Shortly thereafter everybody arrived. Betty got up and made a short speech welcoming our guests and then it was food time. 

I had expected our visitors to sit together as a group, at least to start with. They surprised me again by mixing freely with our mob. The kids predictably sat with Ginette and Maggie. Equally predictable Miss Sucky-Sucky sat next to me. Staking out her territory, the little bitch. Our cutlery was a bit of a challenge for them. They knew spoons and knives but our forks were something new. They saw straight away the usefulness of such an implement and quickly mastered its use.

I marvelled at their ability to accept new things. Like kids they saw everything as an adventure and a challenge. The highlight of the meal was when Ginette showed them how to shell and eat prawns. They had a lot of fun with that one, especially the kids..

The banquet was an unqualified success. After the meal Marge cleaned up with a wave of her hand to save the girls the trouble. The Bluey girls had never seen anything like it and wanted to know if Marge could teach them how to do this. They were disappointed when Marge told them it wasn't something one could learn and that it required a rare talent one had to be born with.

After a few more drinks Betty and the headman led the group to Marge's nookie room.

Miss Sucky-Sucky never let go of my arm. She would not let go of me until the party was over, hanging on to me in between trysts, kissing me and whispering in my ear "I love fucky you, Johnny." I didn't mind it one bit. She was sweet, gentle and loving. A perfect finish for the day.

Eventually the party came to an end. She went home with her people, I went home on my own, feeling happy and relaxed. It didn't take me long to go to sleep.






Chapter 46:      Suki




I didn't go to the communal breakfast and made myself some coffee instead. After that heavy night last night I felt I needed a bit of a break. I had dreamt of the Bluey woman I had spent the evening with. In my dream I had called her Suki, after an old Indian flame of mine. It wasn't until later that I realised my subconscious had played a trick on me and had picked the closest name to Miss Sucky-Sucky. It didn't matter, she was going to be Suki from now on. 

I was still thinking about her when Marge turned up with Suki and the four kids in tow.

"They were hanging around the kitchen and getting under Ginette's feet," she explained. "I'm going to show them the waterfall and give poor Ginette a break."

Marge departed and soon after I heard excited squeals coming from the direction of the waterfall. Someone was having fun. After a while Suki came back on her own, soaking wet. She stripped her clothes off, hung them over a bush to dry and sat down next to me. I felt awkward. I didn't know how the Blueys would react seeing one of their own next to me naked outside the communal sex ritual.

"Come with me, Suki. Let's get some clothes on you before someone sees you like that."

"Why do you call me Suki?"

"In the world where I was born there are many languages. In the Hindi language Suki means Someone who is happy, in Filipino Tagalog it means Regular customer. I thought both meanings suited you nicely." I didn't tell her that in Polish it means Bitch.

She liked the regular customer bit. I took her by the hand and dragged her off to my bedroom. Her eyes got big when she saw the bed, however, when I gave her a tee shirt and some shorts to put on there was disappointment in her eyes. I think she had expected me to screw her. The disappointment didn't last long. When she saw herself in the full length mirror wearing my gear she was all happy again. I gave her a pair of my thongs to complete the picture. She strutted around like a peacock in front of the mirror, giggling like a little girl. When she had enough we went outside again. I offered her some coffee, but she pulled a face and asked if she could have some beer.

I cleared the table and went to get us some beer. I should have known. The moment I put the beer on the table there was movement in the trees and seconds later Didi was sitting on my shoulder licking my earlobe. It was obvious what he was after. Suki stared at him in amazement.

"His name is Didi, he is a friend," I explained. "He likes beer."

Suki reached out to Didi and he hopped on her shoulder, totally confused by now, as he couldn't find an earlobe on Suki's pointed ears. He wasn't fazed for long and licked her neck instead. Suki was delighted.

I went to get a saucer and poured him his beer. Didi did his little dance again, much to Suki's amusement and began slurping. After he had had his second lot he disappeared again into the trees.

By that time our beer was finished and I went to the kitchen to get some more. When I put the can in front of Suki she grabbed my hand and stuck it into her shorts, trying to push my fingers into her twat. She was wet. Heeding Betty's warning and in the interest of interplanetary relations I pulled my hand back, even though my dick was bouncing around in my pants like a blue arsed fly trapped in a bottle.

"You no wanna fucky me, Johnny?" Suki looked hurt.

"Look, Darling. First of all, my name is Alec and not Johnny. Next, I know what you are trying to do, you little shit. You are trying to seduce me and as far as my dick is concerned you are succeeding. Fortunately I still have some measure of control over the fucking thing. I know seduction is not part of your culture. You are trying it on because you want something. So what is it you want?"

"I am your Suki, you are my Johnny, end of story. Seduction is not foreign to us. Every woman knows men want pussy more often than women want cock. I asked Marge, she says in your world it's the same. Women use that fact to get what they want, in your world and in mine." Suki looked at me defiantly, daring me to contradict her.

"Alright, tell me what you are after."

"This is a beautiful world, filled with wondrous things. I want to bring these things to my people. I want to learn your language, your technology your way to love. If that is wrong, send me back."

I looked at Suki with new eyes. This chick was the Bluey equivalent of Marge. They were, as Bruce had so colourfully put it like pips in a fucking watermelon.

"If that's what you are after, I'll gladly help you in any way I can. You don't have to seduce me to get that."




A God Called Bruce Pt. 05



"No, but I want to," she said and then continued in English: "I love fucky you, Johnny."

There is only so much a man can take. I was no longer concerned about interplanetary conventions or Betty's warnings, all I wanted was to dip my wick. I grabbed Suki and ported us to my place in Sydney. 

Suki became aware of her surroundings after her second orgasm. Completely ignoring me and my dick, she probed the satin sheets, wondered at the gilt framed mirrors, the velvet curtains, the silk and the marble clad bathroom. Her delights knew no end when I put her into the Jacuzzi and joined her. I served one of Marge's exceptional vintage champagnes and she went completely nuts, declaring she had finally found heaven.

We were in the middle of a nookie when Marge turned up. Not one to miss out on sex when it was going, she was stripped and in the Jacuzzi sucking Suki's tit before I could express surprise. Suki, not to be outdone was fiddling with Marge's clit while I was still pumping away. It wasn't any of my doing, but all three of us came at the same time amongst much screeching and moaning.

I asked Marge how she had found us.

"When I didn't see either of you at lunch I had a hunch what you were up to. This was the natural place to look. I think I was the only one who noticed, but we should go back before it becomes an issue."

We all agreed that was wise and a short time later we sat on the veranda of my cabin dressed and proper like good little girls and boys who hadn't been up to anything.

Remembering what I had promised Suki I called Iaso and Panacea via Endora. When we were all seated with some more of Marge's vintage champagne I explained what Suki had asked for. 

"I've asked you two because I think you can do each other some good. I want to start a database on Bluey anatomy and physiology, she can help you with that and in return you guys can teach her some English. Say two hours a day?"

"That's no problem," said Iaso, grinning from ear to ear. "I want to do some research on Bluey orgasms anyway."

They laughed, finished their champagne and whisked Suki off to the medical unit.

"I take it you are grooming her for something?" Marge was looking at me, twisting her rock hard nipples through her tee shirt with a faraway look in her eyes.

"What are you playing with your tits for?"

"You know one orgasm isn't enough for me. I am fucking horny, that's what for."

Knowing I wouldn't get a straight answer from her when she's like that, I dragged her into the bedroom and fucked her a couple of times after having some of Marge's ambrosia. Better than Viagra, that stuff.

"That's better, Stud," she said when we were through. "So, what are you going to do with Suki, apart from humping her?"

I told Marge what Suki had said she wanted to do.

"I think she would make a magnificent ambassador for her people and a great liaison officer between us and the Blueys," I said, "She likes this place and she wants to learn. My feeling is she'll get us all the immigrants we want.

"She certainly is a cut above all the others we've seen, male or female. I don't think you could do much better. I'll spend a bit of time with her, take her to a few places, have her talk to a few people. Perhaps you should introduce her to Hermes."

"Hermes? Why?"

"Hermes is the messenger of the Gods. What he doesn't know about diplomacy and how to get a message across hasn't been invented yet. He would be an excellent mentor for her."

"Why would he teach her?"

"Hermes likes you a lot. He is also very very partial to a bit of pussy. Give him to me and Suki for a few hours and  ... You know what I mean. You should have him around here anyway. Give him access. He would like that."

"I might as well open the door to all of Olympus, if I do that." I didn't like that idea one bit.

"Are you nuts? Hermes is the soul of discretion. He will never betray a confidence or abuse a privilege. That's why he is the messenger of the Gods. They can trust him with any secret."

Of course, that had to be right. 

"What do you suggest?"

"Invite him to one of our banquets. We'll drag him off to the nookie room afterwards and take it from there."

"When do you want to do this?"

"Give me a few days with Suki first. I need to have her prepared. I'll tell you when we are sweet to go."

"Alright. What are we going to do now?"

"I am going to cook you something, then I'll give you some more Ambrosia and after that we'll exercise Willie a little."

"Aren't we going to have supper with the others?"

"No, I want you away from Suki for a couple of days. How about I make you a nice Greek Moussaka? I know where there is some superb Retsina that would go with it very well. Simple fare for once, nothing fancy."

The evening went as planned.





Chapter 47:       Zeus goes incognito



Nothing much happened over the next few days. The visitors were amazing. After only one day they sent their headman to Betty to ask if they could have some work. Betty explained that they were guests and were not expected to work while they were here. The headman replied that while his people were with us we were their tribe. They would feel bad if they weren't allowed to contribute to the welfare of the tribe.

Within a couple of days one of the fellows was helping Vulcan in the forge, two of the women and one little girl were in the kitchen cooking native dishes, which were well received. One of the women and three guys were creating a garden on that block where Betty had the farmhouse built and the rest of the kids were out with Bruce fishing. Suki was being trained by Marge and the medicos and the headman was busy helping Betty with her research. There was a lot of laughing, screeching and carrying on. They were happy.

Except for the headman, all were wearing tee shirts and shorts by now, courtesy of Marge. Panacea and Iaso had completed mapping the anatomy of the Blueys and had calibrated their machines. We would be able to treat and cure any of them if they got sick. It was a weight off my mind.

After about a week Marge declared it was time to invite Hermes. Marge's ploy worked. He was instantly captivated by Suki's charms and promised to teach her the art of diplomacy. He couldn't thank me enough for giving him access to our world and promised to visit often.

There wasn't much for me to do. For a chance to get away from things and to have a good uninterrupted think I went to the primordial planet with a packed picnic basket and some beer. I hadn't been there for a while. Zeus must have been busy, because the first thing I noticed was a Gazebo with benches around a table, all made from marble. Strangely enough it really fit into the landscape. It provided some much needed shade.  With the two suns overhead it can get uncomfortably hot on this ledge.

I was still looking through the goodies that Ginette had packed for me when I felt a wet tongue on my leg. It was Kia. 

"What are you doing here?" I said when I gave her her scratchies.

"I'm here with Zeus."

"Where is he then?"

"Out there with his friend the dragon. He'll be back soon."

Sure enough, a while later two dragons landed on the ledge. One of the dragons morphed into Zeus shortly after landing. I went over to greet them.

The dragon didn't stay long and took off into the wild blue yonder again. Zeus went back with me to the Gazebo. I handed him a beer and invited him to a snack.

"Have you given it some thought what you are going to do with this world?" I asked when the pleasantries were over.

"I wanted to talk to you about that. Now is a good time and this is a good place for it."

"The supreme Lord of the universe wants to know what I think? I am stunned."

"Don't be so modest. You may not be a God yet, but right now you are Lord of more universes than I am."

I looked at Zeus trying to see if there was any sign of sarcasm, jealousy or anger. There didn't seem to be any.

"Sorry to contradict you, Chief. You've got it all wrong. I may have access to more worlds than you have right now, but I am not Lord of anything. I don't want to be Lord of anything."

"But you are in control. Hera told me what you are doing. She tells me you are the unquestioned leader of an emerging world."

"Perhaps the main difference between your world and mine is that the people and the Gods who live in my world like my vision of a society. They do not quite believe that it can be done, nevertheless they are working their arses off to try to bring it about. There is no hierarchy. The project determines what needs to be done, not me. I am just a contributor like everyone else. What do you think your Gods would do to me if I started bossing them around? But, enough of that, what did you want to talk to me about?"

"If you were me, what would you do with this world?"

"Look, Chief, How can a mere mortal put himself into the shoes of the supreme Lord of the universe? I can see one thing though. You are enjoying this world as it is, I saw you with the dragon, you were happy and carefree for once. I also saw grumpy old Hades relax and enjoy himself when he was here. Even Poseidon and the girls loved it. Would you still have that if you allowed your Gods to fuck around with this place?"

"What are you saying?"

"I guess I am trying to say that it would be a shame to destroy what could be a haven for you and those you trust and love. Build a place where you can go and be away from the pressures of Earth and Olympus. Only allow others in here on condition they let this world develop at its own pace without interference."

"I can see why the Fates support you. If someone had told me that one day I would take the advice of a human I would have destroyed them. But your counsel is wise, it shall be as you say."

Kia rubbed her head against my leg. I scratched her behind the ears. She told me telepathically: He means what he says, you can trust him. You should invite him to your world and show him what you are doing. He would like that and he'll not interfere. 

I thanked Kia and said to Zeus: "Once a week we have a special banquet at my place with a lovely orgy at the end of it. The next one is in two days. Would you like to come and have a bit of fun with us?"

"I would like that very much. I would rather go there incognito though. Perhaps in the guise of a human, say an old school friend of yours?"

"Perfect."

We arranged to meet here and go to the party together. I gave Kia some more scratchies and took my leave.

When I arrived back home Marge was sitting on the veranda playing with Didi. I sat down and Didi immediately took the opportunity to jump on my shoulder and nibble on my ear. I knew what he was after. 

I went into the kitchen, got a saucer and filled a small bowl with Kia's cherries. As usual he went nuts on my shoulder. For a second there I thought he would fall off, but he was smarter than that. He loved the cherries. It was obvious he knew what they were because he spat the pips in his paw and put them into the bowl. Someone had clearly taught him how to do that. Only after he finished his cherries did he get into the beer.

Having settled Didi down I asked Marge why she had come to see me.

"I've been looking all over for you. Where have you been? I was getting quite worried."

"I paid a visit to the dinosaurs and ran into Zeus."

"What did he have to say?"

I told Marge about our conversation and that I had invited him over.

"Do you think that's a good idea? There's no telling what he might do once he is here."

"Kia tells me he's on the level, he'll not interfere. She's seen it in his mind. But even without that I don't think for a minute that he'll take position against us."

"He will, if it suits him. Believe me, I know him. You've only seen him for a short time. I've watched him for millennia."

"That was a different Zeus. At the core of him he is a really nice, generous kind of being. I know he can be a real terror, but I suspect he never liked that part of himself. All his life he had to put up with two things that didn't help matters. Hera had given him grief all the time he'd been with her. He had come to hate her with a passion. Then he saw my cream running down Hera's leg and he knew what had happened. Instead of killing her, he saw that Hera no longer had a hold over him and that he was free again. You should have heard him laugh. He actually thanked me for what I had done. Without the daily strife from Hera he began to relax and enjoy his cheerleaders without having to fear repercussions.

"He was watching me doing big things, even by his standards, without fights and backstabbing, in a spirit of affection and cooperation. Then came the big one. When he and Hera were shaking in their boots in front of Lachesis I kissed her and asked a favour. When that favour was granted Zeus began to see that there was another, more gentle and loving way to get things done. I would enter any bet that his relationship with Lachesis changed for the better from then on.

"I had shown him how to deal with the two biggest irritations in his life. He's not coming here to cause trouble, he's coming here to learn. He likes our way much better than his old ways, it's in his nature."

"So what is going to happen now?"

"Zeus is coming here as Harry, an old school chum of mine. I am telling you this because I know you will treat him like Harry, even knowing who he is. None of the others could, and that includes Bruce. They couldn't handle it yet. So please, this has to remain between us."

"What do you want to do now?"

"Let's go and eat with the others and then join them in a romp afterwards."

"Wonderful. Let's go and get Suki. We'll share a meal and then we have ourselves a threesome. You haven't been with her for a while. She misses you."

The evening went well. Suki was happy to see me. All through the meal she kept pushing her body into mine and sneaking her hand down to give my leg and my dick a rub. By the time the meal was finished I was so horny I could have fucked a keyhole. Thankfully with those two tarts at my side that wasn't necessary. We romped for hours in the nookie room. In the end it became a dry argument, no natural lubrication left in their pussies and I doubt if I could have milked another drop from my dick.

***

I had told the others I had run into an old school friend of mine and invited him for the big party. No one queried it. When Zeus arrived in the guise of Harry they welcomed him into our midst. I have to hand it to Zeus, he handled himself very well in that role. As expected he caroused with a couple of the big titted barmaids. He even  sampled one of the Bluey women, though he wouldn't have been very impressed with their smallish tits. Zeus followed me to my place after the party.

"Very impressive, my boy," said Zeus over a beer. "The question is: how long will it last? It is comparatively easy to keep a society happy while all are working together on a big project. When the enthusiasm wears off and day to day matters are less exciting, that's when troubles usually start. I shall be curious how things progress. It is a great experiment and I congratulate you for doing it. I wish you well. Keep me informed."

We had a couple more beers and then I took Zeus home. On parting he thanked me for an enlightening evening. I had done the right thing by inviting him. Maybe he would start looking at ways to improve society on Olympus and on Earth from now on.




Chapter 48:      The Colony grows



The next three weeks saw Catsville finished. At Betty's insistence Marge had added a campus to the town, a self contained seat of learning, a kind of school, university and research facility all in one. Algenon and the boys were quick to move their facilities to the new centre, quickly followed by the Gadeirus and Darrin. Panacea and Iaso set up a medical school and Suki, with Betty's help, started English classes.

Suki had come a long way with her command of the language in such a short time, but good enough to teach? When I said something about it to her she said: "So what? We all learn together. Good for everybody." I really didn't have an argument against this.

Bruce and I went on an inspection tour of the town, Suki tagged along. It was a wonderful place as far as places go, but it was dead.

"Place need people now," Suki said. "Suki get people. Betty and Suki make plan."

I wondered what those two had cooked up between them. Before making a decision however I needed to talk to the headman first. That evening we had a meeting. I had asked Betty, Marge, Suki, Bruce and the headman to attend. Betty and Suki presented their plan for colonisation. Essentially it was a list of the kind of people they wanted to bring over. Craftsmen, artisans, teachers, farmers, and so forth, as well as a couple of storytellers and children, lots of children. Suki had done her homework. She had spent many hours talking on the video link to her people. It seemed there was no shortage of volunteers.

This surprised me. These people were happy, there was no need to emigrate to escape uncomfortable conditions at home, which had prompted most migrants on Earth. I asked the headman why so many of them wanted to come.

"My people love to see new things, acquire skills they can't learn at home, listen to different stories. They often go to stay with other tribes. Many never return. This is an exciting world for them. You have become one of our tribes. They know they will be accepted and loved here. Why wouldn't they come?"

"You don't have any problems with Suki's plan then?" I asked.

"Not in the slightest. I would never stop my people from following their hearts. I need to go back though. One of the other elders will take my place. All the people who arrived with me want to stay, even the children. I am happy with their choices."

"When do you want to go back?"

"As soon as possible. I must not be seen favouring one tribe. I have obligations."

We arranged to take Suki, Betty and the headman to the Bluey planet and take the first fifty migrants back with us as soon as Vulcan could get a suitable transport arranged.

Three days later we were ready. The night before we had a big party and were all a bit worse for wear when we took off. The four kids had asked if they could come along for the ride. I could see no reason why they couldn't accompany us. They squealed with delight when I told them they were welcome.

Vulcan took the co pilot seat, letting his Bluey offsider, whom he had named Kar for some reason, take the controls. He handled the vehicle like a pro, evidence that Vulcan had been giving him flying lessons. Of course there had to be another party when we got there. 

We stayed the night and went back with our migrants on board. Vulcan and Kar would make a second trip in a freighter to pick up their possessions a short time later. On the trip home Betty remarked she had to have a pint of assorted Bluey come up her cooch if the pressure on her abdomen was any indication. My old professor certainly knew how to party.

***

Over the next three months Catsville's population swelled to about six hundred. Our little town was coming alive. We had six farms now, potters, wood carvers and weavers. There were about thirty children of all ages, from babies to pre-pubescents. Two teachers looked after the kids when they weren't with a group of adults. As was their way the kids wandered from group to group staying here and there, being looked after by whoever was handy. The brewery was working and next to Vulcan's forge a workshop had sprung up making knives, forks and spoons under Vulcan's tutelage. Most of the cutlery was intended for the Blue Planet since it was far superior to what they were using and had found enthusiastic approval.

Zeus, in the guise of Harry, came over at least once a week, studying our progress. I had cleared access for him with Endora. He could not understand why our people never argued or fought. He still thought it to be a temporary phenomenon that was unsustainable in the long run.




A God Called Bruce Pt. 05



I was sitting with Zeus on the veranda of my cabin when the subject came up once more. Again I argued that the Blueys had such a society which had been going for a long time.

"I've been thinking about that," he said. "Has it occurred to you that the Blueys, as you call them, are under orders to be on their best behaviour when they are around you?"

"Why would they do that?"

"To gain access to your technology. This sort of thing has happened before, you know."

"Why don't we go and have a look for ourselves, Chief?"

"What do you have in mind?

"Say we spend a few days on their planet. I take it you can make us invisible to them. If what you say is true, signs of internal strife should show up if they believe themselves unobserved."

"A simple solution to a complex problem. I like that."

We spent the next three days on the Blue Planet. When we arrived I cursed myself for forgetting to bring a translator. Zeus laughed and touched my forehead. A massive jolt went through my system scaring the shit out of me. After that I could understand what the Blueys were saying.

"I have modified your voice box too," he said. "You'll be able to speak their language from now on. It should come in handy."

Still shaky from the experience I stammered my thanks to Zeus.

We had arrived in the temple. Alec worship was in full swing. We watched it for a while.

"Let's get out of here," said Zeus, "it's rather undignified running around with a hard on."

That's when I noticed we were both sporting massive erections. I had to laugh. He was right, we looked silly.

Try as we might, we could not see any signs of unpleasantness all the time we were there. People went around doing their business without arguments and anger. There was good natured banter and a lot of laughing. They were not working in the way we understand work, they were simply doing things that were beneficial to the tribe.

We visited some of the other tribes just to make sure, it was the same there.

When we got back I noticed only a few minutes had passed in this reality. I was happy about that because I didn't have to explain where I had been for that long. I remembered Demeter having done something similar on one of our trysts. Must be a God thing.

"This is not natural," declared Zeus over a beer. "There are always remnants of our primitive and violent past. A civilisation cannot evolve into what we have seen. We all know that this is how we should live, but there is something in all of us that does not allow this to happen. Believe me, I have tried to deal with this problem, without success I must admit."

"You are right, it's not natural. At least that's what we think."

I told Zeus that Panacea had discovered that the Ancients had viewed greed and violence as diseases and had developed a cure. We thought that the Blueys had undergone such treatment and as a result had been able to create the society they lived in. I also told him that so far, in spite of our best efforts we had not been able to find out how it was done.

"Panacea and Iaso need help. I have an idea."

"I'm all ears, Chief. What do you have in mind?"

"When I was forced to deal with Asclepius it was decided to transfer his powers in equal parts to his six daughters. I had no say in this. Panacea and Iaso are only working with one third of the power they could have if all six were working on the same project. I shall allow them to join you, if you wish. Let me warn you though. Panacea and Iaso are a handful at the best of times. To have the six of them together ... need I say more?"

"If the others are anything like the two I've got I think they'll fit in well."

"They might at that," said Zeus with a grin.

"I'll gladly have them. Do you think they want to come? I wouldn't like to see them forced into this."

"They miss their sisters terribly. They'll come."

"When do you want to do it?"

"What's wrong with right now?"

Zeus took my hand and ported us to his grove on Olympus. Seconds later the girls joined us. There was no doubt they were daughters of Asclepius. Like their sisters they were skinny and had the same long blond hair, large blue eyes, pert little titties and long legs. They wore jeans and campus tee shirts like Panacea and Iaso did most of the time.

Zeus introduced them: Hygieia, Meditrina, Aceso, and Aglaea. I knew I would have trouble telling them apart for a while, they were so much alike.

"I'll leave you with them. You can have them if they want to come," said Zeus and disappeared.

"I am Alec," I said.

"We know who you are and what you do," said Hygieia.

"Good, that simplifies matters. Panacea and Iaso could do with your help. Do you know what they are working on?"

"Yes, our sisters told us." I already got confused and didn't know any more who I was talking to.

"Look girls, I'm going to have trouble for a while telling who is who. Please forgive me."

"You'll always be able to tell Meditrina," one of them said. They all started giggling.

"Yes? And how is that?"

"Meditrina is the only one of us who keeps the hair on her kitty."

Amongst giggles they all pulled their jeans down and lifted their shirts. Sure enough, one of them had a light blonde fuzz on her twat all the others were neatly shaved.

"How am I to know? Am I supposed to stick my hands down your pants every time to find out if I'm talking to Meditrina?"

"That would be nice."

Oh bother! But then, Zeus had warned me.

"Alright. You can pull your pants up again for now. Would you like to come with me and join your sisters?"

The girls huddled for a minute, whispering and giggling.

"What are you on about now?"

"Aglaea wants to know if we can have parties with you like our sisters."

"You can have your parties. It's the way we do things back home."

"Then we'll come." They were hopping around like kids, giggling and giving each other high fives.

"I'm glad we got this sorted out. Let's make tracks."

We linked hands and I ported us into the conference room at the medical centre.

"Quiet now girls," I said. "I'm going to get your sisters. I want it to be a surprise."

Iaso and Panacea were working on computers when I got there.

"Enough for today kids," I said. "Close off for now. You've got visitors."

"Visitors? Who?"

"Never mind that now. Let's go."

They closed their applications and followed me. When we entered the conference room there was stunned silence for a moment, then the screeching, hugging and kissing began. When things had quietened down a little I said:

"You've got a lot to tell each other. I'll be off. I'll come back before dinner and take you to the pub where you'll meet the others."

***

Instead of going straight to the pub I ported us on top of the hill just outside Bruce's back gate. From here you could see all of Catsville below.

"Have a good look, this is your new home," I said.

One of the girls hugged my arm and put her head on my shoulder.

"This is beautiful," she said, "I'm going to love it here."

I couldn't help myself. I stuck my hand down the front of her pants and found a naked twat. Pulling my hand back I said: "You're not Meditrina."

"No," she said, "I'm Aceso and you could have kept your hand down there a little longer."

"That's for later."

"I'll hold you to that," she said with a wicked smile.

We strolled downhill to the Horny Tom. It was busy. They all stopped what they were doing and looked at the newcomers. I climbed on a table and asked the girls to follow me. I waved the crowd to silence.

"You all know Panacea and Iaso. Today we have the honour of being joined by their sisters. We now have all the daughters of Asclepius amongst us. Let me introduce Hygieia, Meditrina, Aceso, and Aglaea. I can't tell them apart yet, all I know is Meditrina is the only one amongst them with hair on her pussy."

When I said that Meditrina stepped forward and showed them. The crowd went nuts. I thought for a moment the applause would lift the roof off the pub. With that simple gesture all four had become accepted as part of us. I caught a knowing smile on Meditrina's lips. The little bitch knew exactly what she was doing. 

There was no more to be said, we climbed off the table and were quickly surrounded. Everybody wanted to make them feel welcome.

Eventually we had our meal. Aceso never let me out of her sight and when it was time to go to the nookie room she and one of her sisters grabbed me and wouldn't let go. It turned out to be Meditrina who had tagged along. The two were just like Panacea and Iaso, playing with each other as much as they were playing with me. It was nice. Eventually I staggered home with empty balls and a skin full of booze.

***

I went to see Bruce for some of his antidote before breakfast. I needed it. When I was sober again I asked if he could gather our original group including Marge and Vulcan and serve our meal here in his backyard like in the old days. Bruce was delighted with the idea so were the others when they arrived. After the meal I addressed the group.

"First I'd like to say we should have meetings such as this on a regular basis from now on. We have been very busy in recent months and our little get-togethers have fallen by the wayside. I'd like to correct this."

There was assent right around the table.

"We have been very careful," I continued, "to avoid having a formal hierarchy. In spite of our efforts to keep things informal, a hierarchy of sorts exists. There is no denying that the seven of us are the core group who is guiding this project. In the past we have always talked things over amongst ourselves before making any major changes ... until yesterday it seems.

"Yesterday I introduced a major new element without prior consultation. I would like to explain what happened."

"Look mate, you owe us no explanation," said Bruce. "You must have had your reasons."

"Be that as it may, I'd still like to explain. As you know I have been unhappy with the lack of progress with Panacea's and Iaso's research. Their success is crucial if we want to introduce the kind of society we envisage. We have all agreed on that.

"I took my problem to Zeus. He sees things from a different vantage point to us. I had gone to him in the past when I got stuck and his counsel was always spot on. He believes that what we are doing is meant to be, otherwise the Fates would not support us. That's why he has never tried to interfere.

"I told him about the Ancient's technology and what Panacea and Iaso were doing and that they had struck a major roadblock. He suggested that the combined power of all of Asclepius' daughters might well turn the tables and offered to release the girls to us, no strings attached. I took him up on his offer before he could have second thoughts about it and here we are. Four new additions to our flock."

"You did good," said Vulcan. "The girls might be a bit silly and mischievous at times but when they work together on something they pack one hell of a punch. My father is right, together they might just pull it off."

I was about to call the meeting off when Marge wanted the floor.

"I want to put immigration on halt for the moment except for some skilled workers. The pub is getting too small, the next lot of farms are too far away for a comfortable walk into town, the first farm produce will be ready shortly, we need vehicles to transport the produce into town, things like that. We need to extend our infrastructure. Vulcan, Betty and myself have worked out what we need and where. Once we have caught up we can bring some more people in."

"Do what you think is best Marge. If it's alright with everyone else it's alright with me."

There didn't seem to be any objections so we closed the meeting and had a couple of beers, just socialising. Things were under control.




Chapter 49:      Meditrina has an idea




Almost as soon as I met Meditrina I sensed there was something different about her and I don't mean her kitty-whiskers. Outwardly she was as playful and mischievous as her sisters, but underneath that shallow exterior I sensed a methodical, deep thinker. As I watched her over the next four weeks I was convinced I was right.

While her sisters spent most of their time combing computer libraries for clues about the medical technology of the Ancients Meditrina went around talking to everyone. She spent hours with Algenon and Frank, talked a lot to Betty and the Blueys and hung around with Marge and Suki. When I found her studying Gadeirus' Xonnian tablet and carrying it with her everywhere she went my curiosity got aroused.

I had taken to having a couple of beers with Didi late in the afternoon before I went for my dinner. Meditrina would visit me at that time most days for an hour or so. She always had me check who she was and wouldn't sit down until I had given her bush a tickle. I had long learned to tell them apart, but I wasn't going to admit it. It would have spoiled the game.

Didi was utterly besotted with Meditrina. He would finish his beer and then hop into her lap, curl up and go to sleep after an effusive greeting. He did that with no one else. Normally she would ask me a lot of questions, about how I had discovered the technology of the Ancients and what I had been my thinking that led to the major discoveries. On the day in question Meditrina had Gadeirus' tablet under her arm. After I had given her a beer I asked what she was doing with it.

"I am trying for the big picture. I need to get into the heads of the Ancients, to understand why they did what they did and why they did it in specific ways. Frank tells me you have been a student of engineering, philosophy and anthropology. You will understand then that it is philosophy that leads to discovery and that discovery leads to technology. Today this is difficult to see, but if you study Archimedes and Heron for instance the connections are far more obvious.

"To answer your question, this tablet is unique. The Ancients left us little more than their technology and much of that is still inaccessible to us. We know nothing of their civilisation, culture and philosophy. This tablet however tells us much. Not only does it describe the Xonnian technology, it also gives an insight into their history, their culture and their philosophical approach. Even the language of the Xonnians is related to the language of the Ancients. Bearing in mind that philosophy leads to technology and that the technologies are related one would perhaps be correct in postulating that their philosophical approaches are similar. The similarity of language seems to validate this theorem rather neatly.

"I believe the more I understand the Xonnians, the better I will be able to understand the Ancients. Incidentally, Gadeirus agrees with me."

"This is wonderful stuff, Meditrina. But enough of this for now, let's have some dinner."

Meditrina picked Didi up. He gave her a lick across the cheek, hopped down and disappeared amongst the trees. 

***

It was about two weeks later when Meditrina came to see me early. Marge was preparing breakfast in the kitchen when she arrived. We invited her to have breakfast with us. Marge left after the meal.

"You are early today, " I said to Meditrina. "Anything the matter?"

"Yes. I have just discovered that the project we are working on can not progress until you do something first."

"Do what?"

"That's what we need to find out."

"You speak in riddles, Dear. What are you on about?"

"As you know, I have been looking at this project in its totality. On the surface it is like any other project, though bigger than most. A group of people trying to create a society. Nothing new here. A leader with a vision, nothing new there either. But, that vision developed later. In reality this project started with a series of unusual events which normally don't happen. Far too many of them. And the key ingredient in all these events was you. It didn't make sense."

"Give me some examples."

"It starts with Lil. A muse trying to get a writer to write. Does she? No. Instead, she turns up in a transparent nightie, strips it off and gets the writer to flash his dick. Enter mum and dad. Mum redecorates house using Olympus space to make it bigger inside. Never been done before in history, but, never mind, it gets weirder. Dad gives writer magic medal and shows how to flip from Earth space to Olympus space in spite of writer having been in and out of house across spaces before, without help of medal. Writer is taken to Olympus. On way back writer uses magic medal to activate power spots. Uses power spot to enter and leave Olympus, without God powers, on his own. Writer finds out magic medal is a dud and not needed. Is that in rough and ready terms what happened?"

"I admit it's a bit weird, but why do you think it's so significant?"

"Because it smacks of orchestration. that's why. I asked Bruce why he gave you the medal with those two colours. He said he was just having a bit of fun. I asked Marge why she put Olympus space into your house, she said it was a fun thing to do. I won't even ask Zeus why he picked the two power spots to get you into Olympus, he could have done it anywhere. No, some outside power wanted you to activate the system after it had lain dormant for millennia and made sure you had the tools to do it with. It manipulated all the players including Zeus. Why you and why now I have no idea."

Kia immediately came to mind. She had already admitted to me that she plants ideas into Zeus' head. I didn't want to tell Meditrina about Kia and her powers.

"I have felt for a while that I was being guided somehow," I said instead.

"Be that as it may, coming back to the reason why I came here. My analysis of the project shows that it was you who broke new ground every time in the past. Like when you found the lift or gained entry into the substation. My feeling is you need to do the same thing here. Endora has my sisters running around in circles. You need to break that cycle before they can get to the information they want."

"Easier said than done."

"Perhaps not. What do we have so far. A few references in the medical literature that greed and violence are diseases and that they had developed a cure. Then we have the Blue Planet, where we believe the Ancients eradicated these diseases. Perhaps they did the same on the planet of the deer. That's about it."

"Not much you can do with that."

"I disagree. The Ancients did everything with machines. From what I can gather they did not use drugs or vaccines. It would take some formidable machines to clean up an entire planet. Maybe they are still there. They've kept all the other stuff, why not that?"

"Assuming this is right, where would you start to look?"

"I've been listening to the Bluey storytellers. Some of their stories tell of a taboo land where the Blues are not allowed to go. It didn't sound like mythology, but the translators aren't very good, I've missed much."

"Assuming you are right, Meditrina, do you think anyone knows where the forbidden lands are."

"What is the point in telling people of a taboo area without telling them where it is? They wouldn't know what to avoid."

"True."

"We still have the problem with the translators not picking up everything."

"I speak Bluetongue. Zeus gave it to me as a gift."

"Bluetongue?"

"That's what Betty called their language. Tongue of the Blueys, get it? It's also the name of an Australian lizard. Betty's sense of humour."

"And Zeus gave you command of the language? I wonder what power prompted him to do that."

"Yes, it is strange. Just when we need it."

"What will you do now?"

"I'll talk to Suki and take it from there."

"Why don't we make tracks? Suki and Marge will be at the Horny Tom for lunch. I want to see Marge anyway. If we leave now we'll have time for a couple of drinks before they arrive. I would like that."