The Hades Connection

by Gabriel S. Timar

Chapter 12

part 1 of 2

The fact that a rocket was shadowing us scared me, but the fear did not impede my thinking. Perhaps I managed to borrow some courage from Captain von Vardy.

“If I were Ivan,” I thought, “I would insist on having some way to stop the Nimrod in case of an unexpected development. Therefore, the firing button of the warhead should be in the cabin of Miss Forrest. If something had gone wrong with Esther’s transfer, and Ivan was still there, he would keep pushing the firing button with both hands.

“Similarly, if he found out that the captain was not the same guy s/he had been consorting with, he would again be looking for the firing button. In either case, in a few more minutes we would be heading for the public transport.

“Maybe Nick’s suspicions were not without foundation; something may have gone wrong with the transfer. Perhaps our driard was not as good as Luce thought.”

I expected a difficult situation when I met Miss Forrest. I had to be prepared to immobilize and perhaps kill her quickly in case the transfer had failed. However, my fear of violence was overwhelming. I had never used force on women, and I didn’t believe I could even though her soul was that of a man.

As always, I worked out a plan B. I did not have to think about it too much. I invented a story to appear plausible to Ivan, telling him that I had replaced the Captain because we had invented a device that would aid in the short-term acquisition of Earth-type souls

Our experts needed time to test the gadget and see if it worked on Earth Two or not. Therefore I had replaced Captain von Vardy to assure that negotiations with the Earth Two leaders would start. We were supposed to stretch the talks out as long as possible.

Meanwhile the scientists would carry on testing their new toy. By the time the Khomu battle fleet arrived, the boys must complete the testing. If the equipment worked, we had to reach an agreement with the terrestrials. If the machine was a bust, the negotiations would collapse and the shooting war would start.

I was sure I could sell this cock-and-bull story to Ivan, whatever his training may have been. Any lawyer worth his salt could have done it; only the convincing delivery of a pack of logical, well-developed lies was needed to mislead Ivan temporarily. The little remaining conscience built into the mind and body of Captain von Vardy objected to such a sneaky trick, but in our dual personality, mine was the dominant force.

With a big smile and knees trembling, I walked to the cabin of Miss Forrest and knocked on the door.

“Come on in, it’s open,” came a husky feminine voice.

I entered.

Miss Ann Forrest was not the prototype of a supermodel. In comparison to the females I had recently consorted with, she was very different. She was well-built, massive as a brick outhouse. Her legs were much stronger than the legs of a model. She was about five foot three, weighing 130 pounds with long brown hair and hazel eyes.

When I entered, she was sitting on the edge of her bed clad only in a dressing gown. She looked dejected as she contemplated the floor. “Captain,” she raised her head and smiled weakly, “how nice of you to call.”

The tone of her voice and the formal manner of speech scared me. I didn’t know what to expect.

“The pleasure is entirely mine,” I replied.

“Come sit with me,” she said and she lay on the narrow bed. Her gown parted a little and revealed her strong, suntanned thighs. Obviously, Miss Forrest did not believe in wearing even the smallest of bikinis while sunbathing.

“I’m afraid I cannot,“ I shook my head. Using the saddest tone I could muster I continued: “I am expected on the bridge. We have a minor emergency.”

“Regrettable, Captain,” she sighed. “I assume my emergency has to wait although I hoped you could come up with a scheme to accommodate a fellow sex maniac.”

She began sounding very much like Esther. I decided to test her.

“When this fiasco is over,” I said, “we shall disappear to a romantic hideaway and make love for a whole week nonstop.”

“You promised me two weeks,” she pouted.

‘Thirteen,” I snapped.

“Fortune,” came the prompt reply.

Now, I was sure that the transfer was successful and Esther was looking at me through the eyes of Ann Forrest. I was relieved.

“Okay, Esther, everything is alright,” I said. “I’m George.”

“Thank God,” she replied, “I was beginning to worry.”

“Have no fear, darling,” I started.

Suddenly she burst out crying, interrupting my well-rehearsed speech.

“Look, what did they to me, look at me,” she said through a veil of tears. She dropped her dressing gown. “This damned body is no good. My legs look like a field-goal kicker’s and I’m short as a sitting Pekingese mutt.”

The view was excellent. It was a very pleasant surprise; she had a powerful body especially designed for bedroom acrobatics.

“Quite sexy,” I remarked. “ It’s not the equipment that matters, my dear, but how you use it. Think positive, look at the bright side; those strong legs may come in handy. You could squeeze my waist much harder.”

“Crap,” she growled, “they will not reach. The damned things are not long enough!”

“Anyway,” I continued, “after a short stint in this body, which is not bad at all, you’ll be back into your own practically forever. I think it’s a damn good deal.”

She calmed down a little: “Well, if you think you can love this body...”

“Sure I can,” I interrupted, “underneath you are the same Esther. Anyway, darling, I must go back to the bridge. Please stay put and don’t touch any control buttons or switches. There is a big fat atomic bomb traveling on a parallel course with us. Its firing button must be in this room somewhere. If you flip the wrong switch, it will come home to mama, stick its ugly head into your cabin and kabong. Bye-bye cruel world.”

She looked scared. “You don’t mean...”

“I’m not trying to scare you,” I replied.

“For a guy who’s not trying, you are succeeding admirably well,” she stated with a wry little smile.

“Seriously, darling,” I said. “Please don’t touch anything.”

“I will not,” she promised.

“Good,” I smiled at her, “now I must go and act like a captain, but I’ll be back as soon as I can.”

* * *

Proceed to part 2...