Jack Danner flopped back on the pillows of his sleep platform as he tried to catch his breath. He felt his mind returning to his body and he was still tingling. As he tried to recuperate he threw his arm over his eyes to hide the wincing from his oversensitivity as Leffera ‘cleaned’ him after their latest romp. This was a new post-sex behavior Leffera had recently adopted. She was rather insistent and Jack decided he could handle a few jolts with the wonderful sensations her prehensile tongue gave him.

While the more xenophobic members of Earth might find what he’d just spent the better part of an hour doing with the alien female highly offensive, Jack found Altarians to be one of the most beautiful races to inhabit the known universe. They were certainly one of the most sexually adventurous having no real issues with cross species attraction. Cultured, inquisitive, gentle, friendly, and optimistic were also excellent terms to describe them.

Physically, they weren’t imposing like the hulking armor skinned Grellians (dull racists) or the tall black robed and hooded Allsa Komanae (menacing bastards). Altarians were generally slim and petite in stature, adult females ranged in height between 4′ 10″ and 5′ 8″ at their tallest. Adult males were typically at the lower end of that scale. Their bodies were covered with a felt like fur which ranged in color from blond to chocolate brown. They resembled Satyrs of ancient Greek mythology with cloven hooved feet and hands with two strong fingers and opposable thumbs on both sides. Their heads were humanoid but their eyes were twice as large as a human’s, had diagonal pupils, and the lids had long lashes.

Jack had a fondness for their ears which were long, pointed, expressively mobile, and typically projected horizontally. They had slim noses, wide, black lipped mouths with amazingly dexterous tongues like Leffera’s which was doing amazing things to him at the moment.

There was a definite sweetness to her musk which Jack now understood to mean she was fertile. That was something new he’d learned about Altarian females. When the hot spicy musk turned sweet, they were ready to make little Altarians. As most females took contraceptives Jack hadn’t been exposed to this second ‘flavor’ of the musk until Karrel, the Altarian Trade Commissioner he worked with, had sex with him several months before. The outcome of that liaison was a son, the first ever between a Human and an Altarian.

Technically that shouldn’t have been possible. Humans and Altarians were not genetically compatible. End of story. Complete stop.

However, there had been extenuating circumstances involving extended exposure to female musk over time, ingesting certain hormone laden fluids from fertile females, a rare and normally innocuous Altarian virus, and Jack’s unique genetic reaction to all of the above. Jack’s genetics had been altered and compatibility for fertilization was just one of the ‘gifts’ he’d received.

Karrel had explained to him that she’d stopped taking her contraceptives on her doctor’s orders due to some routine medical tests she was having done. She’d been told not to have unprotected sex with Altarian males until she returned to using the contraceptives. She had no concern with having sex with Jack because, well, Humans weren’t compatible. When she’d discovered she was pregnant, which for Altarians is only moments after conceiving, she made immediate travel plans to go home and be under the care of the royal physician.

That was the other little detail Karrel had kept from Jack. She was the daughter of Queen Elissa, head of the royal family which ruled over the entire Altarian Empire. Surprise!

Jack hadn’t seen Karrel for the two month gestation period and she only returned after the birth of their healthy and completely Altarian child. The only genetic contribution Jack seemed to be responsible for was a resurgence of an ancient and normally dormant gene. Their son was born with the tiny beginnings of horns on his forehead.

Karrel had agreed to let him name their son and he had chosen ‘Alex’ after his late father. Karrel found the name to be very suitable as it didn’t match the sound of any existing Altarian words and felt unique, which they both agreed their son was. When she discovered that Alex was short for Alexander she was overjoyed by this ‘hidden expansion’.

Jack was drawn back to the present as Leffera had finished her cleaning and had begun kissing him down there in the hopes of inspiring a third tumble in the sheets. Jack pulled her up onto his chest and she gave him a sweet moan of disappointment. She immediately looked up at him impishly and reached up to run her hands over the second genetic ‘gift’ he’d received.

Large black horns protruded from his forehead and curled ten inches back over his head. They were now three inches wide at their base and arced up to sharp points. Initially they’d been black with wide white streaks but they’d grown an additional two inches since their initial growth and the white lines had thinned into fine veins. His Altarian doctors insisted that their growth had finally stopped.

The horns were from dormant Altarian genes. Modern day Altarian males had no horns but at one time in the distant past they did. When his body fully integrated with the genetic changes the virus had triggered, the dormant gene activated and he’d grown his set over the course of a month while he remained unconscious. Altarian females found them to be very attractive. He was lucky that the gene also triggered growth in the muscles and underlying support structures needed to carry the heavy horns. His neck, shoulder, back and chest muscles had all bulked up to carry this extra mass. The doctors informed him that in fact his entire skeleton had altered to support the extra load. He didn’t really feel the extra weight of the horns but the inertia was another matter. Quick movements of his head made their presence known.

Lying in bed with a frisky Altarian female on his chest presented no physical strain for him to look into her happy eyes. Leffera had gone off her contraceptives the moment Jack agreed to have a child with her. That had been the night Karrel’s mother Queen Elissa, who was a dead ringer for her daughter, tricked him into impregnating her. Two months had passed since that night. That time was necessary for a safe waiting period for her system to clear of the contraceptive and for her first fertility cycle to fully engage.

Leffera had dominated his nightly schedule for the past week as they worked on giving her a child. Based on Altarian female norms their efforts of three times a night and at least twice each morning was overkill for conceiving a child but they were on day six with no success. By day three Jack had seriously begun to worry but Leffera showed no such anxiety. This morning she was as relaxed as he’d ever seen her. He was starting to suspect he’d been bamboozled.

“I think it’s time to see the doctor,” Jack said, a look of concern on his face.

Leffera stretched languorously across Jack’s body and smiled in satisfaction. “No, I’m sure we’ll get it done tonight.”

“Actually I’ve booked an appointment with Karrel’s doctor for first thing this morning. I don’t want your health to be at risk. We have to take every step to ensure you are healthy,” Jack insisted.

Now, Leffera’s eye’s showed some concern. “This morning?”

“Yes, and Karrel insisted on joining us as she’s also worried that it’s taking this long. You’ve shown no other signs of ill health so she said we shouldn’t wait,” Jack said.

Leffera pushed herself up on her elbows and looked at Jack in alarm. “Karrel will be there?”

“Yes and she mentioned it to her mother and you know how emotional she’s become with her own imminent delivery. I wouldn’t be surprised if she was there too!” he said with wide eyes.

Leffera bleated in dismay. “The Queen? You have to call it off! Call the doctor and cancel!”

“What!?! I can’t do that! Your health is far too important to me! And to Karrel and Queen Elissa as well it seems!”

Leffera bleated again.

She began to beat gently on his chest. “You have to call them and cancel! I, uh, I just felt it happen! I’m pregnant! That last time must have done it!” she exclaimed.

Jack smiled knowingly and looked her in the eye as she continued to gasp. Then she went still. “You tricked me!”

“You tricked me first,” Jack said. He sat up suddenly and dumped her off onto the bed and she bleated with surprise. He got off the platform and made his way to the shower. This time he closed and locked the door behind him.

The door beeped indicating she was trying to enter. “Jack?” he heard through the door.

He stepped into the shower and got the water running.

“Jack?”

He took his time cleaning himself. He was especially careful washing his hair as he’d scratched his arms pretty badly on the points of his horns on a couple of occasions from being a little careless. The buggers were sharp!

Once he’d stepped out and dried himself off he opened the door and saw Leffera kneeling on the bedroom floor facing the door. She had a remorseful look on her beautiful face. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you.”

“When did you know?” he asked sternly.

“The second night,” she mumbled.

Jack stood in front of her with a disappointed look on his face.

“Do you hate me?” she squeaked.

He sighed and pulled her to her hooves. “No of course I don’t hate you. I’m really upset you lied to me though. That hurts! You’ve damaged my trust in you. Go home and get ready for work. I’ll see you at the office.”

Leffera slipped her gown on and left his apartment with a final sad look over her shoulder.

Jack didn’t have time to go for a run as Leffera had used up his time exercising her way as she’d done all week. He was really jonesing for a run. He sighed and just got dressed for work. While all Altarians wore gossamer robes Jack maintained his Earth style of dress shirts (no ties!), slacks, and dress shoes. Altaria was a very civilized planet and he lived in a very temperate climate so classy but comfortable was the way to go for his work.

The exception to that dress code had been during his first week back after his transformation. He’d returned to the office to attend the Trade meetings wearing his hoodie. The applicants from Earth who’d scheduled appointments to present their products and services were distracted by his barely visible horns. These meetings hadn’t been as effective as they should have been. He had his staff restart the schedule so any of the previous week’s applicants who’d been rejected could come back for a second try the following week if they wished. They also sent his apologies to everyone on the schedule for the delay. That weekend he came to grips with the fact that the horns weren’t going away. He began the second week with his head fully uncovered. By being direct and getting the curiosity factor out of the way he was able to get the presenters back on track after just a short period of gawking. He still maintained his tight quality control standards and only beneficial products and services were accepted. But he no longer pretended that the decisions came from anyone other than himself. He discovered that while the rejected applicants were still upset, they were less comfortable with confronting someone with dangerous looking horns no matter how gracious and polite they behaved. There really weren’t too many uncomfortable scenes.

His hair had become an issue. He still wasn’t keen on long hair but his staff in both the Trade Commission office and the Embassy insisted he keep it long. His sandy blond hair was only slightly wavy and it now reached the middle of his shoulder blades. Every morning one of his staff would braid his freshly washed hair into a single braid down his back, tied with a ribbon. Every morning the ‘honor’ would go to a different staff member and, like the attendance for his hosted movie nights at his apartment, he had no idea how they chose who got to do it.

That took care of most of his hair but he still had to get his bangs trimmed. When he could take it no more the braider got the ‘sad duty’ of trimming the excess from his bangs and over his ears. Where the clippings went he had no idea. Frankly, he found that a little creepy but he couldn’t really complain.

He headed off to the Embassy as he had duties there first thing today and would spend the afternoon in the Trade Commission offices.

Walking into the lovely space they had in the Embassy he saw faces turn in his direction with bright smiles. He smiled back and greeted his staff with a formal bow. That boosted the smiles and more than a few began to fidget. He was told after his change that his body now emitted a musk that Altarian females read as a kind of mating suitability report card. Strengths, weaknesses, and health were all present in that chemical mix and while he couldn’t smell it personally Karrel told him it presented him as a VERY agreeable mate. However, it didn’t help that he distracted his staff more than he did before.

He made his way over to his personal assistant, Denee. She tracked his Ambassador duty schedule for him.

“Good morning, Denee. You’re looking particularly happy this morning! Did you get a visit from that suitor again?” he asked with a smile.

The light tan furred female grinned up at Jack from her workstation. “Lunnae dropped by last night and spent the evening with me. He was so energetic at first but he couldn’t perform as often or as forcefully as you. Still it was a nice enough night.”

Jack’s experience with most Altarian males proved them to be self-absorbed fools but some of them made an effort to prove their worth beyond being sperm donors. He was getting the impression that Lunnae might be one of those. He actually had a job, unheard of amongst most males. He was the head of some committee or something. Jack had to admit he hadn’t caught all the details.

Denee was undressing him with her eyes again. He sighed. It was such a role reversal living and working in a female dominated culture. If they weren’t so polite and cultured about appreciating his male attributes he might have taken offence. Besides he’d been the one to start the conversation about her suitor.

Lunnae wouldn’t be marrying Denee. Altarians didn’t form long term relationships as the ratio of females to males was 10 to 1. If he convinced her of his suitability she might agree to mate with him to produce a child. Male children were raised by the males in male run schools and in Jack’s opinion learned to become lazy flakes. Female children went to female run schools and became skilled and valuable members of society.

Jack and Karrel had already had a few discussions about their son’s education. It wouldn’t be time to send him to school for a couple of years apparently but when it happened Jack insisted he would be going to a female run school. No son of his would fail to grasp the importance of a good day’s work and contributing to the health, safety, prosperity, and happiness of those around him and himself. Karrel was coming around to his way of thinking but it was going to shake up Altarian society when it happened.

“You didn’t compare Lunnae’s performance to mine did you?” he said, suddenly worried she had been less than discrete. Denee wasn’t known for holding her tongue when it came to her opinions.

“Well, I might have told him that he needed to work on his stamina… because you’d lasted three times longer than him,” she winced.

And that expression told him how her opinion had been received.

“So Lunnae won’t be returning to ask you to mate,” he sighed.

Denee’s eyes brightened. “No, but if you know of anyone who might be interested in taking is place…”

Jack’s eyes snapped to Denee’s face. He hadn’t told anyone he was able to make Altarian’s pregnant. The Queen promised to keep silent at least until she’d given birth and Karrel hadn’t informed anyone she’d had a child outside of Leffera. That left Leffera as a possible leak, if that’s what Denee was hinting at.

“Taking his place?” he said carefully.

“Between my legs!” she grinned and licked her lips.

Jack breathed a sigh of relief. She was just horny. He grinned and shook his finger at her for her boldness. That got him a wistful sigh from the female.

“Do I have actual work scheduled for me this morning?” he asked.

She smiled and pulled up his calendar.

“In ten minutes you will be meeting with a delegation from Phem Kalos. They are here for the annual renewal of the non-aggression treaty. The initial meeting is always with the Ambassador to announce who from their group will be attending the banquet two days from today in the evening, you’ll be attending that, and listing other issues that might be brought up at the formal meeting which is also two days from today. This gives you time to prepare answers for the issues raised.”

“OK, so do I call them the Phem Kalosians?” he asked.

“Only if you wish to immediately end the treaty and send us into another generation of war. They are the Phem Kalos. That is the singular and plural term. For this meeting you just listen primarily. Have you met the Phem Kalos before?” Denee asked.

“No.”

“Furred like us but generally a little taller and stronger. Close to your size. Carnivores.” She shuddered at this. “Fierce warriors but headstrong and prone to use force where intelligence is better suited. Patriarchal society and you never see their females as they are confined to their planets. This is the first time they will be meeting a male Altarian Ambassador. Should be interesting.”

“This banquet, it isn’t formal dress is it?” he asked carefully.

“Of course it is!”

“Damn. I’m going to need to buy a tuxedo. That means a quick trip to Earth because there are NO Human shaped tuxedo shops on Altaria and I’m not wearing an Altarian gown. I don’t have the fur for it,” he growled as he saw Denee begin to fantasize about him in one of the translucent, gossamer gowns. “I will have to do that this afternoon once I see my last Trade applicant. Who is braiding my hair this morning?”

“For the Phem Kalos you should leave your hair unbraided. Long manes are symbols of power to them. Yours is longer than they can grow so you’ll be in a power position with them. Greeting room one. Enjoy.”

Greeting room one was his favorite. It opened on a garden and the scent of the flowers was so refreshing. It also covered any personal odors the beings he met with had. He wondered if the Phem Kalos had a scent that needed covering.

At the exact time for the meeting he opened the door and stepped into the room. Three broad shouldered beings turned to face him. They wore ceremonial armor made of some hardened and polished leather. Mostly just shoulder plates and red capes. They were indeed furred. It was longer than the felt like fur of the Altarians, deep brown and striped with black. Each of the three males facing him had distinct patterns of the black striping. Wide, pointed dish-like ears twitched and pointed at him. He got the distinct impression that the one in the center was younger than the other two. Denee was right as well. They seemed just a little bit intimidated by his long hair. Jack thought that was hilarious but kept this from his face.

“Greetings. I’m Jack Danner, the Altarian Ambassador.”