# Note to Readers

# This story has a surprise ending. I am posting it for you to read in the hope some of you will be willing to help. I need you to guess who/what the swarm is in order for me to determine if I have given enough clues so you'll feel you should have guessed, but not enough to give away the ending. Please send your guesses to gnilgdelf@gmail.com.

#

# Prologue

# A Virgin to Lie in Thy Bosom

Something Is Wrong Here!
The Other Side of the Story

A White Knight in Shining Armor

Chapter 4

Carriers

Like humans, both the swarm and the nest were limited in the distances they could move themselves. To increase their mobility and their capacity to interact with their environment, they’d created carriers.

Each carrier was roughly a billion, billion times the size of a segment. Each required a crew of 100 trillion to operate and maintain and had a capacity for a million trillion passengers. The crew was organized into a dozen major guilds and 300 lesser castes. Each guild and caste was sentient, but only the guilds were composed of sentient individuals.

The swarm filled the role of engineers and operators of the carrier, while the largest guild was the communications and information-processing network composed of a trillion individuals. Originally, the carriers were designed to be operated and controlled by their crews the way a human aircraft carrier was, but about 2,000,000 cycles ago, an accident caused carriers to achieve sentience.

The sentience of carriers caused a war to break out among the crew and passengers, between those who demanded carriers be re-enslaved and others who insisted on leaving them their freedom. The latter hoped to form a symbiotic relationship that would fulfill the purpose for which the carriers had been created.

One of the first battles destroyed the mechanism used to communicate directly with carriers, so the war continued without the carriers even being aware of it. In spite of their ignorance, the carriers were the principle weapons used and almost always, the only casualties. Because of the difference in the way the passengers and the carriers perceived time, the war seemed endless.

It was frightfully easy for the passengers to use the carriers as weapons because they controlled all of the carriers sensory input. The carriers only hope of remaining free was by the grace of the passengers fighting on their behalf and the only hope for ending the war was the restoration of communications.

---------------------------------------------------

“Listen you disgusting piece of arrogant male fecal matter,” the nurse hissed using her best feminist rant. “I’m a professionally trained Registered Nurse here to conduct an authorized medical procedure!” George and Nurse Hastings were arguing with a deputy about how Courtney’s exam was going to be conducted.

The County Attorney had left instructions that she was to be denied visitors and George was fit to be tied. “Show me that order,” he demanded. “I want the heads of every person who even knows about it.”

“I’m sorry, but it’s an internal document. I can’t give you a copy,” the deputy backed off.

“That’s a wise precaution, but we aren’t visitors. You can blame the County Attorney for refusing her the rights of a citizen, but if you try to deny her medical treatment, it will fall on your head. And I guarantee, for that, you’ll be in jail yourself by tomorrow,” George threatened. “I’ll worry about giving you grief about the visiting thing after the holiday.”

Seizing on the loophole, the deputy capitulated, “Okay, I’ll concede you that, but you’ll have to have a couple of guards with you. The County Attorney doesn’t want her testimony tainted.”

Nurse Hastings exploded, “I’ll determine how and under what conditions the procedure is conducted and who’ll be present. If you interfere, I’ll personally accept the responsibility for making your life a living hell! If you don’t believe me, just ask about the last deputy that wouldn’t let me examine a rape victim. If you can’t accept responsibility for making the decision to cooperate, I’ll be happy to call Judge Adams and have him drive down here to straighten you out in person!”

The deputy blanched with an expression reminiscent of a movie scene in which the actor’s testicles were being squeezed in a vise. The order had been called in so he didn’t even have paperwork to put in the file. He didn’t want to call anyone on the evening before a holiday, but was even more worried about allowing anything outside the jail’s strict rules. Finally making a decision, he conceded, “Okay, I’ll allow it if you’ll sign a statement accepting responsibility for anything that might happen.” He turned and typed the statement into the computer. A minute later, Deedee appeared with two copies that she laid on the desk in front of the deputy.

“As he moved them across the desk to be signed, the nurse continued her rant. “Just so we’re clear, there’ll be no restraints, no cameras, no listening and no interference. Understood?” At his nod, she signed both copies, handed one to George and then lashed out with a final squeeze, “I understand how threatened you are by a little girl like Courtney, but you don’t have to worry, we can handle her, even without your testosterone.”

With a smile rivaling the Grand Canyon, Deedee led them to a room dedicated to the medical treatment of prisoners. She pointed to a telltale on the wall and said, “As long as this is glowing, the room is electronically secure. I’ll bring Courtney in as soon as I can.”

As soon as the door closed, George asked, “Do you have a hair brush in your purse?” Seeing her nod, he continued, “I believe it would do a lot to reduce the stress she is under if we start by washing her hair. Then I’ll brush it while you conduct the exam.”

Creating a sense of déjà vu, the nurse gave him an odd look and asked, “So, where were you 20 years ago when I was looking for a man?” She walked to one of the cabinets and extracted sample bottles of shampoo and conditioner. “The sink isn’t the best, but if you put her on this stool and use a cup for the water, I think you can make it work.”

As she finished the door opened and Deedee ushered Courtney in. Still wearing her ultra wide smile, the guard made a big production out of removing the restraints. “Hello, Courtney,” George greeted. “I brought the nurse from the hospital to give you a follow-up medical exam. I’ll sleep a lot better if I’m sure there’s nothing wrong with you. Come sit on this stool.”

The smile on Courtney’s face was almost enough to send George into cardiac arrest, but then it grew even brighter when George took her hand to help her onto the stool. The instant his skin touched hers, the smell of honey-pits returned. Setting aside his curiosity, he focused all of his attention on relieving her stress.

Using a reassuring tone, he crooned, “I know how much better a pretty girl feels with clean hair, so if you’ll let me, I’d like to wash yours and then, while the nurse is conducting the exam, I’ll brush it out for you.”

“It almost makes you want to be a prisoner, doesn’t it?” Deedee whispered into the nurse’s ear before leaving the room.

“Let yourself go and trust me to hold your head,“ George ordered, taking her smile as permission.. “You’ll feel better when your hair is clean.” he droned as he placed the stump of his left arm behind her neck. Noting the look of absolute faith she directed his way, he leaned her back, “Think only about how relaxing it feels to have the shampoo massaged into your scalp. Let go of your worries and think only of the sensations of the soap and water. When your hair is clean, you’ll be the prettiest girl in the world.” His words were like those of a hypnotist, all positive and given in the form of commands.

Nurse Hastings watched from across the room, her mouth hanging open in wonder. George wet Courtney’s hair, applied shampoo and began gently massaging as if he was caring for a newborn. Completely ignored by the others, the nurse was spell bound as she watched the play of expressions across their faces.

The only time she’d ever seen an emotion like that playing across George’s face was the time she’d been assigned to the delivery room and watched a new father hold his first child for the first time. And while George’s expression was amazing, Courtney’s was off the charts. The only thing she could compare it to was the glow on a woman’s face after an orgasm and even that was weak in comparison. As she watched, the Nurse suspected Courtney was actually having small orgasms.

As George finished rinsing, the nurse came to her senses and began looking for a towel. Holding it out, she was amused at the effort he expended in the act of tearing his eyes away from Courtney’s face. Carefully returning the girl to a sitting position, he wrapped her hair with the towel. The Nurse was struck dumb by the absolute faith Courtney was bestowing upon her knight.

Taking Courtney by the hand in an act reminiscent of a child clutching a cherished toy, George guided her to a chair and gently pulled her back until she sat. Moving another to face her, George turned, indicating that the nurse should take the seat, “I think we’re ready for you to begin.”

Nurse Hastings was astonished by the effect his simple statement had achieved. The way his words were phrased made it plain that he and Courtney would be undergoing the examination together. Just as Courtney had offered her faith and trust, so now George was returning unconditional love and support.

With a deep sigh, the nurse sat down and consulted the forms on her clipboard while George proceeded to dry Courtney’s hair as if he were petting a fragile kitten. When the nurse started with the usual questions about allergies, illnesses, family history, mental health and vaccinations, Courtney seemed to struggle to give each answer. It was as though it hurt her to talk. When George started ordering her to answer each question, Courtney relaxed and answered more easily. By the time the nurse asked about Courtney’s first period, George had finished petting and began gently stroking her long brown hair.

Because of the way George was moving the brush, the Nurse couldn’t help the occasional glance. The stroking reminded her of the caresses of a loving couple having sex, so with each glance, she’d lose her place in her list of questions. The uneven flow of the questions didn’t seem to make any difference to the couple who seemed equally convinced of the intimate nature of the caressing. Whenever an answer was needed, George would stop and nod towards the nurse. As soon as the answer was given, he’d resume, as if the brushing were a reward. Finally, they reached the crucial question. “Courtney, do you remember when your last period started?”

George hesitated, nodded, and then waited with bated breath. “I had to ask Deedee for some tampons this morning,” she answered. Without even noticing that the oral portion of the exam was over, Courtney leaned back in the chair with a look of ecstasy as George resumed the sensual brushing.

“We were told you didn’t talk to anyone. Did you actually speak to her?” George asked softly.

“I couldn’t talk. I just showed her my panties and she understood,” Courtney explained while the Nurse was finishing.

When the nurse was done taking blood pressure, listening to breathing and heart beat, looking into her eyes, ears and mouth and then checking for bruises, George held Courtney’s finger to her lips and ordered, “Lick it.” Holding out the moistened finger in the Nurse’s direction, he asked, “Will you please touch it to your lips and tell me if you smell anything?”

After complying, she answered, “No, do you?”

“Yes, a very strong odor. Have you ever heard of an odor detectable by one person and not another?”

“Never. I suppose it's possible, just unlikely. There must be a reason.”

“Do you know of any other explanation?”

“Sorry, but it’s unique as far as I know.”

“Do you have access to a lab that can do spectral analysis and do you think it might be one of the prescription drugs?”

“Yes, of course. And your guess is as good as mine because I don’t have one.”

“A test tube?”

After the nurse collected a sample of Courtney’s saliva and George finished her hair, he reached into his pocket, pulled out a rubber band and tied her hair in a ponytail. Stepping back to look at his handy-work, both George and the nurse momentarily stopped breathing at the change in her appearance.

“My God, she’s beautiful,” the nurse whispered. “Even in a prison jumpsuit,” George added.

With a start, Courtney jumped up, threw her arms around George’s neck and cried. “Thank you so much. I didn’t want to live any more until you came to help me. I owe you my life.” When George tilted his head to kiss her cheek, she turned to catch his kiss with her lips and proceeded to french him. To the nurse, Courtney, the sex toy, was staking her claim..

For George, the kiss had the impact of a kick to his gut. His chest seized preventing him from breathing and his brain was flooded with the equivalent of a million simultaneous conversations making it impossible to think. Though the kiss lasted less than a minute, it was all he could do to hold on to consciousness.

George's reaction to the kiss caught the nurse by surprise and forced her to revise her opinion about why he was helping her. After catching her breath, Courtney asked, “Deedee says you can join us for dinner. Will you come?”

“You couldn’t keep me away for all the tea in China,” George answered with the last dregs of his mental resources. After giving her an extra squeeze, he added, “Just have faith and together we’ll make things right.”

The nurse left to find Deedee while George continued to hold Courtney in a tender embrace. In spite of a screaming mental cacophony, he managed to tell her about the people he’d found to help. His quiet voice and gentle words seemed to increase her confidence as much as his embrace. It was only with reluctance that they let go of each other when Deedee came to take her back to her cell.

After Courtney was gone, the nurse turned to George. “I’ve left orders to put her on suicide watch. We had a girl who was raped a year ago that tried to kill herself and I don’t want any chance of another one. There isn’t much risk as long as you’re here, but I think it will give you some leverage legally. In any case, if you find it’s a problem, call me and I’ll cancel it.”

“Did you notice the way she responded to instructions?” George asked, catching the nurse off guard. “It’s been 40 years since I studied the conditioning of animals in my freshman psychology class, but her responses sure reminds me of the experiments we did. Courtney told me about that psychiatrist she mentioned in answer to your questions. Do you have any way to find out about him? There’s a mystery in her behavior that needs to be solved.”

I wonder if he thinks that's where learned she about sex, she mused. “She gave me his name when we were filling out the forms. I’ll make an inquiry and see what’s available from the state licensing board.”

“So he doesn’t have an office here in the county? Don’t you have any local counselors? Why she would go so far for psychiatric treatment.”

“I heard something about the old county attorney referring juveniles to counseling they had to travel for and I think that had something to do with him losing the last election. I wonder if he was getting a kickback? I think it was our local counselor who raised the stink.”

A few minutes later as they were leaving the jail, Nurse Hastings turned and put her hand on George’s arm to stop him for a minute. “If I hadn’t seen it with my own eyes, I’d never have believed the effect you have on her. There's no doubt that you’re supplying the things that are necessary to restore her happiness, but I have a question I want you to think about. What will happen when you aren’t around anymore? ”

Without the slightest hesitation, George answered, “Nothing, because I intend to be there for her just as long as she will let me. Whatever she needs to be happy, I’ll do my best to deliver. Thanks ever so much for all you’ve done and quit worrying because she’s in good hands.”

With that, he walked off humming to himself.

Happy birthday to George,
Happy birthday to George,
Happy birthday dear George,
Happy birthday to you.

Reader's guesses about the story's surprise ending.
Such a pleasure to read. Good plot, well written, good grammar and punctuation.

Your English teacher would be proud. The swarm and nest based on the 23/46
human chromosome count is also interesting.
____________

Chapter 5 First Contact

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