Land of the Giants: A Love Story
By JR Thomas
Chapter
Seven: Penumbra
In the aftermath of the revelation of the extraordinary
tryst between Captain Burton and Obek’s secretary,
the Spindrift crew decided it prudent to wait a couple days to let things blow
over before resuming work with the giants.
Further, when three days after Sylvana Noor’s discovery of the Spindrift camp, a party once again
set out for the rendezvous point in
Upon arriving at the park bench, Dan, Mark, and Valerie were surprised to find the Archon himself waiting for them rather than his secretary. When they queried him as to where Sylvana was the politician told them that he had her busy with other duties, and left it at that. In any event the trip to the Archon’s estate was far less comfortable crammed in Obek’s jacket pocket as opposed to the previous trips in the relative spaciousness of Miss Noor’s purse.
The understanding the little people had with Archon Obek was more or less on a quid pro quo basis. That is, they alternated working on projects for the giants one day, and then on repairs for the Spindrift the next. Since a single work session was usually not enough time to finish a particular project, they ended up having several going concurrently. Of course the repair work on the Spindrift consisted of the construction of components and materials away from the ship, which the Earthmen and giants alike were starting to find increasingly problematic.
On this particular day, Mark, Dan, and Valerie were assisting the giants with the construction of what was for all intents and purposes a rudimentary computer. The little people were, as was usually the case, working on a table, with a pair of giant technicians hovering over them trying to assist wherever possible.
Mark Wilson had just finished connecting the primitive video renderer to the giant motherboard, and as he emerged from the large square box that would house the computer, was surprised to see Sylvana Noor looming over him. They regarded each other silently for a moment, and Mark thought that for a giant, she was not at all uncomely. Although not striking like Valerie, she had a certain appeal. He could almost see why Steve had taken to her, despite her enormous size.
She leaned her head over the computer and smiled at the tiny engineer. “Hello Mark, so nice to see you again.”
Mark raised an arm in greeting. “Hello Sylvana. Good to see you too.”
The giant secretary sat down in the chair close to the table, resting her forearm over the armrest. Sylvana’s fingers dangled over the computer box within a few feet of the little Earthman. She peered closely at his tiny body, and reflected on how he looked every bit as handsome and muscular as Steve. It also didn’t hurt that he appeared to be closer to her age.
“Mark, I apologize for my abrupt visit to your camp the other day. It’s just that the Archon and I were worried about you little people.”
“Think nothing of it Sylvana”, Mark replied. “No harm, no foul.”
Miss Noor nodded, and although she didn’t quite understand his idiom, she sensed what he meant.
Mark walked around the computer box, moving closer to the giant woman so that she could here him better. “Sylvana, I think it goes without saying that we would prefer you not telling anyone of the location of our ship”, he said with a touch of sternness and authority; interesting, considering their tremendous size difference.
Sylvana gave him a disarming smile. “Why of course Mark. It’s our secret.” She winked at the tiny man. From where he was standing, Mark could see her cross her attractive legs as she leaned closer to him.
After a moment’s pause, she resumed the chat. “Mark, the Archon wanted to know how the thinking machine was coming along?”
“Just fine Sylvana”, he responded. “We should have most of the major components in place today.” While speaking, Mark couldn’t help admiring her manicured fingernails and the elegant bracelet around the delicate, if huge, wrist.
“That’s great news Mark, I’m sure the Archon will be pleased.” She respired pleasurably. “We are lucky to have such a clever man helping us”, she added with an admiring smile.
Although Mark was starting to think that he should be getting back to work, he found himself enjoying this little break with Sylvana. She certainly was very charming. He was about to acknowledge her flattering comment when Valerie, who had been helping Dan wire a circuit board on the other end of the table, suddenly appeared at his side.
The ex-socialite put her arms possessively on Mark’s shoulder, and then looked up at the giant secretary. “Yes Sylvana, Mark is a genius, and I wouldn’t give him up for anything”. Valerie flashed the giant woman a double-meaning look that she had perfected in the social jungles back on Earth; essentially signaling to Sylvana that Mark was her man and off limits to anyone else. The three chuckled lightly with a false sense of levity.
 |
Sylvana sensed the miniscule woman’s territoriality, and withdrew her hand that had been lingering close to the little engineer. “Mark, may I get you anything?” Sylvana asked. Mark was about to answer, when Valerie suddenly blurted out a reply. “No thank you Sylvana. We’re just fine”, she said with a forced smile.
The giant secretary nodded her assent, and then getting up out of the chair proceeded to the workshop exit. She reflected somewhat embarrassingly that she supposed she had tried to come on to Mark Wilson, but it was apparent to her now that he already had something going with the little Earth woman Valerie. “Ah, well, I guess I’d better concentrate on men my own size”, she thought. Sylvana shook her head from side to side. Things had indeed been a bit crazy lately.
Valerie noticed Mark watching her depart, and nudged him on the arm. “Mark, she may be seventy feet tall, but she gets you over my dead body!”
He laughed, though he could see that Valerie was being at least partially serious. The engineer surmised she needed some reassurance. “Val, I need help with something inside the computer. Can you spare a moment?”
She flashed him a big smile, motioning Mark to lead the way. Upon entering the computer, they moved to a place well away from the entrance. Valerie removed her blouse, and Mark grabbed her about the waist, placing a deep, passionate kiss on her lips. A few minutes later, one of the giant technicians thought he saw the computer vibrating.
***************************
Sylvana Noor
and Tor Brazen were having dinner at a rather posh
restaurant in the giant city of
The man set down his fork and looked at his date. “I’m glad you could make it tonight Sylvana. For a while there I was beginning to think that I had lost you.”
“Like I said Tor, Archon Obek has had me very busy”, she said reassuringly, although it was something of a half-truth.
He gave her a quizzical glance and raised his eyebrows. “The little people?”
Sylvana had rather hoped that this subject would not come up tonight, and she timidly nodded in the affirmative. “Yes, and our scientists are learning a lot from them.”
“Sylvana, surely they’re not helping us out of the kindness of their hearts, assuming that they even have hearts”, he replied.
“Don’t be silly Tor, they’re people just like us, only, well, a lot smaller”, she retorted. “And if you must know, the Archon is helping them repair their ship so that they can return to their world. In fact, I think he’s planning on bringing their ship back to his estate to speed up repairs.” Sylvana censured herself, thinking that she perhaps told Tor more than he needed to know.
He shook his head in apparent distaste. “So they can escape and come back with an invasion fleet? Has the Archon lost his head?”
“Tor, you can be so obtuse at times”, she said petulantly, looking away. She hated when he got this way. Sometimes he could be so narrow-minded in his thinking.
They remained silent for a few moments while Tor took some more bites out of his food. Sylvana sort of played and nibbled with hers’. With everything that had transpired lately, she had a lot on her mind and was not very hungry.
Brazen wiped his mouth and moustache with his napkin, then continued the discussion. “I just hope the Archon knows what he’s doing. I still think that the little people are nothing but trouble, and they should all be rounded up and put in a zoo.”
Sylvana rolled her eyes, wondering why she had agreed to this date. “Tor, I thought we were supposed to be enjoying ourselves and relaxing. Let’s not talk about the little people any more this evening”, she implored.
The man reached over the table and put a large, hairy hand over hers’. “Sylvana, you know I’m crazy about you,” he said, trying to be romantic.
She gave him a smile and nodded. Tor’s uncommonly soft words made her relax a little.
The man reached into his jacket pocket. “I have a present for you.” He produced a little black box, and handed it to the woman.
She opened it, and her eyes widened. Inside was the most beautiful engagement ring she had ever seen! The huge diamond glittered in the low restaurant light.
“Oh Tor, it’s beautiful!” She moved her fingers over the perfect stone, and regarded it with awe.
“I got a promotion at work; I’m now a full chief, and I thought this was a good way to celebrate.”
“Tor, I, I don’t know what to say?” This was the last thing she was expecting, and it took her very much by surprise.
“’I do’, would be fine for starters Sylvana.”
She looked at him with big, glassy eyes, and mouth open in astonishment. “Tor, this is all happening so quickly……I, I, I need time to think it over”, she said with a tinge of nervousness in her voice.
A curious look suddenly crossed the man’s face. “What’s there to think about? Don’t you like the sound of Sylvana Brazen?”
She reached over and squeezed his huge hand. “Oh Tor, I think so. I just want a week or so to mentally prepare myself.”
“That’s fine Sylvana, just don’t take too long”, he said with an air of finality. He touched her on the arm. “Sylvana?”
“Yes Tor?”
“Your place or mine?”
She sighed lightly, and then they both started laughing. Sylvana thought that some things never changed.
Late that night, after several hours of lovemaking, Sylvana lay back in her bed with Tor asleep next to her. Although she was nearly resigned to marrying him, she rather uncomfortably ruminated that, as crazy as it seemed, although Tor was an adequate lover, he came up rather short when compared to the tiny Captain Burton. She dozed off thinking how complicated her life had become.
*******************
The three Earthmen were having a semi-private conference in the lean-to. They first discussed the status of the works in progress with the giants. Several projects were going concurrently, some for the giants, and others related to repairing the Spindrift. The later topic segued in to the really important new development; Archon Obek’s offer to relocate the Spindrift and the little people to his estate where repairs could more easily be performed on the stricken ship. Predictably, Mark spoke up in the ideas’ defense.
The engineer paced the small enclosure of the lean-to, and alternately glanced at Dan, then Captain Burton. “I think this is a great opportunity. We should take Obek up on his offer.”
Steve looked up from the cot he was sitting on. “I don’t know Mark. I think it’s a bit risky.”
Mark had lost a lot of respect for Captain Burton after it was uncovered that he’d had an affair with the giant woman Miss Noor, and he gave him a condescending look. “Risky, hell! Thanks to you bringing your giant girlfriend here the giants now know where the ship is and can retrieve it at leisure. So what’s the risk?”
Steve, incensed by the engineer’s remark, got up from the cot and clenched his fists. Mark immediately took a defensive stance. Dan could see that a fight was imminent, and walked between them, doing his best to diffuse the situation.
“Steve, Mark, this is not going to help matters!” he said harshly. “Now you two settle down. Recriminations are pointless now.”
Mark turned around and walked to the wall of the lean-to, then faced back to the others. “Now look, I’ve already told you that it’s going to take six-to-eight weeks to install the reactor shielding on our own. With the giant’s help, we could do it in a week. What’s more, we’re going to want to take out the reactor core and inspect the fuel system before putting the giant’s ion propellant in it. That’s going to be a major job, and with no heavy lifting equipment, I’m not sure we can do it without the giants’ help.” He looked at the copilot. “What do you think Dan?”
“Mark, although I believe what you say is probably true, I don’t think we should do anything immediately. I say let’s wait a while longer and see how events unfold.” The other two nodded in agreement, and Dan once again proved his skill in the art of the compromise.
Betty suddenly appeared at the lean-to entrance. “Am I interrupting anything?”
“No honey, come on in” Dan responded.
She turned to Captain Burton. “Steve, I’ve got Archon Obek on the radio. He wants to speak with you.”
“What’s up?” Steve asked.
The stewardess shrugged her shoulders, and Steve walked past her and out of the shelter.
Moments later Steve entered the radio room and picked up the
mike. “
A familiar voice came through the speaker system. “Ah, Captain Burton. We’ve missed you around here. I hope that nothing’s wrong.”
“No Archon, everything’s fine. What can I do for you?”
“Well Captain, do you remember Doctor Lefay? You met her at the reception.”
“Of course Archon”, Steve replied.
“I’ve promised her an interview with you, and she called wanting to know if you would be available tomorrow?” he asked.
Steve paused for a moment, thinking about the request. Although he was still a bit apprehensive about being near Miss Noor after their altercation at the Spindrift the previous week, the thought of renewing his acquaintance with the enigmatic, but lovely Doctor Lefay intrigued him.
“Steve, are you there?”
The Archon prompted him out of his thoughts. “Sure Archon, that will be fine”, Steve replied.
“Good! Good!” H paused a moment, then added another request. “Steve, there’s one more thing. Doctor Lefay also wants to examine you. Would that be alright?”
A puzzled look came upon Steve’s face. “An examination? What kind of examination Archon?”
Obek tried to sound nonchalant as he responded. “Oh, the usual medical examination things, I expect. You know; weight measurement, blood sample, what have you.”
Steve hesitated before answering the giant politician. “I don’t think so Archon. I don’t fancy being a lab rat”, he said bluntly.
Obek immediately tried reassuring him. “Now look Captain, Doctor Lefay assures me that you will be perfectly safe.”
Steve wasn’t convinced. “I don’t know Archon, I still don’t like it.”
“Steve, could you do this as a favor to me? After all, we need the support of her university with our projects, to say nothing of repairing your craft. And besides Captain, I thought you liked our women?” Obek chuckled lightly.
Steve sighed with exasperation. It seems everyone knew about his affair with Sylvana. “Archon, with all due respect, I fail to see what that has to do with anything?”
Obek seemed flabbergasted. “Oh, yes Captain, you are of course correct. I just thought that……well never mind. Will you do me this favor?”
“OK Archon, but just this once”, Steve replied emphatically.
“Good, thank you Captain. See you tomorrow then.”
“
The Archon put down the tiny communicator the little people had given him, and then walked out off his office to where his secretary Miss Noor was typing away.
“Sylvana, please call Doctor Lefay and tell her that Captain Burton has agreed to meet with her tomorrow.”
“Yes Garm”. She replied without showing any emotion, although she definitely felt more than a little at the mention of her little ex-lover’s name. As she continued working, it occurred to Sylvana that she did not at all like the idea of tiny Steve alone with Doctor Lefay. Although her thing with the tiny Earthman appeared to be all but over and she was on the point of accepting Tor Brazen’s offer of marriage, she somehow still felt some feelings of possessiveness and jealousy.
*******************
It was early afternoon, and Steve, Mark, and Betty could be found in the Archon’s workshop, continuing their labors on the giants’ prototype computer. Mark directed the efforts of the other two as well as Grond Harko and another giant engineer. Obek’s secretary, Sylvana Noor, had made a brief appearance earlier, and Captain Burton thought rather longingly that she looked as lovely as ever. Steve had tried attracting her attention with a friendly greeting, but much to his disappointment the giant woman totally ignored him. Easy to do at his size, he lamented. Still in all, seeing her again caused him to reflect on the wondrous night they had spent together, and it depressed him to think that with a few intemperate words he seemed to have totally alienated her. Steve continued working in an effort to forget about things. He tried telling himself that a relationship with Sylvana could never work for obvious reasons, and in any case, with luck they would be heading off this giant planet within a few months, maybe sooner. The night with Sylvana, however, had been such an extraordinary experience that he could not totally remove her from his mind. He sighed.
At about two in the afternoon Archon Obek entered the workshop, and after exchanging a few perfunctory words with Mark and Grond Harko about the progress of the computer project, he picked Steve up and took him to one of his private studies. Obek set Steve on the desktop and told him that Doctor Lefay would be in shortly. The elderly politician smiled and winked at him as he departed; no doubt, Steve thought, due to his visitor being a lovely lady. Steve felt rather oddly that he had seemed to have acquired a reputation.
Steve had been idly strolling around the desktop, when after a few minutes in walked Doctor Lefay. Her jet black high heels clacked on the tiled floor as she approached him. She was wearing a very sexy velvet outfit more appropriate to a fancy dinner party. The top of her bust seemed to bubble up out of her blouse, and the little mid-drift jacket she was wearing failed to cover them at all. Her long sensuous legs were hosed in silky dark nylons, and with the short, short hem of her one-piece dress, Steve wondered how she was going to sit down. He was immediately bowled over by her strong perfume; quite a bit more pungent than Sylvana’s, but not unpleasant to his smell.
The giant woman spoke softly as she offered him her hand. “How do you do Steve? So good to see you again.”
“The pleasure is mine, Doctor Lefay”, he replied as he grasped her little finger with both hands. Steve instinctively kissed the huge finger, and the giant woman let out a pleasurable sigh. It was all she could do to keep from undressing the tiny man then and there.
“Please call me Dektora, Steve”, she said alluringly as she set her large gray bag on the floor and sat down in the desk chair. Steve admired her long, golden hair as she lowered her head and exposed it to him in all its glory. She compared very favorably with Sylvana, he thought.
 |
Doctor Lefay grabbed a notebook and pen out of her bag, and then proceeded to cross her legs and sit back in the chair. Steve’s earlier supposition proved correct, as her crossed legs caused her dress to hike up to a point where she very nearly exposed her womanhood. The tiny Earthman was stunned as his eyes followed the contour of Dektora’s incredibly shapely legs. She noticed him admiring her, and she raised her upper leg slightly and then slowly set it back down. It thrilled her that this little man obviously found her attractive, and she gave Steve a gigantic smile.
She set her notepad on her leg and lifted her pen. “Shall we begin Steve?”
“Certainly Dektora”, Steve responded enthusiastically.
He looked around as if trying to find some place to sit, and this reminded Doctor Lefay of something she had brought with her. Reaching in her bag, she pulled out a tiny chair and set it next to Steve. He looked up at her approvingly. “Thank you Dektora, you think of everything.”
“You are welcome Steve”, she replied graciously. “It’s something else from my collection of Earth artifacts; yours to keep of course. Steve, you really should let me take you to my house sometime to show you my collection”, she added in her demure, pleasing voice.
“I’d really enjoy that Dektora.” He smiled at her, and sitting down, found himself at eye level with the giant woman’s perfectly rounded knee.
She looked down at her pad. “Now let me see. Tell me Steve, what’s the population of the Earth.”
“When we left three years ago, I think there were around four-and-a-half billion people”, he answered.
She gasped in astonishment. “That many? My, my, you little people must spend all your time in bed!” They laughed at her assertion, and Dektora alluringly brushed a hand over her thigh.
“How many are on Brobdinia?” Steve countered.
“Only about fifty million,” she responded.
“Well, I suppose that could at least partially explain why our ship hasn’t been captured yet; there aren’t that many of you giants around.”
“Most of our people are concentrated in and around the big cities, like here in Nar Shaada”, she commented.
Doctor Lefay slowly lifted her leg and re-crossed them in the opposite position, making sure the tiny man got an ample view of her thighs. She jotted some notes on her pad, and then continued with the questioning.
“What about the government of Earth? I gather you have a number of different ones.”
Steve sat up in the chair. “That’s an understatement Dektora. We have so many nations scattered across the Earth that I’ve lost count.”
She removed her glasses and leaned close to Captain Burton. “Why how very inefficient, how do you little people get anything done?”
“Good question Doctor”, Steve noted. “Actually, a handful of our nations are large enough to undertake the really big projects, like space travel and large military establishments. Also, many of the lesser governments cooperate to varying degrees with the larger ones.”
She raised her eyebrows. “Military establishments? So you fight wars? Interesting.”
Steve got up from his chair. “Don’t you?” he countered.
“Well, my dear little friend, your people may be more technologically advanced than us, but that is one thing we have over you. We finished the last of our succession wars several years ago, and the cities of Brobdinia are now nominally under the control of the High Council.” Doctor Lefay gave him a haughty look as she spoke.
Steve crossed his arms and looked up at the giant. “Lucky you.”
She leaned close to the little man standing before her on the desktop, and her long golden locks fell down her side coming very close to Captain Burton. Steve could detect the sweet-smelling shampoo lingering on her hair.
She gave him an inquisitive look. “Steve, speaking of the military, I was wondering. We’ve heard rumors of a super weapon called the ‘nuke’.”
He backed up a couple of steps, just in time to avoid being brushed by her hair.
Steve suddenly got very formal. “I’m sorry Doctor Lefay, but I’m not at liberty to discuss that.”
His refusal to answer surprised her, and she gave him a perplexed look.
Steve put his hands on his hips. “Now look Doctor, you said yourself that the High Council now has control of the entire planet. What would you need a super weapon for?”
She leaned closer to him, and Steve found himself staring right into her enormous cleavage. “Come now Steve, let’s be reasonable about this. There’s still some dissension in a few of our cities, and besides, we need to be able to defend ourselves against potential hostile aliens.”
Although Captain Burton definitely enjoyed the view, that was pleasure and the matter at hand was deadly serious business. “Defend yourself against hostile aliens? From where?” He asked incredulously.
She gave him a twisted smile, but said nothing.
Steve immediately kenned her meaning. “From Earth? Surely you’re not serious Doctor. Actually, if you giants ever launched an invasion of our world, our nukes may be the only credible defense we have against you.”
“Come now Steve, you’re being paranoid. Isn’t your being here at Archon Obek’s evidence enough of our government’s good will towards you little people?”
Steve paced slowly in front of his giant inquisitor. “Granted we like Archon Obek, and your current administration seems to be friendly enough, but as I’m sure you know Doctor, in the world of politics attitudes can change with the drop of a hat.” He looked up at her with a stern, almost defiant look. “Sorry Doctor, but as I said, I’m not at liberty to discuss it.”
A frown came over Dektora’s face, and she found herself slightly incensed that this little mouse-man would have the nerve to refuse her information. After a moment she regained her composure, thinking that if she bide her time there would be other opportunities to interrogate the little Earthman. She forced a smile and peered down at him. “Of course Steve, I understand”, she said with a trace of insincerity.
Dektora jotted down a few more notes in her pad, and then looked at her watch. “Steve, there’s a lot more I’d like to ask you about Earth, but I see that we only have about another half-hour. We’d best proceed to the examination. Archon Obek did mention that to you, didn’t he?”
“Yes he did Doctor”. Although Steve was still not crazy about the idea, he felt obligated to indulge the Archon.
She reached in her bag and pulled out a piece of folded cardboard, and then reaching over him, set it upright towards the back of the desk.
“What’s that for?” Steve asked, somewhat puzzled.
She grinned, and rested her hands close to the tiny man. “I’m going to need you to remove your clothes for me.”
“Why?” Steve asked defensively.
She brushed a hand through her golden hair. “I would have thought that was obvious Captain. It’s so that I can get accurate measurements of your tiny body, and a blood sample.”
“You want me to remove everything?”
“You can leave your underwear on for the moment. Don’t worry, I won’t peak.” She gave him a wink.
“Swell”, he replied.
Walking behind the makeshift divider, Steve removed his clothes, draping his shirt and pants across the top of the cardboard. When he walked out from behind it, he could see that Doctor Lefay had placed a number of other items on the desktop, including a ruler, a scale, a camera, and a hypodermic needle nearly three feet long; tiny to the giant Doctor but still enormous to him. He regarded the later item uneasily, but figured that it was safe; otherwise the Archon would never have approved it, at least he hoped.
The site of the tiny man in nothing but his underwear left Dektora spellbound. He was perfect, she thought. Muscled arms and legs, flat abdomen - he was a prize specimen. She wanted to immediately grab the buffed little man and thrust him down her cleavage, but knew it would not be prudent if she wanted to see him again. She tried to act calm and casual, but beholding his perfect little body was making it difficult. She comforted herself to think that if all went well, that there would be other opportunities to have her way with the little man; she would just have to be patient.
“Ah, OK, let’s get your height Steve.” She exhaled heavily as she spoke, still having difficulty controlling her libido. She stood the ruler upright; it had a platform at the bottom to support it, as well as a moveable thin strip of metal on top. He walked up next to the ruler.
“Stand up straight Steve”, she commanded, and he instinctively obeyed. She moved the metal strip down until it just touched his head. “Exactly five inches”, she uttered, and then noted the measurement in her pad.
Figuring she was finished, Steve started walking away from the ruler.
“No, stay put Steve, I want to get a picture.” The woman lifted up the camera and was about to take the shot, when she suddenly set it down. “I need something to better accentuate your small size.” She looked around. A mischievous smile crossed the giant’s face. “I’ve got it.”
She lowered a hand down underneath the desk, and to his bafflement she produced one of her high heels. Dektora chuckled as she set the huge shoe down next to him.
“These giant women and their shoes”, Steve thought. He rolled his eyes and played along. He noted with some humor that her shoe size was even bigger than Sylvana’s; probably around ten or eleven feet long!
He didn’t bother to smile as she took the picture, as he was by now starting to feel more than a little ridiculous. Setting the camera down, she slowly removed her shoe from the desk, smiling coyly as she did.
“OK”, she exhaled, “Let’s get your weight.” Dektora pointed to what was obviously a scale, and Steve walked on to it. It was of course an analog instrument, and she took a moment to adjust it. As she manipulated the scale, Steve gazed at her huge fingers with the long, perfectly manicured nails. She was even more meticulous in her grooming than Sylvana, he thought. “Let me see, subtracting for your underwear, you weigh in at just under an ounce, the perfect weight for your size Steve.” She giggled, and Steve forced a smile, sort of seeing the humor in what she said.
She recorded the weight in her notepad, and then moved her right hand close to him. “Alright Steve, you can get off the scale. I want to gage your strength, which for your size looks considerable.” She beamed him an admiring smile.
“Thanks I guess”, he replied. “What must I do?”
Doctor Lefay placed her hand close to him, resting it at an angle to the desktop. “I want you to push as hard as you can against my index finger.”
Steve thought it seemed a little odd, but he did what she asked. Placing both hands on the finger at a position opposite the nail, he started to push. The giant finger moved away slightly, and then he felt it tense up and start pushing back. He braced his feet against the desktop and pushed with all his might. For a moment he felt he was keeping her at bay, but she slowly started to overpower him. All at once he felt a sudden surge of strength, and he let go of her finger, losing his footing as he did. Before Steve could hit the surface, however, the giant woman grabbed him.
For Dektora Lefay, holding this healthy, husky, nearly naked little man in her hand was like a dream come true. It was better than she had imagined. The feel of his tiny muscles against her fingers was driving her mad with desire. No man her own size could ever be this pleasurable, she speculated.
Steve, for his part, was finding it equally satisfying, but therein was the problem. The feeling of her huge, soft fingers wrapped around him was starting to get him aroused, and if she didn’t put him down soon, she was going to notice, and then who knows what might happen?
Steve looked up into her huge, hungry eyes glaring down in him. “Dektora, I’m assuming we’re finished with the test; you can put me down now.”
His words broke the giant woman from her trance; she gently squeezed his tiny body and then set him on the desktop.
Without speaking, Doctor Lefay made another entry in her notes. Steve stood on the desktop panting, still catching his breath from his physical exertions.
After a few moments Dektora put her notepad and pen in her bag, and then looked down at Steve. “Well”, she said as she exhaled, “There’s one more thing we need to do.” She looked at the giant syringe.
“I hate needles”, Steve said dryly.
The giant woman gave him a thin smile, and then laid a folded handkerchief on the desktop. “Steve, I’m going to need you to remove your underwear and lie flat on this”, pointing to the handkerchief.
“What?” Steve exclaimed.
“Now look Steve, your posterior is the only place that I’m going to be able to take a blood sample without hurting you.”
Steve sighed in resignation. Walking over to the handkerchief, he faced away from the Doctor, removed his briefs, and then lay prone on the handkerchief.
To Doctor Lefay, just starting to recover from the bliss she had experienced holding the tiny man, the sight of his firm, tight little behind was arousing her all over again. Her hands trembled as she applied some alcohol to a cotton ball. The coolness of the alcohol caused Steve to jerk as the soft, wet, ball made contact with his bare skin. She lovingly caressed his behind with the cotton, lingering far longer than she needed to. She heard the tiny man give out a pleasurable sigh as she accidentally on purpose allowed her finger to stroke his behind. She thought to herself that she’d better get it over with, as she didn’t know how much longer she could control her desires. Dektora picked up the tiny hypodermic needle.
*******************
About ten minutes later, Steve had just finished dressing when Obek entered the room. The politician noticed that Doctor Lefay appeared nervous as she put away her equipment and supplies.
“Everything alright Doctor?”
She looked up at him as she continued to put things in her bag. “Yes, yes Archon. It was a very good session. I learned a lot from Captain Burton, and everything went well with the tests.”
Obek looked around. “Where’s Captain Burton?”
Dektora nodded in the direction of the cardboard partition on the desk, and seconds later Steve walked out from behind it.
“How’s it going Steve?” he asked.
The little man limped to the edge of the desk. “Very well Archon, thank you, except that my rear is a bit sore.”
“Oh really, I’m sorry to hear that”, he looked accusingly at the woman.
A worried look crossed the Doctor’s face. Steve noticed this, and spoke up in her defense. “Don’t worry Archon, it should heal quickly. Dektora was very gentle with me.”
She gave Captain Burton an adoring smile.
“Good, good, glad to hear it.” Obek smiled and clasped his hands.
Doctor Lefay got up from her chair, and picking up her bag, faced the politician. “Archon Obek, I was wondering, could I get your permission to take Captain Burton to my house sometime?” She spoke with a tinge of nervousness in her voice. “I, I want to show him my Earth artifacts. He may be able to tell me what some of them are for.”
He gave her an amused smile. “Well Doctor, I don’t see the harm in it. It will depend on the other work going on at the moment, and of course if Captain Burton agrees.” The two giants looked at the Earthman standing on the desktop.
“Sure, I’d love to.” He replied as loudly as he could short of shouting, as the two giants were no longer standing next to the desk.
Obek looked at Doctor Lefay. “OK, fine, call Miss Noor sometime next week to schedule it.”
She smiled brightly. “Thank you Archon.” They shook hands, and then Dektora moved back towards the desk and peered down at Captain Burton. “Thank you Steve for everything. It was really nice making your acquaintance again” She said with all the warmth and admiration she could muster.
“Anytime Dektora”, he replied enthusiastically, and then bowed. She offered him her hand again, and he placed a kiss on her ring finger as the Archon looked on with mild embarrassment. After a few moments she slowly, almost regretfully withdrew her hand.
Steve and Garm stared admiringly at Doctor Lefay’s long legs as she trotted out the door. After she had departed, Obek walked over to Captain Burton. He gave the little man a sly grin as he spoke. “Captain Burton, you are quite the giant lady killer, aren’t you?” They laughed for a good minute.
Doctor Lefay was so ecstatic that she could hardly concentrate on her driving. The interview with Captain Burton had gone much better than expected. What’s more, it looked like she’d been given the green light to take him home with her next week. She replayed over and over in her mind the fantastic feelings and sensations she had experienced handling the tiny man. She wouldn’t be able to sleep for a week, she thought. Dektora was about to turn off on the exit that would take her to her home, when all at once she remembered something very important she had to do – Stop by the university dark room and develop the film with the picture she had taken of Captain Burton!
*******************
The little people had waffled and debated for the better
part of a week on Archon Obek’s offer of sanctuary at
his estate. The straw that broke the
camel’s back, however, was another near miss with Inspector Kobick
and the SID on the way back from the Park the previous evening. By now it was apparent that Kobick knew their camp had to be in the vicinity of
Steve and Mark had asked the Archon if he’d gotten anywhere protesting Kobick’s behavior to the High Council, and Obek told them that the Council Elder in charge of the SID had prevaricated with a story of how they were searching for escaped convicts in the area. Obek lamented that although the High Council was tacitly in favor of his dealings with the little people, their lack of cooperation concerning the Inspector made it clear that they were far from unanimous.
In any event, it had become evident to the Earthmen that they had the choice of placing full trust in the Archon and relocating themselves and the Spindrift to his estate where repairs could be more easily undertaken, or face eventual discovery of the Spindrift by the SID. Circumstances left them little choice, and with some reluctance they agreed to Obek’s offer of sanctuary.
It was a bright, sunny morning, and Miss Noor had just radioed the Spindrift that she was on her way to their camp with two of Obek’s employees. The little people scurried about, taking down the lean-to, stowing necessities within the ship, and dispersing everything not needed in order to leave no traces of their camp. Although excited with the prospect that if all went well this relocation would bring them a major step closer to returning to Earth, more than a few of the Spindrift seven felt a little sad at leaving a place that, however Spartan, they had sort of grown accustomed to.
Betty and Valerie were manning the outpost at this crucial
time in order to forestall the possibility of unwelcome visitors being confused
with Miss Noor and her party. Shortly after
Sylvana spied the Spindrift camp, and motioned the two men she had brought with her to stay back for the moment so as not to startle the little people. The secretary then approached cautiously alone.
 |
Captain Burton was in the passenger cabin securing items for the trip when he noticed a pair of giant casual pumps and nude legs come into view. He stood there for a moment looking out the window, thinking that he could recognize those beautiful ankles anywhere. Steve made for the exit, and stood in the open doorway as Miss Noor lowered herself to talk with the little people standing before her.
“Good morning Mark, Valerie, little people.”
They greeted her, and then Valerie proceeded to introduce Dan, Betty, Fitzhugh, Barry, and Chipper to the giant woman.
The little men, for their part, were thoroughly enjoying the view of Miss Noor’s un-hosed legs jutting out from underneath her skirt as she crouched down to better talk with them. Captain Burton, having shared a very special evening with the lovely giant, was especially smitten, and it caused him to wonder just what had come over him that he would so readily give her up. He loved how the back half of her well-formed foot came up out of her shoe as she crouched low to the ground.
Steve waved to her and said good morning. Sylvana just gave him a quick sideways glance, but otherwise ignored him and continued chatting with the other six.
She looked down at them and smiled. “Well my little friends, are we ready to go?”
Dan faced the others, and they nodded in the affirmative. He then looked up at the giant, trying hard not to pay too much attention to her legs. “Yes Miss Noor, we’re ready when you are.”
“Good”, she replied. “I’ve brought two of Archon Obek’s men, and they will carry you and your ship back to my car.” She stood up and motioned the giant men behind her to approach. The two giants came up and stood next to her, marveling at the tiny people and spaceship before them. Suddenly remembering something, Sylvana leaned back down towards the little people. “Oh, by the way, we’ve brought a tarpaulin to cover your ship during the journey. We want to keep you safe from prying eyes.”
“Good idea Sylvana”, Mark responded.
Miss Noor opened up her purse and produced the communicator they had given her and the Archon. The tiny device looked almost comical wedged between her huge thumb and forefinger. “I know you won’t be able to see anything during the trip, but I’ll call you and let you know what’s going on every step of the way.”
Dan addressed her one last time. “OK Miss Noor. We’ll let you know when we’re ready.” He then turned to the others. “Alright everyone, let’s get the show on the road.”
Steve went to the cockpit as the others filed in to the Spindrift. He thought rather uncomfortably that with Miss Noor’s treatment of him as a non-entity and acknowledgment of Dan that he had practically given up command to his copilot. Dan joined him shortly in the cockpit, and sensing Steve’s displeasure, patted him reassuringly on the shoulder before sitting down. Mark manned the radio room, and Betty secured the others in the passenger cabin.
After getting the go-ahead from Steve and Betty, Mark radioed Sylvana that they were ready. A few moments passed, there was a ruffling noise, and then everything went pitch black. Dan instinctively turned on the infrared cabin lights, illuminating the environs with an eerie red hue.
Steve spoke into the intercom. “Brace yourselves everyone.”
A few seconds later there was a violent lateral jolt, followed by a rapid vertical motion that ended almost as abruptly as it began. Valerie was startled when one of the top luggage compartments came open and some blankets and pillows fell down on her.
Although the ship was small enough that one giant man could probably have carried it, for the safety of the little people they were using two so that they could comfortably transport it horizontal to the ground.
After speaking to Mark Wilson with her tiny communicator, Sylvana motioned the two men carrying the Spindrift, one on each side, to follow her. They slowly made their way out of the forest to the park. Although the ride was a little bumpy for the little people and Fitzhugh showed signs of some motion sickness, the trip was largely uneventful. For their part, the tiny passengers in the ship, although hopeful of the future, were also a bit apprehensive, as they all knew they were passing a point of no return.
As Miss Noor and the two assistants carrying their precious cargo emerged from the woods and walked up the park path, they passed a man coming in the opposite direction. With his dirty, tattered clothes and pork-pie hat, he looked like a proverbial boulevardier.
“Good day Ma’am”, he said to Miss Noor. “Beautiful mornin’, aint it?”
Sylvana smiled at the hobo but said nothing. They passed the old rendezvous point at the park bench and proceeded around the corner, making their way to the parking lot.
As soon as they were out of site, the hobo pulled out a walkie-talkie. “Gothmog to Inspector Kobick. Come in please.”
The walkie-talkie crackled, and then a voice could be heard replying. “Kobick here, go ahead Gothmog.”
“Inspector, I’m in
“Very interesting”, Kobick replied, sounding very sinister and foreboding.
*******************
Upon arriving at the Archon’s estate, Sylvana and the two men took the Spindrift directly to the workshop. Obek and the giant technicians regarded the tiny ship with awe. Although their numerous work sessions with the little people had impressed upon them the advanced state of the Earthmen’s technology, it had not really hit home until they beheld the sleek little ship with its futuristic, advanced aerodynamic design. Realizing the priceless treasure he now had in his care, Obek doubled his force of security guards, and permitted no one in the workshop without his or Sylvana’s express approval.
The Archon’s technicians had wanted to put the ship on a regular high table, but Steve and Dan protested this, stating that they wouldn’t have any means of rapid escape should an unforeseen emergency or threatening situation arise. The giants acquiesced, and came up with a low, sturdy table that stood two feet off the ground. They placed the table with the Spindrift on it in the center of the workshop, and Obek’s handyman created a tiny staircase to allow the little people easy access to the floor. Concerning sleeping accommodations, the Spindrift crew resigned themselves to crowding inside the ship until other arrangements could be made with the Archon. Mark Wilson, especially, understood that sooner or later they were going to have to do some serious structural disassembly on the ship to get at the fuel system and the reactor core, and when that happened they would no longer be able to use the ship as their living quarters.
In no time at all the little people settled down into a routine. Most of the time, they stayed in the workshop busying themselves with the ship repairs and the projects for the giants. On several occasions the Archon had them brought to his dinner table, and although this would have been a great opportunity for Steve to renew his friendship with Sylvana, she continued for the most part to ignore him.
One afternoon Steve was working in the cockpit when he heard familiar footsteps. Looking out the window, he saw Sylvana’s beautifully hosed legs, ending at her skirt well above the knees. He could just make out the bottom of her skirt, as her upper body was out of his line of vision. She idly chatted with Valerie, Betty, and Dan for a few minutes, and then turned around and departed. Steve looked on longingly as she left the room. He laid back in the pilot’s seat, thinking deeply with his head bowed and a hand on his forehead. That night he tossed and turned on his cot, and it wasn’t until he resolved to take action that he was able to finally doze off.
 |
As it happened, Steve’s opportunity came soon enough. Archon Obek’s wife Honoria had just finished bringing lunch to the workshop, and it gave Steve an idea. He called to her as she was getting ready to leave. “Mrs. Obek! Mrs. Obek!” He shouted.
She peered down on him and smiled. “Oh Steve, when are you going to stop calling me Mrs. Obek and start calling me Honoria?”
Captain Burton walked up to the edge of the platform. “Mrs. Obek, er, sorry, Honoria. May I have a word with you in private?”
The giant woman regarded him with mild surprise, as did Dan, Betty, and Valerie eating nearby.
“Why certainly Steve. Here, come with me”, she said as she lowered a hand and scooped up the tiny man.
She carried him to the other end of the workshop, out of earshot of the other little people and the Archon’s technicians, and carefully set him down on a high tool shelf. Steve reflected again on how comely the women of this planet were, even the ones like Honoria Obek, who was well into her fifties. Her graying mane gave her a classic, distinguished look, and her bright eyes and warm smile would have been the envy of any teenager.
“Well Steve, what can I do for you?”
He stood up on the shelf with his body roughly level with her head. “It’s about Sylvana”, he answered.
A knowing look came upon her face. “Hmmmm…..Why am I not surprised?”
He looked down and took a few paces in front of her. “I take it you know then?”
She shook her head back and forth. “Steve, I don’t know about women on your own world, but here, we talk. In fact, I hear you give a great foot massage.” Steve blushed, and they chuckled at her comment.
Honoria continued. “Although the things she told me about what transpired between the two of you seemed very strange at first, I was struck by her sincerity, and how much she seemed to care about you. After I thought about it a while, I came to understand that love is a very elusive and strange thing that is often hard to comprehend. Although you and Sylvana would be a most unusual couple to say the least, every time I’ve seen you two together I’ve noticed how happy you’ve both looked.”
Steve remained silent, feeling rather small at her revelation about Sylvana’s feelings towards him.
 |
“You need to remember Steve that not only is Sylvana a lot bigger than you, but she’s older too. I’ve seen her go through a lot of hurt, including a bad divorce and mistreatment at the hands of a boyfriend that she’d be better off without.” She paused for a moment, and then Steve could see that she remembered something important. “Oh, and Steve, speaking of Tor Brazen, he proposed to Sylvana the other day.”
The tiny man looked at her in astonishment and horror. “No!”
“Yes”, she retorted.
“Did she accept?” He asked, sounding very worried.
“She told him she would think about it for a week or so, and that was several days ago. All I can say Captain Burton is that if you are going to do anything, I would suggest that you do it soon”, she said with a touch of admonishment in her voice.
Steve’s countenance immediately brightened at her hinting that all might not be lost, and he spoke excitedly. “Mrs. Obek, I love Sylvana. Can you send her some roses and a note on my behalf?”
She gave him a big smile that stretched over three feet across. “Why, I’d be delighted Steve. I do so love playing matchmaker. It’s one of the things that make growing older fun. And besides, I think you two would make a very cute couple.” She winked at him, and Steve smiled brightly.
The giant woman looked at him with a coquettish smile. “Steve, there is one small thing I would ask in return.”
“You name it Honoria. I would do anything for you doing me this favor”, he responded eagerly.
The woman looked on either side to make sure know one was watching. “Good Steve, now hold still.” Before he knew what was happening, she moved her head close to him and gave him a quick kiss on the side of his tiny head.
He reeled back in astonishment. “Mrs. Obek!” he exclaimed. He wiped some lipstick from his hair.
“Thank you Steve”, she said appreciatively. “You are such a cute little man, and I’ve wanted to do that for some time.” She brushed a hand through her hair and continued to peer on him with much esteem. “I just wish that Garm would take another business trip soon.”
Steve gave her a stunned look, and then started to laugh. She began laughing as well, and they carried on in incredulous merriment for at least half a minute. Steve felt strange to think, however, that although Mrs. Obek had made the comment with a good deal of factiousness, he could tell that she was being at least partially in earnest.
In a moment they regained their composure, and Honoria spoke. “Now you stay right here Steve while I get a pencil and paper.” She was ready to turn around, when she stopped and eyed the little man again. “Steve, there is one thing I was wondering though.”
“What’s that Honoria?”
“You’re not planning on staying here are you? Aren’t you going to return to Earth with the rest of the little people when your toy ship is repaired?”
The giant woman’s question took the wind right out of his sail. He felt reality crashing in around him. He lowered his head, suddenly feeling rather blue. Honoria noticed this, and wondered what was going on with him.
Steve slowly looked up and replied as best he could. “Ma’am, I can only say that I will have to cross that bridge when I come to it. Rest assured though that I have no intention of using a wonderful lady like Sylvana.”
She breathed a sigh of relief, gave him a warm smile, and then turned around and walked off to find a pen and paper. “Good answer”, she thought.