Silver Iris (Box Set)

Silver Iris (Box Set)
Excerpt from GreatSword's Woman
Kate Hill
All rights reserved.
Copyright ©2013 Kate Hill

"I still can't believe it has been five years since you arrived." Jethrex grinned, popping the cork on a bottle of the best Northern Amazurnian Wine. She offered the first swig to Mary Katherine who gulped it greedily while Jethrex sliced the chocolate layer cake.

"My old life seems like an almost forgotten nightmare. The best thing that ever happened to me was falling down the fucking well back on Earth and getting sucked into that Great Hole." Mary Katherine still shuddered each time she recalled her strange and terrifying voyage through space and time that had brought her to the planet Amazurn.

She had awakened just outside the royal science center in Amazurn's capital city. The scientists, realizing what had happened to her, were very kind and did their best to help her adjust to her new home. At first she had thought it was all part of a dream. The planet Amazurn was more advanced than she had ever imagined possible. She learned that she had been sucked into an uncommon yet all too real portal between her world and Amazurn. This portal was called the Great Hole, named after the first queen of Amazurn who, according to legend, possessed a harem of three thousand males and regularly bedded each and every one.

Strangest of all, Mary liked her new world far better than her old one. Here women were free to live as they pleased without shame. Independence as well as sexual pleasure were revered rather than reprimanded. Disease and unwanted pregnancies were all but eliminated through medical advancements. Education and opportunities were available to everyone, and Mary took all she could. To her, life couldn't get any better.

"From what you told me about your home planet, I can understand why you don't miss it at all. Imagine, being considered a -- what was the term? An old maid at twenty and a whore because you wanted to have a little sex."

"If I had ever dreamed a world like Amazurn existed, let alone all the other places I've visited, I would have spent my whole bloody life searching for the Great Hole, not that the primates back in my time could even understand such a concept. I don't even want to talk about Earth anymore, though I thank you for the celebration."

"You deserve it, and it's only your five year anniversary of finding our galaxy, you know."

"I know. I know." Mary Katherine hugged her friend tightly. "It's our third year as partners."

"I always said once I taught you the ropes about space travel there would be no holding you down."

"Us down, you mean. Once we complete this last mission for Queen Pussyanna, we'll be able to get our ship completely revamped."

"We'll be earning our money on this mission, that's for sure."

"How bad can it be? All we need to do is pick up the man and deliver him to the queen so her daughter can marry him and the treaty between Amazurn and Tauroth will be sealed."

Jethrex wrinkled her nose. "Tauroth. Makes me shudder just thinking about the place. Those men are the worst brutes in the galaxy. No wonder it's just about the only planet with an all male government."

"Tauroth." Mary Katherine grinned and ran her fingertips up and down the wine bottle. "In their language it means Planet of the Bull. Doesn't sound like a bad place to visit."

"No, Mary, trust me. These aren't like the men in the queen's pleasure chamber or like the ones on Sultrene where we flew for vacation last year. And they don't stop the dominant act on command like the slaves in the Fetish Hut. You think the people of your world were primitive, well I'm sure they were nothing like the Taurothish men. Think about it. Planet of the Bull."

"I am. Have you ever seen how a bull is hung, girl?"

"I'm serious about this, Mary Katherine. We're going to land, pick up this bull prince then get back to Amazurn ASAP."

"We're going as messengers for the queen, am I right? So we can't be rude."

"I didn't say rude. I said efficient. And speaking of the queen, we have an audience with her this afternoon, so if we don't want to be late, we better hurry with your last surprise of the day."

"What surprise? You've done enough already, Jethrex."

"Then you're saying you don't want to use these." Jethrex wiggled her eyebrows and held out two glowing pieces of plastic.

"Are they what I think they are?"

"Two passes to the Fetish Hut."

"Jethrex, you shouldn't have."

"I know, but I did. So let's finish the cake and get on to the real sweets."

"I swear the Fetish Hut opening is the best thing to happen around here since the invention of permanent hair-removal cream."

"No shit. Remember when we used to have to travel a hundred miles south to that ratty little dive in Maggie City?"

"How can I forget? The last time we were there the cops raided the place because they accidentally allowed some teenage gang members in and the little monsters roughed up one of the pleasure slaves."

Jethrex chuckled. "Ah well. Girls will be girls."

"That's not funny, Jethrex. The guy nearly had his balls frightened off."

"Even worse, they almost shut down the brothel."

"Jethrex!"

"You're right. I'm ashamed of myself."

"I mean, pleasure slaves are people, too."

Jethrex raised a hand in defense. "Please, Mary Katherine. Not another lecture. Let's just finish eating and go have some fun."



Mary Katherine and Jethrex arrived at the palace of Amazurn for their meeting with the queen.

The royal hall was a vast room of white marble. The queen reclined on several pillows of black satin strewn across a raised platform. Her ladies in waiting also sat on cushions lining the steps. Guards dressed in silver uniforms that hugged their voluptuous curves stood in each corner of the room. Twenty members of the queen's harem, all young, strapping men with perfectly developed bodies, knelt along one wall. Mary Katherine cast an approving glance in their direction. Since the queen had a preference for virile men, all members of her harem possessed marvelously hairy chests. Perhaps it was a remnant of her years in old Ireland, but Mary appreciated the rough look as well, while she knew Jethrex liked slimmer models with hairless bodies.

"My lovely pilots!" Queen Pussyanna called, urging Mary and Jethrex forward. "Approach. Don't be shy. Sit. Have some food and wine."

Jethrex bowed deeply. "If you please, your majesty, we would like to leave as quickly as possible. A slight meteor storm was detected and it might delay our trip to Tauroth."

"We don't want anything to hold up the wedding," Mary added.

"Well, I do!" Princess Twateeny strode into the room and approached the queen, her high-heeled shoes clicking on the marble floor. Like her mother, the princess was tall and blond with an attractive face, a splendid belly, and rounded breasts. "I don't want to marry a Taurothish pig, Mother!"

"You must do your duty, child. Don't concern yourself. Once the marriage is over, you may send him anywhere you like."

"To hell, if I could."

"Now, child, you don't even know what this man will be like."

"He's Taurothish, Mother."

"I know, but I told King Gladpole the sort of man you like and asked him to choose accordingly from among his many sons."

"But I've seen holographic pics of his sons. They're all as big, hairy and stupid as he is!"

"I didn't know you can tell someone is stupid by a holographic pic," Mary whispered to Jethrex.

"Did you say something, pilot?" the princess demanded.

Jethrex elbowed Mary hard in the ribs while smiling sweetly to the princess. "She said we must leave at once if we're to miss the storm, your majesties."

"Very well. You are dismissed. And remember, be careful with him. I want him in perfect condition for my daughter."

"Mother, I don't want to marry the Taurothish man. I don't want to! I don't want to!" the princess wailed, stamping her feet like spoiled child.

"I almost feel sorry for the poor bastard who's getting stuck with her," Mary whispered.

"Will you be quiet before you get us thrown in jail for treason?"