Becoming Kalanri, Part 1: Diplomatic Exchange (Patreon)

An Anonymous Commission

Alan and Marcus are young men selected to become diplomatic emissaries to the kalanri, an beautiful, blue-skinned, all-female race of aliens. However, they soon find that the kalanri’s idea of ‘cementing relations’ involves literally becoming members of their species, and more than that, becoming pregnant with their young!

Part 2 

Part 3 

Epilogue (Patreon Exclusive)

Part One: Diplomatic Exchange

It was perhaps the most important posting in human history: a diplomatic exchange between the people of Earth and the alien race known as the Kalanri. The United Nations Government had been in contact with the Kalanri for well over five decades, and brief messages and exchange of data had taken place, but the powerful alien civilisation had otherwise maintained its borders. They were not harsh; human space vessels were simply tractored away if they wandered too close to Kalanri space, and Earth had no illusions about being able to challenge this; the Kalanri had been part of the galactic community for centuries, and there were still some spacefaring communities they did not engage in diplomatic relations with, such as the Vultar, or the Hranians. Which made it all the more surprising and wonderful when a message came by way of an unexpected Kalanri envoy, stating that the advanced civilisation was willing to begin opening diplomatic channels with two select envoys.

The excitement could not be contained, and information quickly leaked across Earth and her colonies. The Kalanri had been a subject of fascination ever since they had first been discovered, though as it turned out, the aliens had known about Earth and its people far longer. Whereas other species in the galaxy were utterly distinct from humanity - the carbon-breathing spider-people of Janris, for instance, or the gaseous neutral network of Carval 9 - humanity’s brief sightings of the Kalanri species excited them: just like humanity, they were bipedal, possessing similar body structures and facial features. They breathed a similar oxygenated atmosphere, and based on several sightings of Kalanri in other worlds that were more friendly to humanity, they seemed to experience pregnancy in a similar manner.

All of this would have garnered an interest enough, but there was perhaps an even more significant factor that drove human fascination with the Kalanri, one that had many a science-fiction nerd, comicbook geek, and starry-eyed single man captivated with wonder, and more than a little lust.

The Kalanri were a monogendered race. Specifically, an all-female race of ‘humanoids’, each one appearing like a more realistic ‘alien space babe’ from classic sci-fi serials. Their skin was generally blue, though it also ranged to violet, to deep purple hues, and even some turquoise-green members had been spotted. Regardless, it seemed almost each member was impossibly beautiful, with full lips, almond eyes, rounded hips, and tall figures; most were roughly six or more feet in height. Unlike humans, they did not have hair, but instead had semi-flexible tentacles of flesh upon their head that writhed slowly, ranging from half a dozen stubby ridges to greater numbers that hung down to the top of their necks. Their eyes were enchantingly a light violet with dark pupils. And each moved with a sensual grace, like elves from the stars.

No wonder they had captured the imagination of the public, and even that of Earth’s greatest explorers, diplomats, and officials. So to know that the Kalanri was finally considering humanity worthy of contact was no small thing, especially to Marcus Ingram and Allen Pickett, who had been selected as the two envoys for what could well be the human race’s most important mission. The two men had volunteered among many others, and their fellow astronauts and political figures and other competition joked about “seeing how beautiful a Kalanri is up close” or “just how flexible those tentacles are.” Alan and Marcus had joined in those jokes, but always restrained themselves respectfully, knowing they were likely recorded. For Alan, it was a point of professional pride. For Marcus, it was playing the long game; deep down he wanted more than anything to be the first human to fuck a Kalanri, and tell others what it had been like. Regardless, their bets paid off; they were seen as possessing the sensitivity necessary to lead the mission, a true honour. Though of course, there were other criteria they fit that they were not made privy to just yet.

Alan bid farewell to his girlfriend Gracey, the two tearful, knowing he would be gone on a minimum two year mission. Marcus, instead, made one final booty call before he was set to go. The two men, alike in skill but different in temperament and interest, thus made their way to Union, the ship that would take them to the starbase Alanti where the diplomatic exchange was to take place.

Humanity cheered them on as they ascended to the skies.

***

“So, what do you think they will be like?” Marcus asked. The tall man was the tougher of the two, being formerly a trained astronaut. He was thirty years old, and he had black hair and blue eyes, and a powerful square jaw. On the voyage to Alanti he had made sure to keep his fitness regime despite the zero-G, as well as reading up on what little was known about the Kalanri and their ways.

“I imagine we’ll find out,” Alan said, adjusting his glasses. They were irritating in zero-G, but he could barely see without them.  “But every reading suggests we shall have to be respectful and poised in our interactions, and demonstrate a cultural finesse worthy of their attention.”

A trained diplomat following in his father’s footsteps, he was the younger of the two, being only twenty seven. His lithe frame and spiky blonde hair that he could never get under control made him appear a little frantic, but all who knew him understood that he kept a cool head in even the most unexpected circumstances.

Marcus chuckled, looking up from his E-Pad. “I’ve read the same file, buddy. I’m talking about what they are actually like. You know, beneath the stuffy exteriors. You can’t tell me you aren’t just a little bit interested in those hot space babes?”

It irritated Alan that a man as crass as Marcus had been chosen for the mission, particularly since he had no actual diplomatic experience at all. He was undeniably intelligent, but why had he been chosen?

“I would hope you won’t make comments like that in hearing range of the Kalanri.”

“Oh please, I’m not stupid, Alan. I know how to play my role. But don’t tell me you haven’t thought a little about some interspecies . . . relations?”

Alan blushed, returning to his E-Pad. “I won’t deny they are . . . elegant. Beautiful, even. But they are also vastly more intelligent than us, so please don’t make a fool of humanity.”

“Hey man, humanity is horny. They’re going to learn that somehow.”

Alan sighed.

***

“The Kalanri were the ones to select us?” Alan asked in bewilderment.

They had arrived at Alanti station, and were just a day from the arrival of the Kalanri shuttle. And both men had been hit by shocking news from their direct superior; Ambassador Cleary, a dark-skinned woman in her 40s whose hair was as tightly braided as her demeanour.

“They were. They selected you personally.”

“Hmm,” Marcus said, and Alan noticed he pointedly said nothing further, though the fit athlete smirked briefly.

“Do you have any idea why?” Alan asked.

Cleary crossed her arms. “Just a few. We were given a set of criteria to draw from, eliminating many of the more highly qualified candidates we had. The UN Security Board was in chaos over that. The Kalanri expected the following of the human envoys:

“One, that they be healthy males.

“Two, that they be young - between the Earth ages of twenty to thirty. You just made it in Marcus.

“Three, that they both held a pre-existing interest in Kalanri culture.

“Four, that they be childless.

“Five, that they be, and I quote, ‘of prime breeding ages.’”

Alan couldn’t help but notice Marcus grin a little wider, though the shock was evident in his eyes also.

“Why would they need to know that?”

The Ambassador’s eyebrow raised. “Go enjoy your last human comforts gentleman. I can only hope the Kalanri offer the same level of comfort we do.”

As the two chosen envoys walked away, Alan was increasingly confused and fascinated. As strange as the conditions were, he was incredibly excited by the fact that the Kalanri had actually selected him. Him!

He pushed from that thought as Marcus reached a powerful arm around his shoulder.

“Man, when I am right, I am right, buddy. Interplanetary relations!”

Alan rolled his eyes at his crass companion, but even he couldn’t help but imagine what it would be like to have one of their gorgeous bodies against his.

***

The Kalanri shuttle had arrived, and its advanced technology was evident. It was a purple-pink in colour, and seemed to be composed of softly-glowing crystals that curved in architecturally beautiful fashions. Alan and Marcus both watched in awe alongside Ambassador Cleary as it landed. An organised arrangement of UN officials and dignitaries held their breath. The red carpet had quite literally been rolled out for their guests.

“Wow,” the normally grumpy ambassador managed.

An invisible seam dilated open on the vessel, and four Kalanri descended down its platform elegantly. Each was dressed in ceremonial robes that clung tightly to their forms; deep reds and greens were their preferred colours. Each of them were beautiful, but the two in front appeared quite different to the two behind. The Kalanri women at the head of the procession were noticeably taller than their counterparts, and their skin had brighter hues. Their clothing was a little more skimpy; their sides of their hips were exposed by the fabric, and a tantalising hint of blue cleavage rose from their low-cut uniforms, appearing to contain what were at the very least ripe pairs of DD-cup breasts. Their tentacles reached their shoulders, writhing slowly and somehow sensually.

The Kalanri behind them were paler in colour, and were not as curvy as the women in front. They were daintier, more fragile, and their clothing covered more of their forms, though the entirety of their arms were exposed, and there was still the barest hint of cleavage from their slight breasts. They were more willowy, and their eyes seemed more ordinary. More human, even. Their body language was more uncertain, perhaps even nervous, compared to the strident figures ahead of them. The party moved ahead, and met with the delegation. The Kalanri bowed deeply, as did the human delegation. Cleary exchanged several words with the two Kalanri in front, and there was an exchange of small gifts. Finally, the two men who were to be the aliens’ guests for the next two years were called over.

“Marcus Ingram, Allen Pickett, this is Avara and Tevine,” she said, gesturing to the two curvier Kalanri women. Avara was the slightly bustier of the two, with bright blue skin, and was more formal. Tevine grinned as she took their hands in the human fashion, though she clasped her other hand on top, pressing into their skin in a manner that must have been cultural. She had softer purple skin.

“We are most honoured to meet you both,” Alan said.

“Yes, we are exceedingly grateful for the opportunities you bestow upon us,” Marcus said. Alan was impressed at the man’s ability. He was smarter than he seemed, even if he was a bit of an alpha-male. The Kalanri were obviously charmed, as they both smiled, Avara quite prominently, shedding a bit of formality.

“We are honoured also, for this exchange.” She gestured to the two women behind her. “This is Nis’na,” she said, indicating to the slightly turquoise woman with the most slender figure, “and this is Sanalga. They are both looking forward to seeing your Earth, and forming the diplomatic connections we hold so dear.”

The two young women gently bowed. Alan’s eyebrows raised. He had no idea that this was to be a people exchange, and judging from Cleary’s brief cough, neither did she. But this had to go smoothly, and in short time the parties were mingling and talking pleasantries. Several Kalanri aides - advanced robotic entities constructed of sleek, seamless metal - shuttled the mens’ luggage onto the shuttle. It became clear after only twenty minutes of meeting that the aliens were keen to depart and take their human cargo with them. Cleary approached one final time.

“This is all unexpected, but we’re dealing with it. I’ll keep Nis’na and Sanalga close by me and see they’re taken care of. You two get going, and make sure Earth is presented well, just like I apparently have to do now.”

She returned to the two demure, nervous aliens now surrounded by humans. Avara and Tevine gestured for the men to follow them up the ramp to their ship, and Marcus easily did so. Alan took one last look of the station, this last legacy of Earth he’d see for some time, and then entered the ship.

They were each gestured to comfortable couches in the pink-and-purple crystal interior of the ship. The surfaces were sleek and modern, and the furniture had a sponge-like quality that seemed to mould itself around their forms for maximum comfort. Avara and Tevine took seats opposite them, and made no gesture to put on seat belts. In fact, none were available. Before Alan could figure out what to do, the ship took off; several large windows dilated to reveal the brilliance of the galaxy, but it felt no different than being in a softly ambulating aircar. They were travelling at lightspeed, and he felt perfectly fine. He rested back on the couch, admiring the women before him.

Now that he had a better look at them, he could tell some further differences. Avara definitely was the curvier of the two; she wore slightly less clothing, especially now that she had removed her elegant robe. She wore a light pink one piece that looped around the back of her neck, leaving her arms and shoulders bare, and part of her back also. Her breasts were easily E-cups, if not F-cups, and there were held in by two large strips of the one piece’s fabric, leaving a ‘boob window’ of sorts that provided a mouth-wateringly erotic view of her cleavage. The sides of her blue breasts bulged out of the open sides of the costume. The one-piece exposed her wonderfully-wide hips, and a sort of dangling half-cape fell from behind to behind her knees, currently tucked beneath her as she sat. She wore long thigh-high boots that ended in high heels, not dissimilar to earth fashion. Her tentacle ‘hair’ fell around her shoulders, the longer ones almost half the length of her back.

Tevine on the other hand seemed less developed, though still incredibly sexy. She also wore a one piece beneath her robe, green in colour, but her breasts were slightly more covered up, having one large fabric wrapping around them, and her hips were also covered. Her chest, while impressive, were closer to D or Double-D cups, and her tentacle hair fell to the top of her neck. She had an easy manner, less poised, and her skin was a duller shade of purple. Alan also noticed that both women’s eyes were almost devoid of pupils, instead being bright purple, Avara’s especially. It was difficult not to appreciate their beauty as they travelled. Visions of having sex with these gorgeous entities swam in both men’s minds, but Alan knew it would be an impossibility, and an outright diplomatic incident if it occurred.

“So, if I may ask, what is the first order of business for us when we arrive on your homeworld?” Marcus asked, as he relaxed into one of their spongy couches.

Avara was reserved and poised in her response.

“You shall be given a tour of the capital, Palantea. You shall be shown your accommodations, and given new clothing to wear. You will meet with several of our high matriarchs. And then you shall be mated.”

Both mens’ jaws briefly dropped.

“I’m sorry,” Alan said, “can you explain to me what you mean by mated?”

Avara breathed gently, and her impressive chest rose and fell visibly. She did indeed look deeply sexy, in a mature way.

It was then that Tevine chimed in. “Yes, you’re going to make ‘alien babies’ with the ‘sexy blue alien space babes.’ Is that not how you Earthlings say it?”

***

“Ohhh . . . mhhhhm . . . ahhhh!”

Marcus buried his face in Tevine’s generous breasts, sucking at her dark blue nipples as he felt at her curvaceous hips and ass. The beautiful alien woman cooed and moaned beneath him, her purple legs entangling his, tentacle hair wriggling with pleasure as he lined his tip up against her moist opening.

“Would you like to go all the way?” he said, incredibly turned on by her hot alien body. It was like a dream come true, and it was not one that disappointed.

“Mmhhhm, yes Earth-man Marcus,” Tevine replied, her sultry voice matching her lustful need. She ran a green-blue finger down his form, ending at his erect penis, and helped guide him in. “It is important that you understand all aspects of being Kalanri. For the mission.”

He slid inside of her, and he grunted with pleasure as her tight passage accepted him, slick and perfect.

“That mission . . . ah . . . yes, god the mission feels good!”

Her alien hands - four fingered, one less digit that humans - raked his back as he continued to thrust. Unlike her partner, Tevine was utterly enthusiastic in the sexual act, and clearly enjoyed the feeling of a human within her; her species must have evolved this pleasure act as a form of mutual play or even due to meeting other alien species.

Alan was in the same room, entangled with the bustier, curvier, but colder Avara. The younger man was less experienced in the ways of women, but was certainly no virgin; he thrust into her, overwhelmed with pleasure but more than a little guilt; back home Gracey was his love, and here he was cheating on her. And yet, it was for the mission, wasn’t it?

“Don’t stop,” Avara said, cooing slightly, holding him in an almost maternal fashion.  “The diplomatic mission demands we complete this act.”

“Oh, oh God!”

He was sitting on one of their comfortable gel-like couches as she rode him, her magnificent breasts pressing into his face, demanding he suckle them. She had an almost motherly way about her; a distance yes, but also a care that made her devastatingly lovely. Her blue skin was bright, and her longer tail hair writhed and danced as he slid in and out of her. Her reactions were understated, and difficult to tell given her more opaque purple eyes, but from the sensuous way she licked her full blue lips, it was obvious she was enjoying it. She bounced her hips in time with his rhythms, the two of them gasping as they neared climax.

“Very good Alan, you are so close. You are both so close to understanding the Kalanri.”

Alan could barely respond, preoccupied with the way her tightness gripped him, milking his cock for all it was worth. His balls tensed, and he marvelled at her perfectly feminine alien form. At the last possible moment, she grabbed his hands and placed them on her large breasts, letting his fingers sink into her ample flesh. His balls released, and he felt his member moments from shooting their contents into her womb. Avana smiled calmly, hugging close and whispering in his ear.

“Accept this gift, Alan Pickett. Become Kalanri with me.”

“I will! I will! OHHH I WILL!”

And with that, he expended himself inside of her, and she moaned in rapturous pleasure alongside him, tensing like a human woman, but her pleasure somehow lasting longer and more dramatically than any of his kind. In his hearing, Marcus grunted in a masculine fashion as Tevine shrieked with more unrestrained pleasure than her counterpart, and she too made to whisper something in his ear. But then his vision was blocked, as Avana pressed her hands over his eyes.

“Hey,” Alan managed, his penis still throbbing, sending streams of his seed into her, “what - what are do -”

He was never able to finish the sentence, as everything became dark. A void. Emptiness. Nothingness. An eternal black.

Then . . .

The universe. The Big Bang. Creation. Cosmos. The dancing lights of stars mingling and churning and burning and surging and expanding and exploding and reforming and remaking and creating and forming and giving fruitful life to all things a thousand thousand thousand countless galaxies spinning endlessly out to the edges of reality, each filled with thousands of thousands of thousands of stars, all with bodies orbiting them full of life. Alan beheld the cradle of creation, the life cycle of the universe, and for a brief moment understood everything. Everything.

“My God,” he whispered, and his voice sounded odd. High. Feminine in a way that made total sense, here in perfect understanding. It was pleasure beyond anything he had ever felt or understood. For the briefest moment he regained enough consciousness to see Avara smile, her purple eyes lit up like neon and slowly fading to a satisfied stare.

“It worked,” she said.

But before he could even tell what she meant, the post-coital, post-universal bliss became all too much, and he fainted back on the couch, his voice sounding strangely feminine. Out the corner of his eye, even as things became dark once more, he was surprised to see not one but two Kalanri on the lounge across the room. Where had she come from? And where had Marcus gone?

But the thoughts fell away into unconsciousness. Both men dreamed of blue and purple hues, and the stirrings of creation and new life.

***

“You have awoken,” was the first thing both men heard, followed by: “Congratulations, humans. The diplomatic exchange worked.”

Both men stirred to consciousness, remembering the events of the previous day. It had been long and vibrant, strange and fascinating. They had been shown the beauty of Palantea, the capital city of the Kalanri homeworld, Kalen. Great crystalline spires jutted from the verdant purple forests, and the skies were light orange by day and deep hues of pink at the rising and setting of their blue sun. They had been shown vast wondrous technologies; teleportation pads, replicators, and programmable matter. But the tour did not cover everything, despite their curiosity. Avara and Tevine had been eager to get them to their quarters; the men had their duties to perform, and while Alan had initially been reluctant given his own relationship, he understood the importance of the mission. And of course, they were Kalanri. Ethereally beautiful, curvy, exotic, and - apparently - deeply in want of babymaking the old-fashioned way. Not that it was old-fashioned for their mono-gendered race.

It was a wondrous thing to recall, the best sex either man had ever had, right up until the truly mind-blowing, borderline spiritual ecstasy they experienced as their minds melded with their partners. But as both men stirred, they quickly noticed something was not quite right. Their bodies felt different. Very different.

Alien.

Marcus was the first to scream, and Alan was not far behind. The two humans were not so human anymore, and in fact were far from it; they both appeared to have somehow become members of the Kalanri race; fully alien, fully female, and fully blue.

“What - what the absolute fuck!?” exclaimed Marcus, feeling herself over. Her naked form was exquisite; she had the equivalent of B-cups breasts, the size of large peaches, upon her chest, and her skin was a dark blue colouration. Her eyes, like all Kalanri, were now purple, though her dark pupils were still obvious. She felt at her head, and groaned in dawning horror as a light smattering of fleshy tentacles undulated at her touch. They were short, barely two inches long, several sticking up and making her appear to have the alien equivalent of a pixie cut. Her hips were wide, and her rounded ass generous, but what shocked Marcus most of all was the very obvious lack between her perfect blue thighs. There, a vagina, similar to a human’s but missing a pair of labial lips, was situated. She had lost the additional digit on her hands and feet, and had somehow grown at least a foot taller.

“You’re - holy shit you’re a Kalanri,” Alan spluttered, trying to get used to her new voice, which was light and sensual. “We both are!”

Marcus looked at Alan with awe. “Alan?” Her voice was lower, but no less sultry. Alan could only nod in response, trying to process her new body.

The two managed to remember the way to turn the crystalline walls reflective, inspecting themselves over. Marcus continued to look her new self over, going into a panic. Alan was more fundamentally curious, her shock being processed in slow motion, the significance of the change dawning like the rising blue sun outside as she took her new self in.

She was unbelievably cute. Where Marcus had been given an alien body that was a curvy goddess, hers was a more petite, pretty form that seemed almost shyly demure. She had breasts that were a little smaller than B-cups, topped by sensitive blue nipples, and her form was svelte, though she noticed she was wider in the hips than Marcus’ own form. She too had become taller, roughly 6’2 in height, and her hair had likewise become a mass of roughly a dozen or more stubby flesh-tentacles, perhaps two inches at most in length. It was an utterly alien sensation to feel them move independently of her will, but then her whole new body felt alien. Alien and blue; her skin was a lighter tone compared to Marcus, more of a light sky blue.

Both of them, in fact, felt differently on a hormonal level as well. While both were utterly confounded by their changes, there was a strange tingling sensation on their skin they were not used to; a sort of sensuous default that had no human equivalent. The world seemed sharper, somehow, as if their senses were heightened; Alan and Marcus could both sense their own body’s regulation, their health and energy, and the energy both possessed was greater than what they were used to. It was difficult not to bounce on the spot.

“This is . . . holy shit this is weird,” Alan managed.

Marcus turned to her, and it was difficult to see the alpha male astronaut he had been in the curvy beauty she had become.

“No shit, Sherlock. We’ve just become an alien species. Why have they even done this? We’ve got vaginas!”

Alan had no clue, and there was a weird stirring in her stomach that made it difficult to focus. Kalanri bodies were human enough to be familiar, but she couldn’t shake the sensation that she was able to sense a strange development continuing inside of her.

“Marcus, do you feel something else?”

The blue alien beauty put a hand on her generous hip. “Shit, where to start Alan, do you mean the fact that my hair is suddenly moving or - oh!”

She breathed sharply, breasts bobbing slightly, and she rested a hand on her lower stomach. “Okay, yeah, I’ve got you. Yeah, I feel something there. That’s weird.”

Alan searched the room, trying to remove some of that burning energy she suddenly felt. Her clothes were missing; in fact, anything they could wear had been removed from the otherwise comfortable room. Kalanri beds had no sheets, and their windows were open; they didn’t have the sense of privacy that other species needed, so there was nothing to wear.

“We’ve got to figure something out, what they’re playing at,” Marcus said.

But another thought was occurring to Alan. “Marcus, what if this is what they intended for us? What if this is part of forming relationships with the Kalanri?”

Marcus turned her head, looking at Alan like she was a crazy man - a crazy alien woman. She cupped her breasts, a little embarrassed to be naked. “How could this possibly be part of ‘forming relationships? I’ve got boobs, Alan. They feel pretty fucking nice, but I don’t consider them exactly ambassadorial.”

“We’re dealing with an alien species, Marcus, think! You wanted to ‘bang an alien space babe’ as you put it, and that turned out to be right, and I couldn’t believe it! But it was clearly important to their species. This must be a result of that - a literal way of seeing through Kalanri eyes to better understand them! It’s the only thing that makes sense.”

“And you would be right.”

Marcus and Alan turned, a little unused to the way their hips naturally swayed due to their impressive wideness. The crystalline wall had dilated open, revealing Avara and Tevine, both of whom were wearing loose clothing that revealed their entire midriffs and tantalising cleavage.

“What have you done to us?” Marcus stuttered, gesturing to her naked form.

“We have begun negotiations,” Avana said imperiously. She gestured to Tevine, who brought form items of clothing. “Please, get dressed. We shall walk through the gardens, and speak to you of your two year journey with us.”

Alan and Marcus took the offered clothing, and exchanged glances. It was women’s clothing, but more than that, it was Kalanri clothing, made of a comfortable fabric neither recognised. Avara and Tevine discreetly left as they put it on, knowing better than to breach protocol and demand answers. Instead the two former men became flushed with a little embarrassment as they awkwardly placed the unusual clothing on. Though Alan did notice that they no longer blushed red with embarrassment; instead, a deep purple hue briefly rose to the surface of their arms, cheeks, and thighs. One more strange thing.

Soon, both new alien women were dressed in Kalanri fashion: Alan in a forest green sari-like outfit that bared her shoulders and navel, and Marcus in dark purple dress that split down much of the middle, connecting at the skirt and collar, leaving her cleavage and belly button open.

“This is ridiculous,” Marcus said, looking herself over. “I feel like a stripper.”

“Shh. This is how they live. This is what they wear. At least cut the comments until we find out what’s going on.”

But again, both former men were distracted by that strange stirring sensation in their bellies. The new alien women made their way out on bare foot, as was the Kalanri way. Avara and Tevine greeted them in the adjacent garden. They were on a plaza roughly ten stories high, with numerous tiers of similar purple and red forest gardens extending downwards diagonally, broken up by the gorgeous diamond crystal towers. The sky was pink as the sun drew near to setting. The native Kalanri walked ahead, hips swaying, as Marcus and Alan took in both the beauty of their surroundings, and the strangeness of their situation.

“The change has been successful,” Avara said, as they walked, “this is a good sign.”

“You intended to do this to us,” Alan said.

“Of course. Tevine and I were chosen to facilitate this change. For five decades we have been preparing our bodies to receive your genetic code, and in doing so, substantiate your own when you entered Infinity.”

Marcus scratched the strange new ‘hair’ she had developed. “Infinity . . . was that the Big Bang? All the things we saw, and felt?”

Tevine smiled earnestly. “Yes, it is the ultimate expression of beauty between Kalanri. It is most alike a sexual act in human terms, but goes beyond it. It is how we mate when intended to make children; the one who shall become mother embraces that Infinity, and reaches the Goddess’ understanding, if only for a moment.”

“Wow, yeah,” Marcus said, “some understanding.”

Alan realised something. “Wait, you said five decades you were preparing your bodies to be able to change us? That’s almost as long as humanity has known the Kalanri existed.”

“Indeed,” the maternal Avara said, “we have watched your kind longer with interest, and once you discovered us by natural trajectory, we deemed you worthy of communication. Tevine and I volunteered, as you did, to be the ones to make contact. Nis’na and Sanalga were selected from our younger generations to serve as exchange contacts on your planets.”

“Are they expected to become human?”

“Not quite, we can make others like us, but the reverse is not so. But they shall mate with a worthy being, and thus cement relations, as you have done.” Avara paused, taking in the beauty of her home planet, and smirking slightly as Marcus and Alan took it in, still bewildered. “You are wondering why we change you? It is the ultimate expression of understanding, and in our culture, the creation of new life between species through courtship and breeding is what forms foundational relationships between entire peoples.”

Something even more horrible and strange was dawning on both men, and it was Alan that realised it in full first. “Wait, so when you said we were going to make alien babies . . .”

“Yes, you shall be gestating them, as native members of the Kalanri.”

Marcus and Alan both looked to their blue stomachs, horrified.

“Then . . . we’re both pregnant?”

Tevine grinned. “I believe the common Earth response is ‘congratulations’. You have indeed proven yourselves worthy of diplomatic exchange. Your young are already growing inside you.”

“Oh fuck,” Marcus managed, looking between her breasts to her open middriff, “oh shit, oh fuck. Do you mean to tell us we’ve gotten knocked up by aliens?”

Tevine giggled, but Avara silenced her. “You have been blessed with new life. This is your duty with us for the next two years of your Earth cycle. To carry our young to fruition; it is a great blessing, and it is the reason we selected young virile males such as yourselves - those most likely to experience the greatest change, and thus, reach the deepest understanding.”

Alan could barely speak. She was pregnant. Capital ‘P’ pregnant. What would she tell Gracey? She was suddenly a blue-skinned alien woman who was going to give birth to alien young? It sounded like science-fiction movie nonsense. She began to sway on her legs, and Avara stepped forward, elegant as ever.

“By the Goddess, this came as a bigger shock to you than we anticipated. We shall take you inside.”

But it was too late. That strange stirring - a stirring of new life - in Alan’s stomach was making her entire world spin. She did the only thing she possibly could. To the shock of Tevine, and even to the normally straight-faced Avara, Alan bent over, and vomited up purple liquid on the ground.

Marcus vomited moments later.

To Be Continued . . .