But nothing happened.
Frowning, Terra tried again. And again and again, but somehow, though she could see the door, she couldn’t touch it. It was like an image projected on the wall that looked extremely realistic but wasn’t real.
“What am I doing wrong?” she muttered, slapping at the door in frustration. “Come on! Come—”
But the words died on her lips, for where her hand had touched the door, words were beginning to appear in glowing golden script.
“To open this door
It takes all Four
All must be whole
Including the Soul,” Terra read aloud in a low voice.
“I…I think that means I must be the one to open it, my Lady.”
The weak, halting voice from behind her made Terra spin around. Though V’rone and Rive were just standing there, staring vacantly into space, she saw that Tem was looking at her with lucid eyes.
“Tem?” she exclaimed, rushing over to him. “Tem, are you all right? I thought I was the only one the Drops didn’t affect!”
“I…I think so.” He blinked and shrugged his shoulders, like a man trying to rouse himself from a daydream. “My mind feels a little fuzzy around the edges but I think I’m all right, my Lady. The Drops didn’t affect me either—or at least, not as much as my colony-mates.” He looked at V’rone and Rive uncertainly.
“They do seem to be out for the count,” Terra murmured.
She stepped in front of Rive and snapped her fingers in his face.
“Hello? Hey, Rive—are you in there?”
No answer, only a slow blink, and Rive kept on staring straight ahead.
The same action didn’t even draw a blink from V’rone. He was clearly far gone—probably due to the double dose of Peace Drops he’d received.
“All right, well, never mind about that,” Terra said at last. “We’re wasting time. Tem, open the door and we’ll get them through it to the next world. Hopefully the Drops will wear off there.”
“Yes, my Lady.”
Tem went to the glowing blue door but though he was able to grasp the knob at least, it wouldn’t budge, no matter how hard he tried to turn it.
“Ugh!” he grunted in effort and Terra could see his biceps bunching impressively as he tried with both hands to twist the knob, but nothing happened.
At last, he stood back, panting.
“I’m sorry, my Lady…” He looked back at Terra. “I’ve failed you and my colony.”
“No, don’t think that way!” Terra exclaimed. “This isn’t your fault, Tem. There must be a way to open it, we’re just not getting it.”
“You could be right,” Tem said thoughtfully. “Look—read the writing on the door again. It says ‘All must be whole.’ And I’m afraid Rive and V’rone couldn’t be considered wholly here right now.”
“Why not, though?” Terra asked, feeling frustrated. “Why was it that the Drops didn’t affect you or me but they turned Rive and V’rone into zombies? How is it that you and I are immune but they aren’t?”
Tem frowned, his forehead creased in concentration and his feathery blue antennae waving thoughtfully.
“You know, my Lady,” he said at last, “I don’t think I am immune, any more than Rive or V’rone are. I think you are the only one who is immune to the Peace Drops.”
“What? But how can that be?” Terra demanded, running a hand through her hair.
“I think you gave me some of your immunity when you allowed me a taste of your honey,” Tem continued. “The reason I retained my emotions while Rive and V’rone lost theirs is because I was privileged to kiss your pussy when we were paying obeisance to you at our first meeting with Mistress Bodikin. They only got to suck your nipples.”
For a moment, Terra just stared at him.
“Seriously?” she said at last. “Tem, I really don’t think—”
“It’s true!” He was looking at her earnestly. “The Queen may heal her colony or pass certain immunities to them with her honey. That’s how it has always been with my people.” He spread his hands. “This is your colony and only you can heal us—heal them, my Lady.”
Terra rubbed her temples.
“Tem,” she said at last. “Are you actually suggesting that I, er, feed my ‘honey’ to V’rone and Rive to get them to ‘wake up’ so we can all get the hell out of here?”
“That’s exactly what I’m saying.” Tem nodded eagerly. “Tell them to kneel, my Lady, so you can press your pussy to their mouths and let them taste you.”
It sounded crazy but Terra didn’t have any better ideas.
“Hey, Rive…” She tapped the huge green Monstrum on one broad shoulder. “Kneel down,” she commanded. “Come on—on your knees, Rive.”
The Brain of the colony shuddered for a moment, then slowly, fell to his knees.
“There—you see?” Tem exclaimed triumphantly, when she had gotten V’rone to kneel too. “Now you can reach them both.”
“But this feels so weird!” Terra protested, looking at the two kneeling Monstrum. “I can’t just…shove myself in their faces! And besides, after everything we just went through, I don’t have any, uh, honey to spare, if you know what I mean,” she added. “There’s just something about being mind-molested by a giant eye and getting what feels like acid squirted right in your eyeballs that dries a girl right up.”