Jack Of All Trades (Erotica)

The two looked at each other and something passed between them. Some subtle body language that Jack couldn’t read. They didn’t answer but lifted him to his feet instead.

“We are your escort,” the one with the fan said as she tucked it away. The other one handed him his bag. They both removed the nose filters and slipped them into a belt hidden under their gowns.

“Why am I getting an escort? It’s Earth. I’m from there. I’m just returning to speak to my employer. Why do I need an escort for that?”

The stern one scowled at him. His eyebrows rose. He’d never seen that expression on an Altarian face. He struggled to keep from smiling as it looked so cute!

The other one gestured they should walk back to where the customs area was. She answered him. “You are also the Altarian Ambassador. There has been an attempt on your life. When you leave Altaria you must be accompanied by an escort.”

“Oh!” he said, surprised. He didn’t see the harm in that. “That’s fine. Nobody mentioned that to me before.” He smiled at them but they just looked back at him. “Uh, do you have names? You know mine.”

They looked at each other once more and he swore that they were having an entire conversation before him without saying a word. The scowler spoke first.

“Bal.”

“Gee.”

“These are your names? I’ve never heard such short names on Altaria before,” he exclaimed.

Gee just nodded as they went out into the customs area again. The line was much longer now and he sighed thinking of the delay. His escorts each held a hand up to the waiting queue of people and took him directly to the front of the line. The female who replaced Marrell looked up at him in delight then saw the cool looks of the escorts and quickly processed his exit for the Gate. She smiled at Jack and showed him the symbol of the Gate he was to enter in a few minutes. He thanked her and followed his escort down the hall to the Gate.

Jack had only travelled through the Gate Network once before and that time he’d passed through three of them to get to Altaria. Today he was apparently getting special treatment of a single hop to Earth. They approached the Gate and he saw his reflection staring back at him. The surface was perfectly smooth and flat. A Tik had once told him that the original Gates had been a physically difficult ordeal to pass through for many organic species but one of the original designers had ventured to Earth and worked with scientists there to perfect it. Now passing through a Gate was effortless and left only a temporary and pleasant tingling sensation.

They walked forward right into their reflections and walked out into a well-lit terminal building on Earth. Jack felt the minor change in the gravity. His body reacted with a strange sensation of comfort. His body was home but his mind and heart were definitely back on Altaria. He looked to Bal and Gee and took comfort in their presence. He approached the customs desk which indicated ‘government officials only’ above it. Nice for the local government to vote in a practice to expedite travel for themselves. Not that he was complaining now at the front of the line. The bored agent waved him forward.

“Name, Department, and reason for your visit,” the man droned then looked up. “Excuse me, you two need to move to one of the ‘Alien Visitor’ agents.”

“Actually, they’re with me,” Jack said with a smile.

“And you are?” the man said belligerently.

Jack put his hand on the biometric reader. “I’m Jack Danner. Altarian Trade Representative for Earth. I’m also the Altarian Ambassador and as such these two are my escort. Apparently ambassadors are not allowed to travel unescorted.”

The agent tapped his screen and read the result from the biometric scan. He looked up at Jack suspiciously. “What is the purpose of your visit?”

“I was recalled by my boss at the Trade Commission headquarters.” he answered.

“These two are not authorized to travel beyond the terminal,” the agent said flatly.

“Well then, I guess I’ll just go back to Altaria and you can inform the Head of the Earth Trade Commission why I was turned away. Thanks!” He made to walk back to the Gate and the two Altarians marched right with him.

“Wait!” the agent shouted behind Jack. He stopped and looked back at the agent who was waving at him to return. He approached the desk again with both escorts at his sides.

“Ambassador is the same as Diplomat right? I can authorize their entry if you accept responsibility for them under your Diplomatic authority,” the man grumbled.

Jack looked at Gee who nodded.

“That sounds fine,” Jack smiled and signed the screen where the agent indicated. Two small plastic bands came out of a slot on the agent’s desk.

“They have to wear these at all times as they are your responsibility,” the agent growled.

“Trackers?” Jack asked and the agent froze. Then he nodded slightly.

Jack handed each of his escorts one of the bands. They tucked them into their belts.

“They have to wear them!” the agent growled.

“The bands are active are they not? They are on their persons so they can be found. These females wear no ornamentation. They cannot. This is something else I will take responsibility for,” Jack said.

The agent just scowled then pointed to the exit. Jack smiled and bowed slightly before he left. The three made it out to the transportation station and moved to the limo area. They didn’t have to wait long before they were in the back of a comfortable automated vehicle. Jack let it read his biometric identity then gave the name of the Trade Commission headquarters and confirmed the location when the screen displayed the match. The limo pulled away from the curb on its gravity repulsion technology and smoothly sped towards the city on the gravity slipping field.

In the early days of the Gate Network on Earth, the limo’s technology was imported from one of the visiting alien races. It destroyed Earth’s automotive industry and all of its support industries and put many humans out of work. Now he enjoyed its comforts. He shook his head. It hadn’t been all bad news. The demise of the automotive industry had some very positive impacts on the environment of the planet. Not that those out of work cared at the time.

Jack pulled himself out of his funk and looked at the two Altarians who were busy taking in the scenery.

“I’m sorry if I overstepped my bounds when I spoke for you with the customs agent back there,” Jack said.

Gee looked at him. “No. You defused the situation quite well. We have been informed that we must have these bands but you have identified them as trackers and have prevented them from being attached to us. This is very good.”

Bal nodded at him. She wasn’t smiling but at least the scowl was no longer in place.

He nodded to the two females and they returned their attention to the view. Then he noted that they were watching the vehicles passing and following. They weren’t sightseeing at all. He felt guilty for assuming that. These were professionals.

Soon they were in front of the imposing building Jack had entered so many months ago hoping beyond hope for a job. At that time he had no way of knowing his life would change so dramatically. Bal exited first then Jack and finally Gee. There were some gardens in front of the building and both Bal and Gee immediately stepped in front of Jack then froze.

“What’s wrong?” he asked.

“Something in the flowers! Erratic movement and bright colors!” Gee said tersely.

Jack looked as Bal prepared to grab him and run.This text is property of Nô/velD/rama.Org.

“Butterflies.”

“What?” Gee said.

“The brightly colored flittering things by the garden are butterflies. Insects that pollinate flowers. You couldn’t find a less threatening creature on Earth than a butterfly.” Jack said. “They didn’t brief you at all on Earth did they?”

Gee and Bal looked embarrassed and Bal’s scowl returned.

“We’re not likely to meet any creatures that pose a threat to us. Aside from Humans,” Jack said and set off through the garden towards the building’s entrance.

As he passed through the flowers a butterfly landed on his shoulder and Bal twitched. Then a second landed and a third. By the time he got to the door at least a dozen of the beautiful creatures were catching a ride. He stopped, looked down at the slowly flapping butterflies and grinned at the two Altarians.

“I have no idea why they are so attracted to my shirt but we better get them off before I go inside.” He said, lifting one of the creatures up as it clung to his finger. Gee looked closer and almost smiled. He swore her black eyes twinkled as they studied the bright shimmering wings. She pulled out the little fan device and aimed it at the butterflies. They weren’t fond of this mint scent and they all released their grip on Jack and flew off.

Jack smiled again and entered the building following Bal. They approached the security checkpoint and Jack realized the two Altarians were probably not going to be able to get through. He was about to say something when Bal walked through the metal detector with no trouble at all. He shrugged and put his bag on the conveyor and walked through the detector followed by Gee. He gathered his bag and went up the lift to the office where he’d been given the job. He recognized no one so he went to the reception desk.

“Hello, may I help you?” a pleasant looking woman sitting behind the desk asked him.

“Yes, my name is Jack Danner and I-” he began but was interrupted.

“Yes, Mr. Danner, please take a seat and I’ll let the Director know you have arrived.”

He smiled and walked over to the chairs. He didn’t tell the Altarians to sit. While it looked like they were admiring the office he knew they were working. Covering the angles. Watching for threats. He stayed out of their way though he was convinced it wasn’t necessary.

The Director arrived with two security officers standing behind him. Jack stood up and approached the man. He had only a hazy memory of him from the time he’d been here. There hadn’t been any direct involvement between them at the time. Still, this was the man who had been issuing all of the angry notices to him and he was Jack’s direct report.

“Good afternoon, Director Goodson. Jack Danner reporting as requested,” he said with a smile.

Bal and Gee were now behind him on either side keeping an eye on the two security personnel.

“Mr. Danner, my recall notice said nothing about bringing Altarians with you. What is the meaning of this?” Goodson growled.

“When I was accepted to be the Trade Representative I was also appointed to be the Altarian Ambassador and these escorts were assigned to me. The ambassador does not leave Altaria without them, so I understand. This being my first time off the planet since the appointment it came as a surprise to me as well.”

“Well you’re here as an employee of this office so they will need to remain in the reception area while we meet,” the director growled.