Back to the cell

Their surroundings shifted again, this time returning them to the cell. They were still naked, but they were on the low hard bed; Pike's uniform and a silvery gown like those the zookeepers wore lay crumpled to the side. He still held Vina in his arms. He could tell that the sex was not an illusion unless they left him with the illusion that his dick was wet.

"Thank you, Captain. I really enjoyed that," she whispered to him, kissing his cheek. "You were amazing. Just like I dreamed you would be."

"Why are you here?" he asked, still trying to figure out if she was real or illusion.

"To please you."

"But why? Are you real?" he asked again.

"As I said before, as real as you wish. I can be anything you wish," Vina replied.

"So they can see how their specimen performs? They want to see how I react, is that it?" Pike was perturbed. He didn't like that he had given into his lust. He didn't like that the aliens would be watching either.

"Don't you have a dream, something you've always wanted very badly?"

"Or do they do more than just watch me? Do they feel with me, too?" he asked.

"You can have whatever dream you want. I can become anything, be with any woman you've ever imagined. You can have anything you want in the whole universe. Let me please you," she said, pulling him tightly to her, rubbing his chest.

"Yes. Yes, you can please me. You can tell me about them. Is there any way I can keep them from probing my mind, from using my thoughts against me? Does that frighten you? Does that mean there is a way?"

"You're a fool. Perhaps if you asked me some questions, I could answer," she said.

"How far can they control my mind?" Pike asked.

"If I tell you, then will you pick some dream you've had and let me live it with you?" she asked alluringly.

"Perhaps," he said, smiling at her. Then he got serious again.

"They can't actually make you do anything you don't want to do," she said getting closer in his arms. She breathed in the smell of him. It was intoxicating.

"But they try to trick me with their illusions," Pike said.

"And, they can punish you when you're not co-operative. You'll find out about that," Vina replied.

"Did they ever live on the surface of this planet? Why did they go underground?" Pike thought about the surface. It wasn't very livable.

The young woman said, "War, thousands of centuries ago."

"That's why it's so barren up there?" Pike asked.

Vina explained, "The planet's only now becoming able to support life again. So the Talosians who came underground found life to be limited here and they concentrated on developing their mental power. But they found it's a trap. Like a narcotic. Because when dreams become more important than reality, you give up travel, building, creating. You even forget how to repair the machines left behind by your ancestors. You just sit, living and reliving other lives left behind in the thought record."

"Or sit probing minds of zoo specimens like me," Pike said. He didn't like being manipulated for their entertainment.

"You're better than a theatre to them. They create the illusion for you, they watch you react, feel your emotions. They have a whole collection of specimens, descendants of life brought back long ago from all over this part of the galaxy," Vina said.

"Which means they had to have more than one of each animal," Pike said. "They'll need a pair of humans too. Where do they get intend to get the human woman?"

"You said that if I answered questions," Vina said, cuddling in closer and kissing him. "Pick a fantasy you've had. Anything. Explore the possibilities."

Pike looked at Vina. She seemed eager to explore his fantasies. She looked at him with caring eyes. He admitted to himself that she was very attractive, and having sex with her had been the release he needed. What harm was there in some much-needed relaxation. He had said so in his last log entry. R and R.