A Ta'Narian Christmas

Special thanks to talismania for her wonderful editing job; you're the best.

Merry Christmas, guys!

This is a copyrighted work of fiction by nomoretears00. All rights reserved.

*

Dale was just finishing up reduplicating water pistols for his young, Szin and Raiden, to use while they played at the waterfall near their house.

"Hold on Szin, it's almost done," Dale said as Szin shifted impatiently from foot to foot.

The Ta'Narians didn't have many toys that were geared strictly for play so he'd made some based on his own childhood playthings. Plus, something else was driving this. Szin didn't have any Ta'Narian characteristics except for one thing, one major thing... the womb.

Many years ago, the Ta'Narians had started a war with the reptilian planet Onfre and lost. In retaliation the Onfre had seeded Ta'Nar's atmosphere with a chemical that destroyed the female reproduction system of the Ta'Narians, leaving them unable to reproduce.

This started what the Earth termed "The Harvest." After the threat of attack and subsequent negotiations, Earth had agreed to supply Ta'Nar with a thousand young human males each year for the next five years. The collection was done by lottery. The Ta'Narians took these males and subjected them to the one process they'd discovered that allowed their species to reproduce: they genetically altered the males to grow wombs and conceive young for their Ta'Narian mates.

Dale had been taken in the last harvest by the Ta'Narian warrior and starship captain Keyno Shou. It had been a harrowing, illuminating time, one that had changed him irrevocably . . . and yet he had also changed his captors. He'd even changed Ta'Nar, he liked to think for the better.

Dale was instrumental in opening King Duran's eye, who happened to be Keyno's uncle, about how the harvest affected the young Earthlings and other species.

It was Dale who suggested the Ta'Narians ask if any Earthlings would be interested in being mates instead of forcing them, and the response had been surprisingly good. King Duran had also agreed to let the new mates decided when they were ready to be injected with Ta'Narian DNA instead of doing it right off the bat the way it had been done with Dale.

While Dale considered himself Ta'Narian, Szin looked completely human. The belief was Dale's fertilized egg split and the genetic material split, too, a sort of "magnet effect," with the human genetic material gravitating toward one fetus and the Ta'Narian genetic material gravitating toward the other. Because of this, Dale was kicking the idea around of introducing some Earth customs into their family.

Szin pulled on Dale's pants. "Almost done, just let me fill it up with water."

The idea had really come to a boil during his and Keyno's latest trip to Earth several months ago to collect the young men who wanted to be mates. While there Dale had taken the time to see his parents, who he had last seen the day he had been harvested and dragged out of his home.

Truth be known, Dale missed his parents. The time he and Keyno had spent with them hadn't been enough. Okay, call him a wuss, but damn it, he missed his mom. And this time of year, the Earth year, wasn't helping matters. Yes, he had a ppa on his com with the Earth year. There was an ache in his heart that was getting harder to ignore. Family had always meant a lot to Dale and now part of his family was millions of miles away.

With a sigh he finished filling up the water pistol and sent Szin on out.

"Raiden? I'll have yours ready in a minute," he called out to his other young.

He heard a loud growl followed by a startled meow then a crash from the living area.

"Oh come on, what now?" Dale muttered as he walked into living area.

There stood Raiden soaking wet, his pointy ears laid flat, one of the many plants in the house turned over and Szin grinning madly. It didn't take much for Dale to figure out what had happened.

"Uh huh, you were waiting to ambush Szin, weren't you?" Dale asked.

"Yeah," Raiden said, staring at the floor, trailing his toe through the dirt that had spilled from the plant.

"Well, looks like you bit off more than you could chew," Dale said, while trying not to laugh. The emotions on Raiden's face ranged from disgust to guilt. Raiden had hidden on one of the many elevations in the house, waited for his twin, then had leaped out at Szin.

And gotten the shock of his life when Szin unloaded on him with the water pistol.

Dale was blindsided by a memory of Susan hiding and jumping out to scare him. How many times had his sister done the very same thing to him? He would've paid good money to do to her what Szin just did to Raiden. God, he missed her.

"Dad? You okay?"

A light breeze ruffled Dale's hair bringing him back to the present. Their family lived in a rooftop home near a stream that ended in a waterfall. Their tree house was nearly one hundred thirty feet in the air. It was built around the upper trunk of the tree and had a porch that opened up to a large indoor space.

The inside was open and spacious with a huge variety of plants, many from other planets Dale and Keyno had traveled to. The thatched roof looked like it was part of the treetop. Keyno could land and park the flyer in a building on the ground or park off the side of the house, too. There was a force field around the house.

"Yeah. Well, good thing we're going to the waterfall, huh?" Dale said to Raiden. "Leave your brother alone and come with me into the kitchen. I'll fix up your water pistol."

"Then we'll go to the waterfall?" Raiden asked.

"Yes. Guess I'll clean up the mess you made later. Of course, if you hadn't been trying to pounce on Szin I wouldn't have a mess to clean up, now would I?"

"Sorry, dad," Raiden said, eyes downcast. Dale turned away but not before he caught Szin's smirk and Raiden's responding stuck out tongue. Shaking his head, he herded Raiden into the kitchen. Szin might look human, but he was smart.

Raiden took after the Ta'Narians with their feline features. Raiden looked like Keyno; he had the same white hair, deeply tanned skin, pointed ears, long tail and cat-like yellow eyes as Keyno. From the way he was growing he would be just as tall and muscular as Keyno. But unlike Szin, Raiden did not have a womb. Dale had once, long ago, told Keyno he reminded him of one of the big cats from Earth. And like all cats Raiden like to climb, stalk and pounce.

Szin, more often than not, was ready for him.

Szin was the second born and favored Dale. He had Dale's ash brown hair and hazel eyes, when Dale still had hazel eyes, but Szin did have a womb. Szin was smaller, weaker and much less muscular than his older twin, Raiden.

Dale had a strip of white hair near his face that matched Keyno's hair color. This came from Dale being dosed with Ta'Narian DNA. Due to the genetic mutations that enabled Dale to have children, and being double-dosed because of a disease, his eyes had changed to looked like the Ta'Narians.

"Szin," Dale called from the kitchen, "don't spray any more water in the house."

"Okay."

Dale finished Raiden's water pistol, loaded it up with water and they headed out to the waterfall. There they could spray each other to their little heart's content and maybe burn off some of that endless energy.

"You can jump off some of the lower rocks at the waterfall but don't go too high up," Dale said.

Dale leaned back against a rock, his hands behind his head as he watched the twins play. The sun shone down, lulling him, and his mind drifted, thoughts turning to memories of the past. He and Chad had spent several hot, lazy days at the lake they lived by, swimming and fishing. Dale stared at the waterfall, not seeing it.

In its place was Chad fighting with the old tent they used when they went camping. Dale's mom always baked brownies for them before they left. God, what he wouldn't give for just one of those brownies or one of those she fixed at Christmas, with a pecan in the middle. Dale rested his head against the tree... Christmas was his favorite time of the Earth year.

"Dad looks comfortable," Raiden whispered to Szin.

Szin grinned. "But hot."

"Think we should cool him off," Raiden said. "You go around to the left, and be quiet, okay."

Next thing Dale knew he was being blasted on both sides.

"Oh shi—" Dale jerked as the cool water hit his warm skin, barely stopping the word he had been about to say. "You little buggers! Turned your water pistols on me, will you? Now you're in for it."

Raiden and Szin splashed off, both laughing as Dale jumped in the water, chasing after them. Dale managed to catch Szin and threw him up in the air, letting him land in the water. Unfortunately Raiden had climbed up onto one of the rocks and Dale didn't have the cat-like ability to go after him.

Later Keyno showed up and joined in the fun.

"Oh yeah, now you two are in for it," Dale said as he splashed after Raiden. "Get'em Keyno."

Keyno leaped into the water, a water rifle in his hands.

"Hey... Oh man, no," Dale ducked as Keyno sprayed him, Szin helping. Raiden was busily spraying Keyno.

Talk about outmanned and outgunned.

* * * *

"Dale, what's the matter?"

Dale stifled the sigh that threatened to break loose. Szin and Raiden were playing in the shallow part of the pool, splashing each other. Keyno and Dale were in the shade resting against a large, fern-like tree, drying off.

Most of Ta'Nar was covered in what on Earth would be called a tropical rain forest. Of course there were industrialized cities and a palace for the king, but the Ta'Narians took much better care of their planet than the Earthlings did.

"Nothing's wrong. Why do you keep asking me that?"

"You've been quiet since we returned. Even Chad has commented about it," Keyno said.

"You do realize listening to anything Chad says is the surest path to insanity, right?"

Keyno brushed a stand of hair out of Dale's face. "My point is he's noticed something's wrong."

"Keyno, there is nothing wrong," Dale said. "I guess I'm just tired. The trip back was long, keeping up with two young is hard, and okay yeah, I do miss my parents some . . . but nothing is wrong. I promise."

"Maybe you're going into estrus again," Keyno teased.

Estrus was the physiological state during which mates could be fertilized. It was a long and arduous cycle that involved hours and hours of sex. To say Dale had been concerned about his ability to walk once the cycle was over had been an understatement and a standing joke among their friends.

"Oh hell, it isn't time yet, you fiend," Dale said as he reared back from him, "so bite your tongue."

"Hmm, think I'd rather bite yours instead, my chosen."

Keyno leaned over and kissed his mate. The soft purrs started before his lips even touched Dale's. Keyno's bonding scent, a sweet smell of cloves, drifted up from him. A simple brush of lips quickly turned into heat and aggression as he deepened the kiss, his tongue dueling with Dale's. His hand slipped around the back of Dale's neck, holding him close.

Dale raised his hand, his fingers caressing Keyno's jaw. Keyno's long white hair writhed on his back, wanting to touch Dale. Keyno released him and Dale tilted his head back, baring his neck. Keyno rubbed his cheek against Dale's throat, scent-marking him, as a strand of his hair wrapped around Dale's wrist.

Keyno pulled him closer, his other hand pressing into the small of Dale's back, urging him nearer. Dale moaned, his head thrown back as Keyno nibbled at his throat. Just a simple touch from his mate had him panting for air, his body inflamed, dick hard as steel. He was ready to crawl in Keyno's lap when their young reminded them where they were at.

"Szin..." Raiden hissed as his younger brother yanked his tail. "Dabba!"

The Ta'Narian language didn't have a word for "dad". Dabba meant "parent" but Dale was teaching both of their young to call him dad and Keyno dabba.

"Now what?" Keyno rested his forehead against Dale's.

"Duty calls," Dale laughed breathlessly.

"There's always tonight," Keyno said as he stood up, the promise clear in his eyes. "I'll handle it, you just take a break."

"Much appreciated."

"Szin," Keyno waded into the water where the young were getting ready to tie into it. "Do not pull his tail like that, it hurts. Raiden? What did you do to Szin? And don't shake your head at me, young, you did something..."

Dale leaned back and closed his eyes, letting Keyno deal with it. He grinned as he heard squeals, giggles and loud meows coming from the water. Keyno might just find himself overwhelmed by the two, even if he was a dangerous Ta'Narian warrior. Dale drifted off to sleep listening to the three males he loved the most play fighting in the water.

* * * *

"Dale, wake up."

"Hmm?"

"Think it's time to go. They're hungry."

Dale yawned and stretched. "Gotcha."

Keyno held both young. Szin was resting his head on Keyno's shoulder and Raiden was patting Szin's back. The twins were closely connected, had been since before birth. The fact that they could both communicate with Dale while still in the womb had saved Chad and his young's life.

Once everyone believed Dale about his baby-centered premonitions, the ability to communicate while still in the womb was put down as a possible side-effect of his being double-dosed, just one of many. They had told Dale he bore two young, something that was so very rare on Ta'Nar it was almost unheard of, and that Szin would have problems at birth.

Even before they were born, Raiden had been adamant Szin be kept right next to him... or Szin would die. Even now Dale was pretty sure they could communicate with each other without words.

"If you'll fix them a snack, I'll get the drinks," Dale said as they walked in the kitchen.

"Okay," Keyno said. He set Raiden and Szin down, then programmed the reduplicator.

They got the twins fed. Raiden could barely hold his eyes open, his head nodding while he ate. Then Szin would elbow him making Raiden snap awake. He'd growl at Szin who just laughed. Dale suddenly saw Susan sitting at the dinner table holding a Popsicle, her head bobbing as she drifted off to sleep. It was Christmas night and they had been up since the crack of dawn.

Unable to resist, Dale had shrieked in her ear, causing her to jerk and hit their dad upside the head with the sticky mess. Their dad had knocked over his drink. Susan was crying, his dad was muttering and his mom was giving him the death glare. Boy had he gotten in trouble for that. But it sure had been funny watching Susan jump like a scalded cat.

"Dale?"

Dale frowned as he pushed the memory away. "Uh, yeah, let me finish cleaning up in here and I'll be on."

Dale hurried into the twin's room just as Keyno got the young down for a nap. Since Dale had napped at the waterfall, Keyno suggested they spend some time sparring in the room they had set up for that. After giving birth, Dale had returned to his pre-pregnancy weight but hadn't been working out. Life had just been too hectic.

Dale had earned a black belt in Karate back before Keyno had chosen him to be harvested. He had been teaching Dale to use the hast, which was a lot like the nunchakus Dale favored, and he had learned a lot since Keyno was a Champion with the hast. Dale changed into an old shirt and shorts.

"So, do you remember the lesson I taught you on my starship?" Keyno asked as they circled each other.

Dale grinned, remembering how that lesson had ended. "Yeah, never underestimate my sneaky, underhanded opp—"

Keyno came at him legs and hast flying.

"Damn it, Keyno," Dale said as he went into defense mode.

"Talking can be a distraction," Keyno smirked as he backed Dale across the mat.

Dale shut up and concentrated on seeing if he could read Keyno's next move. For twenty minutes they sparred... well, Keyno sparred; Dale spent ten of those twenty minutes picking himself off the damn mat. Finally he had enough and laid there, panting, while Keyno stood over him.

"I give," Dale gasped.

Keyno lowered his body over Dale's, straddling his hips. "Say it the correct way."

"Oh for god's sake, okay fine, I submit."

"Better," Keyno said, "now to enjoy the spoils of my victory."

"Look, you crazy ass warrior—"

That was as far as Dale got because Keyno ripped his shirt open.

"Aw damn Keyno, what is it with you and ripping off my..."

His mouth crashed down on Dale's effectively silencing him and shooting his body into overdrive. The smell of cloves filled the room as Keyno trapped Dale's arms above his head; he scooted down Dale's body enough to get to his nipples. His rough tongue caressed the sensitive nub until it was hard and peaked, then switched to the neglected nipple.

He knew what a pleasure point Dale's nipples were. Dale's dick swelled to hardness, tenting the shorts he had on as Keyno sucked a nipple into his mouth and rubbed that rough tongue over it. Dale's body arched under Keyno's as he released it and went to work on the other nipple, until Dale was gasping for air.

Keyno rose up, tightened his hands around Dale's wrists and looked him in the eye. "Do not move those hands."

"Oh god," Dale mumbled as Keyno rolled off him and came to his knees.

Keyno tapped Dale's hip and had him lift up so he could pull Dale's jock and shorts off. Next came his shoes and socks. He lay naked on the mat while Keyno pushed his legs open. Dale's shaft was hard and leaking against his belly. Keyno moved between Dale's legs, lowered his head and swiped his tongue through the precum, purring at the taste.

His hair came alive, shifting on his back, twisting and rippling as it moved, searching for Dale. Thick strands lifted from his back and wrapped around Dale's knees, holding his legs open. The silky softness of his hair belied its strength. No matter how much Dale jerked and thrashed those strands would keep his legs open.

Keyno let the tip of Dale's cock slip into his mouth, sucking on the swollen head. Dale arched his hips wanting Keyno to take more. The vibration of his purrs on Dale's dick was driving him nuts. Keyno rolled Dale's balls as he released the head of Dale's dick and nibbled down the shaft, running his tongue up and down the length.

"Come on, suck it," Dale moaned.

Keyno grinned then took Dale in his mouth. Bobbing his head up and down he cut his eyes up at Dale. He watched lust, desire and need flitter across Dale's face. Faster he went as he worked Dale with his mouth and tongue while Dale fought to keep his hands where they were. Taking a deep breath, he drew Dale's dick fully into his throat, holding it there for a few seconds, then swallowed.

Lights actually flashed in Dale's mind and there was a loud buzzing in his ears. It's entirely possible he made up a new language as Keyno swallowed again. One thing was for sure, the language translator embedded in Dale's brain didn't understand the sounds coming out of his mouth.

"Keyno... Keyno, please," Dale begged as Keyno sucked harder. Dale had a hold on his own wrists just to keep from burying his hands in all that white hair of Keyno's. "Undress for me. Damn it, get naked."

Dale felt the chuckle around his dick all the way down to his toes.

"Keyno, gonna come if you don't stop," Dale warned.

Keyno released Dale's dick, stood up and stripped. God he was gorgeous, all hard plains, strong muscles and leashed strength. And the sneaky alien had lube, talk about coming prepared. Dale raised an eyebrow as Keyno settled in between his legs.

With a grin he patted Dale's thigh. "Hands and knees, Dale. I'm gonna eat that ass out before I fuck it."

Dale rolled over and stuck his ass up in the air, eager to feel his mate's rough tongue. Keyno parted Dale's cheeks then kissed his rosebud, his tongue fluttering around Dale's hole, tickling the sensitive skin. With a grunt Dale lowered his chest to the mat while Keyno's tongue lapped at his hole, wetting him.