Work Text:
Scarab is seated in the observational room with several other thrumming scientists. They shift uncomfortably at the scene commencing before them. The Savior of Stars lies on an Acoustic Reverberance Platform across a barrier of clear xenonite. The Savior, known as ‘Dr. Ryland Grace’, is currently… expressing intimacy… with the Survivor. ‘Rocky’, as the Savior calls them. Observing feels blasphemous.
There is no reproductive incentive for this. Eridians and humans cannot reproduce, so why would they copulate? Absolutely fascinating. Scarab scribbles notes down onto their scribing tablet, paying particular attention to the behaviors they are witnessing. It's almost like recounting methodologies for an experiment.
- The Eridian winds its ovipositor around the human's fifth appendage/reproductive organ, positioned between its primary limbs for bipedal standing. The appendage was flaccid, but became erect with circulatory fluids composed of [unknown components].
- The ovipositor muscles flexes against the appendage, stroking its shaft. Reproductive fluid, adjacent to Eridian fusion fluid drips from an external opening at the apex of the appendage. As the ovipositor squeezes the appendage, it ejects more fluid.
- There is an external opening located below the human's fifth appendage/reproductive organ. It is a channel part of the human excretory system. The Eridian slides its ovipositor inside the channel. The ovipositor flexes again, seemingly stimulating a gland or other anatomical structure inside the human's body.
Scarab's diligent scribing is interrupted by a noise emitted from the human. It's difficult to describe what it sounds like. Almost melodical, but completely unlike Eridian tones. They understand that it is a cry of pleasure. The human's calls occur in registers that Scarab can hear, but it's not the same the other way around. Rocky is droning a litany of tones that cannot be described as anything but carnal. The human should be able to feel the subsonic vibrations, but cannot parse out the meaning. Rocky says, "I'm going to breed you, my sweet mate. I'm going to fill you with my clutch. You will carry them, like the good incubator you are. I'll show you off to all the Eridians. They would be jealous of how special you are, carrying the Survivor's clutch."
Those words make Scarab's ambient circulatory system feel a tad warmer than usual. This is extremely kinky for their cultural standards. Eggs are laid externally, not internally. It's just how it is. After an Eridian orgasms from stimulation of their fusion gland, eggs are deposited onto nest substrate. This usually occurs in tandem with a mate, when fertilization is intended during the copulatory event. Fusion fluid spills from the fusion gland. The eggs are deposited side-by-side onto substrate by an Eridian's ovipositor. Both mates coat the eggs profusely in fusion fluid, which promotes membrane permeation and worker cell competition. Eventually, the eggs are transferred from egg substrate and into an incubation chamber.
So, Rocky talking filthily at their human mate, promising they will breed them like an ovoviviparous organism is very erotic, to say the least. Scarab wonders what the human could possibly feel about this made-up scenario. It's impossible for a human ‘male’—which is another deeply foreign concept—to incubate Eridian eggs.
Scarab honestly feels like this information should be kept private. They shouldn't know that Erid's Survivor is into laying eggs inside their mate. Before they can continue this thought process, Rocky's other mate approaches. The mate of Erid's Survivor of Stars. For a moment, Scarab forgets that they are participating in a thrum, not just some voyeuristic observational study. Their senses come back to them, and they are reminded that they are in a room full of 12 other Eridians. They too, are taking observation notes on the human-eridian copulation occurring on the opposite side of the xenonite barrier.
'Adrian' greets Scarab. Their presence feels intimidating, especially considering they are the leading biologist on this project, but the other Eridian just trills in a low laugh. "You are taking thorough notes regarding my mates. Let me take a look." Scarab does not protest. They slide their scribing tablet over to Adrian, who just hums in response. They say, "You got many of the objective details correct, but let me correct your notes regarding Grace's anatomy." A few terms are scribbled out. A few terms are scribed in. Notably: penis, plasma, red blood cells, white blood cells, pre-ejaculatory fluid, anus, prostate.
"Do you understand why Grace is reacting this way?" Adrian asks, a softness to their tone.
Scarab hesitates, but responds with a chirp, "Not really..." They click their fingers together, a nervous habit. It feels shameful to admit their gaps of knowledge regarding the alien's biology. They could only learn so much with the texts provided by their species.
Adrian continues. "In terms of pleasure, Grace's body is quite receptive to our sex customs. It's quite interesting. I thought so myself when I finally had the chance to touch him." Oh, oh. They are admitting that they, too, mate with the human. Rocky, Adrian, and Dr. Ryland Grace form a mate cluster.
"Listen to them," Adrian says slowly. And Scarab does. At this point, they've stopped scribing notes, fully entranced by the mating display before them. "Rocky is stimulating Grace's prostate. It is a very sensitive gland that brings pleasure to human males. He loves to be touched there, and loves to be filled by our ovipositors. It's adjacent to sex with another male of his species, especially if he's on the receiving end." The human cries out in pleasure again, writhing against Rocky's firm grasp. Scarab began to wonder how good it would feel to be held down by either of them... maybe Adrian too. As if their thoughts were being listened to, Adrian says, "Grace loves to be held down and forced to take. It’s just like our courtship customs; our competitive displays. He really is quite weak. It's so enjoyable to watch him become pliant beneath us."
Oh no. Scarab feels their ventral seam begin to crack open. How mortifying. They shouldn't be feeling this way—not about the Saviors. Not in front of their mate! They can only hope that Adrian is more interested in listening to their mates than the small spheres of mercury dripping onto the floor of the observation room.
To make matters worse, the human begins to ceaselessly cry out, their pleasure climaxing as Rocky repeatedly fucks into their hole. Scarab can hear the sickly squelch of lubrication between the xenonite exosuit and the human's internal walls. It's so wet. So disgusting. So erotic. The human begins to spill out a number of words. They are nearly incoherent to Scarab, for they do not possess English fluency like Rocky and Adrian do. They make out terms like please, need more, and very clearly, an endless onslaught of yes, yes, yes.
Rocky says, "You like this—don't you, beloved mate? You like being on display for the scientists, a little experiment for them. All the Eridians know you belong to me. Belong to us." Rocky forces Grace to turn their head. Scarab knows the human's focus is directed at Adrian, but they indulge in a fantasy—maybe the human, the Savior of Stars, is focusing their visual sensory organs on them, too. All of a sudden, they seize up, tightening muscle fibers audible to Scarab. Ejaculate shoots out of the penis. It's absolutely filthy, but Scarab finds themself completely entranced by the fluid. Their ventral seam weakens more, a much larger trickle of mercury pooling onto ground. This is bad. They'd love to stay and watch the resolution, but...
Scarab quickly excuses themself from the thrum, cutting themself off from the exchange of ideas. They cannot stay in the observation room any longer, or else their ventral seam will fully part, and their sex organs will be on full display. It's very possible the others heard Scarab's seam begin to part. If they diverted their attention from the collective thrum for even for one second, Scarab’s predicament would be known. They need to leave. They begin to gather their belongings into their carapace-sling. They slip past the other biologists, attempting to be as discrete as possible.
Adrian calls out to them. Shit! They're the last individual they'd want to notice their departure. Delicately, Adrian says, "You could join us sometime, if you’d like. I'm certain Savior Grace would be amicable. He'd even want to review your notes."
Were they a human, Scarab would be flushing. Blood rushes through their ambient circulatory system instead. They click their fingers together, processing the invitation. "I might... accept your offer," they squeak out.
Before Adrian can continue the conversation, Scarab flees.
