Survivors

 

 

The next two weeks continued to be quiet.  School, homework, hanging with friends, eating, and sex filled the time.  Life had become routine.  Their life of adventure was over.  Inferno had seemingly become home.  It made the Earth boys both happy and sad.

 

Enghar asked Mycroff to meet him after school.  Mycroff knew what it was going to be about—Enghar had to give him his answer. The fifth day had arrived.  Mycroff was nervous all day wondering what Enghar’s answer would be.  He knew that he and Enghar hadn’t known each other very long. He knew he was, what his mother called, impulsive. But, he was certain joining with Enghar was the right thing. If not for Mattoo he was sure it would be yes.  And even now he was pretty sure, because the way Mycroff saw it, he was Enghar's only choice. After all, Mattoo was a round-ear. 

 

The Ceremony of the Soul, The Joining, would be happening in less than two weeks.  The next one wouldn’t be for three months. Mycroff wanted this joining, the first he was eligible for, to be his. He saw no need to wait for a later one, and Enghar was the one he picked to be at the joining with him.

 

The end of the school day arrived and the two young Hakaanen boys headed for Mycroff's house.  They went to Mycroff's room and sat cross legged on his bed facing and touching each other.

 

"Enghar, my love of our youngness, have you reached your time of Deciding?" Mycroff had been practicing for this since he asked Enghar to be his Meshanna.

 

"Mycroff, my love of our youngness, I have."

 

"And what be that deciding?"

 

Enghar took a deep breath.  "My Deciding is that I wish for now to be in your soul and heart, but I am not ready to be your Meshanna.  I love you. You are a best friend beyond friends.  But this is what I have decided." They recited the ritual exactly the way they had been taught to say it.

 

Mycroff half way expected Enghar’s reply, but it still hurt.  He knew he would have to talk this over with a teacher or maybe even a priest.  He also knew that a refusal isn't final until one of them goes through a Joining, but he had a feeling in his heart that this one was final.  He was afraid for a moment that he would never find a Meshanna, the worst thing which could happen to a Hakaanen.  Then he remembered that he was just twelve.  Maybe it simply wasn't meant to be—there was always the chance Enghar could change his mind.

 

Enghar kissed Mycroff and told him he loved him, because he did love him. But even in the short time they’d been friends, he knew Mycroff was not The One. He had studied up on Meshannas during the five days and was surprised to find out that Mycroff’s quick decision to ask for The Joining was unusual. Meshannas sometimes knew within days that they were meant for each other.

 

 Even so, Enghar thought Mycroff jumped into The Joining too soon—that he knew the two of them didn’t have the necessary links.  Enghar knew that he and Mycroff weren't meant to be Meshannas, if for no other reason than Mycroff's constant chatter annoyed him. Meshannas did not annoy one another with their behavior.

 

Enghar went to the home where he was staying and headed right straight for his bed.  Well, maybe not exactly his bed since he and Mattoo shared it. Mattoo was lying on the bed reading a book.  Enghar jumped on the bed and kissed his friend hard and long.

 

During the waiting period no sex other than masturbation was allowed.  He had followed that rule as a good Hakaanen boy should and now he wanted his Mattoo in the worst way.  He simply told Matthew that he was horny and the Earth boy gave him a wide grin in reply. They were able to communicate very well. When they could not express something verbally, they had an uncanny way of simply filling in the gaps in their minds. Matthew was quickly mastering the language and spoke it better than any of the Earth boys outside of Scooter.

 

Enghar stripped off Matthew’s robe, which was the only item clothing the boy was wearing. Enghar wore only a robe as well and quickly pulled it off—the two preteens were now naked and rock hard.

 

“I want to be inside you,” Enghar told Matthew. What Matthew heard was “Me in you,” but he got the gist of what the Hakaanen boy meant. He nodded and the two started to kiss hard and long and deep. Matthew, who was smaller, lay on top of his extraterrestrial love. The boys kissed and petted and ground their cocks into each other, not caring if they came before Enghar penetrated his lover. They were young and good for seconds.

 

Enghar had lost his erection, but it didn’t take long for it to rise again. He and Matthew kissed, and petted, and hugged, and humped, and made out. Enghar couldn’t remember sliding his penis into Matthew’s ass, but he somehow found it in there. So he did what came naturally to male humanoids and started to fuck his friend.

 

“Mattoo, Mattoo, schkarm…oh…Mattoo, schkarm.” Shkarm was the Hakaanen word for fuck. “I looova you,” he moaned in his broken English.

 

Matthew moaned loudly, “Oh, Enghar,” he squeaked, his boy soprano rising in pitch. Enghar could feel his lover’s warmth and his love. Every part of having sex with Mattoo felt right and wonderful. Abstaining from sex with Matthew had been hard, but finally doing it felt totally right. Enghar knew who his Meshanna was going to be—now he just had to find out if it could be done.

 

He emptied his light boy cum into Matthew’s bowels. Eleven-year-old Matthew had never felt as loved or felt a part of another person as he did with Enghar. His cock quivered, his body shook, and he has his first ever no-touch cum, coating his chest and belly with his emission. Enghar smiled and licked Matthew’s smooth chest clean, relishing the taste of the person he loved most in the world.

 

After Enghar had satisfied his sexual needs with Matthew, he thought about his immediate future and decided it was time to call his parents and tell them he wanted to return home. Even though Awanstor wasn’t far away from Orkyl, he was homesick. And I am going to bring Mattoo home with me, he told himself.

 

 

 

The next day after school Enghar went to talk to Mr. Wyvore, the socialsstudies teacher who taught his class on Hakaanen culture.

 

"Good afternoon, Enghar, what brings you to my humble classroom when you could  be out in the sunshine playing with your friends as you head for home?"

 

"I have a problem, sir."

 

"Indeed. I am honored you are willing to trust me, seeing as I have been your instructor for a brief amount of time and will probably soon be giving you over to my esteemed colleague at Awanstor School. "

 

Enghar told him about Mycroff asking him to be his Meshanna. He finished by telling Mr. Wyvore about turning him down, both because Mycroff was making things happen too quickly and because he didn’t feel any connection with him outside of friendship.

 

"I thought Mycroff looked kind of down today. Well, I have known the lad for two years now and he can be a bit impulsive at times. I assume you turned him down according to Hakaanen ritual.”

 

“Word for word, sir.”

 

“Then you have nothing to worry about. Mycroff will one day find his Meshanna, as will you.”

 

“I think I may have found him, sir.”

 

Mr. Wyvore raised his bushy eyebrows. “Indeed. I assume he is a friend of yours in Awanstor whom you have known for awhile.”

 

“No, sir. It is Mattoo, the Earth boy. I want it to be him.” Enghar’s statement was met with silence.

 

Finally the teacher cleared his throat. “And what is it you want from me?”

 

“I want to know if it is something that I can do.”

 

“And you talk about Mycroff being impulsive,” Mr. Wyvore grinned. “You have known this boy for only a matter of weeks. He is a boy from an entirely different culture than ours.”

 

“I don’t think I am being, um, impulsive. We’ve lived together from the moment he came into the Big Valley. We have become like one together—just like everybody says Meshannas are.”

 

“You present an interesting problem, young Enghar. There is nothing I know of that says it can’t be done, but I will need to consult a priest for a definitive answer.” The teacher knew that he had all of Enghar’s attention. The eager look on the boy’s face told him a great deal—Enghar really wanted this.

 

“Before I ask a priest,” the teacher went on, “I need to ask if Mattoo understands about Meshannas, and what it is like to have one and to be one?”

 

“No, but you can help teach him while we’re still in this school.” Getting help from this teacher was the main reason Enghar had not yet called his father for permission to return home.

 

“You understand that Mattoo might be found by his people and be returned to his home planet.”

 

"I know," Enghar said sadly.  "But I was told your Meshanna is your Meshanna for life and beyond no matter how far away he was.  Maybe that would be the test to see if it was true.”

 

“Well you have over three months to think about this and for Mattoo to learn what he needs to learn.”

 

“No, sir. I have a little more than two weeks. We need to do it now.”

 

“You are as impulsive as young mister Mycroff.”

 

“I have thought about this for a long time. You’re right, sir—somebody could arrive to rescue Mattoo, and I want him to be my Meshanna if they do.”

 

“You are a very smart young man, mister Enghar. Mattoo is fortunate to have been paired with you. I will talk to a priest tonight and see me tomorrow before school.”

 

The next morning Enghar showed up in the classroom.  Mr. Wyvore told him that the priest wished to talk to him and he would take him there after school was out.

 

“What are you and that teacher doing?” Matthew asked when Enghar told him he wouldn’t be walking home with him after school again.”

 

“Helping me with something very important. I will tell you everything as soon as I get some answers.” Matthew shrugged. Since he and Enghar had learned to communicate with each other he always had the feeling that Enghar held nothing back from him. But now that was no longer the case.

 

Enghar and Mr. Wyvore went to the priest's house, which was a couple of miles from the school.  The priest was wearing his long blue priest's robe, indicating he considered this visit to be official religious business. While Enghar had been naked during the school day, he was now wearing shorts and his good shirt.

 

Mr. Wyvore had filled in the priest on the issue being brought before him the night before. The priest proceeded to ask Enghar questions regarding Matthew and Mycroff as well as Enghar's feelings.

 

“I can see that you have given this Joining a great deal of thought,” the kindly priest told Enghar. “It is not easy to turn down a request for a Joining, no matter who asks it. I am impressed with the thought you have put into this.”

 

Enghar could only nod his head. His heart had been thumping through the entire interview. Even though the priest had been kind and sympathetic, Enghar still felt intimidated by the man and his position. 

 

"The Joining, the Ceremony of Souls is in two weeks,” the priest reminded Enghar.  “Of course that is too soon for you and Mattoo to decide anything.  But sometime at a future Ceremony you two might do the Joining if it's what you both so wish. There is nothing in the Book of Joining that forbids you doing so. Mattoo is an intelligent being, and that is all that the book is concerned with.  I hope to see you for the Joining interview sometime in the future." He started to get up but Enghar didn't move.

 

"Is there something else, young one?"

 

"What's the last day I can get the interview and be in this Ceremony?"

 

"It is a week from today.  But this ceremony is too soon for you, young one. The round-eared boy does not know what being a Meshanna is about. He does not know any of the ritual. No, it is too soon."

 

“But sir, you and Mr. Wyvore both said he could get found by his people and taken home.  If that happens, I want him to be my Meshanna so we will be together forever. It needs to be now, while I can do it."

 

“You understand that if you take Mattoo to be your Meshanna and he leaves, you can never have another one. You will have that loneliness forever.” Enghar knew that a Hakaanen could never pick a second Meshanna, even if his original Meshanna should go away or even die.

 

"How will he feel about this?” the priest asked.  “Does he even know what a Meshanna is?"

 

"He does, sir.” Enghar looked over at Mr. Wyvore. “My teacher said he would help Mattoo to learn and understand starting tomorrow.”

 

“I did?” the social studies teacher asked. Enghar winked and gave him a sly grin. “Oh, yes, I do seem to remember saying something to that effect.”

 

"I cannot tell you the right time to do The Joining,” the priest told Enghar.  “That is between you and the person you wish to be your Meshanna.  I can only give advice.  My advice is to take a lesson from your friend Mycroff and wait.  But now, you must talk to young Mattoo about the Joining and take him through the ritual within the next week—and then you will both talk to those of us who give final approval for the Joining. Until then it’s between you, Mattoo, and the god Jeswa."

 

Enghar knew all of that, of course. He also knew this was the end of the talk. He thanked the priest for his time and left his house with his teacher.

 

 

After school the next day, Matthew and Enghar met with Mr. Wyvore and Matthew started a crash course on the Joining. He learned about Meshannas and the ritual and ceremony involved in the process. Matthew knew enough of the language to follow most of the lessons. He thought a couple of times about asking if Scooter could join them to translate, but decided he wanted the lessons to involve just him and Enghar. He and Enghar would smooth out the rough edges of understanding—they always managed.

 

Two days before the deadline, the teacher had a private meeting with Enghar. “Tonight you must do the Asking with Mattoo,” he told the boy. “You both need time to think and meditate.”

 

That night Enghar told Matthew about why he’d avoided having sex with him.  He told him about Mycroff asking him to be his Meshanna.  Matthew knew enough Hakaanen to understand what Enghar was talking about—and when they couldn't understand each other verbally, they figured out another way to communicate.   Matthew now understood both Enghar's abstinence and his sudden incredible horniness.

 

"Do you love Mycroff?" Matthew asked with some trepidation.

 

"We haven’t known each other long, but I love him like a friend. No way I love him the way I love you."  He hugged his round-eared lover.  "I don't want to lose you, Mattoo…I don’t ever want to lose you."

 

"You won't, I promise.  I love you Enghar."  Matthew hugged him back hard. He had never been happier in his life than when he was with Enghar.

 

Enghar got on his bed.  He sat cross legged and pointed for Matthew to sit in front of him.  Matthew got on the bed and sat in front of Enghar. He knew what this was about. While nobody had come right out and told him that their lessons were truly personal, he was smart enough to understand that they were indeed personal. His body was shivering with anticipation.

 

 The boys crossed their legs over each other.  Then Enghar put his forehead against Matthew's. Enghar looked into Matthew's eyes and saw nothing but love.  He started the ritual.  "Mattoo, my love of our youngness, I ask you, with all my heart, all my soul, and all my spirit, to be my soulmate and my heart's love for life.  I ask you to be my Meshanna."

 

Matthew gave his answer slowly.  He hadn't had three years to memorize everything like Enghar had, but his lessons were recent enough that he could remember what to do.

 

Enghar had to help him with the words a couple of times, but he didn't care, because as far as Matthew was concerned, the ritual was perfect—it had to be since he was doing it with his Enghar.

 

"Enghar, my love of my youngness, I answer your request by saying I will take into my heart, my mind, and my spirit your love and I will give you my answer at the time of Decision."  They kissed and slept together.  After this night they couldn't sleep together again until the time of Deciding.

 

The next day in school, Teacher Modar helped Matthew learn the words of Deciding. Teacher Wyvore had turned the final lesson over to the tutor because he could work with the Earth boy during the school day.  He taught him both the words of acceptance and the words of refusal. Matthew worked all day at memorizing them and learning what they meant. The teacher told him that if in any way he wasn't sure he was doing the right thing, should decline—there was always the next Ceremony.

 

After school all the Earth boys talked about what Enghar had asked Matthew. None of them was very sure what it meant. It was hard to keep what had happened a secret since the boys’ lessons could not be hidden.

 

"How can Matthew get that close to a boy from an alien species?" Jeremy asked.  "It's not right.  He should be a best friend with one of us.  If he'd shown Jordan that kind of attention when he was around, then maybe Jordan would still be alive. We all know how Jordan felt about Matthew."

 

"That's a totally stupid thing to say, Jeremy," Alex growled.  "Matthew is following his heart, and that is all that counts.  If you follow your heart you can't go wrong.  If Enghar is where his heart is, then Matthew is doing the right thing.  And as for Jordan, Matthew had nothing to do with Jordan's running away to Robert Charles.  He never had the feelings for Jordan that Jordan had for him, but Jordan never could see that.  Jordan helped to bully Matthew on the ‘Starkeeper”, then he fell in love with him after he was hurt.  But by then it was too late.  Matthew had no feelings for Jordan. Jordan had ruined any chance he had of Matthew returning his love long before, so don't even begin to go that road, Jeremy.”

 

Everyone agreed with Alex.  Warren kept quiet, but he thought Jeremy was not only wrong, but had been somewhat mean with his comments. He agreed with Alex that Matthew had to follow his heart.

 

That night Scooter and Douglas talked about Matthew and Enghar.  Douglas was happy for Matthew.  He saw it as the start of them becoming a part of their new home. It showed that they were being accepted by the Hakaanen.  But it also made Douglas sad.  It was one more sign that they probably would never see Earth and their own families again.

 

The next day went by with Matthew saying little to Enghar.  He was thinking hard if he wanted to go through with the ceremony.  The rules said he could ask friends for advice, but that friend had to have a Meshanna already.  And that meant he needed to talk to Bandar, who was the only friend he had who met the requirements.

 

Because Matthew was younger, he often felt intimidated by the older boys. He sometimes felt separate from them because he hadn’t taken the entire trek across the desert and into the mountains with them. But he finally worked up the courage to ask Scooter for help.  Scooter talked Kallama into taking them to Awanstor after school to see Bandar.  They took Matthew’s "brother" Mike with them for support. Enghar also went along so he could visit his parents for a while.

 

Mayor Andorn greeted Scooter, Mike, and Matthew at the door. He sent the boys to Bandar’s room and offered Kallama some krako while they waited. Krako was the Hakaanen equivalent of coffee or tea.

 

Bandar and Hajo were already in the room as the three Earth boys entered. The two Hakaanen boys had been Meshannas and taken part in The Ceremony held one year ago.  They both had just turned thirteen when they completed The Joining.  They had been sure of what they wanted for a long time, but they needed to wait until Hajo had his first wet orgasm before they could go through the ritual.

 

Bandar was the one who had done the Asking.  Hajo accepted and they were Joined at the next ceremony.  He told Matthew what it was like to be Joined, and what it was like now that he had a Meshanna and was a Meshanna. When they got older they wanted to live together. Right now they did almost everything together.

 

“My father says we pretty much live together as it is,” Bandar laughed.

 

He talked about what having a Meshanna meant. He told the Earth boys, with Scooter translating, how they were linked mind, soul, and heart.  He told Matthew to not say yes unless he was sure that fact was true, that he was ready to link with Enghar in mind, soul, and heart.  If he had any doubt, he should wait at least for the next Ceremony.  He shouldn't rush it.  But if he was totally sure, he should say yes.

 

“I think it would be so cool if you and Enghar became Meshannas,” Bandar told them with Hajo nodding in agreement. “It would show that Earthlings and Hakaanen can join together and live together.”

 

Bandar explained how special being a Meshanna was, and told Matthew what a great honor it was to even be asked to be one, let alone accepted as one. Sitting with Bandar and Hajo and listening to them describe the wonders of this special kind of friendship made Matthew feel accepted. He was being treated as an equal by the Hakaanen boys.

 

Deep down he knew he wanted to be Enghar’s love forever. He had been afraid of not being accepted by the other Hakaanen boys or by his own friends because he and Enghar were not of the same species. But sitting in this room with Bandar, Hajo, Mike, and Scooter helped assuage those fears. Now he just needed the personal courage to say yes. It was a tough decision for an eleven-year-old Earth boy who had not been raised in Hakaanen tradition.

 

The boys talked some more until Kallama said it was time to go. Matthew thanked Bandar, Hajo, and Mayor Andorn. Kallama drove them to Enghar’s house to pick up the Hakaanen boy.

 

Enghar had spent his time with his mother and father discussing Mattoo. He was afraid his parents would disapprove of his desire to make Mattoo his Meshanna. While parents could not interfere with their child’s decision to Joining, they often found ways to express their opinions. They were parents, after all.

 

Only the interviewers could stop a Joining, and parents were allowed to express misgivings to the interviewers, usually to no avail. Parental disapproval of a Joining was a very rare occurrence—just as when they were young, their offspring had an innate sense of who the special person in their life would be.

 

“I knew from the moment you first met Mattoo that you saw everything the two of you had in common and almost nothing of what was different,” Lokor, his father, told him. “You didn’t see his round ears or his smooth neck and back—what you saw was the beauty inside of him, which made the rest of him glow.”

 

That was as close as a parent could come to approving of a Joining without actually saying he or she approved. Enghar was pleased—his father thought he was making the right decision which made that decision easier. Mattoo would have been his one way or the other, but now he would officially be part of his family as well.    

 

Kallama’s car was packed with boys when they stopped at a restaurant in a small village between Awanstor and Orkyl for dinner. “This is one of the best restaurants in the Big Valley,” Kallama told the boys. Shopara, proprietor of the restaurant, had never seen any of the Earth boys and he fawned all over them.

 

“I am so happy to have these heroes in my humble establishment,” he gushed. Kallama had been right about the food; it was one of the best meals they had enjoyed since finding the valley.

 

It was dark when they dropped Matthew and Enghar off. Scooter gave Matthew a hug.  "I love you Matthew.  We all love you.  You will do the right thing for yourself. Follow your heart."  Scooter gave Matthew a long kiss on the lips which left Matthew weak-kneed.

 

Mike looked at him "I guess I'm not allowed to give advice.  But I just want to tell you what Alex likes to tell me, and what Scooter just told you; follow your heart. That’s my advice for everything in life.”

 

Matthew thanked Scooter and Mike, as well as Kallama, and went to his room.  He lay on his bed and stared at the ceiling.  He understood that once he agreed to go through with the Ceremony there was no turning back.  He didn't understand it as thoroughly as a Hakaanen boy who had been studying about the Joining since he was little.

 

 He knew there was some kind of mental connection between the two being Joined.  He knew the Joining was permanent and that it was spiritual in some way. He was sure that it was special beyond imagining.  He knew that when a Hakaanen picked a Meshanna it was a link that would never be broken.  So, whatever he decided, he had to be completely sure it was what he wanted.

 

He thought about everything he had heard.  It was all so confusing.  Then he decided to think only about Enghar.  There was nothing confusing about that. Right away he felt a warm glow inside him.  Mike was his brother and made him feel good. The other “Starkeeper” boys were his friends and were special. But Enghar did things to him that he couldn't even begin to explain.  Sometimes he thought he was learning the language so fast because there was almost a connection between him and his lover, like what Douglas and Scooter had.  He closed his eyes and felt Enghar’s warmth inside of him.  He put his hand down on his hard boy cock thinking of Enghar.  Almost instantly, his back arched, his cock pulsed, cum shot across his belly, and his entire mind and body was full of Enghar and nothing else.  All of the confusion disappeared—he knew what his answer would be.

 

The next evening Matthew and Enghar sat face to face again. Their small cocks were straining, harder than either boy could ever remember.

 

"Mattoo, my love of our youngness, have you reached your time of Deciding?"

 

"Enghar, my love of our youngness, I have."

 

"And what be that Deciding?"

 

Matthew looked straight into Enghar's bright blue eyes, relishing the love that was emanating from them.  "My Deciding be that I wish to be in your heart, your soul, and your mind forever.  I want us to be one, no matter what happens with our lives.  I want to be your Meshanna.  I want you to be mine and I want to be yours."

 

"Then let us be Joined," Enghar said.

 

The boys kissed.  Then cried.  Then made love.

 

 

Their interview with the priest was the next day.  They picked the same priest whom Enghar had visited before asking Matthew to be his Meshanna.  The boys would meet together and then separately with the interviewers. They each got to pick their own interviewer, who along with a priest, would conduct the interview. 

 

There were certain qualifications laid out in the Book of Joining.  The interviewer had to have a Meshanna of his or her own.  He couldn't be a blood relative of either person applying for the Ceremony.  And neither of them could have ever had sex with the interviewer.  Enghar picked Lettano, his father's Meshanna.  And Matthew, once again, picked the only person he really knew well enough, and that was Bandar.

 

First they were interviewed separately.  Enghar, like all Hakaanen boys and girls, had studied the Book of Joining and had a pretty good idea of how the interview would play out. That made it easy for him to formulate the proper answers. 

 

Matthew had been told quickly what to expect in the interview, but it wasn't the same as studying the ritual since he was little. He wanted Scooter to translate so it would go easier, but the priest said he could only have the interviewers in the room. Mattoo had to go through the process alone, but everybody talked slowly for him. He knew without question what he wanted and even with the language barrier, the interviewers could tell that Matthew spoke with confidence.

 

The questions ended up being easier than he’d anticipated, except for a couple of them from the priest.

 

"Mattoo, do you as an outsider think you can truly be linked with a Hakaanen? To know his mind and soul?"

 

Matthew had to think a second.  His heart was pounding.  He wanted to be Enghar's Meshanna badly.  He knew being turned down in an interview was rare, and they could always try again, but he wanted this now!

 

"I know I can be one with Enghar. He is beautiful inside and out.  I love him.  All of him, mind, body, heart, and soul."

 

Bandar smiled—to him it was a perfect answer.

 

"And what if you get found and go back to your home planet and your own family?  What if you were separated from your Meshanna for life?"

 

This time Matthew didn't hesitate.  "My Meshanna will always be with me no matter where we are."

 

Bandar smiled again.  The priest thanked him and called Enghar in.  They were asked some questions together. The priest asked them if they were sure they didn't want to wait to make sure they truly wanted to Join.  They hadn't known each other long. Plus, they were of two different cultures—it would be a Joining different than any other in Hakaanen culture.

 

“When you know, you know,” Enghar said quietly, his eyes focused on his Mattoo. “And we know.” He clasped Matthew’s hand.

 

“I love him more than anything,” Matthew said. “That is more important than anything else.”

 

The priest told them both to wait outside his office and he would talk with the other two interviewers.  Matthew sat and held hands with Enghar.  After about five minutes the priest came out.

 

"You know that today was the last day to apply for the Joining."  It wasn't a question.

 

"Yes," Enghar said.

 

"So you two will be the last two Joined at the Ceremony next week.  Congratulations."

 

Enghar and Matthew turned and hugged each other.  Bandar, Lettano, and the priest smiled.  The day of the Ceremony would be a big day for them and for all the round-ears.

 

 

The next six days went by much too slowly for the boys.  There was preparation work the boys needed to do, like being fitted for their ceremonial robes. Matthew and Enghar were not allowed to have sex or sleep together for the week. Enghar went home to Awanstor, while Matthew stayed with his host family in Orkyl.

 

From sundown until the ceremony the next afternoon, the soon-to-be Meshannas couldn't see each other, couldn't have sex with anybody, could only drink water and eat Riggo Bread, which was baked only for the Joining Ceremonies. They couldn't even masturbate. 

 

Every three months there were twelve Joining Ceremonies held at the same time throughout the Valley. The Joiners could pick the Ceremony they wanted to attend. Sometimes only one Joining was held at a venue, and sometimes there were a dozen or more. It varied during each Joining. Enghar and Matthew had picked the Joining at Orkyl because it was the easiest for the Earth boys to get to. Enghar’s friends from Awanstor would ride to the capital city’s Temple with some of the parents.

 

Matthew was so nervous he couldn't sleep that night, and neither could Enghar.  The next morning, they headed for the Ceremony at the Temple in the Woods.  This time everybody sat in the outdoor amphitheater, and it was packed.  The day of the Ceremony of the Souls was a Hakaanen holiday and many came to the Temples to see the Ceremonies. Many of them were friends and family of the new Meshannas, and some came simply because they loved the ritual. In the Big Valley almost everyone was linked in some way.

 

The Joinings were a major part of Hakaanen culture. The news that a Hakaanen boy would be Joined with one of the round-ears attracted an even larger audience. Hakaanen history was about to be made in their little valley on their isolated planet. Many who would have loved to have seen the spectacle had to attend at other venues that day or the amphitheater would have been even more crowded.

 

There were going to be ten Joinings at the Orkyl Temple.  The Joinings would occur in the order in which they were approved.  By the time the first Joinings were completed, the Earth boys had a good idea of what was going on.

 

The first Joining of the day was between two eighteen-year-old girls.  Next came two fourteen-year-old-boys.  They were followed by a pair of fifteen-year-old girls and thirteen-year-old boys. After them came the Joinings of a sixteen-year-old boy and a thirteen-year-old girl, a seventeen-year-old boy and a twelve-year-old boy, a fifteen-year-old boy and a fourteen-year-old boy, a thirteen-year-old boy and a fourteen-year-old girl, and finally a seventeen-year-old girl and a fourteen- year-old girl. 

 

The Ceremony was in three parts. The first was a solemn ritual which followed the script from The Book of Joining. That was followed by the sexual joining, which had an erotic effect on the participants as well as the audience. The final part was friends, family, and other spectators cheering, blowing horns and whistles, and throwing confetti onto the stage. The Earth boys found the ceremonies interesting and erotic. They also pitched in to help with the quick cleanup that was required after each Joining.

 

 Finally, it was time for the last Joining.  The Earth boys now knew how the Ceremony would play out. The audience murmured with anticipation; this Joining was going to be extra interesting.

 

There was a drum roll, then a call from a horn, and Enghar was asked to come onto the stage in the middle of the amphitheater. As the Asker in the Joining, his turn came first. Like all of the previous Joiners, he was wearing his robe, white with red and blue trim and designs.  He called his biological parents to come down—he was one of the rare Hakaanen children to live with both parents.  He called down their Meshannas to sit with them on the seats in the front row.  If his parents had partners they would come next. Then would come brothers and sisters and partners' children, but there were none of those.  Then he called down other adults he knew, like teachers and neighbors.

 

Finally, he asked his friends to sit on the benches on the right side.  This included Mycroff, who came down with a sad look on his face, as well as Laryar and Perryska. He wanted this to be his ceremony, and now Enghar was lost to him forever.  A person only ever had one Meshanna in a lifetime, and for Mycroff, it wouldn't be Enghar. Enghar thanked them all for being at the ceremony and coming down to the stage.  He bowed to them.  He thanked his parents for bringing him into the world.  He thanked his friends for being wonderful to him. Then he called for the one who agreed to be his Meshanna.

 

Matthew stepped out on the stage. Even the most conservative Hakaanen adult had to admit that he looked beautiful.  His robe was eggshell white with red and blue trim.  A blue and green planet looking much like Earth was sewn over his left breast.  The "Starkeeper" boys were all proud of him. Lokor had removed his cast, but he wore a boot to give his leg support. He still hobbled some, but nobody really noticed. The eleven-year-old Earth boy was stunning.

 

Matthew had Enghar's parents stand up and he introduced them as his guardians. He asked some of the adults he’d met to come down to the first row, like the kind nurse who was with him when he woke up, Mayor Andorn, and the man who had found him buried in the desert sand and gently carried him to civilization on his unicorn. He asked Modar, his tutor to come down, as well as his current host family. He asked Bandar, Hajo, and Prekan to come down. Finally, he asked his Earth friends to come down to sit on the left side of the stage.  The Earth boys were stunned when the Hakaanen stood and applauded them as they walked from their seats to benches near the stage.

 

Matthew thanked Enghar's parents for making him part of their family.  He thanked the man for saving him.  He thanked Douglas for leading his friends to the Big Valley and finding them a home.

 

Then a quiet theme played and Enghar and Matthew met in the middle.  They kissed gently.

 

"Mattoo, my love of my youngness, I want you as my Meshanna.  My soulmate. My love in my heart, mind, and soul, forever.  Please be mine."

 

"I am yours, Enghar my love,” Matthew replied. He then uttered the next step. “Enghar, my love of my youngness, I want you as my Meshanna.  My soulmate. My love in my heart, mind, and soul, forever. Please be mine."

 

“I am yours, Mattoo my love.”

 

The priest came on the stage and handed each of the boys a small glass of the juice of the Mashan root.  Only a priest knew how to brew the juice, which contained a powerful drug.  Both boys sipped some of the juice and held it in their mouths.  They kissed, mixing the juice between their mouths, and then they swallowed.

 

The music edged up some in intensity.  Enghar removed Matthew's robe. The Earth boy was now standing in front of the huge amphitheater naked.  It's a good thing I've been getting used to being naked in public, he thought.  He then removed Enghar's robe.  The two boys stood naked and kissed, making sure their hard boy cocks touched. Then the priest put a large black and white striped blanket around them, covering both of the kissing boys.

 

The speaker for each boy stepped onto the stage and told why they should become Meshannas. A boy could choose anybody he wanted to be a speaker.  Enghar picked his father, because he knew the two of them so well.  Matthew picked Mike, his " big brother," as his speaker.  Scooter translated for Mike.  Mike was proud to have been the one chosen.

 

"What a great time this is.  Boys from two species and two different planets able to love each other like this.  Matthew is a brother to me and I've never seen him happier.  He is the first of us to become a part of the wonderful culture on our new home."  It hurt to say the words "new home", but it was true, and over the last week all the boys had come to realize it.  "I wish him and Enghar happiness and good luck."  Mike sat back down, his heart thumping.  He was glad Matthew had chosen him, but in some ways he wished he had chosen Douglas.  Speaking in front of a huge crowd was not his thing.

 

Enghar's father told what fine boys they both were and how Mattoo and Enghar had bonded almost instantly when Enghar met the sick and injured Matthew in the hospital.  From that first meeting they had only become closer.  He, too, wished them happiness and good luck.

 

The priest grabbed the blanket and in one motion, flipped it over.  The other side was a brilliant blue.  "Like the stripes on this blanket becoming one color, your souls and minds and hearts are now one.  Being a Meshanna lasts for your lives and beyond and is never ended by distance, taking on a partner, or death.  Is this what you both wish?"

 

"It is," both boys said together.

 

The priest gave them another glass of Mashan juice, and once again they shared the juice between their mouths and swallowed.  Both boys were now completely lost in each other.  As far as they could tell the crowd had disappeared, their friends and family next to them were gone—in fact the amphitheater itself was gone, as the powerful drug of the Mashan root worked on their minds. 

 

All that was left of the world was each other, covered by their blue robe.  They kissed.  The priest removed the robe—they were now naked and exposed to the world. Their small cocks were rock hard and rubbing against each other.  Matthew was overwhelmed by the feelings coursing through him.  His entire being was focused on the beautiful boy in front of him, his sensitive and sexy pointed ears, his soft silky mane, his gorgeous thick hair, his dark eyebrows, his blue eyes so full of love because Enghar was the only thing that existed in his world.  He rubbed his cock harder against Enghar’s smooth, warm skin. Enghar rubbed back. 

 

All Enghar could see was the beautiful rounded ears, the light brown hair that never seemed to lay down right, the smooth back without a hint of hair, let alone a mane, and the brown eyes so full of love.  They thought they heard music coming from somewhere, but they couldn't be sure.  There was nothing in the world but the two of them.

 

Enghar, Ost Lesha Drey.

 

Matthew, Ost Lesha Drey.

 

And then for the first time, the words “I Love You” were uttered by the new Meshannas.

 

Their minds seemed to echo with the thoughts of their soon to be Meshanna. They kissed and rubbed, the only things in their universe being the boy in front of them and their own cocks.  Suddenly, Matthew screamed with delight and shot his sweet clear boy cum over Enghar. Within seconds, Enghar did the same to Matthew.  They both felt they were going to collapse. They leaned against each other, and dropped to their knees.  The priest took each of his index fingers, ran it through the warm wet immature semen on the bellies of both boys and had each of them lick a finger, tasting their mixed cum.

 

"I declare you to be Meshannas," the priest intoned.  The crowd cheered and threw confetti onto the stage.  The priest helped the boys to their feet and helped them off the stage.  The music rose in volume.  The boys' friends and family followed them off stage. The Ceremony of the Soul was over.  They were Joined.

 

 

It took about a half hour for the effect of the Mashan juice to wear off. By that time the amphitheater was empty and the large park surrounding the temple and the theater was filled.  A band was playing, food booths were set up, different kinds of acts and shows were going on.  Matthew and Enghar met in a tent with the other new Meshannas for pictures, both in and out of their robes.

 

Then they put their robes away and took each other's hands and walked naked through the crowd.  There were people everywhere.  Strangers stopped them to congratulate them. Matthew recognized the restaurant owner as one of them.

 

The Hakaanen thought it was wonderful that Enghar had picked a round-ear to be his Meshanna.  It meant that the galaxy wasn't so huge after all if they could connect so intimately with a being from another planet—another species.

 

Mike had told them all to be at the music stand at 2:00.  Douglas and Scooter were already there sharing a Bestatto pie together.  It was a sweet fruity pie with a thick crust that they had learned to love.  They were being baked fresh at a festival booth. Pretty soon Mike and Brandon showed up. Mike had a meat pie which was a lot like a pizza.  Brandon was drinking fruit juice.  There was plenty to eat.  A band was playing on a small stage.

 

Then two musicians came onto the stage—they were Alex and Stevie.  Douglas was surprised when he saw who they were. The brothers started playing their Hakaanen instruments, making beautiful music.  They sang songs they knew in English, but the sounds of the instruments made them sound different even as they sounded the same.  Word soon got out who was playing and the crowd began to grow.

 

"You knew they were doing this," Douglas said to Mike.  "But you never told us."

 

"They wanted to keep it a secret and make it a surprise.  They've been practicing like crazy and Brandon and I have been able to listen to them every day.  Talk about lucky.  They are so awesome."

 

The music had the crowd swaying and clapping.  Some of them started to dance. Douglas and Scooter finished the pie they were sharing and joined the dancers, as did Matthew and Enghar.

 

Soon there were dancers on the stage, dancers in the crowd, people clapping everywhere.  Stevie and Alex were talented entertainers and kept the crowd moving. They added beats and sounds that the Hakaanen had never heard before. The crowd kept going.  Douglas almost thought they should've been in the amphitheater.

 

After a few songs, they stopped and added a surprise.  The band that had played before them came back on the stage.  Earth teens and Hakaanen teens played together. The crowd loved it and roared. When they decided it was time to end the show, the crowd screamed for more. The combined band played a song, then Stevie and Alex played one.  The members of the combined band announced they would do a concert and dance in the future and everybody cheered.  They left the stage and the crowd broke up.

 

When Alex and Stevie joined the group they both received what seemed like endless hugs.

 

"That was so awesome," Douglas said.  "It was better than the 'Starkeeper' concert.  You had everybody going."

 

"It went okay," Alex said.  "We just gave them some new beats and chords and tempos.  They seemed to like new sounds.  We can play better, but we weren't totally used to the instruments."

 

"Well, I don't care, it was the best music I ever heard, love," Mike said with a smile and a hug.

 

The boys walked around the festival area eating, drinking, playing games, and taking in the sights.  It was like walking through a fair—it had everything but rides. They stopped by Mayor Andorn's election booth and wished him luck.  They didn't stop by the Governor's.  Next week was a big week.  The election was coming soon.

 

It was a time for celebrating.  The Earth boys made sure to all hug Enghar and Matthew.  They even found and hugged most of the other new Meshannas, just like a lot of the Hakaanen were hugging Matthew and Enghar.

 

The Earth boys were being accepted by the Hakaanen. Matthew, the one who made first contact, had a lot to do with that.  His love for his Meshanna was obvious, and that was a giant factor in the Hakaanen accepting all of them.  Plus, Douglas taking charge and saving the Building of Life and going after the Shkah also helped.

 

Douglas could see that everyone was happy. They were accepted by the Hakaanen, some of them were loved, and they all would have permanent homes in Awanstor soon.  If everything is so wonderful, Douglas thought, then why do I keep getting this empty feeling inside me?

 

After going their own way for a while the boys met at a food tent.  They were serving Balfalla, which was similar to barbecued ribs.  While they were chowing down, Bandar and Hajo joined them along with a friend of theirs named Kenrod.  Scooter did the translating, although the boys were able to understand most of what was being said.

 

Kenrod was talking to the group.

 

"Yeah, I heard if they don't do something, its orbit will fail in a few months and it will hit the atmosphere and burn up."

 

"What will?" Douglas asked.

 

"The starship that brought us the news of the epidemic on Hakaan.  It was sent here on auto pilot.  I heard that the orbit it was parked in will be gone soon."

 

"Wait," Douglas said, "you mean there is a starship up there?"

 

"Yes, at least for a few more months."

 

"Why don't they try to save it?"

 

"What for?  Nobody knows how to fly it and besides, how would anybody get to it?"

 

"That's easy," Bandar exclaimed. “The two big hangars at the airport each have a shuttle in them.  They haven't flown in like twenty-five years.  I doubt they could even fly anymore even if somebody knew how to fly them. I heard they’ve just been sitting in the hangars getting covered with dust."

 

“Well, at least they weren’t outside in the weather,” Scooter noted.

 

"Like we have bad weather here,” Bandar grinned.

 

“I guess they have it figured out that when starship burns the debris will land in the southern hemisphere on the opposite side of the planet, so it won't be any danger to us," Hajo said.

 

A ship, Douglas thought, and a way to get to it.  So what if they all said neither shuttle could fly?  What everybody said couldn't be done hadn't stopped them yet.  Maybe, just maybe, they weren't stuck on Inferno for life.  Douglas saw an image of his parents and smiled.  Maybe I have one more place to lead everybody, he thought, and that place is home.

 

NEXT CHAPTER 45 "Everybody Walked Away"

 

 

Comments are welcomed.  E-mail me, Douglas DD,  at TheHakaanen@Hotmail.com