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Beyond The Stars

By Jay Stoat

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FurAffinity** :** https://www.furaffinity.net/user/jaystoat/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/jaystoat

If humanity wanted their place beyond the stars, then they would have to prove they could handle it. Marcus knew that to be true. The furaxi had confirmed so much to him, but he could not pass that knowledge on to the other ten humans on the ship spinning slowly through space. Hiss had impressed on him the need to remain quiet about the true purpose of the mission. The ten remaining humans had to believe that they were not being closely monitored and tested. Their acceptance of the furaxi way must be a natural process.

Marcus had spent most of the night with Hiss, just sitting and talking with the furaxi. Their conversations were not of any great importance, as Marcus could tell the furaxi was reluctant to discuss the reasoning behind the study of the humans. Instead, they spoke of topics about humanity's past. Wary of what Hiss already may have known, Marcus chose not to filter his answers to make humans look better. They had a truly awful past, full of many atrocities towards each other. Only in the last fifty years had they made a genuine effort at global peace.

Though Marcus knew he would likely regret the lack of sleep once morning came – for what passage of time that could be considered morning, at least – he thoroughly enjoyed his chance to just sit and discuss humanity with Hiss. He had never been the best with history, but Marcus had always been fascinated by the topic. Hiss was a good listener.

To his surprise, Marcus was not tired as activity picked back up through the ship. Furaxi began to wander again. Marcus was beginning to recognise individuals better, even without the helpful information his suit's HUD provided. At the start of his journey through the stars, Marcus had thought the ship had been crewed by hundreds, but now he knew that not to be true. All told, there were sixteen furaxi on board. Four crewed the ship, and a dozen made up the cultural delegation to interact with the humans. One for each human, before the removal of Derek.

The one human who had not taken well to the quarantine process had been put in cryro until the ship reached Hyssansyr, when he would then be sent back to Earth with no further repercussions. Though Marcus was disappointed that they would be down in numbers, he was not unhappy to see the back of Derek. He had been the only one who had integrated poorly with the new routines the furaxi expected of them.

Marcus was taken back to his fellow humans just before they pushed open the sleeping pods. No one would even known he had spent the night outside his pod. He was glad of that, for it meant he would not have to explain where he had been, or what he had discussed with Hiss. He glanced up at the furaxi before she turned to leave. They met eyes for a moment.

“Remember," the furaxi said quietly. Marcus was sure her voice was only audible inside his helmet. “They must not know the true reason for their presence here."

Marcus nodded. He held his mitted hand up to his muzzle. He was not sure if the furaxi would understand the gesture, but she nodded back.

The pods opened, and Hiss raised her voice so the emerging humans could hear. “We will be back soon. We have a new lesson for you today," she said brightly. Her ears perked up as she looked around the small group of eleven humans.

“Something new?" Ellen asked. She stretched her arms above her head. Even from the other side of the circular room, Marcus could hear the squeak of her suit and the pop of her shoulders. “What's it going to be?"

Hiss bared her teeth in her usual awkward grin. “Exercise."

“Seriously?" Ellen groaned. She held her hands over her muzzle. The ears of her suit curled down in a very furaxi-like gesture. “That sucks. I hoped to never see a treadmill again. They're so dull."

Hiss's teeth were still bared. “Don't worry. I can promise you this will be enjoyable for you all."

“I somehow doubt that," Ellen muttered quietly, though her helmet still broadcast her words to every pair of ears in the room.

Hiss tapped her fingertips together. “I shall return shortly when everything is prepared." The furaxi stepped back through the portal, which closed behind her.

Marcus looked around the group of humans. The new knowledge he possessed threatened to escape his lips, but he kept his mouth firmly closed. He had no desire to risk the future of humanity on telling his companions what was truly being asked of them. He could help guide their behaviour, but he would not be permitted to tell them the reason why they must be the best humanity could offer.

Ellen waved Marcus over. Her arm remained draped over Kylie's shoulder. The two women had been together in their pod overnight. “You didn't find it too bad last night, did you?" Ellen asked.

“Last night? What do you mean?" Marcus asked. He took half a step back and felt his helmet's ears pin back flat against his head. Did she already know what he had been doing last night with Hiss? What they had discussed.

Ellen waved her hand. “You know. Without anyone in the pod with you."

“Oh, right," Marcus muttered. His ears popped back up and he idly rubbed at his tail with his mitted hand. “It was… manageable, I suppose. Guess one of us each night will have to deal with that."

“Unless we ask one of the cats to join us," Kylie suggested.

Marcus tilted his head to the side. “I suppose we could," he said slowly.

“Should we be calling them that, though?" Ellen asked. Her ears both folded forward and her tail slowly swayed behind her, as though it was truly a living part of her. “Cats, I mean. I don't know if they'd appreciate that."

Kylie shrugged. “I don't see why not. They do look like cats, after all."

“They're furaxi though, not cats," Marcus said. He released his tail and folded his arms across his chest. “I think we should at least ask them first, before assuming. They might not like being compared to cats."

“I guess you're right," Kylie said, shrugging again. “I don't know why though. Cats are adorable. I'd be happy to be called a cat."

“It would be like if they started calling us monkeys because we look like them," Marcus explained. He rocked back slightly on his heels.

“Oh, fine," Kylie said with a wave of her hand. “I won't call them cats."

Marcus smiled inside his suit. The tip of his tail quivered. “But I think we should ask if they would have a volunteer to sleep with us. They might find us exotic," he said brightly, before pausing. “Though if they're all partnered like we are, that might deprive a furaxi of a partner."

“Worth asking at least," Ellen said. She looked around the group.

They had all broken apart into small groups of conversation, and yet their voices could all be heard through everyone, no matter how far apart they stood. Marcus was amazed that he was able to filter through all the words and focus on what Ellen and Kylie were saying, while he was also listening to, and following, all the other conversations around him. The suit's helmet had to be allowing that, but Marcus did not understand how.

Hiss was true to her promise. The portal opened up with a burst of light again and she stepped through with two other furaxi. One was Sess, the furaxi who had been helping Marcus the most. The other was Ssori, who Marcus had not had much interaction with so far. All of them looked mostly identical to Marcus, even with the eyes of the suit to help him differentiate between them. Only a few differing patterns in their fur separated them. None of them were clothed at all, but Marcus still could not tell between them. Male and female were perfectly androgynous, without even any obvious genitalia.

“Would you care to come with us?" Hiss asked. She extended her hand out towards the group of humans. All conversation fell into immediate silence as they followed the furaxi back through the portal.

What met Marcus's eyes surprised him. They were in a room they had not visited before, in all of their near-week on the ship. Observation windows looked out over the expanse of space, and that beautiful vista almost made Marcus fail to recognise that he now stood in what appeared to be an ordinary gym. Seemingly mundane equipment like treadmills and cycle machines were situated around the circular room; Marcus noticed they appeared to be bolted down to the floor. Equipment for aerobic activity was clustered in the other side of the room; exercise balls, mats, and spools of rope amongst others. There was even gymnastic apparatus. But for the setting and view out of the window, Marcus almost felt like he was in a Terrestrial gym.

“If you could all gather around over here," Hiss said. She stood in front of the wide windows. The stars still looked exactly the same. None of the humans commented on that. They did all approach the three furaxi. She rubbed her hands together and entwined her long, delicate fingers. “We have been testing your minds with new information, but now it is time to begin moving onto your physical bodies. You have been gifted with a temporary new form more in keeping with our own, but you have not yet been taught how to properly use them. That changes from today."

Alex lifted his hand. The furaxi paused and nodded her head in his direction. “Do we really need to learn this? I didn't think these would be staying on for too long?"

“To know how these suits work is to have a better understanding of how our bodies work," Hiss said, touching her hands to her chest. “You are to be ambassadors to humanity, but that also requires knowledge of our bodies, of our ways. Even when you are permitted to step outside these suits, I would still hope for you to have an understanding of our ways and how our bodies shape us."

Alex slowly lowered his hand again. “That makes sense. I understand," he said quietly.

Hiss clasped her hands again. “You may have noticed that the physical features of your suits are becoming more noticeable. Your ears and tails in particular should be feeling more real, more a part of you," she said, slowly looking around to meet the eyes of each of the suited humans. “Not only are these parts of our bodies important in communication, but the tail in particular is crucial to how we move."

Now that Marcus's attention had been drawn to it, he was more aware of his tail. He knew it was merely an extension of the suit, but having had the weight dangling from behind him for almost a week had grown comfortable. The sensation he got through the additional limb no longer felt weird, and he had found it moving around without conscious control.

Hiss swept her arm out to gesture to the equipment through the gym. “We trust you are familiar with everything here. We sourced most of this from Earth. We felt it would be useful for you to adapt to new ways of moving with equipment that is familiar to you."

“Hah, familiar," Alex snorted in amusement. He patted at his belly, which was a little larger than most around. “Can't remember the last time I went to a gym."

Hiss inclined her head. “Then perhaps it is time to visit one. Ours will be of a great benefit to you."

From where he was standing behind him, Marcus could see the back of Alex's ears redden. Shinji laughed loudly and gave Alex a nudge of the shoulder. “Hah! She called you out."

Hiss pulled back her lips. “Our species is an active one. Physical fitness is crucial to our lifestyle. Should you live amongst us and share in our ways, then sloth is not to be permitted."

Marcus looked around the room. His ears flicked as he noticed something that was missing. He raised a mitted hand. “There aren't any weights."

“Strength is not something we focus on," Hiss explained, nodding her head in Marcus's direction. She gestured towards the treadmills. “Endurance and stamina are traits we admire. Humanity has proven throughout your history that these are traits of importance to you as well. The need to lift heavy objects and move them has never been necessary in our culture."

Sess stepped forward to stand by Hiss's side. “We will split you into groups of four, with one of three," he said. His eyes fell directly on Marcus. “Then we will each put you through some routines so we can learn the limitations of your bodies, and you can learn how your tail can expand beyond those limits."

Marcus glanced down at his hands, feeling slightly concerned. He was more limited than any of the other humans, but none of the furaxi mentioned his mitted hands. He could only hope that he would not struggle with any of the activities planned.

The humans were split into groups. Marcus was in the group of three, with Adam and Ellen. Sess was the furaxi who would be guiding them through the process. The three humans were taken to the far side of the room, close to the wide windows. It took almost all of Marcus's willpower not to just stand and stare at the impressive sight. Sweeping silver flanks of the ship angled around the window, seeming to just be suspended in the inky darkness. Marcus was both excited and terrified of the view. He stepped back from the window and turned to face Sess.

“We will be starting with some stretches and gymnastics to explore the flexibility of your bodies," Sess explained. He turned side on to the three humans. He lifted his hands up, with his arms perpendicular to his chest. “Please follow my exact movements as best you can."

The three humans scrambled to move quickly to match the furaxi's pose. Sess slowly leaned forward, lifting his tail up in the process. Marcus struggled to mimic him. His tail felt comfortable, but he had yet to master how to truly move it with finesse and precision. He leaned forward a little further, his feet shuffling as he struggled to keep his balance. Then Sess lifted one foot off the ground.

With a squawk of shock, Ellen fell to the floor, with Shinji and Marcus following a moment later. All three landed with a thud on the floor, with Marcus catching his tail beneath his hip. He yelped in pain as he tried to roll over and free the extra limb. He had been feeling sensation through the flexible limb for nearly a week, but never had it felt quite so sensitive to touch before.

Sess offered a hand to Shinji and Ellen, hauling them back onto their feet, before lifting up Marcus. “Not too bad, but your tails weren't in the right place. Try the same again, but this time I will be behind you to correct your tail."

Marcus took a deep breath as he prepared himself once more. Out of the corner of his vision he could see Shinji and Ellen readying themselves too. He leaned forward and started to lift his foot off the floor. Sess's hands nudged at the base of his tail, pushing the sensitive limb to the side slightly, before coaxing it to curve upwards slightly, rather than being stuck straight out.

Almost instantly, Marcus felt his balance shift further backwards and making him much more stable. He lifted his leg up higher, matching Sess's earlier pose. Even on just one leg, he felt fully balanced with a few small twitches from his tail to maintain that.

“That's good, just like that," Sess encouraged. His hand moved from Marcus's tail. “Now slowly lower your leg down again."

Marcus did as he was instructed. He slowly placed his foot back down and straightened his back. He looked up to see Sess smiling. “That felt much better," he said, feeling his tail swish happily. His ears perked up.

Sess nodded as both Shinji and Ellen were able to replicate the pose and return to both feet. “The challenge will be knowing where to put your tail for every movement, but you will find it is very useful to keep your balance where you normally would fall," the furaxi explained. “Our bodies are more flexible than yours, even in your suits, but you should still find yourself more capable than before."

“I thought I was pretty flexible before," Shinji muttered quietly. He stretched his hands up above his head, making his rubbery suit squeak quietly with the movement. His fingers clasped as he lifted up onto his toes. “Would have done anything to have a tail though. Makes things much easier."

“You shall have one for a short while yet," Sess said, nodding his head. He stretched his arms up, mimicking Shinji's pose. “I would like you to follow my movements again. Pay close attention to my tail."

Sess worked them hard. He did not relent with the constant stretches into difficult poses. Without a tail, Marcus knew he would have toppled over many times. Only the additional limb was able to provide the counterbalance he needed to stay off the floor.

Marcus found himself distracted several times, with his attention caught by the nakedness of the furaxi. From a distance, none of the aliens appeared to have anything between their legs, but as the furaxi stretched and posed in front of him, Marcus could see that was not quite true. Hidden amongst the fur was a small sheath, pointed almost directly down. Marcus struggled to avoid staring, but he was curious to know more about how the furaxi worked down there.

Even when Sess had finished putting the three humans through their stretches, Marcus still found his eyes flicking down between the furaxi's legs. His neck and back prickled with an awkward heat as he shuffled on the spot.

By the end of the workout, the back of Marcus's legs burned from the exertion. He felt like he had been running for some distance, though all he had done was stretch his body out in new ways he was not used to. The suit that clung tight to his skin helped him move in new ways, but the muscles beneath were the same as they had always been. They were protesting severely.

Marcus was not the only one who sunk down to his haunches as the three furaxi conversed together. Their murmured conversation was not translated by the helmets, but Marcus thought he recognised a couple of words. They spoke quickly, before Hiss turned her attention back to the humans.

“You are learning quickly," she said, with the translators in the suits picking up her words again. “Over the next few days, we will be expanding your routines as you grow used to the activity. Running, climbing, and gymnastics will all be important skills for you to perfect. We shall even test your skills in zero gravity, when we feel you are proficient."

“Does it have to be now?" Adam asked. He was sitting down, rubbing his hands down his legs. The tip of his tail wiggled and squirmed, while his ears on his helmet had pinned back entirely.

Hiss drew her lips back in a smile. “No, it is not now. We will allow you to rest for the remainder of the day, but we have more physical exercise planned tomorrow, as well as a new class on furaxi customs and biology." She spread her hands wide. “Until then, you may eat and rest. We have food prepared for you, then your day will be yours to enjoy. We shall give you access to your pods, or to the observation deck."

Marcus swished his tail in excitement. They had not been given permission to roam any part of the ship on their own before. Having the observation deck opened up to them interested him. He smiled to himself. Perhaps this was a sign the furaxi were slowly starting to trust and respect the human delegation more.

Though they were all tired and weary, the humans happily followed the furaxi out of the gymnasium.

***

Lunch had been a steady improvement every day. The furaxi had been able to create delicious delights that did not taste just like chicken. They had not yet been able to perfect the correct flavours, but they were getting closer with each meal. As always, Sess was there to help Marcus with his food. Even though he knew the reason why his fingers had been sealed away, Marcus still found it embarrassing to ask for help so much, especially with such simple tasks as eating. At least with the athletic activity he had not been hindered in any way compared to his fellow humans.

After they had eaten their fill, and gone through the unpleasant waste removal process, the humans were left to their own devices much earlier than usual. They had been given entertainment in the form of massive screens that had been updated with a range of Earth-based film and television, but none paid much attention to that. An update on Earth news was all anyone cared about, but even that soon became background noise as they all sat in small groups and just talked to each other.

Some, like Marcus, remained quiet for most of the time. He did not speak much, but he enjoyed listening as the conversations happened around him. Some spoke of their lives on Earth, of what they had been working on before being whisked away to a life none of them could have predicted. Marcus did not comment on that aspect. Unlike the others, he had been struggling in a system that was designed to stop struggles. His future had been bleak before he had been chosen by the furaxi.

One small group of humans broke away from the others to visit the observation deck. Hiss had shown them how to activate the portals the furaxi used to step between rooms. Doorways were irrelevant when a portal could be opened up. Marcus thought about how such a technology could be possible, but he struggled to think of anything. That was so far from his area of expertise that it may as well just be magic. None of the other humans understood it, either. Even those who had studied in science failed to explain it. That made Marcus feel a little better about being oblivious to the portal's workings.

As evening fell, the group of eleven slowly filtered back into their sleeping pods. Marcus was initially disappointed to see that his name was alone once more, but those concerns were soon quelled by the portal lighting up before he slipped inside the pod for a lonely night. A furaxi stepped through, and the portal closed behind him. Sess bowed his head and held his hand to his chest.

“I figured you would not wish to be alone again," the furaxi said. He took a step closer, then held one hand out towards the pod. “I can keep you company for the night, unless you would wish to be alone."

“No, please, stay," Marcus said, a little too quickly. He scuffed his foot and blushed, feeling his tail rising slightly even as his ears flattened down against his helmet. He cleared his throat. “Please, if you don't mind. That would be most appreciated."

A few giggles came from the humans who had not yet disappeared into their pods, which made Marcus blush a little more. None sounded mean-spirited, but he was a little embarrassed to sound quite so needy for the physical contact.

Sess said nothing about it. He just held the pod door open for the flustered human and waited for Marcus to slip inside. All sounds from outside switched off. The pod door closed behind the furaxi as Marcus settled down on the vertical bed, letting his head sink into the soft pillow. Though he normally lay on his side when sleeping, he remained on his back as he waited for the furaxi to settle down, unsure how the alien would want to rest.

The furaxi slipped one arm beneath Marcus and gently pushed the human onto his side, facing away. Sess's belly lightly pressed against Marcus's back, making the human gasp at the contact. He could feel a blush rising on his cheeks as his suit's tail draped over the hip of the furaxi pressed behind him. He could feel no trace of the furaxi's genitals, even as his crotch felt close to Marcus's backside.

Sess's other arm rested over Marcus's side, with the long, slender fingers of the furaxi slowly stroking over the human's chest. “Does that feel good?"

Marcus shivered and nodded. “Y-yeah," he stammered, trying to get some sort of control over his body's reactions to the pleasurable contact. He could feel his cock, trapped inside the tight sheath of his suit, trying to stiffen. Every movement he or the furaxi made sent another ripple of pleasure through him, all emanating directly from his back.

“I thought it might," Sess purred. The furaxi's muzzle teased at the back of Marcus's neck. “This must all feel so strange to you."

“Just a bit, yeah," Marcus said. His cheeks burned, and his tail arched up with the tip quivering. “Is this, uh. Does this feel like sex for you?"

Sess chuckled softly. His chest rose and fell against Marcus's back, making the human squirm a little more. “We will explain our biology tomorrow. We share some similarities to your species, but other differences. For now, I will just say that this feels as good to me as it does for you."

Marcus nodded. He reached up with one hand to lightly rest it against the furaxi's hand over his chest. His tail flicked again. “I'm not keeping you from someone else, am I?"

The furaxi rumbled, a sound almost akin to that of a cat. “You are, but we made arrangements. My usual companion will be sharing a bed with two others tonight. She will not miss out."

“That's good," Marcus said. He closed his eyes for a moment, enjoying the close contact and the tingles that passed through his back from the gentle breathing of Sess. “I wouldn't want anyone to miss out. This is important to you, isn't it?"

“We are social creatures, much like humans," Sess said. His hands gripped a little tighter as he settled down behind Marcus. “Though we express ourselves in different ways. This is but one of them."

“So all furaxi have partners?" Marcus asked. “I couldn't imagine any of you not wanting to feel this every night."

Sess hissed softly as he exhaled. “Partners? Not in the same sense you would call one. We do not have a ceremony for this, like humans. We bond to those close to us, but we are not… it is hard to say. We do not have a word for it in our language."

“You are not monogamous," Marcus said, hearing the translator cut out for the last word. There was no translation for it.

“Mnogmus," Sess said, the word again sounding out in the human language as the furaxi struggled to pronounce the alien word. The translator worked fluidly as the furaxi continued. “If that is the word for it, then yes. We are not that. There are those we feel most comfortable with, and when isolated on a ship like this, we tend towards specific others, but there are few rules and restrictions around who we share sleep with."

“What rules are there?" Marcus asked with a flick of his ear.

“Do humans always talk instead of sleeping?" the furaxi asked with a soft laugh. The alien's arms shifted, and the tip of his muzzle lightly brushed over Marcus's back. “Species is not important for us. Humans have only ever known one sapient species, so it might be hard for some to adapt to a new normal where different species can enjoy intimate company. Adult maturity and sapient intelligence are often the only lines we draw. Direct family too. Beyond that, there are few restrictions."

“Humans have never really had that," Marcus said quietly, agreeing with the furaxi. Humans had never before had the chance to seek romance outside their own species, though they had often imagined what such a thing might be like through the fiction created over generations. For as long as there had been stories, there had been romances between humans and the other. Whether those other came from magic and the mystical, or from beyond the stars, the ideal remained the same. Humanity wanted a species to call an equal. And then humanity wanted to have sex with them.

“Soon you will," Sess said softly. “Humans will have all they could ever want."

“If we can prove ourselves," Marcus added, finishing the obvious caveat the furaxi had placed on them.

“If you can, yes," Sess rumbled. “I believe you will. There is so much raw, uncontrolled good on your planet, now that you have learned to shake off the bad."

“We have done so many awful things to each other," Marcus admitted. His mitted hand curled around Sess's hand.

“And just look at you now. Think of the potentials you have unlocked now that you have decided to be better," the furaxi said. His muzzle touched lightly to Marcus's neck again. “But if you'll forgive me, bed is not the place for furaxi to engage the mind in such ways. We will teach you all you wish to know, but it can wait until morning."

“I'm sorry," Marcus said. He closed his eyes and rested his head against the pillow, still feeling a little strange that he was vertical in bed. His mind tried to convince him that he was not comfortable, but his body was nicely suspended in the pod, and the gentle breathing of the furaxi behind him soothed him more.

Sess seemed to be asleep in moments. It was not long before Marcus joined him.

***

Morning brought about change, but not one the humans had expected.

At first, Marcus was not aware of anything different. He was still wrapped in Sess's arms, though when he began to stir the furaxi also woke. The furaxi pushed open the pod door and stepped outside, holding a hand for Marcus to take. He rubbed at his helmet in lieu of being able to get to his eyes.

“Uh, Marcus?"

Shinji's confused voice caught his attention. He glanced up to look towards the other suited human and frowned in confusion. Shinji looked different, but Marcus could not quite identify what had changed at first. Then his eyes flicked down. Shinji's sheath had completely smoothed over, leaving barely a bulge at all as though everything within had been tucked even tighter.

Now that he had seen Shinji, Marcus realised that his own crotch felt a little more restricted, that his cock was squeezed tighter and pulled down lower. He looked down, only to yelp in surprise at the twin mounds that rose a couple of inches out from his chest. He gently prodded them with his mitted hand and shivered. The mounds felt soft and squishy, like they were filled with a kind of gel. The suit made them seem incredibly sensitive.

Marcus's hand dipped down to his crotch. Like Shinji, it felt like his bulge had been smoothed over and flattened a lot, with his cock and balls tucked a little more, though his smooth palm found something different there. A slit opened up vertically.

Blinking inside his helmet, Marcus turned to look around the room. One by one, the humans were stepping out from their pods and finding that their suits had been changed during the night. Some had remained the same sex, though those features appeared amplified. Kylie had nipples on her breasts now, where before they had been smooth, and her crotch had a more prominent slit. Alex had a larger sheath between his legs, though Marcus could not see anything else that had changed about him.

Then there was Ellen. He – he, was that right? Marcus's suit HUD flashed up with he, and Marcus's own mind was not able to fully parse what his eyes were telling him. Ellen's breasts looked to have been compressed, just like Marcus's and Shinji's crotch. At Ellen's crotch, his slit had been replaced by a sheath, though smaller in size to Alex's.

Adam had gone the same way as Marcus. She had breasts too – Marcus caught himself again. Adam? She? He shook his head and tapped his mitted hands against his forehead. Something had clearly changed; not only with the suits, but also inside Marcus's own mind.

“Alright," Ellen called out, his voice ringing through the helmets of every human present. His voice had not changed despite everything else. “Is anyone else finding this weird as fuck?"

“I mean, I'm fine," Joan said uncertainly. She looked around the group of humans and scratched behind her curled right ear. She shuffled closer to Kylie. The two women were mostly unchanged.

“Fine?" Ellen asked, turning to face Joan. He pointed down at his crotch. “I feel like I've got a dick."

“I can't stop thinking you're a guy now," Shinji spoke up.

“Yeah, me too," Kylie added, raising her hand up, before pointing to Marcus and Adam. “And they're both women."

Ellen tapped his foot against the floor. “I still think of myself as female though." He glanced to Marcus. “What about you?"

Marcus shrugged. “I'm male, I think. But my body, yeah… And you're a guy to my suit too."

The lone furaxi in the group stepped forward. He had said nothing, but he clapped his hands together to gain attention. “I understand this must be confusing for you, but there will be a full explanation soon. If you could care to follow me, I will take you through to your first lesson for the day."

“This better be a good explanation," Adam said. She kept poking and prodding at the new slit between her legs.

“All will be explained, do not worry," the furaxi said. He padded across the room and opened the portal for the confused humans to step through.

As Marcus expected, they emerged on the other side in the room that had been set aside as a classroom of sorts. Hiss was there waiting for them already, and she flicked her ears back and curled the tip of her tail in greeting. She did not appear surprised at the changed appearance of the humans; Marcus was sure she must have been expecting it.

“I understand you have many questions," Hiss said, lifting one hand up. “But I ask that you keep these questions to yourself for the moment. If my lesson today does not answer your questions, then you may ask them when we are finished."

“But…" Adam started to protest, before Marcus nudged her in the ribs. She fell silent again.

Hiss encouraged the humans to sit down, and after a few moments only she and Sess remained standing. The female furaxi flicked her ears back as she slowly started to pace. “According to our observations, human sexuality has, historically, been binary, with some grey areas around the edges. To your definitions, furaxi biology may appear entirely grey area."

Sess picked up the thread of conversation. He remained standing at the front of the group. “Furaxi are not born male or female. We are born chybali."

Marcus frowned at the word. There was no translation in the English language for his suit to adapt the word to.

Sess continued. “Chybali might be considered a pupal or larval stage, according to your understanding of Earth biology. Our young look just like us, but they have no functional genitalia at all. This remains up until they go through sexual maturity. Unlike in humans, this is not linked to reproductive maturity. Every chybali has the potential to go male or female. It is their actions and their desires that influence which way they fall."

Shinji raised his hand, despite the request not to ask questions. “But you don't have genitals, not that I can see. Does that mean you're children?"

Sess laughed. He reached down between his legs and parted the fur, showing a small sheath that was entirely hidden beneath the soft fluff. “I am a mature adult. By your solar years, I would be considered nearly two hundred years old, and I am closest to a male by your definitions. Most of furaxi genitalia is inside the body. Only a small sheath for males is visible, and our penises are tucked inside."

“Wait, you're how old?" Ellen called out, but neither of the furaxi acknowledged his question.

Hiss returned to the front of the room. “Females have a small vaginal passage, which is again hidden by our fur. Reproduction is an uncomfortable experience for both male and female, and so it is rarely practiced," she said, before lifting a hand to curtail further comments. “However, sexual contact, which again is separate for furaxi, is intensely pleasurable and fervently encouraged."

“You may have noticed your suits have areas of high pleasure," Sess said. He gently traced a finger up his belly. “On the chest for males, and on the back for females. These areas may be considered erogenous zones for your biology. They are sexual for us, but they are decoupled entirely from reproduction."

“And I know what you must be thinking now," Hiss added. “Why is this related to what has happened to you?"

A murmur of assent rippled through the room. Human heads nodded.

“You are to be cultural ambassadors between our species," Hiss said. Her fingers locked together as she looked around the eleven humans. “You must understand our ways entirely, so that you can know how to intervene in disputes between our species. For that end, you must know entirely what it means to be furaxi, and our sexual identity and expression is an important cornerstone of our culture. You had to understand this with no preconceived notions of what would happen to you."

Sess leaned forward and took over. “What happened this morning was a direct consequence of your actions. Those who lean towards the female have taken more female characteristics, and those who lean male have gone in that direction. I will be clear and say it is only your suits that have changed. Your biological forms beneath are unaltered, and when the suits are removed you will return to your previous mindset."

“But had you known what was to come," Hiss added, “then your actions would have been shaped by your knowledge." Her eyes fell on Marcus for a moment. “It was imperative that you not know, lest your thoughts shape your actions in ways that were not natural, but instead guided by some human understanding of sex and biology. To be like a furaxi, you must think and act like one."

“So I'm stuck as a women until we get these suits off?" Adam asked.

Hiss shook her head. “Not as such, no. Just like our biology, your suits are still fluid until full maturity is reached. To change back, you need simply alter your behaviours to fit in line with the desired outcome."

“And what about me?" Shinji asked. He pointed down towards his smoothed out crotch. “I don't seem to be either."

Sess nodded. “Some furaxi are able to balance the changes going through their body and can abstain from either of the binary sexes. Should you continue this way, you may not develop characteristics of either sex. You would remain as you are now."

Shinji squirmed a little where he sat, his fingers rubbing down his belly, close to his crotch. “And we're not going to be affected when we eventually take the suits off?"

“Not at all," Sess assured him. The furaxi looked up, glancing around the room. “Were there any further questions about this?"

No one raised their hands. The humans all looked around at each other. Marcus draped his tail across his lap nervously. He was not sure if he liked the changes in his body, but he could not deny that he had felt good at night with someone pressed behind him. He could not imagine things the other way around, with his arms wrapped around someone else. The thought just left him feeling cold, like the contact would be. His back was where most of the sensitivity was located.

With no questions being asked, the two furaxi were able to lead the class in a new direction. Talk soon turned back to their usual topics, and from there they would return to the gymnasium and continue their physical workouts. Through it all, Marcus was slightly distracted. The changes in his suit felt wrong, yet at the same time, completely natural. He was not yet sure how to feel about that.

***

A warm prickle had been growing up Marcus's back for most of the day, while his cock had been trying to get hard. Any erection had been quickly stifled by the tight encloser. He had reached down a couple of times, but his mitted hands had not been able to find his usual bulge. The tucking had been so complete that there was almost no evidence of his usual genitals at all; instead just leaving him with the new, sensitive slit. It had become quite a distraction by the time their lessons had ended, and the humans had been permitted to return to their pods. A few of the others appeared to be struggling with a similar problem, though those who had drifted towards the male end of the spectrum were idly rubbing at their bellies, rather than trying to reach their back.

Conversation was muted and quick as many retreated to their pods right away, splitting up into their couples. This time, there was no names above the pod doors, leaving the humans to separate themselves into their pairs without any interference from the furaxi. Marcus thought he was going to be sleeping with Ellen, before a different hand closed around his mitted hand. He looked up to see Sess; the furaxi looking right at him.

Ellen shrugged and turned her attention to Shinji instead.

Sess lightly pulled Marcus towards one of the free pods. He said nothing as he opened the door and gently lifted Marcus up to place him against the vertical mattress, before pulling the door closed behind him. There was no trace of the awkward smile on his muzzle, but instead the alien's ears were perked up, and the uplifted position of his tail expressed the furaxi's satisfaction. Marcus blinked in surprise that he was able to read the emotion through body language only. He had not realised he was getting so good at that.

“Sorry for pulling you away," Sess said, bowing his head as he wriggled in behind Marcus. “But I wanted you to experience a true furaxi for the first time. You humans are like chybali at the moment; inexperienced and clumsy. I can show you what it truly feels like."

Marcus shivered and pressed back into Sess. Already, the contact of the furaxi's chest against his back felt nice. The prickling heat over his back soothed slightly as a few waves of sensation rolled through him. He closed his eyes and groped for Sess's hand with his fingerless mitt, trying to pull the furaxi's hand down onto his belly.

The alien obliged. The furaxi purred gently, a deep rumble that was not unlike the noise a cat made. Both of the alien's arms hooked beneath Marcus's, resting against the sensitive pseudo-breasts that swelled out from the human's chest.

“Thought you didn't like staying awake in bed," Marcus groaned, huffing softly inside his helmet. Everything felt so good, and he kept grinding back against the furaxi. His cock stiffened a little inside his tight sheath, but that was quickly restricted. There was no pain, but it was certainly uncomfortable to be erect for long. That did nothing to slow the waves of pleasure from his back.

Sess slowly began to undulate his body; lifting his hips for a moment before pressing back against Marcus while lifting his shoulders. There was no thrusting movement, but just a gentle pressure that was released and moved up and down the human's back. Marcus could not feel any evidence of the furaxi's genitals involved at all.

Like waves running up and down his back, Marcus felt as good as though his cock was being rubbed. The sensation was enhanced by the size of the sensitive area, like a combination of the best backrub he had ever received, mixed in with the usual erotic sensations of someone's hand around his cock.

A few times, Marcus instinctively reached down between his legs. His cock was trapped and locked behind smooth rubber, with no way of reaching through to touch it. His fingerless mitts were useless, and every time he did so, Sess slowed down until Marcus moved his hands back again. Over time, Marcus forced himself not think about his cock. His sense of pleasure was wholly decoupled from what lay between his legs. Instead, all of his focus went to the furaxi rubbing against his back, and the long, slender fingers resting over his breasts.

“How does that feel?" Sess asked, prodding his muzzle into the crook between Marcus's head and shoulder. His voice sounded a little breathy, even through the automatic translator.

“Please don't stop," Marcus replied. He kept his eyes closed as he reached back, resting his hand against the furaxi's hip.

“I don't plan on it," Sess said softly. His tongue lightly teased over Marcus's cheek, feeling good even through the skintight rubber the human was forced to wear. Their tail tips entwined as the furaxi kept rubbing and teasing, sliding his belly over the smooth skin of the human.

One hand moved away from Marcus's breasts. Sess reached down to press against the human's belly. “Move your hips back a little," he instructed, between panting breaths. “That's better. Now straighten your back. Don't hunch so much."

Marcus tried to do as Sess instructed, but his instinct was always to lean forward a little. He shuddered and curled his toes as he panted inside his helmet. For the first time since wearing it, his suit felt almost restrictive, like he wanted to break free and experience these sensations with his own skin. His ears flicked forward at the thought. He would not get to experience this with his own body; his human body beneath the suit could never experience such a thing.

A slight whimpering groan escaped his lips as he realised such a thing. He had not expected the wave of disappointment to briefly conflict with the pleasure, but a gentle squeeze from Sess chased away the negativity. There would be plenty of time to concern himself with his biology afterwards.

Sess did not comment on the sounds Marcus had inadvertently made. The furaxi continued to nuzzle and lick over the back of the human's neck, making some huffs of pleasured contentment himself.

Heat flooded through Marcus. Almost every inch of him felt incredible, like every nerve ending was lit up with purest pleasure. Only his cock, sealed away and pinched inside a rigid and tight tube, seemed disconnected from it all. He could never have imagined feeling so good, to have a touch feel so erotic, without any contact between his legs at all. That was simply a neglected area, unneeded in the business of pleasure.

Marcus did not know how much time passed. That was meaningless. All that mattered was the gentle hands of the furaxi and the heat of the alien's belly against his back. It could have been five minutes. It could have been all night.

Together, with Sess's instruction, the two were able to work a rhythm together. It was not just Sess's movements that stimulated them both; Marcus leaned back into the contact and moved opposite to the furaxi.

The warmth through Marcus's body kept on increasing. His hands and feet tingled with pleasure as he worked on rocking his body back and forth, grinding his back against the furaxi behind him.

Marcus could not be sure if furaxi sex had a climax like humans, but he knew he was going to find out. He shuddered and squirmed, feeling Sess's own movements start to get a little more irregular. Both human and furaxi struggled to maintain their rhythm. Marcus could feel his cock straining at its restraints, twitching a few times as it was pinned up tight to his crotch.

He trembled. He knew he was going to cum, whether or not Sess was able to. He gritted his teeth together and squeezed his eyes closed, trying to hold back and maintain the constant pleasure rippling through his body for a few moments longer.

His orgasm was not the usual release of pressure Marcus was used to. Instead, it was an amplification of pleasure. Every inch of his body was tickled with orgasmic sensation, with his hands clenching against Sess's arms. He still twitched and tried to press back against the furaxi, but there was not much he could do.

There was a little wetness beneath his suit at his crotch as his cock spilled his seed, but that was little more than an afterthought as the tingling warmth spread through Marcus's body. Sess's arms squeezed a little tighter as the furaxi trembled, his whole body practically vibrating, before he leaned into Marcus and fell still.

Marcus wanted to say something. He wanted to speak, but no words came to his mouth. His throat felt tight, though he could still breathe just fine. He shuddered and rested his head against the pillow. A lingering sense of satisfaction still remained with him. He closed his eyes for a moment, just to regain his composure, he told himself.

He was asleep before he even had chance to consider opening his eyes again.

***

Marcus woke to a feeling of contentment the following morning. Sess was still behind him, though the furaxi stirred moments after the human began to move. Marcus's thoughts quickly returned to what they had shared the previous night, and a blush tinged his hidden cheeks and forced his ears to fold down.

“Does that normally feel so good?" he asked, murmuring a little as Sess lightly kissed the back of his neck.

“Of course," Sess replied. Again, he did not grin in the human way, but Marcus was able to identify the emotion in the alien's ears and tail. “You seem to be accepting your changing sex nicely."

“I…" Marcus hesitated. Was he? He was not sure he had completely accepted that yet. He had to admit that he adored the feeling of having the furaxi cuddling him from behind, but would Marcus prefer to be on the other side of things? He idly rubbed a mitted hand over his belly, but there was none of the delightful sensation that came with a touch to his back. “I don't know yet."

Sess rumbled with a soft purr. “If you truly do wish to change, then it will take a difference of your actions, and you will not have long to make such a choice. Continue as you are now, and your suit will be locked into this new form."

“I understand," Marcus said, curling his ears down in thought. He wondered if any of the others would accept their changed sex, or would those like Ellen or Adam change their ways and revert back to what they had been as a human. His tail thrashed as he struggled to sort his thoughts.

Sess tapped him on the shoulder. “But come with me a moment. The others won't be awake yet, but there's something I'd like you to see."

The furaxi pushed open the pod door and took hold of Marcus's hand. The room outside was empty, and none of the pod doors were open. They remained transparent, like Marcus had seen that first night he had been caught out by Hiss. The thought still prickled at the back of his neck, though that had also indicated arousal recently. Did he like the thought of furaxi watching them as they slept, learning about their sleeping habits and who they chosen to bed with?

The thought was pushed out of his mind as he averted his eyes from his sleeping companions. Sess opened a portal and led him through to the observation deck. Once more, the endless sweep of stars opened out before Marcus, making him feel like he stood on nothing but empty vacuum.

“Can you feel the difference this morning?" Sess asked.

Marcus frowned. He started to shake his head, before he paused. There was something. A little sensation like a tug at his belly. He held his hands over his chest. “Yeah, I think I do."

“What do you think it is?" Sess asked. He stood against the transparent glass-like wall of the observation deck.

Marcus's eyes turned to the stars. He blinked a couple of times and tilted his head. He approached the furaxi, but his attention was solely on the stars outside. “They're different. They've moved," he gasped, before turning his gaze to the furaxi. “They didn't move. We moved. We're going to Hyssansyr?"

Sess nodded once. “We believe that, by the time we reach our home, you will be ready to walk amongst us," the furaxi explained. “There is still so much to learn, but you have been making good progress. There is only so much you can learn on our ship, so you will soon get to walk beneath our sun and breathe our air. Only then will you truly know what it is to be furaxi."

Marcus squeezed Sess in a tight embrace. He felt giddy in excitement. Already the stars felt like they could be his home. “I can't wait to see it all."