Message-ID: <45049asstr$1067483412@assm.asstr-mirror.org> X-Original-Message-ID: <20031029150502.19790.qmail@web20501.mail.yahoo.com> From: Lazlo Zalezac X-ASSTR-Original-Date: Wed, 29 Oct 2003 07:05:02 -0800 (PST) Subject: {ASSM} John Carter III 13 (mf mmf ffm ff mm sci-fi) Date: Wed, 29 Oct 2003 22:10:12 -0500 Path: assm.asstr-mirror.org!not-for-mail Approved: Newsgroups: alt.sex.stories.moderated,alt.sex.stories Followup-To: alt.sex.stories.d X-Archived-At: X-Moderator-Contact: ASSTR ASSM moderation X-Story-Submission: X-Moderator-ID: dennyw, hecate __________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? Exclusive Video Premiere - Britney Spears http://launch.yahoo.com/promos/britneyspears/ <1st attachment, "Crossroad13.txt" begin> DISCLAIMER: This is a work of fiction. If you are offended by sexually explicit material or are under the age of 18, stop reading now. This material cannot be reproduced for commercial purposes without the consent of the author. John Carter By Lazlo Zalezak Copyright (C) Lazlo Zalezak, 2003 Part 3: Robes of Acumen Chapter 13 A large crowd was gathered in the meeting hall talking to each other and generally having a good time. A month ago, the same gathering would have been split in their opinions about John Carter. Today, they were much more united. The council of elders had come up with a gift that was much more acceptable to everyone. Almost everyone in the tribe had contributed to it in some fashion. Linda Redman stood in a corner looking around nervously, thinking that this was the big public ceremony; the one in which she would be given to John Carter. She couldn't help but worry that she had made a mistake in choosing this course of action. The past month had been spent with her grandmother learning the old ways of the tribe and she hadn't had much time to think about this day. Now that it was here, she was scared. The Carter Clan entered the meeting room as a group. John went around the room meeting people and introducing his family. He was careful to keep the relations correct among the Native Americans. Grandparents, parents, and children formed significant links among the people. His family felt the same as John; it was important to respect that which other people valued. When the gathering was finally called to order, they had met everyone present. As William Redman made his way to the podium, a silence fell over the room. He stated, "Several years ago, my grandson said there was a white man that I should meet. He told me this white man traveled with a wild cougar. This man treated all people with respect. I told him that no white man such as that existed." "A moon later, my grandson came back to me. Again, he told me that this white man was someone that I should meet. I said okay that I would meet this white man. I waited to hear back from my grandson. My grandson told me that the white man would meet with me when the time was right. I had expected this man to make an appointment with me in the manner of white men. He did no such thing." "Many moons later, my grandson tells me that this white man had gone for a walk and that he might be coming to meet me. I went to a ceremony to walk with the spirits. As I waited, this white man comes walking out of the desert in the company of a cougar. He greets me in the old way; waiting patiently for me to notice him and meet with him on my terms. He brought tobacco." "He joined me in a spirit walk, but went his own way to meet with his Gods and Goddesses. Even in the spirit walk, he showed proper respect. He paid for the walk with a great price, loosing his cougar companion. He did not complain. He only said, great magic requires a great price. Having walked with the spirits many times, I know the truth of that statement." "He told me that he wanted to help my people regain their culture. I distrusted this man, expecting him to suggest that we build a cultural center. He told me that our culture is not to be taught in a building, but must be done in the desert. He did not tell me how to solve our problem. He asked me to identify a solution and he would help finance it." "I met with others from the council of elders and we came up with a radical solution that would help the young of our tribe in dealing with the world outside the reservation and yet instill a strong cultural understanding. We chose to do this for all tribes and not just our own." "I did not expect this white man to fund such a major undertaking. He funded it without question and added more money so that all Native Americans could attend free. I asked him what price we would have to pay. He said that a strengthening of the earth spirit was all he asked." "I respect this white man. His word and his deed are one. The Native American College was opened without any interference or influence by him. We graduated our first class of students this year. Many of them have returned to their tribes to continue with the old traditions and to help us deal with outside forces." "There are many Native Americans that want to get a different education than our college could provide. This white man gave us a fund that we can use as we wish. A council of tribal representatives met and chose to fund our students to continue their education. Now our children and grandchildren can become lawyers and doctors." "He learned of a rift within the tribe in which he played a major role. He came to the council of elders to ask for our wisdom on how best to heal this wound. He did as all our people should do when they have a problem; he came to the elders and asked for their advice. He listened to our words and saw the wisdom in them. He did as we suggested." "His actions and treatment of the tribe has earned our respect. Today we honor him although he has not asked for any honors. Oh behalf of the tribe as a whole, we present him with this work of tribal handcraft." A young man unveiled a beautiful hand-woven picture decorated with handmade trinkets in various locations and styles. It was gorgeous and John's mouth dropped open. Linda Redman was taken completely by surprise. She had just worked up her nerve to present herself to John. When they unveiled the gift, she was shocked and dismayed. As time went by, she was angered that they had not taken her offer to be the gift to John. Her plan had been ruined. John went to the podium and turned to face the people gathered. He stood silently for a minute and then stated, "I am greatly honored by this gift. I see that many people have contributed to its creation with considerable love and care. This is the greatest gift that a people can give to a man. I thank you for this great honor." John looked off to the horizon as a trance-like state fell over him. To those well versed in the ancient ways, John began to glow. His voice came strong and echoed through the great hall. "I speak to all those who serve the earth. Druid and Native American walk separate paths to the same destination. It does not matter how the earth is served, only that it is served. Let us recognize and respect the contributions that each make." "There is an entire planet to heal. There are waters to clean, air to purify, and plants to grow. The healing has begun, but the earth spirit is weak. The Druids shall clean the water, purify the air, and grow plants. The Native Americans shall strengthen the earth spirit." "The paths we walk are long and the journey shall take time. Our warriors must be strong and diligent. We can not be discouraged by slow progress. Spring comes but once a year and it shall take many springs for the earth to recover." "A new college, the Druid College, shall open in two years. It shall be free to all those that chose to walk the Druid path. It shall look to the Native American College for guidance like a child looks to its older brother. It shall not challenge the Native American College; it shall compliment it." John's voice reverberated through the hall with an unnatural power. "I speak as Grand Druid giving voice to the words of the Gods and Goddesses. As I have said, so shall it be!" John returned to himself and smiled. He stepped away from the podium as the people watched in a state of awe. William Redman had seen John surrounded by sacred animal spirits and had also seen shadow figures standing behind him. Others had seen the animal spirits. John joined his family as the Chief of the tribe rose to the podium. Having talked from that position many times in the past, the Chief was seldom unable to rise to the occasion. Now, he stood there for several minutes seeking the proper words. Finally, he stated, "As he has stated, so shall it be!" The people applauded. He added, "Let's eat!" The assembly broke up into small groups that moved to the tables piled with food. The most common subject of conversation was the second speech given by John. Those who had seen more than just John standing at the podium described what they had seen to those who had seen only a man. The consensus was that his Gods and Goddesses had chosen to speak to their people. One young lady of the tribe had watched the speech with eyes that saw only the man. Her plans had been ruined while her desire for John had grown. Approaching John was the hardest thing she had done, now she had to do it again. She came to him and stated, "I want to talk to you." Smiling at her, John stated, "We will talk, but now is not the right time." Walking away, he left a very frustrated young lady behind. She stood there staring at him in shock. Ling and Kelly came to her and led her away, stating, "John knows what he is doing." Plates loaded to over flowing, John and Ed settled down at a table. A middle age couple sat down at the table with them. For several minutes, nothing was said while the people at the table ate their food. Finally, the woman broke the silence, "It is a nice thing you are doing for Linda. She knows her heart, but is afraid to follow it." The husband stated, "I was against her doing that. It was not right." John looked at the husband and stated, "I plan to ask William if I may date her." "That would be okay. It leaves you both with choices. She can choose to follow her heart. You can choose to follow yours," grunted the husband. A sly smile came over Ed as he said, "Yet, it bothers you that he is a white man." The man looked at Ed for a moment. He started to say something, then reconsidered. He stated, "You want the truth." "Yes." "It bothers me," stated the man. Then he added, "I'm not sure that John Carter is a white man." Waiting for the man to finish his statement, Ed watched the thought processes flit across his face. The man finally added, "I'm not sure that you are a white man. There is something different about you both." John stated, "we are just men." "Perhaps that is it." The meal was great, good solid food served in quantities intended to fill one's stomach. John finished his meal and then looked across the room at William Redman. He waited until William had finished his meal. He stood and walked over to William. He waited until William asked him, "John Carter, you wish to speak to me?" John removed a carton of cigarettes from a pocket and handed it to the old man. The action drew attention from many in the room. John stated, "William Redman, I come to you as John Carter the man. I talk to you as Grandfather of a family." Across the room, Kelly nudged Linda and asked, "What is John doing?" With considerable surprise, Linda watched the exchange between John and her grandfather. Her mouth opened as she watched John follow the old ways. Smiling, William Redman asked, "What can this grandfather do for John Carter, the man?" "I wish to date your granddaughter, Linda Redman." William Redman frowned and then stated, "It is customary to bring a gift for the family." "I have brought a truck and five Fusion Batteries." Linda watched the exchange in shock. John had brought her grandfather a truck just to date her! After her month with her grandmother, she had come to understand a lot more of her culture. She understood that John had just paid a high personal price just to date her. William Redman looked thoughtful and then stated, "You have brought much" "She is worth it," replied John. Smiling at John, William looked over at Linda. He stated, "You have my permission to ask her for a date." "Thank you, grandfather," answered John using the common honorific. Linda turned to Kelly and asked, "Did you know?" Ling smiled kindly at the other woman. "Of course we knew. We've worked all week planning this." Putting a hand on Linda's hand, Kelly stated, "He isn't dating you to determine if you will be his wife. We are all dating you to determine if you will be our wife." Linda looked at Ling and Kelly in a new light. She had not thought of being with John as being with them as well. They were a mystery to her. She never had a chance to talk to them before. She wondered if she could love them as she did John. John came over to where Linda was seated. Ed joined him there. His medallion was warm. John faced Linda and asked in a loud enough voice to be heard throughout the room. "Would you be kind enough to come for dinner at our house tomorrow night?" Linda was aware of the large number of eyes watching her. It was not just the Carter Clan, but half the tribe was watching as well. She knew she wanted to answer yes, but she feared that she was not brave enough to answer as her heart directed. She took a deep breath and started to answer, but stopped before any words came from her mouth. A subtle sound reached her ears. She listened carefully, not quiet believing her ears. Tribal members were whispering, "say yes." She blurted out, "Yes." A wave of relief spread through the room. The Carter Clan smiled. John stated, "I will be by to pick you up at seven. We shall put you up in our guest room until you decide that you want to leave." Demurely, she answered, "I'll be ready." While the women discussed the mechanics of the date with Linda, John left the table to examine the gift. It was a lovely piece of work and he decided that he would hang it in the formal living room where all guests could appreciate it. William Redman came to John and watched as John examined every aspect of the gift. John turned to William stating, "This shall occupy a place of honor in my home." "It has captured the feelings of the tribe." John stated, "Come with me and let me show you the truck." The men went outside to the parking lot. There, a brand new red pickup truck was parked. John proudly presented William with the key. William walked around the truck and examined the bed. There were five boxes containing Fusion Batteries. These large batteries were capable of powering an entire house. William stated, "These are quite magnificent. They will provide power to many of our public buildings." Looking over Williams head, John asked, "And how many of these would I have to give you before you actually used one for yourself?" Laughing, William replied, "More of them than even you can afford." "So be it. I will say this, you can tap off the Fusion Battery in the truck to power many things around the house." Shaking his head, William said, "you are a tricky one." Parking his jeep in the garage, John went around the car and opened Linda's door. Taking her hand, he led her into the house. They were met by Cathy, "Allow me to get her settled into her guest room. Bob is getting her luggage and will bring it up shortly. Until then, why don't you get the rest of the family together." Linda looked at John, who smiled and nodded. She was led away by Cathy who would program the lock to her door. John went to the back of the house searching for the rest of the family. He found them all and Leroy gathered in the informal living room. He stated, "Linda is here." Ed said, "Before we go to the dining room, there is something that you need to know. Kelly informed me of it right after you left and we have been discussing ever since." "What?" "She's a virgin," stated Kelly. She and Ling had taken Linda shopping for some outfits for the next few days. The only clothes that Linda had were blue jeans and the women had wanted to make sure that she would have a dress. In the process of shopping, Linda's entire history of dating, or rather her lack of a history came out. She went on, "She has never even had a date, so be very gentle with her." "Oh," replied a stunned John. No wonder she had gone about this like a schoolgirl. She had no idea what she was doing. He had never slept with a virgin before and the prospect scared him. He asked, "What about the size of my equipment? I'll tear her up inside." Ling stated, "She probably lost her hymen riding horses, so that might not be a problem." "I'll be sure to take it easy," replied John wondering how he should proceed. The entire group went into the dining room to wait for Linda. John sat pensively wondering how to deal with Linda. He finally decided that he would do as he always did; wait to ask politely when the mood seemed right. If the mood never seemed right, he would never ask. Cathy arrived and told them that Linda was changing her clothes and would be down in a few minutes. The men laughed aloud at the news and relaxed considerably. When Kelly gave John a look as if to ask what he had found so funny, John stated, "We'll be here a half an hour." Ling stated, "It is not easy to look gorgeous!" Turning his head to look directly at her, John stated, "Really? I have never seen you look anything other than gorgeous. That includes when you are clothed, naked, with and without makeup." Kelly snorted, "Men are so easy to please. We don't dress for you. We dress to impress other women." Nodding her head, Ling stated, "If we dressed for men, we'd only wear half bras, garter belts, stockings, and very high heels." Winking at her, Leroy stated, "I don't know. I get hard every time Kelly comes home from work in her nurses uniform." Everyone at the table laughed at that. The teasing went around the table. It was interrupted when Cathy came in the room and leaned down to talk to Ling. After a quick whispered conversation, Cathy left. Ling stood up announcing, "Our guest is having a few difficulties. I'll be right back." The men looked at Kelly as if she could tell them what the problem might be. Kelly shrugged her shoulders signaling her lack of an educated guess. The conversation turned to everyone's plans for the next few days. John was taking Leroy to the school to sign up for classes the next day. Ed was heading out to San Francisco to examine some stolen gems that had been recovered. They were hoping that he would be able to tell where the stones had originated so that they could be returned to the proper diamond exchange. Kelly was finishing her last day at the hospital tomorrow and would start fixing up a clinic in town the day after that. With a look of pity on her face, Ling returned to the table. She sighed, "The poor girl will be out in a minute." Kelly asked, "What was the problem?" "She's never put on stockings. She ruined every pair we bought her." All eyes turned to the stairs as Linda came down them and entered the dining room. She wore a turquoise blue dress that came down to just above her knees. The dress had a deep cut neckline that promised views of her small breasts, but didn't deliver on that promise. She wore real silk stockings, compliments of Ling. Wobbling slightly on heels, she tried to move gracefully to the table. The men all stood up. John moved around the table to help her to her chair. He broke the silence, "You look gorgeous." A deep blush, darkening her reddish hue, spread over her face and chest. She shot a thankful look to Ling and Kelly while murmuring a soft, "Thank you." After she had taken her seat, John stated, "Linda, I would like to introduce you to Leroy. He's a guest staying here until he can get his situation straightened out. Leroy, this is Linda. She's my date for the evening." Leroy nodded to her. "It is a pleasure to meet you at last." "Thank you. It's nice to meet you too." Marguerite came out of the kitchen wearing a maid's costume much to the surprise of everyone at the table. She stated, "Tonight's theme is seafood. We shall start with boiled shrimp and crab claws served with a delicate cocktail sauce. A small garden salad will be served to help cleanse the palette for the next course. This shall be a collection of fried shrimps, fish, clams, oysters, and chicken. Baked and fried potatoes shall be served as a side with a nice garden medley of steamed garden vegetables. The next course shall be crab cakes and lobster crepes. The desert tonight shall be Cherries Jubilee with homemade ice cream." Smiling, Ed asked, "What's with the French Maid costume?" "Uh..." Marguerite blushed. "I made a deal with Bob that if he cranked the ice cream maker, that I would wear this outfit tonight. I started a little early to motivate him to crank harder. Now I need to go back and motivate him a little more while I'm cooking." For some reason, this caused a giggling fit in Linda. She found it extremely funny that the cook would motivate someone to work that way. She tried to imagine it in the café that she worked in and the idea of the male cook wearing an outfit like that to motivate anyone to work was too funny. She couldn't contain it and burst out laughing. Kelly asked, "What's so funny?" Hardly able to contain her mirth, Linda answered, "I was just imagining the cook where I work dressing like that. He has a big stomach that hangs over his belt and usually has a three-day beard. He looks a lot like one of those over weight wrestlers on television." Everyone at the table laughed at the image that it conjured up in their minds. Sarah came out of the kitchen delivering huge plates of shrimp and crab claws. The shrimp were still in the shell, so this was going to get messy very quickly. The value of such a start was that it was hard to remain inhibited when everyone around you are peeling shrimp and cracking claws. The juices will fly and shells will fall where they may. As they started on the meal, the conversation resumed. Ling surprised everyone when she announced that she was going to start working at the police office starting in two days. The conversation centered on the expected changes in the town. Kelly with Dr. Hayes was going to open a free clinic in town. John talked about opening a library in town. Linda asked, "I thought that you were rich. Why are you working?" "I'm a scientist. I enjoy doing that," replied John. He added, "Everything else that I do is unpaid, but serves a greater purpose." "I'm a security specialist, but I haven't had a chance to contract out my services. I miss working in that field, so I'm going back to work," answered Ling. "I'm a nurse. My greatest satisfaction in life comes from helping someone that is in pain." Ed stated, "I like rocks. The fact that I get paid for it is just an added benefit." Leroy whistled, "You are the busiest people that I've ever met. I don't see how you could possibly ever be bored." Linda looked around the room and wondered how she ever thought that she could possibly fit into John's life. She looked off into the distance wondering if she would be going home after dinner. She sighed at the comparison between her and them. The melancholy that had settled over Linda was noticed by Kelly. She asked, "Linda, suppose that you had no worries about bills or anything else. What would you do with your time?" Linda sighed, "I really don't know." Ed laughed, "This reminds me of a conversation that I had when I was still a cowboy. John asked me what I would do if I had a day with no responsibilities. After a lot of questioning, I admitted that I would spend the day looking for rocks. Guess what I do now? I look at rocks for a living. Amazing isn't it?" Linda looked at Ed in surprise, "I didn't know you were a cowboy." "Oh, yes. I was also a mean low down bully that terrified half the town and fought the other half." As the meal progressed, Linda relaxed more and told more about herself. It was soon time for desert. The creation of the Cherries Jubilee was an exciting treat, particularly when the brandy was lit. It was while eating that the big question arose. Leroy asked, "So how does your marriage work?" John stated, "Well, if we choose to include someone into the family we allow them to buy shares. For this decision, it has to be unanimous. All other family decisions are made based on a vote by shares. We have limits on how many shares a person can buy based on share purchases by others." Kelly stated, "We only offer shares to someone that demonstrates a willingness to live by the rules of the family." Linda asked, "How is that demonstrated?" Ling stated, "You live here and follow the rules of the house." Ed added, "You also make love to every member of the family." "I guess that would mean that I would have to sleep with John and Ed if I wanted to join the family," asserted Leroy. John smiled, "That's right, but I would state it as making love rather than sleeping." "I would have to make love to Ling and Kelly and Ed?" asked Linda. "Yes." Ling addressed the real concern, "If you loved the whole family, then it wouldn't be difficult. If you truly loved me, then you would want to make love to me. If you only liked me, you could possibly have sex with me. However, if you didn't care about me at all, you wouldn't do anything with me. Marriage is about love. In a group marriage, it is about loving the whole group." Looking at Leroy, Ed asked, "You've lived here for more than a week. What are your feelings towards us?" "I'm beginning to develop deep feelings towards all of you, but I'm very hesitant about having sex with a man. I don't think that I would pass that test." Kelly laughed, "John and Ed danced around the issue for more than a year. So don't worry that after only a week of thinking about it that you aren't sure." <1st attachment end> ----- ASSM Moderation System Notice------ Notice: This post has been modified from its original format. The post was sent as an email attachment and has been converted by ASSTR ASSM moderation software. ----- ASSM Moderation System Notice------ -- Pursuant to the Berne Convention, this work is copyright with all rights reserved by its author unless explicitly indicated. +---------------------------------------------------------------------------+ | alt.sex.stories.moderated ------ send stories to: | | FAQ: Moderators: | +---------------------------------------------------------------------------+ |ASSM Archive at Hosted by | |Discuss this story and others in alt.sex.stories.d; look for subject {ASSD}| +---------------------------------------------------------------------------+