Hoplites, Thralls & Prizes

Greetings! A few years ago, under the pen name Odeon1776, I began writing an erotic science fiction series called Hoplites, Thralls & Prizes. After a few installments and along with tinkering with a couple of other stories on Literotica, I set aside my keyboard. I didn’t know a lot in those days and re-reading those stories, I was aghast at the many misspelling and other grammatical errors that occurred.

Well, I feel it’s time to continue this science fantasy series and in doing so, I have consolidated the previous chapters, did some much-needed editing and re-processing. Going forward, the series will be released under my new pen name — Odeon177a — I know it’s not very original, but I think it’ll work. I hope you enjoy the retelling of this story and the improvements I’ve made.

Best Regards!

The Crossing & The Arrival

It had been a REALLY long flight so far, but Erin O’Keefe didn’t care. She was with the two most important people in her life — her mom and Brad, the man she was marrying. They were aboard Allied Airlines flight 9225, halfway through an all-night flight from New York City to Los Angles, California. Once in LA, they would board a connecting flight onto Maui. Then, once in Hawaii they would be married, and live happily ever-after as the story goes. She smiled to herself for the millionth time that day and she still couldn’t believe that within 48-hours, she would be Mrs. Brad Goldsmith.

Inhaling and then exhaling as she stifled a yawn, she thought to herself that she had always loved flying but could never sleep on airplanes — not even in the plush flight class seat she was occupying. She glanced to her left and right, both her mom and Brad were sound asleep. ‘How are they able to do that’, she wondered. The lights were out in the cabin and except for a rowdy group of college band members in coach and the usual crying babies, it had been uneventful.

In the light of her overhead reading lamp, she glanced down at the paperback romance novel resting in her lap and again stifled a yawn. She took out the compact from her purse and checked her hair and make-up again. She brushed a lock of sandy blond hair, which she wore short from her green eyes. She puckered her lips and then checked her smile in the mirror. Not movie star lips, but she guessed they would have to do.

As a department store manager, she always attired herself professionally, in skirt and heels. Sadly, she thought, her figure didn’t quite match her 5’11” height. Here mom described her as “sporty,” but at 54, she didn’t feel very sporty. She had a small bust. Secretly, only she knew one breast was smaller than the other and she wore a prosthetic to help even the keel. Being the daughter of a US Navy Captain, in high school other students teased her by dubbing her “Queen of the Flattops.” Young people — especially girls — can be so cruel. The lower half of her figured similarly suffered. Although she looked nice in skit and heels, she didn’t quite have the caboose she desired. She had long legs and worked out regularly to stay in shape, but they too weren’t well-muscled and glamour model sexy. Still, she thought she looked nice now in the khaki capris and short-sleeved floral blouse she wore.

All of that didn’t matter though because she had Brad and he was all hers! An older man nearing 60 (for some reason she had a thing about older men), Brad had thick salt and pepper black hair and well-chiseled features. He was kind to her and always acted the gentleman.

“Are you having trouble sleeping,” asked a flight attendant quietly, intruding on her thoughts. Erin looked-up to see the pretty, First Class Attendant with the nametag Dana on her Jacket.

“I’m fine,” said Erin quietly. “I’m just having some trouble falling asleep. Could I trouble you for a glass of white wine?” Thinking that would help her relax enough to sleep.

Dana smiled cheerfully and agreed to be right back with the drink and turning, walked forward to the galley to fulfill the request.

– – – –

Dana Erickson couldn’t wait to get back on the ground in Los Angeles. It had been a long and crazy flight. All she wanted to do was get home, see her son and soak in the tub with two-fingers of Jack Daniels on ice. The life of a single mom! She worked hard to pay the bills and provide a life for her and Jase, her 18-year-old son. Although she had friends among the Allied Airlines family, none were close. Several men (mostly pilots) had made offers and seemed to show an interest in her, but she never sealed the deal. Fraternization wasn’t specifically frowned upon; she just didn’t think it was appropriate.

As she reached the First-Class Galley and opened the door to the wine and Liquor cabinet, she sighed to herself and thought, ‘Looks like it’ll just be me, Jack Daniels and my little battery-operated boyfriend, again tonight’. Which was usually the way she liked things.

The wide-body European aircraft wasn’t cattle car full, but the needs of the passengers had kept her and the other attendants busy. If it wasn’t the usual unhappy and cranky baby, it was the college students displaying many of the negative character traits of today’s youth culture. At one point, her friend and co-worker, Beth Richards, the Main Cabin attendant had caught two of them trying to sneak into one of the lavatories to join the mile-high club. Crazy kids! To top things off, there had been a delay leaving La Guardia, which never improved the mood of the passengers. She knew she was supposed to easily be able to deal with confrontational passengers, but she didn’t handle these types of situations very well. They made her feel uncomfortable and insecure.

When she returned with the glass of wine for the nice lady in 5-B, she saw that the man sitting next to her was awake and they were quietly chatting. She put on her best ‘it’s all about the customers’ smile, sat the drink on the tray table that had been extended and said, “Here you go. Let me know if you need anything else.” The passenger thanked her and the gentleman sitting next to her gave her a friendly wink, as she turned to leave.

Erin commented that the wine tasted wonderful. She wasn’t an aficionado, but she enjoyed the odd glass of white, red or rose’ from time-to-time. She had offered some to Brad, but he turned her down saying airline wine always tasted like dishwater. He said that when they got to Hawaii, he would buy them the best wine she ever tasted, on their honeymoon.

“I can’t wait to get on the ground,” said Brad. “I would love to be able to walk around and enjoy some fresh air.”

Taking a small sip from the glass of wine, Erin said quietly, “Oh Brad! Behave yourself. We’ll be just fine,” as she patted his hand and smiled, whispered, “It’s only a few more hours. I think we’re somewhere over the Rockies.”

Leaning toward her, his whispered into her ear, “I’d much rather be in Hawaii with you, my dear,” as he let his hand move from the armrest to her lap under the tray table. He slid it up her inner thigh to the space between her legs, stroking her crotch with his fingertips.

Erin slapped at his hand playfully and told him quietly he should stop, as she squirmed in her seat. She wasn’t a prude, but they were sitting next to her mother. In the year since they had been dating, they had progressed to second base. In their time, together they had kissed passionately, caressed each other through clothing and once (after she had too much to drink) Erin had allowed him to fondle her panty-covered lower anatomy. She’d seen men near naked in magazines and movies but had never consummated an intimate relationship. She had always wanted to save herself for marriage, as her mother had for her father. She looked forward to being able to fully share herself with Brad and spend the rest of her life with him.

Erin’s squirm and a slight bump the plane experienced in flight, woke Mrs. O’Keefe. “What was that” she asked, waking, and looking startled, as a chime sounded and the fasten seatbelt sign illuminated.

“Martha, I think everything will be fine,” said Brad, leaning forward to look around Erin and added, “We just hit a rough patch is all.” Just then the aircraft shuddered a second time, a more violently.

Dana the flight attendant was coming down the aisle visually checking that everyone was buckled into their seats. Trying to hide concern, she knew that last pitch didn’t feel right to her, when suddenly the plane lurched so violently, she was lifted vertically and crashed her head into the overhead. She landed in the aisle stunned and seeing stars dance before her eyes, as several people let out screams over the ringing in her ears from the concussion she’d just received.

The captain’s voice came over the intercom trying to calm everyone, as the plane began to pitch dramatically forward into a nosedive. Dana tried to get back to her feet but tumbled forward into the First-Class Galley and was then slammed violently into the heavy metal door to the flight deck. She was knocked unconscious and suffered a skull fracture.

Mrs. O’Keefe began to wail, as she flailed trying to reach for Erin. One moment they were heading toward paradise and now they were in the middle of calamity. Before everything went completely white, Brad, ashen-faced and gripping his armrests was screaming over and over, “Oh God, this can’t be happening! We’re going to die! Forgive me! Forgive me!”

Across the Midwest, Allied Airlines flight 9225, an Airbus 340-500 with 300 passengers and crew dropped off air control radar screens. A search was immediately called out and they found that it crashed high in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado. No one survived … or so it seemed.

– – – –

Erin didn’t know where she was. One moment the world was being violently shaken apart, the next she was falling through absolute whiteness. It didn’t feel like she landed on anything, but suddenly she just stopped falling. Her head was swimming and her vision blurry, as everything was out of focus and she couldn’t keep her balance. She wondered to herself — am I in heaven? She tried to speak, but her vocal chords were frozen. She then noticed blue shapes come toward her in the blinding light. Two sets of strong hands took her by the arms and guided her forward. She staggered as she tried to walk with them.

As her head began to clear, she could hear the voices around her and what sounded like mechanical commands being spoken over an electronic sound system. “Bring her forward. Bring her forward.” A male voice with an accent one her left said. While from overhead a female voice calmly stated, “Acquisition complete. All candidates have arrived. All stations commence processing.”

‘Processing’, Erin thought, ‘What the hell does that mean?’

As if in answer a myriad of sounds around her began. A buzzing sound, something that sounded like the tire pressure system at the service station she used repeated around her, along with many others. The hands held her gently, yet firmly as other hands grabbed her by her legs and she felt something like scissors being slid into the cuff of her capris on both legs. Whatever was being used began to buzz and vibrate against her calves as it was moved up the back of her legs. ‘Oh, my God,’ her brain was screaming, ‘I’m being stripped!’

She felt the clippers cut cleanly through the khaki material of her pants and the two met at the cleft of her butt. She felt her pants fall away and the elastic band of her pantie separate, revealing pale skin and a tuft of brownish-blonde pubic hair. One clipper then moved easily up along her spine, cutting through her blouse and bra strap. Embarrassment flowed through her, as she felt the prosthetic cup insert drop away from her chest, bounce off one of her feet and roll away.

Erin heard a female voice laugh and say, “This one definitely needs a little help. Hey guys, where is the nasal insert? She’s ready for it.”

The hands holding her arms switched position to allow the two halves of her upper clothing to fall away. At the same time, she felt something being shoved up her nose, causing her extreme pain and vision to be further blinded by tears. Before she could jerk her head back, she heard a loud ‘CRACK” and it felt like her head exploded. In a flash, images began streak around her, much like trying to watch her satellite television system during a winter storm and pixelating in and out. Blue figures, a large open room filled with people and machinery and sitting on a cool metal surface.

The hands that were holding her guided her to sit fully on the chair and she heard the metallic clicks of restraints snap into place around her wrists, ankles, thighs, and head. As her vision stabilized and the pain receded from her head, she saw the figures around her were blue people that were all naked, save for belts they wore around their waists. Except for thin silver eyebrows they were completely bald and hairless. ‘Wow,’ Erin thought, ‘Heaven is occupied by Smurfs and sexy ones at that!’ All of them — male and female seemed to be in exceptionally good shape by their appearance and well-endowed to varying degrees.

One of the well-built male Smurfs called to a lovely looking female, “Jessica, she’s hooked-up and is sending telemetry upstairs.”

The Manager acknowledged him with a twangy southern drawl, “Very good, John. I’m waiting the hear from the Caretaker.” She put a blue hand to her ear as if she had some type of communications device, like an ear bud. “Affirmative, Central. Roger that.” As a flurry of activity continued around them the Manager turned to John and said, “We’ve earned our bonus for the day people! It seems we have a special catch here. Prep her for transformation.”

Erin couldn’t comprehend the meaning of anything she said, especially the last part. The Manager said, “Ten years on the line and this is my first Prize, pretty fucking amazing.” She turned to Erin and looking her in the eyes, smiled and reassuringly said, “You’ll be okay, honey. We’ll take good care of you.”

Just then the chair began to vibrate, like one of those massage seats salespeople were always selling at the mall. A soft humming noise started. If felt like the chair was getting warmer. Worst of all something in the seat began to rise, pushing up against her bottom. Erin’s eyes went wide, and she opened her mouth in a silent scream as a probe penetrated her anus and slid deep inside of her. As she blacked-out, she realized this wasn’t heaven at all. This had to be Hell and Smurfs ruled it.

– – – –

Besides the games, Athurius always enjoyed spending time in the Welcoming Center, overseeing new arrivals. The human form never ceased to amaze him. ‘Such variety’, he thought and pleasantly smiled. As he looked through the glass panel, below on the floor of the massive processing center, thralls busily moved about. At the reception area, humans were brought through the arrival portal and were escorted to stations where they were processed.

New arrivals were quite disoriented from traveling across the galaxy in a moment and at the portal, workers stood by to guide them to one of the many processing stations. As he watched, he pondered that many of these arrivals would serve their needs, like the Thralls now processing them. Others would be trained to entertain the quadrant in the games, as Hoplites. Lastly, only a few had the latent ability to be …

“Caretaker,” someone called out behind him, a female in a crisp, British accent. “I think you’ll want to see this.”

Athurius turned and quietly walked through the busy control center to the desk of the female in question. He was nearly seven-feet tall. Slim, yet broad at the shoulders and strong. He wore a long, flowing robe. Generally, he disliked clothing of any kind; however, he also knew that the anatomy of the Caretakers could sometimes distract those serving him. He approached the pretty female as she stood from her desk, smiling friendly. “Yes, Janice. What news do you have concerning our new arrivals,” he asked.

Janice was of medium height. Although it was hard to tell her precise age, she had a beautiful figure. Arthurius came to her side and put a hand around her waist. Janice smiled, looking up into her master’s face and said, “We have 250 new arrivals,” she reported, adding, “The really good news is several of them are prizes, I mean potential prizes.”

Beaming, she said, “I have the numbers right here,” and touching several small panels of light on the desk before her, she took a slim panel and gave it to the Caretaker.

Arthurius took panel with his free hand and he examined the data that Janice had provided. The hand that had been around her waist slid down to her hip and then down further, stopping at the left buttocks, where he gently patted and rubbed it. He then let a deft finger slide between the firm globes of blue flesh and began to massage her tail bone.

The lovely female smiled at him and moved closer to him as he examined the data panel. Janice was correct several of their new arrivals had displayed high levels of potential, especially one female, named Erin O’Keefe. The Caretaker handed the panel back to Janice and leaned down to kiss the crown of her smooth, bald head. “Manager, you and your team have done very well,” he said that loud enough so the entire area could hear. He leaned close to her ear and then said, “You deserve a special reward for your service. Please come to my quarters this evening.”

Janice beamed and said, “Yes Caretake,” and bowed slightly. “Thank you!” she gushed.

As Athurius walked toward the exit he marveled to himself, “Even to this day humans still excited him greatly.”

– – – –

Erin didn’t know how long she was unconscious. When she opened her eyes, she saw that she was in a square-shaped room. There seemed to be a door in the middle of one wall with an illuminated panel next to it. The lighting was dim and the only other illumination she saw was the warm panel of light on which she was laying. See looked over the edge and saw that she was hovering above the ground.

She exclaimed, “Holy shit.” Not realizing she could hear her own voice again.

She instinctively put her right hand to her mouth, realizing she had spoken the expletive. She then saw that her hand was blue. She sat up on the panel of light and held both hands up — both were the same hue of azure. On her right forearm was a golden metallic bracelet of some kind. Peering closer at it, she could see no separation between the metal and her skin. It was as if it was part of her. Realizing she was completely naked, she peered down to see two large, firm mounds of blue flesh, tipped with large round, slightly swollen nipples. A darker blue than the rest of her body. “Holy shit! I’ve got tits,” she exclaimed.

She swung her legs over the edge of her bed of light and placed her bare blue feet on the cool metal floor and stood. She looked down at herself. Her blue feet were connected to long and lovely blue legs. She followed the legs up to very shapely hips. She admired her arms they were also firm and smooth. She put her hands on her hips and traced them across her firm and flat tummy. It was then she noticed a lock of bluish silver hair hanging down in her face. It was longer on the right and rose at an angle to the left. She reached her hands up and found that her hair was cropped short on the sides and back and was longer on top, which flowed into the bangs above her face.

She noticed she was casting a slight reflection in the low light and stepped closer to the buffed metal surface of the wall, to see herself. She looked like a cross between a Victoria Secret lingerie model and Smurfette. She reached up to cup her breasts. They were ample, form and real. As she traced a finger around the areolas and her nipples immediately tightened, sending a sweet shiver through her body. She slid her hands down the front of her body and notice her belly button was missing. In its place was a four-inch flap of skin. ‘What the hell is that’, she thought. Below that her hands traced to her vulva. The skin was completely smooth to the touch and her labia was extremely sensitive as she ran her finger from the clitoris, to down between her legs.