Both Om’bobla and Channa were silent for a long moment, their mouths working, as though they were trying to answer but couldn’t. Em wondered if they were trying to lie but the truth berries they had consumed wouldn’t let them.
“I do still love him,” Channa burst out at last. “Though sometimes I wish I didn’t! And yes, I do desire him—it’s his damn sexy tentacles! I can’t help but want them all over my body!”
“Why, I love you too, my sweet,” Om’bobla burbled, smiling at his wife. “I always have, though you are always so strict and don’t like it when I play. And I love to put my tentacles all over you!”
To demonstrate, he reached forward and wrapped both her bare breasts, with their huge purple nipples, in his slimy, wriggling tentacle fingers.
Channa moaned and gave her husband a heated glare, as though she wasn’t sure if she wanted to punch him or fuck him, Em thought. Clearly there was some tension between the odd, aquatic couple but just as clearly, they did still have emotions for each other—even if those emotions were mainly anger and lust.
The Director and the other judges conferred for a moment and then the Director said,
“All right then. And can you tell us if you think you’re people would be good partners to the Rigellens?”
“Of course we would!” Om’bobla exclaimed. “To tell the truth, we have no interest in the minerals of your lands—we are only interested in the precious metals dissolved in the waters of your seas. We are able to extract these metals without harming any of your underwater ecosystems or sea life. We would be excellent partners.”
This seemed to sit well with the panel of judges because they were all nodding to each other.
“Very well,” the Mining Director said. “You two also pass the first Trial.”
“Thank you,” Channa said. She was still being fondled by her husband’s tentacle-fingers and now one of his hands had slipped into the tank where her bottom half was housed and was creeping towards her gilled vagina.
Like an octopus slithering towards an underwater cave, Em thought and looked away hastily. She really didn’t want to see that.
She wondered if she and Rarev were next, but the judges convened around the crystal dome where Mistress Tatterass and Charn were sitting.
“Now then,” the Mining Director said to them. “Do the two of you truly love and desire each other?”
“I…I…” Mistress Tatterass cleared her throat. “Define love,” she said and Em thought there was a crafty gleam in her poison-green eyes. “I care for Charn. I make certain he is fed and clothed and that he exercises regularly to keep his excellent physique.”
The Mining Director frowned.
“You would do as much for a pet, Mistress Tatterass. I must know if the two of you truly love and desire each other.”
“Ahem…” She cleared her throat. “Well, that is, I mean to say…Charn’s physique is truly impressive, is it not? Who wouldn’t desire such a fine male specimen?”
“But do you desire him?” one of the judges pressed. “Do you long to have his hands and mouth on your body?”
“I…I…” Mistress Tatterass began, looking panicked.
“Please just answer the question,” the Mining Director said sternly.
“He…I…of course I don’t desire his hands on my body! I don’t want any man’s hands on me!” Mistress Tatterass exclaimed. “I am a Mistress of Yonnie Six and I despise males! They aren’t good for anything but menial labor. I only have Charn because it brings prestige on my world to have a big, muscular bodyslave by one’s side.”
“Well…that is very disappointing.” The Mining Director shook his head and the judges murmured among themselves, while casting disapproving glances at Mistress Tatterass.
“But I would still make an excellent partner for you,” Mistress Tatterass cried. “I would…I would…that is, no I wouldn’t!” she contradicted herself, though by the way her face was contorting, it was clear she was speaking against her will. “My plan is to strip mine your pitiful little world to the bones and leave nothing but a wasteland behind! By the time the ten year contract is up, I’ll be a million times richer and you’ll be living on a barren rock!”
“Dear me!” The Mining Director looked quite shocked at this. “You see, this is why the truth berries are absolutely essential to the process of awarding this contract,” he remarked, speaking both to the panel of judges and the other contestants. “For what if we had allowed this reprehensible woman to mine our lovely world? It’s clear she shares no part of the Rigellen ideals of love and harmony or—”
“I hate her!” Charn burst out, interrupting the Mining Director’s pious words and drawing stares from everyone in the room.
“Excuse me?” The Director raised his dark blue eyebrows and on his chest, his slime-wife grew a pair of eyebrows so that she could raise them as well.