"That depends on the paths," Idyll reminded her. "Voila is frighteningly rational." That, from the ifrit, was itself a frighteningly rational statement. Shee suspected that she, as a crafted robot, was more human in outlook than Voila.
"Now all we have to do is find the way to stop that missile," Gale said, changing the subject.
"This is surely why we have Shee along," Monochrome said. "She understands machines. The drone is a machine."
"I'll try," Shee said. "I will need to touch it. That means intercepting it before it reaches Earth."
"Which is why we have Iolo along," Idyll said. "You and I can carry him to the drone with our ikons, leaving the others to enjoy the amusements of the park."
"We had better develop a schedule," Monochrome said. "Timing is essential when rendezvousing with objects in deep space."
They put their hands together again and explored the paths. "Tonight," Idyll concluded.
"Which means we have several more hours to fritter away here," Gale said. "But I am getting bored with rides and sights."
"Something interesting this way comes," Monochrome said. "In the next ten minutes or so. A passel of men. Foresters."
"Lumbermen," Gale said. "Strong sweaty types."
"Trimming back encroaching branches along the paths," Shee said. "Clearing fallen trees."
They exchanged another glance. "Why not?" Idyll asked. "Those men on the ship were fun in their unrehearsed naked passion. It's a pleasant change of pace."
"My genuine passion is limited to Havoc," Shee said. "We participated on the ship to earn our passage, and because the men truly needed comfort. Why should we waste ourselves on these?"
"We all love and desire Havoc," Monochrome said. "But he is away plumbing Weft, or reasonable facsimile thereof. We might as well keep our reflexes sharp."
"Weft," Gale echoed darkly. "She is my daughter, and I love her, but I wish to expletive she'd get over Havoc."
"She will, as she comes to love Ikon," Monochrome said.
"Will she really love a machine?" Idyll asked. "My vision of those paths is smeared."
"If Havoc can love Shee, Weft can love Ikon," Monochrome said firmly. "Havoc says he does," Shee said. "And each of you."
"Five minutes to the lumbermen," Gale said. "Are we agreed? There are four of them. Just right."
"Negation," Shee said. "I see no point."
Now the other three considered. "You are too strait-laced," Monochrome said. "You need to unkink."
"Proposal," Gale said mischievously. "A contest. Which of us can bring our man to climax the most times in one hour. No enhancing allowed. Just bodily wiles."
"What is the prize?" Monochrome asked. "Just to make it interesting."
"What else?" Gale asked. "The first to have Havoc when he returns."
"Interest," Idyll said. "For how long."
"One day."
"Done," Monochrome and Idyll said together.
"And the second place woman gets him for the second day," Gale said. "And so on."
"Agreed," Monochrome said.
Then the three looked at Shee.
"You bitches," Shee said. "Of course I have to compete for that."
"We'll start nude," Idyll said. "With our own bodies, only our faces masked. I will present us. We will let them choose partners."
They stripped, stacking their clothing under the park table. Then they lined up, wickedly exposed: four of the most beautiful women in the human/ifrit culture.
Just in time, for the men were coming into sight down the path. Four rough-hewed workers girt with the tools of their trade: small saws, axes, clippers, gloves.
They halted, amazed, as they spied the women. "Am I hallucinating?" one man asked, rubbing his eyes.
"Or did a tree fall on us and we died and went to heaven," another said.
Idyll took a deep breath. So did the others, not to be outdone. "We are four lonely nymphs of the forest," Idyll said. "We appreciate your loyal work to keep it nice, and will reward you for an hour. Then we will disappear, for we are not truly of your realm. Are you amenable?"
The men paused, uncertain whether this was a vision or a joke. Then their leader shrugged. "Sure. What can we lose, even if they're fooling."
"Each of you will strip and choose one of us," Idyll said. "Then you may do with us as you please."
The men looked at each other for reassurance. Then they stripped, setting their tools on top of their clothing. All of them had full erections. The women would have been disappointed if they hadn't.
"You," the leader said to Idyll, licking his lips.
"Take me, handsome." Actually the man was homely, but the point was to charge him up.
He did, and in moments they were on the ground going at it, he thrusting vigorously, she spread wide. Men of this class simply were not known for subtlety. The others took the other women and did likewise.
Shee wound up with the smallest of the men, but he made up for it in passion. His first voluminous orgasm was in seconds, and his second more modest one in minutes, ahead of the others. She teased him into a third performance, but that took fifteen minutes and was less robust, barely two spurts, and she had to invoke her breasts to amend the stimulus. Finally, as the hour neared its end, a fourth, orally induced, a trickle, leaving him blissfully exhausted.
"You're some woman!" he gasped. "I never did four before."
"Nymphs are special," she said, kissing him. She had the lead!
It was a good total. But Monochrome, the most thoroughly experienced, soon tied the score, then evoked a desperate fifth effort from her man in the last minutes, and won. Shee was second.
As the hour finished, they disengaged, thanked the men for their valiant efforts, and disappeared, literally.
Invisible and inaudible, they fetched their clothing and departed, leaving the men bemused and surfeit. They really did seem like evanescent forest nymphs. The men would have a story no one else would believe, especially their wives, fortunately.
"That was fun," Monochrome said as they dressed, alone. "Takes me back to my apprentice days, decades ago."
"You won," Shee said. "But I have to confess that the challenge did make it worthwhile. I had to struggle to get him stiff again, the last two times. I was really cheering for his penis."
"You may have Havoc the first day," Monochrome said. "I think you need him more than I do, at this time."
"Appreciation!" For Shee really was desperate to be with Havoc again. He enjoyed being with any attractive woman, but she had little sexual use for any other man.
"Reminds me of the ancient saying," Gale said tolerantly "A man's wife is his better half. His mistress is his better hole."
They laughed, acknowledging their roles as wife and mistresses, then went for more rides until evening. This companionship was pleasant, and Shee appreciated being included. Sexual jealously hardly existed among Glamors, and of course they all understood about loving Havoc.
When the time came they got together and focused on the drone. It was closer now, and they were more experienced in the joint effort. They got a fix on it, and Shee joined hands with Idyll, who carried Iolo, and they conjured to the missile.
It was brightly lighted by the sunlight. Shee was surprised, then realized that though they had departed Earth at night, that was purely a phenomenon of the rotation of the planet. Out in space the sun's illumination was unfettered.
They hovered next to the drone, not needing air or gravity, because they were Glamors and also independent of such things. Iolo was not comfortable, but did not complain; their ikons lent him strength.
The drone was a huge sphere, the size of a space ship, a featureless expanse of metal. It was hurtling at a velocity that would rip a hole in Earth just from the impact, and generate a horrendous explosion of rock. But that could hardly be the whole of it.