* * * * *
"Time, once again, for omniscient author mode," chuckled Racym Iocc.
* * * * *
12 MONTHS EARLIER
The cross-time warp closed behind the two decon-suited men. The older of the pair lifting up the apex of his teleportational baton and speaking into it.
"This is Agent 349, Inter-Dimensional Exploration and Enforcement Agency (Environmental Evaluation Division), recording. Accompanying me is Agent 350. Together, we have arrived on Earth-08112009 (formerly designated Earth-07052009-A) to make the annual inspection of its ecological recovery, if any."
"Prior visits have shown little-to-no change for the better since the Vancouver Teleforce Incident circa 1909 (Old Calendar).* However, the Moderator remains hopeful that there may one day be enough life left on this parallel-Earth to warrant the re-establishment of an I.D.E.E.A. observation post, here."
Suddenly, the younger man of the pair called out to his partner. So, Agent 349 stopped recording long enough to find out what all the excitement was about.
"Hey!" exclaimed Agent 350: "Look what I found!"
The older agent bent down to get a closer look at what his partner was pointing to (with barely restrained enthusiasm).
"Is that what I think it is? Huh? Huh?"
Agent 349 held his teleporton sideways, and crouched a few moments longer, before nodding and replying.
"Yep! A definite bristlecone pine sapling...growing epiphytically."
"ALRIGHT!!" shouted the younger agent: "I bet that'll give the eggheads at EED a real hard-on!"
Agent 349 shook his head in bemusement.
"Your way with words never ceases to amaze..."
His verbally ironic rebuke was cut off, rather abruptly, by a sudden earth tremor. One that was followed by another, similar tremor two seconds later. Then, another...and another...and another.
"Well, well, well!" an unmistakably female voice finally inquired: "Who do we have here?"
Both men involuntarily screamed at the intense agony their bodies were suddenly subjected to as they were lifted off the ground. One in each giant hand!
* * * * *
THE PLANET ARCHAVIA,
ONE YEAR LATER
(RAY VENN'S P.O.V.)
It turns out that Dah Liah was a bit of a trickster in her own right. Before we left her apartment, she put on this weird-looking belt. Sort of like an automotive seat belt...without the seat!
"What the frig is that?" I asked.
She grinned: "A holographic camouflage belt. Holo-flage, for short. Watch!"
She pressed the belt buckle, and almost immediately, her white mini-dress became a skin-tight gold unitard! She pressed it, again, and her original ensemble rematerialized. Whereupon, she giggled at my drop-jawed amazement.
"Now, we're even for that stunt you pulled at my office desk. Care to demonstrate it for me, again, in reverse?"
Whereupon, I shrank down to normal-human size. After which, I used Archavia's lighter-than-Earth gravity to jump up toward my hostess' wide-open purse...and then into it. I won't bore you with the details about the ride back to Tannhauser Gate University. You already know what it felt like for me the first time I rode in that purse. This time, she knew I was there. But, there was only so gently she could carry it--and me--without giving people the impression she was treating it like a human infant!
Anyway, I soon felt (more than heard) her knocking at some door.
"Hello!" said a slightly older-sounding female voice: "May I help you?"
"Yes. I'm Agent Liah; ImpSec Public Affairs office. I need to question Miss Gruja, one more time, so that we can make sure we're not misquoting her when we release our official statement to the news media."
"Certainly, Agent! Just follow me."
Well, she had kept her word. She had gotten me past the front door of Omega Mega House; the one and only sorority house on campus. The rest would be up to me. All I had to do was wait for the proper opening.
Or, rather, the re-opening...of Dah's purse.
My hostess (mis)identified herself a second time, for Lihsah's benefit. Then, as soon as she had successfully requested the house mother to give the two of them some privacy, she unlatched her purse and took me out. Whereupon, I jumped off Dah's hand and on to the floor. Landing at my (relatively) giant size of one hundred and one feet tall!
Lihsah gasped, but she didn't scream. I've got to give her credit for that.
"You!" she softly exclaimed: "You're the one who saved my life!"
I smiled reassuringly, and nodded. Adding:
"If you wish to repay the favor, you could do so by telling me where Paula Drake is."
tbc
Giantess World
Author's Chapter Notes:
ISLAND OF THE GOD-TEACHERS
Chapter End Notes:
*See A PRIVATE EYE FOR TROUBLE.