The meeting was strange, to say the least. In addition to the standard work they were setting out for him, the four person delegation from Millenarian had made a final request at the end of the meeting that deeply unsettled Marco. Jenna had been surprised too, but her business mind seemed to override any other thoughts she may have had on the matter. It was she who persuaded Marco to go through with it.
"Their contract is worth millions to us Marco, consider that and the additional 2 million we'll be getting for this one extra favour," said Jenna as she sat down in front of Marco with her cup of Earl Grey.
"You're okay with this? Seriously Jen, I thought you of all people would have declined it immediately, who does he think he is putting in such a ridiculous ultimatum?" Marco questioned her, though he could see in her eyes that she was just as uncomfortable as he was, she was just doing her best to keep it hidden. Easy read.
"I know it's a strange request, but turning down Lee Xiang will mean the end of a potentially amazing business relationship. I can't let you make that decision before you realise what it means," Jenna replied. She was still visibly uncomfortable, but from her body language, Marco realised she was starting to ease herself into it. It was what she always did when she was about to do something she didn't like at first, and that was why he trusted her so much. She knew how to motivate herself.
"All he wants is a trip in one of the pods before business begins, maybe he just wants to see first hand how everything works," she continued.
"You know that's not the part that bothers me, if he wants a trip fine, I'll send him in one no problem," Marco snarled from behind his cup of Ceylon Black.
"So what's the problem?" Jenna asked quizzically.
"Are you serious Jen? You're actually fine with being his host then? You're going to let that son of a bitch ride you and you're not bothered at all?" Marco snapped at her.
Maybe he was being harsh, but he needed Jen to know he cared. Marco couldn't let her feel like she was being used, though he knew that they both needed Lee's business badly. Besides, he was actually worried about her doing this. Thing's just didn't seem right with this guy.
"Who are you to tell me how I feel Marco? What have you ever done that gives you the right? Can't you see I'm terrified?" Jenna answered finally, her soft green eyes getting wet around the sides. From across the table, Marco took a sip of tea and stared blankly back.
"I'm your boss Jenna. And I know you're terrified. Which is why I'm going with him," said Marco, surprised at the words that had just left his mouth. Maybe he was the one whose feelings needed to be checked.
Staring at each other silently, they finished their cups of tea.
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Event Log
TIME: 1000
DATE: 14/9
DESCRIPTION: Authorised unorganic form targeted and reduced. Reduction 99.5%.
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Lee Xiang was seated comfortably in the black leather recliner which was one of four inside the pod that Marco had commisioned for this trip. Unlike the other larger spaces that were meant to accomodate up to twenty-five peope, this was a smaller pod, though one that was vastly more luxurious. It was split into three areas, the living area, where there were recliners, a plasma screen TV and of course a control area. Marco had been assured that there was really nothing to do, however there were controls inbuilt just in case he needed to control the pod manually. Another perk most of the other rudimentary transports didn't have. It was just too expensive to have electronics installed in all of them.
Marco was in his room, one of two which would be his sanctuary during the 9 hour journey. He was obligated to spend some time speaking with his travel companion at some point during the trip, but for the duration of the miniaturising process, he had excused himself to the room. Looking up at the clear fibreglass ceiling (which could be darkened if he so choosed), he watched as the warehouse ceiling above the 20ft*15ft circular transport slowly began to get higher. The pod would be reduced to roughly the size of a throat lozenge, which meant that both Lee and himself were about the size of ants. A scary thought, but then again, Marco wasn't a man who was easily frightened.
Jenna had given him a big hug before he boarded the pod, and a peck on the cheek to go with it. It made him feel better, but he was still nervous and as the massive shadow of the pod attendant blocked his view of the ceiling, Marco's heart began to really start pounding. Calming himself down with a mental exercise he had learnt early in life, he held on to the strap by the side of his bed as the giant carried the small pod and placed it on a small white saucer to be brought before Jenna.
The world was shifting around outside, but a standard feature of the pod was a small addition that kept the inner quarters fixed in one orientation, even if the entire pod were to be turned upside down. This innovation, similar to a gyroscope, was what made the entire process of being inside the human body possible. Otherwise, Marco and anyone else who tried to ride a pod at this size would probably be turned to jelly by the end of the journey.
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Jenna was staring out the window of her in her office when a buzzer indicated that the process was complete and the pod was now ready for consumption. She had chosen to wear a soft white blouse and long black slacks for the journey. Marco had left her three of his trusted bodyguards to keep watch over her during the entire process, in addition to a cadre of security personnel who would escort them to the airport and upon landing in Tullamarine Airport, onward to Marco's Melbourne headquarters. There, Lee Xiang would upon being restored safely, sign the papers that would make Marco a part of the Millenarian payroll. For his part, Lee had only left a single attendant. A short woman with a doll's face and a haircut to match walked in with one of Marco's men holding the plate that bore her boss and his business partner, now no bigger than bugs.
After placing the plate before her, the four attendants left her room at her request. She was shy enough already, besides they could monitor her on the cameras from the pod and in her room. She just didn't want anyone to be personally in the room. What a strange circumstance she was in, years ago, she never would have guessed she would be part of something like this. At least she was getting paid well.
Looking at the plate placed before her, Jenna felt a sudden pang of hunger. It had been over 13 hours since she had eaten. Just a few more and she'd be sitting in an Aussie steakhouse laughing about the entire thing with Marco. He seemed to be able to read her thoughts even before she had them. Brushing aside her long blonde hair and tying it back into a ponytail, she stared at the pod lying before her. Taking a seat at her desk, she bent closer and focused hard on the pod. The living room ceiling was darkened out, so was the right side room. But there, lying on his bed looking straight back up at her through the protective fibreglass was Marco. She was sure he was smiling at her awkwardness, and she blushed as she realised he was going to watch her the entire time. "What a cheeky bastard," she thought with a smile back at him, before picking up the tiny pod.
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Marco couldn't help grinning as he watched his skyscraper of an assistant walk up to the desk. With the clear glass windows setting blue sky as her backdrop, she looked like she had walked straight down from the heaven, a goddess from Olympus. All she needed was the toga and he'd call her Aphrodite. He watched her tie her hair up in a ponytail, he had rarely seen her without her hair tied back. "I guess if there's one good thing about this entire process, it's seeing her like this," he thought as he took her in. She was beautiful. He'd have to tell her that when this was over.
Her face came directly into view as she sat down, her keen eyes peering into his cabin. So she knew he was watching, her stare penetrated him, her green irises larger than his entire bedroom. A slight crease formed in between her eyebrows as she strained, her slender nose pointing directly at him. Then, he watched as her cheeks turned beet red and an awkward smile broke across her face.
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Jenna held the little pod gently between her forefinger and thumb. No one had told her how to swallow it, but then it seemed pretty obvious anyway. Still she felt worried that she might screw it up. Thankfully, she had been told that the pods were meant to take a severe beating so she doubted she could really do anything to harm Marco. She thought about placing it inside her cup of Darjeeling and then just gulping all the contents down. But that might now work well if she didnt gulp the pod down immediately. Finally she decided to just do it the way she would with any pill, pop it in, swig and swallow.
Tilting her head slightly back and holding the pod to her lips, she kissed the air quickly before dropping the pod in and taking a quick gulp of warm tea. Then she swallowed, a louder than usual gulp which made her blush again. Her boss was taking a journey through her that quite possibly made him the person most intimately familiar with her. A strange turn of events, she wondered if he'd look at her the same way again after.
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Marco could barely see her lips as she lifted the pod above her head. Climbing off the bed, he walked over to the side window where he caught Jenna's quick air kiss. And then those double storey lips parted revealing her splendid mouth, dark red and inviting, a glimmer of light reflecting of her tongue. A fleeting image of Jenna when he first met her passed through Marco's mind, suddenly he wished he was big enough to kiss her. Strange how his feelings for her were growing. Perhaps it had something to do with him crossing her boundaries. Just as the thought had passed in his mind, the floor dropped beneath him and it was all Marco could do to hold to the railings on the wall. For a moment, everything was still and from the tiny cracks of light that slipped past Jenna's lips, he realised she was balancing the pod on her tongue.
He barely had enough time to look around, though he was fascinated by what he saw. He felt like he was on a roller coaster. And then, her mouth was flooded with light again as brown liquid filled the cave and sent him hurtling into the depths of her private universe.
Giantess World
Author's Chapter Notes:
Take off..took awhile huh?