I could have published this 20K word story as a short book, but instead am sharing it with my followers in six posts. I will be posting a new chapter approximately each week. Chapter One is primarily an introduction of Officer Shifter and sets up the situation and context for the rest of the chapters.
[/b] = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =[/i]
WARNING! All of my writing is intended for adults over the age of 18 ONLY. Stories may contain strong or even extreme sexual content. All people and events depicted are fictional and any resemblance to persons living or dead is purely coincidental. Actions, situations, and responses are fictional ONLY and should not be attempted in real life.
All characters involved in sexual activity in this story are over the age of 18. If you are under the age of 18 or do not understand the difference between fantasy and reality or if you reside in any state, province, nation, or tribal territory that prohibits the reading of acts depicted in these stories, please stop reading immediately and move to somewhere that exists in the twenty-first century.
Archiving and reposting of this story is permitted, but only if acknowledgment of copyright and statement of limitation of use is included with the article. This story is copyright (c) 2026 by The Technician.
Individual readers may archive and/or print single copies of this story for personal, non-commercial use. Production of multiple copies of this story on paper, disk, or other fixed format is expressly forbidden.
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
* * * * * * * * * * * *
Chapter One - Officer Shifter
Ever since I was a small hatchling, I always wanted to be a Star Patrol Officer. But my parents and everyone else on the planet thought I was crazy. “The Ophugal do not interfere in the matters of the solid ones,” my mother– and my father– and my teachers would repeatedly say to me. But I wanted to go beyond our nests and make a difference in the universe.
The recruiter for Star Patrol on Terra Seven Alpha also laughed at me– at first. He looked so sympathetic as he said softly, “I’m sorry, but the Star Patrol has no need for a sentient bird less than one meter tall with no prehensile digits.”
I took a deep breath and imagined myself as the recruiter. I felt the tingle and then the warmth wash over me. The recruiter was now on his feet with his eyes wide because I had become him– minus the uniform. I hadn’t bothered to form clothing.
I asked, “Are you sure?” and he dropped back down into his seat gasping for breath.
I reverted to my Ophugal form and hopped up onto the chair. “I can, if necessary,” I said clearly, “also mimic the clothing of a life form.”
“You’re... you’re... you’re a shifter,” he sputtered breathlessly.
“Yes, I am,” I replied. “I am an Ophugal from the planet of Ophugalia.”
“And your name is...” he said in a somewhat shaky voice as he looked down at my paperwork. “It is... is... is... uh... uh... unpronounceable.” He took a deep breath and after a long pause said, “Would it be OK if we just called you Officer Shifter?”
That was many years ago. After my training and several years of supervision, I was made an undercover officer in the Star Patrol. I was very successful, and not just because I can create any disguise I might want or conceal whatever within my shifted form. It was more than that. Because we Ophugal are not “solid ones,” we are very aware of shapes and patterns. And that awareness is not just of physical objects. We can see patterns in how people speak or act. And we can see patterns in crime– even crimes spread across the entire universe.
For several years now, there has been an increase in very unexplained disappearances on several of the planets under the Star Patrol’s jurisdiction. People disappear on planets all of the time, and it is usually someone wandering off and getting lost. Or it could be an accident such as falling off a cliff or drowning. It might even be the nefarious actions of some local criminal. All those instances are, of course, handled by the local authorities. But some disappearances are referred to Star Patrol because they are “mysterious and unexplained.” In those rare cases, there is a concern that forces or beings not of that planet might be involved.
I had just finished an assignment helping to stop some smugglers bringing in off planet addictive substances to a very peaceful, very naive, and very gullible world called Oceana Azura. In fact, the Oceanians are so naive and gullible that their planet has protected status and is patrolled in orbit by no less than seven Star Patrol vessels. I posed as one of those semi-aquatic beings and was able to discover who and how the drugs were being shipped onto Oceana.
While waiting for the legal process to proceed, I had some time to look over some less-active cases. I was combing through some of the disappearances that had been referred to us when I saw a pattern– not to all of them, but to a significant number of these strange disappearances over the past several years.
I knocked on Commander Vahulla’s door. I maintain humanoid form around the office, so I have legs, arms, hands, and knuckles for knocking on doors. After a curt “Enter,” I walked into her office and laid a data pad on her desk.
“What am I looking at?” she asked firmly.
“A pattern,” I replied. “All of these disappearances on nineteen different worlds occurred at or around a fair or festival celebration.”
Shavia Vahulla looked at me with that tired and skeptical look which I have seen many, many times before. “Officer Shifter,” she began, “every planet and culture has fairs and festivals. It is a common place for people to meet someone. These are more than likely runaways or common crimes to be solved by local authorities.”
“Yes,” I said smiling, “but all of these cases include statements from friends or family saying that they had just attended Spacer Bob’s Fantasy Tours, or Total Immersion Fantasy Tours, or Unbelievably Real Fantasy Tours or Exotic Fantasy Tours or Galaxy Wide Fantasy Tours. The first part of the name changes, but on nineteen different worlds an attraction that no one has ever heard of before that promises hyper-realistic fantasy tours was the last place these beings were ever seen.”
Commander Vahulla’s expression suddenly changed. She picked up my data pad and slowly scrolled through the numerous reports. Then she looked back up at me and, after a long silence said, “Officer Shifter, I think you have a new assignment.”
I sent out a RUBTOONA request to all Star Patrol ships and stations. RUBTOONA is Star Patrol slang for a RBTNA request, which means Report But Take No Action. The request said simply, “Report the presence of any carnival, fair, or festival attraction which uses the words, “Fantasy Tours” in their name.
Six stations reported that such an attraction was at a local fair within the last year or so, but was no longer anywhere that they could find. One station, on a small world called Terra Nine Gamma, reported that Spacer Bob’s Fantasy Tours was scheduled to be at one of their regional fairs in two weeks. Within one planetary rotation I was on an outbound cruiser with orders to head straight for TNG.
The Regional Agricultural Extravaganza and Fair was a big attraction for the northern hemisphere of Terra Nine Gamma. The fair was already in progress by the time I arrived on planet. It was a typical semi-rural fair with animal exhibits, local and national celebrities, plus rides and attractions of every shape and de***********ion. After I arrived, I made some minor adjustments to my physical shape so that I looked more like a Nine Gammite, as they called themselves. Mainly I had to lighten my skin and eyes and make my nose much, much smaller. I also had to lengthen my hair so that it hung down to my shoulders. I spent the first day walking around the fair listening to people talk. I had an auto translator concealed within my chest, but it wouldn’t be necessary. They spoke an easy to mimic dialect of Terran Standard.
The second day I wandered past Spacer Bob’s several times. From the outside it looked very much like a flying saucer such as those depicted in ancient Terran history books. There was a barker who stood at the entrance and beckoned one and all to enter for the experience of a lifetime. I stood looking at the banners hanging alongside the entrance. I was about to go in when I noticed something in the small print near the bottom. It said, “Special Exotic Tours at Midnight.”
Several of the reports said that the missing person had attended the last show of the day. Two reports specifically mentioned the exotic tour. Maybe they had all attended the exotic tours but family and friends were hesitant to mention that detail. I decided that I would return at midnight.
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
END OF CHAPTER ONE
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
The true rulers of this world, the credit card companies, have made it almost impossible to sell books with true BDSM themes. Erotic publishers will soon be a thing of the past. So I have pulled all of my books from the one publisher that I had left, and have decided to post new ones such as this with my on-line followers.