Chapter Eight #2
So, that is what Symo meant by Bailey s bloody hobby.
Ah. He told you? Hah. Yeah. She was in the station, and women were telling their stories, and then, then, one of the women saw an attacker, and another saw hers, and Bailey took notes.
The station didn t kill them, but other species are open to revenge for such things.
Bailey got a list of women, got a list of their assailants, and contacted the worlds where those men thought they were safe.
Then, she used that suit to make them not safe.
Ah.
Same thing she did with the men who took her family.
Correct. She read through the intimate stipulations that had not been in the companion contract. Wow. You put some detail into this.
Symo said it was best.
Well, attention won t be an issue, but I draw the line at public sex.
Draw the line all you like; if I need it, it will happen.
Sage looked at him, and he was calm. What would the circumstances be, hypothetically?
If I had exerted myself excessively or if you were wearing a particularly fetching gown.
She stared at him. So, anything. If I even part my hair in a particularly alluring fashion.
He smiled. Now you are getting it.
Do we have to live in the tower? I fucking hate the tower.
There is an estate in the hills near the city. I can order it prepared for us. He rubbed her back.
Good because if I ever do get pregnant, that fucking elevator will kill me. I can deal with heights, but that lift is a nightmare.
Understandable. I will fly you to the top if we ever need a night in the heart of the city.
She grimaced. I do not have fond feelings about that tower.
I understand.
She went down to the bottom of the list, signed, and confirmed her identity. She handed the tablet over, he pressed some buttons, and the screen flashed before it locked. The signal had been sent; the contract on the way to the archive.
Sage looked at him. Can I talk to Bailey now?
He chuckled. Symo has been at my mind for hours. I believe they assume that we were locked together.
As long as they managed it, I don t care what they think.
The door to the guestroom opened, and Bailey rushed in, wearing loose robes in black and white. Symo walked in slowly, a slight smile on his lips when he saw them sitting together with Zell s wing around her.
Bailey ran over and knelt next to Sage for a hug, ignoring the huge red Hmrain next to her. Are you okay?
Yes, Bailey, I am okay. Are you okay?
Bailey went scarlet. Yeah. It s... things are good.
Sage hugged her. Ready to go our separate ways?
No, but Symo says we can come visit. Did you get planting rights?
Yes, and I don t have to live in that stupid tower.
Bailey grinned. I promise to visit with plenty of snacks and new plants.
Good because I am getting space to plant what I like, and I like coffee and cacao. Both do well in volcanic soil.
They were sitting inches from each other and smiling.
Zell sighed. Sage, I know you will miss her, but I promise that we will have an open-com policy. You can contact her at any time that neither you and I, nor Symo and Bailey are bound together.
Bailey laughed. Nice caveat.
Sage snickered. Right, well, I supposed it is a round of goodbyes all over again.
Zell stood, picked her up, and grabbed her bag with his tail. Come on, Consort. We have a lot of very slow travel before we are back home. Why don t we divert and visit Aten? There are many of your kind on Ra s world.
Many? Females who have undergone transformations are in charge of cities on Aten.
Ra is importing fifty thousand of your people as a gift to Harwin.
Whoa. That is quite the housewarming present.
I believe it is a present for his consort. I am going to have to think of something suitable to give you.
A place to grow things.
Right. I have just the planet. I have not begun planting anything there yet. You could use it as a refuge for Terran plants and crops. Zell smiled.
She looked at him in surprise. You would do that?
You didn t read the contract thoroughly. Zell sighed as they reached the shuttle.
I may have been distracted.
You are entitled to hobbies, provided that you are guarded while you are engaging in them. He walked inside the shuttle and nodded. Symo and his consort will use her shuttle.
The pilot nodded and waited for them to strap in. The door sealed, and a pressure test started.
Guarded while farming? She blinked as he settled her in a seat. She buckled herself in.
Precisely. He sat in one of two Hmrain seats and strapped in. Ready, pilot.
The pilot didn t speak. They lifted off and headed skyward, picking up a lot of speed as they carved their way through the atmosphere. Sage wished she had said goodbye to the matron again, but she guessed that the woman understood. She would call her later.
Zell s warship was on the way to Aten, with plenty of warning to Ra, and Sage was curled up with Zell in his stateroom.
Her shoulder throbbed, but the bite was already healing. She yawned, and Zell chuckled. Given that I know how much stamina you have, I will be flattered about the yawn.
She snorted and asked, So, it s okay if I sleep?
He kissed her palm. It is okay.
You are going to be here when I wake up?
I will be here. His soft rumble eased her into sleep.
Sage mumbled, Are you doing that?
Yes. Now rest and let the nanites work.
Bully.
He laughed. Sleep.
He had his tablet and used his tail to support it as he worked.
Sage was draped over his chest, and he was stroking her lower back with absent fingers.
She slowed her breathing and slept.
Soft kisses woke her from her rest, and she sighed. She felt a slow caress around her thigh that moved from hip to knee. It felt odd but nice.
Sage opened her eyes, smiled, and gasped as the tail slid into her.
Oh, I am despising myself for missing out on this look on your face.
Her eyes focused on his intent expression. How long was I out? The tail tip slipped nearly out and then plunged into her. She arched back, and her breath shuddered.
Ten hours. Symo was right; you are changing. It is so cute.
He slipped and slid in her again, moving faster. Dazed, she asked, What?
Zell lifted a hand to his lips and kissed her knuckles. You are taking on my colouring, Sage. No one will be able to mistake you for anything but my consort.
Her hands were stained with red. She watched him kiss her red fingers from her right to left hand. How?
His eyes warmed, and the stars in the moved faster. I could tell you, but I would much rather show you.
Uh, so the tail thing is new.
He lifted her thigh and propped it up with his own. Symo got the idea from Bailey s mind.
Sage stared at him as he slurped his tail tip out of her. What?
You didn t know their minds were linked? They linked on his world, and then the contact ripped open her emotions, and he let her run, but they did have a connection. It wasn t the same as the link you and I just started, but Symo is odd, and he made his connection.
Enough to listen in?
He was worried. Zell chuckled as he pressed the tip of his erection into her and then began his slow slide into her. Serves him right for letting her out of his sight. I will not be making that mistake.
She gasped as he rocked into her steadily. Her fingers clenched, and he pressed her hands to his chest as he coupled with her with deep thrusts that rocked her to her core.
He stroked her clit, and his tail teased her ass. She began cumming, and it continued until she felt irritated by friction. He paused and shuddered. She was suddenly slick and warm, so he began again.
She came again and felt him shudder against her one more time before he bit her arm, and she blacked out.
He was sitting in an armchair, and Sage was curled up in his lap.
She was dressed in a silky robe, and his hands held her against him while he spoke softly to a vid screen.
A very gold man with strangely familiar features was speaking to Zell, and there was a lazy female arm that reached up and stroked the male s jaw.
The hand was gold, but the gems were impressive.
Sage was amazed that she could lift her arm.
Ah, Sage is awake. He smiled. Sage, this is Ra. He is the actual owner of your world. As you would say, the Education Station is shitting itself.
Sage opened her mouth and closed it with a snap. Yeah, that is something I would have said.
You did say it. You said it to Bailey.
So, you just sat there while Symo relayed our conversation?
He s psychic. It was a quiet relay. Zell chuckled. We did not have cookies.
She snorted.
Oh, that is a very Terran snort. A female voice reached out from the screen. The woman on Ra s lap was lifted to sitting. Sorry. I am only halfway through this pregnancy, and it is kicking my butt. I am Harwin.
The woman could have come off a pyramid wall. She was gold and black and gem colours. Her grimace was definitely human. Hey .
Sage raised her hand, and the red staining had reached to the elbow. She snatched it down and hid her arms in her lap. Hey.
Harwin giggled. Don t worry about it. I didn t used to be able to tan.
A few of the Hmrain don t even do this to their partners.
The older they are, the faster the change is .
She shrugged. We have a bunch of ladies here who were experimented on, being fused with different species.
We are now all the colours of the rainbow and quite a few that we can t really describe.
Sage smiled. Zell said he would ask if we could visit.
Come on down.
Don t you have to ask the giant trophy?
The Hmrain behind Harwin grinned.
No. He gave me Aten. The world is mine, the colony cities are mine, and dealing with incoming Hmrain, I leave to him . She shrugged. And working the food production. I am not one hundred percent on how running a world works .
Ra kissed her temple. You will get the hang of it. Give yourself a decade or two.
She sighed. Maybe Kris can help me. Her Hmrain s world specializes in trade.
Zell blinked. How many others?
Ra laughed. Essan, Symo, you, Kethen and his family, and there are a few descendants who are going to be coming in to seek a bride. We have a few remade Terrans, and I must say that the Designers are having far too much fun with this species.
Zell paused. The Designers?
Yes. It seems that they have put a computer virus into cross-system computers. The moment a Terran is identified who has a suitable genetic makeup, it enacts a protocol of melding them with a known species, and they seem to be a proto version of Hmrain if we were designed to be cute and fuckable.
Sage was stunned, but Harwin went up on her knees and put her hands on either side of Ra s face. Aw, baby, you are very fuckable.
Ra grinned. As she has an issue with being watched, contact me when you are closer.
Sage grinned as the screen went black. Well, she s definitely human, even if she doesn t look like it anymore.
Yes, and no. She is new-generation Hmrain. She and Essan s consort, Kris, were crushed in a cargo accident. The machine was strangely not set for the right species, but the ladies looked human when they came out of it. Big humans but humans. Harwin is very strong, and Kris is a pyrokinetic.
Sage blinked. And I make tea.
He grinned. It is a dance I love to watch. Zell pressed his forehead to hers. But I think it is time that we leave our quarters and share a meal so the captain doesn t think I am just in here by myself.
She grinned, looking down at the very gauzy robe. I think I need a few more layers.
If you insist. I will look forward to removing them later.
Sage chuckled and got up to get dressed. She was looking forward to it as well.
* * * *
T hree weeks from the conversation on the com, Harwin straightened up to her considerable height and smiled at the women around her.
Welcome to Aten, children of Terra. We have been given a new name or a very old one, considering.
Daughters of Geb. Ra is chatty in bed, or hallway, and I like to gossip, so let me tell you about all the species who visited Ra while he was living there and which ones left bits of themselves behind.
Spoiler alert: some of us might be less human than we thought.
The ladies looked at each other and shrugged. It made as much sense as surviving the end of the world, after all. Sage poured tea, and they sat around to listen about what could be lurking within their genes.
Ra had machines to draw out the most distant DNA, and the ladies were going to use them as soon as Bailey finished handing out cookies. Priorities were important.