Chapter 18 Eyes on Eve
EYES ON EVE, RAFE
I’m working in my private office at the apex of the Celestial Spire, encased by glass walls, surrounded by indifferent stars and Falcon Station in the distance.
But I rarely look out the windows. I’m looking through the stats for a new acquisition.
But I decide it’s too much of a gamble right now.
I don’t want to take on any more risks until I know this year’s Grand Championships is a success.
And the key factor that would make it a success rests on the shoulders of our new human employee, who I’m worried may be sex-crazed.
My door chimes and then announces Dr. Veil.
With a gesture, I allow her entry.
“Sovereign Rafe,” she greets me with a low bow. The Celestial Spire is one of the few establishments that readily employs Reima Two women who want to work off-planet.
“Status report,” I command, keeping my voice detached even though I’ve been thinking about my new human employee all day.
“All required modifications have been fitted for the human receptionist, Eve Eden: the Venus Lock with a subcutaneous tracker and a neural translator. Her initial physiological readings showed distress, but well within acceptable parameters for stabilization.” Dr. Veil pauses.
“Compared to the humans who came before her, she's remarkably resilient. She handled the procedures with more dignity than most would under such circumstances.”
The mention of the Venus Lock momentarily makes me feel slightly guilty.
But I dismiss this feeling immediately. It’s a necessary measure for a necessary outcome.
The device will protect her from the worst impulses of our guests while serving our long-term objectives of training her without distraction, and by distraction, I mean my brother and her own sex drive.
“Any resistance at all?” I ask, focusing on practicalities. “I remember that Denise had to be held down to have her translator implanted.”
“Only slight verbal objections, and quite articulate ones at that. However, she was significantly disturbed by the Sapien Spectacle taking place in the lobby.” Dr. Veil's tone grows disapproving.
“Frankly, I found the timing unnecessarily cruel. Perhaps showing some consideration for her psychological adjustment would have been more civilized.”
The criticism in her voice sets my teeth on edge. Dr. Veil has always been one of the more outspoken female staff members, typical of women who believe their sex grants them the authority to question operational decisions, even off-planet.
“The timing was deliberate,” I state coldly.
“I wanted her to witness it firsthand as a warmup to the Grand Championships. I coddled Denise and Yasmin too much, so much so that when they first saw the Championships, they were so distraught they could not perform their duties. I will not make the same mistake twice. Eve’s complete immersion serves our purposes. ”
Dr. Veil's chin lifts slightly. “I simply think that basic compassion—”
“Doctor,” I interrupt, my voice carrying the weight of absolute authority, “your medical expertise is valued. Your opinions on operational strategy are not.”
The rebuke hits its mark. Her grey features flush darker, and she inclines her head. “Of course, Sovereign Rafe. My apologies for overstepping.”
But even her apology carries a particular female defiance I've grown accustomed to, submission wrapped in barely concealed resentment. I let it go. Dr. Veil is a good doctor, and her skills outweigh any slight I may feel from her opinions.
“How severe was her distress?” I pull up Eve’s biometrics on a display: elevated heart rate, stress hormone spikes, and the telltale patterns of psychological shock.
“Acute, but I managed it with basic telepathic stabilization to prevent an autonomic collapse.” Her tone turns almost protective.
“She was terrified, Sovereign. I've never seen such an authentic emotional response. Eve truly believes human pets are equal to her, regardless of rank, birth, or bloodline.”
“You intervened mentally?” A thread of concern enters my voice. It’s imperative she believes the humans with collars are her equals, so when Gael the Returner asks her to help him, she will risk everything to do it.
“Sovereign, I had to. She was talking about not being able to work at the Spire and wanting to return to Earth. After I calmed her, she rejected deeper neural adjustments, which surprised me. She insisted on maintaining full cognitive awareness of what she had experienced. Quite brave, actually. Both Yasmin and Denise accepted the mental modifications to ease their suffering without a second thought. And that was after they’d only seen a few pets in the lobby. ”
“Good. Her awareness must remain intact,” I state firmly.
“I understand. Though, I hope future educational experiences from management might be delivered with more consideration for her well-being.”
I tap two fingers to my ear, indicating I heard her, and we will not be discussing it further.
Dr. Veil continues with her report. “I also informed her of Denise's fate as you instructed. I felt uncomfortable having to deliver such frightening news to someone already so overwhelmed.”
The rumor that she was abducted provides the perfect justification for the current precautions I’m taking with Eve.
I can only hope that Eve will believe the doctor over any other rumors she hears.
My brother's involvement in Denise’s disappearance has been very inconvenient.
I don’t want her to fear Lorian, but at the same time, I also don’t want her to curl up in his lap if she has the same disposition as Denise.
“What was her reaction?”
“Fear, as anticipated. But it provided the necessary context for the severe security measures.”
“Doctor, we both want the best for Eve Eden. You want a healthy person, and I want an employee who is functioning at her best. For the latter to happen, certain human behaviors must be controlled and trained out of her. Now, what is your overall assessment?”
“Eve Eden is remarkably adaptable. High intelligence coupled with strong empathic responses, a rare combination. No doubt she has dealt with trauma in her young life to have the coping skills she exhibited today.”
“When will she be able to start working?”
“The neural translator will only continue to cause her headaches for the next twelve hours. She should be ready for work by First Chime tomorrow.”
“Very well. Dismissed.”
Dr. Veil bows and leaves.
I activate the surveillance systems with a touch, bringing Eve's quarters into sharp focus.
Her room is the average receptionist-rank accommodation, which would be considered luxurious to most, yet it is considered modest within the Spire's hierarchy.
Receptionists must feel elevated enough to appreciate their position representing the face of the hotel while remaining aware of how much higher the ladder extends.
I normally don’t shadow staff. The Spire Watch keeps order. They run the Starlight Array—corridor eyes, palm-vein gates, consent-band telemetry, and behavior models tuned to IGC law. They watch for Terra Ka plants and for guests who forget their limits.
But Eve is different. We’re training her ourselves, so we’ll keep a direct link to her channel, Sovereigns-signature only. We will have complete control of everything to make sure she is a success.
I watch the entry iris open on the Starlight Array feed. Eve and Lira step inside her quarters. The sidebar gives me all her physical statistics, her elevated heart rate, and notes the slight tremor in her hands.
I zoom in on her face. Her rich brown hair falls past her shoulders, and her large brown eyes are alert, taking in everything she sees around her.
Then I widen the frame to take in all of her.
She’s so small compared to us. So human.
She has curves that most Reima Two women don’t have, full breasts and hips made for grasping.
I find myself wanting to touch her. To feel the warmth that radiates from her human skin.
To trace those human contours. I get lost for a moment in those thoughts as the women’s voices become background noise.
When I focus again, I watch Eve study her room and feel satisfaction grow inside me at the awe I see on her face. Perhaps she will be different from the others.
“Welcome to your new home, Eve Eden.”