---------------------------------------------------------------------------- It was hard to breathe. A Pressure on his chest. His neck felt tight, and his leg was stiff. It was getting cold, but not uncomfortably so. Michael slowly forced his eyes open and sighed in relief at the pleasant sight. "Good morning to you, my dear." Srettia clung tightly to Michael, her tail snaking down his leg and her arms wrapped tightly around his back, fangs sunk deep into the fleshy part of his neck, as she smiled at him with her eyes. "You're a bit clingy this morning. Something wrong?" He asked, wrapping his arms around Srettia and gently rubbing her back. Releasing the bite and nuzzling her face into Michael's neck as she licked up the small amounts of blood, Srettia stilled herself as she thought about what was going through her mind. "You're going into the city today to meet with some merchants. I want to make sure they know you're taken." "I see. Are you upset about last night?" Michael replied, thinking back on his plan of action for the day. Srettia brought her arms up to around Michael's shoulders and pushed into his body, savouring the heat he gently spread around her back with his hand. "Yes. The Voktlix are a cowardly people. But the brave ones of their kind... I've noticed they are very aggressive when it comes to mate hunting. I will not let one of their females take you." "You know... Vattitha was asking if 'you' wanted to have sex with her last night. Not me. Well, I guess she wanted me to join you two as well." Michael replied with a laugh, noticing how Srettia froze upon his body. "NO," Srettia replied, going silent as she considered the implications. "How are you not angry about this?" Michael sat up and leaned against the headboard, pulling Srettia along with him. "What's there to be angry about? I know neither of us would have accepted. Besides, don't you think it's flattering that someone wants you that way?" "An Aasteran male would have maimed her on the spot... But perhaps you are in the right. I would not have accepted her proposal. And I know you wouldn't have either. These alien ways of thinking... I suppose I must learn that not all think like my kind and adjust accordingly, even if my biology makes it's difficult." Srettia said, sighing in resignation as she nipped at Michael's collar. "That's a mighty big revelation you just had, but don't force yourself to do things you're uncomfortable with." Michael said, rolling over and pushing Srettia onto her back, giving her a sly grin as he began kissing her neck. Srettia hissed in excitement as she scented the air, knowing full well where Michael was leading her. "Better make it quick Captain." She purred seductively, watching as Michael slowly worked his way down her tummy. "We need to be on the bridge in an hour." ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Vattitha poked the machine in confusion. It had a bright and coloured television screen on it, showing all sorts of dishes, things she had never seen before. Unfortunately, she forgot what the starship Captain told her about the machine's use. " I wish for hot, wetted grains and the egg of a bird, machine!" ..... "Machine, I require breakfast. Please give me warm, wetted grains and an egg, please." ... Vattitha grumbled in anger, poking the screen and watching as the picture swapped between delicious-looking dishes but never dispensing them. "You seem to be having problems with your fabricator." Jumping away from the machine, Vattitha quickly scanned the room, grabbing an odd stick with buttons in preparation for combat. "Show yourself, room invader! I will not go quietly." Jack formed himself in front of the female, observing her face as it went from a solid determination to excited wonder. "Hello, Vattitha. My name is Jack, An artificial Terran and second in command of this starship. May I assist you in retrieving your breakfast?" "Artificial?" Vattitha replied, walking up to the being in wonder. "As in created? You were created by these Terrans?" "That would be correct. I am an artificial Terran created on Eris base in the Sol system." Jack replied, taking a small step back as Vattitha pushed her face near his own. "That's AMAZING!" She squealed, using her hand to grab Jack's hand and rubbing it in wonder with her other. "You must tell me about yourself! How does it feel? Can you smell? Can you feel the pressure from my hands... Or my fur? Here ruffle my mane!" Vattitha asked, bending her head down for Jack. Jack slowly took his free hand and pet the eager female, watching with amusement as it made odd noises he assumed were in pleasure. "You require breakfast. I am here to assist you in ret-" "You feel completely real! What are you made of?!" Vattitha interrupted, pulling Jack into her and hugging him in delight. Jack deactivated his body, watching as the female looked around the room with a mix of surprise and sadness. "I am here to help you with breakfast. What do you desire?" "Oh, right! I want some eggs and some grains to go with it." Vattitha replied, walking back over to the machine. "You didn't answer my question. What's your body made of?" Jack ordered Vattitha some hot oatmeal with some apple slices and an egg, waiting for when she had acquired the food and sat at the table before spawning in his body again. "I am made of folded light that is generated by multiple devices around this room and throughout the ship." "So then, you're trapped on this ship?" Vattitha asked, sniffing her apple slices with suspicion before popping an entire piece in her mouth, quickly letting out a noise of delight and smiling. "This is fantastic!" "I am glad you enjoy it, and yes. My realspace body is trapped on this ship, but I may go anywhere there is technology. In Terran cities, that gives me more freedom than most organics." Jack replied, watching the female eat her meal and taking up a seat opposite of her. "So.. How many of you are there?" Vattitha asked, spooning her breakfast in delight. "At the moment, Two. With a third one currently being created." Jack replied, looking down at the floor as Vattitha played with his feet. "Two? Does that mean they only just learnt how to create your kind?" Vattitha asked, finishing off her oatmeal and throwing another slice of apple into her mouth. "No. Most civilizations are terrified of my kind when they learn of our potential. The first AI, my father, was created over three hundred years ago. The research was banned until eighteen years ago, due to him killing his creators." Jack replied, wanting to see Vattitha's reaction to the truth. "Well... You seem nice enough. I'm sure there will be more of your kind soon." Vattitha replied, finishing off her breakfast and looking to Jack on what to do with the dishes. "Place them in the cabinet attached to the fabricator. They will be recycled back into mass for later usage." Jack answered, standing from his chair and moving towards decontamination. "Our other Voktlix crewmember quite enjoys this method of cleaning. Enter and raise your hands to the ceiling." Vattitha opened the side of the fabricator and dumped her dishes in, quickly moving towards the odd doorway Jack and pointed to and raising her hands. "Okay, what noooowww.. Ohh wow. Okay yes. This is nice." She continued, running her hands around her body and spinning around a few times for good measure as the light washed over her. "What do I need to do to get one of these installed in my home?" "The energy required to run one of these machines is currently beyond your people's capacity. It would be impossible to install one in your home at the current time." Jack replied, walking towards the exit door. "I will take you to the bridge to meet with the Captain and Ankiah now." "Oh? What a kind gentleman you are. lead on." Vattitha replied, grabbing hold of Jack's hand and letting him lead her down the hall. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- "That's good. I was afraid she might try something weird once I left you alone with her." Michael said, looking at the face of Aylen on the main display. "Only weird bit was wanting me to sleep in the same room as her. I would bet she is afraid of assassins during this power shift and assumes I could detect them before they close in... Which I kinda can, I guess." Aylen replied, finishing off his morning report. Michael nodded while filed the report with his implant and looked back at Soto, who was still upset over the whole deal before looking back at the main display. "Good work then. I'll see you in the afternoon when the officials are gathered." "Understood." Aylen replied, cutting the com. "She won't make any moves on him, Captain. I don't think she's the type to force something unwanted." Ankiah said, standing with Caithen off to the side of the bridge. "Aylen can handle himself. I just get the feeling that vixen is hiding something from me." Michael replied, turning towards the lift as it opened. "Ahh Vattitha, welcome." "Hello, Captain Michael." Vattitha said, walking onto the bridge and looking around in wonder. "This technology is amazing!" "And they have a lot more to show you if you play by their rules." Ankiah replied, waving at the brown multi coloured female. Vattitha stopped in place and gave Ankiah a warm smile. "Oh, wow. A red... Hello." She said before pulling Jack into the room and looking at Michael. "And yes. I do intend to follow their rules. As long as The Captain meets my request." "Good." Michael said, Ignoring the fact Vattitha was pulling Jack around by the hand. "I've already made arrangements for you to be taught in the ways of our medicine. Now it's up to you to introduce me to this union leader you spoke of." Looking around for a place to sit, Vattitha noticed a couple of those flight seats off to the side that seemed available for her and walked over, pulling Jack along. "That won't be a problem. He'll be itching to make some money today since we've been held up in the shelters. I'm sure he'd be happy to hear I've come to talk with him." She said, sitting in the seat but frowning as Jack went to sit at a station near Michael. "Excellent, I'm ready to leave whenever you are. Is there anything I would need to bring with me to get him receptive to my request?" Michael asked, giving a smug look at Jack as he sat down at his ops station. "Money. Pretty much the only thing he would want is money. Unless you're willing to give him access to your technology." Vattitha said, leaning back in the odd chair and letting out a relaxed sigh. "You have no money. And I'm willing to bet you won't give him priority access to technology." "No, we plan on sharing our knowledge with everyone and will not allow people to monopolize our achievements for their own gain." Michael replied, sinking into his chair and considering his options. "What kind of monetary system do you use?" "Paper and coin." Vattitha replied. "Which I have much of." "What's your angle?" Michael asked, knowing just how sneaky Voktlix females could get due to his recent experience with Ekianei. "Make me a member of your crew." She demanded with a vicious grin. "I don't care if I'm busted down to a nursing assistant or a medicinal tool cleaner. But if you want me to use my wealth to get the union master to speak. I'll be needing both a new home and a place to work... Since my home was where my office is." "Why?" Ankiah asked, looking at the female with a face of disbelief. "None of us are naive enough to believe you would sell your life away on this plan just for a chance to clean tools. Wealth is everything to a female looking for a male mate." Vattitha looked around the bridge and let out a grin as she observed the crew, lingering a bit longer on Jack then than she may have wanted. "Have you seen the number of males on this ship, you silly? Besides, I think I've found what I want. If I can work here, learn their knowledge and help free us from oppressors all in one swoop. What's a fortune to getting what one truly desires." "Alright, then. So we stop by your place. Pick up money? Then head out to the Guild masters place and bribe him into telling us his secrets on how to avoid Stydun attacks while outside the walls." Michael repeated, looking around the bridge to see if anyone had any objections. "Not quite. We stop at my house to pick up my paperwork so I can get a withdrawal request. Then I need to request a form with the limit of my fortune on it so I can make the proper transfer on the spot. Otherwise, he will not accept the payment." Vattitha corrected, enjoying the comfort of the chair. "One of these chairs as well. The male does sit all day. He would be thankful for comfort, such as this. Perhaps bring your wife along as well. Not for the reason you think though." She quickly added. "I would bet on him wanting to see one of her kind and it may be well to bring her just in case." Michael nodded and made a mental list with his implant. "So we print a chair. Stop at your house. Stop at a bank. Then head to the union master's house. Anything else?" "No. That quite sums everything up. Oh, Captain. I am wondering. Suppose I need to contact you while you are not around. How will I go about doing so?" Vattitha asked, her face neutral, and her posture straight. Michael nodded in understanding. realizing that it may indeed be beneficial to assist Vattitha in contacting who she needed to. "Oh, right... I suppose we can print you an earpiece and communicator. You'll be able to contact anyone with the same device or if they have an implant." "Excellent." She replied, looking at Jack with a grin. "Then let us be off." ----------------------------------------------------------------------------