If you find mistakes, pls tell, thx. I don't like mistakes.

Also feel free to ask for more background information on the world. I am somehow running out of interesting points regarding the small comments at the beginning of the chapters.

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“

If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles. If you know yourself but not the enemy, for every victory gained you will also suffer a defeat. If you know neither the enemy nor yourself, you will succumb in every battle.

”

-Sun Tzu

***Galactic Centre, Gathering Station***

***Cyla***

Walking around the station, linking arms with my husband is relaxing. It feels almost as if we are having a day off. I disliked our visits on the space stations which belonged to the alliance, but here it's different. It isn't as crowded and the aliens here have the decency to keep their distance. Maybe it's owed to our newly won reputation.

After the attack by Resch our diplomats finally got a firm hand on things and started negotiating for real. Paul told me that he is very pleased at the fact that his company can finally start making money. They got requests for teleportation nodes from all sides as soon as the diplomats allowed our people to enter the station for business transactions.

Though I still dislike being close to things with odd numbers of limbs.

Ayo decided by himself that he would be our guide around the station. His eagerness could also be attributed to the fact that Gideon got a little out of control when he visited the last time.

“It still astonishes me that everything looks so familiar. If you look past some strange facts you would think that this is one of our own cities. There are shops, banks, restaurants...” I gesture at the market which is stretching out in front of us.

Ayo nods. He picked up the gesture from us and is using it whenever he gets the chance. “That's hardly a surprise if you know a little more about the way we are managing the station.

There are several different habitats inside the station. All of them offer different environmental conditions. In addition each habitat is sectioned in several parts which sort the various species according to their physical appearance.”

The Zeen gestures at the market. “It's one of the unsolved mysteries of the universe, but it seems like the physical appearance is strongly connected to mental capabilities. Most humanoids share similar cultures for example. There are some who don't fit the picture, but those cases are very rare. Most of them set up their own habitats close to the station. That's one of the reasons why there is so much traffic in this system.”

Gideon nods and gestures at one of the aliens. “And we are learning so much about politics while being here. It's interesting to talk to people and hear about their general opinions, though I really would like to see one of the non-humanoid life-forms. Do you think we could take a look at one of them?”

We were walking around the station for four hours, just having a look around while visiting the embassies of various species to have a little small-talk. Gideon said that he needs to do this in order to get a better picture of our political situation, but I've a feeling in my guts that he simply dragged me along to fool around. He knows very well that I feel uncomfortable around aliens. That's probably why he is grinning from ear to ear right now.

Ayo doesn't look as pleased about the notion of leaving this part of the station. “It's very unlikely that you can find out anything substantial by talking to species which don't match your archetype. Their minds tend be very different from ours and it's really hard to reach real communication in a lot of cases, but we could take a look at the oceanic habitat. It's neighbouring this one.”

The Zeen indicates a direction for us and we follow. The alien leads us through the market district and towards a big blast door. Beyond it is a seemingly endless, curved tunnel. It arches upwards and reminds me that the station itself is a huge, rotating ring.

The tunnel's walls are transparent and to the left and right I can make out the bed of an ocean. With one step we are in some kind underwater environment with sunlight sparkling down from the surface.

Huge shark-sized creatures like jellyfish are streaking around in a school of about a hundred animals, hunting for some smaller prey animals. It's like a scene out of a wild life reservation. I fail to see any signs of a civilisation. “What is this?” It step out to touch the wall, which turns out to be some kind of plastic. At least it feels that way.

“It's the habitat section for some aquatic species. This region is under the control of the Nig. They are very group oriented like most other ocean dwellers of their type. It's hard to have a decent conversation with them since they think and talk almost only in mathematical terms. It's their main interest apart from hunting fish.” Ayo gestures at the seabed.

“Don't let their minimalistic lifestyle fool you. They are masters of electromagnetism and through it they somehow achieved almost complete control over water. Their ships are basically just huge bubbles of water and electromagnetic fields. It's quite the sight when they immigrate from one planet to another by taking half the ocean with them.”

The Zeen walks to a small panel at the wall and presses a button. “I informed them of our presence, though if they'll talk to us is up to their curiosity. If they don't feel like talking there is nothing we can do about it. This environment is a little disturbing for me. I am a creature of the desert and huge amounts of water make me uneasy.”

Despite Ayo's pessimistic attitude one of the jellyfish creatures leaves the hunting group and propels itself towards us, swimming more like a squid and displaying incredible speed compared to what I know about the jellyfishes from Earth. Not that I've ever been there, but Gideon watches old nature documentaries from time to time and I am bound to pick up a few things here and there.

When the creature is close enough I also get a better look at its streamlined body and thumb-sized, bony hooks on its tentacles. I shudder at the thought of the thing grabbing someone to dig those claws into his skin.

Suddenly the jellyfish flashes in a series of different lights and the speakers at the wall squeaks a translation. “Greetings, dry thinkers. The pressure and temperature allows just the right amount of flotation. I am thinking about the continuum of numbers in the cardinality between two integers, which is strictly belonging to the real numbers. Solving this problem would help to create harmonizing magnetic fields much easier.”

Gideon grins and steps forward, so I let go of his hand. Then he starts speaking. “I am Gideon. Have you ever thought about viewing the problem in a five dimensional space to eliminate the problem of having to deal with the real number issue? It's a little problematic to get the initial Math and formulas done, but once you have the problem displayed like that you can see that there are peaks which hint at space time being influenced by electromagnetic energies. You can go from there to set up a wave to even out the spikes, which allows you to harmonize the fields.”

The jellyfish is silent for a few seconds and simply floats there without moving, then it starts flashing again. “That works. Thank you. If you need help with a mathematical problem I would be honoured to help.”

Gideon doesn't hold back. “I was always interested in what an alien would think about direct electromagnetic conversion of matter to energy and back. It just so happens that I had a few issues with that and I must admit that I am completely new to the field.”

“Actually...” And so the jellyfish continues to spill out a few very interesting theories related to the topic. I watch the exchange and listen for a few minutes. After a while I turn my attention back to Ayo and notice that he looks baffled.

“Is there a problem?” I ask.

“N- no. I just never saw a Nig talking so much! They tend to lose interest in the conversation after a few sentences!” Ayo spreads his hand. “And what's up with that solution to electromagnetic field theory?”

I just raise an eyebrow. “Ah, that. It's really nothing special. If you want to control magic properly, then fine manipulation of any form of energy is a very basic step. What Gideon told that jellyfish just now is taught very early in our schools. Our civilisation solved that problem a few thousand years ago.” I tilt my head, looking at the jellyfish. “Actually the Nig seem to be on a good path to invent water magic on their own.”

The Zeen doesn't reply and we wait until Gideon finishes his conversation with the jellyfish. The creature seems to be very delighted about talking to us and at the end of the conversation we are even promoted from 'dry thinkers' to 'swift minds'.

When we return from the tunnel Ayo seems a little drained. “He called you swift minds. I've never heard a Nig calling someone something else than 'dry mind'. I wonder what that means. Maybe we've made a mistake and it isn't a general reference to species who live outside the water?”

I purse my lips. “To me it sounds like an insult.”

“Insult?” The Zeen gasps.

Shrugging my shoulders I elaborate. “You know, for people who life inside the water it must be quite uncomfortable to be dry. So I can't imagine that it has a positive meaning. What would your people think if you were called waterheads?”

The Zeen turns pale and paler while he closes the blast doors again and we find ourselves back in the humanoid area. But we don't get to return to our tour.

A girl with huge similarities to a mermaid approaches Gideon before I get the chance to return to his side. She even dares to place a hand on his chest! “Hiii! You are still alive. I wasn't so sure if we would get to see each other again. It would have been a shame to never learn your name.”

“Gideon... and you are that girl from back then.” He mumbles.

“Zeil, Ambusian pleasure girl, to your service.” She curtseys in front of him and I feel an uncomfortable sting in my heart. What the hell was Gideon up to while he was alone on the station!

I jump to his side, linking arms and digging my nails into his flesh. “I am Cyla. What business do you have with my partner?”

She places a hand on her cheek. “Oh, my. Gideon, that's your wife? If I had known I wouldn't have spoken such misleading lines. But you seem to be in good hands.” She raises a basket with various foodstuffs inside. “I was running an errand when I saw you.” Her eyes wander to Gideon. “And your husband paid me in exchange for a little service.”

I tighten my hand around Gideon's arm and use a little magic, just a little!

“Dear! You will break it! It didn't touch her, I swear!” Gideon calls out, fighting against going to his knees. “I paid her for information!” He opens his mind to prove the truthfulness of his words and a feeling of sincerity rushes over me.

“Sadly, though I find physical services much more pleasurable!” Zeil answers, winking at Ayo. “Long time no see, Ayo. When will you pay me the next visit? Dancing for the Nig gets boring after a while.”

If the Zeen wasn't white before, then he is now. “Work! You know how it is. There is this and that! The galaxy doesn't manage itself.”

I loosen my grip on Gideon's arm and wonder how it works between the mermaid girl and the Zeen. “If that's the case, then I just have to warn you off.” I grin at the mermaid. “For your own safety.”

Zeil flares her nostrils and takes in a deep breath. “If that isn't a feisty one! Gideon didn't lie when he said that you have temperament.” Suddenly she steps closer. “But from female to female, could you give me a few insights on what the men of your species like? I acquired a little data and we seem to be basically compatible, so I was hoping to open a new market once there are a few more of your species on the station. Base type humanoids are rare and I like your species much better than the average customer.”

Ayo steps in. “Zeil! You can't embarrass our guests like-”

But I raise my nose to look down on the mermaid. If she is interested in human sex, then I can give her a little preview! “It's basically coming down to being strong enough in your mind. The other bloodlines are easier to handle, but us techno-mages hold a special quirk. Once the male and the female make full body contact, they merge their minds with each other. It's the complete sharing of sensations and emotions, essentially becoming one being. Once both sides are aroused enough the male stabs its genital into the female and starts moving back and forth.”

I smile and close my eyes. Then I huddle against Gideon, putting his arm around me and circling my leg around his hips. “It feels like an eternity while the female party experiences one orgasm after the other until the male finally climaxes in an explosion of sensation. It's like being burned from the inside. Then your hips turn to jelly as you are being filled up and when his hot seed is running down your inner thighs, you finally slowly wake up from the mental bond. Of course that's just if you aren't a telepath yourself.”

“I can keep him at his climax until he is completely ~wrung out~.” I open my eyes and place a kiss on Gideon's right cheek while running my hand over his left, pulling out a few sparks.

“You- you are exaggerating, Love.” Gideon stutters a little and I feel him getting hard.

“No, I don't think so.” I throw a superior smile at the mermaid, who started chewing on her nails.

“I think we shouldn't overstay our welcome, Gideon. Don't you want to use every opportunity while your pregnant wife is still in perfect condition to serve you the full menu?”

“Yes! Excuse us! Ayo, Zeil, maybe some other time!” Gideon kneels down and shoulders me, teleporting us directly home without waiting for an answer.

***Galactic Centre, Gathering Station***

***Ayo***

“That... was... intense? What she did to him.” Zeil gulps. “She had him up and ready with just a touch. A perfect courtesan. I would be without a job if some of them are working on the station! Are all of their women like that?”

My head droops. “I don't know. But when they are freshly bonded. It seems like they go into some kind of breeding rage.”

“Oh? How many do they already have?” She asks.

“One child. She carried it for about nine months and she got pregnant again within a few weeks. Their females seem to be able to produce offspring as they please!” I grumble. My species reproduces just every ten years. Apart from that our females are completely uninterested in sex, so we often resort to medical measures to keep the species growing.

Zeil lets out a sigh. “That's not very much. We get dozens of young at once.” Then she turns to me.

“Do you have money?”

I growl and start fumbling for my purse. Why are the gods so cruel to my species? They could have switched off that male instinct if they did it to the females! It's like someone deliberately wanted to see us suffer!

.