“Stocks for companies associated with and/or owned by the privately held Housecarl Industries went up by another fifteen percent on the imperial stock-exchange today. This follows the fourteen-day trend as speculations over what their parent company’s newly developed Selkie Systems will mean for the market. While the little known corporation still remains mum on what its next moves will be, experts in the field of mech-production and the development of weaponized-automatons all agree that whatever they do will likely change the face of warfare within the Blackrose galaxy.” said a strait-laced orc reporter on a financial news network.

With a mental click, the screen flickered black for half a moment, and the tusked, green-skinned, female orc was replaced by a tan-skinned human male in a sport’s coat. The host of a late-night talk-show. The talk-show host sat across from a dour-looking gnome gentleman, dressed in tech-laden, synthetic finery one would expect to see in certain regions of the empire’s core.

“Look, all I’m saying is that if they had this kind of tech all along, or were even just close to completing its development, they should have told somebody. Something this big...Something this dangerous...Shouldn’t have been and can’t be left in just the hands of a few. The Novem Empire is one of...if not the...safest nation in the galaxy, but even we have our problems. Between fending off the Stygians, the Darklighters, the myriad domestic terror groups, the demon sects, the pirates, and the bloody horrors of the void...It’s a dangerous galaxy out there. I really think the most responsible, most patriotic thing they could do right now, is to hand all their research over to the government for safekeeping.” said the gnome.

Andrew lucked his tongue. Changing the channel yet again.

“Save the sleep talk for when you’re in bed, shit head.” grumbled Andrew. Speaking softly to avoid waking his wife.

He kept flipping channels until he found a nice, safe, historical drama to watch. A show set during the early eras of the empire, when Novem was still young and barely had an influence in the galaxy at large.

“You know...You don’t have to worry so much, hoheit…” said a soft and elegant voice at Andrew’s side.

He to his right and saw his wife looking up at him, her golden eyes glowing in the darkness.

“Shit...Did I wake you, hon? I’m sorry.”

“Mhm? Nah...I’ve been awake for a while actually. This is a busy period for us, and I’ve got instances of my consciousness running all over the place. Setting things up for the next stage of our plans.” said Sophia.

“Ah...Okay, then. In that case, I don’t suppose you’d like to have another go?” said Andrew. Grinning cheekily as he felt his glorious general stand at attention.

Sophia tilted her head to the side and shrugged.

“Sure, why not?... The time dilation on our bedroom is still running so it’ll take a while for morning to actually arrive.”

Without lifting the sheets, Sophia mounted her husband. They’d already done the ‘crazy’ stuff during the first session. Now was the time for something simple and comfortable. A little cowgirl riding would be having some sweet vanilla pudding after consuming and exotic and decadent buffet hours before.

Sophia ground herself in Andrew’s lap for a bit. Teasing him. Waiting till he was almost painfully erect before allowing him to slide himself inside of her.

Andrew sighed as he looked up at his wife. Gripping her ample buttocks. Alternating between making out with the woman, and using his tongue to tease one of her nipples.

“So...where was I? Oh, yeah...You don’t have to worry about that gnome on the news. First off he, personally, is no one important…”

Andrew sighed.

“What? Something wrong, my love?” said Sophia. Look down at Andrew with an expression of concern.

“No...It’s just...It really does kind of cut the wind out of my sails a little. When I’m trying to, you know...rock your world...or whatever, and you’re very...not in the moment. It makes me think I’m doing something wrong here.” said Andrew.

“Nonsense, hoheit...I can assure you’re doing an exemplary job. We’ve barely started and I’m already getting there...Plus, I’m me, my love. Both the one and the many. If I wasn’t good at compartmentalizing I wouldn’t be able to function. Or at the very least, I wouldn’t be able to function in a fashion that was efficient and allowed me to live as I please.”

Andrew imagined a world where he had to wait for all other instances of his wife to be offline before he could safely get intimate with his wife. Then he shrugged as well.

“Fair enough…” said Andrew. Raising the speed of the movements of his hips a little to match Sophia’s own rising temp.

“Besides...Who’s the more impressive one? The man…*gnh*... who can bring a pot to boil or the one who can make waves in an entire..*gnh*.. ocean.” said Sophia. A soft purr entering her voice.

Andrew chuckled. Growing an extra pair of hands so he could massage Sophia breasts without taking his hands off her hips.

“If you mean that then...cool. If you don’t, thanks for loving me enough blow that kind of wind up my ass….Seriously, though, I’m doing this right, right?” said Andrew.

Up until he met Sophia, Andrew’s sexual history was sparse to non-existent. Being the family unfavorite he didn’t really have a lot of people showing interest in what he had going on.

Thus beyond a few girls from his earlier schools, who were feeling rebellious and/or adventurous enough (at the time) to do over the clothes stuff with him, the kindly older woman who’d been with him during the one time he’d visited a brothel, a few older, overly friendly, clan members he learned to avoid like the plague, and kind of, sort of, his adoptive-sister Jack, Andrew had basically been a virgin when he’d first met Sophia.

He also had an entire internet worth of porn to rely on but everyone knew that beyond a few exceptions porn sex wasn’t real sex, and certainly wasn’t as fun as it looked. Most it was just a lot of flashy, uncomfortable, moves that were made expressly for the purposes of filming for others to get off to.

The point being, that when he really thought about it, and allowed himself to get into his own head on the issue, Andrew sometimes found himself worried that he didn’t know what he was doing and that up until then it was just Sophia being really nice and pitying him.

Sophia laughed, finding her husband’s strange moment of insecurity amusing and annoying at the same time.

“Silly, hoheit...If I engaged with my feelings as you ask, everyone in this building would probably die. Honestly, where did this even come from? We’ve been this for thousands of years with no problem. We literally just had sex with no problem. I think it’d be kind of weird if you suddenly forgot how to do ‘the sex’ all of sudden.”

“I know...I know ...I think it’s just me being anxious about our plans for Nurari and Hundred Nights Academy.” said Andrew.

Sophia nodded. Understanding.

“Ah, well...I’m anxious too, you know. This is a big move we’re making. We didn’t expect to try and turn ourselves into a proper clan with a proper presence in the galaxy for decades no suddenly here we are making waves and trending on social media. Covertly manipulating altering the political landscape into one that’s more advantageous for us...Life is really moving fast for us, here...Maybe a little too fast.”

“You’re anxious too? You certainly don’t show it.” said Andrew.

Sophia laughed.

“Well, that’s what you get for marrying a woman who was originally made of metal, stones, and dark magic.”

“I suppose...but I’ve never regretted it...Never.” said Andrew. Giving Sophia a long tender kiss.

“Me neither.” said Sophia. Sighing contentedly, and then dipping below the covers.

*************************************************************************************************************

Later, hours later, Andrew and Sophia arrived in one of the small dining halls of the building. Sophia was there to talk with the school’s staff about their plans for when they arrived at Nurari III. Andrew was largely there to just be seen, though he was technically also chatting with Oliver and his family about the Asceline clan’s plans for when they reached Nurari.

“Well, like I’ve been telling you enrollment and boarding will be handled by the school, so there’s really nothing to be worried about.” said Gregor Duncan. The current dean of the now-defunct Blackvale academy after the loss of life and staff caused by the attack on Harlow.

“And even if that wasn’t the case, we’re still several weeks away from our destination, Ms.Luce.” said another of the school’s senior staff laughing in a grandfatherly manner.

“Oh, are ye sure about that. Think about lad’s we’ve been to three different planets in three different corners of this segment of the galaxy. A cumulative span of hundreds of light-years traveled in less than two weeks.” said Delmar Ramos, who was present because as a tenured professor he was technically part of the school’s senior staff and he liked the bacon the silver-faced servitors served.

The table grew quiet as all the professors and school administrators considered what Professor Ramos had just said. More than a few faces blanched and more than a few eyes turned towards the young pair with excitement and just a touch of greed.

“Ah...That...That is a fair point, Professor Ramos. Ms. Luce. I don’t suppose you could enlighten us on predicted arrival time?” said Dean Duncan.

“Of course, sir...Assuming nothing unexpected happens, we should arrive at Nurari III by tomorrow.” said Sophia.

Andrew looked up from the conversation he was having with Oliver and Oliver’s uncle Reese. Reese looked up as well and they both caught the shaken look that sat on the faces of Blackvale’s staff.

Reese chuckled.

“It seems your clan won’t be satisfied till you’ve turned the whole galaxy on its head.” said Reese.

Andrew shook his head, easily managing to keep his composure because the capabilities of their “ship’s” engines and warp systems was just another thing that he and Sophia planned to use to make their mark and build their clan’s foundations.