“Did you want me to go,” John asked Amber. They were holding each other on her large bed within her spacious room. It was sparsely decorated. The only things she seemed to have placed in the room herself were the fourteen small figures he carved for her during their time in the pocket plane.
“No, not yet,” replied Amber. “Can I ask you something? Do you really love me? Like, true love?”
“Of course. And the children you carry too.”
Amber tilted her head up off John’s arm and looked at him. “I really thought you’d abuse my true name after I first told it to you. I know I can trust you all the way. I’ve always been able to trust you. But what if I wasn’t pretty? Would you still love me?”
John, with a serious look upon his face, looked down at Amber. “Yes. Always. You’re my wife. I love how you look now, but I’ll always love you regardless.”
Amber turned into a giant Gold-tier demon. Her scales and ridges pressed painfully into John. “Prove it. Kiss me.”
John held in his disgust and gave the demon a peck on the mouth. He wondered if he should explain love to Amber. She was his wife. He had a duty. Attraction and beauty had nothing to do with it now. He said, “There you go. A kiss.”
The demon made a strange noise and said, “I meant kissing. That wasn’t kissing.”
“Enough of this,” said John. “You know how I feel about you. But I should go. I promised not to spend the night in here.”
Amber changed back into her real form. John was relieved as the demon weighed a ton and the ridges were digging into him. And he wished Amber would stop wasting her essence changing forms for no reason.
“Hold on,” said Amber as she held John tighter. “Um…remember I said there was something I wanted to talk to you about?”
“Yes. What is it? If I can get it for you, it’s yours. Oh, the jewelry I acquired for you on Isb, did you want it now?”
After stretching up to kiss John’s cheek, Amber said, “I’ve never really cared for jewelry. The old storage ring is all I need. It’s a perfect wedding ring since it already meant something to me. And now it means I’m a wife. I wanted to talk to you about something I was offered. It’s…I was offered a ganian form.”
John’s heart rate increased. “Does that mean what I think it does?”
“I don’t know. Oh, killing Nine reset my magal-killing cooldown. I know it was just a copy…I mean clone, but it still counted. Man, I wish my copy ability was more like his clones.”
John held in a sigh. Sometimes how his wife changed topics drove him mad. “The form comes with a new rule,” he asked.
“The new rule…doesn’t matter. We could still, um, do it anyways. Before we get to Gani. I don’t want to die a virgin. But if I accept the ganian form, we could go all the way right now and you wouldn’t have to look at my demon form for the rest of our honeymoon.”
After suppressing some guilt and anger, John said, “You’ve always said you’re human. That human is your true form, what you are. And you’re not dying. I won’t let you.”
Amber stretched up and kissed John’s cheek again. “I don’t think you have much choice in the matter, baby.” She quickly added, “Sorry, that was a slip. I know you hate being called that.”
Wishing Amber believed him, John put that aside to move forward. “Why do you seem reluctant about the form? Is it the new rule?”
Amber, after a long pause, said, “It’s bad, but that’s not it. It’s…um, how to explain? I was offered a snake form a long time ago. I never want to be a snake. They’re so gross, so I never accepted that form. Same reason, except I don’t hate snakes. I’ll take it if…if you want me to. If not, we can, um, go all the way the night before we reach Gani.”
Frustrated, John snapped out, “Enough of this! I’m your husband. Have a little faith in me. I said you won’t die, and you won’t. If you don’t want to, don’t take the form, but help me plan the best way out of this. Your hover-throne thing can survive for some time in space, right? The spacesuits allow for the same.”
Amber sighed. “We’re jumping. We can’t do any of that during a jump. Open an airlock now and the ship compresses into a hunk of metal. Once we hit Victor, we’ll immediately enter the internetworks. Hops work the same as jumps, so same issue.”
“The escape pods then,” offered John.
“You can’t exit during a jump. The ship will be destroyed right along with us. I know they taught you all this at academy. Even when not jumping, you can’t exit a ship going FTL. It tears the body apart. Even at speeds much slower than light, dust can puncture holes right through the pods and our bodies. Think of the forces at play.
“But even if we could exit during a jump without the ship killing us by immediately compressing into a little ball, or if it wouldn’t tear our bodies apart, we’d be in an escape pod traveling at least the speed of the ship. In deep space. Know how lucky we’d have to be to get near enough to something in range of an escape pod’s tiny beacon? How could anyone detect us or pick us up at those speeds? What if we hit something? I’d rather go back to Gani and take my chances begging the Nani for forgiveness.”
John wanted to tell her that he survived a similar situation, but that ship wasn’t going FTL when the hop-pod detached, and he had been in something far sturdier than an escape pod. The way in which he saved himself wouldn’t work again. He still had plenty of rune points but there were definitely no glyphs he could take that could save Amber.
There was Betrayal’s token, but that would likely mean John’s end, and he wasn’t giving up yet. He wanted to see his children. He wanted to raise them. He wanted to watch them grow up. He wanted to teach them how to think correctly, and the correct beliefs to hold. He wanted to make them strong. He wanted to be happy again.
“Do you have enough rune points to buy a glyph,” John asked.
“No. When I can, I upgrade my current ones. Why?”
“Never mind,” replied John. He could drain the ship’s fuel, but they could also just empty it too. The MJ drive somehow accessed and utilized the Between to get from one point to a nav beacon. At their tiers, getting stuck in that strange plane would mean certain death.
John asked, “The Meleua isn’t holding us prisoner, right? If we come up with a workable plan, he won’t stop us?”
“I doubt he would. I’m still his Alii. As long as I don’t order him to do something crazy, I think he’s fine. We already went over all possible options together. We came up with nothing workable.”
John grunted. “I doubt he put much effort into it. Aren’t Mele all supposed to be brilliant? How’d Nine run circles around him? He can’t stop the script? I doubt it. He stopped the one locking his suit. It seems to me like he wants to go back.”
Amber scoffed.
“What,” asked John.
“Fixing his suit wasn’t easy,” said Amber. “I helped. It took over a day and we needed help from the ship’s core too. And he doesn’t want to go back. He wants to go with us.”
That confused John even more. “He is going with us. Do you mean there’s a way out he won’t help with?”
Amber was silent for a long moment again. “The message hit the nav point minutes before we did. Messages travel with ships to get where they’re going. It’s for Gani so it’s traveling with us. What we’re transmitting will reach Gani when we end our last hop. The script ends when we dock. There’s a chance we could fly away right after if the defenses aren’t told to stop us. Or other ships don’t block us.”
John was even more confused. “Then why aren’t we doing that? If he won’t let us, then we’re prisoners, and we need to kill him.”
“You can’t kill him, John. He’s a two-two-one. Remember what happened the last time you fought a higher-tier Mele? And we aren’t doing that plan because…”
John waited for her to continue. When she didn’t, he asked, “Because why?”
“Because he wanted something I couldn’t give.”
“What?”
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There was another long pause before Amber replied. “I’m not like Lilly. I told you. I’ll never betray you. As soon as this all kicked off, the game ended. I became your wife all the way.”
“What did he ask for?”
Amber huffed and said, “It doesn’t matter.”
“Your life is on the line,” said John. “To me, it matters more than anything.”
Amber rolled away from John. “Talk to him about it. But no violence! He’s a good guy. A sweet guy. I feel real bad for him and how he’s been treated.”
John got out of bed and went to the bridge. The Meleua was cautiously facing him as he entered.
John kept his distance, knowing the man disliked people getting too close. “What did you ask for in return for helping us?”
“Not for helping. For escaping along with you two. I had many demands.”
John waited. When no demands were forthcoming, he asked, “Such as?”
“First, you must wear a mask and wash your hands more or cover them with hygienic gloves that are replaced every time you touch something unhygienic. And you must never touch any item I mark with a red sticker. Or touch me. Or come on the bridge again. Or within two dan of me when I’m off the bridge.”
After a pause, John said. “No problem. I can do that.”
“Good. Just to be clear, I consider most everything to be unhygienic, so you must replace your gloves often.”
“Understood, Meleua.”
“Second, the cameras stay in Alii’s room and are never to be removed. Third, no more credits. Once a week, on Firstday, for all eternity, I am to receive a reward from Alii worth two credits. She would not agree to this and said she belongs to you in some way. This is nonnegotiable. Since I will be free to receive what I want and not only what I’m allowed, let me explain what the reward entails.
“Alii will shower and sanitize herself extremely well. I wrote up detailed instructions on how to do so properly. She will put on sparkly lotion 15 to 20 minutes beforehand, enough time for it to completely dry but not enough time for most of the sparkles to fall off.
“Her eyes will be closed. She will wear a mask covering her mouth. She will also wear large and thick underwear or what she calls shorts. Her mammary sacs will be exposed until they start expressing milk disgustingly, as will the rest of her body. She will slowly turn. She will not speak or look at me. She will pretend I’m not there.”
John’s heart sank. How could he give permission for his wife to prostitute herself out like this for all eternity? What kind of husband would he be for allowing that? His wife was his and his alone. The scars Lilith left were too fresh for it to be even considered.
And if she was a true wife, she wouldn’t want to do any of this at all. So, if John allowed this, he’d be forcing his wife to prostitute herself.
What kind of husband would even consider this?
The Meleua sighed and said, “Even if I agree to join with you two, chances are I will only be joining you in death. Still, there’s a chance we will escape the docks. I’d rather try for freedom and die than be looked down upon as I am by other Peerless. How I am looked at with scorn by other Alii. As I am viewed by all falsely claiming I am their brother.
“Besides my Alii. Only she treats me well. Only she rewarded me in a way I could handle. And she did so without strange looks, complaints, or snide remarks. I love her very much. You are very lucky to have a special relationship with her.
“I am not defective. My views are correct and anyone with a modicum of intelligence would adopt them if they knew how much bacteria, fungus, and filth infects everything. It’s everywhere. There is no escaping it. Only minimizing exposure. I have nasal inserts you may be interested in using.”
What kind of husband would even consider this? One that wants his wife to live. He seems to truly care for her, and even if Amber could and wanted to betray me with him, he’d never allow it and would run away screaming. Not even Lilly could convince this man to lie with her.
I can’t believe I’m even considering this, but if the alternative is her death, I must. Maybe when Meleua is truly with us, he’ll help us come up with a better and less risky plan.
John said, “I’ll take you up on the nasal inserts some other time. If you go with us, you’ll no longer be constrained by Peerless rules. Why is the reward necessary? You said you have a good imagination. Why not use it to create the scene exactly as you want every time?”
“I’ve thought of this,” replied the Meleua. “Maybe I won’t collect on my reward, but it is a requirement. You have a strange relationship with my Alii, but I will also be there, and I need to feel as if I do too, that she is partly mine too. She is my Alii, and that will not change. Knowing I can collect on a reward and not doing so is not the same as being left out. I am not defective.”
John began to understand Amber’s view on the Meleua. He couldn’t help but feel sorry for the man. “I have to go talk with my wife,” he said.
“If you’re going to speak to her about this, she will not agree. We already spoke. Her refusal was adamant.”
Instead of replying, John went back to Amber’s room. He asked her, “Why didn’t you mention any of this before?”
“Because you told me a bunch of times I’m just like Lilly and I’m not! I’m not. I told you, I’ll never betray you. I’m your wife now. I’ll die first.”
John felt full of shame. For a few reasons. Hearing his former wife’s name mentioned reminded him to look at his new wife’s belly. He couldn’t really make out the souls of his children yet, but if Lilly had taken over one, he was certain he’d be able to easily spot hers.
“You’re nothing like that monster,” said John. “I was…I was just in a bad place then. You’re my wife now. You can talk to me about anything, and if there are things that make you feel bad, just let me know. You should always feel loved and protected.
“It fills me with shame to even consider this, but it…I just don’t think it’s a terrible trade. Unless you don’t want to do it. You’re the one that must do it, so it’s your call. I don’t like it, and it’s shameful, but far, far better than you dying. My only stipulation is that no one can ever know anything about it. And if he ever becomes more normal with his views on touching, this deal ends.”
Amber’s brows furrowed. “You’re…you’d really be okay with this? He told you, um, all of it?”
“He told me what he wanted in great detail,” replied John. And if we get out of this, we can always leave him somewhere, thought John. Or I can.
Amber rushed into John’s arms and held him tightly as she cried. “Oh, John, I don’t wanna die! I’m gonna be a mother! I want kids so bad. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you!”
John just held his wife for a long time as she cried. He knew he had been manipulated. Or he truly hoped he had been. He knew his wife was smart. She must have planned all along to maneuver him into talking with the Melua to get this exact outcome. He prayed she valued the lives within her belly enough to have done so, as well as her own.
Once Amber finished crying and let him go, John said, “You should’ve mentioned this to me from the start. We can speak about anything, always. Never fear telling me such things. I don’t want to be betrayed, but your first responsibility is to our children now, not me. If it means my children’s lives will be spared, always choose to betray me.”
Amber held John tighter and started crying again. After a minute, she said, “You got it. Thank you for loving me and our children so much. I just didn’t…should we go talk to Meleua? Start planning?”
John took a deep breath. “One moment. Let me apologize for how our marriage has gone so far. I’ve not been a good husband. I still haven’t managed to free you from the Peerless. You had to do things with four other men that…none of that should’ve happened. And now it will continue with one of them because I am not strong enough. You had to save me from Nine. I’ve failed you at every turn.”
Amber squeezed John again. “You’ve been a great husband. It’s…everything’s been super crazy. When we get away, things will be better. I know it. And I know you. I know what you’d do to protect me and your kids. Let’s go plan. I know you said you’re not hungry, but after we plan, I was really hoping you’d watch me cook. I’ll wear something real sexy.”
“You’re a very strange woman,” said John.
----------------------------------------
The MJ drive became much quieter as the ship approached its end point, then turned off. Flying on normal power, the ship approached the docking station above Gani. They were automatically cleared for berthing near the payload bay.
They could use escape pods now. Once the ship docked and the script ended, flying away in the shuttle would be an option, but not a good one. They needed this ship and deep space to have any chance of truly escaping.
“I’m not sensing any abnormal activity,” said Meleua over the open CSL channel. John let out a sigh of relief. If they were able to undock right after docking, it looked like they’d make it away. A long and tense moment passed as Jim approached its berth.
Finally, Jim clicked in, and the ship buzzed, indicating she was berthed. John waited anxiously.
“We’re locked in,” said the Meleua. “The script ended, but I can’t unlock the ship.”
Amber’s voice came over the channel. “Clear for plan B.”
John had already navigated to the screen he needed. He hit the final command, and the escape pod started to remove itself from its slot. Far too slowly, making him frustrated. When it was finally out, he tightened his veil, infused essence into Adumbration, exited the ship through the escape pod’s hatch, and crawled along the ship to the gangway.
Stealthily, John made his way as fast as he could to the correct terminal node. Tentacle-like wires exited his palm and entered the terminal. He had practiced this with Meleua for many, many hours. Hacking into this system wasn’t easy, but Meleua was observing through the CSL and telling him how to handle any surprises.
John finally arrived at the right node and unlocked Jim. He let out a sigh of relief and started rushing back to the ship. Then an alarm blared. His heart sank.
Guardians, security robots, started to activate and detach from their charging bays all over the docking station. Spier peripherals flew around a corner, he assumed controlled by the Mele on CQ, and spotted John through his stealth due to the CSL he wore. The spiers exploded as his bolter tore through them.
As John drew Ah’krat’ra, took Defiance in hand, and activated [Slowing Aura], he said, “You know what to do, Meleua. Get her out of here.”
“What are you doing, John,” asked Amber, trying not to sound nervous. “Get back to the ship. Fast.” He couldn’t. The defenses would tear the ship apart as soon as it cleared the station. Other ships would get underway to stop Jim from making its escape.
John blocked the rays of the Guardians attacking him and sent his bolter out. Over the comm channel, he said, “I’ll catch up to you later, Amber. I promise. Nothing will keep me from you. From my children. Nothing. Listen to Meleua. Get our children to safety.”
As Amber screamed something, John closed the channel with a mental command, dodged an attack, blocked another, sliced through a Guardian, and threw Defiance at the one behind it. With his now empty hand, he reached behind his head, ripped the CSL bioware off, and crushed it. He couldn’t be tracked with it now.
The Meleua thought there was a chance the lockdown wouldn’t end by docking despite the script ending. The two had made this contingency plan without Amber knowing.
John had to take control of the defenses. He felt bad for lying to his wife but her getting away alive was all that mattered. Her living. His children living.
Darkflame wouldn’t do enough damage to the Guardians crowding his path, nor would any manifestation majorly utilizing ‘vampirism.’
[Flawless Glyph of Plasma Barrage] would. John’s bolters would. Ah’krat’ra would. Defiance would. He only wished he could turn the destroyed bots into minions. He’d be able to turn the Mele on CQ into one. But he needed to rush. Transcendents would soon fly up from Gani. He had to ensure the defenses were in his control by then.
John couldn’t fail. Not in this. He would succeed. He would win. Today, he had no choice but to be the best of men.