“I can’t believe they gave you an Island.”

“The didn’t give it to me Mel, I’m leasing it. I apparently paid a million dollars for a ten-year lease.” I say, wiggling my toes in the sand after parking my shuttle up the beach. “Plus, most of the Islands in the area are radioactive.”

She grimaces, “You paid too much then.”

“Atropos says that there are higher than normal radiation levels, but this particular island has no hot spots. And Tessa says that there is a tier 2 domicile with self-contained utilities listed on the exchange.”

“Yeah, but how much does that cost?”

“Fifty thousand credits.” Kay says with no inflection what so ever.

“Crap on toast! Is that fully customized for the three of us?”

She nods, “with extra space for Beecham too. And two out-buildings for storage or whatever.”

“Okay, that’s less crap. That’s the first thing we build after putting the home colony ansible over there.” I point at the highest spot on the 2km long, 200m wide, nearly sea-level island. Plenty of palm trees and grass though.

“Navy has a few ships moth-balled in Washington that they’re willing to sell us for scrap.” Melissa said.

“Nah, I have a line on a few scrap yards in California and some wreckage in Hawaii that we can hit. The one in Hawaii will even pay us a little bit.”

“Sounds good. 10 million won’t last forever. Oh, yeah, I set up a joint account for us and I need to pay Beecham.”

“Joint you say? Making your credits joint too?” Katie raises an eyebrow.

“Heck no. You would bring my ratings down.” I scoff.

“I have tech two access, thank you.”

“Exactly.” I snicker, not letting her know why, despite her insistence.

“PENNY! YOU COME BACK HERE.” Katie yells as I sprint away, squealing.

The chase does not last long and I am soon tackled into the sand. I turn quickly under her and pull her into a forceful kiss. “That was fun.”

“Penny, my love, my life, what tech rating are you?” She says softly, nibling my ear. My brain stops braining things.

“Tier 3 baby. Oh fuck that feels good.”

She freezes, bites my ear a little too hard and pushes away from me. “Fucking how!? How are you a higher tech rating than me?”

“I accidently made a really fancy bomb?”

“Unbelievable.” She throws her hands up in the air as she stands up. “I am trying hard to be a valuable member in this relationship, and what are you doing? Falling upward.”

“Kay, you do so much already, and your rating isn’t why I love you.”

“Penny, it’s not about you. I like to feel useful, be the best at what I do.”

“But you are Katie! You’re an amazing analyst and the fact that you like logistics and want to manage our intersystem trade is going to keep us alive!” I push up to a seated position and stare at her eyes.

“I know that you appreciate what I do and that’s part of what makes me angry sometimes, it’s not good enough for me, so why is it good enough for you?” She’s breathing heavily and her teeth are bared.

“Lady, your level of expertise is so high, that no one I’ve ever met has asked if you were sure. Katie did some numbers? Must be correct. Katie planned parts and fuel shipments, problem happened somewhere else. I have a high standard hon, always have. I’ve alienated countless scientists because of it. You’re accusing me of not expecting enough? I guess there’s a first time for everything.”

“Penny, you’re not helping.”

“What if I called you a shrewd bitch and I’m glad I’ve got you on my team.”

“Helping a little.” I smirk at that and stand to give her a hug. Mel sees affection and runs at us for a hug too.

“What are we hugging about?”

“Kay was feeling insecure. Doesn’t think she’s useful.”

“Wow, I didn’t take her for an idiot.”

“HEY!”

“Shh honey, your girlfriends are talking.” Mel says in a maternal tone. I can’t keep a straight face and bust out laughing.

“Okay, enough hugging. I’ve hit my touching limit for the afternoon.” We disengage politely, knowing Katie well enough that though her tone was light, she really has a contact limit.

>P] How about brain snuggles?[< she pulses me a warm feeling, and I do the same.

“I would love to dive deeper into this snuggle-fest, but I have a meeting in St. Petersburg in three hours?”

“Oh yah, that ‘meeting’ with the Russian Model Club.”

“Mel, it’s a women’s crime family.” Katie perks up immediately.

“Can I come?”

“As long as you don’t bring work home with you.” I growl.

“Boo. You’re no fun.”

“Guess it wasn’t just the aether on Astoria.” I muttered about the attentions of women.

Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

***

The meeting in St. Petersburg was ridiculous. I left open comms with my girls and they both had points on how to deal with the Russians. Mel’s opinion was be polite, have a few drinks and leave. Katie’s was accept their offer to exchange warp tech for millions, go to the orgy and take lots of video. So I mixed and matched. I was polite, had a few drinks, talked about Ivanka, took their money and left with a kiss to seal the business deal with a crime syndicate. They didn’t traffic in persons, so my conscience ended there.

/Ladies, I’ve agreed to search for their Sailors aboard the Copernicus. Ivanka among them.”/ /Yeah, sure Penny, but the women, how hot were they?/

/For fucks sake Katie, can you rub one out or something?/

/Ugh no. Why do I have a wife if this is a self-service station?/

/That’s fucked up, Kay. I am more than a sex toy./

/Yep, I miss your blood too. I swear, whomever put unicorn blood in harry potter had to have been talking about your blood./

/Kay, I don’t think . . ./

/I had another mutation okay! The small warps in system got me and now I am fucking desperate for a taste of you./ Uhhhh.

/Uhhh, succubus or vampire?/

/Vampire, I, I already tried the other one with Melissa, it helped a little, but not enough. She suffered a mutation too, but doesn’t want to tell you./

/Be right there hon./ I teleport to the atoll and seek Katie out immediately. She’s outside the tent we set up while working on the ansible and her fangs are out and she’s pacing. My headache is monstrous, but I can handle for her.

“Oh, thank Andromeda.” She kisses me, drawing blood and licking it up before it can pool.

“Katie, I’m not really in the mood tonight, but if you need a snack, you’ll have to use my thigh, I have meetings tomorrow.” She nuzzles my neck anyway and I swat her forehead in reprimand.

Whatever changes she went through make that bite feel good. So good. Despite my protests, I came anyway good. I think Katie did too, as she just crawls up from her snack and falls asleep on me.

When I wake up, Melissa is flopped on top of us like she belongs there. Maybe she does, I muse and try to fall back asleep.

***

The ansible took an extra week to build as we may or may not have treated the time as a honeymoon. We fought like cats at times, but it was good to get some of that stuff out. I hope. This relationship is weird.

“Katie. Can you order us a house now? I’m tired of the dirt in my mouth.” She chuckles, knowing I get a little clingy when Mel is away.

“Yes, I will be glad to work on something else. Now that we’ve built a second one of these from scratch, I never want to do it again.” She pauses to stretch, and I unapologetically appreciate. “You have access to the Exchange again, does that mean you’ll start the swarm inoculations?”

“Yeah. Right after I claim the system for Humanity.”

//You have designated Earth, and the system Sol, as the origin system for Humanity. Do you wish to claim it?//

Yes, I wish to claim Sol for Humanity, and identify it as a protectorate of Astoria. I also wish to inoculate the planet with Andromeda Matrix swarms.

//Human Primus wishes to introduce swarm to Origin world. Please confirm.//

“Confirmed.”

//Acknowledged. Fabricating tools for Global Introduction. Cost will be extracted post introduction.//

Multiple drones emerged from the ansible and took off in different directions. I feed more aether into the ansible and apparently increase distribution rate by 27%. That’s pretty solid. The system alerts me that full inoculation expected in 11.7 days.

I want to do more, but I’m struggling to consider what is more important than what I’m doing. The CNO saves me from myself.

/President wants to talk to you. One hour./

/I’m on the other side of the planet. If I make it there in an hour, this island is mine, not leased./

/Just get there, Astoria./

He used the right name at least. /Clear the helo pad/

I talk to Kay and Mel about my impromptu meeting and they advise me to keep comms open and to teleport out if necessary. Duh, babes. It’s nice to hear they care though.

Twenty minutes later, they show me their plans for our Island home and wish me luck on making good decisions. It’s a good thing they’re both smart . . . and pretty.

I teleport 5 kilometers above the White House—a decidedly risky maneuver. A few small AA batteries later, I’m on the helo pad with nary an extra hole. I need to think about defenses for my island.

“Miss Astoria, please accompany me to the oval office.” A member of the secret service says. I nod and do as he asks while pulling a bottle of my juice out of the ostentatious purse. He stops outside a door and finally notices my drink.

“Is that hazardous?”

“Nah, more like a sports drink.”

“Can you put it away?”

“Sure thing,” I stuff it back in my bag, aiming not to be hostile until necessary. One of the stooges peaks their head in to see if the President is ready. I get led into the office, which is full of staff members.

“Welcome, Penelope, I’ve been wanting to speak with you.”

President Amice Henson, how bold of you. “My pleasure Amice, it’s always an honor to meet a fellow woman of power.”

I can see her eye twitch at the use of her first name. Yeah, well, disrespect will be met in kind.

“I want you to inoculate me and my staff.” Strait to the point, if not horribly late.

“That offer was weeks ago, Amice. Odd coincidence that I get a message to come see you mere minutes after a global broadband announcement. Even more odd that I arrive to a demand to attend to thirty people when I originally offered two. Treaties have a time limit, President.”

The staff shuffles uncomfortably, Amice glowers, and the Secret Service agents hover their weapons.

“Are you about to insist? Because both offers are off the table. You’ll get your swarm within 11 days like everyone else.”

“You said yours had extra benefits.”

“And It could have, but no longer. They have been commanded to revert to baseline should they forcibly leave my body.”

“For what possible reason would you deny me this courtesy?” She scowls and slams her fist down. Commanding and slightly violent—Katie would love her.

“For the reason that every other world leader met my timeline. For the reason that you should have been the first to welcome me, as a former US citizen. And finally, because you dare make demands of me after addressing me as a member of your staff.”

I take a deep breath and let the Primus energy flow. “I am the first Galactic Human Empress. I command the resources of five systems, and you dare claim my obeisance? If I wanted, you would all be my vassals. If I wanted I would claim a planet in this system as my own. If I wanted, I could sit in your place, and rule the world. But I do not want to taint myself with the sewage with which you paint your future.”

I continue to take advantage of the stunned nature of the gathered politicians.

“I intend to instate the current world governance as is. All international disputes for territory or Power will be adjudicated by me. Everything else you can manage as the greedy apes that you are. If any of these disputes impact my ability to finish my projects, I will issue summary judgment. Don’t make me blow up the planet.”

That last line doesn’t add any credulity, but if I fuck up the tides by putting a hole in the moon, they’ll learn.

/Mel, I’m feeling ultra-violent. Need puppy hugs./

Mel and Katie answer with warm feelings. Katie’s is frisky and Mel’s sends excited tingles in my brain. Is that better than coffee and kisses? Damn close.

The problem with military types, is that they follow orders at the most inconvenient times. The Army is being that asshole right now. “Why is it always a pissing contest with Americans? Okay, lets get our dicks out.” I whip out my .9 meter long scepter and target the President’s desk.

A dozen weapons click as they are jerked up to my face. Surprisingly no one but the desk got harmed.

“Any questions? Most of my weapons originated as tools. But it sure as shit doesn’t mean they aren’t good weapons.” The office is quiet, waiting for the President to respond. I was already tired of her shit when I walked in, so . . .

“Cool, other leaders are onboard. You’re behind the curve, and from now on I only interface with Naval Reactors. Sound good? Great.”

I make to leave through the door I came in, to find it blocked with a large man. In fact, both of the exits are blocked. The window behind the President isn’t. I burst out the window, my suit deflecting the gunshots that ensue and I spend my escape flagging the President’s office as enemies of the Empire.