Katie had a much better idea that let us hug a little longer: Make Tessa do it in the shuttle.
“Penny, I know I told you how much I wanted to stay on Earth for significant periods when we visit, but not this time. I want to be safe in the house I built for us and stay busy.”
Her voice is small and, not scared exactly, but haunted. She grips me harder and shudders a little at a though or memory she must have been having.
“I’ll be here to warm the chill away baby. Are we at least done with that particular asshole?”
She bites me in reproach, “Check your messages, Penny. I bet you haven’t since you tiered up.”
I chuckle and nuzzle, “I haven’t.”
Ugh, I wish I had put in a quest for both crews before the mission started. I would like to put a default mission/quest together that applies to voluntary and dangerous missions. Maybe a thousand credits or so? Depending on their participation and all.
I can’t believe that’s a system message.
That answers a few of my questions. Thank Andromeda those sick fuckers are taken care of. I’m sure there will me an innumerable section of Humanity that will take advantage of others using the system, and I certainly can’t police them all, but taking care of a “leader” of Humanity turned psycho feels good.
I can see what Katie’s not feeling good about. The system basically thanked her for killing the mutants too far gone on Copernicus, and it chastised her for killing civilians. That’s quite a lot of collateral damage though. Not that I’m one to judge. I get vilified by the system calling those I killed as pirates.
“Katie, for what it’s worth, I think you made the right decisions.”
“Thanks. It does help knowing you would have ordered something similar. It’s just hard to see the aftermath in print. As much as I like numbers and quantitative analysis, being the cause of some of those wartime numbers is a different story honey. I don’t think I want to be in the military any more.”
“Whatever you need Katie. If you just want to run our trade empire, that’s fine by me. You can hire some undersecretary Minion of Logistics in charge of military supply or something like that. If you want to be a mostly planet based high inspector, that’s fine too. All jobs are vacant right now. None of this is set in process or routine.
“You want to contribute and I want you to be happy. I’m sure we can find something that intersects with the Empire’s needs. No matter what happens, though; you, with me, is all I need.”
She leans back to stare into my eyes, her eyes darting between each of mine, glaring to find a single mote of insincerity, finding none. I smile at her with acceptance and love and she rams her rips against mine. The kiss is quick and desperate, she pulls back several times to make sure I’m still here and rinse and repeat.
Minutes later, the Russian trio begin to wake, even Svetlana.
“Did I miss a romantic event? Was I not invited?” Svetlana slid back onto the bench and is supporting her body on her elbows.
“Touching, maybe, romantic? Not at all.” I reply, “Are we in a touching relationship with Svetlana, Katie?”
If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.
“No. We are not. Though since we aren’t married yet, I should take a turn with Platinum over there.”
I poke her hard. “I apologized for almost dying okay? I did not intend to miss our wedding!”
“Your fear of commitment is breathtaking, honey. You fried your brain just to get out of marrying me. Andromeda knows I should have left, you brain being the only good thing about you, but here I am, hoping you’ll get smarter.”
“You absolute shit!!” I twist around and bite her, pinching her sides in tandem. For a moment I forgot who I am dealing with until a scandalous moan issues from her mouth.
“Penny . . . honey. Don’t start what you can’t finish.” She licks her teeth and looks around.
“No, Katie. No. Tonight you’re mine. Tomorrow you can mix business with pleasure.”
“You are very fun to tease,” She nips at me and then stands. “Ladies, we have business with some Admirals to attend to and an emigration to debark in three days.”
The Joint Chiefs start spamming my brain with messages and I tell them to meet us in the new emigration control center next to the dock facility. I pull Kay close by her hip and plant a kiss on her check ‘cause I want to while we walk to the control center.
The Chiefs arrive with their aides and set up on high in the pseudo court room slash hearing room. I walk up to the highest seat, standing above the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs. “You’re in my seat, General. This is no longer a US territory, and the law here is mine. Kindly move.”
He looks around to the other flag officers, seeing Rich and Jim telling him to move, he takes me seriously. I get eyeballs tracking me from everyone, and only Katie is giving me a positive stare. She looks turned on and it’s distracting.
“Ladies and Gentlemen. Welcome to Astoria, my Empire. My Consul of Trade and Finance is with me. I asked you here to discuss emigration, and to facilitate Svetlana’s Earthbound crew helping the Joint Chiefs in their Earthly efforts for a slice.
“First, emigration. My interceptor, Alaris, will be leaving Earth in three days, and will likely take two more days to reach Astoria’s moon, Mercy. I will be taking any interested emigrants. As for any deal your parties may generate, I’ll leave both of you to it and adjudicate as necessary.”
I expect a “how dare you!” or a “what gives you the right?” but none of it came. Something’s wrong. Seriously wrong if the Joint Chiefs are capitulating.
The next hours are boring ass negotiations between two parties that don’t want to be involved with each other at all. Not only that, but they kept looking at Katie for validation, despite my role and sitting in the high chair. Oh fuck, I’m sitting in the high chair. Andromeda, if this is a joke I’ma smite someone.
“From a Majority decision of 4 to 2, the USA will become Astorian Citizens.”
Hearing that sentence felt like a bat to the side of the head. “Pause, gentlemen. I would be remiss if I did not clarify the difference between a Vassal State citizen and a Citizen of Astoria.” I stand and plant my hands on the podium strafing my stare amongst the old men present. “As a vassal, you will retain the identity of the USA, your people being citizens of the US and you being a vassal of the Empire. Independent rule with limited Empire protection and services. Your interests play to your country.
“As a Citizen of Astoria, you will be subsumed by the Empire. My priorities will be yours. You will serve at my behest in benefit to the Empire. The US will be colonies or territories of an independent Earth, and I will promote conquering only when attacked.”
“With this new information, I call to overturn a previous decision.” The Chairman squacked.
An aide chimes in, “Gentlemen, I would note that it will take a two-thirds majority to overturn this decision.”
“Noted Captain. Carry on.”
I look at Katie and see that she’s already writing down the rule-oriented officer’s name. Scamp.
The vote is stupid and ridiculous. The Coast Guard Admiral agrees that his Sailors need different work in this new separate city-state arrangement, and the CNO and Chief of Energy have also voted against overturning the original vote.
“Three and Three, even with the Chairman’s vote it is not enough to overturn.” The rule oriented Captain took his role as Adjutant seriously.
“Thank, you Captain. Before I decide on this unexpected development, I will need more information on the state of the state I would be subsuming. Flag officers, long-range communications should be stable again. Flag aides, Information officers, and anyone with a political science degree, I would like to meet back here in an hour and a half to download some details on what we’re dealing with and what I’m getting into.”
***
Katie and I tire each other out quickly. In fact, three O’s in a half hour and I’m tuckered. Katie is lazily petting me, licking up the small amounts of blood she missed.
“I really don’t want to go back to work after this.” I turn in her arms and nuzzle into her chest and thumb her hip bones.
“I’m actually excited to spend a few days working on the beach. I kind of miss this Island.”
“Yeah, it was one of the memorable times, for sure. For a brief period, things felt simple despite what was going on around us.”
Katie chuckles and then pinches my nipple!
“OW! What was that for?”
“It felt simple to you because Melissa and I were working overtime to give you a break. I enjoyed the time because I got to work next to you everyday. Even though I was frustrated with you almost all the time, it was nice to have you within reach all day.”
I grab her tighter. “I’m sorry I was such a bad girlfriend. I’ve really been trying to be better. Even though I’ve still been buried in projects.” Suddenly a sense of pending doom slithers up my spine. “Please don’t leave me.” Tears start leaking out of me. “I really am trying to be a better girlfriend, and I want to be a good wife, and a good Empress, and maybe even a passable person.”
Katie snorts at the last one. “I can tell you’re overwhelmed, honey. But remember, you made me feel so many extra feelings when you died and came back that my expectations have changed. I am no longer content to be successful and together: I’m invested. I want to see that you appreciate my investment, and that you are invested in me.” I’m about to reply in a hurried and desperate statement, “but before you say anything, know that simple things like trusting me to take your brand-new interceptor on a mission with authority to handle it the way I think was right is a huge statement of your investment in me. So don’t think that I need grand gestures. Just you, your trust and your love.”
Hearing the usually analytical ginger speak so kindly and emotionally was too much for me and my feelings of inadequacy. I bawl into her chest as she holds me with her long arms and enveloping legs. I start to think about all of the times I’ve neglected those that I supposedly care about and the hits keep me sobbing. No Penny, don’t fester on those times. Kay said that things changed during my last mutation. Focus on that. Focus on what you can do to include her in not just work, but also life.
“I guiltily love it when you say you’re addicted to my blood. I was worried about the huge mansion you built us, but when I saw the near replica of our loft, I kind of got lost in how much that gesture meant to me. That you wanted to be in that kind of casual life-work-love environment with me. And, I absolutely love that you let me touch you in public. Something as silly as resting our legs against each other at lunch means a lot to me.”
“Oh, so I didn’t have to build you a city? I’ll have to tone it down next time.”
“Pfft. No, the baths would have above and beyond. While we’re on the topic of confessions, I almost went into the system menus and declared us married, just so I could call you wife. But I though you would be angry about me messing up a wedding again, so I didn’t.”
Katie gently grabbed my head and pulled it away from her to stare into my eyes. She smiled at me with loveliest, most caring smile I have ever seen from her before kissing me softly. “In the same spirit, Tessbot told me you probably already had a plan to take care of Captain Morris, but I didn’t want you to suffer any more guilt from this process, so I sent the two torpedoes. That and I was afraid of what ridiculous plan you had cooked up that would put you in too much danger for my sanity.”
“It was going to be an infiltration with a confrontation where his minions and guns would have been ineffective against my armor, but his mind attack would likely have neutralized much of my abilities. However, my trump card is my teleportation is based on will, not magic. I would have had to resort to teleporting the bombs on my waist into his lungs right before he melted my brain. The carnage would have been vomit worthy.”
Katie’s eyes search mine fore something, not finding it, she looks . . . shocked?
“You’re serious?! You would have tried to solo a base full of enemy combatants with nothing but your will, a suit of armor, and a handful of grenades?” She groans and rolls out of bed. She starts growling words I can’t make out as she puts on a bikini and a starts looking for a hat. “I don’t know what’s worse, that you thought it was a good idea, or that kind of stupid heroics would have probably worked because you’re ridiculous!”
“I wanted to save everyone from the extra trauma! But I waited, I didn’t act because I wanted to talk to my advisors, my fiancé and the other half of my brain. I didn’t act on that because I knew you wanted to be involved and I wanted your input!”
“You think that I didn’t deliberate my choice because I didn’t talk to you? Do you think I didn’t ask Tessa?” She’s yelling at me now, and she looks angry, not just frustrated, but angry.
“NO! Of course not. I just wanted to know if you’re okay!” I sniff and wipe my eyes as I get out of bed. I order some clothes and start putting them on. “The simple and efficient nature of the attack is very on brand for you. I was surprised, sure. But when I read my logs, I saw that my collateral damage was listed as pirates. Andromeda was not so kind in the labels for your attack.”
She’s silent as I put on my admiral space jumper.
“It seems that it’s affecting you, and I want to be here for you Katie. I want to hug you and kiss you until you forgive yourself. But this isn’t about me.” I walk toward her and put my hands on her hips, anchoring her in place. “What do you need to process this?”
She grabs my face again, softly, and strokes my cheeks with her thumbs as she looks into my eyes, searching for deceit.
“I think, I need to focus on a problem. And maybe have you around for a few weeks?” I nod at that. “Maybe this time you’ll be alive for our wedding day.”
“Ruuude,” I laugh, thumping my head into her. I wrap my arms around her, “I couldn’t do this without you, you know.”
“Nor would I let you.”