Chapter Two
I spent the next few minutes going over what she could scan of the Gateway we were parked next to. She ran every kind of scan she could through it – Alpha-Wave, Subspace Echolocation... hell, she even X-Rayed the damn thing. She couldn't come up with much about it, except one little tidbit of information that was... less then helpful. "It's old." Was her simple, two-worded response when asked about it.
"That's it? 'It's old'? That's the best you can give me?"
"Captain, this technology – if it even is technology – is well far and beyond the scope of anything the Protectorate can come up with. I could spend days speculating how it worked, and the best answer I could probably believably come up with is 'it's magic', which I know won't satisfy you. The stonework alone places it's date of creation at almost eight thousand years before the Protectorate's formation, at 7583 BP." You're probably wondering what all the YP and BP is on our dates... After the formation of the Terrane Protectorate a little over five hundred years ago, humanity had reset their calender and clocks to mark this 'advancement' in humanity. The Protectorate was formed in 2589 of the old calendar, a date we call Ascension Day. From that day on, the years took on the format of 'Year of the Protectorate', or simply as YP. Any time before YP 0 we simply refer to as the years of 'Before the Protectorate', or simply BP. That's well before even human history has been recorded. This thing isn't just 'old'... it's probably more ancient they anything in the universe. "...so yes." Ai continued. "As it stands, unfortunately 'it's old' is – in fact – the best I can give you."
"Alright moving on then... do you know how to power it?"
"Uncertain. I see no external power outlets, so I doubt it would be as simple as jump-starting a car battery. I could, however, attempt to discharge a reverse Electro-Magnetic Pulse which may or may not deliver sufficient charge to activate the gate for some time. However, I do not have to go into detail what the reverse EMP would do to the surrounding wildlife." A pause. "Is there any alternative way to power the gate?"
"Well, I mean I could dig fifty kilometers to the planet's core and mine up some Core Shards, but fuck that and the horse it rode in on. That's a lot of work for very little reward. I'd rather see if I can't just... power it up like this."
"The amount of static we'd be pumping into the atmosphere would be enough to ionize a fifteen kilometer cubed section of the planet's atmosphere. The end result would most likely be a thunderstorm of titanic proportions." Ai continued. I groaned.
"But that's a very far way down-"
"Captain, there are times where we can afford to be lazy. This, I do not believe, is one such time. The amount of damage we could do to the surrounding atmosphere with a reverse EM pulse could vastly outweigh the benefits of taking the lazy way out."
"I beg to differ. This planet's shit. What do you care? Are there any sentient creatures on it? Are we the only people here."
"..." She fell silent, which usually meant she was either checking my question, or didn't want to give me the answer because I was right.
"Scans reveal no higher brain functions within the Deep Wave Scanner's range. So, to answer your question, no."
"So that settles it. Start charging for a reverse EMP." I heard Ai sigh at my order.
"Confirmed, Captain. Reverse EM Charge complete in six hours..."
"Six hours? Why so long?"
"Reverse EM Charges draw directly from the ship's Erchius Reactor to generate the right bandwith of pulse. With our reactor in emergency mode, we cannot risk undue stress upon the reactor, so the pulse must be – to use a human term – 'trickle charged' to avoid potential damage or destruction of the ship." A pause as I facepalmed. "If we were in possession of a dynamo, I believe we may be able to power the gate, and not risk cataclysmic degredation of the planet's atmosphere."
"But we don't have a dynamo, do we?" I muttered. "And like hell I'm disassembling the engine... to..." I paused as a thought came back to me. Ghad, Lysylla, why are you such a poo-brain some times? "Hold that thought, Ai... I just remembered something. If I had the parts, could you provide the blueprint for a Dynamo?"
"Of course. The portable Dynamo is standard issue in all ship computers. For just such an occasion, as it stands. Why?" I took the Matter Manipulator from my the leather belt I had put on not too long ago (I had managed to jury rig a hook to attach to said belt to store the thing) and held it out. Most Matter Manipulators had a rudimentary wireless signal for syncing and updating remotely to and from ship Ais. Hypothetically...
"Could you upload the blueprints to my Manipulator?"
"Of course. One moment, Captain." There came the silence I had grown accustomed to when she was working, the little screen flashing a message that new schematics had been added to the system's harddrive. "I took the liberty to upload all known schematics to it while I was at it."
"Thaaaank you, Ai." I muttered, flipping through the thing's known schematics. Sure enough, there was the portable Dynamo, along with it's requirements. Looks like I had everything except the needed wire. "Damn, short on wires..." I started to walk towards one of the smaller storage lockers near the cargo hold, on the hunch that I left a few spare parts in there, just in case. Pulling on the door's handle, I threw it open and began to ransack the locker. "Mechanic jumpsuit from that time I snuck into Protectorate HQ to get laid by that hottie that one time... my old uniform from when I actually wanted to join their little club... ah!" I fished out a rather ratty duffle bag filled to the brim with all forms of mechanical junk from various endevours I'd taken in the past. Swapping the Matter Manipulator over to deconstruct, I quickly broke the entire thing – duffel bag and all – into the harddrive, where the screen told me I had collected more then enough wires to do what I had planned. "Lysylla Schatternae, some days you amaze yourself." I mused to myself, smiling. "Alright, let's do the thing!"
I wasn't what one would call 'technically apt', usually choosing to leave all the technical mumbo-jumbo to Ai if it ever reared it's ugly head. But, hooking up a portable generator was something I could do. Clamp, clamp, button press and done... simplicity itself. The hard part would be finding out where to do the clamp, clamping. "Captain-" Ai's voice broke my concentration, and caused me to jump, smacking the back of my head into the top of the console that I had opened.
"Gah!" I barked at the pain. "Fffffffuck!" Vigorously rubbing my head, I muttered a few more obscenities before taking a deep breath. "Yes, Ai?"
"Apologies, Captain, but I thought you'd like to know, I've detected faint power fluctuations coming from the large red wire to your left, and reciprocating signals from the black one on your right." I looked at the internal workings, and noted the two mentioned wires.
"Okay... what does that mean in english?" I continued, trying to translate her words.
"It is my best bet that the red wire is feeding power into the console from whatever is storing the power, and the black wire is back-feeding all unused power back into it's source." I shrugged.
"So red is positive, and black is negative?"
"In simple terms, yes." I nodded to this and picked up the two clamps – one in each hand – and took a deep breath.
"Uh... Ai?" I paused, not really wanting to try this, but it was all I had to go on. "If this backfires and kills me... don't set the self-destruct. If it kills me, transfer ownership to Yuzuki and Nakadi and... you know, disable their collars and whatnot."
"Rather generous of you, Captain."
"No it's not. I'm looking out for the most important woman in my life." She couldn't see the wink. "B'sides, I'm dumping you on them, so it's more of a curse then a blessing."
"Leave it to you to veil a compliment with an insult."
"It means I love you." I finished, placing the matching gator clamps onto the wires. The teeth bit into the thick insulating rubber around the wires, eventually coming to the core of them with ease. I stood and waited for a moment, hoping the whole thing wouldn't just spark and explode on me. After a moment of waiting, I was satisfied that I had done at least half of the job correctly, and I moved swiftly to the Dynamo. "Alright... YOLO... I guess."
"That's not funny." Ai responded crassly just as I turned the Dynamo on. With a lurch, the small portable generator turned over and began to run, the power feeding directly into the system. After a moment, the entire gateway lurched, small ice-blue veins appearing between the stonework. "Energy spike detected."
"Ha... haha!" I laughed a little at the realization. "Ancient alien technology, zero – Lysylla Schatternae, one! Suck it, Ancient Gateway! Laziness prevails!" The console situated before the archway hummed to life as the arch itself sparked and hummed, bolts of ice-blue electricity arching around it and consolidating in the middle of the arch, a swirling vortex of a portal appearing in the middle. As the portal stabilized, I watched as a structure appeared in the portal – like peering through a swirling, incorporeal window – with people moving around, gazing at the archway. "Ai-" I started. "Keep the generator running. If you loose my vitals, that's okay. Try to keep the communications channel open. I'm going in."
"I would bring one of the others with you, Captain. Just in case the locals prove... hostile."
"I don't think they will but... not a bad idea. Get Yuzuki out here."
"Confirmed." A beat. "Another transmission coming through the gateway, Captain." I nodded and chirped a little.
"Patch it through. Let's see what our mysterious benefactor has to say..."
"You've powered up the gate... faster then I expected. Travel through the portal to the Outpost. It's a refuge for people like you... lost travelers who need a home. Travel through the Outpost towards the rear. There, you'll find a place ancient beyond all belief... we call it the Ark. Meet me in the Ark. I must speak to you." I paused.
"Alright. Let's go." At this point, the ship door opened and Yuzuki sprinted down the gangplank towards me.
"I'm sorry for the delay, Mistress. One of the girls struggled to get free... I had to restrain her again."
"Don't worry about i-" I paused. "-wait, someone tried to escape?"
"Yes, Mistress. Jessi thrashed a bit and-" She read the stupified look on my face. "The Human, sorry." I nodded, fully understanding now. "She struggled, and almost got free. I had to restrain her."
"Good on you." I nodded to her. "Alright, Yuzuki... I'm about to do something either incredibly stupid... or something that'll save our asses. I'm fully trusting you, now." She nodded.
"Of course, Mistress. How may I serve?" I took a small key – little more then a shard of metal shaped into a unique set of teeth – and reached around to the rear of her collar, pressing the key to the small indentations on the back, the bomb-collar popping off and dropping to the ground. Unhooking the Matter Manipulator from my belt, I stored the collar away. "Mistress?"
"We're about to go visit people, and I can't have you looking like a slave. As long as people can see us, you're to refer to me as 'Captain', not Mistress, got it?"
"Yes, Mistress." I nodded.
"Good girl. Alright, come on." Reattaching the Matter Manipulator, Yuzuki and I stood before the gate, I took a deep breath and stepped in. At first it felt as though I had stepped through a fine film of water – the surface of the gate rippling like the water of a pond that had a Felin-sized stone gently dropped into it. Yuzuki was right behind me as I exited the other side, the skybox above us as though we were standing on a moon of some kind. I took a deep breath. "Air... in space. Strange..."
"I've heard about this kind of phenomena, Captain-" Damn, that girl catches on quick. "-I believe it's called 'The Protector's Bubble'. I don't know the details, but some people believe that certain pocket dimensions do not abide by our physical laws."
"What's to say this is a pocket dimension?"
"Only explanation I can come to." Yuzuki shrugged. Well, to be honest, her guess was as good as mine, so 'pocket dimension' it was.
"Alright, let's get through and speak to whomever was talking to us." She nodded and filed in line directly behind me, keeping in step with me nicely. We passed a convienence store – oddly enough – just before the tall, stocky Outpost itself. People came and went, going about their business as we passed. I heard a few voices talking as we moved.
"Newcomers..." Some of them spoke.
"...look! A Matter Manipulator!" My hand instantly went over my Manipulator as someone noticed it. "She's with the Protectorate!"
"Scantly dressed for the Protectorate, don't you think?"
"...Felin... don't see many of them outside of the Travelers..."
"A Felin with a Hylotl in tow. She has to be with the Protectorate! There's no other explanation." Yeah... just keep thinking that.
"Extrapolation. There is no other option it can be." Fuckin' Glitch.
We somehow managed to pass through the Outpost towards the rear, following a set of ancient stairs up... then back down. Way down. Standing in the middle of a large stone structure was a bloody massive stone depiction of the Cultivator's struggle with the Ruin. Well... I instantly knew what this was about. Before the statue was a large stone door that was shut fast with a depiction of a sun on the horizon, with seven little slots set into the stonework, between the rays of the sun. And there, in the dead center of the gate, was a woman in a hoverchair. I recognized her instantly.
She had a young, youthful face, despite the aged bags she had under her emerald eyes. Her gray hair was brushed neatly and cut into a rather short bob. She definitely looked like a woman who had seen much in her relatively short life. Her thin-rimmed glasses were balanced rather precariously on the tip of her nose, and a kind smile plastered about her lips. Esther Bright... former Grand Protector. Shit I know as a fact this woman knows who I am... it was her damn decree that put a bounty on my head three years ago. She left rather abruptly two years back... how'd she end up here? She smiled as we got closer, and I could see a great burden lifting off her shoulders. Thankfully... she doesn't know my face from Eve.
"Oh good... a Matter Manipulator. You're with the Terrane Protectorate, then." It was a reasonable conclusion – as many in the Outpost came to. "Tell me, girl. What's your name?" I couldn't tell her my actual name, on account she'd probably shoot me on sight. Though, maybe not. But I wasn't going to risk it.
"Risky Boots." I nodded to her, using an alias I only really used in polite conversation. She sighed happily and nodded.
"Risky. My name is Esther Bright; former Grand Protector of the Protectorate. I no doubt know you've been appraised – probably several versions of why – about my departure from the Protectorate, yes?" I gave her a nod and loosened my stance. She doesn't seem to be on to me. Thankfully, Yuzuki was staying very quiet.
"I've heard a few versions, but nothing anymore outlandish then the rest."
"It was a hard decision, I can tell you that. But... it wasn't one that I truly had a choice about. During my tenure as Grand Protector, I had heard many disturbing rumors... and as one thing lead to another... as each sign of an ancient prophecy began to come true... there was no true option save to leave, and try to find a way to avoid galactic destruction." Her chair turned to the statue behind her. "Tell me, Risky. Have you ever heard of the Cultivator and Ruin?"
"Stories, nothing more." I answered dismissively. "Something about the Cultivator being the being who created the universe, and how the Ruin aims to destroy it. They got into a scuffle, and the Cultivator won, just barely."
"All true... but only half of it." Esther continued where I left off. "The Cultivator wasn't able to destroy the Ruin, only seal it away in an alternate dimension. This alternate dimension." Yuzu called it. She turned to the bloody massive stone door to my left. "Behind this gate lies the Ruin itself. It has been sealed behind this gate for nearly ten thousand years... and in that time, the seals and bonds which keep it hidden and weak have begun to fade and weaken. I'm sure you've heard – if not seen first-hand – the destruction of Earth?"
"I was there." I nodded.
"The Ruin is now strong enough to manifest outside of it's prison for precious moments... and you've seen what happens when it is free for an hour. If the Ruin is ever truly freed from it's prison... well... the universe as we know it will end." She turned to face me. "The Cultivator – weakened and near death with his fight against the Ruin – used the last of his life force to create seven Artifacts of great power. Gifting them to seven major races, he left behind the means to unseal the Ruin from it's prison and either release it's terrible wrath upon the galaxy, or..." I didn't like the sound of that 'or'. "...or destroy it completely. Weakened as it is, it's possible for the Ruin to be completely destroyed... but first, it must be released."
"So... to kill it, we've got to open it's prison." Esther nodded.
"Yes. Which... is where you come in."
"Me? Why me?"
"Because, Risky... you're the last Protector in the galaxy... With the destruction of Earth... you and I are all that remains of the Terrane Protectorate... and with me, it is only in spirit. I can't scour the galaxy looking for these artifacts... but you can."
"W-wait a damn second here." I stopped her train of thought. "Esther I... can't go traipsing around the galaxy, looking for artifacts to destroy a planet-killing God, okay." She quirked her head at me, silently asking why. "I..." I blurted out a chuckle. "I don't even have a working ship right now. My FLT drive is shot, and it took all my SAIL's processing to land." It was a half-lie. It was true, my FTL drive was borked, but the true reason I couldn't... was I wouldn't.
"Ah, of course." She seemed relieved, believing my half-lie completely. "There's a man here; a one-legged man named Penguine Pete. He's crass and crude, but I know as a fact he has a line on one of the few functioning Erchius Mining Facilities on this side of the galaxy. Talk to him, and get the coordinates for the Mining Facility. I'm sure you can purchase a replacement Crystal from there." She hovered around a bit. "Once you do that, return to him and he'll have it installed at no extra charge. He's a good man, I trust you'll get a lot of help from him." A line on a fix for my FLT drive! Halle-fuckin'-lujah! With this, I could bug out and leave this whole Ruin business to someone with less of a reason to live then I.
"Alright." I nodded to her. "I'll talk to Pete, then." I left out the 'fix my ship and ttfn this shit' part. I wasn't gonna stick my neck out... not for anyone, and certainly not for the god-damn Protectorate. I stuck around for a few more seconds, just to see if that was it. When she didn't start talking anymore, I simply turned and started towards this 'Penguin Pete' character to get my ship fixed.
"This is good news, Mistress!" Yuzu whispered to me when we were out of earshot. "You can fix your ship finally."
"It's a mixed blessing..." I mused, looking down at the Manipulator at my waist. "Yes, I can get my ship fixed, trust me I'm happy for that... but I can't risk him finding the others. If word gets out I'm not a member of the Protectorate... wooph, I'm in the shit."
"Don't worry. I can watch him as he fixes the ship, if you'd like." I glanced over to her and smiled, patting her head.
"That may or may not be necessary, but thanks for the offer anyway." We scaled the massive set of stairs once more, and Yuzu spoke once more once we crested them.
"So... are we actually going to do it?"
"Hm? Do what?"
"You know... kill the Ruin." I laughed loudly at this.
"Fuck that." I answered back emphatically. "The Protectorate's never done me any favors, okay... and it sure as hell wasn't fixin' to do you any either. S'far as I'm concerned, it's not my problem." She fell quiet.
"Well..." She finally spoke up. "...don't misunderstand me, I'm not questioning you but... if it's left unchecked... doesn't that mean everything will die?"
"Maybe. Or maybe Esther Bright-tits will find someone else to sucker into her shenanigans once she realizes I've peaced the fuck out." I shrugged. "C'mon, you know the cliché. A hero always shows up when they're needed, or some bullshit like that. Once we're a couple thousand lightyears from here, and she realizes I've left, she'll start lookin' for someone else."
"Have you considered that... you are that hero who showed up when she's needed?"
"No. I ain't no hero." I answered back. She huffed.
"Well I think you are!" This was unnaturally forceful for her. She whipped in front of me and stopped me from moving. "I think you can be a hero!" She sighed. "Look, Mistress... I'm not trying to step out of line, or assume but... this could be your big chance to turn your life around." I blinked at her.
"And why do you think that... no, scratch that... why do you think I would want that?" I crossed my arms. "Sweetheart, push comes to shove, I don't care if I have to sell you to a tribe of cannibal Floran, I'm getting some kind of money out of your asses one way or another. I trust you, Yuzuki... but you're still just a slave to me. You're not my friend. You're not an 'alley'. You're a disposable asset. That's all. It'll take me time, but I just have to make some more connections, and I'll be back in business in probably two... maybe three years." I waved her off, walking around her. "Earth's destruction was just a minor set back." She raced to stand in front of me again.
"I know it's what you need, because I know that deep down – past that ice-queen exterior you have..." She blinked. "...I know you're a good person." I paused, then blinked myself. Once. Twice... was... she serious?
"Ah-ha... hahahaha..." I chuckled sarcastically, which slowly turned into a full-blown guffaw in a few seconds. Before long, I was doubled over, holding my gut and laughing like a fat man drunk on wine.
"What?" She finally asked after a few seconds, her ignorance to her comment only making me laugh harder. "What!?" I finally managed to stop.
"Darlin', I'm not a good person." I finally responded. "I've not been a good person in years. I'm a slaver, remember? I buy and sell lives for a living, and I'm bloody damn good at it. I could sell you your own mother as a sex slave if the bug hit me. So I don't know where you got the idea that I'm a good person... but you're lying to yourself if you think you see that in me. Because you don't. Because it doesn't exist."
"You're wrong! You know..." She persisted, standing up straight. "I can see it in your eyes! You are a good person! You're just misunderstood! You took a wrong turn somewhere!"
"Yuzuki... you've done right by me up until now... so I'm only going to give you... sixty percent power." She recoiled a little at my comment.
"Sixty percent power? Wha-" She was interrupted by my hand slapping her hard in the face, the sudden action causing her to collapse to the ground. I must have hit her harder then I wanted, as the moment she dropped, I could hear her crying.
"Pick yourself up. Dry your fucking eyes, and don't say a god damn word as we walk out of here. If I even get the hint you want to say something, I'm going to make sure the next one knocks your fucking head off." She nodded and picked herself up, drying her eyes on the back of her hands. "-And if you ever speak out of turn again, a slap will be the least painful punishment I visit upon you." My voice had a cold fury in it. I wasn't yelling, but the stern, smoldering tone was one I had to use often... and it got my message across perfectly. I was not... not a good person. "And if you think I have to physically hit you to punish you... ooooooh-ho you are in for a hell of a surprise. You. Are. A. Slave. A useless piece of Hylotl meat with a high price tag, to the right person. Do you understand me? Speak." She held herself in some semblance of dignity, and nodded.
"Y-yes, Mistress. I understand completely, Mistress." I nodded to her.
"Good girl. Now c'mon. I've got a ship to fix." She fell quietly in line behind me as we continued towards the Outpost. I had noticed a one-legged man earlier, but just lumped him in with the rest of the riffraff. Upon arriving at the – for lack of better term – junkyard around the man, he piqued up and strode towards me. His right leg looked to be replaced with a... crowbar? Suppose I've seen wierder things. He opened his arms and laughed.
"And there she is! The savior in the flesh! Come! Come let us talk!" He was a loud, boysterous man, but he had the hallmarks of an experienced mechanic, so that was all I cared about. He snatched my hand – still burning from slapping Yuzuki – from my side and shook it vigorously. "Penguin Pete's the name, and wrecks are my game! If you're not interested in a car, or a 'Mech, then maybe I could interest you in a replacement Erchius Crystal?" His one good eye shined with the look of a man who knew far more then he needed to.
"Actually-" I started. "-that Erchius Crystal sounds nice. My ship was damaged in the escape from Earth, and I'm on conventional drive only right now."
"Girl, you are damn lucky you ended up where you did. Millions of planets in the galaxy, and only a handful of them have Gateways on them." I smiled.
"Well, guess I should buy a lottery ticket then, huh?" He laughed his loud, belly-splitting cacophony at my joke.
"That you should, m'girl! That you should! So-" He quieted down, his voice taking the tone of someone about to deliver bad news. "-normally, I would have a spare Crystal here for you, and would fix your ship up for a fee... but as it stands, I've not received any new Crystals in a few days. Now, I'm willing to fix your ship for free if you pay my supplier a visit and see what the holdup is, and bring me back a Crystal." I shrugged.
"Sounds agreeable. How do I get to your supplier? Are they around?"
"Sadly, no. Your ship got a working teleporter?" I internally shuddered.
"...yes... I don't have to use it, do I?"
"It's the fastest way. The mining facility is inaccessable via conventional drive."
"Greeeeeaaaaat." I rolled my eyes. "Fuckin' hate teleporting."
"Don't worry, it's perfectly safe."
"So is a bullet, until you use it in the wrong fashion." He laughed again at this.
"Don't be so glum, chum. Here..." He fished a small chip out of his pocket and handed it to me. "This is the facility's teleporter signature. Your ship's AI should be able to hijack it and get you there in one piece. Find me a good Crystal, see what the hold up is, and I fix your ship in return. Seems like a decent tradeoff, yeah?" I took the chip from his hands.
"Yeah, yeah, yeah. Don't get your eyepatch twisted waiting for me, though." He seemed to take that as a joke, and responded in kind. "I'll... see what I can do."
"S'all I ask, lass. S'all I ask." He paused, his good eye drifting a bit behind me. "Hey, is yer friend okay? She looks a little down..." I turned to see what he was looking at. "Not to mention that bit'a sun she caught on her cheek." Holy shit I left a huge red mark on Yuzu's cheek. I played it off best I could.
"Yeah, we had some things to do outside – fix the gate, the like. I guess she caught more sun then I thought." I lifted a hand to her forehead, the stiffening of her body invisible to everyone but me, and played off like I was checking her for a fever. "She'll get plenty of rest, I think she's just tired." I patted her shoulder soothingly. "Don't you worry, I always take care of my crew." Pete nodded firmly to that.
"Good to hear! Though... can't help but question your choice in attire... Your friend looks more like a slave, then a member of the Protectorate."
"I-" Yuzu started up quietly. "I like loose fitting clothes..." She muttered. I was damn glad she spoke up... I hadn't the foggiest clue how I was going to answer that rather specific accusation.
"Fair 'nough!" He nodded. "Alright you two. Get to it." I nodded to him and started back out towards the portal, and my ship. Just past the convienence store near the portal, Yuzuki spoke up again.
"I'm sorry for speaking out of turn, Mistress..." She muttered. I lifted my hand up, which caused her to recoil, but her muscles relaxed when I only sat it on her head and ruffled her hair.
"You did good." I told her simply. Internally, I wasn't sorry for hitting her... but I was sorry I had to do it.
It was something I learned very early in this profession. When you buy and sell lives for a living, you have to come to a few very easy-to-swallow conclusions. The first, and biggest, is you're not a good person. Good people don't ruin lives to get by. The second is... you should never feel bad for punishing a slave. If they talk out of turn, or do something they shouldn't, they made the conscious decision to act out, they made the conscious decision to disobey. They decided to be punished for you. Don't be sorry for having to forcibly put them back in line... but be sorry they made you do it. She was silent the rest of the way to the portal, and all the way back to the ship.
Once we were back on board, I fished the collar out of the Matter Manipulator. "I was going to let you keep this off... but I've changed my mind for now." Yuzu nodded.
"Of course, Mistress." She bowed a little as I snapped the collar back around her neck, the red light telling me it was primed. "Thank you for correcting me." I could hear the sadness in her voice as she spoke these words. Christ, whoever trained this one did a damn good job of it. I yawned as I installed the override chip into Ai's system.
"Coordinates received." She confirmed, the little digital cat girl on the screen smiling at me, her cute little red kimono a stark contrast to her very informal personality. "Will you be heading out now?"
"Nah." I answered with a shake in my head. "Think I'mma gonna catch a cat nap before heading out. Day's been fuckin' long." I paused. "Yuzuki!" I barked to her. She trotted over quickly and bowed before me.
"Yes, Mistress?" She answered without a pause. I looked at her, boring holes into her triple eyes as I studied her. She was thin, but naturally so. Her skin was a soft blue that seemed to be devoid of any marks, save for the bright, red hand print that was slowly appearing on her cheek. Plus side... since these slaves were technically my property now...
"You're in luck. Despite what happened today-" I referenced her talking out of turn. "-I've come to the conclusion you were more helpful then detrimental." I saw a smile play at her lips. "So tonight, you get to be my bed warmer."
"B-bed warmer?" She stammered in a cute fashion that just was too damn adorable.
"Yeah. Bed warmer." I sighed. "Look, I'll be plain. I'm throwing you in bed and I'll rape you if I have to. I'm too horny to think up cute names for it." My meager bedroom was on the top deck of the ship – the only room on the top deck – and was where I chose to spend my nights... and days when I didn't have anything to do. I took her arm and practically pulled her towards the elevator. Really, when you think about it, rape was more of the icing on the cake at this point...
Like I said. I'm not a good person.