Chapter 3

After about half a mile, I could hear the whine of engines strafing the tree and heard more explosions mixed with faint screams. Then I saw a Dominion fighter through a gap in the trees. I cursed under my breath as I kept hauling ass. Then I broke through the trees into an inferno. I heard Myala calling for an evacuation as some engineers provided air cover with some makeshift turrets. I murdered half a dozen Chua Firestarters as I made my way through the smoldering remains of the camp towards her.

Then I saw the fighter targeting Myala. The Dominion pilot was lining up to gun down her group.

I screamed in rage as I unloaded my full clips into the diving fighter, knowing it was hopeless. But I guess I got a lucky shot, because, to my surprise, the left engine exploded and sent the fighter tumbling into the ground. I dodged the spinning fireball of wreckage and verified Myala was unhurt before providing more cover fire as the rest of the camp scurried down the path and into a tunnel just beyond the camp. Then I dived deeper into the tunnel as a blast caved in the entrance behind me.

The Granok engineer I'd met on the arkship helped me up and brushed dirt out of my hair. "You alive, Bunny?"

I took stock and nodded, "Yeah, somehow."

"Good, good. Nice job on that fighter. If you hadn't knocked it down, a lot more of us would be dead. Damndest thing I ever saw. Never would have expected a Spellslinger could take out a fighter." One of his bots chirped at me approvingly.

I shrugged. "I was desperate. Dumb bunny luck."

He handed me a flask. "Cheers. You deserve this."

I grinned and took a chug, almost spitting it out as Myala's body slammed into mine in a full body hug.

"Val! You made it! I was worried we'd left you behind!"

"Yeah, yeah, you ain't getting rid of me that easily."

The Granok chuckled. "She saved your life, your Majesty. I just watched her shoot down a fighter targeting you. Weren't nothing I could do, my bots were out of ammo. But she blew out its engines."

"Really?" She jumped up into my arms. "Should I call you my hero now?"

"Don't blow it out of proportion, Myala. I just did what needed to be done."

She gave me an eye flutter. "I shall have to reward you suitably later. Wear your crimson silks."

"Let's get out of this tunnel first, shall we?"

Hehehe

I ignored the chuckle as I shooed Myala back up the tunnel, followed by the Granok. He took a swig from his flask before muttering. "My buds aren't gonna believe this one."

Several hours later, after Lucy let me go, I met my new Granok buddy at the makeshift bar in the camp we had finally arrived at after escaping from the tunnel. His name was Blok Rockbiter, and he was a corporal in FCON. He told me that the big tree the previous camp had been set up around had apparently been cyber enhanced into near human-like intelligence by the Eldan. Apparently, the Dominion had feared we'd get access to some Eldan secrets from it, and had attacked expressly to destroy it, which was why we'd had such light casualties. However, the attack had left us Aurin without a home base. Everstar Grove had been planned as our primary colony on Nexus. But now it was a smoldering wasteland. Blok and I were commiserating over drinks when Arwick showed up.

I eyed Myala's chief consort as he sighed. "There you are, I've been looking all over for you."

"Why?"

"Myala is pouting about you disappearing. She wants you in her bed, now."

"I couldn't find my crimson silks."

"Naked is fine. It's not like you would have been wearing them long anyway."

I sighed. "I take it she's all stressed out and needs comforting?"

"After today? Of course she is."

"And why aren't you doing it?"

"Because, unlike you, I have my hands full trying to organize everybody to move to Woodhaven tomorrow. Come on Valya, she's tired as hell and wants to thank you for what you did today. Just use your skills to make sure she gets to have fun and actually sleeps tonight. You can sneak out after she wakes up tomorrow. We aren't gonna force you to come back to the harem. We just want you to occasionally come by and let Myala play with you. Even if you're not in love with each other, she's your friend, no?"

"You know she is, Arwick, that's why I can't let myself sponge off her anymore. My fortune went up in smoke back on Arboria. I don't want her to feel like she has to take care of me. She's got more than enough on her plate without me being a leech."

Blok chuckled. "Geez, Bunny. Just go sleep with her already. It's obvious you care about her enough not to be a burden. But ya gotta know when to just nod and say yes too." He slugged down his drink. "You're a good bunny. Now go make your queen happy." He patted me on the head. "You're a bloody hero after all, just go get your reward."

I rolled my eyes, but tossed back the rest of my shot and stood up. "Fine, fine. Lead on Arwick. But please tell me she's in an actual bed, and not a flower bed this time."

"She is. It even has curtains."

"Good."

Arwick smiled. "Maybe once we get a proper colony set up, you could take your old job back? You were a fabulous Palace Dancer."

"I'll think about it. But there's no palace anymore, and that's such a frivolous job. You need me as a spellslinger more than a palace decoration."

"I know, but I loved watching you dance. So did the Mother Tree. The midsummer ritual won't be the same without you."

I gave him a sad smile and shrugged. None of us knew if we'd ever see Arboria again, or if the Chua would succeed in turning it into a barren world. But Myala didn't need my melancholy, so I forced my face into a smile as we entered her tent. Arwick gave me a quick once over and nodded. "Just, please, help her forget, just for tonight."

I patted his shoulder. "Don't worry. I'll do my best." I pulled my top off and tossed it over a nearby chair. "I'll ravish her till she passes out. Then cuddle her all night. You might want to delay breakfast in the morning."

"Gotcha. Thanks, Val."

Somewhere, in a room with walls glowing a bright gold, She watched.

The Aurin girl finished stripping and stepped into the bed chamber. The other Aurin girl waited for her naked in the bed. She'd read about mating in the archives, but this was her first time observing it. Fascinated, she watched the two begin copulating. The pure white girl seemed determined to pleasure the violet skinned girl quite thoroughly.

She had no idea why she found the white Aurin girl so fascinating, but she'd sensed her arrival in orbit. She'd been observing the girl ever since she'd been woken from her slumber. Something deep inside her told her that one was special. The pale white Aurin girl was the one she had awaited a thousand years for.

But why? Why have I been waiting for her? Why does she draw my attention so strongly?

Even she had to admit her behavior towards the Aurin girl was odd. She'd surprised herself with the unexpected noise that had bubbled up inside her as she watched the Aurin girl. But it was a noise she'd never expected to utter. She could recall having heard it from one of her mentors so very long ago, but why the Aurin girl had elicited such a response in her was a mystery.

For a thousand years, she had watched as Nexus slowly fell further into ruin. Then she'd detected the first ship to enter her sensor range in all that time. An impulse had driven her to contact them, to lead them to her prison. Why she had done so still puzzled her, but that action had led to others coming, and with them, Her.

It made no logical sense. Logically, it had been madness to bring others to her dying world. Sooner or later, He would become aware of them. He would plot to use their ships to escape containment and rampage. Yet she had brought them anyway.

Had she gone mad during her long imprisonment?

She didn't understand her own actions. Yet she had been powerless to stop herself. She had been driven.

She turned away from the bed to look in the mirror. The pale blue light of her holographic projection. The brighter and paler blue of her wide slanted eyes. She'd been designed to reflect the epitome of beauty in her creators' eyes, but she wondered if the Aurin girl would find her so?

What an odd thought. In a thousand years, she had never once thought about her appearance. She turned back to the bed as she examined the white Aurin girl.

She is quite beautiful though. And she moves with such grace. Even during her fights, it was like she was dancing.

Something in her chest felt tight. Almost like she couldn't breathe, which was extremely odd, since she didn't breathe. She looked up as the purple-skinned girl let out a moan of pleasure. Her head tilted as she watched the white girl grin. Was that what an orgasm looks like? She watched the purple skinned girl shudder for several seconds as the crown on her head pulsed with primal life. She watched the energies swirl around the white girl as if trying to connect to her, but ultimately it appeared to fail to latch onto her and withdrew. The purple skinned girl gave a small pout of frustration, but it quickly gave way to another moan of pleasure as the white girl's tongue kept lapping.

She looked down at herself. She had been designed to represent the Eldan ideal of perfection. She possessed all the features of an organic body, but did she possess the functionality?

She withdrew from her projection and turned to look at the shadowy form curled in a fetal position hovering in the center of the glowing room. Could it feel what that purple skinned girl was feeling?

Why do I feel the need to guide her here? This is the most dangerous place on Nexus. And yet, this is where she MUST come.

Here, where HE is waiting.

Here, where I am waiting.

Here, in my tower of solitude.