I don’t answer because it’s a rhetorical question.
“She is a generation removed, to be sure. But I can see how you might’ve been confused. And I’m feeling better about how Queenie left her behind. Makes things easier, in any case. But—”
And just as she’s about to fill in more blanks, a buzzing alarm cuts her off.
We both look over at the small work station in the corner of the room. It’s flashing a red warning that I can’t read from this distance.
“For sun’s sake,” Veila says, picking up the skirts of her long gown and rushing over to the screen. She stabs at the warning and barks, “What’s happening now?”
The face of a borg fills the screen. He says, “A ship just came through our gate.”
“What ship?” Veila asks.
The borg’s head turns in my direction and a chill runs up my spine. “His ship. Call sign Big Dicker.”
“Kill it,” Veila barks.
“No,” I say. “You will not touch my ship.”
“Or what?” Veila snaps back. She stares at me for a moment. Then turns back to the borg. “Do it.”
“You fucking bitch,” I say, all my previous uncertainty fading in a single instant. “I’d like to see you try.”
“Would you now?” She glances at me again, then says to her borg, “Put it up on the screen so we can watch.”
“Yes, my queen.”
My queen. I want to throw up in my mouth a little. But then a view of the gate comes up and I can’t help myself. I walk towards Veila to get a better look. Dicker is there, doing some turning maneuver like she’s gonna run. Just go back the way she came.
Silently I say, No. Don’t go. Don’t leave me here with this crazy witch.
But Dicker doesn’t run. And I hate myself for a moment for doubting her. Instead, she just does this weird spin move in place that seems to have no effect at all.
The station fires. But Dicker has some pretty nice shields now, after her major upgrade after Bull Station. So the plasma cannon fire forms a sphere-like bubble around her as it’s diffused.
Then she fires back. One SEAR cannon shoots high, just a threat, I realize. She knows I’m here and she can’t just destroy the station. But at the same time a plasma cannon fires and hits.
The station shudders and a deep moan runs through the walls. But no new alarms start blaring.
More fire exchange, but again, nothing really happens. It’s almost like Dicker is dicking around. Not really aiming or trying to hurt the station. Just buying time.
The station, however. Not playing. A barrage of plasma fire shoots out in dotted streams of light. Hitting Dicker over and over again until she shimmers and blurs a little. Flickering for a moment and then… she just… disappears.
“Mmmm,” Veila hums, satisfied.
She looks at me, meeting my glare with squinted eyes. And I say, “I’m gonna kill you for that.”
“Are you sure?” she asks, smiling with pleasure.
“Oh, I’m really fucking sure.” I stalk towards her. Slowly. “You know what I find funny?” I say, closing the distance between us.
“What’s that, Jimmy?”
“Everyone thinks it’s Xyla they have to watch out for. They all think I’m this self-righteous liberator. The Harem brother with the heart. The one who saves people.”
“Bots, you mean.”
“Like I said. People.” We’re only about a meter apart now. I could probably take one more step and grab her by that long, silver hair.
“So what was the funny part?”
“The funny part,” I say, reaching for her, “is that it’s me people should be afraid of. Xyla’s the one with heart. I’m the one with no regrets.”
And then I grab her. Not by the hair, but by the neck.
She doesn’t even try to stop me. So I wrap both my hands around her throat and squeeze. I want to squeeze the fucking life right out of her.
But I don’t know what happens. She’s wearing some kind of shock weapon because pain shoots up through my arms and then it’s replaced by the most intense pleasure I’ve ever felt.
Both of my cocks become erect in this same moment. Heat flows through my muscles and blood rushes into my head.
Veila… glows. A bright white light that shocks me into letting go of her neck.
I stumble backwards, unsure of what just happened.
Veila is laughing. “I told you!” she squeals. “I told you you were mine!”
I tip over the edge of a rug and fall on my ass, thoroughly confused. “What the fuck was that?”
“That was us, Jimmy Yates of Harem Station. That was proof.”
“No,” I say, getting to my feet and retreating. Because she’s coming towards me now. Reaching for me like she wants to pull me into an embrace.
“Stay the fuck away from me,” I say. “Delphi,” I stammer, still backing up. “Delphi is my one.” I hit a wall and there’s no more room to retreat.