Immortal Assassin - Book 1 - Immortal Assassin - 7 - Chapter 7

Chapter 7 -

UNSF - Parsifal Sector - Plymouth System

Plymouth IV - Plymouth City - Plymouth City Spaceport

Tuesday September 9th, 725 2E - 15:45 CST

The Nautilus landed easily on the pad at Plymouth City spaceport and settled easily on its landing feet.

Aboard the ship Suzie and the others changed out of their Skinsuits and into normal street clothes.

Eric led the others down the gangway to the surface of the landing pad and then into the terminal. The entire time Suzie attracted stares due to her outfit; she was wearing a long sleeved short skirted gray Nanno-rubber dress, wrist gloves, and gray mono-film tights, and high heels.

“I seem to be attracting a bit of attention,” Suzie said with a small grin looking around herself at the drab ceramo-crete walls of the terminal.

“Well Plymouth is a pretty agrarian world with Plymouth City being the only major city even after two millennia and they aren’t used to seeing someone in such expensive clothing,” Eric replied.

“Or as formfitting,” Suzie told him with a wicked grin.

“Ah, there is that,” Eric chuckled.

Suzie noticed that except for a few types in business suits waiting to board one of the few passenger ships docked at the spaceport most everyone was in drab clothing that appeared to be mostly workers or farmers bringing their crops in to be loaded to cargo ships for transshipment to other worlds.

“Kind of dull around here,” Holly said looking around her at the drab terminal.

“My mother should be around here somewhere,” Eric said looking around the terminal trying to see if she was there.

“What does she look like?” Suzie asked.

“She looks like this,” a female voice behind Suzie said and something poked into her back.

“Mom, don’t be rude to guests,” Eric said turning around and seeing his mother standing behind his girlfriend.

“I’m not being rude; I’m just testing her muscle tone,” Miriam Barstowe sniffed as she backed away far enough for Suzie and the others to turn around.

Suzie had expected some gray haired old lady but she was confronted by a woman with light brown hair that couldn’t have been more than five foot three in a pale blue designer pant suit the low-heeled pumps on her feet giving her another inch or two to her height.

“And how is my muscle tone?” Suzie asked with a smile.

“Pretty good; with a thin layer of fat over it to keep you from freezing your skinny ass off,” the older woman said bluntly.

“Gee thanks,” Suzie said with a bit of consternation while Ned played with a toy in his hands and Cecilia and Holly stared wide-mouthed at the older woman’s comments.

“Hmm, we may just get along after all,” the older woman said fingering her chin with a long nailed hand as she looked Suzie up and down in a somewhat critical manner.

“Well one can always hope,” Suzie said giving look for look.

“I’d say you were a strange bird for wearing Nanno-rubber but it seems to fit you perfectly,” Miriam paused smiling devilishly at Suzie. “Both physically and mentally, flexible but restrained,” Miriam mused.

“You sound like a woman with much depth,” Suzie said.

“We’ll see and we’ll see how much depth you may have even though you dress like a cheap floozy,” Miriam said smiling sweetly.

“Mom,” Eric groaned out. “You just said the outfit matched her personality,” he said.

“Yes I did but she may yet have no depth to her,” Miriam said.

Eric sighed wiping a hand down his face at his mother’s antics.

“Don’t worry sweetie I’ll make sure she is worth your time,” Miriam said putting her arm through Suzie’s and walking her towards the exit doors of the terminal.

“Wow,” both Cecilia and Holly said looking at each other then at Eric who looked like a deflated balloon as he continued to watch the two women move towards the doors of the terminal.

“Come on Ned,” Eric said tiredly taking the boy by the hand and following his mother and girlfriend.

“Oh, boy,” Holly said picking up her suitcase and following after the man and boy.

“Yeah, oh boy, let’s hope Aunt Suzie and that woman don’t get into a fight, it’s hard to say who would win it,” Cecilia said.

“There would probably be lots of explosions and destroyed buildings if those two got into it,” Holly agreed and exited side by side with Cecilia to see a huge stretch limo even larger than Suzie’s waiting at the curb.

Both Holly and Cecilia couldn’t help but stare as they entered the limo where everyone else was already seated. The interior of the limo was large enough that it had been arranged as a living room with soft chocolate colored leather couches and chairs arranged around a coffee table/Holo-Tank that was currently deactivated.

“Go ahead and sit down children,” Miriam Barstowe ordered and then hit a button on the arm of the easy chair she was sitting on. “Alaster you may now take us to the manor,” she ordered the driver.

“Now children I have to talk with my son and his girlfriend,” Miriam said and punched another button on the chair. “Enjoy the scenery,” she more ordered than anything else.

Holly looked to one side and got a sudden sense of vertigo as the heavy limo blasted upwards from the landing skirt at the terminal and both walls seemed to disappear giving a clear view of the outside scenery.

The view was astonishing and she watched as Cecilia put out a hand to touch one of the walls only to have it sink a few inches and then stop against the actual interior of the vehicle.

“Wow,” Cecilia mouthed to Holly who just shook her head.

Holly let Cecilia watch the scenery raptly as they passed first out of the city and then into the country side crossing over kilometers and kilometers of checkerboard fields and orchards of mixed, greens, browns, and even a spangling of blues, oranges, and reds.

Outside the city the landscape had given over to these fields with the occasional large house each with its own cluster of barns and sheds.

Holly finally opened her eyes when she thought her stomach could take the dizzying height view and noticed something about one of the farmsteads.

Concentrating on the image for a second it zoomed in on the farmstead below and showed that it was surrounded by a ten meter high, five meter thick retaining wall made of thick heavy stones.

“Excuse me?” Holly said.

“Yes dear?” Miriam asked pulling her attention away from Eric and Suzie.

“Why do all these farmsteads have such high walls around them,” Holly asked gesturing to the zoomed in image next to her.

“It’s because Plymouth has quite a few large and nasty reptilian predators that are capable of tearing there way through most defenses if it isn’t thick and high enough,” Eric explained.

“Reptilian predators?” Cecilia asked.

“Yes, when the UNSF first colonized Plymouth they didn’t realize that there was a large predatory indigenous species, they lost half the colonists within the first month to the nasty buggers,” Miriam told the two girls.

“Are they intelligent?” Holly asked.

“About chimpanzee or orangutan range intelligence,” Eric supplied.

“Exactly how dangerous are they?” Suzie asked her brows knitted in concern.

“Very, they stand about eight meters tall have three sets of arms and one set of legs that allows them to stand up right but they can drop to all eight limbs and move at astonishingly fast speeds, and can tear a man apart in a matter of seconds,” Eric told her.

“Ugh,” Cecilia’s face took on a slight green cast at the information.

“Don’t worry though,” Miriam reassured them. “The manor is completely safe and I have a full security/guard staff on duty twenty four hours a day seven days a week,” she told them.

“So no exploring then,” Cecilia said forlornly.

“No, you have dance and skate practice to perform,” Holly told the young girl.

“I know but we are on a totally different planet, it would be kind of nice to do some exploring,” Cecilia said with a sigh.

“Maybe at some point,” Suzie told her niece. “I’m sure I can find some local guides and guards to protect you if you want to do some exploring,” she said.

Cecilia’s face started to light up but it quickly doused as Suzie continued.

“But that’s only if I can find some decent security people to do so and if you work extra hard at practice,” Suzie said adding the stipulations.

“I’m sure mother would be more than happy to let some of her guards do that job,” Eric said.

“Possibly,” Miriam said tapping her chin once again with an immaculate nail as she contemplated Suzie and the kids.

Neo-Prussian Empire - New Imperial Sector - Hamburg System

New Hamburg - Imperial City - Imperial Palace

Tuesday September 9th, 725 2E - 16:00 CST

Nathan IV now technically Nathan V had never been into bondage and Nanno-rubber but he found himself stuck with it since the suit he had tricked his son into wearing before he had taken over his body was now bonded with his skin.

At that moment Nathan was sitting in his throne with his wife Sister Superior II draped across his lap her re-breather covered face snuggled against his collar bone as he ran light fingers up and down her sides and occasionally dipped between her legs to play with her there.

Of course while Sister Superior II plumbing was fully functioning she no longer actually felt pleasure or joy at the touch.

Arrayed around his throne were the other twelve of the 13-Sisters crouched with their arms between their legs as if they were inanimate black gargoyles waiting for the command from their master or their new commander Sister Superior II.

Nathan sighed and pushed the puppet from his lap and she immediately took up a position at his feet in the same crouched position as the others.

“What to do, what to do, what to do,” Nathan contemplated tapping a finger against his lips as he crossed and uncrossed his legs in boredom.

“I know let’s send some Pariahs to Caruthers World to give Sister 14 a bit of a challenge,” Nathan said aloud to himself. He knew that Sister 14 wasn’t on Caruthers world at the moment but he knew she would return within the next month and when she did there would be a rather unpleasant surprise waiting for her there.

“Slave,” Nathan gestured to one of the genetic slaves that were arrayed along the throne room’s walls.

“Yes your highness,” the slave asked coming to a crouched bow at the foot of the dais before his Emperor; the 13 Sisters stirred at his approach but settled down as he stopped far enough away from their master.

“Have a message sent to the commander of the 82nd Black Pariah Regiment to send a squad of his best Pariahs to Caruthers World under secure doctrine, their task will be to capture this woman,” Nathan said handing an E-PADD to the slave where a clear picture of Suzie Marlowe could be seen taken from her high school graduation ceremony over seven hundred years ago.

“Yes your highness,” the slave said moving cautiously between the 13 Sisters to take the E-PADD and then practically ran out of the room terrified.

Nathan chuckled at the antics of the slave and then rested his feet on the back of his Empress’ shoulders and leaned back in the throne for a few seconds then thought better of it and stood up. Grabbing Sister Superior II around the waist he carried her out of the throne room into the day chamber off of it and laid her on the bed flinging himself on top of her.

The smart Nanno-rubber malleable split apart and he started pumping against her as she returned the motion.

Several hours later even Nathan’s new body was exhausted and he lay across his wife’s stomach fondling one of her nipples.

He would see how the Black Pariahs would do against Sister 14 he doubted just ten of them would be able to capture her, kill her maybe. But he didn’t want her dead he wanted her back in his service, after the 13 Sisters Sister 14 had been the most skilled and deadliest of all his Black Pariahs.

UNSF - Parsifal Sector - Plymouth System

Plymouth IV - Barstowe Manor Grounds

Tuesday September 9th, 725 2E - 18:00 CST

The grounds of Barstowe Manor were surrounded by a high battle plate and stone wall; beyond that was unending forest, nothing broke the pristine beauty of that jungle like forest not even an access road running through it.

“Why aren’t there any roads through here?” Cecilia asked.

“The Barstowe family has enjoyed extreme privacy for the last five generations. Originally there was an access road but the family plowed it under and reseeded the forest to cover it up,” Eric explained sitting back in his seat as the limo settled onto a landing pad at the side of the manor house.

The manor was shaped almost like a squared off J with a short wing joined to a long one that curled around a green house and swimming pool. The shortest wing was lower than the others and appeared to be a garage. The rolling grounds around the manor house extended for miles on every side and were filled with rolling green grass and studded with ponds, gardens, wooded glades, and even a hedge maze as well as several smaller buildings and a guesthouse.

As one of Miriam Barstowe’s bodyguards opened the gull wing side door to let natural light in Miriam stood up and exited followed by Eric who helped the others down from the limo’s high carriage.

“Lucinda has stocked the guest houses facilities so it is ready for your guests to stay in,” Miriam told her son dismissively. “Why don’t you take the children to the guest house while I have a chat with Miss Marlowe,” Miriam ordered regally as she grabbed Suzie by her gray Nanno-rubber clad arm and yanked her towards the manor nearly pulling the taller woman off her feet.

“Uh, er,” Eric said looking at Suzie who had a somewhat desperate look on her face as she was dragged behind the shorter older woman.

“It’ll be alright Eric, get the kids and Holly settled in and I’ll be there as soon as I can,” Suzie told him.

After Eric and the others had left followed by a train of servants carrying their baggage Miriam led Suzie into the main house and down some corridors to a comfortable sitting room.

Gesturing for Suzie to sit down in one of the comfortable overstuffed chairs the older woman did the same and then rang a small bell the silvery sound echoed out of the room into the corridor beyond and a tea cart was rolled in by a servant. The cart held a tea pot, a carafe of coffee and a large selection of cookies and snack cakes.

Suzie hadn’t been paying much attention and was distracted by the beautiful décor of the sitting room and it wasn’t until the servant had asked her if she wanted tea or coffee that she noticed that the woman in the maid’s uniform was a genetic slave.

The woman was a series SGHS-14 Standard Genetic Hostess Slave and her body had been coated from head to toe in white and off white Nanno-rubber her serial code Nanno-tattooed into her forehead in black.

“Tea please,” Suzie answered attempting to keep a look of disgust off of her face as the maid daintily poured her a cup of tea and set it on a saucer on a small table at Suzie’s elbow.

Once the slave had poured Miriam her tea she left the tea cart and exited the room to wherever she had been before.

“Do you have something against Genetic Slaves?” Miriam asked sipping at the steaming cup of Earl Gray.

“No,” Suzie answered. “But I thought that since the UNSF signed the Tangier Accords that they were illegal in UNSF space,” Suzie said.

“Ah but there is a loop hole in that,” Miriam said placing her tea cup in the saucer to answer the somewhat question. “The Accords make it illegal to create, modify, sell, or purchase genetic slaves within the UNSF but if purchased outside the UNSF and brought in they are completely legal,” Miriam explained.

“But why would you want to purchase genetic slaves at all?” Suzie asked.

“For one thing they are coded to be extremely loyal to their owners,” Miriam said. “Which in some ways I find a tad on the distasteful side but I’ve never abused that programming,” Miriam said sipping her tea again.

“So you purchase them for loyalty reasons?” Suzie prompted.

“Dearie, patients,” Miriam said. “Not just for the loyalty but I feel as if I am doing the poor creatures a favor,” Miriam paused in her explanation as if thinking of a good way to phrase what she was doing. “I’ve never abused or mistreated any of my servants, they get paid the same wages as a normal person would as well as the same amount of personal time and sick leave that they would be entitled to,” Miriam continued.

“Unfortunately,” Miriam said with as sigh. “The poor dears have had their intelligence levels stunted by genetic manipulation so they don’t understand most of those concepts and I’ve set up a lawyer and accountant to take care of any funds they make and to use them to purchase items and entertainments for the poor things,” Miriam explained.

“So you just see them as a piece of charity work,” Suzie said her eyes flashing.

“No dear and now I can see why Eric likes you so much,” Miriam said smiling. “No I see them as people, unfortunate people and I’ve even commissioned a genetics lab to find a way to reverse, in the case of those that were turned into genetic slaves, or undo the genetic level modifications that were done at birth for these people,” Miriam explained.

“That’s more than what can be said of most people,” Suzie said.

“Well if you haven’t noticed I’m not like most people,” Miriam told the younger woman and causing Suzie to almost choke on her tea.

“Now,” Miriam said setting her tea cup down and arranging herself more comfortably in her chair. “I need to know what your intentions towards my son are,” Miriam Barstowe said bluntly.

Suzie almost choked on her tea again; spluttering and coughing she set her own tea down. “Excuse me?” She finally got out.

“I asked what your intentions towards my son are,” Miriam repeated patiently.

“I’ve only known you son for about a month,” Suzie replied.

“Are you having sex with him?” The older woman asked.

“No,” Suzie practically shouted mortified at the woman’s question and a blush could plainly be seen across her cheeks.

“Well its good see that some young people can still be embarrassed by that question,” Miriam said smiling. “Don’t worry dear I didn’t ask that question to pry but Eric is my only child and I want him to be happy,” Miriam reassured the younger woman and patted her on the leg.

“I’m not really sure what you are asking,” Suzie said.

“I’m basically asking if you love my son.” Miriam asked.

Suzie paused before answering. “I, I’m not really sure,” Suzie admitted.

“That’s a good answer dearie,” Miriam said smiling at Suzie. “A perfectly good honest answer,” Miriam said. “Fortunately or unfortunately whichever way you want to put it I believe Eric has fallen in love with you,” Miriam told her.

“Fallen in love with me?” Suzie questioned. “You’re kidding right?” she said looking at the other woman incredulously.

The two’s conversation was cut short as Eric walked into the room. “So what lies have you been telling about me mother?” he asked.

“Lies don’t be ridiculous Eric,” Miriam admonished. “I was just about to pull out the baby pictures and show them to Suzie,” his mother told him with an evil grin.

Eric blanched, “You wouldn’t.”

“Yes I would,” she told him smiling sweetly.

“I swear I think mothers were created just to embarrass their children,” Eric grumped.

“Well I have to go make sure that dinner is being fixed properly,” Miriam said standing up. “So I’ll leave you youngster be for a while, we’ll look at those baby pictures another time dear,” Miriam said with a wink to Suzie.

“You’re mother is a very interesting woman,” Suzie said with a small smile.

“More like embarrassing,” Eric grumbled.

“Oh don’t say that,” Suzie said walking up to him to wrap her arms around his waist and kiss him on the lips.

“You’re just trying to distract me from the fact that you were going to let my mother show you those baby pictures,” Eric accused after the kiss was broken.

“If you want to see it that way,” Suzie said her gray coated lips pressing against his again as they stumble stepped towards the couch to sit down.

“Suzie,” Eric started to say and stopped.

“Yes,” Suzie prompted.

“Oh, nothing, never mind,” Eric said and then stood up again pulling Suzie with him. “We better get dressed for dinner, mother likes to have formal ones when she has guests,” Eric explained.

“Formal huh, I suppose I can probably scrounge something up for that,” she said with a wicked smile as they left the sitting room.

UNSF - Parsifal Sector - Plymouth System

Plymouth IV - Barstowe Manor - Formal Dining Hall

Tuesday September 9th, 725 2E - 20:00 CST

Suzie had indeed managed to find something to wear and was currently wearing a flowing gown of white satin and silk that along with high heels made her look absolutely stunning, elbow length opera gloves along with a choker and earrings of pearl finished out the ensemble.

Eric and Ned were wearing tuxedos although the boys consisted of shorts and hose rather than pants. Cecilia was wearing a formal gown in dark green chenille while Holly felt self conscious in the gray Nanno-rubber sheath dress that she had borrowed from Suzie; it also had elbow length gloves and she wobbled slightly on the high heels that Suzie had leant her. Thankfully the dress that would have come mid-thigh on Suzie came down just above the knees on Holly.

The dinner itself was served by more Nanno-rubber coated genetic slaves that had prepared an excellent meal which everyone complemented them on.

During the sumptuous but overly long dinner the four adults tried to keep up a patter of conversation but at times it fell into large gaps of quiet where they children would occasionally say something.

After dinner Holly took the children back to the guest house and the adults retired to the same sitting room that Suzie and Miriam had been earlier with after dinner drinks and in Eric’s case a cigar.

Miriam sighed. “You are too much like your father Eric,” Miriam stated waving a hand towards the cigar and then tapping a command into the environmental controls for the room causing the smoke to be sucked towards the ceiling and into a concealed vent.

“Yup,” was all Eric said around his cigar and only took it out long enough to sip at his scotch.

“So dear any bad habits of your own,” Miriam asked Suzie as the older woman daintily sipped at snifter of cognac.

“No not really, unless you count staying physically fit and running a trillion dollar company as bad habits,” Suzie said with a small smile. But I can’t exactly say that I kill people for money now can I, she thought to herself.

“No I’d say those are pretty good habits,” Miriam said. “I run about five kilometers every morning myself, if you want you can join me for it,” Miriam said.

Eric snorted. “What she is neglecting to tell you is that she can usually outrun her bodyguards as well, and does so quite often just to keep them on their toes as she puts it,” Eric said making quotation marks around his cigar and snifter.

“Well what good are they if they can’t keep up with the person they are supposed to be guarding,” Miriam sniffed haughtily.

“Yes mother but you don’t have to go out of your way to make their jobs more difficult,” Eric admonished.

“It makes life more interesting that way,” Miriam simply answered with a small smile. “So dear what are you and the children doing tomorrow while Eric is finishing up his business in town?” Miriam asked abruptly changing the subject.

Suzie felt chagrined as the woman constantly caught her off guard. “Well Holly and Cecilia have cross training to do in the morning and then ballet and skate practice till noon, Ned generally just plays by himself till they are done, and sometimes I join them for their practices, after that nothing that I know of,” Suzie answered warily.

“Good we’ll go into Plymouth City and have lunch and then we’ll take the kids shopping,” Miriam told her more as a command than a suggestion.

“Certainly, I have no problem with that,” Suzie replied.

“Maybe we’ll get you some new clothing as well,” Miriam told her.

“Believe me I have plenty of clothes ma’am,” Suzie told her.

“We’ll see,” the older woman just stated with a smile.

UNSF - Parsifal Sector - Plymouth System

Plymouth IV - Barstowe Manor Grounds - Guest House - Master Bedroom

Wednesday September 10th, 725 2E - 00:00 CST

“You’re mother seems very strong willed,” Suzie said running a delicate hand down over Eric’s chest as the two of them lay in bed.

“That she is, after father died she took over the whole business and made it even larger than it had been,” Eric told her kissing her ear as he cradled her in one arm.

“Something tells me we better get some sleep,” Suzie said yawning.

“With mother you’ll need all the energy you can get,” Eric agreed as the two of them settled further under the sheets and went to sleep.

UNSF - Parsifal Sector - Plymouth System

Plymouth IV - Barstowe Manor Grounds & Guest House

Wednesday September 10th, 725 2E - 07:00 CST

The next morning found Suzie and the girls running with Miriam Barstowe and she was right about being able to easily outpace the half dozen bodyguards that tried to stick to her like limpets.

Soon she even outpaced the two younger girls and even Suzie found herself pulling on some of her Nanno-enhanced muscles more than she normally would have. Suzie didn’t have to fake breathing hard as she paced the older woman who ran like a greyhound.

As they ran Suzie looked the older woman over, she was wearing running shoes, shorts, and a sweatshirt with a faded Harvard logo across the front. Suzie herself was wearing a pair of red and gray Nanno-rubber tights and matching sports top with her head once again covered by a baseball cap with the MACE logo across the front.

Several thoughts were running through Suzie’s mind at that moment but the foremost one was the fact that for such a short woman Miriam could run like the wind. Finally when Miriam stopped after her five kilometer loop back to the manor house Suzie was slightly winded but the older woman only seemed slightly tired and it took nearly fifteen minutes for the girls and bodyguards to catch up to them.

The head of security was obviously used to his charge’s antics and knew that with guests she’d probably be over doing it even more. So he had another team of guards waiting outside the house for their return while the first group went off to take showers and change clothes.

“Not to bad dear, but you seem to be a little winded,” Miriam smiled wickedly at Suzie.

“I think I’m going to puke,” Cecilia said staggering up and interrupting the conversation before Suzie could reply. Her face was an off shade of red with a faint tinge of green around the mouth.

“Maybe you and Holly should take a breather after you get your showers before you start dance and skate practice,” Suzie suggested slightly concerned. She had forgotten that Plymouth’s gravity was slightly higher than that of Caruthers World and it seemed to be adversely affecting the girl.

“I think,” Holly said trotting up. “That would be a really good idea,” she finished gulping in air and nodding.

The small group split up; Miriam heading into the manor house with Suzie and the girls returning to the guest house to take showers and grab breakfast.

When they got to the guesthouse Eric had Ned outside and was teaching him how to play badminton, unfortunately it looked like Ned was having more fun bouncing the shuttlecock off the racket and into nearby trees and bushes which had Eric constantly running after the small flared cone.

“Looks like you two are having fun,” Suzie commented to Eric and kissed him on the lips.

“And you look like you’ve been running with mother,” Eric commented returning the quick peck and stepping back slightly at the gamy odor of the three women.

“What you don’t find sweat sexy?” Suzie said grinning mischievously.

“Not when you smell like a week dead gopher wrapped in a dirty gym sock,” Eric teased.

“Oh, you,” Suzie said and punched him lightly on the shoulder, unfortunately for Eric even lightly shoved him back a couple of steps.

“Ow, that hurt,” he said grinning and rubbing his shoulder; the punch had actually hurt and realized that this woman was stronger than he thought.

“After that comment I should do more than that,” Suzie told him.

“If the shoe…,” Eric started to say.

“If you finish that sentence,” Suzie warned. “I’m going to pull this sweaty smelly running shoe off and hit you with it repeatedly,” she warned starting to bend over.

“Okay, okay, no more comments,” Eric said smiling.

“I’m going to go get a shower then I’ll meet you in the dining room in about half an hour,” Suzie told him.

“Alright we’ll be there,” Eric said and then went chasing after another shuttle cock that Ned had knocked across the yard into a rose bush.

UNSF - Parsifal Sector - Plymouth System

Plymouth IV - Barstowe Manor Grounds - Guest House Dining Room

Wednesday September 10th, 725 2E - 09:32 CST

After her shower Suzie dressed in a pair of white Nanno-rubber tights and a white Nanno-rubber top that flared at the hem and cuffs, she put on a white corded choker and simple diamond studs and for the time being eschewed make-up and had white house shoes on her feet.

“It never ceases to amaze me the amount of different Nanno-rubber outfits you have,” Eric said as he looked her up and down as she walked into the dining room.

“What you don’t like my choice of outfits?” She said sternly putting her hands on her hips.

“Oh I love your choice of outfits,” he told her running a hand up her side and kissing her on the cheek. “I was merely stating that the wide variety of tops and bottoms you seem to have constantly surprises me,” he told her with a grin.

A small shiver ran up Suzie’s spine at his touch and she grasped his hand as they walked to the dining table and he pulled a chair out for her. Several minutes later Cecilia and Holly entered no longer red faced but their hair was damp from the showers they had just taken.

“I never want to go running with that woman ever again,” Cecilia said firmly.

“Same here,” Holly added.

Little Ned just looked back and forth between the two. “I thought you guys liked to exercise?” He said innocently.

“Not when it’s pure torture,” Cecilia answered mussing his hair as she sat down in the chair next to his.

“Hey don’t do that,” he grumbled running his hands through his hair to smooth it back out.

“Then don’t ask silly questions Neddo,” Cecilia said using his nickname.

“No such thing as silly questions, just silly people,” Holly said with a straight face.

“Oh yeah,” Ned started to say confused. “What’s a silly people?” He asked.

The others around the table chuckled and started eating when the guest house servants brought the breakfast trays in.

“I’m going to get fat eating this much all the time,” Holly complained but continued to plow her way through a second stack of pancakes.

After breakfast and a few extra hours to recover from their run with Miriam Holly ran Cecilia through her paces. Even with it only being a little over a month Holly had taught Cecilia everything she knew, and the girl had lapped everything up very quickly. The girl was a natural and the exercise and practice had only toned her muscles and given her the extra balance and poise she would need to play Grav Disc. Holly realized that her job as personal trainer to the young girl would soon end with the beginning of school and she would be out of a job once again.

These thoughts ran through Holly’s mind as she ran Cecilia through her paces on both the dance floor and the ice rink simulations of the guest houses Holo-immersion suite. She felt sad at the thought but also happy that she was able to train some one as skilled as Cecilia.

Later that day Miriam, Suzie, Holly, and Cecilia went into town for shopping and Miriam refused to let any of the others pay for their purchases.

UNSF - Parsifal Sector - Plymouth System

Plymouth IV - Miriam Barstowe’s Armored Air Limo En-Route to Barstowe Manor from Plymouth City

Wednesday September 10th, 725 2E - 20:07 CST

“Miriam I appreciate you taking us shopping and all but the cost is way too much you should let me pay for mine and girl’s stuff,” Suzie said to the older woman.

“No, most certainly not dear, you are my guests and as such I have the duty to spend extravagant amounts of money on you, plus I enjoy watching young people shop,” Miriam said with a smile.

Suzie let out a sigh. “Well at least let me do something for you,” Suzie said.

“Take care of Eric and we’ll be square,” Miriam told her.

The rest of the week went extremely fast and Suzie and the girls found themselves caught up in Miriam’s whirlwind of activities including a huge gala ball that commemorated the planets first colonization landing.

The theme for the ball was that of a masquerade and so the girls had to come up with costumes. Cecilia’s was easy enough she went dressed as a Grav Disc player, Holly chose to go dressed up as a butterfly and found a mono-film duty suit of dark yellows and was able to dredge up a pair of multi-colored wings that magnetically attached to the back of the suit and a pair of goofy antennae bobbed in her hair.

Suzie feeling on the introspective side decided to go as light and darkness. One half of her face was coated with a thin layer of white Nanno-rubber, the other side black Nanno-rubber. Her top was also Nanno-rubber and near skintight with the colors reversed from her face and the sleeves being the opposite colors of the main part of the top, she also wore Nanno-rubber tights that were reversed from the top and had attached thin soled boots.

Eric dressed as Robin Hood and somehow managed to make tights look dashing on a man. His dark green leather jerkin worn over a flowing white shirt, and they picked up an Umero Cat costume for Ned.

The spectacle at the ball was Miriam Barstowe however and she was dressed as none other than Marie Antoinette, the only thing that drove Suzie nuts about her costume however was the older woman’s tendency to answer questions with the “Let Them Eat Cake” statement.

All in all the party was a blast for the adults and kids and lasted well into the morning hours with most of the adults drunker than skunks by the time they started leaving.

Neo-Prussian Empire - New Imperial Sector - Hamburg System

New Hamburg - Imperial City - Imperial Palace

Thursday September 11th, 725 2E - 04:30 CST

Cecilia had lain down after her dance and skate practice on Wednesday and Nathan had jumped at the opportunity. He had completely locked the girl’s consciousness out making her mind sleep while he dressed in her costume for the party the smoked visor of the Grav-Disc player costume disguising the fact that the girl’s eyes were now completely black.

Nathan controlled Cecilia’s body as he interacted with the guests and observed Suzie Marlowe.

So she thinks she can just forget her former life and act as if it never happened, Nathan thought to himself as he observed her black and white clad figure dancing with the Robin Hood garbed Eric Barstowe on the huge dance floor.

“Would you care to dance?” A teenage boy asked him at one point as he was observing the girl’s aunt.

Nathan had a sharp reprimand on the tip of his tongue but swallowed it and agreed to dance with the boy.

Nathan found that Cecilia’s body was even more agile and graceful than it had been the last time and he made his dance partner look like a bumbling idiot before he switched off to a more adept dance partner.

Between dances he discreetly observed the couple and when the party finally broke up he went to bed relinquishing control of the girl’s body.

UNSF - Parsifal Sector - Plymouth System

Plymouth IV - Plymouth City - Plymouth City Spaceport

Tuesday September 16th, 725 2E - 12:00 CST

Suzie, Eric, Holly, Cecilia, and Ned waved one final good bye to Miriam Barstowe and her few staff members that had come to bid them farewell.

“Wow I can’t believe it’s been an entire week already,” Cecilia said as they entered the ship.

“Yeah, what a week though,” Holly said running a hand through her blonde and blue spiked hair and ran her hand down the Nu-Silk pant suit that she was wearing. She’d had a discussion with Suzie last night and been startled by the outcome of it.

UNSF - Parsifal Sector - Plymouth System

Plymouth IV - Barstowe Manor Grounds - Guest House

Monday September 15th, 725 2E - 19:23 CST - 17 Hours Earlier

“Suzie can I speak to you for a minute?” Holly asked as she entered the small parlor where Suzie and Eric were sitting together on one of the small couches.

“Sure Holly what’s up?” Suzie asked sitting up and straightening the hem of her white Nanno-rubber top.

“Could…, could I talk to you alone?” Holly asked nervously looking at Eric and then looking away.

Suzie looked at the younger woman and then at Eric.

“I’ve got to make sure Ned hasn’t crawled out of his bed again anyway,” Eric said standing up and grabbing his gray suit jacket off the back of one of the chairs and left the room.

“Okay, the men folk are gone now,” Suzie said with a small smile that disappeared from her face as she saw the look on Holly’s. “What’s wrong Holly?” She asked concerned.

“I can’t be Cecilia’s dance and skate instructor anymore,” Holly blurted out quickly.

Suzie was surprised by the statement and looked at her young friend closely. Her eyes were slightly red rimmed and her usually spiked blue and blonde hair looked as if the younger woman had been constantly running her hands through it.

“Well why not?” Suzie asked confused and concerned.

“I have nothing else to teach her,” Holly said miserably.

“You’ve taught her everything you know already,” Suzie asked surprised.

“Yes she’s a quick learner,” Holly said with a small proud smile.

“Well that’s definitely good to hear,” Suzie told the young woman still confused. “But what are you so worried about?” She asked the young woman.

“If I have nothing more to teach her I have no reason to stay with you any longer,” Holly said miserably.

“Oh, sweetie,” Suzie said standing up and moving over to the couch where Holly had sat down and pulled the younger woman into her arms. “You have every reason to stick around; don’t tell me you’re willing to quit your job already?” Suzie asked.

“My job is over though,” Holly said.

“No it’s not dear, I told you I was also hiring you as my personal assistant and that’s exactly what you’ll be once we return to Caruthers World,” Suzie told her.

“But I don’t know anything about being a personal assistant,” Holly said looking up at the older woman.

“Well we’ll just have to figure that out as we go along, that and get you some new clothes once we get back home,” Suzie said smiling and stood back up.

“Now why don’t you go back to your room and get some rest we’ll be leaving tomorrow afternoon and I’ll need your help to get everything packed back up,” Suzie told the girl.

“Okay,” Holly answered standing up herself and wiping at slightly damp eyes as she realized she would still be able to stay near this woman and the children she had come to think of as part of her family.

“I’m going to turn in myself so I’ll see you bright and early tomorrow morning,” Suzie told the girl and followed her out of the room and up the staircase to the bedrooms.

Hyperspace Between Plymouth and Caruthers

Privately Registered Vessel - Nautilus

Tuesday September 16th, 725 2E - 14:30 CST

The ship had left orbit a half hour earlier and Holly had returned to her cabin to peel herself out of the Skinsuit she’d once again donned to satisfy local and corporate regulations.

Having just changed into a pair of shorts and a t-shirt and sandals there was a beep at the comm system by the door. Walking over she pressed the reply button. “Yes, who is it?” She asked.

“Its Nathan ma’am the bartender from the salon, I’ve got a package here for you that arrived right before take off,” the young bartender said through the speaker.

Holly punched the admittance key and the door slid open.

“Here you go,” the young bartender said handing her a slender package.

“Thank you,” she told him as he turned away and the door closed again.

“Hmm, I wonder what this and who it could be from?” Holly muttered to herself and looked the package over. It was slightly over six inches long and in standard brown plasti-wrap paper with no return address on it.

Curiosity getting the better of her Holly opened the package and found a slender box of an unknown type she had never seen before. It was made of plastic and had the words Komodo Siren along all four long sides and when she looked at the ends it stated that it was another fine product designed and manufactured by Tantalus Pleasure Products.

Holly gave an unladylike grunt of understanding as she held the thin box in her hands. “A Nanno-injector; why would someone send me a Nanno-injector?” Holly asked aloud to the empty room around her. “I wonder what kind of nannites are in it,” she admitted muttering to herself as she flipped the box from side to side.

“Hell why not,” she muttered some more. Opening the package carefully she pulled the Nanno-injector out and looked it over and then read the small sheet of directions that came with it.

Sighing she looked from the box to the Nanno-injector and back again and shrugged. It’s not like I can catch any diseases from it, she thought to herself glancing at the tamper seal that she had broken to open the box.

Sitting on the edge of her bed in the cabin Holly scooted till she was propped against the pillows and headboard and sighed tiredly.

Taking the Nanno-injector in one hand she pressed it against her neck a soft hiss coming from the injector as she depressed the injector button. After injecting herself she slid down and laid her head on the pillows moaning as the pleasure of the nannites stimulated the pleasure centers of her brain and filled her with a warm glow.

Several minutes after the nannites had been injected TSIU-72-34-88 stood up from the bed and looked into the mirror over Holly’s dressing table. The Siren Infiltration Unit had the same peach/cream colored skin as the Siren Assimilation Unit but unlike the TSAU the facial features were clearly outlined and lacked the metallic gray O-Ring sphincters at key points of the body. However there was a gray metallic gripping pads on the individual fingers, toes, palms, and bottoms of the feet. The eyes as well rather than large rounded lenses were smaller and were the same size as a normal eye and only glowed slightly.

The Unit satisfied with the assimilation went back to the bed and lay down and after a while Holly woke up from a fitful nap that had refreshed her.

“Man, that felt so good, maybe I should have been using these long before now,” she said aloud as she sat up from the bed and then the thought left as she got back up and grabbed her E-PADD to read.

Any thought of the Nanno-injector had left her mind and even when she went to the bathroom and took a shower later that night she ignored the gray metallic sheen her nails had taken on.

Hyperspace Between Plymouth and Caruthers

Privately Registered Vessel - Nautilus - Crew Quarters

Wednesday September 17th, 725 2E - 20:04 CST

TSIU-72-34-88 stood at the foot of Holly’s bed as the Hive Mind spoke to it.

[Hive Mind Order: Your job is to assimilate the crew and passengers and cause a catastrophic failure in the hyperspace drive, is this order clear]

[TSIU-72-34-88 Reply: Order understood and received, assimilation of crew will start immediately]

Holly stood staring at the foot of her bed and realized she was unutterably bored, she decided to go visit the stewardess that worked in the main salon. Leaving the room she traveled through the hallways until she reached the corridor that held the crew quarters and knocked on the door to the stewardess’s cabin.

“Who is it?” The woman asked through the speaker grill.

Holly was nervous for a second. “It’s uh, Holly Haffenbakker,” she answered.

The door slid aside and the stewardess was standing there in a pair of slacks and a blouse instead of her usual gold and black mono-film duty suit. “What can I do for you Miss Haffenbakker?” She asked.

“It’s Erica right?” Holly asked.

“Yes,” the woman answered puzzled.

“May I come in?” Holly asked.

“Certainly come right in,” the woman gestured moving away from the door.

Holly stepped through the door and it slid closed behind her.

“What can I do for you?” The woman asked again.

“I have something I need to show you,” Holly said and walked up to the woman as she reached out to grasp her TSIU-72-34-88 replaced Holly and pulled the woman to her and held her tight against the front of her body.

“What the hell are you?” Erica whimpered as she pressed against the figure’s body.

“Your sister,” the figure whispered.

Erica felt something squirm across the skin of the woman that grasped her then felt something cool and metallic latch onto her own skin and spread coldly along her body. As the assimilation process started the figure released her. Stumbling backwards onto her bed she felt a sudden pleasure ripple through her body and arched and moaned in ecstasy as the nannites invading her body sent waves of pleasure through her and then she too was assimilated as a TSIU.

A few minutes later the two of them stood regarding one another and then returned to their human forms to split up and assimilate the rest of the hundred person crew, it only took about two hours to assimilate the rest of the crew and when they changed shifts those that had been on duty were assimilated as well.

Hyperspace Between Plymouth and Caruthers

Privately Registered Vessel - Nautilus - Secondary Passenger Quarters

Thursday September 18th, 725 2E - 14:15 CST

Holly was bored again; she’d finished practice early with Cecilia and was now back in her cabin. On a whim she pulled her shorts and t-shirt off and opened her closet to pull out the gold Nanno-rubber cat suit that Suzie had given her, wiping her self down with the lubricant as she had been taught she pulled the suit on and snugged the mask down over her face.

Looking at herself in the mirror she decided to contact Suzie and ask her opinion on a couple of dance moves that she wanted to learn while wearing the suit.

Suzie took only a few minutes to reach Holly’s cabin and when she arrived she had a garment bag over her arm with her own suit in it.

“You want to learn how to blend in more at Flesh Bender huh?” Suzie asked with a small smile.

“Yeah,” Holly said with a faint embarrassed smile on her face. She’d taken the mask back off before Suzie had come to her cabin.

“Alright let me change and I’ll show you how to move properly in one of these outfits,” Suzie told the younger woman and then stripped and rubbed herself down quickly and wiggled into the suit.

“Okay, now basically this is what you do…,” Suzie explained to Holly and showed her various ways to move in the suit depending on what type of reaction she wanted to garner from those watching.

Suzie had just finished with the last move and was about to show Holly how to more easily get in out of the suit when the younger woman fell to the ground and started convulsing.

“What the hell, Chuck call the med bay and get some one up here right away,” Suzie ordered.

“No one is replying,” Chuck told her after a few seconds.

“Well keep trying,” Suzie ordered and pulled her mask and the girl’s off she saw that a metallic peach colored froth was dripping from her nostrils and mouth.

“That seriously can’t be good,” Suzie muttered. Holly was bucking violently and Suzie grasped her by the shoulders holding her down and then concentrated closing her eyes.

When Suzie re-opened her eyes they were completely glossy black and she felt her emotions dull as if she were feeling them through a thick curtain.

Focusing on the girl she was holding down she concentrated and icons started popping up across her optical nerve. “Chuck any word from the med bay yet?” She asked.

“No, I’m not getting anything from anywhere,” the AI told her.

“Have you tried Eric yet?” she asked him still concentrating on Holly’s convulsing body.

“Not yet,” CHCCC-14 said and then fell silent for a few seconds. “Alright I’ve got him,” the AI said.

“Eric this is Suzie,” she said over her internal comm system.

“Suzie? I don’t recognize this comm code,” he said.

“I’ll explain it later, I think we’ve been infiltrated by Tantalans,” she told him.

“Tantalans? But how…,” Eric started to ask.

“It doesn’t matter just grab the kids and take them to my cabin,” Suzie ordered. “Do you have a weapon on you?” She asked.

“Yeah I only brought my Beretta though,” Eric answered.

“I would suggest having it ready, some or all of the crew may have been assimilated,” Suzie told him.

“Alright I’ll get the kids. Where are you right now?” He asked.

“I’m in Holly’s cabin at the moment, I’ll get to you as soon as possible,” she told him.

“Alright be careful,” Eric said and logged off.

“So what am I seeing here?” Suzie asked the AI after Eric had logged off.

“Oh holy shit,” the AI muttered as he collated the data from Suzie’s HUD system.

Suzie had never heard the AI curse before and was startled by it that she almost didn’t hear the door open behind her. Turning she saw a female metallic cream colored Tantalan come through the doorway and ran straight at her arms stretched out as if to grasp or throttle.

“Chuck initiate reversion process,” Suzie practically screamed as she rolled past Holly’s still bucking form and Sister 14 stood up Katana in one hand Wakizashi in the other.

The Tantalan leapt across the younger woman and kept coming. Sister 14 brought the folded blade of the Katana down from shoulder height and across in a diagonal slash cutting the Tantalan from left shoulder to right hip the two sections making a sucking sound as they slid past each other and fell to the cabin floor.

Sister 14 folded the edged weapons back into flux space and then extruded the two FN pistols and a gun belt with spare magazines on it. “Initiate Reversion Process,” She ordered after setting the belt and weapons down.

Suzie picked up the belt and slung it around her lithe hips over the Nanno-rubber catsuit she was wearing.

“Okay what were you saying about Holly?” Suzie said crouching over the woman and making sure she was facing the door so that she didn’t have any more surprises.

“She’s infected with a variant of the Tantalus Nanno-Virus alright, but she’s also got traces of the Pariah Nanno-Virus in her system as well,” CHCCC-14 told her.

“How the hell did that happen?” Suzie muttered.

“I have no clue, you two weren’t French kissing when I wasn’t looking were you?” the AI Joked.

“Not funny Chuck,” Suzie said pausing to think for a minute. “Is there anyway to purge the viruses from her system?” She asked.

“No, neither Nanno-virus is purge able, however…,” CHCCC-14 trailed off.

“However what?” Suzie questioned sharply.

“I can modify some of your mutated Pariah nannites to take over and control the Tantalus Virus. Both viruses will be present in her system but the Tantalus one will be able to be controlled by the Pariah one,” the AI explained.

“Yeah and then she’ll become a puppet of the Emperor’s control system,” Suzie said angrily.

“No, not at all; you’re nannites have mutated to the point where they are no longer under the control of the system,” CHCCC-14 paused again. “Or at least they have over the last month,” he finished.

“How did that happen?” She asked in surprise.

“I think it has something to do with the meditation you’ve been performing and the selective use of Sister 14’s powers that you have been exerting,” the AI Explained. “Think about it, up until a couple of weeks ago you weren’t able to selectively activate the HUD system built into your eyes without actually reverting to Sister 14,” he told her.

Suzie made a slight humming sound. “Then we’ll have to do it, how long will it take for you to modify the nannites?” She asked.

“Only about a minute, but there is one other thing,” the AI told her hesitating.

“And what would that be?” Suzie asked starting to lose patience.

“While Holly wouldn’t be under the control of the Emperor, when ever she activated her powers she’d be under your control,” the AI told her.

“Ah shit, I don’t want a slave,” Suzie grimaced at the thought of the woman following her orders mindlessly like she had the Emperor’s.

“For now it’s the only way to save her,” the AI told her. “I may be able later on to create some sort of AI to function like I do to free her of that but it’s a big if,” CHCCC-14 explained.

“Alright do it then,” Suzie ordered and then brought the FN’s up and opening fire as half a dozen assimilated crew members tried to get into the room. Red blood paled by the cream colored nannites flowed across the floor and out the door as she gunned them down remorselessly realizing there was nothing she could do for them. The only one she might be able to save from assimilation being Holly.

“Okay I’m ready to go,” the AI told her after the echoes of gunfire rolled away down the corridor.

“What do I need to do?” Suzie asked.

“You need to get some of your blood into her system somehow,” the AI explained.

“How the hell do I do that, I don’t even have any Nanno-injectors with me?” Suzie complained slipping fresh magazines into the guns.

“You could always French kiss her,” the AI suggested.

“Chuck you are such a pervert,” Suzie said starting to admonish the AI and then stopped. “I take that back you may actually have a valid point this time,” Suzie said as she thought the suggestion over.

“I do,” CHCCC-14 said in surprise.

“Yeah, just this once though,” Suzie relented. Bending over the girl’s face she bit deep into her lip waiting till her black blood started to flow and then pressed her lips to those of Holly and practically spitting the blood into the younger woman’s mouth.

“How long is this going to take?” Suzie asked the AI.

“Probably at least a couple of hours,” CHCCC-14 told her.

“Shit,” she spat out and then put another round through another assimilated crewman’s head.

“After I leave the cabin lock it down,” Suzie ordered the AI.

“Roger that,” CHCCC-14 said.

“Alright, now I just have to make it to my cabin,” Suzie muttered and put her mask back on. If worse came to worst it could be used as a temporary environmental seal.

Hyperspace Between Plymouth and Caruthers

Privately Registered Vessel - Nautilus - Passenger Quarters Corridor

Thursday September 18th, 725 2E - 14:37 CST

“Son of a bitch,” Eric said emptying half the M9 Beretta’s magazine into the crew member’s head and chest and pushed a screaming and crying Cecilia and Ned behind him towards Suzie’s cabin door.

After he’d left his own cabin he’d encountered a dozen of the assimilated crew and dealt with them; however he was down to the last ten rounds in the extended magazine in the butt of the M9 and they’d finally reached Suzie’s cabin like she’d ordered.

“Get the door open,” Eric ordered as another of the assimilated came around the corner. Steadying his aim Eric put a around through each eye of the crew member the deafening twin roars drowning out the sound of buttons being punched.

“Got that door open yet?” Eric asked without looking behind him.

“Almost,” Cecilia said in a frantic voice as she typed in the security code over and over again.

“What’s the problem?” He said putting another round through the forehead of an assimilated crew member. “I’m down to seven rounds here,” Eric told her not glancing back at her.

“I’m trying, I’m trying,” she cried while Ned hugged her leg in fear.

Eric put down two more crew members leaving him four rounds left.

“I’ve got it,” the girl cried and physically flung Ned into the room before she was knocked through the door by Eric as he came through the door.

“Holy shit that was close,” Eric cried as he closed the door and locked it down with the security code. The door slid shut just as a half dozen more assimilated reached it.

“Yeah, but where’s Aunt Suzie,” Cecilia wailed crying.

“Hey, hey, don’t worry she’ll be okay,” Eric said crouching down next to her where she was holding Ned.

“Are you sure?” Cecilia said sniffling back snot.

“Yeah, I’m sure,” Eric said tousling her hair. At least I hope so, Eric thought to himself.

Hyperspace Between Plymouth and Caruthers

Privately Registered Vessel - Nautilus - Crew Quarters

Thursday September 18th, 725 2E - 15:29 CST

Suzie made her way from the secondary passenger deck to the primary passenger deck. Before leaving Caruthers World Sister 14 had packed the gun belt away and it had contained the two FN pistols and a dozen magazines.

With judicious use of semi-automatic and burst fire she’d made her way to the main passenger cabin hallway but was running low on the 5.7x28mm ammo after having dealt with several dozen assimilated crew members.

Stepping over the last body she dumped out the two spent magazines and rammed fresh ones home and keyed in the security code for her cabin door and watched the hallway as it slid open.

“It’s the assassin,” Cecilia screamed and pointing at the black clad figure that had just opened the door.

“Oh shit,” Suzie blurted and dodged to the side of the cabin door as the last four rounds from Eric’s Beretta smacked into the wall behind where she had been standing and then the slide on the gun locked back with a metallic clink.

“Stay back Cecilia,” Eric ordered and pulled his combat knife out and flicked it on the blade humming loudly as he advanced on the black figure.

“Hey, hey, hey,” Suzie shouted waving her hands and then pulling the re-breather mask off her face.

“Suzie, what are you wearing?” Eric asked and then looked at her tightly clad black glossy figure with a smirk.

“I’ll explain later,” Suzie said closing the door behind herself.

“Aunt…, Aunt Suzie,” Cecilia stuttered in surprise staring wide eyed at her aunt.

“Yeah, Kiddo it’s me,” Suzie said.

“What are you wearing?” She asked.

“I’ll explain later,” Suzie told her letting out a sigh.

“Where’s Holly at?” Eric asked in worry.

“She’s in her cabin right now, she had some sort of seizure,” Suzie told him not explaining why she was having the seizure.

“Is she going to be alright?” Eric asked with concern.

“Yeah, the seizure was over with when I left and she’ll be unconscious for awhile. I locked her cabin down so the assimilated crew members won’t be able to get in,” Suzie explained.

“How large is the crew on this ship anyway?” Eric asked.

“A hundred or so,” Suzie told him.

“I’ve gotten several dozen or so, what about you,” Eric asked.

“Over three dozen,” Suzie replied as she walked over to a locked cabinet on one wall.

“So we’ve got what about forty or so left?” Eric estimated.

“Yeah about that,” Suzie said typing in a security code and pulling the door open.

“So do we need to take them all out,” Eric asked.

The ship lurched under them before Suzie could answer. “I’d say that’s a definite yes,” Suzie paused before pulling something out of the cabinet. “Chuck what’s going on?” Suzie asked.

“Who are you talking to?” Eric asked.

“I’ll tell you later,” Suzie said.

“I’ve checked the ship’s systems, the Nautilus’ Carmine-Yushima drive has been destabilized,” the AI answered.

“Shit,” Suzie let out the epithet.

“What is it, what’s wrong?” Eric asked.

“They’ve destabilized the hyperspace drive,” She told him and handed him an eight gauge shotgun, a pair of pistols and ammo for all three and then grabbed another shotgun for her and refilled the magazine pouches for the FN pistols.

“So what exactly are we going to do?” He asked.

“We put the poor bastards out of their misery and stop them from being puppets of the Hive Mind,” Suzie said pumping the eight gauge.

Eric gritted his teeth. “I realize that they aren’t human anymore but…,” he said trailing off.

“But, you can’t really bring yourself to perform cold blooded murder,” Suzie finished his sentence for him. “Don’t worry it’s not cold blooded murder, they’ll be trying to kill or assimilate us before we can get to the engine room and fix things,” Suzie told him.

Eric looked in the cabinet that Suzie had opened and let out a low whistle, “What’s with all the weapons?” He asked.

“I like to be prepared,” Suzie said. “Cecilia, Eric and I are going to leave for awhile, we need to make the ship safe again, we’ll be back as soon as we can,” Suzie said to the girl who started shaking her head.

“Don’t worry sweetie,” Suzie said. “Don’t let anyone into this room even if it’s us,” Suzie told her.

“Alright,” Cecilia said quietly and continued to hug Ned.

“Alright we’ll be back as soon as possible,” Suzie told her.

With that Suzie led the way back through the cabin door blasting another assimilated crew member as she went.

Hyperspace Between Plymouth and Caruthers

Privately Registered Vessel - Nautilus - Crew Quarters

Thursday September 18th, 725 2E - 17:53 CST

“Dammit,” Suzie shouted and slammed her hand against the Impeller Rotor Cap leaving a slight dent in it.

“Whoa, how the hell did you manage that,” Eric said his eyes slightly widened.

It had taken the two of them over two hours to fight their way to the main engineering space and along the way they had accounted for the entire crew; mercilessly cutting down the assimilated personnel.

“I’ll tell you later,” she told him thinking furiously as she communed with Chuck.

“You need to go to the main Hyperspace Impeller Rotor control and bring up the diagnostics program,” CHCCC-14 told her.

Suzie walked over the main console across the room and started tapping hard holography keys bringing up the Hyperspace drive’s diagnostic programs and looking it over.

“There is nothing we can do,” CHCCC-14 told her. “My suggestion is to get everyone into the stasis escape pods and program them to launch as soon as we reenter normal space,” the AI suggested.

“Why?” She asked.

“The ship will be able to travel all the way to Caruthers World but once it re-enters normal space the drive and reflex inductor furnace will detonate destroying the vessel. If you program the pods to launch as soon as you do hit the system, it should give the pods enough time to get far enough away before the ship explodes,” CHCCC-14 finished explaining.

Suzie finished her discussion with the AI and then turned to Eric explaining what the AI had told her but leaving out the fact that she hadn’t figured the data out herself.

“Alright, I’ll go get Holly and meet you at the Stasis Pods,” he told her.

“No, I’ll get Holly you get the kids,” Suzie told him and they split up to grab their personal charges.

Back in Holly’s cabin Suzie found the girl unconscious and totally naked. “Is she going to be okay?” She asked the AI.

“I induced a coma as part of the Nannites encoding,” CHCCC-14 told her.

“And why is she naked?” Suzie asked.

“That I have no clue on,” the AI admitted with a verbal shrug.

“Well no time to ponder it now,” Suzie said and pulled the girl’s Skinsuit from its armored locker and quickly and painlessly as possible dressed her in it and sealed the helmet.

“Remind me never to dress someone in a Skinsuit while they are unconscious ever again,” Suzie muttered to the AI.

“I certainly shall, I never realized it would be that difficult,” the AI admitted.

Bending down Suzie slung the younger woman over her shoulders in a fireman’s carry and headed for the Stasis Pod launch bay.

“I’ve got the kids already in stasis,” Eric informed her as she carried the woman into the room. “And I brought your Skinsuit,” he told her holding up the garment.

“Thanks,” Suzie said and grunted for effect as she laid Holly in the Stasis Pod.

Suzie took the Skinsuit from him and stripped out of the Nanno-rubber catsuit, it was hard to say which outfit was tighter on her, the cat suit or the Skinsuit but it really didn’t matter.

“Alright I have to program the stasis pods and the main computer now,” Suzie told Eric.

“I’ll help you with that,” he told her.

“No I can get it done faster and concentrate more easily if you are in stasis,” Suzie told him.

Eric was about to open his mouth to protest but Suzie laid a mono-film clad finger against his lips. “Look, please just do this. In case something goes wrong I’ll need someone to take care of the kids for me and if something bad should happen I can manually eject the pods if the ship drops out of hyperspace early,” she told him.

“Alright, but we have a few things to discuss when this is all over,” Eric told her and took her hand and kissed the back of it.

“Not a problem, we’ll talk all you want when this is done and over with,” she told him with an impish grin.

“Alright then,” Eric said and stepped back into the stasis escape pod and the door rotated downwards and locked into place, soon he was in a coma like sleep the interior flooded with life sustaining nannites.

“Whew,” Suzie said letting out a breath and moving over to the nearest computer console. “Alright Chuck, tell me what I need to do here,” she ordered the AI.

The AI proceeded to tell Suzie what she needed to do to keep the ship stabilized long enough to reach the Caruthers system.

It took Suzie nearly three hours to get the drive stabilized. “Alright Chuck I’m shutting you down till this is over,” Suzie told the AI. “I don’t need you going bonkers being all by yourself,” she explained.

“I appreciate that,” CHCCC-14 told her. “Shutting down artificial intelligence functions for CHCCC-14,” he told her.

“Good night Chuck see you on the other side of the darkness,” she said quietly after the background hum of his presence disappeared.

Returning to the escape pods she double checked to make sure everyone’s pods were running properly and then climbed in her own setting the auto initiate sequence and went to sleep.