Immortal Assassin - Book 1 - Immortal Assassin - 4 - Chapter 4

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Chapter 4 -

Neo-Prussian Empire - New Imperial Sector - New Hamburg - New Imperial City

Somewhere In the Bowels of the Imperial Palace

Wednesday August 14th, 725 2E - 05:15 CST

Nathan IV former emperor of the Neo-Prussian Empire was perusing some files as his consciousness floated languidly in the cyberspace of the hidden computer system in the bowels of the Imperial Palace.

He was putting some finishing touches on how to get himself a new body when a program interrupted what he was doing. At first his anger flared and then when he saw what the alert was about he just smiled.

“Black Pariah Nannites tagged as those belonging to Sister 14 have been detected,” the simulated voice told him.

“Where were the nannites detected?” he asked.

“Caruthers World, Caruthers City,” the computer program informed him.

“Anything more specific?” the Emperor asked tartly.

“Unable to refine location due to spatial interference, however remote access of nannites is possible,” the program told him.

“Activate remote access then,” The emperor ordered.

“Remote access is activating, hyper space flux connection established,” the program informed him.

At first he saw nothing but darkness but as her merged himself with the remote access program he felt the body he was in and realized that it wasn’t Sister 14. That would have been too easy to remotely access her and force her to return to her master, no the body he found himself in was much smaller and younger.

Theban Cluster - Caruthers Sector - Caruthers System - Caruthers World- Caruthers City

Syntheria Arms Apartment

Wednesday August 14th, 725 2E - 05:15 CST

Cecilia opened her eyes, the pupil, retina, and cornea now having turned a complete glossy black and stood up from her bed and walked over to the closet door and activated the smart material to extrude a mirror.

Nathan saw that he was in the niece’s body who was dressed in a pair of expensive spider silk pajamas. Well not exactly what I was hoping for he thought to himself, as he examined the girl’s body. But at least it wasn’t the little boy, Nathan wondered how the girl had become infected by the Black Pariah Nanno-virus but decided it was unimportant. While the nannites had been just enough to infest the motor and other key functions of the girl’s brain she wouldn’t be extruding a Black Pariah’s Nanno-rubber skin any time soon. This could work to his advantage however allowing him to hopefully spy on Sister 14 and her surroundings while the girl was awake and control her when she was asleep.

Nathan felt the girls mouth curve into a hungry smile and saw it mimicked in the mirror. Yes this will work perfectly; he thought to himself and then used the girl’s body to explore the penthouse apartment. He found the little boy sleeping in another room and a young woman who wasn’t Sister 14 asleep in a room down the hall. He explored the master suite and then the rest of the penthouse. The only door that would not yield to his entry was a room that Cecilia’s brain listed as her Aunt’s den.

Nathan soon returned the girl to her bed and then faded from her brain to the point where a part of him was only an observer while the rest of him concentrated on other tasks in his cybernetic home on New Hamburg.

Theban Cluster - Caruthers Sector - Caruthers System - Caruthers World- Caruthers City

Syntheria Arms Apartment

Wednesday August 14th, 725 2E - 07:00 CST

Cecilia heard knocking at her door and tried to burrow deeper into her bed but then heard the click of the door opening.

“Rise and shine sleepy head,” Holly said cheerfully and ripped the covers back from the twelve-year old girl.

“Go way,” Cecilia mumbled still half asleep.

Holly made a tching sound. “Giving up so soon on your dream of becoming a star Grav Disc player, I told you until school started you’d spend at least two hours in the morning running and exercising followed by two hours of dance practice and then four hours of skating,” Holly admonished.

“I know, I know,” Cecilia sighed sitting up and rubbing the sleep from her eyes. “I’ll be down stairs in a couple minutes.” She told Holly.

Holly just nodded and headed out of the room.

Cecilia took a quick shower and threw on a pair of running pants, a windbreaker and baseball cap and was still putting her long hair into a pair of pony tails as she entered the kitchen only to practically be hit in the face with a energy bar and a juice box that she had to spend a few seconds fumbling till she got a good grip on them.

Bambridge Park, both of them noticed the Aston Martin parked in one of the other stalls.

“She must have come in pretty late,” Cecilia commented.

“Yeah she wasn’t in her room so she must be sleeping in the den,” Holly agreed nodding.

Upon reaching Bambridge Park Holly set a grueling pace that ate up the kilometers and the two hours passed quickly as they returned to the SUV and headed back to the penthouse.

Theban Cluster - Kalabasa Sector - Kalabasa System - Kalabasa III

Kalabasa City Spaceport

Wednesday August 14th, 725 2E - 09:07 CST

A shout went up in the main lounge of the small Frigate that had been named White Lightning.

“What is it?” Markus Vanderbergh asked the room’s other occupant his life mate Sandra Sikorsky.

“Watch this,” Sandra said her glossy white clad finger pressing the replay button on the remote as her equally glossy white chest heaved in excitement.

He watched the replay and let out a curse and his. “Falcra,” his Symbiote Dantalas spat out the single word.

“Exactly,” Replied Dekras Sandra’s own Symbiote.

“How the hell did a Falcra get…,” Markus paused looking at the news feed across the bottom. “On Caruthers World I thought we trapped them all on that old Sinveck space station?” Markus asked.

“I’m not sure but we need to get the others in here and commune,” Sandra told her life mate.

An hour later found the four Symbiote bonded humans in the small conference room on the second deck. They were currently sitting lotus style in a circle and joined hands. The symbiotic masks that were lying against their upper chests moved upwards to cover their faces and a cowl closed over the top and backs of their heads to conceal hair and other features, their hands blended together as the symbiotic nannites merged.

During the commune they would merge with one another’s minds to more quickly go over the information they had.

Sandra found herself still in the glossy white walled conference room, this time the conference table was extruded from the floor with eight comfortable chairs arrayed around it the subdued lighting giving the scene a peaceful feel and the various flickering lights that could be just discerned under the walls gave an occasional flash.

Sandra was wearing a pair of cargo pants, and a t-shirt with flannel over it; her hair in a pair of long braids and her feet in comfortable hiking shoes, Markus was wearing a black and gold mono-film duty suit with his rank and the Theban Cluster Fleet Marine Corps insignia emblazoned on the left breast, Kathleen was wearing a simple green, long sleeved dress and sturdy shoes her red hair held back in a bun, and Isaac wore a mechanics jumpsuit and work boots his black hair sticking up in various directions. The last four occupants of the room the symbiotic Nanno-seed personalities Dekras, Dantalas, Tavaria, and Mokel were rather androgynous and identical looking, but you could still tell that Dekras and Tavaria were female and Dantalas and Mokel were male, the four of them were encased head to chin to fingertip in glossy white Nanno-sheaths.

“So what have we learned from the initial examination of the news footage?” Isaac Asked.

“It’s not actually a Falcra,” Kathleen said pulling an image up over the conference table and zooming into a portion of it.

“What is that?” Markus asked pointing at a round insignia on the left breast of the glossy black clad figure that was frozen in a poise of kicking someone.

“That my friends,” Kathleen said typing some more keys. “Is the crest of the Neo-Prussian Empires Emperor’s Own 1st Black Pariah Regiment,” she told them.

“A pariah,” Sandra said skinning her lips back from her teeth in a grimace.

“Don’t do that dear it’s not very good for your looks,” Kathleen admonished her.

“Well if it’s not a Falcra what should we do about it,” Isaac questioned; he always felt out of his depth; he’d been an air car mechanic before bonding with Mokel.

“You’re right it’s not a Falcra but it is a Pariah out on its own,” Sandra said not even bothering to acknowledge the figure’s sex. “So I say we destroy it, anytime we find one of those bastards on their own they should be destroyed,” she stated.

“I agree,” Markus said.

Isaac reluctantly agreed as well the Black Pariah’s were dangerous if the Nanno-virus that created them mutated back to the Falcra virus and started infecting people entire worlds could fall within a weeks time.

For their part the Sinveck Symbiotes sat quietly and let their human partners make the decision on whether or not to pursue the Black Pariah in the image.

“Any other information we can glean from the image?” Isaac asked.

“Yes,” Kathleen said and another image came up and zoomed in on the shoulder showing a roman numeral fourteen.

“So a relatively high ranking Black Pariah as well,” Markus said with a wolfish grin. “This could be interesting,” he said to the others.

When the commune was done the four symbiotic entities separated and their masks and cowls retreated back to their former positions.

A course was laid in for Caruthers world and the glossy white ship shot up off the surface of Kalabasa III and into hyperspace.

Theban Cluster - Caruthers Sector - Caruthers System - Caruthers World- Caruthers City

Caruthers City - GMA Hospital

Wednesday August 14th, 725 2E - 09:15 CST

Eric floated in the regeneration tank; it would be at least another eight hours before they would let him out of the hospital so he contented himself with reading the book that was coming across the HUD of the goggles they had made him wear to protect his eyes from the Nanno-treatment bath.

“At least I get good health benefits,” he mused quietly into the respirator mask covering his nose and lower face. His eyes and mouth were about the only thing that he was able to move thanks to the Nanno-paralyzing agent that he’d been injected with. He knew it was part of standard procedure for use with the Regen tank but he didn’t like feeling so helpless.

“What the hell did you think you were doing Barstowe,” an angry voice said over the buds that had been placed in his ear canals. The angry voice was soon followed by the angry red face of his immediate superior at Martel Security Services Byron Oliveras.

“Hey Byron,” Eric said brightly although mentally he was cursing; he really didn’t have the energy to put up with this right now.

“You were to stay with and protect the principal,” Byron yelled at him.

“Byron is the principal safe?” Eric asked nonchalantly.

“Yeah she’s safe no thanks to your stupid stunt plus you got three men killed,” Byron growled.

“Those men were doing their job and attempting to eliminate a threat to their principle,” Eric said back just as angrily.

“You should know that a reprimand is being placed in your file and you are being relieved of all duties for the foreseeable future,” Oliveras told him with a gloating tone.

“To bad I really don’t care,” Eric told him laughing.

“What do you mean you don’t care?” Oliveras asked suspiciously.

“Check my file asshole,” Eric told him.

Byron disappeared from the screen and came back a few minutes later. “You quit!” he exclaimed.

“That’s right you no talent, middle management asshole I quit,” Eric told him.

“You won’t get paid for this job if you quit before it’s completed,” Byron told him.

“Actually look at the contract I signed, it states that I get a percentage of the total fee depending on how long I do the job, and get a bonus if I have to drop the assignment due to medical reasons,” Eric informed him evilly.

“You bastard,” Byron said reading over the agreement that Eric had signed.

“Bye-bye, Byron, kiss my ass,” Eric cut off the transmission with a simple eye movement.

Due to the heated nature of the conversation one of the tubes running into his body was flooded with a sedative and he drifted off to sleep soon afterwards.

Theban Cluster - Caruthers Sector - Caruthers System - Caruthers World- Caruthers City

Syntheria Arms Apartment

Wednesday August 14th, 725 2E - 09:30 CST

Once they had returned to the penthouse Holly and Cecilia devoured a normal breakfast and then showered and changed into tights and leotards and Holly lead Cecilia back into the small dance studio.

“Okay, first warm ups, then we’ll practice the first position and move on from there,” Holly ordered.

“Yes teacher,” Cecilia said and started her warm up routine without help from Holly.

“I definitely think you’ve got the first position down,” Holly said approvingly half an hour later. We’ll move onto the second position then.

Holly showed Cecilia second position which was very similar to first save that the feet were approximately one foot apart, after a few minutes she showed her third position which was also very similar to first position save that the heel of the front foot was touching the arch of the back foot. During practice she also showed her fourth and fifth position, fourth consisted of the feet turned out with the front foot about 0.3 meters away from the back and also showed her the open fourth position with the heel of the font foot in line with the heel of the back foot and had her also practice the closed forth position which basically had the heel of the front foot in line with the toes of the rear foot and finally fifth which had the feet turned out as in first position but the toes close to the heels of the other foot which had them crossed over further than in third position.

Holly was very happy with the way Cecilia was moving from position to position and commended her so but had her practice all five positions of the feet for the remainder of the dance training.

After dance training Holly had Cecilia showered again and changed into thermal tops and tights and took her to the ice rink where they spent four hours with Holly teaching her how to move properly on the ice and how not to fall on her ass too hard.

Theban Cluster - Caruthers Sector - Caruthers System - Caruthers World- Caruthers City

Syntheria Arms Apartment

Wednesday August 14th, 725 2E - 15:00 CST

The black padded frame bed slid downwards locking into place as the umbilici retracted and the magnetic seal released Sister 14 from the “Pariah Bed”. Standing up she moved over to a mirror that hung on one of the short walls and examined her shoulder, the wound had completely healed without a trace of it ever being there but it was still sore and would probably take several days before she would have a full range of movement.

“You were lucky Sister 14,” CHCCC-14 informed her. “If he had been able to get a successful swipe in and taken that arm off rather than just puncturing it you would have completely lost it and not been able to regenerate.”

“Luck does not exist; circumstance and statistical analysis showed that it was an even percentage that he would not be able to do more than severely wound rather than maim, or incapacitate,” Sister 14 told the AI emotionlessly.

“Initiate Reversion Process,” she ordered.

Suzie leaned against the mirror in the small room and felt the cool glass press against her face and fingertips. She had a slight fever from the hyperactive nannites and she was starving, she needed to get some calories into her system to help the nannites do their job properly.

Stumbling out of the hidden room Suzie tossed her clothes in the hamper in the closet of the den and pulled on a simple pair of sweats and a comfortable t-shirt, and then walked slowly out into the main living area and directly to the kitchen.

“Good to finally see you up Miss,” Sylvester said warmly as she entered the kitchen and headed for the refrigerator.

“Mrnng, Slvstr,” She mumbled as she started foraging through the refrigerator for sandwich fixings, the first one she gulped down ravenously, the second only slightly slower than that.

“Oh dear, would you like me to fix something to eat Miss,” Sylvester asked as he watched his owner stuff a third sandwich in her mouth.

“Yes, a pound of bacon, a dozen eggs, two dozen pancakes, and whatever else we’ve got in the way of breakfast foods,” Suzie told him around her fourth sandwich.

“Yes Miss,” Sylvester turned to the auto kitchen and typed in the commands for the meal.

“What time is it?” Suzie asked after chugging down an entire gallon of milk.

“It’s 15:17:53 Coronet Standard Time,” Sylvester told her as he hummed to himself while fixing some of her food personally on the stove with the auto-kitchen’s mechanical arms assisting.

“Where are Cecilia, Ned, and Holly at?” Suzie asked around a mouth full of cereal.

“Miss Cecilia and Miss Holly are currently at the ice rink teaching Cecilia how to ice skate, and Master Ned is in his bedroom watching Holo-Vid and playing with his toys,” Sylvester answered.

Sylvester was barely able to carry the dishes of food out to the dining table before Suzie dove head first into the meal and devoured it in only a fraction of the time she would normally have. Finally not feeling like she was starving to death she stood up and went to her master suite to shower and change clothes.

Theban Cluster - Caruthers Sector - Caruthers System - Caruthers World- Caruthers City

Syntheria Arms Apartment

Wednesday August 14th, 725 2E - 16:09 CST

Suzie had just finished changing into a pair of casual slacks and a black short sleeve Nanno-rubber top with a high neck and was sitting on the couch in the living room reading from her E-PADD when Holly and Cecilia returned from the ice rink.

Cecilia’s face was still red cheeked from the cold interior of the rink and she was talking excitedly with Holly about various moves that the woman had taught her that day both in ballet and Ice skating. Most of the ice skating part seemed to consist of her falling down repeatedly though.

“So how did the day go?” Suzie asked still somewhat worn out from her injury.

“Hey it was so awesome,” Cecilia said. “Holly taught me all five positions of ballet,” she demonstrated the positions as she spoke in a rapid fire salvo. “And then we went to the Ice Rink and Holly showed me some basic moves and how to better keep my balance.” Cecilia went on and on about the day she even crowed about how comfortable the dark gold thermal tights she was still wearing were. “I thought they would be all tight and constrictive and maybe even itch but no they are so comfortable, I’ll have to get some more pairs,” Cecilia paused. “If that’s alright with you Aunt Suzie?” She asked sheepishly.

“Sure we’ll get you some more pairs, whatever colors you want them to be,” she told the young girl.

“Thanks Aunt Suzie,” Cecelia smiled and gave her aunt a hug.

Suzie couldn’t say anything for a few seconds. “Why don’t you go change for dinner and check on your brother,” she finally got out after clearing her throat.

“Okay doke,” the girl beamed and pretty much skipped off to the second floor pausing every few feet to drop into one of the ballet positions she had been taught that day.

Holly smiled after her student as she headed up the stairs.

“How’s she doing?” Suzie asked the younger woman.

“Excellent, even though she hasn’t had a single ballet or skating lesson she’s a born natural. We’ll also have to start her on a weight training regime as well to build up the muscles in her arms and I’ll start doing some one on one Grav Disc games with her at the Ice Rink as well as teaching her the rules,” Holly assured the Aunt.

“That’s good, I’ve never seen her excited like this before,” Suzie said also staring after the girl.

“She’s learning some new and interesting stuff that she never had a chance to in the Neo-Prussian Empire,” Holly explained.

“It’s a shame her parents had to die just so she could get out of there,” Suzie said sadly.

“Have you checked for any word from Siemens Academy?” Suzie asked.

“No, I pretty much threw her into exercise and practice as soon as we both got up,” Holly told her.

“Sylvester,” Suzie called to her auto-butler.

“Yes Miss,” the Auto-Butler called from where he was supervising the clean up of Suzie’s meal and the preparation of dinner.

“Has Siemens Academy left any messages?” Suzie asked.

“Yes Miss, they state that Miss Cecilia has been granted entry, but she’ll need some tutoring in the areas of Galactic History and Politics through the first year of school,” Sylvester told her.

“Thank you Sylvester,” Suzie said.

“You are most welcome Miss, they also gave an address as to where Miss Cecilia can get fitted for her uniforms,” Sylvester informed her.

“Download the information to my E-PADD,” Suzie told him.

“Yes Miss,” Sylvester paused. “Information has been added to your main E-PADD,” he informed her.

When Suzie refocused her attention on Holly she saw the young woman smiling. “Oh she’ll just love getting fitted for the school uniform,” She said.

“Oh lord, why is that?” Suzie asked.

“Well let’s just say that the school was started by a traditional Scotsman,” Holly told her cryptically.

“Why do I have a bad feeling about this,” Suzie said shaking her head.

That night Suzie ate dinner with the kids and Holly and then turned in early.

Theban Cluster - Caruthers Sector - Caruthers System - Caruthers World- Caruthers City

Flesh Bender Fetish Club

Augustus Santiago’s Office - Santiago & Lisette

Thursday August 15th, 725 2E - 01:11 CST

“So how is construction of the suckle lounge progressing?” Lisette asked crossing one glowing white leg over the other revealing more of her self through the slits on the sides of her Spider Silk mandarin dress.

“It’s almost complete. Is the CHOATE almost ready?” Santiago inquired.

“Yes the Cognitive Hallucinatory Oral Adaptive Techno-Virus Enzyme is almost complete you’ll just need to tailor it for each one of the performers,” Lisette answered.

“And all I need is a sample of the performers DNA?” Santiago asked.

“Yes simple as can be,” Lisette said with a sexually charged grin as her focus wandered for a second.

“What now?” Santiago questioned abrasively.

“The one you call you’re little black rubber kitty, I want her,” Lisette said huskily.

“Well she is in need of some discipline,” Santiago hemmed.

“Oh I can discipline her quite well,” Lisette grinned. “Can’t I dear Janelle,” Lisette said turning to the low order Mu standing behind her chair.

“Yes Mistress,” the dreamily smiling Mu said. After their shopping spree Lisette had dressed Janelle in a black Nanno-rubber cat suit that had a high neck with sleeves that ended jut below the elbows, and legs that ended just below the knees, black Nanno-rubber slippers with hard soles adorned her feet.

“I’ll let you have her for one night,” Santiago allowed.

“Oh, pooh,” Lisette pouted.

“She is still useful to me even though she needs disciplined and the main reason I want you to do it is so you can infect her with the CHOATE,” Santiago said glaring at her.

“We still need a sample of her DNA,” Lisette told him.

“Will some of her hair do?” Santiago asked pulling a small white envelope from the middle drawer of his desk.

“Oh this will work perfectly,” Lisette said opening the small envelope and seeing the strands of platinum blonde hair held inside.

“Just get the CHOATE synthesized and infect her after that I have some plans to discipline her further although she’ll never remember any of it,” Santiago told the Horseman.

“Certainly,” Lisette said nodding and stood up her Mu plaything/bodyguard following in her wake.

Theban Cluster - Caruthers Sector - Caruthers System - Caruthers World- Caruthers City

Flesh Bender Fetish Club

Parking Garage

Thursday August 15th, 725 2E - 02:30 CST

“Son of a bitch,” Sergeant Enrico Martine cursed under his breath as he saw the two porcelain white skinned women leave in a convertible from the dilapidated parking structure.

“What is it Enrico?” Detective Sergeant Franklin Mullins asked as he finished his pastrami sandwich.

“We were right about Genevieve being compromised,” Martine said plugging the Moly chip from his binoculars into the unmarked unit’s dash computer and hit the playback button.

“Shit,” Franklin said as he watched the convertible with its top down leave the garage. He recognized Lt. Janelle Genevieve even with the porcelain white skin and grin stretched across her face. “What are we going to do?” He asked.

“Nothing, we can’t do a damn thing,” Enrico told him.

“Yeah but they’ve turned her into one of those mindless dolls,” Mullins said waving his hand at the computer screen.

“Yeah they did, but unfortunately there is nothing on the books that says that doing so is strictly illegal and I bet they do the same thing the Tantalans do and print out a nice pretty certificate stating that the person willingly allowed it to happen,” Enrico said with a disgusted tone.

“Dammit,” Mullins said punching the steering wheel.

“Plus if we try to charge her with anything now we’ll never nail Santiago and this mysterious assassin that he employs,” Enrico explained to Mullins.

“Does the Captain really think there is a connection between Santiago and the Assassin that killed those Martel Security guys?” Mullins asked.

“He’s not a hundred percent sure, but it seems that a woman named Katherine Mendez who dresses all in black Nanno-rubber seems to show up before each time someone with any prominence is killed on Caruthers World, and he thinks she may even be responsible for several off planet assassinations as well,” Enrico told his partner.

“I’m surprised that one Martel guy didn’t get chewed up and spat out like the other three,” Mullins commented.

“I hear tell that he’s got some pretty good combat enhancements and that’s how he was able to even detect her in the first place and he did manage to get in a pretty good hit with that Vibro knife he embedded in her shoulder. If she didn’t lose her arm from that injury I’ll be surprised,” Martine said.

“Yeah that had to hurt like a bitch,” Mullins said.

“Whoop, they’re far enough ahead better get behind them before we lose them,” Martine said motioning to the convertible carrying the two Mu.

Mullins pulled the unmarked sedan into traffic and followed the vehicle.

Theban Cluster - Caruthers Sector - Caruthers System - Caruthers World- Caruthers City

Syntheria Arms Apartment

Thursday August 15th, 725 2E - 07:00 CST

Suzie woke up fully recovered and joined Holly and Cecilia in their exercise routine the next morning and even watched as Holly taught Cecilia. That day she taught the girl the proper positioning of arms which the first was having the arms in an oval shape and the fingers almost touching either above the head at the hips or at the level of the navel, and the other was with the arms extended to the sides with the elbows slightly bent. As Holly taught the moves she also explained the background and history of the moves, she also showed her how to combine the two arm positions and the various leg positions in different combinations.

When the two girls went to the Ice Rink Suzie begged off and took a list of the colors Cecilia wanted for her thermal tights and picked them up from Sylph’s and set up an appointment with the school to have a uniform fitting done.

Suzie had just come out of Sylph’s Boutique with a large box holding a dozen pair of thermal tights for Cecilia when her private comm rang. Suzie had really dressed down that day going for comfort over style and was wearing a sweatshirt, jeans, hiking boots and a light leather jacket over it all. Digging into her coat pocket she pulled out the secure scrambled comm and answered it.

“Yes,” She said into the comm.

“It’s Santiago, I need to see you tonight, and I’ll need a full explanation,” He told her a grim look on his face.

“Same time, same place,” She asked.

“Yeah; I’ll see you then my little black rubber kitty,” he said with a wink and then disappeared from the comm screen.

A slight sexual shiver ran down Suzie’s spine. Maybe I do need to get laid; she mentally said and then snorted. “Yeah like getting laid will solve all my problems,” Suzie muttered.

Suzie contemplated the situation that she had gotten herself into after escaping the clutches of Emperor Nathan IV.

While Sister 14 was the one that did the actual murder and mayhem Suzie was still a witness to it and it gave her a thrill and she had to admit it was a down right sexual thrill at that. Since that part of the Black Pariah Nanno-Virus still functioned the way it was supposed to. Rewarding her good job of cold blooded murder with a full body sexual tingle, and she could admit to herself she was totally addicted to it. She wondered if it was a residual part of the brainwashing or if she had always been that way, she remembered the rapist she and her friends had nearly killed when they had only been eight years old.

Suzie pressed her face to the leather padded steering wheel of the Aston Martin and sighed quietly. God was her life fucked up or what, she’d never even been out on a real date, and the dinner dates she had been on were always at Roger Donelgan’s house when his wife Miriam arranged them.

She actually wished she could find someone like Eric Barstowe, strong, confident, able to hold his own in a fight, she thought even Sister 14 would approve even if emotionlessly.

Starting the sports car Suzie climbed into the air lanes and then let the auto-nav system take over as it took her home, she’d have the place all to herself till Holly and Cecilia returned from skate practice. Well almost to herself she could always shut Sylvester down she mused although that still left Chuck but as long as he had a wireless comm connection and access to the GalactaNet he pretty much left her alone most of the time, and little Ned was at an all day pre-school till six.

“What you don’t like my company,” CHCCC-14 said indignantly at that thought.

“No it’s not that Chuck, it’s just sometimes I feel like I can never truly be alone, even if I shut you down for the night or something like that I can feel Sister 14 lurking in the back of my mind analyzing everyone and everything around us,” Suzie tried to explain to the AI.

“Sounds like you are getting a pretty good case of paranoia,” the AI told her. “I think you need a vacation,” he told her.

“Where in the world would I go for vacation, plus the kids start school within the next month and a half,” Suzie said in exasperation at his suggestion.

“Neo-Vegas baby,” CHCCC-14 crowed.

“You just want to go there so you can hit on the slot machines,” Suzie Teased.

“Hey just because I hit on that one slot machine that one time when you had that contract to carry out on Neo-Vegas doesn’t mean I have the slots…, I mean the hots for slot machines,” CHCCC-14 complained.

Theban Cluster - Caruthers Sector - Caruthers System - Caruthers World- Caruthers City

Caruthers City Municipal Ice Rink

Thursday August 15th, 725 2E - 13:39 CST

Holly spent the first two hours with Cecilia getting her skating legs settled in and saw that the girl had greatly improved in all categories and only took a couple of spills but the rest of time she stayed on her feet and most of the time she spent working on basic maneuvers and leg work involved in skating.

“Okay Cecilia there are three basic disciplines in Figure Skating, Singles, Couples, and Ice Dancing which also involves couples,” Holly paused. “Actually there are more disciplines than that but those are the three we are going to concentrate, with singles being first,” Holly explained.

“Yes, Ma’am,” Cecilia said.

“Okay first off we’ll start with some jumps, the first of which are Toe Loops. These take off from the back outside edge of the right foot and are launched by the left toe pick,” Holly explained and then demonstrated doing several in a row.

“Now why don’t you give it a try,” Holly ordered.

Cecilia just nodded with a determined look on her face and tried a toe loop that ended with her butt on the ice and an embarrassed look on her face.

“That’s alright we have six more weeks to get all this down,” Holly said helping the girl up.

“Do you really think I have a chance at playing Grav Disc?” Cecilia asked a dejected look on her face.

“Yeah, especially with me as your teacher,” Holly told her striking a rather hilarious pose that brought a grin to the girl’s face. “I am the greatest ballet and figure skating instructor in the galaxy after all,” she stated imperiously.

Cecilia just looked at her with one blonde eyebrow raised in a skeptical manner.

“Okay, best instructor in the Theban Cluster,” Holly said.

Once again Cecilia just looked at her.

“Best instructor on Caruthers World,” Holly said with a questioning note.

Cecilia broke into a broad grin and giggled.

“Oh I see how it is, maybe I shouldn’t impart my vast wisdom upon one so demeaning of their teacher’s character,” Holly said frostily.

“En…, enough,” Cecilia said gasping for breath as she tried to stifle her outright laughter.

“Kids, no respecting their elders these days,” Holly said and then giggled a bit herself.

The two of them finished up the lesson for the day and headed home, they both changed and Cecilia found the box of thermal tights that her Aunt had gotten for her on the bed.

“Thanks for the tights Aunt Suzie,” Cecilia said hugging her aunt before sitting down at the dinner table.

“So how did skating practice go?” Suzie asked feeling like she was getting into a routine which she kind of liked.

“It was awesome,” and once again the girl talked excitedly about what she had learned that day.

After dinner Suzie told Cecilia that she had another late night meeting to take care of and to watch the children for her.

Theban Cluster - Caruthers Sector - Caruthers System - Caruthers World- Caruthers City

Flesh Bender Fetish Club

Friday August 16th, 725 2E - 00:00 CST

The black Nanno-rubber of Suzie’s catsuit glowed under the parking garage’s lamps as she sashayed and swayed her way to the elevator once again attracting numerous male eyes with her liquid cat like grace, as she passed she heard several slaps to faces as men stared to hard.

Suzie found Santiago holding court in his usual spot on the third floor and crawled into his lap. “Hey Poppy,” she husked out.

“Hello my little black rubber kitty, you’ve been rather naughty of late,” Santiago said rubbing his fingers across the tight black material between her thighs.

For once Suzie didn’t even twinge letting herself go with it and rubbing her gas mask covered face into the crook of his neck and purring like a kitten.

“Meet me in our usual private room,” Santiago told her. “I’ve got to take care of something before I meet you there. Also please turn CHCCC-14 off I have something personal I need to talk to you about,” he told her.

“Sure poppy,” Suzie said crawling out of his lap and heading for the same private room they used each time he gave her an assignment. “Chuck shut down till further notice,” Suzie ordered the AI.

“Roger,” the AI shut himself down.

Suzie typed in her clearance code and the door slid back into its combing. The door reminded her of the hatches she had seen on the few spaceships she had traveled on. Stepping into the room and approaching the sitting group she realized she wasn’t alone as one of the overstuffed black leather rocker/recliners swiveled to face her.

“Hello Katherine,” Lisette said a sexually charged grin of anticipation covering her face. “Or should I call you little black rubber kitty,” she said playfully.

Suzie for her part started backing up to the door she had just exited her eyes never leaving the porcelain skinned woman.

“Oh pooh, don’t run off so soon rubber kitty,” Lisette said pouting and nodded her head.

Something grabbed Suzie from behind and she felt arms like iron bands expertly pin her own behind her back. She tried to twist free but the arms automatically adjusted themselves so she couldn’t escape. Suzie started to bring her leg forward to try and kick the person behind her but soon found herself on the floor lying on top of whoever had pinned her arms and now even her legs. Looking down she saw porcelain white legs wearing knee length black Nanno-rubber leggings, and chunky black Nanno-rubber slippers. The legs had twined around her own from the inside out with the white legs going up and over her thighs and the persons slipper clad feet hooked just behind her ankles.

Janelle, she thought to herself. “What the hell is going on,” She said out loud.

“Just a little disciplinary action my dear Miss Mendez, or can I call you Katherine,” Lisette grinned even more broadly as she walked over and knelt where Janelle was holding Suzie motionless.

“You can’t call me anything you parasitic bitch,” Suzie growled.

“Oh, temper, temper,” Lisette said laughing. “Your Mr. Santiago said I could have you for one night and I intend to enjoy it wholeheartedly, that and he’s devised a way to discipline you for your misdeeds during the attempt on Aurora Morgan,” Lisette explained.

Suzie’s breath caught in her throat. Santiago had told this thing about her contract to kill Morgan, what was he thinking, she thought to herself as real fear for once tinted her thought process. Suzie then thought of what Santiago was, a fetishist in the extreme he would try anything new and used people as tools. Just like poor Janelle, she thought.

“Alright if you can stop playing the part of the evil witch just go ahead and turn me into one of your Mu cows,” Suzie growled. “Get it over and done with.”

“Oh how clever, Mu Cows what an excellent play on words,” Lisette said with an amused chuckle. “No dear you won’t become a Mu he’s only allowed me one short night with you, and he also asked me to give you a bit of a gift called CHOATE,” Lisette said pulling a tube of lipstick from a small clasp purse; running the tube out she applied the lipstick to her lips and then ran her tongue along it and then applied another layer.

“You see the CHOATE is a really interesting thing. It was originally a combat Nanno-drug that was devised by the UNSF to take the place of chemically based combat drugs to make better soldiers,” Lisette explained. “It seems it didn’t work quite the way they wanted it to since each dosage had to be specifically tailored to the user so they shelved it and just a few years ago a Nanno-chemist got his hands on it and sold it to dear Mistress Lust who saw a very good idea when she saw one,” Lisette said grinning.

“Now I’m sure you are asking. “Lisette what is CHOATE and what does it do?” Lisette paused. “Well Katherine I’ll tell you. CHOATE stands for Cognitive Hallucinatory Oral Adaptive Techno-Virus Enzyme. Now as a further explanation the Cognitive part basically means that it invades the cognitive and other brain functions of the person infected with it, the term Hallucinatory basically means that the body thinks it is experiencing a hallucination and generally ignores what happens and locks the memories away so that cognitive portion of the brain is no longer aware of what happened once the person is out of the hallucinatory state, oral basically means how it is administered Lisette poking her tongue out between her lips. As for the adaptive basically if we have a sample of the users DNA we can specifically tailor it to be 100% affective versus that persons systems, of course Techno-Virus is pretty explanatory since it is a technology based Nanno-virus and as for enzyme that’s what the little nannites disguise themselves in the brain as so that they can’t be detected,” Lisette finished explaining.

“The only problem the Nanno-chemist had mixing up this batch of CHOATE though was cracking your DNA helix which has a few odd strands and bobbles attached to it but in the end the challenge wasn’t that much harder than any other,” Lisette told her with a wider grin.

“Now to administer your dose of CHOATE,” She said cheerfully. Leaning down Lisette loosened the straps of Suzie’s gas mask and pulled it off and then pulled the cowl down revealing her platinum blonde hair.

“Oh most delicious I’ve always loved blondes,” Lisette said. “Now pucker up dear it’s time to take your medicine,” the Seven Deadly Sins Horseman leaned down her lips puckering to give Suzie a kiss.

Suzie started to struggle and shake her head back and forth to keep the woman from kissing her but the Mu under her shifted position subtly and was able to bring her hands up on either side of Suzie’s head to hold it in place without giving her an inch of escape space.

Lisette bent over Suzie and gave her a full long kiss with lots of tongue liberally spreading the nannites over the blonde’s lips and running her tongue over the interior of her mouth to spread them even further.

Lisette French kissed Suzie longer than she really needed to but the girl was hers for the evening and she intended to enjoy herself. Finally pulling back from the young woman she saw that her pupils had dilated to the point where only a thin band of blue could be seen.

“Can you hear me Katherine?” Lisette asked.

“Yes,” Suzie said her voice somewhat dreamy sounding.

“Good, now whenever someone says Martine Is Very Green you will listen to whatever orders they give you,” Lisette said.

“Yes,” Suzie replied.

“Yes Mistress,” Lisette said an evil twinkle in her eye.

“Yes Mistress,” Suzie repeated.

“Good, Janelle you can let her go now,” Lisette told the Mu who immediately released the assassin and slithered out from under her too retake the spot she had been in before Suzie entered next to the door.

“Now Katherine darling come over to the couch with me,” Lisette ordered.

Suzie got up from the floor and sat down on the couch next to Lisette who ran a finger down the magnetic seal closing the front of the woman’s cat suit. “Now sweetie, from now on whenever you come into the Flesh Bender you’ll automatically shut down your AI; if he asks why it’s necessary you’ll tell him that Santiago has become paranoid about security in the club and doesn’t want any unauthorized AI’s running in the building,” Lisette ordered running long nails fingers down Suzie’s neck to her nipples. As the fingers trailed down her skin her light tan faded to pale skin and Lisette ran her hand underneath the Nanno-rubber material of the suit to fondle Suzie’s breasts causing the nipples to harden almost instantly.

“Oh dear you really don’t get out much do you,” Lisette said fondling, pinching, and pulling at the nipples as small gasps and moans escaped from Suzie’s mouth. Lisette drew lazy circles around the nipples and then moved downwards toward her naval eliciting more sounds of pleasure.

“Also dear if someone says San Martine is very green, all you’ll remember from the night is what happened before and after your CHOATE is shut off during the rest of the time period the only thing you’ll remember is spending it dancing and draped across Santiago’s lap,” Lisette ordered her.

“Yes Mistress, oooohhhh,” Suzie let out a long gasp as Lisette dove deeper into the Nanno-rubber catsuit; her fingers rubbing gently against the juncture of her thighs.

Lisette rubbed light circles around the juncture and then dipped her fingers inside. “Still not been popped yet,” Lisette questioned with a sexual grin at the tightness of the young woman.

“Oh I almost forgot too dear, Santiago wants you to bring that cute little number Holly Haffenbakker with you. Seems he was quite the fan of hers when she was playing for the Siemens Highlanders,” Lisette said moving a finger slowly up and down.

“Yes Mistress,” Suzie replied moaning in pleasure as the Horseman did what came best.

“Also as punishment for your failure and for showing up on live Holo-Vid you’ll be performing in the Suckle Lounge every Friday and Saturday night from midnight to five A.M.,” Lisette ordered her one hand still playing around as the other slipped into the top of the catsuit and started fondling and pinching her breasts again.

“Yes Mistress,” Suzie was able to get out.

“Oh dear,” Lisette said pulling her hand away to wipe it on a white silk handkerchief. “You really must get around more dear,” she said with a sigh.

Theban Cluster - Caruthers Sector - Caruthers System - Caruthers World- Caruthers City

Flesh Bender Fetish Club

Friday August 16th, 725 2E - 03:00 CST

“Sorry that took so long my little black rubber kitty,” Santiago said as he stepped through the airlock like door.

“No problem I took a bit of a nap and was surfing the GalactaNet while waiting,” Suzie said with a yawn, for some reason she felt really drained.

“Now do you want to explain to me what happened?” Santiago asked sitting down on the couch next to her a thundercloud crossing his face.

“I’m really not sure I was far enough away and using a smart round; plus I had my IRThOp camouflage engaged so there is no way he should have been able to tell where the round had come from or where I was,” Suzie explained.

“Still you screwed up and you were broadcast on galaxy wide television, you’ll be docked seventy-five percent of your fee,” Santiago explained coldly.

Suzie winced, she really didn’t need the money but that was over 250 million credits that would be put in Santiago’s pocket.

“You screwed up,” Santiago reiterated at her expression.

“Yeah I know,” Suzie said quietly.

“I’ll give you another chance though to take out the target,” Santiago told her some of the coldness leaving his face.

“How would I even be able to get anywhere near the target now?” Suzie asked in surprise.

“With this,” Santiago said handing her a gold embossed Moly-chip with some sort of design on it.

“What is it?” She asked.

“An invitation to Aurora Morgan’s party this Sunday; she’s leaving Monday morning and is throwing herself a farewell party. If you don’t finish her off this time you’ll have to follow her and wait till she hits dirt on another planet,” Santiago explained.

“That I definitely don’t want to have to do,” Suzie said with a grimace.

“Then get it done, and don’t fuck it up this time,” Santiago commanded.

“Yes Augustus, I won’t screw up again,” Suzie said meekly.

“Good girl,” Santiago said smiling and moving closer to her on the couch. “By the way good job on the bodyguards, I heard that the head bodyguard that you only injured quit shortly after that,” Santiago told her.

“So he’s not going to be there?” Suzie asked surprised.

“Actually he will be and that will make your job harder,” Santiago said.

“But you just said he quit?” Suzie asked puzzled.

“Yeah but they’re giving him a big fat bonus to guard her at the party,” Santiago explained.

“Alright I’ll take her out at the party then,” Suzie said with resolution.

“Good girl,” Santiago smiled his even bright white teeth a contrast with his mocha colored skin.

“I better get going,” Suzie said. “Cecilia has a uniform fitting tomorrow and I need to have the energy to get that done,” she stated.

“How are your niece and nephew settling in?” Santiago asked.

“Pretty good,” Suzie said getting up off the couch and re-securing her gas mask over her face.

“That’s good; I’ve heard that you hired the former Grav Disc player Holly Haffenbakker to tutor Cecilia?” Santiago inquired.

“Yeah, do you know her?” Suzie asked over her shoulder as she walked to the door.

“Not personally but I watched all the games she played in. She’d probably be a professional Grav Disc player if it wasn’t for that injury she sustained in her senior year,” Santiago explained excitement in his voice.

“You sound a bit of a fan,” Suzie said one hand on the portals control pad.

“A bit,” Santiago said nodding and then reaching into his pocket. “Here give this to Holly,” Santiago said tossing a Moly chip and a pass-card to Suzie who caught them easily.

“What’s this?” Suzie asked looking at the items in her glossy black hand.

“It’s a free membership for Holly, maybe if you bring her with you she can help you mellow out some,” Santiago explained grinning again.

“Oh by the way Suzie Martine Is Very Green,” Santiago used the command words.

Suzie swayed in place near the door her pupils fully dilated behind the black lenses of her mask.

“You won’t have to come back to the club tomorrow night you can start your performance next Friday,” Santiago ordered her.

“Yes Master,” Suzie said acknowledging the order.

Santiago uttered the command phrase again. “Take care my little black rubber kitty,” he said grinning at Suzie as she exited the room.

Theban Cluster - Caruthers Sector - Caruthers System - Caruthers World- Caruthers City

Flesh Bender Fetish Club

Friday August 16th, 725 2E - 05:45 CST

Suzie had lingered at the club for a couple of hours after her meeting with Santiago and watched some of the shows being put on by the performers on the stages of the five levels. Suzie found she was oddly aroused by some of the rather outrageous performances and had even caught herself rubbing fingers between her legs as she sat and watched one especially interesting performance.

Suzie however returned home in the early morning hours and fell into bed and slept most of the morning and afternoon.

Holly and Cecilia did their morning exercise and then moved on to the gym for ballet practice where Holly taught her more moves and the meaning behind them. The two terms that Holly taught her were the À la seconde which meant basically to the side or in the second position; it was a step that moves sideways such as the grand battement a la seconde, and Holly showed her a more advanced move called the pirouette a la seconde. Holly spun with the working leg in second position a la hauteur, she explained it was generally performed by male dancer in ballet but Grav Disc generally didn’t distinguish between the male and female moves.

At the skating rink Holly showed Cecilia how to do flips which the girl took a little while to get a hang of. She showed her how they take off from the back inside edge of the left foot and are launched by the right toe pick and then demonstrated Lutzes once the girl had gotten the hang of flips, the Lutzes as she showed Cecilia took off from the back outside edge of the left foot as well and were also launched by the right toe pick.

Holly cut skating practice short due to the fact that Cecilia was scheduled for a school uniform fitting and they quickly changed out of their skating clothes and into more conservative clothing and ate a quick snack till they would be able to return that evening for a larger dinner.

Theban Cluster - Caruthers Sector - Caruthers System - Caruthers World- Caruthers City

Siemens Academy - Fitting Rooms

Friday August 16th, 725 2E - 17:00 CST - Cecilia

Cecilia made a face at her reflection in the mirror as the two seamstresses did her final uniform fitting.

To say that Siemens was run by traditionalists would have been an understatement.

The uniform Cecilia saw on her reflection was rather formal if nothing else and only made a few concessions to modern clothing designs. She was clad in a calf length tartan kilt like skirt held closed by a large silver pin like brooch at the bottom and a wide leather belt at the top, the shirt she was wearing was white and almost peasant like in it’s design but had a large matching ascot that flowed down over her chest and over that was a short jacket with long sleeves. A scarf like tartan sash ran from her right shoulder to her left hip with an extra length of scarf hanging to the waist over her right shoulder, this was held in place by a silver heraldic pin that had Gaelic designs around the edges and a coat of arms. A Scottish bonnet adorned the top of her head and her two long pony tails were wrapped in leather thongs.

Blocky but comfortable black leather shoes with a chunky heel adorned her feet and under all of that was worn a dark gold mono-film duty suit that was shown on her exposed legs at the cuffs of her shirt and at the neck line.

It seemed that the Marlowe’s had once included a branch of the family that at one time had lived in Scotland and the kilt and sash were the actual tartan of Clan Marlowe and the silver brooch holding the sash in place had Clan Marlowe’s Heraldic device in the center of it.

While the outfit seemed ridiculous to her, Cecilia had to admit it was rather comfortable to wear and was made of the latest breathable materials that kept her from sweating to death.

“There you are lass,” one of the seamstresses said in an actual unblemished Scottish accent as she stepped back and admired her own handiwork.

“Aye, why don’t you go out and show your aunt and Miss Haffenbakker,” the seamstress’s assistant suggested.

“Yes that sounds like an excellent idea, Cecilia go show them,” the seamstress said smiling and opening the door for her.

Out in the waiting room Holly and Suzie had been talking quietly about various things but they stopped as the girl walked into the room resplendent in her school uniform.

Suzie was stunned and barely recognized her niece; the uniform definitely gave an air of regality, and made her look several years older than she actually was.

Holly wasn’t quite as speechless as she got up and clapped the girl on the shoulders. “Wow you look better in your school uniform than I ever did,” She exclaimed.

“Oh, uh, thank you,” Cecilia said not quite sure what to say at the compliment. When she had been in school in the Neo-Prussian Empire she had felt gawky and awkward, and had even been made fun of by the other girls because of her height and somewhat Slavic ancestry.

But now when she saw how her Aunt acted with such cool confidence and the gentle but firm teaching Holly was giving her in Ballet and Ice Skating she felt much less awkward and at times as she performed a ballet move or whipped across the ice rink at light speed she felt herself growing in confidence and self assurance.

“You really think so,” Cecilia said smiling brightly in return to Holly’s own smile and she caught her Aunt giving her a knowing look and smiling reassuringly to her.

“I dare say you do look quite adult in that outfit,” Suzie told her.

“Where did this Tartan come from, it’s not the schools?” Holly asked fingering the sash.

“It seems that there was a Clan Marlowe at one time,” Cecilia said explaining how the school’s computer had done a search on the Marlowe family tree.

“Wow that’s really cool, I only ever had the school’s tartan to wear,” Holly sounded somewhat envious.

“I think the seamstress is ready for you again,” Suzie said nodding her head toward the dressing room door where the seamstress was motioning for the girl to come back.

“But she said we were done with the fitting,” Cecilia said confused.

“For your uniform sweetie,” Holly told her.

Cecilia gave her a confused look.

“You still have to be fitted for your Skinsuit,” Holly explained. “Some of your classes will be held on the Alpha or Delta ring rather than planet side and law requires all passengers to have a Skinsuit when traveling outside and atmosphere,” the young woman told her.

“What’s a Skinsuit?” Cecilia asked.

“You’ll see soon enough,” Holly told her.

“Yes, you’re first fitting for a Skinsuit is always the most interesting as well,” Suzie said with a small grin that was there one second and gone the next.

“That sounds ominous,” She said giving the two older women a scowl.

“Sooner started, sooner over,” Holly quipped.

“Okay,” The girl said suspiciously eyeing them and then heading back into the dressing room.

After the girl had left the two women resumed their conversation about night clubs.

“What’s your favorite color Holly,” Suzie asked.

“Hmm, I’d have to say a really dark gold, maybe a couple of shades darker than the mono-film duty suit Cecilia was wearing under her school uniform,” Holly said after a few seconds.

“Okay,” Suzie said.

“Why do you ask?” Holly wondered.

“Nothing important really just curious,” Suzie said. “So what kind of clubs do you like?” She asked.

“Just about any really but I’ll have to admit I’ve got a bit of a fetish streak…,” Holly stopped what she was saying her eyes popping open wide. “I can’t believe I just said that, you probably think I’m a freak or something now,” Holly said miserably.

“No, not really, if you hadn’t noticed I wear quite a bit of Nanno-rubber even when I’m dressed for business so I’ve got a bit of the fetishist in myself as well,” Suzie said reassuring her. “Actually have you ever heard of a fetish club called the Flesh Bender?” Suzie asked.

“Yeah it’s supposed to be the top rated fetish club on Caruthers World. I’ve always wanted to go there but it’s pretty secretive and from what I’ve heard you need to pretty much be a billionaire or something to get in,” Holly said.

“That’s what I’ve heard. I wonder how Cecilia’s Skinsuit fitting it going?” Suzie said a few seconds before a yelp was heard through the door.

“Sounds like it’s going about as normal as they usually do,” Holly said with a grin.

“Yeah the first fitting is never fun or comfortable,” Suzie said nodding.

“First fitting, I still shudder from my last fitting during my senior year,” Holly said with a shake of her head.

Back in the dressing room Cecilia stood as still as possible as the seamstresses stripped her school uniform from her and started fitting her for her Skinsuit.

“Okay dear, take this into the restroom and get rid of any body hair you have,” the seamstress told the girl who was shivering slightly in just her underclothes.

Cecilia stared at her for a second not understanding. “You want me to what?” She gasped.

“Honey if there are any hairs in the areas that we have to do castings on it can be rather painful when they dry and harden and we remove them,” the assistant told her.

Still looking confused Cecilia entered the fitting room’s small restroom with the Nanno-injector that they had given her. After she had done that they gave her a tube of cream to wipe herself down with to keep her skin moist and from drying out while they did the castings.

After her tasks were done in the bathroom the two women started the fitting process. The two women pulled two rectangular sections from the wall and told Cecilia to stand perfectly still as they closed them over her, inside the sections she could feel the Nanno-gel casting material start to harden and congeal around her body.

“Now sweetie you’ll have to endure this for about three hours while the castings dry,” the seamstress told her.

“Three hours,” Cecilia squeaked.

“Sorry dearie this type of thing takes a while to harden, and it needs to be extremely precise otherwise we would have used a sonic laser grid,” the assistant explained.

“I suppose I’ll have to endure it,” Cecilia said stoically.

“Don’t worry lass we’ll be right here so if you need anything just give us a holler,” the seamstress told the girl.

The next three hours were probably the most uncomfortable that Cecilia had ever spent in her life but she endured with little complaint occasionally asking one of the seamstresses to scratch her nose or bring her something to drink.

Finally the three hours passed and the Nanno-gel had hardened completely and they let her out of the confining structure.

“Okay dearie go ahead and take a shower and use this lotion,” the assistant told her steering her back towards the fitting room’s bathroom.

When she came out of the shower Cecilia found a fluffy gold colored robe and black slippers waiting for her as well as a small meal that the assistant had set on a table inside the fitting room.

“It’ll only be a few more minutes before the machine is done making your Skinsuit sweetie, so relax and eat something I’m sure you’re probably starving by this point,” the seamstress told her.

“Yes ma’am,” Cecilia said and demolished the small meal they had gotten her; she had been hungrier than they thought. By the time she had finished one of the seamstresses opened another panel on the wall and a rack slid out holding a Skinsuit.

The suit itself was a dark gold with black highlights on the legs, arms, chest, and stomach, it had integral gloves, and boots with semi-thick soles on them, the clear bubble type helmet was hanging from its own hook on the rack.

“Okay dear, time to show you how to properly put one of these on,” the seamstress told her and proceeded to explain the functions of the suit and how to properly connect the plumbing.

The first time she put the Skinsuit on by herself it wasn’t without a little pinching and she actually yelped at one point as she too quickly connected the plumbing.

Cecilia moved around the dressing room in her Skinsuit testing her movements. She had the environmental helmet attached and was running a diagnostic on the suit’s systems just as the seamstress had shown her to do. She’d thought that the mono-film duty suit that was part of her school uniform had been tight but the five layers of mono-film that made up her Skinsuit pressed uncomfortably tight against her body. The seamstress had explained that between each layer of the suit were sandwiched layers of heating and cooling elements, water capillaries that recycled her wastes into drinkable form, miniaturized energy cells, and carbon dioxide scrubbers that would help extend her air supply if necessary. The assistant had then explained to her why the suit was so tight; in fact it was so tight that even her toes were being held firmly against the soles of the boots and she couldn’t even wiggle them; the assistant had explained that the suit was so tight so that it could help with the blood flow of the body so that it could be moved properly during zero-gravity and sent a constant low level electrical stimulation throughout the body to cut down on the amount of muscles atrophy zero-gravity would cause on the human body.

All in all Cecilia had to admit that the Skinsuit was pretty cool and it was actually hers. Although she did worry a bit about the amount of money her aunt had been spending on her and Ned over the last week.

After the final tests were run on the suit and the seamstress and her assistant were satisfied by the girl’s ability in the suit they peeled her out of it and put it in a garment bag for her. The packed the suit and her dozen school uniforms into a large trunk to be taken home.

After the uniforms and Skinsuit had been loaded into the rear of the Range Rover one of the seamstresses came over to Suzie. “Miss Marlowe our records indicate that your niece is interested playing Grav Disc,” she said.

“Yes, she is, why is there going to be a particular problem with her trying out for the team?” Suzie asked with a frown.

“No Ma’am, she just needs to have a Nanno-sheath,” the seamstress explained.

“Why would she need a Nanno-sheath?” Suzie asked puzzled.

The Seamstress smiled at the seemingly younger woman. “You must not keep up on the latest hard suit technology?” the woman asked.

“No, not really, I’ve never seen any need to,” Suzie said still puzzled.

“Well the latest generation of military and civilian grade Hardsuits requires the interaction of a Nanno-sheath to operate fully,” the seamstress explained.

“I hadn’t realized that,” Suzie said.

“I can make an appointment with the school’s Nanno-doc if you wish,” the seamstress suggested. “But there is something else as well that I came across in your niece’s medical records when I was checking for anything that might inhibit the use of a Nanno-sheath,” the seamstress hesitated not sure how to approach the subject.

“What is that?” Suzie asked a bit worried.

“Nothing to really worry about Ma’am, it just seems she’s never had the telomere extension treatment. Also if she is going to be able to have it, she’s got a dwindling window before she’ll be unable to,” the seamstress explained.

Suzie cursed inwardly. “I hadn’t’ even thought about that,” She admitted. “I’m so used to the TET being inexpensive enough in the Theban Cluster that even the poorest family is able to have it done,” Suzie paused for a second dreading the question she was about to ask. “How long till the window closes?” She asked.

“Cecilia has six months before she’ll no longer be able to have the telomere enhancement treatment,” the seamstress told her consulting an E-PADD.

“Can you also set an appointment up for that as well?” Suzie asked.

“Certainly I’ll set the Nanno-sheath integration for Tuesday and the TET treatment for Thursday,” the seamstress said typing commands into the E-PADD. “There all set, you’re appointment on Tuesday is for 11:00 hours and the Thursday appointment is for 07:00 hours,” she informed her.

“Thank you,” Suzie said and wondered how she was going to explain the two treatments to Cecilia. She’d enlist Holly’s aid in this little explanation she decided.

After the three women had returned to the apartment Suzie and Holly sat Cecilia down for a discussion.

“Sweetie,” Suzie said. “There are two more things that need to be taken care of next week,” she started to explain carefully, almost hesitating after each word.

“What are they?” Cecilia asked confused at her aunt’s tone.

“Well the first one is they need to bond a Nanno-sheath to you otherwise you won’t be able to operate a hard suit and play grav disc,” Holly told her.

“What’s a Nanno-sheath?” Cecilia asked even more confused.

Suzie seemed at a loss of words on how to explain it so Holly took over again. “A Nanno-sheath is almost like a mono-film duty suit save that it is stored internally in the body,” she said realizing that she was over simplifying things even as she said the sentence.

Cecilia seemed even more confused than before the short explanation.

“I think I know just the person that can explain this to her,” Suzie said. “Chuck I’m going to pretend that you are a friend and call you over the comm and you can explain this to Cecilia,” Suzie internalized.

“Certainly Suzie,” CHCCC-14 replied.

Reaching into the pocket of her lightweight suit jacket Suzie pulled her comm out and keyed in a code and set it on the table stabbing the speakerphone button as she did.

“This is CHC…,” a voice started to say and then there was a cough. “Chuck speaking,” the AI said over the speakerphone.

“Chuck its Suzie I need you to explain Nanno-sheaths to my niece Cecilia, she’s going to be bonded Tuesday and I’m not real sure how to describe them,” Suzie explained to CHCCC-14.

“Certainly Suzie, Hello Cecilia,” CHCCC-14 said.

“Hello Chuck,” Cecilia replied.

“Well where should I start,” CHCCC-14 paused for as second. “A Nanno-sheath is basically a network of nannites also called Nanno-machines that exist on a sub-atomic level to do many things. In the case of a Nanno-sheath it is to provide protective clothing for the user. During the bonding process the recipient is placed in a humaniform table that has a lid and walls all the way around, once the subject is in the cavity the lid is closed and Nanno-metric needles are injected into every pore of the person’s body creating Nanno-machine factories,” the AI explained.

“Wait needles,” Cecilia said panicky as she jerked back from the comm.

“Yes needles but as I said they are Nanno-metric in size and are only large enough to fit into a single pore of your skin. The needles inject Nanno-machines that create the Nanno-factories and during the process the factories are sent into overdrive and they will rapidly cocoon the recipient’s body before the excess nannites die off and are shed. As this is completed the user will be able to move freely and then the technicians will be able to run the proper tests and train the recipient on how to use the various functions of their Nanno-sheath,” the AI finished his explanation.

“Sounds kind of scary,” Cecilia said.

“It’s perfectly harmless,” CHCCC-14 told the twelve year old.

“Don’t worry Cecilia,” Holly told her reassuringly. “The hardest part is when the cocoon fully envelopes you, but that only lasts about five minutes and then the technicians will show you how to use it,” she explained patting the girl’s shoulder.

“Do you have one?” Cecilia asked Holly.

“Sure otherwise I wouldn’t have been able to play Grav Disc,” Holly told her with a smile.

“Can I see it,” Cecilia asked.

“Sure,” Holly stood up and suddenly her body was covered by a metallic dark gold sheath of nannites that covered even her clothing. The only facial features she had were two black bulbous eye shields. “See not so scary,” Holly said her voice echoing slightly as the nannites transferred the vibrations of her speech into the outside atmosphere.

“That is way cool,” Cecilia said.

“Yeah you can also do all sorts of thing. With the basic sheath like mine you can retract the facial covering,” Holly said suiting actions to words as her head was revealed. “And even retract it so that your hands and feet are free of the sheath as well,” she wiggled her fingers and toes at Cecilia.

Cecilia giggled at the motion.

“See nothing much to worry about at all,” Holly told her.

“Thank you Chuck,” Suzie said disconnecting the comm.

“Now there is one other thing that you will have to undergo next week that will cause you some pain I’m afraid,” Suzie told her niece seriously as Holly retracted the Nanno-sheath back into her body.

“I do not like the sound of that,” Cecilia said worriedly.

“Your medical records from the Neo-Prussian Empire show that you have never undergone the telomere enhancement treatment, do you know what that is?” Suzie asked.

“Yeah, it’s procedure that extends a persons life for several centuries,” Cecilia said.

“Yes, approximately six and a half centuries,” Suzie told her. “Unfortunately the TET is done with a retro-virus rather than Nanno-technology, since from what I’ve read they’ve never been able to crack the Nanno-ability to modify the human body’s telomere chains and the fact that some people suffer from NRS or Nanno-rejection syndrome also puts a damper on that research,” Suzie explained.

Cecilia nodded.

“The TET procedure is very painful since the retro-virus basically re-programs your body to slow the break down of telomeres which cause the aging process and slows that deterioration down quite quickly. Symptoms during the procedure can include nausea, headaches, chills, fevers, bone aches, intense itching of the epidermis, as well as several other things,” Suzie told her matter of factly trying her best to instill a sense of respect for the procedure and its many dangers.

“You don’t have to actually go through with it,” Holly said.

“Yes but if I don’t I’ll only live to be about a hundred,” Cecilia said swallowing her fear.

“That’s true, now Holly and I will be right there in the room with you and if you want I can pull Ned out of day care to be with you as well,” Suzie told her.

“No, leave Ned in day care, seeing me in pain would only frighten him,” Cecilia said.

“Sweetie you are so brave,” Suzie said hugging her niece. “I tell you what we’ll go pick out whichever two palettes you want for your Nanno-sheath,” Suzie told her.

“Palettes?” Cecilia asked confused.

“Yeah that’s the really neat thing about Nanno-sheaths if you get the various palettes you can customize it to be whatever color you want, they come in a standard flat black and yours will have the schools dark gold, but you can get glossy colors, metallic, pearlescent shades, even camouflage patterns, as well as matte colors, neon, fluorescent shades, and iridescent colors,” Holly told her excitedly.

“Wow that sounds pretty cool,” Cecilia said as she realized with a pre-teen’s ingenuity that she could do all sorts of things with something as cool as a Nanno-sheath.

That night Cecilia slept long and hard after her mentally and physically exhausting day.