Mandate Of Heaven - An "Of Unity" Narrative

[CBR JGWRR]

Interesting how they repurposed a bit of marriage proceedings into an oath of office. Though given how some governmental roles require being married to the state and/or post, legally, figuratively or in truth, it's not completely out of the left field.

Correctly observed - this is Appia's wedding day, in a fashion. That said, by the time Mandate Of Heaven begins, her perspective has shifted to a mother of the republic rather than a wife of the republic.

We will also have a conventional Unity-style wedding somewhere in these prologue pieces, but I'm undecided on who's it would be.

I sense some foreshadowing...

It’s actually Naomi teasing Appia about how Appia depends on the former Indentured Assets in her governance, and a mild reference to the tradition of the soldiers making jokes and songs of/at their general.

 

[CBR JGWRR]

"Prologue: The Continuing Adventures Of Lartius Gargonius"
2943, 1, 3, a.d. Kalends Ianuarias A.U.C.
Lartius Gargonius
Special Expeditions Office, Brigantia Orbital Ring​

"So let me get this straight. You want me to risk life and limb to fight against a species of monsters, all because there's some part of you who wants to get in the panties of one of said monsters."

She who bats for the other side smiles. "And for the big pile of scrip waiting for my favourite soldier of fortune. Besides, this isn't about her panties, this is to set right the 'handcannons for slaves' trade that has been going on on the Xenaya homeworld." She laughs. "Also, Naomi's husband has a personal cloak." She laughs again. "I don't want to get eaten."

Damn. "Buri has a personal cloaking device?"

She nods. "Thando gave him the one he looted from Gabonarius Research Facility."

I lean back in my chair. "All the same... Why can't they do it?"

She sighs. "I asked Naomi that. She says that she sent Vaki B'Than, Buri's sister, to look after the homeworld. Vaki arrived established her Second as a Warchief on the homeworld, then continued on to help the Lokra-Kitan. Said Warchief was defeated and beheaded when Septima publicised the Ash War Buri declared after a B'Turna tried to rape Rivkah on Unity."

What kind of numnut thinks of raping a seven foot tall beast anyway? "So the alternative is another one of these Ash Wars?"

She nods. "If Naomi and friends turn up in force, then the only outcome is war. Naomi does not want to cause a civil war among her adopted people, and would rather use our economic connection to the B'Turna powerbase to remove their combat superiority and then ensure their economic dominance is shattered by surgical removal of destabilising elements."

I itch my back with my gun. "And when that fails?"

She shrugs. "Failing that, then Naomi demonstrates why she is High Queen. They are a simple people, Xenaya."

I lean back in my chair. "So it's a straightforward regime change black-ops mission?"

She nods. Leans forward. "Yes. Think you can handle it?"

I itch my crotch with the butt of a pistol. "My team will load up immediately."

She smiles. "Good luck, Lartius."

I crack my fingers as the channel closes.

 

[StrategyGameEnthusiast]

You want me to risk life and limb to fight against a species of monsters, all because there's some part of you who wants to get in the panties of one of said monsters."

Besides, this isn't about her panties, this is to set right the 'handcannons for slaves' trade that has been going on on the Xenaya homeworld."

Sending people to kill or injure because you're horny, that can't go wrong whatsoever...

 

[CBR JGWRR]

Sending people to kill or injure because you're horny, that can't go wrong whatsoever...

Lartius is just picking up where he left off the last time we saw him in Life2.0; clan B'Turna have quite a list of reasons why they are targets for a regime change mission.

 

[Macavity116]

Failing that, then Naomi demonstrates why she is High Queen.

Naomi's reputation needs to be checked at the door with the other weapons. It's just as dangerous as she is.

 

[CBR JGWRR]

Naomi's reputation needs to be checked at the door with the other weapons. It's just as dangerous as she is.

But, the Xenaya of the homeworld don't really know that. They just know Vaki's man on the ground is down, and that doesn't reflect well on Naomi.

 

[Chac1]

Interesting. I know nothing of these characters yet. However, you have definitely set up the coming mission and given us some insight into Lartius. He seems like the typically grizzled merc.

 

[CBR JGWRR]

Interesting. I know nothing of these characters yet. However, you have definitely set up the coming mission and given us some insight into Lartius. He seems like the typically grizzled merc.

Lartius first appears in Life2.0 as a down on his luck soldier who is hoping military service will write off his debts. He ends up fighting beside Naomi, Buri, Elizabeth (who we'll also meet again in this sequence of pieces) and Appia. (who had gotten bored of her desk job as fleet admiral and joined the marines in a CQC boarding action fighting under a pseudonym) Appia pays him a bribe to fight properly, and he saves her life from a deranged Praetorian in the following fight.

Lartius has now completed his tour of duty and has used the proceeds to set up a mercenary company, which Appia is now hiring because she trusts him both personally and to get the job done.

By the time Mandate Of Heaven begins, he's done nicely enough to build his own Mercenary Enclave.

 

[CBR JGWRR]

"Prologue: Meeting The High Queen"
2943, 1, 3, a.d. Kalends Ianuarias A.U.C.
Lartius Gargonius
Special Expeditions Office, Brigantia Orbital Ring​

Naomi Of Unity sits in my office. I lean back in my chair. "Appia's asked me to help you out with the B'Turna situation. I want your advice. What I should do. And shouldn't do."

"The first thing you need to remember about Xenaya is that they are ambush predators capable of taking down any other life form on their homeworld. So, the first question they ask themselves when they look at you is whether you are food, or people."

Well... "So they don't eat people?"

She smiles. "They do. But only if they deserve it. You have to keep in mind that the Xenaya of Unity are house-trained. Those on the homeworld are not. They respect natural strength. Using weapons might make someone stronger, but it's seen as dishonourable. If we go in and make it about our guns being better than their handcannons, we can kill them but not defeat them."

I itch my crotch. "But the B'Turnas have done that."

She nods. "Which is the big opportunity; if Olinbari agents descend from the sky, disable the B'Turna's handcannons, disprove Septima's propaganda and encourage revolt without making themselves seem a threat, then the situation will resolve with the lowest amount of loss of life."

"So Olinbari first."

She nods. "You guys deal with the B'Turnas and we have a shot at resolving the situation with only a few duels fought by myself to establish the new order. If I descend with Unity's Xenaya, Septima's propaganda has already poisoned them against us. Meaning that it would be a brief but very violent war."

"And you don't want war."

She sighs. "I don't really want any duels, but these Xenaya don't know me like Unity's Xenaya do..."

"They knew what's her name now... Your sister in law."

"Vaki B'Than bested dozens of Warchiefs in duels to establish her confederacy on the fringes of B'Turna rule, then left to continue the mission of taking the L2NA Freedom to return the other races to their homes. Her Warchief was outmatched when Septima Severus showed Buri Of Unity declaring an Ash War on clan B'Turna and the confederacy of Warchiefs turned on him."

I think of her Warchief. "Were they close?"

She snorts. "Vaki has no husband. Not until we have peace... She doesn't want to go through what happened to Buri's first family. Maybe after this she'll settle down."

I lean on the table. "But first, you need to help me out here. What did you mean when you said the Xenaya of the homeworld weren't house-trained?"

She shifts. "When the Xenaya of Unity first met me, I had nothing but a belt, gun and parazonium taken from my captor."

"I can just imagine that."

She scowls. "You're as bad as Appia. No Lartius, you are dealing with a species who mate purely for reproduction. Keep that in mind - you can't use sexual favours as a tool of manipulation with Xenaya."

I nod. "No honey trap schemes, got it. What else?"

"By the end of the day, I had convinced them that I was worthy as their Warchief of this new world of guns and spaceships. You have to understand they were a broken people on that slaveship Lartius... They had been beaten, sold as slaves, then shackled up on board a starship when they were used to working with bone, rock and hide. They felt lost. And when Buri's father tried to rise up, he was betrayed and MSI put him down. And then I gave them hope again, helped them believe in themselves."

"And then?"

She smiles. "Love came softly for me and Buri, and they made me their High Queen."

I shrug. "Which means... What?"

"That I've loosely civilised them; I've taught them that being the most worthy of leadership is more than just being good at hand to hand fighting, but also about mentality, intellect and love. They have learned much from dealing with the more advanced races on Unity, and they've come to a more communal and xenophile outlook. The Xenaya of the homeworld are not. The harsh desert landscape, little water and little prey make cooperation difficult, and usually forced by the strong upon the weak. They are quarrelsome and distrusting, and they lack hope of a better future - just hope that they'll be on top one day. Threats of violence, especially coming from someone who looks weak and cowardly by hiding behind weapons and armour, will mean very little."

I nod. "Go into battle bare-chested then. But really - no weapons?"

She nods. "The one advantage is that the typical Xenaya who doesn't know what an Olinbari is will accept that you are too weak to fight tooth and claw and allow you your puny sticks. It will suit their prejudice. It's what happens if you encounter Xenaya who do know what an Olinbari is that is harder to predict."

"Worst case?"

Her blade tickles my throat. "They will kill you without a moment of hesitation."

I fight the urge to gulp. "Best case?"

She shrugs. "Hopefully you'll break up the B'Turna regime."

I lean back in my chair. "Naomi. Just spitballing here, but it seems to me like the Xenaya aren't going to be happy with the cloak and dagger stuff."

"They won't be."

"So, just throwing an idea at the wall. What if I do this on their terms. Become a proper Warchief the right way."

Her eyes flash. Then she smiles. Then frowns. "They will kill you. They will respect you for trying, so you won't be eaten, but they will kill you."

I smile. "What if I'm packing enough of Holocron's biological mods to give me the edge?"

She smiles again. "Then as High Queen I want right of recall should I ever need them, but otherwise..." She rises. "I think you should speak with him about that."

 

[Chac1]

You are definitely setting up an interesting encounter here.

Happy New Year to you and looking forward to more of this developing, moving forward.

 

[zeruosi]

In a high Meritocracy scenario, everyone within the Empire passes through the state education system and has their aptitude assessed in all fields at their equivalent of 16, and based on their results are assigned to one of further studies in their suitable field, or entering the workforce. Subsequent training and assessments continue until the candidate arrives in the cohort where their scores are 50th percentile +/- 10%, and at this point they are assigned to an apprenticeship in the suitable field; there are a lot of cohorts to go through because of the Empire's immense population base.

Middling Meritocracy scenarios tend to compromise the egalitarian nature of the system in various ways, most often being candidates getting extra help or favour while other candidates are missed out on through circumstances.

Low Meritocracy scenarios end up with what the Empire is currently undergoing, where the current Emperor is picking his own candidates based on nepotism and favouritism., and high quality Magistrates are ignored because they won't toe the imperial line.

One of the assumptions of the system is that the emperor's understanding of any given situation is finite, and therefore the Meritocracy is intended to ensure high quality candidates fill the posts as a result of systemic inertia; in theory, the Emperor isn't selecting candidates for anything less than the most senior positions, and it doesn't matter because the only candidates the system allows the emperor to select from are all one in a trillion perfect geniuses anyway. But, that hasn't been the case in practice since before the present Emperor - the present Empire is in a low meritocracy and low Mandate situation.


Clash for power yes, but Zhao Qing Lung isn't a part of the Arishkan Galactic Empire; he's a genetically engineered hybrid of his Mandarin Chinese Human mother and Northern Arishkan father with the appearance of a Chinese dragon. He isn't a part of the established hierarchy.

I am glad that people have finally chosen other inspirations among countless space Romans. (A small complaint, there are too many space Romans)

 

[CBR JGWRR]

"Prologue: Lartius Cubed"
2943, 2, 18, a.d. Kalendas Februarias A.U.C.
Lartius Gargonius
New Bulawayo, Unity​

I'm looking at a vat of green liquid and banks of machinery and... Stuff. "And this is... What?"

A Human - or at least, it looks Human - answers. "This is an engenerator. It allows subjectively rapid growth of adult biont bodies, with primary applications being the transferral of AIoid entities into biont bodies, and the whole-body continuation of consciousness while undergoing total biological overhaul for naturally biont life."

"So I fall asleep and wake up able to knock out Praetorians?"

The black man with gold eyes raises an eyebrow. "Partially. You wake in a medical centre where you undergo an external appearance customisation session, and then there are various scenarios to attuned you to the capabilities of your new body."

I shrug. "Look mate, once this is done I've got a bunch of fist fights with Xenaya. Sod the aesthetics, I need to run combat sims."

He smirks. "Our combat training models are referenced against the peak capability of our best Neumanns."

I crack my fingers. "Good." I look at the glorified bathtub. "How long will I be out?"

"Continuing improvements in processes mean our overhauls are down to a matter of days to weeks, depending on the extent of changes and desired transitional stage integration."

I nod like that answered my question.

Look at the bathtub.

I wonder if this will hurt.

Bah, sod it.

I snort. "Turns out this ape does want to live forever."

I jump in.

 

[CBR JGWRR]

I am glad that people have finally chosen other inspirations among countless space Romans. (A small complaint, there are too many space Romans)

To be fair, Life2.0/Mandate Of Heaven/Olinbariad's space romans - the Olinbari - were intended as such by the devs.

For what it's worth, my take is those who live for the ancestors can never exceed them.

 

[CBR JGWRR]

You are definitely setting up an interesting encounter here.

Happy New Year to you and looking forward to more of this developing, moving forward.

Thank you, and happy new year to you too.

 

[CBR JGWRR]

"Prologue: Lartius The Liberator, Part 1"
2943, 3, 15, a.d. Kalendas Martias A.U.C.
Lartius Gargonius
Hyperlane Exit, Xenaya Home System​

"Get up you dopey bastard!"

I roll on the floor.

Damn I shouldn't have drunk that much.

Head spins. "Up!"

I'm looking at five Juno Laroniuses.

Damn, that ain't a bad sight.

She kicks me. "We're under attack. Naylnoids. Move! We've been boarded!"

She leaves.

Rub where her heels dug in as I stand.

Naylnoids.

The worst kind of slug. Still...

I pack both my guns, max settings, jump in my armour.

Out into the corridor crescent for the officers' quarters. Plug my new DNI into the ship.

Bingo. They've boarded through the flight decks.

I shake off the synthohol as I sprint for the turbolift.

It dumps me out in front of slowly crawling slugs, too big to fit through these corridors, they squelch and slither on the floor, the walls. Disgusting. A few clips of ammunition and I solve that little problem. Swing around, climb a tube, repeat on the next turbolift exit. Contain the enemy within walls of their own dead.

My strategy works great, until I get to the eighth turbolift, as they're already using it. And you don't want to come up from beneath these slugs.

Trouble is, the 8th turbolift runs the height of the ship. I put myself on the bridge. "This is Lartius, what the heck is going on?"

Miss pretty in heels answers. "I told you we've been boarded, you dumbass. Fend them off while we hit their raiding party."

I look up. "They've accessed turbolift eight."

"We've already shut it down. Just fight through to the hangar."

She cuts the channel. Just fight through armoured acid spitting slugs. Yeah.

Mind, the underside aren't armoured.

I empty both mags upwards. That gets their attention. Gobfulls of acid start raining.

Duck out, tap the DNI again. The easiest route is vent them to space, but there are quite a few Olinbari who'd be upset if I did that.

Back into the tubes I go. The trick with the slugs is to take out their leadership, and then they turn on each other like... A bunch of backstabbing slugs. Naturally, we have numerous firing positions overlooking the hangar bays that are completely separate to the hangars, just in case stuff like this ever happens.

Crawl through more tubes. One last tube. Nice overlook, nice angle for the shot.

Then I...

Click. Click.

Realise I shouldn't have wasted so much ammo.

Sod it. Throw a fragmentation grenade in instead.

Boom!

Nuts.

That is one angry slug.

That's a lot of acid. Back into the tubes. We keep a mini-armoury with anti-materiel weapons just around the corner...

There we go! Tactical Amat rifle, just what the doctor ordered.

Different tube.

Boom! Headshot!

Nice.

I empty the mag on the rest of them. "Lartius to bridge, hangar four secure."

"They are retreating back to that hangar, Lartius. Teams are positioning for an ambush, wait for signal."

I smile. Crawl back to reload.

Sure enough, more angry slugs.

I'm back in position just as they start fighting to decide the next leader.

Her sarcastic yet alluring voice is back in my ear. "Teams standby, ten seconds."

We wait for the brawl.

There it is. Acid flying, fangs out, green pools on the floor. "All fireteams engage."

The rest doesn't take long.

But when the smoke clears and we sort out the wreckage, it all raises a question. What the heck are Naylnoids doing here?

 

[CBR JGWRR]

"Prologue: Lartius The Liberator, Part 2"
2943, 3, 15, a.d. Kalendas Martias A.U.C.
Lartius Gargonius
Hyperlane Exit, Xenaya Home System​

I get back to the bridge. "Where did they come from?"

Miss heels has taken command, and is running from station to station. Two slugs got loose up here, but she's killed them. She glares at me. "Get to the tactical console and shoot them!"

I grab the chair.

Five Naylnoid corvettes and I have an itchy trigger finger. Perfect. I plug my DNI into the console. In moments, I am the weapons.

Heels looks at me, then rolls her eyes. "For... Why didn't..."

She takes the Captain's chair.

Wow.

When did she go to New Bulawayo?

I make a note to ask her later.

Hit the corvette that's rolling left, they're leaking plasma.

I load up the forward Autocannons. Got 'im.

That one is making a run for it.

Boom! He ain't running now.

Watch the missiles!

Tap the point defence lasers. On it.

The others go to emergency FTL. We unplug.

I look at her. "When did you go to New Bulawayo?"

She smiles. "Tryykad and Rivkah gave glowing recommendations for me."

Naomi. "She has you as her plan B."

She smiles wider. "Naturally. She's a genius Lartius. Did you really think she wouldn't have contingency plans?"

I walk over to review the sensor information. "Well, we need to figure out what Naylnoids are doing here."

She joins me. "Look for cloaked ships."

I scowl. "The slugs have better cloaks than us."

"Yeah, but there's ways. We're on the edge of the star system, we should deploy sensor probes and compare the data with more eyes. No cloak is perfect."

I start launching probes. She puts in a transfer to the Xenaya homeworld.

I lean over her shoulder. "What is their world called anyway?"

She moves away. "Lartius. I've been in your head now, and I am not a Companionship Asset. Stop trying to get with me, focus on the mission."

I start reviewing the incoming data. "There's an anomalous reading, low orbit around the star."

She brings it up. "Consistent with an outpost."

"Nothing around the Xenayan homeworld."

"No, there is a construction ship. See?"

"Does that imply they are here for Xenaya?"

She scowls. Moves to the helm.

Inertial dampers quietly whine as she pushes the engines to maximum throttle. Then she takes the conn. "Acting Captain Juno Laronius to all. Naylnoids have killed the bridge crew, and as the highest ranking naval officer aboard I am taking command of the ship to continue our mission. They have a construction ship in orbit of the Xenayan homeworld, and we are going to stop it."

 

[CBR JGWRR]

"Prologue: Juno"
2943, 3, 15, a.d. Kalendas Martias A.U.C.
Lartius Gargonius
Hyperlane Exit, Xenaya Home System​

Miss heels takes me to the officers mess once the shift ends. Tavern more like, with the lights broke.

I mean that, it's like a dungeon in here.

Still, it's quiet. A few officers eating in silence. Heels leads me to a table. I pull out her chair. Navy types can be particular about that.

A enlistedman brings us a menu and some candles.

I lean back. "Wot you fancy?"

She raises an eyebrow. "I'm thinking of trying something a bit different."

She fiddles with her menu. I look at the waiter. "Mixed grill here, please."

She looks up. "So will I, actually."

The waiter whisks the menus with a flourish. "Two mixed grills coming up."

"And two synthohols, please."

We just about hear him say sure.

Heels fiddles with her ear. Breathes out deeply. "Today was crazy."

"And painful."

She smirks. "I didn't mean to kick you that hard."

I shrug. "Well, it hurt."

"I was stressed. We got jumped as we left the hyperlane... I thought you'd be up. But you weren't."

I smile. "I was snug as a bug in a rug. Officers have it good, as a grunt I used to get a sleeping bag."

She looks at the table. "I'm sorry."

I offer my hand. "I forgive you."

She smiles. "Thank you."

We sit there contemplatively for a while.

Food comes.

Food goes.

We go to leave. Give her a brief bow. "See you around, Juno."

She takes my hand. "Would you escort me to my quarters?"

Is that protocol for a ship's captain? I don't know. Maybe. "Sure can."

Turns out the Captain's quarters she's been moved into are on the same crescent as mine. That's convenient. I lean against the wall. "Guess I'll see you tomorrow?"

The door opens for her. She beckons me in.

This definitely isn't protocol.

Still...

I follow her.

She reclines. Hands wrapped around her left knee as it rests on her right.

I sit beside her. "Juno."

She smiles. "Lartius."

I look at her. "I'm confused."

"Naomi told me to watch over you."

I nod. "I figured that out."

"She wants me to make sure we get this done right." Smoothes out her dress. "I don't want to be watching you quite the way she asked though."

I shrug. "Fate of her people resting on a mercenary. It's understandable."

"Point is..." She shakes off the synthohol. "I was thinking that we could do this together."

I shrug. "Well, you're ship's captain now, and I'm still the captain of the marines. We are doing it together."

She stands. I look down, redo my the lace of my boot while I have a minute.

"Other kind of together."

My old pa once sat me on his knee and told me there's funny thing with special relativity.

Space.

Time.

There are moments when you realise, they aren't immutable. Not even at the extremes of mass and speed.

When you feel space and time compress.

And collapse.

You feel it coming, he said.

That moment when the future and past are as one in being nothing any more.

When the seemingly infinite universe becomes... Just one room.

When all that matters is just one moment, just one point in space and time.

Miss heels... She is that moment.

She beckons me to her. Kicks off her heels.

I gently take hold of her, breathe lightly down her neck as she pulls me close.

Close enough I feel her heartbeat.

Her voice is music in my ear. "Lartius."

My throat is so hoarse. "Yes?"

She trembles in my arms. Feel her chest rise against mine. "I am your goddess."

"Yes."

I mean... I...

How could I say anything else?

She presses on my shoulders, and I fall to my knees before Her. She bites Her lip. "Worship me."

 

[CBR JGWRR]

"Prologue: Lartius"
2943, 3, 15, a.d. Kalendas Martias A.U.C.
Juno Laronius
Hyperlane Exit, Xenaya Home System​

"Naomi, we've arrived in the home system, and we've encountered Naylnoid resistance."

"The slugs?"

"Yep. The slugs. We're now proceeding at full thrust to the Xenaya homeworld, and it's likely we'll need reinforcements. I know you were planning to arrive after we were done, but... It seems to me that you could save the Xenaya from the slugs."

"Starting a war with the slugs?"

I shrug. "The Naylnoids... They're always at war. And these are from a breakaway hive anyway. No diplomatic incidents if they are dealt with."

"So is Lartius proceeding as planned, or is he waiting for me?"

"Proceeding as planned, but ready to adjust to a recon role if needed."

"We'll be there as soon as we can."

I fidget. "Um... Naomi. About Lartius."

She looks at me. "What about him?"

"I... I've just slept with him. And I have so many questions about it."

She shudders. "If he's as bad with you as he was when he had me at the docks..."

"That's what I want to discuss. I don't understand, but I feel so attracted to him, and... He is different since he got upgraded. When we... We did it in my quarters. I..."

"Juno, you're talking to someone who spent a decade and a half as a sex toy for Olinbari men and women. I know how it goes. Did he put it in before he even had you on the bed?"

"That's just it. When I got him back to my quarters, I felt... I wanted to be worshipped by him. And when he saw me without my dress... He was mine. I even found myself telling him that I was his goddess."

She stifles a snigger. "Yeah, my Buri saw me as a goddess too."

"Naomi, I told him to worship me. And he did... And he is sleeping now in my bed just across the room and... I hear his thoughts."

Her face makes a series of the strangest expressions. Then she sighs. "Oh. Girl, you've been... Well, The Holocron has been working with Sophia Dexcius. And she's the most extreme feminist Olinbari I know. I think you were set up. I'm sorry."

I laugh. "Don't be, gods he worshipped me Naomi!" I take a breath. "I don't understand, that's all."

She spins her chair left to right. "Well, he's used you as test subjects. Sophia and him were working on a project to correct the below replacement rate population growth by teaching Olinbari men to be better husbands and lovers. And... Well, he's modified you two. I'm sorry, I'll talk to him about it."

I smile eat to ear. "So what you are telling me that last night was not a dreamlike fluke, but he'll be like that for the rest of our lives?"

She nods. "Yeah, but that's not the point, he can't just modify couples who aren't even together..."

"Naomi, please... Don't stop him. Insane and unethical it may be, but it works. And well... Maybe it's what we Olinbari need. Something drastic." I think about last night. "Please. It works, I can't even feel mad about it because I've never felt like this."

She sighs. "You have the capability to correct this if you want to. I can guide you."

I look at my lover as he sleeps. "I don't want to. Before you claim it's under duress... I choose this. And I know he chooses me."

She softens. "I understand Juno. But he really should not have done this. I will talk to him, and Sophia." She frowns. "Especially Sophia."

She closes the channel.

I listen to Lartius snore.

Just...

Is it a modification that I can sit here and just listen to him like I'm playing music?

And is that really an issue?

I know we need to talk about it.

But there is a part of me that just wants to keep this as it is...

I gently wake him. He smiles. "Hey Heels." His face changes. "What's wrong?"

"I've just talked to Naomi, about us last night. She thinks The Holocron has modified us to make us fall in love... That I'm your goddess because he tweaked you to see me that way."

He shrugs. "Slag philosophy. Makes my head hurt thinking about stuff like that. I love you, Heels. That's all that matters about this to me." He smiles. "Want to be worshipped?"

"Biologically, yes. Mentally and emotionally no... I understand you don't want to think about it, but Naomi is right. We've been modified to want to be together without our consent."

He shrugs. "No different to an arranged marriage." He snorts. "Heck, I'd sooner trust The Holocron than my parents to figure that out."

I look at him. Take his hand. "Is that you, or the modifications?"

He pauses. "Both, I guess." He sighs. "Maybe he thinks he can use that aspect of our society, I don't know." He shrugs. "I thought I only went in for combat upgrades."

I wrap the cover around me. "Lartius... Way I see it, we could call last night a one night stand. Or we can..."

"It could be a beginning for us."

"My body wants that, so much. I just don't know what I want, how I feel..."

He sits. "Maybe that's how I'm programmed now. Moment a beautiful Olinbari lady takes off her clothes in front of me... Then I'm hers."

I stand and take my nightgown off. "How are you feeling now?"

He drinks me in. "Ready to worship you."

I rub my hands together, fret a little. "I want to be hugged and reassured... I want to be told this is fine, I want to just embrace what I know will be wonderful, but how do I know what's me now?"

He looks at me. "Juno... Heels." He laughs. "All I know is that I want that you are happy, that you get what you want. I would love to worship you again, I suppose that's the modification coming through-"

I giggle. "Naomi said that you tried to enter her before you even had her on the bed."

He looks down. He slumps. "Yeah... Man, I feel terrible for how I treated the Companionship Assets now. Each of them was a woman who deserves what I want to give to you... And I... Was a monster."

I scowl. "That is so not the Lartius I know."

He sits still. "Yeah. I've changed. And somehow, this... I don't want to re-evaluate the change."

I sit with him. Take his hand. "Lartius, I want us to treat last night as a wonderful one night stand. One I will be happy to repeat for the rest of my life, for sure. But we can't begin a relationship until Naomi arrives. She and Buri have already worked through all this, and..." I sigh. "I need help."

"They can help us."

"Exactly!" I laugh. "If nothing else, I can't be with you until we get this subservient side of you removed..."

He takes my hand. "Heels... I understand that this is exactly what you are talking about, but may I ask if you are rejecting me? I feel this compulsion to check."

Definitely the modifications. "I'm not rejecting you. Only asking if we could delay for just..." I shake my head. "Gods, hearing you talk like that makes me so confused, it makes me feel like I've been flung into a parallel universe when you talk like that. I want us to go to New Bulawayo together, go through the vats together, like Naomi and Buri did. Get this all sorted out." I smile.

He smiles. Then gets up, and puts his clothes on. "But for now, professional."

"Yeah. Professional for now. Until the mission is over, and we can work through these teething issues." I giggle. Just with added connection.

He nods. Then walks out of my door.

I sit back down at my desk, mull it over. "Mrs Juno Gargonius..."

I send Naomi a message.

 

[StrategyGameEnthusiast]

"The first thing you need to remember about Xenaya is that they are ambush predators capable of taking down any other life form on their homeworld. So, the first question they ask themselves when they look at you is whether you are food, or people."

Well... "So they don't eat people?"

She smiles. "They do. But only if they deserve it.

Charming...

 

[Mithrill]

"I've just talked to Naomi, about us last night. She thinks The Holocron has modified us to make us fall in love... That I'm your goddess because he tweaked you to see me that way."

He shrugs. "Slag philosophy. Makes my head hurt thinking about stuff like that. I love you, Heels. That's all that matters about this to me." He smiles. "Want to be worshipped?"

"Biologically, yes. Mentally and emotionally no... I understand you don't want to think about it, but Naomi is right. We've been modified to want to be together without our consent."

He shrugs. "No different to an arranged marriage." He snorts. "Heck, I'd sooner trust The Holocron than my parents to figure that out."

I look at him. Take his hand. "Is that you, or the modifications?"

He pauses. "Both, I guess."

Well, that's... gross? Icky? Very slippery situation? Can't exactly name what I think of it other than unease.

Also, this is why illusionists are so dangerous. From the moment you enter an illusion, you can never be completely sure of anything.