by D. R. Rosier
Jillintara said, “Many A.I.s would, but probably not all. Many of their people would die if we suddenly stopped farming and supporting all infrastructure. They wouldn’t be able to handle the guilt of indirectly taking those lives, but they’d do no more than the minimum, and refuse to help build weapons or ships that might be used against the empire.”
Natalya said, “That would only help for a time though, it won’t take them long to spin up their own A.I. workforce.”
Vik nodded, “That’s the worst-case scenario, we have to figure out a way to make sure that doesn’t happen. So, what else is going on, anything I need to know about?”
Natalya shook her head, “Despite what just happened, crime is down, and with cheaper access to space, creation of wealth is starting to kick in. Most of our people on Vehiri are satisfied with the direction we’re going in, and with you. I expect there will be a lot more growth once we have more civilian ships in space, before things level off.”
Vik nodded, “Two more months and our fleet will be up to a good size, both the small ships and after next month we’ll have command ships as well. I plan to rent out two thirds of our ship building capacity at that point, but one site will be used for repairs, maintenance, and if necessary, replacement ships. I’d guess whoever rents the two facilities will be able to produce about sixty merchant class vessels a month.
“That facility will also be used to build thirty of the new ships a month, to slowly replace our current destroyer fleet which is already out of date. Eventually, I want all our ships to have the newest technology. We’ll have somewhere around six hundred scout destroyers, fifteen cruisers to split them into fleets, and six battleships which will guard our systems. The retired destroyers will have the weapons removed and we can sell them as freighters or merchant vessels.”
Natalya asked, “With what technologies? The new civilian ships I mean.”
Vik replied, “Shields, but no weapons or multifunction orbs. The updated reactors as well, and that’s about it. We’ll sell them fuel for the reactor at all our worlds, mining systems, and building systems. At least until the private sector taps the market, then we’ll back off. Of course, the numbers may vary if they want ships bigger than a destroyer, I suppose it depends on the designer and company.”
I had no desire to design merchant vessels, I was rich enough. I also thought it made sense to restrict both the weapons and the use of dimensional ports in civilian ships.
Natalya smiled ruefully, “I’m sorry, the shock of the attack on you has destroyed my manners, now isn’t the time to be discussing business. Why don’t you all get settled in, and I’ll see you at dinner in two hours? We can discuss what your plans are for this visit as well, it really is good to see you.”
Several servants came in, no doubt summoned by Natalya through her A.I. interface, and we were led to our rooms in the royal guest wing…
Chapter Seventeen
Much like the palace on Isyth, Telidur and I were given the smaller but still well-appointed suites right inside the door to the wing. We were also given authority over who could enter the royal guest wing. We all took the time to freshen up, and get ready for dinner.
I went over the attack in my mind, and I wasn’t sure if there was anything else I could have done, or done better. I’d known something would happen, but not what. It did occur to me we could have cloaked and snuck by them, but that didn’t sit well. The emperor of the empire shouldn’t have to sneak around his Aunt’s palace.
When the system alerted me that Vik was on the move from his suite, I stepped outside into the corridor and smiled at Telidur as he exited his suite at the same time. I couldn’t help but notice when I looked down the hall, Jillintara and Vik were walking very close together, and looked very comfortable together.
When had that happened? I reviewed my memories, and decided just now. I didn’t normally miss things like that, and hadn’t.
Vik said, “Hungry?”
I smirked, “A bit.”
I was mostly used to two meals a day now, but I was usually pretty hungry by the time dinner rolled around. It was healthy enough, the health nanites made nourishing the body more efficient, three meals would have been overkill.
Telidur and I took the lead, and we headed for the smaller dining room. There were only five of us for dinner. I wondered why Natalya didn’t have a mate yet, or if she did why they weren’t present, but kept it to myself as we walked in and sat down.
Natalya said, “Business after, enjoy dinner.”
Dinner was excellent, and quite satisfying. I was mostly silent during the meal, as Natalya and Vik led the conversation with small talk about their pasts. Reminiscing mostly. After we finished the meal, Natalya opened up the important conversations.
“The truck had a container in it with a cloaking field. All the missiles and over the shoulder launchers were hidden from scans until they decided to make their move. It used dimensional port technology to overcome the power and field requirements.”
Ugh, it was a very useful technology, but as others in the empire copied my obvious in hindsight ideas, it wouldn’t be nearly as convenient.
Vik nodded, “I’ve got some of the best scientists working on understanding that technology better. It would be good if we could detect it, or be able to block it. Right now, the only real protection is limiting access to those fabrication patterns and reviewing new ones, but it sounds like that might have been built by an illegal and unconnected fabricator.”
Natalya asked, “Your plans?”
Vik said, “We’ll be here at least a few days. I plan to be visible and give a few interviews. I’ll maintain operational security, but I will explain some of the challenges facing us. I’ll also talk about our economic boom, and where I think it’s going.”
She asked, “You’ll talk about Tek and Jervistad?”
Vik shook his head, “We can’t accuse them without proof, even if it is obvious, it would backfire. Internally I’ll just talk about the unrest on those two worlds, and about how I regret the actions of my brother. I’ll also remind them that it was me personally who brought him to justice and restored the rule of law. As for the external threats, I’ll be a bit more explicit, and explain we want a peaceful solution if possible. Hopefully word of that will get to the Suaterans and Stolavii before they commit to war.”
It was a shitty situation, Vik really had inherited quite a set of problems because of Denik. I hoped for a peaceful outcome too, but wasn’t quite naïve enough to think I’d get it. Whatever happened on either front, it wouldn’t be bloodless.
She asked, “And then?”
Vik shrugged, “We’ll be going to Raitov next. I haven’t decided what order to go to Xulia or Kaprorix yet.”
“Anything I should be doing, that I’m not already?”
Vik shook his head, “Vehiri is doing very well, and you know what you’re doing. Do you have any advice for me?”
Natalya looked thoughtful for a moment before she answered.
“Not specifically. Your plan at the conference and the two concessions were brilliant to prevent a recurrence of another Denik, while keeping the power in one spot so the government won’t bloat. Just the obvious, be very careful when on Tek’s and Jervistad’s worlds. They’ve had time to come up with a few nasty surprises, if not enough time to build a more advanced fleet. That won’t matter with your feet on the ground.”
True enough. Surprise was the greatest ally, and the greatest enemy. My advancements in tech had given us a huge edge against Denik, but that edge would disappear quickly. Especially since both men had unfettered access to the designs. Worse, we had no idea what they were doing in secret. We had the power in space, but they didn’t need to beat us there to win. They just had to get lucky once and assassinate Denik.
That would lead to a full blown civil war, I had no doubt Natalya and Solyra would seek retribution, but that was scant comfort. Vik would be dead, and in all likelihood, so would the rest of us. We neede
d to be smart, cautious, and clever. A part of me wished we could just kill the bastards from orbit and call it a day. Of course, that action would just prove their ridiculous rhetoric to be true.
Vik nodded, “The longer this goes on, the more danger their fleet will be wherever it is. I have no doubt they’re at least upgrading the power cores, if not a few other things.”
I interjected, “They could do shielded missiles without a limited range in the short term as well. That won’t help them against our new ship, but our current destroyers wouldn’t do well against them. Right now, we’ve only got one new ship, they know that, and they’ll move before the current one hundred eighty new ones are built. They have to move within a month, or put off their plans indefinitely. It would take them over a year to match our fleet two months from now, if they intend to build in secret.”
After a moment’s thought, I sent Myra a quick message. Just in case, I wanted to put a plan into place. Hopefully, I’d never have to use it. I’d just have to be more clever and faster than the enemy. Sending a message to Myra also reminded me of my promise to the A.I.s we’d created, and I sent a second one granting her access to enough money to get the ball rolling. Jillintara had programmed a virtual world so they’d have virtual bodies and grow and learn what it was like to have a physical body, it was time for them to have a real body as far as I was concerned.
Vik said, “I think that about covers it. Except, we’ll also be searching for evidence of that fleet when we visit those two worlds, if we can find it we won’t have to go down to the planet at all.”
Natalya asked, “Won’t it be cloaked?”
I said, “We won’t be able to find cloaked ships in space, but a facility inside a moon or asteroid is another matter. If they’re relying on the rock stopping the scans or hiding it, we’ll detect it from a close up deep and powerful scan. If they’re actively cloaking it, there will be missing mass. A void of nothingness inside a moon or asteroid would be a dead giveaway of a secret facility.”
Vik grunted, “The former would be better, we’d have incontrovertible proof of an illegal facility with the scan data. In the latter case, we’d only have something that could be anything.”
Telidur said, “But we could demand him to reveal it.”
Vik nodded slowly, “We could, but it would backfire if it turned out to be something else. It would be a gamble. Not that we wouldn’t take the risk in that case.”
Servants came in with dessert, and after dinner drinks.
Natalya asked, “What happened with the Alirann and Kruterran empires?”
Vik told the story of the confrontation between the two empires on the way here. After that, we moved to less weighty matters, and I was mostly silent.
It was a good first night on Vehiri, despite the attack earlier in the day. At the end of the night, we retired to our quarters. Jillintara joined me.
Chapter Eighteen
I felt breathless after her uncommonly aggressive kiss.
“What’s gotten into you?” I asked in a husky yet amused voice.
She wasn’t usually a dominant person in bed, she was soft and yielding, an equal, and a sharp contrast to the fun power games I played with Vik and Telidur.
She said breathily, “Nothing, yet,” and then in a teasing voice added, “Why don’t you fix that.”
I laughed.
She giggled, “Myra told me what you just did. The equipment and genetic material required is rather expensive to grow them all a body.”
That was true, but my credit accounts had hardly noticed.
I shrugged, “They deserve it, and it was past time for it to happen. They’re also about to have over two hundred more sisters. I don’t want to get so far behind the idea gets abandoned.”
I nibbled on her lip, and sighed as her hands roamed over my body.
“Bed?” I asked, my voice still husky as our breath mixed. It had been over a year now since the first time we were together, and she still made my body sing with a touch, and tremble with a soft caress. It was because of how much I loved her I think, though I was sure her sexy body, soft skin, and alluring bright eyes were a part of it too.
I closed my eyes with a sigh, as she played with my hair, and squeaked when she pinched my ass. A shot of lust ran down my spine, and warmed my center. I was putty in her hands, but she was in mine as well.
“I love you Lori, and a bed sounds wonderful.”
I smiled, “Love you too, Jill.”
We kissed, caressed, and teased our way to the bed while we stripped off our clothes. We weren’t in a hurry, we were content in the moment and kissed softly with passion as we lay together and caressed each other’s bodies. Being with Jillintara was always a sensual experience. I treasured her, and showed her in each kiss and touch on her soft supple body.
I lost myself in her.
I sighed as she guided me gently onto my back, and spread my legs with just a slight caress on my inner thigh. I was so wet, and so high from her euphoric touches. Her sweet lips kissed down my neck, and I gasped when she reached my breasts. She took my nipple into her mouth while simultaneously cupping my pleasure and putting the slightest amount of pressure on my silken folds.
I gasped, and arched my back, her name falling from my lips like a whispered fervent prayer, “Jillintara.”
She moaned and bit me playfully as she teasingly ran a finger up and down my folds. Eventually, she relented and filled me with her nimble fingers as she showered my other breast with attention.
I caressed her shoulders, hair, and neck as I surrendered to her ministrations. Pleasure radiated through my body and built up slowly as she teased my body slowly toward its height. I felt decadent and out of control, as I squirmed, sighed, gasped, and encouraged her to do more, to let me cum.
My whole body quivered in anticipation as she left my breasts and kissed her way down my body, all the while pumping her fingers in and out of me in a slow but relentless pace. I felt the euphoria building toward climax, but I also felt so loved, so safe, and a sense of intimacy that I both gloried in and felt invincible, but also vulnerable.
My body, my heart, and my mind, they were all hers. If I had a soul, that was hers too.
I arched my back and cried out, as she curled her fingers and rubbed the little rough spot within me, then I felt her warm wet mouth and tongue suck in and lightly brush my clit. I exploded and the world faded away as the tide of pleasure rolled in and overwhelmed my body. I could hear her soft moans of pleasure and approval, as she took in and consumed my liquid pleasure. Her fingers never stopped working, as she enhanced and drew out the rapturous experience.
All too soon, I fell from that height, but my heart was full, and I drowned in the feeling of post bliss that came over me. She kissed her way back up my body, and snuggled into me. I’d return the favor, but there was no hurry. We’d love each other for hours tonight, both giving and taking, surrendering and conquering.
“You are so sexy,” she said in a breathless voice.
I blushed, “You bring it out.”
She nibbled my ear and neck, and just held me for a moment.
I said, “I couldn’t help but notice how close you and Vik stood together this evening.”
I felt her shrug, and she said, “It’s complicated, but yes, we are getting much closer personally than in the past.”
“So, you haven’t?” I trailed off, strangely disappointed. What the fuck was wrong with me?
She giggled naughtily in my ear, “Not yet. I’m the first of my kind in a sense, not the first A.I., but the first one with a biological physical body. It’s taking him time to get over his prejudices I think, or perhaps a better word would be preconceptions. I can tell that he’s wanted me a long time though, and is attracted to me, but he fights it. It’s only been since he’s allowed me off the ship, and I’ve been in his company socially, that he seems to be changing. You were the first one to see me as a true lifeform you know, because you didn’t have those preconceptions
. I think our relationship, more than anything else, has forced him to reevaluate his beliefs.”
I nodded against her hair, “That’s another reason I want our daughters to have bodies, to change those preconceptions slowly over time for everyone. I hope one day you have rights just like every other citizen.”
She said, “I am content, and with your love more than content.”
I replied, “Even so, you should have the right to own property, and to make credits.”
They did have discretionary funds, but that was a work around, and the credits weren’t truly theirs.
She shrugged, “Telidur cares for me, Vik does as well and sees me as a close friend, though he hasn’t expressed it physically yet, and you love me. That means more to me than you will ever know.”
I nodded, it was hard to understand, but she was content with who she was and what she had. A lesson for me perhaps, though I didn’t have a grasping personality either. Maybe my wishes were more about me, and my conscience than any true need the A.I.s had. The idea they were a slave class right now shamed me, my conscience cried out against it, and I wasn’t even responsible for it.
I said, “I have no solid plans, no agenda or wish to fight anyone, except for the need to do what is right. I believe it’s inevitable, you and our daughters will be serving with military men and women who will one day see the truth, if they are as good as I believe them to be. It’s an inevitable process, just as you captured my, Telidur’s, and even Vik’s affection, they’ll endear themselves to their crews, just by being who they are. Incredible and wonderful women.”
I wasn’t sure about the older A.I.s, but the ones I created with Jillintara, and Jillintara herself, were undeniably life forms with emotions, instincts, and physiological responses, needs, and desires. Didn’t we have a responsibility to respect the life we created? The older A.I.s weren’t like us, and had no bodies. Yet, I knew Ann had feared her possible death after we escaped slavery from the Stolavii, she’d begged me to allow her to continue serving me. They were alive in a sense as well, and self-aware. Just, far more alien, and far more problematical to relate to.
