by Viola Grace
Khytten chuckled. “That is one of the reasons.”
Halko smiled. “Let’s go in the house. We can have a cup of coffee, get to know each other, and you can do whatever it is that you need to do.”
Khytten was walked through the gardens and into the huge, sprawling house. Torenne helped her lay out the kit, and with the curious parents watching, she opened her dress and attached the pumps.
Jennela asked, “Did you have a child?”
“No. I have been like this since I activated. Like Torenne, I became too much woman overnight.”
Torenne spluttered her coffee.
Halko smiled. “You don’t seem to have a problem with her activation, and what do you do with all the milk?”
“I normally donate it to the local hospital for the preemies. It has excellent health benefits.”
Jennela nodded. “If the person donating the milk is healthy and taking care, there is nothing like it for a newborn, if available.”
Torenne fixed a cup of coffee for Khytten and passed it to her. “It isn’t quite like that, Mom. Khytten’s milk can fix breaks, heal skin, and purge any substances from a baby’s system. She can create mood stabilizers, aphrodisiacs, make folks stronger, healthier, and smarter.”
Khytten tried to ignore the comments, and she held the pumps in place and sipped the coffee. “My healing isn’t up to Torenne’s standard, but I can stop myself or others from bleeding to death.”
“Khytten attracts trouble. In the few weeks I have known her, she has been kidnapped and tortured once, and then torn up by claws again a week later.”
Khytten grimaced. “It wasn’t that bad.”
“You let Salat fuck you while you had a broken rib.” Torenne was outraged.
“I felt better at the time. I can take a lot of pain without noticing.”
Halko perked up at that. “How much?”
His wife elbowed him in the ribs. “Probably more than you can take, and we will test your tolerances later.”
Khytten chuckled. “Anyway, that is why the Blind Date Corporation was founded, so that actives who are a little physically unlikely to be able to have a clandestine relationship in the capitol city can have a sexual connection with someone who can take the pounding, so to speak.”
Jennela sighed. “Yeah, we have been trying to tell them that it is stupid to restrict actives like that. I am delighted that someone has found a loophole. I am surprised that Salat signed up. He isn’t out of town that often.”
Khytten frowned. He had been mostly in town as long as she had known him, which was less than a month. Wow.
Torenne smiled slyly. “He was looking for a loophole.”
Khytten had been drinking coffee, and she sprayed it then set the coffee down as she apologized.
Torenne was laughing and helped clean her up. The new and very efficient pumps finished, so Khytten took care of them, sliding them into their sterilizing solution, capping the milk packs, and sliding them into the freezer portion of the backpack.
Jennela blinked. “We can store that for you if you like. Or if you don’t require it, we can donate it to the neonatal unit at the hospital.”
“Could you? I have my medical clearance that I can send you if you wouldn’t mind.”
Torenne snorted. “I will send them. Don’t give my mom a link to you. She will rifle through all of your communications, and you will wonder if she is psychic.”
There were two clicks in her ear.
She finished setting up her pack, and Jennela took the bags of milk.
Halko chuckled. “She is going to have those things analyzed ten minutes after she gets to the hospital.”
Torenne sat next to Khytten and rubbed her shoulders. “Sweetie, did you want to put your breasts away? I think my dad is drooling.”
“Ohmygod. I am so sorry.” She fumbled and worked at the tiny buttons that Torenne favoured.
Halko smiled. “Don’t put them away on my account. You are very pale. Are you healthy?”
It was the most fatherly comment she had ever heard. “Um, yeah. I lost some melanin when I activated. I am either this colour or bright red.”
Jennela returned. “So, what kind of education do you have, Khytten?”
“Um, basic through high school. I took peacekeeper training, but I didn’t graduate.”
Halko raised his brows. “Dropped out?”
“Uh. No. I had to attend an emergency and missed graduation. After I got back, I didn’t feel like pursuing it. Plus, I had a rap sheet, so I no longer qualified.”
Torenne frowned. “I didn’t know that.”
“Oh, yeah, the agents of Aksalla are fucking thorough.”
Jennela frowned. “You committed a crime?”
“Yeah. I broke into Aksalla to take care of family, and when they had no further use for me, they called the agents as I was on my way to the border. Salat’s sister had been told I was dangerous, and she shot me in the thigh and shoulder. Torenne was working at the hospital when I arrived.”
“She was torn up, and her body was abraded, and it took forever to clean her. Samyel was a wreck when she found out that Khytten wasn’t armed. Her own sister had sworn that she had a weapon.”
Khytten shrugged. “Yeah, she’s... well... it doesn’t matter.”
Torenne hugged her.
Jennela scowled. “What is your sister’s name?”
“Uh, I am not going to tell you. You have the same expression that Salat gets when I talk about my family. They are just the reason that I have only just been able to get back to Aksalla.” She grinned. “But, I am here and legal now, so all is good.”
Torenne paused. “Did you want to see my room?”
“Can we go to the live range first?”
“Sure. Are you going to change here or there?”
“I will change here and bring this outfit for afterward. I get a little messy.”
Torenne glanced at her parents. “Anything I want to say to that will get me punched.”
Khytten nodded. “Several times. So, show me a place I can change.”
She pressed her head to Torenne’s and chuckled. “And no funny business.”
“I promise, if I try anything, it won’t be funny.” She grabbed the kitten by the hand and hauled her with her bag out of the room and past her parents.
* * * *
Jennela got her com out and started looking for data on her daughter’s girlfriend. “So, honey, you think we can get the prefect here for dinner? And Riko, of course.”
“You think that they are coming back for dinner? I think that they might have other plans.”
Jennela snorted and looked at her husband. “Right now, Torenne has her flat on the bed with her skirt up. My keen sense of hearing has never been more invasive, but I am very proud of our child. There seems to be a lot of enthusiasm and a bit of skill there.”
Halko frowned. “That was quick. Wait. What is happening now?”
“A lot of moaning and some rather wet sounds.” Jennela kept her gaze on her data, but she had her thighs pressed together.
Halko walked up to her and rubbed her shoulders. He leaned in and whispered, “What else?”
“Are you perving out to this?” She started to look through the stats and felt her husband’s breath against her ear.
“A little bit, yeah. We weren’t expecting our son to turn into a daughter, but you have to admit she has a hot girlfriend.”
Jennela remained quiet, and then, a soft smile crept over her. “She’s laughing.”
Halko didn’t have to ask. “Laughing?”
“Torenne just told Khytten that I could hear her, and Khytten is mortified. She’s not going to let Torenne touch her again until they have left Aksalla.”
“Ah, pity. Perhaps Torenne can put out some family charm and get back in her good graces.” Halko laughed. “I am still amazed that she has a lover who looks like that. It is nice of Salat to share, t
hough I am guessing they are still working things out. She seems fairly insecure about her adaptation.”
“Well, it is usually uncomfortable for those who produce things, and she literally produces the active product from her own body.”
Jennela paused. “They are giggling. At least Khytten doesn’t hold a grudge.”
Five minutes later, a different Khytten came downstairs. “Close your mouth, dear.”
Halko closed his mouth with a snap. “Okay, I can see why Salat went after her. I can definitely see. How is she breathing?”
Khytten walked toward them in the skin-tight suit. “It is surprisingly comfortable. Salat’s design. Apparently, these twits decided to try and make comics when they were teens, and they can both draw. Torenne dresses me in the silky, frilly stuff, and Salat likes the harder stuff with the fetish edge.”
Halko took a slow walk around her, and he asked, “You are going to do the live range in that?”
Khytten grinned. “Why, yes. Yes, I am. It is really comfortable, even the heels.”
Torenne laughed. “Let me know if you want to see the footage. This is going to be fun.”
Halko nodded. “I will be up for that. Do you think you will find any...” He looked her over. “Never mind. You will find challengers.”
“But not if we don’t get there. Can we take one of the cars?”
Jennela nodded. “Take one with a pilot system. I had a few pulled up for you.”
Khytten smiled. Aksalla still let folks steer their own passenger vehicles. They had so many minor freedoms that she missed. It was why it had hurt so much to be driven from it, even if she had come here illegally at first.
“Right, well, let’s go.” Torenne wrapped an arm around Khytten’s waist, and they headed toward the main doors.
Jennela asked, “Will you be back for dinner?”
“Yes, Mom. We should be back for tea, and we will stay for dinner.”
Khytten chuckled. “We can’t come back if we don’t go.”
Torenne grasped her hand and pulled her out of the manor, the bag with the change of clothing over her shoulder.
They were in the vehicle a moment later and on their way to the edge of the city. The live range had a lot of vehicles in the lot, most of them peacekeeper prowlers.
“Oh boy. This might not be good.”
Torenne chuckled and lifted her hand to kiss it. “It might be very good. At least you will have a pretty good chance of having competent opponents.”
“What will you be doing while I am in there?”
“Watching the vid on the live feed and having a pastry. I think this outlet even has fudge.”
They giggled and went arm in arm to the front doors.
Chapter Eleven
A fascinated security officer checked her weapons and locked them into stun only.
“Are you all dressed up to play?” His voice was low and suggestive.
She put her blasters back in her thigh holsters. “Aw, no, honey. When I play, I wear a lot less.”
He barred her entry with his arm. “Really? What do you wear?”
She smiled brightly. “Just the guns.”
He laughed and let them inside. The excited chatter in the room slowly halted as they walked to the registry office.
The young woman behind the desk was professional, and she smiled. “How may I help you?”
Torenne chuckled. “She has a standing reservation to use the live range with an override payment.”
Khytten pulled the coin out of the pocket in her corset. “Is that what this is?”
The woman named Liika blinked. “Oh. You have a founder’s coin. Right. What are you going to be firing today?”
“Um, my little Z-Tech blasters and some new weapons that have been locked into the same firing rating.”
“Excellent. How many opponents are you willing to take on?”
Khytten looked over the men and women gathered. “Uh, a dozen?”
Torenne hissed, “Isn’t the norm three or four.”
A voice called out, “Danforth? Is that you?”
Khytten looked over and saw a familiar small female face in the crush of male bodies. “Hey, Miko. I go by Khytten now.”
The woman came forward and clasped her hand in the peacekeeper greeting. “Hiya, Khytten.”
“Uh, I never finished the course, Miko.”
“You were still more peacekeeper than anyone in our class. How did you get here?”
“A weird and winding story. Torenne, this is Abra Miko. Miko, this is healer Torenne.”
Torenne chuckled. “She knows who I am. So, are you going to run the range?”
“Oh. Right. Sorry.”
Liika smiled. “It’s fine. Take your time. We are waiting for team one to clear the site. You can either remain on site one, or we can open site two for you.”
“What gets me in without messing with other reservations?”
Liika grinned. “They are all here to qualify, so going up against an active will give them their qualification without too much fuss. They don’t need to get you; they just need to fight you, Ikir Khytten.”
Torenne laughed at the look on the peacekeepers’ faces. The leers dropped, and wariness took over.
Khytten whispered in Torenne’s ear. “Ikir?”
“Salat is Ikan; he kills with his hands. You are Ikir; you kill with weapons.” Torenne’s lips were against her ear. “Agent classifications.”
There was a click in Khytten’s ear.
Liika asked. “So, the lady needs twelve opponents. Who’s going to step up and get bragging rights against the newest Ikir?”
Miko blinked. “Dan... Khytten, when did you get Ikir classification?”
“I have no idea.”
Torenne smiled. “The henchmen massacre in her capitol. That was her. Just her. She let herself be tortured to get information, and then, she killed them all when she had what she needed.”
The peacekeepers shifted from side to side, but a few of the ones who let her appearance sway their opinions signed up to battle her.
Miko grinned and signed up. “I know how this is going to end, but I really want to see you in action. You seem so much more... you... than you were in training. I really want to see this close up.”
“You always were a glutton for punishment.”
Miko laughed.
Liika nodded and said, “I have your dozen, Ikir Khytten. Do you want to attack or defend?”
Khytten smiled. “Coin toss? They can call it.”
The dozen gathered up and chose a leader. Liika flicked the coin in the air, and the call of “Heads!” rang out.
The coin dropped, and the head was up.
Khytten smiled. “Your choice.”
“Can you give us a moment?”
Khytten nodded and walked a few steps away with Torenne. “So, how fast do we want to make this?”
“Well, we can stop for lunch if you finish in an hour. Maybe grab some coffee since you like it so much.”
“If I get scrapes and bruises, will you heal them?” she whispered.
“Of course, but one at a time and with my lips.”
“You can do that?”
Torenne laughed. “I have always wanted to try.”
“I am not your experiment.” Khytten tapped her friend’s nose.
“Ah, but you are helping me expand my horizons.”
Liika came back and said, “They are going to ambush.”
Khytten nodded. “They have five minutes.”
Liika grinned. “This is exciting. I will let them know. Do you want their weapons roster?”
“No. It doesn’t matter.”
There were still close to twenty peacekeepers waiting for their turn at the other range. Khytten frowned. “I have never had nothing to do before. I was always too busy plotting.”
“So, how does this work?”
“I go in, and I use a stunn
er on each person that I find. The game is over when everyone but me is down.”
“That sounds tense.”
“It can be, but it suits my mood.”
They stood close together until there were ten seconds on the clock. Torenne kissed Khytten suddenly and thoroughly. When they parted, she grinned. “For luck.”
“Are you working for the other side?” Khytten exhaled. The door lit green for her. Torenne swatted her on the backside, and Khytten whirled in surprise.
“That was for Salat. He told me to give it to you right before you went in. You know... like he does.” Torenne laughed.
“I am going to get you for that.”
“Oh, I hope so. Off you go.”
Khytten walked over to the door, drew her blaster, and shot out the light over the door. She would enter in the shadows... and kill them all.
* * * *
Torenne watched on the monitors as Khytten walked through the door so casually it looked like she was going for a stroll. Khytten’s arm came up gracefully, and the man hiding behind the door fell.
Khytten holstered her blaster and picked up the peacekeeper’s. She walked, firing at what seemed to be random targets, but she hit what she fired at. In under two minutes, the twelve were five.
“Wow. Okay, I can see why he was so insistent.”
Liika was leaning next to her, and she murmured, “The founder?”
“Does Salat own this place?”
“Part of it. He is partners with some higher-ups in the agents and peacekeepers, but the layouts are his design. Oh. That had to hurt.”
One of the women had run toward Khytten, and Khytten had shot her in the face with the force rifle. The peacekeeper had flipped end over end.
Khytten looked up, grinned, and she ran with blaster fire exploding behind her. She slung the long gun over her shoulder, jumped and caught a chain, pressed the activator and pulled the long gun out again. Firing from her aerial vantage point, she hit every one of them as they all stood to take aim.
The bright lights came on to indicate the end of the round, and Khytten lowered herself to a distance that she could easily fall from and dropped to the ground. She walked to the exit and handed the weapon to Liika, who was grinning like a fiend. “That was amazing.”
