0 comments/ 17426 views/ 2 favorites The Missing Half By: pagetwotwotwo Synopsis: A mad scientist releases a virus on his home planet, believing it to be the key to saving the dying empire. Generations later, the descendants of the survivors must decide whether his legacy is a gift or a curse. *** "Does this look good on me?" asked Christie as she posed in front of the mirror. "I like the way it makes my boobs-" The lights in the room switched off before she could finish. High pitched shrieks from the other girls drowned out the rumbling of distant explosions. The resulting creaking made them scream even louder. Dim emergency lights took over and startled them into silence. With their sight restored, a few of the girls glanced at each other then hugged for comfort. Others curled up in the shadows or in the light, whichever felt safer to them. Time passed until a giggle broke the silence and caught everyone's attention. Two girls were playing with the shadows they casted. One was jiggling her breasts, in awe of how their shadows looked a lot bigger. The other girl made a shadow snake which slithered and bit the other girl's nipple. When she yelped, the resulting giggle was infectious. The next rumble was ignored now that the girls found other things to preoccupy themselves. Some played with the shadows on the wall. Those nearer to the lights held their jewelry close and marveled at how they sparkled. The more timid ones calmed one another with casual sex. It was too dark for Christie to see her dress in the mirror, so she just let it drop to the floor in case it looked ugly on her. Then, she felt her way to the dresser and fumbled for a comb. With a cry of triumph, she leaned back and started brushing her hair. The tugging feeling on her scalp did the rest. She close her eyes, hummed a happy tune and swayed from side to side. "Christie! Master wants to see you!" said one of the girls after an unknown amount of time had passed. Christie jolted up from the chair and looked straight at the door. Master's silhouette was coming closer. She let go of the comb, letting it fall into the darkness, and stood straight to present herself to master. Her hands clasped together behind her back so he could see everything. It was the best she could do and she wished she wore something sexy to excite him. "Let's go, Christie. I need you," said master. "Don't bother dressing. There's no time." He grabbed her wrist and pulled her, leading the way out. Christie could only giggle in anticipation. She was so lucky that master needed her! The hallways of the base were just as dark as their room and the occasional man who passed by walked or ran as urgently as master did. At one point, a whole squad of armed soldiers passed them by. She giggled when she drew some of their gazes. It felt good to be sexy. Their final destination of their uneventful journey was the server room. After dragging Christie inside, master locked the door and barricaded it while she watched. There was another rumble, louder than the rest, but master's presence stopped her from worrying. Master turned around and put his hands on her shoulders. She wished he would touch her in a more sensitive spot. "Christie," he asked. "Can you get me a direct connection to the missile controls?" She nodded. "Yes master!" "Good," he said. "Do it quickly." She obeyed. The room was dark but she was familiar with the place where she used to work and knew where everything was kept. She took the tool belt from the wall and wore it over her naked waist then grabbed a handful of the wiring needed from the drawers and slung them around her shoulder. The last thing she needed was the portable terminal, which nowhere to be found. She panicked at the thought of displeasing master and spun around in circles with wide eyes, looking for the missing gadget. "What are you looking for?" asked master. She jumped at his attention. "Um," she whispered in shame. "The terminal." "Of course," he said. He went to a corner and returned with the terminal in hand. Curious, she peeked behind him and saw a body sprawled where master had retrieved the tool. "He tried to stop me," master explained. She remembered the corpse's face. When she used to work here, Marko was obviously head over heels with her. They were about to start something, too, but master infected her before anything more could happen. Master handed her the terminal and she banished the thoughts of old days. "Thanks, master," she said before getting to work. She glided through the server racks, seeing the meaning of the red and green status lights as clearly as if the machines spoke. "What's wrong, Delphi?" she asked aloud to one machine. "Why are you hurting like that?" She plugged her terminal into the machine and thought about how nice it would be to have something plugged into her. Yes, that would be very nice if she didn't have a job to do. The first diagnostic scan showed that everything was a mess. Network nodes pulsed irregular heartbeats and servers stuttered to one another. "It looks like someone's scrambling us with ECM," she said aloud. "Of course," said master. "We're under attack." "Oh. Okay." The details weren't important. Just her task. She didn't speak once it got technical. Remembered expertise from a lifetime ago guided her mind and body. She zoned out as she did when she brushed her hair, not fully aware of her movement along the server racks and the data scrolling down her screen. When her awareness returned, she was sitting on the floor with her legs spread and the terminal between them. "Done!" she announced. Sweat from the exertion of thinking shone on her forehead. She bit her lip at the anticipation of her reward for such hard work and thought about all the sockets she had plugged. "Load all the missiles with the payload from the bio labs. They're stored in bay two," he said. She pouted but obeyed. After typing in the appropriate commands, she idly stroked her slit with one hand while the other scrolled through the confirmation logs. "Program in these launch targets," he said and handed her a portable drive. She took it with her wet hand then plugged it between her legs. When nothing happened on screen, she pulled the drive out, spun it upside down and plugged it between her legs again. Nothing still. Maybe it would work if she jiggled it a bit. "Stay with me, Christie," said master. "Plug it in the computer port." She blinked and giggled at her silly mistake. "Sorry master. It's getting hard to think." She pulled the drive out of her body then sucked on it before plugging it into the computer. While the gadget loaded the data, she giggled and played with herself again. "Don't worry," said master. "You'll get one last fucking once this is done. Just load the data and fire." "Fucking!" she said with a giggle while she typed in the final commands. Her wet fingers slipped over the keys and she had to redo a lot of typing. It didn't help that she stopped frequently to give herself a few comfort rubs. "Keep at it." said master. He knelt down and placed his fingers in her pussy. "I'll take care of you down there. Just get those missiles in the air." She just nodded, giggled and typed with a happy smile on her face. This continued for awhile until master looked at the screen. She was entering gibberish punctuated with the occasional "fuCK" and "PU55Y" . He took his fingers out of her and slapped her on the cheek. "You bitch! I told you to fire the missiles!" She giggled at the kinky sting the slap left on her face. "Already fired," she said and pressed the button to display the missile tracker. She had only continued typing so he could play with her more. It was such a clever plan. He shoved her aside and grabbed the terminal. Desperate eyes scanned to see if the deed was done. "When did you fire?" he asked. The first strikes should be hitting by now. She answered with a grunt. She was too busy pumping the handle of some diagnostic tool into her pussy. Her eyes gazed at the erratic readouts of the tool, seeing only a kaleidoscopic visualization of her lust. One of her hands fumbled around the tool belt still around her waist, looking for something else she could play with. He was too afraid to touch any key. It could abort the sequence. All he could do was watch and wait in those tense moments, hoping that her rational mind hadn't burned out too late. The cursor blinked and spat out text. BLACKWATER CITY: HIT He sighed in relief. RITTER: HIT SOLUS: HIT RARIER: MISS MAESTRA: HIT He laughed out loud and put a hand on Christie's leg. "Good girl," he said. "Good girl. Do you know what you've just done?" She spread her legs for him. "Christie want fuck," she said. "Every woman on the planet will be just like you. But this time, they can share their gift. Their daughters will follow in their footsteps and the gift will survive through time. One day, someone who shares my dream will seize my legacy and do what I could not." She just giggled and pulled him down on the floor. "Christie make daughters," she said. "Make children with fucking! Master promised!" Her master placed the terminal where he could watch and made good on his promise. He pinned down the now mindless girl and impaled her, unconsciously thrusting in time with every confirmed hit on the screen. The missiles were his seed. The planet, the last egg of the empire he loved. It didn't matter that the next explosion was much closer and was followed by the sound of collapsing rock. He knew he had succeeded. With one last kiss, the two of them faded away in bliss. *** Centuries later. After a lot of insistent shaking, Darrin finally woke. He opened his eyes to see his wife kneeling over him with a breast sticking out of her nightgown. The sight pulled him out of the dream he was having and he flexed his dick which was still hard from sleep. "Are you feeling a midnight craving, dear?" he asked as he put a hand on his wife's hips. Vicky's answer was a disappointing surprise. "You have a call from Mister Suffridge. He says its urgent." He glanced out the window into the dark blue of the early morning and wondered why a historian would be needed at this hour. After a resigned sigh, he leaned up to kiss his wife and fix her nightgown. "Thanks. You can go get some sleep now if you want." She giggled and got off him. "I'd rather come with you." They went downstairs together, holding hands. When he sat down to answer the phone, she sat on his lap and leaned back on him. Thankful for her warmth, he put one arm around her before answering the phone. "Hello? Darrin?" said the familiar voice. "A car's coming to pick you up in a few minutes." "What for?!" "I can't say over a wire. Classified. All I can tell you is that it's important stuff and you were the first pick on a short list. You'll get the rest of the details once you've been picked up." Darrin laughed. "You didn't even ask if I wanted to leave at this hour! Sophie's tits, Morgan, what have you gotten me into this time?" The voice at the other end returned the laugh. "I know you'll agree to do this, Darrin, because you can't resist a mystery like this. But watch that mouth of yours, this assignment requires a bit of political correctness." Darrin fell silent, wondering how the tamest of swearing could be considered offensive. "Start packing and making arrangements for your wife's care," continued Morgan. "You could be gone for a few days." "Alright," said Darrin. "Anything else?" "That should be all. You should have about half an hour to prepare. Thanks, Darrin. Thanks." When he hung up, he caught his wife staring into space with her finger twirling her hair automatically. He hugged her tight and spoke into her ear. "I'll be gone for a few days. Morgan says the car's on its way and we've got to start packing." She snapped out of the trance and got off him. "Okay," she said. "You get the suitcase out and I'll start folding your things." They returned upstairs and packed together with the wordless efficiency that years of companionship had brought. Once his things were ready, he left a note to Nick and Alice, the partner couple who lived when them. The note explained his abrupt trip and instructed Nick to take care of Vicky's needs while he was gone. "Nick will take care of you if you need a fuck, okay?" he told his wife. "Just pass this note to him first and don't just pounce on him like the last time I went to a conference." After she nodded, he tied a string around her finger so she wouldn't forget. There was still a lot of time to spare so he asked her, "How about some goodbye sex before I get dressed?" "Of course!' She giggled and slid out of her nightie in one smooth motion. Then, before he could move to take her, she hopped on top of the packed suitcase on their bed. She lay on it, stomach down, with her lower half propped up on the luggage. Her pussy left a smear of wetness where she slid on the leather. Darrin smiled at his wife's creativity. She was one of the smarter girls. She began grunting as soon as he entered her from behind and got into a rhythm. But the suitcase made his position tiring. He had to stop and rebalance himself. When he withdrew, she panted loud enough for him to hear. After making a slight adjustment to his stance, he paused and kept her in anticipation. Then, right before her panting could slow, he thrust. She have a high pitched squeal and vocalized louder than before. It didn't take long for him to feel the strain again. In another time, he would have stopped to reposition again but he had a schedule to keep. He let himself go, triggering their orgasms. For a split second, they were frozen and tireless. Then, he relaxed and lay down on her. They breathed in time for awhile before he slid out of her, leaving a stain of his own on the suitcase. "Sorry I couldn't make you come more," he said. "But I don't want to keep Morgan waiting." He wiped himself on the bed sheet and got dressed while his wife licked off the mess they made on the suitcase. She wore the nightie she had discarded and the fabric clung to wet pussy. Together, they went outside and waited. It was cold and she wore next to nothing, but Vicky weathered it so she could stay with her husband longer. To keep warm, all she had to do was rub on him a bit. The car arrived and, to Darrin's surprise, a female chauffeur stepped out of the driver's seat. It made him wonder what Vicky could have become if she was born in a different generation, one with the training techniques that could teach women to be more than housewives. The chauffeur looked proud in her uniform. The peaked cap on her head was the only piece of clothing identical to that of male chauffeurs. The many-buttoned coat and leather gloves were cut to fit her bust and dainty fingers. Below the waist, she wore a skirt that ended above the knee and stockings covered the region of her legs left exposed between her boots. When she walked toward him, he could see that the slits on the side of her skirt ran deep for easy access in case she needed a fuck when her higher functions shut down. A man in a trenchcoat came out from passenger seat in the back and offered his hand. "Mister Wesley?" said the man after introducing himself as an intelligence agent. "Get in and let Dana take care of your luggage. We've got a schedule to keep." Darrin shook the agent's hand then gave his wife one last kiss. She reluctantly let go of him and waved as he followed the agent into the car. Once the doors were shut and the car was on the way, it was all business. "I'll give it to you straight," said the agent. "We've made contact. The empire has returned." Darrin collapsed backward in his seat. Everyone knew the moment would come someday but no one really expected it to happen during his lifetime. Their rebellious ancestors destroyed the stargates, forcing the empire to travel the slow way. Given interstellar distances, the luckier rebel colonies would be safe for millennia. It would be more than enough time to develop a tech base to match anything the imperialists would have. The agent continued. "Now, the good news. You see, we only managed to detect the spacecraft because, as of a few hours ago, our ancient defenses on the moon opened fire on the imperial craft and caught it by surprise. After the lightshow, only bits of debris remained." "But didn't you say we made contact?" The agent nodded. "I was getting to that. Naturally, we raced to salvage as much as we could. Even a defective fragment of space tech could jump us few decades forward. But one of the bits of debris was actually a lifeboat. A lifeboat with a survivor. This is why we need you, Mister Wesley. We can't fight a war with the empire. Not when half of us are no better than pets. We need peace and, given your field of expertise, you're the most qualified man to talk to her." "The survivor's a 'her'?!" said Darrin. "Sophie's tits, we've only got a few days before the virus gets to her!" "We're luckier that that. When she met our guys, she had a mask on and explained that quarantine was standard contact procedure to prevent the spread of off-planet disease. We then made it clear to her that she had to keep it on or risk infection from us." "It means she'll stay intelligent! It means she-" "It means," interrupted the agent, "that this is a delicate situation. As the only known survivor, she's now the acting ambassador of the empire. Her opinion of us will matter greatly when the other ships arrive." Darrin exhaled, nervous at the responsibility given to him. "What does she know?" he asked. The agent chuckled and shrugged. "I don't know myself. I'm just the messenger, really." "Alright then, how much time do I have to prepare for the most important lecture of my life?" The agent leaned forward toward the driver. "Dana? How long until we get there?" "Around three hours and twenty two minutes before we arrive at the crash site, sir." "Good," said the agent and patted her on the shoulder. She giggled in response but kept the car on its steady course. Darrin stared out the window, deep in thought and muttering the beginnings of the speech to himself. He didn't notice time pass until they went off road and shock of hitting uneven ground jarred him out of his thoughts. Outside, he could see the sky brighten even if the sun hadn't poked out of the horizon yet. He marshaled his thoughts to ignore the bumps and rehearsed his opening. "On the eve of the dark age, our ancestors join the great rebellion..." Hours later, Darrin found himself trudging up a hill, fighting muscles still complaining from the long ride. The sun was just rising, but the weak heat it gave was effectively trapped inside the improvised quarantine suit he wore. In truth, the outfit was nothing more than a soldier's hooded winter greatcoat and gas mask all dunked in disinfectant. In theory, the insulation from cold and damp would also protect the survivor from the disease he spread with every breath and drop from his body. A bead of perspiration rolled down his face and he tried to wipe it off. Gloved hands slid on the gas mask's goggles and Darrin sighed. "How far is she?" he asked. "Just over the hill," answered the lieutenant who escorted him. It was just the two of them. Darrin thought that higher ranked officers should have come. Instead, they claimed they were too busy organizing the border defense. According to them, there was no telling what the Marlowists across the border would do if they discovered that there was a female survivor. Darrin suspected that the officers where just afraid to confront a woman. He himself wasn't sure he had the nerves. They crested the hill and saw the crash site. The lifeboat was a perfect sphere half embedded in the earth and around it were boxes of supplies that the survivor must have unloaded. The survivor herself sat on the ground, tinkering with a device stacked on a crate. The Missing Half Ch. 02 Synopsis: A mad scientist releases a virus on his home planet, believing it to be the key to saving the dying empire. Generations later, the descendants of the survivors must decide whether his legacy is a gift or a curse. Tags: mf / ff / md / sf / mc Fap Advisory: The second section of this chapter is purely plot/character development. *** On the way to his tent, Ricoh looked back towards Blackwater City. The skyscrapers were dark except for a few spots of orange light: fires lit by poor souls who thought it was better to stay behind. He turned away. There was no future there. When the stores ran out, the city would be nothing without the infrastructure that moved its people, power, waste and water. There were useful things to salvage, of course. The caravan had brought as much salvaged tools as it could carry. But the only hope for future generations was to build something sustainable, something that needed fertile soil, not dead concrete. No one had expected the cost of rebellion to be this high and Ricoh took a moment to send a curse to Derrick Marlow, addressed to the deepest pit of hell. Sending the whole colony back to the dark ages with techburst missiles was only the least of the villain's sins! The other half of the missile volley had carried something much, much worse. No, the deepest pit of hell was too good for mad scientist. The demons had better dig deeper and find their own hell, then hand the madman off to the sub demons. The torchlight illuminating the camp flickered in the wind, bringing him back to the present. He chuckled at how the novelty of orange light from burning gas fueled grim humor. Did a lifetime of nights lit by sterile white bulbs do that to you? Would brown earth make him think of faeries? He walked deeper into the camp, listening to cries of lust filling the night air, louder than the chirping of night insects. By now, no one felt shame anymore. Some saw the nightly sex as a duty to their girls, who needed it to clear the mental fog that built up during the day. Others saw it as a vice, a way to cope with the dilemmas of the new world. Like many truths, the reality was a bit of both. And even if the virus had never hit, Ricoh would have encouraged people to make babies anyway. A nation needed citizens, after all, and the war had claimed many. Finally, he arrived at his tent, receiving salutes from the two guards posted outside. The younger one did it with a blush. "How's Michelle?" he asked the younger guard. "She's fine, sir. Although she likes being called 'Shell now." "You fucked her right before your shift?" "Of, of, course, sir," stammered the guard. "Good. I wouldn't want my daughter wandering around for a fuck while you're on duty." He gave the guard a pat on the shoulder and entered his tent. It was important to set an example to the men. Then, after ensuring the tent flap was closed, he allowed his distress to show. He remembered that night, when he was still vice president and it had only been weeks since the missiles hit. At the time, it was hard to believe the stories of women becoming crazy or stupid. It was easier to place blame in panic and mass hysteria. He remembered working at his desk that night, going over papers and trying to prove the lie that the female half of the population would be okay. To save space in the bunker, his family shared the whole room, although all he had left was his daughter. She was supposed to be sleeping at that late hour, but he began to hear muffled squeals as she masturbated in her bed. In denial, he just told her to keep it quiet. To his surprise, she obeyed. He pushed himself to work, hoping that she would fall asleep before he turned in. Then, he heard a giggle and felt her lips on his cheek. When he turned, he saw that she was naked, her pajamas scattered on her bedsheets. "Fuck me, daddy," she said. He pushed her away and regretted it when his hand brushed a breast. The touch made him notice how pink her nipples were. "Go to bed!" he shouted. She stared at him, conflicted by lust and the need to obey. Obedience won. She walked back to bed and continued masturbating. "Stop that! Go to sleep!" She pulled the sheets over her, letting some of her pajamas fall to the floor. It was obvious that her hands were still busy. She giggled with eyes closed. "Go to sleep!" "I will," she said. "When I pass out from coming so much! Want to help, Daddy?" "No." He just watched as she tried to overdose herself with orgasm, afraid that she would pounce on him if he turned his back. He watched her writhe under the sheets until he finally broke down and accepted reality. He left the room and interrogated the guard outside. The fellow seemed decent, so he ordered the soldier to go inside, lock the door and fuck his daughter. Then, he gathered as much soldiers as he could and staged a coup. The president, after all, was a woman. It wouldn't be long before she was incapable of fulfilling her duties. They burst into her room and found all the proof they needed. She was spending the night using the case for her glasses as a makeshift dildo. Ricoh demanded her resignation and she said she would do so under two conditions. The first was that he would lead the survivors out of this catastrophe. The second was that he would fuck her. So far, he had kept both promises. Now, the former president sat on her cot in Ricoh's tent. She stared up toward the lightbulb (a luxury few had), watching a moth beat its wings to it. Her youthful politician's face, designed to receive maximum rapport from the public, showed a content serenity. As ordered, she had stripped down to a lacy set of bra and panties while in his tent. It was easier to forget her old identity when she was dressed like this. "Have you memorized the speech I gave you, Rina?" he asked as he began unbuttoning his shirt. "The one you're giving to the survivors at Gerrestown." She stood up and giggled. "Yes sir, it's all in my head now!" Her voice was higher pitched than it once was. A pity, it had once been as optimised as her physical appearance. "That's a good girl." He continued undressing, letting his clothing fall to the ground. She would clean up later, before they slept. "I'd like to hear it now." Old habits kicked in and she assumed a more dignified pose. She stood straight and clasped her hands demurely in front of her panties. Her voice took on a serious tone that clashed with its pitch. "Citizens of Gerrestown, I know what you're wondering at the sight of me. Am I alright? Can I lead you to safety?" "Fuck me now," he said. "But keep talking." He took a step forward to embrace her then kissed her on the lips. His tongue played with hers as she tried to speak and his dick brushed her hands aside to lie on her warm panties. She mumbled a few memorized sentences while their mouths were together. "I'm not your president anymore," she continued once the kiss was broken. Her voice was still solemn despite the reddish blush spreading on her face. "I'm not even Katterina Hayder anymore." She took a step backward, letting him guide her toward the cot. "I'm just Rina, now. A good girl who does as she is told." He shoved her down and she didn't show any fear or resistance. "It's the same for all women who were with you," she said while she fell onto the cot. Strands of her long hair settled on her face but she did nothing to fix it. "They're lost to you now." He pulled her panties down her legs. "But there is still hope." His dick waited at the opening of her pussy. "All men and children were safe fr-" She moaned as he entered her, the first time she failed to sustain her act. "From the empire's viral strike." Her voice wavered. "They can. Still lead. Us to. Freedom." She said in time to his rhythm. "So let. Us girls. Help You. Allow us. To submit." She moaned twice before deciding that it was better to speak quickly instead of breaking the sentences up. "We'll comfort your losses." She moaned again. "We'll carry your burdens." One long cry of pleasure. "And we'll give you children." He came inside her and she orgasmed as trained. "Childrenwhoaren't. Aren'ttouchedby. Touchedbythissickness!" She arched her back and convulsed, holding on to that last "s" sound. Then, she continued. "This war isn't over ye-" He put a finger to her lips. "That's enough, Rina. I trust you can do the rest." She giggled and fingered herself after he withdrew from her, proud to serve him. "I'll think of tonight when you make this speech in front of all those people," he said. "How does that make you feel?" "How do you want me to feel, sir?" "Aroused. Remember tonight when you give it, but stay behaved and hide it from them." He kissed her on the forehead then shuffled forward so that his wet, deflated member was in front of her face. "Clean me up and the tent as well. Don't take too long, Rina. You need your sleep and we've got far to travel." "Yes sir," she said, then proceeded to obey. *** Centuries later. After a military parade that bored the both of them, Darrin and Annita walked together to the war room. The general and president went ahead, presumably to prepare the presentation and discuss state secrets. No one else was with the pair except for their security escort. "This is ridiculous," she said, her voice muffled by the spare rebreather that also hid her identity. "After a whole day of being toured by your head honchos, I'm convinced that you, a mere history professor, must be the most suave man on this crazy planet." "Well, I'm a specialist. If you were some furry alien, they'd have sent a veterinarian and your alien self would give that guy the same complement." She laughed. "Women aren't that different!" He wanted to make her laugh again. "The folklore would have you believe otherwise," he said. "Some say a woman can read your mind or, if the moon is full, control it. Another legend says that a woman's embrace will cure or cause any mental disease, depending on her mood, which is controlled by chocolate." She laughed again. "I still don't see how being a historian helps you talk to me." "The more crazy stories you know, the more you realize how much they contradict each other. The golden rule of history is to never believe what you read. Also, I'm not a folklorist. My main area of study is the life of Sophie Glass." He felt insulted when she chuckled at the mention of his life's work. "Sophie's tits!" she said. "She's the one with the tits in that swear phrase?" "She was more than that! She was the last woman we had! The last one to leave writings! The-" But they had arrived at the war room and he had no time to explain. There were more urgent matters. History would have to wait. They took their seats beside the president. The general was in front, standing by a map projected on the wall. The rest of the staff stood to the side, out of the way. The projected map was easy to decipher even if Darrin knew next to nothing about the workings of the military. Solid blocks of Marlowist violet were building up on the border, ready to pounce. The shades of Republic green stood in opposition, but only at a distance that suggested a hint of timidity. "We are at the brink of war," said the general to his tiny audience. "The border skirmishes to retrieve crashed debris have escalated and the Marlowists won't back down so easily after posturing like this." There was a click and a new image appeared on the wall, a chart comparing weapon specifications from both sides. "What puzzles me," continued the general, "is the fact that this can only end in a bloody stalemate. Neither side has the technology to mechanize their forces and maneuver past layers of defense. Historical wars on Earth demonstrate this and the Marlowists aren't stupid enough to forget. "The only logical explanation is that something has changed. In this case, it was the arrival, destruction and recovery of your starship. And the worst case scenario is that the Marlowists have salvaged something powerful enough to turn the tide of an entire war." "Impossible!" said Annita. There was a silence long enough to be awkward. None of the men were used to being interrupted by a woman. "Are you sure?" asked Darrin. "Of course! All the powerful stuff are too complex to work after being shredded into bits and pieces. Anything that made it through intact would be small and simple enough that it won't make any immediate difference in a war." "I see," said Darrin. "Go on, sir." The general blinked and continued. "The other possibility is that they think we salvaged something that could turn the tide in the future. If so, better to attack now, before we can put the find to good use." He waited for a moment, nervous. "I- I'm sorry to say this, miss, but the only recovery that fits such a profile is you. We tried to keep your existence a secret, but apparently, we have a leak." "Wow," she said. "A war started over me. Be sure you don't accept any giant horse statues." Only Darrin chuckled. The general cleared his throat. "You're perfectly safe, of course. I have full confidence that our forces will hold the line. But," the projection changed to an appropriate chart. "The expected casualties are quite grim. Miss, if you could share any expertise you have with us, perhaps we can quickly bring this war to a close and minimize our losses." At the request, Annita stood straighter and spoke without the playfulness she usually had. She was all business, now. "As I've said before, I'm not allowed to take sides in a local conflict while they are still independent of the empire." "We already made the pledges," said the president. "Majority of the senate is in favor of reunification." "It's not enough," she said. "The fleet will take time to arrive. You can't make any guarantees for the future." "Then help us for your own sake," said the general. "If they somehow pull off a victory, the Marlowists will surely enslave you. They've also made it clear that they'll continue the rebellion against the empire." "I only have your word regarding your enemies," she said. "I haven't met one of them or even seen their country. I can't make an informed decision." "But if you went across the border to see for yourself," said the president, "you'd walk right into their hands." "Which is why I must remain neutral, even if I'm grateful for your hospitality" she said. "You'll think about it, at least?" asked the president. "Of course," she answered. There was a long silence until she spoke again. "If there's nothing else, I'd like to return to my housing now." "Very well," said the president. There was an exchange of handshakes and goodbyes before Darrin and Annita left with a cold exit. As they headed toward the transport convoy, he could have sworn that the air around her literally grew colder as if one of the folk tales were true. He wanted to bring it up as a joke, but was afraid it would just annoy her. Only silence seemed appropriate now. The next time they spoke was when they were riding in the convoy on the way to the quarantine zone. "It's all wrong, Darrin," she said. "You just don't see it because you don't know any better. The training you give your girls is dehumanizing. I can't put my support behind such things." Was that how she felt? She didn't seem that upset when she toured their training centers yesterday. "Annita," he answered. "Giving girls a choice of what they could train to become gives them dignity in the face of unavoidable change. The choice they have makes them more human, not less. They might have looked unhappy, but they volunteered for it." "That sounds like regurgitated propaganda," She paused to find the right words. "I don't know what to think, but it feels too much like a rationalization for training and keeping them as slaves. You get sex and servitude in one convenient package. This is the kind of world what every man fantasizes about." That was it?! She was willing to have soldiers die for a feeling?! A feeling of envy at what she thought was a fantasy?! "Of course not!" he said louder than he expected. "Haven't you realized how much we suffer? We grow up with mothers who can barely guide and comfort us. We're helpless to watch our sisters and friends drift away and become less than what they once were. Most of our wives can't be left unsupervised since they aren't able to fully take care of themselves." "How can you call them wives they can't even reject your proposal?!" This woman was impossible! Darrin's first impulse was to bring up how some Marlowists saw marriage, with their "wives" in harems and kennels! But when he started thinking about his own wife and marriage, it was hard to turn his thoughts toward anything else. "You're talking about the marriage that we only have in legends," he said softly. "A union between equals that lasts until death. A pledge to take on the world as comrades in arms and build something in it for the both of you. "It's different for us. My wife and I exchanged vows when we were ten. I promised to take care of what would be left of her when she grew up. She promised to practice housekeeping well enough to minimize the burden her future self would give me. All I have now is someone who reminds me of a girl who climbed trees and told me stories about the clouds. All I have is-' "A pet," said Annita. He nodded. "And you want more than that," she finished for him. "In this world, the only ones who can get a taste of that legendary marriage are the men who can love other men. Only they can get a true partnership that lasts past adolescence. It makes me jealous, sometimes." She slumped down in resignation. "I'm sorry. I didn't realize." There was a moment of silence. "Just give me some time to collect myself. I'll do whatever I can to help." He felt the urge to hug her but stopped himself when he remembered the story that women were made of glass. "Thank you," he said instead. "I don't think my help will be too useful, though," she said. "Most of our engineering training only applies to space-level stuff. As a communications officer, the only archaic tech I studied were those related to the post." "That's fine. We could always use better radios. Didn't you see those boxes they had to lug around in the parade?" "I think I was napping when they walked by," she said with a smile. "But seriously, if you were lucky enough to rescue a military crewman instead of me, you'd get something with a lot more bite." "Like what? A gun's a gun." And he couldn't imagine trading her for somebody else. She shook her head. "The military types on the ship study the history of warfare. With your tech base, they could make mustard gas or napalm." She thought for awhile. "Maybe even nukes." *** A few weeks later, across the border. Terisa stared at the glinting crystals on the chandelier. The slightest shifting of the air and light changed the whole pattern before she could take it all in. She tried to keep up anyway, the futility of the task lost to her. All she knew was that the pattern was always pretty. She had forgotten that she was tied down to the bed with soft but tough cloth around her wrists and ankles. She had forgotten about the gag in her mouth that prevented her from biting her tongue in desperate suicide and allowed them to funnel in the drugged food that made her too groggy to struggle. She didn't mind her nakedness anymore and the way they touched her everywhere when they sponged her clean. Time passed without her feeling a single hint of boredom until she felt the brush of a finger on her nipple. Unlike the chandelier, this sensation was so much more intense and beautiful. She giggled and the gag in her mouth muffled the sound. The Missing Half Ch. 02 "Hello, Risa," said the kaiser to her. He sat down on the bed and removed her gag. She giggled at the simplification of her name, making him smile. "Are you ready to be a good girl now?" he asked. She wasn't sure what he was asking for. She had never thought of herself as being bad before. "I don't understand," she said in a voice one octave higher. Her throat still felt raw from the changes the virus made, but the coldness of the collar around her neck helped soothe the pain a bit. "What do you want most right now, Commander Roza of the starship Mercury?" asked the kaiser. She gave the question some thought and remembered all the oaths she once took. Serve and protect the citizens of the empire. Fight for those who can't. The man you'll marry had better be worthy. Never drink what your stomach will throw up. These oaths used to have an importance to them, a weight that guided her course in life. Now, the very thought of them brought no emotion to her at all. "I don't know," she said without a hint of worry. "Good girl." He pinched her nipple and she shuddered. "Your only constant want is to obey, of course. Nothing else matters." All her memories told her this was wrong but they were ephemeral whispers against the solidity of the moment. Only the now mattered. And now, this person was telling her to obey "Yes," she said. "I want to obey." "Address me as 'master'." "Yes, master." The first thrill of obedience coursed through her body. It made her too lightheaded to notice that her bonds were being untied and a leash was fastened to her collar. "Only untrained girls are given the leash," said master. "You're ready to obey, but you still don't know the many rules of your servitude." "Please teach me, master!" she said as she sat up. Now that she had something to aspire to and the freedom to pursue it, the urge to please felt so strong. In her excitement, she embraced the kaiser tightly and rubbed her breasts on his coat. Instead of gratitude, he broke her hug and pushed her away. She let herself fall to the bed, unsure of what angered him. Then, he pulled on the leash, jerking her back up. He slapped her on the cheek. "Never, ever, touch a man violently again," he said. He gave the leash another violent tug for emphasis. The rapid movement made her emotions spin out of control. She was afraid of the pain and punishment but some part of her liked the sting. She was embarrassed to have failed him but was grateful for the attention he was giving her. When she looked at her leash, she could feel its tension as if were an extension of her body. The feeling gave her a sense of danger, as if it could pull her away at any moment. But it also made her feel secure since she was sure to be guided. All these thoughts manifested in a blank look, with her mouth open in confusion. She would have giggled but coughed instead. "Your old life has given you some very bad habits, Risa" said the kaiser. "Your training will need to be harsh and rigorous. Be thankful that we need you for more important things first. In the meantime, you will wear this leash as a reminder of your imperfection." The promised suffering didn't matter to her. She would just go with the flow, wherever it took her. Wow, the pins on master's collar were really shiny. "Yes, master," she said. He petted her on the head. "Now, my pet, what do you remember about technology? What do know about the empire's plans?" Recollection was easy. It was as if she could see the slides and diagrams from the lectures right in front of her. "I know about weapons!" she said with a small hop on the bed. "I can make the big bombs that make mushroom clouds!" The kaiser smiled and stood up. "That's a good girl." He tugged on her collar, beckoning her to follow. "Now come along and tell everything to my science team." She giggled and followed him out the room, still naked. After being cooped up for so long, simply moving around was an overwhelming experience. She completely forgot where they were going. Only the strange sights of the palace and the thrill of physical exertion were on her mind. They passed many distractions. She saw orchids hanging on a wall, a nice porcelain vase and a handsome soldier standing at attention. She stopped to stare at each one and was surprised when a tug from a leash forced her to move. Confused, she felt at her neck and wondered why she was collared and leashed. "Bad girl," said master. "Keep walking." She wasn't sure why or when the man became her master, but she tried to listen and follow anyway. She really did. But there so much new things to look at. There was a serving girl cleaning the floor and the newly washed marble sparkled. Couldn't she stay just a little while? Her hand instinctively found its way between her legs and she giggled. Wow! Touching herself was just as good as looking at shiny stuff and she could do it while walking. What a convenient way to please master and still feel good. But after playing with herself for awhile, she accidentally lost her footing and stumbled. Master looked back and her and sighed. "Already burned out?" he asked. She hid her hands behind her back, guilty at being caught. "Um." "Carry on," he said. "We'll get you fucked later to clear your head." At the thought of getting fucked, her hands darted back between her legs. She thought about it some more until the leash tugged the collar and she remembered that she should be walking. Her steps were automatic. She thought of nothing at all except the sex she was about to receive. When a small orgasm came, she dropped down to her knees. The fog receded enough to give her the clarity to compose a sentence or two. "Please, master. Please fuck me." It took all her concentration. Did she just say something? "Please master fuck," she said, not remembering if she had already spoken. "We're almost there, Risa. Walk on all fours if you can't stand." She whimpered and masturbated some more, ignoring the insistent tug of the leash until she had another orgasm. The clarity it gave made her realize she was choking and was almost being dragged. She crawled after master, trying to get as much satisfaction as she could by rubbing her legs together. Her breasts swung below, a pair of teasing pendulums. After some time they entered a room. The only detail she noticed was that the people inside wore white coats which reflected the very bright lights inside. She tried to crawl to one of these white coated men. If master wouldn't fuck her, maybe they would. But something around her neck stopped her from going further. She struggled against it. Words between master and the other man were exchanged. They might have said her name. She grunted and continued to struggle. Then, the man in white dropped his pants and the unknown force around her neck disappeared. She tackled him to the floor and rode him frantically, taking what she needed. When she came, she noticed that a circle had formed around her. Most were men, but there were a few girls watching as well. So much faces! She giggled and continued fucking the man under her. He came and she was still unsatisfied, so she was passed to another man. There were a few more switches before she began to understand what was being said. "Started with high hormone levels already," said someone. "She should stabilize in a few weeks." "Good, needing this much fucking would delay us." A laugh. "At least its fun." Soon, she was exhausted but clearheaded enough to answer their questions. They made her sit down on a chair with hands flat on her thighs and she was used again. But this time, like a book. They asked questions and she answered from memory. The recollection was so effortless that she could place her full focus on the squishy, sore feeling between her legs and the touch of the leash on skin as it hung down her neck and passed between her breasts. Her nipples were so erect that they almost hurt. It wasn't long before it became hard to think again. She spread her legs and stroked her pussy with the end of the leash. There was a familiar laugh. "Here we go again," said one of the men. *** Author's Note Oh come on, one year between chapters is way too long. *** Licensed under Creative Commons CC-BY. KTHXBYE The Missing Half When she saw them approach, she stood to meet them with fists on her hips. The gray jumpsuit she wore covered everything, but its slight bulkiness couldn't hide her feminine form. Her face was visible through the transparent mask that fully protected it. The rest of her head was fully exposed to the air, letting her short hair flutter in the breeze. "Any word yet on other survivors?" she asked. "None," said the lieutenant. "But in the meantime, we've brought someone over to.explain the, uh, situation on our planet. Communications Officer Annita Moore, please meet Professor Darrin Wesley." She looked at Darrin with a piercing gaze that disarmed him completely. She actually rolled her eyes! "Alright," she said to him. "Get on with it. I'm tired of you beating around the bush about these hazards. I can't wear this mask forever, you know." Her dismissal made Darrin trip all over his thoughts. "Um, the empire first fell on this planet and started the war." He paused. "No, wait, it wasn't like that." She erupted in laughter. He could see in her expression that she was trying to stop, but couldn't control herself. For awhile, she managed to regain her composure. She looked at them in the eye for a few moments. But when Darrin and the lieutenant simultaneously looked at each other with worry, she started laughing again. Darrin was in awe at the beauty in the sound of her laughter. But the sound was close enough to the shallow giggling that he had heard all his life. It reminded him of what this woman could end up becoming. "Sophie's tits, girl!" His voice boomed through his mask. "This planet can make you suffer a fate worse than death! You had better get yourself together and listen!" Her laughter died down and settled to a smile. "Finally," she said. "It looks like someone here can speak without stuttering after all. I was beginning to think you're all as skittish as mice." "We can't help it," said Darrin. "You're a mythical creature, the first woman on this planet in generations." "The first woman? Then how do you..." Her voice trailed off and she chuckled. "It's a long story, isn't it? Come on. Let's get a seat." *** A few days later, across the border. The scenes switched from one to another with the jarring transitions that belonged to dreams. The violent force of the escape pod launch pressed her deeper into the impact gel. The heat of re-entry engulfed her body. She rolled down a hill helplessly after leaving the pod. A flash of light blinded her eyes when she was found in a thorny bush. The primitive vehicle shook as she was transported like cargo. Then, Terisa woke from the nightmare and found herself in a soft silken bed. After a few breaths of disbelief, she slowly became aware of the aches scattered around her body. She leaned up to inspect herself and found that, other than bandages, she was completely naked. A groan escaped her lips when she discovered that moving was painful yet tolerable. "Oh, you're awake," said a high pitched voice to her side. Teresa turned to see its source. She blinked and took a second look in case she was still dreaming. But the image of the girl who had spoken remained the same. The girl wore nothing but gold jewelry around her wrists, upper arms and neck. Sheer pink cloth connected bracelet to arm band and arm band to collar. The filmy material didn't cover her arms like sleeves. It just hung limp from the jewelry, mocking the very concept of clothing. The girl stood and revealed that she was naked down below. "You stay right here while I call master," she said before walking out the room with a sway in her step. Terisa groaned again in pain. Of all the planets to crash on, it had to be the planet of the sexists. She scanned the room for something to cover herself with or a weapon to fight with. But when she didn't see anything, she wondered whether that was even the correct approach. Perhaps it would be better to go with the flow. This place might not be so bad. Maybe the male servants dressed similarly, with pretty bows of cloth tied on their dicks. The humor from the mental image gave little respite and she cursed silently at the crewmen who saved her. Both of them probably received more diplomatic training than her and would know how to deal with this situation. Damn them both. She was a marine, it was her job to die for them. Instead, all they saw was a damsel in distress. And now, they even succeeded in turning her into one! The door to the room opened and her hands moved to cover herself. Then, she put then aside in a snap decision. Nudity might not be a big deal to them. And even if it was, it was better not to show a hint of vulnerability. To her disappointment, the man who walked in was overdressed even by imperial standards. His coat was covered in badges of rank, even up to the cuffs and the high collar around his neck. The metal of his medals and the leather of his boots shone with a flawless polish. His confident gait made it even plainer that he was in charge. He was flanked by two more girls who were dressed similarly to the first one. One of the girls broke formation and went to Terisa's bedside, holding a tray with a pitcher and glass. "Please," said the man. "Have a drink." "Thank you," said Terisa. The serving girl bent down so Terisa could reach the glass. The man spoke as she gulped down the water. "I am Kaiser Alderson, leader of the Marlowist Federation." She held her cup out, to signal the serving girl to refill it. Hopefully, that would give her some semblance of command. She hid her sigh of relief when the serving girl started pouring and made her own introduction. "Captain Roza, acting commander of the Starship Mercury's marines in service of the Solar Empire." She didn't mention that her rapid promotion was only because she suspected everyone else was dead. The kaiser simply nodded. If he was shaken by her rank, he didn't show it. "Have you recovered any other survivors?" she asked before taking another sip, trying not to gulp it down desperately like the first one. "I'm afraid not. We've only recovered wreckage." She couldn't tell if he was lying or not. He seized the opening as she drank. "Tell me, Terisa, is the empire returning with more ships?" So this federation of his wasn't loyal to the empire. "I am not at liberty to discuss the plans of my government," she answered. "I see." His predatory smile told her that forcing the truth out of her was only a matter of time. "You must be hungry as well," he continued without giving her time to reply. "I'm sure you would appreciate a hot meal and some rest before we continue our discussion." On cue, a serving girl entered the room with a bed tray in hand. The moment Terisa caught the scent, she knew she couldn't turn it away. "Yes, please," she said. It was a minor consolation that the tray would cover her privates in its shadow. "After you've eaten and rested, would you like to go on a tour of the palace?" he asked. "I'm sure it would help us come to an understanding when we negotiate. Our situation isn't like anything you've seen before." "Yes, I would like that very much," she replied. "But before I leave this room, please provide me with an officer's uniform. It's only proper, given my active rank." "Of course. I'll oversee the arrangements myself while you eat and recover. If you have any concerns, please don't hesitate to ask any of my girls." He left the room, leaving the serving girls behind. His claimed ownership over the girls was worrying but the warmth of the food in her stomach relaxed her. It was so comforting that she found it easy to sleep and not care about anything. She pushed the tray away and closed her eyes. Peace almost came to her until the nightmares arrived. The two crewmen left the lifepod and floated towards her in the zero gravity. She shouted, ordering them to leave her behind. Instead, they helped free her from the web of wiring and pushed her towards the pod. There was a flash of light and one of her white knights was gone. The pod door closed automatically before she could see what happened to the other one. The next thing she knew, she was accelerating and the impact gel was deploying and she sat up, awake on the silky bed. Three serving girls by the foot of her bed sat on chairs facing her, waiting. Two carried a fresh set of food and drink on their trays. The other had the officer's uniform on her lap. They all stared into space and didn't notice her stir. It was only after Terisa stretched her arms when the more observant one noticed she was awake. She whispered to the ones who were zoned out then they all giggled simultaneously. Only then did the two girls with the food and drink stand up to serve Terisa. "How long was I out?" asked Terisa as they placed the bed tray in front of her. "I don't know," answered the one with the food. "I was just ordered to wait." "Fuck," whispered Terisa. What had she gotten herself into? "Okay," said the one of the serving girls. The girl walked to the foot of the bed and started to spread Terisa's legs apart before she realized what was about to happen. "Stop that!" said Terisa. "Just, just let me eat me out. I mean, get out from there let me eat in peace." "Okay." The girl looked disappointed and returned to the side of the bed. As Terisa ate, she composed her thoughts and made plans to deal with the situation. These people needed to know as soon as possible that she should be treated with dignity, even if she had to bare threats. When she finished her meal, she sat at the foot of the bed and had the uniform held up for inspection. To her relief, it was a decent set of pants and coat that covered everything. It even had too much buttons in weird places just like the dress uniforms back home. The set didn't come with any underwear, but she was glad anyway that she had something to shield her nudity. With the uniform on, she paced around the room and stretched cautiously to feel the limits of her injuries. Other than a few aches, she was fit and ready for anything. Bless that marine training. "Summon the kaiser," she ordered. Upon hearing this, the serving girls all bowed and left her alone. Terisa stood at attention, facing the door and mentally prepared herself for the confrontation. The kaiser made her wait, but she stood there, coiled and ready. When he entered, she didn't give him time to speak. "Give me the truth, kaiser," she said with cold menace. "Are women in your federation treated like slaves?" He turned to look at his servants. "These girls aren't women." "Spare me your technicalities. You know very well what I'm asking for." The kaiser answered in a lecturing tone. "Just like when a boy becomes a man, a girl is supposed a woman when she comes of age. This is the point when we can assume that she has matured physically, emotionally and intellectually. But on this planet, something else happens in the middle of puberty. While girls still develop physically,their emotions and intelligence degrade instead." It wad worse than she thought. These people have culturally regressed a great deal. "Impossible," said Terisa. "Nothing but primitive superstitions. A mutation like that can't possibly spread in just a few centuries." "It's a virus," said the kaiser calmly. "An engineered plague released by your empire. The virus remains dormant throughout childhood until triggered by the hormones of puberty. It then alters the girl's mental pathways, turning her into the simple creatures you see before you. They're all docile, eager to please and find happiness in the basest pleasures. Their intelligence is limited and they're incapable of deeper thought. I'm sure you've gotten to know them by now." "Is it contagious?" asked Terisa, matching his calm even if she felt a momentary panic. "It only spreads from mother to child. You should be safe." She breathed a sigh of relief. "There are other effects, but there's one which is especially interesting," continued the kaiser. "While it's slow for girls to learn new skills or memorize new facts, they don't lose anything they already have. Instead, existing expertise is set in stone and a girl becomes very efficient in doing what she knows. This makes for some very creative applications." He opened the door and beckoned her to follow. "Come. Let me show you." They walked down the corridor and were soon flanked by servants and soldiers. He wasn't even trying to hide the fact that she was a prisoner. "Our great breakthrough wasn't technological," explained the kaiser when they reached a set of double doors. "It was sociological." At his signal, the serving girls opened the doors and everyone headed inside. Terisa gasped. Rows and rows of girls sat at desks and straight ahead onto a blackboard with complicated looking equations on it. Most of them were motionless with hands clasped on their desk. Others made small cyclic motions like twirling a pencil or spinning a finger on the table. They all wore elements of what had been part of a school outfit but their choices in clothing were hardly uniform. Knee high socks, pleated skirts, blouses and ties were all common themes but most only wore one or two articles. "Go on, you can touch one if you like," said the kaiser. Terisa approached the girl nearest to her and brushed her on the shoulder as if the girl were asleep. She wore a long skirt and an unbuttoned blouse. Her hairclip had a butterfly on it. The girl stirred and turned at Terisa. "Hello!" said the girl with a child's enthusiasm. "My name's Gina. What's yours?" "Terisa," she answered. "What are you doing?" "I'm practicing my mental math while I wait for work." "And what kind of work do you do?" "I'm register eight two two two five two." Terisa noticed that the number repeated itself on the girl's armband. It still made no sense to Terisa until the kaiser stepped in to explain. "All these girls were identified to have an aptitude for numbers at a very young age. Before they hit puberty, we gave them the rigorous training required for them to compute accurately and efficiently. When brought together, they grew up to become living circuits in a computing machine. The end result is computation power more advanced than what our industrial base would suggest." Terisa was speechless. "Observe," he continued. "Kernel?" he said loudly. A girl in the center of the room stood up. Her armband was colored differently. "Yes master!" she said with a salute. The other women stirred from their trance and looked at the kernel. "Compute pi to the five-thousandth digit," ordered the kaiser. There was a bustle of activity as the kernel assigned tasks to the girls around her. A few started working equations on paper then passed them around. It was a simple task, so not all of them were part of the workflow. After awhile, one of the girls approached the kaiser and handed him a piece of paper with the solution. When he showed it to Terisa, she saw that even the handwriting was mechanical in its perfection. He tore up the paper. The girls didn't break their smiles. "Our ancestors were afraid to tap the female potential like this," said the kaiser as he crumpled the sheet in his fist. "They saw it as dehumanizing without realizing that their sisters, wives and daughters were no longer human. The modern federation is more enlightened. With girls specializing in menial tasks, us men are free to pursue the progression of civilization." "What about their rights and welfare?" asked Terisa. The kaiser put his hand on Gina's shoulder, causing the girl to shiver and smile. "What makes you happy, Gina?" he asked. "Oh, I like math and obeying and fucking," she answered. "And do we give you all of that?" "Uh huh," she said with a few vigorous nods. "This was Marlow's vision," said the kaiser to Terisa. "He wanted a world where people could be happy by living simple, productive lives instead of wanting more and doing less. He looked at Terisa in silence then sighed. "You don't approve. I see the empire hasn't changed. You would still reject the solution that your most brilliant scientist had invented." With her thoughts betrayed, Terisa decided it was best to say them out loud. "When the rest of the empire gets here, we'll find a cure for this disease and put stop to the atrocities you commit in whoever's name. Your early industrial tech has no hope of matching our starships. You don't even have nukes!" The kaiser made a gesture and two soldiers grabbed Terisa before she could react. "This is an act of aggression!" she said, knowing it was useless to fight her way out in her weakened state. "Kernel!" shouted the kaiser. "Give me a copy of the starmap from last night's computations." There were no calculations. A few girls simply transcribed it from memory then handed it to the kaiser. The kaiser held the map where Terisa could see and pointed at a dot. "This is our star." He tranced to another dot. "And based on your vector, you left from here. That gives us at least decades or so before your empire realizes your disappearance. We might even have a century or two, depending on how tied up your forces are." Terisa remained expressionless as not to betray that he was dead on. It would be another century or so before the second set of scouts arrived to investigate her starship's disappearance. Then, it would take even longer for a true task force to arrive. "With your help," continued the kaiser. "We'll have the jumpstart we need to get the weapons to challenge your empire. If we could salvage the base on the moon, it would even be better." "What makes you think I'll cooperate?" The kaiser came closer to Terisa until they were face to face and she could feel his breath on her. "The virus," he said, "is airborne." Terisa panicked at the touch of his breath. She tried to headbutt the kaiser but he leaned backwards before she could hit him. The soldiers holding her tightened their grips and she could feel steel cuffs being wrapped around her wrists and ankles. She pushed at the soldiers anyway and stumbled to the floor. When she looked up, she saw the kaiser smiling down at her. A collar snapped shut around her neck. *** Author's Note Continuation coming next year! Okay, maybe not that late, but writing this had already stalled months ago. I've got an outline and all, but the spirit isn't willing. It's selfish of me to ask for feedback because I rarely give it, but I still appreciate receiving anything. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons CC BY license because I'm a hipster and copyright is too mainstream.