“A Great Divide: we split up for the sake of a treasure!”
With the elimination of paper money in the late 21st century and the introduction of gold as a universal measure of currency, the rarity and value of certain minerals has always been a way to measure the difference between the wealthy elite and the impoverished poor. Diamonds became the most precious jewels, valued for their strength and durability, then came the rush for mythril, a light, hard substance developed by the elvish races. After this came the search for more efficient fuel, which evolved over the centuries until the hyperion plant could be cultivated in the late 25th century. The rare ore known as Lennethium, named after the woman who supposedly discovered and introduced it to the United Alliances thirty years ago, gave rise to the Silver Age of space exploration, but rumors spread of an even greater metal, the legendary Orihalcum, a mineral so rare and precious that a single gram is worth millions. Due to its significant lack of abundance, the few known pockets of Orihalcum are protected very severely, and distribution is limited to just a few kilograms each year. If, by chance, an adventurer were to discover an unknown vein of this valuable ore, they would find themselves blessed with riches and fame without end.
Vimmy Fonester licked her lavender lips as she stared at the entry for Orihalcum in the Tome of Treasures. According to its report, 99 of all known sources of this precious metal were owned or reserved by the United Alliances (which included her own home world, she noticed with some pride), and the few remaining scraps had either been claimed by independent organizations or else classified as “unconfirmed”. One of these unverified claims was on a nearby world, isolated from its neighbors thanks to a thick ring of asteroids. Only the incredibly crazy or the incredibly talented could hope to maneuver through that death trap, but for a Norgrim like Vimmy, death and danger were completely insignificant when it came to increasing her stock.
The gist of her sales pitch was very simple: she had found what promised to be a planet hiding Orihalcum and required a crew to investigate, and hopefully locate and retrieve the ore. Normally, when expeditions are conducted with no guarantee of success, few people ever sign up, but with the prospect of Orihalcum looming over the heads, only the most cynical are not blinded by their greedy desires. Even a slight chance was enough to bring over half the entire crew clamoring to Vimmy’s side, with the excitable purple entrepreneur leading them in the chase. Amy Miracle herself was in attendance, with Rachel faithfully by her side. Fuuka showed great concern, but in spite of Amy’s dependence on her cane, her eyes were stony and stubborn.
“I’ll be all right. Today’s one of my better days. I need some exercise and fresh air anyway. You don’t have to worry, doctor…but if you insist, you can come along.”
“I suppose it would put my mind at ease,” she sighed. Fuuka smiled warmly at Athena, who shrugged and joined her side. Nothing else seemed to affect the distant warrior; Fuuka was the only thing she was concerned about. Their entwined histories ensured that one would never be far apart from the other, and they always seemed to function best when they were together. But how had two such opposite extremes met in the first place? It was definitely a question worth asking once the time was right.
The Orihalcum-bearing planet had no informal name and was humbly classified by the United Alliances as Sekhamank 4, fourth planet in distance from the star called Sekhamank (the worlds of Helios, in contrast, had the most alternate names of any planet in the galaxy, particularly Earth). It had three moons but two of them were very tiny, each about the size of a city. The third was inhabited but did not have any ore; the planet was dotted with simple people who did not communicate with their advanced “brethren in the sky”. Vimmy soon learned that the only reason the Orihalcum veins here had not been claimed before was that only a handful of people knew about them, and these people had all perished, leaving behind this single entry in the Tome of Treasures. They had apparently been outlaws who were caught and killed, though they successfully kept the treasure a secret.
“Things like this happen all the time nowadays,” Herut noted dryly. “It’s probably a stash and not an actual vein. The outlaws might have pilfered a supply of Orihalcum from the military, hid it, fought to the death, and left their record behind. The military only supposes where the treasure is, but they never found it. I could be wrong, of course.”
“We should bring you along, then!” Alala insisted. Yenae perked up and skipped over, giving the energetic cat-girl’s rear end a squeeze. Alala shrieked and took a swipe, but Yenae jumped away, laughing and waving.
“Oh, is sweet Tralala joining you as well? I’d love to come along and keep her company.”
“Stow it, bitch! We don’t need your immature pranks! This is serious work!”
“You’re so adorable when you’re angry! But really, what am I going to do when you leave?”
“You can dunk your head in the toilet!”
“All right, that’s enough,” Riene sighed. She was nursing a headache and didn’t feel like suffering through any maelstroms. “You don’t have to be together to work together. I’m sure the planet’s very large; we can split up to cover more ground.”
“Better yet!” squealed Kyrie, who was feeling competitive. “Let’s turn it into a contest! The first team to find the Orihalcum gets to keep it all!”
“Is that necessary?” Riene groaned. Kyrie winked at her.
“It’s not only necessary, it’s essential!”
“You just want to try out a new toy,” Yenae stated. She knew full well that Kyrie had been making a new personal jetpack in her spare time, and the only thing scarier was the fact that as soon as Kyrie tested this device, she would work hard constructing an even better version.
“Well, there’s that too,” she admitted quietly. “But I really, really, REALLY wanna race! C’mon, c’mon, let’s go already! Valti, you’re on my team!”
“Huh? Oh—uh, I guess I could benefit from researching the effects of Orihalcum. Say Becks, want to come with? Kyrie and I need a supervisor and you seem to be the perfect fit.”
“I guess,” she stuttered. Valti was glowing with that same look of respect and love, but without the melancholy wistfulness. Rebecca was fairly sure it wasn’t meant to be a romantic expression, but you can never be certain about these things. Fuuka and Athena volunteered to help Rebecca watch over the rambunctious women, and that made five; Alala took Amy and Rachel into her team, and added Riene since she respected her diplomatic skills; Herut was also recruited since Alala agreed with her theories.
“Not that I actually want to come along, but if it’ll keep me away from Chandra—“
“Might wanna reconsider what you say,” said Rachel as she pointed to Vimmy’s team. The buxom woman was already cozying up to poor Mink, who still showed no sign of emotion even as her cheek was stroked and her hand was squeezed. Yenae waved at her new rival and blew a kiss; Alala gnashed her teeth together and raised a proud middle finger.
“Why must you two fight?” Herut groaned.
“I think it keeps their lives fresh and exciting,” Amy replied.
“I don’t need that immature bitch spicing up my life! It’s hectic enough already! Hey, suckers, looks like you’re short a player! This contest may as well be between my team and Kyrie’s! You all don’t stand a hairball’s chance in—“
“What’s with all the shouting?” groaned a familiar voice. A peculiar-looking woman joined up with Vimmy’s team, yawned quietly, and rubbed herself. Not even Chandra had anything to say as this newcomer looked around, her eyes bleary and her body sluggish with fatigue. Only Rachel seemed to recognize her.
“Hey, Naja! Your new skin looks so smooth and pretty now!”
“Yeah, I guess,” she grunted. “Ugh, gods, I’m worn out. You’d better appreciate…all I’m doing for you…ya weirdo goblin. I’m only here…cuz’ you promised…a chunk of Ori…halcum.” She yawned and slumped over, mumbling incoherently. It was no wonder nobody had recognized Naja as she came out: apart from her tranquilized disposition, her dull copper scales were now pink and fresh and oozing with new life. In a day or two, they would ripen to their full reddish-brown color and Naja would be back to her old charming self again. This is what normally happens to an Elshyrin when they shed their old skin, so there was no cause for alarm—except that now, she was an open target for Yenae’s bag of tricks.
“Aww, she looks so sweet and innocent! I just wanna scoop her up and snuggle her brains out!”
“You do that and you’re dead,” Naja moaned sleepily. Yenae quickly pressed her cheek against Naja’s face and hummed sweetly; the serpent-woman feebly swung her fist, which Yenae easily caught and kissed. Alala let out a sharp laugh and stood proudly over her troops.
“Ha! You two make a great pair! Just tell me where the wedding ceremony’s gonna be and I’ll bring the flowers!”
“What’d…you say, you…pussy? Hey, that was a…pretty good joke. Don’t tell me…you…” Naja fell to the ground at last, completely out cold. Mink hoisted her up in spite of her willowy appearance and carried Naja down the escalator ramp onto the planet. Alala grinned and winked at Amy.
“Like I said, this contest is in the bag. You ready to have your wings clipped, Kyrie?!”
“Only if you’re ready to get your tail kicked.”
“Ahahahahaha!!”
“Mwahahahaha!”
“My head,” Riene grunted.
“Such unladylike behavior,” Fuuka sighed. They dragged their guffawing teammates away and the competition began.
……
Even though Rachel could’ve teleported the Dauntless and her crew straight to the planet, the Acheron sisters insisted that they could navigate the deadly maze of asteroids that acted as the planet’s defense. According to Herut’s theory, most of the bandits must have perished in this disastrous ring, while the rest survived just long enough to hide their booty. Yenae and Eve confirmed most of this and a quick stop to the computer lab filled in the gaps; in the meantime, Kayleigh and Teleah were doing their best not to get pounded. The Dauntless was too large for fancy maneuvers and so it suffered the asteroids’ wrath, but it emerged virtually unscathed after running the gauntlet. Amy later revealed that the armor was made from an Orihalcum alloy, which served to further increase the desire.
Once they arrived, the three teams separated without the slightest delay, a few women squeezing in one final derogatory remark to their rivals. Sekhamank 4 (or just Sek 4) was a world covered with dense forests and mountains, but large portions of it had been smashed by meteors, so there were enormous craters everywhere. Because of how isolated Sek 4 was from the rest of civilization, and due to the constant threat of loose asteroids pummeling the surface, there was a tiny population stretched out across the globe, largely ignorant of the worlds around them. Sometimes a daring pilot or a desperate bandit would be able to wiggle through the ring, delivering goods and information, but on the whole, these people were left to themselves.
“I still don’t see why we had to take the nympho,” Naja grunted as Chandra flung her arms around her ripening scales. “I gotta agree with Herut this time: she’s utterly worthless. I mean, it’s not as if we have to seduce anyone; we just have to find this ore and get back home.”
“Well, she insisted, and I didn’t have the heart to say no,” Yenae sighed. “Besides, you never know when she might come in handy.”
“She’s so clingy!” the Elshyrin whined as she shoved Chandra away. The pleasure unit pouted and stared with big irresistible eyes.
“Don’t you like me? I just want to make you happy. I can’t help the way I’m feeling.”
“We can fuck when we get back to the ship,” Naja sighed. “Right now, just leave me alone and try not to get in the way. Yenae, Mink, you two are fairly good with directions. Any idea where this ore might be?” Marliir nodded.
“I’m sure that between the two of us, we can find it. I was actually part of the military when all this went on, so I have a fairly good idea of where it happened. According to the report I read, the battle took place while the two small moons were perfectly parallel with each other. That only happens once a month and only over one location, so if we find that…”
“Why would that be important?” Chandra wondered.
“Well, those two moons pass through the asteroid ring and act as a shield—that’s why they’re so barren and lifeless. A ship can pass through them, provided they can resist the two fields of gravity.”
“Oh, I see—and that means that whatever position the moons were in at the time was when the military caught up to the bandits and fought them.”
“Yes…but I don’t know the exact location.”
“Of course you don’t,” Naja groaned. Yenae glared at her impatiently.
“Don’t be such an ass. I said I didn’t remember the exact location. I know where they generally fought. The military landed around the Ywhmil mountain chain, which is…damn, where is it? Mink, do you know?”
“The Ywhmil Mountains are located on the Vazhahar continent, which we are presently on. They act as a border to the southern region and stretch across an area of several hundred kilometers.”
“That’s a lot of shit to explore,” Naja sighed. “We may as well be looking for a needle in the grass. I don’t suppose there’s a machine that picks up Orihalcum.” Vimmy smiled at her and pulled out a primitive tuning fork.
“No need for machines, Orihalcum gives off special sound waves, the kind that only dogs and other sensitive animals can pick up, but it’ll vibrate this fork, that’s how they’re found sometimes, and don’t worry, they’re not radioactive, but fairly hard to farm, they float in the air, you know, quite difficult to contain, it all has a mind of its own, but I digress, we should follow the song and all shall be well.” Vimmy nearly flew herself as she ran in a southern direction, her short legs waddling and her arm stretched out; she resembled a bird of paradise gone mad with delirium. Naja had to admit that as annoying as she was, Vimmy’s ambitions were as strong as hers, and her energy was only surpassed by her insatiable greed. She noted to herself that this could be a valuable ally for her in the future, while Chandra could be the means to a different end…
……
Kyrie and her crew would’ve been doomed from the start if Amy hadn’t loaned them the Tome of Treasures. Unlike Vimmy’s crew, which had two people well-versed in military history and politics, or Amy’s, which boasted four brilliant women and a freaking genie, Kyrie’s quintet had no suck luck and would have to rely on outside sources if they hoped to succeed. The spirited Red had been too obsessed with the thrill of competition and the prospect of riches and fame to worry about how they were going to find the treasure, but luckily, Amy was a generous woman and donated her precious manuscript to their cause.
“Must be humbling for you, getting help from your rivals,” Athena muttered. Kyrie hadn’t thought of a good recovery and simply held her tongue (because a closed mouth admits no foot). Athena pressed the issue and nudged her self-proclaimed leader. “Do you think she did it out of pity, or fair play?”
“She did it so we wouldn’t get hopelessly lost,” Rebecca stated. “Amy’s a good person—a lot better than a few people here. There’s no ulterior motive behind her action.”
“Do I detect a hint of love?” Valti teased. Rebecca blushed and snorted.
“Just admiration. Now what does the book say?” True to its nature, the tome indicated exactly where the treasure was hidden and what the reader needed to do in order to find it. This cut down any actual exploration, since the other teams would have to rely on knowledge, tools, and an archaeologist’s patience to find the ore, while Kyrie simply had to follow the proverbial dotted line. Even so, it was a long way off, so she proposed modifying one of the transports kept in the ship with a special rocket booster.
“I’ve already finished the basic frame and plotted out the fuel intake; I just need to attach it to a car or a shuttle, and we’ll be flying! C’mon, we’ve already got one advantage! Let’s stick it to them and beat them there!” Rebecca sighed.
“I can’t believe I’m about to say this, but…maybe you’re right. It certainly seems like the fastest way there, although I question its safety.”
“You don’t have to worry about that! I may be a pyro but I never compromise the personal well-being of those around me! One of you go to the garage and pick out a transport—anything will do—and Valti, can you go to my room and get that item I showed you?”
“I know just the one.” Rebecca volunteered to retrieve the car since she was in support of this crazy plan, leaving Fuuka and Athena alone with Kyrie (which was definitely not a wise thing to do). They were both the kind of people who could stand there patiently for long periods of time, but Kyrie was like dynamite, and after only a few seconds, she started pacing around and even considered going ahead. Fuuka and Athena were content to hold hands and enjoy the rustic scenery and the magnificent craters, but Kyrie’s restlessness was upsetting and they couldn’t concentrate.
“Why are you so obsessed with this silly competition, Kyrie?”
“We’re all after treasures, so it’s like I have twenty other rivals onboard. Amy said we could keep whatever we found, so I can’t keep missing opportunities! I have to establish myself as a noteworthy adventurer right now! Otherwise, they’ll just walk all over me!”
“Sounds like more trouble than it’s worth,” Athena muttered. “And don’t forget, Fuu-chan and I could also be your rivals. What are you going to do if our team reaches the ore first: keep it to yourself or split it up?”
“I hadn’t thought of that,” she giggled feebly. “I mean, I guess we could sell it and split the profits. I’m not leaving any of you high and…wow, is it just me, or has it gotten really muggy recently?”
“It’s sprung up very quickly,” Fuuka added. A thick, strong fog had fallen slowly as Kyrie’s team stood waiting for the transport, which was quite unexpected considering the time of day and the clarity of the sky up until then. It was now so dense that one could only see a few meters in every direction. Fuuka and Athena held onto each other and somehow stumbled across Kyrie; their faces were concerned but generally calm. The red-skinned inventor shivered and unhooked her trademark flame thrower.
“I hate the fog! It’s so wet and clingy, and you can’t see a thing. Ugh, the grass is already damp! Hey, you don’t think anybody will mind if I start a few fires, do ya? We need some conflagration confirmation here!”
“I’m sure you’ll have some use for that machine,” Athena said as she drew her sword. Fuuka gasped quietly and prepared herself for the worst.
“You don’t think?”
“There will be too many of them this time. We will have to retreat.”
“What are you all talking about?!” Kyrie squealed. The Kitsune and the Usaginstared at her gravely.
“Some familiar friends are coming.”
“You mean Becks and Val…right?” She whirled around and bathed the approaching fog-ninja in flames, and jerked back to see the clouds taking shape. There was no way to count their numbers this time; they were as massive and as imposing as the shroud that had covered them not long ago. Kyrie howled and sprayed fire on their ranks, disintegrating dozens at a time, but more and more replaced them, raining down from the steam until they choked the land. The promised car and new propulsion suddenly rolled out of the ship’s ramp, and Kyrie went straight to work forging the two together.
“Becks, no time to explain! Keep them busy while I create our getaway! Val, give me a hand—or six…”
“What the heck are they doing here?”
“Just hold them off, okay?” She squealed and screamed as her blow-torch fused the metal together and cackled as she poured the special fuel into the tank. Valti was by her side, her six arms akimbo, weaving fluidly in and out of mesmerizing tangles. Rebecca was knee-deep in fog-ninjas, unloading her weapons as Athena sliced the creatures apart. She prayed to herself that if they survived all this, they would not be blown to bits by Kyrie’s new device.
“It’s done!” Kyrie exclaimed after a few rough minutes. “Go, go, go! Leave those bastards behind!” Rebecca covered Fuuka’s escape as Athena led her into the car, and once all the women were aboard, they peeled out and soared away, blasting through everything in their path, including a few unlucky fog-ninjas.
“That was one hell of a close call!” Valti gushed. Her face was flushed and slightly caked with soot; Kyrie helped wipe it off. Even Athena thought these two mad scientists were getting a little too chummy, but she tried to push it out of mind and concentrated on watching their rear. Several of the ninjas began to pursue but not even they could keep up with the car’s dangerous acceleration. The mountain where their treasure had been stored loomed ahead of them…and grew dangerously closer with each passing second.
“Um, you do realize that if we don’t stop this thing, we will crash!” Rebecca shouted.
“At least we’ll beat everybody else! Okay, okay, yikes! I was just kidding! Power down the thrust and deploy the chutes! I’ll fire the retro-rockets!”
“This car doesn’t have chutes or retro-rockets, you moron!!”
“It doesn’t?” Rebecca stared death at Kyrie as she stuck her finger in her mouth and sucked on it. “Oh. A very disquieting phenomenon. No matter.”
“NO MATTER?! We’ll all be smashed to pieces! Hell, if I gotta die, I’m taking you with me, you twisted little—“
The car suddenly skidded into the ground, its thrust dead, and plowed through the soil and overgrowth as it gradually slowed down, until at last it bumped into the mountain, coming to a complete and relatively safe stop. Fuuka let out a relieved breath.
“It appears we’re out of fuel. That was certainly an exciting ride.”
“Y-yeah.” The crew stumbled out and took a moment to be thankful for the solid surface beneath them. Rebecca would just have to throttle Kyrie later.
……
The Fog-Ninjas—silent, mindless, fanatically loyal, completely obedient, and above all, the most reliable spies in the galaxy—conveyed in the derelict remains of the brigand’s vessel, which was where their main contact in the Sekhamank system called his base. He was a cowardly, conniving, greasy, manipulative man who, in spite of his vile shortcomings, nonetheless posed a great deal of intellect. He greatly preferred to work on the sidelines and never got directly involved unless his superiors forced him to. His name was Derian, he was a Red like Kyrie, though the two had never met, and it was he who, for the moment, controlled the Fog-Ninjas.
“Three groups of five, you say?” he growled, rubbing his crimson chin. “Three groups of five…three groups of five after the ore. I was instructed to not let them have it. Above all else, I must keep it from them. That’s what they told me; that’s why I’m here. It’s the biggest deposit of Orihalcum outside the Alliance’s jurisdiction. If they retrieve it, nobody on my side will be happy. And you say there’s another Red out there who’s already reached the mountain, in spite of your efforts. You say she used a booster rocket. I remember that the Lastgears were good at cobbling together pieces of trash. More than likely, it’s their tomboy daughter, Kyrie. She’s a hot one to deal with—and she has company. They’re all after the ore. I think they know where it is.” He drew in a very deep breath and rubbed his face. His fist crashed against the padded wall of the ship, adding another dent for decoration.
“Do any of you realize what will happen to me if I let them get away with what they’re doing?! Do you have any idea what the others are going to do to me? I’ve been placed in charge of this operation: it’s my blessing and my curse! Why haven’t you all just killed them? Aren’t there supposed to be an unlimited supply of you all? You let Kyrie get close to the mountain and there are two…other…teams…to worry about. Well you had better start being useful. Convey in the mountain and bring them all down. Bring the ore to your master and everything will go smoothly. Now get out of here; you have your orders.”
Being so close to the action was an honor Derian did not want revoked. He had been trusted by higher authorities to prevent anyone from obtaining the Orihalcum, and if he failed, he would drop so far in rank that he might be taking orders from the Fog-Ninjas themselves—and that was in a best-case scenario. Only Hell itself, with its everlasting oceans and freezing temperatures, could rival the torture he would be put through if he failed.
Naja and Yenae were having a tough time of things. Vimmy’s tuning fork had led them to the correct area, but they arrived only to discover a host of Fog-Ninjas awaiting them. Vimmy and Chandra were cowards when it came to combat and demanded that their bodyguards protect them at all cost, while they tried slipping into the mountain. That left Naja, Yenae, and Mink the task of slaying a multitude. Much like the locust or the rat, the Fog-Ninja fought in massive numbers, and were as destructive as a plague for whoever their enemy was at the time.
“Shit! Whose bright idea was it to split up?!” Naja screamed. She crushed necks and punched through bellies with every swipe, venting out all her frustrations against her misty foes.
“Kyrie’s, I believe!” Mink answered. Naja roared as she bit through another enemy, watching with dark disappointment as it faded away.
“I’m gonna give that scarlet harlot the business end of my fist the next time I see her! I’ll kick her ass so hard that it’ll fly right out of her mouth!”
“All the more reason to live through this!” Yenae exclaimed. Her knives passed through six or seven of the steam-creatures with every throw, and yet there seemed no end of them. A shot fired out, dissipating the enemy momentarily as the third group of explorers finally arrived at the scene, Rachel hovering ahead with Dr. Miracle in her arms.
“Hey, happy to see us?”
“Yeah, come down here and I’ll smash my gratitude in your face! Where the hell have you been?!”
“Don’t mind her, she hasn’t been laid once in this trip!” Yenae giggled and blew a kiss at Alala, who was too busy talking with Mink to notice.
“So your master and that nymphomaniac are already inside, eh? I’ll bet anything we’re in last place!”
“Hang the competition and hurry on inside,” Riene groaned. “I shouldn’t have come in the first place. I thought the fresh air would do me good. Ugh, what a pain…”
“Just don’t ask Chandra for help,” Herut warned her as they pierced the darkness of the mountain passage. “She’ll use massage therapy as a pretense for sex.”
“I wouldn’t object to either right about now,” she sighed.
Meanwhile, deep in the cavern, as Kyrie tirelessly led her group closer to the fabled ore, Rebecca Hill suddenly sneezed.
“Take care,” Fuuka said.
“Ugh, thanks. It just came out of nowhere.”
“Perhaps somebody’s speaking about you.”
“Stop.” Athena held her hand out and raised her ears until they were pointed like antennae. Kyrie croaked that they were getting behind schedule, but Valti silenced her and waited for Athena to identify the noise. The Usagin had exceptional hearing and Athena was among the best; she waited for about a minute before arriving at a verdict.
“What is it, dear?”
“Good news and bad news,” she answered Fuuka. “I can hear our friends…and the enemy.”
“So let the two duke it out while we grab the treasure!” Fuuka stared at Kyrie in disgust, and might have stricken her if that enraged expression hadn’t been effective enough.
“Take it, then, if you want it so badly! Rebecca, Valti, do either of you have a light?”
“I’ve got lights!” Kyrie blurted, pulling out several small torches. She eagerly handed them out and lit them all, grinning and chuckling quietly as every other desire of hers was forgotten. Valti waved all six of hers in a pattern to attract the crew while everyone else fanned out in search of them. Kyrie sighed, crossed her arms, and sat on the rocky ground.
“Okay, so the competition was a bad idea, but we learned a lot, right?”
“Sure,” Valti said smoothly. “We learned you’re a fickle cutie-pie!”
“Aww, thanks!”
“You’re also as talented as you claim.” Valti turned her head around and grinned. “You may be a totally insane pyromaniac, but you came through for us when we needed it. I’m glad you forced me to come along.”
“Aww, I’m glad I forced you to come along as well! Group hug!”
“Uh, my arms are kind of occupied right n—oh, who cares?” Valti squeezed her friend and even gave her a little kiss on the cheek. She felt somebody tap her on the shoulder and turned around, flustered to discover several eavesdroppers before her. “Oh, hey! Did you all just get here?”
“Not exactly,” Herut mumbled. Lady Brignor grinned proudly.
“Hey, we’re JUST FRIENDS, okay?”
“Yeah, and turtles have wings.”
“Actually,” said Vimmy, “I have been on this one planet where reptiles were also given feathers, I forgot what it was called but I’ll never forget the sights Mink and I saw that day, what was that planet called, dear, I don’t seem to remember, but I know they had flying turtles and hey, why are you dragging me away Naja, I’m perfectly capable of walking on my own, this stony floor is scraping against my darling boots, I should call the fashion police on you!”
“Hurry up, baldy,” she grunted. “I expect to be well-paid for all the shit I went through recently.”
“Oh, yes, I assure you, but please stop dragging me first…” Vimmy babbled on much longer, but Naja just tuned her out and focused on finding the Orihalcum. She knew this dwarfish chatterbox had her uses and even her virtues, and was already planning out how the two of them could hammer out a partnership—but glory to the Elshyrin gods, why did she have to talk so much?!
There was no mistaking the Orihalcum once the crew came to the room where it was stored. It looked like ordinary amethyst except for the fact that it floated in the air—thus it had to be tethered or nailed down. Because of its lighter-than-air consistency, Orihalcum had to be magnetized first in order to be transported, so part of the crew went right to work while the other part sorted out the minerals from all the other treasures. In spite of the stories and the hopes of the crew, there was only enough Orihalcum there to fill a cup, but that scant amount would make the entire crew fairly rich—or at least those who came along on this journey! There were other treasures stored in that room, and a few of the women took these with them as they picked their way through the cave. Once again, Athena stopped them and drew her sword.
“Hmph…that was quick. They’re here.”
“Who, those ninjas? But Rachel got rid of them!”
“So she did. But there’s more.” The cavern was totally silent for a moment as everyone absorbed this information. Then, the earth gradually shook, building up strength until it felt like the entire mountain would come crashing down. From their perspective, it looked like a flood had been unleashed, for a surge of whiteness built up and chased after them. An army of Fog-Ninjas had risen and were storming the cave and everything inside of it. Not even Athena kept her icy calm as she stared at this inevitable death in the face.
“Damn, too many,” she sighed.
“Yeah, way too many!” Rachel exclaimed. “I think this constitutes as an emergency! Everyone, hold onto your shorts! Alley-oop!”
ZIP!!
In the blink of an eye, the explorers and their belongings were transported from the cavern to the Dauntless, deposited into a messy, disoriented pile. There was nobody in the room at the time and so it took awhile for the rest of the crew to understand what happened, but once the Acheron sisters received the “all clear” sign, they lifted the vessel off and drilled straight through the burning atmosphere, beyond the ring of asteroids and into the vast heavens. Sighs of relief were freed and fifteen brave women were given a well-deserved rest.
Well, maybe only fourteen. “Ugh, it hurts even worse now.”
“You’re not the only one in pain, Latoli!”
……
Riene’s headache ended up being such an issue that Fuuka decided to step in and offer her expertise. As she prescribed several pills, some rest, and a healthy snack, Chandra presented a different opinion and offered her own services, which, according to her claim, could not only heal most maladies but also improved the health. Riene was a little wary thanks to Herut’s warning, but she was also curious, and ready to try just about anything. She never had liked taking medicine, and even though she knew Fujiwara’s way was the best, she accepted Chandra’s invitation.
She was told to bathe well and come dressed in a robe for her appointment. Apprehension nagged at her thoughts as she cleaned up and got ready, and her stomach was tumbling over and around, partially from uncertainty but mostly from excitement. She knew full well what Chandra had been created for and what she probably meant to do later on, and yet she was going through with it. Secretly, Riene had hoped that Rebecca would be her first, but that path seemed closed to her. The beautiful white-haired maiden avoided her and never even looked at her, though Riene couldn’t figure out why. When they had to speak, Riene had to force herself to do most of the talking. She clammed up around pretty women as well, but at least she tried! She wanted to hold out hope for a possible relationship with Rebecca, but that hope was becoming dimmer. No doubt this session with Chandra would suffocate it forever.
She padded through the hallway gracefully, wondering if anybody could see her. Would Herut hate her for going to Chandra’s room? Would Rebecca? Would she “only” stay to relieve that pounding headache of hers, or would her visit be prolonged? Riene knew for a fact that as attractive and charming as Chandra was, she did not actually want to pursue her. She was a nice girl who was nice to look at, but she wasn’t the kind of person Riene wanted to be with. She liked women like Kate, Sharyn, Yenae, Eve, Lyara, and especially Rebecca—sweet girls with golden hearts and strong bodies—warrior-women, basically. Chandra was like a cake: glorious for a moment but not very fulfilling. Riene made up her mind as she went through the door: she would let Chandra heal her throbbing skull and would refuse any sexual advances.
“Welcome. I’m happy you made it. You look breathtaking! Take a seat and relax.” Riene tried not to let the erotic atmosphere bother her. Chandra had placed aromatic candles all around her room (probably with Kyrie’s help), and was playing relaxing, sexually stimulating music that could get a nun “in the mood”. She wore a very loose sari and sarong that left just enough to the imagination, and greeted Riene by caressing her cheeks and looking deep into her eyes.
“Would you like to disrobe?” she whispered. The words were caught in Riene’s throat. All pleasure units were designed to have magnificent beauty and Chandra was no exception. She had that divine height that eludes so many common women but it didn’t make her seem masculine at all: it was simply an extraordinary presence that instilled a sense of awe into potential lovers. Her hair shimmered and waved like a sea of rich cocoa over her shoulders, and her eyes pierced like lustful little limes, digging deep into mind and soul to find out what her partner desired most. When she smiled, her pouting lips begged to be kissed with a shy, virginal desire, and her skin glowed warm and soft and brown in the candlelight (she reminded Riene of a girl from India she once had a crush on). Chandra had all the cliché body parts but she worked them like a goddess might: bountiful breasts curving down to her taut waist, the wide hips leading down to her silky legs, and long arms reaching out, quietly untying the knot that kept Riene’s robe on. She had her back to Chandra as the stunning woman massaged her temples.
“You have no idea how long I’ve waited for this moment,” she whispered lustfully. Riene tensed and felt her willpower fading. She had never been anywhere close to this situation before. Nobody had ever yearned for her, or pursued her, or even paid her that much attention. And now all this was suddenly caving in on her.
“Wh-what? To heal my headache?”
“No,” she giggled, “to seduce you. Mmm.” Riene blinked in rapture as she felt those full pink lips touching her naked shoulder, dancing and sucking softly as they explored her womanly skin. So Herut was right!—but this felt so good… She sat now with her robe around her waist, arms shielding her bosom bashfully, breathing shakily as this demi-goddess attended to her. A thought crossed her mind that this creature had probably seduced several dozen women already, if not more, and she would probably be as devoted to Riene—both in the short and long terms—as she had to those others. Not for nothing did Herut call her a slut—but it felt so good!
“Turn around. I want to do the front now.” Riene was powerless by now. She felt her robe go as she faced Chandra—not surprisingly, the taller woman was nude as well—and felt her lips being pried open as a slick, slippery, sensual tongue slithered inside. Chandra’s fingers and hands rubbed against Riene’s brow, softly and delicately until all traces of the pain were gone, and just to be safe, Chandra kissed her forehead until Riene submitted completely. She placed her face inside Chandra’s cleavage and did as she wished while the pleasure unit started to moan. She truly existed for no other moment than this—the moment when her lovers were the most satisfied, where they loved her in return, even for that one instant, and released themselves all over the place. This was how Chandra justified her life, and deep down inside, she wished that for once, Herut could understand this.
Riene didn’t go all the way—she kept her purity and her sanity in the end—but she went far enough, and left the room in shame, clutching onto her robe and she murmured an apology. She forgot to thank Chandra for curing her headache, but this was the least of her concerns now. Guilt and disgust pressed down on her until she made it to her room and shuddered all her frustrations away. Images of her dear, distant Rebecca flooded her mind, and she masturbated to this impossible dream until she fell fast asleep.
“Drat, I was so close,” Chandra sighed in the meantime. She assembled her clothes and cleaned up what Riene had knocked over in her haste. “I suppose it wasn’t a total loss, though…and the evening’s just begun. As I recall, Naja promised she would fuck me once we got back. It’s been a long time since I’ve had rough sex. I suppose it’s time I break my sabbatical—heeheehee!”
……
Derian was going through that same experience we have all been through before, when you know you have done something very stupid or horribly wrong, and must now take responsibility for your actions. Guarding the Orihalcum “until better hands could grasp it” had seemed like a simple enough job, and after blundering his best chance on Strategos, this seemed like the perfect way to redeem himself. Perhaps in the long run, this task would not prove to be as important as his masters claimed, but its significance could not be overlooked, nor could his failure! Remorsefully, he turned the transmitter on, and sat hunched over, rocking nervously, as the voice admonished him.
“Mr. D, please deliver your report.”
“I have failed, sir,” he answered at once. His master had no patience for hesitation or excuses, so Derian spoke quickly and clearly. “In spite of my efforts and the resources that were given to me, by entities that I am unworthy of serving, I have failed to procure the material you requested. I don’t know how my enemies escaped the cavern—I sent a horde of Fog-Ninjas in to make sure they were killed—but they’re free; the spies have checked every crack and corner. They have the ore, and I’m at fault.”
“Perhaps, but not entirely, Mr. D. If what you’re saying is true, it appears as if these vagabonds are blessed with a great deal of skill. I shall make an inquiry regarding the method of their escape, and if I learn it was a matter beyond your power, you will not be under reevaluation. The Fog Ninjas are not perfect, but they are quite suitable for almost any task we could imagine, and if they could not confiscate the Orihalcum, you needn’t feel like such a martyr. Regardless, I expect a better performance from you in the future.”
“Yes sir, I understand. I won’t fail so long as…if I may…the conditions are reasonable.”
“Indeed, nor should any of us. I have other business to attend to, so if you’ll excuse me. Do remember where your loyalties and your…debts lie, Mr. D.”
“Yes sir, I will sir.” The radio was silenced and Derian felt an incredible weight roll off his shoulders. He had been spared the scathing chill of his master’s wrath for another day, and vowed that from that moment on, he would never flirt with the dangerous razor’s edge ever again. The master… He was not a forgiving person.
Preview of next chapter
Chandra: Squee! We get to visit an Amazon world! There are lots of gorgeous, scantily-clad warrior women here! Yeee! I’ve died and gone to heaven!
Herut: Unfortunately, this death you speak of is figurative.
Riene: But she’s right, you know. Um, I mean, she’s right about our destination! It’s not like I’m really interested in beautiful women running around a jungle…hunting…soaked in sweat and war-paint…bonding as sisters in a tightly-knit tribe…with nothing but each other to comfort their every… (gulp!) desire…
Chandra: Looks like I’ve got my work cut out for me!
Herut: Just so long as I don’t see it or hear about it. Anyway, it seems we also run into some trouble along the way.
Riene: A severe lack of loincloths?
Chandra: You’ve read my mind!
Herut: Arrgh! Why does everyone here have such a dirty mind?! NO! I mean we have to face some more enemies!!
Chandra: Are they sexy enemies?
Herut: ……I give up. Go whore yourself away, trampy.
Chandra: Hey, I’m a messenger of love, not a tramp! In the next episode, we have a huge Amazonian orgy!
Riene: “Wild Thing: going feral on Amazonia!” promises to have lots of action, adventure, and…hot sweaty women. (gulp!)
Chandra: I’m waiting for the moment when Riene goes native!
Riene: But I’m too civilized for that! (It won’t stop me from trying!)
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