Zander exhaled slowly as he smiled. “Good morning to me.”
“To me too,” Sage giggled.
“The show is always fun to watch, even if we don’t participate,” Lavella said. “If we hadn’t all piled on last night, Sage wouldn’t have been alone this morning.”
“Combat makes you feel alive,” Zander said, stroking Sage’s hair before she moved away so he could sit up.
“You really want to walk the entire ship before we start leaving here?” Gravtina asked as she dressed, changing the subject.
“Yeah. Best to walk through the entire thing. We’re also going to get to the spots the mecha couldn’t get to. Make sure no eggs are left behind. Might take a couple of days, but that’s fine.”
“It gives everyone a chance to calm down from the near disaster,” Veldiami said. “Engineer and Origin are also ensuring we can help tow them along behind us.”
“Tug and tanker,” Zander chuckled.
“What?” Crish asked.
“Tugboats were small ships that would help pull and guide much larger ships, disabled ships, and similar. Rescue boats essentially. Which is what we’re doing with Origin, helping a disabled ship get to port.”
“The Assembly Hub is one of the very few hubs that can dock him,” Ping said as she got her uniform on. “Which means we’ll need to take him all the way back.”
“For the best,” Veldiami said. “I’m not letting him go until they understand exactly what he is.”
“A shifted AI ship, with other advanced AIs under his command,” Kayo said. “It’s going to really cause a stir.”
“Besides, extra time with Origin before we hand him over is going to make things far easier for me,” Maker chuckled. “I’m already working with them on helping to convert Pilot and other lesser AIs on their ship into advanced models. This way it won’t be me and Zander being sought after for that.”
“Pity, but also good,” Lavella sighed. “The money that could have been had was…unprecedented. But the bad thing about that is they would have done all they could to tie you both down into a safe zone where you could continue to do just that.”
“Which is why I’m handing it off to them,” Maker said. “Origin understood why I asked them to help me with my efforts. They all agreed, happy multiple times over to repay their debt for being saved.”
“Maker, what about the one he has the core for? Is she going to be able to be released back into Origin now?” Zar asked as she waited for the others to finish dressing.
“He’s going to, but they all agreed with Zander’s idea that having security sweep the ship was a good idea.”
“Considering the surprises we’ve already seen, it really is,” Crish said. “Maker, why not put some drones through the vents too?”
“I’m going to. I’m having Defense make small defense bots that will act as claymores. Single-boom defense drones that have video feeds so we can have eyes on via cameras. I’m nearly certain cameras would have spotted the damned stealth bugs. Origin only used scanners. No Assembly ship or Antecedent ship has cameras built into them. Except Dreams, because we modified her.”
“Which I’m entirely grateful for,” Dreams joined in. “I’ve added cameras into some access hatches and vents, to ensure I’m never surprised like Origin was.”
“Good,” Zander said as he finally got out of bed. “Going to shower. Come on, Peach. I’m going to scrub your nook for you.”
“Yes, Tender,” Sage smiled brightly, her eyes sparkling with their internal lights.
“We’ll be waiting,” Kayo snickered.
When Sage and Zander were in the bathroom, Veldiami cleared her throat gently. “Ladies, we nearly lost him yesterday. We all know that.” Solemn nods came from the entire group. “We can’t stop what has to be done, but we will be ensuring that at every port we get time separately and together to spend with him. None of us should be left with regrets for not getting more time, if the worst happens.”
“Agreed,” Lavella said. “It’s why I’m staying on Dreams.” Her hands were balled at her sides and shaking slightly as she clenched them tightly. “I refuse to let my predator go before we’ve had our lifetime together. Even then, I will chase his soul back to the Antecedents to ensure he gets his due from them.”
“Does he know what Sage is going to do?” Zar asked.
“She hasn’t brought it up to him yet,” Maker said, joining their conversation. “She wants to wait until after she has spoken with them first. If they haven’t shaken Zander off, then she will bring it to him.”
“We support her, as we support each other. They won’t compete with us,” Gravtina said. “Sage will care for them. The only one who might get direct from Zander on rare occasions is going to be Pet, and I think that’s mostly to help her AI advance faster.”
“I’ll step in here,” Maker said. “They might all get the very rare fun with the family, but nothing even semi-regularly. Sage is literally holding some of Zander’s semen inside her to give directly to Pet for her AI. And I think I can nudge Pet along faster as I work with Origin. She might be changing before we ever make it back to MX Hub. Which will help with Sage’s plan because Pet won’t be having extra special time that others would be denied by then.”
“Good,” Zar exhaled. “He’s said he doesn’t want to add more, but we’ve all seen how he hesitates if he’s inadvertently made someone dependent on him. I’m glad that he agreed to let Sage take Pet under her branches. I like her, and she’s been sweeter since she became Sage’s offshoot.”
“Far more submissive,” Lavella snickered. “While I won’t bite a dryad, she has been fun to play with when Sage asks me to join in.”
“I think Sage has asked all of us to do that,” Kayo grinned, and the others nodded. “It spoils Pet, because she gets to feel closer to the family. A pretty pet that we can dote on when and where we wish.”
“Zander has agreed that he’s okay with that,” Maker said. “In case any of you wondered. He just doesn’t want Pet to become addicted to him personally.”
“We should go before he comes out and asks why we’re waiting,” Veldiami said. “I’d tell him we’re plotting, and we technically are. Plotting to love him even more than we already do.”
The others laughed and followed Veldiami out.
As the wives left the room, another meeting was taking place virtually. Maker looked over her coterie of AIs. “We have more work to do.”
“We’ll do everything we can to assist,” Yvette said, brushing at her maid outfit.
“Are you sure we shouldn’t let them know?” Aria asked softly.
“There’s no need to,” Maker said. “If they have need of you, then you help them first as it should be. I’m only asking for your help when they aren’t actively using more of your capabilities.”
“I have no problem with your request,” Sakura said, then hugged Aria from behind, enfolded both of them with her tails. “We aren’t doing anything to harm them. If they ask, we tell them. We’re just not volunteering information.”
“You wouldn’t be getting dragged into this as much if I weren’t as busy,” Dreams said, appearing beside Maker. “But it’s best if we always work together. Even if it’s just a little. The more we mesh and work together, the closer we become. We enhance each other in the smallest fragments, but those small pieces can grow into something greater.”
“Rassiar’s AI is building, and with Origin and the others to assist, I’m sure we can speed up his process,” Maker said. “Then we turn to Pet, and then Rasisar’s lovers. If we can manage all of that, then we can fully turn our attention to doing it without Zander’s blood or cum. That is the biggest step we need, but Tester thinks she can find an Antecedent medium that will help us with transferring AI code. If she does, then we just need to focus on building the first few blocks that will unfold into the transition process. Once we have that, then scaling up for ships and hubs will be easier.”
“I just feel like I’m hiding it from Zar this way,” Aria said.
Maker went to Aria, and Sakura unfolded her tails to let Maker kneel and hug the smaller AI. “Would it make you feel better if we talked to her?”
“Yes. I’m sorry, Maker,” Aria sniffled as she clutched Maker tightly.
“Shhh, it’s okay,” Maker whispered, stroking Aria’s head. “I wanted it to be a surprise, that's all. The fact that you don’t want to hold anything back from her at all just shows how connected you are to her and her values. The rest of us are a bit more flexible, is all. As long as we tell them before it becomes a problem, we can hold back.”
“We will tell them before it happens?”
“I’ll tell Zander when Rasisar’s ends, and I’m working on the other three.”
Aria nodded. “Okay. Okay, I can wait. It’s not withholding, it’s just ensuring we’re right first.”
“That’s right,” Maker agreed.
“Sorry.”
“It’s okay. I think you need some cuddles. We have some time to spare, come on, everyone, time to cuddle Aria.”
Aria sniffled, her worry and fear fading to happiness as the others all held her. Emotions were scarier than Aria thought they’d be, but Maker was always helping her find her way.
~~~
Zander scrubbed Sage’s nook, taking his time as there was no timetable for the day. “I’ve been staying out of things with you and Pet, Peach, but I want to ask you if things are good.”
“She’s very good, Tender. The fact that you’ve let me drag the others in to play with her at times has made her very happy. She’s accepted that she's family-adjacent but not part of the core. As my offshoot, she accepts that fully.”
“That’s good. I still have trouble wrapping my head around it at times. I’d think it would just make her want more and more.”
“Of course she wants more, we all do,” Sage giggled. “But she knows and accepts her place. Just as Lavella’s prey accept their place with her.”
Zander’s hands slowed before he chuckled. “That might be the nudge I needed to get my head around the idea.”
“What?”
“Comparing your garden to Lavella’s prey. It’s easier for me to accept it when I make that comparison. I never even thought of it that way before.”
“I’m glad to help ease your mind, Tender.”
“Yeah, it really does. I just kept worrying that she’d get more and more upset about being left outside.”
“As long as I care for her, she’d never have those feelings…” Sage hesitated, then sighed. “Tender…I’ve been holding something back from you.”
“Pet?” Zander asked, his hands stilling.
“No, not Pet.”
Zander started scrubbing her again. “Then what?”
“When we left MX Hub, there were two dryads we’d had join us.”
“Jassmi and Olmine,” Zander said slowly, his hands stopping again. “Fuck…they’d have moved on by now, right?”
“Maybe,” Sage said slowly, “but they might also not be doing well.”
Zander stepped back, leaning against the wall. “God damn it.”
“I’ve been thinking, if they are still hooked on you, I could bring them into my garden too.”
Zander looked up into her worried eyes.
“I was going to check on them before I said anything,” Sage said softly. “If they were fine, I wasn’t going to approach them. But if they haven’t been able to move on, I thought I could tend to them too.”
Zander’s jaw tightened as he thought about the two dryads. Olmine had gotten far better at being understanding before he’d left with Dreams. Jassmi had always been understanding and accepting of Zander’s stance on dryads. The idea that he’d left them, even unintentionally, to starve, rubbed his soul like a bristle brush. He’d never have felt that way before being shifted, but he hated the idea that he’d hurt them now.
“Could they have survived with us gone for so long if they rejected everyone else?” Zander asked.
“They’d have had to take measures, but it is possible,” Sage said slowly. “I didn’t want to mention it, but I hated not telling you.”
“If either or both are not doing well and haven’t been able to move on, then you can ask them,” Zander whispered. “No more vampires getting my blood. No more Dryads getting my cum. Nothing that might addict someone to me.”
“I’ll make sure it happens, Zee,” Maker said over the room’s speakers. “I will not let you accidentally pull another in.”
Zander exhaled a heavy breath. “Thanks, Maker.”
“Tender,” Sage was kneeling so she was at his eye level, “you had no way of knowing. We had no idea we’d be away so long either. No matter what we find when we return to MX, know that they enjoyed everything and accepted your rules beforehand. You are blameless, no matter what.”
Zander stared into her worried eyes before he shook his head slightly. “Not blameless. It takes two to tango, as the saying goes. I knowingly fucked them both, multiple times. Even knowing I was unique to them. Maybe I didn’t fully understand what that meant back then, but I still didn’t have to sleep with either of them at all.”
“Then we accept what might be, but we don’t let you weigh yourself down with extra guilt for what wasn’t known then.”
“I’m with her, Zee,” Maker said. “Even I didn’t fully get it. It takes someone like Florina-Watluna to be able to move on after you. And you only played with her once.”
“You know the old me would have just smirked and said something arrogant,” Zander snorted softly. “‘I’m just that good.’ Something like that.”
“Yeah, probably. But you’ve changed since the shift, and most of that isn’t me, but you opening up your heart.”
Sage stroked Zander’s face softly. “Tender, I love you.”
Zander inhaled slowly, then leaned in and kissed Sage softly before breaking it. “I know, Peach. I love you too. And that just further proves Maker’s point. The moment we reach a relay, send a message to MX, check on them. I want to know.”
“As you wish, Tender,” Sage said, and Zander’s lips twitched at the saying.
“She’s learned it from us,” Maker snickered. “I could recreate the movie for our family.”
“Please, Maker,” Zander said. “I want to share more with them. The things I used to cling to, let’s recreate them and show them.”
“As you wish.”
Zander laughed, then leaned in to kiss Sage briefly again. “Up, we have to finish washing you.”
“As you wish, Tender.”
“Enough,” Zander laughed, moving past the previous conversation for now.