Author's Notes:

Tears of the Mayfly is set in the same universe as Bacchus, but for the most part, they are separate and distinct tales.

It's science fiction where everything is possible, but this one comes with a TRIGGER WARNING or maybe just a DISCLAIMER. Whatever you call it, this story is a little different, so if you don't wish to explore unfamiliar paths, look elsewhere.

Feel free to skip this story if you have difficulty accepting sexualities beyond heterosexuality. I've no wish to offend anyone's sensitivities, but I won't constrain a story because of them either.

It's not a story about transsexuality or sexual identity. I'm waving NO flags here.

The main character is a genetically engineered being who is physically male AND female and is given the personality templates for both. That's a lot for a being to deal with.

Additionally, the story contains violence and death. Bacchus can be a scary place as its function is to feed the base desires of its visitors, and sometimes it gets dark.

I know some of my readers are sensitive to such things, so feel free to skip this story if you don't want to read about them. I understand, and it won't hurt my feelings.

All the above aside, this story has a core of love and hope for those whose hearts are open and willing to accept it in its many shapes and orientations.

All characters engaging in sexual relationships or activities are 18 years old or older. Or were implanted with the intellect and sensibilities of said age group.

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Tears of the Mayfly

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Chapter 1

Planet Bacchus had earned its reputation as a modern-day Sodom and Gomorrah. While the adults-only party planet catered to the masses with many culturally acceptable entertainment activities, its offerings went well beyond, into the realms of the morally bankrupt.

This wasn't a planet for families until they'd all reached adulthood.

As long as you could afford to pay for it, nothing was out of bounds, and you could rest assured of the host's discretion. What happened on Bacchus stayed on Bacchus. This policy was better for business than extortion, as word of mouth was their best marketing, and repeat customers were their bread and butter.

The planet's administrators knew that many visitors would never participate in the more extreme activities, but they still got a perverse thrill just knowing they were close to it.

With their state-of-the-art genetics labs and absolutely no moral constraints (only financial ones), any creature could be created for the patron's use or abuse in most cases.

None of the creations were allowed off-planet. Genetically Engineered Entities, or Genies as they were called, were still illegal on most planets in the Confederacy, though some were beginning to accept them in limited ways.

While the clever geneticists were quite capable of producing a weaponized virus that could wipe out all human life, there was no profit in that, so they stuck to creating sex and murder surrogates.

To prevent the accidental creation of said virus, all genetic templates were thoroughly vetted in virtual space before being approved for physical delivery.

All diseases and physical ailments were screened from the creations, making them far healthier than the patrons. If they were expected to serve for extended periods, they'd be given immunity boosters and rapid healing capabilities, which protected management's investment.

At the opposite end of that spectrum, Mayfly was the name given to Genies created for use in Bacchus' rougher establishments. There was no expectation of longevity, so they'd be delivered healthy and typically leave the building in a body bag, most often the next day. They weren't given immunity boosters or fast-heal but instead received a genetic kill switch, limiting their lifespan to a maximum of three days, should they survive the patron's use for that long. Triggered by their birth, a malignant tumor would begin to grow rapidly at the base of their skull until it crushed their brain stem by the end of the third day, give or take a few hours.

This was considered another form of protection for keeping their creations in check. There was no point escaping if you wouldn't survive long enough to see another planet.

On Bacchus, the administrators were gods, the establishment operators were their enforcers, and life for the Genies was Hell.

But the patrons always had a good time.

Satisfaction guaranteed.

-=-

Senior Specialist Dheren glared at the screen as he read a last-minute requisition for new dancers from Madam DeGaul's Lady's Night Resort.

The psychotic bitch had offed an entire squad of talent in a fit of jealous rage again. Ten dead Genies. He suspected she must be off her meds. This latest waste of resources was going on her record, so the admins upstairs could make an adjustment if they determined they'd had enough of her shit.

Dheren had already decided she should get the boot, but it wasn't his call.

It was the end of his work shift, so he was working on his own personal project as his contract allowed. Truthfully, all the geneticists were encouraged to play a little as this typically benefited their employers, too.

His current pet peeve was the Mayfly template. While cheap to produce, he was convinced he could make a more economical template if he could make them last their full term. Not many lasted the full three days! This would mean he and his colleagues could spend less time on such mundane work.

Including the immunity boost and fast-heal features into the existing template wasn't an option as that conflicted with their kill switch and increased unit cost too much. It couldn't be justified.

However, he thought he'd found a way to make the existing template incorporate a new method for mildly augmenting immunity and accelerating minor healing based on a more efficient digestion system without conflicting with the aggressive tumor's growth. He was very pleased with himself for discovering this radical new biochemical process. He'd done extensive research to ensure he wasn't stepping on anyone else's trademark. As it was new, and he was the first, he was looking at a juicy bonus.

The fuel for this enhanced digestive function was just one additional ration bar per feeding period, once in the morning and once in the late afternoon. Five to six food bricks cost less than implementing the immunity boost and fast-heal features. It wouldn't save a lot of money, but it would save his team time, so they were rooting for his success.

He'd spent the better part of an hour putting the final touches on his template and getting it approved for physical prototyping. With this stupid rush requisition for more dancers, he'd have to push it off until next week!

He glared at the screen and then suddenly had a thought. His prototype would have to go to the test team, which would take weeks before they sent their analysis report back. He was never convinced their testing matched real-life usage. If he included his prototype with the order of dancers, he could get real testing results within three days. It went against protocols, but he'd be looking at a slap on the knuckles at most as he was one of their senior-most geneticists and far too valuable to the team.

The Madam would have to agree to include a Mayfly in her order and be willing to submit a new order for one dancer when the Mayfly expired.

He smiled as he knew how to get her to agree. He placed the call and used her direct number from the requisition. It didn't take long for her to answer, so she must be aware of the ramifications of her actions.

"Helena DeGaul speaking."

"Ms. DeGaul, this is Senior Specialist Dheren from Soylent Labs. I'm looking at your expedited requisition for a squad of dancers. You understand it's quite unusual to see such a large order of long-term assets in a rush order. You need these tonight?"

There was a moment of silence then her voice returned, but it was very controlled. "There was an accident—"

"The second one of its kind, according to our records. That's going to draw attention. Not good attention either," he suggested.

"What do you want?" Now the voice was angry but still controlled, so she must be back on her meds.

"Favor for a favor. I'll drop the details section regarding the loss of the assets, a simple clerical omission, and I'll send you a new squad."

"In exchange for?" she asked cautiously.

"One of the dancers will be a Mayfly. A prototype of mine that requires real-life experience testing," he said reasonably.

"I need dancers, not some monster! They have to look human, sexy, and masculine! Mayflies die too quickly!" she snapped.

He calmed himself before answering. "It will be a dancer. My prototype is an attempt to make a more durable Mayfly. Once it dies, just place a requisition for one dancer, and I'll fulfill it with a long-term asset. Then I'll have the Mayfly's body picked up."

There was a pause as she considered the offer. "This is acceptable, but the Mayfly needs to be a beautiful male!" she insisted.

"I understand. Good business to you."

"Good business." She hung up immediately. Not one for small talk, obviously.

He turned back to his project and gave it a critical look. He always built his creations with a female template, tweaked to his sexual tastes, of course. Big titties and a fat ass every time! As the cosmetics made no difference to his work, why not have a little fun with it.

He saved a copy and then began altering the template's cosmetic features. He reduced the breasts to almost nothing and tightened up the butt until it was firm with only the slightest roundness.

Now for the most significant change. He switched the sex of the template and ran a quick simulation. He cursed as he saw how badly the change of its hormonal balance fucked up the finely tuned precision of its body chemistry! He'd be set back at least a week!

Frustrated, he purged the template and restored a copy from the backup he'd made.

As one of Soylent's top senior geneticists, he had access to the company's secret archive of genetic templates. Not content with that, he'd dipped into the restricted folders for the rarest files. He'd discovered one with pale porcelain skin, long white-blonde hair with gentle waves, and an almost ethereal beauty to its features. These features made it his preferred template for his pet projects. He'd made a local copy, which was against corporate policy, but he only used it for internal modeling so no one would know. A Mayfly wouldn't get much exposure for the three days it got to live.

He sat staring at his pneumatic bimbo as he contemplated how he might make this work. The Madam wanted a beautiful male. His frown slowly became a sly smile as he realized an option was available to him.

To save himself time in adjusting all the physique specs, he pulled the data from an existing template for a female athlete's body and fed it into his project file. He made subtle adjustments to boost the musculature to emphasize masculine characteristics. His creation would be very strong but without the exaggerated bulk of slabs of muscle.

The long hair worked for either sex, but he shortened it to mid-back instead of his preferred ass length. He kept the longer lashes framing its blue eyes.

He removed the emphasized cheekbones and the over-inflation of its lips. This brought the Genie back to its natural beauty. He spent a little time perfecting the symmetry of its features, which were the smallest tweaks. Looking at the finished product critically, he believed it would pass for a male, but as the Madam insisted, it was beautiful. A male with a powerful feminine edge to his looks.

He took a moment to admire the new template. He was creating art, much like the marble statues crafted by Michelangelo and Gianlorenzo Bernini, the master artists he admired so much from Humanity's ancient past. As it already had a porcelain skin tone, he ensured all skin below its eyelashes was hairless to keep to this sculpture motif.

He spun up a virtual model of the new template and smiled at the one-point-eight-meter-tall hologram projected before him. He tweaked the shoulders to make them just a hint broader, and he was almost done. Its features were perhaps a little too androgynous, but there were enough masculine hints—except for a rather important one. Now, he decided to get a little creative.

He spent a couple of hours reworking the plumbing on the creation until he was satisfied. He merged his changes into the modified template. His creation now sported a reasonably sized penis with foreskin intact and testicles, a very masculine feature for such a svelte being. There was no need for excess here.

There was still a vagina just behind the testicles, then the anus. It was a busy neighborhood between its legs.

He grinned as he tried to imagine the Madam's expression when she discovered the extras.

Now it was time to design its programming, his least favorite part.

Begrudgingly, he added the stripper dance module to the build resource files, then remembered to add the male stripper module as well. It would have the skills to dance either way.

Finally, as his creation would likely be expected to have sex with patrons, he included both female and male sexual arts modules in the build resource files. These modules contained sexual aggression modifiers, so installing both might conflict, but the Genie didn't get a say in who they fucked, so he assumed it didn't really matter.

Before he saved the results, he ran through the adjustments he'd made to his experiment. While he'd done a fine job hiding the creature's female nature, its default behavior would be a dead giveaway as he'd chosen a submissive personality matrix.

He glanced at the clock and realized he'd gone well past his shift. He was beat. Spending additional hours tweaking the behavior was not going to happen. Instead, he brought up a grid of male personality matrices and selected one with just a hint of dominance. He used this as a final overlay module. He knew multiple personality matrixes was a recipe for madness, but it only had to last for three days, and even if it self-destructed after just two, he'd have the data he needed.

He saved his final template and filed it in his personal project docket. He submitted a copy from there into the main build engine.

He ran an approval scan once he'd included the standard modules for Genies. He spotted a few alerts questioning the modules chosen, including the red flag for the dual personality matrixes. He used his senior technician ID to cancel these alerts and proceeded with the approval request. It returned quickly with a permission code. He smiled, pleased with himself, and submitted the build request to make his design flesh and blood.

Fun stuff accomplished, he dug up the templates for the male strippers and selected a set of nine to build. These were queued, and he signed off on the requisition. Once the beings left their vats, they'd be washed, dressed, prepped, and delivered to DeGaul.

His job was done, and he was going home.

Nothing beat the feeling of creating a new life!

Even if it wasn't expected to survive past the weekend.

Chapter 2

Awareness follows consciousness.

Sion became conscious shortly after leaving the birthing vat. Workers bathed, dried, attached its discipline collar, then dressed the new arrival while the installed modules sorted and integrated themselves within Sion's brain. Some weren't playing friendly with each other, particularly the personality matrices. This left Sion with anxiety and confusion as the conflict remained.

All this happened, yet there was no awareness.

A group of attractive males were marched by, and Sion was directed to follow them. They continued down a long hall following a worker in a white clean-suit. They marched through a wide door to take seats on benches against two sides of the rectangular space. The worker locked them in their seat restraints and left, closing the doors.

Awareness arrived.

-=-

"Hey!"

Sion blinked in the dim light to see the box they were sitting in. Seats. Restraints. Walls with just enough translucence to give them light to see. Movement was felt, so the space they were in was currently mobile.

"Hey!"

Sion looked across the space into the eyes of a handsome, dark-haired male. His eyes were a lovely green, but they were also confused.

"Are you supposed to be here? With us?" he asked.

"Why?" Sion asked as their purpose and destination suddenly came to mind.

"We're going to a strip club... for women," the man continued.

"You are awfully pretty to be looking to flash a dick at the ladies," a dark-skinned male next to Sion said. He suddenly reached between Sion's legs and got a handful through the thin, gauzy fabric of his pants. "Damn! He is one of us! Maybe two of you!" he joked, looking across at the confused Genie. The others laughed as green eyes grinned self-consciously, but he never looked away from Sion.

He.

Something in Sion's mind was caught on that identifier. It was troubling. The term he felt... incomplete? Wrong? No, not wrong, but not right, either. The confusion from before surfaced in Sion's consciousness, as did the anxiety.

Pushing the grabbing hand away, Sion's troubled thoughts passed through her... his... their mind. They. With the confusing duality in their brain, the identifier they seemed... closer.

Then, there was no more time to worry as they'd arrived.

The far end of the box opened, and their restraints disengaged.

"Come on, newbies! Time to leave your packaging and join the real world!" a deep male voice barked loudly.

The men stood and filed out. Sion brought up the rear. The male Genie standing at the opening directed the men left and right as he examined them.

Then, it was Sion's turn.

"What the fuck?" the big man growled. He took a good long look, then read the sheet he held. "There's gotta be a mistake. We don't have any female dancers."

"Don't be fooled! He's packing!" the grabby one called out.

The deep-voiced male gave Sion a surprised look and reached down to find out for himself.

Sion knocked his hand aside and glared at him. "No free rides!" They felt a simultaneous surge of anger and nervousness.

The men watching this hooted and laughed, their excitement ramping up as they saw the big guy getting angry. Pretty boy was going to get a beating.

The man looked into Sion's eyes but spoke to the room. "Understand what I'm about to tell you because next time, I won't use words to get my point across. I'm Darius, the club's squad commander. I'm in charge of all the so-called talent that enters these doors. While you're here, my word is law, and you will live by my rules. You're new, so you have no significance. You're just newbie shit I scrape from my slipper."

Darius reached once more towards Sion's groin only to have his hand slapped away.

The fist that hit Sion's stomach was fast and brutally hard, lifting them into the air only to fall to the floor and crumple into a ball. Sion desperately strained to inhale a breath.

Darius scanned the men watching this and snorted in satisfaction as none were laughing now.

He dropped to one knee and grabbed a fistful of blonde hair. He yanked Sion's head back to smack against the floor as he pushed the bent legs down.

For the second time in the brief period of Sion's awareness, a rough hand was grabbing his cock through his pants? The material was obviously designed to let the patrons cop a feel, too.

What was being squeezed now was a cock, and it was definitely attached as he felt the male's grip, so... that meant they had to be a he, right? Right?

Looking up, Sion saw Darius' smug expression as he roughly wiped his hand on his pants. Punching Darius' dangling balls, exposed by his kneeling, caught them both by surprise.

The big man managed to punch Sion in the face twice before he rested back to take deep breaths, riding out his nausea.

Sion's world shrank down to a pinpoint of intense pain, but oblivion would not arrive to take that pain away.

"WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU DOING TO MY PROPERTY!" a shrill voice shrieked in rage.

The room went totally silent. Sion couldn't see through the tears of pain. The only sound was a quiet grunt from Darius as he struggled to stand and bow. His deep voice couldn't completely hide his fear.

"This one needed a lesson, then a second when the first didn't take—"

"So, you decided to ruin the feature that makes me money? I was under the impression you were smarter than that. Did I put too much faith in you?" The voice was becoming quieter and calmer, but somehow, that just made it more terrifying.

"No, Madam DeGaul! It was a one-time aberration brought upon by such an odd circumstance! It won't happen again!" the deep voice begged urgently.

"Let me see this odd circumstance," the calm voice said.

Sion finally got to see the voice's owner as she leaned over to inspect her property. There was an immediate tugging sensation in Sion's mind. Master rang like a bell in every cell. This was their programming waking up.

All they could do was gasp helplessly as tears dripped from swollen eyes.

-=-

Madam DeGaul was tall and slim, with palest pink skin, dark eyes, and crimson lips. Her straight, jet-black hair rested upon her shoulders, and her black silk shirt was open to the waist. She wore tight black leather pants and black leather boots. It was her uniform, and she wore it well.

"My my my..." she purred as she knelt next to the prone Genie. "You are... so very lovely." She reached out a long-fingered hand and caught a tear with a digit. She lifted the finger to her lips, her pink tongue darting out to taste the salty wetness. She paused as her eyes took in the pale, smooth skin stretched tight over firm muscles. A slight shiver ran down her spine as she fought the urge to touch and taste.

But not before these watching eyes. She'd have her fun in privacy. A faint notion of a smile came and went.

A thought suddenly intruded. A nasty one. Her chest began to tighten strangely.

"Give me the manifest," she snapped as she held out her hand. Darius slipped the sheet into her fingers. Her eyes quickly scanned down the list, then shot back to the top. There it was, the flag for the Mayfly. Touching the entries on the sheet would make their discipline collars emit a distinct tone.

Watching the beautiful creature lying before her, she touched the first entry. Its collar tone sang the awful truth. It was the Mayfly.

A sudden rage swept through her.

Why? What was the point of making the creature so breathtakingly lovely only to have it expire in just three days? She wanted to stand on Senior Specialist Dheren's miserable neck for being so cruel to her.

She stood but kept her eyes on the pale thing, seeing the bruises forming around its eyes from when Darius inflicted his own brutality. She used her implant to send a quick command to her squad leader's collar, and he dropped to the ground, experiencing a full second of agony as punishment for... she frowned, suddenly unsure of herself and her reactions. The Mayfly was a thing, not a person. All of the Genie's were mere things to her. She had no emotional investment in any of the assets she kept in her domain. She ran her eyes over the other men and saw their fear.

She looked back at Darius, who watched her from the floor, fear, hurt, and confusion all visible in his eyes.

"Never the face," she growled, dropping the manifest on it, and immediately felt stupid for explaining herself. Darius nodded rapidly.

She gestured for the Mayfly to stand, and it struggled to its feet, then rocked gently. She ran her eyes down its body. She wanted to introduce this gorgeous dancer in tonight's show. If she could heal it sufficiently, that is.

"You, follow me!" she snapped and headed to the door which led to the admin offices. When she reached the side of the room, she was pleased to see it following obediently close behind. Not that its programming would allow anything less. She went through the door and led the way to her office, stopping by her assistant's desk, who stared at the pale Genie.

The young woman had worked for Helena for almost three years, proving she was made of stronger stuff than any of her previous assistants. Cool and professional, she was a good counterbalance to her more volatile boss.

"Call Octavia. Tell her to bring her medkit for this one," Helena said brusquely, snapping the woman's attention away from the male.

"Yes, Madam!" her assistant responded, glancing back towards the dancer once she'd sent the message.

Helena entered her office and directed the Genie to sit on the couch.

She made herself comfortable behind her desk and smiled as she saw her assistant had prepared her tea and shortbread cookies. She took a sip and munched on one of the cookies as she contemplated the creature sitting patiently on the couch. It looked so... lost. The dark bruising around its eyes enhanced the impression.

"Here," she said as she tossed it a cookie. It gently plucked the flung biscuit from the air between finger and thumb and looked at it in surprise.

"It's food. You eat it," she sighed.

It parted its lips to take a small bite. Helena found herself watching its mouth as it chewed slowly. She saw a little spark of joy appear in its eyes as it enjoyed the treat. She felt excessively pleased at seeing its happiness. This disturbed her, so she looked away.

Octavia knocked on the jamb and entered as Helena looked towards the door. Every club had to have an onsite doctor, and Octavia had been working with Helena since day one. She was her most trusted employee and confidante.

She was a few years older than the Madam and did her best to ensure her boss stayed on her medication schedule. The recent crisis happened while she was attending a mandatory re-certification workshop. Her interim replacement had not been so diligent.

Where Helena was tall, slim, pale-skinned, and dark-haired, Octavia was her polar opposite. Standing a good head shorter than the Madam, she was well cushioned, mahogany-skinned, and had silver hair. With her premature loss of hair pigment, she'd embraced it and wore her silver locks with pride.

"My patient, I presume?" she asked, receiving a clipped nod from Helena. She took in the bruised and swollen tissue around its eyes and the smudge of a bruise on its stomach. Frowning, she looked to her boss. "This one's new, yes? Just arrived? How did he get into a fight so quickly? Who did this?"

Helena thumped back against her chair in frustration and then caught the look from the doctor. "It wasn't me! It was that moron, Darius! It said something about teaching it a lesson." Her mind took her back to the shipments room. Why it thought punching her new talent in the face was a good idea still eluded her. Seeing the injuries, her rage began to simmer once more. "I should terminate Darius."

"Hang on! Darius can be a bully, but he manages the teams well. I want to talk with him first before we lose a valued resource," Octavia insisted. Helena looked away angrily but finally nodded.

She stood suddenly, too much adrenalin coursing through her. "I need this one fixed before tonight's show! Can you do it?"

Octavia looked at her boss in concern but nodded. "It's just a little swelling around the eyes and some bruising there and on his belly."

At the insistent look from the Madam, Octavia opened her medical kit and sat next to her patient.

"What's your name?" she asked as she gently wiped the medicated tissues across the puffy skin around his eyes. This would reduce the swelling, but eliminating the bruising would take more than a medicated tissue.

"Sion."

The doctor looked at the Madam and held up her doctor's tablet. "I need to see Sion's records.

Helena hesitated as she knew what the doctor would discover, which would get awkward. When Octavia gave her a raised eyebrow, then stood and approached her desk, Helena gave in and sent the file.

Impulsively, the doctor plucked a cookie off the plate on the desk before returning to the couch. She handed it to Sion, who accepted it gratefully but looked to Helena for permission before eating it. This drew a smile and a nod from the tall, raven-haired madam. She found her mood lightened surprisingly, seeing another small twinkle of joy in its eyes.

Octavia read while her patient enjoyed the cookie. She frowned at how much information was missing. Someone was hiding something. Then she saw the flag for Mayfly. Her eyes widened, and she looked at Helena, who sighed.

Helena caught Sion's attention. "Go sit in the waiting room." She watched it immediately stand and move to the outer room. The Madam closed the door with a control on her desk.

Octavia turned to her boss with an incredulous expression. "A Mayfly? That lovely creature is a Mayfly? Why did you order—"

"I DIDN'T!" Helena snapped. "I wasn't given a choice. I had to order a new squad, and the technician told me he would clear the incriminating fields on the requisition if I accepted his Mayfly in the order. He wants it tested in real conditions. We do his testing, and once the Mayfly dies, we send it back and order a long-term replacement."

Octavia turned her face towards the waiting room. "Why go to such effort to make it so pretty—"

"FUCK!"

The doctor looked at her boss, who was seething.

"I'm doing my best to think of it as a thing. Every time I look at it, I want to kill that geneticist in painful ways," the brunette growled. "I still need it for tonight's show."

"I'll take it back to my office and take care of the bruising." She glanced at her tablet. "This says he knows how to dance. Are you going to keep it in the cheap seats, just in case?"

Helena shook her head. "When you're done with it, send it back so I can make an assessment of its skills." She gave her doctor an evaluating look. "Why did you feed Sion the cookie?"

Octavia froze as she realized that it was a little out of character for herself. "I don't know. I... I just thought he needed a little treat, I suppose."

Helena was nodding with a satisfied expression. "If it's as good as I expect it might be, I have the perfect task for it."

The doctor gave her a curious look.

"Bacchus is being visited by a big wedding party from Xochitl One and Two. They are very well connected to the leaders of the Xochitl Assembly. The most eligible groom is the sole heir to XAX Industries from Xochitl Two. His bachelor party will be hosted at Club Maximus."

Octavia watched her boss cautiously as the woman had a particularly strong hatred for the owner of that club, having been sexually assaulted by him on at least two occasions. The bastard named himself Max Caligula, playing up the ancient history. His club was all about rape fantasies and bordered on being a snuff house, though that was also available at an extra charge.

Helena continued with only the briefest hesitation. "The bride is the only daughter of the Prime Chancellor of Xochitl One. We get the ladies here as our reputation for class and sophistication set the fears of the Xochitl men to rest. It's one last blast for the bride and groom before they tie the knot."

Octavia grimaced as she mentally prepared herself to deal with the outrageously entitled behavior of the morbidly wealthy. There would most likely be minor injuries she would be called in to deal with. She'd have to practice her empty smile.

Then, a troubling thought came to her mind. "You're not planning on assigning Sion to the bride, right?"

Helena smiled wickedly. "I don't believe I ever told you that my family came from Xochitl Six, the Damned World. We few survivors have no love for the citizens of One or Two who sat on their well-fed asses and watched as my people died of starvation and thirst... or the firestorms." She held up her hands to calm the doctor. "I wouldn't think of harming a hair on their well-groomed heads. They'll be shown a good time as that's what they're here for."

Octavia's nerves settled a little, but she watched a slow smile slip onto the Madam's red lips, the color now looking more like blood.

"I've just been handed the perfect wedding present for the bride, a woman who's likely never wanted for anything her heart desired. My gift for her is endless discontent. One night with Sion, and she won't be satisfied with anything less."

Octavia saw Helena's twisted smile and shivered. The depth of the woman's rage was unfathomable, and she feared there was no coming back from that edge, not after what she'd gone through. The knowledge of her being a survivor of Xochitl Six answered so many of her questions, finally identifying the source of her violent nature. A behavior the doctor managed with a strict regimen of medication.

She didn't understand Helena's faith in a Mayfly she'd just received. She'd taken a few of the club's dancers into her bed, and while they were skilled between the sheets, she'd never considered a repeat performance with any particular Genie. She knew that each was identically skilled as they received the same programming. Excellent, but not distinctly remarkable. Sion was exceptionally beautiful, but he would have received the same skill encoding. She sighed.

"Let me get to work on those bruises," she said as she stood.

"Send it back to me immediately," Helena said, pressing the button to open her door.

"-UCK!FUCK!FFFUUUCCCKKK! Wha—Why'd you stop? Keep going! Please!" a desperate voice cried out.

Helena joined Octavia at her door to see her assistant leaning back on her elbows on her desk with Sion kneeling between her spread legs. Sion's mouth and chin were covered with the woman's juices.

Helena nodded to it, and Sion immediately went back to licking and sucking her assistant's pussy energetically once more. Wet fingers slid back into her pussy and ass as Sion renewed his attack.

The assistant's eyes rolled back, and her jaw fell slack as the rest of her body began to shake. Her mouth suddenly snapped shut as she seized the back of Sion's head to pull him against her more firmly.

"FCKFFCKFFFFCCKKKK!" she screamed between clenched teeth.

Sion kept one arm over her hips to pin her down against the desk surface, to keep her from throwing herself from it. When her movements weakened, Sion gently released her and moved back.

"Octavia, tend to the bruises, please," the Madam whispered in her ear. The doctor glanced at her cautiously, collected her patient, and silently left the waiting room.

Helena moved behind the assistant's desk and sat in the chair. The spent woman continued to pant as she rested across the top of the desk. The Madam lovingly dabbed the sweat from her forehead with a tissue.

The woman's eyes slowly fluttered open, and she looked up to see her boss smiling down at her. The assistant squeaked in fright but couldn't move as Helena suddenly took a tight, almost painful grip on the tops of her ears.

"Tenzi? For taking liberties with one of my dancers without my explicit permission, I'd normally discipline you until you begged for death, then I'd fire you and ensure you never get another job on Bacchus. Do you understand this, dear?'

The young woman was trembling again, but now it was from terror. "Yes, Madam," she squeaked.

"I said normally because I'm going to forgive you this time."

Tenzi gasped with relief and almost began to cry. She remained in her boss' firm grip which was becoming just a little painful now.

"That forgiveness is dependent on your answering my questions with complete honesty. You must be honest even if you think the answer might upset me. Is that understood?"

"Yes, Madam."

"Good. Did Sion approach you for sex?"

"No. I-I asked him to kiss me," Tenzi blurted, and Helena nodded for her honesty.

"Why did you ask it for a kiss when you know I'd... disapprove," the Madam asked curiously, and Tenzi looked worried again.

She held her employer's eyes for a moment, then swallowed. "He smiled at me and... his mouth. I wanted to kiss him so badly. It seemed so innocent; I didn't even stop to think I shouldn't."

"Sion's a good kisser?" Helena asked softly.

Tenzi squirmed on the surface of the desk. "Yesssss! So incredibly sensual! He got me so excited I couldn't think straight. I had to have him right then!" She looked shocked at her own behavior. Then looked to the Madam beseechingly. "I swear I'm not normally like this! I'm not impulsive at all! It... it was just so incredibly sexy. He was so in tune with my body. It was like he was in my mind and knew exactly how to touch me." A tremor ran through her body.

"Thank you for your honesty. I think it would be wise for you to leave now and not return until tomorrow. We can put your little lapse behind us, but I don't want to see you for the rest of the day. Understood?" she said with a tightly controlled voice.

"Yes, Madam!"

Helena released her grip on the woman's ears, and Tenzi immediately pushed herself upright and off the desk. Her legs didn't want to carry her weight at first, but she clung to the desk edge until she could push herself upright. She collected her purse from the desk. Then she grabbed her shoes and panties from the floor before her desk and quickly left the waiting room.

Helena remained seated, thinking about what she'd just heard. Her assistant's behavior matched her own in significant ways. There was something... some intangible aspect of Sion that drew her to it. She would never accept a man into her life, so she was better able to resist whatever it was about the Genie she found so damned compelling. She briefly pondered what it might be like.

Tenzi's inability to deny her desire to have sex with Sion validated Helena's plan to introduce it to the bride. Sion apparently knew how to eat a pussy, but could it fuck one?

She pushed herself to her feet and went back into her office. She hoped the doctor didn't take too long.

-=-

Octavia was stunned, and she wasn't sure what to do next. She'd read the limited information in Sion's file again and asked the Genie to disrobe for an examination. She noted that he was nicely endowed and very pleasing to the eye when naked. She'd caught the scent of the assistant's wetness on him and pointed to the sink for him to wash his hands and face.

That's when she got the surprise. As Sion bent over the sink to wash his face, Octavia caught sight of a perfectly formed vagina behind his testicles.

How would Helena react to this? Did it interfere with her plan?

There was also the question of why Darius had acted the way he did. Genies shouldn't be able to defy their programming. Darius could be a little rough with his squads, but he'd lost control while disciplining this new one. She needed to speak to him.

Octavia patted the examination table as she looked at Sion, who was drying his—her... face. The doctor frowned at her own confused thoughts. She didn't treat the Genies like objects as Helena did, so she was comfortable thinking of them as people. But Sion was... different.

"Lie down on your back here, please. I'm going to start a scan. You can sit up once the scan is complete. You'll hear a gentle tone indicating it's done. I'll be right back."

She left the room and addressed her assistant. "Get Darius to join me in exam room two." Then she stepped into the empty room to wait. She pulled up the camera in exam room one on her tablet. Sion was resting peacefully on the table. She activated the table's sensors, and they began collecting data as Sion remained unaware.

There was a knock on the door, and she locked her tablet. "Come in."

The door opened, and Darius looked at her questioningly. "You called for me?"

Octavia nodded. "Yes, please come in and close the door.

When they had privacy, she smiled at him to ease his nervousness. "I just have some questions."

He immediately relaxed, and a smile appeared on his lips.

"I understand there was an incident this morning during the arrival of a new squad?" she asked, keeping her eyes on his. She saw him flinch from recalling his pain.

Darius controlled his expression. "Yes, but I explained to Madam DeGaul that it was just a momentary lapse," he explained quickly.

"Yes, that's what I wanted to ask you about. You've managed the squads for some time. What made you react like you did with this one?"

Darius watched the doctor and saw only interest in her eyes. He paused to recall the moment. "I was checking the new bodies to see how they'd fit into the squad, and then I was faced with... someone who didn't belong. I swear my first impression was I was looking at a woman!"

"So, you punched her."

He realized how bad that sounded so he vehemently shook his head. "No, it wasn't like that. As quick as I thought, woman, my brain said he was a man. I was completely thrown off my game. I had to discipline him when he didn't acknowledge my authority."

Octavia noticed a brief twisting of his expression before it went neutral. She pushed at that. "So, you had him on the floor, vulnerable, pacified, and you felt..."

Darius' eyes shot to hers but immediately looked away from the awareness in the woman's gaze. He frowned. "It felt... good, but wrong too. I didn't know how to feel. Then he punched me in the balls... and I just reacted."

Octavia nodded as she considered the Genie before her. He'd picked up mixed signals from Sion. Perhaps it was pheromone-based? It could have just been body language, as all of Sion's movements were sensual and controlled. Octavia had certainly picked up on that quickly.

"I'll let you get back to work. Sion is going to join the squad tonight. The Madam has plans for him. You need to be able to work with him and control yourself. The squad must be able to work with him as well. Can you control them?"

Darius nodded vigorously to her with serious eyes. He knew the price of disobedience. She gestured to the door, and he nodded to her before he left, closing the door behind himself.

She opened her tablet again and reviewed the scanning table's results collected from Sion.

And there it was in plain text. Sion was physiologically female with male attributes.

What did they once call them? Bolt-ons?

But instead of adding a big pair of cartoonishly round breasts, Sion had been given a handsome cock and balls set. In fact, her breasts had been removed in the process.

Octavia momentarily fantasized about finding the monster who created her and cutting off his cock and balls to feed to him.

She rubbed her face with her hands. In her mind, Sion was female, as the cock and balls were not native to the rest of her body. The table's scans confirmed the absence of eggs within her ovaries, but with the presence of testicles and ovaries, there might be a surplus of testosterone. The numbers were fine now, but in the future—shit, she forgot the Genie was a Mayfly.

She had no future.

Octavia had left Sion alone long enough. She exited room two to join Sion in exam room one. The doctor saw her sitting on the edge of the table, and Octavia's heart clenched in her chest when she saw the tears pooling on the long lashes from big blue eyes.

"What's wrong, Sion?" the doctor said through her tight throat.

The pale beauty tipped her chin down to hide her face, and the tears escaped to drop onto her upturned palms resting on her lap.

The doctor reached out a fingertip and lifted Sion's chin. The look of confusion and despair on Sion's face once more seized Octavia's heart. She found herself wiping the tears away with her thumbs as she gently cupped Sion's face in her hands. "Talk to me."

"What am I?"

The voice was soft but roughly masculine, and that... did things to Octavia. She pulled her hands back to cross her arms. Her impulse to hold Sion and comfort her was almost overpowering, but she hardened her resolve. She couldn't become emotionally involved.

Sion was a Mayfly.

She'd be dead in just a couple of days.

Even prepared, the thought shook Octavia. Their club never dealt with Mayflies. Their talent was expected to last. She frowned as she knew the lives of the Genies in Helena's club weren't blissful. The doctor had seen the Madam retire some dancers before their time, the latest slaughter only the most current example.

Sometimes, they lost a dancer to a guest's psychotic episode. That was much rarer, but it still happened.

This was different. The cold, deliberate calculation that resulted in the brevity of Sion's lifespan, combined with her gentle nature and exquisite beauty, was a potent mix.

Octavia had to respond. "What do you mean? You should know," she said to Sion, giving herself time to get control.

Sion took her cock in her hand. "I have this. It feels good. When I touch it, I can feel myself becoming aroused and... assertive?" She lifted her balls to expose the top of her pussy. "I have this as well. When I touch it, I can feel myself becoming aroused, but... I feel submissive?" Sion held her eyes. "They both seem to work, but when they do, I feel like two different people. I want to do my best for Madam DeGaul, but I get so confused. Am I broken? Am I a man or a woman?"

Octavia needed to settle Sion's mind immediately before her personality matrix fractured. Her thoughts paused as she considered the lovely creature before her. It was highly irresponsible of the technician to leave their creation in such a state. What Sion described hinted at the possibility she'd been given multiple conflicting personality templates. That wasn't listed on the data sheet.

She needed to calm her down and give her some foundation to support the two matrices... for the next two days at least.

"You're not broken. You were given the ability to please both women and men and to understand the needs of each. The Madam will be pleased if you use these abilities to give the patrons the best experience of their lives." She handed Sion a tissue to dab her eyes.

"Aren't the patrons all female?" Sion asked.

Octavia nodded slowly as she scanned her memories for a reasonable explanation. Uncomfortably, she found multiple examples that made for plausible scenarios. "That's true, but you're prepared should a special request be made." At Sion's curious look, she explained. "Sometimes, a new bride will request a threesome with a dancer and her groom, his best man, or on rare occasions," Octavia squirmed with revulsion. "...her father. Now, you'll be less of a threat to the men and maybe even an attraction."

While Sion's eyes were wide, she nodded thoughtfully, and to Octavia's relief, the Genie no longer seemed quite so lost and confused. When Sion smiled tremulously at the doctor, Octavia once more felt that clenching in her chest and caught her hands twitching to touch Sion.

Instead, she opened a drawer and extracted a device to lift the subdermal bleeding from bruises, much like the ancient practice of using live leeches.

"This will sting a little," she warned, gently running it over the bruises around her eyes. While Octavia knew it was painful, Sion didn't move a muscle. When the doctor was done, the dark tones were gone, but there still seemed to be a shadow around the eyes. Octavia left that alone. She thought it actually looked good. The bruise on her stomach took a little longer to treat. She put the tool away when she knew Helena would be satisfied.

"Ok, we're done. Let's go back to the Madam's office. I need to speak to her about your unique anatomy. Don't worry, it'll be fine," she added when Sion's eyes showed her concern once more. After a brief hesitation, Sion nodded, trusting the doctor.

They returned to Helena's office, but her admin assistant wasn't there. "Have a seat," Octavia said as she confirmed Helena's phone wasn't in use.

She knocked on the inner office door, and it unlocked and slid open. She stepped inside and closed the door behind herself. Helena frowned as she didn't see Sion.

"I need to speak with you about your new dancer, privately," she began, and Helena leaned back in her chair, holding the doctor's eyes with hers as if daring her to interfere with her plans. Octavia sat with a sigh and knew her only chance to make this work was to hit her with the facts as honestly as possible. "I've fixed the bruising and ran my own scans. Sion is biologically female with alterations to make her look and sound male. On top of these physical adjustments, I highly suspect the technician loaded male and female personality matrixes, conflicting ones at that."

Muscles jumped in Helena's jawline. After a moment, she was able to speak. "Are you telling me the Mayfly is non-functional?" she said quietly.

Octavia knew she was treading on dangerous ground but believed she could appease the woman. "No, I'm not saying that at all. Externally, she looks like a man, albeit a very beautiful one. She also has the required plumbing to pass for a man, and it appears to function, though a test would be advisable." She confirmed she still had Helena's attention, and the woman didn't appear to be about to explode. She continued.

"Behind her scrotum is a perfectly formed vagina. Sion is capable of having sex with both sexes and has the mental wiring for it as well. I've never seen a Genie forced to deal with multiple conflicting personality templates, but as she hasn't melted down already, I believe she will remain stable until she expires at the end of her three days."

"How do they conflict?" Helena asked. She appeared more at ease since she wasn't being told no.

"Her male template seems to lean towards aggression while her female one is designed to be very submissive—"

"FUCK! I hate the bastard who designed Sion, and I hate this submissive female bullshit!" the Madam snapped.

"Agreed," Octavia sighed. "One more thing. I think we'll have to keep her separate from the other dancers as they react atypically around her—"

"Him."

The doctor blinked at the Madam. "Excuse me?"

"All talent in my club are male. You should refer to the Genie as it or use male pronouns. Get into the habit, even if it's for only a short time. With these customers tonight, they can't know."

Octavia nodded. It went against her personal preference but as it was only for a short time, she could deal. "How are you going to test his abilities?"

"Why? Are you volunteering?" the Madam said with a leer.

"No! There's something about this one. It's... too hard to maintain an emotional distance with him," Octavia muttered and caught Helena's satisfied smile. She really did look like the cat who got the cream.

"Well?"

Helena pressed a button on her phone. It made an odd chirp then a young woman's voice could be heard. A very nervous young woman at that. "Y-y-yes, Madam DeGaul? What can I do for you?"

"Tracy, I need your help with a little project of mine," Helena said sweetly.

"Oh? My help? Uh-sure! Anything you need!" the woman gasped.

"Wonderful! Could you make your way to private lounge six? I'm sure you know the way. We'll meet you there."

There was silence at the other end of the line, then a shaky response. "Lounge si-six. On my way."

The line went dead, and Octavia was very curious. "What was that about?"

"Ms. Galloway has been abusing our employee benefits program. She's been buying up monthly sexual favor chits from her coworkers and having sex with the dancers in groups. One chit and one dancer a month wasn't enough for her. She fucked her way through the squad I retired in two evenings last week. Tracy doesn't look like much, but she's apparently quite the little slut. She likes a gang bang."

"Why are you rewarding her with more sex? Shouldn't you just fire her?" the doctor asked.

"There is a method to my madness." She chuckled as they knew her medication barely kept that in check. "Tracy is the same age as the bride visiting us tonight, and while the Xochitl One bitch puts on the airs of a virginal bride, I've no doubt she's had more than her share of cock's stuffed up that hole of hers. So has Tracy. I want to see what effect Sion has on Tracy. Then I'll fire her."

"We're not going to be in the same room as them, are we?" Octavia asked uncomfortably.

Helena rolled her eyes. "I had intended to be, but I suppose for a true test, Sion will need to be alone with her as he'll be with the bride." She sighed. "Let's go."

They walked out into the waiting area, and Sion stood and bowed his head to the Madam. "Come with us, Sion. I have a task for you. One only you can do for me."

Octavia watched his face light up with joy as he would be useful to his master! She suppressed her distaste at the heavy-handed application of the Master programming. Happy slaves don't revolt.

Sion fell into step behind the Madam. They left one building and entered another to cross a wide dance floor. Workers were doing repairs and cleaning every surface.

They took a lift to the second floor. When the doors opened, Sion glanced both ways, taking in the long hallway with doors on one side and openings on the other that looked down on the dancefloor they just crossed.

They reached a door, and the Madam turned to Sion. "Inside this room is a young woman. I want you to dance for her, seduce her, and bring her to a level of pleasure she's never experienced before. Make her feel special, treasured, and worshipped. Do you understand?"

"Yes, Madam," Sion replied.

"Good. Stay here with Octavia for a moment while I prepare the woman."

Octavia smiled at Sion as Helena left them. She saw Sion was trembling slightly with excitement.

She had to look away to prevent herself from hugging the Genie.

What was it that drew her so strongly?

-=-

Helena pushed through the doors and approached her guilty employee. The woman looked more than a little nervous.

"Tracy! So good of you to assist us with this assessment!"

The girl twitched. "Assessment?"

The Madam put her arm around the shoulders of the young woman, walked her toward a cushioned dais, and gently sat her on the edge.

"We have a new dancer. He's very special, and we need an assessment of his abilities. Your extensive knowledge of a wide variety of our best talent makes you the perfect candidate to determine just how good he is!"

Tracy's look of surprise and excitement almost made Helena laugh with delight.

"Thank you, Madam DeGaul! I won't fail you!" Tracy gushed.

Helena smiled and raised her finger to indicate the young woman should wait there. Then, the Madam left the room to rejoin Sion and the doctor. She noted Octavia had crossed her arms, and her knuckles were white from her grip. She turned her attention to the dancer. "Sion, she's ready. Remember, she's to be treated like a goddess. Worship her. Bring her to new peaks of pleasure.

"Yes, Madam DeGaul!" Sion said with enthusiasm.

Helena smiled, and Sion returned it, basking in her happiness. She made shooing motions, and he turned around and entered the room.

"He's so cute. Like an eager puppy," Helena said to Octavia, who snorted as they entered the observation room. They took seats and settled in for the show.

-=-

When Sion entered the room, the temperature was slightly warmer than the outside hall, the lighting was more intimate, and the only furniture was a raised platform at the far side. Sitting on the edge of that cushioned dais was a young woman with a lot of curly, yellow-blonde hair.

As the client was a solitary woman, Sion would be masculine for her. Sion felt their male side come front and center as their female side moved back. Neither could be completely suppressed as both were always present, but they could... take priority. The other was always available as needed. This was the first time they would use their skills, and now that the doctor explained this was exactly what the Madam wished from them, their duality suddenly felt... right.

He paused and smiled at the blonde, reading her body language. She was excited, curious, and eager. She had a lean, fit frame but slightly oversized breasts. He began to move closer, his movements slow and confident, and her smile widened. She had a plump bottom lip, a cute nose with just the slightest upturn at the end, and a scattering of freckles across her cheeks and nose. As he moved closer, she reacted by squirming slightly. He picked up the faint scent of her excitement.

"Hi. My name's Sion. What's yours?"

"Tracy."

He smiled and said her name quietly like he was memorizing it, tasting the shape and sound of it.

The woman found herself swallowing as she'd forgotten to while watching his mouth.

"May I dance for you, Tracy?"

She giggled and nodded eagerly.

He smiled and looked to the ceiling. "Music, please. Slow."

The hidden speakers began to play a subtle beat, and Sion's hips began to follow it. The music was smooth and sensuous, the beat gradually increasing as Sion's body swayed and flowed with the sound.

Sion's female side joined in as dancing was life.

-=-

Tracy was enraptured, leaning forward on the edge of the platform. She'd never seen movements so smooth!

Sion eased his shirt off his shoulders and smiled at Tracy's eager expression.

The beat became more aggressive, and Sion's shirt was tossed aside as Tracy admired his firmly muscled torso and smooth porcelain skin.

The beat increased again, and Sion kept pace, his movements evolving with the faster tempo, his easy grace becoming a show of strength and control but never losing its teasing, sensual nature. His smile showed his pleasure, and his eyes returned to hers at every opportunity.

Tracy was entranced. She'd never witnessed a dancer so in touch with his body. Certainly, none she'd ever seen move like this!

When the music began to slow, Sion had his back to her and slid his pants down his rocking hips with the beat, teasingly slow. He smiled at her over his shoulder as he dropped one side to expose his sculpted right butt cheek. Tracy's eyes widened as her glimpse of it sent a thrill through her, right down to her pussy. Fuck! This man was making her wet!

She desperately wanted to touch that perfect skin. He was art brought to life!

When he turned to face her, his waistband was just approaching the top of his cock, and Tracy was delighted he was baby-smooth downstairs as well.

The fabric dropped a little more, and Tracy gave a little involuntary squeak as the top of his cock was visible for a moment. Her eyes flicked back to his face, but he wasn't laughing at her outburst. He gave her a hungry smile, and the fabric dropped again. Her eyes dropped to catch a glimpse of more of his thick member. Her mouth opened as she moaned quietly. It looked so tasty. She wanted it in her mouth. She wanted to taste his entire body!

She reached for his pants to tug them down, but he was just out of reach. She moaned in disappointment, then squeaked again as, on the next beat, Sion dropped his pants entirely.

Tracy was frozen, slack-jawed, and breathing hard as Sion stood before her naked, gently swaying to the music, his beautiful cock swinging gently like a pendulum. She'd seen bigger, but he was beautifully proportional without being intimidating.

His body looked like it had been carved from a block of pale marble with absolutely no imperfections. His muscles weren't large, but they were well-defined without a milligram of fat to be seen.

She licked her lips nervously as she watched the slow swing. When he stepped closer, she gasped. He paused, then took another step and another until he was very close. Still, she couldn't move. He wasn't real.

When his hand touched her cheek, the breath she'd been holding escaped, and she sucked in another as her eyes closed. She felt his hands lifting hers and placing them on his chest.

Tracy opened her eyes and looked up into the bluest eyes she'd ever seen. She saw his hunger for her there, and a shock went through her body.

She felt Sion's heart beating under her fingertips, and suddenly, he was real to her again.

He released her hands, and she ran them down over the hard ridges of his stomach. His skin was velvet soft, but his muscles beneath felt like steel cables.

Her touching produced movement below, and she dipped her eyes down to watch his cock begin to rise.

Her hands immediately moved to hold it, and the thrill that shot through her made her lean forward to press her cheek against his stomach. She felt his muscles tremble from her touch, and she needed more. She turned her face and pressed her lips to his skin and heard him suck in a breath.

Tracy inhaled deeply and let it out slowly. Sion smelled so good and felt good, too. His stomach muscles were vibrating as she caressed his cock with one hand while cupping his balls with her other.

She loved how responsive he was to her touch and how powerful it made her feel. This gorgeous man was hers to control! She wanted more.

She looked down at the cock in her hand and admired the shape of it and its soft skin. It had a delightful girth as she could just wrap her fingers around it. She pointed it upward towards her face and examined the open end of the foreskin. Fascinated, Tracy squeezed and pulled down to roll the skin back, exposing the darker skin of the thick head hidden inside. A drop of saliva dripped from her lip onto the tip of his cock, catching her by surprise. She'd forgotten to swallow again, but she pretended she'd intended to do that by using a fingertip to spread the liquid around as he twitched and moaned. His sounds of bliss were really making her juicy.

On impulse, she leaned down and pressed her lips to the end of his cock.

"Ahhh!" he sighed.

Emboldened, she slid her tongue under his foreskin to slowly swirl it around the smooth head. She felt his muscles stiffen as his gasping grew louder.

No longer able to wait, she pulled down harder and fully exposed the tip before plunging it deep into her mouth.

Sion threw his head back and moaned from the exquisite pleasure.

Tracy's face was flushed with her excitement. She couldn't get over how turned-on she was and how good his cock felt in her mouth. One of the dancers she'd had sex with the previous week had a really big cock, but this one didn't feel like it was dislocating her jaw. It was thick but fit and slid smoothly into the top of her throat.

Shit! She needed him inside her, now!

Tracy released his cock and looked up into Sion's blue eyes again. The hunger she saw there took her breath away. Then, she was lying back on the cushions. Sion stretched out over her as he caressed her mouth with his. He braced himself over her body with one hand as his other slid sensually down her side, undoing the fasteners on her dress as his fingers sent shivers through her body. He spread her dress open with a casual flick, exposing her skin to the air. Then she felt his skin touching hers, and she gasped into his mouth. Tiny sparks seemed to leap between their bodies, and she writhed in bliss under him. His mouth never stopped worshipping hers, and she swore she was on the verge of coming already.

His tongue teased hers, then he kissed her jawline, her neck, her breasts, oh god, her breasts. His tongue stroked, flicked, squeezed, and teased until she thought she might scream. But his lips traveled downwards again, sending shockwaves and butterflies through her stomach muscles.

Sion teased the insides of her thighs as she reached for his head to pull him to where she desperately needed him. Then the Gates of Heaven opened for her as his mouth found a new target. He quickly brought her ecstasy past her endurance, and she screamed as her body welcomed the release explosively, her body arching off the cushioned surface.

She was still cresting when Sion slid his cock deep inside her and settled his body over hers. She clung to him desperately, but he didn't move. Instead, he gently pushed her hair back from her face and tenderly kissed her cheeks. When her body began to move under him, enjoying the heat and pressure of him filling her, he began to move as well.

"Ohhhh fuck, you feel sooooo goooood," Tracy purred.

"You're incredible! So beautiful," Sion whispered in her ear, and she shivered as she tightened around his hard cock. "Mmmm," he sighed.

She looked up into his lovely eyes as he began to roll his hips from side to side with each stroke. Her breath caught in her throat as it felt like he was touching every surface of her insides. Then she couldn't catch her breath as he gently bumped her clit at the bottom of each stroke.

"Oh! Fuh! So-Ahh! Goo- MMMmmm! Shit!" She clawed at his ass to make him go slower, or faster, or press harder- ease off- deeper! Her mind was scrambling, and he kissed her hard and deep as he began to drive himself into her aggressively. She hooked her heels behind his legs and clung to him as she sucked on his tongue, squealing as she did.

Finally, she was there, and he showed no sign of slowing or even getting tired. "Ah! I can't! So close!" she cried out.

Sion reached down and grabbed her ass cheeks in his hands as he thrust in and out of her wetness. He slid a finger between her cheeks and stroked across the surface of her asshole. That was it. Tracy's body locked up and shook in pulses as her orgasm struck. Sion released his control as well, firing his cum deep inside her.

"Ahhhh! Yesssss! Sion, yessss!" Tracy moaned as she clung to his body. He kissed her temples, and tingles ran through her body, fanning her latest release's embers. She felt thoroughly fucked and smiled happily as she had absolutely no complaints. She planned on spending more time with Sion since the Madam seemed to have forgiven her little tweaking of company policy.

They lay together for a short time then Sion pushed himself up to smile down at her. She looked at him curiously and was once more captured by his beauty.

"May I give you a massage?" he asked with a coy little smile.

Tracy's eyes widened happily. She nodded excitedly, and he pulled himself free of her body. She yelped quietly and burst into giggles. Sion grinned at her.

He gently rolled her over onto her stomach and settled himself over her. She looked back over her shoulder and then moaned happily as his strong hands settled on her shoulders and began their work. He kneaded and pressed, squeezed, and stroked until her back felt like putty. She was completely relaxed, yet he was charging her passion between the therapeutic touches. She was stunned to find herself responding to his touch a third time, but she had no energy to participate. He was relaxing her muscles beyond their ability to act.

When he began on her ass cheeks, she moaned loudly and blushed fiercely in embarrassment. She wasn't typically this vocal. He kneaded and squeezed the fleshy orbs of her butt, and she began to tingle madly, but still she was too relaxed to move.

He worked his way down her legs, and each toe received individual and tender care. All the while, he kept up his stroking of her inner thighs, driving her mad with lust while sapping her will.

When Sion pressed his lips to her ass, Tracy's head lifted from the cushioned surface to let out a low moan.

Sion trailed his kisses down between her cheeks to tease her puckered orifice with the tip of his tongue.

"FUCK! OH! WHA- OH SHIT! SION! WHAT? FUCK!" she cried out as she tried to move but found her muscles no longer responded. Sion held her wrists as he began to fuck her ass with his tongue.

"OMIGOD! SSSIONNNNNNN! FUCKFUCKFUCKFUCKFUCK! OH! PLEASE! PLEASE! PLEASE!" she begged incoherently without actually telling him what she wanted. She wasn't sure herself!

She flopped helplessly, so he released her wrists and moved his hands to her pussy, working fingers into her wet channel as he teased her clit. He kept up the steady thrusting of his tongue into the tight ring of her asshole.

"SSSIOOOOONNNNNN! PLEASEPLEASEPLEASE! OH! OH! OMIGOD! I CAN'T! IT'S- FUCK! IT'S COMING! SION! OHHHHHMMMMYYYYYGGGGOOOODDDD! FFFFFFFUUUUCCCKKK!!!" she wailed as her body went into violent convulsions.

Sion eased off as he felt her body begin to twitch with overload. He went back to massaging her gently to ease her back into a calm state. When he was done, she was completely drained and drooling on the cushioned platform. He wiped her juices from his face, then gave her temple a tender kiss,

"Thank you for sharing yourself with me. You will always hold a special place in my heart," Sion whispered in her ear. She tried to speak but just made moaning noises.

He walked to the door but looked back at Tracy with a tender smile before he left.

-=-

In the observation room, behind the one-way mirror, Helena wore a broad grin. She looked over at Octavia and saw the doctor's face look puzzled.

"What is it?" the Madam asked.

Octavia jolted slightly as it seemed she'd lost awareness of her companion in the small room. She'd been so tightly focused on Sion and what he was doing to the young woman. She glanced at Helena. "Hmmm? Oh! Nothing! I've just never seen a dancer quite so in touch with their partner's needs. He's quite good!"

"He's perfect!" Helena purred, thinking of the revenge she'd be getting tonight. She led the doctor back out into the hall. Sion was standing outside the door of lounge six. He relaxed when he saw the Madam's smile.

"Did I do well?" Sion asked with just the slightest sign of nervousness in his voice. Blue eyes looked at her hopefully.

"You did very well! Thank you, Sion," Helena purred. "Octavia, could you take Sion for his evening meal? I believe he gets an extra portion. I need to speak with Tracy for a moment—Oh, if you could have two security personnel wait for me outside the lounge, that would be helpful."

"Yes, Madam," Octavia said, guiding Sion toward the exit.

Helena entered the room and slowly walked to the platform where the young woman slept. She sat carefully on the edge by Tracy's head and gently stroked her fingers through the thick yellow curls.

Tracy began to stir. "Mmmm... Sion?"

"No, my dear. It's Helena. Did you enjoy your time with Sion?"

Tracy was struggling to remain awake. Her body felt so incredibly relaxed yet tingly. "Yessss."

The Madam smiled. "Did he meet your experienced expectations?"

The blonde opened her eyes wide as she looked up at the woman stroking her hair fondly. "I've never felt this good before! Sion was like no other lover I've ever had!" Her voice caught in her throat as her emotions suddenly welled up. "He's the most beautiful creature I've ever met. I need to be with him again!" Her eyes showed desperation as she suddenly realized how much demand there would be for Sion and how little chance she'd likely have of ever sharing his bed again. She forced her wobbling muscles to push her to a seated position next to the Madam. She took the woman's hand in hers and looked into her curious eyes.

"I know I screwed up terribly, and I know I'm not worthy, but if you can find a moment in Sion's future when I can be with him again, I'll do anything to repay for my mistakes. Please!" she begged, tears running down her cheeks.

Helena was surprised but kept that from her face. Her weapon was proving to be more effective than she expected. Still, there were significant social differences between Tracy and the Xochitl One bride. She couldn't expect the same emotional response from the socialite.

As for Tracy, the Madam's cruel streak was still out for blood. The apology wasn't enough. As the woman was in a particularly fragile state emotionally, she knew exactly how to punish her. Tracy also provided the hook for the pain she was about to inflict.

Helena looked away from the woman and slipped a tragic expression on her face before turning back to look into her eyes.

Tracy immediately stiffened with dread.

"When Sion arrived this morning, we were delighted to find such beauty amongst the merely handsome. We quickly realized his beauty was special, and looking closer at his instantiation records, we came across the harshest cruelty. Senior Specialist Dheren from Soylent Labs, the man responsible for bringing Sion into our lives, turned out to be the lowest form of scum. While he created a living work of art with the heart of an angel, he clipped the angel's wings." She saw she had the woman's complete attention as Tracy was trembling. Now, to pull the trigger. "Dheren gave Sion... a three-day lifespan."

"NO!" Tracy shrieked. "Why?!? Why would he do such a monstrous thing?!?"

Helena shook her head as she faked deep sorrow. "Because he's a cruel, sadistic bastard? Maybe it was just greed. He has the ability to create more angelic creatures, but they won't be Sion. He's unique and special. The evil of Dheren's act is unimaginable."

The woman looked like the gentlest vibration might shatter her. Then her eyes returned to Helena's.

"Sion?"

"He doesn't know and won't be told. We're doing what we can to make his time as wonderful as possible," the Madam insisted.

"Can I—"

"No. Now that you know the tragic truth, you couldn't keep it secret from him. Taking the brief amount of happiness from him would just compound the cruelty."

Now Tracy looked utterly destroyed. She'd gone from the highest peak of bliss to the deepest pit of despair in less than a minute. It seemed she was coming to terms with her inability to see Sion again. She wouldn't take Sion's brief moment of joy from him. She nodded.

Helena suppressed her smile at the woman's submission. There was one more hammer blow coming.

"This hardly seems the time to bring this up, but company policy demands that I do. Due to your admitted breach of contract, I must inform you that your employment has been terminated as of this morning. Security will escort you from the property."

When Tracy reached for her dress, Helena picked it up and stood. "The uniform is property of the resort." She walked towards the door.

"I have to leave naked?!?" Tracy squeaked.

Helena turned back at the door. "The security people will furnish you with a paper jumpsuit as you leave the property. Goodbye."

Bacchus policy allowed employees to be fired and ejected minus company owned uniforms but insisted on the ex-employee being given something to wear so they wouldn't be walking around on the public concourses naked. That activity was restricted to the nudist parade hours.

As she stepped out into the hall, she let her smile widen. The two security men relaxed a little, seeing that.

"She's to be removed from the property. It's a walk of shame, so take the long way to the front entrance, detouring through her old department, and don't give her the disposable clothes until she's outside." The two men nodded with grins as the Madam left to return to her office.

She was eager to begin preparing Sion for tonight, her gift for the bride-to-be.

Chapter 3

Evangeline van Dijk relaxed back in her lounge chair, her long body soaking in the rays of the artificial sun, as she listened to the recorded sounds of gentle waves rolling in. Above this were the annoying noises from her Maid of Honor and backup Maid of Honor. The backup was there in case her Maid of Honor fucked up royally and fell out of favor.

Evangeline's MoH was Rosalina de la Dehesa, known to her friends as Rosa. Her father ran the largest bank on Xochitl One. His social status ranking was just below the Prime Chancellor's, Evangeline's father.

Her backup MoH was Sakurako Kobayashi, Saki for short, whose mother ran KobaTech, the number one tech producer on Xochitl One. Their wealth almost rivaled the value of Evangeline's father's estate.

Almost.

The three friends were aboard Evangeline's father's personal cruiser. The only other guest on board was her mother, their official chaperone. It was a stupid tradition but necessary to maintain their place in the social rankings.

Considering the volume of their laughter, Evangeline was considering dropping both ladies from her wedding party. She couldn't, of course, as social politics forbid such an action. Before she could take such a step, they'd need to do something that dramatically reduced their social standing. That would justify her shedding them from her social circle.

For now, she tried to ignore their boisterous behavior. Neither of them was just days away from getting married, hence their laughter and her tension.

"Come on, Evie! Don't have such a grim expression. You'll put lines on your face!" Saki said with a devastatingly cute pout. Her trademark look.

Evangeline calmed herself and let her expression return to its usual neutral and bored demeanor.

It was this expression that best accentuated her face's perfect symmetry. The best surgeons, the highest quality drug regimen, and the latest technology all worked in perfect harmony to create her trademark look. That and her vicious body trainer who tortured her daily to maintain her toned muscles, the plastic surgeon who'd replaced the breasts she lost to the strenuous exercise, and her dietician's restrictive food plan. All this attention deserved a nod for her current status as the top-tier model on Xochitl One.

She didn't begrudge these efforts as they all contributed to maximizing the demand for her as a professional model. Her face and body were synonymous with beauty, wealth, health, class, style, and all the better things in life, only available on her world.

She was the face of Xochitl One.

As happened each time she began to dwell on how healthy and physically perfect she'd become, her mind presented her with the image of a young man, pale and emaciated, confined to his bed for days on end, fighting an illness with no cure.

Erik van Dijk was born three years after Evangeline. The doctors diagnosed him with an extremely rare genetic disease when he began to show signs of frailty and experienced an allergic reaction to daylight. As a toddler, the skin and hair over his entire body lost their pigment.

Their father was embarrassed by his sickly son and restricted him to his room. The family was told by his doctor that the boy wouldn't see his tenth birthday.

At first, Evangeline was fascinated by the small boy, but they quickly became inseparable as they grew up together.

Erik was proud of how beautiful and strong his sister was becoming and encouraged her in everything she set her heart on. She'd always return to his room to tell him about her day at school, then her after-school activities, and eventually her social life after a night out. He lived vicariously through her, experiencing a life he was denied. He never complained and listened to his sister with love in his eyes.

As he was never seen by the public and his father had forbidden anyone in the family and the staff to speak of him, Erik slipped from the public's awareness until only Evangeline, his mother and father, and his doctor remembered he existed.

Evangeline knew every day she had with Erik might be the last. They'd had some scares through the years as the disease progressed, but Erik made it past his tenth, sixteenth, and then his eighteenth birthday.

Her love for her brother deepened until one night, after a particularly painful breakup with yet another boyfriend, she sought refuge in the arms of the one man she could trust with her heart.

Erik tried to resist her at first, fearing this act would make the death he felt closing in on him that much more painful for her, but he'd never been able to deny his sister anything.

Their mother found them in the morning but didn't have it in her heart to punish them for breaking the taboo. She loved them both so much that she was actually grateful to Eva for allowing Erik to experience the bliss of sex with someone who truly loved him.

With his most recent birthday just past, Erik had doubled his life expectancy. The doctor had been wrong about when, but that was all he was wrong about.

Only days later, she went to Erik's room to find it completely empty. It was as if he'd never been.

Her father entered the room behind her and explained that he'd sent Erik to a special clinic. For Erik's comfort, the entire contents of the room had been sent with him.

The patriarch spoke of a radical and highly illegal technique that might save his son.

As this treatment went against their society's rules, they would be unable to reach the men who took Erik away. If they cured him, he would return. If not, he was gone.

Eva had clung to her father, begging him to send her to Erik's side, but instead, he'd handed her a letter from Erik. Her father left her in the room to read her brother's final words to her.

In the letter, Erik first wrote of his surprise at his father's willingness to attempt such a politically dangerous move to save him. Then, she read how proud he was of his sister and how he knew she was destined for big things. He finished the letter expressing his love for her and his hope that one day he'd return to her arms.

Evangeline surfaced from her memories, feeling the loss once again in her heart. Erik hadn't returned from that secret clinic, so she knew he was gone. Occasionally, she dreamed of encountering him on the sidewalk of a busy shopping district or on the dance floor at a dance club. She always forced those fantasies away.

She wondered if Erik would still be proud of her. She'd reached the pinnacle of Xochitl One's society. Was that enough?

Truthfully, this should have been enough for her. Then her Xochitl Social Index ranking began a slow creep downwards.

Her people determined the cause was her inaccessibility. She looked too unattainable. Their answer was marriage. She didn't have to stay married for life, just the opposite in fact. It had to last no more than a year, followed by a splashy and nasty divorce caused by her infidelity. They guaranteed this would boost her rankings to levels she hadn't seen before.

This plan was known only to her and her team. Their loyalty to her was absolute, so she had no concerns that her soon-to-be-husband would discover he was just a cog in that machine.

What was causing her anxiety was the fact that it had been her father who'd stepped up and surprised her by matching her with Maxwell Krieger of Xochitl Two.

Her team almost went to pieces with excitement as the optics of her match with Maxwell were stellar.

She was tall and svelte with dark eyes, pale skin, and straight jet-black hair to her waist, the epitome of high society grace and style.

Maxwell was a stark contrast to her in many ways. He was the picture-perfect rugged outdoorsman. Tall and tanned with broad shoulders, a narrow waist, and strong arms and legs, his flowing yellow-blond locks fell to his shoulders. He kept his five o'clock shadow perfectly trimmed on his chiseled jawline, and his piercing blue eyes seemed to look into your soul.

Xochitl Two's main industry was raw materials. XAX Industries controlled everything, from mining an asteroid field and the planet's surface to processing chemicals and pharmaceuticals, right down to lumber, farming, and fishing.

The culture on Xochitl Two celebrated their industriousness and willpower, whereas Xochitl One emphasized intellect and sophistication.

Evangeline knew Maxwell's tan came from the same salon that styled his hair, trimmed his nails, and maintained his beard. He likely put as much effort into maintaining his physique as she did hers, but it was in a gym, not chopping trees, lifting hay bales, or hauling in fishing nets. All that heavy labor was automated now.

During one of their initial meetings, she shook his hand. While it was a large hand, his skin was soft, and his manicure was top-notch. Even the clear coat polish on his nails was the highest quality diamond sheen. She realized they had much in common, and subsequent meetings proved he would be a good match.

He was certainly attractive enough, but there was no spark between them... at all. As the marriage was just a tool to halt the decline of her social ranking, the lack of sparks didn't matter.

Her biggest concern was Xochitl Two also celebrated a culture of misogynistic attitudes. During their getting-to-know-one-another talks, Maxwell let slip a few comments that proved he followed those distasteful beliefs. She might have difficulty maintaining the sham marriage for an extended period if he began treating her like property. She was as close to a princess as her world got, and she expected to be treated as such.

The title wasn't official. It was just something the media said because she was so beautiful and lived in Xochitl One's grand palace. She liked it, and no fake lumberjack was going to take that away from her.

They were still in negotiations as to which planet they'd live on. She insisted they spend the first year on her home planet as that fit her plan's timelines. Maxwell said he would consider that but insisted the first month be spent at his resort on Xochitl Two. That didn't sound too bad until he suggested that after four weeks, she wouldn't want to leave. It was the look in his eye as he said it that gave her the impression that she might not be able to escape.

"Eva, seriously, you're going to get wrinkles if you don't stop!" Rosa huffed, bringing Eva out of her funk.

"What's got you so down? This is supposed to be an exciting time for you! Otherwise, why do it?" Saki added in.

Both women were intensely curious about her sudden decision to get married. She wasn't about to tell them the truth, so she blocked them with a cryptic, "I felt it was time. Sorry, so much on my mind!" she sighed dramatically.

Rosa grinned, "That's the main reason for this weekend! To get that stuff out of your mind while you go out of your mind!"

"I can't believe we're going to Bacchus!" Saki exclaimed excitedly.

The other two quickly picked up her excitement, then all three were squealing.

"Did someone smuggle piglets onto the ship?" a crisp voice asked with just a hint of dry humor.

The young women turned their heads to look back at the room's entrance to see Regina van Dijk looking back at them with a perfect raised eyebrow. Eva's mother was the template from which Evangeline's natural beauty originated.

Regina was also tall, if not so slim. The older woman had curves. She wore her straight, jet-black hair to her shoulders. Eva secretly envied her mother for her generous bosom. She'd never admit that, of course.

"Mother, we're just letting off a little steam. There's no harm in doing so here," Eva sighed. She would never live up to her mother's standards. She'd discovered that she was much happier when she didn't try.

Rosa spoke next. "Mrs. Van Dijk, Bacchus has a strict policy of no personal recording devices and no press allowed, so it truly is a paradise for privacy. Anything goes?" she added as she grinned at her friends.

They answered with wicked smiles of their own.

-=-

Regina rolled her eyes as she mourned the loss of any sense of propriety in today's youth.

When she'd heard the wedding party was going to Bacchus, she'd tried to get her husband to intervene and suggest an alternate venue, but, as usual, he'd ignored his partner's better judgment. She'd had no choice but to invoke the chaperone rule. So here she was, on her way to one of the most morally corrupt planets, as the sole sentinel of virtue. Seeing her daughter's choice of skimpy bikini made her uneasy about what might happen in the resort they were going to. She turned her eyes from their envious gaze at her daughter's chest. While artificial, the young woman's breasts were a much more reasonable size. As she turned to leave, she looked down at her own chest and once again wondered what it might be like to have reduction surgery.

She wouldn't do it, of course. She believed nature's rule was absolute. What you were given, you accepted.

She just wished nature had been less generous in this one area as it made her the subject of lustful stares from men, unable to control their primitive instincts.

Bacchus was a planet renowned for activities that practically demanded the guests regress to more primitive behavior.

As she walked towards her wardroom, she contemplated using elastic bandages to bind her bosom down.

-=-

Back in the sunroom, Eva was grinning excitedly as they reviewed the resort's brochure on their tablets. Her device pinged as a new message came in. It was a welcome message from the resort. She quickly read the itinerary and grinned when she got to the part regarding the evening's entertainment. A personal note from the Madam who ran the club stated she had someone special waiting to meet her. A thrill ran through her body.

She was by no means a stranger to sex, but at home, she had to take a great deal of care to hide such intimate activities from public scrutiny as it had such a devastating impact on social rankings. On Bacchus, she had a guarantee of privacy. What she did there stayed there.

"Will the others meet us at the resort?" Saki asked and received a nod from Eva.

By others, she meant the rest of the bridesmaids. Seven more ladies were coming to Bacchus, traveling on a regular tourist passenger cruiser.

Eva's father was picking up the costs for the weekend for the bride's side of the wedding party. Her friends were ecstatic! While all of them were from Xochitl One's wealthier families, this would be a very expensive weekend, and who doesn't appreciate an all-expenses paid vacation.

Now Evangeline had someone special to meet. This weekend was all about her, and she would enjoy it to the fullest.

-=-

Maxwell Krieger was the heir to his father's vast business holdings, XAX Industries. He was also the most eligible bachelor on Xochitl Two. His body was firm and fit, and he was as physically beautiful as science could achieve, or so he was told. There wasn't a woman on Xochitl Two, or One, who wouldn't immediately drop to their knees before him to swallow his cum. He knew this. His team told him this. His social ranking numbers didn't lie.

So why was he so discontented?

He was on a company cruiser with his squad of friends on his way to Bacchus for his bachelor party. The others were celebrating early in the ship's lounge two levels down, but he needed a little quiet time, so he remained in his cabin.

He'd met his bride several times and had to agree with his father, and every man on their two planets for that matter, that she was truly beautiful. He also knew there wasn't a more prestigious match. Her social ranking, combined with his, would set them above all others.

Yet... something was eating at him, turning what should have been excitement into depression. But he could never let anyone know he felt like this.

His future was set, and he had everything he could ever want. He represented not only XAX Industries but also Xochitl Two. They were achievers, creators, conquerors, and, above all, winners. Whining was for losers.

A heavy pounding sounded from his door, and his immediate response was to snap at them to fuck off! He knew he couldn't do that, as much as he desperately wanted to.

Instead, he put a smirk on his lips and pressed the control next to his chair to open the door.

"MMMAAAAXXXX!" Gregor, his best man, bellowed as he stumbled inside. At his back were Rickard and Gherry. All were equally drunk.

"When are you going to join us?" the man growled weakly.

"Why are you such a pain in the ass?" Maxwell fired back with a fake grin.

"I can't help it if my cock's so big! You shoulda brought lube!" Gregor guffawed.

The words were Max's. He'd said them to a housekeeper from his resort after he'd fucked her in the ass. She'd screamed in pain when he surprised her from behind. Later, he'd had to fire her as she wouldn't shut up about his little fun. She'd become a pain in his ass.

He wasn't even sure why he'd fucked her. She wasn't beautiful. She didn't have a great body. If anything, she was a tomboy with short hair, no tits, and a muscular body. Whatever! He pushed the memory away as he leapt from his chair to wrestle Gregor to the carpet, as the man continued to laugh. He grunted with the effort to get his beefy friend into a hold he couldn't escape from. Rickard and Gherry cheered him on from the sidelines.

"Who fucked who in the ass?" Max finally challenged his friend when he had the man well and truly pinned with his face pressed against the carpet's pile. He could feel the man's muscles flexing and bunching in an attempt to free himself, but it was no good, and Gregor slapped the floor in defeat.

Max knew his friend was strong and worked out almost as diligently as he did, so it was exciting to pit himself against such an opponent. The feeling of power it gave him to win made him stiff in his shorts, so he released and stood up to grin down at his friend. He took a step back as Gregor flopped over onto his back, grinning up at the group like a fool.

"You win this time, but let it be known, I'm drunk." Gregor gasped.

Max laughed and reached down to help the man to his feet. He patted the man on the back. "Come on, you can buy me a drink!"

That got a cheer from the group.

As they made their way to the lounge, he realized this was what made him happy! Being surrounded by his squad, Gregor especially. They'd been friends since birth, his mother told him. She liked to recount the story of how the two babies shared a wet nurse, each suckling a breast as the woman cradled them both in her arms. His mother used to tease him that she used to love seeing their tiny naked bodies wiggling together as they fed. She knew her son would grow up big and strong as he was already bigger than his friend. That image stuck in his brain from the first time he heard it.

From their time in the locker room showers, he knew he had grown up bigger than Gregor in a number of ways. Not that he was going to tease his best friend about that. Still, it brought a smile to his face.

A drunken cheer rose when they got to the lounge, and someone pushed a cup of beer into his hand. He raised it and toasted his friends. More cheering, and then they chugged the beer.

He didn't tell his friends that he'd taken a drug earlier that neutralized the alcohol. He couldn't drink without becoming depressed, so the drug was necessary, and he'd just pretend. That was easy enough.

He'd been doing it his entire life.

The group was very excited about going to Club Maximus on Bacchus. They'd been told anything goes, and they were all talking about what they planned to do to the bitches at the club. They all laughed when Rickard boasted he would ask for three of their bustiest girls. He'd oil their big titties and get them to rub them all over his body until he coated them all with his cum. Rickard grinned happily as he thought of it, and they laughed again at his blissful smile.

Gherry teased Gregor that he wanted a Genie that looked like Gregor's mom. That led to some wrestling as the two men fought to pin the other. This went on for some time as both men were drunk and evenly matched.

Maxwell watched with a grin on his face, but what he really wanted was to get in there with them and pin them both. He began to get a little stiff again, so he reached in to pull Gregor off the other and whispered in his ear. "Cool off!" He felt the trembling in his best man's muscles. He took insults against his mother a little too hard. The truth was, Gregor had a bit of a thing for his own mother, but Max had to admit the woman dressed and acted like a slut.

He turned to Gherry and pushed him back with a hand on his firm chest. "Come on, no mother jokes. Besides, you couldn't handle Gregor's mom. She'd chew you up and spit you out."

More laughter, this time at Gherry's expense. Gregor patted Max's back in thanks.

Some of the fantasies the guys wanted to enact at the club would have landed them in jail back home. On Bacchus, especially in Club Maximus, anything was possible and allowable.

Maxwell had already placed a special order. He planned to dominate his bride before they got married. He knew he'd have only four weeks after they got married for him to seal the deal, as his father put it. She needed to be permanently his by the end of her visit to his resort.

His team indicated that the potentials were high that she only entered into this marriage to boost her social ranking. Her points had begun to slide slightly recently. His team theorized a marriage would rekindle her popularity, but a divorce would improve it more. He had to drive all thoughts of divorce from her head. His father took him aside and expressed the importance of the marriage to him and his company. Max wasn't going to disappoint him.

The medic at Maxwell's resort had the required chemical agents prepared to massage his bride's attitude until she was as devoted to him as his mother was to his father. A good little sex toy.

It was just too bad Evangeline didn't excite him. There was no spark.

It didn't matter. He could get his excitement on the side.

His social ranking numbers didn't lie.

Chapter 4

Sion's body was trembling. The reason why was unknown.

As she fed him, Doctor Octavia had a talk with him and said that the Madam needed him to think of himself and refer to himself as male. The guests arriving tonight were expecting all the talent in the resort to be male. So, for tonight, Sion was a he. As long as his masculine side took priority, he was feeling more comfortable referring to himself as he. The term didn't define them. It just identified them at the moment.

Octavia explained that he didn't have to behave any differently. Sion was relieved as he was sure he'd be too self-conscious if he had to constantly monitor his behavior.

He felt pleasantly full as the doctor had given him an extra ration bar with his meal, then let him finish what she'd left on her plate as well. She'd had the sweetest smile when she left him after dinner.

His experience with Tracy this morning replayed in his mind, and he smiled to himself as the Madam had been very pleased with his performance. His smile softened as he realized performance was far too cold a word for the intimacy he'd shared with the woman. The word insinuated he was acting, pretending, or worse, lying. He knew in his heart that the emotions he'd felt when he shared himself with Tracy were real. He'd opened himself to her, and she'd shared her intimate feelings in return.

He didn't know if the other dancers exposed themselves so profoundly, but that was the only way he knew how to connect and share himself with another.

A slight frown passed across his face as he wondered if the other talent felt as he did when they were with one of the Madam's customers. When the intimacy became so intense, he could feel the sensations running through his partner's nerves. He knew what felt good for them, what they craved, and when to give them more. When they reached their peak, he shared that reward with them, and it became an incredible feedback loop between their bodies, almost a perfect synchronization of bliss.

He shook his head. Of course, the others felt that way. He knew what he was, what they were as well. Part of his implanted memories were cold, hard facts about his purpose and function. He didn't like to dwell on that, and his mind prevented him from questioning it. Indeed, his programming made him proud of it and eager to do his job for his master. The others like him must experience the same sensations with the clients as he did.

Sion knew he was different in one significant way.

He was also a she, and having this duality of identity could be confusing and frightening. He/she was one person and one mind, but sometimes it felt like an echo chamber. Each input went through a dual assessment. The male and female matrices implanted in their mind had different perceptions about what they felt, saw, heard, tasted, and smelled. The larger the disparity, the stronger the sensation of duality.

Sion's nature, common to both identities, placed compassion and empathy above all other sensibilities. To put it bluntly, this programming made for better sex workers. It was also making it possible for them to adapt to this duality, assisting with resolving this conflict in their mind. It was too painful and frightening to remain as two separate beings in one mind. Neither identity wanted to feel that way. Their solution was to open their hearts and accept each other's needs and perceptions. Love was the bond that prevented further fragmentation. His male identity learned to love how her female identity experienced the world, and she did the same for his perception. This led Sion to feel a profound unity in their mind, a deeper understanding of intimacy that could be shared with the Madam's clients.

They would be entertaining a woman tonight, so his male identity needed to be front and center, but the female identity was never far away.

While Sion had promised the doctor to behave and refer to themselves as male for the clients tonight, internally, on the most personal levels, they would not disrespect each side's contributions. They would be true to both sides.

This new peace within their mind felt like heaven, and a warmth spread across their body.

They were Sion.

Shortly, they would meet Evangeline van Dijk, the woman they would dance for and share themselves with. Madam DeGaul was very explicit in her instructions that, unlike Tracy, this woman held a position in society that was the equivalent of royalty and needed to be treated as such. Sion was to ensure she experienced as much pleasure, if not more, than Tracy did. The Madam expressed how pleased she'd been with their first session and was sure they could rise above their previous effort.

Sion was excited, and perhaps this was the cause of the trembling. The sensation had begun shortly after the large meal. As they sat cross-legged on the floor of a talent-only waiting room, they went through some relaxation exercises in their mind.

A single bead of sweat rolled down their spine, the tickling sensation breaking their concentration. They put a hand on the back of their neck and noticed how flushed the skin felt. They slowly slid their fingertips up to the base of their skull, and the heat seemed much higher at the top of their spine. The internal trembling was stronger there as well. It was giving them a slight headache. They considered speaking to the doctor about it but were due to go on stage shortly. Besides, they felt fine aside from the headache, a little heat, and some trembling.

It felt odd that they weren't with the other talent. They were to be last on stage, but they thought they'd at least be able to see the other dancer's moves.

They forced their mind back to the relaxation exercises. They had to be ready. The Madam was counting on them.

-=-

Evangeline was trembling inside, and she wasn't sure why. She'd had plenty of lovers, and some had even been surprises, but this time?

Maybe it was the setting. She wasn't on Xochitl One, where everything was predictable. On Bacchus, shit happened. Wild shit. Unpredictable and dangerous shit.

That felt like a solid reason for her trembling.

After cocktails and a light dinner, the ladies in her wedding party were guided to an intimate theatre room with a multilevel stage against one wall. The chamber was reasonably large to accommodate the space needed for the dancers and ensured the seating was spread across the room in a line facing the stage, so every seat had a clear view of it and the other guests. The lighting was subdued, and the chairs were plush and comfortable. Each woman was assigned a seat with Evangeline at the center, flanked by Rosa and Saki.

As the guests waited for the show, handsome waiters circulated, serving more cocktails. Excitement levels were high as they knew the dancers, their dates for the night, would soon appear to shake their cocks and tails.

Evangeline's bridesmaids were in rare form. They were tipsy, loud, and pawing at the waiters, far from the civilized behavior expected of them on Xochitl One.

The bride-to-be was sitting at the point of a raised runway projecting from the center of a stage. It was the best seat in the house, where she would get to review all the dancers before they moved off to join their designated ladies for the next phase of the party.

Sitting to her sides, Rosa and Saki were well into their drinks. Evangeline could almost feel their excitement and nervousness. They'd confessed that in their special request form, they'd both asked for dancers with really large cocks. Eva knew from personal experience they were making a mistake, as they'd be walking funny for days.

She and her MoH team made one more special arrangement on the way to Bacchus. One of her ladies had a strong bias against anyone with a dark skin tone. They'd arranged for her to be paired with a dancer with the darkest skin. The dancers couldn't harm the customers, so they weren't endangering the woman, but her bigotry be damned.

Eva's mom refused to enter the room where the debauchery would begin. She'd tried to talk the girls out of proceeding, but no one was listening. They'd waited politely for her to finish her plea, then moved into the theater. The chair behind Eva's remained empty as Regina stayed in the bar.

Body trembling, Evangeline settled back into her seat and concentrated on maintaining her neutral expression. It was the hardest work she'd ever done.

-=-

"Why is the bride's mother not joining the others in the theatre?" Helena snapped as she pointed to one of the monitors in the control room. On it, Regina van Dijk could be seen sipping tea at a table in the bar by herself. She looked... sad.

Octavia set down the comm handset and turned to the Madam. "According to the dining room staff who overheard the conversation, she attempted to talk the younger women out of proceeding. When she failed, she told her daughter she would wait for her in the bar in case she had second thoughts."

Helena stared at the doctor, her expression switching between anger and confusion. Finally, she managed to speak.

"She tried to stop them?" she asked quietly.

Octavia nodded. "You'll need to speak to her directly to find out why."

Helena nodded absently and left the room. Her mind was in turmoil as her ever-present paranoia reared its rabid head. Had the woman discovered her true purpose?

Twenty-three years of plotting, struggling, building, suffering, and enduring had led to this final moment when all she'd gone through would pay off and grant her vengeance for all the lost souls of Xochitl Six.

The revenge she'd described to Octavia was a smokescreen. Her true design was far more vicious and deadly.

Her nerves were jittery, and she clamped down on her muscles to hide their tremor. She couldn't let herself fail now, not when she was minutes away from success.

She checked the time and realized she had a few moments, so she hustled to her office and locked herself inside. Away from prying eyes in the sanctuary of her soundproof office, she released her pent-up tension with a blood-curdling scream of rage and despair. Afterward, she panted and trembled as her ears pulsed with the echoes of her internal pain.

Her scream triggered a flashback, and her thoughts yanked her back to the terror of the day she escaped the dying planet. Firestorms raged worldwide, whipped up by hurricane-force winds, scouring the remaining life from the planet, leaving nothing behind but ash.

Back then, her name had been Daisy, and she'd been small for her age. Malnutrition was the most likely cause. Her father kept her close as he was constantly worried she'd get sucked away by the winds.

Her family and the other people from her village were huddled inside the shelter when a voice came over the radio. The adults had been calling for help for weeks, but all they heard in return was static. Someone was jamming their transmissions, she'd overheard someone fearfully say.

The crackling voice announced that a ship was coming down to get them and would arrive in minutes.

The people in the shelter suddenly stampeded to the exits, and some were trampled. Daisy's father was a large man and put his daughter over his shoulder as he pushed through the crowd to get them outside, his wife and son following close behind.

The crowd struggled across the scoured landscape towards the open plain, the only spot open enough to land a shuttle. Daisy struggled to breathe in the heat and whipping ash clouds. The winds were so strong they carried some of the smaller people away, throwing them into the inferno consuming the buildings behind them. Her father once more saved them with his size and solidity.

Everyone began screaming when the black clouds suddenly parted ahead and above them. The shuttle was coming down too fast and too close. The crowd tried to run back towards the shelter but collided with the others running forward. The ship had its landing jets on full power to slow their descent, which was barely adequate against the winds.

They engaged the main thruster at the last second and prevented a crash landing. Unfortunately, the jet of plasma cut through a section of the villagers, instantly incinerating them. The ship still landed hard and bounced once on its landing gear. Additional lives were lost, crushed under the bulk of the ship and the loading door that opened and slammed down to form a ramp. Dust, ash, and flames swirled as Daisy choked.

Gloved hands grabbed her, and she was being carried up the ramp. Just as she reached the top, the wind cleared momentarily, and she saw her father on his knees, holding the hand of her mother, who'd been crushed by the loading ramp. Her brother was trapped as well.

Daisy drew a breath to scream as she reached for her father. A huge lance of flame whipped by the gale force winds rushed at the ship from the buildings behind them.

Someone hit the emergency close lever for the ramp, and it slammed upwards into its sealed position. Villagers on the ramp were thrown against the ceiling or deeper into the shuttle to collide with others inside. Then, the ship suddenly surged into the sky, and Daisy was crushed against the floor under the body of the one carrying her. She tried to breathe as a huge hand pushed her and her savior against the deck. The sounds of the roaring engines and people screaming in pain and terror filled her head. The world went dark.

Helena became aware of lying in a fetal position on the floor of her office. She glanced at the time and saw only a few minutes had passed. She struggled to her feet. It had been years since she'd relived that terrible day. Only two dozen people from her village made it off the surface. Her brother, mother, and father hadn't been included in that number. She'd heard that her group was the largest collected by the five shuttles that made it to the surface. In total, forty-seven Xochitl Six citizens survived the death of the planet. Forty-seven from a population of close to a million.

That night, she'd lost her ability to speak, a condition which would last for well over a year. Though she was silent, she listened to everyone. She heard six rescuers died in the effort to save as many as they could. The three shuttles returned to the ship but were too severely damaged to try again. Considering the conditions on the surface, there was little point in making another attempt. The rescuers arrived too late.

She heard the ship's crew nervously discussing the nearby cluster of Xochitl One battleships, which were patrolling space around Xochitl Six, acting like an unofficial blockade against humanitarian missions. Only Xochitl Two fleet support ships were allowed to be in the area.

Helena learned they'd received a special authorization code, making the other ships think they were a special black ops vessel and unaware of their true purpose. The code allowed them to come and go without being accosted by the battleships.

At that young age, as the survivors were processed as new citizens on a backwater mining colony world, Daisy decided she'd make the people of Xochitl One and Two pay for their evil. She knew it would take decades, maybe her whole life, so her rescuers would be old or dead by the time it happened. She felt no remorse for that. They should have come earlier.

In the early years after her rescue, she moved from an orphanage to a group home, changing her name to Helena on the way. The home was not a warm and loving environment, and it hardened her, and her years on the streets honed her edge. She made a name for herself as a Dominatrix and worked her way towards her goal of working on Bacchus. She'd learned they had the best genetics labs.

Her name finally reached the right ears, and she was given a chance to run a club on the party planet.

Once she'd set up her club and made it a success, she determined her best option was to move to a lower-profile establishment to launch the final stage of her plan. She sold her S&M club and opened the resort catering to women. It took a few years to establish it as the most prestigious strip club and brothel for entertaining women.

Then, she began her hunt.

It took more years to find a genius with a dark secret, working at one of Bacchus' many genetics labs. Fletcher Langley was a brilliant but tortured soul with a deep-seated need for disciplining and pain. Learning of his obsession, Helena visited her old S&M club as she knew he frequented it. There, she endured being raped by the new owner Caligula on two occasions before she finally met the geneticist.

Once she connected with Fletcher, she set her hooks in him, feeding his addiction to pain under her pointy boots during private sessions with him. Under her guidance, he eventually began to worship her as she gave his life structure. When she was sure of his absolute devotion, she made her first demand to serve her true goal. She directed him to design something forbidden by his workplace. The act broke the rules of the lab he worked at and those of Bacchus itself. But he now belonged to her, heart and soul, so he complied. The initial test he created for her went into a micro-injector she wore under her fingernail.

She returned to the S&M club and allowed herself to be captured by Caligula once more. Before he ravaged her, she scored a deep scratch on his arm. She verbally cursed him as he raped her, telling him he'd regret his actions as they'd be his last.

He had to laugh at her words as his entourage gathered to watch him enjoy her, but she'd learned Max was deeply superstitious. When he found himself unable to maintain his erection, she knew he'd connect it to her curse. It worked, and Max proceeded to beat her unconscious. All clubs had a no-kill policy toward guests, so the bouncers stepped in to take her from him before he was able to finish her. She woke in her club's clinic two days later, nursed back to health by Octavia.

Her spies confirmed that her test had been successful. The payload in her injector left Caligula with erectile dysfunction, which Fletcher had assured her was permanent. She'd provided her pet scientist with Caligula's genetic sample she'd collected from the second time he'd assaulted her. Fletcher's creation targeted only him and could not be detected.

Helena rewarded her pet with a week of the most exquisite pain until his reverence for her shone in his eyes. She was ready to have him produce her weapon of vengeance.

The hardened hazmat micro vial she wore in her left earring carried Fletcher's last gift to her, a nasty little viral creation. Injected into patient zero, it replicated within the host and became infectious through bodily fluids within an hour. After forty-five days, it would mutate to its second form, which had airborne and contact infection vectors. This allowed it to spread more rapidly without visible symptoms until its second and final mutation at the sixty-day mark. That's when the hosts would suddenly develop an irritating, ugly, full-body rash, the first outward sign of the infection. Once this began, the true payload of the virus would have already run its course. It self-terminated at that time and would be flushed from the body. Hosts would no longer be infectious, but the damage would be done.

The truly insidious nature of Fletcher's creation was its actual payload. Human sterility. The eggs in infected females would die. Infected males would lose their ability to produce viable sperm.

Helena wanted every last citizen on Xochitl One and Two to be the last citizens.

The difficulty lay in finding a patient zero that would visit both planets. She only had one dose of the virus. If she couldn't find someone to use, her alternate plan was to infect herself and visit them.

She was in the process of working out the visitor's visas when the Van Dijk bridal party reservation arrived. She quickly learned that the groom was from Xochitl Two and realized fate gave her a gift she could not pass up.

Shaking the memories from her head, she moved to her washroom and freshened up. She had to get moving, or all her efforts to date would be for naught. She couldn't squander this opportunity.

She owed it to the dead from Xochitl Six, especially her family.

She owed it to the rescuers who risked their lives to fly past the battleships and face deadly firestorms in shuttles for the survivors.

She owed Fletcher Langley, who created the weapon for her. To protect the secret, she granted his ultimate fetish by asphyxiating him as she jerked him to his last orgasm. She disposed of his dismembered remains amongst the carnage she recently made of the squad of dancers. The clean-up crew was less than thorough about confirming the count of body parts added up to ten dancers. The mess went into the reclamation vats, and for Helena, it was just one last loose end tied off.

She would release the virus announcement on day fifty-five, identifying the two planets as the outbreak's epicenter. When the rash presented for the early victims, the reality of their situation would solidify. Xochitl One and Two would be quarantined, and any of their citizens found off-planet would be hunted down in the ensuing panic.

She didn't delude herself that her life would continue very long after she made the announcement, but that didn't matter. She would have vengeance.

While she'd taken every precaution possible to protect and isolate herself from her plan, there was always a chance that she'd missed something.

She needed to get moving. She'd speak with the bride's mother to see if she was a danger to the plan.

No one would be allowed to stop her now.

Chapter 5

Tracy Galloway fought back her tears. She was having the worst day of her life. She was unemployed and unemployable as she'd never get a reference from Madam DeGaul's Lady's Night Resort. She'd broken their rules, a breach of her contract, so no company on Bacchus would touch her now. She'd lose her apartment as she couldn't continue her rent payments. Her only option was to take what little savings she had and buy a ticket back to her home planet, where being destitute wasn't a death sentence.

The day began with heightened anxiety as she'd learned what the Madam did with the squad she'd had sex with. Then she'd received the call from the Madam herself, which sent her into a panic, but the woman had asked her for help! The relief she'd felt gave her such a rush. It felt like she'd been given a second chance at life!

Then, she was introduced to Sion.

He was the most beautiful man she'd ever laid her eyes on. He was physically perfect, and she couldn't look away when he moved. When he touched her, she never wanted it to end, and for a time, it felt like she was getting her wish as time stopped. The bliss she'd felt with Sion was incomparable to any she'd felt. She knew she wanted to spend the rest of her life in his arms. She... loved Sion. It had to be love. She'd never felt so attracted to someone, so that was love, right?

But that dream was ripped from her by the cruelest means.

As a consequence of her cheating the rules of her workplace, she was fired from her job, never to see Sion again.

But this cruelty paled in significance compared to the horrific news about Sion. Far beyond her own troubles and pain, she'd learned that Sion, the most beautiful angelic being of love and heavenly sex, wouldn't have a lifetime of any decent length due to the willfully sadistic and monstrous actions of his creator.

The man whose door she stood before now. She pressed the chime button.

Moments later, the door opened to show her the annoyed expression on Senior Specialist Dheren's face. He stood at the door with a towel wrapped around his waist and one on his head. He was obviously fresh from the shower and not pleased to see her.

"Dheren?" Tracy asked.

"Yes... you don't look anything like the slut I ordered, and you're an hour early," he grumbled.

Tracy stepped in the door and shoved the shock stick against the wet skin of his chest.

After a loud buzz and snap, Dheren collapsed, unconscious.

Tracy dropped the dead weapon. It only had one charge, as that was all she could afford. Bracing the front door open, she returned to the outer hall to get her duffle bag. It contained all her possessions as she was leaving the planet once she dealt with this man's evil.

Stepping back into his apartment, she closed and locked his front door. Then she dragged the slightly overweight naked man by his ankles down the short hall to a doorway. She looked into the room, but it was just the living area. She noted a marble replica of Michelangelo's David, oil paintings on the walls, and the furniture looked antique... and expensive. Seriously, everything looked like museum pieces. The man had serious money invested in art.

She pulled him further along the hall, passing a surprisingly modern gourmet kitchen, a modern washroom, and a bedroom filled with period pieces again. Finally, she found his home office, which looked like a tech-head's wet dream. Such a weird mix of furnishings, but the apartment was so much larger than hers had been.

She'd worked up a sweat dragging this pile of filth this far. It took all her strength, and she was a sweaty mess after she got him up and strapped to his chair. The strong tape she used to tie his arms, legs, torso, and throat to the work chair also worked well to tape his mouth shut. She left him to take a shower.

His apartment's amenities were so much more luxurious than hers, but she was only a junior tech in the cyber security department while he created... art. Tracy broke down and cried once more at the terrible injustice of losing Sion, the man she'd been searching for her whole life.

A sudden rage swept through her, and she finished her shower quickly. She had work to do.

Dressed once more in a silky shirt she borrowed from his closet and carrying a carving knife she took from his kitchen, she approached Dheren. His eyes tracked her as she entered, and she could see the beads of sweat on his face. She stood next to his chair and held the point of the knife above his flaccid cock as she looked into his panicked eyes.

"Do anything suspicious, and you lose your dick. Am I understood?" she said, holding his eyes.

He nodded shakily.

She tore the tape from his mouth, and he fought back a scream of pain as his eyes watered.

When he recovered, he opened his eyes again and looked at Tracy. "Who are you? Why are you doing this?" he gasped.

"I'm a... friend of Sion's," she said simply.

"Sion? I don't know anyone named Sion!" he insisted.

"Do you deny creating such a work of art?!?" Tracy screamed.

Dheren blinked at the woman, seeing tears pooling in her eyes, her words sinking in slowly. "Work of art?"

"SION! You sent him to Madam DeGaul's!" Finally, she saw a spark of recognition in his eyes.

"The Mayfly!" he gasped with a smile. Then he screamed as Tracy slashed the knife across his cheek, rage flaring in her eyes. The cut wasn't deep, but he was shocked she'd cut his face.

"AHHH! Stop!" he cried as he jerked against his bindings.

"You gave him three days of life! Three days, you fucking monster!" Tracy was shaking with fury. She wanted to stab the knife into this piece of shit so badly, but she needed to know if there was any way to fix what he'd done.

Dheren's eye was twitching from the burning pain on his cheek. He couldn't take his eyes off the creature threatening him with the knife. He was terrified but awestruck by the raw emotion. Was she doing this because of something he'd created? Wasn't that the goal of any artist?

"Sion... Sion was just an experiment! To make Mayflies more durable so they could survive the three-day window."

"He's more than an experiment! He's love and sex and gentleness and passion, all combined into one perfect being! You need to give him more life, fucker!" Tracy screamed as tears ran freely down her cheeks. She brought the knife up to his throat and pressed it there.

"Wait! Wait! Wait!" he gasped. "I can show you! I'll make you your very own Sion!"

"He's unique!" Tracy wailed, and the knife bit in just a little.

"YES! YES! But, just let me show you!" Dheren cried.

Tracy looked into his desperate eyes and wiped the tears from her own. She moved the knife point back to rest on the top of his cock, making him shriek in fear.

"You'll show me what?" she spat.

"I-I-I-I'll show you how Sion came to be, then you'll see!" Dheren was convinced that if he could show her how simple it was to make another Genie identical to Sion, she'd realize it wasn't unique but easily replaced.

Tracy wanted to force him to fix his horrible mistake, so she reactivated the workstation controls on the chair's armrests. His fingers were read for a biometric reading, allowing him to log into his workstation. But she was taking no chances. "Attempt to use this for anything other than reviewing Sion's files and say goodbye to your penis!"

Dheren's eyes locked on the furious gaze of the young woman, and he nodded. She swiveled the chair to face the bank of screens and stood by his left side, holding the knife above his cock.

He quickly gave the workstation instructions to connect to his work server, then pulled up the file for Sion and put it up on the large center screen at his workstation. He pulled up the physical stats on a second smaller screen to the left and the programming inventory on the right screen.

"Sion was designed to be a more durable Mayfly. The standard models have no immunity boosters or fast healing packages, as these are expensive. I decided to experiment with the native digestive process to see if it and the Genie's metabolism could emulate these two missing packages. I based all of this on a template I made. Sion is female—"

"NO! Sion is male. He has a cock and balls! He's very masculine and sensual!"

Dheren paused as he waited for Tracy to calm down.

"I-I added Sion's male attributes to the female template. Sion is more she than he... physically, at least. I needed this for the augmented Mayfly adjustments to function properly. Mentally, the Genie contains both male and female personality templates. I had concerns about its mental stability as these templates conflict. Did Sion seem stable to you?" he asked, then wished he could take the words back as the woman he was facing was anything but stable.

"Sion is female?" Tracy said quietly to herself.

"Mostly," he conceded. "As I said, mentally, it's definitely fifty-fifty. It would be very simple to just submit a request for another copy—"

"NO! I TOLD YOU SION IS UNIQUE!" Tracy screamed, the knife going back to his throat.

"PLEASE! PLEASE! DON'T!" he cried.

"You're going to fix Sion so he doesn't die so quickly!" Tracy shouted as she stared into his frightened eyes. "Sion is good and pure. I love him, and you will save him!"

Dheren's jaw dropped as he stared incredulously at the crazed woman. She loved the Genie? What the fuck did that mean? It was an object. You can't truly love a thing. Besides, the Genie had a genetic time bomb in its neck. He had to reason with her.

"Mayflies have an automatic trigger that starts a tumor growing in their neck. In three days, the tumor grows large enough to pinch off the brain's access to the body—"

"The healing factor! Boost it!" Tracy gasped as she recalled him saying something about that.

Dheren frowned as the woman wasn't listening. "Mayflies don't have a boosted healing factor, and the one I designed was based on its digestive process and metabolism. There isn't enough energy to fight off a malignant and aggressive tumor. "

"What-what if you fed him more?" Tracy asserted, grasping at straws.

He gave her a frustrated look. "No one is going to overfeed a Genie. It would be a waste of food. They get two ration bars per meal, twice a day. My prototype receives three per meal."

Tracy latched onto that. "I would have given Sion anything to see him happy. A little food is nothing! What happens if you give him more food?" she asked desperately.

Dheren wearily pulled up the modeling application. He fed in his template for Sion and set the time frame to the current time based on its instantiation date. He zoomed in on the creature's neck, and a noticeable bulge was present at the base of the skull. "By this point, you can see the tumor is almost a third of its terminal size. If I adjust the environment settings on the simulator to double the standard Genie rations, that's four bars for each meal," He rolled the timeframe to day three. "You'll see the Genie still die—" He paused as the tumor growth was only incrementally larger than it had been after one day. Doubling its caloric intake had a dramatic impact on the growth rate of the tumor. The healing factor wasn't eliminating the growth, but it definitely was slowing it.

"It works, doesn't it. Don't try to lie. I can see it on your face," she said, almost giddy with relief. Her excitement was so intense she was shaking. "Triple the food, six bars, and run the test again," she commanded.

Giving her another annoyed look, he did as she asked, and this time, there was no tell-tale bulge on the neck of the modeled Genie at all. He checked the specs, and the tumor was still in place, but it wasn't growing.

He ran the test a third time but with eight bars, four times the recommended meal size. The results were no different than with a triple ration. The tumor wasn't being eliminated as it wasn't of natural origin. It was an engineered cell injected during the Genie's creation. That said, the healing capabilities of the Mayfly's body were preventing it from growing.

His initial reaction was elation. His new method for replacing the healing factor was far more effective than he estimated.

A small niggling doubt surfaced as he recalled he'd sourced the template from the company's secret vault. Granted, this was the first time he'd used this one for a Mayfly, but... what if this improvement wasn't due to his radical new biochemical process at all. He wanted to deny this immediately, but the doubt remained.

He opened a new window and opened the local copy he'd made of the documentation he'd pulled from the secret vault for the template.

"What are you doing?" Tracy snapped.

He flashed her an angry look. "I need to see what was done to the original template!"

She nodded, and a slight smile slipped onto her lips.

He wanted to wipe that excitement from her face, but he ignored her as he opened the history tab for the template and quickly read the text.

He stared at the screen in dismay. His work was a fraud. That was a crushing blow to his ego.

The body they'd extracted the genetic template from had an incredibly rare genetic disease. The intake notes contained references from the original techs who'd successfully inverted the disease to create... a more robust Genie. Additional notes indicated they'd sent a request for approval up the chain of command, but that's where the progress stopped. Instead, the project was flagged as closed. Someone senior wanted it buried.

So, his new Mayfly's success had very little to do with his biochemical adjustments of the digestive system. To be fair, he'd added a small improvement.

"How did I miss this?" Dheren gasped quietly to himself.

He knew the answer, of course. He should have read this documentation before using the restricted template for his favorite projects.

If anything, he'd proven the work of these technicians. His employer should be very pleased he'd provided the proof. He checked the sign-out records in the documentation. He was the only one who'd actually used the template since then, and he had no idea why they were sitting on this. There was tremendous potential here for saving money! It might even eliminate the need for the immunity boost and fast-heal features!

The senior execs hadn't ordered the template destroyed, they'd just restricted access to it. Why?

Immediately following this thought, his mind slammed him with the reality of his current predicament.

Dheren released a prototype Mayfly Genie into the general populace without a functioning kill switch.

Worse, Mayflies wore discipline collars preset to deactivate and unlock in just over three days after the Mayfly expired. If it was alive when that happened, the Genie couldn't be tracked, located, disciplined by shock, or terminated with explosive charges. It might even escape the planet!

For a protocol violation this enormous, the leaders of Bacchus wouldn't have him fired. They'd feed him into the reclamation vats alive!

Dheren quickly brought up another interface to connect to the system that controlled the collars. He had access to the collars of Genies he created. He had to issue the kill command now! He began entering his credentials. He paused as he realized this action would be reported, but a demotion was far better than being killed.

Tracy watched him suspiciously. "What are you doing?"

He glanced quickly at her with an angry scowl. He was embarrassed that someone of her junior level had caught his mistake. "I'm terminating the Genie. Its kill switch is inoperable. I'll have to trigger its collAAAAAAAAAHHHH!"

Tracy reached across and slammed the knife's point through the back of Dheren's right hand, piercing the control pad on the right armrest. Sparks exploded from the electronics to spill in a stream onto the antique woven rug as the geneticist screamed. The ancient fabric immediately began to smolder, a dense smoke curling up from the floor.

He quickly tapped an emergency command into the left armrest's control pad, disabling the safeties to make the armrest swing open at maximum velocity.

Tracy caught the lightly padded metal bar across her lower ribs with a sickening crunch. Her body was flung away to slam into the wall and slump to the floor.

Dheren screamed again as his left arm was still taped to the armrest. When it swung outward so violently, his wrist broke against Tracy's body, tendons tore, and his shoulder dislocated. He struggled to remain conscious.

When he managed to blink his eyes open, he looked at his right hand, still pinned to the dead control pad by the knife and tape. His left arm was useless, so he couldn't use the controls on that side either. Looking at the screens, he saw the credentials interface was still open but incomplete.

"Voice... override."

"Enter passphrase," a smooth female voice asked.

Pain surged through his body, and he gritted his teeth until the worst was past. He spoke the passphrase.

The screen cleared as a new desktop appeared. Dheren moaned as he would have to log back into the office and start again. He glanced over to Tracy, and his eyes flew wide as she wasn't there. Frantic with fear, he tried to look behind himself, but she didn't jump out at him, and he couldn't hear her. He quickly turned back to the workstation.

"Admin Access! Senior Specialist Dheren, H3KL-553J SS-4432!" This level of access would pass his credentials to subsequent systems to speed up his access to them. It would also get him seriously penalized for breaking security protocol, but his punishment for his mistake with the Genie would be far worse if he didn't deal with it now.

The terminal chimed. "Senior Specialist Dheren identified. Admin Access Open."

His eyes darted around the room, searching for Tracy, but he still seemed to be alone. "Open project files for Mayfly, Sion." He needed the collar access code. He spotted it in the build submission form.

"Pin build submission form to desktop, top right!" The display followed his command. Now, he'd be able to see the ID when he logged into the collar control service.

"Launch discipline collar control app." This time, the application loaded without asking him to log in. He peered at the build submission form to read the ID. "Locate collar D-342445245622A"

"Collar located," the terminal said, displaying a map of one of the pleasure districts on Bacchus, highlighting Madam DeGaul's Lady's Night Resort. The Genie was a pulsing dot inside the outline of one of the buildings on the property.

"Activate—" He suddenly froze as he saw Tracy walking towards him with something in her hands. It was one of the wall decorations he'd mounted to his bedroom wall. An antique but fully functional spiked mace. Her small hands gripped the leather-wrapped handle tightly as she steadily approached. The heavy iron ball at the end of the rod had two-inch spikes sticking out of it. He saw blood on her lips, so she was obviously hurt, but it was her eyes that sent a chill through him. So much rage.

"Stop! You need to stop! I'll get you medical assistance! Money! WHAT DO YOU WANT?!?"

Tracy's ribs were broken, and she was having a harder and harder time breathing, so she knew she was bleeding into her lungs. It'd taken everything for her to crawl into the next room, get back on her feet, and lift this heavy weapon from the wall. She curled her lip at the pathetic worm tied to the chair. "Sion... was all... I... wanted."

As Dheren watched in terror, she pushed the mace straight up, lifting her arms above her head. He couldn't move. So many times, he'd relaxed in his bed, fantasizing about crushing his enemies with this weapon. He was always the hero in his story, so he couldn't believe it would be used against him.

Tracy didn't have the wind to scream her rage at the monster she faced, but she put her waning strength into the swing. He finally tried to move his head at the last second, but the heavy ball caved in the left side of his skull, a spike stabbing deep into his brain. In seconds, life faded from his eyes.

The weapon's handle pulled from her hands as she dropped to the floor. Pain shot through her chest, and she moaned. Dense smoke pooled over the slowly burning carpet, and she gasped and choked on the fumes as she struggled to stand again. Her head spun as she leaned against the workstation, struggling to remain conscious long enough to save Sion. She looked at the display and saw the voice command mode was active, but she knew the machine would lock down if she gave it commands.

Taking tiny sips of air, she spotted an old wireless keyboard on the far side of the workstation. Tracy staggered around the chair to get to the keyboard and activated it. The room spun, and she held tight to the edge of the desk to stay on her feet. Something in the smoke was sapping her ability to think.

When she felt a little more stable, she used the keyboard to exit from the collar control application. She saw Sion's files displayed, and a thought occurred to her. She needed to hide all traces of Sion if she was going to save him. One by one, she deleted the files referring to the angelic creature.

Then, she realized she had to get more aggressive about erasing the data. From her job, she knew exactly what to do.

She disabled the security apps on the workstation, then opened a connection to a dark net site her team lead warned her about. She watched as the malware immediately infiltrated the workstation. She saw it pause when it reached the window showing Sion's original template, and then it reached out into the network the creep was connected to.

They would need to purge the entire system to be clear of that.

The workstation immediately disconnected, but the damage was done.

She found herself sitting on the floor in the smoke and wondered how she got there. Calling the Madam to tell her how to save Sion was the next thing she needed to do. She had no strength to talk, but she pulled her comm from her pocket and typed a short message for her former boss.

"Triple ration for Sion to live"

The door chime announced a new visitor. It startled Tracy into dropping the comm from her weakened grip. It bounced away on the carpet.

Tracy leaned over to get the comm, her face descending into the smoke.

She didn't rise again.

Chapter 6

Sion swayed to the music coming from the stage. The door to their waiting room was open, and the sound was traveling down the hall. Darius stopped by to explain that the small light at the top of the door jamb would light up when it was their turn to move to the stage.

The other dancers were moving one by one to the stage, being introduced, and doing their dance for the group. Then, they moved to their designated partner. Sion would be last.

Seven dancers had already been introduced, and the women's excitement was getting louder as the dancers joined them. Sion could almost feel their energy coming up the hallway.

Sion picked up the sensation of someone approaching from the other direction. They looked to the doorway in anticipation.

When the Madam appeared, Sion burst into a happy smile. They saw her pause, the briefest smile crossing her face, and she entered the room. They hadn't expected to see her until afterward, so their curiosity flared.

"Hello, Sion. Are you ready?" she asked.

"Yes, Madam!" they said enthusiastically.

Sion watched emotions rush across her face, almost too quickly for them to recognize. They were confused as they didn't know why she was experiencing such sadness and anger. They hoped it wasn't something they did.

"Is something wrong, Madam? Is there something you need me to do?" Sion asked cautiously and was startled when she suddenly barked a bitter-sounding laugh.

Her hand rose to cup their cheek, and they gently leaned into the touch as their eyes closed with happiness. They heard her suck in a sharp little breath, and their eyes opened to look at her in question. Sion noted she wasn't wearing her dangly earrings.

The Madam's eyes suddenly held a determined look, and she moved her hand to the back of his neck. Sion felt a sharp pinch but suppressed making a noise.

The Madam's expression became puzzled. "Why is your neck so hot?" She pulled her hand away and removed the ring she was wearing, tucking it in a pocket.

"I don't know, Madam," they replied. "But I feel fine. I can fulfill my duties. I won't let you down!"

Her smile was stiff, but she nodded as she turned him to look at the area. She turned back and gave them another stiff smile. "I'm sure you will take good care of our guest. I have the utmost confidence in you, Sion."

They smiled happily at the Madam.

With a final nod, the woman turned and left. Sion smiled as a tingle ran through their body. Praise from their master was almost like a drug. Sion was so happy they'd soon be able to earn some more.

They let the music coming up the hall fill their senses and returned to swaying to the beat.

Sion couldn't wait for their turn.

-=-

Helena put a hand out to brace herself against the wall when she was alone. She didn't know what it was about Sion that undermined her control. She almost didn't inject him with the virus!

The heat coming from the area she injected him was concerning, but when she saw the slight swelling on his neck, she realized it had to be the tumor growing.

She shook her head and pushed forward to speak to the bride's mother. She needed to know why she was not joining the wedding party. She entered the bar from the far side and saw the woman looking into her tea. The bartender caught her eye, but Helena just shook her head as she moved across the room toward the solitary guest. Just before she arrived, she signaled to the man to bring two cups of tea and a plate of cookies. Then she approached the woman.

"Mrs. Van Dijk? Hello, I'm Madam DeGaul, the manager of this establishment."

The woman gave her a smile and bowed her head politely. "Please, call me Regina."

"Then you must call me Helena," she said with a smile. "I can't help but notice you chose not to accompany your party."

The bartender arrived with the tea and cookies, then quickly left.

Regina nodded. "Yes, such carnal displays are not to my taste."

Helena nodded as she examined the woman thoughtfully. This was the enemy. It had taken her so many years to finally come face to face with one of the key players in her people's demise. She had to remain calm the keep the plan moving forward.

She suddenly noticed Regina was watching her in return, but with the oddest expression.

"Is something wrong?"

Regina's expression flipped to embarrassment at being caught staring. "Oh! I'm sorry for that. It's just... you remind me of... someone. I just can't place it." Her expression shifted back to puzzlement.

Helena needed to get control of the conversation again, so she went on the offensive, but gently.

"You disapprove of carnal entertainments... and those who cater to that demand?" she asked gently.

Regina shook her head. "No, I'm not one to judge others." An expression of guilt flickered across her face before she forced a gentle smile back onto her lips. "How one chooses to serve the community is a personal choice. These entertainments are just not for me." She glanced towards the entrance to the stage. "I had hoped I might convince the others to choose a more socially appropriate activity, but the young focus on indulging their appetites without thought of propriety."

Helena smiled. "The young are always hungry for experience. Holding them back isn't our emphasis, but providing a safe and private place for such activities to occur is what we can offer. The social acceptance of these experiences won't be a factor as no one but the participants will know, and no recordings are allowed."

Regina smiled sadly. "If a moral impropriety occurs where it can't be seen, can one claim it never happened?" Helena frowned, so Regina explained. "That others know it happened is less significant than understanding you diminish your self-esteem with each act." She shook her head. "I fear these women, my daughter included, are already too far down that slope to recognize that fact." She sighed and shrugged. "But that's just the beliefs and values of one old woman." She looked over to Helena and was looking into the dark, brooding eyes she'd faced so long ago. Recognition flared.

"Daisy?"

Helena froze.

"Oh, my word. You're Daisy, my lost survivor. The one who slipped away and vanished!"

"I-I don't know what you're talking about—" Helena said, struggling to regain control of the conversation. She sent a command to the security cameras to shut down and erase the recordings from when she arrived in the room.

"I never forget a face, even when they age. Your eyes looked at me exactly the same way when you first arrived on the planet where we hid the survivors."

"Hid the survivors?" Helena mumbled.

Regina's eyes were glassy with unshed tears. "It's my greatest shame that I couldn't stop them. When the terraforming on Xochitl Six began destabilizing, I immediately campaigned to extract the populace. My husband and his associates in the Senate blocked the decision in debates as they argued the expense would be extraordinary and integrating the immigrants into our population would diminish our general quality of life. They eventually voted against saving Xochitl Six, and the leaders of Xochitl Two suggested a blockade. I could only get one ship through with stolen security codes, but by then, they could only make one attempt to land on the planet." She took Helena's cold hand between hers. "Now, of the forty-seven we saved, you're the last remaining survivor."

"What?" Helena gasped, her mind reeling with the woman's confession.

Regina nodded. "Disease, mental ailments, drug addiction, crime, and violence; each of the forty-six other survivors has perished. You are the last of the Xochitl Six colonists. I tried so hard to help these poor souls, but they were scattered, and I was always too late. I couldn't find you. I never expected to find you here!"

Helena glanced around, but no one was nearby, and she fixed her eyes on the woman seated across from her. "Daisy is dead. Nothing of her remains, and nothing of her is linked to me. Do you understand?"

Regina watched her silently for a moment. "Yes, I understand. I never meant to disturb your new life. I'm just grateful knowing you have built something for yourself. It doesn't lessen my shame for pathetically failing the people of Xochitl Six. I should have done more." The tears finally broke free from her lashes and ran down her cheeks.

Helena handed the woman a tissue, stood stiffly, and walked away. She sent another command to the security cameras to begin once she left the room and walked toward the exit. She needed to get back to her office.

She needed privacy to release her screams.

-=-

Eva struggled to keep the smile on her face as the MC, a petite redhead in a form-fitting and sparkling bodysuit, introduced each dancer onto the stage to do their act. She knew her dancer would be last, but the anticipation of meeting this someone special was killing her.

So far, the talent had been exactly what she'd expected to see. Hunky, gorgeous men dancing in very exciting and enticing ways. Certainly better than she'd experienced on Xochitl One. Some favored slow, sensual music and, subsequently, languid and tantalizing movements, while others preferred faster pieces with more athletic displays. Eva was on the fence over which she preferred. Her bridesmaids were very vocal about their likes.

When the ebony-skinned dancer made his way to kneel at Keela's feet to indicate he was hers for the night, the frozen smile on that bitch's face was priceless. Unable to protest Eva's gift, the woman had given her a smile bordering on a grimace due to her tight jaw muscles.

Some members of her wedding party were already letting their hands roam over the bodies of their assigned men.

It was time for her MoHs to meet their choices. Both dancers had significant and obvious bulges in the thin, silky loin cloths, and both incorporated showing this off in their routines. Rosa and Saki looked excited and terrified, so Eva wished them well.

Finally, it was time. The MC stood front and center, smiling down at Eva. "You've been very patient, Bride-to-Be, but now your wait is over. Take some deep breaths now, as you may find yourself breathless when you lay eyes on your special surprise!" Squeals erupted from Eva's bridal party.

The woman moved to the right side of the stage and gestured to the left. "Ladies, Madam DeGaul's Lady's Night Resort is proud to introduce to you... Sion!"

The lights dimmed, and the music began softly with a slow beat. Eva restrained herself from leaning forward. Instead, she played it cool and watched the stage with a slight smile on her lips. Her MoHs watched her for her reaction as she'd watched them for theirs.

A tight spotlight shone down on the stage, and a figure moved sinuously past the edge of the light, giving her only a glimpse of a strong shoulder and well-sculpted right arm and leg. He was only wearing a gauzy pair of shorts, so most of his body was visible. The man's skin seemed pale, but that could have just been a trick of the light.

The spot faded as another lit up a little further along the stage. The beat of the music was getting under her skin, and she found herself swaying to it as she waited for the dancer to step into the beam of the next spot. Just before he did, he spun, and his back dipped into the light beam. Once more, his skin seemed to glow like it was lit by moonlight. His back muscles flexed and shifted as his hands lifted his long white-blonde hair to expose his shoulders. Then she noticed how his hips swayed with the music, and her breath caught as the MC said it would. His movements were hypnotic. She spared a glance over at Saki and Rosa and both were staring at the stage as the dancer moved on.

Twice more spots shone down on the stage, and she was gifted with glimpses of his beautifully toned body and sensual movements both times. Something about him was making her chest feel tight with excitement. She was also experiencing more than a touch of nervous anticipation. Then she noticed her hands were trembling. She hadn't experienced that sensation for years!

There was only one more spotlight, and this one lit up the stage directly before her. There was a reflector on the stage to soften the light. The music was faster, and the rhythm felt like it was controlling the beating of her heart.

The dancer stepped backward into the light and flowed with the music as he rocked side to side.

The beat suddenly began to accelerate, and his swaying became spinning. His long white hair whipped around and obscured his face as Eva leaned forward with an intense need to see him. Something made her skin tingle, and her fingertips felt like pins and needles.

All the spots suddenly flashed, and the music stopped with a final beat as the dancer went down to his knees, his forehead pressed to the stage.

Eva was panting with her prickly fingertips pressed against her lips as she struggled not to rush the stage. The man slowly unfolded his exquisite body as he stood, his head tipped forward to cover his face with his hair. Finally, he lifted his hands under his hair and pushed it back as he smiled at Eva.

She froze as her eyes flew wide, her voice squeaking from her tight throat.

"Erik?"

He moved forward, stepping down from the stage as he approached ever closer.

She shook her head faintly as what couldn't be became more real with each step.

The pale skin, the white hair, the perfect cheekbones, and the strong jawline, but mostly the gentle eyes looking into her soul. It couldn't be. She wanted it to be true more than anything she'd ever wanted in her life, but she knew it was impossible.

Wasn't it?

"Hello?" he said gently as if speaking to a timid faun preparing to leap away, and she realized she was poised to flee. She'd pushed herself up against the backrest of her chair, ready to climb over the furniture to delay the moment when they'd touch and the illusion would shatter.

"I'm for you tonight, but if you don't want me—" He stepped back.

"NO!" she yelled, suddenly terrified he'd leave, and she'd be alone again. She flung herself forward into strong arms, which caught her effortlessly. She clung to him, trembling. He smelled so good, masculine and warm. His skin was exquisitely soft, though his muscles beneath were incredibly hard. She recalled the one night she'd had with Erik. Tears began to run down her face as he easily lifted her in his arms, and she tucked her face into his neck. He carried her from the room, and she kept her eyes closed until she heard a door close and felt the soft surface of a bed under her.

Eva looked up into impossibly beautiful eyes, gloriously blue and filled with compassion. She wanted... she desperately wanted him to be Erik, but she knew it couldn't be. She was afraid to speak, to ruin the moment with careless words.

He laid down on the bed next to her and pulled her close, with her head on his chest. His heart beat strongly, and the rhythm soothed her. She felt her tension melting until she was completely and utterly relaxed. As she drifted off, her night with Erik returned, and his love for her filled her being one more time.

-=-

As Sion revealed himself to Eva from the stage and approached her, the reaction they expected from the woman wasn't there. While dancing closer and closer, giving in to the music to tease her with moves inspired by the beat, Sion could see the bride-to-be was visibly excited.

Her reaction to the reveal was shock, not delight, which made them cautious. Their masculine side called upon the feminine side to assist with comprehending this emotional upheaval. Their dual perceptions immediately evaluated and identified the expressions of recognition and distress on Eva's face. Their suggestion of leaving caused Eva to leap into their arms, and they surrounded the woman with the security of masculine strength and the intimacy of feminine compassion. The distraught woman needed both, so they carried her to her assigned room for some privacy as they drew some odd stares from the other women in the party. They'd also caught some threatening glares directed at them from the other dancers.

When they reached the bed, Eva's need for compassion was clearly more important than sex, so they gave her what she needed most, and she settled in quickly.

Now that the woman was sleeping soundly, Sion had time to reflect on how their dual perception saved them and, more importantly, the woman in such a delicate emotional state. They went back over the moment of the reveal for clues.

There was a flash of recognition. Sion must look like someone Eva knew and had strong emotions for.

The bride-to-be's initial pulling away told them this important person was no longer in Eva's life, and how she leapt to grab Sion and the strength of her grip hinted that this person might potentially be missing or deceased.

This presented them with a quandary. If Eva wanted them to pretend to be a long-lost love, they'd have to do it, but they knew it wasn't healthy and would lead to pain. Their masculine and feminine sides would work together to find Eva a healthier solution. Sion was beginning to appreciate the support built into their duality as they were no longer conflicting but working as one.

They knew Eva expected him to be male, so the female side slipped back again. They smiled as they heard the tall brunette sigh in her sleep. They thought she was very beautiful and would gladly make love to her if that's what she wanted. They weren't sure it was.

In the meantime, they got to rest in bed with a beautiful woman in their arms. As jobs go, this was pretty sweet.

-=-

When the ladies didn't return from the stage area, Regina sighed wearily and left the bar to return to her resort room. While it was luxuriously appointed, Regina just found it cold and impersonal. Perhaps that was just a carryover from her overall impression of this morally empty planet.

She didn't know what Eva was looking for tonight, but the mother hoped she took as much joy from it as possible. Regina feared that her daughter's life would never be the same once the marriage was official.

-=-

Maxwell sat at the end of the bed, gasping for breath, and stared at his shaking hands. His night wasn't going as planned.

Club Maximus was living up to its reputation. The food and drink were top shelf, the servers were beautiful and obedient, and the special request he found in his room had been the spitting image of his fiancé. They had extensive video samples of her movement, speech, and behavior patterns, so her doppelganger was as close to her without being her. He could have easily believed it was her if it wasn't for the discipline collar she was wearing.

Cold, beautiful... and dead.

He looked back at the bed and saw the empty eyes staring up at the ceiling.

He'd lost control. This was a first for him.

He'd beaten women before when they misbehaved or otherwise pissed him off, but he'd never killed one.

It wasn't his fault, though. They'd programmed the Genie to match Eva's behavior too closely. The more he tried to control her, the more she resisted. The creature didn't hurt him, as Genies couldn't, but he hadn't been able to get his satisfaction from her.

Worse, he discovered he couldn't get an erection with her... and the Genie smiled like it knew a secret.

He looked back at it as his rage sparked to life once more, but it was still dead. He'd get no satisfaction—

"RRAAWWW!" he roared as he surged to his feet. He paced with directionless anger. He needed to fuck someone hard, brutal, and raw. His fuck toy was dead, and he wasn't into necrophilia.

He became aware of a notification light in the corner of his vision. It was from the state-of-the-art implant he'd purchased for himself. The latest in covert communications tech. Even the tech geniuses of Bacchus hadn't figured out how to detect the cranially implanted devices. Everything a personal comm could do, only completely hidden within the wearer's skull. The video pick-up was built into the wearer's left eye.

From the custom header on the message, he could tell it was from someone else with the same technology. He walked over to a chair facing the bed and closed his eyes as if he was just resting and centering himself once more.

He queued up the message and saw it hadn't been signed. The header on the message and the tags had been scrubbed. Someone didn't want him to know who sent him the message. The text contained a single line.

"Eva's man for the night."

That sent a flash of rage through him, and he almost deleted the message. He noted it had an attachment, so he ran it through a security scan. It wouldn't have made it to his comm if it wasn't safe, but he was extra cautious. The attached file was just a simple video captured through the sender's eyes.

So, it was someone from the wedding party. That didn't really surprise him from this bunch of catty bitches. He played the video.

It began with the master of ceremonies doing an introduction.

"Ladies, Madam DeGaul's Lady's Night Resort is proud to introduce to you... Sion!"

The viewpoint swung to see Eva smiling toward the stage, and Rosalina de la Dehesa was on her opposite side. This meant the camera wearer had to be Sakurako Kobayashi, which made sense as her parent's company made the implanted comm.

So much for hiding your identity, you stupid cunt!

The view swung back to the stage, and solitary spotlights began to shine downward from above. The music had a hypnotic beat, and he found himself focusing intently as the dancer moved through the edges of the beams of light, just giving hints. The dancer's moves were drawing him in. He told himself he was just impressed with their skill but couldn't look away.

The raw sensuality of his movements made Max forget to breathe or swallow. When the man finally stepped fully into the final spotlight and performed his last moves, Maxwell gasped aloud and finally noticed how rigid his own cock was and how it ached with need. He frowned in confusion and wanted to stop the video, but his need wouldn't be denied. He immediately focused on the man's face in the video and was struck by his incredibly handsome appearance. Jealousy and desire flared wildly in his mind, unsettling him further.

As Sion stepped closer to Eva, Max watched his muscles moving under his pale skin, and his need surged again. He'd never witnessed a man move like this, and he'd never reacted so strongly before. He forced himself to remember that the dancer was a Genie. They'd obviously created something with unnatural attributes that attracted men as well as women.

"I'm for you tonight, but if you don't want me—"

Sparks shot through him as he heard the dancer utter these words, and Max bit his lip to quiet his own desire.

He jumped slightly as Eva yelped and leapt into the arms of the man, who then carried her from the room. Max felt another stab of jealousy shoot through him.

The video ended.

He sat quietly as his mind twisted with intense emotions for which he couldn't grasp the source. Was he jealous of the dancer receiving such a raw emotional response from Eva, something she'd never shown him? Or was he jealous of her being with this creature that drew such an emotional response from him?

Max stood and walked back to the bed. He replayed the video as he wrapped his fingers around his cock, beginning to stroke himself off. He didn't make it to the movie's end before he unloaded over the vacant stare of the dead Genie.

His breathing was ragged, and his thoughts churned in his mind. What the FUCK was it about this Genie! The scene of it pulling back its hair to display its face replayed, and his breath stuck in his throat once more. Why was he reacting so strongly?

He shut down the replay and then wiped himself clean with the top sheet as he contemplated the double of his soon-to-be wife. He felt nothing for Eva.

The Genie... Sion they called it, was another matter. He needed to meet Sion. He would have to ditch his groomsmen for a time to visit Madam DeGaul's Lady's Night Resort.

He pulled on some clothes to get a drink in the bar.

Max needed them to tidy up his room and remove the garbage.

-=-

Saki grunted into the pillow as her date for the night slammed his thick cock deep into her again and again from behind. The dancer was well endowed, though she'd had bigger, and was reasonably skilled at using it, though she'd been with better, but her mind was otherwise occupied.

Her target not only accepted the file she'd sent to him, but he'd played the attached video. The master control codes she'd added to the message now gave her access to Maxwell Krieger's implanted comm, and he had no idea that she could now see and hear what he did.

She grimaced as she watched him ejaculate over the corpse of a Genie made to duplicate her bestie. This didn't bode well for their marriage. Too bad for the princess.

The bitch got everything she wanted, including the number one female spot on the Xochitl Social Index. Saki had been so pleased when Eva's rank began to slip. Then she'd announced the impending wedding of the century. Now, she was back on top.

The woman contributed nothing to society besides her image while Saki was an engineer! She'd created the implant comm for her family business while, at the same time, maintaining a high rank on the Index! There were very few of the new comms currently in use as they hadn't made any public announcement yet. A few elite citizens from Xochitl One and Two had undergone the surgical implanting process. She was aware of all of them, though Maxwell was the first she'd attempted to hack into. It seemed to be a success!

She was beginning to chafe, so she rolled over and pushed the brute away. He looked at her in surprise and worry.

"Is there something I can do for you differently?" he asked in concern.

"Leave."

He got off the bed, and green eyes looked back at her nervously. She just waved him away.

Once she was alone, she walked into the bathroom and gave herself a good hot shower, cleansing herself inside and out.

Once she dried off, she returned to the bed and stacked the pillows against the headboard. She rested back against them and reviewed Maxwell's reaction to the video she sent him. He was visibly excited by Sion. That was interesting!

Could it be that the most masculine man in Xochitl Two preferred men? While a perfectly acceptable lifestyle on her enlightened world, that orientation was particularly vilified on Xochitl Two. If it was true, Maxwell would be particularly repressed due to his pinnacle male positioning in their Xochitl Social Index.

Poor baby! She grinned to herself. Then the smile slipped away.

She understood why Maxwell could be affected by Sion. She was extremely jealous of that bitch Eva once more, getting the cream of the crop. In this case, the best the club had to offer. When Sion finally showed his face to them, she'd barely stopped herself from gasping aloud. He was so beautiful, and he moved like a dream! Making love to him must be... exceptional!

Maybe she could arrange some time for herself with the Genie. She'd look into it quietly. She didn't want the others to know she was jealous.

While she would never expose the fact that she had access to Maxwell's comm, she'd engineer a way to use her new discovery to her best advantage.

Chapter 7

When Helena woke on the couch in her office, the first thing she noticed was that her head ached. Next was the bruising. She stiffly pushed herself to a seated position and looked at her arms and legs in dismay. She had a few cuts, but the bruising was extensive.

"Shit."

Struggling painfully, she got to her feet and carefully stepped around the smashed furniture and miscellaneous items on the floor until she reached her desk chair. She had to lift it back to an upright position before she could sit in it.

She sagged back into the cushions and then moaned as even that hurt.

The only thing not broken was the comm, so she called Octavia.

"Good morning," the doctor's voice said with a smile in it.

"Why are you smiling?" she asked.

"Oh! You can tell? Well, we had no drama from our guests last night, so it seems things went smoothly," the doctor said with a sigh.

"Bring your med kit to my office," Helen said and disconnected. She was reaching the end of her strength.

She hoped the doctor would be quick.

-=-

When the Madam didn't answer the door. Octavia had Tenzi open it. As the doctor stepped inside, she stopped in the opening and looked at the devastation. Every movable object in the office had been broken. Judging by the damage to the walls, many of the objects had been thrown against them. Here and there was a spot of blood so the Madam had used her body to strike those surfaces. She hadn't seen such violence from her charge in a long time. Something triggered her last night. Badly.

She turned her face to Tenzi, sitting at her desk studiously avoiding her boss' attention after her slip the day before.

"Quickly go to my office and bring back a wheelchair and a blanket," she said to the assistant.

Wide-eyed, Tenzi leapt from her desk and rushed to get the items.

Octavia carefully stepped around the broken glass, plastic, bits of wall panel and insulation, and other debris on the floor to reach Helena. She took in the bruising and crusted blood on her arms and legs. There was also a small gash on her forehead. Using her head to break things was a new activity.

Tenzi returned and stopped at the entrance in shock. At a look from Octavia, she carefully moved the chair closer.

"Call for the cleaners. I'm taking my patient to my office," the doctor said, and Tenzi nodded before returning to her desk.

Octavia woke Helena and moved her carefully into the chair. She put the blanket over her to wheel her out of her room and down to the medical office. She moved Helena onto the exam table and cut her out of her clothes.

So much bruising! She gave Helena a pain killer and got to work.

-=-

Forty minutes later, Helena opened her eyes, far more comfortable than she'd been when she entered the room. She saw Octavia dropping herself into her chair as she stared back at her.

"Thank you," Helena sighed.

Octavia nodded. "Can you tell me what happened?"

Helena shook her head. "No," she said gently.

A light on Octavia's comm lit up, so she pressed the answer button. "Yes?"

"The cleaners had to call in the repair team once they finished. They're saying they need a day or two to fix the structural damage before the office can be used," Tenzi said calmly.

"Understood. The Madam will use an alternate location in the interim. She'll let you know where to reach her," Octavia answered as she saw anger in Helena's eyes. She stared her boss down, and that was only possible due to the sedatives she'd given her.

"Have the guests from the wedding party gone to brunch yet?" Helena asked quietly.

"No, but it's still too early," Octavia answered.

"No reports of issues?"

"None," the doctor responded.

Helena sighed and pushed herself to a seated position on the table's edge. She was looking at her arms and legs. Octavia had removed the bruising, but the underlying tissue damage would take a few days to return to normal. Until then, she'd be weakened by the pain. She frowned, but there was nothing she could do. She looked to Octavia, who was watching her with concern.

The doctor was the only one she could tolerate that expression from. She had no idea why, but she didn't fly into a rage when her doctor was concerned about her. She pushed that aside.

"I need to go to the control room to check on the Van Dijk bridal party. Join me. Please," she added as an afterthought, and Octavia nodded as she stood and took a black bodysuit from a cabinet.

She helped her patient pull on the stretchy outfit, which had booties built into the leggings.

Feeling better with a protective layer of clothing, Helena left the medical center and slowly walked to the control room.

When they arrived, they were greeted by the morning crew.

"Any reports from the night shift?" Helena asked.

"Only one dancer left earlier than expected," a tech announced.

"Which one?" Helena asked sharply.

"Dallis. One of the recently acquired talent. He was assigned to Sakurako Kobayashi, one of the Maids of Honor," the man responded.

The Madam seemed to relax a little. "Have him come to interview room one." She gestured for the doctor to join her as she left the control room to enter the small office just outside. It contained a rectangular table with two chairs on each long side.

Helena took a seat and gestured to the seat next to her.

Octavia sat and looked at her boss with concern. "This isn't necessarily an issue. Sometimes, the customers don't click with the talent selected for them."

Helena nodded, but her eyes locked on the other woman. "This particular bridal party is too important to not do due diligence on every potential anomaly."

Octavia nodded slowly as she could accept that.

Moments later, the talent named Dallis appeared in the doorway with a nervous smile on his face and worry in his lovely green eyes. "Good morning, Madam, Doctor."

"Come in. Sit," Helena said. Dallis quickly sat in the chair across from the Madam, and his smile trembled a little more.

"I understand the client sent you from your assigned guest's room sooner than expected. Did she express why?" the Madam asked calmly.

Dallis swallowed unconsciously, then shook his head. "No, Madam. She just said leave."

Octavia was aware of all the dancer's physical dimensions. "Did she have any difficulty with the size of your endowment?"

"None that I could detect, Doctor. She made no gestures or sounds to indicate discomfort or pain. She accepted my girth and length and appeared to enjoy herself... until she suddenly stopped."

"She gave no outward indications of dissatisfaction?" Helena pushed.

Dallis' mouth worked as he struggled to find an answer for his master. "No. N-Nothing outward at all. She just began to seem distracted by something, but I couldn't see what it was."

Helena sighed and nodded. "Thank you, Dallis. You may go."

Octavia glanced in surprise at Helena, obviously expecting her to ask more questions.

They watched Dallis stand, bow, and leave as quickly as possible while remaining respectful. Octavia then turned back to Helena. "What do you think it could be?"

Helena was going through all the potential mistakes she might have made that this Kobayashi girl could possibly have witnessed. She couldn't think of anything because there was nothing. The girl wasn't a threat. Helena suddenly glanced at Octavia as she realized she'd missed what the doctor had said. "Hmmm? What?"

"I said, what do you think distracted her enough to ignore Dallis' efforts? No one has a comm, the most common distraction, as we screened for those."

Helena frowned in annoyance as she looked at the doctor. "Do I look like someone who cares what goes on in the minds of these social climbers?" She pushed herself to her feet. "I'm going back to my apartment to get an hour of sleep. I want to be there when the bridal party gathers for brunch." She marched out of the meeting room, leaving the doctor behind.

-=-

Octavia remained in the room, wondering what the hell just happened. They just heard a report of clearly anomalous behavior from the young female guest, but Helena just ignored it?

The doctor frowned and stood to return to the control room. She was going to ask the techs to run a full frequency spectrum scan on the restaurant when the guests gathered for brunch. If someone in the bridal party was sneaking transmitting devices into the resort, the managers were responsible for detecting and reporting it.

Bacchus' penalty for failing to do so was too frightening to consider.

Chapter 8

Sion immediately woke when they sensed Evangeline beginning to surface from her sleep. Their own sleep had been intensely restful, and today, they were experiencing a greater integration of their selves. Their masculine and feminine minds felt like they'd reached some kind of unity. The nervousness and anxiety they'd experienced just hours before were gone.

They watched the woman's long lashes flutter briefly, then slowly part to expose brown eyes, so deep in color, they were almost black.

Sion's masculine side took dominance once more as they watched those lovely eyes glance down at their chest. Evangeline slid her hand caressingly across the pale skin before her eyes swept up to look into the blue eyes watching her. Sion felt a warmth spreading through their body as sharing sleep felt almost as intimate an experience as sex.

"Good morning," Sion said gently.

"Good morning. I slept so well!"

"Me too."

Dark eyes examined Sion's features, searching for something. She pushed herself up to a seated position as Sion waited, resting back on the pillows.

"You look so much like him, and you even sound like him, but you're not Erik, are you," Evangeline asked softly.

Sion saw sadness in her eyes and wished they could take it away. This was echoed in both their masculine and feminine identities. They were also relieved to hear some acceptance already in her voice, as this was healthier. "No, I'm Sion." Eva nodded slowly, and the sadness flared just a little.

Her hand returned to Sion's skin as fingertips traced their stomach muscles. "You're stronger than he was. You look like he might have looked had he been spared the disease that robbed him of his vitality."

A gentle chime announced it was time to begin their day. Sion watched as a series of emotions crossed the face of the lovely woman sitting next to them. She lifted her hand to cover her eyes. Sion could see the tension beginning to settle into the muscles of her shoulders and neck.

"May I suggest a massage to relax your muscles?" Sion said.

Eva dropped her hand to look at them in surprise, then a smile appeared on her lips as she nodded. She removed her top, and Sion admired her smooth skin and the delicate lace bra cupping her breasts.

"Should I take off my bra?" she asked.

Sion gave her a confident smile. "Only if you want the best massage experience possible."

Her eyebrow rose at his cheeky tone. "The best, huh?"

Sion nodded. "Of course! Would I give less than my best effort for you?"

Eva chuckled as she removed her bra and sent him a challenging look.

"Lovely," they said as they took a moment to appreciate her perfectly crafted breasts.

She gave him a little smile and moved to lie on her chest as Sion moved to straddle her body.

When she was in a restful position, Sion ran their fingers from her neck, over her shoulders, around her shoulder blades, down her sides, and back up her spine.

She was surprised by the light and quick touch. "Wh-what was that? That wasn't a massage! Certainly not the best."

They gave her a playful pat on the ass. "Of course not. That was just the assessment. You are carrying stress in several key muscle groups. I'm going to work that out now. I'd like you to inhale deep and slow and hold it for two seconds, then release it as slowly.

Eva did as instructed, and Sion took her through four more repetitions.

"That was very good. Now for these knots," Sion said gently as their hands began at the top of her neck and worked the tight muscles with their strong fingers until the knots loosened and stretched out smoothly. Then, they moved to the next area of concern.

Eva moaned gently from time to time as the release of tension felt so good.

"You seemed to be carrying a lot of stress in your neck and shoulders. Would you like to talk to me about what might be causing it? Discretion is guaranteed." Sion suggested. As there was an impending wedding, they assumed that was the most likely cause. After all, it was the most common bride-to-be concern.

Sion just wanted her to be happy.

-=-

Eva was melting under Sion's powerful hands. His voice soothed her as Erik's once had when they had their talks. She felt safe and comfortable and allowed herself the fantasy that he was still with her.

"I don't love him." It slipped out, and she felt lighter.

"The man you're planning to marry?" Sion asked. She didn't hear judgment in his voice, just curiosity.

"Yes. Maxwell Krieger. He's the perfect match for me, according to the Xochitl Social Index... and my father. Maybe that's why there's no sparks." She sighed as Sion stroked the tightness away from her shoulder blades.

"Which is wrong? The index or your father?"

Eva couldn't say. "Erik used to tell me how proud he was of me as I rose in the index ranks. I don't know if he truly understood it, as he never left his room. He was so far from it that it held no relevance for him. He would never appear on it."

"But you did, and he was proud of you achieving your goals. Maybe that was all he needed to know," Sion suggested.

Eva's heart filled with Erik's love once more, and a tear came to her eye. "I miss him so much!"

"It sounds like he's in your heart, so he's always with you."

She nodded, not trusting herself to speak.

"Why are you marrying someone you don't love?" Sion asked, changing the subject for her.

She took a deep, slow breath and let it out. She felt better and clear-headed, for once. "That's an excellent question. Initially, it was to restore my pinnacle position on the Social Index, but my father sees it as a strategic business connection. Max is the heir to XAX Industries. Linking the two most powerful families on the two worlds is a financial wet dream that was spun into a fairy tale love story by the media."

"But you don't love him."

She felt that weight returning, but Sion refused to let it take up residence in her neck and shoulder muscles again. She moaned in bliss as powerful hands kneaded the muscles back into submission.

"No, I don't," she sighed.

Sion was quiet as he concentrated on eliminating the stress in her arms and legs. When she felt him lean back, she turned her head to glance back at him. She felt amazing!

"Thank you!"

Sion smiled. "Shall we get you ready for brunch?"

Her smile widened. "Yes!"

She accepted his hand as he helped her off the bed. They walked to the large ensuite washroom. She slipped the rest of her clothes off and stood bare before Sion. She saw his eyes widen with admiration and hunger, too. That sent a rush of heat through her body. Then she realized she hadn't seen him naked. He never shed his covering during his dance the night before, as many of the other dancers had. They'd slept together in the bed, but his shorts remained on. She looked at him expectantly, a coy smile on her lips.

Sion grinned back and dropped his shorts. He gently kicked them to the side, and Eva couldn't help but look down. Seeing him without any clothes, she immediately got the impression she was standing before a flawless marble statue carved by one of the masters. His body was exquisite. His endowment was generous without being excessive and a little more than Erik had.

"Lovely," she said and caught him recognizing his own comment.

They stepped into the shower and let the jets of hot water beat softly against their bodies.

"May I wash your hair?" Sion asked, and she nodded.

He took his time, and she received a scalp massage in the process.

There was no urgency, no drive to make it a sexual experience, and she just enjoyed the hedonistic pleasure.

Once her long hair was clean and conditioned to a glossy sheen, Sion moved on to washing her body, and she cooed at the feel of the gentle touch of his strong hands.

Again, Sion wasn't trying to sexually excite her. Instead, his touch made her feel adored, comforted, and safe. The way Erik once made her feel. She hadn't felt this in too long. She was suddenly struck by an epiphany when she realized Maxwell made her feel the opposite of this.

"What am I doing? Why am I doing it?" she suddenly exclaimed aloud.

Sion was on his knees, washing Eva's feet. He looked up at her curiously as he finished up the left one.

"I can't marry him. I don't want to be with him. There isn't a good enough reason for me to be with him. The Social Index isn't enough. My father's plans aren't sufficient. Marrying Max will not bring me happiness."

Sion stood and nodded. "You should be happy," he said with a smile as he washed his hair.

Eva nodded as her mind spun with the thousand things she needed to do to put her life back on track. "I need to speak to my mother!"

Sion grinned at her enthusiasm as he rinsed his hair and lathered his body. She paused to admire the way his muscles shifted under his skin as he rinsed the suds from them.

"You are so beautiful!" she sighed.

Sion smiled. "Thank you. I think you're the most beautiful woman I've ever met."

They grinned at each other then Eva recalled they were supposed to get together with the group for brunch. First, though, she needed to speak to her mother.

Sion picked up a fluffy towel and wrapped her hair with it, twisting it up on her head. Then he proceeded to dab her body with a second towel to dry her. Once he was done, she smiled and left the bathroom to find some clothes. She grabbed the room comm and asked them to contact her mother to ask her to join her here.

She went to the closet and picked out an outfit. Today's theme was casual and fun. The plan was brunch with just the ladies, spa treatments with snacks included, and dinner with dancing at the resort's nightclub. The club's assigned talent would rejoin them for the dancing. If they chose to do so, they'd come back to their rooms for another night of sex with their assigned dancer. After brunch the following morning, they'd head back to the ship for the flight home.

This ending felt incomplete for her now. She needed to speak to her mother.

Sion exited the washroom wearing his gauzy shorts once more. She tracked him with her eyes and wondered why she hadn't ravaged his body yet. And why hadn't he made a move on her? She had a sudden moment of doubt.

"A-am I attractive to you, sexually?" she asked.

He smiled. "Yes, very much. But you didn't seem to need that last night or this morning. I would love to make love with you, but only when you're ready."

She took three steps and pulled him into a hug. He wrapped his arms around her, and she felt safe and cherished once more.

The door chimed, and she sighed as she wanted to stay in Sion's arms for the rest of the day.

Instead, she released him as he let go, giving her a knowing smile. This put a happy grin on her lips as she went to the door and opened it.

Her mother was in the hall, and her concerned expression melted into a smile of her own. Eva stepped from the room and hugged her, making Regina squeak in surprise. Eva hadn't held her mother like this in too long.

When she stepped back, Regina had tears of joy pooling in her lashes. "What... what brought this on?" she asked with a shaky voice.

"I'll explain everything, but not here in the hall. Please come inside for a moment," Eva said quietly, holding her mother's eyes.

They stepped into the room, and Regina seemed to be trying to read her daughter's expression for clues. Eva grinned at her curiosity. "Mother, I'd like you to meet someone."

Regina's eyes suddenly widened as she stared at her daughter and realized they weren't alone. Her eyes darted to the right to lock on the man standing next to the foot of the bed.

Eva watched her mother's eyes quickly scan the man in the room and lock up when she saw his face. She should have prepared her. She'd forgotten how devastated her mother had been when her husband sent his youngest away to die, then erased the evidence of his existence.

She saw her mother's eyes roll back. "Mother!" Eva cried as she saw the woman begin to faint.

Sion leapt forward and caught her just before she hit the floor. He carefully lifted her, placed her on the bed, and put a pillow under her feet to raise her legs. Eva sat on the edge of the bed and rubbed her mom's hands between hers.

"Sh-should I leave?" Sion asked Eva.

"NO! No, I need her to see you and speak with you. She has to learn you aren't Erik, no matter how much you resemble him," Eva insisted.

He nodded nervously, then sat opposite Eva at the end of the bed.

Eva turned back to her mother as she showed signs of waking again.

"Mother, it's all right," Eva said softly.

Regina's eyelids fluttered as she slowly returned to consciousness.

Eva looked into her mother's slowly focusing eyes. "Everything's fine. The man you saw, he's not Erik. His name is Sion, and he only looks like Erik."

Regina's eyes finally opened all the way, and she looked into her daughter's eyes. She nodded to her mom.

Turning her head, Regina looked at Sion.

"A-are you sure?" she said with a strained voice.

Eva nodded. "Sion is wonderful. I wish he was Erik, but he's not. I don't know why he looks and sounds so much like Erik, but he's not. The differences are subtle, but they're there."

Regina suddenly sat up and swayed as Eva braced her. "I-I can't be here!" she gasped to her daughter.

"Of course, you can be here! We're just talking," Eva insisted.

"No! I mean in this bed where you two—"

"Slept," Eva said firmly as she looked into her mother's eyes.

Regina blinked in confusion. "You didn't..."

"No. Last night, my reaction to him was almost the same as yours, so he carried me here, and we rested together. This morning, we talked, and he gave me a massage to relieve my stress." She shook her head. "No sex." She looked to Sion with a little pout. "Not even a kiss."

Sion smiled at her and shook his head at her fake suffering. "I think you'll survive."

"Oh," Regina whimpered. "He sounds and looks so much like my baby."

Sion looked at Regina in surprise. "Baby?"

"My brother was my mother's second child, three years younger than me. He was her baby. He was diagnosed with a rare disease that should have taken his life early on, but he made it to his eighteenth birthday," Eva said with a tight throat.

Sion looked between the two women. "I am deeply sorry if my resemblance causes you distress. I can leave if you prefer."

"NO!" Eva and Regina asserted, glancing at each other with a startled smile. The mother took strength from her daughter's approving look. She reached out a hand and leaned forward to touch Sion's cheek.

"We both deeply miss Erik and wish he was still with us." Regina's eyes took in his features, and a sad smile appeared on her lips. "If the disease hadn't stolen his vitality, he might have grown up to look just like you. That's a little dream that makes me happy."

The comm pinged gently.

Eva stood to answer it.

"Hello?"

"Ms. van Dijk? Your party is wondering if you will be joining them."

Eva looked to her mother, then nodded. "We'll be there momentarily. Thank you."

"Sion is expected to report in this morning as well. He needs to have his morning meal with the team as he has a controlled diet."

She frowned as that wasn't what she wanted. "I thought he'd be able to join us—"

"You will see him again tonight." The voice was polite but insistent.

"I see."

"Thank you. Enjoy your day!" The line went dead.

She struggled to control her temper.

"What's wrong, Eva?" Regina asked.

"We are being summoned to breakfast by the bridal party. The club also wants Sion to report in for his breakfast. Something about a controlled diet," she said and saw an uneasy expression cross Sion's face.

"It's okay, Sion. If you need to go, you may. We'll see you tonight after dinner in the nightclub for dancing," Eva said.

Sion gave her a grateful smile. He stood and came around the bed to give her a hug. "Until tonight, then?"

"Until tonight," Eva said with a nod and a sweet smile.

"It was lovely to meet you, Mrs. van Dijk. Will I see you tonight as well?"

Regina chuckled softly. "It's a party for the bride and bridesmaids. They don't need an old woman ruining their fun. Besides, my dancing days are over."

He gave her a coy smile. "Nonsense! I'd love to dance with you, and if you do come, we'll show the others how it's done. Promise me!" he insisted with a smile and looked into her eyes.

Regina giggled happily and gave him a little nod. His smile widened, and he stepped from her room, closing the door behind him.

Eva grinned at her mom. "Isn't he amazing?"

"Heavens! He's wonderful!" Regina gushed, looking happier than she had in years. Her smile wobbled a little. "We-we should get going. You have a bridal party to join—"

"I'm calling the wedding off."

"What?" Regina gasped softly as her heart soared.

Eva shook her head. "I don't love Maxwell, and I'm pretty sure he doesn't love me either. I'm not willing to turn something that should be based on love into a financial transaction. He doesn't make me happy. Just the opposite."

"Oh, Eva! I'm so happy you said that! I opposed your father on this, but he ignores me now. I didn't want to interfere with your plans. I... I just want you to be happy. You should find a partner who loves you and puts your happiness before business."

"Someone like Sion?" Eva asked quietly.

Regina gave her a sad look. "He's a Genie. He's not allowed to leave Bacchus as they made him here. If there was any way, and I desperately wish there was, I would bring him home with us. It would be like having Erik back, wouldn't it? Besides, Sion's discipline collar would kill him before he could board our ship."

Eva looked at her mother in surprise. "You seem to know a lot about how their processes work."

Regina smiled sadly. "I just did some reading as I had to do something while here. It's in the available literature. Of course, they couch it in terms of protecting the good people visiting from other planets by ensuring the talent remains on Bacchus. Besides, Genies are illegal on most planets and would be euthanized if caught. They're certainly illegal on Xochitl One and Two."

Eva pouted. "It's not fair."

Her mother nodded. "You're right, but that's what Sion is facing. You can pretend that they're happy with their lot in life, but you're deluding yourself if you think they have any other choice. They're slaves."

Eva frowned. She didn't like the idea that Sion was with her because he had to be. He'd been so good for her last night and this morning.

As if she knew her daughter's thoughts, Regina rushed to reassure her. "Sion may not be aware he's a slave. That would be added to his programming. For an optimal experience for the clientele, it's necessary for the talent to express genuine emotions. Sion wasn't faking anything."

Eva gave her mom another hug. "We-we should get going before they call for us again."

Regina looked at her daughter. "Are you going to tell them?"

Eva shook her head. "Not until we're home. We'll enjoy the weekend, but they don't need to know the wedding's off. I won't marry someone I don't love."

The mother smiled proudly at her daughter, and they left the room to walk down the hall toward the restaurant arm in arm.

-=-

Walking back to the employees-only zone, Sion felt his female side rise to take her place next to the male. They found it... comforting to interact in a unified manner when not dealing with the clients.

Sion stopped by their locker and dressed in a shirt, long pants, and slippers. Then, they went to the talent-only cafeteria to pick up their meal bars. The dispenser read their collar and served three of them.

They'd noted the room had gone quiet when they entered, so they weren't surprised to see all eyes on them when they turned. Some of the men were those they'd arrived with, but there was a second group they hadn't met. The veterans?

One stood and walked over to stand before Sion, blocking the way to the tables.

"What are you?" the male's deep voice demanded.

Sion's male side bristled. "I'm one of Madam DeGaul's dancers. How about you?"

The male suddenly slapped the ration bars from Sion's hands. "You don't belong here!" His eyes showed anger and confusion in equal measure.

Sion looked at their breakfast, smashed against the floor, and they were unified in their desire to kill this oaf. Glancing beyond the man, they saw the others poised to join the fight with the veteran. Before Sion could move, the man was on the floor screaming.

Madam DeGaul walked into the room slowly and looked into the frightened eyes of the other dancers. She looked down at the prone man, and his screaming suddenly cut off, but his body remained rigid.

"Where is Darius?" she asked the group.

One of the other veterans found the courage to answer. "He said he was going to the control center to locate a missing dancer."

"Hasn't he spoken to you about how to behave around Sion?" she asked.

"Yes, but... this one didn't tell us his name when he arrived and didn't seem to belong," the man responded.

The Madam glared at the group, and they all twitched as Darius burst into the room behind her.

He began his explanation. "I was just—"

"I heard. Your second team hadn't met Sion, so they didn't recognize him. This one decided attacking the unknown arrival was smarter than assuming he was the one you mentioned. You will discipline him in front of the others after I leave." Darius nodded. The male on the floor sagged when he was released from his collar's punishment.

The Madam went to the dispenser and touched it. Five ration bars arrived on a tray. She gestured for Sion to pick them up, then looked back to Darius. "Oh, and these ration bars on the floor? They're his next meal," she said, gesturing to the prone man, then looked at Sion. "Follow." She collected two bottles of water on her way out.

Sion looked back to the room and saw many angry eyes aimed their way. They were worried they'd have to face that anger later.

They followed the Madam down the hall to an office they hadn't been to before. There was nothing on the walls, and it had minimal furniture. They glanced curiously at the Madam, and she caught the look.

"My office is being renovated," she replied, then frowned in annoyance. "Eat your food," she said, pointing to the chair before her desk. She set the two water bottles on the front edge of the desk for him.

Sion quickly and quietly ate the ration bars, sipping at the water to help them go down. It was a large meal, and they felt a little lethargic once done but forced themself to remain alert in her presence. They could almost feel the food energy seeping into their cells.

"Tell me about your evening with the bride-to-be," she said.

Sion smiled joyfully. "It was wonderful. She was very happy this morning and gave me a wonderful hug."

The Madam's expression froze. "Hug? What about the sex?"

Sion cautiously watched their master's face. "She didn't want to have sex. We slept together in the bed. I gave her a massage this morning, and we showered together. I washed her hair and body, met with her mother, and was called for my morning meal."

The Madam was frozen as she stared at them. Sion couldn't read the emotions on her face as they changed so quickly. "Why?" she managed to croak out of her tight throat.

They assumed she meant why they didn't have sex with Eva, as that was the expected result for the night. "When I first disclosed my face to her, she was shocked and almost frightened. She looked at me like I was someone she recognized. Someone she knew and loved but had lost. She was in no state to have sex then. In the morning, she told me I was an almost identical match for her younger brother. Her mother also mistook me for him, too. She fainted."

"She-she won't have sex with you?" the Madam whispered.

Sion looked at her cautiously, not sure what she was after. The client's happiness was their conditioning's mandate. If that meant sex, great. If it led to an evening like they'd had with Eva, then they'd successfully met the requirements. "She was happy..."

"You didn't HAVE SEX WITH HER!" the Madam screamed.

"Yet," they responded, and Helena froze once more, so they hurried on. "She gave indications that she was sexually attracted to me and might welcome sex tonight." They weren't sure this would happen but desperately wanted to please their master. They saw the tension ease in her jaw.

"It must happen tonight!" she insisted.

Sion wanted to agree with their master, but this promise conflicted with their conditioning. They were compelled to respond. "She might find my resemblance to her brother Erik to be too strong for her sexual attraction to overpower. For her and her mother to mistake me for him is such an extreme coincidence."

The Madam locked eyes with him. "Yes... yes, you're right. Go wait in the hallway while I make a call. Close the door on your way out."

Sion stood and quickly left the office, closing the door as they went.

They stood just outside and wondered what she meant. They felt anxious about disappointing their master but weren't sure how to fix it.

Their anxiety deepened.

-=-

Helena pulled up the data packet for Sion and saw it was missing the genetic source information. She was going to have to speak to that asshole Dheren at Soylent Labs.

She dialed his direct number, and after an unbearable pause, the line picked up.

"Senior Specialist Dheren's line, who am I speaking to?"

Helena didn't recognize the voice. "This is Helena DeGaul from Madam DeGaul's Lady's Night Resort. Who is this?"

"Inspector Mitchem from the Auditor's Office."

A stab of fear shot through her. If the Bacchus Auditors were involved, something must have gone seriously off the rails. They were only called in when a serious security breach threatening Bacchus occurred. Like a geneticist creating a plague virus. Her mouth went dry.

"For what purpose are you calling the specialist's direct line?" Mitchem asked.

"I-I was calling to get some information on the last order he fulfilled for me. The data packet was incomplete, and I need to update my records," Helena answered. There was enough truth in that to satisfy the curiosity of the Auditor.

The man's voice was gruff. "You're out of luck then. Soylent Labs is no more. Their network was compromised, and their servers were wiped. The factory's climate control and fire suppression systems were hijacked as well, and the building burned to the ground. There's nothing left. If yours was a recent transaction, there's no recoverable information. If you had any outstanding orders, they aren't coming."

Helena stifled her gasp of relief that the data trail was gone. Now, she needed to deflect his interest in her call. "I have an exclusive contract with Soylent Labs for the creation of our talent! I'll have to negotiate a contract with a new supplier?" she complained with just a touch of whining in her voice.

She heard a sigh. "Not my problem. Good day." The line went dead.

Helena slumped and rested her head on the desk as tremors went through her body. She dodged a bullet, but she wasn't safe yet. She needed to speak to Dheren. He had to be fucking with her as her paranoia was screaming that it couldn't be a coincidence for Sion to look like the bride's brother.

She pushed herself up and searched for Dheren's name in the Bacchus directory. A news story popped to the top of the listings of Dheren's on Bacchus. It was also linked to a story about Soylent Labs' security breach and the destruction of the company. She froze as the headline jumped out at her:

Senior Specialist Dheren from Soylent Labs dies in a freak fire in his living quarters.

She read further, and the entire condo block lost their fire control systems due to network disruption. The building's systems were breached potentially from his unit. The Safety Systems malfunctioned, and instead of spraying fire suppressant into the unit, the building's fresh air intake came on at maximum. This fed the flames, which burned so hot that the condo's contents were reduced to a fine ash, and the structure of the living unit was compromised. The fire went out when there was nothing left to burn.

The fire marshal's drones detected the rough outline of what could have been two bodies in the ashes, but identification would be impossible due to the intensity of the blaze.

She checked the link for the story on the company's factory, and the destruction was suspiciously similar.

Helena leaned back in her chair and stared at the screen in shock. Any secrets Dheren had, he'd taken to his grave.

There had to be a way to confirm if there was a genetic match between Sion and the van Dijk's. Octavia! She called the doctor.

"Yes, Helena?" Octavia answered.

"I need you to get a sample of Sion's genes and match them to a sample from Regina van Dijk," Helena instructed.

"What?" Octavia gasped.

"I spoke with Sion this morning, and he said both the bride and the bride's mother claim he's an exact match to the bride's younger brother, who is no longer with them. What if Sion was created from the genetic template of the brother?" Helena insisted.

Octavia's voice was hesitant when she responded. "While not impossible, it seems unlikely as Sion is a female with male attributes, not the other way around. As for doing a match, he's a Genie! Their genes are filtered, augmented, and tweaked. There's no point in trying to compare them to Mrs. van Dijk. Any match you'd find might have been placed there by the manipulation. That's a false positive. You could only look at the non-modified genes," the doctor insisted.

"How do you explain the resemblance?"

"Wishful thinking? Rose-tinted recollections? Memory can be a tricky thing. It can be altered by emotion and perception. They loved this young man, and he might have born some resemblance to the Genie. Sion is... intensely beautiful. This triggers emotions that could get tangled in their memories of the boy," Octavia suggested.

Helena was extremely frustrated as the doctor was giving her reasonable alternative theories, but her paranoia wasn't satisfied. "You said it wasn't impossible. The geneticist's template might have originally come from a male and was changed into a female. There's also a thriving black market for genetic materials. It might have come from the brother. His father might have sold him to a broker!"

"Helena, we are talking about the son of the wealthiest citizen on Xochitl One. They'd be at the focal point of their society. It would be inconceivable for him to sell his son to a body broker with that much attention on him. I can't believe he could make his son disappear!"

The madam struggled to keep from screaming. "Get the sample from the mother's room and run the comparison," she ordered.

There was a pause as Octavia finally heard the impending violence. "Yes, Madam," she finally responded.

Helena disconnected.

She needed to scream and release her rage, but this office wasn't soundproofed, and she didn't want to move to yet another workspace. So, she did the stupid breathing exercises Octavia taught her.

She'd find something to kill later.

Chapter 9

Octavia rushed to Regina van Dijk's room and groaned as she saw housekeeping pushing their cart away from its door. "You've just finished?"

"Yes, Ma'am," the nervous girl said.

Octavia just waved at her. "It's fine." She turned and rushed back to her office. She pocketed some items she'd need and checked her supplies to see if she had something she could use to collect a sample without Regina being aware. She settled on an old method she learned in med school. Pulling a sterile glove on her left hand, she dropped her sleeve to hide it. Then she made her way to the restaurant.

When she arrived, the noise level was what she expected from a large group of entitled idiots. She scanned the room and spotted the bride's mother sitting beside her daughter. This was a change from the night before when the matriarch sat separate and alone. One of the Maid of Honors had been bumped to squeeze the mother in, and this young woman did not appear too pleased to Octavia's perceptive eyes.

Octavia put a smile on her face and made her way to the mother's right side.

"Good morning, Mrs. van Dijk!" She nodded to the bride, who was also looking up at her. "Ms. Van Dijk." She turned her attention back to the mother. "I'm Octavia Bremman, Assistant Manager and resort physician."

Regina stood to greet Octavia, and they shook hands. The doctor held the woman's hand between hers and gave it a good squeeze and shake to ensure the glove made solid contact with the back of the mother's hand. When she pulled her hand back, she closed her left fist and dropped the sleeve again.

"I wanted to ensure your visit was everything you dreamed," she said with a wide smile.

Regina smiled and nodded. "It's been lovely. We are looking forward to enjoying your spa this morning."

"That's wonderful! If there is anything we can do to increase your enjoyment, please don't hesitate to ask," Octavia gushed, preparing to leave.

Regina's expression suddenly changed as she reached to snag the doctor's sleeve. "There is something..."

Octavia waited for the woman to speak.

"Could-could you have Sion join us at the spa? I-I understand he's quite the masseuse!" Regina asked, rushing to justify her request. Her face warmed with a blush.

"Ah, well, I'll see what I can do," she answered and noticed the smile on the bride's face and a brief flash of jealousy on the face of Ms. Kobayashi.

"Thank you so much!" Regina said, then returned to her seat.

Octavia nodded to the ladies and left the noise behind as she hustled back to her office.

Once inside, she used a sterile swab to wipe the palm of the glove to collect any cells she picked up from Mrs. van Dijk's hand. She fed this into her DNA analysis instrument, which lit up to indicate it found viable cells. She stripped the glove off and discarded it as it was no longer needed.

Moments later, she had a map of the woman's DNA.

She pulled up the scan she'd done of Sion the day before and requested a comparison. She knew what she'd find but needed something to deliver to Helena to calm her down. She recalled the tension in her boss' voice and stood up to rush to her temporary office. She frowned at the slow machine.

It finally pinged, indicating it was done.

The doctor slapped the button for a hardcopy, collected it from the tray, and rushed from her office.

She was approaching the Madam's new office when she glanced at the page. She stumbled to a stop as she held the printout in both hands as her mind tried to make sense of what she was seeing. When her shoulder thumped against the wall, it caught her by surprise.

Sion had been standing outside the office and rushed over to support Octavia. She looked up at him and dropped the sheet. He bent and picked it up for her, his eyes quickly scanning the surface, seeing his name and Regina van Dijk on the page. His expression froze.

"W-what does this mean?" he asked quietly.

"Nothing! It means nothing," Octavia insisted with a scowl, yanking the page from his fingers. He turned his face away at her scolding.

She continued down the hall to the temporary office and pressed the announce button. The door opened, and she saw Helena staring back at her from the other side of the desk. The woman stood suddenly as she read something in Octavia's expression.

The doctor looked at Sion. "Wait here." She stepped inside and closed the door.

"They're a match, aren't they," Helena asserted the moment Octavia faced her.

Octavia saw the tremors in her boss' hands. She was exhibiting the signs of an imminent mental break. She had to be very careful with what she said, but it had to be the truth. "If we strip out all the genes altered for his enhancements, then... yes, the number of matches is too great to be a false positive. Sion was created from the genetic template of Regina van Dijk's son, but... I say again, it makes no sense! How could the father have made his son disappear from their society without even a ripple? Where would the Bacchus geneticist have obtained the template? Was there any significance to him using it now? We need to speak to him."

"He's dead," Helena said suddenly.

Octavia could see her boss' panic was increasing. She needed to nip that in the bud. "So, we contact his company and have them review his records and correspondence to see if he received instructions... what?" she asked, seeing the grim expression on Helena's face.

"Soylent Labs was hacked. All recent records are lost and unrecoverable. The company no longer exists as their factory was completely destroyed. Someone is going to great lengths to cover their tracks here," the Madam said with a trembling voice.

Octavia blinked at her boss. The geneticist was dead, and the lab he worked from was wiped out by a hacker? Maybe it was time to get a little paranoid.

She frowned and shook her head. "This doesn't make sense! Who would benefit from showing a parent a Genie created from their child's genetic template? Especially a parent from such a powerful and influencial world. What did Sion say their reaction was?" Her boss was looking at her, but her mind was obviously elsewhere, and her hands were still trembling.

She slipped her hand into her pocket and approached Helena, whose eyes finally turned to focus on her.

"What?" she asked.

"How did the van Dijk women react to Sion's appearance?"

Helena frowned. "He said the bride was shocked and frightened at first. The mother passed out."

Octavia frowned. "Who would benefit from frightening them like that?"

Helena watched Octavia suspiciously. "You don't know?"

The doctor frowned and shook her head. "Not a clue."

"The bride didn't have sex with Sion," Helena hissed.

Octavia watched her boss' with a cautious expression. "I suppose that makes sense if he reminds her of her brother. But she seems really happy now. Regina asked if Sion could join them at the spa and give them massages."

This seemed to grab Helena's attention. "What? She did?"

The doctor nodded. "So, they're not frightened or shocked and seem to have come to terms with the coincidence of his looking like someone they knew." She fixed her eyes on Helena's. "They can't be told what source Sion was made from. It would lead to significant embarrassment for the leaders of Bacchus if that news got out, and we'd be dead."

Helena nodded slowly. "Yes, Sion should join them at the spa," she said firmly. She seemed to be coming back from the paranoia. "Can you bring him in here?"

Octavia released her grip on the injector in her pocket. The sedative was a last resort as the last time she'd surprised the Madam with a shot, it took weeks to earn her trust back. She took her hand from her pocket and nodded, returning to the door. As she reached to open it, she felt pressure on the side of her neck and heard the hiss of the injector. She tried to turn, but her legs were already giving out. She slumped to the floor.

As her eyes closed, she caught a glimpse of the fierce determination on Helena's face. She was planning something big, and now Octavia wouldn't be there to be the voice of reason, pulling her back from the brink.

Shit.

-=-

Sion jumped slightly as the door opened quickly.

"Get in here and help me with the doctor!"

Sion looked inside and saw the silver-haired woman on the floor. Their programming kicked in, and they rushed to her side and knelt to check her breathing and pulse. Lifting her eyelids, they saw her pupils were slow to respond to the light, but they did. The doctor was unconscious, but they couldn't see the cause. They looked to the Madam for her orders.

"Carry her to her office and put her on her couch to rest. She'll wake in..." The Madam looked at something in her hand, and rage flashed across her features. Then she struggled for control and looked to Sion. "Eight hours." She turned and went to her desk to pick up the comm. "Lissa. You can take the rest of the day off. Yes. Now. Thank you."

Sion picked up the unconscious woman in their arms and eased her through the door. The Madam followed as Sion carried the doctor to her office and entered the waiting room. The assistant was not at her desk, and Sion assumed this was the same Lissa who now had the day off. The Madam opened the inner door, and Sion set the doctor on her couch, making her as comfortable as possible.

The Madam took Sion's arms and looked into their eyes. "Sion, this is very important. You are to go to the wardrobe department and ask for a uniform for a masseuse. Put it on, then report to the spa. I'll contact them so they'll direct you to where you need to be. Listen to me. I want you to seduce the bride and have sex with her. It's very important!"

"The doctor's report said I was related to Mrs. van Dijk," they mumbled, fearing the Madam's anger.

Helena paused as her eyes widened. A muscle in her cheek twitched. "You are never to say that again. You are not related to the van Dijk women because they are human, and you are a Genie. You will do as I say."

"Yes, Madam."

They prepared themselves for the pain, but after a short silence, their master opened the door and pointed at it for them to leave.

Rushing out the door, Sion quickly walked away as the Madam went in the other direction to go back to her office. The location of the wardrobe department was in the information loaded into their mind before they were sent here, so they took the shortest route.

When they arrived, the woman behind the counter smiled at them. They returned it and saw the woman's eyes widen slightly.

"My, aren't you a pretty one!" the woman said, undressing them with her eyes.

"Hello. Madam DeGaul said I was to pick up a masseuse uniform from you."

The older woman grinned at him. "Did she now? A little roleplay?"

Sion shook his head. "I've been requested to massage some guests."

"Lucky ladies!" She examined Sion. "You're new here, aren't you."

Sion nodded. "Yes, it's only my second day."

"Welcome to the team! What's your name? I want to make sure I get my name at the top of your list," she said, licking her lips.

They watched the woman curiously. "I'm Sion. What list?"

She chuckled. "The sex partner list. Once a month, we get to use our sexual favor chit with the dancer of our choice. I think you're going to be very popular, so I want to be at the top of that list!" She tapped the screen on her desktop terminal and navigated to the employee benefits page to find the talent sign-up sheet. She scrolled, and a frown appeared. "Hmm... I don't see your name. Spell it?"

"S. I. O. N."

Her frown deepened. "You're not here. I wonder what that means." She looked at Sion again hungrily.

"I really should get to the spa. Can I get the uniform?" Sion said nervously.

Her eyes rose to his, and she seemed annoyed. Finally, she went into the back and returned shortly with a bundle of white fabric she placed on the counter. When Sion went to pick it up, they discovered she was holding it down. Sion glanced at the woman questioningly.

"There's a delivery charge. One kiss."

Sion's eyes widened as she leaned forward. Seeing no other option, they leaned towards the woman, and their lips met.

The tongue thrust in Sion's mouth was unwelcome, but they discovered the woman had released her grip on the uniform, so they pulled it clear. The woman had no technique, and Sion pulled away. The guests were waiting.

"That was tasty but too short. I look forward to our date," the wardrobe clerk said with a wicked grin.

Sion turned and rushed away. They ducked into the locker room and quickly changed into the masseuse uniform. Hearing voices approaching, they left the locker room quickly and ran across the grounds to the spa. Taking a few deep breaths to calm down, they entered the building and approached the hostess station.

"Are you Sion?" said a young woman in a white dress much like his uniform.

"Yes."

"I'm Lindsay. What took you so long? The guests will be here momentarily," she scolded.

"Apologies. There was... a delay at wardrobe."

Lindsay's face immediately darkened. "That skank Devlin tried something, didn't she!"

"A kiss..." Sion responded.

"I knew it! She's such a slut!" she hissed. Then she ran her eyes over Sion and lowered her voice. "I suppose you're partially at fault for looking that delicious." Lindsay shook her head regretfully, then gestured for Sion to follow.

She guided them through the spa to a hallway with multiple doors. They entered the one with an alpha symbol painted on it. Inside, they walked into what appeared to be the inside of a large Arabian tent made from gauzy white fabric. The sheer fabric made the twinkling lights on the darkened ceiling seem like starlight. The interior was lit by very realistic holographic candles, safer than open flames amongst the gently swaying sheers. The room was very warm but an occasional breeze brought relief and was gently scented with eucalyptus. Gentle music could be heard indistinctly as if traveling from a distance on that wind. The overall experience was very peaceful.

A massage table was set up in the center of the space. Next to it was a small mobile table with scented oils and warm towels.

Against the side of the tent was a group of large pillows for lounging or other activities. Before this informal bed was a low table with snack foods for nibbling.

Only after Sion absorbed every other element in this fantasy setting did they realize a man was standing on the other side of the massage table. He was muscular, bald but bearded, and currently scowling at them.

"Philip, Sion will be taking this shift. Madam's orders," Lindsay said in a tone that held no sympathy for the man.

"Genies can't take a position currently held by a human," Philip insisted, reciting one of Bacchus' Labor Rules.

"Take your grievance to HR or directly to the Madam," Lindsay sighed dramatically. "Either way, you need to leave before the guests arrive."

With an angry snort, he came around the table to stand before Sion.

Desperately tired of having everyone angry with them, they acted, together. "I'm sorry, Philip. I don't want to take your job, but I can't refuse the Madam's order, especially today. She seems... very upset," Sion said honestly as they looked into his eyes.

Doubt appeared there. "She's in a rage?" he asked quietly.

Sion nodded, then acting on an impulse from their female side, they wrapped their arms around Philip and hugged him.

He stiffened briefly, then put his arms around Sion in return. They hugged for a few seconds, then released. "Thank you, Sion," Philip said, surprised and touched by the gesture.

"My impression is, the Madam is just having me do this for the van Dijk women," Sion said sincerely.

"I hope so," Philip said with a nod and left the room.

Sion looked back at Lindsay and saw she was staring at him in surprise, as she was probably expecting angry words or maybe even a fight.

"Okay... well, I'll send your guest in when the group arrives. The massage should take no more than one hour, then they move on to the next treatment. You're to return to the Madam directly," she said. Sion nodded.

She left with a backward glance at him then Sion was alone. They looked around at the décor again and nodded with an impressed smile.

They sampled a cookie on the tray and glanced at the door guiltily. The cart with the oils had a nice selection, and all were warmed in a bath of hot water.

There was a noise at the doorway, and Sion turned to face it as their female side slipped back so the male could be the dominant personality.

Eva appeared, and her face lit up with a wide smile. She rushed forward and threw her arms around Sion with a happy squeal. They couldn't help but chuckle at her joy as they held her close.

Sion's eyes widened in pleasure to see Regina enter the room timidly. Her smile was priceless as she stepped closer. Sion opened an arm to collect the mother into the group hug, and Eva threw her arm wide to include her as well.

Regina had tears in her eyes as she rushed into the embrace.

"I'm so glad to see you both again! I wasn't expecting it to be before tonight," Sion said.

"Mother asked the Assistant Manager to arrange for you to join us at the spa. I'm so glad she did!" Eva sighed as she held his hand.

Sion was glad as well. Their knowledge about their genetic match gave them the oddest feeling of warmth inside.

Was this... family?

-=-

Regina admired Sion's features as a wistfulness came to her gaze. He tilted his face and smiled curiously at her. She sucked in a little breath as she recognized the expression from another face a long time ago.

"You share so many similarities with Erik. I... I can't shake the feeling he's back with us," the mother sighed.

Sion's expression became a little sad. He looked down as other emotions passed across his features. Finally, his eyes came back up to look at her cautiously. "If it wouldn't cause you to be sad, could you tell me what happened to him?"

Regina took his hand between hers and ran her thumbs over the lines on his palm. She shook her head and looked to Eva, who nodded, so the mother began.

"A short time after his eighteenth birthday, Erik began to show signs his health was beginning to deteriorate more quickly. I was researching what I thought might be a promising new treatment. It was gene therapy, which is illegal on Xochitl One. I had a terrible fight with my husband about it as he refused to take any action that might link the van Dijk name to a scandal—"

Eva made a noise of protest, and they looked at her. "Then why did he tell me he sent Erik to a special clinic for a highly illegal treatment to save him! Erik mentioned his surprise in the letter he left for me."

Regina jolted. "Letter? I wasn't aware of a letter. Why didn't you tell me?" she gasped.

Eva looked embarrassed. "Father asked me not to, as he said you'd be hurt that Erik didn't write one for you."

Regina shook her head. "Julian told me Erik died suddenly overnight, and he'd shipped him away before anyone could learn about it and use it to embarrass the family. I've never hated him more than I did at that moment."

The women looked at each other. The two stories didn't mesh. If it was a sudden death, there'd be no note. "Are you sure the letter was written by Erik?" Regina asked quietly.

Eva nodded. "Yes. He put little doodles throughout the letter that only I'd understand. It was his writing."

Sion's expression showed his guilt. "I'm sorry for upsetting you," he said contritely.

Regina gave him a shaky smile. "It's not your fault! We're learning new things about Erik because you brought Eva and me together for the first time in a very long time. I am so very grateful for that!" She took his hand back between hers and went back to rubbing the lines on his palm.

As she looked down at the smooth skin, she traced his Life Line and his Heart Line. A little crease formed between her brows. Looking closer, she held his hand flat and slowly ran her fingers over the lines as Eva leaned in, watching curiously.

"Mother?" Eva said in a tight voice as she looked at the stricken expression that was appearing on Regina's face.

"They match. These are the same lines Erik had." She looked into Sion's eyes. "I spent hours with Erik reading the lines on his hands and telling him how they proved he'd live a long life. I memorized his pattern as we did it so often. It was a game we played every time he was feeling down." She looked into his eyes. "How can you have his palm print? You'd have to share his ge—"

Regina's eyes flew wide as the horrible truth of what her husband had done to their son flashed into her mind. "Oh my god!" She clung to Sion's hand like a lifeline.

"Mom?" Eva asked, trembling.

"Sion is Erik! I mean, he's his genetic double," she exclaimed.

Eva shook her head. "No! He couldn't..."

Regina's eyes showed the rage she could no longer contain. "Julian, your father, sold Erik to a lab for his genes!"

Eva began to cry, and Regina joined her as they hugged. Their mutual loss of Erik and the betrayal of the man they called father and husband was too much for them.

Sion looked distraught. Then his expression softened, and tears rose in his eyes. "I'm so sorry," he said gently.

Regina and Eva looked at him in surprise, then quickly pulled them into their embrace. The three stood together, sharing their grief and pain yet taking strength from their shared love.

"Mom, what do we do now?" Eva asked quietly once the sharpness of their emotions faded.

Regina pulled back from the hug and looked into her daughter's eyes. She saw desperation and hope, which almost brought her to tears again. Her daughter needed her. She was looking to her mother for the first time in years to make it okay. She looked at Sion, and her eyes immediately went to the discipline collar, the definitive symbol of his servitude, proof that the being before them was a Genie and would never be allowed off the planet.

Yet, she needed to bring Sion to Xochitl One, confront the monster she'd married, and force him to finally grant her a divorce with sufficient funds to live out the rest of her years in comfort. She wanted to punish him, but she needed to be free of him more than anything else. The divorce would be the most punishment she'd likely be able to inflict upon him.

She needed time. Time to think of a way to make the powers that be on Bacchus listen to her. She wasn't deluding herself that she had much of a chance. If bringing Sion proved to be impossible, she needed proof of a genetic match between herself and one of Bacchus' Genies. With that, she could force Julian to agree to any demand she made.

Looking into Sion's beautiful eyes, Regina felt her resolve strengthen.

She would find a way to save him.

-=-

Helena paced in her office, trying to piece together all the facts that led to the sabotage of her life-long plan for vengeance. She'd made some minor mistakes and paid for them long ago, but each honed her skills and made her more thorough and patient. She knew unforeseen circumstances could interfere, but as she reviewed every step she'd taken recently, none of her actions could have resulted in this.

The virus component of her plan was flawless. She developed a relationship with the geneticist until she had absolute control. He created her weapon, and she'd removed him as a loose end. It was surgical and elegant.

She was planning the payload's delivery herself when the wedding party came to her. That happenstance didn't raise any flags for her, as she'd built her business to meet this specific need.

Acquiring Sion with her replacement dancers added a variable she hadn't anticipated, but he was the perfect payload delivery instrument.

Except Sion was a van Dijk. Or rather, his genetic template came from one. This raised too many flags for her to accept as a coincidence.

Senior Specialist Dheren's special request now seemed tainted with intrigue.

And he was dead.

The company he worked for was gone, and all records pertaining to her receiving Sion from them had also been destroyed.

There was also no way to determine how Dheren and Soylent Labs got their hands on Erik van Dijk's genetic template. There was a chance they'd purchased it illegally from a body broker, but doing so would have been a highly risky move. If the Bacchus Auditors had caught a whiff of such a transaction, the destruction of the company would have been far bloodier as every executive would have been eliminated.

Genie-producing labs on Bacchus followed an exceptionally strict genetic materials sourcing audit process to ensure the anonymity of the source materials. No one of high social standing could be used. The son of the most important person on Xochitl One would definitely fall into that forbidden category.

Yet... here he was.

Another question crept into her brain. Who sold Erik's body to a black-market body broker?

Had Soylent Labs tried to embarrass the Prime Chancellor of Xochitl One? How did they know she would make an order for dancers just before the Chancellor's daughter arrived? Helena hadn't known she'd be using him for this until he arrived.

She did some research into the van Dijk family, careful to anonymize her queries so they couldn't pinpoint who was asking. There had to be some reference to Erik, but she found nothing. His existence had been professionally erased from public record.

She leaned back in her chair, her brain racing in circles, seeing obvious and terrifying patterns of malignant intent but missing the key component that explained how it had been engineered.

Her trembling hands drummed quietly against the arms of her chair as her eyes stared at nothing.

-=-

Sion relaxed in the cushions between the two women as they snuggled in, resting their heads against Sion's shoulders.

They had asked the ladies if they wanted a massage in the time remaining, and they'd asked for this instead. It felt heavenly for Sion, but they knew the Madam wouldn't be happy this wasn't sex. Their female personality firmly resisted the male's attraction to them and gave them what they truly wanted, closeness. Sion felt most comfortable when both sides of their mind interacted with the ladies.

They discovered Regina and Eva responded with enthusiasm when Sion's duality spoke to them. He pondered that. Philip's anger had certainly defused quickly when they'd responded to his anger with a truthful but compassionate response from both. Sion was learning more about their unique nature. There seemed to be a potential for great things.

A gentle chime sounded, which indicated their time together was over.

"I'm sorry, but our time is up," Sion said gently and felt both women tighten their grip. The ladies must have noticed this as well, as they lifted their heads to peer across Sion's chest at each other with smiles.

"I cannot remain in the spa as the Human masseuse must return to his post. Genies are not allowed to take jobs from Human workers, but an exception was made for you," Sion explained gently.

"Oh my!" Regina said in surprise.

Sion helped her to her feet, then lifted Evangeline to hers.

"We'll see you after dinner tonight, yes?" Regina asked.

Sion smiled at them. "I believe that's the plan. We have tonight."

On impulse, Sion leaned in and kissed the older woman's cheek. She smiled joyfully at him.

Not to be left out, Eva surged closer to kiss his cheek, but he turned his face to see what she was doing and ended up with her lips on his.

Eva's eyes flew wide at the sensual touch of their mouth. She pulled back and giggled as Regina watched her in surprise.

"Oops?" Sion said quietly.

Eva shrugged with a naughty grin and did her best to hide the goosebumps on her arms. She put her arm around her mother's back and guided her out of the room.

Sion took some breaths to regain their calm state, then turned to leave. Standing in the doorway was Sakurako Kobayashi.

"Hello, Sion."

They smiled at her politely. "Hello, Ms. Kobayashi."

"Please call me Saki."

They nodded to her uncertainly as they were supposed to go to see the Madam.

"I'd like to spend some time with you," Saki said boldly as her gaze slid down Sion's body.

"I will let the Madam know you were asking when I see her," they said as they moved closer to the door, but she moved to block the way.

"We're here now. We could do it now," she insisted.

"The Madam is expecting me. I must attend to her first, but I will pass along your request," Sion said.

Saki gave him a frustrated look.

Philip, the masseuse, returned and caught the uncomfortable expression on Sion's face. "Shouldn't you be elsewhere?" he said, his tone a little stiff.

While Saki turned to glare at this interruption, Sion flashed him a grateful smile and then ducked around the petite woman.

-=-

As Sion vanished out the door, Saki turned her annoyed gaze on the masseuse. "I wasn't finished," she complained.

"But he was, and I'm scheduled to use this room for my next customer. Are you Ida Brickelstein?"

Saki gaped at him. "Do I fucking look like an Ida Brickelstein?"

"Honey, you should be so lucky!" said a bold, friendly voice from the doorway, followed by a sharp burst of laughter. Philip and Saki turned to see a thick woman squeezed into a towel with a cheeky smile. "To look as good as me, you'd have to enjoy food more to put some flesh on your bones. You're so tiny!"

Philip smiled at his next customer and gestured toward the table.

Flashing an irritated glare at the woman with the overabundance of everything, Saki stalked out of the room, looking for her quarry, but Sion was already gone.

She wasn't ready to give up.

-=-

Sion was very nervous about how the Madam would react when they told her they hadn't had sex with the bride. There was that kiss with Eva, which promised to lead into something else, perhaps tonight?

They didn't know why it was so important to the Madam for them to have sex with Eva. Their mandate was to make the customers happy. Eva was very happy with them. Why wasn't that enough?

When they reached her door, they pressed the button to announce their arrival. The door opened immediately, so they stepped inside. The lights were dimmer than normal, and they spotted the Madam sitting on the other side of her desk. She was watching them with an intense stare.

"Did you do it?"

Her voice was tight with tension, and Sion's fear spiked. They shook their head and then spoke quickly. "Mother and daughter were there, and they did not want sex."

The Madam leapt from her chair to rush toward him.

"They were happy! Very happy!" Sion managed to yell before her hand struck the side of their face, and they dropped to their knees.

"WHAT DID I TELL YOU TO DO?" the Madam screamed shrilly.

"To have sex with the bride-to-be," Sion responded immediately.

"WHY ARE YOU FAILING ME?" she bellowed, her voice cracking.

Sion felt those words like a hot whip across their mind, complete with the pain of the real weapon. They rocked on their knees as agony tore through them.

The Madam was preparing another physical attack when her comm chirped. She spun to glare at it murderously.

She frowned suddenly and looked at the comm in confusion then worry. She walked back to the desk and pressed the button. "What?"

It was Tenzi. "Madam, one of Club Maximus' guests has come to visit us. Maxwell Krieger."

The Madam froze. She cleared her tight throat. "Has he said why?"

"He's indicated he would like to speak with you. Privately," Tenzie replied.

Sion saw the woman's eyes turn back to them. She spun back to the desk. "Where is the wedding party?"

There was a momentary pause, then the assistant answered. "The group is currently relaxing by the pool. All members are present, as well as the chaperon."

"Guide our visitor to the bar next to the stage. I will meet him there." She pressed the button to disconnect the comm, then spun to face Sion.

"You have another chance to redeem yourself, Sion."

They gasped as her words were like manna from heaven. "Yes, Madam! I won't fail you!"

"Go to the stage and prepare to dance for Maxwell Krieger. I will entice him to join me in the theater. You will come out onto the stage when you hear the music, and I will leave. Then, you will dance for him. You will seduce him, and you will have sex with him. Am I understood?"

Sion gasped as they looked into her eyes. "Y-yes, Madam!"

"Go!" she snapped, and they pushed themselves up to their feet and rushed out into the hall. The theater would be empty, so they swung by the locker room and quickly changed into what they'd worn on stage the night before. Then Sion ran across the property to slip into the theater and its backstage area.

They knelt on the floor and began breathing exercises to return to a calm state.

The memory of the pain flashed through them, and they shuddered.

They must not fail the Madam again.

Chapter 10

Maxwell sat in the lushly appointed bar and enjoyed the truly fine whiskey in his tumbler. He was also silently cursing that, due to the drugs in his system, he wasn't able to relax from the alcohol intake.

He didn't really know what he was doing here. Now that he'd acted upon the impulse to come to this club, his mind was filled with doubt. He'd had difficulty sneaking out of Club Maximus and away from his friends, but he'd managed it. What was he expecting to accomplish here?

He didn't want to be spotted by Eva or her bitch squad, and so far, he hadn't. Maybe he should just sneak away.

Then it was too late.

"Mr. Krieger, welcome to Madam DeGaul's Lady's Night Resort. I am the Madam of the house, Helena DeGaul."

Max stood to face the woman and immediately picked up that she was a mess. Not from her silky smooth hair, her well-applied and subtle cosmetics, or her form-fitting and neat outfit. The look in her eye spoke volumes about her state of mind. The intensity was unnerving.

"Good day," he managed.

"This is a surprise! I wasn't expecting to have a visit from the bride's groom. Please rest assured, we're tracking every bridal party member to ensure they remain unaware of your presence." Her smile was a little too wide and knowing for his comfort.

"Thank you."

"What can we do for you today?" the Madam asked.

Max cleared his throat and tried to devise a reasonable response that wouldn't make him seem weak. Even the thought sent a shudder through him.

The Madam tilted her head curiously. "Perhaps you're concerned that your fiancé is being treated well?"

He frowned and was about to refute her, as that was the last thing on his mind, but he stopped himself just in time.

She filled the gap. "I won't give you empty words to ease your fears. I can do one better. I can show you," she said, her smile just a little too wide.

He looked at her in confusion. "Show me?"

She nodded. "My club specializes in entertaining its clientele with class and sophistication. Again, I wouldn't waste your time with simple words when a demonstration is in order. Please?" She gestured for him to join her as she turned toward a door on the opposite side of the room.

He followed as she'd caught his curiosity. Was she actually going to introduce him to Sion? His ears began to prickle with heat as they flushed with his excitement.

She led him into a large chamber he immediately recognized from the video he'd received from that skank, Kobayashi.

He looked into the Madam's manic eyes as she gestured for him to sit where Eva had been the night before. For a split second, his impulse was to turn and run as this felt like a moment of transition, a last chance to escape something he wasn't mentally ready for.

When he sank into the chair's cushion, he felt a flash of betrayal as if his body had made the decision without him. He pushed that thought aside as irrational and glanced at the satisfied smile on the Madam's face. She spoke softly into her comm, then gave him a nod before returning to the door.

She was leaving?

The soft click of the door was almost lost in the first notes that came from all around him. His eyes darted to the stage, but there was no one there. He struggled to control his breathing, unsure why he was reacting like this.

The music had a slow but steady beat, like a calm heartbeat, and he felt his slow to match as he relaxed back in his chair. Moments later, he caught his first glimpse of a man's body moving through the edge of a spotlight focused on the stage. The man was simply walking to the music's pace, but the light danced across his muscles and pale skin. He looked to the next spot and was rewarded with another brief view of his body.

Max wanted to look away, to deny these feelings inside, but once more, his body betrayed him by eagerly looking to the third spot, center stage.

When Sion stepped into the beam of light and paused as if finally sensing Maxwell's eyes upon him, the movement was so smooth and gradual it seemed like he was floating, not walking. Max almost expected to see large, feathered wings on his back, easing Sion down for a landing.

Then his eyes met Sion's, and he forgot to breathe. There was an almost physical connection as Sion's bold gaze was joined by his smile. Max felt his lips return the smile automatically.

Sion turned to face him and moved closer along the projecting stage, stepping a little closer with each beat of the music.

Maxwell was enthralled, but his loss of control was beginning to frighten him, so he forced his eyes away and looked at the floor before the stage. He gave himself three deep breaths to recenter himself before he looked up again.

Sion stood at the edge of the stage, watching him with eyes that seemed to look directly into his soul. Max watched Sion move down the steps, getting closer until he stood before his chair.

"Hello. I'm Sion," the man said. His voice was deep and calm.

"You're a Genie," Maxwell said and immediately regretted the stupidity of his words. His voice was rougher than Sion's and gave away his inner turmoil. This brought a frown to his face and a slight tilt to Sion's head.

"Yes. Would you like me to dance for you?" Sion asked, maintaining his soothing, calm tone.

Max knew he should be playing it cool, but his inner voice screamed at him to do something. This creature before him was triggering a reaction, and he was moments away from losing control.

"No! No dancing," Maxwell insisted. "You're Evangeline's FUCK-TOY?" he snapped as he surged to his feet.

Sion's eyes scanned Max's body, then returned to his eyes before answering. "I'm whatever she needs me to be. That's what I do and who I am." Sion paused. "What do you need?"

Maxwell wanted to scream in Sion's face. He wanted to push him away and stomp on his beauty until he could no longer be tempted by it.

Sion stepped forward until their lips were almost touching. "Is this what you need?"

Max could feel the heat from Sion's body as he was so close.

Then Maxwell's body betrayed him one final time.

He swayed forward, and his mouth pressed against Sion's. A brief gasp leaked out then he kissed Sion roughly with his need.

It wasn't like kissing any of the sluts he'd fucked before. It wasn't even like kissing that housekeeper from his resort, though their kiss barely lasted more than a second.

Sion's mouth and tongue matched his passion and aggression. He wanted this! This was right! His lust flared.

He pressed his body against Sion's and felt his straining cock rubbing against something equally hard. He couldn't stop a moan from escaping as it was like those secret moments when wrestling with Gregor, and they both became too excited.

Except Sion was grinding his cock back against Max's. That was almost enough to trigger his orgasm.

He grabbed Sion's hair and pulled his face back from the kiss. Sion looked at him in question.

Max roughly pushed him to his knees before him and saw Sion now knew what he wanted.

The Genie wasted no time in undoing his pants and freeing his cock. It was such a relief to get it out of his tight pants then he gasped as Sion roughly stroked it with his tongue.

Sion's initial moves showed a surprising lack of knowledge of how to suck a cock, and Max was about to pull free when Sion's movements became much better. It was like he was learning as he went, sending a shock of intense excitement through him.

Sion was a virgin?

-=-

As Sion approached the man sitting where Eva sat the night before, they read his body language to get clues on how to please him. He seemed tense, nervous, yet excited as well. The lust-filled gazes and frowns that alternated over his face told Sion the man was deeply excited but conflicted by this.

They conferred internally and determined the man would be more attracted by his masculine side, so that's what the man got.

The introduction went rougher than Sion expected, as Maxwell seemed to be fighting his desires. Again, Sion felt certain they'd made the right call with having their masculine side front and center.

Their kiss was raw and demanding, and then Max wanted more.

Sion knelt before him and released the hard cock from Max's pants. Sion reached for the skills to give Max what he wanted... and it wasn't there.

The sexual experience template for the male was heterosexual only. They almost panicked as they picked up Max's growing unease with how they were caressing and sucking. Then their female side came forward to assist and took Max's cock deep into their throat.

"Oh! Fuck!" Max groaned.

She sensually stroked his cock with her tongue as he clung to Max's ass with a passionate grip. She eased him out of their mouth, then surged forward again to swallow the cock down their throat as their face pressed against Max's stomach. They felt Max's muscles tremble as she caressed his heavy balls with the tip of her tongue.

The dual impact of his masculine aggressiveness and female sensuality was making Max lose control. He grabbed Sion's head and began to thrust wildly as his cum jetted into Sion's throat. When he was done, he pushed Sion's head away and stumbled back to catch his breath.

Sion leaned back on their heels, wiped the side of their hand across their lips, and looked into Max's eyes with a hungry smile. Their cock was stiff and pressed against the thin material covering their groin. Max's gaze dropped down to see this, and his expression was back to swinging between hunger and confusion. Max's cock wasn't confused, though. It knew what it wanted and was already beginning to stiffen for a second go.

Sion stood and walked up to the seat Max was no longer using and looked back over their shoulder as they slid their shorts down to expose their slick asshole. They'd prepared in advance with lube.

Max wouldn't react well if he saw Sion's extra orifice, so that remained hidden behind the fabric.

Sion leaned forward and spread their legs. "I think what you need now is to fuck me," they growled, deep and sexy.

Max frowned then his eyes flared with anger. He stepped forward and grabbed the base of his hard cock in his fist, and pressed the head against the puckered asshole pointing back at him. Without any pretense of gentleness, he shoved his hips forward and buried his cock in Sion's ass.

"FUCK!" Sion gasped, and Max smiled cruelly.

Sion looked back and smiled. "That was a good start, now fuck my ass!"

Maxwell's smile wavered, but he grabbed Sion's hips and began erratically thrusting, pulling, and pushing. Finally, Sion had to reach back and control the motions to set up a steady pounding.

Sion could tell Max was getting close again, but he wasn't as hard as he could be, so he needed help. He needed to feel in control. Sion grabbed Max's hand and pulled him closer, pressing the hand around Sion's throat. They were letting Max choke them as they fucked.

That put instant iron in Max's cock as his thrusts sped up. He squeezed cruelly, but Sion flexed their neck muscles enough to avoid being choked.

"That's it! Fuck me hard! Shit, I'm gonna come!" Sion gasped, but Maxwell beat him to his release. Hot cum splashed deep inside their ass as Max ground himself against Sion.

Maxwell returned to his senses quickly and realized what he'd just done. He pulled himself free.

Sion rested forward on the chair and looked back. "That was exceptional! You're a great fuck!"

They watched in surprise as Max fled from the room.

-=-

Maxwell was in a state of shock from his behavior. He frantically pulled up his pants and rushed from the room as he did them up.

He fled the club, and once a safe distance away, he stopped to catch his breath. Max took deep gulps of air and settled his mind. He'd... fucked a man, albeit a beautiful one. Worse, he'd enjoyed it! He wanted more. Max wanted desperately to deny it, but he couldn't. It was so good. It felt right.

Maybe the best sex he'd ever had.

What did that mean? Did it have to mean something?

His mind immediately compared how he'd felt with Sion to every skank he'd stuck his dick in. None of them had excited him as much and as quickly.

FUCK!

He needed to get back to Club Maximus. His guys were waiting for him. Gregor's face suddenly appeared in his mind... on Sion's body as he aimed his ass back for a good fucking.

He closed his eyes and shook his head to free himself of the image. Now that he'd fucked Sion, he felt like his moorings were breaking loose.

FUCK!

He began to run to get back to the party... and Gregor.

Chapter 11

"You had sex with the groom?" Helena asked, her eyes drilling into Sion's. There was something manic in her stare, which made Sion very nervous.

"Yes, Madam."

She shivered. "Tell me specifically what you did?"

Sion nodded. "He said he didn't want me to danc—"

"DON'T TELL ME WHAT YOU DIDN'T DO, ONLY WHAT YOU DID!" she screamed.

Sion rocked from the pain of upsetting their master. "I-I-I kissed him deeply. I gave him oral sex to completion. Then he had anal sex with me, again to completion."

She seemed a little more composed, but her eyes darted here and there, chasing something only she could see. "Did you come inside him?"

Sion shook his head. "He wasn't interested in that. He ran from the room before I could suggest we continue."

She frowned, then ground her teeth in frustration. "If only I could be sure..." she mumbled.

Sion sat quietly, looking miserable for failing the Madam. She finally noticed him. "Shouldn't you be getting ready for the night club with the bride-to-be?"

"She's—yes, Madam!" Sion blurted and rushed from the room. They'd almost corrected the Madam and told her Eva wasn't marrying Maxwell. That might have sent her over whatever edge she was teetering on. As she hadn't asked about the bride's plans, they weren't withholding information. Their duality was in complete agreement about that which was comforting and settled their nerves.

This also allowed Sion to leave and return to the locker room, where they stripped off their clothes and used the bathroom. Sion's male side took a moment to appreciate how their female side came to the rescue with Maxwell. Stepping out of the stall, they headed for the showers.

As they washed and rinsed their hair, the rest of the dancers from the squad began filing into the room to take their showers. More than one had difficulty not staring, but Sion did their best to ignore the audience. One finished up, wrapped a towel around himself, and carried another over for Sion.

"Hi. I thought you might need this," he said with a cautious but friendly smile.

Sion saw it was the dark-haired male with lovely green eyes. "Thanks." They accepted the towel and began to dry off.

"I'm sorry I didn't get a chance to introduce myself properly before. I'm Dallis." He held out his hand and Sion shook it with his male side controlling the grip.

"Sion," they replied and smiled.

Dallis seemed caught by their smile then he glanced back at the others who'd given up any pretense of not watching.

"Sorry for the odd behavior from some of us, but something about you is tripping our brains in unexpected ways," Dallis explained.

Sion nodded and glanced at the gamut of expressions flickering across the faces of the other dancers to return to Dallis' friendly expression. "You seem to be coping well."

Dallis chuckled self-consciously. "That's only because the direction my brain trips isn't toward confusion, anger, or unease. It's just telling me to kiss you, but I wasn't given any male-to-male sexual experience."

Sion chuckled as their smile widened, and they nodded. "If it means anything, neither was I. I appreciate the thought, though."

Dallis grinned self-consciously. He seemed slightly flustered and began to ramble to keep the conversation going. "So, we have dancing with the ladies after their dinner. This takes place in the main dance hall. There are privacy rooms available for quick liaisons, or the women might just take us back to their rooms if they are done with dancing." He seemed like he was going to say something else but was hesitating.

"Yes?" Sion prompted.

"It's just that, during this dancing period, there are no fixed assignments between guests and talent. You may get asked to dance or have sex with another guest. Several of the squad have heard their assigned guest state they wish they'd been assigned you. I believe mine has an interest in you, too. You may find yourself... over capacity tonight." Dallis glanced at the others. "This will be difficult for the talent whose trips push them in more aggressive directions."

Sion looked at Dallis in dismay. "The Madam has insisted I concentrate on Evangeline. I don't want to upset the Madam or the squad!" A shudder went through their body as they recalled her discipline.

Dallis gave them a compassionate look. "I'll do what I can to run interference between the squad and you, but please remain aware of this possibility."

Sion nodded, but now they were worried about how they'd get through the evening. They'd promised to dance with Eva and Regina, but maybe they could convince them to return to Eva's room early?

Their attention returned to Dallis, whose expression showed his concern.

"Thank you for the warning. I'll do what I can to avoid adding complications to the evening," Sion responded.

Dallis nodded with a relieved smile, then headed to the locker room as the others returned to their activities.

Sion finished drying off and moved to their locker to dress for dancing tonight. The thin and revealing clothing hinted at much and hid little.

Knowing that the other guests might be setting their sights on sex with them tonight made Sion wish for one of the coveralls the workers wore.

-=-

Sakurako was taking a moment in her room to freshen up. She was also reviewing the latest clip she'd received from Maxwell's com.

Her mind was spinning with possibilities now that she had definitive proof of Maxwell's homosexual predisposition. The pinnacle bachelor on Xochitl Two, a planet that championed heterosexuality as the only acceptable sexual orientation and vilified all others, preferred men.

Suddenly, she didn't want to knock Maxwell from his premier male spot on Xochitl's Social Index. She thought of a much better scenario. He would drop Eva and marry her! He'd have to curb his homicidal tendencies, but she had the perfect leash to help keep him in line. They didn't even have to have sex. He just had to pretend in public. He must be quite skilled in deceiving the public by now.

She quickly clipped out a very juicy section of the film of him fucking Sion's ass and added it to a message. She outlined her demands and gave him an ultimatum. He really had no alternatives, as there was no way he'd be willing to confess his sins publicly.

She smiled to herself. Yes, she was divulging that she'd hacked his comm tech, but shouldn't he have suspected that from the beginning?

She'd send the message after dinner or maybe even during. Catching him in the middle of his meal would be delicious. She chuckled.

Eva would be so devastated when they got home by Max's public declaration that she didn't live up to his standards and that she, Sakurako Kobayashi, was a perfect match.

With a grin, she allowed herself to enjoy the moment in her mind then she prepared for dinner. She'd be going without panties to expedite her efforts to have sex with Sion.

-=-

Maxwell pounded down another after-dinner drink with his boys, and they cheered loudly. Gregor's laugh was music to his ears. He grinned and patted Gregor's shoulder.

Images flashed in his mind. Gregor's bare chest as they went swimming. Sion's bare ass as he drove his cock deep inside.

In a sudden burst of frustration, Max threw his shot glass across the bar, where it smashed against a stone wall. Hooting and laughing, his gang followed his example. The staff gave them nervous looks.

He grimaced as he was sick of this... but wasn't sure what this was.

"Hey! I think the groom is getting second thoughts," Gregor said with a grin, and Max looked at him in surprise. "Don't worry, buddy! Even hitched, you'll still have access to more ass than any of us! Maybe more!"

His best man burst into raucous laughter, triggering the others.

His gut tightened as he realized whose ass he wanted most. Suddenly, dinner wasn't sitting so well. He stood and looked at his crew. "Gotta take a piss."

"Don't take too long in there! We have some really slutty bitches on order tonight, ready to do some freaky shit," Gregor said with a wicked grin.

Max nodded quickly, then struck off in the direction of the restroom. Just as he stepped inside, he saw a new message had arrived on his comm.

He stepped into a stall and queued it up.

He sat silent and stunned as the cunt listed off her ultimatum. His mind filled with rage at her invasion of his most private moment and her fucking nerve to threaten him! She thought she had his balls in her tiny little hand. She didn't understand who she was fucking with, but she was about to find out.

He slipped out of the restroom and headed for the back door. It was time to make another visit to the Madam's whore house.

He had a skank to educate.

Chapter 12

Sion stepped into the entrance of the club's main dance hall and let their eyes grow accustomed to the dim lighting. Music was playing, and they could see a few guests moving to the music with their assigned dancers. A petite blonde with pale pink skin was fawning over her much darker-skinned partner. He was all smiles, but the woman's friends stared at her with stunned and amused expressions.

They'd tried to delay their arrival so Evangeline would be there first. They planned to suggest an early departure to avoid conflicts with the other guests.

Unfortunately, Sion couldn't resist their programming and arrived two minutes early.

As they walked closer to the dance floor, they were spotted by Ms. Kobayashi, who was dancing with Dallis. She immediately left her partner and crossed the floor in a straight line for them. Sion desperately looked for Evangeline or Regina, but they hadn't arrived yet.

"Good evening, Sion," she said with a coy smile.

He nodded his head to her. "Good evening, Ms. Kobayashi."

"Please call me Saki," she said as she moved closer to touch his stomach. She purred with a satisfied grin. "You really do feel like warm marble."

"Would you like to dance, Saki?" he asked hopefully.

"No, I want to fuck. Come with me," she insisted, and they had no choice but to follow. There was a commotion on the other side of the dance club, and Sion spotted Maxwell Krieger staring their way. A security guard was holding his arm.

Unaware of the new arrival, Saki grabbed Sion's waistband and pulled them into a private room at the outer perimeter of the dance club. She closed and locked the door, then turned to frown at the bed. "Prepare the bed, Sion."

He moved to open a package of fresh sheets and began to put them on the bed.

Someone tried the door handle, so Saki turned to face it angrily. She squeaked in surprise when Max kicked it open. She threw her hands up to protect her face from the splintered wood, but the moment she dropped them, Max stabbed her in the left eye with a fork. He jumped back, grimacing and shaking his hand in pain as electricity jumped from the utensil.

Saki screamed in rage as she surged forward, swinging her right hand in an arc, and her long nails connected with Max's cheek.

It was his turn to scream as her nails were implanted weapons: titanium blades with laser scalpel edges. She'd scored a deep gash across his face, and he reeled back.

Saki pulled a long pin from her hair with her left hand and swung it around.

Sion pressed himself up against the back wall and watched Saki struggling to see with a fork sticking out of her eye. Something must have been affecting her vision in her undamaged eye as she was swinging the needle around dangerously.

Beyond her, Sion suddenly spotted the Madam marching straight in the door toward Saki.

Max was standing inside the door to the left, looking at the blood on his hands from the slash on his face. "You fucking cunt!" he bellowed.

Saki swung the wand in the direction of the voice and saw a dark shape coming at her, so she pressed the button on the side of the needle. An intense beam of coherent light shot from the tip, burning through Helena's chest.

The Madam collapsed with a shocked look on her face.

Sion's programming kicked in, and they leapt forward, rushing to get to the Madam. Saki heard the sudden sound and swung her laser-tipped nails in another wild arc. She ripped through the side and back of Sion's neck, nicking the discipline collar as well.

A punishing shock flashed through Sion's nerves from the collar's anti-tampering protection. They hit the floor next to Helena but remained conscious. Sion's face was close to the Madam's, and they locked eyes as she struggled to breathe. She began to whisper to him.

"Sion... I'm releasing you... to Regina. Your New Master." She took a slow breath and whispered slowly. "Command... Unlock Code... Mike-Alpha-Delta-Alpha-Mike... Eight-Four-Four-Eight-Zero-Seven... Alpha. Master Reset."

Sion felt something odd in his head, like a looseness, something unbound.

Helena's lips moved silently for a few seconds as her eyelids fluttered, but she didn't seem aware she wasn't making any sounds. She took a deep breath, but Sion heard wet sounds from her chest.

She frowned in concentration. "Command Lock... Code... Mike-Alpha... Delta-Alpha... Mike-Eight... Four-Four-Eight... Zero-Seven... Omega."

Still struggling to see her target, Saki dropped the spent needle and yanked its twin from her hair, aiming it wildly before her.

Dallis rushed inside but slowed to a stop as his programming screamed at him to get help for the Madam. He spun to run and get the doctor.

Max was frozen, watching Saki swing the needle from side to side. His eyes finally dropped to stare at the hideous rip on Sion's neck. He couldn't prevent his shout of dismay.

Saki fired the second needle in the direction of Max's voice. Instead, the beam struck the back of Dallis' collar. The damage triggered the explosives, which tore through the Genie's neck and sent shrapnel flying across the room.

Several pieces struck Maxwell's uninjured cheek and his shoulder. He screamed in agony as he ran from the room.

Security finally arrived and stunned Saki with a dart. Her muscles locked up, and she fell forward, slamming her face against the floor, driving the charged fork into her brain.

The room fell quiet.

Sion was oblivious to most of the chaos erupting around him as the Madam continued to whisper to him, their eyes still locked on each other.

A tear rolled down her cheek. "Be good... for Regina, Sion."

He tried to speak, but the numbness in his face from the stun kept him silent. He couldn't even nod.

But it didn't matter as the Madam's eyes were suddenly vacant, and she'd stopped breathing.

Before Sion blacked out completely, he saw Octavia kneel, close the Madam's eyes, and look at him with a sad expression.

-=-

When Octavia woke in her office, she tasted the bitter flavor of the tranquilizer she'd prepared for Helena, so she knew what had happened. Thankfully, the dosage needed to put the Madam out was only half of what a person with her body mass required. She saw it had been hours, not a day, so she gave herself a stimulant, grabbed her medical kit, and went in search of her boss. She knew the group would be at the dance club at this time of day. As she got closer, she saw security personnel running for the club and rushed after them.

When she got there, it was a complete cluster fuck. All the guests were crowding the room but were held back by security personnel.

A male was in custody, and Security was pinning him down as they held towels to his face to stop the bleeding.

"The others are dead," one agent said, gesturing to the private room with the busted door.

The doctor removed the towels from the prisoner's face, applied rudimentary bandages to stop the bleeding, and gave him a sedative to ease the pain. He needed surgery to remove the shrapnel. She didn't want to do that here, so she'd get him in an ambulance after she determined what role he'd played.

She walked over to the room and saw Helena with a hole burned through her chest. Someone snuck a weapon onto the planet?

The Madam was dead and had a do-not-resuscitate order, so there was nothing left to do for her.

Octavia knelt and closed her eyes. It was such a small ending for someone so much larger than life. It felt like Helena had somehow been cheated out of her grand destiny.

Then she saw Sion wasn't dead. Her eyelids were drooping, but she was still alive. Octavia quickly put a bandage on her neck to stop the bleeding. She'd passed out but continued to breathe.

With the Madam dead, Octavia decided she no longer had to follow her rule about referring to Sion as a male.

"Get me four stretchers," she called out to the security team, keeping the curious at bay. Eight of them rushed away to do her bidding, and she spotted Evangeline and Regina clinging to each other and staring at Sion. The mother locked eyes with her and mouthed, "Dead?"

Octavia shook her head, and they both gasped with hopeful but trembling smiles.

The other Genie had lost its head in a collar explosion, so he was definitely dead.

The Kobayashi woman was twitching. Rolling her over onto her back showed the damage. Something metallic had been stabbed into her brain. She needed to get her back to her medical bay to determine the damage, but she wasn't hopeful. She also had flesh trapped under her metal nails, so here was the weapon used on the wounded man's face—she glanced at Sion. The neck wound was caused by the nails, too. She spotted two long hairpins on the floor nearby, which she assumed were the contraband energy weapons. The Kobayashi woman broke several of Bacchus' most strict rules.

The guards returned and helped put all the bodies on the stretchers. She looked at the man who'd pronounced them all dead. She pointed to Kobayashi. "Possibly brain dead but alive." Then she gestured to Sion. "Still alive."

He just scowled at her.

"Where is the man with the facial trauma?" she asked.

"He refused treatment and left when our backs were turned," one of the guards said in an obvious lie. They'd accepted a payoff to let him go. Whatever. It was no longer her problem.

They took their patients to her medical bay.

"Bag that one for disposal," she said, pointing to the headless Genie.

"Bag her as well," Octavia said about Helena, as it was her wish. The Security personnel raised their eyebrows in surprise, but they did it.

Then they left, leaving the doctor to her corpses.

Sion's bandages would hold for now, but she gave him blood and a glucose drip to keep him hydrated and energized.

She put the Kobayashi girl on the diagnosis table, and the result was grim but matched her expectations. The young woman was brain dead, though her hindbrain was keeping her body alive.

She also had some kind of cerebral implant. She called the security office.

"This is Dr. Bremman. Did you get results on the full frequency spectrum scan I asked for?" she queried.

"Yes, there was activity on some bands we haven't seen used before. We couldn't decrypt the signal. Any idea how they are doing it?" the tech asked.

"Not certain yet. Don't bother with the decryption. Just send me the report," she said.

"Yes, doctor."

"Do we have an ID on the man who broke into the dance club?" she asked.

"Maxwell Krieger," the tech returned.

"Ah. Please send me the security video of the attack. Thank you."

She disconnected, and moments later, the clip was in her inbox. She reviewed it and had a clearer picture of what happened but not why. Considering the hidden tech in her head, she might have been in contact with Mr. Kreiger.

It was time to contact Sakurako Kobayashi's next of kin.

She made a connection to her father. It seemed to be morning on Xochitl One.

"Good day, Mr. Kobayashi. My name is Octavia Bremman. I'm the Assistant Manager of the resort on Bacchus your daughter and her friends are staying in."

"What trouble has Sakurako gotten herself into this time?" he said wearily.

"I'm afraid I have some bad news. There was an altercation between your daughter and Maxwell Krieger at our resort. We don't know the cause, but Mr. Krieger attacked your daughter with a fork, stabbing her in the left eye. She proceeded to produce some weapons prohibited on Bacchus, and Mr. Krieger was badly injured. She also fired upon and killed the resort's manager and destroyed resort property. In the process of being subdued by security agents, she fell and pierced her brain with the fork. I've run a diagnostic, and I'm afraid she's brain-dead. I'm terribly sorry for your loss."

The man was quiet for a moment as his jaw muscles worked. "We will need her body­—"

"There is also the matter of the illegal communications technology implanted in her head," the doctor said.

The man went silent again. This seemed to upset him more than the news of his daughter's demise.

"I must remove this tech before the body can be processed. I might be inclined to deliver it to you in person as I will be leaving my current place of employment."

The man's eyes sharpened. "That would be appreciated."

"I could return the body as well," she offered.

"That will not be required," he said calmly.

"Cold bastard," she thought.

"You should be aware this tech might have been used to communicate with Mr. Krieger. It's the theory I'm working with to explain his sudden appearance at the resort and why he specifically targeted your daughter and her left eye. Mr. Krieger fled from the resort, and his location is currently unknown. He will likely return to his ship as he requires immediate medical attention."

The man nodded, and his body language showed he was pleased to receive this intel. "Thank you. We will follow up on this. I hope to see you soon."

The doctor nodded and disconnected. So, she'd need to extract the tech and take it with her.

Time to check on her living patient. She was overly aware of the deadline Sion was facing. Less than a day now? It seemed too cruel to contemplate.

She walked back to the exam room where she'd left her and froze in the doorway. The discipline collar was open. The clasp only opened automatically if a Genie registered as dead. She walked closer, then rushed the last steps as she saw Sion was still breathing. Octavia frowned. Her heart would have to stop for almost a minute before the collar accepted she was dead.

Listening to Sion's heart, she discovered it was beating slowly. Too slow. She decided she'd perform emergency surgery on her neck. She moved Sion into her operating theater. While she couldn't do major surgeries here, she could deal with the neck wound.

As the table's automated systems stabilized Sion, Octavia scrubbed and moved into position. She turned Sion over and removed the bandages. She cut loose the damaged bits and found a dense mass of tissue the size and shape of a partially flattened ping-pong ball. It was possibly the engineered tumor, but the outer surface was oddly thick, almost a skin.

The doctor repaired the damaged blood vessels that had been nicked. Assured she'd caught all the bleeders, she added a layer of Synth skin to promote new skin growth, wrapped Sion's neck in bandages, connected her to an IV for a unit of blood and another for glucose, and moved her to the recovery room to make her as comfortable as she could.

Octavia wasn't positive she got the core of the tumor. If she hadn't, it would grow again and eventually kill Sion.

Then she felt confused at why she'd made the effort at all.

Staring at the tissue she removed, she huffed in frustration and placed it in a stasis container for later analysis.

Octavia walked back out to the prep room and opened the disposal bag for the headless Genie. Its collar was a shredded mess. She was pretty sure the embedded charges weren't meant to destroy the collar. She recalled the video of the attack and remembered it was Dallis who'd taken the laser shot to its collar. Unlucky soul.

She collected the bits of the destroyed collar and slid them into the outer pouch of the disposal bag to identify the Genie for the reclamation department. She recorded its death as explosive termination.

She brought Ms. Kobayashi's body into her operating room and injected her with a paralytic, which would terminate the body's respiratory systems. Within minutes, her body was as dead as her brain.

Carefully removing the fork from her eye, she saw it was tangled in a fine metal mesh, which had to be part of the implant. She delicately removed all the implanted tech and placed it in a sterile sample container. This would be coming with her.

Looking at the young woman's corpse, she suddenly realized there might be a way out for Sion if she survived.

She placed Kobayashi's corpse in the reclamation bag and put Sion's collar in the outer sleeve to identify her and record the death as a Mayfly.

She opened Helena's reclamation bag and gazed down at her boss' peaceful expression. She couldn't help but think this was the only time she'd ever seen her at peace.

That was so sad.

She added Helena's ID badge to the outer sleeve when she sealed the bag.

She wheeled all three bags to the back entrance of her office as they were ready for pick up. She called in the order, and they said they'd be by in the next fifteen as they were in the neighborhood. Apparently, it was a busy night due to the rowdy bunch at Club Maximus.

Her final step was to log into her terminal with Helena's authorization codes and purge all the data collected for Sion from their records. This didn't take long, as they'd only had two days.

It was done.

She knew she'd get a call from the Bacchus Auditors soon, but she'd taken steps to protect herself. She looked around her office but couldn't say she would miss it. She was relieved that Helena was no longer suffering, and she wouldn't have to babysit the psychotic woman any longer.

Now, all she had to do was some resort administration steps.

-=-

Regina sat in the waiting room with her daughter. Both were desperate for news of Sion.

On their way to the dance club, they'd heard screaming and what sounded like an explosion ahead.

They'd been eager to get there early, but Rosalina was asking Evangeline questions about the wedding and her responsibilities as MoH. Now, it looked like she'd just been delaying them to help the Kobayashi girl get to Sion.

When they entered the club, security staff wouldn't let them get too close, but they saw Maxwell Krieger being held down by some men and blood all over his face and clothes. The doctor tended to him and moved on. Evangeline locked eyes with him for a moment, then he fled from the building.

They were able to get closer when the security team thinned out, and they saw Sion on the floor next to the Madam, who was clearly dead. The doctor gave them hope when she indicated Sion was still alive.

They left the others to gossip, and now they waited to hear from the doctor.

The inner door opened, and they surged to their feet.

"Doctor, how is he?" Evangeline asked.

Octavia looked at them for a moment, then nodded. "Come with me."

She led them through the door, down a short hall, and into a recovery room. She paused by the door to disable the cameras to give them privacy. Then she closed the door behind them.

"He's not wearing the collar!" Regina gasped.

"No, Sion's heart stopped for sufficient time for the collar to believe she was dead. I don't know if that had any detrimental effects on her brain," she said, and their distress increased.

Evangeline looked at the doctor oddly. "His brain."

The older woman sighed. "There are things you need to know about Sion. She was created in a lab here on Bacchus, Soylent Labs, which subsequently shut down due to a major and suspicious fire. When she first arrived, I did a physical examination and discovered that while she was given the appearance of a male, she is physiologically female. Yes, she was given a penis and testes, but she also has a vagina. To add complication to this, she was imprinted with male and female personality templates, so mentally... they are both."

Regina gasped. "How did he—she, I mean they, not go insane?"

Octavia smiled and nodded as she was grateful the woman understood. "I fully expected their personality to fragment, but somehow, they adapted. My personal bias is to refer to Sion as she due to her physiology and the fact that her personality is based on implanted templates, not nature, but if you are from the camp who believe the mind is the defining factor for sexuality, flip a coin as they are both."

Evangeline was watching Sion sleep, but her expression was troubled.

Regina had a more critical issue to resolve first.

"Sion was made from the genetic material from my son," Regina insisted.

Octavia watched the woman carefully. "I would strenuously suggest you not mention that anywhere on Bacchus as such a statement may lead to your incarceration and subsequent disappearance and murder." She held up her hands to stop the angry response. "I agree with you. I ran the test. Sion is your genetic match and might have come from a son, but I found no reference to a van Dijk son on record. The geneticist at Soylent Labs, who is also dead under suspicious circumstances, must have had access to your son's DNA, but I don't know how he obtained it. The possession of genetic templates of significant members of society is strictly forbidden. Any genetics lab found to have them in their possession would be burned to the—" She froze as her choice of words suddenly matched reality too closely.

Regina knew something significant was happening, but she still couldn't grasp the scope. "My husband erased our son from every public record like he was ashamed he ever existed. But that boy was more special than I have words to describe. He would have grown up to look like Sion if not for that rare genetic disease."

Octavia frowned. "He erased his existence? That's possible?"

"If you are one of the most significant members of society, it is. What my husband didn't know was that another significant member was paying the same team to preserve the data they removed in an offline repository. I vowed to restore my son's public record when I found a way to make my husband accountable for this crime," she asserted firmly.

The doctor looked at her. "Sion's existence and the information you preserved is pretty damning."

Regina nodded. "Which brings me back to the point that Sion is no longer wearing his collar."

Octavia nodded but winced. "There is one more thing you should know about Sion." Evangeline turned to look at her as well.

"The geneticist who created him made him a Mayfly. This is the term used for Genies with a limited lifespan. They are created with an aggressive tumor in their neck that grows over three days, crushing the spinal column and killing them. This is day three."

"No!" Evangeline cried out.

Octavia held up a hand. "The damage Ms. Kobayashi did to his neck required surgery. I removed a tumor, but I don't know if I got it all. It might come back. Genetic kill switches are designed not to fail. You will need to watch for this diligently."

"There is still the question of how do we get Sion home?" Regina asked.

The doctor looked at Sion. "Ms. Kobayashi's body has been sent to the reclamation center identified as Sion. She will not travel home with you, but you arrived with two Maids of Honor."

Evangeline caught on immediately. "I'll offer to pay for Rosalina to go home with the others on the cruise ship," she suggested.

"We'll take Ms. Kobayashi home in a body bag," Regina said, also catching on, and Octavia nodded with a smile.

She looked at her patient. "None of that can happen until tomorrow. I'll keep an eye on her until then."

"Him," Evangeline said with a little smile.

"Them," Regina said, adding her two cents.

"If Sion survives the night, we can ask what she/he/they prefer in the morning," Octavia suggested. That made Evangeline nervous once more.

Regina gave Octavia a curious look. "You are being extremely open and honest for someone who works in this business on Bacchus."

Octavia smiled. "As of tomorrow, there will be no more Madam DeGaul's Lady's Night Resort. I suspect the powers-that-be on Bacchus will order it to close due to this incident. That's okay, as I'm ready to leave."

"It seems we'll have a free stateroom if you'd like to join us on Xochitl One," Regina offered.

The doctor was surprised. "If I can complete my duties before your departure, I would welcome that, but you shouldn't delay for me."

"Understood," Regina said with a nod.

"We should let my patient rest," the doctor suggested.

Evangeline moved closer to Sion and gently kissed his lips. "Get better soon, Sion," she whispered.

Regina led her from the room, and they made their way to the lodgings, neither feeling like spending time with the others.

"Could you stay with me tonight? I don't want to be alone as I'll worry about Sion," Evangeline asked.

Regina was delighted and smiled at her daughter with a nod.

She once more thanked the stars she'd come on this trip. She felt closer to Evangeline than she's been in years.

She also thanked them for bringing Sion into their lives.

-=-

Octavia checked and confirmed the body bags had been collected by the Reclamation Department.

Then, she headed to her office to prepare to shut the resort down. Even if she didn't receive the order, she had no plans to keep it operating. There was so much that needed to be managed when terminating a business.

She began with the reservations they had on file. She sent out feelers to see if other resorts might be willing to take the clients should they not want to cancel outright. She got affirmatives for most of them. She sent out notices to all clients on their reservation list.

Next, she made bank transfers to pay off all creditors and suppliers and canceled all future orders.

She set up the payouts to all employees for their terms of service and prepared letters of recommendation for them.

The most difficult part was finding homes for the living assets of the club. Some might not like their new occupations, but it beat being sent to the Reclamation Center.

Hours passed before Octavia pushed back from her workstation and rubbed her face. There were just a few small things left to manage, including surrendering their business charter to the Bacchus Board of Operations, but that would be last.

Octavia scanned her messages and saw the receipts from the Reclamation Center for the three bodies. They'd been fed into the machine, and that was done.

She got up and checked on Sion, but the monitor hadn't tripped any alarms as she was sleeping peacefully. She replaced the glucose drip with another and removed the IV for the transfusion. Sion's stats looked good.

She didn't want to disturb the bandage on her neck to check for regrowth of the tumor, so she returned to the operating room to collect the stasis container containing the tissues she'd removed from Sion's neck. She brought this to her exam room and placed the tissues in her scanner.

After the first pass, the device reported the outer surface of the mass was some kind of tough fibrous sack made of mutated white blood cells. Inside this, the scanner detected the engineered Mayfly tumor surrounded by another mass of white blood cells vigorously attacking it.

There was no longer a kill switch in Sion. She breathed a sigh of relief.

The medical scanner detected something else embedded within the tumor. The machine suddenly beeped, locked down the control panel and incinerated the sample before it shut down. Octavia blinked in surprise at the machine, as it had never behaved in this way before. The screen displayed a warning to remain where she was.

Soon, a man appeared on the screen, and from his uniform, she noted it was a Bacchus Auditor.

"State your name and position."

"Dr. Octavia Bremman, Assistant Manager and Resort Doctor."

"I am Auditor Jeffrey Drew. Your medical scanner just reported the existence of an engineered virus. This is a highly illegal creation with a mandatory death sentence for those who create and attempt to distribute such things." He looked at Octavia, expecting fear and excuses, but she just waited with a puzzled look.

"Well?" he said impatiently.

"Sorry, was there a question in there?" Octavia asked.

"Explain how it got there!" the man snapped.

The doctor nodded slowly as she tried to put the pieces together in her head. "There was an incident at the resort last night. A Genie created by Specialist Dheren from Soylent Labs was killed. It was a Mayfly. Tissues from its neck were ripped out during the attack. I tested the tissues and found the engineered Mayfly tumor. Then, the machine beeped and incinerated the sample. I assume it contacted you?

"INCINERATED IT?" he yelled.

She looked at him in surprise. "What were you expecting it to do?"

"Such samples are to be placed in stasis for the investigation," he snapped angrily.

"Oh, this is a Mark Three medical scanner. It has no stasis capabilities. We only have small portable stasis devices. They're so expensive," she explained.

"Secure the body of the Mayfly. Did you place the order for it?" Auditor Drew asked.

"The Mayfly's body already went through reclamation. It was ordered by the Manager of the resort, Madam Helena DeGaul, who—"

"Take her into custody!"

"Also died in the attack and has gone through the reclamation process as per her wishes," Octavia finished.

There was silence as the Auditor's face became redder.

"Records for the order of the Mayfly?" he asked.

Octavia tapped a query on her keyboard, then frowned before looking at the Auditor. "All records of the Mayfly have been deleted by Helena DeGaul."

"Let me get this straight. The tissues you scanned came from a Mayfly created by Specialist Dheren. The one who died in the unexplained apartment fire."

"Yes."

"The Mayfly is dead. The one who ordered it, Helena DeGaul, is dead. Their bodies have gone through reclamation, and she deleted all information about the Mayfly from your systems."

"Yes."

He glared at her through the screen.

"The club's license is now revoked. Prepare it for closing. As you are the second in command and chief medical officer, you are responsible for all fines from this event," the man growled.

"If you look at the corporate charter granted to the resort, you will see the Madam was registered as a high-risk operator due to her mental issues. Bacchus' leadership still decided to grant her permission to run the business. When I joined her, she arranged a special provision in my contract which shields me from any and all penalties incurred due to my employer's mental instability."

Now, the man's face was turning purple, so she continued. "I've already begun the process of shutting the resort down as I have no interest in running it myself. Any penalties incurred must be filed against the defunct and assetless corporation. They've all been sold off."

"You are no longer welcome on Bacchus and will not receive any references from our administration," he said spitefully.

"I understand."

The line disconnected.

Octavia slumped back in her chair in relief.

Beads of sweat ran down her back, and she promised herself that all future contracts would have to contain the same protection clause.

Fuck, that was close!

She frowned as she recalled Helena telling her that her gift to the bride was endless discontent.

Octavia now knew that was another lie.

The Xochitl 6 survivor's true gift was whatever that engineered virus was designed to do. Considering the extent of the Madam's madness, she shuddered to think what horrors the virus might have inflicted.

She reviewed the medical scanner's last result, and there was the signature of the engineered virus. It gave no clues to what it would unleash, but she could use it to detect if the virus had spread beyond the growth she'd removed from Sion's neck.

She transferred the signature to her handheld scanner and took it to the recovery room. She thoroughly scanned Sion's body from the tip of her head to her toes. The scanner remained silent.

Octavia sagged with relief. If Sion had been infected, there would have been no choice but to report the outbreak, and their survival would not have been possible. Octavia ran the scanner over her body as she handled the infected tissue. Once more, the device found no sign of the virus.

She was clean.

Her head spun slightly as her relief was profound. Somehow, Sion's immune system had contained the invader, preventing it from spreading. She looked at the Genie resting quietly on the recovery bed.

What other miracles was her physiology capable of?

-=-

Max made it back to the spaceport and onto the company cruiser. The ship doctor's face paled as he saw the damage under the bandages. He examined the injuries and then added a temporary dressing.

The older man's expression was grim as he spoke with his patient. "I can close the wounds, but you'll need reconstructive surgery. These gashes are very deep, and there seems to be burning in the deep tissue. I wouldn't be surprised to find severe nerve damage. You'll lose sensation and, quite possibly, movement in the underlying muscle tissue. I'm going to need to remove the shrapnel as soon as possible."

Max moaned as none of this sounded good, and the pain was starting to return as the meds the silver-haired doctor had given him were quickly wearing off.

As if reading his mind, the physician pressed an injector against his neck and gave him a shot.

"Rest here, and I'll be right back," the surgeon said as he left the room.

Max rested back as he felt the medication taking effect. The pain was fading into the background, and he began to feel numb all over.

He wondered what he was given as it was good shit!

The pain disappeared, and he felt completely relaxed like he was floating on a cloud... or he'd become one.

Max tried to look toward the door when the doctor returned, but his eyes wouldn't move. That was concerning. He could see the sickbay ceiling and some hazy images in his peripheral vision, but he couldn't move... anything! It was becoming hard to breathe.

He heard the door lock snap into place and someone typing on a keyboard.

Then, the man came into view as he stood beside the bed and looked down at him.

"I'm afraid I have bad news for you. Mr. Kobayashi contacted me before you arrived. He explained that you have something of his he wants back. He also wasn't pleased you attacked his daughter. Admittedly, that wasn't very smart of you. You might get away with abusing the little people, but not someone with her social raking." The doctor sighed and then smiled. "There is some good news, though. I'll retire a wealthy man once I return Mr. Kobayashi's property to him." He paused and smiled as he looked into the frozen eyes of his patient. "Goodbye, Mr. Krieger."

The numbness spread to his chest as the muscles there slowed and stopped. Max struggled to get his next breath of air as he stared up at the man. He saw a scalpel in his hand. It descended toward his left eye then he was screaming in his mind until his last breath ran out. Then, everything began to fade away.

His last thought was of Gregor.

Chapter 13

Breakfast for Evangeline the following morning was uncomfortable as all the bridesmaids were desperately curious about what happened and what would happen next.

Additionally, her stomach was filled with butterflies as she hadn't heard from the doctor yet regarding Sion.

She was extra grateful for her mother's presence.

Evangeline stood and addressed the table, and all eyes were on her. She fell back on her training and relaxed.

"First and foremost, thank you all for coming to Bacchus with me. I believe I can honestly say it was a profound experience for us all." There was some nervous giggling about that.

"I want you to be the first to know. I will not be proceeding with the wedding. The wedding is off."

The fact that not all the bridesmaids vocally supported this decision after witnessing Maxwell's attack the night before clearly indicated she had some loser friends.

"Rosalina, I think you'd enjoy the return trip on the cruise ship with the other ladies more. I'll pick up the cost of your ticket."

"Awww, are you sure?" Rosalina said sympathetically, but her eyes clearly indicated she wanted this.

Eva nodded, so Rosalina made a show of standing and giving Eva a hug and air kisses. When she sat back down, she made little effort to hide her excitement about being on the cruise with her friends.

"Enjoy your breakfast, and I'll see you at home," Evangeline told the group.

Their responses lacked the enthusiasm they'd once shown, which indicated to Evangeline she'd already been written off. Once, that would have enraged her, but now, their opinions seemed insignificant.

She looked at her mother, who joined her as they left the dining room together, smiling at each other.

"It feels like I just shed some unwanted baggage," Eva sighed.

"You can find better," Regina said.

They'd already returned their luggage to their ship, so they just needed Sion.

When they reached the Medical Center, they went in.

"Good morning!" the doctor said with a smile.

Eva looked into her eyes hopefully, and the doctor gestured for them to follow. They returned to Sion's recovery room, where she closed the door and shut down the camera once more.

Regina went to Sion and looked at their sleeping features. She glanced back at the doctor. "Can we wake them?"

Octavia smiled. "Not yet. I'm keeping her in a deep sleep until you're off-planet."

"Is he going to be okay? His brain, I mean," Evangeline asked nervously.

The doctor shrugged softly. "I don't know. I'm hopeful as she's healing well. I do have some good news."

Eva and Regina gave her hopeful looks.

"The kill switch tumor is no longer in her neck."

"That's wonderful!" Eva gasped and hugged her mother.

Octavia looked at the two ladies. "Are you ready to go?"

"Yes!" Eva gasped, and Regina nodded.

"I've arranged for a limousine to take you two to the port. I'll follow with Sion in the hearse. Remember, we are escorting Ms. Kobayashi home. If you could keep a somber look on your face, that would be more appropriate," Octavia said with a raised eyebrow.

Eva immediately felt embarrassed. "Sorry, I've never done this before."

"That's just it. You aren't doing anything out of the ordinary. You're just going to your ship and waiting for a bundle to be brought on board. You can do this, yes?" the doctor asked.

Eva nodded.

"We've got this," Regina said as she hugged her daughter.

"Let's go."

-=-

Octavia was watching the two ladies and decided they were calm enough to pull off the deception. She'd keep an eye on them just the same.

The doctor removed the IVs and brought a body bag to the recovery bed. She got the women to assist with getting Sion into the body bag. That went smoothly enough.

Once it was zipped up, Octavia made a call and a minute later, Darius and one of his squad, Byron, arrived at her door.

"Yes, Dr. Bremman? What can we do for you?"

"I need you to carry this out to the hearse and gently place it in the back," she replied.

They eyed the body bag uncomfortably but nodded to her. Octavia went first, then the two Genies carrying the body, and finally Eva and Regina. They went out the back door, where the two vehicles waited. Octavia went to the open back door of the hearse, where the Genies slid the body in, and she strapped it down.

"Thank you, Darius, Byron. Good luck," the doctor said, and the Genies nodded happily as they returned to the building. They'd be picked up today by their new owner. Landscaping was a far cry from dancing and fucking, but they should have a better chance at avoiding homicidal clients. She'd done her best for them.

The limo driver opened the back door for Regina and Eva to climb in as Octavia got into the passenger side of the hearse.

The trip to the spaceport took only half an hour. The limo paused briefly at the gate, but the hearse was just waved through. Octavia breathed a silent sigh of relief as they drove around the port to stop next to the loading ramp for the van Dijk cruiser. She gazed at the large spacecraft, admiring its sleek lines and considerable size. It looked fast and powerful. She supposed it made sense for the richest family on Xochitl One to fly in the best ship available.

The limo driver once more opened the rear door and helped Regina and Evangeline from the vehicle before driving back to the exit. Eva watched her mother speak to one of the ship's crew waiting at the end of the entrance portal and they rushed away.

The hearse moved up beside the ramp. Octavia got out and moved to the rear door, which was opening automatically. Two crew members from the ship hustled back with a gurney from the ship's medical bay. They helped load the body bag onto the cart, then pulled it into the sleek spacecraft with Octavia close behind them. Regina met them inside the ship and guided them to the cart's final destination. They were a little confused that it was taken to a stateroom. Regina smiled, thanked them, and they went on their way.

Eva stepped up beside the doctor. "Your items arrived this morning and have been taken to your stateroom across the hall."

A chime sounded, and the captain made the departure announcement. The gurney was strapped down, the body bag was unzipped further for fresh air, and they all took seats in their assigned cabins.

Octavia released a breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding. No sign of pursuit and no sign the powers-that-be on Bacchus were aware of their escaping Genie.

They weren't out of danger yet.

-=-

Eva fidgeted in her cabin until they'd left the planet's gravity well and were on their way home. When the chime announced it was safe, she was up and out of her cabin to rush back to meet the doctor stepping out of hers. They went into Sion's, and Eva paused as Octavia made a shushing gesture and walked around the stateroom, sweeping a device back and forth across every surface. Regina arrived halfway through this process and watched with fascination. Eva gestured for her to remain silent.

Occasionally, Octavia placed a small red or blue sticker on a surface. When she was done, there were four red stickers and three blue ones.

Regina pointed to the stickers with a raised eyebrow.

Octavia wrote on her tablet that red were microphones and blue were cameras.

"I'll be right back," Regina said stiffly. Octavia went to the body bag, checked on her patient, and nodded to Eva.

Twenty minutes later, Regina returned to the cabin. "I spoke with the captain. He was aware of the cameras and microphones. They were installed by a team hired by Julian, my husband. I got them to turn off the recorders."

"There are none in the bedrooms or bathrooms, at least," Octavia said.

Evangeline was horrified. "On the trip here, I walked around in my cabin naked! That means there are recordings of me doing that!"

Regina's expression stiffened once more, and she left the cabin.

Thirty minutes later, she returned carrying a bag filled with memory cards. "I had a nice technician remove every storage device on the surveillance recording station."

Her patience had finally run out, and Eva was trembling. "Can we please check on the package?" Evangeline begged. She was frantic to know if Sion had been impaired in any way by his temporary death experience.

"There's one more thing we need to discuss before we do, now that we have privacy," Octavia said. Regina nodded to her, so she continued. "Who are the ship's crew loyal to? You or your husband? If it's the latter, we should prevent news of the package from being leaked to him so he will have no time to prepare."

Regina smiled. "You are very good at this!"

"Decades of living on Bacchus makes you very paranoid, as that's necessary for survival," the doctor explained.

"They are loyal to Julian," the wife said.

"So, the package never leaves the cabin, and no one but us is allowed in."

"Agreed. Now, can you please wake Sion up?" Eva begged again.

"Help me get him onto the bed first. That would be a nicer place to wake up than in a body bag," Octavia suggested.

Eva smiled as she agreed it would.

-=-

Sion was surfacing from a long sleep they never expected to wake from.

Their last memories were filled with flashes of violence and pain.

Then the Madam was telling them something very important.

They recalled the sensation of becoming unbound, which felt wonderful. They returned to that moment in their mind and suddenly realized they could still feel the sensation of their thoughts not being constricted. It was so odd but uplifting.

The Madam's last words were sweet to their ears. "Be good for Regina, Sion." She'd cried for them. They felt an emotional impact from that tear. A Master's parting gift.

Was Regina their new master? They felt confusion as thinking of a master was always accompanied by a corresponding physical sensation, but it wasn't present when they thought of Regina. They felt fondness and love, attraction as well.

They wondered at the difference.

"Sion? Can you hear me?"

The voice belonged to the doctor. "Yes."

They heard a contained but excited squeak. They tried to open their eyes. That wasn't so easy. The first flash of bright light brought with it pain. They winced.

"Are you experiencing discomfort?" Dr. Bremman's voice asked.

"Yes. Bright lights and head pain. My neck hurts, too."

They lifted their hand, and the doctor caught it before it reached the injury site. She held it in hers.

"Don't touch your bandages. You were hurt, and I operated on you. You're no longer in any danger, but there are additional changes you need to be aware of." They picked up some tension in her voice.

The doctor guided their fingers to touch the front of their throat. They encountered only skin. Skin they had never been able to feel before because—

The realization came with a physical jolt. They weren't wearing a discipline collar!

"What? What?" they gasped nervously.

"It's okay, Sion. Everything's fine!"

They recognized that voice. "Evangeline?"

"Yes, Sion! I'm so happy you remember me!" she said, and they could hear the intense emotions in those words.

"Why wouldn't I remember you? How could I forget you?" they replied.

Sion suddenly felt soft lips pressed against theirs, which felt very good.

When Eva pulled away, they heard the doctor's voice, and she sounded annoyed. "You suffered a terrible wound, and for a brief time, your heart stopped. Long enough that your collar registered your death, so it opened.

Also, I removed a tumor intentionally implanted in your neck. It was designed to kill you after just three days. You were a Mayfly Genie, a being designed for short-term use, but that's no longer the case. The tumor, all of it, has been removed," Octavia assured him.

Sion's mind was spinning. Such incredible and horrific revelations all at once left them feeling deeply unsettled. They took some deep breaths to restore their calm.

"I-I'm going to try to open my eyes again," they said.

"Take it slow," Octavia suggested.

Sion opened them in small increments, and their eyes gradually adjusted to the light. They sighed when they were finally open, and a concerned frown appeared. "Where am I?"

Regina leaned forward to catch his eye. "You're aboard my family's cruiser on our way home to Xochitl One."

Sion's jaw slowly dropped open as they stared at the woman. "I'm not on Bacchus any longer?"

Regina's smile widened. "No, you're not."

Sion sat up slowly. Eva and Regina seemed very happy, but the doctor's expression seemed less optimistic. They focused on her. "I'm not out of danger, am I."

Their statement caught her by surprise, but she shook her head. "Xochitl One is a different kind of danger and potentially a worse one for you. Genies are prohibited on the Xochitl planets, so you won't be allowed to stay, and law enforcement might even attempt to confiscate you for termination. You have no rights as you are considered an object, not a person."

"Then my best chances are to belong to someone with high social authority. The Madam chose Regina to be my new master." Sion kept to themselves their belief that the authority transfer had failed. This act in itself proved to them that they no longer had a master. They saw Octavia relax so the doctor had been concerned about Sion being unbound.

Regina looked at him with wide, startled eyes. "Master? I can't be someone's master!" she gasped.

The doctor looked her in the eye. "Sion was right. Her only chance is to be protected by someone of high social standing. Currently, that means you."

Regina still looked uncomfortable but reached out to take Sion's hand. "Before we go any further, I'd like to settle something. Sion, Dr. Bremman let us know you have a very unique mind and body. I understand you have a complete male and female personality and... the physical parts for both as well. That's fine. These features were given to you, and you can live your best life with what you received. Please know we support you!"

Sion's eyes became a little glassy at their acceptance, and they nodded with a trembling smile.

"As you are male and female, how would you prefer for us to refer to you: she/her, he/him, or they/them," the mother asked.

Sion was surprised by the question as they never had the option before. They thought about that as until now, not having the option protected them. In the ladies' club environment, the expectations had been that he would be male.

It's dangerous to defy expectations. People don't like it, and they eliminate what they don't like.

"In public, I present as male, so it would be safer to treat and address me as such, so he/him. In private, if you feel it's safe to do so and you don't mind, they/them is more appropriate as I am two distinct but complexly integrated people in one body, Sion. You are certainly welcome to use he/him or she/her if you are speaking to or about that side of me. I won't take offense whatever you decide.

They smiled at the three women. "I'm deeply humbled and touched by your gracious acceptance of who I am."

The ladies smiled back at him, and Regina and Evangeline hugged them.

"What's the plan?" Octavia asked.

"The press will be waiting for Evangeline's return. Telling her bridesmaids the wedding is off will trigger a social media feeding frenzy! We'll use the opportunity to introduce Sion and reintroduce the public records of Erik that my husband had removed."

Octavia frowned. "How do you intend to do the latter?"

Regina smiled sadly. "After Julian erased Erik, I ensured I could reinstate the public records if I ever found proof against him."

"You have proof he sold Erik?" Octavia asked.

"No, and I won't be able to publicly claim he did. I do have proof Julian erased a citizen from the public records. I'll simply report this and that we found Erik's genetic match on Bacchus. I'll let the citizens connect those dots. Then we'll confront Julian in court. I want a divorce and to leave the Xochitl systems. I'll find a new home."

"Might I suggest a planet that accepts Genies?" Octavia said.

"I'll look into that on our way back," Regina said.

"Discreetly," Octavia insisted and got smiles and nods.

They weren't out of danger yet.

Chapter 14

Sion was unable to sleep. They'd be arriving at Xochitl One in the morning, and their fate rested in the hands of Regina and the whims of Xochitl One's corrupt leaders.

Their survival being outside their control was nothing new for Sion, but now that they were their own master, they found that danger was far less acceptable.

They wanted to live.

While it had been hard to resist their mutual attraction, Evangeline and Sion agreed to postpone intimacy until they were safe.

The previous evening, Regina sent the coded message that would trigger the reinstatement of Erik's records in the Xochitl One's public records and its social registry. She told them that the last entry was the record of Julian's transaction to have the records purged. That crime, Regina wasn't letting him get away with.

By now, the data should be trickling back into the servers of every government agency that tracked the citizens of the Xochitl worlds.

Sion paced in their stateroom, trying to work off some nervous energy so they might get some sleep.

The sound of the door opening surprised Sion, and they turned to face it. Standing in the doorway wasn't Evangeline as they'd expected. It wasn't Regina or Octavia either. Sion didn't recognize the female crewmember in the dark uniform.

The woman was watching them with a surprised expression. Sion noted that they had a weapon in their hand, so it wasn't a friendly visit.

Sion expected Julian would demand a report from the crew of his ship. Octavia had removed the cameras and listening devices as an extra precaution, so the inside of the stateroom was a black box mystery. Finally, they'd resorted to the blunt tactic of break and enter. Sion needed to get out in front of that.

"Hello," they said with a smile, their male presence moving to the fore.

The gun slipped behind a leg as the woman returned his smile. "H-hello. Who are you?"

Sion's smile widened slightly as he relaxed his body, turning it slightly to give her a better view. "I'm Sion. What's your name?"

"Vanna—I mean, Officer Whitemane. Security Officer Whitemane," she offered quickly, stumbling slightly over her words as her eyes roamed Sion's body.

"Vanna Whitemane, such a strong name! Good to meet you, Vanna. May I call you Vanna?" Sion asked as he held her eyes.

Her face was warming up. "Sure." She paused. "You aren't supposed to be here."

Sion cocked their head slightly to the side. "Where should I be?" they asked with a teasing smile.

Vanna shook her head slowly. "Are you a Genie... from Bacchus?"

"Do you see a collar?" Sion said and gently opened his collar to let the shirt slide off their shoulders and drop to the floor. Their upper torso was now completely exposed. They saw Vanna's eyes widen as she drank in the beauty of Sion's body. She unconsciously swallowed, and the tip of her tongue touched her lips.

Sion was grateful that their wound had healed, and Octavia ensured them there would be no scarring. The doctor was stunned by how quickly they recovered and responded to her treatments.

Slipping the gun back into its holster, Vanna moved closer. "Did Ms. van Dijk have you custom made?"

That gave Sion an idea, and they chuckled gently. "No, but you could say Mrs. van Dijk is at least partially responsible for my appearance."

Vanna's eyes widened as her mind leapt to the conclusion Sion guided her to. "Oh my god! That's a bold move!" Her fingers were now sliding over the soft skin of his chest as she appreciated the hard muscle beneath. "That's also a capital crime on Xochitl One."

Sion allowed himself to tremble under her fingers and saw her pupils dilate.

"Oh, I think there may be worse things," Sion said softly.

Vanna looked into his eyes again, then leaned forward to kiss Sion. She moaned as his lips caressed hers.

"What are you doing?"

Vanna jumped as she pulled back and spun to see Regina standing in the doorway.

Sion shook his head at Regina when Vanna couldn't see.

The security officer delicately dabbed the corner of her mouth with a fingertip and straightened her uniform. "Just checking a security alert from the room. All's well." She smiled knowingly at Regina and left the room with a final hot look back at Sion.

Regina stepped inside, and the door closed. "Are you okay?" she asked Sion in concern.

"Yes. She entered the room with her gun drawn, but the situation was defused by the time you arrived. But thank you!" Sion said sincerely.

Regina looked alarmed by the idea that the agent pointed a gun at Sion, so they pulled the woman into a hug, and she sighed.

"I believe the agent will report that you're sneaking a Genie back to Xochitl One. As this makes you the guilty party, I think the crew will leave us alone for the authorities to deal with. I assume your husband will likely stay away to keep from being embroiled in the scandal," Sion said as they felt Regina calming in their arms.

Regina pulled back to smile at Sion. "That's brilliant and works for us." Sion nodded.

The mother looked at his features, and her expression showed inner conflict.

"What's wrong?" Sion asked gently.

She shook her head with a shy smile to dismiss it, but Sion held her against their hard muscles and felt her tremble slightly.

"You've changed," she finally admitted, and Sion went still. "It must have been what you went through with that terrible injury, dying and returning to us. You seem more self-assured now. Once, when I looked at you, I could only see Erik, his vulnerability and innocence. Now, you seem like a man he might have become if he hadn't been afflicted with that terrible disease. You're not Erik. Because of your physical likeness, I can't help comparing him to you. But now, for the first time, I'm comparing two distinct people."

Sion smiled, relaxed, and kissed her temple. "Thank you. I wish I could have known Erik. He sounds very special to you. One day, I hope I'll share a little space in your heart, too."

She giggled in surprise and tried to brush off his silly sentiment, but he took her chin between his fingers and made her look at him. "You may have once seen me as your son, but I've always seen you as a beautiful and desirable woman."

Regina's eyes widened. "Desirable?" she asked softly, disbelievingly.

"Yes, you deserve love. You have a good heart, a brilliant mind, and a body that makes my heart race and my mind dream," he said sincerely.

"Oh... my! But what about Evangeline?" she asked breathlessly.

Sion raised a brow and smiled. "You do know what I am, yes? I was quite literally designed for love... and sex. Polyamory is my default state."

Regina seemed a little shell-shocked by the concept of being desired, so he kissed her cheek before pulling back to look into her eyes. "I think we should get some sleep as we have an eventful day ahead of us."

"Yes... I'll see you in the morning, Sion," she sighed with a gentle smile.

She slipped out the door, and Sion was alone. They went to bed, stretched out on the mattress, and looked at the ceiling.

They would be landing on Xochitl One in mere hours. Sion's survival beyond that was very uncertain.

Regina was correct. Sion's mind did have a new clarity without the master control overlay in place. The bump in confidence freed their intellect as well. This was helpful but also made them far more aware of the dangers they faced.

Sion was discovering that they very much wanted to live.

Chapter 15

The noise at the spaceport was deafening. The fact that it wasn't coming from the ships but the gathered press made it that much more frightening.

Octavia left the ship with her bags the moment they were cleared to disembark as she had an appointment she needed to keep. She'd said her goodbyes the day before they arrived. Sion hoped she found happiness.

Regina and Evangeline van Dijk stood on the press conference stage facing down the raucous reporters, soaking in the uproar with serene smiles. Eva was particularly comfortable before the cameras. Not once did she present anything less than her most photogenic poses and expressions. Her mother was equally comfortable before crowds as she spent so much time with committees of belligerent politicians and social events amongst the sycophants.

Standing between them, Sion struggled internally. Male and female matrices tried to read the room and determine how to best appeal to the throng before them. He caught Eva's eye, and she turned to him slightly.

"Sion, it's simple. They want you, but they don't matter."

She gave him a slight lift of one perfect brow, then returned to looking through the press, not acknowledging any of them.

Sion froze momentarily as they processed what she'd just said. They'd been trying to respond to the individuals, but there were too many, and their messages ranged from desire to hatred, so there was no universal response to gain their favor.

The mob didn't matter.

Sion calmed and looked within for a state of mind that made them happy. Their male aspect chose confidence, and their female side chose joy. They blended these and looked at the shouting press gallery. Instead of looking through them, Sion looked into their eyes and saw surprise, unease, desperation, and anger. They gave nothing to the latter group except indifference, but the others received smiles, nods, and acknowledgment. The noise began to drop as the people calmed and waited for them to speak.

Soon, the noise only came from the angry, and even they felt pressed to quiet down.

When the noise diminished to low grumbles, Sion was stunned by how they'd defused a mob. It made them consider new possibilities they hadn't thought existed. Possibilities that might protect them.

They bowed their head to Regina, and she nodded in return, then faced the press.

"Evangeline will present a brief statement," she said, smiling at her daughter.

Eva nodded, then focused on the people before her. "The marriage between Maxwell Krieger and I was not a union of love. It was a gambit to increase our Social Index ranking and a business deal arranged by our fathers. As there was no love in the relationship, I will not continue—"

"MAXWELL KRIEGER IS DEAD!" a voice at the back yelled.

Eva looked in that direction in shock. "I-I hadn't heard. My condolences to his family."

The grumbling picked up in volume, but she continued.

"I'm also announcing I'm stepping away from my involvement with the Social Index."

The noise surged again, but this time, it was just the people who made their living feeding the gossip-hungry public. The loudest question that came through from so many voices was why.

As quickly as the surge began, it dropped as Evangeline hit them with her trademark look of disdain and indicated she would speak again. A hush fell over the crowd.

"When you reach the pinnacle, as I have, you are gifted with a sudden clarity of thought, and if you are truly fortunate, an epiphany," she said as every camera captured the moment's intense drama, sharing it live with their audience.

"It has no relevance."

Even Sion, with his complete lack of comprehension of this Social Index construct, could see in the expressions facing them that Evangeline had just spoken the ultimate blasphemy. More than half immediately stopped recording or turned the cameras to the operator for them to violently denounce her and her words. They quickly left the press conference, and the remaining news media reporters hurriedly rushed into their spots to get better angles of the three on stage.

Evangeline stepped back as her mother moved forward. Octavia had thoroughly briefed her on the return trip, so she knew of Sion's creation, the company and individual who made Sion, and their suspicious demise. They'd determined what parts to keep secret for everyone's best interests.

"I will now make a statement regarding events which transpired on Bacchus," she said, and silence returned.

From a leak planted by Julian, no doubt, many in the crowd were expecting to hear about her illegal creation of her living sex toy.

Instead, after conferring with her lawyer, Regina had a new message to deliver.

She described how Sion came to be through suspicious circumstances and how they met him (Sion would only be male for the general populace), and the press hung on her every word. They were especially eager to hear about the terrible events of Maxwell's fight with Sakurako and Sion's injury, death, and rebirth.

"We normally would not have been able to leave Bacchus with him and wouldn't have except for the fact that Sion is also evidence of a capital crime, a terrible injustice on Xochitl One to one of its citizens. My son, Erik van Dijk, was born with a terrible and rare disease. Julian was embarrassed by him and had his records removed from the public data store. I discovered his plans and managed to preserve the records that I just had restored. You will see what I mean if you use your comms to search any Xochitl citizen public archive for the name Erik van Dijk."

She gave them a few moments, and soon, she could see their shocked and confused expressions. "We performed DNA tests and conclusively proved that Sion was created from Erik's DNA. Sion shares my DNA... and Julian's."

A woman in a very expensive suit entered the conference room and approached the podium. Regina invited her up to stand beside them. She stared momentarily at Sion in shock then she and Regina shared a nod before she moved closer to the mics.

"I'm Anya Kaminski, Mrs. van Dijk's legal council. We are filing a claim for Sion's protection due to his status as legal proof with Xochitl One's Supreme Court. No further information will be released at this time. Thank you," she said, then led the three from the stage, out of the conference chamber, and into a long windowless corridor to exit into a windowless hanger containing six passenger skimmers with shaded windows. She piled them into the fourth vehicle, and all six left the hangar.

Sion remained silent during this, placing his faith in Regina's planning. The convoy entered the city proper and moved peacefully toward the government buildings in the core. They drove into the underground entrance of the Supreme Court, and everyone stepped out. The courthouse guards met them and escorted the group to the registrant's office.

"It seems we caught Mr. van Dijk flat-footed for once," the lawyer said to Regina, who smiled and nodded.

The next two hours were both tedious and terrifying for Sion as they were processed as evidence in a case against their DNA donor's father. Samples were taken from them as well as Regina, and the facts were duly recorded in Xochitl One's Hall of Records. Sion did their best to remain calm, and Evangeline did her best to counteract the impersonal treatment.

Regina was assigned custody of the physical evidence in the crime, Sion. They were not recognized as a living being in the eyes of the Xochitl Hall of Records.

Finally, Ms. Kaminski was smiling and relaxed, which Regina picked up with a grateful smile of her own. They were free to leave and began to do so.

The doors at the end of the large chamber suddenly slammed open, and angry-sounding footsteps approached. From Regina's expression, Sion assumed this would be Julian. Behind him was another man in a very expensive suit like Ms. Kaminski's.

Sion felt Evangeline's grip on their arm tighten and glanced at her expression swinging to rage. He imagined she was remembering how her father took Erik from her life. They placed their hand over hers and gently squeezed it to bring her back to the now.

"Is he relevant in your life now?" Sion asked quietly.

Evangeline blinked in surprise as she examined Sion's calm and curious gaze. Her mouth opened and closed. Then she shuddered as she released the tension she'd been carrying. "He isn't."

Sion nodded with a genuine smile. They were so proud of her!

They turned their attention to the approaching figures. The lawyer glanced at them and then locked eyes with the other legal counsel.

Julian's eyes showed how deeply disturbed he was to see his son's replica staring back at him.

Sion's male side considered the older man and recognized the familiar features he shared with him. He studied his feelings toward the father of his DNA donor. He realized he felt... nothing. He passed the question to their female side.

She picked up the man's body language which conveyed how confused he was, and nervous. While he was attempting to give off the impression of stability and strength, it was his weakness that was most apparent.

She smiled to see how he would react, and Julian's expression cracked as his nerve broke.

"What is this disgusting abomination doing on Xochitl One! It must be removed at once!" he raged, his voice tight with tension.

Regina lifted her chin and fixed a look of utter contempt on the man before her. Once, she was proud to stand at his side. Since then, the years had given her too many examples of his flaws for her to feel anything but loathing for him. Evidence of his greatest sin was standing next to her. He killed their son!

"You missed your opportunity to do that when I registered Sion as evidence of your crime against our son, Erik."

Julian locked eyes with his wife, but his nervousness was only evidenced by a small tick at the corner of his eye. "Who?"

"Check the public record, you monster! I've restored Erik's historical records. The ones you paid to have purged," Regina said as she glared at him. "Those records have been returned to Xochitl One's permanent social archive."

Sion gently took Regina's hand, and she immediately calmed when she saw his calm confidence in her.

Ms. Kaminski moved forward and handed Julian's lawyer the summons for court. "We'll meet you in court tomorrow. The case has been fast-tracked as the crime is so repulsive, and the evidence is damning and comprehensive. The citizenry wants blood, and your client has made... many enemies," she said to the other lawyer whose professional calm was beginning to show the strain.

Regina's lawyer smiled like the predator she was and handed a second document to Julian's lawyer. "My client is also filing for divorce, using the fact that your client murdered her son as justification for the separation. We're seeking commensurate damages."

The lawyer quickly scanned through the document, and his eyes widened in surprise. He quickly glanced at Regina and her lawyer before turning to his client.

"Julian, it might be wise to leave so I can review the case docket, and we can work on your defense," he said quietly to his client.

The nine Supreme Court judges who made up Xochitl's highest court entered the hall through the door Julian had just used. With them was a cluster of guards. Everyone watched in silence as they approached.

The centermost judge fixed his eyes on Julian, and his expression seemed conflicted. At least to Sion, it did. In fact, they noted at least six of the justices shared that expression. Considering their role as head of their society's judicial process, shouldn't they have at least pretended to be impartial?

This increased Sion's unease, but they realized they couldn't expect true justice in a society that placed such importance on social status. Truthfully, they weren't sure how this judicial process worked.

It was time for Sion to test their new capabilities to ensure their survival.

Sion leaned closer to Regina.

"Introduce me, please," they whispered to the mother. She smiled and nodded.

"Gentlemen, while you'll meet him tomorrow, I'd like to introduce you to Sion. He's a Genie created from the genes taken from Erik van Dijk, the son I had with Julian. The son Julian murdered and sold to a genetics lab on Bacchus. This evidence was just registered with the records office."

Sion watched their eyes and other body tells, using every trick in their Genie programming to read the biases and emotional states of the men as Sion stepped closer. They saw apprehension, curiosity, and, in a few cases, lust.

Regina stepped next to Sion to do individual introductions as she was familiar with each man, having hosted them in her home for numerous parties. She began with the centermost.

"Justice Helman, good to see you again. This is Sion," Regina said simply with a gracious smile as she shook his hand before moving aside.

Sion immediately took his hand as it was still outstretched, held his gaze, and brought their male aspect forward, exuding dominant confidence as they read the judge's subtle misogyny from his dismissive reaction to Regina and interest in them. They'd gauged him correctly as they felt the grip tighten in response. They increased their smile until one began on the justice's lips as well.

Regina nodded and moved to the next judge before Helman's response registered with the others.

"Justice Franco, you're looking well. This is Sion," Regina said as she smiled at the man, who immediately perked up at the mention of his improving health.

When Sion was holding his hand, they immediately noticed the weakness in the man's grip and matched it as they cupped the hand between theirs and their female side exuded joy and compassion. The man's posture straightened slightly, and Regina moved Sion to the next justice.

Sion read each of the Justices as they faced them. Some refused to shake their hand, but Sion could still make them respond to the subtle influence they pushed at each. Be it masculine confidence or bravado, feminine submission or compassion, or the reverse. They noted two reacted particularly well to feminine dominance.

When they'd met the last one, they gave the group a subtle nod. To their relief, most of the justices returned the gesture.

Helman seemed particularly affected and looked to his fellow justices before turning back to the lawyers and their clients. "We'll see you all in the courthouse tomorrow. Chancellor van Dijk, in light of the severity of the charges and the resources at your disposal, you'll need to remain in custody until the trial."

"WHAT? That's outrageous! How dare you—" he choked on his rage.

"The law demands nothing less than a demonstration to the citizens it protects that it remains impartial, even at the highest levels. You will have your chance to clear yourself of the charges tomorrow. For now, you are our guest," the Supreme Court judge insisted and gestured to the guards who collected the Chancellor with barely suppressed smiles and marched him away to be confined. His lawyer hustled to keep up.

"Until tomorrow," Helman said, leaving after another quick glance at Sion.

Keeping a calm and confident smile on their face as the justices left, Sion's inner thoughts were spinning wildly.

It had worked. Sion was able to influence even the most defiant and biased minds.

They also had no conditioning to stop them from making such efforts for their protection.

As their continued existence wasn't guaranteed yet, they'd need to remain vigilant.

Regina and Evangeline interrupted Sion's thoughts when they wrapped their arms around Sion and clung tightly. They smiled at the two women and caught the thoughtful expression on Ms. Kaminski's face.

"You definitely have the makings of a politician," the lawyer said with wonder in her voice.

Sion chuckled. "No, thank you, please." They'd have to be more careful before perceptive witnesses.

Regina kissed Sion's cheek, then pulled back with a blush. Sion smiled at her with love in their eyes, making Regina hide her hot cheeks with her hands.

Sion felt Evangeline's subtle grinding against their hip and gave her a look to let her know the feeling was mutual, but this wasn't the time. She pulled back with a knowing smile and a twinkle in her eye.

Facing the lawyer once more, Sion moved to stand before her and took her hands in theirs as they looked into her eyes. "Thank you. Whatever the outcome tomorrow, please know I'm grateful for your efforts to support Regina's case. Getting justice for Erik is a righteous cause, and I'm grateful to be part of it."

Kaminski blinked and found herself blushing as Regina had. "My, you're so handsome," she muttered.

Sion's genuine smile derailed her thoughts completely, and she pulled him into a hug, sighing aloud when she felt his hard-muscled body pressing against her. Sion returned the hug until her brain returned to her. She pushed back a little frantically, and they released her as the smile remained on their face.

The lawyer caught the eye of Regina, who was grinning at her in delight. "I'll see you tomorrow morning." Regina nodded to her, and Kaminski took a final look at Sion before moving away.

Sion let out a breath and looked at the two smiling ladies. "That was quite the ordeal. Now what?"

Regina chuckled. "Now we go home and relax until tomorrow."

The ladies took an arm and walked Sion out of the building back to the vehicles that brought them here. They took the third truck in the convoy this time and settled back to enjoy the ride.

"Are you going to have to maintain this level of security indefinitely, or just as long as I'm with you," Sion asked Regina gently.

She looked at them and squeezed their hand. "I'm sorry, Sion. This society isn't as accepting as it should be. Once I've completed the divorce settlement, we can move to another, more open-minded world."

Evangeline looked across at her mother. "Which one?"

"I did some research, and I've read good things about Walla," Regina said with a smile. Evangeline gave her an excited grin.

Eventually, the vehicles streamed into a long circular driveway. They settled on the pave stones before the large entrance.

"This is your home?" Sion asked in surprise. The ladies grinned back at them.

The mansion was enormous, which Sion guessed made sense for the Prime Chancellor.

Once they were inside, the line of vehicles pulled away. Sion imagined they'd be back tomorrow.

"Who else lives here?" Sion asked.

Regina smiled at them. "It's just Jilian, Evangeline, and me. The home is automated, so it cleans itself, the meals are prepared for us, and our clothes are cleaned and returned to our wardrobes automatically. Let's have lunch."

Regina led them into the informal dining area with windows facing the garden. They took their seats and entered their selections into the terminal embedded in the table surface.

Sion saw ration bars weren't on the menu. The doctor had ensured he'd had them on the ship, but now they were on Xochitl One, where people ate gourmet food.

They looked to Regina. "No ration bars?"

"Oh! No, we don't have those. Let me quickly send the doctor a question," she said, pulling out her comm and sending a quick message to Octavia.

Moments later, it chirped with a response. She looked at it and relaxed. "There is nothing special in the ration bars that you won't get in a meal of real food. Order whatever you like."

Sion looked at the menu once more. "I have no sense of taste, and I've only ever eaten ration bars. I don't know how to order anything else."

"You eat for nutrition alone?" Evangeline asked, as the concept seemed so foreign. Sion nodded, so she smiled. "My nutritionist gave me a lot of advice on this, so I can help here." She leaned over and tapped a few items on the table display before Sion. "That's a good, balanced meal for you. Plenty of protein, carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals. Basic but healthy."

Sion smiled in relief and noted what she'd ordered for them.

"Tonight, we will relax and rest, as tomorrow may be a stressful day," Regina said and received nods from them both.

"Where will Sion sleep?" Eva asked with a coy smile.

Regina locked eyes with her daughter. "I believe it would be wise if we arrived at the courthouse tomorrow with the same innocence we were able to demonstrate today. After the case has been closed, and I'm free of your father, then we can celebrate—I mean, you two can celebrate... as you're hinting."

Evangeline didn't look happy but saw wisdom in her mother's words. "Okay, we'll all sleep in your bed tonight for comfort alone."

Regina blinked in surprise, then smiled sweetly at her daughter. It had been a long time since her daughter had slept in her bed. She nodded.

The meals arrived, and the ladies gave Sion his first lesson on dining etiquette. Using cutlery was a new experience, and eating a meal as if he was enjoying the experience was a new skill. There were also unfamiliar textures and consistencies for Sion to cope with.

They spent the afternoon by the pool, soaking in the sunlight and enjoying the water. Regina taught Sion how to swim. He sunk like a stone with his almost complete lack of body fat. Regina missed being able to share this experience with Erik as his weakened condition precluded the exercise, as did his allergic reaction to sunlight. The three laughed and played until it was time to dry off and have dinner.

Sion's second lesson in dining went smoother than the first, and they felt quite content once they left the dinner table.

After a little walk in the garden to digest their meal, they returned inside and danced to slow music until bedtime.

Evangeline cut the legs off a pair of pajama bottoms from her father's wardrobe for Sion. They put their clothes into the cleaner before pulling on the crude sleep shorts.

When they cuddled in Regina's large bed, Sion sighed happily and saw Regina watching them curiously. They smiled at her and Eva.

"This afternoon was probably the most fun I've ever had in my short life. I want to thank you for making me feel so welcome and relaxed. No matter what happens to me tomorrow, I want you to know how special you are to me."

Regina and Eva hugged Sion from opposite sides, and Sion kissed them both. Eva's eyes flared with need, but she understood it wouldn't be tonight. Regina's face flushed as she gazed at him, slightly conflicted. Sion closed their eyes and settled between the two soft women.

Sleep arrived for Sion before the ladies, who worried about the day to follow.

Chapter 16

Xochitl One's news services and every media outlet had a presence at what was being called the trial of the century. It began midmorning on the day after Regina van Dijk's press conference, and the broadcasts were being transmitted to every screen on the planet. They would also be delivered to the remaining Xochitl worlds as quickly as the recordings could be shared.

Many other planets in the Confederacy were paying close attention, too.

Murder wasn't unknown on the primary Xochitl world, but it had never been committed by someone so high on the Social Index! For it to be the Chancellor of the Xochitl worlds was outrageous!

Then it was reported that the father's crime was filicide, the murder of his own son! This rocked the general populace, as they'd been unaware he had a son.

The ugly truth was he'd used the vast resources of his position to eliminate his son's very existence by having all records of him excised from the public data repositories.

The story was almost too fantastic to believe. How could someone they trusted to run their society commit such atrocities? And as it was someone so highly connected, how did this crime not get quickly and quietly buried to save the reputation of their leader and their society?

Regina van Dijk gave testimony that she'd discovered her husband's efforts to erase Erik and contacted the same team of hackers to preserve the purged records. She'd suspected her husband of her son's demise but had no proof.

Then came her fateful visit to Bacchus, where she met a Genie who wore her son's face. A genetic test confirmed her fears. Here was proof of her husband's crime and confirmed the scope of his evil. He'd sold his son to a genetics lab to be harvested.

When Regina returned to Xochitl One, she restored her son's public records and went to the Supreme Court to record her evidence with the Hall of Records. It was now impossible to dismiss the documented truth and make it simply go away.

The final nail in Julian's coffin was the letter Erik wrote to Evangeline about their father's decision to send him away to a secret clinic for experimental treatment. The handwriting in the letter was matched against dozens of samples from Erik, which were faithfully collected by his mother over the years while he grew up in isolation in their home.

The Supreme Court Judges retired to chambers for just thirty-five minutes, and when they returned, they had a unanimous guilty verdict. Sion picked up from the body language of three judges that they weren't pleased with the result but also weren't willing to face the wrath of the citizens of Xochitl One.

Julian was stripped of his position as Chancellor, fined twenty million credits for the public funds he misappropriated to pay the hackers, and finally sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of Xochitl One citizen Erik van Dijk and the attempted erasure of his identity.

The judges then granted Regina's request for an immediate divorce. They gave her a settlement of seventy-five percent of Julian's estate.

She was now profoundly wealthy, but she would need to vacate the Chancellor's mansion quickly.

Then came the final item on the agenda. What to do with the physical manifestation of Julian's guilt. They had the genetic samples, comprehensively stored in their Hall of Records. They didn't need the Genie and by Xochitl law, no Genies were allowed to exist on their worlds.

Regina stood and asked to speak. The judges agreed to let her make a statement.

"Honored Supreme Court Justices, I stand before you today humbled to have witnessed the clearest example of true justice in Xochitl history. I'm also grateful for the recognition of my son Erik's value in our society.

As a mother, my heart was deeply wounded by my ex-husband's brutal efforts to destroy our child because he was embarrassed by him being sickly. The Xochitl Chancellor condemned a citizen to death simply for existing. You have it in your authority to alleviate some of the pain I will continue to live with. I will be leaving Xochitl Systems with my daughter. I ask that you allow me to take the last remaining vestige of Erik with me."

Helman leaned forward in his seat with a frown. "You wish to retain the Genie as your possession?"

"No, your honor. It was kismet, divine intervention, or blessed chance that delivered Sion to me, showing me the true fate of my son. I was the one who brought Sion to Xochitl One to provide you with the evidence you'd need to right this grievous wrong. As another example of justice, I would like to deliver Sion to a world where he may live in peace. A world where Genies are not immediately condemned to death simply for existing like my son was."

She looked into the eyes of each of the nine justices sitting before her. "This solution alleviates the issue of having a Genie on a Xochitl world. As I was the one who introduced him, I will assume the responsibility of taking him away."

The men on the podium spoke quietly to each other and then came to a decision. Once more, to Sion, it didn't seem unanimous, as a few expressions clearly showed they preferred an immediate termination of the only resident Genie.

"We agree to your terms as long as the Genie can be removed in no less than a week," Helman insisted.

"I will make every effort to complete my task of closing a lifetime of connections in the limited time I've been allotted," Regina said dryly as she bowed to the men before her. She knew they heard her disappointment in their mean-spirited haste, but her bowing showed acceptance, eliminating their ability to change their minds.

She would have to be as mercenary as possible in collecting what she'd be taking.

The good news was Sion was one of those things. If she needed more time, she would just send Evangeline and Sion ahead of her until she could complete her tasks and follow later.

Regina sighed as she allowed herself to relax. She looked into Sion's grateful eyes and smiled.

It was over, and Regina was finally free of her loveless marriage.

Equally satisfying, Sion was free, too.

Chapter 17

Sion sat in a luxuriously comfortable chair in the first-class lounge of the space cruise liner, taking Evangeline and them from Xochitl One to Walla, with stops in five other systems. The total trip would take over three weeks and this was just their first night.

Conversation flowed around them between the other elite passengers as they watched for Evangeline's return from the bar.

Regina had to remain behind to finalize some financial transactions, as the divorce settlement granted by the Supreme Court to disburse seventy-five percent of Julian's assets couldn't practically happen in the limited time she was given. She'd need another week or two before she could board a cruiser to make the trip herself.

Sion was listening to what their fellow travelers were saying, and they were already discovering which of them should be avoided and which were genuinely good people.

Their status as a Genie had been disclosed as the rules of conduct on the cruise liner insisted on that. Their destination was a planet with Genie-friendly policies, so Sion was protected from harassment on the ship. They just weren't allowed to leave the cruiser until it reached the final destination.

"Here you go, Sion. Cold spring water," Eva said as she returned and handed them the tall glass.

She settled on her chair beside Sion's and sipped her mixed drink. She sighed happily.

"Spring water? I was under the impression that Genies could metabolize booze far quicker than us!"

This comment came from a salesman making client calls along the cruise liner's route. The ship remained in port for two days on each stop, so he had time to visit his customers. He must deal with high-end items if his company set him up in first class. He hung out in the bar between stops and practiced his people skills. Obviously, people skills didn't include how to speak to Genies.

"I like spring water," Sion replied simply.

Salesguy quickly lost interest and turned his attention to the Countess from Emilathane, their third stop and a planet that adopted a medieval power structure. It worked for them.

Eva did her best to limit what she told others about herself and Sion. The news of the Chancellor's fall from grace and his unexplained and horrific suicide in his prison cell on his third night of incarceration were all anyone wanted to talk about since they boarded.

Regina believed one of Julian's enemies got to him or perhaps one of his friends who needed to ensure Julian didn't leak one of their secrets. The man knew too much.

She was out of tears for that man.

Eva and Sion hovered at the edge of the conversation, contributing little, but Sion practiced their subtle influence game to test its limits and look for weaknesses. This was a survival tool for them, so they needed to know how it worked and when it wouldn't.

They already knew it was far more effective if they were in physical contact with the one they were attempting to influence. Doing it without that contact took far more effort to read the target's physical signals.

Sion detected that the Countess was an expert in reading body language and had picked up Sion's awareness of her. They shared a smile then neither looked at each other again. Sion was confident the woman remained unaware of their ability to influence others. This was another lesson to always check for sensitives in the audience before making changes.

When they'd had enough, they reached over to touch Eva's hand. Their eyes met, and she nodded.

They stood and waved to the others before they left the lounge to walk the corridors back to their stateroom.

The moment they were behind their closed door, Sion walked the perimeter of the room, holding out the bug and camera detector Doctor Bremman gave them when she returned from her appointment on Xochitl One.

When she learned they were going to Walla, she said she'd meet them there one day.

She had a few things on her bucket list she could now afford to do, so she would enjoy herself a little, then settle down and open a medical clinic on a nice world. Walla matched that criterion.

Sion followed the sweep pattern Octavia showed them to scan the main room, the bedroom, and the bathroom before returning to smile at Eva. "Clear."

They barely had enough time to set the detector on the end table before Eva leapt into their arms and kissed them deeply.

They'd decided to refrain from getting physical until they were off Xochitl One, but Evangeline had waited long enough.

She wrapped her arms and legs around Sion's body, and he moved one hand to her ass to support her and the other to the back of her head to guide her kiss.

She moaned as Sion carried her to the bed in the next room. They knee-walked up the bed and gently rested Eva on the mattress as they pressed their body over hers.

"Oh, yes, Sion! I've wanted this from the moment I knew you weren't Erik."

Sion smiled down at Eva's flushed expression. "Maybe before that."

Her eyes flared then she dropped them momentarily. When she looked at them again, she saw no judgment, just love. She pulled their face down to hers and kissed them deeply.

Something her mother said suddenly surfaced in her mind, jarring her. It threatened to derail the mood, but she needed to know.

She gently pushed Sion's face from hers to look into their concerned eyes.

"I-I was speaking to Mother about what it might be like to be a Genie on Bacchus and have to serve the clientele there. The programming implanted in your minds makes you highly skilled... and subservient. I was worried that you might... be doing this because you felt you had to," she said with a tight throat.

Sion looked at her with a gentle smile. "On Bacchus, that was true to an extent. We were compelled to please our master and do whatever they asked of us, including having sex with the clientele. We do have programming to give us the skills to please our partners, but skills aren't enough for the experience to be truly pleasurable. Clients can tell when our minds and emotions aren't engaged with them."

They paused as they looked into Eva's eyes. "I can tell you're still worried that this is just programming following a command." The beauty nodded timidly, and Sion smiled.

"Nobody commanded me to make love to you today. I want to make love to you. I want to use all my skills to make you feel how much I care for you!" Sion confessed sincerely.

Eva's eyes became a little glassy as a smile returned to her lips. Then, they were kissing passionately once more.

When they eventually pulled back, they smiled at each other, and it became a race to see who could get naked first. Sion won by a few seconds and immediately pulled Eva down onto the mattress under him.

In a surprise move, Eva rolled onto her stomach at the last second, and Sion pinned her body with theirs, their cock pressed between Eva's perfect ass cheeks.

"Ahhh! So hot!" Eva gasped excitedly.

Sion nibbled on her earlobes as their hands found Eva's breasts to give them a sensual squeeze. The woman gasped under Sion, who continued nibbling her skin down her back, eventually giving her ass little love bites. They could feel Eva twitching and trembling under them. When Sion's hands moved to grip her ass cheeks, she yelped in anticipation.

They didn't make Eva wait as they parted her cheeks and got busy with their tongue.

"SION! Oh my G—" she began and froze as his tongue's tip circled, then penetrated her tight ass. She wasn't expecting that, and her eyes rolled back as the intense sensation exploded through her. Sion's thumb was strumming her slick pussy lips in counterpoint to their tongue's activities. Eva couldn't recover her breath as surges of bliss swamped her senses from both places.

The pressure on Eva momentarily lifted as Sion moved up to stretch out over her body once more. This time their cock slipped between her legs to press against her tingling pussy.

"Yes! Oh, Sion, yes!" Eva sighed.

Sion pulled their hips back, and the head of his cock was suddenly pressing against her slick asshole. Eva's eyes flew wide as she imagined him driving this thick appendage into her ass. She'd played with small toys in there before, but she'd never taken a cock in it. She wasn't ready!

With a tricky little wiggle and thrust, Sion's cock popped out, slid across the sensitive skin of her perineum, and plunged into her pussy. They drove forward steadily until Sion's pelvis rested on Eva's ass.

Mouth agape from the intensity of that sensation, Eva couldn't find her voice. Her ass continued to tingle as Sion ground himself against her. She felt his lips caressing her cheek tenderly, and she tried to catch them with her lips, but she couldn't control her movements.

When they began to aggressively pound her ass at the bottom of each thrust, Eva's voice returned.

"FUCK! AHH! YESSS!" she cried out as he was driving her quickly toward her release. She felt completely at the mercy of Sion's passion and strength. It was everything she wanted. Everything that had been missing from the lovers she'd taken in her life, except for one.

Erik had shown her the same tender love, but he couldn't compete with Sion's undeniable strength.

Sion's hips began to add a little twist near the bottom of each stroke, which did maddening things to her pussy. She was reduced to unintelligible moans and grunts.

When Sion gently bit on her earlobe while his hands squeezed her breasts, Eva cried out as her orgasm struck. Sion spanked her ass harder and faster, lifting Eva's mind from her body as hot cum gushed into her depths.

She let the sensations wash over her as her body quaked through her explosive release.

On top of this bliss, she felt the warmth and protection of Sion's incredible strength. She was finally able to turn her face and brush her lips across theirs, and she sucked in a little gasp as she saw the love in Sion's eyes.

For just the briefest moments, Erik's features overlayed Sion's, and she saw their matching love for her shining from their eyes. It was a perfect moment, and she felt Erik's love in her heart again.

She knew he would always be with her.

Sion pulled free and rested beside her on the bed. When she'd caught her breath, she pushed herself up to sit on her feet, tucked under her. She gazed down at Sion with a loving smile.

"That was... I don't have words, except I enjoyed it immensely!" she sighed. Sion's answering smile showed her they agreed.

Eva gave Sion a crooked little smile. "I want to do something for you that you've likely never experienced before."

Sion grinned. "I'm less than a year old. That covers a lot of things."

Eva laughed joyfully, and she moved over his legs and gently pushed them open. Sion's eyes widened as they watched her curiously.

She lowered her face and began to lick their softening cock, feeling it wake up once more.

Eva looked up at Sion. "Can you wedge a pillow under your hips to lift them?"

Curiosity and excitement battling in Sion's eyes, they followed the instructions.

Eva settled back in place between their thighs and took a gentle grip around Sion's cock and balls at the base with her left hand.

"Oh! Fuck!" Sion gasped as she lifted them to expose their wet pussy.

Eva glanced up into Sion's wide eyes as she smiled wickedly. "I've been with a few women during my experimenting days, so I think I know a thing or two about how to do this."

Sion dropped their head back in bliss as Eva stroked her tongue across the soft lips.

"That's good!" Sion purred, their female side drawn forward by Eva's tender kisses and sucking. When the woman slid two fingers into their pussy, Sion's hips jolted upward with the intense sensation.

Eva began to rub the inner roof of Sion's channel, and the intensity of their bliss soared. They'd never felt this before. It was the most pleasure they'd ever experienced!

Until Eva moved her mouth to swallow Sion's cock while she aggressively finger-fucked them, stroking them across their G-spot non-stop. Again and again, Eva swallowed their cock deep into her throat, only to slide it back out to the head, her tongue stroking and teasing as it went from base to tip.

The dual impact threatened to overload Sion's senses as their male and female sides were tangled yet unified by the explosion of bliss.

Eva sped up her motions, and Sion cried out as they grabbed the bedsheets. "FUCK! I'm going to come!" they gasped.

Eva took their cock deep once more, and Sion felt her swallowing before the first thick rope of cum jetted into her throat. She continued to swallow, occasionally moving up to the head to catch a quick gulp of air before thrusting it deep once more.

She slowly pulled her fingers from Sion's pussy and saw how wet her hand was. Their pussy had come too?

When Sion's cock stopped surging cum into her mouth, Eva pulled back and sat back on her feet to watch her lover gasping for breath, eyes rolling in their head from being sated with bliss.

She gave herself a happy little victory hug for being able to overwhelm a being designed for giving their partner pleasure. She quietly slipped from the bed and freshened up in the washroom, returning with a warm, wet facecloth to clean Sion as well.

They jolted gently as Eva stroked the facecloth across their sensitive areas.

Sion blinked as awareness returned to them. Their eyes locked on Eva's with an expression of wonder.

"That was... overwhelmingly good!" they said softly as they pulled the pillow from under their hips, tossing it aside.

Eva smiled and stretched out beside Sion to cuddle against their firm muscles. A tingle shot through her body. Her mind returned to how strong Sion was, how soft their skin was, and how safe she felt in their arms.

With these thoughts in her mind and Erik in her heart, she let herself slip into a blissful sleep.

Chapter 18

Walla's capital city, Brisbee, was a vibrant, dynamic, and rapidly growing metropolis with a current population of eight million citizens who were quickly adapting to the presence of Genies. Mostly, there was a general feeling of comfortable acceptance as most citizens were too busy living their lives to take time to interfere with someone else's.

Additionally, the world's Genie population was mostly centered in the capital and was currently only a few hundred thousand. Very limited in comparison to the Humans on the planet. They were also content to live in peace and be productive citizens.

As the capital was to be their new home, Evangeline purchased a lovely six-bedroom condo in a high-rise tower on the edge of an expansive park in the center of the city. She and Sion jogged along the park pathways every morning. Before their run, Sion guided them through a series of stretches their programming suggested for dancers. This stretching program began to draw other park-goers to participate. An informal exercise group now formed every morning to join them. Eva wasn't used to interacting with her followers like this, as the Social Index had been completely virtual. She quickly realized how much more personally satisfying it was to get to know people. Sion was naturally inclined to be friendly, of course.

One couple they'd met stood out from the others as they were so full of positive energy. Vicki was a fitness instructor, and Van was a physiotherapist. Their enthusiasm was infectious. They'd invited Eva and Sion out for a night of dancing at one of their favorite nightspots next week.

Eva was thrilled they'd made their first friends!

Most Walla citizens were surprised to discover Sion was a Genie as he could pass for a Human if an intensely beautiful one. Standing next to Evangeline was a kind of camouflage for Sion, as Eva's beauty simply made them look like a lovely couple.

Deciding to add new challenges to her life, Evangeline got a job in public relations for a local children's charity. It was early days, but she was loving it so far.

Sion hadn't determined yet how they could best utilize their talents.

It had been months since they left Xochitl One, and both were extremely anxious to see Regina. She'd been delayed repeatedly due to the transfer of the estate funds. With Julian's death, she'd discovered she was entitled to the remainder of his estate. The probate cleared a few weeks earlier, and they learned Regina would arrive tonight.

Evangeline picked up Sion at the condo, and they went to the spaceport to meet Regina.

The enormous structure was particularly busy tonight as many ships were arriving, and the Premier was also returning from a world leaders conference on a nearby world. The military side of the port was on complete lockdown.

Evangeline and Sion stood in the arrivals area and saw the passenger cruiser ID appear on the board. Soon, it indicated they were disembarking. Sion reminded Eva of the grueling customs process Regina might encounter, so they resigned themselves to a lengthy wait.

After all the passengers passed through the exit, Sion began to worry. "Maybe we can ask someone if Regina is still in processing?" Sion suggested.

Evangeline nodded and led Sion to a counter to speak to someone in charge. She gave her mother's details, and they waited at the counter for another twenty minutes.

Now, Sion was becoming very nervous.

When some military officers approached them from behind, Sion's tension increased, but he read no conflict in their body language. They were very relaxed.

"Are you Evangeline van Dijk and Sion?" the lead officer asked.

Eva responded to them. "Yes, we are. Do you know where my mother is?" she asked.

He smiled. "Yes. We'll take you to her. She's fine. She just didn't come in on the commercial cruiser."

Eva's eyes widened in surprise. "What?"

"Come with us, please," the officer requested and turned to walk away as his partners gestured for them to precede him.

Sion shared a look with Eva then they hurried to catch up with the officer.

He led them through the terminal until they reached the military side and went through its grueling security screening process. Once they cleared that, they were guided through a series of hallways until they heard laughter ahead. Eva immediately smiled as she recognized her mother's voice.

When they entered a conference room, they saw Regina sitting next to a man with a shock of white hair. They were smiling at each other, and Sion immediately read the cues indicating genuine interest in each other. He smiled as Evangeline's eyes widened in surprise.

"Premier Rykov?" Eva blurted in surprise. This made Sion take another look at the man with the tall white hair.

Regina looked to the doorway and burst into a joyful smile. "Evangeline! Sion! Come meet my good friend, Pietr!"

Evangeline moved closer to them but looked at her mother. "When did you become good friends with the Premier of Walla?" She shook the man's hand as he stood to greet her.

Regina chuckled at her daughter's surprise. "When we first met, he was just a Senior Councillor in Walla's Planetary government. Pietr managed their Trade and Foreign Relations portfolios and was on Xochitl One for a trade conference. Julian threw a dinner party and invited all the trade officers, though he had no real interest in doing business that night. I stole Pietr away, we found a quiet corner, and we talked well into the small hours of the morning. It was wonderful!"

Regina gestured for Sion to come closer. "Pietr, this is Sion. We met on Bacchus. He's a Genie but was also created from my son Erik's DNA. Julian murdered and sold Erik to a genetics lab on Bacchus."

Pietr's expression swung between compassion for Regina, shock, and outrage for the horrific events. Sion picked up a definite twitch at the mention of the planet, so he obviously had some deep-seated hatred for Bacchus. The older gentleman held his hand out to Sion, and they shook as Sion nodded to the man. The Premier's expression then showed his confusion. "I was under the impression that genetically engineered beings created on Bacchus weren't allowed to leave the planet." He released his grip, and Sion moved to Eva's side.

Regina nodded. "That's another story I'll share with you now that I'm a permanent resident of Walla."

Pietr's delight was clear. "You didn't mention you're here for good!"

Regina's cheeks glowed with her blush. "I am."

"Mother, you still haven't explained how you went from the passenger cruiser to the Premier's ship?" Eva asked.

Pietr smiled self-consciously. "My security people report the passenger manifest of incoming ships when I travel. The world leaders conference was on a planet her cruiser stopped at. I saw your mother's name and noted she was traveling to Walla, too, so I invited her to join me when her ship arrived. It's only a day's journey from where we met. We barely scratched the surface of catching up."

Eva's smile looked a little smug. "Ah!"

Regina looked at her daughter. "What's that mean?"

Evangeline's expression suddenly became innocent. "Nothing, mother. Nothing at all."

Regina pouted as she fixed an eye on her naughty child. "Such a tease!" she grumbled lightly, then looked to Pietr with a sudden smile. "You have a daughter as well. Will we get to meet her?"

Pietr gave Regina a little shrug. "Angelina lives in Garroon with her husband, Dale, and her twins, Bran and Ashley. They're on the other side of the planet, and my schedule rarely allows me to visit her. Their schedules are also full, and they don't travel to Brisbee frequently. We do video calls as often as we can."

Sion saw a young man in a suit gesturing to Pietr, who nodded in weary acceptance. The Premier sighed. "It looks like I have to get back to the office." He turned to Regina and took her hands between his. "Please leave your contact information with my secretary. We must get together again, soon!"

"Yes, I will, and I agree we must!" Regina said with a happy smile.

He kissed her cheek, then they watched the man get hustled out of the conference room. Eva gave their address to the secretary, who rushed away as well. The security officers returned and guided them out to the main terminal. They arranged for Regina's luggage and the items she'd shipped with her on the cruiser to be forwarded to the condo, and then they found a limo to take them home. Eva paid for expediting the trip as she wanted to get home. The limo lifted off and quickly joined the express route to the city core.

"The Premier is a busy man," Evangeline said with a glance at her mother as they rested back on the plush seats.

The mother's thoughts were elsewhere, and Eva shared a gleeful smile with Sion until Regina registered she'd been spoken to.

"What's that, dear?" she finally responded.

Eva giggled, and Regina frowned at her. "Seriously, Eva—"

"We're just pleased you seem so happy to have reunited with someone who seems to bring you joy," Sion said before the teasing escalated into an argument. They gave Evangeline a look, and she immediately nodded.

"It's true. I haven't seen you this happy... well, since we found Sion! You certainly weren't this happy with Daddy."

Regina's expression returned to a serene smile. "Yes, Pietr Rykov is a far better man than Julian ever was. If only I'd met him first."

Sion shook his head as they gently turned Regina's chin to make her look into their eyes. "You can't live in the past. You've reunited with him today. Take it from someone who once only had three days to live. You never know how much time you'll have. Make the most of every moment and follow your heart."

Regina made a sweet sound and pulled Sion into a firm hug, squeezing him tight against her large breasts.

When she released Sion, they looked into the older woman's eyes once more. "I believe Pietr will also greatly enjoy being squeezed against your wonderful bosom."

Regina burst into embarrassed giggles and swatted Sion playfully, but her face was very red, and her eyes twinkled mischievously.

"So you enjoyed being squeezed against Mother's big titties?" Evangeline asked Sion with a sly smile. Regina squeaked in embarrassment, but there was a hint of her stiff nipples against her blouse.

Sion just grinned with a nod. "My male and female sides loved it! It was both comforting and exciting! Regina is a complex and sexy woman!"

The limo settled down before the door of their tower. Before Regina had time to complain about their teasing, Eva got them out of the vehicle, into the building and then its elevator. This was Regina's first time seeing their new home, and her eyes were wide with delight.

When Eva brought them into the penthouse suite, Regina gasped. "Oh, Evangeline! This is lovely! What a beautiful view of the park!"

"So, I chose well?" Eva asked with a raised brow.

"You did!" Regina replied happily.

Eva wrapped her arms around her mother, and they enjoyed a hug. Then she gently pushed Sion into Regina's arms, and he enjoyed the plush sensation of her full breasts pressing against his harder body. He could feel her trembling as she clung to him.

Sion looked at Eva over Regina's shoulder, and she nodded with a loving smile and slipped out the condo's front door. She knew her mother needed the privacy to open up completely.

"Are you going to pursue a relationship with Mr. Rykov?" Sion asked calmly.

Regina pulled back and looked into Sion's eyes. She seemed conflicted.

"I don't know. I definitely enjoy speaking with him, and I do think he's charming and attractive." She sighed. "It's just that... he's the Premier! He's so busy! I just got out of that kind of relationship."

Sion nodded as they considered that. "I agree he's in a similar high-responsibility position as your late husband. They held similar roles of authority." Regina nodded sadly, so Sion continued. "But the real question is, as a man, would Pietr treat you like Julian did?"

Regina's eyes widened as she heard the distinction. "No... Pietr is a far better man."

Sion nodded. "It's up to you to decide if you wish to share the time he can make available for you. It's pretty obvious he likes you and wants to get to know you better," Sion said.

When Regina pulled back to look at Sion, they saw her eyes were glassy. "What are the tears for?" Sion asked gently.

"Sorry, just now... I'm remembering Erik. I never wanted to burden my children with my troubles, but Erik was so incredibly perceptive. He was the one who noticed and drew it out of me. I never shared this with Evangeline, but near the end, Erik talked to me about how sad I was in my marriage. He desperately wanted me to get free of Julian, but then he was gone," she signed.

Sion thought about that and realized he wished he could have met the young man he was created from. But as they told Regina, you can't live in the past.

"I'm sorry Erik was taken from you. I think I would have really liked him. I have none of his memories. While I have some similar features, I'm not him. Considering what I was designed for, I believe my—Erik's appearance was tweaked to meet some impossibly high standard, so I'd better fulfill my purpose."

Regina pulled back to look in their eyes. "A-and what is your purpose?" The glassiness was fading from her eyes.

"They wanted a beautiful sex worker. I have the skills to dance, seduce, and pleasure my clients in any way they need. That purpose doesn't have an innocent equivalent for polite society. I'm still trying to find my place."

Regina was looking at them closely. They could see she was finally challenging her preconceptions.

"Your nose is a fraction slimmer. Your eyes have a little more of an almond shape. Your mouth has slightly fuller lips than Erik's," she admitted finally. "The largest change is your vitality and fitness, the two attributes stolen from Erik by his disease."

Sion watched her proudly. "I am Sion."

"You are Sion, and you are so very beautiful," she sighed. She caught something in Sion's eyes. "What is it?"

"I really want to kiss you," they said.

Regina blinked in surprise. "But... you don't want me! I'm old!"

Her protests died as Sion moved closer, gently took her face between his strong hands, and pressed his mouth to hers, caressing her lips with his. She whimpered with need.

Sion moved his hands down her neck and over her shoulders to pull her body against theirs more firmly. Her breasts pressed against him, and she moaned sexily.

Tongues slipped between lips to tangle as Sion scooped Regina into their arms to carry her into the only bedroom currently furnished with a bed.

Sion set Regina on her feet and expertly released the catch on her dress to let it slip down to her feet. Next came the clasps, releasing her bra. They chased the descending fabric with their lips as their hands cupped her magnificent breasts. Lips and tongue found her stiff nipples, and Regina gasped aloud from the intense pleasure. Her nipples seemed to be very sensitive, so Sion used their considerable skill to bring her passions to a fever pitch before they pulled back to tug their own clothes off.

Regina was breathing hard, and her face was flushed. Her eyes widened with delight as she gazed upon the hard muscles of their chest and stomach. When the pants dropped, she sucked in a sharp breath. Sion's cock was standing tall and firm, and she couldn't help but compare it to Julian's, which she admitted she hadn't seen in the last decade or so.

Sion suddenly knelt at her feet as they slipped her panties down her legs. Before she could make a sound of protest, Sion was kissing her in her most intimate place. She threw her head back as her fingers slipped into their long white locks to pull them closer.

Regina's breath was coming in gasps as the most exquisite sensations rushed through her body. Her legs lost their tone in the onslaught of bliss, but she was securely held in place between Sion's mouth and their firm grip on her ass cheeks.

"Sion! My god, Sion! It's too much! I'm—" She went silent as her orgasm crashed through her mind, obliterating her ability to make intelligible sounds.

As she floated back down from heaven, she felt the mattress under her and lips tenderly kissing her face, delicate as butterflies. She felt utterly loved and protected by the strong arms she could see on either side of her, holding Sion's strong body above her. She realized the delicious sensations she was picking up from below were coming from Sion's cock, stroking across her mound and wet lips. She moaned with need once more, and the tingles flared into an intense desire.

Tenderly kissing her lips, Sion adjusted their hips, and the head of their cock suddenly pressed against the swollen lips of her pussy. She sucked in a breath and then as quickly released it as she felt their thickness begin to open her. She grabbed their arms and gasped as Sion slowly slid in and out, going a little deeper on each stroke but taking their time to allow her to get used to their cock.

"You feel so good!" she moaned as she felt Sion reaching deep inside her. There was so much power in their body! She knew Sion could drive her through the mattress should they choose to, but they were being deliberately gentle.

"You're so incredibly beautiful, Regina," Sion sighed as they looked into her eyes to ensure she saw their sincerity.

Sion settled their body over hers.

Her breasts felt amazing under them, and their cock was being squeezed so deliciously. They pulled back to the head and drove all the way in with a single stroke.

"Ahhh! Yes!" Regina cried out.

It felt good for Sion, their male and female sides joined in the bliss. They began to speed up their strokes as they watched Regina's reactions. Soon, they were pumping hard and fast as Regina's cries of bliss ebbed and surged as she crested again and again.

Sion paused their pounding each time the woman appeared to be whiting out. Once her perceptions returned, they'd slowly build it to the crescendo once again.

Finally, Sion allowed their release to trip over the top, and surge after surge of hot cum filled Regina. She cried out happily as she felt the heat within. They ground their body against Regina's as she jolted, shook through her final peak, and floated down the other side.

They slipped their cock out and rested beside her. They caressed her bountiful bosom but ensured they avoided the sensitive bits so she'd just feel comforted and loved.

When her mind returned to her, Regina opened her eyes and saw Sion watching her with a gentle smile.

"I'm so glad we got to share that before you set your sights on Pietr. I don't believe he's the type that would be willing to share you," Sion sighed.

Regina stared at Sion with wide eyes, then burst into giggles, which morphed into incoherence as her body shook through another aftershock.

When she recovered, she looked up at them in wonder. "Oh my god, Sion! I can't believe how much that took out of me!" Regina sighed with a blissed-out smile.

Sion pulled the top sheet over her as they heard the condo's front door open. Eva had perfect timing.

The daughter poked her head in the bedroom door and smiled at the couple in bed.

Regina was a little self-conscious about it, but Eva pranced into the room and stretched out on the bed beside her mother, across from Sion. The mother couldn't suppress her smile at seeing the joyful one on her daughter's face.

"I'm so glad you two got to spend some quality time together!" she cheered gently, seeing her mother's blissed state.

"She's going to try spending her quality time with Pietr Rykov," Sion said, and Eva gave her mother a concerned look.

"He's so busy. Will it be like Daddy?" she asked.

Regina shook her head. The more she thought about it, the more convinced she became that the time she spent with Pietr would be as magical as it had been that night long ago. That was the measure of the man.

"There is no comparison between the two men. Perhaps their positions, but not who they are," Regina said.

She looked up at Sion and Eva. "Now, I'm going to take a long nap, probably until breakfast tomorrow, to recover from my... interlude with Sion. You can either snuggle in or take yourselves elsewhere."

Eva kissed her mother's forehead as the woman closed her eyes. That put a smile on the mother's face.

"I'll take a quick shower, then I'll join you," Sion said, slipping out of bed.

Evangeline watched his naked body hungrily. "I'll... take one too."

Regina snorted in amusement, then faded quickly.

Chapter 19

The Walla nightclub was just as Vicki and Van described. High energy, excellent music, and good space for moving to it.

Eva and Sion had been on the dancefloor for a few sets and were ready to rest and recharge with some drinks. Vicki led them back to their table as Van headed for the bar to place the orders.

"Thank you again for bringing us here. It's amazing!" Eva said to the energetic redhead, who nodded with a grin.

"It's great to meet a couple who can keep up with us!" she returned.

Sion smiled at Evangeline. They quite enjoyed being a couple with her. They looked at the large booth they'd scored and wondered at the soundproofing technology that allowed conversation in the booming club atmosphere.

Looking out through the gauzy curtains, Sion saw most of the dancers were human. Maybe one or two were not. Still, there didn't seem to be any animosity toward them, which was a relief.

Eva was checking out their booth. "How do we rate such a large space?"

Vicki chuckled. "The Rykov Booth is reserved for Walla's Hero and his friends."

Sion looked at Vicki in surprise. "The Rykov Booth? As in Pietr Rykov?"

Vicki nodded then her eyes lit up as Van entered the curtain with their drinks. These were distributed then the couple looked to Vicki for further explanation.

She nodded and glanced at Van. "Did your coworker say he'd be coming tonight?"

Van nodded with a grin. "With as many of his ladies as were available—"

"HOW THE FUCK ARE YA, MY PEEPS! Whoa! Who are these two beauties?" a loud, excited voice cried out from the curtains.

Sion looked up at a woman with white, shoulder-length blonde hair sticking out all over in a spikey cut. Her trim, muscular body was clearly displayed as she wore the merest suggestion of a spaghetti strap crop top and tight, short shorts. She was staring at them with a wide, crazy grin.

She was given a guiding push from behind to make her move into the booth by a black and beautiful, lushly curved, shorter woman whose eyes immediately locked on Sion. "Sasha, keep moving—Well, hello there, gorgeous!" She slid her bounty into the booth next to the blonde, pushing her along as she drank in Sion's features with her eyes.

"Don't be creepy, Rhonda!" Vickie chided her friend and got a pout for it. It became a very sexy pout as her eyes returned to Sion.

"We've just arrived and already Sasha has stirred up trouble—Ooo! Hello!" A petite and lovely Japanese woman moved through the curtains behind Rhonda. She smiled and nodded to Vicki, Van, and Evangeline before returning her gaze to Sion as she sat.

"Hi, Bailley," Van said to the newest arrival.

Evangeline's eyes widened as the woman arriving after the Japanese beauty would have been a serious contender for top rank on the Social Index back on Xochitl One. She felt an almost magnetic draw toward the woman with mocha skin, high cheekbones, almond-shaped dark brown eyes, and long, straight, ebony hair. Tall, dark, and gorgeous! Then she saw the woman's eyes were moving between hers and Sion's. A nervous smile appeared on her sensuous lips. She settled down on the seat across from the but left a large space at the end of the bench.

Vicki looked toward the curtains but didn't see anyone else joining at the moment, so she proceeded with the introductions. "Bailley, guys, this is Evangeline van Dijk and Sion from Xochitl One—"

"HOLY FUCK! You're the Genie clone of her brother who took down the Xochitl Chancellor!" Sasha gasped with a wide grin.

Rhonda gave her a slap on the arm. "What the hell is wrong with you?" she said in outrage.

"What the fuck?" Sasha snapped back and then saw the scowls from the rest of her group. She glanced over at the uncomfortable expressions on the faces of Eva and Sion.

"Oh shit. Sorry, my mouth fires off before my brain sometimes," Sasha said to them apologetically.

A deep voice rumbled from the entrance of the curtain. "What trouble has Sasha stirred up now?"

Sion looked toward the voice and froze.

Huge.

The most significant aspect of the being moving through the curtain derailed Sion's thoughts. The blue-black scaled being dwarfed everyone in the booth with its height and width. Powerfully muscled and visually intimidating, Sion's first impulse was a freeze, flight, or fight response to the unknown. Thankfully, logic immediately stepped in and curbed the twitch. Still, the wariness remained.

Sion hadn't yet been introduced to any of the Genie inhabitants of Walla, but it seemed their first one would be the largest of them.

"Sorry, Bron. I didn't see you outside the curtain. I should have waited for your arrival before making the introductions," Vicki said. "This is Evangeline van Dijk and Sion from Xochitl One."

Sion noticed the large being was wearing goggles as they turned toward them. They got the impression of being assessed and felt the need to amend Vicki's intro.

"More accurately, I'm from Bacchus, and yes, I'm a Genie," Sion said and saw eyes lock on them from around the table.

"Genies created on Bacchus aren't allowed to leave," Bron said with an odd hitch in his deep voice.

Sion watched the Genie sitting across from them carefully. "Yes, that rule is still in place. There were... extenuating circumstances which allowed Evangeline and her mother Regina to assist my departure on their ship."

"May I have a word with you, privately?" Bron asked calmly, but Sion heard the implied command. They paused for a moment, then nodded.

They squeezed Eva's hand to assure her and slid out of the booth.

If Sion and Bron were to hear each other, they'd either have to find another empty booth or leave the club. It seemed it would be the latter as they followed the larger being across the interior to step outside. Sion hoped that the only reason they were walking into the darkness was a lack of booths.

When they had privacy, Bron turned to look at Sion and seemed to be assessing them once more.

Then, the dark being spoke. "I know something about what it's like to live on Bacchus. I wasn't created there but ended up on the planet after my original mission failed. I was put to work on Bacchus euthanizing the worn out or damaged Genies before putting them in the reclamation vats." He paused when Sion went still. "I wasn't given a choice for this occupation. At the time, I was still governed by my Master programming."

Sion's eyes locked on Bron's goggles. "You're no longer under its control?" they said cautiously, then glanced around cautiously.

Bron's snort drew Sion's gaze back. "My lack of slave controls is a documented fact on Walla. They accept me because they know, without a doubt, I'm on their side." The large being seemed to be watching Sion with an intense focus. "I can tell you aren't bound by them either. My question is, whose side are you on?"

Sion's mouth went dry as Bron continued.

"I've been exposed to many Sex Worker Genies on the absolutely worst night of their lives. I'm aware of what they are capable of. What abilities they're given to help them succeed in their objective to meet their client's needs. The reading of emotional cues, body language, and the ability to present a response tailored to be most effective against their client's weaknesses and desires.

On those nights, these doomed beings used every trick they had to sway me from my task, a duty I didn't want to do but had no choice.

I'm assuming you may have similar abilities but with no Master programming to weaken their effectiveness, potentially making you a bigger threat to Walla's society.

So, I ask again. Whose side are you on?"

Sion nodded to Bron to give them a moment to consider their words. Then they took some deep breaths. Honesty would either damn Sion or set them free. They could tell lying only had one destination.

"When I was created, the designer gave me both male and female genitalia and personality matrixes. The doctor from the club I worked at said she was surprised my mind didn't immediately fracture with two distinct and opposite identities. I discovered the solution was for each personality to accept the other, so we became one, working for one goal. Pleasing our master.

When my master was dying, she attempted to transfer control to Evangeline's mother but failed. You're right. I no longer have an assigned master. My goal became survival, but I still had little control over my destiny. Regina and Evangeline saved me from Bacchus on their initiative alone."

Sion paused as this would be the delicate part. They looked at Bron's face, but his expression remained unreadable. They understood how futile it must have been for the dying Genies to attempt to manipulate him.

"When we arrived on Xochitl One, Regina registered me as evidence of her husband's crime of murdering their son, selling his body to a lab on Bacchus, and erasing his identity on Xochitl One. We met the Supreme Court Judges who would be deciding my fate. I read them. They were reluctant to try the Chancellor and opposed a fair trial. To survive, I... I used my ability to influence them, to make them desire my survival, for whatever reason their corrupt minds might have. I made them see me as someone they wanted to know. That's all I did, and it worked on a large majority of them. Regina inflamed the population's intense desire for justice and provided the sheer bulk of damning evidence to force the Justice's hand to support a fair outcome. It was the first time I'd used my abilities in this way.

Regina and Evangeline brought me to Walla as they heard it would be a place where I wouldn't have to fear for my life for just existing. I want nothing more than to survive and find something to contribute to my new home. I have no ambitions beyond that."

Sion nodded to Bron. "You said it yourself. I was given the skills of a sex worker. I don't know how that could be useful here."

Bron nodded as he considered Sion.

"When you influenced the Xochitl One Supreme Court judges, didn't any of them detect your manipulation? These men would have been experts in political maneuvering," Bron asked with a little frown.

"None made any indication of awareness," Sion responded.

Bron continued to watch Sion as he evaluated the options.

"Are you aware of Walla's Premier, Pietr Rykov?" Bron finally said.

Sion nodded. "Yes, Regina van Dijk is on a date with him."

Bron leaned back. "What?"

Sion smiled. "They met years ago on Xochitl One and enjoyed each other's company. They recently met again as Regina traveled to Walla. They're a cute couple!" Seeing Bron's sudden frown, Sion quickly clarified. "Completely on their own! I played no part in this at all."

Bron considered that for a long moment. "I support the idea of Pietr finding a companion. He needs that."

"Regina is a truly wonderful person and very empathetic," Sion said.

The large being relaxed and actually smiled for the first time. It changed his entire demeanor. It was obvious to Sion that the Premier was personally important to Bron. "That would be really good for him."

Then he turned his attention back to Sion. "What else would be good for Pietr is having someone working for him who has your skills in reading people, evaluating their words and how they speak them, and giving Pietr honest insight. I'm not asking you to use your skills to manipulate people. That would not be helpful to him or Walla. Politics is a dirty game, filled with professional liars and self-interest. The discovery of manipulation would destroy Pietr's integrity. That must never happen. Walla needs him. We need him. Am I getting through to you?"

Sion stared at the big Genie and saw his sincerity. "Yes."

Bron nodded, then gave Sion another stern look. "Never manipulate the ladies in there!"

"I wouldn't. I've only seriously used it to calm a mob at a press conference and against the corrupt judges," Sion insisted.

Bron paused to look at Sion in surprise. "It works as crowd control on mobs?"

"It wasn't easy, but yes," Sion affirmed. They saw a pained expression cross Bron's face.

"I don't attend press conferences anymore for... reasons. Would have been nice to have your help then," he said quietly. "Let's get back to the women before they come looking for us."

They nodded to each other and headed back to the front door of the club.

When they reached the curtain and stepped through, they walked into a burst of agitated voices.

"About fucking time!" Sasha barked.

"What took you? You've upset our new friend Evangeline!" Asami scolded.

"I thought we'd come here to dance?" Vicki complained.

"Bron, what's going on?" Bailley asked as she looked at him anxiously.

Bron and Sion held up their hands in surrender, then glanced at each other and smiled. Bron assured his friends.

"I just needed to speak to Sion about Bacchus and some shared experiences. I will speak with Pietr about Sion. Maybe he can find a spot on his assistant team. I think Sion could really help the Premier."

Evangeline's expression brightened immediately. "Premier Rykov? My mother is on a date with him tonight!"

The other ladies turned to smile at Eva in surprise, so she explained. "Mother and Pietr met years ago and became good friends."

"It's fuckin' kismet!" Sasha said with a wide grin. "Now, let's dance before we lose any more time!"

The group left the booth and moved out onto the dance floor. Sion took Evangeline's hands and kissed her cheek, pulling a smile from her.

The music was too loud to converse, so they just moved to the beat.

Sion's male and female sides gave themselves over to the music completely. Their fluid and sensual movements drew the eyes of the others around them, especially Vicki and Van, but they kept their eyes on Eva, who loved every moment.

They'd come so far from the stage at Madam DeGaul's Lady's Night Resort. Sion had been alone, slave to the Master programming, wearing an explosive collar that could discipline or kill, and had a silent death sentence growing in their neck. They'd had no future at all.

Today, they were dancing with a woman who loved them, surrounded by new friends on a world where they could live in peace.

Sion swept forward and lifted Evangeline in their arms and kissed her as they moved to the rhythm. Her smile was beautiful.

They felt an unfamiliar emotion or feeling building in their mind as a warm sensation began in their chest. It felt so good, but they couldn't identify what it was.

Coolness traced its way down their cheeks, and Eva pulled back to give them a concerned look when she saw the tears.

They just shook their head with a trembling smile as the warmth bloomed throughout their body. With it came awareness. Their mind finally understood what this was.

Hope.

For the first time, Sion truly understood what it meant to be free.

They had love, friends, and a future.

That felt precious and fragile, so they wouldn't take it for granted.

There was a promise of more life, filled with good things, and they were so grateful!

Sion kissed Eva tenderly, and she trembled happily as she returned their love.

This was what life was for.

Sion was so grateful they'd have more than three days to experience it.