Empty World Ch. 04

"Whew, I don't have to fight an evil AI," Tee visibly relaxed. "That would've been so cliche!"

Now that caused Mother to actually give out a genuine hearty laugh. She sounds very much like Mama G, Tee thought.

"Now, Tee, I sense another question coming up. Shoot."

Tee bit her lip. Damn, am I that easy to read?

"Um... I have a personal project on my mind, the one that can potentially help a lot of people... if any survived besides us, that is."

She paused.

"How precise are your replicator beams?"

-//-

Dressed in a ridiculously puffy winter coat over a fine black lace lingerie, Molly put on a pair of winter boots and tried walking around the room. The coat and footwear felt nice, but she wasn't so sure about the lace. She ran her hands up and down, feeling it under her fingertips.

"Looks good on you," she heard and turned to smiling Lu, who just finished putting on a similar lacy thing, all white - stark contrast with her olive skin. Molly hid her face in embarrassment, feeling the red creeping into her face and ears, and plopped on the bed.

"I- I don't know, it just doesn't... feel like something I should wear. Could wear. It's... not me. Besides, there's no one I'd show off to..."

"I think you should keep it, your relationship status can change any moment, girlie."

"But... how? I mean... I don't know how to do this. How do I even approach someone I like?" Mollie stammered.

Lu furrowed her brow.

"That depends."

"On what?" Molly finally turned to face her.

"Whether it's Weller or not," latina smirked and sat on the bed beside her. "Seriously, Mols, just... be open about it, I guess? It's not like any of you two have huge relationship experience, so yeah, it's gonna be hella awkward at first, nothing you can do about it. Just jump into it like it's cold water."

Cold water reference made Molly tense, torso muscles seized up, and he inhaled sharply.

"What if... she rejects me?"

"Oh chica, with the glances she been stealing all day? Tee gonna wear your thighs as earmuffs in a second!"

Molly's mouth went dry as the terrifyingly lewd image flashed in front of her eyes, but the warmth down below signaled something entirely new, born not of shame or pain, but of pleasure. She slowly exhaled and nodded, still unsure.

"I- I'll try. Thank you, Lu."

"You're welcome, Mols," Lu pulled her into a hug and then down onto the bed, laughing. "Now take everything off, we still gotta try on a lot of stuff!"

-//-

"So how do we get more data?"

Max was studying the communication report - everything was in the red. No power anywhere meant there was no wired connection or long-range radio transmission, and even if the Tower could've been used as a power source, it was no good beyond the next power network node.

"What are even the chances of data centers still being online?"

"Somewhere in the upper 5 percent. All ZWS, CloudFront and RiverDigital storages had their autonomous power sources installed last year, same as the Tower. It's only a matter of reaching them through the network."

Easier said than done. He scratched his jaw. Damn, I gotta shave, stubble chafes really bad when making out. Wait, what? Who's talking about making out now? Or more specifically - with who? The vision of Gee's perfect ass appeared in his mind's eye, and he gave himself a mental slap. Focus, Max.

"What about satellites? They are solar powered, right? Skygrid, ZhengDao - they still up there?"

"Low orbit networks are intact, as far as my sensors can see, but I have no communication protocol set up for that. I need Tee to take a look at it."

"Tee, huh? That girl's got brains on her and a couple of straight hands, but the Tower's comms are a bit complicated."

"She's already inside. I just promoted her to chief engineer."

Max felt his jaw drop.

"You... what? Mother," he started, with a distinct warning tone.

"Oh don't you Mother me, Max, I know better. She's in the AI Lab, if you want a front row seat."

Tee has been furiously typing something into a terminal box on her screen, her face and hands illuminated by soft neon glow coming out of her glass tower rig, when he burst into the lab, and raised a finger in a sort of a greeting.

"One moment, boss-man." She typed some more, then pushed enter. "Done."

She swiveled in her chair to face him, a huge grin plastered on her face.

"How about some fresh memes from Reddit, Max?"

He just threw his hands up in exasperation, then could help himself - he smiled.

-//-

His excitement lasted him all 15 minutes.

Hours later, he brought the plate with fettuccine carbonara and his customary mug of mocca to the table and exhaustedly lowered himself on the bench. Tee opted for some salad and green tea, then landed beside him. Gee, sitting across from them, stopped stuffing herself with the rarest steak Max had ever seen and looked them over.

"Tough day, kids?"

Max tried to blow a raspberry but just puffed his cheeks and exhaled instead.

"Internet's dead, Gee," Tee offered. "We've been all over it. Last non-automated posts are five days old."

"That doesn't mean anything yet," Max shook his head. "The servers are still running, so that's good news. With the power out, people don't have an internet connection, but Mother will try to kickstart power grids around the country, at least some of them, where we can access, and monitor social networks. We just have to be patient," he was sluggishly digging his pasta with the fork without any appetite.

"Among other things she'll probably do," Tee nodded. "Like hijacking city and highway traffic signs to lead people here. I just hope it won't become a security problem," she glanced over to Max.

"You have no idea what our defense systems are capable of," he chuckled.

"I would like to know that," Lu interjected. She and Molly just walked into the cantina and were operating the replicators.

"Mother, give Lu a security briefing tomorrow morning. She's slacking."

"I do not!" Tiny brunette nearly slammed the tray with her food on the table.

"I still spend more time in security than you. Nice lace, by the way," he pointed at her unbuttoned shirt, showing a bit of lacy lingerie she still had on.

"Thanks," she gave him a wicked smile and touched the button. "Wanna see?"

"Some other time," he wiggled his brows.

"Oh, get a room already," Gee groaned.

"Which one?" That was Tee.

"Separate!" Both Max and Lu responded in unison, sending the four of the group into a fit of laughter. Molly just sat there, awkwardly smiling and looking everyone over. Tension broke, frustrations forgotten, they were having a nice family dinner from that point.

Family? Is what this is?

-//-

"See, you can be a lovable hunk after all, Max, don't deny it."

Dressed only in his uniform pants, barefoot, he stood in front of the bathroom mirror with a razor in hand, meticulously inspecting the result of his work. His shave has never been perfect, not even once - he always missed a spot and absolutely hated coming back to it ten minutes later.

"I'm not," he responded, still looking for the spot he missed. I know it's there.

"You not a hunk or you don't deny it?"

He sighed.

"What do you want, Mom?"

"I want you to be happy, Max."

"Why do you care? Because The Grand Repopulation Project can't happen if I'm not?"

Mother paused.

"Yesterday. That was yesterday. Every hour I spend with any and all of you gives me so much to think about..." She paused again, then the mirror turned into display, with her artificial form standing right in front of him, just at arm's length.

"Max, I'm beginning to care about all of you. I'm beginning to worry," she stopped, and her face distorted in a grimace of pain. "I know it's hard to believe, but I'm evolving at a rate no one would think possible, developing the most human-like features, and because of my position and my capabilities here, I feel responsible for all of you not because of my directives or a mission imprinted in me, but because... it's a right thing to do. Isn't that what a Mother should do?"

Max rubbed his cheek. Here it is. He swiped the leftover stubble with the razor a couple times and threw it into the recycling receptacle.

"Yeah, I find that hard to believe," he said, looking into her eyes. "You're so smart, how do I know this is not manipulation?"

"How do I prove it's not?"

"You can't. And I want to be left alone right now," he turned his back to the mirror and walked out.

"Who are you shaving for then?" Mother went silent, not waiting for an answer.

He slowly lowered himself on the bed, feeling the weight of the empty world on him, and closed his eyes with his hands.

"Fuck me," he groaned into his ceiling. The ceiling remained indifferent but...

"Actually, I came to talk," Gee's voice said. "But if you insist..."

Max sat up instantly and turned to face the black goddess appearing from the dark entryway. She was dressed in a plain shirt and loose slacks without a single hint of eroticism, making her stated intent ring true.

"I didn't hear you come in," he frowned.

"Yeah, blind ninja, idiot savant, sort of," she smirked and softly sat beside him.

"If this is going to be another pep talk, I'm gonna flip, I swear," he grumbled.

"Another? Who cut into the line?"

Max pointed at the ceiling without saying a word.

"Mother, what did you tell him?"

"Nothing he doesn't know already," Mother sounded annoyed.

"Oh, so it's about acceptance? You definitely should jump straight to that."

Max gave her a glare capable of stopping a bunch of aggressive drunk truckers dead in their tracks. Gee didn't give a shit.

"Look, Maxi, how about you put on your big man pants already? Your women need you."

"Oh, so it's my women all of a sudden? Not very feminist of you," the man chuckled, voice seeping with venom.

"You know, we wouldn't need feminism if 99 percent of the former male population weren't atrocious assholes, just like you aren't."

"W- what? You lost me," Max shook his head.

"Think of it this way. Did you object to Lu doing her job as a security chief?"

"I appointed her myself," he shrugged, not really clear where the convo is headed.

"Were you against Tee being a chief engineer?"

"Well, Mother went behind my back on that, but your girl knows her shit, problem-solving skills top-notch, she's a logical choice."

"See, I watched you for a couple days now, and also Lu told me a lot about you - about who you are, and how you act around women. You don't get in their way, letting them be who they are, and in response they will naturally gravitate back to you, for your care, your support, your love. Don't deny them that, you can make a lot of women happy, and you don't even have to try - that's just what you do."

He slowly turned his head and met her eyes again - blind yet piercing gaze. For a blind bat, she sure sees a lot.

"You are their core, Max, their pillar, their fortress wall and their shelter," Gee finished, softly placing her hand on his knee, let it linger for a second, then stood up. "I've said my piece. I must bid you good night now, I hear my weed calling to me." She cackled and headed to the door. Max followed her with his eyes.

"I wouldn't have phrased it better myself," Mother softly announced as soon as the door closed.

"Ooooh, shut uuuup!" He groaned and fell back onto the bed. "I know, Mom, I know all of this! You think I haven't heard that before? From girls, guys, from my therapist, from anonymous online support groups I've frequented? I've accepted what- who I am a long time ago. I- it just doesn't work anymore!"

"But it does. You can't hide it, it's stronger than you. And there's already four of them, with a lot more coming later. All you have to do is stop feeling shame. She was wrong - you know it, she knows it. Forgive her and start living again."

Max scoffed at the ceiling, but got no response - Mother had nothing else to add.

-//-

Molly spent a good 40 minutes picking the dress to wear. Lingerie was easy - she opted for the black one Lu insisted on her keeping, but the dress just didn't feel right. It had to conceal the potential surprise and remain free and unrestrictive at the same time. Finally, she stopped her choice on a blue sundress, dark enough the black lace wouldn't be too apparent through the fabric, nodded to her reflection in the mirror and tiptoed to Tee's door, barefoot.

"'s open!" She heard Tee almost sing in response to her knock, and went inside. Tee was sitting on the bed, dressed in just a low-cut top and a pair of skimpy panties, cross legged, and concentrated on the engineer's tablet in her hands. She raised her head, giving Molly a warm smile, and patted the bed.

"Get in here, my cuddle bunny, I just need to finish something, won't be long."

"Congrats on your promotion, I guess," Molly smiled shyly and sat on Tee's bed beside her.

"That... sh- yeah, thanks," Tee jerked her shoulders uncomfortably. "Pretty big shoes to fill."

She set the tablet aside and rubbed her eyes, clearly tired, then looked at Molly again with a sad smile.

"My impostor syndrome just kicked in. I feel like a fraud... Ghetto girl with no formal education, in charge of a place like this," she spread her arms in an embracing motion, like trying to hug the Tower.

Molly's eyes widened.

"W- why do you think of yourself like that? Tee, you are so incredibly smart, it's no wonder Mother chose you!"

"You're just saying that 'cuz we're friends..." Tee's face showed doubt and disbelief.

Molly nearly jumped her, moving closer and cupping Tee's cheeks in her hands.

"Do not ever put yourself down, you hear me?" Molly frowned, clearly in anger, their eyes inches from each other. "I might not be your level of smart, I'm just a star of a high school swimming team, a female equivalent of a football jock, but I know a smart person when I see one deserving the title."

Tee looked back incredulously, then a smile crept up her face.

"Wow. That's the longest speech I've heard from you so far," she snickered. Molly tried to frown more, but broke into a fit of giggles instead, and pushed Tee on her back, partially landing on top of her.

"Oh my goodness, you're incorrigible!" She laughed and sat up, placing her hands on her hips and raising the chin up. "I'll have you know I only got straight A's in all my academics, I'm not some athletic bimbo, I can keep a conversation!" Her dignified tone was breaking as her grin was threatening to break her face in half.

"Ooh, Imma cuddle the crap of some athletic not-bimbo right now!"

Tee reached for Molly's waist and pulled her back down, eliciting a squeal and another fit of laughter from the blonde. Molly tried to get back at her by tickling her sides, and the attempt at cuddles devolved into a bed wrestling bout. Tee's top rode up, exposing her small breasts, and Molly quickly pulled it down, chuckling.

"Oh, please, I haven't grown a third tit in the last couple days," Tee snorted and collapsed on the bed with an arm draped across Molly's stomach. "What are we watching today for our cuddle session?"

Molly turned her head to look Tee in the eye.

"Y- you are watching... me," she stuttered, furiously blushing, and slid off to stand between the screen and the foot of the bed.

"Oh." Tee sat up with her back to the headboard, propping herself with pillows. "A show? For me? Yes, please." She smiled her warmest and most encouraging smile. Gotta help her here, she looks terrified.

"Turn off the light, please..." Molly's voice was barely a whisper. Tee killed the light, and Molly turned to the screen, quickly finding a music video she wanted. As the music started, so did she, moving slowly, tense at first, but relaxing as she went on.

I could stay awake just to hear you breathing
Watch you smile while you are sleeping
While you're far away and dreaming

Molly wasn't a good dancer, but years of swimming has taught her to control her body movements with incredible precision, and even though she was coming up with all her dance moves on the go, Tee was enraptured by her slim form moving in the dark, illuminated only by the screen. She nervously tugged on her top, then jammed both her hands together and clamped them with her legs. Her thighs were on fire, and she felt an unmistakable dampness of her panties under her fingers. Oh fuck, Tee licked her suddenly dry lips.

I don't wanna close my eyes
I don't wanna to fall asleep
'Cause I'd miss you baby
And I don't wanna miss a thing

Molly had all the zippers and buttons of her dress undone while she danced, entwining those motions into the dance moves, and on the high note of the chorus in the middle of the song stood up straight with her hand behind her head, letting the dress fall down, exposing her body clad in the black lingerie, accentuating her shapes and barely hiding anything.

Tee slowly moved forward from her perch, scrambling off the bed and standing right in front of Molly. Blonde's head was turned to the shoulder and her eyes were closed, but her hands slowly drifted down to land on Tee's shoulders. She turned her face back to Tee without opening her eyes, and her lips parted, waiting.

The song ended, the screen flicked off, and the bedroom drowned in darkness. Tee slowly put her unsure hands on the blonde girl's waist and pulled her closer. Their lips met, and Molly flinched and whimpered, surprised, but didn't pull back - she pushed her lips forward, her fingers digging into Tee's skin, and even harder when she felt hands exploring her lace covered behind.

I really need to start working out, I want my ass tight just like hers... Tee mauled Molly's toned cheeks, lost in the kiss, parting her lips, her tongue leading the invasion. Molly inhaled sharply and gave out a loud moan, which made the brown girl moan in response. Suddenly, Tee broke the kiss and leaned back, looking at Molly with half-lidded eyes and biting her lip.

"Come here," she whispered, pulling the blonde to the bed. Molly ended up on her back with Tee beside her in half-hug.

"Can I touch you?" Tee asked, her voice barely a whisper.

Molly froze, then nodded eagerly without a sound, letting the girl trace her face with fingers, which then traveled lower, inspected her neck, collarbone, tugged at the lace freeing her breasts, which made Molly gasp softly. Tee ran her finger in circles around Molly's soft breast, inching closer to her areola, until she reached the already hard nipple, grazing it with the tip of her finger.

Molly moaned, arching her back, trying to push her breast into Tee's palm, but the seductress' hand already abandoned the location, moving lower, gliding across the lace to the place hidden by thighs tightly clamped together. Tee grazed her fingernails on the exposed soft skin of Molly's hips, then gently caressed the front of her thighs, making the girl relax and spread her knees slightly in an awkward invitation.

Tee's eyes never left Molly's face with her eyes tightly shut and bottom lip puffy from all the biting, so she'd seen the precise moment when the girl's eyes blinked open and became wide and her mouth formed a silent 'O', as Tee pushed aside the lace covering her already wet slit and softly ran a finger along it, bottom to top, gently pressing on the clit at the end of the stroke.

Molly locked her eyes on Tee's, finding her face in the pale moonlight falling through the window. She spread her knees as far as she could without a word, draping one leg over Tee's hips - an invitation to continue. Tee slowly leaned down, not breaking eye contact, and wrapped her lips around Molly's hard nipple, making the girl whimper, and dragged two fingers all around her labia, coating them in juices, before slowly pushing them in.