Fading Stars Ch. 03

Deeva closed in on the Gorgonite box and placed her hands on it. Despite being inside the climate-controlled ship for some time now, it still felt icy to the touch. The lid was smooth and uneven at the same time, every harsh edge sanded away by eternity. She allowed her fingers to disperse into bundles of microscopic filaments, multiplying the area she could examine by a factor of ten. Her internal mapping algorithms formed an image of the surface she touched; every scratch, nick and micro-impact was registered and recorded. And there was something else, a barely perceptible vibration. She looked down. The Gorgonite box was still mounted to the repulsor lifters. The force field should, in theory, cancel out any vibrations the Grey ship would produce. To test her theory, she stepped away from the box and placed a hand on a nearby desk, dispersing her fingers again. There was a vibration but much weaker. No wonder. After all, the Grey disc was moored in the hangar bay of Iorec's mammoth Goliath-class mining ship. The drives were shut off, only the mass conversion power core, supplying the ship with energy, was active. So any vibrations transmitting through the desk were echoes of Iorec's ship. And since they had a different frequency from the box...

"I think there is some powered device in the box," Deeva said. "I can feel the vibration emanating from it."

"Oh?" Xeltec placed a hand on the box, wrinkling his forehead. "I feel nothing."

"We are talking about microscopic tremors. Even with my sensor probes, it's barely there."

"Hm. You sure you're not picking up the repulsors?"

"Maybe. Perhaps we can test for EM emissions?"

"Already done. The box absorbs any kind of radiation going in or out. Even the subspace bands get eaten. Maybe a drill won't be a bad idea after all."

"Allow me to thoroughly inspect the box. Maybe I can find an opening mechanism."

"Sure, be my guest." Xeltec busied himself on a synthesis engine and pulled a box of protein fluid from it. He pierced the top with a straw and sucked noisily on it.

Deeva returned to the box and resumed her exploration. Even with her filaments, it took her quite some time until she had the outside of the box completely mapped. She uploaded her scan to the lab's computer and projected the 3D model into the room.

"Not bad," muttered Xeltec. "The resolution is much better than my surface scanner."

"Too bad I didn't find any hidden buttons or the like," Deeva said, a little disappointed.

"Don't fret. This isn't a holovid investigation. Hidden buttons are for cheap movie scripts. Look here," Xeltec said, pointing at the side of the model. "See these faults in the strata? You were so busy going into microscopics, you missed the big picture."

Deeva bowed her head. "My apologies. They look rather regular, don't you think?"

"Yes, almost like a seam. Let's focus our investigation there."

"On it," Deeva said with a smile. Be it the vastness of space or the intricacies of an ancient artifact, the joy of discovery had her gripped tight. She placed her fingers on the sides of the box and used her filaments to probe the seam. It was a testament to the Gorgonites' mastery over metal that she had missed the seam the first time round and even now, knowing where to look, it was hard to get even one of her filaments in between the layers of metal, something she normally had no trouble with in modern computers. On the other side of the box, Xeltec was softly cursing as he probed the seam with one of his tools. With a loud crack, the tip of his instrument broke and the Grey slammed his fist onto the lid. Deeva, with her head near the box, jerked back at the sonorous gonging noise.

"Huh," Xeltec said, slapping the grip of his tool against the lid. Again, a clear, sonorous tone sounded. "Almost like a damn bell."

Deeva pulled her hand back, trailing filaments. Clear liquid dripped off her fingers as she re-fused them. "Ouch."

"What happened?"

"The vibrating lid has shorn a couple of my filaments off."

"Can you go on?"

"I think so. And I have found something. There are latches on the inside, holding the lid shut."

"Who would build such a crazy lock? Nah, forget I asked. The Gorgonites, that's who. And how are we supposed to get these latches open? There is no lever or anything."

"No but maybe the singing lid is the clue."

"It would be a pretty stupid lock if you just needed to whack it. Every major impact would set it off."

"Didn't you say the Gorgonites overcomplicate things? I don't think a single whack would release the lock."

"No? Enlighten me, o wise one." Xeltec's eyes sparked with, of all emotions, mirth. He's actually enjoying this Deeva thought, sucking on her fingertip. Xeltec used the synthesis engine again and passed her a bioplastic sculpting tool. She used the heated tip to stop her finger from leaking. It would take a few days for her self-repair systems to replace the shorn-off filaments. The injury was the equivalent of a small nick but, since every strand of bioplastic was laced with the Silician equivalent of nerves, it hurt a lot more.

"A single whack would not open it. But maybe prolonged exposure to a certain frequency would?" Deeva suggested.

"Hm. You might be on to something there. We can at least try." Xeltec opened a cabinet and pulled four large, circular objects from it. They looked like dishes or plates, two stacked on top of each other and they seemed rather heavy, going by Xeltec's grunts as he handled them. "Help me set up these resonators."

"Yes, master." Deeva took two of the items and placed them on the lid, near one end. Xeltec did the same on the other side. They wired the resonators to a small energy cell and a control module.

"Let's see where this will take us," Xeltec grumbled and turned on the resonators. The discs vibrated and rattled against the lid, causing a terrible ruckus. The Grey slaver fiddled with the dials on the control module until all four resonators ran at the same frequency. The clattering and banging had resolved itself into a low, clean tone filling up the whole lab and rattling Deeva's teeth. She placed her hand on the side of the box, where the seam was and used her filaments.

"Anything?" Xeltec yelled over the singing box.

Deeva shook her head. She activated her communicator and called Xeltec. "I think we should alter the frequency. Pitch it up an octave or two."

"Sure, why not," came the Grey's reply. He worked the dials and the tone changed, pitching up. The vibrations transmitting through the metal were bordering on the unpleasant. And then she noticed it, an irregular counter-ticking to the vibrating metal. She ran her hands along the side of the box and there was no mistaking it. Something on the inside shook, causing these clicking sounds.

"Can you raise the frequency some more?" she asked.

In response, the tone changed again. It sounded like the hull of a ship singing under full thrust during atmospheric re-entry. The occasional clicks had turned into a regular scraping, interspersed by distinct clicks.

"More?"

"Sure. We should have brought earplugs, damn it." The tone pitched up again then there was a loud click and a hiss. The lid of the box jerked upwards almost a hand's width, revealing a gleaming strip of pristine, silvery metal. Yelping in surprise, Deeva scooted backwards until her back bumped into a desk.

Xeltec turned off the resonators. "Would you look at that," he murmured. He sounded awestruck.

Deeva examined the box from a safe distance. "Now we need to get the lid off. It looks rather heavy."

"No worries. We've got the repulsor units here. You might want to step back from the box, unless you fancy cut-off toes." Xeltec picked up the remote one of the Gravon twins had dropped on a table and powered down the repulsors. With a heavy thud, the box sat down on the floor of the lab. Together they removed the emitters which had been clamped to the side of the box and shifted them up to the lid.

"That's a lot of work for probably just a few boxes of long-spoiled food," Xeltec complained.

"Who knows, maybe we'll find an ancient Gorgonite doomsday weapon."

"With a lockbox like this? Maybe. Or it's some kind of ancient tentacle monster waiting to rip our faces off. Anyway, guessing won't get us anywhere. Ready?"

"Of course."

Xeltec switched on the repulsors and lifted off the lid. Deeva guided the unwieldy rectangle of dark metal alloy away from the box where Xeltec let it sink back to the ground. Then the Grey pulled a small step-ladder out from under a desk and rolled it to the side of the box. He mounted the ladder and peeked inside the container. A long, awed whistle escaped his thin lips. Deeva joined him and peered into the box.

Inside was another container, snugly filling out the Gorgonite box. This one was made from a dark green material with a hexagonal surface structure, neither metal nor crystal, but exhibiting the visual qualities of both. This time though, the purpose of the item was readily apparent. A large, hexagonal screen was visible on one end of the container, while a humming control unit with dials and dimly flickering lights was mounted on the other. To Deeva, it looked like an ancient, mechanized coffin. A large, jagged crack disfigured the screen. That aside, the unit looked to be in decent condition for its age.

"A Precursor stasis pod. Now, that's unexpected," Xeltec said.

"You have seen something like this before?"

"Nah, not in person. But everyone in the trade knows the peculiar Precursor material." He pointed at the green coffin. "They made everything with this stuff. Ships. Planetary structures, heck, even their weapons and armor. And I know a stasis pod when I see one."

"What a curious material." Deeva reached into the Gorgonite box and touched the stasis pod. The material was absolutely smooth, like pristine glass, even if it was not translucent.

"It's psycho-active," Xeltec explained. "With the proper attunement, one could bend this stuff to their will. But the Old Ones took the exact mental wavelengths with them when they vanished."

"Someone must have stumbled across the secret by accident by now," Deeva said.

"If they have, I haven't heard about it. But enough history lessons. Let's crack this thing open."

"Do you think the occupant might still be alive?"

Xeltec squinted at the control unit. "My Precursor is a bit rusty, but from what I can gather, the system seems to be undamaged, if already running a bit low on power. Well, even if the contents is beyond its best-before date, I can always sell both the Gorgonite box and the stasis pod for scrap. Precursor material alone is worth ten time its weight in any currency I might want to get."

Deliberately, Xeltec pushed a hexagonal button. "Here we go. I've activated the resuscitation protocol. Modern stasis pods thaw sleepers in an hour or two. I'm certain this one will be a bit slower. Go, grab a bite to eat, then return. And get the damn surgeon on your way back, we might need him. And a stretcher. Got that?"

"Yes, master!"

* * * *

"You two wait here," Iorec said, squeezing Axilia's shoulder. His free hand indicated the anteroom they were in.

The Zuthrian girl scowled up at him. "You said I could come too, see how Lavasi is doing."

"She has to come through here. Say 'hello' when she does but stay put. I will take her along, as promised. But you really don't want to watch me try out the others."

Axilia grinned lewdly. "As if I haven't seen that first-hand already."

"We should keep up appearances. You are my comms officer now. Act like it."

Behind them, the door hissed open. A Grey entered, carrying a tray with a small plastic cup and a large goblet. Her face bore a sour expression.

"I am Xavra, your host for today. Here are complimentary refreshments and the mandatory medication. I'm sure you know how it works."

"Of course." Iorec picked up the small plastic cup off the tray and tossed back the thick, viscous liquid inside. He made a face at the unpleasant taste. "Temporary contraceptive and inoculation. Not that I would need either but since this is Xeltec's ship, I'll respect his rules." He undid his weapons belt and shrugged out of his robes, handing both to the Felinoid. Naked, he strode into the next room, the Grey hot on his heels.

The showroom was little more than a large cabin, dominated by a spacious bed and a semicircle of platforms with metal poles connecting floor and ceiling. The walls were covered with purple fabric and the ceiling was mirrored. Indirect lighting emanating from thin illumination strips between the floor and walls produced an intimate atmosphere. It was warm and quiet.

"Settle in," Xavra said, barely managing a cheerful tone. "The...girls will be along shortly."

Iorec claimed the goblet and sat down. He sniffed. The sweet aroma of Zuthrian ale, flavored with cactus flower, wafted from the goblet. "A good choice," he said aloud. The Grey grunted and left the room.

Iorec busied himself by activating the room's sound system sunk into the headboard of his seat. He chose a playlist containing Zuthrian pop music. Polyrhythmic tribal drums laid a low, driving framework over which multi-layered choir arrangements were placed. On occasion, a flute or an exotic string instrument crescendoed from the simmering beats and haunting choirs.

The door opened. A Felinoid came into the room first, her inquisitive hazel eyes widening as she looked at his imposing, chiseled frame. She had a long, auburn braid going all the way down to her shapely behind. Her curvy body was covered in short, auburn fuzz. Her cat ears, sitting high on her skull, twitched and her tail swished nervously around her ankles.

"My, you're a big one," she said, openly examining his package. "Who are you?" she asked.

"I'm pretty sure you're only supposed to speak when spoken to first," Iorec said mildly. He flashed her an encouraging smile. It was refreshing to see someone not being afraid of him for once.

She shrugged and hopped onto one of the platforms, turning her back on him and swaying her behind invitingly. Over her shoulder, she said, "And who's gonna enforce that? The Furies are shuttling the others into the anteroom and that Grey is busy preparing Vecora for you." She grasped the pole with a hand, pushed her ass out and spread her legs, her fingers caressing her folds. "Wanna pet my pussy?"

Iorec laughed at her brazenness. "In time, kitty. I am Iorec Bloodhand and I'm looking forward to your fur cave. Who's Vecora?"

"Vecora is a cute Nor. She probably isn't in the mood right now. Understandable, really. But I'm a pragmatic kitty. If I need to fuck you to get off this tub, I'll happily do it. I'm Tabby, by the way. Nice to meetcha." Tabby twirled playfully around the pole and blew Iorec a kiss.

The door hissed open, announcing a new arrival. A busty albino woman entered, her creamy-white skin spotless and her long pale-blond hair swirling around her back as if it had a life of its own. Hips swaying sensuously, she stepped onto the platform next to Tabby's. Her eyes roamed over the swaying Felinoid before settling on Iorec.

He looked her up and down then a slow smile spread over his lips. "I am surprised to see a Faceless. And in captivity, no less."

She shrugged. "I allow Xeltec to keep me safe for the time being. I had an accident recently which puts me at a disadvantage to other members of my species."

"And you 'allow' him to put you up on display?"

"Why not? Maybe I can find a better protector. If not, at least I can have some fun. You can call me Rejka, for the moment. It's the name of the last mask I wore and I like the sound of it. Besides, one name is as good as another."

"Am I too late?" a smoky voice from near the door asked. A tall, black-skinned Marked Zuthrian with long, white dreadlocks walked into the room. Her ample breasts and stomach were tattooed with a snarling skeletal dragon head. While surveying the scene, her penis slowly rose to attention. Iorec found his gaze magically drawn to it. Usually, he considered himself straight as a laser beam but he had to admit that the combination of long limbs, ample curves and that particular extra appendage was very intriguing.

"Hey handsome, my eyes are up here," the Marked Zuthrian said.

Iorec grinned sheepishly and made eye contact. "You are Lavasi, I presume?"

"Indeed. I'm not quite sure if I should curse you or praise you to all my Ancestors," she said, her tone very serious.

"Did Axilia say 'hello?'"

"Yes. It was a nice surprise seeing her here. Even better, you seemed to have taken good care of her. I...did not expect that."

"Not only the Faceless are full of surprises," Iorec said. "If you want, I'll take you along this time."

"I'd like that, very much," Lavasi said. "Anything to get off this ship." She stepped onto a vacant platform.

"Don't get your hopes up too soon." Xavra strode into the cabin, guiding a naked, pink-haired Nor along. The Nor's eyes, a mesmerizing purple, were wide. She panted with parted lips and her nipples looked like tiny signal beacons, proudly standing away from her small breasts and flushed with blood. One hand caressed her hairless mound, occasionally a finger dipped between her folds. "Xeltec has final say over who leaves. You, onto that platform."

"Why? I wanna...fuck...him," Vecora moaned, pulling on the Grey's arm.

"Stop it right there," Iorec growled. "How often have I told Xeltec I don't care much for girls high on EuphorEx?"

"No idea. It's my first day on the job. Xeltec said, and I quote, 'Show him our new arrivals. See to it they perform.'" Xavra slid her hand between Vecora's thighs, causing the Nor to wail in need. Her fingers came away glistening wet. "She's ready, so knock yourself out."

Iorec rose from his seat, towering over the Grey. "You listen up. Take this poor thing back to her cell and let her rest. How am I supposed to gauge her usefulness when she's stoned out of her mind? Take her away and count yourself lucky I don't call Xeltec."

"Sheesh. Calm the fuck down. Okay, you win. Come, honey. Uncle Iorec doesn't wanna bone you."

Vecora struggled and tried to pull away from Xavra. "He's got such a nice dick... Let me..."

Iorec strode to the door, causing Xavra to flinch. He slapped the control pad. "Out!" Xavra fled, pulling Vecora from the room with her.

The door hissed shut behind the softly cursing Grey and the still moaning, struggling Nor. Iorec stomped back to the bed and sat down, sighing heavily. He felt the gaze of all three women on him.

Even Tabby had stopped writhing. "What, no party?" she asked, a hint of disappointment tinging her voice.

"Give me a moment," Iorec sighed.

"You are a strange man," Rejka observed. "Despite buying sex slaves, you seem to have a conscience."

"I'm not just 'buying sex slaves,'" Iorec grumbled.

"Shh," Lavasi said, stepping off her platform. "I'm pretty sure even this room is bugged. We should try and keep up appearances." She went to her knees in front of Iorec, one hand gently pushing against his chest, the other going for his deflated dick. "How about I try to get this party started again?" She lowered her head and gave his large glans a hungry lick.

"Appearances, huh?" Iorec said, leaning back to give Lavasi some room. Her fingers and lips had him hard in no time, despite the churning pit of anger in his stomach.

Tabby and Rejka slid onto the bed on opposite sides of him. Tabby's head rested on his hip bone. Her behind smoothed itself into his large hand. She maneuvered his fingers so his index and middle finger rested on her pussy and she purred loudly while watching Lavasi give head. Rejka kneeled next to him. She raised her hands. On her palms, two small mouths were visible, full lips smacking and tiny tongues wriggling.