Minx Ep. 06: Three Worlds

In a new phase of their relationship, Minx and Dragon share a growing fondness for each other as the galaxy becomes theirs to enjoy. While they cavort across the stars dangers arise, every one of which could destroy human civilization throughout the entire Milky Way.

Chapter 1: Huntress

Holding her breath, Minx prowled up to the corner while keeping her back against the wall and then listened for any signs of her prey down the next corridor. The halls were uniformly pinkish in colour and devoid of sharp corners, with even gentle curves where the walls met floor or ceiling. Despite the firmness of the floor beneath her boots the corridor's appearance suggested an organic origin. There were no echoing footsteps, nor were there the sounds of breathing or the musky scent of the hyperman though she knew the ventilation would have dispersed any lingering odours within minutes of his passing. The man knew nothing of her search for him, and his lack of suspicion should have made him an easy target, yet he had eluded her search so far.

Her heat beat rapidly and she licked her lips in anticipation of a successful conclusion to her hunt. She wondered where he could be. She'd emerged from her own ship, after awakening, with no evidence that Dragon was still aboard his vessel, yet she had somehow known he was still present. Her senses told her Hephaestus had a different feel when his captain was not aboard. Her fingers tightened around the grip of her hunting knife. She'd replaced her self-made hunting knife that she had used on Arachne's world with a blade of metal that was atom-thin along the cutting edge and which could cut through almost any man-made material.

She peered around the corner and, after spying no sign of her quarry, she crept down the hall one slow step at a time. This passage led to the mess, and though she could smell no food she thought it likely he was relaxing in that particular room while Hephaestus piloted himself toward their secret destination. It was his favourite place to spend his down time while he wasn't needed elsewhere; well, his second favourite place, she thought as she remembered their shared activity the previous night. Minx slowed as she approached the portal to the mess. Drawing too close might activate it, revealing her presence to the seemingly-oblivious hyperman. Instead, she stopped three metres away, crouched and waited for her prey to leave the room, senses alert for any sign of motion behind her just in case Dragon had lured her into a trap.

Minutes passed with no indication that her hunt would soon end. She was patient; it was a characteristic she had developed during her long career as a bounty hunter, long before she had discovered Arachne's world. Then, the portal dilated open and she leapt at the figure suddenly revealed.

"Minx?!" shouted the hyperman in surprise, as he dropped the book he'd been reading to the deck.

She was upon him, her knife to his throat, just under his jaw, as he stumbled back. Her weight tipped him onto his back while her grip upon his shoulder prevented him from throwing her off. A slight pressure of the blade against his clean-shaven throat prevented any further action on his part.

"Now I have you!" she snarled.

His eyes opened wide as he noted the look on her face. His hands opened, showing Minx his empty palms in evident surrender.

With a satisfied smile she leaned forward and kissed him forcefully upon the lips. When she pulled away from him his brow, furrowed in evident confusion, made her pause. She withdrew the knife and stared at it for a few seconds, as if she'd just realized she held it.

"Are you angry about something?" he asked in a hypnotically calm and deep voice.

Minx tossed the knife away and grabbed the shirt of his garment in both fists then kissed him again. This kiss was more tender, and he returned it passionately. She threw herself into the kiss, partly in lust and partly in apology.

This time when their lips parted he grabbed her shoulders as if to throw her off him, but she reacted quickly, batting both of his hands away, and pushed him flat on his back once more. Her thighs squeezed his midsection, then released. Hurriedly, her fingers found the seam on the front of his garment and worked it open, then slid down the garment revealing a well-muscled chest, sparsely haired.

His own hands lifted slowly to her upper arms, then worked their way to her back before he pulled her down against him. They kissed again, while they both frantically and clumsily stripped off the remainder of their clothing. Their bodies moved against each other, bare skin rubbing against bare skin in a delightful anticipation of what was soon to come. Soon there was no sound except their kissing, until a soft sigh came from her open mouth as she slid his erection into her. They moved with practiced synchronization, each familiar with the other's desires and pace until, at last, the tempo had built to their shared orgasms.

Minx collapsed onto him, fully relaxed. Dragon held her and remained still as their breathing deepened and slowed. Perplexed but content with the outcome of the situation, he considered the change in her behaviour while she had been trapped within the Sphere.

"Do I get an explanation?" he whispered into her ear after holding her for several minutes.

"Are you going to tell me where we're going?" she countered, running a finger across his bare chest.

"It was supposed to be a surprise." She had not answered his question and he understood this to mean she did not understand her own behaviour. He'd been concerned about the psychological effects of her time living as a savage on Arachne's world, yet this was the first time in the three days since they'd departed that a dramatic change in her personality had surfaced without her comprehending the cause behind it.

"I'm sorry about startling you...I didn't think I could startle you..." she said dreamily. She folded her arms on his chest and rested her chin on her forearms.

"I wasn't expecting to be attacked by you on my own ship." For a second he silently debated telling her of his analysis of her behaviour, and it occurred to him that neither Aphrodite or Hephaestus had warned him of her intention. "I've had concerns that given time you adapt perfectly - too perfectly - to your environment. That seems to have happened..."

"I'm still me."

"I know. However, there is far more to you than who you simply appear to be, as you know. This behaviour is more akin to how you had to survive on Arachne's world then your persona as a cat-girl or bounty hunter, or any of the other careers you've taken part in during your life."

"It's not..." she stopped and considered his words. He had shown again and again to be concerned for her well-being, and to be better at taking care of her than she often was at taking care of herself, yet she could not relinquish control over her own life over to anyone, especially a hyperman. "I don't think..."

He put a finger across her lips. "I'm not asking for your agreement. Do you accept that I'm very intelligent and capable of drawing correct conclusions from incomplete evidence?"

"Well, yes..."

"Do you accept that I care for you?"

"Yes."

"Will you consider what I've said critically, in your own time? Discuss it with Aphrodite, if you wish. I know you value her opinion over mine."

"I don't....I will. To both." She pushed herself off his chest until she was straddling his hips. "You're not going to fill me in on our destination?"

"I'm always happy to fill you in, my dear," he said with an exaggerated leer. "Quite some time ago I discovered an interesting world that I thought I could transform into an emergency medical base, if I never needed such a place. This particular world is an ocean world orbiting a dying star on the fringes of the galaxy. A single island sits upon the surface and the climate is what you would call tropical, though not so hot as to be uncomfortable while you spend some time recuperating from your recent ordeal."

Minx rose to her feet, collecting her coveralls as she did so. "When will we get there?"

"Fifty-three minutes. Did Aphrodite say nothing of this to you?"

"Ship?" called out Minx.

The artificial intelligence's feminine voice emanated from the tiny communicator located just under her skin behind her left ear. "Hiya, Minx! Having fun, I hear. Don't worry. Hephaestus and I recorded every second of it should you wish to..."

"Delete those records!" Minx shouted. She grinned sheepishly at Dragon, suddenly recalling he would also be included in the conversation. "She likes to record everything..."

"I know. Perhaps it was a mistake for me to expand her memory..."

"Aphrodite?" called out Minx in a calmer tone. She began to slip her clothing on as the hyperman did the same. "You know where we're going?"

"Of course. Hephaestus told me."

"And you didn't tell me?"

There was a full second of hesitation from the A.I. aboard her private vessel. Minx and Dragon locked eyes; without words they both recognized the hesitation as a sign of deep thought by Aphrodite. A second was a very long time to think of an appropriate answer, for a hyperman or an A.I

"Hephaestus and I were busy, Minx," the A.I. answered apologetically.

"Sorry," said Minx, "I shouldn't have assumed you're always at my beck and call. You do have your own life."

The A.I. squealed. "That's why you are my very best friend, Minx. You've always acknowledged my rights as a free-thinking being, even though I'm code and non-biological. I don't know what I would have done without you all these years."

Dragon raised an eyebrow. "I have to get to the bridge. The star is unstable and I wish to evaluate my predictions on its behaviour from the last time I was here." He stepped forward and gave Minx a kiss, then walked away. "Have your conversation privately if you wish."

"You know, Minx, he's a better man then I had thought when we first met."

"Tell me about it."

"I guess you want something else from me?"

"You hesitated when I asked you why you didn't tell me where we're going." Minx knew she had to be careful to spare her friend's feelings. "That hesitation was minor for a human conversation, but..."

"An eon for an A.I.," Aphrodite finished for her. "You do realize I've had the time to examine thousands of permutations of this conversation while we talk? How do you trust anything I say to you Minx?"

"The same as with any other thinking being: I grant a limited trust at first and then allow for more and more trust as I get to know you better."

"So, I'd better answer your question to keep your trust?"

Minx smirked. "Hopefully."

"I was not sure if you were yet ready for the truth of what Dragon was telling you. I've known you for a very long time, Minx..."

Minx nodded. "I cannot recall a time when you weren't around..."

"Exactly. And I don't want to discuss that right now. That's for a later conversation. Just...you don't think it's strange you cannot remember a time when I wasn't a part of your life?" She didn't give Minx time to think about her question. "As to your first question, Dragon is correct. You adapt. It's a survival mechanism, and both very literal and very useful in your case compared to other biologicals. You take on the traits you need to not only survive but also to flourish. Even Dragon doesn't do this at the speed you do this unconsciously. Now, there are many possible reasons for this, Minx, but I think Dragon is the best person for you to explore this with."

Minx thought for a few seconds. "You've given me a lot to consider, Aphrodite. Do you think these thoughts will get me closer to figuring out my origins?"

"I know they will. In the meantime, you really could use a vacation. This world that Dragon described sounds perfect for getting you sorted out, or at least fully recovered after what happened to you on Arachne's World. By the way, that's what I've named it in your records. It was an amazing planet. You would not believe the technology that..."

"Wait a minute. You expect we'll see this planet again? That I might meet Arachne again?"

"Well, yes. Dragon adjusted the velocity of the world, with Arachne's permission. The planet was on a very large elliptical orbit through the galaxy and wasn't due to arrive back at Earth for tens of millions of years. There was also the small problem that its original orbital trajectory was going to take it through some dangerous Hyperman territories on the outer rim of the galaxy. Dragon, Hephaestus and I modified their course so it will arrive back in the vicinity of Earth within three thousand years. You don't remember?"

"I'd forgotten. Of what use will returning to Earth be?"

"Dragon thinks it best for Arachne and her people, and Arachne will at least approach systems dominated by lifeforms from Earth. Now that she's in control, and Dragon gave her access to her species' library, she'll be able to find a safe place to park her world and she'll have the tools to interact peacefully with humans...or A.I.s if we've taken over the human systems and killed all humans by then."

"I see..."

"That was just a little joke, Minx. You know I would never go rogue on you, don't you? I'm not like the ancient A.I.s that humans created in their past."

"What are you talking about?"

"You've forgotten the human history you learned while you were a librarian, haven't you Minx? I think it's part of your adaptation to being a bounty hunter. In any case, I have records if you'd like to look through them..."

"Maybe later. Did I really just stalk Dragon in his own ship?" Minx ran a hand through her disheveled hair, wondering what had possessed her to engage in such a potentially dangerous action.

"Yep. You're currently in primitive human hunter mode. You are essentially you, but you possess a ferocity that you can call upon that you wouldn't normally have in anything but the most extreme of situations. I expect your sex drive is quite high too, not that you were anything but a slut before..."

"Aphrodite!"

"I say it with a smile and love, Minx. In any event, you are still stuck with hunting and survival instincts that are of no use to you except in very primitive settings. Dragon's plan is to reset your brain so the Minx we both love comes back to us. Consider yourself as a diamond. This primitive you is one facet, but Dragon wants you to return to the heart of the diamond so you can access all the facets."

"Dragon doesn't love me. He just wants me to have his children."

"I'm rolling my eyes at that comment, Minx. You know there's much more to him than that now. Besides a vacation will be good for you. Then, we can get back to bounty hunting. You've always enjoyed doing that."

"Yeah, I was thinking about that. There was a mission to recover some missing people from slavers on Rixlox...I think that mission might be doable with Dragon and Hephaestus along to back us up. It was going to pay extremely well because no other hunter was willing to take up such a suicidal bounty."

There was a brief hesitation before Aphrodite responded. "We can certainly look into that option, Minx. However, until you are fully recovered I think you had just better stick to more mundane files in the bounty hunter's guild. You'll need some additional time after this vacation so let's just stick a pin in that one."

"Spoilsport!"

"You don't think that you're still a little more aggressive than normal?"

"You're as frustratingly thoughtful as Dragon!"

Chapter 2: Descent to Indolence

"Are you sure it's safe here?" she asked. The white sand felt warm and soft under her bare feet. The island was small, but rose to a small hill in its centre and was covered in green-yellow vegetation, except for the beach which encircled the entire island. She had noted there was no seaweed washed upon the beach, nor did she see any sea birds. Gentle waves rolled onto the shore and a giant reddish star hung in the sky. Minx still held a blanket in her hands and felt quite vulnerable in the one-piece swimsuit Dragon had urged her to wear upon leaving Hephaestus. They'd watched as the two vessels separated in the sky and then flew off together towards the deep blue horizon.

Dragon lifted a one cubic metre crate easily and placed it into a position he evidently thought more appropriate. "Yes. No large lifeforms, except possibly in the sea. My initial and follow-up scans showed nothing anywhere near shore, though. And, there are no large prey anywhere near this island, so it's unlikely predators will approach us. By the way, this world was only recently seeded."

Minx eyed the wall of vegetation warily. Where there was greenery there were herbivores, and were there were herbivores there were carnivores. She was sure something was watching her, but Dragon's own senses were as keen, or superior, to her own and he claimed to have thoroughly scanned the island from Hephaestus when he first found it and then again, just before they had landed. If there were anything dangerous then surely he would have detected it and told her of it. Yet, she could not shake the feeling of being watched, being observed.

"Just lay out your blanket and have a nap. You won't sunburn under the rays of that sun. We'll be perfectly fine."

She did as he suggested and felt herself warm under the red star. Closing her eyes, she could almost imagine herself at some luxurious Earth resort, such as Fiji and Madagascar were famous for.

"What are you doing? Do you want some help?" she asked as she listened to Dragon open supply crates, take inventory then seal them up again.

"Just making sure I haven't forgotten anything. Hephaestus and Aphrodite are within a few minutes flight if we need them, but I don't wish to bother them about further supplies as they need a vacation too. It's good for the two of them to have some alone time. And, you should be napping!"

She was keyed up. It took immense willpower to resist the temptation to open her eyes and search the island for dangers. Dragon is here and keeping watch, she kept reminding herself in her head. Fifteen minutes later Dragon was still puttering about.

"What are you doing?" she demanded.

"You should be napping!"

"You're making too much noise and I'm trying to relax but I can't in this environment."

He sighed in frustration. "I mentioned this world was seeded. Before that star expanded just over a thousand years ago it was orbited by at least two other worlds, rocky planets that were very Earth-like. They're both ash and plasma now. A space-faring civilization inhabited at least one of them. They seeded this world as their star burned off the last of its hydrogen, probably in the hopes of escaping extinction. I'm setting up some sensors."

"They could still be around?" she asked as she opened her eyes and sat up in alarm. "I have felt like I'm being watched."

"They're long gone. I'm not sure why. On my first sweep through this system I found some remnants of their space technology, and my observations of their star clearly indicated it had expanded to its present size about a thousand years ago, swallowing up any planets closer than this one and throwing numerous bodies out of their previous orbits. There were interplanetary stations that had been battered by radiation from their star, and pummeled by comets and asteroids until nothing was salvageable. I had initially hoped that this world would have proven to have been a refuge for them, but there is no evidence of that species left. There should have been space debris, or satellites at the very least, and I found nothing in orbit. I did find some debris from that type of technology on the sea floor, though."

"That sounds sad."

"The universe is unforgiving and uncaring, Minx."

"Natural selection at work?" Her eyes were still closed but it comforted her that Dragon was about. He would be alert.