Megumi watched the alien ships depart. As she stretched her new body, and slipped out of her command chair, she considered how the last hour had gone. Her diplomatic approach had worked. Now she had a shipwreck to deal with, but thankfully she didn’t have to waste time and energy dealing with a group of unknowns. What their interest in this region was; remained unknown, but she had kept them from acquiring anything dangerous. She did not need them doing something stupid with technology they did not understand. Even if she doubted it would cause something on the same scale as the Darkation Infestation.

Even if it was entirely possible. The Darkations came about due to a variety of factors. The people who created them got their hands on advanced technology that they didn’t fully understand. All they saw was its potential to make them a dominant power in their galaxy, and everything that entailed. If only that was all that moved them, then there was the cult. A cult had risen in that galaxy among the younger races, one that fanatically believed that the younger races could not prosper so long as the empires of the elders still stood. The young race that ultimately acquired the technology that would be their downfall had that cult particularly well-entrenched among their number. Between the greed and religious fervor, it was little surprise that they used it to create a weapon. The lack of understanding, however, played into their inability to control their new weapon.

It was a great tragedy really. One that could have been prevented had the Elder council not been so complacent. Supreme Protector Countryman had foreseen the rise of the Darkations, and had lobbied for a punitive expedition. One the Elder Council stymied, believing it to be a waste of resources. At the time, the Empire had been enjoying a golden age. Other than a few wars, the Empire was prospering. The core had enjoyed peace for many meicanna, only the border galaxies had seen conflict in recent centuries. Most notable of those conflicts were the Empire’s wars with the Alteans, and the Iridex. The Elder council understandably saw no reason to divert vital assets from the fronts with either the Iridex or the Alteans. None of them after all possessed the singular talents of the Supreme Protector, not one of them had the gift of prophecy like he did. They could see glimpses of the near future, but Supreme Protector Countryman could truly see the timelines. 

Of course that only covered the surface of things. Behind the scenes, a very different story was unfolding. The council had become somewhat corrupt. The Council had been involved in a number of schemes that undermined the Protectorate. Schemes that the Supreme Protector was fully aware of, but had not been able to do more than stymie. The Protectorate was the side of the Solean government that mainly dealt with foreign affairs, and directly controlled the Solean Military. The council however dealt mainly in internal affairs.

In an age in which much of the Empire was largely unaffected by war, perhaps it came as little surprise that the council disregarded Countryman’s warnings. They were too busy playing their games for power. Games that Countryman used against them. Megumi knew from history that not long after the tragedy that birthed the Darkations came to be, Countryman dissolved the council. By ignoring the threat, they had enabled Countryman to use a very old legal clause that would force the council to dissolve, and open elections for a new council. The clause also disqualified all removed members from holding any government position. Of course, that same clause allowed them to challenge this, but only through a duel. Many naturally chose to duel rather than give up their power, but they stood no chance against the Last First Lord. Supreme Protector Countryman was the oldest living member of their race, and the last of a group known as the First Lords. With such age, and experience he commanded the strongest magics known to the Solean people. Not to mention he was an outright terror in battle. All who challenged him that night, died at his hand. 

She pushed thoughts of what might have been, if history had been different aside. It was pointless. Even with all their vaunted technology, and powerful magic, the hands of time remained immutable. No one could change the past. All those paradoxes the cultures of old considered when dreaming of time travel weren’t possible anyway. If one did manage to travel backward in time, they also end up leaving their own timeline. This process naturally creates a second parallel timeline while leaving the original untouched. The First Lords had documented this quite well when they experimented with time travel. Ultimately coming to the conclusion that time travel was impractical. A waste of resources, a novelty, nothing more.

Megumi slipped out of the bridge, as her drones reported the condition of the Inquisitor. The damage was fairly severe, but not irreparable. If she had the time, and the resources she could repair the Inquisitor. A full repair though was completely out of the question. Fixing her up enough that she could reach a yard on her own might be worth it, but it would take a while. She would also have to dock with the Inquisitor so that she could link her repair systems with the Inquisitor’s. Otherwise, it would take much longer, even with that she was looking at at least a week of repair. That was assuming she could find the rare elements needed to repair the other ship's main drives. She directed a subroutine to start scanning for those elements, even as she started another one, a salvage plan.

In the meantime, now that the distractions were mostly out of the way, she wanted to try out her body. Her mind flicked through the people she knew, and she quickly settled on Kiru, as her best bet. It had been so long, and she hoped Kiru could make this one special for her. Afterall, it was technically her first time in this body, and a girl’s first time should be special. Even if it was only in body that this would be her first. As she had done it plenty before she lost her old avatar. She was ever grateful to her creators for giving her the ability to feel and enjoy everything mortals were graced with.

Kiru stretched lazily, happy for the break. She had just completed a rather challenging run, and the class had gathered in this lounge to relax. A few were playing games. May was playing a card game with a friend at a nearby table for example. Kiru however didn’t feel like a game. Actually, she really felt like running some more and was just happy that Megumi wasn’t here with another set of special lessons.

Adjusting herself in her lounge chair, she found a nice comfortable position. Before she even realized it she had drifted off. She awoke to find Megumi’s smiling face above her. “Enjoy your nap, Princess?”

She nodded, and then paled. “I’m not late for my next lesson, am I?”

Megumi shook her head, “No, I would have woken you if you were.” She leaned forward, “Since you are awake, want to help me try out my new body?”

“New body?” she frowned. In answer, Megumi reached forward and brushed her cheek. To her surprise, she felt the touch. She could feel smooth fingers and the warmth of a flesh body.

“I grew myself a new Biomech Avatar. I used to have one before, but I lost it during a battle. So how about it? Want to help me try it out?”

Kiru knew there were several possible means for that, but thinking it was going to be a friendly competition, she said, “Sure.”

Megumi seemed to light up, as she suddenly leaned forward. Their lips pressed together and a warm slick tongue pushed into her mouth. Kiru’s eyes widened. This wasn’t what she was expecting, and she froze for a moment or two. While Megumi’s tongue explored her mouth.

As her shock vanished, she found the sensation rather pleasant. Kiru decided to return the kiss, and started exploring the other girl’s mouth. Even as another part of her marveled at the fact that she was doing this with an artificial intelligence.

When the kiss broke seconds later, she gave Megumi a weird look. “I didn’t think you were going to do that.”

Megumi’s posture shifted, and she pouted cutely. She looked so cute, that it wasn’t fair doing that. “You don’t want to?”

Actually Kiru wasn’t all that against it, mainly surprised. Not to mention, she had never done it with another girl. At least not to her knowledge. With those blank spots in her memory, she could no longer be sure. Kiru flushed, and looked away, “Uh, its not that. I’m, uh, just surprised. I didn’t think an AI would be into this sort of thing.”

Megumi leaned forward, and pressed against her before whispering into her ear. “My creators gave me the capacity to feel pleasure, and were rather promiscuous themselves. I actually have quite a bit of experience, I was even part of my last captain’s Circle.”

“Circle?”

“You might call it a harem. My creators aren’t monogamous, but live together in groups composed of several bonded pairs. Enough about that though. Do you want to, or should I leave you be?”

Kiru glanced at Megumi and saw the look in her eyes. That wasn’t fair. A part of her wanted to say no, but it just felt like it would be cruel to do so. Megumi clearly needed it, she could see it in her eyes, and to be honest, Kiru needed the distraction as well. After a moment’s indecision, she came to a decision. One side winning out over the other.

Slowly she nodded, “I’ve uh, never...”

She trailed off, but Megumi caught what she was about to say.

“Never done it with a girl before? Well then, we better make it special then. A girl’s first time better be special.” With that Megumi kissed her again. A moment later, she felt a hand slip under her shift, and start to caress her thigh. Several warm fingers stroked, and sank into the soft flesh there, sending pleasant tingles up her spine. It was stimulating, but not enough. She needed more.

She reached out, and stroked the scaled flesh of her partner. It was smooth and hard, but it gave pleasantly, and was soft where it mattered. She soon found a mound, and began to knead it over Megumi’s top. The fabric was thin, so she could feel the scales, and soft flesh beneath. It felt wonderful to have her hand sink into the soft mound. Her touch didn’t seem to evoke much reaction from her partner though.

She decided to be more bold, as their tongues dueled, she adjusted her fondling. Soon finding a small delicate but hardened nub. She rolled it in her fingers, and then gave a gentle tentative tug. A gasp escaped her partner, but she had the feeling that her partner didn’t like being that. She changed her movements, and then gasped herself. Below the teasing hand on her thigh had wandered upwards, and now she could feel fingers stroking her labia.

Megumi broke the kiss, and with a smile said, “You will enjoy this.”

That was the only warning she got before Megumi attacked her pussy. A pair of fingers suddenly penetrated her and began to stroke her vigorously. Shifting Megumi used a wing to hold her down, separating her hands from soft boob. Megumi then used her free hand, and began to tease a certain sensitive little nub. Between the thrusting, and the light teasing touches she soon felt a pleasant familiar heat building in her loins. It built quickly, and before she knew it soft heated moans were coming forth unbidden. While a soft rumble came from deep within her chest.

It felt good alright, really good. She begged for more, and Megumi complied. Her movements intensified, and that sent her over the edge. The world shattered around her as she cried out her joy. Her muscles spasmed and her vision became an all-encompassing white. The blissful pleasure seemed to last an eternity, and when she refocused, Megumi was no longer playing with her pussy. With a heated suggestive whisper, Megumi asked, “Ready for more?”

She nodded meekly, and the pleasure resumed.