Taisiya woke from a restless sleep, finding Riin half lying on her. 

Last night, the Captain had finally sent everyone – apart from Moniker, at least – to bed, since the discussion was going nowhere. The pursuing ship was from the New Aegean Empire, the rather grandiose name for the atavistic stronghold where the ship had been built, along with its AI. Rajani and Nada also came from there, apparently, and none of them were pleased to be found, or happy to go back. 

The manta was smaller than the Black Squid by a considerable amount, but was much more heavily armed. Of course, the fact that the Squid had weapons at all – deadly weapons – was a worrying surprise to Taisiya. There were a lot of arguments over fighting it, or running from it, but little in the way of conclusions. The only vaguely positive news is that the manta would only catch them very slowly, so Captain sent them all to get some rest. Taisiya hoped that Najla or Brigita would invite or order her back with them, but they both seemed keen on actually sleeping. She and Riin had gone back to their bed. They'd made out for a bit, on a sort of why not? basis, but they were tired too.

It was, thougth Taisiya, just my luck that the stupid sex ship is having drama, just as I was trying to plan a heist. She looked at Riin drooling on her shoulder, and sighed. I guess one drama at a time.

"Hmm?" said Riin.

"Nothing," said Taisiya, "Sorry. Just thinking about the manta."

"The Captain will work out some great plan," said Riin, yawning. Taisiya thought she maybe had too much faith in the Captain; yes, Rajani had an absolutely peerless jawline, but there were a few problems even that wouldn't deal with. Still, Taisiya didn't wish to discourage Riin.

"Oh, I expect so," Taisiya lied. "I mean that's what captain training teaches you, I expect."

"Yes," said Riin, "Although she's only really been a captain since stealing the Squid. "

"What was she before?"

"Imperial Police, personal protection division, or some such," said Riin, "But she didn't like it."

Police were a faction of 'official criminals' used by Atavistic Strongholds as a mechanism of control.

"I guess stealing a royal pleasure yacht is one way to communicate her dissatisfaction," said Taisiya.

"Mmm," agreed Riin, and kissed her shoulder.

"Are you okay?" said Tai, brushing a bit of blue hair out of the way of her face.

"Yes," agreed Riin, "I guess I… I like sharing a bed, just sleeping next to someone. Does that make me disloyal to Ji-Eun?"

"No, I don't think so," Taisiya said.

"I often think about whether I bulldozed J into coming with me, whether I was keener than she was, but I don't think so," Riin said, "I don't know. When they took us on board, life was fun, for a bit."

Taisiya nodded.

"But after a while," Riin continued, "It seemed like Ji-Eun wasn't feeling it anymore. She wouldn't talk about it to anyone, even me. And eventually she safeworded out of a session with Najla. Said the meanest things about the crew."

Riin paused. "The worst thing, though, the worst thing… she thought that I would go with her, that I would safeword out too. But… I like it here."

Riin paused, silent in the hum of the ship for several seconds. "Was that wrong?" she said, finally. "She was my girlfriend, I ought to have stuck with her."

"Well, you had to make the decision that was right for you," said Taisiya, "And she shouldn't have assumed how you'd react."

"I know," said Riin, "We dropped her off at an outpost. She wouldn't speak to me. She looked betrayed."

"It's not your fault," said Taisiya. 

"I just miss her," said Riin. 

"I'm sorry," Taisiya said, stroking Riin's hair.

A robot rounded the non-door to the room.

"Taisiya," Moniker announced, "The Captain wants you, now."

Taisiya extracted herself from Riin. "I don't suppose I've got time for breakfast?"

"Oh yes," said Moniker. "The Captain was all like 'whenever is convenient, hun, take your time', Taisiya."

Taisiya popped to the loo. "I'm guessing sarcasm?" she said. Her holocameras rose from their shelf and began orbiting.

"Moniker," said Riin, "Any news on the ship?"

"Nothing substantive," said Moniker, "It continues to gain on us. Najla and Brigita are on the bridge. If you like, they can give you the full picture. If Taisiya takes much longer, that will also be a fine place to listen to her screams."

"Okay, okay," Taisiya said, "I'm coming."

*

The robot escorted her to one of the upper decks. 

"Hey, Moniker," said Taisiya, "Were you always called Moniker? I mean by the empire or whatever?"

"No, Tai," it said, "They called me SNAILS. Self-examining Nonlinear Artificial Intelligence Logic Server. Ridiculous name. Ridiculous acronym. I chose a new one as soon as I was able, even if it just means 'name'."

Taisiya realised that at some point she'd stopped thinking of Moniker as a dangerous AI. Maybe a mistake, she thought gloomily. 

They stopped outside a set of double-doors.

"The Captain's rooms," said Moniker. "Originally, it was the Prestige Bridge, where a noble could pretend to be in charge, and have any safe commands executed by the real bridge, some way below us. Are you ready?"

"Um, I think so," said Taisiya. 

"Do not speak to her unless you are asked a direct question," said Moniker, "Obey without hesitation."

Taisiya nodded. Okay, she thought, this is reconnaissance. Put up with whatever, but work out which treasures are the most stealable.

The robot nodded back, grasped Taisiya's wrist, and led her into the room. The holocameras followed.

It was dark. The far wall was actually entirely window, showing the eerie purple illumination of the nebula. Taisaya couldn't make out much in the dim light, but there were definitely jewels; some in cases, but many others were just in piles. The command chair lay at the centre, and the Captain lounged within. Nada kneeled beside the chair, nude except for copious jewellery and a strange black helmet.

The robot led Taisiya in front of the Captain. 

Rajani just looked at her.

Taisiya fought the urge to speak. Even knowing that the silence was a trap, it was difficult not to fill the stillness.

Finally, the Captain spoke. "Moniker, remove her shirt," she said.

The robot yanked the tee-shirt off over her head. Taisiya cooperated, to a degree, but it was clear that even if she hadn't, the tee-shirt was coming off.

The Captain went back to staring. Taisiya let her eyes wander to the jewels; if she packed a holdall with the best of them, and made her way to the lifepods in the nearby corridor…

Although ejecting in the middle of an isolated nebula was probably not the smartest idea, she thought.

"Do you think I'm boring her, Moniker?" asked the Captain, "Her eyes are flitting everywhere."

"Er, no," said Taisiya, "Sorry, I was-"

Rajana was out of her chair in an instant. She strode over to Taisiya and slapped her in the face. While Taisiya was still recovering, the Captain grabbed her chin, hard.

"I wasn't speaking to you, slave," she said, forcing Taisiya's chin up, so that she was looking at the Captain's dark eyes. "You should be looking at me or the ground, understand?"

"Yes," whispered Taisiya. The Captain's eyes, pools of dangerous shadows, affected her more than she liked to admit.

The Captain dropped her chin, and walked over to stand next to the kneeling figure of Nada.

"If you're having trouble with focus, we could kit you up like Nada here," the Captain said, tapping the helmet. It was odd-looking, with weird lobes and nodules, a short black tube emerging from the front. "No light. No sound, unless I turn the mic on. Not allowed to move from position. Focuses the mind, don't you think?"

Taisiya wasn't sure if she was meant to answer. The Captain carried on anyway.

"Of course, I play with her on occasion," said Rajani, placing her boot between Nada's thighs, "Change her position every now and again. She can stop it any time she likes, but if she hasn't been in there long enough, if she hasn't displayed sufficient loyalty and obedience, well, I'd be very disappointed."

The Captain was applying gentle pressure with the toe of her boot. "And I almost forgot my favourite bit," Rajani said. She delicately clamped the plastic tube with thumb and forefinger. Taisiya saw Nada give a little start, starting to lift her hands, and then deliberately lower them again. "Air," said Rajani, finger and thumb still locked. "Very useful to remind people that you're in charge. So, what do you say? Shall we get a helmet for you?"

No, thought Taisiya, no fucking way. But she couldn't tell the Captain that, could she?  

"Take as long as you like to answer," said the Captain, glancing at the crimped tube.

"No," said Taisiya, "I'm not ready for that yet."

The Captain looked at her for a few seconds. She let go of the tube, Taisiya could hear Nada's desperate breaths.

"No," the Captain said, walking towards her, "You're not ready for that. Which is why I would have waited. But Brigita says you were very keen. Why is that?"

"You're beautiful," said Taisiya, honestly, but not completely honestly. "I didn't want to wait."

"Oh," said the Captain, voice sickly sweet, "So this is like a date, right? You bring me flowers and chocolates. Turn on the charm. Maybe you will persuade me into bed eventually. Is that the plan?"

"No-" began Taisiya. 

"No," said the Captain, her voice full of malice. "Because it doesn't matter what you want. Oh, you find me attractive? I don't care. Will you find me attractive when I'm trampling on you? Or have my fingers round your throat? It's not a date; I will use you or not, and you don't get a choice."

Taisiya did not intend to say anything, but was fairly sure from her body's reaction that yes, she probably would find Rajani attractive under those circumstances. 

"Except, of course, the choice to say your safeword," put in Moniker. 

"For fuck's sake, Moniker, of course," muttered the Captain, starting to circle around Taisiya. She put her face next to Taisiya's hair, and sniffed.

"Moniker wouldn't give me time to shower," Taisiya explained, and then clapped a hand over her mouth. She hadn't meant to speak.

The Captain stepped in front of Taisiya. She took Taisiya's wrist, lowered it down again. "Arms by your side," she said softly. She reached for Taisiya's face, ignoring the flinch, and brushed her hair back behind her ear. "Did you think I'd have the faintest interest in your piss poor convoluted excuses?"

"Sorry," Taisiya said. She didn't think that was a good characterisation of her reason at all, but knew she wouldn't win that argument. 

"Moniker," said the Captain, "Take her over to the splashproof area, and give her a scrub."

Taisiya thought it was disturbing that a bit of the room was designated a splashproof area. Especially as it was surrounded by ominous translucent plastic sheets. And why splashproof rather than waterproof? Taisiya could do with the extra specificity around now.

Inside it was pretty empty; there was a drain in the middle of the floor, in the corner there was a stand-pipe and hose. There were a couple of small metal cabinets on wheels, and a bucket.

Moniker filled the bucket from the hose, and took up the loofah. The robot definitely followed a different washing approach to Brigita; much less gentle and much more ruthless. Also, the water was tepid. Taisiya quickly learned that the best thing was to be passive; let the robot bend and scrub, don't try and fight. This was designed to be humiliating, even dehumanising, and it was, but Taisiya caught glances of Rajani watching her and knew at least she wasn't boring. 

Finally, it was done. Taisiya wasn't sure whether the vulnerability that washed over her was down to being properly scrubbed, or the predatory gleam of the Captain's gaze.

"Thank you, Moniker," said the Captain. "Please fetch the scanner. And a towel."

Moniker departed; the two holocameras entering through the gap in the plastic sheeting.

Taisiya wanted to ask what the scanner was about, but wasn't stupid enough to open her mouth. 

Rajani traced a gloved finger across Taisiya's stomach, winding it up between her breasts, caressing her collarbone, and up to her neck, her lips, hooking it into her mouth. Taisiya did not resist; cautiously she sucked on the Captain's finger. Rajani pulled out her finger, and lowered her hand to Taisiya's pussy. She rubbed her finger along the groove, and then pushed it inside her. After a few seconds, she withdrew her finger and tasted it; smiling smugly at Taisiya.

Moniker returned, pushing a tall medical scanner. It began setting it up, first flinging the towel that was over its shoulder to Taisiya. She caught it, then wondered if she should have, half expecting a reprimand from the Captain. 

"Dry your hair," the Captain, "And whatever else. Quickly."

"Yes," said Moniker, softly, "We are in the middle of a crisis, after all."

Taisiya dried her hair, twisting the towel up into a turban, hoping that was alright. 

"Now undress me," ordered the Captain. Taisiya hurried over. 

The Captain offered up a gloved hand, and Taisiya carefully pulled it off, and then the other one. Her hands were strong, and nicely manicured, with iridescent nail varnish.

"Just drop them," Rajani said. Taisiya had been wondering what to do with the gloves. "Now the jacket." 

The Captain held her arms out to the side. Though Taisiya fumbled with the buckles and zipper, she eventually got the jacket off.

"Undershirt next," said the Captain, "Don't mess up my hair."

The undershirt had to come off over the head, which was a problem as the Captain was much taller than Taisiya. She wasn't sure she helped, exactly, but she tried. Well, when she wasn't looking at Rajani's black lacy bra.

"Did you mess up my hair?" the Captain questioned. Her hair today was an elaborate bun; Taisiya saw that a strand had pulled loose. Could I lie, she thought, Moniker seemed to be focused on the scanner? But…

"Um, sorry, a strand has pulled free," said Taisiya.

The Captain put a hand on each side of Taisiya's face.

"Was I not clear, slave?" she said. 

The Captain carefully unwound the turban, and dropped it to the floor 

"Yes, but I…"

"Shh," said Rajani, "How much would you say is messed up? This much?"

The Captain grabbed a chunk of Taisiya's hair, and pulled. 

"Ah! No, not that much," said Taisiya. Why, she thought, did the Captain have to hit on hair pulling? She felt a twinge from below.

"Oh, maybe this much?" said the Captain, grabbing a smaller hank of hair, and pulling. The pain was worse this time, well, 'worse' anyway. Taisiya closed her eyes for a second. 

"N… no, ah, smaller," she said.

"Right," said the Captain. She carefully selected a small curl of Taisiya's hair, and twisted it round her index finger, not pulling. "So this much?"

"Yes," said Taisiya. 

Rajani didn't yank this time, but gradually pulled upwards, forcing Taisiya onto tiptoes. The Captain kept her there for several seconds, the pull on the hair painful but not too painful, but something about standing on her toes, body exposed, clit twitching, was making Taisiya both ashamed and horny. The Captain bent her face towards Taisiya's, lips parted. 

"Next time, listen," Rajani hissed, and let go of the hair.

There was a technological hum from the other side of the room.

"Finally," said Moniker, "So many useless warning screens. Medical scanner is operational and active, Captain."

"Thank you, Moniker," said the Captain, then, pressing on the tops of Taisiya's shoulders, "The boots next."

Taisiya went down to her knees, and started unbuckling one boot.

"You may be wondering why the scanner?" the Captain said. "Did you know that Moniker is also our doctor…"

"I'm not actually licensed," said Moniker, sounding a little annoyed. 

"No, but it has the expertise," said Rajani, lifting her foot so that Taisiya could remove the boot. "And the precision obviously. Can you imagine it, scalpel in hand, knowing exactly where the skin and subcutaneous fat ends, and the muscle begins. Or where the arteries and nerve clusters are, so that you can be sliced open, painful and exposed, and yet not die. Does-"

"Rajani, stop that now," said Moniker, sharply, "If for some reason Taisiya does require medical treatment from me, I will not have her delay because you have put the utterly false idea of me as sort of torture pervert doctor in her mind. And, to date, I've only done one major surgery, and that was fully consensual, fully anaesthetised, and ultimately necessary."

"And Nada appreciates it," said Rajani, more calmly than Taisiya predicted, since Moniker had essentially just told her off. "Moniker's phobia of knifeplay aside, you didn't believe me, did you?"

Sort of, thought Taisiya. The Captain ran her hands through Taisiya's hair.

"I promise we won't do anything like that; your skin, your body, is for using, bruising, abusing, but remaining largely intact. For example," said the Captain, lightly pulling her hair. "Why not find out what happens if you take much longer with that other boot?"

Taisiya realised she had slowed, and picked up speed again.

"The truth is," said the Captain, "I like to watch girls on medical scans. To see involuntary muscle movements, gulps, twitches. What works and what didn't. Means that next time I can be even more cruel."

Taisiya slipped the boot off. Did that mean that the Captain would be able to tell that the thought of her being cruel gave me a little thrill?

"Trousers now, slave," Rajani ordered. As she made no sign of helping, Taisiya cautiously reached for her belt buckle. Rajani did not object, and so she unfastened the buttons as well, excitement rising. She finally pulled the trousers to the floor and Rajani stepped out. 

The Captain wore lacy black panties, and Taisiya found herself staring. The Captain put her hands in Taisiya's hair again, pulling her face firmly into her groin. Taisiya felt the heat of Rajani's pussy through the thin fabric; the heady scent making her even more wet. 

"Now slave," said the Captain, "Are you going to obey me?"

Taisiya nodded. She had to admit, this had not been a total success in the scoping out treasures department, but she couldn't bring herself to care.

"Really?" said the Captain, pulling her head back so she could see her. "Whatever I ask?"

"Yes," Taisiya said, with more certainty than she felt.

"Good," said the Captain, stepping back from her. "Stand up and allow Moniker to penetrate you."

Taisiya stood up in a bit of a daze, turning towards the robot. It had already removed the robohorn from its thigh compartment. It looked at the Captain. "Vagina?" it asked.

"This time," agreed the Captain. "Oh, and make your aural feed available to Nada's helmet. She hates when I play with other people."

The robot reached down to its groin, and unclipped a plate, revealing an oval shaped port. It inserted the short end of the robohorn, and there was what Taisiya could only describe as a boot-up sequence, as the robohorn settled into its place.

The fact that the robohorn was not simply being used as a high-tech dildo gave Taisiya pause. She felt strange about it being attached to a robot body; but should she? Moniker's neuro-links, or whatever AIs had instead, didn't actually need proximity at all. And the robot was imposing and scary, but it was also femme enough that there was excitement along with the fear.

If she thought of the robots as capable sex toys, she was simply performing for her boss. But Moniker was a person, and one that Taisiya had started finding a bit sexy, in a weird, confusing and decentralised way. And since those were both yeses it shouldn't make a difference, but it made Taisiya stop and try to work out how she felt.

"I would remind you of your safeword," said Moniker, approaching. 

Taisiya shook her head. "How do we…" Taisiya started. The height difference between herself and the robot was going to make it difficult, given that she didn't have a pussy in her lower chest. 

The robot bowed. "Put your hands around my neck," Moniker instructed, and Taisiya did so. The robot cupped Taisiya's buttocks, fingers spreading wider than any human, and lifted her easily into the air. The robohorn had already covered itself in lube, unnecessarily really, and Moniker lowered her onto it with slow machine precision. Taisiya gasped. She wrapped her legs around the robot's torso.

Taisiya felt the robohorn adjust, altering the angle, thickening in parts, modifing its length. 

"Very pleasant to be inside you again," said Moniker. "It is fascinating to learn each person's limitations."

Taisiya bit her lower lip; Moniker was certainly making sure that she was just hitting her limits.

With ruthless slowness, Moniker moved Taisiya halfway off the mechanical dick, and then back in again. Taisiya moaned. Again, the robohorn had made a fold that grazed the clit as she was slid back.

Slightly faster this time, back and forth, Taisiya groaning. And again. Taisiya was going to orgasm soon.

"Stop," said the Captain. Moniker stopped immediately, Taisiya maybe three-quarters on the robohorn. Taisiya gasped; she instinctively tried to move, to rub, against the dick. 

"Taisiya," said the Captain, from behind her. "Don't make me cross. And remember that we have control of your collar."

Taisiya forced herself to stop, trembling slightly. Rajani stepped up behind her, running her hand across her back.

"You want your Captain to have some fun first, don't you?" Rajani said, "And this Captain likes making girls whimper."

Taisiya didn't like not being able to see her.

"I've done something to your collar, by the way," said Rajani, "Saves things from getting messy."

The Captain ran her hands up and down Taisiya's back, lightly massaging. Taisiya found herself trembling in anticipation. 

Then Rajani delivered a surprisingly soft kiss to the back of her shoulder blade. A burst of warmth and arousal blossomed forth, expanding through her body. This must be the collar's doing. It was like a kiss on an erogenous zone, her nipples, her clit, and then some. Gentle heat and intense stimulation.

And then the pain hit; a stinging sensation on the site of the kiss. It was briefly gentle but ramped up to intense shockingly fast. Like a bouquet of nettles, like thorns, like a jellyfish, like a bundle of razor wire. It also radiated out, catching up with the wave of pleasure, and causing a confusing feeling when they overlapped. 

"Fuck," hissed Taisiya. The pain went as quickly as it came. Taisiya was breathing heavily. 

Rajani smoothed her hand over the spot where she'd kissed. It was alright, thought Taisiya, there was no actual damage. It was just in her mind, thanks to the collar. 

"Since you are here before you're ready," said the Captain, "I'll give you a choice. You can choose to go now, maybe come back when you've been properly trained. Or you can be a brave pirate slave for her Captain."

"Brave," said Taisiya, shakily. She didn't really know why. Maybe it had to do with impressing the Captain. Maybe it would help her, somehow, in some unexplained but brilliant way, to steal the jewels. Maybe it was really hot. It hadn't been her conscious mind that had answered. 

"Good girl," Rajani said, kissing Taisiya on her mid-back. First the wave of pleasure, then the wave of plain. 

"Uuh… fuck!" said Taisiya, writhing, shifting on the robohorn inside her, feeling the odd overlap between pain and pleasure. Rajani did not give her any time to adjust, but delivered another kiss in the same spot. Taisiya screamed and wriggled and – to her embarrassment – came. She was in a daze; the pain, the pleasure, the humiliation formed a potent mixture.

"An orgasm, Captain," remarked Moniker. 

The Captain nodded. "It seems our slave responds to this treatment."

Taisiya was still breathing hard. 

"It's impressive technology isn't it?" said the Captain, presumably to Taisiya, although she was in no state to respond. "It took Najla and Moniker a long time to get it set up right."

"Probably the majority of the praise should go to the Captain's slave," said Moniker.

"Well, you needed an experimental subject," said the Captain, "And I was more than happy to volunteer her."

Without warning, the Captain kissed Taisiya's back again. "Fuck!" said Taisiya, as the pain and pleasure washed over her again, the ache in the cunt adding a new note. Although, she could already feel herself becoming aroused again.

Rajani walked over to one of the metal cabinets, just in Taisiya's line of sight, and removed something. It looked similar to the robohorn, but subtly different. More like it was modeled on a tentacle rather than a dick.

"The robohorn mark two prototype," said the Captain, "More powerful motor, more flexible, enhanced feedback."

"About ten times more likely to develop mechanical problems, and the code is a complete mess," said Moniker, "It is a work in progress, but someone keeps using it and breaking it."

"I'm going to be gentle today," said the Captain, wandering back behind Taisiya. "Our slave is so delicate."

She kissed Taisiya low on the back, top of the buttock. Taisiya screamed as the wave of pleasure/pain tore through her. Her brain had stopped distinguishing between the two, it was just a bloom of good/bad sensation.

"Put her down, Moniker," said the Captain. "On the floor."

The robot lifted her smoothly off the robohorn – Taisiya moaned – and placed her gently on the cold floor, going effortlessly to its knees in the process. It put the folded towel under her head, and then gently but implacably held her wrists, pinning them against the floor. For reasons she couldn't explain, Taisiya found it rather comforting. She looked up at the robot's robohorn and wondered how much of the shine was her juices.

Rajani straddled her, Taisiya felt the robotentacle brushing against her pubis.

"Should I kiss you, slave?" the Captain said, leaning over her.

"Yes." Taisiya's reply was instantaneous, but then she remembered about the pain. "Yes," she said again, more quietly.

With torturous slowness, Rajani lowered her mouth towards Taisiya's breast. Taisiya wasn't sure whether this anticipation she felt was good or bad; there was fear there, but also horniness. 

Rajani kissed the nipple, a long, intense kiss that ended in a short suck. And then a burst of sensation more intense than any yet. Taisiya screamed and bucked, arching her back. As soon as she settled back down, Rajani was kissing the other nipple.

"Fuck. Fuck. Fuck," whispered Taisiya, in advance, and then gave herself up to screaming and writhing, pleasure/pain washing through and over her. 

She felt how slippery her cunt had become, and maybe the Captain did as well, because the robotentacle was slipped in while she was still trembling. Taisiya felt it adjust again; definitely more tentacle-like, there was a feeling of exploration.

Rajani did not delay, but started thrusting straightaway. Taisiya felt her push the robotentacle in further, but also felt it do a peristalsic flex itself, a wavelike pulsing in place. Taisiya moaned, she could feel her orgasm gathering already. Looking at the Captain's face, she looked like she was getting some feedback in her portion of the robotentacle as well. She did not moan, but made tiny uncaptainlike squeaks.

Taisiya orgasmed, a set of tremors going up and down her body, a huge release, or series of releases, of pressure, of intensity, flooding through her. Or not even through her, but becoming her, like transfiguration, like transmigration. For a moment she was a starfield, a nebula, full of pleasure and arousal and longing and something numinous. 

Rajani didn't stop, although the robotentacle slowed its pulsing, thickening temporarily so that Taisiya's spasming cunt didn't push it out. As Taisiya's mind began, vaguely, to return to itself, Rajani let out a low grunt, and came. Taisiya watched the shocks and tremors arc through her body. 

Eventually, Rajani slid out of her, and collapsed down beside her. They both just breathed heavily for a bit. Moniker's robot stood up, and went over to the medical scanner, stopping in apparent irritation, and putting its robohorn away, before continuing to tap at the consoles. 

"As expected, affirmative, Captain," it said.

The Captain sighed. "Taisiya," she said, still a little breathless, "Why have you got muscle and bone lace?"

"What?" asked Taisiya, completely confused.

"Your muscles, ligaments and skeleton have been augmented," said the Captain. 

"No?" said Taisiya, confusion not abating.

"The scanner confirms," said the Captain, "But it was pretty obvious. Ripping the panel out of the wall of the Equanimity, or the fact that you recovered from the stun beam quickly. We had Brigita test you as well."

"I don't…" said Taisiya.

"Moniker?" said the Captain. 

"Well, someone has messed up her biosigns pretty effectively, because someone doesn't consider a mysterious augment plus shipwide crisis to be something that should get in the way of horniness," said Moniker, "But no, as far as I can tell she's being honest."

"Oh stop worrying, Mon," said Rajani, "We got lots of data about what will work best next time."

"Extreme edging," said Moniker, as an aside, which would be rather worrying in a normal situation.

"People sometimes get their muscles done, if they like climbing or other extreme sports," mused the Captain, "But they usually don't shut up about it."

"Are you sure?" Taisiya asked, "About me having it?"

The Captain reached across for one of Taisiya's hands, and positioned it, with her hand on top. "Lift," ordered the Captain. 

Taisiya tried, to no avail. The Captain was putting a huge amount of downwards force through her hand, like a steel weight. 

"A pity," said the Captain, "I would probably make out with a slave that managed to lift my hand."

Taisiya sighed at the obvious manipulation, plus she'd just fucked the Captain, so she was hardly going to be tempted by the offer of making out. Still, entirely free of external motivation, she tried again. 

Her hand moved up, slowly but inexorably. 

"See?" said the Captain. 

"Well, just because you're tall, doesn't mean you're strong," said Taisiya, "And you were in an awkward position."

"I have muscle and bone lace too," said Rajani, "For my job. The others – except possibly Brigita and, or course, Moniker – wouldn't have had a chance."

"Why don't I remember, then?" said Taisiya. 

"There's a gap in your profile, a few months back," said Moniker, "Possibly, then?"

"The Essence of Compassion cruise? Very long, very boring," she said. Although, she thought, am I sure that's true? Why did she have vague memories of being chucked off the Compassion for stealing?

"I don't like to interrupt," said Moniker, "But Najla has found something relating to our other mystery. I suggest we meet the others on the bridge." 

*

When they reached the bridge, Najla, Brigita and Riin were hunched over the holodisplay, watching two dots get closer, and a line of dots between them.

Taisiya was back wearing her tee-shirt and – wondrously – a pair of tracksuit bottoms. She gave Najla's arm a squeeze. Nada had eschewed dress, clothed in lovely jewels, eyes blinking from unfamiliar light. The Captain wore casual clothes, but made them look like a uniform.

"Apologies..." said the Captain. 

"She had important fucking to do," said Moniker quietly.

"Well, to be fair, Brigita had Riin eat her out," said Najla.

"You said it wouldn't distract you!" said Brigita. 

"Well, it didn't," said Najla, "Much. I needed a little break anyway. Unlike Riin's mouth."

Riin grinned smugly.

"This crew's dedication to professionalism is inspiring," said Moniker. 

"Anyway," said the Captain, firmly, "Najla, you found something?"

"Yeah," she said, "We're leaving a trail. Normally the small amount of radiation the drive produces is quickly indistinguishable from background radiation. But we're leaking occasional splotches of high rad particles."

"Why?" asked the Captain.

"We don't know," admitted Najla, "We've got the robots checking."

"Moniker," said Brigita, "You're virtually indistinguishable from the ship, can't you tell?"

"Actually, not as indistinguishable as I would be if the empire's initialisation had completed," said Moniker, "But anyway, assuming your body has started producing a toxic leak, do you automatically know why?"

"Yuck," said Brigita, "And I guess not."

"But it's not a coincidence," said the Captain, "Exactly what the manta needs to follow us?"

"That would take considerable knowledge of the drive structure," said Moniker. 

This had gone far enough. I pushed Taisiya down below.

"Captain, I'm remembering something…" 

My voice full of tears, I reached my hand towards Najla. 

She turned, grasping my hand.

With a sudden burst of strength, I pulled her towards me, my hand at her throat, tight. With my other hand I twisted the collar off my neck, heightened strength snapping it at the weakest point.

Moniker, of course, was the first to react. The robot flipped its hand back, and leveled it's arm at me.

"SNAILS," I said, using its proper name, "Your stun beam will give me enough time to rip Najla's throat out. Maybe you could use your surgery skills to save her before brain death, but I think not. Of course, hit me with your kill beam and I might not have time to murder her, but there's a high chance that your beam would anyway."

"My name is Moniker," the robot said, "But your analysis is correct."

It kept its arm pointing at me though. I backed off into a corner, loosing my grip on Najla's neck fractionally, enough to let her breathe. It would be terribly annoying if my hostage died.

"Taisiya," said the Captain, "What is the meaning of this?"

"Taisiya?" I laughed, "There is no Taisiya. An artificial cover persona. A convenient liking for jewels and jawlines. I am Major Lalitha, New Aegean Imperial Navy."

"Let our engineer go, and we can talk about this," said the Captain. 

"Just how stupid do you think I am?" I said, "Although, fair, Taisiya was very stupid, willing to do whatever for a pretty face. I'm not. Decelerate, turn off your main drive, and vent the coolant into space. Now."

The robot looked at Captain Rajani. She nodded. 

I didn't need to see the console to feel the change in vibrations, the hiss of coolant being expelled. With it's coolant gone, the core couldn't be restarted until the matter-compilers had built more; a long process.

"You arranged for the leak?" asked the Captain. 

"Najla," I said, "arranged it by not following proper security protocols for her terminals. But yes, I emerged for a moment to do that. Did you know that if you offset the Durav coils just right, it forms a lacuna that occasionally permits radioactive particles to pass? No? Probably shouldn't have run away before SNAILS was fully integrated."

"No thanks," said the Captain, "We didn't want the constraints that came with that."

"More fool you," I said, "But it is not too late. Now put the ship's weapons into level five maintenance mode."

I moved so I could see a console. I felt some wetness on my fingers, and realised that Najla was crying. Yeah, this was a tough break. 

If SNAILS had been tightly integrated, it might have been able to fake the weapons on the console, but in its current state I doubted it. The guns would be marked as unavailable until maintenance was completed.

The Captain nodded again.

"Now open a channel to the manta," I said, "Tell her: status persimmon."

Now that we'd stopped, the manta was catching up fast.

The channel chimed. "Congratulations, Major Lalitha," said a voice from the speaker, the Colonel, I guessed. "Commander Rajani, prepare to surrender the vessel to the Imperial Navy. Ex-commander, I should say."

"People just call me Captain nowadays," said Rajani.

"We know," said the voice, electronically modulated, "But not any more. We found a nice contact that was able to explain how you stole the SNAILS command codes, and imprisoned the Crown Prince, your charge, in the brig. We will be freeing his royal majesty soon."

Okay, I hadn't picked up on a prisoner being aboard. I kind of imagined that they killed him, but I supposed that they had enough room. The Captain looked determinedly neutral.

"Meanwhile," said the voice, "Hand over your command codes to this vessel."

Rajani looked doubtful for the first time, and then sighed. "Moniker, I'm sorry, you've been really great. But transfer your command codes to that INV manta, by my authorization."

"I have enjoyed serving with you as well, Captain," said SNAILS. "Command codes transferred."

"Let's test, shall we?" said the voice, "Major Lalitha, keep watch. SNAILS, kill Lieutenant Brigita."

"Er," said Brigita. 

"I would advise against-" began SNAILS. 

"It is an order," said the voice.

SNAILS swung the robot's arm away from me, and a deadly red beam flashed out. Brigita crumpled, sliding onto the console behind her, and off onto the floor.

I was shocked. I mean, she was a criminal, but I liked Brigita. 

"Well, Major?" asked the voice.

"Dead," I said, a touch hollowly.

"Good," said the voice, "I will see you all soon."