FSE

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Chapter 18

"Ah. Glad to see the same faces probably kept again," intoned Styx Grool as he recognized the group. "Come, their couches are ready."

"And they're still the same slime. Must be the cheetah blood," Camilla teased, lying down.

"By the way, the exoskeleton for Anubis is ready and still needs a slight adjustment."

"Excellent," Anuset interjected from his couch.

"Shut up now," Isis called between them. "First it'll be interesting, and then we'll try everything out."

"Very well," Camilla fluted with mock submissiveness.

Gently, the cruiser dipped into the outer layers of Sirius-A's atmosphere, its hull glowing a faint yellow, the friction flames drawing long tails.

A distinct vibration went through the hull, plowing through every deck and section with a small earthquake.

Ten minutes later, everything calmed down, the cruiser drew evenly its path through the atmosphere, the flames were extinguished.

"Attention! Attention all passengers! Entry into the planet's atmosphere is complete. We will now begin orbiting and continue descending. The landing site has already been cleared and assigned."

"Well, up you go," prompted Isis, freeing herself from her voluntary restraints.

"Everything all right with you?" asked Camilla more rhetorically.

"Everything's great, sis," Stephen called out, and butler Frank just gave a thumbs up.

Only Anuset looked a little pale around the nose. "Somehow I can't do anything with my present condition," he intoned.

"What do you mean?" asked Camilla anxiously.

"It must be my biological body," the Taur continued, "I have a strange oppressive feeling in my body."

"Oh no," interjected Greta, who had stepped in, "the divine feels sick."

"I'm what?" asked Anuset.

"You just feel sick. Your body didn't know the feeling of re-entering an atmosphere and its turbulence. So this reaction is normal."

"And now?"

"It depends on how bad it is. Either it will subside quickly or you'll get up and throw up," Greta replied succinctly.

"Oh, no. My spouse is not going to throw up in front of everyone right now," Camilla growled, kissing him as a precaution. "If you throw up now, I'll stone you."

"I rather feel like something else now," Anuset stated.

"Very well," the fox-wolf felt vindicated and patted her god-taur on the butt.

"Let's go to the suite and get things ready. - Styx Grool you come along," Anuset prompted.

"Will do and I'll bring the skeleton too," the cheetah confirmed and left the room.

In Camilla and Anuset's suite, everyone had finally gathered and began to discuss.

"Do we have a ferry yet?" asked Camilla, turning to Onari.

"From what I know of Degreen, he has already made contact on a remote port and found something suitable as well," replied the Hyena.

"Armament?" the fox-wolf inquired.

"Nothing exciting. A couple of lasers and an impulse launcher."

"Is that enough?" asked Camilla briefly, turning to Anuset.

"As I said. My troops consist of mummies and zombies, so the lasers should be enough. We'll see more precisely on the surface of Sirius B."

"How I look forward to that," Camilla murmured.

"We all are, my dear," Anuset cheered her up. "Styx, how about my exoskeleton."

"Ah, very nice of them to bring it up," the cheetah proudly added. "It supports the front and back legs as well as the back. The torso remains untouched."

"That sounds very good. I want to try it out," Anuset said, setting up next to the biotronic.

Once the skeleton was connected to the body and the control sensors anchored to the skin, the Taur walked around the room a bit.

Quietly, the servo motors hummed and the hydraulic fluid hissed.

"So please," Camilla growled, "you might as well have stayed a robot."

"Oh, do you miss my mechanical components that much?" the Taur asked, slightly sarcastically.

"No, I didn't mean it that way. But the sounds remind me a lot of the earlier Anuset, which was the Big Dog Supreme Plus."

"There is no longer that one, but to carry the loads I now have to wear those components on the outside of my body, which I had inside me before."

"Touchè," Camilla replied, raising her hands.

"By the way," Anuset turned to Isis, "what about Taxon?"

"What about them ..." the human goddess started and fell silent for a moment.

" ... I'm all ears ...", the Taur briefly intervened.

" ... It's going to be fun," she continued, "I haven't thought about them at all."

"I guess it boils down to damages," Stephen speculated.

"What's Taxon going to sue for? That we transformed one of their BD's into a living being thanks to divine magic? I'm curious about that," Camilla noted.

"Maybe they'll sue for damages for defilement by bodily fluids," Greta quipped.

"Or seduction of minors," Frank interjected, "We have to remember that the Supreme Plus was fresh from the factory."

"Oh yeah, that's good," Camilla snapped, "Not only did the Queen fornicate with a robot, but she also had her way with a factory model that was only a few days old."

"Please," growled Anuset, "Factory model ... The model was Seth and when it was delivered to you it was also Anubis. That made the AI full-Shizo and no longer sane."

"You mean they would have pulled you back anyway," Styx muttered.

"That's exactly how it is," Anuset confirmed. "That's why I'm a write-off anyway, and they even saved on the scrapping costs."

"I love you, my scrap," Camilla purred, stroking her Taur's chest.

"I love you too, my fuzzy girl."

"Very nice, but doesn't get us anywhere," intoned Isis, "What are we going to do about Nephtys?"

"We're still in the higher strata," Onari started, tapping her nose thoughtfully, "How about we just throw her overboard and let her burn up?"

"How mean are you?" indignant Greta the rat.

"Just an idea," the hyena apologized, suddenly giving the rat girl a devoted kiss.

"One thing leads to another," Camilla murmured, grinning pensively.

"Still, we need to get rid of Nephtys," Anuset observed. "She's putting us all in danger."

"I could try to make contact with Horus on Sirius A," mused Isis.

"Would that work?" asked Camilla, while Onari rolled her eyes, "The whole set of figures after all."

"I'll just try. However, I don't know how he will reveal himself to us."

"As a hawk?" asked Stephen.

"Certainly not. That would be too conspicuous. The last time but one, which was several hundred years ago now, he was an Anthro Falcon and was on Earth or rather on the planet Genro. The last time we met was in a backyard, between some trash cans."

"Not exactly what you'd expect from a god," Camilla observed.

"Just so," Isis replied, "the Falcon couldn't have come up with a better disguise. Likewise, I'm Isodora, Anuset is just a Taur, and Nephtys... let's just forget she's a goddess," the pale woman stated.

"Still, she's on board and not easy to ignore," Camilla said with a commanding undertone.

"I told you, just throw her out," Onari interjected again.

"Miss Onari, if you please," Frank Simson became indignant, "even for an AI like me to entertain such a thought is unworthy."

"Frank, they are also subject to robot laws," Camilla interjected.

"Ah yes, but that didn't apply to their Taur?"

"What do you mean?" the fox-wolf inquired.

"Secrecy, lies, false identities, sex, pornography, display of his masculine attributes. I would see that in stark contrast to the oh-so-famous Assimovian robot laws. At worst, he might have harmed or sacrificed another living being."

"No, he wouldn't have gone that far," Camilla softened.

"Oh yeah, didn't their Anuset swear he would never harm them? But what about the emotional damage from his deceptions?", Frank Simson explained himself visibly bitter.

"That was out of necessity," Anuset intervened. "Apart from that. If Isis had had her way, only now would everything come to light. Until then, I would have had to play a role and a game of hide and seek. But there, and I'm not just saying this to appease her, my conscience got in the way."

"Whatever," Frank sighed, waving it off.

"Big time," Camilla added, "still, we haven't cleared up Nephtys' status."

"At least everything is settled between us," growled Frank Simson.

"Frank," the fox-wolf turned directly to her butler, "I've never really seen her emotional."

"Miss Queen! Then I'll give you this to consider. When this job is over, what then? They're with Anuset. Do they stay at Queen-Manor and carry on the tradition of their parents, always adventuring, which I've grown accustomed to, or do they raise children and suddenly become down-to-earth?

What about their stepbrother Stephen Fang? ..."

"Present," the male wolf interjected.

"... Very well Mister Fang. But do they stay with Miss Isis and disappear never to be seen again or do they stay with Miss Isis even on Queens? Adventures and also children would suit you just as well," the artificial Doberman concluded.

"That's where the wind is blowing from," Camilla started, walking over to Frank and hugging him tightly. "You feel redundant."

"Thank you, Miss Queen. I just noticed that I seem to have gotten through to them with my thoughts. At least they've noticed that I stand completely alone and that there is no counterpart to me."

"Nephtys!" exclaimed Onaris suddenly.

"What about her?" asked Camilla, slightly irritated.

"Exactly," Stephen interjected. "She's asexual, at least she was with Seth."

"You mean ...", Isis began to think.

"... We could set her up with Frank," Camilla finished the thought.

"Miss Queen! I do beg your pardon," the Doberman became indignant. "I may be artificial, but I'm not stupid."

"But you have enough calmness and experience to deal with someone like her," Camilla indicated.

"Thank you for the flowers, Miss Queen. I'll take it as a compliment. Still, I submit that dealing with this person is extremely difficult."

"You'll manage. Have you spoken to her at all?" asked Camilla.

"No," Frank replied.

"Miss Onari, could you bring Nephtys here?"

"You want what?" the hyena asked, somewhat gruffly.

"Nephtys? Here? To this suite?" the fox-wolf probed.

"That too," the first officer sighed, raising his arms, "I'll go get her."

As the hyena left the room, she reached for the radio wristband, "First officer to security, meet me at cabin 2.2.10, we're going to get Nephtys."

Before the door closed, those present heard the very reluctant confirmation that it must be a bad joke, since this person had been placed in custody in the first place.

"And you are seriously going to refer this person to me?" asked Frank Simson again in disbelief.

"Yes. You are exactly the right person. You'll catch this spitfire all right."

The look on the Doberman's face was impossible to interpret, but one could have gotten the impression that he was on the verge of a nervous breakdown.

Minutes later, there was a knock at the door.

"Come in," Camilla called out.

Onari and a lion of the security team entered, with the slightly irritated goddess Nephtys in tow.

"What are you doing now?" snarled Nephtys.

"Relax. We're not here to judge you or chew over the past," Anuset threw back at her.

"Then what?"

"Miss Nephtys," Camilla's butler suddenly fluted from his corner.

"Who are you?" the goddess asked, slightly annoyed but somehow interested.

"I'm Frank, Frank Simson and Miss Queen's butler. I'm pleased to meet you."

"Ah the butler of that awful person," Nephtys stated.

"We're all not that bad, and neither is she," purred Frank deftly.

"So so. Now you're making me curious," the woman replied, unusually mildly.

"Miss Nephtys, shall we go to the dining room, then, and talk over a glass of wine?"

"Why, certainly. It seems to me that they are worthy of me and appreciate my presence."

"Then why don't they hook up and join me?"

The goddess did so without delay, and floated off with Frank Simson, whose glance over his shoulder, however, said one thing: 'That'll cost extra.

"Well," Camilla started after the door had closed, "that was quicker than I thought."

"Poor Frank," mused Stephen, "what if she finds out he's artificial?"

"She's above it," escaped Isis, causing her to bite her lower lip quickly.

Stephen looked at her askance and nodded slowly.

Isis's face turned slightly red in response. "Don't look at me like that."

"You're above things a lot, too," the male wolf concluded unerringly.

"I had hoped we had gotten past that," Camilla said.

"Had," Anuset pointed out, "The most important word in your sentence is 'had'."

"Let's get something to eat and then go to the bridge," Camilla decided, heading for the door. "Who's coming?"

"What's with that question?" interjected Anuset, following her as everyone else joined in.

Arriving at the dining hall, they looked around. It was relatively empty and therefore manageable.

"Look at that," escaped Isis. "Looks like your butler is scoring with Nephtys."

Indeed, Doberman and human goddess were seated at a table for two, drinking wine and seeming to be having an excellent time. Even when Nephtys noticed who entered the room, it was not the effervescent manner she had displayed when she first arrived. It was more of a neutral look over her shoulder and even a slight hint of a smile. Whereby one had to bring along a good portion of very good will to recognize the latter.

The group decided to take a seat far away from the two and to ignore the duo.

Unfortunately, they had not done the math with Nephtys, because suddenly stood up, seemed to apologize briefly to Frank and marched purposefully towards the table of the group.

Anuset's gaze froze.

"Let me guess," Camilla started quietly, "Poison shot inbound?"

The Taur nodded only slightly, silent.

"This is going to be fun."

"Hello there," Nephtys started and stood up next to Camilla, arms folded, looking down at her. "I just wanted to thank you guys."

"Ehm...," the fox-wolf brought out, irritated.

"Frank really is first-class company, and you might as well have said he was artificial."

"We didn't want to spoil his surprise," Camilla murmured softly.

"No harm done. It's just what makes him all the more interesting. He's worthy of an exalted goddess like me. I don't even know why he's your butler, dear Camilla. I'm sure you can brush your own fur, or have your anuset brush it for you in the future."

"He doesn't just brush my fur," the fox-wolf replied, raising an eyebrow.

"Why don't you do what you want? I don't need such primitive cravings. For me the mental and spiritual outpouring is enough, while you need that of the flesh."

"You are kindness personified, dearest Nephtys," purred Camilla cynically.

"Certainly I am. And now I will return to my Franky boy and feast on his superior intellect. I commend myself."

"Okay!" muttered Camilla, turning back to the table after looking after the goddess speechlessly. "We seem to be rid of them, and Frank is having his fun, too."

"I'm sure he is," Stephen said stretching and pointing in the direction of the table for two.

Everyone looked there and never looked away. Camilla's butler Franky-Boy and suddenly cynical-charming spitfire Nephtys sat across from each other, the goddess had set her wine glass aside, bent over the table and was kissing the Doberman long and visibly tenderly.

"That's not true now," Isis stammered.

Camilla turned back to the center of her table and looked distraught. "I made a terrible mistake."

"And how you made it," Anuset countered. "Do you actually realize that you make mistakes all the time that turn out to be the only correct decision after the fact?"

"You mean that I doubt myself too much?"

"Exactly, my dear."

"Do you think that's a mistake?"

"Only those who are full of mistakes think they are faultless and don't question their actions."

"However, too much questioning can block the ability to make decisions?" asked Camilla, receiving an energetic nod from Anuset.

"And the fact that your butler, or should I say ex-butler, has no sexual organs, which Nephtys claims doesn't bother her at all, can be changed later," Isis interjected.

"Or right now," Stephen interjected repeatedly, pointing again to Nephtys' and Frank's table.

This time Frank Simson moved toward the seated group and had the full attention of Camilla Queen, Anuset, Isis, Stephen Fang, Onaris and Greta.

"Hello, dears," began the Doberman.

"Hello back," Isis replied, "What can we do for you?"

"Isis, do you still have some of your nanobots? I mean the ones that can cause physical transformations?"

"What are they up to, if you don't mind me asking?"

"To satisfy your curiosity ... I'm planning not just one, but a great many cozy nights with Nepy in the future."

"Nepy? Frank, where did they come up with that pet name?" aghast Camilla.

"I was offered the name by Miss Nephtys herself," Frank Simson coughed lightly.

"You old philanderer. Look here. Isis?" the fox-wolf gave slightly choppily.

"Come to my cabin in an hour. I've got just the thing for you," Isis prompted.

"Very well Miss Isis. I'll recommend myself until then."

"Now the Doberman suddenly wants to be all man, no more alarm clocks," Camilla muttered to herself in thought.

"The right woman always brings out the masculine in us men," Stephen quipped.

"And you guys always get the deeply feminine out of us women," the fox-wolf added, looking at her Taur. Suddenly she scowled at Stpehen, "What's that supposed to mean?"

"What do you mean?" asked Stephen, irritated.

"Do you mean that I'm not woman enough?"

"What makes you think that?"

"Do you know how many times Frank has suddenly been present at my thigh-broadening, finger-cleaning game and seen it all?"

"Sis, that's something I didn't want to know, but thanks for the information and you know how I meant my statement."

"Maybe he did feel more than he admitted," Camilla mused.

"For sure, but he's all butler and knows what's right," Stephen concluded.

"Anyway," Isis intervened, "he gets his nanobots and can do whatever they both want with Nephtys."

"And we're going to the bridge now. I want to see the landing directly," Anuset started and stood up.