Ai No Kusabi Fan Fiction ❯ Forever Caged ❯ Chapter 29 ( Chapter 29 )

Disclaimer: I don't own Ai No Kusabi nor do I make any money from this fanfic. But I do own all the original peeps that I've chosen to invade the AnK world
Rating: NC-17
Pairings: Iason/Riki, Raoul/Katze, Original characters and novel character pairings.
Parts: 29 of ?

 

Edited by the lovely Scarlet Tigress

 

 

~~**Forever Caged**~~

Raoul smoothed the shoulder length red hair, that had mysteriously grown over night, off a pale forehead. The smooth face that he looked down upon was much more youthful then it had been before. The endearing lines once etched onto his pale forehead from furrowing his brows too much were gone, as where the barely noticeable wrinkles that had been at the corners of his eyes.

 

Katze had woken almost two hours ago, or at least he had opened his eyes two hours ago. Nothing of his Mongrel shone in those strange glowing golden eyes. Their gaze was empty.

 

Whispering a kiss on Katze's soft lips, Raoul held his pet gently on his lap as he sat on the sofa in the living room. The excitement of Katze's awakening had faded the moment he realized those loved eyes saw nothing of him. Katze had basically become a living, breathing doll. For an hour straight, Raoul had just talked to his redhead, hoping something in what he said would click in that fascinating intelligent brain and that Katze would snap out of it and come back to him.

 

“Master Raoul?”

 

Raoul stopped his whispered words of affection and looked up to his Furniture, seeing Niko's happy expression.

 

“Master Katze has finally woken up?”

 

Shaking his head Raoul stood. “His eyes have opened, but he still sleeps.” Walking over to the dinning table Raoul sat Katze down, turning their chairs so that they would face one another. “Tell him to stand and he stands. Tell him to speak and he says the word speak…He is like a machine that only does what you tell him to do.” Raoul said angrily.

 

“Those people that did this to him…Have they said anything?”

 

Sighing Raoul looked away from those blank golden eyes. “It has been forcefully advised upon me that interrogating the ones that invited themselves into my home, would not be a wise thing to do in my state of mind. Iason, in light of the ruckus Riki caused, has had his hands full in trying to silence any that might use this incident to further their own agenda, thinking that we are weak. Iason has made it quite clear that I must wait until he has time to accompany me.” And if not for the fact that Iason and he were going to see the two men today, in ten minutes to be exact, Raoul might have acted differently. If not for that knowledge he, for the first time, would have disobeyed an order from his leader and friend. There was only so much patience he could give.

 

“Thank you Master Raoul for telling me…I know that you did not need to.” Niko said softly bowing his head.

 

“What did you do?”

 

“Master?”

 

Raoul looked up at Niko. “You're covering your left arm with your coat. Hiding it. You're also thirty minutes later then you normally are. Why?”

 

“I-I had an accident while putting the groceries into the car, Master Raoul. A container fell and it took me a while to clean up the mess. I stained the sleeve of my shirt in the process.” Niko stuttered, looking guilty.

 

“Iason will be here in a few minutes.”

 

“I will prepare something quickly for his Excellency.” Niko started to turn but stopped.

 

“What is it?”

 

Niko nervously smoothed the coat he had draped over his arm. “Sir Gabriel Lazen may be calling you….”

 

Raoul closed his eyes and counted to ten. “And what will he be complaining to me about what you did this time?”

 

“Unknowing that Sir Gabriel was behind me I splashed yogurt on his pants.”

 

“Unknowing?” Raoul asked, doubtfully.

 

“Yes Master Raoul. The area were I had parked your vehicle was empty. The cream from the container was on my hand and I did not think that there would have been anyone around when I shook it behind me…”

 

“I do not have time for this Niko. I should just sell you to him and then maybe I will have some peace from his constant nagging of your un-Furmiture like attitude. If it were not for the fact that you have never been anything but loyal to me and that you know my want and needs to the point that I need not even ask you, then I would have long ago.”

 

“I'm sorry Master Raoul. I will try harder to keep my distance from Sir Gabriel so that my presence does not aggravate him in anyway.”

 

“His unnatural interest in you-“ Raoul stopped and chuckled. His unnatural interest in you is unbecoming of a Tanagura Blondie Raoul finished silently to himself, as he looked back at his redhead. It was his unnatural interest in Katze that had become the greatest thing that had ever happened to him. “If I were you Niko, I would tread very carefully around Sir Gabriel.”

 

“Master?”

 

“Our world is changing Niko. What once was considered disgraceful, forbidden, is now acceptable.” Raoul said softy, thinking about Iason and Riki, not to mention himself and Katze. From the conversation he had had over the phone with Iason, it seemed that the rest of the powerful seven had fallen for the rustic, savage charms of Ceres's Mongrels.

 

“I'm not sure I understand Master Raoul.”

 

Raoul stood and leaned down to kiss Katze as the front door chimed. “As quickly as things are changing, if I'm correct, you will understand soon enough. Now go and answer the door Niko. That should be Iason and it is never wise to keep his Excellency waiting.” Raoul said, finding something to truly smile about since Katze closed his eyes, leaving him.

 

“I was beginning to wonder if you had planned on leaving me to stand outside your door Raoul.”

 

Caressing long strands of flame red hair, letting the silky weight of it fall through his fingers, Raoul smiled at his old friend.

 

“You seem to be in good humor. A quick turn around from when we spoke last.” Iason said, raising an eyebrow.

 

Chuckling Raoul recounted the conversation he had with his Furniture to Iason, knowing that his friend would also find humor in the tale. Yet, when his impressive Blondie leader only frowned, Raoul did as well. “I would have thought you would find it amusing and normally, knowing you as well as I do, you would have.”

 

“Call him here Raoul.”

 

“Who?”

 

“Your Furniture, call him.”

 

Confused Raoul called out for Niko to join them in the dinning room.  “What is it?” Raoul asked.

“Alex called me on my way here. He had managed to break into a file about Riki. One of the interesting things about what was unveiled, was that everyone Riki spent a great amount of time with was prone to be “infected” by him. It is even noted that even those he may have associated with in Guardian could also be a “carriers”.”

“Guardian? Why would they have a history of his life in Guardian? Does this mean that…this thing that has been happening to him here has been going on longer then we were first lead to believe?”

Iason said nothing as Raoul's young Furniture walked nervously into the room. “Niko, is it not?”

“Yes, your Excellency.”

“I will ask you a question and you will answer it. Do you understand?”

“Yes, your Excellency.”

Iason coldly looked down upon the trembling Furniture that snuck peeks at Raoul for reassurance. “Do you know Riki?”

Raoul frowned and looked at Iason wondering what he was trying to get at.

“Yes your Excellency. I have been in Master Raoul's employment since the time Sir Riki first came to live in Eos.”

“Let me clarify my question. Did you know Riki in Guardian?”

Niko trembled fiercely in fear. The knowledge of where Furniture came from was a secret that was to be strictly kept. Never telling about their past had been beaten into the Furniture from the moment they were told of their fate. To breath a word of it to anyone, even to other Furniture, was a death sentence.

“If you are afraid of what I may think, Niko, then do not be. I have known for quite some time now that Furniture are all Mongrels.” Raoul said putting his hand on the boy's small shoulders. “Answer the question Niko.”

Niko slowly nodded. “I am just a year younger then Sir Riki, but I did know him very well during my time in Guardian. Sometimes, when I was free, I even had the pleasure of sitting beside him. Not that Sir Riki remembers…I was on a different block then he was because of my age, but whenever we could, we all flocked to him. He had a strength that shined out of him. He was such a strange dark eyed, black haired creature and no matter how hard the “they” tried, no one could never beat it out of him.”

Iason's cold eyes hardened when the young Furniture spoke of Riki being beaten. “Why didn't he remember you?”

“I don't know….If I remember correctly it was whispered that he would be taken for testing and when ever he came back it was as if his memory had been wiped clean. The only ones that Riki would remember were four of his block mates he always went everywhere with.”

“And who would they be?”

Niko hesitated, not liking the guilt and sense of betrayal he felt when talking about Riki's friends. He did not want what he said be a potential danger to the Mongrels that had always been kind to him when he was a child.

“Answer me.”

Gulping at Iason's deceivingly calm tone, Niko forced himself to speak. “One of them died here…”

“Guy.” Iason hissed.

“Y-yes…a-and then there was the twins, Keito and Keita, then the other one was called Violet.”

“Describe them.” Iason said.

“Umm…there were the twins and they have light blue hair the tipped with silver…They say that even when you cut the silver off it always came back…Violet is as his name implies. He has violet eyes that matched his hair.”

“Twins.” Iason said.

Raoul looked at the secret smile Iason wore and wondered why the mention of Riki's twin friends amused him so. “Do you recognize anyone that Niko described?”

“Yes. They are the ones that helped Riki escape.” Iason said, finally looking at the silent Katze that stared sightlessly off into the distance. “Say nothing of what Niko has said to any of the others Raoul.”

“Why?” Raoul frowned as Iason's smile grew just a tad wider.

“We have already concluded that the ones who assisted Riki were someone he knew. The information that Riki's history with them went as far back as Guardian is useless.” Iason turned away. “Come Raoul. We have an appointment with your unwanted guests in the detention rooms on the lower levels.”

Leaning down, Raoul kissed Katze gently on the forehead. “Take care of him Niko. Make sure he gets something to eat.”

“Yes Master Raoul.”  

Nodding Raoul turned and followed after Iason.

oOoOoOo

 

Blinking his eyes Katze looked around, confused as to how he found himself seated at the dining room table. The last thing he remembered was laying on the sofa with two strange men hovering over him and then falling into a deep dark place. A place filled with loving whispering voices telling him to sleep, to stay hidden, because an enemy of old was over him. Even when he fought the darkness to try and surface to the light it had felt like he was swimming in quicksand. The harder he struggled the deeper he sank. 

 

Frowning at the pressure he felt between his eyes, Katze lifted his hand to his head. Startled, he soon raised his other hand to his head as well. “What the hell…?” Standing up quickly, shocking himself at how shaky and weak his legs were, Katze walked over the ornamental mirror on the wall in the dining room. The amazement in how long his hair was, was washed away as he stared at the frilly bands that held his hair up in two, ridiculous, tails on his top of his head. It wasn't just the hairdo, nor was it the god awful shimmering orange-red robe he wore…it was the flower embroidered bib that was tied behind his neck that really did it.

 

Growling Katze ripped the bib off. “NIKO!” Turning to the running feet that stopped behind him, Katze shook the bib at Niko's grinning face. “What did you do to me!?” Katze yelled throwing the insulting cloth down and reaching up to tug at the bands holding his hair up off. He winced when he ripped some hair out with it.

 

“Thank Jupiter you're awake!”

 

Uncomfortable at how his hair fell all around his shoulders, Katze fingered its long length with more then just a bit of dread. “Awake?”

 

“Yes. You've been asleep for some time. Master Raoul has been beside himself with worry and has not left your side.”

 

Turning back to the mirror Katze looked at his pale, younger looking face. “How…How long have I been asleep?” Fearing the answer he would get Katze braced him self.

 

“Two weeks.”

 

Looking back at Niko in disbelief Katze held his hair up. “Hair cannot grow this fast in only two weeks, Niko.”

 

“That day, after I woke up, Master Raoul had you in his arms and your hair was already that length.”

 

“Where is he? I didn't see Sir Raoul when I…”Katze frowned, he could really say when he opened his eyes because his eyes had already been opened…it had been as if he had been in a dark room and someone had found and flicked on a light switch.

 

“From what I overheard, his Excellency and Master Raoul have gone to speak to the two men that harmed you.”

 

Unable to stand any longer, Katze walked back to the seat he had previously been sitting in. “…I need to find Master Iason and Sir Raoul, but first I need to go to the car of Sir Raoul's I had borrowed two weeks ago.”

 

“Why?”

 

“I left something in there that Master Iason needs to see, should have seen a long time ago.” Katze still couldn't believe that two weeks had already passed, the reality of it all was still hard to accept.

 

“Left something…”

 

Katze watched as Niko left for a few minutes and then reappeared. “Is this what you were going to get? I found it while cleaning the car.”

 

Snatching the disk case from Niko's hand Katze breathed a sigh of relief. “When did you find it?”

 

“Today.”

 

Katze thanked his lucky stars that it had not been found. As quickly as he had left the Black Market, he had still made sure to put security measures on the disk. The precautions made it so that who ever tried to access the information on the disk would erase everything if they didn't have the proper passwords. Since he had the only copy, having it become useless would force him to obtain the information all over again…It was a headache he didn't want to go through again.

 

Iason was undoubtedly pissed by the delay and his anger would triple once he found out that Jupiter was meeting with Riki behind his back. As much of a pain in the ass as was Riki, Katze felt that he owed it to the brat to at least warn him.

 

“Call the Mink household and get Riki on the line for me Niko.”

 

“…”

 

Missing the look of unease that crossed Niko's face when he said Riki's name Katze stood up with a groan and walked to his bedroom to get a change of clothing. He stopped short once he opened the door, staring in disbelief at what he saw. His twin bed had been removed and in its place were tables filled with lab equipment. The whole room had become a laboratory. “What the hell…?” Katze whispered for the second time. “I thought you said I was only asleep for two weeks?”

 

“You have been. Master Raoul did not want to leave your side so be brought his work home.”

 

“Where were my things moved?” Katze asked already irritated by the Elite. Of the two other rooms that were available in the five-room apartment, the Blondie just had to pick the room he had been using.

 

“Master Raoul had all of your things moved to the master suite. He said that your place was by his side whether you're awake or asleep.”

 

“Damn controlling, stalking, Blondie.” Katze muttered to himself as he turned to head towards Raoul's bedroom.  “Why are you following me Niko. I thought I told you to call Riki?” Katze asked as he opened Raoul's walk in closet doors and started rummaging through the Blondie's wardrobe in search of his own clothing.

 

“…Riki's not here.”

 

“Then when will he be back?” Katze asked when he finally found his clothes.

 

“No…I mean that Riki is no longer here on Amoi…”

 

Katze paused as he pulled up his pants. “Tell me Niko.”

 

“The night you first started your slumber…Sir Riki escaped with help from some of his friends. His Excellency and the other Blondes have had their hands full silencing the people that were there, and minimizing the damage caused, but even so I hear that his Excellency and Sir Gideon have sent out ships to track Riki down to bring him back… with no success.”

 

Coming out of the closet Katze slipped on his jacket, putting the disk he had taken with him into his breast pocket. “I need to see Iason right away. Where did Raoul put all the computer equipment that I had brought over?”

 

“It's all in his study.”

  

With urgency in each of his steps Katze went to Raoul's office and searched until he found what he needed. He made his way to the front door, where Niko was waiting for him holding a small bag.

 

“I'm coming with you. You're still not strong enough and Master Raoul would not forgive me if you collapsed while on your way to seek him out.”

 

Katze eyed the bag in Niko's hand. “What is that?”

 

“Something Master Raoul needs.”

 

“Fine. Lets go.”    

 

oOoOoOo

 

Angry was putting it mildly. The way Raoul felt at the moment was way beyond simple anger. The two suspects he and Iason had just visited had given them almost nothing that they could work with. Although they feared the two elites, as they should, the two clearly feared the person that they worked for much more. What they found out about them was that the two intruders were underlings. Nobodies. The only real information they had given them was about what Katze had undergone. They had called it a rebirth, something that his kind did every twenty-five years and they had been sent out to collect samples and stabilize Katze when it happened.

 

His kind…they had told them that Katze was of a species called the Ura'zen, a race that had become extinct hundreds of years ago. Information about Riki they didn't have. Different departments they said. They had just started learning the ropes and didn't know much about anything else, but the project they had been studying. Iason had not been happy…

 

Glancing up at the fuming Blondie beside him, Raoul was about to speak when loud gasps and whispers reached his ears. Raoul was startled when he saw his young Furniture, but it was the striking figure that followed behind him that set Raoul's heart pounding.

 

Katze stared back at his Blondie who said not one word to him as he stopped in front of the two elites. If not for an employee pardoning himself as they walked by, he probably would have stupidly continued to do so.

 

Giving himself a little shake Katze bowed low. “Forgive me Maser Iason for the delay. I have found the reports of the business dealings you had requested two weeks ago.” Katze said taking the disk from his breast pocket and handing it over. “Everything is there and it might be best to review my findings immediately for your next meeting.” Katze said meaningfully, conscious of all the ears listening as he also gave Iason a laptop. “The disk is password protected but they are in the form of questions that will not be a problem for you.”

 

Iason looked at Katze and nodded. “Your advice is noted. If you will excuse me.”

 

Raoul barely noticed as Iason walked away, his eyes only on the redhead before him.

 

“Master Raoul. I have brought the item that you need.”

 

Taking the bag from Niko, Raoul looked in it and nodded. “Good job Niko. You may leave. I will take care of Katze.”

 

Narrowing his eyes at the small bag Katze looked at Raoul's emotionless face then to Niko who bowed and walked away.

 

“Katze follow me if you will.”  Raoul said coldly, turning as he lead Katze to a small conference room and waited as Katze dutifully opened the door for him and entered. Once the door was closed Raoul yanked Katze into his arms and slammed his mouth down on his. Pulling him down to the carpeted floor Raoul, roughly and urgently started to remove both of their clothing.

 

“Wait!” Katze whispered, twisting his head away. “We can't! Not here or do you want to hurt me? We have nothing…” Katze trailed off as he watched Raoul lean up and take out a small bottle of lubricant from the bag Niko had given him. That sneaky little son of a bitch Katze thought.

 

“Two weeks Katze. Two weeks not knowing if you would wake up or not.” Raoul whispered huskily, before capturing Katze's lips once more, forcing his lips open so he could thrust his tongue in and dance it with his redhead's.

 

Katze bit his lip as the Blondie ended the kiss and started to trail kisses down his naked body and between his legs. Slick fingers caressed the entrance of his body. Katze fought to keep his shout of pleasure to himself as Raoul took his erect member into his mouth and invaded his body with a long, elegant digit.

 

Panting, Katze clamped down as Raoul and his skillful finger found his prostate sending jolts throughout his body while that expert tongue and mouth sucked him. Katze cried out and lifted his hips off the floor, arching his head back as he clutched Raoul's broad shoulders, even as he tried to shove him away when the sensations became too intense for him to handle.

 

Raoul growled deeply making Katze sob as the vibration sent different kinds of pleasure to wash over him making the redhead shudder beneath him. Swallowing the essence that filled his mouth Raoul, flipped Katze onto his stomach and lifted his hips. Picking up the bottle of lubricant, Raoul prepared himself adequately and slowly, inch by inch, entered Katze.

 

Tossing his long red hair out of his way Katze looked behind him with passion glazed eyes, meeting equally heated emerald green eyes. The door to the room jiggled and voices on the other side had Katze freezing then struggling to get away. “Stop!” Katze hissed as Raoul pulled him back. “I can't hold my voice back. Please let's go back to the apartment.”

 

Raoul answered by withdrawing and ramming himself back in making Katze cry out. Unable to stop, Raoul continued with his powerful thrusts even knowing that Katze would feel humiliated should anyone be passing by. Raoul covered Katze's mouth with his hand to stifle his shouts and moaned low as he continued to snap his hips, needing to get deeper into him. Quickening his pace and gripping Katze's slender waist as he leaned over him, Raoul and threw his head back and panted.

 

Katze clawed the carpet as the pressure built almost painfully. Reaching down he stroked himself as the Blondie hammered in him. Sobbing Katze squeezed his eyes tightly closed and his muscles around Raoul's shaft making the Elite shout out and shudder over him as they came together.

 

Withdrawing Raoul collapsed next to Katze pulling the breathless redhead into his arms. “Welcome back Katze.” Raoul whispered kissing his sweat dampened forehead. “Welcome back.”    

 

 

oOoOoOo

 

Finally relieved of his nearly twelve hour shift on deck, Riki rubbed his burning eyes and nodded to Luke who came to take over. V had been dragged to the engine room to help Lilly. The ex-pet needed all the help he could get and they needed to get the damn engine up and running like new…fast. The jump they did after leaving that damn estrogen planet had messed the already messed up hunk of junk even further.

Only Luke and he could pilot the ship since V was off with Lilly. There was Sky but he always ended up playing around with the weapons controls and even if by chance pirates actually attacked them, the Mongrel would probably let them come just so he could see what kind of firepower they had. The twin would even go as far as let them be boarded, if he found something in their weapons he liked, just so he could get onto their ship to look at it.

Fidget wasn't any better; the mutt couldn't sit still for more then ten minutes before leaving to see what everyone else was doing, always leaving the controls unattended. Half the time the boy didn't even remember to turn on the autopilot and they ended up on more then one occasion just drifting in space. Hell the last time they had him command the ship, when he had checked up on Fidget, he had found the damn kid suited up outside drawing on the windows! Now every time he looked out he saw drawings of splattered bugs on it.

Jade on the other hand had made the twelve hours a little bearable by coming in and asking questions on how controls worked. Riki was slowly teaching him how to operate the ship but still…Twelve frink'n hours of staring at absolutely nothing but space had a way of sapping the energy out of you, Riki thought standing and stretching his aching back, yawning loudly.

“You want me to rub that for you?”

“Sure, if you let me break your face first.” Riki said to Luke as he cracked his knuckles.

“They say pain and pleasure go hand in hand.”

“With me all you would be feeling is pain, now shut the fuck up and look out the damn windows.” Riki said too tired to put up with Luke's come on.

“Just remember that I'm always here to give you a helping hand should you need it.”

Turning away Riki walked over to the exit. “I'll be sure to tell Sky of your unfulfilled desires. I'm sure he'd love to help you expel all that pent up energy.”

“NO! NO! Just a joke man, shit, where did your sense of humor go?”

“It bailed once it realized that I had to babysit all of you fuckers.” Riki mumbled as he left, walking towards the rec-room were he knew everyone would be. As tired as he was, going back to his cabin and getting some shuteye just wasn't going to happen. He hadn't had a good night's sleep since leaving Amoi so thinking about getting some shut eye wasn't high on his “to do” list. The only time he ever had a good night's sleep was when his body shut down from sheer exhaustion. Being stuck in a tin can with almost nothing to do, it was pretty hard to work him self until he collapsed. He didn't sleep much.

Walking into the large room Riki looked to see everyone, minus Lilly and Luke, seated with their heads bowed together talking softly. Looking over to where Jade was sitting Riki could only see the tips of his red ears blushing over the book he was reading, one that was hiding his entire face. Walking quietly so no one would notice him yet Riki bent down to where Jade was and looked at the book the kid was so engrossed in. Frowning, and not sure he was reading the title correctly, Riki leaned forward then snapped straight up and snatched the book from Jade. “What the hell are you reading!?”

“I-I…huh….”

“Chill Riki. After talking to the kid we thought it would be best if he learned a little more about the birds and the bees.” Violet said grinning.

“Shouldn't you be with Lilly? Forget about it. Whatever. What the hell does making Jade read this smut,” Riki looked in the book and tilted his head to the side as he looked at one of the very descriptive illustrations. “What does this have to do with learning about the birds and the bees? For that matter he's a god damn pet. He knows more about sex then all of us put together.” Riki said throwing the book at Violet.

“Careful man! That's a first edition, autographed copy!” V yelled catching the book.

“….Actually our little Jade is very clueless when it comes to physical intimacy.” Sky said as he brushed his twin's hair, who was seated on the floor between his legs.

“Bull fucking shit.” Riki said.

“It's true. Kid was mighty curious about V, Lilly and my adventures in Femland. He's so green when it comes to sex that if I wasn't the one that removed his pet ring then I never would have believed that he was a pet.” Fidget drowsily said, resting his chin on his knees as his brother brushed his hair.

“Really?” Riki said arching his brow in disbelief.

“The kid only knows the basics of everything.” V said almost offhandedly as he inspected his book to make sure it wasn't damaged.

“Papa's a bit pissed that his little one is all grown up and looking at porn.” Fidget snickered.

Riki gritted his teeth. Fidget and V had started calling him Jade's father ever since they left that damn planet. It didn't help that he often paid attention to the kid and had taken him under his wing. Teaching him shit, which made them say they were having father and son time.

“…Maybe he's younger than we first thought? How old are you Jade?” Sky asked.

“Seventeen.” Jade said holding his hands over his heated cheeks.

“See he's not young at all. He's old enough to appreciate the art of these kinds of books.” V said.

Riki looked at Jade and frowned. “You're an accelerated rank c pet you said. How old are you really?”

“Umm…technically I'm four…”

The room was silent as everyone stared at Jade who uncomfortably shifted around in his chair.

“You're only four years old?” Riki asked.

“Holy shit! Looks like you really could be his daddy Riki.” V laughed.

Riki ignored V and continued to look at Jade. “How the hell is that possible? You should be functioning at a four year old level if what you said is true.”

“I don't know why either…They said my ability to function at an adult level must be an inherited skill.”

“They?” Riki asked.

“I'm not truly a pet. I never went to an academy or had lessons of any kind t-towards sex. I've had a few partners so I'm not completely ignorant of the act but…I wasn't created to give pleasure.” Jade pulled his legs up and hugged his knees. “I was an experiment. They talked about some important person and how I was created from him in hopes that I was special like he was. They talked about my DNA in comparison to his. The way they talked about him I knew he was very, very important to them and they always said that they needed to get more of his blood, but someone protected him and they couldn't really get close to him.”

Riki stiffened at the mention of the people Jade talked about wanting blood. It sounded chillingly close to what he had talked about with Iason the day he left. “Did you hear them call this person by a name?”

“…The potential one is what I remember them calling him in the beginning, then they started calling him The One and also the Dark One.”

Everyone looked at Riki.

“…Maybe leaving that planet and those strange women was a bad idea Riki…” Sky said softly. “What if little Jade really is yours as they said?”

“Impossible.” Riki said shaking his head.

“…Is it truly? Look at him Riki. He looks like you and when his hair was the same color as yours the resemblance was very noticeable.” Sky said looking Riki in the eyes.

“Riki would know if he banged someone up, right Riki?” Fidget asked.

“The kid was created in a lab, stupid, so Riki couldn't have banged someone up. Besides they would have had to take Riki's “soldiers” to made Riki Jr. over there, and that's not something that our boy would have forgotten about, right Riki?”

Riki didn't answer Fidget or V's questions. The fact was that it was possible. All those doctor visits he had where they put him to sleep. Iason's investigation behind his back about the tests “they” did to him and Jupiter's comment about asking Iason about his blood. Riki rubbed the stubble on his chin as he looked at Jade. “There is only one way to find out.” Riki mumbled.

“Maternity test!” V and Fidget cheered out together.

“Shut up! “ Riki hissed. “From what the three of you did on that damn planet it wouldn't surprise me if the both of you need to do one in nine months!”

“Nah huh, not happening. You're forgetting that all our rations are from Amoi and that Amoi globally puts birth control in all the food and water. There's no way there will a bouncing baby Keita and Keito running around.” Fidget said shaking his head.

“Sky wasn't with us so why would there be one of him running around?” V asked getting up and putting his book on the table behind him.

The twins looked at V as if he were stupid. “There can't be one without the other.” Fidget and Sky said together.

“You guys have issues.” V muttered.

“We'll go to that old woman's planet.” Riki said as he looked at Jade, who refused to meet his eyes.

“We aren't going anywhere.”

Riki turned around to look at Lilly who spoke from the doorway, wiping the grease from his hand on a rag. He and Lilly still hadn't spoken about the pet's indiscretions on the female planet. Trying to get away as fast as they had by jumping to the next set of worlds had over worked the engine, just as Lilly had said it would. The kid had been locked away in the engine room the entire time making repairs, just as he had been stuck captaining the ship. Talking had been impossible.

“One of the parts isn't as compatible as I had hoped it would be. I talked to Luke and he says that we should be coming up to a planet that might have the necessary outlets that I need.” Lilly looked only at Riki as he talked.

“Awwkwaarrd…I'll see what planet Luke is talking about and start studying possible escape routes.” Fidget said standing quickly and walking out of the room.

“I'll go and…ya I'll just go.” V said calling out to Fidget to wait for him.

“Umm maybe we should go and see if they need help Sky.” Jade whispered as he walking over to the soft spoken mongrel.

“I'm fine where I am.” Sky said smiling.

“But…umm…I think it would be best if we…go…” Jade whispered again taking the blue haired mongrel's hand and tugging. “Please.”

“…You're lucky I like you kid.”

Riki waited until Jade and Sky left before speaking. “I don't care anymore about the shit you pulled Lilly. Just make damn sure you don't do it again.”

“It will…It'll happen again and again until I die.” Lilly said pocketing the rag. “Look Riki…I'm not trying to be an asshole when I say this-“

“Really? Cuz if you're not then you're failing.”

“But it's not something I can help. You think I like screwing all these nameless, faceless people? You think I don't get sick when I smell them on my body?”

“Then why do it?” Riki asked folding his arms across his chest, eyeing the wide pet collar Lilly still wore around his neck.

“To put it simply, it's a defect in my design when they created me. I can't go without doing it for a long length of time. If I do then I become physically weak and if I sustain abstinence for a long enough amount of time, then it actually becomes painful.”

Riki rubbed his tired eyes. “So you're saying that you have to screw someone or you'll get sick?”

“I'm not making it up.”

“You sure? Sounds like you are.” Just one thing after another keeps coming, Riki thought. Forget working into exhaustion. All the crap circling in his head was enough to make him wanna close his eyes and escape to sleepy land. “Look you want to fuck someone go ahead, but I don't want to see you pull the crap like you did before.” Shaking his head Riki walked out of the room and scowled when he caught the others just outside the door, eavesdropping on his and Lilly's conversation. Grins lifted to meet his angry face and none of them were apologetic. “Don't you fuckers have something to do?” 

“Now that there isn't anything to see we do.” V said tsking in disappointment, walking off with Sky and Fidget as they mumbled about the lack of action in the confrontation.

Riki paused beside Jade, who alone remained. Not having anything to say at the moment Riki patted the kid's shoulder, just to let the boy know he wasn't mad at him. Freaked out yes, but not mad.  Escaping to his cabin Riki threw himself down on his bed and stared up at the low metal ceiling for a long while before getting up. He literally took apart his drawer in the small desk of his cabin room and pulled out the device he had bought when Jade and Sky's backs were turned.

Putting the thing together, doing what he needed to do to get what he wanted out of the thing, Riki held his breath when he heard it working.

“Iason Mink.”

"..."

"Who is this and how did you get this number."

Squeezing his eyes Riki listened intently to the voice.

"Identify yourself."

"..."

"…Riki?"

Saying nothing Riki hung up the phone and leaned back against the cold metal wall and sighed.

TBC……..