Chapter 12.2 | Vixen A.D. 2

There was a biter in the room.

Dr. Hallmaker turned to a walking corpse a good several hours back and, as Addison was making her way past the console and computer system to a zombie-free space of sub-level 2B, the exact system and one which she sent a desperate message on, Dr. Hallmaker’s Singe-riddled shambling body somehow followed her into the storeroom. It was probably on her, then.

Addison wasn’t paying attention to Hallmaker while two or three demons roamed around the facility, along with the small group of Singe-infected laboratory technicians and staff intent on scooping out her brains for breakfast. She shook it off, stealthily hiding behind a row of oversized alloy boxes and USF storage crates.

Metal and large, they hid her from Hallmaker’s hungry, dead gaze, while she tried to figure out a plan. Hallmaker was slow, but not slow enough. Fresh Singe victims were somewhat peppier than their long-rotted counterparts, often by a dangerous amount.

At least he couldn’t find her. She’d made noise twice, Hallmaker sought her ought, but couldn’t get behind the storage crates.

Hallmaker groaned. “Graaauuggghhhh ahhhh…”

Frustrated, probably. It couldn’t get to dinner, the main course being Dr. Addison Charm.

Too heavy, so I’m stuck, and I can’t just waltz out because the fucking Hallmaker biter knows I’m here.

Addison knew they weren’t as speedy as the demons, but, they were faster than the decayed, putrid Singe infected that’d been simmering in Neo Martian winds for a couple months.

Dr. Addison Charm shuddered. Simmered Singe zombies in a high-noon Neo Martian sky, what an appetizing image! Ugh.

Wonderful. What a description .

Stupid imagination, stupid brain, stupid visual, stupid daymare, stupid—stupid… stupid… zombies! I hate this! Dr. Charm silently shook her head. What a nightmare.

How she ended up in this wasn’t entirely unforeseen, at least not for Addison. The Singe always found a way in after enough time, and it always took all the victims it could. That’s how Addison saw it. It will eventually find its way into everything, no matter what, and that was as cold and emotionless as the dark side of Phobos.

But hopefully that would be irrelevant, soon enough. Addison had developed the first of several steps to a real solution. A vaccine. She could do it, given enough resources and effort.

So when Delta lit up, when it came across the intranet that the station was accessing the facilities research, she sent out the message and request for immediate evacuation.

Addison gulped.

“Grrrrrr uggghhh aaaahh aaaahh…” groaned zombie-Hallmaker.

“Shut up,” Addison muttered quietly.

Then she heard the door slide open, footsteps. What the fuck, did another one find me?

“Grrrrr—!”

SPLAT.

Addison jumped at the sound of gunfire. She fell on her ass and glanced up at the shadows moving over the ceiling. “It’s down,” the male voice said.

“Fucking sick of dealing with these things. It’s what I guess a day job would be like,” a female voice said. “Is that it?”

“Hold on,” the male voice said. “Let’s check if anyone is here.”

***

Mace lowered his carbine. He shouted out. “Hello? Anyone in here? It’s safe now.”

No response.

“Wonderful,” Faye sighed.

Mace shrugged. He tried again. “We’re friendly. Hello?”

Nothing again. “Like I said,” Faye repeated.

Mace shrugged. He thought about leaving, but waited another moment. “Last chance,” Mace said.

“Wait, wait, wait,” a female voice cried out. “Please don’t hurt me!”

Faye raised her weapon. Mace did, too. “Identify yourself,” Mace said. “Are you armed?”

“No! No, I’m not armed!” the voice cried back.

Mace took a step. Faye nudged him and muttered, pointing with her carbine sights and laser. “She’s behind the USF boxes.”

“Step out, identify yourself,” Mace commanded. “I’m not fucking around. I don’t know if you’re friendly,” he warned.

“I’m coming,” the voice said. “I’m coming out… don’t shoot me. I’ll come out slow,” the voice added.

There was rustling, some muted cursing, and the sounds of claws against the USF poly-ceramic tile. It’s her.

Mace raised a brow when the kitsune scientist made her way out from behind the boxes. “Sorry,” she said. “I had to crawl under some stuff.”

“Dr.?” Mace asked.

“Yes. Dr. Addison Charm,” she elaborated.

Faye nodded. Addison turned to her. “Hi,” Faye said, her tail swaying.

Mace watched Addisons tail wag adorably out of excitement, despite the blood, torn lab coat, and dirt. “Holy fuck! Another kitsune!” she chimed.

“Yeah. Got another one back at Delta’s TRAM. That’s our only stock of fox girls, though,” Faye teased.

There was a growl of a demon somewhere nearby. “Fucking wraith. Alright,” Mace turned to them. “Addison, do you know how to use—”

“Please give me a weapon,” Addison said.

Faye turned to Mace. “How do we know she won’t shoot us?”

“We’ll keep her in the middle. Faye, watch her,” Mace said as he unholstered his pistol and tossed the firearm to Addison. “Watch our six, Dr. Charm . Try anything, and Faye is real productive with her boomsticks.”

Faye clicked her tongue. She winked. “Really productive, sweetheart.”

Addison blushed a bit. Mace turned. “Let’s get the fuck out of here.”

Next to Addison, the biter they’d put down, stirred. It started to right itself, slowly sitting up. Addison, standing next to it, fired a round off in its head. She turned to the downed zombie and shrugged. “Sorry, Dr.”

Faye glanced at the corpse. “Wow.”

Mace shook his head. “Okay, come on, let’s go.”

Mace led them out of the store room. He heard the approaching sounds of wailing wraiths, growling, moaning biters, and something else. “The lift!” he shouted.

As they turned a corner, a wraith peeled from the darkness and faced them, eyes neon green and bright yellow, claws out. It took a swipe at Mace, gouging the abdomen of the USF plate armor. “Fuck!” He jumped back.

Faye knelt and unloaded, Mace joining. Addison jumped in and fired off several rounds into it. The strobing muzzle flares lit up the interior of Addison’s lab in bursts. The wraith chest shredded apart, then its head exploded.

It fell back and twitched. “Are you scratched?!” Faye shouted, panicked.

“No,” Mace assured her. “I’m good. Move!”

They were finally at the lift. Mace pounded on the switch and—

It sparked. The lift powered off and shut down. Faye gasped. “Oh, shit!”

Mace turned to Addison. “Nearest way up!”

She pointed. “Flight of stairs. Right around here. We have to hurry,” Addison explained. “They’re an entire group of fucking demons—wraiths, whatever, on our ass.”

“Go,” Mace said. “Guide me.”

She did. They barreled through the lab sublevel, around a couple rooms, past a storage garage, and through two corridors. Addison screamed. “Fuck!”

Mace glanced back, seeing the silhouettes and many glowing eyes of the wraith hoard. “Fuck, fuck, fuck!” Faye joined in.

Mace made it to the door, tried it, realized it was locked, cursed, and stepped back. “Fuck!”

He fired off some of the rounds into the door’s motor and it sparked, sliding up and revealing the stairs. “Go!” Mace shouted.

They ran up the stairs. His heart was pounding as they ascended and behind him, he heard the wraiths and zombies burst into the lower level. They had a good three flights of stairs between them. Mace turned to Faye and Addison. “Faye, take her to the TRAM! Now!”

“But—”

“Go!” Mace ordered.

Faye nodded. “Come on, cutie pie,” she said, tugging the scientist forward.

Mace watched them leave and went to work on the grenades clipped to his utility belt.

He started one the grenades, flicking the primer, and then stared at the rest of his belt. “Fuck it,” Mace murmured.

Mace took off the entire belt, finished priming the grenade in it, and tossed the fucking thing down into the dark stairwell. He spun, dove, and landed on the ground as the entire belt of grenades detonated. A hot blast of fire, gas, and smoke exploded out the stairwell door, along with several body parts and the limbs of a dozen wraiths.

The blast knocked him back a few feet, tossing his gun down the hall. Just in front of him, a wraith, missing half its left arm, both legs, and a chunk of its torse, howled and began a crawl toward him.

Smoke continued to pour from the stairwell and, as Mace finally got his bearings, he saw that the wraith had closed in on him. It clawed at his boots, reaching, inching closer. Mace, prone, rolled to his side, and grabbed the carbine.

He placed the red laser pointer sights on its skull and gritted his teeth, squeezing the cold, metal trigger. The clip emptied into its head and, finally, its cranium ripped to flying, flinging shreds.

It fell limp.

Mace righted himself, coughed up a lungful of USF frag-grenade smoke mixed with the burnt scent of biters and wraiths, caught his breath, and let out a loud groan. “That hurt,” Mace whispered to himself in the darkness of K-North’s first floor.

Mace stumbled forward for a  second, ignoring the pain in his tight, stinging back, and made for the TRAM. He stopped at one of the airlocks and shut the door as faint sounds of more wraiths drifted up the halls.

Mace swallowed and began his way to the TRAM, shutting the final airlock, and stepping out into the landing area of the TRAM. Faye was there to meet him, immediately enraged. “How the fuck—I heard that! Are you okay? The blast was fucking loud!” Faye complained, scolded , yelled.

Mace placed a hand on her shoulder. “I missed you too.”

Faye’s eyes teared up and she embraced him. “We stick together all the time, you said so, so let’s actually stick together. Okay? No more fucking doing that… what if…”

Mace kissed her, then released his lips from her. “I’m okay. And okay.”

Addison and Cinder were in the TRAM, watching from the operator’s room. He could see Cinder boiling with concern, as well. “She seems pissed.”

“More pissed than me. Addison’s safe,” Faye said. “You’re safe.”

He nodded. “I am. Alright,” Mace groaned as he walked. “I fucked up my back, and it’s going to require an operation. I think I slipped a disc.”

“So you’re not okay,” Faye growled. “Mace…”

“Med lab has the equipment,” he replied. “AI will run the operation. You two just have to oversee Delta while I’m in there,” Mace explained.

“Alright… fuck, okay,” Faye replied.

“Let’s go,” Mace said.

Faye assisted him to the TRAM. He was met with Cinder’s admonishment, to which he apologized, embraced her, and took a very much needed seat on the TRAM’s passenger benches. Addison was across from him, staring.

Faye sat next to Mace and pulled some pain meds out of the tactical triage kit. She administered it through his neck and threw the needle in a nearby trashcan. Mace stared back at Addison.

She looked like she wanted to say something. The way her emerald green eyes studied him, seemed to pay attention to every inch of his body, every smear of blood, every gouge in his armor, Faye’s arm around him, and the way his hair matted, seemed to imply she was intently studying him and the way he acted.

She wants to tell me something.

“You good?” Mace asked.

“I’m not anyone more than a damsel stranger to you,” she started. “But, I think you should stick with and listen to your friends,” Addison advised. “Or they might kill you if something else doesn’t.”

Mace nodded.

***

On the way back, Addison revealed little more about herself. “Sorry,” she had replied. “I won’t feel… chatty until I know we’re in Delta.”

“Fair,” Mace had replied.

“You fucked up your back,” she said. “That’s going to need surgery.”

“How do you know?”

“I heard you,” Addison said. “I can help examine and speed the process along,” she said. “I’m a research scientist, but I am a doctor, first.”

Mace didn’t fight her on that. “Sounds good,” Mace replied.

He couldn’t blame the kitsune scientist for wanting to wait before explaining much. Addison’s anxiety was probably high. That, and she just barely survived. Had they not shown up, she might not have made it longer than an few hours.

Mace assumed she was likely hungry, too. Starved, even. Now that he’d spent more days with Cinder and Faye, he knew the kitsunes had a healthy appetite. They needed to eat more than him, from what he saw. That made sense, too.

Maybe after getting seen in med lab, he could have a generous meal with all of them. Given there was enough time left and he wasn’t too fucked from an operation.

***

He wasn’t totally fucked.

While Mace didn’t slip a disk, he cracked a vertebra.  Cinder helped him to the closest med lab. There, Faye worked with Addison to scan him over. “You didn’t slip a disc, but you cracked a vertebra,” she explained. “I know you don’t know me, but you do need surgery.”

Mace scanned the PDA on the exam table, inclined at a raised tilt. It confirmed a surgery. “I can’t see the PDA too well, other than the big letters,” he said. “What’s the overall prognosis?”

“Routine. You’ll be in the operating and regen table for a couple hours, and then administered pain relief. While the regen chamber can heal you almost within the hour, your bone will still be somewhat fragile. Walking, among other gentle tasks, should be fine. You’re going to need a good week off anything extranenous .”

Cinder raised a hand. “Uhm… so like, uh, does that include…”

“Spit it out,” Faye laughed.

Cinder gulped. “Does that include sex?”

Addison shook her head. “Yes, mostly.”

“Can you explain—” Cinder began.

Addison nodded. “Some sexual activity is fine, though I wouldn’t try any wheel barrels, and nothing more than essentially lay down and letting them do the work,” Addison said, looking to Mace.

“Them?” he laughed.

Holy hell, this scientist is straightforward. Faye laughed. “Well, there you go, Cinder. You’re doing the work for a week.”

Cinder rolled her eyes. “That means you, too,” she giggled.

Addison glanced between them. “Both of you?” Addison blinked .

“Yes,” Faye said.

“Oh,” Addison replied.

Faye placed a hand on her hip. “What’s wrong with sharing?”

Addison shrugged. “Nothing. I just… wasn’t expecting that. Well,” Addison continued. “Let’s get you in the OR, in which the system will take over.”

Mace gulped. “You said that it should take a couple hours?”

Addison nodded. “More or less. I estimate less than two hours, but I could be wrong,” she said. “Hard to predict the minutia of such things.”

She swayed her tail, looking him over. Mace had stripped down to his boxer-briefs and, other than that, he laid there for her to study. She seemed to be paying a lot of attention to his body, and now that he was on his back, Addison lingered a bit longer. “You have quite the musculature,” she said. “Hm. Well, let’s go,” she finished.

Faye snickered and Cinder tilted her head. “The musculature,” Faye teased .

“Simply science and observation,” Addison said. “Come on, Mace,” Addison continued.

She wheeled the exam table to a secondary, glass and poly-alloy room inside Med Lab N1. Addison gingerly rolled him beneath the robotic apparatus as Faye and Cinder closely followed, monitoring her actions.

As Faye and Cinder made their way into the OR, Addison backed off, lifted her head, and scanned some vitals. Several arms descended, and a light glowed from the “OPERATION IN PROCEDURE” LED panel that sat above the door.

Addison led them out. Mace called out. “See you in a couple hours. Faye, hold the fort down. I can’t do shit like this,” Mace said.

Faye nodded. “Alright.”

“Addison, if you could provide us some more info,” he called. “Please do.”

Addison nodded. “Of course.” She depressed a button along the side of the wall and made her way to the operations console.

Faye and Cinder watched through the glass before Faye joined Addison. “Have you done this before, Dr. Charm?”

“Addy,” she said. “You can call me Addy.”

Faye shrugged. “Addy. Okay,” she continued. “Have you done this before?”

“I am a doctor,” Addy said bluntly. “I’ve supervised a dozen or so of these kinds of operations. The AI and Delta’s apparatuses will do well. So you see,” Addy pointed, “this is what will be driving the first procedure.”

“Explain it some more to me,” Faye said.

Addy nodded and she began. By the end, Faye had a better understanding on the procedure. “Just so you know, Addy,” Faye said, “I won’t hesitate to defend him.”

“I know,” Addy said. “Here,” she stepped aside. “Initiate the procedure.”

Faye raised a brow. “Hm. Alright,” she said. “Which thingy do I hit?”

“Bottom left. The big, bold, red window with START.”

Faye nodded.

“Also, Faye, if I may: Delta and all medical tools and AI are programmed to save and heal the body. So, that’s what this will do for Mace. Short of a miracle, I couldn’t override the system without serious effort,” she explained. “And I do not have the credentials to do so,” she finished.

Mace raised a hand as the arms, AI, and apparatus attached an IV to him. “I do.”

“That’s good to know,” Addy said. “Thank you all,” Addy started. “For saving my life. It means… a lot. I owe you. All of you. So… thank you.

Cinder turned back and glanced at her. “Thank you for fixing him.”

Faye nodded. “Yeah, it’s appreciated. And you’re welcome.”

“Hm.” Addy nodded.

“Thanks for fixing me, Addy,” Mace called.

She smiled. With that, the sedatives took effect, and Mace drifted off to a deep, painless sleep.

***

Faye and Cinder sat in the room with Addy as she monitored the procedure.

Faye, at first, didn’t trust the doctor at all. She had some modicum of good faith in her now, and her mind began to wander and play with certain ideas. Certain possibilities that she was sure Mace was thinking, too, if she had to guess.

Faye sat on the nearby bench with Addy. “So,” Faye began. “You’re a research doctor and scientist, from what I gather,” she started.

Addy nodded. “Yes.”

“We could use that,” Cinder said, still watching the surgery unfold through poly-acrylic glass. “For things like this.”

“Mace, I think, is trained in some of this, but I don’t think he has your depth, Addy. But I could be wrong. Sorry if I was coming across like a bitch,” Faye said. “But you need to earn my trust, first.”

Addy nodded. “Totally rational. I understand.”

“I don’t want anything happening to him or Cinder,” Faye explained. “Though I don’t suspect you’re a person of malice.”

Addy nodded again, silent.

Cinder pressed onto the window. She swished her tail. “Where’s the regeneration chamber?”

“It descends from the top,” Addy said. “And will do the rest.”

“Good. Maybe,” Cinder turned to them. “Dinner? Will he be able to handle sitting down for dinner?”

Addy nodded. “Yes. It’s overdoing it the first week that’s risky.”

“Hm. If he messed up the healing, can we just do this again?”

Addy nodded again. “Yes, though I imagine it would become… irritating, so to speak,” Addy explained.

Faye shrugged. “We’ll keep him in one piece. Can’t break the man I’m falling in—I have feelings for.” Faye blushed. She changed the subject. “How long have you been at USF’s facilities?”

“Since childhood. My parents were part of project KITSUNE . They stayed, so I was trained there, and became who I am now.”

Cinder turned. “Your parents were part of that?”

Addison nodded. “Yes. As you know, aging is different with us fox gals. We’re designed to age quickly to a prime, healthy age, and essentially stay there indefinitely.”

Cinder shrugged. “Okay, I didn’t know that.”

“Regardless, what were you doing there?”

“Research,” Addy replied. “But, I think it’s best to wait for that until we have dinner.”

Cinder laughed. “Ha, bet you’re hungry! Delta has great food,” she said. “Uh, well, I don’t know. Are you hungry?”

“I haven’t eaten in… I don’t remember,” Addy said. “Though we’re designed to deal with that, too, I suppose, should the time come.”

“You must be starving,” Faye told the scientist.

“I had access to some inhibitors,” Addy said. “Slowed the hunger problem down. But, I admit,” she began, “that they’re wearing off. And I need to satiate all the energy I’ve spent.”

Cinder returned to the window, mesmerized by the operating machines and robotic arms, along with the medical gadgetry and precise tools. “We have lots of steaks and so much stuff.”

“When he’s up, he’ll show you the nearest mess hall,” Faye said. “He’ll be able to do that, right?” she asked.

Addy nodded. “He’ll be hungry, too. The regenerator usually does that. I don’t know the last time he ate, either.”

“Not too long,” Cinder said. “But I feel like it’s been forever… sorry,” Cinder finished, glancing at Addy.

Addy lifted a dismissive clawed hand. “It’s okay. I know you’re not teasing me about food,” she smiled.

Faye nodded. “Cool. Well, I suppose we sit here and wait, right?”

Addy nodded. “Yes.”

“We still have more questions,” Faye admitted. “So, it’s not an interrogation,” Faye considered what she asserted, “okay, a little. Kind of.”

“Maybe a lot of,” Cinder said. “But we won’t be dickheads,” Cinder explained.

Faye nodded. “Correct. So, Addy,” Faye began, “what happened at K-North?”

***

Mace woke from the regenerative chamber with a dry mouth, aching stomach, and the subtle euphoria of pain killers. He slowly sat up. Addy approached with Faye and Cinder following closely behind, then examined him thoroughly.  “This a success,” she said. “The scanner found a successful post-op. You’re good to go,” Addy said. “I advise walking, sitting, and resting only for the rest of the night and tomorrow. You can be engaged in,” Addy blushed somewhat, “a little more activity following then. Do not lift anything above 15 pounds, Mr. Frost,” Addy concluded.

“Mace,” he said. “Stick to Mace.”

“Alright,” Addy said. “Your friends tell me you have steak?”

Mace felt the hunger in his belly complain. “Yeah. Let me show you the nearest Delta cafeteria,” he said.

***

They sat at the dinner table as Faye gathered the food. “I set it to give all giant steak dinner and other stuff,” she said.

“What kind of stuff?” Mace asked as he sat.

Faye shrugged. “Stuff.”

“Alright,” he laughed a little. The painkillers were definitely doing their job. He felt a little high, almost, which was expected with strong neonarcotics. On his left, Cinder positioned herself, scooting into the table. “This mess hall… it doesn’t feel like it,” Cinder said.

Mace nodded. “It’s more a standard dining room. Not meant for a lot of people, not like the big ones we were eating in,” he said. “But plenty for us. Think of it as a civilian dining room,” he said.

It did look like that, though with a larger table. It didn’t feel wide, open, and massive like the other places they ate. This was cozier. “Is this one of those special occasion kind of dinging rooms?” Cinder asked.

Mace nodded. “Yes, basically. More of restaurant-like experience. You normally have to schedule a time,” he said. “But well…” his voice was solemn. He shook off the thought, and smiled. “It’s just us. And you know? I’m really happy about that, not for the people that should have been here, because I wish they made it, but I’m happy we did, and I’m happy we get to experience this together.”

Cinder blushed a little and smiled wide at him. “Me too.”

“I don’t know any of you well,” Addy admitted. “But I’d like to imagine that one day, I can be included in that. I’m happy to be here, too, and not zombie food.”

Mace looked to Addy. “I didn’t say it didn’t include you. So, are you hungry?”

Addy seemed to freeze, and, for the first time he’d seen her do it, blush. She nodded. “Yes. Thank you,” she said. “Uh… sorry. Yes, I’m quite hungry.”

“Fantastic,” Mace said. “Let’s start with some light dialogue?” he offered.

Addy nodded. “Sure.”

Faye returned with several bottles of sparkling wine. “Found these. There’s non-alcoholic stuff, too,” she said. “Anyone want a drink?”

“I’ll have one, given it won’t interact with my pain killers,” Mace said, lifting a hand. “I’m no pharmacist, but I’m assuming it probably will .”

Addy shook her head. “Neonarcotics have no interaction with mild amounts of alcohol. Just don’t drink the whole bottle,” she explained.

Mace nodded. “Pour me a glass, babe?”

Faye’s tail swayed happily as he said the word ‘babe’. “Sure thing, handsome,” she said, setting the bottles down, and returning to the kitchen. She called back from the confines of the cooking area and pantries. “I’m bringing glasses and water, too! Some appetizers, so prep for tastiness!”

Mace smirked. “She’s lovely. And a hardass,” Mace  laughed.

“Hey, we love her,” Cinder teased.

Mace thought about her words. “We do,” he said.

She smiled again.

Mace turned to Addy as Faye came back with a series of wine glasses, a pitcher of ice water, then left again, and came back with silverware and mozzarella sticks . “Holy shit, we have these?” Mace laughed.

The AI and cooking systems had been more featured than Mace thought. He didn’t think a recipe for breaded mozzarella sticks would be in the AI’s cuisine roster. Or maybe I forgot… what else am I still forgetting?

Mace shook off the thought. “Thanks, Faye,” he said.

“Yeah!” Cinder shouted as she reached across, grabbing a handful of the sticks. “Thanks!”

Faye playfully tapped Cinder’s hand. “Hold your paw, Cinder, I got to get plates so we don’t make a giant mess. Because we’re going to,” she said. “And not just here.”

Cinder sighed. “Fiiiineeee,” she groaned. “But hurry, I’m so fucking hungry.”

“I’m going!” Faye sighed. “Sheesh.” She disappeared back into the kitchen.

Cinder licked her lips. “I’m so going to eat the fuck out of one of these fucking mozzarella sticks,” she said predatory, narrowed eyes  on the stack between them all on the table’s center. “I’m coming for you,” she said quietly.

“Well,” Mace said. “Cinder seems to get excited about food. Can’t blame her.”

“I will assist in the ‘fucking up’ of these sticks. They smell great,” Addy said. She seemed to tear up, but held it back, and returned to her previous calm. “Thanks, again.”

Mace nodded. “Of course.”

She smiled. “You’re all very kind.”

“It fucking sucks out there,” Cinder said. “Believe me, I know.”

“It does. Well,” Addy began as Faye returned with small plates, her tail swishing back and forth. Faye twitched her ears and set the plates on the table in front of everyone. “Okay! Should be all of them. And… hmm, yeah, that’s good for now, I think.”

“You like this, don’t you?” Mace laughed.

Faye paused. “You know,” she placed a clawed fingertip on her bottom lip. “I think I do.”

“Hey wait,” Cinder said. She waved a finger. “You can’t steal all the cooking fun from me. What if I want to cook for everyone?”

“I didn’t say I’d do it all the time. And I didn’t even say that’s what I was going to do!” Faye replied.

“Well… whatever, still,” Cinder said. “We should share days to cook, or do a schedule,” she said. “Even if the AI and system basically make it for us.”

“I mean, we can do that,” Mace said. “I’m down.”

Faye nodded. “Yeah, that sounds pretty good to me.” She sat down. “Alright, it’s fuck-up-the-mozzarella-sticks time.”

Cinder licked her lips. Faye passed them around and, after everyone had filled their plates, they started eating. Cinder wagged her tail excitedly at the first bite, then dipped it in her ramekin of marinara, and took another bite. She flushed a little, eyes closed, a big smile over her face. “Mmmm, these are so good!”

Addy finished her first breaded cheese appetizer. “Yeah,” she said. “These are really good. Definitely sparking my appetite. I hope those steaks are big,” Addy said. “Because I will need it.”

“They are,” Mace assured her. “And you can have more than one.”

Faye wiped some of the marinara off her lips and drank a bit of wine. She let out a happy, satisfied sigh, and nodded. “Don’t worry. I really gave the quantity selector a workout,” Faye said. “I pressed the hell out of it. We’ll each have six steaks.”

“Holy shit,” Addy gasped. She started to salivate, her tail swaying profusely. “Six? Six steaks?”

Faye leaned forward, a slow, cheshire smirk growing between her lips. “Oh? Did I tell you,” she smiled with teeth now, “that I made them medium rare?”

Addy shot up, palms on the table, eyes wide. “You can do that?!”

“Oh yeah, baby,” Faye winked. “We can do that.”

Addy licked her lips and sat down, eating a few more appetizers. She washed them down with sparkling cider and juice. “Forgive me,” Addy said. “I got… excited.”

“Why are you apologizing? It’s not like I told you,” Faye leaned further in, “that we have twice-baked cheddar-extra-large-potatoes-with-extra-butter-and-chives-and-sour-cream… with bacon,” Faye said.

Addy gasped. “Did you say bacon?”

“She did. She did say bacon,” Cinder added.

Addy’s tail continued to wag. “Alright. Can’t contain my excitement.”

Mace smiled. He was already beginning to like Addy. She seemed to be fitting in quite quickly. “Oh yes,” he said. “All the bacon.”

Addy whined for a second, then took another drink. “Bacon. God,” she said. “I haven’t had bacon in… forever.”

Mace nodded. “Well, we can keep doing this. I think they already told you, but we do need all the help we can get at Delta. All the help we can get here,” he clarified. “So… assuming you’re not a Singe monster in disguise, and you don’t mind following a few rules—by that I mean don’t betray us, or hurt us, or jeopardize us, etc—then you’re more than welcome to stay.”

Cinder glanced between them, then shot up. “Oh, you got to! There are so many rooms, too, you can pick whatever you want.” Cinder sat back down. She smiled. “Unless it’s already occupied.”

Faye rose. “Well… never mind,” she giggled. “I think the steaks are ready,” she said. “And all the entrees. Time to put some meat in your bellies.”

Cinder snickered and blushed at that for a fleeting second.

Addy turned her head, glancing at everyone, then stared at Mace. “You’d do that? You’d let me stay here?”

“I mean… we didn’t rescue you for a overnight visit. And it’s too dangerous to go anywhere else. Practicality aside, you are also useful, and you are a USF scientist,” he said. “So it’d be pretty stupid for me to tell you to leave.”

“Yeah,” Faye added as she came back in with several plates filled with baked potatoes, sauteed mushrooms, corn on the cob, mashed potatoes, parmesan macaroni and cheese, a pile of bacon just for Addy, and more. “We didn’t save your ass to just throw you out. Well, I mean, I didn’t know what Mace’s opinions were, but I figured he wanted to keep you here, if possible,” Faye said as she set all the plates down.

“Damn, that’s a lot of food!” Addy exclaimed.

Faye placed satisfied, proud hands on her kitsune hips. “Oh, I haven’t brought out the steaks, bread, condiments, and stir fry medley,” she explained.

Cinder started to reach for the twice-baked double-stuffed potato, but lowered her hand when she caught Faye’s eye. They stared for a quick second, then Cinder groaned again. “Ugh. Finnneee but hurry up,” Cinder said. She looked over to Addy. “We don’t normally do this. Manners, tonight,” she smiled pleasantly.

Addy laughed. “That’s fine by me,” she said.

“Normally I would protest so much,” Cinder said. “But man, my anxiety was really high back there and it burnt through more reserves than I thought, and I didn’t even go in with all of you,” she said.

“Everyone kitsunes different,” Faye said, bringing back the array of food.

Mace could smell the steak. The aroma of all the food in front of him—the garlic buttery potatoes, the bacon, cheddar, sauteed mushrooms, hot corn on the cob—was making him salivate. Well, he thought, if I can be in the company of women who appreciate food as much as I do, then I’m a happy man.

And lucky, he knew.

It wasn’t like food was easy to find out in the post-apocalyptic barrens of Neo Mars. Faye sat down after leaving to get more plates, then adjusted in her seat. “Alright. That’s most of it,” she said.

Addy turned to her, eyes wide. “Most? There’s more?”

“Dessert!”

Cinder wiggled into her chair. “Oh, yeah! I fucking love dessert. Chocolate, too!”

I remember, Mace thought. He dug into his first piece of steak once everyone had their portions plated out.

They started to eat.

Immediately, as Addy started on her steak, she lit up and furiously swayed her tail back and forth. “Gah!” she exclaimed. “Ah, that’s so good! That’s pure sex!”

Faye snickered. “About as good, right?”

Addy worked on her steak, mouthful, her words mumbled. “Mm, hm, mmhm,” she said through a mouthful of steak.

Mace laughed. “Eat up. Let’s enjoy this moment. We worked for it,” he said. “So, we all agree, Addy stays?”

Faye and Cinder nodded. “You’re in charge,” Faye said.

“Yeah, but I want everyone’s input. And I already think you’re all going to say yes. Just a formality,” Mace explained.

“Let’s keep her!” Cinder chimed.

Faye nodded. “Let’s.”

Mace turned to Addy. “What do you say, Dr. Charm? Stay with us?”

Addy was already done tearing through her first steak. She wiped her mouth and looked up to him. “I…”

“I’d prefer you to stay,” Mace added, “but it’s your choice,” he said.

Addy smiled. “So, any room I want?”

“Yes.”

She raised a glass. “To staying.”

Mace raised his glass. “To staying.”

Faye did the same. “To staying,” Faye added.

“Fuck yeah!” Cinder said, raising her glass Delta goblet as well.

“Good,” Mace said. “Let’s show you around to the rooms,” Mace continued. “Once we’re done eating, of course.”

Addy smiled. “I’d like that.”

“Oh, each room has a built-in shower. They’re like apartments, almost,” Cinder said.

“The apparel thing in the back will craft clothes for you if you want, but it takes a little while,” Faye explained. “Well, some things can take a while. And by that I mean five minutes to a couple hours,” clarified.

“Sign me up. Steak dinner, hot shower, food… no monsters. Well,” Addy said. “There was something I was holding off on telling everyone until Mace was awake. I forgot to mention it when we were going to eat soon because I got so excited waiting for food,” she explained.

“That’s fine,” Mace said. “What was it about?”

“My research,” Addy replied.

“Oh cool, that’s right,” Cinder said, working on some baked potatoes.

“What were you researching exactly?” Faye asked. She passed Addy the plate of bacon.

Addy’s face lit up again, and she dug in. “Oh, The Singe.”

“Yes, I figured,” Mace said. “How’s the bacon.”

“Delicious,” Addy blushed. “God, this is really sex in the mouth.”

Mace ignored his thoughts for a moment. Is she doing that on purpose? Come on, I’m wounded, I can’t relive a mindful of lewd…

Cinder giggled. “Oh, I bet.”

Mace paused. “Wait, we haven’t really introduced ourselves,” Mace said. “You’re about to tell us so much about yourself, but we don’t know anything about you. I’m Mace Frost, a USF high-rank official.”

“I’m a survivor, like most people,” Cinder added. “Just kind of… here, I suppose. Mace and Faye saved me.”

“I remember that,” Mace chuckled. “Like it was last week.”

Cinder rolled her eyes. “It was last week. But yeah, I was hiding in a hospital when one of my group got infected… and everyone turned into Singe zombies and monsters. Wraiths. I barely made it out. Faye and Mace found me then and saved me from certain death. I knew I was going to be okay pretty quickly,” Cinder said. “Faye assured me of Mace and I learned a lot about him pretty quickly.”

Faye nodded. “I did.”

“What about you, Faye?” Addy asked.

Faye took another drink. “I was raised and protected by TALON. Sort of a special tactical police force that was left over from things before,” she explained. “That all fell through. I’d been hiding and running for a while. Mace,” she turned to him, smiling, “found me one night. Can’t count how many times we’ve saved each other now.”

Mace nodded. “Countless. We’ll owe each other forever.”

“He almost had the undivided attention of a wraith,” Faye laughed. “We just kind of started working together, then. At first, I wasn’t sure but… here we are. I knew he was handsome instantly,” Faye teased.

Mace raised his hands. “Don’t make me blush,” Mace said.

Addy nodded. “You’re right. He’s very charismatic. It’s good all of you found each other. I’m glad you located me. Thanks, again.”

“Say it as many times as you’d like,” Mace said. “Oh, right,” he continued. “Your Singe research.” Mace picked up his glass of sparkling wine and continued. “What were you doing at USF labs?”

“Oh, that,” Addy said, hiccupping. “Sorry,” Addy said, “Excuse me.”

“It’s okay. We all hiccup.” Cinder took a bite of food.

Addy continued. “Right. Astute,” she said, and resumed, “the Singe research. I was working over some components of its mechanisms of contagion, virality—or pseudo-virality to be more correct—and discovered new phenomena buried in the RNA-recombinant molecules.”

“Sounds complicated,” Cinder commented.

Faye stretched, approaching fullness. “Almost a full belly.”

“It is intricate,” Addy admitted. “But it paved the way for new research.”

“What research was that?” Mace asked.

“The Sing vaccine,” Addy replied.

Mace froze. “Did you say vaccine? A Singe vaccine?”

“Yes,” Addy said. “I know how to finish it, I believe, but my research was destroyed in some fires that broke out in K-North. I don’t think it ever made it through the intranet so to speak.”

Mace slowly stood. “Do you think, if you had what you needed, you could complete a vaccine?”

Addy paused. She pursed her lip. “Non-zero chance.”

Cinder slowly turned to stare at Addy. “You… you… a vaccine?”

“Yes. We made a prototype,” Addy said. “We only tested it on one subject.”

Faye stood. “And? What happened?”

“There were promising results. It worked, but there was no longevity. The test subject, our patient, was able to resist initial infection. It wore off, though, so now, she’d be taking a huge risk. It’s possible now to create the temporary vaccination with what you have at Delta probably, provided I get some samples.”

“What about a permanent one? One that doesn’t fade or grow less effective after a while?” Mace asked.

Addy nodded. “That’s the non-zero. I would say… with enough research, samples, and some progress from other labs, I might be able to complete something.”

Cinder turned to Mace. “Man, I’m so glad we did this!”

“Yeah! Holy shit,” Faye gasped. “This is insane!”

“How do you know it worked?” Mace asked.

Addy nodded. “The subject was introduced to weakened Singe material, then, the real thing after several trials. Unfortunately, there was an incident, and the vaccination was tested on the ‘field’ by a live Singe victim.”

“Holy shit , what happened?” Cinder asked.

“One of the Singe subjects escaped and took a good bite out of her,” Addy said, shuddering.

“But they made it?”

Addy nodded.

Cinder turned to Addy. “Who was the test subject?”

Addy finished her wine. “Me.”

***

“Oh man, I’m wiped,” Mace exhaled as they left the one of many Delta dining rooms. “That meal took it out of me,” he laughed.

Cinder stretched as she walked. “I’m so full!”

“Me too,” Faye said. “It was totally worth it.”

They stood outside the dining room, letting their meals settle for another second, before continuing down the adjoining alcove that led into Delta’s northbound corridors. “I think it’s time to get you a room,” Mace said. “So you can shower and sleep.”

“You know, we never did give you a medical exam,” Faye said.

Addy nodded. “I can do that after I shower.”

“I’ll administer the scan,” Mace said.

“Oh no, no, no, mister,” Faye wagged a finger. “You need to go lay down.”

“Yeah,” Cinder said. “Don’t be stubborn.”

“I can show them how to do it,” Addy said. “While you get some rest.”

Mace sighed. “Damn it. Fine. Faye, will you help her pick a room?”

“Yes,” Faye said.

“Bedtime,” Cinder teased. “Want me to tuck you in?”

Mace laughed. “Actually, yes, please.”

She giggled. “Alright. Well, let’s go.”

“Fuck man, you two don’t have to baby me.”

“We have quite the mother vixen mode,” Cinder said. “Get used to it, Mace.”

He smiled. “Fine, fine, you win, for now. Mother vixen mode,” he repeated under his breath. “Can I have cookies and milk, too?”

“I mean, yeah.”

“And a bedtime story?” Mace teased.

Cinder rolled her eyes. “Your sarcasm isn’t going to stop me!” Cinder said merrily.

Mace sighed. “Alright. Come on.” He smiled. “Looking forward to getting tucked in,” he admitted.

Cinder smirked. “Don’t worry,” she said. “We’ll make up for it. Oh, cuddles. I’m giving you cuddles.”

“I won’t complain.”

Cinder grinned. “Good!”

Faye laughed. “Make sure he doesn’t try to sneak out,” she said.

“Oh, fuck you both,” Mace said playfully. 

“You do,” Faye replied.

He didn’t say anything back to that.

“Come on, Addy. While our handsome savior gets a few hours, let’s find you a room.”

Addy tapped fingers together. “Um… weird question… can it be close to your rooms?”

Faye nodded. “I don’t see why not.”

Down the corridor, Mace and Cinder called back. “That’s fine with us!”

“Well, you heard them,” Faye smiled warmly. “Let’s go.”

***

She walked Addy down the corridor

Mace and Cinder walked to their room, now doing who knew what, though Faye could imagine. She suspected Cinder was serious about momma-fox-mode, and didn’t expect her to deviate. That, and she would probably throw in a good blowjob to help Mace simmer down into sleep.

Too bad Faye wouldn’t be there to see. She looked forward to spreading Cinder’s ass open while Mace drilled her one day too, and that was another thing on her list she wanted to see—Cinder taking Mace’s dick in either of her holes with a nice, clear, lusty view. “So, how long have you been at Delta?”

Faye turned to Addy. “We’ve been here maybe a week, little more, little less. Past few days have kind of blended together. And Mace is probably a lot better about tracking that stuff than me,” Faye admitted.

We’ve really been here that long? I feel like Mace just got us here yesterday, almost, and just a few moments ago, I told him I wanted to be his girlfriend, and that I wanted Cinder to be his girlfriend, that we want to be his fucktoys, his partners, best friends, companions, Faye thought. It really had been that long, though, she knew.

A week was mostly likely right. “Oh, wow. So, has it been accommodating?”

“Why do you ask?” Faye queried.

Addy nodded. “I’m USF. I knew all about the construction of Delta. I had a vague idea of who Mace is already, but that’s because he was in charge of some of Delta’s engineering, mechanics, and transportation details. They also cleared him to manage some of the research here, though it looks like he’ll be doing that completely,” Addy noted.

Faye shrugged. “I mean, I think that’s going to be your thing, now,” she said. “The vaccine was such a non-possibility before. I was there when we pulled up some negative reports. Dr… Sinmon, I think,” Faye said. “And a few others. But, he’ll put you as lead vaccine researcher. Which, reminds me… how was it?”

“What?” Addy asked. “The vaccine?”

Faye nodded. “Some unpleasant side effects. Sedative, at first, and gave me a minor headache. Fever-like symptoms. Manageable.”

“Did you know it was going to work?”

Addy nodded. “I knew, immediately, when I received the injection, that there were going to be consequences moving forward, in that I knew it was working, because of my immune system’s reaction, and that now, a vaccine was on the table.” 

“God. So, they gave you some doses of the Singe virus?” Faye asked.

Addy nodded. “Well, I injected myself with a lab-weakened variant. And, it’s more a complex. The Singe is some alien virus-parasite-prion thing, so we called it a complex, since we don’t really understand what it’s supposed to be. It’s hard to classify the thing,” Addy admitted.

“You injected yourself?” Faye gasped. “What if it didn’t work?”

“If it hadn’t of worked, then the weakened virus would have put me into a temporary coma and given me some internal burns… it would have been awful, surely, but I would have survived, barely, but it is possible with USF tech and our medical advancements. Those regenerators and AIs are so advanced—they have all the most recent training data, use neural-optic chips, and have basically assembly level access to cells of all kinds, stem included.”

 Faye nodded. “Huh.”

This kitsune literally just injected herself, risking her own life, to see if she could save everyone, Faye thought. That’s badass.

“Yes. So,” Addy said, “you said a week, right? I didn’t know about what Delta had done with its kitchens and there are some extra things Mace mentioned that I wasn’t aware of. I confess I didn’t know that much, honestly. Just the medical side of Delta, well, and its size. I knew it had food, but, didn’t think it had steaks, if that makes sense.”

Faye shook her head. “Mhm. I mean, that’s understandable. I didn’t even know a place like this existed.”

“They dumped all the remaining funds, and whatever else, into this place. That’s about where my knowledge goes for it. I have much to learn. Like I said, I knew it was big, and it was capable, but this is far beyond what I thought I was going to see,” Addy admitted. “You said the rooms have showers?” she asked.

Faye smiled. “Yes. A decent sized shower too, could fit a couple people in it.”

Addy blushed a little. “Oh, excellent. I can’t wait to take a shower,” she said, lashing her fluffy tail. “I’m filthy.”

“Hey, don’t worry, I was caked in sweat and dirt and blood and all sorts of other stuff when we got here. The shower is so nice. You’re going to love it,” she said.

“Hopefully. So,” Addy paused. “I, uh, are you two dating him?”

Faye burst into laughter. “Oh?”

“From the comments in med lab and dinner,” Addy said. “I’m just outright asking. I’m curious, or is that too much for my first night here?” she asked.

Faye thought about it. Was it? Would Mace be mad if she took the reigns on the question? “Well,” Faye began. “I am with Mace. He and I are dating and… well, Cinder and him are… basically in a relationship. We’re all in a relationship and Mace is uh, kind of like, the leader, or—”

“Ah, this is sort of like a harem,” Addy observed. “Interesting. How is it working so far?”

Faye shrugged. “I’m fucking thrilled, but we’ve only been official, he and I, for a night or two. As a tough-as-nails-bitch, I didn’t think I would succumb so much to my higher… intimate desires. You know how were are,” Faye said.

“Yes. High sex drives,” Addy said. “An unforeseen side effect of the engineering, I believe.”

“How much could you access of project KITSUNE’s history?” Faye asked. “We don’t know much about ourselves, as much as we should anyway, and I’m curious about it.”

Addy nodded. “Not much. Most of the research and documents and history were destroyed . The few areas where the servers stored the backup data went down and, well, that was it. USF tried to access them again, I believe, but only corrupt bits and pieces were received. I pieced together what I could, and I sort through the terabytes of corruption, bit by bit, hoping to uncover something. It’s a hobby  of mine,” Addy laughed. She shrugged. “Most times, nothing turns up.”

Faye sighed. “Well, I guess it doesn’t matter. Anyway, you’re serious about staying?”

“Going out there would be asking to die. Suicide,” Addy explained. “So, yes. You know,” her voice grew soft, “I never really had too many friends.”

She’s more fragile and adorable than Cinder, Faye thought.

“Want some?”

Addy’s tail swished rapidly. “Do you think, maybe, you and everyone, if they’re open to it, would be my friends?”

Faye shook her head, smiling. She placed a clawed hand gently on Abby’s shoulder as they walked. “Of course, yeah, as long as you’re not a serial killer,” she laughed.  

They were at one of the doors, then. “Understandable. Are we on the same corridor yet?” Addy asked.

They turned another corner. “Now we are,” Faye said. “That door is Mace’s and Cinder’s room.”

“Huh, why didn’t we just follow them?” Addy asked.

Faye shrugged. “I figured it was better to walk with you and talk, so I took the long way,” she explained.

Addy didn’t say anything for a second. “Smart.”

“This one is my room, though I’m basically never in it,” Faye said, pointing down the hall at a door across from Mace’s.

“Which one is Cinder’s?” Addy asked.

Faye pointed. “The one next to mine. She was further down, but got lonely, moved closer, and now she’s starting to sleep with us.”

Addy blushed. “Oh.”

“I mean, like, zs ,” Faye said. She bit her bottom lip. “Hm. And that other one, too, though it hasn’t happened quite yet, though.”

“You’re really okay just having your boyfriend uh, have time like that with her? And you all share a bed?”

Faye nodded. “Well I mean, yeah. Besides, out of me and Cinder, I’m the dominant one. She just doesn’t know it yet.”

Addy burst into laughter. “Oh, wow. That’s good. That was just what I needed to roll off the night,” she giggled, wiping a tear of laughter from her eye.

Faye smirked. “Hm. Well, Addy, which room would you—”

“The one closest to you all,” she said. “The one next to Cinder or you, or Mace, I don’t care,” she said.

Faye snickered. “Alright, alright,” she nodded. “Okay, well, you can have the one across from Cinder or next to her, or the one next to mine,” Faye suggested.

“Hm,” Addy paused. She considered Faye’s suggestions. “Quite the choice,” Addy admitted. “Perhaps I can try all three?”

Faye raised a brow. “Try them?”

Addy nodded. “Yes, if that’s okay. I can try sleeping, oh, next to you tonight—I mean in the, uh apartment, ha. And then maybe tomorrow, next to Cinder, and then Mace. Again, the rooms,” Addy explained.

Faye chuckled. “Yeah, we can do that. It’s not like anyone is in either of them,” she said. “Or that we’re charging. Okay,” Faye gesticulated with an open hand to the neighboring door of her apartment. “Let’s get you comfortable.”

Addy smiled, wagging her tail. “I can’t wait to shower.”

“I bet,” Faye grinned. She led her to the door and opened it. “I don’t know if you’re synched up with Delta yet, so Mace might have to add your credentials so you can do this kind of stuff. He’ll give you a chronometer, too, and that’s another way to get in, also your biometrics,” Faye explained.

The door slid open, revealing the cool darkness of APARTMENT N-3B. “Oh wow,” Addy said as she stepped in. “The lights aren’t even on and I can tell it’s bigger than I thought it was going to be.”

Faye flipped on a light. “You can set them to automatically turn on when they sense you,” she explained. “I did it to my room the other day, before I basically stole Mace’s left side of the bed.”

“Oh yeah?” Addy laughed. She looked back to the now illuminated room. “Yeah, this is way bigger than I thought it was going to be.”

Faye followed her in. The door shut behind her. “Yeah, it’s really nice. Your own kitchen, a living room, a bedroom, and some have multiple bedrooms. This one…”

“I think I see two,” she said. “One in the back and one off to the side.”

Faye smiled. “Good.” She continued on, making her way to the fridge. “I’m kind of thirsty,” Faye said. “I think I could go for some water. Oh, your fridge is always stocked. There’s a conveyer system in the walls and other storage units for stuff like that. That being said, it also dispenses chilled water,” Faye said. “Want a glass?”

“Yes, please,” Addy said, exploring 3B.

“Cool.” Faye grabbed a couple cups from the cabinet. She paced to the fridge and began to fill both of them up. “Did you want ice?” Faye called.

Addy called back from somewhere in the living room. “No, thank you!”

Faye giggled to herself. The kitsune was definitely adorable and, if she was being honest, she wondered how Mace would look stuffing her, too. Probably powerful.

Addy was definitely shorter than her and, possible, shorter than Cinder. She wouldn’t be surprised if the scientist kitsune was the shortest, which only made her more adorable. God, Mace is going to wreck her with his dick if it ever happens, Faye thought to herself.

She knew enough about her anatomy to know that kitsunes didn’t exactly have large vaginas by a mile. They were very, very, very tight and small. A few medical books she found on the human anatomy in her excursions, and talking with some of the female humans in TALON, made that pretty clear.

With Addy being smaller than them both, which Faye was certain of, Mace’s cock was probably going to make her ache for a while. But, it’d still be hot to watch… if it ever happened.

Get a grip on yourself, Faye inwardly scolded. How can I already be thinking about that right now? How can I just want to see her fucked by the human guy I’m basically mated—

Faye swallowed. Oh shit, she thought. Mated. That’s right. That was a bond thing with them. She knew that, too. Well, Mace was truly fucked, then, because her and Cinder would never leave.

Oh, he’s fucked, quite literally, too, and I think he’s okay with that, Faye quietly giggled to herself. She picked up the water after the refrigerator was done filling the cup with chilled, purified, Delta water.

“Fresh water, coming up,” she announced, and made her way to the living room.

“Oh, thank you,” Addy said. She was already planted in Delta’s apartment sofa, studying the room, taking in everything that was there. “They made the walls pretty bare.”

Faye nodded, handed Addy one of the cups, and sat across from her in the other sofa. A coffee table sat between them, bare and unused. She set her cup down after taking a drink, and looked around the room. “You know,” Faye said. “You could hang some stuff up,” she suggested.

Addy pursed her lips after setting the water down, and thought about it, then nodded. “Yeah. That’s a good idea,” she said. “But I don’t know where I’d get the art. Does Delta have—”

“A series of state-of-the-art fabricators, 3D printers, and ancient art replicants? Why yes, we do,” Faye smiled. “Shit, there are programs you can watch on your display in here, if you want, that are full-on documentaries. We were literally watching some movie last night. It was a romance.”

Addy swallowed. “Romance?”

“Yeah, turns Cinder is hellbent on watching everything with Mace and me, but doesn’t care for romance movies, so he just put it on in the background as noise while she played arcade games,” Faye explained.

“Arcade games?” Addy lit up. “Oh, man, I got to try some of those!”

“Yeah, they’re pretty badass. I need to get on one, too, but there’s also video game consoles. You have a console in your apartment, but the other stuff is all in the rec room, though I’m pretty sure it can be moved to our rooms if we want, for the most part,” Faye finished.

“Damn. This is basically a colony,” Addy noted. “I mean, they have everything. The amount of resources that went into building this place was absurd. USF really went to town. I know how much they pulled out of just one asteroid impact zone from a few centuries back, and it was a lot of useful material. And that was only one they mined,” Addy explained. “God. This is probably their last Eden,” she offered. “The last-ditch attempt at saving everyone here.”

“Well, you might be the kitsune that does that, Dr. Charm,” Faye smiled. “Addy.”

Addy blushed and returned to her water. She set it down, making a sound with her mouth, then stared at Faye. “You said that these apartments can fabricate their own wardrobes?”

Faye nodded. “Oh yes. I’m quite the enjoyer of darker… clothes.”

“Darker?”

“I’m a goth fox girl at heart, I think,” she explained. “I think that’s what they’re called. Not sure. Just found magazines of different styles when I was surviving, and the kind of classy, subdued goth look is my favorite. I think it’s the sexiest.”

Addy’s tail wagged. “It can fabricate all that stuff?”

“Oh yeah, chokers, too. And uh, well, garter belts, panties, shirts, bras, gloves, bracelets to some extent.”

“Oh wow,” Addy said. “I’m not sure what my fashion sense is, but I got to try this. It’s in the closet?”

“Well, they call it a closet, but it’s more like, a room, but yeah. And it will already be lined with clothes.”

“Can you show me where that is?” Addy asked. “And how to use it?”

Faye smiled. “Right this way,” she replied.

She’s going to be fun, Faye thought.