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Delta Renaissance

NB-423. Discovered 307 years ago, it was a larger than average planet that orbited the star Kao-35. At first, it was seen as nothing more than another planetary body among many planetary bodies that drift through space. But when the UPE – Union of Planetary Expeditions – sent probes to investigate the planetoid, it was revealed to be a world in the first stages of supporting life. Its ebony surface revealed thriving seas and oceans, with volcanoes sprouting landmasses. Given more time, vegetation would appear, and with it would come oxygen. Thus, what once was nothing more than a curiosity, became a hot topic among the scientists of the UPE.

But there were many other planets out there in the first stages of life. Many other worlds being studied in hopes of transforming them into a livable world. What makes NB-423 any different from NB-126, or NB-337? They too were planets who were undergoing metamorphosis, being farther along as well.

It wasn't until renowned biologist and roboticist Dr. Jeremiah Delta announced his intentions of studying NB-423, that significant studies on the planet began. His mission was simple; create a space station above NB-423, and study it in a more thorough manner to possibly curtail its evolution into something life supporting. Simple, yes?

And thus, Outpost Delta was born. Created over the course of two decades, the space station was large enough to house between six and seven hundred personnel at any given moment. However, such large amounts of space ended up being moot. Thanks to NB-423's distance from virtually every other space station by quite a large margin, Dr. Delta found very few scientists brave enough to leave behind their lives and positions to help him on his supposed 'fool's errand'.

But he was undisturbed, deciding to use his skills on robotics to create for himself workers to aid him in his mission. And it was on the completion of both Outpost Delta as well as his robotic servants, that the he officially unveiled his chosen name for NB-423: the world he would be seeing as home for decades to come.

Onyxa. Such an apt name for its obsidian surface.

On June 24th, 3455, Dr. Delta launched Outpost Delta from the construction yards floating above Mars, starting his quest for Onyxa. That date was 264 years ago now...

…

Space... the final frontier.

Yeah, about... one thousand years ago.

GGGGRRRRRRRNNNNNN!!! GRGRGRGRGR!!! GGGGRRRRRRRRNNNN!!!

“Uggh..."

That noise was rapidly beginning to wear down his mental well-being.

He remembered reading history books back in his childhood days, listening to audio-logs, watching old recording footage, about how the pre space-faring earthlings used to think of space as being this amazing mystery. This vast expanse of stars and planets, just waiting to be conquered by those brave enough to do it. And, yeah, space might have been something special when the closest planetoid anyone had ever stepped foot on was the moon.

But, again, that was... what? Over a thousand years ago now? Years since Mars was settled on and completely turned into a green utopia? Years since interplanetary travel was nothing more than a few day long venture? Years since the creation of the astrotrain, which offered easy commutes throughout the all of the Milky Way? Years since the center of the universe moved from Earth to planet Justice? Years since Earth was all but forgotten?

Yeah, space must have been so fucking cool!

But, no, it's not. When the dust settled and that new space smell subsided, it became as mundane as any other landscape. Deserts, oceans, tundras, space; it's all the same when you peel back the layers. You find a place no more unique than the back alley outside your home. There's guys taking your trash out here in space too. There's your deliverers taking parcels in space too. And yes, there are your criminals too.

Jake Dewitt. JD.

He didn't think he'd be doing this in life, you know? Does any criminal ever think about being a criminal? No, you dream of being a businessman, right? You dream of being a soldier, maybe? Or a politician? Maybe just some famous person, like a singer or an actor? You don't dream about being a criminal.

Jake did not dream about being a criminal.

The planet Macbeth. To most, it plays host to the most brilliant minds in the galaxy. Wondrous creations of all kinds come from the gray surface of the rocky planet, be they machines used for war, or for civilians. From the mightiest of starships, to the datapads resting on your living room table, it all came from Macbeth. Not only were they conceptualized there, not only were they created there, but they were manufactured there, and they were delivered from there.

But who's the person who puts it together? Who's the person that gathers the materials needed to create them in the first place? Putting it light, what about the workers? No... not at Macbeth. They aren't workers at Macbeth, they're slaves.

Let's be honest...

The people who toil for hours within Macbeth's many ore-mills and refineries may be called 'workers' on papers, but in reality they were slaves. They're paid scraps to somehow afford food and living costs, while being worked to the bone to operate and maintain machines. A typical workers life on Macbeth barely lasts longer than three years. If they don't die from the extreme conditions of their work, they'll certainly die from how draining it is on the body. And if they somehow survive all of that, heh, they're minds certainly don't.

He was one of them. Was one of them. But like all aspects of life – be it in the past, the present, or the future – when the poor and downtrodden are overlooked and stepped on by those above them, they'll find a way to survive. Even if that way of survival may not be so... legal.

“Hey! JD! Get up here! The station's comin' up on our monitor!"

“Yeah, yeah..."

Fanton's Removals! You got trash that needs to be tossed into your local star? Then this shit-slinging ship will have it out of sight and out of mine faster than you can say 'GO!'

At least... that's what they want you to believe.

Fanton's Removals was a business as straightforward as its name. A man named Fanton owned it, and he removed your trash. The starship he piloted was just as honest, being what could graciously be described as a garbage truck with plasma engines. It was a large vessel, far larger than your Yacht-class ships, with a faded green color to it, and this disgusting goo which drifted off its hull.

And that's not getting into the smell.

At any given moment, the ship had a crew of seven people, including the owner itself; Captain Fanton. Then there was the pilot, Jansen, the navigator, Oarlock, and the five associates: Darrel, Mike, Lincoln, and Jake. They spent their hours – their days – toiling within the sludge barge's living quarters, while the rest of the vessel was saved for the eight metric tons of trash they delivered on any given job. But they were a happy and humble crew, one who performed their duties so that the many cities of the galaxy can be trash free!

Again... that's what they want you to believe...

In truth, Fanton's Removals needed more than 'humble' work to pay for its expenses. It turns out the gas needed to send starships through space was really fucking expensive! And that's not getting into other expenses like food, bedding, garage space for whenever they land to take up a job. It doesn't matter if the year is 2000, or 3000; money is money is money, and it makes all worlds go round.

Fortunately, space is a vast frontier filled with an infinite number of possibilities. Sure, not all of them may be the most legal of possibilities, but possibilities nonetheless.

Seehn!

The door to the cockpit slid open, revealing a young man. A short young man. His hair was dusty brown and messy, his skin was a bit tan form many hours in the sun, his features were round at the face... but his eyes were sharp like knives. Not to mention...

Such an ocean blue color.

Dressed in a grungy attire of a messy shirt, jeans, boots and gloves on his hands, he exuded the aura of a blue collar worker, and had the physique to match. Sure, he was shorter than the other members of the crew, but that made him no less brawny, if the tense muscles on his arms and shoulders didn't make that obvious. Don't underestimate him just because he's short... you'll end up regretting it.

“Ah! There's the man of the mission," said Fenton himself as his subordinate entered the cockpit, “Had a good sleep, Jake?"

“Cut the shit, Fenton," muttered the young man as he walked up to the ship's dashboard, “Have we finally arrived at the place? Outpost... what was it again? Zeta? Zelda?"

“Delta," corrected Oarlock, a bespectacled man to the right, “It's Outpost Delta..."

Looking out through the ship's windshield, Jake gazed through the expansive void that is known as space. And what did he see? A large planet with a black surface. Clouds dotted its atmosphere, it owned a few moons, and one could see the thin ring of a growing asteroid belt surrounding it. The planet's size was marvelous, being comparable to planet Marathon, and maybe even Aurous, though its black surface was more easy on the eyes than the others, and the atmosphere was nowhere near as busy. There weren't thousands of satellites blinking and buzzing before him. It was all so empty.

Save for one.

“There it is, JD," said Jansen, the ship's pilot, “That little place right there is gonna be your home for a week or so..."

“Aaah... shit," muttered Jake as he ruffled his hair and shook his head, “H-how did I even get suckered into this? What? Because I fucked up one gamble? I knew I shouldn't have played cards with you guys!"

“Don't feel too bad about it, JD!" said Fenton as he placed his hand on his head, “The game was rigged anyway. It's about time you pulled your weight on the crew! We all gotta pull a job sooner or later! Slingin' shit ain't all we do!"

“Gaaah... but you guys haven't even told me yet what it is I'm doing," Jake said as he nudged the hand off his head, “This space station, Outpost Zelda--"

“Delta! It's Outpost Delta!"

“Whatever... this Delta... gah... what am I even doing there; what am I picking up for you guys?"

“I told ya he was too drunk to remember," said Jansen, while the captain shook his head.

“Aiyiyi... and here I was thinkin' you were the smart one, JD," Fenton remarked as he looked over to-- “Oarlock. You got the data disk, right?"

“Right here."

Reaching over for the dashboard, Oarlock pulled over a small metallic case. It was a bit rusted, a bit dented too, and looked as if it had spent years rattling in the back of someone's truck... with the windows up... and under a planet that has three suns. Picking it up, Jake looked at the box like it would break into pieces if he so much as shook it hard enough.

“What. The hell. Is this?" he muttered as he eyed his captain, who chuckled.

“That is your little buddy," he replied, “Specifically, what's inside the case. It looks like a plumbers tool kit, right? That's the point, it's supposed to. If someone saw you with it, no one would think any the wiser. Buuuuuut, if you open it up..."

Jake lifted the case, twisted it around, searching for its lock. Surprisingly, despite it looking to be at least five years old, the case did not open with a key pad or a key card, but a thumb scanner. Confused, the young man pressed his thumb to said scanner and--

Beep! Beep!

Thumb print recognized: Jake Dower.

“W-what? Jake Dower? My name's Jake Dewitt! Not Dower!"

“Ooops... heh heh..." Fenton sheepishly scratched the side of his head, “I knew I should've made the thing say JD. Oh well; Dower is close enough."

Click! Sssssssssssss!

Pulling back his thumb, Jake watched as the case opened up, shooting out a bit of steam as it did so. What laid inside was not a bunch of rusted tools like one would expect, but instead a soft foam cushion... and a key card. This one was unique however, being longer and even bigger than your typical key card. The bottom base of it was an orange color, while the card itself was green, with various bits of circuitry running through it. For a manual worker like Jake, it went well over his head.

“What is this?" he asked.

“That... is an access code taker," answered Oarlock, “Specifically, this one can hold up to 30 zettabytes of information. It also comes preinstalled with a code worm that can navigate most firewalls with ease, and copy whatever files it comes across."

“What does all of that mean?" Jake asked as he looked at his co-worker, “Wh... what am I stealing from this place again? This..." he looked back at the card, “This isn't like the normal things we smuggle. Like drugs and guns this... this is something else..."

“Indeed... but you're stealing something far more important than some messily guns and drugs," said Fenton, “JD, you're stealing knowledge, and there is no knowledge that's not power," he walked forward and looked through the windshield, “There's a rich scientist out there apart of the UPE that wants to know what's going on at Outpost Delta. They want it so much, they were gracious enough to donate that little bugger right there to us. The plans simple," he turned around, “We get onboard to pick up their trash, and we just happen to leave one of our men behind. Since we only swing around here once a week, you're gonna have to live on board."

“What's stopping them from just jettisoning me out to space?" he asked.

“The outpost is apart of the UPE," his captain answered, “And they have rules about jettisoning civilians. Looooooot of paperwork, and not worth the hassle of getting the PIU on their ass. Putting it bluntly, they have no choice but to give you asylum until our return. So while you're there, you need to take this little key card to the station's mainframe, and plug it in. The card will do the rest."

“And how the hell am I supposed to manage that?" asked Jake, to which his captain shrugged his shoulders.

“Don't know... you'll figure it out though! I trust you will!"

Jake pouted at his response, and gave an annoyed growl. He made this sound easy, but it was anything but! He didn't even know what this outpost looked like, but he was supposed to sneak his way into its mainframe? Jake knew his way around machines, yeah, but this? This was different.

“Who... who runs this place, anyway?" he asked.

“Not sure," Fenton answered, “Apparently this outpost has been really secretive for the past few decades. We know its operable because the UPE still gains information regarding the planet, but it sends out trash at a surprisingly slow rate. I believe it's only... once every six months. Which is incredibly rare, even for a place as remote as this. We were lucky enough to be hired for this job in the first place so we can even get onboard to hack it. Ah... but, right..." he looked over, “You asked who runs it, right? I think her name is Zar."

“Zar...? What kind of name is--"

Beep! Beep! Beep! Beep! Beep!

“That's the radio," said Janesen as he raised his hand, “We're gettin' patched through."

“Then answer the call," Fenton said before looking at Jake, “And JD? Get into position."

Begrudgingly he nodded, then looked down at the case in hand. Staring upon this 'access code taker', he wondered if he had it in him to pull this mission off. And even if it was successful, he'd be stuck on this outpost for a week. One long week on a solitary space station, alone with a bunch of scientists.

Sounded like pure hell.

But, hey, payment is payment. And once Jansen answered the call.

“Hello? Fenton Removals here!"

Jake knew there was no going back.

…

Outpost Delta, this is Fenton's Removals speaking. Do you read me?

…

…

Fenton's Removals, this is Zar of Outpost Delta speaking. I read you loud and clear. Have you come to collect our garbage?

Indeed we have. Which bay should we dock in?

You may land in docking bay 7. I will open the gates as we speak.

Despite the cruel boredom of space travel, there were wondrous moments that exemplified the beauty of space. Most would describe nebulas, and how they paint the void of space a variety of beautiful, wonderful colors. Others may think of the icy rings of a planet, and how they glitter like diamonds. But not all wonderful things need to be attributed to foreign phenomena; sometimes amazing things can happen in – ironically – mundane situations.

Like the docking of a starship. For some reason to Jake, this process never got old.

Outpost Delta was a unique little space station. Most of them looked like battleships in his eyes, being long in shape with multiple rooms dotting their surface. This outpost however, was a large ring that circled around a central spire, with multiple bridges and rooms connecting said ring to said spire. Silver in color, there were millions of windows upon its surface, and blinking lights that detailed some information. Look, this all went above Jake's head, and in the end it didn't matter. He was here for a specific mission, right? Time to get that mission on the road.

On the side of the outer ring of the space station, a giant metal door slid open. The intense vacuum of space immediately pulled air out of the open door, revealing an empty docking bay on the other end. The floor was a metal-shaped disk, and resting on it were magnetized panels that would help attract and keep their ship down upon landing. Floating lights were also extended from the docking bay, acting like an invisible landing strip to help guide their starship inside.

And fly inside they did. Under Jansen's expert control, their ship easily drifted into the gate, entering into the space station proper. The walls were silver and immaculate, looking as if they hadn't gone a single day where it accumulated dust and grime of an sort. Whoever tended to the cleaning robots that maintain this base, really knew what they were doing.

THLANK! THLANK! THLANK! THLANK!

That would be the sound of the four landing pads of the sludge barge extending. Followed by...

BA-THUNNNNK!!!

The entire ship being attracted to the landing pad below via the magnetized floor panels that helped snap it into place.

Everyone on board the sludge barge jerked a bit, while those in the cockpit stared through its windshield towards an open slot at the back of the docking bay. Slowly, the panel they were attracted to turned them around, giving them a view of space... before the gate closed in, sealing them completely within the docking bay. Shortly after, the sound of air being filtered into the massive room echoed out, making the area livable. Now it was time to get on to work.

Containing and delivering trash was a simple affair. They come up to a location, attach their barge to a specific chute in the wall, and then let the station do the rest of the work. Trash is put in the barge's container, and all in all, the process takes little longer than a few hours at most, depending on how much trash there seems to be.

And that's when the plan is enacted.

One by one, the members of Fenton's Removals exited their sludge barge, watching as the trash from the station was loaded onboard. Jansen, Mike, Darrel, Oarlock and Lincoln all casually talked to one another as they usually did, while Jake and Fenton pulled away. The young man was focused on the container in hand, and the tool which sat within its foam casing, while his captain stood at his side.

“Gettin' cold feet, JD?" Fenton asked, to which Jake shook his head dismissively.

“No... it's just another job; no different from the others we have," he replied as he looked away, “Stealing data is a bit different from smuggling guns and drugs... but not that different," he gazed back over, “So don't worry about me. I've got this."

“Oh, heh heh, I know you do, JD, I know you do," Fenton muttered as he rubbed his chin in a thoughtful manner.

Together they looked through the windows that separated the landing platform from the hallway on the other end. And through said windows they saw... nothing. No scientist, no custodians, no people of any kind. Just an empty hallway that – while lit with lights – was completely devoid of life.

“Hey... Fenton... who is this Zar lady, anyway?" asked Jake, to which his captain chuckled.

“Can't say I know too well," he answered, “Remember what I said on the ship? The headmaster of this little here space station is a really secretive person. They keep mostly to themselves, and only send back information. Our client says they'll pay extra for any information on who the station's headmaster is, since – according to them – the man who originally ran this place has been dead for over two hundred years."

“Two... hundred years...?" Jake repeated, his eyes wide, “That's... ah... but this Zar woman. We heard her voice and everything when she ushered us inside, so someone has to be running this place, right?"

“Yeah... maybe a descendant or something? Maybe it's been passed down from second-in-command to second-in-command. I'm not sure how it works but... oh!" he looked over, then grinned, “Heh heh! Now ya really gettin' scared, ain't ya? Don't worry, JD, nothin' bad'll happen!"

“That's easy for you to say..." Jake replied as he tugged on the case in hand, “You're not the one who's gonna be staying here for a week..." he looked back, “Whatever our client is paying us for, it had better be worth it! I'm... I'm really..." he glanced away again, “I'm really getting sick and tired of this. All this illegal stuff. Like... yeah, it's better than the mining fields and drill platforms of Macbeth, but..."

Jake stopped and his eyes closed, feeling a mixture of shame and embarrassment as he voiced his concerns. But, dammit, they have been eating at him for days now, if not months. This wasn't his first time thinking these things, and they won't be the last, but he was getting tired of it all nonetheless.

He either worked a tired existence as a garbage man, or worked a tired existence as a criminal.

“Does it ever stop?" he asked as he looked back at Fenton, “When do we... ya'know... meet some cute girl and settle down? Possibly get a respectable job that doesn't send us through space for many days and weeks on end. Live in a nice little suburb somewhere on a sunny planet, with some green grass and blue skies. Not rocky crags and toxic fumes."

“Heh... when does it all stop, eh?" Fenton said as he looked back through the window in front of him, “I'm afraid I can't answer that question, JD. I've been askin' it for the past twenty years myself, and it never changes. I keep thickin' about my big score and I'll retire... but that big score never comes. In the meantime..."

“Hey Captain! We're done loadin' up all the shit!"

“We just keep workin' and survivin', JD," said Fenton as he faced his subordinate, “Now it's your turn to do your part. Head on through the door and... well... heh... get lost, I guess. Shouldn't be too hard."

“And what do I say when I inevitably get caught?"

“Dunno," said his captain as he walked back towards his ship, “Just make up some lie about looking for a restroom or somethin'. Usually works for me! Heh heh heh! Alright guys, get yer asses on board. The ship already smells like shit, so let's make this quick and get our asses to Kao-35."

As he walked away, Jake gritted his teeth, then stared forward towards the door before him. He needed to get through it before the docking bay opened up, and he was sucked into the vacuum of space. So after a few seconds where he gained his nerves, he placed his palm to the scanner panel outside of the docking bay. Since it was a low-security door, all it required was his hand. And after a few seconds where it--

Bweeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeem!

Scanned his hand via a teal light which was emitted from the panel.

Seheeehnn!

The door opened.

“Aah..."

On the other end was a hallway... a chilling hallway. The air was almost ice-cold, immediately bringing a shiver to Jake, and causing his breath to come out in white puffs. He stepped back, hesitating on his quest once he got a taste of this cold air... but klaxons suddenly began blaring.

EEEAAARRRRN!!! EEEAAARRRRN!!! EEEAAARRRRN!!!

Yellow lights also began to spin around in the docking room, telling him one thing; the bay was about to open! Alerted, he quickly stepped through on the other end of the door.

Thund!

And heard it close behind him.

Spinning around, Jake ran to the windows in the hallway and stared through them, watching as their sludge barge was turned around to face the gate it drifted through before. His hands on the window, he felt his heart seize up in his chest, while the magnetized panels were disengaged, allowing their ship's thrusters to ignite. Taking to the air, the sludge barge faced the gates while they opened, causing the intense vacuum of space to pull on the room. Then a few seconds later, Fenton's Removals began drifting forward, flying away from the bay... and then taking off into the distance.

All as Jake watched.

There they went, leaving him behind. He was stuck here for a week. Stuck on this outpost floating in space that was far, far, far from civilization. Jake laughed, finding his situation to be... so pitiful. From Macbeth to the deepest recesses of space where very few people know he's here... or even care.

Haaah...

But, well, he was here. There was no going back now.

Turning around, Jake walked down the hallway with nothing but his jacket on his shoulders, and this container in hand. The cold air was as uncomfortable as it was unwelcoming, pushing against Jake as if to say...

You do not belong here...

But he kept pushing on nonetheless, his eyes looking left and right as he drank in the décor of the space station... or lack there of. Cold, metal hallways extended on into more cold, metal hallways, with very little to break up the monotony. No rugs, no furniture, and of course, no people. It was all so very...

Lifeless.

Then it was all broken up. Amid Jake's travels, he came to a room which was separate from the hallway via a door and windows. Opening the door and stepping through it, he entered the room, which was circular in shape, and had a wide, panoramic window which wrapped around its entire length. With a gasp of awe, Jake slowly walked over to the window and placed his palm upon its surface, feeling the cold touch of space on the other end. And through the window he could see the obsidian beauty that is Onyxa's surface.

“Haaaah..."

Such a... lonely little planet. Its dark coloring reminded him of Macbeth which was gray... but that's where the similarities ended. Macbeth's airspace was filled with stations and satellites, while its surface was dotted with thousands of drill platforms and mines, all of which stripped it of its resources. By comparison, Onyxa was completely untouched. And really? That made Jake feel a bit... envious, as odd as that was to say. Untouched, unbothered... pure, in it's own, special way.

But then he looked over.

“Huh?"

And he saw the reflection of someone else stare back at him.

Jake turned around, coming face to face with the other person in the room... the other... thing in the room. He thought he'd see a human, but then he realized those eyes he saw in the reflection were not normal eyes. They were not made of flesh, but instead were made of... lights. LED lights to be exact.

It... they... weren't a human, nor a beastkin. They were a machine in the shape of a beastkin. They were a synth.

They stood on two legs before him; a synth in the figure of a lithe reptile, with an open lab coat on their shoulders that exposed their sleek and slender figure, wider yet shapely hips, digitigrade feet, and big tail. Their body was primarily white – like on the shoulders and on the sides and back – but their stomach was black. Their head meanwhile was somewhat similar to that of an avian, with a curved snout. And on their face there was a visor which held their eyes, eyes that blinked with bright, blue, LED lights.

Their body moved in a strange way. He thought they were made of metal since they were clearly not organic, but their 'skin' seemed to be rubbery with how they... breathed? Yes, they breathed! They breathed through their nose and their mouth. They had a mouth! And they had... facial features? They could emote, and Jake knew this because... they looked just as surprised by him as he was of them!

Along their body were these purple markings, adding some vibrant light to their white and black body. They ran on their shoulders, their sides, their hips and legs, in these perfectly symmetrical lines. They even came to mark their chest. With all these lines running along their curves, it kind of reminded Jake of a car.

A beautiful, sexy, car.

Along the synths back were various smooth, metal quills which ran along their spine, and fanned from their head like slightly curled hair. And standing from the top of their head – right above their visor in fact – were two... antennae? They stood up and then arched back, these thin little strips which pulsated with a slight blue color, as if beaming information straight to their brain.

The synth – whoever they were – stood before Jake with their mouth slightly opened, and eyes wide. How odd that this machine could emote so well. But then he had to remind himself that synths aren't exactly the same as robots. They were even more advanced. Synths weren't dictated by programs and machines, even though they were clearly made by them. No... in a way... synths were...

Alive...

And then this synth spoke.

“Who are you?" they... she said. Yes, her voice was so feminine, strong and professional, not to mention strict. She would not take any nonsense, Jake could tell from sound alone.

But there was something more to this voice. It was... familiar. He had heard this voice before! In fact, he heard it only a short while ago! This was the voice that came through the cockpit! The voice that came from the outpost when they originally arrived! Wait... did that mean...?

“And how did you get on my station!" asked the synth, snapping Jake from his thoughts.

“I..." he replied, before his voice got caught in his throat.

Jake's eyes trailed up and down this synth's body, reading it, learning it, and realizing that... he found it... attractive? It was odd yes. She was so much taller than him, her body being both reptilian and avian in nature, especially around the head. He'd never been so attracted to beastkin before, but be it from the fact that this synth was so exotic, Jake found it hard to take his eyes off of her.

And to hide the blush that was obvious on his face.

“I'm sorry," he whispered, “M-My name is Jake Dewitt. I... I am... I was... I'm... I'm apart of Fenton's Removals!"

“Fenton's Removals...?" repeated the synth, “That's... that's the name of the garbage removal services. You..." she looked back at him, her head cocked to one side, “You were with them? Then... how did you get on board the station?"

“I was... you see, we have an issue with our bathroom. While we were collecting your trash, I decided to look around for a bathroom, b-but I got a bit lost. I think the others left thinking I was onboard our barge and... now... w-well... I'm trapped here," he then stepped forward, “S-sorry for trespassing but... um... c-could you bring me to Outpost Delta's headmaster? I believe her name is Zar?"

The synth straightened up, her head cocked to one side as she gave him a perplexed look. How was that even possible? Jake didn't know synths could be so emotive! Granted, he's never met one until now, and they were even rare on videos, but weren't they supposed to be machines? Just artificial humanoids! Not real humanoids... right? So how was she so...

Real?

“Sniff... sniff... gack!?"

And she was... smelling him. And, yeah, what she smelled, she did not like.

The synth pulled away, her cheeks visibly turning red with blush, while her bright eyes looked left and right. Again she proved how lively she was with how she reacted to his odor, disgusted by him. It further made Jake blush from embarrassment, and he even sheepishly scratched the back of his head.

“Well... with a smell like that, you're not lying," she muttered as she rubbed her hand against her nostrils, “Mmmph... I..." then her eyes darted back, “You said you were looking for the headmaster, right?"

“Yes... h-hopefully Ms. Zar will help me contact my crew. Then maybe they can come and get me," Jake answered, “But I haven't come across anyone on the station save for you. There doesn't seem to be any scientist here. Are they... somewhere else?"

“No... no..." the synth answered with a shake of her head, “There are no other scientists. There are no living creatures on board this station besides you and I. You... you are Jake, right? Jake Dewitt?" she straightened up, causing her body to loom over him in all of her amazing stature, “I am the one you are looking for, Mr. Dewitt. I am Zar."

Her response made Jake's eyes widened. This synth... was Zar? The headmaster of Outpost Delta was a synth!? He wasn't sure what that meant, but it had to be illegal, right? He knew that synths weren't allowed to be in any position of power – specifically in politics and law – so the fact that the headmaster of Outpost Delta was one was shocking. It also explained why Zar was so secretive.

If it was discovered that she was a synth, could she be removed from her station by the other scientists in the UPE?

Jake looked away, thinking about this newly gained information, before ultimately sighing in an attempt to discard it. It didn't matter if Zar was a synth or not; he was here to steal information from her! He needed to keep playing the role of a confused worker who just got lost, and and work towards his ultimate goal.

So...

“I'm sorry, Ms. Zar, I didn't mean to intrude, really," he said as he stepped forward, “Could you please help me get in contact with my crew? I know the designation number of the ship, and can easily get us patched through."

“I..." muttered Zar as she looked away.

Clearly, this was something she did not want to happen. Not just in revealing herself to him, but it was clear to Jake that she wasn't used to standing in front of someone else. When you've been to as many bars and pubs in sketchy areas as he has, you too will learn how to read body language. And Zar's body – despite being a synth – screamed discomfort

“Ggghh..."

And annoyance.

“Okay, Mr. Dewitt," she said as she stepped back, “Follow me. I'll guide you to my aerospace control center. Hopefully we can get in contact with your crew before they leave too far."

“Yeah..."

A pang of guilt surged through Jake... which actually made him flinch. He felt... bad? What the hell was that? So what if he lied to Zar; he's lied to plenty of people in his life. What's one synth added to a list of people he's lied to?

And yet...

…

She moved in a strange way. Not strange because it was utterly bizarre, but strange because it was oddly realistic. Her hips swayed, her strides were powerful, her tail slithered about, she kept near perfect posture, and her head was held up high. How much of a synth was artificial? How much of a synth was human? As Jake was starting to learn, it was more the latter, and almost none of the former.

Down the halls of Outpost Delta they walked, heading towards the aerospace control center of the station. Jake attempted to keep his eyes off of Zar, but that was mostly impossible. Not only was the outpost a bore to look at, but she was just so visually striking. Her white body with its multiple plates, her reptilian silhouette, the lab coat which hung on her figure; Jake wasn't sure if it was weird to think or not, but he found her to be... attractive.

Was she exotic? Most certainly. He blamed this on having never seen a synth before with his own eyes. He'd get over this soon, and be on his way to completing the mission. Still, an entire week alone with her? That was going to be a bit rough.

“You stink..."

Especially if she was going to be blunt like this...

“I work in trash and sanitation... what would you expect?" Jake replied.

Zar looked over her shoulder at him, peeling away the layers of the shorter man behind her. Despite his height, he had a physicality to him; a strength. She could tell that he was used to manual labor. Jake could also feel himself being sized up. Whether the eyes be organic or LED, he knew when he was being judged.

“I'm not used to anyone else being onboard my station," Zar explained, “It's just me and my droids up here... and they aren't known for 'polite' conversation. So you and your odor is... quite striking. And – if I may be honest – it is quite abhorrent. I don't like dealing with trash as is. Apologies if this makes me come off as cold."

“It... eh... it doesn't," he said as he shook his head, “I don't like the smell either. It's a dirty job, but... someone's gotta do it. But... um..." he stepped in closer, “You said you're not used to anyone else being on your station? So... what...? You're all alone up here? I thought there were other scientist and they were elsewhere – this is a big place. But...?" he raised an eyebrow, “It's really just you?"

“I am the headmaster and sole occupant of Outpost Delta," Zar explained, “So... yes... it is really just me..." she then looked away, her expression shifting into one of slight embarrassment, “I highly doubt my service droids count as occupants. They're just... soulless automatons."

The way she spoke of her droids being 'soulless automatons' was quite striking to Jake. Firstly, it was so eloquent; who even refers to robots as 'soulless automatons' anyway? But also, it was quite telling. Zar – a synth – thought of robots as just that: robots. Machines programmed to do a task, and they do them; nothing more, nothing less. But she wasn't one of them. She could clearly think, talk, and emote, all on her own. Synths are not robots. They are not droids. They are not soulless automatons. They are... something else. Something... living.

“Gh..."

“Ah, we've arrived," Zar announced as she came to a halt, “The aerospace control center. Here's hoping your crew can swing back around and pick you up. If not, we'll be spending quite a bit of time with one another."

“Y-yeah..."

The door before them opened and they came to a small room. It was similar to the cockpit of the sludge barge, only replace the windshield with computer screens. Lots and lots of computer screens. They showed a variety of angles from all over the space station, keeping up with space traffic and highways... of which there were zero. They were in the middle of nowhere circling an oft forgotten world; no one was coming out here unless they simply had to be.

“Mr. Dewitt. What was your ship's designation numbers?" asked Zar.

“R-right. It's 442-1919," he answered, “And... you can just drop the 'Mr. Dewitt' stuff. Just call me Jake. Or even 'JD'. That's what everyone calls me anyway."

“J... D...?" Zar muttered as she gave him a glance with her eyebrow raised, “I... uh... ahem..." she shook her head dismissively, “F-for now, Mr. Dewitt will suffice. I don't know you so well to be casual."

“Hmm..."

Eyebrow raised, Jake watched as Zar sat down before her command console. And then...

Tactactactactactactactactactactactactactactactactactactactactactactactactactactac!

Her fingers moved at sonic speeds upon her keyboard. Now that was certainly inhuman! Typing away, she quickly brought up her scanners and com-links, attempting to get in contact with Fenton's Removals as quickly as she could. And with their designation numbers, this was both quick and easy.

“Fenton's Removals, this is Zar of Outpost Delta speaking. Do you read me?"

After a few seconds...

“Zar of Outpost Delta, this is Fenton of Fenton's Removals," his captain's familiar voice rang through, “I hear you loud and clear. Let me guess... one of our workers got lost on your ship?"

“I'm afraid so. His name is Jake Dewitt, I believe. He is standing with me as we speak."

“Yup, that's our guy. Heh... sorry 'bout that, Ms. Zar. It seems he went lookin' for a bathroom. The one we have on our barge, it's... well... it ain't good."

“That's what he said," Zar replied, her antennae flickering, “Will it be possible for you to come and collect him? My scanners tell me that you have yet to leave the star system."

“Grrraaah... oh, Miss Zar, I'd love to, but... I'm afraid that's not possible," Fenton replied, “This was our last stop, and we planned our trip to take us near Kao-35 on our way out. Times are testing, so... we have only enough gas to make this trip as we head towards Aurous. Onyxa is pretty far, you know."

“I... am aware of that," Zar said before giving a regretful sigh, “So... when can you next make this trip?"

“It will take us about a week to come by again, considering all of our schedule and prior engagements. I hope that won't be too problematic for you, Miss Zar? I promise, heh heh, JD is a good guy. He won't be in the way much."

As they spoke, Jake listened in on everything they said. And as he listened, he also watched. Watched as Zar's body shifted from everything Fenton said. Again, her body language spoke a thousand words. How she looked, how she leaned from one side to the other, how her shoulders slumped in a mixture of annoyance and defeat, and the sigh she gave at the very end. He may come off as repetitious now, but it begs repeating; everything Zar did was so lively.

“Thank you for being so candid with me, Captain Fenton," said Zar as her eyes slid in, “I will keep your subordinate safe aboard Outpost Delta. Please, do not hesitate to come back for him."

“Don't worry, Miss Zar. We'll return as soon as we can. JD is very important to us."

Jake rolled his eyes at the statement, and the accompanying chuckle which followed suit. He knew better. He knew Fenton's words were directed more to the case in hand than they were towards him. Not that the captain saw his subordinates as expendable, but it was clear to everyone aboard his ship that they were all in it for the paycheck. When they moved on from Fenton's Removals, they'd all be strangers to one another.

Click!

The sound of Zar switching off her com-link snapped Jake from his thoughts. Leaning over, the synth woman pressed her hand upon the desk before her, while her other hand ran along her face and head. He could hear annoyed and frustrated groans leave her, a sound that made Jake frown and step forward.

“Miss Zar," he said, causing her quills to spring up slightly, “Sorry for being a nuisance. I... I shouldn't have left the docking bay."

“I..." she replied before straightening up, “It's... fine, Mr. Dewitt. My father too struggled with his bladder. I know very well how a human's distressed intestines can bother their mental capacities."

A... human's distressed intestines? Was her special way of saying his 'stomach hurt'? Distressed intestines? Just repeating that phrase in his head was enough to bring a smile to Jake's lips... and then a chuckle.

“Heh... heh heh heh... heheheh...!"

“Hm? Wh-what?"

Straightening up even further, Zar looked over towards Jake, reading the mirthful smile on his face. He was... laughing? What was he laughing at?

“Is something... the matter?" she asked, to which Jake shook his head.

“N-no... not... I mean... no..." he replied with another chuckle, “It's just that... heh heh... what you said... um... 'distressed intestines'... heh... it was... pretty funny."

“It... was?" Zar replied, “What makes that so funny?"

“Uh... it's because no one would say that," he answered, “No one would say that their stomach is distressed or anything like that. They'd say something like... their stomach's upset. Or... they have a stomach ache."

“Stomach ache makes sense but... how can a stomach be upset...?"

Jake flinched.

“You're... are you serious?" he asked, to which Zar stepped forward.

His head turned up to look at the synth woman, who crossed her arms beneath her chest and glared at him in a sharp, quizzical manner. What was she doing now? Scanning him? Or maybe...

“Sniff... sniff... aaah... so awful," muttered Zar as her nostrils visibly flared, “Well then, Mr. Dewitt, it looks as if we are going to be together for a week now. I hope this doesn't kill your social life wherever you live."

“Believe me... I'm not missing much," he replied.

“Then... that's... um... good... I-I guess..." Zar muttered... only to palm her face and blush, “Gosh... what am I doing...?" then her hand dropped and she looked back upon Jake, “Mr. Dewitt... considering your... ahem... rather dingy status..."

“That's putting it lightly..."

“Maybe it would do us both some good if you took a shower."

“A... shower...?"

“Yes, a shower."

She... wanted him to shower? Though he knew he smelled back, Jake was mostly nose-blind to his own odor. To be quite frank, he smelled downright horrendous! Comparing it to garbage was an understatement! He truly smelled like something putrid, something terrible, something... nasty! The sooner he got a shower, the sooner she could stand to be around him!

“Are you sure about that?" asked Jake, to which Zar furiously nodded.

“I am quite sure, Mr. Dewitt. I have no qualms haring water with you. My hydro-producer makes it so that Outpost Delta never runs out of water. Something like that was important when the station first settled here."

“Well... um..." Jake smiled at her, “If you're offering, Miss Zar."

“You... you can drop the whole... 'Miss' Zar thing," she replied, an embarrassed blush forming on her mechanical cheeks, “It's unwarranted. I'm a 'Miss' nothing. I..." she shook her head, “N-never mind. Follow me."

“Right behind you."

Her blushing face and skittish response continued to replay in Jake's head, even as Zar walked to the door. More and more the synth woman was becoming mortal before his very eyes. And though he only knew her for a few moments, he realized that he wanted to learn more about her.

Jake was supposed to steal information from her, right? Well, no one said it had to be immediate. He could take his time, get to know her, and learn how she came to be this outpost's headmaster... or, well, headmistress.

But first...

“Mr. Dewitt?"

A shower was in order.

“I'm coming, I'm coming! And... please... call me Jake."

“Jake... um... r-right... well..." she averted her eyes again, her quills fluttering, “You are too forthcoming. I don't want you to call me Miss Zar, because that's far too formal. But for me to call you Jake that's..."

“Somehow not formal?" he replied, pointing out the fallacy of her statement, “If anyone deserves respect, it's you, Zar. You're the headmistress of a science outpost. I'm just some trash guy..."

“I may be headmistress, but I preside over no one," she retorted as they walked through the silent halls of the space station, “At least you work alongside your co-workers. I work alongside droids, drones and satellites."

“Why is this place so lonely?" Jake asked, “Aren't there supposed to be... like... hundreds of scientists?"

“Outpost Delta was created to contain over several hundred scientists, among other personnel," Zar explained, “But when it was first launched, Onyxa – then known as NB-424 – was too far away from any civilized system. It still is far from the nearest populated system of Aladar, but at least the distance is only several days as oppose to several years."

“So... what...? When Outpost Delta was first launched only a few people went with it?"

“No... when Outpost Delta was first launched, only one person went with it. My father, Jeremiah Delta. He was the one who originally discovered Onyxa, and was the man responsible for its recorded history. He alone made the trip to Onyxa in order to detail it, and watch it grow."

“Ah... wait... you call him father so..." Jake raised an eyebrow, “He... created you? Were you born here?"

Zar looked at him, saying not a word. But a small and hapless smile appeared on her face. Almost as if she was somewhat ashamed to admit to this. But ultimately, she nodded and said,

“Yes... I was created... I was born here. I've lived here all my life. All 262 years in fact."

“Glah...!? Wh... what? 2... 2... two hundred and sixty-two years?" Jake repeated, “You're... I mean... I know you're not... human or beastkin but... but..." he looked her up and down, “Heh... for someone older than my great-great-great-grandmother... you look pretty good for your age!"

“Look good... for my age...?"

Zar's quills fluttered and Jake chuckled. He thought his joke flustered her, but in reality, his joke went right over her head. Like his statement about an upset stomach before, the synth seemed to not understand wordplay. It took Jake a while to realize this, as he stopped laughing when he noticed the blush on Zar's face.

She took his joke as being literal? Did... did she think he was flirting with her? Well, he'd be lying if he said he didn't find her somewhat attractive. Zar was exotic and otherworldly, which is saying something when they can fly between planets. The white platting of her body which seemed to move less like metal and more like flesh, how her eyes could literally brighten up a room since they were made of LED lights, her face which was so emotive despite her trying to be professional, those antenna which softly moved and flickered, and her figure which swayed left and right.

That figure indeed...

Zar's father was a craftsmen. He gifted his synth daughter this illustrious figure, with hips that swayed left and right like a slithering snake. She didn't even seem to notice she moved with this erotic sway; this was just how Zar always walked.

Left... right... left... right... left... right...

“I... apologize, Jake," the synth suddenly said, snapping him from his mindless ogling.

“Huh? Wh-what's that? What are you apologizing for?"

“For my... somewhat blunt nature," she explained, “I just started talking and... talking and talking. The details must have bored you..." she smiled at him in a hapless manner, “I apologize for that."

“Hey... you don't have to apologize," he replied as a blush formed on his cheeks, “If anyone should apologize, it's me. I'm the one who snuck on your station like a dimwit. I'm just lucky you didn't decide to jettison me."

“I... I'd never do something like that!" she replied, again thinking his lighthearted comment was serious, “I'd never ceaseless kill life. That's terrible."

“I... heh..." he shook his head, “Thank you for that, Zar."

“Hm..."

Her serious responses to his stupid jokes, only enthralled Jake more to her character. Though he had to wonder why she didn't understand wordplay and figures of speech. Was that the limits to synth programming? No, that didn't seem likely. Why would Zar be capable of feeling embarrassment and shyness, but incapable of understanding jokes? No, it seemed more likely that the synth simply lacked social interaction. She is here all alone, isn't she?

Well... Jake was going to be here for a week, right? Then maybe he'll teach her how to take a joke or two while he's here.

“We've arrived, Jake," Zar suddenly announced, taking him aback.

“We've... arrived? Arrived where?"

“Arrived at what will be your sleeping quarters," she explained, “Right here..."

Jake was so engrossed in Zar that he forgot they were even heading somewhere. He had no qualms walking with the synth, and would have gladly gone on a few more hours if they could continue talking like this. But upon arriving at their destination, they came to a sliding door in the middle of the hallway. Raising her tail, Zar casually tapped the pad next to the door, causing it to open with an audible--

Sehn!

“Wow..."

And Jake walked inside.

The lights beamed on, revealing a spacious room with a square-shaped bed in the middle, and a wide window that offered one a view of the obsidian planet a few miles away. Mouth agape, Jake took in the size of the room, not even put off by how bare it all was. The room could have been completely devoid of anything but a bed, and it still would have been better than any bed Jake's ever slept in!

It wasn't a bunch of bunk beds put together with space far too cramped to move around in. It was messy with piles of junk and garbage resting everywhere. It wasn't dingy and dirty, with grime and muck on its walls and floors. No, it was clean and spacious and wide, with this amazing bed that he couldn't wait to fall into! And that window! That window that let him gaze upon Onyxa and the stars, and didn't make him feel like he was in some depressing cage!

This was an actual bedroom! Again, Jake had to say it.

“Wow..."

“Is it... to your liking...?" asked Zar.

“To my liking? Zar, this is amazing!" Jake replied, “I've never been in a bedroom this big before! And... it's so clean! Why is it like this?"

“All the rooms are this clean," she replied, “My droids keep Outpost Delta clean all year long. I'm... not a big fan of trash."

“Hah... neither am I," he remarked.

“Well then... um... that's good..." and then she smiled and nodded at him, “The bathroom is to the left. Feel free to shower. Please shower."

“Right... right... heh... thanks, Zar. I really mean it."

She said not a word, but he watched as a smile appeared on her face, and a blush on her cheeks. Tail slithering, it danced behind her back in a show of excitement and joy, before dropping down. Even Zar seemed to realize her tail betrayed her, as she blushed and turned away. Quickly she tried to leave the room, but Jake called out to her, saying,

“Zar?"

“Hm? What's wrong?"

“Uh... your outpost. Does it have any code so that I can get around easily in it?"

“No," she answered, “We... the outpost has no code. Since only I live here, I deactivated the code years ago. There's no point in having to enter or use a key card every time I want to enter a room since I'm the only person who lives here, and my droids can activate doors anyway."

“Really? Aren't you afraid of someone getting into areas they shouldn't be?" Jake asked, to which she shook her head.

“No... why would I be? You're the first person to step foot on my outpost in decades."

Her response shook Jake, who struggled to speak after. In... decades? That's like... at least twenty years. She said she was created over two hundred years ago, so he knew she spent some time with her creator/father. But assuming he was human and hadn't been cryogenically frozen, he'd have to be dead by now. So... what? Has she really been alone on this this space station for centuries? And even if it hadn't been centuries, even if it had been a few decades like she claimed, that's still too long to live without seeing another person!

Jake couldn't imagine such a... lonely existence.

Before he could ask Zar another question, the synth walked through the door where it slid shut behind her. That gave Jack enough time to think about everything that had happened. He had successfully gotten onboard Outpost Delta with his 'tool box' in hand, and the headmistress didn't think anything ill of him. She was trusting.

Perhaps too trusting.

She shouldn't... no... she really shouldn't trust someone like him. She should have never trusted someone like him. Even if it was a little bit, the fact that she allowed him onboard her station at all to freely roam around was her undoing. In a way, this was her fault. She even told him that the station has no security codes, meaning he could go anywhere he wanted whenever he wanted! So, yeah, this was her fault! She brought this upon herself!

At least... that's what he told himself. That's what he kept telling himself. It made things a little bit easier. Hey, at least when he betrayed her, she didn't suffer for it. He was just stealing information, that's all. He wasn't hurting her or her base. Then again... when the secret gets out that the headmistress of Outpost Delta is a synth, she'd be punished by the UPE anyway, perhaps even taken away from the only place she's known as home.

No... no! He couldn't psyche himself out now! He had gotten this far, and his crew were looking forward to a much needed paycheck from this little gig. Somewhere along this week, he'd steal the information he needed, and then be done with this place. It would be easy.

But first... a shower was in order!

So Jake put down his case, undressed his clothes, left it all on the floor then walked towards the bathroom door where it slid open and the lights turned on. And...

Oh my...

By the light of Justice's sun!

This... this was a bathroom? He had never seen a bathroom like this before. He had never seen a bathroom so clean before!

The word 'sterile' comes to mind. Sterile white walls, sterile white floors, sterile white ceiling. It was all so sterile, so clean, completely free of dirty, grime, and muck of any kind. Compared to the bathroom on the sludge barge, this was glorious. Compared to the bathroom he had back on his old drill platform, this was pure divinity!

Mouth agape and eyes wide, Jake stumbled towards the shower as his eyes ran upon its many buttons and dials. This wasn't just a shower; this shower was capable of damn-near anything. After this wash, he'd be cleaner than he'd ever been in his entire life.

And that's no exaggeration.

Sprriiiiiiiittttzzzzz!!!

And that sound – that sound! When the water came flowing from the spout and the steam began rising in the bathroom, a beaming smile of joy appeared on Jake's face. And as he discarded his clothes bit by bit, he stepped into the sterile shower stall and...

“Aaah..."

Shear bliss.

…

What is night in space? What is day in space? Just the times where you are awake, and the times where you are asleep? Or are they just words without concept? Who cares when there's no sun to revolve around? When he first started traveling through space, this question bothered Jake to no end. He didn't know how to tell time when time seemingly had no value.

But then he got into the groove of things. It didn't matter; night and day were when he dictated it to be. And yet, he still missed the days when he'd wake up by a sun's morning rays. It happened rarely nowadays. He usually woke up to the smell of funk and trash as they drifted through the endless stars.

Usually...

But things were different this time. This time... the gilded light of a star pierced through the wide windows beside him, and roused the young man from sleep. He groaned audibly, pleasantly too, then leaned up on his bed as he stared out across the wide room he was in. Looking out the window, he could see Kao-35 as it peaked from beyond the edge of the Onyxa. It seemed as if Outpost Delta orbited around the planet as oppose to floating stationary like most space stations tend to do, allowing them to get sunlight... allowing Jake to experience daylight.

He forgot what this feeling was like.

Jake didn't do much after his shower. He spent a good few hours toiling within that stall, and when he got out, he was so tired and so relaxed that he gleefully fell into the bed offered to him. There he slept all throughout the night, suffering, no nightmares, no sudden awakenings, no nothing. Just a wonderful sleep that seemed to be endless. And when he did dream, he dreamed of...

A woman with a white body... and antennae extending from her head.

But these dreams were fleeting. When he woke up, he was so relaxed and rejuvenated; feeling far better now than he had ever felt in his life! He felt stronger too, with his body so bright and peachy, revealing its bronze coloration. There was even a spring in Jake's step as he got up from his bed and walked over to the door where he realized something...

“Where are my clothes?"

He looked around in a quizzical manner, seeing nothing. He remembered tossing his dirty clothes into the corner of the room when he was done showering, but now they were nowhere to be seen! What the hell, did his clothes just get up and walk away? He only had his underwear on now; he couldn't walk around the station in nothing but his skivvies! If the embarrassment didn't kill him, then the cold air will!

Fortunately, there was a lab coat nearby, hanging up in the room's closet. It would seem as if this place had been stocked up with things like lab coats when it was originally launched all those centuries ago, even though there were no scientists to wear them. Good for Jake though, as he quickly swiped up a lab coat and put it on his shoulders. A bit long for his shorter frame, but he'd take it if it meant not freezing to death.

Seehn!

“Um... Zar? Zar are you there...?" Jake called as he exited his given room.

As expected, the halls were completely empty, save for a few cleaning droids he noticed scurrying about. Pushing on, Jake began wondering through the wide and nearly endless halls of Outpost Delta, hoping he could find the synth woman who lived here. But room after room he passed were empty. Observation decks were empty, the mess hall was empty, various other rooms meant for scientific research were empty. Everywhere was empty.

It was all so... sad. The lifeless nature of Outpost Delta was already getting to Jake. He heard the churning and turning of machines... and that's all. No talking, no voices, no shuffling of feet, no nothing. Just machines and empty corridors. He was only here for a few minutes, yet the oppressive and lonely nature was getting to him. He couldn't imagine living here for decades all alone.

“Zar..." he whispered in a piteous manner, before noticing, “Huh?"

A map. It rested on the wall beside him, a map which detailed his location, and various other locations of importance all over Outpost Delta. This was important not only in getting around the station, but in finding its central mainframe. The space station had several levels and floors, and all of them were given excruciating detail. What was most relevant to him at the moment was the fact that he was on the floor containing the living quarters. The central mainframe was, well, in the center of the station; where the central spire was.

Of course.

Pulling out his PDA, Jake took a snapshot of the outpost's map. However, even with this map in hand, it's not like it would give him an idea of where Zar was or his clothes. Should he fumble around for a bit more? Or should he even get dangerous and try to gun it for the central mainframe? No, no, that would be stupid; he should only try and steal the files when he knew Zar's schedule.

Alright then. He'd just keep looking for her.

Checking the map, he wondered where would be the most likely location of a lonely synth. He already knew the observation decks of the living quarters were all empty, so that's a bust. The mess hall too was empty, and all the rec centers on this level were empty too. So if she wasn't in the living quarters, then where could she be?

Then his eyes took notice of something. Between the stations central spire and its orbiting ring, there were various chambers and platforms. All of them appeared to be larger areas meant solely for science experiments of some sort, be it for containing life both flora and fauna, testing liquids and gases, the creation and forming of new machines, and other things that went well over Jake's head. Would she be in one of those? If so, there which one? There were only four of these structures, but each one had multiple floors!

But one stood out from the rest, one which attracted Jake's eyes. This one room labeled 'GARDENS'. Could she be there? Well, if he was living alone on a cold space station with no one but robots to be his friend, he too would spend as much time around greenery as he could. Besides, it was worth a shot! At least he'd be free from these cold, silver walls for a few moments.

So Jake began his quest for the station's gardens. The trip was oddly easy, with everything being so neatly labeled via arrows at the corners of each corner. They told him the next important location, and before he knew it, he was in the hallway leading to the gardens proper. And upon approaching, he heard...

Swwwsswwwwwwssshh...

Flowing water.

His once tepid movements became quicker as he ran up to the large glass doors at the end of the hall, gazing through them to see... green! So much green! Jake saw bountiful grass, flowers of various heights and colors, and water that flowed through it all like a steady stream. Amazed, he palmed himself to the door more, before remember that the outpost didn't use codes. All he did was press his palm to the panel and--

Ssheeeehhn!

The double doors opened, and a blast of fresh air flowed through his nose. All space stations have a garden which produces air, but they're usually small and mechanical, lacking any sort of whimsy and wonder. Even more annoying, a station's machines usually filter the air again and again, making it taste terrible on one's nose and tongue.

But this wasn't that kind of air. This was true, fresh air; straight from the source! Stepping inside with eyes and mouth wide, Jake walked upon the grass which was growing within this gardens. For a moment he thought it was artificial, but then he felt soil push back against him from beneath, dew dripped off the petals of flowers, and various fragrances traveled into his nose. There was even an artificial skybox to help simulate natural sunlight, and the walls were a digital screen that depicted a grassy landscape to help further sell the illusion. It all worked on Jake, who turned around and around in shear awe of what was before him.

And then he fell.

“Aah!?"

Glunk!

Should've been paying attention to where he was going.

Falling into the river stream, he kicked about momentarily before pulling his head up. Drenched in head to toe in water, he felt both silly yet elated! This water felt so fresh, so clean, so pure, so real. Like he hadn't fallen in some artificial recreation of a garden, but had accidentally tumbled in a real garden. Something he had only seen through a screen, he was now experiencing! And it was amazing! It was--

“Jake...?"

“Ah...?"

He stood up from the stream and looked in the direction of the voice, his eyes falling on... Zar. The synth woman was still wearing a lab coat, with garden shears in one hand, and a spray bottle in the other. Standing near a human-sized flower, she looked over towards Jake with eyes wide. What was he doing here? And why was he so... undressed?

Zar's eyes looked Jake up and down, taking note of his wet open lab coat, his underwear... and his nothing else. Despite being shorter than her by a foot or two, he certainly didn't look it. His body was brawny, with musculature infused within his arms, his shoulders and his chest. He was a tiny little dynamo; she had no doubts he could put that body to use in surprising ways.

And with the water glistening down his body... hmm...

“J-Jake... what are you... doing here...?" asked Zar as she averted her gaze, a prominent blush appearing on her face.

“Umm... I uh... I think it's pretty obvious," he said as he walked towards her, making Zar tense up even more, “I woke up and... my clothes were gone. I went looking for them and you, hoping you could lead me to them."

“Your... clothes were gone...?" she repeated, before, “Oh... oh my..." palming her head, she let out an annoyed groan, “That... wasn't me. I'm sure my droids took your clothes and are cleaning them as we speak. Any amount of trash and grime, they do not hesitate to clean up. They're no doubt cleaning your clothes as we speak."

“Aah... that... makes sense... my clothes were really dirt," Jake said as he approached Zar, “Thankfully there was a lab coat hanging in the closet of the room I was in. I hope you don't mind me wearing it."

“No, no... that's fine," she said as she continued looking away from him, “I'd rather you wear it than freeze on my station. Um..." she shook her head, “But... now your all wet. You... you um... you fell in the river..."

“It's fine," he said dismissively as he continued walking up to her, “I'd rather fall in this water than shit water. It's happened once... I never want it to happen again."

His candid response made Zar chuckle, but she continued looking away instead of staring at him. Jake – confused – looked up at her with an eyebrow raised, wondering why she didn't look him in the face. But of course, it all came down to the body language. How her hands were up to her face to cover it, the red blush on her cheeks and visor, how one leg was shifted up slightly while her body turned away. She didn't want to look at him because she found something attractive about him.

Wait... what?

Even Jake flinched at this realization before looking down to his body. Maybe he was blind to his own physique, but he couldn't understand why someone would find a little runt like him attractive. He was no tall Adonis, but instead someone shorter. Not child-like in his height mind you, but there have been times when the local pub decided not to serve him for fear he was a minor. Much to his chagrin.

“Jake... may I... ask you a question?" Zar inquired, causing him to look back up at her.

“Umm... yeah... go ahead... shoot..."

“Sh-shoot? No, I don't want to 'shoot' anything, I just wanted to ask you a question," she replied before sighing and straightening up, “Um... if I may... what planet are you from?"

“I'm from Macbeth."

“Macbeth..." she repeated, her eyes glowing briefly, “Seventh planet of the Lyla System. Its a planet known for the export of various ores, as well as the creation of many machines and items, both for civilian use, and private, government use. Many things have come from Macbeth, like the new Nebula Datapad, and various starfighter hulls. It's a planet that's mostly gray, and has an increase gravitational pull. People born on Macbeth are usually shorter, but typically own a superior strength."

“Wow... did you... uh... learn all that from some database?" Jake asked, to which Zar shook her head.

“No... I remembered it," she answered, “I spend a lot of time studying various planets and places. As you could probably tell, I've had a lot of time alone to do so. Umm... its my own way to... visit these places. So... um... J-J-Jake...?"

“Yes...?"

“May I... touch you?"

Her request stunned Jake, and his mouth opened wide. Zar meanwhile grew even redder in the face. Any more, and he feared her circuitry would go up in flames! But he didn't say anything, instead looking down upon himself in a quizzical manner.

Why did she want to touch him? What would she possibly gain from this? Was her eyes not enough? Those thoughts ran through his head... but he ultimately disregarded them. Who cares? Why should he care? If she wanted to touch him, then so be it.

He wanted to feel her...

So Jake took another step forward, now, closing the gap between them. Her tail springing up, Zar's eyes visibly widened as the young man fiddled with his coat momentarily, before allowing it to fall slack on his shoulders. There in all of its simple glory, was his body. His short stature but with that strong physique and tight musculature. He wasn't a little body builder, but it was clear he had worked many, many, many hours in manual labor. The tawny complexion of his skin, the tight muscles, the fact that he had skin at all compared to her smooth flesh; Jake may have been mundane to others, but to Zar, he was otherworldly.

Hesitantly... silently... the synth woman dropped her shears and spray bottle to the ground, before extending one of her hands. The other remained at her face, trying – and failing – to cover the intense blush that danced on her cheeks. Then her palm pressed to his body, falling first on his shoulders... and then sliding down to his chest.

“Nngh..."

Her touch...

Was so soft.

He thought she'd have cold hands... stiff hands... or unfeeling hands. Zar's hands were anything but. The pads of her palms were soft, and they gently stroked up and down his body in exploratory strides. Up... down... up... down... and then around in circles. Remaining there, Jake indulged in her touch, finding her to be surprisingly warm. And there it was again; that word.

Zar was so lively.

After a few moments of tepid touching, the synth extended her other hand, placing it upon Jake's shoulder. Together, her two hands rubbed and kneaded Jake's body, marveling at his physique and body. There was only one human she knew, and that was her father. When he created her, he was already an old man in his 50s. So to be here with this younger man, one whose body was still in its prime... it was amazing.

But... what's this? Jake's body... it was slowly getting hotter. Being a synth, Zar was blessed with senses superior to those of flesh, and with her father being the lead of robotics back in his day, her parts were still cutting edge all these centuries later. This gifted her a sense of sight that no living creature could ever hope to attain. Not only did she have basic vision, but she also had night vision, and – important to this case – infrared vision. And this vision allowed her to see Jake's body grow warmer and warmer.

And that heat centered on his groin.

Looking down, Zar noticed this pillar was beginning to grow in Jake's underwear, and the heat from her infrared sight only further attracted her eyes. It was so red, burning through his pants like a rod of hot fire! Naturally curious, the synth moved her hand down, coming towards his crotch. She was just about to touch him, when--

Pat...

“Z-Zar... what are you doing?"

Jake's hand fell on her wrist, stopping her. She looked up, her eyesight returning to normal. Face to face, she looked Jake in the eyes, who stared back at her in a curious and confused manner. In response, she gritted her teeth.

It took her a couple of moments to realize where her hand was in relation to his body. That burning red tower she saw with her infrared eyes? That was his--

“Oh! Oh my!"

Quickly pulling away, Zar's hands fell on her face, covering the intensely red cheeks which threatened to burn through her plating. Oh, sweet stars in the skies, why did she do that!? She nearly touched his sex organ! The synth woman knew full well what that tool was capable of! Not only was it used for excretion, but for pleasure as well! And she nearly touched it! She nearly touched him in a place she shouldn't have!

But for as accidental as it was, Zar felt... excited? Yes, excited! Like when she's performing a science experiment, and it's the 100th attempt, and she knows this time it will work! That's what Zar was feeling, only this was more... visceral. This wasn't practiced, or planned for over thousands of hours, no... this was something primal, something sudden.

Zar bit her bottom lip.

“Apologies, Jake... I... I didn't mean to..." she whispered... but he shook his head.

“No, it's... it's fine," he said in a reassuring manner, “You just... took me off guard, is all. I... ahem... I... umm..."

Emboldened, Jake reached up and grabbed Zar's hands. She didn't fight back, instead letting him pry them from his face so that they could look at one another. She was blushing furiously and he was blushing too, but this kind smile sat on his face. And then – under the guidance of his firm grip – he brought her hand down towards his crotch.

Pat...

And she touched it.

Through his underwear, Zar could feel Jake's length push back. So thick and burly and long; like a little tower with the only thing covering it being some thin fabric. A visible shudder traveled through the synth's body as she was allowed to palm and touch his length, and her mouth even began to gape. It was all so new, so exciting, so... dirty.

And Zar wanted to explore more.

“Can I... see it...?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

Jake didn't hesitate.

Fwump...

First fell his lab coat...

Fwick!

And then came down his underwear. And when his undergarments fell, his cock stood to attention.

Zar was right; Macbeth was a planet with a higher than normal gravitational pull. Most people who come and visit Macbeth can spend hours, even days, trying to acclimate to its increased pressure on the body. But to those born on the planet, they are gifted a greater strength, but at the cost of a shorter stature. This area of his body however? This was anything but 'short'.

Inch by inch by inch by inch by inch by inch by inch by inch by inch by inch by inch. That's... 11.75 inches of length. Or... 29.845 centimeters if you want to be more specific. And Zar? She reveled in the specifics. Her LED eyes ran up and down the penis before her, taking in its every bump, its every ridge, the veins, the glands, the slit, the everything. Her books and datalogs – while detailed – could not compare to something like this. This wasn't on some computer screen, or on the pages of some old book, but a real, live, throbbing, cock.

“Does... does it hurt...?" Zar asked as she looked up towards Jake's face.

“Nghh... a little," he answered, “It's... really hard."

Shameful as it was to admit, Jake couldn't remember a time where he was so stiff. His cock throbbed as it stood exposed to the garden around them, and a bit of precum even oozed from the tip. Looking down again, Zar dropped her hand towards his length, only to hesitate. Was she really about to do this? What if she hurt him? She'll just be gentle... gentle... gentle...

“Aaah..."

A soft yet sharp gasp left Jake's lips as Zar's big fingers wrapped around his dick. She only had three fingers too; a thumb, an index finger, and a pinky finger. Yet that didn't stop her hand from cradling his dick in a gentle manner. They wrapped around his member, then stroked back and forth, allowing him to feel the soft, leathery grip of her palm.

Ooooooh... Zar's touches may have been exploratory, but they were nothing but pleasurable for Jake. Maybe it had been a while since he rubbed one out. It's not like he had much of a chance on the sludge barge with the rest of the crew around! But experiencing the synth's hand as it ran up and down his dick, was enough to make him weak in the knees.

So much so that...

“Aaah... Zar..."

He moaned.

Zar's quills all twitched and stood up, while her bright eyes briefly looked up to his face. She was trying to hide her emotions, but it was clear that she found the sound of his moan to be... erotic. She had never heard a man make such a noise before, at least, not in a living capacity. Such a noise would forever be embedded within her memory banks. But... could she bring out more?

Since Jake was clearly enjoying her touches, that embolden Zar to quicken the pace and the strength of her grip. She still took measures to not injure him with her hand, but it was clear that there was a pneumatic strength to her hold. Biting into his bottom lip, Jake felt his dick being tipped up while the synth groped his length. His legs meanwhile continued to wobble, struggling to remain firm, and nearly falling back! But Zar placed her hand to his shoulder, keeping him upright as she assaulted him with her hand.

“H-h-how does it feel? D-d-do you like it?" she asked in a skittish manner.

“Mm-hm! Feels great, Zar... aaaahh..."

So. Much. Precum!

It oozed and drizzled down Zar's fingers, glistening in the artificial light of the garden. LED eyes wide, the synth watched his precum trickle like syrup, and felt it on a finite level. It was so intense that it caused her grip on Jake's shoulder to loosen...

“Ah?"

Allowing him to finally fall as his legs gave out.

Sitting on the grassy floor, he kept his legs spread as his towering cock pointed up. For a moment, Zar hesitated, her face even showing apprehension. But then she pulled her arms back, allowing her lab coat to drop from her shoulders. Shortly after, Zar dropped herself, getting on the ground before Jake, and pressing her head between his legs.

Leaning up, he watched as the synth woman pressed her nose to his dick. Despite being made of some metallic allow, Jake swore he watched her nostrils flare. She smelled his length, taking in the sweat of his now cleaned body. The rancid odor he had yesterday was all gone, replacing it with his true scent.

And such a powerful scent it was. Masculine, and even oily. Zar could tell that he has spent many, many hours toiling within a drill platform. There was no amount of cleaning he could do that could free him of this scent; it was caked into his very being.

Though, that's not to say Zar disliked this scent. It danced in her nose, and fed a variety of information straight to her brain's circuitry. Shuddering from her shoulders to her tail, the synth woman gripped Jake's cock by the base, squeezing it tight, and keeping it tipped towards her nose. There she gave audible 'Sniff!' after audible 'Sniff!' with each sound sending a jolt straight through Jake's loins.

Fuck, this felt so good. Zar was doing nothing but smelling his cock, and yet that was enough to please him so much. Mouth agape, Jake sat there beneath her touches, while his length throbbed. So close, so very close; his cock was so close to her mouth. What did it feel like, he wondered. Was it moist and wet like a mouth should be? Did she have a slithering tongue like a reptiles? Would her teeth pluck at his dick? He just needed to know.

Reaching down, Jake placed his hand upon the top of Zar's head. Her eyes widened, then blinked, and then she looked up, giving him a face that said 'What are you doing?' But he didn't respond, and instead began pushing down. Instinctively, the synth obeyed to his commands, allowing him to tip her head down until--

Chu...

Her lips pressed to the head of his cock.

Looking down, Zar stared at the head of his penis as his precum slicked upon her lips. Her tongue then slithered out, revealing itself to be a purple color as she licked her lips clean of his fluids. And that taste quickly got into her mind, surging straight to her brain, and making her eyes widened. Placing her hands upon Jake's thighs, the synth braced herself against him as he pushed his cock deeper into her mouth.

“Glk! Mmmph!"

His cock was big. Very big. It sank into Zar's maw and made her flinch as it pushed against both the roof and bottom of her mouth. Her tongue remained idle momentarily, before sliding up to trace along the veins of his shaft, and then around the helm of his cock. It was both slender and burly, and each touch garnered a pleasurable groan from Jake's lips.

He... liked it. He liked it a lot. It was so hot, and it jumped so much! Realizing this spurned Zar more. Her tongue grew even more courageous as it danced upon Jake's length. And with these movements came his taste. Raw and uncut, it filled her mouth and overwhelmed her senses. It was... strong and musky and oh so good.

“Glkk! Mmmph!"

His cock pushed deeper into Zar's mouth, again making her flinch... but she still didn't even attempt to fight him off. She merely sat there, indulging in his taste and in the feeling of such a burly length resting in her mouth. Jake did likewise.

Zar's mouth wasn't just wet and warm, but it was also fucking tight! He blamed it on her reptilian design; the synth's mouth was capable of tightening around his cock, feeling like a moist glove. More over, since she was a synth, she didn't actually need to breathe, so she could stay down there for as long as she wanted.

“Aaaah... nnmmph...! Z-Zar..." Jake moaned as his grip tightened upon her head.

Biting into his bottom lip, he began guiding her up and down, making her head bob upon his cock. Slurping up his swat and precum, Zar drank it all down while her bright eyes looked up towards his face. His sweet, moaning, face. Gazing upon it made her circuits rush and caused the engines in her chest to churn faster. This burst.! She's never experienced something like this before! It was like adrenaline but... good?

She was usually so analytical and professional with her words, but now, her mind struggled to come up with one to describe this feeling! It was sensual and erotic and lewd, but those words just didn't feel strong enough!

In and out, in and out, Jake's cock pushed into Zar's mouth and throat, while her tongue danced and swirled around him. With her every suck, her every lick, he felt himself rising closer and closer to climax. This overwhelming pleasure began to trickle and rush throughout his body, before coming back to center upon his loins! And then when that pleasure finally hit its zenith--

“AAH!?"

Jake flinched and thrusted up.

Splurrrrt!

“MMMPH!!!"

Jake came, and he came hard.

His dick unleashed a maelstrom of cum into Zar's mouth, causing her LED eyes to flicker, and her status lights blinked. So much cum, so much cum! This was cum which had been backed up inside of him for weeks, if not months! And it was all going right into his awaiting mouth! Jizz filled every orifice of her awaiting mouth, and then some as it reached into her throat.

But it wasn't just one explosion. It was a blast! And then another blast! And then another blast! And then it began trickling down into something smaller. Bullet after bullet after bullet. And then into something even smaller. Dribbles and dribbles and dribbles. And then it finally...

“Aah...!"

Stopped.

Jake nearly fell back as he lost all feeling in his arms and legs. He kept himself propped up enough however to gaze upon Zar as she was released from his grasp. Pushing against him, the synth woman slowly drew her lips up from his cock with a slow--

Slrrrrrrrp!

And an audible--

Pop!

Then she stopped, her lips hovering above his length as her cum-covered tongue hung from her maw. Looking up at Jake, she met his gaze as her mouth opened wide, flaunting her bounty to him. And simply put... there was so much cum. It oozed from her fangs and lips like syrup. And came close to falling on the ground. But...

“Mmmph!"

Zar closed her lips... and then swallowed it down.

“Ggllp... gulp... glllp! Mmmph! Haaaah... haaaah... haaah..." for a moment, her head held low, “Haaah... haaah..." and then she looked back up, “It's... not typical for men to... have such intense climaxes. This is a sign that you don't climax often."

“Umm... heh... is that an insult?" Jake asked, to which Zar shook her head as she brought her hand up to her mouth.

“N-no... of course not. That's just... an observation... umm..."

Looking away from one another, the two wondered... what the hell happened? Why did he suck his cock? Was it because she was simply curious to what his body can do? Everything just progressed from one thing to another, and before she knew it, she was swallowing his cum down.

Why did that excite her? Like... it really sent tingles down her spine! Even Zar's quills were all clicking up and down; like a window to her true feelings. But before they could get too out of hand.

“Y-your clothes! Ahem! Your clothes! You came to me looking for your clothes, right?" said the synth woman in an attempt to change the subject... as if it was that easy.

“Um... y-yeah? I... I was but--"

“Th-then let's get your clothes!" Zar continued on as she quickly stood up and grabbed her lab coat up from off the ground, “A-and while we're at it, let's get you something to eat. I have many ingredients here on Outpost Delta, and have an extensive knowledge of various meals I can create! I'm sure you'd love them!"

Before Jake could say another word, Zar quickly scurried out of the garden. And by quickly, I mean she was like a white blur! He had to remind herself that she was, ya'know, a synthetic humanoid, and not a true, living, breathing creature. It left him dumbfounded, and he looked down to his cock which was still oozing with her spit.

Just what happened? Had he done something to offend? Or was she so embarrassed she needed to save face as quickly as she could? Well, yeah... but she was embarrassed by would probably surprise him.

For the first time in her life, Zar was experiencing arousal.

…

So... like...

And he means no disrespect by this, but...

“How long has this food been in here?"

The mess hall of Outpost Delta was big. Very big. As big as the mess hall in his old drill platform, he'd assume. That was big because there were anywhere from one thousand, to six thousand workers toiling at any given moment within that little hell pit. But this place? There were only two living creatures: Jake and Zar

He sat at the mess hall's counter on a stool, where before him laid a plate of freshly made breakfast. Eggs, pancakes, syrup, bacon; it was all here, and it was all so hot. Having just made it, Zar stood on the opposite end, beaming with pride as her lips curled back this great smile. Not even Jake's question was enough to shake her.

“Are you afraid of the ingredients used in the creation of this meal?" Zar asked, “Do not be, Jake. Everything stocked on Outpost Delta has been kept perfectly preserved throughout its decades in cryogenic freezing. Upon being thawed, it will be like no time has passed!"

“So... what? I'm eating two century year old eggs here?" Jake asked, to which she gleefully nodded.

“Indeed! It will be like... eating a bit of the past!"

He had to admit; her beaming smile was incredibly infectious. However, he'd also be lying if he said eating some centuries old eggs didn't make him at least a little bit apprehensive. Then he thought about it and realized that, well, he's put worse things into his body quite frankly. What's some measly 200-year-old eggs and pancakes gonna do to him that his old drill platform hadn't already done?

“Nomph... mmph... nomph! Mmmph... hmm... Nomph!"

“Ah-ha! Do you like it? Do you like it?" Zar asked, her LED eyes absolutely beaming in his face.

It was quite odd to see her be so... bubbly right now. Sure, he's only known her for, what, half a day at most, but Zar had already proven herself a rather serious and professional woman. She was hard at work to unlock the secrets of Onyxa, and hopefully bring it to be a planet that can facilitate life. But now she was excitedly smiling, waiting to hear his judgment. And well...

“It's good... it's... really, really good!" Jake said, much to Zar's joy.

And he wasn't lying either! Zar's cooking was really good! To him. Let's be frank; this was no five-star gourmet meal. It was – admittedly – rather basic. This was the level of cooking one would ascribe to and older sibling; it tasted warm and homely. For someone like Jake who's never eaten anything like this, it filled him with a sense of warmth.

“My father loved my cooking," Zar explained as she sat down opposite of Jake with her own plate beneath her, “We'd spend many hours in here just talking to one another. I remember his rule strictly: 'The cafeteria is for off time. We will not talk about science while in the cafeteria!'"

“You ate with your father, huh? Actually..." Jake leaned in, “Why can you eat? Aren't you a synth?"

“I am a synth, but perpetual, self-sustaining, infinite energy has yet to be invented," Zar replied, “There for I too have to intake energy via outside means. I have an engine in my belly which transfers material such as food into reusable energy. It's a lot like you, in act! Kreehreehree!"

Kreehreehree? Did Jake just hear Zar laugh? And it was such a cute laugh too! This energetic and bubbly giggle which was at odds with her typical demeanor. Like her food, it warmed his heart and caused Jake to lean on his hand as he stared up at her.

Zar was a beautiful woman.

“You really love your Dad, don't you?" he remarked, bringing her giggles to an end.

Her demeanor as a whole shifted as well. From bubbly and energetic, to now being reserved. She was still smiling, but it was clear there was some melancholy to her.

“I did... no... I still do," Zar answered, “My father was a remarkable man. In his heyday, he was the lead on robotics, and many of the designs he created are still used today, even hundreds of years later. It was he who decided to study Onyxa; this planet is his magnum opus."

“Hm... his magnum opus is... Onyxa? Are you sure about that?" Jake asked, making Zar flinch.

“Wh... what do you mean by that? This is what he died doing; studying this planet. This was why I was created; to study it long after his death," Zar replied.

“I... I don't know..." Jake shrugged his shoulders, “I'm no scientist, I admit that, but I don't think some big planet is anyone's magnum opus. Especially since he's not gonna get to experience it thrive since he's, ya'know... dead. If anything..." he smiled up at her, “I'd argue that you are his magnum opus."

“M-m-me?" Zar said as she blushed, “What... whatever do you mean, Jake?"

“I mean... look at you," he replied, “You're a completely autonomous synth. You talk, you think, you act all on your own, and you emote. You're more emotive than some people I know! There are other synths on other planets, but their numbers are incredibly low. If anything, most of them are just robots who happen to look humanoid, and even then, they're made by entire teams of people. But one man made you all by himself. And even more so, he didn't make you to just merely serve him. You're not his slave or helper, but he loved you enough to call you his daughter. I gotta say..." he smiled in a hapless manner, “I wish anyone cared about me enough to call me their son. But..." he shook his head dismissively, “Ah.... never mind."

His words danced in Zar's head, causing her to blush even more... and smile just as much. Ah, it was so embarrassing showing her emotions like this! She even placed her hands on her face in an attempt to hide her feelings. But, of course, this did damn near nothing. She was practically broadcasting her embarrassment, which made Jake chuckle.

“I... I... ahem... I..." was all Zar muttered as she stood up straight, “I-I need to think for a few moments..."

Before Jake could say a word, the synth woman put to use the same speed she showed in the garden. Ie, she zoomed out of the cafeteria like a white blur. Watching her rush out in embarrassment, brought a smile to his face. He said nothing, instead taking his time to casually eat the meal presented to him.

But then his smile began to fade.

Fuck... shit... he had to betray her, didn't he? When they were spending time together like this, Jake's mission kept leaving him. But now that he was alone and free to wonder his own thoughts, he reminded himself of his true mission here.

It made his stomach toss and turn, and even nearly ruined the appetite he had. He felt terrible abusing Zar's kindness like this, but on the other hand, he had to remind herself that he didn't really know her all too well. They've only spent a short amount of time with one another, and, what, she sucked his cock? That's not enough to endear him to her, is it?

It is...

Aaahh! Jake wanted to punch something... preferably himself. But he knew he couldn't stop his mission. He came here with the expressed purpose of stealing information from Zar, and dammit, he was gonna get that information. He only hoped he could live with himself after it was all said and done.

Jake finished his meal.

…

Outpost Delta has no security codes. Outpost Delta has no key cards. For all intents and purposes, Outpost Delta is an open vault. And why wouldn't it be when the only one person lives here, and they've lived here alone for centuries?

Jake tried to rationalize things to himself as her being naive. Of course something like this would happen sooner or later; she should just be happy he was here for only information and nothing more nefarious. But like all the previous times, he realized this was him merely trying to justify his own terrible actions.

In the end, he was abusing the kindness of someone else, someone who he even admittedly liked. Spending all this time with Zar was amazing. Talking with her, eating with her, even watching her work; she was unlike anyone he had met in his life. And now he was betraying her.

He was here for a week. That's seven days according to the galactic calendar. So far, it had been five. He tried dancing around it, tried procrastinating as long as he could, but he knew this would not last forever. He needed to have these codes by the time his crew returned. He only hoped he could forgive himself when he next sees Zar.

Speaking of Zar, around this time she was usually overlooking information given to her by her many satellites and probes. This process usually took anywhere between eight and twelve hours. She would be tirelessly working with them, and focused on her mission. So focused in fact, that the rest of the world would no longer matter to her. That gave him enough time to sneak in to the space station's central processing unit, and get the information he needed.

Emerging from his bedroom, Jake looked around through the halls with his 'tool kit' in one hand, and his PDA in the other. Checking over his map, he navigated through the endless silver halls of the space station, rounding one corner then the next without missing a step. He needed to leave the living quarters and head down to the machine repair bay. That was easy enough, and the surrounding noise of machines moving and gears grinding actually helped relax Jake a bit.

Such noises were familiar to him.

But then his footsteps kept moving him forward, taking him around another corner and down a wider hall. The repair bay was large in order to contain all the machines that came in and out of these halls; from drones and vehicles to full on satellites if need be. But taking this maintenance hall led him to a quieter and smaller corridor, where he was once again surrounded by the his own inner thoughts.

His footsteps slowed.

No... no! He is not chickening out now! Fuck that! He had a mission, and dammit, he was going to do this mission!

So he started walking again. Except...

His footsteps slowed.

Fuck this cold feet bullshit! Just steal the damn information and be done with it! Why is this so fucking hard? No! No, no, no! No! He was going to steal this information!

And yet... his feet continued to slow.

“Gah!"

Wham!

His hand into a fist, Jake slammed it against the wall in defiance. Who was he angry at here? Zar, the kind, shy, professional synth woman who lived here all alone? The one who he kept trying to say deserved to be a victim for how naive she had been thus far? Or himself, the cruel criminal who was hired to steal information from her. Information that – once it gets out – could find her being relieved of her position here on Outpost Delta? Have her be removed from the only home she's known for two hundred years.

Two hundred years of loneliness. Two hundred years since her father died. And then some young punk appears to give her some modicum of company for a week. Yeah, he too would jump at the chance for some sort of relationship with something that isn't a mindless drone.

Jake palmed his head and sighed, feeling disgust with himself. But that didn't stop him from moving forward. He trailed down this lonely hall where he came to a door. It was the only door in this hall. There were various terminals to access the central mainframe of Outpost Delta; this one was just the closest to his room. He thought about taking a more scenic route, but he thought against it, fearing that if he did, that would only give him more time to talk himself out of doing the job.

Fat load of good that did...

But, whatever, here was here now. And just like the rest of the space station...

Sehn!

The door opened without need of a code, or a card, or anything. On the other end were various mainframes all stored in a cool room. They beamed and blinked with various lights, all while this soft hum traveled through the room. The walls, floors and ceiling were all made of glass, and on the other end of the glass wall were even more circuits. All beaming with information; sending it out, taking it in, with no end in sight.

Walking into the room, Jake felt his heart begin to race. This was all so incredibly easy. He almost hoped there would be some sort of opposition so he could have an excuse to fail. Like a security bot, or a turret. But, no... there was nothing.

Nothing but him, these mainframe, and the command console within the heart of it all.

Grabbing his case, Jake pressed his thumb up to the scanner and opened it, revealing the access code taker. He hadn't seen this thing since he was in the cockpit of Fenton's Removals. Now here, in his hand like a metallic virus. It nearly burned his hand as he thought about the destruction this thing could potentially bring, but dammit, he couldn't stop now.

The command console before him was like any typical console. It had a keyboard, a computer monitor, various ports for outside attachments, and even a mouse. Bringing the access code taker to one such port, Jake plugged it inside, then shifted his gaze to the monitor. Briefly it buzzed, before a window appeared on its surface, one that asked a question.

Copy information?

Y/N

Jake's hand drifted towards the 'Y' key... and then he stopped.

He could sense it.

Sehn!

The door behind him opened.

Feeling a cold sweat break out against his brow, Jake remained standing there like a frozen statue. He could already feel her eyes boring into his very being. Not even the sound of her footsteps were enough to shake him as he remained still. They came closer... and closer... and closer... until her shadow loomed over his.

“Jake...?" she said breathlessly.

Dammit... why did she have to sound so damn human? He could hear the pain, the betrayal, the confusion in her voice as she saw what he was doing. It made him curl his hand in anger and grind his teeth together. How did she know? She was supposed to be working on her machines! But now she was here...

Right behind him...

“Jake... what are you doing?" said Zar, her tone quivering.

“Zar, I..." he whispered, before shaking his head.

Slowly he turned around, his eyes falling on Zar. She was behind him, eyes wide and mouth agape, stunned by what she was seeing. What was he doing here in the central mainframe? And... was that an access code taker? WHAT WAS HE DOING WITH AN ACCESS CODE TAKER!?

“J-JAKE!?" Zar shouted.

“Wait, I can--" he muttered back, only to cut himself off and shake his head, “Oh, who am I kidding; I can't explain any of this..." Clank! Clank! Clank! “Oh no..."

Her footsteps jolted him and he looked up, meeting Zar's face. And her eyes... they were beaming red.

“Zar I--" Thwak! “Gah!?"

Her tail suddenly slammed against his chest, pinning him to the mainframe beside the console. Strong though he may be, he couldn't fight back against the strength of her tail. Or maybe... he just didn't have it in him to fight back as much as he usually could.

Keeping him pinned, Zar stood above Jake with her hands on her fists, and her red eyes glaring upon him. He opened his mouth, but no words left him, instead a gasp of acceptance for what he had done.

“Why? What is the meaning of this!?" Zar snarled, to which Jake took in a deep breath.

“I... I uh... I..."

This was exactly what he wanted to avoid. Now here he was, suffering from his own deceit. Zar had every right to be angry with him, while he struggled to come up with what he should say. Should he even try to lie? No, that would only make things worse.

Hell, a part of Jake was even happy this happened. Now he could be free of these lies.

“Fenton's Removals... it is a trash removal service," he said, “But... we also... do some illegal things on the side. Usually things like smuggling. Doesn't matter what. Could be drugs, weapons, even medical equipment. Um... but... aah..." he closed his eyes, “This time we had been hired to steal information from Outpost Delta – from you. That... thing... the uh... access code... whatever... haah... it was supposed to steal information from you and give it to our client."

“Who is your client!?" Zar shouted, though Jake shook his head.

“I don't know. Only my boss does, and he didn't tell any of us. I don't even know how much we're being paid for this mission, but... I'm sure it's not enough. It's never enough."

Zar gritted her teeth and clinched her fist, enraged by Jake's betrayal. She let him stay here with her, she ate with him, spoke with him, and she even experienced these new, erotic feelings with him as well! And for what? A lie!?

But above all, Zar was angry at herself. How could she be so naive as to let this man – this thief – stay on her space station!? She should have known something was amiss when she first met him! He just got lost!? Why would someone ever leave their ship, even if they needed to use the bathroom? And what about his question before? When he asked for the security codes? There were red flags then! How could she be so stupid!?

Clutching her head, Zar shook in place as her teeth ground against one another. Anger, frustrated, annoyance; it all blended together in her head, and her tail retreated from Jake's chest. She felt so hurt; even he could see it. This woman who spent decades, no, centuries on this station all by herself, finally gained a person they could talk to. And what did that person do? Betray her trust.

Never once in his entire life had Jake felt so ashamed before. No matter what he thought, there was no justifying what he had done.

So... why bother even trying? Instead of rationalizing the terrible thing he had done, he was going to make up for it. And he knew just what to do.

Jake stood up, and Zar's quills flinched.

“STAY THERE, MR. DEWITT!!!" she shouted as he approached her, “LESS I BE FORCED TO SUMMON MY SECURITY BOTS AND DETAIN YOU!!!"

But he didn't stop. He didn't stop until they were just a few inches away form one another. Brown eyes filled with resolve, he looked Zar deep her eyes, which were still these red lights of danger. Was it frightening? Yeah, he was sure her strength was no doubt greater than his, what with her being a synthetic humanoid and all. But did he let that stop him? No.

“DID YOU NOT HEAR ME, MR. DEWITT!? I TOLD YOU TO STAY THERE! NOW I WILL-- MMMPHH!?"

His lips... were on his lips.

Jake was kissing her.

Zar's eyes flickered as her mind struggled to parse what was happening. Jake's lips were pressing to hers in a kiss. Her first kiss nonetheless! It was so warm, his body so close, his hand on her cheek. And then – under his guidance – she felt her mouth being pushed open so that his tongue could slide inside her mouth. It made Zar jolt in place, becoming as stiff as a statue as his tongue gently caressed her tongue, giving her his taste.

Such a warm, sweet, kind, affectionate taste. It disarmed Zar, who could feel her body starting to grow slack and loose. She tried to remain abrasive, but their kiss melted her more and more. Before she knew it, her eyes were closing and her racing heart was slowing down. Pushing her, Jake pressed and flattened her against one of the mainframes in the room. All the while, their kiss grew more frenetic, more energetic. Tongues lapped at tongues, wiggling and sliding and dancing between open mouths, before Jake finally pulled back.

The two were left panting for air as they looked at one another. Not only were Zar's cheeks an intense red, but the status LEDs on the sides of her head were blinking at a furious rate. Jake's face too were red, but there was a confidence behind him. His words may not be good enough to describe his feelings for her, but his body certainly could.

Jake moved in, his lips pursed as he pressed them to Zar's neck. Instinctively, she leaned her head to the side, offering more of her neck to him as he kissed her more and more. Her eyes blinked as her mouth split open, giving a crooning moan which filled the air around them. Hand coming up, she clutched the back of Jake's head, holding him more against her, while he reached down and grasped a hold of Zar's ass.

Her body was surprisingly malleable. Not as soft and spongy as flesh of course, but still soft enough that his hands could squeeze her. Her flesh (if you could call it that) seemed to be made of some leather-like texture with how good it felt against his needy palms. Kissing and biting on her neck and shoulder, Jake groaned hungrily as his hands kneaded her butt.

Her hands falling on his shoulders, Zar squeezed him closer as she pressed her hips against his own. This pleasure she was feeling was overwhelming; it was unlike anything she had ever experienced before! The kisses, the squeezing, the way he ground his pelvis against her; it all built the flames of arousal within her sleek body, and drew more moans from her lips.

“Aaauugh! Aaaahh~! J-Jake! S-stop it...! I can't... my mind is all fuzzy!" Zar cried, her tone filled with desperate need.

But Jake didn't stop. Why would he stop when the synth woman was melting beneath his very touch? Her body kept grinding against his pelvis, stimulating his cock through his pants, and she was growing hotter and hotter. This arousal – this feeling she's never experienced before – was rapidly taking hold over her body. And all Zar could do was cry out in bliss!

“Aaaauugghhh~~~!"

Leg's quivering, she nearly fell over and collapsed. Thankfully, the mainframe was behind her, keeping her body propped up as Jake knelt down before her. Grabbing her lab coat by the edges, he pulled them apart and revealed her pelvis towards him, where this... surprising scent filled the air.

It was hot, and sweaty, and oh so good. This was the smell of Zar's pussy.

Peaking at him from between her legs was this amazingly sculpted womanhood. It had this lovely shape, a pink coloration to it, and oozed its sweet nectar down her thighs, which wasn't unlike a normal woman's pussy. Standing in stark contrast with her the black leather of her inner thighs, it caused Jake to pull back, astonished by what he was seeing.

Clearly, Zar's father wasn't just a robotics, but a skilled sculptor. Why else would he be so thorough as to gift his daughter a working vagina, completely with vaginal fluid, odor, and even a clitoris. He had to be a sculptor!... or a madman...

Considering the fact that he moved far from Earth to live the rest of his days on a lonely space station...

But, whatever; Jake didn't care; not with this pussy sitting before him. Its odor drew him in, more and more, making his nose twitch and his cock throb. When he opened his mouth, he could taste the air, giving him just the slightest hint of what Zar's pussy would be like.

He bit his lip. And then he dove in.

“Mmmmph!"

“Aaaauughhh~!?"

Zar shuddered as Jake's mouth latched upon her moist cunt. This intense rush of sexual bliss immediately roared straight to her brain, causing her eyes to blink, and her LED status bar to flicker. What was this feeling? It was unlike anything she had ever experienced before! It was similar to when she sucked his cock the other day, only twenty-times as intense! Jake's burly tongue slicked and slid around her cunt, dancing with wild yet powerful strikes! He poked and prodded her clit, then he brought his tongue down, using it to spread apart her folds, and then penetrate her outright.

“Ooooh-hoooooh~!?"

Zar's legs twitched and clinched in, causing her to nearly collapse atop Jake. But he – using his great strength – kept the synth woman up and her legs spread apart. Nothing would stop him from dining on her pussy, no matter what happened. His tongue kept delving deeper and deeper into her hot, moist depths, scraping up nectar, and sending quivers throughout her form.

She couldn't take it anymore! The licking, the slurping, the hungry nuzzling; it was all too much for a virgin like her! Synthetically made or not, when this much pleasure was rushing through her body, she lost control over all of her senses! Zar could barely think, barely stand, and could barely verbalize beyond lustful moans! And when that knot in her belly was finally undone...

“GAAUUAAHHH~~~!?"

SLAM!

Her tail struck the floor, and her pussy exploded...

SSQUIRRRTT!!!

“Nmnnmph!"

Jake flinched as his tongue – and then his face – were marred with the glossy fluids of Zar's cunt. It sprayed and sprinkled upon his face, marring it in her juices, while her taste danced on his tongue.

Her sweet, aromatic taste.

Admittedly, it had been a while since Jake had gone down on another woman... but he knew, even if it was just yesterday, Zar would be better. The sweetness mixed with this sour twang which filled his taste buds. Closing his lips around her nectar, he hungrily slurped it up...

“Slrrrrrrrpp!"

Then swallowed it all down.

“Gllp! Aaaahh!"

“Oh my..."

Thud!

The moment Jake released his grip on Zar's legs, she dropped to the ground. There she sat on the floor, her arms resting on her head as she panted desperately for breath. This pleasure was too good. Far better than eating her favorite foods, and even better than making a scientific breakthrough. She knew sex; knew that it was used for procreation and even for pleasure, but had no idea that it felt this good.

Too good. Ah... now she understood why her father was so thorough with her creation.

It took her several moments to catch her breath following her climax. When she did, it took a few moments longer to drop her arms. There before her, looking her in her eyes with a smile on her lips, was Jake. Seeing him smile so tenderly towards her, filled Zar with uncertainty. She should hate him – she was still mad at him in fact – but after enjoying the heights of pleasure by his mouth, all she wanted in this moment was more.

So...

“Let's return... to my bedroom."

Jake nodded.

…

“Mmmph...! Gllk! Mmmfff...! Glllp! Mmmmmph...! Shlllk!"

Up and down, up and down, up and down, Zar's open mouth bobbed upon Jake's cock. It was almost a repeat of what occurred in the garden, only replace green grass and an artificial sun with silver walls and a window showing the stars. What else is there to say about a bedroom belonging to a synth woman who performs nothing but science experiments all day?

Well... it's very clean that's for sure!

Legs spread and body naked, Jake looked down between his legs where he gazed upon Zar's head. She was sucking his cock, her eyes closed while these muffled and lustful moans left her drooling lips. His hand meanwhile rested atop her head, palming her just above her visor, and even touching a bit on her quills. Such soft quills too; almost like hair.

Leaning back, a moan left Jake's lips as Zar's vice-like mouth encapsulated his length. Again, it was just like in the garden. She was so slow as her spit wrapped around his length, and her tongue traced along his sides. And as she grew more comfortable with holding such a gifted dick in her mouth, she steadily became faster and looser. Feeling this, Jake's grip on her head also tightened, causing her eyes to brighten up and look up at him.

Taking charge, he slowly started guiding her head up and down upon his burly length. Feeling control being taken away from her, Zar did as was commanded of her, and allowed him to do as he pleased. So Jake's grip grew even tighter on her head, squeezing as he guided her up and down, up and down, up and down.

Her mouth and throat both grew looser, allowing his burly length to easily slide in and out with very little resistance. The modular design of Zar's body made it so that penetration in her throat was easy once she recognized what she was handling. The space grew more open, and yet at the same time, no less tight. It was juuuuuuust easy enough for him to thrust in and out of her throat, while still being fitted like a moist, leather glove.

And that only served to excite Jake more, whose grip on her head tightened further. Gritting his teeth and closing his eyes, he kept Zar's head in place while his hips performed all of the work, thrusting into her mouth and throat with these strong, weighty--

PAT! PAT! PAT! PAT! PAT! PAT! PAT!

Every impact softly jerked Zar's head back as her throat was transformed into a virtual fucktoy. She could feel every ridge of his dick stroke upon her mouth, as the bulbous head of his cock pushed in deeper and deeper. And with his every thrust, not only did his hips slam and bounce against her lips, but this lewd orchestra of slurps and muffled moans left her lips.

“MMF! SHLRP! MMMPH! SLURRK! MMPH! SLRRP! MMMPH! GLGL! MMMM!"

Jake was downright fucking her face at this point! He even leaned up as sweat glistened on his body, ramming his cock in and out of Zar's mouth with reckless abandon! But he knew he could take it! It was almost as if she was made to take it! Not only did her throat tighten around his cock in a way to maximize pleasure, but she never pushed him away or even attempted to stop him! And why? Because she didn't need to breathe!

And Jake gleefully abuse this fact as pleasure continued building from his frenetic face fuck. Harder and harder and harder, with his teeth clinched and a sliver of drool hanging from his lips, he melded Zar's throat in the shape of his burly cock. And all she could do was look at him with lidded eyes, her hands pressed to his thighs as she braced herself for every impact of his brawny body and dominating dick.

PATPATPATPATPATPATPATPAT!!!

“MMFF! MMMM! NMM! MMM! MM! MMM! MMM!!! NNMP!"

This was overwhelming! Every impact she endured caused Zar's eyes to blink, and her LED status bar to flicker a variety of flashing colors. Jake's dick, his taste, his smell, his size, even his damn sounds, were all overpowering her senses! His every thrust was like a jolt of lighting straight to her brain, making her body ruminate as she felt his cock do likewise! More and more... harder and harder! Beating it into her mind that this pleasure was amazing, and she had done herself a disservice going so long without it! And right here, right now, right when it hit its zenith--

“Aaah!"

SPLLURRRRT!!!

“HMMMM~~~!"

She felt it. Jake's dick unleashed strong, powerful, weighty cum which coated her throat and mouth, funneling it throughout her body and making it twitch. Her LED eyes closed fully and her status bar shined the brightest it could possibly be as he tanked the contents of his balls within her body. His taste, his smell; it all equaled one thing.

Pleasure.

And then Jake pulled back. Sloooooowwwwwwwlllyyyyyyy drawing his length from her lips like he'd done in the garden before. And just like last time, his cock left her lips with a slutty sounding--

POP!

Gazing down, Jake watched as his cum bubbled in Zar's mouth. This white, creamy mess of thick, potent seed stained her maw; from teeth to tongue and everything in between. And like some animal with a fresh bounty, the synth woman swirled his cum around with her tongue, before finally closing her mouth over it and--

“Glllp! Mmmph!"

That...

Was a lot of cum.

“S-sorry about that," Jake apologized sheepishly, “I... I think I got a little bit overzealous there."

“It's... fine... it's fine," replied Zar in a reassuring manner, “I... actually... quite... like it..."

Just admitting to that made her cheeks turn an intense red. But Zar didn't take it back. She... actually smiled. Giggled too. This thrilling situation was not lost on her. Sharing her bed with someone else, feeling that man pump her mouth and throat full of his seed no less. It was erotic! It was sensual! It was something she's never experienced before.

And it made her pussy ache.

Not once in her long, long life has she ever felt the flames of lust burn so relentlessly within her. Zar – a moan leaving her lips – stood up before Jake as her eyes looked down her body. Right there – between her legs – her throbbing pussy leaked its fluids down her thighs. Eye turning a pink color, the synth woman sensually stroked her hand along her belly and towards her pelvis, stimulating herself by the slightest touch alone.

She thought about doing this once. A long, long time ago, after her father's death, she entertained the idea of pleasing herself. She was aware of biology, and aware of the positives of masturbation... though such positives were pointless on someone who, ya'know, didn't have organs. But that's neither here nor there.

No, what really stopped her from indulging in the vices of her own body, was the futility of it all. Why bother pleasing herself when she felt nothing from it? Understanding something like pleasure, and experiencing something like pleasure, are two different things. What she couldn't do by herself, she could do with Jake.

Moving in, Zar placed her hands upon his shoulders, gripping him as she rested herself in his lap. His eyes cutting down, Jake watched as she ground her pussy up against the head of his dick. Despite having just climaxed, he could feel his lusts start flowing through his loins, making it stiffen back up as her hot, wet folds slicked against his head. And that one touch...

“Oh~"

Sent a jolt through Zar's body.

Feeling his tongue and fingers against her pussy was one thing. Feeling his hot cock though? That was something else entirely. When it pressed against her pussy, its rigidity and heat made her cunt throb with randy desire, and even made her bite into her bottom lip to relieve some tension. It didn't work.

But Jake raised his hands and placed them upon Zar's hips and thighs. Locking up, she stared down upon her smaller lover as he began nuzzling the head of his length against her vaginal opening. For a moment, the synth woman wanted to say something, but she was only capable of uttering nervous gasps and equally as excited nods. Chuckling in response, Jake finally angled everything together and--

THWAP!

“AAAAHHAAAAAH~~~!"

Zar saw stars.

Her eyes visibly sputtered and blinked, like a computer screen that was short-circuiting. The LED lights of her status bar were also flickering like mad as her mind was overwhelmed with euphoria. Her virgin pussy was already sensitive to his tongue and fingers, but that didn't stop his dick from ramming its way into her tight, leathery cunt! Its heat! Its girth! Its bumps! Its head! Zar could feel all of it on a finite level as her pussy clinched, and gripped, and swallowed his dick whole.

And Jake?

“Aaaaahh...!"

Once again, he had to thank Jeremiah for blessing his daughter with such an amazing body. So tall, with this reptilian profile, these wider hips, this slender chest, sleek shoulders, and avian head. And, of course, her cunt which suckled his dick down to the base. Did her father carve out her pussy with excruciating detail? He had to wonder, because of all the ridges he felt run against his dick as he pushed it in deeper... and deeper... and deeeeepeeeerrr...

Fuck, he had such a big cock!

Drool slithered out of Zar's lips as she claimed by his dick, her hands gripping tightly upon his shoulders. It felt so good, that even when she was sitting there on his lap – impaled on his cock – she was still a fidgeting, drooling mess. Panting softly, Jake looked up at her with a smile on his lips, while his hands fell upon her hips.

Up and down he stroked and kneaded Zar's body, relaxing her more and more from her near orgasmic high. But... she hadn't climaxed yet, had she? He knew exactly what she'd look like when climaxing, what she'd feel like. And he also knew exactly how she wanted it.

Zar may not know of the fetish she had, but Jake could feel it in her. This ruminations, these quakes, this desire to be utterly dominated. And Jake was going to give it to her. He was going to give it to her so fucking hard!

THWAP!

“GAAUH~!?"

Zar's eyes brightened up as his cock slammed into her pussy with enough force to bounce her up. But before she could recover from such a powerful strike...

THWAP!

“AAAAH~!?"

Jake thrusted again! Her tight pussy clinched around his length, holding so desperately upon him, but not even that would be enough to slow him down! For as his powerful grip tightened on her hips, he pulled back with hi pelvis, and--

THWAP!

“AAAH~! J-JAKE~ AAANNH~~!"

THWAPTHWAPTHWAPTHWAPTHWAPTHWAPTHWAPTHWAP!!!

“AAAAAHHH-HAAAAAAAH~~~! AAAAAHH!!!"

Zar's roaring cries of pleasure not only echoed through her bedroom, but also extended to the halls outside! From wall to wall, corridor to corridor, the heavenly shouts of ecstasy could be heard! They traveled throughout the entirety of Outpost Delta, reaching areas that had not seen life in a long, long, long time!

But the only person there to hear them was Jake himself. And oh, did he love it! Staring up to Zar as she bounced up and down on his burly cock, he indulged in the orgasmic cries of pleasure that left her gaping maw. Shit, it was so fucking intoxicating! Hearing them only made him thrust into her harder, which made her roar louder, which made him thrust harder, which made her roar harder, and so on, and so forth!

Up and down Jake made Zar bounce, his eyes drinking in the erotic sight of her body reacting from his every mighty impact. But then his muscles flexed and body tightened, his hands traveling away from her hips to cup upon her ass. There he squeezed her... he squeezed her haaarrrrd, feeling the soft padding of her butt press back. But a mere grope was not what he wanted! No, he wanted to pick her up--

“Aaah!?"

And slam her down!

“Ooof! Aaahh!"

Zar sank into her mattress and her hands clinched on Jake's shoulders, while her blinking eyes looked up. There above her was her lover, pinning her to the mattress below with his hands to her head and his dick still buried within her leathery cunt. Teeth gritted too, he stopped for a few moments to catch his breath... before buckling down and--

THWAPTHWAPTHWAPTHWAPTHWAPTHWAPTHWAPTHWAP!!!

“AAAAAH-HAAAAAHAMMMMMM!!!"

Once roaring moans were quickly silenced as Jake pressed his lips up to Zar's, but that did very little to stop the pleasure which quaked through her body. Her pussy squelched and popped with every thrust into her slick folds, while her mind struggled to think. Even with all the processors in the world, nothing could help her quantify the euphoria she was feeling. Her eyes blinked, her tongue grew to a slow, the LED status lights on her head and sides all flashed a variety of colors, and even her antennae flickered like someone was toying with a light switch.

The endless thrusting into her body; again and again and again and again! It all pushed her deeper and deeper into her mattress, while his lips and tongue kept her pacified. Every thrust was like a hammer, pounding into her brain like a blacksmith works on armor. All kinks were worked out, all impurities were flattened, and what was left when it was all over...

“MMMMMMMMPHHHH~~~!"

Was pleasure...

SQQQRRRRRT!!!

Jake's eyes widened as Zar's cunt tightened around his dick. From tip to base she milked him off, while showering his pelvis in her clear juices. Her climax was so strong, it sent quakes throughout the rest of her body. Her eyes even flicked off completely, her status lights turned dim, and her antennae even short-circuited. And to top it all off, when Jake pulled back and stared upon her face, her mouth was open and her tongue hung out.

Completely fucked silly.

PAT!

Just...

PAT!

A little...

PAT!

More...

PAT!

And...

“Aaah...!"

Splurrrrt!

By comparison, his orgasm must have been downright modest!

Eyes closed shut, Jake unleashed a torrent of spunk inside of Zar's pussy. Like her mouth and throat before, his virile seed spread to plaster her leathery walls white! And despite being fucked so hard that it laid her body out, the synth woman could feel it! She could feel her lover's spunk ill her, trying to impregnate eggs that did not exist.

But damn did she want them to. Damn did this feel so goooooood!

But for as amazing as their climaxes were – and they were sooooooo amazing – they did not last forever.

Jake – his body covered in steam – fell upon Zar, his head landing upon her flat chest. Feeling him fall, the synth's eyes quickly blinked back on, though they were noticeably dimmed after suffering such an amazing orgasm. But for as drained as she was, she still had enough wherewithal to place her hand on her lover's back, as he snuggled her close.

They didn't say a word; they were too tired to say a word. They just sat there... breathing... in... out... in... out... so... exhausting...

“Hah... Zar...?" Jake whispered as he pulled back to look her in the face.

“Hnn... yes...?" she replied.

“Onyxa... is a beautiful planet..."

She looked out the window.

“Yes... yes it is..."

…

The access code taker. Her fate – her future – existed on this access code taker.

She was naive. Zar had long since come to terms with this realization. A man got lost on her space station, and instead of realizing how odd it was, she accepted him into her home... and her heart. Is it childish to say she fell so fast for him despite only knowing him for a week at best? Yeah... even she'd admit that. She may be over 200 years old, but that did not mean she was the most socially aware.

Ask her to perform complex scientific experiments in the hopes of bringing vegetation to Onyxa? Easy. Ask her how to operate around others? That's significantly harder.

And now, after spending all this time with Jake, in her hands laid the access code taker. It was completely intact and pristine. She didn't even as much as scratch it. So easily she could break the little circuit board and be done with it, stopping whatever crime Jake and his crew were planning. So... why didn't she? Why did she hold it in her hands? Why did she keep it safe? What was she waiting for?

Isn't it obvious?

Seehn!

“Zar... there you are..."

Turning around, Zar stared at the open door of the aerospace control center. And there before her was Jake. He was wearing one of her many lab coats, his underwear, shoes... and nothing else. She did likewise, having draped a lab coat on her shoulders for some bit of modicum.

Standing in the small room together, the two averted their eyes. A rush of emotions was going through Zar at the moment, while Jake sheepishly scratched the back of his head. He didn't even need to see the access code taker in her hand to know that she was focused on it. He was too.

“You... weren't there when I woke up," he said.

“I had a lot to think about," Zar answered, before looking at him as her eyes flashed red, “What do you have to say for this, Jake? And do not think a mere apology will be enough for me to forgive you."

Jake did not respond... because Zar was right. A mere apology would not be enough to fix all of this. Hell, even their amazing, mind-blowing sex would not be enough to smooth over his obvious betrayal.

But he did not come into this room with the intentions of asking for her forgiveness. Mere words weren't good enough. Actions however?

Jake walked up to Zar... and took the access code taker from her hands. Saying not a word, she watched as he lifted the odd device, gripping it on both ends. And then he began bending it. A little bit at first... a bit more... and a bit more... and a bit more until--

Snap!

It broke in twain.

“There," he said with a smile as he handed the now broken key card back to her, “That should do it."

Holding the two pieces in her hands, Zar gasped in surprise. This information – Jake's job – was now broken and unobtainable. Even if they put it together, there's no telling the data on it would be safe. To see him casually throw away his job – his paycheck – made her eyes widen and flash.

“Jake, why did you...?" she whispered, only for him to shake his head.

“It's... pointless," he replied, “There's no need for it anymore. I think... I think I've found something much better than some stupid payment."

“I..."

His words rang in Zar's head, who looked at him as a blush formed on her face. While phrases and idioms may still go over her head, she better understood now what he was talking about. That thing he found which was better than payment? She knew it was her.

It made her quills stand up on end, and caused her tail to swat at the floor in barely restrained joy. Things were still uncertain, not just between them, but their future together... but for the first time in a long time, Zar felt excited. And, no, not excited in how she'd get giddy when a prob returns with new information. No, this excitement was different. This excitement was... romantic.

Romantic...

“But... your crew..." Zar muttered as she looked Jake in the eye, “What about them? They should be returning soon."

“Hm... I wouldn't worry too much about it," Jake replied with a dismissive wave of his hand, “Your a scientist, and I'm a... former criminal. I think we can figure something out!"

His candid tone again made her smile, blush too, before looking down to the shattered access code taker in her hands. Yes, they will figure something out. She always figures something out. Zar was headmaster of Outpost Delta, a very lonely position to have. But now, her days of silent work with nothing but robots and droids were over.

She had someone else to spend her days with.

“So... what should we do first, Zar?" asked Jake as he stood beside her.

“First... we have too..."

Beep! Beep! Beep!

“Break the news to your old crew..."

Jake's face paled.

“Ah... shit... um... I... thought it would be a little bit longer... oops..."

Jake remembered asking Fenton if it ever stopped. Does he ever meet some cute girl and settle down? Possibly get a respectable job, and live in a nice little suburb somewhere on a sunny planet?

Those questions plagued him for years. But now?

Now...

Maybe he didn't have a respectable job. Maybe he didn't live in a nice little suburb. But the settle down with the cute girl?

That? Yeah... he had that!