by Marcus Sloss
Longhouse two and three had been torn down. A metallic square pad, surrounded by railings on all sides, now occupied that space. When I glanced up to see the platforms on the pad, it reminded me of a helicopter landing area, with eight designated platforms. Lilith had said these transportation systems worked via tunnels. You powered them up and they synced to a distant pad through a digital signal; the machine would then bore a sealed tunnel connecting the two points, thereby creating a rapid transportation system between the two points.
I asked about where all the displaced rock and dirt went and was told the drilling construct would send condensed bricks back to the platforms of the initiating pad. Sure enough, as we talked, a platform slid open to deposit a stack of dark cubes on the surface. Each block was about a foot on each side and were constantly carried off by a Crixxi work crew. Since the blocks were not building-grade, we hauled them off to the firing range at the eastern end of the valley to construct new berms, lanes, and firing positions. If we found the time, we could load up one of the aircraft and dump them down the side of the mountain.
I tapped on my Gpad to check on the rapid transportation system’s progress tracker. The underway was about halfway complete and showed me that both sides were carving out swathes of rock deep underground to meet in the middle. That was excellent news.
My eyes darted to study the bathhouse that remained a work in progress. On a pragmatic level, it functioned fine, once we found a concrete mixer and enough concrete mix from Denver’s hardware stores to cover the gravel flooring. With the addition of private bathrooms and extra public bathrooms, people had finally stopped pooping in the woods. During the next golden cycle, our grand market purchases would be all about modernizing our infrastructure.
The other noticeable difference I saw as I looked over the compound, was that we had ripped out a whole lot of trees—so many, in fact, that the only trees in the valley not piled high, waiting to be converted into useful construction materials were in the Taver compound. Those were the only trees left in the valley, a clump the children had named ‘Wooded Lake Park’.
I turned to look south. Clearing ten miles worth of trees along either side of a dirt road was an immense task, but we did it. We now had four lanes of traffic for our corridor with two choke points guarding our entryway.
The sound of a saw chewing through bone reached my ears. The slaughterhouse near the river was polluting our water to no end, but I had caved on the matter, and bought a water purification system, instead of pretending our wells would remain uncontaminated. I knew Clive was probably installing the water treatment plant somewhere behind the residences. I couldn't see much free space from the Crixxi tower I had climbed.
The Crixxi were relentless about their towers. We had eight of them up now and were not even close to housing them all comfortably. Spoiler, a lot of the Crixxi had moved out for hotel rooms in Aspen, up high in the top couple of floors, of course. I understood why when I saw how cramped the wooden tower-homes in the sky were. The Crixxi towers dotted the grounds, evenly placed among the other buildings, with suspension bridges strung between them. Crixxi children ran recklessly with boundless energy across the swaying rope walkways. My stomach always clenched tight, fearing one would fall a hundred feet to the ground with some misstep, but this never happened. Eventually I learned to tune it out, reluctantly accepting that they had been born in trees much taller than this.
Stronghold Mansion had made a lot of progress, but then again, we had regressed somewhat too. Seven hundred of our twelve hundred residents moved to Aspen. I even donated the majority of our bouncy house maze for the civilian families to take with them. It was for a good cause, even if I kicked, moaned, and grumbled about the missing fun houses.
The end result of a peaceful week was a whole new fortification. At least we now had the room to house Mounamine, Pandarin, and more Crixxi. Mansion was still our priority fortification, but a third was being planned for. Soon we would need to scout out a new backup home. It needed to be isolated from the Xgates, but still within range of our portal devices. I knew that meeting would be a fun one, and prayed we’d be able to reach a general consensus. At least I had a Gtower database, with every nearby Xgate’s roaming area mapped.
I let the thought fade, when a series of loud barks drew my attention to the massive cat being harassed by a loyal bulldog, at the foot of my tower.
“Onix, this is Felix, Felix this is Onix. Play nice, you two,” I said, stomping down the ramp. “I guess you earned your reward, Onix. Come Felix.”
I walked up to the mansion with both animals in tow. I waved to Norm when I saw him driving out the gate. Tina sat drying her hair in the passenger seat. Norm’s wife, Slister, was still out training troops. I had not seen much of Tina’s boyfriend, Derek, lately, but he was easy to forget about. The two couples had formed an odd little family unit, though I was probably the last one who’d judge their situation. Neither a harem nor reverse harem, they were simply two couples who had mingled into one.
Perci and Everly waved from where they walked with a group of Pandarin trailing after them. They were giving a tour to the attentive, small creatures; Onix and I were on the receiving end of a lot of finger pointing and sidebar conversations.
I asked the big cat to wait while I ducked into a Mansion that was still a cluttered mess of sleeping spots and kids watching TV. I entered the code to get down to the basement. Poor Felix was panting already, despite the cool spring breeze. Bulldogs had the worst breathing. He must have considered his escort duties complete, and flopped down in the middle of a pile of kids. I walked downstairs and propped open the freezer door; a gush of cold air washed over my body.
Before virum, I would have struggled to carry a couple hundred pounds worth of gargoyle haunch. With my bulkier frame, and my cybernetic-empowered arm, I had no issues until it was time to go climb back up the stairs. I trudged out of the mansion and a sharp set of teeth carefully pried the meat out of my arms. Onix bound for the Taver Woods and quickly vanished from sight.
“Hey,” I yelled, “don’t kill my Tavers, and I expect you to go hunting for us!” I shouted in the cat’s direction. I needed to ensure he understood I had purchased a team member and not a pet; I would expect him to pull his not-inconsiderable weight. Alas, cats don’t give much thought to what others want. They do what they do.
I yawned with a shrug and headed for RV3. I was exhausted and in desperate need of a nap. The alloyed exterior reflected the fading sunset. Mansion was in a much better condition than it had been, even just a few hours ago. Soon, we would focus on stone buildings, opening up a mine, more and higher defensive walls, additional layers of defense, and the list went on. Though I didn’t regret turning over the mansion for the greater good, I was eager for my own home to be built. A castle fit for a king is how my construction foreman, Gary, described the plans Perci turned over to him. I used my Gpad to unlock the back door of RV3 so I could tuck into a rest. For now, I’d settle for my luxury studio apartment on wheels.
CHAPTER 6
A moan escaped my lips as hot, lusty kisses climbed up my neck. I a mass of pink hair out of my face to check the clock and see that I had been asleep for two hours. Willow kept kissing, her salacious tongue working its charms in the hollow of my neck. As I stirred, she shifted her efforts to my lips. Our tongues entwined in a passionate embrace. My cock twitched under the sheets, seeking something juicier than kisses. I pulled Willow on top of me, forcing out a lusty squeak in delightful anticipation.
Her slick vagina pressed its heat against my throbbing boner. She arced her hips, pulling me deep inside of her in a single smooth movement. With a growl, I flipped her over beneath me, watching her large tits bounce around delightfully. Her blue eyes burned with desire and she bit her lower lip seductively.
“Fuck your little slut, Master. Feed me your cum,” Willow purred, her nails raking down my back.
I thrust my hips down, feeding her little vagina as much of my cock as she could
take, our bodies slapping together. She wrapped her legs around my hips and her pussy clutched at my cock. With her legs locked over my hips, I worked us into a steady rhythm of deep pumps. I grunted with each thrust while she moaned.
“Do you like my big cock?” I breathed into her neck and niggled on the lobe of her ear.
Her slick channel clenched my girth, her tightening walls eliciting a tightness that built from the base of my scrotum. Willow was doing her best to get me to cum quickly—and damn if she wasn’t good at it. I slowed our pace, pulling out to teasing her outer lips with the fat head of my steel shaft. Just as her hips arched to pull me back into her depths, I plunged in and out several times. She arched her back with each re-entry, her large plump tits bounced freely.
“I love it Master,” Willow whispered with a moan, “I want to feel you leaking out of my tiny swollen pussy,”.
“What’s the hurry?” I teased.
“Pre-nap sex. Now stop talking, or I will take over and squeeze that girthy cock of yours until you fill me,” Willow said, a cry of pleasure pulled from her lips as I pumped deep into her again.
She flipped over to lie face down, ass up. I slammed back into her tiny slit and she gripped the sheets tightly. I rammed her from behind over the next five minutes until her head was banged into the wall of the RV. She used her hands to push back from the headboard and grinded her hips into my crotch until I exploded inside her. My balls pumped her full as I pulsed my load deep into her.
I crashed to flop down beside her with a light huff. I rolled over to grab a rag from the nightstand to clean off with.
“Pre-nap sex or not, how about an after-sex chat? We have both been so busy lately that I wanted to ensure you are okay. Emotionally, I mean” I said, proffering the rag for her to clean herself off. She refused, glorying in the feeling of my seed trickling down her thigh. I smirked and she giggled.
“I am great,” she replied, “but, I thought we already had this conversation.”
“That was before Everly,” I replied, pulling myself off the sheets. I went to my overhead storage slot where I found a fresh kilt and plain shirt. “I am so looking forward to our castle.”
“You and me both. Eric, don’t get me wrong. Tender moments which transition into rough sex pretty much describes my best fantasies. Everly has been a great fit. Hell, we all love Jill. I should be conflicted and jealous; I don’t pretend to understand why that isn’t the case, but I am happy and content,” Willow said, getting up on her knees to give me a hug. Her double-D breasts squished pleasantly into my upper abs. I kissed the top of her head gingerly.
“If I have a problem with any of this, you’ll be the first to know.” She smiled up at me, “Eric, we have a child, or children, on the way. We will face whatever challenges arise as a family, and as a family, we’ll kick their asses.”
“I love you Willow,” I said, nuzzling my nose into her pink tresses, “best wake up ever.”
She squeezed me tight.
“Next question. Nancy wants off the line,” I sighed, “and I’m sure she won’t be the only combat experienced veteran looking for a non-combat role. I need to fill fifty officer positions, if not more. Technically, each TG99 should have an officer in command. You want to be an officer?”
“Am I ready?” Willow asked, giving me a deep gaze with those blue eyes I adored.
“Probably not, but you might be. No one is really ready for their first command. There are going to be a lot of slots filled by untrained, underprepared people. The only choice Jevon and I have is sticking with those who have the best shot at keeping themselves and their troops alive, and replacing those that fail repeatedly. You won’t fail, Willow. I believe in you and I know you would have made your Dad proud. You make me proud,” I said earnestly.
She buried her head into my chest. “I love you too, Eric. I will try my best.” She held me tightly for a long moment, then let me go. “Now,” she commanded, “get out of our room. I need to sleep, that stupid market is so draining.”
I dressed and left the RV to greet a star-speckled night sky. Intermittent clouds let a full moon and the multitude of stars shine bright. The interior of the Mansion compound remained insanely busy. I doubt things had slowed down much, if at all, since I lay down for my nap. I saw children being chased by Pandarin, parents bemusedly watching over the playful interactions. The fact that every child’s need for sleep had been cut in half by the virum was something I had not realized was becoming an issue until Jill brought it up and our community adjusted to a new normal. Beyond the playful toddlers, the kitchen was going full tilt, with teams cooking food for rotating shifts as they filtered through the chow hall.
“This way!” Braxton shouted from my left.
He waved a tank forward, hauling a sled piled high with generators. I decided to jump right into helping out, when something caught my eye. A hundred foot tall robot stood stationary next to longhouse twenty-six. I had to assume it had been easy to operate and to tuck it there in between the buildings.
Hmm… The only thing better than waking up to amazing sex was playing with a giant robot. I decided to skip helping our electrician to tour the Goliath, instead. This was my kind of wake up. I jogged by the crows of workers and returned the waves of a couple of the teams. A quick glance down at my Gpad as my feet crunched loose gravel underfoot, showed I had eighty-three alerts. I kept jogging towards the Goliath’s foot when I saw that only two of the messages remained for me to deal with. Mclain had made a request for additional funds, wishing to spend more than he had been allocated for shielding. The other alert was a notification that we had hit our cap and no longer had the ability to convert more resources at the portals. Okay, both of those issues would hold for a few minutes, at least.
I reached the foot of the mighty robot and craned my neck up. I tried to open the foot by touching the metallic surface. The off white coating of the boot projected a screen that let me know the robot was currently occupied and requesting I enter the proper code. Where the hell did I input anything? It was just a curved boot with no obvious interface. My rapid taps against the projected screen were interrupted when the foot opened. My fist pumping victory was short lived. I had not cracked the code, Nancy stood there, with her beautiful blonde hair flowing over her shoulders.
“You busy?” I asked with a winning smile combined with what I hoped was a dashing pose.
She folded into me with a tight hug. “I am exhausted. How about you carry me to our bed, my love?” She fluttered her eyelashes at me in a hilarious imitation of despair. “I would adore you forever, my Viking King,” Nancy said, with a ‘woe is me’ backhand to her forehead.
I scooped her into my arm in a princess carry, unable to resist becoming her knight in shining armor … er, t-shirt and kilt. “The robot can wait, wife of mine.” I kissed her soundly, “now tell me how the shopping went.”
“You got a new powered shotgun—”
“Big sploosha!” I interrupted.
“Whatever,” she smirked, “as well as another sniper rifle, and I picked you up a heavy machine gun. The alien gatling gun has its own power pack, so shouldn’t be a drain on your nitrogen power plan, and your cybernetic arm should be able to handle the extra weight. I am getting worried that we are becoming too reliant on one damage source, so I bought heavier punching projectiles rifles, like the peeblenator, only bigger. The vendor told me I was dumb until I mentioned the Lurrol, and he grudgingly admitted I had a point. Your weapons are somewhere over in that craziness,” Nancy said, flipping her hand in the direction of the Xgate.
I arm curled her body up to my chest, leaving a tender kiss on her lips. “I missed you today,” I sighed, “so much so that I want to have sex, but Willow is sleeping.”
“I was going to fuck you in the robot …” I began.
Nancy pressed a finger to my lips. “Promise you a rain-check on awesome sex in the giant robot. You can pound my sweet pussy while we both enjoy the amazing view.” She stroked my cheek.
“Don’t think I didn’t notice you called me your wife. I am one of your queens. We will have a seamstress sew proper wedding dresses and can all get married when our castle is built ... before our children are born.”
I nodded, kissed her forehead and agreed, “Before our children are born. Oh, hey, before I forget, consider your request to shift to a non-combat role approved. I will be offering that option to others as we supplement our forces with contract Crixxi.”
“Good I love you, Eric.” She positively glowed with happiness. “Perci may have let slip what you want me to do, and I promise to be a wonderful manager of Bastion’s support staff, now set me down.”
I set her down on her own feet, but kept her tucked in to my side.
“You need to approve one of three things immediately. Either additional automated crop production, more exoskeleton suits, or additional contracts for Crixxi that randomly hit the market. All three required the shifting of priorities and funds; Jevon refused to give me an answer, saying that each of those can wait,” Nancy said as we pulled up outside RV3. I opened the door for her. She hopped up the steps, calling back over her shoulder, “The Goliath is easy to operate. Have fun. See you in a few hours.”
“Sleep well,” I called out and sprinted for the robot.
The last thing I needed was someone else stealing my turn to play with my new toy. A few dogs chased after me, trying to see what the excitement was. Felix lifted his head from a spot in the grass. His bulldog side-eye said it all: “Forget it, I’m too lazy to run.”
I rounded the corner to see a bunch of young boys trying to convince the littlest one to go in. Umm… Shit. I couldn’t be leaving the entrance to a hundred foot tall being of destruction open for our youth to toy around with. That was my job, dammit!
In my best dad voice, I called out, “Step away from the robot.”