Lure of the Sirens: A Sci Fi Choose Your Own Erotic Story

by Callista Hawkes

  Vanessa’s blissfully oblivious form, gazing at her powerlessly as you are

  slowly and painfully drained of life force over the next two days before you

  finally succumb. The tendrils complete their work, leaving your corpse as the

  latest husk-like victim of the strange organism that has infested the

  Magellan.

  THE END

  Go back a few moments and rethink your actions

  You set a course for Omega station, leaving the remains of the Magellan behind you and flying between the tumbling wrecks of two

  centuries of victims of the strange organism. Within a few minutes, you have

  left the debris field behind you and prepare for the jump to hyperspace.

  “Told you we were lucky.” You comment to Vanessa. She narrows her

  eyes at you and shakes her head in disbelief. You press the hyperspace

  button and the engine hum builds until the ship lurches as the stars fade and

  you hurtle back into the swirling crimson vortex of hyperspace.

  “What euphoric vision did the organism put in your mind anyway?”

  You ask Vanessa as you sit back, watching the constantly shifting patterns of

  hyperspace through the cockpit window. “What is sexual gratification to an

  android? A software update and an oil change?”

  “You really are a prick, Trent.” Vanessa replies hotly.

  “Well, what was it then?” You reply, grinning.

  “None of your business.” She growls, blushing.

  “Maybe your fantasy started with you dressed all in white, walking

  down an aisle towards a devilishly handsome and roguish smuggler?” You

  suggest with a raised eyebrow.

  “None. Of. Your. Fucking. Business.” She replies, in a tone that

  encourages you to drop the subject. You grin and recline in your seat,

  throwing your feet up onto the console and drifting off to sleep.

  Continue

  “Vanessa!” You cry out, starting back towards her. The tendrils fill the air around you and you yell out as they wrap around your legs, binding them

  together and sending you crashing to the floor next to her. You reach out,

  your fingertips falling just short of her own outstretched hand.

  “I’m sorry Trent.” She tells you as the tendrils begin to drag her back

  along the corridor towards the reactor chamber. The tendrils wrap around

  you and you struggle futilely against them. Your hand sinks into the red

  carpet of tendrils and you feel a familiar shape against your fingers. You pull Vanessa’s blaster from the spongy mass and open fire, energy blasts

  peppering the mass of vine-like strands. You hear a roar of pain echoing

  down the corridor from the reactor chamber and the tendrils slacken their

  grip on you. You struggle free of them and race after Vanessa, blasting the

  tendrils around her. Again the organism’s otherworldly bellow fills the air

  and the tendrils release Vanessa and stop their writhing, the corridor again

  growing dormant. Your euphoria is short-lived as you realise the tendrils

  have badly injured Vanessa, crushing her body beneath their constricting

  wraps.

  “You’re going to be ok.” You tell her hoarsely, dropping to your knees

  next to her badly misshapen form.

  “You always were a terrible liar.” Vanessa smiles weakly, before

  coughing up a mouthful of green hydraulic fluid. “Listen, I don’t have long. I

  know you’ve always questioned what was real and what was programmed. I

  always wish I could have eased your doubts, but perhaps now I’m at my end

  you can truly believe me. I don’t know if an android could ever really love

  someone, but if they can, then know that I love you and have done for a

  long, long time. I might have been manufactured for sex, but I never truly

  enjoyed it until I was with you. You made me feel… human…” She smiles one

  last time before the light in her eyes dims and her hydraulics finally fail, her head flopping to one side.

  “Goddamn it Vanessa.” You murmur, tears stinging your eyes,

  squeezing her hand tightly as if that will bring her back. You wipe the tears

  from your cheeks with the back of your hand, telling yourself she’s nothing

  but a damn machine and you certainly wouldn’t have got emotional about a

  broken power coupling or fuel valve. You remind yourself that Vanessa was

  nothing but a partner and a convenient outlet for your lustful urges. You

  laugh out loud, knowing that you’re only kidding yourself, before letting go,

  pressing your lips to hers one last time and weeping for the woman you loved.

  The organism, obviously wary of your blaster, leaves you unmolested

  as you make your way back to your ship. You pass through the crew lounge

  you had entered earlier, surprised to find a thick layer of dust and grime

  over everything and all the cryo-tubes standing empty and unused. You

  realise that you must have been under the thrall of the organism from the

  moment you stepped into this room and never saw the real interior, just the

  construct it had formed in your mind. You reach the Eclipse and quickly

  withdraw the docking tube, leaving the Magellan behind before swinging

  around and targeting the engine and reactor section.

  “This is for you, Vanessa.” You murmur grimly before opening fire,

  bolts of plasma energy lighting up space as they shoot towards the ancient

  vessel. They rip into the Magellan’s hull and there is a blinding light as the

  nuclear reactor explodes, ripping the vessel apart, the debris tumbling

  through space to smash into nearby wrecks. Satisfied, you weave your way

  through the debris field away from what is left of the Magellan.

  With the organism destroyed, its influence over this part of space is

  ended and you soon leave the graveyard of disabled ships and battered

  debris behind. You plot a course for Omega station and take the Eclipse back

  into hyperspace.

  Continue

  “Alter course and take us to the nearest civilised planet.” You sigh reluctantly. Vanessa nods, her fingers flying over the console in front of her.

  “Eridani II is closest, just a couple of hours away.” She tells you.

  “Do it.” You reply curtly, annoyed by this latest inconvenience.

  Two hours later you drop out of hyperspace and enter orbit around

  Eridani II. The only inhabited planet in the system, Eridani II is an ocean

  planet but with huge rocky islands floating in the sky over the watery

  surface. The islands vary greatly in size from some not much larger than

  boulders, to others hundreds of miles across. You take the controls as you

  enter the atmosphere, swooping low towards the azure seas before levelling

  off and streaking towards one of the cities, the huge sprawling metropolis’s

  skyscrapers extending high above the rocky island and hanging down from

  the underside like glassy cuboid stalactites. As you reach the underside of

  the city, you expertly pilot the ship through the forest of hanging

  skyscrapers before bringing the Eclipse in to land in a hanger built into the

  side of one of the larger buildings.

  “Let’s go find Hector.” You say, climbing out of your seat.

  “You know how I feel about that pervert.” Vanessa growls.

  “It’s not like we have much of a choice is it?” You reply. “And we need

  his help, so play nice.”

&nbs
p; You step down the boarding ramp and see Hector put down a plasma

  cutter and pull up his protective goggles. He is one of the indigenous

  Eridanians and as he strolls towards you, his scaly lips curl into a smile.

  “Trent, my old friend!” He calls out, his voice echoing in the cavernous

  hanger. The Eridanians, though humanoid, share many characteristics with

  reptiles. They are cold blooded with scaly, leathery light green skin and no

  hair, their heads crested to the back of their skulls.

  “Hector.” You smile, shaking his hand. “Good to see you.”

  “And you.” He nods before his eyes flick to Vanessa. “And especially

  you my dear.”

  He takes her hand and stoops, pressing his lips to it. She glares at you,

  showing her distaste.

  “Now what have you done to the Eclipse this time?” He asks, gazing up

  at the boxy freighter. Hector has carried out a number of repairs for you

  over the years and knows the ship well.

  “Hyperspace coil on engine two’s running hot.” Vanessa replies.

  “You make me run hot every time I see you.” Hector grins wolfishly,

  his gaze dropping to Vanessa’s breasts.

  “You want to keep your eyes, you’d best look elsewhere.” Vanessa

  growls. Hector’s smile falters slightly, but he recovers quickly.

  “Such fire. I like that in a woman.” He grins, before turning back to

  you. “I’ll take a look at the coil. It’ll likely take a few hours to repair. You’re welcome to stay here and wait, or go for a wander around the city. Topside’s

  beautiful this time of year.”

  Stay

  Take a walk around the city

  “Thanks, we’ll go for a wander topside.” You tell Hector. He nods and

  with one last leer in Vanessa’s direction, turns his attention to your ship.

  You make your way from the hanger, walking along the suspended

  streets of the underside, supporting struts and steelwork stretching up to

  their fixing points in the rocky underside of the floating island. Even during

  the day, with the underside forever in shadow, the streets are in an eerie

  twilight.

  You reach a terminal and board a huge turbo lift which quickly takes

  you through the core of the floating island to the upper surface. You emerge

  from the busy turbo lift terminal into the sun drenched, gleaming streets of

  the rich topside district. Monolithic glass skyscrapers tower all around you as

  you make your way through the bustling streets towards the Balcony,

  topside’s main tourist attraction. You know the way, but even if you didn’t,

  you’d just need to follow the sound of roaring water.

  A few minutes later, you step out onto the broad terrace overlooking a

  huge waterfall which cascades down from high above you before dropping

  into the sea several hundred yards below. Groups of tourists of various

  species admire the view, gathering near the edge of the terrace and cooing

  in wonder. Expensive bars and restaurants catering to an intergalactic

  clientele are arrayed behind you, but even with the rampant

  commercialisation, nothing can detract from the natural beauty of the

  waterfall.

  “Even though we’ve been here before, it still takes my breath away.”

  Vanessa murmurs in awe, leaning on the railing and gazing out at the falls.

  “Thank you. I don’t think I could have tolerated that pervert for another

  moment.”

  “Is one sex obsessed reprobate in your life enough?” You grin.

  “You said it.” She chuckles, her long red hair blowing in the gentle

  breeze. “What do you want to do now?”

  Have a drink in a bar

  Time is of the essence. Get back to the hanger and see if Hector has repaired

  the hyperspace coil

  “We’d better head back.” You tell Vanessa. “We’ll see how Hector is getting on with that hyperspace coil.”

  “You really know how to treat a girl.” Vanessa replies acidly, taking

  one last longing look at the picturesque waterfall as you turn to leave.

  “When we’ve claimed our bounty for this job, we’ll have plenty of time

  to enjoy ourselves.” You reply as you begin to retrace your steps back

  towards the turbo lift terminus.

  “That’s what you said last time.” Vanessa grumbles, falling into step

  beside you.

  As you walk across the hanger towards the Eclipse, your footsteps

  echoing through the cavernous space, Hector looks up from behind the open

  engine housing. Your heart sinks when you see his grim expression.

  “It’s not good news.” Hector tells you as you reach him, wiping his

  hands on an oily rag. “I’ve patched the hyperspace coil up as best I can, but

  it’s on its last legs.”

  “How long until it fails?” You ask him.

  “Difficult to say.” Hector shrugs. “Today, tomorrow, next week. But it

  will fail and soon. You need a replacement and I don’t have any.”

  “Know anyone that does?” Vanessa asks.

  “Afraid not.” He grimaces. “Blame your partner there for owning an

  antique. They just don’t make coils like this anymore.” He pauses, deep in

  thought for a moment. “Having said that, it’s a long shot but…”

  “What?” You ask, brightening.

  “There’s a scrapyard on a nearby island west of here.” Hector replies,

  stroking his chin. “It’s mainly rusty junk and the proprietor is a little on the eccentric side, but if your luck holds out, there may be a hyperspace coil you

  can use. Equally, you might just be wasting your time.”

  Try the scrapyard island

  Get back into space and hope your patched up hyperspace coil holds out

  “How about a drink?” You ask Vanessa.

  “Sounds good.” She smiles, turning away from the waterfall.

  “But not one of these soulless places.” You gesture derisively at the

  upmarket bars behind you. “There’s a bar I know a few streets away from all

  the tourists. A place with a bit more character.”

  “You mean a dive full of lowlifes.” Vanessa replies rolling her eyes.

  “Our kind of place.” You grin.

  “Speak for yourself.” Vanessa growls before letting out a sigh of

  resignation. “Lead on.”

  A few minutes later, you descend a flight of steps into the dingy

  interior of the bar. The air is thick with smoke and pungent with the smell of

  stale beer and the body odour of several different species of alien. You

  approach the bar and order some drinks from an Eridanian barman with a

  jagged scar down his cheek. Moments later he returns, slamming the glasses

  down before you, the beer spilling onto the bar. You gulp down half the

  glass before letting out a satisfied sigh.

  “I must admit I had reservations, but this is a fine establishment.”

  Vanessa comments dryly, glancing around at the rough looking clientele

  before sipping at her own drink. Her biomechanical innards would convert

  the drink into various lubricants and though she wouldn’t become

  intoxicated by the alcohol content, she was programmed to simulate the

  effects and act accordingly.

  “It has a certain bohemian charm.” You shrug apologetically.

  “Trent.” Rasps a voice behind you. Your shoulders drop, recognising

  the voice.

  “Gr
imm!” You smile, turning to face the stocky giant of a man. His

  shaven head has the appearance of being roughly carved from granite and

  he regards you coolly with his one remaining eye. “Good to lay eyes on one

  another! Well, eye.” You wince. “How long has it been?”

  “Since you cut and ran with all the loot and left me to be taken in?”

  Grimm growls.

  “A long time.” You muse, your hand resting on your blaster and hoping

  Vanessa is doing the same. “A lot of water under a lot of bridges since then

  eh?”

  “Not for me.” He replies, his eye widening and his nostrils flaring. “You

  don’t know how many nights in Titan prison I dreamt about making you suffer.”

  “We all have a dream.” You grin, weighing up your options.

  Draw your blaster and shoot Grimm

  Smash your glass over his head and make a run for it

  Your hand tightens on your blaster and you pull it from your holster.

  Too obvious and Grimm easily wrenches it from your hand. Behind you,

  Vanessa struggles as one of Grimm’s cohorts rips her own blaster from her

  grasp. Grimm’s single eye glares malevolently at you.

  “No need for violence.” You grin, holding up your hands.

  “No need,” He agrees, “But when has that ever stopped me?” He grins

  before savagely smashing his forehead into your face. You drop to your

  knees, tasting blood before everything goes black.

  Continue

  You awake in a gloomy, dilapidated warehouse. You are sitting on the cold, damp floor and are propped up against a steel column, your hands tied

  behind your back.

  “Awake are you?” Vanessa asks tetchily. You glance to your right and

  find she is tied to the next column. The cavernous interior of the warehouse

  is empty and only a few of the lights dangling from the ceiling are

  operational, leaving most of it in shadow. From the musty smell and the

  steady dripping of water through the ceiling, you guess you’ve been taken

  back to the underside and probably aren’t far from Hector’s hanger. If you