One night stand.

Paige kissed me, grabbing my head in her arms, her feathers tickling my ears as they twitched excitedly.

"Don't..ahn... don't you dare ...uhn...leave me ever again,....ahn.....idiot!" She moaned.

"Yes." I found myself replying, reciprocating her kiss, "I'll never leave you, ever!"

Suddenly, the computer blared an alarm and gas began to flood into the room, all doors closing automatically.

I felt dizzy and tired.

Sleepy.

The last thing I saw before I lost consciousness being the sign on the screen.

Mind control detected. Engaging emergency measures.

I awoke with a start and found myself on the office floor, Paige leaning on my chest muttering something, as a droid pushed the anti mind control earpiece into my ear.

"Shit. Did Paige just try to master me?

Or was it unintentional? Computer?"

"No intent to harm detected in the brain scans. Likely a mistake." It answered.

I sighed.

Looks like her emotions are the involuntary trigger mechanism for her master ability. And here I thought she'd gotten better control of herself after the second trigger.

I shook my head.

Gotta get Paige some training with this or else she'll end up mastering anyone she fucks.

I looked down at her feathered haystack of a head and booped her freckled nose gently.

I played with a feather on her head as I contemplated the situation.

I had tried so hard to reject her advances subtly. To save her the hurt of me leaving once Offee is brought back.

Offee might agree to Paige being woth me, but will Paige do the same.

And if she doesn't?

Paige was cute, certainly, but was I willing to betray Offee for her?

Of course not!

Offee was my wife. The one who gave her life for me.

She's the one woman I will not betray unless my own life is on the line.

My goal here was after all to revive Offee, have my family back together.

Besides, Paige is too pure for the multiverse. Taking her along would only end up hurting her.

But as I stared at her cute sleeping face, my mind started to give in to the idea.

I hadn't had sex in months and well...I am a healthy young man, barely 23.

I guess, I'll see. Cross that bridge when I come to it.

For now, work awaits, and so does my cute little son. He must be hungry.

Gently, I slipped from under Paige, and picked her up in my arms as the doors opened up.

"Is this a bad time?" Riley asked from the doorway, looking between me and Paige.

"Huh?...oh no. No. It's completely fine.

She's just asleep. Come, have a seat. There's still some breakfast left if you want. Help yourself while I lay her down on something more comfortable. I'll be back in a minute."

I brought Paige to a spare room amd laid her down on the bed, before returning.

"So, what did you want to talk about?"

"I ...I just wanted to ask what I should do? I don't know what you...we do.

With Ja-With Him." She stressed, "We used to, um you know. And I'm just lost on what I'm supposed to do around the house...Da-da...."

"Relax. Riley. Just call me Jay if it helps. Don't force yourself." I assured her, "Remember what I told you when we first met. Families don't form in a day. It takes time. For ALL parties involved. So take it easy. You don't have to call me dad or papa." I patted her head gently.

She squinted cutely and nodded, relaxing, her shoulders eased up.

"Now eat up first. I'm sure you both have had nothing but ice cream to eat since yesterday." I said.

"No. Star actually had the droid chefs make us dinner last night. Lobster salad." She replied, biting down on a bacon strip with both hands.

"Uhuh? That's good." I said, checking up on the other data, and supplies a available for further operations when I spotted someone on the ship I did not expect to see.

In the storage area for the retrieved tech, under guard from droid commandos was a woman.

"Computer." I asked, "What is String Theory doing on the goddamn ship!?"

"Language!" Riley interjected, almost instictively, before recoiling.

I looked at her, raising an eyebrow and she shrunk back guiltily.

"....sorry. My mother....she told me that swearing is bad. And.... taking god's name in vain...and....."

"It's okay, Riley. I was just surprised. I'm not angry. It's understandable to want to keep the memory of your family alive." I assured her.

"...Even if it hurts?" She asked a moment later, with pained eyes.

"Especially if it hurts. So that you never allow it to happen again. So that now, with your newfound power you protect those that you love." I said.

She looked down at her plate of food thinking something, and sniffled, nodding.

"Okay." She smiled, tearfully.

I smiled back and poured another helping of chilli onto her plate.

"And eat up. You're a growing girl. You'll need some meat on those bones of yours."

I turned my attention to the computer again.

"So, what's String Theory doing here again?" I asked.

"She wouldn't let go of the weapon designation God Driver 01. Under your instructions, priority was given to the extraction of technology. But from the human life preservation directives implanted in the worker droids, they came to the conclusion that removing her without harming her would compromise the mission of extraction. Hence, she was brought along. I have taken the liberty of putting her under armed guard for her stay here awaiting further instructions." The computer answered.

Ugh.

That can be dangerous.

I need to stop going into a tinkering frenzy on mega seed juice highs.

It helps complete massive projects in a tenth of the time required otherwise but oversight can be dangerous in it's own way.

Or maybe I can just go over the recordings of it once I'm done so this stuff doesn't blindside me.

"Very well. Bring her over. And get the memory eraser gun and a shard extractor too. Let's deal with this problem first. Then schedule Noelle's surgery. Let's get as much of it done today as possible." I said.

"I can help with the surgery!" Riley chirped up.

"You can, yes. But should you? You just escaped a six year nightmare, Riley.

Are you sure you want to go back there, this soon?" I asked.

She paused in her tracks and pursed her lips, taking in a deep breath.

"I....want to help. Please. I just want to do something. Anything to take my mind off of ...." She winced.

"If it's that painful, I can erase those memories for you. Or get you therapy."

I said, grabbing her hand in mine. "Riley. Riley! Look at me. There are options. You don't have to struggle with your trauma alone. I promised you that much at least. Okay? You don't have to bury yourself in your work. It ... trust me on this, it doesn't help."

Riley nodded.

"But ...I still want to help. Can I? Please?" She asked with puppy eyes.

Except hers didn't work as well. She wasn't Star after all.

I had raised that boy. He mattered so much more to me.

Still, I agreed. Might as well see how well she can work now that she's free and decidedly less....evil.

Will her capabilities have decreased, or increased?

I'm curious.

"Of course." I replied, rubbing her hand.

"Thank you!" She beamed, and returned to her food as clanking rang out in the hallway.

Droid commandos led in String Theory bound and gagged.

A portal opened up by my side and a droid carrying the devices I requested walked out, handing them to me.

"Follow me to the next room over." I ordered and we moved rooms, setting String Theory against the wall.

I fiddled with the crystal bulb on the memory eraser gun, checking it's condition while String Theory sytuggled in her binds, trying to say something.

"Remove her gag." I ordered, and the commandos followed.

"Haah! Finally. What did you make that thing from? It stinks!" She cried.

"Used robes, waste leather, reworked blaster scraps. It's called recycling." I replied.

"Well it stinks!" She whined.

"Then I have some good news for you. Because soon, you won't have to worry about any of this." I supplied.

"No! You promised to let me go free! You promised!" She cried.

"I will. I'm not killing you."

"I know. That's a memory eraser gun, isn't it? Erasing my memory is as good as killing me! But what is man if not his experiences?!"

"Good thing you're not a man then, huh?" I replied, smirking.

"Please! This isn't a joke! I'll die! I'll.... I'll kill myself! Yes! I'll do it!" She said.

"And you think I care because?" I asked, curious.

"Because you're a good person. You care. If you wanted to keep your tech secret, and you didn't care, you'd have killed me already! You're a big softie. I know it!"

I burst out laughing at her statement, much to her confusion.

"Ahahahaha...." I bellowed, raising a hand at her, as I leaned on the table, doubling over.

"Oh that is... that's funny. That's ....hah..I needed that.

But no. The reason I'm not killing you, is because I promised my wife I'd try to be ....less violent if possible.

Keyword? Try. Don't push your luck.

Here's what we're gonna do. I'm going to remove your powers, wipe out your memory of me and my tech, and dump you in some random city somewhere. Unlike Cauldron, I won't even mark you with a specialized tramp stamp.

And just to honor the memory of my wife, I'll even add in a nice 2 million dollars as a bonus. To get you back on your feet. How does that sound?"

"I saved your life! You promised! You'd marry me! Bastard!" She said, crying.

I hesitated for a moment and exhaled sharply. She's got me there. She did save my life.

I may be selfish, but I'm not ungrateful.

"I said I'd consider it. But fine." I sighed.

"I won't erase your memory."

"Yay!" String Theory cheered, her crocodile tears disappearing immediately.

I smiled, shaking my head.

"But I'm still taking your shard. You're too dangerous to be left with it."

"Noooo~" she protested.

"Yes." I said, gesturing at the commandos to bring her closer.

"Fine. But on one condition." She argued.

"I don't think you're in any condition to be making demands." I laughed.

"And yet I just did!" She said grinning.

"Touche." I replied, injecting her with a CodeRed.

"I want you to fuck me." She said.

"Wait what?" I asked, confused.

"Did you not hear me? I want you to fuck my brains out." She repeated.

"No I heard that the first time. My question is why? What do you even get from that? I'm not going to marry you or anything, if that's what you think."

"I don't want commitment, you sissy. I haven't had a good fuck in a while. Prison men are ...ugh. No consideration for what I want."

"And what makes you think I'd be any different? I'm giving you a substantial payout. Hire a gigolo. Hire a whole company." I said, placing the shard extractor on her neck.

"But I want you." She said, looking me with a crazed look in the eyes.

Man that's hot!

I shook my head.

No. No horny.

Damnit. Paige turned me on and fell asleep and now I have to deal with this.

Where's some mega seed juice when you need it?

"What are you thinking so hard about? I don't think I'm lacking in any department!" She pressed.

"I wouldn't be so sure." I said, looking at her chest.

"A woman is more than her chest!" She huffed.

"Well if by more you mean your personality... you're not particularly sane either."

"Who needs sanity? Besides, haven't you heard, crazy pussy is the best pussy!" She replied proudly.

"I have also been warned to never stick my dick in crazy.

But sure, why not. It's not like I'm losing anything.

A one night stand won't hurt me.

If you can survive this procedure without asking me to wipe your memory, I'll do it." I said, pressing the button with a smirk.

"The question is, can you?"

"Oh You betcha!" She replied with a smug grin as the extractor began to buzz into action.

The hooks dug into her neck, boring her skull open, and she grit her teeth, looking me straight in the eyes all through it.

Not uttering the slightest chirp.

Bitch was mad dogging me!

And somewhere deep down, I can respect that. That shit takes balls of steel to do.

I myself would have screamed like a little girl all throughout this.

And damn if it isn't a turn on that someone would go that far to get with you.

As the shard emerged into the tube, she fell to the floor, and I caught her in my arms before she shattered the vial.

Pulling the extractor off of her neck, I looked down at her, worn, half lidded eyes, and that goofy grin on her face.

"I win." She said, softly, her head lolling in my arms, and I couldn't hold back any longer.

I placed the extractor on the table and kissed her surprisingly soft lips, as her cheeks flushed.

Fuck that is so hot.

"Take me~" she whispered, and I carried her away to bed.

Someone deserves a treat.