THREATS WITH STEEL SKIN

(What do I do? Is this woman…does she know Lucianna?)

The four-armed robot spread its limbs wide, each of them transforming into some sort of weapon: one a stun rod, one a rifle, and the last two blades. Its red eyes narrowed and focused on the taller, muscular woman down the street.

Her grin flattened into a line. She adjusted her feet into a wide stance.

(Is she really going to fight blindfolded?)

Ash and smoke filled the air as the fire in Milo's apartment began to spread and climb the rest of the building. The fire alarms cried incessantly, and police sirens joined in with dissonant wails of their own.

Milo paced back and forth. If he took off now, no one might realize he was the dead man from the High-Mart fire.

("Your only hope is to come with me." That's what she said…)

The robot charged forward.

"NEW OBJECTIVE: APPREHEND RIVRA, THE SCRAPSTER PRINCESS."

For a giant, lumbering bot, it closed the distance between them rather quickly. Milo's mouth flopped open as the green-skinned woman remained motionless. (Is she trying to die?)

"Hey, watch out!"

She didn't react, letting the robot devour even more of the space between them.

The robot lunged forward, stabbing at her with the stun prod.

(She's going to get stunned!) His feet still tingled with the unrelenting flow of electricity. (Move, lady! Move!)

As the stun rod came within feet of her, the green-skinned woman dodged to her left. Milo's eyes widened. Several of the crowd members gasped. Despite her massive frame, she shifted her weight so effortlessly, so fluidly, the robot had no time to adjust its trajectory, flying past her and exposing its back.

Like a spider ensnaring its prey, she spun around and seized two of the robot's arms. With little effort, she tore the arms from their sockets, showering the street with sparks and grease. The robot let out a mechanical cry as it collapsed.

(Whoa! T-that was so quick!)

The robot lay still on the ground, oil leaking from its joints. The woman turned until she faced Milo. She stepped toward him.

"If you don't trust me, I understand. But I come on behalf of my captain, Lucianna, the Pirate Queen."

She kneeled down so that her face was even with Milo's. She smelled of sweat and oil, like a car garage on a summer day. Milo thought she was kind of pretty, for a green woman with tusks.

"Lucianna sent you?"

"She sensed you were in danger. I don't understand it, but she said something about a bond you two share."

Milo clasped the diamond in his wrist, and a bit of warmth radiated up his arm. (Did she really hear me? What else can this thing do?)

There was a whining and clattering, like a car engine struggling to start. Behind the woman, the robot rose to its feet and turned toward them. It pointed one of its remaining arms, the one with a rifle, at the woman's back. Its eyes spun and adjusted, calibrating for the perfect shot.

"H-hey! Look out!"

"I wouldn't worry about it too much."

A laser hurled through the air, and as it connected with the woman's back, there was a sound like thunder, and the laser rebounded, splitting the robot's face in half.

Like a toy with dead batteries, the robot's eyes flickered out, and its body fell into a heap of oil, sparks, and scrap.

Milo threw his hands up.

"How did you do that?"

The woman smirked. "A lady must keep some of her secrets, eh? Even one as large as me. Now, then."

She scooped Milo up into her arm, and he yelped. She hoisted him on top of her shoulders. The world around Milo spun. He wasn't afraid of heights, but being this high up so unexpectedly, and on the back of a rather attractive, powerful woman…

"Oh? Do you have something in your pocket? It's pushing against my neck."

"U-um anyway! What are you going to do now?"

"I'm going to retrieve that robot, and then we will return to the Herald."

"The Herald?"

"Our spaceship."

"Space…ship?"

"Surely you humans know of spaceships?"

"W-we do! But…um…Yeah this all pretty new to me."

The woman approached the robot, and with one hand, pulled up its lifeless husk.

"I can feel your tiny heart pounding in your chest. It's almost cute."

"Huh?!"

The woman raised her other hand and pushed a button on her top.

"I'm ready to return."

"Freeze!"

The police had just pulled up, and Milo swore the entire department must've been there: two rows of cop cars stopped and formed barricades. They aimed their guns at the woman.

"Wave, Milo," she said. "These are the last people on Earth you'll ever see."

A bright light enveloped them, and Milo remembered when Lucianna had teleported out of his room. The hairs on his arms rose, and his stomach lifted as if he rode a rollercoaster, being pulled from gravity's influence.

"Fire!"

They pulled their triggers, and bullets whizzed through the air.

But they missed, as the green woman, robot, and Milo all blinked out of existence.

***

If the build-up felt like the drop of a rollercoaster, then having his atoms slung through space felt like speeding down a highway in a convertible with the top down. A thrill surged through Milo, and while it was exciting, it still paled compared to when he'd felt Lucianna's power resonate within him.

And in an instant, he stopped, the speeding rollercoaster coming to a sudden, yet somehow gentle, stop. A giant tube of plastic and glass materialized around him. The smell reminded him of a hospital room.

As he reformed, he noticed the green woman no longer stood beneath him, and he flailed his legs to gain support, but fell to his knees. Sweat beaded on his brow as his stomach churned and boiled. (Not good. Gotta find a toilet or trash can or…)

There was a hiss, and the glass in front of him slid aside. As if by some divine miracle, a trash can slid its way into the chamber. Milo shoved his face inside and emptied his stomach of what little remained. His lower back tensed to the point of cramping. (Oh, thank god…)

"Awwwh! Reminds me of my first time using a transporter!"

A hand gripped his shoulder, and an electric jolt surged through him. The nausea and cramping eased and then faded. He set the trash can aside and fell back on his haunches, his breathing heavy.

"Feeling better, darling~?"

He opened his eyes, and through the sweat and dizziness, Lucianna grinned at him. Milo's breath caught in his throat.

"Oh my, you're so red! Maybe I should take your temperature~?"

Someone cleared their throat. "That would be my function. You are not qualified for such examinations."

"Oh, can it, Faith!"

He took in his surroundings again, and could make out something of a locker room behind Lucianna. A screen with the face of a girl with black hair and neon white eyes hovered behind Lucianna. The muscled woman stood further back, the remains of the robot slung over her shoulder.

"Where am I?"

Lucianna extended her hand. "You're aboard none other than the infamous Herald! Home to the fearsome Pirate Queen and her ruthless crew!"

The girl on the screen—Faith—sighed. "The only thing fearsome about you, captain, is your ability to run headlong into danger without a plan."

"Eh? That sounds like mutiny to me!"

Milo regarded Lucianna's hand—fully repaired, it seemed, although it was her left hand. He noticed the right arm she'd lost had yet to be replaced. Lucianna had ditched the everyday jeans and jacket she'd sported when they first met in favor of a black, skintight cat-suit. A skull and crossbones with a blue mohawk were emblazoned on the chest, right above her two, massive—

"Heyyy~" Her smile grew wide. "Wha'cha looking at, darling?"

He dropped his gaze. His right wrist throbbed in time with his pulse.

"If you two are finished," Faith said, "I should examine him and treat his injuries. Being an Earthbound human, he will require precautions for interstellar travel."

Lucianna grunted. "I suppose…don't want Milo darling to die of radiation!"

Milo's eyes widened. "W-what?!"

Lucianna grabbed his hand and lifted him to his feet. His knees buckled, and he fell straight in between her—

(S-SO SOFT! SO PILLOWY! WHAT ARE THESE EVEN MADE OF?!)

"Oh, my~ You really missed them, didn't you~?"

Rivra grunted, adjusting the robot on her shoulder. "Let's get down to the lab already."

***

The locker room led into a long hall lined on either side with sliding doors. Another corridor opened toward the middle of the hallway, leading to a staircase that descended into the core of the ship. Through a door next to the engine room, Faith's laboratory stood with its blinking lights, humming machines, and burbling liquids in vials.

Rivra dumped the robot carcass in a corner near a bench with some equipment that reminded Milo of an MRI machine. Faith gave the robot a cursory exam and sighed.

"Certainly troublesome." She crossed her arms. "But your people sell these bots to the highest bidder, correct?"

Rivra nodded. "But what worries me is the bounty on my head."

Faith cocked her head. "Bounty? Now that you mention it, the captain also had a bounty."

"Sure did. Dead or alive!"

Rivra stroked her chin. "That's odd. My bounty was for alive only."

Everyone fell silent. Milo's eyes bounced nervously between them, and he cleared his throat. "W-what does that mean, exactly?"

"It means we should return to Planet Scrapstar and face my father. He had to be the one to place the bounties!"

Lucianna clicked her tongue. "No! No no no! We don't know that for sure! Besides, we have Milo here!"

Milo raised a brow. "Um…excuse me?"

Faith and Rivra turned toward him, and Milo suddenly felt like a bug under a magnifying glass. He gulped and shrunk back.

"I-I'm nothing special."

Rivra planted a hand on her hip. "Well, the captain thinks you are. Otherwise, I wouldn't have rescued you."

"Yes," Faith said. She turned toward Lucianna. "Care to enlighten us, Captain?"

Lucianna puffed out her chest, and as if she were holding up a prized trophy, she grabbed Milo's wrist and raised it so the gem shone in the lab's light.

Faith gasped. "Is that…is that a gem of power?"

Rivra's jaw dropped. "What? This little boy has…a gem of power?"

Luciana laughed. "He's so interesting, right? Not only is he Waylon's son, but he also has a gem of power!" She let go of him, and Milo clasped his wrist with his other hand.

"Is it really that special?"

"You obviously have no clue," Rivra said. "The gems of power help channel the captain's immense force. Without them, she has no way of controlling the flow of her power. Even trying to use a small fraction of her strength could lead to entire cities being leveled."

(W-what?! I knew she was powerful, but…that powerful?)

Lucianna held her nose high and beamed. "I'm quite amazing! The most powerful in the universe!"

"Were," Faith said. "Without your gems, you are as helpless as a faun. Unless you want to detonate like a bomb and eviscerate everything within a thousand light years, then you are not much stronger than, say, Milo."

"H-hey!" Milo and Lucianna chorused.

Rivra shrugged. "But we're all in the same situation." She pointed to her face. "I, too, possessed two gems of power, one in each of my eyes. But as you can see, I don't have them anymore."

"Yes. But to have found one…it is quite a turn of fortune." Faith tapped her fingers on her desk. "But how do we extract it from you?"

"We could lob his arm off. Should be pretty easy, then."

Milo hugged his wrist to his chest. "Pardon me?! You just want to cut off my arm?"

Lucianna furrowed her brow. "Yeah, who says we need to do that?"

Faith formed a steeple with her fingers. "It would be the most efficient route. But…there are things we do not understand about this situation. I would request a chance to examine and research Milo. Perhaps some answers may arise then."

Rivra clenched her fists. "I guess. If that's what the captain wishes."

"Yup yup! No need to cut anyone's limbs off! We may be pirates, but we're not barbarians!" Lucianna clapped Milo on the shoulder. "Besides! Milo's probably going to need that right hand tonight, after getting a face full of my—"

"Right then," Faith said. She sat down in her chair. "Your vitals appear normal, Milo. I am rusty with human biology, but everything seems fine. You should rest, however. Bio-Transporters wear out new users rather easily. I am certain you would appreciate some rest after everything that has transpired."

"You got that right," Milo said. "Everything's happening so fast…I have so many questions."

"That is natural. We can discuss some things over dinner. Our cook is familiar with the Earthbound palate and will surely prepare something pleasing to your tongue."

"Ah, that sounds…good?"

Lucianna chuckled. "Don't worry, Milo. We'll take care of you." She looked up at Rivra. "Could you show him to the spare room? I have something I need to discuss with Faith."

Rivra grunted and strode toward the door, waving for Milo to follow. Lucianna laid her hand on his shoulder. They locked eyes, and a low heat simmered in his thighs as she smiled at him.

"I'm sorry you couldn't live your life. But…I'll do my best to make sure you're safe. After all…" She lowered her hand and snaked her fingers in between his. A shiver ran up his spine. "You're my right hand now. And I won't let anything happen to you."

He didn't know what it was, the reaffirming grip of her hand squeezing his, or the dazzling sparkle in her eyes, but Milo, for once in his life, truly believed what Lucianna said. He trusted her word. It felt like a weight had fallen off his shoulders.

She released him. "See you at dinner!"

***

Rivra led him to a room all the way at the end of the hall. He noticed there were plates on each of the doors. The spare room's plate was blank, as had been the one right across from it. Lucianna's name adorned the room directly next to his. He also saw Rivra's name on one plate, along with two other names: Albany and Tereine. Milo assumed one of them must be the cook Faith had mentioned.

Rivra pressed her palm into a reader embedded in the wall next to the door. The reader dinged, and the door slid open with a hiss. Inside, the room was long and rectangular, with a bed and couch on one side, a screen, a dresser, and a bathroom on the other side. The space had to be at least twice as large as Milo's studio apartment.

(It almost feels too big…)

Milo walked over to the bed and sat on the edge. The mattress welcomed him like the hug of a long-lost lover, and he groaned as his body relaxed more into the bed. He couldn't remember the last time he'd felt such comfort.

"T-this room is for me?"

Rivra nodded. "No one else is using it. And the captain requested your room be next to hers."

Milo's face burned. "Really? Heh, that's kinda weird, isn't it?"

Rivra leaned against the wall. "If the captain wishes, then so be it."

He looked Rivra over. She was quite beautiful herself. Her hair was a shockingly beautiful shade of white, and her skin shone in an emerald green that reminded Milo of lush hillside forests. Of course, she possessed a chest to rival Lucianna's, each breast as round as Milo's head! (I'd die if I tripped into them! Not to mention that rear of hers…)

"Is something wrong? Your heart is pounding."

"O-oh! Nope! Nothing wrong! Just…tired, I guess."

She grunted, and after a moment, pushed herself off the wall and sauntered toward the bed.

"Oh, also…I wanted to thank you. I thought that robot was going to kill me for sure! But then you came and saved me. I can't thank you enough!"

She stopped in front of him and slammed her hand into the wall behind him. The wall shook and dust rained down from the ceiling. Every muscle in Milo's neck contracted as he shrunk back. She lowered her head, which was twice the size of his, until her lips were next to his ears.

"If it wasn't for the captain, I would kill you, Son of Waylon."

Milo's stomach dropped.

"You may have wooed her, but I have no interest in trusting the offspring of that bastard."

She rose slowly, turned, and walked to the door. She stopped just short of the exit. "I will fetch you when dinner is ready. Until then…please rest. You'll need it."

She stooped down and disappeared through the doorway, the metal door hissing shut.