The rescue jet for the androids hurried through space under a deep cloak until it was close enough for the androids to hop on. The droids flew over to the jet and climbed inside.
Just as the jet was retreating, the missile began to launch from the hatch. Just before it launched, the mothership began to throb strangely. In one giant cataclysm, it blew apart from within. All the cyborg ships followed suit, one after the other, exploding as if detonated from inside.
“Woo hoo!” Freda heard Violet exclaim.
“You did it!” Freda yelled. “You beautiful little android children.”
The jets returned to the Draxos armada and landed in the docking bay. Freda and Sysko hurried down to meet the androids as they disembarked their ship. The little creatures scuttled up to their mother and father and jumped up and down, telescoping their necks and cheering. Freda knelt and gathered Violet in her arms.
“You did it, Violet, you did it.”
“We did it together, Mommy. All of us did it, as a team.”
A cheer sounded from the bridge through Sysko’s wrist com as the rest of the fighter jets in the cyborg armada exploded. The Draxos jets returned and the fighters cheered with the droids on the docking bay. There was a roar of celebration from the whole crew.
“That was every ship we detected previously, Sir,” said the tactical officer.
They had destroyed the entire cyborg armada in one fell swoop, and not a single ship was left anywhere in the solar system.
“This was a great accomplishment,” Sysko said, kneeling beside Violet after they returned to the bridge. “I never would have believed that an android could take down the cyborgs. You have been nothing but a surprise since I first met you, Violet. And I am proud to call you daughter.”
Violet snuggled into Sysko's arms and the little family celebrated with cans of oil all around for the androids, and a hard kiss on the mouth for their mother and father. It was the greatest moment of Freda's life. Having invented something that saved not only the Earth but countless other civilizations as well.
“My mate truly is a phenomenal woman, isn't she?” Sysko said, looking down into her eyes as he held her close.
“She certainly is, Sir,” said the officers on the bridge.
“And I never would have learned how to create Violet and the others without you. We all did it, together.”
“Together!” Violet said.
“Together!” yelled her brothers and sisters.
Chapter 27
And that's how I defeated the cyborg armada,” Freda said to the dissertation board at MIT.
The faculty sitting at the table across from her applauded and stood as she gripped her notecards. Freda's cheeks grew hot at their applause and she fidgeted in her space. It wasn't common for the dissertation committee to applaud a candidate.
“Congratulations, Dr. Hayes,” the new head of her department said, stepping forward to shake her hand.
“Thank you, Professor,” she said, a swell of pride growing in her chest. She’d finally done it, she’d gained her PhD in robotics and now had the privilege of calling herself Dr. Hayes.
She and Sysko took the convertible on a long drive down to Charlotte with Violet in the backseat. The rest of the androids were happily playing on the ship while they traveled to Freda’s parents’ house to say goodbye. The retired admiral from Draxos had arrived to take over Sysko's post, and the six potential human brides were already aboard the ship.
“I'm so happy, Sysko,” she said. “Everything is just as it should be.”
“Did you ever doubt it?” Sysko asked.
“There were many times when I did,” she admitted.
“That's only natural,” Sysko said, patting her thigh.
They parked in front of her parents’ house and climbed out of the car to meet her family as they hurried out onto the front porch.
“Congratulations, sweetie,” Mia said, wrapping her in her arms.
The approval of her parents probably meant more to her than the PhD. Isaac shook her hand and patted her back as she walked inside, holding her mom’s hand. Lottie stood from the couch, watching another Draxos documentary on television in between bites of cereal.
“I hear you're a full doctor now,” Lottie said. “Congratulations. You deserve it.”
“Thanks, Lottie,” Freda said. “That means a lot to me.
“I'm sorry I've been so difficult since the attack,” Lottie admitted. “It's been rough for me to get used to the idea of living in a galactic society. After mom and dad disappeared, I had to hold onto something.”
“We've been discussing this quite a bit,” her mother said.
“They’ve convinced me that I should stay on Earth and go to college, at least for a few years before running off to get my blood tested and becoming a bride of the Draxos.”
“That is wise,” Sysko said. “Your education will carry you a long way in your life. Helping you understand who you are and what you stand for. There's no reason to rush into mating and motherhood. There's plenty of time for that.”
“Thanks, Sysko, but I haven’t changed my mind completely. I still want to travel through the stars and see Draxos and find a dragon mate of my own.”
“All in due time,” Isaac said.
“But enough about me. Today is Freda's day. I made you a cake”
They all went into the dining room and Lottie's cake sat on the dining room table. It was a little bit lopsided and the icing had melted a bit on the top, but the letters read, “Congratulations to the best sister in the world,” in yellow icing between mismatched birthday candles. Lottie lit the candles as soon as everyone gathered around the table. Her family sang “For she’s a jolly good fellow,” and laughed when it was done. Freda, who couldn't help herself, leaned in and blew out the candles. It wasn't her birthday, but she felt like she deserved to make a wish. She wished for her family to be happy. Her mom, her dad, Lottie, her and Sysko and their thirteen little android children. It was all she wanted now that she had accomplished her life dream of getting a PhD from MIT.
“What'd you wish for?” her mother asked.
“You can't share wishes or they don't come true. But, the thing is, I think it already has.”
The family walked into the living room where a Christmas tree was decorated and all kinds of presents were packed underneath. They opened the presents, laughed and smiled, and thanked each other as the gifts were unwrapped.
Freda's mother and father had bought presents for all of their little android grandchildren. Tiny knit scarves, bottles of high octane oil, and the latest video games that the androids seemed to enjoy when they got the chance to play. For Freda and Sysko, they gave them care packages of delicacies from Earth to take with them on their journey. Sysko and Freda had brought her family all wrist coms and nanotech clothing. They were thrilled to have the latest Draxos technology that nobody else on Earth got to try yet.
“We will be leaving three of the droids here on Earth. Six will stay in the armada and the other three will return to Draxos with us,” Freda said. “I do hope that they will come and visit you from time to time, while we’re away.”
“We absolutely want them to come visit. I wish they were here now.”
“We didn't want to bring all thirteen to Christmas because we thought it would be overwhelming. They do get rambunctious all together,” Freda said.
“We are going to miss you so much, Freda.”
“You will have to come visit as soon as you can. The trip back from Draxos to Earth is open since we have discovered this region,” Sysko said.
“Will you come home when your children are born?” Mia asked.
“We haven't decided, but Sysko needs to come back to the armada to take over his post,” Freda said.
“If I had my way, I would leave Freda on Draxos with my family to be tended to during her pregnancy and the birth of our first clutch,” Sysko said. “We’ll be leaving this system as soon as I return. There are many more cyborgs
in the galaxy.”
“Like he said,” Freda said. “We still haven't decided.”
When Christmas dinner was eaten and the presents unwrapped, Sysko and Freda climbed on board his speeder, leaving the convertible with her parents as they prepared to embark on their new life.
Back on the Black Phantom, the retired admiral was getting updates from the crew on how to run everything. The six new brides were getting settled in. Freda met with them briefly and ensured them that her own transformation had gone well.
She could see the fear in their faces. The girls all came from many different walks of life, but most of them had signed up for the money to help their families. One wanted nothing more than to travel through space. Another had signed up to get out of a minor prison sentence. They were all nice girls, and Freda was sure that they would make excellent brides for some lucky Draxos males. The next day, they boarded a fast-moving passenger speeder and started the journey back to Draxos.
Chapter 28
The journey to Draxos took several weeks, jumping from system to system, until they finally arrived at Draxos Prime, the original planet in the primary Draxos system. The brides were housed in special luxury apartments and were each quite happy with their accommodations. Sysko and Freda returned to his home moon of Arcadia.
“I can't wait to meet your sister,” Freda said, as they climbed into the bed they shared in a hotel suite near Arcadia Academy.
“She will be thrilled to meet you as well. Her new clutch just hatched and they have four girls and two boys. It is a grand accomplishment for the entire race.”
“Does that mean that the plague has been cured?”
“Four females in one clutch is the largest number of females born at any one time since before the plague,” Sysko said.
“Your sister has much to be proud of,” Freda observed.
“She is a great lady and a great mind. She reminds me a lot of you in many ways.”
“Except I don't think I could ever handle five male dragons.”
“I don't think that my sister believed she could handle five mates when she first found she had been mated with them either,” he said with a chuckle.
“I don't know many women who could,” she said. “Except maybe Lottie.” Freda chuckled.
“Your sister is just a child with stars in her eyes. When she grows up, she will understand more about the ways of the world.”
“I just hope that her enthusiasm doesn't get her into trouble,” Freda said.
“She will be all right. She has a lot of people behind her, who love her and who can give her the guidance she needs.
“I give thanks every day that my parents were found and they can now help my sister grow into adulthood. I don’t think I could have done it.”
“I don't doubt you would have been an excellent guardian for your sister. You took good care of her while they were gone.”
“I did my best, but I never could have replaced them,” Freda said. “I shudder to think of her left to her own devices.”
“We would have had to bring her with us to Draxos. I wouldn’t have expected you to leave your young sister behind.”
The next day Freda and Sysko prepared for the celebration party for the hatching of Joon’s first clutch. Freda was nervous to meet his family. She desperately hoped they liked her. She was a foreign woman from a completely different species and she feared that they may think her odd.
When they arrived at the gala, her heart leapt in her chest and she could barely gulp down the anxiety. But when the beautiful, blue skinned dragoness crossed the room and shook her hand, all Freda's worries evaporated.
Joon was gracious and kind and as smart as a whip. Later that evening, after the family had retired to Joon’s palace, they all got to meet the babies. Freda and Joon then had a long conversation about dragon gestation and childbirth.
“I just don't know if I can do it,” Freda said with a laugh. “Shifting into dragon form is one thing, but laying eggs?” She shook her head as Sysko chatted with his parents and several of Joon’s mates about the last battle.
“When it comes time, laying your eggs is the most natural thing in the world. You will have time to become used the idea when you take dragon form. Believe it or not, it's was a big change for me as well. I am a scientist and have spent most of my life in bipedal form. Unlike many more physically oriented dragons. I am highly cerebral and was always very attached to my bipedal mind. But during my time in gestation, I came into greater balance with my dragon. I am a better person for it.”
“I hope the same thing happens to me,” Freda said.
“Have you decided where you will be staying once Sysko returns to his post as Admiral of the Armada?”
“Sysko wants me to stay here in Draxos to be tended by his family. But I honestly can't imagine being separated from him.”
“Draxos males have become very protective of females since the plague,” Joon informed her. “But you have to stay strong. Just because the female births have been decreasing every year, doesn't mean that you should be confined from living your dreams.”
“Wise words from a wise woman,” Freda said.
“You will find your way, Freda,” Joon said. “My brother is a good man with a great deal of honor. He will not deny you your life or your choices.”
“I hope you're right,” Freda said.
Every time the discussion had come up, Sysko had grown quiet and broody, not wanting to talk about it any further. She knew he was worried about her. And his protective nature was on overdrive since the claiming.
After the visit with Joon and his family, they returned to Sysko’s home on Draxos Prime. It was a well-appointed home. Not nearly as large as Joon’s palace, but as a highly decorated military officer, he was afforded many luxuries, even if he was rarely home.
She walked through the big, airy space with a view of the Draxos Prime planes. The red sand stretched out under the brilliant blue sky as the water of the Red Sea lapped at the shores. Cactuses grew in abundance in the high desert and the wisps of their buoyant pollen danced on the warm breeze. It was a magical site and she knew it would inspire her every day that she lived here.
“You have a lovely home,” she said as she stood on a balcony with the warm air blowing up from the ocean.
“I will return to visit you often,” he said holding her close.
“I don't want that,” she said, steeling herself for a disagreement.
“You don't want me to visit you?”
“No, I don't. I want to go with you, Sysko. You have a beautiful home and a lovely family. They are wonderful people and I know that I will come to love them, but it is you I need to be with.”
“It is too risky to take you with me as we search the galaxy for the remaining cyborgs. If we can hit them at their home base, we may be able to eradicate them from the galaxy forever.”
“But I want to be with you at your most heroic moment.”
“I cannot risk your life,” he said.
“Why is it more of a risk for me than it is for you?” she asked.
“Because you must live. You must go on.”
“But I don't want to go on without you, Sysko. Please take me with you. Please don't leave me here alone.”
Sysko sighed heavily and gathered her into his arms, and she felt his heart beating fast against her cheek. She did not want to get in an argument, but she knew that this was the most important decision they would ever make. Being left at home while her man continued his mission, went against everything she stood for. Besides, Sysko hadn't been back to Draxos for a decade. Having him constantly come back here would distract him from his important work. The only answer was for them to remain together.
“What do I have to do to convince you?”
He cupped her cheek in his hand and tilted her face up to look at him.
“You don't have to say anything else, my beloved. I feel your need, deep in my heart, and I cannot deny you. I want to protect you, but I
cannot betray your trust. If what you truly want and need more than anything, is to remain with me and to fight the cyborgs together, I will take you with me.”
“You will?” she said, growing relieved. “Thank you, Sysko,” she said, pulling him tight against her.
“Thank you for being so wise and brave, my darling,” he said.
Chapter 29
My eggs have come down,” Freda informed Sysko one day as they traveled the far reaches of the galaxy in search of the cyborg home world. No one knew exactly where it was, but if anyone could find it, it was Sysko and Freda. He turned to her in their private quarters, his eyes bright with excitement.
“How do you know?” he asked her.
“A girl just knows,” she said coyly.
He gathered her in his arms and picked her up. She squealed with delight as he carried her across their cabin.
“We’ll have to do something about that,” he said, depositing her on the bed.
In moments they were both naked, and he climbed between her legs. His long, hard tongue ran up the slit between her thighs as he sucked her clit into his mouth and began tapping it vigorously.
Freda had learned that female dragons had a clitoral ring that circled their entire vagina, but Sysko knew how to lick her single clit better than any human she'd ever known.
He pushed his long, hard tongue inside her channel, pushing her to climax. Her body clenched around his wet tongue, and she groaned, wanting so much more. She leaned up as he climbed over the bed on top of her, his long, thick cock resting against her wet and ready opening. She hugged him close and kissed his cheeks affectionately.
“Today we will make our babies,” she said.
“Our dragon babies,” he said with a chuckle. “We already have thirteen android babies.”
“That's true,” she said with a gasp as he pushed the head of his cock into her core. She gasped as he rocked into her. Her body now fit him perfectly and every time they were together was more exciting than the last.
Sysko sank, inch by agonizingly slow inch, into her channel, spreading her open with sweet pleasure. Once he'd filled her with his length, he rested his hips against her as she wrapped her legs around his waist. He kissed her lips and her cheeks as he drew back and thrust again.