So, we have a kind of détente, and “agree to disagree” situation as these two fight over Graf’s carcass. It was interesting to see Alix immediately start to help; it was also gracious of Pai to thank her for it.

See everyone next week. Another dinner! It’s a cliché! Then, I think, things shall get rather grim when Pai presents Graf to Reina. This gets odder and odder.

Enjoy my content? Buy me a beer!

The look they just gave one another could have killed.

“I apologize, Graf,” Alix said first, taking a step and kissing his lips.  “I will be more polite to make you see I, a human, is better for you than this made thing.”

With Pai raising her hand to likely decapitate the girl, Graf stepped to her side and put his arm about her waist.

“You are welcome to try.  But I love her and intend to marry her, Miss Jones.”

“Alix”

“Alix, then.  Pai?  Take her hand.  No, not literally.  In friendship.”

“He… he is mine,” Pai growled.  But with her hand out.

“We’ll see,” Alix said, touching hers just for a moment.  “You mentioned dinner?”

“I – we – have been assigned quarters for a night.  I am overdue in feeding my flesh.  Once that is complete, I will observe you two humans eat.  Following after,” she put her arm about him, too, “we must do something very personal.”

He watched Alix’s jaw hang open. 

“You,” she pointed at him, “you did it… put your… in that?”

“I meant I must borrow his mind, silly human girl.  He must meet my mother.” She looked sly and turned her face to his.  Rather than kissing him, she licked his lips.  “Graf is very fun.  And you will never know.”

“Grrr!” Alix raged.  “Lead us to this flesh-thing you talked about, foreigner!”

In what looked like was once a dorm room, Pai told Graf to get the IV bag from the small fridge.  A pole was also there.  Completely unselfconscious, she again unzipped her coveralls, but this time, only to the waist.

“Do you know how to spike a bag, Intended?” she asked.

“No idea.”

“I’ll do it,” Alix said, picking up and opening the extension kit.  I guess I’d better pay attention if this is how she eats.

Hanging the bag and making some various motions, the human girl looked at her rival.  “Well?”

“I need that luer-lok adaptor, there.  Yes.  Graf?  Assist me.” She lifted her right arm straight up.  “That discolored patch in my armpit?  It’s not skin.  Pull it back.”

“Uh, okay.” This is so weird.  Underneath was a small, plastic connection.

“Human rival?  Please connect the line, here.  Thank you.  Now open the stopcock and be quiet.”

“A thank you would be nice,” Alix muttered.

Graf watched Pai close her eyes and grow still.

“Thank you.”

I have never seen or heard anything like this, Graf thought, taking a chair opposite hers.  Her skin is alive, human skin.  And this is how she keeps it alive?  I mean, she feels great in bed, but this is not anything I can even imagine.

“It’s a form of deceit,” Alix said, sitting on his lap.  “Androids are made to mimic us.  It’s one of the reasons they are very much discouraged in the imperium.”

She looked from the bag to the machine and to Graf, her face inches from him.  And kissed him again.

“That’s real.  Flesh and blood.  Not a fiction.  And you had sex with that?” she asked.

“Well, yeah…”

“Would you like to try a real girl?”

“Do not wear out your welcome, human,” Pai said softly, eyes still closed.

“I… I know Pai, this Pai, knows me better than I probably know myself,” he said, trying to look past Alix’s eyes inches from his.  “And I do love her.  You are really cute…”

“Intended?” was a warning sound from Pai.

“…and this is all so sudden.  I,” he shook his head, “I just don’t know what’s going on.”

“There are some exemplars from the imperial family,” she said, her lips touching his ear.  “The Empress’ father marrying Henge, for example.  I learned that in my Sisterhood.  She was a Machine, once.  Both empresses have a tradition of taking normal, human males as their husbands.  And there was one obscure crown prince who had an android companion…”

“Like her,” she waved in no small contempt.  “You did startle me earlier, when you took my arm.  But now I think you were meant to.”

She kissed him again, and stood, handing him a card.  “I do have work to do.  Here’s my contact info.  Call me when the oil change is over.”

The door closed behind her.

“She is a nice girl.  Do you want a human?” Pai asked, eyes shuttered.

“I only want you.”