"We're en route to Earth now, Boss."

The woman sitting in the command chair of the small scout nods. "Thank you, Rose-chan. Our ETA?"

"Twenty-one hours."

"Understood," she sighs, running quick calculations in her mind. Within her beautifully vivid green eyes, small datascreens flash calculations, including present primary power status. She would have to recharge before then. Leaning back, she smiles lightly. Soon, she would have her revenge on the one who did this to her and the Cute Boys...and if possible, claim what was left of her precious Honey so she could finally surrender to her primal urges and be what she always wanted to be deep in her heart.

Gazing at the twenty-five year old woman before her, Elle de Rosenbach smiles. She had never really seen Seven Bake Rose...her real name was Rose de Hausenbach...quite that way. The mercenary who happily served the recently-abdicated sixty-fourth Rose Queen of the Ellsian Kingdom was beautiful. Quite tall, she had a trim body with large breasts and a very firm pair of buttocks. Her arms and legs were not grossly muscular but you could tell this was no weakling. Rose's face was tomboyish, angular with brooding blue eyes, framed by long brown hair down to the base of her shoulder blades. A very attractive woman...and single, too.

"Rose-chan?"

"Yes, Boss?" she looks back.

"Rose-chan, please don't call me 'boss' anymore. I'm not the Queen, you know."

Rose frowns. "To me, you're still the Boss. Just because this happened to us and all the Cute Boys..."

"I'm aware of that, Rose-chan. What happened to all of us demands justice. We'll get it very soon when we find that Oni witch. Still, as we are now, we're equals. Really, you shouldn't even call me 'Elle.' Only the incumbent Rose Queen has the right to make use of that name."

"The Royal Senate never took that away from you," Rose turns around, crossing her arms, smiling. "They said that when you were converted, you in effect died. Therefore, no matter what happens to you, you would always be Elle de Rosenbach to everyone around you, not Amora de Rosenbach." Amora was Elle's birth-name, changed when she ascended to the Throne of Adam.

Elle closes her eyes, tears flowing down her cheeks. Rose's mouth twitches into a smile, though there was little reason to smile at what happened to them. Thank the Fates we can still feel emotions, the mercenary muses, gazing at the younger woman.

Rose then bites her lips as a deep rush thunders through her body, her eyes taking in all the gorgeous details of the woman before her. Elle was only eighteen, having blossomed into full womanhood before the Shoozooki struck. Her skin was still pale and flawless, well-textured cream with a touch of brown sugar. Her rusty red hair was shaggy in a beautifully erotic way, cut short at the neck and falling in unruly bangs over her forehead. Her green eyes were twin emeralds piercing a face retaining a little child fat that made her positively cherubic. Down south, her trim body had the right curves, with plump but perfectly rounded breasts and nice hips. Put simply, she was gorgeous...and available.

Damn, she couldn't feel this now!

Elle smiles at her. "Rose-chan?"

"Hai?" Rose tenses.

"I desire pleasure."

Rose shudders. "Elle..."

"Please," Elle gazes at her. "Rose-chan, it's not a sin to feel attraction to me, just as I now feel an attraction to you. Please, let's enjoy ourselves. We need the chance to feel good before arriving, ne?"

Rose bites her lip, then nods. "Okay."

Elle rises, offering her hand. Rose takes it as they step off the bridge, heading to the private quarters both shared. The latter had insisted on separate beds, but the scout's small size precluded that. All the warpscout had for space was the bridge, a computer room, sensory suite, one bedroom, a brig, teleporter room and the engine spaces. The bedroom was tastefully decorated in pinks and reds, royal colours, with a large round queen-sized bed in the middle. Beside it were two nightstands holding two box-shaped devices the size of a Terran computer's central processor.

Elle sits on the bed, patting the mattress. "Sit down."

Rose sits beside her. They gaze at each other, then drift into a tender kiss. As their kiss deepens, their lips opening to allow their tongues to play with each other, both lay down, their arms drawing the other into a warm embrace. "You've very beautiful, Rose-chan," Elle smiles. "I like you very much."

"You're just as beautiful, Elle-chan," Rose sighs. "I've always liked you...but not as much as your secret admirer."

Elle flushes deeply as the mercenary laughs. Over the last two years, since right after her encounter with Ataru and Lum, the Rose Queen had received very saucy, intimate fan letters from some girl somewhere in the Federation. By her admission, she is four years older, bisexual, who thought Elle was the most heavenly woman alive today. The amorous writer, who signed her letters with "Your Cute Devil" had happily vowed that she would turn the Rose Queen away from the 100,000 Cute Boys she collected in her Refrigerator of Love in Baran and show her true love. Try as the Royal Ellsian Intelligence Service might, no one had learned who this woman was. Yet still the letters came. "I'd like to meet her," Elle admits.

"And be her lover?" Rose wonders.

"I don't know," Elle shakes her head. "Much that I like the idea of having a fan, my heart is still with Honey."

"Ataru's dead, Elle-chan; he committed suicide a year ago."

Elle shudders, tears in her eyes. "I wonder if Lum and the Shoozooki had something to do with that!!" she hisses, then tightly embraces Rose. "Oh, I don't care what happened when we played the shadow-tag game, Rose-chan! I do love Honey...I always will."

"I know, I know," Rose kisses her. "And I'm sure there was a place for you in his heart even after you parted, Elle-chan. We'll get to the bottom of this. I swear we will."

They gaze at each other, then kiss again, their hands moving to shed the jumpsuits both now wore. In a minute, both are nude, gazing longingly at each other's bodies. "Oh, I want you, Rose-chan," Elle smiles. "I want you now."

"Elle-chan," Rose smiles.

"Hai, Rose-chan?"

Rose pulls up a magnetic sealer. "Let's open up, first. If we're going to make love, let's do it knowing what we really are."

Elle blinks, then nods. Rose leans down to open the younger android's central access hatch, pulling away the creamy skinlike plastic to reveal the complex machinery keeping Elle's spirit alive. Elle sets aside her hatch plate, then taking the sealer, opens Rose's hatch. After that is set aside, the two androids gaze at each other, then tightly embrace. "You know something?" Elle smiles. "Androids or no, I'm glad this happened to us."

"I think you're a beautiful android too, Elle-chan," Rose grins. "Now...may I give my lovely robotic Queen pleasure?"

"Yes, my delicious android mercenary, your Queen desires you to give her pleasure," Elle hums as they sink into another kiss...

* * *

The Galatea Syndrome - Devils and Roses

an Urusei Yatsura fanfic

by Fred Herriot

gorgo@kwangju.net

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Hold Me Slowly written by Ikuko Nogushi and Hiro Ito

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Based on Urusei Yatsura, created by Rumiko Takahashi

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WARNING: This is a sometimes dark fic with lots of strange lemon scenes in it. If this isn't your style of fan fiction story, go elsewhere. All standard lemon fanfic/ASFR story warnings apply.

WRITER'S NOTES

1) Talk about instant inspiration! I conceived this story riding the bus back from Kwangju (where my Internet cafe is) to Kwangyang (where I live, about 1 1/2 hours by bus east of Kwangju on the south coast of Korea near the border between Chollanam-do and Kyongsangnam-do) the night I posted The Galatea Syndrome. This is the first of several sequels I've planned for that story, though they'll be much shorter than the original; I have other writing projects on the go. If you wish to add more stories, by all means do so (but write me first in case you need details about certain characters to be explained).

2) This story takes place a week after Part Ten of TGS.

3) For those of you ASFR types who don't know the story between Ataru, Lum and Elle, go see the first UY movie Only You. Most Blockbuster Video stores in Canada and the United States carry it; if not, you may order it from AnimEigo (it's subtitled, BTW).

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"Is everything in the living room ready, Lum-chan?!" Atako looks out from the kitchen.

"Hai, Darling, it is!" Lum smiles as she finishes polishing the coffee table. The room had just been cleaned by Lum and Asako, Shutako helping Atako prepare dinner.

Their younger charges would also be there to welcome Lum's mother, sister and cousin, who were coming from Uru. Lum was very excited; she hadn't seen Ten-chan in almost a year, since he had been expelled from Earth prior to her conversion to an android. While Atako and many of the others in Tomobiki were more than happy that the little guy was gone...Ten-chan had been nothing but a lot of trouble to many, especially Lum's Darling...Lum had missed her cousin dearly. She hoped she could persuade everyone to welcome him back into the fold; with the Shoozooki threat eliminated and most of the rogue converter units tracked down and destroyed, there was no serious threat of seeing Ten-chan turned into an android.

Hisako walks in to lay out place mats, then helps Lum set up a second coffee table beside the first. Outside the eight androids who normally resided here and their three guests, Mie and Makoto were coming down. The Seikous (Makoto had adopted her bond-mate's family name for herself) were Ataru's and Lum's closest friends. Some would find that odd but thanks to the convolutions of love and adoptions made by the androids, Atako and Lum now counted many others as their extended family. Atop the six androids living with them, there was Atako's sister Negako and her life mate Chigaiko Inu at the Inu home, Atako's grandmother Nagaiwakai and her life mate Shinobu Miyaki in the loft behind the Moroboshi home, and Atako's and Shutako's parents and relatives in the Mendou estate. Shutako had offered the use of one of the banquet halls at her old home so they could all gather as one family, but Lum insisted this be a small get together. Her mother and sister were not used to the strange ideas everyone in Tomobiki took for granted these days and needed the chance to be indoctrinated at their own pace.

"Darling, Shuu-chan, remember to have your central access hatches open under your blouses," Lum reminds them. "Ten-chan hasn't fully realized that you're both androids; he's going to have a hard enough time accepting you as girls."

"Hai, Lum-chan," Atako nods as she draws out a tablespoon from her stew and takes a taste. Just perfect. "Pass the magnetic sealer over, Shuu-chan."

"Here you are, Ta-chan," Shutako hands the small device to her. "I'll need it when you're done."

"No problem," Atako opens her dark blouse, then traces the device over her central hatch. This was normally not done while dressed for safety reasons, but Lum had a good point; who knew what Ten-chan believed these days. Placing the fleshlike plastic square on top of the refrigerator, she hands the sealer to Shutako before buttoning up her shirt. "Feels weird walking around dressed with my insides open," she hums.

"Would you prefer to take your face plate off?" Shutako opens her dark blue shirt, then opens herself up.

"No, thank you!" Atako shudders, then runs a hand through the cloth of her shirt. The unnatural depression of her open abdomen wasn't noticeable from a distance, but still felt...odd. She hoped Ten-chan wasn't too curious, demanding to see more parts opened.

Which reminded her. "Did you set up that null-field?"

Shutako gazes at a series of environmental controls located over the stove. "It's on."

"Good," Atako nods. "Who knows how Ten-chan'll react to my wanting to handfast with Lum-chan. I'm not going to spend a week in the apartments getting melted skin replaced."

"I doubt he'll get that far even if the null-field wasn't up, Ta-chan," Shutako smiles. "One try and Lum-chan'll give him a real good zap! She can still do that, you know."

"True," Atako nods, then blinks as the doorbell rings. "Hey, they're here!"

"Mom!!" Lum flies to the door, opening it, then grins as she leaps into her mother's embrace. "Oh, Mom, hi!!"

"Hello, Lum-chan!" the older Oni beams.

Atako and Shutako walk into the foyer. Mrs. Invader (as everyone knew Lum's mother; on Uru, married women never revealed their birth names save to family and close friends) is a stunning beauty Kinshou's age. She seemed to defy time, possessing the body of someone in her late twenties instead of a woman who had given birth to a child seventeen years before. With just tiny crinkles around her radiant green eyes, Mrs. Invader proved that Lum took after her mother in almost every way. The only difference outside age was the hair; the elder Oni cut her hair short, wearing it in a wavy halo of luminescent green cut at the neck.

Mrs. Invader gazes warmly at her daughter, then turns to the woman who was once a man, her eyes widening in shock and disbelief. "Atako-chan...?" she covers her mouth, stunned to see how different Atako was from Ataru. "Oh, gods, Lum-chan told me but I didn't really believe it until now...!"

"Ohayo, Mom," Atako smiles, then gently embraces her. "Don't worry. Under this body, I'm still me...and I will marry Lum-chan."

"I'm so glad," Mrs. Invader nods, then gazes at Shutako and Asako. "And who are these people?"

"You may not remember me well, ma'am, but I used to be Shutaro Mendou, one of Lum-chan's and Ta-chan's classmates" the former bows formally. "I'm an android now as you can guess; you can call me Shutako. And this wonderful woman is my fiancee, Asako Yutaka."

"Ohayo, Mrs. Invader," Asako bows. "Welcome back to Earth."

"Oh, my, this is worse than I thought!" Mrs. Invader sighs, then looks back. "Ten-chan, why won't you come in?"

"I don't wanna look at 'em!" Ten-chan declares from the door, his hands covering his eyes.

"How rude!!" Mrs. Invader puts fist to hips. "Young man, that is NOT the way to treat your hosts!"

"I don't wanna look at 'em!!" Ten-chan insists. "If I see those two idiots, I won't wanna burn them!"

"Too late, dum-dum!" Atako snorts. Lyna's Soul, even after all this time, the little jerk was STILL looking for trouble?! "The instant you walked into this house, you waltzed into a null-field that knocks out your flame-breath!! In fact, I'll set it up all over Tomobiki to make sure you behave yourself from now on!!"

"WHAT?!?!" Ten-chan flies up to her, shuddering. "You creep, if you think you're gonna...!"

His voice catches as he gazes in shock and disbelief at the beautiful women before him, women who were once in his mind two of the dumbest idiots ever to enter his cousin's life. He looks at Atako, then Shutako, trying to find anything which could give him an excuse to douse them with flame...but outside the sullen pain deep in their eyes, finds nothing. "You...you...!" he shudders, then moans. "How can I burn ya if you look like that?!"

"Ten-chan!!!" Lum snaps, causing him to bolt to attention in mid-air. "If you think you can get away with harassing Darling like you did before, think again!! You try ANYTHING to hurt the woman I love, I'm sending you straight back to Uru!!!"

The younger Oni jolts, stunned that Lum would turn on him so venomously. Atako decides to layer a guilt trip for good measure. "If you think about it, Jariten, your behaviour over the two years you lived here helped contribute to Lum-chan and the others being turned into androids!" she growls. "Do you want to know how many people were turned into androids because of things you did?!"

Ten-chan shudders, then gazes at Atako. Yeah, this was still Ataru deep down. He then remembers all the things Ataru did when he learned what had happened to Lum and everyone else...right up to the point where he wanted to die because of the Galcron-Sigma. Ten-chan didn't know what to think of Ataru Moroboshi now, much less this very beautiful woman standing in his place. "Are you sure you're okay?" he floats up to her.

Atako hums, then opens up her shirt to reveal her open hatch under her lace bra. "Care to take a look and find out?" she winks.

Ten-chan stares at the circuitry, wires and tubes, the metal bones and soft silicon muscles and fatty tissues which helped keep Atako Moroboshi alive as an android. He did this because Lum-chan's an android, the young Oni blinks, then gazes at Shutako, who has opened her shirt to reveal herself. Mendou did that because he wants to be with that nice girl beside her. They both did it because they love Lum-chan and that nice girl..

He blinks, feeling his own eyes water. "It's okay, Ten-chan," Atako gently draws him into her arms. "Strange as this sounds, I missed you...but I'm glad you weren't here when this all happened. Who knows what those bastards would've done to you had you been around when the conspiracy started transforming everyone."

"Th-thanks, Atar-...Atako-chan!" he catches himself, then grins. "I missed you too. Are you really gonna stay as a girl?"

"Well, the Sagussans can only clone bodies from themselves and they're all women right now," Atako winks. "Yeah, my old body's still around...but I can't see myself being a man again, not after what I did. I like being a girl. I can experience everything Lum-chan experiences. Shuu-chan can experience everything Asa-chan experiences. What's so wrong with that?"

"I dunno, I'm still a kid," Ten-chan scratches his head.

"Yeah, but you're a smart kid," Atako winks.

"He's always been that way," a voice laughs from the door.

"Negau-chan!!" Lum leaps over to embrace her adopted sister. "Oh, it's so good to see you again!!!"

Atako and Shutako blink on seeing Negau Renning step into the house. It had taken everyone by surprise when they learned Lum had an adopted sister. Negau, presently Captain Invader's personal military assistant, had been disowned by her birth family when she rebelled against their long-held dream to restore the old Urusian Empire, then was adopted by the Invaders when Lum was still in galactic elementary school. Now twenty-one, Negau is a tall, very slender single-horn Oni with close-cropped green hair and eyes under reading glasses. She now dressed in the same type of tiger-striped long sleeveless skirt Mrs. Invader now wore.

"Hi, Lum-chan!" Negau grins at her. "You're looking great!"

"Naturally," Lum twirls. "I'm permanently frozen at seventeen until they get my new body prepared, then I'll be seventeen for another twelve years! How's that for a youth potion?!"

"Lum-chan, how can you joke at something like this?!" Negau gasps, staring in horror at her adopted sister.

"If I don't joke about it, I'll scream my heart out, Negau-chan," Lum sighs, shrugging, then looks around. "Where's Daddy?!"

Hearing her mention her father, Ten-chan cries as he tightly embraces Atako. Negau and Mrs. Invader look down. Seeing the reactions, Shutako and Asako pale. "Oh, gods, no...!" the latter covers her mouth to hide her shock.

"Lum-chan...please, let's sit down," Mrs. Invader bites her lips. "There's something you have to know..."

A heart-wrenching shriek then echoes from the Oni...

* * *

"Why wasn't I told right away, Mom?!!" Lum demands, her eyes glistening with tears. "Why?!!"

Everyone now sits around the dinner table, including Mie and Makoto, holding their lover's hands in reaction to the horrible news their guests from Uru have brought. Mrs. Invader sits very still, her cheeks damp with her own tears. "Lum-chan, if news of this got out to the converters still active, if they knew someone succeeded, who knows what would happen!" she sighs. "It happened so suddenly, you know! He was acting so normally...then an hour later, he was trying to kill everyone in the Tribal Council! Thank the gods Sylia-san and the others came to stop him...!!" she shudders as sobs escape her, then she covers her face.

"Lyna have mercy!" Mie looks away.

"Who stopped him?" Makoto wonders.

"The pirpirsiw'r in Sylia-san's team," Negau reports.

"Priss," Makoto sighs, remembering the brown-haired, brown-eyed troop coxswain, one of her closest friends. "Don't worry. She would've made it merciful, Mrs. Invader. One clean shot."

"Hai," Negau nods.

"How could you say something like that, Makoto-san?!" Mika glares at her, horrified.

"If that would've happened to me, Mika-chan...I would like it if someone ended my life quickly," Makoto stares at her. "It's the warrior's code. We're allies in this. We owe our allies life if we can give it...or a quick, clean death if we can't save them."

"Were there any victims?" Atako wonders.

Negau and Mrs. Invader look at each other, then turn to the others. Their eyes flash datascreens. "You're looking at both of them," the latter sighs, looking down.

Lum gapes, then shakes her head. "No, no, no...!" she moans, her tears bursting from her, then she flies into Atako's embrace.

Sniffing, Mrs. Invader wipes her face clean, then manages a smile. "You know, it's strange," she admits. "Ever since you were converted, Lum-chan, I always wanted to understand what it was like being an android. Well...now I know."

"Mom...!" Lum stares at her, sobs shaking her slender frame.

"How are you holding up?" Asako wonders.

"Quite good, actually," Negau shrugs. "What happened to us proves that androids the converters create don't become converters themselves. As soon as the conversion was complete, Nene-san, the hacker in Pathfinder Troop Six, inserted the retro-virus into us and gave us the new model power packs you have. They also found spirit-sisters for us on Sagussa so we could have new bodies made."

"Thank the gods," Atako breathes out, then stares at them. "So, what are you plans now? Do you want to stay with us?"

"If it's no problem," Mrs. Invader stares hopefully at them.

"Of course not!" Atako beams. "You can stay here for as long as you want. I'm sure we could fit you in somewhere."

"Yes," Shutako nods. "We should also get them registered into the CMU, Ta-chan. Get them on the duty rotation, then find them life mates."

"Agreed," Asako nods.

"Wait, wait!" Negau blinks. "You don't have to..."

"Negau-chan," Atako gazes at them. "The CMU registry is just a formality. We all have to learn what being Sagussan is when we get our new bodies. All of us share responsibility for working in the apartments helping maintain each other. The rotation is now about once every nine to ten weeks. As for the life mate idea, this is to ensure you have someone you can emotionally turn to when you feel lonely. Atop that, if you cyberlink with another android, the retro-virus becomes stronger, more powerful. It's a self-defence measure most of all. We haven't lost hope because we've united in this way. We won't leave you two alone."

"Thank you, Atako-chan," Mrs. Invader nods.

"Um...pardon me, ma'am, but what's your given name?" Asako wonders. "I doubt we could use 'Mrs. Invader' anymore."

"It's Chim," she smiles. "Before I was married, I was Chim Seq or Chim no Midorinokaminoke-oni. It'll be strange going back to my given name after being 'Mrs. Invader' for so long."

"You'll be okay...Chim-mama," Atako winks.

Chim blushes. "Lum-chan, can I stay too?" Ten-chan wonders.

"Well, there should be nothing wrong...as long as you behave yourself, Ten-chan," Lum warns.

"Hai, I will," Ten-chan nods.

"Just a sec' here," Makoto rises. "I think I got something that should keep this scamp in line."

The warrior walks out the front door, then comes back with an egg-shaped sphere that could swallow Ten-chan whole. "What is it?" the young Oni floats up to it, then notices a button, presses it.

A second later, a tan blur has knocked Lum's cousin to the floor, licking him madly and causing him to giggle. "Hey, get it off me!!" he cries out. "Stop that, that tickles!!!"

"Oh, kawaii!!" Mika gasps. "An sandpanther kitten!!"

The ultra-cute mound of tan now standing on Ten-chan is a baby sandpanther, a tan-furred cougar-like feline with large bat-like wings four times her body's length and special muscular grippers projecting from under her jaws. She also has a streak of black fur from between her eyes to halfway down her back. "This is Koishii, Ten-chan," Makoto smiles as she pulls back to a sitting position. "She's seven years old, just like you. Her mother was killed in a sandstorm. She's been looking for a family to live with since."

"Meow!" Koishii purrs like a little kitten.

"Hi, Koishii-chan," Ten-chan smiles, standing to gaze into her wide blue eyes. "You're really cute."

Koishii purrs...then her body morphs into that of a young humanoid girl of seven with long black hair and blue eyes, the only alien detail about her being her wings, tail and cat-slitted eyes. "You've very cute too, Ten-chan," she reaches to gently grip his hands. "Wanna be friends?"

The Oni screams, backing away. "YOU'RE A GIRL!!!!!!"

Everyone laughs. "That's right, Ten-chan," Makoto smiles. "Koishii-chan's one of a special breed of sandpanther, descent from genetic experiments back in the days of the Fourth Republic. She can either be human or sandpanther for as long as she wants."

"Y-yeah!" Ten-chan stutters, staring at the nude girl with furry wings before her, then smiles. "She is cute."

Koishii blushes. "C'mon, let's play!" she reaches over to take his hands.

"Koishii-chan, put some clothes on first!" Mie warns.

The transformed sandpanther stops, then sighs. "You humans and your silly clothes," she humphs, then looks into her egg to get a halter-top T-shirt and jeans with front and back enclosures to cover her tail. Dressing, she looks at them. "There, satisfied?"

"That's better," Mie nods. "Run along now."

The two kids race out the door. "Grown-ups are so strange, aren't they?" Ten-chan wonders.

"Grown-up sandpanthers are just as bad," Koishii muses.

Hearing that, everyone else laughs...

* * *

Later that evening, Atako gets off the phone. Like the three androids in the room, she now wears a sports bra and cotton sports panties. "There, that's done," she sighs. "Chim-mama, you're now Unit Tee-You-Three-Three-Seven-Three. Negau-chan, you're Unit Tee-You-Three-Three-Seven-Four. That'll put you right before Lum-chan on the overall list."

"I understand, dear," Chim sighs, brushing her hair, then stares at herself. "My, I never thought I'd be spending a night in the same room as my daughters and my would-be son-in-law who turned himself into a girl. This is so strange."

"The faster you get used to it, Mom, the better," Lum advises, then grins. "Darling, can I ask you something?"

"Hai, Lum-chan," Atako gazes at her.

Lum rises, then stands behind her mother, turning her to face her fiancee. "Well, Darling? Do you think my beautiful android mother is a sexy woman?"

Chim turns beet red. "Hai, Lum-chan! Just as sexy as my lovely android mother," Atako readily nods.

"Will you two stop?!" Chim stares at them, hugging herself in embarrassment. "Just because I'm an android doesn't mean..."

"Mom," Lum stares at her. "There're two basic rules about sex and relationships here. You don't force yourself on someone and you don't do it with your own blood. Other than that, anything goes. Grandma is now very passionate lovers with Shinobu-chan of all people...and there was a sixty-five year age difference between them. The sooner you accept that, the sooner you can be happy."

Chim gazes at her, then sighs. "Lum-chan, I know you think you're doing the right thing, but I won't..."

"Mom!" Lum cuts in. "We're going to be introducing you and Negau-chan to a pair of single women tomorrow on the trip; they're one of the last to get life mates. Both of them are in their early twenties and they'll be the same when they get their new bodies. When you're human again, you'll be eighteen. We have to get used to this or we'll never have a happy life. And if that happens, the bastards who killed Dad and mauled all of us would win!"

Chim stares at her, then gazes at Atako and Negau. "Chim-mama, I've made love with Haruka-mama several times," the former sighs. "It doesn't mean I'm going to take her away from Mom. I would never do that. But we have to get used to Sagussan social mores if we're going to fit in when we're human again. If you don't, you'll never be happy and Lum-chan'll be very badly hurt if that happened. Please, let me show you a few things. I love you very much...and besides, Lum-chan can't make love to you!"

"N-no, not really..." Chim stammers, surprised that she was actually agreeing with Atako, then smiles seductively. "Atako-chan, am I really a sexy woman?" she winks at him.

"Hai, a very sexy woman," Atako nods. "May I please you?"

"Hai, I would desire pleasure," Chim nods, gently walking up to the younger android. Atako rises to place a kiss on her lips, then guides the older android's hands to her bust. Chim pulls off the tank top, then gazes in awe at Atako's breasts. "Gods, you are so beautiful!"

"You're just as beautiful, Chim-mama," Atako reaches down to slide off her tank top. "I've always been a seeker of beauty. Even in the androids whom other men would never touch because of age, obesity, plain looks, whatever...I saw their true beauty, the beauty within each of them. By my vision, everyone learned not to run away, seek each other out so we could be one large family. I see it in you, Chim-mama. I want to show you how beautiful you are so that tomorrow, everyone will see and someone might be tempted to offer her heart to you."

By now, Lum sits on the window ledge, her hand in her panties as she gazes contently at her Darling showing her mother the ways of Sagussa. "Yes, Darling! Please give my mother pleasure! She deserves all the pleasure you can give her!! Please, please!"

Chim stares at Lum. "You like it when she does it with someone else, don't you?" her eyes widen in shock.

"Hai," Lum nods. "My Darling had a heart large enough to take in all of us when he learned what had happened. He gave us all his love, surrendered his sanity to see us safe because he loved us. And we loved him back, Mom, just as we love Darling as she is now. We want to have hearts as big as hers, for in having them, we will win over the Shoozooki. Please, Mom, let Darling please you. I don't mind...besides," she then turns to Negau, "...there's another Uniform unit requiring pleasure."

"L-lum-chan!" Negau stammers. "We're sisters..."

"Adopted sisters, Negau-chan," Lum walks up to her, then gives her a gentle kiss. "And I have a secret fantasy I want to explore, one I've had since I became an android. I want to give my adopted sister the pleasure she desires...and I want to give it to my sexy android adopted sister now."

"I'm flat..." Negau gazes at her chest, which is nearly as flat as she asserts.

"You're beautiful, Negau-chan," Lum gently embraces her. "And as soon as you see that beauty inside you, you'll feel much better about yourself. I promise you will."

"Lum-chan," Negau whispers as they kiss...

* * *

"Atako-chan, does your grandmother get up THAT early every day?!" Chim wonders.

It is six o'clock the next morning. Everyone is running around the house getting dressed, washing up and preparing for the day trip to Nagano. Atop the female students of Class 3-4 and their closest friends/lovers would come two androids who helped run a hot spring there with their organic family, who had decamped from Tomobiki as the conversions began. "All the time," Atako cuts up some sushi for a lunch snack. "Besides, it's always nice to have fresh milk every day."

Nagaiwakai arrives with a bucket, Shinobu right behind her. "Here's some of that fresh milk, Atako-chan. Good morning, Chim-chan, Negau-chan. How are you two doing?"

"I...I'm fine, Mother," Chim blushes as Nagaiwakai places the bucket on the kitchen table. Gods, THAT was something to get used to: a part-Vosian woman, chronologically eight-three, physically twenty-seven and now lovers with a seventeen year old.

Nagaiwakai stares knowingly at her. "Oh, I see Atako-chan had her fickle way with you last night," she titters.

Chim turns beet red, then turns to bow very low. "I'm so sorry, Nagaiwakai-sama!!! I lost total...!!"

"Chim!!" Nagaiwakai cuts in, causing the Oni to gaze at her. "My dear, it was just as hard for me to adjust to loving Shi-chan," she indicates Shinobu, now helping Lum and Asako pack lunches. "You'll be meeting two girls, one who is as old as your elder daughter! You weren't genetically related to Atako-chan, so it's alright. Besides, I can tell you enjoyed yourself," she winks.

"I...I did," Chim smiles.

"Another satisfied customer, Atako-kun," Shinobu laughs.

"Naturally!" Atako winks.

Chim stares at Shinobu, then walks over. "Shinobu-chan, you and Lum-chan were lovers for some time."

"Hai," Shinobu nods. "And I still love your daughter very much, Chim-chan. But as soon as Atako-kun was reborn as one of us, I knew she would one day take Lum-chan away from me. That's how much Atako-kun desires your daughter as a life mate. Then of course, Nagai-chan came into my life," she winks at Nagaiwakai.

"I love you too, Shi-chan," Nagaiwakai licks her lips.

The others laugh...

* * *

Minutes later, a large van drives up to the Moroboshi home. Atako, Lum, Shutako, Asako, Chim, Negau, Nagaiwakai and Shinobu step aboard. "Have a good time in Nagano, Onee-chan!" Hisoko waves as the side door closes.

"Have good sex!!" Tanako hoots.

The androids in the van laugh as Shooko guides it away. By then, Ten-chan and Koishii fly up. "Hisoko-onee-chan, when will Lum-chan and the others get back?" the young Oni wonders.

"Oh, very late tonight, Ten-chan; they're driving to a hot spring in Nagano owned by Asaka and Chika Yanagi's family," Hisoko hums, then smiles knowingly at him. "So, what were you and your girlfriend doing last night?"

"SHE'S NOT MY GIRLFRIEND...!!!!" Ten-chan turns beet red.

The others laugh as Koishii flutters up to gently embrace him with her arms and wings, landing on Hitomi's shoulder. "But I love you, my beautiful pet," the transformed sandpanther pouts. "Can't you be my pet for the rest of our lives, Ten-chan?"

"Pet?" Ten-chan stares quizzically at her.

"Little warning, Ten-chan," Mika smiles. "Sandpanthers own their humans on Sagussa."

Ten-chan flushes as everyone else laughs. "C'mon, let's go to the park and have fun," Hitomi smiles. "It's a beautiful day!"

"Hai!!" the others chant as they head off.

Unseen by them, Rose stares out from a nearby alley. "Yanagi hot springs in Nagano, eh?" the android Ellsian hums, then heads off to beam back to the scout...

* * *

"Come this way, please," Asaka Yanagi waves everyone into the grotto. "The water's very nice here.

The thirty android students of Class 3-4, their only organic female classmate and her lover, Nagaiwakai, Chim, Negau, Nagisa, Sakura, Saeko, Shooko and Kimiki step into the warm, lava-heated grotto, now just dressed in panties and bras. "This is so lovely, Asaka-chan!" Shooko sighs contently as the warmth dances over her skin. "When did your family buy this?"

"Ten years ago," Asaka smiles. "It had always been their dream to own a hot spring, Shooko-chan. I can't tell you of all the times Chika-chan and I spent playing here."

"Thank you for inviting us here, Asaka-chan," Nobuko bows. "This is a lovely place."

"My family's more than happy to have done so, Nobuko-chan," Asaka beams. "It's not right that the government demands we all live in Tomobiki full-time. By the way they phrase it, you'd think they'd want to lock us up there."

"Governments can't help being assholes at times," Makoto grunts, scratching her hips and armpits.

"Mako-chan, will you stop that?!" Mie gazes in annoyance at her. "It's just for a bit, you know!"

"I can't help it!" Makoto growls. "Lyna's Soul, how can you people wearing all this stuff all the time?! I'm going nuts here!"

"Because if you don't cover your sexy body up, Makoto-chan, we'd be tempted to give you pleasure!" Kuruko winks. "And none of us want Mie-chan to tear us to pieces!!"

Makoto sighs, throwing up her hands as she gazes to the sky. "I try, Lyna! So help me, I try!!"

Everyone laughs. Asaka smiles, then looks up. "Chika-chan, is there anyone on the beach?!"

"No, it's clear, sis!" comes down from the cliff overlooking the grotto. "C'mon up, everyone!"

"You have a beach here?!" Shinobu wonders as everyone makes their way out of the grotto, ascending up a slender path.

"Well, it's what we call it," Asaka smiles. "There's another hot spring nearby. It has a sandy section beside it. Great place to sunbathe, you know."

Everyone arrives at the plateau, a flat plain of stone framed by the mountains and forests on all sides. In the middle is a steaming pool lined with sand. Chika Yanagi waits for them there, now in sweatshirt and panties. "Hey, everyone, c'mon over," she waves.

"Hi, Chika-chan," Atako smiles as everyone stands on the sandy plain. "Oooh, this is such a nice place you have here."

"Thanks," Chika nods, then stares at her sister. "What do you think, Onee-chan? Should we show them why we like this place?"

"And give them all sorts of erotic delights so they could ravage each other's beautiful android bodies later?" Asaka hums, then giggles. "Why not?!"

"What are you two up to?" Lum crosses her arms.

Asaka and Chika smiles. "This is something we discovered after the retro-virus freed us, Lum-chan," the older Yanagi, who also calls herself Unit TY-4769, muses, slipping off her panties. "It's really fun. Watch us."

Chika draws out a magnetic sealer, then opens her sister up. Placing the square of plastic on her sister's panties, the woman also calling herself Unit TY-4770 slips off her sweatshirt and panties, revealing a sports bra. Opening herself up, she likewise places the hatch cover on her clothes. The Yanagi sisters then turn to face the pool as a light breeze picks up, drifting the steam into their open hatches and causing them to shiver with erotic delight. "Isn't that dangerous?" Mie wonders.

"Our internal systems are protected from water damage, Mie-chan," Lum assures her. "Any water vapour getting into their bodies now will be condensed and either fed into the secondary systems or else disposed of. They didn't even have to put their hatch plates on the sand; the same thing would happen."

"Oh, that's right!" Makoto snaps her fingers. "The Shoozooki homeworld was the most humid jungle I'd ever seen!! No wonder they water-proofed their androids so much!"

"C'mon, everyone!" Chika smiles. "Open yourselves up and stand here. Make sure you don't get into anyone's way, though."

"Hai!" the other androids move to disrobe, then taking their places, pass the magnetic sealer around to open themselves up, standing hand-in-hand in a row before the pool.

"Now what?" Aisuko wonders.

"Let your chaos chip go to work," Asaka beams.

Everyone relaxes as they key in their chaos chip. It wasn't the actual name of that part of their CCUs. In Sagussan, it is the te'a vandogh-chewegh, the Eternity Chip. The ultimate gift of the retro-virus, it marked the biggest change between the Tomobiki androids and other Shoozooki-types. Tapping into the te'a, using Its Power as a guide, it sought out thoughts and beliefs at random in the CCU to create dreams, nightmares and wishes. If anything marked the Tomobiki androids as being human, this was it.

"Oooh!!" Shinobu gasps as the wind dances across her exposed circuits. "That feels so good!"

"Wait for it," Asaka warns.

Everyone else falls silent as they relax their concentration, allowing their minds to drift off wherever the chaos chip directed them. Thanks to cyberlinking, which remains active even without a physical connection, the couples see the same thing. Atako and Lum find themselves in Saint-Tropez on their honeymoon. Shutako and Asako are in the Mendou estate rebuilding the family fortune. Shinobu and Nagaiwakai own a farm, delighting in the birth of their child, born through parthenogenesis. Ryuunosuke and Nagisa run Hamajaya in tribute to their fathers. Shooko and Kimiki model clothes designed by the worlds' top fashion houses. Sakura and Saeko are Shinto priestesses, give aid to the poor and needy. Natsuko and Lan explore deep space on the latter's scout. Momoe and Kumiko work as doctors in Japan's most advanced hospital. Negako and Chigaiko are martial art masters training the next generation in the ancient ways of ninjitsu. Rikuko and Taiko run Tokyo's version of Yuk-Yuk's, they the star attraction. Namiko and Kaneko administer a daycare centre. Nobuko and Yumiko are private detectives working the seedy side of Tokyo. Atsuko and Kuruko run a fashionable gentlemen's club in Roppongi. Tasuko and Chisono are pilots for Japan Air Lines. Rika and Fusako run an artificial intelligence research firm moving to produce the first Terran-built pleasure androids. Kai and Midori own their own anime studio, giving the new generation good entertainment. Even Lum's guards, who have organic lovers, get into it, each imagining life with their future bond-mates rebuilding Sagussa.

Chika opens her eyes, then gazes warmly at Chim, who holds her hand, tears streaming down her face. "What do you see, Chim-chan?"

"Forgive me," Chim smiles. "I am still...mourning my husband, all that I've lost over the last year. I was remembering the times we spent together raising Lum-chan, imagining what life for her would be like. I never came close to seeing it this way, though."

"It's okay to mourn," Chika warmly squeezes her hand. "But I'm sure your husband would desire you to go on, Chim-chan."

"I know," Chim nods, then stares at her. "What do you see?"

Chika smiles, staring at the pool before them. "I see the woman I now want as my life mate," she sighs contently. "I never took the time to sit back and wonder what sort of woman I'd want. But now I know who exactly I want."

"Who?" Chim wonders.

Chika stares at her. "You."

Chim blinks, then looks away, biting her lips. "Will you give me some time, please?" she gazes at the android beside her.

"Hai, Chim-chan, I'll wait," Chika nods, then looks at Makoto. "Makoto-chan, we know how you swear your heart to your bond-mate, but how do you say 'I love you' in Sagussan?"

"For you?" Makoto smiles. "Chimvayae, ragh do hang va. It means 'I will always love you, my darling Chim.'"

"Doghma do va," Chika nods, then raises Chim's hand to her lips. "I will say that, Chimvayae."

Chim blushes. Lan then stares knowingly at Negau. "Negau-chan, are you still thinking about that mystery girl you write those hentai letters to all the time?!" she hums.

Negau blushes as the others look surprisedly at the tall Oni android. "What's this?!" Nobuko exclaims. "What letters?!"

"My perverted older android sister has this big hentai crush on some poor girl out there somewhere!" Lum sighs, staring at the heavens in a "why me?" shrug. "Every week, she writes these ecchi love letters that'd make Andrew Dice Clay red with embarrassment, then sends it off...and even after two years, she still hasn't even bothered to tell us who's she's writing to."

"My secret, Lum-chan," Negau smiles, then gazes apologetically at Asaka. "Sorry if I..."

"Don't apologize," Asaka smiles. "It takes the right sort of girl to be one's bond mate. We can be friends, but you're just not my type. I'll just keep looking."

The others relax...

* * *

"Nice place!" Rose whistles on seeing the Yanagi Onsen House and its surrounding grottos and steam vents. The android mercenary switches to infra-red mode as she scans for heat sources, detecting a crowd inside the main floor. "Damn, gotta wait before...eh?" she blinks on seeing something. "Who's that?!"

Racing through the forest, Rose hops up another tree to get a closer look. Five women were making their way toward the secret grotto Asaka and Chika showed everyone earlier. Two of them are very noticable by their horns, one quite recognizable by her long flowing hair. "There you are, you bitch!" Rose grits her teeth, then checks her primary charge. Seventy-three percent. More than enough to follow Lum and her friends to wherever they were going, then arrange for the pickup. Pressing her wrist-com, she calls out, "Rose to Elle. I found Lum."

"Excellent, Rose-chan," Elle's voice replies. "Alone?"

"Negative, with four others, one of whom's Lum's mom, I think," Rose gazes at the other Oni in the crowd of five.

"Even better," Elle titters. "Find out where they're going, then call back. The teleporters are standing by for the pick up."

"Got it. How's your charge?"

"Just recharged now. Be careful, Rose-chan."

"I'll be fine," Rose nods...

* * *

"Oh, this is such a beautiful place," Lum sighs as she slips off her bikini, then sits in the warm water. "Asaka-chan, would you mind if Darling and I spent our honeymoon here."

"Sure!" Asaka sits beside them, then gazes at her sister and future sister-in-law.

Chika and Chim gaze at each other as the latter slips off the former's bikini. "You are very beautiful, Chika-chan," the Oni blushes on seeing the very beautiful Terran android. Chika is her height, with a slender build, perky breasts and very sturdy hips. Her black hair is cut at the neck, parted from the left. Her brown eyes sparkle with love, her lips and lovely smile inviting a kiss. Asaka is the same way, save for being two years older, her hair shaggier, akin to a style k.d. lang might use.

"Arigato, Chim-chan," Chika smiles, then stares at Lum. "Lum-chan, how on Earth do I get this gorgeous creature to marry me?"

"Easy," Lum smirks. "Tag her horns."

Chim blinks, then jolts as Chika's hands land on her buds, the burst of sexual energy from those outgrowths of cartilage, the most erogenous zone on an Oni (and replicated in Lum and Chim), nearly causing her to have an orgasm. "Marry me, my darling Chim-chan?" Chika smiles. "Let me heal the wounds in your heart, let me give you the love you deserve so much. Please, let us be married."

Chim gasps, then shudders as voices in her mind tell her this is alright. "Y-yes, I will m-marry you..."

They drift into a gentle kiss. Lum and Atako embrace, then embrace Asaka in congratulations over her sister's success. Chika then gazes at the other couple in the grotto. "Will you sing something for us, Atako-chan, Lum-chan?"

"Hai," both nod, their raise their voices in song:

Listen, my baby. Do you remember?

It's been a long since last we saw the stars

I hope we could see, all night together,

Stars in the sky.

"May I have this dance, my lovely fiancee?" Chika smiles.

"Hai, my intended," Chim slides into her embrace.

Hold me slowly, my sweet babe,

Touch me gently, 'cause a special night.

Kiss me softly, as many as stars.

I love you really, Baby can I?

Tell me, my baby. You know the number.

Yeah, of the wrong thing that you did for me.

I want you to forget it all right,

We go there to find our stars.

Hold me slowly, my sweet babe,

Touch me gently, 'cause a special night.

Kiss me softly, as many as stars.

I love you really, Baby can I?

"It's a beautiful song," Chim smiles.

"It's their song," Chika beams. "They always sing it for new couples when they come together."

Do you wanna move our bed tonight?

Just tonight?

Yeah, on the roof.

It's gonna be a special night.

Hold me slowly, my sweet babe,

Touch me gently, 'cause a special night.

Kiss me softly, as many as stars.

I love you really, Baby can I?

* * *

"What the fuck is this...?!" Rose gapes, her eyes wide with disbelief from her advantage point fifteen metres away, unseen by her targets. Now on visual light mode, the android mercenary sees Lum beside a drop-dead gorgeous Terran girl who looked very much like Elle's Honey, one of the daughters of the hot springs' owner beside them and the other daughter dancing very closely with Lum's mother! She then taps her wrist-com. "Rose to Elle. Key in my visual circuits. You've got to see this!"

A datascreen with the phrase VISUAL/AUDIO LINK ESTABLISHED flashes in Rose's left eye as Elle's face appears in the right. The shock on the Rose Queen is very apparent. "Who's that girl with Lum?!!" the younger Ellsian android demands.

"Look's like Mr. Groom, doesn't she?" Rose bites her lips, then adjusts audio so she could eavesdrop on the conversation.

"Thank you so much," Chim bows to her daughter and future daughter-in-law. "For sharing your song."

"What did you expect Darling and I to do, Mom?" Lum gently grasps Atako's hand. "We want you to be happy."

"Both of you," Atako smiles at them.

"WHAT?!?!?!" Elle's scream nearly shorts out Rose's CCU! "That...that...how dare she?!!"

"Fuck me!" Rose whistles, her own eyes tearing in sympathy. "She turned Mr. Groom into an android!"

"That bitch!!" Elle quakes indignantly. "I'll personally tear her heart right out of her chest!!! I'm coming down!!"

"Right," Rose nods. Hang on, Ataru! Cavalry's here!!

* * *

Down below, Atako sneezes! "Bless you, Darling!" Lum blinks at her. "Did you smell something?"

"No! Someone's thinking about me," Atako rubs her nose, then smiles in reassurance. A Shoozooki android's nose was equipped with the same type of sensors and filaments an organic nose uses, reacting in much the same way to airborne pollutants. Since such pollutants could clog up her nasal sensors and thus potentially blind her to more dangerous contaminants, a sneezing function was built in to clear them out. Of course, the androids' chaos chips also used that to warn them of someone taking interest in them, a virtual interpretation of an old Japanese legend.

Suddenly, the roar of starship engines is heard. The five androids spin around as they see a red-coloured ship the size of Lum's scoutship race at them, a familiar pink rose insignia on the flanks. "That's an Ellsian ship...!!!" Lum cries out.

A teleport beam then seizes them...

* * *

...then deposit Chim, Chika and Asaka into the brig! "What's going on?!!" the latter exclaims, bolting to her feet, then notices the door. "Who the fuck did this to us?!" she storms toward it.

"Asaka-chan, stop!!!" Chim barks. "That's a forcefield!!"

Asaka jolts to a halt, then her eyes switch to electromagnetic scans to detect the torrents of electricity not fifty centimetres away. A quick calculation informs her that penetrating it risked a sixty percent chance of systems overloading inside her. Not fatal but definitely not good. "Oh, shit!" she backs off, then gazes at Lum's mother. "Who are the Ellsians, by the way?!"

"They're people Lum-chan and Atako-chan encountered two years ago," Chim sighs. "Their queen, Queen Elle, wanted to marry Atako-chan! We nearly went to war over it..."

"I don't fucking believe this!!" a voice growls from outside the cell. "At least do him the courtesy of calling him 'Ataru,' Mrs. Invader...considering your slut of a daughter killed him!!!"

The three spin around to see Rose standing there, now in a loose black button shirt and form-fitting slacks. "Seven Bake Rose!" Lum's mother scowls on recognizing the mercenary. "What brings you here?! Where's your delightful queen?!"

"She's gonna settle business with that murderous bitch you call a daughter!!" Rose snarls. "Then she's going to do what she can to make Mr. Groom's life comfortable! Never thought someone'd come along to take away Lum's precious android slave, didn't you?!"

The three Tomobiki androids exchange surprised looks. "What are you talking about?!" Chika exclaims.

"There's only one person Lum calls 'Darling,'" Rose sneers, holding up a finger. "That was once a boy named Ataru Moroboshi, my queen's fiance! Now it belongs to a girl you call Atako. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure it out! Lum turned him into an android slave so that he'd never leave her again!!"

"WHAT?!?!?!" Chim's eyes flash dangerously, she ready to leap through the forcefield to strangle Rose. "How DARE you say that of my daughter?!! Don't you realize Ataru had to become Atako-chan to save his life?!! Where were you when this was happening?!!"

Rose reaches to her shirt, an angry sneer twisting her lips. "You wanna know where we were, Mrs. Invader?!" she snarls. "We were recovering from THIS!!!!"

She rips it away, revealing her opened central access hatch. The prisoners gasp in shock and horror. "Oh, gods!! She's an android, too!!" Asaka gapes.

"That's right," Rose's eyes brim with angry tears. "Elle's an android now; she had to abdicate from the throne because she was remade into one! I'm an android! The Cute Boys, men who couldn't defend themselves, they were transformed, too!! Aren't you happy to see what your daughter's friends did?! Who's next, I wonder! Princess Kurama, maybe?! How about Carla on Yaminokuni?!"

Asaka, Chim and Chika feel their eyes water as they realize that Rose doesn't know the whole story, that she had been deceived by the Shoozooki to think that Lum had asked them to attack the Rose Queen. The former blinks as she analyzes what is happening. Rose must now believe they were still organic. If she was shown the truth, told that Lum herself was an android, she could lay off and let them go, help them stop Elle from doing something really stupid. But how? None of them had magnetic sealers with them...

Suddenly, Chika gasps as a yawn takes her breath away. "Oh, no, not now..." she feels her body becoming stiff.

"Chika-chan?!" Chim stares worriedly at her. "How are you?!"

"Not good, my love..." Chika bites her lips. "Ten percent..."

"Go to secondary power," the Oni android orders.

"Hai," Chika blinks as her body locks up.

Asaka looks at her sister, then back at Rose. The Ellsian android shudders, staring at Chika in confusion. "Ten percent...?" she wonders absently. "Secondary power...it can't be..."

"Rose?" Asaka stares at her. "What's your unit number?"

Rose gazes at her. "I don't have one."

"My unit number is Tee-Why-Four-Seven-Six-Nine," Asaka gazes at her. "I'm an android, too, Rose. Just like my sister. Just like all the other women in Tomobiki...just like Lum and her mother now," she places her hand on Chim's shoulder.

"No...no...that's impossible..." Rose shakes her head.

"Rose," Chim stands. "Asaka-chan's right. I'm an android, too. I'm Unit Tee-You-Three-Three-Seven-Three. I was converted into one five days ago in an attack that claimed my husband's life. Please, Rose, believe me. The Shoozooki were no allies of ours, not by a long shot! How long have you been an android?!"

"Uh...ten months..." Rose blinks, denial flashing in her eyes as her CCU tried to analyze the incoming data.

"That would make it right after Ataru-kun killed the Shoozooki agents," Chika gasps. "They must've learned of Elle's interest in Ataru-kun, then deceived Elle and Rose to make them attack and kill Lum-chan in retaliation! Son of a bitch!!"

"Probably," Asaka nods.

Rose is shaking her head. "No...you can't be androids..." she grips the sides of her head. "It's impossible...you can't be..."

"We are, Rose! Please believe us!!" Asaka grits her teeth, realizing that this observation block might be as tough as the one that prevented Atako from realizing she was an android. "Rose, do you have a magnetic sealer with you?"

"Right here," Rose pulls out the small device.

"Alright," Asaka nods. "Chim-chan and I promise that we'll do nothing to escape. You're a trained fighter and probably at full charge right now. I'm only at fifty-two percent. Please lower the forcefield, then place the sealer inside the brig."

Rose blinks, then reaches over to shut off the forcefield. Keeping her eyes locked on her prisoners, she places the sealer on the deck, then rises to reactivate the barrier. Asaka walks up, picks up the sealer, then draws it over herself. The Ellsian gapes in shock on seeing the Terran android expose her central access hatch, then lay it aside. "Take a look, Rose," Asaka points at herself. "I'm just like you. Chim-chan and Chika-chan are this way. So's Lum-chan. Now, please...my sister is low on primary power. Will you please let her recharge herself?"

"No," Rose growls, shuddering. "Alright, maybe you all are androids! Maybe the Shoozooki didn't help Lum! But if what you say is true, then it's because of Lum that we're this way now!!"

"You idiot!!!" Asaka snarls. "Are you dense?! The Shoozooki didn't give a shit about Elle's feelings for Ataru-kun!! They're in no condition to care, anyway! They're all dead now, turned into androids themselves!! There're only a bunch of converter units running around, like the one who turned Chim-chan into an android and murdered her husband! Where's your sense of humanity?!"

"Asaka-chan, give her time," Chika insists. "Let her think it out! You can't expect her to change her attitudes that quick!!"

Asaka and Rose glare at each other. "My loyalty is to my queen," the latter snarls. "That loyalty has not changed since we became androids! If she says I can give your sister a recharge, then I will! If she says no, then your sister stays frozen!!"

Asaka growls. "You're a coward, Rose!"

"What was that?!" Rose snaps.

"You're a coward!!" Asaka snarls. "You don't want to admit the truth! You feel safe with your lies!! Well, let me tell you something, honey! We all believed lies once! We believed that we were nothing more than pleasure androids, who had to obey every word a man says!! Were you that way, Rose?! You want to know how many men raped me?! Too many!! Then someone helped me realize the truth! That someone is the man your queen loves, a man who nearly died to help us achieve our freedom, a man who became an android to share our suffering! That's the truth of Tomobiki, Rose! If you can't accept it, too bad!! Because all of us have organic lives to look forward to in nine months or so! That came with the truth we now have, Rose!! Let THAT sink into your CCU and stew for a bit!"

Silence falls as they stare at each other. Rose shudders, then unzips her pants, letting them fall away. "Fine, then," she reaches over to drop the forcefield. "You want your sister to have a new charge? If you challenge me and win, I'll do it!"

"Name your game," Asaka snarls.

Rose smiles dangerously. "We're pleasure androids, Asaka. We have sex right here and now. You make me come first, your sister walks. I make you hit the big O, you all stay here until the Queen says differently. Agreed?"

Asaka shudders, then smiles. "Agreed," she nods, moving to put back on her chest place.

"No," Rose hisses.

The Terran stops. "If we do it, we do it knowing who we are," the Ellsian stares at her. "Central access hatches open."

Asaka blinks, then nods. "Deal."

They slide together, their lips gently touching as their arms slide around the other's body. Rose, a bit taller, leans down her head to drink in Asaka's lips, then the two lower to the deck...

* * *

"Where are we?!!" Lum blinks.

She and Atako find themselves in the scout's bedroom. Both look around at the decor, then gaze at the familiar-looking boxes beside the bed. "Service units?!" the latter blinks, staring at the boxes every android had. "Where the hell are we, Lum-chan?!"

"This is an R.E.D.F. two-man scout," Lum shudders. "I wonder who wants us now...but what are they doing here?!" she points to the android service units.

The door then opens. Lum and Atako spin around to see Elle standing there, in black shirt and slacks, a gun pointed at them. "Surprised to see me, Lum?!" the Rose Queen snarls.

"Elle!!" Lum gasps. "What's the meaning of this?!!"

"You have the gall to ask that after what you've done?!" Elle sneers, then gazes tearfully at Atako. "Honey, is that you?!"

Atako bites her lips. Take it slow. "Yes, Elle-chan, it's me. Please put the gun down. You know I don't like violence!"

"But this is because of what's happened to you, Honey!" Elle hisses, glaring at Lum. "Are you an android?"

Atako blinks, her eyes widening as it all clicks in. "Hai, Elle-chan. I'm an android."

Elle smiles at her, her free hand opening her shirt to reveal her opened central access hatch. "It seems we now have the same problem, my beloved Honey. I never wanted us to reunite under these circumstances," she shrugs apologetically.

"Oh, Elle, you too...?" Lum's eyes water.

"Why are you so surprised, Lum dearie?!" Elle turns on her, her face contouring in anger. "You did this to me, you little whore!! You turned me into this mechanical monster to ensure I'd never take your precious Darling away! Then you turned around and made Honey into an android so he'd never get away from you!! And now, I will have our vengeance!" her gun rises to Lum's face.

"Elle-chan..."

Elle blinks, then gazes at Atako, who now sits on the bed, her legs wide and one hand playing with her clit. "Y-yes, Honey...?"

"Elle-chan, you're a pleasure android, aren't you?"

"Hai, Honey. I'm a pleasure android."

"Then why aren't you giving me pleasure, Elle-chan?" Atako licks her lips, her fingers opening her vagina wide as she freezes Elle with a sultry stare. "I want my sexy android rose princess to give me all sorts of pleasure...right now."

Elle shudders as thoughts of vengeance wash out of her CCU, replaced by the primary mission programs each Shoozooki android received upon creation, then smiles. "Yes, Honey, I'll give you all the pleasure you want," she moves towards her.

Lum grins, then turns to find a magnetic sealer. Elle kneels down, gazing at Atako's inviting love canal. "Am I a beautiful android, Elle-chan?" Atako licks her lips.

"Oh, yes, Honey, you're the most beautiful android I've ever seen!" Elle nods, her eyes locked on that inviting gate.

"Would you like to worship my beautiful robotic pussy?"

"Hai, Honey! Oh, please, I want to give you pleasure."

"Take your clothes off, then. Let me see my sexy rose doll in all her beautiful robotic glory!"

Elle rises, shrugging off her shirt, then slipping off her pants. She then gazes warmly at Atako. "Honey, am I beautiful?"

"You are beautiful, dearest Elle. Please, I want you."

"Hai," Elle kneels, then leans in.

Atako cries out as Elle's tongue deftly dives into her vagina, her mind activating the special function that triggered the release of the retro-virus nanites into her vaginal juices to be lapped up eagerly by Elle's expert tongue. Damn, she had practice doing this! Were Elle and her companion lovers? Find out soon enough. "Oooh, Elle-chan, you're so good! More, my love, more!!"

"Hai, Honey," Elle smiles, then licks up some more.

Suddenly, the Ellsian android jolts as the virus goes to work, warping her insides and shattering whatever primary directives the Shoozooki put into the Rose Queen to make her come after Lum. She shivers as new programs flood her CCU with the fresh air of freedom and self-direction, then she gasps as she stares quizzically at Atako. "Honey, what did you put into me?!!"

"A special retro-virus, Elle-chan," Atako smiles. "It frees a Shoozooki android from whatever primary controls they put into her. They lied to you, Elle-chan. Lum and the Shoozooki were NEVER allies! The Shoozooki turned nearly every woman in Tomobiki into androids themselves. I freed them eleven months ago and they've been trying to get back at me ever since. I became Atako in part to disguise myself from them. They're gone now, Elle-chan; they'll never hurt anyone ever again. Do you believe me?"

Elle smiles. "How can I not believe you, Honey," she hugs her. "Oh, I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to frighten you!!"

"I forgive you, Elle-chan," Atako kisses her.

Elle blinks, then sighs. "Lum, I..." she turns around, then stops, her eyes wide. "Fates!!!"

Lum sits there behind her, her central access hatch open. "That's right, Elle-chan," she looks at herself. "I'm an android, too. The Shoozooki converted me just like they did you."

"Oh, Lum..." Elle covers her mouth, her eyes tearing, then sobbing, she leans over to embrace the Oni. "Forgive me!!!"

"I forgive you!" Lum embraces her, then stares into her eyes. "Besides, how can I hate someone who loves Darling as much as I?"

"Lum-chan..." Elle blinks.

Both slide into a gentle kiss, then it deepens as they tightly embrace each other. They break away, gazing into each other's eyes. "If Darling can love you, Elle-chan, my beautiful sexy android rose doll...so can I," Lum smiles.

Elle blinks, then nods. "If Honey can love you, Lum-chan, my gorgeous android Oni...so can I," she grins.

They kiss again, then gaze at Atako. "Ne, Elle-chan?"

"Hai, Lum-chan?"

"Do you think Darling wants pleasure?"

"Hai, Lum-chan. Honey looks very horny right now."

"Shall we?"

"Let's!"

* * *

A half-hour later, Atako, Lum and Elle emerge, the Ellsian's and the Oni's chest plates restored and all in housecoats. The three head to the brig to look in on the others, then stop on seeing what's going on. "Rose!!!" Elle cries out.

"Little busy here, Boss!!" Rose pants as she nearly buries Asaka's face into her muff. "My lover's a little horny right now!"

"Alright, Rose-chan, let it go!!" Lum whoops, laughing. "You okay, Asaka-chan?!"

Asaka pushes down Rose's buttocks. "I'm gonna make this horny little sex doll come even if it kills me!!" she snarls.

"You wish, my little android love muffin!" Rose snarls, then sends three fingers into Asaka's love canal.

Asaka howls with delight. Chim walks over to stand beside the younger androids. "Those two've been at it for a half-hour!" she sighs. "My, I never thought androids on Elle were so passionate!"

Elle blinks, then sighs. "Mrs. Invader...Chim-mama...Lum-chan told me about what happened to you and your husband," she bows. "Please accept my deepest condolences for your loss."

"Thank you, Elle-chan. I'm glad you're free now. Does that mean you'll be joining Lum-chan and Atako-chan on Earth?"

"Hai, Chim-mama!" Elle nods.

"Well, that's good. Now, if you don't mind, could I get a recharge cable for my fiancee please?" she indicates Chika, still frozen in place. "She needs one right now."

"Aaah!!" Elle gasps. "Recharge cable's on the bridge!"

"Thank you!" Chim runs out.

"Hey!!" Rose looks up. "The challenge ain't done yet!!!"

"ROSE!!!!" Elle screams, then slaps her forehead. "Sacred Ancestors, what will I ever do with you?!!"

Everyone else laughs...

* * *

"So Sylia-san's team are on their way to spread the retro-virus among the Cute Boys to free them," Shinobu sips her tea, then sighs. "Oh, that's wonderful! Were they turned into women?"

"Nope!" Rose shakes her head. After the class trip, Rose and Elle were fitted with new power packs, then everyone gathered in Room 337 to hear their story. "Problem is, what the hell happens if they want to be people again? Easy for Elle-chan and me; we both have spirit-sisters on Sagussa."

"I called Catty and asked her about it," Makoto hums. "She says that since all the Cute Boys still have DNA samples hanging around in Baran, it could be possible to take an egg from one of the Daishi'cha, splice in the DNA, then grow a new body. They're going to try it with samples of Ataru's DNA before they'd offer it to the Cute Boys. It looks good."

"Many of them suffer from really bad diseases, Makoto," Rose warns. "Hifuto Syndrome and all that..."

"Easily cured," Mie shakes her head.

Kinshou then walks in, now in a lab coat, datapadd in hand. "Okay, Rose-chan, we've got you and Elle-chan listed in the files," she smiles. "You're now Unit Tee-Ee-Four-Nine-Nine-Two. Elle-chan will be Tee-Ee-Four-Nine-Nine-One. I'll put you on the same duty watch as Asaka-chan, Rose-chan. Oh, Chim-chan, you'll be on the same watch as Chika-chan, okay?"

"Hai, Kinshou-chan, thank you," Chim squeezes Chika's hand.

Kinshou turns, then gasps on seeing Elle walk in, now properly fitted into a Tomobiki High School uniform. "Elle-chan, you look beautiful!" she beams, clapping her hands.

"Thank you, Kinshou-mama," Elle blushes, then gazes at Lum and Atako. "Blame Honey and Lum-chan for talking me into it."

"Aaawww!!!" Negau pouts. "Now, how can I make you love me if you're going to be with Atako-chan and my sister all the time?!"

Everyone faints! "WHAT?!?!?!"

"Who are you?!" Elle demands.

Negau gives her a very sultry stare. "Don't you know who your cute devil is...my sexy rose queen?!" she licks her lips.

Lum and Elle jolt. "YOU'RE the one?!!" Elle points at Negau.

"Onee-chan, you have a crush on ELLE?!?!" Lum gasps.

"Hai," Negau muses, licking her lips. "Ne, Elle-chan?! I think I'm going to have to work overtime to make my sexy love doll forget her silly Honey!"

Elle shivers, then begins to back away as Negau advances on her. "Honey, Lum-chan, help...!" she squeaks.

Lum hums, then stares at Atako. "Ne, Darling, do you think our bed's big enough to have Elle-chan and Negau-chan sleep with us?" she muses.

"It'll be a bit of a squeeze, though," Atako rolls her hands, then sighs. "I better call Komeru-oji-chan and get a contractor sent down to knock in some extra space!! Oh, shit, now I know how Chuuko-mama felt every time she worried about the damn mortgage!!"

Everyone else laughs. Elle blinks, then gazes at Negau. The Oni flutters her eyelashes at the Ellsian. "Ne, Negau-chan?"

"Hai, Elle-chan," Negau smiles.

"Did you really mean what you wrote to me once?" Elle licks her lips. "That you'd happily ravage my nubile virgin body in front of Honey to show how much you lusted after me?!"

"Hai, Elle-chan!" Negau nods.

The Rose Queen hums. "I think that would turn Honey on so much!" she muses, winking at her. "Ne, Lum-chan?!"

Lum blinks, then laughs...

* * *

A day later, Atako, Lum and Elle sigh as they walk into the front door of the Moroboshi home after the Ellsian's first day of classes. "Shooko-chan says you've got a lot of potential on the high dive, Elle-chan," Atako smiles. "Your form looks great!"

"And why not?!" Elle blows her a kiss. "After all, I watch my dear Honey do it every time! Negau-chan, we're home!!" she calls out into the house.

Negau leans out from the door to their bedroom, an apron drawn over her short-sleeve blouse and skirt. Being too old for school, she elected to remain at home and watch over everything while her new family goes off to school. "There you are, you three!! C'mon up and see what's happened!"

They race upstairs, then look in. "Shit, this is great!!" Atako beams on seeing that the room is now doubled in size, the balcony turned into extra floor space, a new balcony set off to one side. New wardrobe cabinets and a second work table were also brought in. "Hey, where's Ten-chan and Koishii-chan?"

"Off playing," Negau giggles. "The contractors put in a new bedroom beside Hisoko-chan's and Tanako-chan's."

Everyone smiles, then engage in a group hug. "So what now?" Lum smiles.

"I don't know about you girls, but I want to sample the beautiful delights of my fiancee's lovely android sister," Atako turns on Negau. "Ne, Negau-chan? Would you love to be pleased by your sister's sexy Darling?"

"Hai, Atako-chan, I would," Negau meows.

Both drift into a gentle kiss. "Will you bond with her?" Lum stares quizzically at Elle.

"I don't know," Elle shrugs. "I mean, she's beautiful and all that, but I still can't see myself loving someone else when Honey's around for me."

"Elle-chan..."

"And you too?" Elle warmly embraces her. "I love you now, Lum-chan. I'm glad I can't make myself hate you anymore."

"Arigato, Elle-chan," Lum kisses her. "I love you too. Now, shall we join Darling and Negau-chan?" she lasciviously gazes at the two now getting down and funky on their bed.

"Hmmm...let's!" Elle growls...

*** The End ***