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Chapter 30

Xerian sat brooding upon his throne. The last few days had been hectic, even after becoming Emperor, but at last things were starting to calm down.

The Synth looked up as the bridge door opened. A red Synth walked unsteadily into the bridge, escorted by Oram and one of the medics from the planet.

"Rexx!" Xerian cried. "You should be resting!"

"I needed some parts replaced," Rexx said. "Walking around is the best way to adjust to them. But you are right... Captain? The healing process will be long."

Sorg looked at the newcomer questioningly, his ears pinned back as if offended by something.

"I'm their Emperor," Xerian explained awkwardly. "Some of them get a bit twitchy if I'm not treated with the proper respect."

"Rexx doesn't have a great track record for respect," Lautrec said pointedly.

"There is a reason for that," he admitted, kneeling before Xerian. "Er, your highness."

Sorg looked satisfied.

"Honestly, 'Captain' is fine by me," Xerian said. "Though if you can avoid offending my crew too much, that would be a good start."

"KiLL," Quirk said.

"...Just kidding," he added hastily.

"So, Rexx..." Xerian said. "I guessed you were jealous about something. The money and fame I got from having been abducted and k-killed by aliens? That's technically happened to you as well now, right...? Does that help narrow our differences?"

"Your sudden fame did make things worse," Rexx admitted sadly. "But what started it was..." he sighed. "Well, it's 'Zuki. I... I've had a crush on him for many years, but I was always too shy to ask him out..."

"Ohhh," Lautrec said. "And Xerian beat you to the punch...? Oh, that explains a lot!"

"I'm sorry," Rexx said. "Sorry for being a dick to you... Both of you."

Lord Cyra's face was displaying a look of acute embarrassment. "I've... just remembered something I should be doing, Majesty," he muttered and hastened out of the bridge.

Rexx looked puzzled. "What was that about...?"

"'Zuki is not well," Xerian said quietly. "The old Emperor made a project of turning his enemies into mindless drones to act as soldiers for his plan to conquer... Well, everywhere he could, I think. Poor 'Zuki was turned into a drone too. We're trying to undo that, but he's not responding so far. Only has flashes of lucidity every now and again."

"That's... That's horrible," the Synth said, looking stricken. "But what's that got to do with your maid?"

Xerian shrugged awkwardly, causing his cloak to make irritating squeaky noises. "He is the ex-Emperor."

Rexx gave a low moan of horror and instinctively felt the back of his neck as he realised that the 'maid' was the same protogen who had decapitated him. Oram put a steadying hand on the red Synth's shoulder.

"Yeah, sorry," Xerian said. "Lord Cyra has an odd fashion sense and he might be a few Carbon Crunches short of a picnic, but at least he's not trying to take over the galaxy or removing people's h-heads anymore. As long as things stay that way, he can wear what he likes."

"Thing is, he put 'Zuki in that state," Lautrec said. "Or at least, he ordered it. It's a bit of a sore spot with him now his conscience has been rebooted."

"May I see him, your majesty?" Rexx asked. "'Zuki, I mean... I came back to the ship to apologise. To you, to your ca... Lautrec, and to 'Zuki. I have been selfish about it all."

Xerian rose from the chair. "We'll go together," he decided. "Quirk, P3T3R, you have the helm. Let me know if there's any messages from Prime."

"Aye, Cap'n," the ProtoRoo said, with a salute.

* * *

As they entered the infirmary, 'Zuki turned to face them. His eyes had lost some of their red, and he seemed unusually alert.

"Rexx...?" he asked. "Xerian!"

"...'Zuki?" Xerian asked, looking concerned. "Can you hear us?"

Zuki closed his eyes and shook his head for a few moments. "Yes," he said eventually. "Yes, I'm here."

"It's a miracle!" Lautrec said, and did a little dance.

"You're doing much better! I didn't expect you to be so... lucid," Xerian said cautiously. "I hadn't heard any news since we last spoke!"

"I've only just woken up an hour ago," 'Zuki said. "I'm still so confused. So many dark dreams... The slugs inside my head..."

Rexx looked at Xerian worriedly.

"We weren't sure if this would work," the medical Synth said. "I did not want to bring you false hope. But perhaps seeing his loved ones has helped."

"Xerian's the loved one, Rexx is the love rival," Lautrec said helpfully. Xerian kicked him.

"Lobil erased their notes out of spite," Lord Cyra said quietly, leading them aside from 'Zuki. "But P3T3R was able to recover some fragments, using his abilities to directly access the ship's data networks.
"We know that their first attempts involved modifying the brain modules of helper bots, but the damage this caused destroyed them and that approach was shelved before they could kill any Synths, fortunately.
"Lobil's next attempt involved the creation of a device that could be implanted near the brain module and interface with it wirelessly, changing the internal state and I/O links.
"That is all we know - partly because Lobil rejected my abdication, but it may also have been a ploy to keep himself valuable to me while I was in my criminally insane state."

"With the aid of medical staff from the planet, they were able to scan me and locate the implanted device," Zuki said. "Device, device..."

Xerian looked at him anxiously.

"The slugs are quiet..." 'Zuki said thickly, and slapped himself on the head, much as Quirk had done when his combat implants were troubling him.

"Urgh! As you can see, I am not fully cured," the Synth said sadly. "But this problem should fade in time."

"Why are you still black, though...?" Xerian asked plaintively. "Do you remember your original colours...?"

"Certainly," 'Zuki said. "My eyes are no longer red, right...? The truth is, I kind of like it. It looks good on Lautrec, so I'm going to keep it for a while longer."

"So, it turns out there was this love triangle between you, Xerian and Rexx," Lautrec said cheerily. "I mean, I'm just an alien cat robot created by a bunch of sex demons, so I don't know how you usually resolve such things here. I'm hoping it's not pistols at dawn or something.
"But I figured I'd throw that out there to save you all the embarrassment of dancing around the situation."

"Thank you," Xerian said irritably.

"Do you have polycules here?" Lautrec asked helpfully. "Or you could do a time-share! Worst case, there's plenty of sea in the fish..."

"Lautrec, please return to the bridge," Xerian said.

"I think this is a good sign," Lautrec added, trotting towards the exit. "Before, he was all slugs and obedience with flashes of lucidity. Now he just has flashes of the slug episodes. If he's well enough to fight over, I'll take that as a win."

Now, let's see if I can ship Lord Cyra and Quirk, he thought to himself with a wicked grin.

* * *

Lautrec's jaw fell open as he took in the scene in the bridge. The ghostly pine-marten form of Bob was sat in the captain's chair. Eris and Quirk looked cowed, Lord Cyra looked perplexed and Sorg had a murderous expression. P3T3R was standing to one side, face unreadable.

"They are upset because you're sitting on the throne," Niall explained in Furrae Common. "Sorg in particular takes this as a slight against Emperor Xerian."

"Oh, so that's why they tried to grab me?" Bob replied. He raised his hands apologetically and sat on the floor next to the throne.

"Hi, your divinity," Lautrec said, recovering himself and trotting up to the etherial pine marten. "Are you looking for Xerian? He's in the medical wing, trying to resolve a love triangle between himself, 'Zuki and Rexx."

Bob closed his eyes for a moment. "I think they have already resolved it," he said. "Xerian is now in the captain's bedroom with 'Zuki, and they are demonstrating their love for each other. 'Cubi-style."

"Do you often use your divine powers for voyeurism...? Niall asked.

"Sometimes," Bob answered.

"What does it want...?" Lord Cyra asked nervously.

"I finally got that armour I promised Xerian," Bob said, pointing at a heap of black combat armour made to fit a plantigrade Synth. "Yes, I know it's arrived after he needed it most, but eh... It'll look good as ceremonial platemail or something. And who knows? He might need it one day, though I do hope not.
"I also want to congratulate him on having stabilised things, and take Niall back to Furrae. Anyone else who wants to go is welcome too."

Lautrec translated this for the benefit of the protogens and Eris.

"If it's possible, I'd like to stay for one more day," Niall requested. "Things to wrap up and all."

"Yeah," Bob said. "Probably best if I come back tomorrow evening, right? Looks like Xerian is going to be busy for quite a while," he added rubbing his gloved hands with a mischievous expression.

Rexx hovered uncertainly in the doorway, listening nervously as Lautrec translated the proceedings.

Niall beckoned the red Synth inside. "Sorry about your troubles, Rexx," he said in Outer Rim. "But don't worry, I'm sure you'll get your chance."

"Hey... want to go to Furrae?" Lautrec asked brightly. "You'd probably need a new brain when you get there, but it's the tourist opportunity of a lifetime! Then you will have been abducted by aliens twice, just like Xerian!"

"Xerian was not happy about the casual brutality of Furrae," Niall pointed out. "It disgusted him. The Being-Creature Commission will also be less than thrilled if they suddenly start getting alien visitors regularly. However, if Rexx feels that it would help him..."

"I'll think about it," Rexx said. "I have until tomorrow to decide, correct?"

* * *

Xerian and 'Zuki lay together in the Imperial bed, arms wrapped around each other beneath the luxurious covers. 'Zuki's status lights had dimmed as his mind drifted off into a happy sleep.

It's funny, Xerian thought, gazing contentedly at his lover. I've been made captain of a warship and ended the Emperor's threat, at least for now. The Outer Rim is my oyster, and yet... All I really wanted was to have you back.

He patted the sleeping Synth affectionately and closed his eyes. Whatever happened next, with 'Zuki back beside him, tomorrow would be a good day.

The End