The Space Empress He Craved

Chapter 72

POV: Lyra

Orion studied my unperturbed expression through the holo-display's soft glow. "Why don't you look surprised?"

I shrugged, my opalescent skin maintaining its steady silver. "Because it's not surprising. Rogue Lyrokans didn't exist at that time. So how would you know about Rogue Kaelari operating in the outer sectors?"

He stroked my hand, neural sparks flowing between us, his pathways dimming with sadness. "We should've known."

My grip tightened, our consciousness patterns syncing deeper through the bond. "You do now. You were young, Orion. And you had no data access during Emperor Lucas's reign. But the fact is you chose to notice us as soon as you could. That's more than enough. You and Christian have changed so much for all of us."

Orion scoffed, his pathways flickering amber. "Kaelari are still terrified of us though."

I could feel his thoughts bleeding through—remembering how the Kaelari at the collaboration wouldn't feel safe speaking to him and Christian unless I was there, bridging our species. He wondered if he could ever be half as good as me at connecting with them.

I stroked his hand lovingly, sending calming pulses through our neural connection. "Give it time, darling. They'll come around. Besides, many of the Kaelari here are already warming up to you and Christian, and also to Weaver and Yarrington. Word will spread through the quantum networks when they return to their stations, and our species will begin to see that not all Lyrokans are menacing."

Orion's pathways flared bright purple with surprise. "Menacing. Wow. My dear," he transmitted a laugh through our bond. "If I remember correctly, I've only ever terminated hunters who breach our inter-species agreements and Lyrokan criminals who deserve execution protocols. And also a few Rogue operatives who we found trying to breach station perimeters for illegal intentions. That's probably around ten terminations in the last eighteen cycles. You and your squadmates, on the other hand, my love, have probably lost count of the number of Rogues you had to eliminate to save your stations. And we're the menacing species?"

The service android came with our nutrient plates and Orion reluctantly released my hands as the dishes were placed on the chrome table. I thanked the android with a polite nod before turning back to Orion. "Menacing in intention was what I meant, my darling. It's like you said, the Lyrokans never did anything for us but every cycle they would take fifty percent of our station's resources... well, until eighteen cycles ago, that is. Thank you for lowering it to ten percent, by the way."

He sighed in dismay, his pathways going dark. "Oh dear cosmos."

"I just spoiled your appetite, didn't I? Maybe we should have talked about your mother or Aunt Reida first."

A wide smile graced his features again, his pathways blazing purple-white as he reached for my hand. "I would say that looking at you only increases my appetite but I'm not sure how well I can control my arousal if we trailed along that line of conversation so let's just leave that there."

I shot him a stern look through my multifaceted eyes, but he just chuckled, the sound vibrating through our bond.

After his humor subsided, gratefulness replaced it. "You have no idea how thankful I am to be bonded to you, Lyra. I've seen more than past Emperors after my father's termination but I still wasn't seeing enough, feeling enough or doing enough. The cosmos practically gave me a walking database and gateway to discover the truth behind how Kaelari are really faring when it bonded us."

I tried pressing back a cheeky smile, my skin shifting to amused gold. He narrowed his eyes playfully. "What is it?"

I shook my head, trying to suppress my smile which was getting wider by the second.

He resorted to mind-touching me directly: Star-heart, if you're not going to share the joke, I'm going to come over there and activate every one of your neural receptors in front of all these beings.

My smile faltered, skin flashing to alarmed orange. You wouldn't.

He smirked, pathways pulsing mischievously. Wanna bet? You know I'm not against displaying my affection for you publicly. I've done it countless times in the dining sector and on the training deck.

Don't you dare do it here.

Then tell me.

My smile of amusement returned as I transmitted: I was just going to tweak our little act at the refreshment station, this time with the mock realization of you just wanting me as a database and an information-gateway for your very taxing job as Emperor.

He looked tenderly at my small hand before linking: You, my dear, have a tendency to venture into dangerous territory.

And you, my Emperor, have a tendency to conjure up inappropriate thoughts.

He smirked and pressed his lips to my hand, sending intense neural sparks through my system. "Only when I'm with you, sweetheart. But I'm controlling it, Lyra. I promise."

I offered a grateful smile. "I know. Thank you."

He scoffed. "This is definitely not something you should be thanking me for. Cosmos, I have to get someone to teach you to be more self-entitled."

After swallowing the synthesized protein, I said, "Greg's a good choice, I suppose."

Orion's pathways went black for a second before returning to light purple when he saw my cheeky grin. "He can't teach you, Lyra. He already failed the test when you made him shut that annoying vocal output of his. He's no longer qualified."

I nodded in agreement and took a sip from my hydration cylinder before asking, "So who do you suggest?"

Orion sighed. "I don't know, sweetheart. You're really stubborn when it comes to not claiming your own worth. I don't think the cosmos itself would be able to teach you."

I chuckled at his comment and the mock exhaustion on his face as he consumed his nutrients.

After a few silent moments, I started mind-touching him as I chewed: So, your mother, what was she like?

A soft smile grew on Orion's face, his pathways shifting to nostalgic blue as he reminisced. She was my source of comfort. Whenever I'm upset, she somehow managed to make everything... better. She and her sister, Aunt Reida.

But you mentioned your favorite being was your aunt, not your mother. Why is that? The late Empress didn't give you as many sweet supplements as you would like as a youngling? I teased through our link.

His smile turned sad, pathways dimming. "I wish it were that simple."