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Cellulose & Steel	By : Not-Taylor Category: Misc Books > FemmeSlash Views: 1028 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I don't own HDG or its characters and I don't make money from this work.

Chapter List
- 16
- 17
- 18
It’s decision time. She can only get away with pretending to be on hold for so long, especially when she doesn’t know if Affini communications even has that feature. Wait, why do they have operators? That’s weird when she thinks about it and lets herself get distracted from what she’s supposed to be thinking about.
Artemis and Ginger, or just Verda. Ginger is a slut traitor who hogs the plantgirls for herself. OLIVIA STOP IT, she screams internally. Ginger is a bad person who was a victim of affini biology and couldn’t help betraying her previous crew. Better. Artemis is hot but too eager in an uncomfy way. More crazy than hot, but still…
ANYWAY, Verda seems way smarter to Olivia, but she doesn’t do the hot… She does. That’s embarrassing. Olivia didn’t want to remember before. That’s awfully intense too…
Stupid boat. She’s just thinking about sex instead of what’s important, which is who will put fewer of the xenodrugs presently messing up her head into her system, and obviously that’s Verda. That means giving up Ginger, but that’s fine. She’s a lost cause anyway. She doesn’t deserve Song’s loyalty, even if it’s technically not her fault. There’s… also something missing. As pleasant as it felt to be with her again and as much as Artemis contributed, something’s not right. She can’t think what it might be. Something she’s missing…
She’ll probably regret it, but Olivia calms herself and presses the apparent operator button. For a while the button seems to have done nothing, but a loud affini voice eventually comes through the speaker, which Olivia can’t find on the device. But she hasn’t figured out what to say. She’s too aware of how bad saying nothing would be, so she forces open her mouth and says the first thing to pop into her head.
“Hello, xeno.” They’ll elect Olivia empress if her brilliant oratory continues.
“Um, hello? Who’s this? You’re the first person to call me ever. So…”
“Oh, um. I’m…” Why is she hesitating? Being found is why she called, isn’t it?
“I’m a Terran.”
“Oh really! That’s cool. I guess you haven’t been around that long, right? What’s Ruby Trunk like for you?”
“It’s… big.” Why is she conversing with the xeno? This is stupid.
“Big?”
“Everything. All of you are so big, and viney.” What?
“Yeah, seems like it’d be big for you. How are you and your owner getting on? Do you have one, I guess I should ask.”
“Um…” This is the final choice. She remembers to not say “I’m a free terran and thus have no master.”
“I’m looking for someone.”
“Oh, right! That makes sense haha. Who can I find for you?”
“Verda Edok, fourth bloom.”
“You want an autograph? Sorry, I can’t help you with your collection.”
“No, I’m trying to get in contact.”
“I know, I was briefed on this a couple of decades ago. I know your type. You can’t fool me. You’re already friends, but you don’t know her callsign, right? Spare me”
“But I…”
“Called it.”
“Could I… speak to Olivia Donnoly?”
“Let me check. Apparently Olivia’s new name is Olivia Edok, and you wouldn’t believe whose second floret she is. Do I need to tell you or did you already know that?”
“Of course I…”
“And kind of low, trying to snag a floret that’s already been stolen. You want her for yourself, don’t you? Honestly she’s not my type but I get what the appeal could be.”
“What if… I’d found that… person?”
“You mean the floret?”
“That one.”
“Then she’d be calling her mistress to be picked up. All of my florets would do that. What an evil person, whoever kidnapped the poor thing.”
“Could I at least send a message?”
“No! I’m not facilitating celebrity worship. It’s antithetical to the moral structure of our society.”
A soft reverberation sound effect comes from the tablet as the operator disconnects. At least Olivia had thrown them off her trail. They’d never look at the residence of the person who owned the device connected to that sort of call. Safe from… Verda. Is that a good thing?
A tap on Olivia’s knee reminds her that her audience was paying good attention. Artemis’s smile says she knows everything that was said and isn’t even slightly unhappy about it. Ginger looks unusually happy too, despite the implications of her “girlfriend” being there against her will. As she turns around to look at the tapper, another tendril grazes her shoulder. They quickly wrap gently around her and draw her back in. Ginger starts to smile as Olivia comes nearer.
Olivia moves her arm to object, but the plant doesn’t let her slip free. “So you won’t be leaving us? It would be a lie if I said I were disappointed, my floret. Let me comb your hair. You look like you need it.”
“No…”
Resisting isn’t that hard, compared to several points in the past few days. It’s harder than before the vines had snared her, but not that bad. That doesn’t make it any more effective, of course. Olivia moves to take a bite out of the salad, but the vine darts away from her mouth.
“Ginger taught me that maneuver, silly girl. Do you like to be prey that much?”
“I want to go home.”
“No, we won’t be sending you back to the horrible living conditions for which you’ve developed a taste. You’re going to stay here with me, where you two delightful morsels can really enjoy each other in comfort. You deserve that much. And here in the Affini Compact, nobody will criticize you for being together. You do make a cute couple.”
“No we don’t!”
“Liv…” Ginger interrupts, looking very hurt.
“I’m not letting a weed talk about you that way.”
“By saying we’re cute together.”
“Especially that. It-”
A swarm of vines interrupt Olivia, wrapping her in a cocoon of verdant softness. She hits with all her strength, but it does nothing. She can’t even flop onto the floor because they don’t give her enough space to sit. When she stops moving they retract, leaving their owner directly in front of her. As soon as they make eye contact, the affini’s vines from behind Olivia wrap her arms, legs, and neck in something. Of course, it’s those black bands. What else would it be?
“Enough. Now we’ll set out for the vet.”
“I suppose that’s better than the horticulturist.”
“Very, since those don’t treat people. You’re thinking of doctors, I imagine.”
“So you see a doctor but you’re taking me to a veterinarian?”
"That’s right,” the affini said, looking puzzled that that’s contentious.
“Just checking. I don’t want to go. I… have sensory issues and don’t like medical objects.”
“They’ll give you sedatives. I promise you’ll feel better after they’re done. This vet is a very nice person and won’t hurt you. You’ll take a nap and everything will be better, Olivia.”
“No! I won’t go! You can’t make me.” Of course she can make her.
“Of course I can make you go. I’m your mistress and I refuse to let a floret’s tantrum prevent her happiness. You know how happy you were before, when I stopped you from fighting against yourself. You know how happy my Ginger was too. I would be a negligent owner if I tolerated such stubbornness.”’
”But I have rights.”
“You have the right to be happy under my care.”
“I don’t trust you.”
“You will.”
“Can I at least talk to the doctor before you do anything to me?”
“More delaying? I suppose that’s permissible. We will however leave immediately.”
Ginger doesn’t need restraints and follows along excitedly. She somehow manages to snuggle against both Artemis and Olivia at once as they ride across the ship. Olivia is a little surprised that nothing is ever in easy walking distance of anything else, so everyone is forced to constantly be using these trams. But the trams are never too crowded. What if that means everyone is nocturnal, she wonders.
Artemis drags her two terran possessions into a short birch toned building marked in Affini, with a large symbol that looks like a mu. The automatic doors part, allowing the building to devour them. A somewhat bored looking affini jumps up as soon as they enter, excited somebody cares enough to stop by.
Artemis begins speaking quickly, using a lot of words Olivia hasn’t heard before, not that she’d understand them if she had. The affini gestures with a vine, and all four of them walk together into a little room. It feels very clean even if nothing is white. Artemis places Olivia on a table that’s just the size of a Terran coffin. This can’t be a good sign.
“Good afternoon. I’m Shweta Tierin, ninth bloom (she/her). I’ll be providing you with your implant. Your mistress tells me you have some unrelated questions, before we start with that.”
She starts to examine Olivia with several strange probes and scanners. A machine to the side records data Olivia can’t interpret because it’s in Affini. There’s an occasional poke or press that accompanies the beeping and scanning.
“I don’t want an implant.”
“She also mentioned that you were being especially difficult, and that she didn’t think you were going to respond positively to her care until you could be properly monitored to ensure your good behavior. This is for your own good.”
“You don’t know my name, do you?”
“You’re right, I didn’t think to ask. I’m sorry. Who are you, and who’s your little friend,” She adds, gesturing to a vacantly staring Ginger.
“I’m Olivia Donnoly, pilot second class with the Cosmic Navy, part of the Free Terran Resistance. Normally I fight for humanity, but today I’m really frustrated just in general.”
“What’s the problem?”
“So you don’t know who I am?”
“Are you a celebrity on Terra?”
“Could you please look me up somewhere?”
Shweta glances at Artemis, who suddenly looks excitingly nervous. She tries to say something several times but evidently can’t think of anything that makes her not look suspicious. Shweta reaches for her tablet with an incredulous look, typing a bit. Her botanical attempt at a face goes blank as she reads who Olivia is. Olivia smirks. She’s going to get away with this and the weed will take the blame.
“What’s your owner’s name, blossom?”
“I don’t have one.”
“That’s what I thought. Maybe you should stop telling people that, so they don’t think you’re a stray. That could have prevented the current situation.”
“But I’m not a stray. I’m a Free Terran. No weed owns me.”
Everyone else in the room rolls their eyes. Olivia takes that as encouragement to keep fighting for her rights, and Ginger’s, even if that ungrateful mole wouldn’t understand.
“That’s lovely, Olivia, but your mistress is probably very worried about you. There’s a fugitive report that was posted about you yesterday. Where have you been since then?”
“With these two.”
“Do you want to stay with them?”
“Of course not. I don’t want to get implanted. That’s ridiculous.”
“Well, you’re getting an implant someday. But I understand completely that you love your mistress and would rather be with her than with somebody who kidnapped you.”
“Shweta,” Artemis interjects. “My first floret is this floret’s mate. I don’t believe they ought to be separated.”
“We broke up because she’s a disloyal bitch. I don’t trust her and we only had sex because of xenodrugs.”
“You didn’t want to before then?”
“I…”
“It doesn’t matter, Miss Pallas. This floret already has an owner. You may petition her for a transfer of ownership, but as the floret in question hasn’t asked to be yours, you have no jurisdiction whatsoever. Don’t make me get out the G9.”
Artemis shudders. Clearly she knows what that is. Sighing, Shweta types into her tablet and shuts it off. She looks tiredly at everyone.
“There. I’ve called Verda Edok, fourth bloom, and asked her to come pick up her floret. You people make things so difficult. You interrupted my daydream about my next floret, and for what? Because you can’t solve your problems in a civilized fashion?” She groans. “Verda should be here soon. I hope that all of you will be able to behave when she arrives.”
That works. It’s better than being stuck with xeno abominations in her body for the rest of her life. Olivia is cautiously optimistic, for once. There could be a way out. She just has to figure out how to give Verda the slip again once they’re alone. And not get into trouble over her escape, but she can just blame Artemis. That’ll work. She hopes that will work. There’s always a way out. She just has to be smart enough to find it.
Meanwhile, Ginger starts to cry. She keeps her emotion mostly hidden, but Olivia knows her well enough to see through her. Ginger will be thinking about how sad she is that her “girlfriend” is going away now. Olivia doesn’t blame her. She’s a little sad too, despite everything. She does remember the last day and everything that happened, of course. Artemis is fuming, but she seems to be accepting she won’t have an adorable floret couple to play dolls with.
After what feels like a very long time, Verda comes through the main door. How does Olivia know that? It must be that she recognizes her movement pattern. What? It’s the fact that nobody else would bother coming in wherever they are now. Right. Probably because she wants it to be Verda. So that she could get out of here as soon as humanly possible.
It’s Verda. Olivia recognizes her smell the instant she walks into the room. Probably because she’s been exposed to it so much lately. There’s something else entering the room with her too, but she can’t figure out what before people start talking.
“By the grossblooms, there you are, pet! I was so worried! I had no idea what had happened to you!”
“She seems to be healthy right now, just some symptoms of a xenodrug cocktail I haven’t seen before. I’m sure you’ll be excited that she was the one who told me she was yours.”
“You did? I’m so proud of you, Olivia. You’re such a loyal and well behaved floret. I’m so glad you chose to come home. Who are these two? Is that your kidnapper?”
“I didn’t kidnap this floret. She came to me willingly and told people she was my floret. She was pretending to be my other floret.”
“Why would I believe that? Somebody broke into our home in order to take her away from me. The poor thing looks terrified.”
The feel of Verda’s caresses is strangely comforting. Olivia doesn’t have to pretend she feels soothed, but that fact makes her feel a little guilty. Free Terrans shouldn’t feel comforted by xeno touches. Artemis is starting to panic.
“But two affini brought her to me. They said she was calling herself by my floret Ginger’s name.”
“Did you?”
“She did, Miss!” Ginger jumps into the conversation for some reason. “I think she just wanted to see me. We’re a couple!”
Olivia feels very uncomfortable. She’d rather she didn’t have to deal with this.
“You are?”
“I- We… She drugged us and made us have sex.”
Nobody speaks. It seems the other affini in the room have some level of morality if that upsets them. Olivia doesn’t really feel traumatized, though she technically should. Ginger is still Ginger and the xenodrugs are the part she’s actually upset about.
“They were fighting.”
“And your solution was to use xenodrugs to get your florets to make up by mating, after one had been with you less than a day? That’s clever, but insane. There are dozens of advice discussions about that specific issue.” The veterinarian is starting to look angry.
“It worked.”
“Clearly not,” Verda counters. She looks thoroughly enraged.
Olivia had never felt truly intimidated by an affini before. She thought they were dumb weeds that just wanted to cuddle exotic imported fauna. They always spoke in low tones and made jokes to dismantle tension. Right now, Verda looks outright menacing. Her vines have started to uncoil from under her leaves and they’re spreading through the room. Her head is almost to the ceiling because of how much she’s increased her size. Some of her tendrils have changed to a vibrant, unnatural blue. The passive swaying and undulation of her limbs has stopped completely, and all she’s doing is expanding. Worst of all, her face and voice are completely expressionless. Even Ginger notices and stops smiling.
“She wouldn’t stop calling my first floret a traitor, and that was the only way to show her that Ginger still cares for her.”
“Naturally. My floret is still processing the loss of the only society she has ever known, as well as the only people who ever treated her with the slightest respect. Though you wouldn’t know that. Did you even search the Terran archives for her name? I didn’t think you did. Surely you would have seen the file of present legal documentation, including her class 2 domestication notice, listing somebody by the name of ‘Verda Edok, fourth bloom’ as her rapchik. Further, it’s extremely likely you know who my floret is from her broadcasted speech from the other day, during which she stated her former name as well as her rank. Now, you will tell me everything about what happened between you, kidnapper, and my floret. I can officially designate this a matter of fleet security, if that would assist your recollection?”
Artemis goes pale, if plants can even have reduced bloodflow to their faces, and if they even can be said to have faces. She seems to be feeling somewhat out of her depth in this conversation. She certainly isn’t a warrior. Verda crosses her arms and stares calmly, waiting.
“I- Um. She -my second floret-” Verda shifts deliberately. “Came to our apartment while I was collecting a new outfit for my first floret. I wasn’t gone very long.”
“You were gone for a couple of hours,” Ginger contributes.
“And you didn’t take your floret with you?”
“She wanted to take a nap on the bed. When I came home, she presented me with her new ‘covenant,’ who was this particular terran. She claimed not to have an owner and to be a free terran. So, since she was a stray, I adopted her.”
“May I see the adoption papers?”
“I was to fill them out here.”
“And what do you know about how my floret reached you.”
“Two affini brought her to Ginger while I was out.”
“How do you know?”
“Ginger told me so.”
“You believe her?”
“Of course. I doubt she could navigate Ruby Trunk by herself without a guide.”
“Did you bother to ask my floret’s pronouns?”
“I assumed her mate would use the correct ones.” For reasons unknown to Olivia, this answer was not correct. Affini are very strange.
“They had been fighting over Ginger’s role in the domestication of their combat vessel. I explained that it was for the better and that Ginger would never betray her as such, given my knowledge of her from Ginger’s testimony. My second floret,” she seems far less confident in saying that than she did before “refused to accept the possibility of good intentions from her mate, and I attempted to facilitate their consonance. It’s a work in progress.”
“Why did you say pseudomate before? What’s that?” Olivia decides this is the right time to interject. She’s confused about that still.
“It’s when a pair of lifeforms is still engaged in courtship rituals, pet,” Verda explains in a soft tone that contrasts jarringly with her previous expression. She continues coldly.
“I require a list of names and quantities for every xenodrug used on my floret. You failed to take into account her mental and medical issues, as otherwise you would never have pressed her into sexual activities with somebody who was making her uncomfortable. I also require a detailed summary of the treatment of your floret, as you have come under official scrutiny for inappropriate treatment. You were here for implantation? Disgusting. A second bloom should know better.”
Verda types with several tendrils at her tablet, going much faster than Olivia had seen from her previously. Soon she looks up and hands it to Shweta.
“I expect your signature, testifying that you were present when all of the above was stated.” The vet looks through the document and gestures at the screen, evidently sufficient to prove her agreement. Verda passes it to Artemis, saying nothing. Artemis signs quickly. She knows that her health benefits from a lack of delay. Verda calmly takes back the tablet and waits. She continues to wait, evidently hoping Artemis will do something else. She remains perfectly still, waiting. Minutes pass. Artemis looks terrified, but nobody offers her any suggestions. She looks toward the door but Verda moves a substantial vine to cover it. They all wait together. Ginger looks extremely bored but also a little scared.
Finally, Artemis figures out what’s going on. A look of fear crosses her synthesized face, followed by a scramble to type something into her portable device. She looks much less composed than Verda had been during her typing. When she finishes, Artemis swipes across the screen in Verda’s direction. Her tablet pings and she looks at it. At first she smiles slightly, but then she turns wrathful. Olivia is suddenly glad that her actions were never taken as an actual threat.
“You omitted type 3 correctives.”
“Olivia is valid as she is.”
So you do know my floret’s name. I underestimated you. No, operative she is not ‘valid.’ She is deeply traumatized by circumstances outside of her control. Those correctives are vital to her health. You should know such things. A single day is an ‘acceptable’ loss,” she spits out. Verda looks down to the screen again.
“You failed to note her Class B deviation. It’s rather obvious if you speak to her for more than five consecutive minutes. You also failed to diagnose her oppositional syndrome. It’s not pathological, it’s reflexive. ‘Sexual dysfunction?’ I refuse to believe that was a sincere note. “Quaravine? What was this for?”
“It’s a Q-D hybrid-”
“I know what it is. You will tell me why you put that into my floret’s body right now. I will not ask another time.”
“To calm her, mitigate disgust reactions including nausea, and increase disinhibitions related to her emotions, so assist in processing of C induced stimuli.”
“You’re no better than what they accuse us of being.”
“I promise you that Olivia was happier this time yesterday than she has been in her life.”
“I promise you that your experiments will be recorded and evaluated by the appropriate bodies of oversight.”
With the end of that statement, Verda sweeps her floret up with one arm and tucks her into a dozen vines that cradle her gently. They leave instantly, flowing through both sets of doors and outside. They quickly cross a field across the path from the veterinarian’s office and mount a tram that happens to be about to depart. It doesn’t take long to get home- back to Verda Edok’s residence, that is. Neither of the pair speak during the ride back, and Olivia remains tightly clutched against Verda’s core and listening to the beat of her heart. She’ll figure out how to escape, but that’s later. For now, she’s happy not to have xeno horrors imprinted directly onto her mind. Tump thump ta-tump.
- 16
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- 18
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Cellulose & Steel