The World at the Edge of Space (Perseus Gate Book 2) Read online

  However, before Jessica could state that she would do the job, Phoebe’s voice lowered, becoming decidedly less squeaky.

  “You may have noticed how it’s rather expensive to get fuel in this system,” she said. “I can take care of that for you, you know…or make it worse.”

  “How much better?” Jessica asked. “The kind of better I’m thinking of is the free kind.”

  Phoebe’s pixie-like features pinched as she frowned. “You drive a hard bargain, Jessica, but I’ll see that its done. I’m leaving Hermes tomorrow night, so we’ll want to do the shoot tomorrow and the surgery tonight.”

  “Whoa!” Jessica cried out. “You never said anything about surgery!”

  “Well yeah, silly. You have to become Retyna Girl, with our patented Retnya in your skin. It’s part of why you’re so perfect—the total package! You don’t have organic skin, so we can embed our product in it without any risks. It’ll actually work too. It pulls a lot of energy out of light, it may make your skin a bit lighter, but you can adjust how active it is too. You’ll be a powerhouse!”

  Nance said.

 

  Nance replied.

  Iris agreed.

  Nance added.

  Jessica sighed and met Phoebe’s eyes. “Fine. Send the address for where this is all going to happen.”

  “You got it! I’ll see you in an hour!” Phoebe transmitted the location over the Link and then signed off.

  “This is the worst idea ever,” Jessica sighed.

  “Well, we could raise a stink and shoot our way clear across Orion space,” Cargo said, sarcasm oozing from his voice. “I don’t get why you’re not OK with this, Jessica. Seems right up your alley.”

  “Besides, it’s like you’re going to be a superhero! Retyna Girl!”

  Jessica leveled a long stare at Cheeky. “When this is over, we never speak of it again.”

  Cheeky reached out and pinched Jessica’s cheek. “Whatever you say, Retyna Girl.”

  UPGRADE

  STELLAR DATE: 07.22.8938 (Adjusted Years)

  LOCATION: Hermes Station

  REGION: Naga System, Orion Freedom Alliance Space

  “Jessica! Thanks for making it on time,” Phoebe said, extending her hand as Jessica walked through the doors.

  “That’s me. Punctual,” Jessica replied.

  The area of the station Phoebe’s directions had led her to appeared to be the main RHY offices on the station, a clean—if a little bland—facility near the top of the central spire. It was, thankfully, devoid of any ads featuring Retyna Girl.

  “Of course!” Phoebe exclaimed. “Retyna Girl is always punctual!”

  “Is that one of her super powers?” Jessica asked dryly.

  “Uh…no,” Phoebe said.

  Iris said.

  Jessica replied.

 

  Jessica said sourly, then chuckled. She really was acting like a baby. But something about being forced to perform bothered her. Well, not something, she knew what it was, but it was over a hundred years ago. That undercover op back on High Terra shouldn’t be affecting her thinking so much—rather, she shouldn’t let it affect her so much.

 

  Jessica said.

 

 

  “So how does all that sound?” Phoebe asked. “I hope you can do our girl justice. She’s strong and powerful, she doesn’t take any shit, but she’s also nice, kay, we need you to be nice as well as strong.”

  Jessica relaxed her shoulders and gave Phoebe a winning smile. “I can be nice, I promise. This is going to rock. Retyna Girl is going to be a hit across the whole OFA.”

  “Oh! That’s great! You look so pretty when you smile!” Phoebe gushed as she leaned forward and wrapped Jessica in an embrace. She pulled back and swept her eyes down Jessica’s body. “I mean, you look hot all the time, but extra pretty when you smile.”

  The next half hour was spent with the RHY lawyers, examining the contract, ensuring that it included the waiver of scoop fees for Sabrina—rather, the Matron Tulip—and even some nice residual royalties for Jessica over the next few years from any derivative works that used her likeness.

  Jessica said after her AI proposed the final round of changes.

 

  Once the contract was signed, and the station had the waiver of scoop fees on record, Jessica let the ever-bubbly Phoebe lead her down a long series of corridors, past offices to areas filled with labs. Most were occupied by automatons managing cultures, though there were some human workers present as well.

  Eventually Phoebe led her into a room where two women in white hazsuits waited before a table.

  “Here we are! Jessica…I mean Retyna Girl,” Phoebe corrected herself with a giggle. “I’d like you to meet Doctors Kimbal and Betty. They’ll be doing the work to turn you into our hero!”

  Betty gave a warm smile, but Kimbal just frowned.

  “Let’s get to it, we’re already behind and I have things to do other than marketing stunts.”

  “Oh, Kim,” Betty said with a smile. “This’ll be fun. It’s our first human implantation!”

  “First?” Jessica asked.

  “Oh, well first full coverage. We’ve done bits before. It’s when we realized that someone with an artificial skin would be a better candidate. And you’re perfect!”

  “Uh, thanks,” Jessica replied.

 

 

 

  “Please, lay down so we can get started. It won’t take too long,” Doctor Kimbal said, gesturing to the table. “Oh, but you’ll need to disrobe, of course.”

  Jessica nodded and pulled off her shipsuit—not the purple one, no point in risking it along with her wellbeing. Once naked, she lay down on the table, and Betty pressed a hypospray against her neck. “Just something to put you under for a bit.”

  Jessica admonished Iris.

 

  As consciousness slipped away, Jessica heard Phoebe say, “Oh, and do something about her blue eyes, Retyna Girl has to have purple eyes.”

  Fuck.

  CONFESSIONS

  STELLAR DATE: 07.22.8938 (Adjusted Years)

  LOCATION: Hermes Station<
br />
  REGION: Naga System, Orion Freedom Alliance Space

  Jessica woke with a start, her arms stretching out, reaching for the edge of the bed. They found it, and confirmed that it was indeed a bed.

  She tried to look around, but couldn’t see a thing, not even cycling her vision.

 

  Iris replied.

 

  Iris replied hesitantly.

 

  Jessica peeled the gauze from her eyes and waited for them to adjust. It took only a moment before she could make out a darkened room lit by a purple glow.

  A purple glow.

  Jessica raised her right hand and let out a long sigh.

 

 

  Jessica asked as she lifted her leg into the air, wiggling her toes and watching the light dance on the ceiling.

 

  Jessica asked.

 

  Jessica said as she rubbed her thighs.

  Iris suggested.

  Jessica ran a hand down up her side, cupping her right breast.

  Iris chuckled.

 

  Iris’s avatar frowned in Jessica’s mind.

  Jessica moaned.

 

  Jessica sighed and closed her eyes.

  Iris replied.

  Jessica drew a hand to her forehead, starting when her skin tingled in response.

  Iris sounded genuinely curious about the tale.

 
 
 

  Iris wrapped Jessica in a warm mental embrace.

  Jessica said.

  Iris exclaimed.

  Jessica chuckled softly in her mind.

  Jessica managed a weak smile, glad that most of those old memories from the TBI were gone, but something she had learned over the years was that pain could outlast memory.

 

 

 

  Jessica laughed.
 

  Jessica chuckled at some of the memories, at the crazy things she’d done in the past, what felt like lifetimes ago.

 
  best thing that ever happened to me. Myrrdan was living trash, the worst thing ever, but what he did saved me.>

  Iris asked.

 

  Jessica’s thoughts wandered for a moment, remembering those early days on the Intrepid as it drifted through the darkness between Estrella de la Muerte and The Kap. Tears formed in the corners of her eyes, and she stared at the roof, watching the light on the ceiling sparkle and shift as the salty droplets flowed down her luminescent skin.

 

  Iris said.

  Jessica nodded.

  Iris said.

  Jessica laughed softly.

  Iris replied, sending soothing waves into Jessica’s mind as she drifted back to sleep.