Chapter 53 Welcome back.

Aelita was shocked, she also wanted to unite the system but not like this.

She was always supporting the diplomat's idea of negotiations and coexistence, rather than conquest.

Now she learned that the others planned to either kill, freeze, or turn Andrew into a slave.

She could not let that happen, thinking about her options she remembered that Andrew had given her a Taser and taught her how to use it, not to mention that now she had space armor, and even her own armory, in which she found a deadly weapon called a high-pressure dart rifle.

It worked by firing darts propelled by high-pressure gas, and the darts had enough power to pierce even the space armor.

However, no matter how stupid she thought Lanarine was at the moment, she didn't want to kill her.

Aelita took a look at the scanners and sure enough, there were a bunch of modules slapped together closing in from Lanarine's station and there was one life sign aboard.

The Dranixian lieutenant was aiming for one of the substations, intending to use a cube to get to Andrew's station.

Aelita thought of just returning her to her station but she had no idea how much air would Lanarine have in her space armor.

So she had to take care of her here.

Having at least three hours, she got herself ready by wearing her armor and strapping the taser to her right leg with the holster, which was also a gift from Andrew.

As a last resort, she took her rifle and put it on her back.

Aelita knew That her opponent would also be armed, Lanarine also had an armory, but her weapons were all nonlethal, as a slave she could not possess lethal weapons, even after she got her status as a station master back.

With her preparations made, she could just wait and see if the idea would work, if the defense system recognized Lanarine as a threat, she would end up in pieces before she even reached the station.

In the meantime, Aelita had an idea to station most of the guardian drones at the entrances to the medical module, she could still control them, so she did that and the rest of them were sent to patrol the access ways leading to the medical module.

That way, even if she failed, there was still a chance that the drones would be able to stop Lanarine from reaching Andrew.

Lan on the other hand was now sweating bullets, as she was near to the defense range, and she would die if she crossed it with her makeshift spaceship.

Right now she was waiting for a cube to be filled and detached so she could board it and get sent to the station.

She hoped that Aelita would not try to stop her, she didn't want to fight her friend, but she had to make sure that the human was not a threat to them anymore and this was her only chance to do so.

If he was asleep in the tank, he would not be able to activate her slavery chip, giving her a free hand at subduing him.

Of course, she had no intention of killing him, but if he became a slave, she would be free and the system would belong to them.

Finally, she noticed the drones detaching the cube so she boarded it, and to her relief, the defense system didn't open fire on her.

The next four hours, she spent inside the storage module, being hauled to the station, and all that time she repeated her plan like a mantra while trying to figure out if there was something she missed.

Then she felt the module being attached to the station and the lights powered back up.

Opening the airlock she got inside the station, and looked around with her stun baton at the ready, she didn't want to hurt Aelita but if she had no other choice then she would.

Lanarine went through several modules, but so far she didn't see any sign the Cheroni.

Finally, she arrived at the control center, which was empty.

Looking at the internal sensors she found Aelita in the medical module, she smiled faintly.

-If she wants to protect him then so be it.

She said to herself but before she could even take another step she heard a voice that froze her in place and the words made her panic.

-Chip reactivate, and dial up control to level five.

Andrew's voice came from the speaker, and it was heard throughout the station.

Lanarine froze in place, this time because the chip activated and took control of her.

She had no idea what was going on, or how he did this, but once again she had become his slave, and this time she was almost certain that he would not let her go.

-Welcome back Lan, I figured that you would try something, seeing as you are the only one, close enough to even try.

That's why I set this up, The moment you entered the command center the timer started and you had only 30 seconds before this recording was played.

I have to congratulate you, on reaching this far, but this is the end of your freedom, I gave you a chance and you pay me back like this, I won't make the same mistake twice.

From now on, you will be going back to work as my astrogeologist, and I expect to see 30 asteroids scanned every day before you can go rest.

You can use the bed at my beginning module to sleep and you will find some food there as well.

Oh and if you hurt Aelita in any way, then start praying, because I won't be lenient with you once I'm out of the regeneration tank.

The last sentence made her tremble with fear, she thanked the gods, that Aelita was in the medical module and they never clashed, or the consequences, would be dire.

-Also, in around an hour you will contact the others, and inform them that you succeeded in your mission, whatever it was supposed to be, telling them that they can come to the station now, while you try to disarm the defense system.

When that is done, Aelita can haul your station here with the drones, you won't need it anymore.

After that get to work.

The recording ended.

With the chip control set at level five, she was forced to obey his every command, while retaining the ability to speak freely, unless like in this case, he instructed her to say something specifically. 

The chip also allowed her some freedom of movement, but it wasn't much.

A few minutes later, Aelita entered the command center, and when Lanarine saw the young woman, she was shocked.

Seeing a Cheroni in space armor and with a weapon strapped to her thigh assured her that she intended to defend Andrew, and would not go down without a fight, however the four drones that flew inside following the girl made her terrified.

She never saw the real security drone but she saw them a few times in the game so she knew what they were.

-I told you not to come here.

Aelita said coldly.

-On the other hand, I should have known that Andrew would be ready for something like this.

You can blame only yourself, for this.

She shook her head sadly.

-Help me.

Lan pleaded.

-Even if I wanted to, I can't the chip only reacts to Andrew's voice, and until he is out of the tank and decides on your fate, you will have to follow his instructions.

Aelita said, not too happy at this outcome, but it was better than the alternative.

-So you will let him keep me as a slave?

Lan asked with anger in her voice.

-Yes, But only if he decides, not to kill you when he learns what you had planned for him.

There was no warmth in Aelita's voice when she said that.

-The same goes for the rest, and I won't warn them, they started all of this, so now they will pay for their actions.

-And you dare to call yourself our friend?

Lanarine asked, angry at the younger woman's words.

-I thought that we were friends, but evidently, It was only me who thought that.

Now I see that you all just used me to get information, and you even wanted me to drug Andrew for you by lying to me.

Aelita yelled at her, then took a deep breath to calm down.

-We just wanted to unite this system, and he is the only obstacle in our way.

Lanarine tried to defend their actions.

-Then the system will be united, but it won't be Andrew who will submit, right now you are all alive only because he didn't want to kill my friends, but as soon as he gets out of the tank, I'm going to tell him everything, and let him decide what to do with all of you.

The Cheroni said.

-I just hope that he will forgive me for helping you all.

She thought to herself and left Lanarine alone after taking her baton away.

Lanarine was now desperate, if she told the others that she succeeded and they could come here, they would most likely listen and fall into a trap, but there was no way to warn them and Aelita would not help them anymore, leaving them at Andrew's mercy.

This was the worst situation that she could imagine, but it was also all their fault, they should have listened and stayed away.