“But where are your emotions, Sovereign? Since I’ve been at the Celestial Spire, I’ve only seen order without any acknowledgement that your staff are alive. And, your tactics with me are flawed if you think control will result in loyalty,” she says too quickly because her face immediately regrets it.
But I’m charmed by her observation, so I tap my IC and the Venus Lock hums softly in response, a low vibration that fills the space between us. “This device teaches order. You will learn the difference, and I hope in time, I will also have your loyalty.”
The Venus Lock’s pulse moves through her body, finding its target. Her breathing stutters but she maintains eye contact.
And I find I like watching her become aroused like this. I increase the intensity of the sexual arousal by a fraction and watch her jaw tighten. “Tell me, does your mind still feel superior even when your body betrays it?”
She opens her mouth, but no words come out, just a half-moan of pleasure.
I end the pulse. “Good. Now that we understand each other, we can begin. The goal is mastery of mind and body. You think you’re complex, Eve Eden? Then prove it.”
She nods, readjusting her legs by crossing them tightly, and then tries to steady her breathing.
Watching her, I realize, as I ready the first question, that I want her to try to prove me wrong so I can be the one to teach her why she isn’t more than a sex-obsessed human.
“These are the IGC statutes regarding non-citizen species,” I explain. “Fluency is essential. Not memorization—interpretation. The IGC doesn’t care if you can recite; they care if you can argue.”
She leans forward, and I can see the faint pulse of her translator’s quantum interface appear on my display. The neural lattice is syncing to her cortical rhythms—an elegant Imperial design originally created for high-born education. The device doesn’t just translate; it restructures cognition, forcing the mind to recognize patterns it would otherwise miss. In humans, the results are extraordinary. In humans like Eve, I expect an intellectual revolution.
I watch her readings spike as the text begins to rewrite itself across the projection. “Article Seven, Section Fourteen,” I prompt.
“Humans are classified as a Level Three species, lacking interstellar sovereignty. But there’s a clause permitting limited exceptions under voluntary contract law.”
“Acceptable,” I say. “Now interpret it.”
“That a contract can make a human both a person and property, depending on the jurisdiction.”
Faster than Denise. Faster even than Yasmin. The translator amplifies her intellect by enhancing the brain’s retention centers, but the rest is hers—raw cognition.
“You learn quickly,” I tell her. “The translator doesn’t only convert languages, it boosts synaptic efficiency; logic, comprehension,memory. In Reima Two citizens, the effect is mild. In humans, it’s amplified tenfold. Your neural architecture is primitive, yes, but remarkably plastic. It adapts and the more you push yourself to learn the faster you will become.”
I shift the hologram to the next dataset: trade rulings, archived verdicts, case law cross-referenced by planetary systems. “You’ll have full access to the Intergalactic Court archives. Review them nightly. Every inconsistency you find is leverage when you speak for us.”
She hesitates. “Sovereign, you want me to be a lawyer?”
“A weapon,” I correct. “Beautiful enough to be noticed, but intelligent enough to be feared.”
While she studies the next passage, I tap the control band on my IC. The Venus Lock’s telemetry feeds into the same console as the translator, the two systems interfacing seamlessly. A deliberate design. Mental progress and physiological compliance are interlinked: each time her comprehension deepens, the Venus Lock will deliver a subtle pulse of reward whether she is with me or not. However, I will make the pleasure greater and more noticeable when we are together to make the stakes higher.
I watch as Eve’s pupils dilate slightly as the stimulation to her clit registers. The pleasure is faint but immediate—a Pavlovian echo across the neural circuit. She probably doesn’t realize yet that her intellect and her desire are being conditioned to rise in tandem.
“You’re behaving as expected,” I say. “I don’t expect too many incorrect answers, but if there are any, they will result in denial of pleasure and physical discipline.”
“Physical discipline, Sovereign?”
“Nothing too severe. My methods are mild compared to my brother’s. Lorian believes everyone learns faster through pain.”
Her vitals spike—fear and arousal intertwined.
Interesting.
“Let’s continue. What are the two categories of humans in galactic society?”
“Free humans and owned humans.”
“That’s correct.” I touch my IC, and she receives a targeted pulse to her clit. “Free humans live primarily on Earth. Owned humans serve as companions or entertainers, like those in our Championships. But recent IGC legislation changed what?”
“One law was passed stating humans are equal citizens in the galaxy, but seventeen other laws still classify humans as property.”
