Shee was helpless to resist it. Her last reserve of Glamor power was gone, expended in the enormous effort. She saw the other three being drawn in, to the whirling maw, also helpless. They had saved Earth, but were after all doomed. Because this was not a "tame" wormhole, well charted; it was a "wild" one leading to somewhere unknown, possibly the heart of a star.
Then some vastly stronger force took hold of her. It cushioned her and drew her away from the vortex. What was happening?
Reassurance, the thought came. I am Voila.
Question!
Did you think we would let you perish, doing necessary work? We were watching.
But the others—
I am the strongest Glamor, pairing with the weakest. Warp is with Gale, Weft is with Monochrome, and Flame is with Idyll. You did excellent work, and that talent you have developed will be extremely useful. Now finish your holiday; you need to recover.
Then Shee found herself in the tourist suite with Gale, Monochrome, and Idyll, with Iolo sitting between them.
All were looking up with wonder and surmise. They had saved Earth, and been saved themselves.
They remained severely depleted. Shee knew it would take days to recover her Glamor resources, and it was surely the same for the others. They did need to finish their nominal holiday.
"Let's go stuff ourselves sinfully on cake," Gale suggested. "We saved it from destruction, after all." Eating was a mortal pastime, not requiring Glamor powers.
"And find four more innocently horny men," Monochrome said. "We saved them too." Sex was also mortal, though it could be Glamor enhanced.
"I wonder where that wormhole went?" Idyll said, not opposing the suggestions.
Shee found she had energy to attune to her constituency. Matter would always be her strength. Her mind ranged out, searching for the matter that was a ball of antimatter. And found it.
"Astonishment!" she exclaimed. "Andromeda! The drone is in Andromeda!"
Idyll clapped her hands. "Well, that should give the machines pause for thought, when they receive its signal, a million years hence."
They all laughed. It was good to have something to laugh about.
Chapter 23 Lobster
Flame reappeared in their apartment. "Apology," she said. "Where were we?"
"We were about to make love,"
Fifth said, indicating the spot on their bed she had vacated. "An hour ago. Then you vanished. Was it something I said?"
She smiled. "Negation. Spot mission of an urgent nature." She efficiently stripped her clothing.
"Question?"
"Saving Earth from destruction."
He smiled, then realized that she wasn't joking. "Question, repeated?"
"Mother, Idyll, Chrome, and Shee discovered an antimatter missile hurtling toward Earth. They set out to stop it. They made a wormhole to Andromeda in front of it. That worked, and saved Earth, but they were getting sucked through also. So we had to rescue them. I caught Idyll."
"You're a stronger Glamor than Idyll Ifrit?"
She put her finger to her lips. "Don't tell. We four siblings are stronger than any of the prior ones, but we don't like to show it. Except for Voila; she has no choice."
"Silence," he agreed. "Are you sure you still want to—" He gestured at the bed.
"Affirmation." Naked, she joined him. "You are such a comfort to me, Fifth. I would be lonely without you."
"Appreciation." He kissed her mouth, then her small breasts, not ashamed to demonstrate how they turned him on. "I love you."
"And I you."
"Only one thing bothers me: I'm a nexus, and don't know in what manner. I fear I could cause you mischief."
"I fear that also," she said, spreading her legs in invitation. "But I know that you will never knowingly do me harm."
"I wouldn't if I could," he agreed, nudging his erect member into her. Sometimes he liked sex fast, but now he preferred to savor it.
"Tonight we relax," she said, putting her hands on his buttocks to pull him deeper into her. "Tomorrow there's a mission. I will need you to bear my ikon."
"Of course." He normally set her ikon aside during sex so that it wouldn't interfere with full contact, but it was never far from him. It seemed to know that he was not giving it up when he separated from it, and did not resist the way other ikons had been known to. Now he was fully embedded, loving the feel of her warm flesh surrounding his member.
"It is dangerous."
"We are at war," he said. "Danger is inherent."
"And probably unpleasant."
"I want to be with you in pleasure and displeasure."
She grasped his buttocks again and forced his hips to move, making him thrust until he climaxed.
"Appreciation."
He had to laugh. Then he held on as she reached her own climax, pulsing around him, savagely kissing him. She lacked the sexual expertise of Weft, but her joy in fulfillment was just as strong.
Thereafter they relaxed, and she filled him in on the details of the mission. She was right: it was dangerous.
In the morning she conjured him to what she termed planet Lobster. The dominant inhabitants looked much like earth lobsters, but were larger. They had eight legs, large flat tails, two front pincers, and eye stalks. But they were sapient and equivalent to humans in their society.
They gathered in a dome shaped like a lobster torso, with several segments. Flame stood where the head might be, facing back to the gathered crustaceans. She wore a translator that rendered her words into the complicated clicks of the lobster language. Fifth had one too.
"Summary," Flame said. "The machines fleet invaded Lobster space. Your fleet opposed them and was destroyed.
Now they are coming to exploit your planet before destroying it. Your leaders were killed with the fleet. You need competent guidance for your defense. You appealed to the Living Cultures Coalition for help. But it is thinly spread, and able to spare only one competent Glamor. I am she: Flame of Charm, of the Human Culture, a martial artist. I will guide you. This is my assistant, Five, who is mortal. I believe this planet is salvageable, but the defense will be difficult and some lives will be lost. Even victory will be at best temporary, because the machines will organize another invasion. Our best hope is that we can repel the machines this time, and that the Coalition can defeat them before they come here again."
She paused. "Questions?"
There was a clicking as one large Lobster snapped his claws in intricate cadences. "I am Old Tail, retired settlement elder. We have largely housewives and children left, not battle trained. We lack high power weapons. Can you work with these?"
"Yes. But you will need to follow my directions precisely. This will require courage."
"We are not courageous. We are desperate."
"That will do. You are people. You know you will die, and your planet will die, if you don't do what is necessary."
There was a general affirmative clicking.
"How will you save us?" Old Tail asked.
"I will acquaint you with the necessary strategy, and guide you in its application. I am able to see the near future, so can select the most promising strategy."
Old Tail clicked. "We wish to give no offense, Glamor Flame, but we do not understand this."
"Demonstration: I will tell some of your number which motion you will make next. You will seek to surprise us." Flame walked to a group of three Lobsters and whispered. They clicked understanding. Then she turned to face Old Tail. "Do something unexpected."