The hivemind is conquering for me?

”Hahaha!” Hecate began to laugh after realising who Sithrik was.

”Yacob Petrotis has set up so many searches for this snake and it decided to flee with Apollo and join the war? That is very funny.”

”My former keeper was a kind spirit, but It was his own complacency that allowed me to leave without issue. He should have taken greater care to learn all my Psionic abilities. My invisibility allowed me to follow Apollo onto the ship without anyone, except for Praetorian Nerissa, noticing.” Sithrik explained.

I took another large fork of the lasagne from the tray on my knee and after swallowing it, I said, ”So yeah, even Sigismund doesn’t have a problem with her. He saw the logic in my words and understood what she was. So, I am sure the rest of you will have no objection to Sithrik being here? Right?”

No one voiced an objection, which made me very happy.

The room remained silent for a few moments so I took the opportunity to eat more. However, Valerica then decided to speak up. ”Apollo, tell us about your upcoming mission. The Coalition? You must be very nervous.”

I shook my head. ”Not really. Honestly I am a little excited. I know we are supposed to hate everything non-human, but I am sort of intrigued by the cultural aspect of this diplomatic mission. To learn about how a collective of alien species can manage to form a united front together with all their respective differences... Why are you staring at me like that?” I turned to my right as Janine glared at me with a mixture of anger and sadness.

”So you really are leaving? Again...”

I smiled bitterly. ”I have to, Janine. It’s an order from a king.”

She nodded her head. ”I understand... Excuse me.”

Janine then swiftly exited the room and I felt a knot in my stomach, removing the almost empty tray from my legs. I gave it to Orchid and stood up. ”Give me a few minutes everyone.”

...

Following the sound of sobbing, I found Janine sitting by the front door of the mansion, her head in her knees.

Before I even reached her, she spoke. ”I’m sorry. I should be happy to see you. And I am... B-b-but...”

I softly sat down beside her at which point she threw herself onto me and began crying harder. ”I missed you so much! And now you are leaving me again!”

I just held her tight for a moment and allowed her to cry and collect herself. It was hard to do, it was hard not to console her, but she was a strong female. She needed to compose herself.

After a couple of minutes the crying turned into sniffles and that turned into silence before she finally spoke once more. ”You got taller again. How big are you now?”

”Oh? You noticed?” I asked, pleasantly surprised.

I felt her nodding against my chest. ”You are my best friend and love of my life... How could I not notice?”

I proceeded to kiss Janine on the top of her head before responding to her question. ”I am seven foot five inches now.”

”Fuck me... If you get any taller you are going to start looking like a tree.”

I let out a soft chuckle as she said that. ”Honestly, I almost came close to becoming one.”

”What do you mean?” She asked, looking up at me.

I shook my head. ”I will tell you later. For now...” I used my thumb and wiped away the tears from around her eyes. As I did so, she looked up at me and I could feel her love.

As I was about to kiss her, she pulled back and looked away guiltily. ”Sorry.”

”What for?” I asked, confused.

”For running away like that. Letting my emotions create a scene. I pride myself on being above my baser Sepiidan biology and need for attention... But you were gone for a long time. And while I had friends to keep me company. I spent so many nights longing for your touch. To simply hear you speak. Ugh... You must think I am pathetic now...”

She said, refusing to look at me.

I let out a long sigh before I looked out into the snowy mountains. ”Twenty seven days.”

”What?”

”That is when your birthday was, right? Twenty seven days ago? I remember what I was doing. I almost died from a Drakoshi Silver pauldron’s axe barrelling at my head because I was too busy sulking that I wasn’t there to celebrate your day with you... Honestly, the amount of times I wish I had my overwatch with me was too many times to count. I might have been at war, Janine. But trust me. I missed you just as much as you missed me.”

Janine proceeded to stare at me for a few moments in shock before her dark blue face darkened even more. ”I-I can’t believe you remembered that. I only told you once when I was still with the Scythes...”

I softly ran my hand through her silver curly hair. ”How could I forget something so important my woman told me? The 4th of Hermenios. Making you twenty-”

”Ah! Don’t you dare! It’s already bad enough I am older than you, I’m not ageing a single year until you are at least a decade older than me, do you understand?”

We both shared a moment of silence before laughing softly.

Janine was smiling as she nestled into me. ”I guess we just have to make the next few days count then? And by count, I mean lots of sex.” She purred.

”Not necessarily.” I replied, prompting Janine to look up at me, confused.

”What? You don’t want to fuck me?”

”Oh, I do. Trust me. We will be doing it. But we don’t have to make the next few days count.”

”Apollo, you are confusing me. I feel like you are getting at something, but being purposely obtuse about it.” Janine said, prompting me to roll my eyes.

”Jeez. I try to add a bit of mystery to the reveal. Fine. Janine, would you like to come with me into Coalition space?”

”...”

”Janine?” I asked as she continued to stare at me. With how big her eyes were, I was scared they were going to dry out.

”A-Are you fucking with me?”

”Yes. I just said that to be a dick. I don’t want you to come with me at all...” I said, shocking Janine for a moment before she caught on and proceeded to deservedly punch me on the shoulder.

”You’re an ass!”

”Um, actually! I am actually a super loving mate who wants his blue beauty by his side forever more.” I said in a high pitched nasally voice, prompting Janine to begin to laugh hysterically.

”PFFFT HAHAHAH! I almost forgot about that voice! Hahahaha!”

Seeing her laughter after the tears. It was everything.

After a couple moments of her composing herself, which involved repeating the ’um actually’ a couple of times under her breath. She looked up at me once more and asked, seriously this time.

”Do you really want me to come?”

I instantly kissed her on the forehead. ”Of course. Having you by my side will make me much happier. Plus I think it will be absurdly funny.”

”How so?” Janine asked.

”Well, think about it. Your entire species was exiled from the Coalition right? And now they invite me over for peace talks. It will be hilarious when they realise a Sepiida is back there. And if they don’t like it, well they can do one as they are just jealous about how sexy you are.”

Janine’s eyes went wide. ”Oh! I didn’t think about it like that. That does sound fun. Especially if I wear all my armour. They will be like what is that human- then I remove my helmet- What she shit! Is that a Sepiida! Apollo, you have to take me now. This is going to be so funny. It’s time to get some revenge for my ancestors.”

”I hope you mean only playful revenge. We are supposed to go for a peace mission after all.”

”What? Oh yeah. I guess.” Janine mumbled, seemingly forgetting that part.

Wanting to change the subject to something more interesting now her spirits were lifted, I asked about something Orchid shared with me through the link earlier. Something very very interesting.

”So, Orchid mentioned you met a certain individual around the time of my birthday that goes by Xeti? How do you feel about that.”

Janine looked at me slightly shocked before composing herself. She was about to speak when she noticed someone approaching from behind us.

Turning around, Hailey was approaching, her face cringing as she did so.

”Hailey? Is everything alright?” I asked.

Hailey looked between Janine and I before sighing, ”Apollo. I hate to bother you just after coming back, but I could really do with a favour.”

I stood up with Janine still glued to me. ”Of course, you are my girlfriend. You don’t need to call in a favour. If you need me to do something, just ask.”

Hailey smiled brightly at me for a moment hearing my response before returning to neutral as she asked.

”Apollo, can you please join me back at the palace? Before my... Before the king frames you for kidnapping.”