"The IDA security protocols will scan for compatibility markers," Kazmyr added."Your performance must be convincing."
The word 'performance' hung in the air between Silvyr and me, loaded with implications neither of us was ready to address.His eyes met mine across the deck, silver depths reflecting questions I didn't have answers for.
By the time our ship entered orbit near the exhibition—a massive crystalline structure suspended in space like a glittering snowflake—we were fully dressed, paired, and equipped with enough hidden tech to hack a small planet.I adjusted the translator at my ear, designed to decode Asset P's encrypted communications if we got close enough while also translating any alien languages.
"Ready to fake it, lover boy?"I whispered to Silvyr as we prepared to board the transport shuttle.
His code pulsed faintly, code patterns flowing in harmonious waves that betrayed far more than his carefully controlled expression."I will attempt authenticity instead."
Pixel, hovering between us, flashed a single heart emoji that said everything we weren't ready to admit.The little drone had a point… somewhere between rebuilding his broken body and planning this insane mission, emotions had started to fall in place.
I swallowed hard, watching as the exhibition grew larger through the viewscreen, its crystalline spires gleaming like promises or threats.We were about to walk into the heart of the organization that had abducted countless beings across the galaxy in the name of "perfect matching."My fingers instinctively sought Silvyr's, metal and flesh intertwining with a familiarity that should have been alarming but instead felt like the only stable thing in a universe spinning out of control.
His hand closed around mine, warm and secure.Not an act, not a performance.
Authentic.
CHAPTER8
SILVYR
The exhibition hall swallowed us in a sea of glittering light, my sensors overwhelmed by the press of alien bodies and the constant ping of security scans brushing against my firewall.I gripped Tanya's hand tighter, feeling the warmth of her pulse against my synthetic skin.The metallic fabric of Tanya's attire attracted stares as we walked by.Every flicker of emotion displayed for all to see… a walking advertisement for compatibility.Perfect for our cover.Terrible for my rapidly destabilizing emotional protocols.
"You're overthinking again."Tanya's voice cut through my cascading calculations.She squeezed my fingers, the pressure sending a jolt of electricity up my arm.Her crystalline dress rippled in response to her elevated heart rate, shifting from blue to silver in perfect harmony with my own emotions.The Aunties had outdone themselves with that particular torture device.
"I am calculating optimal scanning avoidance vectors," I responded, trying to sound composed despite the chaotic data stream flooding my processors."The security density exceeds my projections by twenty-seven percent."
She snorted, her breath warm against my shoulder as she leaned closer."In Standard Human, that means you're nervous."
"Androids do not experience nervousness."
"Your left eye is twitching."
Damn her observational skills.I ran a quick diagnostic on my facial components and found she was right.A glitch in my expression matrix betrayed me yet again.
Around us, the Intergalactic Matching Exhibition sprawled in ostentatious splendor.The massive crystalline dome pulsed with artificial atmosphere, creating perfect microclimates for hundreds of species.Matched pairs from across the galaxy milled about, each displaying their compatibility in uniquely disturbing ways.Vortharians with synchronized lava patterns.Mavtrosians whose bioluminescence flashed in perfect tandem.Even species I'd never encountered… beings of pure energy contained in specially designed suits, hovering so close they appeared to be a single organism.
All of them legitimate matches.All of them here to celebrate the IDA's supposed mastery of compatibility.And all of them unwitting advertisements for a system that trafficked sentient beings across star systems.
"Don't look now, but we're being scanned," Tanya murmured, her lips barely moving."Three o'clock, the security drones with the silver badges."
I didn't turn my head.Didn't need to.My peripheral sensors captured the sleek monitoring drones hovering near a refreshment station, their scanning beams invisible to organic eyes but blazing like spotlights to my vision.
"Initial identity verification," I confirmed, analyzing the data pattern."Surface level only.Our covers remain intact."
Tanya's grin turned feral."Then let's give them a show worth watching."
Before I could process her intent, she slid her hand up my arm, fingertips tracing the seam where my shoulder component met my torso assembly.A deliberate touch against one of my most sensitive interface points.My systems surged in response, code patterns flaring bright enough to momentarily blind nearby guests.The small compartment at my wrist popped open reflexively, releasing two maintenance drones that buzzed in confused circles before I managed to recall them.
Tanya's laugh was low and wicked."Guess I found your on switch."
My vocal synthesizer sputtered."That was...inappropriate."
"That was convincing."Her eyes sparkled with mischief and something darker, more dangerous."The security drones just moved on to easier targets."
She was right.The drones had drifted away, apparently satisfied that our physical compatibility readings were genuine.I made a mental note to recalibrate my response thresholds when this mission concluded… assuming my systems survived the strain of Tanya's proximity for that long.
"Attention, honored guests."An amplified voice echoed through the chamber, cutting through the ambient chatter."The Compatibility Demonstration will commence in five minutes.Selected pairs, please proceed to the central platform."
