Title: Silk Author: Olivia V. Fandom: Andromeda Pairing: Tyr/Molly Status: Complete Rating: NC-17 Archive: Ask first by e-mail at oliviav@att.net Feedback: Would love it, please. Disclaimer: Nope, not mine. Just playing with them… Spoilers: L&R, USV Summary: Tyr exacts a small amount of revenge after the events of Lava and Rockets. Note: Written for the Andromerotica Festival, this is one of the rare pairing selections. I've been watching her for nearly twenty minutes now as she watches moons revolve around Sintii from the viewport window outside Hydroponics. The soft lights in the garden make her hair shimmer, and to me it resembles silk. The long satin robe she has draped over her shoulders is flattering. I thought of silk the very second I saw her kissing Dylan deeply in the cockpit when we had managed to save them. The android and I had stood there stunned until they'd finally noticed our presence. But it was, in part, the look on Rommie's face that brings me to watch her now. I've never seen an avatar look… I know what you're thinking. Yes, I realize that Andromeda's avatar is a machine, and machines are incapable of feeling. But Harper's programmed approximations of how she should feel, and how she expresses those emotions, are quite good. Not that I'd tell him any of this, of course. But my mind is getting away from me, and I force myself to refocus on the task at hand. Rommie looked as hurt when she saw Dylan as I did when I realized that he'd stolen the one thing that meant anything to me. Without the Progenitor's remains, I will not be able to achieve my goals without his aid. And I have no choice but to stay with the remains. Dylan knew this when he stole my property from me. I hate being unable to choose what I want. But there are still some things I have complete control over. Such as taking a small amount of revenge on Dylan for the death of Ferrar. And so, with Rommie keeping surveillance so we are left uninterrupted, I watch her. I can just hear her heartbeat from where I am standing, and it's begun to accelerate along with her breathing rate. I realize she is crying. Silently I creep forward, careful not to make any sudden moves or noises that will alert my prey. I am almost behind her when she finally notices that I am here. Sniffling and wiping her eyes, she says, "I didn't hear you come in." "My lady, I can be quiet should I feel the need arise. Why are you crying?" She looks ahead through the viewport for a long time. I wait patiently. Finally she speaks, "Have you ever had the feeling that you've made a terrible mistake?" I lean almost lazily on the railing, studying her face. Whatever is troubling Molly, it seems to have taken a while to reach this breaking point. "Last time I did that, I lost something very dear to me. Believe me when I say that I will never do that again." "I think I made a mistake in staying on board for so long. With Dylan, I mean. He's… really sweet and has been nothing but kind, but he's so different from what I thought he was when I met him. So… self absorbed. It's like he stresses this mission of his before everyone and everything and I… I can't compete with it. After a while, it gets to be a bit overwhelming. Know what I mean?'' I nod. "So you want to break it off?" Molly turns her face towards me. "Yes. No. I want the hero without the quest. I want the adventure without the risk. I want Dylan without the Commonwealth. Is that too selfish a thing to ask?" "If you want this so badly, why not tell him yourself?" "I did. Do you know what he said?" "I was not there, my lady." I lean in close enough to smell the apple scent of the shampoo she's used. I want to reach out and run my fingers through it. But it is too soon, and I'll scare this little dove if I do so. "He said that restoring the Commonwealth was too big a task for him to leave it behind. That it had to come before his personal life." Molly sucks in her breath and stares at the floor. "I should have known better." "You're angry with him, aren't you?" "I shouldn't be. He's given me a letter of recommendation to the Academy on Machen Alpha. He's giving me a career. But I want more than that. I want to stay." "Did you tell him so?" Molly shakes her head and starts to sob. I reach out and run my fingers through that hair, that silk, so softly she does not stir. "I can't. I'm scared to…" Pulling Molly into my arms, I hold her there for a long time. When she's quieted down I tilt her face up to look at me. "Dylan does not always appreciate true gems when he sees one. He's often too involved, too married to his work to do so." "I just don't understand what he doesn't see in me," Molly sniffles. She is shaking, teetering over an edge she does not understand. I rub my thumb against her jawline. "Would you like me to demonstrate what I see?" Molly blinks. "I…" I lean in closer so my lips are barely an inch from hers. "Shh… just close your eyes and be worshipped." Closing the gap, I brush her lips with my own. I feel Molly shudder like a trapped bird in my arms as I kiss her. I do not give her time to pull away from me, and I do not feel any resistance from her. Molly has begun to fall off the ledge. I move towards the bench, pulling her with me. Molly follows willingly, and when I feel the back of my calves hit the bench I break the kiss and sit down. She's flushed. "We shouldn't." "I beg to differ. Besides, you said so yourself. Dylan does not see what you want him to. He does not appreciate you." "Oh, and you do?" She looks skeptical. I laugh. Leaning back on my hands I say, "You'll never know how I see you unless you try." Molly licks her lips briefly, considering. Lifting her chin up she smiles. I reach forward and touch the tie on her robe. "If you want to back out, now is your chance." "No." Molly shakes her head and caresses my face. It's the first unprovoked touch she's given me the entire time she's been on board. I know it won't be the last. I undo the tie and let the robe fall open. How in the world a man with the genes Dylan has can give up this woman, I do not understand. Her curves are nearly perfect and her ability to outmaneuver the Ogami long enough for us to find them are a testament to her genetic worth. I sigh and pull my chain mail shirt over my head wordlessly. Molly drops her robe and sits in my lap, straddling my legs. She frowns. "What about protection? I mean, I don't want you to have an unwanted child or anything." Planting kisses along her neck I whisper, "I've already taken care of it." I let my kisses trail lower, stopping along the upper portion of her left breast. The dove is shaking, and I can feel her fingers stumble as they reach down to undo my pants and reach in. She is eager to touch me, to wrap her fingers along my length and fondle. When she does, it feels like electricity and I nearly lose focus. Nearly, but not quite. I lean back to look into Molly's face. Her expression is feral, full of lust and the desire to be loved. I feel a bit guilty to be using her this way. At least she might walk away from this with the false feeling of being cared for. It's more than what Dylan has offered either of us today. Molly has freed me from my pants and I support her backside as she lifts herself up, and then sinks down on top of me. The sensation of having her all around me is nearly too much to bear, but I manage. I lower my head to take one nipple into my mouth. The dove starts to move her hips, setting up a fast, almost feverish rhythm. All I can see at the moment is Molly's face, that silken hair, and the movement of her hips as she rocks. I buck up against her. It is over too quickly for the both of us. With a growl I spill my seed, along with the birth control nanobots that Rommie has provided for the task. My seed, and any chance of an offspring from this brief union, will die before they reach her womb. I hold Molly close as she shudders from her own climax and collapses against me. I listen to the sound of her breathing against my shoulder. Lifting her head up and looking at me, she says one word. "Wow." I give her a smug expression. Playing with her silken hair, I grin. "That is the way you should be worshipped, my queen." Molly gives me a brief smile, before her good mood fades. "Oh, my God. What am I going to say to Dylan?" I shrug. "Nothing. This moment is yours and yours alone. I have no plans on telling him." "Yeah, but we just… I mean we…" "We had a moment. A beautiful one." I can see the tears in Molly's eyes before she stands up and gathers her robe. Shaking, she turns to me. "You promise you won't tell him?" "You have my word." Molly's tears start to fall as she runs out of Hydroponics. My revenge has been exacted. I have ruined any relationship Dylan would have with Molly. And yet, I feel horrible, unsatisfied with my victory as I had expected. I put my clothes back on and sit by the bench to wait for my conspirator to arrive. It does not take long. Rommie arrives and sits next to me. "Molly just told Dylan she's leaving in the morning. She refused his letter of recommendation." "What a surprise, I thought they were getting along well. Did she give any reason as to why?" Rommie stares out of the viewport. "Only that she needed to rethink her career choices. Dylan's making her take the letter in case she changes her mind. And…" Rommie lets a tear fall down her cheek. I reach over brush it away with my thumb. Rommie looks at me with the hurt she bore when we first saw Molly and Dylan kissing in the cockpit. I know what you're thinking. Machines don't have feelings. But Rommie gives a good approximation, thanks to Harper's programming. That boy is truly a genius. "And?" "And he said he loved her. Do you think we destroyed her dreams today?" I wish I could have said no, but I'm not sure. I shake my head anyway. "Molly is a survivor. If she's smart she'll use the letter." I get up and leave without another word. I have my own choices to rethink. -- End --