Eidolon

Warning (PG16)

This episode contains adult themes. Reader discretion recommended.

While Vogt prepared, Takumi stepped close to Rei. His movements were efficient, as his fingers deftly found the hidden clasp of her Biococa necklace. The weight of it lifted from her collarbones. Next, he took her wrist, his thumb brushing the delicate skin there as he unclasped the bracelet, then just as quickly he clicked her earrings off. He leaned in, his lips close to her ear, his whisper a private current meant to soothe and claim in the same breath, “Soon, you won’t feel any of it. No weight, no physical restrictions during the captures.”

From across the lab, Bjorn watched them. His arms crossed, his expression one of polite, detached interest, but his chestnut eyes were alert. The intimacy of the act, the whisper, the personal way Takumi handled both the jewelry and the woman, cemented a growing suspicion. This was not merely an executive and his asset. The dynamic was far more complex, far more private.

“Miss, if you would,” Vogt said, gesturing to a peculiar medical stool in the center of the room. It had a central, padded support shaped unmistakably like a bicycle seat, forcing the occupant to sit astride it for stability. Rei complied, settling onto the strange seat, her posture rigid. Vogt approached with an antiseptic wipe, its sharp scent cutting through the ozone. He carefully parted a section of her ruby-red hair near her temple, the cool swipe of the wipe making her flinch minutely.

The focused silence was broken by Rei’s voice, soft and respectful, yet laced with a tremor she couldn’t quite suppress. “Dr. Vogt… the Biocoa Marks. I noticed they have hair-like needle tails?” Elias paused, surprised by the observation and hearing her gentle voice. “Ah, the micro-filaments? Yes. A keen eye. They are not needles, precisely, but bio-conductive fibers. They allow for a subcutaneous interface, which provides a much richer data stream. But I can assure you,” he added, seeing the fear in her eyes, “they are so delicate, that after the initial installation, you won’t feel them. No pain, no discomfort.”

Rei swallowed, her throat tight. “Thank you for the clarification,” she whispered, her bravery a fragile veneer. Vogt picked up one of the golden specks with a vacuum tweezer and carefully slotted it into the applicator’s nozzle. He turned back to her, the device poised. Rei took an abrupt breath, her gaze lifting to meet the scientists with new urgency, “Excuse me, Dr. Vogt, I… if I may, could the marks possibly be placed somewhere I prefer? Somewhere… pretty?”

Takumi, who had previously been observing with satisfied anticipation, went completely still. His shoulders moved back, a subtle but distinct shift in posture. The air around him chilled. This unprompted, unwelcome manifestation of personal preference regarding a piece of corporate machinery was pure impertinence.

Rei continued, her voice gaining a sliver of confidence, “I was thinking above my eyebrow, towards the hairline, but not hidden? I’ve always admired how small, golden piercings look there.” Before Takumi could interject, Bjorn chuckled, a warm, approving sound, “An artist’s eye! Seeing the aesthetic potential immediately. Elias, let’s hear her out. Take time to determine if her suggestions are viable without compromising data integrity.” Caught between his CEO’s command and Takumi’s silent, icy disapproval, Vogt looked flustered, “I… I will do my best. Miss Morita, what were you thinking regarding the other locations?”

Emboldened by Bjorn’s support, Rei lifted a slender finger. “Firstly I suggest one here,” she said, tracing a spot just above the arch of her right eyebrow, “And maybe another here, by my belly button,” her finger moved down to hover just above her navel, “And perhaps one near my mouth – here?” Finally, she touched a point just above and to the right of her Cupid’s bow, a place often chosen for a subtle beauty mark. Vogt nodded, engrossed, jolting down her ideas.

Rei folded her hands in her lap, the picture of humble deference, “Of course I would never dream of insisting on anything, that risked polluting the readings. But if those areas would be alright… I would be very grateful.” She lifted her gaze, letting it flick towards Takumi for a millisecond, a spark of pure accusation in their depths, “I would like the Biococa marks to feel like a part of me, rather than… discrete earmarks.” Takumi met her look, his face a mask of impassive granite. He looked entirely unbothered, but the tension in his jaw was a telltale sign of turbulence brewing beneath the surface.

The silence that followed Rei’s proposition was dense. Elias Vogt seemed to short-circuit. He erupted into a weird, birdlike flutter of movements, snatching up a data slate, his fingers flying across its surface before he darted to a larger monitor, pulling up schematics and streaming lines of biometric data. “The dermal thickness, the capillary action, the micro-muscular movement…”, he muttered to himself, entirely absorbed, “I’ll need to run a few simulations on signal integrity.”

Takumi’s irritation was a palpable chill in the room. This was an unnecessary delay, a frivolous deviation from the plan, orchestrated by Rei’s sudden assertiveness. His steely gaze shifted to Bjorn, who was watching the entire process with an enthusiastic smile.

“You know, she’s quite right,” Bjorn mused, stroking his chin, “A golden mark above the eyebrow… it would elevate the tech’s presence from clinical to decorative. And near the lip?” He gave a low, appreciative chuckle, “It would certainly accentuate Rei’s charms. They are sophisticated propositions.” Rei turned a polite smile to Bjorn. “I’m grateful you see it that way Mr. Jorgenson,” she said, her voice smooth as silk, “It seems we see eye to eye.”

Then, she turned her head, and her black eyes locked with Takumi’s. The politeness vanished, replaced by a fiery resolve. The message was clear, a silent scream in the sterile room: I will not so easily let you use my body as a canvas for your work without my consent. You claimed me as your lover? Then if I must wear your chains, I will put them where you can see them, a constant, glinting reminder of what you are making me do.

Takumi saw it all in that look; her defiance, her cleverness and the truth of her accusation. His own expression hardened, his body growing sterner, a commander displeased with an insubordination. Yet, within the whirl of his irritation, something else kindled in his eyes. A flicker of respect; a spark of something softer, warmer, at her strength. Rei had taken his order, a moment designed to strip her of the vestiges of visibility, and in a single move, she had weaponized Bjorn’s fascination to seize a measure of control. In her annoying stubbornness, she was undeniably competent and entirely tantalizing.

Elias scurried back, his earlier anxiety replaced by visible excitement, “The proposed sites are, in fact, superior. The micro-muscular activity around the eyebrow and the superior labial region provides a richer, more dynamic data set for emotional modeling. The abdominal site is perfectly viable. I would highly recommend installing the marks in Miss Morita’s chosen areas.”

His eyes, wide with scientific fervor, landed on Takumi. The ultimate authority, the boss of Rei. Takumi stifled an exasperated exhale, the sound of choked resigned air. He schooled his features into a mask of professional approval. “It seems Rei’s intuition has helped optimize the placements. How fortunate,” he said, his tone cool and even, “By all means, proceed, Dr. Vogt.”

Elias, now armed with both approval and optimized coordinates, moved without delay. The earlier fluster was gone, replaced by the fluid, precise movements of a seasoned doctor. First he applied the anaesthetic cream, then he guided Rei’s head back gently against the stool’s headrest, his hand steady as he brought the applicator to her temple. There was a faint, cold pressure, a precise click, and then a sharp, needle-like pang that made Rei twitch, a small gasp catching in her throat. But just as quickly, the pain subsided, fading into a faint, warm throb that was already diminishing.

“One done,” Vogt murmured, already moving to the spot above her lips. He worked with the same efficiency, the proximity of the tool to her mouth requiring an absolute trust she did not feel, but a stillness she mastered. The process was repeated: the cold pressure, the click, the brief, invasive sting. Rei forced herself to relax into the discomfort, her breath evening out. 

“Perfect,” Vogt mumbled, stepping back to admire his work. The two golden specks now adorned her face like a constellation of tiny stars. They were subtle, yet undeniable. Then his gaze drifted lower, to the final location near her navel. A faint blush crept up his neck, “Ah, for this one, Miss Rei… perhaps you could go change into a medical robe? The dress, well, it would need to be… erh… removed for me to… for the mark to…”

Rei offered him a kind, disarming smile. “If the other gentlemen in the room wouldn’t mind leaving momentarily,” she said, her voice clear and composed, “I feel alright removing my dress for you, Elias.” The blush on Vogt’s face deepened to a spectacular crimson, “Just for— the dress— for me— for installing, of course—” he stuttered, his hands fluttering uselessly.

A low, rich laugh came from Bjorn, “Get it together, Doctor. You’re a scientist, not a schoolboy. It’s just a procedure.” His eyes glinted with amusement, “Even if the subject is especially beautiful.” Elias apologized profusely, visibly trying to wrestle his embarrassment under control and failing miserably. Rei’s chuckle was soft, a genuine sound meant to put him at ease, “Please, don’t worry Doctor. It’s fine. I could easily tell from the other marks that you are a professional.”

Takumi’s simmering frustration, previously focused on Rei’s insubordination, now pivoted sharply to Bjorn. The man’s casual, proprietary tone as he discussed Rei’s beauty was a provocation. He drew a breath to speak, to declare that he would be staying, but Bjorn was faster. 

“Of course! Vogt worked as a practitioner for years before joining Helix Apex. We’ll leave you to it,” Bjorn said smoothly and stepped forward, placed a friendly, yet forceful, hand on Takumi’s shoulder, turning him toward the door, “We will wait outside.” As he guided a rigid Takumi away, he tossed a casual remark over his shoulder, “Just come out when you’re done Rei.”

The heavy door hissed shut, leaving Rei alone with the flustered scientist. With a calm that belied the tension of the moment, she stood and unzipped the side of her charcoal dress, letting the fabric slide down. Eventually she stood only in a set of intricate, dark lace lingerie, the delicate patterns a stark contrast to the clinical environment. Elias gulped audibly but, to his credit, steadied his hands. He focused intently on the patch of skin just above her navel, cleaning it with an antiseptic wipe and applying the numbing cream with clinical detachment.

“This will take less than a minute,” he muttered, seemingly to himself. The applicator clicked once more. Another brief sting, another golden fleck seamlessly embedded into her skin. As soon as it was done, he practically spun on his heel, turning his back to her and frantically cleaning his tools, the clatter of metal on metal filling the silence, “Thank you for your feedback and cooperation, Miss Morita.”

“Thank you, Doctor Vogt,” she replied, her voice steady as she began to dress, the soft wool of the dress sliding back over her skin, “It almost didn’t hurt and the marks are much more comfortable than the jewelry.” She took her time, smoothing the fabric, adjusting the lines. Each movement was a deliberate act of composure, a gathering of armor. The new marks on her face glittered faintly in the lab’s simulated fjord light. These marks were hers, in a way the jewelry never was. And as she prepared to face Takumi and Bjorn again, to sit through the contract negotiations, the glinting gold above her eyebrow was a tiny, defiant flag planted on the battlefield of her own body.