The Space Spoon novel Chapter 76

After stashing the bodies of the two incapacitated guards under the table, C1313 draped the clothing over the edges, creating a fine curtain to hide them. She barely had time to finish this task before cheerful voices approached.

A door opened, revealing smiling women who gossiped and giggled. They stopped for a moment, looking at C1313.

"You must be the newest member of the harem. We've been instructed to meet you." One of the ladies emerged. "We'll go to supper soon. Would you like to eat?"

The woman was dressed in a transparent, bright yellow robe that matched her hair. Her smile seemed genuine, but C1313 knew that many people wore fake smiles.

“I don’t require food.” She kept her voice steady and her face impassive without any effort.

All the eyes measured her from top to bottom. Some of them nodded, some grimaced.

The same woman spoke again. "With the air nutrition system, we don’t need it either, but it’s merely a habit of ours. We pretend to eat at the table and gossip. But I understand what you’re implying. King Gurst loves variety. And the only thing he loves more than women is technology. I guess you’ll become his favorite in no time."

C1313 remained silent.

The woman kept talking. “He has a harem of three hundred women. You should feel honored. He takes good care of us. For instance, he gave me a brand-new android body when mine broke down."

She wasn't sure whether to play along or keep her distance at moments like these. Since she lacked social skills, she chose to leave rather than make a spectacle of herself. She was already in a hurry and didn't have time for small talk. "The king had summoned me. Please excuse me."

Neither rash nor sluggish, C1313 walked away. It was hard to gauge whether those women were pretending to be shallow or if they enjoyed their life filled with gossip inside posh, fake chambers.

Her attention went from her thoughts to Jackeye's voice, which sounded recomforting familiar and pretty. She instinctively tilted her head.

"The corridor is clear," said Jackeye. "No one will notice your presence. All the doors are unlocked, and you won't trigger anything on your way. I've disabled the security system."

He led her out of that wing and through the large corridors to a beautiful, large mess hall that was a combination of rustic and state-of-the-art. Stone pillars decorated the room with windows looking out onto a garden between them. She had to hurry before those women got here.

Jackeye showed her how to unlock a tiny hatch in the floor, hidden by the holographic illusion. Her fingers ran through the polished hardwood boards and came to rest on the cold touch of metal. The tile clicked open when her finger pressed on a pressure plate.

"This is the secret passage to the lower level, where the dungeon is," Jackeye continued. "Make sure to close it after you, and the holoprojection will cover it again."