Ascent of Lies

Chapter 5

FIRST MINISTER CHRISTOPHER ANDERSON stood on the bow of his ship, looking out over the vast reaches of the deep blue see that closed in on him from each side. His hands closed around the railing in a tight but relaxed grip, and the wind toyed with his close-cropped blond hair.

Today had been a good day for the young Human. He had bought another hotel in the lower parts of California near San Francisco, and been able to greatly reduce the price by some slight threats, because of which he had bought the hotel for less than half of what it was actually worth.

After that, he had killed the seller – a rather hideous Andorian man – which had brightened his day even more. Anderson smiled as he remembered the man's futile screams while the owegje had devoured him alive. One of the man's badly attended molars now hung on a glistering teeth-filled rope that adorned Anderon's sturdy neck.

"Chris", a feminine voice behind Anderson said, and the man turned around to face the owner of this voice.

In front of Anderson stood a beautiful woman. She had long, neatly cropped hair that softened the fine contours her smooth-skinned face like a golden crown. Her icy blue eyes shone out of their sockets like moonlit jewels in a bight sky. Her skin was of a milk-like shade, light but precious. Her soft blue gown flowed around the woman's ankles as she closed in on her maker.

"Athena", Anderson beamed, a broad smile splitting his face in two. He held out his arms and took the android's arms in his. He pulled her body close, letting go of her hands and tightening his arms around her slender waist.

The android smiled as well, putting her hands on her maker's face and tracing his sharp jawbones with her elegant fingers. Anderson's body fired up while heaving sparks of electricity ran through his veins like deadly poison. Only, this poison was sweet and he eagerly gave in to it. He pulled her warm body even closer and let out a soft moan of passion as his lips found hers.

However, then Athena pulled back. "Chris", she said again, her voice devoid of any of the emotions that left Anderson unsteady on his feet.

Anderson sighed. He might have programmed Athena as the perfect lover physically, but lack of emotion always took away that one extra spark. However, he had always known that this was to happen when he took Athena's mental programming from his computer and reinstated it in the perfect mechanical body which he had designed for her. And even though it had meant giving up on the emotion chip which Anderson had been able to steel from Dr. Soong many years ago, it had been Athena's wish as well.

"Have you got anything for me, lovely?" Anderson responded after his moment's pondering, his British accent sharp due to the high level of emotions that were running through his body.

"Hillary Piatti Illinois has contacted you on a secure channel."

Anderson let out a sigh. He was not in the mood to deal with the righteous retarded second-in-command of his hotel chain right now. The only reason he had allowed the man to remain on his post was because he always carried out every order he was given at an incredible speed and without questions. However, some-times Anderson would rather see the man dead in the ocean and one of his molars hung around his neck.

Anderson nodded a 'thank you' to his companion and walked over to his quarters to take Illinois' call.

As soon as he was inside, Anderson walked over to his holographic projector and entered the commands that would start the call. In less than a second, the image of a slightly crooked and grey-haired middle-aged man wearing a pitch-black tuxedo appeared in front of him.

"Sir!" the figure called out, a stupendous excitement vibrating in his voice.

"What have you got, old sport?" Anderson asked the hideous man, coming straight to the point.