After hours in the core chamber

"Whack your lochaber on the gantry for me, would you, boss? It's next on my list," you say to the TV Titan as you point to the housing on its arm for its energy blade.

The Titan obediently lifts its arm onto the walkway on which you're standing, so you can inspect its blade housing. "What did you call it?" asks the Titan.

"Lochaber. I've been trying to decide what type of human-made polearm most resembles yours. So far I'm leaning towards the lochaber axe. Maybe a bardiche. But it would amuse me to call it a lochaber because that's a Scottish polearm. Human-made televisions were invented in Scotland, so it only seems fitting." You walk around the Titan's forearm as you tap at the relevant checklist on your tablet. "But whatever we're calling it, I need to check it now. Have you noticed anything unusual about it?"

"Actually, yes - can you check the rear left baird-coupling? My left." The Titan speaks to you through the screen on the shoulder nearest you - its main screen now engaged in conversation with another set of engineers.

"On it, boss."

This is the highlight of your week! You, one of the few surviving humans and probably the only one working for the Hardware Alliance, normally live and work at one of the camera-controlled bases, repairing units and building weapons. But for one day a week, you join the TV Titan's engineering crew - thanks to the Titan's lead engineer recruiting you. You still can't believe your luck that this is your job now!

"Oh, minging," you comment. "Yeah, there's some gunge in here." You're looking at a clump of charred skibidi-matter cauterised by the Titan's blade in its most recent outing. "Once I'm done with the rest of the checks I'll clear that out for you."

"Much appreciated," says the Titan. You notice it flex the spikes on its back in response to another engineer performing their own checks.

Two more engineers approach, and wave to the Titan in greeting. (You recognise them as the two who specialise in the Titan's propulsion systems.)

"You'd like to spend your break in the core chamber?" asks the Titan - apparently having anticipated what the engineers were about to ask. "In you get," says the Titan as it extends its other hand (not the arm you're inspecting) for the engineers to step onto. It flexes open the reciprocating claws around the core entrance, before ferrying the two engineers into its core chamber. "Relax and enjoy," says the Titan as it closes the claws behind them.

You continue your checks on the Titan's melee weapon housing. "Looking mostly fine so far," you comment. "A couple of points that will need maintenance soon-ish, but you're good for now. How are you finding the replacement manifold? Not had it long enough to notice a difference yet?"

"Just so," replies the Titan. "I think I detect a slight improvement in the… Stop that!" The Titan raps its torso just at the entrance to the core chamber. You and several other engineers flinch, startled by the sudden noise (from all the Titan's screens at the same time) and movement.

"No fucking in the core chamber during work hours!" says the Titan. "You know what Sixty-Eight said about that." The Titan fishes two fingers around in its core chamber, opening the reciprocating claws around the aperture and gaping the aperture-iris open to its widest extent, and pulls out the two guilty-looking engineers.

You can't help cackling as the two engineers slink off, surreptitiously doing their coat buttons back up, suddenly in a tearing hurry to get back to work. "So," you ask the Titan, "Do you have a policy on fucking in the core chamber outside work hours?"

"I can be persuaded to accommodate such requests." The Titan displays a rakish emoticon. "I assume you already have someone in mind?"

"How well you know me."

"Let's discuss this later, my friend." The Titan's response is warm, not dismissive.

"You got it, boss. I need to finish inspecting here and get this shite out anyway." You intercept an engineer who is collecting and distributing equipment for others. "Any chance you could bring me PPE and a billhook for unskibbing a coupling?" you ask them.

The engineer displays a winking emoticon and hands you the items, already on the tool cart they're pushing. "Already ahead of you."

"Nice one!" you say, accepting them and flapping open the PPE. You wonder how they knew - "…Did you know I'd need these from reading my unfinished report?" The reports-in-progress must be readable on the hangar intranet even before completion. You kind of knew that but didn't realise anyone actually read them.

"Exactly so," confirms the engineer. "You pick things up quickly - that's the kind of skill you need to cultivate to be a successful Titan engineer. Keep it up, my friend."

You and the engineer exchange a friendly fist-bump, and the engineer moves their cart along to the next individual in need of extra tools.

You don the PPE - no way in hell do you want crispy skibidi residue on you - and get to work yanking out the charred matter. You get it into a biohazard waste bag (along with the disposable gloves you used), and take the bag to a collection point on one of the perimeter walkways. You leave the billhook in a bucket for cleaning (glad it's not your turn to do that this week) and the PPE in the bin for laundering. You make your way back to the Titan so you can complete your inspection and report. You submit your report on your tablet. "Fresh as a fuckin' daisy, boss."

"…I assume that's a good thing," replies the Titan, taking its arm back after checking that you're out of the way. "Thank you. …Could you brush my crown heatsink next?"

"Didn't the Sevens already take care of that when they serviced your crown rockets earlier?" (You're referring to Fifty-Zero-Seven and Ninety-Eight-Zero-Seven, the two engineers who specialise in maintaining the Titan's propulsion systems - both their serials happen to end in Zero-Seven, so inevitably the rest of the engineering team refer to them collectively as 'the Sevens'.)

"…They did, but I like how you do it."

"You know I'd love to, but there's protocol to follow! I wish I could just hang out with you all day, but I am actually here to work."

"You're almost as strict about following protocol as Sixty-Eight."

"Good, someone has to be!"

Engineer Sixteen-Sixty-Eight, the superintendent of the Titan's engineering team, enters the hangar and begins their usual patrol. With friendly brusqueness, they greet each engineer they encounter and briefly survey their work - you've never known Sixty-Eight have cause to correct any of them, as every member of the team works with such great precision and efficiency. They have to.

Sixty-Eight makes their way over to you. "Morning, chief," you greet them.

"Good morning, Phaeton," replies Sixty-Eight. "When you've finished your current task, prioritise compiling the actuator inventory."

"I reckon I did that already - did I miss part of it? Or did my report not save?"

Sixty-Eight consults their tablet. "Oh - you're right." They scroll through the report, seemingly satisfied with what they see. "It did not occur to me that you might have done it already. In that case, I'd like you to service the forklifts next."

"First thing I did this morning, chief."

Sixty-Eight scrolls through their tablet again, making a baffled emoticon.

"Phaeton, save some tasks for the rest of us!" calls out a passing engineer who overheard your conversation, displaying an amused emoticon on-screen.

"I was going to tell you to assist Twenty-Four-Fifty-Six with scrubbing the turbines next," says Sixty-Eight, still looking at their tablet, "But you took care of it already."

"Thanks, by the way!" calls out the engineer Fifty-Six from their workstation, where they're plugging various cables from the Titan into readout panels.

"I'm a human, Sixty-Eight," you say. "We get shit done."

"I'm glad you're on our side," replies Sixty-Eight. "If you'd been turned into a skibidi, you'd be more dangerous than most." Engineer Sixty-Eight displays a friendly emoticon.

(You doubt Sixty-Eight's assessment - after all, there were many pre-apocalypse humans as intelligent as you, and they got turned into the same stupid skibidis as everyone else. Something about the skibidification process must strip humans of their former spark - their, well, their humanity. But you appreciate the compliment Sixty-Eight is trying to give you.)

"But, seriously, Phaeton," continues Engineer Sixty-Eight, "Your efforts are appreciated, but pace yourself a little. You're no good to us exhausted. You don't need to prove yourself to us - you're already a Titan engineer." Sixty-Eight pats your upper arm in an encouraging manner. "Everyone already thinks you're good enough to be here. I do, and so does the Titan."

"…Thanks, chief." You needed to hear that, you think. (What was it your friend Cygnus had said to you before? "We all have roles to play here. Do not take it upon yourself to solve all problems.")

Engineer Sixty-Eight displays a smiling emoticon and extends a friendly fist. The pair of you fist-bump. "Keep up the good work, Phaeton," says Sixty-Eight. "I know I can trust you to know your own limits."

"Thanks again, chief," you reply.

"What were you going to work on next?"

"Checking the coolant gauges and directional gyro."

"I'll help you with that," replies Sixty-Eight.

"Thank you," As you both head over to where you need to be, you say: "That's something I really like about you as a team leader: you actually do the work too. You're not a seagull manager."

"What's that?"

"Seagull, as in flappy flappy squawk squawk. A seagull manager is one who flies in, screams, shits over everything, then flies away again."

Engineer Sixty-Eight displays a highly amused emoticon, something you don't often see on their screen. They even emit the buzzing tones that are their species' equivalent of laughter.

You and Sixty-Eight work on some tasks together and complete the necessary reports. "When you take your break," says Sixty-Eight, "Take a longer one than usual. You've already done more work than you needed to; take a bit more time to rest."

"Thanks, Sixty-Eight," you reply. The two of you part ways with another friendly fist-bump.

You continue working until the end of your shift - taking a break in the middle, of course. (You spend some of it in the base break room so you can eat your packed lunch and say hello to some TVs from other departments who are on their own break. You spend the remainder joining some engineers in the Titan's core chamber. It's always so peaceful in there, a purple oasis of soothing sounds and warmth, like a little pocket dimension that seals you away from the troubles of the world.)

You and the other engineers wind down your tasks as the shift end time approaches. The Titan folds and gathers its arms high on its chest, above its core chamber. "My engineers, come on over. Someone bring Phaeton along."

Engineers begin teleporting from the walkways into the Titan's arms, wedging and nestling themselves in. One of the engineers - Forty-Two-Twelve, the deputy lead engineer, who taught you to use the gantry forklifts - approaches you with a smiling emoticon, and holds out their arms for an embrace. Realising their intent to teleport you, you move forward to meet them, and hold onto them tightly so they can safely transport you. They do so, and you find yourself comfortably sandwiched between them and another engineer in the Titan's arms. How lovely this is! You lean into the Titan, enjoying its warmth and the comforting vibrations from its inner workings deep within its frame.

"My dear engineers," says the Titan. "I would be nothing without you. I am the most powerful and perfect of all Titans, because I have the most brilliant engineering crew in all the Alliance." You hear the engineers around you softly buzzing their speakers in appreciation of their Titan's words.

The Titan inclines its head downwards, its screen looming over you and the other assembled engineers. This was clearly expected - the other engineers reach up to pet the Titan's screen. You immediately follow suit, rubbing the Titan's colossal screen and enjoying the soft crackle of the layer of static. The Titan buzzes its speakers very quietly, as if purring in approval.

"Dear Titan," you hear yourself saying, barely above a whisper. It's a sentiment the other engineers seem to share.

You and the other engineers spend a few minutes enjoying the embrace of your Titan, until it speaks again: "Goodnight, my engineers. Rest well, and I'll see you tomorrow."

Engineer Twelve holds you again, and the two of you teleport to the nearest walkway.

"Phaeton, please stay behind a while," says the Titan. "I haven't seen you for a week and I would speak with you alone."

"You got it, boss."

"Oh, you're tonight's lucky engineer," Forty-Two-Twelve says to you, displaying a happy emoticon. They explain further: "The Titan's taken to keeping back one or two of us each night, for a social chat. Tonight's your turn."

"I very much approve of this new tradition," you say. Engineer Twelve fist-bumps you before they take their leave. You watch the departing engineers file out of the hangar, until you are alone with the Titan.

The Titan spreads its hands on the main walkway, palms up, inviting you to step on. You walk towards them.

"Am I keeping you from any appointment?" asks the Titan as you approach.

"None at all. I'm at your disposal, boss." You step onto the Titan's hands gratefully.

The Titan cradles you in its hands, first cuddling you between its palms and then moving its hands apart to stroke you with its fingers. You gratefully press yourself into the Titan's hands and enjoy its touch.

"Thank you. I really appreciate this," you say, then sigh dreamily as the Titan strokes your head. "I know you don't get much peace and quiet." In a few hours' time, the next shift of engineers will appear. "I appreciate you giving up some of that time for me."

"You're very welcome, my engineer," replies the Titan, caressing you with its thumbs (making you squeak with joy). "Most of my time is spent either destroying our enemies, or being calibrated and prepared for more destruction. …I knew what I was signing up for when I submitted myself as a candidate for Titan status, of course. But I do appreciate being able to spend some time as a provider of comfort instead."

You nuzzle the Titan's digit that is currently stroking you, and make throaty clucks of pleasure. Your stress always completely fades away when the Titan handles you like this. You gaze up at them adoringly. You intended to say something in reply to the Titan's last statement - 'and what great comfort this is', or something. But all your thoughts have already melted away. The Titan seems to know how you feel from how hard you're relaxing under its touch.

"You deserve this," says the Titan, giving your head the tiniest and gentlest of scritches with its fingertips, dissolving your ability to formulate a verbal response. All you can do is squeak with pleasure. "Everyone is under stress, of course," remarks the Titan. "We're at war, with no end in sight. But you -- your situation has its own hardship. You're the last of your kind that we've found. Your old comrades must have all died or transformed. …I can't pretend to know what you're going through, my friend. The least I can do is give you some extra fuss now and then."

"You're so good to me, boss." You flop over onto your side on the Titan's palm, making an 'uff' sound, thoroughly un-tensed and relaxed.

"And I do rather enjoy doing this with you," continues the Titan. "Of all my engineers, you are by far the easiest to please." As if to illustrate its point, the Titan strokes all down your head and back with a fingertip, making you quiver and involuntarily make a sound partway between a squeak and a gasp. "You appear to have an insatiable appetite for cuddling and stroking."

Well, you pretty much do! You hug the Titan's hand, nuzzling your face into the material of its glove. Your head-movements turn into a shiver of delight that rushes down your spine. You sigh luxuriously, then look up at the Titan's face. "Boss… What is it you need? When I'm working here, I'm always telling you what I need you to do next." (You remember the Titan telling you that it expects this of all its engineers, and it will follow without question because it trusts all its engineers to know what they're doing.) "And when I get to spend time with you, I'm always asking you to to pick me up or stroke me."

"But I do like picking you up and stroking you." The Titan cups its hands around you to illustrate its point, and displays an affectionate emoticon.

"And I'm so glad! But what would you like for yourself? What would you like me to do with you?" Maybe the Titan would like you to pet its heatsink on top of its head? Its back-spikes?

"I would like you to give me information. Will you tell me what's been going on outside my hangar? …I ask that of all my engineers, when I keep them behind like this. But they spend most of their time in this base. You're the exception. What have you seen and done since I last saw you?"

"I'm usually in the forest outside the Antlia-Four base, hunting and foraging for things to eat, or exploring the surrounding ruins looking for treasure. Occasionally I join the patrols, but only for basic recon. To be honest, part of me wants to be closer to the front lines, instead of just making and servicing their weapons. But I know I'd be a liability. I'm smaller, weaker and squishier than everyone else in the Alliance - I'm sure I'd just make my comrades waste their attention on keeping me safe." (The Titan nods, and gives you a brief stroke on your back to show it's still paying attention.) "Also… although I do enjoy firing upon skibidis, as I found out when I was a wasteland survivor, I feel bad about enjoying it. They're the enemy, of course, but they are also former humans. They used to be just like me… I feel I shouldn't enjoy killing them. Even though I can't articulate why. I know they're not humans any more, not really."

"Do not worry, Phaeton, my friend. All toilets will die, regardless." The Titan strokes you a little. "That's what I'm here for."

(You're a little relieved. Of course you weren't afraid of the Titan's reaction. But you're well aware of the TV Faction's stance of extreme prejudice against the skibidis, and as much as you love your dear Titan, you can't deny that they have a prideful ego. You were slightly apprehensive about saying something not in 100% agreement with 'all toilets will die'. But of course the Titan is intelligent enough to take into account your species's common origin with the skibidis. You needn't have worried.)

"Will you tell me more about the forest?" asks the Titan, stroking you a little more.

You tell the Titan about the species of trees you find in the forest and the fungi that grow upon them and under them, and how you know it's an old-growth forest instead of a timber farm. (It's the presence of clearings left by long-dead trees, and the undergrowth that the clearings allow from the sunlight they introduce.) You tell them about the streams with fish, and the various insects and mammals and birds and which ones you can hunt. The Titan asks you questions as you go, and you tell them what you know.

You tell the Titan about the ruined human buildings and what you find there, and what useful things you've added to your quarters and what interesting things you've journalled for posterity. The Titan seems interested in what you have to say about human culture. It strokes you comfortingly when you start getting a little sad reminiscing about things you've lost forever. You hug the Titan's hand gratefully.

"And how is your health?" asks the Titan.

"…Normal for me, I suppose?" You're not sure what the Titan's getting at.

"You and the other engineers do such a fine job of looking after my health. I feel so well cared-for, thanks to all of you." The Titan strokes your head with a finger, making you trill with delight. "Who is looking after you?"

"I know Fifty-Twenty-Two is," you reply, "They notice very quickly if I'm behaving differently from normal." (You're referring to the TV-unit you nicknamed Cygnus, your greatest friend and closest confidant in all the Alliance.)

"I am glad," says the Titan. It extends a fingertip and strokes your cheeks, prompting a sigh of relaxation from you. You lift a hand and stroke the Titan's finger. The Titan continues: "And how are you… generally? I know none of us are really 'okay'. But how are you, my friend?"

"You're right, I'm not 'okay'-okay, but I'm okay in the sense you don't need to worry about me." You nuzzle into the Titan's touch some more. "Would you use your screen hypnosis on me?" You reckon that would calm and soothe you a lot.

"No. I don't know what you experienced that first time, but I could tell it was intense. I don't want to allow a scenario where you might become lost in there and won't come out. I am sorry to disappoint."

"Thanks for looking out for me, boss. But you don't have to explain, you know. You can just say no and leave it at that."

"I think you deserved the explanation."

"Thank you." You press yourself into the Titan's hand gratefully and rub one of their fingers affectionately. The Titan responds by gently curling its fingers around you to hold you and blanket you.

"Maybe one day," says the Titan. "When I have finer control over my powers."

"…May I confess something to you?" you ask.

"Proceed." The Titan wraps its hands around you comfortingly. "I'm listening."

You rally your thoughts before speaking. "Of course I get sad when I remember I'm potentially the last human. And there are human activities I miss. But part of me kind of likes being the unique one. And… I think I don't like what that says about me." (The Titan strokes you a little, to show it's paying attention.) "I get a lot of leeway - I've got a personal workstation in the Antlia-Four workshop so I don't have to hot-desk, and double-sized quarters. And… I get treated like a precious thing. I do love that. If more humans came along and joined the Alliance, I'd lose that."

"…And that is why you work so hard?"

You regard the Titan quizzically. It sees your expression and explains further: "I believe you are precious to the Alliance. If you wanted to, you could probably coast on that and enjoy your life as a beloved mascot-creature. But you don't do that. You work so hard, you've made yourself into quite an asset to the Alliance. You even worked hard enough to earn auxiliary status, the first non-Imperator to do so." The Titan pauses to stroke you a little, before continuing: "And I suspect you're thinking that your status as the only human had something to do with that."

Truth be told, you were. You do work hard, but you also suspect that the TV Imperator made you their auxiliary partly for the trophy status of having the last uncorrupted human. And you think the Titan enjoys the cachet of cool from having the sole human engineer on its maintenance crew.

The Titan continues: "Well, that's partly true. Because if you were a TV-unit, you wouldn't need to be made an auxiliary - you'd simply be part of the faction already." The Titan briefly displays an amused emoticon. "But the Imperator made you an auxiliary for good reason: because you deserve it, and we're so glad you're with us. And don't let the Imperator catch you implying that they bestowed your rank on you out of pity or just for novelty. We both trust their judgement better than that. The point I'm getting to: you are a hard worker, when you could get away with doing a lot less. And I think that's because you're a little afraid."

You're listening raptly. The Titan wraps its hand around you a little more, before continuing: "You work as though you're allowed in the Alliance only on sufferance. On some level, you worry that if more humans joined the Alliance, the Alliance would have no reason to keep you in particular. So you desire to pre-emptively prove your worth and prevent that happening."

Your eyes are forming tears - the Titan's words are said with nothing but kindness, but your fears, which you hadn't articulated to yourself yet, have been laid so bare for you to confront. You feel as though your mind has been cut apart and staked out by the Titan's horrifyingly perfect analysis.

As the Titan has said to you more than once before, its brain isn't just bigger than yours, it's bigger than you. There's a lot more of you that the Titan can read than you realised.

The Titan can see that it's given you a lot to process. It clasps you gently, and rotates you a little so it can stroke your back with the side of its thumb. It strokes you soothingly, wordlessly letting you know that you can stay silent until you've gathered your thoughts.

"…Yeah," you say after a while. It feels like a pathetic thing to break the silence with, after the Titan's voluble analysis of your own fears to which you'd never put the words yourself. "I think you've worked it out. Faster than I did."

The Titan gives you the gentlest of squeezes. "May I lift you up to my screen?"

"Yes! I'd love that."

The Titan displays a happy emoticon as it gathers its hands safely around you, then brings you up to its main screen, until the whitish pixel snow fills your vision. You lean into the Titan's screen and delightedly rest the side of your head and place your palms upon the glass, enjoying the soft crackly texture and sound of the ever-pervasive layer of static electricity. The Titan emits a quiet rumble from its monitor-speakers, enjoying your touch. You squeak happily in response upon hearing that.

"No-one is going to throw you out of the Alliance to fend for yourself. You do know that, don't you?" asks the Titan, keeping its voice soft to not overwhelm you at this close range. (As always, you marvel at how precisely it can control itself.)

You have to concede that the Titan is right. That would be a skibidi thing to do, uncharacteristic of the Alliance - whose level of care for its members you always find touching. "You're right, boss." It is not kind of you to think of your comrades in that way.

"Of course I am," says the Titan affectionately. You both laugh slightly at its words. The Titan continues, as it moves its hands away from its screen so it can behold you properly: "So, what are you really afraid of?"

You look inside yourself. The Titan waits patiently for your answer.

You reply: "I fear being resented. I know no-one will kick me out, but it worries me to think that everyone is just putting up with me and would rather I hadn't showed up. That's why I make sure that no-one can say that I don't work hard. No-one can say I'm a burden." The Titan strokes you gently with its thumbs. "…And… I worry that if more humans do show up and join the Alliance, they'll work harder than I do. And everyone will like them more than they like me." It sounds pathetic to say it out loud. You cringe at your own words.

"That's the core of it, isn't it?" says the Titan. "You need to be loved, and you fear being replaced. It worries you so much that you are now competing against completely hypothetical individuals."

That feeling again of being completely staked bare, like a woodlouse painfully transfixed by the light that comes from some mammal lifting the roof of its home.

"I see a human in need of a hug from its Titan. Come here…" says the Titan. It squeezes you ever-so-softly in its palms, the closest thing it can give you to a hug. "You are loved, more than I think you know. …Have you told Fifty-Twenty-Two about these fears?"

"…No. Not yet."

"You really should. That unit absolutely adores you, you know."

You feel a burst of affection for Cygnus. "I'm very glad to know them… I should tell them that."

"See that you do," says the Titan, displaying a smiling emoticon. It strokes you some more until you wriggle with enjoyment.

"Oh, boss…" you say. "I enjoy this so much." You pull the Titan's finger into a hug, to the Titan's amusement. "I wish I could properly hug you back. You deserve it. …Actually, I've just had a thought."

"What is it?"

"You have detachable body parts now, that you can control simultaneously. And you effectively have four arms," you add, nodding towards the Titan's protractile spiked limbs on its back.

"That's right," replies the Titan, proudly rippling its back-spikes. "What are you getting at?"

"Could you handle one extra part? What if you had an extra body the size of a normal TV-unit that you could control remotely? Then I and the other engineers could give you a one-on-one-sized hug."

The Titan pulls its finger out of your grasp so it can stroke you a little more. "A sweet idea," it says. "But with this war on, unlikely to be a project that would be deemed worth spending development time on. Now…" continues the Titan, rubbing your back with a digit. "Is now a good time to return to our earlier conversation about fucking inside my core chamber?"

"Do we need to clear it with Sixteen-Sixty-Eight first?" you ask, referring to the Titan's chief engineer. "I don't want to cause another shitshow." (Shortly after you first met the Titan, you'd become so overcome with lust that you'd ended up fucking it - without checking with its chief engineer first whether that would have any lasting effects. It had. Everything got sorted out in the end, but Sixty-Eight had not been very happy with you for a time.)

"Do not worry," replies the Titan with a smiling emoticon, "I'm much more stable now. Sixty-Eight is satisfied that letting my engineers use my core chamber for fucking has no negative effect on my combat-readiness. If anything, I think it helps me a little - it feels pleasant, relaxes me, and… reminds me who I'm fighting for."

You feel squirmy with lust just thinking about it! The Titan appears to notice and regards you with an amused emoticon. "You're not even in my core chamber yet and you're getting riled up already, my engineer."

"Not my fault I find you hot, boss," you reply, "You're the one who's hot." Both of you laugh.

"Now, I presume you are thinking of inviting Fifty-Twenty-Two," continues the Titan.

"That's correct."

"Have you discussed this with them already?"

"It was Twenty-Two's idea in the first place."

The Titan briefly displays a surprised emoticon. "Your lustiness is rubbing off on them."

"It's not the only thing of mine rubbing off on them."

"…Phaeton, you are awful." (The Titan's response is amused and affectionate, with no rancour.)

You both laugh again. You reply: "But it has been a long time since Twenty-Two first raised the idea." A lot has happened since then, which meant it had never been a good time to bring the idea up with the Titan. Until now. "I should discuss it with them again."

"Why not summon them right now? We'll talk it over together."

"Why not indeed?" You dig out your communicator and call Cygnus.

"Hello, Phaeton," answers Cygnus. "Did you want me over in the hangar?"

You're gratified by how quickly Cygnus worked that out. All comms in the Titan's hangar are recorded for monitoring purposes - anyone receiving or initiating a call or message in the hangar sees a warning about this on their communicator. Therefore, Cygnus already knows where you are right now. Cygnus knows from past experience that if you were finished with your shift in the hangar you'd either wait in the base break room and message Cygnus from there, or else make your way to their office. Since you're still in the hangar, it's not time for Cygnus to teleport you home just yet. By process of elimination, if you're calling Cygnus from the hangar, it must be because you want to summon Cygnus there. You're pleased by how well Cygnus gets you.

"Just so," you reply. "Are you able to?"

"Able and willing," confirms Cygnus. "I'll see you shortly."

You message the security team outside the hangar, letting them know that you're authorising Cygnus's visit. (It's so cool as hell that you're officially a Titan engineer and can do that!)

You and the Titan chat about work topics for the few minutes it takes Cygnus to reach a stopping point, make their way to the hangar and get through security. It's not long before the bulkhead doors slide open and Cygnus enters. The Titan makes a beckoning gesture, and Cygnus teleports to the walkway nearest the Titan.

"Fifty-Twenty-Two," says the Titan in greeting, setting their hands down on the walkway so Cygnus can step on. "Thank you for joining us. Will you join Phaeton and let me pick you up?"

"Good evening, Titan," replies Cygnus. "Certainly." Cygnus steps onto the Titan's palm and sits down next to you, letting you pull them into a hug.

The Titan brings both its hands in to gently clasp you both. You squeak with delight at the double-hug from both Cygnus and the Titan, and nuzzle the side of Cygnus's head, a purr rising in your throat.

"Twenty-Two," says the Titan, "I believe Phaeton has something to discuss with you."

You break off your nuzzling, and Cygnus rotates their monitor to face you. You ask Cygnus: "Do you remember that time you suggested that we fuck inside the Titan's core chamber?"

Cygnus's screen dissolves adorably into flustered static - they clearly weren't expecting you to bring that up right in front of the Titan! Heh.

"Did you still want to?" You ask. "The boss and I have been discussing it."

Cygnus looks a little relieved. (Were they afraid that you'd sprung the topic on the Titan just now with no warning?)

"I would be more than willing to let you and Phaeton do this, Twenty-Two," says the Titan, attempting to put Cygnus at ease on the topic. The Titan continues, a little more quietly: "I have discovered I very much enjoy letting people fuck inside my core chamber. I can feel you moving around in there… and it's very pleasant."

Cygnus is wringing their fingertips together in that way they do when they're flustered but in a pleased way. You can tell they do want to fuck inside the Titan's core but they're a little shy about admitting it in front of the Titan themself. You wish for Cygnus's sake that they had a little more courage, but their flusteredness is adorable!

You squeeze Cygnus affectionately. "Don't feel you have to go along with it just to please me," you say to your friend. "It's only fun if we're both into it." (You hear the Titan emit a quiet purr of approval.) "And you don't have to decide right now - if we're going to do this, I want to plan it properly. Now you know how the boss and I both feel about it, take some time to think it over." You bring your head forward to nuzzle Cygnus's screen a little.

"…I do want to," says Cygnus after a little while. (You give Cygnus a gentle squeeze, which they reciprocate.) "I'll need to check my schedule, and find a date that works for all 3 of us."

"You have access to the hangar schedule, don't you?" you ask. Cygnus's job as an inter-faction liaison means that they have access to pretty much all planned activity across the Alliance.

"I do indeed," confirms Cygnus. "Can I get back to you about it and have you double-check with the Titan?"

"That works for me," you say. "That sound alright to you, boss?" you ask the Titan.

"Absolutely," replies the Titan. The Titan strokes both of you with its thumbs, prompting a delighted trill from you and a surprised burst of static from Cygnus. "I'd love to get to know you better, Fifty-Twenty-Two," continues the Titan. "You and I have something in common: we're both former field agents."

(Cygnus originally trained as a field agent and is reasonably competent at it, but they're much better at their Base-side work, hence their current status as a diplomat and administrator. The Titan, when they were a normal unit, trained as a field agent too, and was exceptionally good at it - hence why they were chosen as the source of the mind inside the TV Faction's Titan construct.

You wonder if Cygnus and the Titan ever worked together on missions before the Titan became the Titan.)

The Titan continues: "And… since my last big upgrade and since fucking engineer Sixty-Eight - my best beloved - some dormant part of my programming activated. It made me realise that I truly do love each and every TV-unit. All of you are precious to me. And that means I love you, Twenty-Two." The Titan strokes Cygnus's back some more.

Cygnus looks pleasantly shocked by this news. You press yourself closer to Cygnus and hold their nearest hand. "Truly?" Cygnus asks the Titan.

"How could I not? I am your Titan."

Cygnus turns around to hug the Titan's digit stroking their back. You trill with pleasure at the sight, and press yourself against Cygnus some more.

"I'm so pleased that you found each other, my dear friends," says the Titan, bringing its hands in again to clasp you and Cygnus both. "I always feel a little calmer and happier just seeing the pair of you interact."

You squeak with delight on hearing that, and Cygnus's screen displays a joyful emoticon.

"Both of you are a delight," says the Titan, "But I would like to get some time to myself before the next shift arrives."

"We'll take our leave, then, my Titan," says Cygnus.

"Won't you stroke my screen goodnight before you go?" asks the Titan, gathering you and Cygnus in its hands and lifting you up to its main screen.

"I'd love to, boss," you say, reaching out to rub the Titan's colossal screen. "I'm sure we both would."

Cygnus reaches out and strokes the Titan's screen in confirmation.

"A little firmer than that, if you would, Twenty-Two," says the Titan.

Cygnus obligingly copies your example and rubs the Titan's screen properly. The Titan emits a quiet pleased buzz from its monitor-speakers, as if purring.

"Thank you, Phaeton, Twenty-Two," says the Titan as it sets you both back down on the walkway. "Goodnight to you both."

You and Cygnus say your final goodnight to the Titan, and exit the hangar hand-in-hand.

---

It's the evening of the night you've planned with Cygnus. You'd managed to leave work early on the grounds that you were expected in TV Base, which is perfectly true, and verifiable with the TV Titan's lead engineer… you just didn't tell your supervisor at your home base that it was for the purposes of fucking your friend in the Titan's core chamber.

(Do the other factions fuck in their own Titans' core chambers? You'd love to know… but it's not something you feel able to ask. You also wonder if your comrades at your home base in Antlia-Four know what you get up to at TV Base. You really can't ask them that, though.)

You message Cygnus: "Finished work for the day. Come over and hang out any time you want - would love to see you."

Cygnus replies shortly afterwards, confirming their imminent arrival. They shortly arrive in your quarters - as always, they spawn right in them. You're close enough with Cygnus that you've granted them carte blanche to teleport right in them any time. (You've given them a key to your quarters too, but that's purely symbolic for someone who can phase through layers of reality.)

You hug Cygnus in greeting. "Oh, Cygnus, buddy, you give such lovely hugs," you tell your friend. "I'm so excited about tonight."

"Back at you, my friend, on both counts." Cygnus hugs you close to them. "We have a couple of hours still. What's your plan for tonight?"

You disengage from Cygnus, though you continue to hold hands. "I need to make something to eat, and eat it. You might want to take the opportunity to recharge while I cook, or you can help me out in the kitchen if you feel like it. Or just do whatever; I'm not your supervisor. …And then I'm going to have a shower and get my arse nice and clean in preparation for tonight."

Cygnus strokes your hands. "Well, that gives me some idea of what you've got planned for when we're in the core chamber." Cygnus leans in closer to you and gives you a casual hug. "What else were you thinking of?"

You return Cygnus's gesture. "First, as a warm-up, I want to strap a dick on you and have you fuck my arse."

"I am willing to perform that service for you, my friend." Cygnus emits a soft buzz from their speakers, as if purring in anticipation.

"And then I'll blade-fuck your charging port. How's that sound?"

Cygnus wrings their hands in lustful anticipation. "Very good. …And could you bring… the tools for opening my plating?"

"…You want me to use your wiring as my handlebars?"

"…Ohh… yes…"

"Cygnus, that is hot as fuck. I absolutely want to do that with you." You embrace Cygnus tightly. "Oh, Cygnus, my dear one." You give Cygnus a final squeeze. "Let me head to the kitchen for now. I'll need something to keep my energy levels up."

"May I join you in there? I'd like to at least watch, if I may. Maybe I can cook for you one day, when I understand the theory better."

"Of course!"

You lead Cygnus to the little kitchenette in your quarters. This base is a former human installation claimed by the Alliance, so the quarters come already equipped with a kitchen sink and a hob each. You've added a microwave oven and air fryer that you'd salvaged. (Well, not so much salvaged as simply taken. Humanity fell to the skibidis so quickly that there are still many shops and warehouse with untouched piles of goods, left alone by both the Alliance and the skibidis that have no use for any of them.)

You prepare a fish curry with rice ("I think I prefer squirrel, but fish are just so much easier to butcher," you explain) and a side of mushrooms and beans, explaining to Cygnus as you go the principles of 'acid, salt, fat and heat' and telling them what combinations of spices and seasonings work well together. You have Cygnus help out with chopping ingredients and passing you things, and you give them a brief anatomy lesson on fish guts. In your pre-apocalypse life you'd always hated having other people in the kitchen with you because they invariably got in your way and acted as a moving hazard more than a help, but you enjoy Cygnus's company enough that it's genuinely a pleasure having them there. It's also fascinating seeing cooking with such fresh eyes - there's so much to the process that you take for granted but a non-biological entity would have no reason to consider.

"So many things to keep track of so that they all finish at the same time," Cygnus comments.

"It's something I've done enough times that I don't need to think about it much," you say. "And the nice thing about cooking is that once you've set it all up, it finishes itself off, mostly. Some dishes need looking after as they cook - risotto needs constant stirring so it doesn't glue itself to the pan. But this kind of rice does better if we don't stir it; we can just leave it be. I just have to poke the curry occasionally so it cooks evenly. Ditto with the mushrooms."

You finish cooking and plate your food (explaining to Cygnus how you can tell it's ready to eat), and you and Cygnus chat about various topics while you eat it and while you both tidy afterwards. (You put all the onion skins and fish guts into a couple of caddies to take to your compost heaps next time you head that way. "You can compost pretty much anything organic," you'd explained to Cygnus. "It's just a question of how fast it'll decay and how badly it'll stink while it's doing it.")

"Right then," you say, "That's one end of my digestive tract dealt with. Now to take care of the other."

"I'd offer to help out with that too," says Cygnus, "But I wouldn't do well in such a wet environment."

"Indeed," you say. "Plus, sharing a shower? Absolutely not as sexy as popular media makes out. Tried it once, slipped, bashed my head and my coccyx and ripped the shower fixings out of the wall. My pal broke the glass of the shower cubicle and sliced their arse open on it. Also? Water is not good lube."

"I'll defer to your lived expertise. I'll just have a quick top-up while you sort yourself out," Cygnus says, undoing their clothing to expose their charging port and plugging themself into a wall socket. They sit on your sofa and busy themself on their tablet.

You take your shower, paying attention to your ringpiece until it's clean enough to eat your dinner off. Once you're dry and wearing clean clothes, you get to work packing your bag with items you want to take with you, then join Cygnus on the sofa for a chat and a cuddle until it's time for you both to depart for the TV Base.

You arrive at the base in the normal way: by Cygnus transporting you along the void-pathways that only TVs can open. It's a little scary, but you feel safe as long as you're with Cygnus. The two of you proceed on foot, hand-in-hand, to the Titan's hangar.

The security guard outside the hangar says hello to you. "Greetings, engineer Phaeton. Will Fifty-Twenty-Two be accompanying you inside the hangar?"

"Yes, that's right," you confirm, as you sign the pair of you in. It's still such a thrill that you, now officially a member of the engineering team, get to bring Cygnus as your visitor to the hangar, rather than the other way around.

You and Cygnus enter the hangar through the bulkhead doors. You're bristling with anticipation, and you suspect Cygnus is feeling the electronic equivalent. Your friend picks you up (YES) and teleports you nearer the Titan, who immediately offers you its hands to step onto. You all but jump on.

"Phaeton, Fifty-Twenty-Two, how lovely it is to see you both again," says the Titan, as it lifts you nearer to its face. "I've been looking forward to this… but not as much as you have, I'm sure. In you go," says the Titan, moving its hands to its core chamber so you can step inside. "Enjoy yourselves."

Inside the Titan's core chamber, you pull Cygnus into an embrace. "Oh, my dear friend…" you say as you nuzzle Cygnus's pea coat, enjoying their comforting scent, "I'm almost too excited." You look up at Cygnus's screen. "Cygnus, you are so beautiful." In the purple light of the core chamber, Cygnus looks more themself. More complete, more whole, more powerful.

At your words, Cygnus's screen dissolves with fluster into horizontal bands of static, sliding up and down. You squeeze Cygnus passionately, making them shiver from your infectious excitement.

"Phaeton…" begins Cygnus, speaking quietly in the way they do when they're excited. They run their hands over your back. "I'm excited too… We both wanted this, but now that we're both here… oh, it feels too good to be true."

"Lie down and snuggle with me?" you suggest.

Cygnus displays a smiling emoticon, and you both lie down and gather each other in your arms. You kind of want to settle down to sleep, basking in Cygnus's presence - it's so warm and cosy and comforting in your beloved Titan's core chamber, and you feel so safe and timelessly held away from the world. But you're also far too aroused to sleep.

"What would you like first?" asks Cygnus. "You wanted me to fuck your ass, didn't you?"

"I'd love that," you say. "But I'd like you to stretch me out a bit first, before I try to mount you."

"What do you propose?"

"You put on disposable gloves and lube, then get a couple of fingers up there. You up for that?"

"Anything for you, my friend."

You pass Cygnus the necessary items from your bag, then begin removing your shoes and legwear as Cygnus prepares. You get into position so Cygnus can slip a lubed digit up your ringpiece.

"…I'm not sure how to do this." Cygnus admits.

"Do what you do best, buddy: gently test, listen to my reactions, then carry on accordingly. You're really good at that."

"You think?"

"Better than you give yourself credit for! That's really your skill, you know. Why do you think you were made a diplomat? It's because you listen and pay attention, and you take into account that different species have different ways of communicating. You are really good at it." You look over at Cygnus to see them displaying a heart emoticon.

Cygnus moves their middle finger into position. "Am I in the right area?" they ask.

"Yes, that's right," you say. "Feel around for it; it literally feels like a ring shape… there it is. Push gently while I push back…"

"Am I inside?"

"Not yet; that's just the whole area squishing under your fingertip. You'll definitely know when you've breached. Keep pushing into me, don't pull back…"

You get your rear pipe mounted on Cygnus's digit.

"Oh, that's a tight grasp," comments Cygnus.

"Yeah, that's why I want it relaxed a little bit." You sigh contentedly. "That's good… gently push in and wriggle a bit. Try bending your finger as if you're making a beckoning gesture… Ah! That's good…" Cygnus's touch is making ripples of arousal emanate delightfully outwards into your guts.

"It's really soft inside, past the entrance," says Cygnus. "It's nicer to touch than I expected."

"It's the same kind of tissue as the inside of my mouth. Were you expecting something nastier because it's my shitpipe?"

"I think I was, actually. I thought it would be, I don't know, rusty? But it's squishy and very warm." Cygnus bends their finger, pushing and probing their fingertip gently.

You reflexively wheeze out a high-pitched shuddering moan.

"Was that nice for you?" asks Cygnus.

"Ohhh-haaa-ohh-ho-ohh…"

"I think that's a yes."

"Ohh-hh-hh…"

Cygnus begins to use their other hand to caress your inner thighs. You let out a whining, pleading-sounding keen. Cygnus emits a soft buzz of static in pleasure at hearing that sound from you.

"You are so soft here," says Cygnus, rubbing and gently squeezing a handful of the soft flesh at the top of your thigh, with its pliable skin and hot heat from your crotch. "I think this must be one of the softest parts of you."

You emit another keen at Cygnus's admiration and the combined touch of your friend working your ass and rubbing your inner thighs. "Oh… Cygnus… I want to save some arousal for when you actually fuck me… Oh, but this is so good, I don't want you to stop either…"

"Shall I push another finger in to stretch you out more?"

"Ohh yes, I could probably take another now. Try it."

Cygnus applies a bit more lube and pushes their index finger up you to join their middle finger. They wriggle their fingers gently inside you, pleasantly stretching you out and making you sigh with satisfaction. The sigh sharply turns into a bark of pleasure as Cygnus resumes rubbing your inner thighs with the hand that's not working your ass.

"I love the sounds you make," Cygnus says quietly. "You sound so… unafraid. Oh, I phrased that badly. 'Unafraid' is a low bar to clear when fucking."

You softly growl with pleasure under Cygnus's continued touch. "Do you mean 'confident', buddy?"

"Maybe?" says Cygnus, pushing their fingers in-and-out a tiny bit (jiggling your flesh delightfully and making you involuntarily flex your hands into fists at the welcome sensation). "I think I mean… you know what you like, what you want, and you're not afraid of making your desires known and losing yourself in the moment. …Whatever I mean, I just love hearing and seeing you react."

"It means you're- ah! -good at what you do," you reply, affection in your voice. "Ohh. I think I'm nicely stretched out and ready now."

"Do you want me to wear the dick?"

"Hhhhh… yeahhh… Oh Cygnus, yes, I do…"

"Get it ready for me while I clean up?"

"Hnngh… yeah."

Cygnus pulls their fingers out of you, making sure not to do it too fast. They carefully pick off their disposable gloves, turning them inside out to trap any residue, and stash them in a waste bag you'd brought along for this purpose.

After a moment to come to your senses, you get out the dildo you'd like Cygnus to use, along with a harness for them to wield it. Your own harness was a bit tight on them (Cygnus has no circulation to cut off, it's true, but the tight fit didn't flatter them), so you'd made another that fit Cygnus better. You mount the dildo in the harness and move in to get the contraption on Cygnus. The pair of you get it in place.

"You look so cute with a dick," you tell Cygnus as you rub lube onto the strapped-on dick. Cygnus displays a heart emoticon on their screen as you do so. "Come on over," you say, taking steps towards the rear wall of the Titan's core chamber. You get into place facing the rear wall, and press yourself against it. "Fuck me and press me into the wall," you instruct Cygnus.

Cygnus moves in behind you, and the two of you get Cygnus's temporary dick inserted in your rear pipe. Cygnus pushes into you, deliciously trapping you between their warm bulk and the equally warm surface of the core chamber wall. Ohh. You emit a fluttering squawk of delight. In front of you is the wall that separates you from the inner workings of the Titan, full of its divine machinery that sings with power. Behind you is your most beloved friend in all the world. You feel as though you're fucking both Cygnus and the Titan at the same time, and you press yourself harder into the wall, rubbing your face against it.

The Titan emits a rumble of pleasure at your touch, and you feel the vibrations in its mighty frame. You're making strained keens in response.

"Are you content in there, my friends?" asks the Titan.

"Ohhh, boss, you have no idea…" you say as you lustily hump the core chamber wall, making Cygnus work to keep pace with you.

"Oh, I think I do," says the Titan, amusement in its voice. "It's my core chamber. Please, continue."

"Well, you heard the boss," you say jokingly to Cygnus, "Get to grindin'." You squeak as Cygnus does just that… you move your hands down to rub yourself off.

"Let me take care of that?" Cygnus asks softly.

"Ohh, yesss… Ah!" you exclaim as Cygnus moves their hands in to rub and caress your junk and grind your prepuce against your glans, just the way you like them to.

"You're so warm," comments Cygnus. "I can tell you're excited… I can feel you getting slimier and firmer under my fingers. Your junk's getting so cute and fat."

All you can do is gasp as Cygnus grinds your prepuce against your glans, and wheezily growl as they continue to stimulate your ass, bracketing you front and back with their touch. You writhe as Cygnus presses you into the core chamber wall, and your exhales come out as pleading clucks. Your lower body feels as though it pulses with the excitement from the stimulations coming from in front and behind - your junk and thighs are getting those little fluttery aches that are so almost-painful that it's delicious.

"This feels amazing," you say, your voiced tinged with the whining of desire. "But can you-"

"Anything for you," Cygnus interrupts, moving their monitor-speakers closer to your ear and voicing quietly. Oh god.

"Put some fingers in my mouth… please."

Cygnus withdraws one hand from your junk and brings it up to your face to push their first two fingers into your mouth, stroking your tongue as you curl it around their digits, enjoying the taste and scent of your arousal-sweat. You gratefully suck Cygnus's fingers as though they could dispense some sort of life-giving nectar.

You'd love to kiss Cygnus if they had the anatomy for it and you could roll your tongues over each other's. As Cygnus has no such capability, you like to have them use their fingers in place of a tongue, caressing your own tongue with them and letting you suck and gently bite them. There's something endearing about how fascinated Cygnus is by the different textures inside your mouth, and how they questioningly stroke the cutting surfaces of your teeth. Plus… a nice thing about 'kissing' Cygnus this way is that you don't need to be facing for each other for it to work.

You press into and hump the rear wall of the Titan's core chamber. You feel a slight shift in the Titan's stance, and a polite yet decisive thud from the Titan bringing its hands in to grip the edges of its core chamber.

"Don't mind me, my dear friends," says the Titan. "Just keep on doing what you're doing." The Titan caresses its own core chamber walls with the tips of its fingers, and emits a quiet (by its standards) buzz of approval at your grinding against the rear wall. Oh god that's so hot…

You growl with pleasure (around Cygnus's fingers stroking your tongue) and move your hands back in to work your junk some more. You gently redirect Cygnus's hand that's still on your junk to give you a belly rub instead.

"You're so soft here too," Cygnus comments as they run their hand over your belly, travelling further down to stroke your pubic mound and then sideways to stroke your hips and the tops of your thighs. Cygnus cups a hand on your belly and gently grasps a handful of you, before resuming their stroking and rubbing, working their hand in little circles as they go. Oh, Cygnus knows what you like.

You've reached that point in fucking where you lose yourself completely in the sensations. The build-up, where your mind can wander, is all finished, and you're at the stage where your mind is consumed by pure sensation, no higher thoughts, just primal, feral lust. You rub off your junk, pearling up with its own juices. You're reaching orgasm-buildup stage where it feels as though your junk and all the muscles in your thighs and in your buttocks are being suffused and charged up with electric juice. Cygnus pushes into you from behind, and you push backwards to grind against them.

"Are you getting close?" asks Cygnus, once more bringing their monitor-speakers so close to your ear. Cygnus continues rubbing your belly but withdraws their fingers from your mouth so you can speak properly.

"You know I am," you utter desperately, barely above a whisper. It's always so hot when Cygnus asks that - you love that they can tell you're nearly there.

"You want me to tell you to cum, don't you?"

You try to say yes but you just moan affirmatively.

Cygnus slips their fingers back into your mouth, stroking your tongue. They press their monitor-speakers closer still, brushing your head. "Phaeton… you're so close… cum for me…"

A string of keens rises in your throat as you continue rubbing off your junk. It feels as though a glut of orgasm-sensation is building up in your abdomen, seeking release, but it's piled up so suddenly that it can't get itself out, like a hose with a kink in it. And just like a kinked hose, it'll come out when it's built up enough pressure to force itself out anyway…

Cygnus continues caressing your belly, pausing to squeeze one of your hip bones. "Just a little further… just a little more…"

Your burgeoning orgasm is getting so hot it's almost painful. Your glans must be rock-hard. Your thighs and belly and your junk are building up more and more of the electric juice, and every time Cygnus pushes into your ass sends a jolt of warming fire pulsating through you.

Cygnus presses themself against you. "Cum for me, Phaeton… you're so close, just a little more…"

"Tell me… tell me I'm pretty!" you arch your neck to make Cygnus disengage their fingers from your mouth.

"Phaeton, my pretty, my dear one, cum for me… cum for Cygnus… cum for me and for the Titan…"

You roar.

You writhe and buck, as your roar dies down to a shuddering moan. (You feel the vibrations spread through the core chamber as the Titan grips the edge of its core chamber just a little more tightly.)

"Ah, gotta lie down," you say. "Legs all wobbly." You reach behind you to help push yourself off Cygnus's strapped-on cock, and Cygnus obligingly helps you disengage. You sit down, your legs sprawled and relaxed as you prop yourself up shakily on your arms. "You okay to remove the harness?" you ask Cygnus.

"I've got this, don't worry," replies Cygnus, undoing the harness. "Whole thing in a plastic bag?" they ask.

"Yeah," you say. "I'll clean it later." You lie down fully so you can rest all your limbs.

You hear Cygnus remove the harness and put it in a bag, which they tie up and return to your bag of items. Cygnus comes and lies next to you so you can cuddle. You gather Cygnus up in your arms as they wrap themself around you.

"Wait, put your hand on my chest," you instruct Cygnus. They do so. "Feel that?"

"Your heart's beating very hard and fast," comments Cygnus.

"Yeah… that's what you did to me… you did good."

Cygnus displays an affectionate emoticon and squeezes you to them. "You are pretty, you know."

You wheeze.

"Little rest?" suggests Cygnus.

"eah."

Cygnus pulls you close into a cuddle. You snuggle into them, enjoying their warmth and the reassuring solidity of their touch. "…You're so cute when you're spent like this," comments Cygnus. "You always look so relaxed and satisfied. …And you're cute because it means I did that to you."

By Cygnus's normal standards, that's very bold! You growl with approval at Cygnus's words and at how much they're building up their sexual confidence with you.

"Would you like to lie on me?" offers Cygnus. "Slightly more comfortable than the core chamber floor."

"Nah… I mean yes, I would, but if I do that I'll fall asleep. Let me rest just a little longer and then I'll give you some pleasure too. …I know this isn't supposed to be transactional, but holy hell you have earned it." You squeeze into Cygnus more, and the two of you lie like this for a little while, basking in each other's presence and in the calming sounds of the Titan's workings.

"Cygnus, buddy," you say, getting up so you can clean your junk properly. "Thank you so much. That was everything I hoped for and more." (You hear a quiet buzz of approval from the Titan.) "Sometimes I wish you could smell. I absolutely stink of sex right now and I'm getting turned on all over again from it. I wish you could smell what you've done to me and enjoy it too." You makeshift some wet-wipes from tissues and your water bottle and freshen your junk as you talk.

"Sometimes I wish you could see into the infra-red," replies Cygnus. "I can see when you're getting excited and your junk's powering up. …It's really cute. I wish you could see yourself as I see you." Cygnus extends a hand and rubs behind your ear. Ohh, you're so weak to that…

You stroke Cygnus's head. "It's your turn now. You still want blade-fuck?" you ask.

"I very much want blade-fuck."

"You still want me to rummage around in your wires?"

"Very much."

(You hear the Titan emit a quiet crackle of static, sounding curious. It's probably wondering what the two of you are planning - you're a human and have no wrist-blades to fuck Cygnus with.)

"Lie on your back for me," you tell Cygnus.

Cygnus does so, undoing their jacket and shirt so you can access their charging port. Meanwhile, you fetch the tools you'll need for what Cygnus wants you to do. You push a plug-like tool into Cygnus's charging port and rotate it three-quarters right to unlock a seam in their exo-plating, and you get to work opening their plating to expose the wiring underneath. Cygnus emits a quiet static rumble in anticipation of what is going to happen next. Oh, they're adorable. You rub the underside of their head-casing affectionately, making Cygnus display a heart emoticon.

You get into your harness and strap on your knife-dick, made from a set of Cygnus's old wrist-blades. You pull the protective sheaths off the blades and stand there with your temporary genital on proud display. "Can't forget this," you say, putting on an anti-static wristband and clipping the tethered end to part of Cygnus's framework under their plating. "Now… let me hear you ask for it."

"Phaeton… please fuck me."

(You hear the Titan emit a quiet appreciative rumble of its own.)

You mount Cygnus and fuck the charging port on their sternum. (The angle is a little different from a supine human's orifices, but you'd designed this strap-on with that in mind and you can make it work. And the curved floor and walls of the core chamber are making the angle a little easier for you.) Cygnus's screen dissolves into warped bands of static, and their monitor-speakers emit blissed-out white noise. You pull out your blade-dick slowly and then ram it back in quickly, the way Cygnus likes it.

You stroke Cygnus's head - they're so adorable when they're like this. And hot. Oh, this is getting you all riled up again already. Cygnus moves their hands to your hips to direct your thrusts and give you a bit of support. "I think I know what you want next," you say. Cygnus buzzes in assent. You reach down and push your fingers into Cygnus's wiring in their torso, gripping a bundle of them in each hand and pulling at them to power up the force of your thrusts. Cygnus writhes in ecstasy under you, making you moan in appreciation at the sight.

"I'd love to know what you're doing," says the Titan quietly. "May I look?"

"It's your call, Cygnus," you say to your dear friend adorably squirming and bucking under you. Cygnus already knows you're not particularly modest and don't mind fucking with an audience. Will they be okay with it too?

"Yes," says Cygnus, "Go ahead, my Titan."

You hear the sound of one of the Titan's shoulder-screens detaching and flying down to look inside its own core chamber. The flying screen emits a surprised bark of static from its monitor-speakers and briefly displays a shocked emoticon.

"That is… certainly something," says the Titan through its detached screen.

You realise how this must look. Typical TV-fucking involves both units pushing their wrist-blades into each other's charging ports. Not only have you found a way to participate in that activity, but you're effectively rummaging around in Cygnus's guts, which you get the impression is not a typical part of techfolk fucking. The way you and Cygnus fuck probably looks extreme!

"Phaeton, what are you pushing into Twenty-Two's charging port?" asks the Titan.

"It's their previous set of blades," you reply, thrusting into Cygnus as you do so, pulling their cables taut. "Got them strapped on my junk so I can fuck my buddy with them." (Cygnus emits a buzzing moan of delight.)

"How… adventurous you both are," says the Titan. "That's why I call you my lustiest engineer, Phaeton. You think of things I wouldn't have thought possible. I'm… impressed." The Titan returns its shoulder screen to its perch.

You feel a flush of pride at the Titan's words. Oh hell yeah, you are 100% the most authentic engineer of fuck. The Titan is the hottest entity you know, and you managed to impress it with the scale of your fuck prowess.

"Phaeton…" says Cygnus, their voice crackling with lust, "May I… oh… may I command you?" Cygnus is referring to their powers of screen hypnosis, which TVs use on each other during sex as an expression of trust.

"Of course," you say. "I'd love you to."

"Tell me… explicitly… oh…"

"Cygnus… command me. Make me yours."

You gaze into Cygnus's beautiful screen as it glows purple. Part of you feels as though you're falling, but you can still feel Cygnus's frame under you and the pleasant pressure of your strap-on against your junk and the harness straps hugging you. Your sensations feel more intense and yet more distant at the same time. It's a weird feeling, but you're unafraid. You trust Cygnus completely. Your dear Cygnus. All you want to do right now is please them… of course, that was how you felt even before they activated their screen powers. Being commanded to do something you wanted to do anyway always feels so nice, so blissful… as though you are in perfect alignment with the rest of reality. So serene, so secure in your place in the world, so sure that your ideas are the best ones.

You do as you are told. You're happy to. You thrust into Cygnus, hauling yourself into place by pulling on their cables. Harder. You pull harder. Very good. Can you pull out slowly? Of course you can. You want to please your dear friend, don't you? Of course you do. Thrust again. Very good. Oh, you are so very good at this… Can you keep pulling on those cables while you pull your blades out? Ohh, you can… Are you the best at this? Yes, you are. But Cygnus hasn't cum just yet, you need to keep going a little more… just a little more…

You return to reality. The purple glow of the Titan's core chamber looks more beautiful than it did before. So does Cygnus, sprawled and flopped with blissful exhaustion.

"I wonder if I can do that to you," you say. "Let me try: Cygnus, I command you to be adorable. See, it works. You have no choice but to obey." You and Cygnus both laugh. (You hear the Titan laughing quietly to itself too.)

"Can you pull your hands out of my cables now?" asks Cygnus. "Gently."

You do so, relaxing your grip and gently disentangling. Your hands free, you stroke the top of Cygnus's head. Dear Cygnus.

"Thank you," says Cygnus. "Oh… I'm spent. Put me back together and cuddle me… please."

You pull your knife-dick out of Cygnus's charging port and dismount from them. Your legs are a bit achey but you'll endure. You pet Cygnus's charging port affectionately until they politely stop you.

"Bit overstimulated," says Cygnus.

"How are your cables?" you ask. "You need any adjustments before I seal your plating?"

Cygnus ruffles their own cables with their fingertips, checking for anything that feels out of place. "No, I'm good."

You get to work closing Cygnus up again and sealing their exo-plating shut, while Cygnus's monitor-speakers softly buzz with static as if purring with satisfaction. You get your strap-on safely packed away, freshen your junk once more from its excited slime, and put on a clean pair of underwear. Time to cuddle with Cygnus. Cygnus gathers you up in their arms and pulls you close, and you wriggle into them. Both of you press into each other and snuggle.

"My dears, may I hold you for a while?" asks the Titan.

"Oh, I'd love that," you say. "You up for that, Cygnus?"

"Of course!" affirms Cygnus. "Are your legs aching from earlier?" Cygnus asks you.

"They are a bit," you say.

"I've got this," says Cygnus, standing up and then picking you up and carrying you. Oh, hell yeah. Cygnus carries you to the Titan's hands waiting outside the core chamber, and you both settle into the Titan's palms. You press yourself against Cygnus and let them pull you into their lap. You feel so beyond content, snuggled against your dear friend Cygnus as you're both held safely by your beloved Titan.

"Thank you for doing that with me," says the Titan, as it lifts its hands nearer its screen. "I very much enjoyed sharing your experience."

"Thanks for letting us, boss!" you reply, "It was everything I hoped for and more!" Cygnus nods in agreement. You continue: "It's super nice inside your core chamber. It's too bad you can't experience it."

The Titan displays a smiling emoticon. "Fifty-Twenty-Two," says the Titan to Cygnus, "Let's transmit - I would discuss an idea with you, TV to TV. Phaeton," continues the Titan, addressing you: "I am going to confer with Fifty-Twenty-Two. Please don't feel excluded by our communication; I have an idea that I am hoping will be a pleasant surprise for you."

You nod to confirm your understanding. You hear a soft fizzing sound coming from Cygnus's cranium and the same sound writ large coming from the Titan's main screen, as the two TVs share short-range broadcasts with each other, communicating on a wavelength that your organic form cannot perceive. What are they talking about?

You hear the sounds come to a stop, and Cygnus addresses you: "The Titan's had an idea I very much want to try out. I think you'll enjoy it too."

"I really want to know what you've both got planned!" you reply. Both Cygnus and the Titan display smiling emoticons.

"Shall we begin?" says the Titan.

"I am ready," says Cygnus.

"Hell yeah," you say. "I really want to know where this is going."

"Back in the core chamber with you," says the Titan, lifting its hands so you and Cygnus can both step in. From the core chamber entrance, you watch with intrigue at what the Titan does next.

You see the Titan's arms lift up to its head, then you hear the sound of the Titan's main screen detaching, the immense clunks of disengaging mechanisms coming from above you.

The Titan sets its screen on a walkway, just for balance. It takes the weight of its head in its arms and its head's own rockets - the walkway wouldn't be able to support it alone. The Titan protracts the clawed appendage under its head (like a giant version of the Imperator's) and uses it to grip the walkway for more balance.

"Does it feel odd to hold your own head in your hands?" you ask.

"It actually does," says the Titan. "I'll get used to it. I'm sure the Imperator can do this with no bother."

Cygnus says to you: "You'll need to turn around for this so you don't see the main screen. I need to see it for this to work, but you should face away."

You turn around obligingly to face into the core chamber. Cygnus stands in front of you so they have a view of the Titan's main screen behind you. You're very curious about what this arrangement is going to achieve.

"Twenty-Two, are we ready to begin?" asks the Titan.

"We are," says Cygnus. "Let's see if this works, Titan."

You hear the Titan activate its screen hypnosis powers, and you see the purple light lock onto Cygnus's screen and transfix them. You really want to turn around and gaze upon the Titan's beautiful screen, but you dutifully stay in place.

Cygnus turns their screen to face you directly. "Phaeton?" they ask. Their voice sounds a little different somehow, as if they're not used to speaking. Odd.

"Right here, buddy," you reply. "You good?"

"Yes… please stay back for now," says Cygnus, still sounding strange, as if they're confused by how they sound. "I need to check this has worked the way we hoped it would." Cygnus raises a hand and regards it, as if fascinated by it.

"It's your hand," you say. "You have another one just like it on the other side."

"I thought I would find this difficult," says Cygnus, "It's been a long time since I had a body this size. But I remember everything about how it works."

"Wait," it dawns on you. "Are you Cygnus or the Titan? Boss, is that you? Are you piloting Cygnus - Fifty-Twenty-Two?"

"That's right," says Cygnus - well, the Titan operating Cygnus's body. They display a smiling emoticon on Cygnus's screen, and hold out their arms for a hug.

"Where is Twenty-Two's mind right now?" you ask. "Are they - I dunno, switched off for now?"

"They are conscious and perceiving this, though I am in control right now," says the Titan through Cygnus. Their voice sounds a little more normal. "Do not worry - Fifty-Twenty-Two has consented to this."

You step forward and hug Cygnus/the Titan. You squeeze them tightly and gather them to you. You're effectively hugging both of them at the same time! You growl with pleasure and nuzzle Cygnus's pea-coat. The Titan hesitantly hugs back using Cygnus's arms - you guess the Titan is used to being very gentle with you when in its normal form, and now it's realising that Cygnus's body is far less strong and that it can apply a bit more force with you.

"Did you ever get to hug a human when you were a normal unit?" you ask.

"No," says the Titan through Cygnus. "You're the first… Oh, you are so soft. I already knew that, but this is different. Your softness is all over me instead of just in my hand… Oh, now I know why Fifty-Twenty-Two enjoys your company so much." The Titan returns your hug, rubbing Cygnus's hands all over your back. You growl with pleasure and rub your head against Cygnus's frame.

"Wait…" you say. "You're a miniature Titan. That's literally a contradiction in terms." You laugh at the oxymoron. The Titan laughs a bit, through Cygnus's speakers. "Would this work in reverse?" you ask.

"Reverse how?" asks the Titan through Cygnus. "Do you mean having Fifty-Twenty-Two control my frame?"

"Yes," you say. Giant Cygnus sounds fun!

"I very much doubt it," says the Titan through Cygnus, rubbing your back. "A lovely idea, but not something I could pull off with my current level of control over my powers. And not to disparage Twenty-Two, but I very much doubt a mind as small as theirs could operate a frame as mighty as mine." The Titan squeezes you a little more in Cygnus's arms. "So soft," it says again. It emits a static sigh of disappointment through Cygnus's speakers. "This was wonderful, but I must disengage now. This is a little hard to keep up, and I dislike having my head detached for this long." The Titan ends the hug, then withdraws its control over Cygnus. You hear the sounds of the Titan's head flying back up and re-attaching to its frame.

Cygnus's screen displays a test-card pattern, as Cygnus regains control over their own body. Their screen snaps back into its normal display of soft white noise.

You reach out to offer hand-holding to Cygnus. "How are you feeling?" you ask.

Instead of accepting your hands, Cygnus all but launches themself at you and grabs you in an intense hug, trembling. You immediately wrap your arms around them.

"Oh, Cygnus, buddy, I'm here," you say, "Are you alright?"

"It really does love me," says Cygnus. You realise they're trembling with joy.

"The Titan? Of course it does," you say.

"I thought it was speaking figuratively!" says Cygnus. "I thought it was only saying it was supremely devoted to the faction… But I've seen inside the Titan's mind now… It actually does truly love each and every TV unit. It loves me. And it loves you too."

You embrace Cygnus warmly and pet their back. You already believed the Titan, but how nice to have it confirmed, and how wonderful for Cygnus to have experienced the truth so directly! Cygnus is starting to lean on you a little more than you can take. "Ease off, buddy," you say, "I can't take your full weight. How are you feeling; are you getting tired?"

"Exhausted," says Cygnus, moving off you. "So good, but exhausted. I'd better sit down."

"My dears, can I hold you some more?" asks the Titan.

"Shall we?" you ask Cygnus. They nod in assent and the two of you step onto the Titan's hands once again. Cygnus immediately sits down, then lies down fully, relaxing in the Titan's palm. You delightedly move in to cuddle your friend - Cygnus gratefully accepts.

"Twenty-Two," says the Titan, "Thank you for doing that with me. I got to experience something I never had before, thanks to you. …And I'm happy that you know how I feel now."

Cygnus seems too tired to speak, but displays a heart emoticon on their screen.

You nuzzle the side of Cygnus's head. "That was wonderful," you tell them. "I want to thank you too."

The Titan moves its finger in to stroke Cygnus's head, taking care to avoid brushing their aerial. "It's my fault you're this tired," says the Titan. "Let me invigorate you a little." The Titan brings in its hand, and says to you: "Phaeton, step on. I need you out of the way for this."

You disengage from Cygnus and do as the Titan says. The Titan deposits you on another walkway, before turning its attention back to Cygnus. "Stay still," says the Titan to Cygnus, before unleashing a sliver of purple energy from its core chamber into Cygnus's frame. It's the same tactical donation energy of energy you've heard that the Titan can perform on its giant comrades, but on a much tinier scale. However, even that tiny beam of energy seems to have had a far greater effect on Cygnus than the Titan was presumably expecting…

"I need to be fucked!" exclaims Cygnus. They writhe in the Titan's palm, the donated purple energy coruscating around their frame, looking for a core chamber to offload into and finding none, instead zipping all around Cygnus's circuits and driving them wild with the intensity. "I feel as though if I don't get fucked right now, I'll explode!"

"…That's my fault too," says the Titan, displaying a shocked emoticon at how riled up Cygnus has become. "I'll sort you out, my friend." Is the Titan about to do what you think it is? Oh god, you hope so…

You see the Titan flex and ready the spikes on its back. Oh yesss… The Titan brings in a set of spikes near Cygnus. "Get your coat and shirt open," says the Titan, "Unless you want me to just rip it open."

Cygnus opens their coat and shirt by tearing them apart anyway, scattering buttons. Well, whatever works.

The Titan brings in the tip of one of its colossal spikes to Cygnus's charging port, wedging the tip in place. Ohh hell yeah, you're loving the sight of this. Cygnus emits a delighted moan of static, bucking into the Titan's spike harder than you assumed would be comfortable for them. You emit a moan of your own at the sight, moving your hands in to work your junk.

The Titan can see what you're doing through its shoulder-screen nearest you. "Do you need to be fucked too?" it asks you through the sub-screen.

"Take a wild fuckin' guess, boss!" you say. The Titan displays an amused emoticon on its sub-screen, and brings its free hand in to pick you up again. The Titan deposits you on its hand next to Cygnus - thankfully, the purple energy has dissipated enough that you're not in danger of being electrocuted. Cygnus displays a heart emoticon on their screen, their vertical hold slipping in ecstasy, and reaches out to hold hands with you. You delightedly do so.

The Titan brings in its free hand once more, extending its index finger and rubbing your crotch with it. Ohh. You buck under the Titan's touch, and attempt to remove your underwear - the Titan obligingly pulls it down your legs for you. Keens rise in your throat as the Titan rubs and caresses your junk with tiny movements, and as Cygnus writhes next to you and squeezes your hand. Oh, you're getting so worked up…

"I wonder," says the Titan, "Can I get you both to cum at the same time?"

"Hnngh," you say, "That's pretty difficult, boss."

"Don't underestimate me," says the Titan, displaying a wicked smiling emoticon. Well then! You'll surely enjoy its efforts even if it doesn't succeed.

The Titan continues to grind its fingertip against your crotch and its spike into Cygnus's charging port, making you and Cygnus both moan (well, make static sounds in Cygnus's case) and writhe. You grasp Cygnus's hand in delight as you gaze up into the Titan's beautiful screen. You look over at Cygnus and enjoy the sight of them losing themself in their sensations. You try to burn the moment into your memory.

"Oh, both of you are a delight," says the Titan. Being praised by the Titan makes a string of keens rise from your throat. Cygnus does much the same, buzzing their speakers with joy.

You're not quite at the point where you can lose yourself in the ecstasy just yet, so your mind drifts and wanders a little. You wonder what the Titan is thinking about, what Cygnus is thinking about. "Ah!" you gasp, the Titan's touch bringing you back to reality. Cygnus bucks next to you - you think they got turned on by the sound you made.

"Oh, Titan," says Cygnus, "I'm getting close…"

You realise you are too. You emit a fluttering moan as the Titan's fingertip grinds in a little circle on your junk.

"Are you ready to cum for me?" asks the Titan. You buck harder into its fingertip at its words.

You and Cygnus are riling each other up, you realise as Cygnus emits another buzz of white noise at your bucking movement. You squeeze Cygnus's hand again, and they squeeze back. You pant with desire… Cygnus writhes… you think the Titan is encouraging you both with judicious movements of its hand under you both.

"Cum for me…" says the Titan. "Cum for your Titan…"

"Ahhh! AhhhAAAaaa-hnnnghh-ahhhh…" you exclaim as you shudder out your orgasm. Cygnus shortly follows suit, their monitor-speakers crackling with white noise. You didn't quite orgasm simultaneously, but it was pretty close! (You're slightly amused that you started after Cygnus but still finished first.)

The Titan gently disengages its blade from Cygnus and its finger from you. You and Cygnus rest on the Titan's palm, thoroughly spent. When you have enough working brain cells again, you snuggle against Cygnus. They give you a half-hearted hug in return, still too stunned to do it properly.

"Take a rest in my core chamber, my dears," says the Titan, ferrying you over there. "I need to clean my gloves a little." You and Cygnus re-enter the core chamber -- you re-enter under your own power (remembering to grab your underpants and bring them with), and the Titan tips its hand to help Cygnus stagger in.

You put on a clean set of pyjama trousers and pack away your moist underwear, before heading over to Cygnus and settling down with them. You cuddle with Cygnus, intending to enjoy the time you have left before the Titan dismisses you so it can enjoy a couple of hours of peace and quiet before the next engineering shift starts.

"I love you so much, Phaeton," says Cygnus quietly.

"Oh Cygnus," you say, "You're a shining star. I love you so." The two of you snuggle against each other and hold hands, passing the time in companionable silence.

You hear the bulkhead doors of the hangar open for admittance. You and Cygnus move to the entrance of the core chamber so you can get a look at who's arriving. You can't tell for sure who it is from this distance, but you think from the way the unit carries themself that this is Sixteen-Sixty-Eight, the Titan's chief engineer. Another figure enters too.

"Can you tell who it is from this distance?" you ask Cygnus.

"It's Sixteen-Sixty-Eight and Forty-Two-Twelve," says Cygnus. They can pick up the identification signals that allow techfolk to recognise each other whenever in proximity. You were right, it is Sixty-Eight, along with their deputy engineer. The Titan did say that Sixty-Eight had given the all-clear on fucking inside the Titan's core chamber - you hope they weren't wrong. The two of you observe the engineers approach the Titan.

"Titan, is all well with you?" Sixty-Eight asks. "Your readings went very strange for a while, though they seem fine now. I thought it prudent to check on you."

The Titan emits a buzz from its speakers, as if purring. "How good you are to me, my favourite engineer," it says. "I am absolutely fine."

Engineer Twelve notices you and Cygnus in the core chamber. You wave cheerfully to them - engineer Twelve waves back.

Sixty-Eight looks to see what Twelve is reacting to. "…I should have known you'd be behind this, Phaeton." There's no malice or rebuke in Sixty-Eight's voice, thankfully.

The Titan brings its hands down to the walkway on which Sixty-Eight and Twelve are standing. "Would you like to visit the core chamber while you're here?" it asks. "Take a short rest with me before I dismiss everyone for the night." You observe the two engineers step onto the Titan's palm. Moments later, they join you in the core chamber.

"Can we join you?" asks Twelve. You extend your free arm to offer them a hug. Twelve sits down next to you, accepting your hug. Cygnus and Sixty-Eight do the same, and the four of you settle into a cuddle-pile. A purr rises in your throat, and the three TVs emit soft static buzzes in return. Core snuggle clubs are the best!

"I'm not sure what you did or if I want to know," says Sixty-Eight, noticing the wrecked state of Cygnus's shirt. "But the Titan's readings seem a little better than usual now. Maybe we ought to create a new position for you, Phaeton. Engineer of Fuck." The four of you laugh, and so does the Titan. Sixty-Eight is really mellowing to you if they're making jokes, you reckon.

You snuggle into your dear friend Cygnus, making them and the two engineers settle a little to accommodate your wriggling. You allow yourself to dissolve in sleepy bliss for a while. The Titan will want a bit of time to itself soon, so you should enjoy this for now, while you still can.

"Are you all content in there?" asks the Titan.

"Very much so, boss," you say. The three TVs make similar responses of assent.

"I thought as much," says the Titan. "I can feel you all in there. I hate to break up such a contented grouping. Stay the rest of the night if you wish."

Well then! That suits you just fine.