Captain Tritonia Crenata, Twelfth Bloom was standing satisfied on the bridge of Ipomposis, overlooking the now disabled Saturn Rise sitting in a field of bioengineered moss created just for this purpose. Everything had turned out well in the end. Their slip-up during the capture of Terra Glory had been an embarrassment to everyone involved, but the capture of a rebel ship made up for it. That girl had been of shocking help to them in the end, though it had hurt them all so much to hear how she was being treated by the rebels. They would have to make it up to her. Not only would they have had a much harder time finding these mousies and stopping their planned attack, they might have taken months to notice the horrible conditions down on Trofi. Now all those petals would be relocated to somewhere much more fitting for them to put down roots and bloom. With a satisfied sigh, he looked at the very antsy plant standing next to him.

Edantira Tyr, Fifth Bloom had been making herself busy since Athena had agreed to ‘give her an opportunity’. Everything had to be perfect for the arrival of her hopefully floret to be. It was all made so much harder by how little she knew about her lovely Athena. What was her favorite food? How hot did she enjoy her bedroom? What colors would she want on her new outfits? What were her favorite ways to spend the day? Would she want her hormones via pollen or injection? Tritonia had watched the woman drive herself half mad with endless preparations and that was when she wasn’t staring at her screen on constant lookout for new messages. 

 

While Eden just had to worry about her new little one, Triton still had work to do. Usually they would just wrap the ship up and pull it in, but there were two reasons they couldn’t do that. First, the longer Athena spent on that ship, the more likely the rats would do something bad. But just as importantly, they needed to do something about the overheating jump drive. The capture pods had been launched, all he could do now was wait.

 

~~~~~~~~~

Back on Saturn Rise, all the wind had been taken out of her father's sails and Athena couldn’t help but feel good about it. He had planned to leave her behind here to die, turning her into some kind of propaganda tool for the rebels. Instead he had lost everything. The ship was not moving, and outside the window was one of the Affini ships. The giant ship almost looked alive, dwarfing Saturn Rise entirely as its giant vines wrapped around them.

 

Athena couldn’t help but smile. She had done it, the Affini had come through. She was going to meet Eden. Purple gas started flowing through the vents and she took a deep breath, feeling the relaxing fumes fill her. 

 

“You.” Her father broke through her fading mind. None of them had gas masks, they hadn’t been prepared for this. But her father's rage was still there as he threw herself towards her.

Athena rolled aside as her dad missed her crashing onto the bed. “You’re right. It was me, I’m the one who told them about your plans.” 

 

All four of them were wobbly on their feet, but unlike Thorn and Spice, who were standing by the door looking dumbfounded, and her father who was consumed with rage, Athena was experiencing a clarity she wasn’t used to. This would be the last time she saw him, the man who had ruined her life. She deserved to do a bit of gloating. “It’s not right dad. What you tried to do to the people on that asteroid, what you have done to me.” Athena stood tall, staring down the man who she had spent her entire life trying to please. Reveling in the hatred burning in his eyes. She felt her legs wobbling, and knowing she only had a few moments of consciousness remaining she decided to make the most of it. 

 

“I am done struggling for you. I won’t spend the rest of my life being the person you wish me to be. I’m Athena. You can have your shitty family name. I won’t need it for much longer.” She felt her legs give out just as she finished her speech. She was tired, but satisfied. She had done it.

 

Thorn and Spice were already lying knocked out on the ground, whileMacStruggle was struggling with the holster of his pistol. “I… I’ll kill…” 

 

She no longer feared his threats; he could no longer hurt her, the affini had arrived. Her consciousness was fading but she could feel the safe and gentle vines of her saviour wrap around her body as she surrendered to their embrace.

 

~~~~~~~~~

 

Edantira was standing outside the medical room and looking through the window at the sleeping human being carefully examined. Her human, she hoped. Athena had been unresponsive when she first arrived, but had still hugged on tightly to the affini who was carrying her. It had been quickly agreed upon that to force the little one to part with those vines would be a crime. Luckily, Eden had been on hand with a beeple plushie that Athena had accepted as a replacement and she had since been soundly asleep, snuggled up close to the plush alien bee.

 

The nurse on service silently exited the rooms with their datapad in hand. “We have confirmed a DNA match with the Terran who escaped the capture of Terra Glory and have updated her files to match the new information we have on her. Athena MacStruggle-” 

 

Edantira interrupted the nurse. “According to Pickneya she doesn't want the surname anymore. We will find something more fitting.” 

 

The nurse was clearly amused, they both knew what surname Eden wanted Athena to take. “Yes, so... Athena, female. I think that is the major change we need to make to the records for now. Her condition is stable, and she is oh so adorable. Slightly malnourished, but not much worse than most of our patients. A week or so with proper food and the right xenodrugs should clear it up in no time. Her hormone levels are all wrong, as we had already assumed. But I believe you already have the correct class-G xenodrugs to handle that issue.” 

 

Putting the pad back between her vines the nurse leant into Edantira as she passed by. “Don’t worry Eden, you’ll do great.” Eden didn’t answer, she just kept staring at Athena, who was slowly starting to wake.

 

~~~~~~~~~

 

Athena was somewhere warm and comfortable, with something very fluffy between her arms. This was nice. In fact this was the most comfortable she could remember being. She decided she could stay there a little longer, snuggling with the fluffy thing. Her head was heavy and that was nice too, she didn’t feel interested in thinking. She was however, very interested in enjoying this very warm and comfy place, and whatever this fluffy thing she was hugging was.

 

However, sooner or later she had to return to reality. Slowly, as the drugs started leaving the system, Athena opened her eyes and was greeted by an adorable fluffy face. “Awwww.” She smiled. A plushie, an adorable plushie of some kind of bee. She had been hugging a plushie. She hadn’t had one for so long. Athena hugged it tight, smiling as she somehow pulled it even closer. 

 

Across the room from her, feeling too shy to say anything, Edantira was standing, waiting, hoping that Athena would notice her soon. Would she recognize her? Eden knew her lovely seed had been watching their broadcasts but she had no way of knowing if she had caught any of her programs. But gosh did she hope so. Eden really wanted to stride right over there and wrap Athena up in her vines, but for some reason she was just so anxious. She’d had florets before but it wasn’t like she was an expert, and this was kind of a special case. Even more so than normal. Athena had noticed her, hadn't she? Indeed, Athena was sitting up in her bed, looking slightly insecure, but with a twinge of recognition. She looked as she was waiting for something. Probably for the giant plant lady across the room from her to say something. However, before she could figure out how to start this conversation, Athena spoke.

 

“Eden?”

 

It had taken Athena a couple of moments to recognize Edantira Tyr, Fifth Bloom from the feature she had experienced back on the transporter. But it was the same affini, the same creature that had been keeping her company for weeks. Her affini. Her Eden. She was hugging her plushie tight, staring up at the towering being. Despite the many hours watching their broadcast, she did not feel prepared for finally meeting one of them. The size of her body, the vibrant colors of her flowers, the shine in her eyes. The little screen in her transporter truly hadn’t done them justice. But Eden still just stood there. This was a new side of the usually domineering and talkative Eden who Athena had seen before. “Eden, it’s me. Athena… Do you remember the promise I gave you?” 

 

A smile finally made its way onto Eden's face. “Yes I do, my little seed.” With some of her anxiousness finally gone. She strode across the room and leaned down close, but hesitated before her vines touched skin. Eden knew that there was so much her little heroine would want to change, so many little things, small insecurities. All of them were now her responsibility. A responsibility she reveled in. “Do you remember my promise?” Athena let out a gulp, followed finally by a nod. “Good girl…” Eden moved a vine up right next to Athena's cheek, letting her feel the brush of air but nothing else. “Remember Athena, you’re an independant little terran. Nothing will be forced on you, and you can stop this, at any time.”

 

Not a single part of Athena's body was yet to come into contact with Eden, yet she felt like the affini was pinning her down, holding her in place and forcing her to listen to every word. She was slowly sinking into those gorgeous green eyes, holding onto her plushie for comfort. “But I don’t think you want that, little heroine. I think you want to sink into my vines, constrained, taken, yet safe and sound. Would you like that, my little seed? Would you like to bloom in my care? To become exactly who you want to be?” 

 

This was probably the moment where Athena needed to assert herself. To prove to both of them that she wouldn’t just melt right away, but there was only one thing Athena managed to say in that moment. “I don’t know who I want to be… just who I don’t.”

 

For every moment that passed, Eden's insecurities were stripped away one by one. This was what she was meant to do. She was more than capable of taking care of Athena, and while smiling down at the adorable little thing it became obvious. All that pain, all those insecurities, years upon years of hurt, beyond it all was hidden something beautiful, and with enough tender care she could bring it out. “That’s fine, my sweetness. We will start there, we will remove all those parts that cause you pain and replace them with parts that make you happy. Would you want that, my sweet sweet Athena?” 

 

A part of Athena wanted to resist. To prove to herself that she had agency, choice. But the more she listened to Eden, the more obvious it became: that voice was not Athena. It was the last remnants of Bruce, of her father's influence. Athena didn’t need any of the things he had wanted. She didn’t need his honor, his pride, his strength. All she needed was to feel loved for her true self, and she was looking forward to figuring out who that was. “I would love that Eden.” She gasped out. 

 

Without another word Athena felt a gentle, sap coated vine rub across her cheeks, slowly but determinant dragging along her upper lip, her chin and then the other cheek. She could feel it tingle, before a soft, warm and wet leaf came up and rubbed across her face. “Hmmm… call me Mistress.” 

 

With her face cleaned, a vine wrapped around Athena's hand and she reluctantly let Eden move it from her plushy to her face, a face that hadn’t been this smooth since the start of puberty. With shock and unbelievable happiness she looked up at Eden. She had told Captain MacStruggle she was done struggling, and this was the time to keep that promise.

 

Eden did not break eye contact, but her anxiety threatened to return. Had she taken it too far? Was she about to lose her? Athena looked so happy but maybe this was too fast. Athena was still free, she still hadn’t accepted Eden as her owner. 

 

“Uhmm… Yes Mistress…” 

 

All her worries disappeared with just two words. Just two words from the precious little seed in her care and everything was perfect. “Look at you.” She brought her hand down to brush against her petal's cheek and Athena rubbed into it happily. Only a light taste of xenodrugs from the last shave Athena would ever need and she was already responding this well to Eden's touch. “Are you ready for your medicine?” Eden asked with renewed confidence.

 

Athena looked down on the deep red flower that opened to reveal a needle was approaching her, before staring back up at Eden. Eden had been so good to her, she had saved her life, she had given her hope, a name. Athena wanted to give back and remembering something she saw in a video, she moved her hand from her cheek, grasping a tight grip of the vine, her heart beating as she pulled it towards her body. Not a word needed to be said. As the needle pierced her skin, Athena squeezed and felt her system being flooded by xenodrugs. She could feel her mind growing heavy and her skin tingling. There was nothing left to worry about, except for her mistress, suddenly wrapped all around her, and the infinite waves of pleasure that overtook her.