He bent his head in acknowledgement. “I know. Robots don’t die or require long term medical attention. They’re interchangeable and reusable. You collect the damaged parts, reconnect the circuitry, and they’re good to go. Immortal. Turn around to reactivation takes little time.”
She scratched at an itchy scalp, and pieces of algae flaked off. “But does he possess a finished model?”
“Only a matter of time.”
“Who’s going to build it?”
He shifted about and scratched his nose. “I left a very competent team at the Homestead.”
“We need to reclaim that schematic. I hope they haven’t made a thousand copies by now,”
“Nope, it’s encrypted.” He grinned.
“Can you prevent him from opening it?”
He leaned toward her. “The Homestead is my only place of refuge right now. I’ll not poison that well. Besides, I'm Terran and we're losing this struggle. A robotic army will provide us protection. Don’t forget you have a daughter who is half Terran. You have a stake in the Terran side surviving.”
Batting drifting algae away from her face, Elise huffed. “I can’t decide which side to be on. But I know I don’t want a war involving robots. Haven’t you ever read any of those dystopian novels where the machines take over the world and kill off all the humans?”
He squared his shoulders, staring straight at her. “I don’t believe in that, or I wouldn’t be doing what I do. Mechanical aides have always made life easier for humans.”
She drummed the console with her fingers. “So far. But what happens when your team programs them to kill humans? Whether their target is Terran or Alysian won’t matter to them. Who will be able to alter that programming before they totally wipe out all humans?”
His eyes widened. Fear flashed across his fine features. He had no answer.
A red light blinked on his panel. He glanced down. “We’re approaching the edge. In thirty minutes, we’ll be entering.”
“I should rinse off this muck and check on Richard and my daughter before we initiate the final descent. Can you monitor the board until then?”
His brow knitted together.
“Keep it on autopilot. I’ll be back soon. Watch the panel and let me know if any lights go red.”
“Red?”
“It’s a color,” she said dryly as she unstrapped and rose to leave.
“Hurry back,” he called, as she headed to the unit where Richard lay.
Arriving, she reached out to grasp the lever to open the medunit, when a large masculine hand covered hers.
“You can’t go in there.”
Pivoting, she peered into the snapping, blue eyes of John Luttrell.
He brushed her face, causing fine grains of algae to powder the air. “Do you want to infect a seriously wounded man?” He pointed to a refresher. “Clean up, and afterwards, we’ll talk. Right now, you’re contaminating the whole shuttle.”
While his brusque manner irritated an already abraded mood, she had to acknowledge that he was right and proceeded to a casket-sized cleaner unit.
Inside, she rapidly stripped and threw her clothes in a sealed container. With a flick of her fingers, a liquid chemical sprayed her at high intensity, soon rinsing her of the annoying mess. She stood dripping until the blower kicked in and dried her off. Pulling a clean, spare ship suit from a recessed locker unit, she dressed in an oversized, but comfortable cream jump suit. She emerged, feeling much cleaner. Much better. Even the air around her smelled nicer.
As she exited the unit, Ian met her in his own change of clothes. “The doctor asked me to sit with Carter. He says my presence may calm him while you two talk. He’s nervous flying this ship all by himself.”
She rolled her eyes. “It’s on auto pilot.” Taking a breath, she asked, “How is Tempest doing?”
“She’s sleeping. I fed her and secured her into a bed unit. I might have added something to her bottle, so she will sleep more soundly.”
She paused. “I appreciate all you’ve done helping us.”
“My job.” He grinned and headed out.
“And thank I.N.Sys, too, for me.”
He halted, then twisted toward her, surprised.
She lifted an eyebrow. “I’m well aware of Richard’s contacts at the Information Network Systems. I owe Director Walker. Since my husband hired you, I suspect you’re more than a mere babysitter.”
“My pleasure to serve, ma’am.” After a short bow, he whirled around and headed for the cockpit.
Reaching the medunit, she tapped on the small window. John looked up, raised the shield, and stepped out, closing it behind him.
“Now can I see him?” she asked.
John shook his head. “He’s resting. This alcove with its flimsy pull-down shield is not a state-of-the-art medunit.”
“Richard should know I’m here with him.”
He pulled her over to a seat and sat her down. “Look, Elise, do you realize how hard this is for the two of us? The original Elise was my lover… and then, Carter’s. All our lives we competed for her attention, and now she’s gone, leaving her clone in her place. You're unnerving, and we don't know how to behave around you.”
“I’ll never take her place.” She stared at the floor.
He glanced away. “No. No one can. Besides, you’re not the same. You’ve had different life experiences, which have molded you into a different person. In addition, now, I’m too old for you. So is Carter, who is trying to figure out how to forge a new life on an alien planet at age sixty. We’re both aging, despite the nanites in our body. But, we look at you and see her face. We can’t control how we feel, even though we try. Please don’t make this any harder than it already is.”
She leaned so close into him that she could feel his breath on her face. “Who she loved isn’t my fault. You created me to be what I am, to look exactly as I do.” She spaced out the words, then continued, “And both of you contributed to your situation. How many times did I hear how you left her alone because you chose your precious lab over being with her? Carter with his bots did the same.”
John’s voice rose in anger; his blue eyes flashed. “You wouldn’t exist if I hadn’t been involved in that lab!”
She swirled her hands about. “But I do exist, thanks to your obsession with her. However, I’m not her and never will be. I love Richard, so I married him. Not you, not Carter. Him. I didn’t do it to make either of you miserable. I did it because I love him. At this moment, he’s lying there and could die because he stepped in front and took the hit meant for me. I want him to know I love him in case…” She broke off, unable to go on.
John patted her arm. “Richard will survive if he doesn’t turn septic. But for him to live, we must get him to Tygel Hospital in time. Carter needs to clean up. Ian and I have gone through the decontamination unit for what little that thing is worth.”
She glanced over at the blinking electronics working to save Richard’s life. “We’re lucky to have the medunit on board, thanks to Chrissy and her team.”
John combed fingers through his honey brown hair. “She probably saved his life, but we need to get him to more advanced medical care, or we could still lose him.”
She rose. “I’ll call Trace and have him order a paramedic unit to be there when we arrive. He’ll do it for Richard. We’ll be entering the stratosphere soon. The ride could get bumpy.”
She saw no smooth path ahead anywhere.
Chapter 20
Return
“Where am I?” Richard moaned.
Elise laid aside her tablet where she’d been reading the latest posting in Amanda’s new blog and sat on the edge of his bed.
“You’re in Tygel’s Medical Center, dearest.” She gathered his hand between hers and gazed into his pale, narrow face. His high, strong cheekbones stood out in relief against the steel blue eyes, now somewhat dazed.
“Mmmm… What happened?” He twisted his head on the pillow to peer around the room.
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“Quite a lot.” She reached over for a small glass of water, propped another pillow under his head, and put the glass to his lips. After a few sips, she let him hold the glass while she continued. “First off, Jacob has taken back the space station, which he calls Earth 2.”
He sipped cautiously and tried a smile that was more of a grimace. “Good,” he whispered.
“By coming with us on the shuttle back to Alysia, John saved your life.” She brushed a wayward strand of dark hair off his pale brow.
The grimace became more of a smile. “With a dollop of persuasion from you, I imagine.” He tilted his head upward.
She nodded. “And dire threats from Ian. John’s upset because he was forced to leave his wife and children behind. Therefore, we owe him big-time. He and Carter worked around the clock here to produce a three-dimensional printer capable of fabricating skin grafts and then showed the doctors at the hospital how to attach them. Properly applied, they integrate into a patient’s existing skin without scarring. They were quite the hit.”
He lifted his arm from the covers and inspected part of the area where the blaster had scorched him. Brushing his fingers over his smooth chest, his dark eyebrows drew together in astonishment when he couldn’t find any indication of damage. He flexed his shoulder. “Feels incredible. That was a fast heal.”
“With not a scar in sight.” She smiled.
“I’ll have to thank John properly.”
She patted his smooth hand. “Oh, don’t worry. He and Trace are compiling a list of the station’s needs. They plan to take their requests to President Courtland. Not only have they asked for supplies, but they want incentives for skilled labor to work there. The other Alysian station is supported by the universities and the Democratic Union’s space program. Because of that support, it thrives. Integrating Alysian scientists from that station into Earth2 by building offices and science labs could be a step toward developing a peaceful coexistence between the two races.”
He winced as he pushed himself to a sitting position.
She felt a mixture of guilt and sympathy for his injuries. “Do you hurt?”
She realized he played the stalwart soldier when he said, “No, not too bad. I’m just sore from lying in this bed.” He didn’t sound convincing. He had to be sore, at least.
“I’ll get your robe, and we can take a walk down the hall. The doctors suggested exercise will do you good.”
“What about Angel?” He gingerly swung around, dangling his feet off the side of the bed as she opened a closet to grab his robe.
Over her shoulder, she said, “The Alysian Station is sending a shuttle to Earth2 to pick up Angel and a pilot before coming here. They want their shuttle back since we took the last one. Besides, John expects to return to his lab now that it’s safe, and he’s not a pilot.”
He eased to a standing position behind her. “It sounds as if everything ended well,” she heard him say.
She swiveled around with the robe. As he stepped forward to take it, she held it back. She bit a lip and said. “Oh yes, and a lady friend of yours insists she speak to you.”
His face was all innocence as he asked, “What lady friend?” He acted as if he had no idea who she talked about.
“That pretty young nurse who you claim saved my life after Tempest was born. You two seemed very friendly as I recall. Now she wants a further word with you.”
His eyes widened. He pushed the robe aside, hobbling over to the closet where he reached inside for underwear, pants and shirt. Gasping against the pain, he dressed as fast as he could. “Tem …” He gulped back the name. “She’s here? Where? If she needs to see me, something important is going to happen.” She watched him hobble toward the door, then swing around when she didn’t follow.
Facing him, she felt her face scrunch up as she said, “You’re awful eager to meet with her. I noticed that she’s quite attractive. Who is she?” She put her hands on her hips.
He paused, confusion flashing over his face.
Anger formed, which she tried to suppress. She took a deep breath and glared at him, waiting for an explanation.
He put up his hand, palm out. “Whoa, sweetheart. Hold on a minute. You’ve got the wrong idea.” He scrubbed his hand through his dark, unruly hair, looking panicked. “That’s not the way it is. It’s not what you think.”
“Then, how is it?” Curiosity scorched her. “Who is that woman? You said she was gone, and now she’s back.”
His eyes darted around the room as if they searched for an answer. Finally, words choked out of his mouth. “A distant relative of mine who’s sometimes an agent for Trace. If she’s asking for me, it’s important. How did she say I should contact her?”
Still upset, she answered, “She mentioned some old abandoned lab near the space center.”
His earnest expression didn’t convince her. He rummaged around for a wallet and shoes. “I need to get checked out of here as soon as possible.”
He wasn’t fully recovered, and his face had gone pale just putting on a shirt. She stared at him, gauging his condition as he swayed on his feet, barely able to stand. The doctors had said they’d wanted the grafts to heal a little more before taking him home, but he had that look in his eyes that said nothing would hold him here. He had a stubborn streak a mile wide.
“I’ll see what I can do.” She pursed her lips. “But you need to go easy and focus on recuperating. Nothing actively physical, you understand.”
He fell into her, putting his arms around her, causing her arms to automatically close about him. He leaned back and stared into her face, letting one hand caress a cheek. With a sigh, he brushed his lips across her forehead. A shiver went through her body at his gentle touch.
“Soft lips and an iron will. You are full of contrasts. I love that about you, you know?” he murmured.
“No, I didn’t know,” she breathed into his ear.
She felt desire stiffen his body as he reacted to her soft whisper. “You need to mention stuff like that more often,” she admonished, “especially after I save your life.”
“If you take me home, I’ll do better than that. I’ll give you a demonstration.”
She patted his shoulder, feeling aroused by the thought. Unfortunately, reality kicked in. Her expression hardened. “As tempting as that sounds, we need to let you heal before we attempt anything too strenuous.”
“Or we can be creative,” he said leaning forward.
“Mmmmm… Creative sounds promising.”
He smiled. “Don’t worry, please.”
“Okay, I’ll go check you out.” She hurried away, wondering what his “creative” might entail.
***
The next day, Richard managed to sneak away and head to the spaceport. Closing the door to the Timelab behind him, he switched on the lights. A stale, metallic smell permeated the room. Against one wall, a bank of computers stood, silent and dusty. After being around the sleek, advanced electronics on the Alysian space station, this technology looked dated and worn. Here were levers, switches, and buttons rather than screens you could swipe using a finger or programs that would activate with a thought.
He surveyed the Timelab, noting that the three-step platform along the back needed painting and re-padding. Also requiring attention were several of the lab’s emergency lights, which were either burnt out or blinking red.
Something must be happening in the future, or Tempest wouldn’t chance time travel. She wasn’t contacting him merely for a social call. It wasn’t: “Hey daddy, good to see you again. What’s new?”
He felt her presence just before she emerged from the shadows. “You took your time.” Tempest walked into the light and glared at him.
He hobbled over and threw his arms around her. “My darling daughter. I’d have been here sooner, but I had to escape your mother, and you know how difficult that can be. You look gorgeous. By the way, you have her eyes.”
She pulled out from his arms. “And your dark hair. But who
had the curly hair? I want to strangle him or her.” She brushed back a shoulder length tangle of dark hair that spring out around her face like a circling thundercloud.
“Your grandfather, Chase, had abundant hair.”
“Yeah, abundant—that would be one way of putting it. At least, I’m taller than mom. That’s a blessing.”
“You can thank my side of the family for that.”
“And I do, profusely. Mom’s so…”
“Petite. But she has a powerhouse personality, which you also inherited.”
“So people keep telling me… over and over again.” She sighed.
His shoulders slumped as worry danced through his thoughts. “I’m concerned that you felt a need to contact me. Time travel is dangerous, but I expect you understand that.”
She sauntered across the room and stopped at the bank of computers, running a hand lightly over the blinking console. She swung around and leaned on the back of her arms, facing him. She avoided direct eye contact, choosing instead to stare at the floor.
His worry escalated.
She gazed at him with a serious expression. “You remember when Uncle Braden returned from space and mentioned a violent encounter with a race of aliens?”
He nodded and joined her at the console.
She pushed forward, walking past him, spun around and came back. “Mom also talked about fighting an alien race. Said she met one face to face before it blew up its ship, killing part of her crew. People she loved… Trajan for one.”
“I remember her mentioning it. But what has…”
“Dad, you’re not listening. They destroyed five of the fleet’s ships in that horrific battle.”
He didn’t like the direction the discussion was taking. He paused, waiting for her to continue.
“Well, they have discovered Alysia. I came to warn you. The only way we can defeat them is if you start preparing now and change what might happen.”
“Prepare for what?”
“A hostile invasion. Get Mom to describe their ships and weapons. People have to believe they’re real. Put Carter and Abbie to work in the Alysian space program building ships. You’ve already weaponized the Alysian Space station. Reactivate that and do the same for Earth2.”
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