by Susan Hayes
“I’ve picked up a few skills since leaving service, but that’s it. Fighting’s what I do best.”
“Do you like it?” she asked.
That was an interesting question. Jaeger turned to look at his brother, curious to hear what he said.
Toro nodded. “I do. It’s not like I get off on hurting people. There’s just something about squaring off against another fighter. Testing my limits. Finding out who is stronger or faster. It’s a rush.” He leaned in and looked directly at Cynder. “I know you know what I’m talking about. I saw it in your eyes when you were in the ring tonight. You feel it, too.”
Something flashed in Cynder’s green eyes. “The ring is the one place where I’m free to be myself. There’s no room for lies. It’s all truth. Mine. My opponents. I like that feeling. We might have left the war behind us, but we’re always going to be warriors, it’s what they designed us to be.”
Toro nodded sharply, a big, goofy grin on his face. “You said it better than I ever could, but yeah, that’s why I love to fight.”
“Normally this is the point where I’d ask about pre-existing medical conditions, injuries, and such. Given that you’re a cyborg, I’m betting your medi-bots keep you healthy and fit, so it’s a moot point.”
“I’m fit. No injuries. I’ve never even had a hangover.”
She chuckled. “That might make you our next star. You’re the first cyborg to apply to fight here. I only started doing it a few months ago. In the beginning, we weren’t sure how the customers would react.” Cynder folded her hands on the desktop and leaned in. “Which brings me to a very important question. Are you willing to do two-on-one fights like the one I fought tonight? It’s really the only way to be fair, given what we are.”
“Two-on-one is no problem. Unless they’re Torski. I’ve fought a few of those, and they’re a fair match one-on-one.”
“Considering the males of that species all weighed more than four-hundred pounds and are over seven feet tall, I’d agree with you. No Torski tag-teams. I’ll put that in your contract.”
“What about other cyborgs? There any chance of you getting in the ring with me, Cynder?” Toro asked, and there was no missing the flirtatious undertone in his words.
She shook her head. “I’d be happy to spar with you, but I’m not sure I ever want to really fight another one of my kind again. You know?”
Jaeger nodded in understanding. For years their kind had been used as pawns in a bloodless war between the corporations as they fought for control of resources and territory. Cyborgs were considered products, not people. It was a stance that didn’t change until the war ended and the corporations collectively agreed to ‘humanely decommission’ their remaining soldiers. That was when the entire galaxy learned the truth: the cyborgs had long since overcome their behavioral programming. They were sentient, self-aware beings, and they had no interest in being destroyed. They wanted to be free to live the rest of their lives as they wished. No more wars. No more slavery. No more killing.
“Jaeger’s the same way. No fighting our own. Me, I’m okay with it, but only in the ring. Outside the ring, I think we’re all sort of a family. Not enough of us left to be fighting among ourselves for real,” Toro said.
Cynder glanced over to the holo-pic of her and her twin, and the light in her eyes dimmed. “There aren’t nearly enough of us left now.”
She closed her eyes, and when she opened them again, she was all business. She looked intently at Toro, then picked up a data tablet and tapped a few quick keystrokes before handing it to him.
“That’s our standard contract. I added in the bit about no Torski tag-teams. Look it over and let me know if you have any questions. The short version is that you agree to fight exclusively for the Nova Club for the next thirty days, with an option to renew for another sixty days if we both agree. Payment details are in there, along with potential bonuses. Do you have a place to live yet?”
Toro took the tablet from her. “We’ve got rooms for tonight, but nothing long term.”
“If you want to stay here, we can make occupancy part of the contract, just initial the clause near the bottom about living quarters. We’ve got space set aside for employees. It’s not fancy, but it’s cheaper than anything else you’ll find. It’ll definitely be cleaner than most places,” Cynder said and then looked at Jaeger. “The offer goes for you, too. If you’re looking for work, we can always use extra bodies around here.”
“I suspect we’ll take you up on the offer to stay at the club, but I don’t need a job. I make my living as a gambler.”
Cynder’s brows shot up. “Yeah? What games?”
“Only one game, really. Starburst,” he said.
She made a wry face. “That game gives me a headache every time I try to play it. Too many nuances to the rules, and I have never figured out how to negotiate the zero-grav zones with the dice. The third time I threw the dice and it hit someone in the head, I took it as a sign to give up. Why not go for something easier?”
He shrugged. “It’s the only game I can play without constantly being accused of cheating.”
“You mean you get called out less often,” Toro grumbled without looking up from the contract he was looking over. “Last place we worked, the bastards took back his winnings even though they admitted they knew there was no way he was cheating.”
“That’s hardly fair. What did they think you were doing, levitating the fraxxing dice with some snazzy cyborg telekinesis power? You won’t have to worry about that happening here. You’re a cyborg, not a magician. If you can beat the odds and actually win at that damned game, you’ll keep your winnings,” Cynder said.
“Glad to hear it. To be honest, we came to your club as soon as we heard who owned it. If there’s anywhere in the galaxy we could get a fair shake, we figured this would be it.” Jaeger said.
“It’s better out here than anywhere else I’ve been. We wandered the cosmos some before finding our way here. I’m betting it was the same for you two,” Cynder said.
“Seems to be the story of everyone out here. The Drift is full of souls looking for a new start or a place to hide,” Jaeger agreed. The stories changed, but invariably everyone he’d come across was out here because of their past. They were either running from the law, past mistakes, or a combination of both.
“Us included. We’re looking for a place to start over,” Toro added. He had been listening to the conversation as he worked his way through the contract. It was nearly identical to every other one he had signed since becoming a fighter, though the pay was slightly better and there were benefits, like living quarters and a discount on meals that he had never seen before. It was a good deal, and he planned on taking it. Even if the contract hadn’t been ideal, he would’ve signed it. He liked what he had seen of the club so far, and he wanted to get to know Cynder better. She was tough, beautiful, and probably too damned smart for a grunt like him, but he was going to try his luck anyway.
He set the tablet down on the desk. “How much would it cost to add a room for Jaeger to my contract?”
Cynder shook her head. “It wouldn’t cost anything more. We’ve got space at the moment. If that changes you, two might have to double up, but I doubt it’ll happen. We did some renovations and reorganizing a few months ago with an eye to expanding our staff in the future. There’s plenty of space.”
“You three must be doing pretty well for yourselves to be able to afford all this,” Toro commented.
“It was good luck more than anything. Astek Corporation had just taken over this station when we came along. They needed tenants, and we got a good deal on our first lease. We sank every bit of scrip we had left into this place. We were in the red for a year, but business eventually picked up and well, here we are.” She gestured around her small office.
She made it sound easy, but Toro knew it had taken more than luck to turn the Nova Club into a profitable business. He and Jaeger had invested most of their settlement money into a startup
venture based on holo-vid technology. They’d been promised a rich return on their investment, but less than six months later they had lost most of their money, their pride, and any interest in trusting someone else with their future.
“Any other questions?” she asked.
“Once I sign this, how long until we can move in and get started?” Toro asked, tapping the tablet.
“I did a standard security screening on you before I set up this meeting. Once you sign the contract, you’re good to go. Since you’ll be living here, too, Jaeger, you’ll need to fill out a form so I can run a check on you as well. It won’t take more than an hour or so to process. Once that’s done, I’ll issue you both keycards and club ID.”
He picked up the tablet, scrolled to the end of the contract and signed his name, then verified it with a thumbprint scan. “I’m all yours, now.”
Cynder chuckled as she took the tablet from him and added her signature and thumbprint to the contract. “Not mine, the club’s. My partners wouldn’t be happy if I started building myself a harem on company time.”
Toro couldn’t help himself; he had to ask. “What about building one on your own time?”
“I don’t get paid nearly enough to afford a harem. Even if I did, I’m far too busy to enjoy one. If you’re looking for that kind of work, though, I do know a few of our female clients who pay very well for uh, personal coaching from our fighters. Want me to let them know you’re available for private lessons?”
Jaeger choked back a laugh. “Toro the cyborg gigolo. You know, it has a nice ring to it.”
Toro threw up his hands. “Fraxx, no. I’m not looking for any kind of private lesson situation. Not my style. The only one I’d be interested in sparring with is you, Cynder. Like I said, I saw your fight tonight. I’d love to take you on someday.”
She raised a brow, but didn’t say anything for a moment. “I don’t know if that will happen, but I’ve learned never to say never.”
Not the willing agreement he was hoping for, but not a total shut down, either. For now, he would call it a win.
“If you don’t have any other questions, I’ll get Jaeger here to fill out the security check forms and get them started. You two are welcome to hang out at the club until everything is processed and ready,” she said.
Jaeger held out his hand for the tablet while Toro shook his head. “No other questions for now. Thank you for signing me on, Cynder. I think I’m really going to like it here.”
She handed the tablet to Jaeger before holding out her hand to Toro. “Welcome to Club Nova’s roster. I hope you both like it here.”
When he shook her hand, he let his fingers stroke over hers again. She tugged her hand away quickly, but he caught the faint blush staining her cheeks. That subtle change of skin tone was all the encouragement he needed. Boss or not, he was going to keep trying.
Jaeger’s voice sounded in his head via their internal comm-channel, his tone one of amused irritation. “Quit flirting so hard. You’re going to strain something. Let’s get settled in and form some kind of plan before you go charging in at light-speed.”
“Does that mean you’re interested, too? I thought you were all work and no play these days?”
“I thought you wanted me to loosen up? Now shut up and let me focus on this damned form. The sooner I’m done, the sooner we can grab a drink and come up with some kind of plan.”
Toro leaned back in his chair and focused his attention back on Cynder. “I think we’re going to like it here just fine. Your club has a lot to offer, and I plan on taking it all in. We’ve been wandering so long I’m looking forward to settling down for a while.”
“You wouldn’t be the first ones to sign up for a short-term gig and wind up staying. That’s why we expanded the staff quarters recently. We keep growing,” she replied with a proud smile.
“It’s nice to know that our kind can be accepted and successful doing something besides grunt work. I was starting to wonder if it was possible. You should be proud of yourself, Cynder.”
She laughed. “I didn’t do it alone. You’ll meet my partners Kit and Luke soon enough. They’re cloned twins with leadership programming. It makes them a little bossy, but you get used to it. They’re good guys, so long as you stay far away from their wife, Zura. They’re very protective of her.”
“I’ll make sure to steer clear. She the freighter pilot?”
“Used to be. Now her brother does the flying, and she runs a cargo company. She’s easy to spot. Zura’s half Pheran and very blue.”
“Stay away from the blue woman. Got it.” Toro winked at Cynder. “I don’t think that will be a problem. As it happens, I’ve got other plans.” Like getting to know Cynder better. A lot better. With Jaeger onside, the odds were good. Jaeger was always better at coming up with plans. Toro was too much like his namesake, the bull. He charged in first and thought about things later.
He didn’t want to screw things up for them here at the club or with Cynder. He was tired of wandering the galaxy, homeless and alone. They both were. Maybe, if they played their cards right, the Nova Club and its owner could be the answer to all their problems.
CHAPTER THREE
It didn’t take long for the two newest additions to settle into the club’s routine. Cynder had suspected it would be that way, but when it came to Toro and Jaeger, she was having trouble trusting her instincts. She liked them too damned much to be impartial, a fact that was slowly making her insane.
She wasn’t looking for romance. Veth, she wasn’t even looking for a brief fling. Yet, every time she ran into one or both of them, her pulse kicked up a notch or two, and her thoughts strayed into dangerous territory. There was a reason she didn’t date. Several reasons, in fact. She didn’t have time for one thing. The club had taken every bit of energy and focus she had while it was getting going. Things were easier now, but it was still a lot of work.
That wasn’t the big reason, though. Her true motivation for staying single had nothing to do with the club and everything to do with her past.
Female cyborgs weren’t as common as males. The few women that were created were expected to pull double duty, both as soldiers and as sexual partners for their fellow cyborgs. It was part of their behavioral programming, so their compliance was automatic. Even after she and her sister, Dana, learned how to overcome the corporation’s control, the charade of obedience had to continue. If anyone suspected that their creations were thinking for themselves, they would have been destroyed. They’d had no choice but to obey orders and stay compliant while they waited for their moment. It had taken years for their time to come.
By the time they were freed, Cynder wanted nothing to do with any man but her batch brothers, Kit and Luke. With Dana gone, they were the only family she had left. They were the exception, though. The only men she let get close to her. Since the day she had been released from service, she had chosen to be alone. Not once had she doubted her choice. Not until Toro and Jaeger came along. The two of them were throwing her well-planned life out of whack.
She caught herself glancing at the security monitors again. “This is getting ridiculous,” she muttered to herself.
They hadn’t even been here a week yet, and here she sat, mooning around her office and checking the fraxxing monitors in hopes of catching a glimpse of either man. She couldn’t even put her finger on what it was about them that captured her interest. Well, apart from the obvious fact they were both hotter than a blue giant star. They weren’t outright flirting with her anymore; that had stopped after their first meeting. They were friendly when they crossed paths, inviting her to join them for a drink more than once, but when she declined they hadn’t pushed her.
She’d kept an eye on them. At first, she told herself it was nothing out of the ordinary. They were new, and she was making sure they were a good fit for the club. After all, they were living there. She quickly learned that Jaeger spent most of his time at the starburst tables, while Toro trained for hours every da
y. Both of them were damned good at their chosen professions and worked hard to stay that way. Maybe that was part of her interest. It wasn’t often she met anyone as driven as she was.
She leaned back in her chair and scoffed at herself. “Or maybe I just need to hook up and get laid instead of overthinking things. Great, now I’m talking to myself, too. It’s time to get my head on straight before the guys try telling me I need to go on a vacation or something.”
Neither she, nor her brothers had taken any time off since they’d started running the Nova. At least, not until recently, when her partners had taken a well-deserved break to go on their honeymoon. She had managed the club on her own, grateful the staff was second-to-none. It hadn’t been easy, but with their help, she had kept everything running smoothly.
Since Kit and Luke’s return, they had been encouraging her to take a break from the club. She didn’t want to do that. Everything that mattered to her was right here. Why would she leave?
It was clear she wasn’t going to get any work done, so Cyn gave up trying. Instead, she turned her attention to the security feeds of the club’s main floor. A few quick keystrokes was all it took to fill the far wall of her office with images. If she was going to indulge in a little voyeurism, she might as well go all out. At least this way she was checking in on things around the Nova, which was slightly more productive than she had managed to be for the last hour.
It didn’t take long for her to spot Jaeger. He was playing starburst again, and judging by the stack of chips in front of him, he was winning. Again. The dealers all swore he wasn’t cheating, which wasn’t a surprise given no one knew of any ways to cheat the elaborate game. Cyn didn’t think he was cheating, either, but her opinion was based on the man, not the game. She had met more than her share of cheats, hustlers, and con artists in this line of work, and she was certain Jaeger wasn’t one of them. He was as smooth as the Keski silk shirts he liked to wear, but his charm had a genuine quality to it, as did the man himself. If he was faking it, he was the best actor she had ever seen.