High Plains Cyborg

by Honey Phillips

  “I didn’t know these existed on Mars,” she said. “Can I touch it?”

  “It is just metal,” he said dismissively.

  “Not just metal,” she said, running her hand down a mane of small flexible tubes. The robot seemed to shift into her touch, and she laughed with delight. “What’s his name?”

  “It does not have a name. It is a machine.”

  “He needs a name. I think… I think Red Beauty.”

  He snorted. “Red, perhaps, but not Beauty.” He studied her face. “You consider him, it beautiful?”

  “Well, of course.” The realization clicked into place. “Were you watching me this morning? From that ridge?”

  As soon as she spoke, an embarrassed heat rose to her cheeks. Of course, he wouldn’t have been watching her. She must have just seen him on his rounds.

  “Yes,” he said, interrupting her tumbled thoughts.

  “You were? Why?”

  “I wished to make sure you were safe.”

  Huh. Despite a pleasant little tingle that she refused to acknowledge, she frowned at him. “Why did you think I might need help? Because I’m female?”

  “Yes.” He gave her a long, slow look that made her nipples ache and caused a sudden rush of heat between her legs.

  “There are other female settlers,” she pointed out. “Are you going to watch over them as well?”

  “I am not interested in them.”

  More heat rose to her cheeks. He was interested in her? But…

  “I didn’t think cyborgs were interested in women,” she blurted out.

  Something flashed across his face, interrupting his normal emotionless expression.

  “It is not encouraged.” Before she could open her mouth to respond, he turned back to the water drill. “You do not want to locate the machine here.”

  “Why not? It registered the presence of subsurface ice. I thought it would be close to the shelter and the ridge would help protect it from dust storms.” The thought made her shiver. They had been warned over and over about the danger of the inevitable dust storms.

  “The ice is much further beneath the ground in this location.” He lifted the heavy water drill with one hand—one hand—and carried it easily to a new location further along the ridge. “This will still provide some protection, but the ice is closer to the surface, and you will have better exposure for the solar array.”

  He began to run through the initial setup process, then stopped and turned to her. “Is this acceptable?”

  She had been jockeying between annoyance at the way he had taken over and gratitude that he had saved her from making a mistake, but his question, and the slightly anxious way he asked it, swung her over into gratitude.

  “Yes, that would be wonderful. Thank you.”

  He gave a curt nod, then finished the sequence to deploy the machine. As it began drilling down into the surface, she remembered the collection basket and went to grab it. The crushed rock would be used in building her garden. She placed the basket under the output and watched in satisfaction as small rocks began to clatter into it.

  “How did you know?” she asked.

  “Know what?”

  “That the ice would be closer to the surface here?”

  C-487 hesitated, oddly reluctant to reveal the source of his knowledge. Would reminding her of his differences make her pull away from him? He had seen a variety of emotions flash across that expressive little face since his arrival—her initial fear replaced by defiance as that pointed little chin rose, her delight in his horse, even something that looked like appreciation when she snuck a glance at him. The memory of that was enough to cause his cock to stir just as it had done then, the sensation as shocking as it had been the first time. His body did not respond unless he willed it, except with her. Once again, he forced himself under control.

  Of all the expressions that had crossed her face, he had never seen anything resembling the usual mistrust with which most humans viewed cyborgs. He did not want to see it on her face now. But she had asked…

  He gestured reluctantly at his eyes, still masked behind his glasses. “I have enhanced vision, including infrared. I can detect temperature differentials.”

  He did not mention that after realizing that he did not want to leave her, he had returned to his vantage point and spent most of the might studying her claim and identifying the features that would be most useful to her. Or that he had frequently found his gaze traveling back to the small bright glow of her body in the shelter.

  “Oh. Well, that’s kind of cool.”

  She smiled up at him and his breath—the breath he didn’t need to survive—caught in his chest. He had never seen a more beautiful sight. He took a half-step towards her before he came to his senses.

  “What do you intend to do next?” he asked gruffly.

  “I need to set up the dome for the hydroponic garden and attach it to the shelter.” She looked confused at his brusqueness and he had to fight down the urge to pull her into his arms and smooth the frown from her brow.

  “I will assist.” Before she could protest, he turned and headed for the sled, determined to bury these new and unexpected emotions in work.

  By the time the sun dropped close to the horizon, the water drill had begun to produce a slow but steady stream of icy water. Jo had used the insulated pipeline to connect it to her greenhouse, now fully assembled and waiting for the next step—building the array of tanks and planters where she would hopefully be able to produce her food supply. The day had gone more quickly and efficiently that she had expected, thanks to her cyborg cowboy. If not for him, she would have been much further behind.

  But more than his assistance, she was grateful for his presence. For the presence of another living being in the desolate landscape. The thought brought her to a sudden halt. Not even one full day on her own and she was already grateful for company. Company that was not going to stay. What was she doing? Hadn’t her experiences with Nicky taught her that she couldn’t rely on anyone but herself?

  She looked over at her cyborg. He was checking the connections on the water line and as if he felt her watching him, he looked up. Her eyes met his, the red glow behind the dark glasses already familiar to her, and her heart gave a little skip.

  This is ridiculous, she told herself firmly. He’s just being nice. It doesn’t mean you can start depending on him.

  While she was lecturing herself, he finished his inspection and came over to her. For a big man, he moved with surprising silence and grace.

  “Thank you for helping me today,” she said, trying to sound appropriately formal. “I’m sure you must have other more important matters to attend to.”

  “No.”

  “Oh. Well, I don’t want to keep you.” She cringed inside at how rude that sounded.

  One of those rare hints of emotion crossed his face. Was it hurt? Surely not.

  “Are you asking me to leave?” he said bluntly.

  “It’s just… I appreciate the help, but I need to know how to do all these things for myself. I know it might take a little longer but you’re not always going to be around.”

  His body went still. Then with a curt nod, he turned and headed for Red. The robotic animal had been wandering around quietly all day, adding to the illusion that it was a real animal, even though he had assured her it was just seeking out micronutrients in the soil.

  Even his back looked stiff, his stride no longer so graceful, and she felt a wave of embarrassment. She had to let him go but she didn't have to be rude about it, after all.

  “Wait a minute,” she called, and he stopped immediately, turning back to face her. “You never told me your name.”

  “I am called C-487,” he said slowly.

  “That’s not a name. Don’t you have a human name?”

  If anything, he stiffened even further. “I am not human.”

  “You were,” she said indignantly. “And part of you still is, isn’t it?”

  He shrug
ged but his face didn't match the casual gesture. “Perhaps.”

  “What were you called? Before?”

  There was a long pause and she was afraid he wouldn’t answer her.

  “Clint. My name was Clint,” he said finally.

  “It’s nice to meet you, Clint. I’m Jo.”

  “Yes, you said that before. But that’s not your full name, is it?”

  She blushed. “No. It’s really Josephine. But that’s such an old-fashioned name.”

  “It is a beautiful name and it suits you.” For the briefest second, his hand cupped her chin, raising her face to his, and leaving a trail of warmth behind. “Goodnight, Josephine.”

  He turned and mounted the horse and rode off without looking back. She raised her hand to her face, pressing her fingers to the skin he had caressed so briefly, and watched until he disappeared into the sunset. Then she hurried into her shelter, determined to begin her new life alone.

  Chapter Four

  Once again, the quiet woke Jo from a convoluted dream involving her cyborg. Her nipples throbbed beneath her thin tank and she could feel the damp heat between her thighs. What was it about him that triggered her arousal to such an extent? Yes, he was big, but there had been plenty of big men on the settlement ship. The kind of man who applied for a claim on a risky new planet did not tend to be small. Was it his air of utter confidence? The knowledge that he would be able to handle anything that came his way? No, she didn’t think it was that, either. Nicky had that same air of confidence—although with considerably less reason.

  Shaking her head, she pushed the useless speculation aside. After the way she had sent him off the previous day, she doubted that she would see him again. Ignoring the desolation that thought caused, she took her first quick shower in her new home and resolutely avoided thinking of Clint. She had no time to waste on mysterious strangers. There was work to be done.

  Throughout the long, hard day setting up the equipment for her garden, she found her gaze frequently straying towards the east ridge, but she never saw a tall figure on a mechanical horse. Still, she did not let that deter her from finishing the next item on her list. By the time the sun set, the grow tanks had been assembled and the nutrient solution mixed with the water. She would leave the door between the two habitats open tonight so she could hear the soft drip of the circulating water. Tomorrow she would plant.

  It had been a productive day and she was actually a little further along than she had expected to be—mainly because of Clint’s help the previous day. Tonight, she was not as tired and after one of the nutritious but tasteless MREs, she sat crossed legged on her mattress and stared out into the night. Not a light to be seen anywhere except that of the stars and the thin strips of ice clouds as they floated high in the sky.

  The landscape was even more beautiful at night, the harsh desert concealed in the darkness, leaving only the striking contours of the rocks silhouetted against the sky. She could see a distant haze, far across the valley, no doubt one of the atmosphere-producing power plants releasing gases into the air. Was Nicky working there? Perhaps it was just as well that he had not decided to join her. She couldn’t picture him living here in the silent isolation. Firmly suppressing the thought that she could easily imagine Clint sitting next to her and staring out into the night, she turned off her small light and crawled into bed.

  C-487 watched as the shelter dimmed, switching to infrared once more so that he could still see the patch of heat that her body produced. He had spent the day watching her but this time he had chosen a more isolated position. Every time she had staggered as she transported a heavy load from the sled to the shelter, he’d had to force himself not to go to her assistance. She had made it clear that she wanted to set up her home by herself and he respected her desires. To a certain extent. He would not let her overwork herself or become ill. And from what he had seen, she had only the most basic equipment issued by Earth Government, with none of the small luxuries that many of the settlers had brought with them or paid extra to acquire. He ached to make her more comfortable, but he suspected that she would reject any outright gift. Of course, if he could arrange for her to think that she was doing him a favor…

  He took one last look around the valley, searching for any signs of life but all was still. No other heat signatures were present. She would be safe if he left her long enough to return to town.

  “Come on, Big Red,” he said to his horse, and set a fast pace back to New Arcadia. He would be back before she woke.

  Once again, Jo woke hot and flushed, her body still pulsing with desire for Clint. In this dream, the water pump had miraculously produced a fountain of hot water and he had tugged her beneath it, tearing off her clothes before caressing her with wet slippery hands. He followed the path of his hands with his mouth bringing her nipples to tight throbbing peaks before traveling down her body, reaching her clit just before she jolted awake.

  “This is ridiculous,” she muttered, but she gave into the inevitable. Her fingers snuck into her panties, finding the hard, slippery nub of her clit. She swirled her finger around it, already on the edge of climax, but the sensation danced just out of reach. It wasn’t until she pictured Clint striding in through the airlock, finding her half naked and touching herself, that she exploded in a quick hard climax. Her body was still limp with satisfaction when she heard a demanding knock on the outside door of the airlock.

  When she took a quick peek through the portholes, her heart skipped a beat. Clint stood outside, looking just as hard and demanding as he had been in her fantasy. He looked as though he could walk straight through both doors and into her arms. He knocked again, his usually expressionless face almost eager.

  “Josephine, I know that you are in there.”

  He seemed to be staring straight at her and her cheeks heated at the memory of what she had been doing. Pushing aside her embarrassment, she hastily pulled on her pants, then flicked the com.

  “You can come in.”

  Now why had she done that? Wouldn’t it have been more sensible to meet him outside? But before she could reconsider, he was through the second door and standing in front of her. With an almost bashful expression, he removed his cowboy hat to reveal short dark hair that curled just a little around his ears. She had thought he was big when he was standing over her in the Claims Office, but he seemed even bigger here in her home, dominating the small space with his presence.

  His nostrils flared and she saw that red gaze travel down over her body. He couldn’t know what she’d been doing before he arrived. Could he?

  “Uh, what are you doing here?” she said quickly, determined to ignore his strange reaction.

  At her words, his gaze snapped to her face. “I need a favor.”

  She stared at him in surprise. How could she possibly assist him? But, of course, there was no way to refuse. In fact, she felt a pleasant little glow that she could do something to return his kindness.

  “Yes, of course. What do you want me to do?”

  “You don’t even want to know what I am going to ask you?” A flicker of something that could have been amusement crossed that stern face.

  “No. I’m happy to do anything I can to repay you.”

  That was definitely a scowl. “I am not asking for payment.”

  “I know you’re not,” she said quickly. “I just meant that I’m glad to have a way to show my gratitude.”

  The words hung in the air between and she suddenly hoped—prayed—that he wasn’t like most men and that he wouldn’t make a suggestive comment about how she could demonstrate her gratitude. The lingering heat between her legs indicated that she might not find the idea totally distasteful, but she wanted more than that from him.

  To her relief, he simply nodded his acceptance of her apology and reached inside his coat. She realized this was the first time she had seen him button it up. The cold never seemed to bother him. Reaching inside, he pulled out a small yellow ball of fluff, then another, and another until si
x little balls were curled in his big hands. She caught a glimpse of a bright black eye, then a cautious cheep.

  “Chicks? You brought me chicks?”

  The frozen embryos had been brought from Earth to be added to the micro environments that the settlers were creating, but they were ridiculously expensive and she had long since decided that, like the goats, she wouldn’t be able to afford them until the second, or even third stipend.

  “That’s the favor. I need someone to raise them and take care of them until my… friend is in a position to take them.”

  Irresistibly drawn to the tiny creatures, she stroked a finger across one downy head. She would love to have the company but…

  “I wish I could, but I can’t afford the feed.” She raised her chin as she spoke, refusing to feel shame for her lack of means.

  “No, of course not. I wouldn’t expect you to provide for them. I have a bag of feed outside. It should last until your garden starts to produce. And I would be happy to bring you more if necessary. I brought their habitat as well.”

  She stared at him, at a loss for words. It was an incredibly generous arrangement. She would have the comfort of their presence, their droppings to provide nutrients for her garden, and possibly even eggs if he left them with her long enough.

  “I don’t understand. If you have all of the equipment, why can’t your friend take care of them himself?”

  “He’s, uh, working long hours right now.”

  “Extra shifts, you mean?”

  He shrugged a shoulder, a remarkably human gesture. “Something like that.”

  “And you can’t take them?” A thought struck her. “You do have a home, don’t you?”

  “Of a sort. But it’s not equipped for livestock.”

  That left her without an argument. One of the tiny chicks was trying to climb out of his hands and she took it from him, brushing the soft down against her cheek.

  “I’m going to call this one Columbus since he’s such an explorer.”