“This is my grandma and grandpa?” Violet asked, excitedly as she hopped over to Freda's parents.
The couple looked down at the robot in amazement as she rubbed her head on their legs.
“I didn't know I had a grandmother and grandfather,” Violet said.
“Violet is the culmination of my dissertation project, plus a few extra inputs from Draxos technology,” Freda explained.
“This robot is alive,” Isaac said. “Like those androids from Star Wars.”
“I am alive,” Violet said. “Freda is my mother and Sysko is my father.”
“It's good to meet you, Violet,” her mother said. “I didn't know I had an android for granddaughter. I'm so happy to meet you.”
Mia patted Violet on the head and she purred. Her father was reluctant at first but finally pet Violet as well. Her mom picked Violet up and Violet snuggled into her lap, getting lots of grandma snuggles from Mia.
“I've made a roast turkey with all the fixings,” Mia said.
“It's a perfect Thanksgiving meal,” Freda said, knowing it might be her last.
They gathered around the table with Violet in a booster seat with a bowl full of oil, while everyone else feasted on the Thanksgiving dinner.
“I think you've grown a few inches,” Lottie said. “And not just in height.”
“It's true,” Freda said. “The transformation didn't only affect my dragon form.”
“Well, you look beautiful,” Mia said, dishing up another helping of sweet potatoes with marshmallows on top.
The family was happy and humble, even though they now had two million dollars in the bank. The only thing that had really changed was a new living room set. They’d purchased a used car for Lottie. Her college education would be paid for and their retirement was insured, but they were still the same, down to earth, loving family she’d always known.
“We will be leaving for Draxos soon with the first half-dozen females who have been identified with dragonoid genes.”
“I wish I were going,” Lottie said.
“You have high school to finish. And then college,” Isaac said.
“I don't want to go to college,” Lottie said. “I want to be a bride of Draxos.”
“All in due time,” Sysko said. “When you turn eighteen we can test your blood, before then, we will not accept any testing.”
“I don't understand why you're so strict about the rules,” Lottie said.
“There are billions of females on the planet,” Sysko said. “We don't need to test children.”
“I'm not a child,” Lottie said.
Freda smirked and her mom gave her a look. So, Freda didn't say anything.
“A retired admiral is coming to take my place in the fleet while we travel back to Draxos. My sister recently gave birth to her first clutch of hatchlings, and I want to introduce her to Freda.
“You will have new nieces and nephews when you return to Draxos,” Mia said. “That's so nice.”
“A clutch of six eggs is extraordinary in these times. But she and her mates have decided not to find out what the sexes are, even though my sister took a vaccine that could very well have cured her of the plague.”
“Her...mates?” Isaac asked. “Plural?”
“My sister has five life mates. All five thralled at the tournament. It's is extremely rare and hasn't happened since before the plague, but they have become a tightly knit family. To be honest, my sister needs that many mates to look after her,” Sysko said with a chuckle.
“Why would one girl need so many mates?” Mia asked.
“My sister is a hero, but she's also extraordinarily obsessed with her work. She needs that many males to take care of her and make sure she remembers to eat.”
“Oh, then she's a lot like our Freda,” Isaac said.
“But Freda only needs one man,” Sysko said, puffing out his chest.
Freda patted Sysko's hand and gazed up into his handsome face.
“I am the luckiest girl in the world to have found him.”
“You are a lucky girl,” Mia said with a sigh. “I'm so happy for you. And so is your father.”
“And so is Lottie,” Isaac said.
Lottie frowned and crossed her arms with a humph.
“I guess I'm happy for you too,” Lottie said. “How does it feel to be a dragon?”
“It’s like a missing part of me has emerged and I can finally be myself for the first time.”
“I want to feel that too,” Lottie said with a pout.
“Maybe someday you will Lottie. Maybe someday you will,” Sysko said.
Chapter 25
After dinner with the family, Sysko drove Freda and Violet back to the Black Phantom. The retired admiral from Draxos would be arriving in a few days and then they could begin the trip back to the Draxos system.
“My sister’s babies are going to hatch soon,” he said. “I can't wait to meet them.”
“I can't wait to meet them either,” Freda said as they climbed into Sysko's big bed.
After a playful night of lovemaking, they fell asleep in each other's arms and woke the next morning to find Violet snuggled up between them.
“Good morning, Daddy,” Violet said, rubbing her metallic head against Sysko's chin.
Every day he got more used to the idea of his android daughter. He and Freda played with Violet, throwing a ball for her to run and fetch and bring back to them on the bed. After a long, leisurely breakfast, they showered and dressed and took a walk around the ship before going to the bridge.
He knew Freda enjoyed watching him work. He’d given her a chair on the bridge so she could be with him whenever she wanted. As he was getting updates from the dignitaries in various countries across the globe, a distress signal sounded through the bridge.
“Admiral,” the tactical officer said. “The cyborg armada has reentered the human solar system.”
Freda looked out the window and saw the image of the cyborg armada slowly sliding through space toward Earth.
“I thought we already taught them a lesson,” Sysko said through gritted teeth.
“They’re back for more,” the tactical officer growled.
“I want to help take them down,” Violet said.
Sysko turned to Violet and raised an eyebrow at the little robot. Her loyalty and affection for her mother could not be underestimated. It was clear that the android had a good heart and soul. Even though she was completely metallic.
“How would you help us?” Freda asked.
“I can get into their ship and infect it with viruses,” Violet said.
“What do you know about viruses?” Sysko asked.
“I know everything about every virus that either humans or Draxos are capable of. And if I get close enough to cyborgs, then I can link into them and find out any viruses that they know about too,” Violet informed them.
“I didn't write that into her programming. It was part of the firewall protocols. If she is aware of any type of viruses then she has an extremely healthy, robust antivirus system of her own,” Freda explained to Sysko. She turned back to Violet. “Are you saying that you can reverse engineer the viruses you have protections for?”
“Yes, I figured out how to do that when you guys were having private time,” she said.
Half of the officers on the bridge chuckled under their breath and Sysko glared at them.
“This is very interesting, Violet. But you are one small unit against an armada of cyborgs. It's too dangerous. We can't risk your life like that,” he said.
“That's why you have to make me siblings,” Violet said. “My brothers and sisters and I could swarm the ships and infect them with every computer virus known to humans and Draxos alike. We could take down their systems in thirty seconds. I guarantee it. I've run the simulations myself.”
“The android makes a good argument,” the science officer said.
“This is a very interesting possibility,” Sysko mused. “How long would it take you to
create more androids like Violet?”
“Violet was supposed to be one-of-a-kind,” Freda said. “That's what is so special about her. She's an individual. Any other android I built would be an individual as well.”
“That's exactly what we need,” Violet said.
“Freda, can you begin work on Violet's siblings?” Sysko asked.
“How many would we need?” Freda asked Violet.
“Maybe a dozen. One for each ship in the armada,” she said, looking out the window at the ships.
“If I could use the technology bay. It would be much faster than working down on Earth at the Institute.”
“You have free run of the technology bay, Freda,” Sysko said.
“I'm on it. Violet come with me. Let's get this job done.”
Freda took Violet down the hall and took the anti-grav lift to the technology bay where the technology officer was already waiting for them. Freda gave him a list of the equipment she would need for the manufacturing of Violet’s siblings. Freda had wiped Violet’s program from both the computers at the lab and her own hard drives to protect the information from the cyborgs. But everything they needed was inside of Violet herself.
“Violet can you up link your program into the external drives.”
“I'm on it, Mommy,” Violet said, sending a USB port out of her mouth, linking to the technology bay database. After the information was uploaded, Freda, Violet and the tech crew began work on manufacturing androids with the same basic form as Violet. Once they had twelve bodies completed, Freda sat down in front of the computer and began working on the programming necessary to bring life to each new creation.
Violet's intelligence had been created over time and these droids would have to be programmed immediately. It made her nervous that it wouldn't work, or there would be a weakness that would expose them all. But Violet continued to assure her that everything would work fine. She and her brothers and sisters would defeat the cyborgs, and they would never come back to Earth again.
When the first android body was complete, Freda installed the programming into its hard drive and waited for it to boot up for the very first time. Her heart beat like crazy as she waited for her new creation to come alive. The creature opened its eyes for the first time and blinked at her.
“Hello,” she said to the android. I am Freda Hayes, your creator. This is your sister Violet.”
“I'm so excited to meet you,” Violet said to the new android.
“Hello,” the droid said in a soft voice. “What is my name?”
“Are you a boy or a girl?” Violet asked.
“I think that I'm a boy, like him,” her informed them, pointing to one of the tech crew.
“We should call him Danny,” Violet suggested.
“I like the name Danny,” the android said, growing more confident.
“Then we will call you Danny,” Freda said. “Welcome to the world, Danny.”
“I'm going to tell you all about Mommy and Daddy and the cyborgs and humans and what our mission is. Do you want to learn all of that, Danny?” Violet asked.
“I would like to learn that, Violet. I'm so glad I have a sister and a Mommy and Daddy.”
“Freda is the best Mommy in the whole world,” Violet said. “She and Daddy let me sit at the table with them and I get to eat my bowl of oil with the rest of the family.”
“She even sleeps in our bed,” Freda said as she began to program the rest of the androids, wondering how she’d fit all thirteen robots at the foot of her bed.
While Violet taught Danny all about his new world, Freda worked on installing the programming into the next robot. By the time it had been uplinked, Danny and Violet were playing energetically across the laboratory floor.
“Maybe you guys should go play in the hallway,” Freda suggested, raising an eyebrow at the two rambunctious androids.
“No Mommy, we want to help you,” Danny said.
“We have many more brothers and sisters to help bring to life,” Violet said.
“That's true. But if you want to go and play, you are welcome to go out in the hallways and run around anytime you want, okay?”
“Okay,” they said in unison.
Danny, Freda and Violet brought the new androids online one after the next and gave them each a name. They helped teach each other as they came to life, informing the dozen new androids of their world and their place in it. Each one of them was individual and special and had a personality all of its own. It was inherent in the programming.
Each one was so empathetic and individual, Freda truly felt as if she was bringing new children to life. It was a strange sensation to create so many little creatures out of nothing, but once they had all come to life, and were looking up at her from the floor with their happy little faces, and bright eyes she wouldn't want it any other way. It made her reluctant to put them at risk. That's when Sysko came through the door with a dark look on his face.
“The cyborg armada has entered our airspace and is preparing for an attack,” he said. “I've sent out a volley of fighter jets. We have beat them back before, but they seem stronger this time.”
“The cyborgs integrate all the new civilizations and technologies they come in contact with. They might have found something among the humans that helped them upgrade their systems.”
“I wouldn't doubt it,” Sysko said.
“We're ready to help now, Daddy,” Violet said.
Sysko looked down at the thirteen androids, his eyes growing wide.
“Hi Daddy,” they all said in unison.
“Hello little friends,” Sysko said, bending down. “Welcome to the world.”
“We are ready to attack the cyborgs, Daddy,” Violet said.
Sysko looked at Freda and Freda shrugged.
“I have a great deal of affection for each of you. That makes me reluctant to send you out into space to fight our greatest enemy,” Freda explained.
“Don't worry, Mommy,” Violet said. “We will be just fine. We want to help.”
“We do. We do,” said the others. “It’s our mission.”
“Very well then. Let's prepare for launch. You androids are going into battle,” Sysko said.
Chapter 26
Sir,” Sysko's tactical officer said. “We detect the cyborgs are preparing for missile launch.”
“Fighter jets prepare to launch. Freda, we will get droids as close as possible to the cyborg armada. From there, they can propel themselves to the ships and do what they need to do. Are you prepared, droid troop?” Sysko asked the thirteen droids that stood at his feet.
“We are,” they said in unison.
Freda took her droids down to the launch bay and prepared them to board the next volley of ships. She had a remote link to each of them so they could keep in contact and inform each other of their progress.
“Do you copy?” Freda asked, testing the link.
“That’s an affirmative,” Violet said, followed by the rest of the droids.
“I want you to be careful out there.”
“We’ve got this Mommy,” Violet said.
“Good luck to you,” she said, with a tear running down her face.
Sysko gave the order for the next volley of jets to leave the launch bay and they zoomed out into space. Freda’s heart seized in her chest as she watched her little droids disappear from view. She was so worried that something would happen to Violet and her siblings. Freda returned to the bridge and watched the battle unfold out the front window of the ship.
“Missile launch is imminent,” the tactical officer said.
“Attack with everything you've got,” Sysko said.
All three volleys of jets attacked the oncoming cyborg ships as a missile launch hatch opened in the cyborg mothership.
“We've got to prevent that launch,” Sysko said.
“I'm on it, Daddy,” Violet said through Freda’s intercom.
“When jets are within range of the cyborg armada, launch your special package
,” Sysko said to the pilots.
“Coming into proximity now, Sir,” one of the fighters said.
“Here I go,” said Violet.
Freda gritted her teeth as she heard Violet launch into space and begin to fly toward the new cyborg mothership.
“I'm attached to the ship now,” Violet said at a whisper.
“Commence infection,” Freda said.
“I'm linking in,” Violet said.
“Launching package,” came a second and then third and the rest of the androids were launched toward the cyborg armada.
“Oh,” Violet said.
“What is it?” Freda said nervously.
“I feel funny,” Violet said.
“Stay strong, Violet,” Freda said.
“I'm okay,” she said, but Freda could sense there was something wrong.
“What is the matter?” Freda asked. “Report now.
“I'm reading the system. I can't get a read on their viruses.”
“Do you have an impression of what will work to bring down the system?” she asked.
“Almost,” Violet said. “Processing now.”
As Violet processed the information, the jets continued to battle in space between the armadas. The other twelve androids landed on the large ships in the cyborg fleet.
“We are sharing our data,” Violet said.
“Thirteen minds are better than one,” said Danny.
“We're working as fast as we can, Mom,” said Violet.
Freda’s heart pounded in her chest as the minutes ticked past. The missile hatch opened in the cyborg mothership to its full size and a volley of Draxos jets fired at the weapon. But it was to no avail.
“Installing the virus,” Violet said.
“Installing the virus,” the others repeated.
“Go,” Freda said. The missile began to power up inside the cyborg ship.
“Uplink,” Violet said. The others repeated the same after her.
“Now get back here!” Freda shouted to her robot children.
“Launch rescue jet now,” Sysko commanded.
The rescue jet for the androids hurried through space under a deep cloak until it was close enough for the androids to hop on. The droids flew over to the jet and climbed inside.
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