“Don’t,” Plito muttered. “Dust gets into shit and makes things go pa-zoing.”
“Soooo technical, is Plito.” Gears glanced up at her, saw her frown, and ducked down again.
He had this laser welder thing going. Or it could be an Armageddon weapon for all she knew. Why the hell couldn’t Torgeir take her to the ship? “I hate dusting.”
“Then why the frack –” Plito began.
“Come over here, Ella. Ignore Mister Rude. You seemed interested in the nanogeers yesterday. You want them to do this job? Come and see why this isn’t going to work.”
If she hadn’t been so disgusted, it would’ve been funny hearing Doc call Plito rude when he’d only just sworn at her himself.
“You want me to see something that I will hate? Fine.”
Mimi trotted over before her and wobbled, standing, on her little hind limbs to see the bird. Which she couldn’t, being short. The poor bird lay as still as ever in the circle of light. One wing had unfolded like a silver fan, as if it had attempted to take flight.
With a flourish, Doc unclipped the vir-specs and offered them to her. “Princess.”
“Ugh.” She halted, her arm in mid-reach. “Why did you call me that?”
“Your boyfriend says that.”
She rounded on Plito. “You hacked my messages!”
“Ooops.” He half-smiled. “Whenever you answer one in here, it just...” He waved his hand. “Happens?”
“Urrrr.” She swiveled, snatched up the vir-specs, and there was the bird, dangling from Doc’s hand all slimed with Mimi goop.
Mimi did a little bounce whereas Doc was frozen with an expression of delight plastered on his face.
“Did you?” She looked from one to the other and back again. “You didn’t?”
“I thought maybe? Have you seen our door? Your pet rock made it shiny! I just thought –”
“And so you fed her the bird?” Eyebrow cocked, dreading what this might have done, she rescued the bird from Doc and laid it in the light.
“Doc.” She could hear the dismay in Plito’s voice. “You should’ve asked first.”
“She looked so eager. It can’t have made anything worse. The bird was going in the trash soon. Go on. Take a look, Prin –”
Her glare stopped him dead and he snatched up a second set of vir-specs and pulled them down so she was left staring at the front glass with blue concentric circles shrinking on the lens, over and over.
Below the specs, his grin manifested and she huffed.
After dabbing the bird clean of Mimi goop, she donned her specs and focused. Zooming in took seconds. The nanogeers sped up as she watched, zipping around all over the circuitry. “The corrosion blockage is gone!”
Doc chuckled. “Yes!”
“But there’s still all these red areas, like potholes.”
“Microscopic holes. It figures. Take away corrosion and the damage is revealed. There’s still too much for the nanogeers.” He added slowly, “Are you doing anything to them?”
“Yes. I told them to repair the holes. These specs let you communicate with them, don’t they?”
Doc cleared his throat. “Well-spotted. This will probably help too.”
She felt him press something, a button perhaps, at the side of the specs. The nanogeers began running around faster than she could follow. “I swear they’re having a party. Look at them go!”
“You do have a knack. Making them do the right thing is an art. Are you certain you’ve not done this before?”
“No. I think they like me.”
He snorted. “I fear we’ll have a high nanogeer mortality though. Overwork kills them.”
“Can we buy more?” So close. Getting the bird fixed had become this ultimate goal for her.
“We can’t. No. Two thou units for a vial of fifty. We don’t have that. Not right now.”
She thought through that price and what he’d said before that. “I’ll pay for more if you try me out for a job. Train me in what to do. I want to work with these.” She rattled onward before he could say no. “I feel I can do this and you said you were better at bigger cyber-surgery? This’ll free you up.”
“Plito? You hear that?”
She took off the specs and found the boys exchanging looks.
“What about we let her have a table here?” Plito said. “Your bondmate, this Lord Rakkel, won’t object?”
She raised her shoulders, let them slump. “I don’t think so. He knows I want to find work. You said there were loads of these birds? Toys that people want fixed?”
Gears nodded and pointed at a bin. “Not all are toys either. We got another brought in this morning that’s a child-minding device. People use them for all sorts of things. If she can fix them, there’s a market. Providing the costs aren’t high.”
“My answer is aye.” Doc grasped her hand and squeezed.
“Aye.” Gears nodded.
“Aye.” Plito smiled. “Providing Mimi doesn’t eat our stock.”
“Licking is more likely. If it’s okay,” she drawled. “I’m going to try making her my first option when there’s corrosion.”
Doc slipped off his chair and walked around the table. He stared down at Mimi who seemed happy chewing on the metal he’d given her earlier. “We can try her on some junked pieces first.” He put out his hand. “Ella. You got a job.”
“Thank you.” She shook his hand, grinning. “I hope I can do this. I’ll try my hardest and I promise I won’t harm your business.”
“That’s the spirit. It won’t hurt us, girl. All you’re going to be let near is thrown-away toys first off. Plus, whatever you earn is up to you. If you get good enough we’ll charge you rent. Right?”
The other two agreed with Doc.
“Wow.” She let out a shaky breath and did a small jump on the spot. “This is awesome. I have a job!” Then she couldn’t contain her joy any longer. She gave Doc a huge hug then ran over to Gears and then Plito to do the same. Then she messaged Torgeir. Her scream probably blew the speakers on his comm. It certainly left the boys with their hands over their ears.
That night Torgeir came home exhausted and late again.
“I’m sorry,” he murmured, as she crawled on top of him and cuddled up. He hugged her shoulders and patted her butt. “It’s going to be like this until we go. We have a job lined up and the launch date is in four days.”
She guessed he was apologizing for the lack of sex.
“It’s okay. I’m tired too.” She yawned. “Four days? Oh. So soon.”
“Yes.” The distant noises of Horuk night life reminded her of how this would be when he’d left her. At least she had friends now, well business associates. She raised her head and put her chin on her forearm so she could look at Torgeir. “I have a job now. I can make money too, while you’re gone. You won’t be gone long will you?”
The bed would be so lonely with only her in it.
“I’m not sure. Two weeks, I think. It’s a close job. What’s yours, Princess?”
“I’m doing cyber repair work. With these guys called the Hack and Slash Cyber Repairers.”
“Guys?” Though he was staring at the ceiling, she could hear the frown. “I think tomorrow I will come see this place and say hello.”
“Hmmm.” She tapped his chest. “Okay, but you be nice. They’re good.”
“And you know this how?”
She wriggled off and slid into the gap between his arm and his body, hugging his arm this time as sleep sifted into her mind. “’Cause. I know.”
True to his word he went with her the next morning. At least having him as escort deterred stalker fruit man.
She tapped the code on the door, the now totally shiny steel door, and it swung inward at the slightest shove. Even the hinges had stopped creaking. The boys knew Torgeir was coming. She’d messaged them and they were lined up inside, waiting. “Morning.”
“Morning,” t
hey all chorused back.
Torgeir walked in and nodded vaguely to them as he studied the room, then he swung back and pinned them all with his gaze. By then Ella had shut the door and reached his side.
“Torgeir this is Doc, Gears, and Plito.” More nods were exchanged.
While Torgeir was still opening his mouth, Plito spoke. “You’re bondmated to Ella, I believe, sir?”
“Yes,” Torgeir grated back. “Why is that of your concern?”
Already this was going the wrong way. She frowned at the boys.
“Has Ella told you how bad it is for her to have that slave code? If you die, she’s property and part of your estate.”
Silence seemed about to crack the air. The gunfight at the OK Corral came to mind and Ella nervously rubbed her eyebrow. Fuckitty.
“I admit I’d not considered that, dying, until you brought it up.”
Plito gulped. “It was for her that I said it. We, all three of us, regard her as a friend. Though I admit we’ve not known each other long, I wouldn’t want her hurt.”
“She’s a good repairer, a good worker,” Gears added, in a serious tone, one hand fiddling with the vir-specs perched on his magenta head.
Doc glowered. “Do you agree it should be removed?”
“The code? I think that’s between myself and Ella. I came here to check you out. Tell me why I should let her stay here to work.”
Ella felt herself flash from hot to cold and back again. “Wait! Wait.” She took Torgeir’s hand but stepped forward. “Boys, I appreciate your concern. Oh my.” She placed her hand over her heart. “I do. But Lord Rakkel is correct. The code is our business. Now, I am going to be working here. I am.” She turned to Torgeir and stepped closer to say quietly. “That part is my decision even if we are bondmated.” She waited a moment. “You can see how umm protective they are of me. They meant no harm. Please?”
Slowly his gaze was drawn down to her and his expression softened. He let out a long breath then took both her hands in his. “I can see this means a lot to you. I will want to talk some more about it tonight. For now though...” He nodded. “Have fun.”
He kissed the back of her hand then stepped away, releasing her.
“I’m going to hold you all responsible for my Ella while she is here. I’ll see you later, my princess.”
Then he smiled and left.
“Phew.” She spun and shook her head. “Damn. You’re lucky you didn’t get shot or something.”
“Hah.” Plito looked smug. “There was never any danger. I had it all recorded.”
How could anyone living here be so naïve? She palm-smacked her forehead. “That wouldn’t have stopped him if he thought you’d harm me. Now.” She clapped her hands, ignoring how Plito had paled. “What is there to do today?”
Chapter 21
Incoming. Henchman 1
This is taking longer than expected.
As long as you succeed.
I will, sir.
*****
The days went past agonizingly fast. Though they made love the night before he left, it was tame compared to what had happened on the rooftop of Horuk. Afterward, Torgeir talked to her as she lay beside him in his arms.
“It’s strange, Ella, but I’m almost glad we didn’t have time for much sex. I don’t want you to become fully bondmated while I’m away.”
Her forehead tensed. “Why?” With his shoulder under her head, his arm was inches away. She drew her finger down his biceps then licked him. “I don’t think I can stand you being away. There’s no one else who tastes as good as you do.”
He laughed softly, running his fingers from her nape up through her hair, then doing it again until she sighed and relaxed against him. “The same here. Why not? Because you’ll grow my mark here.” He reached over and stroked the underside of her breasts then her upper stomach. “I want to see that happen. I want to be there.”
Her smile crept up on her. “I understand, although, when you tell me that, I got a serious ache to see it happen now. Come back soon, won’t you?”
“I will. Can you come to the port tomorrow? Bring one of those boys of yours to keep you safe on the way back.”
“Ohhh.” She turned in his arms and grinned up at him.
“What?”
“It’s nice. That you trust them now. Surprising. I’ll come, of course. Mimi will be there if the port doesn’t ban her or something.”
“I doubt they can. She sneaked through by herself last time.”
He squirmed his butt and levered himself onto his elbow so he could look down at her, moving the sheet away to bare her. Then he pressed her shoulder down until she lay flat on the bed under him. He straddled her hips, lightly sitting on her thighs, with his arms propped to either side of her head. His unbound blond hair swung down and framed his face.
Her beautiful man studied her, with those golden eyes, from her face and all the long way down her body.
“I want to remember you, Ella. Like this. Not just a picture. You, inside my head.”
“I want to remember you too. There’s no better place for me than like this. With you over me.” She curved her hands over his arms and slid them up to his shoulders, then to his back as he kissed her. She wriggled. “Mmm. All these man muscles.”
“I like the girl muscles myself. I love you. All of you. I promise, when I return, I will tie you up and fuck you until you can’t walk and then I’ll watch the marks come out and we will celebrate the way we Sicar Lords have done since, well...a long time. Which could mean more fucking.”
She laughed soundlessly. “Wonderful.”
He lowered himself onto his forearm then, with his thumb resting at the corner of her mouth, he cupped her jaw. She thought of biting but only gave his thumb-tip one soft nibble.
“The other day, I know I was scary at the shop, but I wanted you safe.” He inhaled, exhaled sharply. “My only...regret is that I have no one else to watch over you when I’m gone.”
“I’ll be okay. I’m more worried about you.” She squeezed her hand onto the side of his back, marveling at how big and almost stone-hard his body was. Surely no one and nothing could hurt this warrior of hers? Her lips quivered for a second, before she caught herself. “You’re going to war. Who or what are you fighting?”
“Bak-lal. Remnants only,” he hurriedly added. “The evil things are still buried in some planet’s crusts. We’re being employed to get rid of a factory queen, along with other mercenaries. She’s damaged and shouldn’t put up much of a fight.”
“Oh.” The mere mention of Bak-lal sent a snake of nausea through her that curled into her belly, heavy and dark. “Take care. Please, take care?”
“I will.” He rolled onto his back. “Someone has to do this. I’d almost pay for the privilege of killing these last Bak-lal.”
Replying to that was impossible when her throat had seized up. The hatred in his voice frightened her. She’d once been some sort of altered human, hadn’t she? Or so she’d gathered. Would anyone then, logically, call her Bak-lal?
What if he thought so?
Her heartbeats counted out every horrendous second for many hours of that night as she stared into the dark. Torgeir fell asleep, his relaxed hand clasping hers, while she lay there terrified of a future she couldn’t predict. Nighttime was the worst of times when her thoughts turned like this.
*****
It was only after she’d watched the Zeus rise into the sky on her flames of purple-blue that she remembered he’d forgotten to remove the code. Gears was with her and he didn’t think to ask her about it. She guessed they assumed it had been done. Would the door scan alert Plito or had he told it not to read her anymore?
She’d remind Torgeir when he returned.
Her sadness ebbed. Doing something would help. She only had to stay active all day, every day, until Torgeir returned. Ella sucked on the inside of her cheek while staring at the swirling, dark clouds. Simple, reall
y.
They were too far from Horuk to walk back but as she was getting into the hover cab she remembered an idea she’d had that now seemed possible.
“Gears?” She settled into the padded seat beside him, trying to ignore the holes in the upholstery and the one in the floor that let her see the ground.
“Yes?” He adjusted his weapon and equipment belt, so a tool of some sort wasn’t digging into his side, then sat back again.
“Where to?” queried the AI via the speakers.
She peered out at the chaos of the spaceport exit ramps where vehicles buzzed about like bees on crack. “Can we go to the dump, Gears? There’s something I want to get. If it’s still there.”
“Sure. They don’t need us back at the shop urgently.”
“Good.”
On arriving outside the dump’s gate, she paid off the cab and watched it whisk away. The gatekeeper bot said nothing as they passed, except for emitting a single bleep of approval.
“I guess I’d better say what I want.”
“Yes. That would help.”
She kept trudging up the slope to where she thought Plito had been. The tinkle and slide of metal parts under boot was as disconcerting as before. Off to the left, a partly activated arm was attempting to crawl away using its hand. She grimaced. The similarity to a dead person’s arm was gruesome.
“Zombie cybernetics,” she muttered.
Gears gave a short laugh. “Yes. Always creepy when you see that.”
That zombie had translated into standard ’verse language surprised her. Some things were everywhere, she supposed.
“I’m looking for a part Plito found that he said was RMD’d. I’m hoping me and Mimi can fix it.”
“And it was?”
“A leg. One that matches Plito’s attachments.”
“Ohhh.” Gears grinned. “If we could do that for him... You’ve given me hope, miss.”
“I know he needs two, but it’d be a start? Yes?”
“Definitely. We shall think positive. Where was it?”
She halted, looked about. “Here. There were ball bearings. Lots and lots.”
“Small things sink. Any vibrations and they sink. We may not see those but at least the diggers and scoops haven’t been here for days.”
Cyberella: Preyfinders Universe Page 14