Morgan smiled looking around the room. Then indicated the Cyborg with her. “This soldier is Cyborg, he was on rotation here tonight and has agreed to assist me. His name is Cruz. We will be demonstrating some basic hand to hand, so you can see what can be achieved. We will start with Cruz using enhanced human strength coming at me, then move on from there. In your pairs, move to the back of the room and take a seat.”
Once everyone was seated. Morgan turned to Cruz. “Come at me from the front, grip for an inside move, then go for an outside move. Repeat. Then rear attack. Ok?”
Cruz moved fast, but Morgan was ready for that. He went for her arm and she broke away. Then went for a clothes grab and she deflected his hand. Both times, going into a strike pose that would have made contact. Then she turned around and he grabbed her around the neck. Morgan grabbed his little finger and pulled down, to prevent it from not breaking, Cruz let go. Morgan twisted out, held onto his wrist and demonstrated a kick to the knee. Cruz went down as if hit. She nodded at Cruz and they both stood. She gave him a nod and faced the audience. “Those are the basic three moves we will be working on tonight. We’ll demonstrate that one more time. Then give you an advanced hand to hand show with Cruz here in Cyborg mode. You’ll see the difference. Then we’ll have you all out here, doing those holds and breaks.”
She turned back to Cruz. “Ready.”
They threw a couple of more moves into the mix the second time. There was some small applause at the end. “Thank you. Now Cruz and I will do 2 minutes of one on one, hand to hand combat. Computer in 10 seconds indicate a 2 minute count down with audio.”
“Acknowledged.”
“Cyborg strength solider I need a workout.” She told Curz bouncing on her feet and stretching out. The computer bleeped their two minutes was on.
Cruz came at her faster this time, swinging, Morgan ducked, used the floor to spring and kicked out sending him backwards. He came at her again, she rotated out of his reach and hit him in the knee full strength. Surprised, Cruz went down for real this time. Rising she saw when he realised he needed to think, not just attack. He circled her. Fainted left and struck out with his right leg sweeping. It would have taken her legs out from under her, but she’d been waiting for it. There was no way to stop the sweep and not break a bone, Morgan jumped out the way, kicking the leg further on its way unbalancing Cruz’s perfectly balanced move. He stumbled, and she moved in with a kick to his back. He staggered sideways, got his balance and started to rise and turn, Morgan moved in and punched him in the ribs. He jolted, then righted and came at her again. Morgan fainted swinging left, pulled it back, then struck right. Cruz straightened to get away from her range.
She ran at him, then up his body in his confusion, grabbing him around the neck with both hands. Swinging up both her legs up to sit on his shoulders, she pulled him backwards by his neck, towards the ground, leaning back heavily, unbalancing him and taking down him to the mat. She jabbed with her fingers at his shut off pressure point. In real life, it would have shut down his circuits. The 2 minutes sounded. Morgan let go and stood, then held her hand out to aid Cruz up. Not that he needed it. She wasn’t sure he’d take it, after that, but he did.
“Good job solider, but we both know you held back. Don’t, I don’t need it.” Morgan told him, then turned to their audience. There were a few open mouths and plenty of shocked expressions. The room silent. They knew he was a Cyborg. She’d seemed to do the impossible. Morgan wondered if she’d gone too far, too quickly and had scared them off.
“Fuck yeah sigh me up, I need to try that move on my husband.” Morgan sort the voice and found it belonged to the pixy. That broke the ice. There were plenty of laughs and smiles after that. She was relieved.
“Ok ladies, your turn. Spread out with your partners. Take it in turns being the aggressor. Basic get out of trouble moves ok, here we go ….”
***
Pain was with Dark in Rage’s office going over troop movements for the sector, when Cruz pinged for connection via his neuro net. The Commander is used to combat with Cyborgs. We did a demo and she could have taken me out several times but held back.
Affirmative.
Rage paused and sighed. “What do you think?” Rage asked him. He’d shared the information as it was relayed to him.
Dark appeared to think. “The war ended 12 years ago. She’s 28 so she wasn’t in the war. If she’s had special training working with Cyborgs, it’s been recent and would explain why she was sent.” Rage nodded. He agreed.
“Which begs the question. Where are those Cyborgs now?”
***
Morgan stepped out of her room and headed down the corridor. She wasn’t sure how they did it but she picked up on that feeling of clean fresh air again. She checked her route on her wrist pad. 8 Miles. She walked to the lift at the end of the corridor starting her warm up. When it opened she got in and pressed for the docks stretching out. The lift went down. Stopped and the doors opened. Morgan walked out. It was quiet. 4.30am Station time. Just what she was hoping for. She started jogging, then slipped into her running mode. She’d chosen to do both docking areas and the stairs in between the two layers. It would be a good work out.
Ten minutes in and she felt a tingle on the back of her neck. She turned slightly and Pain was keeping pace with her. She gave him a nod and ignored him. This was her run. And, she wanted to see the layout of the Station in person.
53 Minutes later, she was winding down and jogging back towards the lift shaking out her limbs. Pain was still with her. The lift opened as they approached. Morgan stepped in trying to get her breathing under control, followed by Pain. She’d stretched herself and felt the burn.
“You pushed to hard on that final mile.” Pain told her. Morgan bit off a ‘fuck off’. He had a point. She had.
“Your right, wanted the burn.” She told him still breathing deeply. It annoyed her no end, he wasn’t.
“Make sure you stretch out for a while.” He told her as the lift stopped. Morgan got out.
“Yes sir.” She gave him a mock salute and walked back to her rooms. She’d seen all she needed to see. Tomorrow she’d head to the basement. She needed to check out what was going on down there.
Pain was nearly breathing hard. That had been some run. Morgan was definitely enhanced. Her file didn’t say that, but he knew, there was no way she could have done that run, in that time otherwise. He wondered what else her file didn’t tell them. He sent a report to Rage. She’d done the run for fact finding that was clear. That meant she had more to do and he had a feeling that before the week was out, she’d have covered most of the Station. He’d be ready for tomorrow. When he’d been alerted that she’d left her rooms, he’d been intrigued and found her running. Then decided to join her. She wasn’t like other humans, Pain thought as he made his way back to his own bunk.
Morgan entered her rooms and notice her personal comms lit. She grabbed the water she’d left out and took several long pulls, then picked up her data pad. She played the message and grinned. Her boys never let her down. She hit the shower. She had all day to crack that information on file.
***
“Well?” Asked Rage.
Pain walked into his office and sat down. “Definitely enhanced. She did 8 miles and three flights of stairs in under 60. That’s not all. She’s working her way through all the Station files, looking at purchasing, receipts, income, cross referencing to who was in charge, looking at accounts, following the money. That wasn’t easy to find. She barely left any trace of what she’s doing. She’s good.
“She’s also probing for security issues and we know she’s gonna find it was crap, run down, no expenditure to replace men and materials. She’s going to be asking questions of that Council. I’m beginning to think she’s tasked with more than just finding who was responsible for not having enough security to hold this Station.”
“Do we know who was responsible for what?” Rage asked him.
Pain nodded. “Sev
eral are dead but others are still on that Council.”
“Fuck. We better be on top of this before her team gets here. Get me a meeting with the Council.”
***
Morgan leaned back in her chair. The records made interesting reading. Seems things were on the up and up for the first 10 years or so, just a few issues nothing major, some minor skimming. Then a new dock manager for the porters called Fieit was brought in, after the unexpected death of his predecessor and things started to nose dive fast. Right now, Morgan wasn’t sure if it was a medical death or someone had planned it that way. It was niggling her. Too convenient? Or co-incidence? She didn’t do co-incidence. Picking up her data pad she listed the old managers medical records. She needed a chat with the new Director in the clinic. “Computer arrange an appointment with Dr Navarille today or tomorrow, as soon as possible.”
“Affirmative.”
Morgan checked on where Fieit was now. He was located as in the brig, he was charged with offences against the Cyborg Empire. That was interesting. She checked the charges, giving up the previous Magistrate to the Pirates. Asshole. Morgan shook her head. She went back to checking all new personnel from that point forward and what they did. Then cross referenced the list to known associates of the new dock manager, and when staff started to be reduced.
***
Pain and Dark followed Rage into the Council meeting. They sat behind Rage who took a seat. The new Magistrate having been elected since the raid, took his seat he’d arrived just before Rage, still shaking hands.
Everyone else took their seats. “Thank you for joining me.” Rage started. “I know this cuts into business for you but it’s important, so I’ll get to the point. Earth Corp have employed an investigator to find out how they lost this Station.”
There were several surprised looks and a few angry ones. “They lost this Station because they cut us off and gave us no support.” One of the men told him.
“That’s what we thought too.” Rage told him leaning forward. “However, it appears other information is coming out of this investigation. We believe she is looking at all receipts, docking payments, general income and expenditure, employment and revenue, since the Station opened. I have to tell you, there are some discrepancies.” Several people sat back.
“If it is found, that this Station was deliberately left vulnerable to attack by not, re-investing in its security and defence, they will be looking for those responsible. Under Intergalactic Space Law, we took this Station legally but, that doesn’t mean that Earth Corp won’t be looking at those that should have been running it right. That responsibility rests with this Council.”
“That’s ridiculous, I wasn’t even a Council member then.” One of them told him.
Rage nodded. “That’s true, you and several others are new in post and may not have known what’s been going on on this Station, I’m sure the records will prove that or not, but the rest of you, had better have your houses and accounts in order. There will be questions and a team is coming in to aid this investigator. I cannot account for their methods.” Rage looked around the room. More than one looked worried, anxious.
He stood. “Just so we’re clear, the investigator, Commander Evans is under our protection. We wouldn’t want anything to happen to her now would we.” He looked at each member around the table. “Magistrate, any plans you have for Fieit will be put on hold until after this investigation is over. His fate will now be decided by the Commander.” Rage turned and left, Pain and Dark with him.
They knew. Pain sent him over his neuro net as they walked away from the Council meeting.
Some of them did that’s for sure. Rage agreed.
They let this happen to their own people. Dark added.
I expect money played a part. They got complacent, probably thought it would never happen. Stupid. Out here, anything’s possible.
CHAPTER TWO
Morgan had 20 to get ready in. She’d been so caught up on what she was finding, that time had gotten away from her. She showered and dressed put on her second civvies and dried out her hair. She used little makeup, but always applied some face cream, it helped with the dry atmospheres all these places ran in. She felt no need for a bag. She didn’t carry the stuff other women needed. Putting her credit tag in her pocket, she checked the mirror one more time, then she headed out. Her guards waiting for her. Dinner was at the Double R.
Morgan took the lift and exited in the Gallerea. Spotting the Double R remembering she’d passed it last night with Sarah, she made her way over checking her surroundings as she went. There were plenty of people about both human and Cyborgs. Walking in she checked the restaurant for her party and found them by the bar. Morgan hated these things. Playing nice. Politics. It wasn’t her thing. She’d never been good at greasing palms to move up the ladder, it made her sick. She moved towards them. At least it was casual. She stuck on a fake smile.
“Admiral.” Morgan announced her arrival. Rage turned towards her, he had been blocking her.
“Commander Evans, glad to see you join us. This is my wife, Kim.” Morgan recognised the pixy from her classes. She held out her hand and Morgan took it. “This is Doctor Navarille and her husband Dark.” Morgan nodded to Dark and gave her hand to Mac. “Nice to see you again Doc.” Morgan told her.
“Hi Morgan, sorry I couldn’t get to see you today, I think we’re scheduled in for tomorrow at 10?” She asked. Morgan saw Rage and Darks interest at the comment.
“We are, that’s great.”
“Pain you know.” Rage told her looking over her shoulder. Morgan turned. Pain was standing there, in his own civvies, he looked ………. pretty darn good. She’d give him that. Typical Cyborg. Hot as hell and just as deadly.
The waitress joined them letting them know their table was ready. They followed her and took seats. Pain sat next to her. Morgan began to feel uncomfortable. It looked more like a couples outing, than a military dinner. Morgan wasn’t sure she liked that much. It must have shown as Rage leaned forward and spoke to her. “We keep things light here.”
Within moments of sitting down it was clear to Morgan this WAS a couple’s dinner and she was being palmed off onto Pain. That grated. She was here to work. She didn’t need a blind date. Or be used for intel. But she couldn’t see a way out of it without offending Rage. She hunkered down and hoped it was over fast.
What she did notice was the women. Mac and Kim. They held the power with these men and it surprised her. She knew the men were dominant and over bearing but the women cut their shit and dulled their edges and they backed off when told to. These women held sway. That was usual for Cyborgs. They limited their emotions, it interfered with logic.
Morgan wondered how they’d done that? How they’d changed the mind set of Cyborgs. Intimacy for Cyborgs had been tough. They were bought and sold and used. Most would call that rape but Cyborgs didn’t get that justice. Most shut down their emotions to live with it. It was one of the reasons they did not normally touch anyone. Normally. Anything else was rare. Morgan studied the women. How had these women triggered such a response to become so important to them? To have them marry them?
Morgan was confused. Cyborgs didn’t act like that. The way they were treated by the military ensured their disdain for females. If they hadn’t been ordered to kill them, then they’d been pimped out to the highest bidder like prises. The thought of it sickened her. They didn’t do affection or emotional bonding as a rule. It was rare. She knew that first hand. You had to prove your worth to be treated as equal, man or woman. That was it.
“So Morgan,” the voice cut into her thoughts, “I hope I can call you Morgan, I’m not the military type.” Rage gaffed. His wife turned to him and gave him a stare that Morgan recognised. ‘Don’t piss me off.’ Morgan smiled. Rage held his hands up in surrender and encouraged her to continue. That appeared to mollify the wife. She turned back to Morgan. “I hear that you are here on business for Earth Corp?”
And the interrogation beg
ins, thought Morgan. She smiled again.
They were waiting for more and Morgan stuffed bread into her mouth and chewed. Mac looked at Kim and went for it. “I enjoyed your self defence class the other night. I hope to join in a couple of times a week. I’m sure I’ve got lots to learn. I have to say, the demonstration you put on with Cruz was amazing. I’ve never seen a female take down a Cyborg.”
So, a two-pronged approach then. Morgan swallowed. “Thank you. Your welcome anytime.”
The first course arrived and talking dropped. Morgan hadn’t seen a menu so she was guessing that it was pre-ordered. Some kind of pasta dish. Morgan dug in it was good.
“Ok, well beating about the bush, doesn’t work with you Morgan, so I’m gonna come straight to it. What are you doing here and if you hurt my people I’ll kill you?” Mac choked on her pasta and grabbed her drink taking several swallows. Kim sat there looking harmless clearly with deadly intent. She had a spoon in her hand which Rage grabbed. Morgan wondered what that was about.
Morgan nodded and took a mouthful, swallowed and wiped her mouth.
“Warning received.” She told her. Kim smiled and turned to Rage.
“I like her, don’t piss her off.” She told him and went back to her food.
Galactic Cyborg Heat Series Book Bundle 1-4 Page 29