by Viola Grace
“All of the above. I didn’t know that it was an option.”
“We were doing additional enhancements at the admin station. Stitch and Cracker were in charge of assessments and supervising the surgical teams. Once the implants were in place, I wrote the code for them. Oh, and I also write the code that lets you put tattoos on your nanites.”
The men grinned, and then, they sobered. There was someone behind her. She turned slowly and saw her first Alguth. It was definitely a memory for the archive.
Chapter Four
To say that he looked almost human was to give humans a lot more credit than she usually did.
“You should not yet be out of bed, Captain Hesker.”
She looked him over, and his wings extended slightly as if displaying themselves. “I needed to walk around.”
“Understandable. I have your compression suit, and it will help your recovery. Please, come with me, and we will get you onto your healing vector.”
She frowned. “Who are you?”
“Solouk. Biologist of our band of Alguth.”
Lucky clutched her sheet to her breasts, waved at the guys stuck in bed, and carefully walked back to her bed.
Her monitor followed behind her, and when she hopped back into bed, he knelt at her feet and brushed them clean with sterile wipes.
“What are you doing?”
“I do not want to pin any grit against your skin. Once this is done, I will remove your covering, lay the suit down on the bed, and place you on top of it. It will wrap around you and assist your nanites in healing the missing tissue from your form.”
“You are going to do that?”
“You cannot support your own body yet or not for an extended period. I know that your programming skills for the implants are extensive, but you haven’t yet been able to work on your customization.”
She frowned. “How do you know all that?”
“Queen Stitch has given me a briefing. She has assigned me to you until your recovery is complete.”
Lucky twisted her lips, and when he stood up, she looked into his rainbow-streaked eyes. “Of course, she did.”
He grinned and took the suit, spreading it out on her bed. With a quick move, he lifted her and stripped her wrap off, dropping it to the ground. Before she could do more than inhale sharply, he laid her back on the bed and arranged the suit under her.
She felt the squirming of the suit almost immediately. The substance of the suit threw tendrils of material around her wrists and legs, drawing tight and then spreading across her body, wrapping her tight.
The ancient corsets resonated with her while the material began to support her breasts and belly. Even her feet were covered by the same tough stuff in three minutes from her full exposure.
Solouk smiled. “There. You are covered, and the suit has a monitor pack that will issue a distress call if needed. The suit will maintain all your systems, but if you need it removed, I can assist you.”
Lucky sat up and flexed her hands, encased in thin gloves as well. “This is based on the deep suits, right?”
“Correct.”
She nodded and didn’t mention that she knew the suit was designed to deal with her own bodily waste. Nanites would tear any waste materials into component elements and disperse them.
She sighed. “Well. I am suited up. Can I go for a walk?”
He inclined his head and offered her his arm. “Please accept my assistance. Queen Alphy has gotten a work area ready for you. If you need any alterations to it, I am to tell her immediately.”
“I have an office?”
“You do. Shall we?” He remained standing with his arm ready.
She took it, hopping back onto her feet and feeling much better with the tight suit acting as an exoskeleton. “So, you are a biologist?”
“I am. You manipulate the machines that have given us our wings back.”
She nodded and walked slowly with him. “I do. Is there anything you would like added to the roster?”
“Queen Stitch was going to gain us the ability to carry comrades.”
“Ah, yes. Earth Control broke the file before it got to me. I didn’t have access to all of the information, so it would have been dangerous. Now that I am here, however, it should be fairly easy to increase the thrust of the wings and the strength of the back and shoulder muscles.”
“You make altering flesh sound so simple.” He shook his head in wonder.
“Not the altering of flesh but the manipulation of the machines. I strive to keep the destruction of natural tissue to a minimum. The rising strands of machines are a complement, not a replacement in the larger scheme of things unless limbs have been removed.”
“Which is a favourite pastime of the Splice.”
“I know. You and your companions were caught in a raid?”
“We were defending our people. We still live in the hope of finding more of our kind in Splice holds. If they have not yet gone insane, they could be brought back to full effective health.”
She nodded. “Is that a common thing? Insanity?”
“In the face of the Splice? You tell me.”
Lucky shook her head. “I haven’t seen one face to face.”
“The damage you suffered?”
“Inflicted by my own people. Just like the damage the other members of the admin team took. We were blown up to stop us from doing what we did best... Making more effective warriors.” She fought the feeling of exhaustion in her system. Her body was screaming for oxygen, but her systems weren’t quite up to speed yet.
Solouk paused and picked her up. “You must say something when you are struggling.”
She wrinkled her nose. “I would have been fine.”
“Your blood oxygen was falling. Your heart isn’t acclimated to the nanites yet.” He walked with her in his arms, and they passed a scant handful of other crew and service personnel.
Lucky growled. “This isn’t part of the recovery that I was ever involved in. I got to work on the implants and make them function at peak capacity.”
“I do not doubt your skill, but you must not stress your body out while you recover. This is why I was assigned to you. I am not under your chain of command, and I will not falter if you try and manipulate me.” He smiled. “I have nothing to lose.”
She scowled. “I wouldn’t...”
He chuckled. “Stitch has warned me, as has Alphy. You are famous for using chance to your own advantage. I am here to make sure that you recover. That is my sole care until you are complete.”
The urge to cross her arms over her breasts couldn’t be denied. He walked up two flights of curving stairs and carried her into an office, setting her down in a chair that supported her limbs and moved as she glided around the room with slight shifts of her weight. Keyboards of every variety lined the walls and monitors were ready for her.
“Oh, yeah. I can work with this.”
She glided forward, and the chair settled with her in a slightly elevated position. As she reached out, the countertop lifted to meet her hands.
Solouk chuckled. “It seems that you are ready to get to work. I will be standing by.”
She looked at him and smiled. “I need a test subject. Are you willing to let me give my skills a run through with a live prototype?”
He blinked. “What would I have to do?”
“Return here in two hours unless my biosignature requires additional intervention.”
“I will.” He turned his arm, and the inside of his wrist indicated her life signs. “I will keep you in mind.”
She nodded and accessed the medical files, finding Solouk’s in the mix and getting to work on a stronger wing protocol. She enhanced the strength, increased the pressure sensitivity in the skin, and worked on the tensile strength of the wing tissues. The edges of the wings were already razor sharp under the proper positioning, but a sawing edge could be added to the works. She would try it and see how Solouk liked it.
“Your two hours are up. Ti
me to take a break.”
She looked up from her code and activated a panel. “Have a seat.” A programming bench extended out of one wall, and she smiled as she waved him to straddle it.
He frowned and looked at the bench. “How do I sit on this?”
“Face me, your arms are on the rests, and your wings should be out in the open. I need to get to the nanites in your back with the programming node.” She held up the small oval. “It will be faster to do it with this unit than with a broadcast.”
He settled into position, and the dark blue braid of his hair was draped over one shoulder. She got out of her chair and stepped behind him, setting the node against the joint of metal and flesh and activating it.
Solouk looked at her as she resumed her chair. “Is that it?”
“It is reprogramming your nanites, and they are doing the work. Sit still for ten minutes, and we will see if the changes are positive or not.” She shrugged. “If it doesn’t work, I can undo it in the same amount of time.”
“Good. What changes did you make?”
She ticked it off on her fingers. “Stronger tendons, better range of motion in the joints, more muscles in your core, more flex to your wings, saw blades at the outer edge of the wings in case you want to abrade rather than slice.”
He looked at her. “Saw? Why?”
“To get through cable or items that resist a smooth cut. Many tiny blades can sometimes do what a single blade cannot.”
“Will I have a chance to test them?”
“Of course. The first test will be basic flight, after that, flight with a load, then a live load and then the blades. I mean, unless you want to. The blades will work on any substance. We just have to let the nanites do their work.”
He looked at her in surprise and laughed. “It does feel odd to be on the receiving end of the same lecture.”
“Well, I am not a medical specialist, but I know how to make the nanites do my bidding, but if it makes you feel better, I consulted with Stitch for some of the finer details on musculature.”
He smiled. “That does make me feel better.”
She chuckled and worked on the programming for her own skin. Pigmentation wasn’t a difficult program to execute, but if she had to make herself over, she was going to go full superhero. She had loved those tales from the early digital data age and had always dreamed of becoming a hero. She never guessed that she would have gotten the front of her body melted, but since she had the opportunity, she was going to make the most of this disaster.
It took ten minutes, but Solouk’s changes were complete, and his wings looked just as they had before he had sat down. His back muscles were slightly elevated from their previous position, and the struts of his wings were thicker near their connection to his back. All in all, it was a good result.
“Well, the tweaks are complete. If you want to take them out for a test run, I think that should definitely be in the realm of the possible.” She stroked the skin between his wings and watched with a smile as the goosebumps rose up, just as they would with a human.
“My Queen, that particular zone is an erogenous trigger. You may want to confine contact to your monitor.”
She apologized and checked the readouts. The heartbeat and other neurological readings were clear. “Right. Well, we can head down to the oxygen farm, and you can test drive the wings.”
He lifted his head. “May I stand?”
“Sure. You are done. We just need to figure out how you can use the changes.”
He touched his forehead. “There are instructions moving through my thoughts.”
“Yeah, I do that with any retrofits. The altered wings will feel heavier.” Lucky stood up. “Would you like to try them?”
He got to his feet, folded his wings flat against his back, and offered her his arm. “That would be very interesting.”
She looked at his arm and then up at his ridiculously handsome face. “Right. Let’s go.”
He nodded, and they went.
Chapter Five
Oxygen farms were simply indoor forests by another name. The warship happened to have one of the largest flat, grass-covered areas that Lucky had ever seen. In the air above, the Alguth were flying and doing precision drills.
“Do you all look like that?”
He frowned and looked upward. “Like what?”
“Like angels mixed with dragonflies. Never mind.” She frowned. “Right. Try and keep low for a bit until you get used to the weight. The muscles are all new, so take that into account and don’t go too high.”
He looked around and walked her over to a raised wall that segmented off a chunk of the growing space. “Remain here and sit.”
She wrinkled her nose but followed his recommendation. Her internal monitor was telling her the same thing. She wasn’t back to normal yet.
Solouk took a few steps away from her, and his wings opened to full span. She ducked out of reflex when they began to beat, and he lifted up and away.
He was cautious as he rose up, and he did several dips and directional changes before he began to climb higher.
She hadn’t told him that she made him faster, but when he flicked his wings forward and shot past his companions, she knew he had figured it out.
“You made him stronger.” Stitch walked up to her and sat next to her.
“I did. You had mentioned that you wanted that protocol, but I didn’t get the medical files, so I couldn’t write the program until I got here. I had an idea but nothing concrete until I looked at the details.”
Stitch nodded. “Yup. Makes sense. So, your initial escort isn’t in the picture?”
“Gah. No. He wants me weak, and I am done with that.” She growled. “I am not broken.”
“Fair enough. I will have him reassigned to a defensive force, or Alphy can. I have to ask where did you get your crutches?”
Lucky stopped watching Solouk as he wheeled and dived at high speed. “Oh, it was proof of life. Cracker made them, and Lacey had them delivered. Windy provided the instructions.”
Stitch snorted. “You are kidding.”
“I am not. Khiron Station was centrally located. I refused to work on their implants until they had proved that the others from the party had survived.”
Lucky heard a shout from above, and Solouk returned to the ground while one of the other Alguth landed, clutching his arm as it bled crimson.
“I’ll take Liakon, you can calm Solouk.” Stitch headed toward the wounded man, crooked her fingers, and then turned and walked in the direction of the medical bay.
Liakon stalked up to Lucky, and he asked, “Can you do that to my wings as well?”
She blinked, and he continued on after the other human. That was not what she had been expecting.
Solouk walked up to her. “I am faster, and my wings are superior at slicing. May I try and carry you?”
She blinked. “Like, in the air?”
“That is how the wings usually work, yes.”
She frowned. “What happens if you drop me?”
“My men will kill me.” He was matter of fact about it.
She inhaled and nodded. “Okay. Only for a minute. You will still need to try the lift on a fully grown fighter, possibly one with survival gear.”
“I understand.” He extended his hand to her, and she walked over to him.
He bent slightly, held her securely, and his wings began to beat in a humming frenzy. The other Alguth were circling slowly and watching as Solouk rose in the air, holding her.
Lucky tried not to look down. She focused on the trees as her view got closer and closer to the tips of the plants.
The other Alguth gathered around, and they were examining Solouk’s wings. Their language was a low series of undulating syllables that managed to convey admiration and a strange eagerness. Solouk flew over toward one of the trees, and with only a slight loss in altitude, he flicked out his left upper wing, and a branch of the tree was sheared off neatly.
That really
got the Alguth excited, but as they got closer, Lucky got nervous. Her heart pounded, and a cold sweat broke out across her body. Solouk dropped down at a rapid but steady pace until he was standing in the green space once again.
She was shaking and closed her eyes as he set her back on her feet. “Any idea what is going on?”
He checked her vitals, and he hissed. “Your blood sugar has dropped dangerously. I will take you to the commissary.”
She was shaking and clammy. She gritted out, “Great.”
He picked her up again, and his wings opened. He lifted off, and they flew through the halls, increasing their speed of motion by about ten times. It was funny, but the few crewmen they saw in the halls dropped to the ground immediately as they approached, though Solouk tried to keep high.
He swooped into the commissary and went to the beverage dispenser. He got her a cup full of something that looked fruity and stuck a straw in it. “Suck.”
She blinked and took the cup from him. “That means something else with humans.”
His rainbow eyes crinkled with amusement. “I know.”
She slammed in the sugary juice and nodded. “You can put me down now.”
“I will, but you need another meal quickly.”
She nodded. “Right. Just set me down on a chair, and I can pick and choose my food in a minute. Or, if you get it for me, ration pack seven.”
He nodded and walked to a table, settling her on the chair before he turned and walked briskly toward the dispensers.
She blinked in surprise when Harkon slammed down into the chair across from her. “Why did you have them send me away? You need me.”
She gave him a look. “I really don’t. I am in the adaptive phase of my own repair. Once that phase is complete, I will be completely independent.”
He snarled. “You let that alien touch you.”
Lucky blinked. “Yes. I did. He also followed orders. He has the understanding that I am a damaged woman who can take care of herself. It will be a short journey to recovery, and you still see the scarred and damaged me when you look at me. I am not, nor have I ever been, that woman. I am the woman in front of you, and your fixation is not welcome.”