He laughed. “You can’t tell me when I can or can’t smile, Captain.”
She lifted a shoulder. “Why can’t I?”
“Because it would eventually hurt the morale of your subordinates. In order to keep up morale you would need to foster a healthy independence and that includes smiling when happiness finds them.”
She looked at him from the corners of her eyes. “Are you happy?”
Despite the constant pang that was in his heart from losing his home, friends and family, the smile stayed on his lips. “Overall? No. But in this moment? Yes.”
Wow. His words surprised him. He was happy? He couldn’t remember the last time he had been happy. Not even when things were going his way, and all was right with the world, had he considered himself a happy person. But there it was. Happiness. Taking up a small piece of his mechanical heart and he wasn’t sure why.
She humphed. “It would make me happy if you all left the ship. You’re cluttering up my space.”
He chuckled because despite her cruel words, there was no such feeling behind them. “Really? Are you planning to jettison us into space so you can have more room in the dining hall?”
She turned toward him with eyes wide and mouth in an “O”. “You weren’t supposed to hear that!”
Vril tapped his ear.
“Grrrr, don’t make me regret my decision of not turning you all over for the bounty that Shui has out on you.”
All playfulness left Vril in a breath. “We were right?”
The air of playfulness dropped from her as well. She nodded. “Do you want to know how much you’re worth?”
Vril shook his head. Knowing the number wouldn’t matter to him. They were worth a lot. They were Shui’s property.
“I’m not going to turn you in.”
“You could use the credits.”
“We could.”
She turned around and continued what she had been doing and Vril got up and left. His chest feeling heavier than it had in a very long time.
Chapter Eighteen
They were all in the dining hall. The cyborgs at the table they had claimed for themselves. Thanks to Aesh’s sewing skills, they all had on new and clean clothes. She had found some extra fabric in one of storage rooms.
Ised, Aesh, Yovit and Tayan sat at another table. Taun watched Suni as she stood behind Tayan, braiding her hair. Suni hadn’t returned to his room, and he dared not go to hers since their blow up a few days ago. He wanted to go to her and apologize for saying the things he had said to her, but what would be the point? What he had said was right. They could never be a couple. His duty was to his people and his planet.
But still, he watched her with longing. The act of Suni doing Tayan’s hair was such a simple one, but felt much deeper. For the past few days, since Tayan had been rescued, Suni and Saph had fawned over the child. They weren’t the only ones.
When Yovit was around, he would ferry the child around on his hover chair, as if he didn’t want her feet to touch the ground. They had also seen more of X-9. Although the A.I. was absent for most of the day, making repairs to the ship’s engine and fixing anything that happened to break—which was often—the tall, ultra-skinny, metallic machine could be found walking behind Tayan as she made her way from one part of the ship to the other. Taun guessed that although she was safely back home, she had some post traumatic stress about being kidnapped.
Raint sat down in one of the chairs that was bolted to the floor. His tray, ladened with food, clanged as he set it down on the table. “Are you sure they aren’t plotting to turn us in?”
Zema cut her eyes toward Suni’s table. “They don’t strike me as the backstabbing type.”
“Don’t underestimate anyone when credits are involved,” Raint replied, after stuffing food in his mouth.
“Normally, I would agree with you, but I’m inclined to side with Zema on this one.” Taun took a swig of the tea that Suni favored and almost spit it out. It was bad. She had said it was an acquired taste. One that he might never get used to. It was too bitter, and the aftertaste lingered in his mouth.
“You’re saying that because you’re fucking one of them.” Raint nodded toward Zema, “and you’re saying that because you’re hoping they’ll let you stay with them if we kick you out of the pod.”
“This again? Fine.” Zema put down her eating utensil and folded her hands in front of her. “Go ahead. Lay into me. You think the worst of me because I followed my emperor’s orders.”
“You emperor ordered you to kill innocent people,” Raint ground out.
Zema slammed her palms on the table and leaned over the table to glare at Raint. “I did not kill anyone.”
Raint met her lean with his own. “You might not have pulled the trigger but you sure were the reason why some of them died.”
The light conversations that were being had by the others in the hall stopped and all eyes were on Zema and Raint.
“Stand down,” Vril said. He didn’t seem alarmed by the outburst, and neither was Taun. Raint had brought this up at least once a day since they began sharing their closed network.
This was why most cyborgs didn’t allow anyone into their closed networks other than trusted pod members. Pod members usually had or would have shared experiences, so there wouldn’t be any judgement involved. Taun had heard of other cyborgs sharing closed networks with others who weren’t their pod members, but it was few and far between for this reason alone. Opening your memories, thoughts and feelings could create problems for everyone involved.
Taun raised a hand toward the other table. “Nothing to see here. Just another dysfunctional dinner.”
Suni shook her head and went back to braiding Tayan’s hair and soon everyone at their table lost interest and went back to the conversation they had been having.
“We’re a team now,” Vril directed his comment to Raint. “We’ve all done some fucked up stuff in the name of our planet, at Shui’s request and on our own accord. We can talk about it, ask questions about it, but what we aren’t going to do is talk about kicking anyone out of the pod.”
Raint stuffed more food in his mouth and chewed slowly. By the look on his face, Vrils’ words weren’t sinking in. As they hadn’t the other times he had given this similar speech.
“Take a look around, Raint,” Vril continued. “It’s just us out here. We have to stick together.”
“I still think they might turn us over and collect the bounty,” Raint said.
Vril looked toward Suni and shook his head. “I agree with Taun and Zema. I don’t see them doing that.”
Saph breezed into the dining hall. She sent a dismissive glance Vril’s way then made her way to the food processing unit.
“Them, maybe no. But her?” Raint nodded toward Saph. “Yes. We should come up with a plan just in case. The jumper’s in pretty good shape. If we needed to leave, that’s how we do it.”
“If it’ll make you feel better, you come up with a plan,” Vril said. “Share it with everyone over the closed network so we’ll have it just in case.” Vril put up a finger. “But. This plan of yours better not include hurting anyone on board this vessel.”
“What about X-9?” Raint asked.
“X-9 is worth more than you will ever be!” Yovit yelled at them from across the room.
“Great Ancients,” Zema muttered. “I forgot all about his hearing device.”
“Try to turn us over to collect the bounty and I’ll twist him into scrap metal,” Raint yelled back.
Suni glanced at Taun with a question in her eyes.
Taun mouthed, “Sorry about Raint.”
“Ugh,” Raint grumbled then pushed his food away. “Love. I hate that feeling.”
The smile fell from Taun’s lips and he snapped his attention to Raint. “What did you say?”
“Love. You’re in love.”
“I. Am. Not. In. Love.”
Zema chuckled and stabbed food into her mouth. “Wow. This is beginning to get entertaining.”
“Enough,” Vril said, holding in a smile of his own. Then to Raint and Zema he added, “No talking about other’s emotions. Leave it be for him to work out himself.”
Saph sat at a table separate from everyone else. When she saw that Vril’s gaze had gone to her, she made a face then rolled her eyes.
“And you’ll come to terms with how you feel about Saph?” Raint asked Vril.
“Feelings for who? Saph?” Vril snapped.
Taun chuckled and continued to eat his food. It seems he wasn’t the only one smitten with their saviors.
* * *
Ahnt. Ahnt. Ahnt.
The alarm startled Taun from a fitful sleep. He had spent the earlier part of the night tracking Suni around the ship, virtually checking on her. Since Zema had access to the computer systems, it meant he did as well.
Taun jumped up and immediately scrambled into his pants. He opened his bedroom door to find Zema running down the hall and past him.
“What’s that alarm?” he asked her, just as Raint and Vril were also leaving their rooms.
“I’m not sure, but I’m about to find out. I added additional layers of security to the system.”
“X-9!” Vrill yelled. “What’s the emergency?”
“We have unauthorized boarding,” X-9’s voice replied over the intercom.
“What?!” Zema skidded to a halt. “We’re being boarded by who?”
“Unknown at this time,” X-9 replied.
“X-9, where is the breech?” Vril asked.
“The bridge and lower level near storage room B.”
Vril pointed to Taun and Zema. “You two go to the storage and Raint and I will go to the bridge. X-9! Alert Saph and broadcast for the others to stay in their quarters and keep their doors locked until we can give the all clear.”
Zema ran past Taun and he followed her, leaving Raint and Vril to run in the other direction.
“This way,” Zema said.
Taun was glad to follow her. Although he knew his away around most of the ship, he hadn’t been to this particular area. “How do you know where to go?”
Zema rounded another corner. “Saph gave me access to the ship’s design a few days ago.”
“She trusts you.” It was a statement more than a question.
“She trusts me to add the extra layer of security in order to keep her family safe. I guess it’s paying off.”
“Thanks.”
They made it to the interior door and stopped short at the opening. “Do we need a plan?” Zema asked.
“Not really.”
She shrugged. “I didn’t think so, but wanted to make sure.”
Zema shouldered her way through the door and Taun followed behind her.
Chapter Nineteen
Suni exited her room with the intention to run straight to Tayan’s room. She collided with Saph in the hall.
“She’s not in there,” Saph yelled over the alarms as she ran past Suni, grabbing her arm, pulling her to follow.
“Did Kenzi…?” Suni didn’t know what was happening or why, but one thing came to mind, causing her to reel at the thought of Kenzi coming back for Tayan.
Saph didn’t slow as she turned into the main walkway and made for Yovit’s wing. “We’re being boarded. We don’t know who it is yet, Sun. It could be space pirates.”
Suni must’ve been going crazy because she almost hoped they were being boarded by space pirates and not Kenzi. Space pirates would target the ship and cargo. They wouldn’t be too interested in the crew. But Kenzi? Kenzi would be out for blood and had a personal vendetta against them. They had gotten the best of him by taking Tayan back, right from under his nose.
The sound of Suni’s heartbeat thundered past her eardrums, almost drowning out the noise of the blaring alarm. Her chest was so tight that it hurt to breathe. She ran shoulder to shoulder with Saph as they rounded the last corner.
They heard the fight before they saw it. They skidded to a halt in front of Yovit’s open door. An unknown male had Tayan tossed over his shoulder. Her fists beat at his back and legs kicked out furiously as she yelled obscenities that Suni hadn’t known was a part of her vocabulary. Another male tussled with Yovit on the floor.
“X-9!” Suni yelled. “Come to Yovit’s room. Now!”
Saph bolted through the door and launched herself at the male who had Tayan. She attached herself to his front by wrapping her legs around his middle. Her hands found his ears and she grabbed them, pulling them. The male screamed and released his hold on Tayan. Tayan fell to the floor and Saph headbutted the male in the face.
“There are intruders attempting to disable the engines. I am needed here unless your assistance is dire,” X-9 replied.
Tayan wrapped herself around the male’s leg and bit into it. The male howled and Saph dropped to the floor and as she slid between his legs, she grabbed a fistful of his crotch and tugged. The male screamed and dropped to his knees. Saph jumped on his back pushing him flat on his front and began pounding his head into the floor while Tayan stood and rained kicks to his body.
“Handle things there, then help us,” Saph replied to X-9.
The male on top of Yovit growled and tossed him to the side. Yovit hit his table with a crunch and a howl. Suni’s blood boiled as she watched her father lay in a crumpled heap.
“The intruders are trying to disable me,” X-9 said. “Do I have permission to unalive them?”
Suni growled as the male stalked over to where Yovit had landed, fists balled and ready to hurt the obviously elderly and weaker man. “Yes!”
Suni ran towards the male. He struck out at her. Suni used his thick, strong arm to her advantage. She grabbed his arm, using it as leverage and swung her body at him. She twisted, bringing her leg up and around his neck. His arm crossed his body and she used it to choke him. Suni slid down his back. With a well-placed foot and angling of her body, she flipped the man over her back. She kept a tight hold of his arm as he hit the ground with a hard crunch. She pulled and twisted his arm, holding it at an odd angle that would incapacitate him while causing considerable amount of pain.
The male flailed and screamed. Suni twisted his arm more and stepped over him to place a foot on his chest. His face reddened and screams came out as painful howls. She didn’t care. These people came onto their home and tried to harm them. While she didn’t recognize either of the men, she was confidant she knew who they were—members of Kenzi’s crew.
“Father!” Tayan ran to Yovit and slid on the floor to reach his side. “You’re hurt!”
Yovit raised his arm, but it immediately dropped to his side.
Tayan, with tears streaming down her face yelled to Saph, “He’s hurt! I think he’s dying!”
Saph pushed herself off the male and stood. She grabbed a fistful of his hair, lifting his head. His face was a mangled mess of broken bones and blood. She had knocked him unconscious. She dragged his body behind her as she made her way to check on Tayan.
“Vril! What’s your status!” Saph yelled to the intercom.
“Our status is surprised.”
Both Suni and Saph startled at the voice coming from the doorway. There, standing and watching with open mouths was Taun and Vril with a wide-eyed Ised and Aesh peeking behind them.
“What? You all were just standing there watching? No assist?” Saph’s breaths came out heavy and hard. Blood was splattered on her face, the front of her shirt and her panties. Her hair was a mess and Suni didn’t doubt the clumps in her hair were also from blood. None of it hers.
“Let me up!” the male in Suni’s grasp yelled. Suni’s response was to twist and tug on his arm. That elicited another high-pitched scream from him.
Taun raised his eyebrow as he watched Suni with a heat that she recognized in his eyes…and liked. “You clearly had everything under control.”
Aesh shouldered past the others to enter the room. She ran and dropped
to her knees next to Tayan to look at Yovit. She ran her hands across his face and chest. “He needs medical attention. Now!”
“X-9,” Saph called out. “Status?”
“The threat to the engine has been neutralized. Raint and Zema are disposing of the bodies.”
Although she had given the order for X-9 to do what was necessary to protect the ship, Suni cringed. Space was not for the weak of heart. It was brutal and had a set of rules that any planet-living person would balk at. But even so, it did something to her soul knowing that she had had a hand in ending someone’s life.
“We have one that remains alive. Shall we dispose of her as well?” X-9 asked.
“Yes!” Saph replied.
“No! Delay that order,” Suni said immediately afterward.
Suni and Saph caught each other’s eyes. Suni shook her head slightly. She didn’t want any more deaths if it could be avoided.
Saph tightened her hold on the head that dangled from her hand. “Keep her as prisoner. Show Raint where to put her.”
There was a brief pause. Taun entered and took the male that Suni had been fighting from her and with a quick punch to the back of the neck, the crying, screaming and wiggling stopped. “I only knocked him out so we can put him somewhere secure.”
Vril had Saph’s male by the arm, the rest of his body was limp. Suni wasn’t sure now if he were dead or alive. “I’ll dispose of the body.”
Dead.
Suni caught Saph’s eyes. There was nothing behind them. Saph never would pretend that she’s hardened. Suni new full well that her sister was. But even so, Saph had never killed anyone before. Knowing Saph, there were a million things going on in her head that she was trying to process.
Suni went to Saph and wrapped an arm around her waist. “Thank you,” she told Vril.
Ised was by Tayan, trying to lift her away from Yovit. “Come child.”
“No! I’m staying with my father,” Tayan said between cries. “I’m the only one who loves him. I have to stay with him.”
With that last sentence Suni’s heart dropped and broke at the same time. That pain in Tayan’s voice was enough to snap Saph from her stupor. Saph pulled away from Suni and went to Tayan. Suni followed as Saph lowered to her knees next to Tayan.
Saving The Cyborg (Cyborg Redemption) Page 15