by Viola Grace
He held himself to the outer wall of the tank and kept away from the woman in the fluid.
They stayed in silence until an hour had passed. The seal above him opened up, and the little face turned toward him again.
“Who are you?”
He smiled, “My name is Doros, I have come looking for you. Alphy and Stitch say to stop chattering when it is convenient and looking in on their private sexting.”
The small face broke into a smile. “It is going to take a few days to disconnect me. Are you up for it?”
“I didn’t come all this way to simply look at you and go.”
“Excellent. Where is your ship?”
“Powered off completely in the hangar, tucked against the wall.”
“Good. My name is Windy, by the way. I know you know it, but I like to hear the sound of my own voice.”
That was when he realized. Every word she had spoken was coming from the station itself.
* * * *
Yurik watched the eight-foot figure step into the bar, holding a long staff as it walked.
The figure stopped at the bar, and the bartender waved toward him. He nodded in response to the hood aimed in his direction.
The figure walked toward him slowly. Conversation in the bar stopped.
The creature stood next to his table, and then, to his surprise, it took a seat.
The hooded figure sat in silence, but he had been told that if he wanted to find the fixer known as Lacey, he would have to speak to this particular beast in this particular bar.
“I am looking for a human woman named Lacey.”
The figure rumbled low. “Lucrezia Adams.”
He blinked. “Yes. Lucrezia Adams. Known to her friends as Lacey.”
“What do you want with her?” A robot hand extended and tapped its fingers on the table.
“Her people want to reclaim her.”
“Why now?” The voice was low and deep.
“The others are safe, she is needed. She is the last of them to be found, and they are waiting for her to complete them.”
The figure was silent, but then, it gripped its staff. “We had better be on our way then. It will take some time to get everything needed.”
He blinked and whispered, “What?”
The bare metal fingers reached up and pulled one side of the hood back. A brilliant and amused green eye, silky black hair, and a mouth that had no business being on this body were smiling at him.
“Robot parts aren’t as good as cyborg, but they get me around. Now, I have to finish shopping, and then, we will be on our way.”
Lacey got to her feet, and he watched her walk out, her hood back in place and her height enough to intimidate anyone with sense.
Yurik got to his feet and followed. This was not the rescue he had planned.
Author’s Note
Whew. Book 4 done, and now, I am onto the next. I have given some teasers, so you know who is coming up and who we are saving for last.
I have a spinoff series planned eventually, involving the Furies mentioned in the first or second book. Lacey is needed before we wake them, as her people skills will help pinpoint where the programming can be removed safely without destroying their minds.
Thanks for reading,
Viola Grace
About the Author
Viola Grace (aka Zenina Masters) is a Canadian sci-fi/paranormal romance writer with ambitions to keep writing for the rest of her life. She specializes in short stories because the thrill of discovery, of all those firsts, is what keeps her writing.
An artist who enjoys a story that catches you up, whirls you around, and sets you down with a smile on your face is all she endeavours to be. She prefers to leave the drama to those who are better suited to it, she always goes for the cheap laugh.
In real life, she now is engaged in beekeeping, and her adventures can be found on the YouTube channel, Mystery Bees Apiary. Just look for the cartoon kittens.
