Zhai charged after her. “Was that a wise move.”
“If he really wanted in, he could blast the doors, they have the tech, he didn’t, he made them walk and map the maze at some risk to themselves. Then knock on the door, not blast it. He’s pissed, but he’s not going to attack.”
Zhai didn’t say anything else and walked with her back to the command centre. She’d been on her feet for god knows how many hours. “I’m going to take a shower and get some rest. I expect we’ll have some more requests for a meeting very soon. Tell the Council. I’ll need to be fresh for that. Has the all clear been sounded?”
Zhai shook his head. “Do it.” She sighed heavily suddenly feeling the weight of it all, and Suznne squeezed her shoulder.
“You need to eat, I’ll send something along to your room.” She told her. “He looks a lot like Robert, doesn’t he?” she stated quietly. Bren hadn’t realised she’d followed her in.
Bren shook her head. “He’s nothing like Robert.” She stood, pulling back on all those emotions wanting to bring her down. Gave a grim smile and walked to her rooms.
***
Finished roaring like a frustrated youth? Cos that went really well... Redd told him over his net as he stood next to him. He had his own blood on him now curtesy of the maze.
Reve turned to his second. His men were around him with varying expressions of amusement. He got the sense they liked her. So did he. I’m not done yet, he told them over his neuro net, puffing out his chest standing taller. Snickers surrounded him. Reve gave them the eye and they got a little louder. Bastards…
Redd laughed. She has your balls in a slicer my friend. I’d be careful about your next move. You might just need them…. Or lose them!
Reve laughed with him and slapped him on the back. This game is not over yet. Back to the ship. They have to come out sometime and when she does, I’ll be ready.
***
Bren walked into the Council meeting room feeling a little more like herself. 7 Hours sleep will do that for you, she guessed. She couldn’t get over it. She hadn’t slept like that for …..years. Her worries and anxieties would permeate her dreams and eventually, give her nothing but a fitful sleep and wake her. She knew it for what it was and couldn’t change it. Fears. Ever since her parents had died, she’d been plagued with them. Then having a husband and child had made them worse. After that first encounter with the pirates and with the community on her shoulders, it seemed impossible to get passed it. Until now it would seem. What was different? The Cyborgs…?
She shrugged it off as she made her way to her seat. The elders sat around the table and greeted her. Several of the newer younger members were mixed in as a newer generation slowly took over. They represented all the trades in one way or another. As head of security Zhai sat next to her. He didn’t look at all rested. “You should have got some sleep,” she whispered. He simply shrugged, and she wondered if he’d managed to get any sleep at all. Mary tapped on the table. “I call this meeting to order.” They all turned to look at her. “We have had several requests…”
Zhai butted in amused. “17” Bren frowned annoyed he seemed to be enjoying himself.
Mary frowned too but carried on. “From the leader of the men from the Cyborg Empire to meet with us. They particularly want to talk to our leading female.” Mary raised her eyebrows and looked at her.
Everyone turned to Brenna. “I’m not doing that. Have you seen him?”
Mary nodded sadly. “He does look a great deal like Robert, Bren.”
Brenna got angry. Everyone kept seeing his looks, including her and it wasn’t right. “He’s nothing like Robert. Robert would never have put his people in danger or made demands on a traumatised group of people, just so he could say,” she used air quotes again, “hello.”
Mary reached out and touched her hand she sat opposite her. “No, he wouldn’t. Your right. The Captain explained that he was worried for your, and our safety. After what he saw of the bombardment on his vid screen, he felt it important to ascertain your condition. He mentioned that you were covered in blood both times and it was unsettling. His protective instincts needed him to make sure you were well and they wanted to make sure the structure wasn’t about to collapse on everyone. He still wants to see you. He says he wishes to apologise in person. He has already written an apology to the community.”
Bren blinked. She hadn’t expected that. “It’s not for him to check on me or anyone else.” She frowned. “He wrote to the community?”
Mary nodded. “Last night.” Bren hesitated but knew when she was beaten. These people offered hope to their community. The people around this table didn’t want to upset them if this was genuine help. The first they’d ever had. She knew what that meant and understood it. So did they. With the terraforming failing and their population out growing it. Things were very finely balanced.
She blew out a breath. “Ok, tomorrow after rounds. I’ll give him an hour. After that, he’s all yours.” They all voted and agreed and moved on to more pressing topics. It seemed the Empire was quick off the mark letting them know what trade routes and opportunities there were, but her heart wasn’t in it. She didn’t want to take that meeting. Didn’t want to sit opposite a man that reminded her of love and pain. Too much pain.
She knew they needed to retake the land and sort out the terraforming or ask to be taken somewhere else. It was the usual heated debate but one that now had a chance of success, an answer. One Brenna couldn’t find the energy to take part in. Never before had there been a choice. Now there might be. There were hopes that the Cyborgs would take them off world if that was what people wanted. Offer them new settlements somewhere else or the ability to fix what was wrong with the terraforming and complete the job. Robert’s mother would welcome that. She was in charge of the terraforming project. Brenna knew the problems inside out. They just didn’t have the parts and couldn’t manufacture them. Nursing it along had got them this far, but for a while now it had become a waiting game for it to fail completely. That might be finally over.
It had never reached the self-perpetuating stage and kept having to be replenished manually. It had been too much of a strain on the equipment. Unless, it was replaced, or someone dropped a couple of ice mountains on the planet, they were in trouble. Now, both those things seemed a possibility.
They all knew that was going to come at a price. The Cyborgs would want something. The questions was, were they willing to pay it? Brenna mulled it over as she listened to the discussions flowing back and forth. Suddenly full with the Councils wish list. She sighed. It would be awhile before a decision would be made. She hoped it wasn’t too late.
***
The ping on his neuro net told him he had a comms request. Reve opened the connection in his mind.
We have communication from the ground. They accept your apology.
Reve could hear the amusement in his comms officers voice. His men had made several comments regarding his dick and lack of control having seen the female. He couldn’t argue with them, his actions had been illogical and snorted hearing that. He’d been impatient. Need, riding him. They could have waited, it made no tactical advantage, they’d held the ground and yet he’d pushed. Needing to see her safe for himself. The tunnels looked precarious and dangerous and he used that for his reasoning. But in truth, there was no logic to it or his demand to see her. Sending his men to map out the defences, was an error. They all knew it. He deserved their jokes.
Reve sighed. It wasn’t his logic he was thinking with. He’d been over his actions many times in the last 8 hours. Replayed the vid of the engagement and after, speaking with the female again. His diagnostic told him his responses were off. His emotions in control not his logic. Seeing the female for the first time had ….. distracted him. The second time, her challenge had awakened something in him. He had an intense need to scent her. To tame, to ………. Claim?
Reve’s eyes flared. To claim? Where had that come from?
You h
ave been given an appointment to see the female. His comms officer informed him. The information uploaded to his databank. Remembering her fire. Reve smiled. It would be an interesting meeting. One, he wanted.
Chapter Three
Reve waited at the at the top of maze like an over eager youth, for the escort to come to him. He’s systems told him exactly how he was reacting. Redd, named for the colour of his hair, rich dark red hair that hung in long bangs down passed his shoulders, stood with him. He didn’t bother hiding his amusement and reminded Reve of the Vikings of old. Their warrior tactics had been part of their training so many years ago. Reve wouldn’t be surprised if there was more than bit in him, some Scottish too or Irish or both.
There were multiple combinations in their DNA. They all knew that but now the majority of them also knew where they came from. Well mostly came from, but there were still many mysteries to solve and little in way of records to lean on for answers. 83% Of all Cyborgs now knew they had family trees going back generations, that showed who their parents were and lineage. DNA tags that led from one parent to another, to the next generation back and back again, and again. To their very beginnings in some cases. Unique tags that led their best people to solve the mystery of how they were created. It also gave them connections to families, that they did not know existed.
Not every human would be happy to find a Cyborg in their family. Or more than one. Stigma still existed. Bad press and propaganda had been fuelled by Earth Corp. Now they had to live with that. Much of it lies, but the public didn’t always know that and even with the passing of generations, bad press clung on.
He recognised the Asian male coming towards him with two guards. They approached cautiously from the maze. It was a logical reaction. He was after all, an unknown quantity to them. They stopped just short of reaching him and Redd. The rear two scanning the area around them. His optic gave him exactly the distance and the power required to reach them in minimal time and kill them. They wouldn’t have stood a chance, although the blades would give him pause. His data stream supplied defensive action required to deal with that. Reve smiled. No surprise there.
“I am here to escort you in. I am Zhai, head of security. Do anything I don’t like, and I will shot you.” Zhai smiled at him. Reve gave a nod. He liked him. “Follow me.” Zhai turned and walked back the way he’d come. Reve didn’t need telling not to deviate from the path. They’d learnt that the hard way the day before in his illogical haste to get to the blast doors. His data supplying the illogical response, was a reminder he didn’t need. The two escorts took up position at the rear as the group moved forward.
Reve took in every twist and turn. It wasn’t how they’d found the entrance. Theirs, had been more exploratory and deadlier. Several turns looked like dead ends and then an entrance became visible. It was creative and effective. Others gave the illusion of an exit that simply wasn’t there, but a nasty surprise was. Walking it, in the correct way, gave you a clear vision of how effective it was. Zhai pointed out razer sharp edges to avoid and trip points on the floor with metal spikes waiting for you. It was medieval, and he loved it.
Eventually they walked out to the two kill barriers that made the funnel before the blast doors. Reve noted the gun emplacements. You’d be dead if you were caught here. No cover. As they approached, the doors opened revealing 6 inch steel on rollers. Reve could appreciate the skill involved. He reached out and touched the metal. As before, it felt different to any metal he’d touched before. “You made this?” he asked.
Zhai nodded. “It’s some of the ore we have on this world.”
Reve nodded. “We would be interested in a sample of this. We contract for good ore.”
“You buy it?” Zhai asked.
Reve gave him a nod. “Buy it, trade for it, whatever works.”
Zhai stepped forward into the underground tunnels. Reve followed him knowing Redd was with him. They passed huge gun emplacements that could fire out through the blast doors. You could see how they fitted through the gaps. From there, it would have been possible to defend the blast doors with these guns. Behind them were smaller close quarters repeating arms. This was a major defence if those doors gave. Reve was impressed.
“These are very good defences. Old school but effective.” Reve told him honestly. “It is good they are not controlled by a computer. That can be infiltrated. Manual activation cannot. You make all these weapons?”
Zhai turned to him surprised. “Yes we do. You would offer such advice?”
Reve turned to him. “It is the truth nothing more.”
They moved deeper into the warren of tunnels. At each corner a gun emplacement stood ready. A fold back defensive shield next to it. Defence after defence throughout the tunnel system followed. If they got through one, another was waiting for them. There was nothing lax about this. It would give people time to get out and he guessed that was the purpose. They travelled down a staircase and then along another corridor. Then stopped before a doorway and Zhai knocked then opened it. The female was behind a desk working. She looked up and didn’t appear too happy to see him. Zhai stepped aside and took up position next to the open-door way in the corridor. Redd did the same on the other side. Reve slowly walked in and closed the door behind him.
He was here. For a moment the sight of him standing in her doorway made her forget to breath. Brenna wasn’t sure she liked him in her space. He shouldn’t be here, kept running through her mind. He confused her. Reminded her all too well of Robert. She couldn’t seem to help it. She knew it wasn’t him but still….. Then he moved, and she was reminded of how deadly this person was. He made no sound. None at all. He wasn’t anything like Robert, not really. He was lethal.
She found him waiting on her. Bren cleared her throat and indicating the chair. “Please take a seat. I understand you wanted to talk to me.”
God it was hard to look at him. She fiddled with her datapad. Not hearing him move again but he took the chair offered, she caught it out of the corner of her eye and heard the chair move. Eventually she looked up and was held in his gaze.
“I wished to apologise,” he told her quietly. “My behaviour yesterday, was unusual for a Cyborg, I was driven and acted impulsively. That is something else Cyborgs do not normally do.”
Brenna frowned her inquisitive nature coming to the fore. She found that interesting. “I see, are you ill then? Why did you act differently for a Cyborg? And what makes you different from a man?”
“Three questions in one.” He looked at her intensely and appeared to crack a smile. “No. For several reasons. Many things.” He told her answering her questions in order.
Bren wondered if he was deliberately being elusive. Then registered that he’d answered her question in rotation all at once. “That doesn’t tell me anything. How about answering the questions fully.” She demanded.
“You’re pushy.”
Brenna raised both eyebrows. “Is that meant to be an answer?”
Reve continued to study her. She was quick, inquisitive and didn’t hide her emotions but wore them. He could see her curiosity, her interest, her determination. It was something else he liked about her. “You were …. dismissive yesterday. The refused to meet with me. That did not sit well with me. It felt like a rejection. I acted impulsively. It was driven by emotion not logic. Logic is a Cyborg trait. Then when you eventually showed, you were again covered in blood, very angry and challenging. I was immediately concerned for your wellbeing, for the structure under bombardment and had a need to see for myself that you and it were not damaged. When a Cyborg is challenged it is ….. a pull we respond to. Defiance is another pull, so is strength.”
The female laughed and sat back in her chair. “Boy are you fucked. You will fare poorly here I fear. All our humanness will give you ulcers. Best you leave now before the disappointment is too much to bear.”
She was challenging him again. Reve smiled. He was a master at this with far more years than she had. She was amused by his honesty.
He spoke the truth. Maybe limited his attraction to her somewhat. And he wanted answers of his own. “Who, is Robert?”
He saw her blanch and immediately regretted his own behaviour. He couldn’t seem to get anything right with this female. His logic told him what would get the best response and he’d naturally followed it. He’d done that deliberately because of her challenge towards him. Done it to hit where he knew it would cause most impact. And knew instantly, this was a mistake. Knowing he’d hurt her floored him. It was not honourable. He didn’t want that. “My apologises,” he blurted. “I did not mean to upset you.”
The female flashed her eyes at him and they narrowed. She wasn’t going to let that go or pull her punches. He doubted she let anything go and that, was the biggest pull of all. She sighed and looked away. He could scent her turmoil. “Yeah you did. It was a deliberate evasive response, targeted for the biggest impact.” She sighed. “Now, can we stop the games? I’m busy and have a lot of work to do. What are you and why are you here?” She looked down at her hands. She didn’t want to look at him and that hit home. Reve wanted her eyes on him.
He’d hurt her and felt…… shame.
Reve pushed his emotions to one side. They weren’t helping him. “Like I said before. We came looking for worlds that Earth Corp had seeded, and in hope of finding our bothers lost to us in the process. We were first aware of six worlds, then we found information that suggested there were many more. This, was one of those. Initially once we were free of Earth Corp, we began searching in the universe for a place to call our own and build our fleet. Along the way, our Admiral found his Kim and we supported her in sorting out a problem with her property. While doing it, we returned to a Space Station we had used on a number of occasions to re-stock and fuel and found it under attack by pirates. We took it back and saved as many as we could. It had been abandoned by Earth Corp generations ago. Sadly, corruption had taken root in some of the people living there and they were in league with the pirates. They helped them gain access and then decimate most of the male population and rape and kill their way through the females and children. Far too many died before we could get to them.”
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