The Good, the Bad, and the Cyborg

by Honey Phillips

  Before she could decide, she heard Flora clucking. The chickens needed tending to and she had chores to complete. She pushed her worries aside and went to work.

  Thoughts of Morgan kept a low hum in the back of her head as she went about her business. She thought she’d decided it was best to keep her distance until he walked into the dome just as she finished preparing dinner and her heart skipped a beat. He looked as tall and handsome as always, but she could see the lines of strain on his face and she wanted nothing more than to smooth them away. Instead, she remained standing by the stove.

  “Thank you for unloading the wagon,” she said, her voice sounding odd in her own ears.

  “Of course. It is part of my duties.”

  “I used some of it to make supper. If you want to join me…”

  Her words hung in the air for a moment before he responded. “Do you want me to?”

  “It’s your food as well—”

  “That’s not what I asked, Hattie. Do you want me to join you for the meal?”

  Yes, her heart cried and despite her fears, she listened. “Yes, I would like that.”

  The lines on his face eased a little but aside from complimenting her on the food, neither one of them said much as they ate. When she stood up, she winced, her stomach muscles still a little sore, and he was immediately at her elbow.

  “I will clean up. You should rest.”

  “I need to enter the profits from today’s market in the books.”

  “I can do that. If you trust me with your accounts.”

  “Our accounts,” she corrected automatically.

  He stared down at her. “Are you sure?”

  “Yes,” she whispered, but she couldn’t look at him. “Our partnership hasn’t changed.”

  “Hasn’t it?”

  “I’m tired,” she said, avoiding his eyes and his question.

  “Then go and rest.”

  She escaped into the bedroom but couldn’t quite bring herself to close the door and shut him out. Feeling the need for some physical comfort, she searched through her small collection of clothes for her oldest, fleeciest pajamas, then topped them with a worn flannel robe.

  Not my sexiest look, she thought as she studied herself in the mirror, but the sorrow in her eyes was all too clear. As she sat down on the edge of the bed, her eyes fell on the small picture frame she kept there. One side had a picture of her mother as a young woman, her face alight with optimism. The other side held a snapshot of the two of them together on a rare outing to one of the small parks that had still existed at the time. She must have been around ten, before her mother became ill. They were both laughing and looking at each other as the wind whipped their hair around. They looked so happy.

  They had been happy. A rush of memories washed over her—holidays and outings, but also small moments like listening to her mother read her a story or when she taught her how to knit. Even after she got sick, there had been many such moments, but she had almost forgotten them in that last terrible year. But knowing that year would come, she still wouldn’t have given up any of those times. Why was she thinking of giving up on Morgan? Yes, even being a cyborg didn’t mean that he was safe from harm, but it would be foolish to give up on happiness just on the chance that it would be taken away from her someday. If, God forbid, something happened to him tomorrow, wouldn’t she rather remember that they were together tonight, not isolated by more than the physical distance between them?

  “Morgan!” she cried, rushing into the main room.

  He was crouched over her computer, but he jumped up as soon as she entered.

  “What is it? Is your stomach worse? I knew I should have taken you to the doctor.”

  “No, it’s fine,” she said impatiently. “I just wanted to say I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have been so distant with you. Of course I want our partnership to go on.”

  He stiffened. “I do not intend to abandon you.”

  “That’s not what I meant. I mean the whole thing—you and me, together.”

  “It’s all right. You do not have to bribe me to make sure that I will stay.” He wasn’t even looking at her.

  “What the hell are you talking about? I’m not trying to bribe you. I’m trying to say I’m sorry. I was just scared.”

  He looked down at his arm with loathing in his eyes. “I don’t blame you for not trusting me. How can you? I am no longer a man.”

  “I’m not scared of the fact that you’re a cyborg—”

  “Why aren’t you?” he asked bitterly. “Especially now that you know how easy it is for me to hurt you.”

  “It was an accident, Morgan. I know that.”

  “But now you’re scared of me.”

  “I wasn’t scared of you; I was scared for you.”

  He ignored her words, pacing around the room. “How can you trust me? I can’t even trust myself.”

  “I do trust you.”

  “Well, don’t.” He grabbed his hat and headed for the door. “I’m going to patrol.”

  He obviously wasn’t going to listen to her words but as he reached the door, an idea struck her. “Are you going to patrol around the habitat?”

  “Yes, of course. Why?”

  “I think I’m going to take another bath,” she said, each word slow and deliberate.

  “That’s good. I’m sure you’re still hurting from my inexcusable action.” He slammed the inner door of the airlock behind him as he left.

  How long would it take before he thought about what she had said? Would he understand what she meant? Crossing her fingers, she went to get ready.

  Chapter Sixteen

  M-231 made two rapid circuits of the habitat before Hattie’s words sunk in. She was going to take a bath? Knowing that he was outside and could see her?

  I shouldn’t, he thought, but his feet were already carrying him to the back of the habitat where he could see the garden room. She had shrugged out of the robe and was slowly unfastening the top of her pajamas as he approached. His breath caught as the slender column of pale flesh appeared between the sides. Such a short time since he had stood here, alone and cold, afraid even to dream of more with the woman inside. But since then, he had the joy of being with her and felt even colder and lonelier now that he knew what he was missing.

  Her top slipped free, revealing those small perfect breasts he knew so well. She slid her fingers slowly down her sides to catch the top of her pants and slip them down her legs. Every movement was an exercise in graceful seduction. How could she act so freely, knowing that he was outside? It wasn’t until she ladled water over her body and began soaping her breasts in a slow, sensual movement that he realized that she did know.

  That she was doing this for him.

  Her nipples were like ripe red berries when she grasped them, slowly rolling them back and forth.

  “Like this, Morgan. I like it when you touch me like this.”

  His enhanced hearing enabled him to hear her words clearly despite the dome, and she seemed to be looking straight at him. His cock throbbed against his pants, but this time, he didn’t take it out, too focused on the woman in front of him.

  Her hand slid down between her legs, parting her lips so he could see the pink, swollen flesh.

  “I like it when you touch me here as well. So much better than when I touch myself.” She brushed a finger across her clit, and he saw her shiver. “But if you won’t come in from the cold and help me, I’ll have to do it myself.”

  She circled the small nub of flesh. “I’ve had to do so many things by myself. Are you going to make me do this too?”

  He wanted to go to her more than he had wanted anything in his life, but what if he hurt her again?

  Her breath came in rapid little pants as her hand moved faster and pink spread from her cheeks down across her chest. “Please, Morgan. I need you.”

  His feet moved before he consciously made the decision, carrying him through the airlock and into the garden room with the maximum speed he co
uld achieve. He slammed through the door and then stopped dead at the sight of her, pink and glowing in the steamy room, her arousal perfuming the entire space.

  “You came,” she said breathlessly, her hand still between her legs.

  “You said you needed me.”

  “I do. Always.”

  He caught her up in his arms, kissing her with all of the frustrated passion locked inside him. She met him just as eagerly, writhing against him, and with a harsh groan, he placed his hand over hers, sending her into a swift, shuddering climax as he held her against him.

  “Mm. That’s so much better.” Heavy-lidded eyes looked up at him as she smiled, then dropped to her knees, freeing his erection in one quick move.

  “Hattie, what are you—” he broke off with a moan as she stroked him from root to tip.

  “I want to talk to you.”

  “Like this?” he asked incredulously.

  Her tongue swiped the head of his cock and he actually felt his knees buckle. “Do I have your attention?”

  “Completely.”

  “I didn’t withdraw because I was scared of you.”

  He flinched, but she closed her mouth around the tip of his cock and sucked.

  “I’m not scared or repulsed by the fact that you’re a cyborg. It doesn’t bother me at all.” She reached up her free hand and clasped his metal one. “You have brought me nothing but joy.”

  “But then, why? You flinched when I touched you.”

  “I’m not flinching now,” she purred and licked him again, making slow circles around his shaft. She seemed to lose the thread of the conversation, rubbing against him as she took him deeper, but she finally pulled away again.

  “I wasn’t flinching then because I was scared of you. I was scared for myself. When you went down like that?” She shuddered. “I thought you were dead. I had convinced myself that the fact that you were a cyborg would keep you safe.” Slow, gentle licks.

  “But I was fine.”

  “I know, but it made me realize that while you are strong, you’re not invincible. You can be hurt. You can even be killed.” Her breath caught and tears sparkled in her big green eyes. “I was afraid of losing you. Afraid of losing someone else I loved.”

  He froze. “You love me?”

  “So much that the thought of you dying destroyed me. I know I didn’t handle it well. Please forgive me.”

  “You love me?” he repeated, still stunned.

  “Yes.” She gave his cock a gentle tug as she smiled up at him. “Is that so hard to believe?”

  His heart too full for words, he lifted her to her feet and carried her to the bedroom before stripping off the rest of his clothes with frantic urgency.

  “I wasn’t finished,” she protested as he came down over her.

  “Later,” he promised and buried himself inside her sweet body in one long stroke. “I love you too, Hattie. So much.”

  Her legs came up to circle his waist as he thrust, already on the verge of climax but determined to take her with him.

  “Love you,” he gasped over and over as he covered her face, her neck, any part of her body he could reach with kisses.

  “Yes. Yes, Morgan.”

  She came with a wailing cry and he followed her over, burying himself completely in the tight, heated depths of her cunt as he exploded in seemingly endless jets of seed before he sagged down over her in limp satisfaction.

  “You really love me?” he asked, as soon as his mind cleared enough to think again.

  “I really do.” She smiled up at him, her face glowing with happiness.

  “Then everything that has led me to this place has been worth it.”

  He rolled to the side, keeping her tucked against his body. She stroked his chest soothingly.

  “Do you want to tell me about it?”

  No. But despite his instinctive protest, she deserved to know.

  “You remember I told you I joined the army as soon as I could?”

  “Yes, I remember.”

  “I loved it. They fed me, they gave me a place to sleep, they gave me a structure that made sense. I soaked up everything they taught me. When they sent me on a mission, I never hesitated. I believed that I was doing the right thing—that I was making the world a better place. I fought for them. I killed for them.”

  The rhythm of her hand didn’t stop but she stayed silent, waiting for him to continue in his own time.

  “We were sent out to quell a riot. It wasn’t the first time, or even the tenth. I don’t know how many missions I had been on at that point. But someone fucked up and I got separated from my squad. I was forced into an alley and I saw… I saw…”

  The scene flashed before his eyes, as vivid as it was in his nightmares.

  “They were just kids, starving kids, scrabbling through scraps of rotten food for something to eat. They weren’t rioting against the government; they just wanted food. And I knew so well what that was like. I started to lower my gun, and someone shot me. I don’t know who. One of them could have been armed or it could have been one of our men. But the shot blew off my arm and I fell. I couldn’t move but I was awake enough to see the rest of my squad sweep in and shoot them down. All of those kids, dying around me, and there was nothing I could do. One of them fell right next to me and just lay there, staring at me. I knew we were both going to die, and I was glad. I was too ashamed to live.”

  Hattie’s hand had stilled, and he was afraid that she would draw it away, but after a silent moment, she resumed her strokes.

  “But you lived,” she said.

  “I did. I tried to fight them, tried to protest, but they did what they wanted. And they gave me this arm—a constant reminder of what I did.”

  “Is that why you hate being a cyborg?”

  “Yes. And then they sent me to Mars. To a planet that was as cold and dead as I felt inside. And you know the most ironic thing?”

  “What?”

  “I don’t even need to eat any more. My body can use the nutrients in the soil, even the air, to supply my needs. I’ll never starve again.”

  “Oh, Morgan.” She wiggled around until she was leaning over him. “I love you.”

  Her words fell over him like a balm, easing the place inside him that had hurt for so long. He kissed her, then made love to her with slow, aching tenderness, leaving the horrors of the past behind in the joy of the present.

  Chapter Seventeen

  The next morning dawned clear and peaceful, but unfortunately, the peace did not last long. Morgan was watching Hattie sleep and wondering if it was too early to wake her when the monitor signaled. He rolled out of bed and crept quietly into the next room to check on the alarm. A wagon was traveling down the path at the edge of the claim, heading for the rocks. The sun was barely above the horizon and the temperature was still below freezing—unusually early for humans to be up.

  With a reluctant glance at the bedroom, he decided not to leave Hattie and investigate. Whoever was in the truck was too far away to cause any harm. He watched as it parked by the rocks and sat there unmoving for a time. By the time Hattie wandered out into the main dome yawning widely, the wagon was returning to town.

  “What are you doing out here?”

  “Watching,” he said as he went to the kitchen area, returning a moment later to hand her a mug.

  “What’s this?” She took a deep breath and an ecstatic smile crossed her face. “Coffee! How in the world did you get it?”

  “I traded for it. I remembered you said you missed it. Only freeze-dried, I’m afraid.”

  “I don’t care. It’s coffee.” She took a sip and moaned with happiness. “Oh, that’s wonderful. Thank you so much.”

  He loved seeing her look so happy and resolved to make sure she had a constant supply of coffee.

  “I wonder what it takes to grow coffee beans,” she said thoughtfully as she took another sip. “I’m sure I’m not the only one that misses it. I know it grows in hot climates so maybe if we kept one
of the greenhouses really hot…”

  He laughed. “Maybe we should concentrate on what’s working, at least for right now. Although, we could think about adding a small experimental greenhouse.”

  “That’s a wonderful idea. Maybe we could even have more than one so we could mimic different conditions. I think we have enough framing and panels for at least two small greenhouses, although we would need to buy heaters and irrigation units unless we can tap into the existing system.”

  “The bank balance is pretty healthy after yesterday. Even though we took a lot of things in trade, we made quite a few credits as well.”

  “That’s wonderful. Screw you, Lewis family. We’ll get by without you.” Still clutching her mug, she came and perched on his lap. “But don’t think you’ve distracted me. What are you watching?”

  “You remember that Clint and I found tracks along the far side of the claim?”

  “I remember.”

  “A wagon traveled down it this morning. Here.” He pointed it out on the monitor. “It’s on its way back now.”

  “Are you going to stop it?”

  “I don’t know. Technically, it’s trespassing, but it doesn’t seem to be causing any harm. It stopped by the rocks for about half an hour. I thought I’d take a ride out there this morning and see if it left any trace.”

  “Can I come?”

  “It should be safe enough. There isn’t anyone out there now.”

  “Good.” She looked up at him eagerly. “And can we ride out there together on Ghost? It looked like fun when Jo and Clint were doing it.”

  His cock stiffened at the thought of having her pressed against him as they rode. “I definitely like that idea.”

  “Good.” She brushed a quick kiss across his lips, then jumped up. “Now I’m going to use more of our trade goods and make you an omelet with fresh herbs. Can you get some eggs for me?”