0103

by Jessie Rose Case

  Other times his cock would be already buried deep inside her and she would be riding him to the best orgasm of her life while he stimulated her to greater heights. Or he would be fucking her from behind, coxing her on, his hands playing with her breasts and clit, urging her to come, to soak him in her juices so he could feast on her. Each image after the other so erotic, so wanted, her brain wanted what he was offering to be real….

  They were haunting her days. She’d tried for some control in those dreams, to explain. But she wasn’t the one in control. Somehow he was and she was sure he wasn’t listening. He was all about the fucking and playing, giving her pleasure and she couldn’t complain. He would ask her about her life, her family, her work and it had felt natural to answer him and enjoy the ride. It was where her mind wanted to be and her body had no complaints. But, in the back of her mind, dream or not, it kept telling her he’d been through so much, was this wise. She couldn’t ignore it. And already knew the answer….

  The originals were so unknown. They didn’t know much about them at all. Didn’t know if they bonded like Brok’s or the Admirals generations. Or if they imprinted thought their DNA and nano links like the others did. There were so many variables they just didn’t know. But she never felt threatened by him. He was kind and quietly gentle with her. In the beginning of the more personal dreams, he’d crowd her now and then and respect her when she asked for space. She knew like the other Cyborgs, that he would never harm her.

  He’d reach out and touch her. Her hand, arm, back, leading her one place or other. Showing her parts of his world and her body had heated at the touch. She’d seen him breath her in and knew it for what it was, he was scenting her. That much appeared to be the same and she worried. Scenting led to bonding.

  She’d tried to hide it from him. To think of something else. Tried to shut off her own responses before he scented her, but it didn’t work. He would turn his eyes on her and the hunger in their depths was hard to miss.

  He’d asked her if she knew what he was scenting more than once. She was sure it was her desire but held back telling him that. Me. She would say trying to keep her voice even and he would look at her curiously. She was sure he knew the difference.

  Until they’d arrived and those dreams had turned ……. Erotic … she tried hard to stop the pull of taking her to him. The heat and fire of it burned just thinking of them together. Her body responded with a hunger of its own that she hardly recognised or could deny.

  She’d wake in sweat soaked bedclothes with an ache she wasn’t sure she should investigate. It seemed crazy to encourage it. Dreams were one thing, real was something else.

  He might not have the same issues as the latter-day Cyborgs, but it was clear he was still more than just male with the same impulses as his Cyborg brothers.

  Cyborg sexual appetites were more than legend amongst the women of the Space Station. If you were lucky enough to find one, your life took on a whole new meaning. Women had lined up for the chance of being Mated, protected, showered with gifts and a male with the sexual appetites of a God. Donna understood it and didn’t cast her own judgement on it.

  It just wasn’t for her. There were still too many unanswered questions when it came to an original. And she didn’t want to lead him on. It wasn’t fair.

  Brok’s warning kept flaring to mind. Originals could be unstable….

  Trouble was, he didn’t feel unstable. In fact, he seemed as well as any of them. Not that she’d been able to get any real sense of him in real life. And that was strange. The distance and atmosphere of the world could be blocking her, but she could sense a multitude of people and things when she tried and often, had to block others to have some peace of mind.

  Was he naturally blocked to her? That was intriguing. Not to have to be on her guard the time whole time around someone. Would be……. nice. To not have to deal with someone else’s emotions would be….. marvellous. It was one of the things that made relationships difficult. Who wanted to know everything? Not her. People had to have their own thoughts and feelings and they needed them protected. Hearing too much tended to hurt you.

  People were human. Everyone said or thought something that would hurt someone else if said aloud. It was how the brain rationalised things, talked through them it as it were. Some thoughts more prominent that others. That didn’t mean that everyone else, or someone else should be able to hear them. Donna was mindful of that. Other people’s privacy was a delicate balance for her. Guarding against it where she could.

  Did she want to explore that chance at peace in her life? She didn’t know. In the dreams it had only been the two of them. No interference. No others. It didn’t feel like she was reading him at all and was very comfortable in his company. She enjoyed being with him and the way he encouraged her to explore her own needs. More than that? That would take actually seeing him and she wasn’t sure she could ignore that for much longer. He was coming onboard today. She’d have to face him. Knowing all the things they’d down together in the dream world. Her face flushed. Maybe he didn’t have those dream memories?

  She doubted that very much and got the impression he was leaving his men in other Cyborg hands to see her. It also happened to coincide with the first of the original Cyborgs coming out of the med beds later today. They’d been in there for nearly two weeks. The longest she’d ever known for a Cyborg.

  It had soon been clear to all of them, this wasn’t going to be a quick fix. The schematics on the originals was patchy. They were less advanced than her models and they’d worried they might cause more damage with the current Cyborg programme. They had so little to go on. A full scan of her original had given them a basis on which to start but there were still so many variables. It wasn’t until they’d started scanning and doing diagnostics of each of the eight, that they’d realised just how patchy some of the work was. It was likely that once 20 or so originals had been through the med beds and it had a greater understanding of their technology and physiology, the first ones might need to go back in for a tune up.

  “You look tired.” Brok stated. Donna looked up as he came in and moved around the med beds. “Anything?”

  She nodded. “Residue memories, I think. The ones in deep sleep I cannot reach. It’s rather refreshing actually. The others, as they appear to move through the healing cycles, I can pick them up in their dream state.”

  “Same as 0103?”

  Donna frown looking up at him. “Who?”

  “The original Cyborg, that’s his designation.”

  “So he was a number too….”

  Brok nodded looking at the machines, one after the other doing their thing. “The first of the surviving generation,” he told her. “The hundred before didn’t last long, too many things went wrong. They were shut down early and the project was finely balanced to be terminated but they must have had a breakthrough of some kind, because they started again. These Cyborgs are part of that generation. Our ancestors. Those that went before us.”

  “I didn’t know that.”

  He came over and sat down beside her. “He’s been through a lot.”

  “That I do know.”

  “No, I don’t think you do. He survived the most brutal of beginnings. Then a programme that was medieval in its making and sent off on a death mission. He woke to men dead, damaged and back in stasis and the knowledge, that at any point in that journey, they could have all died. If those that had been awoken, hadn’t made sacrifices to ensure the mission was a success, they would have. Those that did make it soon started to fail. He had to support them knowing their only chance of survival was going back in stasis. And then he was alone for decade after decade dealing with everything that world could throw at him. I’m surprised he made it at all. And then you came to him.”

  “Why are you pushing this?”

  “He’s your mate and a worthy male.”

  “I don’t know him.”

  “Yes, you do. You’ve been dream sharing with him since before we arri
ved.”

  Donna gave him a stony expression. That was personal. “How the hell do you know that? Has he shared those memories with you all?” Donna felt betrayed somehow. Those were moments in time that were private to both of them. The thoughts that he might have shared some of those intimate moments, made her feel sick.

  “No, I haven’t. I am unable to communicate with him over my neuro net. It is not complex enough. I simply told him we dream shared.”

  Donna turned in her seat and 0103 was standing there. He looked as she remembered. Strong and defiant. He came slowly into the room and knelt before her. Still head and shoulders above her. Butterflies broke out in her stomach. Brok got up and walked away. She followed him with her eyes. He wasn’t leaving her? “Why do I feel I’ve been ambushed and where do you think you’re going?”

  “You need to talk.” He kept going. Damn that Cyborg.

  She turned back to 0103 a little wary. Shit…. “You’re bigger than I thought….. sorry that was rude….” He looked curiously at her like he was studying her. So intense it seemed to see inside her. Trying to read him, she pushed out her senses and not nothing but some of the other men in the room.

  He cracked a smile. “Is that good or bad? You look as I have dreamed…”

  Donna got the sinking feeling that answered that question. He sighed. “You’re …not happy to see me.” He stated it like a fact. She’d admit he was a bit right about that. Up close in the real world it was …… scary.

  She ignored the question. How would she answer that? “It’s not ….. that so much as … I don’t know what I’m doing here.”

  He gave a nod to the med beds lined up behind her. “You’re helping my men.”

  This time she smiled. “I think we both know that is not what I’m talking about.”

  He gave her a very human shoulder shrug. She only knew a few who had human mannerisms and they’d worked for decades with humans in a more personal setting picking up some of their tells. Was that part of being an original? He had held on to his human side more? Were they more human to start with? It made sense that they would be. Being amongst the first, it was likely they were more human than Cyborg at that point, she guessed. He took her hand and she let him.

  “I don’t know what I’m doing either. They tell me you are my mate. I didn’t think that’s possible. There is a lot I do not understand now. So much data is missing that I need, to be able to function in this new decade. So much time lost that I cannot change. My men are going to need me to get this right. To support and protect them.”

  “You’re their medic. It’s part of who you are.” She looked over at the beds. “I can dream share a little with the ones coming awake. It’s different to …… us.” Her face flamed. “I feel the ones near waking. They are at peace for the most part. There’s no pain, the bed controls that. I talk to them. Tell them their home. The Empire is waiting for them. That they made it.” She looked back at him. “The strange thing is, I cannot read you. You’re blank to me.”

  He’s touch on her hand soothed her. It was calming and welcome. The rough skin of his thumb easily brushing over hers. “Is that good or bad?” he asked again.

  She wanted to be honest. It was a strain to be forever on your guard against someone else’s emotions. “I don’t know. Its all new to me,” she told him unsure. A bleeping sound went off on one of the beds. Someone was waking. A medic came in walking passed them both and Donna made to get up. 0103 Moved back and stood giving her room, allowing her to do her job.

  Walking to the med bed she placed her hand on it. Closing out everything around her and concentrating on reaching for the person inside. He’d been hurt in trauma on the ship’s journey. Suddenly pain shot through her and her knees buckled taking her breath away. An arm kept her upright. “Pa…in,” she breathed out. “He’s reliving it. I’m trying to tell him to turn them off. He see’s me but…… doesn’t understand the transition.”

  She was vaguely aware of the medic working on the machine as a hand covered hers. “Can you bring me in with you?” 0103 Asked her.

  She wasn’t sure. “I’ll try…”

  Donna tried for calm. It wasn’t easy with the emotions of the damaged Cyborg stabbing at her. Creating the meadow, she’d come to know so well in his reality she projected it. A Cyborg who looked like the one in the med bed stood there in agony. Donna took a deep breath as pain seared her and called out in distress. Roaring across her mind she heard… Cyborg shut off your emotions Now. You are hurting the female trying to help you… It slowly reduced in intensity. 0103 Kept talking…. You have survived, let the female lead you to peace. I am waiting there for you…

  And suddenly he was there. They both were. He was holding her still and the other Cyborg slowly appeared to be in less pain. He looked around confused but recognised his brother. “0103 Have we arrived? I survived the journey? I thought to be terminated.” He looked at his hands and arms then his legs and body. “I’m no longer damaged?”

  She concentrated on keeping him in the dream state while, 0103 kissed her hand and walked to his brother. The Cyborg looked on curiously. “We survived 0147. You are correct, you were awoken by the ship as it failed, to fix it and save us, you did your job well. We are unsure how you managed to get back in stasis, but you did. We eventually arrived but, I could not fix you. Until now. Other Cyborg brothers have come to our rescue.”

  He seemed to download all that, then glazed over as did 0103. She knew them to be communicating. She knew it had to be a shock. The dream meadow continued to ray sunshine down on them, the bird’s song played in the air, the breeze as she remembered it and continued to send healing and soothing emotions to the Cyborg who been in so much pain.

  0147’s Eyes cleared, and he looked at her. She thought he looked surprised. It was most unusual for Cyborgs to show emotions. She guessed the originals were not as … supressed maybe. “I have a new data time stamp,” he told her.

  She nodded. “It has been a long time Cyborg. Much as changed. You have an Empire now and you and your brothers are free. Free to choose, free to have a life of your own.”

  “0103 Tells me, we can be more than Cyborg. Be more than ordered to kill, hunt or used.”

  Donna looked over at 0103 and smiled as she saw the warmth in his eyes looking back at her. “That’s true.”

  “Are you my mate too?” he asked.

  0103 Growled and looked deadly. She’d never seen that reaction in him before… it was strangely ……. Attractive. “No,” she told him quickly. There was no way she wanted to deal with a fight in the dream world. “You will be given a data upload that will explain how things have changed. It is likely there are mates out there for you all. You just need to find them and I’ll be honest, that might not be easy. The universe is vast, but we are exploring it and finding more and more.”

  She could feel the medic working to pull the Cyborg back into the real world. “Are you ready to wake Cyborg? Your pain is not real. A phantom memory of your accident only. You are whole once more and in control. Try accessing your pain receptors. Tell me what you feel?”

  He glazed over and then they cleared. “I have no pain, the cycle I was in has been broken.”

  Donna smiled. “It is time then. We will be waiting for you.” She pushed all her warmth and love to him. “Welcome to the Empire Cyborg. You are home. Wake NOW.”

  A flood of emotion hit her. Staggering in its intensity as she cleared her mind seemingly lost in a fractured mirror that was clearly the Cyborgs memories. Stay with me female….0103 whispered across her mind. She grasped it anchoring herself to him and pulled herself through. As she came back to the room. 0103 Was right by her side. Taking several deep breaths, she blinked it off as he pulled her into his embrace. “Thank you..” she told him. “For a moment I was nearly lost there.”

  “Your gift is precious but in this we do it together. No argument. Cyborg minds are complex and ours are raw. Fractured. I felt the pull and the danger and pulled you back.”<
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  She couldn’t argue with him. He’d been right. She nodded and held on wondering what would have happened if she’d been lost in the dream world of someone else’s mind. She had never considered it possible but for a moment…… She didn’t want to think about it.

  She pulled back and looked up at him. “You sure about that? Its not your job but mine.”

  The med bed opened, and the Cyborg 0147 sat up. The medic helped him as he stepped down. Both glazed over as 0103 move towards him. He stood in all his naked glory and clasped his arm as his eyes cleared. They stayed like that for a moment as the medic passed him a robe. 0103 Looked to be blocking him from her view. Did he fear her reaction to the other male? 0147 Put the robe on and they both turned towards her.

  “Thank you,” 0147 told her. “I …… was lost at the end. Unsure what was real, and my diagnostic tells me that it was the freedom from pain that made me want to remain there. I’m sorry I nearly pulled you in too. I am forever grateful.”

  Donna smiled relieved. “You are welcome. I will be coming to see you as you continue to recover.” He gave her a nod and the medic moved in to escort him out. They had rooms ready for all of them in a section of the ship made over for their care. A place they could recover, adjust and come to terms with what had happened to them as a group.