Suburban Cyborg

by Gloria Martin

  “Accepted Ambassador. Let’s just keep you two safe and we can worry about everything else later,” he said. There was a rumble and faint weapons fire came from up above.

  “Here we go people. Fonte, Cardel, I want you two to barricade the entrance when I go up. Unless you hear from me, or one of your people that you trust, let no one in. Understood?” he asked. They both nodded. Melissa found it a tribute to his command ability that neither had a problem taking orders from him. He looked at them all briefly and then headed out of the cellar.

  Just as he was heading up the stairs and out of sight they heard a shot fired quite close. Melissa and Rosanna jumped back with startled cries. The two guys stood in front of them as Captain Lancer fell down the stairs, followed by Sergeant Jones. She held an automatic rifle at her hip and stood at the bottom of the steps, keeping it trained on the captain. He was holding his shoulder and blood was oozing out between his fingers. His face was full of rage as he stared at his former soldier. Melissa felt herself trembling and her heart was thudding in her ears.

  “Sorry Captain, but I knew you would bring them down here as soon as danger threatened,” she smiled softly as she looked over at Rosanna and Melissa.

  “I got here before you did Ambassador. I knew you would come to this place as soon as you disappeared on me. You were worried about being disgraced, now you have to be dead too. Father would be pleased,” she said tightening her grip on her weapon. Melissa found some courage within her. She stepped in front of the ambassador next to Cardel, who was snarling at the armed woman. Cardel put his arm out to keep her from going further.

  “Look, I don’t know why you are doing this Jones. Bitter maybe, washing out. I don’t care. You just said the ambassador had to die. What do you think is going to happen to you? There is no way you will be getting off planet alive even if you kill all of us. You are a dead woman, you walking dumb ass! Has it occurred to you that…” she was cut off.

  “You are stalling Assistant Mac. Nothing will stop me from getting revenge for my father and I am glad you will die not knowing. You have disgraced Earth as much as the cowering woman behind you,” she said and her voice had scaled up into what sounded like hysterics. She began raising the gun and they all heard someone shout.

  “Have some soup!” A metal pot flew through the air from the stairwell and hit Jones in the back of the head. There was a loud clang and she dropped. Hitting the ground as fast as the pot did. Lenah and Daria walked out of the stair entrance shaking their heads.

  “I offered her soup, she is very rude,” Daria said. Melissa felt her knees begin to give way and Cardel quickly put his arm around her to keep her from falling in a faint. It was a close thing.

  *****

  “So Jones was holding onto that hate for all these years because of her father?” Melissa asked. The captain sighed.

  “Yeah. Her old man was on a mission to Eclabar, Rosanna’s first off planet mission. She was credited for stopping a war, and that made her career. Unfortunately, her assistant was doing things he should not have and it was he that had precipitated the hostilities. Rosanna covered it up and it kept Josiah Jones-Stark out of jail, but he lost his career over it. He apparently told his teenage daughter stories and when she got a chance to get on ambassadorial duty she took it. Hoping for a chance at revenge. The whole separatist thing was her way of getting recruits. That all those people, ours and theirs, died over that nonsense is such a waste,” he said sadly.

  Melissa knew her friend was feeling guilty that one of his people was behind the whole thing. She poured him some of the Ilona wine.

  “It is not your fault Lancer. Everyone acknowledges that. You could not have known. Rosanna did not recognize her and she knew Jones’s father. If you want to worry about something, worry about me! I am out of a job and have no reason to stay on Ilona. What the hell am I going to do? You at least get to stay,” she told him with an intentionally whiney tone to her voice. He smiled slightly and cocked his head at her.

  “You don’t have to go anywhere Mac. You have friends here and I am certain finding you something to do will not be hard. Or you could be a lady of leisure. You have several gentlemen who would love to keep you home with them,” he teased her and she blushed slightly.

  “He is right you know,” Fonte said coming out to the porch with Cardel. They were followed by Lenah and Daria carrying food.

  “I wouldn’t worry about it Melissa. I am still of the opinion that you will be made the next ambassador,” Cardel said. The captain chuckled. He knew as well as she did that would never happen. Not with the way their government worked. They all began eating and she insisted Lenah and Daria join them. Staff members or not, they deserved to have some fun too. She leaned against Cardel as they stood around with plates in their hands, discussing the fallout from two days past.

  “So Ambassador Rosanna has taken ship back to the Home Office with Jones, and admitted to all wrong doings recent and past. I expect her career is over. So when do you think they will send another one?” Fonte asked the captain.

  “I am told that decision is already made although not who it is. I have been given the opportunity to stay on planet here and continue with guarding the embassy personnel. I discussed it with my people and we all decided to stay. Otherwise our friends died for nothing,” he said and Fonte nodded and patted his shoulder.

  Melissa knew Lancer would do well on Ilona. She was trying to enjoy the festivities but her future was still uncertain. Sure, she thought she could stay, in fact she very much wanted to. She just could not fathom being unemployed. She never had been and she only knew how to do one thing. It was the only training she had. She saw Liaison Mistally enter and waved to her. She strode over and stood next to Lancer. Melissa she smiled at the way he looked at her. The woman was good looking to be sure. Bright yellow hair with purple eyes dressed in a purple top that barely restrained her breasts and shorts that covered the same amount of her rear and hips. Her muscular body was tan and she was as tall as the human soldier. Melissa was feeling very native dressed in clothes similar to Mistally’s. She had decided why the hell not. She did have a short skirt over her red shorts, but thought she looked pretty good and her boyfriends seemed to like it too.

  “So have I missed anything?” Mistally asked.

  “We were discussing how the best bet for Melissa is as the new ambassador. She does not think it will happen. I think the king will want to make that happen,” Lenah said.

  “And you would be correct dear Lenah,” said the voice of the king as he walked onto the porch. Melissa froze in shock.

  “Unfortunately the Earth Federation Council is not going to do it. It will be thirty days or so before they send another one. They assure me it will happen and our trade people are already in contact with Earth’s. I have another offer for you Melissa. I would imagine you have been worried about your future,” he said with a smile. Everyone got very quiet and it took a moment before she could find her voice.

  “Your Majesty?” was all she could come out with.

  “I have decided and been advised that I will need another advisor. We are considering several new alliances and embassies and I will need some input from many people. I would like you to be one of them,” he said with a bow. She remembered making a joke to Lancer about being an advisor to the king. She saw him smirk and knew he remembered it.

  “An advisor Your Grace?” she asked.

  “Indeed. I will need you to also, between now and when your new Earth ambassador arrives, to becoming fully acquainted with Ilona culture to help them have an easier time adjusting. Also, if you would be so inclined, I will need you to go over several files of information on other worlds and customs. It is so you can advise me and mine on good ways to deal with them. I realize it is not the post you are used to,” he gestured around at the villa, “but it is not an uncomfortable place to call home,” he finished. She stood in surprise. Live here in the villa? Advise the king? Stay on Ilona! With the boys! She felt a smile
come over her face and her body relax. Cardel chuckled softly and she elbowed him which caused everyone to laugh.

  “I would be honored Your Grace. I will do my best to serve your needs,” the king nodded as Lenah handed him a drink.

  “That is how Ilona takes care of each other,” he said and raised his glass.

  THE END

  Bonus Story 3/40

  Protected by My Hero

  He is coming.

  I am huddled behind the largest tree I can find. I’m shivering though I know it’s not from the cold. As I crouch down as near to the ground as I can get, I see puffs of white breath float on the air in front of me. A sudden fear comes over me. It’s a strange and irrational fear, but a fear nonetheless. What if he can see my breath? What if these little puffs of air are giving me away?

  I put my hand over my mouth to keep myself from breathing. Keep myself from screaming.

  I can hear his breathing. It is dark and heavy and, though he is not near enough to me now, I know that it smells rancid.

  I didn’t mean for it to happen. No one believes me when I say that, not even my dad, but it’s the truth. I didn’t mean to fall in love with my stepbrother.

  It’s true, I’d always thought he was hot. Ever since I met him when I was only thirteen. He was a tall, well-muscled sixteen-year-old who played football. Mike had dark hair that occasionally flopped into his bright blue eyes and a smile that could melt your heart. I don’t think there was a thirteen-year-old girl alive who wouldn’t have developed a little crush on him.

  But, when my Dad married Mike’s Mom a year later, it became clear that he intended to treat me as nothing more than a little sister. He taught me how to throw a football, gave me advice on boys and even introduced me as his little stepsister to his friends while fondly ruffling my hair.

  So, that’s all I thought I’d ever be. As time went by, I grew out of my chubby awkward phase, and came to appreciate my curves and wear them well. Mike grew up too and became a Navy SEAL. I slowly put my thoughts about us ever being together aside.

  But, that all changed when I got the package.

  It came for me when both Mike and I were home for Thanksgiving.

  We’d just sat down to a huge turkey dinner made by Mike’s mom when the doorbell rang.

  “I’ll get it,” my dad said. He stopped at the front door and I followed Mike and Linda, my step mom into the kitchen. He was gone less than two minutes before joining us in the kitchen.

  “Sabrina, there’s a package for you,” he said, “I put it on the table in the entry hall

  “Who delivers on Thanksgiving?” I asked, feeling more than a bit curious.

  “I don’t know,” Dad said, “there was no one there when I opened the door. Just a package sitting on the front step.”

  “I’ll go take a look at it,” I said standing from the table.

  “Sabrina, don’t you think it can wait until after dinner,” Linda said with a hint of impatience. I was too curious to wait. I hadn’t received a package at my dad’s house since I’d lived there in high school.

  “I’ll be right back, I promise,” I said. And, with that, I moved quickly to the entrance way.

  Just as dad had promised, the package lay on the small end table by the front door. It was covered in plain brown paper. The wrapping was neat, almost immaculate.

  A feeling of intense unease came over me as I cautiously picked it up.

  My name: Sabrina Bellsmith was indeed written in sharp bold letters on the outside of the package just above my parents’ address.

  I looked to the right-hand corner, but there was no return address and no indication of who might have sent it.

  Taking the package in hand, I stepped back inside, closing the door behind me.

  With my heart pounding in my chest, I decided it was best to open it here rather than at the dinner table.

  Cautiously, I picked the package up and ripped it open. Inside was a small, plain wooden box. My name was, again, written in bold letters on the top.

  When I opened this box, my heart caught in my throat.

  I was looking at over fifty pictures of myself. But, they were not pictures I remembered having taken nor were they pictures I wanted to have taken.

  They were pictures of me on my way to school in Manhattan, pictures of me on the subway, taken through the window of restaurants where I was eating dinner. I flipped through all of them with a growing amount of dread. When I finally reached the last one, I felt my entire body froze.

  It was a picture of me in my bedroom completely naked. There was a piece of paper underneath this last picture but, I didn’t dare look at it.

  Instead, I let out a loud gasp and dropped the box. This sent my Dad rushing from the table to me, immediately followed by Mike and my stepmother, Linda.

  “Sweetheart, what is it?” Dad asked, immediately putting his arm around me. I found that I could do nothing but point with a shaking finger to the package I had received.

  To my surprise, it was Mike who boldly stepped forward and picked up the box while Dad kept his arm firmly around my shoulders and Linda lingered in the background.

  I watched as Mike flipped through the pictures an increasing amount of shock and something like rage darkening his face with each one. When he finally reached the last one, the one that made me drop the box, his face colored for one moment with something other than rage. It looked as though he was blushing. A moment later, I saw his free hand curl into a fist, anger once again present.

  “Sabrina,” he said with a quiet growl that I knew spelled danger for someone, “do you have any idea who took these?”

  He looked up at me sharply as I shook my head ‘no’. Then I remembered…

  “There’s a note,” I told him shakily, “at the bottom of the box. I didn’t read it.”

  Immediately, Mike bent towards the box still on the ground and picked up the note.

  As he read it, his face turned from red to pale as the blood seemed to drain out of him. It was a look I had never seen my stepbrother wear.

  “Mike?” Linda asked stepping forward hesitantly. “What does it say.”

  Mike didn’t answer but silently handed the note to his mother before turning away from all of us and running one hand over his face.

  Linda looked at the note and read aloud:

  “Tell your brother I said ‘hi’. It’s signed J,” she said.

  “Mike?” Dad asked, his arm still clutched protectively around me, “do you know someone that would do this?”

  It was a long, silent moment before Mike turned to face us.

  “Yeah,” he answered finally, “I think I do.”

  *****

  We sat back at the table, the front door firmly locked behind us, intermittently nibbling at our turkey. Mike told us about the mysterious ‘J’.

  His name was James McBride. Mike had testified at his trial three years earlier. James had been a fellow SEAL. According to Mike, he’d always had a temper and a certain contempt for women. One night at a bar, James had begged for Mike’s help with a woman he’d raped and nearly choked to death. Mike had agreed to drive the woman to the hospital and stayed to make sure that she was taken care of.

  In the morning despite protest, begging and even threats from James, Mike reported the incident to his superior officers.

  “But, I thought he’d been put away,” Linda said, “I thought he’d been convicted.”

  “He was,” Mike said, “he only got a year and probation.”

  “Wait,” I said slowly abandoning the now cold mashed potatoes on my plate, “why is this the first time I’m hearing about any of this?”

  Dad and Mike shared a cautious look across the table before Dad turned to me and said:

  “I asked Mike if we should talk to you about it,” he said, “but Mike said he didn’t want to worry you.”

  “Why would I have been worried then?” I asked. The idea that my stepbrother was testifying in a major trial would have excited m
e more than anything else. Indeed, as the story was told, I couldn’t help but feel proud of Mike for doing what was right. Even now that I knew what had come of it.

  “Well,” Dad continued with another cautious look at Mike, “you’d just started college and you had a lot going on…” Dad trailed off. I could tell there was something he wasn’t telling me.

  I looked to Mike who glanced at me then raised an eyebrow at my dad as though he was encouraging him to continue.

  “Also, this guy, McBride he...he made some...threats,” Dad said slowly.

  “I thought he was bluffing,” Mike interjected, “James was always talking shit. I thought he was full of it.”

  “Threats about me?” I asked, surprised that any of Mike’s Navy SEAL buddies would even know I existed.

  “Not directly,” Mike said. “He just said I had some pretty girls in my life and I should make sure to look after them.”

  My heart started pounding in my chest. But, it was not only fear that made it beat a quick rhythm this time. It was also anger mixed with frustration. This guy, this stalker, had been a possible threat for over a year? I’d been walking around Manhattan, to my apartment in Brooklyn sometimes at night and the entire time, I’d been completely unaware that someone could be following me.

  “So, let me get this straight,” I said fiercely. “This guy makes a threat about ‘women in your life’ and you don’t even think to tell me about it?”

  “Honey, we did talk about it,” Dad said, but I ignored him and looked straight at Mike. That, I knew was where my anger should be directed.

  “Sabrina,” he said plaintively, “I told you, I was sure he was bluffing.”

  “How about now?” I spat back.

  Something in my mind told me that I should lay off. Looking at Mike who was running another hand over his face, I could tell that he was beating himself up over this more than I ever could. But, somehow, I couldn’t let it go.

  Beyond the rage of not being told, of being treated like a child was a niggling fear that when James McBride had spoken about ‘women’, Mike didn’t think he meant me.