Blake left her room and walked onto the Bridge. “Why didn’t we avoid it Maggie?”
“It is not a danger to us and avoiding it would have cost us in time and fuel.” Sometimes Blake hated the logic of the AI. “General Angr is hailing you.”
Blake bet he was. “Open communications.”
“What the hell is going on Blake. Are we under fire?”
“Maggie give me firing options and scan that ship.”
“Affirmative.
“General we are under fire. Thank you for noticing. Nothing to worry about. A fly that needs swotting nothing more. We out match them and they are causing no damage.” The ship rocked again as an explosion hit the side of the ship.
“Seriously,” Angr roared. “That’s your explanation? I need to get on the Bridge and help deal with this.” He shouted at her.
Blake sighed. Over protective male. “Maggie provide visual in the recreation area for General Angr. I have this handled General. It’s not my first encounter and I expect it won’t be my last. However, in the unusual event that we do have boarders, do make yourself useful.” She cut him off.
Angr roared. Make himself useful? Did she just bloody say that? He exited his bunk half dressed and ran into the rec room. Dare and Reve were already there. Kim came in yawning behind him. “We under attack?” Kim asked sleepily taking a seat in front of the vid screen.
“Yes.” He hissed. “And she won’t let me on the Bridge. That fucking female is going to get us killed.” Kim reached out and touched his arm. Angr calmed instantly.
“This is her living. You need to deal with that and let her do her job.” Angr was close to throwing Kim off and getting a cutting arm to break through the doorway to the Bridge. “Believe in her, before you do something you cannot take back.” Angr swallowed it was sound advice, even if it killed him not to go to her.
“Maggie what do we have?” Blake asked.
“Older transport ship. It looks to have been refitted. Speed does not match ours. Weapons are useful but not against us. Scans indicate 38 life signs. 35 Are male and spread throughout the ship. Mainly in Bridge and engineering, however one is in the area where the females are. The female’s life signs are poor. They appear to be in a holding area.”
Slaves. Blake hissed. Pirates. They were dead men.
A coldness came over Blake. “Hail the ship.”
“Communications open.”
“This is The Buccaneer Retriever. Stand down and send me your slaves. They will be payment for your audacity.” Blake called out.
Angr looked at the visual and could hear what Blake was saying. Angr had to give it to her. She commanded. He wondered how she knew they had slaves?
The laugh on the other end told Blake all she needed to know. She left comms open. “Maggie please repeat how many men are on that ship and their deployment.”
Maggie did and the laughter stopped. There was silence now on the other end.
“Their armament?” Blake asked Maggie.
Maggie listed the weapons.
“What would it take for us to blow them away, permanently?”
Maggie listed two well place missiles. There was deadly silence from the other ship.
Blake made sure her voice was nothing but steel. “Now that I have your attention. I have to say, I am well tempted to do just that. You pissed me off. Your attitude stinks. However, you have not harmed me or my ship and this is nothing but an annoyance. I’m feeling generous. You will put those three females in a shuttle and send them to me. Now. And I suggest, you do not try my patience.”
“What’s to stop you blowing us up after the females are gone?” The laughter guy now sounded angry.
“I’m sorry, was I not clear? This is not a negotiation dick wad. Maggie give me firing options please.”
“Now wait. I didn’t mean to cause offense. I just want to protect my men. You can understand that.” He told her. Blake already hated the sound of the male’s voice.
“O I do understand that. But what you fail to realise is, I don’t give a shit. We both know that had my ship been weaker than yours, you’d be hell bent on taking me and my ship. And I’m sure my reception, would not be one I’d want to live through. Cos you’re not men but fucking idiots. I don’t know those females, I don’t know you. They happen to be on your ship and I can take them from you. I really do not care either way.”
Blake could hear a number of commands being given over the comm on the other ship. “I’m sending them over.” Mr laughter’s voice scowled.
“Wise choice.” Blake indicated that Maggie should cut off communications to the ship.
“General we have three incoming females, they were in a holding cell. I would appreciate your help in this matter. I am activating medical. Their life signs are poor and I expect they have been abused. This looks like a pirate ship. It is on the boarder of your space. Your orders?”
“Once the females are on board blow it.” Blake smiled. She liked this male.
“Acknowledged.”
“The females are on board the shuttle heading our way. The ship is moving off.” Maggie told her.
“Fire and destroy just before it is out of range. Send the information to General Angr.”
“Affirmative.” Blake shut off comms and sat back in her chair. Those women. What they had suffered at the hands of those men, might be more than they can handle. She’d seen women broken beyond repair. A memory of her mother fleeted across her mind. It was always there. No matter how she tried they never left her for good. She wouldn’t be able to stay in here now. Those women will need females to help them. It wasn’t fair to leave it to Kim. Fuck. It looked like a change of tact was gonna be needed.
“Maggie release the shut down on the corridor access to the Bridge. No one is authorised but me to utilise any equipment in here. Cut access to my personal quarters unless I am present. Monitor all access and provide vid and audio recordings.” She doubted that Angr would be able to stay away. A sour taste hit her, she didn’t like sharing her space. She had a feeling he was going to be very nosy. He did after all, like to be in control and she was now giving him free reign. It was a mistake, she knew it. So why did her body tingle at the thought of Angr looking at her things, touching her things, handling her things? Her clit pulsed. O yeah, this was a very bad idea …
As Blake left the Bridge her comms told her the shuttle’s systems had been taken over by Maggie and was heading for docking. She continued on her way with some trepidation. She’d left her image generator behind. There was no point now. Her professional anonymity in this situation was over. It grated. She’d worked dam hard for it.
***
Angr watched the shuttle dock. The shuttle door automatically opened. They had weapons ready in case of a stowaway but no one came out. “Maggie life signs on the shuttle?” He asked.
“There are three General. I believe they will need assistance to leave the ship.”
The doors behind him opened. He was sure his heart stopped, the image of a goddess walked in. She had the description that Kim had given them on the Space Station and his memory recall of their night together, told him who this was but it was her face that captivated him. Sharp cheekbones and piercing blue eyes full of intelligence. She was everything he could have wished for. “Hay Blake,” Kim called, “you here to help?”
Blake. A strong name for a worthy female. She looked them all over, hesitating on him for a second. He felt the centre of the universe shift. She looked back to Kim and smiled. “Dam right girl. They need our help.”
Blake walked over to Kim. “It should be us. The males might scare them.”
“Agreed. Let’s do this.” Blake moved with Kim to the open doorway and stepped up. She thought she’d been prepared for what she was going to see but the minute she saw them, she knew she wasn’t. Two women were on stretchers on the floor. Their clothing torn to shreds, barely covering them. One was in a chair. They were all badly battered. The one in her chair moved slightly an
d held her arm and grimaced, looking over at them.
“Please we cannot deal with any more. Sarah was with them the longest, I don’t know how she survived.” She pleaded. Blake’s anger hit her hard. Kim moved over to one of the women on the floor. She looked like she was passed out. “We’re here to help.” Blake told them. “Your free. I have men who are good men who are on this ship with us. They can help us get you to medical. You will not be harmed on here. You have my word. This is my ship. Will you let them help you?”
The woman looked down at her two companions and nodded. “Them first.” Blake turned and looked out the shuttle at Angr. “I will need you to help them get to medical. I need three blankets first and some water.” Angr nodded to Dare and he ran out the docking bay. He came back quickly with what she’d asked for and gave it to Angr to bring forward. He walked over quickly staying out of the way of the open door and handed the things to her. “Give me a few minutes to cover the females then we’ll pass you them to you one at a time.”
Angr could hear the soothing words of Kim and Blake used, trying to comfort the females, giving them water and the rustling of the blankets. Then movement, and they came to the open doorway a female on a stretcher between them.
Take the stretcher and take her to medical. Put her in the med bed. One of you stay with her. He told Reve and Dare over his neuro net.
They took the stretcher and moved off. Kim and Blake went back inside the shuttle. He could distinguish four voices now. Two were very weak. Kim and Blake were using soothing and reassuring words. There was some shuffling and they were moving back towards the open door as Reve came back in. He and Angr moved forward.
They took the stretcher from them and walked towards medical. Kim followed with him holding the females hand offering more reassurances. Blakes voice came from behind them. She was supporting the other female to walk slowly. He glanced down at the woman he was carrying and hardened his resolve. How could a male do this? He would never understand abusing something so precious. It made no sense to him. Females were fragile. They were the future. They were life. They were home. They meant everything.
“Blake firing in 5,4,3,2,1. Weapons hot.” Maggie’s voice rang out.
Blake gently lifted the female higher. “Are we under attack?” The woman asked and froze. “No. I’m killing those bastards.”
The female moved again. “How’s that possible you are here?”
Blake smiled and helped her along. “I have Maggie and she is very good at her job.”
The female looked around her. “Thank you Maggie. Kill the fuckers.” The female called out.
“Affirmative.”
Angr heard the conversation and his system registered relief knowing that the other ship was being fired upon. They laid the stretcher down in the med bay and walked back giving the females some distance. Dare joined them. The sooner that ship was gone, the sooner the women on this ship would be safe.
“Ship destroyed, no survivors.” Maggie told them over the ships systems. Angr let out a breath he didn’t know he was holding. She was indeed very good at her job, he decided. A smile crept across his face.
“Maggie?”
“Yes General?”
“I would very much like to know you better. Connecting to my neuro net would aid us both in understanding.” He told her.
“Denied.” Angr fought back a smile, he wasn’t surprised, it just wasn’t in him not to try.
Blake had heard the General. He didn’t give up. She only had one med bed. For the first time Blake thought she needed at least three. If this happened again she needed to be prepared. The female passed out had the worst injuries, she’d been Sarah, and already in the holding cell when the other two arrived. She’d been terribly abused. It was going to take a while. Blake moved forward and engaged the med bed to do its assessment. In the meantime, Angr and his men had made sure the females had make shift beds, good food and clean water, more blankets and were comfortable.
Blake and Kim aided the other two women in being clean and helped them change into new clothing. There had been plenty on board. She always had a stock of standard clothing. Rest and being clean would have to surface, they could deal with minor abrasions, the rest, needed the med bed. The woman that had been awake and sitting, had a broken arm in several places. That hadn’t stopped her being raped. Repeatedly. Blake had given her pain killers and set the arm as best she could. It wasn’t enough but until the med bed was finished with its first occupant, it was all they could do. Blake took first watch.
They’d be at their destination in two days. If the females made it to there, they stood a good chance of survival. Recovery she knew, was another matter entirely.
***
The minute she stirred, she realised she’d fallen asleep and woke fully with a start looking around. The women all seemed to be sleeping. She got up and walked over to the med bed. The countdown was now down to just under four hours. That was good. They would be able to get the other female in who was on a stretcher before they got to Srellic Three.
“You need more rest.” Blake turned towards the voice.
“How long have you been there?” She hadn’t heard him come in.
“You were falling into sleep mode. I was monitoring the vid screen and came in. The females may have needed something.”
Blake felt she’d let them down and he’d just laboured the point. That pissed her off. She didn’t need the reminder.
“You stalking me General? Cos I gotta tell you, the last male to do that, ended up dead.” The General stood from the chair in the shadows.
“Good, otherwise I’d have to find him and kill him slowly.” He told her with a cold sense of calm. She had no doubt he meant it. A warm sensation crept across her chest. “I was not insulting you female. I was stating a fact. You are better than many humans. You evaded Cyborgs and out witted us, that is no small feat but, you push yourself hard and your body is human.”
Blake wanted to shout and tell him to fuck off, but she knew it was true. She hadn’t had much sleep in the past 72 hours. Some of that was because of this male. Her body pulsed at the memories surfacing her mind. The General stared at her for a moment then breathed in. Blake could have sworn his eyes flared in the darkness of the room. “I can smell your desire for me female.” Shit. That was embarrassing. She needed to cut that off.
“Yeah well, it’s a poor impulse thing, I like big and deadly. I’d react the same to a new laser rail gun.” She’d looked at the engagement logs while on first watch and realised she could do with some more fire power. It had been on her mind all night. She watched as he took a step forward into the light and stop. She could have sworn she saw a glimmer of a smile across his face. It made him …… human. Her nipples pearled. Dam it.
He shook his head slowly. She was …….. what did Kim call it? O yeah, ‘poking the bear’. “You are trying to deflect me. It will not work. I have felt you, tasted you, fucked you female. I know who you are and what you need and that is me. But, if you wish this new rail gun, I will buy it for you.” Blake looked up at him in surprise. He’d said that like he meant it and like it was nothing.
Blake’s body reacted to his offer. She felt hot. Had he just offered to buy her a new ship rail gun? She couldn’t remember the last time someone offered to buy her anything. Her own family didn’t do that. She had to earn it, like everyone else in the Company. She was sorely tempted to take it. They were not cheap and she could do with a couple more …. her mind wandered over all the possibilities, the contracts she could take, the look on her father’s face when he saw it. It was too good. Then it all came to a crashing stop. She pursed her lips and narrowed her eyes at him. “What’s it gonna cost me?” If there was one thing she knew, nothing was free in this world.
He continued to stare at her. Blake refused to be bowed by that look and relaxed her stance as if she couldn’t really care, and picked at an invisible burr on her nail. He started to walk towards her. All dominance. All male. He stopped
inches from her and slowly raised his hand. Blake followed its movement. He was so tall compared with her. He slowly ran a thumb down her cheek. So gently. His touch unnerving her. She looked up into his eyes. He held them and smiled. “Something precious and rare.” He told her then turned and walked away. Shit. She hadn’t seen that coming. Had she?
***
Angr had badly wanted to kiss her, hold her and bury his cock in her but even he knew it wasn’t the time or place. He’d walked away while he could, before he’d done something rash. Something un-Cyborg. His logic was failing. His emotions were erratic. One thing was crystal clear. He needed this female. Angr frowned. A Cyborg needed no one. He had his brothers. Was there a difference between want and need?
For once, he logic didn’t have the answer, just more questions.
***
Kim arrived as the med bed chimed it was finished. They both worked at moving the still unconscious female to a spare bed and dressing her, then put in the other semi-conscious female who needed its help, re-setting the parameters for diagnostic and treatment. Blake knew the sleep element the med bed gave its patient, would wear off in a couple of hours allowing the woman they’d removed to slowly come too. She told Kim what would happen, then headed to her bunk.
“Maggie how we doing?” She asked, Angr had been right she was tired.
“The ship is working at optimum. All systems functional. The General is on the Bridge. He has no access but appears to be content to just sit in your chair.” Blake huffed as she made her way to her rooms as quietly as possible. That male seriously annoyed her. Content to just sit in her chair? She doubted that. Blake moved into the connecting corridor to her room and avoided the Bridge. Keeping her steps light, she engaged the entry pad on her bunk and soundlessly walked in.
Galactic Cyborg Heat Series Book Bundle 1-4 Page 43
