by Susan Hayes
“First, we have to talk to Tyran. This isn’t part of his plan.”
“I know. That’s what’s worries me.”
Braxon winked at her. “We’ll find a way to convince him. That’s our job.”
She let herself relax again, but in her heart, she still harbored doubts. It felt as if Tyran only listened to her when they were in agreement. What if he didn’t want the cyborgs as part of the colony? Would he refuse her? Ignore her? If he did, could she forgive him? She wasn’t sure she could.
Chapter Eleven
Tyran paced the length of the meeting room, trying to relieve some of his agitation. After the meetings were done today, he intended to contact the cyborg siblings that owned the Nova Club and ask if he could use their training area. He needed an outlet for his energy, and not even sex with Phaedra was enough to take the edge off anymore. It wasn’t just the sharhal bothering him. His frustration had several causes.
The meeting the night before had been a waste of his time. Tadeus and Raymond had talked a great deal, but they had offered nothing tangible. It was clear they were testing to see if he could be convinced to make side deals not part of the negotiations, and they weren’t subtle about it. Not even Archer’s presence had deterred them, and by the time the dinner was over he wished he’d declined the invitation and stayed on the Santar.
When he had finally gotten back, Braxon and Phaedra were waiting for him. Once he learned about River and the other cyborgs, the ones no one wanted, he had even more regrets. The two of them had made plans without him and approached him as a united front. It was good to see them working together, but it made him feel as if he was on the outside of what was supposed to be an equal relationship. Still, their plan was solid, and for once, someone else had done the work for him. All he had to do was agree. It was exactly what he wanted; the three of them sharing the work, but he didn’t like being excluded.
Neha had been in contact again, too. He had spent too much of his precious time standing and listening to his sister, waiting for her to figure out the answers on her own, so he could return to Braxon and Phaedra.
The only good thing he had accomplished was to talk Colonel Archer into inviting River to the next round of negotiations. She’d be arriving at the Santar soon, and they’d have time for introductions and a brief planning session before heading to Astek headquarters. It would be rushed, but at least she would have a seat at the table.
Phaedra arrived, and his mood lightened the moment she smiled in greeting. She was dressed in the fashion of his people again, this time in a deep green top trimmed in black. She’d braided her hair back today, showing off the long lines of her neck. “That color suits you.”
“I thought today I’d try to wear something other than black. This is one of the colors of the Imperial family, right?”
“It is. You honor me by wearing it.”
“I thought today might be a good time to remind everyone whose side I’m on.” Her expression was as fierce as any warrior headed into battle as she crossed the room and stood on her toes to kiss him.
“You’re expecting more trouble?”
“You’re going to learn, my mahoyen, that when I’m involved, there’s almost always trouble.”
It was the first time she had called him her mate. A surge of happiness and hope replaced his frustration, and he laughed as he kissed her. “You are worth any amount of trouble.”
For a moment, he forgot about the multitude of challenges and pressures they were facing. She was what mattered most, and he was determined to prove it to her. She was pressed against him, her hands on his bare chest. That simple touch made him wish they had time to strip down and make love again. He nipped at her lower lip, and when she opened her mouth he slipped his tongue inside.
“Our guest will be here any moment. Is this how you wish to greet her?” Braxon’s amused query made them both groan in frustration.
“She’s already uneasy about meeting the two of you, so, probably not a good idea.” Phae removed her hands and gave him a lopsided smile. “We’ll revisit this conversation later.”
“Yes, we will.” Tyran released her, then helped to straighten her clothes before rearranging his own. “Why is she uneasy about us? You didn’t mention this before.”
“I told you, she’s wary of everyone. After what she’s survived, that’s not a surprise. I just forgot to mention that the first time she saw you two, you were trying to knock each other senseless during that little sparring demonstration at the Nova Club.”
“Then she also saw me save your life.”
“No, she missed that bit. Once the violence started, she couldn’t watch. She doesn’t talk about it much, but while she was on Reamus station I think she had to watch her friends fight each other, and they didn’t stop at first blood.”
Even after hearing Phaedra’s stories and seeing vids and images of what she’d seen, it was hard to believe such cruelty existed. It was harder still to understand why no one wanted to help them. After all they’d been through, they deserved to find peace.
“What can we do to put her at ease?” Braxon asked.
“Be yourselves. She’s a cyborg, so she can read body language incredibly well. Mostly, she’ll need time. She’s barely warmed up to me and I’ve known her for weeks.”
“We don’t have weeks,” he reminded her.
“No, but considering that if these talks go well, you’ll have helped her find a home for herself and the others, I think you might have an advantage.” She placed a hand on both his and Braxon’s chests. “Thank you again for agreeing to this. This is important to me.”
The moment was interrupted by the chime of Phaedra’s comm device. She pulled it out and read the incoming message with a smile. “She’s on her way and requests that I meet her since the guards are giving her grumpy looks.”
“We’ll meet her together,” he and Braxon spoke in near perfect unison.
“When you’re both in sync, that’s a sure sign I shouldn’t bother arguing, isn’t it?”
“Yes, it is.” He held out his hand to her. “Let’s go meet River.”
“When Phaedra said you wanted to invite the survivors from Reamus station to join your colony, I didn’t believe her at first. This is an incredible offer. Thank you.” River said in Galactic Standard. She hadn’t said more than hello until they had returned to the ship, but the moment the doors closed, she seemed to relax a little. No doubt because the guards were no longer watching her with suspicion.
“You’re welcome,” Tyran said, while both Braxon and Phaedra nodded in agreement.
She glanced at Phaedra, her dark eyes still shadowed with worry. “And we’ll be free, right?”
“Everyone will be equal citizens on whatever planet we manage to talk that bunch of corporate blowhards into giving us. There’s still a lot we’ll need to figure out, but we can work on that after the colony is a sure thing,” Phaedra assured her.
Phae was almost bouncing with excitement as she spoke to River. She was so happy she glowed as she gestured and described some of the ideas she’d already talked over with himself and Braxon. Seeing her like this made him even more determined to make the colony work. Not just for his people, but for River’s.
“And I’m really invited to the negotiations?” River asked.
“I spoke to Colonel Archer myself and confirmed everything. You will be our guest, but you will also be the official representative for your people.”
River’s expression softened. “Thank you so much.”
“Don’t thank us, yet.” Phaedra warned her. “A few hours from now you’re going to be wondering what you agreed to and how soon it will end. You have no idea how much these corporate types can talk.”
Phaedra continued to update River on what had happened so far, and what their plans were. Tyran glanced over at Braxon, who was looking at their mate with adoration and pride. He knew exactly how the other male felt.
“Our ancestors chose well for us,” he sa
id, pitching his voice low to avoid interrupting Phaedra.
“They did, my friend. And to think, when I first saw her, I wondered how one so tiny could possibly be our mate.”
Tyr stifled a chuckle. “And now?”
“Now I cannot imagine our life with any other female.”
The two crossed arms and grinned at each other. “Neither can I.”
The second day of negotiations started out much pleasanter than the previous morning. No one challenged her right to be there. The officious man from yesterday was nowhere to be seen, and there was no sign of the palm scanner. No one questioned River’s presence, either. It gave her hope.
While she was getting settled a familiar voice came from behind her. “Can I get you anything to drink, Phae? They’ve got real orange juice! I’ve never even tried it before. It’s delicious.”
“Echo?” She turned around to see one of the cyborgs from the Nova Club standing behind her. She was dressed in a black vest and pants, and her shirt had old-fashioned buttons with sleeves long enough to cover the barcode on her wrist, and she had a white towel of some kind draped over one arm. “What the veth are you doing here, and why are you dressed like a penguin?”
The tall, statuesque blonde gestured around her. “I work here sometimes. As for the uniform, it came with the job.”
“I thought you worked at the Nova?”
“I do. This is just a part-time thing when they need extra staff. Mostly for events like these. I spent every bit of scrip I had to get here to see Dr. Jefferies and get her to undo the fertility blocker. As you’ve probably noticed, this isn’t a cheap place to live. I have a few side jobs to help refill my wallet.”
Echo’s gaze drifted to River, and her eyes widened in surprise. “You got her a seat at the table?”
“We did.”
“Great. Though I confess I’m amazed you got her out of her room.” One of the corporate reps waved at her, and Echo sighed. “And now I’m back on the clock. I’ll bring you that orange juice in a minute.”
True to her word, Echo reappeared a few minutes later and delivered a glass of juice to everyone, starting with Phaedra. There was no time to enjoy the exotic treat, though. She barely had time to take a sip before Archer brought the meeting to order. He started by updating everyone on the investigation into Dennis Davidson’s murder, and then added that Corp-Sec was now looking into several other recent deaths that could be related.
The second he stopped speaking, the room erupted into a cacophony of voices. Accusations flew, angry words were exchanged, and several attendees started looking around them like frightened animals seeking escape. Concerned about River, she looked over to find the cyborg female staring blankly forward, her hands curled into fists on the table in front of her.
There was no way to be heard over the chaos, so instead of trying to speak to River, she sent a subvocal message to Tyran, who was sitting next to the cyborg. “Check on River, please.”
“Of course.” Tyr turned to River and after a few seconds she turned and offered Phaedra a weak smile accompanied by a tiny nod.
“Enough!’ Archer’s booming voice filled the room, finally restoring a semblance of order.
“Why weren’t we informed before now? What else are you hiding?” Raymond Gunns, the representative from Torex, blustered.
Archer rose from his chair. “No one is hiding anything. In case you’ve forgotten, Corp-Sec is, as the name suggests, a corporate entity, not a military one. As they become aware of the facts, that information is being conveyed to your superiors as well as the IAF. I can tell you that if these other deaths are linked to current events, Nova Force will be called in to take over the investigation.”
There were grumblings all over the room at that bit of news, though it shouldn’t have come as a surprise. The rumors about Nova Force permanently stationing one of their teams to the Drift had been circulating since Erik’s team had arrived.
“You people are taking over,” Tadeus muttered. Unfortunately for him, there was a lull in the conversation right at that moment, and his comment was heard by everyone around him, including the colonel.
“We’re taking over because you people can’t stop breaking Galactic Law. The list of crimes being committed by the corporations keeps getting longer.” Archer glanced at River. “Which brings me to my next point. The Vardarian delegation has added a new member. River will be representing the cyborgs recently recovered from Reamus Station. I’m sure you’re all aware of the pertinent details of that mission.”
“I thought all the cyborgs you recovered were placed in cryo-sleep because they’re too dangerous to be around normal people? Why is she here? Are we safe?” The Bellex rep, Nadira Finn, was looking at River like she was going to leap across the table and tear her to shreds.
River answered, her voice flat and emotionless at first, but as she spoke, her feelings bled through. “I’m here because my people need a home. We didn’t ask to be created. We didn’t want to be tortured or experimented on. And now, you people, the ones who created us, the ones who used us to fight your wars won’t even help us find a place to live in peace.” She turned to Braxon and Tyran. “You wouldn’t help us, but the Vardarians will. They’ve offered us a place in their colony. As equals.”
“As friends,” Tyran added.
Phae’s heart swelled at the way he supported her friend. This was a man she could fall in love with.
Everyone started talking at once again, but this time Archer let them continue until the room fell into silence again. “So, are we done with the outbursts and drama now? Excellent, then let’s begin where we left off yesterday. After all, the sooner these negotiations are finished, the sooner you can go back to your nice, safe offices on your fortified space stations.”
She hated to admit it, but Archer was starting to grow on her. The man was almost as good at snark as she was.
Three hours later, the pain-blocker started to wear off and her headache returned. Apparently, it had brought reinforcements, too, because in a matter of minutes it went from being mildly annoying to cripplingly painful. She’d been busy translating all morning. The more progress they made, the more complex the negotiations got. She had to make sure Braxon and Tyr understood every nuance before they agreed to anything.
She caught Echo’s attention and pointed to her empty juice glass. Maybe a bit of sugar and a cold drink would help her stave off the worst of it until they broke for lunch. The cyborg brought over a fresh glass and set a couple of small biscuits down beside it.
All she could do was nod in thanks as she translated yet another bit of contractual wording for her lovers. She paused to take sips of the juice whenever she could, but it didn’t really help.
She was reaching for her glass again when she suddenly felt like the room had tipped to the left. She grabbed the table, knocking the glass over as she struggled to stay upright. Her head felt heavy, and big black spots started dancing in front of her eyes. The spots multiplied until they blotted out everything, and then she was falling into nothingness.
Tyr saw Phaedra’s glass spill and turned just as she started to crumple. He twisted in his chair and caught her before her head could strike the table. “Phaedra!” She was as pale as a corpse and just as still, and for one terrible, agonizing moment he thought she might be dead. He cradled her in his lap as Braxon rushed over and put a hand on the side of her neck, seeking a pulse.
“She’s alive. What happened?”
It was hard to hear his anrik in the suddenly noisy room. There were sounds of panic all around them, but all his focus was on Phaedra. What happened to her?
“Med-techs are on their way. They’ll be here in less than two minutes.” Archer’s deep voice cut through the noise.
“I want her back on the Santar.” He didn’t trust anyone else to take care of Phae.
“Too far away. And we don’t know what’s wrong with her. Let the humans examine her first.” Braxon still had his fingers on her throat, no doubt
to reassure himself that her heart still beat.
“Cyborg!” a female voice shrieked in fear. “That one. It gave her the juice and then the human woman collapsed. What did it give her?”
Tadeus’ voice joined the female’s. “Someone arrest her! She poisoned the Vardarian’s translator.”
“I did not!” Echo retorted.
River dropped from her chair to the floor, getting on her knees and lowering her head almost to the ground with her shaking hands palm down on the floor. It was an instinctive response, one that made it clear how badly she’d been treated.
“If we have to move quickly, I’ll take River, you carry Phae.” Braxon conveyed through their subvocal comms.
“S’okay. I’m good.” Phae’s answer was so weak it came through as a subvocalization. Her eyes were still closed, but there was more animation in her expression now.
“Thank the ancestors. Lie still, mahaya, medical help is on the way.”
Braxon smiled down at River. “Phae’s awake. It will be alright.”
The cyborg raised her head a little and opened her eyes. “Are you sure about that?”
Tyr understood her concern, but he trusted Archer wouldn’t let anything happen to River or Echo. He was about to tell her so when Phaedra’s eyes fluttered opened and she uttered a low groan of pain.
“Headache.” She managed to say the word aloud.
“You fainted because of a headache? The translation program?” He asked.
She started to nod, groaned again, and spoke. “Yeah. Bad one. Why the yelling?”
“Because they thought you were poisoned. Fear is making everyone foolish.” Braxon stroked her cheek before straightening up and addressing the room. “No one has been poisoned. Our mahaya fainted from the strain of interfacing with our translation program. Echo did nothing but provide her friend with a drink.”
“But, the juice…”
