Cyberella: Preyfinders Universe (18 page)

“Torgeir this is Doc, Gears, and Plito.” More nods were exchanged.

While Torgeir was still opening his mouth, Plito spoke. “You’re bondmated to Ella, I believe, sir?”

“Yes,” Torgeir grated back. “Why is that of your concern?”

Already this was going the wrong way. She frowned at the boys.

“Has Ella told you how bad it is for her to have that slave code? If you die, she’s property and part of your estate.”

Silence seemed about to crack the air. The gunfight at the OK Corral came to mind and Ella nervously rubbed her eyebrow.
Fuckitty.

“I admit I’d not considered that, dying, until you brought it up.”

Plito gulped. “It was for her that I said it. We, all three of us, regard her as a friend. Though I admit we’ve not known each other long, I wouldn’t want her hurt.”

“She’s a good repairer, a good worker,” Gears added, in a serious tone, one hand fiddling with the
vir-specs
perched on his magenta head.

Doc glowered. “Do you agree it should be removed?”

“The code? I think that’s between myself and Ella. I came here to check you out. Tell me why I should let her stay here to work.”

Ella felt herself flash from hot to cold and back again. “Wait! Wait.” She took Torgeir’s hand but stepped forward. “Boys, I appreciate your concern. Oh my.” She placed her hand over her heart. “I do. But Lord Rakkel is correct. The code is our business. Now, I am going to be working here. I am.” She turned to Torgeir and stepped closer to say quietly. “That part is my decision even if we are bondmated.” She waited a moment. “You can see how umm protective they are of me. They meant no harm. Please?”

Slowly his gaze was drawn down to her and his expression softened. He let out a long breath then took both her hands in his. “I can see this means a lot to you. I will want to talk some more about it tonight. For now though...” He nodded. “Have fun.”

He kissed the back of her hand then stepped away, releasing her.

“I’m going to hold you all responsible for my Ella while she is here. I’ll see you later, my princess.”

Then he smiled and left.

“Phew.” She spun and shook her head. “Damn. You’re lucky you didn’t get shot or something.”

“Hah.” Plito looked smug. “There was never any danger. I had it all recorded.”

How could anyone living here be so naïve? She palm-smacked her forehead. “That wouldn’t have stopped him if he thought you’d harm me. Now.” She clapped her hands, ignoring how Plito had paled. “What is there to do today?”

Incoming. Henchman 1

This is taking longer than expected.

As long as you succeed.

I will, sir.

*****

The days went past agonizingly fast. Though they made love the night before he left, it was tame compared to what had happened on the rooftop of Horuk. Afterward, Torgeir talked to her as she lay beside him in his arms.

“It’s strange, Ella, but I’m almost glad we didn’t have time for much sex. I don’t want you to become fully bondmated while I’m away.”

Her forehead tensed. “Why?” With his shoulder under her head, his arm was inches away. She drew her finger down his biceps then licked him. “I don’t think I can stand you being away. There’s no one else who tastes as good as you do.”

He laughed softly, running his fingers from her nape up through her hair, then doing it again until she sighed and relaxed against him. “The same here. Why not? Because you’ll grow my mark here.” He reached over and stroked the underside of her breasts then her upper stomach. “I want to see that happen. I want to be there.”

Her smile crept up on her. “I understand, although, when you tell me that, I got a serious ache to see it happen now. Come back soon, won’t you?”

“I will. Can you come to the port tomorrow? Bring one of those boys of yours to keep you safe on the way back.”

“Ohhh.” She turned in his arms and grinned up at him.

“What?”

“It’s nice. That you trust them now. Surprising. I’ll come, of course. Mimi will be there if the port doesn’t ban her or something.”

“I doubt they can. She sneaked through by herself last time.”

He squirmed his butt and levered himself onto his elbow so he could look down at her, moving the sheet away to bare her. Then he pressed her shoulder down until she lay flat on the bed under him. He straddled her hips, lightly sitting on her thighs, with his arms propped to either side of her head. His unbound blond hair swung down and framed his face.

Her beautiful man studied her, with those golden eyes, from her face and all the long way down her body.

“I want to remember you, Ella. Like this. Not just a picture.
You
, inside my head.”

“I want to remember you too. There’s no better place for me than like this. With you over me.” She curved her hands over his arms and slid them up to his shoulders, then to his back as he kissed her. She wriggled. “
Mmm
. All these man muscles.”

“I like the girl muscles myself. I love you.
All
of you. I promise, when I return, I will tie you up and fuck you until you can’t walk and then I’ll watch the marks come out and we will celebrate the way we Sicar Lords have done since, well...a long time. Which could mean more fucking.”

She laughed soundlessly. “Wonderful.”

He lowered himself onto his forearm then, with his thumb resting at the corner of her mouth, he cupped her jaw. She thought of biting but only gave his thumb-tip one soft nibble.

“The other day, I know I was scary at the shop, but I wanted you safe.” He inhaled, exhaled sharply. “My only...regret is that I have no one else to watch over you when I’m gone.”

“I’ll be okay. I’m more worried about you.” She squeezed her hand onto the side of his back, marveling at how big and almost stone-hard his body was. Surely no one and nothing could hurt this warrior of hers? Her lips quivered for a second, before she caught herself. “You’re going to war. Who or what are you fighting?”

“Bak-lal. Remnants only,” he hurriedly added. “The evil things are still buried in some planet’s crusts. We’re being employed to get rid of a factory queen, along with other mercenaries. She’s damaged and shouldn’t put up much of a fight.”

“Oh.” The mere mention of Bak-lal sent a snake of nausea through her that curled into her belly, heavy and dark. “Take care. Please, take care?”

“I will.” He rolled onto his back. “Someone has to do this. I’d almost pay for the privilege of killing these last Bak-lal.”

Replying to that was impossible when her throat had seized up. The hatred in his voice frightened her. She’d once been some sort of altered human, hadn’t she? Or so she’d gathered. Would anyone then, logically, call her Bak-lal?

What if he thought so?

Her heartbeats counted out every horrendous second for many hours of that night as she stared into the dark. Torgeir fell asleep, his relaxed hand clasping hers, while she lay there terrified of a future she couldn’t predict. Nighttime was the worst of times when her thoughts turned like this.

*****

It was only after she’d watched the
Zeus
rise into the sky on her flames of purple-blue that she remembered he’d forgotten to remove the code. Gears was with her and he didn’t think to ask her about it. She guessed they assumed it had been done. Would the door scan alert Plito or had he told it not to read her anymore?

She’d remind Torgeir when he returned.

Her sadness ebbed. Doing something would help. She only had to stay active all day, every day, until Torgeir returned. Ella sucked on the inside of her cheek while staring at the swirling, dark clouds. Simple, really.

They were too far from Horuk to walk back but as she was getting into the hover cab she remembered an idea she’d had that now seemed possible.

“Gears?” She settled into the padded seat beside him, trying to ignore the holes in the upholstery and the one in the floor that let her see the ground.

“Yes?” He adjusted his weapon and equipment belt, so a tool of some sort wasn’t digging into his side, then sat back again.

“Where to?” queried the AI via the speakers.

She peered out at the chaos of the spaceport exit ramps where vehicles buzzed about like bees on crack. “Can we go to the dump, Gears? There’s something I want to get. If it’s still there.”

“Sure. They don’t need us back at the shop urgently.”

“Good.”

On arriving outside the dump’s gate, she paid off the cab and watched it whisk away. The gatekeeper bot said nothing as they passed, except for emitting a single bleep of approval.

“I guess I’d better say what I want.”

“Yes. That would help.”

She kept trudging up the slope to where she thought Plito had been. The tinkle and slide of metal parts under boot was as disconcerting as before. Off to the left, a partly activated arm was attempting to crawl away using its hand. She grimaced. The similarity to a dead person’s arm was gruesome.

“Zombie cybernetics,” she muttered.

Gears gave a short laugh. “Yes. Always creepy when you see that.”

That zombie had translated into standard ’verse language surprised her. Some things were everywhere, she supposed.

“I’m looking for a part Plito found that he said was RMD’d. I’m hoping me and Mimi can fix it.”

“And it was?”

“A leg. One that matches Plito’s attachments.”

“Ohhh.” Gears grinned. “If we could do that for him... You’ve given me hope, miss.”

“I know he needs two, but it’d be a start? Yes?”

“Definitely. We shall think positive. Where was it?”

She halted, looked about. “Here. There were ball bearings. Lots and lots.”

“Small things sink. Any vibrations and they sink. We may not see those but at least the diggers and scoops haven’t been here for days.”

“Then let’s try.”

They dug and stomped about for ages and she was close to giving up when Gears whistled.

“Is this it? Do you think?”

She scrunched over, toppling a little before catching herself as the mound shifted. There were ball bearings everywhere hereabouts. Perhaps Gears had unearthed them? In front of him was a leg, next to the toes of his favorite black boots with the embossed, math equations.

“I think so. Can’t you tell?”

“Wait.” He stared ahead for a moment, as if accessing data, then kneeled and stuck a probe into a port on the leg. “Yes. It’ll match with small adjustments.”

A plop of rain landed on the leg then more raindrops spattered onto the parts nearby and Ella’s head.

Gears stood and nodded at the rain. “And that is why it’s RMD’d, as well as whatever caused it to be thrown away in the first place.”

She looked into Gear’s eyes. “I still want to try.”

“I’m glad. If we can do this. If
you
can do this, ask me anything, Miss. I’d –” His eyes glistened.

Aw hell.
She reached over and punched his arm.

“Ow!”

“Let’s go. No owing me anything. Such rubbish you do talk.” But she smiled as they headed for the gate.

There was something about doing nice things for people that filled her heart and banished all the bad, for a while anyway.

The fruit man hassled her as they neared Horuk. She cradled the leg and shook her head despite his crazy offer to give her a taste of fruit for free. As she walked away, she felt his eyes on her back, as it often happened.

“Why’d you say no?” Gears asked her when they were out of earshot. “That was expensive stuff.”

The awe in his voice made her stop and think.

“I know, but I don’t like frauds and he is all of that. I think he has the hots for me or something. Makes me shudder.”

“Okay.”

But she could hear the disbelief. Maybe she should’ve accepted the fruit and given it to Gears? Now that was a curious idea.

She took the leg to her and Torgeir’s apartment above, before returning to the shop. Mimi joined her when she was halfway there. The creature had her own timetable and agenda.

She settled into the Hack and Slash routine. Moping about Torgeir being gone was not her way. Her little cry the first night she’d been alone was enough. She’d knuckle down and learn and work. They gave her small jobs to do while she worked on the bird in her spare time. She learned how to use the design plans with the
vir-specs
and how to care for the nanogeers – the best ways to use them and what they couldn’t do as well as what they could.

Every night, when alone, she worked on the leg using her new nanogeers and the preloaded plan in the
vir-specs
Gears had let her borrow. The red highlighted areas that appeared, when the plans were synched with the specs, were huge and daunting. This might take months. Or not. Mimi’s silver goop did the trick of clearing the corrosion and destroyed sections, only to leave a haunted landscape inside the leg of eaten away pathways and parts. Gears vowed to manufacture or repair the larger pieces, but the rest was up to her.

On the third day after the departure of the
Zeus
, she turned up a little late to find Doc cursing the nanogeers.

“Ella! Come here, please. The little kak-frakkers won’t obey me.” He cocked an eyebrow at her as she walked up. His client had her hand out under the light. Sometimes he fixed things while
in situ
as they called it – while still attached to the owners. “You try.”

The elderly woman waited patiently while she strapped on the specs and focused down.

“Just that little junction. W2330A,” Doc said. “Dirty connection. Small melted spot.”

“Mm-hmm.” She poked at her nanogeers and smiled as they scurried to do her bidding. “Easy.”

Five minutes later the job was done. She pulled off the specs. “You could’ve done that.”

“No. No.” He sat back, stroking his goatee. “I think they’re all in love with you, Miss Ella. I really do. You have some affinity for this. There’s a magic to it that I haven’t found.”

“Thank you.” That pleased her but she tried not to blush in front of the customer. “I’m...getting there.”

On the fourth day she arrived early to find a corpse of a man on their steps. She was still staring at the blood when the three boys turned up together. They hustled her away while someone in authority was called. The law arrived, though no one seemed convinced anything would be done.
Cyborg on cyborg
, she heard muttered.