The Virgin’s Cyborg by Candice Gilmer

14

Eleanor stepped into the cockpit. She'd felt the ship starting to go down. Out one of the side windows, she saw the mostly black moon they were heading for. It indeed was dark and depressing looking. Certainly not what she would choose for a homeworld. Bursts of red popped up around the black, and even from orbit, the power of the volcanoes could not be denied. Venturing down into the dark clouds, she found herself wanting to hold her nose because she anticipated the burnt smells that she imagined accompanied such a dark world.

Jedriek sent out some kind of coding to the Rhimodians.

"Did you tell them?" Wrathin asked.

"I just sent the beacon."

"They have to hear it."

"The eclipse will make that difficult," Jedriek replied.

"If they don't, they will shoot us out of the sky," Wrathin said.

"Great," Eleanor added. "Because that's something we have to deal with now too. Being shot out of the sky by the people we want to help us."

She took in the vastness of Sol-3. Rock. Darkness. Smoke. She swore she could smell it already inside, though she knew the ship was sealed.

The air and sky had a nighttime shade of gray, and the sky had a glow in the distance, in several points, from the active molten lava and volcanos that peppered Sol-3.

"Everything is rocky and black. It looks like something out of a nightmare. Why did you make this place your main world?" Eleanor asked. She regretted the words because she knew better than to devalue someone else's home. She was tired.

She didn't make the best decisions when she was exhausted. And this certainly qualified as exhaustion.

Possibly deliriousness too.

She looked at Jedriek. He was probably the only good thing about this whole thing. She certainly wasn't about to regret their time together, as limited as it had been.

Or would ever be.

"Central location among the worlds. That is why we made this our main home," Wrathin said, pulling her out of her thoughts.

"Well, it certainly wasn't for the scenery," Veta said. "Though you'll find the residences they have put together for us are quite nice."

"I'm sure," Eleanor said. "It seems like a devil's playground, this world."

"The resources are plentiful," Jedriek said.

"Where?"

He pulled up a digital map of Sol-3. "You see lava and stone. Look again."

The map turned and twisted.

And on two spots, there was lush greenery.

"That is not this world," Eleanor said. "That's someplace else. There's no way. This moon isn't big enough for such a variety of biomes."

"It is," Wrathin said. "The areas are not large, but they are there. Vegetation grows, and we have some crops we can harvest from the areas. Things we can sell in markets." He crossed his arms like a proud father showing off his accomplishment.

But minus the arrogance that her own father would display.

"So why build here?" Veta asked. "Why not in those lush green paradises?"

"We would lose the valuable assets there."

Eleanor nodded, though she shouldn't be surprised at what he said. He was a cyborg, after all. He might have some pride in his system, but he was also practical. Practicality had a certain level of appeal over passionate decisions.

Something that she needed to remind herself of.

Wistfulness versus practicality.

Practicality meant the peace treaty was completed.

Passionate meant following her heart.

Her gaze landed on Jedriek. And while her passion screamed for one thing, her practicality had to win out because she was a princess, and that's what royalty did. They did what was proper and the most practical for their people.

She studied the dark landscape. It felt like her mood--dark and ominous. Everything was starting to feel awful, though she wasn't quite sure why. She could feel the descent as they headed down to land, the sensation bothering her more than usual.

They hit with a soft thud that jarred her.

On the ground outside, Eleanor could see other Rhimodians there, all suited up in their flight suits. There were other fighters on the nearby spaces, all lined up and ready to launch.

Though not a great deal of them.

Her stomach grumbled.

Jedriek glanced at her over his shoulder. "You are hungry."

It was not a question.

"Most likely," she said.

All she'd had was a few rations up to this point.

She rubbed her head. "I'm just ready for this to be over."

Jedriek turned and looked at her.

"This?"

She waved her hand. "The fighting and the near-death experiences. I'm ready to not be hunted or possibly attacked."

He nodded.

"I'm going to check on Bianca," she said and walked aft to see if Bianca was settled. They were going to have to move her again.

She hoped she was in better shape than she was before.

Eleanor paused just outside of the cockpit area. She knew in so many ways that she liked Jedriek. Like really liked him. And it wasn't just about the intimacy they'd shared. But she also knew the consequence of her station and what her father would do, were she to jeopardize that.

Even with peace on the table, Eleanor didn't think it would be enough of an excuse to bond with Jedriek. Not permanently.

What would he do if she did bond with Jedriek?

She shuddered, imagining what kind of punishment he could instill. If he was willing to have her surgically altered for a negotiation, what would he do now?

She had to stop this. She would make herself absolutely batty.

Regardless of her obligations when she got back to the Terran Empire, it did not mean she could not enjoy her time while she was here.

Everything depended on what happened in the next few days.

Would the Rhimodians want peace after this? If they're tactical, they probably wouldn't. The Empire literally destroyed the peace opportunity because neither party will advocate peace when one deceives the other.

She rubbed her head as the migraine started. Well, it tried to start, anyway. Almost like puzzle pieces being pulled apart, she felt the forming migraine begin to recede as soon just as it began to come together.

Odd.

Perhaps those nanites were working for her more than she realized.

She headed aft where Bianca was. In the light, she could see Bianca moving around and showing more signs of life. Her color was more regular and less pale. At least, Eleanor hoped that's what she was seeing. The lighting in the ship was far different from that on the ground. Bianca was moving more, that was clear. The repulsor bed, however, wasn't supporting her well.

"You look ready to take on the Charro on your own," Eleanor said.

She snorted. "You're funny. Wrong. But funny." Bianca turned to Harbin. "Should I try and stand? I think I might be able to," Bianca said, though as she attempted to push herself to a more upright position, she faltered.

Either the bed started to give out, or she was just that weak, Eleanor didn't know. She darted forward to help catch Bianca. When Bianca fell back against the bed, the repulsor posts wavered, and she started to sink like she was falling to the floor in slow motion.

"I will carry her," Harbin said. "I am more reliable than the repulsor tech."

Eleanor raised her eyebrow.

Bianca wasn't going to go for that if she could walk on her own. "You don't have to do that. We have other options--"

"I can do it," Harbin said. "If I can carry you through the snow and ice, I can carry you here."

"Snow and ice?" Eleanor asked. "That sounds awful."

"It would have been if it wasn't for the heat," Bianca said, and she put her hand on Harbin's chest. He scooped her up like she was nothing. They stared at each other with such a loving expression. It was intense, what they had between them.

"I don't want to know." More intimate things that she didn't have any desire to know about.

Bianca turned to look at her, a smile on her face. "I meant the fireplace."

"I'm sure you did," Eleanor said. She jumped when the ramp started to lower, the sound jarring.

Exhaustion was creeping in. She could feel it.

She was far too jumpy over everything right now. She glanced back at the cockpit area and saw Jedriek, Veta, and Wrathin preparing to get off this ship as well.

The sooty smell hit her. Eleanor started to sneeze. The haze in the air she'd seen out the windows looked that much more intense, the scent tickling her nose. She looked to see if anyone else had a similar reaction, but no one seemed to be.

Though Harbin grinned. He whispered something to Bianca, and it made her cheeks flush.

What in the world were they up to when she'd been here last? Honestly, though, she didn't want to know. Not really.

Veta, Wrathin, and Jedriek came down to the hatch, and they all started to exit the transport. Bianca looked small in Harbin's arms, but Eleanor couldn't help seeing how happy she looked. Even in pain, she looked more comfortable than she'd ever seemed. It wasn't that fake happy she used to project to her and Caoimhe, either. This was genuine. Like it lit her up from the inside.

And Eleanor felt a pang of jealousy. For that was something she wanted as well. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Jedriek come and take position near her. His hand touched the small of her back as they started to exit the ship.

His presence soothed her.

His touch soothed her.

More than knowing he was there, feeling him next to her soothed her more than anything else she'd known in a long time. She rocked her head back and forth and stood up straight. Exhausted or not, she was still an Imperial Princess, and she needed to carry that regal demeanor down the ramp and onto this world.

As Caoimhe would have wanted, had they landed as they were supposed to.

On the ground, Rhimodian guards protected them as they walked into the building. There were Rhimodians, but she didn't see any Terrans waiting. No sister, no Lady in Waiting. It set off alarm bells in her mind.

"I thought that Freya would be here when we arrived," Eleanor said. And she'd hoped that her sister would be here. Somehow having found her way on her own.

"Freya is, hopefully, enjoying some of Kian's company," Veta said.

Eleanor shook her head. "These poor cyborgs. They are going to think all of us Terran women are after their bodies."

"Aren't you?" Jedriek asked.

"We are ambassadors here to spread peace and unity and create a treaty with your people," Eleanor said in her most diplomatic voice.

"And have sex with us when you want," Jedriek said.

Eleanor's face turned as red as the Terran flags.

"Jedriek," Wrathin said.

"What? It is true."

"You're really not supposed to say things like that to princesses," Veta said.

"You do not seem to mind," Wrathin whispered, a little bit louder than he should have. From his expression, Eleanor thought he meant to do that.

"I'm not a princess," Veta said. "Remember?"

What were they saying, as delegates from the Terran Empire? That Terran girls were starved for male attention? Perhaps feeding this attraction to Jedriek was a mistake. Maybe he would only bring her difficulty in the future. She was so tormented by this. What was it that Jedriek brought to her? Beyond showing her what it meant to be made love to correctly? Treated so intensely.

And passionately.

As though she mattered beyond being a pawn in a larger game.

Why would she want to give any of that up?

Why would she have to? Really?

They reached the main doors, and when they entered, it was a sonic cleanser. The intense waves ran over her and the others. Eleanor didn't realize how dirty and gross she felt until the sonics started washing everything away.

"Not one at a time, today?" Bianca asked Harbin.

He whispered something to her, and Eleanor looked away. From Bianca’s expression, it was a very personal thing and Eleanor didn’t want to know what it was about.

She fluffed her hair as the sonics decontaminated her and removed all the debris and dust. She felt the hairpin in her hair and stroked the metal. Made from her sister's necklace, she had forgotten she had it in her hair.

She could only imagine what a mess her hair was at this point. Locked into place with a pin that probably only made her hair look even stranger. Hopefully, there are some combs in their apartments.

"I didn't realize how much I needed this," Eleanor said.

Veta smirked. "This is nothing. Wait until you use the actual showers they have in our suites."

"I cannot wait," Eleanor said.

"I can help you with that," Jedriek said, his eyes sort of glowing as he looked at her. Kind of the same way he'd looked at her when they had been alone together.

And it embarrassed her again.

"I can work a shower, I'm sure."

"I meant--"

"It is fine," Eleanor said as soon as she realized that she'd upset him. Or made him sad, or something. The expression on his face was almost heartbroken. He'd promised before that he would always be there for her, but she'd not taken it seriously. Not really. Because all sorts of humanoids made those kinds of promises and never followed through. It was hard to believe that someone would. "After I see Freya, you can take me around to show me all of the features."

They needed to talk, anyway. Her father certainly would disapprove of a relationship with Jedriek.

That thought rang out in her mind like a bell, echoing over and over. And it broke her heart to think that she'd have to give up this short but intense relationship because of her father.

She brushed off the thoughts. Jumping to conclusions would not help her right now. She needed to see Freya, to find out where Caoimhe was, and take a nap. Preferably in that order.

Focus, she told herself. So she started taking in their surroundings. The walls were clean and sterile feeling. The whole place had a sterile feeling compared to the soot in the air outside. As they walked past a window, she could see the ash that lingered outside, adding a gray haze to the window.

They weaved through the hallways, and Harbin took Bianca down another corridor, he said, toward a medical facility to assess her damages.

Eleanor watched her--still in Harbin's arms--head away. "After we get to the suites, I want to go down and see what the medical people say about Bianca."

"As you like," Jedriek said.

They reached the suites, and they entered the common room outside the suite doors.

Veta got her oriented, showing her which room was hers. Eleanor headed straight for her door. It was coded to her handprint, which was a nice security feature, and she palmed the release. Inside, the soothing smell of citrus met her, and she grinned. Bianca had brought some of her favorite teas and aromatherapy items so she would be more comfortable. It wasn't particularly fancy, like a room in the palace. But it was absolutely suitable. Clean, warm. No sand. And no soot. She was very ready to strip out of her clothing and--

Jedriek stood in the doorway.

She blinked at him. "You can come in, I suppose."

He nodded and stood in the corner like a guard.

Well, this is as good a time as any,she thought to herself. She ran her hands over her hair, brushing out some of the tangles with her fingers. Her hand caught on the hairpin she'd received from Caoimhe before they'd left.

Her sister.

Pain, doubt, and worry washed over her.

They had to find her. She had to be somewhere.

While she didn't want to consider the worst situation--that she'd been killed--she still had to be somewhere, alive or dead.

Be logical,she told herself. What would Caoimhe do?

She would handle the situation and get through it. Likely with a smile on her face. Like a good little princess.

Which was what Eleanor needed to do.

Take care of this situation with Jedriek, whatever it was, and move on. Because her sister needed her right now.

Jedriek remained by the entrance, and his arm plugged into a wall unit.

"What are you doing?" she asked as she got closer to him.

"Connecting with Master System," Jedriek said. He almost sounded intoxicated when he spoke. Like it was a high to link to their overall programming. Though she imagined it had to be somewhat intoxicating when he had not been connected for a while.

"And what are you gleaning from that connection?"

"New orders. Uploading my data to Master System. The knowledge can be passed on to those Rhimodians who need it. I also am receiving new protocols and missions." The intoxication from his voice he'd had before already faded away to normal speaking.

A headrush, she guessed, from connecting to the unifying system.

"Anything about this mission? About me?" She wondered what Master System thought about this whole thing. And she realized what she'd just assumed--that Master System thought anything. It was likely a computer program that merely analyzed numbers.

Projected probable outcomes and determined the best course of action.

A computer that performed tasks.

"There is some data," he said. "Regarding you, the orders are simple. I must do whatever I need to protect and please you."

She raised an eyebrow. "Protect and please me? Was that in the orders before?"

"No. Only to protect."

"I see. What made the orders change?"

"Master System re-evaluates data and changes protocols as needed when new information becomes available. My information is helping Master System decide how to better handle the coming negotiations. If there are still going to be negotiations, as well as what to do with my current protocols."

"You do not think the peace treaty will happen now?"

He raised his eyebrow and stared at her. "The Terran Military's has invaded our space. We are scrambling to control the situation, but because of the eclipse, many of our normal resources will not be back for at least a day and a half. Since they are doing this under cover of the eclipse, then we need to be ready to stop them before they destroy everything we have worked to create here."

His words hit her hard. Tears welled in her eyes.

It's what the Terran Empire did, wasn't it? Taking entire worlds and systems and laying claim to them. It made her sick, realizing just how cruel her world--her father--could be. "We're like a virus. A plague on the galaxy. All we do is take and destroy. Make others conform to our standards, and if you don't, we wipe you out. The Terran Empire is the one that needs to be destroyed. Not you. Your people are just trying to survive," Eleanor said and wiped away her tears.

"There must be a way to bring it together without wiping out who we both are."

"I don't know. I can't imagine how. Not now. Your people likely hate my sister and me, and I wouldn't be surprised if something has happened to her."

"Something has happened. To all of you. It is just a matter of time to determine what happened to your sister and to Bahran."

Eleanor shook her head. "I just want my sister."

He put his arm around her. "I know. We will find her. I feel that this can be saved."

"Your optimism is appreciated."

He tipped her head up to meet his gaze. "I am here for you. I made you a promise, and I do not plan to falter."

She sighed. "Jedriek, I don't know--"

"No one does. Stop trying to predict the future. We are here. Now."

"I know. But my station, my father--"

"Is not here. We shall determine what will come of him and his opinions when the time comes. Right now, you have more important things to focus on. We need to check on Bianca and see what can be done to find your sister."

She nodded, a single tear rolling down her cheek.

Jedriek wiped it away.

"Thank you for wiping away my tear."

"I will always wipe away your tears."

About then, Veta came in. "Hey, is Freya in here?"

Eleanor pulled away from Jedriek and rubbed her face to hide the remnants of the tears. "No. I haven't seen her. I thought she was in her room."

"She's not. We can't find her."

Jedriek took a step toward Veta. "What about Kian? Is he here?"

Veta shook her head. "They're both gone."

Eleanor shook her head. "What is this nightmare?"

Jedriek put his arms around her. "We'll find them. They cannot have gotten far. And they're likely together, so Kian would be protecting her."

"But where could they have gone?"

"We will find them," Jedriek said.

She certainly hoped so.

There was no way that Eleanor was equipped to salvage any part of this mission without Caoimhe.