The Virgin’s Cyborg by Candice Gilmer

3

"Kian and Wrathin will download the data when they get here," Harbin grumbled.

Jedriek nodded. "Let us get it finished. I am ready for this mission."

"I am ready to get it over with," Bahran said.

Jedriek agreed. Another trip to Disguised Serenity was in his future. He felt his Craving starting to fire up. Either he needed to do some fighting, or he needed to bed a female and soon. Hopefully not at the same time.

Well, maybe not. He'd never tried fighting and bedding. Is that part of the mating ritual of some humanoid females? Possibly.

Besides, a new shipment of blue grass was ready to sell and an extra case might fall off his cart again.

The last two visits he'd made to the space station, he'd seen Rine roaming around, watching.

When he had the opportunity, true to his word, Jedriek had "dropped" a case. The last time he'd seen him, the kid did not look so sick and gaunt. Jedriek had managed a quick scan and saw that he was well-nourished and growing like he should. He would likely be a strong young man when he was fully matured.

Good.

If he was thriving, then he assumed the rest of the family had plenty of food too. Jedriek hated seeing anyone going hungry. It was not the first time he'd slipped food to a kid who looked starving on Disguised Serenity. He had never experienced that sensation, but he'd seen enough. During this war with the Terran Empire, the idea of going without nourishment was, to him at least, the absolute worst kind of misery.

So helping out Rine was an easy decision for him.

Though it wasn't the only reason he wanted to go back to Disguised Serenity. There was the matter of the Craving and the pleasure women.

Jedriek liked them.

They were fun.

They liked him too, or so they said.

Jedriek!Master System scolded him. Focus!

Yes, Master System.

He sighed and turned his attention back to the plans on the screen, demonstrating the approach of the Terran vessel and where it would be landing.

Jedriek sighed.

Harbin glared at Jedriek. "This data is necessary."

"Apologies." Jedriek made himself sit up straighter and be more attentive. The youngest of all the cyborg generations, he was one of the last activated for the Rhimodians. There were no more after his batch had been generated.

In essence, he was the last of his kind.

Perhaps that's why the pleasure women liked him. They always told him he was one of a kind.

He was not sure what that meant.

"These are holos of the Imperial Terran Princess Caoimhe Bron and her sister, Princess Eleanor Bron." Harbin spun the hologram, and new images showed up. "The primary negotiator will be Imperial Princess Caoimhe. Princess Eleanor will be there as her second, in case she needs any assistance with anything."

"Which one is which?" Bahran asked.

"Our intel is not sure."

"They both look alike," Jedriek said. They did, but they each had very distinct features. One was slightly shorter than the other. One of them had eyes that were bright blue. They almost seemed to glow in the hologram, like she could see him right now, gazing at her.

The other had dark eyes and a wide smile. Though it seemed her wide smile did not reach her eyes.

Sadness, maybe.

His gaze kept returning to the one with the blue eyes. She was so intriguing.

The Craving sparked through him, though in the holo, he saw only her face and shoulders. She was still stunning. Beautiful in a way that overtook his senses. There was something about her he could not look away from.

He could admire those eyes for hours.

Harbin's voice jarred him back to the information.

"Yes, they do look alike. Almost," Harbin said.

"Yes, almost," Jedriek said.

"The one's eyes are light," Bahran said. "Unusual."

Jedriek glared at Bahran.

Bahran shrugged. "What? They are."

He wanted to say something, but words had left him. He didn't know what it was that made him so suddenly angry that Bahran noticed the one with the eyes. Just that he did, and it pissed him off.

Harbin changed the image, and it irritated Jedriek even more.

"This is their bodyguard, Veta." Another woman appeared, and she was decidedly different. Darker skin. Hair braided tightly to her head, and she had a warrior's stance.

Jedriek was sure he would like her. As a friend.

She was not the blue-eyed princess.

"This is Lady in Waiting, Freya." Another pretty female. Though she did not look to be three meters tall.

"And this is Lady Bianca, their Governess."

"What is a governess," Jedriek asked.

"A teacher for the princesses. Helps them learn all they need to know," Harbin said.

Jedriek had heard of some humanoids employing others to teach their offspring as needed for their existence. Several species had similar arrangements for their young.

"They would do well to get data ports," Bahran said. "Then they would not need a teacher to travel with them wherever they went."

Harbin nodded. "Valid point. Regardless, that is the party we are to take care of."

"We are just supposed to fly the ship into the landing zone," Bahran said. "Have the mission parameters changed?"

"We are to make sure they get to the negotiations."

Bahran crossed his arms. "Does that just mean we need to escort the ship in an act of good faith with the Terran Empire?"

"Initially, yes, that was all the command specified. Now it has changed, and the orders are non-specific," Harbin said. "Only that we are to get the ambassadorial party to the negotiations."

"So we are stuck with them?" Bahran sighed.

But Bahran had his own issues with, well, anything. He was Tarnished, and Harbin was his only chance to get his Shine back among the Rhimodians. Harbin had given him a chance to prove himself worthy.

Fighting the assignment seemed a counter-productive measure to get his shine back.

Jedriek still had his shine, though Master System had not been pleased he'd been losing the blue grass containers. So he would need to be sure to follow his orders as closely as possible. He pulled up the hologram of the two princesses again and stared at the one with the eyes. She truly was spectacular to behold.

Part of him hoped he would be her escort. The other part of him did not want to be, for his Craving seemed very interested in the female with those bright eyes. He would know when they land and escort them to the building if it was the Craving for certain or something else. Just being intrigued by such bright-colored eyes. He did not see that too often and rarely ever in the Terran population. The majority of those he'd met had dark hair and dark eyes. Light eyes were an enigma.

More than just a piloting assignment, this one was shaping up to be a bodyguard scenario. Jedriek could be a bodyguard. He did it enough on Disguised Serenity when it came to them selling their exports. And usually, just being there was enough to keep things casual.

"Master System suspects difficulties," he said, though more to himself than the others.

"Master System does not suspect anything," Harbin said. "Master System calculates the odds."

"And the odds detect that we will have more to this mission than the initially expected parameters."

"Hence the broader instructions."

Jedriek grinned.

"What is so funny?" Harbin asked.

"I thought I may get to satisfy my desire to fight today."

"You're Craving?" Harbin asked.

He nodded. "Can you blame me? They're as pretty as the pleasure women."

Both Harbin and Bahran stared at him.

"What? They are."

Harbin shook his head. "Do not tell them that, Jedriek."

"Why not? The pleasure women are pretty. So are they." What was wrong with telling the princesses that? Did females not like hearing they were pretty? The humanoid females on the space station liked hearing about it. Were Terran females different?

"Their appearance is not important," Bahran said. "But do not tell them they look like pleasure women."

"Why not?"

"They will take offense," Harbin said. Though he almost growled it. He sounded annoyed, which Jedriek didn't really understand.

He was confused about compliments. Females were always so strange about them. Sometimes when he would compliment a pleasure woman, she would smile and giggle. Other times, they would get angry.

He didn't think all the females were that way.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes," both Harbin and Bahran said.

It always fascinated him when Harbin's brow started to get that pinched spot in it, right between his eyes. Surely the nanites would fix that.

"Jedriek, be nice. Kind to them. But do not treat them like you do the pleasure women. They will be very upset if you do."

"If you say so."

"I do."

Jedriek glanced at Bahran. "He acts like he already knows how they are."

Bahran smacked him in the arm. "He met one when they came to inspect their quarters. He spent the entire day with her. He gathered a great deal of intel about them and how they respond to things."

"Oh?" He had not realized Harbin got such close inspection of any of the Terran Ambassadors already.

"So yes. I do know what they are like. And if you tell one she reminds you of a pleasure woman, she will likely smack you. They may leave and never finish the peace treaty."

"It's that important."

"Yes. It's that important."

"Fine then," Jedriek said. "I will not tell them that they look like pleasure women."

Even if they do in all those big fancy clothes.

* * *

Cyborgs or not,the Rhimodians were still humanoid. It was unusual, Jedriek had always thought, how they could depend on Master System and their biomechanics, but they still managed to have emotional connections. He didn't really understand how it made sense. According to Master System, they were not the only species to embrace cybernetic enhancements. Many used enhancements to strengthen their people.

Something that Rine had said stuck with him.

About being a robot.

Which one was he? A machine with emotions? Or a humanoid with a lot of mechanical parts?

Did he want to be one or the other?

Did it matter?

Jedriek wasn't sure.

Just like he wasn't sure why it mattered if he told the princesses they were pretty like the pleasure women. They were to him. Very pretty, in fact. He'd spent the last few hours, when he was supposed to be meditating, looking at the image of the two sisters. They both were very pretty, and in their formal clothing, they appeared untouchable.

Maybe not untouchable.

Unapproachable was the better word.

He flew his ship into position on the side. Below him was Wrathin. Underneath, one on each side was Kian and Bahran. Harbin hovered overtop.

"Jedriek. Locked in."

Their positions connected with each other, the ships bound to each other. If needed, they could combine and form a large, singular battleship. Or break apart and have five individual fighters. Ready to battle, there was an edge to everyone. Even Kian and Wrathin got into a fight before they boarded their ships.

The Terran ships wrapped around the large Terran cruiser that the Ambassadors were on. The Rhimodians replaced several positions, and many of the Terran ships fell back. The Rhimodian shields were down to allow the procession through. Not completely down, of course, but down enough so the Terran vessels could pass through.

It was a short flight from the shielding to the landing pad.

It would be over soon.

Jedriek would get to see the princesses and see the one with the blue eyes.

He anticipated meeting her.

He was still unsure which one she was, if she was the main princess or the second. It didn't matter. He could not get her out of his head.

The only thing he knew for certain though, was that she needed to be assigned to someone else. How they were choosing their assignments, he did not know. Master System most likely had that determined based on whatever data Master System had.

"Master System, I do not want to be assigned to the one with the eyes."

Why is that?

"I would be too distracted," he replied. "I need to not be so intrigued by who I protect because I may not be able to properly execute my orders.

You need to trust yourself, Jedriek.

"I do not think you trust me."

Master System would not put you where you are if you were not trustworthy. You will do the job.

"I trust you, Master System."

Good. Watch telemetry. Focus on the moment, not on what may or may not happen.

"Yes, Master System."

He glanced out in the starfield and noticed how all the ships were moving away.

The Terran ships, anyway.

Odd, that.

“We are making sure they land,” Jedriek said over the private internal coms they used to communicate with each other. They were linked up through their neural net when they were on a mission together. It helped them better anticipate each other's movements so they could move like a single mind.

It only engaged when they were in a battle mode. They could communicate with each other as needed that way outside of battle if they chose to. It became something they rarely did. No one wanted others in their head all the time. That got difficult. Having Master System there all the time was enough. If the signal got blocked, it was a strange disconnect for them. At least for Jedriek. He did not feel bad, just unusually quiet.

“Arrive at housing,” Harbin replied. The leader’s ship shifted into a more protective configuration.

The rest of the ships shifted their wings like a shield for the ambassador’s ship.

Jedriek was right. This was a full-on bodyguard scenario. They would not leave the ambassadors on their own while they were in the Sol system.

“This is a full escort, then,” Bahran said.

“Until they are inside, yes. Whatever it takes to create peace. If the Terrans want you guarding their door, that is what we will do, without question.”

“Did the protocol change?” Wrathin asked.

If you had been at the meeting, you would have learned about it,Jedriek thought. He almost said something, but there was enough tension between everyone already. And Wrathin would not appreciate the sarcasm.

“Yes,” Harbin said. “Threats against the Terrans have emerged.”

"When did that data come in?" Jedriek asked.

"Recently," Harbin replied.

“Well, at least you will have meditation time, Wrathin,” Kian said.

“You could use some,” Wrathin replied.

“Calm,” Harbin replied. “Keep sharp, everyone.”

“Do you suspect a trap,” Wrathin asked.

“I suspect everything,” Harbin replied.

“Who is the ambassador?” Jedriek asked. “The Terran’s name.”

“Her Imperial Highness Princess Caoimhe London Montgale Bron,” Harbin said. “And her escorts.”

Now that was a name.

Jedriek had a one-word name. He was an -Ek. The youngest of the cyborgs. Each group had its own designation but nothing so elaborate as the princess's full name.

“Do they all have names like that?” Bahran asked.

“The Terrans like their titles,” Harbin replied.

Obviously,Jedriek thought. He didn't get it. They liked big long names and fancy clothing, but if he were to tell one that they were pretty like the pleasure women, he would be considered offensive.

They made no sense to him.

“We will make certain the Ambassador’s entourage is safely brought to Sol-3. No matter what.”

“Execute,” all of them said in unison.

It was only a few beats later when the stars lit up from the explosion. The concussion waves made all the ships near the Ambassador's cruiser lurch to the side. A burst of fire from the far side and the ship lurched again.

Jedriek's sensors blasted him with data. There was another explosion on the ship's far side, and it had done some severe damage. The cruiser started to break apart.

What happened to the princesses?

Would he ever see those eyes in person?

Anger and, and...

Emotions burst through him. What was all this he was experiencing? Wasn't he supposed to be better in control of his emotional sensations?

“Confirm explosion. Bahran. Confirm.” Wrathin called. The flight pattern put Bahran in the best possible position to see what happened.

However, Bahran didn’t respond.

“Bahran?”

A moment of silence.

Jedriek blinked. Had they lost Bahran?

A sick feeling built in his gut. Bahran was a friend.

A member of the unit, yes, but he had always gotten along better him than he had with other Rhimodians. They worked well together. Jedriek enjoyed watching Bahran's back. He was a talented pilot and a cunning fighter.

No.

He is fine.

He would not be blown up.

Bahran was a strong pilot. He would be able to get out of harm's way before anything happened to him.

A hiss of air, and then a voice. “Explosion confirmed,” Bahran said.

“What happened?” Harbin demanded, his own voice cracking.

Everyone's emotional control was going to need to be checked after this. Programming adjustments for sure.

“I cannot be sure,” Bahran replied, panting.

Static exploded through the open communication channel just before Terran voices screamed. “You have killed our ambassadors!”

“We did nothing,” Harbin replied.

“We will destroy you!” The Terran commander yelled.

The Terran escort ships opened fire.

“Evasive patterns, now,” Harbin said.