Nice irony. Men get in jams. Women clean up the stickiness. Lovely universal truth. I rescued my boots from the lavatory and found they helped retain some of my body heat.
Some scrap of a plan M'yote had. All I could do was wait out the nightmare on a sinking boat. At least, you don't have to walk the plank on a sinking ship. Maybe the sharks would go for the bigger juicier bites offered in the male bastards? If so, I might just survive this fiasco.
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Cybernetics... “a craftsperson in time.” ~Larry Richards
* * * *
[Back to Table of Contents]
Chapter Seven
M'yote's cell could stand for some refinement. But what could a warrior expect when imprisoned as the enemy? A bed, a functioning lavatory, no cellmates. Nice. Although, the horrible video screen that flickered on to show me the battle of wills in Solvun's opulent sex cell didn't make me any more likely to submit.
If the !Dakos thought they could anger me into using my Handler powers to help them adjust the byproducts of their tinkering with their planet's genome, I'd never comply now. Besides, they caused their problems with their female offspring in utero. Their choice of paths in life led their people to this point. And ethics are ethics. Although I hadn't been pushed to save a life before, I couldn't guess what I'd do if someone's life like Solvun's hung by a delicate hair. The little wild hair of desperation would require Solvun's loss of head or limbs, and a lack of medical attention would lead to a Handler's intervention because nanites could repair damaged tissue quickly and help stop blood flow but couldn't regenerate a leg or a decapitated head's body. However, I hadn't been forced to face the issue of saving my brother's life yet.
But bioengineering still haunted the universe.
The !Dakos wanted me to alter their modifications to their genome, to correct their foolish mistakes. But ethics would argue they had ventured down a dangerous path. They must suffer the consequences.
Someone pounded at my door.
Probably Rom. Back to make demands.
The door creaked open.
Two !Dakos warriors watched me from beyond Solvun's shoulders.
"Fancy meeting you here, Solvun.” I turned back to sit on my squeaking cot, knowing he just came to play our feigned rivalry up for our wardens. “Go away if you want to spar. I'm no longer in the mood.” Although, a good round of boxing helped me loosen up.
Solvun stepped across the threshold. “Just wanted to complement you on your taste in D'enas."
The door slammed shut.
My sentiments exactly. Theone didn't want me but rode Solvun like he was a god. Probably because they looked so similar in body color. I rolled my eyes for effect and smacked my lips. “Keep her, brother. I saw enough to know how much you enjoy her. Yet, she was never mine. Just my pilot."
"Oh?” Solvun's shocked mask proved quite amusing.
"Very much so. She was transporting me to Quadrant Seven when she employed some sort of hyper-jump mechanism—"
"You mean the spacecraft isn't psychic-propelled? Kind of archaic, little brother. No wonder you crapped out of the universe's asshole. Right into this joy of a home.” He patted the wall with fake affection.
My brother and his epiphanies. “Leave it to you to sum up things so eloquently."
Solvun's face shifted into straight-lipped mirth. “I'm the eldest and wisest.” He shrugged and turned back to the door, sauntering, plotting.
"What are your plans with her? She's innocent of anything the !Dakos suspect, Solvun. Be gentle with her. Remember E'na.” And take care of Theone.
Solvun paused.
Not something he'd normally do.
He turned until he could see me with one golden eye in profile. “I've mated with her. She's ours to breed. Don't play around, little brother. Or you won't get a chance to leave Prall a son."
Solvun disappeared through the doorway with his subtle warning about survival. And I intended to survive. To worm my way into the heart of my brother's
Some scrap of a plan M'yote had. All I could do was wait out the nightmare on a sinking boat. At least, you don't have to walk the plank on a sinking ship. Maybe the sharks would go for the bigger juicier bites offered in the male bastards? If so, I might just survive this fiasco.
[Back to Table of Contents]
Cybernetics... “a craftsperson in time.” ~Larry Richards
* * * *
[Back to Table of Contents]
Chapter Seven
M'yote's cell could stand for some refinement. But what could a warrior expect when imprisoned as the enemy? A bed, a functioning lavatory, no cellmates. Nice. Although, the horrible video screen that flickered on to show me the battle of wills in Solvun's opulent sex cell didn't make me any more likely to submit.
If the !Dakos thought they could anger me into using my Handler powers to help them adjust the byproducts of their tinkering with their planet's genome, I'd never comply now. Besides, they caused their problems with their female offspring in utero. Their choice of paths in life led their people to this point. And ethics are ethics. Although I hadn't been pushed to save a life before, I couldn't guess what I'd do if someone's life like Solvun's hung by a delicate hair. The little wild hair of desperation would require Solvun's loss of head or limbs, and a lack of medical attention would lead to a Handler's intervention because nanites could repair damaged tissue quickly and help stop blood flow but couldn't regenerate a leg or a decapitated head's body. However, I hadn't been forced to face the issue of saving my brother's life yet.
But bioengineering still haunted the universe.
The !Dakos wanted me to alter their modifications to their genome, to correct their foolish mistakes. But ethics would argue they had ventured down a dangerous path. They must suffer the consequences.
Someone pounded at my door.
Probably Rom. Back to make demands.
The door creaked open.
Two !Dakos warriors watched me from beyond Solvun's shoulders.
"Fancy meeting you here, Solvun.” I turned back to sit on my squeaking cot, knowing he just came to play our feigned rivalry up for our wardens. “Go away if you want to spar. I'm no longer in the mood.” Although, a good round of boxing helped me loosen up.
Solvun stepped across the threshold. “Just wanted to complement you on your taste in D'enas."
The door slammed shut.
My sentiments exactly. Theone didn't want me but rode Solvun like he was a god. Probably because they looked so similar in body color. I rolled my eyes for effect and smacked my lips. “Keep her, brother. I saw enough to know how much you enjoy her. Yet, she was never mine. Just my pilot."
"Oh?” Solvun's shocked mask proved quite amusing.
"Very much so. She was transporting me to Quadrant Seven when she employed some sort of hyper-jump mechanism—"
"You mean the spacecraft isn't psychic-propelled? Kind of archaic, little brother. No wonder you crapped out of the universe's asshole. Right into this joy of a home.” He patted the wall with fake affection.
My brother and his epiphanies. “Leave it to you to sum up things so eloquently."
Solvun's face shifted into straight-lipped mirth. “I'm the eldest and wisest.” He shrugged and turned back to the door, sauntering, plotting.
"What are your plans with her? She's innocent of anything the !Dakos suspect, Solvun. Be gentle with her. Remember E'na.” And take care of Theone.
Solvun paused.
Not something he'd normally do.
He turned until he could see me with one golden eye in profile. “I've mated with her. She's ours to breed. Don't play around, little brother. Or you won't get a chance to leave Prall a son."
Solvun disappeared through the doorway with his subtle warning about survival. And I intended to survive. To worm my way into the heart of my brother's
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