Page 4 of Furi

04 laughed. He did that more and more now, the others too. His face beautiful like all the others but he didn’t attract her. She’d known him all her life, here before she was born, they were here first. He was like an older uncle that looked her age now.

How strange that was…

Once she’d cottoned on at about 5 years old, she’d asked him how come he didn’t look older every year like she did. And he’d told her. Nanos. Little almost invisible machines that were in their blood that kept them in peek condition and in doing so, didn’t allow them to age, to degenerate like a human body did.

Explaining that to a 5-year-old wasn’t easy but he’d given it to her straight.

None of them would age. Ever most likely. None of his people had once they’d reached the age the Designers had predicted in their DNA makeup. Left in their late teens or 20s, 30s, some into their 40s. They remained at that age.

Forever going on it seemed.

“Okay come with but you need to shrink all that juiciness. It will attract attention. I don’t want females sniffing around looking for a quickie.”

04 Sniggered. “I can’t promise they won't come to check out the goods. But I’ll keep the goods under wraps and out of the way.” She nodded. “I’ll stay on the cart with Emily, throw a blanket or two over myself and stay hunched over, keeping an eye on things.”

Raising an eyebrow, she wasn’t sure how that was going to work. Not with a face like his and the size of his neck and shoulders. And shrugged. “I guess we can try it.”

Reaching over he took Emily from her as they stepped on to the porch. Holding her he tucked her inside his waistcoat, so Emily was on his skin. He’d told her that first time that it was better for the baby to feel his heart beat, plus he could make his skin warmer for her, his heartbeat louder so she was comforted by it.

She had no idea how he knew all that but was grateful that he did and could. The moment Emily touched his skin she nestled in and started a deeper sleep. It was a wonder to her every time she did that. Having lost so much already. She couldn’t think of her losing more.

“My data tells me I like that she scents of me.”

Stepping into the house the aroma of food hit her, several Cyborgs were cooking up a storm. The dividing wall between their kitchen and dining area were long gone to make one large kitchen where they could all sit together other than those on ‘duty’ around the place.

Over 40 large, very large men took over half the ground floor.

The other half out there somewhere doing what 04 needed them to do.

Taking her seat, 04 with her the food was served. Reaching out she took 16’s hand to her left and 04s to her right, everyone else doing the same until the table was rounded with hands from one person to another. Looking around she smiled at them all.

These were her family now. “We thank the universe for bringing us safely through another day and for the food we are about to eat.”

Breaking up the circle more food came over everyone tucking in. The Cyborgs not acknowledging the need for the prayer not believing in it really, but it was tradition in her family and she carried it on. And they, humored her by joining in. The silence only broken by the noise of food being consumed. Emily content sleeping on 04 as he took his meal one-handed.

The evidence of how much protein they needed stared her in the face every single day. It was one of the reasons her father had lisened to their need and with the credits they’d paid him, switched to more expensive higher grade protein wheat for the humans and animals, helping to make better quality crops and meat. Harder to grow, it gave more, offered more and they used it in everything. Meat and produce better for it. It gave a quality much sort after.

To accommodate nearly 70 hungry mouths who ate four times what a human would, they’d had to diversify and increase their herds. With the extra hands it hadn’t been difficult. But the credits to buy them was, their ‘new’ friends coming to the rescue.

They had credits on board their ship and handed over all her father needed. Having savings already, over time he gradually increased planting and animal stock. To the point where now they produced far more than they needed. They’d always sold their surplus to the local towns and had agreements with the Stores in those towns to take it. After the arrival of the Cyborgs that next harvest tripled. Keeping what they needed they still had a surplus of goods to sell and it covered the extra credits her father suddenly had.

But that only made his ex-school friend envious of his good fortune. Not that he knew where it came from along with a lot of hard work.

Maybe her father felt some guilt for letting him go?

She didn’t know. He never spoke of it. But it was clear to her that the man couldn’t be trusted, and it was just as well he wasn’t on the land when her father had come across the Cyborgs keeping a low profile trying to survive in the mountainous area of their land while he’d gone looking for those lost sheep.

Her father had told her how shocked he’d been confronted by a large group of warrior men. The sheep not lost but eaten. Then thanking him they then paid him. He’d never been so surprised in his life.

She smiled remembering the story looking around the table.

The best men she knew.

“04 tell her she needs to marry. Find a man to fuck her and give her her own babies.” She choked on her sausage. 16 smacking her on the back as she gave 38 the evil eye her own watering. He winked at her.

Bastard. He knew that would happen.

“One baby is enough!” She told the room getting her breath back. “Besides I’ve got 70 large babies I’m trying to toilet train….. learn to blend in….” There were several sniggers around the table. 16 going from slapping her back to rubbing it. Like she was the child.

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