Page 28 of Cyborgs' Origins

As she allowed Tiberius to lead her from the lab, she cast one last glance at Izzy. Her friend waved, the gesture slightly jerky as she adjusted to her new cybernetic enhancements.

The corridor outside was a flurry of activity, personnel rushing back and forth as they dealt with the aftermath of the battle. Simone leaned against Tiberius, suddenly aware of how drained she truly was.

“Come on,” he said, steering her toward her quarters. “You need to rest.”

She nodded, too tired to argue. As they walked, her thoughts drifted to the future. The Sventian Scourge was defeated, but at what cost? And what would this mean for their colony?

She pushed aside the thoughts, focusing on the steady rhythm of his footsteps beside her. For now, they were alive. They had survived. Everything else could wait until she had slept.

As they reached her quarters, Tiberius paused, his hand hovering over the door controls. “Simone,” he said, his voice low and intense. “What you did back there, with Izzy, all by yourself, was incredible.”

She looked up at him, confused by the admiration in his eyes. “I did what I had to do,” she said simply.

He nodded, a small smile playing at the corners of his mouth. “That’s what makes you so remarkable.” He leaned in, pressing a gentle kiss to her forehead. “Get some rest. I’ll be here when you wake up.”

As she entered her quarters, the door sliding shut behind her, she found herself smiling despite her exhaustion. They had faced impossible odds and come out the other side. She collapsed onto her bed, her body finally giving in to the bone-deep weariness that had been building for hours. As she drifted off to sleep,her last thoughts were of Tiberius, of Izzy, and of the strange, wonderful family they had forged.

Chapter 10—Tiberius

IN THE AFTERMATH OFthe battle, Izzy and the med techs worked tirelessly to save those they could. Simone’s fledgling cybernetics technology proved invaluable, allowing Izzy to stabilize the critically injured and enhance their chances of survival.

Tiberius watched in awe as they moved from one patient to the next for hours. When Simone slipped out to stand with him on the surface, he put his arm around her. “They’ve been employing your tech for hours to save lives.”

She scowled. “You should have woken me to help.” Without another word, she rushed to join the team, her hands steady and her focus unwavering. She integrated the biocircuit interface with precision, her brilliant mind guiding the delicate procedure.

Tiberius marveled at her strength and dedication before refocusing the mercs to finish triaging and then to start on the daunting task of clearing up all the debris from the battle. They would have a lot of rebuilding before them, but most of them were alive to make it happen, which was amazing considering the might of the Sventians.

AS THE HOURS STRETCHEDinto days, the medbay became a hive of activity, with Simone at its center. She worked tirelessly, her fingers flying over consoles and surgical tools with equal dexterity.

Tiberius was drawn to her side, offering what support he could as she and Izzy directed the operation and focused on healing everyone who was injured in order of severity. He assisted in the procedures, his enhanced strength and dexterity proving invaluable, but more than that, he provided a steadying presence.

As the last of the survivors stabilized, Tiberius, Simone, and Izzy finally allowed themselves a moment of rest. Izzy wished them well and promised to see them after sleeping for a decade, at least. In turn, they retreated to the quiet of Simone’s quarters, their bodies weary but spirits unbroken.

Simone sank onto the bed, her eyes heavy with fatigue. “We did it, Tiberius. We saved as many as we could.”

Tiberius settled beside her, his cybernetic arm wrapping around her shoulders. “Because of you,” he said, his voice thick with emotion.

Simone shook her head, a faint smile playing on her lips. “We did it together. You and the Iron Wolves gave us the chance to fight back. Without your bravery and tactical genius, none of this would have been possible.”

Tiberius tightened his embrace, drawing her closer. “Izzy did her fair share too. She seems to like being a cyborg.”

Simone’s eyes glistened with amusement. “I wish she’d make fewer jokes about going homicidal and enslaving the human race though.”

He laughed. “She’s probably joking. Right?”

She shrugged but was grinning. “Maybe.”

Tiberius leaned in, his forehead resting against hers. He felt a sense of completeness, a certainty that their paths had been destined to intertwine. “I love you,” he said, his heart swelling with an amount of love he had never known possible.

She laid her head against his shoulder, yawning deeply before she said, “Love you too.”

As they held each other, the weight of their losses and the challenges that lay ahead seemed to fade into the background. For now, they slumped together on the bed and slept.

IN THE DAYS THAT FOLLOWED, Tiberius was swept up in the colony’s renewed energy. Everywhere he turned, he witnessed the indomitable spirit of the survivors, their determination to rebuild and thrive fueling their every action.

One evening, as the twin moons of Durmox C7 cast their ethereal glow over the courtyard, Tiberius was drawn to a gathering of colonists. They sat around a crackling fire, sharing stories and laughter, their faces illuminated by the dancing flames.

As Tiberius approached, he recognized the familiar voice of Lance, one of the Iron Wolves. The mercenary was regaling the group with a tale from their days in the interstellar military, his words painting a vivid picture of a daring raid on a pirate stronghold.

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