Page 17 of Human Reclaimed
Rune led me toward the security center. Before we entered, he paused, his hand hesitating near but not touching my arm.
“Talia, I…” He stopped, seeming to wrestle with unfamiliar emotions.
“Yes?”
“Thank you for trusting me enough to swim with me today.”
I smiled up at him, suddenly aware of how much I wanted to see more of this side of him. I realized I was already planning our next escape to the oasis and already looking forward to seeing him relaxed and playful again. The thought should have terrified me. Instead, it felt like the first hopeful thing I’d experienced in years.
EIGHT
RUNE
I stood outside the security center, my hair still damp from our swim, watching Talia clutch her datapad against her chest. Little droplets of water still clung to some strands of her blonde hair, catching the sunlight filtering through the jungle canopy above. She smiled at me, and I felt something fundamental shift inside my chest. In just hours, this human woman had transformed from a strategic resource into something far more complex. Far more essential.
I was already planning our next escape to my private oasis in my mind and already anticipating the sound of her laughter echoing across the water. The thought should have alarmed me—vulnerability had no place in a commander’s arsenal—but instead, warmth spread through me. Not since establishing our colony eighteen months ago had I felt such genuine hope.
I reluctantly turned away from her gaze, and guided her toward the main entrance, my hand hovering near her lower back but not touching her. The doors slid open as we approached. Inside, the curved walls gleamed with screens displaying various sectors of our settlement. The familiar blue glow of monitor displays cast shadows across the polished metal flooring.
As I guided Talia toward Sage’s workstation, I couldn’t stop replaying images from our swim. Talia in her white bra and panties, water cascading down her tanned skin as she surfaced from a dive. The playful defiance in her eyes when she splashed me. The way her body had felt, small but powerful, when I’d lifted her above the water.
“Commander? Commander Rune?”
Sage’s voice snapped me back to the present. She stood before us, her blonde ponytail swinging as she tilted her head, one eyebrow raised knowingly.
“Sorry, what were you saying?” I straightened my shoulders, trying to reclaim my commanding presence.
“I asked if Captain Reed would prefer to start with the perimeter systems or the internal grid analysis.” Sage’s lips twitched with barely suppressed amusement. “But clearly your mind was… elsewhere.”
Heat flooded my face, a sensation I was getting used to with Talia around me for the past twenty-four hours. Talia glanced between us, her own cheeks flushing slightly.
“Let’s begin with the perimeter,” I said, gesturing toward Sage’s workstation.
Talia stepped forward, immediately focusing on the holographic display that Sage activated. Her brow furrowed as she studied the glowing blue outline of our settlement.
“This is… concerning,” she murmured, her fingers tracing the virtual barrier that protected our home. “Your current grid is approximately twenty-five percent porous.”
“Twenty-five?” I moved closer, our shoulders nearly touching. “Our calculations estimated twenty-two percent.”
“Your calculations missed these three sectors.” She pointed to areas I’d previously deemed adequately secured. “The topographical elevation creates natural blind spots in your sensor array.”
I inhaled sharply. She was right. How had I missed that?
“I’ll adjust the protocols immediately,” I said, unable to keep the admiration from my voice.
“And your shield harmonics need recalibration.” Talia manipulated the display, highlighting weak points with practiced efficiency. “The jungle’s electromagnetic field disrupts your standard frequencies.”
Sage whistled low. “She’s good.”
“No, she’s the best,” I corrected, not taking my eyes off Talia. Her competence and demeanor were mesmerizing—the fluid way she navigated complex security systems and the confident set of her shoulders as she explained vulnerabilities I’d overlooked.
“If we redirect power from these auxiliary nodes,” Talia continued, “we can boost coverage in the eastern quadrant without compromising the southern approach.”
I found myself stepping closer to her, drawn to her brilliance as much as her beauty. “Show me.”
For the next hour, we lost ourselves in security protocols and defense strategies. Talia’s insights were revolutionary—not just plugging holes but reimagining our entire approach to settlement security. She thought in patterns I’d never considered, seeing weaknesses and opportunities that had eluded even our most advanced systems.
“Your tactical mind is extraordinary,” I said quietly as she finished outlining a particularly elegant solution to our western perimeter vulnerabilities.
