Page 25 of Human Reclaimed
Rune stopped walking, his broad shoulders tensing. “What kind of modifications?”
“I couldn’t tell exactly. But the cyborgs were conscious during the procedures. Screaming.” The memory made bile rise in my throat. “I’ve spent the last two years looking over my shoulder, wondering when CyberEvolution might come for me.”
“But they never did?”
“No. Either they didn’t care about what I knew, or someone higher up protected me by getting me discharged quietly.” I met his eyes directly. “And now these pirates are capturing pregnant cyborgs and babies. For what? Black market research? More experiments?”
Rune’s jaw clenched, a muscle ticking beneath his skin. “It’s a possibility we’ve considered.”
We stepped outside the medical bay into the humid morning air of Planet Alpha. The colony was coming alive around us with people moving along the stone pathways between the buildings. The massive jungle trees provided shade from the twin suns.
“I won’t let it happen,” I said firmly, stopping to face him. “I can’t. Those babies, those mothers—they deserve our protection.”
His eyes softened as he looked at me.
“I already said I would help you yesterday. But now, it’s personal.” I ran my fingers through my hair, pushing it back from my face. “I’ve been hiding out for two years, Rune. Maybe I was discharged to be silenced or maybe to be protected. Either way, I’m done hiding.”
The corner of Rune’s mouth lifted. “I knew you were the right choice.”
“For the record, kidnapping is still a terrible recruitment strategy.” I raised my eyebrows at him. “But I’m here now, and I’m going to make sure your colony is the most secure settlement in this galaxy.”
He stepped closer, his presence enveloping me with warmth and the subtle scent of something fresh and clean. His sheets held the same scent last night when I slept in his bed. “I’m terribly sorry for how I brought you here, but I’m not sorry you’re here.”
My breath hitched at his proximity. For a man engineered for war, he moved with surprising grace. His eyes held mine, intense with an emotion I couldn’t quite name, but it sent electricity dancing across my skin.
“Let’s fix your perimeter.” I gestured toward the security center, needing to break the tension before I did something reckless again, like throw myself into his arms. “I’ve already thought of three more weaknesses in your grid that need addressing immediately.”
As we walked side by side through the settlement, my resolve hardened with every step. These people—human and cyborg alike—had built something precious here. A place where they could live free from Earth’s prejudices and CyberEvolution’s control.
And I would make damn sure no one took that from them.
I followed Rune through the security center’s main corridor, nodding at Sage who flashed me a smile as we walked past her.
Rune’s office sat at the far end of the building, a reinforced door sliding open at his approach. I stepped inside and couldn’t help but smirk. The space mirrored his quarters perfectly—meticulous organization and everything aligned with military precision. Nothing out of place and not a speck of dust anywhere.
“Let me guess,” I said, running my hand along his spotless desk, “you alphabetize your books, too?”
A hint of color touched his cheeks. “Efficiency matters.” He pulled a chair alongside his and gestured for me to sit. “Especially now.”
As I settled beside him, that faint scent of something clean and fresh drifted from his skin. The same scent had filled my senses when I’d kissed him last night. I pushed the memory aside, focusing as he opened his laptop.
“Your initial assessment yesterday was impressive,” Rune said, his deep voice stirring something in me. “I’ve been thinking about those blind spots you identified.”
“Your calculations clearly missed three sectors.” I pointed to areas he’d previously deemed adequately secured.
His brow furrowed as he studied the display. “Yes, I know. I realized I didn’t account for the magnetic variations in those quadrants.”
“Most people wouldn’t.” I pulled out my datapad, my fingers tapping across the surface. “This planet’s unique electromagnetic field disrupts your standard frequencies designed to be used on Earth. We need to adjust them immediately.”
I sketched out the layered defense system I’d contemplated last night while lying in Rune’s bed tossing and turning. My new defense system consisted of mobile sensor packs scattered throughout the jungle’s edge, a network of pressure-sensitive mines around the perimeter, and aerial drones programmed to detect and track movement patterns.
“Here’s where your current grid is most vulnerable,” I said, highlighting a section of the eastern perimeter. “Twenty-five percent porous, not the twenty-two you calculated.”
Rune leaned closer, his shoulder brushing mine. The contact sent electricity coursing through me.
“And if we recalibrate the shield harmonics here and here…” His finger traced across the screen, barely an inch from mine.
“Exactly.” I inhaled slowly, trying to steady my breathing. “The shield would adapt to the jungle’s electromagnetic fluctuations instead of fighting against them.”
