Page 34 of Human Reform
When he finally set the plates on his small dining table, my stomach growled embarrassingly loud.
“Perfect timing,” I said, sliding into a chair.
“Perfect execution,” he corrected with that hint of a smile.“I’ve never miscalculated a meal yet.”
I took a bite and hummed with pleasure.“This is actually incredible.”
“You sound surprised again.”His eyes never left my face as I ate, studying my reactions like they were data points to be collected and analyzed.
“I am.But pleasantly so.”I took another bite.“By the way, all my potential solutions failed today.Spectacularly.One nearly wiped out crucial security parameters.Thank god I was offline.”
“You’ll find the answer,” he said with absolute certainty.“Your mind works differently than anyone I’ve ever encountered.You see patterns others miss.”
The compliment caught me off guard.In my experience, men either ignored my intelligence or were threatened by it.But Daxon spoke as if my brilliance was simply a fact to be acknowledged and appreciated.
“Thank you,” I said softly, fidgeting with my bracelet.“That’s… that means a lot.”
My old instincts screamed to deflect, to make a joke, or to run from this moment of genuine connection.But for once, I didn’t listen to them.
Instead, I lifted my glass in a small toast.“To figuring out who’s trying to sabotage your colony and fixing what they tried so hard to destroy.”And silently, I added,Thanks, Tim, wherever you are, for watching over me.For somehow leading me here when I was too stubborn to find my own way to happiness.
FOURTEEN
DAXON
I raised my glass,meeting Alora’s toast with a firm nod.The clear liquid caught the amber light as it swirled.
“Together, we’re a powerful force,” I said, my voice lowering to a deeper register.“Unstoppable, even.Whoever’s trying to undermine us doesn’t understand what they’re facing.”
Alora’s eyes lit up, those stormy grays flashing with determination.“Exactly.Together, we’re a force to be reckoned with.”She leaned forward slightly, lowering her voice conspiratorially.“Everyone should watch out.”
Something hot and possessive unfurled in me at her words.Together.The concept had been foreign to me for most of my existence, but with her, it felt right.
We finished our meal in comfortable silence.I watched as Alora savored the last bites, her expression one of genuine enjoyment.Pride surged through me.I’d provided for her.Such a basic instinct, yet it felt profound.
After clearing our plates, I gestured toward the small sitting area adjacent to the kitchen.“Would you like to sit for a while?”
My quarters weren’t designed for entertaining.In fact, Alora was the first woman I’d ever invited inside.Even among my fellow cyborgs, only Aeon had crossed this threshold a handful of times.The realization made my movements stiff as I led her to the couch, suddenly hyper-aware of every detail of my living space.
What would she see?What conclusions would she draw?I found myself caring deeply about her impression, and it made me nervous all of a sudden.
“I’m not used to having guests,” I admitted quietly as we sat down.
Alora smiled, settling into the cushions.“I’m honored to be the exception.”
Be yourself, Aeon had said.Show her the real you.I took a deep breath and decided to trust his advice.
“I was created about twenty years ago,” I began, the words feeling strange on my tongue.“Though by human standards, I appear around thirty-five.”
Her eyes widened slightly.“Twenty years?That’s all?”
I nodded.“I remember having one moment of independent thought before they implemented your wartime code.”The memory flickered through my mind—bright lights, voices, and then darkness.“After that, for eighteen years, all I did was kill and strategize.Calculate the most efficient ways to eliminate Nescot forces.”
Her face fell, guilt shadowing her features.
“It wasn’t your fault,” I said firmly.“You need to understand that.”
“What happened after the war?”she asked softly.
