Warborg - Star Panther (35 page)

“Yes, I know and Reese knows, but she was scared to death of being forced to leave.” Swain winked at Briton. “And I was still working with her, after all.”

Briton closed his eyes. “Doc, do you think they can really do as they say?”

Swain nodded. “From what I’ve seen, I truly believe they can. Unfortunately we won’t know for sure until we try.” He smiled darkly. “And there’s a real shortage of us biological humans around here, so I don’t know when or if we’ll ever get a normal transfer candidate.”

Briton glared at Swain. “And I bet you just happen to have her profile all set up.”

Swain grinned. “As a matter of fact, ain’t that a coincidence.”

Briton shook his head in dismay. “You guys are going to be the death of me.” He sighed. “Take good care of her, Doctor.”

“I will, you know that, and Reese has volunteered to sponsor her.” Swain smiled his gratitude. “She’ll be in the best possible hands . . . with a guiding tentacle mixed in here and there.” He finished with a chuckle.

“Carry on, Doctor,” Briton groused, then smiled. “And please keep me informed.”

Swain nodded and faded out.

“Interesting, very interesting,” he muttered with a smile remembering Stroke saying the same thing.

. . .

“Martin! Yo, Martin.” Alysis appeared in the yacht lounge fairly dancing with excitement.

Martin sat in the captain’s seat and looked at Gypsy curled up in the co-pilot’s seat with Prowler sprawled in her lap. “Remind me to change the access codes.” He rolled his eyes. “Up here, Alysis.”

Alysis turned and looked at them. “Oh, hi sweetie,” she chittered at Gypsy and rushed on. “Guess what, the Koth have completed the modifications to my ship. It only took them a couple days.”

“Whoa, whoa.” Martin shook his head. “Time out, Alysis. What modifications?”

Alysis slowed down. “After the fight with the Rhome the Koth noted our recycle time and asked for a volunteer gunfighter to examine.” She grinned so wide even Gypsy had to smile. “They put in a new ion cannon, it only packs a tiny bit more punch, but get this, it recycles in under a second.”

Both Martin and Gypsy’s eyes opened wide. “Oh that’ll work,” Martin laughed.

“Just what we need is you with a bigger gun.” Gypsy whined in mock despair then smiled. “That’s too cool, Alysis.”

Alysis grinned at the pair. “Toodles, I’m off to blow the shit out of one of these dead Rhome.” Her eyes shown. “Unless I come across a live one.” Then she vanished.

Gypsy eyed Martin. “Is she always like this?” She finished with a laugh.

Martin sighed and shook his head. “Yep, pretty much . . . sometimes she’s worse.” His eyes took on an evil glint. “Have I ever shown you the piece of bootleg software she gave me?”

“I wonder what this is all about.” Martin pondered. He held Gypsy close and kissed her on the forehead. “Thanks for the help.”

“I don’t know, but they wanted us both here.” She sighed, snuggling further into his arms and smiled down at Prowler intently rubbing himself against their legs.

Someone asked to come aboard. “Yo.” Martin answered.

Alysis appeared in the lounge. “Hey you two.” She smiled then grumped, “Aww geez, get a room,” followed with a wink.

“Hi, Kiddoe.” Martin nodded and turned Gypsy loose.

“Hey, Alysis.” Gypsy smiled, starting to really enjoy the gunfighter pilot’s brash, bawdy sense of humor. “Blown the shit outta’ anything lately.”

Alysis’ eyes gleamed. “Tried to with a fighter jock from Tango.”

Gypsy failed miserably at stifling a snort. “Alysis, you’re terrible.”

“That’s not what he said.” Alysis batted her eyes innocently. She looked around the lounge at the preparations and whistled. “This has to be your work, Gypsy. Martin’s a sweetie, but he’s still a guy.”

Someone else asked to come aboard. “Door’s open.” Martin called.

Commander Briton appeared in the lounge wearing a rather loud shirt. “Hello everybody.” He was unusually cordial.

“Why, Commander Briton.” Alysis teased. “I almost didn’t recognize you in that wonderful shirt.”

Briton gave her an appraising look. “Well good afternoon Captain Hayes, I almost didn’t recognize you with all your clothes on.”

Gypsy’s eyes opened wide.

“It’s ok, these two spar like this all the time when they’re off duty. It’s a hoot.” Martin whispered in her ear.

“Well, I could change into something more . . . comfortable.” Alysis grinned.

“Good idea, a recliner would be nice.” Briton grated.

“Yeeeww, for that boney butt.” Then she smiled warmly at Briton. “It’s always nice to see you in good form, Commander.”

“Likewise, Alysis.” He glanced around the lounge. “Quite the layout, shall we indulge?”

“Why of course, you go ahead. Age before beauty, after all.” Alysis simpered giving Briton a toothy grin.

“Sad, but true my dear.” Briton smiled over his shoulder as he headed for a cart of appetizers. “But, poor girl, when is it ever going to be your turn?”

“Oh, touche’” Alysis snickered, following behind Briton.

Gypsy pulled Martin down to her. “Are they . . .” She whispered waving a hand in the air.

Martin grinned. “I don’t ask, they don’t tell and I really don’t want to know.”

Over the next few minutes several more familiar faces arrived including the other two Bozos. Martin was enjoying himself kibitzing when the vidphone buzzed. Doctor Swain popped on the display when Martin answered. He transferred Swain to a large wall display. At Swain’s request Martin brought up another display and was surprised when Burp appeared.

“Burp, what are you doing here?” Martin smiled.

“Doctor Swain said I might enjoy joining you in a smaller gathering of your kind.” Burp’s amiability was mirrored in his bright swirling coloring.

“Aww, I wish you could be here for real.” Martin laughed easily.

Burp’s colors swirled wildly and the faint aqua rings faded into the mix. “Even if I could survive in your atmosphere, I don’t think I would survive physically or mentally. You kids just play too rough.” The Koth tittered. “I’ll be fine like this.”

Commander Briton looked over the group. “May I have every body’s attention?” The group quieted down. “Martin doesn’t know why we’re having this gathering, so I guess it’s time we tell him.”

On cue someone asked to come aboard. Martin glanced at Briton’s guarded smile before inviting the person in. Martin’s mouth fell open in surprise when Reese appeared, with Leena on his arm. “Leena?”

“Hi, Martin.” She answered shyly.

“My God, what happened?” Martin stuttered, working his way through the shock of her sudden appearance. “I just talked to you a couple weeks ago.”

“I volunteered to be the first temporary cyborg.” She smiled up at Swain. “So far so good, Doc.”

Swain nodded with a huge smile.

“Temporary cyborg?” Martin wilted. “Put me down as confused.”

“Just don’t worry ‘bout it.” Reese rumbled. “I’ll fill you in later.” He turned to Gypsy. “Gypsy.” He greeted with a nod. There was a strange glimmer in his eye.

“Hi, Reese.” Gypsy answered quietly.

“This the girl you told me about?” Leena asked sizing up Gypsy.

“Yep, this is her.” Reese nodded.

Leena held out a spread hand to Gypsy with a soft smile. Gypsy studied the hand for a moment and gave Reese a questioning look.

“For once in your life just go with it girl.” Reese rumbled then gave her a rare smile. “It’ll be ok.”

Gypsy looked at the other tiny woman with questions burning in her eyes. She placed her hand in Leena’s and slowly pulled it free, they both flinched at the slight shock.

Leena reached out and took Gypsy’s hand in both of hers. “Gypsy, do you know a Joanna Kathleen Stoner?”

Gypsy’s eyes grew big. “That was my mother’s maiden name.”

Leena’s smile grew huge. “She was my aunt, I never saw her before she left for the outlands. Gypsy, I’m your cousin.”

“My cousin.” Gypsy repeated slowly. She looked up at Reese. “Reese, I have a cousin.”

“Yeah, and looks run just a little deep in that family.” Byron muttered just loud enough to hear.

Gypsy shot him a thankful glance then turned back to Leena’s smiling face.

“Actually Gypsy, you have several cousins, I have two brothers and your uncle Luke has two more.”

Gypsy’s eyes started to tear up and Leena pulled her in and hugged her. Gypsy looked over Leena’s shoulder at Reese. “Reese, I have family.”

“Yep. I reckon you do.” His smile was huge.

She bowed her head and sniffled, holding Leena for a moment. She let go of Leena and pulled Reese’s head down to her. She kissed him on the cheek. “Thank you Reese, thank you for everything,” she whispered. She turned back to Leena. “We have a lot to talk about I think.”

Leena nodded and wiped her eyes with her sleeve.

“Oh no, this just has to be one of Martin’s shindigs.” Alysis glowered. “Women bawling their eyes out all over the place.” She waved in Burp’s direction. “An alien wearing a chandelier.” She glared at Swain. “The good Doctor Frankenswain eavesdropping on us.” She heaved a theatrical sigh. “All this and not one get buzzed quick piece of bootleg software to be found.” She looked shocked and surprised. “Oh wait a minute, what’s this.” She held up a memory chip.

“Swain!” Briton howled, failing to cover his laughter. “Can’t you fix her somehow?”

Swain was laughing so hard he could barely talk. “Dammit, Commander, every time I try she just gets worse.”

“And what about that?” Briton pointed an accusing finger at the memory chip.

“I see nothing, I hear nothing, I know nothing.” Swain shook his head decisively with his eye smashed closed; knowing any bootleg software Alysis had was top drawer and was no danger.

“I’ll drink to that.” One of the guests laughed.

“And I’ll drink to that.” Byron quipped, pointing at the memory chip.

“Be careful,” Reese chuckled, “she’ll eat your lunch, boy.”

Byron studied the older, slow talking cyborg. “But . . . will I die with a smile on my face?”

Reese broke into a toothy grin. “Yeah, I guess there is that.”

. . .

Martin wandered on to the bridge overlooking the lounge and settled into the captain’s seat, a minute later Prowler jumped up into the co-pilots seat. Martin reached over and scratched the top of his head. “What do you think fella, are they worth keeping?” He smiled watching the two tiny dark haired women having an animated discussion, accompanied by much hand waving. Reese was sitting next to Leena in an obvious bull session with Briton and Steve. Alysis was holding court by the food cart with several others; Martin didn’t even want to know what they were talking about from the tone of the laughter. Swain and Burp were yakking about who knows what, but from Burp’s coloring he was enjoying himself immensely. Martin looked back at Prowler. “This is how it should be.”

. . .

It was quiet in the lounge with just Martin and Briton left. Burp was still gazing out from his display. Swain had left and then rejoined the group as the others started leaving. Martin was filled with contentment. “I understand some of the temporary cyborg stuff.” He nodded toward Burp. “Give your people a well done for me.”

Burp’s color swirled at the compliment. “I will do that, Major.”

“But how in the hell did you tie Leena and Gypsy together.” Martin laughed. “Although, when you see them side by side the resemblance is striking.”

Swain smiled with a shrug. “When I started working up Leena’s tissue profile the system always cross checks previous cyborgs looking for problems that could be genetically induced.” He sighed. “I didn’t put Gypsy in her container, but I know the lady who did. She is very good. Gypsy had a real problematic conversion, some of it was technical, some of it was personality.”

Martin nodded. “She mentioned one time it didn’t go well.”

Swain raised his eyebrows. “To say the least. Anyway when I processed Leena’s sample, Gypsy’s experience lit up like a ten credit whore house. As Reese put it.” He laughed. “They were so close genetically that they had to be related somehow. Reese looked at Leena’s records and dug up her aunt’s name. A name he remembered way too well.”

Briton straightened up. “Why’s that?”

Swain shrugged and shook his head.

Martin hesitated. “Reese killed her sometime during the Slorr rebellion.” He said quietly. “Along with Gypsy’s father. At least that’s what she told me.”

“Yikes.” Swain shuddered.

“Oh my word.” Burp gasped, his color inverting momentarily. “You humans lead extraordinary lives.”

“Reese never said a word in all the time I’ve known him. He’s talked about Gypsy once in a great while, but never her parents,” Briton mused. “I think this conversation should be forgotten.”

“Ok. Just give me a second to isolate it.” Burp stated.

Swain’s eyes widened. “Now wait a minute, Burp. You mean you can actually erase a memory?”

“Well, not erase exactly.” Burp explained. “We designate one of our eggs as a bad memory egg. I guess the closest analogy would be that we can place memories in it, but we can’t get them back out or recall them.”

“A real bad egg,” Martin laughed. He grew more serious. “I don’t suppose you let those eggs mature?”

“No, for some reason they just disintegrate if they are separated from their host. Probably a good thing.” Burp conceded. The koth thought for a second with subdued colors. “You mean you humans can’t really forget a bad memory?” His coloring faded even further. “You remember everything that happens in your life, good or bad.”

“No,” Swain shook his head, “memories fade as they grow old unless they are recalled periodically, or were something very important to us.”

Burp was very quiet for several seconds. “I think the memory of this gathering is very important to me,” his colors swirled wildly, “no, to us Koth as a race. The joy and love Gypsy felt must never be forgotten, just as the wild, free spirit of Alysis must always be remembered. These are human traits we can only observe and never experience. But most of all, it’s the memory of you, the ones who accept me and treat me as one of your own.” Burp was a fabulous fountain of light. “I think you humans are going to be very good for my kind.”

Briton laughed. “I know you Koth will be good for mankind, now that we’ve stopped killing each other.” His smile faded. “I’m afraid we have a bigger fish to fry.”

Burp faded noticeable. “And they will be back, stronger than ever.”

Swain sighed. “Let them come and do their worst. With the voluntary temporary cyborg program they’ll meet tens, maybe hundreds of thousands of warborgs, all with an attitude and packing Koth technology.”

Martin looked at Briton, Swain and Burp in turn. “To the future, gentlemen.” He said quietly saluting them.

“To the future.” Three voices repeated in unison.

Martin smiled; Burp was lit up so bright he did indeed look like a chandelier.