Chapter Three

She didn't make the same mistake twice.

Only loading what her father would have, the Cyborgs had the truck ready to go next morning. She'd had a difficult night. And coming down with Emily strapped to her she was still rocked by it all. More Cyborgs had arrived. This new Cyborg seemed to have invaded her dreams turning them erotic.

She'd needed a cold shower to bring her heat down. Get herself under control. It was weird, she'd never had that kind of dream for any of the other Cyborgs with her. She'd never thought of any of them other than as a friend, a kind of uncle. They were firmly in the ‘friend' category.

But not this new one.

Coming down the stairs 4 was waiting on her. "Are you ill?" Reaching out he took Emily from her. Cuddling her.

"I don't think so why?"

"Your body is reading hot."

"Is it? I don't know. I didn't sleep well."

"Have anything to do with your dreams?"

She stilled."What?"

"Cyborg Betty. I could hear you all night."

"OMG! That's personal. You know better than to bring it up."

"I do but those dreams were very real. Someone was servicing you."

"Would you PLEASE not talk about it!" He stared at her as he comforted Emily. "This is all 38's fault for bringing it up at dinner. Then your security let that man in!"

"Blaming me for you wanting to get fucked? It's a human thing to want. A natural bodily function. Why fight it? If its him you want."

"He's one of you."

"No. He's not. He's Cyborg but not of our group. A later generation. Been through different experiences to us. While he was fighting to be free, we were already in space on our journey."

Going to the kitchen she picked up breakfast sandwiches and coda flasks along with a packed lunch enough for both of them until they got back from the trip loading up the box he waited for her. She had no answer for that. Didn't know what to say so said nothing. Hoisting Emily's bag up on her shoulder she took the box walking passed him to the truck.

Putting the box in the back, she climbed into the driver's side as 4 got in next to her. Him carrying Emily with ease. Shutting the doors she started the solar engine and moved them off.

"Not talking about it is not going to make it go away. I am curious as to why you are tempted by the Cyborg and not us."

She rolled her eyes knowing he wasn't going to let it go. "I don't know. I wasn't exactly taking notice. It was a dream. Could mean anything. Just that I need to find a man like you keep saying."

"You meet lots of men Betty. Have over the years. No one heating you like this one has."

"Okay! I'm needy. I get it. I'll look to fix that itch."

"No. You will not pick a random male, not now. We will see if he has been affected too. This is new for us Betty. It might explain my connection to Emily."

Frowning she wasn't happy to hear that. Not happy about either option if truth be told. But she got that he would need the data. "I'm not promising anything."

4 smirked. "So, no demanding he service you then?"

"Eww. That's disgusting and so not happening."

Shuddering she put her foot down. Ignoring him. Taking the breakfast sandwich he offered her eating in silence. Trying desperately to not recall those dreams.

They were far too tempting. Far too erotic.

Driving in silence, they made good time. Getting to town around lunch Emily stirred, taking the bottle from the bag 4 fed her. Parking up as she finished, 4 went through the routine of burping her. His affection for her sister naturally on show. A blind man could see the attraction.

Not sexual, not now anyway.

He was caring and gentle like he already loved her. Not that he could say so. He'd often told her as a child, that he'd no experience of love. Didn't know what it was or what it meant. He and his men had only ever experienced training, war, fighting, killing, and being bought and sold like a commodity. Punishing trials, experiments by the ‘Designers', orders given by their human overseers. The programming everything. Taking their will.

Unable to say no to anything, they did what they were programmed to do. Some of those orders having far reaching effects to the Cyborg's mind. In the end, to stop them crashing under the weight of the memories, they cut off their emotions and pain receptors. Making them more automaton. Less human.

It worked. But the outcome for all of them even hundreds of years later was clear to see. They were still affected and trying to fight it even now. The programming breaking down over the years. 4 told her logic suggested it started to degrade the moment Earth Corp didn't hold up their objective. Their core coding. Survival at all costs the primary directive.

It wasn't logical to throw them away in faulty ships if the primary order was in effect.

Clearly, logically it wasn't.

She held in her sigh as 4 kissed the top of Emily's head. There was nothing gentle in their history and yet, here he was. Gentleness itself.

"Right, you stay here I'll go in and see Rogjur. Your half hidden so we should be good. I'll open the truck bed." 4 gave a nod and she got out. Parked side on she gave a quick look around making sure they weren't drawing any attention. Then made her way through the back door calling out for Rogjur. A joval man, he came out wiping his hands on his apron.

"Betty. Good to see you girl. Sorry to hear about your father and mother. They were good people."

She shook his hand. "They were, it's not been easy. I've brought the order, if a couple of your men could unload it for me."

"Of course." He called two of his boys.

"The truck bed is open."

With a nod they walked passed her. "How are you doing? Out there alone."

"I'm not alone, I have the retainers, my baby sister is with me and dad made sure we had help when he knew mom was expecting. He'd wanted to spend some quality time with her and the baby. It was fortuitous. He didn't know it of course but it has saved me."

The sacks coming passed them. Rogjur counting them off as she knew he would. The price already set. Some small talk later, her asking after his own family and the sacks were all in.

"Several more than expected. We appreciate the extra Betty. I'd take as much as you can give us you know that. It's better quality than most around here."

"Thank you but I'm not sure I can give you much more."

He handed her the credits. "No matter, I'll always take as much as you can give me. Same time in six months?"

She nodded. "I hope so." Shaking hands, she left going back to the truck. There were a couple of young women standing next to the passenger door looking in. They weren't looking at Emily. Sighing, she knew it was going to be a confrontation. Walking up they noticed her standing back a little. "Can I help you?"

"Your man here is a fine specimen. He's reluctant to talk. That's a fine baby. They both yours?"

She knew what this was. Poaching. It happened a lot in some towns. The women looking for better, the grass always greener but it wasn't. She'd seen it often enough. It made her sick. "They are. And he's not interested in changing that."

"He dumb? Can't speak? Is that how you got him? He's a bit simple?" The one on the right asked.

"Wow. What bitches. No wonder you're on your own."

"How much?" The one on the left asked no longer pretending.

"For what?"

"Taking him off your hands."

She laughed. "Move along ladies. You're wasting my time. I'd sell my farm before I sold him but then again, I'm not in the habit of selling people. So no. Nasty. Now get lost."

Walking around the truck she got in and shut the door, engaged the engine and moved off.

Once out of town she turned to him. "How the hell did they see you?"

"Emily started crying it drew their attention."

"How long were they there?"

"17.3 minutes."

"Shit. And you didn't talk the whole time?"

"Nope."

"Damn. It won't take much for them to find out who I am and where the farm is. If they make it their business."

"True. We need patrols further out."

Shit…. They sure did….

Eating their lunch as they drove, they were back at the house at sundown. Sitting back in the driver's seat, she was starving and exhausted.

Worried about 4 having been seen.

4 glazed over. His men updating him. Him updating them. Not waiting for him she opened the door getting out. Taking the lunch bag. 4 exiting picking up Emily's bag, together walking in to dinner being served.

Going to take Emily 16 stepped up taking her from 4. Thanking him she took a seat. To tired to argue. 4 squeezing her shoulder. "You need to let someone else do the runs."

She patted his hand. "You know I can't, the boys are too old and look what happened when you just stayed in the truck. I can't chance that again."

"If they come, we'll be ready. Eat, then go to bed."

She nodded. Suddenly barely able to lift her arm.

A chair moved next to her. She didn't bother looking up. A hand placed on her forehead. Cooing it. "That's better. Thank you."

"Too much stress." She gave a nod. Not recognising the voice. Suddenly a fork loaded with food was placed before her lips. "Eat." She did. And as the food hit her system, she started to feel better. "Your care of the female is poor." The voice told the table.

Blinking eating that last mouthful she looked up at the table. Her boys all sitting there but no one eating. 4 didn't look happy. And then she turned to look at the one feeding her.

Oh hell no….

Another mouthful waiting for her on the fork. She took it from his hands. Then looked at the rest of the table. "I'm gone a day, doing what I have to and come home to this? A stranger in my home that I asked to be rid of!"

"I'm not leaving." He told her.

She turned to look at him. "You don't get a choice. This is my home. Not yours."

"The Empire…"

"Fuck the Empire. They have no sway here. 4 I'm done here." Getting up she put the fork down. "Thank you for dinner." And walked to Emily.

"Go up Betty, I've got her." 16 told her.

"We'll do the feeds through the night." 38 told her.

"Thank you. Good night."

"I have my duty to do. I need to interview you." Was said from behind her. She hadn't heard him move at all.

Just like her men…

Ignoring it she gave him the finger and climbed the stairs.

Washing the day away, wrapping a towel around her she walked into her room and found her unwanted guest sitting in a chair. "For Gods sake. I'm too tired for this."

"Sit, your hair is wet, you cannot sleep with it like that. You'll be ill."

Warily she sat at the desk watching him. "They let you up here?"

He slowly got up like he was deliberately trying not to scare her. Crossing the room coming to her back. "They didn't have a choice. There would have been blood on the floor, and they know you wouldn't like that."

She chortled. "Are you trying for humour?"

"I'm a funny guy when I want to be." She raised a questioning eyebrow at him doubting that and he smirked. Pulling the towel from her hair he started to dry it.

"You're a little different to my men."

"Different experiences. I spent a lot of time with humans before I was free. I'm a tracker."

He rubbed her hair dry then started to brush it. Soothing gentle strokes. His hand following the brush hot on her head. Relaxing into it wasn't hard. "I interviewed your men."

"Let me guess, they told you I'm a bitch and lord it over them."

He huffed still brushing her hair. The strokes going from mechanical to something more sensuous. His hands hot in her hair drying it, brushing down the tendrils to her skin. Massaging the muscle in her neck and shoulders, it was soothing and delicious. This was going passed just seeing to her hair so she could sleep.

"We both know that is not true. They speak of you in kindness. I'm sorry for your loss."

Opening her eyes, she looked up at him in the mirror behind her. Suddenly he didn't seem anything like the man she'd first seen. He looked, thoughtful. "So am I."

Putting the brush down next to her he stood back. Then retook his seat across the room. "Tell me your story. I have theirs; I need to hear yours."

Strangely sitting there, leaning forward on his knees he didn't look as menacing as he had the night before. Covered in ink, she guessed each one was a story. His head bald, and more ink. But she wasn't scared of this man. And started to talk.

It was a recollection of the stories her father and mother had told her and her own experiences from the moment she could remember.

She spoke of her childhood. Working with the Cyborgs who were like family to them. And how they'd come to their rescue time and time again. How much they owed them.

"And the male 4?" His voice suddenly sounding angry.

"He is very special to me. We are the closest. But I'm close to all of them. They were my playmates growing up and my help now."

"4 considers his mate is here. He will not leave her."

She smiled. "No he won't. He doesn't know it, is unable to recognise it but there is love here. I know it."

"For you?" He sneered.

"Yes but more for Emily I think."

"You and the child. His scent is all over both of you."

"It would be, he cares for us. Touches us."

"How did you force him to seed you!?" He suddenly roared out.

What the hell?...

She couldn't breathe for a moment then slowly stood. Her body ice cold now. Feeling herself shutdown from her feelings at his demand to know how she'd managed to have 4 have sex with her. How she managed to make that happen. She had no idea what he was talking about but the implication was clear.

He thought she'd somehow raped 4 to have a child.

It was disgusting to even contemplate. And saw the male clench his fists.

To hold back more emotion?

And found her voice. "I have never forced any man or Cyborg to sleep with me. A man either wants me or he doesn't and it starts and ends there. How dare you even suggest such a thing. Is that the kind of person who you see standing here?" He said nothing. She gave him a slow nod. "Okay. Get out. You have overstayed your welcome."

Standing slowly to match her she could see him struggle, emotion on his face that was soon wiped away.

"You have a child. Legacy. You gave him something so precious to care for and he is not your Mate. Something that should only be possible for a Mate. Something so rare for us that is only possible with a compatible female on a DNA level. And he is not yours, so how is that possible!" He demanded.

Shocked, her angry rising she blew. "How the hell do you know he is not my mate?"

"I know because I am!" He roared out.

He took a step towards her and her door opened 4 coming in. "Betty?"

She stepped back. "How dare you suggest such a thing." And looked at 4. "Get him out. He insults and mocks us. I don't want him anywhere near me or Emily."

"He says what he believes to be true."

"You heard all that? Of course you did. You know what, I don't care!" she shouted. "How dare he come in here and make statements he knows nothing about. He doesn't know us. Doesn't know what we've been through. We don't know him. He could be anyone for all we know, and he comes here and tells me what I've done? Asking how I compromised you! Like I'm that kind of person! And then tells me he's supposed to be my what?"

"Do you think I asked for this? I have a job to do and that's it!" His voice venting his anger. She stared at him. He looked on edge.

That wasn't good.

She shook her head. "Leave. If your job was to find them you did it. Job over. They decide their fate and so do I."