Page 27 of My Date is a Polymorph
Heraina asked, “Scars?”
Keera smiled.“Yes, I was attacked by the same guy who carved you up, but I don’t heal as well, so I wore the wounds and a projection field for the last few years, until you killed him and Kritz organized a treatment.”
Heraina blinked.“How long were you like that?”
“Five years.The attack cost me my lover and my child, plus my freedom.I had to go home and live with my parents.So, now Worro is back, and he is trying to make up the years of loss to me.And I love him, so I am letting him.”
Heraina walked up to her and hugged her.“Oh, god.I just wore the marks for weeks.You did it for years.How are you sane?”
“That comes and goes.”She returned the hug.“I had family to keep me calm and to support me.”
Heraina smiled.“You did so well.What kind of treatment did they give you?”
“Uh, wound care?”
“Kritz couldn’t do better?”
Hever said, “She had no assistance from Z-Corp.She and her family paid for all treatment.”
“No insurance?”
“I was in team training at the time, but I was injured in my off time.No coverage.I didn’t work here at the time.”
Purple energy crackled around Heraina.“Seriously?”
“Yup.It explains all the victim services that charities set up, but because a known active killer attacked me, they felt the government should have taken action.I was left in between.”
Heraina frowned.“You just had to live with it.”
“Sure.I could shift my face to hide the scars, and the rest of them healed, sort of.Their nanites were weaker and died off, but the wounds remained open.”
Keera smiled.“But we are here for the rover.Let’s work out how plausible it is as a product.”
Heraina smiled and stroked her cheek.“Excellent idea.Let’s go over that first.It’s easy to advertise, but what do you think is the price point?”
They got coffee or tea, sat down, and began negotiations.
Dex was staring at Keera and Hever as they spoke and gestured, and finally, Heraina grinned, “Done.We can live with that price point, the advertising is easy, and we will arrange testing starting next week.It is going to be sampled from one hundred pounds to three fifty, so make sure that it can manage it.”
Hever grinned.“Done.We’ll have a few prototypes ready for testing.”
Keera sorted her files on her tablet and smiled.“Got it.I will keep an eye on repair costs and upholstery options.Five-point harnesses are mandatory, and the roll bars are required on all models.”
Hever laughed.“Yeah, yeah.What about the auto-drive systems?”
“Com links are optional.Satellite links are required.Not everyone has a working com.The linking unit adds twenty credits.Less if manufactured in line.”
Hever grinned.“I love that you know all that stuff.”
“Me, too.Now, I have to run to medical to check Khytten’s work.If I need more treatment, I would like to give Worro the chance to run for it.”
Heraina lifted her head.“Worro?”
“Yeah.He’s my fiancé.”
Heraina chuckled.“I have met him.Misker has been trying to find someone to set him up with.”
Keera went cold.“Oh.”
