Page 29 of Marked for Vengeance
Vengeance really did heal quickly. By the next morning the only injury she found was his broken horn.
“Are you sure it won’t grow back?” she asked. Not that she cared about it. As far as she was concerned, it made him look even more wicked.
“I’m sure. But it’s not a big deal. Honestly, none of us have been able to figure out why the scrawnies gave us horns at all. It’s not like they’re good for anything.”
The opening was too good for her to resist. “Except as handles.”
Her lover laughed. “True. I’ll have to tell the others.”
“No, you don’t. Let them figure it out on their own.”
They’d reached the well-maintained network of paths that linked the fa’rels’ homes to each other and to the crash site where Bysshe resided.
Neither of them suggested going to Vengeance’s home first. If there was any news about the survivors, Bysshe was the one they should talk to.
Loris had come across a few androids, but they had all been basic models with little or no personality programs and only the most rudimentary functions. From what Vengeance had told her, Bysshe was quite different. As far as her lover was concerned, the android was family, and he’d played an important part in their lives.
The crash site looked like exactly what it was. The hulk of a large ship was partially buried by a landslide that must have happened when the ship had crashed into the side of a hill. A human-like figure with pale-blue skin was wandering around inside a fenced area, staring up at trees like the secrets to the universe were hidden somewhere in the branches.
“Is that Bysshe?” she asked.
Vengeance nodded. “It is. He’s probably trying to estimate how much fruit is ready for picking and how many new trees we’ll have to plant so all the humans will have enough to eat.”
She’d been wondering about that. She had no idea what she could eat on this world. Since she’d been inoculated against most known pathogens, and parasites, she and Maddi weren’t as vulnerable as some of the other women, but a poisonous berry would still kill them if they ate too many.
“You think some of this will be edible? Because I have to say, I’m getting a little sick of meal packs and ration bars.”
“I’m sure of it. Though I’m not sure those fruit things are an improvement over one of your meal packs. At least those have meat.”
Huh. She hadn’t considered Vengeance’s diet. “You don’t eat fruit?”
“No plants at all. Not unless it’s been fermented into alcohol. The fa’rel are straight-up carnivores.”
“You do realize that stuff in the meal packs is just cloned proteins in a sauce. Right?”
He shrugged. “Meat is meat.”
Well, at least she wouldn’t have to eat anymore salads. She was good with that. She wasn’t fond of what one of her contracted guardians had called “rabbit food.”
Vengeance called out to the blue-skinned android. He turned and actually smiled as he recognized him.
“You made it! If you were not back by this afternoon, I was going to send someone to look for you. Risk made it back with his mate late yesterday.”
Vengeance looked confused. “They beat us back here? How?”
“They flew the shuttle. Risk nearly flattened part of my orchard when he landed, but he did quite well considering it was his first time. Please, do not tell him I said that.”
“You said Risk returned with his mate. Do you mean Joy?” Loris asked.
Bysshe turned to look at her. “Joy Bashir. Yes. Ah. You also bear the mating marks. Congratulations to you both. You are Loris?”
“I am. It’s nice to meet you, Bysshe.”
The android smiled again. “The same to you. I am pleased you have arrived safely. You will be happy to hear that some of the passengers and crew of theHarvestsurvived the crash. We have only had one update, given the risk of anything we transmit being intercepted, but I thought you’d like to know what little news there was.”
“That is great news! But where are Havoc and Maddison? You haven’t mentioned them.
Bysshe lowered his head. She swore the android actually looked worried. “No one has heard from them.”
