Page 34 of Her Alien Cyborgs
Hezza placed a gentle hand on Fyr’enth’s chest and stepped out of his arms so she could see Kalan.
He dropped to one knee with his hands resting on his thigh. Fyr’enth joined him, the two of them so tall they were almost eye level with her even kneeling.
“Cutie, Stormy. What’s this?” she asked.
“We have something for you,” Fyr’enth said.
Kalan reached out and held up one hand, uncurling his fingers to reveal a data stick. “We want you to have this.”
She took the device, still unsure what was going on. “I’m missing something.”
Fyr’enth nodded at the item she held. “The contents of the data stick are important but not as important as what we’re doing.” He scowled. “This is why I wanted to wait, Kal. We needed more time to practice.”
“Practice what?”
“Explaining,” Kalan said. “We’ve been learning about Vardarian culture. It’s traditional for males to offer theirmahayaa blade at some point during their early courtship.”
Fyr’enth continued the line of thought. “The blade represents the males’ intention to protect their mate.”
She knew about the tradition. What she didn’t understand was why they were talking about it when they had made it clear they didn’t see themselves as Vardarian. She kept her confusion to herself and waited for them to explain.
Kalan touched her hand. “We don’t think you need our protection, Alyssa.”
Fyr’enth placed his hand over Kalan’s. “Well, maybe a little.”
Warmth filled her chest, and a smile played at the corners of her mouth. “Fair enough. I have been known to attract trouble from time to time.”
Kalan smiled back at her, the tips of his fangs showing. “The information on the data stick was given to us by someone on Orio Station. She said it contained everything she could gather about the research being done there and what they did to us. We want you to have it.”
His hand tightened around hers. “You don’t need our protection, but you have earned our trust. We trust you, Alyssa. With our lives, and with the information you hold.”
Her chest tightened as a tidal wave of emotions crashed over her. She felt honored and unworthy at the same time. Blinking hard to hold back her tears, she nodded. How had they gotten here so quickly? And why did it feel so damned right?
She already knew the answer to her question. It felt right because itwasright. All of it. Every bit of chaos and craziness had led to this moment. It wasn’t just the ship that felt renewed. She felt it too. She had a fire in her soul that had been missing for a long time.
She just wasn’t sure it would last.
“Thank you,” she finally managed to say. “I’m not good with feelings, but right now?” She touched her chest with her free hand. “My heart is full of them.”
They rose to their feet, their metallic wings hissing slightly as the feather-like structures slid over each other.
“Have you seen everything on here already?” she asked.
Kalan nodded. “We have. It explains a great deal but doesn’t tell us everything. I can say that it contains damning evidence against the ones who created us, including their names and images of their faces. We trust you to know who to send this information to. I want revenge…” He withdrew his hand and clenched it into a fist.
“But we’ll settle for justice,” Fyr’enth finished.
“If we have to,” Kalan said, looking so disgruntled she had to laugh.
“Revenge never feels as good as you think it will,” she told them once she could talk again. Then she held up the hand with the data stick. “This will change things. I know who needs to see it, and I promise, they will find a way to make them pay.”
She tucked the device into a pocket. She’d have to review it all, of course, and she wasn’t looking forward to that. It was necessary, though. As hard as it would be, this wasn’t a scenario where she could choose ignorance. She had to know.
She toyed with the data stick as she considered what it might reveal as well as what potential problems it raised. At the top of the list was the simple fact that if the enemy figured out they had this information, someone would be sent to retrieve it.
They did not need that complication, but when did the universe care about what she wanted?
“Is there anything I should know right now?” she asked.
