Page 49 of Time Traveling Space Bastards
“He won’t be bothering you anymore,” Kuka said.
“I’m guessing you aren’t really from the city, but I never saw you if anyone asks.”
That was a relief. Big Daddy was a time machine, but he was also a ship. None of us had a vehicle here, and we didn’t know how to summon one like Baxter did. Big Daddy took us here and was waiting to take us back.
We snuck in and I expected Baxter to be furious with Big Daddy for letting her get taken. She had a temper on her and I expect the first thing she was going to do when we were safely away from Valtens’s awful house was to let him know that.
She didn’t. She flung herself at me and refused to let me go. This was good, too. I decided I liked physical contact when it was her. I liked hugs.
“I can’t believe you jumped in front of a fucking gun for me.”
“He also stoppedmefrom jumping in front of you. He saved both our lives,” Torrek said.
“You took damage for someone who doesn’t own you,” Ghol said. “I didn’t think that was possible.”
“We’re capable of a lot more than what’s been told to us. Baxter and Torrek don’t own me. They don’t want to, either. I care for both of them. I deliberately took damage to my vessel because Iwantedto. Losing either of them is worse than the complications from getting me fixed.”
“About that,” Omi said. “They offer an elective at university on doing repairs on Enix. It’s only available for certain study programs and mine was one of them. I took it because I consider it basic medical care foreveryoneon our planet. Kuka planned for all kinds of emergencies with his med bay. I’m fairly certain I can fix you now. If I can’t, I can do it when we get back so you don’t have to go to a repair center where they might send you back to your previous owner.”
“Do it now,” Baxter said. “He deserves to be whole again because he’s a hero and if he doesn’t mind, I want to thank him carnally.”
And I was pretty sure that was the first time this pleasure model actuallywantedto have sex.
Iwas pretty sure what happened in Valtens’s filthy house was going to have implications. From what I understood, Kuka was only able to maim his brother if he struck firstat him.Valtens didn’t. He aimed straight at me.
Valtens would have known that, too, and I was pretty sure his intention was to make Kuka watch as he killed all of us before he aimed at him. Valtens would cheat at contests, but I knew Kuka never would. He’d bust his ass and figure it out.
Omi had everything she needed to repair Enix, so I had questions while she worked.
“How is this going to play when you get home? You’d have to lie that he was aiming at you.”
“Actually, I don’t. You did good keeping the bonds to yourself. I’m guessing you did, or he wouldn’t have tried to kill you first.”
“I’m confused. I didn’t tell him because I didn’t want him using me against you.”
“So, most people don’t know this since they weren’t explained the rules, but our Velne are considered extensions of ourselves. Attacking youwasan attack on me. As far as the rules of the contest go, it was a justified kill because he might as well have been trying to murder me.
“And not everyone finds their bonds. Some people fall in love and get married to someone they aren’t bonded to. It’s considered precious to find yours. No one is going to find it abhorrent I protected my Velne.”
“And you,” I said, turning to Ghol. “You said you erased all the footage except for me. Why the actual fuck would you do that? It puts me at the scene.”
“I’m still not sure how all of this time travel works, but I think I just fixed your botched murder investigation when you fake your death.”
“Yes!” Kuka yelled. “I couldn’t figure out why Big Daddy allowed this to happen. It fixeseverythingand if some version of us does this again, it’ll be so much easier.”
“I’m confused,” Torrek said.
“Me, too.”
“Okay, so someone is calling the cops on my brother either way. There was a weapon that went off andrapistis burned into his front lawn. Someone is going to come asking questions. They aren’t going to find Valtens, and your weapons can’t do what ours can. There’s no sign of a fire inside and the house is filthy, so they are just going to think it’s dust on his floor.
“I’m guessing your coworker is going to show up to work and her boss isn’t there. You said you two were practically running the store. She’s going to wonder whereyouare and still call the wellness check.
“When the cops find the blood we’re going to leave behind, they will know you aren’t alive. They are going to start lookinginto people who knew you and guess what? Your boss hasrapistburned into his front lawn and is currently missing.
“They’ll look into his security footage since he’s got cameras everywhere. They won’t seeus,but they will seeyou,the girl who got murdered, tied up in his living room. They aren’t even going to look at Owen. The investigation won’t be compromised to protect Owen because they’ve got a lot of evidence it was your boss.
“They will never find Kevin or your body, but if any version of us does this again, we’ll look into Kevin straight away and realize he’s Valtens, just fifteen years older. It’ll besomuch easier next time. Quick thinking, Ghol.”
