Total pages in book: 118
Estimated words: 110492 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 552(@200wpm)___ 442(@250wpm)___ 368(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 110492 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 552(@200wpm)___ 442(@250wpm)___ 368(@300wpm)
“I understand.” Torri nodded. “It’s just…well, Vic here has told me what will happen if the Scourge get to Earth before the Kindred do.”
“We’ll get there as fast as we can,” Commander Terex promised her.
“What do you want me to do, Commander?” Vic asked him. “Should I return to the Mother Ship and go back into stasis?”
“Hmmm.” His Commanding officer seemed to be mulling over the answer. “No, if we’re going to open a fold big enough for the entire Mother Ship to go through, we’ll need all the energy we’ve got—I don’t want to waste any bringing you back and forth. Besides, you can provide a much more valuable service by going back to Earth’s solar system and watching for any Scourge scout ships. If you see any, contact me immediately.”
“Understood, Commander.” Vic nodded gravely.
“Be certain that you hide yourself as well as possible,” Commander Terex said. “You’re too valuable an asset for us to lose, VIC Unit.”
“Will you stop calling him that?” Torri burst out, surprising both Vic—and from his raised eyebrows and wide eyes—Commander Terex as well. “He’s not just a ‘unit’ or an ‘asset!’” Torri went on. “I mean, I’m sorry, I know you’re coming to rescue my planet and I ought to be grateful and I am. But could you please stop treating Vic like he’s nothing but a robot? He is so much more than that.”
Commander Terex blinked at her, clearly not knowing what to say. Finally, he simply nodded his head.
“Thank you, I will take your words into consideration,” he said stiffly. He nodded at Vic. “May the blessings of the Goddess go with you. We’ll reconnect with you as soon as possible once the Mother Ship is ready to fold space.”
“Thank you, Commander. We’ll be waiting and watching to make sure the Scourge don’t slip in earlier than expected,” Vic said, nodding.
“Very good. Farewell for now, VIC U—I mean, Vic.” Commander Terex cast a look at Torri and cleared his throat. “We’ll see you soon.”
“Yes, thank you, Commaner.” Vic nodded and then his viewscreen went blank as the head of the Kindred High Council signed off.
“I’m sorry,” Torri said in a small voice and Vic turned his head to see that she had an embarrassed, yet almost defiant look on her face. “I, uh, guess I shouldn’t have yelled at your commanding officer like that, huh? But I couldn’t help myself—he was treating like you were a robot—acting like you were disposable!” she went on, her brown eyes snapping with anger.
“I am partially robotic,” Vic pointed out. “But I am not disposable. I am the only scout of my kind that the Kindred have and they are unable to make more of me—my plans were lost before the launch and maiden voyage of the Mother Ship, which happened centuries ago.”
“Which is why you’re not allowed to go live your own life, I guess.” Torri sounded bitter. “Even if you might want to.”
Vic wanted to tell her again that his loyalty to the Kindred was unquestionable but when he opened his mouth, he shut it again. Lately, he was beginning to question a great many things. Ever since his organic side had gained complete control over his functions while his positronic neural net was down, he had been subject to all kinds of emotions and thoughts he had never expected to feel or think.
And one of those emotions—the strongest perhaps—was how he felt for Torri.
But what good did it do to have emotions for the curvy little Earth female when he knew he could never have her?
There were no answers to his questions. So Vic simply nodded at Torri and put in a course that would take them back to the wormhole that led to the outskirts of the Earth’s solar system.
What else could he do?
Forty-Six
Torri curled up in the passenger-side chair and felt sick. A robot—that was all that the Kindred leadership saw Vic as. Just a valuable asset to be brought out and used whenever they needed him and put back to sleep when they were done using him. And because of that, he wasn’t allowed to have a real life—it just wasn’t fair.
“We’re about to enter the wormhole,” she heard him murmur and then felt his hand pat her leg awkwardly. “Torri, are you all right?”
“I’m fine.” Taking a deep breath, she sat up and swiped at her eyes. “Just mad at your Commanding Officer—that’s all. But we can worry about that later. I guess for now we have to get back to my solar system and keep an eye out for the Scourge.”
“I would stay with you if I could,” Vic rumbled softly. “You know that I would, sweetheart.”
“I know.” She swiped at her eyes again, blotting them on the sleeve of her sweater. “How long do you think it will take the Mother Ship to, uh, come over?” she asked, determined to change the subject.