Perfect (3 page)

The buildings were short, no more than three stories. She concentrated on the sky filled with four moons and two suns with an asteroid belt in the background. It was preferable to the silent crowd that was staring at her.

She saw that the skin of the Lrrko tended to be matte. Dark shades were the norm, but a few were as pale as she was. Brex walked with her at a controlled pace toward a vehicle that was parked at the edge of the landing area.

A guard on the vehicle stood upright as they passed and that small gesture caused a rippled effect in the crowd.

A hand reached toward Ty’s cheek, and she flinched back. Brex snapped into motion, breaking the man’s hand. The crowd surged, and Brex grabbed her, holding her against his chest while fighting off the crowd with his free hand.

Ty simply held on and kept her eyes shut. The snapping and wet sounds were more than she wanted to have live images of.

Brex settled on the vehicle with her, and he took off. “There, that wasn’t so bad.”

She opened her eyes and saw that he was spattered with blood. “No. Not too bad at all.”

Ty felt some of the spray on her cheek, but she kept herself curled against him. It was a technique she had perfected at the hospital. Close her eyes and find a fixed point of comfort. When she had been in the hospital, it had been her even breathing and the sensations she could feel under the skin of two fingers. Now, it was the warmth of the metal pressed against her cheek.

“We will meet with the medics for a brief scan, and then, I will bring you to the elders. It should be a short meeting, and I will do most of the talking.”

“Why?”

“Because they will be aggressive with you, and that is not something you need to deal with on your first day on Lrrko. They are going to try to scare you, intimidate you. Remember, you have a right to your place on this world. I am here to make sure that you claim it.”

She finally asked the question in her head. “Why would they assign you to me and then not want you to help me?”

“I was not assigned by the elders. I was assigned by the guild.”

She didn’t have a chance to ask what he was referring to. They slowed, and he brought them down for a landing. He carried her toward a cluster of men who were built along the same lines as the others in the crowd at the landing area.

“Mistress, please lie on the scanning bed,” one of the physicians spoke with a low tone. His expression was soft, and there was kindness in his eyes. His tone reminded her of Brex.

Brex explained. “You are too small for our standing scanners.”

He set her on her feet, and she walked to the scanner, boosting herself up and lying in the correct position at the doctor’s direction.

“Medic Alveck is one of our best.” Brex chuckled.

Alveck grinned. “One of, right.”

The other medics receded to the doorway as the scanner ran over her from top to bottom, with special attention to her hips.

When the display started to show images, Ty wasn’t sure what she was looking at. The medics got excited and Alveck asked Brex, “You are taking her to the elders?”

“I am.”

“Bring her back here immediately. We want to draw the first samples before she ovulates.”

Ty sat up. “What now?”

Alveck grinned and pointed to the monitor. “This is your pelvis and here are the nodes of your ovaries.”

“Why are there four? I don’t have four.” She frowned.

Brex took her hand. “It was one of the alterations that was made to your physiology. Since you were being rebuilt, it wasn’t noticeable for you. It was just one small change of many.”

She stared at the monitor. “And I thought my PMS before the accident was bad. I am going to be out for blood.”

Brex chuckled. “That is what the physio is for. Now that you are physically stable, we will begin on combat.”

Alveck chuckled. “What will the elders say to that?”

Ty swung her legs over the edge of the scanning bed, and she stood up. “They aren’t going to have a say in what I do to my body. They have a claim on my genes and that is all.”

Alveck grinned. “I thought you were the passive sister.”

She snorted. “I was the wounded one. There is a difference.”

“Poor Brex.” Alveck chuckled.

Brex shook his head and put his hand on Ty’s back. He ushered her out. “I am delighted to be her Familiar, and if I keep saying it long enough, I will come to believe it.”

The wry tone in his voice made her laugh.

They walked back to the roof and got back on the thing that looked like a beefed-up flying motorcycle.

“What is this thing called?”

She settled in front of him, and he wrapped around her, a wall of metal between her and the world.

“This is usually known as a riot runner. They are a common conveyance for up to three people if you are cozy. They can also be keyed to certain persons.”

She looked out through the heavy windscreen and saw Lrrko with interested eyes. The buildings were short, the city was large and the fields immediately beyond were neatly arranged. The large arena in the centre of the city was both ominous and looked well kept. Whatever happened there, it got a lot of use.

“This is the tower for the elders. It has been joined with the decanting centre.”

The tower was five stories and heavily guarded. Brex angled their arrival between four of the guards and landed the vehicle neatly on the rooftop.

Ty knew then that she wanted to learn how to fly.

Staring was one of the things that Brex had warned her against, so she glanced at the guards on the roof as they were escorted to the door. The features were similar. They were lovely. There was no other word for it; they were elegant and savage with high cheekbones and piercing eyes. Their hair had the same range as the human spectrum with a bit more dark purple thrown in. The deep burgundy tunics with dark-gold piping marked them as some kind of military.

She would ask Brex what kind of guard they were later.

“We are meeting with the Lrrko elders. Remember not to get too offended. I am here to intercede for you.”

“Keep my mouth shut when possible. Difficult, but I will try.”

Brex chuckled. “I doubt it, but nice attitude.”

She smirked and kept pace with him as they passed guarded door after guarded door. When they were deep in the centre of the building, they entered something that resembled a courtroom. Seven men were sitting in raised boxes. They were scarred, their eyes were hard and they were wearing matte-grey uniform tops with black trim.

Brex stood behind her, and he announced, “Elders, I bring before you Tyanni Nikkelson of Terra. Descendant from our lost Bride ship.”

Ty looked at the men as they all leaned forward. She shifted her weight onto both heels and met them glare for glare.

The man in the centre leaned back. “She doesn’t look like the images of old. She is smaller.”

Brex explained, “The Terrans were much smaller when the ship crashed. She is actually quite tall for one of her people.”

The third man on the left cocked his head. “I suppose that height could be adjusted at the genetic level.”

Ty felt simmering irritation glow in her.

“Have her turn around.” One of the men rotated his finger in the air.

Brex paused. “Why?”

“My females have always had curves; I wish to see if she carries that characteristic.”

Ty snapped. “Listen, you messed-up perv, I don’t care if my ass appeals to you. It appeals to me, and I am the one who has to wear it.”

She took a threatening step forward, but Brex put his hand on her shoulder.

The room erupted in laughter. The central figure grinned. “Ah, that is what we were looking for. Genes are one thing, but fire is what we hoped to see.”

Ty raised her eyebrows. “How insulting were you willing to get?”

He shrugged. “Rhexis was willing to mock your breasts, and Leekaron had your complexion and hair on his list. After that, we would degenerate until you fought back or cried.”

“And you are?”

Brex introduced her to the council, concluding with, “And this is High Elder Hrakin, the major progenitor of ten percent of our current population.”

Hrakin got out of his seat and stepped down until he was in front of her.

Okay, she could concede that he thought she was short. Her head was no higher on him than it was on Brex.

He extended his hand. “I am honoured to meet you, Mistress Tyanni.”

“I am pleased to meet you, High Elder Hrakin.”

She put her hand in his, and he raised his brows in surprise.

“You have strength in your hands.”

Ty shrugged. “Brex has been helping me.”

“It seems you have the right Familiar. It is funny; he didn’t seem excited about the prospect of a woman with wit.”

Ty glanced back at the four lenses of Brex’s faceplate. “He seems to be adapting well.”

Elder Hrakin chuckled. “You are delightful. Would you care to join us for lunch?”

Brex stepped forward and pulled Ty away from the elder. “Medic Alveck wishes her to return immediately. She is ready to have her first genetic harvest. There isn’t any time to waste.”

Hrakin blinked. “So soon? We will have to begin the selection process.”

Brex lifted her off her feet. “As long as payment is rendered first. You know the laws, Elder.”

Hrakin waved his hand in the air. “Of course, of course. Well, take her. I am sure that there will be plenty of time to have a calm meal with her. Is her sister as alert as this one?”

Brex turned his back on the elders and started walking. “Lynni became a split during her alteration. Leko is dealing with it.”

The stunned gasp behind them was cut off when the doors closed.

“What is a split?”

“She is carrying two different lines of DNA in her body. The splits aren’t useful in the males, but in the females, their worth is more than all the gems on the planet.”

He carried her back to the riot runner, and they set off over the city, returning to the medical centre. Ty really wanted to know what was going to happen next, but she was afraid to ask.

Alveck used an anaesthetic on her abdomen and kept the scanner running while he worked. She was lying naked on the table with different bands of fabric covering her. Brex was keeping the med team from coming in and taking vids.

“I wish that we could do this under full sedation, but it isn’t recommended, and you have spent enough time in medical recuperating.” Alveck settled near her feet.

“Can you explain what you are going to do?”

“I am going to aspirate the follicles on your ovaries and remove any viable eggs. Once the eggs are removed, they will be verified for health and stored for future development.”

She swallowed. “Ready when you are.”

He patted her foot. “I doubt that.”

What followed was the most focused internal exam that she had ever experienced. Ten minutes of having her legs spread with her knees up and strange pressure, Alveck finally withdrew with a grin. “Well done, Mistress.”

She closed her legs with a snap. “How often do we have to do that?”

Brex was at her side and helping her to sit up. The lenses moved over her, and he turned to Alveck. “Give me a regenerator.”

Alveck handed the unit over, and Brex pressed it over the left side of her belly.

“You caused an injury.”

Alveck blinked. “I did?”

“Left side, second ovary.”

The medic checked his scans. “You are correct. Mistress, I am so sorry. I will not let it happen again.”

Brex’s metal arms were around her protectively. “I will not let it happen again. The next time, I will be behind you the entire time.”

Alveck paused. “Of course, Familiar.”

Ty focused on what had just been said. “How many times do I have to do that?”

Alveck seemed surprised. “Any time you are near ovulating. We will remove the eggs, and your cycle will begin again.”

Brex tapped the table. “With one exception.”

Alveck’s cheeks coloured. “Right. Of course, Familiar.”

Ty slumped against Brex. Keeping still in that awkward position had been tiring. “How many did you get?”

Alveck smiled at her with a bright grin. “Over a dozen samples. If even fifty percent are viable, we have a new genetic source.”

Ty smiled weakly. “Great. Now, where are my clothes?”

Brex held her still. “Remain where you are, Ty. The regeneration isn’t complete. You still have internal bleeding.”

Ty nodded. “That sounds about right.”

The anaesthetic was wearing off, and she could feel every route the extraction needle had taken. Ty breathed in and out in a controlled manner until Brex finished with the small hand-held unit.

She twisted to look up at him, and her grip on awareness slipped away.

* * * *

“Alveck, get me an analgesic.” Brex rapped it out.

“Why?”

“Her nerves remember the trail that your instruments took. You are going to have to come up with another method of harvesting, or I will go to the elders about this.” Brex wanted to press a kiss to her forehead, but it wasn’t possible.

When they confirmed that the eggs they had taken were viable, he would be able to claim his right as Familiar, and he would be allowed to meet her in his true body.

Now that they were on Lrrko, he was more focused on her, not less. He had thought that his fascination with her would fade, but as he smoothed the hair from her forehead, he realised that she was becoming his life.

“So, you are truly embracing your life as Familiar, huh?” Alveck handed him the analgesic and smiled at him.

Brex looked at his gene-brother and nodded. “All those years of assignments were preparing me to deal with anything, and that is precisely what I am doing.”

“You don’t think you will miss it?”

Brex administered the shot and felt Ty relax against him. “At times I might, but the trade is more than fair.”

“You are going to have to temper everything that you do to be with her. Will she accept that you are and have been an assassin?”

Brex looked down at Ty, and his scanners showed him that she was in a natural sleep, not overwhelmed by pain. “She has accepted a lot in the last few weeks. She believes that I am a bot, so the stretch to living flesh shouldn’t be too awkward.”