The Cyber Chronicles VI - Warrior Breed (25 page)

"So I can't
hurt you at all?"

"No, you
could, if you hit me in the right place, but do you know where
those places are?"

"I know of
one, on a man."

He nodded. "I
think every woman knows that one. But there are a few others. Men
tend to protect themselves well in that area, unless taken by
surprise."

"What are the
others?"

"Eyes, ears,
nose and throat. Poke out a man's eyes, and it'll certainly stop
him. Slap his ears and you'll burst his ear drums. Hit him upwards
on the point of his nose, and you might kill him. Punch him in the
throat hard enough and he'll die too."

"Do any of
those work on you?"

"Not really,”
he said. “Eyes and ears will work now, but it won't kill me. They
don't work on a cyber because it doesn't use the host's eyes and
ears."

"What about
the other one?"

"That would
work on me now, if you could get past my defences, but it wouldn't
work on a cyber."

"A dagger in
the eye would kill a cyber, wouldn't it?" He nodded, and she asked,
"So why did the people on Myon Two allow such vulnerabilities in
otherwise almost impenetrable armour?"

"Consumer
demand. It seems people disliked eyeless cybers. They were
aesthetically displeasing."

"So they did
make some like that."

"Yes, the X
series. Their eyes and ears were covered with armour. Myon Two
produced ten of them, but sold only two. The others are still in
cold sleep. No one wanted them."

Tassin
shuddered. "Let's not talk about that. My arms' master taught me a
trick with bending fingers. Is that a good ploy?"

"It causes a
lot of pain, so yes, it would work on a normal man, until he
punched you with his other hand."

"But it
wouldn't work on you, I suppose?" she asked.

"No. I'm too
strong. Do you want very badly to find something that will work on
me, or do you just want to ensure that nothing will?"

"The
latter."

"Then you have
no cause for concern. Only another A-grade cyber would stand a
chance against me in unarmed combat. But with weapons, I can be
killed, you know that."

"I'm glad
you're on my side." She hesitated. "Why did you decide to exercise
today? Are you just bored, or is there another reason?"

"Mostly bored.
I'm genetically programmed to stay fit. I can't get fat, and even
if I did nothing for many years, I'll retain my strength."

The door slid
open, and Tarl entered, frowning. "Do you know that every Trykon on
this ship is glued to a monitor, watching you bouncing off the
walls?"

Sabre's brows
drew together. "No, I didn't."

"Well, they
are."

Sabre
shrugged. "Ah well, the damage is done, I suppose. They wanted to
see some tricks, so I guess they've been entertained today. I
haven't done much."

"But you
should stop now."

"Actually, I'm
in the mood to do more now. Come spar with me."

Tarl shook his
head. "No way. Do I have 'idiot' tattooed across my forehead?"

"No, actually
it says 'pain in the butt'."

"I'm not
letting you use me as a punching bag."

"I won't hit
you."

"You don't
have to. I'm not stupid enough to spar with a bloody cyber."

Sabre bounced,
raising his fists in a mocking parody of an old-fashioned
pugilist’s stance. "Come on, don't be a sissy. Don’t you want to be
my friend?"

The ex-cyber
tech eyed Sabre. "I never thought I'd see a cyber showing off."

Sabre bounced
closer and made a few playful jabs at Tarl, who stepped back,
looking wary.

"Come on, hit
me," Sabre urged.

"Don't be
daft. You know I couldn't."

"Try."

Tassin went
over to the wall and selected a short staff, handing it to Tarl.
"Try using this."

Sabre stopped
and raised his brows at her. "Whose side are you on?"

Tarl shook his
head. "I'm not sparring with him."

"Why not?"

"Because one
of us will get hurt."

Sabre snorted.
"Don't you trust me? I didn't hurt Tassin."

Tarl handed
the staff back to Tassin. "You spar with him, then."

"Okay." Tassin
hefted the staff, grinning.

"No." Sabre
shook his head. "Tarl, don't be bloody ridiculous. I'm not sparring
with her."

Tassin raised
her chin. "Why not?"

"Because
you'll hurt yourself with that thing." He held out his hand. "Give
it to me."

"No." Tassin
lifted the staff and twirled it. "I've been trained in staff
fighting. I'm quite capable of using this."

Sabre stepped
towards her. "Give it to me."

She assumed a
fighting stance and brandished the staff, jabbing the end towards
Sabre's gut. He stopped out of range and shook his head. "Tarl,
take it away from her."

"You take it
away from her."

Tassin stepped
forward and swung the staff at Sabre's head just as the door slid
open. Instead of avoiding it, as she expected him to, he looked
around, and it hit him on the back of the skull with a sharp crack.
Tassin gave a gasp of dismay and dropped the weapon with a clatter,
raising her hands to her mouth. Sabre shot her a rueful glance and
rubbed the back of his head, turning to the door again, which Atrel
and several warriors filled. Atrel cast Tassin a shocked look, then
faced Sabre.

"We would be
honoured to spar with you, Commander."

"So you've
been listening as well. Is there no privacy on this ship?"

"Usually there
is. I apologise. But perhaps it was fortunate, since your ward
lacks the courage to spar with you. He is but a non-com,
anyway."

"Yeah, and the
worst kind, too." Sabre put his hands on his hips and considered
the group. "Okay. You, go to the centre of the room."

A bald warrior
grinned and strode forward, his cronies thumping him on the back as
he pushed past them. Sabre picked up the staff and followed,
tossing it to the big man when he stopped.

"Use this.
When you've had enough, just say so." The warrior looked uncertain,
glancing at Sabre's empty hands, and the cyber smiled. "Don't
worry; you won't have it for long. What's your name?"

"Diarmad."

"Right,
Diarmad, let's see what you can do."

Diarmad
twirled the staff and jumped at Sabre, swinging the weapon in a
stroke that seemed impossible to avoid. Sabre's right hand flashed
up, and the wood hit his palm with a crack. He wrenched it from
Diarmad's hands with a quick twisting yank. Diarmad looked
surprised, flexing his empty hands, which no doubt burnt from
having a length of wood jerked through them. Sabre twirled the
staff deftly, tossed and caught it a few times while Diarmad stood
waiting, his eyes following the weapon. Tiring of the sport, Sabre
tossed the weapon to Atrel and faced Diarmad again, the brow band
sparkling. Tassin noticed that Sabre had chosen one of the least
enhanced of the warriors. Diarmad had only a partly silver-plated
skull.

Sabre
beckoned, inviting him to land a blow. The big warrior obliged with
a round-house swing. Sabre ducked under it and landed a light blow
on Diarmad's ribs.

Tarl muttered,
"One."

Tassin glanced
at him. "One what?"

"I'm counting
the number of times Sabre could have killed him."

"Surely that
would only have broken his ribs, even at full strength?"

Tarl smiled.
"Still you know so little about him. As he is now, in peak
condition, he can punch right through a man's ribcage and rip out
his heart."

Tassin
shuddered, returning her attention to the sparring match. Diarmad
tried to punch Sabre, but missed again as the cyber swayed aside,
then slapped the Trykon warrior’s cheek.

"Two," Tarl
murmured.

Diarmad lashed
out with a foot, but Sabre stepped back, grabbed the warrior's
ankle and yanked it up, sending Diarmad crashing to the floor with
a grunt. The Trykon rolled to his feet and faced his opponent
again, raising his fists. This time he waited for Sabre to take the
initiative. The cyber feinted to one side and struck from the
other, landing another light blow on Diarmad's shoulder.

"That should
have been a neck blow," Tarl commented.

Diarmad lunged
at Sabre, and Tassin's heart fluttered as the big man's hands
closed on the cyber's neck. Sabre dropped backwards, pulling
Diarmad with him, planted his feet in Diarmad's midriff and kicked
the Trykon onto his back. Diarmad jumped up and tried to punch
Sabre. The cyber grabbed his arm, turned his back and threw Diarmad
over his shoulder, sending him crashing to the floor again.

For a further
ten minutes, Sabre humiliated Diarmad with infuriating ease, and
Tarl's count reached twenty-four. The cyber had a counter move for
everything Diarmad tried, making the Trykon warrior look like a
bumbling fool. The Trykons watched with deadpan faces, and Tassin
wondered what they were thinking. When a trickle of blood emerged
from one of Diarmad's nostrils after a collision with the wall,
Sabre raised his hand.

"Stop. You've
had enough."

Diarmad looked
reluctant, but nodded and walked over to his cronies, who patted
his back in a consoling manner when he entered their midst. A thin
film of sweat sheened Sabre's skin, but he breathed normally when
he stopped in front of Atrel.

"Return to
your posts, and stop watching me."

The first
lieutenant turned and led the men out.

Sabre jerked
his head at Tarl. "You too."

When they were
alone again, Sabre sat down cross-legged and sighed, rubbing his
brow.

Tassin sat in
front of him. "You made him look like a fool."

"He was a
fool, to want to spar with me. Tarl has more sense, but he'd be a
better sparring partner. I'm sure he knows a few good tricks."

"Did you enjoy
it?"

He shrugged.
"I'm pretty sick of fighting, but yeah, it was invigorating, I
guess."

Tassin moved
closer and wound her arms around his neck, gazing deep into his
eyes when he looked up at her. She smiled and kissed his cheek,
then leant against him until he lay down, gripped his wrists and
pinned them to the floor beside his head.

"I win."

He smiled.
"Yeah, you win."

"Promise me
something."

"What?"

"That you'll
always let me win."

He chuckled.
"That goes without saying."

"Really?
Why?"

"Because I
would never fight you."

"So I could do
whatever I like to you?"

He gave a
husky laugh. "What did you have in mind?"

"Perhaps...
ravishment."

His brows
rose. "Aren't you supposed to be a good girl?"

"Not that
good."

"Then aren't
you supposed to wait until we're married?"

"Oh, so you do
intend to propose."

"Maybe."

She thumped
his chest. "I'm getting tired of waiting."

"Ow." He
sighed. "I thought you wanted a big wedding in Arlin?"

She released
his wrists and ran her fingers over his chest. "I do, but sometimes
I think we’re never going to make it back there."

"We will."

"I hope you’re
right. I don’t want to wait forever."

He raised a
hand and brushed a lock of hair from her cheek, his touch gentle,
and his eyes filled with sadness. “I love you. I want you to know
that. Never doubt it, okay?”

Her happiness
drained away. “What’s wrong?”

He shook his
head, watching his fingers caress her skin. “Nothing.”

“
Don’t lie to me. Tell me.”

He met her
eyes. “I can’t go back to Arlin with you, or marry you.”

He blood
turned cold. “Why not?”

“
I’m a wanted man… cyborg… whatever. Myon Two will never stop
hunting me, and if I stay with you, I’ll just put you in danger
too, and that, I won’t do.”

“
You’re wrong….” Her throat closed.

“
No. I’m right. Kole said it, long ago on Rashid Four. I didn’t
want to believe it then, either, but he was right. They’ll hunt me
down no matter where I go.”

“
No!”

“
I thought we had a chance, but I’ve realised I’m just making
you unhappy.”

“
You’re not! I’m only happy when I’m with you. Don’t do this to
me again, Sabre. You can’t give up on me now. We’re going to make
it. We’ve got Fairen on our side!”

“
He isn’t going to keep rushing to my aid, and he shouldn’t
have to, just like you shouldn’t have to spend your life running
and hiding because of me. I’m –”

“
If you call yourself a broken killing machine one more time, I
swear, I’ll put your lights out.”

He smiled. “I
wasn’t going to. I think you know that by now. I thought I could be
what you want, but Tarl’s right, I’m never going to be normal.”

“
Bugger Tarl, and Kole! They’re wrong.” Her eyes filled with
tears. “You’re everything to me, Sabre. I don’t care if you’re
never normal or if we have to run and hide forever, I won’t let you
go. I love you too much.”

The sorrow in
his eyes made her throat tighten, and she swallowed a sob. He
clasped her face and drew her closer, raising himself to plant a
soft kiss on her mouth. A fresh wave of choking sorrow clogged her
throat, and she slipped her arms around his neck. He lay back and
pulled her close, holding her on his chest, her cheek against the
side of his neck.

“
Who wants normal, anyway?” she asked. “Normal is boring.
You’re all I ever wanted.”

“
Hush.” He stroked her hair.

“
No, I won’t hush. You’ve got a nerve, you know that? How dare
you just give up after everything we’ve been through?” She pushed
herself away to frown down at him. “I never thought you were a
quitter.”