Cyborg Claude

Episode 9

In the previous episode, Claude and Salindra find the whole ordeal of dinner and chatting afterward entirely too awkward. Alarms and the queasy feeling of coming out of hyperdrive interrupt the ice breaking.

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Claude viewed the main screen on the bridge with an arched brow. Who did this wacko think he was? The man had the stiff bearing of ex-military, but something with his accent did not fit the systems where most space pirates hailed from.

“You can’t win, so make this easy for us. Drop your shields and prepare to be boarded.”

“We will not.” Min stood firmly before the commander’s seat. Her hands clenched into fists when the man on the screen laughed.

“Let me talk to the real crew, captain. I could get a good price for you, so I’m quite glad you did not tell me there is nothing there that I want.”

“I wonder who hired you to go after a rather pathetic yacht.” Min crossed her arms.

“None of your business, wench. Your ship is far from pathetic for a yacht. Now drop your shields or we start firing.”

Claude shook his head as he turned his back on the screen and stepped over to one of the manned consoles along the sides. The camera would only show the commander's chair and the blank wall behind it. Much better that way because no one needed to see their technology or the bridge with twice the usual personnel of a yacht.

The technician pointed at the analysis of the pirate ship on the screen. Claude’s brows shot up. He pressed a button so another screen gave the view of the ship. He glanced at the technician, who simply nodded and wrote the letters GSA on his scrivpad. So why would the Goeken Space Association be disguising the hull of one of their ships and even some of the bridge interior to look like the junkers most space pirates had? The Galactic Council did not know what they were getting into by letting their security agency do this. It explained the accent and Angela had used the same.

An idea hit him and he took the stylus from the technician to write ‘stolen?’ on the pad. His answer came as a negative and the technician pulled up information by ship identification number. Claude chuckled as he moved to the next station where the communications officer sat.

“You haven’t started firing yet.” Min would have her arms crossed per the tone she used, but he kept his focus on the fact they faced an enemy ship in disguise as pirates.

“You have data links up to some interesting places. Maybe we can make a trade.”

Thankfully, those were the lines required for all ships to have for linking to the space station network for traffic control, along with some for show.

Claude slipped on the communications earpiece and activated his microphone. “You should have thought twice about this. It’s time to end my pleasure cruise and break a rule.” He switched his mic off.

He rose to face the bridge. “Will someone please get my yacht going the speed it should be going? I have the desire to buy Deserkan Night Orchids.”

“You can’t get away.”

Claude reached for the comm’s control and disconnected everything. “Get us out of here before the goeks figure out we aren’t just a civilian yacht crew with some rich dork on board.”

“You heard the man. Do it!” Min’s commanding tone made everyone jump.

Claude’s stomach lurched when the ship jumped into hyperspace. Moments later, he grabbed the desk of the communications station as the ship came out of hyperspace. He swallowed bile and ran a hand back through his hair.

They would have to report why they had jumped to the fastest speed for hyperdrive operation, let alone turned off their link to space traffic control. Thankfully, they had come out of hyperspace in a quiet zone around the space station which showed on the large view screen now.

“Sir, we are at Deserka Prime. Shall we dock so you can buy them orchids?”

Claude turned to look at the man at the helm. Hawkins grinned at him with an all too knowing expression. He shook his head and looked away from the admiral to Min.

“So that really was a Goeken vessel in disguise?” Min still had her arms crossed and a stern look on her face. “Did they scan us at all?”

The technician who had acquired the information answered, “The ship belongs to the GSA with only cosmetics to change the looks. They forgot to register it as missing and it shows that it is on a covert mission with area listed as top secret, need to know basis only, ma’am. They scanned us, but we have armaments fully powered off and their scan would only report what had power. Thankfully, we got away without having to use it since we would have had to wait thirty seconds for it all to power up. They obviously know we have a really rich dork on this yacht because he can afford a hyperdrive.” The technician chuckled.

“That dork can be allowed to buy his orchids if he likes. Get permission to dock. We’ll spend R and R here. I think we all can use it with how busy we have been. Remember what I said about bonding as a team.”

“Yes, ma’am.” Everyone answered in unison.

“Claude, I would like to talk to you in my office.” Min walked off the bridge and into the lift without looking behind her.

Claude followed her, wondering if the conversation would entail his choice to butt in on her handling of the situation once he knew the pirates were truly a Goeken Space Association ship.

“Sir?”

He stopped at the entrance to the lift to look back at the communications officer. “Put all the details in the report to explain why we jumped as we did and broke the comms. Only tell them the public side about the GSA ship.”

“Right, sir.” The officer’s gaze flicked to Min beyond him before turning back to his station.

Claude stepped into the lift with the door closing on his heels. Min’s nod with a slight smile proved she had let him run with control of the situation. This conversation could go far deeper than the incident.

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Claude stepped into the small, tidy office and took a seat in the chair she waved her hand at. He crossed his legs and leaned back. He would let her lead the conversation.

“That weird little incident has me worried.” Min rounded her desk and sank into the chair behind it. “I hate taking chances like that, but we needed to stay long enough to figure them out. They know where our data links went, and that is the only thing that made them pause on firing. Do you know what links were active at the time?”

“I know there had to be a very short one to the GSA for info on the ship. Actually, that might have been two short links. There would be the link to the Trade Association ship navigation system, which all ships are required to have. I don’t know what links we had up for show.”

“I really wish I knew what the Galactic Council was up to.” Min leaned back in her chair. “To most, this seems like a verbal war over something that happened a century ago. If people knew the extent of it in reality, things could get way out of hand.” She sighed. “Do you ever wish there would be an end to it?”

Claude grimaced. “Don’t even ask me that.” The memory of pain, screams, and gunfire of various types filling the air made his mouth go dry. He shook his head to clear the image away.

“Claude?”

He coughed and forced himself to focus on her.

Min fidgeted with the stylus she picked up, spinning it through her fingers. Whatever she wanted to tell him went far deeper than talk of the encounter or other agency things. She would tell him when ready, or when she knew he paid full attention to her.

“Neither of us has a life outside this agency. I’m not sure I know how to live without this agency, and it seems a lifetime since I took over this seat.” She shifted to lean forward on the desk with dark eyes focused on him. “You and Stefen are the closest thing to family I’ve got, even with both my parents alive. Maybe Stefen and I were wrong to keep you alive with biomechanics.” Her gaze dropped. She spun the stylus on the desktop.

Claude remained still. So many emotions fluttered across her face that he could not discern the main one.

“I couldn’t lose you yet.”

He leaned forward. Had he heard that correctly? He swallowed the lump in his throat. It proved what he had suspected all along, but he didn’t want to dwell on it. He wasn’t a science project, but Min’s desperate need to keep him around. He accepted his position as the guinea pig, but he ran from relational commitments to the point of being reckless. Once again, he could have died on Goeken at the hands of the same agent.

Min looked up and locked gazes with him. “I can’t lose you.”

“I know.” How did he explain the truth of his trauma after spending five years forcing her to let him work as a field agent? It had put more space between them. They had worked like siblings, but more had always simmered under the surface. He sucked in a sharp breath.

A tear slid down her cheek.

“I’ve not been honest with you about how I feel.” He rose and walked around the desk. When he offered his arms to her, she flung herself into the hug. “Since the…” He cleared his throat. “I still have nightmares about how I died. I probably always will.”

Min pulled away and placed her hands on either side of his face. “You’ve been scared to live?”

He nodded.

“Oh, I’m sorry. My selfishness and fears kept me from truly showing how I feel. I assumed your coming back to life because of what I did would be enough.” She bit her lip, an action he only saw when they were as alone as they could be with Stefen always lurking.

He held her tighter and a chuckle escaped him. “We are such a mess. Should we dare to take our relationship the way we should have long ago?”

The intercom beeped. Claude thought about ignoring it only to have it beep again. He sighed and reached out to hit it when Min remained perfectly still in his arms. He growled out one word, “What?”

“Umm, sir, just letting you know we are docked.” The voice of the acting bridge office quavered slightly. “We will be cleared to enter the station in fifteen minutes.”

“Thank you. A four-hour furlough can start when fully cleared.”

“Yes, sir.”

Claude switched the intercom off. “Well, that will raise some questions.”

“Why do you even let me play leader when you do it so well?”

“I hate paperwork and sitting at a desk.” He attempted to sound as dead pan as possible.

“Oh, you!” She punched him in the shoulder. “You make me freak with what you do. I only deal with it because I gave up changing you years ago.” Tears flowed freely. “No, I did it because I love you. Meanwhile, I have wondered how much you wanted me. You’ve come closer to romantic moments with other women.”

Claude pulled out his handkerchief and handed it to her. “I know. It never works out because you’re there in my head.”

“I wondered if you wanted to give those flowers to Salindra.”

Claude shook his head. “No.” The room tilted. “Way too much wine.”

“Claude?”

He sucked in a steadying breath. “If Stefen shows up, I’m boxing his ears.”

Min bit her lip again.

“Oh.” He shifted to sit on the edge of the desk. “You thought I wanted to…” He blew out a breath. “I wanted a distraction, but in the end, I wound up thinking about what you would think of my suit. Thanks for the note.”

She opened her mouth as if to say something, then flung her arms around his neck and planted a hard kiss on his lips. She stepped away before he could pull her back into the hug they had shared before the intercom rang.

“Sorry.” It came out as a whisper.

“I’m sorry, too.” The wine had led to that awkward moment with Salindra. Things could have gone so wrong if the goeks hadn’t showed up playing pirate. A chuckle escaped him before he could stop it.

“But you’re amused.” Her tone held no anger. She tilted her head as if curious.

“I’m glad the goeks interrupted our party.”

Her brow furrowed.

“Because now we are… alone.” But was he ready to spill the full truth about how he felt? She deserved no less.

A shaky laugh eased her expression. “We’ve been alone before.”

He shook his head. Stefen had more of his time than Min the past five years. He winced when the memory of that final, close ranged shot hit him. He pushed away from the desk, leaving Min by her desk. Her dark eyes bore into him the entire time he walked to the door.

“I…” Her words faltered into a hushed whimper he had rarely heard from her.

He punched in the code that locked the door and spun to face her. The room tilted. He stepped back and thudded against the wall.

Min remained planted behind her desk. Her eyes glistened with tears and her lips trembled. She crossed her arms, but her whole body shook.

He pointed at the control panel by the door. “Now we are really alone.” He smiled with more ease than he expected.

Her gaze bounced to the control panel and back to him.

He pulled away from the wall when the room righted itself. “I need to tell you what is going on in my head. You deserve to know it all.” A lump formed in his throat that made the last words hard to say. He wanted to run, but he didn’t remember the override code to escape the room. That thought brought a smirk to his lips and eased the tension. He cleared his throat.

“You don’t love me, do you?”

His brows rose. That was not what he had expected. “I love you. I don’t know how to step past the close camaraderie we had that made you like a sister. Then… then I died.” He held up a hand when her lips parted as if to speak. “I’m scared to let anyone close. I had that issue most of my life. You got through that barrier and I never let you know the truth. You proved how you felt by bringing me back to life, but that scared me.”

He snapped his mouth closed before he wound up rambling. The wine was hitting him far differently than the Zen Clear had, other than the world wanting to tilt if he moved too fast. Or maybe he wanted to bury the heart of the confession in more words.

“You haven’t worked through the trauma of that time.” She wiped her eyes. Makeup smeared with the tears. “I couldn’t lose you, but wasn’t sure if it was because you were like a brother or more.” She nodded her head as if affirming a thought. “No, I’ve wanted more, but did not know how to contend with your distractions.”

That made sense. “I never went anywhere with those distractions.” He ran his fingers through his hair. His hand stopped midway through. “Only kisses I’ve had in five years happened this week.”

“Which was better?” Her lips curled up a little, and he caught a glint of mischief in her eyes.

He pulled his hand out of his hair and the long locks fell across his eyes. It took effort to ignore it while throwing her a smirk. “Sounds like a baited question?”

“Maybe a better one is in order to erase all doubt.” She sauntered around the desk.

It wasn’t the first time he saw her walk like that when Stefen wasn’t looking. He gulped. How had he been so wrapped up in his trauma to miss all the signals? No, he had he dodged them on purpose. He met her in the middle of the room.

Stepping into a hug proved easy. They had done that many times. The kiss proved another thing. They bumped noses on the first try, causing a fit of giggles from her. Several attempts with them not knowing who should start it made him slide a hand into her hair to grab some of it to hold her head still. Her lips parted with surprise, so he moved in with a gentle start. That ignited into a full kiss that he could dwell in for a very long time.

He chased her lips when she pulled away. Her flushed cheeks and disarrayed hair caught his attention.

“Better?” The word came out as a husky whisper.

“Best so far.” He grinned.

“This changes a lot.”

He nodded. The desire in her eyes mixed with the focus she applied to all challenges stopped him from diving in to resume the kissing.

“We need to do this right for us and the agency.”

He took in a slow breath and let it out even slower. “Definitely. For one, I can’t stay the agency’s mystery man. I can count on one hand the people left who are still here after…” His chest constricted and he knew his hands tightened their hold on her.

It took her massaging the hand in her hair before he could loosen it. She let out a loud sigh of relief when he dropped his hand to her back.

“Sorry.”

She placed her hands on either side of his face. “We’ll work on that, too.” Her lips pressed against his once more.

He joined in. This changes everything, but can I tell her the truths I buried long ago?

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