Wonick froze, his eyes as wide as Janwar imagined they would be if someone had just tossed a grenade and he’d caught it thinking it a harmless doba fruit.
Silence fell… and stretched.
Simone frowned. “What’s wrong?” She leaned closer to the screen. “Did we lose the connection?”
Janwar hastily grabbed her hands before she could start poking at the console and accidentally close comms.
“You didn’t lose the connection,” Wonick intoned.
“And you’re back!” Simone exclaimed brightly, throwing her arms up in celebration. “Hi. I didn’t introduce myself. I’m sorry. That was rude of me. I’m Simone. It’s nice to meet you.”
Wonick stared.
Her brow furrowed. “Damn it. He froze again. What’s happening? Is it buffering? Because if it is, I have to tell you my admiration for alien technology just took a nosedive.”
Amusement wrung a smile from him. “It isn’t buffering. He’s just shocked.”
“By what? My appearance?” Glancing down, she tugged his shirt over her knees. “Well, if I’d known you were video conferencing, I would’ve donned something more appropriate.” She combed her fingers through her hair to tidy it, but it still looked delightfully rumpled.
“It isn’t that,” Janwar said. “He’s never seen an Earthling before.” If Wonick had been videocomming the other Earthling instead of just using audio, he wouldn’t look so flabbergasted.
Wonick studied her with avid curiosity. “You look Lasaran.”
“So I’ve been told,” she responded with a smile. “But I don’t think a Lasaran woman would walk the Tangata’s hallways garbed only in a man’s shirt.”
The cyborg’s eyes narrowed. “You’re too small and pale to be a Segonian. But you could be a Segonian/Lasaran half-breed.”
She wrinkled her nose. “Really? Half-breed? Is that term still used out here?”
“Wonick has trust issues,” Janwar inserted. “He’s doubting you’re an Earthling.”
Simone rolled her eyes. “Oh, brother. Is he your friend? Do you trust him to keep a confidence?”
“Entirely.”
She turned back to the screen. “Then Wonick, can Lasarans or Segonians do this?” Those big brown eyes of hers flashed bright amber. Then she bared her teeth in a silent snarl.
Janwar’s eyebrows flew up when pointy fangs descended from her gums, looking as dangerous as those of the large jungle predators on Aksel. “You have fangs?” he blurted.
Eyes widening, she clamped a hand over her mouth and turned sideways on his lap so she could face him. “Yes,” she said hesitantly behind her fingers. “Retractable ones. I didn’t think to tell you because… well, I forgot. I haven’t had to use them since coming aboard the Tangata. If I need a transfusion, I just get one from the Med Bay thingy.” When she lowered her hand, the fangs were gone. But her eyes continued to glow.
“There have been a few distractions.” He rubbed her back soothingly. “You use them to infuse yourself when you need blood?”
She nibbled her lower lip. “Yes.”
“Why do you look so worried? You think I’m going to love you less now that I know your teeth are different?”
“No.” She smiled sheepishly. “Sorry. Force of habit. The fangs never went over well on Earth.”
“Then you are an Earthling?” Wonick asked, leaning forward. “Do all Earthlings look like you?”
“Do all…” She glanced at Janwar. “What is he?”
“Cyborg.”
She swung back to Wonick. “Do all cyborgs look like you?”
Wonick’s eyes widened.
So did Simone’s. “Wait. You’re a cyborg?”
The look of betrayal on Wonick’s face made Janwar’s stomach clench.
But Simone didn’t seem to notice it. Nearly bouncing with excitement, she studied his friend. “It’s so nice to meet you,” she gushed. “Are you the cyborg? The one who was supposed to execute Janwar but didn’t?”
“One of them,” Wonick growled.
“Oh, my goodness! Then it’s doubly nice to meet you. Thank you so much for saving his life. I owe you a great debt.”
Both males stared at her.
“What?” Janwar asked.
“If you hadn’t saved him,” she continued, “I would never have met him. He wouldn’t have saved my life. The damned Gathendiens would’ve succeeded in killing me. And I wouldn’t have fallen head over heels in love with him. If you knew how long I’ve waited for the last, you’d understand how much that means to me. And now you’ve found one of my friends? I can’t thank you enough.”
Wonick shifted uncomfortably, his gaze sliding to Janwar.
Smiling, Janwar arched a brow. That’s right. Let’s see how easy it is to say no now.
“Who is it?” she asked. “Did she give you her name?”
“Rachel.”
Simone’s eyes welled with tears and began to glow again. “Is she okay? What kind of condition was she in when you rescued her?”
“I haven’t exactly rescued her. I just… located her.”
“Is she okay?”
“Yes. She’s still in the Lasaran escape pod and said she is unharmed.”
Her brow puckered with worry. “She must nearly be out of oxygen. How soon can you reach her?”
Again, Wonick shifted. “I am unable to leave the planet at this time.”
“Unable,” Janwar prodded, “or unwilling?”
Wonick shot him a glare.
“I don’t understand.” Simone’s gaze darted back and forth between them. “You don’t have a ship? Can she reach you then?”
Wonick looked everywhere but at Simone while he searched for a response.
Janwar cleared his throat. “It took the remaining cyborgs a long time to find a planet they could call home. They’re fiercely protective of it and can’t let anyone know its location.”
“Rachel won’t tell anyone.” Shaking her head, she addressed Wonick. “Why would she? Do you know how many people have tried to kill me and my friends in the past because we’re different? How many have hated us? Feared us? Called us evil? Dangerous? Wanted to eradicate us? How many have tried to capture us and force us to use our special gifts to help them gain power and wealth or harm others?”
All of which should strike a chord with Wonick.
“That’s why we left Earth,” she continued. “To get away from that bullshit. If you save Rachel and don’t mistreat her, you will have a friend and ally for life. Should anyone approach her in the future and ask if she’s ever seen a cyborg, she will laugh it off. If they persist, she’ll tell them to go drek themselves. And if someone ever locates you through other means—because they sure as hell won’t find you through us—and harms you?” A grim smile curled her lips. “She will hunt them down and ensure they can never hurt you or anyone else again. And I’ll help her. We’ve been in your position. Had to hide our existence. We know how crappy that is. And we’re loyal to our friends.”