Claiming Cure (Dauntless Cyborgs #3)

Chapter 17

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

The mission planet rotation started as the previous ones had started.

Cure bred with his female as soon as she woke. They tidied themselves, then ate nourishment. His female drank some beverage.

The two of them dressed. He wore his medic jacket over his body armor. She wore an impractical and brightly colored head covering with her garments.

They left their private chamber and tended to patients. Together.

A shift passed.

Cure sensed his female’s growing apprehension.

She chattered a little too much, laughed a little too loudly.

But others appeared oblivious to her emotional damage and to the event that would soon change the dynamics on Cancri B forever.

That was good.

The explosion at the Humanoid Alliance manufacturing facility had to appear to be a surprise.

If the enemy wasn’t completely ousted from Cancri B by sunset, they would question beings, and those beings had to be able to truthfully say they processed nothing about the event.

Any intel about the explosion would result in their death.

“The two of you should have enough pills and pain suppressors for another ten planet rotations.” His female reminded Tunkeil and Tynkeil of that quantity.

“We have more than enough.” Tynkeil sighed. “We drank a little too much fermented beverage two planet rotations ago and forgot to take them.”

Cure frowned. “You have to take one pill from each container every planet rotation.”

“We remembered that the next sunrise, young male.” Tunkeil winced and touched her head. “Fates, did we remember.”

“It wasn’t our type of fun.” Tynkeil agreed. “We won’t forget again, Healer Cure.”

Cure opened the door for them.

They ambled out of the private chamber.

Zorelle rushed into the space. “Healers, we received an urgent communication.” The Cancri female’s face was flushed with pigment. “You’re needed at these coordinates. Immediately.” She extended her handheld. “There’s been an accident.”

Cure noted the location on the small screen. It was the site of the Humanoid Alliance manufacturing facility.

“Medic Cyra.” He leveled a meaningful look on her.

Her eyes widened. “Right. Yes. Thank you, Zorelle.” She nodded at her friend. “We’ll go there right away.”

She rushed into the hallway, moving quickly…for a human.

Cure followed her.

The Cancris had somehow processed something significant was happening. They were all hurrying toward the exits. None of them chattered.

The commotion would mask Cure and his female’s departure.

“I know who sent the communication,” Zorelle called after them. “I recognized the coordinates. Be careful, Healers.”

“We’ll be careful.” Cure’s female waved as she ran toward the laboratory.

They retrieved the medic packs stored there.

Cure’s female changed her flight suit and her head covering. She was dressed from head to ankle in gleaming white.

Cure grunted his satisfaction. She was highly visible. No one should target her accidentally.

He folded his own white jacket and left it in one of the unutilized wall compartments.

They clasped hands. His female’s fingers trembled against his. And they hurried out of the laboratory, along the now-empty hallways, and through the medic bay’s back doors.

The land transport had been parked there.

His female claimed the pilot’s seat. Cure sat beside her. He reclined his seat. That should render him less visible to any onlookers.

They flew toward the Humanoid Alliance site.

Cure extracted the lifeform-scan-blocking cloak from his medic bag. He donned it, ensuring he was concealed from the top of his head to the toes of his boots.

He also remotely monitored activity on the Humanoid Alliance communication lines.

There had been an explosion. Everyone, according to the beings arriving on the scene, appeared to be dead. They were looking for the beings responsible.

“Zorelle knows where we’re going.” Cure’s female whispered that concern amidst the flurry of communications.

“She projects where we’re going.” He amended her statement. “She doesn’t know .” Cure utilized her words. “And if she’s questioned, she can truthfully say she doesn’t know where we’re going.”

“We didn’t place her in danger.” His female relaxed.

Her friend might be out of peril. They, however, were flying directly into danger.

“I’m detecting small ships in front of us.” They had appeared on Cure’s monitoring systems. “And small ships behind us.” They were surrounded.

“We won’t be the first medics arriving at the site.” His female’s forehead furrowed with processing lines.

“The orders over the Humanoid Alliance communication lines are to closely watch all humanoids.” Cure relayed that intel.

The Humanoid Alliance projected humanoids had set the explosives.

More specifically, the Cancris were deemed to be responsible for the assault.

There was chatter about killing all of them in retaliation.

“The medics tending to other Cancris are all humanoid.” His female’s emotional damage didn’t ease. “But the Humanoid Alliance has their own medics.”

“Those beings were situated in the structure.” Cure reached out and squeezed his female’s hand. He processed that the loss of any medics, ally or enemy, would damage her emotionally. “They project all of their medics are dead.”

“Oh.” His female appeared stricken for one, two, three heartbeats.

“If they find beings alive, they’ll need medics.” He gently reminded her of their mission.

“Yes, they’ll need medics.” She summoned a smile. It didn’t banish the sadness in her eyes. “Unless everyone is dead. If that’s the situation, they won’t need us. Though there will still be traces of Belel 6 Uraninite on the site. That would harm beings.”

“We’ll be facing more than traces of Belel 6 Uraninite.” The Humanoid Alliance were careless with all lifespans, including their own. “They plan to excavate the site.”

“Fates.” His female’s eyes widened. “That’s dangerous. And foolish.”

Cure agreed with her.

They flew toward the site. Their land transport was in the middle of the caravan of medics.

“One cyborg and one human are approaching us.” That cyborg had to be Drift. Cure relaxed. The male had survived. “They’re moving at cyborg speed.”

That implied the pilot was fully functional.

Drift passed them.

The pilot was semi functional. Cure amended. The male carried the human female and appeared undamaged from the front.

The rear view of him was in a worse state. Much of his organics had been removed. His shiny silver frame was visible.

There’s nothing left of the site. Drift reached out to Cure through a private transmission line.

Cure already processed that information. We intercepted communications. The Humanoid Alliance plans to excavate the location.

What are they seeking to find? Drift posed a query Cure had been asking himself.

I have no projections. The Humanoid Alliance hadn’t stated the purpose of the excavation. But whatever they’re seeking to find, we’ll ensure they won’t locate it.

Contact me if you require assistance. Drift trusted him to complete that portion of their mission.

I’ll do that. Cure ended the transmission.

“Was that blur your friend?” Cure’s clever female had detected Drift. “Are they okay? Do they need medical attention?”

His female shared his urge to repair them. Cure inwardly smiled. “Drift’s nanocybotics will repair his damage. The human female’s damage was minor.”

“I’d ask you what the female looked like, but that would serve no purpose.” His female’s lips twisted. “The Rebel Female changes her appearance as some beings change garments.”

She chattered about the other female.

Cure projected, as his female did, that the Rebel Female was Drift’s genetic match. His female’s respect and admiration for her relayed she was a worthy being for the pilot.

Cure’s female slowed the land transport as they neared the site. “Fates. It’s gone. The entire structure, their huge manufactured mountain, is completely gone.”

Two humans appeared on Cure’s lifeform scans.

Four heartbeats passed. Humanoids and more humans were detected.

He gained visuals of the two humans. They were dressed in Humanoid Alliance uniforms. One of them was pointing a handheld at their land transport. The other was pointing a long gun.

“I love you, my Cure,” his female whispered. “Never doubt that.”

Heat spread across Cure’s chest. “I love you, my Cyra.” He was honored to have her as his genetic match. “We’ll survive this.”

“Fates. I hope so.” She stopped their vessel in front of the two males.

“Step out of the ship.” The gun-carrying male issued that order.

Cure lowered his hands to his own weapons. If the human’s fingers neared the triggers at all, he’d shoot the male.

Frag the mission. His female’s safety was his top priority.

Cure’s female stepped out of their ship, complying with the Humanoid Alliance male’s command. “I’m a medic.” She lifted her hands, showing the males they were empty. “I was contacted about an incident.”

“She’s a human medic, Dave.” The male lowered his weapon. “I thought you said all the medics were in the facility.”

“She’s a female.” The handheld holding male shrugged. “Females aren’t medics. She’s likely fucking someone important. That’s why she’s truly here.”

The Humanoid Alliance didn’t value their females. Cure’s lips flattened.

“She’s wearing a white jacket.” The gun wielding male frowned.

“I’m wearing a uniform. That doesn’t mean I’m the commander.” Dave rolled his eyes. “They’ll sort this out at the front. There’s no one else in the ship. She claims she’s a medic. We’ll let her through. Those were our orders.”

“You can go through.” The other male motioned to the land transport with his gun.

Cure’s female returned to the ship. As they had practiced, she didn’t acknowledge Cure’s presence.

“What an asshelmet.” She did whisper that truth before flying the land transport closer to the site.

Cure’s lips twitched.

His female parked the land transport next to other ships clearly identified as medic vessels. She opened all the doors.

Cure exited at cyborg speed, leaving his medic pack in the land transport. He found a darkened spot between two ships. The shadows there concealed him.

His female got out of the ship more slowly. She carried her medic pack. “Oops.” She shook her head. “I pressed the wrong button again.” All the doors closed.

“My sister has trouble operating a ship also.” The Humanoid Alliance Investigator greeted her. “You’re later than many of the medics but earlier than some.” His tone was condescending. “And faster than our recovery efforts. Wait with the other medics.” He indicated the group. The medics were all humanoid, as Cure’s female had projected. “You’ll be called when you’re needed.”

The male walked away.

Cure’s female joined the group. She chattered with the other medics about tumor treatments and other issues.

Cure stayed near her and surveyed the terrain. Digger machines, operated by Cancris, were clawing away at the solidified sand. More Cancris carried containers of the loosened substance away from the large pits. The colors of that debris changed, but nothing was recognizable.

The Humanoid Alliance humans watched and chattered. Some drank fermented beverage. One male repetitively spat on the ground. Another scratched his groin with vigor.

They talked of revenge and killing and the ever-changing chain of command.

According to them, the Investigator had assumed control.

There were whispers that all the upper leadership had been in the structure and were likely dead.

Until more leaders were sent, he was the male to be nice to.

Moments passed. Sweat beaded on Cure’s female’s skin. She wasn’t called.

Neither were the other medics.

Then a Humanoid Alliance male ran toward the Investigator. “Sir. Sir. The working chamber has been found.” He stopped before the male. “The commander is inside it. He’s hurting, sir, but he’s alive.”

The Investigator’s face hardened. “No one was authorized to open the working chamber.”

The male gulped air.

“The top beings all died in the fuckin’ attack.” The Investigator muttered under his breath. “And I’m stuck with the idiots who were too incompetent to be placed at the site.”

“Sir?” The messenger lifted his eyebrows.

“I’ll deal with the individual that opened the working chamber.” The Investigator said that louder.

He turned and surveyed the group of medics.

“One female and the rest of them are humanoids.” He pinched the bridge of his nose. “Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.”

“Sir?” The messenger looked confused.

The Investigator ignored him. “Female.” He bellowed at Cure’s female. “Come with me.”

The male walked away. He didn’t wait for her to reach him.

The Investigator was an asshelmet, as his female would say, and he was a predictable asshelmet. The Rebel Female had projected correctly that Cure’s female would be chosen.

Cure stealthily trailed his female as she followed the Investigator.

They entered a pit. Cure’s female slid a bit as she descended into it.

Cure had to fight the urge to assist her.

The Investigator merely smirked.

Six Humanoid Alliance males were gathered around an opening to a vault-like structure. Cure’s scans couldn’t penetrate that fabrication.

“Our commander is alive, sir.” One of the males told the Investigator that news. “But he’s in bad shape. The doors hadn’t completely closed when the explosion reached him.”

“Did you authorize the opening of the doors?” The Investigator narrowed his eyes at the male.

“Yes, sir.” The male lifted his chin. “I believed?—”

The Investigator drew his gun and put a projectile through the male’s head. Blood and brains splattered on the males situated close to him.

The male fell to the solidified sand.

Cure’s female paled but she didn’t move.

His little human was fearless.

“That’s what happens when you disobey direct orders.” The Investigator raised his voice.

“Yes, sir.” The other males saluted him.

“Especially when those orders were given for the safety of the commander,” Cure’s female murmured.

The Investigator frowned at her. “Explain.”

“The entire site is contaminated.” She looked around them. “The doors being opened exposes the commander to those dangerous particles.” She extracted her handheld from one of her pockets, initiated the program they’d crafted, and showed the Investigator those feigned results. “If he’s weakened, this level of contamination will kill him.”

The Investigator pursed his lips. Cure projected the male was considering whether the commander’s death would help or hinder his status.

Cure’s female must have projected the same thing. “Everyone has heard he was found alive.”

Two, three, four heartbeats passed.

“And he will remain alive.” The Investigator finally made that decision.

“Then the doors should be closed while I treat the commander.” Cure’s female recited her meticulously crafted lines perfectly. “Once I’ve stabilized him, I’ll wrap the commander in a shielding cloth from head to toe. And you can send some of your males with a floating support to convey him to safety.”

“You. You. And You.” The Investigator pointed at three males. “Retrieve a floating support.”

The males rushed to do his bidding.

The others moved closer to their temporary leader.

That cleared the space in front of the opened chamber’s doors. Cure sprinted into the structure at top speed. He jumped over a half-dissolved corpse and a gray-haired male missing half his arm, and he concealed himself behind a horizontal support fabricated from the side panel of a Tau Cetian ship.

“I’ll supervise the treatment of our commander.” The Investigator’s voice was audible through the open doors.

“Your loyalty to the commander is commendable.” Cure’s female’s tone held the right amount of awe. “Not many beings would die for their leader. And such a death. The contamination will eat away at your flesh bit by bit. It’ll be extremely painful.”

“You.” The Investigator barked. “Accompany the female into the chamber. Close the doors once you’re inside. You. Wait outside the chamber. Notify me when the doors open.”

“Yes, sir.” Two male voices replied.

“If the commander dies, you die, female,” the Investigator warned her. “I’ll kill you myself.”

Cure battled the yearning to shoot the male in the back of his head as the human hastily moved away from the chamber.

“Let’s see our patient, shall we?” The cheer in Cure’s female’s voice decreased his rage.

She entered the chamber, carrying the medic pack.

And Cure had never seen a more-beautiful sight. She was fully functional and strong, and she was once more within easy reach of him.

“He’s not a patient. He’s the commander.” The newly assigned Humanoid Alliance guard was a necessary addition to their group.

For a couple more heartbeats.

“And I plan to see more than the commander, female.” The guard moved to the control panel hanging on the wall. “I’m ripping your garments off and fuckin’ you raw before we exit this chamber. Bet you didn’t detect that with your handheld.”

The male closed the doors.

Cure shifted his hands from his holstered guns to his sheathed daggers. The Humanoid Alliance guard would die slowly and painfully for uttering those ugly intentions toward Cure’s female.

“Quickly, my male.” His little human whispered that more-logical advice. “We don’t have much time.”

Fraggin’ hole. Cure glared at the guard. The male didn’t deserve a quick death.

But his female’s safety and the mission were more important than his vengeance.

He sucked back his anger, drew one of the daggers from a sheath fabricated into his body armor, and threw it.