Claiming Cure (Dauntless Cyborgs #3)

Epilogue

EPILOGUE

It took a mere sixteen planet rotations for the Cancris to rid the planet of the remaining Humanoid Alliance males. In that duration, Yum had also arrived with a freighter filled with nourishment bars and beverage.

Zorelle, Yum’s mate, had declared they had all the supplies they needed for a celebration.

Cure projected it would be the first of many.

Captain had informed them over the transmission lines that he and the crew of the Dauntless had already received authorization to travel to Cancri B. The captain and crew of the Reckless, including Doc, a fellow medic, were seeking approval for a visit. Additional brethren also wanted to see the planet and the beings for themselves.

Cyborgs were never truly alone. Cure’s chest heated.

But those celebrations would occur in the future.

The current celebration was happening now.

It was hosted at the medic bay’s distribution area after sunset.

Because it was now safe for Cancris to wander their settlement during rest cycles.

Beings played music and boisterously sang. They drank fermented beverage and liquified nourishment bars. They chattered and laughed and greeted warmly every being who joined them.

Bayil regaled Uuppie with stories of Olds, one of the courageous Cancris who had sacrificed their lifespan to set the weapon-destroying explosives.

The Cancri team members had been given the bulk of the credit for the destruction of the Humanoid Alliance’s manufacturing site and the deaths of their enemy’s leaders.

Those humanoid males had become beings of legend on the planet.

Beside Bayil and Uppie, Tynkeil and Tunkeil tittered as they poured the fermented beverage they’d brought to the celebration into the large container allocated for the entire community’s use.

Farther right, Cure’s female was exchanging humorous cyborg-mate-handling tips with the Rebel Female, Roshini.

Drift, situated directly behind his genetic match, was chuckling at the increasingly elaborate advice.

Yum and Zorelle distributed nourishment. Some of the volunteers assisted them.

Kritalin’s mom, a recent addition to that group, caught Cure’s gaze and pointed to her impractical seven-pigment head covering.

Cure held up his arm. Kritalin’s decoration dangled from his wrist.

Kritalin’s mom beamed at him and nodded.

Her daughter would never be deleted from Cure’s databases.

“I know what you’re doing, young male, standing alone on the edge of the celebration.” Yuuval cackled as she hobbled past him. “It makes this old female happy you took her advice. Passing wind regularly is the key to happiness.”

Cure hadn’t retreated to fart. He had tried to separate himself to observe, not processing that he was too much part of the community to do that.

But he didn’t refute the female. Because her happiness was important to him.

She was a kind, giving being.

Yuuval had also bravely volunteered to be the first being to test their repair for the tumors. She had quipped she had nothing to lose, and if it worked on her old body, it would work on anyone’s.

Much to Cure’s female’s delight and Cure’s satisfaction, the early results indicated the repair should be a success. Yuuval’s tumors were too advanced to be eliminated 100.0000 percent, but they had stopped growing.

She should have more lifespan to impart other pieces of unexpected advice.

Cure watched as the Cancri female accepted a small container of modified beverage from Tunkeil. Without processing it, Yuuval was engaging in one of her secrets to happiness.

“I’ll help you, Healer Cure.” Uuppie claimed the spot to Cure’s right.

The boy braced his booted feet apart, duplicating his stance.

“What task are you helping Healer Cure with?” Cure’s female joined Cure also. She pressed against his left side.

That contact filled him with the most tremendous bliss.

He wrapped his left arm around her, holding her to his body armor-clad form.

“We’re guarding the celebration from Invaders.” Uuppie scowled at a shadow.

“You’ve uncovered more Invaders?” Cure’s female lifted her eyebrows. Her lack of emotional damage over that intel relayed she already processed the answer to her query.

“No.” The boy’s glower deepened. “But we have to be vig…vig…”

“We have to be vigilant.” Cure supplied the word. “Great fighters should always be ready for possible attacks.”

That wasn’t merely chatter for him. He and his brethren were taking action. Defense and monitoring systems were being installed around Cancri B.

They would protect their genetic matches. Cure squeezed his female’s hip.

And the other beings they loved. His gaze lowered to the boy’s mussed hair.

“I’m a great fighter.” Uuppie lifted his hands. “And I’m ready.”

He curled his fingers into tight fists.

“Your thumbs go here.” Cure tucked them in toward the boy’s palms. “ Now, you’re ready.”

“ Now , I’m ready.” Uuppie nodded. He wiggled his garment-covered ass.

Moments passed.

The three of them stood side by side as cyborgs, humanoids and humans chattered and drank and laughed in front of them.

A frame-deep contentment filled Cure.

He was surrounded by beings whom he cared for and who cared for him. His female’s gentle curves were tucked into his body armor- and jacket-covered muscles. He inhaled fully. Her tantalizing scent filled his simulated lungs.

As did the strong aroma of overly active boy.

Uuppie fidgeted more and more.

“I’m ready.” He whispered those two words.

Cure’s female’s shoulders shook.

She was suppressing her mirth. Cure was 98.2588 percent certain of that.

He squeezed her hip.

She gazed up at him.

He gazed down at her.

She looked pointedly over at the boy. “I plan to kiss Healer Cure now.” His female made that thrilling announcement.

Cure’s circuits lit up with excitement.

Uuppie wrinkled his nose. “Fighters don’t kiss.” He said that with palpable disgust.

“This healer kisses.” Cure deleted all the wanting from his voice.

That confession still earned them both a look of revulsion from Uuppie. “I’m guarding the other side of the celebration.”

The boy shot forward.

“The other side of the celebration does need to be guarded.” Cure’s female laughed.

Cure’s lips twitched.

His female’s declaration hadn’t been random. She processed Uuppie was becoming restless and had obligingly hastened his escape.

Having accomplished that feat, she then turned to face Cure. “Your female needs to be kissed.”

Her beautiful countenance was flushed from the warmth of the rest cycle. Her eyes reflected a love he would trade his lifespan to defend.

Her lush lips were irresistible.

He claimed them, tasting her sweetness. The connection, always present between them, intensified. His passion flared.

His little human was his love, his life, and everything a medic cyborg could ever desire.

If they weren’t situated on the edge of a celebration, he would give her more than kisses.

But beings were watching.

Some beings weren’t observing them silently.

“It’s too early for that, young male.” Yuuval wagged her right index finger at them. “It isn’t sunrise yet.”

“Thank you for that intel, Yuuval.” Cure’s tone was dry.

His brethren and their females and the others laughed.

“She loves you, my male.” Cure’s female smiled up at him. “And she wants you to be happy.” Her voice lowered to barely audible levels. “But we’re not waiting until sunrise to breed.”

Cure’s cock pressed against the confines of his body armor. “Agreed.”

“We’ll stay here for a couple more moments.” His female shared her plan for the rest of the planet rotation. “And then we’ll have a celebration of our own.” She leaned against him. “A naked celebration.”

Those, he had uncovered with her, were some of the best kinds of celebrations. “I love you, my female.”

“I love you, my male.” She tilted her head back.

Cure covered her lips with his.

Joy blasted through his big cyborg heart.

The happiness was so acute it nearly downed his systems.

His response was a medical abnormality that defied logic. No scans could detect it.

But its cause was his female, the beautiful, clever, caring medic he adored.

Cure was 100.0000 percent certain of that.

Frag. He was a fortunate being.

* * *