Total pages in book: 58
Estimated words: 55375 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 277(@200wpm)___ 222(@250wpm)___ 185(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 55375 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 277(@200wpm)___ 222(@250wpm)___ 185(@300wpm)
She tapped his temple with her free hand and raised her eyebrows. Many of the male Handlers treated the Cyborgs as though they were stupid or children. But Corinne had never believed in acting like that. Good Handling skills were ninety-nine percent communication. She never talked down to the Units she worked with.
Her gentle but firm approach seemed to work. The Rogue Unit studied her for a long moment, his eyes holding hers. There was still fear and anger in them—uncertainty and loss fighting with confusion. Corinne returned his gaze steadily.
“I’m not going to hurt you—I just want to talk to you,” she said clearly. Even if he couldn’t understand her words, she hoped her meaning would come through.
At last, it seemed to work. He nodded his head and then turned it so she could easily access his temple.
“Good. That’s good.”
Carefully, Corinne pressed the second Linking star into place. He flinched slightly—probably when he felt the points of the star piercing his skin—but she cupped his jaw and looked into his eyes.
“It’s all right, big guy—it’s going to be all right,” she reassured him. “In just a minute we’ll be able to understand each other.”
But it wasn’t just language they would share. With the Linking Stars in place and a Neural Link established, Corinne would be able to feel his emotions and even occasionally catch glimpses of his thoughts. Though of course, that would only happen if they had an exceptionally strong Link. She didn’t know if that was possible with such an old Unit.
Of course, the connection went both ways, but most Cyborgs were too mind-wiped to care about digging into their Handler’s personal thoughts and feelings. The Neural Link simply made them easier to control because calming emotions and thoughts could be poured into their empty minds like clear water filling a glass.
But when the Link established itself, Corinne was surprised—she didn’t find an empty void. Instead, there was another mind there—an alive, engaged one. An angry one.
She’d been right—the K-Unit thought he was in danger. He’d been fighting for his life—trying to escape and get back to his ship, which he seemed to think was waiting somewhere for him.
“There’s no ship and you’re in no danger here,” she said and thought at him at the same time. “It’s all right now—everything is going to be all right.”
She felt a sense of skepticism from him—as though he wasn’t sure he believed her.
“I won’t lie to you.” She looked steadily into his eyes. “You’ve been in Stasis for a long time—hundreds of years. There’s no ship waiting. The people you knew in the past are gone. I’m sorry—I know that’s hard to hear.”
She hoped he was understanding her—and believing her. He searched her eyes with his own and she could feel him pushing on the Link, as though he was looking for verification. Oh yes, he was completely different from the modern Cyborgs she was used to working with. She’d never met a Unit who tried anything like this.
Still, he needed to know she was telling the truth. Reluctantly, she dropped her carefully cultivated mental barriers long enough to let him in…just a little. She felt him probing again and then his eyes widened.
“You…speak the truth.” This time his deep, hoarse voice came out in Standard—the universal language spoken all across the system. Good, the Link was doing its job.
“I do.” Corinne nodded gravely. Through the Link, she could feel his skepticism melting. But there was still a stubborn core of anger and distrust in him.
I need to comfort him—to calm him down.
Gingerly, she put a hand on one of his broad shoulders. His whole big body was trembling with tension—the Neural Overload he’d experienced had traumatized him, even if he didn’t want to admit it. She felt a rush of pity that overcame any fear she might have had of the huge, deadly K-unit.
“It’s all right now—there’s no danger here,” she reassured him. “Calm…be calm.” She pushed calming emotions at him through the Link, trying to project a feeling of home and safety. “You’re going to be okay. I won’t leave you. I promise.”
Her words seemed to have an effect because some of his anger and suspicion seemed to melt.
“I am calm,” he stated in that deep voice of his.
“I feel that you are. Good.”
She found herself staring into his pale blue eyes. The irises were ringed in black, giving his gaze an intensity she’d never seen before. His cheekbones were high and he had a knife-blade nose and full, lush lips. His eyelashes were surprisingly long for a male’s.
He was quite handsome, she thought, in an old-fashioned kind of way. These days most people had body-mods or permanent facial tattoos or cloned parts—whatever was the latest fashion. The K-Unit’s features were classic and despite his cybernetic parts, he looked mostly unmodified.