Free BioCybe by Imogene Nix

turned back in his direction.
    “We don’t allow Cybes. They caused far too much destruction
last time.”
    “With all due respect, Admiral, there was no information
concerning that in the briefing notes pertaining to this mission. Now, since I
am here as an emissary of the Juran Commonwealth, and duly endorsed by them,
imagine if I must return to the Golden Echo and advise them of this
situation? That my pilot has been forbidden from landing on and acting as my
guard while here.”
    The admiral blinked. Once.
    Sandon held his breath. This could be a make-it or break-it
moment, but on a purely visceral level, he refused to let Levia face this kind
of discrimination alone. He wondered how many other times she’d been in this
position. For the first time, it occurred to him that maybe this was why she
was always so skittish and distrustful and his heart ached.
    “Be that as it may, we do not allow Cybes—”
    Sandon turned on his heel, fully aware that this kind of
brinkmanship could go horribly wrong. “Fine, summon my pilot and we’ll leave Omega
V immediately.”
    The general was sweating, a fine line of beading appearing
on his lip and hairline. “Admiral, what about…” The general was earnest, his
face pale. “We have to repatriate the bodies.”
    “Wait!”
    Sandon stilled at the admiral’s bellow, but he didn’t turn
around. Hold the line, Sandon.
    The general cast a meaningful glance at the admiral who
sighed. “Fine. But she will be contained during the time here.”
    He didn’t like the sound of that. “Contained?”
    “We can’t have bloody Cybes on the streets. She will remain
in the military wing until you leave. Does that satisfy you?”
    “Not really. I want to know she will be safe while here.
Then she will be returned unharmed.” A thought sprang up. “I want to be sure
she will not be used as a guinea pig or examined during her time here either.” He
remained facing the general, feeling that this was the weakest link. The
silence stretched out, but he waited.
    “Fine! She will be unharmed, not examined or otherwise.”
    Finally, he turned and faced the admiral. “Good. Then we can
get down to business.” With a studied arrogance, he stepped up to the seat and
lowered himself into it. Bloody Omegans thought they had the wood on me? I’ll
show them!
    * * * *
    Behind the bars in the military brig, Levia watched the
coming and going of the personnel. It wasn’t her first time locked up, and she
seriously doubted it would be the last time. After all, during her time on the Dendaran
vessel… She shied away from the memories. They wouldn’t help. So instead, she
reclined on the narrow bunk, watching the others on the far side of the bars
watch her. Of course, they all knew what she was. They’d jeered her in the
first hour or so, but she’d ignored them and they’d eventually become silent.
    One in particular, his badge showed him to be Michelin
Andres, was a vicious looking guy. He kept shooting angry looks in her
direction. There’s something familiar about him. She didn’t know what,
but the knowledge gnawed at the back of her mind like a nagging ache. He was
tall, with a long scar bisecting his forehead and cold, blue eyes that she was
sure would freeze her guts if she let them. She thought he would love to get
her alone and maybe exact some retribution.
    Levia snickered to herself as she gazed at Andres. She
seriously doubted he could take her down. She was a trained killer. No matter
how hard or bad he thought he might be, he wasn’t in her league.
    The brig was chilly, but she refused to give in and ask for
a blanket. Show no weakness, yet another tenet from her training that she held
onto. She picked at her fingernail as the anger bubbling inside her rose again.
She’d love to have the opportunity to go one-on-one with these bastards.
    “You! Cybe. Meal time. Get into the corner, face to the wall,
and raise your hands.”
    She rose with a sigh and made her way to the