Free Warborg - Star Panther by Ry Olson Page A

facetious raspberries and cat calls. “Well thank you for that fine introduction Mister Reese, by the way isn’t it about time for you to come in and have your rectum sensors re-aligned?”
    There was a collective “Yewww” from the crowd. 
    “Martin Morgan? What can you say about such an outstanding person?” Swain opened with a poker face.
    Martin braced himself for the worst.
    “Why I’ll never forget the first words I heard from my new intellectually stimulating patient.”
    “Jesus Christ, who turned out the friggin’ lights?” A recording of Martin’s voice bellowed across the room. Martin visibly sagged as the crowd roared.
    Swain smiled. “Yes, dear Martin, it was always such a joy to work with such a professional who could articulate his feelings so well.”
    “Yo Doc, you go about an inch lower and I’m going to have to buy you flowers and a box of candy.” Martin felt himself go beet red and it didn’t fade for the next five minutes. But he didn’t care he was laughing so hard as Swain pummeled him with out of context quotes and acidic narration concerning his adaption to becoming a cyborg and intelligence in general. Martin was blinking back tears as Swain wound down.
    “And finally.” Swain grew serious. “It was a great privilege to work with a man who took so much in stride with grace and humor. You gritted your teeth during the bad times giving me the time I needed and I spent more time laughing with you than any other cyborg I’ve met. You were more than a patient Martin, you were and are a good friend. I thank you.”
    Polite applause followed Swain and Martin felt a little choked up. It had been a terrible ordeal, but that man had made it work. I owe him so damn much. Martin sighed and braced himself for the next barrage.
    “Well, after the good Doctor got through stuffing Martin in his brain bucket we had to teach him how to fly his ship and . . .”
    For the next five minutes they showed Martin’s gaffs as he mastered his ship. The antics were funny, but the best part was the sound effects someone had thoughtfully added and the voice transmissions where they had bleeped out any profanities, plus quite a bit of other stuff for good measure. Even Martin was roaring as his ship tumbled away and the only sounds were someone grinding an ancient gearbox and nearly continuous bleeping with just a word here and there.
    “Well, he did eventually learn to fly that thing. But we have to watch him every second.” Reese melodramatically shook his head and sighed in despair. He looked up and smiled. “Martin, why don’t you give us a few words.”
    Martin knew it was coming and was prepared. “Thanks Reese,” he nodded to the holoscreen, “Doc and the rest of you who have had to put up with me for the last couple months.” He spotted Maria looking up at him in the crowd and mentally stumbled. “I guess I can honestly say everyone here has gone through what I have so I won’t linger on the lurid details. Just let me close by saying thank you all for being here and I’m looking forward to getting to know you.” Martin stepped back and polite applause rolled up from the audience.
    Briton stepped up on to the stage. Reese glanced at Brian who just shrugged.
    “Hi folks.” Briton smiled over the quiet crowd.
    They all just stared at Commander Briton in expectant silence. He rarely spoke to the group, always aware that his position made it uncomfortable for some of the cyborg to be around him.
    “I know it’s unusual but I wanted to give you a little background on our newest member.” He looked at Martin. “Do you mind?”
    Martin sensed it was a real question, not just a formality and he could decline if he wished, but he was curious. He trusted Briton wouldn’t say anything he wouldn’t want the others to know. “No, of course not, Sir.”
    Briton nodded. “Captain Morgan has chosen to be a warborg, and as you saw he now pilots one of our Light Fighters, a difficult ship to fly