AllFreeNovel
Share Us
She looked genuinely happy and relaxed. Her voice lilted a bit with laughter.
Kesser suspected that was due to the male who was holding her.
They worked on editing the footage.
Strike found images of the exact set of private chambers he’d rented for her. He manipulated one of those, altering the viewing angle slightly, and used it as the background.
Kesser’s cloak was changed from black with green trim to green with black trim. Her cyborg’s handsome face was regretfully erased.
Talley was inserted into the communication. She danced in and out of the frame behind Kesser. Every so often, she’d chatter.
“You’re good.” Kesser couldn’t distinguish the fake footage from the real thing. “Even I think that’s Talley. She looks and sounds exactly like her.”
“You had 227 images, 48 auditory communications and 114 recordings of her on your handheld.” Strike’s tone was dry. “I had sufficient inputs.”
Fates. That did sound like a lot of inputs for one being.
“She’s my best friend,” Kesser explained. “I love her.” She liked having some of their memorable moments accessible to her at all times.
Her cyborg grunted.
“Is it ready to send?” It looked ready to her, but he was the expert.
“I’m routing the communication through the rented private chambers.” It was good thing he thought of that detail because she hadn’t. “It’ll appear as though you’re sending it from there.”
“I didn’t know that was possible.” Her stealth skills were vastly improving, thanks to her male. “Tell me when I can press the button.”
“The communication is ready to send, my female.” He gave her the permission she sought.
“Then I’m sending it.” She did exactly that. “There. Done.” She stifled a yawn. It had been an action-packed planet rotation. “My mom and Talley’s dad shouldn’t worry.” Kesser turned to sit sideways on her cyborg. “We also made good progress on the rescue plan.” She leaned against his body armor-covered chest. “We can do those other things now. If you want.”
They could boink their little hearts out. The tension flowed from her form.
The two of them had earned that reward.
“I want to do those other things. But we’ll restore your energy levels first.” Strike rested his chin on the top of her head. The male was tantalizingly warm. “Sleep, my female.”
“I can sleep later.” Her eyelids became increasingly heavy.
“I’ll restore my energy levels also.” Her cyborg inserted a cable into a socket in his right wrist.
She was being selfish. He was tired too.
“I’ll sleep for only a moment.” She closed her eyes.
“Sleep for as long as you require, my little human.” He rubbed her side. “I’ll protect you.”
Strike was a near stranger. She’d met him mere shifts ago.
Yet she knew he’d safeguard her.
She didn’t need to hear the words.
Darkness reached out to claim Kesser, and she fell into that restorative abyss, content in the knowledge that her cyborg was watching over her.
* * *
Kesser woke in a state of confusion.
