Page 14 of Human Reclaimed (Cyborg Planet Alpha #2)

FOURTEEN

RUNE

I watched Talia’s blue eyes shift from strategic calculation to something warmer as our fingers remained intertwined. Her hand felt small in mine, but nothing about her was fragile. The fierce intelligence behind those eyes had proven that multiple times over the past two days.

“Are you hungry?” I asked, glancing at the time display on my wrist communicator. “We still have two hours before the brigade assembles. We could get some early lunch at the marketplace.”

Talia’s stomach answered with a growl before she could speak, drawing a laugh from both of us.

“I’m starving, actually,” she admitted, her cheeks flushing slightly. “Food might help me focus better.”

“Then it’s decided.” I stood, not letting go of her hand. “The morning vendors should still be set up.”

We walked through the colony, the midday heat hanging heavily in the air.

Shafts of sunlight pierced the jungle canopy above, dappling the stone paths between our buildings with shifting patterns.

The familiar weight of responsibility eased slightly with Talia beside me, her presence somehow making the burden of protecting everyone feel more manageable.

The marketplace buzzed with its usual energy—colonists bartering for goods, the few small children darting between stalls, and the mingled scents of alien fruits and synthesized proteins filling the humid air.

“What about this?” Talia pointed toward the stall where Nexus was arranging purple-tinted food cubes. “I haven’t tried that yet.”

“You’re brave,” I said, genuinely impressed. “That’s Nexus’s fermented root paste. Most humans find it… challenging.”

She lifted her chin. “I’m feeling adventurous today.”

“Two portions,” I called to Nexus, who nodded with surprise when he saw who was requesting his creation.

We found a small table beneath a canopy of flowering vines, the vibrant blue blooms occasionally dropping petals onto the polished stone surface.

“I used to be like this all the time,” Talia said, cautiously sampling the food. Her eyes widened, but she didn’t spit it out—another testament to her resilience. “Before Travis and Meredith died, I’d try anything once.”

My chest tightened at the mention of her lost friends. “You can tell me about them, if you want. Or anything else. I’m… here for you.”

The words felt awkward in my mouth, but I meant them deeply. Talia paused, her fork suspended halfway to her mouth.

“It’s been a long time since I let anyone close enough to talk about things like that,” she admitted quietly. “I got tired of losing people I loved. Closing myself off seemed safer.”

I reached across the table, covering her free hand with mine. “I understand.” And strangely, I did. “Trust doesn’t come easily to me either.”

“You hide it well,” she said with a small smile. “For someone who claims to struggle with human emotions, you express yourself better than most humans I know.”

Warmth spread through my body at her words. “It’s you. You bring it out in me.” I paused, searching for the right way to explain. “I’m learning more about myself the closer we become. Things I didn’t know were possible. It’s… disorienting but good. I feel very grateful to have you here.”

“Well, for what it’s worth,” Talia said, boldly taking another bite of the purple paste, “I’m thankful for you, too. Even if the circumstances are completely insane.”

We finished our meal, exchanging glances that said more than words could. The connection between us deepened with each passing minute, a fact both exhilarating and frightening to me.

As we approached the training field where the brigade waited in formation, Talia squinted against the bright sunlight.

“You should head back to the security center,” I said firmly. “Yesterday’s incident was too close.”

Her eyes flashed with that defiance I was coming to both admire and find maddening. “Not happening. I’m helping lead this training session.”

“Talia—”

“I’m not made of glass, Rune.” She planted her feet, crossing her arms. “I won’t get hurt again. I’ll be more careful.”

Frustration bubbled up inside me. “I can’t risk that. Yesterday was?—”

“A fluke. I let my guard down.” Her expression softened slightly. “How about I stand back further from the live fire? A compromise.”

I wanted to argue further, wanted to wrap her in my arms and carry her somewhere safe. But the determined set of her jaw told me I’d lose this battle.

“Fine,” I relented, running my fingers through my hair. “But you stay behind the safety line. No exceptions.”

She smiled triumphantly. “Deal.”

As we walked toward the waiting brigade, I resisted the urge to keep her beside me, and to safeguard her from even the possibility of harm. This fierce need to protect her was unfamiliar territory—yet another new emotion she’d unlocked within me.

After two hours of intense training, I dismissed the brigade with a satisfied nod as the last combat drill concluded.

My gaze automatically sought Talia, who stood exactly where she’d promised—behind the safety line, datapad in hand, her blonde hair glowing in the late afternoon sunlight.

True to her word, she hadn’t ventured closer to the live-fire zone, though I’d caught her leaning forward several times, her body betraying her eagerness to join the action.

“Your modifications to the assault pattern worked perfectly,” I said as I approached her. “The brigade’s response time improved by seventeen percent.”

Talia smiled, her fingers flying across her datapad. “They’re adapting faster than I expected. The way they incorporated those flanking maneuvers was impressive.”

I felt a rush of pride—both in my brigade and in her. “Let’s review the full data in my office.”

We walked back through the settlement as the twin suns began their descent, casting long shadows across the stone pathways.

Colonists moved purposefully between buildings, some nodding as we passed.

The air hung heavy with humidity, carrying the sweet scent of night-blooming flowers that edged the walkways.

I found myself walking closer to Talia than necessary, drawn to her presence like a gravitational pull I couldn’t resist.

In my office at the security center, holographic displays illuminated the room with a soft blue glow. The curved metal walls reflected the light, creating an intimate atmosphere as night fell outside. Talia immediately set to work, transferring data from her pad to my main console.

“I spotted three weaknesses during the drill,” she said, pulling up tactical overlays. “Your outer-ring patrols are still vulnerable when they transition between sectors four and six.”

I leaned in, studying the patterns she highlighted. Her shoulder brushed against mine, sending a pleasant jolt through my body. “Show me what you’d recommend.”

Talia’s hands moved with graceful precision as she sketched a new patrol pattern. “If we stagger the timing here and here.” She traced a complex interlocking formation. “We create overlapping fields of coverage without adding personnel.”

“Elegant,” I murmured, genuinely impressed. The solution was both simple and brilliant—exactly the kind of strategic thinking that made her invaluable. “And for the attack tactics?”

Her eyes lit up. She pulled up another display, this one showing our offensive formations. “I’ve designed a new playbook for striking tactics. Look here.”

Hours slipped by as we refined her strategies, our heads bent closely together over the displays.

The sounds of the colony faded into evening quiet, replaced by the distant chorus of jungle creatures.

Through the reinforced windows, I could see the settlement’s lights twinkling against the darkness, our small city gleaming defiantly in the wilderness.

“This position here,” I pointed to a gap in her formation, “leaves the flank exposed.”

Talia grinned, activating another overlay. “That’s deliberate. It’s bait. When they move to exploit it, this secondary team moves in from behind.”

I stared at the simulation playing out, marveling at the precision of her trap. “You’re truly remarkable,” I said softly, the words escaping before I could filter them.

In the blue glow of the displays, her face took on an ethereal quality. Her eyes met mine, holding for a beat longer than necessary.

“I think we’ve earned a break,” she said, stretching her arms overhead. “We’ve been at this for hours.”

My chronometer confirmed it was well past midnight. “I didn’t realize how late it had gotten.” I watched her roll her shoulders to ease the tension, fighting the urge to offer a massage. “Your strategies are… beautiful. There’s no other word for it.”

“Beautiful isn’t typically how tactics are described.” She laughed, but her cheeks flushed with pleasure.

“They are when you design them.” The words came out rougher than I intended, charged with an emotion I was still learning to identify.

She stood up, her laughter still lingering in the air, and reached over to nudge me playfully on the shoulder.

Her hand lingered for a moment, her fingers brushing against my arm, and that was all it took.

Something in me snapped—a surge of need I couldn’t suppress.

I was on my feet in an instant, my body moving before my brain could catch up.

I pinned her gently but firmly against the edge of my desk, my hands caging her in as I leaned down to capture her lips with mine.

The sound she made—half surprise, half something far more primal—sent a jolt of heat straight through me.

I kissed her like I’d been starving for it all day, my hands sliding to her waist and pulling her closer until no space remained between us.

Her body arched into mine, and I could feel her heart racing.

“Rune,” she gasped when I broke the kiss, her hands gripping my T-shirt. Her eyes were wide and wild. “We—we should focus?—”

“I am focused,” I said, my voice rough with need. “Right now, I’m focused on you.”

Her breath hitched, and I didn’t give her a chance to reply.

My lips found hers again, this time slower, deeper, and more deliberate.

I let my hands roam, skimming over the curve of her hips and the dip of her waist until I reached the button of her tactical pants.

My fingers worked quickly, and she didn’t stop me.

Instead, she leaned back against the desk, her hands gripping the edge.

I slid my hand inside her pants, my fingers brushing against the warmth of her. She shuddered, a soft moan escaping her lips as I teased her, finding the spot that made her head fall back, her blonde hair spilling across the desk.

“You’re so perfect,” I murmured against her neck, my lips brushing her skin as my fingers moved in slow, deliberate circles. “Every single part of you.”

Her hips jerked against my hand, her body responding to my touch. I loved this—loved how she reacted to me, how she trusted me enough to let go and lose herself in the moment. She wasn’t just strong and brilliant. She was passionate, fiery, and completely intoxicating.

“Rune,” she whimpered, her voice breaking as her body tensed, her thighs squeezing around my hand. “I—I’m?—”

I knew what she was trying to say, and I didn’t stop. I kept my pace steady, my eyes locked on hers, watching as her lips parted and her back arched off the desk. Her climax hit her hard, her body shaking and her nails digging into the edge of the desk as she cried out.

I held her through it, my forehead pressed against hers and my breathing just as ragged as hers. When she finally came down, her body went limp against the desk as she tried to catch her breath.

I pulled my hand away gently, helping her sit up as she leaned her forehead against my shoulder. “You okay?” I asked, my voice softer now as my hand stroked her back.

She nodded, her laughter returning, though it was breathless and shaky. “Better than okay. You’re… something else, Rune.”

I chuckled, pressing a kiss to her temple. “So are you, Talia.”

We stayed like that for a moment, the air between us charged but comfortable. Her cheeks were flushed and her hair slightly disheveled, but she looked happy in a way that made my heart constrict.