Page 15 of Human Reclaimed (Cyborg Planet Alpha #2)

FIFTEEN

TALIA

The blue glow from the security displays in Rune’s office cast everything in a dreamlike haze.

His broad chest rose and fell against me, solid and reassuring.

I reluctantly stood up and adjusted my clothes, zipping up and smoothing down my rumpled tactical pants.

My cheeks burned but not from embarrassment—from an exhilaration I hadn’t felt in years. Maybe ever.

Those captivating blue eyes held a question that made my heart skip. “Would you like to stay with me again tonight?”

“Yes.” The word left my mouth without hesitation, surprising even me. The strategist in my head should have considered all practical options, weighed the pros and cons, but instead, I just wanted to be near him.

His face brightened in a way that made my chest ache. We gathered our datapads and headed out of the security center into the night.

Planet Alpha’s twin moons hung low in the sky, casting silver shadows across the pathway.

The colony’s lights twinkled like fallen stars against the jungle’s edge.

Night-blooming flowers perfumed the humid air, their white petals luminous in the moonlight.

Nocturnal creatures called to each other from the dense vegetation beyond the perimeter, creating an alien symphony that somehow felt soothing.

Rune’s quarters were sparse but comfortable, making me almost feel like I was back in my own condo on Earth. The natural wood furnishings complemented the metal walls perfectly. Through the narrow windows, the jungle foliage pressed close, the only thing reminding me I was far from home.

“You can take the shower first,” he offered, suddenly seeming almost shy, which was endearing considering what had just happened in his office.

“Thank you,” I said softly, heading toward his small bathroom.

When we were both finally done with our showers, I watched him hesitate by his bedroom door.

“Don’t be ridiculous,” I said, rolling my eyes. “I think we’re past that. Don’t you?”

The smile he gave me was worth any uncertainty I might have felt. We undressed in comfortable silence, and I studied the scars across his chest and arms—battle wounds that told stories I wanted to hear some day.

He crossed the room and wrapped his arms around my waist. Our kisses started gentle but quickly heated, his hands roaming my body with reverent precision. Just when I thought we were heading toward round two, he pulled back.

“We really should rest,” he murmured against my lips.

I couldn’t hide my disappointment, which made him smile with masculine satisfaction.

“Soon,” he promised, kissing my forehead. “When we’re not exhausted from tactical planning and have more time to enjoy each other.”

We settled into his bed, his strong arms wrapping around me from behind, pulling me against the solid wall of his chest. His heartbeat thumped steadily against my back, oddly soothing, despite my racing thoughts.

I stared into the darkness, processing everything that had happened in just three days. Three days since being abducted. Three days of working with these cyborgs I’d once considered weapons. Three days of falling for Rune at a pace that terrified me.

“I can hear you thinking,” Rune whispered, his breath warm against my neck.

“Sorry. A strategist’s brain never shuts off.”

His arms tightened around me. “What are you contemplating right now?”

“How I went from prisoner to… whatever this is… in three days flat.” I traced a finger along his forearm. “It doesn’t make logical sense.”

“Not everything needs to.”

“That’s rich coming from you,” I laughed softly. “Aren’t you programmed for logic?”

“I used to be.” His voice had a thoughtful quality I was coming to cherish. “But living free has taught me some things that defy programming. Like how I feel when you smile.”

My heart did a dangerous little flip. “This is probably just chemistry. A stress response from being away from home and latching on to someone for comfort.”

His chuckle rumbled through his chest and into mine. “If that helps you sleep at night, Captain.”

“It doesn’t,” I admitted. “That’s the problem.”

Rune shifted, turning me to face him, his features barely visible in the darkness. “Then stop analyzing it and just feel.”

I fell silent, studying what I could see of his face.

The truth was, Rune made me feel alive in ways I hadn’t since before I lost Travis and Meredith.

He was everything I could want—kind, brilliant, attentive, surprisingly witty, and devastatingly attractive.

The fact that he wasn’t human seemed increasingly irrelevant.

“I don’t trust this fast,” I whispered. “It’s been three days, but it feels like I’ve known you forever.”

“Perhaps some souls recognize each other.” His thumb traced my cheekbone. “Even across different species and time.”

I laughed softly. “Now who’s being illogical?”

“You must be rubbing off on me,” he murmured, pulling me closer.

Nestled in the cocoon of his arms, listening to his steady heartbeat, I finally felt the tension drain from my body. For once, I felt truly safe—protected not because I couldn’t protect myself but because someone wanted to stand beside me.

As sleep began to claim me, I realized I was finding something on Planet Alpha I never expected—not just purpose but a sense of belonging I’d lost long ago.

I woke up to Planet Alpha’s twin suns filtering through Rune’s narrow window, casting golden stripes across his bare chest. His arm was wrapped around me, heavy and warm, his steady breath stirring my hair.

For a perfect moment, I forgot everything—the kidnapping, the pirates, and the danger.

I was just a woman waking up beside a man who made my heart race.

Reality crashed back when Rune’s wrist communicator chimed. His eyes flew open, instantly alert, those deep blue irises finding mine.

“Morning,” I murmured.

His lips curved into a smile that did ridiculous things to my insides. “Morning.”

The communicator chimed again. Rune glanced at it, his expression darkening.

“Tegan needs us at the security center. Now.”

We dressed with military efficiency—me in my fitted beige tactical pants and black T-shirt, and Rune in his signature black-on-black ensemble. No time for showers or breakfast. Something was wrong.

The morning air hit my face as we stepped outside, humid and fragrant with alien flowers. Colonists moved about their daily routines, oblivious to whatever crisis awaited us. Rune’s stride lengthened, and I matched it, our boots hitting the stone pathway in perfect sync.

“Whatever it is, we’ll handle it,” I said, surprised by my own use of “we.”

The security center doors slid open and Tegan’s tall form materialized immediately, his face drawn tight with concern.

“Thank god you’re here. We’ve got a situation.” He beckoned us to his workstation where three screens displayed long-range scanner data.

As the images became clear, my stomach dropped. A fleet of at least five vessels—ugly, cobbled-together ships bristling with weapons—clustered near the Kuiper Gate at the edge of the solar system.

“Pirates,” I breathed.

“A whole damned fleet of them,” Tegan confirmed, his fingers racing across his console. “Long-range scanners picked them up an hour ago. They’re organizing and refueling. Based on their current position and typical approach vectors…”

“How long?” Rune’s voice was steel.

“Six days. Maybe less.”

The room tilted slightly. Six days. My mouth went dry.

“That’s not enough time,” I said, the strategic part of my brain already calculating. “The perimeter improvements, the shield harmonics—we’re weeks away from full implementation.”

Rune slammed his fist against the console. “Dammit! We need more time.”

I steadied myself, years of battlefield crises kicking in. “We’ll have to fall back to Operation Eclipse—the evacuation contingency.”

“The bunkers near the eastern caverns aren’t built yet,” Tegan reminded us.

“Then we build them. Now.” I pulled up the colony schematics on Tegan’s center screen. “We need wet-climate bunkers, basic but secure. If we mobilize every available worker…”

Rune’s hand found my shoulder, squeezing once. “We need to brief Helix and Aeon.”

The walk to the council chamber passed in tense silence. My mind raced through calculations—resources needed, personnel requirements, and defensive positions. This wasn’t just a strategic exercise anymore. These were real people—people I was starting to care about.

The council chamber’s spiraling roof gleamed in the sunlight, making the building shine like a beacon. The two guards nodded as we approached, stepping aside.

Commander Helix looked up from her desk as we entered her office, Aeon beside her reviewing something on a datapad.

“This better be important to interrupt our resource allocation meeting,” Helix said.

“The pirates,” Rune stated flatly. “A fleet is approaching. Six days out.”

Aeon’s datapad clattered to the desk. “How many ships?”

“Five that we can confirm,” I said, stepping forward. “Heavy weaponry. We don’t have time to finish the defense improvements.”

“We need to implement Operation Eclipse immediately,” Rune added.

“The cavern bunkers aren’t built,” Helix said, echoing Tegan’s earlier objection.

“Then we build them.” I moved closer, planting my hands on her desk. “We need to start the construction of wet-climate bunkers near the eastern caverns immediately. We’ll need every available worker and round-the-clock shifts.”

“And if we divert those resources?” Aeon asked.

“If we don’t, and those pirates breach our current defenses, you’ll have casualties.” I met his eyes directly. “Those bunkers are our insurance policy.”

Helix and Aeon exchanged looks of silent communication.

“She’s right,” Rune said, stepping forward to stand beside me. “Based on her service record and what I’ve seen from her these past three days, Captain Reed has never made a strategic error. Her evacuation plan gives us the best chance of protecting everyone.”

Something warm unfurled in me at his words. He trusted me. Completely.

Helix measured us both with her gaze before nodding sharply. “Fine. Operation Eclipse is fully approved. Aeon, mobilize the construction teams. I want those bunkers habitable in three days.”

As we left the council chamber, I suddenly felt a fierce loyalty blooming in me—not just to the mission, but to these people. To Rune. This colony, carved from the wilderness, had started feeling like somewhere I belonged.

Rune took my hand as we walked toward the eastern sector to survey the cavern site. “You were magnificent in there.”

I squeezed his hand. “We make a good team.”

His eyes darkened with something I was starting to recognize—a mixture of desire and something deeper and more terrifying. “Yes, we do.”

Standing beside this man, planning to defend a colony of people I barely knew three days ago, I felt more invigorated than I had in years.

The strategist in me knew this was dangerous.

Attachments clouded judgment. But another part, a part I thought had died with Travis and Meredith on that mountain, recognized this moment for what it was.

This was purpose. This was belonging. This was where I wanted to be.