Page 6

FIVE

OLIVIA

A sharp cry cut through the afternoon air. Across the pavilion, a heavily pregnant cyborg woman doubled over in pain, clutching her belly. Without thinking, I darted toward her. My feet moved before my brain could remind me of my captivity here on Planet Alpha.

“Breathe through it,” I instructed, reaching her side and supporting her elbow. Her skin felt exactly like human skin—warm and soft. “I’m a doctor. Can you tell me what you’re feeling?”

The woman’s eyes widened with recognition. “You’re the Earth doctor.” She winced, her breathing shallow. “Sharp pain, lower right quadrant. It comes and—” She sucked in a breath. “Goes.”

My fingers found her pulse—steady, if a bit rapid. “How far along are you?”

“Seven months,” she whispered, her eyes darting nervously to the small crowd gathering around us.

I knelt beside her, my medical instincts fully engaged. Seven months pregnant and experiencing localized pain—not labor contractions, something else. The familiar puzzle of diagnosis replaced my anger about being kidnapped.

“Has this happened before?” I asked, gently probing her abdomen.

She nodded. “Twice this week.”

I felt a presence behind me—Aeon. His shadow fell across us both, but rather than feeling threatened, I was oddly comforted.

“She needs monitoring,” I said without looking up. “This could be placental insufficiency or uterine spasm.”

“Can you help her?” His voice carried genuine concern, none of the mechanical detachment of a typical war cyborg.

I looked up, meeting those startling blue eyes. “Yes. But I need your medical area.”

Aeon nodded and then bent to lift the pregnant woman into his arms with surprising gentleness. “This way, Serena.”

Serena. The woman had a name. Of course she did. I followed them through the colony, noting how naturally Aeon cradled her, and how his brow furrowed with concern. This wasn’t the calculating kidnapper from hours earlier. This was someone who genuinely seemed to care about others.

The medical facility doors slid open to reveal gleaming equipment, some familiar, and some utterly foreign.

“What’s that?” I pointed to a curved metallic panel as Aeon laid Serena onto the examination bed.

“Portable fetal monitor.” He activated the machine with swift, practiced movements. “Designed for cyborg physiology, but the principles are similar to your Earth equipment.”

I moved to Serena’s side. “We need to place this here,” I said, positioning the sensor just below her navel. The screen flickered to life, displaying vitals in an unfamiliar format.

“Can you read it?” Aeon asked, standing close enough that I could feel the heat from his body.

“Give me a second.” I studied the display, recognizing patterns despite the different interface. “Heart rate stable, oxygenation good.” My finger traced a jagged line. “But there’s uterine irritability here. Not contractions, but not normal, either.”

Aeon leaned closer, his breath warming my neck. “What does that mean?”

“It means,” I said, feeling an unexpected flutter in my stomach at his proximity, “that Serena needs to rest and hydrate. The baby’s fine, but her body’s sending warning signals.”

I turned to Serena. “Have you been drinking enough water? Resting regularly?”

She looked away. “There’s so much to prepare before the baby comes.”

I shook my head, surprised by the rush of protectiveness I felt. “Your only job right now is growing this baby. Everything else can wait.”

Aeon nodded gravely. “I’ll ensure she rests. Commander Helix will assign assistance for her remaining duties.”

I prepared a nutrient solution from supplies Aeon pointed out, explaining each step as he watched with intense focus. His ability to absorb medical information was remarkable—not mechanical memorization but genuine understanding.

“You’re good at this,” he observed as I administered the solution to Serena.

“It’s my job.” I checked the monitor again. “The uterine irritability is already decreasing.”

“Not just the medicine. The way you care.” His voice had softened, something vulnerable peeking through his disciplined exterior.

I looked up, startled by the compliment and the emotion behind it. For a moment, I forgot he was my captor. For a moment, he was just a concerned colleague with surprisingly human eyes.

“Thank you for helping her,” he added, his large hand gently adjusting Serena’s pillow.

The gratitude in his voice was unmistakable, as was the relief in his expression when the monitor showed improving readings. I had never imagined a cyborg could display such genuine concern—such humanity.

As I continued monitoring Serena, I couldn’t help wondering what else I might have wrong about Aeon and his people.

When Serena’s vital signs completely stabilized, Aeon beckoned one of his medical staff to take over monitoring duties.

I watched as he gave specific instructions, noting how his broad shoulders tensed when he mentioned potential complications to look for.

Not the cold efficiency I had expected from a former military cyborg medic, but the concerned vigilance of a healer.

“She’ll be fine now,” I said, removing my gloves. “But she needs complete rest for at least forty-eight hours.”

Aeon nodded, his blue eyes lingering on my face. “You’ve done good work here today. Commander Helix wants to meet you now.”

“The commander?” My heart skipped a beat. “Is that who ordered my kidnapping?”

A muscle twitched in his jaw. “It was a collective decision. And I would appreciate it if you accompanied me now to meet her.”

I hesitated, but curiosity won out. What kind of leader commanded these people? “Fine. Lead the way.”

We exited the medical bay into the late afternoon light. Planet Alpha’s twin suns cast a golden-violet glow across the settlement, illuminating structures that seemed to merge technology with the surrounding jungle. The air smelled sweet—like jasmine and something else I couldn’t identify.

“Our council chamber is ahead,” Aeon said, his stride shortening to match mine. “Commander Helix leads our governing body.”

“And they’re all...like you?” I asked, instantly regretting how that sounded.

He gave me a sideways glance. “If you mean formerly enslaved beings finding our own way, then yes.”

Heat rose to my cheeks. “I didn’t mean?—”

“I know what you meant.” His voice softened unexpectedly. “And no, we’re not all identical battle units. We were designed for different purposes. Helix was a tactical strategist.”

We approached a circular building with a spiraling roof that caught the sunlight.

Two guards nodded respectfully as Aeon escorted me inside, his hand hovering near the small of my back without actually touching me.

The warmth radiating from his body reminded me that despite his origins, nothing was synthetic about him.

The chamber within was bathed in natural light from skylight panels.

Three figures stood in conversation around a holographic display that vanished as we entered.

The central figure—clearly the commander—turned to face us.

She was strikingly beautiful, with blonde hair and a commanding presence. And unmistakably pregnant.

“Dr. Parker,” she said, her voice rich and authoritative. “I’m Commander Helix.”

I managed a nod, suddenly hyper-aware of my rumpled appearance after tending to Serena.

“This is Councilor Mira.” Helix gestured to a tall woman with cropped red hair who was also unmistakably very pregnant, “and Councilor Dayton.” A man with kind eyes and dark skin inclined his head.

“Aeon tells us you assisted one of our expectant mothers,” Mira said, studying me with unnerving intensity.

“Simple case of uterine irritability,” I replied, falling into the comfortable rhythm of medical reporting. “Though your gestational monitoring technology is... quite impressive.”

“But not sufficient without proper expertise,” Dayton observed. “Which is why you’re here.”

Helix stepped forward, one hand resting on her belly. “Dr. Parker, what you did today for Serena—this is exactly why we need you. Our first generation of naturally conceived children is our future, and we lack the specialized knowledge and experience to ensure their safe delivery and survival.”

Looking at her, pregnant and vulnerable despite her authority, I felt my certainty about their kind waver. These weren’t the cold killers I had been taught to fear and doubt. They were a community struggling to build something new, something extremely fragile.

“I understand your need,” I admitted, “but kidnapping me wasn’t your only option.”

“Wasn’t it?” Helix’s eyes flashed. “Would Earth have willingly sent their doctors to help the ‘killing machines’?”

I had no answer for that. She was right, and we both knew it.

“Your assistance with Serena has earned our gratitude,” Dayton said into the silence. “You have a gift, Doctor.”

I glanced at Aeon, who watched me with an intensity that made my pulse quicken. What was I supposed to do with this? They were grateful, sincere even, but I remained their prisoner, regardless of how comfortable my cage was.

“I’m a doctor,” I said finally. “I help people who need me. That doesn’t mean I’ve accepted this... arrangement.”

Helix’s lips curved in what might have been respect. “Fair enough, Dr. Parker.”

As the leaders exchanged their goodbyes, I hung back slightly, my eyes cataloging every detail of the council chamber.

Three exits: the main entrance we’d come through, a smaller door behind Helix’s position, and what looked to be a garden access to the right.

The building’s design suggested organic integration with the planet’s ecosystem, which meant possible structural weaknesses I could exploit later.

“It was an honor to meet you, Doctor,” Councilor Mira said, her hand cradling her swollen belly. “Your assistance with Serena gives us hope.”

I nodded politely while noting the security protocols—two guards at the main entrance, biometric scanners beside each doorway. “I’m glad I could help.”

Aeon’s hand found my back again as we departed, this time making contact. The warmth of his palm seeped through my thin scrubs shirt, oddly reassuring despite the circumstances.

“The colony isn’t what you expected. Is it?” he asked as we walked through what seemed to be the central plaza.

“I wasn’t expecting anything,” I countered, though it was a lie. I had expected cold, emotionless machines. Not pregnant women and concerned leaders building a society. “Where are we going? Back to the medical bay?”

His jaw tightened. “Not exactly.”

As we walked, I mentally mapped our route. The colony appeared to radiate outward from the central plaza in a spiral pattern with various sectors dedicated to different functions. I spotted the agricultural domes we visited earlier, residential clusters, and a marketplace buzzing with activity.

“Your people seem very... organized,” I offered, hoping to extract more information.

“We value efficiency,” Aeon replied and then surprised me with a wry smile. “But we’ve learned that community requires more than just efficiency.”

We approached a small building adjacent to the medical bay—sleeker, more modern, with reinforced windows and a security terminal at the entrance.

“What’s this?” I asked, already sensing the answer.

“Your new quarters.” Aeon placed his hand on the security panel. “Now that you’re awake and alert, protocol requires more secure accommodations.”

The door slid open to reveal a spacious room that, despite its comfortable furnishings, was unmistakably my prison cell. My momentary goodwill evaporated instantly.

“So, you’re locking me up?” I whirled to face him. “After I helped Serena? After I met your leaders?”

His blue eyes darkened with what looked suspiciously like regret. “It’s colony policy, Olivia. One I agreed to when we decided to bring you here.”

“Oh, when you decided to kidnap me, you mean?” I stepped away from his reach. “I thought maybe—” I cut myself off, embarrassed by the direction of my thoughts.

“You thought what?” His voice deepened, a challenge in his tone.

“I thought maybe you actually saw me as a person, not just a resource to exploit.” I gestured around the room. “But this proves otherwise.”

Aeon stepped closer, his massive frame blocking the doorway. “I see you exactly as you are, Olivia. Intelligent, resourceful, and determined to escape at the first opportunity.” He leaned down, his face inches from mine. “Am I wrong?”

My heart hammered against my ribs. “No.”

“Then we understand each other.” Something flashed in his eyes—frustration, conflict, maybe even admiration. “I wish circumstances were different.”

“You had choices,” I hissed. “You made this one.”

“For my people,” he countered. “For those unborn children.”

“Don’t pretend this is noble,” I shot back. “You took my freedom.”

His jaw clenched. “I’m just following orders, same as I’ve always done.”

“Hiding behind orders is cowardice,” I said, each word precise and cutting.

For a moment, raw emotion flashed across his face—anger, hurt, and confusion, somehow all at once—before his expression hardened again. “Rest well, Doctor. We’ll continue your orientation tomorrow.”

The door slid shut behind him, the lock engaging with a decisive click.

“Damn it!” I kicked the door, pain shooting up my leg. “Damn you, Aeon!”

I paced the room, fury and frustration boiling inside me. The kindness he’d shown with Serena, the way he’d gently carried her, the genuine concern in his eyes—had I imagined all of that? Had I projected humanity onto him because I needed to believe my captors weren’t monsters?

I collapsed onto the bed, burying my face in my hands. The worst part wasn’t the captivity itself. It was the disappointment. For a brief, foolish moment, I had felt a connection with Aeon. I had seen something in those piercing blue eyes that seemed to understand me.