Odoon’s eyes widened. “N-n-no but—”

  “There is no but.” Stealth’s female shook her tiny fists at the male. “Have my males killed? Yes, because killing is sometimes necessary and when that happens, someone has to pull the trigger. Not everyone has the luxury of keeping their hands clean, claiming they are better than others, being—”

  “My hands aren’t clean.” Those words burst out of the Ahkian’s mouth.

  Stealth’s female blinked. “What did you say?”

  “I’ve killed.” Odoon’s gaze dropped to his not-yet-repaired feet. “I blew up a structure while a cyborg was in it.”

  Based upon the Ahkian’s lack of battle skills, Stealth estimated the probability he had killed one of his brethren at 49.0268 percent but that wasn’t zero so he said nothing.

  “That’s why cyborgs have to be machines.” Odoon met Zebrina’s gaze.

  “Because you’re a pacifist and you don’t kill living beings.” Stealth’s astute female had deduced the male’s damage. “You will never view cyborgs as they truly are. You can’t because that would change how you view yourself.”

  The Ahkian’s head dipped.

  “I understand your thinking.” She blew out her breath. “But I don’t agree with it. And I won’t subject my males to your views.”

  “I’m sorry.” Odoon was male enough to apologize.

  “I’m sorry too, Odoon.” She summoned a small smile. “Good-bye. I wish you a safe journey and the peaceful lifespan you desire.”

  That good-bye was final. Stealth saw that verification in her eyes.

  “Son.” She glanced at Vow. “Leave them. We’ll allow the Ahkians to deal with their own.”

  She strode past her former friend, her expression cool. Odoon’s shoulders straightened when she approached and then slumped after she passed him.

  “Stealth?” She paused for a heartbeat, holding out her hand.

  He caught up to his female and linked his fingers with hers. “Some battles can’t be won.”

  “Some battles shouldn’t have to be fought.” She sighed. “Why would he choose me to pursue? Wouldn’t we be a constant reminder of what he perceives to be his greatest moral failing?”

  Stealth’s female didn’t realize her appeal. “I would face that every planet rotation if it meant I could hold you in my arms, speak with you, inhale your sweet scent.”

  Their son made a gagging noise.

  Zebrina squeezed Stealth’s fingers. “We should continue this conversation in private.”

  “There’s nowhere private,” Vow grumbled. “I hear everything.”

  “Then you know Odoon’s comments about you being a killing machine weren’t about you.” She reinforced that revelation. “They were about his guilt over killing one of your father’s brethren.”

  “That warrior was one of my brethren too.” Vow claimed all cyborgs as his family. Stealth’s body warmed down to his frame. Their son would never feel isolated again. “And yeah, I know now it wasn’t about me. It was never about me. He had the problems. The humanoid was fucked up.”

  “Language.” Both Stealth and Zebrina said that at the same time.

  “You handled the situation with the newcomers well.” She praised their son. “It was clever of you not to ask them who they were.”

  “It was clever of me.” Vow’s chest puffed out, a swagger added to his step. “Dad taught me that.” His son graciously gave him some of the credit.

  “It was clever of your dad to teach you that.” She smiled up at Stealth. “I feel much safer, knowing my two big, strong warriors are guarding the domicile.”

  She hugged their son with her free hand, bringing the three of them closer together. They were now a family. Stealth’s chin lifted. They were one unit, bound by love, together at long last.

  “You don’t hug warriors, Mom.” Vow wiggled free of her grip, their son not as appreciative of what they had found. “We’re fierce protectors.”

  Stealth grinned. Vow’s views on warriors were entertaining to hear.

  “What about kissing warriors?” Zebrina, undeterred by their son’s rebuff, puckered her lips. “Is that acceptable?”

  “Ugh.” Vow shuddered, the movements exaggerated. “No.”

  “That’s too bad.” She released Stealth’s hand and lunged toward their son, trying to grab him. “Because I’m going to kiss you.”

  “Mom, no.” Vow sped out of her range, his expression horrified.

  “When I catch you.” She ran after him. “I’m kissing you all over.”

  “Dad, make her stop.” Their son was a cyborg. He would escape his human mom easily. Yet he stayed a mere arm’s reach ahead of her.

  “Some opponents are too fierce to battle, Son.” Stealth chuckled, trailing after the two beings he loved more than life. “Surrender might be your best option.”

  “Yes, surrender to your mom’s kisses.” She smacked her lips. “Accept your defeat graciously.”

  “Never.” Vow dodged her, veering around the Ahkians.

  The humanoids stared at them. Some of the females smiled. One offspring wiggled, trying to escape his mom and join the game.

  Joy bubbled inside Stealth as he tracked his female and his son through the agri-lot, the three of them playing catch-the-cyborg, creating happiness out of nothing.

  Zebrina and Vow were his future. Because they were in his lifespan, loving him, making him laugh, the outlook for him was brighter than the sun shining down on them.

  His big heart expanded. He would safeguard them with everything he had, cherish every moment they spent together.

  “You’ll never catch me.” Vow taunted his mom, a smile in his voice.

  “Arrogance will defeat you, Son.” Propelling himself forward, Stealth scooped his female into his arms, chasing after their son at cyborg speed.

  “Hey, no fair.” Vow accelerated, trying to escape them. “You can’t help Mom.”

  “Battle isn’t always fair.” Zebrina crowed with glee, kicking her legs. “Faster, my male. I have kisses to distribute.”

  “No kisses.” Their son howled his dismay. “I’m a warrior.”

  Stealth grinned. Solar cycles from now, his warrior son would find his own female and he would want kisses. At that time, they’d replay this moment, reliving the fun they’d shared.

  “Prepared to be kissed, Son.” He burst into motion, carrying his female to victory.

  Chapter Eighteen

  Their son completed his training to Stealth’s satisfaction exactly one solar cycle later. It took them thirty-five planet rotations to reach the Homeland, seven more than scheduled because Vow wanted to fly the ship most of the way.

  He made quite a few errors, including almost flying them into an asteroid belt. Zebrina had dredged up all of her willpower not to say anything. Her son’s confidence remained a fragile thing, easily deflated, and she was determined to protect it.

  According to Stealth, excessive worry also upset the baby. She curved her hands over her rounded stomach. Her warrior communicated with their youngest son constantly through the transmission lines, giving her updates on their new cyborg.

  “Do you require energy replenishment, my female?” Her male gazed at her with concern.

  “You’re carrying me.” She smiled up at him. He insisted on conveying her everywhere and she didn’t object. She enjoyed being in his arms. “I haven’t expended any energy.”

  “You’re manufacturing offspring.” He lifted his chin, his pride over that occurrence adorable. “That expends energy.”

  “Do you need a nourishment bar, Mom?” Their son held one up.

  “No.” She’d eaten two of them before leaving the ship.

  “Good, because I do.” He stuffed it into mouth, chewing with his mouth open.

  She shook her head and smiled. “Save a few for me.”

  “A few is three, right?” He looked in his pack and grimaced. “I’ll save you two.”

  She’d stocked the pack with ten nourishment bars. How had he eaten eight of them already? “We’re not putting you in charge of the nourishment bars in the future.”

  “I didn’t want to be put in charge of them this planet rotation.” Their son shrugged. “I’m a warrior, not a supply vessel.”

  He had very narrow views on what a warrior did and didn’t do, which was a constant source of amusement to her and her warrior male.

  They stepped out of the multi-level structure, entered a tiny square of outdoor space, and she quashed her reply, sensing the tension in Stealth immediately escalate, his form stiffening.

  A patch of green hugged a wall covered with engravings. The decorations weren’t frivolous. They were the names of the cyborg dead, her warrior’s brethren who had died on Ahki.

  “Set me down.” She softened her voice to a whisper, out of respect to him and the beings he had loved.

  He lowered her, sliding her body over his until her booted feet touched the ground. She held onto him for a moment, hugging him to her, trying to comfort him.

  “Let’s look at the wall.” She hooked her arm in his and walked to the side of the structure.

  There were so many names. She had talked to, cared for, could picture most of the males. Some had belonged to Stealth’s fighting batch, had bravely ventured into battle with him.

  “Here’s Lethal’s name.” She traced the letters with her fingertips. “Vow, he was one of your Dad’s best friends.”

  “I know all about the E Model.” Their son nodded. “If Lethal and Boom hadn’t sacrificed themselves to save Dad, he would have died. I would have never met him.”

  Stealth swallowed hard, his eyes reflecting his grief.

  “We owe them so much.” They were responsible for her happiness. She rubbed her stomach. “Boom’s name is below Lethal’s.” That seemed right. “They would have wanted to be together.” She frowned. “Though the letters could have been spaced better.” They disappeared into the ground. “His name is partially hidden.”

  “He wanted to touch—” Her male’s voice broke.

  “He wanted to touch the Homeland.” Tears clouded her vision. “And now he is.” She drifted to the plot of ground, where her cyborg had buried Lethal and Boom. “He’s touching it forever.”

  She stood with her two males, the realization of how close she came to losing Stealth striking her. It could have been his name etched on the side of the structure, his big body covered with soil.

  Vow would have never known his dad. She rested her hands on her belly. Their second child wouldn’t have been conceived. She wouldn’t be looking forward to a long lifespan filled with love and laughter.

  She slowly and awkwardly sank to her knees. “Thank you, Lethal. Thank you, Boom.”

  She placed her hands on the ground. While she was on the Homeland, she’d tend to the plot, plant blooming vegetation there, make it the most beautiful, peaceful place on the planet.

  “Thank you for safeguarding Stealth, for giving me back my male and Vow his dad.” They had earned her gratitude forever. “You will always be part of our family.”

  She sniffled, sweeping the back of her hands over her cheeks.

  “Dad, Mom is crying again.” Their son announced that fact.

  Stealth rested his hands on her shoulders. “They wouldn’t want you to damage yourself, my female.”

  “Your friends didn’t meet Vow, won’t see the new baby.” She hiccupped. “It’s so sad, so very, very sad.”

  “You cried when you saw the Homeland and when I sat in the captain’s chair and when Dad polished our boots and when…” Their son relayed the long list of her recent weepfests.

  She might have been a bit emotional over the past few planet rotations. Much had changed. “We could call the baby Lethal Boom after your friends.”

  “Only if you hate him.” Vow muttered his opinion. “That’s a stupid name.”

  “Cyborgs normally have one name.” Stealth was gentler with his feedback. “Lethal would have been honored to have an offspring named after him. He wanted to be loved by a female.”

  “I could be that female.” She gazed down at her stomach. “I already love you, Lethal.”

  “He’s repeating his name through the transmission lines.” Her male squeezed her shoulders. “Our offspring has claimed it as his own.”

  “I’m glad he likes it.” Her heart swelled with caring. Tears dripped down her cheeks.

  “Ugh.” Their son rolled his eyes. “More crying.”

  “Lethal was the default leader of our fighting batch.” Stealth’s voice was low and deep and comforting. “He’d assign terrain and he always arranged it so I fought between him and Boom. That allowed them to cover my ground when I surveyed the areas in front of us.”

  “I’d rather fight.” Vow stuck out his chest.

  “I was skilled at other tasks.” Her male described his various missions.

  Very few assignments involved killing. She leaned into him. He had focused on preventing cyborg deaths, a priority he now relayed to their son, to both of their children. She touched her stomach. Their baby could hear his stories also, was learning that being a warrior wasn’t only about ending lifespans. It involved protecting the beings one cared about.

  It was right that this lesson was being learned at the burial site of her male’s friends. Stealth loved the two warriors and they loved him. They were a part of him. Their deaths didn’t change that.

  During a pause in the sharing, both Vow’s and Stealth’s head turned to the left.

  “K Model.” Choice, her son’s friend, stepped out between two structures. He had the gray skin and brilliant blue eyes of an early model cyborg yet hadn’t many more solar cycles than Vow.

  There was no model number inked on his cheek. They were both children of a cyborg warrior and human female union.

  She liked him, liked his parents. Joan, his mom, communicated with her and the other cyborgs’ moms every planet rotation.

  That wasn’t nearly as often as their sons communicated. Their transmission lines were in constant use.

  “C Model.” Vow’s head dipped. “I’ve logged more flying time than you have.”

  She exchanged a glance with Stealth. That was why their son insisted on flying the ship…slowly.

  “And that time was gained outside cyborg-controlled space.” Envy edged Choice’s words. “You almost entered an asteroid belt, you lucky bag of bolts.”

  That was intentional also? Her lips flattened. Their son’s reckless streak would get him killed.

  “Asteroid belts are dangerous.” Stealth expressed his disapproval. “Only a foolish warrior would seek to enter them.”

  “They’re also awesome,” Vow mumbled. “You want to see our ship?” He asked Choice.

  “We have to get the others first.” His friend’s eyes lit with energy. “They’ll want to see it too. We’re not allowed to be on the other ships unsupervised since…” He glanced at Stealth and stopped talking.

  “The ship belongs to a council member.” Her male was stern with the boys. “You’re not to leave the docking bay, shoot any weapons, or cause damage.”

  “Yes, sir.” The two young warriors snapped to attention.

  She narrowed her eyes at them. They had agreed to that too quickly for her comfort. “Be responsible, Vow. Your dad and I are putting our trust in you.”

  “Ugh.” He rolled his eyes.

  “And give me a hug.” She reached out her arms, not wanting to let him go.

  “Not in front of everyone, Mom.” He fought her request.

  Choice must be that everyone.

  “Vow.” She gave him the do-it-or-suffer-the-consequences look, one he should know well.

  “Okay. Okay.” He gave her the quickest hug in mom-son history. “This is so embarrassing.” He stomped toward his friend.

  “My mom makes me hug her, too.” Choice was sympathetic. “It is a human female malfunction.”

  The two boys disappeared in the maze of structures. She was happy he had a friend but suspected their son’s odds of hurting himself had greatly increased.

  “Do I want to know why they’re not allowed to be on the other ships unsupervised?” She gazed up at her male.

  “They all survived the experience.” He scooped her into his arms, lifting her as though she weighed nothing, as though she wasn’t as big as a domicile. “They’re intelligent beings. They won’t repeat their errors.”

  “They’ll make new ones.” She summoned a smile. “I have to allow him to live his lifespan, go on adventures without me.”

  “You’re his mom.” Stealth carried her into the structure. “You’ll always be a part of him.” He hefted her higher against him and she laughed. “And you have me. We can go on our own private adventures.”

  “Can we?” Her face heated. “That sounds…intriguing.”

  Warriors lined the corridors, watching and listening to them as they passed. Some of them smiled. They must have understood her cyborg’s innuendoes.

  “Where are we going on our private adventures?” She whispered that into his flight suit-clad chest.

  “First, we’ll explore the chambers the council have assigned to us.” Her male had a plan. “That is unknown terrain. It will take many moments to thoroughly map it.”

  He would take his time loving her. Her nipples tightened in anticipation.

  They entered a chamber, the doors opening and closing around them as though they recognized them, as though they were welcoming them to their new home. The chamber led to more chambers to the right and to the left.

  Stealth turned to the left, transporting her into a private space, an area dominated by a huge sleeping support. She spotted a few horizontal supports, a couple of chairs, a set of body armor draped over an open compartment.

  “We have to transfer our things.” They remained on the ship.

  “We don’t need our things for what we’re about to do.” He set her carefully on the sleeping support. “You’re overdressed for that.”

  He removed her boots one by one. It was a challenge for her to reach her feet.

  She wiggled her toes. “You’re overdressed also.”

  “You’re my priority.” He captured her lips, his kiss gentle and loving.