Chapter Seven
Margo felt like hammered shit and wasn’t sure she was seeing things when a tall golden woman with black hair and a tattoo that started at her calf and ended at her cheek walked onto the command deck.
“Geri?”
The giant with leaf green eyes smiled. “Hey, Margo. You look exhausted.”
“Wow. You are not flattering. You look gorgeous. I see the size backyard tent suits you.”
The toga fell to her knees, and her feet were bare, but she was covered.
“I already went to the manufacturing unit and ordered some clothing that fits the new, non-radioactive me.” She paused. “Where is Delia?”
“She went back to Skylar to recharge a few minutes ago. How much do you know about tonight?”
Geri walked over to her and held her.
“Figured. Straight into your boobs.”
“Some folks would pay good money for that.”
Margo laughed. “Right. Not me. We are nearly there. Do you know where the guys are?”
“Having breakfast with Chloe and Isolde. They keep touching the bump, and Isolde is equal parts fascinated and freaked out. Oh, based on where I picked her up, I think I know who her Hmrain is.”
“Who?”
“Coren. He exhausted himself in a volcanic event a few centuries ago, and nothing has been able to wake him. They used existing samples of his DNA to try to get him an heir.”
“Okay, and how do you think it’s him?”
She winced. “He woke up six months ago, and he is in a foul mood.”
“Ah. That sounds like it. Do you have a picture?”
Geri nodded, and an ombre Hmrain with blue and red mixing in the middle and lovely marks all over him came up. His wings had lattice marks on the rich red surface. He was gorgeous.
His hair was a wave of powder blue that flowed over one shoulder, and his eyes were the Hmrain black.
“At least it will be a cute baby.” Margo smiled. “Delia was a gorgeous baby. It made it easier to look at her until I saw myself, and when her father got home from his business trip with the lingerie in his suitcase for someone who wasn’t pregnant, I was so glad that I couldn’t see any of him.”
“Is that what happened? I always wondered.” Delia spoke softly.
“Diego was good at many things, but being a husband was never one of them. He died in a car accident, too, with someone else’s wife.”
Delia sighed. “You had it rough.”
“Yeah, but I had you keeping me up night and day. It made reality blur a lot.”
Delia squeezed her hand. “I am going to tell Isolde we found the baby daddy.”
“We haven’t contacted him yet.”
“Good. That is definitely something she should be part of, and her brother-in-law can help.”
Margo smiled. “I have been alone here for eight hours with the exception of Geri’s wonderful appearance.”
Geri inclined her head. “I will go prod the guys to come and relieve you, and you can go and get something to eat.”
“How is it that you are still connected to the ship?”
“The thing that changed my DNA gave me an affinity for digital channels. Now that the radiation is completely encapsulated in my cells, I think that they did a little bit more than just make me a suitable bed partner for a random Mathor.”
As Geri turned to leave, Margo smiled. “You do realize, Geri, that you owe him a night, even after all this time?”
Geri looked at her with a snort. “I am hoping he forgets.”
“He hasn’t forgotten. That’s a mark of royalty.”
She looked at her hand. “Well, hell. Wait, does that mean he’s...”
“In charge.” Margo chuckled.
Delia remained with her as Geri went to send the guys back. “Couldn’t you just call them?”
“Sure. That’s what these little things are on the suits. I still think it’s invasive.”
Delia chuckled. “I missed you, Mom.”
“I missed you, too. So, how long do you think I should stay out here before joining you?”
“Don’t talk like that?”
“Why not? No woman in our family has passed seventy, and I am not going to save for a retirement that I am not getting.”
“Maybe Chloe can help.”
“Chloe’s help might cost me everything. I get the feeling she can do a reversion for my humble self. I don’t want to be your age and go through it all again. That is a lot of period products.”
Delia laughed. “You also could have a chance at a second family. I mean, I am amazing, but another family would be good for you.”
“That is a lot of work. And I have a list of species I could choose from. Some of the species make cuter kids than others.”
Delia sighed. “So, you will think about it?”
“You asked me. How could I not? I mean, I don’t think Chloe can do that, and I don’t know why she would, but sure, on the off chance I found a guy I could tolerate, I would invite her to do an overhaul, and she could mess around with what was necessary.”
Delia grinned. “Thank you. I am gonna be right back. You look like you need a nap in the worst way.”
Margo watched her simply disappear. She was sitting, one hand scrubbing at her features, when her guys trooped in. “Okay, who wants to be in charge?”
Soven lifted his hand. She smiled. “Great. Soven, you are in charge. Keep us on course. The ship that was tailing us has fallen back. I am going to get some rest. Wake me if you need to.”
She headed to the food court and nodded to the other ladies. Chloe smiled. “So, Delia has spoken to me, and she said that you are not averse to having a renovation.”
Margo got her tray, walked over, and sat down. “Well, my criteria would involve actually finding a guy I wanted to have kids with. Recreation sex is easily acquired out here. I don’t court PMS lightly.”
Chloe held out her hand. “Let me see what I am dealing with.”
Margo held out her hand and kept eating with her left. She felt a warmth going through her body, and she relaxed as Chloe’s whatever was coursing through her.
She felt cool marks on her skin and smiled as some of her marks from surviving Earth appeared on her skin. They were the soft silver of her other marks, and she felt remarkably proud to wear them, even if they reminded her of the toughest part of her life.
She rotated her forearms, and there were the slashes that had nearly taken her life when she knew her Delia was gone. She exhaled slowly.
Skylar looked over. “Those are...”
“Yup. I was nearly one of your collection, but I wrapped myself up and got help. It wasn’t easy, and it was nearly the last thing that I ever did, but here I am with people who tolerate me and a purpose. Fucking hell, I needed a purpose.”
Skylar said softly, “Surviving isn’t enough for you?”
“Not when my past is ruined, and I am the last of my family. Delia and I were the last two. Now she’s gone, and I am the end of the line. She is asking me to extend the line.”
Chloe smiled. “It’s pretty simple.”
“What is?”
“Turning back your body clock. You are pretty fit to start with, so this is easy.”
The warmth filled her completely, and Margo grunted. “I thought I would have more time.”
“I gave you more time. You have an extra century, maybe two.”
“To do what? Well, I guess I can ferry you two around for a while, until you take up with Dytura and Skylar takes up with whatever else is out there that is both bright and scary.”
Skylar inclined her horned head with a grin.
Chloe smiled. “So, your organs have backed up into your twenties now, all of them. You are primed now; you just need to meet the guy who feels like the right fit.”
Margo continued eating and gave her a droll look.
“Emotionally.”
Margo laughed. “Right. Yes. Emotionally. Thank you, Chloe.”
“You are welcome. I am wondering what this is going to look like when it happens.”
“Ah, so I am an experiment. That makes me feel better. I am going to eat, grab a nap, and then workout a little in the gym.”
Skylar perked up. “Can you teach me combat?”
“Oh, sure.”
Chloe raised her hand. “Me, too.”
Cori laughed. “Me, three.”
Geri was sitting there. “I already know how to fight. But I will come along for practice with the new body.”
Margo nodded. “Just give me four hours to get my shit together, and I will be there.”
She got up, bused her tray, and headed for her quarters. The large space allocated to her rank was nice, but taking a shower and tucking herself into bed felt nicer.
* * * *
Chloe stretched in the bodysuit that the computer had considered appropriate for exercise. The other ladies were wearing something similar. It felt like they were gathering for an aerobics class.
When Margo walked into the room, the warrior was on display. Her bodysuit had no sleeves, her marks were bright, and her hair was up tight in a braid that was reminiscent of a bloody waterfall.
Skylar hopped up and down, clapping. “Teacher’s here.”
Margo smiled. “And I brought backup.”
Arven walked in, and he looked wary.
Margo smiled. “He’s for Geri and Cori to take a whack at while I work with Chloe and Skylar. Isolde, I will teach you later. Much later.”
Isolde patted her belly. “We are just studying, and we are bringing water and towels.”
Chloe smiled. “I am up first. Where do we start?”
Margo nodded. “Ladies, line up. We are going to learn to throw a punch.”
Chloe grinned, and the others lined up. Posture was corrected. Hand position was confirmed, and hyperextension was pointed out. As one, they started to punch the air, and Arven grinned. “I have had dreams like this.”
Margo laughed. “Pervert.”
“Every chance I get.” He chuckled, and they started to run the class.
Two hours later, the ladies were limp and sweaty, and Arven was catching his breath. Geri was pretty good, and she got better as time went on. She remembered all of her moves, but the body was twenty-five percent taller. It made for some tricky accommodations, but she was managing it.
Chloe looked at Margo and Geri. “Just a full disclosure, your guys are offering to pay for footage of your combat.”
Margo paused and then laughed. “First, not my guys, but I am unsurprised.”
Geri frowned. “Why do they want to watch us... oh.”
Arven was laughing. “Mathor are just as fixated on grace and aggression. It is the pinnacle of beauty.”
Margo looked at him. “Then what is the deal with the unmarked in Aken-Var’s quarters?”