Chapter Three
Hemma took a meal out to Zephyr and smiled. “You can sleep in the guesthouse if you like. This place is fully shielded.”
“Your brother won’t mind?”
Ekbert came out with Kessie. “I don’t mind. Hemma has to sleep in the house with Kessie, so you are welcome to her room or the guestroom. There are four rooms.”
“Just stay away from the one that has a hanging manta ray. That’s Ekbert’s room, and he doesn’t share his ray sculptures.”
Ekbert grinned and helped Hemma set the table. The glass of water in the kitchen was still quivering, so the happy couple was working hard.
Hemma was exhausted, but she made sure Kessie got her meal and then asked, “Did you do your homework?”
“Um, not yet. It’s in my room inside.”
“Get a start on it when you finish dinner. You can bring it to the kitchen, and I will help.”
Kessie beamed. Zephyr was wearing sweats and a baggy shirt that had been donated by Ekbert.
Zephyr smiled. “It will be nice to sit for a meal for a change. It is good to see you again, Hemma.”
“It’s good to see you as well. Have you heard from Chaos?” Hemma smiled.
“No, but I know she’s in Aksalla. I think she just wanted to live simply.”
Ekbert blinked. “She survived?”
Zephyr smiled. “Oh, yes. She’s spent the last few years flitting around and stopping the retrieval teams. Uradda didn’t get any actives back in the areas she was patrolling.”
Hemma blinked. “She didn’t end up with you?”
“Oh, she did. They healed her as best they could, and she just took off.” Zephyr grimaced. “She doesn’t heal easy.”
Hemma tapped her wrist. “Those?”
“Oh, yeah. Two wives survived, and both are wearing the scars.”
Kessie perked up. “What kind of active is she?”
Zephyr smiled. “Some would say lightning, but she’s pure electricity. If no one has seen her, her control must be incredible by now.”
Hemma smiled. “I guess she got a lot of practice.”
Zephyr and Ekbert chuckled, and it was a very dark chuckle.
Dinner was eaten, tea and coffee were consumed, and the sun was setting. They all went to their respective resting spots, with Ekbert showing Zephyr where to sleep.
Kessie did half of her homework, and then the sleepy miss was carried to her bed. It had been an eventful few days.
Hemma smiled and got to cleaning. It would be proper for when Keska and Sorooth finished. She also started two platters of sandwiches and fruit with iced tea and lemonade, ready for the morning.
The water glass in the kitchen was vibrating with less ferocity.
By the time Hemma went to bed, the water in the glass was still.
They would be up in the morning. Hemma got up and got a change of clothing from Sorooth’s luggage and tiptoed down the stairs, overriding the lock on the nest door and holding her breath as she eased an arm inside and left the clothing and slippers there before she eased the door closed and secured it again.
She headed upstairs and exhaled slowly. The air was thick, and the scrubbers would now be able to get it under control. She made a note to clear the filters the next day.
For now, she wanted her bed and her pillow and the stuffed animal she got to scream into if she needed it. It was good to be home.
Hemma had found a tank suit for Zephyr to enjoy the pool, and everyone had had breakfast when she heard the footfalls coming up the stairs. The post-heat food was set out, and Kessie grinned and ran to them, hugging them in turn.
There was a lot of excitement and chatter about the family gathering on the island. Nelith had called that morning, and she was eager to introduce them to the masses.
Hemma was excited. She wanted to give the house a power cleaning.
Finally, Kessie mentioned Zephyr, and Hemma mentioned, “She’s in the pool.”
Keska’s eyes got wide, and Sorooth came in looking pale, showing her his com. There was enough of an angle to see the car chase and the enormous woman rising from the waves.
Keska’s com alerted, and Khytten and Salat wanted to come up the drive.
Hemma looked at her boss and shrugged. “Sorry.”
Hemma cleared things up as the Khytten and Salat arrived. She went to open the door, then just floated around, getting beverages and making herself scarce.
She hid outside where the nannies and littles were playing in the yard while Baola swam in the pool with Zephyr. Ekbert had to make some calls for his party. A lot of folks wanted to use a live range. It was an active’s dream.
Her com rang, and she looked down at the unfamiliar number. She answered. “Hello?”
The face that came up was very familiar. Zera, the head of Z-Corp.
“Hello, Hemma. You have gotten a lot of attention this weekend.”
“Yes, ma’am. I am aware. How many of the snivelling weasels called you?” she grumped.
Zera raised her brows. “Seventeen. I am getting queries for your time all over the globe.”
“Delightful, I am guessing that none of the parties are aware of my handicaps?”
Zera frowned. “What?”
“First, I have no experience. Second, my uterus is gone, and my vaginal canal is about two inches deep. I don’t qualify for your joyful little program. Plus, I don’t trust those guys not to hate fuck me just because.”
Zera blinked. “Whoa. Just when I think I have seen it all, I run into another one of you ladies.”
“Yup. Sorry. You have a lot of disappointed calls to make.”
Zera paused. “What if you get repairs?”
“That is still way too much testosterone for me. I also have had a lot of short interactions of the kneeling sort with them, and I don’t really like that.”
Zera paused. “Can I look at your medical records?”
“Sure, but I got the quote for repair when I got here, and it is far more than I have access to, so I am resigned to life as a spinster. I even have a spinning wheel to commit to the bit.”
Zera grinned. “I do admire commitment to the craft. Okay. I am going to see what is possible, but if repair is possible, would you come in for an assessment?”
“Seventeen is too many.”
“An eighteenth query just came in.”
“Why are they asking you?”
“They aren’t just asking me. The Prefect of Aksalla is getting pelted with demands. I am the alternative to a handoff.”
Hemma felt agony and rage at the same time. Tears flowed, and she knew they were the same blue as her blood.
She heard Kessie calling for her mom, and Hemma tried to wipe away the tears before Keska saw. She was wrapped in a hug a moment later. Hemma continued to cry silently, and Keska held her.
Khytten came by and said, “Oh, sweetie.”
Hemma muttered, “It’s a weird combination of being a war criminal and a dating show.” She looked at Keska. “What am I supposed to do?”
Keska hugged her and smoothed her hair. “It’s okay. We will figure it out.”
“They all know I am alive now, and most don’t have any issue with my being Uraddan.”
Keska nodded. “Did you want me to wrestle Zera for you? I can help. Most of those countries buy my inventions. There may be some bargaining room. I will also contact Caska and Ava. They will look in on you while we are in the islands.”
She swallowed and nodded. “I said she could access my medical records. I am hoping that will stop the prodding.”
Khytten said, “Why are your tears blue?”
“All my bodily fluids are.” She sniffled. “It’s a matched set.”
Khytten smiled. “What do you need fixed?”
“I am not going to put that on you. It’s a lot, and I definitely don’t want to mention it with Ekbert ten feet away.”
Khytten took her by the hand and pulled her into the house. She was persistent, so she showed Khytten the melted skin over the stitched-up gill marks, explained the hysterectomy, and the other modifications that had been installed and removed.
Khytten’s lip wobbled.
“Please don’t. My body works for most applications. My tracking is still in place, and my strength is still accessible. Besides, to look at me, no one knows. But you can see why intimacy is not possible.”
Khytten nodded. “Yes. I... this is extensive. I am guessing the tissue depth is different. I could design a program, but you have a mix of burn, surgery, grafting, and extraction. You are complicated.”
“Yeah. I know. Sorry that I lost my composure, but I already lost it when facing the international agents.”
“Oh, right. Your we just want to live quietly speech.”
“Yup. I just like going to the farmers’ markets and picking up food. It’s my favourite hobby.”
Khytten hugged her. “I will need some deep scans to figure out what to do.”
“No.”
“Why not?”
Keska’s voice came from behind her. “Because they cost thousands, and I pay her well, but her insurance doesn’t cover them.”
Khytten blinked and then said, “Like Jeneev. But she had BDC insurance.”
“Debt can get me deported, so I am not going into debt just to answer some curiosity.”
Keska said, “Come with me.”
“What?”
“I have been creating a pocket scanner, so I want to test it out on you. There’s a bonus for it again.”
“If this is like the remote blender, the bonus had better be four figures.”
Keska chuckled. “Sure. It depends on how tolerant you are to mild radiation.”
“Oh. Let’s find out.” She rubbed her hands together. Hemma was always up for an experiment.
They went into the workroom at the far end of the main hall, and Keska took a disk and held it in her hand with small items in her other hand.
Hemma sighed. “You are making a scanner just for me.”
“Shush.”
Three minutes later, Keska opened her eyes. “Got it. You have to be naked for this, though.”
Khytten closed the door, and Hemma lifted her head. “Salat! Out!”
A shadow formed into Salat, and he shrugged. “Can’t blame me for trying.”
“Yes, I can.”
He left, and Khytten smacked his butt as he went through the door.
He shot her a look promising reciprocation, and when the door latched, Hemma quickly got out of her comfortable clothing.
The main disk was dropped at her feet, and Keska told her to tap it with her toe.
As soon as she did, a swarm of small bots ran around her, creating a light cage that pulsed through different wavelengths, getting closer to her skin with every pulse.