Chapter Three
Picking up her tablet. She made her way to the Council meeting. Greeting those she knew. Their surprise at seeing her. She smiled and diverted questions. Saying she had an update to the missing cargo.
The Agenda, having her on it twice. Once for the cargo issues, the other under any other business. Frost looked smug at seeing her and called the meeting to order. That smugness was going south real soon. Everyone took a seat.
Commander Kito coming in he took a seat next to her. Informing the Council, he was taking the seat of the on-world Commander who would normally be at these meetings. She hadn’t expected that. By the look of the Councilmen around her, nor had they.
Had he been following her?....
The Agenda moved forward. Going around the table, dealing with community issues. Then it was her time to update on Zee’s report and her findings, Kito adding in the Empires. Things moved on until ‘Any Other Business‘ and she asked for the Second Chair to take the lead. Unusual but agreed.
Frost eyeing her now.
She stated what had happened the night before at her home. There was several raised eyes. She stated the Code of Conduct. Frost cutting in saying it was a mistake; he’d only wanted to talk professional business. Kito flicked his finger to the vid screen and played the interaction at her door.
Cyborgs recorded everything.
There was no mistaking that and the implied threat.
Then she loaded the list of concerns and what led her to investigate.
By the end of that, it was agreed Councillor Frost would be suspended pending a full investigation on historic allegations.
Frost blew.
His true colours coming out. It was all spite, indignation, and aggressive verbal attacks.
Slurring the women on the list. Making threats of what he would do to her for this.
Calling her a Cyborg whore. Who was trying to make a name for herself.
They all knew that was not who she was. She sat impassively watching it all. Security taking him out.
“He will be trouble.” Kito told her.
She knew that. “Yes.”
The meeting coming to an end, she moved to go. Kito going with her. “You need to be careful.”
“Agreed.”
At her vehicle she got in. “Let the On-World Commander investigate this.” He urged. He was right. She was too close. With a nod to him, she was gone.
Knowing none of this was over. And went back to work.
Zee knocking on her door. She looked up. “Got a lead.” She waved him in. He handed her a vid pad. “A disgruntled worker. He gave up what he knew.”
She read it. It was concise. “Give it to the Empire. It’s their show now.” Handing it back.
“I hear Frost is under investigation.”
“Who told you?” Word spread fast.
“Had lunch with one of the Council administrators.”
“Helena?” He gave a nod. “That serious?”
He shrugged and grinned. “Maybe.”
Smirking. She gave a nod. “Good luck with that.” He left her laughing.
Did she envy him?.... No. Not at all…..
Working her day.
Getting back to her house. She sat looking at it from the truck. The builders would be done tomorrow. Somehow, it didn’t feel like home. Maybe it had a little this morning she’d accept that, but now, looking at it, there seemed no warmth. It seemed too small.
Maybe that was the trouble. There was no warmth in her.
Nothing more to give.
Accepting it was what it was.
She got out. Heading for her front door. Opening it throwing her keys on the side table. She headed to the kitchen to make coffee. He’d provided it so she might as well use it right? Going to the cooler and pulling the door open she was faced with a feast.
It was too much food. And closed the door again.
Grabbing some crackers, she poured the coffee and sat at the island. Sipping and eating. The house quiet around her. Too quiet. No feeling of home. Feeling a stranger in it. Finishing, she did her rounds checking the house was locked down, making her way upstairs. She showered and went to bed.
Kito watched through the dark. Made sure she had no uninvited guests.
Watching her make coffee, his annoyance showing on his optic that she’d not cooked.
Seeing her lock up and check her safety gave some reassurance on his optic, then watched her go up the lights coming on in her room and bathroom.
He waited. He didn’t need to see his optic to know he wanted to be with her.
Give her the home, the peace she needed.
Waiting until he knew she was safe, he nodded to the guard he’d placed on her and went back to work.
He would protect her from afar. Until he could protect her close.
She went back to work.
Losing herself in her work. Coordinating her staff. Focusing on the job. Directing as she needed. Dealing with one crisis after another. Caron knocking on her door frame, drawing her from her early evening wind down. “Got the word. Moving on the theft tonight. You in?”
She grabbed her weapon needing a workout. “So in.”
They coordinated their action. They had 4 shipping sites and 5 suppliers.
Splitting her people, they took to the vehicles.
Knowing the Empire who were doing the same.
Taking the lead, she led her group. Getting to the first stop.
They converged en masse. Overwhelming those working there, taking the workers on the fringes first, then collapsing into the offices.
Stopping them before they could erase information.
“Stand down!” She roared. People stopped moving.
“Detain with the others for interviews. Get us into those files; we need the intel.” Her team got to work.
Suddenly from behind some crates, a man flew at her.
She ducked the punch, traded blows, when a gap showed she struck out. Throat punch. He went down.
Zee and Caron running to her. “You good?” Zee asked.
“Yep. Take him in. The throat punch will need medical.”
“That was a great move. I need to learn that.” Caron told her.
Everyone and everything handed over to the Empire on-world Commander and his men. He checked her over. Saw the blood, her hands, torn uniform. “You good?”
“No problem.” Giving the signal for round up, she made her way back to the vehicles with her teams and back at her office at just after 1am.
Not bothering to go home. Washing up in her office bathroom.
Checking the time knowing there was no point going home, she’d only get 4 hours if she slept and have to be back.
Showering she changed into a T, dried her hair and settled on the sofa with the throw over her and she did sleep.
Her alarm waking her at the usual time 6am.
Throwing back the cover she cranked her neck, used the bathroom changing into a spare uniform. Opening her office door, seeing the cleaners coming in. She gave a nod walking to the kitchen area, and started cleaning out the replicator then ordering coda taking it back to her desk.
Getting a start on the day.
They’d done their part.
Kito turning up unannounced before 8 hadn’t surprised her.
He’d strode in early, walked around her desk and stared down at her. Looking at her face and lack of sleep. Taking her all in. Looked at her hands for a while carrying bruises from last night. Clenching his fists. Looked at her face a while longer. Then turned and left. Not saying a word.
Watching him go she knew she’d have to deal with that.
A week later, Zee was still working it with Kito. The interviewing or rather interrogations as it was Empire led, of those at the shipping companies were now over. The Cyborgs dealing with the intel and data on what was going on at the Ports. Chasing down leads.
And she’d sent the on-world Commander a credit order to cover the cost of the food and provisions that had been delivered to her home from Kito. She’d given most of it away but that didn’t matter.
He tried to give it back but she refused. Telling him to give it to one of the children's charities she supported.
She’d told Elon early on after he found her, that she wanted to help those others that were on the streets, and he’d supported her in doing it.
She now had 4 charities doing work with those on the streets.
Not that she advertised it. It was one of the reasons she needed that credit blanket.
Owning it from the shadows. Quietly. But openly supporting it as a public good cause.
Non-profit. With a trust funding the work, she encouraged others to do the same as a concerned citizen, fundraising, leading by example.
Having the Council help through Elon back in the day had made it happen. Support continued. And her involvement remained in silence.
Then the requests started.
Slowly at first.
A request for dinner that came 4 days after the takedown, she declined.
Then lunch on day 6. She declined again.
Coffee, on day 9 and 12, she stopped answering.
Informing the on-world Commander that it was unsolicited and unwanted attention.
Informing that any contact would be a breach of Cyborg Law.
The requests stopped.
Then the flowers started to arrive.
Having been given them at reception. She’d taken them at first not understanding who they were from and it was her birthday.
She felt flattered and embarrassed. Taking them to her office.
Caron coming in eyeing them asked if it was something special.
Waving it off she put the flowers down. Waiting until Caron had left before opening the card and reading. Then her face flamed.
No mention of her birthday just, Kito.
He’d sent her flowers….. Why?.... She knew why…..
And put them out in the office saying they were a thank you from a grateful patron for their work. And ignored the rest. She didn’t thank him or reply.
Just empty air.
But she received her birthday message from Elon. Something he never missed.
That made everything right somehow. Simple words. ‘I have not forgotten’.