“Olivia,” he called, his voice lifting over the buzz of activity.
My heart did that ridiculous fluttering thing it had taken to doing whenever he appeared. I watched him navigate through the plaza, moving with purpose, some cyborgs stepping aside respectfully while others nodded in greeting. Sure, he was their leader, but something was more primal in how they deferred to him. Something in his bearing commanded attention.
“I need to talk to you both,” he said, his jaw tight when he reached us.
Sage straightened. “Something’s happened.”
“Tegan just confessed to me that he reached out to Dr. Naomi West,” Aeon said, looking directly at me. “As a peace offering, he claims.”
My stomach dropped. I struggled to look surprised, guilt washing over me for my earlier eavesdropping. “Naomi? My Naomi?”
“Yes. And now someone from Earth is coming. Tegan intercepted intel this morning.”
I swallowed hard, gripping the edge of the stone bench. “Naomi wouldn’t?—”
“I don’t think it’s her,” Aeon cut in, combing a hand through his thick dark hair—a gesture I’d come to recognize meant he was deeply troubled. “I’ve been analyzing the communication patterns for the past thirty minutes. The transmission signatures changed after the initial contact. Whatever your friend, Naomi, is like, would she suddenly become this aggressive in her approach?”
“No,” I said, shaking my head. “She’s methodical and cautious. She’d never risk—” I paused, realizing what he was suggesting. “You think someone else intercepted their communications.”
“CyberEvolution,” Sage whispered, the name sending a chill through me.
Aeon nodded grimly. “They must have bugged her communications when she started asking questions about you. CE has eyes and ears everywhere on Earth.”
I should have trusted him to tell me this information himself. The shame of my distrust burned inside me. When he’d previously withheld information about Naomi searching for me, I’d felt betrayed. But now I was the one with secrets. I silently vowed never to doubt him again.
“They probably dug into your military record,” Aeon continued, his voice lower now. “They know you worked with cyborgs during the war.”
“They’re not stupid,” I agreed, meeting his eyes. “If they put it together that I’m here?—”
“They’ll also know what we’ve accomplished,” Aeon said, his hand finding mine, warm and solid. “Free-thinking, autonomous cyborgs. Everything CE fought to prevent.”
The reality crashed over me. CyberEvolution, the corporation that created and controlled the cyborgs on Earth during the war, would never tolerate what Planet Alpha represented—freedom from their programming and from human control.
“I doubt they’re coming to negotiate diplomatic relations,” Sage said dryly.
“Would Earth’s government ever recognize Planet Alpha’s autonomy?” I wondered aloud. “Treat you justly?”
Aeon’s thumb traced small circles on the back of my hand. “That’s the real question. Isn’t it?”
As we said goodbye to Sage and walked toward Aeon’s quarters, the weight of what was coming settled over me. I felt the invisible countdown begin. Everything we’d built and everything we’d become to each other would soon be tested by whoever was making their way from Earth.
The colony hummed around us, a small city emerging from the jungle, buildings of stone and metal and native wood rising among the massive trees. All of it felt suddenly fragile.
“We’ll be ready,” Aeon said, seeming to read my thoughts. “Whatever comes.”
I squeezed his hand, letting my actions speak what I wasn’t quite ready to say with words. I believed him now.
TWENTY-SIX
AEON
Just after dawn the next morning, I watched Olivia move confidently through the cavern where the pregnant women and small children were staying temporarily for their safety. Her small penlight danced across the portable monitors as she checked each patient. The early morning light filtered through the natural skylights in the cavern ceiling, casting everything in a soft blue glow.
“Blood pressure’s perfect,” she murmured to Nora, a heavily pregnant cyborg with black hair. “Baby’s heart rate is exactly where we want it.”
Nora’s face broke into a rare smile. “The little one kicks more when you’re around, Doctor.”
“That’s a good sign.” Olivia’s laugh echoed off the stone walls. “He’s probably just saying hello.”
