“How did you teach him to talk like that?” one of the scientists across the table from them demanded. “I’ve never heard a Cyborg articulate or advocate for itself so clearly!”
“Forget about that—he seems to feel genuine remorse!” another scientist exclaimed. “No other Cybernetic Unit is capable of such deep emotions!”
“K-lx is unique,” Corinne said firmly, answering both men at once. “I believe he’s one of the earliest Cyborgs ever made—possibly even the very first. He’s capable of things no other Unit I’ve ever worked with and his cognition is on par with any one of ours. His immense size is because his biological component is Kindred—not human. But the most important thing is that I firmly believe he can be trusted not to go Rouge.”
“Your word is good enough for me,” a scientist with thinning hair and thick oculars said to her. He looked up at K-lx. “You’re welcome to help clean up the lab, if you really want to. We have some pieces of equipment that are too heavy to lift and put back into place.”
K-lx felt guilt and let it show on his face.
“I’m so sorry about that, Doctor…”
“Doctor Herrera, but you can call me Jose.” The human extended a hand across the table and K-lx shook it carefully.
“Thank you for your trust, Jose. I’ll be happy to help,” he informed the scientist. “I’m just sorry there’s nothing I can do for the technicians I killed last night,” he added. “Especially since the other human male is suggesting I went Rogue when I killed them.”
“You were on Overload,” Jose informed him. “That’s not the same as going Rogue. We know what caused your episode. When a Cyborg truly goes Rogue, there’s almost never any indication of why it happens. Sometimes its faulty circuitry but more often it happens when past trauma comes to the surface.”
K-lx nodded and listened but part of him was always attuned to the Link between himself and Corinne. He could feel her pride in the way he had handled the situation and it warmed him like the Sun.
Just then, however, the human male she’d called “Silas” spoke up again.
“I don’t care how articulate that thing is, I don’t trust it!” he announced, glaring at K-lx. “And I don’t believe you have it under control, either, Virelle!”
Corinne opened her mouth to answer, but K-lx was already in motion. He rose from his seat beside her—which caused a murmur of uncertainty and fear to rush through the canteen. But K-lx ignored the rest of the humans—he was fixated wholly on his Mistress.
As Corinne turned to face him, he dropped to his knees before her.
“Mistress,” he rumbled. “Dr. Virelle—I am Linked to you and attuned to you—I will obey your orders.”
Corinne’s eyes widened slightly, but she answered in a calm voice.
“Very good, K-lx. I am ordering you not to hurt any of the personnel here aboard the station.”
“Understood.” K-lx nodded seriously. “But I also want it understood that you are under my protection,” he went on, shooting a glance at the angry human scientist called “Silas.” “I will not allow anyone here to hurt or humiliate you. As my Mistress and my Handler, I will keep you safe and defend you in any and every situation.” He looked into her eyes. “You are mine to protect, Corinne—just as I am yours to command.”
Her eyes widened and for a long moment, it seemed the whole canteen was holding its breath again. Then one of the human women sitting at a nearby table sighed and put a hand to her heart.
“Oh my, Dr. Virelle—do you have any other Cyborgs like that one?”
“Yeah—I’ll take one too!” another woman called.
There was a ripple of laughter and the tension seemed to be broken. The human male named Silas was still glaring at them, but K-lx ignored him. Corinne was his Sun—the center of his universe. Now that he was fully attuned to her, he would never leave her or, through his actions or deeds, expose her to harm or ridicule.
“That was lovely, K-lx,” she murmured. “But come have a seat again.” She patted the chair beside her.
K-lx rose obediently and sat where she’d indicated. He was fairly certain that his public display of devotion had convinced the other humans that he wasn’t harmful as long as Corinne was around, so this had been a successful social interaction. They had a busy day ahead of them today and he was going to do his best to make up for the mayhem and destruction of the night before.
He just wished his throat wasn’t so dry. He took another sip of the simulated orange juice and tried to forget about it…and to stop imagining himself sucking his Mistress’s ripe nipples while she moaned for him and ran her hands through his hair…
14
CORINNE
“You did a lot of hard work today, K-lx. I think the Cybernetics lab is almost back to normal,” Corinne remarked. She’d spent time with him, “supervising” though really her only reason to be in the lab was to reassure everyone there that the huge Cyborg wasn’t a threat.
K-lx had done his part. He’d been nothing but helpful and remorseful about the techs he’d killed. He was also charming and incredibly likable when he made the effort to be. After a while, it was clear that most of the people he was working with had almost forgotten that he was basically a seven-foot-tall killing machine.
Corinne was proud of him…though she really couldn’t take any credit. Unlike modern Cyborgs, the big K-Unit had a personality of his own. He was helpful and kind and attentive. In fact, the only time he was less than one hundred percent pleasant was during a moment when Corinne had stepped outside the lab to take a bathroom break and get a drink of water.
