Striking Freedom (Mechanical Advantage Book 6) Read online

  “Whew. We have room. I have no idea how we are going to outfit them all, but we have room.”

  Lacey chuckled. “With your permission, I am going to start sending supply ships to the station. Also, extra warships and shuttles.”

  There was a pause. “You have all that?”

  “There is more, but this is the start. There are purified minerals for the cyborg repairs and nanite development, there are materials for casual wear so that folks don’t need to live in their suits all the time.”

  “Is this what you have been doing?”

  “I have been preparing.”

  “For what?”

  Lacey cocked her head and was surprised that Alphy hadn’t figure it out. “I am ready to go to war against the Splice and against Earth.”

  Alphy was quiet. “I think we need to have a talk.”

  Lacey nodded, and she inhaled and exhaled slowly. “I agree. I am going to gather up the survivors, and we will be on our way. Expect us in three days. The supplies will start arriving tomorrow.”

  She disconnected the call and set about getting remote command of the ambassadorial vessels. Step one was to deactivate the self-destructs, and then, she could go through and take command of the ships.

  The exterior monitors showed her that the men were gathering at the dock.

  She opened the exterior com. “One-third of you to dock six, one-third to dock four, the rest of you board this ship. It is a three-day trip to the new base. They are waiting to do maintenance and get everybody healthy.”

  The men started to move and divide. She watched them, and one paused and asked, “Why not the other docks?”

  “I can’t remote those ships, and they aren’t configured for humans. There is too large a learning curve.”

  That seemed to be the right answer.

  Yurik carried one of the last men in, and she sealed the ship behind him. She watched the men enter the ships and kept the island’s halls shut. Only the paths to the ships were open.

  She waited until they were all on the ships, she sealed them and did the checks on them before detaching them from the domed base.

  “Farewell to the empire.” She flipped the station the bird with her metal fingers, sent the release command to the dock, and pulled the Neebokan ship away. The other releases were done just as simply, and soon, the three ships were flying away under her command.

  She was flying an army that hated her. Now, she knew what her grandfather felt like.

  Chapter Nine

  Yurik came to the command deck, and he sat with a groan. “That was intense.”

  She chuckled and continued to adjust the navigation specs for all three ships. “It was pretty much as I had imagined.”

  “So, he really was... uh... related to you in two different degrees?”

  She snorted. “How polite. Yes. My mother killed herself when I was six. She was pregnant again. I always wondered about it, and when I became the object of his affections, I knew enough to have a discreet DNA test done. It was confirmed. It didn’t make the next few years less horrible, but it let me know that I was not the reason my mother had killed herself. It wasn’t me. It was him.”

  “So, you joined Earth Defense...”

  She glanced at him. “To get away from him. He kept me as his assistant, and I have knowledge of just about every security code and protocol of the entire Earth Defense. I jumped at the chance to join Earth Defense, and my knowledge of languages and alien species was an asset that forced his hand. He couldn’t say no, and I had six months of glorious time away from him.”

  Yurik exhaled slowly. “That is a lot to take in.”

  She patted his shoulder. “You will adjust to it, or you won’t. I am not going to force my attentions or interest on you.”

  Yurik blinked, and he shook his head. “It isn’t that. It is just that you have been through... uh... quite a bit.”

  She snorted. “Yes, and one day I am going to walk up the side of a mountain, find a large chasm, and scream into it until my voice breaks. Today is not that day. The bad man is dead, my mind has had four years to think of other things, and now, I might have a new sibling or five on the way. So, first, we will deal with the Splice and then the Earth, and then, I can have my screaming day.”

  He blinked and slowly smiled. “So, is the screaming day before or after our first actual date?”

  She reached out and hooked her finger into his collar. She pulled him in close. “Before. I don’t want you to think I am distracted.”

  He grinned and kissed her quickly.

  “But first, I am going to have to get myself some proper limbs. I don’t want you known as the giant fucker. Those boys can be a little rough when you are alone with them.”

  “You didn’t get mad at them when they blocked you.”

  She chuckled. “No. I knew I had a weapon that they couldn’t say no to.”

  “How did you make that?”

  She gave him a look. “It’s complicated, but some alien species who have no interest in humans or in the Splice, happen to be sitting on some interesting minerals. If you find enough of them, you can make my magic stick.”

  “Okay. So, no answer on that one.”

  “Nope. And no one else needs to know. I know what I am and who I am and knew that would make me a target. I also knew that those coming after me would have adaptations. It was kinda obvious.”

  She released his collar, and she leaned back. “Well, we are now on our way to the new base where everybody has gathered, for the most part.”

  “Do you know what area we are heading for?”

  “We are nearing the Alguth home world. The base is there, as are all my buddies.”

  Yurik suddenly dropped his voice. “Where did you put the ladies?”

  “Where you think.” She smiled and patted him on the head. “Now, I have to fly three ships at the same time, and while I love multitasking, I want to focus. We are moving through some asteroid fields in a few hours, and I need to have a plan.”

  “You always have a plan.”

  She grinned and waved him off. “Go make sure that everyone is fed, clothed, and berthed, please.”

  “Thank you for saying please.”

  She chuckled and got back to work. This next bit was going to be tricky, and she wasn’t confident on her navigation skills. She could fly fairly well, but three ships at once taxed her poor human brain. They were also all different profiles. Tricky, tricky, tricky.

  Docked with the new base, Lacey hung back as the men disembarked. She was nervous.

  She walked to the bolt hole and opened it. The women walked up to the entrance, and she smiled. “We have arrived. You can come out now.”

  The women blinked, and blue said, “We would like to remain here. We feel safe here.”

  Lacey dropped into space and looked at them. “This is new for all of us. I am going to be facing friends that knew me when I looked more similar to you than I do right now. They have not seen my body, do not know what I have been through, and I have not shared in their travails either. I am petrified, but I am doing it anyway. It is my chance at an end and a new beginning.”

  Blue frowned. “Is there anywhere else we can go?”

  Lacey paused. “Maybe. Just let me make a call.”

  She reached up and pulled herself out of the hatch. She walked to the nearest com station and crossed her fingers that Windy was on the line.

  “Windy?”

  “Lacey! I have been waiting for your call.”

  Lacey smiled. “How is your life as queen of Cursed City?”

  “You couldn’t have called it anything else?”

  “Not by the point that I visited. You sound relaxed.”

  “I am getting used to my life, but I think you have something in mind. What can I do for you?”

  Taking a deep breath, Lacey outlined the issue with the women and their pregnancies.

  “Bring them down. The Alguth will take good care of them. These guys are waiting
for something to nurture. I get propositioned to have them bear my children daily. My partner is not impressed.”

  Lacey chuckled. “Cool. I will tell Alphy.”

  “Don’t bother. I have updated her on the other line. You are clear to land.”

  Lacey smiled and headed for the command center. “We are on our way.”

  She made the announcement on the open com as she sealed the connection to the airlock and turned the ship toward Alguth.

  * * * *

  Yurik was looking around for Lacey when another woman walked up to him. He identified her as Alphy.

  “Hello, Yurik.”

  “Hello. Where is Lacey?”

  “She has taken a detour to the planet. She felt that the women she had with her were in danger around these men.”

  Yurik blinked and nodded. “I believe she is correct. When will she return?”

  “When she has taken the women to the surface and settled them in.”

  “Ah. Where am I to go?”

  “We would like your assistance in identifying the men here and separating them by skill level. All the pilots together, that sort of thing.”

  “I can help with that, but it is a make-work project.”

  Alphy smiled brightly. “I knew you were smart. So, how is our girl?”

  He stared at the woman and frowned. “You know what happened to her, do you not?”

  “I know she was injured in the explosion, as we all were. There is no record of her injuries.”

  Yurik paled. “Ah. It is not my place to tell you about her current status, but she needs to put things into action. She has shared her plans with me, and I would like to update you on what has been going on.”

  Alphy nodded and looked at the line of men waiting for their assignments to their quarters and their registration for the ship. Yurik could see several men wearing the uniform he associated with the base sorting and dividing the men into smaller groups and speaking with them.

  “Right, well everything here is handled. Let’s go have a nice chat.”

  Yurik nodded, and while they walked, he recalled everything that Lacey had told him about what the Earth Defense was busy doing to the population. It was going to be a difficult chat.

  * * * *

  After telling the women what was happening, she took the ship to the surface and landed it near the city. She gathered the girls from the hold and explained that they were on Alguth, in a city manned by cyborgs who had never met them and had no reason to hate them.

  They would be safe and honoured by the Alguth as breeding-age females.

  Lacey gripped her staff and stepped out of the ship with them clustered behind her. She did feel like a mother hen with chicks.

  The path to the city was well worn by now. The shuttles from the base were all shiny and well maintained.

  Lacey kept her grip on her staff as she walked. This was the first moment to test one of her friends. Windy would accept her for her personality. She always had.

  With her hood forward and her hand on the staff, she walked quickly to the city and past the astonished cyborgs who readied weapons but did not fire.

  Lacey knew that her target was the large building in the city center, so she kept herself hunched over and moving in the Neebokan manner that usually confused the Earthborn.

  She slowed when she got close to the main building. Two familiar figures were waiting for her, and they spotted her moving to them.

  Curiosity spread over the faces of Windy and Cracker as she took the steps toward them.

  Lacey stopped a dozen feet from them, and she noted the two men who were on alert and waiting for a signal that she was dangerous.

  Windy stepped forward. “Hello, Lacey. It is good to see you again.”

  Lacey nodded, and her voice broke as she said, “It is really good to see you as well.”

  Windy grinned and stepped up to her, flinging her arms around her in a hug. Lacey had no choice but to bend nearly in half.

  Cracker inhaled and whispered, “Is that Splice tech?”

  Lacey sniffled and said, “More or less. I have had to redesign the hands and feet.”

  “How far up is the connection?”

  “Right to the socket on shoulder and hip.” Lacey chuckled that Cracker was analyzing her situation via parts.

  “The control unit?”

  “Complicated. I am in a standing harness that I had built for support and mobility.”

  Cracker asked. “Can I get a hug, and then, can I see?”

  Lacey released Windy. “Fine, but no groping my joints.”

  Cracker grinned, and Lacey hugged her.

  “Damn, Lacey, you are skin and bones. I mean, not as bad as Windy was, but still, not great.” Cracker released her and smiled. “I am glad you are here; now, when can I get you into the med unit, Tall One?”

  Lacey winced. “Ah, that was easier than trying to explain how I could still be human.”

  Windy smiled. “The Alguth queens were terrified of you.”

  Lacey nodded. “I believe they still are. But, speaking of med units, I have five females with me who are all high-risk pregnancies. The crossing of species is rarely smooth.”

  Cracker agreed. “I know that Lucky and her Alguth are planning to let him get pregnant after this is over, but they have already been tested to be compatible. Let’s get those girls of yours into the med unit, and we can take a look.”

  Lacey looked back, and the girls were watching the two human women with astonishment. “See? They are fine. You are in no danger here from the cyborgs on Alguth.”

  Blue whispered, “The cyborgs are all around us.”

  Cracker walked over and smiled at her, holding out her hands. “Everyone here in the city is a cyborg. Even me, even Windy. Our adaptations are different because our injuries were different, but we are all here for the purpose of defending our world against the Splice.”

  Blue took Cracker’s hands, and she bowed. “Thank you for taking us in.”

  Cracker nodded to Windy. “Windy is the commander of this city. She is the one to thank.”

  Windy inclined her head. “Do not thank me for anything. Not until you have received benefit from us. Now, we have quarters assigned to you. You will have an allowance for clothing, food is provided. We recommend that you take on a job to provide yourself with additional luxuries. That can be arranged as well, from berry picking to going through crashed Splice ships and looking for tech.”

  Lacey sighed. “I see they are in good hands. I will leave them to you and get back to the base.”

  Cracker grabbed her metal wrist. “Not until I do an assessment on you. If I need to customize some limbs, I want to send you up with them so that Stich can reinforce everything properly.”

  It took ten minutes of nagging and bullying, but Lacey was in front of the med unit, and she had privacy with only Cracker as a witness.

  She removed her robes and set them aside.

  “Holy hells, you are pinned into a frame.” Cracker was examining her structure.

  “I am. It is going to hurt getting back into it, but I know that my limbs aren’t going to fit into the machine as it is.”

  Cracker frowned. “Point. I will use the handheld scanner.”

  Lacey stood still in her shortest position while Cracker scanned the joints and the attachments of the metalwork.

  “So, do you want any customizations?” Cracker asked her as she ran the scans.

  “Well, I will really miss the height. Something about being eight feet tall means that few people screw around with you.”

  “Uh-huh. I can see how it is an effective intimidation tool. You were carved up by the Splice?”

  “Yeah. Since I don’t have a nanite primer or any existing adaptations, it was fun for them to try and make me into a cyborg of their own design.”

  “Assholes. I am guessing you put an end to the experiments.”

  Lacey chuckled. “Yes. Yes, I did.”

  “Well, I have what I need.
I am going to draw up the plans and get them built. You should be ready to go in a few hours.”

  “I don’t really want to go.”

  Cracker stood, and as Lacey watched, the decorative silver stripes that had been on Cracker’s leggings rose up and wove in the air like serpents. “I know you don’t want to go, but we are so close to finishing this. So very close. Keep going.”

  Lacey blinked. “You know what I am planning?”

  “I work with Windy. She knows what the Splice have been doing and knows what the humans have been doing. Alphy needs to have you there so that the inner workings of the Earth Defense structure. You are an asset and a weapon, Lacey. Don’t think you are not needed.”

  Lacey sighed. “I am getting so tired.”

  “We all are. This should have been over years ago, but we are in it until it is over. Then, we can rest and maybe start our lives all over again.” Cracker smiled. “I have plans for Hammer, and they might involve a baby.”

  Lacey got dressed again, and she smiled. “That sounds pleasant. I have already fought part of my war. The rest is just a bonus.”

  Cracker grinned. “Chase that bonus.”

  Lacey sighed. “I can never resist a bonus. You know me so well.”

  They giggled together, and Lacey resumed her height and staff, but she left her hood down. She was ready to show that much of herself. It was time to stop hiding and start fighting instead of working in the shadows.

  Chapter Ten

  It took all of her nerve to leave the ship and walk into the bay. The trip from Alguth had not been short enough.

  Alphy, Stitch, and Lucky were waiting for her at the end of a very long hallway. They didn’t say anything, just hugged her, one by one. When she had gone through all of them, Alphy smiled.

  “My, my. Lacey is all grown up.”

  She snickered and pulled herself to her full ten feet. “You have no idea.”

  Stitch nodded. “Cracker sent us the scans. Do you have the equipment she created?”

  Lacey smiled. “My arm and leg bones? Yes. They are in this bag.”