Testing Truth (Cyborg Space Exploration #6) - Cynthia Sax Page 0,53
and distracted the Humanoid Alliance officer.” That officer had been looking for beings to kill, to torture. “She gave her lifespan to save her students’.”
“She…she did all that?” The male stared at him, his anger evaporating under the ferocity of the truth.
“She did all that.” Truth nodded. “She was a hero, and a true warrior, and every cyborg in the universe—millions of us stationed in multiple sectors, on multiple planets—processes her sacrifice.”
“She was a hero.” The male looked up at the sky for a moment.
Truth waited, allowing him to absorb that indisputable fact.
“And you won’t forget her.” The male met his gaze once more. Tears trickled down his cheeks.
“Fully functional cyborgs never forget any inputs.” Truth dipped his head. “The story of your daughter’s bravery will always exist in our databases.”
“She will live forever.” The male fell to his knees. “My daughter was a hero, and she will live forever.” He sobbed.
Others comforted the male, hunching over him, rubbing his back.
“Your brethren knew about the students, yet he didn’t kill them.” The male who had held back the bald male tilted his head, studying Truth. “Why did he let them go?”
“My brethren were cyborgs, had advanced systems.” They were aware of all beings situated within their range. “The Humanoid Alliance officer was human, had a human’s visual system.” Truth’s lips twisted. That system was vastly inferior. “The Humanoid Alliance officer didn’t detect the students, didn’t ask about them.” Cyborgs couldn’t lie, but they didn’t have to volunteer information. “He didn’t order my brethren to end the little humans’ lifespans.”
“Shit.” The male gaped at him. “You weren’t lying. Your kind only did what they were forced to do.”
“My kind don’t lie. Ever.” Cyborgs loved fighting, but they wouldn’t have fought for the Humanoid Alliance if they had been free. Their manufacturers had no honor.
“Come.” His princess tugged on his hand. “We should meet with the queen.”
“The queen.” The male yelled at the crowd. “Our Forever Princess is meeting with the queen.”
The masses of beings parted.
Truth guided his female back to the gate, eager to leave the grim memories, the discussion of the horrid, unhappy past behind him. His future was with Nancy.
They would be happy and free and together.
Forever.
His lips lifted into a smile.
Chapter Fourteen
“You gave that male some peace.” Nancy told Truth. Her always-laughing cyborg had looked uncharacteristically grim during that conversation. “Thank you for sharing your brethren’s insights with him.”
“It was the truth.” He shrugged.
“It was the truth from Truth.” She teased him.
“Royaume’s princess is making jokes.” His smile fully returned and some of the tension inside of her eased. “What would one’s subjects think about that?”
She laughed. “They’ll think I’ve fallen in love…and they’d be correct.” She adored him with every bit of her being.
And she was happy he was with her. Her attention shifted to the serious faces in front of them.
She slowed their pace. “It looks like we’re in trouble.”
“I’m always in trouble.” Her cyborg splayed his fingers over her lower back, that contact with him giving her strength. “You took the right action, beautiful.” He followed her through the gates. “Your subjects needed to see you.”
They had needed to see her, and she had needed to see them. “Someone shared footage of one’s lifespan with all of Royaume.” She narrowed her eyes at Valentin.
“That footage belonged to all of Royaume.” Her father was unrepentant.
Claude and Marthe displayed no signs of surprise.
Nancy stifled a sigh. Her entire makeshift family had known of that sharing. “One realizes you believed this would help one’s situation but—”
“It would help any leader’s situation.” The queen’s private secretary surprised her by defending the rebellious act. “The adoration of one’s subjects is a powerful asset.”
Nancy stared at the male. She now had that asset.
“The princess will follow me.” The male turned with a sniff, acting as though he hadn’t handed her a tool she could utilize against the ruler he served. “Her Majesty the Queen is waiting.”
He flounced toward the palace. The male rivaled her own private secretary for drama.
And for strategy.
She met Valentin’s gaze. “Thank you.”
Her father inclined his head. “We serve the princess. Always.”
“But we shouldn’t keep the queen waiting much longer, Princess.” Claude tugged on his too-small jacket and marched after the queen’s private secretary.
“The princess is a mess.” Marthe pulled a flower out of Nancy’s hair. “She can’t attend the queen looking like this.” She straightened the skirt, brushed dirt off the fabric. “Oh. This is not good, not good at all.”