she couldn’t. That also helped Gemma be less afraid that the android would go all maniac killing machine.
* * * * *
Big was proud of Gemma. She’d warned him that she had a hard time learning technology, but she’d picked up station commands quickly. Later, he planned to teach her basic repairs. She needed to know how to survive if anything ever happened to him.
They ordered meals from Magna, then ate. He continued thinking about their future. Now he wanted to live a simple, happy life more than ever. He had Gemma. In time, she’d adjust to the bots and the technology. Until then, he’d continue to watch her closely.
The original twelve clones kept haunting his thoughts. Gemma wasn’t exhibiting rage, severe depression, or signs of mental instability. Overall, she was taking her new reality extremely well.
“Are you okay?” she asked, noticing his staring.
He held her gaze. “Yes. How are you holding up?”
“Good. I think I’d be a basket case if it weren’t for you.”
“You make my life so much better, as well,” he admitted.
That caused her to smile. “Same.” Then her expression grew pensive.
“What are you thinking? Please tell me.”
“I’m still a little in shock, I think. You know? I went from life as normal, to waking up in a hospital to learn I’d been in an explosion and was dying, to waking up again on that transport. It’s kind of surreal. You help ground me, though. I can’t thank you enough, Big.”
He took her hand in his. “I was so lonely before you.”
“I was lonely, too. I mean, I had my two sons, but kids grow up. They spent less and less time with me. I was struggling with what to do with my free time. Not that I had a lot. Paying for college for two kids wasn’t cheap. I had a nine-to-five job and put in as much overtime as possible. I’m just glad that my house was paid off and I had a good life insurance policy. My sons won’t have to worry about money or losing their home.” She sighed. “Shit. I guess that was a long time ago. I have to learn to speak past tense… I know they were financially taken care of. At least I did that right.”
“I’m sure you did a lot of things right.”
“I hope so. It’s too late to change anything now.”
“I’m grateful that someone messed up and stole your body instead of that singer with your name.”
That caused her to laugh. “I don’t know about that. My sons were fans of hers. She was a pretty girl with a lot of talent. I was just an older woman who they used to beg not to sing in the car when we went somewhere together.”
Big lifted her hand and kissed the back of it. “I doubt that singer would have taken everything you have with as much grace and courage. Even if she could sing.”
“There’s one advantage to being older. You live long enough to grow a twisted sense of humor. It can keep you sane.”
“Are you mentally well? Be honest.” He still worried about her going insane.
“I’m hanging tough, Big. I promise that if I start to lose my shit, I’ll talk to you and work through it. That’s how I’m made. I mean, inside my head. That still feels like my original one.”
“I know.”
“I’m grateful to be alive and have a second chance. You look worried, but you don’t need to be. I have you, and you make me happy. I’m going to be okay. I’ll adjust.” She glanced around their living quarters. “In a nice place.”
He nodded. “Good. If you ever grow bored with this one, we can look at other upgraded cabins. This is the nicest one, though. When everyone left me alone…” His mood grew somber. “Well, I moved in here.”
“I’m sorry they left you.”
“We were new to freedom. That’s the thing about dreams. You believe it will be a certain way if you ever accomplish what you seek, only to realize there are new problems to face.”
“Like cleaning bots,” she said wryly.
He smiled briefly. “We had to make some difficult decisions. Not all of them were the correct ones. It caused arguments and resentment. I wish I could go back to change certain things. Maybe they wouldn’t have left me here alone.”
“I can’t imagine what’ve you’ve gone through, living on this moon by yourself. I’d go stir crazy.”
“I kept busy preparing for their return.”
She nodded. “Like stockpiling massive amounts of plasma.”