We’re counting down the days until Testing Truth, the next standalone story in the cyborg series, releases on September 15th. While we wait, I’m sharing the first chapter.
You can read the first scene from the first chapter here:
http://tasteofcyn.com/?p=7350
This week I’m sharing the third scene of that first chapter.
***
“Freed.” North bellowed, shifting the attention on the bridge back to him. The D Model’s restraints retracted. He ran into the next chamber, relaying the footage as he moved.
North’s female lay on a sleeping support. A covering cloth was draped over her form. Her normally spiked black hair had collapsed. Her red eyes glowed.
She cradled a tiny D Model in her arms. The little cyborg thrashed his limbs and wailed at the top of his vocal range, his tiny gray face dark with outrage.
“He’s powerful.” Captain murmured that observation as though speaking to himself.
“My female.” North rushed to his female’s side, scattered kisses all over her pale face. “You aren’t damaged?”
“I’m feeling no pain, my male.” Her voice was soft, which was unusual for North’s warrior female. Doc must have given her excess pain inhibitors. “We have an extremely active and healthy gray-skinned, black-haired, blue-eyed baby boy.” She held up the offspring. “He looks just like his father, but he’s strong like his mother.”
Truth grinned. The female often claimed she was the strongest being on the ship.
That wasn’t the truth, of course. Many of the other beings, himself included, were cyborgs.
But that she processed she was superior in that way entertained him greatly.
“Offspring.” North didn’t respond to his female’s teasing. He dropped with a loud thump to his knees beside her sleeping support. “We have offspring.” He took the little cyborg from her.
The offspring stopped his struggles, gazed up at his father.
“I love you, Victorious.” North pressed his lips to the little cyborg’s forehead. “And I love you, Myrina.” He met his female’s gaze. “That you have given me this happiness, this—” His voice broke.
Envy poked at Truth’s heart. He wanted a female, longed for offspring, desired love, the intense type of love, the kind a warrior felt for a being he would kill for, die for.
But he also felt a deep sense of sadness, of loss, as he watched North with his family. The male’s planet rotations of excitement were over.
Captain hadn’t left the ship and his female’s side since their offspring was manufactured. Truth stifled a sigh. There was a 93.2569 probability North wouldn’t leave the ship now that he was a father.
Warriors met the females genetically destined to be theirs. If they were fortunate. Not every warrior would have that opportunity. They claimed those females, bred with them, manufactured offspring.
And their adventures ended.
Truth would find his female. Not finding her, spending his lifespan alone, wasn’t a fate any warrior desired. But he wasn’t in a rush to locate her.
He craved more thrills, more exploration, more battles, before that happened. His lifespan would be lived to its fullest. Boredom would be banished.
Once he’d sucked every bit of excitement out of the universe, he would search for his female.
Until then, he was free.
***
A planet rotation later, Truth escaped the oohing and aahing over the newly manufactured offspring and focused, with Dissent, on the mission assigned to them.
They perused the available fighter ships, had additional company during that task. Dissent’s female held her warrior’s hand and chattered about offspring, about vessels, about how females could add value to exploration assignments and a certain Captain should realize that fact.
Future, Captain’s fully mature offspring, trailed behind them with a sullen expression.
“This fighter ship has the earliest date of fabrication.” Dissent patted one of its panels.
They gazed up at the vessel. It was in pristine condition, as all the cyborg ships were, was fully functional and much too shiny for their requirements.
“Fighters ships are designed to accommodate more than a crew of two.” Future scowled. “I should have spoken up, not merely sent Father a private transmission. Then you would have supported my request to join the exploration team and he would have relented.”
There was only a 10.2593 percent probability Dissent would have supported that request. Every warrior on the Reckless processed how protective Captain was of his offspring. A prudent warrior wouldn’t interfere in that relationship.
Truth wasn’t a prudent warrior. There was a 79.2584 percent probability he would have spoken on Future’s behalf. The warrior had been training for missions since he was manufactured, was eager to prove himself to his father…and to himself.
And Truth projected he would have found Captain’s reaction entertaining…if he had survived it.
“Dissent supported my request, and it made no difference.” His friend’s female glowered at Future. “Captain, your father, said the mission was too dangerous for human females.”
“I’m a cyborg.” The male stuck out his chest. “We’re built for dangerous missions. The knowledge of millions of warriors resides in my databases.” He tapped his forehead.
“I’ve stunned a being in battle.” Dissent’s female lifted her chin. She was clearly proud of that limited experience.
“You’re fraggin’ fortunate.” Future shook his head. “I would do anything to take part in a battle.”
Captain would sever their skulls from their frames if they allowed his offspring to fight in a battle without his authorization. And Truth hoped there would be plenty of violent clashes on Nereid Negative One. His form vibrated with excitement.
***
Read the next scene (available September 7th) here:
http://tasteofcyn.com/?p=7356
***
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Testing Truth
A fun-loving cyborg gets serious about love.
***
Truth lives each moment as though it were his last. The cyborg warrior rushes into danger, teases beings he shouldn’t provoke, accepts every call of adventure he encounters.
When a prissy little human princess floats into the Rebel structure Truth is occupying, seeking a mercenary to assist her and her unusual entourage, he volunteers to be her warrior. She claims their assignment is dangerous, warns him he might not survive the task.
That is exactly the type of fun he has been seeking.
Princess Nanette of the planet Royaume must rescue her estranged brother from an enemy prison ship. That is her duty, and she has been trained to always place the needs of her planet and her subjects before her own. Nancy doesn’t have the freedom to indulge her passions for a certain dark-haired, gray-skinned cyborg. Not permanently and not publicly.
But she is unable to resist the warrior. Truth, with his laughing eyes, smiling lips, and rough hands, tempts her as no one else ever has. He could be her one fleeting act of rebellion before she’s matched with the powerful ruler her planet requires.
If they survive their current mission.
Their love is doomed. Their lifespans are at risk. This cyborg and his princess will need the help of every ally they have if they wish to see another sunrise.
Pre-order Now:
Amazon US:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08BTYN7TT
Amazon UK:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B08BTYN7TT
Amazon AUS:
https://www.amazon.com.au/gp/product/B08BTYN7TT
Apple Books:
https://books.apple.com/us/book/testing-truth/id1520415369
B&N:
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/testing-truth-cynthia-sax/1137237855
Kobo:
https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/testing-truth
Smashwords:
