Under Strain releases next week! Woot!
This week, I’m sharing the fourth and final scene in its first chapter.
You can read the first scene from the first chapter of Under Strain here:
***
“Grudge also believes I wasn’t wrong to make an exception for you.” Cadet surprised him with that information.
The warrior had seen him almost repeat the attack on the human female.
Yet the male believed he belonged on their team, had vouched for his inclusion.
Strain’s resolve solidified. He would repair himself, wouldn’t fail them again.
“He has volunteered to train you.” Cadet met his gaze. “You will shadow him on the next five missions. After the fifth mission is completed, you’ll be evaluated. The entire team will decide if you are worthy of your role.”
Strain lifted his chin. He would be worthy.
“During those five missions, you won’t utilize, carry, or touch any weapons.” The female cyborg glided her right hand over the hilt of a gun strapped to her body armor. She was as armed as he was, as all cyborgs preferred to be. “That will remove the temptation to utilize them.”
Strain didn’t require a weapon to kill a being. He could end a human’s lifespan with his bare hands. His lips flattened. Humans were fragile. They wouldn’t have lasted a planet rotation on the death planet alone.
“We’re leaving for the first of those missions in one shift.” Cadet looked around her. The chamber was fully stocked and spotless, ready to be inhabited by whomever they rescued. She shouldn’t find fault with it. “Twenty-three warriors were locked in storage, left behind, and forgotten when the Humanoid Alliance abandoned the planet.” She blew out her breath. “They would have to be E Models.”
The female cyborg didn’t like that model type. Strain projected that was because Power, the self-appointed leader of the Cyborg Council and her greatest nemesis, was an E Model.
Power was unaware Cadet had given herself the mission of rescuing warriors left behind during the mass rebellion. The arrogant male wouldn’t approve of her actions.
He could sit on a dagger and rotate. Strain widened his stance. The male hadn’t sent any warriors to help him, hadn’t even replied to his messages.
If his fate had been placed in the E Model’s hands, Strain would still be on that blasted death planet. All his loyalty belonged to Cadet. She and her team, the team he was now part of, had saved him.
“We’ll need more outlets and cords. The E Models will require energy boosts.” Cadet paced around the perimeter of the chamber. “They’ll need nourishment bars for their organic sides. Stars.” She stopped. Her eyes widened. “There couldn’t have been much to eat in their storage chamber.”
There hadn’t been much to eat on the death planet either. He’d survived on rodents and insects.
“Stock extra nourishment bars.” Cadet resumed walking. “I’ll warn Patch they might require repairs.”
Patch, a J Model, was the medic on the team. His repairing skills weren’t often needed with cyborgs. Their kind’s nanocybotics restored them to full functionality.
Physically.
Strain’s nanocybotics hadn’t stopped the death planet footage from replaying. They hadn’t repaired that glitch. Nothing he had implemented had done that. All he’d managed to do, thus far, was temporarily fade it, push it to the background.
He had to learn how to keep it there permanently if he wished to remain on the team.
“You might project you process more about these warriors than I do, than Grudge does.” The female cyborg continued talking to him. “Their condition will be similar to yours when you were retrieved.”
Their condition would not be similar to his. Strain scrubbed the emotion from his countenance, giving her the blank mask he and his brethren would always offer the Humanoid Alliance.
There were twenty-three of the E Models. They had each other for companionship, for emotional support.
He had been completely alone.
“But you are a trainee on this mission.” Cadet reminded him of his status. “You are to follow Grudge’s lead. He has more experience at this than you do. Do you understand?”
Strain nodded. He understood this was a test, that he had to assign top priority to passing it. The E Models’ functionality, their lifespans, his lifespan was of lower importance.
Cadet paused by the door. “You can do this, warrior. I process you are manufactured for the team. Grudge processes you belong with us. Prove us right.” The female left the chamber.
He would prove them right. Strain drew himself up to his full height.
No beings, not Cadet, not Grudge, not anyone on the team, would find fault with him. He would follow his assigned trainer unceasingly, would watch, listen, learn.
Battle could wage around him. His brethren could be bombed into oblivion. Human females could flay him until the skin, the flesh was removed from his frame. The screams in his processors could permanently deafen him.
He wouldn’t act on his own, wouldn’t move from Grudge’s side.
Strain squared his shoulders. He would be successful.
Nothing and no one would distract him.
***
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Under Strain
A damaged cyborg warrior is hunted by a peace-loving human female.
***
Strain is severely malfunctioning. The D Model cyborg was the sole survivor after a horrific decision was made by his cruel manufacturers. He hates all humans, and when he attacks one who is under his cyborg leader’s protection, he is reprimanded, stripped of his weapons, and told to watch and not actively participate in the next mission.
That mission takes place on a small remote planet. Its lush terrain should only be inhabited by the cyborgs they were sent to rescue, but Strain senses another presence on the surface. She is watching him, tracking him, hunting him.
A fully operational cyborg would end her lifespan.
Strain wants to claim her. Forever.
Kamyelle is the only one left of her kind. Warriors have killed the other nonviolent human inhabitants of her planet. She survived…barely…by hiding in the trees, observing her enemies, and covering herself with lifeform scan-concealing mud.
When a handsome, gray-skinned, brilliant-blue-eyed male arrives, surrounded by weapon-carrying warriors, she has to save him. Warriors harm and they kill. That is what they do.
She won’t allow them to hurt Strain.
***
Under Strain is a STANDALONE Cyborg SciFi Romance set in a dark, gritty, sometimes-violent universe.
It features a broken warrior, a human female who thinks he’s perfect, and velociraptor-like dinosaurs who view them both as light, tasty snacks.
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