Robot Dust Bunnies (Argonauts Book 5) by Isaac Hooke

Author:Isaac Hooke [Hooke, Isaac]
Language: eng
Format: epub, azw3
Published: 2017-04-13T06:00:00+00:00

sixteen

Rade had given the team the order to rack out, but was unable to do so himself. How could he sleep, knowing that Shaw was somewhere out there, either dead or trapped aboard the ship?

Surus was also awake, of course. She was sitting in the cockpit beside Algorithm, examining the swarm robot she had captured.

In the dim cabin light, Bender shifted. Rade focused his attention on the Argonaut. After the Weaver had finished attending Manic, it had waited about half an hour for Bender to finish his push-ups, and then gone to him. That had been a few minutes ago.

Rade retracted the seat clamps and shoved off, floating to him.

Bender glanced up.

“Hey boss,” Bender said quietly. His fists were wrapped in gauze. The knuckles were bloody. Odd; there should have been no blood on them at all. Hell, he shouldn’t have even needed any bandages once the surgical robot was done.

Then again, now that Rade thought about it, the Weaver’s session had been a little short.

“How are the hands?” Rade asked softly. He pulled himself into an empty seat beside Bender.

“Fine,” Bender said.

“They don’t look fine,” Rade said. “I told you to have the Weaver treat them.”

“You did,” Bender agreed.

“Then why haven’t you?” Rade asked.

“Dunno,” Bender said. “Guess I wanted to punish myself further for attacking Manic for no reason. And for allowing Corunna to steal our ship, and Shaw. Pushups... well, pushups ain’t enough.”

“The only one who should be punished is me,” Rade said. “It’s my fault any of this happened. I could have refused to allow Corunna aboard. Or I could have had her watched more readily, not just by the AI, but by members of our crew. It’s because of me that we’ve lost the Argonaut. And Shaw.” As well as my unborn boy and girl.

“Then why do I feel so bad?” Bender said. “I hate this. Knowing that we’ve lost one of the most important crew members of all. We let Shaw down. She’s our astrogator. We all love her.”

Rade felt himself tearing up and he had to look away. The tears accumulated around his eyes in the zero G and he had to wipe them away, taking a moment to compose himself. Finally, he glanced at Bender once more and said: “By the way, I’m sorry for saying you were a bitch earlier. That was uncalled for.”

“Nah,” Bender said. “You can call me bitch if you want. You’re the boss. If I’m anyone’s bitch, I’m yours. Just don’t insert it too hard, kay?”

Rade laughed, and for a moment he forgot all of his troubles. “What would I do without you? You’re not my bitch. You never will be. You’re one of the best men I have. Maybe the best. Despite your foibles.”

“Thanks, boss,” Bender said. “Try not to give me a big head. Hey, wait a second, what foibles?”

“Your inclination to scuffle with Manic, for example,” Rade said.

“Oh,” Bender said. “That. He’s the one always instigating it. You saw what he did back there.”

“I did,” Rade said, allowing his voice to grow sarcastic.

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