Galen's Blade by Richard Paolinelli

Author:Richard Paolinelli
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Tuscany Bay Books
Published: 2022-04-29T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER TEN

Galen had spent every moment of available daylight outside the ship, only occasionally ducking back in to grab a needed item or tool. The dune the ship had landed in had been soft sand and the ship had created a small crater to settle in. He fashioned a rough camouflage, using tarps with sand tossed over the top to help hide the ship.

It would make it difficult for a friend to find them, assuming anyone knew where to look for them, but it would also ensure that no foe would find them either. He rigged the top weapons turret so that he could access it from inside or out of the ship in case they needed to defend from unwanted attention.

He'd taken stock of the damage to the Tempest and had come to the immediate conclusion that her time as a spacefaring ship had come to an end here on Ziea. She had been such an important part of his life for so long that the realization cut him deeply. The only good that could come of this would be that Cass would survive and that was in doubt.

Trying to keep his mind off the possibility of losing both of them, he finished up his work outside and reentered the wrecked ship. A glance at the chrono showed it had been ten hours since the transfer and he’d not heard a word from Mori since he’d left the hold.

He found Mori scurrying around the tube with an air of excitement. Before he could inquire as to the cause, Mori spotted him.

“Amazing,” he exclaimed. “Simply amazing! It isn’t possible of course, but it’s simply amazing!”

“What’s so amazing?” Galen asked.

“Come, look,” Mori waved him over to the tube. “Its already starting, a full three hours ahead of schedule. The imprint took and the android is starting to take on the form best suited to the imprinted consciousness.”

Galen drew near and looked into the tube. It was less murky now and he could make out more of the android, which was indeed starting to take on more of a refined hominid form and the beginning of a female form at that. Looking up at the head he could make out a mouth, a nose, eyelids and hair growing at the brows and on the scalp. Hair that was growing even as he watched.

“I suspect that the process will be complete within the hour,” Mori proclaimed.

Galen turned and headed back out toward the last hold in the cargo area.

“Where are you going?”

“If you’re right,” Galen replied without stopping, “In one hour we’re going to have a naked woman walking around. I’m thinking she’d appreciate having some clothes to wear.”

Then again, he mused with a slight smile, if this worked and that is Cass she just might strut around naked purely out of spite.

He found what was left of the crate of women’s clothes that he’d never would get around to delivering now. He found the low-cut dress that Cass had originally suggested for Rhea after the Nammu rescue.

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