Scrapper. Book 2. Book 2

Laneth caught Serena and pushed the woman a couple of steps back, embracing her. Hunter saw Serena crying, gasping for air, and her fist still squeezed tight, her knuckles damaged from the hit against his more durable body.

«Let her hit me.» Hunter pushed out of himself. «I deserve it.»

Laneth leaned back, trying to catch Serena’s gaze, but the woman’s eyes were pinned to the cyborg.

«I mourned you…» Serena growled. «I cried over you… and you… you…»

«It wasn’t him, Serena.» Laneth grasped at her Captain’s shoulders. «He was controlled by Falana. Look at him! Does that look like a face of a man who is willing to hurt you? Look at him!»

Hunter saw Serena breaking down into tears, and felt his heart aching, seeing her so hurt.

«Look into his eyes and see the guilt he feels.» Laneth saw a faint glimpse of something else than fear and hatred in Serena’s eyes. «Look at him. He’s the same man, who loved you. The one you loved. He’s just been subjected to some inhuman transformation, leaving him stranded and incapable of knowing what he was doing. Now he’s here… and he’s the same man I knew before. The same one you loved. Please don’t be so hard on him.»

«He almost killed me.» Serena hissed.

«He would never do that willingly and you know that. He was under Falana’s control. I’m trying to find out what she made him do while he was with her.»

Serena wanted to say something else, but saw Hunter’s eyes filling with tears and a stray drop sliding down his cheek. Closing her mouth, Serena freed herself from Laneth’s embrace and stepped back.

«I’ll talk to you later…» she pushed out of herself.

Hunter saw her turn around and hurriedly walk away. Laneth watched her leave, and when the door closed, she glanced at the man with genuine sadness in her eyes.

«I’m sorry.» she whispered.

«Don’t be…» Hunter shook his head. «She has a right to feel angry and betrayed. And I deserve all the punches she can give me.»

Laneth sighed heavily and walked over to the handheld scanner, so that she could take a look at his systems once again. A few moments later she lowered the device and sighed heavily, glancing at Hunter.

«I bet her punch was more hurtful to her than you… the replacements they gave you are metal, so…» Laneth said.

«Great. So I’ve hurt her again.» Hunter gritted his teeth.

«Unknowingly and unwillingly.» Laneth leaned in and touched his face, looking at the damage Serena dealt to his skin. «Do you feel anything at all?»

«If you’re asking about pain, yes, I feel it. Though, I’d rather feel it a thousand fold, just to not see Serena feeling all that…»

«What about warmth? Touch? Did they cut those, or do you still feel them?»

«I feel them.»

Laneth smiled:

«Good! That means you’re still a man under all this… uh… metal. And since your face can still feel, that means whatever they left under this…» she tapped his chest plate. «Feels too.»

«And how is that of any help?»

Laneth smiled wider:

«Well, don’t you get what happened just now?»

«She was furious to see me here.»

«No, silly!» Laneth chuckled. «Not only did she approach you on her own, she actually touched you. Even if that was a couple of punches, but still… I’d consider that progress.»

Hunter looked away, seeing the reasoning of the woman.

«Now…» Laneth grasped her chin in thought. «If I am going to help you with what I had in mind… you’ll have to trust me a little, alright?»

«You can do whatever you see fit, Laneth.» Hunter replied, looking aside.

«No, no, no!» the mechanic leaned in and caught his gaze. «I really mean it. You have to trust me. Because my prototype is ready, and I’d like to test it out… Since you say you feel touch and pain, I can, technically, input some sensors and connect them to those circuits of yours to allow you regain feeling in your lost limbs. Though, I’m not sure if putting pain sensors will be a good idea… We’ll have to discuss that.»

Hunter looked at his hands and then raised his eyes back at Laneth’s face:

«You want to…» he couldn’t force himself to finish the phrase.

«I am going to make you not only look like the man that you were, but also help you feel like it.» Laneth chuckled. «Now that’s another progress we can be happy about, wouldn’t you say so?»

«And… what do you require to do now?»

«Right now… I need you to stay still, because I was in the middle of connecting the artificial skin enhancement to the armour Falana incorporated into your systems. If you give me a bit of time, I’ll say when you can try it out and we’ll see how it works on your body, alright?»

Hunter threw a glance to the door, where Serena disappeared before, and nodded:

«Take as long as you need.»

Chapter 16. If…

Hunter looked at his hands and wondered if this would even work. Laneth took two days to work out a couple of bits and pieces before they could make the artificial skin start to look perfectly human. He glanced at his chest, covered by a tank top and couldn’t help but think that he looked quite human. To someone else’s eye he was completely human – Kayla said that herself when she saw him covering his cybernetic limbs with artificial skin.

The man was grateful for the girl being there and supporting him in this ordeal. If it wasn’t for Laneth and the child who could easily be called her adoptive daughter, Hunter might have already gone mad with desperation and self-loathing that he felt whenever he thought about Serena and the way she looked at him after he was changed.

He didn’t know what would happen if this would work though.

In a sudden panic he stepped back, losing his resolve to go and seek out Serena.

«What are you doing?» Kayla slapped his thigh. «Are you scared to go now? After all we’ve done for you?!»

Hunter took a shaky breath, before looking down at the girl:

«I… I’m not sure…»

«Look here, you big silly goose!» Kayla frowned, leaning with her hands at her waist. «Don’t be a coward! All of this is just some help.»

She waved at his new artificial skin.

«But…» Hunter raised his eyes to Laneth and saw her smiling.

«No buts, mister!» Kayla continued her tirade. «We need to make another test! And if you can’t go through with it, why did we even bother doing all this for you?»

«She has a point, Hunter.» Laneth shrugged, biting down on the tip of her nail. «It may not be perfect yet, and the sensors are still in progress, but… we need to know if this will help. And for that…»

She nodded to the door.

«For that you need to get your ass out there and see how Serena will react!» Kayla said.

«But what if…» Hunter fell silent, seeing Kayla raise her eyebrow. «Fine…»

He sighed and walked out, still hesitating about being seen by Serena at all.

«Captain Serena is on her way to the dining area.» Lyssa reported quietly. «So if you wish to see her, you can.»

«Thanks, Lyssa…» Hunter took a deep breath, trying to shake off the dreaded feeling of guilt and fear.

He feared to encounter Serena – after all that he’s seen from her, he doubted that some artificial skin will help him make her see him, and not the metal killing machine that almost murdered her in cold blood.

Heading through the corridors, he wished he wouldn’t see Serena at all – just to avoid seeing her freezing in terror again.

So when he suddenly saw her walking towards him, he was almost ready to turn away and retreat somewhere, just not to be face to face with the woman. But, instead, he forced himself to stop and wait for her to acknowledge him being there.

It took her a bit to notice him standing there, but when she raised her eyes, something surprising happened. She froze immediately, but Hunter watched Serena’s eyes wander on his body, and for the first time he saw something other than fear. She looked at him differently – shocked, without a doubt, but no longer terrified to see his metal body and intimidating look.

He didn’t move, when she took a cautious step toward him, reaching out, her hand trembling. This time, however, she touched him – her palm pressing against his chest. Hunter saw her eyes tearing up, but it wasn’t like before, and a warm feeling crept into his heart, as he realised she was looking at him with recognition.

Not hatred, distrust or terror. Recognition.

When she took another step closer, he carefully raised his hand, very gently caressing her cheek. She didn’t recoil, didn’t tense up, and in a sudden urge Hunter jolted forward, catching her lips in a desperate kiss, gently embracing her.

For a couple of happy moments he felt her answering his affection, until, suddenly, she tensed up and pushed him away, closing her mouth with her hand and breaking in tears. Hunter felt his hope dissipating, seeing her caught in the very same panic and fear, and stepped back, trying not to let his tears flow.

«I’m sorry…» Serena whispered, avoiding looking at him. «I’m sorry…»

As she darted away, Hunter could only hope she would hear his reply:

«Don’t be…»

He didn’t know if this would be the last kiss he would ever get from her, but the feeling of her warm lips on his brought back the happy memories of them being together before all this happened. The man looked at his hands, seeing the artificial skin they were now covered with, and thought how much has changed between them. And all because of the fact that he was supposed to die when they last encountered Falana. If it weren’t for his stubborn nature, Serena would have never experienced him trying to kill her because the Veluthian scientist decided to change him into a complete cyborg.

If he would have just died…

Hunter felt his heart aching – however modified his body was, he still remained part human, and all the emotions and pain rushed over him just like it would have if he’d still be one.

He turned around and headed back to the engineering bay, feeling desperation washing over him once again.

When Laneth saw him returning, she immediately walked up, forcing him to stop, even though he couldn’t raise his eyes to her face.

«What happened?» Kayla asked, seeing Hunter’s eyes filled with tears.

The man took a few moments to reply:

«She saw me.» he said. «She walked up, and…»

Laneth watched his face becoming filled with aching and sadness:

«Tell us, Hunter. What happened?»

«She touched me. And I couldn’t help it. I… I kissed her.» the man looked up finally and felt himself being on the brim of tearing up.

«You kissed?» Kayla shined a wide smile. «But that’s great news!»

«It’s not that…» Hunter shook his head.

«If it will be easier, I can show you what happened.» the ship’s AI said.

«Yes, Lyssa. Show us.» Laneth glanced towards one of her working screens.

The AI loaded up the surveillance feed from the moment when Hunter and Serena saw each other. Kayla walked up closer, seeing how their Captain approached the cyborg on her own, and not showing any traces of fear or anger towards the man. When she touched him, it seemed like she was almost happy to see him.

As Hunter kissed her, Laneth tilted her head, noting how – for a few long moments – Serena didn’t flinch or tense up, answering to this sign of affection. The mechanic saw the second, when the woman tensed up and pushed Hunter away, closing her lips, and the first thought Laneth had about that was the fact that she could have just remembered who stood before her. A cyborg.

With a frown, Laneth looked back at Hunter and took a very deep breath.

At that moment the door slid open and Hunter turned around, hoping to see Serena walking in. But instead he saw Lindon running in, with his face contorted in fury.

«What the fuck did you do, you metal jerk?» the Veluthian punched the man as soon as he got close enough.

Before Hunter could even reply, Lindon punched him again, and then another time, enraged at the cyborg.

«I kissed her!» Hunter screamed, trying to step back and receiving another punch to his face.

Laneth managed to catch Lindon’s arm and tried hard to hang onto it, feeling the man freezing in surprise and confusion. The Veluthian watched Hunter’s face for a few long minutes, before slowly lowering his fist down. Laneth sighed with relief, seeing him calming down.

«You… kissed?» Lindon asked, his face still showing remnants of hatred.

«I kissed her.» Hunter nodded, wiping blood off his mouth.

«He didn’t hurt her, Lindon. I saw the video Lyssa showed me.» Laneth said, seeing the Veluthian throw her a short glance. «They kissed. That’s all.»

Lindon looked away, taking a step back. For a couple of long moments he remained silent, becoming calmer and more rational. He ruffled his hair and looked at Hunter again.

«I’m sorry.» he said. «I saw her crying again and I thought…»

«It’s fine.» Hunter sighed heavily. «Considering what I’ve done to her before… it was only logical you thought I hurt her, when you saw her crying again.»

The Veluthian shook his head and turned to walk away, but stopped by the door, as if he wanted to say something.

«Lindon…» Hunter called out, feeling guilty and sad about what he was about to ask the man.

«What is it?» Lindon replied, not even looking back at him.

«I know… she needs human warmth right now. Some comfort… An embrace.» Hunter swallowed a heavy lump in his throat. «She will appreciate it if you comfort her. I know she will…»

This time Lindon glanced back and saw Hunter looking at the floor, shedding silent tears. The Veluthian walked out without saying another word.

Laneth and Kayla exchanged glances, but remained silent.

Chapter 17. Contact

Lindon hesitantly approached the door to Captains Quarters. He knew that Hunter was right and Serena really needed someone to comfort her. But he still thought that she would push him away, though he wanted to help her and calm her – even if it was just by being next to her. The little bits and pieces of her answering to his affection in the past few days seemed to be something she wouldn’t really appreciate at the moment.

He was about to turn and head back to his personal quarters, when the door slid open and Serena jumped at him, pressing herself to his chest and embracing the man, though, still silently crying. Lindon sighed, answering to her embrace, and caressed her hair, feeling the woman being in desperate need of company. She made the first move to come to him, and he was happy to oblige, even if it would be just an embrace.

A little time passed, before Serena looked up at him and he gave her a faint smile, wiping the remnants of her tears from her cheeks. The woman suddenly reached up and kissed him, but all Lindon could think about is that he didn’t want to use her distraught state, even though he badly wanted her.

«Serena…» he gasped, when she leaned back for a second.

«Shut up…» she kissed him once again. «Or just leave… and don’t come back…»

This time he didn’t fight it, experiencing the warmth of her arms around him and the way she pressed her body against his even harder. The maddening love he felt for her made him dizzy and he stepped towards her quarters. She didn’t stop him, pulling him inside instead.

Lindon knew she might regret it, but he hoped she wouldn’t. Because he would never regret being with her.

He barely slept that night – and this time it was not because he was worried for Serena, but because they couldn’t get enough of each other. However genuinely she answered to his love, the man still felt that she was so desperate to have him again and again only because she was deprived of the much needed warmth and love for so long. Somehow he knew that it was supposed to be Hunter in his stead.

Lindon felt like he was a temporary fix to a problem much deeper than anyone thought – something, Serena was trying to cope with or fight with all this time all on her own. He didn’t have anything against helping, but the thought that he wasn’t at all the remedy she needed to get over all of this still scratched at the back of his head, not allowing him to drift away into sleep.

Up until Serena woke up, Lindon stayed by her side, embracing her and watching her sleeping.

The man greeted her with a gentle smile as soon as she opened her eyes, caressing her face.

«I hope you’re feeling better.» he said, almost believing his own words.

He saw Serena smile in reply, reaching to him to give the man a kiss. He didn’t pull back, feeling her lips on his and aching to hear her say he was enough to help her deal with whatever was weighing on her mind all these past days.

«I am.» she said quietly, as soon as she leaned back. «Thank you, Lindon. I needed that.»

«I’m always glad to help you with anything, Serena.» Lindon said, realising the sadness was creeping back into his heart. «All you have to do is ask.»

She smiled again and hesitantly stood up from the bed. The man watched Serena walk into the bathroom and sighed, seeing her seemingly collected and calm. He grabbed his pants and put them on, wondering if she was regretting what happened between them or not.

«Lindon…» Lyssa’s voice sounded very quietly. «There’s a visitor at the door and I am unsure if Serena would see him…»

The Veluthian sighed heavily and stood, heading to the entrance of the Captain’s Quarters. As the door slid open, he saw Hunter standing there. The cyborg saw Lindon, shirtless, and immediately understood why he was there.

«I wanted to apologise to Serena.» Hunter said, looking away. «For yesterday.»

Before Lindon could even answer, the cyborg stepped back and turned his back to him, heading off.

«Wait.» Lindon called out and saw him stop. «Let me call her.»

«Don’t.» Hunter shook his head. «Just… make her happy.»

He took another step forward, but a heavy palm lay on his shoulder, stopping him. Hunter slowly turned and saw Lindon looking at him with a very strange, somewhat conflicted expression.

«Stay here.» the Veluthian said. «And don’t you dare walk away. I can’t bear the sight of you two being like this. I was there for her last night, yes, but I couldn’t shake off the feeling I was just… not what she needed. Not who she needed. Stay here and don’t be a coward.»

Lindon disappeared in the Captain’s Quarters, leaving Hunter confused and frustrated at the thought that crossed his mind. It took a couple of minutes before Lindon walked up to the door again, pulling beside him Serena. The woman, clothed in her bathrobe, seemed quiet and tried her best not to raise her eyes at Hunter.

«Serena…» Hunter stepped closer and saw her grasping Lindon’s palm tighter. «I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have pushed yesterday. I shouldn’t have kissed you. I know… I messed up. I’m sorry.»

The woman swallowed hard and slowly raised her eyes, locking them with his. Hunter suddenly saw a whole ocean of aching that spilled to her gaze. Was that caused by him hurting her? Or was she feeling hurt because she wanted everything to be the way it was before?

«I’m sorry I pushed you away.» Serena said very quietly, her voice shaking a little. «I just…»

Hunter shook his head:

«I know that you look at me and see the face of a man who tried to kill you. I know. You had every right to push me away.»

«You still love me…» Serena looked away, as if trying to hide something that glimmered in her eyes.

«I do, Serena. And I will always love you.» Hunter sighed heavily. «Whether you will tolerate me on your ship and in your life or not…»

A very shaky deep breath flew off her lips and she stepped towards the man, releasing Lindon’s hand.

«You can stay on the ship. I just…» she said, stuttering. «I don’t think… I don’t think what happened can be forgotten easily. Give me time. Perhaps… if I can learn to trust you again, we can still be friends.»

«I’d love that, Serena.» Hunter saw Lindon nod to him.

He thought the conversation was over and he needed to go, but noticed how Serena slowly, cautiously raised her hand and extended it to him, offering it for a handshake. Her fingers trembled a little, but this tiny sign of trusting his metal body with her gentle hand was something that could mean her fighting through the terror he installed in her heart towards him. Hunter very gently took her palm, hoping the artificial skin gave enough warmth to calm the woman.

«Did Laneth download memories from the time you were with Falana?» Serena pulled her hand back, still not looking at him.

Hunter wondered if that was the discussion the women had last time they saw each other in the dining area.

«No. Not yet.» he shook his head. «Lyssa proposed to extract memories through other means. I was… hoping you would like to see those personally.»

The woman glanced to the side, as if thinking about Lindon behind her, and nodded:

«Notify me when you’ll be ready to do this. Just… ask Laneth to reinforce the bindings in the medical pod before you start. I wouldn’t want you breaking my ship in a jolt of pain.»

«She’s already working on it.»

«Good.» Serena took a few small steps back, searching with her palm for the comfort of Lindon’s hand.

The Veluthian reached out and caught her hand, gently squeezing it and feeling the woman slowly relaxing.

«Then I’ll see you later.» Serena threw a very quick, pained glance at Hunter and stepped inside her quarters, immediately retreating into its depths.

Lindon watched her returning to the bathroom and looked at Hunter:

«This… is a start.» he said. «Go. We’ll see you later.»

Hunter nodded:

«Thank you.»

«I am doing this for the friend that you were to me and for the woman I love.» Lindon remarked. «Don’t betray our trust.»

Chapter 18. Thoughts

As the pirate ship they’ve been following landed on some planet that was called Belladonna, the MSS Lyssandra chose a place to land to have the opportunity to get a glance at their targets closer. But, since it was too late and the pirates were resting, Serena and her crew left the drones watching their make-shift camp.

When the ship became still and silent – Wolfin and Lindon being on the bridge and everybody else either sleeping or busy with their own stuff, Serena quietly slipped away from Lyssa, asking her not to worry anyone and give her a bit of time to be with her thoughts. She needed the fresh air and the quiet walk in the night.

Stepping on the rocky surface of the planet, Serena was wondering if what she was doing was something that she needed. She didn’t regret sleeping with Lindon – having him there by her side was calming and she could finally have some sort of distraction and release of all the tension that gathered in her body ever since she lost Hunter to the chimera.

But the thought of Hunter being there – on board and reaching out was something that brought her stress just because she still couldn’t forget his face when he almost killed her.

Lost in her thoughts, Serena wasn’t really paying any attention to where she was going, wandering without any aim around the ship and trying to stay somewhat close, so that she won’t have to take a long hike back to it when she will feel like returning.

Passing some rocky formations, she barely even glanced their way, noting only the few tiny creatures that resided in the night, watching her closely with their beady eyes.

Suddenly Serena got swept off her feet and the next thing she felt was the immense impact of her body against something hard. Her consciousness almost slipped away, and she forced through the dizzying sensation to try and keep herself awake. It was then she felt that her neck was being squeezed tightly, not allowing her to take in a single breath.

A sudden jolt of adrenaline made her hit in front of her and she grasped at someone’s large, coarse arm. Kicking and panicking, Serena tried to free herself to take a breath, but whoever was in front of her wasn’t bothered by her hits and kicks. Through the darkness enveloping her sight she saw the grinning face of a Gruud – a strange alien race, which lived in extremely harsh environments and have evolved to have rock-hard skin.

She heard someone screaming and saw a metallic fist bursting into the face of the Gruud. The alien – seemingly unfazed by this blow – whipped his head aside and smiled wide, saying something. Serena couldn’t hear what he said – she was already loosing strength to fight and her consciousness started to fail her. To her it seemed like a whole lifetime passed, before she got jerked to the side and fell to the rocky ground, succumbing to the dark.