Xi was annoyed. “I have not managed toobtain a sufficient grasp of their language or they made certainthey said nothing in my presence about this plan.” His lipstightened. “I do recall, now, though, that I heard one young femalemention that they always moved when they had a battle with the‘borgs.”
“Suggesting this hideoutcould be compromised and we might have unwelcome company,” Quanpointed out.
“Yes,” Xiagreed.
Tau was more focused on hisconsternation over the fact that they seemed to be stuck with thefemale. If it died it would not only be of no use to them, it couldprevent any possibility of an alliance with the natives since theymight be considered at fault.
* * * *
The pain seemedrelentless, dragging her down into darkness when it reached a pointof unbearable, giving her blissful moments of nothingness, and thenspitting her back up for more of the same. Mostly, Ultima was onlydimly aware of the three cyborgs, but it was borne in upon heralmost from the first moment she’d noticed them that these were‘different’. She toyed with the puzzle as she wove in and out ofawareness, when she was able to divert herself from the pain longenough to bring her wits together to probe the puzzle. Little bylittle, though, she began to realize they were nottheenemy. Theseweredifferent. Theydidn’t just seem that way.
Of course, it might be a new weapon—anew plan.
But the one who’d carried her hadcauterized her wounds—to prevent her death or perhaps only to delayit, but attempted aid.
She just couldn’t decide if it wasfrom empathy or cold blooded calculation.
“Who are you?”
Her voice emerged as a croak andlittle more than a whisper, but all three whipped a look ather.
Then the newest of the three movedtoward her and crouched down. “Am Xi. Ooo r u?”
She struggled to understand what he’dsaid and seemed to be asking and then struggled for the strength torespond. “Ul … Ultima Hart, Cap .. tain, Earth defenses….”
He studied her frowningly. “Haveneeds?”
Ultima’s throat closed at thequestion. “Water. So thirsty.”
Tau approached and crouched beside Xi.“What is it saying?”
“She isthirsty.”
Tau frowned. “She—female.” He nodded,committing it to memory. “What is thirsty?”
“A need of the body, thebiological.”
“Then we will need it, aswell, since we are now much as she is,” Tau said decisively. “Whatdoes it look like?”
Xi surged to his feet. “I will lookfor some. I have need, as well.”
Tau watched him curiously as he movedabout the area, picking up first one thing and then another,shaking it and tossing it. Finally, he found one that seemed tocontain something.
He brought it back and removed a topof some sort.
Tau took it and shook it and thensniffed it.
It made sound but had no smell that hecould detect.
Or, perhaps, he had just notacclimated sufficiently to his body and the signals it sent to thebrain?
Turning, he looked it over—thefemale—trying to decide where he should apply the need. Finally,shrugging, he merely held it a little above the face and tipped itslowly until it began to drip all over her face. She sucked in asharp breath and opened the hole she had used to make sound, movinguntil she was able to capture it with the hole.
“Give it to me,” Xi saidtightly. “That is not the way they ingest.”
Resentment flickered through Tau, buthe handed the thing over since Xi was so certain he knew it allwhen the scout had only preceded his arrival by a shorttime.
Xi shook it and turned an expressionupon him that he reacted to instantly with hostility.
