“What about the other women?”
“Commander Dark is sending a shuttle for them this afternoon after the men come back,” he explained.
“Would you leave me here with all those cyborgs?”
“I would trust them not to harm you in any way. They know you are my female and they would defend you from anyone who would damage you.” Jolt told her earnestly.
“I believe you, but I would rather be with you---even in a flier,” Iris assured him. “What’s recon?”
“Just a military term for exploring---I’m mainly going to see how and where people are living and if they need help,” Jolt explained. “Then I thought I would take you to the Enclave.”
“Okay,” she agreed.
“Old Chicago and the Enclave community are going to have the kind of homes almost like they were before the war---like you saw on the tablet,” Jolt said. “That’s the kind of home I want to build there.”
“And you want me to go there with you?” she asked a second time.”
“I wouldn’t have asked if I didn’t,” he said. “As beautiful as Farringay once was, without support from the Federation it’s not going to be a safe place to live outside the residential compound.”
“Because all those other worlds got ruined in the war too?”
“Yes, there are not enough resources to go around.” He nodded. “You’ve learned quite a bit today.”
“I didn’t even know the war was over,” she told him. “When I heard the explosions, I thought we were being bombed. I was trying to get away when I was attacked.”
“I’m sorry you were frightened.” He pulled her against him and hugged her. “I should have anticipated that. I will make sure they send out a drone to announce the demolition now that I can offer them accommodations at the Enclave.”
Jolt felt stricken that his oversight may have led Iris to be hurt. Avenging her had made him feel better, but it didn’t change anything for Iris. “I am so sorry,” he murmured, rubbing her back as he held her with her head resting against his chest.
Even as he held her, he sent instructions to Axel to set up the drone and scour the ruins for people that needed to be evacuated. The message would include the news that the war was over then offer assistance. Eighty years as a warrior had done nothing to prepare him for the aftermath.
They had left some of the Mesaarkan worlds in as bad shape as Earth. The Mesaarkans had gotten their revenge tenfold, yet it didn’t change the losses they suffered as a result.
Chapter Five
Jolt sent out the drones to announce the demolition and offer refuge immediately after his conversation with Iris. He realized he should have done that before he started, but he wasn’t trained to think on those terms as a warrior. The defense force had other people to take care of those details.
This was supposed to be a straight demolition job, making sure no one was inside the buildings before they imploded them. No instructions were given as to aiding those displaced by the operation. He would not have thought about it had he not found Iris. His feelings for her made him listen to what she experienced out there alone with buildings exploding only a few blocks away.
Lamenting over his lack of insight was not useful. Learning from that mistake and moving on was his only course.
The next morning Jolt and Iris climbed into the four-person flier, and he drove it from the hangar. The craft was a multipurpose vehicle that could be operated on wheels, would hover a few feet off the ground, or lift off vertically then fly like a plane with collapsible wings.
Once out of the hanger Jolt made the flier rise vertically until it was a few hundred feet in the air then sent if forward at a steadily increasing speed toward the mountains.
Initially, Iris gripped the armrests nervously as the Flier lifted off. She gradually relaxed as they flew at a steady even speed.
“You don’t have to worry, Iris. Even if we lost power, it’s possible to land safely. There is also a safety chute if needed,” Jolt assured her. “The only time I ever crashed one of these is when it was shot down in the war. That’s not likely to happen here.”
“Well, that’s good to know,” she said with a faint smile. “I like that we can see the land below. Some of those buildings down there don’t look like they are in bad shape.”
“That’s why we are flying low, to see if there are any signs that people are living in them. I’ve also got the scanner checking for heat signatures of living beings,” he said. “We’ll go down and take a closer look when we get some.”
“Ten humans below,” said the flier’s AI.
Jolt slowed the flier and circled back. Choosing a level spot near the house indicated, he landed the flier.
The safety harnesses automatically receded, but Jolt said, “Please, stay in the flier in case they greet us with projectile weapons.”
