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pushed those questions screaming through her mind back and instead realized she would have to
find help since it wasn t coming to her.
The little boy turned his head, staring at her with pretty light green eyes set behind long,
black eyelashes. His color was less dark gray and more of a dull nickel shade. She hoped that
meant he was doing better, not familiar with his normal shade of gray. Terror filled his eyes as he
stared up at Dawn.
Hey, it s okay, she said softly. You re safe now. I got you out of the water and now
I m going to try to carry you back to camp to see if we can find a doctor.
You re full human, his little voice shook, terror still widening his eyes.
What had they taught this little boy about humans? It made her want to cringe. Look,
Dawn said softly. I m not going to hurt you. Do you remember falling into the water?
He gave a shaky nod.
I was helping work on a shuttle with a few cyborgs like you and I saw you fall in. I
pulled you out. I wanted to save you, okay? Not hurt you.
He blinked at her and then bit his lower lip. You won t kill me? He swallowed hard, his
little throat tightening for a second. Humans kill cyborgs.
I don t. Dawn forced a smile. What is your name?
Davton.
He had an odd name but Dawn didn t say that aloud. If I stand up and bend down, do
you think you could wrap your arms around my neck? I am going to lift you up and carry you
back to your camp.
He nodded bravely as another coughing fit attacked him while Dawn got to her feet,
urging her to hurry it along to get help for the boy. Her toes rubbed in a bad way in her wet boots
that were super heavy as she shifted her stance. She bent forward to allow the kid to grip her and
she slid her hands under his small body. She noticed then that one of his braces was broken.
She lifted him in her arms and wanted to groan. He weighed more than any of her
nephews and nieces did at that age even though he was deceptively thin. She wondered if it were
the braces that gave him at least an extra thirty pounds of weight but it didn t matter. She had to
carry him to get help. She sure wasn t about to leave him alone while he was afraid or in danger
of choking to death from his fits of coughing.
I m Dawn, she told him softly, planting one wet, heavy boot in front of another. She
was shaking from the cold and her clothes were sticking to her, rubbing her skin raw. Do you
always go fishing by yourself?
No. My mother usually takes me but she had to make some calls from one of those big
ships that are here to rescue us. My brace got caught on something and I couldn t swim. His
arms tightened around her neck. Do you know where I live?
I know where the camp is. It s just past those trees. She gripped him a little higher, the
muscles in her arms protesting at his heavy weight, but kept moving. Do me a favor, Davton.
Never go fishing or by the river by yourself again, all right? Even adults should always go with a
buddy. Do you know what the buddy system is?
No.
It s where you go do things with a friend so if one of you gets hurt or into trouble the
other one can go for help.
I am a cyborg. We have to be self-sufficient to survive and we can never trust someone
else to watch our back. My mother taught me that it is better to be solitary.
Dawn stopped walking, her attention going from the ground in front of her to the sweet
little boy face inches from her shoulder. Horrified shock tore through her at his matter-of-fact
words. We all need someone sometimes, kiddo. Human, cyborg, puppy dog, or birdie in the
sky, we all have that in common.
Do you need anyone?
Iron s image came to mind instantly. Yeah. I do, and I m afraid sometimes to trust him,
but you just have to learn to have faith in someone.
Davton studied her until a shiver shook him. I will try to find a buddy to share a system
with.
A smile played at her lips as she started to walk again. Her boots made a loud noise with
each step, water squishing out of them, but she started to warm from the movement. She walked
through the fifty feet of tree line and the thick drapes of branches into the open cyborg camp. She
paused there with the boy in her arms, wondering how long it would take before someone saw
her. She estimated she had maybe twenty seconds. It was closer to five.
The camp went dead silent as heads turned to stare openly at Dawn. Do you have a
doctor? He fell in the river and stopped breathing.
One woman, a large dark-haired cyborg, dropped a pot of water by the fire and ran
toward Dawn. She almost tore Davton out of Dawn s arms, spinning to rush the boy away into
one of the constructed homes. Dawn stood there and let her arms drop. Another woman marched
toward Dawn, anger etched on her features. She lunged, grabbing Dawn by the front of her
jumpsuit, fisting it in her hand.
What did you do to Davton?
I didn t do anything to him. I saw him fall in the river and dove in after him.
Dawn resisted the urge to tear herself out of the other woman s hold. She kept her voice
loud and steady though, judging by some of the looks on the cyborg women s faces, she wasn t
welcome in the least. A shiver of fear jolted down her spine as at least ten of them surrounded
her, all the women looking furious as they glared. She knew she was in a world of shit.
He fell into the water while fishing. She stared directly into the woman s furious gaze.
I saw it from the hill where I was taking a lunch break and rushed down to pull him out. I came
with Iron to help work on the shuttle.
The woman frowned and her hold on Dawn s wet jumpsuit loosened. He wasn t
breathing?
Shaking her head, Dawn relaxed slightly. I was able to revive him but he needs a doctor.
He s been coughing up water so it got into his lungs.
The woman turned. Contact the Vontage and tell them we either need their medic sent to
us or Davton picked up to be taken to their ship now, Viper.
A dark-haired cyborg shot Dawn a glare before she rushed off. Dawn swallowed the
lump that formed in her throat. I need to get back to Iron. I don t think he realizes I m gone.
They were inside the shuttle testing the systems when I saw the boy fall in. I didn t have time to
get help since I knew seconds counted.
What is your name?
Dawn.
I m Plono. The woman released Dawn and took a step back. You will remain here
until I speak to the boy to make sure you are telling the truth and then I will escort you back to
the repair crew on the hill working on the Yas.
Yas?
The shuttle. The paint faded but that is her name.
Okay. Dawn knew it wasn t up for debate. She shivered, chills racking her body from
being cold and wet. Can I sit by the fire? I m freezing.
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