Read Online Emma: Part Two by Lolita Lopez - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Lolita Lopez
Tags: scifi romance
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everything we could think of and gave it to the Outpost's radio man."
She paused her rifling and glanced at Jack with concern in her eyes. "You didn't tell him that I needed to unscramble a signal, did you?"
Jack shook his head. "No one knows about the Chain, Emma. That's your secret to tell, if you ever feel the need."
"We have your backpack, too," Max added. "I smuggled it back to our house without anyone being the wiser. Your logbooks are safe."
"You opened my bag?"
"We had to make sure there weren't any more grenades rolling around in there," Jack teased. "And, no, Emma we didn't crack the books open."
She shrugged. "The important one is in code anyway."
Jack hated to break her sense of security but didn't want secrets between them. "Actually, Emma, we're equipped with encryption programs. They're downloaded right into our neural chips. They update every month when we plug-in for upgrades and maintenance."
Emma's jaw dropped. "No way!" She pouted. "And I have to do it the old fashioned way!" Her expression changed as if she had just thought of something. "Hey! Dr. Freedmore told me that cyborg-human children can have implants added if the parents agree. Can I get implants like that if you two signed off on it?"
Max shook his head. "Sorry, Emma, but it doesn't work that way."
"Yeah," she said, "I figured."
"Major Cardwell?" The medic without a bruised face held up his tablet for a signature.
"Right." Max took the stylus and signed his name to the bottom of the screen, confirming he had taken delivery of Emma from the hospital. He held up his wrist to the scanner in the lower corner and waited for the reader to find the small ID chip implanted in his wrist. After it beeped, Jack accepted the stylus from Max and signed his name in the second space. He swiped his wrist too.
"Ma'am?" The medic moved the tablet closer to Emma. She took the stylus from Jack's hand and put her name in the space indicated. Jack noticed the way her handwriting style was so loopy and light and presented a stark contrast to the harsh, tight way he and Max drew their signatures. She awkwardly scanned her wrist, the spot where she'd been implanted with her ID chip still bright red.
The paperwork done, Jack and Max dismissed the medics and walked Emma to Max's vehicle. Because of his rank, he had been allowed to purchase a private vehicle from the surplus lot. As Max's housemate, Jack benefitted from the perks Max enjoyed. Now Emma would also.
While Jack lifted Emma into the backseat, he wondered if other cyborgs would start to approach them for inclusion in their family unit. It wasn't uncommon for single cyborgs to seek out and join established civil unions. It was easier than trying to find an Original woman of their own. He and Max hadn’t discussed it yet but he was certain Max would plant his fist in the face of the first man who tried to make a pass at Emma or ask for a trade of sexual favors with her.
Jack made sure Emma had buckled in before hopping into the front seat next to Max. What would she say if another cyborg approached them? She would probably take a page out of Max’s book and punch the unlucky cyborg or give him a swift kick in the balls.
He made a mental note to discuss the possibility with Emma. While the decision about who she slept with or loved would always be hers and hers alone, she needed to be educated on the realities around the Outpost. Some men used their unions as a means of climbing the professional ladder and gaining access to better benefits. She would be protected from that but other women she would encounter on base might not be.
Emma asked a million questions on the ride across the base. She seemed so excited by the prospect of going into the commissary and some of the small restaurants and cafes. Jack answered her questions while Max concentrated on driving. Five o'clock on a Friday was a busy time on the Outpost. Already the lines at the gate were long. Soldiers, human and cyborg, with weekend
She paused her rifling and glanced at Jack with concern in her eyes. "You didn't tell him that I needed to unscramble a signal, did you?"
Jack shook his head. "No one knows about the Chain, Emma. That's your secret to tell, if you ever feel the need."
"We have your backpack, too," Max added. "I smuggled it back to our house without anyone being the wiser. Your logbooks are safe."
"You opened my bag?"
"We had to make sure there weren't any more grenades rolling around in there," Jack teased. "And, no, Emma we didn't crack the books open."
She shrugged. "The important one is in code anyway."
Jack hated to break her sense of security but didn't want secrets between them. "Actually, Emma, we're equipped with encryption programs. They're downloaded right into our neural chips. They update every month when we plug-in for upgrades and maintenance."
Emma's jaw dropped. "No way!" She pouted. "And I have to do it the old fashioned way!" Her expression changed as if she had just thought of something. "Hey! Dr. Freedmore told me that cyborg-human children can have implants added if the parents agree. Can I get implants like that if you two signed off on it?"
Max shook his head. "Sorry, Emma, but it doesn't work that way."
"Yeah," she said, "I figured."
"Major Cardwell?" The medic without a bruised face held up his tablet for a signature.
"Right." Max took the stylus and signed his name to the bottom of the screen, confirming he had taken delivery of Emma from the hospital. He held up his wrist to the scanner in the lower corner and waited for the reader to find the small ID chip implanted in his wrist. After it beeped, Jack accepted the stylus from Max and signed his name in the second space. He swiped his wrist too.
"Ma'am?" The medic moved the tablet closer to Emma. She took the stylus from Jack's hand and put her name in the space indicated. Jack noticed the way her handwriting style was so loopy and light and presented a stark contrast to the harsh, tight way he and Max drew their signatures. She awkwardly scanned her wrist, the spot where she'd been implanted with her ID chip still bright red.
The paperwork done, Jack and Max dismissed the medics and walked Emma to Max's vehicle. Because of his rank, he had been allowed to purchase a private vehicle from the surplus lot. As Max's housemate, Jack benefitted from the perks Max enjoyed. Now Emma would also.
While Jack lifted Emma into the backseat, he wondered if other cyborgs would start to approach them for inclusion in their family unit. It wasn't uncommon for single cyborgs to seek out and join established civil unions. It was easier than trying to find an Original woman of their own. He and Max hadn’t discussed it yet but he was certain Max would plant his fist in the face of the first man who tried to make a pass at Emma or ask for a trade of sexual favors with her.
Jack made sure Emma had buckled in before hopping into the front seat next to Max. What would she say if another cyborg approached them? She would probably take a page out of Max’s book and punch the unlucky cyborg or give him a swift kick in the balls.
He made a mental note to discuss the possibility with Emma. While the decision about who she slept with or loved would always be hers and hers alone, she needed to be educated on the realities around the Outpost. Some men used their unions as a means of climbing the professional ladder and gaining access to better benefits. She would be protected from that but other women she would encounter on base might not be.
Emma asked a million questions on the ride across the base. She seemed so excited by the prospect of going into the commissary and some of the small restaurants and cafes. Jack answered her questions while Max concentrated on driving. Five o'clock on a Friday was a busy time on the Outpost. Already the lines at the gate were long. Soldiers, human and cyborg, with weekend
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