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“Yes,” she said, looking proud of her own bravery. “I’ll try some.”
He grabbed a chip and fixed her a perfect bite with a chunk of mango and a tiny cube of the tender fish.
She smiled at him as he held it out to her. And instead of taking it from him, she bent to eat it right out of his hand.
Mesmerized, he watched her beautiful face as she swirled the new taste in her mouth.
“Mmm,” she hummed. “That is good.”
“More?” he offered.
She nodded enthusiastically.
He loaded another chip with a perfect bite and fed it to her, loving the way the tip of her tongue brushed his finger.
He continued to feed her for a few dreamy minutes, wishing he could memorize the way her hair slid back as she sat up to chew, the sunlight making her dark tresses shimmer with hints of chestnut.
Then the buzz and beep of her bracelet cut through their happy haze.
She scowled at it, glancing down. Then her eyebrows went straight up.
“I have to take this,” she said, scrambling out of her chair and off toward the palm trees. “It’s work. I’ll be right back.”
He watched her dash off, as if the sound of the bracelet had instantly sobered her.
14
Oberon
Oberon ran a sequence categorizing and tracking Gage’s probable emotions based on his vital signs.
It seemed that each new day presented a new challenge interpreting and reconciling data of one kind from his biological subject’s words, another from actions, and a third from physical and emotional responses.
It all wove together in a very complicated web that often didn’t make sense, since it was common for one data type to directly contradict the other.
Today, he was learning that Gage’s own reactions were woven with those of Athena, and hers with his, so that in order to understand the evolution of Gage’s relationship with Naomi, he had to begin with details as seemingly unrelated as what was left in the canine’s food dish and whether she napped or sat at attention by Gage’s side.
The last few hours had been a tangle of reactions and emotions from all three of them that left Oberon with more questions than answers.
But one thing was clear.
When Naomi expressed concern for Athena, Gage experienced a surge of dopamine in his system that was the equivalent to being offered a delicious meal or a rare sexual experience.
But caring for the dog was Gage’s duty, not Naomi’s, a series of tasks he continued to fulfill even now as the dog remained by his side.
Was there something Oberon had missed in the normal sequence of biological bonding?
In order to broaden the parameters of his research, he searched and assimilated information not just about the role of canine guards, but about the personal relationships between guards and their canine partners.
He was shocked to find that the emotional sequences experienced by the guards and soldiers made their partners appear more like pets or even children as far as their expressions of appreciation and their continued actions to protect and care for them after their years of duty were completed.
Some canines still in their prime retired with their handlers, in spite of expensive and painstaking training. And some handlers adjusted their lifestyles to allow comfort for their canines later in life, even choosing dwellings and travel options based on the canine’s needs.
He became so engrossed in this stunning research that he nearly missed it when Naomi’s vitals shifted from pleasure to high-stress. Fortunately, a pre-programmed alert roused him from his analysis.
Relinquishing his newly-found understanding of Gage and Athena, he placed his attention on Naomi’s pulse and heart rate.
Something was upsetting her quite a bit.
