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After what Douglas had done, the IAF had no choice but to give in to Rin’s demands that the hawks be allowed to stay on Haven. It helped that the local council backed Rin, and they even called in a few favors with other agencies to ensure the hawks would have permanent protection and recognition as a sentient species. Nova Force even got involved at one point. They ensured that every scrap of information was scrubbed from the record except for a single copy that was handed over to Haven’s council. It meant no one would be able to create more psy-hawks or use the data for anything else.
“Did I tell you I heard from Jade this morning?” Rin asked.
“You didn’t, but as I recall, you didn’t say much of anything when I came in for lunch.” He laughed as he remembered seeing her walk into the kitchen gloriously naked and offering herself up as the main course.
Rin reached up to pat his leg. “Is that a complaint?”
“Fraxx no. No complaints at all, sunshine.” He caught her hand in his and held on to it.
“So, what did our non-royal cyber-jockey have to say?”
Rin snickered. “She hates it when you call her that, and so does the princess.”
“Not my fault we have two people with the same skill set. How else am I supposed to differential between them?”
“You could use their names, you difficult man.”
“Difficult cyborg. No need to get insulting.”
“Very difficult cyborg. And Jade said the encryption on the project’s files was the best she’s ever seen, but she’s making progress. She’s got the name of the scientist who started the psy-hawk project.”
That got his attention. “Who was it?”
“I’ve never heard of him before, but Jade said the council was alarmed when they heard the name.”
“What name?” he asked, hoping she said any name but one.
“Dr. Jules Absalom. Do you know who that is?”
Fraxx. Of course it would be him. “I know the name, and what he’s done. Jules Absalom was an evil, soulless bastard. He’s the one who created the cyborg program and was involved with the original theft of the DNA from the Vault of the Fallen. He also unleashed a fully sentient AI into the galaxy, experimented on cyborgs after the wars ended, and was wanted for an entire laundry list of illegal acts until his death last year.”
Rin sat up. “Holy hell. So there’s no doubt that he intended to use the hawks the same way he ended up using the cyborgs?”
“None at all. And now we know that, we can make a solid guess as to who was trying to buy the hawks from Douglas.”
Rin nodded. “I’ve heard the rumors. It could have been one of the corporations, but you think it’s the group calling themselves the Shadows. Don’t you?”
“I do.”
Worry creased Rin’s face, and he knew he needed to do something to reassure her. He tugged at her hand until she moved close enough he could draw her into his lap and then kissed her several times.
“What do we do now? How do we protect the hawks?” she asked.
“They are under the same protections as the rest of the colony,” he reminded her. “They’re even recognized as citizens. If trouble comes, we’ll fight to defend our home and everyone living here.”
She blew out a breath and nodded slowly. “You make it sound so simple.”
He caught her face in his hands and smiled down at her, still amazed that this woman had chosen him. “It is simple, sunshine. Love is always worth fighting for. I love you and the life we’re building here, and I will fight to my last breath to keep it.”
She leaned into his arms with a sigh that morphed into a burble of laughter. “I love you, too. I just hope we don’t have to fight anyone to prove it.”
“Me too, sunshine. Me too.” Even as he said it, Axe knew it wouldn’t be that easy. Trouble would come to Haven eventually. When it did, they’d have to be ready… and enjoy every minute together until that day came.
***
