"Can you sense somehow that she is not a danger to us?" I asked my android. I had not studied her abilities as well as I should have when she was brought aboard my new ship.
When Portia turned toward me she cracked the tiniest of smiles on the left side of her perfect mouth. Then she said, "The female is timid in nature instead of aggressive. Also, she is wearing a pretty dress."
"My dress was pretty," Alora said as she slowly made her way to us. She could not only determine that Portia was with me, but trusted me to protect her. "Before I was taken from my home."
"Will we be escorting this Pegillas woman to the authorities?" Portia asked me.
"Yes," I said without really thinking it through. When Alora responded negatively I realized that wasn't the best option. What passed for law enforcement in this town would not do much for her. The exploitation of young Peggy females was a way of life for these people.
When I turned back to face Portia I saw her glancing down at my hand. It was still firmly planted on her chest. More accurately, on her left breast. She didn't seemed bothered by it. She made no motion to remove it certainly. She was just curious and filing the information away in her database.
Warmth was spreading through my body again, slow and steady like the feel of a drug administered intravenously. Before pulling my hand away from the breast of my android I gave it the tiniest squeeze. To my surprise it was not hard like metal or plastic. It gave slightly like the firm breast of a young woman, or one with implants. I had a couple girlfriends with fake titties back in the day. I didn't care much for them, but I could understand the motivation that women had for getting them installed. Even unnaturally round boobies looked better than having them sagging down on your belly. Portia’s were perfectly formed though smaller than average.
"Sorry," I muttered before I could catch myself. I had been adamant about not apologizing to androids ever since they appeared back on our fake island to serve us.
"Totally unnecessary, captain," she replied. "May I suggest that we find a safer location to discuss our options of placing this young woman out of harm's way?"
"Yes, that is a good idea."
"Lin and Nancy are suffering emotional trauma during your absence," Portia told me. "In approximately one kilometer we will be within communication range, dependent of their exact locations at that time."
"Aren't they on the ship?"
"No, captain. They were insistent on searching for you."
"Are they in danger?"
"I believe not," Portia said as she attempted to mimic a quirky half smile again. "They both have weapons and agreed to stay together as they searched TruPort for their commander and husband. I encouraged them to leave the outskirts for me."
"How did you find me?" I asked as Alora inched her way closer to me, placing her hand on my thigh. She was glancing around for trouble, getting noticeably uncomfortable out in the open.
"I traversed in a methodical manner attempting to isolate human life form readings. I was almost done with this quadrant and about to move to the next one when I picked up a feint signal in this area. You are much farther away from the city center than we had expected."
As if to emphasize that thought, a gantha-beast roared in the distance. I felt the shudder in Alora's hand on my leg, then she leaned into me.
"Is it customary to introduce people that meet for the first time?" Portia asked, working that smile in the corner of her mouth again. It wasn't all that natural looking, but I was starting to like it. Her first facial expressions.
"Yes, I'm sorry," I accidentally apologized again. I then told myself that I was doing so to the Peggy girl instead of the artificial life form. "Portia, this is Alora."
"Hello Alora," Portia said. "Do you need medical attention before we begin travelling?"
"No thank you. I want to go now."
I rubbed Alora on her little monkey head, immediately feeling like I was patronizing her. The weak smile she gave me suggested that the gesture was well received. When she began limping slightly, Portia picked up on it and offered to carry her. Instead, the fuzzy little thing easily climbed up my arm and straddled me for a piggyback ride. I was happy to oblige. The warmth of her skin against my back was making me feel human again, pushing away the coldness that had made me a killing machine.
Chapter Seventeen
I never had a child. I was beginning to think that maybe I never would. There had been very few occasions when someone suggested that I might make a good father. It just had never been my style.
A good bouncer? Yes, some said that I was the best. A good boyfriend? I had been claimed as such a few times. A good hero? That recognition came in strong a couple years ago when I saved four women from the slavery and death games of the Thesphilians, the perverted aliens that used us solely for entertainment.
Alora riding on my back with her little head resting on my shoulder had a profound effect on me. I could be a great father, I told myself. The number one quality required was the ability to care deeply about the welfare of another human being. And to take responsibility for them. I had certainly shown my worth in that regard.
I focused on what it would be like to have my own little toddler running around on the ship rather than my surroundings. I knew that Portia would be nearly as good as me at picking up on cues of potential danger. There were plenty of gawking
