When Sevda came to again, the cabin was empty. Judging by the full mug of still-warm coffee beside the bed, her rescuer-turned-lover hadn’t been gone for long, though.

Raze had also left an assortment of clothing on the end of the bed. Coffee and a change of clothes, but no note. The man was definitely used to living alone. She rose from the bed and stretched out her bruised and aching body before trying on the garments. It was the first time in her life that everything she tried on was too big for her, but she eventually managed to find something that would at least keep her warm and covered.

She was dressed before it occurred to her that the storm had passed. The wind and rain were gone, at least for the moment. A quick check of the cabin showed her the location of the facilities, and she quietly thanked whatever higher beings were within earshot that Raze’s simple lifestyle did not exclude running water and indoor plumbing. She had no idea how he’d managed it, and for the moment, she didn’t care.

With coffee in hand, she did a more thorough exploration of the cabin and discovered that while Raze lived a simple existence, he hadn’t eschewed all technology. There were electric lights, a small refrigeration unit, and a simple stove in the cabin. Most people would never understand living like this on purpose. She did, though. It wasn’t an easy way to live, but it was what she wanted for herself. Even if it meant giving up the comforts of ship life and the company of stubborn AI’s.

Veth. Eddi.

Her comm unit was on the dresser. “Eddi, status report.”

“Soggy.”

“Would you care to expand on that remark? Keep in mind I’ve had very little caffeine and nearly died yesterday.”

“If you had listened to me, I did warn you that flooding was—“

“Eddi, what have I told you about backtalking?”

The AI changed topics without further comment. “My status is that I’m currently surrounded by floodwater. Peak depth never reached my fuselage, though I believe I took some minor structural damage to my landing struts. I will not be able to confirm until the water has fully receded. It should be safe for you to return in approximately thirty-six hours.”

“Did you have any trouble withstanding the flood? Any significant damage to any system or structure? What’s the repair timetable?”

“I deployed my stabilizers and grapplers when the water rose high enough to be a concern. I did not incur any significant damage. I am a Seeker Class vessel, not some thin-hulled shuttlecraft. It would take more than water and foliage to interfere with my operation.”

She probably shouldn’t pick a fight with her ship, but Sevda couldn’t help herself. “Apparently all it takes is a micro-meteor swarm to put you out of commission. Or did you forget why we’re on this backwater planet in the first place?”

Eddi remained silent for an extra two seconds, just long enough to convey her opinion of Sevda’s remark. “The damage I incurred during the flood will not add more than a few hours to my overall repair time. I estimate I will be fully repaired in forty-eight to fifty hours. Will you be fully functional by then?”

“I’m fine, Eddi. Bruised and sore, but nothing worse than that. I will be staying with Raze until the floodwaters recede to safe levels. Once the skies are clear, I’d appreciate it if you sent a drone with a med-kit.” The drones were for reconnaissance and scanning, but they could carry a small payload as well. An emergency med-kit would be about as much as one of them could manage, but it would do.

“Affirmative. I will deploy a drone to deliver the requested items shortly.”

“Thank you. Oh, and be sure to include some pain-blockers. Raze doesn’t have any.”

She signed off and set the comm unit back on the side table. It would seem that for the next day or so, she was on unofficial shore leave.

It didn’t take long for her to find a coat and boots she could borrow. Her boots were still drying by the woodstove, and she had learned the hard way that her light jacket was no match for the elements on this planet. The boots were too big, but if she took smaller steps, she could manage.

Raze wasn’t in sight when she got outside, but there were plenty of things that caught her interest. The cabin was built on a plateau that appeared to span several acres before becoming steep hillside again. There were two greenhouses near the edge of the plateau, along with several other sheds and outbuildings, and a large, sturdy looking barn. One of the barn doors was open, and she decided to check and see if Raze was inside.

Walking helped to ease some of the stiffness from her muscles, but she knew better than to push herself.

As she neared the door, a chorus of bleating rose up from behind the fenced pen built onto the side of the barn. The noise distracted her from her planned destination, and she went to the fence instead.

“What have we got here? You must be the noats.”

There were more than a dozen herbivores inside the pen. They had cloven hooves, small horns, and their woolly coats were marked with piebald patches of white and brown. When they rushed the fence, she leaned over to pat them, and they greeted her like a long-lost friend instead of a stranger.

“You’re adorable. Would you like some fresh grass? I bet you would. Hang on a second and I’ll find you some.”

Feeling like she was a kid back on the family farm, she went in search of something to feed her new, woolly friends.

Raze rose early, even though he hadn’t slept much. The constant barrage of the storm had filled his dreams with memories of battles and bloodshed. More than once he’d imagined himself back on the path, carrying another dead body up the trail to the graveyard he’d built for his family. Each time he woke, he’d find Sevda curled up in his arms, and the comforting warmth of her body had helped to calm him. He’d made love to her some of those times, and other times he’d simply held her until he drifted off to sleep again. Then the nightmares would return, and the cycle would start over.

He busied himself checking the pens and then releasing the animals from the barn and feeding them, then did a careful check of the greenhouses and other buildings to make sure they hadn’t been damaged in the storm.

He had finished those tasks and was heading back to the cabin to check on his unexpected guest when he heard something he’d never heard before. Peals of female laughter.

He found her inside the noat pen, seated on a chunk of wood that he used to prop the gate open on windy days. She was surrounded by the woolly animals, chattering away and laughing as she fed them handfuls of fresh grass she pulled from the pockets of her borrowed coat.

In the years he’d been here, he had never imagined what it might be like to have someone to share the work with. Someone who actually enjoyed the kind of life he led.

“Your master takes good care of you, doesn’t he? I bet he takes better care of you lot than he does himself. Of course, he doesn’t need to worry about getting sick or injured, his medi-bots take care of all that.”

She pulled out another handful of grass and laughed as they leaped over each other to try and get at it. “Don’t be greedy! There’s plenty where that came from.”

A heavily pregnant female pushed her way through the milling throng, shoving her head into Sevda with enough force to knock her over. He was about to vault the fence to pull her out when her piping laughter filled the air.

“Manners, little lady. Just because you’re eating for two doesn’t mean you can be so pushy.” Sevda reappeared, covered in mud and grinning. She plonked herself back onto her makeshift seat and handed the noat that had knocked her over a generous handful of grass.

While the animal chewed on its snack, Sevda ran a hand along the noat’s pregnant belly, pressing in at several spots, then repeated the entire process again on the noat’s other side. “My mistake. You’re not eating for two, you’re eating for three.”

“She is? How can you tell?” The question popped out before he remembered he hadn’t announced his presence.

Sevda’s head snapped around. “Raze! I swear, you need to wear a bell or something, so I know where you are.”

“I’m not used to having anyone around to startle.” He walked over to the fence and vaulted over the top railing, landing in a space clear of animals. “I see you’ve met my noats.”

“I was making friends with them. They’re very sweet.”

He chuckled as the herd rushed in to butt their heads against his legs in greeting.

“You’ve fed them, they’re your friends for life, now.”

“You mean until I have to leave.”

He didn’t like being reminded she was leaving soon, and he didn’t like that he didn’t like it.

“You were going to show me how you know Seventeen was carrying twins.”

“You named her Seventeen? What kind of name is that?”

“A practical one. She was the seventeenth noat to join the herd.”

“We need to work on your imagination. I think she looks like a Lucy.”

She expected him to laugh at her, but instead, he crouched down beside the beast and put a gentle hand on her head.

“Then that will be her name. So, how do you know she’s carrying more than one baby?”

Sevda crouched beside him, guiding his hand over the noat’s side and belly as she showed him what to feel for. When they reached the second twin’s head, it moved, making their hands jump.

“Veth. I felt that. Was that its head? It felt like it.” He was so excited it made her heart go gooey.

“That’s its head, yep. Poor Lucy, there’s not a lot of room in there for those two. I’d bet my next bonus she’s going to be in labor in the next couple of days.”

“How do you know so much about a species you’ve never seen before?”

She laughed. “I grew up on a farm, remember? We raised all kinds of livestock. Some of it to sell, others for food, or wool, or milk. I might not have seen a noat before, but I can make some educated guesses.”

He gave her a thoughtful look. “You really want to go back to living like this? No more traveling the stars?”

“More than anything. I want dirt under my boots and fresh air to breathe. I was a pilot because that’s what the aptitude tests said I was good at. I became a scout because it meant I had a chance to pay off my debts before I died of old age.” She raised her hand from Lucy’s side to point around them. “Someday, I’m going to have a place like this.”

“it’s a lot to take on. More than I ever thought there would be. It won’t be easy.” There had been times when he wished that he had someone to share the work, or at least keep him company through the long, lonely times when there wasn’t enough work to distract him from the fact he was alone on the planet. The isolation was necessary, though. He had made a promise to his siblings, and he intended to keep it.

Sevda nodded. “I know it won’t be easy, but it’s what I want. What I’ve dreamed about since I realized that one day, I could have it all back. Not my family, but the life we had. I miss it.”

“I miss what I had with my family, too.” He offered her his hand as he stood, drawing her up with him. “I didn’t realize how much I missed having company until I fished you out of the river.”

She stepped into his arms and stood on her toes to kiss him. “I’ve never been so happy to see another person in my life. In case I haven’t said it enough, thank you.”

He let himself get drawn into her kiss, and for a few blissful moments the past stopped haunting him and he found himself at peace.

She’s not staying and you can’t leave, the part of him still thinking clearly reminded him, and he tore his mouth from hers. “I bet you’re hungry. How long ago was your last meal?”

Her stomach rumbled loudly at the mere mention of food and he felt a pang of guilt that it hadn’t occurred to him before now. “I had my last meal a few minutes before the ship got damaged.”

“That was almost a day ago!” He turned and started back toward the cabin, then stopped and turned back to offer her his hand. “Let’s get you fed.”

Sevda indulged herself in a long, hot shower after they returned to the cabin. Like everything else on her ship, the shower facilities were cramped and utilitarian. Raze’s cabin, and his shower, were luxurious by comparison.

When she finally shut off the water and drew back the simple waterproof curtain, she discovered that Raze had left a fresh pair of thick, felted wool socks and a comb on top of the towel she had left out for herself. Beside the towel was the med-kit she had requested Eddi send to her.

She popped a pain-blocker, treated her cuts and bruises, and considered the man who had saved her life yesterday. She was drawn to him, but it wasn’t only because of his looks, or the fact he’d saved her life. Maybe it was because they had things in common. More likely it was because she’d be leaving soon. Their time together had a built-in expiry date, so why not enjoy what time they had to the fullest?

Raze was stubborn and prickly, but she suspected that was a façade he used to push people away. If he really didn’t care, he wouldn’t have been around to pull her out of the water yesterday. He had walked all the way down to the valley floor to check on a total stranger during a dangerous storm. Whatever his reasons for living in complete solitude, it was obvious he believed it was necessary. She was something of an expert at keeping everyone at a distance, herself. At least, she had been.

By the time she had left the Torex orphanage, she had learned that the only one she could depend on was herself. No one could hurt or disappoint her if she didn’t let them get close. It was safest to stay closed-off and self-reliant.

In the years she had been a scout, she’d slowly discovered that it didn’t have to be that way. Sevda made friends with other pilots she crossed orbits with. Freighter jockeys and smugglers for the most part, but there were deep space mining crews and scouts like herself scattered across the galaxy.

They kept each other company on the long, dark voyages between the stars. When things went wrong, they did what they could to help, from rescuing marooned pilots to delivering spare parts. They watched out for each other, and they had shown Sevda that there were beings in the galaxy she could trust to have her back. Obviously, no one had ever been there for Raze.

She dressed quickly, spurred on by the tantalizing scent of breakfast. “Sexy, self-sufficient, mind-blowing lover, and he can cook. If only he wasn’t such a pain in the ass, he’d be perfect.” She barely got the door open before Raze spoke.

“I’m not even close to perfect, but I appreciate the compliment.”

“How did you—fraxx, cyborgs have enhanced senses, don’t they?”

He chuckled. “We do.”

“You could have reminded me,” she grumbled.

“But then I wouldn’t have heard your compliment.” He turned and gave her a slow, sexy smile that made her toes curl. “It’s been a while since I’ve heard one of those.”

“Try being nicer, you’ll get more of them.”

He gestured around the cabin. “From who? The AI on my ship doesn’t have any personality subroutines. It flies the ship and does what I tell it.”

“Wait. You have a ship? Where? Why didn’t it show up on the scans?” She tried to remember what she could of the farm outside.

“Where did you think the hot water from your shower came from? Yes, I have a ship.” He pointed his spatula to the wall to her right. “It’s in a shielded building not far from the cabin.”

“So that’s how you have power and running water? I admit, I wondered.”

“I have solar panels and a wind turbine for power, actually. I spent almost every bit of scrip that Torex gave me in back pay when they finally freed me.”

She did a quick bit of math and uttered a low whistle. “How many years did you work…fight?” She tried to reorganize her words into something more accurate and decided to be blunt. “How long were you a slave?”

Raze’s eyes widened. “I’ve never heard anyone come out and say it like that.”

“Well, that’s what you were. I might not matter to them, but at least they acknowledge that I’m a living being, with basic rights. You and the other cyborgs were considered property, not people. I can’t imagine what that must have been like for you.”

He moved a heavy metal pan off the stove, set down the spatula, and crossed the cabin to stand in front of her. “I was created very early. I left my maturation tank, underwent extensive testing, a little training, and then spent the next nine-plus years in combat. It was a nightmare I couldn’t escape. There are still nights I jerk awake, convinced that I only dreamed that I was free.”

She took his hand, and he drew her in close before wrapping his big arms around her shoulders. His head bowed over hers, and she found herself leaning into his strength, holding him as tightly as he was holding her. It didn’t make any sense, but for some damned reason, Raze made her feel safe. More than that; she felt like she belonged. She hadn’t felt like that since she’d lost her family and her home.

As she basked in the warmth of those feelings she indulged herself in a daydream where the two of them could have some kind of future together. It would never happen, of course, but it was a nice fantasy.

As if sensing her thoughts, Raze uttered a low curse and let go of her. “Breakfast is getting cold. Sorry.”

He was gone a split-second later, leaving her feeling like someone had given her a teddy bear, then snatched it out of her arms the moment she hugged it. Somehow, she didn’t think Raze would appreciate the suggestion that he was anyone’s teddy bear. The thought made her grin.

“Can I help? It’s been a few years since I cooked anything, but I can manage to set the table at least.”

“Uh. Sure. Cutlery is in the top drawer to my left.”

It only took a minute or two to set the table. There were only two sets of cutlery in the drawer, along with a collection of knives and other kitchen utensils that looked as well used as everything else she’d seen. It amazed her that he lived so simply when he had a ship parked only a few meters away.

“Hey, Bear. Anything else I can do?”

As expected, he reacted to his nickname with a stormy look. “Yeah, you can stop calling me that.”

“Not going to happen. You keep calling me scout, I figured it was time to return the favor.”

“Not the same thing.” He pointed to her. “You are a scout. I am not a fraxxing bear, of any species.”

“You’re right. You’re not a species of bear. You’re a teddy bear. Big, snuggly. Fuzzy…”

“I’m not snuggly! Or fuzzy. You want something furry to snuggle, the noats are in their pen.”

She laughed. Teasing Raze was fun, and it was one of the few ways she had found to get past his armor. “I recall you being pretty snuggly last night. And have you looked in the mirror lately? You’re fuzzy, Raze. Beard, long hair, and all.”

“Sev, I swear…” he growled something in a language she didn’t recognize and finished plating their meal, making more noise than was necessary as he banged and slammed his way through the process.

Breakfast was delicious. After months of surviving on food-tabs and the simple meals her basic model food dispenser was capable of making, it was like eating at a five-star establishment. She was too busy eating to talk much, and Raze seemed content to let the silence stretch out between them.

It all felt so familiar. The rural setting, the simple cabin, the homecooked meal. This was what she wanted for herself someday. She envied Raze the life he’d carved out for himself. And she regretted that he was going to lose it all, soon. She hadn’t told him, but from what she’d seen of the initial scans, this planet was rich in ores and minerals. Torex would be back, and they’d tear this idyllic world apart to get to the riches under the surface. This planet, and everything on it, was doomed.