Warborg - Star Panther Read Online Free

ashamed for being so forward.
    ^Doc can explain, you take care.^ “Bye Doc, he’ll be fine.”
    “Oh bye Maria, thanks for stopping in.”
    Martin watched in pained fascination as the image faded from his mind and mentally shook his head as the laboratory snapped back into view.  “Doc, we gotta talk. And was she really that pretty in real life?”
    “Yes, Martin . . . she really was.” Swain slumped down into a computer chair and leaned back facing the container. “And we have more to talk about than you can even imagine.” He swiveled around and tapped a few keys on various consoles. Most of the displays faded out and the background noise dropped noticeably. He faced Martin again. “Martin, we are coming to the point of no return here and need to make some decisions. I know it hasn’t been an enjoyable time for you the last week, and I apologize for my part of your discomfort. Just having myself and occasionally Maria to talk to has to be rough. Now that your container is becoming self contained you’ll have more contact with the other cyborg. It’s going to be very disorienting at first, just try to take it as it comes.” Swain paused. “Martin, how do you feel about being a cyborg?”
    Martin hesitated. How do I feel about being borged? How do you tell somebody that in an instant your life is gone? That all your hopes and dreams have been blasted to dust that trickles to nothingness through your non-existent fingers. How do you explain the frustration and gut level fear about going from an independent, self sufficient person to being stuffed in a bucket and relying entirely on those around you? How . . . He studied Swain’s friendly face with its compassionate eyes and felt a surge of guilt. Suck it up dumbass, this man has centered his life around you and given you hope . . . and has been a true friend through all of your bitching and whining. Just suck it up! “It’s been a little overwhelming Doc. I know we’re progressing, but it just seems to be taking so damn long, and you’re right, there have been some really lonely hours. You’ll never know how much you miss something as simple as closing your eyes. The thought of real sleep makes me almost delirious. But for the most part Doc, I guess I’m satisfied. I’m not real happy, but I figure things will get better. Now, what do we really need to talk about?”
    Swain nodded his head and gave Martin a sad, understanding smile. “Martin, you’ve been reborn in every sense of the word, but you never had a chance to be a child this time. And quite simply, what do you want to be when you grow up? Right now there are one hundred sixty some odd cyborg on this station. They do all sorts of specialized work. You’ve seen them working in the bays, doing maintenance, rescue work and, of course, fighting. There are no limitations, Martin. As I said, you have been reborn, but this time you’re not limited by your physical body. You can be what ever you want to be. We’ve got grandmothers doing hostile environment rescue and extraction work, gung-ho soldier types happily doing routine maintenance. And the Casper Milquetoast’s of society, freed from their physical bodies, becoming ferocious fighters.” Swain’s attention drifted away from Martin. “A few years back I had the privilege of dealing with a volunteer cyborg. He was an older gentleman who had spent his entire career as a statistician locked in the depths of some mindless bureaucracy. He was sharp as a tack, but his body had just fallen apart around him. He wound up as a warborg in a strike fighter, a pretty damn good one. Eventually he got himself killed, but I know he died a happy man. His greatest fear was to just fade away. One of his group told me he was laughing his defiance in a very out numbered fight when a missile finally got him. He got his wish, he didn’t just fade away, he went out with a flash, knowing he took four of them with him that day.” Swain shook his head slightly and