Prohibit Read Free

the centre of the room before turning to face Helbri.
    “Where do we start?”
    He beckoned her back to the bench near the hallway she had just walked down. “You haven’t been on your feet for days. You are going to start with weapons training until you build up your stamina.”
    “Weapons? In a ship?”
    “The walls are shielded and the rounds are blanks. You will be aiming at sensor points on the targets.”
    He pulled out a small pistol of smooth material, and he checked the unit’s power supply. “It is ready and primed for your grip. Once you use it, you will be filed as an authorized user and you will be able to wield it without my supervision.”
    She smiled and took the instrument. It hummed as she closed her hand around the grip. She carefully aimed it at the floor, and Helbri nodded in approval.
    For the next two hours, he corrected her stances—standing, crouching and kneeling. When she was finally allowed to fire at the targets that began to move around at the end of the space, she was more than ready to shoot.
    There was no kickback, so she was able to continue firing until she struck the target. The first target took her seven shots. The second took three, and after that, she was able to focus when she shot, and she hit the target every time.
    “You have a knack for this. Now, do it while kneeling.”
    She nodded and fired again. It was more difficult to focus as her kneecaps were aching, but within the hour, she could hit a target at a hundred feet.
    “I wish we had a larger space or a holographic projector, but we don’t, so short range will have to do.” Helbri nodded as she got up.
    Cleo crouched and fired. It was the worst position of them all. By the time she was competent to Helbri’s consideration, her body burned with fatigue.
    “I am done for the day, if that is all right.”
    Helbri nodded. “Of course. Come with me; I will get you a meal, and you will be able to rest for the rest of the day.”
    Cleo nodded. “That sounds delightful.”
    She stretched carefully, never aiming the weapon at either of them and then walked to the storage cabinet.
    “The selection of weapons here is amazing.” She set the small gun down in the slot that was waiting for it, and it hummed lightly as she released it. “What was that?”
    “It is reset for me once again. It will always take a moment to set itself for you.”
    “So, this is your collection.”
    “It is. It travels with me at all times.”
    “Ah.” She locked her hands behind her back. “Well, you said something about food?”
    As they returned to the galley and he set her up with a meal once again, she had to wonder if the weapon she had just used had ever been used on another living being. She was a little shocked by the fact she wasn’t disturbed by the idea. Life as an assassin didn’t seem a reach for her. It was as if it had been part of her all along.
    The short time in the tank seemed to have woken something. Frankly, she didn’t know if it was the treatment she should blame or herself for having it inside her the entire time.
    “Your expression indicates dark thoughts.” Helbri spoke and she jumped.
    “I thought you had returned to the flight deck.” She jerked her head up and stared at him.
    “No. I remained to keep you company now that you have shaken off your mood.”
    “Oh. I was just thinking.”
    He sat across from her and cocked his head. “You are feeling something, are you not? Your mind is distancing itself from those around you. You are becoming Lrrko.”
    She nibbled at her meal for a moment before glancing at him. “Is that what this means? There is a riot in my brain and I am accepting violence with a bland, casual attitude that shocks me. I am changing, and I don’t know if it was the treatment or if it has always been me.”
    He paused before answering her thought. “You have always had the Lrrko bloodlines within you. It may have passed through you and landed in your children or grandchildren, but