TakeMeHard Read Free Page B

quarters and then to the bridge." She took Trin's hand and he helped her back to her feet.
    Pattering along the halls with her set around her was surreal. For years, she had focused on crafting the ideal battle ship, but now it was a haven for other folks just like her. While she remembered some of the girls that she had left the decanting facility with, she had never considered the others who were being created just for the purpose of scientific exploration.
    Dorsos's little menagerie was only the tip of the iceberg. Dozens of genetic splices, blends and mutations were held captive around the worlds and she was only beginning to realize the larger problem that she faced.
    If she started to collect her own people, she would be no better than Dorsos.
    Her quarters were near the bridge. The door slid open silently when she palmed the lock.
    Trin whistled at the expanse of her rooms. "I have never seen captain's quarters so large."
    She grinned and crossed the room to her wardrobe. "I designed them with our set in mind." Zoe blushed as she let the gown simply slide from her shoulders, leaving her in nothing but panties. She grabbed a ship suit from her selection and tugged it on.
    When it was up to her waist, she gestured to the other wardrobes around the room. "You all have a selection of clothing if you want to change. Boots, suits, trousers and shirts."
    She turned to pull the suit up over her shoulders and smiled when she saw them delving into all the tech that had been installed. Drawers, bunks, amenities were all sliding in and out of the walls as they touched and explored.
    Trin was fascinated by her data station, Jarix by the lav and Leos was going through her linen cupboard.
    She closed up her suit and took a pair of socks and boots, sitting on the chest at the end of her bed. Zoe pulled her socks on and slid her feet into the boots, wiggling her toes happily. New socks were a pleasure that she never outgrew.
    Zoe got to her feet and put her hands on her hips. "You can continue to explore, I am heading to the bridge for a heart to heart with the stealth system."
    Jarix grinned and poked his head around the door, shampoo causing the gold locks to spike. "We will meet you there soon. This ship is amazing."
    Laughter burst out of her and she wove her hair into a loose braid, leaving her rooms to the three men scavenging her belongings and playing with her toys.
    She made it to the bridge and took the captain's chair, bringing the three-dimensional displays up to assess their position. Heading back to Norville Nine was out of the question, but she did have to make a call.
    "T'shnadar, please call my father."
    "Of course, Zoe."
    The reply system was set up to remind Zoe that she was in charge. She had a tendency to forget that she was responsible for the ship unless reminded. Directly addressing the computer by name let it run an inflection and voice comparison to make sure that no commands were being given under duress.
    "T'shnadar, while you are at it, give me a report of all transmissions coming from Gathara."
    "Of course, Zoe."
    She watched the data scrolling past and made a few notes. Gathara had boasted one micro climate and Dorsos's archive and his facility was the entire economic base for the region. If Dorsos survived, he would need an influx of money to rebuild his facility. That would mean selling off pieces of his collection and based on the protective fire shielding that had covered the documents they might soon be back on the market.
    Dorsos was not yet broadcasting any information. That gave her a twisted hope that the base attack had killed him, but she knew that she couldn't be that lucky.
    "Zoe, your call has gone through. Tornen is waiting."
    Zoe flicked her fingers on the console to open the flashing link. "Hello, Papa. This is the Solar Knife."
    Her father's face appeared in front of her, his dark hair and black eyes so familiar. "Zoe, thank the mother tree! What are you doing out there?"
    "I have found