suddenly spun, slamming the tray on the table. “I don’t want you to die
but an order has been issued. I can’t disobey a direct order from the council but I find
myself unable to comply either. We’re both in a hell of a lot of trouble, Megan.”
54
Touching Ice
Chapter Six
The reality of Megan’s situation stunned, horrified, and kept her mute while she
stared at Ice. The cyborg council wanted her dead, she had been deemed a threat to his
people, and Ice had been given orders to kill her.
“Blackie lied to me about setting me free.”
“He did. It was his version of kindness to lure you into a sense of false security that
your life had been spared so I could say goodbye to you without your tears or pleading
for your life.”
“What an asshole. I mean, I guess for him it would be considered almost sweet but I
don’t appreciate it.” She had to fight to think through the panic.
“Agreed. If it were up to me I would prefer to believe you and drop you off with
the bots on Hixton Station just the way we originally planned but it is not in my
authority to give you that. The safety of my people is at stake and the risk is too great to
allow you to go free.”
“I don’t want to die,” she whispered.
“I can’t kill you.” He paused. “Blackie will most likely come here since I’m unable
to do it. You will not die at my hands.”
She stared at him, fighting tears, and managed to hold them at bay. “Is that
supposed to comfort me?”
“Yes.”
“It doesn’t.”
“I apologize. I can only stall for time before he comes to make certain the council’s
orders were followed.”
“May I talk to this council? Maybe I can change their minds.”
“The decision has been made and nothing you could say would affect them. We
have to follow orders or my ship will be in violation of the council.” He sighed. “We
would both die then.”
Her brain struggled to take it all in but underneath the panic, she wondered at Ice’s
inability to kill her. She had to know. “So why can’t you kill me yourself? Why not just
shoot me or something? You’re strong enough to kill me in a hundred ways I can think
up with your bare hands alone.”
He hesitated. “You fascinate me and I find myself feeling strangely protective of
you. I am unable to carry out their order. They will be very displeased with me.”
“Thanks.” She wondered if he could pick up on sarcasm. When he frowned at her,
she assumed that he could. “If this is how cyborgs are—they can just order women to be
55
Laurann Dohner
murdered—I can see why Earth Government wanted them dead. Apparently most of
you are heartless bastards.”
He nodded. “We were made this way by them.”
“Don’t your leaders know the difference between right and wrong? Doesn’t this
council have any compassion? Doesn’t it bother them just a tiny bit to kill an unarmed
woman?”
“I do not know. I can only speak for myself, Megan.”
“But you’re going to allow someone on this ship to kill me?”
“I have no choice but I won’t allow anyone to cause you pain when they follow the
order.”
“Don’t you see something seriously wrong with that?”
“Yes.”
“Then don’t do it. Just drop me off with the bots.”
“I have to follow orders even if I do not agree with them. They are the Cyborg
Council and it is my duty to do as they demand even if I find it highly distasteful. I
really don’t want you to die, Megan. I am attempting to think of a solution where you
can be freed but I am coming up with nothing so far.”
She watched him while he stared back at her. In a lot of ways he was similar to the
bots if he was compelled to follow orders and would be destroyed if he wouldn’t do as
he was told—if he’d told her the truth about them killing him if he disobeyed a direct
order. The programmer inside her understood the complexities of machines and how
they kept within their guidelines. She swallowed the
but an order has been issued. I can’t disobey a direct order from the council but I find
myself unable to comply either. We’re both in a hell of a lot of trouble, Megan.”
54
Touching Ice
Chapter Six
The reality of Megan’s situation stunned, horrified, and kept her mute while she
stared at Ice. The cyborg council wanted her dead, she had been deemed a threat to his
people, and Ice had been given orders to kill her.
“Blackie lied to me about setting me free.”
“He did. It was his version of kindness to lure you into a sense of false security that
your life had been spared so I could say goodbye to you without your tears or pleading
for your life.”
“What an asshole. I mean, I guess for him it would be considered almost sweet but I
don’t appreciate it.” She had to fight to think through the panic.
“Agreed. If it were up to me I would prefer to believe you and drop you off with
the bots on Hixton Station just the way we originally planned but it is not in my
authority to give you that. The safety of my people is at stake and the risk is too great to
allow you to go free.”
“I don’t want to die,” she whispered.
“I can’t kill you.” He paused. “Blackie will most likely come here since I’m unable
to do it. You will not die at my hands.”
She stared at him, fighting tears, and managed to hold them at bay. “Is that
supposed to comfort me?”
“Yes.”
“It doesn’t.”
“I apologize. I can only stall for time before he comes to make certain the council’s
orders were followed.”
“May I talk to this council? Maybe I can change their minds.”
“The decision has been made and nothing you could say would affect them. We
have to follow orders or my ship will be in violation of the council.” He sighed. “We
would both die then.”
Her brain struggled to take it all in but underneath the panic, she wondered at Ice’s
inability to kill her. She had to know. “So why can’t you kill me yourself? Why not just
shoot me or something? You’re strong enough to kill me in a hundred ways I can think
up with your bare hands alone.”
He hesitated. “You fascinate me and I find myself feeling strangely protective of
you. I am unable to carry out their order. They will be very displeased with me.”
“Thanks.” She wondered if he could pick up on sarcasm. When he frowned at her,
she assumed that he could. “If this is how cyborgs are—they can just order women to be
55
Laurann Dohner
murdered—I can see why Earth Government wanted them dead. Apparently most of
you are heartless bastards.”
He nodded. “We were made this way by them.”
“Don’t your leaders know the difference between right and wrong? Doesn’t this
council have any compassion? Doesn’t it bother them just a tiny bit to kill an unarmed
woman?”
“I do not know. I can only speak for myself, Megan.”
“But you’re going to allow someone on this ship to kill me?”
“I have no choice but I won’t allow anyone to cause you pain when they follow the
order.”
“Don’t you see something seriously wrong with that?”
“Yes.”
“Then don’t do it. Just drop me off with the bots.”
“I have to follow orders even if I do not agree with them. They are the Cyborg
Council and it is my duty to do as they demand even if I find it highly distasteful. I
really don’t want you to die, Megan. I am attempting to think of a solution where you
can be freed but I am coming up with nothing so far.”
She watched him while he stared back at her. In a lot of ways he was similar to the
bots if he was compelled to follow orders and would be destroyed if he wouldn’t do as
he was told—if he’d told her the truth about them killing him if he disobeyed a direct
order. The programmer inside her understood the complexities of machines and how
they kept within their guidelines. She swallowed the
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