Sunday Snippet: My Best Friend Is a Cyborg

Man. What a crazy-busy week. Our weather is still being contrary. Warm and spring-like a couple of days followed by another blast of winter. My sinuses are not thrilled.

I didn't get through a full round of television this week. I had way too many irons in the fire and needed to focus. My brain doesn't want to cooperate at all. Thankfully, I have three current projects, which lets me bounce around when I can't concentrate on one specific thing.

I did get a holiday episode of My Life Is Murder watched and thoroughly enjoyed it. It's interesting to see how the southern hemisphere celebrates the holiday in the middle of their summer.

I tried to watch the behind-the-scenes Agatha Raisin, but it wouldn't play. That's two seasons now that I can't access the specials. I'm kind of bummed about that.

I started the new season of Midsomer Murders and loved the episode. I'm excited to dive back into this series. It's fun to see an older Betty.

Silent Witness continues to be very intriguing. I really want to know who's behind the curtain pulling the strings.

Caught another Death in Paradise and remembered some of this one. Mainly the beginning and the end. Not sure what happened to the middle part and why I missed it the first time around but it's nice to finally see the whole episode.

Enjoyed an episode of Elementary. I like the slow progression of trust being built with Sherlock and Watson. I have a sneaking suspicion that Sherlock now knows Joan isn't being paid by his father anymore. I'll be interested to see how that plays out.

That's as far as I made it for viewing this week and that's it for the life update. Tonight's post is from My Best Friend Is a Cyborg, a novella that explores what happens to a couple when life throws them a curve.

Here's the miniblurb:

Ibby Stoke finds out her best friend is a dreaded and reviled cyborg, and it sends her into a tailspin, making her wonder if the man she loves is a mecha-human. Phil McNulty is everything she's ever wanted, but if he's not all man, Ibby isn't sure she can deal with the reality.

And a sneaky peek…

The pilot briefing room acted as a refuge even if safe havens might never exist again.

Ibby's throat swelled with unshed tears. "What the hell is going on?" She paced back and forth, trying to wrap her head around the last hour of her life.

"Did I really try to choke out my best friend?"

Okay, former best friend. She couldn't count Art as a best anything now. No way.

Big droplets leaked from her eyes. Memories whizzed through her brain. Art picking her up after a particularly brutal argument over who got the next ride on the tilting rockawhirl … which Ibby lost. Art stepping in when her date for the formal dance bailed at the last minute. Going through basic training then flight school together…

Ibby swiped at her cheeks. "I will not cry for mecha-human cyborg." The betrayal cut deep.

How could he keep his status a secret from her? How could he let them alter him?

She paused and slammed her fist into her palm. "How could he lie to me?" That wound would stay raw and open for a long time.

Phil strolled into the briefing room. "He technically didn't. He had orders not to say anything." He snarled the words out.

Ibby whipped around. "Are you fucking kidding me? All mechs have to register. Who the hell ordered him to not—" She broke off and shook her head. "No. No way. Are you telling me the council ordered him to say nothing and didn't make him update his status?"

Phil snorted. "Oh, it's worse than that, Ibbs." He leaned in and lowered his voice. "Art didn't have a choice. The council didn't give him one. They made the call before Art even regained consciousness…" His voice trailed off and his head jerked back and forth.

A cold chill slithered down Ibby's spine. "He didn't consent? Then that means…" She couldn't speak the rest. That means anyone could be a cyborg.

Phil grunted. "Yeah. Exactly." He lifted his chin. "From what Art told me. He's not the first and definitely not the last. This is the first stage of a new standard operating procedure." His lips twisted in a grimace.

Ibby sank down onto one of the cushioned seats. "Fuck. The hits just keep on landing, don't they?" Her shoulders slumped. "How? How can they think this is a good idea?" Stupid question … it didn't matter if the concept sucked when could keep boots on the ground and butts in the cockpit.

Not when they needed soldiers to win a damned war.

Phil settled beside her. "Oh, it's a terrible decision. And it's going to bite the convening authority on the ass. But they're banking on having enough of their enhanced soldiers in the mix before having to go public." He paused a moment then added his conjecture. "My guess is they're starting small. Something Art said is pinging in my brain. They didn't replace his brain. He's still got his memories, feelings and all that." He huffed out a breath.

Ibby shook her head. "Not sure that helps. Any way you look at it, the idea sucks." Her heart hurt, thinking about what the council had done to her friend. "I mean, look at me. Art's been in my life for over a decade. But I can't forget what I know now. How can that not change the dynamic between us?" And how could she be feeling so much pain for he'd gone through?

Phil kept his gaze straight ahead. "Honestly, it does change everything. Of course, it does. Yet … how we let this revelation play out is up to us. Mech aside, do we trust Art? If his memories and feelings haven't been altered? Do we raise a big ruckus? Make it clear to the convening authority we won't accept this bullshit?" He finally turned to meet her gaze. "If we do that, what does it do to the people that didn't have a choice? Do we have a right to blow up their lives when they didn't consent to the enhancements?" He sighed. "I'm pissed off because the council trashed any kind of good option by starting this program under a veil of secrecy." His eyes flashed with anger.

Ibby blinked, the rapid-fire commentary swirling in her mind. "Damn. You're right. They basically took any form of choice of acceptance out of our hands, but they also put soldiers like Art in an impossible situation." She got up and paced back and forth. "Shit. I can't deal with this right now. I just can't." Her heart rate spiked, and she itched to punch something.

Phil reached out and caught her hand, tugging onto his lap. "Then don't. Focus on something else." He caught her face in his hands.

Yeah, she could do with a distraction. Phil had a knack for giving her exactly what she needed. And right, she needed him.

She leaned forward and meshed her lips with his.

This story took a turn I didn't expect and that always excites me. Looking forward to finishing this up and launching it!

 

That's it for this week. Catch everyone on the flipside.

ML Skye