Read Broken Protocols for Free Online

and chastised and nagged like an old wife.
    “I wanted to make sure that there was no internal damage,” he muttered.
    “We did not scan for that.”
    He stopped and turned to look at the console. “Why not?”
    “You did not remove her clothing. We could not go through all the material.”
    “That’s crap. Of course you can.”
    “We do not know this particular blend of materials. We must add it to the databank.”
    He was going to pull his hair out. “Do not add it to your databank.”
    “We must. It is—”
    “Protocol, yeah, I know.” He walked over to the pod. “If you are done with the booster shot, I’ll take off her shirt and pants then you can do a deeper scan.”
    “Acknowledged.”
    At least that wasn’t breaking protocol. He opened the pod and tugged her boots off her feet. Then opened the closures on her pants and tugged them off. He swallowed at the sight of the purple underclothes. Yeah, lingerie hadn’t changed much in the last couple of centuries. It was as sexy back then as it was now. Walking to the side of the pod, he opened up the buttons that held Dani’s shirt closed and spread the material apart. He could feel his own heart rate race at the sight of her firm breasts rising from the matching purple bra. Crap, he felt like a pervert.
    But she was something.
    “Can you do a complete scan with her like this?” He rearranged the critter down the long lean length of her, its head resting against her ribs. If she woke to find the critter dying or missing, then there would likely be hell to pay.
    “We can.”
    “Good. Then please complete the full diagnostics.”
    The pod lid closed and the blue laser light swept slowly down the length of the bed. Then it reversed all the way back up.
    “Scan complete,” said the computer.
    “And the scan results?” Levi asked.
    “The patient has no severe internal damage. There have been some recent adaptations to her physical body that we have not seen before.”
    There was a hum. “We have added that information to our database.”
    “No,” he shouted. “Damn it, don’t do that.”
    “It is protocol.”
    He dropped his forehead against the glass top of the pod, wanting to smash his fist against the smooth unyielding surface. “And what of the critter?”
    “The same odd changes have also recently been done to its body. We have added this information to the database.”
    He didn’t bother arguing. He’d try to wipe the memory after he was done. “What kind of changes have been made?”
    “We do not have a scan from before these changes in order to be able to say.” The robot was not being helpful.
    “Right. Then how do you know changes have been made?”
    “There are signs of new tissue,” continued the computer. “Signs of healed muscle and skin. The DNA has been altered.”
    He swallowed on that last bit. Milo had said that wouldn’t happen. Then he’d probably worded it in such a way to avoid an outright lie and still not tell the truth. “Are these changes dangerous?”
    “Not that we can see at this time.” There was a series of monotone clicks as if the console was shutting down.
    “So is she healthy?” Levi asked urgently before it turned off. “Good to leave.”
    The clicks paused. “She is exhausted. She must rest for 24 hours minimum.” The robotic voice stopped as if considering its next words, before adding, “Maybe longer.”
    He didn’t want to consider how this console’s actions imitated human thinking. “And can you help her do that?”
    “It is done.”
    With a sigh of relief, Levi opened the pod, gathered up her clothing, and wrapped both Dani and the critter in the blanket, along with her clothes. And stepped out into the hallway.
    Just as she woke up.

Chapter 6

    D ani let her eyes drift open. Heavy and unwieldy, they didn’t want to obey her orders. But the juggling woke her up. The sensation of being carried. Only to find she was tucked up against a man’s chest, carried like a precious