Cleon Moon by Lindsay Buroker Read Free Book Online Page B

offered his arm. “We should finish our tasks here quickly. We’re being watched.”
    She took his arm. “You’re very serious too. It’s a wonder a free spirit such as myself is attracted to you.”
    “It is,” he agreed, leading her down the street and past a statue atop a fountain—a bronze man in a fur cap was down on one knee and shooting a rifle. Alisa had seen several statues in a similar vein. She had wondered at the theme earlier, but if “monster hunting” was a popular hobby here, she could guess now.
    “Out of curiosity, would you feel it if someone swatted you on the butt when you’re wearing your armor?”
    “Probably not unless it was an extremely vigorous swat.”
    “Like a spank?” She started to wriggle her eyebrows at him, but noticed the spy box out of the corner of her eye and sighed instead. He was right. This was the time for being serious and finishing tasks quickly.
    Besides, his faceplate had turned toward the shops lining the street, something catching his eye, and he did not respond.
    “Let’s go in there,” he said, his helmet tilting toward a store with a sword and shield painted on the door.
    Alisa went in with him, figuring he wanted to try to avoid the spy box and nothing more. She hadn’t been paying attention to the shopfronts, other than to note they were in an upscale section of the city. Who would have guessed that purveyors of only-slightly-used arms set up shop next to diamond jewelers and hover vehicle dealerships?
    To her surprise, gleaming suits of combat armor in several colors were modeled all around the store they entered, some in hover displays, some positioned in action poses on the floor. A few blazer rifles adorned the walls, too, but the place definitely specialized in armor.
    Spotting a few smaller suits, ones that had room for hips and breasts, Alisa wandered toward them. As a pilot, she had never been enamored with personal armor, and she’d certainly never had a reason to fondle it lovingly, but she did so now, running her palm over a sleek blue suit. If she had such a suit, she wouldn’t have to hide in NavCom when enemies boarded her ship. And what would Jelena think if her mother rescued her while wearing such a getup? With the enhanced strength from the suit, Alisa could toss her into the air as Jonah had done when she’d been little, eliciting all manner of giggles. Would she still laugh at such antics?
    A holodisplay next to the blue suit highlighted its specifications and showed it in all manner of positions, including disassembled in a matching armor case, but it neglected to mention the price, and Alisa’s daydreams faded. That meant she couldn’t afford it. The story of her life of late.
    She turned, expecting Leonidas to be behind her. He stood near the doorway, eyeing the spy box. It remained outside, doing the aerial equivalent of pacing back and forth in front of the store.
    “If there was any doubt that we’ve been singled out for observation, I think that quashes it,” Leonidas said.
    “May I help you, sir? Ma’am?” a genteel voice asked. A robot on wheels rolled down an aisle, easily navigating around the displays. It had a humanoid torso, arms, and head. “I am Samuel 5, at your service,” it announced, then leaned forward on its axis in a semblance of a bow.
    “We’re just—”
    “The lady wishes to try available suits in her size,” Leonidas said. “Dragon line. Nothing raven, hawk, or sinagiar. The seam work and onboard computers on those aren’t acceptable for real combat.”
    “Certainly, sir,” the robot said as Alisa mouthed, “What are you doing?”
    This wasn’t the time for idle shopping, and it wasn’t as if she could afford dragon line, or any other line for that matter.
    “Contemplating dinosaur hunting,” he said, meeting her eyes, his gaze intent. Almost intense.
    A warm flush spread through her as she realized what he was saying, that he would go out into those marshes and risk himself to hunt