Southern Cross by Windstar

Some of that must have shown on her face, for the General leaned forward and the small smile
grew.
"You don't actually think they were your real parents do you, Ms. McGrath? Or that you're
completely human? We built you, you see. What fortune to find out that you had the gift, as the
Tiri call it. Now I'm going to use you as bait, and then I'm going to offer this pitiful excuse for a
planet up as a gift to the coming Bak'ra fleet."
Her mind refused to accept what he had just said, and she desperately clung onto only the last bit
of his statement.
"You're insane. They'll kill you also!"
This time the fear rose swiftly inside of her and nearly choked her as a full rictus smile spread
across the gaunt face across from her.
"You still don't understand do you, Ms. McGrath? I only look human. Soon enough I'll undo the
genetic alterations we were forced to submit ourselves to and become a superior being once
more. A Bak'ra."
--------------
"You have got to be joking."
Emily felt her lips curl back in a sneer at what Theo had brought her to see. She pointed an
incredulous finger at the half finished looking craft.
"You want me to take that?"
Theo had a slightly sheepish expression on his face as he too stared at the craft. She could've
sworn she heard him mutter something along the lines of, I didn't think it looked that bad.
"First Guardian, it's either that or we force our way across the bay to Manhattan. This at least
will get you to the island unseen."
"If it doesn't sink you mean."
Theo simply shrugged at that and Emily sighed, turning back to glare at the thing. She really
wasn't certain what to call it. It looked like someone had taken a small American min sub, and
then started grafting on Tiri technology. The entire thing had a vaguely grotesque look. No one
would think it was beautiful.
Unless they like that Geiger fellow, then they might like this. Dear Maker, the thing will probably
sink like a rock.