I tugged at it. “What the–”
Shifting, I tried to squirm my way out, but being wet, I was slippery and fell back. Immediately, a second restraint appeared, securing my waist. Then the other wrist. Then one ankle. Ha! It missed the other one, although flailing my leg about did nothing but make me want to start laughing again.
“Let me go!”
“No testing data collected.” A robotic female voice came from somewhere in the room. I stilled.
“Let me go. There is no testing data. I am not an interstellar bride.”
“Acknowledged. Speed scan implemented.”
A bright, glowing white light appeared in the ceiling. It moved up and down my body like a laser in a light show.
“I don’t need a scan. Just let me go.”
“Negative. Scan is not complete.”
“Oh fuck.” I wiggled some more. The restraints were snug.
“Processing... Processing... Processing...” The voice kept saying that over and over, like I’d broken it or something. This wasn’t right. I didn’t want to get in trouble, but whatever the computer was doing, I didn’t want any part of it.
“Stohn!” I shouted. He could help me. I’d be embarrassed for the rest of my life, but I wouldn’t be stuck in this chair. “Warlord Stohn! Help me!”
“Scan complete. Planetary match identified and confirmed. Protocol C-R-4-2-5 initiated. Requesting transport coordinates.”
“What? No! Do not transport me! Where are you sending me?”
“Transport coordinates received. Initiating transport calculations. Non-Coalition planet. Non-hostile species. Safety protocols confirmed. Female match to the planet Insuri, verified. Transport request accepted.”
I froze. Female match to the planet Insuri? I glared at the tiny orb in the ceiling I hadn’t noticed before. The bright laserscan had stopped, but there was a little blue light pulsing in the center of the orb, like an eye watching me. Listening to me.
“Abort!” I shouted. “Abort! Stop! Reject! Un-identify!”
“Initiating NPU implantation. NPU required. No additional modifications required for transport to Insuri.”
The strange machine I’d wiped down hundreds of times appeared on my right, the long, needle-like projectile coming toward my head.
“No! Stop!” I tried to turn away, but a large hand-like device locked onto the top of my head with a tight grip, holding me in place as the needle thing poked my skull in the bone behind my ear. I was shocked when it barely hurt. Guess the drugs in the blue water were still dulling my pain.
“NPU implantation complete. Female ready for transport.”
“Help! Stop! Abort! Deny! Cancel!”
Silence. The metallic grip released my head, and I glared up at the blue light winking at me from that weird alien eyeball in the ceiling. The computer wasn’t listening to me, and Stohn wasn’t coming. I had to keep trying.
“Cancel! I do not consent! Transport is not allowed!” I felt like I was tearing my shoulder out of the socket trying to get my hand free of the restraint. “Let. Me. Go!”
“Negative. Interplanetary regulation C-R-695 requires any non-Earthling to be transported immediately and directly to their home planet.”
“Home planet?” I shouted at the machine, angry and scared. I guessed there was only so much anxiety and stress the blue water could overcome after all. Asshole alien computer. “You are NOT transporting me anywhere! My home planet is Earth! I live at five-four-seven Willow Road, apartment four, a mile away! CANCEL TRANPSORT! STOP!”
“Request denied. Interplanetary regulation C-R-695–”
I tuned out the rest because the computer was repeating itself.
“Transport to Insuri begins in three, two–”
Everything went black.
