“Ever seen a flesh ring? Slave market? Body trials?”
“No.” And she didn’t want too. She thought about it a lot at the beginning, thinking her time imprisoned wouldn’t be long, but when it proved so, she forced her thoughts away. It was inevitable, whatever came at the end, and she was determined to survive as long as possible.
“They’re not pretty. At least the ones that don’t sell women. Those that go on the market are thrust naked in front of a crowd, muzzled if their tongues aren’t cut out prior. If you think a live crowd is bad, think of the thousands of eyes watching from encrypted feeds. Slavers shoot you up with stimulants, overcharging your systems, a cocktail of drugs that’ll give you an erection to last a day or more, and enough energy to flush your skin, make you sweat, and drive you stir-crazy.
“Some markets are designed for specific things: sex, labor, meat. But most are a free-for-all. You don’t know what the buyer has in store for you. Sex and labor at least means life, albeit an unpleasant and painful one, but it’s better than the third option. If you have a medical condition, you’re already as good as dead. If you even make it that far.”
Gunner stopped speaking as the newest volunteer was escorted to the exit toward a waiting android that took his arm. This one made it through without pain, one of the lucky ones. She hated him and his luck. Hated the thought of a slave market ringing through her head. Hated that she didn’t know if her dad was safe.
She wondered how Gunner knew so much.
“Men have it just as bad as women in those places,” he said. “The outcomes are never pretty. The lucky ones get bought to run ships like this, and the choice is easy if you think about it. At least for some.”
“What happens to the women?”
“Everything.”
She dropped her gaze and stared at the grey floor before her. Her options were minimal and the time she had been given became that much more precious to her. Suddenly, the idea of taking a spot on the crew didn’t seem so bad.Dad warned me. He just didn’t know as much.
“Don’t,” Gunner hissed, dragging her back from the grey. “Don’t think about it.”
She didn’t respond, couldn’t because now she was weighing all her options again.
The guard yelled, making her flinch. “One more spot!”
One more spot.Elodie twitched, her eyes darting over all the players.
“Don’t fucking open your mouth, Ely.” She barely heard him.
Should I go for it?The two men in the cell still hadn’t moved to fight each other.
I could be with my dad. I could bide my time and hope.Her secret was already on the fast track of being exposed and would be once they reached the slave market. Here, she at least had the chance to continue hiding.
She parted her lips.
“I’ll take it!”
But it wasn’t her voice that said it.
Kallan stumbled to his feet and the guard approached. The questions were asked. She watched it all play out mutely, and not without a little fear.
Kallan already suspects that I’m a woman.
She caught Kallan’s pervy gaze looking her way, glancing at both her and Gunner huddled a little too close together as he was given over to the android. The twisted smile on his wrinkled, dry lips was the final nail in her coffin. Gunner was silent but she could feel his overwhelming pressure trying to suffocate whatever options she had into dust.
The guard grunted and walked back to the two men still at a hushed standoff and silently watched them, as did everyone else. The guard, still silent, turned away and left the brig with Kallan and the man. The cattle prod remained.
Elodie closed her eyes. “Gunner...” she breathed, hopeless.
“What?”
“You won’t tell anyone about me will you?”
“I’ll take it to my grave.”
Something warm and strong squeezed her finger, comforting human contact, and she looked down to see it entwined with Gunner’s. She stared at it, perplexed, but didn’t pull away.
***
