My owner cups the side of my head and angles my face toward his neck. “Close your eyes, Little pet. It will take time for you to adjust to the sun. Don’t strain your eyes.”
I want to look, but I won’t. I want to obey my master—that’s what my jailors called him. Am I supposed to call him Master?
Thank goodness for the collar that allows me to understand him, but at the same time, I feel like an animal. Maybe I am. He keeps calling me pet. Will he put me in another cage?
Anxiety consumes me. I want to see where we are. There are so many noises around me. Awhooshmakes me think we’vegone through another door. I peek out and realize we’re in some sort of vehicle. It starts to move.
My heart races. We’re surrounded by giant men. I’m the only being who is different. Everyone is staring at me. I’m probably the first human they’ve ever seen.
My master cups the back of my head and angles my face into his neck again. “Keep your head down, naughty girl. I don’t want to have to discipline you in the Telerail.”
I whimper, gripping the front of his black dress shirt. “I’m sorry, Master,” I mutter against his neck. I don’t want him to punish me. And what method would he use? I want to please him, though I have no idea why. Perhaps because I have no other option. It’s not as though I can squirm out of his grip and take off running. I know nothing about this planet. Plus, the men in the cage room said there’s a tracking device in my collar.
I don’t speak again during the ride. I don’t peek either. I’m not sure I want to see the expressions of the men around us. I’m an anomaly here. Besides, it’s so hard for me to hold my head up. It seems to be getting harder. It takes effort to keep my legs wrapped around my master. My arms are supported by his shoulders, but even that is difficult.
The moving vehicle comes to a stop. The door whooshes open, and my owner steps out. It takes all my restraint to keep from looking around, but I don’t. I force myself to concentrate on his cadence and the air around me. It seems easier to breathe than on the space station. There must be more oxygen on Venkoria than I’m used to.
I’m chilly. My dress is sleeveless and short. I never needed more than this on the space station, but it seems cooler here even now that we’re outside. Goosebumps have risen on my skin.
My owner seems to notice and rubs my arms as he walks faster. We enter a building. The breeze stops. Nevertheless, myteeth start chattering. Perhaps my adrenaline was pumping so high that I didn’t notice how cold I was.
My owner releases his tight grip on my neck, allowing me to lift my head. It’s still hard. My head feels too heavy. We enter an elevator. It’s similar to those on the space station, so I recognize the small space, but I’m surprised when my master leans in close to a strange camera. Did he use his eye to start the elevator?
The doors close, and the elevator ascends. A few moments later, it opens again, and we move into a hallway and then toward a door. Once again, my master uses his eye to disengage the lock on the door.
“We’re home, Little pet,” he announces as he steps inside.
I look around. His home is spacious. I have nothing to compare it to, though. I’ve read stories about houses on Earth. I know they came in all different sizes and types. In large cities, people lived in high-rise apartments. I assume that’s what we’re in now. And that is confirmed as my master moves deeper into the living space, allowing me to see out of the enormous windows. We’re very high from the ground.
My owner heads directly toward a sophisticated box on the wall. He pushes a button.
A voice comes through the unit. “Julan. Did you make it home?”
“Yes. Can you come now?”
“Yes. I’ll be there in a few minutes.”
“Thank you.” My master ends the call. His name must be Julan.
I try it out. “Julan? Is that your name?”
He meets my gaze and smiles, looking slightly surprised. “Yes, Little pet. You will not call me by my name, though.”
“I will call you Master?”
He chuckles. “No. You’re not a slave. You’re my pet. I wasn’t expecting you to have any language skills. Since you do, you will call me Daddy.”
Daddy… I’ve heard the term. It’s what young children on Earth called their fathers. It must have another meaning here. “You’re not my father,” I say.
“No. Definitely not. I’m your caregiver. It’s a term of endearment.” He cocks his head to one side. “The guards were right. You are an intelligent being, aren’t you?”
I frown. “Of course I am.”
He chuckles again, his laughter jostling me. “You are one of the first humans to arrive. We don’t know much about your abilities.”
“Well, I’m not a pet,” I declare emphatically as I reach for the collar. “I don’t need a collar. Those are for pets.”
He nuzzles my neck, seemingly entertained by me. “Youaremy pet, Little human. There is no other designation for you here. I’ve purchased you to amuse me.”
