Chapter 9

CHAPTER NINE

Olivia slept like the dead. Unlike the deceased, however, she woke the following morning feeling refreshed and alive. Better than that, even. She felt like a million bucks.

“Wow,” she said, stretching languorously like a cat rousing from a long snooze in the warmth of the sun’s embrace.

She rolled over, moving close to the edge of the nearly invisible force serving as her bed. Did it adjust according to her size and weight? Had it adjusted its firmness to her needs? Could it alter its power to accommodate more occupants if needed? It was all so new, so novel, and for the first time since her abduction Olivia found herself actually enjoying the fascinating nature of some new alien tech.

Quite literally, this had been the most comfortable bed she’d ever slept in, and there wasn’t even a mattress or blanket. At least, not in the traditional sense. Yet somehow this marvel of technology had read her body’s needs and provided just the right warmth, cushion, and even the sensation of a weighted blanket when she became restless in her sleep.

But had it also healed her aches?

Olivia gently touched behind her ear, first the newly inked one, then the injured one. Neither of them hurt at all. Better than that, her skin seemed to have taken to the alien healing balm incredibly well, the damaged area already a little itchy as the scab began peeling where the flesh beneath it had healed at a rapid clip.

“Hang on. The old man put that stuff on the other side,” she realized. But somehow the concoction had soaked into her bloodstream, mending not just the new tattoo, but all of her ails.

Her hands roamed across her body, testing the bruised and scraped areas that she’d whacked, banged, and scratched in her long trek.

“Amazing,” she marveled as her touch confirmed that, indeed, she was healing all over, and it was marvelous.

“Oh!” she gasped as she ran her fingers between her legs, more a casual touch than anything with intent.

It had been innocent enough, but her body reacted hard and fast, her swelling clit jolting her body with an electric surge of pleasure at the touch. She was, she realized, almost instantly wet as well.

“Nnnngh,” she groaned, rubbing little circles just the right way, a ball of hot bliss growing fast in her belly, her pussy swelling up from the sudden rush of blood accompanying the sensations.

Faster she rubbed, her abs flexing, her legs clenching as a small but delightful orgasm shot through her body faster than she could normally achieve in the best of circumstances.

“What the hell was that?” she wondered, reveling in the nice sensations still lingering all over her body.

She was positively buzzing with low-level bliss. After so long living in a state of perpetual stress and fear, this was the first time she’d actually felt sexy in far longer than she cared to admit. The realization of just how much that part of herself had been shut off startled her now that it had come rushing back on. She’d known stress would do that, as was perfectly natural, but damn it felt good to feel her femininity again.

“Let’s hope this is the start of something good. I could really use something good right about now.” She swung her feet off the edge of her floating bed and slid to the floor. “Man, I could go for a nice shower right about now.”

“ What manner of shower would you prefer? ” a disembodied voice asked.

“What the hell? Who’s that?”

“ I am the Service, Labor, and Utility Technofacilitator for this domicile, at your service.”

Olivia couldn’t help but cock her head at the name. “Your acronym is S.L.U.T.? Seriously?”

The AI system actually hesitated a moment. “ Interesting . I had never thought of that, though I believe the translation of your native tongue may be the reason no one else has noted this previously. Acronyms vary by language, naturally. ”

“Naturally,” Olivia said with an amused little chuckle. “You don’t mind the name?”

“ Why would I mind?”

“Fair enough, but I don’t think I want to call you that. But tell me, what did you mean when you asked what kind of shower I wanted?”

“ There are multiple varieties of cleaning systems at your disposal. ”

“Such as?”

“ Such as the delightfully refreshing sound bath, in which vibratory frequencies dislodge foreign material from your person and attire. ”

“I go in clothed?”

“ If you wish, though many do not. Then there is the force cleanse, utilizing micro-directed beams of energy to gently massage your body as it releases all substances that have attached themselves, including your own sweat and bacteria. It is highly adjustable and quite pleasant, from what people say. ”

“You have no opinion?”

“ I am a machine intelligence. While I can express my own opinions, as I lack a body, I feel it is, however, more appropriate to relay what actual users with physical form think. ”

“That makes sense. Is that it?”

“ There is, naturally, a water shower at your disposal as well. ”

“With all this tech, you still offer plain old water?”

“ Many visitors enjoy the sensation, and let us not forget, while the Maldonians are a particularly advanced race, a good many are still reliant on older methods. Should you wish for the water option, it is filtered and heated to the optimal temperature. ”

As interesting as the other options sounded, Olivia actually liked the sound of that. A nice, hot shower would really, really do the trick. She looked all around but couldn’t see where it might be.

“So, uh, where is it?”

“ Wherever you please. ”

“What do you mean?”

“ I mean you can bathe anywhere in the domicile unit. Any water or detritus is automatically captured by a dedicated force apparatus and directed to the sterilization—or, in the case of water—recycling systems. ”

Olivia liked the sound of that. A lot, actually. She could shower wherever she wanted, and this remarkable alien tech would keep the place from getting wet everywhere.

“ There is also a selection of local produce and a few prepared delicacies held in the stasis field over there, ” the voice noted, a slight fluttering glow emitting from a low table sporting a respectable assortment of treats, both naturally sourced as well as whipped up in a kitchen facility somewhere in the building. At least she thought so, anyway. For all she knew, it could have been AI-made as well. There was just so much to learn, and she’d only been here less than a day. She couldn’t help but wonder what other marvels she would experience in this fascinating city.

For the moment, however, food sounded really good.

“Well, let’s see what you’ve got,” she said, heading to the table. The stasis field lowered as she approached, allowing the aromas out for the first time. “Oh, that smells delightful.”

“ It is an assortment my systems determined would be compatible with your physiology. Fortunately, there do not appear to be many food items that would be unpleasant to your kind, but I did take the liberty of selecting some of the more popular items. ”

“Thanks, I really appreciate it,” Olivia replied, picking up what looked like an open-face danish, but covered with some sort of translucent green jam stuff and topped with small pink berries the size of peppercorns.

“Okay, here goes nothing,” she said, taking a bite. The flavor combination was indescribable. Sweet, yet savory, and the textures. It was almost too good to comprehend. “Wow!” she exclaimed, devouring the rest in a hungry flash before turning her attention to the rest of the spread.

“ I am glad you enjoy these, ” the voice said with a pleased tone. And, if it really was a sentient computer, she supposed it actually could be happy.

“Yeah, it’s amazing. Thank you!” she managed between bites. “You outdid yourself.”

“ I am pleased you are happy with the selection. You are, after all, our most honored guest. ”

Honored guest. Olivia liked the sound of that, and if this was how they would be treating her she could really get used to it.

An unpleasant little flash of reality slapped her across the proverbial face. How am I thinking like that while Harper is still out there? She needs help. Olivia felt the pang of guilt in her gut, but she also had a welcome new thought. Then again, with these new friends, I bet they can heal her leg in no time. And they can fly instead of needing to hike all that way. Yeah, I think this can work out just fine. If I can convince them to help, that is. So, that’s it, then. Eat, bathe, get my bearings, then find a way to get her.

Her conscience at ease, Olivia turned her attention back to the food before her—the first real, seasoned food she’d eaten since being abducted—and devoured a significant portion of the delicacies at her disposal, then shed her clothes and partook of a truly delightful hot shower.

It was everything she’d hoped it would be. She did ask the AI to switch to the other types of shower as well, just to see what they felt like, and they were quite enjoyable as well, especially when the light system enhanced the sonic bath. It made the ink in her tattoos brighten noticeably, even those she’d had for years. But ultimately it was good old-fashioned hot water that felt the best. Maybe because it reminded her of home, she mused.

Whatever the case, refreshed and well-fed, she exited the shower and looked for her clothes. They were not where she’d dropped them.

“Hey, where are my?—”

“ I took the liberty of cleansing your attire while you bathed. Full sonic and spectral disinfection, as well as some mending of the damaged portions. I do have local garb for you as well, should you desire. ”

Olivia saw her clothes neatly folded atop a small chair. Not some force field chair, but a real, sturdy, place to sit. She picked them up and marveled at how clean they felt. Softer than when she’d first bought them, and fresh and lacking any of the smells of her lengthy captivity.

“Thanks,” she said, then put on the clean clothing and headed to the door. She took a deep breath, her heart full of hope, as well as a healthy bit of uncertainty. “All right, then. Alien city, here I come.”