a death knell. Riley remained crumpled on the floor, her chest heav

pad tucked under one arm. Her eyes were as

voice a raw, broken rasp. "W

s, clamped around Riley's jaw, forcing her face upward. "You do

ron Empire. And you, from this second forward, a

. "Empire... property... No. I want

imitive. The spatial beacon to Terra-3 is one-way and random. It mi

est was snuffed out. Her eyes dulled

in Riley's eyes. She walked to a cabinet and retrieved a

d earlier is nearly depleted. To ensure you are useful to yo

mbered the device that knocked her out. "No! Don't touch me!" S

er tongue. She sn

l. They moved with terrifying speed, grabbing Riley by the arms. Their meta

met onto Riley's head. The cold meta

ge system implant. Deep integration mode. Pu

y's ears. Then, a torrential flo

creamed, her back arching in agony. Alien words, complex grammar structu

derstood the hierarchy of the Beastmen. She learned what an "evolutionary catalyst" was

y of Uncle Eddy's face blurred. The smell of the motel room vanished. Her

e droids released her, and Riley collapsed, gas

at the trembling woman and spoke in flawless

rds betrayed her. The newly implanted neural pathways forced the word out

over her mouth, horr

lue is to provide 'symbiotic catalysis' for your 'maste

" A cold dread began to

s their tool. Your worth lies entirely in pleasing your masters an

elsey up and dragged her toward a sleek, hove

vy doors hissed shut, sealing

new knowledge in her head warred with the fading echoes of her past. She understoo

t estate, a single tear slipped down her cheek. It was