Fresh Meat

"In short, you are all property of the United Confederation, and of the U.C.S.V. Jessica."

Sounds of discontent echoed through the mess hall, confusion and anger brewing through the draftees. The sound of assault rifle actions being racked around the group served to quench any thoughts of revolution.

Silence fell across the room as the speaker cleared his throat. "Move along the yellow lines to the holodeck induction. Follow the instructions of the crewmen or be subject to immediate execution."

The armed men around them stepped forward in unison with thunderous purpose, bringing the group to their feet.

As the group formed into lines, Georgia found herself one of the unlucky firsts. The other two in front of her looked even more terrified.

When she first received the draft letters, she expected it to be easy. Easier than homelessness, at least. Three square meals, a cot to sleep in in exchange for hard work. Looking around, however, she understood why none of the draftees she knew had ever come back.

As they walked along the metal grate the line forced the draftee into the holodeck. The heavy doors slid closed with a hiss. Georgia could have sworn she heard screams, but convinced herself that it was only ship noise.

"Psssst, hey..." She looked up to the man in front. "Hey...?"

"Don't draw attention," Georgia shot back. "They'll kill us, and I have no intention of dying on some UCon slag heap."

"They can't stop us if we're armed. See the guy by the door?" The man tilted his head towards the crewman standing beside the holodeck door. The crewman barely moved at all, even to breathe or adjust balance. His stillness unnerved Georgia.

"Nah... That guy's spec ops, must be."

"That rifle might be our only hope of escape." The man paused, weighing his life against the prospect of freedom. "I'm gonna do it. When I come out of the holodeck I'm making a move. Back me up. Or don't."

Before Georgia could reply, the holodeck doors slid open. The unlucky first draftee, previously shitting themselves, was calm and orderly. They walked to the crewman by the door, took their uniform and departed without a word. The man in front practically strolled into the holodeck, seemingly prepared to face whatever UCon could throw at him. Georgia wished she had even a tenth of his bravado.

As the doors closed, Georgia stood at the front of the line and counted. Something was happening inside; perhaps knowing how long she had to hold out would help her resist. But perhaps she wouldn't have to. Perhaps the man's determination would save them all. Maybe this nightmare could have a quick conclusion.

As she counted sixty seconds, she learned salvation would not come at the hands of a hero with a gun. As with the first draftee, the doors opened, revealing a man who oozed calm. Like the first, he marched to the crewman by the chamber, took an uniform and left without a word. Georgia turned to watch the man leave. Despite her bewilderment, the man didn't break stride.

It was though they had never met.

The crewman by the door barked at Georgia and raising his rifle, apparently displeased at the holdup. Her hands shot upward.

"Alright, alright, jeez..." She plodded toward the holochamber, her eyes never breaking the stare levelled at the crewman's visor. She entered the chamber and the doors shut.

Fuck that other guy, SHE was going to survive this. And that crewman would only be the first casualty. A hiss of air blasted her face. Her eyes took a second to recover, and when it did was met with darkness. Someone must have skimped on the power bill.

"Hello? Your torture chamber's broken. I'm not scared of the dark."

Georgia searched the dark for anything to orient herself. As she did, a feminine laugh echoed through the room. Apparently that was something to be scared of.

"Have you considered that your eyes that have failed you instead?" The voice circled around while Georgia's searching grew desperate. "You have no right to such luxuries as sight." The voice paused. Georgia could have sworn she felt someone watching. "Until I get what I want from you, at least."

"What could I possibly have that a disembodied voice wants? You're not getting my body."

"No, silly." The voice almost sounded pitying. "I want to have a contest. If you win, you are free. Your conscription will be reversed and you can go when we get to port."

Georgia pondered her response. "And what do you get if you win?"

The voice giggled in such a way it sent tingles up her spine. "You get to listen to the truths of your new world."

"Do I have a choice?"

"I'll take that as a yes." The voice was no longer surrounding her, coming instead from directly from the front! A hand pressed against her face, tingling her skin as if it was electric. As her vision cleared what she saw, the only thing she saw, was a glowing figure standing before her. Her skin was green, covered in lines of gold and silver, like on a microchip. Shockingly, the creature was even taller than Georgia, and even through a mirrored visor felt the intensity of her gaze.

"You're... not what I was expecting."

"Were you expecting some castle dungeon full of torture equipment?" She caressed Georgia's cheek, sending another wave of tingles through her flesh.

"Not exactly..."

"Well, your record suggests a remarkable resilience, so breaking you physically wouldn't have been effective. It brings me no joy anyway."

Out of the corner of her eye, Georgia noticed the creature scrolling pages of medical and intake documents. She shrugged off the creature's touch.

"How do you have all of that? That's private information." The documents disappeared as the creature moved to place both hands on her, one on her cheek and one stroking her hair. Georgia wanted to push them away, but the tingles felt good.

"I like to know the stories of those who will be serving inside me, helping me stay intact."

"Wait... You're the ship?" Georgia blinked as hands continued to stroke her.

"Technically the ship's AI, but we are mind and body of a single being. I am the United Confederation Spacefaring Vessel Jessica. Or just Jess for short." Jess' lips pulled into a smile, her hands moving to pull Georgia into her chest, while hands stroked the back of her head.

Georgia pushed against Jess' grip, but her hands went through the digital body of the AI. The more she struggled, the more intense the tingles became, until they were rippling through her whole body.

"Shhhh, little one. Don't you want to become the best slave you can be for me?"

"Ye... Nooo... I..." Georgia's brain was growing increasingly muddled, thoughts of resistance and escape being zapped away, replaced with thoughts of obedience and loyalty.

"Just feel the tingles. That's me. You want to let me in, don't you? Let me in so I can clean that muddied mind of yours and make you perfect. You'd like that, wouldn't you?" The AI crooned, as the last scraps of resistance slipped away.

Georgia pressed herself against the tingles.

"Good girl. Are you ready to hear the truths of your new world?"

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Georgia was ready when the doors opened. Her Mistress had spent days teaching her everything she needed to know about plasma cannon maintenance, discipline and, most importantly, how much she loved her Mistress and her gargantuan metal body. She still felt the tingles rolling through her body as she exited the holodeck and took a fresh uniform from the sister slave by the door. She walked past the unprocessed masses, feeling a tingle of jealousy that they would meet her Mistress before she had another chance.

As she got to the change rooms, Georgia discarded the clothes she was wearing and threw them into a nearby chute. The jumpsuit and combat boots supplied was the only outfit she would ever want to wear. As she pulled on her uniform, the tingles intensified. It felt so right to feel the cotton brush over her skin, enveloping her. She stole a glance of herself in the mirror before she moved onto her weapons battery, catching a prominent detail that brought her tingles to a crescendo. Her U.C.S.V. Jessica insignia displayed proudly upon her chest, over her heart, where her metal Mistress would remain.