With her head tucked to her knees and her arms wrapped around her middle, Lily fought for control over the choking sobs that shook her. Weight settled at her side. The elastic membrane shielding her from infinity dipped. She shrieked and scrambled back, sure the clear skin would rupture and she'd be sucked out to her death.

A firm chest butted her back. Rough hands banded around her upper arms. She didn't fight. She clung to Barbarian. Fingers curled in the soft material of his shirt. She buried her face against his chest and cried and he froze.

Shallow breaths deepened. Barbarian's scent invaded Lily's senses. Stale sweat puckered her lips. Another scent, like crushed clover and mint, cut through that odor and twitched her nose. Hands relaxed on the alien's shoulders. Dried tears streaked her cheeks with itching trails. Nose stoppered with snot. She snuffled. As long as she didn't look down, she'd be fine, so she kept her face pressed to Barbarian's chest.

Arms hesitantly circled Lily. A flat hand smacked a few pats to her back so sharp they jostled her. Peeling herself off Barbarian's front, she found herself in an awkward embrace.

Derek used to hold her like this, like he didn't know what he should be doing.

Screwing up her face, she shoved out of the alien man's grasp, lost her balance and landed her on her back. Barbarian loomed over her then a shadow appeared over his shoulder.

On the precipice from which Lily tumbled, Key Woman stood with a length of rope in hand. She called to Barbarian who waved at her. Rope squiggled through the air and hung down the domed window's curved plane.

Barbarian tugged the tether several times then rose and leaned back with it, confirming the line supported his weight. Then he came for Lily. A hooked arm circled her waist and hoisted her up. Getting hold of the rope, Barbarian heaved her over his shoulder. Arms and legs dangled as the alien man hauled them from the bubble.

Set back on solid ground, Lily gaped out of the window. The vastness of space gave her vertigo. She teetered. Barbarian grabbed her by the nape again. His firm grip anchored her to the spot. When he steered her ahead of him he wasn't as rough with her as he'd been in the prison.

The three of them left the big room, but they didn't leave the third level. Key woman walked ahead while Lily and Barbarian trailed behind. The alien man corralled her, his hand fixed to her neck.

Smooth tile floored the wide corridor they marched. Aching feet slapped against it. The sound echoed over and over in this large space. Further down the hall's right bend, they came to another archway. Crossing the threshold, they went up a short passage with doors directly ahead of them and to the left and right. The right door opened automatically when Key Woman approached. The alien woman entered then stood aside for Lily and Barbarian.

The well-lit chamber split into two areas. Standing cabinets and a long workstation set along the wall occupied most of the east side. Wooden shelving stuffed with cork stoppered bottles and bundles of dried herbs butted against gleaming countertops, complex machines, and floating holographic interfaces. A slab of a table surrounded by lights, machines, and small wheeled workstations cluttered the west side. Beanstalk lamps positioned around the table twisted from the floor. Brilliant spheres floated atop the stems. Mouth open, Lily halted at the sight. Barbarian grunted his irritation and prodded her.

Next to the table, the regal cat worked. They removed their robe and hung it on the corner of a standing cabinet. White shirtsleeves rolled up, revealing blue-furred arms. Mechanical hands clicked against medical tools arranged on one of the wheeled workstations' trays. Key Woman nudged beside the cat. She dismantled thick straps attached to the table. The lengths of leather hung from the steel surface and when Barbarian shoved Lily towards it, she understood they meant her to get on top.

Locking her knees, Lily drove her feet into the floor. Naked soles squeaked over the tile as Barbarian pushed her to the table. Scooping her up, he dumped her onto the slab then pinned her by her shoulders. A wide strap fastened over Lily's chest before she wiggled away. Leather creaked and metal clicked while Key Woman tightened and buckled the contraption. Lily wheezed. The strap crushed her breasts and chaffed the gashes above them. It took Key Woman and Barbarian combined to secure her bucking legs. Then Lily couldn't move.

The cat wheeled the mobile tray close enough that Lily saw the tools organized on it. They were silver and sharp and clearly surgical. She gulped. Chin wobbled. Tears dropped off her cheeks and plopped onto the table. At the foot of the slab, Barbarian and Key Woman kept watch while the cat took over.

When the cat reached for Lily's chin, she buried her face against her shoulder. Warm metal touched her cheek. One of the cat's mechanical hands, its touch shockingly gentle, slipped under her chin and carefully repositioned her head so they were face to face. When she didn't flinch away they cupped her face in both hands.

Thumbs stroked her cheeks and traced the damp tracks tears left behind. A sensation similar to the cat's petting wended through her mind like a cool breeze. Lulled, lips parted and when they placed their fingers into her mouth, she let them.

A tuft of cotton, soggy with orange fluid, swabbed the back of Lily's throat which numbed. Swallowing was uncomfortable. The cat also swabbed the back of her hand then set aside the cotton.

Two tools came before Lily's face; a wand shaped instrument and a long set of tweezers. The wand's pointed tip glowed and went rat-tat-tat like a stun gun when the cat gestured with it. The sound tripled Lily's heart rate. The tweezer's prongs sandwiched an object about the size and shape of a watch battery. Tiny claws hooked off the object's rim.

The cat trailed the wand over Lily's arm and she jumped. The tool prickled and stung her skin. When it hovered over her swabbed hand the pain vanished. The cat pressed the wand's point to her numbed skin and activated it. Lily shrieked at its loud report, but it didn't hurt her. Under its point, skin and muscles spasmed. Strange. Uncomfortable, but not painful.

This won't hurt, Lily thought. That's what they're telling me.

The cat must have interpreted her expression because it dipped its head in acknowledgment and opened her mouth.

The instrument dipped into Lily's throat. Pressure from the tool tightened her features and the contractions it provoked tickled the back of her neck. She crinkled her nose because she couldn't scratch.

Removing the wand, the cat inserted the tweezers. The watch battery thingy pinched and Lily moaned around the tool. Tweezers went back and forth as the cat set the object in place then they removed everything.

The object attached to the back of her throat. Stretching her neck and wriggling her tongue didn't dislodge it and swallowing around it felt funny. She waited for everyone to release her but the cat wasn't finished yet.

More anesthetic swabbed Lily's ears. The cat set even smaller objects in them. The wand's shrill whine left her ears ringing.

"I've had enough," Lily said when the cat replaced all their tools on the portable tray. "Let me up." She squirmed under the straps.

Barbarian croaked at Key Woman. She dropped down behind the foot of the surgical table. An electric whine vibrated the slab. The table's upper half tilted until Lily sat upright. While the alien woman remained at Lily's feet, Barbarian ventured to her side. The cat remained on her other. Golden hands cradled a box studded with dials, buttons, and switches.

Harsh fingers pinched Lily's chin. Barbarian tilted up her head, bent to her eye level and started talking. The same croaks, belches, and clicks repeated over and over. A few thrashes of her head freed her from his grasp.

"I don't understand you." Lily matched Barbarian's intensity. "I don't understand you. I don't understand you. I do—"

Feedback squealed in Lily's ears. The implants vibrated. Hollering through gritted teeth, she strained against her bonds.

"Turn them off! Turn them off!"

The cat adjusted a large dial. The shrieking intensified and Barbarian winced at Lily's scream. The sound drilled into her skull and shot down her spinal column. Back arched. White flashes strobed her vision.

"Please, turn them off," she whimpered and hung her head.

Feedback died down. An unnerving cadence replaced the shrill note. When Barbarian talked again, his voice was drawn out and demonic like a distorted tune on a warped record. More settings tweaked on the cat's control box. Each adjustment reduced the extraneous sounds.

(noise) (noise) (noise) you.

Who (crackle) (noise) you.

"Who are you? Who are you? Who are you?" Barbarian asked.

Lily stared at him, dumbfounded. The cat reached for another dial and she spluttered an answer.

"I'm Lily. Lily. L-Lily Abadie."

Barbarian's head jerked back. A short silence elapsed then he bared his pointed teeth.

"Report, Abadie. Where is Goshan and how the hell did you get on his ship?"