It lifted robotic arms—and Gemma freaked out.
She shrieked and batted at the thing with her fists. It avoided contact by dropping its arms and going in reverse a few feet.
“Your unit has accidentally been triggered to open. It was an error caused by a harsh impact with a shuttle,” the thing stated. “Lie flat and I will reseal you.”
Gemma gripped the side of the coffin-like box and frantically scrambled out. Her feet were bare, and the floor felt icy cold when she landed on shaky legs. “Stay away from me. What are you?”
“I’m a service repair unit. Your shipping unit triggered in error. Return to it now.”
“No.” She inched away from the robot and glanced at the large box. It was some weird coffin, alright. A raised one with vents on the bottom, and made from silver material that appeared to be a mixture of plastic and metal. “Where am I? What’s going on?” She looked back at the…robot.
“You’re aboard the space transport Avian and we’ve been attacked by pirates.”
She let that sink in. Space transport? Pirates? Freaky robot? She lowered her chin, staring at her body, and immediately suffered another shock. “Where are my clothes?”
Gemma currently wore a pair of underwear and a matching, form-fitting sports bra.
And the surprises kept coming…because her stomach was also flat.
She took the time to study her arms and hands. There were no age spots, no excess skin.
She reached up, touching her face. Closing her eyes, she examined it with her fingertips, feeling no loose skin or wrinkles. She opened her eyes and looked down again, this time staring at her thighs. They were thin and shapely. Hers hadn’t looked that good in at least twenty-seven years, since before her first pregnancy.
“Return to your unit,” the robot stated.
Gemma straightened, staring at the thing. She was confused—but then it suddenly made sense. She could almost feel the mental lightbulb coming on.
“Oh! This is a dream. I’m on the good drugs.” She bit her lip, remembering her most recent reality. “I’m dying in a hospital.”
The annoying alarm stopped, and Gemma felt a trickle of fear. Maybe that alarm had been her heart monitor going off in real life. “Are you my little voice of unconsciousness? Is getting back in the unit a metaphor for not leaving my body?”
“You need to return to your unit.”
She looked at the horrible box with its thick lid. She didn’t want to die yet. She needed to talk to Brent and Thomas. But it was just too terrible to consider getting back inside something that she’d mistaken for a coffin. “No. I’m fine right here. I’m still alive. I wouldn’t be having this weird dream otherwise.”
“Pirates are preparing to board the transport. You need to be secured,” it stated.
“Shit.” She’d had some bizarre dreams before, but this one took the cake.
“I don’t detect a waste malfunction.”
It took her a second to understand what the robot was trying to say. “I didn’t soil my underwear. At least I hope not. That nice nurse would have to clean me, and I liked her.” She reached back to run her hand over the butt of the little boy-short type of underwear she wore. They felt dry. “I think I’m good.”
“You need to return to your unit.”
“You need to stop saying that. I’m not getting back into the box, even if that is supposed to be my body.”
The robot advanced and lifted its hands. Both of them had six fingers, three on either side of the center palm areas. It attempted to grab her.
She retreated quickly to keep space between them. “Back off, science project!”
It stopped. “Return to your unit to be secured.”
Gemma took a deep breath and tried to wake. It happened sometimes; she’d become aware of having a dream and snap out of it if she concentrated hard enough.
Nothing changed. That irritated her.
“Fantastic. I’m really doped up.”
“You need to follow my orders to prevent being stolen or damaged.”
She stared at the freaky robot. “Okay… I get it. I have to play along before I can wake up?” Then she muttered, “Why couldn’t I dream that I’m on some sunny beach, sipping one of those fruit drinks with the cute umbrellas?”
“The door to the cargo bay is being breached.” The robot spun its upper body around and slowly began to roll away.
Gemma hesitated for a second before she followed.
It stopped by a big metal door. “The pirates are hacking the locks.” The robot rolled back a few feet from the door.
“Great. Space pirates and a freaky robot. As if it wasn’t bad enough that I’m dying, I also get stuck with this lemon of a dream?” She glanced down her body. “And of course I’m wearing a skimpy outfit that screams ‘attack me.’ This dream better not turn into something like that. If there is, I’m going to file a complaint in the afterlife.”
“The pirates have succeeded. The manual override is being triggered to unseal the door.”
“What do you do when space pirates attack in this hellish dream world? Tell me so this can end, robot.”
“Unknown.”
“You’re a lot of help.”
“I’m detecting sarcasm in your tone,” the robot stated.
“No shit, Sherlock! That’s what I’m going to start calling you.”
“I’m not able to process your request.”
“I just want to wake from this bullshit of a dream. You’re a crappy version of my little voice of reason. Epic fail.”
The door slid open—and Gemma’s lips parted when she got her first glimpse of the supposed pirate.
He had to be at least six-foot-five, and he wore a black uniform that hugged a bodybuilder’s physic. His equally black hair fell in a shaggy mass of curls to his wide shoulders. He had a ruggedly handsome face. Dark blue eyes framed by long, thick eyelashes gazed directly at her.
Gemma liked the look of him. “Wow. Now we’re talking. Hello, Mr. Hunk.”
“My name is Big. And I will shoot you if you make any sudden movements.” His voice came out husky and deep. He lifted a weapon and aimed it at the robot.
It was the strangest gun she’d ever seen, with a thick, long barrel. She wasn’t afraid in the least. “If that’s not an innuendo, I don’t know what is. Oh please. Shoot me with your impressive gun, Mr. Big-All-Over pirate.” She laughed and shook her head. “I must be as high as a kite right now. This is turning downright naughty.”
The hunk slightly tilted his head and shifted his gaze to the robot. “I was threatening the droid. Why is she awake? Answer, droid.”
“The clone activated during transit and is confused,” the robot answered.
Gemma sighed, staring at the hot guy. “Shoot that robot. Please. It’s annoying as hell. It’s been my nemesis since this nightmare started. I’d be grateful.”
“Be silent, female,” the pirate demanded, his voice deepening. “I know what she is. Explain her origins, droid.”
“Sure. I’ll just shut up.” Gemma crossed her arms over her chest. “No problem. I don’t want to be here anyway. It’s my dream, but please, continue without me.”