“You had little reason to stay.”
“That is beside the point. I am here now and really scared and alone in these feelings that you guys don’t understand. So right now, I need attention and some sort of affection. That was why I wanted to lie down with you, but you wouldn’t let me. You can either give it to me, or I will not be a pleasant person to live with.”
Tralec’s hand tightened around the swell of her backside. “That sounded like a threat, young lady. I don’t hold kindly to threats.”
“Oh, it was not a threat. It was a promise. Now either let me go or make love to me,” Skylar demanded.
“I do not feel like connecting with you right now, Skylar. I am too tired for this and, frankly, this disposition is not very attractive,” he growled, pushing her off his lap and standing. “It is vital that you learn to accept our limits, just as we must learn to accept yours.”
“Seriously? I catch Troy fucking his robot and…”
“He was not ‘fucking’ a robot. Our people do not exist with jealousy, Skylar. If you are to live peacefully in our home, you must learn to control it.”
“I don’t know how to control it!” Skylar yelled. “It is who I am!”
“No, sweetheart,” Tralec said gently, his face registering exhaustion as he tried to reason with her. “You are not identified with a feeling or a behavior. Those are just ways to express yourself.”
“Whatever.”
Tralec leaned down to kiss her. “I am taking you back to your room. If you do not wish to sleep, then I want you to either work on the assignment I gave you or practice the plates.”
“Other than opening the window, what plates are there?” Skylar asked as he carried her up the stairs.
“Explore the room and experiment. You can’t hurt yourself or anything around you.”
“But…”
“Behave. I am going to sleep now. I become very unpleasant myself if I do not rest properly.”
Skylar wrinkled her nose as the door slid closed behind him. She eyed a black plate resting on a raised platform next to a cushioned bench and grinned. She climbed onto the bench and leaned across the arm of the bench, placing her hand flat down on the dark, mirror-like glass. She took in a deep breath and relaxed her mind, focusing on the mental image of an object—its shape, size, material, color. Once again, nothing occurred. Snarling, she stared around the large room until her eye fell upon her old electronic reader—the one that held the ‘manuals.’
“Effy, can you charge this so I can activate it?” she called out hesitantly.
“Charge is complete,” the female voice responded.
Skylar grunted. The damn robot still had a snotty tone in its voice. “Is there a way to access all the downloads and data I have ever viewed on this device?”
“Yes, Miss Skylar.”
Miss? Interesting term to use since the machine had first referred to her as Mistress. The damn thing was definitely thinking for itself, despite what Troy said. “I want all of this information available, including the data that the boys pulled up from our Internet while visiting my planet.”
“You do not have access to this information.”
“I did not ask you. I told you.”
“You do not have access to this information.”
I swear, it sounds like it is gritting its teeth! Skylar thought. “Does this command contradict any orders set by Tralec or Troy?”
“No, Miss Skylar.”
“Does this command put my health or safety at risk, or conflict with the rules of your society?”
“No, Miss Skylar.”
“Then stop giving me bullshit and obey my command.”
“You do not have access granted to these files.”
“You and I are going to have a lot of problems, robot. I am here to stay, like it or not. I have connected with your masters and own their bodies now. You do not. You are a disposable commodity and… motherfucker!” Skylar hissed as all the lights shut down in her room. She went to leave, finding the door had been locked as well. “You wait, bitch. The game is on!”
* * *
Skylar’s mood had grown fouler by the time both Tralec and Troy came in to get her.
“Did you sleep?” Troy asked, scooping her up onto his lap and hugging her.
“I was too pissed. Did you notice that my door was locked and the lights shut down? Your goddamn robot held me hostage. It refused to give me access to Internet files too. I was trying to practice the plate and needed better ways to imagine things.”
“That is odd,” Tralec frowned, sitting next to them on the bed. “What did you want to synthesize?”
“A vibrator. I was horny and you two were wimping out on me.”
“A vibrator? What is that?” Troy asked.
“It is the primitive version of a biodrone. A self-operated penis substitute that brings sexual pleasure,” Skylar answered boldly.
“I would be interested in seeing one of those. Effy! Why did you refuse access to Skylar?”
“It does not require access for survival, Master Troy.”
“How the hell do you determine what I need and don’t?” Skylar snapped.
“Let us handle this,” Troy said. “Effy, did you consider Skylar’s request to be potentially dangerous or damaging to either herself or others?”
The computer did not respond.
“Sounds to me like your damn robot needs a spanking more than I ever did,” Skylar grumbled.
“There is something definitely amiss. We don’t have time for that now, though. We need to get dressed and present to the council,” Tralec sighed. “Effy, please prepare a meal for us and set clothing for a casual meeting to our cleansing rooms.”
“Yes, Master Tralec.”
“It is going to try to poison me. Just watch.”
“You are giving the unit too much credit for independent thought, honey,” Troy said. “Are you still angry with me?”
“No, I am over it. I am pissed with that thing now.”
“Ease up, little one. Papa needs some loving from you,” Troy said, covering her neck with gentle kisses.
“Mmmm…” Skylar purred, stretching her neck for him.
Tralec cleared his throat. “As much as I would like to encourage this and even join in, we have business to attend to. We will have plenty of time to connect later. We have a little over one week of leave given to recover from our trip and help you adjust. Let’s get dressed and then go downstairs to eat. The idea of a solid meal is very appealing to me right now.”
“I am gonna miss the canisters,” Troy sighed.
“I’m sure you are.” Tralec shuddered with disgust.
“I think they are delicious,” Skylar piped in. “I could drink that stuff all day, especially if it’s half frozen. It tastes like a milkshake.”
“Humans are definitely an odd species. I will help you dress and take you downstairs,” Tralec announced, taking her from Troy’s warm arms like she was a toddler. He brought her into the cleansing room and showed her how to operate the toilet as he made a bath for her. After settling her in, he excused himself to dress.
Skylar sat in the tub, chin resting on her hands as she contemplated a way to rid them of the biodrone. She yelped as the solution became icy cold, and she jumped out of the unit, shivering. That’s it! I will personally disassemble the metal bitch!
The body dryer would not turn on and no towels existed, so Skylar grabbed the bag of clothing and reentered her room, using her bed blanket to dry off with. She snarled as, once again, her lights were shut off and the door locked. The machine was determined to make her miserable!
“Skylar? Why is your door locked? Open it, please,” Tralec called.
“I wish I could, but your stupid robot is playing games. It also shut off all my lights, poured ice water into the bath, and locked down the body dryer to make me freeze.”
“Effy! This door is not to be locked again! Open it!”
Tralec stormed in as all the lights f
lickered back on. He was flushing as he saw Skylar trembling with cold. “Effy, you are to make Skylar comfortable according to her needs. Understood? Turn up the heat in here.”
“This unit is unaware of the needs for this species.”
“Oh, my God! Can you hear how snarky it is, Daddy? Plus, it’s lying! You had it review all my books, and it has access to our entire Internet data banks. It knows exactly what we need.”
Tralec said nothing, his flush growing darker as he considered her words. He reached into the clothing bag and broke into a smile. “At least Effy chose appropriate clothing for you. Isn’t this cute?”
“I won’t be caught dead wearing that in public.”
“Wanna bet? I like it very much. Arms up, little girl.”
* * *
Skylar kicked at the table restlessly, glaring at Troy’s amused expression. It was bad enough that she was being forced to wear a short, frilly pink dress, complete with ankle socks and slip-on shoes, but she had also fought a losing battle with Tralec about her hair, which was now strung up in two high ponytails.
“Are you angry with the table, little one?” Troy asked, slipping a brown slab onto her plate.
“I feel like an idiot. I am not a baby doll or your toy. What is this?” Skylar looked at the food distastefully.
“Meal portions. They are not as flavorful as the canister, but nourishing.”
“I am not eating anything that looks like a piece of shoe leather. Why can’t we synthesize my food from all our samples?”
Troy looked at Tralec before answering. “It seems that Effy managed to place that information somewhere that we can’t access. Until I have time to fix the problem with this machine, we have to make do. Now eat.”
“No.”
“Take a bite and try it, Skylar. Don’t make me lose my patience. You are already too thin to be healthy,” Tralec ordered.
“I am not eating that shit. I don’t care what you say.”
“I am not in the mood for this,” Tralec announced, slapping his hand on the table before standing. He pointed his finger in Skylar’s face. “Do as you are told and try it. If it is distasteful, I will prepare a canister for you.”
“No!” Skylar shouted, crossing her arms stubbornly. “I am not eating anything that looks that nasty.”
“Tralec…” Troy said as his pod-mate pushed his chair aside and walked around the table to face Skylar. “She has different needs…”
“She is being stubborn and defiant. It has nothing to do with her needs. I am going to count to three, young lady. If you do not put one piece in your mouth and at least try it, I promise to blister your bottom until you cannot sit.”
“Go fuck yourself!” Skylar glared, ignoring Troy’s tsking. She screamed profanities as Tralec easily lifted her from the chair and carried her sideways to the couch. He sat down heavily, plopped her struggling body across his lap, and bared her bottom to his hand.
Skylar screeched as the first stroke scorched her skin. She could feel the burn clear across her entire bottom and down to the backs of her thighs. Tralec landed a second smack in the same place. He had just begun.
Skylar scissored her legs as Tralec’s huge hand fell with the impact of a thick, wooden paddle across her tender flesh. He was careful not to use his strength to harm her, but the rapid falling of swat after anguishing swat quickly turned her bottom to a crimson scarlet, spotted with tiny dark bruises. No amount of begging or apologies affected Tralec’s determination to teach his little human a lesson once and for all.
“You will not swear at me ever again,” he scolded, moving his hand south just a tad so the spanking would include her sit spots and the back of her thighs. “You will not demonstrate blatant defiance or disrespect to anybody. I don’t care what your reasons are! You will communicate appropriately and cease with this terrible disposition.”
“But your robot haaaaates me!” Skylar wailed, still struggling for freedom.
“There is no excuse for this behavior, young lady. Either now or in the future. You will do as you are told for your own well-being and stop giving us grief. We have done nothing but try to accommodate you, but telling me to go fuck myself is the end of the line.”
“I’m soooorrrry!” Skylar bawled, her body racked with pain.
He did not stop. Skylar realized that he truly intended on blistering her this time and increased her begging to be released. Tralec paused only long enough to place his hand on a plate and produce a long, flat object made of blue-tinted wood.
“Nooooo!” Skylar yelled out as he picked it up and balanced it in his hand before laying it flat across the tops of her already well-reddened mounds.
“Oh, yes. Perhaps using this paddle will gain your attention. I might as well also deal with your theft of the shifter while I am at it.”
“No-no-no-noooo! Stop! Ow! Please, Daddy… no… more…” Skylar wept as the instrument branded her bottom with searing pain. He smacked her backside with determination and purpose, his calculated blows cracking precisely upon the bare flesh, causing her skin to blanch and roughen. Skylar knew she would be feeling this punishment for several days; that is, if he didn’t kill her! The paddle rose and fell with crisp, smoldering cracks over her tender, young backend and along the backs of her legs, turning every visible spot to different hues of vivid red. He offered her no time to recover from one swat before applying the next, undisturbed by the accompanying squeals and pleas that joined with the fierce popping of the heavy, thick wood meeting flesh. Skylar’s screams became deafening as the paddle left deep indentations upon the crown of her buttocks and fire spread to the tips of her toes.
Tralec stopped only after she submitted to him out of exhaustion. Her body sagged across his knees and she clung to his trousers, crying pathetically into her arms. Her body shook under his hands, displaying a well-disciplined bottom belonging to a very contrite little girl.
“Have I made myself clear to you, Skylar Jeannine?”
The use of her middle name threw her for a loop. When did he discover it? Unable to talk through her breathless sobbing, Skylar simply nodded. She felt Tralec pat her bottom before making her stand up between his knees. He looked very serious as he pulled up her panties and adjusted the little dress.
“I will have no more tantrums from you. If another comes on, we will deal with it swiftly and severely. Do you want that?”
“No, sir,” Skylar sniffed.
Tralec produced a tissue for her nose and wiped the tears from her face before making her blow. “I did not enjoy that, but I will do it again. I will also find other instruments to use. Your manuals have been very thorough in describing different types and their purpose, and I will not hesitate to try them out. Please, do not push me.”
“I’m sorry I said that to you, Daddy.”
“You’re forgiven. Go apologize to Papa for your temper and then sit down and eat.”
“But…” Skylar’s heart stopped. The thought of sitting was the farthest thing from her mind. The expression on his face spelled his intent. Do as you are told or we will repeat this lesson…
Skylar hung her head as she dragged her feet in Troy’s direction. She apologized sweetly and tried not to cry out as he lifted her to his lap and settled her down to sit on his thighs. He lifted a bite-sized piece of the meal portion to her lips and, reluctantly, she opened her mouth.
Skylar felt her face redden as she chewed. Troy noticed, cutting another piece for her. “It is not bad, is it? All that fuss and a nasty spanking was for nothing. You have to remember that things aren’t always what they seem, baby. Never judge by appearances. Embrace that thought and life will be much easier for you here.”
“It tastes like top sirloin,” Skylar whispered, ashamed of her behavior. I bet that bitch robot enjoyed me getting into trouble, she fumed to herself. “Why do you have to make it look so awful?”
“It is how it looks. We eat our food and don’t care about the appearance. It has nothing to do with taste.”
“I like my food to look edible. It is part of my culture,” she sniffed, allowing Troy to feed her again.
“We understand that, but it is not so important that you behave so inappropriately. Finish up so we can go. I do not wish to be late,” Tralec said firmly, his tone causing Skylar to sink deeper into Troy’s protective arms.
“I’m done,” Skylar said quietly, sipping from the cup that Troy held to her lips. “I really can feed myself, Papa.”
“I enjoy feeding you. So much so that I intend to do it often. How’s the bottom?” Troy whispered into her ear.
Skylar blushed, noticing how Tralec lifted his eyebrows from the other side of the room. Damn their super-hearing! “It hurts very badly. Especially since you are forcing me to sit.”
“If it didn’t hurt, then it wouldn’t be effective, would it?” Troy asked, brushing a strand of hair from her forehead before kissing her smooth skin. “Do you need to go potty before we leave?”
“Papa, please stop treating me like I am a child!”
“To us, you are one. It is something you will have to get used to.”
“Why? I mean, seriously?”
“The reason is simple, baby. We enjoy it. Treating you as a child needing our care and protection bring us pleasure.”
“What about me? What about what I want?”
“You really don’t know what you want, Skylar. It is up to us to help you find it,” Tralec said, reaching his arms out for her. Skylar reluctantly left the warmth of Troy’s lap and was gathered in Tralec’s arms. “Your happiness will bring us pleasure, but you need to learn how to create your own happiness as well. That starts from setting safe boundaries and growing from there. You will never find joy as long as you allow yourself to be controlled by your emotions.”
“I’m not into philosophical living, Daddy. We studied some of that crap when I was in high school and I never understood it. It’s too complex,” Skylar whimpered as he held her lovingly to his chest and rocked her.
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