Free Shockball by S. L. Viehl Page A

cycle.”
    “A cycle !” Where was Duncan? And Jenner? I yanked against my restraints and ignored the scraping sound of my voice. “Where’s my husband? Where’s my cat?” They had me strapped down tight. “Let me out of these things, you stupid twit!”
    That dimmed the smile a few watts. “In due course, I will.” She picked up a chart and made some notations on it. Her short, honey-colored hair gleamed as she glanced over at me. I’m Dr. Lily Risen. Call me Lily. Please, don’t struggle. I’d hate to have to sedate you again.“
    “Again?” Call-me-Lily hadn’t even run a scan on me yet. If she really was in charge of me, I was lucky to be alive. “Where am I?”
    “You’re on board the L.T.F. Stephenson . We’ve just gone into orbit above Terra. Now, relax and try to stay calm while I take your vitals.”
    “My vitals are fine. Where is my husband and my cat?”
    She hesitated, then went over to a console and accessed it. “Linguist Reever and the animal were brought out of suspension yesterday and have been transferred to the detainment area.”
    “You put my cat in jail ?”
    Doctor Sunshine walked back over to my berth. “Of course not. Once it was revived, the animal refused to be separated from Linguist Reever.” She rubbed her forearm, which I saw was bandaged.
    Jenner really didn’t like strangers handling him. “He’s got some claws, doesn’t he?”
    She gave me a prim frown. “Yes.”
    That was my boy. “Are they all right?”
    “Yes. We also discovered the most extraordinary form of mold on the ship—it appears to be ambulatory.”
    Lord, they’d even found the Lok-Teel. “That also belongs to me. Where is it?”
    “Right over there, in a specimen container. Now, here.” She leaned over me, holding a syrinpress. “No, don’t be afraid. I’m going to administer the last corrective to bring you all the way out of the suspension. It won’t hurt you.”
    “What corrective?”
    “They told me you’d be demanding,” Lily said as she infused me at the jugular. The sting of the drug spread through my neck, and made me arch against my bonds again. “I know it’s a little uncomfortable. But we’ll have you out of this chamber in a few minutes, and then you can see your father.” She smiled again, as if expecting me to sob or cheer or something.
    No one had bothered to brief Dr. Risen about my relationship with my creator. Which, when I thought about it, was terrific.
    “My father’s here? On this ship?” When she nodded, I let my lips curl up on both sides. “That’s great news. I can’t wait to see him. How about letting me up now?”
    “Sure. Just remember, take it slow and easy.”
    Oh, goody. Nobody had bothered to brief her about anything .
    She released the straps holding me down. “You’re on your honor now. Please don’t try to escape. I’d hate to have to call security.”
    Was there anything she didn’t hate to have to do?
    “I won’t try to escape.” Try, hell, I was going to escape. I sat up, then pushed myself off the suspension unit. It took a minute to get my legs steady, so I took the time to study my surroundings.
    They’d put me in a typical League medical bay. All the berths were empty, though, and Dr. Risen was the only med pro in sight. Excellent. One on one was a lot easier than one on twenty.
    Even better, she’d also neglected to deactivate the console. She’d have used her password, and she just might be a Primary. Primary physicians had access to the entire database. Every bit of information I’d need was right there, waiting for me.
    Now I just had to get rid of Sunshine.
    I eyed the chart in her hands, then a dermal probe and syrinpress. All three were easily within my reach. Decisions, decisions.
    “Are you the Primary here?”
    “Yes. Look at me, please.” She held an optic scanner up and checked my eyes.
    They were making airheads like her Primaries. Mother of All Houses. “First assignment, right?”
    “Is it that