Free Chosen by the Alien Above Part 3: A Sci-Fi Alien Romance Serial by Nora Lane Page A

experience.
    Why was I vibrating?
    Noah had me keyed up and humming like piano string. Was that it?
    I was in his bed. Alone. One step at a time.
    Warm gel contoured to my curves, supported me better than anything I’d napped on before. It was weird without a blanket or a sheet. But I guessed you didn't need covers in the womb.
    The womb vibrated all around me.
    “Ms. Gabarro, you are scheduled to have dinner in five minutes,” a disembodied, synthesized voice said from everywhere at once.
    I flinched and the gel moved with me.  
    Cosmo. The ship’s over-helpful AI.
    “I vibrated your restoration pod. I hope you don’t mind.”
    I stretched out like a cat in the sun.  
    “It’s wonderful. Thank you, Cosmo.”
    “I am programmed to please. Noah has instructed me to remind you that dinner is in four minutes, seven seconds, and—“
    “Got it,” I butted in. His penchant for being overly precise was annoying. His software routines needed some rounding.
    “Perhaps you are unaware, but you are still wearing the inner layer of your g suit. I only mention it in the event you desire to change—“
    “How’d you know that?”
    “My optical sensors detected—“
    “You’re watching me? Have you been watching the whole time?”
    “I have optical sensors located throughout the station. I maintain constant observation on all circuits to ensure optimal operation.”
    What was with these peeping Toms? Did Noah program in his lack of respect for other’s privacy?
    “Would it be possible for you to not watch me for one friggin’ second?!” I layered in my absolute sharpest cutting sarcasm.
    “My circuits are programmed to allow deactivation of individual sensors. It was a feature—“
    Artificial intelligence indeed. Until one could properly digest a sarcastic remark, we humans had nothing to fear.  
    “I meant stop watching me!”
    “Optical sensors deactivated in Noah’s quarters.”
    “Thank you!”
    “I am programmed to—“
    “Don’t talk! Please,” I added. Did Noah also program in the ability to annoy the living crap out of someone?
    I wiped at my eye and dislodged an eye booger the size of Jupiter. I hoped my eyes weren’t as red as its famed counterpart.
    One minute of silence was all I needed. One minute to get my footing.
    TING. TING. TING.
    What was that?
    TING. TING.
    Somebody at the door. It sounded like a hammer banging away.  
    A hideous growl echoed in. A cold shiver slithered up my spine, despite the cozy gel.
    TING. TING. TING.
    That dog bot! It was trying to break the door down! So it could probe and dissect me! I knew it!
    I would’ve pulled the covers over my head if I’d had any. Restoration pods. The best for napping. The worst for hiding in.
    How long had I slept? Long enough to have not showered, cleaned up, or changed clothes. Too long.
    I jumped out of bed, which was more literal than usual because the gel seemed to guess my intention and pushed me off as I pushed off it. I needed new clothes, but didn’t see anything that screamed closet.  
    I was thankful nothing literally screamed, “Closet!” Self-aware things could definitely go too far. What if every fridge, toaster, and trashcan had an AI? It would be a constant stream of irritating, over-abundant information dumps.
    The avocados are eighty-two percent over-ripe. My sensors indicate your bagel is toasted. Why don’t you ever empty me? Trash pick-up is every week, in case you were wondering.
    What a nightmare the inevitable future was going to be.

CHAPTER TWO

    I paced around the large room. Where the hell was the closet? It was all smooth walls and sloping curves.
    “Cosmo, where’s the closet?” I hoped he got the irritation in my voice, but I wouldn’t have bet on it.
    “Turn sixty-three degrees to your left and take eleven paces.”
    I did as instructed and found an area of wall that looked like it might be a door.
    “Did you not see me wandering around? Looking for this?”
    “I did.”
    “So why