Transfer

It was a beautiful day on Altrania – sunny and warm with a pleasant breeze coming from the sea. Not a single cloud was in the sky obscuring the planet's two moons, which could often be seen this time of day in the northern hemisphere.

Too bad I was stuck in the back of a prison van that was making its way through the light afternoon traffic to my new home. The van was on autopilot, its only two passengers were me and Loreena, the guard tasked with transferring me. She had stripped and chained me up right there in the courtroom after sentencing, as it was common practice in this part of the galaxy, and we were now sitting next to each other on the back bench.

Loreena was a chatty nineteen-year-old brunette who looked closer to seventeen than she did to twenty. She had been on the job for two months, had joined Justice because she “loved working with people,” had three older brothers, an absent father, and a mother who was an accountant. She had a boyfriend twelve years her senior, which her mother didn’t approve of, and she liked the neighbor's cat, Spot, even though he was a pervert who liked to watch when she and the boyfriend were having sex. I assumed it was the cat who liked to watch, but she was a bit hard to follow.

I had learned all of that in the first five minutes of our trip, before we had even left the city and without me asking any questions. In fact, up to this point I hadn’t said a single word.

While Loreena was rambling on, I was looking out of the window, admiring the countryside and playing with the chain that connected my cuffs and belly chain to the leg irons. It made a small “pling” every time it touched my labia piercings.

“Hey, any chance you could unlock these cuffs? Just until we're there?"

It wasn't like I was trying to escape. That would require careful planning and some outside help.

“So sorry,” she said, nervously twirling her hair between her fingers. “I can't, they don’t give me the keys. I couldn’t even open the door, it’s for security reasons.”

Figures.

"So what's your job exactly?"

"Oh, I have this alarm button that I need to press if there's a problem. And I clean the van if someone makes a mess in it. That's not my favorite part of this job, so please don't pee in the van, okay?"

"I hadn't planned on it."

"Pinky promise?"

"Pinky promise," I said, trying to keep a straight face.

“We’ll be there soon and they’ll take your cuffs off when you’re in your … room and then you can use the toilet. I’m so glad we’re getting along well. I know I talk too much when I’m nervous. Honestly, I was really worried when they told me that I have to escort a pirate. I couldn’t sleep all night and when I did sleep, Spot woke me up and wanted to be let in and-”

“I’m not a pirate,” I said, which was more or less true, but she didn’t listen.

“It must be such an interesting life, traveling the galaxy. Can’t you tell me about it, what is it like? All the adventures out there, the planets, the people. Back here, nothing ever happens, I swear, it’s the most boring place in the universe.”

Loreena was a sweet girl, but I had other things on my mind than making small talk. My team probably thought that I was dead – between the shuttle crashing and the explosion shortly after, it was a reasonable assumption. It sure explained why nobody had come to get me.

“No, I can’t tell you anything,” I said, looking for a way to end this conversation. “I don’t want to incriminate myself. I’m sure you understand.”

“Of course, of course, I understand.”

We sat there in silence for about ten seconds.

“Gods,” she sighed, “I would kill for your boobs. They are so amazing and I’m totally into piercings myself, but my mom never gave me permission. She says only sluts and whores-”

She interrupted herself, eyes wide open. “I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean to imply-”

I laughed. “Pretty much, but who gives a shit? Life is too short, do what makes you happy.”

She nodded and continued staring at my bare breasts. She reached out with a shaking hand but stopped at the very last moment.

“Nipple and pussy piercings, that’s so wild. You’re such a badass. Did it hurt? Is it true that it makes you so much more sensitive during sex?”

“More sensitive sounds about right,” I said, but in my case it wasn’t the entire story.

“May I ask a question? It’s kind of indiscreet?”

I rolled my eyes. “What is it?”

“Your boobs, are they real? Or, like, implants, or bio mods? I definitely want to get some work done, but with my salary at Justice, you know. I’m not sure I really love Todd, but maybe when we get married-”

“The boobs are real,” I interrupted her. “The only good thing I ever got from my mom. But why don’t you tell me where we’re going?”

"Oh, yes, of course. It's the Rayman Hayes prison complex."

"So what is that, medium security? High security?"

"We don't have different levels. Prisons are for serious criminals, everyone else gets home confinement or community service. Like my friend Vicky, she has to work every Saturday because she took some nail polish at the mall. Purple, really pretty. And now she's banned from the shop, but please don't tell anyone, she's a bit embarrassed. Gods, I talk too much. I'm sorry."

Clearly, Vicky was still at the beginning of her criminal career.

"Look," she said, pointing out the window to our right, towards a valley. "We're almost there."

It was a weird place, unlike any prison I had ever been to. Where were the walls? The razor wire? The guard towers? I didn't even see a whipping post, not that I was particularly fond of those.

The whole complex looked peaceful and more like a park, with pathways and lanterns, trees, a small stream, and maybe a dozen buildings strewn across the landscape. There were no fences or walls of any kind, no infrastructure, just on the far side I could see tracks and a small railway station.

The buildings were all constructed the same way. They were single-story, circular, with glass facades, a large open courtyard inside and a small building with dark windows at the center.

"And that's a prison?"

She nodded eagerly.

"They call it the zoo, but that's just people being mean. It's an awesome place, very modern."

Well, it was definitely something else.

"Take a look, Cassidy. The inmates' rooms are on the outside and the small building in the middle, that's the guard station. All the walls are made of dura glass, like, indestructible. The guards can see into every corner of the rooms. It's super secure, nobody ever escaped from it."

"The courtyard is for rec time?"

"Nooo, nobody is allowed to leave their room, ever. It's for security. But," and her face lit up, "you can have visitors any time you like."

Visitors? The only person I knew on this planet had been the mark and by now he was probably light-years away on George's cruiser, answering some very uncomfortable questions.

As we got closer, I was able to make out some inmates. Every one of them was stark naked, wearing a steel collar that was tethered to the floor using a sturdy-looking chain. That seemed to be a big part of the secret why nobody had ever escaped.

Holy shit, I thought. Even the walls between cells are transparent. So much for privacy in this place.

"Wait a minute, they house men and women in the same building? Seriously?"

Loreena looked a bit uncomfortable.

"Err, yes. It's randomly assigned. But you'll be perfectly safe, it's all single-person rooms."

Now that's a relief.

I was lost in thought and didn’t realize that the van had stopped. Loreena gave my nipple ring a gentle tug. A jolt of electricity shot through my nipple, making me jump. I was wide awake in an instant.

“Oh, I'm so sorry,” she said, surprised by my reaction. “I just can't keep my fingers to myself, I'm so sorry. I didn’t mean to startle you. We’re here.”

She helped me outside, grabbing my arm to make sure I didn’t trip.