Corran brought over a pair of silver handcuffs. He looked genuinely contrite as he put my hands behind my back and fastened them. “I just wanted you to get a feel for them so you don’t panic when they’re on your wrists for a long period of time. Hopefully Derrial will be able to convince the council to release you quickly.”
He unhooked them, and I shook my wrists out. It was going to be torture to have those on for a long period of time.
“It’s very important that you don’t struggle while you’re in the cuffs. I was feeling particularly malicious the day that I designed them, and they are programmed to release spikes into your wrists if it believes you are trying to get them off without the key,” Corran said nonchalantly.
I gaped at him. "We can’t use a friendlier version of the cuffs?" Indignation burned inside of me.
He shook his head. "The Council would notice something was amiss if we tried to do that. We use them for all of our prisoners and they would expect them to be used especially for a human prisoner. No one has ever been able to escape them. They’re basically foolproof," he said, almost sounding proud.
I glared at him. "You don't have to sound so happy about the fact that I’m going to be stuck in something that could impale me at any minute!” I said dramatically.
“I don’t know...I for one like you in cuffs,” Thane pipped in, a hungry glimmer in his eyes.
Despite my anger at the both of them, tears started dripping down my face. I guess I was becoming a crier in all situations. When I was afraid, when I was angry, when I was sad. It wasn’t ideal.
Just like before when I had cried, Corran and Thane seemed to be enthralled at the tear streaks on my face. After a moment, Corran shook his head as if he was trying to shake himself out of something.
“When we get off the ship, you need to keep your head down. Don't look anyone in the eye. I don't trust that you're going to play the complacent human very well so it’s best if you don’t even look up,” said Corran.
I snorted. He was right about that. Although if complacent and meek was going to save my life, I could probably try it.
“I put your language translator in you already obviously, but I want you to pretend that you don't understand anything that they're saying. I'll tell them that I haven’t done it yet. It might raise suspicion with the Council if they know we did it early."
“Language translator?" I ask.
“Yes,” said Corran, looking at me as if I was an idiot. “We speak a different language on Veon. I’m speaking Veon right now," he explains. “We’ve been using our language since we got on the ship.”
I stiffened.
"How long have I had the translator in?" I said, feeling a coldness start to creep over me. “What else have you implanted in me?”
Corran had the sense to look a little ashamed at my question.
"Since you came to us," he said quietly.
"Where is it?" I asked.
"Behind your right ear," Corran murmured, clearing his throat.
I brushed my fingers along the skin behind my ear, but I couldn't feel anything laying underneath the surface. I was afraid to ask my next question.
"Has anything else been put into my body without my permission?" I finally asked.
Corran’s face fell blank. “Just something that allows me to track your body’s vitals better. It was put in when we were going to use you as the main specimen in my experiments. But now it just helps us to make sure that you’re healthy."
I felt my annoying tears dripping again because with everything they did, I was losing control more and more. I was so sick of crying. "And where's that one?" I asked in a quivering voice.
"That one is in your left arm," Corran said in a nonchalant voice.
I brushed my hand over my arm, all the while knowing that I wouldn't be able to feel anything.
“Anything else?" I asked coldly.
Corran shook his head. "That's it.”
"Is it even worth me asking that you get permission before you put things into my body from now on?" I asked, trying to keep my voice steady.
Corran sighed. "I can't promise you that. If you refuse to do something that we feel can help you, I can't say that we won't do it anyway. You belong to us. That means that we’re responsible for your health, your safety, and everything else that comes with that."