Shockball by S. L. Viehl

But Terran concerns, I would bet, came first.
    The decision was announced without any discussion or emotion by the African rep.
    “The petition presented by the League is denied. The petition presented by Dr. Grey Veil is granted. The construct, Cherijo Grey Veil, will be remanded to the custody of Dr. Joseph Grey Veil, to serve whatever purposes he determines are appropriate, for the remainder of her existence.”
    Did I know my own species, or what?
     
    I didn’t raise too much of a fuss when the guards marched me back out of the building and into a private glidecar. Hoping Reever would magically appear to snatch me away from all this kept me quiet and alert.
    But Reever didn’t show. Worse, nobody seemed worried about that—not even Joe.
    “Hey.” I was shoved in the back of the vehicle and squashed between two guards. “Where are you taking me?”
    Joe got in behind the wheel. “Home.”
    “That would take a few hundred light-years,” I said.
    I couldn’t stand not knowing anymore. “Where is my husband?”
    “I’m not sure at the moment, but I will find him.”
    So Reever had taken off. I grinned. “I doubt it.”
    “He is in no position to help you, Cherijo.”
    “Keep telling yourself that, if it makes you happy.” I pretended to stare at the scenery as it whizzed by, while trying to plot my next move. Reever would come after me. I wasn’t going to let the mistakes of the past let me doubt that. And when he did, I needed to be ready.
    And if he doesn’t?
    I hated that sour little voice inside my head. Then I get out of Joseph’s cage and I go find out why he didn’t .
    The massive estate I’d grown up on was located just outside New Angeles, right over one of the prime epicenters of the San Andreas fault. My creator had bought the land dirt cheap, shortly before the New Angeles Corps of Engineers had permanently stabilized the fault. Land value had skyrocketed since then, which left Joe sitting on a gold mine.
    Maggie had told me I’d been born on the grounds, so it figured that Joseph had his laboratory stashed somewhere on the estate’s nine hundred acres. Maybe somewhere up in the mountain range just behind the house. The only other thing up there were some Future Agers and a couple of Indians living off the land.
    Joseph’s mansion had undergone yet another overhaul, I saw as the glidecar pulled to a stop outside the front entrance. Another three stories had been added, making a towering total of seven. Instead of the stately marble-and-glass facade that I’d hated so much when I’d lived there, someone had completely redesigned the entire exterior in a trendy polished alloy with sculpted faux-stone accents.
    The sight of it made my stomach clench.
    “Let’s go.”
    The guards forced me out of the glidecar and up the long cobblestone walk to the front entrance. We followed Joseph inside, where the icy temperature of the air conditioning made me realize how much I was sweating. An automated housekeeper greeted us in a metallic voice.
    “Welcome to The Grey Veils.” It turned to me. “Identify the female Terran, please.”
    “This is my property, Dr. Cherijo Grey Veil.”
    “Welcome, Dr. Cherijo. It has been over three revolutions since your last occupation. Please respond for an updated entry into the household database voice-recognition program.”
    “This place still resembles a mausoleum.”
    “Thank you, Dr. Cherijo.”
    Joseph instructed the drone to prepare an evening meal for two, then dismissed the guards. Once we were alone, he lifted Jenner’s carrier and gestured for me to proceed him to the wing I had once occupied.
    He still had my cat, so there wasn’t much I could do. Yet.
    “I’m not staying,” I said as I trudged down the endless hall. “So don’t get too comfortable with the living arrangements.”
    “I have no doubt you will try to escape.” Joe ushered me into my old room, which, like its duplicate on the Truman , was exactly as I had left it. “You