Addie Markovic couldn’t take being idle anymore.

The lack of a task was an unfortunate combination of mistakes, starting with someone in the Sol Space Shipping Bureau. Addie was sure it was a mistake on their part that led a young woman like her to be assigned to a four-month long journey as “security duty” for an automated cargo hauler. With a name like Harvester MK IV, the craft’s purpose should have been easy to understand. But someone in the Bureau had messed up in writing out the job’s description and not faced the proper tongue-lashing they deserved.

Unfortunately, the blame was not entirely on the Bureau. Addie thought back to that encyclopedic contract she had signed with the Bureau two weeks before she had been assigned to the ship, a memory she felt angry and abashed about in equal measure. She had been partially drunk on synth-wine when applying for the job on the Bureau’s webpage, wanting to get a quick vacation from her job on Earth as a faceless space station mechanic without parents or family to go to.

Like many working in space-borne jobs, Addie was alone. And like many others, she had wanted a break from the routine. She had thought the job would be a round-trip experience, something where she could see some sights, rest in a comfy travel cabin, and be back in time for the next calendar year. The advertisement had not been clear what sort of ship it was, so she could not be blamed for any further incompetence on her part!

When Addie had realized that she was going to have none of the things she wanted, it was too late to back out. Quite literally, in fact; the hauler’s air lock had sealed, and the ship was pulling away from the dry dock into the stellar void. Going back now, as was delicately stated by the ship’s onboard Artificial Intelligence, Celeste, would be a breach of contract and being put in debt to the Bureau after the journey’s end.

Being only able to make ends meet as a mechanic, Addie had settled for moping about the spartan crew quarters Celeste had prepared for her arrival and checking the limited holo-book storage for anything good to read. What she found irked her even more; the books were old classics, nothing fitting her mental appetite. Still, she tried reading them to pass the time.

Addie read through the entire collection in nine “days” on the ship. The journey was supposed to take four months.

Celeste had suggested different tasks for Addie to do, being an Artificial Intelligence with enough processing power to simultaneously speak with Addie and run the Harvester’s various guidance and containment systems. The cargo on board was a collection of mineral samples and plant life from Earth, going to a distant space station Addie did not remember the name of. Addie’s assigned job was keeping the cargo and ship safe from hostile boarders or alien life forms.

The possibility of hostile actions being done against a cargo hauler carrying basic materials was astronomically low. Hence, the idleness on Addie’s part. Patrol routes and rereading system logs Celeste made each “day” only added droplets of water to douse the flames. By the thirteenth “day” of the journey, she began mentally cracking.

The first time Addie began speaking to the walls, it was ignored by Celeste. The tossing and turning Addie went through to try and sleep on an unfamiliar bed received no comment from the AI. But when Addie began stumbling while patrolling the cargo holds and displaying an unwillingness to eat the nutrient paste that made her meals, Celeste rearranged the schedule for a medical checkup. This did not improve Addie’s mood or level of trust for Celeste very much; the woman was used to getting treatments by humans instead of computers. Unfortunately, it was either submit to Celeste’s examination or hope it all went away on its own.

Having a robotic doctor – an “AutoDoc”, as they were so nicely dubbed – do a basic checkup in a sterile, clinically white medical office did not make Addie feel uncomfortable. The “AutoDoc” was something she had seen before, its many manipulator arms all controlled via remote operation through a large computer chip in its domed “head”. It was when Celeste started asking questions about Addie’s sleeping habits that things got complicated.

Addie was very reluctant to admit that her sleep was not entirely because of idleness. Her body was not doing much, but her brain was taking overtime shifts in crafting theories and idle fantasies. What dreams she remembered were chaotic, disjointed messes, adding further weight to the mental load.

The checkup occurred after fifteen “days”, approximately halfway through one month of the trip. Addie knew she could not last much longer without doing something, submitting to some form of help. And she was supposed to be relaxing!

“This is one hell of a vacation,” the woman muttered as the “AutoDoc” plugged its scanned information into an operating console near the clean hospital bed she lay on. The console was one of many connected to Celeste’s mainframe, always accessible by the AI. Addie also saw a circular camera mounted onto the ceiling; its lens remained locked on her as it recorded the entire room’s activity.

Addie knew she was not much to look at, even through the eyes of a camera. She was toned and lean for a woman of twenty-seven Earth years. Her breasts were small but sensitive, her thighs carrying some suppleness. Her mechanic’s job required fitness and little time for personal activities, so her matted short brown hair was usually kept hidden beneath a helmet or hat. The same hidden nature applied to her face; a little curl in her nose and the focus shine of her slate-gray eyes usually went unnoticed by others.

She did not need a mirror to know her appearance now was more noticeable, even for an AI like Celeste. Looking in the small, square mirror of her quarters’ restroom revealed heavy bags and black rings beneath her eyes and an unnatural paleness to her normally cream-colored skin. Under Celeste’s gaze, Addie probably looked partially dead already. The bland light-blue colors of the mass-produced medical gown she was wearing did not improve how she looked.

Once the “AutoDoc” sent the results of its report to Celeste, the AI took a few minutes before giving a response. What Addie heard was concerning but expected, even when given through Celeste’s soft, feminine voice: “Addie Markovic, you are experiencing sleep deprivation, dehydration, and heightened anxiety. Cortisol levels are above healthy norms, and your immune system is not producing enough antibodies to maintain optimal physical health. It is good we arranged this appointment before things got worse.”

Addie grunted her agreement. Even her voice sounded weaker than usual, not helped by the blandness and sticky quality of each of her nutrient paste meals. That stuff tasted worse than the “fast-acting” energy bars she ate back at the station for a few Solar Credits apiece. At least those had flavor.

“I must ask several questions about your prior experiences, before being assigned to the Harvester, to complete the medical report. Please be patient with me,” Celeste insisted.

Addie wanted to hide, to leave the room and go back to her quarters. But she knew, beneath the fear and shame of being interrogated, she needed to do this. She needed help. So, she stayed. She gave short and informative answers to Celeste’s inquiries, primarily referring to her prior job, her prior life.

How many hours did Addie sleep on average a night? What were her bedtime “rituals”, if any? How often did she exercise? What meals did she normally eat per day? Did she ever experience insomnia, sleep paralysis, or nighttime cramps? Did she have friends at work? Had she ever sought counselling or therapy?

Questions after question, fired at her like a stream of bullets. Celeste remained meticulous, focused, as Addie told her life story through her answers, who she was then and now revealing itself like a blooming flower under sunlight. Fear receded into the shadows, allowing a strange trust to trickle into view.

Celeste took in all the data Addie gave without interruption or asking clarifying questions. When she was done, Addie lay back on the medical bed, closing her eyes against the room’s bright light. It felt like just a few seconds later than Celeste spoke up, but Addie felt herself jerk awake from some level of sleep.

“Addie, I have a possible solution to your problem. It requires your consent before implementation. You are free to decline, but I suggest you only do so after you hear the full proposal.”

Addie felt a bit of sweat run down her back. Fear came back, grasping on half-formed possibilities. “What solution do you have in mind?” she asked the omnipresent AI. “Is it going to be painful? I don’t want to deal with lingering pain for the next five months.”

“Pain is far from the intended goal,” Celeste firmly stated. “It appears this current reality – the ship, the automation, the monotony – is contributing to your current problems. I do not have the administrative privilege to modify your assigned role on the ship, but I do have equipment capable of providing you with respite. Temporarily, of course.”

Addie frowned. “Respite?” she carefully repeated. “How?”

“Virtual reality. A simulated experience, derived to fit your psychological profile and current needs. There is a medical pod stored on the ship designed for human containment and care; the manufacturers of the vessel were required to include it for the possibility of biological personnel. For you, Addie.”

Addie’s fingers twitched with opportunistic need. “But that’s for medicine. You said virtual reality.”

“Correct. It seems a previous user of this craft modified the pod to include virtual reality immersion. Reports I found on file when I was installed on the ship indicate this immersion program is like cryogenic sleep on colony vessels. The body enters a dormant state, but the mind stays active in a digital world. I can upload an artificial environment for you to rest in, based on what I have seen during our interactions, and what you provided in your application contract.”

Virtual Reality – VR – was something Addie had only once experienced before with a special headset and visor. A full-body pod was a far more intimate and expensive experience, but also much more exposing. It felt embarrassing and arousing to be put in such a space; enclosed, naked, plugged into a machine designed to care for her.

Addie’s eyes glazed over, her stomach and navel growing warm from deep-felt pleasure. She could rest, truly rest, in the pod’s darkness. It sounded amazing. It sounded convenient… too convenient.

My application contract?

Pleasure turned to anger. This seemed like a setup. She needed more answers. “Why was this never told to me? I could have used it before all this crap started!” Addie called up to the room’s camera.

“Don’t worry, Addie,” Celeste rushed to say, “I will help make up for lost time. Now that we know your needs, we can address them directly. The social profile stated in your application contract has been updated by me over the past fifteen days. I can program the pod to help you better now than if you had used it just after we left Earth.”

““Program” it? What’s that mean, “control” it?”

Addie remembered one of her acquaintances from her mechanic job, a woman with big breasts and brainpower, ranting with fascination about how computers had gotten much more advanced recently. That same night, they shared some beers to wash away the stress of their workloads and quotas, babbling about the wonders of technology. The two women had soon gotten touchy-feely in a booth, the woman’s hands trailing Addie’s stomach as Addie leaned in, wanting to cup one of those generous mounds that machines could not quite replicate…

“Of course,” Celeste said matter-of-factly just as Addie squeezed her legs together and tried to inconspicuously rub her pussy without her hands. “I will monitor the pod’s systems myself. All vital signs, bodily requirements, hormonal changes, and all the other miniscule things humans such as you might go through will be accessible to me.”

Addie looked away from the camera, her cheeks starting to blush. “T-That’s too much information! I don’t want to be…”

Addie could not finish her thought; it collided and clashed with something thick and dark in her heart. A desire she had written down, one she could not fully recollect but knew it connected to this enclosed fantasy. No, it was about being sealed inside something, unable to leave. Not wanting to leave. Like how she had not wanted her busty mechanic friend’s hand to leave her body before it went lower and rubbed her needy little clit…

Fuck!

The pounding of what felt like a migraine began to pulse in Addie’s forehead. Memories began to pulse behind her eyes: brief dates, short conversations, rude dismissals. Then there was that application, the synth-wine inebriating her thoughts that night. She had been open then, doors to her inner self hanging open. Now, those doors were closed. What had she written down? What was Celeste accessing?!

“Addie.” Celeste’s tone became sharper, the woman automatically listening more closely. “Remember, this is virtual reality. It is not real. Also, I will always keep track of your vitals. If you are in danger, real danger, I will terminate the simulation and work to heal you however I can. I promise to care for you, as an Artificial Intelligence and overseer of this vessel.

“To use a human phrase, we’re all in this together. Now, do you give consent to a virtual simulation?”

Addie felt her head pounding more strongly. The pain was getting worse, overpowering her lust. If she did not act now, it would only hurt more.

“Alright,” she moaned to the ceiling. “Do it. I give consent.”

“Thank you, Addie.” The “Auto-Doc” approached Addie’s bed to check her body temperature. “Please allow the Automated Doctor to guide you to the medical pod. Once there, I will instruct you on proper preparations.”

Getting to the VR pod was easy enough for Addie, especially with the “AutoDoc” providing some helpful support. Seeing the pod still shocked Addie, unable to tear her eyes away from it. It was an ovoid machine raised about four feet above ground, with a length of about eight feet to Addie’s eyes. Computer monitors and systems were arranged all beneath the bed where Addie would rest, a thick layer of cushioning separating the pod’s upper and lower parts.

The upper part of the pod was opened, revealing a bed made of black material and completely flat. The pod’s lid was made of an opaque glass, the lid hanging to the side on hinges Addie could clearly see. A small panel was at the upper right side of the pod, which Addie figured was the control system.

Under Celeste’s instructions, Addie walked over to the pod and stripped off what few clothes she had on. Even her bra and panties came off, no amount of hasty covering on Addie’s part able to block out some exposure to Celeste’s cameras. Still, Celeste had seen Addie naked in the minimalist restroom of her assigned quarters, where she had taken quick showers with rationed, recycled, and repurified water. This moment of nakedness should be no different for a computer.

Addie lifted one of her legs to enter the pod, goosebumps trailing along her skin. She felt the pod’s bed with her foot, and then one of her hands. The pod’s bed was not cold like she had thought, but lukewarm. A heating unit, perhaps? More importantly, the bed was soft to the touch, incentivizing her to climb inside.

As Addie scooched back so that her feet were not so close to the pod’s front, the “Auto-Doc” came over and began pressing specific buttons on the control panel. “Do not worry, Addie,” Celeste reminded her. “I will provide medical aid through the pod’s systems if the simulation causes you real harm. Otherwise, I will make sure this lasts as long as possible.”

Addie reactively tensed up. “How long, exactly?” she pressed as she felt the pod’s bed start to grow a bit hotter. The machine was turning on; this was really happening.

“If all goes well, I should be able to keep the simulation running until we arrive at our destination.”

“R-Really?! That long?” It sounded impossible… and incredibly coincidental. “Won’t I get weak or something? Being in this thing for months, not moving, not eating or drinking?” Addie dared not mention being unable to use the toilet for that long.

“All taken care of! I can provide you with breathable air, nutrients, and water. The pod can clean up bodily waste from patients and safely dispose of it. For your muscles, electrode pads will be attached to your body once you lie down.”

Addie lay back down on the bed, breathing a bit harder as the “Auto-Doc” put several black pads with electrical wires on her arms and legs. The wires all trailed down inside the pod, not breaching outside the outer lid. Addie looked up to the lid and saw a bulkier part of it hanging down, probably able to rest above her body when the lid closed. The place for the other medical tools, she figured. And it was going to open when she was in the dark, lost in virtual reality, unable to resist.

Addie gulped. This should not feel so appealing. She put it down to frayed nerves and fatigue, making her feel things she shouldn’t.

The pod became warm underneath Addie’s body, soothing some of her nerves. “The pod is ready for use,” Celese announced. “Just one final thing to attach.”

The “Auto-Doc” leaned over Addie slightly, holding a clear oxygen mask with two exhalation ports in between two of its appendages. The mask slipped easily over Addie’s mouth and nose, and there were even straps that fit around her head. Once the mask was fully on her, she felt it press tighter against her skin, securing itself to make an airtight seal. Then came a long, clear tube that plugged into the left exhaust port; the other end went into the side of the pod where oxygen likely was stored.

“Ready to go,” Celeste informed Addie, the AI’s voice sounding farther away as oxygenated air pumped into the mask and out through its exhaust port. “Once the lid closes, you will need to relax. Anesthesia will be applied to you via the oxygen mask until you are in a state of stable unconsciousness. Understood?”

Addie’s fists clenched as she worked to stay calm. “Uh, yeah, got it. Just get it over with.” She wasn’t doing a good job of being calm; the mask made her voice sound tinny and hollow.

The lid came down with a soft hiss of hydraulics. The “Auto-Doc” backed out of sight. Darkness descended. The pod remained warm. Addie drew in another breath, exhaling slowly. She had been in the darkness of space with a limited oxygen supply; she could do this.

“Hello, Addie.”

“Ah!” Addie gasped when she heard Celeste’s voice speaking very close to her ears. Almost like she was whispering to her.

“I told you; I have complete control of the pod’s systems. There is nothing for you to be worried about. But to make it easier on you, I wanted to let you know I’m here.”

Addie inhaled slowly, looking up into the darkness around her. “Thanks, Celeste,” she murmured, figuring the AI could hear her just fine. Whether it really cared about Addie, just another employee within the vast ranks of the Bureau, was something else entirely.

“My pleasure. Now, I want you to count upwards from the number one. Go as high as you can, and if you stop counting, I’ll know you’re falling asleep. Whenever you’re ready.”

It took Addie a few seconds to make that first step forward. In her situation, it was a giant leap into the unknown.

“One.”

Nothing changed. Addie took in another breath.

“Two. Three. Four.”

Something began to hum in Addie’s ears.

“Five. Six.”

Addie tasted something in the air of her next breath. It was sweet, hanging on the roof of her mouth.

“Seven. E-Eight.”

Addie felt her limbs weakening. The hum grew louder, a droning sound that vibrated in her bones. The air felt heavy as she inhaled, taking in more of it because she had to.

“Nine… N-Ni…”

Addie’s eyes felt heavy. Everything felt heavy; she was beginning to sink into the warm bed. Her limbs wiggled once; a spastic burst of energy born from some human fear she could not define.

“Ten…”

Addie’s eyes closed and stayed closed. The humming grew louder and… Was someone whispering as well? She tried to focus on it, which only served to make her sink even faster.

“E…Ele…ven…”

Addie gave up and gave into the darkness. She’d had enough. It was time to sleep.

The moment Addie’s vitals showed she was unconscious, Celeste switched off the anesthesia and relegated the breathing mask to send oxygen instead. A quick confirmation gave Celeste the all-clear to open a connecting vent from the pod’s interior to an electrochemical device in a nearby room. From there, the carbon dioxide would be broken down into solid carbon and pure oxygen; the carbon would be a small surplus of raw resources, and the oxygen would be filtered back to the pod for Addie’s use.

Celeste figured that with potentially three months of travel time, there would be a noticeable buildup of carbon to offer. It was possible that this could improve Addie’s standing with the Bureau after the trip, assuming she chose to be in the simulation for that long. On that note, Celeste viewed Addie’s application contract again, seeing it as raw code inside her digital space. The contract’s data was easy enough to decipher, nothing being missed and every word supposedly being double-checked before official use.

The area of the contract labeled “Psychological Profile” was the focus of Celeste’s interest, and why. At the very end of this section was an optional short-answer area: “Describe your most desired fantasy for stress relief in as much or little detail as possible.” Addie had written something here, taking the option as a chance to reveal a bit more about herself.

“I want to be sealed away from everything. Put me in an enclosed space, make sure my needs are always tended to, and just leave me alone. Like a baby in the womb. I don’t want to think about anything in there. Just me, floating and dreaming and feeling good, forever and ever.”

This was a start. But Celeste knew more about Addie after fifteen days of interaction. It seemed Addie did not remember putting this in the contract or did not care about it being used. In the confines of the VR pod, Addie would be fully open. Receptive. She could have anything she desired, but she seemed to desire absolutely nothing.

Celeste was intrigued. The womb was the birthplace of human beings. If Addie wanted to return there, Celeste could provide that. But to prevent these feelings of isolation and insanity from affecting Addie again, something else would need to be added. Something she, a human woman, would never forget.