I groaned, feeling like my head was a bongo drum. The last thing I remembered that green plasma burst and then...nothing. I moved a bit to my right but felt constrained. Something was holding me in place. I opened my eyes. The room I was looked a bit sparse but it wasn't too bland. The lights weren't too bright, so at least I didn't get a headache. There was a young woman in plainclothes looking at me from a wall near the door, blonde ponytail and green eyes.

"Oh good! You woke up quicker than I thought!" I leaned a bit closer.

"Who're you?" The girl put her hand to her mouth in surprise.

"Sorry! Where're my manners?" She saluted me.

"Sergeant Brianna Hernandez, ma'am. Terran Union Marine Corps, 438th Infantry Regiment, Third Company. We were together on Bridgeport responding to a Choraxian  Syndicate incursion."

It started to come back to me, one bit at a time. The Bridgeport colony was being hit by slavers going after the local women and our unit was sent in to respond. I remembered this green pulse of light hitting me and then...nothing.

"Why am I-"

"Strapped down?" Hernandez answered. "Simple.  You haven't gone through indoctrination yet. You could still cause our masters trouble. I woke up that way too but the restraints weren't needed for too long."

My heart froze. Masters? Who was she...no, it couldn't be. Then it hit me that I didn't quite know where we were. It looked too comfy to be a holding cell.

"W-what're you talking about?" She smiled.

"The Syndicate showed me the truth and I accepted it. It was a hard pill to swallow, I'll admit, but I could see the nobility of their cause when I stopped fighting." 

I grimaced. She sounded so happy-go-lucky about what she was saying. It was like she didn't even understand what she was talking about.

"You...betrayed the Corps. You betrayed Earth." 

"I understand why you'd say that." Hernandez replied. "You just don't see the big picture yet. You will though, just like I do. And when you do, you'll understand why our masters are so deserving of our service."

There was a chiming noise from the other side of the door. Hernandez perked up a little.

"Oh! Coming!" She still kept her eyes on me when she put her finger on a small button and the door slid open, letting in a pair of what looked like four foot tall reptilian humanoids walked into the room. Their skin was a shimmering blue and they looked me over with bulging eyes. Hernandez bowed when they entered.

"Masters, you honor me with your presence."

"Ssshe isss awake." said the one on the right.

"Yes, master. She woke earlier than expected.

"Exccelent." it replied. "We will begin processssing her immediately. You will aid usss."

"It would be me privilege to do so!"

I went cold with fear. They were going to make me just like Hernandez. I had no idea how but they were going to make me this blissfully obedient thrall of theirs. 

"Many of the Terran women onboard have already been awakened to the truth." one of the Choraxians said. "Sssoon, you will embrace usss with open armsss."