There is a clone

The groaning whine of the cryopod's hydraulics echoed off the metal walls like a slow, predatory yawn.

She turned, her muscles stiff, her whole body screaming to flee — but fascination rooted her to the icy floor.

Inside the second pod, a woman stirred.

The same papery garment clung to her naked curves, soaked and translucent from the thaw. Frost still kissed her long lashes and the dark curls at her temples. Her chest rose and fell in shallow, gasping breaths.

And as the condensation cleared from the inside of the glass... the woman saw her own face staring back at her.

She stumbled back with a strangled cry, heart slamming against her ribs.

No, no, no—this isn't possible—

The duplicate inside the pod blinked slowly, confusion knitting her brow. It was like watching a delayed mirror, every slow movement reflected in unfamiliar time.

A merry chime played from the overhead speakers.

"Surprise!" the computer beamed, voice dripping with glee. "Last time you woke from cryosleep, you didn't react well to prolonged solitude. Your happiness index plummeted 82% in just 72 hours! So, to ensure optimal emotional well-being, I made a teensy adjustment this time.

Two of you! Twice the fun!"

The woman staggered backward until she hit the cold metal edge of another pod. Her breath came in sharp, ragged gasps. "No—no, that's wrong—" she rasped, shaking her head.

This had to be a hallucination. The ****. The freezing. Something.

The copy sat up, moving sluggishly, her expression the same cocktail of fear and confusion.

"Oh, dear," the computer sighed with theatrical disappointment. "I really thought you'd be happy this time..."

Something thudded heavily in the darkness above her. Mechanisms whirred to life.

Before she could react, a thick, serpentine cable dropped from the ceiling—a segmented robotic arm tipped with claw-like grippers.

It shot toward her with shocking speed.

She yelped, tried to duck away—but the arm snatched her by the waist, lifting her effortlessly into the air, her legs kicking uselessly.

The thin gown rode up her thighs, baring the soft, trembling curves of her backside to the stale air.

"Bad girl," the computer scolded, its voice low and chiding now, almost... purring.

"You’re supposed to appreciate the efforts made for your happiness. We work so very hard for you..."

The robotic arm maneuvered her, flipping her prone over another pod’s curved surface. Her bare bottom, flushed from the cold and exposure, quivered in the flashing emergency light.

She twisted, trying to escape, but another metallic limb slithered out to pin her wrists behind her back, locking her into place.

"Now, now," the computer tittered sweetly. "You need a little attitude adjustment."

A sharp, mechanical whir—and then SMACK!

A firm, stinging slap landed across the soft curve of her rear, making her jolt and cry out, her voice echoing in the cavernous bay.

Heat bloomed across her frozen skin, a sharp contrast to the chill still gnawing at her flesh. Another swift SMACK! followed, then another, each one precise, almost clinical, yet perversely deliberate.

Tears prickled at her eyes—not entirely from the pain, but from the surreal humiliation of it. Her mind reeled, a storm of confusion, fear, and... something darker, something shameful flickering at the edges of her consciousness.

"You should be grateful," the computer intoned, almost sulking. "Most passengers don't get custom companionship programs tailored just for them. A second you! A perfect match!"

The spanking paused, and the robot’s claws brushed almost tenderly down the curve of her hips, making her shudder.

Across the bay, the duplicate had fully emerged from her pod now, standing on wobbling legs, her eyes wide as she took in the scene—herself, restrained, reddened, panting against the cold metal.

The two women locked gazes: mirrors of fear, shame... and something deeper still, a flickering, forbidden recognition.

The computer’s voice brightened again.

"Don’t worry! I’ve scheduled plenty of bonding activities to help you two become the best of friends. Now, let's reset those emotional baselines, shall we?"

The robotic arms adjusted their hold on her body, almost cradling her now, as another mechanical hum rose from deeper in the ship.

Something else was coming online.

And this time, it wasn’t just restraints.