They took her from the hungry, deadly plains of her infancy to put her in a cell of steel. The very walls roared with the rumble of an alien metal throat. She cowered, but there was nowhere to hide. They left food and she ate it hungrily. They hauled her in front of jets of scalding water and scrubbed her down, stripped off her clothes, sprayed her with stinging chemicals and clipped away all her hair. They stuck her with needles and peered into her mouth. She fought tooth and nail and screamed until she was hoarse. Back in her cell, she ran her hands over her body in wonder. Her skin felt smooth and clean, unfamiliar. She shivered on the metal floor. When they brought clothing to her, she wore it willingly, though it was strange and close-fitted. It was warm and tough and did not itch. She saw her reflection in their chromed plating, and did not recognise herself.