“You’ve got to be kidding me! I—I won’t do it!” Jane knelt in the midst of her classmates, staring up at the starships hovering over the city.

“If you don’t, they’ll conquer your planet!” the voice said from the strange metallic choker she was wearing. “You have to transform yourself into Space Warrior Naelma!”

“But—I have to eat someone? I can’t do that!”

“You need the body mass for the conversion,” the choker insisted. “That’s how I was designed.”

“No! I won’t! I can’t kill one of my friends like that!”

“Do you want your friends to be alien slaves?” the choker asked. “I’ll save their memories in my brain bank!” the choker insisted. “Someday we can bring them back.”

“No! I can’t! I just—”

“Jane.” It was Bill. She’d been considering going steady with him. “I heard what it said. If it’s true…I want you to eat me.”

Jane stared. “What?”

“If it will save the world…” Bill smiled. “And that way I’ll always be with you.”

Jane whimpered. “All—all right.” She took Bill into her arms and opened her mouth…