Raoul has managed to work his way into the ending but he needs context. I am writing the little story arc I spoke of first after all. It is... Different.


Katze slowly savored the cigarette.

The fading light outside the air-car painted shadows on the wet pavement; long dark boxy streaks that were the distorted reflection of the utilitarian buildings around him.

Katze inhaled deeply one last time, holding the smoke till his lungs burned. He liked the pinks and yellows in the sky; such pretty colors after a day of rain.

Katze pinched the cigarette out in the ashtray and thudded his skull hard against the headrest.

Damn, he didn't want to be here.

Katze had no clue how Iason meant to heal his impotence with a fucking bracelet. And having to go to Raoul smarted. It felt uncomfortably like begging for scraps, even if it was Iason who had organized the meeting.

Katze sighed.

If he was honest, he knew it was his pride that ached. Going to Raoul Am for... something this personal... was admitting a weakness. Katze much prefered suffering in silence to asking for help.

As he pushed out of the car and set out at a brisk pace towards the medical research facility, Katze made a promise to himself.

If Raoul insisted on growing him another pair of floppy organs, he was going to punch his perfect Blondie nose.

...

The generically pretty receptionist had led Katze to Raoul's office and left him there.

Katze had expected to be stuck in the stark waiting room; somehow being in the top physician's office without the man felt like an intrusion on his privacy.

Katze stood awkwardly, hunched inside his coat. Raoul's office was...

Not as he'd expected.

Katze had thought the space would be like Iason's; rich, sparse and coldly elegant. Raoul's office was large and luxurious, with it's dark wood panelling. But it was not sparse and it felt more homey than elegant.

Waist high windows lined the wall to Katze's left. The other wall, the one behind the large desk was covered with... Books?

Behind the faint shimmer of a protective force, rows and rows of antique books made a dull brown background. Real books, made of paper. Katze had never even seen an actual physical book before. The sheer quantity Raoul owned spoke of passionate collection and hours upon hours of patient research to locate the relics.

What surprised Katze the most, though, was the plants. All along the wall under the windows were aligned real living plants. Many shades of green and yellow, some spotted and one surprising purple one. Large and spiky or dense and low, in grey pots of all sizes. Vegetation like Katze had never seen before, not that he knew much about botanics. Some flowered, strange bursts of color in the foliage drinking in the light of the setting sun.

Katze stepped closer, fascinated. Up close, he could smell the green. Rich, growing smell, with a minerally undertone of earth.

He was unthinkingly reaching to touch the fuzzy rounded leaves of a bushy thing when a throat clearing right fucking behind him startled him out of his skin.

Raoul Am stepped between him and the plant, saying "I would not recommend it."

His gloved fingers plucked one of the tiny grey leaves, showing Katze the white oozing mucus underneath. "Highly poisonous neurotoxin." Raoul admitted nonchalantly.

Katze knew he was bright red, and he couldn't figure out what to say.

Raoul did not seem mad. He was precisely picking out a few wilted brown flowers.

"I'm sorry. " Katze felt compelled to apologize. "I've never seen anything like it..." He trailed off, gesturing at the wall of vegetation.

"Of course you haven't." Raoul agreed amicably, rotating a pot so a pointy tall one could have better light. "These are all personal cross-breeding genetic experiments"

He didn't even sound boastful, damn, moving behind his desk and motioning for Katze to sit in one of the brown leather chairs facing it.

Katze sat. And pouted. He was not going to be the one to start this, he was here because Iason had forced him.

Raoul sat too. The fading sunlight slanted into the windows, turning his tumbling golden mane a fiery orange.

"So." The Blondie began. " I have a proposal for you."

Katze grunted.

"Iason wishes to be able to arouse you." Raoul's prim features pinched in disapproval.

Katze resisted the urge to cross his arms at the implied judgement. He was so used to treating with Iason he had forgotten how much he disliked Blondies.

Raoul leaned back in his chair.

"I don't suppose you wish to go under the knife?"

Katze grimaced.

"Because that is obviously the easiest solution." Raoul insisted.

Katze shook his head, no.

Raoul nodded; he didn't seem disappointed.

"I thought as much."

"Why?" Katze asked before he remembered this was not Iason and he probably wouldn't be getting an answer. "Why would you assume I don't want surgery? Most castrates would probably leap at the chance."

Raoul watched Katze; his Blondie face was unreadable. It was unsettling Katze. He had grown to know Iason over the years, unlike Raoul.

Finally, the Blondie spoke nonchalantly.

"You keep that nasty scar on your face." Katze's fingers rose to touch it self-consciously.

"Clearly," Raoul continued "Your sense of self-identity is associated with your physical appearance or Iason would have had it smoothed."

The scar was a reminder of his place, a warning of what happened if you incurred Iason's wrath. And, fuck Raoul, it WAS important to him.

"So I don't think grafting new testicules onto you is something you would appreciate."

Katze nodded. Because yeah, being coldly dissected was humiliating, but he'd asked for it.

Raoul spoke again, unperturbed.

"Iason didn't ask me to operate you either, if you must know."

Katze smiled a bit, feeling inexplicably warmed by it.

"He wishes me to reprogram you using the neuro-modulator." Katze glanced at where the bracelet was hidden by his coat, frowning.

Raoul motioned for him to push back his sleeve. Katze did so sullenly. The bracelet was truly beautiful, the yellow stone glinting in the golden light. As Katze watched, the stone flooded into purple mist and the low buzz started.

Startled, Katze looked up at Raoul to find he had removed one glove. On his long elegant finger shone another ring like Iason. The stone matched Katze's.

Fuck.

Fuck, why did it feel like a betrayal?

"Iason wants to match your arousal to the vibrations. Stronger vibrations?" Raoul increased the buzz to a jarring ache that radiated all the way to Katze's shoulder and numbed his fingers. "Stronger erection."

It was brilliant.

It was genius in it's simplicity

It... placed Katze completely at the mercy of Iason's whims. Fuck.

Katze's trust in Iason had grown in the last months. But this... This was asking for abuse.

Katze swallowed. He imagined Iason, ever the sadist, having fun making him grovel in the middle of the atrium or some other highly public place.

No.

His insides coated with icy sheets of dread.

Fuck fuck fuck NO.

The supper at Iason's a while back still made Katze shiver to think of it. Sure it had been hot, incredibly so. But Katze had felt his control slipping towards the end. He was not infaillible. Not at all. Katze much prefered having no erections to losing all that he had worked so hard for.

Jupiter, the bracelet was a perfectly twisted idea.

For a Pet.

Katze was not Riki.

Damn Iason.

Katze sat quietly and Raoul watched him evaluating the situation. His face didn't reveal much, for a human. Raoul could see the intelligence behind those bright eyes; the human was compartementalizing instead of chattering pointlessly like his kind usually did. It was intriguing.

Katze sat up straighter and sniffed hard. Decision reached then; Raoul waited.

"Thank you for your time, sir Am." Katze's voice was soft and pleasantly polite. "I am sorry to decline, but this is a matter I must take up with Iason."

The chair loudly scraped the floor as Katze pushed it back and stood.

"You believe you have a choice in this matter, mongrel?" Raoul purposely let his voice cut, cruel.

Katze was half-turned, but he paused.

"No." His voice was still soft and resigned, but his back remained a stubborn tense line.

Oh. The ex-furniture knew he had little chance of escaping Iason's anger. He was defying him anyway.

That was different.

It was not blind resistance then. Quiet accepting of probably dire consequences took a different kind of courage that forced reluctant admiration in Raoul.

"Sit." The Blondie's voice was gruff. For a second, Raoul thought Katze wouldn't and that the situation was not going to end well at all.

Katze sat, movements jerky.

He stared at the floor, expressionless. Clearly, he did not accept Raoul's authority over him; he was playing along not to offend the Blondie.

Raoul didn't attempt to discuss the matter. His long fingers danced over the smooth surface of his desk and a vid screen winked into appearance. Katze found himself idly wishing Raoul would remove his other glove. One covered hand and one gracefully naked one was... Lopsided. It bugged Katze.

"Iason."

Katze's eyes left the skilled hands of the surgeon, surprised to see that Raoul had called his Master while he was distracted.

"Your human is uncooperative." Raoul's voice was clipped and Katze felt degraded and childish.

Iason sighed. "I will speak to him."

Raoul crooked a finger, and Katze moved to join him behind the desk. It was tight. Raoul moved back in his hover chair, but not enough. Katze curled in on himself, trying to stay in frame for Iason and not touch the Blondie looming beside him. Raoul smirked.

Katze ignored him, leaning forward to rest his forearms against the desk.

"What is it, Katze." Iason sounded stressed and bothered. Fuck.

"I." Katze swallowed. "I wish to ask for a modification to your genius idea. " Flattery, that was the key. And negociation. If Katze tried to insinuate Iason's idea made him want to throw up...

Iason's head looked out of screen, then he motioned impatiently for Katze to continue. Raoul's knee was nearly touching his thigh under the desk. Toying with him. Distracting. It put Katze's nerves on edge; instinct demanded he move away, put some distance between them. Maybe Raoul didn't even realize the effect close proximity to a Blondie had on Furniture, which was even worse.

Katze refused to back away, concentrating on the vid-screen.

"I am worried about the use of the bracelet..." Katze finished in a thin voice, "in inappropriate circumstances."

There, he'd said it. Sweat was beginning to prickle under his arms.

Iason held a finger up to someone offscreen, and Katze heard the sounds of many voices.

His voice was curt when he looked straight at Katze. "I thought you might be. I have no time for complications. When you decide the moment is not right, press two fingers to the right side of the stone. If it is off, it will activate. If it is on, it will shut off. Know this is a privilege, do not abuse it or..."

"Yes, just a moment." Iason adressed the annoying offscreen someone.

Katze was stuck in place by his Master's drilling blue eyes, boring straight into him through the monitor.

"It is more control than the rest of us have, Katze."

Then the imaged winked out without a good bye.

Fuck.

Katze nearly sat on Raoul, before making his stumbling way around the desk. That had been too easy. He had expected delicate negotiations, perhaps anger. The rapid dismissal made him feel rather empty and predictable.

"Right." Raoul nodded. "As I said, I have an offer for you."

Katze sat straighter, paying attention. Fuck, he craved a cigarette.

"The easiest way to do as Iason wishes is the neuro-modulator. Fifteen minutes in there and I can program whatever he wishes."

Katze waited. Raoul was obviously not finished.

Raoul tugged the lock of hair falling into his eye behind his ear. "That is the easy way." He said. "It is also tediously boring. You could present a more interesting challenge."

How that was a good thing was debatable, yet Katze couldn't help but feel flattered.

"I have read..." Raoul gestured towards the wall of books behind him. "Of a primitive technique that the Ancients used before technology was fully developped."

Raoul frowned, elegant eyebrows fascinating. " I am quite sceptical of the claimed results."

He leaned forward over his desk suddenly, green eyes shining.

"Have you heard of hypnotism, Katze?"

The red-head shook his head. No. He hadn't.

"Of course you haven't!" Raoul smiled. "It has not been used in centuries. It requires the participation of a willing subject who follows the instructions of a hypnotist to attain a deep trance. Suggestions are implanted, rather like manipulating the subconscious. They might even supposedly continue to be effective once the trance is ended. At least that is the theory."

Katze stared at Raoul, deciding he was serious.

"It sounds... Uncertain."

He couldn't imagine voluntarily submitting your will to someone else. Especially not a Blondie.

"You wish to employ me as a guinea pig."

Raoul did not even appear guilty, nodding serenely.

"It is merely a different means to the same end." He placated.

"Why?" Katze sounded harsher than he would have liked.

Raoul sighed deeply. But he graced the mongrel with an explanation.

"Because you present a unique oppurtunity. The Pets and Furniture all go through basic programming; it is endlessly repetitive and boring for the operator. And the few criminals who are placed in the neuro-modulator for a recalibration are hardly willing."

Katze shuddered at the thought of it. Recalibration. Completely erasing a subjects personality. Generally to brainwash them into a sex doll. It was a fate worse than death in Katze's opinion. One applied by the chief physician sitting remorse-free before him.

"I am doing Iason a favor." The implication that Raoul utterly disapproved his friend's behavior shone clear. "He has agreed to... delays... in your modulation to allow for my research. The Ancients were very clear that the process is quite long to reach maximum efficiency. I believe you are intelligent, Katze. Surely you can see the advantages of collecting scientific data."

"Yes. For you." Katze agreed.

"But what is the advantage for me?" Katze asked. He did not whine. Not really.

"Research the subject. I believe you will find your answer." If not, Raoul had over-estimated the red-head and it would be better to use the neuro-modulator. Raoul eagerly wanted a challenge; if Katze couldn't figure the basics out for himself, it would be better to simply get it over with.

"We will meet again in two days. If you refuse, on friday you will be reprogrammed."

As Katze rose, something Raoul had said earlier kept nagging at him.

"What did you mean, basic Furniture and Pet programming?"

"Oh, you know. Standard precautions." Raoul answered loftily. "Though shalt not kill a Blondie and the like."

"Everybody goes through that?" Katze's shock vibrated in his voice.

"Why of course!" Raoul's voice was oily smooth. "We would not risk the Furniture getting ideas and poisoning the supper! Elites have enough worries without a Pet strangling them in their sleep."

Fuck, Katze had never even guessed he'd been manipulated. They all had.

He instinctively knew it was the truth. It made perfect, impeccable, logical sense. Why should Jupiter take unnecessary risks? Also, Raoul had no reason to fabricate such a story.

Fucking hell.

If they had all been re-programmed, however routinely, what other instructions might be hidden in his own subconscious? The betrayal fucking hurt. Katze was very self-reliant. He didn't trust others, but he had always trusted himself. Now he wasn't so sure he should. Shit.

Raoul opened the door for a dazed Katze who was still trying to absorb information fundamental to the working of the perfectly constructed society he lived in. Information about himself he hadn't even suspected. It felt like the floor had been yanked out from under him and he struggled to readjust his bearings. Quickly.

Raoul's hand was light on Katze's lower back, and he suddenly invaded the space close to Katze's neck.

The red-head held himself very still, fine hairs rising everywhere at the danger of a Blondie so close.

"Do you enjoy pleasing your Master, Katze?" Raoul whispered.

Katze shuddered, and kept silent.

"Standard Furniture complusion. Iason can thank me for that."

Fuck Raoul.

Katze swallowed down the hate. He wasn't even going to answer the barb.

The image of Riki's agressive resistance and multiple escape attempts flashed through his mind.

"What about Riki?" He asked.

Raoul straightened, his face a plastic mask. Put in his place, hah. It was most satisfying.

"Riki is an exception." Raoul answered frostily. "Iason demanded only the mandatory basics. Riki is as unmodified as is legal."

Raoul's green eyes glittered with restrained judgement. Katze knew he despised the mongrel anyway.

"Research hypnotism, Katze." Raoul abruptly dismissed him. "I shall see you here in two days."

Katze supposed he should be happy he was respected enough to be given a choice. It still chaffed. It hardly felt like a choice; just more Blondie manipulation.

"Oh and Katze?" Raoul was sitting in his desk chair again. The sun outside had set and his hair still tumbled supernaturally, only now it glowed more silvery grey than gold in the half-light. Katze found it suddenly impossible to ignore the appeal of the Blondie's perfect body, so like Iason.

"Trust is a fundamental component of the old technique." Raoul watched Katze sharply, his face calm and focused. The ring glinted on his finger.

"Do you trust me?" he asked Katze casually.

Katze took a deep breath.

"No. I don't." He answered truthfully.

Raoul nodded, fingers flying as multiple screens popped up. He took the honest answer in stride, not appearing angry in the least.

"Excellent."

Katze turned to go. Raoul's parting comment followed him.

"I always enjoy a challenge."


A note to all the Katze-Raoul shippers. There won't be a romantic, love-filled relationship in this story. This Raoul is not really nice: he is much too... Blondie. And Katze is already caught up with Riki and Iason. Expect a couple chapters in which they will both grow and learn things about themselves and each other. Raoul needs to come closer to understanding Iason.

xxx

FrenchCaresse