PART THREE; Slaves Holiday.
Standard Disclaimers
Thanks to JP for his Betaing.
Dedicated to all of you who think that G5 should have more airtime; Here▓s a special mission for the Owl.
But the Great Light of Wisdom had further torments for us in store...
I was to stay on the island until the nanones decayed. A simple copyright enforcement.
After that, I could move around freely -provided I consented to an ECU around my neck. Not me, I
think.
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When I found I was a prisoner on Spectra I expected some very tight security.
⌠That is not the Luminous Spirits way,■ explained my sister sourly. ⌠He demonstrates His mastery over us by letting us move around freely...with a few restraints.■
⌠Such as an explosive collar.■ I was angry.
⌠Only if you want to leave this place.■ Princess hung her head. ⌠You won▓t need one here. The Spirit thinks this island is inescapable.■
I hugged her impulsively. ⌠Stay with me, Princess!■
She shook her head miserably. ⌠I▓m training to become a Luminati. But I will stay this next month.■
And she did.
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The most infamous General Golfing came to see me. (At least I thought his name was Golfing until Dr Wilmot corrected me.)
Princess had said he was a baboon. I didn't take her seriously; Gorfang is a baboon. A huge red furred creature far bigger and nastier than any Earth monkey.
I am glad I have never had to meet anything like Gorfang on a mission! He must have been nearly my weight and far stronger. ⌠I fort yu wer a goner■ he said in an accent so thick I had to puzzle it out. Actually I am quite good with odd accents, even in Spectran. I came from a port town, and lived with Keyop for many years.
Is he Spectra's new secret weapon?
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Mala had to poke her nose in my affairs, inevitably. She wanted to poke her nose in my other bits too. This was also inevitable.
"Oblige her, Tiny," Princess told me with a sigh. "She won't be happy until you do."
"Be happy? What about my welfare?" I was angry.
"She won't hurt you. You don't have to like it."
"You mean she..." I paused. "If she▓s..." The very idea!
"Pretty much everyone▓s here is that way...watch it, Tiny." Princess warned.
I shuddered, thinking of Zoltar.
"If you really want to know, she isn't your owner, and has no particular rights over either yours or my person." Princess hung her head, "It's best to do as she says though, or else she will go to the Great One and get permission to do something mean to either you or more than likely, punish me instead."
So I slept with the loverly Mala Latroise, terror of the galaxy.
I think I would have done so anyway; satisfy my curiosity. Mala was... Interesting. She had a tough, scarred body like Princess, though built on a slightly more generous scale. (You could never accuse Princess of being anything but skinny.) Zoltars twin sister took over my body like a woman used to commanding what she wanted from men. I shut my mouth and obeyed her insistent pushing and shoving. She got what she wanted out of me and made me do it over again.
Then had the cheek to praise me for my skill and virility. I was half tempted to ask Ms Latroise what she had done with Princess, but somehow did not dare.
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Inspired by Malas visit, Dr Wilmot decided to invite me to her bed. She must have been old enough to be my mother. I sighed silently, smiled sweetly, and obeyed my mistress.
That is the reality behind slavery.
Your masters may have no rights to your person, but they get it anyway. You screw them for favours, you screw them to avoid punishment and you screw them just in case.
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Mala visited again a fortnight later.
This time she was beaming happily. I knew that for a very bad sign. I was ready to service her again to shut her up.
I didn▓t realise just how bad things were going to get...
Before I could say anything she had whipped an ECU out of her pocket and locked it around my unsuspecting neck. I tugged at it. Mala laughed madly.
⌠This isn▓t the deal, Mala.■ I told her. ⌠The deal was that I have not got to wear one of those infernal devices while I am on the island. Same goes for my sister.■
⌠But you two are going on holiday at my expense.■ Mala explained gaily.
⌠What do you mean?■
⌠You two birdies are going on a very special vacation.■ Mala said with emphasis .
It was more than special.
She was sending my sister and me on a trip back to Earth to see our families.
This was partially the Luminous Ones idea, partially the manufacturers of the ECU units. They thought this a tailor made chance for publicity for their wares and a demonstration of just how secure they really were.
⌠If she thinks...■ I said to Princess later that day.
"Comply." Said Princess.
I knew what she was thinking; Surely Anderson could get these damned things off our miserable necks?
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It was a long trip home. First of all we were taken on a diplomatic shuttle to Morwinholm, a neutral planet with ties to Spectra. It was a very cramped trip. not being of any status, Ambassador Tandor put us in with his slaves. We had an annoyingly small cabin. There were five of us; his three personal slaves who resented being put in with Off World Scum. We bitched over petty things all flight.
The Embassy treated us with indifference. The Ambassador read Malas letter with pursed lips. He said nothing, but gestured us to a dingy back room where we slept for two days, being jetlagged.
Then we were shunted to Lithin, another neutral planet.
⌠Grand Tour of the Universe, eh Tiny?■ Princess commented wryly.
I said nothing. All I wanted was to get home. But what good would it do?
We were then taken to a third planet, Taprobane; a predominantly Hind cultured Federation planet who was trying to export cheap craftwork to Lithin. Even the Taprobanian Foreign minister (who was handling us for some reason unknown to either him or us) was unwelcoming. He chased us out on the teeming streets.
"What do we do now?" I dodged a stray cow.
"Let me think." Princess took me to the local Buddhist ashram and told the whoeveritwas in charge that she was the Dalai Lamas...(I don▓t want to think about the concept, let alone repeat it.)
He was so stoned that he didn't know her from one of his cheap resin Buddha's. The guy said she could stay, and sent us out the kitchens for food.
"Works every time!" Sniggered my sister.
⌠Does he really?...■ I asked.
⌠Not any more, but it used to go on in old Tibet, before the introduction of modern medicine.■
We stayed there for two days. Princess was happy for once. I thought it was crap. I was offered all sorts of diversions. Most of them illegal, immoral or fattening.
We had no money but Princess borrowed some clothes of some bunch of female orders and went out begging. No one was fooled, of course, but the people were sympathetic and gave her food and money.
After about eight days of sweltering heat, upset bellies and my sister playing the holy body.
Anderson turned up.
He turned up on the passenger seat of a prison van.
Several burly members of Galaxy Security grabbed us up and hauled us in.
I was gratified to see Princess unceremoniously disturbed in her mediations. (What has she learned from the Luminati? Why is she training to become one?)
We were taken to a Taprobanian ISO base and given a very thorough medical.
Anderson tested us for all sorts of things. First of all a DNA to establish if we were genuine. Then multiple scans of the cerebionics, to see if they were present and functional. Then assorted tests of enough fluids to keep (No, I still refuse to talk about that. But I cannot get it out of my mind.)
Then STDs...
Neither of us had any. This did not prevent the base medic. (A man I did not know and did not want to know.) From giving poor Princess an internal examination.
I winced from my comfortable position strapped naked to an examining table with a couple of smiling guards watching me.
Chief Anderson stepped forwards. ⌠Chief, if I▓m going to get a rectal examination or anything like that, please will you do it?■ I pleaded weakly.
⌠No need, Tiny,■ he said. But Chief did perform the next intrusive lark himself.
It was awful. Much worse than any butt things. My head was clamped and a syringe poked up my nose and into my brain. This did not hurt much but frightened me terribly. No doubt Anderson wanted a sample of the nanones. He withdrew the needle. ⌠All over, Tiny.■
We spent the next few hours in separate isolation cells. I lay down upon the cramped cot and cried myself asleep. What had I done to deserve this?
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I woke up some time later. A dish of Indian snack food and a glass of the local UnCola were in the food hatch. I was ravenous and sat up to eat. ⌠Perhaps he▓s made up his mind.■ I muttered.
But our ordeal was not over yet.
After my meal I was chained up again and taken to an interrogation room. I was quizzed by a shrink, then another shrink, and then the shrink from Centre Neptune. He asked if I found this very tiresome.
⌠I expected it.■ I told him. Which I had, but not this involved.
Then it was Chief Anderson▓s turn to torment me. Anderson questioned me over my stay in the Spectran Lab, going over petty things like a lawyer. He was very curious about my miraculous recovery, I could tell that. He was also clearly very annoyed at not being able to learn anything about what had been done to me.
Not once did anyone bother to look at our wretched restraints; other than to see if they were a threat to other people. (They weren't.)
After that, my clothing was returned. I put it on, and went to a fine Taprobanian feast with a cheerier Princess in the Guardroom.
⌠Cleared us?■ I asked.
⌠No idea, it looks that way though.■ She picked up a snack and bit into it. ⌠Pooh! What is this?■
I tried some. It was Bombay duck. ⌠A dried fish, Princess.■
⌠What killed it? I▓ll stick to your fish, Tiny.■
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Eventually Chief Anderson decided we were the real thing. By that time I was too put out to greet him as enthusiastically as I had originally planned. Princess hugged him but it was a little forced.
"It is you." He said finally. I decided not to comment upon that. "We are going back to Earth."
Outside resplendent in the bright Taprobanian sun was my beloved Phoenix. I broke down with emotion. "Come on, Tiny!" Princess tugged at my arm; "The others will be inside! Who else flew it here?"
I picked myself up and followed both of them up the ramp.
Inside were Mark, Jason and Keyop. They fell over each other trying to hold me. They hugged me and Princess half to death. Everybody was crying.
⌠We thought you were dead!■ Keyop cried.
⌠The Haignaughtians were going to execute you; Chief Anderson and President Kane were trying to negotiate your release.■ Jason explained.
⌠They thought you were Spectran birds.■ Sniggered Keyop.
⌠Chief did his best to explain about G Force. I think it only made matters worse.■ Mark turned in his seat.
Princess hung her head. ⌠I don▓t know about thinking we were Spectran birds.■ She rubbed her face wearily. ⌠The Luminous One wants me to become...■ She could not finish.
⌠Lets not talk about that.■ I fended that one off. ⌠Blue Bastards not made any demands of me, yet.■
Keyop hugged Princess. ⌠He wont have you, Princess, not if Chief has his way.■
Anderson shook his head. ⌠We will see,■ he replied darkly.
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We went back to Centre Neptune. Jason was pilot. He has improved his flying a lot since I last was with him.
⌠I had to.■ Jason shrugged. ⌠Not that there▓s been much to do of late.■
⌠Hasn▓t there?■ I asked. Spectra were inactive. I knew that much. But had peace finally broken out?
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I was out of condition, and ate myself fat again upon familiar food.