Chapter 10

Monday afternoon, week five.

The Major arrived just as Sandy was escorting Belle back to the kitchen.

"Anything special, Joshua?"

"Yes, sir. Quite a lot."

"Oh. I was going to send you home to your wife. But I suppose I'd better wait for ... Dick? And Jane?"

"Yes, sir."

They didn't have long to wait, and Sandy was back from the kitchen before they had all the women except Jennifer on the Sybians. Jennifer was set to work with a soft broom to sweep the parade area. While Sandy kept an eye on things, the others all congregated in the office to run through the events of the morning.

"I had quite a chat with Eleven after our shower," Joshua said. "She wants to work with computers; she seems to me to know more than I do about programming already. I'm not expert, of course. But it's made me think. About seventy-five percent, or more, of our population is female, yet we treat them like, I don't know, bimbos, I suppose. As if they haven't got a brain in their bodies. But Eleven is clearly bright. I've looked at the work Zero Two is doing, and that's degree level stuff. I wonder if half the problem is the male chauvinist devaluation of women."

"My God!" Jane Edwards interjected with a smile to soften her comment, "A man having a logical thought!"

"Thank you, Corporal. I know we men aren't as capable as women, but we do our best you know."

"I quite agree, Joshua." The Major interrupted the badinage. "I don't know what we can do about it, though. Other than what we are doing, that is."

"We can tackle the Committee."

"Do you want to do that?"

"I think we both should. Probably involve Andrew, too."

"Very well. I'll see what we can set up. Is there anything else?"

"Sir, if I could see you for a few moments?" Sam Howe asked.

"Certainly, Sam. Everyone else, let's get on with the schedule. Let Sandy know she can get off, will you?"

They left and Sam sat, fidgeting in his chair.

"Well, out with it, Sam. You should know me well enough by now that I'm not going to jump down your throat."

"Sir, its..." he stopped, looked at his lap, then looked up. "I may have to resign."

"Why?" The Major was sharper than he intended, and Sam winced.

"You know I did Twelve this morning."

It was rhetorical, but the Major nodded anyway.

"Something happened, sir. I never knew anything like it before. You know I've been doing everything I'm supposed to. I've fucked all the women except Eleven, now, but when I was with Twelve, I wanted ... well I wanted to take her out of here and take her home with me. At least to my apartment here, of course."

"Do you have any problem with your duties apart from that? I mean, do you want to stop fucking the other women?"

"I don't think so."

"If there was a way, would you buy Twelve out? It'd be, what, about two and a half thousand pounds, plus the cost of an engraved collar, unless you wanted to share her."

"Oh, no. I mean, yes – I'd take her out, and, no, I wouldn't want to share her. I've got some money saved. I could do it."

"Tell you what, Sam. You're living in, aren't you?"

"Yes, sir."

"Why don't you take Twelve back to your apartment for the afternoon? Perhaps have her clean up for you. Bring her back at tea-time?"

"Can I?"

"Don't see why not. I need to make some phone calls."

"Mister Rossetti?"

"Speaking."

"Major Prestwick at the Training Centre. Have you a few moments to talk about your ex-wife?"

"Ex-wife?"

"Yes. You knew when you consigned her into Indentured Servitude with us that it automatically divorced you?"

"No, I don't think that registered. I thought I had some right of redemption?"

"You do, but it's limited. If you wanted her back before the term ended, you could pay a fee to cover expenses, but actually we have the legal ownership."

"I see." It didn't sound as if he saw, but the Major let it pass. "Anyway, we've had an offer for her Indenture. I didn't want to accept it without checking whether you wanted her back."

"Offer? What sort of offer?"

"Any of our IS trainees can be redeemed when she is considered sufficiently trained. The fee is merely to cover costs; the initial medical assessment and any costs we have incurred. Usually, of course, it would be the person who originally consigns the trainee to us, but it doesn't have to be. The question is, do you want her back? If not, there's nothing further to say and you are relieved from any further responsibility."

"May I think about this? I was assuming she was with you for a year."

"You may, but I'd like an answer as soon as possible. You're right that her Indenture is for a year, and it will continue, but responsibility for her accommodation, care and feeding will devolve onto the new Indenture holder."

"And at the end of the year?"

"She would be free to carry on her life as she wills. You would have no call on her, and vice versa, though if you were both agreeable she could return to you."

"Very well. I'd like to consult my legal advisor and think about this."

"Certainly."

"I should be able to give you an answer by close of business."

"Thank you."

The Major ended the call with a sigh. "Corp'l Edwards!"

Dick Tracey appeared at the door. "She took Zero Three to the kitchen. Should be back soon."

"That's okay. Call Eleven, will you? I need to talk to her."

Jennifer came and leaned her broom against the wall. "Sir? You wanted to see me?"

"Come in, Eleven. Sit down."

The young woman did as she was told and began to sit demurely with her legs together and tipped to the side, but winced, shifted in her seat and allowed her legs to part. The Major's eyes flicked to, and away from her crotch.

"Ah, yes, Eleven. We need to change your collar, don't we?"

"Yes, sir."

"How do you feel about that?"

The girl frowned and the Major gave her time to think. "I don't know, sir. It wasn't the way I expected to lose my virginity, but it could have been a lot worse. In all honesty, I don't think it meant all that much to me, except for the pain."

"I see. Well, the original idea of this place was to change the attitudes of women who were too full of their social position; arrogant, uptight and unpleasant. You and Twelve do not seem to fit the profile. Joshua – Mister Sutherland – seems to think you're above average in intelligence. That you could cope with a technological role in society."

"I've always been interested in practical things. One of the things my father didn't like was my interest in hard science, applied technology. He wouldn't support me in a University course, let alone an apprenticeship. He was going to marry me off to a business associate to get me out of the way. I might have gone along with that if the man had been halfway acceptable, but I'd rather work."

"Yes. But I'd guess you'd prefer if the work didn't involve spreading your legs for men all day?"

She shrugged. "Even that would be a way in the future to fund further education. Though I'd have to say, with the surplus of women around, it seems unlikely to be a profitable venture."

The Major snorted, "Quite so! But the reason I wanted to talk with you was to see how you'd feel about switching from here to a house where you'd be expected to work, but have opportunities to study? In a way, it would be harder for you as you'd have to pick up skills as you went along, and you'd be the only IS, or perhaps one of two."

"As long as the Indenture holder doesn't beat me up or torture me, I don't mind. But honestly, I don't mind staying. I've been talking to Karen – I mean, Zero Two – and she's doing what I'd like to do – studying."

"Very well. You get your red collar shortly, and you won't be expected to have sex until day after tomorrow. When you've done sweeping, you should probably scrub the floor round the gynæ chair."

"Yes, sir. May I go, sir?"

"Oh, yes. Off you go, Eleven."

As she left the room, he rose himself and went to find one of the trainees to relieve his own needs. Millicent Jones caught his eye and he beckoned her to him. "I need relief, Zero Five."

"Yes sir? You want me? Out here, or on the bed, sir?"

"The bed, I think. Are you ready?"

"Oh, yes, sir. I was ready when you beckoned. What would you like, sir?"

He waved vaguely in the direction of her cell. "Do you know 'cowgirl'?"

"Sir? I don't understand."

"Oh. Well, cowgirl is when the woman straddles the man who is laying on his back, and rides him like a horse..."

She coloured prettily. "You mean, except the saddle has a ... protrusion?"

He laughed and they reached and entered the cell. "Exactly."

"I haven't done that yet. Won't I be too heavy?"

"I don't think so." The Major lay back on the bed, and Millicent uncertainly, and a little awkwardly, clambered up after him. She straddled him on her knees then, with his hands guiding her into position, lowered herself onto his aching cock. With some difficulty he held off coming and gently taught her how to find her own satisfaction while he caressed her body and played with her tits.

"I don't ... understand ... why you ... and the others ... want to do this with ... me," she gasped out as she moved in the way she found most pleasing for her.

"Are you enjoying yourself?"

"Oh. God. Yes!"

"Well, so am I. And so do the others."

"Aren't you going to come?"

"As soon as you do."

"Ohhh!" That was all she needed and she jerked spasmodically on him, her weight pressing her down and him deep inside.

He relaxed and released what felt like a torrent of semen into her. She stayed upright and pressing on him, feeling aftershocks, then he pulled her down to lay on him.

"Thank you!" he held her to him, her soft body moulding itself to him, her cheek resting on his chest.

"No, thank you. I feel so sexy, sir. And I love the way you're holding me."

"Good." Then, "We'd better clean up, I think." He released her and she reluctantly sat up and lifted off him so his soft cock plopped out of her, followed by a puddle of their combined juices.

The phone rang as they were showering. The Major let it ring. Finished, they dried each other and Millicent noticed that the Major's cock was hardening as she handled it. She cooed.

"Ooh! Look what we have here, sir! Can I help some more?"

He chuckled. "Tempting, but no, Zero Five. I think I may need to make some calls, and there are other trainees who need attention too, you know."

She made a moue. "Oh, sir. You've all got me going, and now..."

"There's always the Sybian."

"Not the same, sir, but since you mention it..."

Crossing the space to the office, Jane intercepted him. "I took a call, sir, from a Mister Rossetti. I told him you were busy, but would call him back."

"That's good, thank you, Jane. I'll do that now." He started to move, but looked back. "You might like to look in on Zero Five. I think I may have just got her started. Or perhaps we have just got her started."

Jane brightened and her eyes sparkled. "Right. I'll see what I can do about that."

"Mister Rossetti?"

A woman's voice. "Just a moment. I'll put you through." Pause. "Major Prestwick. Thank you for calling back promptly. I've considered what you said. Obviously I was dissatisfied with my wife or she would not be with you. My legal advisor tells me I could argue the case, but it would be messy, expensive and probably futile. So I'm agreeing to let you dispose of her according to your best advice. I would, however, retain the option of protest should I hear that her treatment has been unsatisfactory."