Chapter 13

As Alpha1 lifted off from FEDEX stadium, Rusty said, “Shannon, how are Nicola’s and Alana’s teams doing?”

“They are on their way to Comrie, along with 22 people from Master Jameson’s place. There are eighteen women and four men. Six of the women were serving staff. The others were Jameson’s office staff. All are college graduates.”

“The serving staff were college graduates?” exclaimed Tara. “How did you come up with that so quickly?”

“To answer your last question first, we did a quick memory scan on all the staff when they arrived. This time, it was a good decision. I think you will agree when you’ve seen the data.

“Before I continue, let me caution you that this information is preliminary, so there will likely be some corrections by tomorrow. Yes, all the staff are college graduates. They have either a Masters or Doctorate in Business Administration or Finance, in addition to a technical degree. All of them came to work at Jameson’s main office by similar paths. They started their career working for one of his companies directly out of college. After working for several of his companies, they were offered a position at one of the holding companies. After a year or so there, they were offered a chance to move to the corporate office. They were told that, since the corporate office was rather remote, all of their living expenses would be covered. Just before leaving for their new position, they were each asked to give the corporate office manager signing authority over their financial accounts. This was portrayed as a convenience benefit for them, since there weren’t any banks or towns near headquarters. Buried in the pile of papers was a cleverly-worded power of attorney, giving Master Jameson control over all aspects of their lives. The power of attorney effectively made him their guardian, and transferable at the discretion of the current holder.”

“This sounds similar to some other cases.”

“It is, while at the same time, it is a little different. Everyone brought to headquarters did work as business managers. Many worked odd hours, due to time differences with the units they monitored. For the first few days after arriving, the dress code was pretty standard, from their standpoint. Then, over several days, things became more provocative by Earth’s standards, and their dress began to change to match it. From what we can tell, they never consciously noticed the change. The normal dress was high heels for the women, along with extremely short skirts and transparent blouses. Alternatively it might be a scooped neck chemise with a hem reaching to just below their crotch. The men wore only translucent shorts, casual button-down shirts and loafers. No underwear was permitted. Women could wear a thong only during their monthly period.

“Most adapted quite well to the change in lifestyle, the records show that the few who didn’t soon left, although disappeared is probably a better description. We are trying to determine what happened to them. Those who worked, and completed their assignments correctly, were permitted quite a bit of leeway in satisfying their now strong sexual appetite. In fact, they were encouraged to satisfy their needs whenever the mood struck them provided they were current in their tasks. At the manor, we found a sensory deprivation tank, stocks, a whipping post, mechanical dildos, electric stimulators and a multitude of bondage accessories. While these can be used to cause humiliation and pain, it seems that the use was reasonably consensual.”

“That is strange phrasing. What do you mean by ‘reasonably consensual’?” asked Sally.

“According to their memories, they used the bondage devices with another staff member because they felt they wanted to. We attribute that, partially, to the drugs in their food, but it was more likely due to their conditioning. A few staff members were severely punished in front of everyone, using the same devices. Their memories indicate that they sought the punishment and felt it was deserved. The punishments were at times quite severe, but left them without any visible scars. Electricity can be very stimulating, but can also be so painful you will do most anything for relief.

“Another puzzling thing is that their memories show that they went to a clinic for a physical about a month before assuming their new positions. They have hardly any memory of their time at the clinic or the physical. We want to explore that more tomorrow, but it is strange.

“Other tidbits are: body jewelry was encouraged; tongue post and tongue rings were sometimes a form of punishment. Adding the mouth jewelry usually resulted in the person having trouble speaking clearly. If their jobs required much talking, then their performance would suffer. This would result in their role changing into being one of the site’s toys, with limited refusal rights, and working as a part of the household staff.

“There was some turnover in staff. In most cases this came about when Jameson assigned one of his staff to assist a customer or one of the company managers. Only a few of them have been back after leaving on the new assignment, and they were only those who left with a manager. Before each departure the person usually disappeared for a few days, and apparently, visited Dr. Schwartz. When they were seen again, they seemed to be more compliant. There were also subtle physical changes as well. These were primarily to their breasts, vagina, mouth, tongue, nose and cock.”

“Was Jameson transferring guardianship when these individuals left?”

“We aren’t certain, but there are indications that he was.”

“We take it Dr. Schwartz gave the treatments to turn them into sex slaves or toys?”

“Well, Anessa, the butler, thinks so. The changes were not outrageous. Just enough to make them very good eye candy, and very willing do their new owners bidding. Her view of the conditioning was that the person would do whatever the person they were assigned to requested.”

“So basically, those working for him were slaves and treated as property?”

“Yes. We believe that is correct. The information we have as to the individual’s status when sent to their new assignments is fuzzy.”

“How did the staff react to the opportunity to leave with us?” asked Joyce.

“All accepted, but their responses varied. We offered them the opportunity to go to Comrie, as usual, and most of them seemed relieved to have the opportunity. A few hesitated before saying they wanted to go. We know all of them are pleased to be away from Jameson.”

“Is there enough evidence to clearly expose Jameson’s shenanigans?” said Sarah.

“Yes, we think so. We made sure the encryption keys were easy to find.”

“James and Clarence, would you assist Shannon, Danny and Lydia in writing this up so the AG’s office can act on the information.”

“It would be a pleasure,” said both James and Clarence. “Knowing how well Shannon and her group work, we should have it done well before Mr. Murphy is in his office tomorrow.”

“By the way, what about those still at the estate?”

“They went to bed and will probably sleep until late tomorrow.”

Just as they finished talking, three of the shuttles reached Dóchas, with the other three returning to An Clochán. “Boy, it’s good to be home,” said Sarah.

“It sure is,” responded everyone on the six shuttles.

As they all exited the shuttles, they were met by their spouses and children.

Later on Dóchas Briana said, “Sarah, did I tell you that we saw General Walker at FEDEX Stadium?”

“No. I heard he retired. How are they doing?”

“Charlotte and I talked to them briefly after the performance. Yes, he did retire and they appear to be doing very well. We invited them to visit again, and even set a date to pick them up. We’re to pick them up in six days.”

“It will be good to see them again. I know the children really liked them.”

“They asked about the children.”

“How long are they planning on staying? Do you know if they are telepathic?”

“I have the feeling that they would like to stay for quite a while. I don’t think they have been evaluated for telepathy. I’ll ask them if they want to see the videos about our history again.”

“Where are they going to stay?”

“On Dóchas, there is a suite near ours they can use.”

“It might be wise to remind them of the telepathy and escort issues when they arrive.”

“We will. Adam thinks General Walker has the ability, but none of us have been around his wife enough to have an opinion.”

“Lydia, when do we expect the interstellar probes to be back?” asked Siobhan during the Command Staffs remote conference session the day after the FEDEX concert.

“All four should return within the next two months.”

“Isn’t that later than we expected?”

“Yes, it is.”

“Do we have any data from them yet?”

“Only that they found four stars with planets that appear to fit our basic criteria,” replied Lydia. “The probes were programmed to only advise us of success or failure. They won’t transmit their data until they are much closer to this solar system. This minimized the size and power requirements.”

“If I remember our discussions of the proposals for the interstellar probes and long-range shuttles, some were pretty elaborate.”

“Yes, they were. The two long-range shuttles have been configured. These are capable of taking a small group to check out two of the best choices, based on the probes’ data. Both have been tested and are on standby.”

“I saw that. The crews are ready to go as soon as we have the data and make a selection.”

“So you think there will be a choice?” asked Shannon, joining the conversation.

“Most definitely, unless one of the locations is a perfect match to our criteria,” replied Siobhan. “Even then we should check more than one. We should consider sending the interstellar probes out again, since this is something we don’t want to rush.”

“There are times when I feel like we can’t leave this solar system soon enough,” said Muireann, “especially when we come across someone like Craigly or Jameson.”

“There are many wonderful people on Earth,” responded Shannon.

“Oh ... I agree,” responded Muireann. “We have had some of them join us. It’s just that sometimes the bad obscures the good.”

“Shannon,” said Siobhan, “the Intelligence group did a great job in pulling all the data on Jameson’s operation together for Mr. Murphy. You have really done a great job.”

“Thanks. I think all of us would prefer not to see any more cases like that.”

“Muireann, was Mr. Murphy able to use what you put together?” asked Sally.

“Yes, but it was only because we had Clarence and James’ guidance and assistance as we did it. We ended up providing overviews of the data in two parts, mainly because we ran out of time. Mr. Murphy and the attorneys working on the case were ecstatic, as there was no doubt about the validity of the evidence. The group with Dr. Schwartz, and those at Hilltop Manor, have all been very cooperative with the Justice Department. Dr. Schwartz and Ms Jameson have been pretty arrogant when talking about the treatments given to those who came to work at the estate. It was from them that we learned that a few of those who had appeared to leave there didn’t. These two took them to a special building where they eventually died. Dr. Schwartz was to be the Mistress’s next project, along with Dr. Attwall. Ugly.”

“To me, the Jameson’s and Craigly’s have a lot in common with other self-righteous groups seen on Earth,” said Lydia. “They saw it as their right to use those around them however they wanted. They stroked their own egos daily by having a group of brilliant and beautiful people at their beck and call. A group that because of their conditioning would do anything requested of them. Visually, they were reminded every day of their control, by the way their staff dressed, by their staffs’ willingness to wear sexually provocative clothing and by seeing the staffs’ bouncing tails hanging from their butt plugs, as they walked. Both Jamesons enjoyed the visual delights their staff provided them as they took frequent breaks to sexually satisfy each other. They frequently participated in these activities.”

“If the surrounding community found out about what was going on, there would have been an up roar.”

“Ah, but there wasn’t.”

“Jameson chose this site because of the natural isolation created by the terrain. You’re right, the prolific sex and open nudity, in many areas would have caused an uproar. Not because anyone was being hurt, but because of perceived morality issues. Very likely they would have missed the true issue, and focused on the visible issues of nudity and sex, while the true issue of non-consensual control would go unnoticed.”

“So, to spin your comments another way, morality is not about nakedness, sex, drunkenness or similar activities, but the way you interact with each other.”

“Yes, I think so, although I will need to think through the implications of what you said for a while.”

“To expand a bit more, I think the people on Earth have chosen to establish morality on a visual basis, rather than an intellectual one. In general, they use laws to forbid some aspect of visual social interaction. These laws were justified, at times, by being based on an interpretation of currently-popular religious writings. Often these laws don’t stop the social interaction, but when it doesn’t, those that passed the law become intent on enforcing compliance. At some point, some groups seize this as an opportunity to make money, by providing protection and possibly an environment for the forbidden activity. Some examples of this would be prostitution, recreational drugs, including alcohol, etc.”

“You’re referring to what is sometimes referred to as ‘victimless’ crimes.”

“Yes, and it seems that many times, the burdens fall more heavily on females than on males. More heavily on those who are down on their luck. From my perspective, Earth’s women take the brunt because of their limited choices to earn money, especially when they only have a few skills. Due to breeding, Earth women usually don’t have sufficient physical strength to work in physically demanding jobs which pay better, even if their culture would let them. With the exception of some very old cultures, such as the Celts, cultures have always placed women in roles of serving men and family, then justified it with a religious basis.”

“I see what you’re driving at,” said Siobhan. “If this is true, then the differentiation between genders would seem to be due to physical differences that came about because of cultural choices. The physical aspects would be hard to change. The cultural issues could be resolved, but if that is to happen, it must come from within. Even then, it would likely require a catastrophic event to initiate. Our blessing is that, in our species, both genders are equal in terms of capability, even though our individual abilities differ. Also, we don’t erect artificial barriers to enjoying life.”

“Interesting observations,” said Maureen. “Most of us were born and raised on Earth. However, we have all assimilated the values and traits of our new species and culture. In our family of more than 7000, we don’t see any evidence of envy or jealousy among us. Is this because of telepathy? Is this because we have a different view of God, life and each other? There are other characteristics of humans that are not bad, until excessively glorified. This seems not to be the case with us. Again, is it because we are telepathic?”

“Maybe we ought to explore this topic with Amy’s Clan,” added Sally. “To me, jealousy is a character flaw, and envy can be, depending on the context or motivation.”

“Why don’t we talk about the apparent lack of jealousy and envy among us at one of our evening meetings?” suggested Shannon. “We see it in Earth’s culture. We experienced it when we lived on Earth as humans. It seems we should seek to understand what has changed.”

“How would we get it started?” asked Lydia.

“Well one way is to replay our discussion here and then have an open forum. We would need to put a time limit on it, but we could let it continue by moving it over to the network, in a chat room. After a week, several people could get together and summarize the points made.”

“I think we ought to hold off until after the picnic at the White House,” said Siobhan.

“Agreed,” replied the others.

It was two days later when Chantel the AI at Comrie said, “Sarah’s Clan, sorry to bother you.”

“You are not a bother, Chantel. We suspect you have a problem.”

“I think so. The group from Jameson’s doesn’t seem to be fitting in like other guests have. Nicola’s and Alana’s Clans have been down to visit twice. Their time together appears to be quite relaxed, and everyone seems to enjoy it but once the two clans leave, our guests seem to withdraw. They are not unfriendly when approached by other residents, but it is almost as though they are waiting for something.”

“Chantel,” said Claudette, “I am curious as to why you chose us to assist with this?”

“The database Donna provided me indicates that your group dealt with a similar situation several years ago. There isn’t any firm reason for my concern with this group, it is just an anomaly.”

“Are Nicola’s or Alana’s Clans there now?” asked Terry.

“No. I think they had planned on returning this afternoon.”

“We will be down right after lunch. Let us know immediately if the situation changes.”

“Judy,” said Sarah, “do you know if the group completed their physicals since they arrived?”

“Partially. The physicals were carried out by autodocs right after they arrived, but none of them have come back to see the medical staff. All of them are in excellent physical shape. Several women show signs of recent growth in their busts. The men have had some increase in the tissue in their penis. Without further evaluation, it is not clear whether it is an increase in length, girth or both.”

“Let’s take our children and go down early this afternoon, we can enjoy the pool,” said Joyce.

“Agreed,” replied all the spouses.

Right after lunch all of Sarah’s Clan headed toward the hangar on Dóchas for a trip to Comrie. As they walked down the corridor, Kennocha, one of the nannies said, “By the way the children are acting, you would think we don’t have a swimming pool here, or at An Clochán.”

“Silly, you know why,” replied Karen another nanny, as she playfully tapped Kennocha on the shoulder. “They’re excited because it’s different from their usual outing. Besides, it has been a while since they have been to Comrie.”

“Yes, I know. Their excitement, though, is contagious and lightens the mood of everyone.”

The group boarded AlphaD01 and were soon on their way to Comrie.

“Anessa is anticipating our arrival,” said Aoife, as AlphaD01 began its descent to Comrie.

“Wasn’t she the butler at Hilltop Manor?” responded Sarah.

“Yes. She believes that we are their new Masters and Mistresses.”

“Why would she think that?”

“My guess,” said Judy, “is that it’s the result of her psychological conditioning by Dr. Schwartz. It made her feel that she needs guidance from someone she views as superior for activities relating to her personally. Although when it is a work related issue, she feels she is equal to anyone. The initial medical evaluation indicates that she is natural telepath.”

“She doesn’t realize she is telepathic?” responded Tara.

“No, she doesn’t. She attributes those characteristics to intuition, which is not surprising, considering the way telepathy is regarded on Earth. You almost need the ability to hit you over the head before you realize what you have, and then you are scared someone will notice.”

“True.”

“Karen,” said Sally, “would you all take the children swimming?”

“Sure. Are you coming?”

“Yes. We will be there shortly. There is a group waiting to meet us, and it could take some time to get things sorted out.”

“Is this the issue Chantel was concerned about?”

“Yes.”

AlphaD01 descended toward the arrival area at Comrie until it was hovering just above the grass. Anessa stood with the group from Hilltop Manor quietly watching its approach. Once AlphaD01 stabilized its position, the door opened and the children hurriedly exited. As soon as their feet hit the ground, they dashed for the pool, with several women hurrying to keep up. The last to exit were several older children, who noticed the group standing nearby. Together they said, “You must be waiting for our parents. They will be out in a moment. Would you remind them about swimming when you are done? They don’t get to play very much.” The comment caused many in the group with Anessa to smile as they watched the children rush off to join the others headed toward the pool. They were followed by four women, each of whom was carrying two babies.

Sarah and Aoife stepped out together and said, “Hello, Anessa,” as their clan followed.

“I’ve never seen you before. How do you know my name?” replied Anessa, before she realized what she had said. She began to blush, as she bowed her head.

“You told us. Or, didn’t you know you were telepathic.”

Anessa’s head jerked up, and she looked at Sarah and Aoife like she thought they were crazy. She then said, “No one is telepathic.”

Anessa thought to herself, “This is not going the way I expected. Oh, my, they are all so beautiful. I hope they will accept me as their slave. It feels so good to be near them. Now, I know what it feels like to be in the presence of a true Mistress and Master. Oh, how I yearn to be their slave.”

“Thank you for the compliment,” replied Sarah. “Relax. We see that you are also a very beautiful person inside and out. We are pleased that your group chose to come here while deciding your future.” Anessa looked startled, and stared at Sarah. She knew she heard Sarah speak, since it was her voice, but her lips had not moved. “Yes, Anessa, it is me speaking to you telepathically. This is an ability you probably haven’t realized you had until now. Now, relax. We will talk more about this in a moment.”

“Good afternoon. We are pleased to have all of you join us here at Comrie,” said Rusty, drawing Anessa’s attention away from her non-verbal exchange with Sarah. When Anessa’s attention focused on him, she felt a wetness between her legs and warm yearning within her. She thought, “Oh my, he is so handsome. I love them all. I would be blessed if they accept me as their slave, but that is just a dream for I am not worthy to be in their service.” Anessa didn’t realize the extent of her arousal until a trickle of her cream began to run down her leg.

“My name is Rusty, and our group, including the children, is known as Sarah’s Clan.” He then introduced each of his spouses. “Anessa, we are pleased that you and your friends trusted Nicola’s and Alana’s Clans enough to accept their invitation to come here. All of you are welcome to stay until you have fully recovered from the treatments you received while working for Jameson. As to your future, that is for you to decide. Many here can assist you evaluate your choices but it is your future and your choice.”