Chapter 6: Exploration

Thomas and Diane had gone to New York to empty out Diane's apartment. She was boxing up some of her things and looking at the furniture and said. "Master, that bed is worthless, the dresser a piece of junk." She shook her head. "It wouldn't survive a trip down the stairs."

Thomas was piling boxes on a dolly and glanced at them. "Oh they're old, but should be OK."

"Master, I don't really want them anymore. I don't want most of this stuff." Diane admitted sitting on the bed. "I want a few things, but mostly I want to be home. I'm getting depressed here."

Thomas smiled and started to tug the Dolly out. "Keep packing, we'll talk about the furniture after we've loaded your clothes and belongings OK?"

"Yes Master." Diane said and looked at her old bed again. She'd gotten it from a sale shop in the neighborhood. She hated it when she got it, right after breaking up with Suzanne. She didn't really like her roommates, they were a couple, and Diane had always been the outsider.

Diane finished emptying the dresser and boxing the clothes. She wrote a note for her roomies, and then carried the last box of belongings down, loading them into a mini-van that she knew would hold everything she had. With room to spare. Eight boxes was all she had, eight boxes of stuff. It seemed to be hardly worth the trouble to move.

Thomas looked at her for a moment. "Are you sure you don't want anything else?"

"Yeah, I gave Chuck and Larry an address if they needed anything, or whatever." She said. "I just want to go home."

Thomas nodded and got in to drive her home. On the ride back through the slower daytime traffic of New York she stared out the window. "I was never happy here Master, I've always hated my life, and always wanted something else"

Thomas said. "It's hard to find what you're really meant to do. Sometimes, it finds you."

"Yes Master." She turned and looked at him. "Did you know I almost didn't go to the club that night? I was home depressed and just sitting staring at the TV. I went on a whim, a desperate need to go somewhere. I dressed up and went to the club. A group of five was going into the VIP and I fell in with them, crashing the gate. I'd done that a few times before, often enough that some in there had known me. If had had just stayed home eating ice cream, like I'd planned to, I'd still be in that tiny room in that crappy apartment being miserable."

"Instead, you have a tiny room in a big old house where we make you run around naked and spank you for misbehaving." Thomas said.

"Yes Master, and I'm grateful. I think the big difference is that I feel loved, and appreciated at the house. I think that with you, and the other Masters, I know what I'm supposed to do. I never was sure in the city." Diane said.

"Well, we're headed home." Thomas said. "Where you can get out of those clothes you keep pulling at like they're too tight."

"They are. I don't know how that happened. They fit, but they're too tight to wear." Diane said.

"I know." Thomas said. "You're adapting amazingly well to this lifestyle. Geneva's pushing hard too. You're both doing great."

Diane smiled and said. "I've got a lot left to do though haven't I?"

"Yes Diane, you do. You have cunt training, anal training, sleep training, more ballet, more oral arts, and a couple hundred hours of just kneeling and being present to serve Master. That gets you used to kneeling beside Master in a public or semi public environment." Thomas said.

"Anal training, Master Devon said it wouldn't hurt, and that I'd like it."

"You will." Thomas glanced at her. "If I'm right, you'll be begging for it you'll like it so much."

Diane smiled a bit sheepishly and said. "I'm not sure about that. I'm figuring I'm lucky if it doesn't kill me."

"Tried it before?"

"No Master, I've always been too scared."

"You'll spend days wearing a butt plug with us. This opens you up, gets you used to having something there. Then when you're sufficiently open, we'll take you for the first time. Not gently, slaves don't need gentleness, but we're not slamming a semi truck into a dock either."

Diane smiled. "That about describes the way a friend had it done."

"Then we'll give you days where you get no anal training, to give you time to relax and get used to the process. Our system has worked many times." Thomas said. "Tell you what, I'll get Jeannette, and show you an anal training day. I'll have her wearing the belt and plug all day and you can see how she reacts to it."

"Thank you Master." Diane said. "I don't want Jeannette to suffer for me."

"She won't. It's about time for her to get a refresher anyway." Thomas said. "Trust your Masters, they'll take care of you."

"I thought there would be more being tied up and stuff like that. The bondage part of it."

"Oh we'll get to that. Right now, we're focusing on your ability to serve master. We'll please you as a reward for that service later."

Diane smiled and said. "Patience and poise right Master?"

"Yes Slave Diane, just so."

They were turning off the interstate and headed towards the house as they passed Deputy Carter in her Honda sitting and stewing. She recognized Thomas and Diane in the mini van. She could see boxes in the back through the tinted glass. This was it, she had them now. She'd use Devon's invitation to get in, and then she'd see what was in the boxes, and prove they were smuggling something. Probably kiddie porn or something else really good.

Diane started her car and took off. She headed towards the entrance. She had only been waiting about twenty minutes, which was a shame thought Fate.

She got to the Gate and saw it was already closed with Thomas inside. She rolled her window down and said. "I'm Ann Clark, Devon invited me."

"One moment Miss Clark." The guard said smiling and then he dialed a phone.

Ann forced herself to be calm. There were a lot of boxes, and they couldn't have unloaded them all already. The gate opened and the guard waved her through. She headed up the drive and then her blood ran cold. The Sheriff's car was right there in front. Damn it to hell. The Sheriff and County Attorney were there too, at the top of the steps to the damn porch.

Ann knew she was truly and completely screwed now. She parked and got out of the car and stood there. Defiant and convinced she was morally justified.

The Sheriff walked to her slowly, obviously trying to contain his anger. He got to her and softly so no one else could hear began to speak. "Deputy Clark, as of this moment you're suspended pending administrative review."

Devon called from the Porch. "Ah, Ann. I'm glad you could make it. I wasn't aware that you were off today. Please, come on up."

The Sheriff turned around mortified. "Sir, I'm afraid that she's not going to be here long. I'm sending her back to the station."

"Why? She's done nothing wrong. She's an invited guest Sheriff. If I'm a legitimate Businessman, as you say all evidence indicates, then surely I'm allowed guests, whomever I choose to allow onto my property." Devon said smiling that charming smile of his.

Ann felt the tension in the air. Sheriff Mitchell cleared his throat and said. "Sir, I've previously instructed Deputy Carter to keep from harassing you."

"I don't believe Ms. Carter is here on police business sir. I believe this would qualify as personal. Call it a research assignment if you wish." Devon said. "I'll thank you again for coming by and letting me know that the documents I provided satisfied you as to our intentions to strictly follow the rules and the law."

Devon shook hands with the Attorney and then waved at Ann. "Please come up Ann. I'll have drinks brought in."

The Sheriff glared at Ann and hissed at her. "You better not be doing what I think you are."

Ann smiled and said. "Why Sheriff, I'm just visiting a law abiding citizen. Hoping to learn more about his interests, expand my knowledge, that sort of thing."

Sheriff Mitchell turned and walked to his car and Ann watched her career flush down the tubes. She walked up the steps and said. "I don't know why you did that."

"You are a guest, and I did invite you didn't I?"

"Yes, but you know what I mean." Ann said.

Devon waved her inside and said. "Please come with me to the office and I'll make a quick phone call."

Ann followed him and sat down as Devon picked up his phone and pushed a button for speed dial. "Dominique, how are you?" There was a pause as she answered him. "Yes, The Sheriff was just out here and told me how upstanding I was. That's not why I called. I would like a favor from the legal brains there." Another pause. "Well, Deputy Clark was driving up on her own personal private time and in her personal private vehicle wearing civilian clothing when the Sheriff seemed quite miffed at this. Seemed to me, and it was probably a mistaken impression, that the Sheriff believed she was harassing me." Devon paused and smiled at the expression on Ann's face. "Yes, I was wondering if the Legal minds could perhaps suggest that who and what a person does on their own time." A short pause. "Yes, perfect Dominique. I do thank you." Devon hung up and smiled at Ann.

"Do you have any idea what you're doing?" Ann asked enraged.

"Yes, I just saved your job, or did as much as I could to save your job."

"I'm the one that wants to throw you in jail." Ann said as if explaining this to a three year old.

"I know, and so does the Sheriff. Which is why he'll call it harassment. On the other hand, if he knows that you'll be represented by the same law firm that has been threatening him for two days, perhaps he'll refrain from firing you for now." Devon said. "Best I could do."

Ann shook her head. "You're insane. You're keeping your sworn enemy at your throat."

Devon smiled. "If you're my biggest enemy, I want you right where you are. Right on my ass making sure I'm doing everything legally."

Jeannette came in with a pitcher and some water glasses on a tray. "Master, I took the liberty of bringing water."

Jeannette was wearing the see through shirt thing again. Or another one like it. "They're going to fire me. If not for harassment, then for moral turpitude or something." Ann said.

"It's degrading."

"To you perhaps. To me, it's what it is." Jeannette shrugged and said. "It's a cunt."

Ann rolled her eyes and said. "What about anal sex, that's dangerous you know."

"Oh that's fun. I get the most amazing orgasms from that." Jeannette said her eyes lighting up.

"It's wrong."

"It's not illegal." Jeannette protested.

"It's wrong Jeannette. All of this is wrong."

Frowning Jeannette said. "You're not listening, at least not with an open mind are you?"

"Do they hit you? Beat you?"

"Sure, with canes, whips, and floggers. I like them best. they sting all over that way. Oh your skin feels so alive that way. You're floating on clouds of pleasure when they're done." Jeannette said smiling. "If you breath right, you'll get the endorphins pumping, and you're in heaven."

"Jeannette, that's impossible."

"No, it's subspace, it's in the books, read up on it." Jeannette answered. Looking at her watch she said. "I need to help Chef soon. Come on, let's check Geneva's room and the sleep training room for Diane. Then we can go help Chef."

"Oh joy of my life." Ann said and followed. Jeannette checked the cage first, making sure it was working right and then turning the power off again. She checked the bindings and the chains and clapped her hands once. She nodded when a small red light came on and then she walked out of the slave training room Geneva was using.

"What was that about, the hand bit?" Ann asked.

"If a slave is in trouble and calls for help, it activates an alarm in the training wing. We come running to see what the problem is." Jeannette said. "The sleep training rooms have two sensors. One beeps back at the student to wake them and get them to stop snoring, or whatever, the other alerts us."

"You sound like they care about the students, while they're torturing them." Ann said sarcastically.

Jeannette finally got mad. She turned on Ann and said. "Don't you even say that we don't care. We care more than you think. We care more than you'll ever know what happens to the slaves. That's why we're here, to save them. To save them from cruel masters who don't know what they're doing, or don't care." Jeannette seemed to settle and then she said. "We care about them Ms. Clark. We care so much we don't get much sleep when a Student is first put into sleep training. One of us, probably me, will be up all night listening to make sure they're not in real trouble."

"Of course it's going to be you, can't wake the masters."

"They get the next two nights. No one gets the duty straight through." Jeannette said. "We share burdens here. You'd see that if you'd open your eyes and shut down that women's lib bullshit."

"It's not bullshit, it's equality." Ann said.

"No it's bullshit. It's a lie. It says I should be able to do what I want, but when I want to do this, someone like you gets all upset because I'm being degraded. It's a fucking lie. So long as I want to be a guy and wear a gun and be a cop. It's fine. If I want to be a woman, and be a slave, and be here, then I'm crazy right. Don't tell me it's not a lie, because it is. It only applies if I make choices the liberated leaders decide are right." Jeannette said and walked into the kitchen. "It doesn't allow me to be who I want, it only allows me to be who you want me to be."

"Master, I've been bad." Jeannette said with a tear running down her cheek.

"Where are you slave?" Devon asked.

"In the kitchen Master." Jeannette said and then she said. "I was angry with Miss. Clark Master."

"I'll be there in a minute." Devon said.

He walked in a minute later and found Jeannette standing and sobbing quietly. She looked at him with tears running down her cheeks and then knelt on the floor and hung her head in shame. Diane knelt on the other side of the room and waited. Ann had sat down on a chair and watched this astounded.

"Tell me what happened." Devon said as he pulled a chair up to sit before Jeannette.

"I was talking to Ms. Clark, and I got mad. I spoke to her harshly. I knew you said to consider her a visiting Master, and I spoke harshly." Jeannette looked up. "I'm sorry Master. I've disappointed you. I've displeased you Master." Jeannette hung her head in shame.

Devon nodded his head. Before he could speak Ann spoke up. "Don't you dare punish her."

Devon looked at Ann and said absolutely nothing. The message was clear. Don't interfere with this. He turned back to Jeannette and said. "What did you say to her?"

"I said she didn't know anything. She said we didn't care, and I got mad. I told her how much we care and how much you care about the slaves." Jeannette sobbed. "I told her that woman's lib crap was just crap. It said I could be someone they said I could be, but not what I wanted to be. Then I said she shouldn't be in the Kitchen or she would offend her woman's lib stuff. I'm sorry Master."

Devon nodded again. "You have spoken in anger to a person who was the equivalent of a Master, and a guest. You will be punished. No playtime for one week. No radio for the same period. No sheets or blankets on the bed with the exception of the fitted bottom sheet. You will have no bread for meals for one week, and you'll be flogged later. Twenty lashes."

"Yes Master." Jeannette said.

Ann knew Jeannette was miserable. She didn't understand why, but she knew Jeannette was in fact, absolutely miserable. "Now wait a minute Devon."

"Miss Clark, may I speak to you in my office?" Devon answered.

"Absolutely."

"Jeannette, finish your chores here. I'll give you your lashes after dinner."

"Yes Master." Jeannette said and rose to return to work.

Devon replaced the chair and walked out of the kitchen to his office. Ann stayed hot on his heels. In the office she started in on him. "How dare you treat that girl that way, how dare you punish her for standing up for herself."

Devon turned on her and said. "How dare you interfere in the disciplining of my slaves? Don't you understand? Jeannette has an internal and very strong desire to please her Master, to obey and serve her Master. By doing what she did, she violated not my own idea, but her idea of what her service should be. She was horrified at her behavior, and she needed to be punished to forgive herself. The Punishment I gave her was the minimum she'd accept. If I didn't punish her she'd have felt guilty for months."

"Damn it, she was just standing up for herself." Ann said.

"No, she was disrespectful and disobedient." Devon answered. "You don't get it, not yet. She's so giving that she can't accept much in repayment. She loves us, all of us. She considers our wisdom to be infallible. If she did the right thing in standing up for herself, then Master was wrong for giving you visiting Master's authority. If Master was wrong about that, then what else was Master wrong about?"

"No one is ever right all the time."

"Of course not, but we have to be. We have to know when we've pushed the submissive far enough. We have to see the difference between fear, and terror. We have to be in control every moment of every day. We can't get angry, we can't get tired, frustrated, or disgusted. We have to be the Master all the time." Devon said. "Jeannette and the others need us to be just that. More than we can possibly be, and we have to work hard at it. We work our asses off doing it. Just as hard as she works at being the slave she wants to be."

Ann shook her head. "That's insane."

Devon walked around his desk and said. "Have you ever pulled a car over and the driver treated you like trash?"

"Sure, we're trained to do that."

"You simply got more professional, sticking exactly to the script no matter how insulted you were right?

"Of course, we can't allow our personal feelings to interfere." Ann said and then stopped and looked at Devon in a new light. "Oh shit."

"The light comes on, the eyes are open." Devon said. "This is even harder than that. Because this is all day, every day and all night too."

"It's not the same."

"No it's not. You get to go to cop functions and share stories of how you politely bashed someone's head in who needed it." Devon said. "We get to try and figure out what the slave needs to conform to the slave lifestyle, and become all they can."

"Don't punish her." Ann said softly. "It's my fault."

"Partially, you didn't open your mind. If you had, you'd have seen more than you have so far." Devon said. "She'll be punished, I'll personally flog her, and I'll do so harshly. Because she expects me to."