Copyright 2009 by Zeta

All rights reserved

This story may be freely distributed in electronic form but must include this copyright.

Crime and Punishment is a work for pure fiction and all locales, names, characters, places, and incidents are the products of the author's imagination. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or living persons is entirely coincidental

Table of Contents

Prologue

Chapter 1: Crime

Chapter 2: Induction

Chapter 3: Inducement

Chapter 4: Preparation

Chapter 5: Humiliation

Chapter 6: Auction

Chapter 7: Training

Chapter 8: Wedding

Chapter 9: Servitude

Chapter 10: Punishment

Epilog




Crime and Punishment

Book I of the Zax Trilogy

Translated into Archaic English by Zeta.


Translators Note

This translation was undertaken as part of a thesis on archaic languages. The archaic period selected is the 21^th century, as measured using pre-modern reckoning. The particular dialect chosen is the American version of English, as spoken and written during the period approximately 50 standard years either side of that millennium. Modern names and terms have been, where possible, translated into their archaic equivalents. Names and terms without equivalents have been assigned archaic expressions that (would have) provided an accurate linguistic description (in the translator's opinion) to individual's of that era. Fortunately, the text contains only minimal usage and discussions of modern devices and methods, greatly simplifying the translator's task in this area. As such, it is the firm belief of the translator that a native speaker of the chosen archaic era would readily understand and grasp, in its entirety, the resulting narrative contained in the text. Furthermore, the physical environment and social customs depicted are essentially timeless and, could, with minor adjustments to the technological instruments employed, have occurred in any era. In short (and using the archaic vernacular) the text is not a work of science fiction.

The translator would like to thank her advisor as well as the tireless work of her editor and the toleration of her friends and companions during the execution of this work. She would also like to thank the few existing readers of archaic languages for keeping the past alive and especially those who may encounter this text and take the time to read it. It is you few whom this text is dedicated, for you are surrogates to what unfortunately must remain a true science fiction fantasy: a reader from the pre-modern archaic era.

Zeta North American Federation, 2410




Justice is incidental to law and order.

J. Edgar Hoover

"The degree of civilization in a society can be judged by entering its prisons."

Dostoyevsky Prologue

Every century in human history has its various associated revolutions and epochs: the Age of Enlightenment in the 18^th century, the Industrial Revolution in the 19^th century, the Information Age in the 20^th century, and the Genetic Revolution in the 21^st century. The latter actually started in the 1950s with the discovery of the structure of DNA and accelerated after the mapping of the human genome in 2003. By the end of the 21^st century sufficient advancement had been made so that cures for cancer and other stubbornly persistent diseases had been found along with cures for more mundane afflictions like the common cold and other viral infections. In addition it became possible to extend the average life expectancy by 200 years or more as well as prolong health, youthfulness, and vitality. Science was now finally able to engineer the human form eliminating deformities, improving intelligence, and enhancing physical appearance. The only area that was left untouched was human nature itself which remained unaffected, untouched, and most importantly untamed.

Despite man's ability to create wealth and prosperity and to enjoy the fruits of his labors, crime persisted and wars (although not large or global), still flared up across the planet taking thousands, sometimes hundreds of thousands of lives at a time. Bad government and poor management still resulted in famines, genocide, pollution, and regional conflicts that offset many of the gains made by the latest advances in science and technology. In addition, as mankind began its first serious expansion outwards into the solar system, these problems increasingly threatened to interrupt the future prospects for developing the unlimited and untapped material resources that were finally within grasp. As the 22^nd century dawned the focus of generic research shifted from the physical to the cerebral in an attempt to solve this last remaining problem. It was not sufficient to just improve man's body; his mind must also be enhanced if true progress were to be achieved. Thus began the New Age of Reason with scientists applying their knowledge and skill to improve the very nature of man's mind; genes and proteins responsible for aggressiveness and anti-social behavior were isolated and examined. The human genome was re-engineered to reduce, but not eliminate the worst of these traits. Bioengineers realized that a total solution was not possible. These same genes were also tied to inquisitiveness, curiosity, and intellectual drive. If eliminated, the race would flounder and die. So an acceptable engineering trade-off was sought and found. Or so it was thought.

The aggressiveness of the human male was identified as the culprit and as such would be decreased while that of the female increased. Not significantly, just slightly. The trade-off would be a slight increase in homosexuality in the general population. Rates would increase from approximately 10% to 15% among both males and females. However, the resulting reduction in aggressiveness, (especially among males whose late teen and early twenty age-group were responsible for most of society's antisocial problems), would dramatically reduce crime and war. The slight increase in female assertiveness would also serve to further reduce and check the remaining aggressiveness left in the male population as well as further empower women and their role in society (which had long been recognized as a positive and stabilizing force). Creativity and technological advancement was projected to slow by only 2%, on average. Overall population would decrease by 6% or so.

The risks and trade-offs being acceptable, the Decision to proceed was made. Within a generation, crime and war were dramatically reduced. In some cases, serious crime dropped to zero. Within another generation war became sporadic and many prisons were closed. No perceptible decrease in technological progress was noted, however homosexuality among the general population was slightly higher than projected, especially among females where rates reached 22%. Overall, these trade-offs were found acceptable and the world entered a New Golden Era of peace and prosperity unlike any before it.

But no miracle is perfect. Although disease and plague had long been eliminated, this was not because the cause had been annihilated but, rather because technology could rapidly find and counter new viruses and germs. It thus came as a great surprise in the middle of the 22^nd century when the male population inexplicitly began to die suddenly and in great numbers. At first, the world remained calm believing that a solution would be engineered within a few days, if not hours just as it always had in the past. But this was not to be. Within 24 hours 20% of the male population died and concern began to rise. Within another 24 hours 50% of the male population was dead. Panic set in. All the resources of the world were brought to bear on the problem. Within a week a solution was finally found and the Great Plague completely arrested. However 95% of the male population was gone.

To prevent an unthinkable recurrence of another Great Plague the human genome was re-engineered again. The previous tinkering with humanities DNA had left a vulnerability within the new genes. This vulnerability was subtle and could have persisted for centuries or even millennia without incident, waiting for just the right combination of environmental random chance and human fault to trigger the defect. But fate had spun her wheel of chance early and a catastrophe had occurred sooner rather than later. In the resulting aftermath of relief and recrimination a foolproof solution was demanded. As is the case in such circumstances, the solution was both as heavy-handed as it was simple. Its consequences were also equally profound. Female assertiveness and aggressiveness was greatly increased while that of the male decreased still further. The result was a female population that was almost exclusively bi-sexual and heavily homosexual. Males became largely asexual. This combination was chosen to preserve the social gains of the New Golden Era while eliminating any chance of another plague caused by weak genetic pairings. The new genes were no longer susceptible to disease, man-made or otherwise.

Other forces were at work here also and had been since before the Great Plague. Women had come to enjoy their new more powerful roles. In addition, they also realized that the male population (which was increasingly viewed as having caused all of societies problems) was largely superfluous. Within the decade before the Great Plague, science had progressed to the point where reproduction now occurred almost exclusively ex utero. This had many advantages and few, if any, disadvantages. In fact, the need for a large male population had been eliminated from the point of view of reproducing the species. A relatively few males could insure sufficient genetic diversity to maintain the race as long as the female population remained large. Gender selection which had long been a matter of choice became an increasingly female choice. With their new sexual orientation, the vast majority of women choose to have more and more female offspring and as a result the overall male population had been dwindling for well over a decade. The net effect of the Great Plague was to accelerate this trend by exposing to society (what soon became known as) the Gender Crisis. The Gender Crisis however was not so much a crisis of numbers but a crisis of attitude. The female population was, increasingly, quite happy and quite willing to live without the company of its male counterparts. In fact, some argued (albeit sarcastically) that they had been essentially doing this for time immemorial. The male population on the other hand was largely apathetic and ambivalent to this shift in societal attitude.

The social momentum had therefore permanently shifted toward increasingly more female independence and power (especially political power). This occurred at the obvious expense to male influence, opinion, and political standing. Endless debates over the increasing female role and decreasing male presence within society ensued with members of both genders arguing vehemently on both sides of the issue. The Gender Crisis finally came to a head at the yearly Conference for Gender Affairs, when fate again intervened, with one of its more dramatic (and socially galvanizing) examples of meddling in human affairs. This Perl Harbor like incident had, as usual, an emotional impact that far outweighed its actual practical effect. For several years prior to this incident, several radical female political factions had been calling for the elimination of the entire male population. Their proposal was to stop all male births and over time, completely eliminate the entire male population through natural, if not accelerated, attrition. Enough male genetic material was to be stored to ensure the continuation of the species. At the start of the Conference this opinion was clearly and firmly in the minority. However three days into the meeting an unknown male terrorist group bombed the building where the Conference was taking place killing almost 1000 attendees (mostly male) and wounding several hundred others. Conspiracy theories appeared almost before the dust from the explosion had settled and demands to resolve the 'male-problem' once and for all gained such momentum that a political crisis was precipitated. War had been declared by the male population against the rising dominance of female political power. Unimagined violence (which had not been seen in almost a century) had suddenly exploded into the present, and once again it was the male population which was responsible for reintroducing such rough tactics into the debate. However society was not about to give up its hard won gains or be intimidated by what was clearly a small group of fanatics trying to strong-arm their way back into power. This would not and could not be tolerated under any circumstances. As a result the opinions of radical females once dismissed as too extreme and bizarre now began to be taken seriously by a growing number of those in the middle of the debate. The fact that a large number of males had been killed in the bombing further underscored the precariousness of the current situation in the face of uncontrollable and random events. What if another unforeseen disaster occurred that wiped out the remaining male population? Could the human species survive such a catastrophe? Demonstrations calling for the confinement and management of the male population swept through the streets surrounding the bombed-out conference building. Those in political power suddenly found themselves in the midst of a growing crisis of which they were rapidly loosing control. Clearly public opinion on the matter had shifted irrevocably to the right on this issue and a compromise must be quickly found before the more extreme elements in the debate prevailed.

The result was the Tiresias Compromise which placed the entire male population into a permanent conservatorship. The World Center for Generic Resource Management was created as the conservator and placed in charge of managing and overseeing the remaining male population. Its first act was to slowly round up all males and distribute them to reservations scatted strategically across the globe. Reproductive rights were stripped from all men. Male births were now tightly controlled and the male population decreased by natural attrition over time. This ensured that sufficient males were available to guarantee the genetic survival of the species while eliminating the possibility of a plague or some other disaster wiping them out. In this way a population of billions was slowly but surely reduced to a well managed and tightly controlled few thousand. Women could still freely and independently make decisions about having offspring including how many to have and when to have them, however the gender of all children would now be female. In the end, the males were relegated to the status of breeding slaves kept exclusively for reproduction purposes. The male chromosome was again tweaked to increase virility but males were henceforth kept in isolation and not allowed to contact (or even know about the existence of) other males.

The Tiresias Compromise effectively insured the continued survivability of humankind without any possibility of a return to its violent past. After a few generations, the existence of males completely disappeared from the social consciousness becoming a transparent and abstract reality. Although most women were aware (in principle) of the existence of males (now located in tightly controlled and heavily secured breeding colonies called Duenas), virtually none, ever saw or was allowed to come into contact with the male member of the species during their lifetimes. In effect, males cease to exist resulting in an all female society.

For the female population, this change ushered in a new renaissance of peace, material comfort, and prosperity. Without crime and war, and with the scientific and engineering advances of the last several centuries, even the poorest members of society were wealthy by the standards of previous centuries. However, human nature had not changed completely. Ego, selfishness, and the need for social status remained. These elements of the human id were controlled and kept in check by genetics and law, but nonetheless were still ever present. As the 23^rd century began, a New Social Contract was created. Although government remained distributed throughout the world, the World Federation was established as a central authority and given the power to enforce and regulate the conduct of local governments and guarantee the rights of individuals and the prosperity of all. Over the next 70 years or so, new laws were put into effect and a new social elite with the power and status to govern took control. Individual rights and prosperity were established and guaranteed in both principle and fact. With these came the necessary laws and regulations required to insure order and fairness.

By the standards of past centuries the crime-rate in the 23^rd century was so small as to be almost non-existent. Still it was not zero. The large reduction was due to the material prosperity provided to all and the genetic tinkering resulting from the Decision. The latter played a significant role in the types of crimes committed and treatment of crime in general. The genes of modern woman predisposed her to desire social status (just as in the past) but to shy away from overtly aggressive behaviors to attain her goals. In the rare cases where unattained goals resulted in a woman resorting to criminal methods these were almost exclusively non-violent white crimes whose sole purpose was to gain greater social status and wealth. However the number of women committing such crimes was small: only a fraction of 1% of the population. The obvious solution, prison, was rejected as relatively expensive to establish and maintain, and ineffective in deterring future anti-social behavior. Instead, the solution provided by the World Federation was to re-institute slavery in the form of the Servitude Laws as the punishment for all crime.

What had been expressly frowned upon in past eras was seen in the 23^rd century as the single most effective deterrent to crime. However, this new slavery differed significantly in its application from that in past instantiations. Gone (for the most part) were the whips and chains, the brandings and physical mistreatments. These were replaced by public humiliation and a period of indentured servitude to the victims (or society). Relatively minor crimes were punished with public humiliation or short periods (anywhere from a day to a year) of personal service to the victim (where applicable) or public service. More serious crimes were punished with longer terms of service and the most severe crimes with a lifetime of service and an (almost) complete loss of rights. In the latter case, the offender effectively became a slave in the traditional sense of the word and was typically sold at public auction to the highest bidder with the proceeds used to compensate the victims and the government.

Indentured servants however were not completely without rights. Physical abuse for the most part was forbidden and under no circumstances could an indentured servant be physically injured, mutilated, or killed by her owner. In fact, the rights guaranteed to indentured servants varied with the severity of the sentence. Women sentenced to terms less than their lifetimes were termed servants while women sentenced to a lifetime of service were called slaves with the rights afforded each varying accordingly. For servants having short periods of servitude, most, if not all, legal and civil rights and personal freedoms were retained; the only obligation being to satisfactorily complete the service within the prescribed period. In general, however as the length of service increased, retained legal rights and freedoms decreased. For sentences lasting several years, the servant effectively lost most of her legal rights as well as her personal freedom. For slaves, all except the most basic rights to life and limb were lost as well as all personal freedom.
Slavery had another more subtle benefit however. Since crime was rare, the number of women serving as slaves was small. Slaves were therefore rare, and like most rare things, highly valued and coveted. In effect owning slaves conferred significant social status on the owner. Slaves were in effect the Ferrari's, Lear Jets, and 100-foot yachts of the 23^rd century and the competition to own them fierce not to mention expensive. As a result, slaves were almost exclusively owned by the most elite and wealthy members of society bringing the New Social Contract full circle and highlighting its consequences as well as its benefits to all.

The designers of the Servitude Laws and the New Social Contract were not content however with mere external influences such as social status and punishment to maintain the order. These had too often failed in the past, and despite the prevailing prosperity of the times, wealth and status were always relative things. As such, built-in internal mechanisms were required to reinforce these external controls. Once again, a bit of genetic tinkering provided the solution. Although the Decision had left women with unparallel personal power and confidence, these were checked by the usual cultural and sexual inhibitions euphemistically labeled the contrary virtues. Modesty, chastity, and humility were now hardwired. Although women remained sexually confident and free to choose their partners, marry or divorce at will, and otherwise engage in all forms of sexual behavior, whether singly, in pairs, or even in small groups, inhibitions that dampened immodest behavior were now genetically hardwired so as to reflexively reinforce the chosen societal norms and morality. Sexual activity therefore continued to be exclusively a private matter between consenting adults and conducted behind closed doors. Public nudity or sexual displays as well as pornography remained largely illegal and socially taboo.

The purpose of this tinkering (known as the Venkatesan Modification) however was not merely to control the public morals but to leverage these inhibitions as internal controls against discontent whether public or private. As such, this genetic hardwiring was accompanied by a predisposition towards making these taboo activities sexually stimulating. Thus for example, thoughts of appearing nude in public although personally frightening and humiliating were nonetheless accompanied by a small but nevertheless real thrill of sexual excitement that could be felt both physically and emotionally. The result was that a sub-conscious tension was established within the mind of each woman with regards to such anti-social behavior. This tension was then exploited towards the larger purpose of acting as an internal deterrent towards all types of misbehavior, by using the external act of public humiliation as part of the punishment proscribed for criminal activity within the Servitude Laws. Each woman was well aware of this tension both subconsciously and consciously. At the subconscious level fear and dread served to check desire and ambition. Consciously each woman knew the awful public degradation that awaited her if she chose to break society's rules in pursuit of personal gain. None could ever forget witnessing her first public humiliation.

Mandated by law as part of the civics' curriculum, all late-teenage school girls were required to attend at least one public punishment. There they witnessed the terrible spectacle of a convicted criminal being dragged into a public square, stripped naked, and exposed to public ridicule and physical punishment. The latter often consisting of spankings, whippings, and personal violations of both her body and her dignity. The result was to consciously reinforce the built-in mechanisms of the Venkatesan Modification. As such, each woman contained within her mind a self-reinforcing inhibition towards misbehavior. This internal check insured obedience to law and order (and most importantly the status quo) independent of external devices or controls. For the price of retaining a few sexual taboos and some outdated morality, peace and prosperity could now be guaranteed to all. Such is the material from which utopias and other golden cages are built. But cages work both ways.

With the New Social Contract in place, peace, prosperity and personal freedom guaranteed to all, and a new order of social elites firmly entrenched, the 24^th century ushered in the first near utopian world in human history. Those who disagree are few in number and chiefly composed of society's outcasts and malcontents. They are rightly ignored. However there are others, albeit few in number, but nonetheless witnesses to the realities of this utopia, and their disagreement cannot be so easily dismissed. For they have experienced first hand both its wonders and its horrors and both are paradoxically yet unsurprisingly found in the same place. It is there that this near-perfect world is ruled with a cunning and subtle yet iron fist by an elite group of ruthless, fabulously wealthy, and equally powerful women determined to maintain and extend their control.

For the unfortunate few who witness and experience this first hand, life is a harsh contradiction where near-naked slaves live side by side with the fabulously rich and powerful; where manual labor coexists with interplanetary transports bearing untold wealth; where goods are casually dispensed and friendships even more casually betrayed; and where amorality is valued even more highly than the most precious metals or rare gems. To these few, under the ever watchful eye of a jealous and powerful elite, tormented by this spectacle of waste and moral poverty, there are disquieting and unanswered questions...
Chapter 1: Crime

Guilty! The words struck Erin like a thunderbolt leaving her in a daze. Time seemed to pause and the courtroom around her receded into the clear fog of unreality. Erin watched with detached interest as the legal drama continued to unfold in slow motion around her, like some awful overly exaggerated and contrived story on a low-budget vid. Clearly this can't be happening she thought, surprised by her lucid and suddenly unemotional calm. In the expanded moment, Erin thought back to the unbelievable and still confusing, set of events that had brought her to where she now stood.

A short month ago, she had been sitting in her office at World Life, one of the largest insurance companies on earth, when her executive assistant, Lisa, had flashed a virtual persona with a message into her office. Two officers from the world Financial Investigative Services were in the outer office asking to see her.

Surprised, Erin inquired, "FIS? Did they say what they want?"

Inquiries from the FIS were not unusual, since they performed routine auditing. However, audits were almost always arranged in advance. Surprise visits were uncommon. Lisa's persona looked at her with the casual innocence she found so endearing, and blinked. "No they didn't. But they seem very insistent on seeing you immediately."

"OK," replied Erin, "Send them in."

Two women, dressed in standard FIS gray walked in. "Erin Brooke?" asked the first.

"Yes," replied Erin. "How can I help you?"

"I am agent Sims and this is agent Estrada," replied the first woman. "We are here to inform you that a formal inquiry has been opened regarding World's account with Custom Genetics. Since you are the account manager, we would like to ask you some questions."

Erin was a senior vice president at World and handled several of the insurance company's largest and most important accounts. Of these, Custom Genetics was perhaps the most significant due to the company's size and influence. Erin had started at World four years ago, after graduating college, as an executive assistant and worked her way up, earning an MBA along the way. She was considered at twenty-six, a rising star at the company.

Taken aback, Erin said, "Inquiry? I don't understand, please explain."

"Can we sit down?" asked agent Estrada. "This may take a few minutes"

"Of course" replied Erin standing up and motioning the federal agents towards two plush red leather chairs. The FIS officers sat down and looked at Erin impassively. Erin blushed and said "Can I offer you anything? Coffee, tea?"

"No thanks" said agent Estrada answering for both of them.

Both agents resumed their patient silence waiting for Erin. Erin blushed again and brushed a strand of her straight raven black hair from in front of her green eyes and moved to sit down, smoothing her tight skirt against the generous hips of her hourglass figure, as she did so. "How may I help you?" she asked.

Agent Estrada spoke again saying, "One of our junior auditors discovered an anomaly during a routine audit at Custom Genetics about a month ago."

"Anomaly?" asked Erin, folding her arms over her large full breasts.

"Yes," responded Agent Estrada. "It seems that a sub-persona of our auditor found a small variance in the hyper-derivative of a Toplitz exchange referring to a credit transfer made approximately one year ago. Normally, she wouldn't have investigated, since the variance was within normal bounds. However we had received an anonymous tip a week before detailing a newly discovered fraud virus that leaves this kind of signature."

"Anonymous tip?" questioned Erin. "This is very unusual. We usually receive notices on fraud viruses from the standard reporting authorities. I am not aware of any such virus in the daily releases."

"That's correct." Agent Sims replied. "We were skeptical and so did not report this information until we had a chance to confirm the accuracy of the report."

"You must understand," added Agent Estrada, "that we receive hundreds of such reports a week, although they are usually not given anonymously. We do not release such reports unless we can confirm the information. In most cases, the reporters send sufficient information to make confirmation trivial. However, as a matter of policy and practice release of such reports without confirmation could lead to a substantial volume of false alarms and cause companies such as World to waste significant time and effort."

"In the worse case" added Sims "companies and individuals might start ignoring legitimate postings, with disastrous long term results."

Yes thought Erin, this made sense. Even in the 24^th century teenagers and other mischievous persons were always trying to play a prank, gain publicity, or just plain disrupt the system. Some things would never change.

"So I take it you found out the report was true?" said Erin.

"Yes," replied Estrada. "We traced the transaction and found that, what appeared to be a 20 million loss, was actually a diverted deposit."

"Diverted?" asked Erin confused. "Diverted to where? What was the source of the 20 million?"

"Well" responded Sims, "The 20 million originated as an investment transfer from your office as part of a routine security roll over. We haven't found the destination yet. But we are working on it."

"How come Custom Genetics did not report this directly to us?" inquired Erin.

"We asked them not to" replied Sims. "We suspect criminal fraud and conspiracy and told them we would report the matter to you as part of our inquiry."

"You mean that you suspect someone inside World Life committed fraud?" asked Erin astounded. She had never heard of something like this happening at the company.

"No" stated Sims. "Until we can track to the destination of the funds, and determine there is truly a problem, we don't want to make any accusations. However we would like your cooperation since you are the account manager."

"Certainly" replied Erin. "You will have our full cooperation. If you can supply Lisa, my assistant, with the details, she will render any assistance you require. Is it alright if we investigate from our end also?"

"We can't stop you, of course," replied Estrada. "However, since this is a formal investigation, do not remove or destroy any records until we are done."

"Of course," replied Erin.

"OK then," said Sims as both agents rose. "We'll be in touch. Hopefully we can resolve this in a few days."

After the agents left, Erin asked Lisa to assemble the records for the Custom Genetic account and come into her office. She also informed her superior, Ellen Jackson, of the visit by the FIS agents.

"Start looking into this immediately and keep me informed" said Ellen.

"Already started; I'll let you know as soon as we find anything" said Erin.

****************************

Sitting in her office a few hours later with Lisa, had left Erin more confused than ever. Worse, Erin was becoming concerned. They had been going through the transaction records for Custom Genetics during the period identified by the FIS agents trying to trace the funds in question. Lisa had found the initial transaction almost immediately. Some short-term investment bonds had matured and Erin had decided to transfer the funds to a slightly longer-term instrument, due to a slight rise in interest rates. The initial step in this process required transferring the 20 million to a Canadian bank. From there it should have been invested in the new securities when they became available within a few days. Instead, it appeared that the funds went into a rather high-risk short-term derivative where the principal was lost. From there the trail went cold.

Although 20 million was not a significant amount of money for a company the size of Custom Genetics (their stock value varied by at least an order of magnitude more each day), it still represented a considerable sum, especially from an individual point of view. Most women could easily retire and live very comfortably on such a sum.

Worse from Erin's perspective, her digital signature appeared on both transactions, essentially authorizing the transfer. "Lisa, are you sure you remember my transfer of authorization allowing you to make the purchase?" asked Erin.

"I think so," replied Lisa. "I believe you were busy that day and so was I. My personal log shows that we were in the middle of the proposal for the General Fission account at the time."

Erin's own log showed the same results. The proposal had been extremely important since General Fission was World's biggest client. Everybody had been busy. Great thought Erin, this made things even more difficult.

It was late and both women were tired. Lisa looked over at Erin and said "Don't worry, I'm sure it all has a simple explanation and will work itself out. You look tired Erin. What do you say we go and get some dinner?"

Erin wasn't as confident as Lisa about the final outcome, but she was tired. It had been a long frustrating day. "Yes, I suppose your right" she replied. "Close up and lets go, I'm getting hungry too."

*****

Lisa and Erin had more than a working relationship. Lisa had become Erin's executive assistant 18 months ago when Carol, her current assistant, had left to return to school. Carol still worked at World, but only part time, and this was insufficient for someone as busy as Erin. Lisa was 24 years old and two years out of college. She was a petite blond woman with full breasts and narrow hips. Lisa was also a very caring person and took an interest from the beginning in taking care of Erin. She was always bringing her coffee, reminding her of personal appointments, and so on. For her part, Erin could not help notice the attentiveness of her pretty young assistant. Eventually a combination of long work hours and a few shared confidences led to the inevitable office romance. About two months ago, Erin had asked Lisa to marry her in the spring, and she had accepted. The engagement ring on Lisa's index finger testified to their impending wedding. Although such office romances were quite common, their particular situation was highly unusual. This was chiefly due to Erin's age.

At twenty-six Erin was both accomplished and stunningly beautiful. This in a society where to be average was to be smart and where even the ugliest were good looking. The fact that two young women working closely together should become romantically involved was quite ordinary and in many ways expected. What was unusual was that Erin should choose a younger partner. Marriage did not have quite the same meaning or duration as it had in the ancient past. In fact, the institution had become simultaneously more complex and fluid (although its primary purpose of creating recognized heirs for the passing of property remained). As might be expected, women still married for all the usual reasons: economic stability, emotional support and companionship, and, of course, to have children. However stability, companionship, and childrearing had all taken on subtler and more intricate meanings within the institution. In general, most women now married twice in their lives, once when they were young (typically a few years out of college) and once when they were older (and near the zenith of their careers).

In her first marriage a young woman married a (significantly) older woman. Both women made a contribution of genetic material at a local WCGRM reproduction center, and (typically) raised a single child. The marriage, in general, lasted until the daughter entered a full-time boarding school, usually around age 12. In the intervening dozen or so years the older women acted as the economic provider as well as a life and career mentor to her younger partner (and to a lesser extent their offspring). This provided the younger woman an opportunity to be a mother without sacrificing her career goals. After the dissolution of the marriage both women would be free to go their separate ways. Of course, couples still shared the common bond of their daughter and most continued, at a minimum, a cordial and lasting relationship throughout the remainder of their lives.

Later in life and in the prime of her career, a woman would marry again for a second time. This time she would choose a younger partner and act as her provider, mentor, and coach. The second marriage afforded an opportunity to have a second child without the hassles of motherhood or interruption to career. In simpler and more practical terms every woman got the chance to be a mother and to learn from an older, more experienced woman. Later, she returned the favor by helping another younger woman just starting out. Although there was no official obligation to follow this pattern of marriage and remarriage, the vast majority of women by and large followed this model for practical and economic reasons.

It is from this perspective Erin's and Lisa's marriage was highly unusual. Ordinarily both women would have chosen older, more experienced partners or, alternatively, simply moved in together as lovers. Marrying someone so close in age provided no practical advantage and went counter to the established purposes of the institution itself. In effect both women were making a binding commitment while being unable to take full advantage of its benefits.

However Erin was an unusual person. At almost 27, she was more accomplished than most her age and finally ready to tackle her first major relationship (or so she thought). It was the latter point over which she fretted though. Career-wise she was years ahead of her peers; relationship-wise she was very tardy. Embarrassingly tardy in fact; for Erin was still a virgin, something that was also highly unusual for a woman her age. This is not to say that she was socially backward or awkward or even that she was not attracted physically to other women. Rather she had simply prioritized her life differently than most (or so she rationalized). Education and career had necessarily come first, even if it meant certain 'sacrifices'. Erin was known to be single minded and stubborn to the point of obsession when it came to achieving the goals she set for herself. And she had been exceptionally dogged in the pursuit of her career objectives. Now that she had achieved success in this area, it was time to work on her personal life.
Although she hated to admit it, Erin knew that career goals were not the only reason she had not pursued her personal 'development' more vigorously. Being brutally honest with herself, Erin knew she was more than a bit uptight about her sexuality. Jokingly she told herself that Nina's Cut had taken a bit more than usual from her genes. Whatever the reasons, Erin knew that her sex life was far from typical. As a girl in boarding school she had refrained from participating in the usual teenage romances common among her peers. Intellectually, she dismissed the handholding, kissing, and early sexual exploration as 'silly' and a 'waste of time'. Emotionally she was intimidated by her budding sexuality and she felt too insecure to expose herself in this manner. In college matters only worsened. This was a time when young women actively engaged in free sexual exploration. Partners were sought out and women moved in together sharing both their studies and their bodies. Again, Erin had refrained from participating, telling herself that she was too busy to waste time on such frivolous 'extracurricular' activities. She would worry about such things later when she was done with college. The problem was, the longer she waited the more awkward her situation became.

Erin found herself increasingly cut out of the typical whispered, often silly, but sometimes serious, girl-talk and chit-chat that consumed so much of casual college life. It was not that she was actively excluded by the other girls from such talk, but rather that she had nothing to contribute to these 'discussions'. Worse, how could she admit that she had never had sex? This would be beyond embarrassing and might easily leave her vulnerable to gossip and some seriously vicious female college real-politick. Instead Erin found herself either changing the subject when matters of sex came up or quietly slipping away when the conversation turned to this topic. Although this left her susceptible to being labeled 'stuck-up', this was far better than the humiliating alternative of confessing her virginity. The only bright spot was that Erin knew that she was 'normal'. By listening to the other girls she found (rather embarrassingly but much to her relief), that she was also excited by all the sexual activities that they professed to so actively and enthusiastically engage in. In addition, Erin was an active and passionate masturbator (something which she did almost nightly, but would of course, never publicly admit).

To cope, Erin threw herself into her studies, privately masturbated, and shied away from gossip and embarrassing girl-talk. Surprisingly, Erin found that this strategy not only worked well but that it left her quite popular among her peers. Why, she was not exactly sure. Perhaps it was because she did not gossip or actively disparage others. Or maybe it was because she was a good student always willing to help fellow classmates with their work. Or perhaps as a non-player socially she was not considered as competition or as a threat. Or maybe it was all of these, none of these, or some combination. Whatever the reason Erin found herself well liked and well respected by her fellow students. In this way she muddled through college socially remaining a virgin.

Upon graduation she went to work for World. In some ways this relieved the social pressure on her. Unlike college, a large insurance company was socially a much more formal and mature place. There was still plenty of social politics, but they were almost exclusively directed towards business ends, not sex. In this social arena Erin was able to excel since her sexual hang-ups were irrelevant. And excel she did. However, with regards to her personal life, Erin had to admit that her situation was more precarious than ever. Being a virgin at 26 was not only unusual it was down-right odd. Only a small minority of women could make a similar claim and most of these were either cultists or religious fanatics; not exactly comforting company. Then Lisa had become Erin's assistant.

Lisa was not quite as bright or ambitious as Erin but she was kind and thoughtful and she seemed to genuinely enjoy working with Erin. As time went on, Erin found out more about Lisa through their natural daily intercourse at work. One day, Lisa came into work visibly upset. Erin could see that she had been crying.

"Are you OK?" inquired Erin, concerned.

"I'm alright" replied Lisa wiping tears from her watery eyes.

"Would you like the day off?" asked Erin. "Perhaps I've been working you too hard. The General Fission account has left us all a bit frayed. Truth is we could all use a break."

"It's not that" said Lisa bursting into tears.

Erin instinctively put her arms around her young assistant and said "It's OK. You can tell me about it if you want too. I'd be more than happy to listen."

What followed was a two hour recitation by Lisa of her life's story in which Erin learned (much to her surprise) that her assistant was the daughter of two rather strict members of a religious sect. This particular sect was known as the Marias and they believed in the sanctity of marriage and the purity of childhood and young adulthood. In practical terms, this meant a single marriage for life between two women who would raise their daughters to adulthood. Sex before marriage was forbidden as well as marrying outside the faith. Although this was very atypical socially, it was also quite ordinary. Thousands of such sects existed, many with philosophies far stricter and more bizarre than the Marias. Even in the 24^th Century society was far from homogenous and groups of all kinds existed and thrived. In general this was view favorably, for the world would be a very boring place indeed if all women thought and acted alike. However, Lisa had realized in her late teens that the life proposed by her parents was very atypical and not one that she wanted for herself. Upon turning eighteen she had left home and gone to college, abandoning her parent's beliefs.

"I take it your parents were not happy with your decision to leave?" said Erin.

"No" said Lisa, calmer now that she had explained matters to Erin. "However we parted company on good terms and we have remained in touch."

"So alls well that ends well" said Erin.

"Not exactly" said Lisa. "Last night my mother called saying that she had found a partner for me."

"Partner like in marriage partner?" asked Erin.

"Yes" said Lisa.

"And I take it that...," started Erin.

"Yes, exactly. She even asked if I was still a virgin" said Lisa.

"I see" said Erin, becoming intrigued.

"I told her I was but that it was irrelevant. I did not want to marry yet and when I did it would be someone of my own choosing and most likely outside the faith. We got into a huge fight...and well you can guess the rest."

"Yes I suppose so," said Erin. "So what are you going to do?"

"Nothing I guess" said Lisa.

"A sound move, in my opinion" said Erin. "It seems that your parents love you despite their religious philosophies and I am sure matters will be smoothed over in a few days."

"I hope so" said Lisa.

"I am sure they will. Just be patient."

"OK" agreed Lisa.

That day at the close of business, Lisa came into Erin's office and said "I want to apologize for my outburst earlier today and to thank you for being so kind and listening to me and all that."

Erin smiled and said "Think nothing of it. I was flattered that you trusted me enough to tell me about it and yourself. If you ever need to talk again, my door is always open."

"Thanks for being so understanding" said Lisa. Then blushing slightly she said "Good night and thanks again."

As Lisa turned to go Erin said "Wait." She was truly flattered that her young assistant had chosen to confide in her. She was also touched by Lisa's story and impressed by how willingly the young woman had shared her secret with her, a secret that Erin also shared. There was something quite endearing about her pretty assistant and Erin said "would you like to have dinner together?"

Lisa's eyes widened in surprise and excitement. "Sure!" she said.

"Excellent" said Erin standing up and grabbing her jacket. "Let's go then!"

And so began her relationship with Lisa. Within a few months both women were spending all their free time together, or at least most of it. Erin had eventually confessed the secret of her virginity to Lisa. She had been extremely embarrassed at the time, but had forced herself nonetheless to 'come-clean'. Lisa listened but merely nodded and then quickly changed the subject. Later Erin realized that, given her background, Lisa had probably considered this unusual fact about her as quite normal. After all she was a virgin herself. As their relationship progressed, and it became clear to both women that they had become more than friends, the topic of moving in together (and all that this implied) came up.

"I'm not opposed" began Lisa. "However I want you to know that even though you might consider it silly, I want to save myself for marriage."

This surprised Erin and she said "Despite the fact that you abandoned your religion?"

"Yes. I know its ridiculous but, let's say I am just old fashioned."

"I see" said Erin, but she didn't. In fact Erin was quite frustrated and angry by Lisa's attitude. They were an ideal match and Erin found it ironic that she must respect the teachings of an oddball religion that neither of them believed.

"I can see you are upset" said Lisa. "I'm sorry. You've been so good to me and I feel bad."

"I'm not angry," lied Erin, but it was hard for her to hide her feelings.

"Perhaps we should wait and talk about this tomorrow" said Lisa.

"Yes" agreed Erin.

That night Erin did not sleep. Frustrated she masturbated but that did not assuage her anger or her hurt feelings. Tossing and turning in bed Erin thought the matter over. She had finally found the perfect partner and was at last ready to become sexually involved. She had assumed Lisa was ready also. In fact she knew Lisa was. But what was holding her back? Her adherence to and abandoned religion was merely an excuse. There had to be another reason. But what? It was all so infuriatingly frustrating that she wanted to scream!

The next evening when they were alone in Erin's residence, Erin broached the subject of living together again. "What's really going on Lisa? Tell me please!" begged Erin.

Lisa looked down and placed her hands in her lap, palms up. "I'm so embarrassed and scared" she began, tears falling into her open hands.

"What's wrong dear?" said Erin becoming anxious and concerned.

"I don't know how to tell you this, even though I've known it from almost the day we met" said Lisa looking at her wet hands.

"There's no need to be afraid" replied Erin, "you can tell me anything. We're friends, no more than friends, much, much more. Please tell me."

"Looking up with tears running down her face Lisa looked at Erin and said "I'm so sorry Erin, but I love you!"

"Oh god!" gasped Erin astounded yet again by the young woman's openness and honesty. At that moment Erin's heart melted and she knew the truth of Lisa's words. Yes, she loved this pretty young woman too!

Tears filled Erin's eyes and she said "It's I who need to apologize. I love you too Lisa but I lacked the courage to tell you."

Both women fell into each other's arms and soon they were both laughing and crying at the same time. After awhile Erin regained her composure and drying the tears from Lisa's face as if she were a child, Erin said, "what say you that we buy a ring tomorrow after work?"

Lisa was overjoyed and both women started laughing and crying again. "Yes, yes, yes!" Lisa repeated over and over again.

The next day Erin bought an engagement ring and placed it on Lisa's finger. News of the unusual engagement swept the office and, for once, gossip was not about business. Few at World knew however how truly unusual Erin's and Lisa's relationship was. Lisa still insisted on living apart, and more importantly 'saving herself' until after the wedding. This left Erin frustrated but she respected Lisa's wishes even though she thought they were ridiculous. In a few more months it wouldn't matter anyways. She had waited this long and a little while longer could hardly matter. In the mean time, she would just have to settle for masturbating; at least it relieved some of her frustrations and tensions.

The visit by the FIS agents however had only added to Erin's tensions. After eating dinner, Erin dropped Lisa off at her residence and, after a rather long and passionate good night kiss, proceeded to her own residence. The passion of the kiss and the frustrations of the day had left Erin sexually excited. Nina's Cut at work again, she sighed. After a quick shower, Erin proceeded to her bedroom where she removed some lubricating jelly and her vibrators from the nightstand near her bed. Throwing the covers on the bed back, she lay upon the bed on her back. Bringing her knees up, she grabbed the first vibrator, placed some jelly on it, and gently placed it in her rectum. Grabbing the second vibrator, she placed it directly into her wet vagina. Turing both instruments on, she rubbed her clitoris with her right hand while squeezing the nipples on her ample breasts. In moments, she climaxed with the first of several intense orgasms, letting out a small cry and several deep moans.

She always thought about Lisa while masturbating and tonight was no different. However, Erin had a kinky side. She also fantasized about being punished. Though she didn't realize it, what she really desired was to be humiliated. If she had thought about it more dispassionately, Erin would have realized the Venkatesan Modification at work. This was quite a common fantasy among women, though few stopped to think about it, and fewer still would admit to such feelings. Sexual mores were very advanced however, and just about anything went between consenting partners. That is, if one could find a willing partner. With the exception of the very wealthy, who could afford slaves, such kinky fantasies usually remained just that: fantasies. Erin was no different in this regard. Though turned on by such thoughts, she never dreamed of actually trying to realize them. Instead she masturbated while fantasizing about Lisa sexually punishing her. After her fifth orgasm, Erin removed the vibrators, rolled to her right side, pulled up the covers and fell into an exhausted, but relaxed sleep; her sexual energy expended.

********

Several busy days went by without Erin hearing anything from the FIS agents. She was beginning to feel that Lisa was right and that the FIS would just clear up the matter on their own. Her investigation had gone nowhere. Although Erin did not explicitly remember the transaction in question, it appeared that she had uncharacteristically bought a high risk investment instead of a safer one and as a result, the funds had been lost. The fact that the entire sum was lost and that the client had not complained was however very unusual, but nonetheless possible. The transaction records had of course, ended there since the funds were gone. Pressing business had prevented Erin from looking into the matter further (even though she was still troubled by the incident). Perhaps the FIS had made a mistake or they were satisfied with the information Lisa had sent them. Unfortunately, none of this turned out to be the case. Without fanfare, Ellen Jackson's virtual persona appeared in her office. Ellen was the senior president of the division where Erin worked, and Erin's boss.

"Erin," Ellen began. "Sorry for interrupting, but I need to see you immediately. Can you come over?"

"Sure," Erin replied. "What's up?"

"I'll tell you when you get here" said Ellen.

"OK," said Erin, "I'm on my way."

Ellen Jackson was a mature, no-nonsense woman and a damn good person to work for. She was both strict and fair. More importantly, she took a personal interest in each of her subordinates and tried her best to advance the career of each woman on her staff. Erin was one of her favorites, and Ellen had been instrumental in her rapid rise. Ellen had recognized Erin's ability and talent early on, giving her ever increasingly challenging assignments. Ellen had already been married once, and had hinted a few times that Erin might make a suitable partner in a second marriage. Erin however, was too consumed by work to consider such a move. Ellen was not offended by this; in fact her admiration for Erin only seemed to increase.

"Please close the door and sit down, Erin," said Ellen as Erin walked into her office. "I heard from the FIS today regarding that matter with Custom Genetics," began Ellen.

"Oh. Did they finally clear it up?" asked Erin.

"Far from it," replied Ellen looking grave. "They finally traced the money to its destination, a numbered account in Mexico."

"A numbered account? Whose account?" questioned Erin.

"Your account, I'm afraid." answered Ellen.

"What!" shouted Erin. "Impossible! I don't have any numbered accounts, especially in Mexico."

"Well, I hope not for your sake," said Ellen.

"Look, you've got to believe me. Our records show the funds in question were lost as part of a routine trade," said Erin. "I have no knowledge of an account in Mexico."

"I believe you," said Ellen. "However, the FIS has issued a detainment warrant against you. Don't worry; I have already posted bond, so you won't be bothered. In the mean time, we need to prepare for the judicial investigation. I am transferring this account to April who will supply the FIS with any further information they require as well as assume the management role."

"April?" asked Erin. "Can't Lisa take charge temporarily?" Erin disliked April and the feeling was more than mutual.

April was in her early thirties and heir to the Katz family fortune (or what was left of it). The Katz's were old money, very old money. The family had made its fortune two centuries ago during the height of the genetic revolution, and had played a significant role in developing the New Social Contract. However a combination of bad management and misfortune had depleted the Katz wealth so that by the time April was born there was little money left. Only the family name and reputation remained, but these were significant. April was another of Ellen's vice presidents but unlike Erin, she was haughty, snobbish, and very temperamental. Erin found her difficult to work with and unpleasant to be around. Erin knew that she was not alone in feeling this way. On the other hand, Erin had to admit that April was extremely competent and efficient and an excellent account manager. In truth, Erin's dislike of April was more personal than professional. April had made a couple of passes at Lisa and even offered to make Lisa her assistant. Erin of course, was not pleased by any of April's overtures, but had let the matter slide so as to maintain a professional rapport with her fellow vice president. However this did little to alleviate her dislike of the woman and Erin avoided April as much as possible. Fortunately this was easy to do since they worked in different business areas at the company.

"No" replied Ellen. "I know you and April dislike each other, but there are larger issues at stake here. First, as your assistant, Lisa is under your direct supervision. As your fiancée, she is also not a neutral party. The reputation of the company is at stake here. Our customers and the government are watching us. If we are not completely up-front and forth coming, World could be in serious trouble. Although this is not April's business area, she is more than neutral, and competent enough to handle the account till this matter is straightened out."
Erin was forced, reluctantly to agree. "Good" said Ellen. "Karen?" said Ellen calling her executive assistant.

"Yes" came an almost instantaneous reply from Karen in the outer office.

"Send April in, please," said Ellen.

"On her way" came the reply.

"April, have a seat," said Ellen when April walked in a few moments later. "I'm sure you heard about the investigation concerning Custom Genetics."

"Yes," replied April, smiling slightly at Erin. "Is it true that Erin has been arrested?"

"Not exactly," said Ellen. "A detainment has been issued against Erin and the company has posted bond."

"So sorry," replied April insincerely. "Is there anything I can do?"

"Yes," said Ellen. "I'm assigning the Custom Genetics account to you until this is cleared up. You can get any information you need from Lisa, and if necessary, Erin. However, I want both of them kept out of any further involvement with this account. You are to assume full responsibility. As I just explained to Erin, the reputation of the company is at stake here. None of us can afford to mess up. Understood?"

"Absolutely," replied April.

"Good, then get going," said Ellen.

"I'm on it," said April as she left.

"Now," continued Ellen, "I want you to see the company counsel first thing tomorrow. Her name is Cassandra and she has been with World for years. She is one of the best corporate counsels in the business. If anyone can straighten this mess out, it's her. Until further notice, working to clear this up is your full time job. Lisa, and some of the other vice presidents can cover for you till this is over, which hopefully won't be long. Erin, I want you to know that I don't think you did anything wrong and that I will provide all the support I can."

"Thanks," replied Erin, starting to cry. "It's nice to have you on my side."

"OK, don't go soft on me now," said Ellen trying to look tough, but not quite succeeding as some of her liking for Erin showed through. "Get out of here and let's clear this thing up."

"I'll do my very best," said Erin as she left.

*********

Unbeknownst to Erin at the time, April had left Ellen's office that day extremely pleased and happy because of Erin's predicament. Things were definitely going her way. She had gained a major new account, which she thought, should have been hers to begin with, and with any luck she would soon be rid of the damnable Erin. Erin had rubbed her the wrong way from the start. She was stuck-up and was a thorn in her side at work. Ellen clearly favored Erin and had repeatedly given her choice assignments, which had advanced her rapidly up the corporate ladder. She had been dogging April from the beginning and now was April's chance to be rid of her.

April was a beautiful and ruthless woman. At five-nine she was tall and athletic. With medium hips, full, firm breasts, blue eyes and flaming red hair, she turned heads almost anywhere she went. April was very popular on the society scene do to her good looks and old-money family name. About two years ago she had brokered her way into becoming chairwoman of the board of Zax, the infamous and notorious quasi-secret BDSM society. Zax's membership was rumored to include some of the wealthiest and most powerful women on the planet. April's rise to power at Zax was due to a combination of raw talent, reputation, and desperation. On a personal level, she was famous for her kinky parties. She was also a damned good businesswoman, and unlike some of her family predecessors, had a knack for making sound and creative business decisions as well as money. April's problem was that she was essentially broke and as a result, she lacked the necessary capital to rebuild her fortune. Except for a few small properties, her one remaining asset of value had been seven slaves owned by the Katz family. She had traded these, along with her reputation and family name for the chairwomanship at Zax. This was a good deal for both her and Zax. Zax had gained seven very valuable slaves as well as a very able and capable leader. April in turn, had gained access to Zax's immense resources and important connections. Using these, April hoped to eventually rebuild her fortune.

As the chairwomen of Zax, April had access to numerous slaves (Zax was the largest owner of slaves on the planet) and Zax Castle. There she could host lavish parties and orgies for the benefit of the rich and powerful. April had a ravenous sexual appetite and was an expert domatrix. Like most of Zax's members, her sexual tastes were definitely not mainstream or tame. April was cruel and loved to see, and better yet, cause discomfort to others. Her orgies (or play sessions as she called them), were notorious and typically involved a dozen or more slaves and lasted for several days. On the business side, April had reorganized Zax's finances and significantly increased the society's wealth. As a result, April's reputation and popularity quickly grew and after two years, she was well on her way to becoming one of Zax's most successful leaders.

At World April had also been doing well, at least until Erin came along. April had hoped to replace Ellen as the senior president of the division when the older woman retired or moved on. However, Erin clearly stood in her way being Ellen's favorite. April was therefore extremely happy about Erin's predicament, and eagerly anticipated even greater satisfaction in the near future.

Walking into her office, she called her assistant, Candy into her office. "How did it go," Candy asked walking in.

"Good," replied April, "Very good. Did you talk to Lisa?"

"No," said Candy. "You said to wait."

"Yes," answered April. 'Call her, will you?"

"Sure," replied Candy walking out. April watched Candy's ass as she departed. She would be having a good time with it tonight. Candy was aptly named, she mused, pretty and sweet. A natural blond, with a trim tight figure, she was sweet on the outside, but hard as nails inside, and with a bite too. Just like old fashioned hard peppermint candy. And like that confection, Candy also looked good well striped after a whipping, which April loved to give, and she to receive. Yes, things were definitely sweet, and they were going to get sweeter still.

*********

The next morning, Erin went to see Cassandra. She was an older, but still handsome, woman nearing retirement. She greeted Erin warmly and invited her to be seated.

"Well," began Cassandra, "I have been reviewing the FIS case and I have some questions."

"Sure," replied Erin, "Ask away. Ellen has put me at your complete disposal."

"Good," said the counselor. "When was the first time you suspected there was a problem with this account?"

"Not until the FIS agents showed up in my office a few days ago" answered Erin.

"You tried to track the funds on your own, but you were unsuccessful, right?" questioned Cassandra.

"Yes," replied Erin again. "Lisa, my assistant, and I spent the better part of a day in the attempt. We found that the money was invested in a high-risk equity instead of the bonds I had originally proposed. The principal was lost, a few days after the purchase. I have not been able to pursue the matter further, as the last few days have been busy."

"Are such mix-ups common?" asked the counselor.

"No," answered Erin, slightly annoyed. "I don't usually put client's money in such investments. Not without a thorough study, at least. At the time, we were very busy with the General Fission deal, and I really don't remember this transaction that well. I delegated the details to Lisa."

"Who used your authorization to buy the equities instead of the bonds" added the counselor.

"Look," answered Erin, getting angry. "I would not have authorized such a transaction. Lisa or the receiving agent must have made a mistake and bought the equities instead. Like I said, I haven't had the time to investigate further."

"What's going on here anyways," continued Erin. "I thought you were on my side and were supposed to help me."

"Cool down," replied Cassandra. "I'm only trying to understand what happened, like you. You also have to realize that, although I am on your side, this isn't like some old courtroom vid from 400 years ago."

"How's that?" asked Erin.

"Let me ask you, do you understand how our legal system works?" asked the counselor. "Wait, a second and reflect before you reply. I know what you learned in school: that our system is based on the old European and American systems of justice; trial by peers and all that. But so little time is spent on this nowadays. Most people have little or nothing to do with the criminal legal system and there is so much to learn in school. It's natural to skip through this, without really giving it the attention it deserves."

"I guess you may be right" said Erin sheepishly. "I probably don't know as much as I should."

"You're probably right" said Cassandra. "And I am pleased that you are willing to admit it. Let's start with what you probably do know. Almost all crime is punishable by servitude. Only extremely violent crime, such as murder carries another penalty, and that's death. But there isso little crime of any kind; science has given us that. The magnitude of the crime determines the severity of the punishment, as it has from time immemorial. Petty crimes, such as shoplifting, carry a few weeks to a few years of community service. Cleaning the parks, and such. More serious crimes, carry a stiffer class of penalties. The most serious carry a punishment of complete servitude for the life of the perpetrator. In other words slavery."

"Yes, I know this," replied Erin.

"Right. This is what most people know," continued Cassandra. "What you probably don't know is the definition of a serious crime. You have to understand that almost all remaining crime is financial. Science has engineered away the violent offenders. The very few that remain, are eliminated, as I said previously. You also have to realize, that blue collar financial crimes such as armed robbery and breaking into people's residences also never occur. We are all just too well off materially for that sort of thing. There is no point in stealing something you can afford to buy or can get for free. This leaves essentially white collar financial crime."

"Like I am accused of," added Erin.

"Precisely," answered the counselor. "The penalty is still based on the magnitude of the crime. But now there is a trivial and exact way of defining magnitude: by the amount involved."

"And I take it," said Erin, "that the amount involved in my case merits the most serious class of punishment."

"Yes," answered Cassandra. "But things are not quite this straight forward. We no longer have an adversarial legal system, like in the vids of old."

"Adversarial?" inquired Erin.

"Yes," answered Cassandra, "In vids you probably saw that one side would fight the other in a sort of ritual combat of words. Strategy and tactics were employed. Information was both sought and withheld, even hidden, as in a war. This is not surprising considering this system was invented by our violent ancestors. Our system is more cooperative. We don't have trials, but rather formal investigations; a search for truth instead of a contest, if you will. Information cannot be withheld. All sides are required to answer the relevant questions put to them. My role as a counselor is to insure that the state does not abuse its authority or infringe on your rights. I thus have the power to stop a trial if I suspect such tactics. On the other hand, I can't protect you by withholding information or by using other legal tactics."

"I see," said Erin. "So what do you advise me to do?"

"There are many courses of action available here," answered Cassandra. "The FIS seems to have a very solid case. The equity loss appears to be a sham. Money was transferred to Mexico before the loss. The account is in your name. Your signature is all over the place. On the plus side, most of the money is still in the account and has been recovered. I suggest we bargain with the FIS."

"Bargain?" said Erin. "What do you mean?"

"Well, you can admit to the crime in exchange for a lesser punishment," answered the counselor.

"What kind of punishment? Why would the FIS even consider such a deal?" asked Erin.

"Well in response to your first question, probably 15 to 20 years of indentured servitude. Not slavery; you would retain most of your rights. However, you would be forced to work for a court designated employer for the time in question, without complaint. In answer to your second question, the FIS must prove you are guilty. They have a good case, but no case is iron clad. In addition, it takes time and money to do a judicial investigation."

"And if I refuse and insist I am innocent?" asked Erin, knowing the answer.

"A full investigation will be held, of course. If you are found guilty you will most likely be sold as a slave to help pay for your crime. You should also consider this. Slaves have no rights. You cannot appeal or reopen your case, ever. On the other hand, as an indentured servant, you still have rights. You can pursue your case, and in time, possibly win a reversal," answered Cassandra.

"I need to think about this," said Erin.

"OK," replied Cassandra. "Take a few days and let me know."

*********

The next two days were agonizing for Erin. On one hand, she hated the idea of admitting to a crime that she did not commit; on the other, the idea of loosing her freedom and becoming a slave was terrifying. Lisa tried to help her the best she could, even letting Erin cry herself to sleep in her arms one night. The next morning, Erin woke early, went home, showered, and went to see Cassandra.

"Come in," said Cassandra. "I take it you have come to a decision."

"Yes," said Erin. "I have decided to fight this all the way. I just can't bring myself to admit to something I didn't do and destroy my life."

"OK," replied Cassandra. "I'll do my very best. Nothing that can be done will be left undone. You have my word."

"Thanks," said Erin. "I can't ask for more."

*********

April sat in her office enjoying herself. "Yes. That's right. Try and transfer 16 million from the account," said April to Candy.

"You know the account is frozen, and the request will be denied," said Candy.

"Yes," said April, "but it's the attempt I am interested in, not the actual transfer. Be sure to use the persona I sent you though. If you screw this up I will really beat you to death. As it is, you're in for a good thrashing."

"Yes Mistress," replied Candy, feeling her pussy start to get wet. "Right away."

****************************

The 'trial' (as Erin thought of it) began two weeks later and was almost anticlimactic. Erin and Cassandra sat at one end of a long wide table, while the government's team sat at the other. Six judges sat along the long side of the table and the judicial mediator, or investigator, opposite them. The mediator acted as a sort of judge, while the six "judges" were really a sort of jury. They along with the mediator would decide Erin's fate. Ellen, Lisa, April, and Candy made up the spectators and sat behind the government team.

The proceedings were largely uneventful. The government presented its case and the electronic and technical evidence detailing the transactions. Cassandra countered many of their points and even challenged the interpretation of the evidence. Erin denied knowledge of the account in Mexico and other parts of the transaction. In the end, Erin admitted to herself that the judicial investigation seemed fair and though the government's case was extremely solid, Cassandra had cast at least some doubt on it. Thus it came as a shock when the judges reached their guilty verdict after deliberating for only an hour.

As she stood before the panel with Cassandra's hand on her shoulder, Erin could just not bring herself to believe what she was hearing. What came next was an even greater shock. After hearing the verdict the judicial investigator asked Erin and Cassandra to be seated. Erin knew that the judicial investigator, or JI, as Cassandra called her, would pass sentence almost immediately.

"Before passing sentence, are there any further statements on either side?" asked the JI.

At this point, Cassandra was prepared to present a plea for mercy. Her strategy was to point out that Erin, although guilty, had fully cooperated and had not actually spent or attempted to spend the stolen money. She hoped that Erin would get a sentence just short of full slavery. Cassandra had initially disagreed with Erin's decision not to negotiate, but the more she looked into the case the more suspicious she had gotten. Although the government's case was airtight there was something odd that she couldn't quite put her finger on. If Erin received a sentence less than full slavery, she was determined to pursue the case until she got to the bottom of things. But for this to happen, Erin could not be sentenced to slavery.

Before, Cassandra could begin however, April rose, glanced at Ellen who looked very angry but nodded to her anyways, and approached the JI. "Yes ma'am," she began. "Yesterday, an attempt was made by Erin to transfer 16 of the twenty million out of the Mexican account. I have the records here," she said putting some information cubes on the table.

Cassandra protested, but was waved down by the JI. The panel examined the new evidence, which was quite damning. It showed a virtual persona of Erin with a valid signature trying to transfer the funds.

After the examination, April rose and asked to present additional testimony. The JI agreed.

"Ma'am," began April, "I would like this panel to know that World is self insured and has paid Custom Genetics' claim. As a result World is now the aggrieved party in this investigation. As such we wish to minimize our loss, which is our duty to our shareholders."

"Can you show evidence of the paid claim," asked the JI.

"Yes," said April putting an information cube on the table.

"Very well," said the JI after examining the contents. "What is your request?"

"Ma'am, we request that sentence be full diapered servitude. As you know this greatly increases the slave's value. In addition we request the usual sale of all property."

The JI turned to Cassandra, "Do you have anything to add before I pass sentence?"

"Ma'am," replied Cassandra, "Can I have a word with my client?"

"Yes," answered the JI. "This investigation will recess for one hour. Dismissed"

****************************

In a private conference room, Erin looked at Cassandra in shock. "What's going on here?" she asked. "What is diapered servitude?"

Cassandra, looking uncomfortable, tried to answer her client's question. "Remember when I told you that punishment is determined by the severity of the crime?"

"Yes," answered Erin. "You said the worst punishment was complete servitude. But what is this diapered servitude?"

"I said the most serious punishment was complete servitude," replied Cassandra. "However there are varying degrees of complete servitude."

"What could be worse than complete servitude?" asked Erin, incredulous.

"Well," answered Cassandra, "something that makes your existence completely and totally humiliating on a daily basis. Diapered servitude is just what the words mean. The slave is placed in diapers and kept there for life."

"Why didn't you tell me about this?" exclaimed Erin, starting to cry.

"Diapered servitude is an extremely rare punishment. Only a few percent are sentenced to this form of punishment. Such a slave is highly sought after in the high society fetish scene. As such, they command the highest prices. Normally, your crime would not make you eligible for this severe a sentence. However the attempt to transfer the money yesterday has changed this. In addition, by buying the claim, World has acted to protect their reputation. Although the funds have been recovered, by not asking for the maximum penalty World risks being perceived as not taking the matter seriously, even perhaps encouraging this type of activity. Such a perception would be disastrous."
"Great," said Erin, "I'm screwed."

"Unfortunately I must agree with you," said Cassandra.

****************************

Back in the courtroom events proceeded swiftly. Cassandra tried to protest World's position and argue against such an extreme sentence, but to no avail.

"Rise," said the JI to Erin. "Having been found guilty of fraud and theft with extenuating circumstances, I sentence you to diapered servitude. Bailiff, please take custody of the defendant."

Two large athletic women in police uniforms came forward, and surrounded Erin, and handcuffed her.

"This sentence is to be carried out immediately," continued the JI. "The slave is to suffer public humiliation within five days and be sold at public auction immediately thereafter. Defendant's property is also to be sold at the same auction. All proceeds are to be turned over to World Life Incorporated, minus court costs. Bailiff, please remove the slave for immediate execution of sentence. This case is now closed."
Chapter 2: Induction

Erin had worn a conservative gray suit with knee length skirt, white blouse, and white pantyhose to court that day. Looking down at the cold shiny handcuff's that encircled her wrists, she could make out parts of the gold necklace that hung over her heart. Erin felt strange as her sentence had been passed. Although she was extremely upset at the outcome and in tears, part of her was excited, sexually excited. This frightened her more than what awaited. Her fantasies of punishment seem to rise within her as the prospect for their realization loomed in her immediate future.

The two bailiffs escorted Erin through double doors at one end of the courtroom and into a long featureless but well lit off-white hallway. Erin looked back over her shoulder before passing through the double doors at Cassandra and Ellen. Both women were conferring with each other and seemed equally upset over Erin's fate. Cassandra glanced over at Erin, giving her a sympathetic look. Erin's view of the courtroom was suddenly cut off as the double doors swung shut behind her. The bailiffs, one on each side of Erin and lightly holding her forearms, escorted her down the hallway.

Scrawled in black letters on one side of the walls were the words 'Hall Of Shame'. Erin glanced at this bit of graffiti and her trepidation and excitement grew. The scene reminded her of a hospital, perhaps a mental ward. Everything felt unreal and she felt that perhaps she was psychotic or maybe even insane. Maybe the bailiffs surrounding her were taking her for treatment and she would soon discover that she had been imagining everything.

As she walked down the hallway, Erin became conscious of the feel of her fine clothes and she realized that she was quite sane and her situation was all too real. This would probably be the last time she would wear 'normal' clothes again she thought. Erin was especially aware of the feel of her panties and stockings, their smooth silky caress against her skin. Although, she could hardly believe it, she wondered momentarily how the diapers that would soon replace them would feel. These brief thoughts made her vulva twitch in anticipation and Erin could feel her pussy becoming wet. Erin felt her knees become weak and she was glad of the support the bailiffs unknowingly offered.

At the end of the hallway was a pair of double doors through which the bailiffs ushered Erin. In side was a small room with a desk, behind which two more police officers were seated. The bailiff on Erin's right handed an information cube to one of the officers seated at the desk. She activated the cube and scanned its contents then looked up and spoke to Erin.

"Erin Brooke?" she said.

"Yes," replied Erin meekly.

"You have been sentenced by the state to diapered servitude after being found guilty of fraud by a judicial panel of your peers. Your sentence is to commence immediately" began the officer. "From now on you are stripped of all rights and are the property of the state. Since the first part of your sentence calls for public humiliation within five days, I am required by law to inform you of the following. First, there are five stages in the procedure you are about to undergo. They are induction, inducement, preparation, humiliation, and auction. You are currently at stage one, induction. This stage requires that you be physically prepared as a slave. You will receive the customary physical preparation, which includes the installation of control devices and identifying tattoos. Second, you can then proceed directly to stage three, preparation, and then onto the final two stages by voluntarily requesting public humiliation at the end of this stage. Any questions?"

"Request public humiliation?" asked Erin. "What happens if I don't?"

"You will then proceed to stage two, inducement. There the state will have five days to obtain a request from you. If you have not made such a request in five days, you will be sent directly to auction" answered the officer.

A glimmer of hope filled Erin. She had witnessed only one public humiliation, when she was in high school. Her civics class had taken the required field trip as part of the course. A public humiliation could consist of anything from a bare bottom spanking to a full purge. As the name suggested this was carried out in a public square reserved for such punishments, and anyone could attend. Since Erin was sure that she would be receiving a full purge, the worst possible punishment, she was eager to forgo such an ordeal. Full purges required that the person being punished urinate and expel an enema uncontrollably in full public view and afterward, to bring herself to full orgasm, also in public view.

Erin remembered her field trip where she had witnessed a full purge. A young woman, probably in her mid twenties at the time, was led into the public square. She was naked except for a small apron that covered her lower front. A tube ran out of her buttocks and up to a clear enema bag, full of solution and attached to a pole that she held horizontally across the back of her shoulders. Another tube came from under her apron and ran to a second bag containing yellow fluid. The woman's abdomen was severely distended and she was covered in perspiration. As she walked cramped over, her full breasts swayed displaying erect nipples.

As the guards came to a stop the woman looked around wildly searching for escape, but none was to be found. The crowd laughed at her enjoying her embarrassment and discomfort. Erin remembered becoming strangely excited, to the point where she had to look away. The intensity of her sexual feelings made her swoon. The next thing she remembered was looking up when the woman cried out with what must have been an intense orgasm. Shocked by her feelings, Erin put the memory out of her mind, until now.

"So you mean I can forego the public humiliation?" inquired Erin.

"Only if you can make it through the inducement stage" answered the officer. "There is no record of anyone having done so, to date. Any more questions?"

Crestfallen, Erin turned pale and just shook her head.

"Fine," replied the officer. "Take her to prep room one," she ordered the bailiffs.

The bailiffs led Erin to the right towards yet another set of double doors with a large 'one' painted in blue above them. Inside Erin found a large room resembling an old-style operating room. The wall to her right was glass from floor to ceiling, but the area on the other side must have been dark since the glass appeared black. About five feet from the glass wall and in the center of the room stood a padded adjustable table surrounded by instruments. Above the table was a bright circular light. To her immediate right, stood a mobile instrument station with electronic equipment. On the floor next to the instruments was a thick black rubber mat. To Erin's left was a narrow stainless steel table about four feet long with plastic boxes on it. Along the far wall was a sink and cabinets full of what looked like medical supplies.

A blond technician dressed in a white jump suit with a nametag that read Susan, looked up from the instrument station where she was laying out things and spoke to the bailiffs escorting Erin. "You can remove her handcuffs and leave" she said.

The bailiffs nodded and removed the cuffs, turned and then departed without a word. Erin unconsciously rubbed her wrists. "Remove all your clothes and place them in the containers on the table. Place any jewelry in the small red container," said the technician to Erin.

Erin blushed and hesitated. She had never been naked in front of another adult woman, at least not since she was a small child. Susan noticed her hesitation and said in a severe commanding voice, "Did you hear what I said? You better learn to quickly obey instructions if you know what's good for you. Otherwise things are going to get very unpleasant very fast."

Erin's blush deepened and she stammered a "Yes ma'am" as she turned to face the table. First she removed the few pieces of jewelry she was wearing and placed then into the small container as requested. Next she removed her shoes, jacket, skirt and panty hose. Finally she could delay the inevitable no longer and removed her bra and panties. This done, she turned around fully naked to face the technician. As she did, the thought of being naked in front of another adult woman filled Erin's mind and excited her, causing her vulva to twitch in anticipation and her nipples to become erect and hard.

To her surprise and complete embarrassment the glass was no longer dark. On the other side stood April, Lisa, Candy, Ellen, Cassandra, and a woman she had never seen before who was also wearing a white jumpsuit. Erin's blush deepened even further as she had not expected this. April looked at her and smiled, turned and spoke to Lisa who also smiled. She could not hear what they said, but she suspected they could hear everything in the room where she stood. Confusion mixed with her embarrassment, especially at seeing Lisa's happy composure and close proximity to April.

Susan sensed Erin's confusion and said, "Your victim's have the right to witness your punishment. This is after all a humiliation, and we try and make it as shameful and embarrassing as possible."

"But...," stammered Erin.

"No buts about it!" said Susan cutting off Erin. "You should have thought about the 'buts' before you stole that money. Now you're going to get what you deserve."

Tears started to roll down Erin's red cheeks and she lowered her head and placed her hands over her eyes. She had not expected this at all. She assumed that she would have possibly been given a medical exam and then placed into diapers, what ever that actually meant. But she was beginning to see that things were not going to be quite that straight forward or easy.

Susan walked over to the plastic boxes containing Erin's clothes, picked up each item and made some notes into an information cube. When she got to Erin's panties, she held them up and looked at the egg-white wet spot in the crotch area. "Hmm," she remarked, "Aren't we excited! I think you might be enjoying this."

Erin blushed again and saw April's smile widen. Susan turned as another technician walked into the room and handed her the information cube where she had just finished recording Erin's possessions. "Take this and the boxes to the auctioneer's office," she commanded. The other woman nodded and moved to gather up the boxes containing Erin's clothes.

Susan turned to Erin and said, "Go and stand on that black mat, facing the glass."

Erin did as she was told. Susan walked over and stood in front of Erin and said, "I need to do a full body cavity search. Open your mouth."

Confused, Erin opened her mouth. Susan took what looked like a tongue depressor and placed it into Erin's mouth. "Good," she said. "Now turn around and bend over and grab your ankles."

Erin more embarrassed than ever complied, realizing that her ass and pussy would be on full display to the spectators behind the glass, if Susan moved. Susan, stepping to one side, placed a latex glove on her right hand and expertly popped the cap from a tube of lubricating jelly with her left. She placed a small amount of the jelly on the index finger of the gloved hand and remarked, "Given how wet your pussy is, I won't need much of this."

Erin was by now completely humiliated. She winched slightly as she felt the index finger of the technician brush her vulva and enter her vagina. She felt Susan's finger move slowly in and out of her vagina as she search for what obviously was not there. As Susan removed her finger, she ran it up and across the lips of Erin's vagina until she reached her clitoris, which she rubbed slightly. Despite herself, Erin became even more excited and let out a small moan. Susan, suddenly stopped her ministrations and said, "You must still be a virgin, judging by the tightness of your pussy."

Erin did not reply and Susan proceeded to place a large amount of lubricating jelly on the index finger of her gloved hand. She then squirted some jelly directly over Erin's exposed rectum, and before Erin could say anything, deftly stuck her finger into Erin's rectum. Again, Susan moved her finger slowly in and out. The slow rhythmic motion excited Erin some more, despite herself.

Finally, Susan slowly removed her finger and said, "stand up and turn around." Again, Erin complied. Behind the glass she could see Lisa giggling and Candy absent mindedly licking her lips as if in anticipation of something better to come. Cassandra and Ellen looked grave and were conferring with the technician, who was acting as their escort and guide by answering questions about what was happening to Erin.

****************************

"You have to understand," the escort said to Ellen, "that she no longer has any rights. The procedure she is undergoing is designed to be as humiliating as possible; its part of the punishment and its going to get much worse before it's over."

Ellen responded, "If it wasn't for the responsibility to our shareholders, I would leave and take everyone here with me. At least that would spare the poor girl some embarrassment, however minor." She then turned to Cassandra and said, "When this is over and we get back to the office, I want you to continue investigating this case. There is something fishy about the whole thing and I want to know what it is."

"I'm afraid it's pointless," replied Cassandra, "even if by some miracle we could prove she was innocent it's too late. Erin is now a slave and will remain so for the rest of her life."

"I don't care," answered Ellen, "we may not be able to help her, but at least we can find what the truth is concerning this whole affair. At a minimum that's our duty to the company and to Erin."

Cassandra just shook her head and looked at the escort. Meanwhile, Lisa, who was now holding onto April's arm, giggling like a teenager, and wiggling in excitement, asked the escort, "What's going to happen next?"

"The escort replied, "Well, the technician, Susan, is going to complete her body search by asking some questions. There is information that the slave is a virgin, and if so, that will significantly increase her value at auction. In order to insure the truthfulness of the answers, Susan will be placing sensors into the slave's anus and vagina and around her head. These are connected to the equipment on the left where the accuracy of the answers given is determined."

"Sort of like an old fashioned lie-detector," said Lisa.

"Yes," replied the escort, "very similar, but infinitely more accurate."

Ellen visibly cringed when the escort used the word 'slave' to refer to Erin. "Enough chit-chat" she said looking angrily at Lisa. "We are here to observe, not talk."

April, Candy and Lisa looked at each other, but said nothing.

****************************

Susan went around and stood behind Erin. "Bend over and grab your ankles again," said Susan. Erin complied as Susan removed what looked like two metal cylinders about half an inch in diameter and about three inches long. Attached to one end of each cylinder were wires terminated with electrical connectors. Susan plugged these wires into the back of the instruments on her right and proceeded to coat the cylinders with lubricating jelly. When she was finished, she used her left hand to separate the lips of Erin's vagina and stuck her still gloved index finger into Erin's pussy. After moving her finger in and out for a few seconds, she grabbed one of the cylinders and slid it into Erin's vagina. Next, she squirted some more jelly into the crack of Erin's ass and slid her finger into Erin's rectum. Moving her finger around and in and out, she sought to stretch the opening slightly by relaxing the mussel holding it closed.

Erin continued in her state of embarrassment as the ordeal continued and tears rolled down her cheeks. She was also confused by Lisa's obvious light-hearted attitude and her friendly relationship with April. Although she could not hear what was said behind the glass, it was becoming obvious that Lisa and April were friends, very good friends. Erin did not have time to continue with this train of thought. She heard Susan say from behind her, "I need you to bear down now like you are trying to expel during a bowel movement. This second sensor is a little large and you have a tight ass as well as a tight vagina. If you don't cooperate, this could be painful."

Since Erin already had enough problems, she had no wish to make things worse, so she did as Susan asked. "Good," said Susan, "a little harder." Erin felt the cylinder slide into her rectum as Susan said, "Great! Let's continue. Stand up straight."

The sensors in her rectum and vagina felt cold, but at the same time, their slight movements inside her, in response to her own body movements, further stimulated Erin sexually. The thought of having foreign objects inside her also served to turn Erin on.

Susan placed an elastic band containing wires connected to the same machine around Erin's head. "I'm going to ask you some questions now," said Susan. "The sensors I just placed around your head and in your pussy and ass are connected to these instruments to your right. They will let me know if your response is truthful or not."

"If you should lie, the sensor in your rectum will open and deposit a suppository inside you and give you a small electric shock, like this," she said pressing a button on the instrument panel. Erin felt a sensation similar to that of thick salve being placed in her bottom followed by a brief painful electric shock to her clitoris. Erin let out a sharp yelp of pain in response.

"The suppositories are slow but very powerful and cause severe cramping. You already have one inside you. I suggest you answer truthfully, or you are going to have a very bad time when we are done," said Susan. "Also squeeze your ass cheeks together. I don't want the sensor in your ass or vagina to come out if you lie. I will be very displeased if it does."

Erin nodded her head indicating that she understood and squeezed her buttocks together. Susan said, "Good, let's begin. Answer each question yes or no. Your name is Erin Brooke?"

"Yes.," answered Erin.

"You were employed by World Life?"

"Yes."

"You were convicted of financial fraud by a judicial investigation?"

"Yes."

Another glimmer of hoped filled Erin's mind. If Susan asked if she were guilty, maybe it was not too late to get out of this yet, she thought. Erin's hopes were immediately dashed by Susan's next question.

"You are twenty-six years old?"

"Yes."

"Are you still a virgin?"

"Yes," replied Erin, blushing a deep red. Behind the glass she could see April smile at her, while Lisa and Candy looked at each other and giggled.
"Do you masturbate regularly?"

Blushing again, Erin answered with a soft "Yes."

"I didn't get your response," said Susan, "speak up."

"Yes," repeated Erin louder.

"Do you use a vibrator?"

"Yes," replied Erin feeling completely humiliated.

"Do you ever put the vibrator in your vagina?"

"Yes"

"In your ass?"

"Yes," said Erin, tears starting to role down her flushed cheeks.

"You wouldn't by any chance, have two vibrators, would you?"

"Yes," answered Erin.

"Do you use them together, placing one in your pussy and the other in your ass?"

"Yes," said Erin looking at her feet in shame.

"Do you touch your breasts while masturbating?"

"Yes."

"Squeeze your nipples?"

"Yes."

"Do you also rub your clitoris?"

"Yes"

"Does the thought of being punished excite you sexually"

This was getting just too humiliating answering such intimate questions in front of a complete stranger and a group of co-workers. Erin began to cry intensely as she answered with a "Yes."

"Please stop crying!" commanded Susan. "I can't record your answers."

"I can't," sobbed Erin. "It's so embarrassing answering these questions in front of everyone."

"Listen to me young lady," responded Susan in a sharp voice, "You should have thought of this before committing a crime. It looks like you need to be reminded of that!"

Susan pressed a button and Erin felt a suppository being released in her ass followed immediately by a painful shock to her clitoris. The shock had its intended effect as Erin stopped crying.

"That's better," said Susan. "Now let's continue."

"You were engaged to Lisa Tia?"

"Yes," said Erin, thankful for the new line of questioning.

"Were you in love with her?"

"Yes"

"Did you ever have sex with her?"

"No."

"Did you fantasize about her while masturbating?"

'Yes," replied Erin, tears forming in her eyes again.

"Did your fantasies include Lisa punishing you?"

"Yes."

"Giving you a spanking?"

"Yes."

"Placing things in your ass and pussy?"

"Yes."

"Did you achieve orgasm while having these thoughts?"

"Yes," sobbed Erin, crying hard again, tears running down her cheeks and onto her firm breasts.

"We're they some of your most intense?"

"Yes."

"We're you sexually excited by the thought of your sentence?"

"Yes."

"Does the thought of being in diapers and being made to use them turn you on?"

Erin did not respond immediately. She had never really thought about this. "I don't know," she finally answered.

Susan looked up from the instrument panel and said, "Yes or No?" as she pressed the button that deposited the suppositories."

"Yes, yes, I guess!" yelped Erin getting another shock.

"Good," said Susan moving around behind Erin. "We're done with the questions. Now bend over again and grab your ankles so I can remove the sensors. Erin bent over almost without thinking. She was so glad that the humiliating questions had finally stopped and anxious to get the devices Susan have place inside her out of her body. She now had another worry, as she felt some minor cramps begin in her belly. As if reading her mind, Susan said, "The three suppositories you took will start to take effect soon. Keep your ass cheeks squeezed after I remove the sensors. I hate accidents!"

Susan removed the sensors by pulling on the wires and they both came out of Erin's body without difficulty. She then removed the band from around her head. The cramps however started to build and Erin was soon squeezing her ass tightly in an effort not to release the contents of her bowels. "Can I go to the bathroom?" she asked Susan timidly.

"Diapered slaves don't use the bathroom," replied Susan. "Your bathroom days were over the minute you came in here."

"But I really have to go badly," said Erin. "I don't think I can hold it much longer."

"Don't worry. I'm almost done putting this equipment away. You'll be OK until I get you on the prep table."

Erin had not paid much attention to the padded table near the center of the room since walking in. She had noticed it, of course, since it was the center piece of the room, but she had been too busy to give it more than a casual glance. In her distress, she now examined the table more closely.

It resembled and old style gynecological examining table with stirrups and leg straps. However the table was adjustable, allowing its padded surface to be tilted. At the end where the leg stirrups were, the padded surface ended in a stainless steel bedpan. Oh no thought Erin, she was going to have to defecate on the table, in full view of every one!

Just as she realized this, another wave of cramps hit her. Erin squeezed her ass cheeks as hard as she could fighting off an 'accident'. Susan finished putting things away and said, "Done. Go over and lie on the prep table and place your legs in the stirrups."

Having little choice, Erin started towards the table squeezing her ass. Cindy pointed at her from the room beyond, and giggled soundlessly at her obvious predicament. Somehow Erin made it to the table and climbed onto its padded surface. She placed her legs into the stirrups as instructed. Susan was right behind her and as soon as her legs were in the stirrups, she fastened the straps securely so Erin could not remove them.

Susan went to the right side of the table and took Erin's wrists and fastened them into the leather cuffs at the table's sides. Erin was now securely fastened to the table and unable to move either her arms or legs. Susan pressed some buttons and the stirrups moved apart, spreading Erin's legs. At the same time Erin's head began to rise as the back half of the table tilted upwards. The movement stopped when Erin's upper body had been raised to about 45 degrees and her legs were spread wide. Erin could see the spectators behind the glass who stood starring at her naked body and pussy which was well exposed to their full view.

This exposure was much worse than before. At least Susan had been partially blocking their view and her thighs and buttocks had hid some of her pussy, which had been stretched closed. In addition, she had been further away, if only by a few feet.

Things were much different now. Not only were April and the others close enough that they could touch her if the glass was not preventing it, but her legs were completely spread so that her pussy lay completely exposed; open, loose, and vulnerable to anyone who cared to look. Erin again blushed in total embarrassment. But things were to get worse, much worse. She could feel the intense cramps brought on by the suppositories building within her again. This time she doubted that she could hold back the impending bowel movement.

"Good," said Susan. "If you slide down slightly your ass will be positioned directly over the bowl. You can then expel when you're ready.

"Please," Erin pleaded, "don't make me go here like this. Let me use the bathroom!"

Susan reached down between Erin's legs and ran her fingers along Erin's slit. Rubbing her fingers together and pulling them slightly apart she displayed the egg-white like fluid of Erin's sexual excitement. "Come, come," she said, "Its clear you are enjoying this too much. Plus the fact, I told you that diapered slaves don't use the toilet. You're lucky I'm letting you go like this. At least you won't be messing yourself, yet."

Erin knew she was excited, but she desperately wanted to be released from the table. "Please!" she pleaded again as the cramps continued to build. Susan however just ignored her, knowing that the inevitable was not far off. Erin could not hold off the next set of cramps and uncontrollably defecated into the waiting pan. She turned a deep red as the smell of her release filled the room. Suddenly she realized that she was also urinating as she felt the warm wetness of the urine flood over her pussy and down her ass into the pan.

Looking up she saw April, Candy, and Lisa pointing and laughing at her. Erin was suddenly taken aback by the thought that less than an hour ago, she was a free woman, a highly paid executive at a major insurance company, respected by her fellow co-workers and clients. Now she was being forced to expose herself in the most intimate ways to these same women, defecating and urinating just inches in front of them. She was even more surprised by how much she was turned on by having been made to do this.

After she had completely finished emptying her bowels and bladder, Susan, standing between her parted legs, attached a three foot metal pole at the end of the table next to her right leg. Attached to the top end of the pole were two bags of clear fluid. Each bag looked to contain three or four quarts of liquid. Susan had latex gloves on both hands and was holding a four foot length of red hose with a funny nozzle at one end. She attached the other end of the hose to the first bag of fluid.

"Enema time," she announced, grabbing a tube of lubricating jelly and applying it to the strange looking nozzle.

"What! exclaimed Erin, "Please not that! I've got to be empty, please!"

"You probably pretty much are" agreed Susan. "But we need to get everything out. Diapered slaves have a special diet and you'll get sick if you're not completely clean."

Erin knew that further protest was useless, so she waited in silence as Susan went about her humiliating task.

Again, Susan lubricated Erin's ass with the jelly by squirting it into her crack. Next came the probing finger that slid in and out of her anus, loosing it up for what was to come. Satisfied, Susan inserted the nozzle into her rectum. When the nozzle was inside, she turned a ring at its base and Erin felt the thing expand inside her. She then removed a clamp near the end of the hose that was attached to the bag of fluid. Almost immediately, Erin began to feel the warm fluid enter her ass.

"The nozzle I inserted into you is a special kind. Once expanded it cannot be pushed out without first contracting it. You therefore won't have to worry about releasing the enema too soon. It also lets fluid flow in only one direction," said Susan.

"I have used a special four quart solution to insure that the entire contents of your bowels are expelled. Unfortunately, this solution causes extreme cramping. You're going to have to hold this for ten minutes, so it may get a bit uncomfortable," she added.

As the fluid flowed into her, Erin began to feel full. Before the bag was half empty, the cramping started. Erin began to moan in protest. In response, Susan stopped the flow and rubbed Erin's belly. When the cramps passed, Susan started the flow again and continued to rub Erin lightly. Occasionally, her fingers would stray into Erin's pubic hair, and massage her clitoris. When this happened Erin would moan and she instinctively moved her hips in rhythm to Susan's rubbing. Despite herself, Erin was extremely aroused and this bothered and scared her. How could she be so excited?

"Aren't you a little slut," Susan said to Erin. "I bet you would cum if I let you, right here in front of everybody!" With that she stopped and Erin noticed the bag was empty. "I'll be back in ten minutes," she said walking away.

****************************

Behind the glass wall, Lisa asked the escort, "What's so important about cleaning her out?"

"Well, diapered slaves are just that, diapered. Of course, they are made to use their diapers for their intended purpose. In order to prevent vaginal infections, rashes, and the like, they are fed a special diet," explained the escort. "The food consists of genetically engineered soy and corn. In the digestive track these are easily broken down without the aid of the usual bacteria and such. When digested and expelled, the end products are sterile. There are other benefits too, if you would care to hear the details."

"Yes," replied Lisa, "please do tell."

"OK," continued the escort. "In order for this to work the existing bacteria in the digestive track must first be eliminated. This is what is happening now, in the next room. Later, she will be started on her new diet. The byproducts are not only sterile, but the normal unpleasant odor has also been eliminated."

"You mean her shit won't stink?" giggled Lisa.

"I didn't say that," replied the escort. "There is an odor, but it smells mainly like, well digested soy. This smell is not unpleasant but it is pungent and distinctive. It's sort of musty, like the yeast used in making bread."

"So why is the smell so important," asked Cindy, her curiosity getting the better of her.

"Because, slaves are often punished by being forced to remain in a messy diaper for long periods of time. Although no one worries about what a slave smells, their caretakers, masters, and others who are around them do not constantly want to be subjected to this odor," answered the escort.

"And the trade-off," asked Ellen who could not help overhearing.

"Although, the base ingredients can be prepared and flavored in a variety of ways, the diet is rather limited and monotonous. It's also high in fiber, causing frequent evacuations of the bowels. In addition, the slave cannot eat regular food without becoming violently ill. The normal bacteria would first have to be re-introduced into the digestive track before normal foods could be eaten again. Besides this, there are no other short comings," said the escort.

"Some consider these a benefit," remarked April offhandedly. "It focuses their entire energy on sex, since they have little else to look forward too."

"I guess you would know about that," retorted Ellen icily.

April, shot her a glance, but remained silent.

"In addition," continued the escort, "the diet is perfect for supplements. The most popular of these are various vitamins and minerals used for improving muscle tone and the like."

"The whole idea is ridiculous," said Ellen frowning.

"Look, Ellen, its not like they don't deserve it. They are criminals, after all," said April.

"I'm not so sure about that," replied Ellen looking directly at April. "There's something strange going on here, and I intend to find out what it is."

April, glanced at Ellen, but kept quiet. She had what she wanted and there was no point gloating over it. There was no way Ellen could ever find anything, but the woman could be tenacious and there was no point in antagonizing her further. It would only make her more persistent.

****************************

The minutes seem to crawl by for Erin lying on the table in the preparation room. The cramps, in her severely distended abdomen, were becoming unbearable. She was moaning with the pain when Susan reappeared and said, "uncomfortable, uh? Well, not to worry, times up." With that, she twisted, the base of the nozzle, contracting it, and pulled it from Erin's ass. Almost before the nozzle cleared Erin's body a torrent of enema water flooded out of her and into the waiting pan.

"Not so picky about where you wanted to go this time, I see," commented Susan cruelly. Erin flushed with embarrassment again at the comment and the sound of her expulsion, which seemed to go on and on. After she finished, Susan prepared the nozzle for the second enema by connecting it to the remaining full bag and applying more lubricating jelly to the head.

"No, please," pleaded Erin, "No more, please no more."

"Don't fret," Susan cooed. "Last one." With that she squirted some jelly into Erin's still partially open rectum and thrust the nozzle into place, twisting the base as she went. "There we go, all ready."

The second enema was not as bad as the first, since it lacked the cramping chemicals. Its purpose was to neutralize any of the remaining chemicals in the first, and to kill off the bacteria in Erin's digestive track. Although Erin was required to hold it for ten minutes again, her discomfort was nothing compared to the first enema.

"OK," said Susan, when the time was up. "Time to expel again." She released the nozzle and pulled it from Erin's body which immediately and uncontrollably expelled the fluid. As she expelled Erin could see the escort pointing at her and explaining the procedure to the women on the other side of the glass. Lisa, April, and Candy stared at her, watching every drop that flowed so shamefully from her body. When she was done, Susan rinsed her off with a small hose. She paid especial attention to Erin's clitoris, letting the gentle stream of water, fall directly upon it. This turned Erin on and soon she was moving her hips.

Stopping the water, Susan commented, "I see you are still turned on by all this. Well I'm going to give you a chance to relieve your frustration before we proceed. I need to remove the pubic hair from your pussy. But before that, I thought you might want to masturbate one last time with the pussy of a free adult woman. Of course you will have to do this in front of everybody."

Now, although Erin like most women was naturally aroused by thoughts of being punished, few would have been so turned on as to perform such an intimate act in front of such a full audience. However, the solutions and instruments that Susan and been applying to Erin since she first removed her clothes, must have contained some sort of chemical for Erin found that she was in an extreme state of sexual arousal.

"You might as well go for it, because in a couple of days you will have a much larger audience. And a bare pussy, I might add," continued Susan.

"No," pleaded Erin again, "Don't let them watch; just you please"

"Sorry, it's everyone or not at all. Make up your mind, but if you don't, you're likely to remain frustrated for some time," said Susan.

With that she produced a metal cylinder about eight inches long with one end tapered to a smooth round tipped cone. It was about an inch in diameter and she coated it with a generous amount of jelly. Holding on to the flat end, Susan placed the tapered end into Erin's vagina and held it in place.

Erin instinctively raised her buttocks slightly and started moving her hips, pushing the crude phallus in and out of her vagina while Susan held the other end. On her upward thrust she could feel the sides of Susan's fingers brush her vulva as she buried the full length of the device within her vagina. Her full, bare breasts moved in slow circles with her effort. Erin had never been so excited in her life! In fact she was beyond excited. Frantic was a much more accurate description. Erin found that she could not control herself despite her extreme embarrassment. However the diameter of the phallus Susan held was small and the device was well lubricated, as was Erin's vagina, both from her own juices and the numerous applications of jelly that Susan had applied. She thus had to work her hips furiously despite her excitement in order to produce enough friction to gain the sensation she so desperately needed.

Susan taunted her as she worked, "My you are excited! And in front of everybody, too. How very, very shameful! I can tell you, everyone is watching you masturbate, on both sides of the glass. I hope this shaft is not too big for your virgin pussy."

Erin moaned in her excitement and shame. She knew everyone was watching and she was flushed with both embarrassment and shame as well as with her physical efforts. To think that less than an hour ago, she was fully clothed instead of being so shamefully exposed! The idea that this would be the last time she would masturbate with hair on her pussy also seemed to increase her excitement. The shame of loosing her "adult pussy" as Susan put it, added further to her heightened sexual state. Within two minutes Erin came. Her orgasm, intensified by her embarrassment, was explosive and intense; the most intense she had ever had. She heard herself cry out and moan with the incredible pleasure.

"Oh, Oh, Oh, God!" she cried.

"Well, you really did need that!" exclaimed Susan pulling the cylinder out of Erin's vagina. Erin opened her eyes and blinked. April, Candy, Lisa, and the escort were all looking at her and smiling. Ellen and Cassandra stared blankly, dumbfounded and embarrassed. Erin's flush deepened at the realization of what she had just done.
"I hope you enjoyed that," said Susan. "It's the last time you'll do that with hair on your pussy." Susan then produced an aerosol can and shook it. Taking the cap off she said, "Time to remove all that pubic hair. This is depilatory cream that permanently removes body hair. It has to stay on for 15 minutes, so relax until I get back."

With that she depressed the top of the can and spread the white shaving cream like contents over Erin's pubic area.

Erin protested, "Please, don't! Take it off before it starts working, please!"

"Sorry," answered Susan walking away, "diapered slaves don't have pubic hair, only free adults do."

Fifteen minutes later, Susan returned and rinsed Erin's pubic area. The hair fell away with the cream, and Erin's vulva was left completely smooth and bare. Examining her bare pussy, Erin started to cry again.

"We're almost done now," said Susan. Two technicians entered the room with wheeled metal tray-stands. One technician stopped on either side of Erin, near her head. The trays each contained what looked like a small electric drill, and a couple of containers holding a dark ink-like fluid.

"Hold still," said Susan. "They are going to apply your tattoos. Its completely painless, but if you move, you'll botch it up."

As the technicians began to work, Susan moved between Erin's spread legs again and began to rub oil into her denuded pudenda. Of course, Susan made sure to massage Erin's clitoris, occasionally sticking a finger in and out of her vagina as she rubbed in the oil. Erin became quickly excited, and despite her best effort let out several moans. "You are such a slut," commented Susan to the blushing Erin.

Meanwhile, the technicians applied the standard slave tattoos. Two large lazy 'S' symbols were tattooed on to each of Erin's cheeks. Erin's full name was tattooed near the top of her right arm where it met her shoulder. Below her name the word 'Diapered' was added along with the date. A linked chain, the universal symbol of slavery was placed completely around her right ankle, forming an unbroken circle. A similar tattoo was added to the outside of her left hand and to the base of her neck, in the back. On her right shoulder blade, a picture of a whip was placed. Finally, on Erin's left buttock another whip was tattooed.

Susan was right the procedure was completely painless. Erin could not even feel the instruments touching her skin. When the technicians were done, they collected their instruments and left without a word. Susan, looked at Erin and said, "Very nice." She held up a hand mirror and showed Erin her face. Erin was shocked. Two blue S-shaped lines slashed across her cheeks like scars.

"Oh god!" gasped Erin.

"You should know," continued Susan holding the mirror for Erin, "that the ink on the facial tattoos is hormone sensitive. In particular, it turns from its current blue to black when ever you have an orgasm."

Susan smiled at Erin's shocked expression as Erin moved her face side to side in front of the mirror, looking at each cheek. "That's right," continued Susan as if reading Erin's mind, "You will never have another orgasm without letting everyone around you know."

Tears again welled up in Erin's eyes as she heard this further humiliation that had been thrust upon her. She looked away from her image in the mirror and Susan set it aside, smiling with satisfaction. Susan then grabbed what looked like a socket wrench and stood over Erin holding the tool. "Now for the control devices," she said. "This won't hurt, but hold still," commanded Susan.

Susan first moved Erin's shoulder length black hair aside, exposing the base of her neck. She placed the head of the tool against Erin's skin and pressed a button. Erin heard a hissing sound and felt a slight pressure against her skin, but that was all. "That's the brain and tracking sensor," Susan informed Erin. "It will monitor the other devices that will be installed, provide tracking of your whereabouts, and give information on key bodily functions, such as heart rate, respiration, and hormone level, to name a few."

Susan next placed the control device installation tool over the nipple on Erin's right breast and pressed the button. Erin heard the hissing sound again and felt the same slight pressure. Susan repeated the process with the nipple on her left breast. "These will cause your nipples to become hard and erect and will also squeeze them, if desired," said Susan. Erin, looked at her nipples, but could neither see nor feel anything.

"You won't be able to see anything. The control devices are liquid collagens engineered by cloning skin cells from your body," said Susan. They solidify or re-liquefy when an electric signal of the right frequency is emitted near the surface of your skin. Varying degrees of hardness can be achieved by varying the signal. These nipple devices can be used to give either pleasure or pain, as desired."

Susan then moved to the lower part of Erin's body and in quick succession, repeated the installation process on her rectum, urethral orifice, and clitoris. "I'll leave it to your imagination what these do," said Susan sarcastically. Erin realized that she did not need much of an imagination to guess their purposes.

"One last detail, and we're done," said Susan putting the tool away. Another technician walked in, carrying scissors and an electric hair clipper. "Time for your haircut," announced Susan. The technician proceeded to quickly cut Erin's hair into the short standard bowl-shaped style worn by slaves. The back of Erin's hair was tapered up, exposing her neck and the tattoo that had recently been placed there.

"Done!" announced Susan, as the technician put away her tools and left. Susan proceeded to un-strap Erin from the prep table. When she was finished she said, "Get up and follow me."
Chapter 3: Inducement

Erin followed Susan through another pair of double doors in the back of the far wall, looking at the changes that had been made to her body in the mirrors that hung on the walls. In the next room, a narrow wooden bench stood about three feet from the wall to her right. Showerheads hung along the wall, above a tiled floor. "Shower," commanded Susan, "and make sure to wash your hair. Don't touch your pussy more than necessary to clean it. I'll be watching."

Erin did as she was told, while Susan watched her. The warm water felt good on her skin and Erin was thankful for the shower, as she had been perspiring throughout her ordeal and felt dirty. She also welcomed the opportunity to remove the remains of the lubricating jelly that clung to the lower portions of her body. Brushing her hands quickly over the areas where Susan installed the control devices, she searched for them in vain. She could feel no trace of them, but she did not doubt that they were there. Erin's denuded pussy felt smooth and strange to her touch. It was odd not having hair down there. Erin would have liked to explore her body more but she could see Susan watching her carefully out of the corner of her eyes and she moved her hands away from her genitalia. She could have remained under the soothing warm water for some time, but after about three minutes, Susan said, "Enough!" and Erin was forced to reluctantly step from the shower.

Susan handed her a towel and watched her dry herself off, making sure that Erin did not linger too long as she dried herself between her legs. When she had finished toweling off, Susan directed her to place the towel in a bin by the door and said, "Follow me."

Feeling slightly better and somewhat refreshed, Erin obediently followed Susan, through the double doors at the other end of the room. The room they entered contained a long flat padded table with a mobile tray-stand next to it. On the tray-stand were stacks of heavy white cotton cloths and bottles of lotions and powders. Again, one wall in the room was made of glass from floor to ceiling, and not surprisingly, April, Lisa, Candy, Cassandra, Ellen, and their escort stood waiting on the other side of the glass for them.

"Get up on the table," said Susan. "Lay on your back, feet facing the glass. Erin blushed again, but got up on the table, as directed. "Bring your knees up so that your feet rest flat on the surface of the table, and spread your legs wide," directed Susan.

Erin blushed with embarrassment again, but complied. The end of the table was only three feet or so from the glass exposing her denuded pussy to the full view of the women on the other side of the glass. Susan grabbed some light clear oil from the tray and began to rub it on Erin's pudenda. As before, she paid special attention to the clitoris, while making sure that an occasional finger slid into Erin's vagina. Unconsciously, Erin's hips began to rock in time with Susan's ministrations.

Susan also rubbed some of the oil on to Erin's buttocks and massaged her anus. Noticing Erin's rocking hips she stuck her index finger into Erin's rectum and started to move it in and out. "Have you ever come, using just your ass?" she said to Erin.

Erin flushed deep red with embarrassment and stopped rocking her hips. She had been close to coming again, but Susan frustrated her by removing her finger and saying, "You're such a slut. Your new Mistress is going to have to be very strict with you!"

Susan then proceeded to dust Erin's bare pussy and ass with fine white powder. The oil and powder felt soothing, relieving some of the residual sting that was a by-product of the depilatory Susan had applied earlier. "Diaper time," announced Susan with satisfaction.

Susan grabbed a large thick, soft white cloth from the tray and placed it on the table between Erin's spread legs. She then placed a large thick translucent gauze-like cover over the first cloth. Another soft white cloth from the table quickly followed forming a sort of sandwich of material on the table. A large, thick, pad about six inches wide was placed down the center of the "sandwich" of cloth.

"Ready" said Susan. "Move your hips up so they are slightly off the table, so I can slide this under you."

Again, having little choice, Erin complied. Susan quickly slid the thick diaper under Erin. "OK," she said, "you can and put your hips down. Erin felt the thick, soft pad under her butt. The thought of being forced to wear diapers sent a serge of excitement through her, and she blushed in shame as she felt her pussy getting wet.

Susan pulled the lower half of the diaper up between Erin's legs, covering her lower body for the first time in hours and fastened the corners securing the diaper in place. Erin noticed that the outer surface of the diaper was made of a plastic-like material which was smooth and slippery. The feel of the thick soaker pad on her vulva sent another tingle of excitement through Erin and her nipples became visibly erect. Candy noticed this and pointed to Erin's breasts. "Wow," she said to the women in the room, "she's really turned on by this!"

Erin instinctively tried to bring her knees together, thereby closing her legs. The diaper was so thick however, that she was unable to bring her knees into contact with each other. Susan pulled a large pair of plastic panties from the table and grabbed Erin's ankles and placed each of her feet through the leg openings. She then slid the plastic panties up past Erin's bent knees to her thighs.

"Move your hips up again, so I can slide these under you," she commanded.

Erin complied again, almost without thinking. Her mind was preoccupied with the new sensations between her legs. Erin could feel the thick softness of the diapers pressing against her pussy and ass. The cloth felt strangely comforting and sensual and Erin could feel that her pussy was wet and loose inside the diaper. Susan slid the plastic panties in place and Erin lowered her hips back to the table. She noticed that the slick outer a surface of the diaper and the inner surface of the plastic panties slid almost frictionlessly together allowing her bottom to slide effortlessly on the table under the plastic panties.

"Almost done," announced Susan, who removed what appeared to be a red net from the tray. She spread the "net" out on the table between Erin's legs to reveal a small jump suit. Susan grabbed Erin's ankles again and passed them through the net-like material and through the leg openings. She pulled the strange garment up over Erin's knees to her thighs and again asked Erin to raise her hips. Sliding the garment under her, Susan pulled the lower portion into place.

"Sit up," she said. Erin sat up and Susan grabbed her wrists and pulled her hands through the arms openings in the jumpsuit. Susan then pulled the netted jumpsuit around the front of Erin's body and closed it in the back.

Erin examined the red fishnet garment. It clung close to her body everywhere but was not tight. The legs of the jumpsuit ended just above her ankles and the sleeves just above her wrists. At the neck, the fishnet material ended just under her chin forming a mock turtle neck. The weave of the fishnet itself was small, just barely big enough to stick an index finger through. The feel of the garment was almost imperceptible against Erin's skin. It did however provide some support to Erin's full breasts, whose erect nipples protruded through the gaps in the netting. Confused, Erin looked at Susan.

Seeing the confused look on her face, Susan said, "You are not allowed to touch your diaper or stick your hands inside. The jumpsuit enforces this rule until you can be trained."

Erin could see that Susan was right. Although the net was not tight, it would not stretch sufficiently to move the leg portion above her knees or the arm portion above her elbows. There was no way Erin could reach through either to gain access to the diaper underneath. As for the holes in the net, they were completely inflexible also. The netted jumpsuit fully displayed Erin's diaper state while denying her access to the diaper itself. It was both a cruel and ingenious garment.

"We're done, and it's getting late," said Susan. "Off the table." Erin stood and waited for Susan's instructions. "It will be feeding time soon," she continued. "I'm going to drop you off in the common room so you can get something to eat. I'll meet you afterwards. Follow me."

Susan led Erin through a door on the opposite side of the room and into another long white hallway filled with doors. Erin had some difficulty keeping up since she was forced to waddle do to the thickness of the diaper and her unfamiliarity with wearing it. The pads and cloths within fit snuggly to her lower body and Erin felt bulky and awkward as she walked. At the end of the hallway was a set of locked doors. Susan opened these and ushered Erin through. Pointing at a single door on the other side of the small room Susan said "go inside." Before Erin could say anything, Susan turned and left, going out the same way they had come in. Erin sighed and opened the door. On the other side was a large room with tables and chairs. Along one side were some stainless steel counters protruding from the wall. Above the counters were some horizontal slots about a foot and a half wide. Food dispensers, thought Erin.

There were also about 30 women in the room, all dressed in different bright colored jumpsuits. Unlike Erin's however, the women's jumpsuits where solid instead of netted. Erin noticed the colors of the clothes: yellow, orange, and magenta. A woman in a yellow jump suit approached Erin and said, "Never been in before, I see."

"What?" said Erin to the short petite brunet.

"I can tell you have never been in detention before," she clarified slightly.

"How's that?" inquired Erin.

"Your look, its kind of, well surprised, taken aback, if you will. A definite first timer," she replied.

Erin looked at her, slightly surprised. "You mean people come here more than once?" Erin said sounding incredulous. Erin had never been in any kind of trouble before and had never even known someone who knew someone who knew someone else who had.

"Hell yah," responded the feisty brunet. "My names Sandy," she said sticking out her hand.

"Erin," said Erin, taking the other woman's hand.

"Glad to meet you Erin," Sandy replied. "I can see you're in for a bad time, especially for a first timer," she continued.

"What do you mean?" inquired Erin.

"Your clothes," she said pointing at Erin, "Full purge, most likely, I am sorry to see."

"Clothes?" said Erin becoming confused, but curious.

"Yes," said Sandy. "Each jumpsuit indicates the type of punishment," she explained. "Yellow is the most minor, it indicates a full bare bottom spanking. Mine's tomorrow," she giggled.

"And the other's?" asked Erin.

"Orange is a whipping, magenta, a flogging (nasty), and reds are purges. You're a red, though I have not really seen this netted material before. It must be new, I saw another girl just like you earlier but I didn't get a chance to speak to her," said Sandy.

Things suddenly fell into place for Erin, who was grateful to Sandy for the explanation. The other women in the room were all 'prisoners' awaiting punishment, just like Erin. It seemed however, that with the exception of the other girl Sandy had seen earlier, that none of them were in for as severe a sentence as Erin. Her curiosity aroused, Erin asked, "Are there any who will be sold as slaves afterwards?"

This time it was Sandy's turn to look surprised. "Slaves?" she said. She looked at Erin again, more closely, realization filling her face. "I see," she said. "No. This is my seventh time and I have never met anyone being punished that way, at least that I know of. It's very rare. Most girls just take their spanking or whatever and are released. Sometimes they have to do some community service. I did once," she giggled again and then continued, "But slavery. No. Never ran across anyone." Sandy looked sympathetically at Erin and said, "Is that what happened to you?"

"Yes," replied Erin, tears starting to form in her eyes.

Sandy put her arms around Erin and patted her shoulder. "There, there," she said, trying to comfort Erin. "You seem so nice. I just can't believe you could have done anything bad enough to get slavery."

"It's worse than that," said Erin, still crying. "It's diapered slavery."

"Sandy looked down at Erin's diaper which was visible through the netting of her jumpsuit. "I was wondering what that was," she said, shocked.

"Yes," said Erin starting to cry.

"I'm so sorry," said Sandy. "I just can't believe you could have done anything that bad," she repeated.

"I didn't," replied Erin. "I can't believe this is happening to me! It's a nightmare!"

"What did happen, if you don't mind my asking," said Sandy.

"No," said Erin, "I don't mind."

Erin began to tell Sandy her story, including the details of her "induction" and the behavior of Lisa and April. When she was finished Sandy stared at her in total shock.

"That's awful," she said. "I can't believe it. I have never heard of anything so terrible. So do you think this April woman, set you up?"

"I don't know," replied Erin. "I don't know." Telling her story made Erin feel better; especially to someone as sympathetic as Sandy appeared to be. In fact Erin felt pretty good for the first time all day. She was clean and dry and having a normal conversation, finally. Things seemed almost 'normal' for the first time today. Erin said, "How about you, Sandy. What's your story?"

"Oh, there's not much to tell," said Sandy, waving her hand. "I'm here this time for putting some graffiti on a wall one night after a party. I was a little drunk at the time and wasn't paying as close attention as I should have been, and I got nabbed. Tomorrow, I'll get spanked and then I'll have to clean the wall, and that's it."

Erin was amazed at Sandy's casual attitude and asked her to tell more about herself. It turned out that Sandy was 23 years old and only had a high school education. She didn't really work but lived off the standard societal stipend like many in her situation. A stipend was provided to each woman, and was a direct result of the enormous gains in productivity that had resulted from post 21^st century technology. Essentially, no one really needed to work to survive. Women such as Sandy who lived off the stipend had comfortable, but not affluent lives. In Sandy's case, she spent her time engaged in various hobbies, odd jobs, and at parties. The latter, had resulted in most of her brushes with the law. She had been detained six times in the past for, mostly, petty infractions. Her standard sentence was usually a few weeks to a few months of community service. Occasionally, she would receive a public spanking for some mischievous prank, like the graffiti she was detained for this time. She had never done anything serious, or in her words, gone "orange," at least yet.
Erin never realized that there were groups of people like Sandy who flowed in and out of detainment for minor transgressions of society's rules. It seemed so contrary to the New Social Contract, or at least Erin's idea of it. However, here in detention she had stumbled across a sort of underclass of the under-educated and under-employed who (due to boredom or too much free time, or whatever) were constantly in trouble, albeit minor trouble. In a way it made sense. This was exactly the problem the Venkatesan Modification was designed to address: keeping antisocial behavior in check, especially by those so predisposed. What surprised Erin was that once someone was punished, they would misbehave again. This ran contrary to what she had been led to believe concerning the New Social Contract and the Servitude Laws. Perhaps she was just naïve or had led too sheltered a life. On the other had, maybe things were not quite as they seemed.

Erin was even more surprised that there should be another person like herself here at the same time she was. Given the almost non-existent rate of serious crime, it would be very unlikely that even someone like Sandy would meet someone like herself. It would therefore be incredible that two women, both convicted of a serious crime, would be here at the exact same time. The odds were astronomical that this would happen. Yet it had. This troubled Erin more than any of the surprises she had experienced today.

Erin said to Sandy, "You said there was some one else like me here also?"

"Yes," replied Sandy. "I saw her earlier. She was sitting on the floor in the far corner hugging her knees. Her head was down, so I didn't see her face. I didn't think anything about it at the time, but it sure seems unusual, that I would see two girls on the same day in your situation after so many times here without ever having met anyone like you."

"Do you think we could find her?" asked Erin.

"I don't see why not," said Sandy. "They put everyone here during feeding time. The only reason she wouldn't be here is if they have already taken her to her punishment, and that's unlikely since it's too late in the day for that."

"Good," said Erin, "let's see if we can find her."

The two women started out across the room, Erin following Sandy to the corner of the room where Sandy had last seen the woman. Luck was with them, for the woman was still there, head resting on the knees of her bent legs. She was seated in the corner of the room, alone and partially hidden by the tables. Erin could also see that she was crying quietly as they approached.

"Hi," said Erin approaching the woman, who continued crying without looking up. "Are you OK?" she said, slightly louder. The woman looked up, startled to see them there. Tears ran down her cheeks, which bore the same tattoos as Erin's. The woman was actually a young girl, about nineteen, Erin guessed. She wiped her eyes and blinked at Erin and Sandy. Erin repeated, "Are you OK?"

"No," she finally replied, "I can't believe they did all those terrible things to me," she added, still crying a little.

"I know," said Erin. "Can we help you?"

"Nobody can help me," she said, starting to cry again. Erin feeling sorry for her and knowing what she had just gone through, sat down on the floor besides her and put her arms around the girl. The girl buried her face in Erin's breasts and began to sob. Erin stroked her short brown hair, cut in the same style as her own, and tried to comfort her. After a while the girl stopped crying and looked at Erin. "My name is Erin, and this is Sandy," said Erin.

The girl looked at Erin and noticed that she was wearing the same outfit and had the same haircut and tattoos. "Did they...did you...?" she began.

"Yes," answered Erin.

Apparently comforted by the idea that she was not alone in her predicament, the girl stopped crying and said, "My name is Jan."

"Hi, Jan," said Erin. "Are you OK, now?"

"Better," said Jan. "Thank, you."

Sandy said, "I saw you earlier, but it wasn't till I met Erin that I understood why you were dressed the way you are."

Jan looked around the room, confused at seeing all the women in different colored jumpsuits, but no one else, except Erin, who was dressed like her. Sandy seeing her confusion said, "I see you're a first timer too."

Jan looked confused and said, "Yes." Sandy went on to explain what the different colored jumpsuits meant and her own situation. When she finished, Jan nodded and looked at Erin and said, "But you're like me, what happened to you?"

Erin briefly explained what had happened to her and how she had met Sandy, and how Sandy had said there was another person dressed like Erin in the room, and how they decided to go looking for her. When she was done, Jan said, "Thanks, I don't know what I would have done if you hadn't come along."

"So, how did you end up here?" asked Erin.

"I was sold," said Jan.

"Sold?" said Erin and Sandy at the same time in surprise.

"Yes. The headmistress at my school, Mary Harvard, is good friends with this society lady. They apparently belong to the same club. The girls at school said it's some kind of kinky sex club. Anyways, the society lady offered my headmistress a lot of money if she would arrange for me to be sentenced as a slave, for some crime. So, about a month ago, just after I turned 18, but before I could graduate, I was detained on charges that I broke into the school's information center and tried to steal a lot of money. The rest is history," she explained.

"How did you find out about this?" asked Sandy.

"My headmistress, Natasha, told me so before the police took me to detention."

Incredulous, Erin asked, "Didn't you tell this to the authorities?"

"Of course, I did, but they didn't believe me. The records showed that only I could have taken the money. They recovered most of it, from some bank in Canada, I believe."

"Tell me," said Erin beginning to get suspicious, "Did the headmistress say why she selected you?"

"She said that the society lady came to the school often to look over the girls, she had seen me, liked the way I looked, and chose me from among the other girls."

"Do you know this woman's name?" asked Erin.

"No," replied Jan.

"Have you ever seen her?" said Erin.

"Yes, once." said Jan. "I saw her talking to Headmistress Natasha on the way to class."

"How do you know it was her and not someone else?" asked Erin.

"Well, the other girls pointed her out, and said she was the one Headmistress Natasha had sex with."

"What did she look like?" inquired Erin.

"She was tall, with the reddest hair I have ever seen," said Jan.

Sandy and Erin looked at each other, each woman following the same line of thought. "Seems like this April, is a busy person," said Sandy.

Jan looked at both woman and asked, "Do you know this woman?"

"Maybe," replied Erin. "Listen, I know we've only met and I have no right to ask you this, and I'll understand if you don't want to answer, but please try to. Are you a virgin by any chance?"

Jan looked at her startled and said "How did you know that?"

"I'll explain later" said Erin. "However I think we've both been framed and we're going to have to be tough if we're going to have any hope of getting out of this mess."

A bell suddenly rang and all the women started moving towards the wall where the food dispensers were. "Dinner time," announced Sandy. The three women joined the crowd at the dispensers and waited for their turn. When Erin's turn came, Sandy instructed her to place her right hand on the small square black plate next to the dispenser slot on the wall. Erin did as instructed and after about 20 seconds a tray of food slid out of the wall onto the stainless steel shelf. After Sandy and Jan got their food the three women walked over to an empty table and sat down to eat. As there were many more tables in the room than occupants, they essentially had a private table.

Erin looked at her food. The tray contained a large bowl of what looked and smelled like cream of corn soup and a large piece of corn bread. A large bottle of water was also included to wash the meal down with. Jan's meal looked identical. Sandy however, had received a chicken salad, muffin, and tea. Jan making the same observation as Erin about the food asked, "How does it know what to give us?"

"Your hand print," replied Sandy. "Almost everybody gets the same food, however if you need a special diet, it's programmed into the dispensers which identify you by your hand print. Erin was hungry after her "cleaning out" and started eating the food. It proved to be better tasting than it looked. Jan also appeared to be hungry and tore into her food. The three women talked as they ate and Erin learned some more about Jan. Like most girls, she had been raised by her parents, until she was 12. At this age, she departed from home and entered boarding school as was traditional. Jan was just 18, and still had a somewhat girlish figure. Her breasts were firm, but had not yet completely matured. Jan had been a good student at school and studied hard. She also had few friends and was somewhat of a loner. Jan had hoped to go to college when she graduated from high school, but that clearly wasn't going to happen.

After, the women finished eating, another bell sounded. Sandy picked up her tray and placed it into another slot located in the wall adjacent to the wall containing the food dispensers. Erin and Jan followed suit. When they turned around, five women in white technician uniforms had entered the room. One of them blew a short burst on a whistle and announced, "Line up on the colored line matching your jumpsuit!"

The women began to segregate themselves. Since, Sandy wore a different color jumpsuit than Erin and Jan, Erin bid her goodbye, giving her a hug and saying, "Thanks, Sandy, I'll always be grateful."

Sandy returned the hug and said, "Good luck."

When the women were lined up, one of the technicians came forward and said, "Yellow, follow me!" All the women in yellow jumpsuits turned and followed the technician out of the room. The same procedure was repeated for the orange and magenta clad women.

Erin looked around the nearly empty room. Besides one technician, only Jan and she were left. The remaining technician turned out to be Susan. "Oh, no, not her again," said Jan. Erin squeezed her hand reassuringly and told her to listen, keep quiet, and not get them into trouble. Jan did as instructed and remained quiet as she stood close besides Erin.

"Well, I see you found each other," said Susan to Erin and Jan.

Erin just looked at Susan and nodded. "Decision, time," Susan announced. "You have completed stage one of the process. You can request to be humiliated now, or proceed to inducement."

Erin had been thinking about this. The officer had said that no one had successfully made it through the inducement stage, but maybe she was bluffing. In either case, Erin didn't feel she had much to lose either way. Besides, she felt she needed to try and fight back in any way she could. She had discussed this with Jan after their meal, and Jan had agreed with Erin.

"Well?" asked Susan.

"We have decided not to request humiliation," replied Erin.

Susan smiled and said, "You will."

Erin and Jan looked at each other, but remained silent.

"Very well," said Susan. "It's too late to start now, but we'll have plenty of time in the morning. Follow me."

Erin and Jan followed Susan through the same door that the other women had exited and into yet another white hallway filled with metal doors. About halfway down the hall, Susan stopped and opened one of the doors. Inside was a cell about 5 feet by 10 feet in size. The floor was padded with a gray mat about two inches thick. Susan motioned for the women to enter the room. "This is where you'll spend the night," she said. "Let's get you ready for bed."

Susan motioned for Jan to stand against the far wall. She then produced what looked like a set of boxing gloves with no thumb, from a slot in the wall near the door. She told Jan to extend her arms, and when she complied, Susan placed the gloves over her hands and secured them at her wrists. Susan then repeated the same procedure with Erin.

The inside of the gloves felt soft and fluffy, and they effectively incased Erin's hands in a round ball rendering then useless. Erin would not even be able to remove them without assistance. "What are these for?" asked Jan.

"You'll see," said Susan cryptically.

Susan then directed Jan and Erin to sit on the padded floor with their backs against opposite walls. When the women were seated, Susan pressed a button on the outside wall and two sets of metal bars descended from the ceiling, separating Jan and Erin and leaving a "dead" space about three feet wide in the center of the cell. Susan pressed another button and the ceiling descended until it was about four feet from the floor.

"Good night," she said closing the door.

The room was dark, but not so much so that Erin could not see Jan. "Why did she do that?" said Jan referring to the metal bars and low ceiling.

"I don't know" said Erin looking at the bars. "It's clear Susan wants to keep us apart, that much is obvious. As for the ceiling, your guess is as good as mine."

"What do you think they are going to do to us tomorrow?" asked Jan.

"I don't know, but it's probably not going to be pleasant," said Erin.

The women talked for a while, but both had, had a long day and soon they lay on their sides and went to sleep. Some time later, Erin awoke to the sound of her name. It was Jan calling softly from across the room. "Erin!" she said.

"Yes," said Erin "Are you OK?"

"No, I need to use the bathroom real bad."

Erin realized her predicament as she suddenly felt her own bladder calling out for relief. "I know," she replied, "I have to go too."

"What shall we do?" asked Jan.

"I don't think there is much we can do, but try and hold it," said Erin. Erin had no idea how much time had passed, but she had a feeling that it would be a long wait for morning.

"I don't think I can hold it much longer. I need to pee and have a bowel movement real bad" replied Jan. "Do you think we can get these clothes off?

"I don't think so," said Erin, "Especially with these gloves on."

Both women tried to pull the gloves off, but they were fastened too securely. Jan started to sweat lightly in her discomfort as the pressure in her bladder increased along with the cramps in her belly. Soon Erin began to feel cramps inside her also. Both women struggled to postpone the inevitable as they squeezed their buttocks and wiggled trying to find a position on the floor that might bring some relief. Erin now understood why Susan had lowered the ceiling. If they messed themselves, they would not be able to stand; instead they would have to sit in their own mess all night. The bars and the space separating them insured that neither could help the other.

Erin fought the pressure and cramps the best she could. She had never really thought that she would actually be made to use her diapers. The purges of the afternoon had left her empty and she had not had the urge to use the bathroom since leaving the prep room. The thought of messing herself filled Erin with shame, but excited her sexually at the same time. Her excitement and shame were magnified by the thought of having to do this in front of Jan. Erin again thought back to the fact that just this morning she had been a free woman. She had woken up naked, as usual, free to use the bathroom and touch herself. Now just a few hours later she was diapered and confined and unable to move her hands.

Their struggle continued for what seemed like an eternity. Jan was the first to lose the battle with her body. Erin watched helplessly as the inevitable happened. Jan's face suddenly when white and her eyes opened wide with horror as she pushed her bottom slightly off the floor with locked elbows. The bottom of her diaper seemed to expand and touch the padded floor. The color returned to Jan's face as she blushed in embarrassment. "Oh no! Oh no!" she cried out "I messed myself! Oh no!"

Erin's release followed moments later. As soon as Jan had finished, Erin felt another set of cramps wrack her belly. These were so intense, that her bladder uncontrollably gave way. She felt the warm urine spreading across her vulva and run down her slit as it was absorbed by the thick soaker pad inside her diaper. No sooner had her bladder given way, than the muscles in her buttocks started to quiver with the strain of squeezing. Erin felt her bowels give way and she uncontrollably filled her diaper with warm mush. The volume was greater than she expected and her bottom seemed to rise slightly off the floor. Erin now understood the purpose of the middle layer of her diaper. It expanded several times its original volume when it came in contact with liquids. This had the effect of increasing the bulk of the diaper while pressing the contents into Erin's skin. It also served to show any who cared to know, that the wearer had messed her diaper.

Erin was surprised by the volume of the release. Surely she had not eaten that much at dinner. She would later learn that the high fiber diet not only caused frequent bowel movements, but that the fibers in the food absorbed water and expanded as they were digested. This required drinking lots of water, which also necessitated the need for frequent urination.

Erin was extremely embarrassed by what she had just done, and was flushed with shame. She could hear Jan crying and saying over and over, "Oh no! Oh no, I messed myself!" As Erin sat in her mess she could feel it spreading across her buttocks and upwards, in between her legs. When ever she moved more of the warm mush seemed to move up her crotch. Because of the expansion of the diaper, Erin's legs were forced even wider apart, facilitating the movement of the mush into this area.

Within a few minutes, the mush had moved over her vulva and into her slit. Although Erin was completely humiliated by what had just happened, she was also intensely aroused. When the mush reached her vagina and clitoris, she became frantic. She had never been so sexually excited! She looked over at Jan, whose face was also flush with embarrassment and arousal. Without a word, both women started rubbing the area over their diapered pussies. Erin would also later hear that the food was rumored to contained high levels of sexual stimulants that were activated upon contact with the vagina. If true, it would have been impossible to resist masturbating under such intense stimulation.

Both women watched the other masturbating. Both Erin's excitement and embarrassment grew with each stroke, but she could not stop. It was then that a full understanding of the diaper design and the clothes they wore became apparent. The gloves on their hands were not intended to prevent them from removing their clothing. Rather it was to prevent them from masturbating, or at least achieving orgasm. The plastic panties they wore slid frictionlessly over the surface of the diaper underneath nullifying the efforts of their motion. The fluffy gloves did not permit Erin to exert enough pressure to overcome the lack of friction. Erin could not even exert an inward pressure on her crotch. In desperation, Erin rocked her hips frantically trying to gain just a little sensation on her clitoris. But the diaper just slid against the inner surface of the plastic panties making her efforts ineffective.

Both women started moaning and groaning as they rubbed themselves furiously with the gloves and rocked their hips faster and faster. Jan cried out, "God! I have never been so horny! I need to come desperately, I've just got to come!"

Erin realized that they would soon wear themselves out without obtaining their goal. Looking at Jan masturbating furiously she noticed the bars. They were wide enough that she could probably stick her legs through them. Using her legs and left hand, Erin pushed herself towards the bars, still masturbating frantically with her right hand. When she reached the bars, she straddled the closest and thrust her legs between them so that the bar pushed against the crotch of her diaper. She stuck her arms through the opening and wrapped them around the bars. In this position, she could thrust her hips and press her pussy against the bar thereby exerting pressure on her clitoris. Although the diaper was thick, Erin found this worked. Jan noticed her and quickly imitated her strategy.
Both women sat facing each other, feet touching, and rocking their hips slowly and rhythmically against the bars. Erin could feel more of the mush being pushed between her legs with each thrust. She could also feel some of the mush working its way into her slit and vagina. Her pussy would be covered in it before she was done. But she didn't care, so desperate was her need for relief. Both women came suddenly and simultaneously, with intense, explosive orgasms.

"God!" screamed Jan.

"Oh, Oh god!," echoed Erin.

When they had finished, both women looked at each other in complete embarrassment and shame. However, they were both exhausted with their efforts, and lay down on their backs panting. Dizzy, Erin put her right arm over her face and tried to slow her breathing. In a few minutes she regained her breath and she could hear Jan breathing rhythmically again. Her companion had fallen asleep. Good thought Erin. She was tired herself and did not feel like talking, especially after what had just happened. God! What a mess we're in she thought. After that everything went black as she fell into a deep and dreamless sleep.

****************************

Erin awoke to the sound of the cell door opening. As she moved to sit up she could feel the wet mess inside her diaper press against her skin. She was especially conscious of the pasty excrement that covered her vulva and partially filled her vagina. She was also aware of the sharp pungent yeasty odor that filled the room.

"Sleep well?" asked Susan sarcastically entering the cell. "Whoa! somebody had an accident," she commented starring at Erin and Jan with her hands on her hips.

Jan was also awake and sitting up. She wrinkled her nose in disgust and blushed in embarrassment at what she had done. Susan pressed the buttons on the outer wall, and the bars and ceiling receded away. Jan and Erin stood up grateful to at least not be sitting in their messes.

"Let's get you cleaned up," said Susan. "Follow me."

Susan led Erin and Jan outside into the hallway. Erin had difficulty walking and was forced to waddle. The diaper had expanded to at least double its original size during the night. Susan did not wait or look back as she walked towards the far end of the hallway. Erin and Jan tried to keep up, but by the time Susan had reached the end of the hallway, they were about 20 feet behind her. Susan turned and said, "Hurry up we don't have all day, unless you would like to stay in those dirty diapers."

Erin and Jan redoubled their efforts having no wish to remain dirty any longer than necessary. When they reached Susan she ushered them into another room similar to the room where Erin had been diapered the day before. However against one wall in this room, were shower heads, and the floor was tiled. Susan unfastened and removed their gloves and then undid the backs of their jumpsuits. Take those off and put them in the bin with the gloves, she instructed.

Susan then unfastened their diapers. Erin's diaper fell to the floor between her legs with a thud. The inside surface was smeared with yellow-brown excrement. Looking down, Erin noticed that her denuded pussy was also covered with the same pasty material, obscuring her slit. Looking at Jan, Erin noticed that the crack of her ass was also filled with the pungent smelling excrement and she could feel that her own crack was in a similar state. Both women looked at each other and blushed.

Susan said, looking at the women, "It looks like we spent the night playing with ourselves!" The blush on both women's faces deepened and Susan smiled in satisfaction. Pointing to the shower heads she said, "Clean up, but don't touch your pussies more than necessary, or I'll just put you in your new diapers dirty!"

Not that Erin and Jan could really get away with anything with Susan standing and watching every move. Erin stood under the shower head and let the warm water spray her body. After the water had loosened the pasty mess, it began to break up and fall off. When both women had removed all of the excrement from their bodies, Susan said, bend over and grab your ankles. Erin and Jan complied. "Now, let's clean those filthy pussies," she said. With that Susan stuck the tapered end of a douche bottle into Erin's vagina and squeezed the bottle emptying it. Yellow-brown liquid ran down Erin's leg and into the shower drain. Susan repeated the procedure on Jan and said, "Rinse and dry off."

Erin and Jan, both blushing in embarrassment, rinsed one final time and then stepped out of the shower to dry themselves. When they were finished, Susan ordered Jan on top of the padded diapering table and proceeded to diaper her. Erin was forced to watch and help as Susan diapered Jan, handing Susan the items she asked for. When Susan was done, it was Erin's turn. Climbing up on the table, Erin laid on her back, raised her knees and spread her legs. She blushed in embarrassment as Jan looked at her fully exposed and bear pussy. Like Erin, Jan was forced to watch and assist.

Susan rubbed oil into Erin's vulva and ass, as before. Again she made sure to slide her finger in and out of Erin's vagina and rectum and to excite her clitoris as well. Despite herself Erin started to get turned on and let out a small moan of excitement. "Looks like you enjoy wearing diapers," commented Susan. "That's good, since you'll be doing so from now on." Erin blushed again in shame knowing that Jan was watching.

Susan quickly constructed a diaper exactly as before and fastened it around Erin's hips. Erin's vulva tingled at the feel of the soft soaker pad and her pussy became wet. Erin could still not get over how aroused she became by being forced to wear the humiliating garment. Susan ordered Erin off the table and handed both women clean red fishnet jumpsuits and told them to put them on. When Erin had pulled her arms through the sleeves, Susan secured the garment in the back.

When both women were dressed, Susan said, "Breakfast! Follow me."

She led Erin and Jan back to the common room and instructed them to get their food from the dispensers. The room was almost empty this time, except for a few women in solid magenta jumpsuits who were eating under the watchful eye of another technician. Erin did not see Sandy as she went and retrieved her breakfast. The meal consisted of what appeared to be oatmeal, a corn muffin, and a large bottle of water. Jan's breakfast was identical and the women ate in silence has Susan watched. When they were finished, Susan told them to dispose of the trays and said, "Follow me."

She led them back through the same door from which they had come earlier and led them to another door near the end of the hallway. Susan opened the door and ushered Erin and Jan inside. The room was about three times the size of the cell Erin and Jan had spent the night in. Unlike that room however, the floor was made of rough stone tiles about three feet square. Across the ceiling ran a metal pipe about and inch and a half in diameter. Two plastic tubes hung from the pipe, ending about three feet from the floor. Two pairs of chains of about the same length hung next to the tubes.

Below the chains and tubes was the room's only piece of 'furniture', a 2 by 6 inch horizontal beam about eight feet in length supported at each end by two metal pipes attached to the floor. Along the entire top surface of the beam ran a blunt triangular piece of hard rubber like material. Susan unfastened their jumpsuits and instructed the women to remove them. Next she undid their diapers, letting them fall to the floor between their legs.

With the women naked, Susan said, "You have elected not to ask for humiliation, so you shall remain in inducement in this room for 72 hours or until you ask to be humiliated. After inducement starts I will only release you if you both request humiliation."

"Or if the 72 hours expires," she added, in an off handed way that didn't make this latter option sound likely.

With that, she told Erin and Jan to stand back to back straddling the beam. The top of the beam just reached the tops of Erin's knees. As she stood straddling it, Erin wondered at its purpose. She did not have long to wait to find out. Both Erin's and Jan's feet rested on separate squares of the stone floor. Susan fastened leather cuffs to each woman's ankles and attached the cuffs with chains to rings embedded in the floor tiles. She then placed wide leather handcuffs on both women's wrists and attached each cuff to one of the chains hanging from the ceiling. Susan took the plastic tubes hanging from the ceiling and fastened them to the sides of both women's heads so that they extended around their cheeks and slightly into their mouths. "Suck on the ends," she instructed Erin and Jan.

Erin found that a small amount of water entered her mouth when she sucked on the end of the tube. Well, she thought, at least they wouldn't die of thirst standing here. Seeing the water enter their mouths, Susan said, "Good." Susan then took a length of fine chain and attached it around the waist of both Jan and Erin, binding them loosely together.

What Susan did next however completely surprised Erin. She left the room briefly and returned carrying four large, heavy, clear plastic bags with clear tubes attached to them. Susan strapped these bags to the lower part of Erin's and Jan's legs. Standing in front of Erin, she connected the ends of the tubes coming from the bags to a clear 'Y' connector. Then opening a tube of lubricating jelly she placed a liberal amount on the free tube at the base of the 'Y' connector. Susan then squirted some jelly onto Erin's vulva and rubbed it around. Erin became aroused again and blushed. Susan then took the lubricated end of the tube and wiggled it around the front of her slit until it slid easily into Erin's urethra and then bladder.

Susan walked over to Jan and repeated the catheterization procedure, proclaiming "Done!" when she had finished. Erin and Jan stood back to back straddling the beam and waiting for what was to come. Erin could feel Jan move as their buttocks brushed lightly together.

Waking over to the door, Susan pressed a couple of buttons on the wall. Immediately, Erin felt the stones under her feet move slightly downward. Jan felt a similar movement, except she rose slightly upwards instead of downwards like Erin. Susan then pressed another button and the chains connecting their wrist cuffs to the ceiling began to rise. Erin's and Jan's arms were slowly pulled upwards until they were completely above their heads. Susan pressed yet another button and Erin felt the nipples on her breasts become painfully erect. Walking over to Erin, she took a piece of string with a loop on both ends and place the loop over the nipple on Erin's right breast and pulled the string until it was secure around Erin's nipple. She then took the other end of the string and attached it to Jan's left breast in the same way. Susan repeated the process with a second string on Erin's left breast and Jan's right breast.

Whenever either Jan or Erin moved now, the strings would tug on the painfully erect nipples of their breasts. This was the first time Erin had experienced the control devices, implanted in her body the previous day, in action. This sensitive attachment of their breasts was especially cruel, since any slight twisting or bending movement in their upper bodies set off a series of reflexive counter movements, which only exacerbated the problem.

"Oh, God," said Jan, tears starting to form in her eyes, "my nipples are so sore."

"Try and keep still," said Erin. Jan stopped moving and the irritation of their breasts stopped, for the moment. With the press of another button by Susan the beam between their legs started to rise upwards. Erin felt the hard rubber touch, and then press against the base of her slit. As it did so she instinctively raised herself upward using the toes of her feet. The beam continued to rise until Erin's heals were well off the floor and she was completely standing on her toes.

"Call if you need anything," said Susan sarcastically and left the cell shutting the door behind her. Erin examined her situation. The chains to which her arms were attached pulled her slightly forward as did the chains holding Jan. She could feel that the chain around her waist connecting her to Jan was now taut. When she tried to place her heals on the ground, her weight rested uncomfortably on her clitoris. Looking down, she could see that the edge of the beam between her legs split her in two, and that the lips of her pussy hung on each side of the blunt hard rubber. After a few minutes in this position, her pussy began to throb painfully and Erin was forced to stand on her toes again to relieve the pressure and pain. Each time she rose and fell, she also tugged on the string connecting her breasts with Jan's, irritating them further. Erin quickly realized that although she could keep this up for awhile, eventually her toes and ankles would tire and she would be in extreme discomfort.

However, she knew that the time this would take, would be cut shorter by the fact that the bags attached to her legs were filling with urine, adding to the weight that her toes must support when she stood on them to relieve the pressure on her pussy. To make matter's worse, Erin found that she was wracked by an uncontrollable thirst and was forced to constantly sip from the tube in her mouth. She watched in horror as the urine bags on her legs slowly, but steadily filled. After awhile, Erin started to perspire with the pain and effort of her physical predicament.

Jan was in no better shape. Erin could feel their buttocks rub as Jan rose and fell on her heals in an effort to minimize her discomfort. As the bags on their legs filled, the frequency of this motion increased as their feet grew tired. This of course, further tugged on their sore nipples, increasing their mutual discomfort. Erin could hear Jan breathing and moaning as she struggled with her situation.

When the bags on their legs were full, Susan reappeared with four new bags and said, "Having fun riding my horse?"

The women did not answer and Susan didn't really expect them too. Without removing the full bags from their legs, Susan attached the new bags and switched the tubes so their urine flowed into the empty bags. This done, she said, "Well I can't hang around all day like you. Call, if you need me," and then she left again leaving them alone to 'ride the horse'.

Erin looked down at the new bags on her legs and noticed that the tiles on which she stood seemed to have receded slightly into the floor. She deduced that they must be weight balanced and that they would continue to recede as more and more weight in the form of full urine bags was added. Erin had no idea of how much time had passed, but she guessed probably not that much. Even if they filled only two or three of the gallon sized bags a day, per leg, this would be 36 bags by the end of the 72 hours. At seven or so pounds per bag, Erin's weight would be more than tripled. To make matters worse, even if her toes could lift and support the weight, it would not be long before the tiles receded to the point where standing on her toes would be ineffective in relieving the weight on her pussy.

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In a room on the other side of the wall, April, Candy, Lisa, Cassandra, and Ellen watched the sufferings of Erin and Jan with their escort from the previous day. They had returned that morning and watched Erin being cleaned and changed. While Erin and Jan were eating, they had viewed the 'highlights' of their activities during the night.

Ellen said to the escort, "And what is the exact purpose of this new cruelty?"

Ignoring Ellen's commentary, the escort replied, "Psychologist's have found that the humiliation process is intensified if the person voluntarily requests that she be so punished. Inducement is exactly that. They are being induced to make the request."

"Voluntary!" exclaimed Ellen. "I would hardly call this voluntary."

"Psychologically it's sufficient," answered the escort. "Technically, she has a choice."

"Hogwash!" responded Ellen.

Even Cassandra, who by trade, was more knowledgeable about these matters was surprised by what she saw. She had known about the five stages, and even some of the details. But the accounts and reports she had read describing the process had not done justice to the reality. The previous evening, she had talked with Ellen after leaving the detention center. Though she had not enjoyed watching Erin's induction, intellectually she could understand its purpose. Individuals needed to be physically prepared for slavery. Cassandra was not enthusiastic about the idea of slavery, but she did not see a better alternative either. Any society, no matter how benign or affluent, would always have those who would choose to break its rules, for whatever reason. Without some deterrents or controls chaos would inevitably result. Three hundred years ago, people were kept in small cages for years, or even most of their lives. There were millions of individuals across the globe living in these conditions. At least today, such ineffective barbarism had been eliminated; only the barest minimum were punished, and fewer still as severely as Erin, and none were mistreated as badly as in the past.

Cassandra had agreed with Ellen however that something was odd about the whole affair, but she argued that there was little they could do. The system as a whole was fair, and for better or worse, Erin and everyone else would have to live with the results. Ellen was not convinced and kept pressuring Cassandra to continue investigating. The two women had parted without coming to an agreement, but Cassandra had said she would continue to think about it. What she saw now, convinced her that Ellen was right. She could not just leave Erin to her fate, or the other girl for that matter. She resolved at that moment to keep working to help Erin, even if it took the rest of her life.

For April, things were entirely different. That night she had been overjoyed. Erin was gone, Lisa would soon be hers and, with her soon to be new slaves, she would gain significant acknowledgement and praise at Zax When she had gotten home, April had decided to 'celebrate'. She stripped Candy naked, blindfolded her, and suspended her by her arms in the dungeon of her residence. Dressed in black leather, she laid a series of red stripes across the body of her assistant. Candy loved to be whipped; after twenty or so lashings, April examined her vagina by thrusting her index finger inside. Candy moaned in pleasure. Wet, as usual, April noted. Afterwards she had taken Candy to her bed where the two women had energetically made love.

Today had also started off good for April. She had enjoyed witnessing Erin's and Jan's diapering and their activities from the night before. She was having an even better time watching them ride the horse. Susan had been taught well, and made a note to complement her when they next met.

"Why can't she see us this time," inquired Lisa.

"The isolation leaves them with no clues to the passage of time," said the escort. "This increases the effectiveness of the inducement process."

April smiled knowingly, and looked at Candy.

"You mean time seems to crawl by for them," clarified Cassandra.

"Yes, I guess you could put it that way," said the escort.

"Barbaric!" said Ellen, "Barbaric."

****************************

This was a loosing game, Erin realized. Long before the 72 hours was up, not only would her weight be permanently resting entirely on her pussy, but the added weight that had been added to her legs. The blunt rubber edge would be like a knife cutting into her most sensitive parts with the added weight pulling her down onto the 'blade'. Erin cringed as she imagined being slowly and endlessly cut in two. However Erin doubted she could hold out that long. Worse yet, it was not clear that the price was worth it. She might spare herself a public humiliation, but she might also cause some permanent damage to her body. Though his could most likely be fixed, as a slave she was not guaranteed of getting treatment. The idea of being left incontinent or crippled for life was not attractive and probably not worth foregoing the humiliation for. She also had to think of Jan also, who was taking the same risk.
As Erin's second set of bags began to become full, Jan said to her, "Erin all my urine bags are full and the pressure in my bladder is building."

"Try and stop drinking for awhile," said Erin. "Hopefully Susan will be back in a few minutes."

"OK," said Jan, "I'll try."

Susan must have been detained, because some time went by and she had still not returned. Erin's second set of urine bags were now full and she was also beginning to feel the pressure build in her bladder. Jan started to moan in pain. "Are you OK?" asked Erin panting and sweating profusely.

"No," replied Jan. "I'm getting cramps and my bladder really hurts."

Suddenly, Jan's whole body shook and she moaned in pain. Erin felt warm mush against her buttocks as Jan lost control of her bowels. Erin realized what must have happened. Jan's bladder had spasmed under the mounting pressure and she had lost control of her bowels as a result. If Jan's bladder burst...Unable to free herself, Erin started shouting, "Susan! Susan!"

A few moments later Susan came into the room and asked, "Ready to request humiliation?"

"Yes," replied Erin, "anything, just help Jan, her bags are full and I think her bladder is beginning to spasm."

Susan walked over to Jan who had fainted and grabbed her face in her hands and shook it. Looking her in the eye she said, "Do you also want to be humiliated?"

"Yes," moaned Jan.

"Very well then," said Susan. "But I do wish you would make up your minds. You're causing me a lot of extra work!"

With that, she attached an empty urine bag to the catheters coming out of both women and pressed a button which lowered the beam and the chains suspending their arms. Susan un-cuffed their hands and removed the chain surrounding their waists and the strings around their nipples. Susan then freed their feet and detached the urine bags from their legs. She handed the bags she had just attached to the catheters to Erin and Jan and said, "Follow me."

Susan led Erin and Jan, naked and holding their urine bags, back out into the hallway and back into the changing room they had used earlier that day. When they were inside, she removed the catheters and took the bags and placed them in a disposal bin. Urine ran out of both women for a minute or so as they embarrassingly emptied their bladders and regained control over their bodies. "Shower," said Susan.

Erin was delighted to get another opportunity to shower. She was covered in perspiration and her vulva and thighs were covered with urine. Her buttocks were also smeared with Jan's uncontrollable discharge.

After they had showered, Susan shamefully diapered both women as she had done earlier. When she was done, she had them dress in the red fishnet jumpsuits again. "Well it's too late to proceed today," she said when they were done. "I'll bring you to dinner before taking you to your cell for the night."

Erin was surprised it was so late, but said nothing. Later she would find out, that although they had not broken any records, theirs' was one of the longer sessions on the horse. Susan led Erin and Jan back to the common room, where about twenty women in colored jumpsuits were standing and talking, and left them. Erin looked around but did not recognize any one and she did not see Sandy. Erin and Jan walked over to an empty table and sat down.

"How you doing?" asked Erin.

"Better," said Jan. "What happened?"

"I think your bladder spasmed," said Erin. "Then you must have fainted."

"Yea," agreed Jan. "I guess this means will be humiliated tomorrow."

"Probably," said Erin. "But it doesn't matter, at least we tried."

"Yes, I guess we did," said Jan sounding slightly better.

The bell sounded and both women walked over to the food dispenser and retrieved their meals. They were identical to the fare of the night before, and although hungry, Jan hesitated before starting to eat. "Do you think we should?" she asked.

"I was thinking the same thing, but I don't think its going to matter either way," said Erin.

"How's that?" said Jan, confused.

"Well its pretty clear that everything we eat, drink, and probably breathe, or is otherwise put into our bodies has various drugs and chemicals in it or has been especially engineered to have some effect," said Erin. "My guess is that if we don't eat this we'll just go to bed hungry, but Susan, or whoever, will just give us whatever they want us to have in some other way."

"I guess your right," said Jan. "Might as well," she said tearing into her food.
Chapter 4: Preparation

After dinner, Susan approached Erin and said, "You have a visitor, come with me."

Surprised, Erin looked at Jan and said, "Wait here, I'll be back soon, I'm sure." Susan led Erin down the now familiar white hallway to one of the cells. "Press the button by the door when you're done, and I'll come and get you," said Susan as she closed the cell door and left. Inside, Erin saw a chair and a small table attached to the far wall, which was transparent. On the other side sat Cassandra at a similar table.

"Cassandra!" said Erin delighted to see the counselor. Sitting down on the chair she said, "I never thought I would get to talk to you again!"

"Well, you almost didn't," answered Cassandra. "You can't believe what I had to go through to see you. It's only because I was your counselor that I was able to get in."

"You can't believe how happy I am to see you! It's been so miserable," said Erin, her hopes rising at seeing the older woman.

"Well don't get your hopes up," said Cassandra sensing Erin's lifting spirits. "I can't really do anything for you, definitely not now, probably never."

Erin's spirits deflated and she said, "So why did you come, then?"

"To offer you at least the remotest glimmer of hope, and my pledge," replied Cassandra.

"Pledge?" said Erin.

"Yes," said Cassandra. "As you know we have been observing you for the last day or so. We even saw what happened today and last night."

Erin blushed furiously at this and looked down at her hands.

"I know, I would feel the same way too, if I were in your situation," said Cassandra reassuringly. "I never realized how brutal slavery was. Today opened by eyes. It's one thing to read about all this in the abstract, and another to see it in practice. Anyways, Ellen and I have been talking and we both agree that something is very wrong here and that you have been framed; the question is why and by whom."

"The why, I can only guess," said Erin, "but the 'who', I think I know: April."

"Yes," agreed Cassandra, "she doesn't exactly seem heartbroken at what has happened to you. Even if one were to acknowledge your past differences, her behavior is, I think, at best, not what it should be under the circumstances. However, it's not exactly damning either. Do you have anything better to found your suspicions on than just inappropriate behavior?"

"Maybe," replied Erin. "There is another girl in here with me receiving the same sentence."

"Yes, yes," said Cassandra, "I saw her today, but so what?"

"Well," said Erin, "I met another woman yesterday, a detainee. Apparently she's been here several times, for mostly minor infractions. She usually spends about a day, receives her punishment and is gone. I never realized that there were women like her until I came here."

"So, what's the point?" asked Cassandra, becoming impatient.

"The point is," continued Erin, "in the seven times she's been in here, she has never met anyone receiving a sentence has harsh as mine."

"That makes perfect sense," said Cassandra. "The rate of serious crime is extremely low. There are probably at most, one or two cases a year like yours and most likely not even that many. Since the time spent in detention is at most a day or two, the odds would be astronomical that she would ever meet a serious offender; it was sheer luck that she ran across you at all."

"Exactly," said Erin. "But if the odds are astronomical that she would meet someone in my situation, what are the odds then, that she would meet two such women at the same time?"

Cassandra looked startled as Erin drove her point home. "And further, what are the odds that these two women would both know April? And if all that is not enough, what are the odds that both would be virgins?"

Cassandra was completely taken aback by Erin's statement and it took her a moment before she replied. "Unbelievable!" she finally exclaimed.

"That's what I thought, too," said Erin.

"But how do you know, that the other girl knows April, or is a virgin for that matter?" asked Cassandra.

"Well, as to the latter I asked her. As for the former, I don't absolutely know for sure," said Erin. "She claims to have been sold by the headmistress of her high school."

"Sold?" said Cassandra, surprised again.

"Yes," said Erin who went on to tell her about Jan.

"So she claims that the woman who 'bought' her looks like April," said Cassandra. "That's very interesting, very interesting, indeed."

"Yes," agreed Erin. "I would be willing to bet my life, that April arranged for both of us to be here."

"Unfortunately, you probably are," said Cassandra. "None of this is hardly proof, but let's put that aside for now and assume April did set you up. The next question is why, and then how."

"I've been thinking a little about the why, also," said Erin, "and I have a few guesses. As you know, April is into the S&M scene."

"Yes," said Cassandra. "She makes little secret of it."

"Well my understanding is that slaves are highly coveted in that circle. Moreover you just can't exactly go and buy a slave whenever you want (even if you have the money). There are just not that many. They are kind of like a personal residence in the better part of town, if you want to move into the area, you need to find a residence that's for sale. If there isn't one, then you have to wait for one to become available and that could take awhile. Worse there is little else you can do but wait and hope that someone will want to sell sooner rather than later. The only other alternative is to build a new residence yourself, if you can. I think April wanted or needed some new slaves, and she couldn't find anyone willing to sell, so she 'built' what she wanted."

"Pretty thin," commented Cassandra, "but your point is interesting. As the new chairwoman of Zax it would be a real coup if she could bring in new slaves. Zax has an insatiable appetite for slaves. If nothing else it's a starting place for a motive. However, that leaves the how. The FIS evidence was very solid. It was your virtual personas that authorized the transactions. No matter how clever April might be, I don't think she has the ability to forge a persona. They are, after all, supposed to be completely tamper-proof. Our whole financial system is based on the impossibility of anyone copying, duplicating, or forging someone else's persona."

"Yes, I know," said Erin. "But maybe it's possible. I had a girlfriend in college, Cathy, who was majoring in virtual computing, and she was always fiddling around with this kind of stuff. Got herself into trouble a couple of times; nothing serious though. She went on to become a security specialist, got her PhD even. I think she works at the University. Maybe you could talk to her."

"I'll try," said Cassandra, "but it doesn't sound very promising."

"I know," agreed Erin sadly, "but its all I can think of."

Seeing Erin's spirit's falling, Cassandra said, "I want you to know, that I'm not going to give up on this, even if it takes me the rest of my life; I will get to the bottom of it."

This cheered Erin a little, but she said, "Even if you do Cassandra, from what you said before, it still won't help me." Erin thought about her situation and grew sad. Even if, somehow, Cassandra managed to prove her innocent, her sentence would not be reversed, she would still remain a slave. She thought about what this meant. Soon Cassandra would walk out of here a free woman, while she would be taken back to her cell and, most likely, be forced to mess herself again. Tears started rolling down her cheeks and Erin cried, "It's just so unfair."

Cassandra, seeing the other woman's suffering said, "I know, Erin. But you've got to try and keep yourself together. Unfortunately, I won't be able to stop your humiliation tomorrow or even your sale, but don't give up all hope. I know things look bleak, but don't let them break you. Somehow Ellen and I are going to help you. I don't know how yet, but we are going to help you."

The determination in Cassandra's words reassured Erin, and she stopped crying. "Thanks Cassandra," she said, "I'll try."

"I know you will," said Cassandra. "My time is almost up, and I probably won't see you again, at least not for awhile. If you're right and April buys you, I'll try and get an invitation to her residence, even if I have to join the S&M scene."

The thought of Cassandra in the S&M scene forced a bubble of laughter from Erin despite the gravity of her situation, and she wiped the tears from her face with her hands. "Thanks," she said flashing a brief smile.

"In all seriousness, I'll try and get a message to you somehow. In the mean time, fight all you can and remain hopeful. As you've probably guessed, your food is especially engineered and could contain chemicals that alter or influence your brain chemistry. Although you can't do anything about this, use your intellect to balance your emotions."

"I will," said Erin.

"Good. I'll say goodbye now," said Cassandra standing up. "Remember, there is hope!"

"Goodbye and thanks," said Erin as Cassandra turned and left, "I will!"

****************************

After Cassandra left, Susan escorted Erin back to the common room where Jan was still waiting. "What happened?" she asked. "Are you OK?"

"Yes," said Erin, 'I'll tell you later.

"Bedtime," announced Susan. "Tomorrow is a big day and we have to start early!"

Susan led them back to the same cell they had spent the previous night in and placed the gloves over their hands. This time however, she chained one leg of each woman to the solid walls of the cell. "We can't have you playing with yourselves tonight. You need to save your energy for tomorrow," she said lowering the bars and ceiling."

"Sleep tight," she said closing the door and leaving.

When they were alone, Erin told Jan about her conversation with Cassandra. She also explained (much to her embarrassment) that she was also a virgin, like Jan. When she was done, Jan said "I can't believe that you are a virgin."

"Don't rub it in" said Erin blushing.

"Do you think it has something to do with us being here?" asked Jan.

"I don't know, but I doubt it's a mere coincidence" replied Erin. "We'll find out soon enough after April buys us."

"So you think April is going to buy us both?"

"I don't know for sure, but I think so," said Erin. "We'll find out tomorrow."

"I hope she does," said Jan.

"What?" Erin said.

"Buy us both," said Jan. "At least we'll be together. I don't know what would have happened if I hadn't met you."

"Thanks," said Erin. "But let's try and get some sleep. I think we are going to need it."

****************************

The night turned out to be a repeat of the previous night. Erin awoke to the sound of Jan crying, "Oh no! I can't believe it, not again! I messed myself! God no, not again!"

There was little Erin could do to help Jan, and besides she had her own problems. Erin could feel that her bladder was uncomfortably full and that her belly was starting to cramp. As she had done the night before, Erin tried to fight the inevitable. Within minutes she was covered in perspiration with the effort of trying to fight her body. Within another minute she lost control of her bladder and then her bowels. She felt the hot urine on the lips of her vagina as it soaked into the thick pad that ran between her legs. Warm mush covered her buttocks as she was forced to sit in her mess. As she moved to minimize her discomfort, the mush ran up along the soaker pad to her vulva.

Erin was again filled with an overwhelming sense of shame that she had again lost control and messed herself, no less in front of Jan. Erin's faced flushed in embarrassment. Her feelings of shame were also coupled with the same strong sexual excitement that had accompanied her previous "accidents." Soon the warm excrement covered her vulva and started to make contact with her vagina. Looking across at Jan, Erin could see that she had already started to masturbate furiously.

Erin reached down with her gloved hand and started to rub the area over her diapered pussy. Soon she was rubbing furiously with the overwhelming need to climax. However, the gloves, plastic panties, and diapers prevented this. As her desperation for release grew, Erin opened her legs wider and started rocking her hips. This time she knew that she would have to bring herself to orgasm without the aid of the cell bars. Her chained leg prevented her from reaching, little lone, sticking her legs through them.

As during the previous night, both women sat facing each other, legs wide apart, hips thrusting, and arms moving ever faster as they masturbated in a futile attempt at orgasm. "God! I need to come so bad," moaned Jan. "I can't stand it!" Jan redoubled her efforts and rubbed her diapered pussy with both gloved hands.

Erin was in no better shape. She moaned and grunted with her efforts, frantic for relief. In desperation, Erin started pounding the area over her diapered pussy with her gloved fist. But even this didn't work. All that was achieved by her efforts was to push more and more of the mush over her vulva and into her vagina.

Both women continued to masturbate furiously, crying out and moaning and perspiring with their efforts. After awhile, Jan's arms grew tired and she was forced to stop. She sat resting, breathing hard, watching Erin masturbate, which did little to lessen her own excitement. Erin, looking up from her efforts, saw Jan watching her and blushed a deep red with embarrassment. Here she was, masturbating in her own mess in front of this beautiful and innocent girl, she thought. Soon however Erin's arms became tired also and she was also forced to stop and rest.

When they had rested for a while, both women started masturbating again, trying to satisfy the irresistible 'itches' between their legs which remained so effectively out of reach. This continued off and on for what seemed like hours: frantic masturbation, followed by rest to catch their breath and let their arms rest, followed again by another frantic attempt to achieve orgasm. Finally, both women became exhausted, and unable to go on. Erin fell into a troubled sleep, sexually aroused but too tired to masturbate further. Jan did the same.

In her dreams she saw Lisa laughing at her and waving her left hand as if to say goodbye. It was a taunting goodbye, the kind a sister might give to her sibling as she was being led off for punishment by their mother. Lisa's hand seemed to grow larger and closer to Erin's face, each naked finger curling as she waved. Erin woke with a start, sweating. There was something about the hand in the dream that frightened her. Shaking her head, Erin wiped her face with her forearm. Stupid dream! She thought. However something she could not quite place tugged at the back of her mind. Erin sighed and looked over at Jan who was sleeping, her breasts moving rhythmically with each breath. Better follow her example and get some sleep thought Erin. We're going to need it. With that, she lay down on her side and tried to sleep some more.

****************************

The next morning, Erin again woke to the sound of the cell door opening. "Whew! Susan said entering and smelling their dirty diapers. "I see why you two were sentenced to diapered servitude. You're constantly having accidents."
"Well I hope you slept well, at least. Today's your big day," she added.

Susan released Erin and then Jan and they followed her down the hallway to the cleaning and changing room. Susan unfastened their jumpsuits and removed their diapers and ordered them to take a shower.

Erin looked at her lower body in disgust. The yellow-brown mush completely covered her vulva and she could feel it in her vagina. "Looks like we spent the night playing with ourselves again," commented Susan looking at Jan and Erin.

Both women blushed. After Erin and Jan had cleaned most of the mess off themselves, Susan douched them several times so that they were completely clean. While they dried off, Susan opened a wide door on the opposite wall to reveal another room almost identical to the one they were in.

Instead of diapering the women this time, Susan handed each of them a wrapped bar of food and said, "Eat these. We don't have time for breakfast today." Erin and Jan ate the breakfast bars standing naked and silently while Susan busied herself about the room. When they had finished eating, Susan stood before them with hands on her hips looking at them with an icy stare. "Well?" she said harshly after awhile.

"I don't understand," said Erin.

"Would you like to go back to inducement?" asked Susan in a harsh exasperated tone.

"No...," Erin said, not quite understanding.

"Well, then what are you waiting for, an invitation?" said Susan sarcastically

It then dawned on Erin what she wanted. Susan was waiting for them to actually ask to be humiliated. Despite herself, Erin felt her still excited vulva tingle with anticipation. She blushed, lowered her eyes and said, "Would you please humiliate me?"

Susan smiled in satisfaction and said, "Remember, you asked for it." She then turned to Jan and said, "Well, young lady?"

"Please humiliate me, too," Jan said blushing.

"Good," said Susan. "Go into the other room and get on the table," she directed Jan.

Jan walked through the adjoining door and Erin could hear her climb up onto the padded table there. Susan looked at Erin and pointing said, "You too, up on the table." When Erin had gotten on the table, Susan pressed some buttons and stirrups emerged from the end of the table where Erin's feet were. Without being asked, Erin put her feet and legs in the stirrups and Susan fastened them down with straps. Susan pressed another button and the back of the table began to rise until Erin was sitting up at about 45 degrees. Susan handed Erin a two quart bottle of water and said, "Drink this while I go get her ready. You're going to have to drink at least three of these, so get started." With that she walked into the next room to attend to Jan.

Erin held up the bottle and started drinking. As she drank the water, Erin realized that she was helping to humiliate herself. She was both embarrassed and excited by these thoughts. In a few hours at most, she would be expelling this water publicly in front of a crowd in the punishment square. Susan returned, apparently having gotten Jan started with the preparation process and said to Erin, "Drink up! You need to get started on the second bottle." Erin continued to drink from the bottle until it was empty. Susan handed her a second bottle and said, "Keep drinking."

As Erin continued to drink, Susan produced a tube of lubricating jelly and a clear plastic hose. She squirted some jelly into Erin's slit and rubbed it around, paying especial attention to her clitoris. Still stimulated from her inability to relieve herself from the night before, Erin moaned in pleasure. "You'll have a chance to demonstrate what a slut you are later to everybody," said Susan, stopping her ministrations. With that, she placed some jelly on the end of the tube and catheterized Erin. She connected the end of the tube protruding from Erin's body to a large clear plastic bag at the side of the prep table.

Soon a steady stream of urine flowed from the tube into the bag filling it. "Keep drinking," said Susan. Even though, Erin was not thirsty she continued to drink as instructed, and soon she finished the second bottle. Susan immediately handed her the third bottle with the same instructions to drink it all. She then went into the next room to catheterize Jan. Erin heard Jan through the open door say, "Oh no! Not that again. Please don't stick that in me, please!."

"Shut up, and drink!" she heard Susan say. "If you don't do as you're told, it's back to inducement for you!" This threat apparently brought Jan into compliance, since the only sound Erin could hear thereafter was Susan working.

Susan returned and saw that Erin had finished the third bottle of water. "Good," she said, "finally a little cooperation." She then secured Erin's hands to the side of the table and went and stood between Erin's spread legs. Opening the jelly again, she lubricated Erin's rectum sticking her finger slowly in and out. Erin began to rock her hips in time with the motion and moan. Her sexual excitement had continued to grow and was starting to be come intense. "You're really going to put on a show this afternoon," Susan commented. Erin blushed with embarrassment again, but continued to rock her hips.

Susan withdrew her finger from Erin's rectum and inserted a lubricated nozzle identical to the one she used the day before. Erin could feel the nozzle expand as Susan turned the base. When she was satisfied it was secure, she connected the tube at the end to a large bag filled with fluid and hung the bag from a pole at Erin's feet.

"She checked Erin's urine bag and seeing it only half full said, "Too early for your enema yet." With that she left the room to repeat the process on Jan. When she returned, Susan looked at Erin's urine bag and seeing it was about three-quarters full said, "Good, its enema time." With that, she removed a clamp from the tube running into Erin's ass and Erin could feel the warm water start to flow into her.

Susan moved between her spread legs and started to massage her abdomen with her hands. Erin watched as her belly slowly started to distend. When the enema bag was about half empty, Susan walked next door and started Jan's enema.

When she returned, Susan replaced the now empty enema bag with a smaller full bag, but she did not unclamp the tube," commenting, "a little something for later." With this done, Susan stood again between Erin's legs, and took what looked like a small caulking gun, and inserted the tip into Erin's vagina. When she squeezed the trigger, Erin could feel her vagina fill with lubricating jelly. Susan kept squeezing the trigger of the gun until it felt, to Erin, that her vagina was completely full of the slippery lubricant. "Wouldn't want that tight virgin pussy to get sore later," she said.

When she was finished, Susan took the gun and squeezed the remaining jelly into the crack of Erin's ass. "And for that matter, your tight ass either," she said.

Erin had never felt so excited. The jelly filling her vagina and ass was driving her wild. But her thoughts soon turned to even more urgent matters. Erin started to fill cramps in her belly from the enema and pressure building in her bladder. Looking down she could see the urine bag was full. Pretty soon, things would be getting very uncomfortable. In the next room she heard Jan cry out, "I have to pee real badly! Please let me pee." Susan who was in the next room now with Jan replied, "Well you did it to yourself, drinking all that water! But don't worry, it won't be long and you'll be peeing all over the place."

Erin broke out in a sweat and was starting to get desperate also. She needed to pee more than anything. In fact she would do anything to pee. "Please," Erin said pleading, "I have to go too, real bad." Susan walked into the room and smiling said, "Well, for once your right," said Susan, "it is time to go."
Chapter 5: Humiliation

Susan un-strapped Erin's legs and hands and told her to stand. She grabbed a pole about 5 feet long and placed it horizontally across Erin's back and along her shoulders. "Grab and hold the pole at each end," she instructed Erin. Erin grabbed the pole so that it rested on her shoulders. Susan strapped the pole to Erin's wrists and forearms and then hung the enema bag at one end and the full urine bag at the other end. Elevating the urine bag increased the pressure on Erin's bladder and she bent forward slightly in an attempt to bring the bag a little lower. Susan tied a small white apron around Erin's waist so that the cloth hung down in front of her. "Wait here," she instructed.

Going into the next room, Susan repeated this procedure with Jan and, when she was finished, led Jan into the room to stand behind Erin. "All ready," she announced. With that, she led them to the hallway door where they were joined by six technicians, dressed in gray uniforms. "Let's go," said Susan, and they began to walk down the hallway for the last time.

****************************

April, Candy, and Lisa had again been watching Susan prepare Erin and Jan from an observation room on the other side of the wall. Cassandra and Ellen were also there, but the older women stood behind the three younger women conferring quietly. April, as usual, was pleased with how events were unfolding. Her schemes of six months were finally coming to a head.

Nine months earlier April had been chairing a board meeting at Zax Castle when the subject of slaves came up. Board meetings were typically held quarterly, and occasionally more frequently, if an emergency or some other pressing business arose. The current meeting was a routine quarterly review of Zax's affairs. Zax's executive officers consisted of April, its chairwoman, Prudence Ardella, vice-chairwoman, Tana Yang, treasurer, Olivia Johnston, secretary, and Camille Anders, legal counsel. With the exception of April, all were extremely wealthy and powerful, captains of both industry and government. All the women in the room wore the customary black clothes embossed with a red axe (the symbol of the society), above their right breasts. In addition, five semi-naked slaves dressed in short white tunics stood at attention along the walls ready to serve these powerful women at a moments notice.

"Yelena lost the last of her diapered slaves last week," said Olivia.

"How did that happen?" asked April.

"Suicide," replied Olivia.

"Damn!" said April angrily hitting the shiny black table with her fist and causing several of the slaves along the wall to jump. "What did the idiot do this time?"

Yelena was one of Zax's wealthier members. Like April she was old money, but was not one of Zax's leaders. She neither possessed the intellect or drive required for leadership. Yelena was famous for her elegant and lavish (if not dull) parties. These were always well attended however since Yelena was very casual when it came to allowing others to use her slaves. She was also the owner of two of Zax's four diapered slaves. Since diapered slaves were extremely rare, obtaining one was next to impossible. Yelena had inherited her pair two years previously, essentially doubling Zax's holdings over night. These slaves were extremely popular among the membership and as result their use was booked literally years in advance. In truth, one had to be a very high ranking member (i.e. extremely wealthy and powerful) to have a realistic chance of getting access to a diapered slave.

Use or access to a diapered slave also conferred great status and prestige on the recipient and, as such, these slaves were used to leverage Zax's political influence and power. A month earlier, Yelena had lost such a slave in a boating accident during one of her parties. The loss was a blow to Zax, but the board was willing to chalk up the loss to plain bad luck (although many, including April, grumbled at Yelena's carelessness). Now April was hearing about a second major loss.

"The details are unclear" answered Olivia.

"I knew we should have done something after the first one died," commented Tana, Zax's treasurer.

April was mad also, but she said, "There was nothing we could have done. They are after all her property."

"I don't agree" said Prudence softly.

Everyone in the room, except April, turned to look at Prudence. April glared angrily at her. Prudence was a petite, dark brown haired woman with a slight figure and youthful appearance that made her look like a child. In fact at first glance, most mistook her for a young girl. Those however who did not quickly correct this mistaken impression quickly learned how wrong they were, often to their great regret. In addition to being small, Prudence was also quiet. She rarely spoke, but when she did it was with purpose, intelligence, and shrewd insight. Prudence, looking directly at April, remained silent as her fellow board members stared at her. She had previously warned the board that Yelena was likely to have more problems with her slaves and had advocated that it was in the best interest of Zax to negotiate a conservatorship. April and a few others had ignored her.

For her part, April hated Prudence. Like Erin she was unwanted competition. She had narrowly beat-out Prudence for the chairwomanship of Zax, but that was not to say the contest was over. April knew well that her position was far from solid and that she was under constant scrutiny. Prudence was waiting for her to make a mistake and to capitalize upon it. The loss of this second diapered slave, in so short a time, was serious and the kind of mistake that could cause her big problems.

After an uncomfortable silence, that went on perhaps a little too long, Olivia cleared her throat and said, "Well, what are we going to do now?"

"I'm not sure," said April turning to look at her, "I'll have to think about it."

After the meeting broke up, Katrina, Zax's elder stateswoman (and probably the most influential and powerful member of Zax) approached April. Katrina had been Zax's previous chairwoman and April's mentor. Both women liked and respected the other. Katrina was the chairwoman of Blue Onyx, the government-regulated organization that was responsible for overseeing the world's finances.

Blue Onyx was essentially the Federal Reserve of the 24^th century. Paper money had long since passed into history; all transactions were handled electronically via virtual personas using secured signatures. Blue Onyx was responsible for the creation, regulation, and security of these personas. As the head of this important organization, Katrina was a quasi-political figure and very, very powerful, not to mention wealthy.

"We need to do something about this," began Katrina, "those slaves are just too useful to do without."

"I agree," said April, "but as you know, the few women who own them, all refuse to sell. We can of course, buy the next two that come on the market however it could take awhile before any become available. At least two years, minimum, would be my guess."

"Perhaps, we can speed up the process," suggested Katrina.

"How?" April asked, intrigued. April knew from experience that any ideas Katrina had would be clever and well thought out.

"First, I suggest that we have the remaining pair, transferred to Zax. This will eliminate or minimize any more careless accidents," said Katrina.

"But would Tana agree?" asked April sheepishly. This was what Prudence had advocated at the last board meeting and now Katrina was essentially seconding her idea. It was also a subtle, but nonetheless real, censure.

"I talked to her after the last accident. She was actually the one who approached me," said Katrina.

"Why would she want to do that?" asked April, surprised.

"She's getting older, and unlike our careless Yelena, the responsibility weighs on her. Zax uses them almost exclusively now, anyways. Selling the slaves to Zax has several advantages. First, it would effectively transfer the expense and responsibility of ownership, while still leaving her with some control and influence. Second, it would provide her with a nice boost in income (not that she really needs it), and finally it would increase her status with the board."

Yes, thought April, it did make sense. Tana was the oldest member of the board and maintained her membership more for the power and influence it afforded her than any real desire to indulge in the more carnal benefits. Nowadays, she rarely participated in such activities, leaving them to the younger women. "Good," said April. "I'll have Olivia contact her and negotiate a deal. Camille can draw up the necessary legal documents. I'm sure the board will approve, especially after what has happened."

"Good," said Katrina.

"Now, how about the new acquisitions," said April, "you suggested a method to facilitate their purchase?"

"Yes," well put, smiled Katrina, "and not too far from the truth, either." Katrina proceeded to explain the details to April who listened attentively. When she was finished, April said, "brilliant, as usual, my Mistress. And how about the risks?"

"There is always a risk in anything," answered her mentor. "However, they are very low, especially if this is handled correctly. In addition there are many safe guards that can be employed. The first, of course, is to set up a decoy incase of trouble. In this situation it makes sense to employ several."

April nodded her head in agreement. The woman was truly brilliant. Every time she thought she had learned all of Katrina's tricks, Katrina surprised her with yet another. "Shall I proceed, then?" she asked.

"Yes," said Katrina "with caution, and the sooner the better."

April's first task was to identify the prospective slaves. The first prospect was easy to identify. Natasha was the headmistress at a local high school and was heavily into the S&M scene. She coveted a membership at Zax, but lacked both the financial means and social status to obtain one. April knew her well since Natasha was a well known recruiter of young women into the scene. Using her position as headmistress, she would select girls who had come of age and were about to graduate, and introduce them to older, interested women. She would then use her considerable influence over these girls to persuade and cajole them into a 'relationship'. However what made Natasha particularly popular was that many of her girls were virgins. Virgins were, of course, highly prized by those in the S&M scene who not only coveted their innocence but also the chance to shape and mold a new participant. Natasha was especially adept at identifying young girls at her school who she could keep from becoming sexually active. Then when these girls were ready, she would manipulate them into the scene. In any particular year, Natasha usually had at least one such girl 'available'.

Using her position as chairwoman of Zax, April approached Natasha hinting that a membership at Zax might be possible. All she had to do was furnish one of her virgins to April, allow April's agents access to the school's accounts, and of course, keep her mouth shut. In exchange, April would be willing to arrange a life membership in Zax. Natasha had eagerly agreed, especially since there was no personal risk.

Natasha identified several candidates to April. However, of these, only two were of age. April looked over the profiles of each girl and chose Jan. Jan was not from a wealthy or powerful family, had few friends at school, and no other connections that could cause complications. Moreover both of her parents were dead. This made her an ideal candidate since no one would miss her.

This left April with one other candidate to identify. At about this time, she had noticed Lisa, who had just recently joined World. One night, April invited Lisa to one of her private parties. It turned out that Lisa, like April, enjoyed playing the dominate role in her relationships. She had not been exposed to the S&M scene before, but was instantly turned on when April showed her the dungeon at her personal residence and allowed her to participate in the play at the after-party. April had a couple of slaves from Zax on hand (a benefit of being chairwoman) and she allowed Lisa to have her way with them (under her close supervision).
Within a week she had won Lisa over. It was through Lisa that April learned about Erin. One night after a particularly vigorous session in the dungeon, Lisa remarked "God I wish Erin could see me now!"

Lisa's was perspiring and her face was flush from her recent exertions with the crop (which April reflected, she had learned to use quite well). Lisa's eyes sparkled and glowed in the dim light of the dungeon as she spoke. "How's that?" April inquired.

"Oh, it's just that she's so uptight and proper all the time. Don't get me wrong, she's nice and always pleasant to work for, but she's just...just..."

"Just what?" April said.

"I don't know, stuck-up. No, not really stuck-up. It's hard to find the right words to describe. Tense maybe. It's like she's never been laid, like she's a virgin" Lisa giggled.

The word 'virgin' stopped April cold. Lisa was right, Erin was 'tense', in just the way she described. I wonder...thought April. Then to Lisa she said "maybe she is."

"Huh? Lisa said "No she can't be, not at her age, April."

"Why not? April said. "It would be interesting to find out, wouldn't it?"

"Well, I guess" Lisa said, "but really, this is silly."

"Maybe" April said, "but I bet you a trip to Zax Castle that she is."

"What?" Lisa said wondering if April was playing a joke on her.

"I bet you a trip to Zax Castle she is" repeated April.

Lisa looked at April and her eyes were cold and her face sober. Lisa could see that she was serious. "OK, you're on" she said.

If Erin was in fact a virgin (and the more April thought about it the more convinced she was that her instincts where correct) then she could kill two birds with one stone, so to speak. April would use Lisa to set Erin up. After a bit of scheming, April developed a plan which she presented to Lisa. "It seems a bit...dramatic" commented Lisa.

"Perhaps" replied April, "but what do you have to lose?"

A few days later, Lisa stormed into April's residence pouting and saying "You're right, damn it! How did you know? There goes my trip to Zax Castle!"

"Maybe not" April said. "I have another proposal that I think you'll find interesting."

This time, April did not reveal more than she needed to Lisa, since Lisa would make an ideal decoy if there was any hint of trouble. Instead she appealed to Lisa's sadistic side and told her she would recommend that Lisa get Erin's job when Erin was gone. All, she had to do was provide April with some information and perform one or two transactions as April instructed. Lisa had readily agreed.

April also told her to continue developing her relationship with Erin. "I want her relaxed and distracted" said April. Her only restriction was that Lisa was not to sleep with Erin. Lisa found this strange, but nonetheless agreed to follow April's instructions.

Katrina had not been so sanguine about Erin. She thought Jan was a good choice, but cautioned April about Erin. "She has connections, unlike Jan" warned Katrina. In the end, however, April was able to reluctantly persuade Katrina to put aside her objections, so she could proceed with her plan.

"It's your call" said Katrina.

"Don't worry" said April, "I have everything planned to the last detail. Nothing will go wrong."

"I hope so" replied Katrina.

Now, today all her planning and the work of many months would finally pay off. By the evening Erin and Jan would be on their way to Zax Castle. In a few weeks, they would be trained and ready for service, effectively replacing the diapered slaves that had been lost. Moreover the fact that both Jan and Erin were virgins would greatly enhance their value as well as April's standing.

****************************

Erin and Jan walked slightly hunched over, escorted down the hallway by the six technicians and Susan. Both Erin and Jan were covered in perspiration and were starting to experience cramps from the enemas they were being forced to hold inside. The pressure on their bladders was painful and made walking even more difficult. Erin's ample breasts swung pendulously as she walked. Jan was in no better shape, her smaller breasts bobbing, making her erect nipples trace out invisible circles in the air.

Both women were led outside into the punishment square. A crowd of about 50 or so women and girls were gathered to witness the afternoon's events. Most of the girls were dressed in uniforms indicating that they were probably on the obligatory high school civics field trip. Here they would witness first hand what happened when society's rules were broken and learn, hopefully, to obey the law.

The girls giggled nervously and pointed at Jan and Erin as they emerged into the square. Most of the women in the crowd were talking and laughing, enjoying the party like atmosphere. Of course, April, Lisa, and Candy were in the crowd, standing up front next to the rope that separated the spectators from the punishment area.

The technicians led Erin and Jan towards the center of the square. "Please!" Jan pleaded, starting to cry, "not in front of all these people! Please!" Erin was about to echo her plea, but Susan cut her off, "You girls should have thought about that before, stealing all that money."

Once they were in the middle of the square, Erin and Jan were made to stand and face the crowd. Jan looked around wildly knowing what was to come in just a few minutes. Erin also looked around in desperation. In a few minutes she would be naked in front of the crowd her denuded pussy exposed for all to see, uncontrollably urinating and expelling the enema. She blushed with shame in anticipation of the event. The blush rushed through her body and Erin was suddenly intensely excited, just has she had been in her cell last night after messing her self. What's wrong with me? Erin thought, taken aback by her feelings. How can I be excited by this? Surely Nina's Cut had not been that deep. Perhaps there is something wrong with me...

Erin's thoughts were interrupted when Susan stepped forward and the crowd hushed. "Erin Brooke and Jan Elliot having been found guilty of first degree fraud by a judicial panel of their peers have been sentenced to public humiliation to be followed by diapered servitude. Public auction and sale to be held immediately after humiliation," she announced. With that she turned and nodded to the technicians.

On the ground near where Jan and Erin stood lay two poles about seven feet long. About two feet from the end of each pole was a grated circular disk about three feet in diameter, attached perpendicular to its length. About two feet above the disks were cylinders about two feet long and two inches in diameter and also attached perpendicular to the length of the pole and parallel to the disks. About two and a half feet above the cylinders, curved tubes extended half way around the apparatuses in a circular arc running parallel to the disks.

Erin and Jan were made to sit on the poles the cylinders sticking up between their legs. Erin felt a sudden rush of water into her ass as the clamp from the enema bag was released. The pressure in her bladder and bowels increased and she became frantic for release. Two of the technicians removed her enema and urine bags and placed them on the ground, while the third un-strapped and then relieved her of the pole she had been carrying. She was then pushed gently to the ground, one technician on each side of her grabbing her hands.

Erin found herself with her back lying uncomfortably on the pole as the technicians fastened her wrists to leather cuffs on the curved tubing. The third technician fastened Erin's angles to cuffs on the grated metal disk effectively securing her to the device. Erin looked over at Jan who was wiggling with discomfort and crying as the other set of technicians worked over her.

When Erin and Jan were both secured, two technicians lifted the end of the pole where Erin's head was, while the third guided the end nearest her feet into a hole in the ground. The three technicians attending Jan did the same, leaving the two women standing upright on the grated disks and side-by-side facing the crowd.

Erin felt the metal cylinder brushing between her legs just above her knees. The women in the crowd had resumed talking and Erin noticed the schoolgirls giggling among themselves. The pressure in Erin's bowels and bladder was almost unbearable and it was only the tubes that kept their contents inside her body. Suddenly, Erin felt the apron covering her pussy pulled off along with the tubes in her ass and urethra. Without realizing it she started to expel the enema and empty her bladder uncontrollably in front of the crowd.

With building force the liquids poured from her body. A continuous stream of urine arched outward and Erin could see the girls in the crowd giggling and pointing at her. April stood smiling and holding Lisa's hand as Erin and Jan continued to uncontrollably expel in front of the crowd. Erin flushed a bright red in complete shame and embarrassment at what she was doing.

When her embarrassing display finally stopped, Erin felt a flexible cylinder brush her buttocks. Looking over at Jan she could see that the cylinder between their legs has sprouted a 'nipple' about six inches long and about half an inch in diameter. Erin realized that her apparatus must also have a similar such nipple. She also noticed that if she pressed the nipple with her buttocks, a similar nipple started to protrude from the cylinder in the direction of her vagina.

Erin was now in an extreme state of sexual excitement as well as embarrassment. Her frustrated attempts to achieve orgasm the previous evening swelled within her and consumed her mind. Suddenly she had a frantic and overwhelming need for release. Erin thrust her ass down onto the nipple behind her so that it slid directly into her lubricated rectum. As she did so the second nipple emerged from the cylinder between her legs, penetrating her vagina.

Erin squatted with her legs separated wide and rocked her hips sliding the nipple in and out of her vagina and moaning. Glancing to her right, she saw Jan similarly engaged. Erin's breasts bounced up and down with her exertions and her nipples were hard and erect for all to see.

"Look," she heard an instructor say to her class, "that's what happens when you break the law." Erin flushed even deeper red with embarrassment. Lisa was pointing at her and standing arm in arm with April, "That virgin pussy of hers is in overdrive," she said laughing.

Erin, glancing over at Jan saw her suddenly stop masturbating and lift her ass off the nipple. She then expelled another stream of fluid from her ass. When she was done, she thrust her ass back on the nipple and started rocking her hips furiously in an effort to achieve orgasm, moaning as she did so. Erin realized that the nipple in her ass was giving her a slow steady enema and soon she too was forced to stop masturbating and relieve herself again in front of the crowd. But the urge to relieve her pent up sexual energy was not assuaged, and she too immediately placed her ass back on the nipple and began masturbating with renewed vigor and moaning in pleasure as she did so.

The lubricating jelly that Susan had filled her vagina with greatly reduced the sensation of the nipple inside her. Erin therefore had to work furiously to obtain the sensation she so desperately needed. Jan called out to Erin, "I need to come so bad! I'm so embarrassed."

The crowd laughed and pointed at the two women as they shamefully exerted themselves, legs spread wide, as they tried desperately to satisfy their overwhelming need for release. Ellen and Cassandra, standing in the back of the crowd, looked away in shock and anger. Ellen silently renewed her vow to avenge Erin; for this public display was by far the most humiliating thing she had been forced to witness.

Erin was forced to stop masturbating several times and expel as the nipple in her ass continued to give her slow enemas. Each time the crowd would taunt her and Jan. "How shameful!" one of the school teachers shouted. "Masturbating in public like that. Well, I guess it's to be expected from someone who can't control themselves." Her teenage charges giggled at this and the crowd laughed. Lisa added, "And she's a virgin too; you can tell by looking at her bare pussy. Mature women have hair." This caused another burst of laughter from the crowd.

Despite the taunts, Jan and Erin had no choice but to continue; the urge was just too overwhelming. The thought of masturbating so shamefully and publicly added to Erin's embarrassment and this somehow made her even more excited. Then Erin remembered the tattoos on her face. They would change color when she came, announcing to everyone in the crowd that she had brought herself to orgasm. Erin looked down at the technicians standing nearby and cried, "Please, please! Don't make me come like this. Please not like this. Help me."

Candy said, "She must be a virgin. Look she needs help!" The crowd roared with laughter and Erin's face turned completely red with shame and embarrassment. The technicians even smiled, but they ignored Erin's pleas.

Suddenly, she heard Jan achieve orgasm as she cried out to the crowd, "I'm coming, I'm, finally coming! Oh, God! God!" Looking over, Erin saw the 'S' marks on her cheeks turn a deep black confirming her statement. This is the first time she had been able to see the tattoos turn color, as the lighting in their cell had been too dim. The crowd too noticed the change in color and someone shouted, "We know, it's as plain as your face!"

Almost immediately afterward, Erin's orgasm swept explosively over her and she could feel her cheeks tingle under the tattoos. She had never achieved such intense pleasure. She moaned and cried out, "No! Oh God, no, not here."

Seeing the tattoos change color on her face, Lisa shouted, "Look! She finally got her virgin pussy to work!" The crowd laughed and Erin flushed even redder in total embarrassment which made her facial tattoos stand out even more. She had never been so completely humiliated in her life. As Erin and Jan slumped on the humiliation apparatus, panting and exhausted by their efforts and dripping with perspiration and excreted fluids, the crowd started to break up knowing that the show was over. A feeling of total fatigue swept over Erin and her head rolled down and she passed out.
Chapter 6: Auction

Erin was suddenly wakened by the feel of warm water running over her body. She was still tied to the humiliation apparatus and the technicians were rinsing her and Jan off. The water felt good and revived Erin from her stupor. Looking down, she watched the remains of the lubricating jelly, excrement, and urine being washed from her body.

When the technicians had finished washing them off, they unfastened both women and led them naked, to a small round platform about two feet high on one side of the square. The technicians cuffed Erin's feet and hands together using leather and chains. Shackled, the women were placed on the platform and left standing back to back. A small crowd of about ten women gathered around the platform where Erin and Jan were standing.

Susan announced to the small crowd of women, "Erin Brooke and Jan Elliot having been duly publicly humiliated as sentenced by judicial decree are now available for sale by public auction along with all their former possessions. All registered bidders have 30 minutes to examine said state property before bidding begins."

Ellen and Cassandra stood at the back of the crowd talking as they waited to witness the final stage in Erin's sentence. Ellen was relieved that this would be the last indignity she would be forced to watch. Unlike April and her younger compatriots, Ellen and Cassandra had not enjoyed being privy to the events of the last two days. It was only out of official obligation that they were here at all. After witnessing the sale, Ellen could finally report to her superiors on World's board of directors that 'justice' had been done and duly supported by the corporation.

****************************

After listening to Cassandra report on her conversation with Erin the previous night, Ellen had worked late, quietly investigating the sordid affair. Looking at the company records, she had found that Mary Harvard School was one of World's accounts, managed by April. It was a small account, casualty and liability insurance only. She noticed some recent activity, an electronic equipment audit, followed by a small increase in the school's premium. Although coincidental, there was nothing particularly unusual, except for one thing: April had personally directed the audit and premium adjustment.

This was unusual, since as a vice president, April would have almost certainly delegated such a routine matter to Candy or another underling. Reviewing April's records for the past year, Ellen confirmed that April had not involved herself in similar low-level business details. Checking the public records, Ellen also found that this audit occurred about a month prior to the detention of Jan Elliot, a student at the school. Yet another coincidence. Unfortunately, Ellen was not privy to the school's financial records, but she was willing to bet that they would show a large financial transaction on the day or day after the audit. She would have to look into this more later, but this would require using some of her connections in the financial sector, and she would need to be careful.

Ellen next considered the company's records for Zax. World insured their 'castle' and other property, including slaves. Ellen knew April was the chairwoman of the board for Zax, having recently assumed this position with the approval of Katrina Feltte. The Katrina Feltte. Ellen would have to be even more careful here. Even the remotest hint of a hint of any curiosity on her part about any of Zax's business could be dangerous when someone as powerful as Katrina might be involved. The woman was like a spider, a black widow; the tendrils of her web were everywhere ready to ensnare the unwary. But, then again, you don't get to a place of such influence and power without being smart, ruthless, and very, very clever, either.

If Ellen made a mistake here, Katrina would undoubtedly use her influence to have World's board of directors shut down her inquiries and possibly even fire her. Even accessing the Zax records might be risky, given that April might find out. She would have to be extremely cautious. Fortunately, the company's quarterly report was due out next week, and a routine summary of all World's accounts would be automatically compiled. Ellen planned on taking a careful look at this report, especially the parts concerning Zax.

Ellen had also searched the public records again looking for Erin's old school chum, Cathy Long. It turned out that Cathy was a professor of virtual computing at the University. Ellen queried for an appointment; might as well see what she could find out about virtual security too. Cathy's appointment persona answered. "Can I help you?" it inquired. The persona revealed a thin blond woman with short hair, medium breasts and narrow hips. Her eyes were wide set and her nose small.

"Yes," said Ellen. "I would like an appointment."

"And you are?" inquired the virtual Cathy.

"Ellen King, senior president of World Insurance," replied Ellen.

The virtual face blinked and inquired, "You're not selling something, are you?"

"No," replied Ellen, irritated. "I want to discuss virtual security."

The virtual Cathy blinked again and said, "What time?" Apparently Ellen had gotten past the screening protocol.

"Ten, day after tomorrow, OK?" said Ellen checking her calendar.

"Fine," said the persona.

"Thanks. Bye," said Ellen terminating contact.

This was the weakest part of Erin's claims. Although Ellen's confidence in April's complicity in Erin's conviction was growing, especially with all these 'coincidences' popping up, this still left the virtual transactions. Forging transactions was supposed to be impossible. If it wasn't, the entire financial system would collapse. And Ellen had little doubt it ever would, considering that any vulnerability would have long ago been found and exposed. After all, the world contained millions who no longer needed to work and had nothing better to do than pull pranks and the like. Some of these idle pranksters were smart, very smart, and a few of these would have enjoyed, if not profited, from exposing any flaws in the system.
No it couldn't be. Still, Ellen could not believe Erin was guilty of trying to steal money. This left her with a conundrum: her strong belief in Erin's innocence and the soundness of the financial system. Well maybe this Cathy could solve the riddle, or at least shed some light on it.

That next morning before leaving for Erin's humiliation and sale, Ellen and Cassandra discussed Ellen's findings from the night before. "So it looks like April is turning up, everywhere," commented Cassandra.

"Yes," said Ellen, "but its hardly damning. I have a friend I am going to call when we get back to find out more about the school's finances, if possible. And we have an appointment tomorrow with Cathy, Erin's friend."

"Great" Cassandra said. "I was doing a little research on the status of slaves last night. It turns out that, although they can't get another hearing or obtain a sentence reduction, they do have a single recourse."

"And what's that?" asked Ellen, her eyebrows rising in surprise.

"They can be freed by their owners," replied Cassandra.

"That's not very promising," said Ellen frowning. "I don't know the going rate for slaves, but I assume it's astronomically high. Why would someone spend all that money for a slave and then just let her go?"

"Why indeed?" said Cassandra. "Unless perhaps, it's 'cheaper' than keeping her."

Ellen looked at Cassandra and said, "Hmm."

****************************

April, Lisa, and Candy were, of course part of the small crowd that remained for the auction. The remaining women in the group of bidders appeared to be wealthy women excited at the chance of acquiring such rare merchandise. Some of these inspected information cubes listing all the property that Erin and Jan used to own. But as neither was especially wealthy, their former property was of little interest compared to the women themselves. Of more interest was, the information cubes containing their profiles: age, education, health, marital status, and the like.

Interest was especially keen about the women's sexual status. Neither had ever been married, and more importantly, both were virgins. The documentation on this was both strong and convincing and this single fact greatly increased Jan's and Erin's value. The bidders closely examined the cubes for additional information about both women's sexual history, especially Erin's. As a recent high school student, Jan's virginity was not particularly unusual. Although most girls experimented during their school years, a fairly high percentage remained virgins. The statistic ran anywhere from 25 to 30 percent. It was therefore quite plausible that Jan was still a virgin. Erin however was another matter. Almost all women had actively engaged in some sort of sexual activity with a partner by her age. The fact that Erin was still a virgin at 26 was quite remarkable and taxied the credulity of the bidders.

The information cubes did contain a statement from Lisa, detailing their engagement, and saying that Erin had claimed to be a virgin. Although encouraging, this statement was more hearsay than proof. More importantly there was Susan's examination of Erin during her induction. The transcripts of Erin's answers to Susan's questions were closely examined by the bidders for alternate interpretations. Although unlikely and rare, it was not unknown for 'lies' to have gone undetected, even under the closest of monitoring. This was not due to some innate ability on the part of the subject being questioned but instead from errors in protocol by the examiner or from simply asking a question incorrectly. There had been several well known and documented cases where the examiner's questions had been either vague or misunderstood or misinterpreted by the examinee with catastrophic results. It was not so much that the examinee had lied (for she had not, at least in the technical sense) but that her incorrect answer had gone undetected. In a case like Erin's where substantial sums rested on her answers to Susan's questions, care was called for. As a result, the bidders carefully examined every word in the transcript as well as the details of the protocol employed by Susan.

April wanted this claim publicly verified before the auction; although this would increase the price she would have to pay, it would also greatly increase Erin's ultimate value. Any claim, after the transfer was suspect. April had therefore wanted Erin's status to be verified before the auction by the state. To this end, she had requested and been granted a second and public examination by a state technician.

When the technician arrived, she went over to the platform where Erin and Jan were standing and the bidders followed her with interest, knowing that Erin's status would be confirmed one way or the other by the technician. Susan announced to the assembled bidders, "One of the registered bidders has requested confirmation of the claimed virginal status of the state's property known as Erin Brooke. State's property will therefore be re-examined, with the group present acting as witnesses. The results will be officially recorded and publicly announced immediately following the examination."

"What are they up to now?" Ellen asked Cassandra.

"Someone has made a request to verify a claim that Erin's a virgin. If so, this could greatly increase her value. The technician is here to perform the examination," answered Cassandra.

"What kind of examination?" Ellen asked.

"There are going to repeat the questioning that Susan performed during Erin's induction," she answered.

"Here in public?" inquired Ellen, disbelievingly.

"I am afraid so," said Cassandra.

Ellen shook her head and covered her face with her hands.

The Technician removed some latex gloves from her pockets and placed them on her hands. She then turned and touched Erin's naked vulva, running her right index finger along the lips of Erin's vagina, while separating the vulva with her left hand. Despite herself Erin immediately became aroused and blushed with shame. Everyone in the crowd was staring at her pussy and watching the technician touch her.

Satisfied, the technician produced a tube of lubricating jelly and coated her gloved index finger. She then slowly placed her finger into Erin's vagina, moving it slowly in and out and twisting it slightly. Erin moaned with both pleasure and shame at the ministrations of the technician. "I guess she's seeing how tight it is," said Candy, which caused the group of women to chuckle.

"She must be a virgin," replied Lisa, "look how she's getting off on such a little finger." The crowd laughed again and Erin blushed furiously with embarrassment.

The technician slowly removed her finger and then took a small stainless steel cylinder from her pocket and inserted it into Erin's vagina. She then repeated the same procedure with Erin's ass. Finally, removing the gloves she placed a band around Erin's head. Attaching the wires from the three devices to a small box she said "This is an examination of state's property, formally known as Erin Brooke. Official transcripts to be publicly recorded."

Erin stood, naked with cylinders in her shaved pussy and ass and the crowd staring at her, as the women waited for examination to begin. Totally shamed, Erin's blush deepened to crimson red.

Looking at Erin the technician said "State your name."

"Erin Brooke.," answered Erin.

"You were employed by "World Life?"

"Yes."

"You were convicted of financial fraud by a judicial investigation?"

"Yes."

"You are twenty-six years old?"

"Yes."

"Are you still a virgin?"

"Yes," Erin replied softly blushing a deep red, and looking at her feet. A ripple of excitement went through the small crowd as the bidders anxiously started talking.

The technician raised her hand and waited for the crowd to quiet down. Then looking at Erin she said "Do you masturbate regularly?"

"Oh god, please!" Erin said. These were the same awful questions Susan had asked her earlier. Why was she being questioned again? Looking at April she could see her smiling. Worse, Lisa was giggling. Oh god! Thought Erin, what's going on?

"Answer the question!" commanded the technician.

"Yes" replied Erin softly, tears running down her face.

"Do you use a vibrator?"

"Yes," said Erin starting to cry.

"Do you ever put the vibrator in your vagina?"

"Yes"

"In your ass?"

"Yes"

"Do you have two vibrators?"

"Yes," answered Erin, large tear drops falling onto her bare feet.

"Do you use them together, placing one in your pussy and the other in your ass?"

"Yes.."

"Do you touch your breasts while masturbating?"

"Yes."

"Squeeze your nipples?"

"Yes."

"Do you also rub your clitoris?"

"Yes"

"Does the thought of being punished excite you sexually?"

"Yes! Yes! Oh god! Yes!" shouted Erin loosing control and sobbing.

With this, the technician stopped her questioning and after looking at her instruments announced, "State's property has answered all questions truthfully. Statistics and variances for each question will be included in the final public report."

Susan looked at the bidders and announced, "Based on the results of this examination, the state's property formerly known as Erin Brooke will be auctioned as a virgin. All witnesses are required to add their certifications to the profile of said state's property."

With this, each woman in the crowd added her certification to the information cube containing Erin's personal profile. This done, Susan announced, "The time for property examination by registered bidders is now over. All those wishing to bid please submit your initial bids."

Four women stepped forward and placed credit cubes onto a small table that had been setup in front of Susan. Susan examined each cube and announced, "Four starting bids have been made. Bidding is now closed to all other bidders. The high bid is 15 million each for state's property. Since bidder number three is outside the twenty percent bid cluster, she is removed from further bidding." Susan handed a disappointed looking woman her credit cube, and continued, "Second round of bidding for state's property is now open. Will the remaining three bidders, place their bids. The three remaining women stepped forward and handed Susan another set of credit cubes.

"High bid is now 45 million each for state's property. Bidder number one is outside the twenty percent bid cluster, and is removed from further bidding," announced Susan, returning the credit cubes to the loosing bidder. "Remaining two bidders to place final bids." The two final bidders stepped forward and handed Susan yet another set of credit cubes.

"High bid is 95 million each for states property. States property is sold to Zax Incorporated. Will the Zax representative please come forward and claim their property," said Susan. A small gasp went up from the crowd at the size of the high bid. Some of the women in the crowd shook their heads as they walked away, realizing that they never had a realistic chance at acquiring the slaves.

As the crowd dispersed, a blond woman approached Susan and handed her an information cube. Susan examined the cube and handed it back to the woman. Olivia took the cube, turned and winked at April. Susan went to the platform removed Erin's and Jan's hand and leg cuffs. She then placed a chain around Erin's waist containing a thin triangular shaped stiff metal mesh. From the bottom corner of the metal triangle hung another piece of chain that she pulled through Erin's legs and fastened to the chain around her waist.

The device fit snuggly in place and effectively covered Erin's vulva, including her clitoris. The chain that Susan had passed through her legs now rested uncomfortably in the crack of her ass and the metal mesh pressed into the sensitive lips of her vagina. Susan attached an identical device to Jan and said, "So you can't play with yourselves during your trip."

A transport pulled up and Susan opened the back door and ushered Erin and Jan inside. Olivia pushed an information cube into the control slot and said, "Zax Castle." Susan closed the doors and the transport departed.

The crowd had broken up and April, Lisa, and Candy left arm in arm to celebrate. Olivia departed also, in another transport. Cassandra and Ellen stood alone in the square watching the transport carrying Erin and Jan recede into the distance.

"God bless them," said Ellen.

"God has very little to do with this mess," retorted Cassandra. "Let's go back to the office, I want to check on a few things."

"Yes," said Ellen, "let's go." And with that the two women departed.
Chapter 7: Training

The transport was completely padded in black leather and there were no windows or other discernible openings in the vehicle. There was also almost no sensation of motion. Erin and Jan had collapsed in exhaustion after Susan had placed them in the back and closed the doors. It was several minutes before Erin was sufficiently recovered to take stock of the situation. Jan lay on the padded floor and moaned. She had been in a state of semi-shock since her explosive orgasm during their humiliation. Her young mind, overloaded with shame and embarrassment and the conflicting overwhelming need for sexual gratification that exaggerated these emotions, had shut down.

Erin went over to where she lay on the padded floor and pushed her short hair out of her face and stroked her cheek. "Jan," she said, "it's over, it's OK." Erin continued to gently stroke Jan's forehead and cheek and to comfort her the best she could. Eventually, Jan opened her eyes and looked at Erin. A pained look came over her face and she said, starting to cry, "It was her, it was her!"

"It was who?" asked Erin.

Jan sat up, and she started to sob, "The woman with the red hair who bought me! The woman who bought me!" Jan looked up and started to cry hysterically, "I can't believe I did all those things in front of everyone! Oh, Erin, I, I..."

"Oh, Jan," said Erin taking the other woman in her arms and cradling her head in her breasts. "It's OK, honey, Its OK. They forced us to do those things."

"But I enjoyed it," sobbed Jan, "I couldn't stop myself. I feel so embarrassed!"

"It's OK," said Erin rocking Jan, "You were forced to do it. I couldn't control myself either."

Erin continued to rock Jan's head on her breasts and comfort the girl. After a while, Jan stopped crying and she laid, resting one tattooed cheek on Erin's bare bosom, while Erin stroked her hair and exposed cheek lightly. Erin looked down at the beautiful girl in her arms and thought of her fate. She had not even graduated high school and here she was being forced to deal with the worst punishment society could impose. She had never had a girlfriend, dated, made love, gone to college or any of the other myriad of things a young woman of her age had to look forward to. And she never would. All she would ever know would be punishment and abuse; Jan would never be able to develop a loving relationship or lead a normal life. Erin became both sad and angry at their predicament. How could anyone be so cruel? How could April be so cruel?

Erin began to question everything she had taken for granted. Her understanding of the Servitude Laws was completely different from the reality she had experienced. Even more disturbing were her reactions to the punishment she had endured. How could she have been so sexually aroused? And Jan too for that matter. Had the Venkatesan Modification left them both with oddly variant genes? It seemed incredible. Maybe she had done the things she had been accused and convicted of. Was that why she had reacted the way she had? No! It can't be thought Erin. There lay the path to insanity. She couldn't let herself think that way. Cassandra was right she could not let them break her; or Jan for that matter.

After awhile Jan sat up fully and looked at Erin and said, "I love you Erin. Thanks for helping me."

"I love you too, Jan," said Erin, and she realized that she meant it. Both women hugged, their bare breasts touching. Jan looked up and Erin kissed her, and then they hugged again. They were both aroused by the other's body, but the meshes covering their vulvas prevented any deeper display of affection.

Erin released Jan and said, "We need to think while we can."

Events up to this point had moved rapidly and both Erin and Jan had been kept busy and preoccupied. This was their first real break in days. Erin was not sure how long the trip to Zax Castle would take, but they might as well make the most of the time. It seemed likely that they would be kept equally busy once they arrived there.

"I guess your right," said Jan. "Thank god we're together, at least!"

"Yes" agreed Erin. At least they were together. The question was why? Or more to the point, how? It seemed an incredible coincidence that two young women, both virgins no less, had committed separate, but yet similar and equally serious crimes at approximately the same time. The fact that both had ended up as diapered slaves and both had been sold on the same day, at the same auction, to the same owner (an owner that coveted and specialized in the use of such slaves), taxied the idea of such a coincidence into incredulity. And then there was the behavior of April, Candy, and most troubling of all, Lisa. Erin had no illusions that there was any love lost between her and April. April had seen her as a competitor at work as well as with Lisa. It would therefore be natural for April to be, at a minimum, happy about her 'departure'. The fact that April was the chairwoman of the organization that bought her was however, disconcerting (to say the least). That she was openly happy about the situation was not only disquieting but it raised troubling questions. And for that matter why was Candy, a woman Erin barely knew, also openly happy? At best, Erin would have expected Candy to be indifferent. Worst of all was Lisa. How could Lisa be so casual and even lighthearted about Erin's predicament? After all, they were supposed to be married soon. Lisa either hid her grief well, or there was something else going on. None of this made any sense.

Erin could not believe that any of this was a coincidence. Their situation had to be engineered, most likely by April. However this seemed even more improbable. How could April have forged her persona and carried out the transactions that resulted in her conviction? Worse, how could she have done such a thing twice, to two different people? Although April was intelligent and extremely knowledgeable when it came to finances, forging a virtual persona was beyond her capabilities, or anyone else's for that matter. This was simply impossible. And even if she had managed to do the impossible, why be so openly and even confidently happy about it? It didn't make sense. Moreover, why do any of this at all? Surely Zax could not be so desperate for a couple of slaves that it would risk committing such an elaborate and complex conspiracy. No, it just didn't add up. But where did that leave her? Back at the beginning and more confused that ever. Erin sighed and looked at Jan.

"Where do you think they're taking us? Jan asked.

"We're going to Zax Castle," replied Erin. "I heard the woman who bought us direct the transport there.

"Where?" asked Jan

"Zax Castle," repeated Erin. "Zax is a well known and politically powerful S&M society and its members read like a who's who of the rich and powerful. They own a castle located on an island in the Pacific."

"I thought April was going to buy us" commented Jan.

"April is the chairwoman of the board at Zax. Although she didn't buy us herself, as far as we are concerned, it's not likely to make much difference" replied Erin.

"What do you think they are going to do to us?" asked Jan.
"I'm not sure. My guess is that we'll probably be used to 'entertain' Zax's members or their guests," said Erin.

"Entertain? What do you mean?" asked Jan.

"Well, Zax is essentially a kinky sex club. Its members use its facilities to indulge their unusual sexual appetites, but more importantly they entertain the politically powerful, probably to further their own political ends. They are famous for their parties and you have to be famous or wealthy or very well connected to get an invitation," explained Erin.

"You mean that they're going to whip and torture us?" asked Jan with a look of shock on her face.

"Well, probably not in the way you're thinking. We have one thing going for us. Zax paid almost 200 million for the both of us, so I don't think they are going to physically harm us, at least not seriously," said Erin.

"Wow!" said Jan, looking a little relieved. "I never realized we were so valuable."

"But that doesn't mean our lives are going to be pleasant either. As diapered slaves, we can probably expect to be humiliated regularly and forced to do a variety of unpleasant things," said Erin.

"I guess your right," said Jan glumly.

"Listen, Jan," said Erin trying to bolster the girl's sagging spirits, "We've got to try and stay together and keep our ears and eyes open. Cassandra said she would try and get a message to us. If we find out anything maybe we can figure a way to get a message to her."

"OK," said Jan "I'll try."

****************************

Zax Castle rested on the West end of a relatively flat artificial island in the Southern part of the Pacific Ocean. The island's 150 square mile (15 million acre) landmass contained the castle, private cottages, parks, forests, beaches, recreation areas, and various odd buildings used for maintenance and other purposes. The multi-storied castle itself was huge having a one billion square foot (23,000 acre) footprint. It was by far the largest structure on the island, dwarfing everything else save the forest in size. Its towering gothic architecture was constructed from rough hewn black rock that exaggerated the intentionally sinister look desired by its owners and designers. And, of course, the castle stood perched on the obligatory cliff over looking the sea.

Not all was dark and dreary however; the massive structure boasted of numerous windows, gardens, fountains, pools, and lawns that made staying there (at least in the daytime), cheerful and pleasant. In addition, most of the rooms inside were airy, light, and plush. Well paid servants quietly and efficiently tended both to the grounds, permanent residents, and guests. First time visitors were usually awed by the natural and artificial beauty of both island and castle; the surroundings silently speaking of power, wealth, and the taste of their owners.

Things were markedly different in the basement or dungeon of the castle. This area consumed almost one third of the area of the structure and consisted of numerous chambers and rooms devoted to every sexual taste, fantasy and fetish. The dungeon was also home to the 60 plus women who were Zax's slaves. Most of these belonged to Zax directly but a few were on loan from some of its members. The woman in charge of this community was Alexandra, or Alex for short. She was a tall athletic woman with black hair and eyes and very pale skin. Her hips were wide and her hourglass figure accented her medium, but full breasts. Alexandra was a Zax employee and she was responsible for handling, training, and managing all the slaves on the island. Her staff consisted of six other women, also Zax employees, who assisted her with the day-today chores of training and caring for the slaves in this underground community. Alex and her staff wore body hugging black jumpsuits with the red Zax axe embossed over the right breast.

Although it was late, Alex was sitting in her office, which was located in the South-East corner of the dungeon, working when a virtual persona of Laura, one of her staff, flashed to life and said, "Mistress?"

"Yes," said Alex looking up.

"They have arrived," said the virtual Laura.

"Good," said Alex. "Check them over and put them in their cells for the night."

"Yes, Mistress," answered the persona, and then flickered out.

Alex had been preparing for the new slaves for weeks. Between that, the constant parties, and the two diapered slaves Zax had acquired from Tana, things had been busy. Fortunately, Tana's slaves had been trained. These two new slaves however would require training to bring them to Zax's standards. That meant an almost round the clock effort by Alex and her staff. Tonight however, she had decided to just put them in their cells and start their training in the morning. It was late and they were exhausted anyways; any effort expended on them would be wasted, and Alex hated to waste time.

April had pressed to accelerate the training schedule of these new slaves, but Alex had held her ground. Two weeks minimum, probably three she had insisted. April was annoyed at her insistence, but had reluctantly agreed when she said, "I won't be responsible for any problems or accidents if the training is rushed, Mistress."

"OK," said April, "but no more than three weeks. I want them ready for my wedding reception."

"Fine," Alex had agreed. "They'll be ready."

Although the schedule was tight (the wedding was less than four weeks away), Alex knew her business and decided not to press the slaves. They would have their 'rest' tonight.

****************************

Erin and Jan were sleeping when the transport stopped near a service entrance on a small lawn on the North-East side of the castle. Erin was awakened by the feel of cool air on her bare skin. "On your feet, slaves!" said a woman with auburn hair and wearing a tight black jumpsuit with a red axe embossed over the right breast.

Erin and Jan clumsily climbed out of the transport and stood before the auburn haired woman, who was flanked by two other women wearing black jumpsuits. "I am Mistress Laura. You are the property of Zax Incorporated. Tomorrow your training will begin, but Mistress Alexandra has mercifully decided that you can rest in your cells tonight."

"Who is..." began Jan. But she was cut off when Laura slapped her in the face and said, "Silence! No one gave you permission to speak."

Jan rubbed her stinging cheek and tears started flowing down her face. "Follow me," said Laura, who turned and walked towards the massive castle. Erin and Jan followed flanked by the other two women in black. Laura led them through a narrow heavy wooden door and down a flight of steps to a well lighted corridor with black stone walls and ceiling. When they reached the end, they made a left into a branching corridor, and then a right midway down into yet another corridor. Here the walls were lined with heavy wooden doors two of which stood open.

Laura ushered Jan into the nearest door and locked her inside. Before the door closed, Jan looked apprehensively at Erin who winked in reassurance. Laura led Erin to the second door and, after seeing her inside, locked the door sealing her in the cell. When she was alone, Erin surveyed her surroundings. The cell was small, perhaps 5 feet by 8 feet. A small single bed stood along one wall and a chest of drawers kitty-corner against the opposite wall, near the door.

A sink was attached to the wall next to the chest of drawers. On the floor next to the sink was a 4-inch diameter hole covered with a small grate. Although the floor and walls were made of stone, the room was comfortable and dry.

Markings on the floor around the grate-covered hole indicated that a toilet had recently occupied the spot. Great! Thought Erin no reprieve, not even for a single night. On top of the chest of drawers, Erin found a large bottle of water and another food bar. She had forgotten that she had not eaten since that morning. Opening the bar, Erin tore at the food hungrily, washing the small meal down with some water. She hoped that she would not need to have a bowel movement before morning, but was too tired to worry about it for the moment.

Erin had been sleeping soundly in the transport, when she was awakened by Laura. The ride had been lengthier than she had anticipated and after talking for awhile both she and Jan had eventually fallen asleep, exhausted by the traumatic events of their long day. Erin had no idea of how much time had elapsed since they had fallen asleep in the transport, but it was dark outside and she sensed it was late. Erin was also still tired from her ordeal, so perhaps she had not been asleep for too long. Looking around, it was clear that there was no visible way out of the cell and Erin decided that she was unlikely to find one. Even if she did, where was there to go? She was on an island in the middle of the ocean after all. Erin therefore decided that her best course of action was to get some rest, as she would probably be needing it in the morning. With that, she lay down on the bed, which proved surprisingly comfortable, and was asleep within minutes.

****************************

Erin awoke in the morning to a full bladder and the sounds of small vibrations and muffled noises. The area of the castle where she lay was waking up and getting ready for another day. Wanting to spare herself another embarrassing display of public urination or immediately wetting any diaper which she no doubt would soon be wearing, Erin went and squatted over the grated toilet hole and urinated. She found this both awkward and difficult but managed to empty her full bladder without making too much of a mess. The mesh over her vulva caused her urine to splatter against her body and thighs, and there was nothing to dry herself with. Erin thought of rinsing herself in the sink, but this would be messy and she would still have no way to dry herself afterward.

As she was considering her options, the door to her cell opened and Laura stepped inside. "Out!" she commanded, standing by the door. Erin complied and stepped into the corridor which she found lined with women wearing short white tunics and displaying the characteristic haircuts and tattoos of slaves. Each woman stood at attention, with eyes downcast, next to the door of the cell in which she presumably had spent the night.

Erin examined the women closely. They seemed to range in age between mid twenties to mid forties. The tunics they wore did little more than provide the barest possible minimum of covering for their bodies. They were essentially a rectangular piece of cloth with a triangular shaped opening in the center for the head. Each was secured by a sash tied about the waist. They were also short and fairly narrow, allowing Erin to see the sides of the women's breasts and to see that none wore any panties. Pubic hair was visible on some of the women do to the extreme brevity of the tunic's length. A red axe was embossed above the left breast of the garments and the v-neck line plunged low enough to reveal most of the wearer's breasts.

The corridor was long and Erin counted about 60 women standing by their cell doors. Each woman wore the same tunic, except Erin and Jan of course, who stood essentially naked, covered only by the mesh between their legs, and two other women who stood bare breasted and in diapers. The diapers of these women sagged indicating that they were full and in need of changing.

A whistle blew and the slaves in the white tunics turned and started walking down the corridor. Erin assumed they would probably eat and then began their activities, what ever they were. When the slaves had departed, Erin, Jan, and the two diapered slaves were left alone with Laura. She motioned to the two slaves who were standing red faced and with down cast eyes against their cell doors and they turned and started off in the same direction that the other slaves had gone.

Laura looked contemptuously at Jan and Erin and said, "Follow me." Erin and Jan looked at each other and followed Laura down the corridor, trailing the pair of diapered slaves. At the end of the corridor the pair turned left into a branching corridor and then made an immediate left into an open door. Erin and Jan followed them inside along with Laura who brought up the rear. The slaves stood shamefaced with their eyes downcast and waited. Erin and Jan stood next to them so that the four women formed a line.

Two slaves in white tunics entered and Laura motioned to them. They approached the diapered slaves and unfastened their diapers, which dropped to the floor with a thud. "Shower," said Laura and the slaves whose lower bodies were covered in urine, and the now familiar, brown-yellow excrement moved into the open shower stalls that lined the back wall of the room. As the women showered in full view of Erin and Jan, Laura unlocked the chains around their waists that secured the uncomfortable wire meshes that covered their vulvas and said, "You too, take a shower."

The two slaves wearing tunics picked up the soiled diapers and the meshes Jan and Erin had been wearing and placed them in disposal bins. Erin was glad for the shower and let the warm water stream over her. However she was careful not to linger over her genital area when washing her lower body. She glanced at the other two women in the shower and noticed that they let the water cleanse their breasts and lower bodies, but that they never touched themselves. When they had finished, they bent over and the slaves wearing tunics douched them, after which they rinsed and stepped from the showers to dry.

When the tunic-clad slaves approached Erin, she bent over blushing and allowed herself to be douched. Imitating the other women, Erin rinsed and stepped from the shower to dry. She patted herself with a towel being careful not to touch her genitals. When the four slaves were dry, the women lined up in front of a padded table to be diapered. Each woman took turns lying on the table, with spread legs to be diapered by the tunic-wearing slaves. When Erin's turn came, she blushed with shame as she spread her legs fully exposing her pussy to all the other women in the room. Her blushed deepened when the front of the diaper was lifted to cover her lower body, and she felt her vulva twitch with excitement at the sensual feel of the soft thick pads inside.

When the four women were all diapered, Laura led them down the hallway and into a room filled with tables and benches. Erin saw about twenty women seated at the tables finishing the remains of their breakfasts. Laura led the four women to a wall containing food dispensers where each in turn placed her hand on the black control sensor and then retrieved a tray of food. Laura led the women to an empty table where they ate their food in silence.

Erin's food consisted of a large bottle of water, corn muffin, and a bowl of sweet corn mush. Erin was hungry, and happy for the meal, which was the first hot food she had eaten in well over a day. When the diapered slaves had finished their breakfast and disposed of their trays, another woman dressed like Laura approached them and led the other two slaves away, leaving Jan and Erin alone with Laura.

Rising, Laura said, "Follow me." Erin and Jan followed Laura who led then back into the stone corridor and into a small room where a tall, pale, woman with jet black hair stood.

"I am Mistress Alexandra," began the woman, "head slave mistress for Zax. You are the property of Zax and under my direct authority. You have the honor and privilege of serving Zax by helping to entertain its members and guests, and will be trained in the arts of entertainment by myself and my staff. Before we begin you are required to obey the Seven Cardinal Rules at all times and without exception."

"These are" continued Alex, "Silence. You are never to speak unless spoken to first. Respect. You will address me, my staff, and any other non-slave as 'Mistress'. Subservience. You are never to make eye contact with any Mistress. Obedience. You must instantly and without question or hesitation obey the commands of a Mistress. Acceptance. Unless otherwise directed by a Mistress, you must always wear your diapers and never touch or attempt to remove them. Abstinence. You are not allowed to touch yourself or to masturbate without the explicit permission of a Mistress. Denial. You are never to cum without the explicit permission of a Mistress. If you obey these rules, your situation will be tolerable; if not you will be quickly and severely punished."

With that, Alex nodded and two tunic-clad slaves entered the room and knelt in front of Erin and Jan, sitting on their heals. Alex said, remove their diapers. The slaves reached up and unfastened Erin and Jan's diapers which fell softly to the floor. "Spread your legs, slaves," commanded Alex. Erin and Jan widened their stance, both women blushing. "Proceed," said Alex nodding to the kneeling slaves.

The slaves removed white plastic vibrators from the sashes of their tunics and placing lubricant on the devices, inserted them slowly into Erin and Jan's vaginas, and then started them. Erin moaned with pleasure and blushed with embarrassment. Erin heard a similar moan escape Jan.

"Masturbate sluts" Alex commanded.

Erin looked at Jan and froze in horror. She could not believe her ears. Alex wanted them to masturbate, naked and standing in front of four other women! Erin could not bring herself to move her hands as the thought of touching herself like that filled her with shame and embarrassment. However Erin also felt a tingling thrill of excitement between her legs and a small shiver ran through her body. Oh god! She thought how can I be excited by this?

"Start Masturbating!" barked Alex loudly. "If I have to repeat myself again, I'll crop your pussies till they swell shut!"

Erin shuddered at Alex's harsh words and slowly moved her right hand to her clitoris and started rubbing herself. Out of the corners of her eyes she could see Jan rubbing herself also.

"Faster!" commanded Alex. "And don't stop till I tell you to."

Looking down, Erin blushed, and noticed a longing, provocative expression on the face of the slave kneeling before her as she looked up and into Erin's eyes. Erin's blush deepened to crimson as her embarrassment grew. Here she was standing naked, her legs spread, masturbating in front of five women while a total stranger held a vibrator in her vagina. Deep shame and excitement simultaneously filled Erin and she shuddered again with these conflicting emotions.

"Keep masturbating and remember, you don't have permission to cum," said Alex. "If you stop or cum without permission, you will be severely punished." Then to the slaves masturbating Jan and Erin, she said, "Move the vibrators in and out of their pussies." Then to Laura she said "Take over." And with that, Alex turned and left the room.

Erin was overcome with both embarrassment and excitement. As she continued to masturbate and the slave moved the vibrator in and out of her, her need to climax became overwhelming. But she didn't have permission to cum! Erin knew that very soon she would lose control and climax, even without permission. In desperation she said, "Please Mistress let me stop. Please give me permission to stop rubbing myself." But Laura only smiled and remained silent. Jan was in no better shape. She knew that it would only be moments before she too would climax under the intense stimulation being applied to her pussy.

"Please Mistress, give me permission to come!" she pleaded.

"Neither of you have earned it," was the reply from Laura. "If you come or stop you'll be punished."

But neither woman could control themselves any longer. Jan came first, crying out, "Please, I'm coming, please, Oh, god, I'm coming!" As the orgasm swept over her, the tattoos on her face darkened to black telling all in the room that she had cum. Erin climaxed moments later moaning, "Oh, no! Oh, god no!"
The slaves pushing the vibrators in and out of Erin's and Jan's vaginas stopped abruptly as the women came, withdrawing the vibrators from their pussies. Erin and Jan were left standing naked and breathing hard, flushed with both excitement and shame at what had just happened. Their facial tattoos were black against their flush faces, evidence to their recent orgasms.

Laura angrily said, "You sluts! Who gave you permission to come? I explicitly told you not to come! I guess you didn't believe that you would be punished. Well, I'm going to show you just how wrong you are." Looking at the slaves, still kneeling on the floor, Laura said, "Prepare the flux." The slaves rose, and opened a door leading into an adjacent room and went inside and busied themselves.

"Let's go!" said Laura walking towards the room where the slaves were working. Alex was standing inside and she eyed Jan and Erin coldly as they walked past her, arms clasped behind her back. "It looks like this is going to take the full three weeks," Laura said, as she passed Alex.

Alex nodded but remained silent. Turning she left the room, leaving Erin and Jan to await whatever Laura had planned for them.

Inside the next room were two padded tables surrounded by an array of tubes and equipment. "Get on the tables and lay on your backs with your legs spread," directed Laura. Erin and Jan climbed onto the beds and spread their legs, blushing at having to expose themselves so fully to the slaves and Laura. Putting on a latex glove, Laura lubricated her index finger with jelly and stood between Erin's open legs. She squirted some jelly onto Erin's rectum and stuck her finger into Erin's ass, moving it slowly in and out. Erin blushed and moaned with excitement. Laura then took an enema nozzle with three hoses protruding from its base and placed some jelly on the tip, rubbing it over the head of the device. She then inserted the nozzle into Erin's rectum and locked it into place by twisting its base, expanding the device within her.

Two of the three hoses were short, about a foot long. Laura took the first of these and taped it to Erin's belly so that the opening was positioned directly above her vulva. "Roll on your right side," said Laura. Erin complied and Laura taped the second hose to the small of Erin's back with the opening directed into the crack of her ass. "Roll onto your back," said Laura when she was done.

"Diaper her," said Laura to one of the tunic clad slaves. Laura then went over to Jan and repeated the procedure on her.

The slave attending Erin, took three cloth diapers, laid a soaker pad down the middle, and placed the diaper under Erin's hips, which Erin raised and lowered to assist the girl. Taking the third hose, she poked a hole in the soaker pad and pushed the hose through. Erin noticed that the diapers had a small hole in the seat area. The slave pushed what looked like a washer, onto the hose and then pulled the hose through the hole in the diapers. Taking baby oil, the girl poured a large amount on Erin's vulva and smeared it over her pussy and thighs. This done, she lifted the diaper and snugly fastened it into place.

Erin noticed that the outer diaper had elastic around the legs, but that its outer surface was cloth instead of the slippery plastic of their previous diapers. The slave motioned for Erin to lift her hips again and placed a large thick soaker pad underneath her. Erin looked over and saw that the slave attending Jan was finishing diapering her in a similar fashion. "Cuff their hands and feet," said Laura to the slaves when they were done. The slaves cuffed Erin and Jan's feet to the corner of the bed and their hands to the sides of the bed using leather cuffs. Laura took the hoses protruding from their diapers and connected them to a large machine that stood between the beds Erin and Jan were lying on. She then raised the heads of the beds until Erin and Jan were sitting upright at 45 degrees.

The slaves meanwhile had fastened clear tubes to the sides of Erin and Jan's heads such that the ends to the tubes went into the corners of the women's mouths. Sucking on the tube end caused water to flow into Erin's mouth.

Laura said, "Every hour the machine you are attached to will give you and enema unless the sensors at the ends of the tubes under your diapers detect sufficient moisture. The enema will continue until sufficient moisture is detected. The diapers you are wearing are designed to absorb moisture at a constant rate. When your outer diaper gets wet, these slaves will add additional diapers, as needed." With this, Laura walked out of the room with the two slaves, leaving Erin and Jan alone.

"Oh, Erin," said Jan starting to cry, what are we going to do?"

"We better start drinking," said Erin, "or we're going to get a lot of enemas. As it is, things are going to get uncomfortable." Both women started drinking and in about half an hour, Erin could feel her bladder starting to get full. She knew that if she wanted to avoid the enema, she was going to have to purposely wet her diaper. Although Erin had wet herself before, it had only been after a struggle in which she lost control of herself. She had never purposely wet herself and she found that, even though she felt like urinating, she could not bring herself to wet her diaper. In an effort to encourage her bladder to release, she kept drinking more water from the tube in her mouth.

"Erin," said Jan, "I can't make myself wet."

"Me either," admitted Erin. "Keep drinking"

After awhile, Erin felt the water turn to paste in her mouth. The paste tasted similar to the oatmeal she been fed earlier. Looking at the tube, she saw that about three feet of its length was filled with the paste, but behind the paste the tube was clear, apparently filled with water. Erin sucked on the paste, swallowing it, and eventually she was rewarded with a mouth full of water. I guess we're going to be here awhile she thought if we're being fed too.

Suddenly Erin felt warm water run into her ass. "Oh no," said Jan, "I'm getting an enema!" As more water flowed into Erin, she began to feel cramps and her discomfort grew. Erin tried to squeeze her buttocks but the nozzle in her rectum made this impossible. Suddenly Erin felt warm water flow over her vulva and ass has she involuntarily released the enema. With the release of the water, the flow into her ass stopped.

"Oh, no!" she heard Jan say again, "I messed myself!"

'I did too," said Erin, blushing. "And I'm still going." As Erin stopped messing herself, she could feel the excitement building in her pussy. Soon she was pumping her hips back and forth in an attempt to stimulate herself to orgasm.

"Erin, I'm so horny again. I can't control myself," said Jan who was also moving her hips. Erin's blush deepened, but she continued to rock her hips. Try as they may, neither woman could bring themselves to climax. Erin realized that strapped as she was, that this goal was not attainable. She kept drinking water in the hopes that she might induce herself to urinate in her diaper. By drinking and concentrating, Erin eventually started the flow from her bladder. It was slow at first, but soon she was able to get a strong flow going.

Erin felt the hot urine splatter over her vulva and trickle onto her buttocks before being absorbed by the thick diapers. The urine must have washed the enema fluid clear of her vagina, because she noticed a lessening of the excitement which burned between her thighs. "Pee, Jan it helps," said Erin, blushing with shame. "I just wet myself and it relieves the excitement."

Jan started drinking more water while still furiously rocking her hips. Soon Erin heard her say, "I'm wetting myself. God I'm wetting myself! It feels so good." After Jan had stopped, Erin noticed that the rocking of her hips lessened and then stopped. Both women concentrated on drinking, trying to wet themselves as much as possible. Erin found this difficult to do. She discovered that she would need to get her bladder full and concentrate before bringing herself to wet her diaper.

This went on for what seemed like hours. Occasionally, paste would fill the water tube and Erin would be forced to eat the mushy food in order to keep the supply of water flowing into her mouth. However, as time went by Erin managed to avoid getting another enema.

Unfortunately, the paste they had been forced to eat must have had a high-fiber content or contained a laxative, for after awhile, Erin felt the need for a bowel movement. This need grew until her body would no longer contain the waste and Erin felt warm mush fill the back of her diaper and ooze over her vulva. The same thing must have happened to Jan, because before long Erin heard her say, "Oh no, I messed myself. God no!" As the mush covered her vulva and started to penetrate her vagina, Erin's sexual excitement grew frantic again and she and Jan were soon rocking their hips wildly.

Erin drank more water and after a while was able to wet herself and bring some relief from the burning sexual itch between her legs. Jan started crying, saying, "Oh, Erin. I keep wetting and messing myself. When will this ever stop?"

"I don't know," said Erin. "But you've got to hang in there."

After a while a slave appeared and checked Erin's and then Jan's diaper. She went to a closet on the wall and removed a couple of diapers, which she preceded to place over their existing diapers. "Please," begged Jan, "Change me. Don't leave me like this." The slave, however, did not reply and when she was finished, left the room.

The pattern of drinking, eating paste, wetting and messing, and the addition of diapers went on and on. Erin fell to sleep several times, but was awakened each time by the feel of cramping in her abdomen and then the feel of water flowing into her ass. She would then be forced to expel and would have to start drinking again so that she could wet herself and relieve the intense excitement that always ensued. Thus even falling asleep brought no real relief from the cycle of wetting and expelling. Her only measure of time was the bulk of her diaper, which steadily grew as layer by layer was added to contain the contributions she herself was forced to make. After awhile Erin completely lost track of time; a perpetual nausea gripped her and her stomach seemed to have become a tight knot of gramps. Perspiration covered her body as her mind was consumed in a haze of unending agony composed of low grade pain and aching physical discomfort. Erin could no longer sleep and the seconds seemed to crawl by like hours or days. "Oh god!" moaned Erin, "oh god help me!" But there was neither help or relief, only torment.

****************************

The day after Erin's sale, Ellen and Cassandra went to the University to talk to Cathy Long. Arriving at her office a few minutes early, the woman found Cathy seated at her desk in the Computing Sciences building in a small cramped, drab, office. Ellen knocked on the inside of her open door, and Cathy looked up from her work and said, "Yes?"

"Hello, I'm Ellen King and this is Cassandra Down," said Ellen introducing herself.

"Oh, hello," said Cathy, "Please come in." She removed some books and papers from some extra chairs and motioned for Ellen and Cassandra to be seated. "You're the insurance company president," stated Cathy.

"Yes," said Ellen, "and Cassandra is one of our corporate counsels."

"How can I help you," said Cathy coming directly to business.

"Well, a former school chum of yours, Erin Brooke, used to work for me," began Ellen.

"Yes, I remember Erin well. We used to be good friends. How is she?" said Cathy.

"Not well, I'm afraid," said Ellen.

"Really," said Cathy, "what happened to her?"

"She was convicted of financial fraud," said Cassandra.

"I can't believe it!" Cathy said, "Not Erin, she would never steal anything."

"We agree," said Cassandra.

"What happened and what does this have to do with me?" asked Cathy.

Cassandra explained the FIS investigation, Erin's detention and conviction, and the details of the financial transactions involved. When she was done Cathy said, "So where is she now?"

"At Zax Castle. She is a diapered slave" said Cassandra.

"You mean Zax, as in the S&M society?" asked Cathy.

"The very same," said Ellen. "Worse, the current chairwoman, April Katz, was one of Erin's co-workers." She then went on to explain about April and Erin.

Cathy looked stunned. After a few moments and visibly upset she said, "Poor Erin. I just can't believe it! Isn't there anything that can be done?"

"No and Yes," answered Cassandra. "Legally, she is now a slave and has no rights, so no nothing can be done. However, there is recourse; she can be freed at anytime by her owners, so yes, there is something we can do."

"But why come see me?" asked Cathy. "I'm not a legal counsel and I certainly cannot free her, though I would in an instant if I could."

"Well," began Ellen, "we were hoping you could help us. As we told you there are a lot of coincidences in this story; too many for us to believe that Erin was not set up. However, the transaction record is clear. The money was transferred by Erin's virtual personas. Although it sounds impossible, I think they may have been bogus."

"Doppelganger's," said Cathy.

"Doppel what?" said Ellen looking confused.

"Doppelganger's," repeated Cathy. "It's an archaic term, essentially meaning ghost. In virtual computing, the term refers to a facsimile virtual persona."

"But I thought that was impossible," said Ellen.

"Almost," said Cathy.

"Almost?" said Ellen and Cassandra, simultaneously. "It's my understanding that there was no way to copy a virtual persona and use it," said Ellen emphatically. "If there was, our financial system would collapse."

"Correct," said Cathy. "However, it depends on what you mean by copy."

"Please, explain," said Ellen anxiously.

'Well, it's involved and it could take some time," said Cathy.

"We can take as much time as your willing to spare," said Ellen.

"OK. Here goes," began Cathy. "In classical times, when computers were first invented, about 400 years ago, people struggled with pretty much the same problem: find an electronically secure method for handling transactions. In those days, people tried using codes to hide information. Only someone who knew how to decode the information could supposedly read it. Such a person was said to possess the 'key'. The trouble was, no matter how complicated the code, someone always found a way of breaking it, or finding the key. As the old saying goes, 'for every lock there is a key, and a lock pick'. This led to the so called encryption wars. The code makers would create a code, the code breakers would then break it; so the code makers would make a more complicated code, which the code breakers would then break, and so on."

"But wouldn't the codes eventually get so complicated that they couldn't be broken?" asked Cassandra.

"They already were, from the very beginning," said Cathy.

"What? I don't understand," said Cassandra.

"In most cases the code breakers didn't actually have to break the code. Remember, all they really needed was to find the key or a way to bypass it. Most people when asked to select a key choose something simple, like their name or their partner's name. Things were further simplified by the fact that exact copies could be made and repeated experiments run to probe the system," said Cathy.

"Then came quantum computing. It became possible to design a system, or at least parts of it, so that exact copies were no longer possible. This was guaranteed by the laws of physics. If a copy was attempted it would disrupt a quantum state and be detected. This greatly improved the situation but did not entirely solve the problem."

"How's that?" asked Ellen.

"It was no longer possible to make a duplicate without being detected, but you could still create an original with the same information. Then came virtual technology with the ability to copy a portion of the mind. This brought us full circle to the day before electronic transactions," said Cathy.

How could such primitive pre-computing technology be better?" asked Cassandra.

"It was not only better but way better," replied Cathy.

"But how could that be?" asked Ellen in a disbelieving tone. "Why not just stick with primitive technology then?"

"Too inefficient," said Cathy. "Before computers, transactions were carried out in person. In the ideal case, the people who were doing business together knew each other. There was no need for codes or anything. The greatest 'computer', the human mind, automatically validated everything. If you didn't recognize someone, you simply refused to do business with them. This is great as long as you could always afford to do business with people you personally knew."

"With virtual computing, this situation could essentially be duplicated," she continued. "Recent or relevant memories could be transferred to create a pseudo-person, or persona, that could act as a stand in, and it was impossible to duplicate this persona without detecting or corrupting it."

"The best of all possible worlds," said Cassandra.

"Precisely," said Cathy.

"But what are these doppelgangers then?" asked Ellen. "Surely they are not copies of personas."

"Right they're not," said Cathy. "Rather they're a way of taking control of a persona. If a persona is created and has a doppelganger then the doppelganger can follow the persona around and take possession of it at some desired moment and use it for another purpose of its own choosing."

"And that purpose could be anything?" asked Ellen.

"Pretty much," said Cathy.

"Perhaps even redirect a transaction?" said Ellen.

"Yes," said Cathy.

"Is there a way of detecting this doppelganger and finding out who created it?" asked Cassandra.

"Yes," replied Cathy. "Actually finding out the who is easier than actually detecting it. The doppelganger itself is a sort of ghost persona, and as such bears the imprint of the personality that created it."

"You mean that you could identify an actual individual?" asked Cassandra.

"Yes, the personality imprint would appear as a 'memory' in the persona," said Cathy.

"And as for detecting it?" asked Ellen.

"Well that's problematical," said Cathy. "Once it takes over the persona, it vanishes for all practical purposes. Its existence would therefore need to be inferred. And there is another problem."

"Yes?" said Ellen.

"There is no way to create one," said Cathy.

"What! I thought you said that a doppelganger was a way to take over a persona," said Ellen exasperated.

"It is," said Cathy, "But I didn't say you could create one."

"Then you mean, this is all just theory?" asked Cassandra. "This doesn't help us then."

"Its more than theory," said Cathy. "Doppelgangers have been created. But there is only one-way to do it: at the same time the persona is created. And there is only one entity that can create a persona."

"Blue Onyx," said Cassandra.

"Exactly," said Cathy.

"So you're saying that Blue Onyx would have had to create the doppelganger?" said Ellen.

"Yes," said Cathy, "Since they are the creators of all personas."

"If one were to suppose that somehow April managed to have one created, then could you detect it?" asked Cassandra.

"Possibly," said Cathy.

"Would you be willing to try?" asked Cassandra.

"Professionally yes," said Cathy. "No one has ever detected a doppelganger in the wild, so to speak. However, this could be dangerous if you consider the implications of Blue Onyx being involved."

"Yes, it could," said Ellen. "But if Erin is to have any chance of getting out of this, then someone is going to have to try. Will you help us?"

Cathy thought for a moment, sighed and said, "Yes."
Cassandra said, "As Erin's counsel I have access to all the evidence. I'll grant you access when I get back to my office."

"OK," said Cathy, "I'll start as soon as I hear from you."

"How long do you think it will take?" Ellen asked.

"A couple of weeks at least; maybe a month; I don't really know, it depends on too many things," said Cathy.

"Do your best. If you need anything let me know," said Ellen rising.

"I will," said Cathy.

****************************

"How long have they been in flux, now?" Alex asked.

"Close to 72 hours," replied Laura.

"Remove them and clean them up. Afterwards let them rest," said Alex.

"Yes Mistress," said Laura leaving.

Erin had never been so miserable. Her entire body ached and throbbed; she felt as if someone had beaten her from head to toe. Even the roots of her hair ached as she shivered and perspired with nausea. The diapers that covered her lower body, numbered well over ten and she could no longer close her legs, which lay completely spread open. Worse, her body under the diaper was covered in a complete pasty mess. Every hour she felt water flowing into her ass, as she had long ago given up on trying to prevent the enemas from occurring. The enemas, of course, caused her to start sucking on the tube so that she could wet herself and clear her vulva of the stimulating mess which would inevitably flow over her pussy when she expelled. The pattern would repeat hour after unending hour. When the tunic clad slaves finally entered and un-strapped her, Erin curled up into a ball, as stomach cramps and nausea continued to wrack her body.

"Get up, filthy sluts!" commanded Laura entering the room.

Erin and Jan struggled to their feet still in a daze, doubled over with cramps. Both would have collapsed if the slaves had not been there to support them. They assisted Erin and Jan into the next room where Laura ordered their diapers removed. Erin felt 50 pounds lighter when the diapers about her lower body fell to the floor with a dull thud. Looking down, she saw the lower part of her body was covered in what looked like an inch of yellow-brown paste. Only her slit showed through due to the constant wettings. Erin and Jan staggered into the shower and began to rinse the muck off their bodies.

Erin let the warm water run over her head and body as she stood with both hands against the wall. After a minute or so she started to feel better. The cramps had started to subside and the persistent nausea faded. After they were clean, both women bent over and were douched by the slaves, who then helped them to dry off. Erin did not remember getting re-diapered but when she returned completely to her senses she found herself standing with a clean diaper on, watching Laura finish diapering Jan. Afterwards, they were ushered to their cells where Erin collapsed on the bed and slept.

The next morning Erin awoke to a full bladder and the need to empty her bowels. Looking around the cell, confirmed the lack of toilet facilities, which was just as well she thought, since removing her diaper to use the toilet was sure to bring swift and severe punishment. Erin considered her options. She could try and hold her bladder and bowels and hope for an opportunity to relieve herself later, or she could mess herself now. Her latter option unfortunately seemed the best. It was unlikely that she would be afforded the opportunity to use anything but her diapers to relieve herself later. At least now she was in the relative privacy of her cell and would most likely be changed soon as part of the morning routine.

Erin therefore decided to try and relieve herself in her cell, however this proved harder than she would have imagined. She was not used to willingly messing and wetting herself. In addition, she knew that it would be best to have the bowel movement first, so that she could 'rinse' her pussy by wetting herself afterwards. Erin got out of bed and stood in the middle of her cell and concentrated on releasing her bowels. But try as she might, she could not bring herself to mess her diaper. In frustration she knelt down and sat back on her heals hoping that being in a seated-like position might help her.

While she was in this position, the cell door opened and Laura walked in causing Erin to blush with surprise and shame, for she could see from the look on Laura's face that she knew what she was trying to do. "Out!" commanded Laura half-smiling.

Erin got up and went outside and stood in front of her cell door, eyes downcast. A whistle blew and the slaves in tunics turned and marched silently away. After they had left, Laura led her four diapered charges to the changing room. The other two slaves had messed themselves and stood, blushing, as they were undressed. However both Jan and Erin were clean when their diapers were removed. All four women showered and were re-diapered as they had been before. Laura then led them to breakfast. Erin's need for relief had been growing and she had trouble not urinating in the shower when stimulated by the sound and feel of the running water.

When they reached breakfast, Erin did not feel like eating because of her condition. Laura looked at her and Jan and said, "Eat up. I don't want to see a crumb or drop left." Erin and Jan looked at each other and forced themselves to eat and finish their breakfast. From the look on her face, Erin could tell that Jan also needed to relieve herself.

After breakfast, the two diapered slaves were led away again by another woman in black, leaving Erin and Jan alone with Laura. Laura led them back to the training room where they found two of the tunic-clad slaves sitting upright on the edge of two padded tables.

"Today you'll learn how to satisfy a woman," announced Laura. "Your eagerness shall be judged by how wet your diaper is when you are finished. The one with the wettest diaper shall be allowed to masturbate and cum."

With this, the slaves on the table laid back, spread their legs, and pulled up the fronts of their tunics, exposing their pussies. Unlike Erin, the slaves still had their pubic hair. "As you can see," said Laura, these slaves have the pussies of mature women, unlike you. Bring them to orgasm with your mouths."

Erin had never done this to another woman, and she was both excited and embarrassed by the sight of the exposed bodies of the slaves, but her need for both a bowel movement and to urinate was becoming intense and this tempered her excitement. "Now!" barked Laura.

Erin and Jan were startled by Laura's command and hurried over to the slaves and knelt between their legs, blushing. Erin kissed the vulva of the slave and was rewarded by a moan of pleasure. Using her tongue, she started to lick the woman's vulva and clitoris. By this time however, cramps had started in her belly and Erin's need for relief grew urgent. The thought of messing herself while pleasuring the girl slave intensified her excitement and shame. Knowing that it was only a matter of time before she would mess herself, Erin decided to release her bowels with the onset of the next set of cramps.

Erin felt the slave tense with the beginnings of an orgasm just has the cramps hit her. Relaxing her buttocks and pushing, she filled her diaper with warm mush. Almost immediately afterwards she released her bladder, flooding the front of her diaper. The slave Erin was ministering moaned with pleasure and cried out as she climaxed.

Laura, seeing that Erin had messed and wet herself said, "Looks like you were so excited that you couldn't control your bowels either. Erin blushed deep red in shame and embarrassment. Meanwhile, the slave Jan was pleasuring climaxed, moaning. Jan's need for release and not been as urgent as Erin's and she still had not messed or wet herself.

"Good," said Laura, "it looks like you can do something right. But that's enough for these two." With that the two slaves sat up and closed their legs. "Sit," commanded Laura to Erin and Jan. Blushing, Erin sat in her mess, feeling it spread between her legs. Jan was breathing hard with both excitement and embarrassment and looked at Erin questioningly.

"Since this slave displayed no enthusiasm for her work," said Laura, addressing Erin and pointing to Jan, "You have permission to masturbate. But don't come until I give you permission."

Erin blushed in embarrassment, but the excitement of pleasuring the slave coupled with the feel of the mush in her diaper was overwhelming. The mess in Erin's diaper had already spread between her legs and Erin was gripped with a sudden frantic desire that she could not control. Sticking her right hand down the inside of the front of her diaper she began rubbing her clitoris. She immediately felt the mush between her legs and soon her hand was covered in the brown-yellow excrement that she rubbed into her pussy as she masturbated. Erin began to moan with pleasure and excitement. With her left hand, Erin rubbed her bare, full breasts and rolled her erect nipples between her fingers.

"Would you like permission to come?" taunted Laura.

"Yes Mistress. Please let me come," begged Erin moaning and blushing in shame at the realization that she was masturbating in her own mess in front of four women.

"You need to earn my permission," said Laura. "What will you do to earn permission?"

Erin was now frantic with excitement and new if she did not get permission soon, she would come anyways. Desperate for relief she said, "Anything Mistress. I'll do any thing. Please give me permission to come."

Laura smiled. "Anything hey? You may regret that. But OK, you have permission to come, now!"

With the word 'permission', Erin's masturbation became frantic and no sooner had Laura finished saying 'now', Erin climaxed moaning and crying out, "No. Oh god no!" Her orgasm was so intense that she swooned, the tattoos on her cheeks turning dark black. When she recovered, Erin blushed in shame at what she had just done.

While Erin had been masturbating, Jan sat staring at her, but her mind was elsewhere. The cramping in her belly had become unbearable and her bladder was becoming painful. Jan lost control of her bowels and bladder at the very moment Erin came and she filled her diaper with hot urine and warm mush. In surprise Jan cried out, "Oh, no. I messed myself! Not again, no!"

"Time to pay for your pleasure," said Laura when Erin had recovered. "Remove your hand from your diaper and use it to masturbate this slut, who also can't control herself," said Laura, pointing at Jan. "Remember, slave," she continued addressing Jan, "you don't have permission to cum."

Erin was reluctant to touch Jan with her filthy hand as well as to put her hand into Jan's messy diaper. Worse yet, she didn't want to be responsible for getting Jan punished if Laura didn't give her permission to come. "Move!" commanded Laura.

Erin knew she had little choice in the matter, so removing her hand from her diaper she went to Jan and, sitting down behind and straddling her, reached into her diaper and started rubbing her clitoris. Jan moaned in pleasure and leaned back against Erin's breasts. Erin wrapped her left arm about her and began massaging her breasts and erect nipples. "Oh Erin, I'm so embarrassed! But you feel so good," said Jan.

"Rub her harder and faster and make sure to spread plenty of mush into her virgin cunt," said Laura.

Erin continued her masturbation of Jan, who began moaning wildly. "Please Mistress, let me cum. Please give me permission to cum!" Jan pleaded.

"No," said Laura, "You don't have permission to cum. Don't cum!"

Jan moaned and became frantic. Erin seeing the poor girl's desperation begged, "Please Mistress let her cum. Please give her permission."

But Laura remained silent. Erin felt Jan's body tense and saw the tattoos on her face turn black as she climaxed yelling, "Oh, god no! Oh no!"

Laura, looked at both women icily and said, "You came without permission again. It looks like you didn't learn your lesson from last time. I guess we'll just have to give you another one."

Laura led them into the changing area where Erin and Jan had their diapers removed and showered. When the women were clean, Laura led them blushing and naked back to the training room. On the floor a diaper, about a foot longer than the diapers Erin had worn was spread on the floor. Laura said, pointing at the diaper on the floor, "Sit back to back on the diaper." Erin and Jan looked at each other, but having little choice, complied.

When the women were seated, Laura bound them together by tying a soft rope around their waists. A slave then fastened the diaper around Erin and Jan, effectively diapering them together. Laura fastened their feet to the floor using leather cuffs and then bound their hands together. Erin was then presented with a small vile of clear liquid. "Drink," said Laura. After drinking the liquid Erin immediately became thirsty. Laura also made Jan drink a vile of the liquid and then attached feeding and drinking tubes to the sides of their heads so that the ends of the tubes entered their mouths.

"Since you like to play in your messes, I thought you might enjoy being indulged," said Laura walking out of the room leaving Erin and Jan alone.

"Erin," said Jan, "Laura must have activated my control devices. My rectum feels open. I also feel very thirsty after being forced to drink the liquid she gave us."

"Me too," said Erin, "but my rectum feels OK. She must have opened yours as part of the punishment.

Jan started crying, "Oh, Erin. I can't bear the thought of messing on you. I'm so embarrassed, I couldn't control myself. But it felt so good having you hold and touch me. It was the first time we could touch each other, and now, look what I did to us."

"Jan, its OK," said Erin. "It's not your fault, don't worry about it. No one could have held back."

"Oh, but Erin," said Jan continuing to cry, "I love you. I don't know what I would do without you. And now I'm going to mess on you. I just can't stand the thought of that."

"Its OK, Jan, its OK," said Erin trying to comfort her. "Really, I don't mind. Its not you it's them. Remember, their forcing us to do this."

Jan must have been comforted by her words because, after a while Erin heard her stop crying and say, "You're so good, Erin. I love you."

"I love you too, Jan," replied Erin. "Hang tough, we'll get through this."

Erin and Jan sat diapered together for what seemed like hours. Both women were plagued by a constant thirst and forced to drink from the feeding tube which did little to quench their desire for water. As when they were in flux, the tube would occasionally fill with paste that they would have to eat to clear the tube before they could continue drinking. After a while, Jan said, "Erin, I think I am going to have a bowel movement soon."

"Its OK," said Erin, "We knew this was going to happen sooner or later."

After a few minutes, Erin heard Jan exclaim "I feel it coming!" Erin felt warm mush fill the bottom of their shared diaper and cover the back of her buttocks. "Oh, no! No!" cried Jan, "I messed myself. Not again."

Jan started to sob with shame and embarrassment at what she had done. Erin tried to comfort her the best she could, "It's OK, Jan. It's OK."

Eventually, Jan stopped crying out of exhaustion more than anything else. Then Erin's turn came to make a contribution to their shared diaper. "Jan," she said, "I need to go now, too." And with that Erin released her bowels feeling the warm mush cover her buttocks and slide upwards towards the small of her back. Erin blushed furiously and said, "I'm so sorry." To make matters worse, Erin was forced to relieve her bladder also, filling the front of the diaper with hot urine.

Jan however was in a state of shock; she sat in their mess staring at the ground between her legs reflexively sucking on the feeding tube. Erin felt her add uncontrollably to the diaper several times and heard her urinate periodically as well. After a long while, Erin fell into a stupor, stirring to semi-consciousness every so often to urinate, mess herself, or in response to Jan messing.

****************************

"The slave Jan is making good progress," said Alex has she watched Erin and Jan in the training room.

"Yes, Mistress," said Laura.

"The other one, Erin, seems more resilient. Urinary incontinence might make her less so. When they're done with this phase, get her started."

"Yes, Mistress," said Laura, "right away."

****************************

Erin again entered into a world of constant nausea, continual gramps, and unending low grade agony. Her senses dulled to their surroundings and her mind seemed to focus entirely on her pain and discomfort. Erin was unaware when the slaves finally came to release them, and it was not until they were completely disconnected from the tubes that she came to her senses. Looking around she saw that she and Jan sat in a pool of urine and yellow-brown mush that had escaped from their shared diaper. After freeing them, the slave unfastened their diaper and removed the rope that bound them together. Erin staggered to her feet, almost slipping in the mess that surrounded her. She bent over Jan, shook her and helped her to her feet saying, "Its OK Jan, it's over. Let's go and get cleaned up."

Erin and Jan were led back to the changing room where they showered and were placed back into diapers. Laura led them to their cells, where Erin collapsed on her bed, instantly asleep. When Erin awoke she felt better, but had lost track of time. She had no idea whether it was night or day, morning or evening. Becoming fully conscious, she realized that the need to relieve her bladder and bowels is what had awakened her. Erin resolved that she would relieve herself, alone in her cell this time, rather than being forced into humiliating herself by doing so in front of Laura and the other slaves, later.

To this end, she rose from her bed and knelt on the cell floor, sitting on her heels. By relaxing and concentrating she was able to coax her body into the beginnings of a bowel movement. Even though she was alone, Erin was embarrassed by the act of consciously messing herself. Up to now, she had more or less waited until she either lost control or was close to loosing control before going in her diaper. This time, was the first time she did so deliberately. As she felt the mush begin to fill her diaper, she relaxed further and pushed, completely relieving herself and filling her diaper with warm mush. By relaxing her bladder, she was able to begin urinating. The small trickle soon became a torrent and she flooded the front of her diaper, blushing in shame.

The release of her bowels and bladder so deliberately into her diaper also excited her. Erin found the sensation sensual and for a few moments exhilarated in the feel of her wet and messy diaper. This feeling was short lived as shame coupled with excitement swept over her. Erin knew that she would repeat this pattern of embarrassment coupled with sexual excitement, daily as she attended to her body's needs, and relieved herself alone in her cell, by messing and wetting her diaper. She also knew that no mater how many times she performed this necessary and routine bodily function, she would always continue to find the act of deliberately wetting and messing herself in a diaper, embarrassing and shameful. Each time would be exactly as the first for the rest of her life, adding to the slavish humiliation of her existence. What bothered Erin even more than this was the continued sexual excitement she experienced every time she was forced to humiliate herself in this degrading manner. What's wrong with me? She asked herself. Nina's Cut must have somehow left her defective. For how else could she explain her perverse excitement? Oh god! Thought Erin, I'm going insane! Erin wanted to cry, but she stopped herself. "No!" she said out loud. "I've got to keep my head." Cassandra was right, she couldn't give in. That was the path to insanity.
After awhile, Laura opened her cell door and, without a word, Erin rose and stood outside the door, eyes downcast, waiting for another day of 'training' to begin. The first part of the morning began the same way, with the four diapered slaves showering and being re-diapered, and then fed. Jan appeared to have recovered somewhat, making eye contact with Erin as they went through the morning routine. After breakfast, Laura led Erin and Jan back to the training room to begin their next 'lesson'.

Erin had begun to deduce what was expected of them. Laura and Alex wanted them to realize that they had no control over their bodies or lives. They were slaves in every sense of the word. The Mistress fully controlled both their pleasure and pain and could dispense either when ever she wanted. There was really nothing they could do to influence this. They could only bring additional pain by not obeying. Their sole purpose in life was to pleasure other women in whatever fashion was desired. As diapered slaves, they would be catering to women with a fetish for forcing others to wet and mess themselves while delivering sexual pleasure. The women they were slated to service would control their pleasure by rewarding their ability to shame themselves by messing and wetting uncontrollably on demand. A Pavlovian response was desired by their Mistresses; the diapered slave was therefore conditioned to wet and mess herself almost uncontrollably when stimulated by the immanent act of pleasuring their Mistresses. In this way they might gain some pleasure for themselves or at least avoid punishment.

If the slave 'pleased' her Mistress she would be allowed to masturbate and cum to relieve her own sexual excitement that was (Erin believed) artificially intensified by the matter she was forced to release from her own body. If the Mistress was not pleased, the slave would be punished by remaining sexually frustrated or perhaps by other means. What worried Erin most was that she could see it would only be a matter of time before she 'broke' and was so conditioned. Worse yet, Jan was well advanced towards this state already. It would not be long before she and then Erin were forced into submission, or 'trained'.

Erin knew that if she was to retain some sense of self, she would have to 'bend' and learn to provide the desired response before it was forcibly imposed upon her. To this end, she resolved to learn to discipline herself and provide what was wanted, without breaking. She lived in the hope that Cassandra and Ellen would find a way to help her before she went insane. She also hoped that somehow Jan might bear-up, at least until the training was over, and she might better help her.

As Erin contemplated her situation, ten tunic clad slaves entered the training room and seated themselves on a row of padded chairs. "Today we'll continue our lessons on how to satisfy women," said Laura. With this, Erin heard Jan let out a small gasp and saw that she had started to urinate in her diaper. Seeing her reaction, Laura said, "Good, at least someone has been paying attention." This caused Jan to blush a deep red, as she regained control over her bladder. Looking at Erin Laura said, "However others appear to need some help." With that, Erin felt the control device on the end of her urethra become rigid, effectively opening the passage from her bladder to the outside. Looking down, Erin could see urine spreading across the lower front of her diaper and feel the warm wetness against her skin. Blushing, she looked up and saw Laura smiling.

"Time to get started," said Laura. "The one who pleasures the most slaves will get to watch the other punished, as she masturbates." The seated slaves open their legs and pulled up their tunics exposing themselves. Erin and Jan started on opposite ends of the row of women. Erin went to the first slave, knelt between her legs and kissed her vulva, blushing with shame. The girl moaned in pleasure and Erin began licking and sucking on her pussy. She was soon rewarded, as she felt the slave's body stiffen as she climaxed and let out a small cry of pleasure. Looking up, Erin saw that the tattoos on her face had darkened, confirming her orgasm.

Erin quickly moved to the next slave and began pleasuring her. Jan had also brought the slave she was pleasuring at the other end of the row to orgasm and had moved onto the next girl. Although both women were embarrassed by what they were so publicly being forced to do, they were both extremely aroused and continued to work diligently at their tasks. Erin could also feel urine continue to flood her diaper as she worked. Glancing at Jan's diaper, Erin could see that she was managing to continually urinate as she worked also.

The contest continued and after a short while, Erin found herself working shoulder to shoulder with Jan as they each tended to their fifth and last charge. At this point, Erin began to worry. Although her own sexual desire had reached a feverish pitch, she was concerned about Jan who appeared to have reached the breaking point, if she had not already crossed it. If she succeeded, Jan would be punished, and this would most likely break her for sure. Erin therefore paused, until she heard the girl Jan was pleasuring moan in orgasm, before bringing the slave she was attending to climax.

"Well it looks like we have a winner," said Laura, smiling sarcastically at Jan and Erin who sat blushing in embarrassment at what they had just done. A look of concern came over Jan's face as Laura said, "Punishment time," to Erin.

Laura led Erin to a short padded table and instructed her to stand facing the table at one end. Erin felt the nipples on her breasts become painfully erect as Laura activated the control devices embedded within them. "Bend over and lay on the table, face down!" she commanded. Erin lay on the table, her erect nipples painfully pressing into the padded surface. Laura drew Erin's arms above her head and fastened her wrists to the other end of the table using leather cuffs. She then fastened Erin's torso to the table with a wide strap, securing her to the surface. Unfastening her diaper, Laura pulled the back down, exposing Erin's buttocks and vulva. Erin blushed in embarrassment at the thought of having everyone in the room see her exposed in this manner.

Erin could feel urine trickle out of her open urethra and down her exposed vulva and onto the diaper adding to her humiliation. Taking a waxy looking T-shaped butt plug, Laura squirted some lubricating jelly onto Erin's rectum and inserted the device into her ass. Erin felt a slight burning sensation as the butt plug was placed inside her. "A little something to heat up your interest," said Laura. "It's made of an irritant that causes a burning sensation. The material is pressure activated and melts as you move and squeeze your buttocks, releasing the irritant."

Removing the leather belt from her jumpsuit, Laura said, looking at Jan, "You may masturbate now." With this she began to whip Erin's exposed bottom with the belt-like whip. Jan overcome with excitement from her previous ministrations of the slaves stuck her hand down the front of her diaper and began masturbating furiously. Blushing with embarrassment and moaning with pleasure she said, "Please Mistress, let me cum. Please give me permission to cum! I need to cum so bad."

Laura paused between each stroke of the whip, laying a neat and precise pattern of red stripes across Erin's buttocks and thighs. Erin squirmed with each stroke, her breath taken away by the sudden shock of pain. As each lash landed on her exposed bottom, she instinctively squeezed her buttocks together, releasing the irritant which ran down the crack of her ass and onto her vulva and clitoris. Erin gasped in pain; her entire backside and pussy felt as if it were on fire. Inside, Erin's colon felt as if someone had stuck a hot iron rod into her bottom. If this was not enough, her erect nipples chaffed painfully against the padded surface of the table as if she were rubbing them against sandpaper. Tears ran down Erin's cheeks as Laura continued whipping her.

"What will you do to pay for your pleasure?" asked Laura nonchalantly to the pleading Jan, who was furiously masturbating."

"Anything, I'll do anything," replied Jan, "please, please, just give me permission to cum!"

"Anything, huh?" said Laura. "Good, my arm tires. You have permission to cum, now!"

Jan explosively climaxed at the word 'now', crying out, "Oh, God, it feels so good!" Jan's facial tattoos turned dark black and she blushed in shame at what she had done.

"Get up and come here!" commanded Laura. Handing the whip to Jan she said, "Whip her."

Jan stood dumb founded, holding the whip in her hands and staring at Erin. She started to cry as she remembered her words; 'I'll do anything' echo in her mind.

"Now!" barked Laura. "You said you would do anything to cum, so have at it, before I whip you both." Seeing she had little choice, Jan lifted the whip and lamely struck Erin. "Harder!" commanded Laura. "Harder!"

Jan lifted the whip striking Erin harder. Erin squirmed this time with the pain of the lashing and urine flowed from between her legs. "Again, harder!" said Laura. Jan kept lashing Erin again and again, as Laura directed her strokes. Erin's buttocks and thighs became bright red and tears streamed down her face. After what seemed like forever, Laura said, "Enough!" Jan collapsed on the floor and began to sob.

"Change and diaper them," Laura instructed one of the slaves. When you're done, feed them so they'll be ready for more instruction this afternoon." With that, she walked out of the room with the other nine slaves in tow.

The slave removed the butt plug and un-strapped Erin from the table, helping her up. Erin wiped the tears from her face, and after she had recovered bent down, naked and took the sobbing Jan in her arms. "Its OK Jan, its OK," she said.

"Oh, Erin I'm so sorry! She forced me to. I would never hurt you. I'm so sorry," cried Jan.

"Its OK," repeated Erin. "I'm OK. You didn't hurt me. I'm OK"

Jan turned and put her arms around Erin's neck and buried her face in her breasts. Erin could feel her tears on her skin as Jan wept. After awhile, Jan stopped crying and both women stood up.

The slave said, "My name is Cindy, lets get you cleaned up."

"OK, Cindy," said Erin.

Cindy let them both shower and after they dried off, Erin said "You better do me first, before I leak all over."

Erin got up onto one of the changing tables and Cindy placed a new diaper on her. Erin's bottom felt hot and sore, but at least the water in the shower had washed away most of the irritant so that her pussy and ass were no longer burning. The diaper felt rough against her abused ass, but Erin was thankful that at least she had something to absorb the urine that kept flowing from her open urethra. When Cindy was done with Erin, Jan got up onto the table, and Cindy changed her also so that she was clean and dry. This done, she escorted Jan and Erin to the feeding area. After getting their food, the three women sat down to eat.

This was the first opportunity Erin had, had to talk to one of the slave-girls since getting to Zax Castle. She found out that Cindy had been a slave for about eight years. Originally she had belonged to one of the Mistresses who was a member of Zax, but had been sold to Zax about five years ago. Her crime had been assisting someone in a fraudulent transaction, and to Erin's surprise, she acknowledged her guilt in the matter. "I knew what I was doing was wrong, but I wanted the money. I didn't expect to be punished so severely, though," said Cindy lowering her eyes.

"So what do they have you do here?" Erin asked Cindy.

"Entertain the members and their guests, and help out with the training of new slaves like yourselves," she said.

"What kind of entertainment?" said Erin, suspecting the answer.

"Sex," said Cindy. "Most of the Zax's members and guests are into the kinky stuff. You name it, it goes on."

"Such as?" pressed Erin.

"S&M, you know, cropping, lashing, riding the horse, that kind of stuff," said Cindy

"You mean torture," said Jan perking up.

"Well, not exactly," said Cindy. "I guess you could call it that, but no one really gets hurt."

"And why's that," said Jan.

"We're just too valuable. If a slave gets sick, it's a big deal. If one dies, it's a crisis. Each one of us is worth a small fortune. You," she said pointing at Erin and Jan, "are each probably worth ten of us."

"So were you trained, also?" asked Erin.

"Yes, but not like you. I was taught to service women, like you, but not to loose control of my bodily functions."

"Oh god!" said Jan. "Why are they forcing us to do that?"

"Because you are being trained for the really kinky stuff, for the heavy fetish crowd; they like to see girls mess and wet themselves on demand. I guess they get off on it. It requires greater conditioning of the slave however. By comparison, all we have to do is just take the punishment that's given to us; you have to do both, and sometimes worse, to satisfy your Mistress," said Cindy.

"After a pause, she added, "With us, the punishment hurts, but it usually only lasts a few minutes or an hour or so at most. With you, sometimes they will punish you for days."

"Yes" agreed Erin. "We've already seen that."

****************************

After lunch, Erin and Jan were brought back to the training room where Laura continued their 'instruction'. This turned out to be more of the same routine. And so it went, day after day. Erin soon noticed that each 'day' followed the same pattern. Here she used the word 'day' to represent a repeating series of events. For in the windowless dungeon, Erin had no real way of measuring the passage of time. For all she knew, they could be sleeping during daylight hours, and eating and working when it was dark outside. With this said, their day (morning) began with a diaper change and a shower followed by breakfast and training (which included some kind of punishment); a 'break' in the afternoon, during which they ate again (lunch); followed by yet more training. At the end of the day (evening), they would be allowed to clean up and change into clean diapers. After that they were given dinner.

Their food was even more monotonous than their routine. Without fail they were given some sort of corn-based concoction. Although Erin liked corn, she soon grew tired of it and began to eat mechanically, hardly tasting the food on her tray. This was not to say that their meals were of poor quality or flavorless. Nothing could be further from the truth. In fact, Erin had to admit, that the quality and taste were quite good. If it wasn't for the lack of variety, eating would have been the one good thing in their otherwise unpleasant and harsh existence. But, then Erin supposed, that was probably the point. They were denied the one thing that might bring them some happiness, outside of physical pleasure. Erin realized that this was not mere maliciousness on Alex's and Laura's part. For by denying them all other pleasures it forced them to focus on the one they could have: an orgasm. As a result Erin found that her libido had gone into overdrive. She always seemed to be horny and craved sex constantly. She would have to be careful, since her preoccupation with sex was becoming obsessive. If she allowed herself to be consumed by it, she would soon be a broken and craven woman.

At night, Erin and Jan would be placed into their cells alone, where they would fall into an exhausted sleep. Erin however was plagued by bizarre dreams. One in particular seemed to occur over and over again. It was the dream where she could see Lisa's left hand waving at her, naked fingers curling into a claw that rapidly approached her face, as if to tear and scratch it. Erin would invariably wake from this dream, perspiring and shaking. Sitting up on her small cot, she would rub her face until her body and emotions clamed. During these waking moments, alone in her cell, Erin would think about her situation and hope that Cassandra and Ellen might find some way to help her. These were the dark hours, for intellectually Erin knew there was little hope of this happening. It took all her courage and fortitude to hold on and Erin wondered how long she could last. Hold on, she willed herself. And think; for somewhere in the tangled mess of her former life lay the solution. She must puzzle it out, or all was lost for sure!

Laura left the control device on her urethra open for about a week. This and the relentless training wore Erin down, since she was constantly wet and uncomfortable. It also meant that she was invariably the one to get punished for not performing satisfactorily. Eventually though, Erin learned what was required to cope. She still found messing and wetting herself deliberately difficult, but she managed to master this 'skill'. Every morning upon waking, she would kneel in her cell and relieve herself. During training she learned to wet herself when required and be 'rewarded'. What she could never overcome was her sense of embarrassment at doing these things and the intense sexual arousal that accompanied these acts. Every time was just as shameful and disturbingly exciting as the first. However, through it all, Erin somehow managed to hold on. She was not sure if this was due to her late night meditations, mere willpower, or just plain stubbornness. Most likely it was a combination of all three. Whatever the reason, she managed to persist, and remain sane.

After several weeks, Erin and Jan's training was complete. At this point they started spending their days with the two other diapered slaves, Pam and Kelly. Their training continued, but took on a more instructional tone. The finer details of pleasuring women were taught to them, and Erin was allowed to exercise along with the other women to remain fit and healthy. They were also given time alone, together to relax. It was here that Erin learned more about the two other diapered captives, what was expected of them, and Zax.

Erin found out that Pam and Kelly used to belong to a high level Mistress named Tana. Tana had sold them to Zax after the deaths of two other diapered slaves, owned by another Mistress named Yelena. Erin immediately recognized the significance of this information. The timing was just too perfect to be coincidental. She was convinced that she and Jan had been set up to replace these lost slaves.

Erin also learned about Pam and Kelly. Pam was the oldest of the four women; in her early forties she was still quite beautiful. Her figure was similar to Erin's, voluptuous with large full breasts and wide hips. She was a little shorter than Erin with blond hair and brown eyes. Kelly was about Erin's age. She had become a slave when she was just slightly older than Jan, and was also quite stunning, being tall and athletic with full breasts. Both women had been convicted of financial fraud. In truth they had been accessories to these crimes, not realizing what their partners were doing, they had taken the fall. Because of the amounts involved they had been sentenced to diapered servitude. Pam had been enslaved for 15 years, Kelly for six.

"So you were set up too," said Erin, after relating her story and Jan's to Pam and Kelly.

"Yes," said Pam. "We were set up. Though not quite as unwittingly as you. I at least suspected something was wrong. I was just too naïve at the time and did nothing till it was too late."

"Same here," said Kelly.

"Did you know the other slaves and how they died?" asked Erin.

"Yes," said Pam. Though none of us were owned by Zax at the time, we were all frequently at the castle at the same time for parties and to entertain important guests. Rachel and Naomi were both about Kelly's age. About eight months ago, Rachel died in a boating accident. Her Mistress is well known for being careless, damn her. She was having a large party aboard her cruise ship and thought it would be fun to have sex while jet skiing. Apparently, she lost control in the middle of the ocean and flipped the ski. I don't know if Rachel died instantly or not, but the word is they search for days before they recovered her body."
"How about the other slave, Naomi?" said Erin.

"She died about two months later," said Pam becoming serious, a suicide."

"Suicide?" said Erin, incredulously.

"Yes, suicide," said Pam, angrily. "Naomi had a very hard time adapting to being a slave. Mistress Yelena sensed this and was always pushing her. You know, singling her out for extra humiliation and so on. Some how, Naomi managed to get hold of a knife and one night she slit her wrists in her cell. They found her dead the next morning. The loss of two of us in such a short time caused a big stir at Zax. That's how we ended up here, six months ago."

"How's that?" probed Erin.

"Well, even though Rachel and Naomi technically belonged to Yelena, Zax used all of us quite often and, I guess, was dependent on us to entertain their important guests having more exotic tastes. The loss was, apparently, a severe blow. Rumor has it that Yelena was reprimanded by the board, and was almost expelled from Zax. Zax decided to consolidate its assets and most of the Mistresses either sold their slaves or placed them under permanent loan to Zax," said Pam.

"I can tell you, both Kelly and I have been very busy since Naomi died," said Pam as Kelly nodded in agreement. "Anyway, the rumor was that the top Zax Mistresses didn't want to wait till new slaves came on the market, so they somehow managed to set-up some girls and have them sentenced to diapered servitude. Now here you are."

"Yes," said Erin sadly, "here we are."

Jan, who had been listening silently, looked down as tears started to flow down her cheeks. Pam, looked at her sympathetically and went over and sat down besides her and put her arm around Jan and said, "I know, honey, its hard. It took me a long time until I could accept it. But in the end, it's not too terrible. You just can't let them get to you. You have to remember that no matter what happens they are forcing you to do it, its not you that's choosing to do it."

Kelly nodded in agreement. "Pam's right. If it wasn't for her, I would have gone insane or killed myself too."

Pam brushed the hair from Jan's face and dried her tears with her hand. "It's going to be OK," she said, "but you have to use your intelligence to keep your emotions balanced. I'll help you all I can, and both of you can talk to me anytime."

"Me too," said Kelly.

"Thanks," said Jan feeling better.

Erin realized that Pam was a remarkable and intelligent woman. She had survived 15 years as a diapered slave and had not only kept her sanity but her compassion. "Thanks," said Erin, "you are very kind. The first kind woman we've met since this nightmare started."

Kelly looked at Jan, and seeing that she was still dejected, said, "Would you like me to show you how to use the exercise equipment? It's one of our few true pleasures here."

Jan, looked at Erin who nodded, and said, "Yes, thanks." The younger women got up and walked to the other side of the room where Kelly started demonstrating the equipment to Jan, who quickly became absorbed in making use of the weights.

While Kelly and Jan busied themselves, Erin continued to talk with Pam. "That was very kind of you, thanks."

"I see you have been helping her," said Pam, nodding in Jan's direction. "That's hard, I know. Remember to take care of yourself also."

"Thanks, I'll try," said Erin. "Tell me how you know all this information."

Pam, smiled and said, "That's easy. With 60 plus slaves, someone is always in earshot of a Mistress. Sometimes, I think we know more about their business than they do. The real problem is figuring out what's true and what's not. Often it takes weeks to piece together information and recover the context and obtain the meaning and its significance. In most cases, it's too late by that time."

"How's that?" said Erin.

"Well, you're a case and point," said Pam. "There was a lot of information about 'manufacturing' new slaves and getting another pair of diapered girls in a few months. It wasn't till you showed up that I understood that 'manufacturing' meant manufacturing a case to have women falsely convicted and sentenced to servitude."

"I see," said Erin.

"Not that it would have done you any good," continued Pam. "Even if we knew what was going on, there is nothing we could have done with the information. As slaves, we spend most of our lives in the dungeon. If we do go anywhere, it's to a similar situation."

"So, is there any hope of getting out of here?" asked Erin.

"I guess there is always hope," said Pam. "But the odds are not very good. As slaves we have no rights, we're property. We can't really escape, because of the tracking and control devices. Those that try are caught almost immediately. Even if, you were to somehow get away, the tattoos are an instant give away, especially the ones on your face. There is only one real way to escape, besides dying, of course, and that's to be freed by your Mistress."

"Not likely," said Erin dejectedly.

"Under normal circumstances, yes," said Pam. "However, if a slave were able to persuade her Mistress to release her, then she might have a chance."

"And how might she do that?" asked Erin.

"Information," said Pam. "If one were to obtain something important enough, a deal might be reached."

"Sounds dangerous," said Erin.

"Yes, but what do you have to loose?" said Pam.

Erin reflected on this for a while and said, "OK. Suppose that one could strike a deal under such circumstances. We're slaves. How would we ever get a hold of something that valuable?"

"Not as hard as you think," said Pam, smiling again. "Remember, some of the wealthiest and most powerful women in the world come here, just to see us. Such women talk, either to each other or even in their sleep. Who pays attention to a slave?"

"Then surely, you must have heard hundreds, no thousands, of pieces of such information over the years. Why haven't you bargained your way out by now?" asked Erin.

"Because I've been waiting for you," replied Pam.

Erin blinked and said dumbfounded, "me?"

"Yes you," replied Pam. "Remember, it's not just having something that's important, it's knowing what it means and being able to make use of it before it becomes worthless. Most information is like a piece of fruit. If you wait too long to make use of it, it spoils and becomes worthless. However there is some information that is like a diamond. It lasts forever without ever loosing its value."

"I don't understand," said Erin confused.

"It's very simple. Suppose you find out that some company is going to buy another company. If you know this before it becomes public, then you can buy some stock and get rich. However if you wait too long, the information becomes public and is worthless. That's the way it is with most of the stuff we hear. However, suppose you find out that some one committed a crime. This information is like a diamond, it lasts forever. The guilty party must keep it secret forever. Such information retains its value almost indefinitely."

"You mean..." said Erin, astounded.

"Precisely," said Pam, "you were set up. So was Jan. I was in the room when Mistress April and Mistress Katrina were talking. Mistress Katrina is very careful, but Mistress April is well, less discrete, shall we say."

"But this is dangerous," said Erin. "If April knew, she might arrange for another accident."

"But she already does. It's just that she doesn't think there is anything we can do. But now that you're here, things are different," said Pam.

"And how's that?" said Erin.

"Simple," answered Pam, "April can't afford to let us all have 'accidents'. Remember, she's the one that needs to keep the secret here, not us. Before you came, there was only two that knew. Now there's four. Who knows, in a little while there may be even more."

Erin looked at Pam, who smiled slyly. Soon, Erin was smiling too. She reached over and hugged the older woman and kissed her cheek, and said "You're incredible! Thanks."

"Don't thank me, thank April!" said Pam. And with that, both women hugged again. Chapter 8: Wedding

After Erin's humiliation and sale, April worked to consolidate her gains at World. Erin's accounts were split among the various vice presidents working under Ellen. April knew Ellen was suspicious and angry over Erin, but there was little she could do. The transactions were untraceable. April had gotten several of Erin's major accounts and arranged to have Lisa as a second assistant.

Lisa was proving to be quite an understudy, both at work and at Zax. In a few years she would make a first class domitrix. After two weeks, April and Lisa announced their engagement. This caused quite a stir at work, but Lisa handled the situation well, and after a couple of days the talk quieted down. From April's point of view this was old news; she and Lisa had been planning their marriage for the last six months and preparations for the event had been going on at the castle for the last three months.

Of course, Ellen, Cassandra, and the other women who worked in the office were invited to the celebration, which would be held at Zax Castle and last an entire weekend. April had Candy arrange for transportation and lodging for the entire office. On hearing the news, Ellen had remarked to Cassandra, "Well, Lisa sure recovered fast from the loss of her fiancée. I'd sure hate to be one of her pets!" Cassandra had merely shook her head and said nothing.

As the date neared, excitement at the office built. Rumors abounded about the guest list that was said to include several prominent political figures and celebrities. For most, the idea of mixing in such company was excitement enough, but coupled with the idea of spending a weekend at the legendary Zax Castle brought the level of anticipation to a feverish pitch as the date neared.

For April, there was more work involved than excitement. She was actually planning three simultaneous parties that had to blend seamlessly together. There was of course, the wedding reception itself, and this included everyone who was invited. At the next level, was the celebration reserved for the elite guests, mainly Katrina and the politically powerful. And finally, there would be the usual party to indulge a select subgroup of the latter that required and merited special attention. This last group would receive the special attention of Zax's most valuable slaves.

It was only due to the enormous size of the castle that all of this was possible. During the weekend celebration, guests would simultaneously be feasting in the main hall as part of the wedding reception, while others would be quietly conferring among their elite peers, possibly being entertained by a slave or two, while still others would be in the dungeon engaged in some of the more exotic activities that Zax was famous for (and using some of its more talented slaves and other personnel). But this is not to say, that the mainline wedding guests would not see any slaves. A variety of them would be serving the guests, and this included Erin and the other diapered slaves. All the guests knew of their existence and it was expected that the general curiosity would be satisfied at the party.

In fact, guests were completely free to drift between the various parties, if they knew about or could find them. April, in fact, had planned a separate party for the office where Erin and Kelly would be waiting on the guests. This, of course, would be completely humiliating for Erin while at the same time flouting April's status to the group. April had also planned a special private party for Lisa and herself that included Erin and Jan.

All of this, of course, took meticulous planning and attention to detail. April's staff worked overtime to prepare for the celebration. Decorations, food, flowers, invitations, clothing, transportation, communications, lodging, the society press, and so on consumed the entire full time staff of the castle and others, both in and out of Zax. As chairwoman of Zax and hostess of the party, April found herself at the center of a beehive of activity that toiled day and night to prepare for the momentous event.

The day of the wedding a large transport arrived at the office at ten in the morning to pick up the twenty or so women invited to the celebration. These included Ellen, Cassandra, their assistants, most of the other vice presidents and their assistants. Ellen had been reluctant to accept the invitation, but Cassandra had persuaded her that it would probably be their only opportunity to communicate with Erin. "We have to try and talk to her if we can. The office gossip is that April plans to 'show her off', so to speak, during the private reception she's having for the office tomorrow. This could be our only opportunity to talk to her. Ever," said Cassandra.

"That's so typical of April," Ellen had replied angrily. But she was forced to agree with Cassandra. It would be very unlikely that any of them would be going back to Zax Castle again. Not that there was much to tell Erin. Ellen and Cassandra had spoken to Cathy just the day before, and she had nothing new to report. Her initial examination of the evidence, which included the personas of Erin used in the transaction, had proven fruitless. Cathy's results had not changed since, though she had reported that, "There's something odd about the personas, but I just can't put my finger on it. If these personas were haunted by a doppelganger, it left them very clean; absolutely no trace of anything, at all."

All this added to Ellen's frustration. Nothing encouraging to report to Erin during the one and only contact they were likely to ever have. The only possibility was that Erin herself might have remembered something or found out something since she had been at the castle. But this seemed unlikely at best. They were essentially grasping at air, or a ghost as Cathy would probably have said.

****************************

The ride to the castle lasted about two hours and Ellen sat glumly with Cassandra listening to the excited banter of her executive staff. The much anticipated event had caused a general stir of ever increasing excitement at the office which seemed to reach a crescendo as they approached the castle. The aura of mystery, gossip, and rumor which surrounded Zax and the events that took place at the castle contributed greatly to the excitement. The opportunity to experience the castle, a party, and perhaps, some of its more exotic activities, was something that few on the transport, or for that matter, few in general, would have willingly missed. Trisha, one of Ellen's vice presidents was leading a lively discussion that captured the general mood of anticipation and excitement among the group, "I hear that April is planning to have some of the slaves serve us at the office reception, tomorrow."

"I heard the same thing too," said Michelle, another vice president on Ellen's staff. "I wonder if we'll get to do more than just see them." This caused a general outbreak of excited and nervous laughter among the female executives and their assistants.

"Well, April does owe me a couple of favors," said Trisha to another outburst of merriment.

"I even hear Erin might be there," said Michelle, giving pause to the crowd.

"Well, if she is, we'll be seeing more of her in a few minutes than we ever did in the past!" added Trisha, causing the women to start giggling, again.

And so the banter went, causing Ellen to become even more silent and withdrawn. Cassandra said to her, "Don't take it too seriously, Ellen. They're nervous as well as excited. It's just a way of relieving tension."

"Hump," grunted Ellen, who crossed her arms and remained silent.

When the transport carrying Ellen, Cassandra, and the other office personnel arrived at the castle, it stopped on a large lawn in the main courtyard. A woman dressed in black with a red axe embossed above her right breast approached the vehicle accompanied by a dozen or so servants from Zax's professional full time staff. "Greetings, ladies," said the woman, "My name is Laura and I will be your guide and hostess for this afternoon. These women will help you with your luggage and see you to your rooms."

After helping the women off the transport and gathering their luggage, the servants departed towards the cottage area adjacent to the castle. Ellen, Cassandra, and the others followed at a leisurely pace as Laura pointed out various features of their surroundings and provided background information on the castle and island. Upon arriving at the cottages she said, "You may rest and freshen up or wander about the grounds and the castle, if you please. The ceremony starts at seven, this evening in the main garden of the castle. Mistress April wishes for you all to enjoy the castle and its accommodations. If there is anything you require or desire, the staff is at your complete disposal, including myself, of course. We are here to please, so don't hesitate to ask, and we will do our very best to satisfy you. Are there any questions?"

"Yes," said Cassandra, "are there any parts of the castle where we cannot go?"

"Not, in particular, though you should avoid the lower portion of the castle as it contains many private chambers and, of course the living quarters of many of the staff and the slaves," said Laura. "Also, it's easy to get lost down there if you don't know your way around. I would strongly suggest arranging an escort if you wish to go down there. Other than that, feel free to explore."

The mention of the slaves sent a ripple of giggles through the crowd and Trisha asked, "Will we get to see any slaves while we are here?"

"Most definitely," replied Laura. "Many will be serving at the reception and you are sure to encounter several as you wander about. Also Mistress April will be using several at the private party she is hosting for all of you tomorrow evening."

This brought a satisfied murmur from the group of women and Laura smiled, despite herself, at their reaction to the novelty of being around slaves and having their obvious curiosity satisfied. "Are their any more questions?" she asked politely.

The women merely shook their heads as they continued to quietly chat amongst themselves, so Laura said, "Then I bid you good afternoon. Enjoy." And with that she departed, leaving the way they had come. Ellen and Cassandra had adjoining cottages, connected by a locked door, which Ellen opened so the two could talk as they settled in. "She was a cool customer," began Ellen, unpacking.

"You can say that again," said Cassandra from next door, "and did you get that 'Mistress' business?"

"Well, you have to admit that they make no secret about Zax's agenda or their ownership of slaves. They're very open about it," said Ellen.

"Yes, maybe too open," said Cassandra. "What do you say that we take the self tour before the ceremony?"

"Sounds good to me," said Ellen. "I wouldn't mind doing a little exploring, either. This place is huge; we could probably spend a month here and not run into Erin, assuming she had the run of the place, which I'm sure, she doesn't."

"That could be a problem," said Cassandra. "My guess is that our only chance of seeing her is if April wants us to. Otherwise, you're right, not even a month would be long enough."

"Shall we get started?" asked Ellen.

"Yes, I'm done," said Cassandra, closing her closet door.

The two women set off across the courtyard and headed towards the massive castle. The foyer was enormous with a three story stain glass window that towered above impressive thirty foot bronze doors, that were thrown open to welcome the visitors who wandered leisurely in and out talking and laughing. The room itself was vast, measuring approximately 90 by 270 feet, with a gray slate floor and dark blue granite walls. A large circular rug containing a red axe lay on the stone floor in the center of the room. Opposite the bronze doors on the other side of the room was a large cherry wood bar behind which stood servants dressed in white answering questions and directing guests. Ellen approached the front desk and asked one of the attendants, "Is it possible to get a tour of the castle?"
"Most certainly, Mistress," answered the attendant, smiling. "I can arrange for a virtual guide, immediately if you desire."

"That would be quite satisfactory," said Ellen, slightly taken aback by being addressed as 'Mistress'.

"Very good," said the attendant. "If you would go to the entrance and stand by the bronze doors, a persona will be with you immediately."

"Thank you," said Ellen who departed with Cassandra back towards the entrance. There they were met by a persona who introduced herself as Jade. She was dressed in the same black jumpsuit that Laura had been wearing and asked, "Is this your first visit to the castle, Mistress?"

"Yes," said Ellen. "But you need not call me Mistress. My name is Ellen, and this is Cassandra."

"Glad to meet you Mistress Ellen," said the virtual Jade. "Would you like to start inside or out? I'm afraid there will not be enough time to do both, if you wish to attend tonight's celebration. You are, of course, welcome to take the tour again whenever you wish."

"Inside," said Ellen. "We'll tour the grounds later."

"Excellent," said the persona. "Well'', let's start at the beginning. The castle was built on this artificial island 150 years ago after Zax acquired the property from the original owners. They had built the island about 200 years before as an airport."

"What's that?" Cassandra asked.

"A place to land large primitive transports used in the 21^st century," answered their virtual guide. "After acquiring the island and clearing it, Zax built the castle that stands before us. It contains over one billion square feet of living space divided into 15,000 rooms of various sizes. The largest of these is the great room, where tonight's reception will be held. If you will follow me, I will take you there now."

Cassandra and Ellen followed the persona to the left and through a set of wide double doors into the great room. The room, like the castle, was gigantic, with a white and black marble floor that seemed to cover several acres before terminating abruptly in a solid glass wall that overlooked the sea. A sweeping double staircase leading to the next level of the castle occupied the far wall adjacent to the glass wall. Servants and caterers bustled about the hall making the final preparations for the evening party. "The great hall of Zax," announced virtual Jade, sweeping an arm across the expanse of the room.

The persona pointed out the features of the hall and continued the tour by taking Ellen and Cassandra up the grand staircase to the next level of the castle. There she led them on a dizzying tour of the various chambers, rooms, and offices that made up the enormous castle. Each room was decorated and furnished in a different, but tasteful style that bespoke of vast wealth and power. Despite themselves, Cassandra and Ellen were awed by their surroundings. Eventually, they reached the top level of the castle. "This is the North-West Tower" said Jade, sweeping her virtual arm 360 degrees around the circular room. The walls of the tower were composed of completely transparent crystal, and beyond the glass Ellen and Cassandra could see the Pacific Ocean, the roof of Zax Castle, and Zax Island. The sun was setting and sea glistened like translucent silver; inside the room glowed with an orange and red light, as if they stood in the middle of a fireball.

"Magnificent!" said Cassandra.

"Yes" agreed Ellen awestruck. "You can see forever it seems."

It was hard to take their eyes off the grand panorama that surrounded them, lit up by the dying sun of another day. It was Cassandra who managed to shake off the spell first, and she asked, still not able to look away from the ocean, "How much of the castle have we seen?"

"You have been in, or passed by approximately 300 rooms, comprising less than 2 percent of the total area of the castle," answered the persona.

"How about the rest," Cassandra inquired.

"Many of the remaining rooms are the private offices and rooms of the board of directors and their staff and, of course, the dungeon," replied the intangible guide.

The word 'dungeon' broke what remained of the spell the spectacular view had cast on them and Ellen and Cassandra looked at each other. Both women had noticed that the tour had been exclusively conducted in the upper part of the castle. They had been steadily climbing higher as it progressed, until they had reached the tower with its hypnotizing view. "Can we also tour the dungeon?" asked Cassandra.

"Most certainly," said the virtual Jade. "The dungeon is the largest part of Zax castle and comprises about a third of its living space. It contains numerous chambers that cater to almost every sexual fantasy. It is also home to the 60 plus slaves owned by Zax."

Both Ellen and Cassandra were surprised by the openness and willingness of the guide to show the dungeon. Ellen was the first to recover and said, "Can we tour the dungeon now?"

"Yes," said the persona. "Is there a particular fantasy you have a special interest in? We could begin the tour in that part of the dungeon."

Embarrassed, Ellen was about to reply that she did not have any fantasy that interested her, but Cassandra spoke up before she could speak saying, "Diaper fetish. Can we start the dungeon tour there?"

The virtual Jade looked at Cassandra and bowed slightly saying, "You have excellent taste, Mistress Cassandra. Zax currently owns four diapered slaves, making it one of the largest owners of such rare property in the world. Unfortunately, these slaves are currently preparing for tonight's festivities, so we probably won't get to see them now. I would be happy to take you to the training facilities and the play rooms used by these slaves, if you wish. Be advised however, that this part of the tour requires several hours and that the ceremony begins in just over an hour. Do you wish to proceed now with the tour, or do you want to resume it tomorrow?"

Ellen and Cassandra looked at each other and Ellen said, "We don't wish to rush, so I guess we'll have to wait until tomorrow. Can you please escort us to the entrance so we can return to our rooms and get ready for the ceremony?"

"Of course," said the persona, bowing. "Please follow me."

When they reached the entrance, Ellen thanked their guide and both women walked back to their rooms to change. "A beautiful but intimidating place," commented Cassandra.

"Yes," agreed Ellen, and vast. "I despair of ever finding Erin, little lone freeing her. I feel like a bug, ready to be squashed if it makes the wrong move."

"I'm not so sure," replied Cassandra. "The openness and the display of wealth and power may be just a ploy to intimidate us. If so, it means they have something to hide, so take heart."

"Maybe," said Ellen. "Either that, or they know there is nothing we can do."

"They seem a bit too accommodating for that," said Cassandra.

"I hope your right," said Ellen, "or we're going to get squashed."

After changing, Ellen and Cassandra joined the other women from the office and together they walked to the main garden where the ceremony was to be held. The garden lay adjacent to the main lawn in front of the castle entrance. It contained numerous flowers and exotic plants and also overlooked the ocean. In the center stood a large pavilion which had been decorated with red and white flowers for the wedding.

A large crowd began to gather in the garden and surround the decorated pavilion, standing among the flowers and other plants, talking as they waited in anticipation of the imminent event. Soft music played in the background and the crowd steadily grew as the hour arrived. Promptly at seven, a group of women dressed in red and black robes and accompanied by attendants dressed in white gowns made its way slowly through the gathered crowd as it approached the pavilion. A hush fell over the guests so that only the music in the background could be heard. "Isn't that Katrina Felte?" said Cassandra, pointing to the woman leading the group.

"I believe so," replied Ellen. This caused a minor stir among Trisha, Michelle, and the other women from the office who were standing next to Ellen and Cassandra.

"Imagine having Katrina Felte, the Katrina Felte, presiding at your wedding," whispered Michelle excitedly.

"Yes, imagine that," said Ellen sarcastically.

Michelle looked at Ellen confusedly, but remained silent. She and the others however continued to watch Katrina as she led the celebrants up onto the pavilion. The crowd fell completely silent as Katrina stepped forward to begin the ceremony. "It is my great pleasure to be here with all of you tonight to celebrate the union of two young women so close to me," she began. "I'm sure most of you know April, the chairwoman of Zax and vice president at World Insurance. I have known April for over ten years and she has become like a daughter to me. It is with great pleasure that I preside at her wedding today."

"I am also sure," Katrina continued, "That many of you know Lisa Tia, April's executive assistant at World. It has not been my privilege to know Lisa very long, but over the last few weeks of our acquaintance, I have come to see what a remarkable young woman she is."

"Indeed," whispered Ellen to Cassandra.

"It is therefore, without hesitation that I ask all of you to welcome these two talented women and to celebrate what can only be and extraordinary union of both body and mind," concluded Katrina. With that the crowd applauded and a wedding march started playing. April, dressed in a black pant suit with a brilliant red sash adorned with the Zax crest, appeared with Lisa dressed in a stunning white and red feathered gown. April took Lisa's arm and both women walked towards the pavilion smiling and nodding at various guests. As they passed Ellen and the other women from the office, April and Lisa smiled and nodded a welcome to the group.

When they reached the pavilion, April and Lisa climbed the few steps and stood in the center of the platform, facing each other. Libra Johnson, the Counsel General, stepped forward and faced the crowd and the two women.

"Isn't that Libra Johnson?" exclaimed Trisha, "the Counsel General. I can't believe the people April knows! Imagine being married by the Counsel General!"

"Yes," said Cassandra dryly "The very same."

The actual ceremony was short, but poignant and was highlighted by the last remaining light from the setting sun which lent an ethereal glow to the backdrop of the sea and the flowers of the garden. Looking around, Ellen could see that more than a few tears were to be found among the women in the crowd, both young and old.

"How beautiful!" said Michelle, wiping tears from the corner of her eyes "How very beautiful."

"Yes and well timed" added Ellen coolly, for she had no doubt that April had chosen the time of the ceremony carefully to take advantage of the drama of the sunset.

After a long and loud applause from the assembled crowd, April and Lisa exited to the sounds of triumphal music; they were followed by the celebrants, and then the crowd. The newlyweds led the gathering through the foyer and into the grand hall of the castle. There they stood by the entrance greeting the guests as they entered the gigantic room. When Ellen and the group of women from World approached the entrance, April greeted them warmly saying, "How very nice of all of you to come. Lisa and I sincerely hope you are having an enjoyable and memorable time."

"Thank you," said Ellen, answering for the group. "Our congratulations to you both and our wishes for a happy and successful union." With that, she embraced both women, as was customary and proceeded into the hall. The rest of the women from the office followed suit, including Cassandra.

Trisha also gave the customary greeting, adding, "You both look ravishing! Thanks so much for inviting us."

"Our pleasure," said Lisa who was thinking about the ravishing April was going to give her later when they were alone.

The grand hall slowly filled in this manner, with each guest congratulating the happy couple and in turn, receiving a personal greeting from the newlyweds. After about two hours or so, the last of the two thousand plus guests had entered the hall and stood talking while they waited for the celebration to begin in earnest. April and Lisa went to the center of the hall and stood on a podium that had been erected especially for the reception and announced to the waiting crowd, "We both thank all of you for attending this very special event and we hope to spend time with each of you over the next several days as you help us celebrate our union. Please consider the castle your home and feel free to take advantage of as many of its amenities as possible during your visit. Now let the celebration begin!"

With that a torrent of red and white flower petals fell from the ceiling in a soft but silent rain and 40 tunic clad slaves entered the hall accompanied by servants carrying trays of champagne and hors d'oeuvres. The slaves' tunics were boarded in gold and they wore matching head and armbands. Each girl carried an armful of red and white roses that they distributed to the guests. The appearance of the slaves caused a stir among the guests, most of whom had never seen slaves in person before. The more aggressive women in the crowd indulged themselves by fondling an arm, shoulder, or more intimate part of a tunic clad girl as she bowed and distributed her flowers.

As the slaves handed out their flowers and the servants dispersed food and drink, music filled the hall and the guests began to dance and enjoy themselves as the alcohol loosened inhibitions and a general feeling of levity took hold. After an hour or so, the music quieted and a soft chime filled the hall as an entourage of servants entered the great room carrying platters filled with food. April returned to the podium and announced, "Dinner is served for your pleasure and entertainment. We hope all are having a joyous time!"

With that the guests seated themselves at the tables that surrounded half the podium as service began of the lavish meal that had been prepared for the occasion. Midway through the feast, 20 of the slaves returned, naked except for their gold arm and headbands to dance before the guests as they ate. Ellen, Cassandra, and the other women from the office were seated together at a large table adjacent to the dance floor. Trisha and the other women from World gasped in surprise and giggled in delight at the appearance of the naked slaves. Ellen looked at her staff coldly, but refrained from commenting at their behavior. Cassandra seeing her sour look said, "Well you have to admit Ellen that April seems to have left nothing uncovered."

Ellen looked at her and frowned at the pun and said, "Except for her sordid dealings with Erin." At the mention of Erin, April and Lisa appeared as if on cue and greeted their co-workers. "I hope you are all having a good time," said April smiling.

"Oh, yes!" gushed Trisha. "The party is wonderful. And the slaves, I have never seen one before tonight. Can you tell us more about them? What is it like living surrounded by such servants?"

April's smile widened and she let out a small laugh at Trisha's childlike curiosity. But she also realized that most of the women at the table were probably thinking the same thing. "You will get a chance for a more personal demonstration at tomorrow's party. I don't think you will be disappointed," said April.

"I'm sure we won't," said Ellen sarcastically.

April looked at her and smiled slightly as if at a private joke, but she said, "I think you might find it especially interesting. But I don't wish to spoil the surprise. If you will forgive us, we need to visit with the other guests. Till, tomorrow." And with that they departed, leaving the women at the table with looks of anticipation as they pondered April's words.

"I wonder what she has planned?" asked Michelle.

Nothing good, thought Ellen, but she said, "We'll find out tomorrow, I guess." Cassandra nodded and exchanged a knowing glance with Ellen.

"What?" said Trisha catching their silent exchange.

But neither Ellen nor Cassandra answered as each was following the same trend of thought.

The party wore on as the guests ate, drank, and were entertained by the naked slaves. At about three in the morning, April approached the podium with Lisa and addressed the crowd for the final time. "I hope that everyone is having a good time. We must now bid you goodnight; however it is our wish that you continue with the celebration. Unfortunately, I have other duties that prevent me from staying." With the word 'duties', April glanced at Lisa who blushed slightly as a ripple of raucous laughter swept through the crowd. With that, April and Lisa departed, waving, followed by several attendants and a few slaves.

After the departure of April and Lisa the crowd began to break up. A relatively few would remain till dawn, but most of the guests began to take their leave. Some were seen departing with a naked slave or two, as envious glances followed them out of the great hall. "Well, I don't know about you," said Cassandra, "but its way past my bed time. I wish you all a good night!"

"Me too," said Ellen, rising. The older women bid their younger compatriots good evening and departed to their cottages to sleep. Most of the others followed in short order, straggling behind Ellen and Cassandra as they walked to their rooms.

****************************

For Erin, the ceremony and reception had been a non-event. Laura had informed her that she and Jan would be called upon for some late night entertainment that evening. With that, Laura had placed them in their cells shortly before the start of the wedding ceremony with instructions to get some rest. Erin had lain awake in her cell dreading the moment that she would be summoned to perform her assigned duty. Up to now, she had been forced to service other women, but they had been slaves, like herself. Tonight would be the first time she would have to 'service' a Mistress. The thought of this made her feel cheap, like a prostitute of old. Eventually, however she fell into a troubled sleep where she was plagued by the same nightmare of Lisa laughing as she waved the naked and curled fingers of her left had at Erin. Erin awoke with a start, as her cell door opened and Laura said, "Up and out! It's time to serve your Mistress."

Erin climbed out of bed, disoriented from being awakened out of her nightmare. Rubbing her face, she tried to put the horrific dream out of her mind and focus on the immediate task of following Laura's instructions. However a nagging thought left over from her nightmare persisted in the back of her mind, just out of her mental grasp, a ghost too fleeting to catch or even glimpse. What am I missing? Erin thought. The ghost alas was gone and Laura intruded, permanently vanquishing any hopes that it might return. "Follow me!" she commanded.

As Erin stepped outside her cell, she could see Jan struggling to become fully awake as she stood eyes downcast in front of her cell. To Erin's surprise, Laura led them to the changing room where Laura gave them hot tea and where two tunic-clad slaves removed their diapers. After they finished their tea, Laura said, "Shower!"

Erin was grateful for both the tea and the shower, as they served to dispel her disorientation and bring her fully awake. After drying off, the slaves rubbed Erin and Jan's skin with rose scented oil. When they were finished, Laura diapered them in gold trimmed cloth diapers. When she was done, Erin stood at attention, blushing in embarrassment as the slaves placed a gold headband in her hair with a long ribbon that hung down her back to her waist. Thus adorned, Laura said, "Follow me."

Erin and Jan followed Laura to a service lift, and entered the car. Laura pressed a button with the number five on it, and the car rose carrying the three women upwards. Erin had not left the dungeon since her arrival at the castle, and she wondered where they were going so late at night. When the lift stopped, Laura stepped off into a large plushly decorated room with a fireplace and large windows that must have provided a spectacular view during the day. Laura led them into an adjoining room that contained a large king size bed with cherry wood frame and canopy of white and red silk. The bed itself was covered with a white down comforter (which had been turned down), and red satin sheets. "Kneel and await your Mistress' pleasure," commanded Laura, leaving the room.
Jan and Erin, knelt on the richly carpeted floor of the large bedroom, sitting on their heals awaiting the arrival of the woman they were to serve that evening. Before long, Erin heard muffled sounds from the adjoining room where they had entered when they had exited the lift. As her dread began to rise, the door to the bedroom opened and she heard April say, "Excellent! A surprise and a wedding night gift for you, Lisa dear; two prized slaves await your pleasure."

Lisa, entering the room and seeing Erin and Jan, squealed her approval and said, "Oh, April! This is a surprise. I was wondering what had become of them. Can we really enjoy them tonight?"

"Yes," said April, "they await our pleasure."

Erin had blushed a deep red in embarrassment at seeing April and Lisa, no less on their wedding night. She had not seen either woman since the auction, and the thought of serving April, little lone, Lisa, had never really occurred to her. But worse than anything that had occurred up to this point, was seeing Lisa, so giddy and happily married to April. How could she do this? How could Lisa have married the woman who had framed her and brought her and Jan to this awful existence?

However before Erin could ponder that matter further, Lisa, noticing her embarrassment said "Look, they blush!"

"That's because they are virgins," said April, smiling. "Tonight they shall see how real women make love, but alas I am afraid, they are destined to remain as such."

Lisa laughed saying, "How rich! April you are so elegantly cruel! I can see I have much to learn still."

April smiled at the compliment and said, "Well, shall we start the lesson?"

"Most definitely," replied Lisa gaily.

April approached Lisa and kissed her, running her hands down the back of her feathered dress, parting the garment so that it came open. As they parted, Lisa's dress fell to the floor revealing her naked body underneath. Lisa had worn no underwear, except for a garter belt and white silk stockings. April smiled at her naked form and Lisa said, "a little surprise of my own for you."

"And a good thing too," said April, "I would have been wild if I had known you were naked under that gown the whole evening. Lisa helped April undress and soon both women were naked and stood kissing before the slaves. April picked Lisa up and laid her on the bed with her legs hanging over the side. Lying down besides her and spreading her legs apart she said, "pleasure us" to the awaiting slaves.

At the sight of the naked women, Erin had tried to start urinating in her diaper as she had been trained, but she was too overcome with the surprise of seeing both April and Lisa together. However her surprise slowly gave way to shock and shame, the latter which, despite herself, stirred her own sexual excitement. Here she was on what probably should have been her and Lisa's wedding night, about to pleasure the woman that should have been her spouse. As she approached April and Lisa, April pointed to Lisa and said to her, "pleasure your Mistress, slut."

The word 'slut' struck Erin like a slap in the face, causing her to hesitate. "Move slut!" barked April "or I'll have Alex flog you senseless." Then turning to Lisa she said "You would like that my dear, but we don't want you getting too excited too quickly."

Erin recovered and moved and knelt between Lisa's open legs. Her trimmed pussy was open, loose and wet with excitement, hair matted against her lips. Oh god! Thought Erin, she's enjoying this! How can she? Erin bent her head and kissed Lisa's vulva, as she had been trained to do. Lisa moaned in pleasure and reached down and grabbed Erin by her short hair and held her face over her pussy. "Fuck me with your tongue, slut!" she commanded. Erin blushed, but stuck her tongue in Lisa's vagina, licking the outer lips and her clitoris. Lisa moaned in pleasure and she said, "Yes! Yes!"

Lisa's cries of pleasure were soon joined by April's as Jan serviced her in the same manner. Within a few minutes, both newlyweds came almost simultaneously, moaning and exclaiming, "Yes! Oh, yes!" When they were finished, Lisa pushed Erin away and laid or a moment breathing hard from her recent exertions. Sitting up, April took Lisa on her lap, caressing her breasts as they recovered from their climaxes. Lisa examined the diapers Erin and Jan wore and pointing at Jan said, "Look, she wet herself!"

"Why, of course, my dear," said April, "that's what they have been trained to do."

Lisa put her hand to her mouth and giggled as April continued, "The one who wets herself the most or does the better job at pleasuring her Mistress is rewarded by being allowed to masturbate, and perhaps come."

Lisa, smiled in surprise and said, "Can I choose who is to be rewarded?"

"Of course, my dear," said April, stroking her hair and breasts.

"Then I choose her," said Lisa pointing to Jan. "Pleasure yourself, slave!"

Jan reached into her diaper and began masturbating as the three women watched, her face blushing in embarrassment. Seeing this, Lisa said, "Look, she's blushing!" This caused April and Lisa to both laugh as Jan continued to rub herself.

Soon she was moaning and said, "Mistress, please do I have permission to come?"

Lisa giggled again and looked at April saying, "What do you think?"

"Well it is our wedding night and she did do a good job. Let's not be selfish."

Lisa laughed and said, "OK you have permission to come now, slave."

With that, Jan climaxed and the tattoos on her face darkened with her orgasm revealing her pleasure to all in the room. When she finished, Jan sat back panting and blushing in shame at what she had just done. Lisa pointed at Erin, who knelt with eyes downcast, and said, "Look she can't bear to watch. No wonder she's still a virgin."

"Then lets give her another lesson," said April who stood holding a double strap-on dildo. Lisa giggled again as April inserted one of the dildos into her vagina and secured the device into place. "Prepare to be ravished," she said as she pushed Lisa backwards on the bed and spread her legs. Lisa moaned with pleasure as April inserted the other dildo into her vagina and began thrusting. Both women moaned in pleasure as Erin and Jan sat blushing in embarrassment, unwilling witnesses to the most intimate event of the wedding night.

April and Lisa both climaxed several times before each was satisfied. April removed the strap-on and fell on the bed burying her head between Lisa's legs and sucking hard on her clitoris. Lisa, moaning in pleasure, grabbed April's waist, pulling her pussy into her face and burying her tongue in her vagina. Both women came several more times before their sexual energy was spent and each lay tangled in sweaty sheets. Exhausted, April raised her head and said, "Out!" to the slaves, before falling back and joining Lisa in a relaxed sleep.

Erin and Jan quietly got up and left the room. The lift door was open when they entered the adjoining room, so both women entered the car, which descended to the dungeon and stopped. Laura greeted them saying, "Have a nice time?" Erin and Jan did not reply, but followed Laura who took them too their cells. Erin collapsed on her bed as the cell door shut, crying. "Oh god! Oh god!" she moaned out loud to herself. What had happened? This was worse than any of her dreams. God that this was all a nightmare! But Erin knew it wasn't. Continuing to cry, Erin eventually fell to sleep tears rolling down her tattooed cheeks.

****************************

The next day Ellen awoke in the early afternoon with a headache. Hearing some noise on the other side of their connecting door, Ellen knocked softly and was rewarded with a "come in" from Cassandra on the other side. "You look like I feel," said the counselor.

"I have a headache. I guess I'm getting too old for these late night bashes. Too mush to drink also," said Ellen.

"Me too," agreed Cassandra. "Well, what do we do now?"

"I'm not sure," said Ellen. Both women had been too tired the night before to discuss strategy and they had each went straight to bed after the party. "We could continue the tour and see the dungeon, but I doubt this will provide us with any information."

"I agree," said Cassandra. "I'm sure that Erin is probably confined to a portion of the dungeon that's not on the tour. I was talking to one of the servants last night, and she told me that the lower portion of the castle is a real labyrinth. You could wander for weeks down there and not get anywhere."

Ellen nodded glumly in agreement. "Perhaps we should talk to someone who spends a lot of time there."

"You mean one of the slaves," said Cassandra.

"Precisely. I didn't see any diapered slaves at the party last night, not that I expected to. However, there were plenty of regular slaves around. Let's wander around and see if we run into one. My guess is that a few of them are probably about, mingling with the guests," said Ellen.

Cassandra agreed and both women showered and dressed. Ellen and Cassandra saw no signs of the younger women from their office as they left the cottages. Probably still sleeping or already up and about, thought Ellen. After a brief discussion, they decided to tour the gardens and the outside of the castle, since they had not seen this portion of the grounds yesterday.

The wedding reception had lasted till dawn and most of the guests were just beginning to wake up as Ellen and Cassandra started to explore the castle grounds. For the professional staff this was known as 'daylight wasting time' since most of the guests slept during the day and then idled or wasted the rest of the day away waiting for the evening hours and the celebrations and activities that occurred after dark. This was typical of almost all events hosted at the castle, and April's wedding was no exception. Ellen and Cassandra thus found the castle grounds almost deserted with only a few other guests about and an occasional servant hurrying to fulfill some request.

It was thus sheer chance that they ran into a tunic clad slave returning to the castle after spending the night entertaining one of the guests. The garden where Cassandra and Ellen had been walking adjoined the castle at the servant's entrance, the very same door where Erin and Jan had entered the castle upon their arrival.

"Excuse me," said Ellen to the slave girl.

"Yes Mistress," said the slave, bowing.

"I wish to ask you some questions," began Ellen.

"Yes Mistress," said the slave girl.

"First, please stop calling me Mistress," said Ellen. "My name is Ellen and this is Cassandra. Do you have a name?"

"Yes, Mistress Ellen," answered the girl nervously.

"What is your name?" asked Ellen, exasperated at being addressed as 'Mistress' and having to explicitly ask the girl her name.

"Cindy," replied the slave girl.

Ellen looked at Cassandra, realizing that talking to a slave was not going to be as straight forward as she had thought. The girl was obviously trained to be submissive and only speak when spoken to. Worse, she kept her answers short and did not volunteer information.

"Cindy," said Cassandra, "do you live with the other slaves in the dungeon?"

"Yes, Mistress Cassandra," said Cindy.

"How many other slaves are there?" asked Cassandra.

"I'm not sure, exactly Mistress"

"About," said Cassandra.

"Maybe sixty or so and four diapered slaves, Mistress," replied Cindy.

"Do you know any of the diapered slaves?"

"Yes Mistress."

"Do you know the slave named Erin?" continued Cassandra.

"Yes, Mistress Cassandra," said Cindy.

"Could you take us to see her?" asked Ellen.

A look of concern came over Cindy's face and she answered, "Not really, Mistress Ellen."

"Explain," said Ellen.

"All the slaves are kept in a separate portion of the dungeon," said Cindy. "Headmistress Alexandra or one of her staff would have to let you in. Do you want me to bring you to Headmistress Alexandra?"

"No, that's OK," said Ellen. "What can you tell us about Erin?"

Cindy looked confused, since she had never been questioned by a guest Mistress before about a particular slave. She had seen Erin off and on during rest periods since their first meeting and they usually chatted briefly. More importantly Cindy was a good friend of Pam and one of her sources of information about the goings on in the castle, and beyond. Pam had spared Cindy punishment once when she had accidentally spilled a drink on a guest during a party. Since then both women had been good friends. Cindy also knew Pam was looking for two of Erin's friends who were supposed to be at the wedding. Perhaps these were the two. Deciding to take a chance, she therefore said, "She is fine Mistress. Would you like me to take a message to Pam for her?"

Ellen and Cassandra looked at each other, hardly believing their luck. Ellen said, "Who is this Pam?"

"Pam is the senior diapered slave and a good friend of Erin. She talks to all the slaves, including me. She said that some of Erin's friends would be at the wedding and that she had a message for them," said Cindy.

Ellen grabbed Cindy by the shoulders and squeezed her, overjoyed with their luck at finding the slave girl. "Yes," said Ellen, "I most definitely want you to take a message to Pam. Tell her that Ellen and Cassandra are here, and we would like to talk to her and Erin. Do you think she can get a message back to us?"

"I think so, Mistress Ellen," said Cindy. "Several of us will be entertaining the guests in their cottages. If you let me know where you are staying, perhaps one of them can drop off a message on the way to their engagement."

"Great!" said Ellen, enthusiastically. She explained to Cindy where their cottage was and told her they would be there till eight that evening when they had to go to another party. "Thank you Cindy," said Ellen to the slave girl.

"Yes, Mistress Ellen," she replied as she turned to leave.

****************************

Cindy had spent the night entertaining one of the wedding guests. April had paired them up at the reception when she was handing out flowers. She had left with the woman shortly after April and Lisa had left at three. The woman was into the lighter S&M activities and had spent the night spanking Cindy before she finally took her to bed. Cindy had been returning to the castle from the woman's quarters when she ran into Ellen and Cassandra. She knew Pam would be excited to receive the information she was bringing. After reporting in with Laura, Cindy was officially on her rest period so she would sleep in preparation for the evening's activities.

Cindy entered the rest and recreation area of the dungeon reserved for the slaves, looking for Pam. Pam was sitting with Kelly in a corner of the room talking quietly, as was her habit. She had also had a busy night. Cindy approached the diapered women and said, "Pam, Erin's friends are here. They wish to talk to her."

Pam had asked most of the slaves she knew to try and find and contact these women, and was pleased to get Cindy's news. So far all the others had been unsuccessful in finding Erin's friends. "Where and when?" asked Pam.

"A few minutes ago as I was returning to the castle they were in the garden," answered Cindy.

"What did they say?" said Pam.

"They asked how Erin was and said they wanted to talk to her. I told them that you would try and send a message via one of the girls to their cottage. They said they would return there shortly and wait for your answer," said Cindy.

"Excellent, Cindy," said Pam. "See if you can find someone who has an assignment in the cottages in the next few hours, and bring her here. And thanks, you did well! Turning to Kelly she said, "I have to figure out how I can talk with one of them, any ideas?"

"Well, I'm supposed to entertain at the party Mistress April is having for the group from Erin's office. Maybe you can take my place. Surely these women will be there or at least invited," said Kelly.

"Yes," said Pam, "Excellent idea. Assuming we can trade places somehow, we need to figure out a way of having April agree to giving me an assignment with one of them."

"That shouldn't be too hard," said Kelly. "The word is that, April was planning on letting two of the women in the group use us after the party. Maybe, Erin's friends could arrange among themselves who is chosen."

"Yes, good idea," said Pam. "That leaves us with the problem of trading places. Is Sandra doing the detail tonight?"

"Yes, I believe so," said Kelly.

"Good. Then she can make a 'mistake' and switch us. She may need to take a few lashes, but that should get me in," said Pam.

As the women talked over their plan, a slave approached Pam and said, "Cindy said you wanted to see me, something about delivering a message."

"Yes," said Pam. "Listen carefully." Pam told the slave, whose name was Jennifer, where to find Cassandra and Ellen and gave her a message to deliver. When she was done she said, "Got all that?"

"Yes," said Jennifer.

"Good. Get going," said Pam.

****************************

Cassandra and Ellen had wandered about the garden after Cindy left. They returned to their cottage an hour or so later, to await news from Pam and Erin. The women rested till about six. Refreshed from their nap, they sat talking in Ellen's room when they heard a soft knock at the door. Ellen rose and slowly opened the door, to find a slave girl standing at the entrance.

"Mistress Ellen?" she asked timidly.

"Yes," said Ellen, "come in."

The slave girl entered the room and Ellen shut the door behind her. "I have a message from Pam for you Mistress," said Jennifer.

"Good!" said Ellen, "what is it?"

"Pam said to tell you that she and Erin will be at the party Mistress April is hosting for you tonight. After the party, Mistress April is going to allow two in your group to use them for the evening. She requests that you arrange it among yourselves so that you and Mistress Cassandra are the ones chosen," said Jennifer.

Cassandra and Ellen looked at each other, but neither said anything. Ellen turned to the girl and said, "Thank you. Is there any thing you require?"

"No, Mistress," said the slave.

"OK. Thanks," said Ellen, opening the door for the girl.

When the slave had left, Ellen said, "How typical of April to further humiliate Erin. It's just as we suspected."

"Yes, but we can't complain either," said Cassandra. "After all, this is the opportunity we've been looking for. However, we need to figure out a way to make sure we end up with this slave Pam and Erin."

Ellen smiled slyly and said, "Leave that to me. As the old saying goes, 'rank has its privileges'."

****************************

When Erin awoke in her cell it was already late in the day. Getting out of bed, she knelt on the floor for what had become a routine task of self humiliation: messing and wetting herself. When she was finished, Erin stood waiting for Laura. A wave of depression fed by her sexual frustration from the night before, swept over Erin as she pondered the events of the previous evening and her life as a slave at Zax. Being a slave was both worse and better than she had thought. It was worse because the constant degradation and humiliation surpassed anything she could have imagined prior to coming to the dungeon on Zax Island. It was better however than she might have expected, since (at least up to now) when she wasn't being 'used' or trained, she had significant free time to herself. In addition the other slaves she had met were, for the most part, friendly and helpful. She also had hope, however slim, that Cassandra might find a way to get her out of the dungeon and away from Zax.

Erin pondered her situation. Last night had been both shocking and surprising. Although Erin had not really thought about having to serve April, doing so was not particularly surprising. April was the head of Zax and, for the most part, could do anything she wanted on Zax Island. The fact that she was obviously happy about Erin's situation or wished to take advantage of it was hardly a revelation either. After all, she had engineered everything. What had surprised Erin was Lisa. How could she have married April and why? Especially so soon after Erin had been convicted and sent to Zax; this made far less sense. But then Lisa's behavior had been surprising throughout the whole affair. Erin remembered her almost carefree and casual attitude as she stood watching as Susan went about her awful work. They had been separated by only a few feet, yet Lisa had never attempted to express any sympathy or sorrow about Erin's ordeal. To the contrary, she seemed to have enjoyed watching the humiliating scene, standing next to April and talking to her, as if they were at the park or zoo. Memories flashed through Erin's mind, fragments of events to terrible to recall in their entirety: Susan poking and touching her; cramps, pain and embarrassment; April smiling; Ellen and Cassandra standing solemnly and quietly talking to each other; the escort chatting with Lisa and Cindy; the fingers of Lisa's left hand touching April's fingers...
The sudden realization hit Erin like a physical blow to her head, and despite her messy diapers she sat down on her small bed, steadying herself. Lisa's fingers! That was it, what she had been missing all along. How could she have been so blind! Erin however did not have time to fully ponder the matter further, for just then, her cell door opened and Laura's said, "Out, slut!" Erin stood up and waddled out of her cell and followed Jan and Laura to the changing room where she showered. After being re-diapered, Laura led them to the rest area and said, "Eat and rest, you have another assignment tonight." With that, she left them alone with the other slaves in the room.

Jan spotted Pam and said, "There's Pam and Kelly." She started towards them and Erin followed, in a bit of a daze, still thinking about Lisa. Jan and Kelly had become good friends, and the two exercised together whenever possible. This turned out to be quite frequently. Both women therefore headed off after greeting each other to work out.

Erin sat down besides Pam, looking at the walls pensively. Pam noticed Erin's mood and she reached over and stroked her hair saying, "Are you OK, Erin?" Erin did not answer, but rather tears began to role down her cheeks as she started to cry. Pam wrapped her arms around her, cradling Erin's head on her breasts and said, "I know, it's OK. My first time was difficult too."

Erin began to sob quietly and she buried her face in Pam's ample breasts. Tears rolled down her tattooed cheeks wetting the older woman's bosom as Pam stroked her short hair. "It's going to be OK," said Pam comforting her.

"No, it's not," sobbed Erin. "Lisa used me. Last night I, I had to watch as they..."

"I know," said Pam continuing to stroke her hair, "I know." After a while, Erin quieted and Pam said, "Listen honey, I have some good news. Cindy ran into Cassandra and Ellen today."

Erin completely stopped crying and sat up, looking at Pam. "You mean they're here?"

"Yes. I was even able to send them a message. I'm going to try and talk with them tonight," said Pam.

Erin threw her arms around Pam, and the women hugged, their breasts touching. "You're wonderful!" said Erin.

Pam smiled and said "Thanks."

****************************

Cassandra and Ellen had talked for well over an hour after Jennifer had left, planning their next move. They had decided that Ellen would take Erin, and Cassandra Pam, if the slaves were offered. Ellen would use her authority as president to overrule any objections from the other women. Except for Trisha, Ellen didn't think any of them would be a problem. If April did not offer the use of Erin or Pam, then Cassandra would be faced with the embarrassing task of asking to use one of them. Ellen had not shrugged this off, but felt that April was already suspicious enough and that such a request coming from her would only serve to confirm April's feelings. Cassandra was not really a better choice, but at least she could pretend to be checking on the welfare of her former client.

At about eight, the women separated to dress and prepare themselves for the party, which was to be held at nine. At about ten till, Cassandra and Ellen joined the other women from the office and the group walked to the castle together. They were met by Laura who led them to a chamber decorated in the ancient Roman style on the second floor of the castle. The chamber was large and furnished with a low L-shaped table surrounded by couches covered in red satin. A chandelier with candles hung from the ceiling and frescos with pictures of nude women, lions, and artifacts from the period adorned the wall. In the center of the room stood a rectangular fountain filled with bright colored fish and lily pads. Ten or so tunic-clad slaves lined the wall, their garments trimmed in red and gold. Soft music played in the background, supposedly from the ancient period.

Laura said, "Mistress April bids you to recline and enjoy. She will join you shortly with Lisa." The women seated themselves on the couches, reclining around the table. Grapes and other fruit were set before the guests in large silver bowls. The slaves along the wall took up stations between the couches serving red wine to the reclining women. "When April said she was going to give us a personal demonstration, she wasn't kidding," said Trisha. "I feel like a Roman patrician!"

April entered the room followed by Lisa. Both women were dressed in purple gowns, bordered in gold. Each wore a small gold crown on her head. "Greetings!" said April, "I hope you are all having a good time. Lisa and I thought we would get into the spirit of things tonight," she continued, waving her arm over Lisa's costume. "There are period costumes in the next room, if you wish to similarly indulge yourselves. Trisha jumped up followed by Michelle and the other women and rushed into the next room. "There beautiful!" Ellen heard her say, from the adjoining room.

Ellen and Cassandra looked at each other, rose and followed the rest of the group into the next room. Neither woman was into role playing nor costume parties, but they decided to go along, so as to further their chances of seeing Erin. The room contained an array of diaphanous silk gowns in a variety of bright colors: red, green, blue, yellow, and so on. Ellen selected a modest dark blue dress and Cassandra a similar green one from the couches where they lay. Trisha, of course, grabbed a sexy red gown and quickly began to change, behind one of the old fashioned screens that lined the walls of the room. Slaves carrying gold and silver accessories and slippers entered the room and distributed them among the women. When they had finished dressing, the group returned to the chamber and reclined around the table.

"How splendid! We all look like Roman goddesses. What a wonderful idea, April. How did you ever think of it?" said Trisha gushing.

"Actually, it was Lisa's idea," said April.

"I saw it in some old vids," said Lisa, "and I thought you would enjoy it, as part of the total slave experience."

The women laughed and a general round of applause erupted from the group showing its agreement and approval with Lisa. As the conversation settled down, three more slaves entered the room carrying platters of food and drink. They set these before April and Lisa and their guests. Has the women began to dine another group of three naked slaves entered the room and began to dance around the fountain.

"Send in the wine bearers," said Lisa to Laura, who nodded. Erin and Pam entered the room clad in gold trimmed diapers with red ribbons streaming from their hair and arms and carrying large brass pitchers filled with wine.

About two hours before the party, Laura had come to collect Erin and Pam for their assignment. Both women were told to eat their evening meal. Erin retrieved hers from the food dispenser and noticed that the portion was twice as large as usual. Laura had watched them as they ate and insisted that Erin finish the meal. When they were done she led them to the changing room where they showered and were perfumed with oil by two tunic-clad slaves. Laura diapered Pam and then ordered Erin onto the padded changing table. The diapering proceeded as usual, except that Laura ran her finger along Erin's rectum and then inserted the end of a small applicator into her ass, and deposited what felt like salve or jelly inside. After she did this, she finished diapering Erin, who as usual was flushed with embarrassment.

The slaves then attached red and gold ribbons to their right arms and hair. When they were done Laura took Erin and Pam to a room on the second floor of the castle. Inside servants from the professional staff busied themselves preparing and elaborate multi-course meal. Tunic-clad slaves carried the food into and adjoining room and returned with empty trays or used platters. "You have the honor of serving Mistresses April and Lisa and their guests tonight at this banquet. You are tasked to serve the wine from those pitchers," said Laura pointing at two large brass pitchers containing wine. "Wait here until I signal you to start serving." With that, Laura left to join April and her guests in the adjoining room. After about thirty minutes, one of the servants said, "You are to serve the wine now."

Erin and Pam picked up the pitchers and walked into the banquet chamber. Erin glanced at the crowd and almost dropped the pitcher of wine she was carrying. Every guest in the room was from the office where she used to work! Erin blushed deep red in embarrassment at the thought of having her former co-workers see her half naked and in diapers. "Look!" said Trisha in astonishment, "its Erin!"

Everyone at the table looked up and stared at Erin, who slowly approached the table, beat red with embarrassment, eyes downcast and carrying the wine pitcher. Lisa looked at her guests and said, "Ah! I hope the wine is not stolen."

Trisha and the others giggled at Lisa's reference to the misdeeds that brought Erin to her current station. Michelle, who had already had a little too much to drink, said, a little too loudly, "Tell us Erin, how do you like your new occupation?" This brought on another round of laughter from the women at the table.

Erin, who by this time was standing near the table, blushed again and said meekly and with eyes downcast "I live to serve my Mistress." Erin's sincere statement gave her ex-office workers pause and immediately dampened the levity in the room.

Lisa who was enjoying Erin's obvious embarrassment added a quick re-joiner to recapture the jovial mood, "Well then, just don't stand there! Serve your Mistresses before we die of thirst." The women at the table laughed again, but for many it was a polite act; the humor had been lost by the reality of Erin's situation.

As Erin served the wine, she was forced to bend over, further exposing her large breasts that hung down and swayed slightly as she moved. Pam also provided a similar show. Erin however had another problem. She began to feel cramps building in her stomach. At this point she realized that the salve Laura had put in her rectum was a suppository, and that the large meal she had been forced to eat was to increase the volume of her bowel movement. The shame of messing herself in front of her co-workers was almost overwhelming and was deepened by the stirrings of sexual excitement that accompanied it. As Erin continued to serve the wine, she found herself squeezing her ass cheeks in an effort to postpone the inevitable. April, who had instructed Laura to give her the suppository, made sure that Erin was unable to stay in one place for more than a moment at a time, knowing that this would make it impossible for her to control herself, and would hasten the humiliating result she desired. "Bring more wine," she commanded Erin.

Erin who had just fought off another wave of cramps, hastened to the kitchen to fill the pitcher, squeezing her ass as she went. Her resulting shuffle did not escape Lisa's notice and she commented, "It looks like someone might have an accident." This brought another round of laughter from Trisha and some of the others who were enjoying Erin's obviously humiliating and embarrassing predicament.

As Erin returned carrying the full pitcher a wave of severe cramps hit her. At that moment April said, "Hurry up! My cup is empty." Erin tried to comply but the conflict of needing to stand still to control her cramps and rush to serve her Mistress could not be negotiated any longer. As Erin moved to satisfy April's demand, she lost control of her bowels, filling her diaper as she crossed the remaining distance to the table. Everyone could see by her awkward movements and her sagging diaper that she had messed herself.

April looked at her and addressed the crowd, "Now you can see why we are forced to keep her in diapers. I must apologize for her lack of control." Addressing Erin, who stood blushing in complete humiliation, she said "And what happens to naughty slave girls who cannot control themselves?"

"They are punished, Mistress," said Erin.

"Yes," said April, "that's correct. So what should I do to you?"

"Please, punish me, Mistress," replied Erin, eyes downcast.

"Bring a self-abuse aid," said April to Laura. The women around the table giggled and watched with interest to see how April would punish Erin. The novelty of seeing slaves and how they were handled was fascinating to almost all at the table.

Laura returned with a stick about and inch and a half in diameter and about three feet long that was attached to a disk at one end. She placed the disk on the floor in the center of the room, so that the stick stood upright. "Abuse yourself," commanded April.

Erin went over to the stick and sat on the floor with the device between her legs. Grasping the stick, she pulled it towards her until her diaper crotch was firmly placed against the stick. Erin then began to move her hips so that her diapered vulva rubbed against the pole between her legs. Erin could feel the warm mush that filled the seat of her diaper spread against her buttocks when she sat down. The movement of her hips as she masturbated moved the mush from the back of her diaper towards the front, distributing the mess over her bare pussy. As the mush spread, it worked its way into her vagina thereby increasing her sexual excitement with each thrust of her hips.

Erin's embarrassment was enormous and she blushed so red that she appeared to have a sunburn. But she could not stop as the frantic sexual desire took hold. April said to the women, "We try to give our slaves every opportunity to improve and redeem themselves. We do not punish them indiscriminately. She has a chance to avoid punishment by demonstrating that she can control herself."

Lisa said to Erin, "You do not have permission to cum. Rub yourself harder and faster!"

Erin increased the energy of her masturbation knowing that she would not be able to control herself much longer. She could feel her orgasm beginning to build.

"Faster," said Lisa. "Remember you do not have permission to cum."

The women at the table watched in fascination as the drama unfolded. Erin, who was moments away from climax, began to moan with pleasure and cried out, "Please Mistress, give me permission to cum! Oh, God. I need to cum so bad, please may I have permission."

"Not yet," said Lisa. "Rub yourself harder and show us that you can control yourself."

"Please, Mistress may I have permission to cum?" Erin pleaded, moaning.

But both April and Lisa remained silent. The tension in the room was palpable by this time and Ellen, who could control herself no longer said, "For God's sake April, have mercy on her!"

April smiled and said, "Oh, very well. Slave you have permission to cum, now."

With the word 'now', Erin climaxed with an intense orgasm, crying out "Oh God, no! It feels so good. Oh God." The tattoos on her face turned a dark black leaving no doubt to anyone in the room that she had achieved orgasm. After she came, Erin sat panting in total humiliation at what she had just done. April, turned to Ellen and said, "I see you still have a soft spot for her. I was going to let one of you amuse yourself with her later, but I guess I'll give her to you for the night. Try not to spoil her."

"Thank you," said Ellen, nodding to April. "I am most grateful. Do you think Cassandra could use the other one?"

This took April by surprise, but since she could see no harm in this, and she and intended to give Pam away to one of them anyways, she said, "Yes, enjoy!"

This sudden display of favoritism disappointed Trisha who had hoped to use one of the slaves herself. She was also surprised by Ellen's request, since she knew her boss disapproved of the whole idea. April, seeing her disappointment said, "Not to worry, Trisha. The other slaves are for your use. Anyone who wishes to make use of a slave can take one back with them later. This swayed the mood in the room, which had been hanging between fascination and horror over the recent events. The women began to talk among themselves overwhelmed by the opportunity of a lifetime to experience the most intimate and coveted part of slave ownership. Soon the group was laughing and giggling again, and from April's perspective, praising her magnanimity.

April instructed Laura to take Erin away, clean her up, and bring her to one of the guest chambers in the castle. Pam was also taken to a similar chamber, for use by Cassandra later. The party continued for several more hours as the meal continued accompanied by music and the dancing of naked slave girls. The latter, served to heighten the sexual anticipation of the guests whose thoughts were drawn to the slave girls who would serve them privately after the party.

April sensed their mood and rose, taking Lisa's hand and saying, "As newlyweds we should set a good example. To bed!" This brought another round of laughter from the group, but everyone rose and said good night. The women each took a slave, walking arm in arm as they left the chamber. Laura approached Ellen and Cassandra and said, "If you would follow me, Mistress April has prepared special accommodations in the castle for you tonight."

****************************

Cassandra and Ellen followed Laura who took the women to their respective chambers. After seeing the women inside, she departed leaving them alone. Ellen's chamber consisted of an anteroom, a large bedroom, with fireplace, and an equally large bathroom with sunken tub. Cassandra's room was almost identical, except for the decorations. Both rooms were plush and the beds were king size and covered by silk canopies.

When Ellen entered the bedroom, she found Erin kneeling on the floor, eyes down cast. Going over to her, she asked, "Erin, are you OK? I'm so glad to see you!"

"Yes Mistress," replied Erin, without looking up."

"None of this 'Mistress' nonsense!" commanded Ellen "Especially from you. I'm going to scream if I hear someone call me Mistress again! Besides I need to talk with you." But Erin remained on the floor kneeling before her, eyes downcast. Ellen realized that the poor girl was probably past her breaking point. She therefore knelt down in front of her and, taking her chin in her hand, raised her head so she could see her face. It was clear that Erin had been crying and was, even now, making a supreme effort to control herself. Her eyes were swollen and blank and her lower lip quivered. "Its OK," said Ellen. "It's me, Ellen."

"Ellen?" said Erin as if not recognizing her. "Oh, Ellen!" she said starting to cry again. Ellen put her arms around Erin and raised her to her feet. Placing her right hand on Erin's head she stroked her short hair as she wept. Eventually Erin quieted under Ellen's tender care and, pushing her back slightly, she dried the tears from her tattooed cheeks with her hands. Bringing her over to the bed, Ellen sat her down on the edge and said, "Erin are you OK? I need to talk with you. Our time is limited."

"Ellen," said Erin, "I'm so glad to see you! I feel so hopeless and humiliated. I can't believe I did that in front of everyone." And with that she started to cry again, burying her face in her hands.

Ellen sat down besides her and put her arm around her and said, "Listen Erin, its not you. You are being forced to do these awful things. They are manipulating your emotions, but you have to fight and use your mind, dear. If you don't you will loose yourself."

After a while, Erin regained her composure again and stopped crying. "I never dreamed anything could be so bad!" she said. "Every day is filled with constant humiliation from the moment I wake up till the moment I go to sleep."

"Tell me about it," said Ellen. So Erin explained her life at the castle, the routine of being forced to mess herself daily in her cell and urinate and masturbate publicly. She also told Ellen about what had happened the previous night; how she had been forced to service Lisa and participate in the consummation of her marriage.
When she was finished, Ellen sat, shocked and angry by what she had heard. "Listen Erin, I want you to know that Cassandra and I are doing everything we can to get you out of this. We have compiled a substantial body of evidence that indicates that April framed you. We have also talked to your friend Cathy and she is doing a technical analysis of the evidence trying to figure out how April forged it. You have to hang in there. There is hope; I am not going to rest until you're free."

"Oh, thank you Ellen," said Erin. "It's good to see you and hear such encouraging words."

"Good," said Ellen. "Now I realize that you're isolated here, but you are also very close to April in the castle. Have you heard anything that might help us, since you've been here?"

"Yes," answered Erin. "The other slave, Pam, who was serving wine tonight, overheard April making the plans on how she was going to frame two women in order to obtain more diapered slaves. Apparently, Zax had lost two such slaves about six months before and was actively seeking to replace them."

"Incredible!" said Ellen. "Hopefully, Cassandra can get something helpful from Pam tonight. Is there anything else you can tell me?"

"No not about the slaves. Pam has most of the details. However Pam thinks that Katrina Felte is involved."

"Well, that would answer a lot of questions," said Ellen. "It also makes things much more dangerous."

Erin nodded her agreement. "Yes. There is something else."

"Yes?" said Ellen surprised that Erin had discovered anything at all."

"It's about Lisa, or more precisely Lisa and April."

Ellen frowned. "Those two!"

"Yes" agreed Erin "those two." Blushing she continued "Do you remember when Susan was, ah, preparing me?"

"Yes" said Ellen, trying not to blush herself.

"Well I remember seeing Lisa and April together, watching. At the time, well let's say what I saw didn't register, exactly."

"Understandable" commented Ellen.

"Well, as I remember it now, Lisa's attitude was strange..."

"That's putting it politely" interjected Ellen.

"Yes, well, anyways, she did not seem upset or even unhappy."

"Yes, quite so" agreed Ellen. "But what does that have to do with anything?"

"Well, as I remember, she was standing close to April, really close. Close enough that they could touch."

"So?"

"So, I saw their finger's touch. Moreover Lisa was not wearing the ring I gave her. Her fingers were bare."

Ellen was dumb struck. "I never noticed" she said after a few moments. "But what do you think it means?"

"It means that Lisa knew" said Erin. "She knew from the very beginning. April used her to set me up."

"Incredible!" said Ellen.

"Yes" agreed Erin "and it helps to explain how April got access to my accounts, among other things."

"Yes" agreed Ellen thinking. "It does explain a few things at that. Perhaps this information might help Cathy with her investigation."

"I hope so" said Erin.

Ellen continued to talk to Erin for awhile longer, but the hour was late and both women were tired. Ellen insisted that Erin get some rest, so she tucked her in, on one side of the bed. In order not to raise suspicions, Ellen removed her clothes and climbed in on the other side. In minutes, Erin was asleep, exhausted from her ordeal. Ellen, however lay awake, thinking over the implications of what she had learned.

****************************

Cassandra found Pam kneeling on the floor next to the bed when she entered her chamber. Approaching the slave she said, "You must be Pam."

"Yes, Mistress," said Pam. "How may I serve you?"

"Well, first you can get up, so we can talk face to face and second you can stop calling me 'Mistress'," said Cassandra. Pam rose and Cassandra motioned for her to be seated on a small sofa that was part of the bedroom furnishings. Pulling up a chair, Cassandra sat down opposite her and said, "That's better. We got your message this afternoon. The girl who delivered it said you had information that might help us free Erin."

"That's correct," said Pam.

"Excellent!" said Cassandra. "What can you tell us?"

"This may take awhile, so bear with me," began Pam as Cassandra acknowledged her with a nod of her head. "April and the other elite Mistresses usually have slaves attending their meetings. Even though I am a diapered slave, I must take my turn along with the other slaves. Naturally, one can't but overhear the proceedings."

"Are you saying that you were present at the board of director meetings for Zax?" interrupted Cassandra.

"Yes, some of them," said Pam.

"Incredible! Half the world's elite would like to be a fly on the wall in those meetings but slaves get to attend. How ironic. But please, continue."

"Anyways, about six months ago, two of Zax's four diapered slaves died. Mistresses Katrina and April decided it would take too long to replace them, so they decided to 'manufacture' what they needed."

"Katrina Felte? The Katrina Felte? Unbelievable!" said Cassandra, interrupting again.

"Yes, the very same," said Pam. "She is an unofficial member of the Zax board and approached April after the meeting where the death of the second slave was discussed. She told April that it might be possible to speed up the process of finding two new slaves, if April could find two suitable candidates. April said she had a couple of candidates in mind and would let Katrina know soon so that the necessary personas could be created."

Cassandra was flabbergasted, but she was also worried. She and Ellen had suspected that Blue Onyx would have to be involved if Erin's personas had been corrupted, but they never really dared to believe that Katrina Felte, herself might be involved.

Pam concluded saying, "There are at least half a dozen witnesses, myself included. In addition all the diapered slaves know the details. I've been waiting for something like this to come along for 15 years so I could bargain my way to freedom. But I was scared to confront Mistress April directly until more people could be told. When Erin came along, I knew it was time to act."

"Have you told anyone else yet?" asked Cassandra, concerned.

"No, just Kelly, Erin, and Jan. And you, of course," said Pam.

"Who is Kelly?" asked Pam.

"Another diapered slave," said Pam.

"OK," said Cassandra, thinking. "Now listen to me. I've been working to free Erin ever since she was convicted. So far I have assembled a substantial amount of evidence that shows that April set Erin and Jan up. The problem is it's mostly circumstantial and trumped by the fact that's its impossible to duplicate or corrupt someone else's persona. Without something concrete, it will be impossible to prove what April did. What you have told me just now places all of you in danger. You need to keep this information secret."

"But can't you take our statements? There are at least six of us who would testify to what happened," said Pam.

"It's not that simple," said Cassandra. "The problem is you are all slaves, essentially property. As such, you can't legally give testimony. The reasoning is quite sound. If slaves could testify against their owners, they could lie or blackmail their way to freedom. This is why you overheard what you did to begin with, April and Katrina both know you can't legally tell what you overheard."

"Damn!" said Pam. "There's got to be a way to use what we know. There's just got to be."

"Well there might be," said Cassandra. "We now know for sure that Erin's personas were corrupted and that April and possibly Katrina were involved. This in itself is very useful. But we also have to be very careful. Katrina is a very powerful woman. If we move too soon or our evidence is weak, we're finished. She'll squash us like ants."

"It doesn't sound like what I told you is going to help you very much" said Pam.

"Not directly," agreed Cassandra. "The problem is I need to find a way of turning your information into tangible proof. We need a witness who is not a slave or a way to show that the personas were false."

"Hmm," said Pam glumly. "I can't help you there. I don't think any of the other Zax Mistresses would testify against April."

"Not likely," agreed Cassandra. "Plus the fact, my guess is Katrina is much too smart to have acted directly or said anything openly damning, even to April."

Pam silently nodded her head in agreement. Cassandra was right, Katrina never said anything directly; she always spoke using ambiguous terms.

"Is there anything else you can tell me?" said Cassandra.

"No, that's about it," said Pam, disappointed.

"You're sure? Think. Is there some detail that might have seemed insignificant at the time or irrelevant?" pressed Cassandra.

"No. The only thing I can think of is that April kept referring to a map of some kind, whenever she mentioned the personas. I don't know anything about the technical aspects of personas, so I can't see what a map has to do with them," said Pam.

Cassandra was confused too. But then again she wasn't an expert on this either. But maybe Cathy would find this useful. "Me too," said Cassandra, "but I know someone who might."

It was close to dawn, when the women had finished talking and Pam was worried that Cassandra had not used her. "If I go back dry and with my tattoos blue instead of black, Laura might get suspicious," she said.

Cassandra was embarrassed. She had not thought of this and had no plans for having sex with a slave. Pam sensed her discomfort and said, "It's alright, Mistress Cassandra, just let me handle everything."

Cassandra reluctantly agreed and removed her clothes and got into bed. Seeing the naked woman, triggered Pam's conditioned response and she started wetting herself. Going over to Cassandra and getting on the bed, she gently spread her legs and kissed the older woman's vulva. Cassandra responded with a moan and Pam started licking her clitoris. In a few minutes, Cassandra was moaning with pleasure. She pulled Pam towards her and unfastened her diaper, throwing it to the floor. Positioning herself between Pam's legs, Cassandra began to pleasure the slave. Soon both women were moaning with pleasure. As they neared climax, Pam cried out, "Please Mistress give me permission to cum!"

Cassandra, in the throws of her own passion, said "You have permission. Cum!" Both women came at the same time moaning and crying, "Yes!, Oh God, yes!" When they were done, Cassandra and Pam lay in each other's arms. "Thank you," said Pam.

"No, thank you," said Cassandra.
Chapter 9: Servitude

The next day Ellen and the other women from the office woke up late in the afternoon. Erin had left in the morning, wetting and messing herself before she returned to her cell. Ellen had been worried about her since she still seemed depressed. She knew that time was probably running out; if they didn't get Erin out of here soon, she would succumb psychologically to being a slave.

Pam had also left Cassandra to return to the dungeon shortly after dawn. Cassandra, tired from the late night parties, and relaxed by her orgasm had fallen asleep. When she woke up it was mid afternoon. After showering and dressing, she left her room and knocked on Ellen's door, which was down the hallway from hers. Ellen opened the door. She had just gotten up and was dressed in a white terry cloth robe with a red axe embossed on the right lapel. "Come in," she said. There's tea and toast on the table. Help yourself while I shower."

Cassandra poured herself a cup of tea and took a slice of toast and spread some raspberry jelly on it. She ate her breakfast in silence as Ellen showered and dressed. When she was done, Ellen came into the room, poured herself a cup of tea and sat down. "Well, how did it go last night?" she asked.

"Interesting," said Cassandra. "I talked to Pam for quite awhile. The woman has an informal underground that collects information about the goings on at Zax. Apparently, the slaves act as servants in the board meetings and overhear much of what is said."

"Really?" said Ellen looking surprised. "Isn't that foolhardy on their part?"

"Not really," said Cassandra. "If you think about it, it's rather clever, really. Since the slaves can't legally testify and are confined pretty much to the island, they make ideal servants at private meetings."

"I see," said Ellen. "Very clever, except..."

"Except that over time, they hear and piece together an awful lot of information. In Pam's case, she overheard April talking with Katrina and making plans to set-up Erin and Jan and have them convicted and sentenced, so they could be bought by Zax."

"Interesting," said Ellen, "but how does this help us?"

"Well for one thing, we now know for sure that the personas were corrupted. Katrina apparently arranged it so April could obtain them. Before, we only suspected that they were tainted now we know for sure. In addition she told me the exact time frames. Everything fits. Also there is something about a map that has to do with the personas. We'll have to ask Cathy when we get back," said Cassandra.

"Well, I guess it's a lot more than we had before," said Ellen.

****************************

Two hours later, Ellen and Cassandra were sitting in the transport with the other women from the office, heading back to World. The subdued mood inside, was a sharp contrast to that of the trip over. Most of the women dozed or quietly read: victims of too much alcohol, late nights, and too little sleep. Ellen and Cassandra reclined in their seats, their eyes closed, as they tried to relax and recover from the weekend's events. Ellen had told Cassandra about her conversation with Erin and her concerns over the girl's psychological health. Cassandra had agreed with her, that their time was running out if they were to save Erin; at least the Erin they knew.

Two hours later, the transport dropped the women off at the office building and they quickly dispersed to their residences, knowing that the next day would come all too soon, and work with it. Ellen and Cassandra said goodbye, both agreeing to meet first thing the next morning to talk to Cathy.

****************************

The next morning, the atmosphere at the office was subdued as the vice president's and their staff straggled in, many with headaches. April and Lisa would be gone for a month, honeymooning. This also added to the muted feeling at the office. Cassandra wandered in about ten and went directly to Ellen's office. Ellen herself had just gotten in a few minutes earlier. "Let me get some tea, before we call Cathy. Want some?" said Ellen.

Cassandra shook her head, "No thanks. Headache."

Ellen returned in about a minute holding a steaming cup in her hand. "Karen, would you please see if Cathy Long at the University is available. I have Cassandra here with me. We wish to talk to her," said Ellen

Karen said, "Right away."

A few minutes later, Karen's persona announced, "Cathy Long is waiting."

"Thanks," said Ellen, and then, "Hello Cathy. How are you? Thanks for conferencing with us."

Cathy's image flashed into view and she said, "I'm fine, how are you?"

"OK, I guess," said Ellen looking at Cassandra, who was rubbing her eyes. "We just got back from Zax Castle last night."

"Oh," said Cathy. "Learn anything?"

"Well we talked to Erin and another slave, name of Pam," said Ellen.

A sympathetic look came over Cathy's face and she said, "How is Erin?"

"Fair" said Ellen. "She's held up OK till now, but she's depressed and I'm afraid she may not last too much longer."

"Oh," said Cathy. Ellen explained what had happened during the weekend, the private office party, and her conversation with Erin. Cathy looked upset when she was finished. "I just can't believe how cruel she has been treated!" she said, angrily.

"Either can we," said Cassandra. "However we were able to confirm that the personas were definitely corrupted. Furthermore Katrina Felte was involved."

"Katrina Felte, as in the head of Blue Onyx?" said Cathy, raising her eyebrows.

"The same," said Cassandra.

"Well, we knew that Blue Onyx had to be involved if the personas had doppelgangers attached to them. But Katrina! It probably explains why I can't uncover anything. Their process must be air tight if Katrina knew about it."

"So you still haven't found anything?" said Ellen.

"No, I'm afraid not," said Cathy.

"Well we may have something for you," said Cassandra. "Pam mentioned that the term 'map' was used in reference to the process they used to generate the personas. Does this mean anything to you?"

"No," said Cathy. "There are, of course, all kinds of mappings that go on in generating a persona. Can you be more specific?"

"I'm afraid not," said Cassandra.

"OK. Let me think about it," said Cathy.

"There's something else too" said Ellen. "It seems Erin's assistant was helping April from the beginning."

"Interesting" said Cathy.

"I know what you are doing is incredibly difficult," said Ellen, "but we're running out of time. Any idea when you might have something?"

"If I don't have anything by the end of the week, then I probably never will," said Cathy. "I've run all my diagnostic tools including custom ones written by my graduate students, other professors, and myself. I still have a few things I can try, but I'm running out of both tools and ideas."

"OK," said Ellen, glumly. "Keep us informed."

"Will do," said Cathy signing off.

Cassandra turned to Ellen after Cathy's image vanished and said, "That didn't sound very promising, did it?"

"No, it didn't," agreed Ellen, "No it didn't."

****************************

Almost all the wedding guests had left on the same day as Ellen and Cassandra. The following day, the staff busied themselves cleaning up and removing decorations. April and Lisa had decided to honeymoon by running a scene at the castle that included several of their closest friends (who were Zax members) and Libra Johnson, the Consul General. Libra was a relatively new member of Zax. She had joined shortly after her appointment as Consul General, five years ago. As the head judicial officer, she was also one of the more influential and powerful Zax members. Katrina had introduced her to the scene after a political dinner party one evening, and she had become instantly enthralled with it.

Libra had quickly gained a reputation as possibly the most talented Domitrix at Zax, with her subtle techniques and applications for prolonging a scene and increasing its sexual intensity. She was famous for her methods which stopped just short of actual pain; her slaves were kept on a knife edge between discomfort and pain for has long as she desired. The final sexual release for both Mistress and slave was heart stopping intense. Even April, who was considered a master Domitrix, respected Libra as a gifted peer.

Libra, of course, knew about Zax's acquisition of two virgin diapered slaves the previous month (although she was unaware of the details). She had been both excited and eager to experiment with at least one of them, and April had invited her to the honeymoon gathering for some special sessions with Erin. Libra had made an extensive study of the physiology and psychology of pain and she had expanded her research to include the brain chemistry of humiliation and its impact on the psyche. April knew that she would most likely preside over the most novel sessions during the scene and was eager to see and learn what Libra would do.

Zax did have one restriction on the use of Erin and Jan. They must both remain virgins, at least in the most technical sense. April had explained this to Libra and she had agreed to abide by Zax's policy regarding Erin. Otherwise she was free to experiment. In fact, Zax welcomed her pioneering efforts, since they usually led to new techniques that could be applied for the enjoyment of all.
Libra had stayed on at the castle with April, Lisa, and two other Mistresses, Venus and Eve. Venus and Eve were both good friends of April and enjoyed the more traditional activities that Zax offered. Venus, like April, was especially cruel and enjoyed repeated floggings and croppings of the same slave. Needless to say, the lives of several of the slaves would be unpleasant for the next month or until Venus left and April returned to work. Lisa was gaining a reputation of being a particularly harsh Mistress; unlike April, however, she gravitated towards the more subtle but prolonged application of pain and planned to spend considerable time observing Libra.

The group of five women therefore divided themselves into two groups with April and Venus conducting traditional scenes with the regular slaves and Libra and Lisa working with Erin or one of the other diapered slaves. Eve drifted between the two groups, but spent most of her time with April and Venus.

****************************

Erin had been cheered somewhat by seeing Ellen, but she had also started a slow slide into depression. Talking to Pam about her conversation with Cassandra had not improved her mood either. Cassandra had not sounded optimistic about being able to use Pam's knowledge, and with that, Pam's plans seemed to recede into the realm of fantasy. Erin's depression was further compounded by her schedule, which remained on 'daylight wasting time'. She would now spend most of her waking hours when it was dark and sleep during the day. Morning started at two in the afternoon and bedtime was at four or five in the morning.

The day after the wedding celebration ended, Erin and most of the other slaves were allowed to rest as the castle and grounds were cleaned and cleared and April and her guests recovered from the party. Erin spent the day talking to Pam and sleeping. Her respite was short lived, for the very next day, about ten in the evening and at the end of her rest period, Laura came for her saying, "on your feet slut! Time to serve your Mistress." Erin followed Laura, who took her to a portion of the dungeon where she had never been before. This was the 'play-area' of the dungeon, which contained chambers of various sizes outfitted for the scenes that catered to almost every sexual fantasy.

The room that Laura brought Erin to was a relatively small 20 by 30 foot area resembling a medieval torture chamber. Its walls, floor, and ceiling were made of gray and black stone. Chains attached to eyebolts hung from the walls and thick heavy oaken tables contained a variety of whips, leather cuffs, and other implements of torture. In the center of the room, two chains hung from the ceiling with leather cuffs attached to their ends. Laura took Erin to these chains and fastened the cuffs to her wrists and then tightened the chains so that Erin's arms were raised above her head. She then attached a spreader bar to Erin's ankles so that her legs were forcibly kept apart. The middle of the spreader bar passed through a ring attached to the floor further restricting Erin's movement. When she was done, Laura said, "Have fun," and left.

Erin waited, perplexed by this new situation. Up to now, she had mainly been humiliated by April, Laura, and the others, usually in front of a group. Although some of the sessions had been uncomfortable or even painful, she had never been used in a traditional scene like her tunic-clad sisters. Erin had talked to Pam and Kelly and they had reassured her that this was unlikely as they had rarely been used that way themselves. Erin was therefore confused by her current surroundings, which bespoke of such treatment.

Although Erin was apprehensive of what might happen to her, she was not frightened. She had talked to Cindy and some of the other slaves and they had told her that, 'sessions' could at times be painful, but no permanent damage was ever done. The worst that usually happened was a sore bottom or back and a few bruises at most. Erin believed them, since with the exception of the two diapered-slaves who had died in unrelated accidents, no one could remember any one ever being injured, little lone dying in a session. Erin also knew that all the slaves, especially the diapered ones, were just too valuable to be treated very harshly.

As Erin pondered this, Lisa and Libra entered the chamber wearing black cat-suits and casually chatting to each other. Libra seeing Erin said, "Ah! Excellent! Ready and waiting." Libra walked around Erin looking at her and running her hands over her back and breasts as if inspecting a porcelain doll. "She is one of the virgin slaves?"

"Yes," said Lisa smiling. "She has a nice tight virgin pussy and ass, too."

Erin blushed in shame as Libra said, "Excellent. Let's remove her diaper and get started."

Lisa unfastened the diaper and let it fall on top of the spreader bar between Erin's legs. Libra looked down at Erin's bare vulva and ran her index finger over the lips, massaging the clitoris as she went. Erin moaned with excitement and pleasure at the older woman's touch. Seeing her excitement, Libra plunged her finger into Erin's vagina, withdrawing it slowly. "Wet already," she said.

"The slut excites easily, you should have seen her at the party the other night, masturbating in her own mess as everyone watched." Grabbing Erin by the chin, she continued, "But what do you expect of a virgin slut who can't control herself, right?"

"Yes, Mistress," said Erin, blushing deeper.

"Surely she can do better than that," said Libra smiling wickedly. "I think she wants to tell everyone about her fantasies while they watch her masturbate. Especially how much she enjoys being humiliated and punished. How much she enjoys messing herself, sitting in it, and playing with her pussy? After all, Nina worked hard to make her that way. Do you think about Lisa putting things in your pussy while you masturbate, slave?"

"No Mistress," said Erin, eyes downcast with shame.

"How dare you lie to us!" said Lisa. "It's time to put a stop to your lying. Libra has some interesting ways of getting the secrets out of a slave and finding the truth. You're going to find out about some of them now."

With that, Erin felt the nipples on her breasts become uncomfortably erect. As they did so, Lisa attached clips squeezing them and acting as a constant reminder to Erin of their sensitivity. The clips were attached by a fine chain that hung between Erin's ample breasts, causing the clips to tug on her nipples whenever she moved in such a way that they swayed asynchronously. Libra stood and faced Erin and lightly slapped her left breast with her hand causing just this type of motion. Erin let out a small sharp yelp of surprise and felt the clips pull on her nipples as her breast recoiled from the force. Libra smiled and rubbed Erin's breasts with her hands saying, "such beautiful full breasts, and I bet they give you great pleasure during sex." She then lightly slapped her breast again causing the chain and clips to tug on Erin's painfully erect nipples.

Erin moaned with both pleasure and pain. Pain however was not quite the correct word. Her nipples were sore and ached. Whenever Libra slapped her, the ache became a throb that, because of its location brought both pleasure and discomfort simultaneously. Lisa picked up a small flogger with short, fine, unknotted, leather tails and brushed Erin's buttocks with it. Libra took a hard wooden ball, about 2 inches in diameter and placed it between the lips of Erin's vagina, over the opening, and fastened it into place by tying two of the three narrow leather straps attached to the surface, around her waist and pulling the third between her legs, and securing it to the ones around her waist.

Lisa said, "How does it feel to have your cunt gagged? We have to make sure you remain a virgin, after all." Without waiting for a reply, Lisa took the flogger and swung it upwards so that the tails landed on Erin's 'gagged' vulva. Lisa used a light stroke so that the tails stopped just short of stinging, but with sufficient force to push the wooden ball uncomfortably against Erin's vagina. Lisa repeated her strokes alternating between Erin's vulva and exposed thighs (which she struck slightly harder).

Libra and Lisa slowly and a-rhythmically slapped Erin's breasts and flogged her thighs and pussy until her body ached and throbbed hovering between pain and pleasure. Erin moaned and started to perspire with her discomfort. Erin could also feel that her bladder was beginning to get full and that soon she would need to urinate. As the two mistresses continued their ministrations the pressure on her bladder began to increase, especially when Lisa flogged her vulva and the wooden ball pressed against her vagina.

Looking down, Erin could see that the lips of her vagina were swollen and pink from the abuse they were taking. Libra also noticed this and said, "Look how engorged her vulva is. How beautiful!" Taking her index finger she rubbed Erin's swollen pussy, making sure to massage her clitoris. Erin moaned in pleasure not realizing how close to coming she was. If Libra had continued for a moment longer she would have lost control and climaxed. Libra however, moved her hands to Erin's belly and pressed slightly. "It feels like her bladder is full."

Lisa snapped her fingers and Erin heard a noise like water running start in the background of the dungeon. It took all her control, not to start urinating instantly. Lisa picked up the flogger and started rhythmically lashing her vulva as before while Libra slapped her breasts. "Lets see how long you can control yourself."

Erin moaned, knowing that she would soon loose control of her bladder. "Please Mistress Lisa, put on my diaper, I need to wet myself."

"Well, that's the first time you've asked to be diapered since you've been here!" said Lisa.

"Please, Mistress. I need to wet myself so badly," pleaded Erin.

But Lisa and Libra continued until Erin could no longer control herself. Erin felt her bladder give way as the tails of the whip struck the wooden ball forcing it lightly against her vagina. Urine splattered against the ball and ran down Erin's thighs pattering as it fell against the diaper on the floor. Libra reached down, and with her thumb, roughly massaged Erin's clitoris as she urinated. Erin had not expected this and to her surprise climaxed almost instantly. "Oh God, no! Please, oh God, no!" she moaned with the intense orgasm.

Erin had never thought it possible to simultaneously urinate and cum and she gasped as she blushed a deep red in embarrassment at what she had just done in front of the two women. "She pees and cums at the same time," said Libra instructively to Lisa as she pointed at Erin's rapidly darkening facial tattoos.

"Who gave you permission to cum, slave?" said Lisa harshly.

"I'm sorry Mistress," said Erin, "I couldn't control myself."

"How typical! You've been here all this time, received the best training and you still haven't learned to control yourself. Well, what happens to sluts who can't control themselves?"

"Please, punish me, Mistress Lisa," said Erin, coloring again in embarrassment and shame.

Lisa remove the wooden ball from Erin's swollen pussy and stood behind her with Libra. Both women began to lightly slap Erin's buttocks with their hands. Occasionally, Libra would also slap one of Erin's breasts, sending a dull ache through her body. As the Mistresses spanked Erin, two tunic clad slaves entered the dungeon and knelt, sitting on their heels. Spreading their thighs and lifting the fronts of their tunics they exposed their pussies and began masturbating as they watched the spanking. Erin looked into their eyes and they looked longingly and provocatively back at her.

The intensity of their masturbation increased with the frequency of the strokes of Erin's spanking. Erin realized that they were taking their pleasure from her suffering and tears started rolling down her flushed cheeks. "Please Mistress, give us permission to cum," one of them pleaded, moaning with pleasure.

"Not till this slave's spanking is over," said Lisa.

"Please Mistress, spank her faster!" said the other slave. "Please give us permission to cum!"

But Lisa continued to spank Erin at the same pace as the slave girls masturbated furiously both watching and deriving pleasure from her suffering. Lisa seeing that they would not last much longer said, "If I let you cum now, I will continue to spank this slave. If you wait, I will stop her suffering."

"Please Mistress let us cum now," pleaded the frantic slaves in unison.

"Very well, you have permission to cum now!" said Lisa. With the word 'now' both slaves cried out in orgasm, the tattoos on their cheeks turning black. "It seems you have few friends, even among your own kind," said Lisa to Erin as she continued to lightly spank her. Erin could feel her buttocks becoming hot from Lisa's blows, each new contact of her hand sending an ache through her body. Libra hung a small weight on the chain connecting the nipple clips and then lightly slapped Erin's breast. The weight bobbed on the chain, tugging on her sore nipples sending a dull throb of pain and pleasure through her body.

Libra bent over and gently taking one of Erin's swollen vaginal lips in her hand, placed a metal clip on it, squeezing the tender and delicate flesh. She then repeated the process with the other lip. Erin's vulva throbbed with near pain at the application of the clips and she moaned, more tears falling down her cheeks. Libra then took a large vibrator shaped like a dildo and parted Erin's swollen pussy and inserted the device into her vagina. Standing to the right and behind her, Libra began to strike Erin's right buttock while Lisa continued to strike her left. Occasionally, either Lisa or Libra would slap one of her breasts.

The effect of these ministrations was to hold Erin's body in a throb that bordered on the knife-edge between pleasure and pain. Erin moaned in her suffering, her mind teetering on emotional collapse, as tears rolled down her tattooed cheeks. Libra seeing that Erin was close to physical and mental collapse reach down with her right hand and lightly started to massage her clitoris with her fingers. Whispering in Erin's ear she said, "You can have permission to cum, but only a true slave would ask under these conditions."

Libra's masturbation of Erin was enough to tilt the balance between pain and pleasure towards pleasure. Erin moaned and unable to control herself cried out, "Please Mistress, give me permission to cum."

"You must admit that you are a slave, that you have always wanted to be one, and always will be a slave," said Libra.

Erin's mind snapped and she heard herself saying, "Yes Mistress, I always wanted to be a slave and be punished and I will always be one. Please, please Mistress can I cum?"

"You have permission to cum, now slave!" said Libra.

Erin moaned and cried out, "Oh God, no! It feels so good. God no!" Her whole body shuddered and the tattoos on her face turned jet black. Erin flushed in embarrassment at what she had done and a dull ache of pleasure swept her body from head to toe. The intensity of her orgasm was so great that she swooned at the peak of her climax and then passed out.

Lisa and Libra smiled at each other and kissed passionately. Looking towards the tunic-clad slaves and nodding at Erin, Lisa said, "Revive her!"

One of the slaves picked up a bucket of water and threw it on Erin's face. Erin gasped and shuddered, but remained limp in her chains, her arms supporting her weight. Libra went over to her and grabbed her chin in her hands, bringing her face upwards so she could see her eyes. Erin's eyes rolled upwards and she moaned softly. Libra shook her head, but Erin did not respond. "Take her to her cell, she's had enough, said Libra to the slave girls.

The slave's unfastened Erin and, each taking an arm, dragged her away. "Is she alright?" asked Lisa.

"Yes," said Libra. "We'll see how she responds tomorrow."

****************************

The next day, Laura walked unceremoniously into Alex's dungeon office. "We have a problem Mistress," she began. "The diapered slave Erin, I can't get her to respond. She is just sitting in her cell staring blankly at the wall, mumbling something unintelligibly."

"Did you call the medtech?" asked Alexandra calmly.

"Yes Mistress, she's with her now. But has not been able to get her to respond," said Laura looking concerned. "Mistresses Lisa and Libra are scheduled to use her tonight."

"Damn!" said Alex. "Not another one. What did those two do to her last night?"

"I don't know. She was placed in her cell when they were finished with her last night by two slaves. I found her like this when I went to get her this morning."

"Great!" said Alex rising and walking toward the entrance. "Just what I need, more problems with the diapered slaves. April is going to be livid when she hears about this." Alex walked quickly to Erin's cell with Laura in tow. Jan stood at attention eyes down cast, outside, waiting. Alex brushed past her and a couple of slaves standing outside Erin's cell door and went inside. "How is she?" demanded Alex of the technician.

"I think she is in a state of withdrawal. A sort of shock," said the technician.

"How about physically?" asked Alex.

"Fine," said the medtech. "I checked her out and she's physically OK."

"What do you suggest?" said Alex.

"Give her a few days and see if she snaps out of it. Otherwise, send her to a psychtech for a wipe or adjustment," said the technician.

"Great!" said Alex walking out. "Take her to the common area. Maybe seeing the others might help. In the mean time, I need to talk to Mistress April."

****************************

"Yes!" said April annoyed at the interruption. She was trying to finish up some routine Zax administrative business before her session that evening with Venus.

"I need to speak with you, Mistress," said Alex, "it's urgent."

April looked up at the image of the Headmistress, surprised. The castle was relatively quiet after the party and nothing was planned for at least a month. "Urgent?"

"Yes Mistress," said Alex, "it concerns the slave Erin. She is ill."

"Well, then have a medical technician look at her. Do you need to bother me with every detail of managing the slaves?" said April angrily.

"Sorry Mistress, but I've already done that. It's not a physical problem," said Alex.

"Not physical. Then what the..." began April trailing off has she remembered that Libra and Lisa had used Erin last night and had experimented with Libra's new techniques. "Damn!" she said recovering. Katrina had warned her to be careful with the new diapered slaves, especially when it came to Libra. Her techniques were just too new and untested, and she had driven other slaves over the edge in the past. Most had recovered, but a few had been semi-permanently damaged, and had to be taken out of service for extended periods before they had sufficiently recovered to be used again.

"What did the medtech recommend?" said April.

"Give her a few days then send her to a psychtech. Possible mind wipe or adjustment," said Alex.

"Double Damn!" said April, still angry. This was bad, very bad. Mind wipes and adjustments were high risk. They could easily loose Erin. Katrina and the board were going to be very displeased. "Get someone here immediately," said April. "Don't wait. I want this fixed. Lisa and Libra are not to experiment with any more slaves, especially the diapered ones."

"Yes Mistress," said Alex. "I already took the liberty of calling a psychtech. She'll be here tomorrow morning."

"Very good. Keep me posted!" said April.

"Yes Mistress," said Alex flickering off.

****************************

Erin sat between Jan and Pam in the resting room staring blankly at the floor and whispering something that neither woman could make out. Kelly stood in front of her and said, "Erin, it's me Kelly. What's wrong?"

But Erin only stared at the floor and whispered. All three women were concerned about Erin and had worried looks on their faces. Laura had dropped her off earlier and told them to stay with her and try to talk to her. Pam, risking punishment, had asked, "Mistress Laura, what happened to her?"

Laura had ignored the breach of protocol and said, "Mistresses Lisa and Libra had a session with her last night. I found her like this, this morning. There's a psychtech on the way. She'll be here in the morning. In the mean time, stay with her and see if she snaps out of this. If she does, let me know immediately." Laura left looking concerned, which frightened the three slaves. Such an uncharacteristic display of concern by a Mistress over the welfare of a slave, could only mean one thing, Erin had been seriously hurt.

The three slaves stroked Erin's arms and back and tried talking to her, but Erin remained in her own world. "Has there been any word from Erin's friends?" asked Jan hoping that they might be able to do something to free her.

"I'm afraid they're too late," said Pam sadly. "I'm afraid we're all too late."

****************************

The next morning, Cathy's image flashed into Ellen's office, "Got a minute?" she asked.

"Sure," said Ellen looking up. "Got something?"

"Yes," said Cathy. "I worked through the night and re-ran some diagnostic tools on the personas. I found something very interesting."

"Great!" Ellen said becoming excited. "Let me get Cassandra."

"I think you should come to the University," said Cathy. "I don't want this going over the open net."

"OK," said Ellen hesitantly. "Give us half an hour and we'll be there."

"Very good," said Cathy flickering off.

Forty-five minutes later Ellen and Cassandra were sitting in Cathy's office as she explained what she had found. "I started thinking about the relationship between the term map and the personas," Cathy explained. "As I mentioned before, there are all kinds of mappings that are involved in generating a persona: the mapping of algorithms, templates, and memories, to name just a few. This is a pretty broad territory to search."

"So what did you do to narrow it down?" asked Ellen.

"Nothing really, I started thinking about how mappings are used with doppelgangers and something began to nag me, in the back of my mind. Something about the word 'map'. I went back to look at some of the early articles about the subject, when I found this," said Cathy handing a hard copy of a journal article to Cassandra and Ellen. It read: "A Method For Annexing Virtual Personalities By Mari A Puttam PhD. Blue Onyx Corporation."

The women scanned the abstract and Cassandra said, "I'm afraid this is beyond my technical grasp."

"Yes, yes," said Cathy. "But look at the author."

"Mari A Puttam," said Ellen, "M A P, map."

"Correct," said Cathy. "She was the first to propose a method of taking over a persona. Mari is a pioneer in the field and one of the top researchers at Blue Onyx. She is well known in the field."

"Interesting," said Ellen. "So you think it was Mari, April was referring to?"

"With out a doubt," said Cathy. "I went back and read her early papers and then some of her more recent work. It seems her original idea was to implant a secondary personality at the time of creation. Sort of a dual personality, if you will. At a predetermined time, the second personality would take control and do its assigned task, then submerge itself back into the persona."

"What exactly does that mean?" asked Ellen.

"Well" explained Cathy, "as you know a persona is a sort of snapshot of a person's mind created to perform a specific task. It contains the recent memories of its originator and whatever other information is required to perform its assignment. After the task is complete, the persona's 'memories' are transferred back to its originator. Information can only be transferred back to the person from whom the persona was created. What Mari was able to show, was that it's possible to merge two personas together at the time of their creation. The result is a hybrid containing the memories of both persons."

"OK" said Ellen. "I'm with you so far."

"The hybrid persona has a sort of dual personality. The primary personality constitutes the persona's outward appearance, so to speak."

"You mean it would look like Erin, say when interacting with other people or other personas" said Cassandra.

"Yes" said Cathy. "The secondary personality however can take over and redirect the primary away from its intended task to another task. When this task is performed, the two personalities merge, along with their memories."

"So the hybrid persona ends up with the combined memories of the two people it was created from" said Ellen.

"Yes" said Cathy "and these appear as the memories belonging to the primary."

"But wouldn't this be detected when persona's memories are transferred back?" asked Cassandra.

"Typically, yes" answered Cathy, "if one assumes that there was a transfer."

"I see" said Cassandra. "So in Erin's case is it possible to determine if the transfer happened?"

"No, it's not possible in general, at least from looking at the persona. One would need to examine the memories of the person to whom the persona transferred its information."

Ellen frowned. "So how does that help us then?"

"Well one way of examining a person's memories is to look at the memories of a persona created by that person."

"Isn't this taking us in a circle?" asked Cassandra.

"No, since we have three personas created sequentially and at different times, to examine" answered Cathy.

"I see" said Cassandra getting excited. "You can examine Erin's three personas and see if there is a logical progression of memory."

"Yes, exactly" Cathy said "and that's what I did."

"Huh?" Ellen said. "You lost me."

"Look at it this way" said Cathy, "if you create a persona of yourself on, say Monday, and then another on Tuesday, you would expect that Tuesday's persona would contain Monday's memories, just as your own mind would."

"Yes, right" said Ellen.

"However if Monday's memories are not there, then something must be terribly wrong."

"I see" said Ellen.

"There are other possibilities which present even worse dilemmas. For example, one could find Tuesday's memories in Monday's persona, which of course is completely impossible" continued Cathy.

"Or, in the case of the hybrid, one could find memories of things which the person did not know at the time" added Cassandra, enumerating yet another impossibility.

"Exactly" said Cathy and those memories could only have come from another person."

"So you're saying that if one of Erin's personas contained memories of something she couldn't have known about at the time, then the persona must have been a hybrid."

"Yes" Cathy said.

"Is it possible to identify the other person used to create the hybrid?" asked Cassandra.

"Yes, indirectly" answered Cathy. "Remember the hybrid persona will contain the recent memories of both persons. These will appear to belong to only one person, but there is going to be a lot of very detailed memories from the other person in there as well. In fact Mari pointed this out in her original paper. The difficult part is separating them out."

"So can you do that?" asked Ellen.

"In most cases, no" said Cathy. "One needs to examine the content of the memories themselves and look for the kind of inconsistencies we discussed."

"But I take it you found some of these inconsistencies in Erin's personas" said Cassandra.

"Yes, I did in fact" said Cathy.

Ellen and Cassandra looked at each other excitedly. "And?" said Ellen.

"Well when I looked at the memories of the first persona I found Erin's memories about the details of the account and transaction. They were consistent with her version of events."

"That's not very helpful" commented Ellen.

"Actually, it's more helpful than you might think" said Cathy "as I will explain."

"How so?" asked Cassandra.

"When I examined the memories of the second and third personas and compared them to the first, that's when things got interesting" said Cathy.

"How's that?" asked Cassandra.

"Well first of all there are an awful lot of memories about Lisa. This is, at first glance is not unexpected since Lisa was Erin's assistant and they were engaged to be married. One would naturally expect that a significant portion of Erin's memories would therefore concern Lisa."

"Her again!" said Ellen. "I can't say I am surprised!"

"Yes, it was your message from Erin about Lisa that alerted me however" said Cathy. "I therefore started to examine these memories. What I found was quite surprising as well as interesting."

"Let me guess" said Cassandra "Lisa knew things that Erin couldn't have known and you found them."

"Not exactly" said Cathy "things are not quite that simple. What you have to understand is that if Lisa's persona was merged with Erin's (that is she was the doppelganger), then her memories appear as memories of conversations between her and Erin, as perceived by Erin."

"OK" said Cassandra.

"This is why it's difficult to determine which memories belong to which person. When looking through the memories from the second and third personas there are lots of memories of Lisa talking with April and Candy. These appear as vivid memories belonging to Erin where she listens to Lisa telling her about the details of her conversations with April and Candy."

"Did you find anything incriminating in these conversations between Lisa and April?" asked Ellen.

"Yes and no" said Cathy. "April was careful not to discuss matters directly, at least with Lisa. There are instructions however about creating personas at particular times and tasking them to transfer funds to an unspecified location" answered Cathy.

"We have them then!" said Ellen.

"Not exactly" replied Cathy. "We need to be careful here. The conversations are very suspicious, I agree, but I think Cassandra would also agree that without specific details, April and company could probably come up with very plausible alternative explanations that would, in the very least, cast severe doubt on any accusation that we might make."

"I must unfortunately agree" said Cassandra, "though I'd like to see for myself."

"Of course" said Cathy "I can send you the data."

"So what do we have then?" said Ellen, exasperated.

"This" said Cathy, "all of Erin's memories after the first transfer are of conversations between her and Lisa."

Cathy smiled and paused for effect. Ellen and Cassandra looked at each other and Ellen said "You mean..."

"Exactly" said Cathy. "Put another way, Erin's second and third personas, and therefore Erin herself, had no memories that do not involve Lisa for the time period after the creation of the first persona. I found this out by comparing the memories from the second and third personas with the first. If you subtract the two, you are only left with memories of conversations that involve Lisa."

"But that means..." said Cassandra.

"That either Erin spent every waking moment with Lisa (which is impossible, especially since it was well known that they did not live together), or the memories all belong to Lisa" said Cathy.

"Unbelievable!" said Ellen.

"Yes, quite so" agreed Cathy. "They made the mistake of reusing Erin's persona from the first transaction for the other two. As a result, it had no memories for her life between these events, which is quite impossible, at least if they had been created by Erin."

Ellen and Cassandra looked at each other and smiled, for the first time in months. "We have them then" said Cassandra.

"Yes, I believe so" said Cathy. "I not versed in the law, but I think you can make a very convincing case."

"More than convincing" Cassandra reassured her.

"One other thing" said Cathy "I am sure you will find the same anomalies in the personas supposedly used by Erin's friend Jan in the crimes she is accused of committing. I am willing to bet you will find either April's or Candy's memories in her personas."

"I'll see if I can get her personas" said Cassandra.

"Good" said Cathy.

"I think we need to be very careful here" said Ellen. "I agree that Cathy's evidence is quite damning but there are some very powerful players involved here."

"Like Blue Onyx?" Cathy said.

"And Katrina Felte, not to mention Zax and all the people behind it" said Ellen. "This is explosive. At a minim this sort of evidence will shake the entire financial system. I don't think Katrina and the government is going to sit by as we have our day in court. They are sure to hush us up, and quick, the second they get wind of what Cathy's found."

"That's true," said Cassandra. "However, remember, our objective is to free Erin. Instead of using it legally we could use it to strike a deal with Zax. The government might be able to hush us up as you say, but not without risking us leaking what we have. I especially don't think Katrina would welcome the possibility of publicity since it involves Blue Onyx."

"Good point," said Ellen, "but what are you suggesting."

"A trade," said Cassandra, "or if you wish to use a cruder term, blackmail."

****************************

The next day, Katrina's assistant walked into her office carrying a large envelope and said, "This arrived for you by special delivery."

Katrina raised her eyebrows. It was most unusual for some one to actually send hardcopies anymore. She looked at the envelope for the sender: Ellen King, of World Insurance. "Very good," said Katrina taking the envelope. When her assistant left she opened the package and examined the contents. A short while later she called her assistant. "Get Ellen King of World Insurance for me" she said.

A few moments later, Ellen's image flashed into existence in front of her saying, "Hello Katrina, an honor. How can I help you?"

"Don't be coy. You know damn well how you can help me," replied Katrina icily, coming directly to the point.

"I guess, you're right," said Ellen. "Let's get to business. I suggest we meet tomorrow at Zax Castle, unless you wish to discuss this over the net."

"No. The castle will be fine. I'll send a transport for you at ten," said Katrina.

"Very good, see you about noon then," said Ellen.

"Yes," said Katrina, breaking the connection. "Get me a transport," she said to her assistant. "I'm going to Zax Castle."

"Checkmate," said Ellen to Cassandra, and both women smiled at the other.
Chapter 10: Punishment

The transport arrived promptly at ten and Ellen, Cassandra, and Cathy boarded it for the two-hour ride to Zax Island. Cassandra had done some research on Mari the previous day and shared her results as they traveled. "It seems that Mari left Blue Onyx about three months ago. She acts as a consultant for them now, but she spends most of her time on an island in the Caribbean," said Cassandra.

"How pleasant," Cathy said sarcastically. "And I suppose she's retired or something?"

"Not exactly," said Cassandra. "She's retired alright, but it seems she made a killing in the stock market about six months ago, just after Erin's supposed crime."

"Yet another coincidence," said Ellen.

"Exactly," said Cassandra "in fact a little too coincidental. Seems the money came from some very high-risk hyper-derivatives Blue Onyx was trading. Considering that the woman never invested in anything more risky than a bond in the past, I'd say this is highly curious, at best."

"Or a pay-off," said Ellen.

"Exactly," said Cassandra. "In addition, she's pretty much an introvert. No marriages, girlfriends, or lovers. At least that I could find. Not the sort of personality to suddenly start taking such a gamble."

"It does seem very odd, indeed," agreed Cathy.

"And there's more. Seems April was the one who managed her accounts, invested the money, the whole ball of wax. At the very least, this is a pretty clear-cut case of insider trading. April gets a tip from Katrina, uses the knowledge to pay-off Mari, makes the whole thing look legitimate," said Cassandra.

"About as legitimate as a three sided square," said Ellen.

"Yeah," added Cathy, "with each side a different length."

An hour and a half later, the transport landed on the lawn in front of the castle's main entrance. They were met by Laura, who greeted them in a business-like manner, "Good afternoon ladies. I hope you had a pleasant trip. If you will follow me please I will take you to Mistress Katrina."

Ellen, Cassandra, and Cathy exited the transport and followed Laura into the castle. Laura took them to a lift that brought them to the top floor. The three women followed her down a hallway and into a large office located in a turret of the castle with a view of the island and the sea. Katrina was in the room with April and she said, "Please come in and be seated."

Ellen, Cassandra, and Cathy sat in three large red leather chairs facing Katrina, who sat in a similar chair behind a wooden desk. April sat off to the side of the desk near Katrina looking grave. Katrina began by holding up the package Ellen had sent and said, "A very interesting collection of information you sent me."

"More than interesting, I would think," said Ellen.

"Possibly," said Katrina, "but I guess that depends on what you intend to do with it."

"Not what, but who," said Ellen, it being her turn to be coy.

"Yes, of course," said Katrina, not to be undone. "What do you propose?"

"We leave it as just that, an interesting collection of information," said Ellen.

"And in exchange?" asked Katrina.

"You free the four diapered slaves in your possession," said Ellen.

Katrina smiled and said, "Surely you realize that they are not mine to free. They are owned by Zax, and as such, the board would have to initiate and approve such a generous action."

"I think you should be able to persuade them," said Ellen.

"Or else?" said Katrina.

"Or else, another package, very similar to the one you are holding, will find its way to the FIS," said Ellen "and onto the net."

"Of course," said Katrina. "I've had my counsels look this over and they tell me that, although the contents are very persuasive, it would be problematical, at best, to convince a judicial panel of its truth."

"Possibly," said Cassandra. "But I think the net-news would have a field day, especially considering that Blue Onyx is involved. At the very least, its leadership would be called into question, for placing the entire financial system at risk."

"You could never prove I knew anything about this," said Katrina.

"I don't think I would have to," said the counselor. "It appears that Mari Puttam is sitting on an island in the Caribbean with a very large bank account, thanks to April here."

"Listen, if..." began April. But Katrina, looked at her, cutting her off.

"Pray, continue," Katrina said.

"Cathy has some pretty clear evidence that Mari and April were directly involved in corrupting the personas. This directly ties Blue Onyx to the case, as well as Zax. I'm not an expert on personas, of course, but Cathy here tells me the evidence clearly shows there was tampering. She also tells me that Mari was the person who authored this technique. Taken with her new found wealth, well... I think you get the picture."

"Ah! Dr. Long," said Katrina. "You're very well known yourself."


"Thank, you," said Cathy, nodding her head. "You must have run the report Ellen sent you by our experts, what did they say?"

Katrina didn't answer, instead she said. "Your points are well taken, ladies. Lets say for a moment that I could do what you asked for, then what would prevent you from just turning all this over to the FIS, afterwards?"
"Good point," said Cassandra. "However, if Blue Onyx or Zax were put me on retainer and I was to hire Ellen and Cathy as consultants, then we would be prevented from making any such disclosure."

"Excellent," said Katrina. "And what exactly do you propose being retained for?"

"Well, Erin and the rest are going to require rehabilitation after their ordeal. Of course, Zax will want to establish an account, say four or five million, to take care of this. I propose, that you appoint us as the trustee's," said Cassandra.

"With the usual safeguards, etcetera," added Katrina.

"Of course," replied Cassandra.

"Such as this," said Katrina, handing a lengthy document to Cassandra. Cassandra started looking through the document, flipping pages and reading the details. After a few moments she looked up.

"More or less," she said. "Of course, you will have to give me time to go over this in detail."

"But, of course," said Katrina. "I've prepared rooms for you in the cottages. Time however is short. I cannot afford to wait too long on this since one never knows what might happen. I will therefore need your answer by ten tomorrow morning."

"OK," said Cassandra.

"Then good day ladies," said Katrina, rising.

"Wait," said Ellen, "I would like to see Erin."

"I'm afraid you will have to wait till I have your answer," said Katrina. "I do not wish to have any complications."

Ellen was taken aback by her reply, but there was nothing she could do, so she sighed and said, "Very well, tomorrow."

The women were met by Laura at the door and taken to the cottages. Their rooms were next to each other, and after settling in, the three gathered in Cassandra's room. "What do you think?" said Ellen.

"I think Katrina knows when she's cornered, but I also think that she's a couple of steps ahead of us. It's clear that she has thought this through very carefully. I need several hours to read this through."

"OK," said Ellen, "we'll tour the grounds, while you work."

"Right," said Cassandra.

Ellen and Cathy left and spent the next several hours walking though the castle garden and grounds. Ellen filled Cathy in on more of the details of their visit and some of the details of the information in Cassandra's report to Katrina.

****************************

In the castle turret Katrina and April were also having a discussion. "I can't believe, you are just going to give them away," said April.

"My dear," said Katrina, "one must know when to cut one's losses. It is most likely that we could win any legal fight, however, the publicity would be murder."

"You mean, your losses," said April, angrily.

"No, I mean Zax's losses," said Katrina. "Yes this would be very bad for Blue Onyx, and I could even loose my appointment, though I doubt that. In addition, any turmoil caused to the financial system would most certainly be brief and easily dispelled. People wish, no need, to believe in its fundamental soundness, and as such will be more than willing to accept any plausible explanation that confirms this belief."

"Worse and not as easily dispelled," continued Katrina, "will be the unwanted attention the news will generate. With regards to Zax, this would bring the whole slavery issue up again for public discussion. There are strong advocates for eliminating, or at least limiting it. What is much more likely is that there would be a search for a scapegoat, resulting in numerous and lengthy inquires into Zax's business practices which would likely result in its having to surrender most, if not all, of the slaves in its possession. Even if Zax somehow managed to survive such unwelcome scrutiny and keep some of its slaves, its power and influence would be severely if not irreplaceably damaged. At a minimum, the more influential membership would feel threatened and be forced to flee."

"I see," said April. "But you're still talking about giving away half a billion or more in assets here. I don't think the board is going to go along with that, at least not easily."

"Perhaps, but as I just pointed out, the alternative is even worse. Besides the loss might be quickly and easily recovered," said Katrina.

"What?" said April surprised. "It took us six months and a lot of trouble, the first time. Now you're saying we can just find new slaves, how?"

"Think!" said Katrina. "Remember when we first talked about this and you were worried about the risks."

"Yes," said April, hesitantly. "You said to employ decoys. But we haven't used any..."

"Well, maybe its time," said Katrina.

"I don't understand," said April.

"Simple," said Katrina sighing. "A decoy is used to draw attention away to buy time so you can obtain your objectives while your adversary is wasting her time. In this case, we can use the existing slaves as decoys. Let Ellen and her friends have Erin and the others. While they are busy with all the legal details and such, we lock them into a situation where they are neutralized and then convert the assets we used to obtain Erin and Jan into new slaves."

April looked at Katrina in shock. "You mean Candy, Lisa, and Mari?" she asked.

"Yes," said Katrina. "Cassandra has done our work for us. Libra can step in and close the proceedings since the security of the financial system is involved, case closed. She can even arrange a private auction. In the end no one cares if the slaves in the dungeon are named Erin, Jan, and Kelly or Candy, Lisa, and Mari."

"You truly are the Headmistress," said April. "But that still leaves us one slave down."

"True, but we will get all of Mari's money. We can get by, until a new slave comes on the market," said Katrina.

"Yes, I suppose we can," said April.

****************************

That evening after dinner, Ellen and Cathy talked to Cassandra about the agreement from Katrina that she had spent the afternoon digesting. "So what's the deal?" asked Cathy.

"It's surprisingly straight forward. Zax sells the four slaves to Ellen and sets up a trust account with her as the trustee. She can't touch the trust unless she frees the slaves. In addition, I sign a retainer and employ both of you as consultants. This effectively keeps us from telling anyone. And I mean anyone," explained Cassandra.

"What happens if we do?" asked Cathy.

"All kinds of bad things; essentially, if you don't want to be wearing diapers, you'd better keep your mouth shut," said Cassandra.

"OK," said Ellen, "but what's the catch."

"Nothing, except that we all agree to make ourselves available to support Blue Onyx and Zax in any legal proceedings regarding this matter," said Cassandra.

"That's odd," said Ellen. "Why would they wish to do that? The whole point is to avoid legal proceedings."

"Yeah," said Cathy, "I agree. That is odd!"

"Possibly," said Cassandra "but so what? In the worst case we would testify against April and company. Inconvenient maybe, but not exactly a problem, either. In any event, do we have a choice?"

"No, I guess not," said Ellen, "but I still don't like it. Katrina has something up her sleeve. I just hope it's not us."

The three women talked awhile longer, but in the end, agreed that there was little choice, if they were to free Erin and the others.

The next morning at ten, they gathered in Katrina's office and signed the agreement. "Can we see Erin and the others, now?" said Ellen.

"Of course, they are your property now after all," said Katrina. "Laura is bringing them up to the transport. I'm sure you'll want to get them back as soon as possible."

"Yes, of course," said Ellen.

"If that's all, ladies, I have a busy day, so I'll bid you farewell," said Katrina rising and walking towards the door.

"Good day," said Ellen. The three women walked to the transport where Laura stood by the open door, waiting.

"A safe trip," she said, helping them aboard. When all three were inside, Laura close the door and the transport rose and headed back towards the mainland to World.

****************************

Inside Cassandra, Cathy, and Ellen found the four slaves, still bare-breasted and diapered. Pam sat with her arms around Erin who rested her head on her shoulder, eyes closed. "Is she OK?" asked Ellen.

"Better, but not OK," said Pam.

"What happened to her?" asked Cathy going over to Erin and taking her hand.

"Mistress Lisa and Libra used her a couple of nights ago. When they were done, she was in a state of shock. A medtech looked at her and said she was physically unharmed but needed a psychtech. The psychtech came yesterday and gave her some medicine. She's better, but sleeps almost all the time. I think she's in a deep depression and might need more help," said Pam.

"Damn!" said Ellen.

"Erin, it's me. Cathy," said Cathy, stroking Erin's hand. "Its OK, we're going home. You're not a slave any more."

Erin opened her eyes and looked at Cathy. "Cathy?" she said.

"Yes, it's me," said Cathy. "You're on a transport, headed home."

"Thanks," said Erin who closed her eyes and fell back to sleep.

"She might be OK after all," said Pam. "She's tough. Thanks for getting her out of there. Thanks for getting us all out of there."

"It was the least we could do," said Cassandra.

****************************

Two hours later, the transport landed at World and Ellen took the four slaves to her residence along with Cathy and Cassandra. Cathy called a friend at the University who specialized in mental disorders and she arrived at Ellen's about half an hour later. After examining Erin, she gave some medication to Ellen and said, "Give her these for a week. They will alleviate her depression. Then send her to a psychtech for therapy. I don't know if she'll be as good as new, but she should be able to make a satisfactory recovery. In the mean time let her rest." With that the woman left.

Ellen showed Pam, Jan, and Kelly to the spare rooms in her large residence. "Here are some clothes," she said handing the women some tee shirts and shorts. Tomorrow we'll go shopping," said Ellen.

"I haven't worn clothes in 15 years," said Pam taking the shorts and tee shirt. "I'm not sure I know what to do with these."

"Looks like you all might need some therapy," said Cassandra.

"Yeah," I guess so," said Pam.

Ellen settled the four women into their rooms. Erin was sleeping, so the six women ate dinner and talked. After awhile, their mood brightened as Kelly, Jan, and Pam began to realize that they were actually free. Soon the mood became jovial and the six women were laughing as they conversed. It was well into the next day, before Cathy and Cassandra left and Ellen and the others went to bed. "Thanks so much," said Pam with tears in her eyes. "I just can't get over it!"

****************************

The next few days were busy for Ellen and her new charges. After shopping for clothing, Ellen took Kelly, Jan, and Pam to see a therapist. Within a few days they had permanently discarded their diapers and were wearing clothes again. Ellen also took them to a medtech to remove their tattoos and control devices and to restore their body hair. She also had Cassandra draw up papers freeing the four women.

Pam, Kelly, and Jan decided to keep the end of the elongated S of the tattoo on their right cheeks as a symbol of their shared ordeal. Ellen consulted the therapist about this, and she advised her to go along. It would be a while before they were mentally whole again. Ellen went along reluctantly, and the tattoos became the focus of a substantial amount of humor and joking.

Erin's progress was substantially slower. Over the next several weeks she progressed to the point where the others had in just a few days. By the end of two months she was well enough to participate in the normal activities of everyday life. However, she remained distant and was prone to drifting off during lapses in conversation or when by herself. Again, the therapist advised Ellen to be patient. "Be happy she did not require a mind wipe," she said.

Erin had agreed to keep the end of the S on the tattoo on her right cheek like the others and insisted on keeping her hair short, also. Over time, the four former slaves became inseparable. One day Ellen announced, "Its time for you ladies to start living on your own again. I consulted the therapist and she agreed. I rented a small four bedroom residence near by," she said handing four keys to the women.

Kelly and Jan jumped with excitement and grabbed the keys, hugging each other. Pam thanked Ellen and said, "Thanks Ellen. We'll never be able to repay you!"

As the women were leaving, Erin ran up to Ellen and hugged her. "Thanks," she said, "You saved my life." The two women embraced for a long while and when they separated, both had tears in their eyes. Erin left without looking back, afraid if she did so she would break down and not be able to summon the strength to leave.

****************************

Erin felt stronger each day, but she knew that she would never return to her former self. The final session with Lisa and Libra remained a confused blur and the source of many nightmares. The therapist said it would probably take years before she fully recovered, but that she was making good progress. Erin had a hard time leaving Ellen in whose debt she would forever remain. But she also knew that she must become independent again. The four women shared a common bond that was beyond description. They were more than sisters, lovers, or spouses and would always remain so.

A few weeks after moving into their shared residence, Erin, Kelly, Pam, and Jan sat together lounging in the common room after dinner. They had been talking about what they had been taught as slaves about pleasuring women. The conversation had started innocently enough as they discussed their shared experience at the castle. Kelly had steered the talk in this direction and the four had giggled like schoolgirls when the subject came up. After awhile Kelly said, "You know it's been a couple of months since I've had an orgasm."

"And it's been years since I had sex," said Pam. The four women laughed, but Pam and Kelly ended up looking at each other and smiling. "Why not," said Pam, "it's not like we need permission!"

This brought another round of hysterical laughter, but Kelly stood up and took Pam's hand saying, "shall we?"

Pam stood up and said, "Ladies?"

Erin looked down, suddenly embarrassed. Pam went over to her and touched her cheek. "It's OK Erin. One day you'll be ready." With that, Pam and Kelly walked off towards the bedrooms, hand in hand.

Jan went over to Erin and sat on the floor in front of her. "What's wrong Erin?"

"Its, well, you know," began Erin blushing.

"Because you're a virgin?" said Jan.

"Yes," said Erin whispering.

Jan smiled and said, "Well, so am I, remember? At least if you can call anybody who's been through what we have, 'virgins'."

Erin looked up, and her eyes brightened. "You're right!" she said, a small laugh escaping from her as she smiled.

"Shall we?" said Jan standing up and holding out her hand.

"Well, it's not like we need permission!" said Erin standing and smiling. Both women laughed and headed towards the bedrooms.

They ended up in Jan's room where they quickly disrobed. Erin's pubic hair had just started growing in and was short and stubby. She rubbed herself and said, "I forgot what it was like to have hair."

Jan smiled and said, "Me too." She embraced Erin and soon both women were kissing.

"Well, lets take care of this virgin thing, once and for all," said Erin, putting her head between Jan's legs as they laid on the bed.

"Absolutely!" said Jan running her tongue over Erin's vulva and feeling the hair scratch her nose. Soon both women were too busy to talk as they moaned in pleasure. Erin came first, crying out, "Oh Jan, I'm coming. It feels so good. Oh God!"

Jan came a moment later moaning, "Oh God. Erin you feel so good."

When they were done, Erin looked at Jan's face and touched the remains of the black tattoo on her cheek, running her finger over and around it. Jan grabbed her hand and kissed the palm. "You were wonderful!" she said.

"You weren't so bad yourself," said Erin. Jan touched the tattoo on her cheek and Erin reciprocated by kissing her hand also. Both women embraced and fell to sleep in each others arms.

****************************

Mari lay on the beach sunning herself. She had been on the island for five months now and decided to settle down and stay. She had placed an offer on a small beach-front property on the north side. This had set her back ten million, but she still had ninety or so left, more than enough to last her the rest of her life. The deal with April had been a combination of good luck and skill. She had worked all her life, no sacrificed her life, to develop the doppelganger process. She had been in the right place at the right time, for once.

At first she had been reluctant, but April had been very persuasive. Plus the fact, there was really no risk. Now she was rich beyond her wildest dreams. It was too bad that she couldn't publish her results, but one couldn't have everything. Maybe one day, it would be safe, but if not, hey she had the money, at least.

Soon she would look for a lover, maybe a spouse. Mari had spent her whole life obsessed with work. At thirty-two she had never had a lover and was still a virgin. This disturbed her, but only slightly. After all, she wasn't ugly. At five-two she was petite, with medium breasts and brown hair. Not a beauty, but definitely not ugly. No, Mari's problem was social, rather than physical. She was introverted and shy. But, there was nothing that money would not solve here. The right match-making agency and soon she would be hitched.

As she was pondering her future, Mari noticed the light from the sun which was striking her closed eyelids, suddenly darken. Opening her eyes, she saw two women in gray business suits, standing over her. Odd, she thought. Why would anyone come to the beach dressed in a business suit?

"Mari Puttam?" said one of the strangers.

"Yes," said Mari sitting up.

"FIS," said the woman, displaying her identification. "We would like to ask you some questions."

****************************

The transport stopped in front of World and Lisa and Candy got off. April would join them tomorrow, but for now it was time to return to work and sort out the accumulated messages and other unattended business of the last month. As Lisa and Candy approached the door, two women in gray suits approached them. The first woman said, "Lisa Tia and Candy Evans?"

"Yes," said Lisa whose reply was echoed by Candy.

"FIS," said the woman displaying her identification. "We would like to ask you some questions."

****************************

Two days later, Candy, Lisa, and Mari stood before Libra in a hearing room downtown. The FIS had pressed charges and the three had been held in detention for the last day. Due to the nature of their alleged crimes, the women were kept in a special isolated facility and were now attending a closed, formal hearing. April entered the room followed by Katrina and both women sat down in the observer section of the room. Besides a couple of bailiffs and a government appointed counsel who stood by the three accused women, no one else was in the room.

"You three stand accused of extreme financial fraud and of subverting the financial system. The evidence against you is substantial. Do you wish to enter a guilty plea at this time?" asked Libra.

"No," said the counsel. "We plead innocent."

"Very well," said Libra. "Are you ready to proceed tomorrow?"

"Yes," said the consul. "I would like to point out, that April Katz is now present."

With that, Libra nodded at the bailiffs who approached April and said, "April Katz?"

"Yes," said April.

"You are under detention as a fellow conspirator in this case, will you please come with us?" said the first bailiff.
April looked at Katrina in shock. "What is this?" she said loudly.

"My dear," said Katrina, "you are one of my decoys."

"Why you no good double crossing bitch!" yelled April rising to her feet and approaching Katrina.

Before April could move another step, the bailiffs grabbed her arms and pulled her backwards. April struggled, but the two policewomen were both stronger and better trained, and April was not able to free herself. Kicking and screaming they dragged her from the room, followed by Candy, Lisa, and Mari. Katrina looked at Libra and smiled. The counsel general winked back and both women stood and exited the room using separate doors.

****************************

That afternoon Cassandra, Ellen, Cathy, Erin, and Jan receive subpoenas to appear at a closed hearing the next day. Cassandra called Erin and Jan and confirmed that they had received the summons. "What's this all about?" said Erin, becoming concerned.

"I'm not sure," said Cassandra, "but we have all been called to testify. Don't worry everything is going to be OK." It took some convincing, but Erin and Jan agreed to meet Cassandra at the hearing room the next morning. Cassandra called Ellen next.

"Yes, I got the summons," said Ellen. "What do you think this is all about?"

"I'm not sure," said Cassandra, "but I think Katrina is about to recoup her losses."

Both women had heard of Candy's and Lisa's detention and had guessed as to the nature of the charges. "If you're correct, we won't be seeing much of Candy or Lisa anymore," said Ellen.

"Is that such a bad thing?" said Cassandra.

****************************

The next morning Cassandra met Erin, Jan, Ellen, and Cathy outside the hearing room. Erin and Jan were nervous while Ellen was annoyed at being summoned. Cathy was curious and glad to see Erin. The two women had not seen each other in over a month, as Cathy had been away. "How are you? You look so much better!" she said as the two embraced.

"I'm much better," said Erin. "How are you?"

"Just fine," said Cathy. "Listen, when this is over, let's get together."

"OK," said Erin, getting a little nervous.

"Don't worry," said Cathy, taking her arm. "It's going to be alright."

"I know," said Erin.

Cathy and Cassandra escorted Erin into the hearing room, followed by Jan and Ellen. The five women took their seats in the spectator area. A few moments later, Katrina walked in and sat down across from Ellen. Ellen looked at her and raised her eyebrows. Katrina smiled and said, "You'll all find this very interesting, and no doubt satisfying."

Ellen's annoyance was replaced by curiosity, but before she could say anything April, Candy, Lisa, and Mari walked in escorted by two bailiffs and followed by their appointed counsel. The women looked grave and did not glance at Ellen, Katrina, and the others. Erin said, "Who's the woman with April and the others?"

"Mari Puttam, I assume," answered Cassandra.

"Who?" Erin asked.

"Mari Puttan," repeated Cassandra. She went on to briefly explain Mari's role in Erin's and Jan's set-up.

"Oh," said Erin when she was done. Erin's nervousness had lessened and she became interested in the proceedings.

A government counsel followed by two FIS agents entered and took their places at the table along with April and the others. Libra Johnson walked in and took her seat at the table and said, "Government case against April Katz, Mari Puttam, Candy Evans, and Lisa Tia is now in session. Defendants are present along with their counsel. The hearing shall now begin with the government."

The government counsel began to state the nature and extent of the charges against the four women. To Erin's surprise, the case sounded very similar to hers. Essentially the four were charged with, "financial conspiracy to subvert the financial system using illegal breaches of virtual security for the purposes of personal financial gain," stated the government counsel.

"That means they used your corrupted persona to have you falsely convicted of fraud so they could buy you as slaves," explained Cassandra to Jan who was looking confused.

The government counsel went on to present the evidence, most of which Cassandra and Ellen had pieced together on their own. The government counsel called Cathy to explain the technical aspects of the corruption of Erin's personas and Cassandra and Ellen to verify that April, Lisa, and Candy had access to the accounts in question. She then called Erin to testify. Erin nervously agreed to tell the truth to the best of her understanding as she took a seat at the hearing table.

"Your name is Erin Brooke?" began the government counsel.

"Yes," said Erin.

"You were the property of Zax Incorporated, serving a life sentence of diapered servitude for financial fraud?


"Yes," said Erin blushing.

"The case resulting in your conviction was the one mentioned previously in these proceedings?"

"Yes."

"And you still maintain your innocence?"

"Yes," said Erin.

The government counsel asked Erin a few more questions and then nodded at the counsel supporting April and the others.

"Will you please explain your current situation?" asked the counsel advocate.

"Objection," said the government counsel before Erin could answer, "not relevant."

"Sustained," said Libra before the other counsel could object.

"Are you still in diapered servitude?"

"Objection!"

"Sustained."

This went on for several more questions and after a brief discussion between Libra and the two counsels it became clear that the advocate's counsel would not be allowed to ask any questions of Erin. "No questions," she finally said.

"Witness dismissed," said Libra. Erin got up and walked back to take her seat among Cassandra and the others. She found the whole situation surreal. The last time she had been in the presence of Libra and Lisa she had been tied up, naked with both women spanking and pleasuring her body simultaneously. Now it was like the episode never happened. Both Libra and Lisa acted as if they were seeing her for the first time. Erin sat down next to Cathy and Cassandra shaking her head as if to clear some strange fog that engulfed her brain.

The government counsel called Jan next and asked her, a similar set of questions. Again the advocate counsel was not allowed to ask her questions and Jan was quickly dismissed. The government introduced some additional documentary evidence and rested its case. The advocate counsel tried to present her case, but objections from the government were quickly raised and sustained by Libra. "Counsel General," the advocate counsel asked in frustration, "exactly what evidence will you allow?"

"The government's case rests largely on circumstantial evidence except for the technical details of the corruption of the personas. Testimony by expert witnesses of the caliber of Cathy Long or Mari Puttam would be welcome as well as any evidence calling into question any of the other details of the case," said Libra.

This left the advocate counsel with a conundrum. She had already questioned Cathy to no avail and calling Mari would expose her to questions by the government counsel. Unfortunately, these were the leading experts in the field. "I'm not aware of any additional experts with such qualifications at this time," said the advocate counsel.

"Do you wish to rest your case then?" asked Libra.

"Unless you are willing to grant time for such experts to be found and consulted," said the beleaguered counsel.

"How much time?" Libra inquired.

"At least several weeks," said the advocate.

"Counsel General," began the government counsel, "this seems excessive considering the fact that the leading experts in the field are present and one of them is at the advocate counsel's disposal and has been for several weeks."

"I am forced to agree," said Libra. "Do you have any additional arguments or evidence, counsel advocate?"

"No," said the advocate.

"Then I declare the evidentiary portion of this hearing closed," said Libra. "I further declare a recess to consider the evidence."

With that, Libra rose and left the hearing room. April and the others talked quietly but intently with their counselor as Erin, Cathy, Cassandra, Ellen, and Jan walked out into the hallway to stretch and talk. "They seem to be ramming this case through," said Cathy to Cassandra.

"Yes," said Cassandra. "Because of the security issues the government's position is very strong. I'm afraid that unless Libra is sympathetic, April and company are in trouble."

"Or more accurately, in diapers," said Ellen. The five women waited for about an hour in the hallway when a bailiff stuck her head out of the door and motioned to them that the hearing was about to resume. Cassandra led the way as they filed back into the room to take their seats. April and her companions were still talking to their counsel as the government counsel stood off to one side, waiting patiently. Libra entered the room and took her seat. With every one settled, she announced, "After a careful consideration of the evidence, I find the defendants guilty as charged."

Lisa and Candy stood with their mouths open in disbelief, while Mari looked down at the table staring blankly at the surface. April stood up and said loudly, "I protest, these proceedings were a sham and..."

But Libra cut her off saying, "Sit down and shut up. If you can't control yourself, I will have the bailiffs remove you." April stopped talking and sat down, glaring angrily at Libra. "That's better," Libra began. "I will now pronounce sentence. Do to the gravity of the crimes I sentence the defendants to diapered-servitude. They are further required to suffer public humiliation within five days and be sold, along with their property at private auction immediately thereafter. This sentence is to be carried out immediately. Case closed."

The two bailiffs were joined by six others and together they surrounded April, Lisa, Candy, and Mari placing handcuffs on the four women. Libra, rose from the table, winked at Katrina and left the room. Katrina nodded at Ellen, who tilted her head at her as she left, using the same door as Libra. April started to kick and scream the minute the bailiffs placed the handcuffs on her, "This is all a scam! She set us up! Just wait, I'll make you all pay!"

The bailiff grabbed her and April shouted, "Get your hands off of me!" But she was no match for the two strong women, especially since she was handcuffed. April struggled fiercely as the bailiffs dragged her towards the door that led to the long hospital-like corridor that Erin remembered all too well. As they reached the door, April managed to wiggle one arm free, and she turned to face the other bailiff, kicking as she struggled to free her other arm. But the bailiff she had escaped from pulled a small black box from her belt and touched it to the back of April's neck. April immediately stiffened and Erin could see water trickling down her leg as she lost control of her bladder. The bailiff replaced the box on her belt and grabbed April, who had stopped struggling, and together both women dragged April through the door.

Lisa, Candy, and Mari meekly followed, any ideas of resistance lost after witnessing what had happened to April. As the women were led away, another woman in a white uniform approached and introduced herself to Erin and Jan. "I'll be your escort" she announced.

"Escort?" said Erin confused.

"Yes. It is your right to witness the humiliation process. I'm here to escort you and answer any questions you may have."

"I don't know," began Erin. "I not sure that..."

But Cassandra interrupted her, "you should go. I talked with your therapist yesterday and she recommends that you at least watch the induction. She says this will help put closure on your ordeal."

"How did you know to ask her?" said Erin. "You couldn't have possibly known this would happen."

"I didn't," said Cassandra, "but lets just say, it was an educated guess. Now go."

Erin hesitated and looked at Jan who said, "Hey, why not. It will be nice to be on the other side of the glass, for once."

"Can the rest of our party come?" asked Erin.

"Of course," said the escort, "bring whom ever you like."

Erin looked at Cassandra and Ellen but Cassandra said, "No. I don't think so, although it would be nice to see April and the rest get what they deserve."

"Same here," said Ellen. "You two go, you've earned it."

Erin looked at Cathy and she said, "Sure, why not," taking Erin's arm, "let's go. Who knows, maybe I can get a paper or something out of this, after all." The five women laughed and Ellen and Cassandra said goodbye. The escort led them down another white hallway to a narrow long room with a glass wall. On the other side, Susan could be seen busily preparing her equipment.

The room had been partitioned into four areas each of which contained the familiar prep table and accompanying equipment. With in a few minutes the bailiffs brought April, Lisa, Candy, and Mari in and removed their handcuffs. Susan separated the four women so they stood next to the partitions separating the prep tables. "Strip!" she barked. "We don't have all day, and it's going to take time to do all four of you. Put your belongings in the plastic containers in front of you."

April looking a bit dazed, probably as a side effect of the stun she had received earlier, started to remove her clothes along with Lisa and Candy. The three women were used to being naked in front of other women and complied without thinking. Mari, on the other hand had never been naked as an adult in front of even a single woman, not to mention four, turned beet red when Susan ordered them to strip and stood frozen, watching the others.

"You too," barked Susan again, looking at Mari. "If you don't get going I'll get the bailiffs back in here and they'll take your clothes off for you. And I'll follow that by a spanking for wasting my time!"

Mari seeing she had no choice started to unbutton her jacket with trembling hands, still flushed with embarrassment. April and the others were naked by the time she reached her bra and panties. "Hurry it up! I'm not going to tell you again!" said Susan. Mari unfastened her bra and her breasts fell out, revealing her erect nipples. She pulled down her panties, placed the undergarments in the container on the table and turned around to see the others watching her. She also noticed Erin, Jan, Cathy, and the escort, and she blushed a deep red with embarrassment.

Susan went over and held up the panties of the four women, noting their wet crotches. When she got to April's panties she said, "You're so excited you peed your pants as well!" This caused April to blush, and she looked down.

Susan repeated the same humiliating cavity search on all four women. April and Lisa let out indignant huffs as Susan searched them. Candy suffered in silence and Mari started crying silently. Susan then repeated the exercise of asking each woman an embarrassing set of questions with instruments in their rectums and vaginas. All four ended up blushing before she was done and each received at least three suppositories. As Susan slowly put away the instruments, April, Lisa, Candy, and Mari each started squeezing their asses and squirming about in an effort to avoid having a messy and embarrassing accident.

By the time she was done, all four were moaning in discomfort and eagerly ran to the prep tables to expel the contents of their bowels. Susan did not have time to strap them all in before they were each shamefully relieving themselves in front of each other as Erin, Jan, and Cathy watched from the next room. "How humiliating!" Cathy said.

"That's nothing," said Erin. "There's worse to come."

Susan then gave each woman two enemas. April, Lisa, and Candy let out indignant moans, but Mari started crying again. But each woman was highly aroused by the lubricants and their natural genetic propensities. Even Mari, who despite herself, was growing frantic for sexual release. Erin could sense this through the glass and said "It seems Nina cut them deeply too."

"Hgh?" said Cathy. But she was too transfixed by the spectacle in the room on the other side of the glass to pursue that matter further with Erin.

When she was done, Susan commented, "I see you are all very turned on by this. Well I'm going to give you a chance to relieve your frustration before we continue. I need to remove the pubic hair from your pussies. But before that, I thought you all might want to masturbate one last time with the pussies of adult free women. Of course you will have to do this in front of each other."

"You might as well go for it, because in a couple of days you will have a much larger audience. And bare pussies, too," continued Susan.

Susan fastened metal cylinders about an inch in diameter and eight inches long with one end tapered to a smooth rounded tip to a horizontal bar. The bar was positioned above each woman's vulva. She coated the cylinders with a generous amount of jelly so that each woman would have to masturbate vigorously to achieve orgasm.

As soon as the make shift phalluses were in place, the women raised their buttocks, plunging their vaginas onto the devices and moving their hips furiously to gain the friction they so desperately needed. The breasts of each woman moved in slow circles with her efforts as each struggled to achieve an orgasm.

Susan taunted them as they worked, "My all of you are excited! And in front of each other, too. How very, very shameful! I can tell you, your audience is watching you masturbate, commenting on your technique."

All four women moaned in excitement as well as shame. Each was aware of the others, and the women on the other side of the glass; all were flushed with both embarrassment and shame as well as with their physical efforts. For Mari, the thought that less than an hour ago, she was fully clothed instead of being so shamefully exposed, coupled with the idea that this would be the last time she would masturbate with hair on her pussy increased her excitement. The shame of loosing her "adult pussy" as Susan put it, further aroused her. Why she could not possibly imagine and this troubled her deeply. But frantic desire had seized control of both her body and mind and she could not control herself. The need to cum was so desperate and all consuming, that Mari could think of nothing else. Within minutes she came along with April, Candy, and Lisa. The orgasms of all four were so intense that each cried out loudly.

"Well, you all really did need that!" exclaimed Susan removing the cylinders. Each woman flushed a deep red with shame at what they had just done. "I hope you all enjoyed that," said Susan. "It's the last time you'll do that with hair on your pussies." Susan then produced an aerosol can and shook it. Taking the cap off she said, "Time to remove all that pubic hair."

Susan spread the depilatory cream on each woman's vulva and soon Erin could see the hair beginning to loosen. When Susan rinsed their pubic areas, each woman's vulva was completely denuded. In short order, Susan installed their control devices while four technicians applied their tattoos and cut their hair. Finished, she led them away to be diapered.

Erin and Jan knew that tonight, April, Lisa, Candy, and Mari would be messing themselves for the first time and then masturbating frantically in their messes as each watched the other in a desperate contest for sexual release. Erin hoped that April would at least be smart enough to spare herself the inducement, but in the end it didn't matter. Either way, in a day or two at most, they would be taken to the public square and humiliated.

Erin had, had enough however. Cathy and Jan had agreed that their curiosity was more than satisfied. Erin felt sorry for Ellen and Cassandra, since they had been forced to witness the whole process. But for her, it was time to move on. She neither felt animosity nor sympathy for April, Lisa, Candy, or Mari. They had gambled and lost, but she was free now.
The three women left, telling the escort that they would not return. Cathy accompanied Erin and Jan back to their residence. "That was pretty kinky," said Cathy.

"Yes, I know," said Erin. "Believe me its better when you are on the side of the glass we were on today!" The women laughed and Erin said, "Come in?"

"Sure," said Cathy. Pam and Kelly were out and Jan excused herself to take a shower leaving Cathy and Erin to talk. "So how are you doing?"

"OK," said Erin. "I'm, finally getting past the guilt and anger. However, all of us are changed and I don't ever think any of us will ever lead normal lives."

"How's that?" said Cathy.

"Well, it's the whole sex-diaper thing. We're all wired for it, and I guess, once you've experienced it, you can never go back."

"Yeah, I sort of see what you mean. I was getting turned on there myself," said Cathy blushing.

"It goes deeper than that," said Erin. "The four of us share this bond now. A week or so ago we started having sex together, all four of us."

"Really?" said Cathy raising her eyebrows as her blush deepened.

'Yes," said Erin. "Kelly and Jan are thinking of wearing diapers again as part of our sex-play. Kelly is even considering going back on the slave diet, so she can mess herself."

"Wow!" said Cathy. "Very kinky indeed!" But Cathy was embarrassed and wished Erin would change the topic of their conversation.

"I know," said Erin. "But not something someone with no direct experience is likely to understand."

"I suppose so," said Cathy.

Erin paused and looked at Cathy. "We used to be best friends. I know it's been awhile, but I'd like us to be close again" said Erin.

Cathy could see where this was heading. She liked Erin and also wanted to renew the friendship. However group sex was not something she could contemplate, especially sex as kinky as Erin had described. "I would too" she said "however I need to go."

Erin looked at here again. "OK" she said finally. "Call me."

"I will" said Cathy. With that she embraced Erin and left.

"Damn!" said Erin.

****************************

That evening after Pan and Kelly came home and the four former slaves had dinner. Erin told her companions about Cathy and how they had parted. "She's just shy" said Pam. "Give it time, she'll come around."

The others agreed, nodding their heads.

"I suppose so" said Erin. But her mood was suddenly glum. "This is so hard!" she said, tears in her eyes.

Erin's mood cast a sudden pall over the party and the four women sat in silence for a while, as Erin recovered and dried her eyes.

Finally Kelly said, "I have an idea!" With that she whispered into Pam's ear. Both women started giggling.

"What?" Erin said becoming curious.

"You'll see," said Kelly as she took Jan by the arms saying "come on" and led her to Pam's bedroom.

A few moments later, Erin heard Jan exclaim, "You're kidding, right?"

"No I'm not!" said Kelly.

A minute later, Kelly led Jan back into the common room wearing only a heavy cloth diaper. Jan sat on the floor in the center of the room and Kelly, Pam, and (with some prodding from Pam) Erin sat around her and started taking off their clothes. Jan sat patiently in the center of the circle surrounded by three naked women, wearing only a diaper.

Kelly handed her a large glass of water and said "here, drink this. It will help you wet yourself."

Jan blushed, but took the water and drank it. The four women sat looking at each other and waiting for Jan to wet herself. After about half an hour, Jan felt the pressure on her bladder. "I have to pee, real bad," she said, starting to get up.

"No you don't!" said Kelly grabbing her hand. ""Sit there and use your diaper."

Jan blushed, but sat down and said, "I can't do it. It's hard."

"Come on!" said Kelly, "It's not like you've never done this before!"

Pam and Erin laughed and Jan blushed.

"OK, OK! Give me a minute!" said Jan starting to laugh also.

"Here have another glass of water" said Pam, handing Jan another glass.

Jan looked at her slyly and said "Thanks!" But she took the glass and drank it, to the applause of Erin and Kelly.

"God, I have to pee so badly!" said Jan as she finished the water.

"Well, then pee!" said Kelly. "Or did you forget how?"

All four women started laughing hysterically and Jan suddenly cried out "Its coming!"

Erin and the others looked at the crotch of Jan's diaper, as the small wet yellow spot there quickly grew until it filled the entire front of the diaper.

"God that feels good!" said Jan, suddenly embarrassed as Erin and the others started laughing hysterically again.

Erin went over to Jan and kissed her, full on the mouth, her tongue penetrating deeply into the younger woman's mouth. Jan returned the kiss, and both started tugging on the diaper as they struggled to remove it. Pam and Kelly joined in, and in a few moments the room was filled with a tangle of arms and legs sticking out at odd angles as the four women tugged, groped, and pulled at each other's bodies. In the end, Erin and Jan ended up in each other's arms while Pam and Kelly moved off together.

When they were done, Jan said "God that was fun! I had forgotten how exciting it was to wet myself."

"Glad you enjoyed it. I did too," said Erin.

"Me too," said Kelly, looking up from across the room.

"Make that unanimous," said Pam.

****************************

The next day, Erin met Ellen and Cassandra for lunch near her old office at World. "How are you doing?" asked Ellen.

"Fine, thanks to you two," said Erin.

"When do you think you might come back to work?" asked Ellen.

"I'm not coming back," said Erin. "In fact, the four of us are leaving."

"Can I ask why?" said Ellen looking disappointed.

"Yes," said Erin. "As I told Cathy yesterday, we've all recovered, but we'll never be the same. In addition, it would be difficult at best to work again with the others after having them witness some of the things I was forced to do. I'm not ashamed any more, but there are certain lines that shouldn't be crossed, ever."

Cassandra nodded her head in reluctant agreement. "You're right, unfortunately," she said. "But none the less, I'll miss seeing you."

"Me too," said Erin, a few tears appearing in her eyes.

"Where will you go?" asked Ellen.

"Pam has an old friend that owned a small place in the wilderness. She's getting on and decided that since she hasn't used the place in years, to sell it to us. We have plenty of money, so we're thinking of buying it and are going there to live, at least for awhile," answered Erin.

"Together?" said Ellen.

"Yes," said Erin. "I called Cathy and we might rekindle our friendship. She's going to visit us after were settled in. Maybe you two could come with her on one of her visits."

"Sure," said Ellen and Cassandra, together.

The three women talked for awhile longer, but finally Cassandra and Ellen had to go back to the office. The three women stood and hugged. "Thanks for everything!" said Erin, tears in her eyes. "I owe you both so much! Please come visit us."

Ellen and Cassandra both had a few tears too, but they agreed to come and see Erin with Cathy on her next trip. When Erin arrived back at her residence, Pam, Kelly, and Jan were busy packing and Cathy was there lending a hand. "Things were sure a lot simpler when all we had were diapers," said Jan, stuffing her clothes into a bulging bag.

"And a lot nastier too!" said Erin. The women laughed as they loaded the transport getting ready to leave and begin their new lives.

"How'd it go with Ellen?" asked Cathy.

"Good," said Erin. "They're going to come with you and visit."

"Good," said Cathy. After they had loaded the last of their belongings into the transport, Cathy gave Erin a hug and said, "You take care now."

Erin laughed, but tears were in her eyes. "Don't be too long."

"I won't," said Cathy. "I'll see you in a bit."

Pam, Kelly, Jan, and Erin said their goodbyes and climbed into the transport. Waving a final farewell, they closed the door and the vehicle began moving. "It'll be nice to settle down finally," said Pam sighing as she reclined in her seat.

"Speak for yourself!" said Kelly, pulling out a diaper. "I'm not done experimenting yet!"

The others laughed and Erin thought that things might be quiet where they were going, but they definitely weren't going to be dull!

THE END
Epilog

Erin stood on top of the mountain and surveyed the valley below. The day was hot and she was dressed in a short cotton tee shirt and thong with leather sandals. Her skin was tanned and her raven black hair cut short. She had been camping with Cathy for the last two weeks and they were returning to the cabin she had bought with Jan, Kelly, and Pam. "Come on!" she yelled at Cathy, who was struggling up the mountain. "I want to be home before dark."

Cathy's head appeared above the slope as she struggled to reach the top. Her blond hair was cut short in the same style as Erin's and she wore a similar outfit, except for the thong; instead she wore modest knee length shorts. "Alright, already!" she exclaimed, breathing hard as she reached the top. "I don't get to do this everyday like you. Remember, I spend most of my time at a desk."

Erin smiled and placed her arms around her friend and lover. The two had grown very close in the last year after rekindling their friendship. Cathy had wanted to get married, but Erin was reluctant to establish any formal relationship. She still felt a close bond with Jan, Pam, and Kelly. The four of them regularly had group sex, which Cathy refused to join-in when she visited. Cathy's visits had become more frequent in the last few months with trips to the cabin on a bi-monthly basis.

"I love you," said Erin, "even if you are slow." Cathy smiled and put her arm around Erin's waist.

"The problem is, you love three other women also!" said Cathy.

"I wouldn't exactly call it love," said Erin.

"Well lust them!" countered Cathy.

"Yes," said Erin. "But then again, we don't exactly exclude you either."

"True," said Cathy grudgingly.

The two women started down the other side of the mountain, the cabin in view on the horizon. In a few hours they would be there. A hot shower and food and a soft bed awaited them. "I've put off telling you, but I heard from Cassandra before I left to come here," said Cathy.

"Yes?" said Erin.

"Ellen got a message from Katrina. She wanted to buy insurance for her new slaves. She's worried that one day, the laws might change and Zax might be forced to surrender them."

"Oh," said Erin.

"Anyways, it seems that Katrina really made out by having April and the others convicted. Not only did she replace the four slaves she lost, but Zax got all the money Mari had been paid by April. Zax actually came out ahead. It seems that crime does pay, after all."

Erin shook her head and said, "You mean punishment."

Cathy smiled and said, "Yeah, I guess you could look at it that way too. It also appears that April, Candy, and Lisa have turned out to be model slaves. April apparently had a hard time adjusting, but they somehow managed to make a slave out of her."

"That's too bad," said Erin. "I'm sorry they broke her spirit. What about the scientist, Mari?"

"She's having a hard time. Seems she was sort of an introvert, so her sense of embarrassment and shame was higher, higher than April and the others, at any rate. This of course, makes her popular since the 'thrill factor' is greater."

"I feel sorry for her sometimes," said Erin. "I feel sorry for them all."

"Really?" said Cathy.

"Yes, no body should have to live their entire life that way. The problem is, even if you manage to gain your freedom again, you're never really the same."

Cathy was silent for a while, not really knowing how to respond. Finally she said, "Why don't you come back with me tomorrow. Stay for a week or however long you like. We could have some fun in the city."

"No," said Erin. "I feel comfortable here. I don't like going back to the City I never know who I might run into."

"You know Ellen and Cassandra miss you. They always ask about you," said Cathy.

"I know," said Erin, "but I'm not ready yet. I may never be ready."

"I want to help, if you'' let me," said Cathy.

"I know," said Erin, "and I love you for it. Maybe after Jan and Kelly leave."

"Where are they going?" asked Cathy.

"Kelly has decided to revert to being diapered. She's already started eating the diet again. In a few weeks, her system will be totally acclimated. She's already removed the hair from her pussy. Jan wants to look after her and they've decided they need some space. They're traveling to another cabin further north and they are going to spend a while up there, alone. Pam has re-connected with a former lover and wants her to come and spend some time here. I'm not sure I want to stay around. I might be in the way."

"Well then, why not come and stay with me?" said Cathy enthusiastically.

"I might," said Erin. "I heard there's a small colony of ex-slaves about 100 miles east of here. I was also thinking of going there and seeing them."

"Oh," said Cathy, sounding disappointed. "Still looking for answers?"

"Maybe," said Erin. "I just want to see what others have done."

"Makes sense, I guess," said Cathy.

"I don't know," said Erin. "I'm beginning to see that there are probably no solutions. My life is changed and there's no going back."

"I guess not," said Cathy. "Just remember, that I love you."

"Thanks," said Erin, "I love you too."

With that the two women descended the mountain, the sun starting to set behind them. Looking at her long shadow, Erin glanced at Cathy and thought, 'you can go back, but you can never really go home'. Glossary of Terms

Biological Year. The alterations made to the human genome as part of the Genetic Revolution modified the aging process thereby doubling the lifespan. In particular, aging between birth and approximately 20 standard years of age progressed at the pre-alteration rate. However, after 20 standard years, aging of the body slowed according to the formula: b = 0.55(s - 20) + 20, where s is the age in standard years and b is the age in biological years. Thus an age of 40 standard years corresponds to 31 biological years and 80 standard years corresponds to 53 biological years. The words 'standard' and 'biological' are not always used when stating time or age in years. Rather, the type of years is inferred based on the context. Thus for example, historical dates such as 2010 or 2250 are always in standard years as are time differences e.g. 20 years ago means 20 standard years. When age is stated in years, the years are always assumed to be biological years, not standard years, unless otherwise stated. Thus for example, saying 'she is 31 years old' is interpreted to mean 31 biological years. If age is desired in standard years, then this is stated explicitly e.g. 'she is 40 standard years old'.

Blue Onyx. Blue Onyx is the 24^th century equivalent of the US Mint/Federal Reserve. Blue Onyx is at the hub of the world's monetary system, regulating the global economy and all financial transactions worldwide. It is the sole provider of virtual personas which are use not only for almost all financial transactions but also as a tool to facilitate every-day business activities. This monopoly on the means and tools of business places Blue Onyx in a uniquely powerful position within the World Federation and society at large. In particular its chairwoman is perhaps the most powerful woman on Earth and the de facto ruler of the planet.

The Children. Taking advantage of a loophole in the Servitude Laws, Zax impregnated its diapered slaves forcing them to bear offspring knowing that these children, by law, would automatically be diapered slaves. Although this loophole in the law was later closed, the resulting five children were grand-mothered in allowing Zax to convert them when they became of legal age. Until that time, Zax was required to raise and educate them as if they were non-slaves. In accordance with the law, Zax constructed a separate facility (known as the School) on Zax Island where these girls were housed and educated.

The Colony. The Colony had begun as a mixture of ex-slaves and ex-criminals who had gathered together at a remote location known as the Ranch, a crossroads between cities and the uncertain future. The Colony became the nucleus for Varinia.

Conversion. Conversion is the legal process whereby the status of an indentured servant is altered. In particular, a servant may be converted to a slave, if she violates the terms of her servitude. In addition, a woman convicted of a crime becomes an indentured servant immediately after sentence is passed however in some cases she may need to wait before the sentence can be executed. This often happens in the case of minors just shy of the age of majority. In such cases the woman is technically considered an indentured servant but her conversion in fact to this status waits until the necessary conditions (e.g. she attains the age of majority) are satisfied. The Children are examples of where conversion is applied.

The Decision. This agreement initiated the genetic modifications to the human genome that reduced the tendency towards aggressiveness in the human species and eventually resulted in the Tiresias Compromise. Although the Decision achieved its intended goal of eliminating war and most crime and violent behavior it introduced a flaw into the human genome that allowed the Great Plague to wipe out most of the male population. This in turn led to the Tiresias Compromise and the elimination of all males from society at large and resulted in the all female society of the 24^th century.

Diapered Slave. The authors of the Servitude Laws, concerned about the effectiveness of these laws in deterring crime felt that mere slavery was in itself an insufficient penalty for deterring the worst crimes. As such, they created two classes of slaves (see Slave): diapered and un-diapered. Diapered slavery was reserved for those committing the worst crimes. As the name implies, a diapered slave is forced to wear and use diapers her entire life.

Discom. Short for discussions and communications; a special interest forum, usually for the discussion of technical topics. These were essentially specialized hotops for a particular profession. In the case of the legal profession, the participants consisted of judicial consuls, legal consuls and others who made their living with the practice of the law.

Duena. These are special colonies containing a single male slave raised and kept for breeding purposes. Duena's were established as part of the Tiresias Compromise to insure the survivability of the species after the Great Plague. Duenas provide seaman (extracted on a regular basis from their breeding male slave), and ship it to the World Center for Genetic Recourse Management (WCGRM) where it is analyzed, processed, stored, and distributed for research and reproductive applications. Since males are not permitted outside of the Duenas and the choice of male offspring by women prohibited, these colonies are the only place where males exist on the planet. Having or harboring a male outside a Duena is considered a capital offense punishable by death. Males are kept in isolation and never permitted knowledge of or contact with other males to prevent spread of plague and to prevent anti-social and problematic behavior.
Financial Investigative Services (FIS). This World Federation agency is responsible for the enforcement and investigation of financial activities and crimes. The FIS is part of the World Federation's police branch and has the power to act anywhere on the globe irrespective of political or geographic boundaries. Since most crime tends to be white crime, the FIS is the busiest police force in the world.

Genetic Revolution. The scientific advancements (occurring primarily in the 21^st century) that were responsible for eliminating famine, disease and other physical ailments through the use of bioengineering techniques. These advancements were also applied to other species to insure food supplies, create environmentally sustainable resources, and enhance the diversity of the biosphere. In addition, the revolution enabled designer engineering of the human form a long with gender selection and physical augmentation as well as retarding the aging process and extending lifespan. It also enabled the Decision and its resulting consequences.

Gender Crisis. This crisis resulted when the male population decreased to such low levels that the survivability of humankind was threatened. The crisis followed a few generations after the Great Plague which wiped out most of the male population. This decrease was exacerbated by advances in bioengineering which permitted reproduction to occur ex utero. As a result, it was quickly realized that only a small population of males was required to sustain the species as long as the female population remained large. The choice of women to have mainly female offspring after the Great Plague precipitated the Gender Crisis. This crisis was eventually resolved by the

Tiresias Compromise which resulted in the permanent enslavement of the remaining male population and the all-female society of the 24^th century.

The Great Plague. The Great Plague resulted from a genetic flaw introduced into the human genome after the Decision. As a result, 95% of the male population was wiped out in the second half of the 22^nd century eventfully leading to the Gender Crisis and the Tiresias Compromise and the all-female society of the 24^th century.

Hotop. Short for hot-topic; Net gossip. A hotop is a thread of discussion about a particular topic on the Net. The topic can be any noteworthy item from major news events to trivial matters involving fashion, celebrities, or unusual events. A hotop can last from a few hours to several weeks depending on the topic and the level of interest.

Judicial Investigation. A formal investigation of the facts regarding the involvement of one or more persons (called collaborators) in specific criminal activities; the state in the person of the Complainant formally initiates the investigation by notifying all parties, including collaborators and the Lead Judicial Investigator (who presides over the proceedings). A Judicial Investigation is similar to court trials held in the 19^th, 20^th, and 21^st centuries with the Collaborator, Complainant, and Lead Judicial Investigator corresponding to the defendant, prosecutor, and Judge, respectively. The jury is replaced by a panel of Investigators, usually six in number. The investigation itself is analogous to a trial. However, a Judicial Investigation differs in several important ways from a court trial. The first and perhaps most important difference is that the system is cooperative, not adversarial. As such, it is a neutral investigation into the facts with the ultimate purpose of determining if the Collaborator has violated the law. As such, all relevant facts are admissible to the Investigators, and the Collaborator (as well as the Complainant) must answer all questions asked by any of the participating parties. The second important difference is the use of logic and modeling. The facts presented must be rigorously modeled with all conclusions deduced and verified using the formal rules of logic. Inference and unsupported facts are not allowed. The ultimate determination of the Investigators must be based on the facts and rigorously supported by the modeling. Third and final, is that all the facts (evidence) must be presented; nothing can be withheld by any party. Although the Complainant has the full resources of the state at her disposal and may request and obtain information from any party, she does not have legal immunity or protection if she violates the law. Intimidation and other coercive techniques are illegal. If the Investigators find that the facts do support Complainants position, then the Collaborator is found innocent; otherwise she is found guilty. If guilty, the Lead Investigator determines the penalty as specified by the Servitude Laws.

Medtech. Short for medical technician; a person trained to treat physical injuries, diseases, or aliments. After the Genetic Revolution, the medical doctors of the 18^th, 19^th, and 20^th centuries were replaced by medtecs. With medicine on a firm scientific foundation, treatment of injuries and disease is handled mainly by machines under human supervision. Medical doctors were therefore replaced by technicians trained to use these machines. The research previously conducted by medical doctors prior to the Genetic Revolution is now performed by scientists and bioengineers.

The Net. The Net is the integrated world-wide communications network linking everyone on the planet in a continuous and ever present data-stream of news, entertainment, gossip, and facts. In principal, all human knowledge and information can be accessed via the Net; these can take to from of text, pictures, videos, etc. The Net also hosts all the Virtual Personas created through Blue Onyx.

New Age of Reason. The period of time just before and after the Decision and covering the Golden Era wherein humankind sought to improve and control its reasoning and rationality using bioengineering. The goal of this era was to reduce aggression and thereby eliminate both war and crime and usher in a new ear of peace and prosperity.

The New Golden Era. The period of approximately 50 years following the Decision; this era was marked by an unparalleled period of peace and material prosperity. Crime and war were essentially non-existent during this time and poverty and hunger eliminated. The era came to an end with the Great Plague and the resulting crises which followed.

The New Social Contract. The social contract developed after the Tiresias Compromise by the World Federation that established the rules and laws for the post New Golden Age era. This contract guarantees individual liberty and rights as well as personal prosperity. Poverty and crime are virtually eliminated and a near utopian world is established. This world is governed by the new social elite who, in conjunction with the Servitude Laws, are responsible for maintaining order, keeping the peace, and insuring prosperity.

Nina's Cut. Slang for the Venkatesan Modification, after Nina Venkatesan its inventor.

Pisshonie. A childish name used for the female genitals; pussy. Because of the manner in which this term is applied and used, it has both an inferior and embarrassing connotation. Slaves therefore have pisshonies while Mistresses and fee woman have pussies. The intention is to emphasize the superiority of the Mistress over the slave and to further reinforce the Venkatesan Modification.

Psychtech. Short for psychiatric technician; a person trained to study and treat mental disorders. After the Genetic Revolution, medical doctors were replaced by medical technicians known as medtechs. Treatment of physical problems is handled by machines under human supervision with new research and technical advancements being conducted by scientists and engineers. Treatment and research were therefore separated into two distinct fields for physical problems. For mental disorders, the situation is more complicated since even in the 24^th century the human mind is still not fully understood. The physical component of treating mental disorders is therefore handled with machines, but the diagnosis and treatment of the mind is handled almost exclusively by humans. In addition to treating mental disorders psychtechs engage in active research into the human mind.

The Ranch. The physical location of Varinia; the property had been a ranch since ancient times and had been owned by an ex-criminal. Two hundred years ago, the property of criminals had not been confiscated and upon their release, these criminals could resume active ownership. The Ranch was such a property and eventually it became the property of one of Varinia's members and the physical home to the organization.

Restricted Sex. As part of the Tiresias Compromise, the male sex is confined to special breeding colonies known as Duenas. In addition, women are restricted to having only female offspring using seaman provided by the few remaining males in the Duenas. As a result the de facto gender becomes female with male referred to as the restricted sex because of the tight controls placed on the gender.

The School. The School is special facility on Zax Island where the Children are held and raised as they await conversion to diapered slaves. The Children are kept isolated in this location and brought up using the moral ideals of the Victorian Era. The School is their home and they are confined to this part of the Island. Although the School's staff is part of Zax, there is little or no interaction with the Castle staff. As such, the School is essentially a microcosm of a bygone era with the sole purpose of molding the Children for use after conversion. The building itself contains three stories, plus a basement. The first floor houses the classrooms, a gym, and an indoor pool. The second floor contains the dormitory where the Children and their Headmistress sleep. This consists of six bedrooms with adjoining bathrooms, the largest of which belong to the headmistress. The top floor holds the dining hall, kitchen, and administrative offices.

Servant. See Slave.

Servitude Laws. These laws define both crime and its corresponding punishment. In essence the Servitude Laws reestablish indentured servitude as the punishment for all crime with relatively minor crimes being punished with public humiliation or short periods (anywhere form a day to a year) of personal service to the victim or the public. More serious crimes are punished with longer terms of service and the most severe crimes with a lifetime of service and an (almost) complete loss of rights and freedom. In the latter case, the offender is typically sold at public auction to the highest bidder and the proceeds used to compensate the victims and the government.

The Seven Cardinal Rules (of an Indentured Servant). The 'rules' as they are colloquially known, were originally developed by Zax as the core behavioral guidelines for its slaves. Because of Zax's standing and reputation among slaveholders, these became the unofficial code of behavior expected for slaves. The seven rules are: silence, respect, subservience, obedience, acceptance, and denial. Formally these are as follows:

(1) Silence. A slave is to remain silent in the presence of her Mistress and is never to speak unless spoken to. Silence insures that a slave is always listening so as to understand her Mistress's commands, wishes, and desires. The rule of silence is demonstrated by never speaking unless spoken to.

(2) Respect. A Slave must always treat her Mistress with the utmost respect and deference. Her first thought should be to please her Mistress always and to place the interest of her Mistress first and above all else. The rule of respect is demonstrated by always addressing all non-slaves as 'Mistress'.

(3) Subservience. A slave is always subservient to her Mistress, placing her Mistress above herself in all things. The rule of subservience is demonstrated by never making eye contact with a Mistress and always maintaining a downcast gaze.

(4) Obedience. A slave must instantly obey any order given her by a Mistress without question or hesitation. The rule of obedience is demonstrated by quick and unflinching compliance to every command given by a Mistress.

(5) Acceptance. A slave must fully accept her situation and enthusiastically embrace her servitude. A dutiful slave willingly and eagerly serves her Mistress. The rule of acceptance is demonstrated by wearing the Mistress's clothing or uniform of slavery and never touching or removing these garments without permission.

(6) Abstinence. A slave exists for her Mistress's pleasure and as such must always remain focused on pleasing her Mistress, not herself. Physical pleasure is to be shunned in favor of modesty and chastity so as to remain attuned to the Mistress's desires. The rule of abstinence is demonstrated by never touching one's genitalia or masturbating without explicit permission.

(7) Denial. A slave always foregoes her own pleasure and satisfaction in deference to that of her Mistress. The Mistress's wishes and desires are placed above all else, including the slave's own wants and needs. The rule of denial is demonstrated by never coming without explicit permission.

A slave that fails to follow these rules is subject to immediate punishment. Compliance with the seven cardinal rules insures proper obedience and that slaves always place the interests and desires of the Mistress first and above all else. Each of the seven statements contains a demonstration clause intended to reinforce the philosophy and concepts embodied by the rule and to serve as a tangible reminder of what is expected from the slave. The rules are also known, less formally as the Slave's Code of Conduct. This term is less popular and not as widely used as the Seven Cardinal Rules.

Slave. Technically a irrevocable indentured servant, as established by the Servitude Laws. Criminal offenders found guilty are sentenced to terms of public or private servitude as punishment for their crime. The length and terms of service vary depending on the severity of the crime. The rights and freedom afforded these offenders is proscribed by law, however they are not completely without rights. Women sentenced to terms less than their lifetimes are termed servants while women sentenced to a lifetime of service are called slaves. In all cases, severe physical abuse is not allowed and under no circumstances can a slave or servant be physically injured or killed by her owner. The rights guaranteed a servant vary with the severity of the sentence. For short periods of servitude, the servant may retain most, if not all, her legal and civil rights as well as her personal freedom; her only obligation being to satisfactorily complete her service within the prescribed period. In general these rights and freedoms decrease as the length of the sentence increases. For sentences lasting several years, the servant effectively looses most of her legal rights as well as her personal freedom. For slaves all except the most basic rights to life and limb are lost as well as all personal freedom. Since crime is relatively rare so are slaves. As such slaves are expensive to obtain and own and quickly become lucrative status symbols for the ultra wealthy and powerful.

Slave's Code of Conduct. See Seven Cardinal Rules.

Standard Year. The time required for the Earth to complete one complete orbit around the sun. Nominally 365.25 days, where one day is the time required for the Earth to make one complete revolution about its axis.

Tiresias Compromise. The compromise is named after the legendary ancient Greek Tiresias who was changed into a woman and then back into a man as punishment for displeasing the gods. The Compromise established men as the restricted sex controlling their numbers and location on the planet. In particular males were relegated to the status of breeding slaves and confined to and raised in special all-female colonies called Duenas. To insure control of the male population, only one male is allowed in a Duena at a time and males are never allowed to meet or come into contact with each other. In addition males are kept from even knowing about the existence of other males. In practice Duenas are separated by large distances to avoid the spread of potential plague and disease among the male population, making any such meetings virtually impossible. The practical effect of the Tiresias Compromise is to eliminate all males from the general population and insure that an adequate and stable number of males are maintained at all times to guarantee the continued survival and viability of the human species. Women desiring children are restricted to having daughters; male offspring no longer being permitted. The Tiresias Compromise restructures humankind into an all-female society and eventually results in the New Social Contract.

Transport. A vehicle use to transport people and goods from one place to another on the Earth. Transports vary in both size and type; depending on the vehicle, they can travel over water and land and through the air. Specialized transports can also travel underwater however all these vehicle are restricted to travel within the Earth's atmosphere. In general, transports are automated and do not require a human pilot. These vehicles are the main form of transportation between cities and other widely separated locations on the Earth. No special facilities are required for handling transports, though larger vehicles may require reinforced or special structures to accommodate their size and weight.

Varinia. Named after a rebellious slave from ancient times, this organization is formally called the Colony and its stated purpose is to repeal the Servitude Laws and free all slaves, especially those owned by Zax. The group itself is composed of ex-slaves and led by Erin Brooke, an ex-slave framed for a financial crime she did not commit. Varinia is located at the Ranch the site of the Colony. The group is best known for its raid on Zax Island when it attempted to end Zax's diapered slave breeding program and free its slaves. Varinia was only partially successful in its effort; it succeeded in ending Zax's breeding program, but was unable to free any of the diapered slaves. After this partial success, Varinia has focused on changing public opinion regarding the Servitude Laws and monitoring the Children.
Vid. Short for video; the term refers to any audiovisual media or medium and comprises both modern, pre-modern and ancient forms and formats.

The Village. Small group of buildings near the School used chiefly to house the school staff. These buildings include private residences, a small library, recreational facilities, as well as a public square. Architecturally the Village resembles a small English town of the Victorian Era.

Venkatesan Modification. Named after its inventor, Nina Venkatesan, this genetic modification refers to the changes made to the human genome to insure or provide built-in or internal behavioral compliance with the Servitude Laws as specified by the New Social Contract. The effect of these changes is to establish a sub-conscious tension within the mind whereby abhorrence to specific types of anti-social behaviors are simultaneously linked to sexual arousal. The anti-social behaviors selected are the usual quasi-sexual or sexual taboos: appearing nude in public, explicit displays of sexuality (whether in conversation or by overt physical gesture or suggestive appearance), unusual ('kinky') sexual activities, etc. The resulting psychological tension is exploited as an internal deterrent against violating the law since the public humiliations proscribed as punishment by the Servitude Laws are themselves quasi-sexual in nature; typical shamings involving being stripped naked in public and exposed to verbal ridicule and physical punishment. This is further re-enforced by the legal mandate that all late-teenage school girls attend at least one public shaming. This genetic modification is particularly effective since it exploits one of the strongest human drives, the sex drive, to accomplish is behavioral goals. The Venkatesan Modification is viewed as the price paid for the peace and prosperity guaranteed by the New Social Contract.

Venusian Gemstone. These are gem quality stones from the planet Venus. Because of its high temperature and high pressure atmosphere, the second planet from the sun produces some of the most spectacular and beautiful gem-quality stones found in the solar system. However because of the difficulty of finding and retrieving these stones, they command exceptionally high prices, despite their inherent lack of any intrinsic value. In fact, man-made gem quality stones became widely available in the early 21^st Century and eventually dominated the gemstone market on Earth, essentially eliminating the demand for natural stones and bankrupting the gem mining industry. However, the stones found on Venus, composed of different combinations of minerals and generated by substantially different processes, lacked the industrial value needed to make their commercial generation worthwhile. This partially restored the gem-mining industry, which located itself off-world. However because of the high transport and operations cost, these stones are prohibitively expensive. Coupled with their lack of intrinsic value, they are essentially pure luxury items (and therefore status symbols) for their wealthy owners.

Virtual Personas. Sub-personalities created from the mind of a living person and existing solely in the environment of the Net they are typically created for single purpose such as attending a meeting or conducting a specific task like a financial transaction. After their task is complete, a merger between persona and person takes place allowing information to be transferred between them. In practical terms, virtual personas allow a living person to literally be in two (or more) places at the same time. In addition, personas are unique and cannot be copied, duplicated, or counterfeited. Moreover they can only merge with the person from whose mind they were generated. Conversely personas for a particular individual can only be created by that person and not anyone else. As such, they are considered legal stand-ins for a living person. Interacting with a persona is similar to interacting with a person, but there are limitations; in particular personas are strictly confined to the task for which they were created and are not capable of making decisions. Blue Onyx has sole control over the creation of personas since they are used in most financial transactions. Attempting to misuse, interfere, or otherwise compromise a persona is considered a serious criminal offense punishable by slavery.

White Crimes. Non-violent crimes or crimes termed white collar crime are known as white crimes. These are typically white collar crimes committed for personal gain or to obtain increased social status. In the 23^rd and 24^th centuries virtually all crimes are of this type.

World Center for Genetic Resource Management (WCGRM). The government agency and authority in charge of reproduction and the oversight of bioengineering activities is the WCGRM. Particularly notable, is that the WCGRM is the repository of all male genetic material produced by the world's Duenas. This genetic material is processed and held by the WCGRM for use in research and reproduction. For women desiring to have children (daughters) the WCGRM provides the necessary male genetic material to licensed reproduction centers where it is combined with the woman's eggs and gestated to produce her offspring ex utro.

World Federation. The central government of the world, similar the United Nations of the 20^th and 21^st centuries but more powerful and centrally controlled. Individual states and governments still control the various regions of the world, which in the 23^rd and 24^th centuries, has a political map not dissimilar to the 21^st century. However the World Federation has the power to guarantee individual liberties and rights, regulate the world economy, and enforce the general peace. It has the only standing military on the planet as well as various police forces with preemptive authority over the police forces of local states and governments. Notable among these is the Financial Investigative Services (FIS) which is responsible for the investigation of financial activities and crimes. In addition, Blue Onyx, the world financial regulatory body is also a part of the World Federation. The World Federation is headed by the Counsel General who has executive power over the entire organization.

Year. See Standard Year and Biological Year.

Zax. Zax is a private, quasi-secret society, famous for its connections to society's most powerful and wealthy individuals, as well as its kinky sex parties. Zax's membership includes the wealthiest and most powerful women on the planet. It is in essence a tool of these women and used by them as a means for (unofficially) conducting their dirty work as well as dispensing favors and rewards. Zax is located on Zax Island with its headquarters in Zax Castle. The organization itself is famous for its intrigues as well as its extravagant and elaborate parties. The latter often involve BDSM and other sexual activity using Zax's large holding of slaves, including its diapered slaves. Zax is known for its well trained slaves and their use and participation in these activities. In fact, Zax is the largest slaveholder on the planet of both diapered slaves and indentured servants. Its training methods and code of conduct (see Seven Cardinal Rules) are the standard followed (and envied) by all slaveholders. The Island is popularly considered a landmark and resort area as well as the in-place to go; its popularity is due to the exclusivity of its guests including the most famous celebrities as well as the rich and powerful. Visit to the Island is by invitation only.

Zax Castle. The Castle is located on the west end of Zax Island and is the official headquarters for Zax. This multi-storied structure is divided into four zones or spaces: the office zone (Zax's headquarters and the offices of its executives and officers), the residential zone (living quarters for staff and guests), the common zone (recreational and general purpose areas such as ballrooms, conference rooms, etc.) and the dungeon. The latter is located entirely underground and consumes approximately one third of the Castle's one billion square feet (approximately 23,000 acres). The Castle itself has a footprint of approximately one square mile and ranges in height from 40 to 300 feet above ground level. Constructed from black-rough-hewn stone, the Castle's gothic architecture was intentionally exaggerated to enhance its external sinister appearance. Internally, the Castle architecture and appearance varies considerably. Although all parts of the structure maintain the overall architectural theme of a medieval Castle, the office and residential zones are particularly modern in style and appearance with many large, light and airy rooms and a minimum of stonework. The appearance of the common zone varies from modern to medieval while the dungeon is almost entirely medieval. In fact, the dungeon contains (as might be expected) the crudest rooms with the fewest amenities in the Castle. Some of these are little more than stone chambers with no windows or furniture. The dungeon contains the living quarters for Zax's approximately 70 slaves (five of which are diapered). In addition, medical and recreational facilities for the slaves are also located there. The remainder of the dungeon contains a variety of chambers utilized exclusively for scenes and play with and without the use of the slaves. Externally, the Castle fronts the ocean on two sides, with the remaining two sides surrounded by approximately 6000 acres of gardens, parklands, and semi-maintained woodlands as well as several independent structures for housing guests and visitors. Although the Castle is by-far the largest structure on Zax Island, nearly one-third of its volume is located underground. However, despite this, the Castle is clearly visible almost any where on the Island as well as several miles out to sea.

Zax Island. Located in the Southern Pacific ocean, Zax Island is an artificial structure constructed in the latter part of the 22^nd Century and early 23^rd Century. The Island itself comprises approximately 150 square miles of land area with a fairly level or flat topography. Zax Castle is located on the West end and highest part of the Island. Here, ground level is approximately 200 feet above mean-sea level, but drops sharply and abruptly to the ocean. In fact, most of the Island is surrounded by 30 foot or higher cliffs, making its small and rocky beaches largely inaccessible. The exception is on the East end of the Island where the ground slopes gently and smoothly to broad white-sandy beaches. The climate of the Island is sub-tropical and temperate, similar to the Hawaiian Islands located to the North. A variety of trees, plants, and fauna as well as many species of birds, squirrels, rabbits, deer, foxes, and other medium to small size animals and insects call the Island home. Zax Island is privately owned by Zax and travel to the Island is by invitation only. In fact, Zax Island is considered private territory under the exclusive control of Zax. As such, Zax is free to impose whatever laws and regulations it desires, subject only to the rules and regulations of the World Federation.