The Disciplined Women of Earth Zero

by Susan Thomas

  True they were large, slow things with huge monitors having small screens. They weren't linked but they were computers and not just the huge things the size of trucks that used to be around. A patronising woman in very formal clothes told me to sit at one and see what I could make out of it. She clearly thought they were the last word in technology and that I would have problems even working out how to turn it on.

  It had a huge floppy disk drive and was DOS based but it wasn't hard to understand and I was soon learning how to use its software. It was ever so clunky and slow compared to Earth Nine equipment but I guessed it had represented a great step forward for the Theocracy.

  Patronising woman returned and stood mouth open as I worked my way through the various programs. "Have you used one of these before?" she asked.

  It was my turn to patronise her. "Not one of these, no. This is very primitive and rather slow but I am familiar with the technology. You've clearly made great strides since The Riving."

  She must have gone and told someone because a tall man came and whisked me away to another department. This was right at the top of the building and was much lighter, better decorated and... it had much better computers. They were clearly the state of the art, although still rather primitive by my standards, they were more advanced than the first ones I had seen. I guessed that the newest technology came here and then as it was replaced was filtered down to the lower floors. The tall man told me they had changed their minds and I would now be permanently based here. This was clearly the top of the administrative tree.

  "I'll introduce you to our chief. You'll probably not see much of him because he is an important man and often away from the office. However, he likes to know all the staff that work on this floor."

  I was whisked away to yet another office on the floor: it was in two parts, an outer with a dragon of a secretary guarding it and an inner where the 'great man' had his lair.

  I was surprised when a youthful looking man leapt up from his desk and strode around it to greet me with a brilliant smile. He was only a little taller than me and very slim that made him look younger than he probably was. His hair was longer than the Theocracy normally allowed so clearly he had some 'pull'. I was astonished when he held out his hand for me to shake. Men did not do that to women on Earth Zero.

  "Anton Field, I am supposed to be in charge around here but really... he gave me a conspiratorial wink... Miss Standish out there is in charge of everything."

  I liked him immediately. He had a sort of boyish charm and clearly was at ease with women. Most of the men on Earth Zero, even lovely ones like Bill, seemed never to relax from an 'I'm in charge' manner. Anton Field was kindly, humorous and clearly had a very powerful brain. Even so he couldn't control his floppy hair and had an affectation where he swept it back with his hand every now and then. I had expected that tall man would then whisk me away but Anton Field surprised both tall man and me by inviting me to sit down and ordering us both a coffee. Yes, coffee again! I was moving in exalted circles now.

  He quizzed me about my life on Earth Nine, my qualifications and job (I missed out the redundancy bit) and my lifestyle in general. He seemed impressed and said he would find me a very useful addition to his staff. He then got thin man to take me out and help me get settled. I never discovered who thin man was although I saw him around the building a fair bit.

  I won't bore you with the work or details but I was shocked at what I found. This was the very pinnacle of the financial administration in the Theocracy but it wasn't robust or fit for purpose. It was more like some very old, inefficient local borough council would have been fifty years earlier on Earth Nine. It wouldn't surprise me if my recruiter for this undercover work was not right: money to fund Yellow Sash was being siphoned off from the government's own coffers.

  ---oOo---

  The four men were in an upstairs room of a busy warehouse. They had come in by a back door and few of the workers even knew of that room and none knew that it was currently being used. The owner of the warehouse knew nothing officially; there was no entry in a diary, no jotting on paper... nothing he would have to account for to officialdom, but he knew that the meeting was taking place and why.

  Mr Brown was sitting on one chair and facing him, in deliberately smaller, chairs were Mr Green, Mr White and Mr Grey.

  "Well, Mr Grey, how are your tasks proceeding?"

  "All according to plan. All the poisons have been distributed and I have had no queries about administering it. They all believe the dose they give will send the recipient off to sleep for approximately eight hours. Once given it is of course too late. I have detected no suspicion or any interference. I am satisfied we shall be ready."

  "Well done Mr Grey. Now Mr White?"

  "I have had to proceed more cautiously. Those Grey was speaking to were known sympathisers but mine are those that needed bribing. I have used a mixture of blackmail and bribery but I have got all but a half dozen of our key targets. I am optimistic about the remainder. I have had to promise some larger bribes after we are successful but those of course...." His voice tailed off and everyone laughed. Promises made need not be kept.

  "Excellent work Mr White. Keep at those last ones and keep me up to date. Mr Green?"

  "All our core commando groups are ready and will act as soon as the drugs take effect. Each of the other groups have been given their orders and places. Wearing their yellow sashes, it will all give the impression of greater numbers than we really have. I don't believe the security forces know anything."

  "Perfect. Well done Mr Green. All in all, I am pleased. Our funds are good for any last minute expenses and I think we now need to set our date. Everything is in place, delay can only weaken us. I suggest that we go for the first day of next month. It gives us time to alert all groups but not so long we risk discovery."

  Having agreed their date, the four men left one by one with Mr Brown last. He slipped smoothly down the rear staircase; the smells and sounds of the warehouse reduced by the thick walls. No one saw him reach the door and he peered out cautiously. The door opened out onto an old cobbled area mainly filled with old boxes and tubs. Not a soul saw him as he crossed the cobbles wraith-like. An orange cat noticed him pass but it was more concerned with the rat it was stalking.

  Mr Brown had begun to think of himself as ordained for his role. No one ever challenged him; no one ever saw him; no authority ever questioned him. He felt destiny was on his side. Soon he would be leader of the country and he knew just how he was going to rule. The Theocracy had banned exploration into the devastated areas of Britain but he was going to change all that. There was too much equipment and material there to continue to ignore it. Whatever the dangers they could use convicts for the initial exploration. He knew his charm and whatever he wanted to do he was convinced he could persuade the population he was right. Let the women have shorter skirts and a bit of make up and get rid of public spankings and they'd eat out of his hand. Women, he thought, were in general gullible fools. Personally he enjoyed watching one get her bare bottom thrashed but it was no problem; once he was ruler he could have some thrashed in private whenever he chose.

  ---oOo---

  My first day and already on the upper floor where the real work of distributing government finances took place. It couldn't have worked out better. I was allowed to simply familiarise myself with the software and given no actual tasks. Of course I asked many questions but the day flew by and come five o'clock I was informed we all stopped work. I was nearly going to ask, "Why?" but didn't think that was wise so just got ready to leave along with everyone else.

  I knew I had to put in a report as to where I had ended up so put a quick note (in code of course) together before leaving. It read, "Based on top floor. Chatted to Anton Field. Easy to syphon money with the systems in place. Will investigate more." Outside I bought a newspaper. There were about four papers one could buy: The Theocracy Times, generally reckoned to be unquestioningly pro-government; a tabloid called The Her
ald; a paper that wanted the monarchy restored, called The Evening Star; and an extremely radical paper called The Chorley Sun. This latter paper wanted women to be able to wear what they wanted and even questioned whether fathers and husbands should have any authority over daughters or wives. Naturally that was the one I bought.

  I walked to the café and noticed my contact 'Mr Jones' sitting facing the door but I ignored him. I ordered a tea and sat drinking it while reading an article in my paper. It called for the religious police to be abolished. I must say I've never understood the whole notion of religious people wanting to inflict their conscience onto others especially when they need to use force to do so. I surreptitiously left my coded note in the paper and 'accidentally' left the paper on the table. I knew Mr Jones would pick it up and be delighted.

  When I got back to the Foster home I walked into a whole pile of trouble.

  Chapter 10

  When I got back to the Foster home you could have cut the atmosphere with a knife. Talk about tension. Mrs Foster had her three daughters standing in a line in the library and was scolding them terribly. Please remember at this point that Rachel was twenty-three, Ruth nineteen and Hannah eighteen. By the standards of my world they were all adults but they stood dutifully there, heads down, being scolded without any attempt to defend themselves. I was going to slip past and head off to my room but Mrs Foster caught a glimpse of me and shouted, "Sarah Watson, where do you think you're going?"

  I stopped and replied politely, "To my room Mrs Foster."

  "Oh no you don't. You're late back young lady..." Young lady! Me? She sounded as if she was talking to a stroppy teenager. "It doesn't take all that time to walk back from your office. I know you young women. Consorting with a man I have no doubt."

  "No!" I blurted it out before I could think of a diplomatic reply. I had of course spent time buying a newspaper and reading it over a tea in the café but I could hardly say that.

  "Don't you 'no' me like that. You young women have no sense of decency these days. When your father..." she checked herself and added, nodding at me, "and your guardian gets back, I shall be telling him about this. Now you can all go to your rooms and wait until dinner time."

  We trudged up the stairs like naughty schoolchildren; when we got up to the landing I checked back to make sure she wasn't in the hall and hissed, "What on earth was all that about?"

  We stood in a knot on the landing while Rachel explained they wanted to go to a play. Yes, that was it, a play! Shakespeare might have been alright but this was a modern play. In every society artists and writers have led the way in bringing change and it seemed the Theocracy was no exception and plays were often suspect. Plays were banned in the Foster household, but the three girls planned to go to a play in secret, except Mum found out. As she was already well and truly annoyed I also copped it by being a bit late. I asked what was the likely outcome for their 'crime' and was told it would be a penance. Penance was of course another name for corporal punishment.

  Hannah and Ruth were wary of further trouble so went to their rooms and shut their doors but Rachel it transpired was feeling rebellious. She led me to her room and whispered how it was just a comedy (Oh, no, Vicar) about a hapless vicar who kept having disasters.

  "I am sick of all this silliness," she grumbled. "My parents want to marry me to Giles Coppard. He's forty, Sarah; a widower, a bigot and a pompous idiot. They think it a good match but fortunately that's one thing no one can make me do. Father thinks he can negotiate a deal like it was business of some sort. Well, I am not marrying Giles. Plus, I want to go to plays, wear make-up and stop acting like a dress at knee length is next to being a wanton."

  I was astonished. Rachel appeared submissive on the surface but underneath she was all smouldering rebellion ready to erupt at any moment. I was blunt. "Rachel, on Earth Nine at your age those would be considered entirely reasonable things. You could marry, or not, as you chose... divorce too if you wanted. You could have your own career, as I did, and wear whatever clothes you liked including short skirts and trousers. I think too much make-up silly but you could do that and watch whatever you wanted while wearing it. My society has problems, and I think every society does, but women are certainly free compared to this one."

  "Could your father cane you for wanting to go to a play?"

  I laughed. "My father couldn't cane me for anything at any age. It is illegal in Britain and in fact in most countries. Will your dad do that to you?"

  "Oh yes, and you too. Mum complained about you and he will be duty bound to chastise you."

  I was horrified. I had done nothing but this weird society didn't see it like that. We sat commiserating with each other for a while but then I felt it safer for us both to go quietly up to my room. So, I was going to be caned. Great! I was really earning my passage to Earth Eight. When it was time for dinner we all went down. There was little conversation at dinner. I was asked about my day and explained how I had risen swiftly to the top floor. Mrs Foster gasped with horror when I told them Anton Field had shaken my hand; she tutted and commented about standards falling and practically went purple when I said he'd given me coffee and chatted to me. I've noticed that often women are the very worst when it comes to keeping their own sex in submission. Mr Foster didn't seem bothered by what Anton Field had done.

  The talk over coffee was very stilted indeed and it was almost a relief when we were sent to get ready for penance and bed. Rachel seemed certain I was also going to get caned. It seemed that my bottom was never safe here on Earth Zero but I'd never so much as been smacked growing up. It was soon time for prayers and penance. Sat once again in my nightdress my bottom tingled constantly at the thought of what was to come. I still hoped Rachel was wrong but it wasn't a great hope. The chest was once again in the centre with the bamboo cane and strap resting on it.

  The Bible reading was long and tedious and I drifted off into my own thoughts. The prayers were much the same as the day before with me mumbling unthinking 'Amens' when the others did. Finally, it was time for penance.

  Mr Foster sounded grave. "My dear, I believe you have concerns about the behaviour of the girls."

  "Yes husband, and I would be failing in my duty if I were not to draw them to your attention. Our three daughters were secretly arranging to go and visit a play."

  The way she said this sounded how my mum might have sounded telling my dad I was on heroin and selling my body to pay for it.

  "What was the play?"

  Mrs Foster was going to answer but Rachel chimed in, "It was just a comedy about a silly vicar who keeps making mistakes. Some families are going together."

  Now I expected Mr Foster to get all outraged but he just nodded and I had a strong intuition that he knew the play and didn't think going to see it that awful. Instead he said mildly, "Your secrecy is not acceptable." Rachel went all quiet and hung her head. Then he turned to me, "Were you part of this?"

  "No Mr Foster. I knew nothing about it until I got back here after work."

  He nodded again and turned to his wife who said, "Sarah was late back after work. I suspect she was seeing a man without our knowledge."

  "Well?" he asked, staring hard at me.

  Now I was in a difficult position. I couldn't reveal what I was really doing. I was undercover but I certainly wasn't going to make a false confession. "I admit I dallied on the way back. It was the first bit of freedom I've had here. I stopped at a café and had tea and read a newspaper. I did not so much as speak to a man." See how truthful I was.... Lies must be firmly grounded in truth.

  "But you were rude and shouted at me," Mrs Foster interrupted.

  "Yes, I was abrupt. I was shocked at the accusation. It upset me."

  We all looked at Mr Foster and I could see he was torn. He wanted to, indeed must, support his wife even if he thought we were all relatively innocent. I could see him make a political decision: support his wife but not give a severe punishment. Well severe is of course subjective. "You will each get twe
nty strokes of the cane." The strokes he gave were not hard, it was more the number of repetitions that made it a punishment. He'd given Hannah around forty the day before so twenty was mild. Mark you the girls had been punished only yesterday so it would be on already sore bottoms.

  I know you will have expected me to be outraged and protest but I didn't have it in me. Life in Earth Zero was, for a woman, filled with corporal punishment. From getting spanked by your father, through getting spanked by your husband, right through to those public spankings which weren't actually brutal but simply humiliating. Mr Foster was my guardian and, however ridiculous and sexist it might seem, had a perfect right to chastise me for coming in late and being abrupt with Mrs Foster. I suspected Mrs Foster was going to get her own spanking later for being unreasonable but that wouldn't save my bottom.

  My thoughts were interrupted by his saying, "Hannah." Hannah sighed and stood lifting her nightdress up and bunching it around her middle. She didn't have to hand him the strap (which had been put to one side) or the cane. He must have picked those up himself while I was thinking. Now he stood swishing the cane through the air while Hannah exposed herself and, kneeling, lent right over the chest gripping the other side. He pulled her nightdress up a little more and then without a word began caning her.

  I felt very guilty about watching but it is so hard not to look. Her bare bottom rippled away from the cane when it struck her and she yelped. The marks from the caning she had the evening before were still clearly there and now there was a fresh red line. Poor Hannah yelped each time the cane struck and I now saw, what I hadn't really noticed before, that Mr Foster caned in a neat block. All the cane strokes landed in neat straight lines and from top mark to the lowest was no more than three inches. They didn't land with huge force but the repetitions all in a small space became very painful and Hannah's yelps became louder and she wriggled around increasingly. When the last one landed Hannah had a three-inch-wide block of nasty looking welts and bruises... the consequence of two canings in two days. She was crying freely but, after kissing her father's cheek, was made to sit which she did slowly and carefully. As Ruth went up Hannah was already wriggling uncomfortably in her seat.